The Gouernance and preseruation of them that feare the Plage Set forth by Iohn Vandernote Phisicion and Surgion admitted by the Kynge his highnesse Now newly set forth at the request of William Barnard of London Draper 1569. JMPRINTED at London by Wyllyam How for Abraham Veale in Paules churchyeard at the signe of the Lambe The preface TO THE honour of Almightie GOD and profite of al Christen people and to maintein health in the hole bodies and to remedie them that are corrupt and infect with the infections of the Pestilence I Iohn Vandernote Phisicion and Surgeon admitted by the Kinge his highnes and sworne vnto my Lord of Suffolke his grace now abiding at the late graye Friers in London doo thinke it mete to wright certain thinges cōcerning the pestilence aswell drawne out of diuers autentique doctors and experimenters as of myne owne experience being conuersaunt and a mynister vnder God in the said infection in Rome Italy Lomberdy Napels Poelles and Iowe countries by the space of many yeares And because gentle Reader that the great and long sermons and prolixite of sentences ar often occasion of tediousnes and smal frutefulnes to the Reader because so many circumstances ar comprised in one matter wherfore gentle reader I thought it mete and expedient briefly without any ambiguite to wright chiefly the most substance and effect of this pestiferous disease and to declare it shortly to thintent it may be borne by hart away of them that shall haue nede of it as I pray God no person after this haue as graunt vs the holy Trinite The contentes of this booke are these ¶ The fyrste Of the Pronostication of the Pestilence The seconde Of the causes whereof the plage dooeth engendre and come The thirde Of the remedies against the Pestilence The fourth Of the comfortinge and strengthning of the herte and other the spirituall partes The fyfte Of the Fleobothomie or letting of bloud in the time of Pestilence The sixte Of meates drinkes sawces to be vsed in the time of the Pestilence ¶ The tokens and Sygnes which dooe Pronostyque the Plage or Pestilence to come are seuen i. The fyrst token is when the day in somer often dooeth chaunge as in the morning inclinyng to rayne after to darkenes and after to winde specially windes commynge fourth of the Southe ij The seconde when the daies in somer are darke and like often to rayne and doo not rayne iij. The thirde when vpon the grounde are many Flies fliynge nere the grounde that is a token that the ayre is corrupte iiij The fourth when y e starres are like ofte to fall or slippe this is a token that the ayre is inflamed and full of venimous vapours v. The fifte when there doth appere in the ayre a Comete or a slidyng Starre as Aristotle saieth in Mytauris It signifieth greate warre sheddinge of bloud and the death of a greate multitude of people the destruction of many Townes drownynge of shippes thorow greate tempestes of the Sea And the darkenesse of the Sunne signifieth chaunging of Regions And that the common people shall haue dearth and Pestilence vi The sixte figure is when it dooeth often lighten and thundre and specially when it commeth out of the South vij The seuenth when many windes blowe or come forth of the South for they corrupt the ayre When these for sayde signes doo appere then it is to be feared of a greate Plage or Pestilence for to come without the greate mercy of almightie God doo it withstande ¶ The cause of the Pestilence ¶ The cause of Pestilence are three maners i. Sometimes it doeth ingender thorow y e vapors and corruptions vpon the earth ii Sometimes it doth ingender thorow the vapors and corruption of the Skie and Elementes or bodies aboue iii. Sometimes it doth ingender throw the mixting of them bothe i. The plage is somtime ingendered thorowe the vapours and corruptions coming of the earth as we doo dayly se out of Priues Dikes filthy Canels standinge muddy waters being neare y e place where the people doth rest and sleape a nightes thorow this the ayre becometh infect in hir substance and qualitie and that onely in some places And this particuler corruption commeth euery day And thorow the same commeth often Pestilente Feuers whiche often doo deceyue the Physicion which doo not take them for to be the feuer pestilenticall The Plage or Pestilence commeth likewise sometimes thorow the stinke of deade bodies aswell of mankinde as of beastes Also it cōmeth thorow standing Mudde stinking Pooles and waters and this dooeth corrupt the ayre and this pestilence is somtimes vniuersall and somtimes perticular ij Secondarely the Plage is somtime ingendred thorowe the vapoures and corruptions of the Skies and Elementes or Bodies aboue and that thorow y e vertues of the Sterres and Bodies aboue and thorow the same the spirituall liuinge spirites and bodies beneth are infecte And of the same Auicen saith in his fourth booke sayinge that the bodies are often inflamed corrupt thorow the infections of the bodies aboue for the corrupte ayre doth infect the sprites beneth