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CHAP. LXXXII. Of Things Conceived, or Conceptions. (Book 82)

1 The Spleen is the Seat of the first Conceptions. 2. As well the Idea's of the Im∣magination, as Archeal ones, do issue from the Spleen their Fountain. 3. There∣fore also they smell of an Hypocondrial faculty or quality. 4. The Plague al∣waies begins about the Stomack. 5. Of soulified Conceptions. 6. Idea's from the Womb. 7. Madnesses. 8. A mad Irreligion. 9. The reality of Concep∣tions in respect of the Matter and efficient Cause. 10. Presumption doth blind al∣most all mortal Men. 11. An occult madnesse. 12. Diseasie Conceptions. 13. Diseases of the Womb. 14. Womb Phantasies. 15. An instruction of eve∣ry Monarchy. 16. A double Government in a Woman. 17. The Womb is not ill at ease but from things conceived. 18. The Female Sex is miserable. 19. Diseases of the Womb differ from their Products. 20. The Cure of its last or utmost Fury. 21. A twofold Idea of things Conceived. 22. The rise and progresse of a Feverish Dotage. 23. The progresse of Idea's unto their maturities. 24. The Entry of all good is in Faith. 25. The flourishing of Passions.

MOreover, a Diseasie Being is like unto things Injected, the which I call that of things conceived; For although this Being doth not come to us from without, nor is nourished from elsewhere; Yea neither doth Satan co-operate with it: yet be∣cause it doth not much differ in its root, manner of making, and a certain likeness d••••∣fects, from some Injected things, I have not unadvisedly referred things Conceived, a∣mong Spiritual things Received: Unto the clearing up whereof, I have already premised many Prologues.

Wherefore I have already elsewhere demonstrated the Imaginative Power of the first Conceptions to be in the Spleen, and that it is from thence extended unto the Stomack [unspec 1] the companion of the Duumvirate, and that also it is hence easily, and originally (in the other Sex) extended unto the Womb.

The Spleen therefore is as well the Fountain of Idea's Conceived in the imaginative faculty of a man, as of the Archeus himself. The Archeus hath his own and peculiar Ima∣ginations [unspec 2] proper unto him (for whether they are the Phantasies of a true Name, or onely Metaphorical ones, it is all one to me in this place) for the sake whereof, he continually feels Antipathies, and self-loves, and from thence stirs up derived motions.

Surely the Conceptions of the Archeus, doe forthwith attain the most powerful de∣terminations in the aforesaid places: Because they smell of their native place, they are [unspec 3] Hypocondriacal Qualities, they bear the Monuments of the first, and undistinct motions. And although a soulified immagnation, which is there delayed without the strength of im∣pression, or the inclination of any prejudiced thing, may be at length made as it were sleepy, undistinct, and almost confused; wherefore indeed, times do seldome wax gray or old with carelesness: yet those which in the very shops of the first Motions, receive the deliberation of some Passion, do also allure unto them the Spirits made old in the Brain, do undergo the contagion of the place, and are made and forged by the Judgement of a deprived Idea, and do seminally bring forth affects co-agreeing with their Causes: To wit those which are suspected of Hypocondrial madness, confusion and disturbance: For therefore we do all of us suffer, every one his own anguishes of mind; Yet the al∣ready mentioned Archeal imagination, as it neither desireth the consent of the Soul, so neither doth it exspect it, and therefore it happens unsensibly, and without our know∣ledge.

Therefore indeed the Plague, whether it be made from a terrour conceived in the Soul, or next from a proper Vice of the Archeus, yet it alwayes holds its first consultations a∣bout [unspec 4] the Orifice of the Stomack: For the Idea's of the Archeus are most powerful, also the most fierce ones of Diseases; Because they being irrational, do happen unto us with∣out our knowledge, and against our will, and therefore also incorrigible, and are for the most part out-laws, and do therefore invade us after an unthought of manner.

