Diseases of the Soul, Part 9
Vsurie, and Caninus appetitus, or the dog-like appetite. Disease 7.
NExt to the Dropsie of Couetice, I would place the immoderate hunger of Usurie; for as the one drinks, so the other feedes to satisfie; and the former is not more thirsty after his cupping, then the latter is hungry after his deuouring. Some hauehave compared Usurie to the Gout, (by reason of that diseases incidency to Vsurers) which is an vnnatural humour flowing to the extreame parts. It is either Arthritis, an articular disease, which we call a ioyntsickenesse: or Podagra, a paine inuading the ioynt of the great toe, or the heele, or some inferiour parts of the foote: this like a strong charme bindeth a man to his chayre. Musculus sayes, that Diuines shall reforme Vsurie, when Physicians hauehave cured the Gout: the sinne and the disease are both incurable. And that will one day racke the conscience, as this the sinewes. Herein the meerely Couetous and the Vsurer differ: the Couetous to be rich, would vndergoe any labour, the Vsurer would be rich, yet vndergoe no labour; therfore like the gout-wrung, desires to sit stil. I hauehave thought fitter to compare it with the dog-like appetite; which cannot refrain from deuouring meat without measure; which the stomake not able to beare, they fall to vomiting like Dogs: hence againe hunger is excited to more meate, and much meate prouokes spewing: so that their whole life is nothing else but a vicissitude of deuouring and vomiting.
Causes.
IT is caused through colde distemper of the stomake, or through vicious and sharpe humours, which gnaw and sucke the mouth of it: or through vnmeasurable dissipation of the whole body, which lightly followes the weaknes of the retentiue vertue. This animall hunger is raised partly from the coldnes of the heart, for there is no charitie to warme it; partly from corrupt affections, which like vicious humours gnaw and suck the conscience dry of all viuiditie, whether of grace or humanity; partly through the weake retention of any good instruction, whether from the Scriptures of God, or writings of sobermen.
Signes and Symptomes.
THe corporal disease is easily perceiued, by insatiate feeding, which yet ministers almost no vertue to the body, but it is rather made lean, and wasted therwith; the skinne is rarefied, the body made fluid and apt to much egestion, &c. An Vsurer is knowne by his very lookes often, by his speeches commonly, by his actions euer. Hee hath a leane cheeke, a meagre body, as if hee were fedde at the diuels allowance. His eyes are almost sunke to the backeside of his head with admiration of money. His eares are set to tell the clocke; his whole carkase a meere Anatomie. Some Usurers hauehave fatter carkases, and can finde in their hearts to lard their flesh, but a common meagernesse is vponupon all their consciences. Foenus pecuniae, funus animae. Some spinne Usurie into such fine threeds of distinction, that they take away all the names whereby it offends: and because R. is a dogged letter, and they conceiue a toothlesse practice, Interest, Usury, and all termes with R. in them shall be put out: and the Usurer shall be called only, one that liues vponupon his moneies. All his reaches are at riches: his wit workes like a Mole, to digge Moral. par. 2.himselfe through the earth into hell. Plutarch writes strangely of Hares, eodem tempore & parere, & alere, & alios concipere foetus; at one time to bring forth, nourish and to conceiue. Your Usurer makes his money truly do al these Populus me si bulat at mih plaudo ipse domi. Hor.at once. He drownes the noyse of the peoples curses, with the musicke of his money; as the Italians in a great thunder, ring their bels, and shoote off their Cannons, by an artificiall noyse of their owne, to dead the naturall of broken cloudes. His practice mockes Philosophy, Quòdex nihilo nihil fit, and teaches of nothing to get something. He is a ranke Whore-master with his mistresse Pecunia, and liues vponupon the lechery of mettals. He doth that office for the Diuell on earth, that his spirits doe in hell, whip and torment poore soules. His blowes are without fense; except men (as Strepsiades desired) could plucke the Moone out of the skies, his month and day will come.
Nature hath set a pitch or terme in all inferiour things, when they shall cease to increase. Old cattell breede no longer; doted trees deny fruit: the tired earth becomes barren: only the Usurers money, the longer it breeds, the lustier; and a hundred pounds put out twenty yeeres since, is a great great Grand-mother of two or three hundred children: pretty striplings, able to beget their mother againe in a short time.
Each man to heauen his hands for blessing reares;
Only the Vsurer needs not say his prayers.
Blow the Wind East or West, plenty or dearth,
Sicknes or health, sit on the face of earth,
He cares not: Time will bring his money in:
Each day augments his treasure and his sinne.
Be the day red or blacke in Calender,
Common, or holy fits the Vsurer.
He starues his carcase; and true money's slaue,
Goes with full chests, and thin cheekes to his graue.
Hee hath not his gold so fast, as his gold him. As the couetous takes away the difference betwixt the richest Mine and basest mould, vse: so this pawne-groper spoiles all with ouer-vsing it. It is his ill luck that the beames of wealth shine so full vponupon him: for riches like the sunne fires and inflames obiects that are opposed in a diameter, though further remoued; but heateth kindly, when it shines vponupon a man latetally, though neerer. He shrinks vp his guts with a staruing diet, as with knot grasse; and puts his stomake into his purse. He sels time to his customers, his food to his coffer, his body to languishment, his soule to the Diuell.
Cure.
HIs Cure is very desperate: his best reprehension is deprehension: and the best purge is to purge him out of the land. Hiera picra Galeni is a soueraigne confection to clarifie him. Let him be fed, as Physicians prescribe in the cure of the corporall disease, with fat suppings: and let him drink abundantly, till he forget the date of his bonds. Turne him out from the chimny-corner into some wildernesse, that he may hauehave a cold and perspirable aire. GiueGive him a good vomit of Stibium, till he hath spued vp his extortions. Let his dyet-drinke be repentance, his dayly exercise restoring to eueryevery man his gotten interest. GiueGive him a little Opium, to rocke his cares a sleepe: and when he is cold, make him a good fire of his Bils and Bonds. GiueGive him a Iulep of the Gospel, to beget in him the good blood of faith. If nothing worke with him, let him make Psal. 15.his will, and heare his sentence, that hee shall neuer dwell with the blessed.