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 breasts, 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 damned, 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