I will now treat of soulified Conceptions, because they are the more distinct, and sensible ones; whosoever they be, which do as it were weaken, insatuate, and now and then en∣chant [unspec 5] themselves with the perturbations of the first motions, and the conceived Idea's of these, they afford a fit occasion unto the aforesaid Causes: And although this kind of Vice, doth sometimes invade even learned, and judicious Men, produceth foolishnesses, and crabbishnesses; Yet it is more social unto a Woman, by reason of the agreement and nearnesse of affinity of her Womb.

Indeed the Womb, although it be a meer Membrane, yet it is another Spleen: And [unspec 6] therefore it doth as it were by a proper instinct of the Seed, presently wrap it self in the ex∣ternal Secundines of the young, as it were another Spleen: As elsewhere in its place. Not indeed that a Woman, doth by this Vice of Nature forge execrable Hypocondrial Idea's for the destruction of others, after the manner of Witches; but they are hurtful onely to themselves, and do as it were inchant, and infatuate, and weaken themselves.

For they stamp Idea's on themselves, whereby they no otherwise than as Witches dri∣ven about with a malignant Spirit of despair, are oftentimes governed, or are snatched [unspec 7] away unto those things which otherwise they would not, and do bewail unto us their own, and unvoluntary madness. For so (as Plutarch witnesseth) a desire of Death by hanging, took hold of all the young Maids in the Island of Chios: neither could it be stayed but by shame or bashfulness, sore threatned unto them after death. Seeing therefore the Vice of things Conceived doth also touch men; let the Reader be averse to wearisomness, if it shall behove me to stay the longer in these things, who as the first, do touch at this string in healing.

Therefore, if mortals shall dash themselves into a presumption of Faith, if they depart from the Word of God, and for the explications of their own consent in Opinion, do as [unspec 8] it were behold themselves in the glass of their own complacency, they now thereupon do stamp on themselves staggering Idea's, and those of a careless Religion, they, from one point, [being at first doubtful] do dispute (as being uncertain) of more, they proceed un∣••••••theism through a height of Irreligion. But if they shall fall into Superstitions, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Idea's agreeable unto Necromancy or Divination by calling of Spirits, from whence they prepare an apt Soul for Stygian or Hellish Vanities: Whereunto (as unto those who are become mad) the enemy of mortal men doth now very easily associate himself; especially if a stubborn Superstition be defended, and that with a strong desire of hatred, or some other Sin: For they stamp Idea's on themselves, which are second unto a volun∣tary blindness.

We must here again call to mind with the first, that all Ideal Images are seminal in re∣spect of a real Being brought forth by imagination: And then in respect of the Spirits [unspec 9] (as they are vital, and married to a conceived Seed) whose matter they do assume, or table on, which they are deciphered, they are made the Instrument fit for executing the ends of Idea's: Therefore by both these Prerogatives, they pierce the Archeus, and do estrange him unto the strange Scopes of their own Perturbations. If therefore Faith, and a confident Superstition do offend onely through credulity or a rash belief; now they forge Idea's whereby they think themselves enchanted, uncurable, and are made the servants of a desperate madness: For their strength being prostrated, they are made lean, and be∣ing mad, do wax pale. But if an undiscreet, and inordinate scrupulousness doth vex them, it self frameth a careful Idea on them disturbed with the fear of Hell, from whence their Life is a Horror unto them; Their Conversation of all things is Fearfull; almost, as if it were Diabolicall: For they generate a foolishness, the which they acknowledge, confess, bewail, because they are not able to free themselves from it: And at length, they, as im∣potent, do so fail or decline, that they snatch to them an Idea as it were their Soul: But if a scrupulousness do run back unto the mind for deliberation, before a totall victory, and nevertheless doth in the mean time, stamp new, and inordinate Idea's; It being un∣stable easily wanders into the opposite part, and, as if now abhorring its former scruple, [unspec 10] doth assume a Spiritual liberty, with a presuming on desert, and a despising of others. For which way soever it endeavours to rise higher, it is sunk so much the deeper: For pre∣sumption is nothing but a vain madness, hanging alwayes on others Wills or Judgements:

Yet is it as it were proper unto the most of mortals: For by reason of Virtues, Wit, Learning, Birth, Riches, Beauty, Strength, Boldness or Courage, Arts, much Talk∣ing or Voice, every one forgeth Idea's applauding himself; the which do make almost the whole World mad: Of whom it is said, That the number of Fools are Infinite. But the most hurtful madness of Presumptions is in Political matters, and it is that of boldness, because it is that which doth oftentimes subject its own unto a tormenter.

