thereto belongeth and calleth in question the immortalitie of the soule except you will say it is a facultie whereof the soule hath no part being common with brute beastes which carieth with it these absurdities First this facultie must needs haue her seate either in soule or bodie if it be not in soule then in bodie if in bodie then should the instrument possesse the facultie which is as one would attribute the facultie of the harmonie to the harp and the writing to the pen and not to the scriuener esteeming the skilfull harps and skilfull pens which are dead instruments and haue no being of motion in them selues Now middle subiect is there none whereto this facultie should fall except we will vainly and against reason and philosophie admit mo soules then one in our bodies Againe to place any facultie otherwise then of disposition and aptnesse in the bodie without the soule were to disturb the vniforme gouernment and that oeconomicall order wherby our nature is ruled in placing mo commanders then one So we see howe age and course of times affect the bodie not only by alteration of facultie as it should seeme but also by breeding new Nowe the order of life region and diet seeme to presse the matter further and as it were to turne the mind about with euerie blast of corporall chaunge We may obserue the nature of mariners occupied in the sea surges who haue their maners not much vnlike framed tempestuous and stormie likewise the villager who busieth him selfe about his plow and cattell only hath his wits of no higher conceit butchers acquainted with slaughter are accōpted therby to be of a more cruell disposition and therefore amongst vs are discharged from iuries of life death these experiences maintaine the quarel against the vnmoueable and vnchaungeable facultie of the soule whereof I haue before made mention Howe region and aire make demonstration of the same the comparison of the gentle and constant aire of Asia with the sharpe vnstable of Europe doth declare vnto vs wherby the Asians are milde and gentle vnfitte for warre and giuen to subiection the Europians naturally rough hardie stearne right martiall impes and harder to be subdued and raunged vnder obedience and of the same region such people as inhabite places barren open and dry and subiect to mutabilitie of weather are more fierce bolder sharp and obstinate in opinion then people of contrary habitation Neither hath diet lesse part in this case of affecting the soule then the rest for we see howe the chearfull fruite of the vine maketh the hart merie and giueth with moderation vsed an edge of wit and quicknesse to the spirits and those nourishmentes that are moyst grosse and not firmely compacted aggrauateth the vnderstanding and maketh the conceit blunt and disableth much the faculties of the minde which a thinner drier and more subtile foode doth entertaine To these obiectiōs may be added what alteration of minde diuersitie of complexion excesse of the foure humours choler fleume bloud and melancholie do procure not only to the affections as sanguine cheerefulnesse melancholicke sadnesse fleume heauinesse choler anger but to the wits and such faculties as approch nigher to the soueraigne partes of our nature the mind it selfe as choler procureth rashnesse and vnaduisednesse with mobilitie vnstablenesse of purpose melancholie contrarily pertinacie with aduised deliberatiō sanguine simplicitie and fleume flat foolishnesse and these are so farre as my memory serueth me all that is wonted to be obiected from the state of our bodies being in health against the perpetuall immoueable tranquillitie of our minds and immortall vnchaungeable and incorruptible faculties therof which all in the next Chapter I will satisfie with full aunswer nowe a fewe wordes touching the perturbarions and alterations through sicknesse and so will I ende this Chapter and in the next proceede to seuerall aunswers I my selfe haue obserued it diuerse times not onely perturbation of minde to arise by certaine diseases whereby it fancieth and reasoneth disorderly but some faculties euen amended by the same neither faculties of base action as for the eye to see clearer after an inflammation and conuulsions to be helped by agues and in feuers the hearing more quicke then before and the smelling more subtile and in phrenticke persons the strength doubled vpō them but also euen apprehension more perfect and memory amended and deliuerance of tale more free and eloquent without all comparison which are actions of the greatest organical practises of the mind in such sort that I haue knowen children languishing of the splene obstructed and altered in temper talke with grauitie and wisedome surpassing those tender yeares and their iudgement carying a maruelous imitation of the wisedome of the ancient hauing after a sorte attained that by disease which other haue by course of yeares whereupon I take it the prouerbe ariseth that they be of short life who are of wit so pregnant because their bodies do receaue by nature so speedie a ripenesse as thereby age is hastened through a certaine temper of their bodies either the whole or in some animall part which ripenesse as in other creatures it easily yeeldeth to rottennesse so in our nature that speedy maturitie hasteth to declination and sooner decayeth Thus for your full satisfying I haue called to minde such obiections as do chiefly giue checke vnto that which I haue propounded touching the passions which the body chargeth the soule with now shall you vnderstand the solution clearing of these doubts If you will descend into the consideration of the effectes of poisons in our natures as of henbane coriander hemlock night shade and such like they will giue greater euidence vnto that which these obiections import by which the mind seemeth greatly to be altered quite put beside the reasonable vse of her ingenerate faculties during the force of the poysons which being maistred or at least rebated by cōuenient remedies it recouereth those gifts whero fit was in daunger to suffer wracke before and if it be true which Plato affirmeth that cōmon wealths alter by change of musicke what stablenesse shall we account in the mind which is in this sort subiect to euery blast of chaunge CHAP. XII The aunswere to the former obiections and of the simple facultie of the soule and only organicall of spirite and bodie THESE doubtes before mentioned I will answere in such order as they were in the former chapter obiected beginning with those alterations which the soule seemeth to sustaine from the bodie while it enioyeth health and good state of all his partes of which sorte age yeares first inferre against vs. For the generall aunswere whereof as also for the rest we are to hold two pointes as vnfallible before mentioned the one is the simple faculty of the minde and the other the organicall vse only of the body and spirite which two groundes before I enter into the particular disciphiring of the obiections I will first establish
A TREATISE OF MELANCHOLIE CONTAINING THE CAVSES thereof reasons of the strange effects it worketh in our minds and bodies with the phisicke cure and spirituall consolation for such as haue thereto adioyned an afflicted conscience The difference betwixt it and melancholie with diuerse philosophicall discourses touching actions and affections of soule spirit and body the particulars whereof are to be seene before the booke By T. Bright Doctor of Phisicke ANCHORA SPEI Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautrollier dwelling in the Black-Friers 1586. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVL M. PETER OSBOVRNE c. OF all other practise of phisick that parte most cōmendeth the excellēcy of the noble facultie which not only releeueth the bodily infirmity but after a sort euen also correcteth the infirmities of the mind For the instrument of reason the braine being either not of well tempered substance or disordered in his parts all exercise of wisedome is hindred and where once vnderstanding lodged wit memorie quick conceit kept residence and the excellencie of man appeareth aboue all other creatures there vnconsiderate iudgement simplicitie foolishnes make their seat and as it were dispossessing reason of her watch tower subiecteth the nature of man vnto the annoyance of infinite calamities that force vpō vs in the course of this fraile life baseth it farre vnder the condition of brute beasts The heart the seate of affection and neither immoderate in temper nor in figure or quantitie otherwise disposed then is expedient for good action the seate of temperancie of iustice of fortitude and liberalitie dayly practice of phisicke sheweth how much it is disposed and framed to mediocritie of affection wherin vertue consisteth by such meanes as nature ministreth the phisitian hir great steward according to her will dispenseth where need requireth in so much that what reason bringeth to passe by perswasion and counsell that medicine and other helpes of that kinde seeme to worke by instinct of nature The dayly experience of phrensies madnesse lunasies and melancholy cured by this heauenly gift of God make manifest demonstration hereof The notable fruit successe of which art in that kinde hath caused some to iudge more basely of the soule then agreeth with pietie or nature haue accompted all maner affection thereof to be subiect to the phisicians hād not considering herein any thing diuine and aboue the ordinarie euents and naturall course of thinges but haue esteemed the vertues thē selues yea religion no other thing but as the body hath ben tempered and on the other side vice prophanenesse neglect of religion and honestie to haue bene nought else but a fault of humour For correcting the iudgemēt of such as so greatly mistake the matter and partly for the vse of many that may neede instruction and counsel in the state of melancholy affection of braine and hart wold haue both to satisfie their owne doubts and to answer the prophane obiections of others I haue taken this paines to confute the absurde errour of the one to satisfie the reasonable and modest inquiry of the other that seek to be enformed I haue layd open howe the bodie and corporall things affect the soule how the body is affected of it againe what the difference is betwixt natural melancholie and that heauy hande of God vpon the afflicted conscience tormented with remorse of sinne feare of his iudgement with a Christian resolutiō according to my skill for such as faint vnder that heauie burthen And that I might to the vttermost of my endeuor as other businesse wold permit me comfort thē in that estate most comfortles I haue added mine aduise of phisicke helpe what diet what medicine and what other remedie is meete for persons oppressed with melancholie feare that kind of heauinesse of hart I haue enterlaced my treatise besides with disputes of Philosophie that the learned sort of them and such as are of quicke conceit delited in discourse of reason in naturall things may find to passe their time with and knowe the grounds and reasons of their passions without which they might receaue more discomfort and greater cause of error This I haue deliuered in a simple phrase without any cost or port of words to a supposed frend M. not ignorant of good letters that the discourse might be more familiar then if it had caried other direction it otherwise would be Chaunge the letter and it is indifferent to whome soeuer standeth in need or shal make vse thereof I write it in our mother tong that the benefit how small soeuer it be might be more common as the practise of all auncient philosophers hath ben to write in their owne language their precepts whether concerning nature or touching maners of life to the end their countrey men might reape the benefite with more ease and seeke rather for sound iudgement of vnderstanding then for vaine ostentation of strange tongs which is also after a sort followed in translations so I tooke it meetest to impart these fewe poyntes of philosophie phisicke in English to the end our people as other natiōs do might acquaint them selues with some part of this kinde rather then with other friuolous discourses neither profitable to vse nor delectable to the vertuous and well disposed minde This my slender endeuour I dedicate to your name right worshipfull M. Osbourne to whom besides I am particularly beholdinge your good fauouring of vertue and learning in certaine of my acquaintance of the best marke hath moued me to geue this signification howe readie learning is to honor her fauorers she hath many daughters and they be all knit in loue betwixt thē there is neither enuie nor iealousie where one is honored and receiueth entertainment there all congratulate without detraction and euen as in a darke night one star breaking out of a thicke cloude though it be but small deliuereth a farre more cheerfull and comfortable light then if it shone with many in a cleere euening so this vertue hath the more grace beauty in you insomuch as almost all such planets haue a long time either bene whollie eclipsed or quite fallē out of their spheres to the great discōforte of such as trauaile in this kinde of night workes and busie thē selues at the lamps and are carefull to vpholde with perplexed studie the society of mankinde by learning and instruction There be a fewe that shine with you their honor grounded vpō vertue shal stād for euer the Muses and the Charites haue their names in perpetuall record and I a seruant of theirs in their names performe this duetie vnto you in this sorte as I haue declared Fare you well from litle S. Bartlemewes by Smithfield the 23 of May. 1586. A louer of your vertue T. Bright TO HIS MELANcholicke friend M. ALTHOVGH deare M. your letter full of heauines and vncomfortable plaintes hath in such sort affected me that as it faireth vvith a true harted friend your affliction dravveth me into
the fellovvship of your mournefull estate VVherby I am faine to call for such supporte as reason ministreth to vvisemen and am compelled as it vvere to put bit into the mouth of my ouer vehement affection and giue checke as much as my strength serueth vnto my passion somevvhat in this behalfe vnruly Yet albeit our cases are not equall in so much as the griefe is not so sensible to me as to your selfe vvhome it hath I perceiue entred to the quick not onely of bodely sense but hath passed deeper and fretted the tender sinevves of the soule and spirite yet I say for asmuch as such is the gracious prouidence of our God and the manifold graces of his bountifull hand vnto men that scarce appeareth any calamity but if time be taken and opportunitie laid holde on helpe and release doth as readely present it selfe to the comforte of such as trauaile vnder the burthen as affliction is readie to charge them and considering on vvhome this kinde of crosse is fallen vpon a man exercised in the studie of pietie and a practiser of the same and one not ignorant of the preceptes of philosophie vvherby vvordly men and such as are destitute of the knovvledge of God stay themselues in such cases vvhich as it serueth them but slenderly and is but a readen staffe to beare vp so heauy a burthen being othervvise voide and vnfurnished of the heauenly grace so may such philosophicall and humaine preceptes and consideration of naturall causes and euentes stande him in steade vvho resteth not vvholly there on but leaneth vpon the maine pillar of Gods promises of mercy and grace and vvaighteth vvith patiēce the appointed time of his release These considerations to be seene in you giue me consolation and the rather inable me to comforte you my deare friēd vvhose soule I perceiue pāteth vvith heat of that flame vvhich most nigh you say in your feeling approcheth vnto those tormentes described vvher the vvorm dieth not and the fire goeth not out vvhereof although you seeme presently to feele the anguish for a time yet haue comfort and attend the happie issue vvhich doubtles is your raising vp againe and more high aduauncement into the assurance of Gods loue and fauour For as of all mettalls gold is tried vvith most vehement heate and abideth the oftenest hamering of vvorkemen for the refyning vvhich being once fyned serueth for the seate of the Diamond and for matter of precious vessels to the royall furniture of the tables of potentates and princes so novv euen that heauenly refiner holdeth you in this hote flame for a time till being purified and cleared from that drosse of sinne vvhich cleaueth so fast to our degenerat nature you may make hereafter a more glorious vessell for his seruice and honour of his heauenly maiestie Your request is not onely that I should minister vnto you vvhat my slender skill either in diuinitie or phisicke may afford but that I vvould at large declare vnto you the nature of melancholie vvhat causeth it vvhat effectes it vvorketh hovv cured and farther to lay open vvhatsoeuer may serue for the knovvledge thereof vvith such companions of feare sadnes desperation teares vveeping sobbing sighing as follovv that mournefull traine yea ofte times vnbrideled laughter rising not from any comforte of the heart or gladnes of spirit but from a disposition in such sorte altered as by errour of conceite that gesture is in a counterfet maner bestovved vpon that disagreeing passion vvhose nature is rather to extinguish it selfe vvith teares then assvvaged by the svveete breath of chearefulnes othervvise to receiue refreshing This your request chargeth me vvith that vvhereto if my skill reacheth not yet my good vvill and prompt minde both in respect of your estate vvhose griefe I pitty and desire to mitigate and the complaintes of diuerse others also in like case oppressed dravve me that both they you knovving the groūds of these passions vvhat parte nature hath in the tragedie and vvhat conscience of sinne driueth vnto vvhat difference betvvixt them hovv one nourisheth another hovv ech riseth and the seuerall meanes both of preuenting and cure of ech the desperate discouragementes vvhich rise vnto bodie and minde thus afflicted may be at the least mitigated and some light giuen to the soule stumbling in the darke midnight of ignorance and refreshing to the comforteles hearte distracted vvith a thousand doubtes and pensiue thoughtes of dispaire vvherin according to your request I haue copiously entreated of these pointes that both you might be the more comforted and satisfied by plentie of discourse being a matter fitting your humor and pertinent to your present estate you might haue vvherevvith to passe the tedious time vvith more contentmēt Therefore as your griefe vvill giue leaue and respitt thereto you may here knovv and learne that vvhich you desire to knovv in this case vvhereof if by Gods blessing you may make vse to your cōfort I shall ioye in my paines and you against other times of tryall by this experience may haue cause of more hope of release and comfort in heauines then through the terrour of this straunge affliction you presently feele THE CONTENTES OF the booke according to the Chapters HOw diuerslie the word melancholy is takē Cap. 1. pag. 1. The causes of naturall melancholie and of the excesse thereof Cap. 2. pag. 4. Whether good nourishmente breede melancholie by fault of the bodie turning it into melancholie whether such humour is founde in nourishmentes or rather is made of them Cap. 3. pag. 7. The aunswer to obiections made against the breeding of melancholicke humour out of nourishment Cap. 4. pag. 10. A more particular and farther answer to the former obiections Cap. 5. pag. 22. The causes of the increase excesse of the melancholicke humour Cap. 6. pag. 25. Of the melancholicke excrement Cap. 7. pag. 31. What burnt choller is and the causes thereof Cap. 8. pag. 32. How melancholie worketh fearfull passions in the mind Cap. 9. pag. 33. How the body affecteth the soule Cap. 10. pag. 39. Obiections against the manner howe the bodie affecteth the soule with answer thereunto Cap. 11. pag. 49. A farther aunswer to the former obiections and of the simple facultie of the soule and onely organicall of spirit and bodie Cap. 12. pag. 55. Howe the soule by one simple facultie perfourmeth so manie and diuerse actions Cap. 13. pag. 67. The particular answers to the obiections made in the 11. Chap. Cap. 14. pag. 72. Whether perturbations rise of humor or not with a diuision of the perturbations Cap. 15. pag. 80. Whether perturbations which are not moued by outward occasions rise of humour or not and how Cap 16. pag. 90. How melācholy procureth feare sadnes dispaire and such other passions Cap. 17. pag. 101 Of the vnnatural melācholy rising by adustion how it affecteth vs with diuerse passions Cap. 18. pag. 110. How sicknes and yeares seeme to alter the mind and the cause how the soule
naturall melancholie both iuyce and excrement It remaineth next to shewe what that humour is which riseth of this or anie else corrupted called also by the name of melancholie CHAP. VIII VVhat burnt Choler is and the causes thereof THAT kinde of melancholie which is called Atra bilis riseth by excessiue heate of such partes where it is engendred or receiued wherby the humour is so adust as it becommeth of such an exulcerating and fretting qualitie that it wasteth those partes where it lighteth this most commonly riseth of the melancholie excrement before said and diuerse times of the other thicke parte of blood as also of Choler and salt fleame which take such heate partely by distemper of the bodie and partly by putrefaction that thereby a humor riseth breeding most terrible accidentes to the minde and painefull to the bodie which the melancholicke and grosse bloud doth more forcibly procure in that that anie heate the grosser the substance is wherein it is receaued the more fiercely it consumeth whereupon the seacole giueth more vehement heate then charcole and the cole then the flame and a cauterie of hote yron then a burning firebrand Otherwise choler being by nature of the hotest temper carieth with it more qualitie of heat then the other but by reason the substance of the humor is more subtle and rare the lesse it appeareth as the heat of a flame in comparison of the other more speedily passeth Hitherto haue I declared vnto you all the kinds of melancholy and causes of ech of them hereafter you shall vnderstand how they worke these fearefull effectes in the mind wherby the hart is made heauie the spirites dulled the cheerfull countenance altered into mourning and life it selfe which the nature of all thinges most desireth made tedious vnto persons thus afflicted CHAP. IX Howe melancholie worketh fearefull passions in the mind BEFORE I declare vnto you how this humor afflicteth the minde first it shall be necessarie for you to vnderstand what the familiaritie is betwixt mind and bodie howe it affecteth it and how it is affected of it againe You knowe God first created all things subiect to the course of times and corruption of the earth after that hee had distinguished the confused masse of things into the heauens the foure elements This earth he had endued with a fecunditie of infinite seeds of all things which he commaunded it as a mother to bring forth and as it is most agreable to their nature to entertaine with nourishment that which it had borne brought forth whereby when he had all the furniture of this inferiour world of these creatures some he fixed there still and maintaineth the seedes till the end of all things and that determinate time which he hath ordained for the emptying of those seedes of creatures which he first indued the earth withall Other some that is to say the animals he drewe wholly from the earth at the beginning and planted seede in them onely and food from other creatures as beasts and man in respect of his body the difference only this that likely it is mans body was made of purer mould as a most pretious tabernacle and temple wherin the image of God should afterward be inshrined and being formed as it were by Gods proper hand receaued a greater dignitie of beauty and proportion and stature erect therby to be put in mind whither to direct the religious seruice of his Creator This tabernacle thus wrought as the grosse part yeelded a masse for the proportion to be framed of so had it by the blessing of God before inspired a spirituall thing of greater excellencie then the redde earth which offered it self to the eye onely This is that which Philosophers call the spirit which spirit so prepareth that worke to the receauing of the soule that with more agrement the soule and bodie haue growne into acquaintance and is ordained of God as it were a true loue knot to couple heauen earth together yea a more diuine nature then the heauens with a base clod of earth which otherwise would neuer haue growen into societie and hath such indifferent affection vnto both that it is to both equally affected and communicateth the bodie and corporall things with the mind and spirituall and intelligible things after a sort with the bodie sauing sometimes by vehemencie of eithers actiō they seeme to be distracted and the minde to neglect the bodie and the bodie and bodilie actions common with other creatures to refuse as it were for a moment that communitie wherby it commeth to passe that in vehement contemplations men see not that which is before their eyes neither heare though noyse be at the ayre and sound nor feele which at other time such bent of the minde being remitted they should perceaue the sence of with pleasure or paine This spirit is the chiefe instrument and immediate whereby the soule bestoweth the exercises of her facultie in her bodie that passeth to and fro in a moment nothing in swiftnesse nimblenesse being comparable thereunto which when it is depraued by anie occasion either rising from the bodie or by other meanes then becometh it an instrument vnhansome for performance of such actiōs as require the vse therof and so the minde seemeth to be blame worthy wherein it is blamelesse and fault of certaine actions imputed thereunto wherein the bodie and this spirite are rather to be charged thinges corporall and earthly the one in substance and the other in respect of that mixture wherewith the Lord tempered the whole masse in the beginning And that you may haue greater assurance in reason of this corporall inclination of spirit consider how it is nourished and with more euidence it shal so appeare vnto you It is maintained by nourishments whether they be of the vegetable or animall kind which creatures affoord not only their corporall substance but a spirituall matter also wherewith euerie nourishment more or lesse is indued this spirit of theirs is as similitude of nature more nighly approcheth altered more speedely or with larger trauell of nature Of all things of ordinarie vse the most speedy alteration is of wine which in a moment repaireth our spirits and reuiueth vs againe being spent with heauinesse or any otherwise whatsoeuer our naturall spirites being diminished which bread and flesh doth in longer time being of slower passage and their spirites not so subtile or at least fettered as it were in a more grosse bodie and without this spirit no creature could giue vs sustentation For it is a knot to ioyne both our soules and bodies together so nothing of other nature can haue corporall coniunction with vs except their spirites with ours first growe into acquaintance which is more speedily done a great deale then the increase of the firme substance which you may euidently perceaue in that we are ready to faint for want of foode after a litle taken into the stomach of refreshing before any concoction can be halfe