and so the liuing spirites in mankinde is often infecte iij. Thirdly the Plage doth ingender thorow the mixynge of them both y t is when thorowe the impression or influence of the bodyes aboue the ayre being corrupt and thorow the putrefaction of caryon liynge vpon the earth and stinking ayre a syckenesse is ingendred in mankind And the same sicknesse is often caled Febris Pestilenci alis and somtimes often an apostemacion for sumtimes the ayre that we do draw in our bodyes is corrupt and venemous And so infecteth the hart wher thorow it is agrauate strongly in so much y t she doth eate gnaw filthy infection then the vryne the disgestion is then often like for to be good notwithstanding that y e pacyent is still declining toward death And thorow the same many Phisycions are often deceuid And therfore it is nedefull that euery body prouide him selfe of a good and expert Phisicion not onely seen in learning but also well and better in practyse concerning the premisses A question Wherfore doth the one dye and the other not being both infect lykewise more in one place then an other Aunsvver ¶ This may be thorow the meanes of two causes i. Fyrst thorow it that is working ii Secondarely thorow it that is sufferyng i. Fyrst thorow it that is working that when the heuenly influences regard more the one person then the other and the one place more then the other ij Secondarely thorow it that is suffering that is as when the one body is more inclined and disposed to the Plage then the other is Nota. These bodies are most inclined or disposed to the Plage or Pestilence Fyrste all those y t are hot or warme and those that haue greate sweatynge yssues and bodies that are corrupt All those that hath theyr sweating yssues stopped And therfore are the bodyes fore
Quenes grace my Ladie Mary and my Lorde of Suffolke his grace ¶ Here foloweth of the confortinge and strengthening of the herte and the other spirituall and speciall members of the bodie THe comforters of the Herte are Safferon Camphir and Plantaine with other herbes which do clense the liuinge spirites within and conforte And these are good for y e cōmon people which are lightly infected one of an other And therfore shall euery one beware that they doo not receue the breath comming out of the mouth or nosethrilles of an other Also the sight is darkened thorow the infecte ayre when they do not beare such like hearbes in their handes It is very good that you do washe your face mouth eies handes with rose-rosewater myxt with vyneagre And when you haue none of the premysses muste nedes go emong the people then take vse good vineagre then boldly go emong the people Also solubelnesse of the wombe is a greate helpe in this case And when you can not haue by the waye of nature solubelnesse then prouoke hym with suppositories or after the counsayle of learned and experte Phisicions And lykewyse shal you finde at y e Apotecaries Pillule Pestilenci ales which are very good And you shall alwaies kepe your houses good fire for that letteth the impression of the sky clarifieth the ayre Item fine triacle is best for the same as well for them that are in helth as for them that are infect of this shall you take twise a daie in clere wine or with rose-rosewater or with clere ale or bere And euery time that you take Triacle you shall not excede the quantite of a common pease at ones and of the water ale or bere the quantitee of two sponefulles The Triacle shalbe first dissolued in a cuppe with the wine water ale or bere and then shal you not eate after by the space of foure or fiue houres to the intent the Triacle may haue her due operacion within the body Then you shal eat good meates drinke good drinkes as good cleare Wine Ale or Bere and that shalbe soberly for superfluitie causeth corruption and putrefaction of the humours Also you shall abstain from all maner of thinge ingendring heate as Peper Garlike And yet notwithstanding that Peper doth pourge the flewme of the braynes and the other membres of viscose humours yet it doeth to much inflame and cause heate And to muche heate gendreth putrefaction And therefore is the bitternesse better then the heate smellyng or sauoringe of the Peper and Garlike pourgeth the Flegmata and euel humours and prouoketh appetite to eate and suffer not the drie ayre to entre into the body Notwithstanding because the Garlike perturbeth the eyes and the head with heate to them that doo often eate or vse it therfore it shall be in this time abhorred and abstayned ¶ The Plage is oftentimes augmented and increased thorow hote causes Suche meates as are sonest disgested ar best the soner the better in the morning and at none shal they eate sodden meates and at nightes rosted All maner of pape meates and caudels shall be abstayned and eschued excepte they be acetouse or somewhat sower For sower or sharpe thinges are better in this season of pestilence then any other medecines Also you shall abstayne of all maner of fruites beynge not sharpe nor hauing no sourenesse