Surely madness is seldom without Presumption, if Stupidity be not akin to it: For in∣deed the Idea of Faith, Despair, Scruple, Irreligion, Arrogancy, Esteem; &c. because they respect the Powers which are more abstracted and Intellectual, and do the more op∣pose infused Grace, they do for the most part, so beget a hidden madness, that it is not but slowly discerned by Spiritual, and those much Exercised men. Which be-madding Idea's, those do follow in Order, which belong to the more corporeal Disturbances.

For first of all, as an hard emulation of Jealousie, is a Hell, which throws a man head∣long into very many Miseries: Also, in the next place, the Idea's of Lust and Fornicati∣on, do besides Madnesses, stir up also many Sicknesses together.

But all Exorbitancies of Disturbances, if they are sudden, strong, frequent, or of daily continuance, they imprint Idea's and Infirmities like unto themselves, therefore also du∣rable [unspec 12] for Life. Indeed there are some who are truly wise, but if they shall pitch upon a matter whose Idea hath made them mad, they do presently bewray an occult madness: I say, a suddain terror and grief have oftentimes extinguished some with an un-fore-seen Death. In others also they have at least-wise caused a Sounding: They have stirred up in many Women an Issue of their Menstrues durable for Life. But if the force of an Idea shall not tyrannize on the venal blood, and therefore shall not banish this as hateful, but shall keep it in its possession in the place about the short Ribs; it there seals the Falling-Sick∣ness: But lingring grief, and that which is by intervals, being interrupted with a little comfort, doth stamp an Idea, from whence Hypocondrial Melancholly in Women: but the Jaundice in Men is bred, if the Idea's be sealed in the blood: But if in the very bowel of the Spleen, it attemps an Asthma and Choaking: But if grief be connexed with an Idea of Despair, it breeds the Palsie, or Convulsion, especially in Virgins: But lingring grief when it is joyned with premeditated anger, or hatred, doth bring forth Sobbing, trembling of the Heart, or a stubborn suppression of the Menstrues. Yea, if those kind of Passions shall be strong, they cause the Falling-Sickness, and Abortion or a Miscarrying, or do Choak those Women which go with Child. If anger be suddain, and the which notwith∣standing ought to be restrained or dissembled; It stamps an Idea from whence there are Fallings down of the Womb, wandrings unto its sides, with intollerable pain; but in Men there are Asthma's, Shortness of Breath, and a Fever, which at length passeth over into the Jaundise, or Dropsie. If a violent affrightment or Fear doth rush upon one, Epilepti∣call or Falling-Sickness Idea's are forged, which do remain for Life. But Hatred and Ava∣rice do generate a Leanness, or Atrophia or Consumption for lack of nourishment; they stamp I say, Idea's answerable to their own Desires, and they decline so far to folly, that they little esteem of their own Life, and Fortunes of their Neighbours, believing that nothing doth happen unto them, more pleasant in their Life, than the shameful Satiety of Revenge: For those kind of Idea's do make Lean, and because they are bred by slow, and resolute Perturbations, they increase day by day, and do for the most part continue for term of Life. Neither also doth the Seed being corrupted, or the Menstrues detained, stir up Diseases of the Womb; but these are latter Products, and Defects coming upon the Idea's of alterations.

For the Womb, as it hath a particular Monarchy, so also particular Diseases: Because every exorbitant affect of the Womb, is a certain madness, or befooling of the Archeus in [unspec 13] the Womb. For even as there is a ferment of a be-madding fury in the Spittle of a mad Dog; an Idea, I say, which a little after doth make him that is bitten, Mad: So in some Simples, there is a sealifying faculty of Madness, and sealed in some Excrements being detained, or bred in the raging Womb; a madness of fury there is in them, which doth either propagate the madness conceived, on the off-springs, or perseveres with barrenness unto the finishing of their radical Fury.

