liuer and in great consent of mindes in agreeable gouernment of your subiects and finally in peaceable folowing of true religion to resemble a most beautifull harmonie of a trinitie wherein I iudged my selfe to owe this dutie not to one of 3. especially sith this care appertaineth indifferently vnto all magistrates but vnto three rather in one Wherefore it shall bee your part right honourable and most reuerend Lords Patrones to take in good woorth this testimonie of my readie good will and seruice and to take as commended vnto you this care of the cōmon saftie which I haue heere in some measure portraited and drawen out Which things if at any time they shall be ouerruled by the ordinance of God which cannot bee called backe it shall be sufficient to haue approued your indeuour and good will vnto men Christe Iesus the true turner away of all euill and the Phisition as wel of the body as of the soule begottē of vnbegotten God in man true life in death that I may end with the woordes of Egysippus preserue you with your subiectes vnhurt of this deadly infection and alwaies in good health Dated at Breame in the yeere 1581. Your H H. most bounden Iohn Ewich D. of Phisicke ¶ Of the duetie of a faithful and wise Magistrate in preseruing and deliuering the common wealth from infection in the time of the plague or Pestilence The first Booke That the care and charge of the common wealth belongeth vnto the Magistrate Cap. 1. ESAIAS the diuine Prophet Homer the chiefe of Poets the one enlightened with the heauenlie lawe and the other with the law of nature haue adorned and set out Princes and Magistrates with an excellent title whilest the one in his tongue calleth them Omenim that is to say Nurses to wit of the Churche and the other tearmeth them Poimênos Laôn that is Pastors or Shepheardes of the people to witte for this cause that they ought with wholsome lawes and good discipline to gouerne and defend their subiects and also after a sort prouide for them such thinges as are necessarie for their food liuing For albeit they doe not as Parentes to their children put in euery one his hand what to eate and drinke albeit they nourishe not vs being idle yet when as by wise pollicie they bring this to passe that nothing be wanting what euery mā laboureth either by traffick or trauel or goodes to get and that what by honest meanes is gotten the same he may in safetie possesse and with gladnesse enioy they haue not without a cause giuen vnto them this honourable title and commendation And as it is not sufficient for a diligent nurse faithful Pastor to haue prouided for his nurse childe flock such things as are requisite needful vnto the necessary vses of life but also they be careful to turne away y e things which might endammage their health to prouide wholesome remedy for them being in danger So also the wise and faithful Magistrate ought not onely to haue care and diligence for those things whiche concerne the trade of lawfull traffick and diligent practise of handy crafts the preseruing of peace and keeping of quiet among the Citizens but also he ought to prohibite or let those thinges which may eyther take away the same or greatly weaken or infect the whole societie and fellowshippe with daylie contagion or infection assayle and destroye with miserable ruine the life of euery particular member iudging the looking vnto the common safetie to be the chiefest part of his rule and office For if they be Goddes and as the Psalmist himselfe both king and ruler tearmeth them the sonnes of the most highest certes it is their partes to knowe that they in this poynt are with all diligence to imitate and followe GOD of whom we daylie craue both thinges needefull and also pray to bee kept from thinges not needefull or hurtfull that they furnishe the Citie not onelie with profitable necessarie and wholesome thinges but preserue deliuer it from thinges also vnprofitable and hurtfull Which thinges when as the heathen sawe albeit ignoraunt of the true God that this was a thinge highlye needefull and in a manner heauenlie they called their Kinges and Rulers of the people Goddes not proportionablie as the Iewes and Christians but in verie deede began to honour mortall men with honour diuine or belonging vnto God For when as there neuer yet was anye nation so barbarous whiche had not some feeling of y e godhead nay when as the Apostle in playne words affirmeth y t for this same cause y e very Gentiles are without excuse because y e they had written in their mindes which might bee knowen concerning God who would think them so foulie to be deceaued in that they iudged those to be to be honored for Goddes which Plinie said to be a diuine thing whō they saw to imploy al their indeuour to help others For albeit they did not rightly giue vnto many that thing whiche was due vnto one yet by the power of nature they profited thus farre that they almost atteyned vnto the knowledge of the nature and office of God although they did not rightlie worship him Moreouer y e Apostle in an other place compareth the Churche vnto the bodie of a man for as the members of a man haue euery one their power and office yet are all gouerned by the onely vertue of the braine desire and imbrace things profitable shunne thinges hurtfull so also the magistrates who in this externall or outward societie or fellowship are the head of the common people ought to set before the other Citizens profitable thinges and keepe away thinges hurtfull that they may bee saide truelie to fulfill the office of Pastors and Nurses But if any man wil say that it is the proper office of God to preserue and gouerne mankinde the which in his singuler counsel he hath made I answere that this indeed is true but yet as God by the ministery or seruice of man