but most ascribe it to the humour, which opinion Montaltus cap. 21 stiffly maintains, confuting Avicenna and the rest, referring it wholly to the quality and disposition of the humour and subject. Cardan de rerum var. lib. 8. cap. 10. holds these men of all others to be assassinates, bold, hardy, fierce, and adventurous, to undertake any thing by reason of their choler adust.

This humor, saith he, prepares them to endure death it self, and all manner of torments with invincible courage, and ’tis a wonder to see with what alacrity they will undergoe such tortures, ut supra naturam res videatur: he ascribes this generosity, fury, or rather stupidity, to this adustion of choler and melancholy: but I take these rather to be mad or desperate, then properly melancholy: for commonly this humor so adust and hot, degenerates into madnesse.

If it come from melancholy it self adust, those men, saith Avicenna, are usually sad and solitary, and that continually, and in excess, more then ordinary suspicious, more fearfull, and have long, sore, and most corrupt imaginations; cold and black, bashfull, and so solitary, that as Arnoldus writes, they will endure no company, they dream of graves still, and dead men, and think themselves bewitched or dead:

if it be extream, they think they hear hideous noyses, see and talk with black men, and converse familiarly with devils, and such strange Chimera’s and visions, (Gordonius) or that they are possessed by them, that some body talks to them, or within them. Tales melancholici plerumque dæmoniaci, Montaltus consil. 26. ex Avicenna. Valescus de Taranta, had such a woman in cure, that thought she had to do with the devil: and Gentilis Fulgosius quæst. 55. writes that he had a melancholy friend, that had a black man in the likenesse of a Souldier, still following him wheresoever he was.

Laurentius cap. 7. hath many stories of such as have thought themselves bewitched by their enemies; and some that would eat no meat as being dead. Anno 1550. an Advocate of Paris fell into such a melancholy fit, that he believed verily he was dead, he could not be perswaded otherwise, or to eat or drink, till a kinsman of his, a Scholar of Bourges did eate before him, dressed like a corse. The storie saith Serres, was acted in a Comedy before Charles the ninth.

Some think they are beasts, wolves, hogs, and cry like dogs, foxes, bray like asses, and low like kine, as King Prætus daughters. Hildesheim spicel. 2. de maniâ, hath an example of a Dutch Baron so affected, and Trincavelius lib. 1. consil. 11. another of a noble man in his country, that thought he was certainly a beast, and would imitate most of their voices, with many such symptomes, which may properly be reduced to this kinde.

If it proceede from the severall combinations of the four humours, or spirits, Herc. de Saxon. addes hot, cold, dry, moist, dark, confused, setled, constringed, as it participates of matter, or is without matter, the symptomes are likewise mixt. One thinks himself a giant, another a dwarfe; one is heavie as lead, another is as light as a feather.

Marcellus Donatus l. 2. cap. 41. makes mention out of Seneca, of one Seneccio a rich man, that thought himself and every thing else he had, great: great wife, great horses, could not abide little things, but would have great pots to drink in, great hose, and great shooes bigger then his feet. Like her in Trallianus, that supposed she could shake all the world with her finger, and was afraid to clinch her hand together, lest she should crush the world like an apple in pieces:

or him in Galen, that thought he was Atlas, and sustained heaven with his shoulders. Another thinks himself so little, that he can creep into a mousehole: one fears heaven will fall on his head: a second is a cock; and such a one Guianerius saith he saw at Padua, that would clap his hands together and crow. Another thinks he is a Nightingal, and therefore sings all the night long: another he is all glass, a pitcher, and will therefore let no bodie come near him, and such a one Laurentius gives upon his credit, that he knew in France.

Christophorus à Vega cap. 3. lib. 14. Skenkius and Marcellus Donatus l. 2. cap. 1. have many such examples, and one amongst the rest of a Baker in Ferrara, that thought he was composed of butter, & durst not sit in the Sun, or come neer the fire for fear of being melted: of another that thought he was a case of leather, stuffed with winde. Some laugh, weep; some are mad, some dejected, moped, in much agony, some by fits, others continuate, &c.

Some have a corrupt ear, they think they hear musick, or some hideous noise as their phantasie conceivs, corrupt eyes, some smelling: some one sense, some another. Lewis the eleventh had a conceit every thing did stink about him, all the odoriferous perfumes they could get, would not ease him, but still he smelled a filthie stink.

A melancholy French Poet in Laurentius, being sick of a fever, and troubled with waking, by his Physicians was appointed to use unguentum populeum to anoint his temples: but he so distasted the smell of it, that for many years after, all that came near him he imagined to sent of it, and would let no man talk with him but aloof off, or wear any new cloathes, because he thought still they smelled of it; in all other things wise and discreet, he would talk sensibly, save only in this.

A Gentleman in Limosin, saith Anthony Verdeur, was perswaded he had but one legge, affrighted by a wilde boar, that by chance stroke him on the legge: he could not be satisfied his legge was sound (in all other things well) untill two Franciscans by chance coming that way, fully removed him from the conceipt. Sed abunde fabularum audivimus.