Mystical bedlam, or the vvorld of mad-men. By Tho: Adams

3. The Lustfull

Is not to be missed in this Catalogue. The Poet cals amantes, amentes; taking (or rather mistaking) Loue for Lust. Indeed it is insana libido, a blinding, blending fascination; a Witch that with her power∣full

charmes intoxicates the braines. A Father con∣templating in his meditations, how it came to passe, that our forefathers in the infancy of the world, had so many wiues at once, answeres himselfe. Certè enim fuit consuetudo, non fuit culpa: Whiles it was a custome, it was scarce held a fault. Wee may say no lesse of our dayes: Lasciuiousnesse is so wonted a companion for our Gallants, that in their sense, it hath lost the name of being a sinne. They call it Magnatum ludum; and whether it be or no, thence deriue to themselues au∣thority and imitation.

But still, Quae te dementia cepit? Thou art mad, whiles incontinent, Is it not malum sui diffusiuum? a sawcy sinne, a costly disease? yet were it cheape to the purse, is it not the price of bloud? Can al your prouocatiues, enliuenings, trepidations, and fomenting preserua∣tiues, preuent the wasting of your marrows? Chamber∣worke will drie the bones. If my heart, sayth Iob, hath beene deceiued by a woman; it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would roote out all mine encrease. Luxuriam sequitur dissipatio omnis: Luxurie is attended on by a generall consumption: first, of Substance, Prou. 6. By meanes of an whorish woman, a man is brought to a peece of bread. Secondly, of Body. Tremores pedum, & articulo∣rum generat depriuationem: It weakens the limbes, and vnties the ioynts, those knots whereby the body is trussed together. Saint Paul calles it a sinne against a mans owns body. Thirdly, of Name. A wound and disho∣nour will he get, and his reproch shall not be wiped away. E∣uen when he shal depart his place (the world) he leaues (an euill memoriall) a bad ••auour behind him.

I would mention the losse of his Soule too; but that hee cares not for: the other hee would seeme to loue, then how mad is he to endanger them? If thou be not mad, away with these fomenta luxuriae: feede na∣ture, not appetite. Nature nihil parùm, appetitui nihil satis.

Qui minùs tradit corpori, quàm debet corpori, ciuem necat: Qui tradit plus corpori, quàm debet corpori, hostem nutrit: As hee that allowes lesse to his body, then hee owes to his body, kils his friend: so hee that giues more to his body, then hee owes to his body, nourisheth his ene∣my. Thou complaynest of original euill in thy flesh; yet nourishest what thou complainest against. Caro non est mala, si malo careat. But Christ was more fa∣uourable to the Adulteresse, and sent her away with im∣punity: yet not in allowance to the vice of the accu∣sed, but to conuince the wickednes of the accusers. Pu∣tauit lapidandam, non à lapidandis. Noluit talem, noluit à talibus: He might thinke her worthy to die, but not by them that were worthy to die. Hee would not haue her polluted, nor yet to perish by so polluted hands. I conclude the madness of these men with the Poet.

Ludit amor sensus, oculos perstringit, & aufert Libertatem animi, & mira nos fascinat arte. Credo, aliquis Daemon subiens praecordia, flammam Con••itat, & raptam tollit de cardine mentem. —Amor est & amaror & error.

Lust blinds the senses, and with witching arte, Brings into fatall seruitude the heart. A subtill Fiend, the cause and plague of badnes, Poysons the bloud, and filles the braine with madnesse.

If they will not see this yet, (as what frantick man per∣ceiues his owne madnes?) they shall feele it vnder the hands of an ill Surgion on earth, or a worse in hell.

Notes

• Iob. 31. 9. 12.
• Pro. 6 26.
• Sen.
• 1. Cor. 6. 18.
• Pro. 6. 33.
• Ioh. 8. 7. 11.