in them except Cheries Pomgranates Orrenges and few peares or appels dressed in steade of a medecine for all maner of fruites doth ingendre putrefaction Spices beynge apte good in this time are Gynger Cynamon Commyn Macis Saffron and of the same ar made good preseruatiues for the riche people And the poore shall occupie Rue Salge Nuttes Parcely and this shall they mixe with salt and vineagre And y e meane people of substaunce shall take Commen and Saffron mixe them with vyneagre This is maruelous good for to be taken inwarde for it defendeth inward the putrefaction Myrth of herte is a greate comforte and helpe of health in the body And therefore feare of death is a daungerous case in this time but only to be mery and set the hole hope and confidence vpon God and to cōmende him to his godly pleasure ¶ Here foloweth of the bloud letting in the Plage tyme. ONes in a moneth you must be letten bloud when age strength or any other cause doth not let like pilgrims sicke and extenuated people and such as are verie solubel or laxe And the Fleobothomi should be doone in the lefte or right arme in the Liuer vayne Baselica in the arme before meate And when the Lyuer vayne is striken then shall you be mery drinke good drinke as good Wyne Bere or Ale temperatly and that same day shall you not sleape and specially when the Liuer vayne is let bloud Item when any doth feele himselfe infecte or any curnell or Apostumations appere or pricke then shal he wholy abstaine from sleape But goe walkinge abrode for the sleape leadeth the venemous hotenesse to the hert and to the other special members in so muche that no Hearbes can resolue the same and bringe it to the first estate whiche woulde not be so if the bodie were walking and sturring A question What shall a man doo that hath his naturall sleape after he be infecte Aunsvvere In the time when plage dooeth raygne when you will sleape after your meate you shall prolonge it with walkyng in the Feilde or Gardeins and then sleape an houre after meate And therefore Auicen saith when you be disposed for to sleape it shall be holesome then after the sleape to drinke a good draught of drinke For that person that is sleaping draweth vnto him many humours and suche euill humours are letted thorow a good draught of drink A question How shal you know whether any be infecte or no Aunsvvere He that is infect doeth eate that day but litle for he is full of euell humours And when he doth eate he doth couet sleape and doth fele great hotnesse with cold and hath a great payne in the forparte of the head thus shall he bring away by walking and going abrode And that person that is infect doeth holy abhore walking or to ride a horsebacke or otherwayes thorowe slouthfulnesse and heauinesse Euery person that is infecte doeth require desire and couet sleape euery houre for that inward venim perturbeth the liuing sprites in such wise that they euer require rest And of the same signes may euery person know whether they bee infected or not And when any doeth not beleue this lette him tary halfe a day after and then shall he feele an impostome in his arme holes in his gruinde or behinde his eares And the best remedy is when they doo feele any of these in the time of Pestilence not for to sleape For in the sleape do the liuing spirites rest as is aforesayd and then all the infections spredeth thorow the whole members of the body All these premisses haue I proued
before When any man or person féeleth himselfe infecte that same day shall he immediatly after be letten bloud plenteously til swoninge so soone as it be possible or els till he waxe faynte for a small voydynge of bloud doeth sturre and moue the bloud And when the person will open but one vayne and not many so shall he let her bloud so longe as she will for a smal voydyng doth sturre the venemous infection as is aforesayde Item euery person that is letten bloud infecte or whole person shall beware that he doo not sleape that day till midnight And the sayde lettinge of bloud shall euer be done in the same side where the apostemacion doth appere And when the apostemacion doeth appere vnder the right arme then shall they bee letten bloude in the same arme in the mediane And when the apostemacion doeth appeare vnder the left arme then shall the lettinge of bloude be in the sayd left arme in the mediane or lyuer vaine vpon the hand nexte the eare finger And when the apostemacion doth appere by the grynd or priuy members then shal they be letten bloude in the same syde vnder the anckle or nerer the hele And when then the letting of bloud shalbe done in the head vayne neare the thumbe in the same side where the Apostemacion appeareth or in the Mediane of the same arme or els by the eare finger And when the Apostemacion doeth appeare by the eares then the letting of bloud shalbe done in the head vayne in the same side or els in the vayne between the thombe and the next finger to the intent that the venemous infection do not desturbe the braynes or in the vain by