The Anatomy of Melancholy Part 29

"would kneel down and talk with him, as if he had been there present with his a.s.sociates; and if she had found by chance a piece of gla.s.s in a muck-hill or in the street, she would say that it was a jewel sent from her lord and husband." If devout and religious, he is all for fasting, prayer, ceremonies, alms, interpretations, visions, prophecies, revelations, [2595]

he is inspired by the Holy Ghost, full of the spirit: one while he is saved, another while d.a.m.ned, or still troubled in mind for his sins, the devil will surely have him, &c. more of these in the third part.i.tion of love-melancholy. [2596]A scholar's mind is busied about his studies, he applauds himself for that he hath done, or hopes to do, one while fearing to be out in his next exercise, another while contemning all censures; envies one, emulates another; or else with indefatigable pains and meditation, consumes himself. So of the rest, all which vary according to the more remiss and violent impression of the object, or as the humour itself is intended or remitted. For some are so gently melancholy, that in all their carriage, and to the outward apprehension of others it can hardly be discerned, yet to them an intolerable burden, and not to be endured.

[2597]_Quaedam occulta quaedam manifesta_, some signs are manifest and obvious to all at all times, some to few, or seldom, or hardly perceived; let them keep their own council, none will take notice or suspect them.

"They do not express in outward show their depraved imaginations," as [2598]Hercules de Saxonia observes, "but conceal them wholly to themselves, and are very wise men, as I have often seen; some fear, some do not fear at all, as such as think themselves kings or dead, some have more signs, some fewer, some great, some less," some vex, fret, still fear, grieve, lament, suspect, laugh, sing, weep, chafe, &c. by fits (as I have said) or more during and permanent. Some dote in one thing, are most childish, and ridiculous, and to be wondered at in that, and yet for all other matters most discreet and wise. To some it is in disposition, to another in habit; and as they write of heat and cold, we may say of this humour, one is _melancholicus ad octo_, a second two degrees less, a third halfway. 'Tis superparticular, _sesquialtera, sesquitertia_, and _superbipartiens tertias, quintas Melancholiae_, &c. all those geometrical proportions are too little to express it. [2599]"It comes to many by fits, and goes; to others it is continuate:" many (saith [2600]Faventinus) "in spring and fall only are molested," some once a year, as that Roman [2601] Galen speaks of: [2602]one, at the conjunction of the moon alone, or some unfortunate aspects, at such and such set hours and times, like the sea-tides, to some women when they be with child, as [2603]Plater notes, never otherwise: to others 'tis settled and fixed; to one led about and variable still by that _ignis fatuus_ of phantasy, like an _arthritis_ or running gout, 'tis here and there, and in every joint, always molesting some part or other; or if the body be free, in a myriad of forms exercising the mind. A second once peradventure in his life hath a most grievous fit, once in seven years, once in five years, even to the extremity of madness, death, or dotage, and that upon, some feral accident or perturbation, terrible object, and for a time, never perhaps so before, never after. A third is moved upon all such troublesome objects, cross fortune, disaster, and violent pa.s.sions, otherwise free, once troubled in three or four years. A fourth, if things be to his mind, or he in action, well pleased, in good company, is most jocund, and of a good complexion: if idle, or alone, a la mort, or carried away wholly with pleasant dreams and phantasies, but if once crossed and displeased,

"Pectore concipiet nil nisi triste suo;"

"He will imagine naught save sadness in his heart;"

his countenance is altered on a sudden, his heart heavy, irksome thoughts crucify his soul, and in an instant he is moped or weary of his life, he will kill himself. A fifth complains in his youth, a sixth in his middle age, the last in his old age.

Generally thus much we may conclude of melancholy; that it is [2604]most pleasant at first, I say, _mentis gratissimus error_, [2605]a most delightsome humour, to be alone, dwell alone, walk alone, meditate, lie in bed whole days, dreaming awake as it were, and frame a thousand fantastical imaginations unto themselves. They are never better pleased than when they are so doing, they are in paradise for the time, and cannot well endure to be interrupt; with him in the poet, [2606]_pol me occidistis amici, non servastis ait_? you have undone him, he complains, if you trouble him: tell him what inconvenience will follow, what will be the event, all is one, _canis ad vomitum_, [2607]'tis so pleasant he cannot refrain. He may thus continue peradventure many years by reason of a strong temperature, or some mixture of business, which may divert his cogitations: but at the last _laesa imaginatio_, his phantasy is crazed, and now habituated to such toys, cannot but work still like a fate, the scene alters upon a sudden, fear and sorrow supplant those pleasing thoughts, suspicion, discontent, and perpetual anxiety succeed in their places; so by little and little, by that shoeing-horn of idleness, and voluntary solitariness, melancholy this feral fiend is drawn on, [2608]_et quantum vertice ad auras Aethereas, tantum radice in Tartara tendit_, "extending up, by its branches, so far towards Heaven, as, by its roots, it does down towards Tartarus;" it was not so delicious at first, as now it is bitter and harsh; a cankered soul macerated with cares and discontents, _taedium vitae_, impatience, agony, inconstancy, irresolution, precipitate them unto unspeakable miseries. They cannot endure company, light, or life itself, some unfit for action, and the like. [2609]Their bodies are lean and dried up, withered, ugly, their looks harsh, very dull, and their souls tormented, as they are more or less entangled, as the humour hath been intended, or according to the continuance of time they have been troubled.

