the forsayd pestilence Cap .iii. FOr asmoche as we haue sene the causes of the pestilence it is nowe conuenient to declare certayn remedies to withstāde it Wherfore ye shall note after the mynde of the supernatural phisition spekyng by the mouth of Iheremie that if a man wyll be surely cured and haue a sure medecine he muste leaue his synnes and confesse hym selfe with humilitie and greate repentaunce For in tyme of sykenes confession and penaunce shulde be preferred aboue al other medecines But to kepe and conserue the bodye the moste soueraynste thynge is to auoyde and fle suche places and persones as be infected But yet for as moch as there be many that can not conuenientely nor with their ease or profyte chaunge their habitation I wolde counseyll them as moche as shalbe possible to eschewe and fle al suche thynges as maye ingendre or cause putrifaction and to absteyne from moche bodely frequentation and companye of women ¶ Also in suche daungerous season and tyme of sicknes we shulde auoyde the southe windes for naturally they cause moche infection and daungerous putrifaction And therfore we haue tolde you before that the south windowes of your house shuld be shut til it were prime and that they shuld be opē northward ¶ Also we haue sayde that all maner of infection and stynch shuld be anoyded and fled as the infection of stables pryueys and aboue all other the infection of deed carein and of longe standynge waters the infection of olde sinkes that cause such corruptions that the inhabitours of suche houses do die theyr neyghbours continuyng in helth prosperite ¶ In lyke wyse we shulde flee those places where that putrified ware is solde for suche putrified thynges do ingender infection and sauers moch contrary vnto helthe For as aromatike swete odours and sauours do comforte the harte so dothe yll and infectious sauours greue the harte and cause it to be weke and feble wherfore it is ryghte necessary to withstande suche infections and to beware that they doo not perce and entre in to oure chambers and that we haue good and clere fiers and that these herbes here folowynge be not to seke Bayberies Ieneper Vbery Organy wormwod Isope Rue Muggeworte and specially this wodde Aloes the which is very dere whose fumygations must be receyuyd by the mouthe and nose for they do strengthe fortifie and comforte the hart and the interyour parties of man ¶ Also ye muste eschewe and fle the excesse of meates and drynkes for suche repletion dothe cause and ingender ylle humours the which are easely and sone corrupted infectid And therfore Aui saith in his .iiii. canon that all such as vse great repletion do abrige shorten their daies the ende of their lyfe ¶ In lyke wise a man shulde not bayne nor wasshe him amonge moche company for the breth of one infectid persō may infect a hole ¶ Farthermore all maner of multitude and congregation of people is to be sled and auoidyd But for asmoche as it is very harde for many a man to auoyde and absteyne fro company let all suche receyue and vse these medicines that here after folowe ¶ In the mornyng at your vprysyng ye shal eate a lyttell Rue well wette depte in clere water with a lytel salte and one or two walnuttes well pylde If so be y t ye can not haue these forsaid thinges take a tofte wette in vineger specially whā the wether is clowdy ¶ Also ye muste se and take hede that your house be ouer sprincled with vineger of losis that in somer it be strewde with vine leues ¶ Item it is very good for a man to washe his handes in water vinegre and than to smell to his handes ¶ Also it is helthsome to smel to suche thinges as be sharpe tarte wherof I had experience prouyd it my selfe at Moūtpeller For through pouertie I was inforced constraynyd to be amonge theym and to goo frome howse to howse to helpe the sycke and dysesyd and soo toke a sponge in my hande deped and wel wet in vinegre or elles a toste the whiche I helde vnto my mouth For all that is sharpe and sower doth replenyshe the pypes and conduites of the body and lettethe the ylle ayre to entre into the bodye and soo it is excluded The confortation of the harte and other principall membres of man Capi .iiii. THe thinges which do comfort the hart are Saffron Cherfile and plantayne the whiche do solide and confirme the interiour spirites ¶ Also ye shall vnderstande that the eies throughe the infection of the ayre doo waxe obscure and dimme except a man carie about hym these foresayde thynges It is a ryghte holsome thyng for