Erōtomania or A treatise discoursing of the essence, causes, symptomes, prognosticks, and cure of love, or erotique melancholy. Written by Iames Ferrand Dr. of Physick

CAP. XXXIV. Remedies for the Cure of Love-Melan∣choly in Married persons.

IT is often seen, that Married persons, whether they have been joyned toge∣ther by their own good liking and choice, and without any constraint on either side; or else perhaps against the consent of the one or the other; doe at length conceave a secret hate against one another, which occasioneth betwixt them such discord, malice, and neglect, that they cannot en∣dure the company of one another: but presently yeeld up themselves to the em∣braces of some new Loves, whom they entertaine with all fervency and strength of desire, notwithstanding the unlawfull∣nesse

of this their fowle and lewd man¦ner of living. The cause of this, is diverse for it is sometimes either the Dissimil•• tude of Manners; or else a secret Antipa••¦thy in their dispositions: sometimes also some Imperfection either of body of mind in one of the parties. Sometimes it is caused by some Charme, or Inchant¦ment; or else perhaps a Iealousy, or con∣ceit that they have, that their Love is not requited with mutuall Love againe. And sometimes also it is caused through the want of that Pleasure that Nature hath in great measure bestowed on the Genitall parts in the Act of Copulation, by the means of those Nerves which are placed in them, and the Serous sharpe pricking Humour that is reserved within certaine Kernels in the neck of the bladder.

For the cure of this Naturall defect, I shall desire you to have recourse to Mari∣nello de Vigo, Avicen, and others, & espe∣cially Liebault in his first book of the di∣seases of Women, and 35 chapter: where he sets downe the meanes that must be u∣sed, for the reconcilement and bringing together againe of new married persons,

that hate and fly the company of each o∣ther. And here by the way you are to take notice, that as there are some Men that are Cold and Impotent: so are there likewise some Women too, that feele no motions of the flesh at all. Platerus in his Observations makes mention of two in this kind, who were for this reason al∣waies Barren. Of this constitution was Amasis, King of Egypt; as Herodotus re∣ports: and Theodoricus, King of France, is reported by Paulus Aemilius to have been Impotent toward his Wife, but not toward his Concubines. The same is re∣corded also in the Annals of Aragon, and by Dupreau, in the yeare 1196. of Peter the Second, King of Aragon: which the Quen being advertised of, she went one night, and lay in one of the Kings concu∣bines beds, and was got with child that night, and afterward delivered of Iames, who was afterwards King: and so by this meanes and subtle device of the Queenes, the King was brought to see his errour, and ever after abstained from his unchast Loves.

Homer faignes that Iuno, for to re∣straine

her Husband Iupiter from falling any more in Love with Latona, Jo, Cali¦sto, and other his Concubines, borrowed Ʋenus Girdle,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Wherein were wrought all the desires, graces, perswasions, baites, and allure∣ments required to the confirmation of love betwixt man and wife.

If either of the parties have any defect in their person, which may seeme to have been the cause of the others neglect; they must then endeavour to repaire it by all convenient remedies. Or if this be im∣possible to be done; they must then strive to recompence this defect of body, by the beauty of their mind.

Ʋt teneas Dominam, nec te mirere relictū: Ingenii dotes, corporis adde bonis.

Maximus Tyrius reports, of Achilles, that he seemed so beautifull to all those that

beheld him, not so much for his long gol∣den Haire; for Euphorbus had a fairer ••ead of Haire then he: but because that ••is personall Beauty was adorned with that of his Mind. The learned Sapho makes her selfe praise worthy in this re∣spect, when as in her Epistle to her belo∣••ed Phao, shee boasts, that what Nature ••ad denied her in beauty, she her selfe ••ad repaired that defect by the Indow∣ments and graces of her Mind.

Si mihi difficilis formam Natura negavit: Jngenio, formae damna rependo meae.

They must also endeavour to make them∣selves conformable to each other in their wills, manners of life, and conditions: ac∣cording to that advice of the Poet.

Certus Amor morum est. Formam popu∣labitur Aetas: Et placitus rugis vultus aratus erit. Sufficit, & longum Probitas perdurat in aevum; Per{que} suos annos, hinc benè pendet A∣mor.

He that his love on a faire Face hath plac'd: As Age shall ruine this, his flames must wast But where two equall minds, and chast desires Doe meet; these kindle never-dying fires.

And if there be any secret Antipathy be∣twixt them, they must yet still pretend some shew of love the one to the other: for it may so come to passe, that this feig∣ned Love may in time convert to true re∣all Love. It is reported of one Caelius in Rome, that, to avoid the Attendance on some great person in the Emperours Court, counterfeited himselfe to be grie∣vously troubled with the Gout, applying all those ordinary remedies that are pre∣scribed for the cure of this disease: Till at length Fortune did him the favour to send him the Gout in earnest. Of whom Mar∣tiall hath this witty Epigram.

