re gold he should have it." Naaman the Syrian, when he went into
Israel to Elisha to be cured of his leprosy, took with him ten talents of
silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment, (2 Kings
v. 5.) Another thing is, that out of bashfulness he do not conceal his
grief; if aught trouble his mind, let him freely disclose it, _Stultorum
incurata pudor malus ulcera celat_: by that means he procures to himself
much mischief, and runs into a greater inconvenience: he must be willing to
be cured, and earnestly desire it. _Pars sanitatis velle sanare fuit_,
(Seneca). 'Tis a part of his cure to wish his own health, and not to defer
it too long.

[2861] "Qui blandiendo dulce nutrivit malum,
Soro recusat ferre quod subiit jugum."

"He that by cherishing a mischief doth provoke,
Too late at last refuseth to cast off his yoke,"

[2862] "Helleborum frustra cum jam cutis aegra tumebit,
Poscentes videas; venienti occurrite morbo."

"When the skin swells, to seek it to appease
With hellebore, is vain; meet your disease."

By this means many times, or through their ignorance in not taking notice
of their grievance and danger of it, contempt, supine negligence,
extenuation, wretchedness and peevishness; they undo themselves. The
citizens, I know not of what city now, when rumour was brought their
enemies were coming, could not abide to hear it; and when the plague begins
in many places and they certainly know it, they command silence and hush it
up; but after they see their foes now marching to their gates, and ready to
surprise them, they begin to fortify and resist when 'tis too late; when,
the sickness breaks out and can be no longer concealed, then they lament
their supine negligence: 'tis no otherwise with these men. And often out of
prejudice, a loathing, and distaste of physic, they had rather die, or do
worse, than take any of it. "Barbarous immanity" ([2863]Melancthon terms
it) "and folly to be deplored, so to contemn the precepts of health, good
remedies, and voluntarily to pull death, and many maladies upon their own
heads." Though many again are in that other extreme too profuse,
suspicious, and jealous of their health, too apt to take physic on every
small occasion, to aggravate every slender passion, imperfection,
impediment: if their finger do but ache, run, ride, send for a physician,
as many gentlewomen do, that are sick, without a cause, even when the