Votivæ Angliæ, Englands complaint to their king:, or, The humble desires of all the zealous and true-hearted Protestants in this kingdome, for a speedy and happy reformation of abuses in church government, being the onely meanes to remove these distractions, and to avert the judgement of God from us. : As they were expressed in sundry petitions, remonstrances and letters, lately presented from them to the king, upon sundry occasions. / Collected by a wel-wisher to reformation.

A TRACTATE OF MELANCHOLIE.

IT is my love to my Country which incites me to write upon this sub∣ject: And since Almighty God hath been pleased to make my stu∣dies and labours fortunate in this kinde, I have here presented them to the publike view; hoping that some mayreceive good by my directions, as many have done by pra∣ctice. I do not promise an addition to learning, in this respect, nor do I doubt but my long experi∣ence may adde somewhat to others readings: how∣ever, this good the understanding reader shall re∣ceive, when as he shall (by my faithfull relation) know the effects of those means which I have used he shall either be emboldned to use the like, or inabled by judgeing them to find out a more ex∣ellent way; although I goe not accuratly to work, because I intend to be short, and only positive avoiding the more questions: yet to avoide con∣fusion, I will observe this order. First, I will

speak somewhat of the humours in general. second∣ly somewhat of the four chief in particular. Thirdly will set down a method, 1. For knowledge of those things that any wise concerne the melancholy humour.

1. Of the humours in generall.

MAns body may be divided into such parts as are contained, or such as do containe them: those which be contained are of a fluid and liquid substance, the other may be called the subject or vessels wherein these are kept and do cohere, which otherwise would beas water spilt upon the ground. To omit the parts containing, those which be con∣tained are, humours, and spirits. Concerning spi∣rits let it suffice to know, that they are a thin, aieriall vapours substance, the chief instruments which our soul worketh withall, those which be inplanted and fixed in our solid partes from our first generation, be the seat of our native heat and the bond of soul and body: those which be after added to the for∣mer, are first naturall in the liver conveied in the vains to the habit of the body, secondly vital made in the lest cavity of the heart, partly of the naturall spirit and partly of the air which we suck in, and runneth by the Arteryes through the whole body. Thirdly. Animal, made of the vitals in the braine thence diffused by the sinewes into the body stir∣ring up sense and motion therein.

A humour is either Radicall or adventitious, that is necessary to the constitution of a thing, this to the preservation thereof. Here is a fat aieriall oyly sub∣stance inplanted, inbred an inherent in the body from the conformation thereof, this we call Radi∣call

call moisture, or naturall Balsome, and compare it to a candle: there is likewise an inbred and innate heate (which word does not signifie a naked quali∣ty but a substance indued with this quality which our most wise Creatour hath made sensible to our touch so long as the life lasteth) this heat is the in∣strument of the soul and is likened to the flame wasting the candle, the coexistence of these two in the heart chiefly is the beginning and continua∣tion of life, this is that perpetuall fire that conti∣nuall light (although it never flame) which hither∣to the Chymicks have in vain laboured to imitate and blow up or kindle, when nature saw this heat ever feeding upon, & consuming that moisture, she thought good to adde oyl to the lamp, and provi∣ded wayes to repaire what was spent, this she ap∣pointed should be done by the use of meat, drinke, &c. The humour thus generated is called Adventi∣tious, because it is added to the former, now whe∣ther the faculties flow with this humor or no, I will not here determine. All those humours which are continually made to renew so much of the Radi∣call moisture as is dayly spent, are first primairly, such as proceed from the second publique conco∣ction the liver of these, to be accounted alimentary or fit to nourish viz. blood and phlegm, the cast ex∣crementitious viz. Choller, melancholy and why, the matter of urine; as also those which be ex∣pelled from the third and private concoction viz. Teares and swet, secondarily such as proceed from the manifold concoction of the blood till it come to the most perfect degree of assimlation, viz. Ros, Gluten, Humour, Innoninatus, Caubis. The two last

are added without necessity, and therefore by some excluded without iniury.

The four humours, blood, phlegm, choler, an melaneholy be made in the liver all at one and the same time, all by one and the same heat. The dif∣ference of them is not to be imputed to this heat but to the condition and qualification of the sub∣iect matter, if they be mad, when which is the Chylus, that is the meat and drinke concocted in the stomack, resembling perhaps no colour & con∣sistence Almond-butter, now this though it seem to be one simple humour yet it never is, no not in the greatest disease. Fornelius, if this Chylus be temporate in a temporate body, then all these hu∣mours in that body are temporate in their kinde, if all, then choler does not alwayes proceed from an immoderate, but sometimes from a temporate, nay a weak heat. For what mans liver how cold soever it be is altogether without it. This Chylus is carried by the meseraick vains to the liver which encompasseth it with the same heat from all parts, and penetrates it equally, making of the temporate part thereof blood, of the hot part choler, of the crude phlegm, of the terrene melancholy, and all this at the same time. Obiect. But phlegm is cold and crude, the rudiment and shadow of the blood and and may by further, concoction be turned into blood. Ans. Tis true yet not therefore necessary that we should name all halfe-concocted-blood phlegm, or think it proceedes therefrom. For then we might call the Chylus our meat or whatsoever we are nourished withall, phlegm: which how dis∣sonant from reason let the obiector iudge: moreo∣ver