doeth teache vs deliuer vs from sinne make vs partaker of his grace and saue vs albeeit in very deede these same are not the workes of men euen so he doth gouerne and preserue the life of man by the seruice of those men whō he chooseth vnto this office and suffereth to be partakers of this prayse Hereuppon Romulus whiche buylded the Citie of Rome and is thought to bee that Quirinus was by a certayne right reckoned in the number of the Goddes because that hee shewed himselfe a louing and bounteous gouernour vnto the people Hercules borne of Iupiter and Alcmena gotte not onelie this name for thus the Oracle answered Immortal fame by helping mē thou certainly shalt win which was aduāced with immortal honour but also was registred in the bedroll of the goddes because that with vnweariable toyle and most singuler labour he killed such mōsters as endammaged men and
Plague began to grow in the partes neere vnto him who so carefully and so fatherly dealt by the aduice of his Phisitions whiche was published through al his dominiōs y t he may worthily bee a patterne for other godly and wise Princes magistrates to followe of the which in the next Chapter shall be spoken more at large Lastly y e like did y e magistrat of our worthy of me much to be honored cōmon wealth when as in the yeere 1565. hee had intelligence that this wylde beast through the vnwary dealing of some had inuaded or assaulted a fewe houses of his citie They called me into the Senate or Counsaile house and asked my direction and aduice how they might preserue without hurte the people by GOD committed vnto them of a godlie care and vnlesse I greatly bee deceaued a care indeede moste beseeming a Christian Magistrate Which thinges being so if princes Magistrates be desirous to maintaine their name which I said in the beginning to haue beene giuen them not onely by the Prophetes but also by wise men among the Heathen and wil be indeed as they are called in name Nurses and Pastors they must thinke that it standeth them vpon faithfully and wisely to handle the matter that in such a time of the plague they let passe no care which may by anie meanes make for the turning away of so deadlie and infectious a disease and for the preseruing and deliuering of their subiectes from the same That the Magistrate before all thinges proclayme a publike repentance Cap. 2. BVt some man maye peraduēture say you so deale as if y e whole matter lay in y e foresight strength of man and make no mention of the help of God on whō hangeth all hope of victorie especially in so doubtfull a battel whē as notwithstanding by the iudgment of Mesua himselfe it is manifest that in al things which we doe we ought to set God before that we may make proofe of all thinges with more safety and boldnes I answeare when as I speake of the duetie of a faithfull Magistrate and beeing my selfe a Christian deale with Christians that my meaning is to haue these two thinges that is to say the grace of God and trauayle of man so lincked together that the one be not voyde of the helpe of the other For Hippocrates hath sayd both very well and verie godlye It is indeede seemelie and verie good to pray vnto the Goddes but yet man himselfe ought to doe some thing and withall to call vppon the Goddes Why so Because man without God can do nothing God without man wil not doe all things God indeed is boūteous man verie poore needy whē as he hath nothing which he hath not receiued at his hād but god loueth to be asked y t mē by this meane should acknowledge their need wherby we should be driuen to obey him in whom all our happines doth lie If saie Moses Aaron thou shalt diligently heare the voice of the Lorde thy God and doe that whiche is right in his eyes and shall obey his commandementes and keepe all his statutes I will sende no griefe vppon thee whiche I haue sent vpon the Aegyptians because I am the Lord that healeth thee but if yee shall not heare me saith God and shal not doe all these commaundementes and if ye shal refuse my statuts and fulfil not al my precepts but shal rather make void my couenant I also will do this vnto you I will visite you with feare swelling and a burninge feuer whiche shall consume your eyes and make your lyfe to pyne awaye Likewise in many other places there is especial mention made of the plague which god eyther threatneth vnto the disobedient or from the which he promiseth to delyuer the godly so that there is no doubt that albeit we vnderstand that euery plague is not the peculyar and proper punishment of GOD nor yet alwayes immediatelye sent of God whiche is a thinge chieflye to bee obserued and marked but sometymes commeth eyther by the course of nature as hath beene sayde beefore or through the faulte and neglygence of men yet whatsoeuer originall and beginning it hath alwayes and beefore all thinges wee must flye vnto the helpe of GOD vnto whose myghtie hand wee moste assuredly beleeue all both sicknesse and health lyfe and death to be subiect Wherefore when as it is manifest that this cause also whiche wee nowe haue in hande doth especially concerne the Magistrate according to his power to preserue his people from the daunger at hande and from the infection of sicknesse or to delyuer them from the same when it is come Fyrste of all lette them haue this care that they them selues turninge earnestly vnfeignedly vnto God proclaime vnto their subiectes vniuersally and proclaymed execute a publike repentance which is wont to be shewed by prayers made both priuatly and also in the solemn assemblie by almes and absteyning not onelye from meate and drinke but from all riot daunsing and banquetting after the example of the people of Niniuie vnto whom when as the Lorde by his Prophet threatned punishement for their sinnes the king inioyned