To discern all which symptoms the better, [2610]Rhasis the Arabian makes three degrees of them. The first is, _falsa cogitatio_, false conceits and idle thoughts: to misconstrue and amplify, aggravating everything they conceive or fear; the second is, _falso cogitata loqui_, to talk to themselves, or to use inarticulate incondite voices, speeches, obsolete gestures, and plainly to utter their minds and conceits of their hearts, by their words and actions, as to laugh, weep, to be silent, not to sleep, eat their meat, &c.: the third is to put in practice [2611]that which they think or speak. Savanarola, _Rub. 11. tract. 8. cap. 1. de aegritudine_, confirms as much, [2612]"when he begins to express that in words, which he conceives in his heart, or talks idly, or goes from one thing to another,"

which [2613]Gordonius calls _nec caput habentia, nec caudam_, ("having neither head nor tail,") he is in the middle way: [2614] "but when he begins to act it likewise, and to put his fopperies in execution, he is then in the extent of melancholy, or madness itself." This progress of melancholy you shall easily observe in them that have been so affected, they go smiling to themselves at first, at length they laugh out; at first solitary, at last they can endure no company: or if they do, they are now dizzards, past sense and shame, quite moped, they care not what they say or do, all their actions, words, gestures, are furious or ridiculous. At first his mind is troubled, he doth not attend what is said, if you tell him a tale, he cries at last, what said you? but in the end he mutters to himself, as old women do many times, or old men when they sit alone, upon a sudden they laugh, whoop, halloo, or run away, and swear they see or hear players, [2615]devils, hobgoblins, ghosts, strike, or strut, &c., grow humorous in the end; like him in the poet, _saepe ducentos, saepe decem servos_, ("at one time followed by two hundred servants, at another only by ten") he will dress himself, and undress, careless at last, grows insensible, stupid, or mad. [2616]He howls like a wolf, barks like a dog, and raves like Ajax and Orestes, hears music and outcries, which no man else hears. As [2617]he did whom Amatus Lusita.n.u.s mentioneth _cent. 3, cura. 55_, or that woman in [2618]Springer, that spake many languages, and said she was possessed: that farmer in [2619]Prosper Calenius, that disputed and discoursed learnedly in philosophy and astronomy, with Alexander Achilles his master, at Bologna, in Italy. But of these I have already spoken.

Who can sufficiently speak of these symptoms, or prescribe rules to comprehend them? as Echo to the painter in Ausonius, _vane quid affectas_, &c., foolish fellow; what wilt? if you must needs paint me, paint a voice, _et similem si vis pingere, pinge sonum_; if you will describe melancholy, describe a fantastical conceit, a corrupt imagination, vain thoughts and different, which who can do? The four and twenty letters make no more variety of words in diverse languages, than melancholy conceits produce diversity of symptoms in several persons. They are irregular, obscure, various, so infinite, Proteus himself is not so diverse, you may as well make the moon a new coat, as a true character of a melancholy man; as soon find the motion of a bird in the air, as the heart of man, a melancholy man. They are so confused, I say, diverse, intermixed with other diseases.

As the species be confounded (which [2620]I have showed) so are the symptoms; sometimes with headache, cachexia, dropsy, stone; as you may perceive by those several examples and ill.u.s.trations, collected by [2621]

Hildesheim _spicel. 2._ Mercurialis _consil. 118. cap. 6 and 11._ with headache, epilepsy, priapismus. Trincavelius _consil. 12. lib. 1. consil.

49._ with gout: _caninus appet.i.tus_. Monta.n.u.s _consil. 26, &c. 23, 234, 249_, with falling-sickness, headache, vertigo, lycanthropia, &c. J. Caesar Claudinus _consult. 4. consult. 89 and 116._ with gout, agues, haemorrhoids, stone, &c., who can distinguish these melancholy symptoms so intermixed with others, or apply them to their several kinds, confine them into method? 'Tis hard I confess, yet I have disposed of them as I could, and will descend to particularise them according to their species. For hitherto I have expatiated in more general lists or terms, speaking promiscuously of such ordinary signs, which occur amongst writers. Not that they are all to be found in one man, for that were to paint a monster or chimera, not a man: but some in one, some in another, and that successively or at several times.

Which I have been the more curious to express and report; not to upbraid any miserable man, or by way of derision, (I rather pity them,) but the better to discern, to apply remedies unto them; and to show that the best and soundest of us all is in great danger; how much we ought to fear our own fickle estates, remember our miseries and vanities, examine and humiliate ourselves, seek to G.o.d, and call to Him for mercy, that needs not look for any rods to scourge ourselves, since we carry them in our bowels, and that our souls are in a miserable captivity, if the light of grace and heavenly truth doth not shine continually upon us: and by our discretion to moderate ourselves, to be more circ.u.mspect and wary in the midst of these dangers.

MEMB. II.

SUBSECT. I.--_Symptoms of Head-Melancholy_.

"If [2622]no symptoms appear about the stomach, nor the blood be misaffected, and fear and sorrow continue, it is to be thought the brain itself is troubled, by reason of a melancholy juice bred in it, or otherwise conveyed into it, and that evil juice is from the distemperature of the part, or left after some inflammation," thus far Piso. But this is not always true, for blood and hypochondries both are often affected even in head-melancholy. [2623]Hercules de Saxonia differs here from the common current of writers, putting peculiar signs of head-melancholy, from the sole distemperature of spirits in the brain, as they are hot, cold, dry, moist, "all without matter from the motion alone, and tenebrosity of spirits;" of melancholy which proceeds from humours by adustion, he treats apart, with their several symptoms and cures. The common signs, if it be by essence in the head, "are ruddiness of face, high sanguine complexion, most part _rubore saturato_," [2624]one calls it, a bluish, and sometimes full of pimples, with red eyes. Avicenna _l. 3, Fen. 2, Tract. 4, c. 18._ Duretus and others out of Galen, _de affect. l. 3, c. 6._ [2625]Hercules de Saxonia to this of redness of face, adds "heaviness of the head, fixed and hollow eyes." [2626]"If it proceed from dryness of the brain, then their heads will be light, vertiginous, and they most apt to wake, and to continue whole months together without sleep. Few excrements in their eyes and nostrils, and often bald by reason of excess of dryness," Montaltus adds, _c. 17._ If it proceed from moisture: dullness, drowsiness, headache follows; and as Sal.u.s.t. Salvia.n.u.s, _c. 1, l. 2_, out of his own experience found, epileptical, with a mult.i.tude of humours in the head. They are very bashful, if ruddy, apt to blush, and to be red upon all occasions, _praesertim si metus accesserit_. But the chiefest symptom to discern this species, as I have said, is this, that there be no notable signs in the stomach, hypochondries, or elsewhere, _digna_, as [2627] Montaltus terms them, or of greater note, because oftentimes the pa.s.sions of the stomach concur with them. Wind is common to all three species, and is not excluded, only that of the hypochondries is [2628]more windy than the rest, saith Hollerius. Aetius _tetrab. l. 2, sc. 2, c. 9 and 10_, maintains the same, [2629]if there be more signs, and more evident in the head than elsewhere, the brain is primarily affected, and prescribes head-melancholy to be cured by meats amongst the rest, void of wind, and good juice, not excluding wind, or corrupt blood, even in head-melancholy itself: but these species are often confounded, and so are their symptoms, as I have already proved.