if the whole masse of blood were made of phlegm, and choler of that, and melancholy of this, and each thus of other successively; there should be but one humour in us, taking diverse names according to the degrees or continuence of heat working upon it: as a river is called now thus now otherwise, by the inhabitants of this or that towne as it passeth by it. It may here seem to be required what phlegm is, but of that hereafter, Thus much of the Galenists opinions, of the hu∣mours: the Chynicks laugh at these and their de∣fenders, calling them Humorists, &c. And count it folly to fetch the common internall causes of diseases from these supposed humours, but derive all from Suphur Salt, and Mercury, which three principles to speak properly, are not bodyes, but plainly spiritual (as they say) by reason of the influ∣ence from heaven with which they are filled, nor are they spirits because corporall; therefore of a mixed nature participating of both: and do bear anallagey and allusion as followes, viz.

• Salt
• Common Salt
• A cerbe and bitter
• The Body
• Matter
• Art
• Sulphur
• Salt peter
• Sweete
• The soul
• Forme
• Nature
• Mercury
• Salt Armoniack
• Acid
• The Spirit
• Idea
• Vnderstanding, &c.

And as they extract these third principles out of naturall bodies so they resolve them into the same, hence they argue that bodies are made of the same, and therefore must be well or ill as these shall stand affected, to say the truth, doubtles that

which being present in us makes us sicke▪ and being expelled from us we are well, was the cause of our sicknesse, but common experience saies a body full of corrupted humours, is sick, and freed from them is well, therefore here is no reason why we should not thinke those ill humours the causes of our malady: on the otherside I thinke Bertinus was de∣ceived, when he said that not a crum of salt lay hid in the body, which if any deny: I thinke he deserves to be served as Lots wife.

Concerning the temper of the body and every part: how the elements concur to their constitu∣tion, over ruling qualities result, how there is one equall temper where the qualities of the elements do not exceed each other in quality, nor their sub∣stance in quantity, how this is the rule of all the o∣ther eight: to speak of these things is too large a discourse, let it therfore suffice to know, that when a man aboundeth with blood, he is not therfore to be called of a sanguine complection, if with melan∣choly humors, of a melancholy tēper, &c. For the abundance of this or that excrement does not in∣stantly alter a mans perticular temper, & doubtles choler phlegm & melancholy, may abound in any nature: if in the liver be cold and dry blood a long time together; it may encline the body to cold∣nes & drines which is a melancholy temper. Astro∣logers refer the vari••ty of the constitutions to the severall natures of the seven Planets; and hereup∣on call some Ioviall, some Martiall, some venere∣all, &c. And from each Planet draw two constitu∣tions, as it shall be found well or ill disposed: as from Mars, well disposed, they conclude a man va∣liant

courragious fit to be an Emperour. If ill, they argue a man rash, and foolhardy, no better then a Tyrant. He that desires to know more of this, may have recourse to the learned treatise of M. Perkins, stiled a resolution to a country man: in the third volume of his works.

Of the Blood.

Blood is a humour hot, yet temperate, sweet and red, prepared in the meseraick veines, made in the liver of the temperate fat, and aieriall parts of the Chylus and flowes from hence to all parts of the body. Phylosophers affirme that we are nou∣rished with his humour only, Phisicians say with all four. The seeming contrariety may be compo∣sed by the distinguishing: thus blood is often taken for the whole masse conteined in the veines ap∣pointed to nourish the body now this masse is not homogenerall, but of a diverse nature. For the best and most temperate part of the blood is properly and in specie called blood, the hot and dry part of it is called colerick blood, the cold and moist part phlegmatick blood, the cold and dry, melan∣cholick blood, & this diversity is answerable to the qualities of the Chylus whereof it is made, there∣fore when Phylosophers say we are nourished with blood alone they understand the whole masse con∣tained in the veines, which neither Aristotle nor any other Phylosopher will deny to have parts of the foresaid qualities: these parts of the blood thus qualified, must not be taken for excrementi∣tious, but for alimentary humours, since they all nourish the body: here two things are questioned, first whether there be any pure blood in the veins without the 3. humors 2. Whether the blood be only a mixrure of the third sincere humors, so that

choler or rather colerick blood in the veins should be the same with that w^ch is in the Gall. I conclude negatively to both, and think that the blood is al∣wayes accompanied with the rest of the humours, which only resemble those which be separated and received into their proper vessells, this of humours is the best, the treasure of life, many excellent things are spoken hereof, insomuch that Empedocles and Critius say it is the soul, Chrysippus & Zeno say it nou∣risheth the soul. It is needles here to thrust in a rea∣son among others; why Almighty God sometimes forbad the eating hereof; as also to speak of the cir∣cular motion, how it resembles the fountains run∣ning to the sea and the sea supplying the fountains.

