influence of the ayre if any raigne at that time Let therefore all men be curious to obserue this commendable sobriety if they be desirous to auoyd the dangers of the Plague by forbearing al diuersities of meats and surceasing to fil their stomackes with vnmeasurable repastes and let them féede soberly and no more then is néedfull to sustaine life obseruing a temperate exercise in pleasant and delightfull places Let them leade their life in peace and quiet of minde in ioy disport and honest pleasure auoyding all perturbations of the spirit and especially sadnesse melancholy wrath feare and suspect which are the most daungerous accedents that may encounter a man in such like times as Galen in his Booke Of the Art of Medecine hath written and of this kinde of temperate life I wil make a particular discourse in the Chapter ensewing to the ende that euery one may vnderstand what meanes he ought to obserue in the maintenance of his health by good diet and order CHAP. VII A briefe Methode and rule of life how to preserue the healthfull in the time of sicknesse THE Principall meanes to continue a man in health consisteth in an orderly obseruation of diet elections of meate measure and opportunitie in receiuing the same and in the quantitie and qualitie thereof which shall be the argument of this present Chapter It is therefore especially to be considered and prouided in this cause that the body abound not in superfluities and excrements which may yéelde matter and foode to putrifaction and contagion in humours which may no better wayes bée performed but by a good regiment in life Men that are curious of their health will take héede of all immoderate repletion of meates and in suspected times diuersitie of meates is to bee eschewed leaste the stomacke should bee ouercharged thereby by which meanes diuersities of humours may be ingendred but it behooueth a man to féede of one only dishe or two that in qualitie and nourishment may be conformable to his nature He ought likewise to beware in these times of such meats as may easily putrifie in the stomack such as yéeld but grosse nourishment and bréed oppilation and obstruction that heate the blood and humours and make them vicious and sharpe Of this sort are salt meates Porke Béefe Scalions Colewortes Garlike Onions Spice Mustard old Chéese such Fish as are caught in standing Pooles and Marshes strong hote hie and troubled wines Such meates as are conuenient are of delicate flesh and easily digested as Capon Chickens yong Pullets the broth whereof doth rectifie and temper the humours of the body as Mesue testifieth Also the flesh of Ueale Kid or yong Mutton are allowed and the birds of the field such as are Partridges yong Pigeons Turtells and such like are to be admitted And in the broth of such like things you ought to séeth Sorrel Purslane Borage and Marigoldes which according to Alexander Benedictus in his Treatise of the Plague is an excellent medecine The iuice of Sorrell likewise and sowre Grapes are allowed and Oranges and Limons with Sugar are not amisse in the iuice whereof you may dip your meat or bread at your meales and such like Rose vineger in this time is commended As for all bakt meats as Pasties or such like are forbidden both for the gluttonous substance that is in them as for that they engender obstructions Fresh and reare Eegges sod in water are of good nourishment Sea fish as the Soale the Mullet Gurnard and such like may be admitted yet ought they not too oftentimes bée vsed by reason they bréed humidite and waterish blood Amidst the sowrer fruite the Proyne Straberries and muscadine Peare are to be eaten so they be taken in a little quantitie as for al other fruit they may wel be omitted because they fill the vaines with watrish blood and such as easily corrupteth except the Raison which is very good In vse of wine Claret and white not fuming nor ouer hye coloured but tempered with good water are very fit to be drunke at meales and no otherwise For exercise it ought to be cōuenient and temperate accustomed in the morning in places delightfull and pleasant in the shade in Summer-time in Winter-time in the Sunne Touching apparell each one ought to vse decencie and comelinesse therein and oftentimes to shift both woollen and linnen especially in Summer in which time if those that are of ability shift once a day it is not amisse Care likewise is to be had that men heat not their blood by violent trauell but to vse a cōuenient rest after their repasts It is behooueful likewise as hath béen said to kéepe the body soluble so as once a day or twise in 21. houres either by the benefite of nature or the vse of the pilles aboue mentioned the belly may be loosned the body no wayes suffered to be bound Especially in those times al vse of women is forbidden For there is not any thing during this