The symptoms of the mind are superfluous and continual cogitations; [2630]"for when the head is heated, it scorcheth the blood, and from thence proceed melancholy fumes, which trouble the mind," Avicenna. They are very choleric, and soon hot, solitary, sad, often silent, watchful, discontent, Montaltus, _cap. 24._ If anything trouble them, they cannot sleep, but fret themselves still, till another object mitigate, or time wear it out. They have grievous pa.s.sions, and immoderate perturbations of the mind, fear, sorrow, &c., yet not so continuate, but that they are sometimes merry, apt to profuse laughter, which is more to be wondered at, and that by the authority of [2631]Galen himself, by reason of mixture of blood, _praerubri jocosis delectantur, et irrisores plerumque sunt_, if they be ruddy, they are delighted in jests, and oftentimes scoffers themselves, conceited: and as Rodericus a Vega comments on that place of Galen, merry, witty, of a pleasant disposition, and yet grievously melancholy anon after: _omnia disc.u.n.t sine doctore_, saith Aretus, they learn without a teacher: and as [2632]Laurentius supposeth, those feral pa.s.sions and symptoms of such as think themselves gla.s.s, pitchers, feathers, &c., speak strange languages, _a colore cerebri_ (if it be in excess) from the brain's distempered heat.

SUBSECT. II.--_Symptoms of windy Hypochondriacal Melancholy_.

"In this hypochondriacal or flatuous melancholy, the symptoms are so ambiguous," saith [2633]Crato in a counsel of his for a n.o.blewoman, "that the most exquisite physicians cannot determine of the part affected."

Matthew Flaccius, consulted about a n.o.ble matron, confessed as much, that in this malady he with Hollerius, Fracastorius, Falopius, and others, being to give their sentence of a party labouring of hypochondriacal melancholy, could not find out by the symptoms which part was most especially affected; some said the womb, some heart, some stomach, &c., and therefore Crato, _consil. 24. lib. 1._ boldly avers, that in this diversity of symptoms, which commonly accompany this disease, [2634]"no physician can truly say what part is affected." Galen _lib. 3. de loc. affect._, reckons up these ordinary symptoms, which all the Neoterics repeat of Diocles; only this fault he finds with him, that he puts not fear and sorrow amongst the other signs. Trincavelius excuseth Diocles, _lib. 3. consil. 35._ because that oftentimes in a strong head and const.i.tution, a generous spirit, and a valiant, these symptoms appear not, by reason of his valour and courage.

[2635]Hercules de Saxonia (to whom I subscribe) is of the same mind (which I have before touched) that fear and sorrow are not general symptoms; some fear and are not sad; some be sad and fear not; some neither fear nor grieve. The rest are these, beside fear and sorrow, [2636]"sharp belchings, fulsome crudities, heat in the bowels, wind and rumbling in the guts, vehement gripings, pain in the belly and stomach sometimes, after meat that is hard of concoction, much watering of the stomach, and moist spittle, cold sweat, _importunus sudor_, unseasonable sweat all over the body," as Octavius Horatia.n.u.s _lib. 2. cap. 5._ calls it; "cold joints, indigestion, [2637]they cannot endure their own fulsome belchings, continual wind about their hypochondries, heat and griping in their bowels, _praecordia sursum convelluntur_, midriff and bowels are pulled up, the veins about their eyes look red, and swell from vapours and wind." Their ears sing now and then, vertigo and giddiness come by fits, turbulent dreams, dryness, leanness, apt they are to sweat upon all occasions, of all colours and complexions.

Many of them are high-coloured especially after meals, which symptom Cardinal Caecius was much troubled with, and of which he complained to Prosper Calenus his physician, he could not eat, or drink a cup of wine, but he was as red in the face as if he had been at a mayor's feast. That symptom alone vexeth many. [2638]Some again are black, pale, ruddy, sometimes their shoulders and shoulder blades ache, there is a leaping all over their bodies, sudden trembling, a palpitation of the heart, and that _cardiaca pa.s.sio_, grief in the mouth of the stomach, which maketh the patient think his heart itself acheth, and sometimes suffocation, _difficultas anhelitus_, short breath, hard wind, strong pulse, swooning.

