and 'tis pity he hath no preferment, all good wishes, but inexorable,
indurate as he is, he will not prefer him, though it be in his power,
because he is indotatus, he hath no money. Or if he do give him
entertainment, let him be never so well qualified, plead affinity,
consanguinity, sufficiency, he shall serve seven years, as Jacob did
for Rachel, before he shall have it. [2083]If he will enter at first,
he must get in at that Simoniacal gate, come off soundly, and put in
good security to perform all covenants, else he will not deal with, or
admit him. But if some poor scholar, some parson chaff, will offer
himself; some trencher chaplain, that will take it to the halves,
thirds, or accepts of what he will give, he is welcome; be conformable,
preach as he will have him, he likes him before a million of others;
for the host is always best cheap: and then as Hierom said to
Cromatius, patella dignum operculum, such a patron, such a clerk; the
cure is well supplied, and all parties pleased. So that is still
verified in our age, which [2084]Chrysostom complained of in his time,
Qui opulentiores sunt, in ordinem parasitorum cogunt eos, et ipsos
tanquam canes ad mensas suas enutriunt, eorumque impudentes. Venires
iniquarum coenarum reliquiis differtiunt, iisdem pro arbitro abulentes:
Rich men keep these lecturers, and fawning parasites, like so many dogs
at their tables, and filling their hungry guts with the offals of their
meat, they abuse them at their pleasure, and make them say what they
propose. [2085]As children do by a bird or a butterfly in a string,
pull in and let him out as they list, do they by their trencher
chaplains, prescribe, command their wits, let in and out as to them it
seems best. If the patron be precise, so must his chaplain be; if he be
papistical, his clerk must be so too, or else be turned out. These are
those clerks which serve the turn, whom they commonly entertain, and
present to church livings, whilst in the meantime we that are
University men, like so many hidebound calves in a pasture, tarry out
our time, wither away as a flower ungathered in a garden, and are never
used; or as so many candles, illuminate ourselves alone, obscuring one
another's light, and are not discerned here at all, the least of which,
translated to a dark room, or to some country benefice, where it might
shine apart, would give a fair light, and be seen over all. Whilst we
lie waiting here as those sick men did at the Pool of [2086] Bethesda,
till the Angel stirred the water, expecting a good hour, they step
between, and beguile us of our preferment. I have not yet said, if
after long expectation, much expense, travel, earnest suit of ourselves
and friends, we obtain a small benefice at last; our misery begins
afresh, we are suddenly encountered with the flesh, world, and devil,
with a new onset; we change a quiet life for an ocean of troubles, we
come to a ruinous house, which before it be habitable, must be
necessarily to our great damage repaired; we are compelled to sue for
dilapidations, or else sued ourselves, and scarce yet settled, we are
called upon for our predecessor's arrearages; first-fruits, tenths,
subsidies, are instantly to be paid, benevolence, procurations, &c.,
and which is most to be feared, we light upon a cracked title, as it
befell Clenard of Brabant, for his rectory, and charge of his Beginae;
he was no sooner inducted, but instantly sued, cepimusque [2087](saith
he) strenue litigare, et implacabili bello confligere: at length after
ten years' suit, as long as Troy's siege, when he had tired himself,
and spent his money, he was fain to leave all for quietness' sake, and
give it up to his adversary. Or else we are insulted over, and trampled
on by domineering officers, fleeced by those greedy harpies to get more
fees; we stand in fear of some precedent lapse; we fall amongst
refractory, seditious sectaries, peevish puritans, perverse papists, a
lascivious rout of atheistical Epicures, that will not be reformed, or
some litigious people (those wild beasts of Ephesus must be fought
with) that will not pay their dues without much repining, or compelled
by long suit; Laici clericis oppido infesti, an old axiom, all they
think well gotten that is had from the church, and by such uncivil,
harsh dealings, they make their poor minister weary of his place, if
not his life; and put case they be quiet honest men, make the best of
it, as often it falls out, from a polite and terse academic, he must
turn rustic, rude, melancholise alone, learn to forget, or else, as
many do, become maltsters, graziers, chapmen, &c. (now banished from
the academy, all commerce of the muses, and confined to a country
village, as Ovid was from Rome to Pontus), and daily converse with a
company of idiots and clowns.