contagious season more forcible to enféeble nature then such vnbridled desires which stirre and distemper the humors and dispose the body to receiue infection Briefly to liue in repose of spirit in al ioy pleasure sport contentation amongst a mans friendes comforteth heart and vitall spirits and is in this time more requisite then any other things This is the order and maner which euery one ought to obserue in his manner of life in these suspected times with this finall Prouiso that the houses be kept cleane and well ayred and be perfumed with water and vinegar in Summer time and in winter time with perfumes of Iuniper Rosemarie Storax Beniamin and such like That the windowes thereof be kept open to the East towards the shining Sunne and the Northren winde shutting out all Southerly windes and such as blow from contagious places The order and policy that ought to be held in a City during the plague time and wherin the Lord Mayor and Sherifs and such as vnder them haue care of the infected ought to shew their diligence in the maintenance and order of their cittizens Chap. VIII AS order conducted by good aduice and counsaile is in all things that concerne the administration of a Commonweale most necessary so in this cause which is one of the most vrgent order policy and serious diligence is not onely profitable but also necessary because the sicknes of the plague contagion inuading a city is the totall ruine of the same by reason of the danger and spoile of the cittizens as we reade in Thucidides of the great plague in Greece which for the most part rauished the inhabitants of the same and in Titus Liuius of diuers horrible pestilences that happened in Rome which by their greatnesse and cruelty made that mother Citty almost desolate and destitute of the better part of the cittizens thereof bringing with it both famine and fatal indigence For which cause such as are in authoritie in Citties as Mayors Sherifes and those that
sicknesse for the most part mortall wherein vsually there appeare certaine Tumors Carbuncles or spottes which the common people call Gods tokens which Plague procéedeth from the venemous corruption of the humors and spirits of the body infected by the attraction of corrupted aire or infection of euil vapours which haue the propertie to alter mans bodie and poyson his spirits after a straunge and daungerous qualitie contrary and mortall enemy to the vitall spirits which haue their residence in the heart by reason whereof it suddainly rauisheth shortly cutteth off mans life who for the most part is attainted with such a venemous contagion And for that we haue saide that the plague is a popular and contagious sicknesse it shall not be amisse to declare and plainly discouer what these wordes Popular and Contagious do signifie Popular and Epidemich haue one and the same signification that is to say a sicknesse common vnto all people or to the moste part of them Contagion is an euil qualitie in a bodie communicated vnto an other by touch engendring one and the same disposition in him to whom it is communicated So as he that is first of all attainted or rauished with such a qualitie is called contagious and infected For very properly is he reputed infectious that hath in himselfe an euil malignant venemous or vitious disposition which may be imparted and bestowed on an other by touch producing the same and as daungerous effect in him to whom it is communicated as in him that first communicateth and spreddeth the infection This sicknesse of the Plague is commonly engendred of an infection of the Aire altered with a venemous vapour dispearsed and sowed in the same by the attraction and participation whereof this dangerous and deadly infirmitie is produced and planted in vs which Almightie God as the rodde of his rigor and iustice and for the amendment of our sinnes sendeth downe vppon vs as it is written in Leuiticus the 26. Chapter and in Deuteronomy the 28. If you obserue not my Commaundements saith our Lord I will extinguish you by the Plague which shall consume you To the like effect is that of Celsus a man of famous memorie amongst our Phisitions who very learnedly saith that all straunge sicknesses befall mortall men by reason of the wrath and displeasure of the Goddes and that the necessary meanes to finde recouery and remedie for the same is to haue recourse vnto them by intercession and prayer◠The same also testifieth Homer the soueraigne of all diuine Science Poeticall perfection in the first booke of his Iliades Since therefore it is euident by the testimonies abouesaid that the Plague is a manifest signe of the wrath of God conceiued against vs the first and most wholesome remedie is to haue recourse vnto him who is the Father of mercy and soueraign Phisition of all infirmities imploring his grace and mercy by fastings praiers