all new for fear least the danger which may ensue thereby do put you to a far greater charge and grief all these aforesaid things are most dangerous and may cause a generall infection to the destroying of a whole City and therefore I do wish that great care be had thereof CHAP. XII Doth shew what you must do when you go to visit the sick FIrst before you enter into the house command that a great fire be made in the chamber where the sick lieth and that some odoriferous perfume be burnt in the midest of the chamber and before you go to him eat some cordiall preservative and smother your clothes with some sweet perfume then wet your temples eares nose and mouth with Rose-water and Vinegar mixt together then take in your mouth a peice of the root of Angelica the rind of a sower Citron or a Clove prepared as before is shewed and have some Nosegay Nodule or Pomander appropriate in your hand which you must alwaies smell unto so may you the more bouldlier perform your intent but herewith all you must have a speciall care that during the time you are with the sick you stand not betwixt the sick body and the fire for that is dangerous because that the fire of his nature draweth all vapors unto it self but keep you alwaies on the contrary side so that the sick may be betwixt you and the fire and for such as are to let any sick infected body to bleed it were good they did cause the keeper of the sick body to lay open that arme or legg which is to be let bloud before he approach near the reason is for that most commonly all that are sick in this contagious disease are for the most part in a sweat and therefore suddenly to receive the breath thereof would be very dangerous Now when you have been with any one so infected before you go into the company of any whole and sound people it were necessary you do stand by a good fire having all the clothes about you which you did wear when you were with the sick and then turn and aire your selfe well thereby so shall you be sure the lesse to endanger others by your company Thus have I as breefly as I can devise set down all the ordinary meanes which my self have used and by others known to be used for preserving you from this contagious and dangerous disease which in the most part of people will suffice but for such as dwell whereas they may have the counsell of a learned Physitian I do wish them to take his advice especially for purging and letting bloud because none can so exactly set down in writing the perfect course thereof which may be understood rightly of the common sort so well as he which hath the sight of the body for that many bodies are oftentimes troubled with some one humour abounding more then another which here to treat of would be too tedious neither can it profit the common people for whose sakes I have taken this paines and now will I shew the signes to know when one is infected therewith as also which are the laudable signes and which are the contrary and lastly the meanes by God his assistance how for to cure the same CHAP. XIII Sheweth the signes of infection THe signes and tokens hereof are divers as first it is perceived by the suddain weaknesse loosing and overthrowing of our naturall strength without any manifest cause thereof going before and sometimes it doth begin with a gnawing and biting in the mouth of the stomack the pulse will grow weak feeble and unequall with a great streightnesse and heavinesse about the heart as if some heavie burthen or weight were layd thereon with shortness of breathing vomiting or at least a great desire to vomit great pain in the head insatiable thirst proceeding of their great interior heat sluggishnes and universal faintness of all the body with a great desire to sleep and an astonishment of the mind and vitall spirits and for the most part they complain of a great paine which is felt in some one place or places of their bodies where the botch or blain is by nature intended to be thrust forth yet some at the first have them appearing and for the most part they are taken at the first with a sharp and rigorous feaver Good signes When the botch or Carbunkle cometh out in the beginning of the sicknesse with a red colour and yellowish round about it and that it doth quickly come to maturation the feaver to cease and the party findeth himself eased of his grief and quickned in his spirits these are good and laudable signes of recovery Evill signes When the botch at the first commeth out blackish or black in colour also when the botch is opened the flesh within doth look blew and that then there appear not any matter or quitture in the wound but as it were a spume or froth issuing out thereof are ill and deadly signes When the botch waxeth so hard that by no means it will come to suppuration but resisteth whatsoever is done unto it for the furthering thereof and so returneth in againe into the inward parts suddenly is a token of sudden death at hand and so it is if either before or after it is broken