Oribasius, med. collect. l. 6. c. 37, speaks of some, [1480]That
if they do not use carnal copulation, are continually troubled with
heaviness and headache; and some in the same case by intermission of
it. Not use of it hurts many, Arculanus, c. 6. in 9. Rhasis, et
Magninus, part. 3. cap. 5, think, because it [1481]sends up poisoned
vapours to the brain and heart. And so doth Galen himself hold, That if
this natural seed be over-long kept (in some parties) it turns to
poison. Hieronymus Mercurialis, in his chapter of melancholy, cites it
for an especial cause of this malady, [1482]priapismus, satyriasis, &c.
Haliabbas, 5. Theor. c. 36, reckons up this and many other diseases.
Villanovanus Breviar. l. 1. c. 18, saith, He knew [1483]many monks and
widows grievously troubled with melancholy, and that from this sole
cause. [1484]Ludovicus Mercatus, l. 2. de mulierum affect. cap. 4, and
Rodericus a Castro, de morbis mulier. l. 2. c. 3, treat largely of this
subject, and will have it produce a peculiar kind of melancholy in
stale maids, nuns, and widows, Ob suppressionem mensium et venerem
omissam, timidae, moestae anxiae, verecundae, suspicioscae, languentes,
consilii inopes, cum summa vitae et rerum meliorum desperatione, &c.,
they are melancholy in the highest degree, and all for want of
husbands. Aelianus Montaltus, cap. 37. de melanchol., confirms as much
out of Galen; so doth Wierus, Christophorus a Vega de art. med. lib. 3.
c. 14, relates many such examples of men and women, that he had seen so
melancholy. Felix Plater in the first book of his Observations,
[1485]tells a story of an ancient gentleman in Alsatia, that married a
young wife, and was not able to pay his debts in that kind for a long
time together, by reason of his several infirmities: but she, because
of this inhibition of Venus, fell into a horrible fury, and desired
every one that came to see her, by words, looks, and gestures, to have
to do with her, &c. [1486]Bernardus Paternus, a physician, saith, He
knew a good honest godly priest, that because he would neither
willingly marry, nor make use of the stews, fell into grievous
melancholy fits. Hildesheim, spicel. 2, hath such another example of an
Italian melancholy priest, in a consultation had _Anno_ 1580. Jason
Pratensis gives instance in a married man, that from his wife's death
abstaining, [1487]after marriage, became exceedingly melancholy,
Rodericus a Fonseca in a young man so misaffected, Tom. 2. consult. 85.
To these you may add, if you please, that conceited tale of a Jew, so
visited in like sort, and so cured, out of Poggius Florentinus.
Intemperate Venus is all but as bad in the other extreme. Galen, l. 6.
de mortis popular. sect. 5. text. 26, reckons up melancholy amongst
those diseases which are [1488]exasperated by venery: so doth Avicenna,
2, 3, c. 11. Oribasius, loc. citat. Ficinus, lib. 2. de sanitate
tuenda. Marsilius Cognatus, Montaltus, cap. 27. Guianerius, Tract. 3.
cap. 2. Magninus, cap. 5. part. 3.
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