Surely it listeth me to contemplate of a Power in the Womb, like unto the imaginative one of the first motions; As it were of a most powerful Blas of the Stars, turning and over∣turning [unspec 14] all things upwards and downwards: For the Womb hath had its own Govern∣ment hitherto, and hath kept it entire over the whole Body; yea alwayes hath cruelly ex∣ercised it, unto the sore troubling of the Sex which is to be pitied.

But for the instruction or orderly preparing of every Monarchy, a certain governing [unspec 15] Faculty (such as in malice, and affects of the Womb, doth clearly appear to be monstrous) is alwayes primarily required, and another angryable Faculty which is unfolded under a womanish Life, by the diverse animosities of affections: The disturbances of which Faculties, and the overflowing exorbitances sprung from thence, certainly, do presuppose nothing less, than the fury of the Womb: For what can be more madly done, than that the Womb should strain the Neck of a Woman, and miserably destroy its own subject? should contract the Pores of the Lungs? should violently powr forth the whole Blood? For truly at the killing of its Woman, the proper death of the Womb doth of necessity follow: therefore this very thing is by consequence, to cause its own destruction, by a de∣liberated force.

From whence the argument of a twofold Monarchy in a Woman, is at least-wise seen:

To wit, from a duality of the Womb with the Body of the Woman, the Enemy of [unspec 16] of Unity, and Fuel of discord: But although such a choaking doth for the most part, take its beginnings from the disturbances of the mind, and Idea's stirred up from thence, and the which being deadly, doth obliterate the birth or original, comeliness, and life of the whole Body, like unto Hornets that are stirred up: Yet the Womb in a Woman survi∣veth, so that, she that travaileth, being dead, the Womb hath expelled its Young, sometimes many hours after: Therefore there is in the Womb a certain Animosity and Fury, from Idea's conceived, exercising the Vicarship of the mind from a certain Being, and it is in the Womb by reason of its singular Life: Every Disease therefore of the Womb is pote∣stative, being directed by the government of the Womb, either on it self, or on the Body of the Woman:

From whence entire Idea's may be not unfitly discerned from corrupted ones. For see∣ing the Womb governs it self, and lives in its own Orbe, from a strange venal Blood; therefore it is scarce ill at ease, unless it be weakened by a Being of things conceived; yea it is alwayes after some sort mad, as oft as it is ill at ease: For whether the monthly [unspec 17] Issues shall stop, or immoderately flow, are discoloured, waterish, black, clotty, offend in the smallness of quantity, Gonorrhea's or the Whites do issue forth, or the Womb it self being moved from its place, being eccentrical, doth hugely deface, or destroy, or in the next place, being unmoved, doth bring forth an alterative Blas, or produce effects nigh akin unto an enchantment; or lastly, doth stir up the Being of an Apoplexie, Epilepsie, Palsey, giddiness of the Head, Megrim, pain of the Stomack, Jaundise, Dropsie, Wound∣ing, Asthma, Convulsion, Heart-passion, &c. it is all one; because its Fury varieth not but by its Tragedies, wherein it abuseth its Power, and the Womb sporteth by a Monarch∣al liberty, over the whole entire Body: For truly, without material Vapours, it bears the Keys, wherewith it open the Veins, stirs up incredible fluxes of Blood, and without any motion of it, it shuts the Pores of the Lungs according to its desire, yea and takes away the transpiration of the whole Body at its own pleasure: For it is president or bears sway over the Moon in the Body, it despiseth Age, Nature, Maturity, and untimely Ripe∣ness: And likewise it causeth Abortions, and takes away fruitfulness, and in the mean time, compleats its voluptious Fury by a Lord-like tyranny: It perfects the sore shak∣ings of the Joynts, deprivings of Speech, dis-joyntings of the Knuckles, for the Luxury of its Fury: And although a Woman be not mad under so great Evils, yet the Womb is mad in all the aforesaid exorbitances.

