Sometimes again by some [3463]feigned lie, strange news, witty device, artificial invention, it is not amiss to deceive them. [3464]"As they hate those,” saith Alexander, “that neglect or deride, so they will give ear to such as will soothe them up.  If they say they have swallowed frogs or a snake, by all means grant it, and tell them you can easily cure it;” ’tis an ordinary thing.  Philodotus, the physician, cured a melancholy king, that thought his head was off, by putting a leaden cap thereon; the weight made him perceive it, and freed him of his fond imagination.  A woman, in the said Alexander, swallowed a serpent as she thought; he gave her a vomit, and conveyed a serpent, such as she conceived, into the basin; upon the sight of it she was amended.  The pleasantest dotage that ever I read, saith [3465]Laurentius, was of a gentleman at Senes in Italy, who was afraid to piss, lest all the town should be drowned; the physicians caused the bells to be rung backward, and told him the town was on fire, whereupon he made water, and was immediately cured.  Another supposed his nose so big that he should dash it against the wall if he stirred; his physician took a great piece of flesh, and holding it in his hand, pinched him by the nose, making him believe that flesh was cut from it.  Forestus, obs. lib. 1. had a melancholy patient, who thought he was dead, [3466]"he put a fellow in a chest, like a dead man, by his bedside, and made him rear himself a little, and eat:  the melancholy man asked the counterfeit, whether dead men use to eat meat?  He told him yea; whereupon he did eat likewise and was cured.”  Lemnius, lib. 2. cap. 6. de 4. complex, hath many such instances, and Jovianus Pontanus, lib. 4. cap. 2. of Wisd. of the like; but amongst the rest I find one most memorable, registered in the [3467]French chronicles of an advocate of Paris before mentioned, who believed verily he was dead, &c.  I read a multitude of examples of melancholy men cured by such artificial inventions.

SUBSECT.  III.—­Music a remedy.

Many and sundry are the means which philosophers and physicians have prescribed to exhilarate a sorrowful heart, to divert those fixed and intent cares and meditations, which in this malady so much offend; but in my judgment none so present, none so powerful, none so apposite as a cup of strong drink, mirth, music, and merry company.  Ecclus. xl. 20.  “Wine and music rejoice the heart.” [3468]Rhasis, cont. 9.  Tract. 15. Altomarus, cap. 7. Aelianus Montaltus, c. 26. Ficinus, Bened.  Victor.  Faventinus are almost immoderate in the commendation of it; a most forcible medicine [3469]Jacchinus calls it:  Jason Pratensis, “a most admirable thing, and worthy of consideration, that can so mollify the mind, and stay those tempestuous affections of it.” Musica est mentis medicina moestae, a roaring-meg against melancholy, to rear and revive the languishing soul; [3470]"affecting not only the