Tantum cura potest, & ars doloris. Desiit fingere Caelius Podagram.

Caelius now feignes not. (see what Art can doe!) He that before would not, now cannot goe.

Appian also makes mention of another, who in a jeering way counterfeiting blindnesse in another, within a short space became blind himselfe. Love must be an∣swered with Love againe. Monstrabo ti∣bi Amatorium sine Medicamento, sine ulli∣us Veneficae carmine. Si vis amari, ama. saies Seneca. I will shew thee a way how to procure love, without either Philter, or Charme: If thou wouldst be Loved, doe thou first love. Themistius, and Porphyri∣us have a pleasant fiction to this purpose, which is this. As one day Ʋenus, having perceaved that her sonne Cupid did not thrive at all, went to consult with the Goddesse Themis concerning the reason of it; she receaved this answere: that Cu∣pid could not recover a perfect state, and strength of body, unlesse he had a Brother, which must be called Anteros, or Reci∣procall Love, for the mutuall assistance of each other. Anteros was no sooner borne,

but presently Cupid began to grow, and spread forth his wings; and so long as An∣teros was in presence, he appeared both greater, and much more beautifull: but in his Absence he seemed alwaies to dimi∣nish, and abate both in strength and beau∣ty. So that by this fiction is intimated of how great force and vertue, honest Em∣braces, kind words, and courteous enter∣tainements are, for the continuance and encreasing of mutuall Love. And for this cause the Ancients, as Plutarch reports, were wont to give the Bride a Quince to eate, on the wedding day.

Nam facit ipsa suis interdum foemina fa∣ctis, Morigeris{que} modis, & mudo corpori' cultu, Vt facilè insueseat secum vir degere vitam.

It often comes to passe, saies this old Poet, that a woman, by her applying her selfe to the humours and conditions of her Husband, and by her neatnesse, and come∣ly attiring of her selfe, tempers the roughnesse and harshnesse of his disposi∣tion; and so by this meanes they enjoy

each other very peaceably and Lovingly.

Philostratus reports, that the eating of Hares flesh, was accounted of great ver∣tue among the Romans, for the main∣taining of Mutuall Love and amity be∣twixt married persons, and to divert their minds from thinking on any strange loves. And this custome was grounded perhaps on a certaine opinion, that, as Pli∣ny saies, they had, that the flesh of a Hare makes those that eate it comely, and of a gratious aspect. And hereto Martiall seemes to allude, when he writes to Gel∣lia thus.

Si quando Leporem mittis mihi, Gellia, Mandas, Formosus septem, Marce, diebus eris. Si non derides, si verum, Gellia, mandas: Edisti nunquam, Gellia, tu Leporem.

Gellia, when ere thou send'st to me a Hare, Thou bidst me eate it, and I shall be faire Seven daies. If this be true, as thou dost say:

Thou never eatst a Hare, good Gellia.

Aristotle commends for this use the fis•• called Remora, by the Latines; and by the Greekes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and saies that they were wont to use it in their Philters. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: which place of Aristotle is thus translated by Pliny: Echineis, Amatoriis beneficiis infamis, Iu∣diciorum, & litium mora. Which opinion of the Ancients seems to me in all proba∣bility to have been grounded on a certain fable that they have, how that such a Fish•• should stop the ship of Perianders Embas∣sadors, whom he had sent to geld all the Males that were left of the bloud Royall: as if Nature her selfe held it an unworthy Act, that man should be despoyld of those parts, that were given him for the preser∣vation of the whole kind.

The same vertue is attributed also, by some other Naturalists, to that kind of Co∣rall, which is for this reason called Chari∣toblepharon; and also to the Hearbe Cata∣nance: and by Philostratus, to an Oyle that drops from certaine trees, growing on the banke of the river Hyphasis in In∣dia; wherewith all the Indians are wont to annoynt themselves on their Marriage day.

But for mine owne part, I am more in∣clined to be of the Poet Menanders opi∣nion, who thinkes that the strongest tye, for the retaining of Man and Wife in Mu∣tuall amity and concord is to have Chil∣dren. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Because that, Children, as the Philosopher saith, are Commune Quid, a Benefit that both parties have equall share in: and are therefore the fittest Mediators, and Vm∣pires betwixt Man and Wife. Now it is the property of a Mediator to reconcile, and reunite both parties: as Aristotle saith. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Now if you desire to know what means are to be used for the cure of Impotency in Men, and Barrennesse in Women: I desire you to have recourse unto a treatise I have formerly written of the same sub∣ject.