Monta.n.u.s _consil. 55._ Trincavelius _lib. 3. consil. 36. et 37._ Fernelius _cons. 43._ Frambesarius _consult. lib. 1. consil. 17._ Hildesheim, Claudinus, &c., give instance of every particular. The peculiar symptoms which properly belong to each part be these. If it proceed from the stomach, saith [2639]Savanarola, 'tis full of pain wind. Guianerius adds, vertigo, nausea, much spitting, &c. If from the mirach, a swelling and wind in the hypochondries, a loathing, and appet.i.te to vomit, pulling upward. If from the heart, aching and trembling of it, much heaviness. If from the liver, there is usually a pain in the right hypochondry. If from the spleen, hardness and grief in the left hypochondry, a rumbling, much appet.i.te and small digestion, Avicenna. If from the mesaraic veins and liver on the other side, little or no appet.i.te, Herc. de Saxonia. If from the hypochondries, a rumbling inflation, concoction is hindered, often belching, &c. And from these crudities, windy vapours ascend up to the brain which trouble the imagination, and cause fear, sorrow, dullness, heaviness, many terrible conceits and chimeras, as Lemnius well observes, _l. 1. c. 16._ "as [2640]a black and thick cloud covers the sun, and intercepts his beams and light, so doth this melancholy vapour obnubilate the mind, enforce it to many absurd thoughts and imaginations," and compel good, wise, honest, discreet men (arising to the brain from the [2641]

lower parts, "as smoke out of a chimney") to dote, speak, and do that which becomes them not, their persons, callings, wisdoms. One by reason of those ascending vapours and gripings, rumbling beneath, will not be persuaded but that he hath a serpent in his guts, a viper, another frogs. Trallia.n.u.s relates a story of a woman, that imagined she had swallowed an eel, or a serpent, and Felix Platerus, _observat. lib. 1._ hath a most memorable example of a countryman of his, that by chance, falling into a pit where frogs and frogs' sp.a.w.n was, and a little of that water swallowed, began to suspect that he had likewise swallowed frogs' sp.a.w.n, and with that conceit and fear, his phantasy wrought so far, that he verily thought he had young live frogs in his belly, _qui vivebant ex alimento suo_, that lived by his nourishment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years afterwards he could not be rectified in his conceit: He studied physic seven years together to cure himself, travelled into Italy, France and Germany to confer with the best physicians about it, and A.D. 1609, asked his counsel amongst the rest; he told him it was wind, his conceit, &c., but _mordicus contradicere, et ore, et scriptis probare nitebatur_: no saying would serve, it was no wind, but real frogs: "and do you not hear them croak?" Platerus would have deceived him, by putting live frog's into his excrements; but he, being a physician himself, would not be deceived, _vir prudens alias, et doctus_ a wise and learned man otherwise, a doctor of physic, and after seven years' dotage in this kind, _a phantasia liberatus est_, he was cured. Laurentius and Goulart have many such examples, if you be desirous to read them. One commodity above the rest which are melancholy, these windy flatuous have, _lucidia intervalla_, their symptoms and pains are not usually so continuate as the rest, but come by fits, fear and sorrow, and the rest: yet in another they exceed all others; and that is, [2642]they are luxurious, incontinent, and p.r.o.ne to venery, by reason of wind, _et facile amant, et quamlibet fere amant_.

(Jason Pratensis) [2643]Rhasis is of opinion, that Venus doth many of them much good; the other symptoms of the mind be common with the rest.

SUBSECT. III.--_Symptoms of Melancholy abounding in the whole body_.

Their bodies that are affected with this universal melancholy are most part black, [2644]"the melancholy juice is redundant all over," hirsute they are, and lean, they have broad veins, their blood is gross and thick [2645]

"Their spleen is weak," and a liver apt to engender the humour; they have kept bad diet, or have had some evacuation stopped, as haemorrhoids, or months in women, which [2646]Trallia.n.u.s, in the cure, would have carefully to be inquired, and withal to observe of what complexion the party is of, black or red. For as Forrestus and Hollerius contend, if [2647]they be black, it proceeds from abundance of natural melancholy; if it proceed from cares, agony, discontents, diet, exercise, &c., they may be as well of any other colour: red, yellow, pale, as black, and yet their whole blood corrupt: _praerubri colore saepe sunt tales, saepe flavi_, (saith [2648]

Montaltus _cap. 22._) The best way to discern this species, is to let them bleed, if the blood be corrupt, thick and black, and they withal free from those hypochondriacal symptoms, and not so grievously troubled with them, or those of the head, it argues they are melancholy, _a toto corpore_. The fumes which arise from this corrupt blood, disturb the mind, and make them fearful and sorrowful, heavy hearted, as the rest, dejected, discontented, solitary, silent, weary of their lives, dull and heavy, or merry, &c., and if far gone, that which Apuleius wished to his enemy, by way of imprecation, is true in them; [2649]"Dead men's bones, hobgoblins, ghosts are ever in their minds, and meet them still in every turn: all the bugbears of the night, and terrors, fairy-babes of tombs, and graves are before their eyes, and in their thoughts, as to women and children, if they be in the dark alone." If they hear, or read, or see any tragical object, it sticks by them, they are afraid of death, and yet weary of their lives, in their discontented humours they quarrel with all the world, bitterly inveigh, tax satirically, and because they cannot otherwise vent their pa.s.sions or redress what is amiss, as they mean, they will by violent death at last be revenged on themselves.

SUBSECT. IV.--_Symptoms of Maids, Nuns, and Widows' Melancholy_.

Because Lodovicus Mercatus in his second book _de mulier. affect. cap. 4._ and Rodericus a Castro _de morb. mulier. cap. 3. lib. 2._ two famous physicians in Spain, Daniel Sennertus of Wittenberg _lib. 1. part 2. cap.

13._ with others, have vouchsafed in their works not long since published, to write two just treatises _de Melancholia virginum, Monialium et Viduarum_, as a particular species of melancholy (which I have already specified) distinct from the rest; [2650](for it much differs from that which commonly befalls men and other women, as having one only cause proper to women alone) I may not omit in this general survey of melancholy symptoms, to set down the particular signs of such parties so misaffected.