reformed the strength returneth and the spirit reuiueth and sufficient contentment seemeth to be giuen to nature which notwithstanding not fully so satisfied prepareth farther the aliment of firme substance and spirits of purer sort for the continuall supply of those ingenerate for sence motion life nourishment Nowe although these spirites rise from earthly creatures yet are they more excellent then earth or the earthie parts of those natures from which they are drawne and rise from that diuine influence of life and are not of them selues earthie neither yet comparable in purenesse excellencie vnto that breath of life wherewith the Lord made Adam a liuing soule which proceeded not from any creature that he had before made as the life of beasts and trees but immediatly from him selfe representing in some part the character of his image So then these three we haue in our nature to consider distinct for the clearer vnderstanding of that I am to intreate of the bodie of earth the spirit from vertue of that spirit which did as it were hatch that great egge of Chaos the foule inspired from God a nature eternall and diuine not fettered with the bodie as certaine Philosophers haue taken it but handfasted therwith by that golden claspe of the spirit whereby one till the predestinate time be expired and the bodie become vnmeet for so pure a spouse ioyeth at and taketh liking of the other Nowe as it is not possible to passe from one extreme to an other but by a meane and no meane is there in the nature of man but spirit by this only the bodie affecteth the mind and the bodie and spirits affected partly by disorder and partly through outward occasions minister discontentment as it were to the mind and in the ende breake that bande of fellowship wherewith they were both linked together This affecting of the minde I vnderstand not to be any empairing of the nature thereof or decay of any facultie therein or shortning of immortality or any such infirmitie inflicted vpon the soule from the bodie for it is farre exempt from all such alteration but such a disposition and such discontentment as a false stringed lute giueth to the musician or a rough and euill fashioned pen to the cunning writer which only obscureth the shew of either art and nothing diminisheth of that facultie which with better instruments would fully content the eye with a faire hand satisfie the eare with most pleasant and delectable harmonie Otherwise the soule receaueth no hurt from the bodie it being spirituall and voyde of all passion of corporall thinges and the other grosse earthie and farre vnable to annoy a nature of such excellencie CHAP. X. How the bodie affecteth the soule IN this sorte then are you to conceiue me touching those actions which the bodie seemeth to offer violence to the soule in that no alteration of substance or nature can rise there from nor anie blemish of naturall facultie or decaye of such qualities as are essentiall vnto the soule otherwise might it in the end perish and destroy that immortall nature which can not by anie meanes decaie but by the same power which created it But thus onely doe as I may so call them passions force the soule eueÌ„ through the euill disposed instrument of the bodie they depraue the most excellent and most perfect actions whereto the soule is bent in the whole order of mans nature and by corruption of the Spirites which should be the sacred band of vnitie cause such mislike as the soule without that mediation disdaineth the bodies longer fellowship and betaketh it selfe to that contemplation whereto it is by nature inclyned and giueth ouer the grosse and mechanicall actions of the bodie whereto by order of creation it was allotted in the earthly tabernacle But you wil say vnto me experience seemeth to declare a further passion of the soule from the bodie then I mention for we see what issues bodelie thinges and the bodie it selfe driue our mindes vnto as some kinde of musicke to heauines other some to chearefulnes other some to compassion other some to rage other to modestie and other to wantonnes likewise of visible thinges certayne sturre vs to indignation and disdayne and other to contentednes and good liking In like manner certaine natures takeÌ„ inward moue vs to mirth as wyne and other to heauines some to rage furie and frensie and other some to dulnes heauines of spirite as certaine poysones in both kinds do manifest these passions vnto vs besides such as rise of our humours bredde in our owne bodies which may be reasons to one not well aduised so to mistake these effectes of corporall thinges as though the soule receiued farther impression not onely in affection but also in vnderstanding then I haue vnto you mentioned for satisfying of you in which doubtes you are diligently to consider what I shall declare concerning the seuerall actions of bodie soule and spirite and how each one of these performeth their actions which must be kept distinct for better vnderstanding of that I shall hereafter in this discourse lay open vnto you And first concerning the actions of the soule you remember how it was first made by inspiration from God himselfe a creature immortall proceeding from the eternall with whome there is no mortality The end of this creation was that being vnited to the bodely substance raised and furnished with corporall faculties from the earth commoÌ„ with other liuing creatures there might rise a creature of middle nature betwixt Angels beastes to glorifie his name This the soule doth by two kindes of actions the one kinde is such as it exerciseth seperated from the bodie which are contemplations of God in such measure as he is by naturall instinct opened vnto it with reuereÌ„t recognisaunce of such blessinges as by creation it is endued with Next vnto God whatsoeuer within compasse of her conceite is immortall without tediousnes or trauell and with spiritual ioye incoÌ„parable These actioÌ„s she is busied with in this life so long as she inhabiteth her earthly tabernacle neither in such perfection nor yet so freely as she doth seperated and the knot loosed betwixt her and the body being withdraweÌ„ by actions exercised with corporall instrument of baset sort These are the other kinde which the soule by the creators law is subiect vnto for the continuance of the creature and maintenance of the whole nature with dueties thereto belonging animall vitall naturall and whatsoeuer mixed requireth ioyntly â—ll three as this corporall praising of God for his goodnes and praying vnto him for necessities releeuing our brothers want and defending him from wrong with euerie ones seuerall vocation wherein his peculiar charge lyeth whether it be in peace or in warre at home or abroade with our countrymen or with straungers in our owne famelies or with our neighbours whether it be superiority of commaudement or duety of obedieÌ„ce which differ in degree as they be nigher or farther
of the actions peculiar to the soule or communicate more or lesse with them If you say vnto me how commeth it to passe that the soule being of so single and diuine a nature as the creation manifestly sheweth intermedleth with so grosse actions as are common not onely with bruite beastes as sense motion and appetite but euen also with natures of farre inferiour condition as plantes and mineralls whereby it seemeth that either the soule is not of such excellency as in truth it is or else that our nature consisteth of three soules to which seuerall faculties and actions are alotted By deeper consideration of the nature of the soule this obiectiō may be easily aunswered The soule as the substance therof is most pure and perfect and far of remoued from corruption so it is endued with faculties of like qualitie pure immortall and answerable to so diuine a subiect carrieth with it an instinct science gotten neither by precept nor practise but naturally therewith furnished whereby it is able with one vniuersall and simple facultie to performe so many varieties of actions as the instrument by which it performeth them carrieth an apt inclination thereto as the brayne being an instrument of conceite it therewith conceiueth the eye to see it seeth the eare to heare it heareth and so the instrument of smelling and taste wanting nothing of their naturall disposition the soule smelleth with discerneth tasts which otherwise disposed it can not shewe that ingenerate instinct by outward senses the faculty yet notwithstanding remayning entyre and vntouched I say the facultie and not faculties For if we plant so many faculties in the soule as there be outward and inward actions performed by vs it certainely could not be simple but needes must receiue varietie of composition to aunswer so many faculties as we see insensible creatures which as they worke diuersly so haue they diuerse varieties of substance of which sort among many other is Aloe Rhubarb and diuers simples that with one parte of their substance loose and open and with the other stoppe and staie the same also is sensible in colewortes and Cabages and in the substance of shell fisbes whose decoction looseth the bodie and procureth soliblenes their substance being of a quite contrary operation which riseth of a diuerse tēpered substance in one nature compounded of such varietie whereof as the soule together vniforme is voide so can it not possesse any variety of facultie This if it seeme straunge vnto you considering the diuerse sorts of actions and the vnlikelines of performance of so many and so diuerse I will as I may in a matter so difficult aboue the reach of any similitude of visible creature except it selfe only by comparison make the assertion more plaine Compare the skill of painting with this simple and vniforme faculty of the soule the faculty is simple and one and yet cold Apelles therewith vse both the grosse the small pensill he could draw a line euident to the eye a farre of and so subtle that scarse might it be discerned nigh at hand he could applie himselfe by his vniforme faculty to all the parts of Venus beauty otherwise must it of necessitie follow that so many instrumentes of painting as he vsed so many kinds of lines as he could draw and so many partes as he could counterfet the eye the nose the mouth c so many sundry faculties of painting had he which to a man not destitute of the facultie of reason must needes seeme most absurd The same appeareth in the art of musick which being attayned vnto but one facultie yet is it the same in all the kindes of moodes variety of tune and time although the practise be diuerse Euen so the soule hath a faculty one single and essentiall notwithstanding so many and sundry partes are performed in the organicall bodies as we dayly put in practise neither is it hereof to be gathered that the soule affordeth no mo actions then there be instruments for both her proper actions require none and the other common with the bodye by diuerse vsing and applying of the same instrumēt are manifold and sundry and the more sundry the more generall the instrument is and pliable to diuerse vses euen so as the soule in organicall actions vseth one and the selfe same instrument to chaungeable offices likewise being separated from the body although the faculty be one it also exerciseth of her selfe without instrument from one faculty diuers dueties And thus haue you my opiniō touching the actions of the soule either considered seperate or cōioyned with the body and being ioyned therunto such as it exerciseth of it selfe or by those organicall meanes as the body affordeth it remaineth next to entreate of the spirite and of the bodie with their seuerall actions Of such organes as the soule vseth for instrumentall actions some are of substance nature most quick rare and subtile other some grosse slow earthy more or lesse The subtile instrument is the spirite which is the most vniuersall instrument of the soule and embraceth at ful so farre as bodely vses require al the vniuersall faculty wherwith the soule is indued and directeth it and guideth it vnto more particular instruments for more speciall and priuate vses as to the eye to see with to the eare to heare to the nose to smell to the bowells stomack and liuer to nourish to the heart to maintaine life and to other partes to the end of propagation this is all performed by the selfe same one and single spirite If you demaunde whereof this spirite is made I take it to be an effectuall and pregnāt substāce bred in all thinges at what time the spirit of the Lord did as it were hatch and breede out all liuing thinges out of that Chaos mentioned in the Genesis which Chaos as it was matter of corporall and palpable substance to all thinges so did it also minister this liuely spirit vnto thē diuerse and seuerall according to the diuersitie of those seedes which God indued it withall to some more pure to other some more grosse according to the excellency of the creature and dignitie of the vses wherto it is to be employed from this power of God sprange the spirite of man as I take it raised from the earth together with the body whereby it receiued such furniture and preparatiō as it becommeth a lodging for so noble a gest except it may seeme more likely to be infused and inspired into the bodie with that breath of life which was the soule of man at what time god had first made his corps of the mould of the earth which I for certayne reasons here following am moued to make doubt of First although it be an excellent creature and farre excedeth the grosse substance of our bodie yet is it baser then to be attributed to so diuine a beginning as from God immediatly especially considering it hath not only beginning but perisheth also to which
cōdition nothing that proceedeth from God in such special manner as the soule did can be subiect vnto Againe we see this spirit maintained and nourished by the vse of earthly creatures and is either plentifull or scanteth as it hath want or abundance of such corporall nourishment Now to drawe the originall ofspring of the spirite of man from God were in a maner to drawe from him the spirit of all other things wherewith that of man is releeued which can not be accompted to flowe from that breathing of God both seeing the Scripture pronounceth it as peculiar to the soule of man and otherwise should they be not inferiour in that respect to the soules of men which by nature are set vnder his feete and in all respects are farre inferiour vnto him that I mentiō not too nigh approching the maiestie of God which without impaire thereof admitteth not so nigh the accesse of the nature of inferiour creatures honoring mankind therwith only of all his visible workes Thus then as I take it both the spirite had his first beginning and is of such nature as I haue declared and serueth for these vses I know commonly there are accompted three spirits animall vitall and naturall but these are in deede rather distinctiōs of diuerse offices of one spirit then diuersity of nature For as well might they make as many as there be seuerall parts and offices in the bodie which were both false superfluous Next ensueth the nature of the bodie and his seuerall instruments with their vses which my purpose is here so farre to touch as it concerneth the vnderstanding of that ensueth of my discourse leauing the large handling thereof to that most excellent hymne of Galen Touching the vse of the parts the bodie being of substance grosse earthy resembleth the matter whereof it was made and is distinct into diuerse members and diuerse parts for seuerall vses required partly of nature and partly of the humane societie of life whereupon the braine is the chiefe instrument of sense and motion which it deriueth by the spirit before mentioned into all the partes of the bodie as also of thoughtes and cogitations perfourmed by common sense and fantasie and storing vp as it were that which it hath conceaued in the chest of memorie all which the braine it selfe with farther communication exerciseth alone The hart is the seate of life and of affections and perturbations of loue or hate like or dislike of such thinges as fall within compasse of sense either outward or inward in effect or imagination onely The liuer the instrument of nourishment groweth is serued of the stomach by appetite of meats and drinkes and of other parts with lust of propagation as the hart by arteries conueigheth life to all partes of the bodie so the liuer by vaines distributeth her faculties to euery member thereby the body enioying nourishment increase serued with naturall appetite whereby ech part satisfieth it selfe with that which therto is most agreable And these actions are bodily performed of the soule by employing that excellent and catholicke instrument of spirit to the mechanicall workes of the grosse and earthy partes of our bodies Thus then the whole nature of man being compounded of two extremities the soule and the bodie and of the meane of spirits the soule receaueth no other annoyance by the bodie then the craftes man by his instrument with no impeach or impaire of cunning but an hinderance of exercising the excellent partes of his skill either when the instrument is altogether vnapt and serueth for no vse or in part only fit wherby actions and effects are wrought much inferiour to the faculty of the worker as the instrument is of more particular vse so is the soule the lesse impeached and as more generall so yet more hindered both from varietie and perfection of actiō as the hart more then the liuer and the liuer more then the braine the stomach more then the rest of the entrailles and all publicke parts more then priuate of which sort the spirit being disordered either in temper or lessened in quātitie or entermixed with straunge vapours and spirits most of all worketh annoyance and disgraceth the worke and crosseth the soules absolute intention as shall more particularly appeare in the processe of my discourse which that it may yeeld vnto you full aunswer of such doubts as may arise vnto you and make question of the truth of this point I will my self set downe such obiections as may encounter the credit thereof and aunswer them I hope to your satisfying CHAP. XI Obiections against the former sentence touching the maner how the soule is affected of the bodie with answer thereto THE obiections which seeme to enforce vpō the body farther power ouer the soule then to withstand the organicall actions are such as are taken from the dispositiō of our bodies both in health and in sicknesse In health we see how the minde altereth in apparance not onely in action but also in facultie both in that some faculties spring vp which before were not and those through occasions of chaunge of the body either more perfect then otherwise they haue bene or would be This appeareth in age and in diuerse order of diet and custome of sensuall sensible things First touching age and yeares we see in childhoode howe childish the minde beareth it selfe in facultie incomparable to that which afterward it sheweth as the vnderstanding dull the wit of blunter conceipt memorie slipperie and iudgement scarse appeareth The body growing vp and attaining at length the height of his increase all these giftes more and more growe vp therewith and euen as the bodie get maturitie and strength which is the perfection in their kind Againe the bodie passing the point of his vigor and virilitie of age turneth all the wits and sage counsels into more then childish doring by which alterations and chaunges in apparance the mind both suffereth detriment and againe receaueth greater ability of facultie Neither is this only brought to passe through processe of years but also it may seeme that certaine faculties which before were not at a season of age put forth and aduaunce them selues which before gaue no countenaunce of shewe and except we shall make nature keepe idle holy day in them were not at all as the facultie of propagation of all naturall sorts one of the chiefest which if we say it slept as it were in the mind or waited a day it should seeme verie ridiculous that nature should be furnished so many yeares with a facultie which it should put in practise so long after especially considering how particular faculties attend onely vpon single and particular vses and haue no-other employing If it were not before then either should the mind be imperfect at the first wanting some part of the furniture or else should it seeme to rise of the temper of the bodie either of which attribute more vnto the bodie then of right
to be accōpted These two pointes being sufficiently proued establish euidently the simple and vniforme faculties of the soule For hereby it is most manifest that by reason of the simple nature thereof it cannot beare any mixture or be support of diuerse thinges neither that diuerse will so neighbour it together as to dwell in one indiuiduall subiect Then seing that they which of al the disagreers least disagree will not so nighly be linked neither can any diuersity of faculty in the minde in a nature so simple and impartible be coupled together where ther is no disagreemēt of substance nor dissent of mixture but euery parte like the whole and ech like other Againe these pluralities being essentiall can be but one seing essence is not many and nature alwayes farre vnlike the sword of Delphos which serued for diuerse vses euer employeth one to one and not to many otherwise wāt should enforce her which she abounding with sufficiency refuseth in all her actions Moreouer being in euery part like it selfe and ech parte like other no dissimilitude can arise by distinction of faculty Accidentall if they be then is the minde in daunger of loosing all faculty which it cannot do seing it is subiect to no force but of God himselfe that made it Now whatsoeuer naturall faculty in any thing fadeth it is by reason the thing first fadeth which enioyeth that faculty else would they alwayes continue wherefore the minde being euerlasting and exempt from chaunge and corruption her faculty is also essentiall and of like perpetuity I neede not yeeld reason why contrary faculties or such as we call disparates in logicke can haue no roome in a nature so simple as the soule is both in respect of the repugnance within themselues and vnitie of the subiect seing such as are diuerse only refuse that cohabitation and neighbourhood Thus much shal suffice to proue the simple faculty of the soule it followeth to proue the spirite and body to be wholly organicall by organicall I meane a disposition aptnes only without any free worke or action otherwise then at the mindes commādement else should there be mo beginninges causes of action then one in one nature which popularity of administratiō nature will none of nor yet with any holygarcicall or mixt but commandeth only by one souerainty the rest being vassals at the beck of the soueraigne commander The kindes of instruments are of two sorts the one dead in it selfe and destitute of all motion as a saw before it be moued of the workman and a ship before it be stirred with winde and hoised of saile the other sorte is liuely and carrieth in it selfe aptnes and disposition of motiō as the hound to hunt with and the hauke to fowle with both caried with hope of pray the hand to moue at our pleasure and to vse any other kinde of instrument or toole The second sort of these twaine is also to be distinguished in twaine whereof the one obtaineth power in it selfe and requireth derection only as the beast and fowle aboue mentioned and the other not only direction but impulsion also from an inward vertue and forcible power as the motion of the hand and the variety of the hand actions do most euidently declare Of these three kinds of instruments I place the spirit and bodie both to the mind as the saw or axe in the workmans hand or to the lute touched of the Musician according to the sundry qualities conditions of the instruments of the body in the thirde sort but so as the spirit in comparison of the bodie fareth as the hand to the dead instrumentes Of the first sort they are not because they partake of life of the second they may not be because of them selues they haue no impulsion as it appeareth euidently in animall and voluntarie actions and although more obscurely to be seene in such as be called naturall For the spirit being either withdrawne from the outwarde parts by vehement passiō of griefe or ouer prodigally scattered by ioy or wasted by paine the outward partes not only faile in their sense and motion but euen nourishment growth therby are hindered and contrarily though the spirit be present except the part be also well disposed not only feeling is impaired such actions as require sense and motion but also concoction and nourishment Againe the spirit it self without impulsion of minde lieth idle in the bodie This appeareth in animall actions more plainly as the mind imploying vehemently the spirit an other way we neither see that is set before our eyes nor heare nor feele that which otherwise with delight or displeasure would vehemently affect vs. In naturall actions and parts it is more obscure either because the spirit can not be altogether so separated by the order of nature being rooted so in the part or because the verie presence of the soule in an organicall bodie without further facultie or action carieth the life withal and is not subiect to arbitrement and will as the royall estate of a Prince moueth silence reuerence and expectation although there be no charge or commaundement therof giuen nor such purpose of presence so life lieth rather in the essence or substance of the soule giuing it to a fit organed body rather then by any such facultie resident therein except we may thinke that lesse portion of spirit serueth for life onely then for life sense and motion so the parts contented with smaller prouision thereof are entertained with life though sense and mouing require more plenty But howsoeuer this be obscure in naturall actions the mind transporting the spirits another way by sudden conceit study or passion yet most certaine it is if it holde on long and release not the nourishment will also faile the increase of the body diminish and the flower of beautie fade and finally death take his fatall hold which commeth to passe not onely by expence of spirit but by leauing destitute the parts whereby declining to decay they become at length vnmeete for the entertainement of so noble an inhabitant as is the soule of stocke diuine of immortall perpetuity and exempt from all corruption Then seeing neither body nor spirit are admitted in the first or second sort of instruments they fall to the third kinde which being liuely or at the least apt for life require direction and also foreine impulsion foraine in respect of them selues destitute of facultie otherwise then disposition but inward and domesticall in that it proceedeth from a naturall power resident in these corporall members which we call the soule not working as ingens by a force voide of skill and cunning in it selfe by a motion giuen by deuise of the Mechenist but farre otherwise indued with science possessed of the mouer as if Architas had bin him selfe within his flying doues Vulcanne within his walking stooles and the mouing engine as it were animated with the minde of the worker therein excelling farre all
industrie of art For here the natural Apelles painteth as well within as without and Phydias is no lesse curious in polishing the entralles and partes withholden from the viewe then in garnishing the outward apparance and shew of his frame and which is yet more here the crafts man entreth him selfe into all the parts of the worke and neuer would relinquish the same Although we place the spirit and body in the third kind of instruments yet is there great oddes betwixt these two For the spirit answereth at full all the organicall actions of the soule hath in it no distinction of members the body is of more particular vses compounded of sundry parts ech of them framed of peculiar duties as the mind and spirit employeth them The spirit is quicke nimble and of maruelous celeritie of motion the body slow dull and giuen to rest of it selfe the spirit the verie hand of the soule the body bodily members like flailes sawes or axes in the hand of him that vseth them For as we see God hath geuen vs reason for all particular faculties and hand for all instruments of pleasure of necessitie of offence of defence that thereby although man be borne without couering without teeth without hoofe or horne only with tender nailes and those neither in fashion nor temper fit for fight yet he clotheth him selfe both against the tempest warme against force of weapon with coate of steele and maketh vnto him selfe weapons of warre no tush no horne no hoofe no snout of elephant in force comparable thereunto so the spirits of our bodies and this hand of our souls though it be but one yet handleth it all the instruments of our body and it being light subtile and yeelding yet forceth it the heauiest grossest hardest parts of our bodies chewing with the teeth and striking with the fist bearing downe with the thrust of shoulder the resistance of that which standeth firme and containing alone the force of all the members seeth with the eye heareth with the eares vnderstandeth organically with the braine distributeth life with the hart and nourishment with the liuer and whatsoeuer other bodely action is practised This hand is applied to the grosse instrument and the effect brought to passe yet not absolutely of it selfe but by impulsiō of the mind which is placed the only agent absolute and soueraigne not onely in respect of commaunding but also offacultie execution This place then beareth the spirits among the instruments and as the soule is one and indued with one only facultie so the spirit is also one and embraceth that one faculty and distributeth it among the corporall members as euerie one according to his diuerse temper or frame or both ioyntly together is meete this way or that way to be employed yet so that by degrees and diuerse dispensations it is communicated from the principall and chiefe partes with the rest As first life and vitall spirit from the hart to the rest by arteries nourishment and growth from the liuer by vaines sense and motion from the brayne by nerues not confusedly and by equall portions administred to all alike but by such geometrical proportion as iustice requireth and is necessary for the office of euerie part Thus you see what nature the spirit is of and to what vse it serueth in our nature and of what sort of instrument it is to be accompted The corporall part and mébers because their seruices be many are distinct into diuersitie of shapes and tempers to answer all turnes wherof some be more generall and beare as it were office ouer the rest as the heart is most generall and extendeth it selfe to all the parts with this prerogatiue aboue the liuer that a part may liue for a time and not be nourished nether yet cā any part be nourished without life This rule it exerciseth by the ministery of his arteries extended in branches throughout the bodie and scattering the spirit of life throughout Next the hart in vse and office towardes other members the liuer obtaineth the second place by whose vertue through the operation of the soule and that spirituall hand nourishment and preparation of aliment is perfourmed in all the parts vpon whom attendeth the stomach the rest of the entralls vnder the midriffe The third place is allotted to the braine which by his sense and motion guideth and directeth the partes maintained with life and nourishment his sense is of two sorts and so his motion both inward outward The inward sense thinketh imagineth and remembreth and is practised with that peculiar temper and frame which the braine hath proper as also his internall motion not much vnlike the panting of the hart The outward sense and motion of sinewes is deriued from it into all parts that require sense or mouing The other parts subiect to these three principall and their ministers serue their owne turnes only and are of priuate condition except the soule command a voluntarie or mixed action as to walke to go c. or to take breath giue passage of stoole or vrine CHAP. XIII How the soule by one simple facultie performeth so many and diuerse actions THvs haue you these partes and organicall vses distinct and if it seeme yet difficult vnto you to conceaue how one simple faculty can discharge such multiplicitie of actions way with me a litle by a comparison of similitude the truth of this point accordingly accept it We see it euident in automaticall instrumentes as clockes watches and larums howe one right and straight motion through the aptnesse of the first wheele not only causeth circular motion in the same but in diuerse others also and not only so but distinct in pace and time of motion some wheeles passing swifter then other some by diuerse rases nowe to these deuises some other instrument added as hammer and bell not only another right motion springeth therof as the stroke of the hammer but sound also oft repeated and deliuered it at certaine times by equall pauses and that either larume or houres according as the partes of the clocke are framed To these if yet moreouer a directorie hand be added this first and simple and right motion by weight or straine shall seeme not only to be author of deliberate sound to counterfet voyce but also to point with the finger as much as it hath declared by sound Besides these we see yet a third motion with reciprocation in the ballāce of the clocke So many actions diuerse in kinde rise from one simple first motion by reason of variety of ioynts in one engine If to these you adde what wit can deuise you may finde all the motion of heauen with his planets counterfetted in a small modill with distinction of time season as in the course of the heauenly bodies And this appeareth in such sorte as carie their motion within them selues In water workes I haue seene a mill driuen with the winde which hath both serued for grist