and supplications by almesdéeds good works and amendment of life to the ende we may appease and pacifie his wrath and reconcile our selues vnto him and obtaine his grace and mercy according to the example of penitent Dauid and the contrite Niniuites In imitation of whome if we shall haue our recourse vnto his mercy seat we may rest assured that he will beholde vs with his eye of pittie and graunt vs both health of soule and bodie according vnto his promises made vnto those who call vpon him in humilitie and sinceritie of hart and conscience Sée here the first rule CHAP. II. Of the causes of the Plague THose sicknesses which are contagious and pestilent euen as al other kinds of infirmities haue their causes For nothing may produce without an efficient cause that bringeth the same to effect The Plague then hath his originall producing causes from whence shée taketh originall beginning and is engendred by a certaine and more secret meanes then all other sicknesses For for the most part the causes of priuate sicknesses which are not infectious are either to great repletion or a generall deprauation of the humours which are in the body or obstruction or binding or putrifaction as Galen in his Booke Of the Causes of sicknesses hath very learnedly written But the Plague hath none of these aboue mentioned causes but only contagious and pestilent yet notwithstanding together with these causes of repletion Cachochimie obstruction putrifaction the Plague may bée annexed and vnited but yet in such sort as they be not the proper reputed causes which ingender the Plague for then if that should follow all sicknesses accompanied with such like causes might be reputed pestilentiall which were both vntrue and absurde It behooueth vs therefore to finde out a proper and continent cause of the Plague and such like contagious infirmities Let vs then conclude with Galen in his Booke Of Treacle to Piso and Pamphilianus that all pestilentiall sicknesses as from the proper cause are ingendred from the ayre depraued and altered in his substance by a certaine vicious mixture of corrupted and strange vapours contrary to the life of man and corrupting the vitall spirit which vnkindly excretion sowed in the ayre and infecting the same communicateth vnto vs by our continuall alteration of the same the venome which poysoneth vs. The ready and spéedy chaunges saith Galen which happen in the ayre through the euill corruption of the same produce the Plague which like a rauishing beast depopulateth and destroyeth diuers men by death yea whole cities because men hauing a necessitie to sucke in the ayre together with the same sucke in the infection and venome By this it appeareth that the proper and immediat cause which ingendreth the Plague is the attraction and in breathing of the ayre infected and poisoned with a certaine venemous vapour contrary to the nature of man To his effect before his time the great M. of Physique Hipocrates writeth thus in his Booke Of Humane Nature The cause saith he of the generall pestilence which indifferently attainteth all sortes of men is the ayre which we sucke that hath in it selfe a corrupt and venemous seede which we draw with our in-breathing Now the causes which engender such vapours in the aire are diuers and of different kindes for sometimes such a vapour is lifted vp into the ayre by reason of the corruption stench of dead and vnburied bodyes as in places where any great battell haue béene fought it often falleth out according as diuers Histories testifie It is ingendred also through euill vapours that issue from the earth or certaine Caues thereof which yéelde foorth exhalations full of corruptions that infect the ayre where it contracteth by an euill qualitie It happeneth likewise by a loathsome steame of certain Marsh in plashie Fennes full of mudde and durt as also from diuers sorts of Plantes and venemous beastes whose euill qualitie may produce such an effect in the ayre But the ancient Physitians and Astrologers as namely Auicen with diuers others report that the Plague hath two
A TREATISE of the Plague Containing the nature signes and accidents of the same with the certaine and absolute cure of the Feuers Botches and Carbuncles that raigne in these times And aboue all things most singular Experiments and preseruatiues in the same gathered by the obseruation of diuers worthy Trauailers and selected out of the writings of the best learned Phisitians in this age By Thomas Lodge Doctor in Phisicke LONDON Printed for Edward White and N. L. 1603. