especial means or ways, which who so will may
profitably peruse.

SUBSECT. II.--_Despair. Despairs, Equivocations, Definitions, Parties and
Parts affected_.

There be many kinds of desperation, whereof some be holy, some unholy, as
[6684]one distinguisheth; that unholy he defines out of Tully to be
_Aegritudinem animi sine ulla rerum expectatione meliore_, a sickness of
the soul without any hope or expectation of amendment; which commonly
succeeds fear; for whilst evil is expected, we fear: but when it is
certain, we despair. According to Thomas _2. 2ae. distinct. 40. art. 4._ it
is _Recessus a re desiderata, propter impossibilitatem existimatam_, a
restraint from the thing desired, for some impossibility supposed. Because
they cannot obtain what they would, they become desperate, and many times
either yield to the passion by death itself, or else attempt
impossibilities, not to be performed by men. In some cases, this desperate
humour is not much to be discommended, as in wars it is a cause many times
of extraordinary valour; as Joseph, _lib. 1. de bello Jud. cap. 14._ L.
Danaeus _in Aphoris. polit. pag. 226._ and many politicians hold. It makes
them improve their worth beyond itself, and of a forlorn impotent company
become conquerors in a moment. _Una salus victis nullam sperare salutem_,
"the only hope for the conquered is despair." In such courses when they see
no remedy, but that they must either kill or be killed, they take courage,
and oftentimes, _praeter spem_, beyond all hope vindicate themselves.
Fifteen thousand Locrenses fought against a hundred thousand Crotonienses,
and seeing now no way but one, they must all die, [6685]thought they would
not depart unrevenged, and thereupon desperately giving an assault,
conquered their enemies. _Nec alia causa victoriae_, (saith Justin mine
author) _quam quod desperaverant._ William the Conqueror, when he first
landed in England, sent back his ships, that his soldiers might have no
hope of retiring back. [6686]Bodine excuseth his countrymen's overthrow at
that famous battle at Agincourt, in Henry the Fifth his time, (_cui
simile_, saith Froissard, _tota historia producere non possit_, which no
history can parallel almost, wherein one handful of Englishmen overthrew a
royal army of Frenchmen) with this refuge of despair, _pauci desperati_, a
few desperate fellows being compassed in by their enemies, past all hope of
life, fought like so many devils; and gives a caut