The Romane Ladies made great ac∣count of the hearbe Hippoglossum, or Horse-tongue, which they called Bonifa∣cia, and attributed great vertue unto it for the reconcilement and reuniting of mar∣ried persons. Albertus Magnus, & Lem∣nius attribute the like vertue to a certaine

stone, which, they say, is found in the belly of a Capon, that was not gelded un∣till he was foure years old: which stone, they say, is of an exceeding bright colour, and as transparant as Christall, and about the bignesse of a Beane. Now he that means to prove the vertue of it, must take and wrap it up in a piece of skinne or bladder, and so weare it about him. Pliny affirmes that Eringo roots are of great force in this case. But I for my part am of the Poets opinion, who saies that

Malè quaeritur Herbis; Moribus, & Formâ conciliandus Amor.

It is an idle and vaine thing, to goe a∣bout to procure Love by Hearbs, or Charmes, or the like foolish devises: for true Love is caused only by beauty, and the vertuous dispositions of the Mind.

Yet sometimes I confesse, it is brought to passe by the use of Charmes & Witch∣craft, that Married persons fall off from the Love they formerly bare to each o∣ther: and so by this meanes are forced to entertaine new desires, and yeeld up

themselves to embrace the Love of stran∣gers. These Charmes are commonly cal∣led in Latine, Nodi, sive Ligamina Ama∣toria: of which many of our Moderne Physitians have written, and particularly Arnaldus de Ʋilla Nova, in his Tract de Ligaturis Physicis. And it is the opinion also of many both Divines and Physitians that it is probable, that the Divell, who is the Author of all Mischiefe, hath power to quench lawfull Loves, and to kindle new and unlawfull desires in men: as first, by making the Husband Impotent to∣wards his owne wife, by the application of some naturall things that may have that vertue; which he can at his pleasure remove againe, when the same man comes to meddle with any other woman. Secondly, by raising dissentions, and Iea∣lousies betwixt them. Thirdly by causing some loathsome disease or other, in either of the Parties: as it is reported of Medea, who by the power of her Charmes is said to have made all the Lemnian women to have stinking breaths, in so much that their Husbands could not endure to come neare them. Fourthly, by troubling their

Imagination, and making either the Hus∣band, or the wife seeme mishapen and deformed to the others eye; and all other both Men and Women to appeare faire and beautifull. Or lastly, by working some secret Antipathy betwixt them. For it is reported by Egnatius, that one Ʋalasca, a Bohemian wench, by her charmes cau∣sed the Women of Bohemia to kill all the men in that place where she was, all in one night. Or else the Divell may doe this, by working some strange Alteration in the Temperature of the Genitall parts either of the Man, or of the Woman: for by this meanes some men have become Impotent, and unapt for Copulation: and on the contrary, some Women have been as salt as Bitches: as Saxo Grammaticus reports.

But we must take heed that we doe not Ignorantly impute these effects to Magicke, Charmes, or Sorcery, when as indeed they are produced by Naturall causes: As did of old the Scythians, who, having made themselves Impotent, by cutting the veines, Arteries, or Nerves that joyne close to the Eares, notwith∣standing

thought that it was a punish∣ment inflicted upon them, by the God∣desse Ʋenus Ʋrania, in revenge of the in∣jury their Ancestors had done unto her, in pulling downe and rifling a Temple that was dedicated to her Honour in As∣calon, a famous Citty of Palestina.

We must also be sure that the Wo∣man be not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, want∣ing the naturall passage destin'd for the use of Copulation; as was Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi: And in this case, the passage must be opend with an instru∣ment, according to the directions of Al∣bucasis, Aetius, Ioan: Wierus, Pareus, & other Authentique Authors: Which thing I my selfe also once caused to be done in the City of Castelnaudary to two young maides of the same place. Not∣withstanding this defect is incident both to Widowes, and to Married women al∣so, if their Husbands chance to be a long time absent from them: as Iean Liebault affirmes that himselfe hath knowne it happen to two women that were neigh∣bours of his. And I am much inclined to suspect, that Namysia, & Phaethusa, two

women whom Hippocrates reports to have been Metamorphosed into Men, were only troubled with this disease: which is indeed more rarely, and seldo∣mer seen in Women, then the other con∣trary disease to this is, which many times proves the Occasion of quenching Loves desires in Married persons. But I shall not here set downe the manner of curing these two opposite diseases: but shall ra∣ther referre you to Avicen, Aetius, Ae∣gineta, and all moderne writers that have spoken any thing of Barrennesse, or of the Diseases of Women.

Arnaldus de Ʋilla Nova, in his tract that he hath writren concerning the Re∣medies that must be used against the Di∣vell, and his sorceries, counsels us to cause the party affected to carry about him a quill of Quicksilver, or else a piece of Corall, the hearbe Motherwort, or Squills. Ioannes de Ʋigo adviseth to besprinkle the house of the party that is enchanted or bewitched, with the blood of a black dog. Some other will have him eate the flesh of a Magpy, or Wood-pecker: or else to annoynt the body of the Inchanted per∣son

with the gall of a Raven, tempered with the powder of Hartwort.

But my opinion shall ever be, that In∣chantments and Sorceries, are to be cured rather by Prayer and Fasting, and not by Physicall or Naturall remedies.