She is miserable therefore, who layes under such a command; She is subject I say, unto so many Diseases as a Man, and doth again obey the same from the Being of her Womb: [unspec 18] For she also at this day paies a double punishment, as in Eve she is guilty of a double of∣fence: Yet the Womb is not a part of the Man, as she is a man. It is indeed in man, and lives by his venal Blood, no otherwise than as Glew by a Tree, and that sexual part commands the whole Body, much more powerfully, than the Stones do in a Cock or a Bull, who in their gelded ones do expresse notable varieties. For truly, not only every part doth hearken unto the Womb; but the violent commands of the mad Womb do punish the Body of the Woman, together with her Life. Indeed the passions of the Soul do only stir up the Womb, as it were a sleeping Dog, and the Womb doth thereby assume a cruelty, and presently compels the innocent Woman to repent of its madness: And moreover also, it oftentimes reflects its fury on the very Powers of the mind, by which it had been long since provoked, that it may boast of its absolute command over all things. For the Idea's of the passions of the Soul, as oft as they are importunate on the Womb, if they are in∣troduced into the angryable Faculty of the Womb, and do pierce it, they as forreign and

hateful ones, do straightway disturb it; from whence the impatient Womb doth stir up it self into diverse furies: Which thing also even from thence, was not hid to Plato, while he named the Womb a furious living Creature.

In the next place, although from the fury of the Womb, as well the proper Cook∣room thereof doth labour, as of other parts laid hold of by it, and from thence diverse [unspec 19] excrements are stirred up, being made remarkable by the seminal Idea's of furies; yet those same excrements are only products: That is, although madnesses arisen from con∣ceptions, do bring forth their foolish Idea's, and do decypher them in the strange tables of excrements, by the inordinacy of a part of them (even as the madness of Dogs doth pass over into the Spittle) yet by a removal of the occasional product, although Diseases may be allayed or eased, the fury of the Womb is not Cured: Because that product being taken away, was a latter thing or effect, causing neither the former madness in the root; so also neither reaching to it, but only aggravating it: For the curing of madness arising from things conceived in the Womb, requires an extinguishment of the fury of the [unspec 20] Idea conceived, by appropriated Secrets or Arcanums (for they cannot be overcome by opposite Idea's, seeing the Woman is now uncapable to form Idea's that are wholesome for her self, so long as she is restrained by the fury of her Womb) and afterwards a recti∣fying of the Organ, for otherwise the madness doth very easily return. Hellebore indeed (which is wont of old, to be singularly commended for madness) doth lighten the weigh∣tiness of conceptions, in as much as it takes away some what from the aggravating product: but surely it cures it not, but in nature sitting; and that helps it self, as a mad Person, who hath become mad by a proper doting Being, arising out of the proper Idea's of his own excrement: Notwithstanding, the foolishness which hath arisen from a sudden per∣turbation, although it may oft-times depart by such a Remedy, Nature by its goodness buisily supplying the rest; to wit, the Spleen, and Brain being cherished or fomented, if they shall the more slowly proceed unto a recovery: but because the madnesses of concepti∣ons do arise from mental Idea's, hence they do so deeply pierce, that they do also radi∣cally defile the fructifying Seed in its Spirit, and the madness of the generater is traduced on the posterity.

Therefore an Idea conceived in the imagination of the sensitive Soul, is two∣fold. [unspec 21]

For there is a certain one which proceedeth from the diseasie Seeds of things: For we see a Calfe to grow mad, and a Dog to die with madness; likewise a Wolfe that is mad every year, to be restored by incredible fasting: The which Paracelsus ridiculously ascri∣beth unto the slow Star of Orion: I say it proceeds occasionally, the Power of a forreign Seed being introduced into us, until our Archeus doth borrow from thence the Idea's of fury, the which himself stirs up on himself, and himself cloaths himself withall. Indeed there are Idea's in some Simples which do naturally infatuate; not indeed that they natu∣rally destroy the temperature of the Brain: Because it is that which doth clearly under∣stand without a temperature; and those temperaments are meer dreams; but because they confer there own Ideal character, and do occasionally imprint it on the Spirit, the instru∣ment of the imagination, and stir up Idea's agreeable to their own Idea's: For so the Poyson of the Tarantula, or Dog, do propagate determined, and their own only and pro∣per befoolments: And so those that are careless, having taken in some Simples, do become mad according to their inbred Idea's.