consideration Touching the first of the two latter how the affection is moued for weeping I take it necessarie the passion be not very extreame nor of the highest degree of sorow neither so light and gētle that the obiect be contemned For the first if the perturbation be too extreame and as it were rauisheth the conceite and astonieth the heart then teares being ordinary and naturall to a kinde of mediocritie of that passion are not affoorded to an extraordinary affection euen as a ioy suddaine and rare taketh away for the present the signification of reioycing and turneth the comforte which should be receiued into an admiration in steade of mirth and cheare so in greate extremity offeare and heauines sorow being conuerted into an astonishment the senses rauished and the benūmed therewith the teares are dryed vp or stayed being effectes of ordinary and of naturall passion and others more straunger come in place as voydaunce of vrine ordure For as cold in a kinde of degree moueth sense and the same extreame becommeth and taketh it quite away and as exceeding brightnes blindeth or at the least dazeleth the sight aswell as darknes obscureth the obiect so an occasion of feare being beyond ordinary cōpasse of naturall passion seemeth to the heart vnderstanding of another sort then whereat to sorow or teares belong and the tokens of ordinarie affection are due which flow not by reason through that greate perturbation nature is wholly violated and keepeth no course of accustomed order or because such is the flight of nature from that which she so abhorreth that hiding her self in her owne cēter she draweth with her those humidities which easily follow with the spirites and blood and are not seperable for vsuall excretion besides that contraction of her poores whereby the effluxe of teares is hindered this in my opinion is the cause why extremity of terror or heauines refraineth teares especially if a fright haue gone before which is of greatest force to make this perturbation and to shut vp the poores of our bodies This appeareth in such as are scarred whose haire seemeth to stand vpright stiffe through that contraction So then the same cause of passion in kind differing by degrees both dolorous full of calamity nowe causeth abundance of weeping gusheth out into brookes of teares and anon dricth them al vp through destruction of the minde and stupiditye as it were of the hearte as though the cause of morning were altogether remoued If you do require example in the selfe same person of weeping and refraining from teares in the same kind of obiect yet differing in degree that is most singuler which is reported by Aristotle in the second booke of his thetoricke out of Herodotus of Amasis king of Aegypt We are moued with compassion only sayeth he at the affliction of such familiars as are not very nighly knitte vnto vs either by acquaintance or affinitie and of the calamitie of diuerse most deere friends or allies we haue not compassion but we are affected with their hurte as with our owne wherfore it is reported of Amasis that although he did not weepe for his sonne whome he sawe led to be put to death yet at the calamitie of his friende Philippus he shed teares for that which in his friend was pityfull shewed in his sonne horrible and terrible to behold now terror chaseth away swalloweth vp alcōpassion Which history of Amasis maketh cleere al doubt in this point and confirmeth that which we propound by the reason of one of the most grauest philosophers As this ouer vehement feare dryeth vp these springes of teares or shutteth vp the passages that no way is giuen for them to distill so the cause being light and not greately vrging the heart nature vseth not to make such shew of sorow so that at small matters or so taken no man vseth to weepe Children for want of vnderstanding in a manner weepe at all occasions of offence alike which tyme and age afterward correcteth Thus then in my opinion the affection is to be disposed for weeping euen in a meane betwixt that light regard of perill or calamitie wherewith no man is moued to teares and that vehement extremitie which ingendreth amazednes and astonishment wherewith nature either is benummed as it were and dazeled with the extremitie of passion and neglecteth her ordinarie signification of sorow in a case so farre extraordinarie or else so farre withdraweth her selfe into the center of the bodie with her spirite blood and humiditie and closeth vp her poores so straightly that neither matter of teares is readie nor passage free for them to distill by For the naturall passages and such as depend not vpon voluntarie opening or shutting as of the bladder stoole so farre only are open as they be distended and filled with blood humour spirite which being withdrawen as in a dead bodie they close together like an empty bagge But why thē say you do some make vrine for feare and why doth not nature withold it aswell as teares being a kinde of excremēt not much vnlike The reafon is readie such retention as is performed by muscle animall faculty descending from the brayne by sinues is of another sorte then that which is accomplished by astriction of poore againe such excrementes as are already congregated into a place of recept from whence they are to be voided out of the body hereafter are not of like cōdition with that which hath as yet no seperatiō For the first pointe the bladder as also the fundament haue ech of them a certaine round muscle which hath power of opening and closing within it self which opening way is giuen to the excrement that of it selfe finding passage issueth out of the bodie or without opening and it be a liquid excrement as vrine is if the muscle shutt not close or retentiue feebled it voydeth also though not so plentifully as being full open Now in feares that exceede the spirites influent into that muscle as al are such that pertaine to sence and motion are caled backe as I haue before declared to their proper fountaines and so it being left destitute receiueth a kinde of paraliticall disposition for the time and fayleth in his office which is the cause of such vnuoluntary excretion Now if you consider remember how the vrine passeth from the kideneys by those lōg vessels you shall well perceiue there can be no refluxe backward though it be forced for they discēd not directly opening thēselues as a touch hole into a gune but sloplings betwixt the substance of the bladder with certaine slender and thinne skinnes which immediatly after the entraunce of the humour close vp in such sort as the fuller the bladder is the firmer is their hold as you may see in the leather clacke of a paire of bellowes experience hereof is made manifest in a bladder which being blowen retaineth the aire and suffereth not to vent though it haue enterances such as I haue
consider that as in warfare the seruice is not alwayes alike neither keepeth the souldier the same degree but is aduaunced of the generall as he seeth cause euen so if the Lorde nowe bestowe you in a straunge peece of seruice in his spirituall warre and place you in the forefront whome he hath hitherto tendered as your condition required you must be contented and quite your selfe like a man and knowe that the wisedome of the heauenly captaine is such and his tender affection so great towarde his followers that in the middest of perill not one haire of them shall miscarrie whom he leadeth Then to conclude this point seing your case is onely a tēptation and no temptation is of it selfe except that one a signe of reprobation cast of these discouragementes and learne howe to behaue your selfe herein that you may passe through with credit of your vocation and honour vnto God ioy comfort to your faithful friends in the Lord Iesus You haue read your selfe may partly perceaue by my former discourse howe melancholie perswadeth of miserie where there is no cause some haue imagined them selues to haue wanted their heads some their armes other some haue thought themselues dead men and other some one member of their bodies as bigge as three which as it perswadeth in corporal things that which is not so no lesse doth it in spirituall things especially being like a weapō taken into Sathans hand and vsed to all aduantages of our hurt and destruction This maketh all more grieuous is called of Serapio the very seate of the deuill being an apt instrument for him both to weaken our bodies with and to terrifie our minds with vaine fantasticall feares and to disturbe the whole tranquillity of our nature Wherefore ascribe I pray you these troubles of your mind to no other but to the frailty of your bodie I meane this excesse of distrust feare otherwise the temptation may be without it and giue no way to Sathans practise in yeelding your iudgement and affection to his suggestion but resist as against a sicknesse and as nature doth with her spirit against bodily disease so take courage and call together the wisdome and knowledge God hath giuen you and nowe put it in vse against this subtle and forcible enemie And through Gods blessing by due vse of such naturall means as I shall hereafter declare vnto you both mind and bodie shall againe be restored to the former integritie and you haue greater cause then euer to prayse God for his mercie and goodnesse towardes you Hitherto nothing hath befallen you that diuerse of Gods children haue not passed through before you although the battaile hath bene sharp bloudy euen as our Maister hath sweat dropps of bloud in the like combat remember the victorie is the more glorious and the conquest so much the more honorable sure as we haue experience in the person of Iesus our Sauiour which found no other way to his kingdome and hath left vnto vs an example of like patience constancie hope and whatsoeuer vertue else is requisite to this battaile of the spirit and doth furnish vs in all partes with spirituall armour He girdeth vs with truth and buckleth on vs the brestplate of righteousnesse he shoeth our feet with the preparation of the Gospell of peace he deliuereth into the left hand the shield of faith wherby we may quench the firie dartes of the deuill into the right the sword of the spirite the word of God and couereth our heads with the helmet of saluation If we shall cowardly cast our armor and weapon from vs and betake vs to flight besides there is no place of safetie we shall dishonour our captaine giue ouer our selues to the pleasure and crueltie of our enemie and finally perish for euer Wherefore trie the strength of this armour and the sharpnesse of this sword nowe occasion is offered march on with those shoes of peace which is the ende of warre and wherof they are the pledge and assurance hold out that shield of faith and although it be battered on all sides yet forsake it not for the temper is such as no fierie darte of the wicked can pierce it and bestowe that sword of Gods word the word of consolation of ioy of assurance of spirituall and heauenly wisedome whereby the iudgement is perfected the hart established and the whole man of God made absolute Forsake not that breastplate of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and that frute of our sanctification whereby we are in his Sonne acceptable vnto God with the helmet of saluation couer your head that all the good meanes of God being to the full employed you may fecle the power of this heauenly furniture to your present encouragement herafter to your euerlasting saluation Let not your sinnes dismay you for Christ came not to saue the righteous he supplieth all our wantes and hath aboundance to discharge our debtes In him is God well pleased with vs as him selfe hath pronounced so that being discharged in him let vs giue ouer all feare with boldnes approch vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue the mercie promised vnto vs for if we be righteouse then is Christ vnrighteous and suffered for him selfe and not for vs but he was iust pure a lambe without spot or blemish slaine for the attonemēt that we might thereby liue broaken that we might be healed and humbled for our aduancement Wherefore lay the burthen vpon him who hath sayd come vnto me all ye that are heauy loden and he shall ease your wearied shoulders thereof and geue you refreshing If ther were no sinne wheron should Gods mercie be shewen and whereto tendeth the promise of the Gospell But you say you are a great sinner what then is not the mercie of God greater is there anie ende of his compassion If sinne do abound who shall stint the grace of God that it should not also ouerflow Dauid was a great sinner so was both Peter and Paule yet were they not refused but receaued mercie And if the grace of God were so great that our sinnes could not withholde his mercie when we were straungers from his couenant aliens from the common wealth of Israell and led with that spirit of errour and darknesse like the nations that knowe not God much more being reconciled stand we sure and vnremoueable in his fauour though the cloudes do somtimes ouercast the bright beames therof our owne imbecillitie comprehendeth it not Remember the tryall of Iob who would haue taken him for other then one forsaken of the Lord what were his thoughts let the day perish wherin I was borne Why died I not in the birth wherefore is light giuen vnto him that is in misery and life vnto them that haue heauy harts And in an other place oh that I were as in times past when God preserued me whē his light shined vpon my head c. But
distinct in all partes The purest part which we call in comparison and in respect of the rest bloud is temperate in qualitie and moderate in substance exceeding all the other parts in quantitie if the bodie be of equall temper made for nourishment of the most temperate parts and ingendring of spirits The second is fleume next to bloud in quantitie of a waterie nature cold and moyst apt to be conuerted into the substance of purebloud if nature faile not in her workinge ordained for nourishment of moyster partes The thirde is melancholie of substance grosse and earthie cold and drie in regard of the other in quantity inferiour to fleume fit nourishment for such partes as are of like temper The fourth choler fierie hote and driest of qualitie thinne in substance least in quantitie and ordained for such parts as require subtiller nourishment and are tempered with greater portion of the fierie element These differences nature hath so distinguished that although in veine and place they remaine linked together yet in facultie and vertue they are diuerse the one from the other which as they fit the varietie of parts bloud the temperate and the rest such partes as haue like declining from temperate so by the maruelous working of nature these varieties of humours are entertained by nourishmentes inclining to like disposition although no nourishment can be vtterly voide of all these parts no not those that are counted most to encline to any one humour as beefe and veneson to melancholie honie and butter to choler and fish to fleume Hereof riseth then this humour melancholie euen from nourishments as all the humours do and although not of such excellent vse yet as necessarie for the maintenance of life and substance of the bodie as anie other neither do these humoures fall into mans nature onely but what soeuer liuing creature hath bloud can not be destitute of them as partes thereof more or lesse according to their diuerse complexion Thus then as man consisteth of partes requiring this diuersitie of foode necessarie it was and so ordained by God such humours might aunswer in like varietie and as humours are diuerse so likewise the matter whereof they should be wrought could not be of one sort and therefore all kinde of nature ordained for nourishment affoord this choyce some in greater scarsitie this or that to the end no state of body should complaine Here you may moue a question not impertinent to the matter in hande whether some bodies do not turne good nourishment of the purest sort into greater quantitie of melancholie then other some and whether that of nourishment which of it selfe would yeeldstore of the best iuyce by melancholicke or rather cold and drie disposition of the bodie can so be altered as to faile of that store wherewith by nature it is replenished and in steede thereof yeeld this grosse thicke cold earthie humour whereof I nowe discourse Againe whether these humours are in such natures as yeeld nourishment and so by separation only after any Anaxagorian manner appeare or rather are made as a stoole out of timber bread of corne wine of grape c. CHAP. III. VVhether good nourishment breedeth not store of melancholie by fault of the bodie whether it turneth not into melancholie and whether these humours are found in nourishments or rather are made out of them THESE questions are not voide of probabilitie on both sides which to the ende the truth may lye the more apparant I will not stick to declare vnto you It should seeme as the obiection importeth that which before hath bene attributed to the kind of nourishment should rather rise of the bodie nourished cōsidering how it altereth which it embraceth for nourishment as consider the earth it selfe the mother very nurse of all corruptible thinges howe out of the same soyle not halfe a foot betwixt the wholesome fruit and soueraigne medicine both spring vp together with deadly poison yea how in the self same creature what strange diuersitie of nature ariseth of the selfe same nourishment as in the pastinacamarina whose substance flesh is wholsome to eat yet the taile carrieth a most deadly weapon wherewith whatsoeuer is wounded perisheth without recouerie not by anie foraine tincture but by the nourishment altered in that part into such a pernicious disposition The same is also found in the flies Cantharides whose bodie exulcerateth all parts but especiallie the bladder and is not inferiour to the chiefe poisons contrarilie the wings help wherein the bodie hurted which may be no small reasons of of doubt whether the humors be found in nourishments or rather are made by a certaine disposition of the bodie as who would imagine bloud could euer be made of yron which notwithstanding the Ostridges alter in such sort as by no heate of fire it can be sooner molten then it is digested in the stomach of that fethered foule nowe nature digesteth nothing but to make vse of nourishment thereof else whatsoeuer entreth into the bodie passeth as it cometh and hath no welcomming but is refused as impertinent nature bestowing no handling therof more then a skilfull painter to counterfait the fashion of some excellent beautie would dip his pensill in the mire in steed of perfect colour To these probabilities may be added how some natures chaunge into a farre diuerse qualitie that which they haue receaued then it stood by nature as the family of Marsie in Italie Psillie in Lybia which was so tēpered that they did without hurt sucke the poyson of vipers and without perill did vsually hunt them and so by necessary consequence to be gathered that they did receaue nourishment by them What soeuer entreth into the stomach either is altered into familiaritie of nature or else hauing an actuall power not hindered altereth with repugnancie the nature which hath receaued it If it altereth it wholly then destroyeth it if in part then carieth it on the one part nourishing and alimentarie vertue and on the other a medicinable power so it should seeme these Psillie euen by vertue of nature made nourishment of that which to other is deadly poyson Whereupon it may be gathered that nourishments in some bodies haue not such power as I haue said before seeing they be made in certaine of poyson The same may be declared in duckes and hennes which feede vpon toads notwithstanding their flesh we feed of with health and strength to our bodies Quailes likewise feede of neesing powder seeds and feldfares of hemlocke the one much approching nigh vnto and the other famous by the Athenian executions for most infamous poison all which notwithstanding their flesh is not refused at the tables of the most delicate and daintiest hereby in apparance it seemeth that it skilleth not much what meat is receaued in respect of sustaining this or that complexion seeing that poysons may be made by vertue of concoction familiar nourishment yea which is more auailable to vphold this matter and straunge
most motion as of the leggs yeeld more melancholie then partes which haue more rest Of the inwardes the milt is altogether melancholicke so the kidneyes the liuer the heart and with them all the carnels Bloud is melancholicke and whatsoeuer dish thereof is made Nowe all nourishments taken from the earth are either beastes or foule Of beasts these are of melancholike persons to be eschewed porke except it be yong and a litle corned with salt beefe ramme mutton goate bores flesh veneson neither is mutton of anie sort greatly commended of Galen Of foule some be water foule and some land The water foule are not of melancholicke persons to be tasted except the goosewings The land foule which are melancholicke are these feldfares thrushes sparowes martins turtles ringdoues quailes plouers peacockes c. and these haue you to eschew of nourishments of the earth Those of the water are fish either of the salt water and sea or of the fresh water Such as are of the sea are either of the monsters of the sea or such as more properly are to be called fish The mōsters are ceals purposes such like which all breed vnwholesome melancholicke nourishment The fish of the sea are either shell fish or destitute of such defence Of shell fish some are of harder shels as oysters periwincks muscles cockles such like of which ranke the oyster carieth with it least suspition of melancholy The softer shell or crustie are cray fish the crab the lobster the pūger such of the riuers like to these c. which all neede not to be excepted vnto you in order of your diet Such sea fish as carie no armor of shels are ether those that haunt the rocks or other parts of the sea The rocke fishes are most apt of all maner sea fish for melancholicke persons as the gilthead the whiting the sea perch c. Such as haunt other places are either keepers of the depth or aprochers nigh the sand shore Of such as keepe the depth either they haue the pooles or other places of the depth Of the poole fishes I remember not any greatly to be auoyded in choyce of your diet Of such as frequent other places of the depth these are melancholicke the dragon of the sea in forme like an eyle the cuckoe ling anie salt fish thornbacke and skate Of such as approch the shore I knowe none greatly to be auoyded Fresh water fish and of the riuer the lampray and the tench haue most plentie of melancholie And these are nourishments taken from the parts of the animals now their works are either excrements superfluities of their humors or other kinds of workes Of the first sort are milke from the beast and egges from the foule which the spawne of fish in a maner resembleth milke and what soeuer is made thereof is to be eschewed of melaneholie persons as cheese curdes c. the spaunes as roes of hearinges are to be eschued of you as nourishment of melancholie else I take none of that sort greatly to be feared in that respect Of other works of animals then excrements we feed only of honie which hath no melancholy dispositiō at al. Of drinks eschue red wine and what soeuer liquor beare ale or cider is not cleere well fined as also if it be tart and sower Hitherto haue you hearde of nourishmentes which of their owne nature are to be eschued nowe of those that by some accident and not of them selues are melancholicke as if they be too olde and verie leane or be long kept or ouer much salted whereby they become the drier and harder you are to refuse them Likewise if in the dressing of the nourishment it be ouermuch baked or rosted it is to be eschued To these belong salt fishe beefe and bacon and redde hearringes hard cheese and old Of drinkes newe wine beare or ale and on the contrarie part ouer stale and sower are to be eschued and of sauces those that be sharpe as veriuyce aliger or beareger vineger are chieflie to be auoided of melancholicke persons Thus do you vnderstand howe to vse your choice in meates and drinks and what to shunne as breeders of this thicke blacke and melancholicke humour Besides these the aire thicke and grosse is sit to entertaine this humor so that fumie marrish mislie and lowe habitations are hurtfull to persons disposed to melancholie likewise if it be dimme dark Wherfore the houses habitations of that sort are most vnmeete for such persons These hitherto are all such outward things melancholick whatsoeuer else breedeth melācholie is a disorderly behauiour of our owne parts in such actiōs as belonge to the gouernement of our health This behauiour is either in actions of motion or in order and manner of rest Our motion is either of mind or bodie Of actions of the minde ouer vehement studies and sadde passions do alter good nourishmentes into a melancholicke qualitie by wasting the pure Spirites and the subtillest parte of the blood and thereby leauing the rest grosse and thicke In like sorte do exercises either wholly intermitted or turned into an excessiue labour and wearying of the bodie the one causing the blood to be thicke through setling and the other by spending the bodie ouermuch drying it excessiuely Such also as giue themselues to inordinate sleepe therby further the encrease of melancholicke humours And these are all the causes whereby the matter of that humour is supplyed and the blood being of it selfe good is altered into that iuice whereof you complaine of abundance Now if to these you adde a nature of it selfe disposed thereto a splene not able either for feeblenes or obstruction to purge the blood of superfluitie of that iuyce then haue you all that may be said of the causes of this humour keeping within the compasse of nourishment CHAP. VII Of melancholicke excrementes THE melancholicke excrement is bredde of melancholie iuyce drawen of the milte out of the liuer by a braunch of the porte vayne wherewith being nourished it reiecteth the rest as meere excrementall and voydeth parte into the mouth of the stomach to prouoke appetite and hunger and passeth the other parte in some persones by hemerode vaynes into the siege It aboundeth there when it is hindered of such passage as nature requireth or else by feeblenes of the parte it is not able either to suck the melancholie from the blood or discharge it self into those passages which nature hath therto ordained This member of the whole bodie is the grossest and euill fauouredst to be held blacke of colour and euill sauorie of taste and giueth a manifest experience of natures desire alwayes to couet that whereto it is most like and so faireth the splene better with those muddy dreggs then it would with purer and finer blood which if it should be offered to other parts they would abstaine except great want forced them to take anie parte thereof These are the causes of
and auoyding of riuers of water out of drowned fennes and marishes which to an American ignorant of the deuise would seeme to be wrought by a liuely actiō of euery part and not by such a generall mouer as the wind is which bloweth direct foloweth not by circular motion of the mill saile Nowe if this be brought to passe in artificiall practises the varietie of action inferre not so many faculties but meere dispositions of the instrumentes let the similitude serue to illustrat that vnto you whereto the reasons before alleaged may with more force of proofe induce you If yet you be not satisfied for melancholicke persons are for the most part doubtfull and least assured and although ye acknowledge the truth hereof in organicall actions yet in such as require no instrument iudge otherwise that scruple also by a similitude I will take away and make it plaine vnto you referring you for strength of reason to that which hath bene aforsayd Before I shewed the varietie of action to spring of diuersitie of instrument now where there is no instrument what diuersitie say you can there be yet to giue but one action to the soule were to depriue it of many goodly exercises whereby it apprehendeth the creator thankfully acknowledgeth his goodnesse and directeth it selfe to his honour besides those spirituall offices which the soules departed out of this life in loue performe to ech other with that knowledge of eternall things If you require reason of proofe the simplicitie of the soule and the nature of diuerse things will make aunswer if of illustration and comparison of similitude then consider howe with one viewe a man beholdeth both top and bottome of height and both endes of length at once the situation of the thing being conueniēt thereunto yet are there neither diuerse faculties nor diuerse instruments the Sunne both ripeneth and withereth and with an influence it bringeth forth mettals trees herbes whatsoeuer springeth from the earth some things it softeneth and other some it hardeneth other some it maketh sweete and other some bitter an hammer driueth in and driueth out it looseneth fasteneth it maketh it marreth not with diuersity of faculty keping the same waight temper and fashion it had before but onely diuersly applied and vsed vpon diuerse matters so many vses arise of one instrument Moreouer if a man were double frōted as the Poets haue fained Ianus the instruments disposed thereafter the same facultie of sight would addresse it selfe to see both before and behind at one instant which nowe it doth by turning As these actions of so sundry sorts require no diuerse facultie but chaunge of subiect and altered application so the mind in action wonderfull and next vnto the supreme maiestie of God and by a peculiar maner proceeding from him selfe as the things are subiect vnto the apprehension action thereof so the same facultie varieth not by nature but by vse only or diuersity of those thinges whereto it applieth it selfe as the same facultie applied to differring things discerneth to thinges past remembreth to thinges future foreseeth of present things determineth and that which the eye doth by turning of the head beholding before behind and on ech side that doth the mind freely at once not being hindered nor restrained by corporall instrument in iudging remembring foreseeing according as the thinges present them selues vnto the consideration therof For place mo then one where will you stay and how will you number them why are there not as well three score as three If you measure them by kindes of actions they are indefinite and almost infinite and can not beare any certaine rate in our natures seeing such as are voluntarie rise vpon occasions and necessitie vncertaine and naturall are diuerse in euery seuerall part and so according to their number are multiplied and of them sundrie actions being performed as to attract to concoct to retaine to expell to assimilate agglutinate c. not generally but the peculiar and proper nourishment the number would fill vp Erastosthenes siue to count thē all Wherfore to conclude this argument and to leaue you resolued in this point let the facultie be one and pluralitie in applicatiō vse diuersitie of those things whereabout it was conuersaunt otherwise the mind shal be distracted into parts which is whole in euery part and admit mixture which is most simple and become subiect of diuerse qualities which are distinct in nature and communicated by mixture of substances whereto they belong not confused together in one against nature Thus you haue mine opinion touchinge these three parts of soule of spirit and bodie with their peculiar actions and howe euerie one is seuerally brought to passe which I thought necessary first to make plaine before I entred into particular aunswer to the former obiections as the grounde of the solution and rule whereto the particular aunswers are to be squared So then I take generally the soule to be affected of the bodie and spirit as the instrument hindreth the worke of the artificer which is not by altering his skill or diminishing his cunning but by deprauing the action through vntowardnesse of toole and fault of instrument This in the Chapter following I will particularly apply to the former obiections CHAP. XIIII The particular aunswere to the obiections made in the 11 Chapter AS for those faculties which age seemeth not only to alter but also to breede they are altogether organicall and are not of this or that sorte or appeare not because the faculty suffereth violence or wanteth but because the instrumentes as yet lacked such disposition as the soule requireth being altogether vnapt or else although faulty in parte yet employed as they may be whereupon the actions become imperfect As the brayne in a child new borne ouercharged with humidity causeth discretiō of sensible obiectes for 40 dayes as sayeth Hippocrates and Aristotle to be so dull that they feele not though they be rubbed neither laugh they though they be tickled as afterward they doe both and take pleasure in the one and as we be affected after a mixt sorte in the other which obscurity of sence ioyned with want of experience of sensible thinges and comparing of their euents with want of exercise is the cheefe cause of that simplicity of children in affaires of this life wherein prudence is most conuersant For better conceiuing of which point you are to vnderstand or call to minde how the soule hath certaine principles of knowledge ingenerate called Criteria of the Greekes and certaine taken from obseruation of sensible thinges and from them framed agreeably to those grounded principles and ingenerate knowledge of the soule These Criteria discerne betwixt good and badde trueth and falshood and are euer firme and certayne in themselues and are abused only by the imperfection of such instrumentes by which the discretion and report of outward obiectes do passe From this do springe three seuerall actions whereby the