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD Maior and to the Right Worshipfull the Aldermen and Sheriffes of the Citie of London TWo causes Right Honourable and Worshipfull haue moued me to publish this present Treatise of the plague One is the duetie and loue which I owe to this Citie wherein I was bred and brought vp and for which as the Orator Cicero in his Offices and the Philosopher Plato in his Common-weale do testifie euery good man ought to employ his vttermost indeuour The next is a charitable remorse I haue conceiued to see my poore country-men and afflicted brethren turmoiled and attainted with the greeuous sicknes of the Plague and left without guide or counsaile how to succour themselues in extremitie For where the infestion most rageth there pouertie raigneth among the Commons which hauing no supplies to satisfie the greedie desire of those that should attend them are for the most part left desolate die without reliefe For their sakes haue I vndertaken this prouince to write of the plague to the end that with a litle charge a poore man may haue instructions by a litle reading both to know and to cure all the euil accidents that attend the diseases It resteth in your Honor those your right Worshipfull assistance to haue especiall care that this charitable intent of mine may be furthered by your discreet orders in such manner that these bookes may be dispearsed among those families that are visited to the end they may finde comfort and cure by their owne hands and diligence This is the only reward I require as Almightie God knoweth to whose mercy I commend you From my house in Warwicke Lane this 19. of August Your Honors and Worships in all affection Thomas Lodge To the curteous and friendly Reader THou maist wonder perhaps Gentle Reader why amongst so many excellent and learned Phisitians of this Citie I alone haue vndertaken to answere the expectation of the multitude to beare the heauy burthen of contentious Critiques and deprauers But when the cause shall be examined and the reasons considered I hope to resolue thee so well as thou shalt haue no cause to condemne me There haue beene lately certaine Thessali that haue bestowed a new Printed liuery on euery olde post and promised such myracles as if they held the raine of desteny in their own hands and were able to make old Aeson young againe Amongst these one by fortune is become my neighbour who because at the first he vnderwrit not his billes euery one that red them came flocking to me coniuring me by great profers and perswasions to store them with my promised preseruatiues and relieue their sicke with my Cordiall waters These importunities of theirs made mee both agreeued and amazed agreeued because of that loathsome imposition which was laide vppon me to make my selfe vendible which is vnworthy a liberall gentle minde much more ill beseeming a Phisitian and Philosopher who ought not to prostitute so sacred a profession so abiectly but be a contemner of base and seruile desire of mony as Galen witnesseth in his booke Quod optimus medicus idem sii Philosophus amazed to see the ignorance and error of the multitude who dare trust their liues to their hands who build their experiēce on hazard of mens liues and are troubled with the scab of the minde which Plato in Alcibiade calleth Probrosam imperitiā and M. A. Natta in his 5. booke de Pulchro voluntary ignorance Herevpon by the earnest solicitation of my friends and vnder a great desire to doe good vnto my neighbors I haue faithfully gathered out of the most approued Authors especially out of certaine notes which I receiued from Valenolaes sonne now Doctor of Phisique in Arles in Prouince a true Methode how to knowe and cure the Plague which freely and charitably I offer to the reliefe of those who want meanes to relieue their estates in this time of visitation and the rather because the world might conceiue of me in such sort that I preferre a common good according to Platoes counsell before all the gaping desires of gaine and profit in this world An other reason was because such bookes as already are past abroad are confusedly hudled vp without either forme or Methode which is an vnpardonable errour in those that indeuour to instruct others For these causes haue I bene drawne to write and expose my selfe to mens iudgements Now that I study not in this Treatise to hunt after vain-glory God can beare me witnes and the plain stile I haue vsed therein may easily make knowne which had I a mind to bewitch the eares and minds of the reader might perhaps haue bin better tempered neither haue I a setled purpose to wound other mens fame as all men may coniecture since hauing iust occasion offered me to reproue them yet had I rather conceale that wherein they erre then discouer their Scribendi Cacoethen as the Poets saith to their disgrace Truly my resolution is to prouoke no man and those that know me inwardly of late time can witnesse that I resemble the Mauritanian Mare of whom Plutarch maketh mention which being led to the water seeing her shadow therin suffereth her selfe afterward to be ridden by Asses I thanke God I