a mā to washe his hādes eies his mouth with rose water and wine But if all these forsayde thynges can not be had take aysel for so ye maye bothe dwelle and haūte the more surely amōge moch companye the whiche medicine is laxatyue and moche profytable for the bellye Or elles ye may take pylles named pestilētions the whiche ye shall fynde at the potycaris And as considering metes I say that Triacle is very good and therfore it is not yl to vse therof twyse a daye the quantitie of .ii. sponfulles wel mynglyd with clere wyne or rose water or ale And after it is well myngled beten together and that ye haue receyued it ye must absteyne from all other meates til it be none ¶ Also it shal be very good ons in the day to eate good meates and moderately to drynke good wyne or elles it shuld putrifie and corrupt the humours Men must beware of hot meates as pepper and garlyke notwithstandynge that the pepper dothe purge the braine of fleme and other principall members of al superfluous and vicious humours nor that is not throughe his heate the which hete ingendrethe putrifaction whose bytternes plesythe me moche more than his sauour ¶ And garlyke in lyke maner dothe purge auoyde fleme prouokyng mans appetite and chaceth awaye yll ayers Yet for as moche as it troublythe the eies and dothe hete their heades that do moche vse it I thynke it therfore nother holsome nor the vse therof very plesant For the pestilence throughe naturall heate is often tymes incresyd and augmentyd All meates of lyght digestion are moste holsome And it is good to vse boylde meate in the mornynge and roste at nyghte Suppynges and cawdelles if they be tarte and sharpe aare profitable For in tyme of pestylence suche egre and sower meates are better for mans body then any other medicine ¶ Item all fruites at hurtful except they be sowre sharpe as cheris poumgarnades or in stede and place of a medicine a littel pece of a naple or of a pere For all maner of fruite ingender putrification The most profitablest spice in tyme of pestilence are these Cmamum Gynger Comyn Nutmegges and Saffron of the whiche men do make sawses for
in the guttes and reygnes ¶ Whan ye se that the vrine is as thoughe it were full of bloudde it betokenethe grefe peyne throughe out all the body and yf it be in the botum of the water yt sygnyfiethe peyne in the reygnes ¶ Whan ye se that there is moche vryne and that it is as clere as water it signifieth the virginitie of a mayde ¶ Whan ye se in any vryne lytle bryghte and flamynge sparcles as appere in the sonne beames in a man it signifieth yll humours in a woman it betokeneth that she is with chylde and yf those sparcles be redde it is a shrewde token ¶ Whan ye se the vryne redde and in colour lyke vnto wyne as there were smal bubles in the botome it signifieth y t the patient dothe suffre great peyne through out all his body ¶ Whan ye se the vryne discoloured darke in the myddes it signifieth that the pacient is full of fleme but yet without any feuer and that he hath a swellyng in the belye and that he is peyned in the raynes in the syde and in the heed And if it be a womans water she is peyned in the nauyll in the raynes and in her knees and that the suffreth colde in her handes and in her feete ¶ To all suche persones ye may gyue good stronge wyne well mengled with hoote water in the whiche water ye muste put sodden sage wherof ye muste gyue them euery mornyng halfe a noūce Also ye must make them a bathe of Peny reall Camamyll and baye leues and whether it be men or women they must be therin a longe season and anoynte theyr raynes theyr bellyes with the same and with oyle of bayes ¶ A remedy for the frenche pockes I Fynde that this sickenes began in the yere of the creation of the worlde MM. ccccxxxvi And nowe I say that the infortunate cōiūction of Saturne and Mars in the whiche this disease had his begynnynge and course the coniunction yll respect of those planets was the begynnynge therof In the yere a M. cccc.xcvi re .vi. of Ianuer in the thirde face called Piscis the whiche infortune and yll respecte of the forsayde planettes impressyd in mannes body disposed to corruption this forsayde disease For Saturne is the cause of the passion and peynefulnes of the legges and other membres and Mars is the cause of the ingendryng therof as it is noted in the boke intitled Initium sapientie cap .4 of the nature and sygnification of planets And therfore I saye that the dede of the forsayde cōiunction is the cause of this sikenes