a fast of 3. dayes not onelie vnto the men but also to the bruit beastes besides other workes of repentance that by this meanes they might reconcyle God being angrie vnto them When as Dauid had transgressed the commandement of the Lorde there was sent vpon the people so fierce a pestilence that in the space of three dayes there died 70. thousād persons With the which plague Dauid being moued confessed vnto the Lorde his sinne and by prayer obteyned at his hand that foorthwith all that affliction ceassed The like is read of king Ezechias when death was threatned vnto him yet through earnest turning vnto God and bitter weeping his life was prolonged by the space of fifteene yeeres It is also read that in the dayes of Elias when as the heauens had bin shut vp three yeeres and more and that it raigned not a drop whereupon folowed a miserable dearth of victuals that at the prayer of Elias this scarcitie was recompensed with sodaine plentie Hitherto may worthilie be referred the commendable fact of the most honorable prince D. Philip the Landgraue whose publik writing concerning this matter turned by mee into latin I haue thought good to set down as the perfect patterne of a faithful and wise Magistrate for all men to follow and thus it is in Englishe Wee woulde haue it knowen to all and singuler our subiects howe wee are giuen to vnderstande that the infectious sicknes of the plague doth sore rage rounde about in places neare vnto our dominions insomuch that it is to be feared that it will come also into our Territorie and Countrie and assault our subiectes For as much therefore as without all doubt such a Plague is a punishment for sinne wee doe
priuat singular persons our Preseruers shall haue care hereof that in tyme causing to be carryed the woode of Iuniper Oke Vines Beach Cypres Pine tree Pitch tree or also of Willowes they command great fiers to be daily made euery where in the Cities but especially where there is daunger presentlye or else shortelye lyke to be And they in a manner after lyke sorte although dislike fayth that in tymes paste the old heathen at certayne set times ordayned perfumes Waxtorches great fiers solemnly to cleanse and purg the Townes and Fyelds neere adioyning both from corruption of the ayre as I verely suppose and also from Deuilles who notwithstanding for that they are vsed vnto the fire it is likly that they are not feared nor hurt with the same Let them I pray you for GOD sake followe that moste excellent Hippocrates which with his wisdom as witnesseth Thucidides delyuered Grecia sometymes from the pestilence of Aethiopia and therfore was rewarded with a golden crowne Also Thales the Philosopher of Milesia who onely by making great fiers deliuered his country Acron from this plague Let them follow I saye rather the example of these who for their wisdome haue gotten euerlasting praise throughout the wholeworld then the barbarous and foolishe custome of those barbarous people Of the driuing away or keping at home of Dogs Cats and other tamed housholde beastes which are wonte to run vp and down Cap. 9. HAuinge in the Chapter afore goinge sette downe a waye to cleanse and purge whiche I sayde to consiste in remoouing vncleane beastes in carying awaye the dounge and filth of the streetes in filling vp or amending of ditches and pooles and finallye in cleansinge of the ayre by fiers in this place wee must see what maye according to profite and reason bee iudged and sayde of Dogges Cattes Goates and other tame beastes runninge vppe and downe Heere therefore straight waye after the beeginninge I woulde haue a lawe made by the Preseruers for eyther the driuinge awaye or killing or diligent shuttinge vp and keeping at home of such things Which truelye certaine common Wealthes doe wiselye obserue so that at certaine times of the yeere especiallye aboute the heate of the Starre called Syrius when as the Sonne entreth into the signe called y e Lyon whiche tyme they commonly call the Dogge dayes they commaund the Dogs to bee kylled the cause whereof I iudge to bee this When as the Dogge as Galen witnesseth albeit Gordonius otherwise no yll Authour thinketh him to be melancholyke is a lyuing creature very hotte and by nature cholericke and hath the holes of his hearte verye straight and narrowe at that tyme when as the heate of the ayre is moste burninge and parchinge the humours of his heart being inflamed and bloud aboue measure rysinge vppe hee easilye runneth madde wherof afterwardes ensueth great and presente daunger both to men and also vnto other beastes Nowe if the lyke maye bee sayde here not onely of Dogges but also of Cattes and other such lyke as well tame as tamed beastes Namelye that they may as well as menne take this infectious poyson of the Plague as it were a certaine madnesse and vnlesse they bee kepte at home carye it vnto others they them selues manye tymes remayning without hurt ought not the same course also to take place in this state of common infection Nay so muche the rather ought it heere to bee of force and to bee followed by how muche more the daunger ought to bee feared not onely of being touched and bytten of them as when they be madde but also of the common ayre by them infected and of powringe and bringing the infection vnto others whilest they continually runne vp and downe hither and thyther Moreouer that which is woorse then madnesse is heere to bee added for Dogs infected with the Plague as when they are sicke of other diseases or harmes they for the moste parte come home to theyr owne houses and fawne vppon and gette them neere vnto them of the house as hopinge for helpe at theyr handes or takinge as it were sanctuarye among them so that after the example of Iuda the traitour they sometyme wrappe their Maister