it look of a blewish colour or of divers colours like the Rainbow round about it When the Carbunckle or Blain doth suddenly dry up as if it were scorcht with the fire and that the place round about it doth shew to be of a wannish blew colour is a deadly sign if in the skin appear green or black spots the excrements of divers colours with worms in it either dead or living having a vile stinking savour and spitteth stinking and bloudy matter doth betoken death When the sick complaines of great and extream heat in the inward parts and yet cold outwardly the eyes staring or weeping the face terrible the said excrements or urin passing away and the party not knowing thereof are evill signes When in the fourth or seventh day they are taken with a frensie or do fall into an extream bleeding at nose or have a great flux with a continuall vomiting or a desire to vomit and do it not extream pain at the heart watchfullness and the strength clean gone are deadly signes When the party being very sick yet saith he feeleth himself well his eyes sunk deep in his head and full of tears when he thinks all things do stink his nailes looking blew the nose sharp and as it were crooked the breath thick and short with a cold sweat in the brest and face and turning and playing with the clothes the pulse creeping or scarcely to be felt and greivous unto him to speak these are infallible signes of death at hand Some before any of these signes are perceived do dy and some likewise which have divers of them appearing and yet do escape such is the uncertainty of this disease there are
1. c. Half of any thing thus ss A Pound or Pint thus lib. 1. Twenty Graines make a Scruple Three Scruples make a Drachm Eight Drachms make an Ounce Twelve Ounces a Physick Pound Ana. is of either of them so much P. ae is equall parts or parts alike S. a. Secundum Artem according to Art So much as shall suffice is marked thus q. s A defensative against the Plague The first Treatise CHAP. I. What the Plague is THe antient Phisitians in times past have greatly doubted what the essentiall cause of this disease which we commonly call the Plague or Pestilence should be yet all doe agree that it is a pernitious and contagious Fever and reckoned to be one of the number of those which are called Epidemia chiefly proceeding of adusted and melancholy bloud which may be easily perceived by the extream heat and inflammation which inwardly they doe feel that are infected therewith first assaulting the heart and astonishing the vitall spirits as also by the exteriour Carbunkles and botches which it produceth whose malignity is such both in young and old rich and poor noble and ignoble that using all the meanes which by Art can or may be devised yet in some it will in no sort give place untill it hath by death conquered the party infected therewith CHAP. II. Cause of the Plague THere are divers causes whereof this disease may proceed as sundry Writers doe alledge as by over great and unnaturall heat and drought by great rain and inundations of waters or by great store of rotten and stinking bodies both of men and beasts lying upon the face of the earth unburied as in the time of warres hath been seen which doth so corrupt the air as that thereby our Corn Fruits Hearbs and Waters which we daily use for our food and sustenance are infected also it may come by some stinking dunghils filthy and standing pooles of water and unsavory smels which are near the places where we dwell or by thrusting a great company of people into a close narrow or streight room as most commonly we see in Ships common Gaoles and in narrow and close lanes and streets where many people doe dwell together and the places not orderly kept clean and sweet But most commonly in this our time it is dispersed amongst us by accompanying our selves with such as either have or lately have had the disease themselves or at least have been conversant with such as have been infected therewith But for the most part it doth come by receiving into our custody some clothes or such like things that have been used about some infected body wherein the infection may lie hidden a long time as hath been too too often experimented with repentance too late in many places It may also come by Dogs Cats Pigs and Weasels which are prone and apt to receive and carry the infection from place to place But howsoever it doth come let us assure our selves that it is a just punishment of God laid upon us for our manifold sins and transgressions against his divine Majesty for as Seneca saith Quicquid patimur ab alto venit What crosses or afflictions soever we suffer it cometh from the Lord either for a triall of our faith or a punishment for our sins Wherefore to distinguish any farther thereof I think it needlesse for my intent is in brief sort so exactly as I can to shew the meanes how to prevent the same as also how to cure it when we are infected But before I enter to treat thereof I think it not amisse