Subsect. 2. Help from friends by counsell, comfort, fair and foul means, witty devices, satisfaction, alteration of his course of life, removing objects, &c.

When the Patient of himself is not able to resist, or overcome these heart-eating passions, his friends or physician must be ready to supply that which is wanting. Suæ erit humanitatis & sapientiæ (which Tully injoyneth in like case) siquid erratum, curare, aut improvisum, suâ diligentiâ corrigere. They must all joyn; nec satis medico, saith Hippocrates, suum fecisse officium, nisi suum quoque ægrotus, suum astantes, &c.

First they must especially beware, a melancholy discontented person (be it in what kinde of melancholy soever) never be left alone or idle: but as Physicians prescribe physick, cum custodiâ, let them not be left unto themselves, but with some company or other, lest by that means they aggravate and increase their disease; non oportet ægros hujusmodi esse solos vel inter ignotos, vel inter eos quos non amant aut negligunt, as Rod. à Fonseca Tom. 1. consul. 35. prescribes.

Lugentes custodire solemus (saith Seneca) ne solitudine male utantur; we watch a sorrowfull person, lest he abuse his solitariness, and so should we do a melancholy man; set him about some business, exercise or recreation, which may divert his thoughts, and still keep him otherwise intent; for his phantasie is so restless, operative and quick, that if it be not in perpetuall action, ever employed, it will work upon it self, melancholize, and be carried away instantly, with some fear, jealousie, discontent, suspicion, some vain conceit or other.

If his weakness be such, that he cannot discern what is amiss, correct or satisfie, it behoves them by counsel, comfort, or perswasion, by fair or foul means, to alienate his mind, by some artificial invention, or some contrary perswasion, to remove all objects, causes, companies, occasions, as may any wayes molest him, to humour him, please him, divert him, and if it be possible, by altering his course of life, to give him security and satisfaction. If he conceal his grievances, and will not be known of them, They must observe by his looks, gestures, motions, phantasie, what it is that offends, and then to apply remedies unto him: many are instantly cured, when their minds are satisfied.

Alexander makes mention of a woman, that by reason of her husbands long absence in travel, was exceeding peevish and melancholy, but when she heard her husband was returned, beyond all expectation, at the first sight of him, she was freed from all fear, without help of any other physick restored to her former health.

Trincavellius consil. 12. lib. 1. hath such a story of a Venetian, that being much troubled with melancholy, and ready to dye for grief, when he heard his wife was brought to bed of a son, instantly recovered. As Alexander concludes, If our imaginations be not inveterate, by this art they may be cured, especially, if they proceed from such a cause.

No better way to satisfy, then to remove the object, cause, occasion, if by any art or means possible we may finde it out. If he grieve, stand in fear, be in suspicion, suspence, or any way molested, secure him, Solvitur malum, give him satisfaction, the cure is ended; alter his course of life, there needs no other Physick.

If the party be sad, or otherwise affected, consider (saith saith Trallianus) the manner of it, all circumstances, and forthwith make a sudden alteration, by removing the occasions, avoid all terrible objects, heard or seen, monstrous and prodigious aspects, tales of devils, spirits, ghosts, tragicall stories; to such as are in fear they strike a great impression, renew many times, & recal such Chimera’s and terrible fictions into their minds.

Make not so much as mention of them in private talk, or a dumb shew tending to that purpose: such things (saith Galateus) are offensive to their imaginations. And to those that are now in sorrow, Seneca forbids all sad companions, and such as lament; a groaning companion is an enemy to quietness.

Or if there be any such party, at whose presence the Patient is not well pleased, he must be removed: gentle speeches, and fair means must first be tryed; no harsh language used, or uncomfortable words; and not expel, as some do, one madness with another; he that so doth, is madder then the Patient himself: all things must be quietly composed; eversa non evertenda, sed erigenda, things down must not be dejected, but reared, as Crato counceleth; he must be quietly and gently used, and we should not do any thing against his mind, but by little and little effect it.

As an horse that starts at a drum or trumpet, and will not endure the shooting of a peece, may be so manned by art, and animated, that he cannot only endure, but is much more generous at the hearing of such things, much more couragious then before, and much delighteth in it: they must not be reformed ex abrupto, but by all art and insinuation, made to such companies, aspects, objects, they could not formerly away with.

Many at first cannot endure the sight of a green wound, a sick man, which afterward become good Chyrurgians, bold Empericks: A horse starts at a rotten post afar off, which coming neer, he quietly passeth. ’Tis much in the manner of making such kind of persons, be they never so averse from company, bashful, solitary, timorous, they may be made at last with those Roman Matrons, to desire nothing more then in a publike shew, to see a full company of gladiators breath out their last.