The other madness therefore of conceptions, doth arise from things bred within: So in the first place, Dotages in a Fever, are not from things assumed; but from excremental Idea's degenerated within. And there is moreover, a twofold variety of Idea's concei∣ved within: One madness indeed, being sprung from mad Idea's, through a wandering abuse of the imaginative Power, doth seal it self in the Archeus, and so from its resem∣bling mark doth pierce deeper, and continually, or repeatingly extends it self on the Life; but the other madness is bred in feverish and hostile excrements, as in the same, some like thing doth occur, the which we have known naturally to inhabit in the aforesaid Sim∣ples: And therefore these kind of madnesses, because they are entertained in a corporal, forreign, and hateful Being, they do not so deeply pierce into the inbred Archeus of the imaginative Power.

For at first, Feverish Filths do bring forth un-sleepinesses, afterwards dreams interrupted by wakings, and at length more continual ones, the labour and tiresomeness whereof, do [unspec 22] produce their own Idea's in the excrements, from whence doting dreams opposite to waking ones, are seen: For if dotish furies should be bred in Fevers from Simples, or Excrements, mocking with a similitude of proportion; certainly Dotages should assault

us in the first fit, neither should they expect a heap of dayes, unless the Idea's of the tiresomeness, and labour of dreams, should manifestly engender a dotage. What if dram∣ing Idea's do cut asunder the cords of judgment? what shall not the Idea's of Apprehen∣sions, Affections, Passions, and Considerations beget or cause? especially as oft as they being advanced to the height, do defile the Archeus, by violently corrupting, or fermen∣tally bespattering of him? for the three former are scarce stirred up of their own accord, but are moved and provoked by some foregoing passion: For an abusive perswasion, and credulity, or esteem of falshood, do at first seduce a man into a despising presumption of others, or into an indignation of self-love, anger, hatred, or wrathfulness towards his Neighbour: From whence indeed there is also an unbelieving Religion, Superstition, Scrupulousness, Impenitent Arrogancy, and Drunken desparation, together with Care∣lesseness. For as Faith is the gate unto Humility, which is the truth of the Intellect or Understanding; So a credulous esteem or judgment of Falshood, is the entrance of Pre∣sumption and Arrogancy, and the first madness of the Soul. For therefore among Mira∣cles, one that was foolish from things imagined, is scarce read to have been restored to health; because such do (for the most part) become foolish from an impenitent pride, and refusing to return into the Truth. But disturbances, as Love, Desire, Sorrow, Fear, Ter∣rour, are especially stirred up by extrinsecal occasions; and therefore they do produce their Effects, not only in the Soul, but also in the Body: For all Passions do in their Beginning, take away sleep, and then they do at first weaken the desired act of eating: And at length through a long, immoderate, strong, or sudden inordinacy, their Idea's do infatuate the Archeus: The strength whereof is not elsewhere to be measured, than from an exact piercing, and co-mixture of them with a great or small quantity of the Archeus: For the Soul apprehending, or discoursing by little and little, is accustomed to follow without strife, whereby it is oftentimes, and violently led aside willingly with plausibility, or unwillingly, by reason of a superiority of apprehensions: For the Soul is made consci∣ous of that journey, although a straying one, because an accustomed one: And deviations are manifest, ••••d hidden, or unknown, continual, or those renewed afresh. Indeed the manifest ones do presently bewray their excentricalness of madness, it being conspicuous in all things, and about all things: but the more occult and hidden ones, do not appear but in some points, and conceptions; to wit, whereby the Soul hath been once shaken out of its place, and the judgment sorely shaken; whose Idea's have indeed been imprinted on the Organ, by reason of a dayly continuance, or plausibility; that is, by reason of strength and superiority: But in the other points, they seem rightly to perceive. But as to that which concerns the curing of conceptions, I profesly deliver the same hereafter, in a Chapter by itself, and in a Theme or Argument plainly Paradoxal. But now I di∣rectly behold or cast my eye on the Affects of the Womb: For from the Effect, I am in∣duced to believe, that in enchantments, the most powerful part of the whole tragedy, doth depend on the Idea's of the bond-slaves of the Devil, and so that they do originally proceed from conceptions, even as I have demonstrated in its place; because those things which naturally do help those that are enchanted, do also cure the passions of the Womb, and on the other hand: but that the Womb which else is quiet, is stirred up into animosity or wrathfulness, by anger, and grief, is so without controversie, that it is known to poor Women, and old Women themselves: Neither doth any thing hurt the virtues implanted in the Womb, which is plainly a non-being (as a cogitation is) unless it be made most nearly to approach into the form of a Being, at the original of all motions in us.