whole course of reason is made perfect First that which the greekes cal Sinteresis the ground whereupon the practise of reason consisteth aunswering the proposition in a sillogisme the conscience applying the assumption and of them both the third a certaine trueth concluded these partes the soule doth without instrument of body and neuer faileth therein so farre as the naturall principles lead or outward obiectes be sincerely taken truely reported to the minds consideration From the practises of these ingenerate infallible groūds rise all the knowledge of outward thinges and humane sciences and as a rule being but one ruleth equally gold timber and stone and the ballance peaseth all kinde of waighty things alike so these applied to practises of life wordly busines haue ingendred prudence and circumspection in the conuersation of men and maner of behauiour the morall vertues In the perfection of voluntary actions diuerse artes and sciences and aboue all disposeth it selfe to the worship and adoration of God in some one sort or other the right manner whereof depending vpon his expresse oracles and operation of his spirite aboue nature the want wherof hath caused so many rites and sundry superstitiōs as are and haue bene accompted religion in the world the humaine sense being neither able to deliuer misteries of such diuine quality vnto the minde and those groundes and rules being feebled and crooked in that kinde by the degenerate state of our first parentes So then that wherein children seeme to fayle through age in reason is not that the faculty is vnripe or to seeke but because the exercise thereof through necessity of life is employed in such thinges as sense not being before acquainted with maketh offer therof to the mindes iudgement confused and deliuereth one thing for another or the same not sincerely so the fault is in organicall action and not in ingenerate faculty which organe hath not yet the full disposition of all his partes or mistaketh for want of experience that which it reporteth according to which the minde pronounceth directed by her ingenerate science which both are manifest in tender yeares whose braines are so soked and drowned with naturall moisture that in them the animall instrumentes are most feeble especially such as require vse of the braine it selfe the moistest part of all the body the other actions which stand of a passiue disposition as outward sense being litle or nothing thereby hindered This appeareth plainly in those things which children do distinctly cōprehend which their ingenerate science essentiall to the minde doth clearely and perfectly conceiue and iudge as the auncient as a child knowing the heate of fire will as readely iudge of the perrill as the wisest Senatour of the inroad of a borderer or the politick captaine of the vnequall encoūter with his enimy by place occasion of time or what opportunity so euer hauing felt the heat thereof will as presently iudge the sentence false affirmeth it could as the sharpest witted philosopher the most captious argumēt subtilest Sorites of Stilpo Moreouer we dayly see in children a Preludium as it were draught of the grauest actions that in earnest do afterward fall out in our life only the thing altered wherin the minde is occupied For they will both counterfet the wise counseller the valiant captaine the Maiesty of a prince duety of homage and subiection and giue signification for the most part of that hope in their youth as a modill wherof age afterward maketh full proofe which as it appeareth in all so most notably in the worthy Cyrus of whose education Zenophon writeth Now it also appeareth in children as their organicall partes are tempered more quickely to apprehend euē those childish matters wherewith they busie thēselues or they therewith more or lesse acquainted which both concurred in Cyrus his body being as it should seeme of excellent temper and himselfe sonne of a King at those dayes the great maister of the world as for his education it was nothing else but an acquainting of his minde with those excellent partes of a prince which afterward being at full hability of instrument he put in practise as his gouernment required This called Plato a remembrance only and calling to minde againe of those thinges which the soule by being plunged in this gulfe of the body had forgotten which I so farre otherwise count of as neither do I hold that the soule had euer before any knowledge of these outward thinges and such whereof the senses be motions neither being separated from this corporall society shall haue any knowledge or remembrance of hereafter at least in this maner but only is conuersant in those exercises which require no bodely organ till the resurrection when ioyned to the body againe as after a sleepe it recondeth with fresh memory what it hath done good or euill with conscience excusing or accusing because they rise of sense and sensible obiectes and haue no farther vse then in humane society which such actions do vphold neither carieth it away more then it brought as whereto nothing can be added That then which generally I aunswered touching organical practises peculiar to body and spirite the same doe I apply particularly to the obiection from age and such discretion as it bringeth with it euen that all such are actions depending vpon instrument wherunto the faule whatsoeuer is to be ascribed and not vnto any faculty of the minde which neuer suffereth increase nor decrease or any other kinde of alteration or else vnto want of experience exercise of those things which greater yeares medle with wherein the senses both externall and internall by vse being perfect like as a true looking glasse representeth the countenance to the eye in all pointes as nature hath framed it so offer they the relation true distinct from sensible thinges whereof the minde deliuereth resolution and sentence willeth good thinges and refuseth the contrarie whatsoeuer it seemeth to do otherwise through the inordinate instrumēts the seates of vnruly appetite and disorderly affection far different from that which the minde it selfe willeth entirely free from all perturbation That which I haue answered concerning the animall actions fitteth also the obiection of propagation for such partes haue not as yet their naturall disposition thereunto neither doth the animall partes make such discretion in male and female whereof that appetite ariseth although the sight and countenance and person of eche party be all one neither is any faculty idle at any time the instruments only of sense and motion take refreshing by rest especially so many yeares which must needes ensue if it were a faculty distinct and not rather according to the aptnes of instrument a peculiar exercise only For nature employeth all to the vttermost and giueth neuer ouer except it be more chearefully and strongly to lay hand to the worke againe which to propagation needeth not no vse hauing bene thereof at all before If you say it riseth of an
internall conceite take this withall that the conceite is taken from an external obiect together with a disposed parte thereunto which so soone as it is perfected to the vse the minde being alwayes occupied and in continuall motion employeth that also whereunto naturally it is bent The obiection rising from custome of life in saylers butchers and ploughmē receiueth the same answere For their instruments of action through continuall practise of such artes maketh them in common sense imagination and affection to deliuer thinges vnto the minde after an impure sort alwayes sauouring of their ordinary trade of life This is that putteth of butchers from iuries and iudgemēts of life and death amongest men who although they know there is difference betwixt man and beast the cause of the one and the vse of the other the giltles prisoner and the innocent lamb yet they being accustomed with slaughter the difference is not so sincerely taken and the affection not indifferent in such a case and therefore from such capitall causes they are remoued The mariner as the Europians are more rough bold hardie inconstant thē the Asians through inconstancy of the aire and tempestiousnes of the regions so the incertainty of the weather and stormie seas with custome of daunger maketh them more rough bold and hastie then they which be of other trade of life and their businesse on firme land euery action in respect and comparison of due consideration is either winde tide or tēpest the ancher saile or steirne euery displeasure a storme and euery contentment a calme euen as a man that hath trauelled all the day on horsebacke or sailed on the sea though he be laid on his bed yet keepeth animagination of trauell still his body fairing after a sort as though it were on horsebacke or yet embarked iudgeth not so lightly of rest by reason of the former inured trauell so these men through their kind of life either by false representatiōs of such obiects or imperfect mixed report offer things to the mind otherwise then they are indeed and receiue iudgement of them thereafter whereto their affections answering they take things in farre other part then they shold or the nature of the cause requireth Now the region or habitation being as it were aparant vnto vs ministring breath and foode no maruell if our bodies be affected thereafter so the actions varie as the child of the parentes in one sort or other carieth the resemblaunce the facultie being all one and keeping the same state while the instrumēts stand to such hazard as outward thinges either by region diet custome of life or else whatsoeuer doth threaten and bring vpon vs. Most of all hath region this force not onely in that we feede as the soyle affordeth but because the aire whereof the spirits of our bodies are repaired besides that which riseth of the internall spirit of aliment is continually drunke in vs and passeth into all the secrets of our intrailes stirreth our humours and diuersly affecteth all our organical partes as the aire and soile drie open barren maketh the bodies firme hard and compact and the spirits pure subtile wherby what action soeuer is to be performed of them is more quicke nimble and prompt especially if nourishmēt be proportionall then of people of contrary habitation Of all the former obiections the humors of our bodies seeme most to vrge chalenge interest in disposing of the mind both in respect of those accidents we see persons fall into ouercharged with them as also because commonly the affections of the hart as ioy sadnesse delight displeasure hope feare or whatsoeuer else of them is mixed among the perturbations commonly are all to them ascribed which because it most concerneth the chiefe drift of this discourse of melancholy I will more stand vpon and afford it a more copious answer CHAP. XV. VVhether the perturbations rise of the humour or not THE perturbations are taken commonlie to rise of melancholy choler bloud or fleume so that men of hastie disposition we call cholericke of sad melancholicke of heauie and dull flegmaticke of merie and chearfull sanguine and not onely the common opinion so taketh it but these affections are accompted of the Phisitians for tokens of such cōplexions such humours raigning in the bodie Let vs consider therfore whether the truth be as they hold it perturbations haue no other fountaine thē these humours What these humours are we haue sufficiently declared and how they are ingendred the vse of them is to nourish the parts of the bodie and to repaire the continuall expence therof through trauelles of this life besides that which the naturall heat continually consumeth The perturbations thus moue vs disturbe our counsels disquiet our bodies on this sort First occasion riseth from outward things wherin we either take pleasure or wherewith we are offended this obiect is caried to the internall senses from the outward which if it be a matter sensuall onely the minde vseth to impart it to the hart by the organicall internall senses which with ioy embraceth it or with indignation and mislike refuseth it if of such points as it selfe liketh without their helpe it giueth knowledge thereof to the hart by the spirits which either embraceth the same impelled by the minds willing or reiecteth it with mislike and hatred according to her nilling But before I proceed further in this Chapter it shall be necessarie to declare vnto you all the sortes of perturbations which being distinguished vnto classes or proper families shall deliuer great light vnto vs both in laying open their natures and also compared with the nature of the humours make more cleare demonstration what likelihoode they carie to be effects of such causes as the humours are All perturbations are either simple or cōpounded of the simple Simple are such as haue no mixture of any other perturbation and those are either primitiue and first or deriuatiue and drawne from them The primitiues haue like or dislike properties vnto thē Loue hate are the first kinds and primitiues of the rest loue being a vehement liking and hate a vehement affection of disliking from these springe all the deriuatiues which arise either from loue or hate like or dislike From loue and liking of a present good springeth ioy and reioycing if it be to come hope entertaineth the hart with expectation From dislike and hate if the thing be euill as the other good in deede or in apparance it skilleth not and present riseth heauinesse of hart and disposition of sadnesse if it be a future euill feare riseth frō the mislike of hate these I take to be all the simple perturbations The compound are such as haue part of the simple by mixture and that either of the primitiues with simple ones only or mixed with deriuatiues Such are mixed with primitiues onely are either mixed vnequally of loue and liking or of mislike hate or equally of thē both Of the first
partes of the body of which the humours are neither and so vtterly secluded of nature from any peculiar actiō to any vse of the body For that they are said to nourish it signifieth only a passiue disposition by which through our nourishing power they receiue the Character of our nature and are altered into the substance of the same they themselues giuing ouer their priuate actiō and submitting to the naturall concoctiue vertue which destroyeth all particularities of nourishment and bringeth them to that vniformity which our nature requireth Then while the body is in health the humors beare no sway of priuate action but it being once altered and they euill disposed and breaking from that regiment whereunto they should be subiect are so farre of from subiection to the disposition of our bodies and strength of our partes that they oppresse them and as it appeareth in simptomaticall euentes in sicknes dispise that gouernment wherto by natures law they stand bound Thus then I hold humours to be occasions of disorderly perturbations euen as they are meanes of deprauing the instrument of perturbation and turning it otherwise then nature hath disposed whose gouernment when it hath shaken of it affecteth vs two maner of wayes the one by the corporall substance whereby it annoyeth the corporall masse of bodies and complexion and breaketh out into soares Emposthumes or other such anoyances the other by a spirit which it possesseth either contrary altogether or diuerse at the least from ours wherewith many wayes it disturbeth the orderly actions weakneth the vigor of the same now both by substance and by spirite it altereth complexion where it preuaileth and thereby giueth greatest stroake to the organicall members Then seing all actions are performed both by spirite and corporall instrument and the humours exceeding the gouernment of nature and withdrawing themselues from subiection thereof affect vs both wayes spirite against spirite and corporall substance against his like we are to cōsider how by these two meanes our actions suffer through their disorder and where their operation taketh most place in working such phantastical perturbations wherewith we are deluded Of all partes of the body in ech perturbation two are cheifly affected first the brayne that both apprehendeth the offensiue or pleasaunt obiect iudgeth of the same in like sort and communicateth it with the harte which is the second part affected these being troubled carie with them all the rest of the partes into a simpathy they of all the rest being in respect of affection of most importance The humours then to worke these effectes which approch nigh to naturall perturbations grounded vpon iust occasion of necessity alter either brayne or hart if the brayne be altered and the obiect not rightly apprehended then is it deliuered otherwise then it standeth in nature and so the hart moued to a disorderly passion Againe though the brayne be without faulte and report delyuered to the hart sincerely yet that being distempered or altered in cōplexion by faulte of humour doth not aunswere in affection as the obiect requireth but more or lesse as the distemper misleadeth if both partes be ouercharged of humour the apprehension affection both are corrupted and misse of their right action and so all thinges mistaken ingender that confused spirite and those stormes of outragious loue hatred hope or feare wherewith bodies so passionate are here and there tossed with disquiet Now particularly the spirite of the humour being subtiler thinner and hoter then is meete maketh the apprehension quicker then it should be and the discretion more hasty then is meete for the vpright deliuery to the hart what to embrace or to refuse this causeth pronenes to anger when we are offended without cause commonly called teastines and frowardnes If the humour also with his spirite possesse the brayne then are these passions of longer continuance humour being of a more sollid nature then the spirite and so not easily dispersed which causeth fittes of such passiōs to be of longer continuance and thus the hart may be abused from the brayne not much vnlike as it falleth often out in communication of speach amongest vs a man of hasty disposition ready to aunswere and quick witted will make reply to that which should be said before the tale be halfe told whereby he faileth in his replication and aunswereth from the purpose which if he had bene first assured wherto to reply he should not haue missed This appeareth plaine in Cholericke persons or such as are disposed to anger such are offended where they haue no cause in truth but by mistaking and where they haue cause the vehemency of the apprehension and the suddēnes of the report from the brayne vnto the seate of perturbation inforceth double the passion especially when the hart is as flexible as the brayne is light then raungeth it into all extremity This commeth to passe not by any power of anger in the Cholerick humour but by reason the instrumentes are misordered either by vapour rising from that humour or the very substance of the same They are disordered in this sort through Choler The naturall spirit and complexiō of these partes become subtiler thinner and quicker proner to action then of their natures they should be through the heat which riseth of Choler and his spirit intermixed with ours by this mobility of vapour our spirit of a quieter and more stable disposition is either made more rare then is expedient for the vse of our bodies or else striuing as it were to subdue this bastard spirite and vnwelcome ghest can not giue that attendance vpon his proper duety which naturally it should and so the actions thereupon rise depraued and hauing wherwith it is encumbred within admitteth the cause of displeasure more easily which riseth abroad being an additiō to that which molesteth at home and these natures for the most parte are troubled with a Cholerick humour or fretting like to Choler about the mouth of the stomach which is of all the inward partes of quickest sense and feeling This causeth them especially fasting before the humour be mitigated and delayed with nourishment to be most prone to that angry passion The teasty waywardnes of sick persons such as are vexed with payne or feauer wherby the humors of the body become more fell maketh euident proofe hereof We see how small matters put them out of patience euery thing offendeth whereas in health the same occasions would litle or nothing moue The reason is because they measure all outward accidents by that they finde of discontentment within not that the humor that discontenteth is any instrument of passion or carieth with it faculty to be displeased but because it disquieteth the body and giueth discontentment to nature it is occasion why displeasures are made great and where there is no cause nature troubled within faireth as greatly displeased with that which outwardly should not displease the griefe within being added to an indifferēt thing without and drawing
it into like felowship of displeasure euen but for that it pleaseth not like as in a troubled sea a great vessell is more easily stirred with smal strength then in the calme hauen or quiet streame so our spirites and organicall instruments of passion the parte tossed with stormy weather of internall discontentment is with litle occasion disquieted yea with the shaking of a rush that hath no show of calming those domesticall stormes that arise more troublesome and boisterous to our nature then all the blustering windes in the Ocean sea For when our passion is once vp by such occasion the commō sense is also caried therewith and distinction of outward thinges hindered at the least if not taken away all things being wayed by that which nature findeth offēce at within euen as the tast altered in feauers by cholerick vapours maketh sweete thinges seeme bitter and vnpleasaunt which of themselues are most delectable to the tast and would greatly satisfie the same partie the bitter relish through that taint of choller once taken away And in this sort in my opinion ariseth the disorderly vnruly passion of choller both increased where some occasion is offered and procured by inward disposition of the bodie and spirit when there is no pretence or shewe of cause This is seene as plainly in mirth and ioye which riseth as well vpon inward harmonie of spirit humour and complexion as vpon glad tidings or externall benefite whereof we take reioycing A bodie of sanguine complexion as commonly we call it although complexion be another thing then condition of humors the spirits being in their iust temper in respect of qualitie and of such plenty as nature requireth not mixed or defiled by any straunge spirit or vapor the humours in quantity qualitie rated in geometricall and iust proportion the substance also of the bodie and all the members so qualified by mixture of elementes as all conspire together in due proportion breedeth an indifferencie to all passions Nowe if bloud abound and keepe his sincerity and the body receaue by it and the spirits rising from the same a comfort in the sensible partes without doubt then as anger without cause externall rose vpō inward displeasure so this spirit these humours and this temper may moue an inward ioy wherof no externall obiect may be accompted as iust occasion This is the cause that maketh some men prone to ioy and laughter at such thinges as other men are not drawne with into any passion and maketh them picke out and seeke for causes of laughter not onely to moue others to the like but to expresse their mery passiō which riseth by the iudgement of our senses imparted to the hart not regarding whether the cause be inward or outward that moueth which taketh comfort thereat as though the obiect were externall This especially commeth to passe if the bloud be such about the hart as his purenesse sincerenesse with sweetnesse that carieth moderation of temper doth so comfort and mollifie it that it easily aptly enlargeth it self thē such bloud or such vapor that hath this tickling qualitie causeth a delight conceiued in the braine and communicated with the hart procureth a comfortable gratulation and inward ioy of that whereof nature taketh pleasure For as we haue sights tastes smelles noyses pleasant obiectes without vs and on the contrary part as manie odious and hatefull which do force our senses so haue we also all these internall pleasaunt or vnpleasaunt as we haue of sensuall obiects internall so in like manner pleasure displeasure is communicated frō within of the braine to the heart of such things as we are not able directly to referre to this or that qualitie as we see it fareth with tasts oftentimes such mixtures may be in sauces that something may please vs we cannot expresse what raysed of the compositiō This chiefly falleth to our bodies when that which giueth this occasion carieth force of gentle and light spirits as wine and strong drinke and all aromaticall spices which haue a power to comfort the braine and hart and affect all our bodie throughout with celeritie and quicknesse before their spirits be spent in the passage then the braine giueth merie report the hart glad for it selfe and all the fellow members as it were daunceth for ioy and good liking which it receaueth of such internall prouocations Thē as we see wine giue occasion of mirth by his excellent spirit wherewith our spirit is delighted and greatly increased if it be drunke with moderation so such as are of merie dispositions enioy a naturall wine in their bodies especially harts braines which causeth them to laugh at the wagging of a feather and without iust matter of laughter without modest regard of circūstance to beare them selues light ridiculous this my friende M. I take to be the cause of merrie greekes who seeke rather to discharge them selues of the iocond affection stirred vp by their humour then require true outward occasion of solace and recreation Nowe as before I haue sayd that choler procureth anger not as cause but as occasion so likewise bloud thus tempered and replenished with these aromaticall and merie spirits giueth occasion only of this pleasantnesse and is no cause thereof the hart making iust claime to these affections as the only instrument vnder the soule chiefe author of these vnruly companions which instrument is so disposed that obeying the mind and those naturall rules whereby all things are esteemed good or bad true or false to be done or not to be done no otherwise then by a ciuill subiection ruled by counsell no constraint it repugneth oft times all the strong cōclusions whatsoeuer reason can make to the contrary Thus you vnderstād how a man may be angrie and merie without externall obiect or outward cause now let vs consider howe sadnesse and feare the points which most belong to this discourse and your present state may also arise without occasion of outward terror either presently molesting or fearing vs by likelihood or possibility of future danger As the nature of choler is subtile hote bitter and of a fretting and biting qualitie both it selfe and the vapors that passe from it and bloud temperate sweet and full of cheerefull and comfortable spirits answerable to those we haue ingenerate especially if they become aromaticall as I may terme them and of a fragrant nature by naturall temper or by meanes of diet so melancholie of qualitie grosse dull and of fewe comfortable spirits and plentifully replenished with such as darken all the clernesse of those sanguineous and ingrosse their subtilnesse defile their purenesse with the fogge of that slime and fennie substance and shut vp the hart as it were in a dungeon of obscurity causeth manie fearefull fancies by abusing the braine with vglie illusions locketh vp the gates of the hart whereout the spirits should breake forth vpon iust occasion to the comfort of all the family of their