The causes are a.s.signed out of Hippocrates, Cleopatra, Moschion, and those old _Gynaeciorum Scriptores_, of this feral malady, in more ancient maids, widows, and barren women, _ob septum transversum violatum_, saith Mercatus, by reason of the midriff or _Diaphragma_, heart and brain offended with those vicious vapours which come from menstruous blood, _inflammationem arteriae circa dorsum_, Rodericus adds, an inflammation of the back, which with the rest is offended by [2651]that fuliginous exhalation of corrupt seed, troubling the brain, heart and mind; the brain, I say, not in essence, but by consent, _Universa enim hujus affectus causa ab utero pendet, et a sanguinis menstrui malitia_, for in a word, the whole malady proceeds from that inflammation, putridity, black smoky vapours, &c., from thence comes care, sorrow, and anxiety, obfuscation of spirits, agony, desperation, and the like, which are intended or remitted; _si amatorius accesserit ardor_, or any other violent object or perturbation of mind.

This melancholy may happen to widows, with much care and sorrow, as frequently it doth, by reason of a sudden alteration of their accustomed course of life, &c. To such as lie in childbed _ob suppressam purgationem_; but to nuns and more ancient maids, and some barren women for the causes abovesaid, 'tis more familiar, _crebrius his quam reliquis accidit, inquit Rodericus_, the rest are not altogether excluded.

Out of these causes Rodericus defines it with Areteus, to be _angorem animi_, a vexation of the mind, a sudden sorrow from a small, light, or no occasion, [2652]with a kind of still dotage and grief of some part or other, head, heart, b.r.e.a.s.t.s, sides, back, belly, &c., with much solitariness, weeping, distraction, &c., from which they are sometimes suddenly delivered, because it comes and goes by fits, and is not so permanent as other melancholy.

But to leave this brief description, the most ordinary symptoms be these, _pulsatio juxta dorsum_, a beating about the back, which is almost perpetual, the skin is many times rough, squalid, especially, as Areteus observes, about the arms, knees, and knuckles. The midriff and heart-strings do burn and beat very fearfully, and when this vapour or fume is stirred, flieth upward, the heart itself beats, is sore grieved, and faints, _fauces siccitate praecluduntur, ut difficulter possit ab uteri strangulatione decerni_, like fits of the mother, _Alvus plerisque nil reddit, aliis exiguum, acre, biliosum, lotium flavum_. They complain many times, saith Mercatus, of a great pain in their heads, about their hearts, and hypochondries, and so likewise in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, which are often sore, sometimes ready to swoon, their faces are inflamed, and red, they are dry, thirsty, suddenly hot, much troubled with wind, cannot sleep, &c. And from hence proceed _ferina deliramenta_, a brutish kind of dotage, troublesome sleep, terrible dreams in the night, _subrusticus pudor et verecundia ignava_, a foolish kind of bashfulness to some, perverse conceits and opinions, [2653]dejection of mind, much discontent, preposterous judgment.

They are apt to loath, dislike, disdain, to be weary of every object, &c., each thing almost is tedious to them, they pine away, void of counsel, apt to weep, and tremble, timorous, fearful, sad, and out of all hope of better fortunes. They take delight in nothing for the time, but love to be alone and solitary, though that do them more harm: and thus they are affected so long as this vapour lasteth; but by-and-by, as pleasant and merry as ever they were in their lives, they sing, discourse, and laugh in any good company, upon all occasions, and so by fits it takes them now and then, except the malady be inveterate, and then 'tis more frequent, vehement, and continuate. Many of them cannot tell how to express themselves in words, or how it holds them, what ails them, you cannot understand them, or well tell what to make of their sayings; so far gone sometimes, so stupefied and distracted, they think themselves bewitched, they are in despair, _aptae ad fletum, desperationem, dolores mammis et hypocondriis_. Mercatus therefore adds, now their b.r.e.a.s.t.s, now their hypochondries, belly and sides, then their heart and head aches, now heat, then wind, now this, now that offends, they are weary of all; [2654]and yet will not, cannot again tell how, where or what offends them, though they be in great pain, agony, and frequently complain, grieving, sighing, weeping, and discontented still, _sine causa manifesta_, most part, yet I say they will complain, grudge, lament, and not be persuaded, but that they are troubled with an evil spirit, which is frequent in Germany, saith Rodericus, amongst the common sort: and to such as are most grievously affected, (for he makes three degrees of this disease in women,) they are in despair, surely forespoken or bewitched, and in extremity of their dotage, (weary of their lives,) some of them will attempt to make away themselves. Some think they see visions, confer with spirits and devils, they shall surely be d.a.m.ned, are afraid of some treachery, imminent danger, and the like, they will not speak, make answer to any question, but are almost distracted, mad, or stupid for the time, and by fits: and thus it holds them, as they are more or less affected, and as the inner humour is intended or remitted, or by outward objects and perturbations aggravated, solitariness, idleness, &c.

Many other maladies there are incident to young women, out of that one and only cause above specified, many feral diseases. I will not so much as mention their names, melancholy alone is the subject of my present discourse, from which I will not swerve. The several cures of this infirmity, concerning diet, which must be very sparing, phlebotomy, physic, internal, external remedies, are at large in great variety in [2655]

