Diseases of the Soul, Title page – List of diseases
DISEASES of the SOVLE: A DISCOVRSE
DIVINE, MORALL, AND PHYSICALL.
BY Tho. Adams.
SEN.
Desinit esse remedio locus, vbi quae fuerunt Vitia, Mores sunt.
LONDON, Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Budge, and are to be sold at the great South-dore of Paules, and at Brittaines Bursse.
1616.
TO THE TRVLY Iudicious, and worthily eminent in his Profession, Mr. WILLIAM RANDOLPH, Doctor of Physicke.
Worthy Sir,
IT will seeme strange to those, that better know my vnworthinesse then your merits, that I should administer Physicke to a Physician. But my Apologie is iust; conuincing rather them of ignorance, then my selfe of presumption. It is not a Potion, I send, but a Prescript in paper; which the foolish Patient did eate vp, when he read in it written, Take this. Neither do I send it, to direct you, but that you should rectifie it. So the poore Painter sent Appelles a Picture, to mend it, not to commend it. That which tastes of Philosophie in it, is but so much of those axiomes and rudiments, as I gather'd in the Vniuersitie in a short time, and hauehave had much opportunity to lose since. Somewhat is chym'd out of experience; wherein I may say, Necessit as was ingenii largitor: as Plinie writes of the Rauen; who labouring of thirst, and spying a vessell with some little water in it, but so deepe as she could not reach, filled the vessell with stones; till the heauier matter sinking downewards, raysed vp the lighter to her easie apprehension. My owne ill health forced me to looke into that poore Cisterne of knowledge, which I had: and finding it almost drie, I assayed by some new contemplations, to raise it vp to experience; which now, behold, runnes ouer, and (without diminution to it selfe) is communicatiuely dispersed to others. Only doe you vse it, as I desire you should my selfe: if it be in health, conserue it: if foule purge it. For my owne part, I am content, that no happie meditation of mine should be vt Curia Martis Athenis; or like some precious mysterie, which a Practitioner will get money by, whiles hee liues; but suffer none els to vse, when hee is dead: for hee resolues, it shall die with him. It is more Morall, then Physicall; and yet the greater part Theologicall. wherein I hauehave most satisfied my owne conscience, in ayming at that punctuall Center, and blessed Scope, whither all endeuours should looke; the straitening our warped Affections, and directing the Soule to heauen. And in this passage, (you must pardon mee) I feare not to say your memory at least, if not your vnderstanding, may hereby be helped. My Medicines are not very bitter; but nothing at all sweete to a sensuall palate: learning from Saluian; that Quae petulantium auribus placent, aegrotantium animis non prosunt. For my soule, I prescribe to others that, which I desire euer to take my selfe; such sauing Recipe's, as Gods holy Writ hath directed mee. For my Body, though I would not hauehave it lamed by my owne neglect, that it might leane vponupon the staffe of Physicke; hauing not so much health to spare, as might allow some vnthrifty expence of it on surfets: yet when it is sicke, I desire no other Phisician then your selfe. Perhaps a great number of men are of my mind, and frequent are the knocks at your Study-dore: but I am sure that all those desires are not enflamed with that light of knowledge, which I hauehave of your sufficiency, through much priuate conference. Rudenesse or prolixitie do ill in an Epistle, and worse when both together; and may perhaps please a mans selfe, and none els. I hauehave done, when I hauehave (yet once againe) chaleng'd your promised Iudiciall of vrines: which if you make publike, you shall hauehave the like addition to my singular thankes. Till a good gale of opportunity waft my self ouer to your Sudbury, I hauehave sent you this Messenger of that louelove and seruice, shall euer be ready to attend you; desiring that, as it hath found the way to you, you would giuegive it your Passe to the World; and (if it grow poore with contempt) your Legacie of approbation. Wingraue in Buck. May vlt.
Your Worships in all iust references of louelove, THO. ADAMS.
TO THE READER.
THE Title of this Booke requires some Apologie. There is a bookelately conceiu'd in Scotland, and born in England, which both promiseth in the Frontispice, and demonstrates in the Module, the method and matter here proposed. Whereof I cannot speake, hauing onelyonly cursorily perused some page or two of it, but not of the worthinesse. Because that hath the prioritie of the time, and transcen. dencie in quantitie of mine, I hauehave reason to feare, that this will be thought but the spawne of that: or an Epitome: or at best, that it is begot out of imitation. Herein I must seriously propose, and engage my credite to the truth thereof: that this was committed to the Stationers hands, perused and allowed by authoritie: yea, and with full time to hauehave bene printed, and perhaps an impression sold, before that of Master Iohn Abrenethys came out. What dilemma's were in the Book-sellers head, or what reasons for such slacknesse and reseruation, are to mee as mysticall, as his profession. Neither doe I pleade thus out of any affected singularitie, as if I were too good to imitate so worthy a man: but onelyonly to hauehave punctually and plainly deliuered the truth hereof: leauing it to thy censure, and vsus all to the grace of God.
T. A.
A Generall Table of all the particular Diseases, contained in this Booke.
Page
THe Induction. 1
The Method. 2
Disease 1. Of Head-ache and Braine-sicknesse. 3
Disease 2. Of Inconstancie, a kinde of staggers. 7
Disease 3. Of Madnesse and Anger. 12
Disease 4. Of Enuie, a consumption. 17
Disease 5. Of Idlenesse, the Lethargie. 20
Disease 6. Of the Dropsie and Couetousnesse. 23
Disease 7. Of Usurie, and Caninus appetitus, or the doggelike appetite. 27
Disease 8. Of Pride. 33
Disease 9. Of the Palsey and timorous suspicion. 35
Disease 10. Of Immoderate Thirst, and Ambition. 39
Disease 11. Of inflammation of the reines, or lustfulnesse. 44
Disease 12. Of the rotien Feuer, or Hypocrisie. 48
Disease 13. Of Fluxe and Prodigalitie. 52
Disease 14. Of the Iaundeys and Profanenesse. 55
Disease 15. Of Apoplexie and Securitie. 57
Disease 16. Of windinesse in the stomake, and vainglory. 60
Disease 17. Of the Itch or the Busie-body. 63
Disease 18. Of stinking breath and flattery. 67
Disease 19. Of short windinesse and wearinesse of doing well. 70