h an
unskilful physician ministered his patient to drink _ad venerem
excitandam_. But most commonly fear, grief, and some sudden commotion, or
perturbation of the mind, begin it, in such bodies especially as are
ill-disposed. Melancthon, _tract. 14, cap. 2, de anima_, will have it as
common to men, as the mother to women, upon some grievous trouble, dislike,
passion, or discontent. For as Camerarius records in his life, Melancthon
himself was much troubled with it, and therefore could speak out of
experience. Montanus, _consil. 22, pro delirante Judaeo_, confirms it,
[2447]grievous symptoms of the mind brought him to it. Randolotius relates
of himself, that being one day very intent to write out a physician's
notes, molested by an occasion, he fell into a hypochondriacal fit, to
avoid which he drank the decoction of wormwood, and was freed.
[2448]Melancthon "(being the disease is so troublesome and frequent) holds
it a most necessary and profitable study, for every man to know the
accidents of it, and a dangerous thing to be ignorant," and would therefore
have all men in some sort to understand the causes, symptoms, and cures of
it.

SUBSECT. V.--_Causes of Melancholy from the whole Body_.

As before, the cause of this kind of melancholy is inward or outward.
Inward, [2449]"when the liver is apt to engender such a humour, or the
spleen weak by nature, and not able to discharge his office." A melancholy
temperature, retention of haemorrhoids, monthly issues, bleeding at nose,
long diseases, agues, and all those six non-natural things increase it. But
especially [2450]bad diet, as Piso thinks, pulse, salt meat, shellfish,
cheese, black wine, &c. Mercurialis out of Averroes and Avicenna condemns
all herbs: Galen, _lib. 3, de loc. affect. cap. 7_, especially cabbage. So
likewise fear, sorrow, discontents, &c., but of these before. And thus in
brief you have had the general and particular causes of melancholy.

Now go and brag of thy present happiness, whosoever thou art, brag of thy
temperature, of thy good parts, insult, triumph, and boast; thou seest in
what a brittle state thou art, how soon thou mayst be dejected, how many
several ways, by bad diet, bad air, a small loss, a little sorrow or
discontent, an ague, &c.; how many sudden accidents may procure thy ruin,
what a small tenure of happiness thou hast in this life, how weak and silly
a creature thou art. "Humble thyself, therefore, under the mighty hand of
God,"