greater facillitie wasted by natures strife and resistance Nowe it followeth to declare howe the other vnnaturall melancholy annoyeth with passions abuseth vs with coūterfet cause of perturbation whereof there is no ground in truth but onely a vaine and fantasticall conceit CHAP. XVIII Of the vnnaturall melancholie rising dy adustion how it affecteth vs with diuerspassions BEsides the former kindes there are sortes of vnnaturall melancholie which I call so rather then the other bicause the other offendeth onely in qualitie or quantitie these are of another nature farre disagreeing from the other by an vnproper speech called melancholy They rise of the naturall humors or their excrements by excessiue distēper of heate burned as it were into ashes in comparison of humour by which the humour of like nature being mixed turneth it into a sharp lye sanguine cholericke or melancholicke according to the humour thus burned which we call by name of melancholie This sort raiseth the greatest tempest of perturbatiōs and most of all destroyeth the braine with all his faculties and disposition of action and maketh both it the hart cheere more vncomfortably and if it rise of the naturall melancholy beyond all likelihood of truth frame monst ous terrors of feare and heauinesse without cause If it rise of choler then rage playeth her part and furie ioyned with madnesse putteth all out of frame If bloud minister matter to this fire euery serious thing for a time is turned into a iest tragedies into comedies and lamentation into gigges and daunces thus the passion whereof the humour min streth occasion by this vnkindly heate aduaunceth it selfe into greater extremities For becomming more subtile by heate both in substance spirit it passeth more deeply into all the parts of the instrument it selfe and is a conueyance also to the humour of the same kind making away for naturall melancholie wherewith it is mixed into the verie inward secrets of those instruments wherof passions are affected euen hart and braine Thus affected you haue men when desperate furie is ioyned with feare which so terrifieth that to auoid the terrour they attempt sometimes to depriue thē selues of life so irksome it is vnto them through these tragicall conceits although waighing and considering death by it self without comparison and force of the passion none more feare it thē they These most seeke to auoyde the society of men and betake them to wildernesses and deserts finding matter of feare in euery thing they behold and best at ease when alone they may digest these fancies without new prouocations which they apprehende in humane societie If choller haue yeelded matter to this sharpe kind of melnncholie then rage reuenge and furie possesse both hart and head and the whole bodie is caried with that storme contrarie to persuasion of reason which hath no farther power ouer these affections then by way of counsell to giue other direction whereof the hart it selfe is destitute and taking these discomfortes of the credit of the senses according thereto it applieth it selfe working and disposing the ingenerate wisedome it is indued with vnto these particulars which the corporall instruments corruptly offer vnto it which ministreth doubt and question to some not well aduised in this point whether reason it selfe be not impaired by these corporall alterations and the immortall impatible mind hereby suffreth not violēce which is farre otherwise if we duly way the matter For the mad man of what kinde soeuer he be of as truly concludeth of that which fantasie ministreth of conceit as the wisest onely therein lieth the abuse and defect that the organicall parts which are ordained embassadours notaries vnto the mind in these cases falsifie the report and deliuer corrupt recordes This is to be helped as it shall be declared more at large hereafter by counsell only sincerely ministred which is free from the corruptions of those officers and deliuereth truth vnto the mind wherby it putteth in practise contrary to these importunate and furious sollicitors This furie is bred because choler thus adust getteth a greater egernesse of qualitie and molesting the inward parts and toyling the spirits ingendreth a greater inwarde disquiet and discontentment then cruder choler doth procure The third sort is of merie melācholie which riseth of the bloud ouer heated in such sort as I haue declared Of all the rest of humours bloud is most temperat and mild of disposition and comforteth the bodie as hath bene mentioned whose substaunce receauing that burning heat whereof riseth the third kind of this vnnaturall melancholie procureth it to be of a nature quicke and fresh and indueth it with a spirite of a nature somewhat more itching and as it were of a tickling qualitie then bloud it selfe For of it selfe being if it be pure and perfect nutsweete or milkesweete by this heate becommeth first suger or hony sweet which hath more force of affecting and obtayneth a more subtile and quicke spirit afterward by operation of heate this sweetnesse is conuerted into a mild saltnesse voyd of fretting which tickling and itching in these melancholicke bodies cause them rather to be giuen to a ridiculous and absurd meriment then a sound ioye of hart and comfortable gladnesse which forceth them into laughter somtimes that without ceasing to the tyring and wearying of their bodies no perswasion of reason is able to call them to more sobrietie We may see in boyling of milke what sweetnesse is procured vnto it thereby howe hony much boyled becometh salt bitter such is the force of heat in bloud that it turneth that milke sweet tast into hony sweet and that into a gentle itching brackishnes whereby the melancholicke bodies being as it were tickled render from their foolish fantasie and false liking of the hart many absurd and ridiculous gestures and speeches and as farre altered this way as the melancholick on the other side snatch at smal occasions or none at all ofttimes of answering this fond humor in outward lightnesse of gesture countenance Thus you heare in what sort the humoures seeme to affect the mind euerie one singled and keeping apart from his other fellowe humours which as they be tempered with the other naturall or compounded together with one or twaine of the like vnnaturall sortes of melancholie make many distinctions and differences of melancholie passions as some more sadde the other some more merie some quieter other some more prone to rage and furie and as the humors haue their courses as for the yeare bloud in the spring choller in sommer melancholie in autumne fleume in winter for the houre according to Soranus Ephesius opinion bloud from three of the clocke in the morning till nine of the same day choler from nine of the morning till three at after noone melancholie frō 3. at after noone till nine at night and fleume from nine at night til the third of the morning I say if a man obserue all these varieties by mixture and season
with inclination of the partes custome of life and imbecillitie of some part and proportionallie match the multitude of passions with these occasions he might haue the grounde of all these troublesome perturbations made playne vnto him why some are contrarie affected to other some in their melancholicke fits and are not all times alike but sometimes sad and sometimes excessiue in mirth now more outragious then at another time as season of the yeare and time of the day approach wherein these humors haue more speciall and perticuler operation But it were too long to descend into such particularities it shall suffice only to haue declared howe these humors become occasions of passions vnto vs and to haue noted such a generalitie of rule as any one may with ease thereby discipher the particulars By that which hitherto hath bin shewed it appeareth these humours only affect the organ and corporall part nothing come nigh the mind and soule which in the meane time of these stormes and tempests of passion these delusions feares false terrours and poeticall fictions of the braine sitteth quiet and still nothing altered in facultie or any part of that diuine and impatible disposition which it obtaineth by the excellencie of creation no more then the Sunne is moued in the heauens or receaueth in it selfe an obscuritie when stormes arise thunder lightning and cloudes of darkenesse and boysterous whirlewindes seeme here belowe to mixe heauen and earth together and to make confusion in the course and frame of nature And thus haue you the obiections aleaged against that freedome of the soule from the inconueniences aunswered I trust to your contentment Diuerse accidents followe these humours which are to be shewed both of fansie sense and affection and also gestures actions of weeping sighing sobbing laughing such like with the reasons of each one and howe they be wrought by these passions which I deferre in this place to discusse being called on to prosecute the aunswer to the rest of the doubts propounded before which done that nothing so farre as my vnderstanding memorie will help to the matter may be leaft obscure vnto you in this case of melancholie I will hereafter prosecute those also as I shall haue done the causes from whence they proceede CHAP. XIX Howe sickenesse and yeares seeme to alter the minde and the cause and how the soule hath practise of senses being separated from the bodie ALthough persons so disposed with melancholie as hath bene declared enioy not perfect estate of health yet because they complaine not neither are accompted sicke neither lye for the matter but seeme their fancies and vaine feares excepted to be otherwise healthfull I so take them in this place though their bodie be in that sort as I haue mentioned to be charged with defect as vnfound and imperfect The last of the obiections is taken frō the condition of sicke persons who as in apparance it seemeth both receaue in their mindes alteration of defect and increase of faculties through the corporall imbecillitie as though at certaine times the bodies health were transported to the establishment of the mind or the bodie at other times after another sort weake did communicate that also vnto the soule as disburthening itselfe thereon To which obiection the general aunswer of organicall disposition of parts is here more particularly to be applied as in the former doubtes so in this I iudge all such actions as the mind seemeth to performe in that state of bodie better or worse to be organicall pertinent to sensible things which as it practiseth not but in this life neither hath such vse of being disioyned from this masse of earth whereto it is with spirite coupled so in her faculties she is not to be esteemed subiect to these alteratiōs But you demaund a farther declaration of this point whether the minde hath vse of sense or not after it dislodgeth from this earthly tabernacle To satisfie you herein if probabilitie of reason will serue I do not take it otherwise then that it is all an eye all an care all nose tast and sinewe without distinction as these seuerall instruments which nowe it employeth make shew of For then were it not simple in substance but must needs haue compounded substance to answer these particular senses If you require experience and example of this because it cannot be had in soules departed but reason onely vpholdeth the rule in respect of them let vs take that which dreames in sleep do minister for declaration of this point which sleepe is a kind of separation of the soule from the body for a time at the least a rest from outward sensible actions whereby it more freely applyeth it selfe to those diuine contemplations which is onely learned from the instinct of creatiō neuer apprehended by any other instruction In sleep I say our dreames in some sort make euident vnto vs how the soule without instrument lacketh not the practise of senses in which dreames we see with our soules heare talke conferre and practise what action soeuer as euidently with affection of ioye or sorowe as if the very obiect of these senses were represented vnto vs brode awake at noone day If you will say it is nothing else but the images of outward thinges which hang in the common sense presented to the fantasie or offered of the memorie which inward senses are alwayes watchfull when the outward take rest how then commeth it to passe that we can not in like sort fancie being awake If we shold striue to do it euery one should find it impossible as I take it because the soule is in a sorte by that great law of necessitie being chained with that golden chaine in all parts linked to this bodie which being awake letteth those sincere actions whereabout it is busied in sleepe wherein euery dreame seemeth to be a kind of extasie or traunce separation of the soule from this bodily societie in which it hath bene in olde time instructed of God by reuelation and misteries of secrets reuealed vnto it as then more fit to apprehend such diuine oracles then altogether enioying awake the corporall societie of these earthly members But you will say such dreames are oft times but fancies True and many times they be no fancies whereof infinite examples may be brought both sacred prophane Now when they be not sufficient profe ariseth to that I nowe dispute that soules haue sense of thinges without organicall senses and when they be but fancies yet that which ministreth the obiect from some distemper of diet or condition of the bodie good or bad is sented with the mind only the outward senses being all in deepe sleepe and the inwarde hauing no power at all to see heare smell tast or feele but only of discerning that which the outward sense deliuereth for third there is none to whome these actions are to be ascribed Neither are these sensible actions of the minde to be accompted
this coldnes and drynes riseth hardnes whereof the flesh of melancholy persons is except the melancholy rise of some disorder of diet or passions and hath not yet entred so farre vpon the complexion Of colour they be black according to the humour whereof they are nourished and the skinne alwayes receauing the blacke vapors which insensibly do passe from the inward parts taketh die and staine thereof sauing that in the beginning it may come to passe otherwise the body white and bloud blacke nature for a time seruing her selfe of that which is purest and leauing the grossest in the vaines till for want of better in the end it be faine to take of the melancholicke which before it disdained then altereth it the colour and fairenesse is turned into morphe maketh euident the humour which gaue the die hath obscured the former beautie And thus are the qualities of melancholie bodies altered by this grosse earthie and darke humour CHAP. XXII How melancholie altereth those actions which rise out of the braine TOuching actions which rise from the brain melancholie causeth dulnesse of conceit both by reason the substance of the braine in such personnes is more grosse and their spirite not so prompt and subtile as is requisit for readie vnderstandinge Againe almost all the senses standing in a kinde of passiue nature a substance cold and drie and by consequent hard is not so meete thereto which as it serueth well to retaine that which is once ingrauen so like adamant it keepeth in comparison of other tempers that which once it hath receaued whereby as they are vnfit to commit readily to memorie so retaine they that is committed in surer custodie Sometime it falleth out that melancholie men are found verie wittie and quickly discerne either because the humour of melancholie with some heate is so made subtile that as from the driest woode riseth the clearest flame and from the lyes of wine is distilled a strong burning aqua vitae in like fort their spirits both from the drinesse of the matter and straining of the grosse substance from which they passe receauing a purenesse are instrumentes of such sharpnesse which is the drie light that Heraclitus approued To this other reasons may be added as exercise of their wittes wherein they be indefatigable which maketh them seeme to haue that of a naturall readinesse which custome of exercise and vse hath found in them Moreouer while their passions be not yet vehemēt whereby they might be ouercaried melancholy breedeth a ielousie of doubt in that they take in deliberation and causeth them to be the more exact curious in pōdering the very moments of things to these reasons may be added the vehemencie of theyr affection once raysed which carieth them with all their faculties therto belonging into the deapth of that they take pleasure to intermeddle in For though the melancholie man be not so easily affected with any other passion as with those of feare sadnesse ielosie yet being once throughly heat with a cōtrarie passion retaineth the feruency thereof farre longer time then anie other complexion and more feruently boyleth therewith by reason his heart and spirite hath more solliditie of substance to entertayne deepely the passion which in a more rare and thinne sooner vanisheth away Thus greedinesse of desire in those thinges which they affect maketh them diligent and painefull warie and circumspect and so in actions of braine and sense not inferiour to the best tempers as also it maketh them stiffe in opinion Their resolution riseth of long deliberation because of doubt and distrust which as it is not easily bred so it is also harde to remoue Such persons are doubtfull suspitious and thereby long in deliberation because those domesticall feares or that internall obscuritie causeth an opinion of daunger in outwarde affaires where there is no cause of doubt their dreames are fearefull partly by reason of their fancie waking is most occupied about feares and terrours which retayneth the impression in sleepe and partly through blacke and darke fumes of melancholie rising vp to the braine whereof the fantasie forgeth obiectes and disturbeth the sleep of melancholy persons These persons are also subiect to that kinde of suffocation in the night which is called the mare wherein with some horrible vision in dreame they are halfe strangled and intercepted of speech through they striue to call This happeneth through grosse melacholicke vapours in them which cause horrible and fearefull apparitions by reason of the nature of that humour and the fancie prone through custome to conceaue on the worse parte and stoppeth theyr winde by occupying the passages of such spirits as rise from the braine and flowe into the nerues which serue certaine muscles of respiration it happeneth chiefly when they lye on their backe and somewhat too low with their heade because both the midriffe a chiefe muscle of respiration is more pressed with the bowelles which lye vnder it the stomach is not so firmely closed whereby vapours more easily haue vent and the whole bulke of the chest in that position of the bodie lying more heauily vppon them requireth greater force of mouing facultie whose spirit receaueth impediment of passages by these thicke and melancholicke fumes and thus are the actions of the braine altered by melancholie CHAP. XXIII Howe affections be altered TOVCHING their affections of feare and sadnesse sufficiently hath bene sayd before sauing whether is first in place and possesseth first the melancholicke heart it may make some question In mine opinion feare is the verie ground and roote of that sorowe which melancholick mē are throwne into For a continuance of feare which is of daunger to come so ouerlayeth the heart that it maketh it as nowe present which is only in expectation and although the daunger feared be absent yet the assurednesse thereof in the opinion of a melancholicke braine is alwayes present which ingendreth a sorow alwayes accompanying their feares They are hardely moued to anger except a biting and fretting choler be mixed with their melancholie or the melancholy be of an adust kind by reason they be ouer passion at another way and haue their partes of grosser sense then easily to be offended and the heart not ready to be moued being of a colder and drier nature or so affected by the humor which being once throughly kindled with that passion retayneth the heate longer and is not easily brought againe into the former temper Enuious they are because of their owne false conceaued want whereby their estate seeminge in their owne fantasie much worse then it is or then the condition of other men maketh them desire that they see other to enioy to better their estate this maketh them couetours of getting though in expence where their humour moueth them with liking or a voydance of perill more then prodigall Ielousie pricketh them because they are not contented with any moderation but thinke all too little for supply of their want especially if it stand in
spoken for the vrine This then is one hinderaunce why the vrine can not be retracted the way being made vp by those skinnes the manner of the entraunce such of that excremēt into the bladder why such stopping can not be in them as falleth out by closing of poores that happeneth to other partes through euacuation for these passages are neither opē because they be full nor closse because they be emptie but are the one for the other at our voluntary pleasures to this is the largenes of the passages to be added which hinder the close sinking of all sides together whith the position of the body downeward direct and thus much for the difference of the retention and excretion and how by reason the partes containing the exerement no calling backe of humors can be as in other parts which haue fluxe and refluxe free Touching the manner of excremēt this difference also is to be holden that vuch humours as are not yet seperated for euacuation follow the course of spirites and ebbe and flow with them being within the regiment of nature which the vrine contained in his naturall vrinall and attending the opening of the passage and destitute of those actiue spirites can not doe and this I take to be the causes why in extreame passions of feare vrine may passe against his wil that notwithstanding can shed no teares by the same extremity The third pointe remaineth for the more easie declaration of this dolefull gesture of what disposition of body they are of who are apt to teares They are almost altogether of a moist rare and tender body especially of brayne and heart which both being of that temper carie the rest of the parts into like disposition this is the cause why children are more apt to weepe then those that are of greater yeares and women more then men the one hauing by youth the body moist rare soft and the other by sex Whereby teares both easily flow and are supplied with plentifull matter if with rarenes of body and humidity the braine aboue the rest exceede that way and the eyes be great vaynes passages there about large thē wāteth ther nothing to the foūtain of tears euē vpō smal occasiō cōtrarily they which haue their bodies drier by nature and more cōpact and the passages and poores close as men in comparison of women children such hardly yeeld forth that signe of sorrow though the occasion may require it Thus you vnderstād what occasion moueth weeping how taken and what state of bodie they be of that easily water their cheekes when sorow and calamitie afflicteth Now let vs consider the matter of teares what it is and whence particularly and properly they flow and manner how The matter is the excrementitious humiditie of the brayne not contained in the vaynes for else would teares not be cleare nor of a waterish colour but resembling the colour of vrine receiue a tincture from the thinnest parte of the blood and so appeare yellow except the straining of the humour might seeme to clarifie them which can not so be For straining although it cast away impuritie it altereth not colour as strayne claret wyne as oftē as you will it keepeth stil the colour Againe the tincture of yellow being of a cholericke whay in the blood which is most thinne would nothing hinder the passage of the teare nor remaine behind in the strainer Then we may resolue vpon this point that teares rise of the brains thinnest most liquide excrement whereof being the moystest part of the whole bodie and twise so much in quantitie as the braine of an oxe it hath great plenty euen more then anie other part both in respect of his temper and largenesse This excrement is voyded ordinarily by the palate the nose and the eyes by certaine passages ordained for vaines arteries and sinues from that carnell which is placed in the sadle of the bone called the wedge which is direct ouer the palate of the mouth this carnell is there placed that the excremēt might not rush suddenly into these parts but gently distill into them The most ordinarie passage of thinne humour is by the pallate and nose the pallate receaueth it directly the nose from the eyes lest they should be molested by continuall fluxe into the eyes it floweth by the passage of the second couple of nerues which serue to moue the eye not entering the substance of them but passing on all sides floweth to the eyes and from thence is receaued of the fleshly carnell in the inner corner of the eye and so passeth into the nose and voydeth out to purge the head thereby and this is the ordinarie course of that humiditie which voyded from the braine into the nose Vpō occasiō of grief or trouble of smoke or wind this thinne liquor floweth frō all partes is receaued of another fleshly carnell vnder the vpper eye lid towards the eares from thence also watereth them and trickleth downe the cheekes So then you perceaue the matter of teares by what streames it voydeth and how it is conueighed it remaineth last of all to lay open vnto you what causeth the fluxe out of the eyes seeing ordinarily it should passe into the nose or through the palate be voyded out at the mouth and how in weeping nature dischargeth her self of this excrement For clearing of which point you must call to remembrance the kinde of passion wherewith nature is charged in matter of griefe or feare which is an enforcement of flight into her owne center not hauing whither else to flee whereby she gathereth in one her spirits and bloud calleth them in partly withdrawing them from that fearefull obiect partly by vniting of forces inableth her selfe to make greater resistance against that which annoyeth These spirites are such as passe from the principall partes of the heart braine and liuer and giue life nourishment sense and motion to the rest of the members of our bodies So then the braine being thus replenished with his flowing spirites is fuller then it was before and of necessitie warmer heat alwayes accompanying spirit with the spirite refloweth also the bloud and humours and that all may become safe nature maketh such contraction of the substaunce of the braine and partes thereabout that as one desirous to hold fast with his hand that which is apt to flowe forth loseth by his hard handlinge and compression which otherwise he might retaine so it expresseth that which by thinnesse is readie to voide and forcing with spirit pressing with contracted substance signifieth by shower of teares what storme tosseth the afflicted hart and ouercasteth the cheerfull countenaunce And this is the manner of the watering of the sorowfull cheekes and visage disfigured with lamentatiō which being by this double meanes inforced issue in more plentie then the passage into the nostrells can readilie discharge the aboundance whereof drencheth the eyes ouerflowing the brimmes of the eye liddes filleth the bosome
