Diseases of the soule a discourse diuine, morall, and physicall. By Tho. Adams.

Windinesse in the stomacke, and vaine-glory. Disease 16.

INstation in the stomake hath some correspondence with vaine-glory in the soule: a disease in either part of man ful of ventositie, where all the humour riseth vp into froth.

Cause.

VVIndinesse is ingendred through flegmaticke hu∣mours in the stomake; or through meates dissol∣ued into vapours by deficiencie of kindely heate. The cause of vaineglory is a vaporous windy opinion of some rare quality in himselfe: which though it bee but an ato∣mus, he would blow (like an Alchymist) to a great masse. But at last, it either settles in a narrow roome, or vanisheth into fome.

Signes and Symptomes.

SYmptomes of the corporall disease are a swelling of the stomake, empty belchings, much rumbling of wind in

the bowels, which offring to descend, is turned backe a∣gaine. You shall easily know a vaine-glorious man: his own commendation rumbles within him, till he hath bulked it out; & the aire of it is vnsauory. In the field, he is touching heauen with a launce; in the street, his eye is still cast ouer his shoulder. He stands vp so pertly, that you may know he is not laden with fruite. If you would drinke of his wisedome, knocke by a sober question at the barrell, and you shall finde by the sound, his wits are emptie. In al com∣panies, like chaffe he will be vppermost: hee is some surfet in natures stomake, & cannot be kept down. A goodly Ci∣presse tree, fertile only of leaues. He drinks to none beneath the salt; and it is his Grammar rule without exception, not to conferre with an infetiour in publike. His impudence will ouer-rule his ignorance to talke of learned principles; which come from him, like a treble part in a base voyce, too bigge for it. Liuing in some vnder-staire office, when he would visite the countrey, he borrowes some Gallants cast sute of his seruant, and therein (Player-like) acts that part among his besotted neighbours. When he rides his masters great horse out of ken, hee vaunts of him as his owne, and brags how much he cost him. He feeds vpon o∣thers curtesie, others meat: and (whether more?) either fats him. At his Inne he cals for chiekens at spring, and such things as cannot be had; whereat angry, he sups according to his purse with a red Herring. Farre enough from know∣ledge, he talkes of his castle, (which is either in the aire, or inchanted) of his lands, which are some pastures in the Fairy-ground, inuisible, no where. He offers to purchase Lordships, but wants money for earnest. He makes others praises as introductions to his own, which must transcend; and cals for wine, that hee may make knowne his rare ves∣sell of deale at home: not forgetting to you, that a Dutch Marchant sent it him, for some extraordinary desert. He is a wōder euery where; among fooles, for his brauery, among wisemen for his folly. He loues an Herald for a new Coate,

and hires him to lye vpon his Pedigree. All Nobility, that is ancient, is of his allyance; and the Great man is but of the first head, that doth not call him, Cousin. When his beames are weakest, like the rising and setting Sunne, hee makes the longest shadowes: whereas bright knowledge, like the Sunne at highest, makes none at all; though then most resultance of heat, and reflection of light. He takes great paines to make himselfe derisory; yet (without su∣specting it) both his speech and silence cries, Behold mee. He discommends earned worth with a shrugge, and lispes his enforced approbation. Hee loues humility in all men, but himselfe, as if hee did wish well to all soules but his owne.

There is no matter of consequence, that Policy begets, but he will be Gossip to, and giue it a name, and knowes the intention of all proiects, before they be full hatched. Hee hath somewhat in him, which would bee better for himselfe, and all men, if he could keepe it in. In his hall, you shal see an old rusty sword hung vp, which he swears killed Glendower in the hands of his Grandsire. He fathers vpon himselfe some villanies, because they are in fashion; and so vilifies his credit, to aduance it. If a newe famous Courteg∣hian be mentioned, he deeply knowes her: whom indeede he neuer saw. He will be ignorant of nothing, though it be a shame to know it. His barrell hath a continual spigot, but no tunnell; and like an vnthrift, he spends more then he gets. His speech of himselfe is euer historicall, histrio∣nicall. He is indeed admirations creature, and a circum∣stantiall Mountebanke.

Cure.

FOr the cure of the corporall disease, you must giue the Patient such medicines, as diuide and purge phlegme; with an extenuating dyet. To cure this windy humour of vaine-glory, S. Paul hath a sharpe medicine: That his glory

is in his shame. Prescribe him, that the free giuing all glo∣ry to God, is the resultance of the best glory to man. The counsell of both Law and Gospell meetes in this. Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome, nor the strong in his strength, nor the rich in his wealth; but let him that glorieth, glorie in the Lord. That he hath nothing, (which is good) that he hath not receiued; and it is a shame for the Cisterne not to acknow∣ledge the Fountaine. That the praise of good deserts is lost by want of humilitie. That there is none arrogant, but the ignorant: and that if hee vnderstood himselfe, his concei∣ted sea is but a puddle, which euery iudicious obseruers plummet findes shallow, and muddy. That trafficking for the fraught of mens praises for his good worth, Hee suffers shipwracke in the hauen; and loseth his reward there, where hee should receiue it.

Notes

• Phil. 3. 19.
• Ier. 9. 23. 1. Cor. 10 17.
• Chryshom. 24 ad pop. Ant.