Nos interim quod, attinet (nec enim immunes ab hac noxa sumus) idem
realus manet, idem nobis, et si non multo gravius, crimen objici
potest: nostra enim culpa sit, nostra incuria, nostra avaritia, quod
tam frequentes, foedaeque fiant in Ecclesia nundinationes, (templum est
vaenale, deusque) tot sordes invehantur, tanta grassetur impietas,
tanta nequitia, tam insanus miseriarum Euripus, et turbarum aestuarium,
nostro inquam, omnium (Academicorum imprimis) vitio sit. Quod tot Resp.
malis afficiatur, a nobis seminarium; ultro malum hoc accersimus, et
quavis contumelia, quavis interim miseria digni, qui pro virili non
occurrimus. Quid enim fieri posse speramus, quum tot indies sine
delectu pauperes alumni, terrae filii, et cujuscunque ordinis
homunciones ad gradus certatim admittantur? qui si definitionem,
distinctionemque unam aut alteram memoriter edidicerint, et pro more
tot annos in dialectica posuerint, non refert quo profectu, quales
demum sint, idiotae, nugatores, otiatores, aleatores, compotores,
indigni, libidinis voluptatumque administri, Sponsi Penelopes,
nebulones, Alcinoique, modo tot annos in academia insumpserint, et se
pro togatis venditarint; lucri causa, et amicorum intercessu
praesentantur; addo etiam et magnificis nonnunquam elogiis morum et
scientiae; et jam valedicturi testimonialibus hisce litteris,
amplissime conscriptis in eorum gratiam honorantur, abiis, qui fidei
suae et existimationis jacturam proculdubio faciunt. Doctores enim et
professores (quod ait [2088]ille) id unum curant, ut ex professionibus
frequentibus, et tumultuariis potius quam legitimis, commoda sua
promoverant, et ex dispendio publico suum faciant incrementum. Id solum
in votis habent annui plerumque magistratus, ut ab incipientium numero
[2089]pecunias emungant, nec multum interest qui sint, literatores an
literati, modo pingues, nitidi, ad aspectum speciosi, et quod verbo
dicam, pecuniosi sint. [2090]Philosophastri licentiantur in artibus,
artem qui non habent, [2091]Eosque sapientes esse jubent, qui nulla
praediti sunt sapientia, et nihil ad gradum praeterquam velle adferunt.
Theologastri (solvant modo) satis superque docti, per omnes honorum
gradus evehuntur et ascendunt. Atque hinc fit quod tam viles scurrae,
tot passim idiotae, literarum crepusculo positi, larvae pastorum,
circumforanei, vagi, barbi, fungi, crassi, asini, merum pecus in
sacrosanctos theologiae aditus, illotis pedibus irrumpant, praeter
inverecundam frontem adferentes nihil, vulgares quasdam quisquilias, et
scholarium quaedam nugamenta, indigna quae vel recipiantur in triviis.