they the hart and midriffe too much and cause a sorenesse about those partes especially about the hart spoone which is most trauelled in sobbing and whereto the midriffe is fastened Thus much concerning those actions which are animall and ly in our power some absolutely and some after a sort to do or not to do altered by passion of sorowe and falling into melancholie persons it resteth to shewe howe melancholie procureth this laughing and weeping and so to proceede to those naturall actions which are altred by this humour with the reason of such effects CHAP. XXVIII Howe melancholie causeth both weeping and laughing and the reasons how IT hath bene before declared how melancholy causeth feare and sorowe of hart by false imagination raised through fearefull vapours rising to the braine and passing by the hart euen before the imagination be moued causeth a contraction thereof which is the action of feare this feare breedeth sorowe the sorow and feare accompanying ech other make such contractiō as before hath bene sayde to be cause of teares the matter being partly supplied by the ordinary excrements of the braine and partly through those vapours which arise from the hart ouercharged with concourse of humours which are retracted by the spirites who vpon matter of discontentment hast vnto the place of defence and assemble together flying the irksome obiect and addressing them selues as it were to make resistance The partes about the eyes being porous and rare the braine moyst and the partie apt to weepe vpon this melancholie disposition springeth that issue of teares out of melancholicke eyes and these I suppose to be the causes why melancholicke persons without anie outward occasion fall into weeping and lamentation Why they laugh and that excessiuely the cause is of more difficultie to finde out and the reason not so manifest whereof as I am ledde by coniecture and probabilities I will deliuer you mine opinion You may remember how the midriffe next vnto the hart is the chiefe cause of laughter so that of necessitie one of these must be affected in that action The heart is alwayes affected in true laughter and not alwayes in a fained kind which is only a shaking of the chest and retraction of the lippes without the liuely and chearfull eye fraught with the ioyfull spirites which replenish the merie countenaunce This kinde is that which melancholicke persons without obiect breake out into except the melancholie rise of adustion of bloud and become blacke choller which affecteth also the heart with a faigned conceit of merinesse euen as wine giueth it comfort and stirreth the spirits to that liuelines cheare wherof euery one hath experience Nowe then for the better laying open this melancholick action we are to distinguish of laughter wherof there be two sorts the one is true and vnfaigned rising from a comfort and reioycing of the hart and the other a counterfet and false wherein the heart receaueth no contentment but either it selfe or the midriffe moued dissorderly with shaking by anie annoyance and moueth also the chest and muscles of the iawes and checkes by consent of nerues and so counterfetting a laughinge gesture wherein the heart taketh no pleasure The former kinde may rise of inward cause as well as outward when the vapour of adust melancholie of bloud or rather when it first taketh that heate perfumeth the heart with a pure cleare fume whereat it is allured to ioye and cheare which vapour and fume risinge of the most mildest and temperate humour before the full adustion be accomplished and mixed with the other humours and spirites breedeth that pleasaunt vaine which ouertaketh melancholicke persons which peraduenture otherwise not so delayed would turne the heart to annoyance This way melancholie carrying a winie and aromaticall spirit raised by that heat may procure an harty laughter not only dispose as wine doth the spirit thus raysed being more familiar thē that of wine so compelling as it were the hart to break forth into that actiō of reioycing The false kinde of laughter which proceedeth first from the midriffe most commonly is affected by melancholie through a tickling vapor or spirite which riseth frō the lower parts and stirreth the midriffe as they which are woūded in the chest and vpon dressing are there about touched do plainly perceaue to moue shake and retract it selfe whose motion the chest followeth and to force out a count erfet manner of laughter whereof the hart hath no part nor countenance sauing the girning of the mouth which is here but small maketh anie pleasant shew This accident pertaineth chieflie to that melancholie which resteth about the splene the mesaraicke vaines and port vayne of the liuer which breatheth an itching and tickling breath whereof the midriffe takinge the sence shaketh moueth with indeuour to shun the vnwelcome ghest and to auoyde the touch thereof Now that being once moued the other instruments of laughter aunswere with like motion and all agree in this counterfet gesture which in appearance seemeth like the pleasaunt looke of a light and merily disposed hart This accident of laughter for the most part is whē the melancholy passion beginneth or anon after before the bloud getteth a farther egernesse and those iolie spirites be wasted which after they once be spent the heat either outragious or delayed or distinguished by vnaptnes of matter thē is the comedy turned into tragedy pleasantnes into fury in the end mirth into mourning much like as it fareth with such as intemperatly take in their cups are ouer surfeted with wine or strong drink these of them that are of nature cold and dry of this melancholie complexion voyd of adustion at the first cup receaue a maruelous cheering about the hart the drinesse and coldnesse of their inward parts being soked and steeped as it were like dry leather in oyle if they proceed farther the former modestie anon altereth it selfe into the contrarie extremitie of chat and excessiue babling the spirit of the wine ouerruling the spirit of their natural complexion yet a litle more sipping and this melancholy receaueth such heat as rage and furie entreth possession of hart and braine and as he had taken a draught of Circes cup he fareth in respect of maners behauiour as though he were turned into a wild beast In the end with farther carouses of excesse the wine for the while quite dispos sessing the spirits of their regiment office and quenching as it were the one heate delaying the naturall heat of his body with immoderate quātity the mirth chere the pleasant talk the rage furie giue place in steed of that iolitie succedeth silence stupiditie sleep sottishnesse So in melācholie while that drie subtile spirit is supplied with conueniēt matter is lightned in the melancholick part all is on the hoigh for a time which being consumed by heat the store therof being but small in respect of the grosse residēce the melancholick
person becometh afterward sad heauy vncherful Thus you perceiue I think sufficiently how melancholick persons some laugh some weepe in the same melancholicke what causeth mirth what teares Before I proceede to the naturall actions chaunged and depraued by melancholy I cannot passe ouer an action which is verie vsuall to melancholicke folke and that is blushing with shunning of the looke and countenaunce of men which the Grecians call Dysopia and because it requireth a larger discourse then the ende of this Chapter will suffer I will treate of them in the next CHAP. XXIX The causes of blushing and bashfulnesse and why melancholicke persons are giuen thereunto THE affection that moueth blushinge is shame howsoeuer it riseth either vppon false conceit or deserued cause Shame is an affection of griefe mixed with anger against our selues rising of the conscience of some knowne or supposed to be knowne offence either in doing that which ought not to be done or omitting that which was requisite of vs to be done This description I will vnfold vnto you more at large that in shame euery one is grieued experience maketh plaine besides reason leadeth thereunto Euerie passion of the heart is with ioye or with griefe either sincere and simple or mixed as in ridiculous occasions in shame there is no absolute ioye nor comfort therefore there must needs be a displeasantnesse or else a mixt disposition of sorowe and cheare this there is not by reason shame casteth downe the countenance filleth the eye with sorow and as much as may be withdraweth the liuely and comfortable spirit into the center of the bodie not vnlike vnto feare and sadnesse It appeareth mixed with anger by reason euerie one feeleth a kinde of indignation within him selfe and offereth as it were a vehement inablinge of him selfe for the offence wee are angrie with our selues because the fault is ours and from vs riseth the cause of griefe as in absolute anger the cause is from other and vpon others we seeke the reuenge Where there is no conscience there can not be any sense of fault for that it is which layeth our actions to the rule and concludeth them good or bad so although the fault be committed in deede and yet no conscience made thereof it is taken for no offence neither can giue cause of this internall grief reuengement To these clauses I ad an offence knowne or so supposed for otherwise though a man be grieued and sorie therefore yet before it be knowne to others is he not ashamed This causeth that men make no doubt of doing that in secret which for shame they would not do openly yea in such thinges as of them selues are not dishonest nor disalowable Moreouer it riseth vpon offence committed in that thing which lay in our power as we tooke it to remedie or better to haue discharged our selues in doing or omitting Therefore no man is ashamed of an ague or of the goute or to haue broken his legges or anie such occasion as to haue bene spoyled or to die c. but onely in those thinges wherein we take our selues to haue our part and to rise vpon our owne default so are we both ashamed of the action and of all tokens thereof Nowe seing that all offence is neither in doing amisse or neglecting that should be done in either of both consisteth matter of shame The description of shame thus being declared I proceede to shewe howe it forceth rednesse into the eares and cheekes and causeth vs neither to beare other mens countenaunces and lookes nor with courage and boldnesse to beare vp our owne The griefe that nature conceaueth from our selues is not so straunge as that which is foraine and outward but farre more familiar and thence therefore in all partes more known Moreouer the cause is more transitorie and fading especially if the offence be small and of no great note Againe the griefe is not for anie depriuation of that whereof the vse is so necessarie as losse of friendes goodes perill pouertie do all import nor of anie singular pleasure wherein nature or will tooke their chiefe contentment These qualities of shame ioyned with anger procureth that rednesse in the face which we call blushing The tincture of redde ariseth on this sort the heart discontented with the opennesse of the offence maketh a retraction of bloud and spirit at the first as in feare and griefe and because it feeleth no greater hurt then of laughter or rebuke of worde or such like touch seeketh no farther escape then a small withdrawing of the spirite and bloud by the first entrance of the perturbation so that the necessitie being no more vrgent the bloud and spirit breake forth againe more vehemently and fill the partes about the face more then before and causeth the rednesse This is helped forwarde with that anger which is mixed with shame which forceth in some sorte these retracted spirites and bloud to reflowe with more strength as we see the bloud soone vp of a cholericke person The passion is not so vehement to close vp the spirits and to retaine anie longer time for the cause before alledged and although it were yet would the anger and inwarde reuengement make way to the bloud and spirites to geue that shamefast colour Thus you vnderstand what maner of perturbation causeth blushing what it is and how it breedeth the staine but you wil peraduenture say why do not all that are ashamed blush and why some more then other some This I suppose to be cause in blushing these pointes are to be considered for answer of this question the qualitie of the bloud and spirit the passage nature or substāce of the face which receiueth this reflux If the blud be grosse and thicke and the passages not so free then is the course of bloud slow the coūtenance little altered If the skin be ouer thick or ouer rare thē doth it not admit throgh the thicknes of the spirites or at the least maketh not that shew nor retaineth them through the rarenes and thinnes and by exoperation make no apparaunce of rednes this is the cause why many ashamed be not so ready to blush Besides this disposition of spirite humour and substance of the face the measure of the shame more or lesse helpeth and hindereth blushing For some there are affected more vehemently and othersome moderately othersome not a whit who blush not because they are not at all ashamed By that hath bin declared you may gather why the yonger sort and women easily blush euen through rarenes of their body and spirites ioyned with simplicitie which causeth doubt of offence and this is the cause why we commend blushers because it declareth a tender heart and easily moued with remorse of that which is done amisse a feare to offend and a care least it should cōmit ought worthy of blame Furthermore it sheweth a conscience quicke and tender and an vpright sentence of the minde agreable to this
ingrauen maximes of good and euill and thus much shall suffice you for blushing As for the shunning of mens countenances and bashfulnes either in beholding or being beheld it riseth vpon a giltines in conceite or in effect in that we feare is knowen to others wherein we haue offended or stand in doubt we shall offend This conceit causeth vs to hide our selues and to withdraw our presence from the society of mē whom we feare doe view our faultes in beholding vs and wherof our presence stirreth vp the remembraunce Wherefore we being desirous to couer and hyde our offence seeke also to be hiddē and couered who haue deserued the blame especially from such of whome we haue greatest reuerence and of whose estimation and censure we stand most in awe of Now because the vewing of another causeth the like from him againe therfore doth the guilty minde abstaine ther from that it prouoke not the eye of another whome he doth behold especially if the other party looke vpō him againe then is he presently outcountenanced through the guiltie conceite and ielousie of the crime which he suspect to be reueiled Moreouer the countenance being as it were the grauen character of the mind the guilty person feareth least that be red in his forehead whereof he is guilty in his heart which augmenteth the griefe when he seeth himselfe eyed more then by turning aside his owne countenance when he beholdeth it not Thus much touching the former bashfull actions whether they rise vpon cause or opinion only it remaineth of this chapter to shew how melancholicke persons are much subiect to both though they haue committed nothing deseruing rebuke or worthy of shame That which befalleth youth by their tender age in blushing the same in a manner happeneth to melancholicke persons by their complexion youth and children if they come in place of reuerend persons will easily blush not of any fault committed but of reuerence to the parties nature as it were secretly in respect condemning her imperfections in that age whereof the presence of both maketh a kinde of comparison Moreouer the nature carefull of that which is seemely and decent not acquainted with such presence doubteth of error and vncomelinesse and distrusting it selfe blusheth as if offence had bene committed This is the cause why the yong take occasion sooner then the aged and why reuerend and vnacquainted presence causeth this passion They which are of mo yeares by reason of experience and further knowledge which breedeth an assurance more hardly blush and familiarity and custome maketh greater boldnes Euen so the melancholick person through his internall mislike and cause of discouragement hath litle assurance or contentment in his actions whatsoeuer Whereby without cause he easily groweth into a conceite of some absurdity committed where none is this causeth him to blush and to expresse by outward rednes of colour the internall passion especially this befalleth him if he carrie any conscience of former vice committed then doth that ouercharge and set all out of order chiefely if it mingle the passion with feare and the quality of the blood and spirite largenes of poores and disposition of the skinne in the face aunswere thereunto But how will you say can the melancholy person haue his spirite and blood so disposed which I haue declared to be grosse and thicke and the passages of their bodies not free Trueth it is that all melancholicke persons are not so disposed to this action of blushing by reason they are of blood spirite and body vnapt thereunto but certaine only who haue melancholy not equally disposed but resteth vnder the ribbes anoieth chiefly with his vapour and who are such not from their parents but by some accident of diet or euill custome which notwithstanding retaine as yet the same disposition of their firme partes they had before or haue some other humour of thinner substāce wherby their blood is not so dull of ebbing flowing these I take to be the melancholick blushers only and the rest in all respects farre remoued there from whose swartnes of the skinne with other impediments both hindereth the recourse of the blood and if they did blush ouershadoweth the colour The same cause which stirreth blushing in melancholicke men forceth them to auoide assemblies and publike theaters and this is common to all melancholickes howsoeuer they be tempered in their bodies euen the opinion and fancy of some disgrace from others who are greatly displeased with themselues and by their erronious conceite preuent the sentence of others vpon themselues and condemne that vniustly which ducly wayed and without passion hath no desert of blame Thus much for these actions of blushing and bashfullnes CHAP. XXX Of the naturall actions altered by melancholy HItherto you haue had declared the alteration of such actions as lie in our power are for the most part arbitrarie it followeth to shew vnto you the rest which are natural are not at our becke but are performed by a certaine instinct of nature wil we nil we These actiōs are of appetite or of nourishmēt the actiōs of appetite are of meate and drinke or of procreation Touching appetite of meate melancholy persons haue it for the most part exceeding and farre surpassing their digesture The cause why it is through an aboundance of melancholy which easily passeth from the splene the sincke of that humour to the stomach whose sowernes prouoketh an appetite of nourishment to delay that sharpnes which molesteth the mouth thereof that you may with more facility conceiue this pointe marke what I shall say of the splene the stomach and the passage of that humour thereinto The splene lieth vnder the short ribbes on the left side of the stomach backward and is ordained to purge the blood of melācholick iuice which it draweth vnto it self by meane of vaines and being satisfied with some parte wherewith it is nourished the remnaunte sower of taste and as a naturall sawce it belcheth as it were into the stomach whose sharpnes causeth a kinde of griefe and knawing therein especially about the entrance which is most sensible so prouoketh the appetite of nourishment by whose sweete and familiar iuice the sharpnes or sowernes of the other is dulled and tempered so the byting eased Besides this sence which the quallity of melancholy offereth to the stomach it according to the nature of all thinges of that taste bindeth and contracteth the stomach which may also be another cause of the encrease of that paine which inforceth to seek after nourishment Thus then the stomach being subiect vnto the splenetick humour as it exceedeth or is more sowre so doth this appetite more increase Now in persons melancholicke the superfluity of this humor is in great aboundance which thereby the more forceth the appetite and this I take to be one cause of that greedy hunger which is more insatiable in melancholicke men then in others To this may be added the desire that nature hath to seeke
maintenāce of this life yet they faile in degree of misery come short of that which this forceth vpō the soule The other touch those parts where the soule commandeth pouertie nakednesse sicknesse and other of that kinde are mitigated with a minde resolute in patience or indued with wisedome to ease that grieueth by supply of remedie this sezeth vpon the seate of wisedome it selfe and chargeth vpon all the excellencie of vnderstanding and grindeth into powder all that standeth firme and melteth like the dew before the Sunne whatsoeuer we reckē of as support of our defectes and subdueth that wherwith all thinges else are of vs subdued the cause the guilt the punishment the reuenge the ministers of the wrath all concurring together in more forcible sort that against the vniuersall state of our nature not for a time but for euer then in any other kind of calamitie whatsoeuer Here the cause is not either woūd or surfet shipwracke or spoile infamie or disgrace but all kinde of misery ioyned together with a troubled spirit feeling the beginnings expecting with desperat feare the eternall consummatiō of the indignatiō fierce wrath of Gods vengeāce against the violation of his holy cōmandemēts which although in this life it taketh not away the vse of outward benefits yet doth the internal anguish bereue vs of all delight of thē that pleasant relish they are indued with to our comforts so that manifold better were it the vse of thē were quite takē away thē for vs in such sort to enioy them Neither is here the guiltines of breach of humane lawes whose punishment extendeth no farther then this present life which euen of it self is full of calamities not much inferiour to the paine adioyned vnto the transgression of ciuill lawes but of the Law diuine the censure executed with the hand of God whose fierce wrath prosecuteth the punishment eternally as his displeasure is like to him selfe and followeth vs into our graues receaueth no satisfaction with anie punishment either in regard of continuance or of extremitie Such is the crime and such is the guiltinesse which infer the reward fitting and fully answering the desert which being a seaparation from Gods fauour the creator and blesser of all thinges the fountaine of all peace and comforte what creature the worke of his handes dare cheere vs with any consolation or what assurance may we haue of escape if we would flee the punishment as it hath no misery to compare with and the sence thereof not to be described to the capacity of any but of such as haue felt the anguish as your selfe at this present is rather to be shewed by negation of all happines then by direct affirmation of torment For as the happines rising of Gods fauour besides the enioying of all bodely and earthly blessinges so farre forth as is expedient for vs and tending to his glory is aboue al conceite of mans heart and reporte of tunge so the contrary estate exceedeth all vnderstanding of the minde and vtteraunce of speach and is such as it is aboue measure vnhappy and most miserable inflicted by Gods reuenge who is himself a consuming fire and whose wrath once kindled burneth to the bottome of hell In other miseries of execution the minister may vpon cōpassion and entreaty mitigate the rigor here Sathan moued with the old ranchor and an ennimy vnrecōcilable hath the charge who is so far of from pitying our estate that to the encrease of torment where the Lord chasteneth with mercy and limiteth sometimes this tormentor in compasse of our possessions and goods he vrgeth skinne for skinne streatch out thy hand touch his bones and his flesh and if expresse charge were not to the contrary would not satisfie himselfe therewith except life yea not only temporall but that euerlasting whereof we haue assured promises of God wēt also for payment But what doe I describe this vnto you whose present experience exceedeth my discourse Although it be necessary to be laid open for more cleare distinguishing thereof from the melancholy passions aboue mentioned and the quality of this miserie thus being knowne such as by Godds mercy are yet free may acknowledge his grace therein pray for the continewance of that freedome and pittie the estate of such as grone vnder the burthen of that heauy crosse wherein no reason is able to minister cōsolatiō nor the burthen wherof the Angels thēselues haue ability to sustaine Leauing the description of this affliction I will fall to the deliberation whether this kinde be of melancholie or not and so proceede to the doubtes which the comparison of them both together may minister vnto vs. CHAP. XXXIII VVhether the conscience of sinne and the affliction thereof be melancholy or not BY that hath bene before declared it may easily appeare the affliction of soule through cōscience of sinne is quite another thing then melācholy but yet to the end it may lie most cleare I wil lay them together so shall their distinct natures thus compared be wray the error of some and the prophanes of othersome who either accompt the cause naturall melancholy or madnes or else hauing some farther insighte with a Stoicall prophanes of Atheisme skoffe at that kinde of afflictiō against which they themselues labour to shut vp their hard heartes with obstinacie of stomach to beare out that whereof they tremble with horror and not hauing other refuge passe ouer the sense with a desperat resolution which would awake and doth not faile at times to touch the quick of the securest most flinty harted gallantes of the world Therfore to the end the one may be reformed in their iudgment and the other may thereby take occasion to reforme their maners let them consider that this is a sorrow and feare vpon cause that the greatest cause that worketh misery vnto mā the other contrarily a meere fancy hath no groūd of true and iust obiect but is only raised vpō disorder of humour in the fancy and rashly deliuered to the heart which vpon naturall credulity faireth in passion as if that were in deede wherof the fancy giueth a false larume In this the body standeth oft times in firme state of health perfect in complexion and perfect in shape al symmetrie of his partes the humors in quantitie and quality not exceeding nor wanting their naturall proportion In the other the complexiō is depraued obstructions hinder the free course of spirits humors the blood is ouer grosse thick impure nature so disordered that diuerse melancholicke persons haue iudged themselues some earthie pitchers othersome cockes other some to haue wanted their heades c as if they had bin transported by the euill quality of the humor into straunge natures here the sēses are oft times perfect both outward inward the imagination sound the heart well compact resolute this excepted want no courage In the other the inward sense and outward to feebled the
euill spirite to encrease the torment and Iudas the traytor who tooke the reuenge of betraying the innocent vppon him selfe with his owne handes such was the anguish that Esau felte when he found no repentance after he had sold his birthright for a messe of pottage and such is the estate of all defiled consciences with hainous crimes whose harts are neuer free from that worme but with deadly bite thereof are driuen to dispaire These terrible obiectes which properly appertaine vnto the minde are such as onely affect it with horror of Gods iustice for breach of those lawes naturall or written in his word which by duty of creation we are holden to obey For the minde as it is impatible of anie thing but of God onely that made it so standeth it in awe of none but of him neither admitteth it any other violence then from him into whose handes it is most terrible and fearefull to fall This causeth such distresse vnto those that feele the torment hereof that they would redeeme it gladly if it were possible with anie other kind yea mith suffering all other kind of miserie This hath befallen vnto the wisest among men while the integritie of their vnderstanding hath stood sound it taketh of a sodaine like lightning and giueth no warning Here the puririe of the bloud and the sinceritie and liuelinesse of the spirits auayle nothing to mitigate the paine but onely the expiatorie sacrifice of the vnspotted lambe On the contrarie part when anie conceit troubleth you that hath no sufficient grounde of reason but riseth onely vpon the frame of your brayne which is subiect as hath bene before shewed vnto the humour that is right melancholicke so to be accōpted of you These are false points of reason deceaued by the melancholie braine and disguised scarres of the heart without abilitie to worke the pretenced annoyaunce neither do they approch the substaunce and the substantiall and soueraigne actions of the soule as the other doeth This estate happeneth by degrees and getteth strength in time to the encumbrance of all the instrumentall actions and driue the braine into a sottishnesse and obscure the cleare light of reason Here the humour purged and the spirite attenuate and refreshed with remedie conuenient the brayne strengthened and the hart comforted with cordiall are meanes most excellent ordayned of God for this infirmitie And to deliuer you in a word the difference whatsoeuer is besides conscience of sinne in this case it is melancholie which conscience terrified is of such nature so beset with infinite feares and distrust that it easilie wasteth the pure spirit congeleth the liuely bloud and striketh our nature in such sort that it soone becommeth melancholicke vile and base and turneth reason into foolishnesse and disgraceth the beautie of the countenance and tranfor meth the stoutest Nabucadnezar in the world into a brute beast so easily is the body subiect to alteration of minde soone looseth with anguish and distruction thereof all the support of his excellencie Besides this in you vaine feares and false conceits of apparitions imagination of a voyce sounding in your eares frightfull dreames distrust of the consumption and putrifying of one part or other of your bodie the rest of this crue are causes of molestation which are whelpes of that melancholicke litter are bred of the corrupted state of the body alaltered altered in spirit in bloud in substance and complexion by the aboundance of this settling of the bloud which we call melancholie This increaseth the terrour of the afflicted minde doubling the feare discouragement shutteth vp the meanes of consolatiō which is after another sort to be conueyed to the minde then the way which the temptation taketh to breed distrust of Gods mercy pardon For that hath sinne the meanes which needeth no conueyaunce but is bred with vs entreth euen into our conceptiō neither is the guiltinesse brought vnto vs by foreine report but the knowledge riseth from the conscience of the offender the meanes I meane the outwarde meanes of consolation and cure must needs passe by our senses to enter the mind whose instrument being altred by the humor their sincerity stained with the obscure and dark spots of melancholy receiue not indifferētly the medicine of cōsolatiō So it both mistaketh that which it apprehendeth and deliuereth it imperfectly to the minds consideratiō As their brains are thus euill disposed so their harts in no better case acquainted with terror ouertbrown with that fearful passiō hardly set free the cherfull spirits feebled with the corporall prison of the body hardly yeeld to persuasion of comfort what soeuer it bringeth of assurance This causeth the release of the affliction to be long hard and not answerable to the swiftnesse of the procuring cause hauing so many wayes top asse encountring so many lets before it meet with the sore For as the cause respecteth not time nor place no circumstance of person nor condition seeketh no opportunity of corporall imbecillity but breakeath through all such considerations beareth downe all resistance so the comfort requireth them all agreable missing any one worketh feble effects slow Here the cōforters person his maner the time place may hinder the consolatiō here the braine hart being as it were the gates entraunce vnto the soule as they be affected ayd or hinder the consolatiō so that the consciēce distressed falling into a melācholy state of body therby receiueth delay of restoring in respect of outward meanes though the grace of God his mercy his comfortable spirit gracious fauor in like swiftnesse without meanes may restore the minde thus distressed which lieth equally open to the kind of cure euē as it lay to the wound Thus I cōclude this point of difference marke betwixt melancholy and the soules proper anguish whose only cause proceedeth from Gods vengeance wrath apprehended of the guilty soule neither doth melancholy alone though it may hinder the outward meanes of consolation as it hath bin before shewed any thing make men more subiect vnto this kind of afflictiō First because the body worketh nothing vpon the soule altogether impatible of any other sauing of God alone 2. The torment is such as riseth frō an efficient that requireth no dispositiō of means God himself 3. The cōfort is not procured by any corporal instrumēts so neither is the discōfort procured or increased that way moreouer the cause the subiect the proper effects are other then corporall For although in that case the hart is heauy deliuering a passiō answerable to the fearfull apprehension yet the sense of those that are vnder this crosse feele an anguish farre beyond all afflictiō of naturall passion coupled with that organicall feare and heauinesse of heart The melancholy disposeth to feare doubt distrust heauinesse but all either without cause or where there is cause aboue it inforceth the passion Here both the most vehement cause
