a causa lien, saith Montaltus, if it be [2426]"too cold and dry, and do not purge the other parts as it ought,” consil. 23. Montanus puts the [2427] “spleen stopped” for a great cause. [2428]Christophorus a Vega reports of his knowledge, that he hath known melancholy caused from putrefied blood in those seed-veins and womb; [2429]"Arculanus, from that menstruous blood turned into melancholy, and seed too long detained (as I have already declared) by putrefaction or adustion.”

The mesenterium, or midriff, diaphragma, is a cause which the [2430]Greeks called [Greek:  phrenas]:  because by his inflammation, the mind is much troubled with convulsions and dotage.  All these, most part, offend by inflammation, corrupting humours and spirits, in this non-natural melancholy:  for from these are engendered fuliginous and black spirits.  And for that reason [2431]Montaltus cap. 10. de causis melan. will have “the efficient cause of melancholy to be hot and dry, not a cold and dry distemperature, as some hold, from the heat of the brain, roasting the blood, immoderate heat of the liver and bowels, and inflammation of the pylorus.  And so much the rather, because that,” as Galen holds, “all spices inflame the blood, solitariness, waking, agues, study, meditation, all which heat:  and therefore he concludes that this distemperature causing adventitious melancholy is not cold and dry, but hot and dry.”  But of this I have sufficiently treated in the matter of melancholy, and hold that this may be true in non-natural melancholy, which produceth madness, but not in that natural, which is more cold, and being immoderate, produceth a gentle dotage. [2432]Which opinion Geraldus de Solo maintains in his comment upon Rhasis.

SUBSECT.  III.—­Causes of Head-Melancholy.

After a tedious discourse of the general causes of melancholy, I am now returned at last to treat in brief of the three particular species, and such causes as properly appertain unto them.  Although these causes promiscuously concur to each and every particular kind, and commonly produce their effects in that part which is most ill-disposed, and least able to resist, and so cause all three species, yet many of them are proper to some one kind, and seldom found in the rest.  As for example, head-melancholy is commonly caused by a cold or hot distemperature of the brain, according to Laurentius cap. 5 de melan. but as [2433]Hercules de Saxonia contends, from that agitation or distemperature of the animal spirits alone.  Salust.  Salvianus, before mentioned, lib. 2. cap. 3. de re med. will have it proceed from cold:  but that I take of natural melancholy, such as are fools and dote:  for as Galen writes lib. 4. de puls. 8. and Avicenna, [2434]"a cold and moist brain is an inseparable companion of folly.”  But this adventitious melancholy which is here meant, is caused of a hot and dry distemperature, as [2435]Damascen the Arabian