in this daunger and beetraye him whereas madde Dogges contrariwise for the moste parte flying as well the knowne as vnknowne gette them selues into wooddye places and doe shewe them selues so open enemies that a man maye beeware of them and shunne them and doe seldome assaulte and flye vpon anye other then such as meete them or sette themselues againste them Againe such Dogges as are taken with the infection of the plague oftentimes through the vehemency of the disease hyde them selues into some secrete corner and there dye priuilye and beeinge dead beefore the matter bee knowne lye sometimes a longe season rotting and defile the ayre with infectious vapours or breaths and so not onelye alyue but also deade doe verie much hurt whiche in madde Dogges falleth not out in any such sort Lastlye if you compare together both the kindes of diseases albeit both of them doe rage with deadlye daunger yet madnesse is lesse hurtefull beecause that for the moste parte it giueth longer tyme of truce and dooth not so speedilye ouerthrow all the powers of the infected body and therefore bringeth not so swift destructiō as y e plague For the plague is so subtyll of fine pearsinge vehemente and finallye so hurtefull and enemilike an infection vnto the vitall spyrite that it canne passe through what passages of the bodye soeuer and in a fewe houres take the castle of lyfe and brynge death Which thing sith it is so if wee thinke madde Dogges to be by all meanes to bee auoyded it is much more agreeable vnto reason that Dogges infected with the plague should be auoyed But one thing peraduenture wil seeme incredyble vnto you that we haue sayde that Dogges Cattes c. doe remain somtimes vnhurte them selues of the plague and neuerthelesse to bringe it vnto others and to infecte them The reason whereof to yeelde is no harde thing For this happeneth by the disposition of the subiect or body that taketh it in whiche disposition according vnto Aristotle Galen Auicen and other singular Philosophers the bringing to passe of the thing doth chiefly consist For when as the subiecte is apte then the efficient cause albeeit neuer so weake can quickly bring forth the effect like as a smal spark of fire doth quickly fire straw or brimstone As againe when as the efficient cause is strong then also is it able to subdue the matter albeit not apt and to worke vpon it at his pleasure For albeit Brimstome doeth sooner take fire then wood and drie wood or cleft into sheuers sooner then greene or whole wood yet a burning fire or fornace setteth on flame confirmeth as well great as small as well greene as drie wood For y e vehement power of y e efficient cause as I haue
rayment and housing and trusting too much vnto his faith say if God will hee can preserue me without al these things Then the which follie this is yet greater that he which after this sorte casteth the care of his bodie and not seeke that remedie against the plague which he may may hurt and infect others also through this his negligence who peraduenture if hee had suffered himselfe to haue beene looked vnto had remained vnhurt and aliue Whereof it commeth to passe that hee getteth vnto himselfe the blame of an other man his death committeth murder vnto God Suche men doe in deede no otherwise then as if a man in a common fyring woulde not come and helpe the Citie but let the fire alone that the whole Citie might bee burned namely vppon this trust Doubtlesse if God will hee can without water quenche the fire But friende thou oughtest in no case so to deale nay it is shamefull and vnlawfull whiche thou perswadest thy selfe but rather vse remedies and medicines and doe whatsoeuer any way may helpe perfume thine house Orchard and streete flie the infected places and men infected whereas thy seruice is not required and so behaue thy selfe as one willing to quenche and not maintaine the publike flame c. For the woordes whiche followe albeit they bee spoken very finely yet at this time I purposedly passe them ouer Away therefore with this more then barbarous opinion and Cyclopical or Giant-like stubbornesse whereby many call and defame Phisicke as superfluous or an Arte only to picke mens purses as they doe all other liberall sciences yea and philosophie it selfe as a certaine sophistrie whiche thing Plato also himselfe doth for fault not of the thinges but of those persons that professe it But if any man shall say if the vse of your Phisicke bee so necessarie and diuine as you affirme wherefore then doth Syrach himselfe whome you haue cited in the place by you alleadged bydde the sicke goe vnto God and to desire health by prayer Why doth Saint Ignatius a most godly bishop and martyr call onely Christe the bodily spirituall Phisition and in death also I say not in sicknesse the true life But I will also my selfe giue the aduersaries a weapon which with mee is of no small force when as I departed out of Italie Sebastianus Laudus a singuler man the Reader of Phisicke at Padway and my master whom for honour sake I name for a perpetuall remembrance of his faithfulnesse towards me wrote with his owne hand in my booke Remember that only God doth cure diseases If then only God what neede is there of others Doth God want seruants for to help him If Christ be the only Phisition whiche taketh away our griefes as the Prophet is witnes and as he himselfe hath testified by so many exeamples in the new Testament whom shal we need besides For surely that is done in vaine by more which may be done by the fewer And of this iudgement ther are also many found among the Christians not vnlike vnto the old heretikes called Euchitae But I answere that albeit God needeth not the helpe of any but rather is the only Phisition aswel of the bodie as soule and y t we do confesse al