they be his plantes and ingraffed oliue braūches in his sonne who take not their ful perfection at once but according to the nature of a plāt require dayly watering dressing wherby by degrees they attaine in the ende a full stature in Christ So that you may not accompt your selfe voyde of grace because you are not perfect for in this life both faith and knowledge and loue are all imperfect and shall partly be furnished and partly receaue perfectiō elsewhere but you are godly wisely to consider the secret worke of Gods spirite and grace and take comfort of the smallest crumme and drop of this heauenly sustentation and attend your time of perfect growth according to the good pleasure of God You can not at all times feele and followe with your conceir and naturall capacitie the worker of this mysterie more then you are able to discerne where the wind riseth and where it lighteth You know we that are called are borne againe and as the growth and increase of our bodies is not perceaued of vs though we do increase the birth is not apprehended of the infant borne bred euen so is it with vs in the heauenly birth and spirituall regeneration the spirit worketh without our leaue and acquainteth vs not with his maruelous working more then is expedient at his pleasure when and in what measure for our comfort much lesse can a body ouercharged with melancholy drowned in that darke dungeon see the comfortable beames of his daystar brightnesse of the cheerfull Sunne of God aboundant mercie and a mind whose actions are hindered by meanes thereof whereby it neither conceiueth nor iudgeth sincerely and vprightly as the case requireth and neither so only affected but blinde folded by the humour and brought into this darknesse of feare is buffited also and beaten with Sathan on all sides whereby being distracted it obtayneth no respit and release of due and iust consideration howe can it discerne rightly of these thinges Wherefore your case being such yeelde not so much to the enemy as to iudge of your selfe according to his sentence who is a lyer from the beginning and the father of lyes but according to those olde testimonies which you haue felt in your owne conscience and haue giuen comfortable shewe of to others in the course of your life heretofore Oh but you feele not the testimonie of Gods spirit which might assure you Neither do any of Gods children at all times feele it Dauid cōplained of the want hereof Iob complained likewise so haue diuerse of Gods children in all times made mone hereof Sufficient it is if at any time that assurance be giuen and if it be the will of God for a time to withdraw it that you may feeling your owne frailty with more earnest desire call to him for his wonted grace Who are you to interrupt the wayes of God and to preuent his counselles and for your comfort be assured that the former grace you haue receaued is of that nature that it neuer decayeth but remaineth an euerlasting seed of immortalitie proceeding from the Father of eternitie and with whom there is no chaungeablenesse nor shadowe of turning who doth nothing to repent him of but is only wise stable sure and hath no neede to correct anie thing of his owne workmanship And if he with hold the comfort of his spirite from you for a season it is that you may with greater appetite seeke after it and hauing found it more ioy therein and praise his mercie with thankfulnesse of hart and readinesse of vtterance to found out the aboundance of his mercie If the Lord withhold it not but the frailtie wherein you stand diminish the sense thereof or the temptation presse so farre vpon you that you are not free to iudge aright or the perill which the temptation carieth with it moue you to distrust knowe that nothing befalleth you straunge herein more then to other of Gods children before you and that to wade through these violent streames patience and constancie is most needfull with a resolute mind to abide the Lords wil who in the end wil come and will not tarie This is the broken contrite heart which the Lord will not despise this is the poore spirit on whome the Lord pronounceth blessednesse and this is the affliction whereof the Spirit of God is called the comforter so that although before the Lord hath vouchsafed you many graces yet were you neuer meete to receaue diuerse other which he will nowe bestowe vpon you before this present and so shall you in the end receaue the cup of saluation in steed of the bottell of vineger and teares and in steed of the bread of affliction the heauenly Manna and the bread of life from the table of God Christ Wherefore suspect these thoughtes to be of the enemie and not of your selfe cast into your mind of him and not springing of incredulitie I am out of Gods fauour I am reprobate from his kingdome there remaineth no hope for me I haue no faith For such are his temptations of old daily they be the points he laboureth in against Gods childrē if not to wring frō thē their hope at the least to weary their dayes with heauinesse and discomfort Neither esteeme your selfe presently by that you feele but by that you haue felt when nothing hath ouershadowed that light of knowledge faith and zeale but the full brightnesse of these graces hath broken forth For why haue not these doubts risen vnto you before time and where is nowe the auncient assurance They before time rose not because the temptation was far of and that assurance although by tempest of temptation and by this spirituall storme it seeme to bend and to giue backe yet is it inuincible and recouereth thereby more strength then euer it had before Is the souldier worse appayed that sustaineth the combat and standeth in the face of his enemie though the terrible thunder of shot beat his eares and he in perill of hitting though he maintaine the heate of the battell against the force of his enemie with perill not a whit he becommeth hereby more valiant he learneth experience his skill increaseth and his courage doubleth vppon him So in this spirituall battaile you must not be discouraged like a milk soppe or a fresh souldier vntrained or vnacquainted with warfare but set the victorie before your eyes which is alreadie attained and purchased for you and so much the more are you to endure with Christian valiance in that here is no feare of ouerthrowe the battaile is broken and the enemies scattered and onely the captaine requireth to be followed of you for whome he hath obtained the crowne of victorie if the stragling tayle of the enemie annoye they may shewe their malice and hostilitie but their force is foyled and take heart onely and endure and you shall see them vanquished and submit vnto that power of Christ which inableth you You must
what was the tryall God blessed the last dayes of Iob more thē the first euen so though the present afflictiō be grieuous vnto you and all hope faile in respect of your feeling yet the Lord when he hath proued you and found you his pure and sincere beloued sonne the like issue are you assured of with comforte in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Thus leauing a more plentifull consolation vnto your godly friendes who dayly frequent you especially such as are preachers of the word and ministers of Gods grace I proceed to instruct you in that I iudge your body stādeth in neede of that howsoeuer hability faile in performāce of the offices of friendships on my part towards you my sincere affection and vnfayned loue vnto you may be at the least testified by my endeuour wherein if I be tedious partly it is of forgetfulnes of that consideration being ouercaried with desire to benefite you and partly bicause in your case I also comprehend the estate of many one at this day in like sort affected and afflicted who if they receiue any meanes of cōforte by this my trauaile they may be more beholding vnto my friēd M. pray for his release Thus my good M. you haue the testimonie of my good will in this part of counsell I confesse I am not so meet for it as your case requireth but so haue I discharged that office wherto the dutie of friendship bindeth me If my presence may supply the defect I will not faile you wherin anie part of mine abilitie may serue your wāts I will nowe proceede to the cure of your bodie whose disorder increaseth your heauinesse and ioyneth hand with this kind of temptation CHAP. XXXVII The cure of melancholy and howe melancholicke persons are to order them selues in actions of the mind sense and motion AS the ordinarie cure of all diseases helps of infirmities are to be begun with remouing of such causes as first procured the infirmitie except they be remoued of them selues through their nature neither stable nor permanent by succession of a contrarie cause of the same kinde euen so the first entry of restoring the melancholicke braine and heart to a better state of conceit and cheere is the remouing of such causes as first disturbed iudgement and affection or are therto apt with inducing of causes of contrarie operation The causes of all diseases are either breach of dutie and some errour cōmitted in the gouernment of our health or such accidentes as befall vs in this life against our wills and vnlooked for From the same also do arise the workes of melancholie whereof I intreate and you desire to be released Our diet consisteth not onely as it is commonly taken in meate and drinke but in whatsoeuer exercises of mind or bodie whether they be studies of the braine or affections of the hart or whether they be labours of the bodies or exercises only Besides vnto diet house habitation and apparel do belong which are causes of maintenance or ouerthrowe of health as they be affected To these also the order of rest and sleepe is to be added as a great meanes taken in due time and in conuenient moderation to preserue health or to cause sicknesse if otherwise it be taken immoderately too scant or disorderly Of the labours of the mind studies haue great force to procure melancholie if they be vehement and of difficult matters and high misteries therfore chiefly they are to be auoyded the mind to be set free from all such trauel that the spirits which before were partly wasted might be restored and partly employed vpon hard discourses may be released to the comfort of the hart and thinning of the bloud Besides such actions approching nigh vnto or being the verie inorganicall of the soule cause the mind to neglect the bodie whereby easily it becmometh afterward vnapt for the action and the humours skanted of the sweet influence thereof and spirit setle into a melancholie thicknesse and congele into that cold and drie humour which rayseth these terrours and discouragements Wherfore aboue all abandon working of your braine by any studie or conceit and giue your mind to libertie of recreation from such actions that drawe too much of the spirit and therby wrong the corporall mēbers of the bodie For in maintainance of health it is specially to be obserued that the employing of the parts either of mind or bodie with their spirite is to be carried with such indifferencie and discretion that the force which should be common to manie be not lauishly spent vpon any one Nowe studie of all actions both because it vseth litle help of the bodie in comparison of other and because the minde chieflie laboureth which draweth the whole bodie into sympathie wherby it is neglected as it were for a time and the most subtile purest spirits thereby are consumed is to be giuen ouer in the cure of this passion or if the affection can not be tempered wholly therefrom then such matter of studie is to be made choyse of as requireth no great contention but with a certaine mediocritie may vnbend that stresse of the minde through that ouer vehement action and withall carie a contentednesse thereto and ioy to the affection Nowe as all contention of the mind is to be intermitted so especially that whereto the melancholicke person most hath giuen him selfe before the passion is chieflie to be eschued for the recouerie of former estate and restoring the depraued conceit and fearefull affection For there if the affection of liking go withall both hart and braine do ouer prodigally spend their spirits and with them the subtilest partes of the naturall iuyce and humours of the bodie If of mislike and the thing be by forcible constraint layd on the distracting of the mind from the promptnes of the affection breedeth such an agonie in our nature that thereon riseth also great expeence of spirit and of the most rare and subtile humours of our bodies which are as it were the seate of our naturall heate the refiner of all our humours and the purifier of our spirites As that kind of studie wherein the melancholicke hath spent him selfe is to be auoyded or intermitted and one of a milder and softer kinde to be inferred in place thereof so much lesse anie straunge studie of difficultie and much trauell of the braine is to be taken in hand as it were to turne the minde into a contrarie bent For herein the straungenesse besides difficultie giueth cause of trauaile and toile vnto our nature so that both these extremities are to be eschued of you as most daungerous and hurtfull and the mind to be retired to such a tranquillitie as the naturall heate and spirits may haue free scope to attend vppon the corporall actions of preparing the bloud and thinning of the grosse iuice into a moderate substance as is according to good disposition of the bodie In studie I comprehend although
they be diuerse all action of internall senses which are ministers and seruants of studie whether it be of learning or of meditation and inuention which later kind farre more toyleth the bodie then the former and therefore farther of is it to be remoued Of internall senses I take phantasie to be the greatest wast of these spirits most apt to thicken the bloud if it be excessiue For that imitateth the inuentiue action of the mind and in a lower degree if it be vehement continuall maketh great wast of those two instruments spirit and heate in the me lancholicke bodie For as the action is such is the spirit and part thereof purer subtiler thinner as the actiō is of more excellency farther remoued from corporall practise and draweth nigher to the cleere and pure actions of the minde If the melancholicke be ouer much contemplatiue it shall then be meete for him to withdrawe his mind to corporall actions of grosser sort that as the mind by speculation after a sort disioyneth it selfe from the bodie so the bodily exercise may reuoke it againe into the former fellowship and exercise of bodily action The outwarde senses because they consist rather in a kinde of passion their vse doth not greatly hinder the thinnesse which we require against melancholie except they be ouer trauelled with watching which hath great force to drinke vp the spirites moisture and so to alter the bodily state into a melancholie disposition tedious to mind and body In their actes it is to be obserued that they be not in anie respect irkesome or odious For if they be such the heart continually where the obiect is presented nowe growne tender thorough the internall passion flieth at the shadow of euerie thing that carrieth the smallest shewe of discontentment and reclaiming his spirites about him selfe leaueth the outwarde partes destitute of conuenient measure and by aboundance about it selfe corrupteth them in time for want of sufficient respiration and breathing which no lesse ingendreth melancholie then the former disorders afore mentioned and as for the fearefull passion it increaseth it directly and keepeth that immoderate feare in vre Of all sensible obiectes the visible except they be pleasaunt and proportionall giue greatest discontentment to the melancholike If besides their horriblenesse of shape or without it they represent anie significant type of tragicall calamitie or mention that wherewith the melancholicke apprehension faigne anie fearefull obiect much more such spectacles are to be shunned of the melancholickes And because darkenesse is as it were a patterne of death it also is as much as may be to be auoyded and all cheerefull sights agreeable to vertue and pietie and to be embraced and sought after which as the other sorte close vp the spirites and geueth the heart assaults of hostilitie may allure them out againe and set free the distressed affection and yeelde comfort to the amazed heart Next to visible thinges the audible obiect most frighteth the melancholicke person especialy besids the vnpleasantnesse if it carieth also signification of terror here as pleasant pictures and liuely colours delight the melancholicke eye and in their measure satisfie the heart so not onely cheerefull musicke in a generalitie but such of that kinde as most reioyceth is to be sounded in the melancholicke eare of which kinde for the most part is such as carieth an odde measure and easie to be discerned except the melancholicke haue skill in musicke and require a deeper harmonie That contrarilie which is solemne and still as dumpes and fancies and sette musicke are hurtfull in this case and serue rather for a disordered rage and intemperate mirth to reclaime within mediocritie then to allowe the spirites to stirre the bloud and to attenuate the humours which is if the harmony be wisely applyed effectuallie wrought by musicke For that which reason worketh by a more euident way that musicke as it were a magicall charme bringeth to passe in the mindes of men which being forseene of wise law giuers in times past they haue made choice of certaine kindes thereof and haue reiected the other as hurtfull to their common wealthes which agreement betwixt concent of musicke and affection of the minde when Aristophenes perceaued he therby was moued to thinke that the mind was nothing else but a kind of harmonie In the other senses the obiectes onely are to be choysed sweete in tast pleasant in smell and soft to be felt that all outward things may allure and giue courage in steed of that cowardly timiditie wrought by the humour Motion doth much more if it be vehement and drawe to the nature of labour and withall continuall For that drieth the bodie excessiuely And although for the present it be hotter through such trauell yet consuming the spirite and moysture which are matter of this heate in the ende it decayeth also as fire without fuell and the lampe without oyle As these actions of bodie and minde being ouer vehement and excessiue bereaue the humour of spirite and waste the naturall heat which being spent whatsoeuer else is of the body is more grosse and earthie becommeth a lake of melancholie euen so if altogether these actions cease that neither the minde nor bodie bestow themselues in good studies and exercises then on the contrary part this worketh the same that the other excesse doth and euen as water that standeth and is not stirred corrupteth waxeth grosse and thicke and like as the lampe that wanteth aire goeth out though plenty of oyle be ministred euen so without this stirring of spirites humours blood all settle into a grosse residence of melancholie and the whole masse of bloud easily degenerateth vnto that humour and for want of exercise the naturall fire being slakened and the spirite thereby ingrossed that which indued with both with iust measure and equalitie conuenient was before a cheerefull iuyce comfortable to all the parts and a sweete deawe to the earthy substance congealeth into a grossenesse farre vnmeet for that vse and of a quite contrarie disposition CHAP. XXXVIII How melancholicke persons are to order themselues in their affectiont AS in studies exercises of the braine sense voluntary motion great moderation is to be kept of melancholy persons euen so no lesse regarde if not more is to be had of them in restrayning their affectiōs and guiding them with such wise conduct as at no time they breake forth into outrage and shake of the gentle and light yoake which reason imposeth I will not now dispute whether vehement study or disorderly perturbations is more to be taken heed of onely take you no lesse care in the one then in the other except you finde your selfe to haue fallen into excesse and to haue surfeted more of this then of that excesse If you haue so vnequally exceeded and the effect hath preuayled with you that kind wherof you haue most cause to complaine there refraine and employ those giftes of wisedome and vertue wherein in times
past you haue bene a patterne to others and there keepe the straightest hand where the lists of reason are most like to be broke through You haue had declared how the excessiue trauaile of animall actions or such as springe from the braine waist and spende that spirite which as it is in the world the only cheerer of all thinges dispenseth that life imparted of God to al other creatures so in mans nature is the only comfort of the terrestriall members which spirite being consumed or empaired leaueth the Massy patrs more heauie grosse and dull and farther of remoued from all prompt and laudable action of life this effect as it is wrought by that kinde of disorder in like manner a perturbation wheron reason sitteth not and holdeth not the raine is of the same aptnes to disturbe the goodly order disposed by iust proportion in our bodies putting the parts of that most consonāt pleasant harmony out of tune deliuer a note to the great discontentment of reason and much against the mindes will which intendeth far other then the corporall instrument effecteth If you will call to minde histories you may remember how some haue died of sorrow and othersome of ioy and some with feare some with ielousie and othersome with loue haue bin bereaued of their witts euen those most excellent in al the parts of reason and sound vnderstanding and therby haue made such perturbance of spirit in their braines that for credite of wisedome and in steade of reputation of discreite men they haue through these latter kindes of vnbridled affections worthely caried the name of fooles and men voide of all discreete consideration in the whole race of their life following This commeth to passe in some by troubling of spirite only which require not alone due quantity and temper but a calme setling and tranquillity moued indifferently as iust matter of perturbation shall giue occasion In othersome by lauish waste and predigall expence of the spirite in one passion which dispensed with iudgement would suffice the execution of many worthy actions besides Hereto may furthermore adde that as a member of the corporall body ouer vehemētly forced by straining is in perill of luxation sometimes thereby becommeth altogether disioynted and the parte looseth the freedome of flexible motion euen so the spirite ouerforcible strained to one vehement passion carieth the disposition of the parte therewith and in giuing ouer by too much yeelding to the violence of our passion stādeth as it were crooked that way and with an ouer reach of the raigning perturbation being past recouery inclineth wholly whereto it was forcibly driuen Wherefore the perturbations are discreetely so to be ruled as alwayes there do remaine sufficient power in reasons hande to restraine Of these some perturbations directly immediatly increase both passion and humour of which sorte are saddenes and feare Other some passing measure not so much of thēselues procure either as they doe feeble the melācholicke bodies as anger and ioy both by excessiue effusion of spirites and suddaine alteration from the heartes contraction to such dilatation as those affections procure In ioy if it breake forth into immoderat laughter then doth it more feeble the melancholickes and breath out there spirites and leaue a paine in their sides and bellies which partes are greatly trauailed in laughter For although it should seeme meete in respect of the thinning of the humor by flowing of spirite and blood into the outward partes from the inward center and alteration of the passion by the contrary affection yet the feeblenes of their bodies and skant of spirites their humors being vnapt for plentiful supplie respect not that consideration but require such an expulsion of one affection by the other that the bodie it selfe notwithstanding sustaine no detrement otherwise the combate would be so sore that nature not being able to beare the force of ech passion would be dissolued by violence of that contention So that as all matter of feare is to be abandonned excessiue ioy is also to be eschewed as a great feebler of melancholick persons chiefly if they be women or of tender and rare habite If the melancholie rise of any perturbation that especially is to be altered brought into a mediocrity wherof the passion take first beginning Among them feare and heauines are of most force and as they are procured according to the vehemency of the cause so the kinde of heauines and feare more or lesse encoūtereth reason and frighteth the melancholicke heart We both feare and are sadde for the losse of those things which with delight and pleasure in time past we enioyed and are tormented with despaire and griefe when in those thinges which we desire there is no hope to lay hold on Among the sundrie sortes of subiectes to these passions some are of necessity and some of pleasure Such as are of necessity either respect the natural maintenance of our bodies and liues or honest reputation amongest men The naturall maintenāce of life is of such force in this case that it moueth beyonde measure euen the wisest and most setled and admitteth no moderation If it be imbecillitie of body voide of paine it is borne more tolerable Reputation mē of vertuous and couragious disposition tender as their liues wherby they are in a manner in like case and sometimes more affected with hazard thereof then if life were in daunger The reason is because credite and estimation toucheth the whole person of the man and not either minde or body onely hath the least meanes being oncelost to be recouered againe and besides the disgrace in this life man being immortall in soule standeth in awe of the perpetual note of infamy which may remaine after his death This passion is most hardlie borne of the ambitious and proude man in respect of that opinion he entertaineth of his owne worthines next vnto him it setleth deep in the minde enlarged with the vertue called magnanimitie in respect his honor aunswereth not his merites The obiectes which are pleasant if they be naturall and not helonging to any one part but vnto the whole nature of which sorte is that loue which vpholdeth the propagation of kinde and is the onely glue to couple the ioynts of this great frame of the world together Here reason is often times failed of the passion and carried captiue submitteth where it should haue preeminēce rule If it be of other things which nature hath not so wedded together the losse is borne with more tolleration and where there is peril of want in them despaire toucheth more lightly In respect of their owne nature such is the condition of the thinges we desire in this world But because the diuerse qualities of men taketh them sometimes otherwise therfore that passion and those occasions most vrge as the partie is therwith most passionate some one way some an other as nature bendeth or education hath framed In these cases of griefe and