Hoc illud indignum genus hominum et famelicum, indigum, vagum, ventris
mancipium, ad stivam potius relegandum, ad haras aptius quam ad aras,
quod divinas hasce literas turpiter prostituit; hi sunt qui pulpita
complent, in aedes nobilium irrepunt, et quum reliquis vitae
destituantur subsidiis, ob corporis et animi egestatem, aliarum in
repub. partium minime capaces sint; ad sacram hanc anchoram confugiunt,
sacerdotium quovis modo captantes, non ex sinceritate, quod
[2092]Paulus ait, sed cauponantes verbum Dei. Ne quis interim viris
bonis detractum quid putet, quos habet ecclesia Anglicana quamplurimos,
eggregie doctos, illustres, intactae famae, homines, et plures forsan
quam quaevis Europae provincia; ne quis a florentisimis Academiis, quae
viros undiquaque doctissimos, omni virtutum genere suspiciendos, abunde
producunt. Et multo plures utraque habitura, multo splendidior futura,
si non hae sordes splendidum lumen ejus obfuscarent, obstaret
corruptio, et cauponantes quaedam harpyae, proletariique bonum hoc
nobis non inviderent. Nemo enim tam caeca mente, qui non hoc ipsum
videat: nemo tam stolido ingenio, qui non intelligat; tam pertinaci
judicio, qui non agnoscat, ab his idiotis circumforaneis, sacram pollui
Theologiam, ac caelestes Musas quasi prophanum quiddam prostitui. Viles
animae et effrontes (sic enim Lutherus [2093] alicubi vocat) lucelli
causa, ut muscae ad mulctra, ad nobilium et heroum mensas advolant, in
spem sacerdotii, cujuslibet honoris, officii, in quamvis aulam, urbem
se ingerunt, ad quodvis se ministerium componunt.— Ut nervis alienis
mobile lignum—Ducitur—Hor. Lib. II. Sat. 7. [2094] offam sequentes,
psittacorum more, in praedae spem quidvis effutiunt: obsecundantes
Parasiti [2095](Erasmus ait) quidvis docent, dicunt, scribunt, suadent,
et contra conscientiam probant, non ut salutarem reddant gregem, sed ut
magnificam sibi parent fortunam. [2096]Opiniones quasvis et decreta
contra verbum Dei astruunt, ne non offendant patronum, sed ut retineant
favorem procerum, et populi plausum, sibique ipsis opes accumulent. Eo
etenim plerunque animo ad Theologiam accedunt, non ut rem divinam, sed
ut suam facient; non ad Ecclesiae bonum promovendum, sed expilandum;
quaerentes, quod Paulus ait, non quae Jesu Christi, sed quae sua, non
domini thesaurum, sed ut sibi, suisque thesaurizent. Nec tantum iis,
qui vilirrie fortunae, et abjectae, sortis sunt, hoc in usu est: sed et
medios, summos elatos, ne dicam Episcopos, hoc malum invasit. [2097]
Dicite pontifices, in sacris quid facit aurum? [2098]summos saepe viros
transversos agit avaritia, et qui reliquis morum probitate
praelucerent; hi facem praeferunt ad Simoniam, et in corruptionis hunc
scopulum impingentes, non tondent pecus, sed deglubunt, et quocunque se
conferunt, expilant, exhauriunt, abradunt, magnum famae suae, si non
animae naufragium facientes; ut non ab infimis ad summos, sed a summis
ad infimos malum promanasse videatur, et illud verum sit quod ille olim
lusit, emerat ille prius, vendere jure potest. Simoniacus enim (quod
cum Leone dicam) gratiam non accepit, si non accipit, non habet, et si
non habet, nec gratus potest esse; tantum enim absunt istorum nonnulli,
qui ad clavum sedent a promovendo reliquos, ut penitus impediant, probe
sibi conscii, quibus artibus illic pervenerint. [2099]Nam qui ob
literas emersisse illos credat, desipit; qui vero ingenii, eruditionis,
experientiae, probitatis, pietatis, et Musarum id esse pretium putat
(quod olim revera fuit, hodie promittitur) planissime insanit. Utcunque
vel undecunque malum hoc originem ducat, non ultra quaeram, ex his
primordiis caepit vitiorum colluvies, omnis calamitas, omne miseriarum
agmen in Ecclesiam invehitur. Hinc tam frequens simonia, hinc ortae
querelae, fraudes, imposturae, ab hoc fonte se derivarunt omnes
nequitiae. Ne quid obiter dicam de ambitione, adulatione plusquam
aulica, ne tristi domicaenio laborent, de luxu, de foedo nonnunquam
vitae exemplo, quo nonnullos offendunt, de compotatione Sybaritica, &c.