But I have endeavoured by a long tract of Words, to convince of this progress in Idea's: Wherefore also I am constrained to ascribe the like nativity in enchantments: For indeed, although Odoriferus and grateful Spices do weaken many Women; yet any ill smelling and stinking things, ought not therefore to cure them: For Example; For Assa, or the smell of fuming Sulphur, do not refresh distempers of the Womb, as they do stink; for neither do they alwayes equally refresh all Women alike, or simply; but because they restrain, or slay the Idea's that are imprinted without the Womb: So although sweet things do weaken them; therefore bitter things, as such do cure them: For I have taught, first of all, that contraries do not exist in Nature. Wherefore an argument from the contrary sense, although it may be of value in the Law; Yet not in Nature: because the contentions and brawlings of the Law are not found in Nature: Neither is it to be thought in the mean time, that the Remedies of the Womb do consist in that which is temperate, as it were the middle of Extreams, the refuge of qualities mutually broken,

being taken away from extreams, but altogether in a free Arcanum: So indeed; that although no Simple be an unpartaker of the first Qualities; yet things appropriated do least of all cure the Affects of the Womb in respect of those Qualities: But such a kind of Arcanum is the fire, or sweetness of the Sulphur of the Vitriol of Venus or Copper; and likewise the volatile tincture of Coral, the Essence of Amber, the Agath-stone or Jet, the Nettle with a white-hooded Flower that doth not sting, the black Gooseberry, Ballote or the kind of Horehound so called, Rue, Southern-wood, Sage, Nep, the berries of Elder, of Wallwort or dwarfe-Elder, Assa-fetida, the wart or hillock of a Horses Ham: Golden shining Coral therefore is a stony Herb, or an herbie Stone born for the destruction of Sorceries: For even as Sorceries are made by an Idea irregularly transplanted in filths; to wit, the which Idea was already before seminal in its own Spirit; yet while it it inser∣ted in filths, it wanders into a Poyson: So indeed the seminal virtue in Coral is inserted into a stonifying matter: If therefore there be he, who can seperate the vegetable part from the stone of Coral, now an endowment of Nature it attained, or the Idea of that Simple, which doth vindicate and transplant the Idea's transplanted into a Poyson: For I have observed how unvoluntarily the Devil could endure this Stone: Because I knew a Noble-man enchanted, on whom, although Bracelets of Beads of Coral were strongly bound, yet they would presently burst asunder from thence: The like whereof doth oc∣cur in that; because Women being ill at ease, bright golden Coral doth presently wax pale, as it were taking compassion on them; the which notwithstanding, doth resume it•• former brightness of redness, with the health of the Womans Womb. But not any kind of Simples do equally cure the enchanted, as neither all Affects of the Womb alike; for all particular Simples have their own Endowments, their Idea's, and do take away hurtful Idea's their compeers. To wit, Southern-wood, Sage, and Rue, do drive away the Idea's of Fear: Mugwort, the Nettle, Ballote, and black Gooseberry do prevail in cases contracted from Grief: But Assa, Castoreum, the Elder berries, the Essence of the Agath or Jet, in cases caused from Anger.

But Nep, Valerian, and Venus or Maiden-Hair, in cases resulting f••••m the Idea of Hatred: Even as Saint Johns Wort and the third Phu, in Idea's that are ••••l of Fury: So an Hare dried, the Stones of some Beasts being dryed in the Smoak, the rod of a Stage, Agnus Castus or the Willow Vitex, and Amber, in Idea's bred through the suggestion of Lust: But the mineral Electrum, Coral prepared, and the greater Arcanums, do after some sort ascend unto a universality: whereunto the Secundines of a first-born Male, the Gaule of a Snake, &c. do most nearly approach. Truly the greater Secrets perpared by Art, or things appropriated by natural Endowments, do scarce leave any one destitute.