the eare finger or els in the vayne Basilica named And when the Apostemacion doeth appere in the shoulders then shall the bloud be taken forth with Boxyng and Sacrification howbeit afore shall the Mediane be opened or the Harte vaine And when the Apostemation doeth appere vpon the back then y e letting of bloud shalbe by the greate Toe called Suger pedicā magnam all the foresayde Fleobothomyes or lettinge of bloud shalbe done before the infecte person hath sleapt or before the appearing in the prickyng of the Apostemacions When any doeth feele the Apostemacion after that they haue sleapte then shall the Fleobothomies be in the contrary side in the side where the Apostemacion doth not appere like as here if the Apostemacion doeth appere after the sleapinge in y e right arme then the letting of bloud shalbe in y e left arme in the Liuer vayne or Mediane or els in the hand in the vayne called Basilica And when the Apostemacion doeth appere vnder the left arme then shal the letting of bloud be in the right arme like as is sayd of the lefte arme And likewise shal you do of all other Apostemacions in what places they do appere all times in the contrary side if it do appeare after sleape When the pacient is very faint weake whiche is letten bloud then he may sleape somwhat or els half a day but euery space of a halfe day must the pacient be sturring softely riding or walking And when the apostemacion doth waxe bigge and greate that is a good signe the nature doth expell the venemosite outwarde and maketh the body whole And to the intent the Apostemacion may be the soner ripened matured and opened you shal make this medecine Stampe the leaues of Elder and do to it pouder of Musterd seede and make of this a plaister and lay it vpon the apostemacion Some Surgeons do mixe vnto this triacle which I do not like for the Triacle will repercusse inward agayne the sayde risynge and venemosite howbeit I doo counsayle that they shal drinke it to the intent the venemosite may be driuen outwarde An other remedy take Barbam Iouis or Houseleke or Senegren scerpillum plantaine a litle Rie flower and rub all these together till you perceiue water comming forth then mixe that water with womans milke giue it him to drinke that hath the apostemacion but this must he doone before they haue slept in an emptie stomack or fasting for then it doth worke better in the body As soone as any doeth perceiue the curnels or apostemacions they shal take hasel nuttes Figges and Rue and stampe them together and eate it or lay it vpon it And euery person that doth gouern him after the premisses shal wel inough auoide the daungers of the Plage or Pestilence with the helpe and ayde of God without whom nothing can be ¶ Here foloweth a gouernaunce or preseruacion for all them that feare the Plage in vsinge them selues in meates and drinkes FYrst the substaunce of their breade shalbe white one or two dayes olde well leauened and of pure wheate well bulted from the Branne In this breade shalbe baken the Annisseede salt and shalbe well baken Your drinke shalbe white Wine cleare shininge of good sauour not to redde nor to hotte nor to fumous to the intent that the quicke spirites and the humours waxe not to hote the wine likewise shall not be to small And if it be possible drinke olde Wine for that is best for he clenseth and drieth best And is not so waterishe as the new wine is and this wyne shalbe mixte with sothen water and that more in summer then in wynter Item it is good that you shall take and drinke a draught of Malmesey or of other stronge Wine before you go into the ayre for by the meane of this many euell ayres vapours be dried vp the sprites be quickned and conforted Item your sothen water shalbe running water or els that cōmeth from the rockes or sandy grounde or Well water and the sauour of this water shalbe sweet ¶ The gouernaunce of sauoures and sauces ALl maner of Sauces in this time shalbe made with Lemans Orynges with soure garnate Appels mixt with this pouder Take the best Cynamon that can be had Gynger Cloues of eche halfe a dagma Bee white and redde of eche a dragma Corall white and redde of eche a dragma Cardamomi two dragmas Saffron halfe a dragma and as much fine Suger as of al the first of al this shal you make a subtel pouder and of this pouder shall you vse in your meates and more in Summer then in Wynter And when there is no lettinge or impediment that doo hyndre as coldenesse of the stomacke then shall you vse Orynges Pomgranates and Sitrins And the seedes of the aforesayde haue a speciall propertie in the premisses And therefore in the Pestilent time shall you often occupie the pouder of these séedes with Suger like a dredge or els seeth the séedes with fleshe or other meate or suppynge when the stomacke is not hindred by the same thorow coldenesse Of Vyneager When there is no impediment then shal you vse good vyneager and with that season your meate And this vyneager shal be best when it is made of good white wyne or Malmesey Saue those