haue indured wrongs tho I haue had power to reuenge them But because my desire is to leaue all men satisfied I must a litle retire my selfe to yeeld men of worth learning satisfaction in a matter wherein perhaps they might except against me There is a lerned Phisitian that hath lately writtē against Amuteles or cakes of Arsenick who perhaps may cōceiue vnkindnes against me because in this Treatise I haue set downe the vse therof as a soueraine preseruatiue against the Plague where he hath condemned them but he must excuse me in this case for I haue no intent to commend the same because he condemneth it but by reason of their authoritie and experience who haue bin the lights and honors of Phisicke as Mercurialis in his book de Venenis chap. 13. Capiuachius in his book de Febribus chap. 13. Heurinus in his booke de Febribus chap. 19. Valeriola and diuers others who by vniforme consent do allow the same either worne vnder the arme pittes or about the region of the heart by reason that by a certaine similitude one venome draweth an other with it as Arsenick which voideth the poison of the Plague insensibly Quod venenum corpore attrahat tota forma ratione
sirrop of violets And if the patient wil not drinke barly water let him drinke fountaine water or raine water boiled and mixed with the sirrops aforesaide The patient likewise may in this feuer drinke water very fréely and his fill to the intent he may extinguish the inward heate of the pestilent feuer and not by little and little but fréely as Paulus Aegineta and Auicen thinke necessary in this disposition For which cause let this serue both to aduise the sicke his kéeper to alow drinke fréely the vse of water after which let the patient be wel couered to prouoke sweate which is one of the best euacuations that profiteth in this sicknes Chap. XII Rules as touching bloud-letting the potions and Euacuations which are necessary for him that is sicke of the plague AS soone as the sicke man by the signes aforesaid féels himselfe strooken he ought very spéedily séeke out for some remedy for this sickenesse neither leasure nor delay without danger of death by reason of the malignitie thereof opposed against mans life wherefore we ought with all diligent care to withstand the same and prohibit the venime and breake the forces thereof lest it woorke the vtter ruine of our bodies As soone therefore as any one féeleth himselfe seazed giue him this potion Take of the iuice of marigolds the quantity of two or thrée ounces giue it the patient to drinke with a little white wine or sorrel-water and couer him wel that he may sweat This Iuice maketh a man frée and assured from the venime as testifieth Alexander Benedictus in his treatise of the plague and it is a most tryed and notable secret And if he sweat after he hath taken the same hée shall be assured by the grace of God of perfect health In stead of the said hearbe you may take the iuice of veruine in like quantity or the Iuice of the hearbe called Scabious which hath great force and efficacy in this case giue two ounces of the said Iuice with white Wine Rose-water or Sorrel-water and you shall sée a wonderfull effect But these remedies ought to be giuen sodainly For if the sicke man dally a day or two before he complaine they haue no effect or force Of Blood-letting AS soone as the sicke féeleth himselfe strucken if he be sanguine yong and full you ought to let him bloud by those rules that ensue hereafter If the signe or tumor appeare not as yet you ought to let him bloud in the Mediana of the right arme rather than of the left to prouide lest the venime haue recourse to the hart and to take blood according to the repletion and vertue of the patient Or to worke more surely wée may take the veine in the foote called Saphena to diuert the venime from the noble parts or instéede of letting bloud apply cupping-glasses with scarification on his shoulders and buttocks From the strong able and well complexioned you may take some sixe ounces of bloud or at the least thrée or foure but for such as are weake they must not be dealt with And note that in this sickenesse we ought not to be busie in taking bloud although bloud-letting be necessarie because bloud is the treasury of life whose assistance nature néedeth to combate with the venime As also for that by much letting bloud mens forces are weakened and the venime worketh with more aduantage as shal be hereafter declared And whenas the patient is letten bloud wee ought to cause him kéepe in his mouth either a little péece of an orenge or a lemmon or a cloue or some cinnamon or else a little rose vineger and rose water mixed together to comfort his heart and vitall spirites But if the markes or botch do appeare the blood is to be drawne on that side of the body on which the tumor sheweth it selfe namely if the swelling