Subsect. 4. Mirth and merry company, fair objects, remedies.

Mirth and merry company may not be separated from Musick, both concerning and necessarily required in this business. Mirth (saith Vives) purgeth the blood, confirmes health, causeth a fresh, pleasing, and fine colour, prorogues life, whets the wit, makes the body yong, lively and fit for any manner of imployment.

The merrier heart, the longer life; A merry heart is the life of the flesh, Prov. 14. 30. Gladness prolongs his dayes, Ecclus 30. 22. and this is one of the three Salernitan Doctors, D. Merryman, D. Diet, D. Quiet, which cures all diseases——Mens hilaris, requies, moderata diæta.

Gomesius præfat. lib. 3. de sal. gen. is a great magnifyer of honest mirth, by which (saith he) we cure many passions of the minde, in our selves, and in our friends: which Galateus assignes for a cause why we love merry companions: and well they deserve it, being that as Magninus holds, a merry companion is better then any musick, and as the saying is, comes jucundus in via pro vehiculo, as a wagon to him that is wearied on the way.

Jucunda confabulatio, sales, joci, pleasant discourse, jests, conceits, merry tales, melliti verborum globuli, as Petronius, Pliny, Spondanus, Cœlius, and many good Authors plead, are that sole Nepenthes of Homer, Helenas boule, Venus girdle so renowned of old to expell grief and care, to cause mirth and gladness of heart, if they be rightly understood, or seasonably applied. In a word,

Amor, voluptas, Venus, gaudium, Iocus, ludus, sermo suavis, suaviatio,

are the true Nepenthes. For these causes our physicians generally prescribe this as a principal engine, to batter the walls of melancholy, a chief antidote, and a sufficient cure of it self. By all means (saith Mesue) procure mirth to these men in such things as are heard, seen, tasted, or smelled, or any way perceived, and let them have all enticements, and fair promises, the sight of excellent beauties, attires, ornaments, delightsome passages, to distract their minds from fear and sorrow, and such things on which they are so fixed and intent.

Let them use hunting, sports, playes, jests, merry company, as Rhasis prescribes, which will not let the minde be molested, a cup of good drinke now and then, hear musick, and have such companions with whom they are especially delighted; merry tales or toyes, drinking, singing, dancing, and whatsoever else may procure mirth: and by no means, saith Guianerius, suffer them to be alone.

Benedictus Victorius Faventinus, in his Empericks, accompts it an especial remedy against melancholy, to hear and see singing, dancing, maskers, mummers, to converse with such merry fellows, and fair maids. For the beauty of a woman cheareth the countenance, Ecclus 36. 22.

Beauty alone is a soveraign remedy against fear, grief, and all melancholy fits; a charm, as Peter de la Seine and many other writers affirme, a banquet it self; he gives instance in discontented Menelaus that was so often freed by Helenas fair face: & Tully, 3. Tusc. cites Epicurus as a chief patron of this Tenent. To expell grief, and procure pleasance, sweet smells, good diet, touch, taste, embracing, singing, dancing, sports, playes, and above the rest, exquisite beauties, quibus oculi jucunde moventur & animi, are most powerfull means, obvia forma, to meet, or see a fair maid pass by, or to be in company with her.

He found it by experience, and made good use of it in his own person, if Plutarch bely him not; for he rekons up the names of some more elegant pieces, Leontia, Boedina, Hedeia, Nicedia, that were frequently seen in Epicurus garden, and very familiar in his house. Neither did he try it himself alone, but if we may give credit to Atheneus, he practised it upon others.

For when a sad and sick Patient was brought unto him to be cured, he laid him on a down bed, crowned him with a garland of sweet-smelling flowers, in a fair perfumed closet delicately set out, and after a potion or two of good drink, which he administred, he brought in a beautifull yong wench that could play upon a Lute, sing and dance, &c.

Tully 3. Tusc. scoffes at Epicurus for this his prophane physik (as well he deserved) and yet Phavorinus and Stobeus highly approve of it; most of our looser Physicians in some cases, to such parties especially, allow of this;

and all of them will have a melancholy, sad, and discontented person, make frequent use of honest sports, companies, and recreations, & incitandos ad Venerem, as Rodericus à Fonseca, will, aspectu & contactu pulcherrimarum fæminarum, to be drawn to such consorts, whether they will or no. Not to be an auditor only, or a spectator, but sometimes an actor himself. Dulce est in disipere in loco, to play the fool now and then, is not amiss, there is a time for all things.

Grave Socrates would be merry by fits, sing, dance, and take his liquor too, or else Theodoret belies him; so would old Cato, Tully by his own confession, and the rest. Xenophon in his Sympos. brings in Socrates as a principal Actor, no man merrier then himself, and sometimes he would ride a cock-horse with his Children,

——equitare in arundine longâ,