Of Phlegm.

Phlegm (so called by contrariety because of its crudity and that not in respect of the first conco∣ction but of the second) is an humour cold and moist white and without tast, or somewhat sweet. It may be called imperfect blood: for by further concoction it becometh reall blood therefore na∣ture hath appointed no vessell to receive it: intend∣ing it for alteration not evacuation, this is the Ali∣mentary phlegm, that is the Phlegmatick blood That which is preternatnrall (as are all the follow∣ing kindes) is avacuated with other excrements ha∣ving no peculiar receptacle, here note, that the filth of the nose is not phlegm properly, but the private excrement of the braine, yet I deny not but that if the body be full of phlegmatick hu∣mours part of them may passe this way, of this pre∣ternaturall phlegm be four kindes: the first is cal∣led Nisipid, not absolutely as the Alimentary, but

in respect of the other three kindes which follow. This onely is properly termed a crude humour: tis true, every concoction may have its crudity, but this concoction which attaines not its full perfection in the stomack, by way of eminence is called crude, and that body which aboundeth herewith is of the colour of lead, such an humour also appears 1 in the sediment of some urines, 2. Acid, (tasting like vineger) which remaine thus for want of naturall heat and is caused by cold and moist diet especially if liberall, large and out of due time: as also by the constitutions which is colder in old men and wo∣men then others, by a cold liver, cold aire, to much sleep and the want of the ordinary evacuation thereof, thirdly Salt, Avian thinks phegm becomes salt by adustion of bitter humours, as we finde after combustion the fixed salt of any plant as worm∣wood &c. Galen sayes tis either from putrefaction or from the mixture of a salt whaylike humour, neither do oppose other if rightly understood, for doubtlesse the true cause is a salt whaylike moysture which is nothing but the superfluous salt of those things which we eat and drink; do we not finde tartar in wine casks? and is not such a substance found in the earth wherewith plants are nourished? do we not use salt with many meates? that then hereof, which nature cannot convert to nourish∣ment is the matter of this preternaturall humour, which is therefore hot because salt. Fourthly glasse this bifference is not taken from the taste as the o∣ther, but from the colour and consistence, it repre∣sents melted or liquid glasse: this is the coldest of these kindes yet not exactly cold, for then it should

be like ice, nor exactly moist but thick and viscous pertaking of the two other qualities.

Of Choler.

Choler, Alimentary is the hot and dry part of the blood and fit to nourish, called colerik blood, because blood thus qualified will easily degenerate unto choler. Secondly, Naturall this an excrement of the second concoction, hot dry bitter and yel∣low, separated from the blood in the liver, con∣veighed to the gall, hence it distills upon the first gut adhearing to the stomack, and by its acrimony excits the slow expulsive faculty of the guts to ex∣cretion, this is that which we meane when we say choler, viz. Yellow not black choler, this in cold bodyes is somewhat pale: in hot bodies somewhat red. Thirdly preternaturall which is not made after the law of nature: of this be foure kinds, first is in consistence and colour like the yolk of a raw egge, this is hotter and thicker made of choler adust, so Galen. Second resembles the juce of leeks, such are infants stools: for milk in them is soon corrupted, garlick and onions cause it in others, third is of co∣lour like verdigrease; here the heate is more vehe∣ment, fourth resembles the colour which the herb Woad maketh, and is made by a further adustion. The materiall cause is hot and dry diet, sweet, and fat meats. The efficient cause hot and dry consti∣tution of the body, aire, and age which is youth watching, hunger, anger, vehement exercise, and lastly the suppressiou of naturall evacuation.

Of Melancholy.

Melancholy, 1. Alimentary is the fourth part of the blood cold and dry. 2. Naturall: this is a hu∣mour

cold and dry, thick, black, bitter, and sowre, made of the thick & druggy part of nourishment; and according to the vulgar opinion drawne from the liver to the spleen, and transmitted from thence to the stomack, to further the actions thereof. Thirdly preternaturall which differs much from the former kind, for that is a cold and dry iuce made naturally in a healthfull man, this hot and dry, ta∣sting like the sharpest vineger, this of the four hu∣mours is the worst: this kinde of the foregoing kinds is the worst, it wasts the body, melts the flesh, it works upon the earth like Ceaver upon meat, and no beast will tast thereof. But I cease to write more hereof under this head: because it shall be the sub∣ject of the ensuing discourse, unto which, this which I have already penned is but an apparatus.

But having so much tired out my selfe with this sad Subject; I will here give some ease to my pen, and leave this to be supplyed by some learned Phi∣sitian, beseeching the great God of heaven and earth, the great Phisition of soul and body, to give this good blessing upon this weak means, and if any poor afflicted soules receive any comfort by it: to give the glorie and praise unto God, unto whom it doth of all right belong: Amen Lord Jesus. Amen.

At my lodging in Black Fryers. Aprill. 19. 1641.