to shew what forewarnings and tokens are given us before hand of the coming thereof thereby the better to prevent the same by prayer and repentance CHAP. III. Warnings of the Plague to come AVicen a noble Physitian saith that when wee see the naturall course of the ayre and seasons of the year to be altered as when the spring time is cold clowdy and dry the harvest time stormy and tempestuous the mornings and evenings to be very cold and at noon extream hot these do foreshew the Plague to come Also when we see fiery impressions in the firmament especially in the end of summer as comets and such like and that in the begining of harvest we see great store of little frogs red toades and myse on the earth abounding extraordinarily or when in summer we see great store of toades creeping on the earth having long tailes of an ashy color on their backs and their bellies spotted and of divers colours and when we see great store of gnats swiming on the waters or flying in great companies together or when our trees and hearbs do abound with Caterpillars Spiders Moaths c. which devoure the leaves on the trees and hearbs on the earth it sheweth the ayre to be corrupt and the Plague shortly after to follow Also by the beasts of the field we may perceive it especially sheep which will go mourning with their heads hanging down towards the ground and divers of them dying without any manifest cause known unto us Also when we see young Children flock themselves together in companies and then will faine some one of their company to be dead amongs them and so will solemnize the buriall in a mournfull sort this is a token which hath been well observed in our age to foreshew great mortality at hand Also when we see rivers of water to overflow without any manifest cause or suddenly vanish away and become dry And when clear well-springs do suddenly become foule and troubled Also when the small-Pox doth generally abound both in young and old people all these do foreshew the Plague to come CHAP. IIII. Sheweth how to prevent the Plague THere are three principall meanes how to prevent this contagious disease The first and chiefest is to acknowledge our manifold sins and wickedness unto almighty God our heavenly Father with a hearty repentance and amendment of our former sins committed against his divine majestie The second means is to fly far off from the place infected and as Rondoletius saith not over hastily to return thither again for fear of an after-clap which saying is confirmed by Valetius in these words Non enim morietur in bello qui non est in illo and the farther from it the safer shall we be yet were it a very uncharitable course that all which are of abillity should do so for then how should the poor be relieved and good orders observed but for Children it were best to send them far off from the place because their bodies are most apt to receive the infection as also for that they cannot so continually use antidots and preservatives which by their great heat may indanger them almost so much as the disease it self The third meanes consisteth chiefly in three points which are these Order Diet and Physicall helps For the first you shall have a care that your houses be kept clean and sweet not suffering any foule and filthy clothes or
stinking things to remain in or about the same and in summer season to deck your windowes and strow your floors with sweet and wholsom hearbs floures and leaves of Mints Balme Penniroyall Lavender Time Majoram red-Roses Carnations Gelliflowers and such like for your windowes your floors to be strowed with green Rushes and Mints Oaken and Willow leaves Vine leaves and such like your windowes which stand towards the North and East do you alwaies keep open in the day time if the ayre be clear and that no infected and unsavory smell be near the same as Fogs dunghils c. and every morning before you open either your doors or windowes as also in the evening when you go to bed cause a good fire to be made in your Chamber and burn some odoriferous or sweet perfumes in the middest thereof as hereafter I will shew you or in stead thereof some Juniper Frankincense Bay leaves Rosemary Lavender Majoram or such like which you must alwaies have dried in a readinesse and so in the fume or smoke thereof to breath and perfume the clothes which you are to weare A good perfume in summer season â„ž Rose water and Vinegar of either six spoonfulls Rinds of sower Citrons and Lemons Bay-leaves of either the weight of two pence which is ℈ i. Camphire the weight of three pence which is 3. ss The hearbs and rinds must be dried and put alltogether in a perfuming pan or instead thereof a peuter dish set on a chafer of coles will serve the turn Another good perfume in winter â„ž Red-Roses Majoram and Myrtles of either a little handfull Callamint Juniper berries Iâ—audanum Benjamin Frankincense of either Ê’ i. which is the weight of seven pence The hearbs berries and Roses being dried must be made in