hinc ille squalor academicus, tristes hac tempestate Camenae, quum
quivis homunculus artium ignarus, hic artibus assurgat, hunc in modum
promoveatur et ditescat, ambitiosis appellationibus insignis, et multis
dignitatibus augustus vulgi oculos perstringat, bene se habeat, et
grandia gradiens majestatem quandam ac amplitudinem prae se ferens,
miramque sollicitudinem, barba reverendus, toga nitidus, purpura
coruscus, supellectilis splendore, et famulorum numero maxime
conspicuus. Quales statuae (quod ait [2100]ille) quae sacris in aedibus
columnis imponuntur, velut oneri cedentes videntur, ac si insudarent,
quum revera sensu sint carentes, et nihil saxeam adjuvent firmitatem:
atlantes videri volunt, quum sint statuae lapideae, umbratiles revera
homunciones, fungi, forsan et bardi, nihil a saxo differentes. Quum
interim docti viri, et vilae sanctioris ornamentis praediti, qui aestum
diei sustinent, his iniqua sorte serviant, minimo forsan salario
contenti, puris nominibus nuncupati, humiles, obscuri, multoque
digniores licet, egentes, inhonorati vitam privam privatam agant,
tenuique sepulti sacerdotio, vel in collegiis suis in aeternum
incarcerati, inglorie delitescant. Sed nolo diutius hanc movere
sentinam, hinc illae lachrymae, lugubris musarum habitus, [2101]hinc
ipsa religio (quod cum Secellio dicam) in ludibrium et contemptum
adducitur, abjectum sacerdotium (atque haec ubi fiunt, ausim dicere, et
pulidum [2102] putidi dicterium de clero usurpare) putidum vulgus,
inops, rude, sordidum, melancholicum, miserum, despicabile,
contemnendum.[2103]
MEMB. IV.
SUBSECT. I—_Non-necessary, remote, outward, adventitious, or accidental
causes: as first from the Nurse_.
Of those remote, outward, ambient, necessary causes, I have
sufficiently discoursed in the precedent member, the non-necessary
follow; of which, saith [2104]Fuchsius, no art can be made, by reason
of their uncertainty, casualty, and multitude; so called not necessary
because according to [2105]Fernelius, they may be avoided, and used
without necessity. Many of these accidental causes, which I shall
entreat of here, might have well been reduced to the former, because
they cannot be avoided, but fatally happen to us, though accidentally,
and unawares, at some time or other; the rest are contingent and
inevitable, and more properly inserted in this rank of causes. To
reckon up all is a thing impossible; of some therefore most remarkable
of these contingent causes which produce melancholy, I will briefly
speak and in their order.
From a child's nativity, the first ill accident that can likely befall
him in this kind is a bad nurse, by whose means alone he may be tainted
with this [2106]malady from his cradle, Aulus Gellius l. 12. c. 1.
brings in Phavorinus, that eloquent philosopher, proving this at large,
[2107] that there is the same virtue and property in the milk as in the
seed, and not in men alone, but in all other creatures; he gives
instance in a kid and lamb, if either of them suck of the other's milk,
the lamb of the goat's, or the kid of the ewe's, the wool of the one
will be hard, and the hair of the other soft. Giraldus Cambrensis
Itinerar. Cambriae, l. 1. c. 2. confirms this by a notable example
which happened in his time. A sow-pig by chance sucked a brach, and
when she was grown [2108]would miraculously hunt all manner of deer,
and that as well, or rather better, than any ordinary hound. His
conclusion is, [2109]that men and beasts participate of her nature and
conditions by whose milk they are fed. Phavorinus urges it farther, and
demonstrates it more evidently, that if a nurse be [2110]misshapen,
unchaste, dishonest, impudent, [2111]cruel, or the like, the child that
sucks upon her breast will be so too; all other affections of the mind
and diseases are almost engrafted, as it were, and imprinted into the
temperature of the infant, by the nurse's milk; as pox, leprosy,
melancholy, &c. Cato for some such reason would make his servants'
children suck upon his wife's breast, because by that means they would
love him and his the better, and in all likelihood agree with them. A
more evident example that the minds are altered by milk cannot be
given, than that of [2112]Dion, which he relates of Caligula's cruelty;
it could neither be imputed to father nor mother, but to his cruel
nurse alone, that anointed her paps with blood still when he sucked,
which made him such a murderer, and to express her cruelty to a hair:
and that of Tiberius, who was a common drunkard, because his nurse was
such a one. Et si delira fuerit ([2113]one observes) infantulum delirum
faciet, if she be a fool or dolt, the child she nurseth will take after
her, or otherwise be misaffected; which Franciscus Barbarus l. 2. c.