Furthermore, how much the method proposed doth deviate from the Schooles, let them∣selves judge: for they do acknowledge the Disease of the Womb, after a rustical manner: To wit, they have only known the inordinacies of the Menstrues, and the Gonorrhea's or Whites; because they refer the inordinate lusting of the Woman with Child, and strang∣lings of the Womb among Sumptomes: For they weigh the retaining of the Menstrues by a stoppage, and are vainly intent to Cure it by opening things: For they have been so ac∣customed not to heale, or make sound their Patients, that the name of Sanation, hath departed into Oblivion, and Curation hath obtained its place: For so they will have immoderate Courses to be cured by an inordinate opening of the Veins, it being an un∣distinct observance with the common sort.

In the next place, it is a thing full of Mockery; that they do endeavour only by Phle∣botomy, to help as well the retained, as the immoderate flowing Menstrues. In those being retained, they do only cut a Vein of the Ancle; but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their inordinate Fluxes, the liver Vein in the Arm: In both Cases I say, they do draw out venal Blood in equal quantity; because they have sometimes found, that Nature being as well full of Danger and Fear, as empty of Blood and Strength, hath now and then desisted for a space, from the begun fury of a Flux: Perhaps it shall be alike, if they shall make an Horse that is too wanton, to halt through hurting of a Tendon. But the Menstrues failing, the Schooles have now forgotten Obstructions, and as if the suppressing thereof did involue a necessary Plethora or abounding of Humours, they command a Vein to be cut; the which is to have fought against the Effect, but not against the obstructing or stopping Cause. They know not, I say, that the Menstrues being detained, do offend through a fury of the ruling power or faculty: They sometimes give Solutives repeatedly to drink, and those things which are feigned to be hot in the third degree: In the mean time, as being unmindful of these, they hand forth Steel divers wayes vexed, to drink. I wish the World had known with what vain succours they do disturbe Women, how earnestly they labour in unstop∣pings,

throughout the whole Christian World, and how much the Schooles are busied, that they may derive the errours of their ignorance on the omissions of others: For they enjoyn a strict obedience of diet, the which command, if they shall not obey in all things, even but once to a very smell, they cry out that they have laboured, and endeavoured in vain.

In the mean time the strang, or inordinate lustings of a Woman with Child, although they have discerned that they are in vain attempted by their Purgations; yet while they are destitute of better Remedies, they do never theless, every where administer Purgations in curings of the Womb. The stranglings thereof also, the cruel spectacles of Death, they endeavour to withstand by stinking things applyed to the Nostrills, others do present Theriaca or Triacle to the smell; but most do violently thrust the Conserve of Rue with Castoreum, in at the Mouth: Being ignorant at least-wise, how much the sweetness of Sugar doth stir up the sleepified fury of the Womb.

Lastly in so great an Agony, a conjectural healing is hoped for, by stinking and sweet∣smelling things, being applyed unto diverse places. Ah cruel wickedness, that would pacifie the furious or mad raging Womb, by a phantastical or imaginatory revulsion: Vai•• are the counsels, and helps of Physitians, which are administred without a knowing of the immediate Causes: For they know not how to apply a finger in the easing of the Malady, and they leave the whole burden on the Womens Shoulders, until they being strangled, do voluntarily give of or die, or by a strong fortune do return unto themselves, the circle of fury being measured or passed over. Frequent Visiters the while, do exhaust their Purses and Strength.

Most kind Jesus, who when living on the Earth, barest so great a care of Widows and Virgins, and now alone administring the Monarch-ship of Heaven and Earth, have pity on Physitians, that hereafter they may take a meet care of the more harme∣less, and miserable Sex, and may search after due Remedies: Bend their Minds, that they may not refuse to learn, and that under a blessed Unisone of Harmony, we may all alike meditate the one thing altogether necessary, which is to fulfil thy most lovely Will, by worshipping thee with an annihilating of our own will into the super∣celestial Ocean of thy sanctifying Will. Amen, ah! I wish Amen.