wise, I shall elsewhere more opportunely speak of them.

Immoderate Venus in excess, as it is a cause, or in defect; so moderately
used to some parties an only help, a present remedy. Peter Forestus calls
it _aptissimum remedium_, a most apposite remedy, [2981]"remitting anger,
and reason, that was otherwise bound." Avicenna _Fen. 3. 20._ Oribasius
_med. collect. lib. 6. cap. 37._ contend out of Ruffus and others, [2982]
"that many madmen, melancholy, and labouring of the falling sickness, have
been cured by this alone." Montaltus _cap. 27. de melan._ will have it
drive away sorrow, and all illusions of the brain, to purge the heart and
brain from ill smokes and vapours that offend them: [2983]"and if it be
omitted," as Valescus supposeth, "it makes the mind sad, the body dull and
heavy." Many other inconveniences are reckoned up by Mercatus, and by
Rodericus a Castro, in their tracts _de melancholia virginum et monialium;
ob seminis retentionem saviunt saepe moniales et virgines_, but as Platerus
adds, _si nubant sanantur_, they rave single, and pine away, much
discontent, but marriage mends all. Marcellus Donatus _lib. 2. med. hist.
cap. 1._ tells a story to confirm this out of Alexander Benedictus, of a
maid that was mad, _ob menses inhibitos, cum in officinam meritoriam
incidisset, a quindecem viris eadem nocte compressa, mensium largo
profluvio, quod pluribus annis ante constiterat, non sine magno pudore mane
menti restituta discessit_. But this must be warily understood, for as
Arnoldus objects, _lib. 1. breviar. 18. cap._ _Quid coitus ad melancholicum
succum_? What affinity have these two? [2984]"except it be manifest that
superabundance of seed, or fullness of blood be a cause, or that love, or
an extraordinary desire of Venus, have gone before," or that as Lod.
Mercatus excepts, they be very flatuous, and have been otherwise accustomed
unto it. Montaltus _cap. 27._ will not allow of moderate Venus to such as
have the gout, palsy, epilepsy, melancholy, except they be very lusty, and
full of blood. [2985]Lodovicus Antonius _lib. med. miscet._ in his chapter
of Venus, forbids it utterly to all wrestlers, ditchers, labouring men, &c.
[2986]Ficinus and [2987]Marsilius Cognatus puts Venus one of the five
mortal enemies of a student: "it consumes the spirits, and weakeneth the
brain." Halyabbas the Arabian, _5. Theor. cap. 36._ and Jason Pratensis
make it the fountain of most diseases, [2988]"but most pernicious to them