Rodericus a Castro, Sennertus, and Mercatus, which whoso will, as occasion serves, may make use of. But the best and surest remedy of all, is to see them well placed, and married to good husbands in due time, _hinc illae, lachrymae_, that is the primary cause, and this the ready cure, to give them content to their desires. I write not this to patronise any wanton, idle flirt, lascivious or light housewives, which are too forward many times, unruly, and apt to cast away themselves on him that comes next, without all care, counsel, circ.u.mspection, and judgment. If religion, good discipline, honest education, wholesome exhortation, fair promises, fame and loss of good name cannot inhibit and deter such, (which to chaste and sober maids cannot choose but avail much,) labour and exercise, strict diet, rigour and threats may more opportunely be used, and are able of themselves to qualify and divert an ill-disposed temperament. For seldom should you see an hired servant, a poor handmaid, though ancient, that is kept hard to her work, and bodily labour, a coa.r.s.e country wench troubled in this kind, but n.o.ble virgins, nice gentlewomen, such as are solitary and idle, live at ease, lead a life out of action and employment, that fare well, in great houses and jovial companies, ill-disposed peradventure of themselves, and not willing to make any resistance, discontented otherwise, of weak judgment, able bodies, and subject to pa.s.sions, (_grandiores virgines_, saith Mercatus, _steriles et viduae plerumque melancholicae_,) such for the most part are misaffected, and p.r.o.ne to this disease. I do not so much pity them that may otherwise be eased, but those alone that out of a strong temperament, innate const.i.tution, are violently carried away with this torrent of inward humours, and though very modest of themselves, sober, religious, virtuous, and well given, (as many so distressed maids are,) yet cannot make resistance, these grievances will appear, this malady will take place, and now manifestly show itself, and may not otherwise be helped. But where am I? Into what subject have I rushed? What have I to do with nuns, maids, virgins, widows? I am a bachelor myself, and lead a monastic life in a college, _nae ego sane ineptus qui haec dixerim_,) I confess 'tis an indecorum, and as Pallas a virgin blushed, when Jupiter by chance spake of love matters in her presence, and turned away her face; _me reprimam_ though my subject necessarily require it, I will say no more.

And yet I must and will say something more, add a word or two _in gratiam virginum et viduarum_, in favour of all such distressed parties, in commiseration of their present estate. And as I cannot choose but condole their mishap that labour of this infirmity, and are dest.i.tute of help in this case, so must I needs inveigh against them that are in fault, more than manifest causes, and as bitterly tax those tyrannising pseudopoliticians, superst.i.tious orders, rash vows, hard-hearted parents, guardians, unnatural friends, allies, (call them how you will,) those careless and stupid overseers, that out of worldly respects, covetousness, supine negligence, their own private ends (_c.u.m sibi sit interim bene_) can so severely reject, stubbornly neglect, and impiously contemn, without all remorse and pity, the tears, sighs, groans, and grievous miseries of such poor souls committed to their charge. How odious and abominable are those superst.i.tious and rash vows of Popish monasteries, so to bind and enforce men and women to vow virginity, to lead a single life, against the laws of nature, opposite to religion, policy, and humanity, so to starve, to offer violence, to suppress the vigour of youth, by rigorous statutes, severe laws, vain persuasions, to debar them of that to which by their innate temperature they are so furiously inclined, urgently carried, and sometimes precipitated, even irresistibly led, to the prejudice of their soul's health, and good estate of body and mind: and all for base and private respects, to maintain their gross superst.i.tion, to enrich themselves and their territories as they falsely suppose, by hindering some marriages, that the world be not full of beggars, and their parishes pestered with orphans; stupid politicians; _haeccine fieri flagilia_? ought these things so to be carried? better marry than burn, saith the Apostle, but they are otherwise persuaded. They will by all means quench their neighbour's house if it be on fire, but that fire of l.u.s.t which breaks out into such lamentable flames, they will not take notice of, their own bowels oftentimes, flesh and blood shall so rage and burn, and they will not see it: _miserum est_, saith Austin, _seipsum non miserescere_, and they are miserable in the meantime that cannot pity themselves, the common good of all, and _per consequens_ their own estates. For let them but consider what fearful maladies, feral diseases, gross inconveniences, come to both s.e.xes by this enforced temperance, it troubles me to think of, much more to relate those frequent abortions and murdering of infants in their nunneries (read [2656]Kemnisius and others), and notorious fornications, those Spintrias, Tribadas, Ambubeias, &c., those rapes, incests, adulteries, mastuprations, sodomies, b.u.g.g.e.ries of monks and friars. See Bale's visitation of abbeys, [2657]Mercurialis, Rodericus a Castro, Peter Forestus, and divers physicians; I know their ordinary apologies and excuses for these things, _sed viderint Politici, Medici, Theologi_, I shall more opportunely meet with them [2658]elsewhere.

[2659] "Illius viduae, aut patronum Virginis hujus, Ne me forte putes, verb.u.m non amplius addam."

MEMB. III.

_Immediate cause of these precedent Symptoms_.

To give some satisfaction to melancholy men that are troubled with these symptoms, a better means in my judgment cannot be taken, than to show them the causes whence they proceed; not from devils as they suppose, or that they are bewitched or forsaken of G.o.d, hear or see, &c. as many of them think, but from natural and inward causes, that so knowing them, they may better avoid the effects, or at least endure them with more patience. The most grievous and common symptoms are fear and sorrow, and that without a cause to the wisest and discreetest men, in this malady not to be avoided.

The reason why they are so, Aetius discusseth at large, _Tetrabib. 2. 2._ in his first problem out of Galen, _lib. 2. de causis sympt. 1._ For Galen imputeth all to the cold that is black, and thinks that the spirits being darkened, and the substance of the brain cloudy and dark, all the objects thereof appear terrible, and the [2660]mind itself, by those dark, obscure, gross fumes, ascending from black humours, is in continual darkness, fear, and sorrow; divers terrible monstrous fictions in a thousand shapes and apparitions occur, with violent pa.s.sions, by which the brain and fantasy are troubled and eclipsed. [2661]Fracastorius, _lib. 2. de intellect_, "will have cold to be the cause of fear and sorrow; for such as are cold are ill-disposed to mirth, dull, and heavy, by nature solitary, silent; and not for any inward darkness (as physicians think) for many melancholy men dare boldly be, continue, and walk in the dark, and delight in it:" _solum frigidi timidi_: if they be hot, they are merry; and the more hot, the more furious, and void of fear, as we see in madmen; but this reason holds not, for then no melancholy, proceeding from choler adust, should fear.

