The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latin and compared with the French. by Tho: Johnson. Whereunto are added three tractates our of Adrianus Spigelius of the veines, arteries, & nerves, with large figures. Also a table of the bookes and chapters.

Signes of a Melancholick Person.

THe face of Melancholy persons is swart, their countenance cloudy and often cruel,* 1.1 their as∣spect is sad and froward; frequent Scirrhus, or hard swellings, tumors of the Spleen, Hae∣morroids, Varices (or swollen Veins) Quartain feavers, whether continual or intermitting; Quin∣tain, Sextain, and Septimane feavers: and, to conclude, all such wandering feavers or agues set upon them. But when it happens, the Melancholy humour is sharpened, either by adustion, or commixture of Choler, then Tetters, the black Morphew, the Cancer simple and ulcerated, the Leprous and filthy scab, sending forth certain scaly and branlike excrescences, (being vulgar∣ly called Saint Manis his evil;) and the Leprosie it self invades them; They have small veins and arteries, because coldness hath dominion over them; whose property is to straiten, as the quality of heat is to dilate. But if at any time their Veins seem big, that largeness is not by rea∣son of the laudable blood contained in them, but from much windiness;* 1.2 by occasion whereof it is somewhat difficult to let them blood; not only, because that when the Vein is opened, the blood flows slowly forth, by reason of the cold slowness of the humors; but much the rather, for that the vein doth nor receive the impression of the Lancet, sliding this way and that way, by reason of the windiness contained in it, and because that the harsh driness of the upper skin, resists the edge of the instrument. Their bodies seem cold and hard to the touch, and they are troubled with terrible dreams, for they are observed to seem to see in the night Devils, Serpents, dark dens and caves, sepulchres, dead corpses, and many other such things ful of horror,* 1.3 by reason of a black

vapor, diversly moving and disturbing the brain, which also we see happens to those, who* 1.4 fear the water, by reason of the biting of a mad Dog. You shall find them froward, fraudulent, par∣simonious, and covetous even to baseness, slow speakers, fearful, sad, complainers, careful, inge∣nious, lovers of solitariness, man-haters, obstinate maintainers of opinions once conceived, slow to anger, but angred not to be pacified. But when Melancholy hath exceeded natures and its own bounds, then by reason of putrefaction and inflammation all things appear full of extreme fury and madness, so that they often cast themselves headlong down from some high place, or are otherwise guilty of their own death, with fear of which notwithstanding they are terrified.

* 1.5But we must note that changes of the native temperament, do often happen in the course of a mans life, so that he which awhile agone was Sanguine, may now be Cholerick, Melancholick, or Phlegmatick; not truly, by the changing of the blood into such Humors, but by the mutation of Diet, and the course or vocation of life. For none of a Sanguine complexion but will prove Cho∣lerick if he eat hot and dry meats,* 1.6 (as all like things are cherished and preserved by the use of their like, and contraries are destroyed by their contraries) and weary his body by violent ex∣ercises, and continual labors; and if there be a suppression of Cholerick excrements, which be∣fore did freely flow, either by nature or art. But whosoever feeds upon Meats generating gross blood,* 1.7 as Beef, Venison, Hare, old Cheese, and all salt Meats, he without all doubt sliding from his nature, will fall into a Melancholy temper; especially, if to that manner of diet, he shall have a vocation full of cares, turmoils, miseries, strong and much study, careful thoughts and fears; & al∣so if he sit much, wanting exercise, for so the inward heat, as it were, defrauded of its nourishment, faints, and grows dull, whereupon gross and drossie humors abound in the body. To this also the cold and dry condition of the place in which we live, doth conduce, and the suppression of the Melancholy humor accustomed to be evacuated by the Haemorrhoides, courses, and stools.

* 1.8But he acquires a Phlegmatick temper, whosoever useth cold and moist nourishment, much feeding, who before the former meat is gone out of the belly, shall stuff his paunch with more, who presently after meat runs into violent exercises, who inhabit cold and moist places, who lead their life at ease in all idleness; and lastly, who suffer a suppression of the Phlegmatick humor ac∣customly evacuated by vomit, cough, or blowing the nose, or any other way, either by nature or art. Certainly it is very convenient to know these things, that we may discern if any at the pre∣sent be Phlegmatick, Melancholick, or of any other temper; whether he be such by nature, or necessity. Having declared those things which concern the nature of Temperaments, and defer∣red the description of the parts of the body to our Anatomy, we will begin to speak of the Facul∣ties governing this our life, when first we shall have shewn, by a practical demonstration of ex∣amples, the use and certainty of the aforesaid rules of Temperaments.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Diseases fami∣liar to Melan∣choly persons.
• * 1.2

  From, or by what their Veins are swollen.
• * 1.3

  Their dream••
• * 1.4

  Hydrophob. Their man∣ners.
• * 1.5

  From wh••nce the change of the native temper.
• * 1.6

  How one may become Cho∣lerick.
• * 1.7

  How Melan∣cholick.
• * 1.8

  How Phleg∣matick.