If it trouble them at meal times that flushing, as oft it doth, with sweating or the like, they must avoid all violent passions and actions, as laughing, &c., strong drink, and drink very little, [4368]one draught, saith Crato, and that about the midst of their meal; avoid at all times indurate salt, and especially spice and windy meat.

[4369]Crato prescribes the condite fruit of wild rose, to a nobleman his patient, to be taken before dinner or supper, to the quantity of a chestnut.  It is made of sugar, as that of quinces.  The decoction of the roots of sowthistle before meat, by the same author is much approved.  To eat of a baked apple some advice, or of a preserved quince, cuminseed prepared with meat instead of salt, to keep down fumes:  not to study or to be intentive after meals.

       “[Symbol:  Rx].  Nucleorum persic. seminis melonum ana unc. [Symbol: 
        Scruple]ss aquae fragrorum l. ij. misce, utatur mane.”

[4370]To apply cupping glasses to the shoulders is very good.  For the other kind of ruddiness which is settled in the face with pimples, &c., because it pertains not to my subject, I will not meddle with it.  I refer you to Crato’s counsels, Arnoldus lib. 1. breviar. cap. 39. 1. Rulande, Peter Forestus de Fuco, lib. 31. obser. 2. To Platerus, Mercurialis, Ulmus, Rondoletius, Heurnius, Menadous, and others that have written largely of it.

Those other grievances and symptoms of headache, palpitation of heart, Vertigo deliquium, &c., which trouble many melancholy men, because they are copiously handled apart in every physician, I do voluntarily omit.

MEMB.  II.
Cure of Melancholy over all the Body.

Where the melancholy blood possesseth the whole body with the brain, [4371] it is best to begin with bloodletting.  The Greeks prescribe the [4372] median or middle vein to be opened, and so much blood to be taken away as the patient may well spare, and the cut that is made must be wide enough.  The Arabians hold it fittest to be taken from that arm on which side there is more pain and heaviness in the head:  if black blood issue forth, bleed on; if it be clear and good, let it be instantly suppressed, [4373] “because the malice of melancholy is much corrected by the goodness of the blood.”  If the party’s strength will not admit much evacuation in this kind at once, it must be assayed again and again:  if it may not be conveniently taken from the arm, it must be taken from the knees and ankles, especially to such men or women whose haemorrhoids or months have been stopped. [4374] If the malady continue, it is not amiss to evacuate in a part in the forehead, and to virgins in the ankles, who are melancholy for love matters; so to widows that are much grieved and troubled with sorrow and cares:  for bad blood flows in the heart, and so crucifies the mind.  The haemorrhoids are to be opened with an instrument or horseleeches,