ult. de re uxoria proves at full, and Ant. Guivarra, lib. 2. de Marco
Aurelio: the child will surely participate. For bodily sickness there
is no doubt to be made. Titus, Vespasian's son, was therefore sickly,
because the nurse was so, Lampridius. And if we may believe physicians,
many times children catch the pox from a bad nurse, Botaldus cap. 61.
de lue vener. Besides evil attendance, negligence, and many gross
inconveniences, which are incident to nurses, much danger may so come
to the child. [2114]For these causes Aristotle Polit. lib. 7. c. 17.
Phavorinus and Marcus Aurelius would not have a child put to nurse at
all, but every mother to bring up her own, of what condition soever she
be; for a sound and able mother to put out her child to nurse, is
naturae intemperies, so [2115]Guatso calls it, 'tis fit therefore she
should be nurse herself; the mother will be more careful, loving, and
attendant, than any servile woman, or such hired creatures; this all
the world acknowledgeth, convenientissimum est (as Rod. a Castro de
nat. mulierum. lib. 4. c. 12. in many words confesseth) matrem ipsam
lactare infantem, It is most fit that the mother should suckle her own
infant—who denies that it should be so?—and which some women most
curiously observe; amongst the rest, [2116]that queen of France, a
Spaniard by birth, that was so precise and zealous in this behalf, that
when in her absence a strange nurse had suckled her child, she was
never quiet till she had made the infant vomit it up again. But she was
too jealous. If it be so, as many times it is, they must be put forth,
the mother be not fit or well able to be a nurse, I would then advise
such mothers, as [2117]Plutarch doth in his book de liberis educandis
and [2118]S. Hierom, li. 2. epist. 27. Laetae de institut. fil.
Magninus part 2. Reg. sanit. cap. 7. and the said Rodericus, that they
make choice of a sound woman, of a good complexion, honest, free from
bodily diseases, if it be possible, all passions and perturbations of
the mind, as sorrow, fear, grief, [2119]folly, melancholy. For such
passions corrupt the milk, and alter the temperature of the child,
which now being [2120] Udum et molle lutum, a moist and soft clay, is
easily seasoned and perverted. And if such a nurse may be found out,
that will be diligent and careful withal, let Phavorinus and M.
Aurelius plead how they can against it, I had rather accept of her in
some cases than the mother herself, and which Bonacialus the physician,
Nic. Biesius the politician, lib. 4. de repub. cap. 8. approves,
[2121]Some nurses are much to be preferred to some mothers. For why may
not the mother be naught, a peevish drunken flirt, a waspish choleric
slut, a crazed piece, a fool (as many mothers are), unsound as soon as
the nurse? There is more choice of nurses than mothers; and therefore
except the mother be most virtuous, staid, a woman of excellent good
parts, and of a sound complexion, I would have all children in such
cases committed to discreet strangers. And 'tis the only way; as by
marriage they are engrafted to other families to alter the breed, or if
anything be amiss in the mother, as Ludovicus Mercatus contends, Tom.
2. lib. de morb. haered. to prevent diseases and future maladies, to
correct and qualify the child's ill-disposed temperature, which he had
from his parents. This is an excellent remedy, if good choice be made
of such a nurse.
SUBSECT. II.—_Education a Cause of Melancholy_.