[2662]Averroes scoffs at Galen for his reasons, and brings five arguments to repel them: so doth Herc. de Saxonia, _Tract. de Melanch. cap. 3._ a.s.signing other causes, which are copiously censured and confuted by Aelia.n.u.s Montaltus, _cap. 5 and 6._ Lod. Mercatus _de Inter. morb. cur.

lib. 1. cap. 17._ Altomarus, _cap. 7. de mel._ Guianerius, _tract. 15. c.

1._ Bright _cap. 37._ Laurentius, _cap. 5._ Valesius, _med. cont. lib. 5, con. 1._ [2663]"Distemperature," they conclude, "makes black juice, blackness obscures the spirits, the spirits obscured, cause fear and sorrow." Laurentius, _cap. 13._ supposeth these black fumes offend specially the diaphragma or midriff, and so _per consequens_ the mind, which is obscured as [2664]the sun by a cloud. To this opinion of Galen, almost all the Greeks and Arabians subscribe, the Latins new and old, _internae, tenebrae offuscant animum, ut externae nocent pueris_, as children are affrighted in the dark, so are melancholy men at all times, [2665]as having the inward cause with them, and still carrying it about.

Which black vapours, whether they proceed from the black blood about the heart, as T. W. Jes. thinks in his treatise of the pa.s.sions of the mind, or stomach, spleen, midriff, or all the misaffected parts together, it boots not, they keep the mind in a perpetual dungeon, and oppress it with continual fears, anxieties, sorrows, &c. It is an ordinary thing for such as are sound to laugh at this dejected pusillanimity, and those other symptoms of melancholy, to make themselves merry with them, and to wonder at such, as toys and trifles, which may be resisted and withstood, if they will themselves: but let him that so wonders, consider with himself, that if a man should tell him on a sudden, some of his especial friends were dead, could he choose but grieve? Or set him upon a steep rock, where he should be in danger to be precipitated, could he be secure? His heart would tremble for fear, and his head be giddy. P. Byaras, _Tract. de pest._ gives instance (as I have said) [2666]"and put case" (saith he) "in one that walks upon a plank, if it lie on the ground, he can safely do it: but if the same plank be laid over some deep water, instead of a bridge, he is vehemently moved, and 'tis nothing but his imagination, _forma cadendi impressa_, to which his other members and faculties obey." Yea, but you infer, that such men have a just cause to fear, a true object of fear; so have melancholy men an inward cause, a perpetual fume and darkness, causing fear, grief, suspicion, which they carry with them, an object which cannot be removed; but sticks as close, and is as inseparable as a shadow to a body, and who can expel or overrun his shadow? Remove heat of the liver, a cold stomach, weak spleen: remove those adust humours and vapours arising from them, black blood from the heart, all outward perturbations, take away the cause, and then bid them not grieve nor fear, or be heavy, dull, lumpish, otherwise counsel can do little good; you may as well bid him that is sick of an ague not to be a dry; or him that is wounded not to feel pain.

Suspicion follows fear and sorrow at heels, arising out of the same fountain, so thinks [2667]Fracastorius, "that fear is the cause of suspicion, and still they suspect some treachery, or some secret machination to be framed against them, still they distrust." Restlessness proceeds from the same spring, variety of fumes make them like and dislike.

Solitariness, avoiding of light, that they are weary of their lives, hate the world, arise from the same causes, for their spirits and humours are opposite to light, fear makes them avoid company, and absent themselves, lest they should be misused, hissed at, or overshoot themselves, which still they suspect. They are p.r.o.ne to venery by reason of wind. Angry, waspish, and fretting still, out of abundance of choler, which causeth fearful dreams and violent perturbations to them, both sleeping and waking: That they suppose they have no heads, fly, sink, they are pots, gla.s.ses, &c. is wind in their heads. [2668]Herc. de Saxonia doth ascribe this to the several motions in the animal spirits, "their dilation, contraction, confusion, alteration, tenebrosity, hot or cold distemperature," excluding all material humours. [2669]Fracastorius "accounts it a thing worthy of inquisition, why they should entertain such false conceits, as that they have horns, great noses, that they are birds, beasts," &c., why they should think themselves kings, lords, cardinals. For the first, [2670]

Fracastorius gives two reasons: "One is the disposition of the body; the other, the occasion of the fantasy," as if their eyes be purblind, their ears sing, by reason of some cold and rheum, &c. To the second, Laurentius answers, the imagination inwardly or outwardly moved, represents to the understanding, not enticements only, to favour the pa.s.sion or dislike, but a very intensive pleasure follows the pa.s.sion or displeasure, and the will and reason are captivated by delighting in it.

Why students and lovers are so often melancholy and mad, the philosopher of [2671]Conimbra a.s.signs this reason, "because by a vehement and continual meditation of that wherewith they are affected, they fetch up the spirits into the brain, and with the heat brought with them, they incend it beyond measure: and the cells of the inner senses dissolve their temperature, which being dissolved, they cannot perform their offices as they ought."

Why melancholy men are witty, which Aristotle hath long since maintained in his problems; and that [2672]all learned men, famous philosophers, and lawgivers, _ad unum fere omnes melancholici_, have still been melancholy, is a problem much controverted. Jason Pratensis will have it understood of natural melancholy, which opinion Melancthon inclines to, in his book _de Anima_, and Marcilius Ficinus _de san. tuend. lib. 1. cap. 5._ but not simple, for that makes men stupid, heavy, dull, being cold and dry, fearful, fools, and solitary, but mixed with the other humours, phlegm only excepted; and they not adust, [2673]but so mixed as that blood he half, with little or no adustion, that they be neither too hot nor too cold.