health to depend on him to be to be craued at his hand yet nothing letteth but that the Lord and master may cōmit many things vnto his seruants do by their hands what he wil like as euery work man vseth tooles vnto whom notwithstanding the praise of the worke done properly is neither due nor ascribed And I saide before y e God will be asked of vs and without meanes manie tymes will giue nothing vnto vs y t which meanes he hath made for this end that we should vse them vnto our profit like as Christe himselfe and holy men of God when as they could obteine them for otherwise the grace and power of God is not tyed vnto them vsed them and were wont to vse them Wherefore when as these say that God only cureth diseases it is to be referred vnto the chiefe cause which is God not vnto the instrumental cause as are men And Syrach when as in the beginning hee had commended the instrumentes themselues and meanes as it were diuine and healthfull meanes least happily any man trusting vnto these shoulde cleaue vnto them as the principall and chiefe causes and shoulde forget God in the end of the Chapter as it were in the vse of these things hee doeth admonishe vs that wee haue GOD before our eyes in our whole worke that wee plye him with praier and request prosperous successe at his hande As if hee shoulde say Phisicke in deede is a diuine and excellent thing but without the power and grace of God which power is obteined by onely prayer it bringeth foorth no happie successe Whiche was no doubt the meaning also of Herophilus albeit a prophane and Heathen Phisition when as hee saith That Phisick is both nothing and againe that it is the hande of God nothing I say as I vnderstande it of it selfe and the hande of God ioyned with the grace and power of God and vsed in season and rightly Then the which in mine opinion nothing can bee spoken more truely and Christianly And the selfe same may wee say if it bee lawfull to compare great thinges with small of those meanes whiche are set foorth vnto vs vnto the health of the soule by Christe as these are for the halth of the body Although some which thinke they can cunninglye blinde the eyes of wise men or steale fire from Iupiter out of heauē are wont greatly and wickedly to extenuate or lessen the dignitie of these also when as with much a doe they can alleadge nothing but the abuse and faultes of the receiuers and doe only bewray the stinck of the Astrodutiorian and Messalian heretikes But least any man might thinke that I serue mine owne turne whilest hee heareth mee so diligently pleading for Phisick I will not pursue any further the commendation of a thing sufficiently praysed of it selfe but will ioyne yet one article more vnto this present Chapter very necessarie in my iudgement in this cause For a man may aske a question because that so earnestly diligently I perswade all companying w t the infected with y e Plague to be to be auoided how I thinke those poore women to be to be dealt w tal who in these infected houses either in health or sicknes fal in trauaile which thing to haue happened vnto many the which for the most part haue dyed I my selfe can be a liue witnesse Ought they to bee forsaken of the neighbours What like vncurtesie in the memorie of man hath there beene harde of Here is need of a dubble answere First if any women mooued not with rashnesse but Christian charitie and loue the which assuredly wee owe one to an other will come let this be
appoyntment all thinges vse to be well gouerned are on the suddaine taken away euen so it fareth here where no lesse slaughter nay some tymes also a greater happeneth not onely the common Citizens but also sometimes those in whose hand lieth the authority of ordering this pollicy which we describe and set out are vnlooked for pulled away and together with the ruler of the sterne is the sterne lost also The which case to preuent and meete withal in time this our order and platforme such as it is was taken in hand and set forth for Whether it bee lawfull for Christians in the time of the Plague to flie and to leaue their Citie with a safe conscience Cap. 3. NOw albeit I may seeme alreadie to haue spoken muche in this matter of the seuering of the infected yet because of the affinitie or kinred of the cause and diuersity of opinions I will ioyne hereunto a very commō question disputed not only by the Diuines but also by the learned and Christian Phisitions namely whether in the time of the Plague it bee lawfull for a man for a season to forsake his Citie and to flie with a good conscience Of the which matter because there are sundrie opinions I will briefly plainely rehearse the reasons on both sides and in the ende also will set down my iudgement which shalbe a meane betweene both gathered out of the foūdations grounds of the parties at variance The former therefore say that wee reade not of any of the Saints holy men which feared not death and therefore that they feared reason 1 sicknesse also chiefly so deadly a sicknes and that if they coulde they would haue fled reason 2 by all likelihood Nay that it is vsuall vnto vs by natures lawe not learned by the teaching of men to feare death For y e Apostle saith That no man euer hated his own flesh but rather to nourish cherish by all means to maintaine and preserue the same Abraham say they for feare of death called his wife Sara by the name of sister and had rather to make a lie thē to come in dāger of his life Iacob fled into Mesopotamia that he might not fall into the handes of his brother Esau The same doth Dauid whilest he flyeth from king Saul and his own sonne Absolom Elias otherwise a most bold man and who with his owne hande had slaine the Prophetes of Baal but a little before yet feared with the threatnings of Iesabel the Queene