If it come from melancholy itself adust, those men, saith Avicenna, [2574] “are usually sad and solitary, and that continually, and in excess, more than ordinarily suspicious more fearful, and have long, sore, and most corrupt imaginations;” cold and black, bashful, and so solitary, that as [2575]Arnoldus writes, “they will endure no company, they dream of graves still, and dead men, and think themselves bewitched or dead:”  if it be extreme, they think they hear hideous noises, see and talk [2576]"with black men, and converse familiarly with devils, and such strange chimeras and visions,” (Gordonius) or that they are possessed by them, that somebody talks to them, or within them. Tales melancholici plerumque daemoniaci, Montaltus consil. 26. ex Avicenna.  Valescus de Taranta had such a woman in cure, [2577]"that thought she had to do with the devil:”  and Gentilis Fulgosus quaest. 55. writes that he had a melancholy friend, that [2578] “had a black man in the likeness of a soldier” still following him wheresoever he was.  Laurentius cap. 7. hath many stories of such as have thought themselves bewitched by their enemies; and some that would eat no meat as being dead. [2579]_Anno_ 1550 an advocate of Paris fell into such a melancholy fit, that he believed verily he was dead, he could not be persuaded otherwise, or to eat or drink, till a kinsman of his, a scholar of Bourges, did eat before him dressed like a corse.  The story, saith Serres, was acted in a comedy before Charles the Ninth.  Some think they are beasts, wolves, hogs, and cry like dogs, foxes, bray like asses, and low like kine, as King Praetus’ daughters. [2580]Hildesheim spicel. 2. de mania, hath an example of a Dutch baron so affected, and Trincavelius lib. 1. consil. 11. another of a nobleman in his country, [2581]"that thought he was certainly a beast, and would imitate most of their voices,” with many such symptoms, which may properly be reduced to this kind.

If it proceed from the several combinations of these four humours, or spirits, Herc. de Saxon. adds hot, cold, dry, moist, dark, confused, settled, constringed, as it participates of matter, or is without matter, the symptoms are likewise mixed.  One thinks himself a giant, another a dwarf.  One is heavy as lead, another is as light as a feather.  Marcellus Donatus l. 2. cap. 41. makes mention out of Seneca, of one Seneccio, a rich man, [2582]"that thought himself and everything else he had, great:  great wife, great horses, could not abide little things, but would have great pots to drink in, great hose, and great shoes bigger than his feet.”  Like her in [2583]Trallianus, that supposed she “could shake all the world with her finger,” and was afraid to clinch her hand together, lest she should crush the world like an apple in pieces:  or him in Galen, that thought he was [2584]Atlas, and sustained heaven with his shoulders.  Another thinks himself so little, that he can creep into a mouse-hole:  one