Aponensis, cited by Melancthon, thinks it proceeds from melancholy adust, excluding all natural melancholy as too cold. Laurentius condemns his tenet, because adustion of humours makes men mad, as lime burns when water is cast on it. It must be mixed with blood, and somewhat adust, and so that old aphorism of Aristotle may be verified, _Nullum magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementiae_, no excellent wit without a mixture of madness.

Fracastorius shall decide the controversy, [2674]"phlegmatic are dull: sanguine lively, pleasant, acceptable, and merry, but not witty; choleric are too swift in motion, and furious, impatient of contemplation, deceitful wits: melancholy men have the most excellent wits, but not all; this humour may be hot or cold, thick, or thin; if too hot, they are furious and mad: if too cold, dull, stupid, timorous, and sad: if temperate, excellent, rather inclining to that extreme of heat, than cold." This sentence of his will agree with that of Herac.l.i.tus, a dry light makes a wise mind, temperate heat and dryness are the chief causes of a good wit; therefore, saith Aelian, an elephant is the wisest of all brute beasts, because his brain is driest, _et ob atrae, bilis capiam_: this reason Cardan approves, _subtil. l. 12._ Jo. Baptista Silvaticus, a physician of Milan, in his first controversy, hath copiously handled this question: Rulandus in his problems, Caelius Rhodiginus, _lib. 17._ Valleriola _6to. narrat. med._ Herc. de Saxonia, _Tract. posth. de mel. cap. 3._ Lodovicus Mercatus, _de inter. morb. cur. lib. cap. 17._ Baptista Porta, _Physiog. lib. 1. c. 13._ and many others.

Weeping, sighing, laughing, itching, trembling, sweating, blushing, hearing and seeing strange noises, visions, wind, crudity, are motions of the body, depending upon these precedent motions of the mind: neither are tears, affections, but actions (as Scaliger holds) [2675]"the voice of such as are afraid, trembles, because the heart is shaken" (_Conimb. prob. 6. sec. 3.

de som._) why they stutter or falter in their speech, Mercurialis and Montaltus, _cap. 17._ give like reasons out of Hippocrates, [2676]"dryness, which makes the nerves of the tongue torpid." Fast speaking (which is a symptom of some few) Aetius will have caused [2677] "from abundance of wind, and swiftness of imagination:" [2678]"baldness comes from excess of dryness," hirsuteness from a dry temperature. The cause of much waking in a dry brain, continual meditation, discontent, fears and cares, that suffer not the mind to be at rest, incontinency is from wind, and a hot liver, Monta.n.u.s, _cons. 26._ Rumbling in the guts is caused from wind, and wind from ill concoction, weakness of natural heat, or a distempered heat and cold; [2679]Palpitation of the heart from vapours, heaviness and aching from the same cause. That the belly is hard, wind is a cause, and of that leaping in many parts. Redness of the face, and itching, as if they were flea-bitten, or stung with pismires, from a sharp subtle wind. [2680]Cold sweat from vapours arising from the hypochondries, which pitch upon the skin; leanness for want of good nourishment. Why their appet.i.te is so great, [2681]Aetius answers: _Os ventris frigescit_, cold in those inner parts, cold belly, and hot liver, causeth crudity, and intention proceeds from perturbations, [2682]our souls for want of spirits cannot attend exactly to so many intentive operations, being exhaust, and overswayed by pa.s.sion, she cannot consider the reasons which may dissuade her from such affections.

[2683]Bashfulness and blushing, is a pa.s.sion proper to men alone, and is not only caused for [2684]some shame and ignominy, or that they are guilty unto themselves of some foul fact committed, but as [2685]Fracastorius well determines, _ob defectum proprium, et timorem_, "from fear, and a conceit of our defects; the face labours and is troubled at his presence that sees our defects, and nature willing to help, sends thither heat, heat draws the subtlest blood, and so we blush. They that are bold, arrogant, and careless, seldom or never blush, but such as are fearful." Anthonius Lodovicus, in his book _de pudore_, will have this subtle blood to arise in the face, not so much for the reverence of our betters in presence, [2686]"but for joy and pleasure, or if anything at unawares shall pa.s.s from us, a sudden accident, occurse, or meeting:" (which Disarius in [2687]

Macrobius confirms) any object heard or seen, for blind men never blush, as Dandinus observes, the night and darkness make men impudent. Or that we be staid before our betters, or in company we like not, or if anything molest and offend us, _erubescentia_ turns to _rubor_, blushing to a continuate redness. [2688]Sometimes the extremity of the ears tingle, and are red, sometimes the whole face, _Etsi nihil vitiosum commiseris_, as Lodovicus holds: though Aristotle is of opinion, _omnis pudor ex vitio commisso_, all shame for some offence. But we find otherwise, it may as well proceed [2689]from fear, from force and inexperience, (so [2690]Dandinus holds) as vice; a hot liver, saith Duretus (_notis in Hollerium_:) "from a hot brain, from wind, the lungs heated, or after drinking of wine, strong drink, perturbations," &c.

Laughter what it is, saith [2691]Tully, "how caused, where, and so suddenly breaks out, that desirous to stay it, we cannot, how it comes to possess and stir our face, veins, eyes, countenance, mouth, sides, let Democritus determine." The cause that it often affects melancholy men so much, is given by Gomesius, _lib. 3. de sale genial. cap. 18._ abundance of pleasant vapours, which, in sanguine melancholy especially, break from the heart, [2692]"and tickle the midriff, because it is transverse and full of nerves: by which t.i.tillation the sense being moved, and arteries distended, or pulled, the spirits from thence move and possess the sides, veins, countenance, eyes." See more in Jossius _de risu et fletu_, Vives _3 de Anima_. Tears, as Scaliger defines, proceed from grief and pity, [2693]"or from the heating of a moist brain, for a dry cannot weep."

That they see and hear so many phantasms, chimeras, noises, visions, &c. as Fienus hath discoursed at large in his book of imagination, and [2694]