conueighed himselfe a side into the wildernes Moses when as he was sought after by the king of the Aegyptians fled into Midia Therefore say they it is not onely lawful to flie death but other also the whips of God beeing angrie as hunger tyraunts burnings ouerflowinges of waters colde heate captiuitie wilde beastes to be shorte all kindes of diseases agues disenteries vncleannesse the Leprie the french pockes c. Which things sithence they are so it shall be muche more lawfull to flie the plague and reason 3 death Furthermore all men are not indued with equal strength either of body or minde they say therefore that it were not iust to require the same thinges at the hands of all Strong faith drinketh poison without hurt wherewith a sucking or young faith woulde die Peter beeing bold and hauing trust walked reason 4 in the Sea without harme the same a little after doubting began to bee drowned And Christe will not haue the weake to bee despised Moreouer it is euident by the doctrine of all Phisitions that such is the nature of infection that going from one subiect and body into another that is next and fittest to receiue it by due and conuenient distance it doth infect and corrupt the same for two thinges are required that there may bee an impression or printing and marking namely aptnesse of the subiect and neerenesse Therefore when as it is manifest by their owne iudgement and also daily experience that the plague is a most infectious disease as which is wont to bee taken by the drawing in of the corrupted and poysoned ayre they in deede giue counsaile that it be shunned so much as may bee and amongest all kinde of counsailes they confesse that none is better then is speedy flying away long tarrying foorth and slowe returning again For there is no way more commodious to auoide the infected ayre none more safe when as the ayre must alwayes bee drawen yea euen against our willes and it is drawē such as it is And they say that the same remedie is with so much the more speede to be vsed by howe muche the euill is more hurtfull and present That we ought to flie the further to the end a more healthie ayre may be found Finally that wee must returne the more slowly that wee may bee the more sure of the cleansing of the corrupted ayre Heereupon they think in time of the plague these three aduerbes quickly farre slowly to bring more ayd safe remedie then 3. of the beste furnished Apothecaries shops For the plague as Galē vnto Piso is autor with an airie bodie is as it were a certaine dragon no commō dragon but such a one who when as he is not seene with the eyes doth priuily and by stealth lying as it were in ambushment euery where breath out his poyson vpon men and no common poyson but suche as increasing moste speedily may in a very short time deuour the whole body of the common wealth For the yll qualitie of the ayre saith Galen is made a readie change vnto corruption and when as men through the necessitie of breathing cannot auoid danger they doe by the mouth drawe vnto them the ayre it selfe as a certain poyson Wherefore the same Galen calleth and praiseth Hypocrates as a man many wayes wonderfull for that no otherwise then by the changing of the ayre hee cured that Plague which out of Aethyopia had assaulted the Greekes For when as he had commaunded a fire to bee made throughout the whole Citie of Athens hee cast into it not only a bare heape of wood but flowers garlands of most sweet sauour also most fat smelling ointments that the men might draw in vnto themselues the ayre thus purged as an ayd and helpe for them Lastly say reason 5 they doe wee not with great admiration and wonder see sometimes a great familie to dye one after another out of the whiche if any by the counsaile of the Phisitions flie in time they remaine alwayes for the most part in safetie How fewe also of those die which depart out of infected Cities we our selues daylie see so that in this case they reason 6 thinke that saying of Demosthenes to haue place the man that runneth away will fight againe Now if it be vnlawful and sin to shunne such places or by going aside to leaue thē then to liue also the which notwithstanding is a singuler gift of God
which stinck moreouer is not a little increased with the breath of sundry men and maye doe verie muche hurte to tender and weake natures and such as are not vsed to it Agayne none out of the infected and corrupted houses must bee suffered to accompanie the corse albeit custome require it neuer so muche likewise as wee haue before appoynted these thinges to bee diligentlie obserued The same is to bee iudged of heapes of children that are schollers who in some places are woont to be and sing at burials For they are alwayes in more daunger of taking the infected ayer by reason of their tendernesse of age and vnwary kynde of dyet All whiche thinges that they may by one way bee auoyded I leane vnto this opinion whereas I haue saide before also that all multitude of people is to bee shunned that this custome bee so long broken of vntill the publike sickenesse cease and asswage it selfe For the ceremonie is not so much to bee regarded that for it sake wee shoulde indaunger our health For ceremonies ought to serue vs and not we ceremonies And we haue byn long sithence perswaded that what soeuer of these thinges is done that it is not done for the helpe of the dead as our Auncetors haue fōdly beleeued but for the comfort of them that be aliue as S. Augustine speaketh in another place namely whilest they see that euen after death there shall some regarde be had of them and that there is hope of another life which may comfort in vs this sorowful departing But if any wil pretend and alleadge the duety of charitie the whiche by this meanes may seeme to be diminished and