grosse powder as also the gumms and so mixed together and when yee list cast some part there of on a chafer of coales and receive the fume thereof CHAP. V. NOw having received the fume as aforesaid before you go forth of your chamber eat some Cordial electuary or preservative as hereafter you shall find choise which I have alwais used with good and happy success after taking of the Cordial wash your face and hands with clean water wherein you must put a little Vinegar and then if you list you may break your fast with some good bread and butter and in winter season a potch'd Egg is good eaten with some Vinegar and for plethorick and melanchole bodies it were good to drink a draught of wormewood wine in the morning fasting because it resisteth putrefaction in the plethorick and purgeth bilous matter in the melancholie An excellent good preservative which I have alwaies used with good successe â„ž Conserve of Roses and Borrage floures of either two ounces Minardus Mithridate Andromachus triacle of either half an ounce Dioscordium two drachms Dialkermes one drachme Powder of the seed of Citrons pilled one drachme Sirrup of Lemons and sower Citrons of either halfe an ounce Compound all these together in the form of an opiat you may eat hereof every morning the quantity of three beanes and drink a draught of Rennish wine Beer or Ale after it but for Children and such as are of tender years so much as a bean thereof is sufficient and give them onely Beer or Ale after it the taking hereof every second or third day will suffice if you go not into any suspected company Another excellent good preservative â„ž Kernils of Wallnuts and Figs of either four ounces Leaves of Rue one ounce and half Tormentill roots four drachms Rind of sowr Citrons one drachme right Bolarmoniak six drachms fine Myrrh two scruples Saffron one scruple Salt half a drachm Sirrup of Citrons and Lemons four ounces The hearbs roots and rinds must be dried the nuts must be blanched and the bolarmoniack must be made in fine powder and then wash'd in the water of Scabios and dried againe you must pound the figgs and wallnuts in a stone morter severally by themselves very small all the rest must be made in fine powder and so mix them altogether in the morter and then add thereto sirrup by little and little and so incorporate them altogether you may give this in the same quantity and in like sort as the other before Another very good â„ž Of the confection aforesaid made with Nutts â„¥ iiii Minardus mithridate four drachms Andromachus Triacle Ê’ ii fine terra Sigillata four scruples Sirrup of Limons â„¥ i. Compound all these together in the morter as the other before you may give hereof the weight of a groat or six pence every second or third day and drink a draught of Rennish or white wine after it in Winter season but in the heat of the yeer Sorrel water is best and in the Spring Scabios or Carduus Benedictus water Also so much Triacle of Andromachus description eaten every morning as a bean with a little conserve of Roses is a very excellent good preservative Valetius doth greatly commend the taking of three or four grains of the Bezar stone every morning in a spoonfull of Scabios water I cannot here sufficiently commend the Electuarie called Dioscordium which is not onely good to resist the infection but doth also expell the venemous matter of those which are infected being taken every morning and evening the quantity of a bean and drinke a draught of Rennish or White wine after it in winter season but in Summer a draught of Beer or Ale is best In strong and rusticall bodies and such as are dayly labourers Garlick onely eaten in the morning with some Butter and Salt at breakfast drinking a cup of beer or ale after it hath been found to be very good which is greatly commended by Galen who calleth it the poor mans Triacle but in the sanguine daintie and idle bodies it may not be used because it over-heateth the bloud causeth head-ach and universally inflameth the whole body CHAP. VI. NOw when you have taken any of the foresaid Preservatives it were good and necessary to wear upon the Region of the heart some sweet Bag or quilt that hath power to resist venome and also to carry in your hand some sweet Pomander Nodule or Nosegay that will comfort the heart resist venom and recreate the vitall spirits as here following is specified and set down An excellent quilt or Bag. â„ž Arsenike cristaline â„¥ i. Diamargaritum frigidum ℈ ii Diambrae ℈ i. You must grinde the Arsenike in small powder and then with some of the infusion of Gum Dragagant in Rose water you must make a paste then spread it on a cloth which must be six inches long and five inches broad and spread it thick then cover it with another cloth and so quilt it together which being done fasten it in another bag of crimson taffetie or Sarsenet and so wear it against the heart all the day time but at night leave it off and here you must take heed that when you sweat you doe take