Education, of these accidental causes of melancholy, may justly
challenge the next place, for if a man escape a bad nurse, he may be
undone by evil bringing up. [2122]Jason Pratensis puts this of
education for a principal cause; bad parents, stepmothers, tutors,
masters, teachers, too rigorous, too severe, too remiss or indulgent on
the other side, are often fountains and furtherers of this disease.
Parents and such as have the tuition and oversight of children, offend
many times in that they are too stern, always threatening, chiding,
brawling, whipping, or striking; by means of which their poor children
are so disheartened and cowed, that they never after have any courage,
a merry hour in their lives, or take pleasure in anything. There is a
great moderation to be had in such things, as matters of so great
moment to the making or marring of a child. Some fright their children
with beggars, bugbears, and hobgoblins, if they cry, or be otherwise
unruly: but they are much to blame in it, many times, saith Lavater, de
spectris, part. 1, cap. 5. ex metu in morbos graves incidunt et noctu
dormientes clamant, for fear they fall into many diseases, and cry out
in their sleep, and are much the worse for it all their lives: these
things ought not at all, or to be sparingly done, and upon just
occasion. Tyrannical, impatient, hair-brain schoolmasters, aridi
magistri, so [2123]Fabius terms them, Ajaces flagelliferi, are in this
kind as bad as hangmen and executioners, they make many children endure
a martyrdom all the while they are at school, with bad diet, if they
board in their houses, too much severity and ill-usage, they quite
pervert their temperature of body and mind: still chiding, railing,
frowning, lashing, tasking, keeping, that they are fracti animis, moped
many times, weary of their lives, [2124]nimia severitate deficiunt et
desperant, and think no slavery in the world (as once I did myself)
like to that of a grammar scholar. Praeceptorum ineptiis discruciantur
ingenia puerorum, [2125] saith Erasmus, they tremble at his voice,
looks, coming in. St. Austin, in the first book of his confess. et 4
ca. calls this schooling meliculosam necessitatem, and elsewhere a
martyrdom, and confesseth of himself, how cruelly he was tortured in
mind for learning Greek, nulla verba noveram, et saevis terroribus et
poenis, ut nossem, instabatur mihi vehementer, I know nothing, and with
cruel terrors and punishment I was daily compelled. [2126]Beza
complains in like case of a rigorous schoolmaster in Paris, that made
him by his continual thunder and threats once in a mind to drown
himself, had he not met by the way with an uncle of his that vindicated
him from that misery for the time, by taking him to his house.
Trincavellius, lib. 1. consil. 16. had a patient nineteen years of age,
extremely melancholy, ob nimium studium, Tarvitii et praeceptoris
minas, by reason of overmuch study, and his [2127]tutor's threats. Many
masters are hard-hearted, and bitter to their servants, and by that
means do so deject, with terrible speeches and hard usage so crucify
them, that they become desperate, and can never be recalled.
Others again, in that opposite extreme, do as great harm by their too
much remissness, they give them no bringing up, no calling to busy
themselves about, or to live in, teach them no trade, or set them in
any good course; by means of which their servants, children, scholars,
are carried away with that stream of drunkenness, idleness, gaming, and
many such irregular courses, that in the end they rue it, curse their
parents, and mischief themselves. Too much indulgence causeth the like,
[2128]inepta patris lenitas et facilitas prava, when as Mitio-like,
with too much liberty and too great allowance, they feed their
children's humours, let them revel, wench, riot, swagger, and do what
they will themselves, and then punish them with a noise of musicians;
[2129]Obsonet, potet, oleat unguenta de meo;
Amat? dabitur a me argentum ubi erit commodum.
Fores effregit? restituentur: descidit
Vestem? resarcietur.—Faciat quod lubet,
Sumat, consumat, perdat, decretum est pati.