as it were withdrawen from the poorer sort they shal easily be pacified when as they shall see the same order to be obserued in all As for such as moued with a singuler zeale shall more earnestly vrge and cal for this olde custome in them their zeale is to be praysed but knowledge is to be required They must be instructed therefore that they may learne in what thinges the duetyes of sincere godlinesse and chastity doe consist That the true honour true burial customes is the praise of vertues and remembraunce of valiaunt deedes done the which albeit it be lawfull in deed to solemnize with outward shewes yet is it not alwaies expedient To be short that the publike health is more to bee regarded thē zeale of a few priuate persons that I say not the will of superstitious men not rightly instructed for too hot zeale and ioyned w t ignorance is superstition And these thinges as we haue saide the Preseruers must commaund diligently to be kept whereunto also they shall adde this that neither the chesting of them nor the carying of them foorth to their graue be done eyther too slowly or too hastily For the one may bring danger of increasing the infectiō to wit by carrying of ill vapours or reekes frō the rottē carkasse somtimes also intollerable sauours and doth greatly hurt the hole the other hath sometimes beene hurtfull vnto them that haue been thought to bee dead but were not yet dead in deede We know saith Alex. Benedictus some to haue been drawne to their graue by the handes of the buriers half aliue others of the Nobles to haue been put into their sepulchres whose life as yet lay hid in the corners of the hart One of the noble matrones so buried namely at Venice a little while after was seene dead who notwithstanding sitting vp and remoued from her place among the dead carkasses had reuiued whereof her torne haire and brest rent with her nailes were a great token Alas howe often beeing aliue among the dead did shee call vppon the goddes in vaine The same hath been tolde mee of a certaine other the whiche beeing great with childe at Padway and thoughte to bee dead and buried a little while after in the very sepulchre brought foorth aliue two twinnes who w t their crying admonishing the keepers of the Churche in the night of their miserable case together with their mother were deliuered from the daunger And least any man shoulde maruaile that they coulde remaine aliue who coulde not choose but be choked by reason of being kept from drawing of the ayre let him know that it is the manner of the Italians that worshipful houses haue peculiar places in the churches to wit large cellars and vauted in the which they lay their dead put in no coffins nor couered with earth The like in maner is manifest that by y e testimonie of a publike table painted and hanged vp at the Church of the Apostles concerning a certaine woman of Coloine who albeit shee were chested and couered with earth yet deliuered by chaunce and returning vnto her husband liued with him a long time after For when as hee which buried her minded in the night time by digging vp the graue to fetch away a ring which was left vpon her finger being buried with that stirring and pulling her poore soule beeing raised vp againe whiche was thought to haue beene departed from her body whereas it was but only in a sowne reuiued Last of all at Tholossa in Aquitania I knewe a poore fellowe who being buried after the same sort but beeing neither put in a coffin nor couered with earth returned againe vnto life which falsly hee was thought to haue lost when as hee was rather taken in a long traunce at that time when as many dyed daylie of y e plague What shall I say more It is no easie matter among so many dangerous great euils not to commit some folly ouersight Wherefore wee must deale both wisely and courteously least whilest wee goe about to saue the life of the one wee rashly betray the life of the other Of a Church yarde to bee placed without the Citie and of the manner of building of the same Chap. 5. THere remaineth that we speake something also of the place of buriall the which in respect of y e rest wherein we waite for life euerlasting with God his blessed Angels or bodies being laid in the earth is called a sleep Chamber or as we vsually speake a church yard of the which when as it is the opinion of all Phisitions in a manner that there doe arise from thence infectious and corrupt exhalations or reekes whiche doe infect the ayre and wonderfully increase corruption insomuch y t also in the keeping of a healthfull diet they would haue mens houses to be farre from church yards this care also must be taken in hand by y e Preseruers of health that laying their heads and purses together they builde church yardes in a place most fit for that purpose without the Citie Whiche thing besides the profit shall not a litle make also for the publike decencie comelines the keeping back of profaning and abusing the same farre vnbeseeming christian Cities vntollerable as it is eloquently grauely some