the whiche coniunction is paste and shall come no more For in the yere M. cccc xc vii the forsayde planettes dyd holly conioyne them selfe all in theyr contrarye signe And therfore if any mā chaūce to be infected agayne with this syckenes it is not by the influence of any constellation nor by the influence of any yll respecte of the forsayde coniūction but bicause it is of his propre nature very contagious And therfore yet suche as kepe good dyet may be sone eased ¶ This malady is cronique longe sence and extendyd through the nature of Saturne whose scabbes pusshes and inwarde outward goutes whiche ar of y e nature of Mars shalbe shortely in Aries But as touching this matter ther are foure thynges to be cōsiderid ¶ Fyrst that they which be infected with this sycknes must vse no great abstinēce in meates nor drynkes For abstinence causethe greate debilitie of nature feblenes of body They must ete suche meates as be light of digestion and drinke swete wynes with rayne water ¶ Secondarily they must be purged ones or twyse in the weke with pylles conuenient and mete to purge the heed bicause that this malady whiche is of Saturnus procedeth from the heed ¶ Thyrdly to remoue this sycknes and the peynes therof ye muste anoynte hym with oyle made of swete almandes and with terpentine the whiche two must be mengled well together ¶ Fourthly he muste drynke euery mornynge womans mylke and sucke it from the dugge for that is most conuenient or els he must take asses or gotes mylke and that the forsayd bestes be norished after the vse and forme of phisicke The maner of receyuynge of this mylke is by the dugge and the cause is this In this sickenes there are thre thinges sores bledyng and consumtion Vlceration must be healed bledynge must be mundified consūption recouered restored ¶ There is a medicine ī the whiche are these thre that is mylke the whiche naturally doth clense the chese doth fasten the butter dothe nouryshe and restore the forsayde consolidation And therfore I saye that who so wyll vse this thynge euery mornyng fastyng shall by the grace of god recouer his helthe and so I praye god he may To the reder ¶ It may be that this remedy for the frēche pockes before wryten was at the begynnyng the beste that men had by experience proued but I thynke it is nothyng nowe comparable to that that Hutten wryteth de ligno guaiaco yet not withstandynge we haue put it to that men may se what thynges are good if the other coulde not be had Finis LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAE BERTHELET REGII IMPRESSORIS CVM PRIVILEGIO
ryche men But if so be pouertie wyl not suffre you to bye these foresayd spyces make your sauce of rue sage walnuttes and parcely depte in vineger Yf so be they be of meane estate let them take for their sawce saffron and cummyne the which muste be put in vinegre This sawce is a very good sawce auoydyng all corruption and with all this a man muste be merye and nothynge melaneolyous For that is cause of good helthe And therfore in tyme of pestilence a manne shoulde not feare to dye but rather truste and hope to lyue longe Of lettynge of bludde FLeubothomye that is lettynge of blud maye be done and vsed ones in a monthe if it soo be that iorneinge or no nother thynge do lette it as in pylgrymmes and other feble personnes or they that are laxatiue And whether that this fleubothomia be in the righte Basilyke or in the lyste it muste be done fastynge And after the incisyon he that is lette bloudde muste be merye and vse moderatelye good wyne or elles good ale and kepe hym selfe frome slepe that daye that his basilyke is cut And if a manne fele hym selfe to be greuyd with any impostume he muste auoyde slepe And seke for good merye companye or elles walke for by slepe the interyour and inward heate drawethe the poyson so vnto the harte and the other pryncypalle members of the bodye that hardly a man shall eyther by herbes or any other medycine restore the bodye to his fyrste condytyon and estate agayne the whiche thynge shoulde not chaunce yf he wolde eschewe slepe And therfore slepe muste be differred for a whyle by walkynge in to some plesaunte feldes or gardeynes After suche walkynge a manne maye slepe the space of a good houre And to this purpose Auicen saythe that whanne we purpose to slepe we shulde before drynke some good wyne or elles some other good drynkes for by slepe a man gethereth yl humours the whiche good drynke do expell ¶ Here it maye be inquired howe one shulde know