But as Demeo told him, tu illum corrumpi sinis, your lenity will be his
undoing, praevidere videor jam diem, illum, quum hic egens profugiet
aliquo militatum, I foresee his ruin. So parents often err, many fond
mothers especially, dote so much upon their children, like
[2130]Aesop's ape, till in the end they crush them to death, Corporum
nutrices animarum novercae, pampering up their bodies to the undoing of
their souls: they will not let them be [2131]corrected or controlled,
but still soothed up in everything they do, that in conclusion they
bring sorrow, shame, heaviness to their parents (Ecclus. cap. xxx. 8,
9), become wanton, stubborn, wilful, and disobedient; rude, untaught,
headstrong, incorrigible, and graceless; they love them so foolishly,
saith [2132]Cardan, that they rather seem to hate them, bringing them
not up to virtue but injury, not to learning but to riot, not to sober
life and conversation, but to all pleasure and licentious behaviour.
Who is he of so little experience that knows not this of Fabius to be
true? [2133]Education is another nature, altering the mind and will,
and I would to God (saith he) we ourselves did not spoil our children's
manners, by our overmuch cockering and nice education, and weaken the
strength of their bodies and minds, that causeth custom, custom nature,
&c. For these causes Plutarch in his book de lib. educ. and Hierom.
epist. lib. 1. epist. 17. to Laeta de institut. filiae, gives a most
especial charge to all parents, and many good cautions about bringing
up of children, that they be not committed to indiscreet, passionate,
bedlam tutors, light, giddy-headed, or covetous persons, and spare for
no cost, that they may be well nurtured and taught, it being a matter
of so great consequence. For such parents as do otherwise, Plutarch
esteems of them [2134]that are more careful of their shoes than of
their feet, that rate their wealth above their children. And he, saith
[2135]Cardan, that leaves his son to a covetous schoolmaster to be
informed, or to a close Abbey to fast and learn wisdom together, doth
no other, than that he be a learned fool, or a sickly wise man.
SUBSECT. III.—_Terrors and Affrights, Causes of Melancholy_.
Tully, in the fourth of his Tusculans, distinguishes these terrors
which arise from the apprehension of some terrible object heard or
seen, from other fears, and so doth Patritius lib. 5. Tit. 4. de regis
institut. Of all fears they are most pernicious and violent, and so
suddenly alter the whole temperature of the body, move the soul and
spirits, strike such a deep impression, that the parties can never be
recovered, causing more grievous and fiercer melancholy, as Felix
Plater, c. 3. de mentis alienat. [2136]speaks out of his experience,
than any inward cause whatsoever: and imprints itself so forcibly in
the spirits, brain, humours, that if all the mass of blood were let out
of the body, it could hardly be extracted. This horrible kind of
melancholy (for so he terms it) had been often brought before him, and
troubles and affrights commonly men and women, young and old of all
sorts. [2137]Hercules de Saxonia calls this kind of melancholy (ab
agitatione spirituum) by a peculiar name, it comes from the agitation,
motion, contraction, dilatation of spirits, not from any distemperature
of humours, and produceth strong effects. This terror is most usually
caused, as [2138]Plutarch will have, from some imminent danger, when a
terrible object is at hand, heard, seen, or conceived, [2139]truly
appearing, or in a [2140]dream: and many times the more sudden the
accident, it is the more violent.
[2141]Stat terror animis, et cor attonitum salit,
Pavidumque trepidis palpitat venis jecur.
Their soul's affright, their heart amazed quakes,
The trembling liver pants i' th' veins, and aches.
Arthemedorus the grammarian lost his wits by the unexpected sight of a
crocodile, Laurentius 7. de melan. [2142]The massacre at Lyons, 1572,
in the reign of Charles IX., was so terrible and fearful, that many ran
mad, some died, great-bellied women were brought to bed before their
time, generally all affrighted aghast. Many lose their wits [2143]by
the sudden sight of some spectrum or devil, a thing very common in all
ages, saith Lavater part 1. cap. 9. as Orestes did at the sight of the
Furies, which appeared to him in black (as [2144]Pausanias records).
The Greeks call them μορμολύχεια, which so terrify their souls, or if
they be but affrighted by some counterfeit devils in jest,
[2145]———ut pueri trepidant, atque omnia caecis
In tenebris metuunt———