and are not altogether ignorant of the precepts of phisicians whereby this warning might seeme lesse to appertaine vnto you yet cōsidering your present infirmity and vpon what graines moments and points of time this practise standeth I counsell you all other except the directiō of diet that hath binbefore declared vse of those familiar things which euery one daily putts in practise without the aduise of the phisician whose present eye may behold euery necessity you vtterly abstaine and take my labour herein as a poynting of the finger to that which I iudge meet for you being in a place far distant wher necessity may cōpell you to vse what meanes of counsell you cā get not such as you would and vpon the view of these manifold meanes of bodely health consider how much more the Lords prouidēce is ready at all neede to cōfort our soules in so much as the one is far more excellent then the other Thus hauing giuen this warning I proceed to deliuer the naturall helps and ordinarie remedies we doe vse in this case wherein your bodely health now standeth Hetherto you vnderstād what outward causes are to be remoued and what to be brought in stead of them contrary in operation and breeders of a better tempered humour The next consideration according to the method of curing is to be had of such inward cause as resteth in the body and hath bene the effect of the outward annoyance that is here the melancholick humour and complexion of the bodie now degenerated thereby The humour requireth euacuation and emptying and because your body is not only melancholicke vnder the ribbes but the whole masse of your blood is chaunged therewith it shall be first necessarye to open a vaine that both thereby you may be disburthened in parte of that heauy load and nature hauing lesse of that kinde to deale withall may alter the remnant into a more milde and pleasant iuice thinne it in substance and temper it with naturall heate and moisture in quality Before any vaine be opened a clister is first to be receaued that may clense the entrailes and diminish some part of the humour seated in those parts it wold be made of marshmallowes holyhockes pelletory of the wale mercurie beetes aretch violet leaues polipody borrage buglosse chammomile hoppes dill and melilote annise seeds and fennell decocted in ale or beere and the decoction being made an ounce of Confectio hamech with a drame of Hiera pichra added thereto Hony wherein rosemarye flowers haue bene steeped and oyle of dill of ech an ownce and a halfe this or such like according to the discretion of the learned phisiciā The morning following the vaines are to be emptied the necessity of the passiō compared with the force and strength which moderateth all kinde of euacuatiō though the desease require large emp tying And because melandcholy blood is thicke and grosse therfore easily floweth not though the vaine be opened it shall helpe the bleeding to exercise your body a while before with such moderation that it be equally warmed and the spirite and blood stirred vp The Orifice would be somewhat large that no lett be to the issue the grossenes of the blood may haue the free passage yet so that it be no larger then is requisite for wasting of spirits wherof melācholy persons haue no store to spare In the body the middle vaine of the left arme is fittest to be opened which respecteth both head liuer and splene that betwixt the little finger and the next is of small vse In such as haue the addust melancholy seated in their brains the head vaine is more direct for reuulsion and those about the head it selfe for euacuating and deriuing The tokens of seating there only are with altered fancie and imagination the bodie else carying no melancholicke signes no sower belching after meate nor heate with windinesse which all rise of the melancholy humour stopping the mesaraicke vaines and so procuring that vnnaturall suffocating heate which many melancholick persons complaine of The quantitie which I would haue you spare let it be no lesse then nine or ten ownces except the present action of opening minister other consideration Nowe because you haue had in times past the benefite of bleeding hemorhods which now a long time are stopped at such seasons as they were wont to open or now when they giue any signe of fulnesse swelling or paine they would also be opened by applying a redde onion to the place or annointing it with the iuyce of garlicke or with bulles gall or rubbing it with a figge leafe or with horsleeches well purged and prepared and so applied the easiest way by opening the inwarde vaines of the ankle such like remedies as may prouoke the bloud his vsuall way and bring nature in minde of her wonted discharge of that humour which being stopped breedeth as Hipocrates saith and experience maketh proofe frensies melancholies pleurisies hard milts dropsies and contrarily opened flowing moderatly deliuereth from them all If this melancholy falleth vnto maidens or women their ordinarie course faile them the vaines of the hammes or ancles are to be cut and drinkes of opening rootes fenell persly butchers brome madder and such like with germander goolds herbe grace mugwort and nep are to be much vsed with sittinges and bathinges in mallowes chammomile and nep peniroyall bay leaues fetherfew and such like which haue vertue in that case decocted in water wherein so much honie hath bene dissolued as will giue it a tast of sweetnesse if greater force be required then a dramme of the troches of myrre in the former decoctiō are most forcible the opening of vaine before mentioned would be procured at the accustomed time at the full mone in the elder sort and the chaunge in the yonger The thicker the bloud is the more the melancholick may spare and the thinner the lesse Thus much I iudge necessarie for one kind of euacuation which although it letteth out good bloud withall as in all bleeding yet here lyeth the benefit that nature is partly disburthened and so more easilie gouerneth the rest and by vertue of her natural heate and spirit correcteth with smaller helpe that which therin is farther to be reformed the spirites haue free libertie and great scope is giuen to the harts dilating the action peculiar to a cheerfull disposition The other kinde of euacation is by purging which leaueth the bloud entrie only it cleanseth the bodie of that grosse and thicke settelinge and is more peculiar and directly singleth out the melancholie from the other humours and because this humour is thicke and hardly moueth and the passages veines of the body closer then whereby it may easily passe according to Hipocrates rule both bodie and humour are to receaue a preparation and the parts of the body to be loosened and enlarged the humor made more flowing and thinne both which may be brought to passe with one meanes
by reason and thē apply them to the particular solutiō of that which hath bene obiected First the simplicitie of the nature of the soule more simple then the heauens argueth vnitie of facultie seing all simple thinges by nature reiect mixture and composition and whatsoeuer tendeth to plurality For whatsoeuer is more is diuerse diuersity simple thinges embrace not neither doth diuersity of nature admit so nigh copulation as to settle themselues in the selfe same simple vniforme subiect which if they refuse to do what shall we iudge then of will and appetite repugnant to reason and will sometime at variance with animall appetite how can these so contrary faculties concurre in one single nature That simple thinges receiue neither cōtrarietie nor diuersity the consideration of the whole sort of dissentanie and disagreeing things wil make the matter manifest All of that kinde are either such as we call diuerse or opposite diuerse whose disagreement is most gentle haue notwithstāding such strife that they meete not in the selfe same subiect at any time as beauty and wisedome riches and honestie which haue their diuerse roomes in the same generall nature and do not one farther encounter the other The other haue one single subiect if they be of accidentary natures or qualities and there one expelleth the other enduring no society as vertue vice liberality couetousnes and prodigality black blew yellow and greene light darknes c. And these are at perpetuall warre admit no truice day no not for a minute so because they will needes possesse the same place expel ech other and are in Logick tearmed Opposites Now thē whatsoeuer the soule simple indiuiduall without mixture or compositiongiueth entertaynement of disagreeing natures must of necessity fall into one of these that is to the opposite or diuerse The opposite require their owne times and will not accord in the same subiect at once except you will accompt relatiues of a milder disposition more sociable then their fellowes which notwithstanding by the diuerse respect are as farre disioyned as the rest Now then if we hold that the minde hath diuerss faculties then of necessitie must there be in the same minde diuersity of subiect which if ther be then is the simplicity thereof turned into multiplicity of substance and composition of nature a disposition contrarie both to the manner of the beginning of the soule void of mixture and that immortall perpetuitie wherewith it is induced Peraduenture it may seeme straūge and repugnant to the nature of thinges diuerse to disseuer them of subiect seing softnes and whitenes white and heate and such like being diuerse enter into the same subiect as in snoe the one and the other in molton leade or hote yron which doubt because it serueth for proofe of this vnity of faculty I will lay open and make playne vnto you Of all things subiect to corruption the elementes are most simple which being diuersly mixed yeeld the variety we see of all compoūd thinges vnder heauen these haue ech of them but one quality fire hote ayer moist earth dry and water cold if they should haue twayne then must they needes either enter communicate or two quallities concurre with the first matter entercommunication is there none for then should they not be the elements of other things seing they should be elemēts one of ech other two qualities make superfluities in the mixed which nature eschueth in all her worke then superfluitie would be here in that there should in the compound be found a drynes of fire and the like of earth a coldnes of the earth and the like of water and so in the heat of fire ayre which were more then neede seing such quallities are sufficiently imparted to the compound by one Now if the elementes which after a sort receiue composition of a grosse matter and forme do admit no diuerse quality much lesse doth the minde of a more pure beginning and simple substance reiect the same But how then commeth it to passe that a cole is black and hard chalk harde and white in the same parte throughout if diuersities settle no nigher together yea very well notwithstanding For compounded things though they make one nature yet are they not by reason of composition in all partes alike neither are the elements so confused in the mixture but in all partes they may be found distinct by their qualities simple or compound which qualities although they be commonly attributed to the whole yet properly and cheefely belong they to the elementes whereof the whole cōsisteth so that in one nature diuersity of subiect is to be considered Example shall make it plaine The heate of pepper riseth of the fiery element the drynes and solidity of substaunce which it hath of the earthie In Rhubarb the purging vertue riseth of the subtle substance the strengthening facultie of the grosse and earthy Chalk is white of the aiery moisture which it is endued with and hath his hardnes of a earthie drynes The rose her rednes of a certaine temper of single moistnes concocted with heat and her smell of an aierie moistnes mixed with an earthy drynes attenuated with heate and vertue of the fiery element So we see diuerse thinges which seeme to fall into one vniuersall nature or subiect the matter being more narrowly vined betake them to their owne subiect proper and peculiar vnto themselues and only by communicating their substaunce with the whole endue it also with like qualities But you will say if the elements haue but one qualitye which first was affirmed to the mainteynance of single faculty then is not the element of fire dry nor of water moist nor of aire warme True neither are they of their owne natures such but that which is in fire beside heate is only an absence of moistnes in the earth accompted cold is an absence only of heate in the rest likewise and not an ingenerate quallity more then heauen may be said to be moist because it is not dry or hote because it is not cold which indifferently refuseth all such kinde of quallity Now an absence of one quallity is not straight waye an inferring of the other but only in priuants wherof the one is a meere absence and of that contrary only which naturally should be present as blindnes is not rightly said of a stone though it see not at any time In the elemētary qualities it is not so but they are all quallities importing a presence because they adioyned to the first matter of thinges are the only formes of elementes now absence formeth nothing and priuants are alwayes contrary to forme and nature It appeareth then that elements which are lesse simple then the soules of men are endued but with one faculty and that diuerse things require a diuerse peculiar seat which being taken vp in such natures as will abide mixture seeme as though they were of the whole mixed when as but after a sort only they are so
fancy ouertaken with gastly sumes of melācholy and the whole force of the spirite closed vp in the dungion of melancholy darkenes imagineth all darke blacke and full of feare their heartes are either ouertender and rare so easily admitte the passion or ouer closse of nature serue more easily to imprison the chearefull spirites the causes of comforte to the rest of the bodie whereby they are not in one respect only fainte harted and full of discourage but euerie smal occasion yea though none be they are driuen with tide of that humour to feare euē in the middest of security Here it first proceedeth frō the mindes apprehension there from the humour which deluding the organicall actions abuseth the minde and draweth it into erronious iudgement through false testimony of the outward reporte Here no medicine no purgation no cordiall no tryacle or balme are able to assure the afflicted soule and trembling heart now painting vnder the terrors of God there in melancholy the vayne opened neesing powder or bearefoote ministred cordialls of pearle Saphires and rubies with such like recomforte the heart throwne downe appaled with fātasticall feare In this affliction the perill is not of body and corporall actions or decay of seruile and temporall vses but of the whole nature soule and body cut of from the life of God and from the sweet influence of his fauour the fountaine of all happines and eternall felicity Finally if they be diligētly cōpared in cause in effect in quality in whatsoeuer respect these vnreuerent and prophane persons list to match them they shall appeare of diuerse nature neuer to be be coupled in one felowship as more particularly shal be shewed hereafter The cause here is the seuerity of Gods iudgement summoning the guilty consciēce the subiect is the sinnefull soule apprehending the terror thereof which is not momentary or for a season but for euer and euer the issue of this affliction is eternall punishment satisfactory to the iustice of the eternall God which is endlesse and whose seuerity admitteth no mediation neither that extended to one ioynte sinue or vaine but to all neither that of the body only but of the soule whose nature as it is impatible of all other thinges and of all other thinges in greatest peace assurance and tranquillitye so once shaken by the terrours of Gods wrath and blasted with that whirlewinde of his displeasure falleth and with it driueth the whole frame of our nature into extreame miserie and vtter confusion so farre they are abused who iudge these cases as naturall and such is the calamity of those whom the prophane ones of this world propound vnto themselues as matter of scoffe and derision laboring by al meanes to benumme the sense of that stinge which sinne euer carrieth in the tayle what pretence so euer it sheweth of right profit or pleasure in face of outward appearance to delude the foole simple in his wayes skillfull to do euill sottish in the pathes of righteousnes and vtterly ignorant of her rule and wherein nature giueth some sparke of light more distinctly to discerne euen there with corruption of affection like to stubburne vnbroaken horse shaketh of reason dispiseth her manage and layeth the noble ryder in the dust In respect of you my deare M. I know this discourse were superfluous who standeth in neede of salue to the sore and beareth not the least touch of this gale but because my purpose in this labour is not only to informe and to comforte you but also for the instruction of others beare with this and passe it ouer as not belonging vnto you but to the foole of whome Solomon speaketh that followeth wickednes like an Oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes for correction and as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that he is in daūger Touching your particular estate that you may iudge thereof more sincerely you are to esteeme of it as mixed of the melancholick humour and that terror of God which as it is vpon the wicked an entrance into their eternall destructiō so vnto you it is as I shall hereafter at large make proofe a fatherly frowning only for a time to correct that which in you is to be reformed and an admonition of farther circumspection in your wayes and course of life hereafter For the first pointe you may remember your swolne splene with windnes and hardenes vnder the left ribbes the hemeroydes not flowing according to their vsuall manner the blacknes and grossenes of that blood which hath ben taken from you vpon occasion your dreames ordinarily fearefull your solitarines and exceeding sadnes with almost all kinde of accidentes which accompanie melancholy For the other part whereof most you complaine the manner leadeth me to iudge thereof otherwise then naturall both because such is indeede the feare terror of God sent vpon man and no effect of any creature or cause besides as also because the obiect or mouing cause is in reason and cleare vnderstanding voide of all abuse of fancy such as of necessity inforceth these lamentable effects which your soule feeleth desireth the release of vpon you the crosse falleth more heauily in so much as you are vnder the disaduantage of the melancholicke complexion whose opportunity Sathan embraceth to vrge all terror against you to the fall But remember that he who hath redeemed vs passed vnder these feares hath sanctified them to his redeemed and according to his example who was heard in that which he feared when in the dayes of his flesh he did offer vp prayers and supplications with strōg crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death so follow him in hope and patience who hath obtained the victory not for him selfe onely but for all such as in like temptation depend vpon him To the end my labour may giue you a more perfect direction in this heauy case what is naturall and what is according to the good pleasure of God in the other distresse aboue nature I will make particular distinction of both in the Chapter following to your clearer vnderstanding CHAP. XXXIIII The particular difference betwixt melancholy the distressed conscience in the same person VVHatsoeuer molestation riseth directly as a proper obiect of the mind that in that respect is not melancholicke but hath a farther ground then fancie and riseth from conscience condemning the guiltie soule of those ingrauen lawes of nature which no man is voide of be he neuer so laborous This is it that hath caused the prophane poëts to haue fained Hecates Eumenides and the infernall furies which although they be but fained persons yet the matter which is shewed vnder their maske is serious true and of wofull experience This taketh nothing of the body nor intermedleth with humour but giueth a direct wounde with those firie dartes which men so afflicted make their mone of Of this kinde Saule was possessed to whom the Lord sent an
of that kinde of frailty giue comforte vnto you in your case although in an other kinde yet in this respect not vnlike We haue experiēce how diuerse times the desease preuaileth ouer the sicke persons that actions faile and faculties seeme quite to be spent neither hand nor foote is able to do their duetie the eye is dimme the hearing dull the tast altered and the tounge distasteth all things eue of most pleasant relish and the weak and feeble pacient seemeth to attend the time of dissolution when yet notwithstanding there remaineth a secret power of nature and a forcible spark of life that ouercōmeth all these infirmities and consumeth them like drosse rendereth to the body a greater purity firmenes of health then before the sicknes it did enioy Euen so esteeme of the spirituall case and consider that your soule is sicke and not dead and faith is assailed but not ouercome only haue patience to attend the finishing of this secret worke which passeth all conceite and capacity of man and you shall see these burning feauers of temptations to be slaked and cooled by the mercy and grace of Christ and that sparke of faith which lieth now hidde and ouerwhelmed with heapes of temptation and seemeth to be vtterly quenched to breake forth againe and to consume these straunge causes of the desease of the soule and as nature after a perfect crise dischargeth her self either by stoole vomite sweat or bleeding or such like euacuations to the recouerie of former health so shall you feele all these doubtes and feares and terrors remoued and strength of faith restored with such supply as it shall be able to make euident proofe what secrete vertue laye hid and yet not idle in all this vncomfortable plight which offereth you temptation of dispaire Seing then that you are yet but vnder the conflict and not ouercome haue good cheare in the succession which as in Christ it is victorious ouer head so are we his parts members to looke for the same crowne of glory who both ouercome in him through him in our selues shall in the ende be possessed of the victory and receiuethe crowne of immortality As for that which your owne conceit corrupted by melancholy perswadeth you wherin Sathan is busie and omitteth no oportunity giue no credite thereunto but as it is so esteeme it a delusion which time will discouer and lay open as you your selfe shall hereafter most planly discerne I graunt you the temptation it selfe though your body were free from this infirmity is of the greatest kinde such as doth not skirmish only lightly vpon our soules but setteth the maine battaile against our most happy estate in so much as it forced our Sauiour to cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me But what then are we therefore to be discouraged no no here appeareth rather the aboundance of Gods grace and the mightie supporte of his power which euen in the middest of hel preserueth his and suffereth not so much as their garments to take any smell of the flame but euen from thēce is able to raise them to his celestiall kingdome place them which his sonne in the throne of glory And if you dewly consider the price of our redemption how prerious it was how it could not be obtayned without shedding of the most pretious heartblood of the sonne of God you must thinke the quarrell to be no other to the ende but a matter of blood of strife of sweate of feare of ielousie and whatsoeuer affection goeth with affecting a glorious triumph in all the mēbers of Christ both inwardly and outwardly in the spirite and in the body as our head himselfe could finde in dispensation though he sued vnto his father therefrom with aboundance of tears and thinke that it is Gods busines we are in hād with and that we are inabled of him and accōpt not these smal venies of Satā for deadly woūdes which are no thing other but practises and exercises of the spirituall courage and circumspection and introductions to that vse of the whole armour of God where against no force of the enemy shall preuaile though the attempt seeme to be full of perill terror But you say you feele small strength of faith no support of that hope which maketh not ashamed Beware least you iudge vniustly of the wayes of God esteeme that for small which is great and vile which in the sight of God is most pretious For herein the ennemy may take encouragement to your great disaduantage You feele not that taste thereof you sometimes felt and do you iudge therefore you are bereued vtterly thereof what consider the soule is now sick distestaeth much wholesome meate of consolation and loatheth many pleasaunt and fragraunt cuppes of comfort and counsell and yet the indeuours of Gods childre in this behalfe and the sweete waters of heauēly comfort are not therefore of themselues bitter or vnsauory so you are not to measure the absence of this grace by that you presently but by that in times past while the soule stoode free from this disease of tēptation trial you haue felt of comfort in the spirite through an acceptable measure of faith according to the dispensation of Gods grace and not according to our fancy but as he shal think meete to be ministred vnto vs. Neither is the tryall of faith only to be taken according as the soule feeleth it in it selfe but also and sometimes as in such temptations as these wherein you now trauaile onely by the course and trade of life which hath passed before and those fruites which are euident to the eye of others who can iudge more sincerely then the afflicted whose vnderstandinges are somewhat altered through Sathans terrors But againe you say the course of life past and your estate present hath nothing aunswered the holines of your vocation and that sinceritie the Lord requireth so that here also the comforte faileth you What then are you therefore reprobate No but it argueth want of faith not so but place for farther increase of faith and the fruits thereof Those whome the Lord hath chosen to be his worshipers and hath redeemed and consecrated holy to himselfe and prepared good workes for them to walke in they be his plantes and ingraffed oliue braūches in his sonne which take not their full perfection at once but accorglorie And if you duly consider the price of our redemption how pretious it was how it could not be obtained without shedding of the most pretious hart bloud of the Sonne of God you must thinke the quarrell to be no other to the ende but a matter of bloud of strife of sweate of feare of ielousie and whatsoeuer affection goeth with affecting a glorious triumph in all the members of Christ both inwardly and outwardly in the spirit and in the bodie as our head himselfe could finde no dispensation though he sued vnto his Father therfore with aboundance
of teares and thinke that it is Gods businesse we are in hand with that we are inabled of him mooued and carried by his spirite increase with his increases not to be measured with the eye of flesh or carnall vnderstanding but by the same spirite which worketh in vs who as he hath begunne will also make perfect his worke to his owne glory which lieth in taking pity and compassion more aboundantly then in shewing vēgeance By this which hitherto hath bene said it appeareth plainly that no sinne hath yet passed you which can seclude you from hope of saluation and therefore necessarily it followeth that the crosse you are now vnder is an attempt of Satan against you to cast you into vtter dispaire and if it were possible to vndoe that knot more surely knit then that of Gordius which coupleth vs vnto our God and wherewith we are espoused vnto Iesus Christ euen our most glorious faith which ouercommeth the world where against not Satā nor all his force or stratageme is able to preuaile I say it is only a temptation of the ennemy purposed of him to your confusion but from your louing God and mercifull father a triall of faith and patience and the proofe of those vertues which before laye hid in secrete which he will haue now shew themselues in the combat he himselfe a beholder an incourager a succour at neede and prest with the crowne of triumph to giue rewarde and honour to the victory Wherefore only haue patience be not discouraged stand sure and the feeblenes of Sathan shall soone appeare and his weapons shall be al broaken in peeces and God through faith and patience and comfort of the Scriptures by his spirite shall be glorified in the weakenes of his poore afflicted seruant and you shall againe as Dauid was be restored to those wōted ioyes which you haue sometimes felt in the sweete mercies of the Lord. Now the ground of all tēptation is our owne weakenes this is tried and proued by Sathan or the world or both ioyned together as considerations of our destruction Besides this continual buddes of iniquity which do rise from our originall corruption Sathan sometimes playeth his part vpon our weakenes alone and sometimes by outward temptations and sometimes layeth siege round about vs and besetteth all the parts of our complete armour We are weake in vnderstanding and in what so euer action riseth therefrom euen in will affection Our vnderstanding is turned into blindnes of error Our will embraceth not only those thinges which corrupt iudgement directeth vnto but euen wher sometime vnderstanding stādeth sound ther will bēdeth to affection neglecteth the light of reason Our affections are both rebellious to right iudgement and will in that they rage where they should not and wher iust cause is giuen there they inordinately exceed Thus iudgement wil and affection hauing degenerated vse the bodely members as weapons and instrumentes of all impietye and in iustice so that if the grace of God did not for preseruation of humaine society and especially for his Churches cause restraine this strēgth of iniquity the pillers of the world would shatter in sunder and the vault of heauen would fall all things woulde turne againe to their former Chaos be consumed with the terrible fire of Gods vengeaunce and perishe in his heauy displeasure Our misery being such no maruaile though both Sathan and the world preuaile against vs except the Lord stretch foorth his hand and vphold vs. This our infirmity Sathan doth sometimes assaye without meanes and sometimes by outward occasions of euill forcible perswasion of sinne and rebelliō against God How he doth it without means the experience is more lamentable and infallible then the manner how easie to finde out In corporall possession it seemeth there needeth no meanes when Sathan possesseth all partes of the howse and as maister commaundeth at his pleasure But how without such accesse he is able to tēpt that is a matter of more difficult consideration which because it maketh not a litle to the better laying open of your estate I will somewhat stande vpon referring you for the rest to the resolutions of the diuines who haue chiefe part in this busines For my owne part I do take it am assured you find the experience that Sathā after a personall manner vnto the soule though not in bodely shape to the eye without meanes of outward thinges which might moue our wils or affections tempteth vs in the very secrete thoughts of our heartes For being a spirite and by creation most excellent it is not to be doubted but that he hath a spirituall accesse vnto our spirites to trouble them and to disorder all their actions as we see corporall creatures with bodely and corporall force to annoy one an other And as men haue fellowship one with other by corporall presence and are delighted or displeased with the quallities of the minde according as they like or dislike vttered by speach talke so is it most like that the spirites haue their society maintained by a spirituall conference whereby their wills and purposes are entercommunicated one to an other without corporall sound whereof both the spirites want the instrument and the voice nothing affecteth the mind Dayly experience maketh this manifest in such as are possessed how Sathan so beareth the sway in them that their speach and phrase altereth and their discourse is farre other then before their whole nature at Sathans becke and their vtterance of minde as he only suggesteth In others whome Sathan hath not layed such hold on the same no lesse is to be seene as when the false prophetes did deceiue Ahab there came forth a spirit which was sent to be a false lying spirite in the mouth of all his prophets which accordingly did make promis vnto him of victory who notwithstāding found a contrary euent of ouerthrow destructiō So entred Satan into Iudas the traitor moued him to betray our Sauiour not by a corporall possession but by a spirituall impulsion whereby he worketh in the children of disobedience and Peter in the fift of the Actes sayeth to Ananias why hath Sathan filled thine heart c and againe in the second to the Ephesians the Apostle calleth the Deuill the prince that ruleth in the ayre the spirite that nowe worketh in the children of disobedience by which it is plaine that the deuill hath power where God permitteth him ouer the minds and iudgements and wills of the reprobate and wicked and may also in such sort tempt the faithful seruants of God For the Apostle saith in the same place that the Ephesians to whome he wrote in times past walked according to the course of this world after the conduct of that spirite Neither do we stande thus subiect vnto Sathans annoyance through the subtlenesse of his nature being a spirit but through that lōg experience and practise of our miserie from age to age whereby he