beginneth to shew behinde the right eare drawe blood in the Cephalica of the right arme and so of the left If the signe appéere vnder the arme pits you shal cut the median of the same side namely on the right arm if the impostume be vnder the right armehole and that on the left likewise when the impostume sheweth it selfe vnder the left arme hole But in trueth the surest way is rather in this case to open the veines of the féete then of the armes to the end you may draw the venime farthest off if the signe appéere vnder the groyne strike the Saphena on the same side or rather the inward veine of the ham if it may be found the like ought also to be done in the carbuncle when it appéereth yet ought not the bloodletting be redoubled but onely vsed on that side where the carbuncle appéereth But note in this case of bloodletting that it ought to be done before the patient hath remained infected foure and twenty houres for after the terme is past blood letting is both hurtfull and pernicious because that by the same the contagion is inwardly drawne into the body and heart Whence it happeneth that the most part of those that are let blood doe die as by Hierome Fracastorius an excellent and noted Phisitian is sufficiently testified in his treatise of the Plague the third Booke and fift chapter who testifieth that all they who in the pestilent yéeres of 1505. and 1528. were let blood died all of them by the reason aforesaide because that where the interior séede of the venime is scattered and mixed with the blood and humors of the body which is done in two daies space or thereabout after a man féeleth himselfe infected letting blood is greatly harmefull because it causeth agitation of the blood and augmenteth by this means the putrifaction and by such agitation and motion the contagion doth more inwardly mixe it selfe with the humors and maketh them of pure and sincere corrupt and infected after no other maner than whenas stincking mud is mooued it venteth out the more and maketh the aire infected and stincking as is séene by experience or whenas a man shaketh or shoggeth a vessel full of salt or bitter water the water becommeth more bitter and salt than if it had béen suffered to be settled without moouing it For euery matter that is mooued is worse then that which remaineth in quiet as testifieth Galen in his fift booke de Symptomatum causis And by these reasons the said Fracastorius and Fernelius likewise men both of them excellently learned are of opinion that blood is not to be let in this case to whose iudgements I subscribe And for mine owne part and in trueth I finde it more expedient instéede of letting blood to vse cupping glasses with scarrification for after the second day is past phlebotomy is to be omitted Sée héere our instruction as touching blood-letting Of Purging AS touching purgation it ought to be administred in the beginning but rather with gentle and pleasing medicines than violent which doe weaken and force Nature and with them we ought to mixe
sicke in time of visitation This water that enseweth is likewise of great vertue and allowed by many experiences TAke two pound of the iuyce of limons of rose vineger as much of Bole Armenus prepared two ounces of the dried rinde of orenges one ounce infuse them a day naturall or xxiiii houres in the saide vineger and afterwardes distill them in Balneo Mariae giue of this water foure ounces with sirrope of limons or sirrope of sowre grapes for it is an excellent medicine as Fracastorius in his third Booke de morbis Contagiosis chap. 7. whose name I héere set downe to the end I may no waies seeme to defraude any one of the praise due vnto them or challenge to my selfe other mens inuentions Hitherto haue we sufficiently spoken of those medicines which are to bée taken inwardly it remaineth that we speake of those that are to be applied outwardly But before that I intreate of them I will describe in this place a confection or restoratiue to be ministred vnto him that is infected with the plague Take conserue of roses conserue of water lillies conserues of sowre grapes and buglosse of each an ounce of pouldered pearles one drachme of Bole Armenus prepared foure scruples of fine suger as much as sufficeth reduce all these into the forme of a Conduite with leaues of golde for the rich As for the poore it shall suffice to giue them the foresaide conserues with a little of the poulder of Bole Armenus or Triasantali or the séeds of sowre grapes or citrons or the barke thereof It is good also to giue them oft times a tablet of losenge of Diamargariton when they haue the fainting of the heart with a little buglosse water or white wine and if they fall into soundings giue them confection Alchermes after the same maner for it is a miraculous medcine in strengthening the heart and reuiuing the spirites