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, circumspection, 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 coarse country wench troubled
in this kind, but noble 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 passions, (_grandiores
virgines_, saith Mercatus, _steriles et viduae plerumque melancholicae_,)
such for the most part are misaffected, and prone 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 constitution, 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 gr