The Anatomy of Melancholy

The word. Charity has the broad Christian sense of love of God and neighbour. It can also name the loving disposition through which another person’s conduct is judged.

In Burton. In the account of divine love, charity accompanies faith, hope and other virtues. Later it governs judgment of those who have died after harming themselves: the possibility of inward repentance supports withholding the harshest conclusion. The term concerns a relation to God and other people, with practical consequences for judgment.

The places. Charity appears among the virtues accompanying divine love. (p. 637; DJR-152-11.) Charity supports a favourable judgment of possible inward repentance. (p. 704–705; DJR-166-06.)

In this edition. “charity it self” → “charity itself” (DJR-152-11); “charity may judge the best” → “charity may judge favourably” (DJR-166-06). Charity is retained for its theological breadth. Restricting it to financial assistance would miss both passages.

See also. Love; Complement.

Chirurgery

Source forms: chirurgicall; scarification

The word. Chirurgery is the older name for surgery; chirurgicall means surgical. Scarification means making small incisions in the skin.

In Burton. Burton places surgical remedies under a separate member. Its discussion includes cupping glasses used with or without scarification and intended to divert humours and relieve bodily troubles. The heading therefore includes procedures understood through the historical theory of evacuation and diversion.

The places. The heading announces surgical remedies. (p. 382; DJR-103-01.) Cupping is distinguished according to whether scarification accompanies it. (p. 383; DJR-103-07.)

In this edition. “Chirurgicall remedies” → “Surgical remedies” (DJR-103-01); “with or without scarification” → “with or without scarification” (DJR-103-07). Surgical gives the familiar equivalent of the heading. Scarification remains a precise procedure term, explained here.

See also. Cautery; Issue; Impostume; Bile and boil; Friction and embrocation; Epithemes.

Choler

Source forms: Cholerick; black choler

The word. Choler connects humoral vocabulary with temperament. Choleric may describe a hot-tempered person, with the association of yellow bile; black choler denotes black bile, the melancholy humour.

In Burton. Aretino’s Lucretia describes managing a choleric suitor despite his blustering. In the account of religious melancholy, black choler becomes the devil’s bath and a shoehorn easing the entrance of evil spirits. The first usage characterizes behaviour; the second names a bodily humour employed in a figurative account of temptation.

The places. A choleric suitor is managed through his infatuation. (p. 496; DJR-125-28.) Black choler figures in the account of bodily disposition and temptation. (p. 695; DJR-164-08.)

In this edition. “cholerick” → “hot-tempered” (DJR-125-28); “Black choler” → “Black bile” (DJR-164-08). Hot-tempered expresses the behavioural sense; black bile preserves the particular humour. The adjective black must not be lost.

See also. Humour.

Church patronage

Source forms: advousons; impropriations; simony; church-chopping; lapse

The word. Church patronage gathers terms concerning appointments and revenues. Advowsons are rights of patronage over church appointments; impropriations place church revenues in lay ownership. Simony is the buying or selling of spiritual offices or privileges; church-chopping is trafficking in church appointments. Lapse concerns the loss or transfer of a right of nomination after an appointment is not made in time.