And in this case it is good to restore them with good broaths wine caudles and egges as wée haue héeretofore aduised Manus Christi perlata also is good in this case and pleasant to the eater which you may giue in brothes in buglosse water or in the forme of a tablet To comfort the heart outwardly vse this Epitheme that followeth For the rich take rose water sorrell water buglosse and balme water of each foure ounces of good white wine or malmsey thrée ounces of the powlder of Diamargariton and de Gemmis of each one drachme of powlder of scarlet which we call vermilion of cloues of each halfe a drachme of powlder of zedoary and Bole Armenus of ech a scruple of the trochisques of camphre halfe a scruple make an Epitheme for the heart the which you shall apply with a péece of fine scarlet vppon the region of the heart morning and euening For the poore it sufficeth to make an Epitheme of sowre grape-water or sorrel water of balme-water and rose water with alittle white wine and the powlder of sanders and alittle powlder of Iuniper-berries Instéed of the said Epithemes you may make certaine bagges of silke for the hart after this fashion Take dryed red roses flowers of violets water-lilies and buglosse of each a little handful of rosemary flowers as much of the powlder of scarlet cloues sāders the powlder of Diamargariton of each a drachme of Citron séede Bole Armenus of each foure scruples of muske and amber of each fiue graines beate all these to powlder and baste them with cotton in red taffatie and make a bag thereof which you may easily besprinckle with rose water and a little white wine and apply to the hart An Epitheme for the liuer TAKE of the distilled water of endiue succory sorrel rose and wormewood water of each thrée ounces of good white rose wine vineger thrée siluer spoonfuls of the powlder of sanders one drachme of the séeds of sower grapes two scruples of spicknard a scruple make an Epitheme hereof for the poore and for the rich you may adde powlder of Diamargariton pearles corall and Zedoary of each halfe a drachme Mathiolus of Siena a notable Phision of our age principally in matter of simples in his sixt booke of his Commentaries vpon Dioscorides writing vpon the preface sets down an excellent ointment of great virtu to withstand the operation of venim in those that are sicke of the plague the description whereof is long and difficult to be made and serueth but for Princes and great Lords in that it is very chargeable Therefore to auoyde prolixitie we haue thought good to referre the Reader to that place if he thinke good to cause it to be dispensed The name thereof is the oile of scorpions which in trueth is of maruelous vertue to expel poison and venime as by the maruellous composition and art in making that oile may be séene But instead thereof we will set downe an other oyle of scorpions of a more easie composition set downe by Alexander Benedictus in the xx chapter of his booke of the plague the description whereof hereafter ensueth Take of oile oliue the oldest that may be gotten one pound then take thréescore liue scorpions and put them in a violl of glasse in the said oyle and boyle them ouer a soft fire nine houres or set the said oyle in our Ladies baine and when they haue thus boyled in the oyle thou shalt adde vnto them of treacle two ounces and let it boyle in the said oyle a quarter of an houre then straine all of it and kéepe the said oyle in a violl well closed and stopped with waxe and parchment and with it annoynt the sicke vnder the armepittes behinde the eares on the breast the pulses of the armes the temples and nosthrilles twice or thrice a day This is a most excellent remedy and of great force as the aforesaid Authors testifie who writes that if this vnction be applied sodainly to him that is sicke of the plague before 24. houres be past he shal be deliuered vsing the remedies aforesaide The same Author likewise reporteth that this oyntment is of great effect Take a glasse that containeth a pint and a halfe and more fil it with oile that is old in which oile you shal infuse of elder floures six litle handfuls of the floures of walworth two handfuls of the leaues and floures of Hipericon or S. Iohns wort a handful but let the oile couer the hearbs and be more in quantitie set this vessel closely luted in the sunne for the space of fortie dayes or a whole summer and reserue it to the abouenamed vses to annoynt the sicke as hath béen saide But after you haue annoynted him you must couer him close for the oyle procureth sweate and by such euacuation causeth the venime to vapor outwardly and if to the said oyle you shal annex twenty or thirty scorpions it wil be farre more excellent if besides you adde two or thrée ounces of good treacle and boyle them in our Ladies bayne it will haue more force Sée here the best