after departed, and was buried by it. Platerus
observat. l. 1, a gentlewoman of the same city
saw a fat hog cut up, when the entrails were opened,
and a noisome savour offended her nose, she much misliked,
and would not longer abide: a physician in presence,
told her, as that hog, so was she, full of filthy
excrements, and aggravated the matter by some other
loathsome instances, insomuch, this nice gentlewoman
apprehended it so deeply, that she fell forthwith
a-vomiting, was so mightily distempered in mind and
body, that with all his art and persuasions, for some
months after, he could not restore her to herself
again, she could not forget it, or remove the object
out of her sight, Idem. Many cannot endure
to see a wound opened, but they are offended:
a man executed, or labour of any fearful disease, as
possession, apoplexies, one bewitched; [2148]or if
they read by chance of some terrible thing, the symptoms
alone of such a disease, or that which they dislike,
they are instantly troubled in mind, aghast, ready
to apply it to themselves, they are as much disquieted
as if they had seen it, or were so affected themselves.
Hecatas sibi videntur somniare, they dream
and continually think of it. As lamentable effects
are caused by such terrible objects heard, read, or
seen, auditus maximos motus in corpore facit,
as [2149]Plutarch holds, no sense makes greater alteration
of body and mind: sudden speech sometimes, unexpected
news, be they good or bad, praevisa minus oratio,
will move as much, animum obruere, et de sede sua
dejicere, as a [2150]philosopher observes, will
take away our sleep and appetite, disturb and quite
overturn us. Let them bear witness that have
heard those tragical alarms, outcries, hideous noises,
which are many times suddenly heard in the dead of
the night by irruption of enemies and accidental fires,
&c., those [2151]panic fears, which often drive men
out of their wits, bereave them of sense, understanding
and all, some for a time, some for their whole lives,
they never recover it. The [2152] Midianites
were so affrighted by Gideon’s soldiers, they
breaking but every one a pitcher; and [2153]Hannibal’s
army by such a panic fear was discomfited at the walls
of Rome. Augusta Livia hearing a few tragical
verses recited out of Virgil, Tu Marcellus eris,
&c., fell down dead in a swoon. Edinus king of
Denmark, by a sudden sound which he heard, [2154]
“was turned into fury with all his men,”
Cranzius, l. 5, Dan. hist. and Alexander ab
Alexandro l. 3. c. 5. Amatus Lusitanus had a
patient, that by reason of bad tidings became epilepticus,
cen. 2. cura 90, Cardan subtil. l. 18,
saw one that lost his wits by mistaking of an echo.
If one sense alone can cause such violent commotions
of the mind, what may we think when hearing, sight,
and those other senses are all troubled at once? as
by some earthquakes, thunder, lightning, tempests,
&c. At Bologna in Italy, anno 1504, there