in France (saith [1620]Lodovicus Vives), came by chance over a dangerous
passage or plank, that lay over a brook in the dark, without harm, the next
day perceiving what danger he was in, fell down dead. Many will not believe
such stories to be true, but laugh commonly, and deride when they hear of
them; but let these men consider with themselves, as [1621]Peter Byarus
illustrates it, If they were set to walk upon a plank on high, they would
be giddy, upon which they dare securely walk upon the ground. Many (saith
Agrippa), [1622]"strong-hearted men otherwise, tremble at such sights,
dazzle, and are sick, if they look but down from a high place, and what
moves them but conceit?" As some are so molested by phantasy; so some
again, by fancy alone, and a good conceit, are as easily recovered. We see
commonly the toothache, gout, falling-sickness, biting of a mad dog, and
many such maladies cured by spells, words, characters, and charms, and many
green wounds by that now so much used _Unguentum Armarium_, magnetically
cured, which Crollius and Goclenius in a book of late hath defended,
Libavius in a just tract as stiffly contradicts, and most men controvert.
All the world knows there is no virtue in such charms or cures, but a
strong conceit and opinion alone, as [1623]Pomponatius holds, "which
forceth a motion of the humours, spirits, and blood, which takes away the
cause of the malady from the parts affected." The like we may say of our
magical effects, superstitious cures, and such as are done by mountebanks
and wizards. "As by wicked incredulity many men are hurt" (so saith
[1624]Wierus of charms, spells, &c.), "we find in our experience, by the
same means many are relieved." An empiric oftentimes, and a silly
chirurgeon, doth more strange cures than a rational physician. Nymannus
gives a reason, because the patient puts his confidence in him, [1625]
which Avicenna "prefers before art, precepts, and all remedies whatsoever."
'Tis opinion alone (saith [1626]Cardan), that makes or mars physicians, and
he doth the best cures, according to Hippocrates, in whom most trust. So
diversely doth this phantasy of ours affect, turn, and wind, so imperiously