Schenck. observ. medic. lib. 1. pag. 129.
2. But when an atrabilarious Temperament, or a melancholick Complexion and Constitution doth happen to those people bred in such ignorance, and that have suckt in all the fond opinions that Custom and Tradition could teach them, then what thing can be imagined that is strange, wonderful, or incredible, but these people do pertinaciously believe it, and as confidently relate it to others? nay even things that are absolutely impossible, as that they are really changed into Wolves, Hares, Dogs, Cats, Squirrels, and the like; and that they flye in the Air, are present at great Feasts and Meetings, and do strange and incredible things, when all these are but the meer effects of the imaginative function depraved by the fumes of the melancholick humor, as we might shew from the Writings of the most grave and learned Physicians; but we shall content our selves with some few select ones. 1. That distemper which Physicians call Lycanthropia, is according to the judgment of Aetius and Paulus, but a certain species of Melancholy, and yet they really think and believe themselves to be Wolves, and imitate their actions: of which Johannes Fincelius in his second Book de Mirac. giveth us a relation to this purpose. “That at Padua in the year 1541. a certain Husband-man did seem to himself a Wolf, and did leap upon many in the fields, and did kill them. And that at last he was taken not without much difficulty, and did confidently affirm that he was a true Wolf, only that the difference was in the skin turned in with the hairs. And therefore that certain, having put off all humanity, and being truly truculent and voracious, did smite and cut off his legs and arms, thereby to try the truth of the matter; but the innocency of the man being known, they commit him to the Chirurgions to be cured, but that he dyed not many days after.” Which instance is sufficient to overthrow the vain opinion of those men that believe that a man or woman may be really transformed or transubstantiated into a Wolf, Dog, Cat, Squirrel, or the like, without the operation of an omnipotent power, as in Lots Wife becoming a Pillar of Salt; though St. Augustine was so weak as to seem to believe the reality of these transformations: of which we shall have occasion to speak more largely hereafter.
Observat. medic. lib. 1. cap. 18. pag. 38.
2. Another story we shall give from the Authority of that learned Physician Nicolaus Tulpius of Amsterdam to this effect. A certain famous Painter was for a long time infected with black Choler, and did falsely imagine that all the bones of his body were as soft and flexible, that they might be drawn and bended like soft wax. Which opinion being deeply imprinted in his mind, he kept himself in bed the whole Winter, fearing that if he should rise, they would not bear his weight, but would shrink together by reason of their softness. That Tulpius did not contradict him in that fancy, but said that it was a distemper that Physicians were not ignorant of, but had been long before noted by Fernelius, that the bones like wax might be softned and indurated, and that it might be easily cured, if he would be obedient: and that within three days he would make the bones firm and stable, and that within six days he would restore him to the power of walking. By which promises it was hard to declare, how much hope of recovering health it had raised up in him, and how obedient it made him. So that with Medicines proper to purge the atrabilarious humour within the time appointed, he was at the three days end suffered to stand upon his feet, and upon the sixth day had leave given to walk abroad: and so found himself perfectly sound afterwards; but did not perceive the deceit in his phantasie, that had made him lye a whole Winter in bed, though he was no stupid, but an ingenious person in his Art, and scarce second to any.
Cent. 1. Hist. 79. pag. 117.
Vt supr. Histor. 85. pag. 125.
3. Thomas Bartholinus the famous Anatomist, and Physician to Frederick the Third King of Denmark, tells us these things: “That it is the property of melancholy persons to fear things not to be feared, and to feign things quæ nec picta usquam sunt, nec scripta. A Plebeian (he saith) with them abounding with melancholy blood did imagine that his Nose was grown to that greatness, that he durst not go abroad, for fear it should be hurt or justled upon by those he met. And that a famous Poet at Amsterdam did believe that his Buttocks were of glass, and feared their breaking, if he should sit down. Another Old man of prime Dignity did suspect that he had swallowed a nail, which being lost, he could no where find, and thought himself much tortured by its being fixed in him. But was restored to his health, by having a Vomit given, and the Physician conveying a nail into the matter that he cast up. And that a certain man in England would not make water, for fear that all the blood in his body should have passed forth by that passage, and therefore straitly tyed the yard with a thred for some days, which swelling he was not far from death, but that his Brother by force untyed it.” The Books of Physicians are very full with such relations, and we in our Practice have met with divers as strange as these, and cured them. Also he tells us this: “A certain Student of a melancholick Constitution, distracted with grief for the death of a Sister, and wearied with lucubrations, did complain to (Bartholinus) of the Devil haunting of him: and did affirm that he felt the evil Spirit enter by his fundament with wind, and so did creep up his body until it possessed the head, lest he might attend his Prayers and Meditations with his accustomed devotion, and that it did descend and go forth the same way, when he bent himself to Prayers, and reading of Sacred Books. Before these things he used to be filled with unheard of joy from his assiduous Prayers and watching, that also he had heard a celestial kind of Musick, and therefore despising all mortal things, he had distributed all things to the poor; but that now piety waxing cold by too much appetite after meat, and his brain troubled with that wind, that he had heard a voice of one in his brain upbraiding him with Blasphemy, and that he felt hands beating, and a stink passing before his nose. By all which Bartholinus guessed, that it was Hypochondriacal Melancholy, and by good Counsel, proper Physick, merry Company, and rightly ordering of him, he was perfectly cured.”
Histor. medic. mirab. l. 2. c. 1. p. 33.
4. To these we will only add this that is related by Marcellus Donatus, Physician to the Duke of Mantua and Montferrat, to this purpose. “That he knew a Noble Countess of their City, that did most earnestly affirm, that she was made sick by the Witchery and Incantation of a certain ill-minded Woman; which was apprehended by a learned Physician to be, notwithstanding her fancy, nothing else but Hypochondriacal Melancholy, which he cured by giving her proper Medicaments to purge that humour, and ordering her Waiting-maid to put into the matter she voided Nails, Feathers, and Needles; which when with a glad countenance she had shewed to her Mistress, she presently cryed out that she had not been deceived, when she had referred the cause of her disease to Witchcraft, and afterwards did daily recover more and more.”
Relat. of Lancash. Witches.