when he is smitten with the pestilence where to I aunsere and say that who so euer be infected that daye he shall eate very lyttel meate for he is fulle of ylle humours and a none after he hathe eaten he shall desyre to slepe and vnder a spyce of colde he shall fele a vehemente heate in the fore parte of his hedde The whiche thynge maye be auoyded and holpen by meane mouinge of him selfe or walkynge For the pondorosite of the body wyll not suffre hym to walke or to ryde moche at that tyme for he shall couette to slepe at euery howre For the poyson that is in his body dothe so trouble the lyuely spirites y t he shall require nothing els but slepe ¶ And by these foresayd signes a manne shal welle perceyue whan he is infectyd with the sycknes And he that wyll not beleue it may tarye the space of halfe a day and knowe it to be so by experience For he shall fele the sores vnder his armes or about his eres his neck and shulders or elles aboue his reynes Therfore the moste souereynste remedy is in tyme of pestilence to fle and refrayne slepe For whan the spirites of man be at reste the venym and poyson dothe extende and sprede it selfe throughout all the bodye of the whiche thynge I haue had experience and prouyd it by my selfe And therfore whan any man doth fele hym selfe smytten and infectid with the pestilence he shulde be let bloud in greate quantite For the euacuation of a lyttell blud dothe onely moue and styrre the venym And who so wyll not let hym selfe bludde by many veynes muste be let bloudde by one and that abundauntly But whether he that is let bloudde be sycke or hole he muste nedes for the reasones afore rehersyd eschewe and auoyde slepe And if he haue a sore he muste be let bloudde vpon he selfe same side that he hath his sore and not vpon the contrary side for suche causes as here after shall folowe And therfore it the sore be vpon the ryghte arme he muste be let blud vpon the veyne in the myddes of the selfe same arme and lyke wyse it muste be done if it be vppon the lefte arme And if the postume be benethe towarde the priuey membres he muste be lette bludde on the lefte syde towarde his great too But if the sore be in the necke he muste be let blud in the hande vpon the selfe same syde nyghe vnto the thumme and nyghe vnto the lyttell fynger But if the sore do appere nyghe vnto the eares of Cephalica then he muste be lette blud vpon that syde where he dothe fele his grefe in the vaine y t is betwyxt the thūme and the next fynger whiche is called Basilica If y e sore do appere vpon the shulders he muste be let blud with vētosities first in the veyn called mediane If it appere on the backe he must be let blud in the veine called perdica magna And let al these thynges be done yf the pacient slepte not before he knewe of the sore for yf he fele hit after that he hathe slepte then he must be let bloudde cleane contrary that is to saye yf the sore do appere vpon the ryghte arme he muste be let bloudde vppon the lefte arme in the veyne of the lyuer or in the veyn named Basilica mediana And yf hyt appere vppon the lefte arme ye muste do as ye dyd when it appered vpon the ryghte arme and so consequently where so euer it doth appere ¶ If the patient after suche diminution of bloudde be weyke and seble then he maye slepe and take his rest at after none for vntill it be none he must nedes be in continuall and moderate motion And if the sore do increce yet a man shulde not feare it for the soore is the cause of helthe And to rype and to breake the sore make this medicyne that here after folowethe ¶ Bruse the leaues of Ellerne with a lytle mustarde and make a plaster therof to laye vpon the sore Some Surgiens wyll put triacle vnto it the whiche thynge in no maner of wyse I wolde ye shulde do for the nature of triacle is to repell poyson and therfore it were better that the paciente shulde drinke it to auoyde out the poyson ¶ Another medicine to ripe a pestilence sore Take an herbe called herbaiouis pellytory plantayne and a lyttellrye and stampe them together vntyll there come water from it after that wete it in womans mylke drinke thereof fastinge before ye go to your reste for so it shall haue the better operation ¶ Also he that hath a soore may take hasell nuttes fygges and rue and make a playster to lay to his sore ¶ To knowe vrines IF ye wyll knowe vrines ye muste fyrste of all marke whether the vrine be scummye ye shall see a cercle aboute it and therby ye shall knowe that there are greatte ventosyties