where written by Martyn Luther whose words because I haue iudged thē meet to be set down in this place I haue thought good thus to translate First of all saith he I leaue this to be discussed by the iudgemēts of phisitions who vnderstand this matter better then I whether it be done without danger to haue Church yardes within the walles of Cities or no. For truly I cannot tell whether any vapour bee drawen out of graues which may infect the ayre Whiche thing if it bee so that shal be cause sufficient that they be builded without the territorie of the cities For wee haue said a little before that all men at all handes are bound to resist infection when as God himselfe hath cōmaunded vs to haue care of our bodie and life and when as he biddeth not the contrarie to take heede vnto ourselues from perilles againe with a stoute courage to despise daungers when as the case so requireth so that wee may seeme readie vnto him alone both to liue and also for to die For no man liueth vnto himself neither doth any man die vnto himselfe as Saint Paule speaketh in his Epistle vnto the Romanes And this I am assured of that among the olde as well Iewes as Gentiles as well godly as vngodly this was the custome to haue their burials and graues without the Citie who notwithstanding were no lesse wittie nor wise then wee That whiche I haue said the Gospel of Luke doth shew when as Christe before the Citie Naim raised from death the sonne of the widdowe For the text saith that he was carried without the Citie to be buried and that many followed him So that there is no doubt euē by the vsage of this one place that those men had their burials without the walles of the Citie as also it is euident that the sepulchre of Christe himselfe was without the Citie Hierusalem Abraham bought himselfe a peculiar place in the fielde Ephron where all the fathers vsed to be buried whereupon also the Latine worde hath his originall that the dead are saide to be carried out that is to bee carryed out of the towne or Citie which we call to be carried to burying Albeit some nations vsed also to burne the dead carkasses and bring them to ashes that there shoulde nothing remaine that might infect the ayre This therfore shalbe my counsaile that folowing the examples of these we builde our Church yardes also without the citie And verily as ours of Witeberg is placed not only necessitie but also honestie and godlinesse ought worthilie to admonish vs nay to force vs that another should be builded without For it is altogether beseeming that such a place should be reuerend in a quiet roome aside from the high way as in the whiche a man might bee with some religion and deuoutnesse to thinke vppon death the resurrection and last iudgement and to pray The place I say ought to bee honorable holy that no mā shold enter into it without fear reuerēce whē as it is to be beleeued that there are not wāting there many of the saints elect of god As for ours it is any thing rather then a sleepe chamber or church yard nay it is almost nothing els thē 4. or 5. common streetes and 2. or 3. maket places so y t in a maner there is no place of the citie more trodē more vnquiet Ouer this aswell Cattaile as men doe course day and night Into this euery mā hath either a gate open into his house or els a way made in this all thinges are done and oftentimes some such thing as ought not to bee named Heereof it commeth that all reuerence and honour towardes the monuments whiche are there placed is key cold neither are they any more esteemed then some vile Golgotha into the whiche the carkasses of bruite beastes are cast aside so farre that the very Turke doeth not suffer his Church yardes so vnreuerently to bee prophaned as wee in name Christians when as it were meet as I said before in this place for vs to renue the memory of true godlinesse of death of the resurrection to thinke vpon the liues of holy men that lie buried heere and to giue honour vnto their ghostes Nowe howe can these thinges bee doone conueniently in a place lying so open and common vnto euery bodie Truly for mine owne part if there be any honour at all to bee sought in buriall of mine I had as leeue bee buried in the Riuer Albis or in a wood as in such a Church yarde But if it were in an other place seuerally without the citie whereunto there were no common entrāce or passage through for euery body then doubtlesse it would seeme a thing religious honourable to behold and holy which might stirre vp the commers thither vnto the studye of godlynesse And this my iudgement he that lyst may folow If there be any better thing reuealed vnto an other let him vse his own iudgement I am not Lorde ouer any man Thus farre the opinion and mind of Luther the whiche I haue laboured to interpret and translate not so eligantly as faithfully and plainely when as it seemeth a matter of great weight of which we intreate and that of greater weight then commonly it is supposed to be For albeit it be reported of certaine people that they vse euery man in his owne house to keepe their dead put in Coffins like as wee in a manner as fondly bury in Churches such as many tymes are not worthy of the high way yet that is too barbarous and vnlesse they bee well dressed with manye precious things vntolerable Now concerning the situation and manner of buylding it shall bee more agreeable vnto reason that it be lying more towarde the North then the South and that it be set rather in a high and dry place then in a low and wette place For as it hath beene sayde before when as there aryseth alwayes out of Church-yardes aboundance of infectious exhalations and breathes and corrupteth the ayre the situation lownes and moystnes of the ground may not a litle increase this inconuenience which they witnesse who sometimes white linnen cloathes there For manye times they finde that they gather an vnpleasaunt smell from out such places by which meanes it likewise happeneth that often in low and foggy places kitchins vallies there appeareth a certaine fier gentlye touching without any hurt the haire or garmens as Virgil writeth of the childe Ascanius and Titus Liuius of Seruius Tull. For this commeth of a certaine fat moystnes or clammy fatnes which is there more plenteous whereof aryseth somwhat a thick exhalation or fogge but yet not so hotte that it can get vp vnto the highest regiō of the aire much lesse that it can get aboue it Wherfore by reason of the coldnes of y e place it is dryuen down and either through the rubbing of it self hard together or by