Mystical bedlam, or the world of mad-men. By ThoMystical bedlam, or the vvorld of mad-men. By Tho

This is that which Solomon calls the wickedness of folly, ¹foolishness, and madness: an actual deviation & devitation of the way of righteousness: a practical frenzy, a roving, wandering, vagrant, extravagant course; which knows not which way to fly, nor where to light, except like a Dor in a dung-hill: an opinion without ground, a going without a path, a purpose to do it knows not what, a getting and losing, bending and breaking, building up and pulling down: conceiving a multitude of thoughts, with much anxiety, and with a sudden neglect scattering them. As that woman, who being long barren, by studying and practising physic, became pregnant to the bearing of many children: upon whom she afterward exercising the same skill, brought them all to an untimely grave. So Per eandem redditur artem Haec Medaea ferox, quae medicaea fuit.

This is that which Solomon calles the wickednesse of follie, ¹foolishnes, and madnesse: an actuall deuiation & deuitation of the way of righteousnesse: a practicall frenzy, a rouing, wandring, vagrant, extrauagant course; which knowes not which way to flie, nor where to light, except like a Dorre in a dung-hill: an opinion without ground, a going without a path, a purpose to doe it knowes not what, a getting and losing, bending and breaking, building vp and pulling downe: conceyuing a multitude of thoughts, with much anxiety, and with a sudden neglect scattering them. As that woman, who being long barren, by studying and practising physicke, became pregnant to the bearing of many children: vpon whom shee afterward exercising the same skill, brought them all to an vntimely graue. So Per eandem redditur artem Haec Medaea ferox, quae medicaea fuit.

1. 1Eccl. 7. 25.

So madly do these frantickes spend their time and strengths, by doing and undoing, tying hard knots, and untying them, affecting the issue of their own brains not a day together; and destroying much seed in the birth of their thoughts, because the conception now pleaseth them not. The Proverb saith, that the most wild are in least danger to be stark mad: but here, wildness is madness; an indefatigable frenzy; an erring star reserved for the black darkness; a rolling stone that never gathers any moss to stay it; an incessant and impetuous fury, that never ceaseth roving and raving, till it come to the Centre, Hell.