Fogges or Mists and the nocturnall obscuritie then to take it in the morning with a draught of good Wine for it being aboundantly diffused presently ouer all the Body filles vp the passages thereof and strengheneth it in a moment For Water if the Plague proceed from the tainture of the Aire we must wholly shun and auoid Raine-water because it cannot but be infected by the contagion of the Aire Wherefore the Water of Springs and of the deepest Welles are thought best But if the malignitie proceed from the vapours contained in the Earth you must make choyse of Raine-water Yet it 's more safe to digest euerie sort of Water by boyling it and to preferre that Water before other which is pure and cleerer to the sight and without either tast or smell and which besides suddainly takes the extremest mutation of heat and cold CHAP. VII Of the Cordiall Remedies by which we may preserue our Bodyes in feare of the Plague and cure those already infected there-with SVch as cannot eat without much labour exercise and hunger and who are no louers of Breakefasts hauing euacuated their Excrements before they goe from home must strengthen the Heart with some Antidote against the virulencie of the Infection Amongst which Aqua Theriacalis or Treacle Water two Ounces with the like quantitie of Sacke is much commended being drunke and rubbing the Nose-thrils Mouth and Eares with the same for the Treacle Water strengthens the Heart expels Poyson and is not onely good for a preseruatiue but also to cure the Disease it selfe For by sweat it driues forth the Poyson contained within It should be made in Iune at which time all simple Medicines by the vitall heat of the Sunne are in their greatest efficacie The composition whereof is thus Take the Roots of Gentian Cyperus Tormentill Diptam or Fraxinella Elecampaine of each one Ounce the Leaues of Mullet Carduus Benedictus Diuels-bit Burnet Scabious Sheepes Sorrell of each halfe a Handfull of the tops of Rue a little quantitie Mirtle Berries one Ounce of Red Rose Leaues the Flowres of Buglosse Borage and S t Iohns Wurt of each one Ounce let them be all cleansed dryed and macerated for the space of 24 houres in one pound of White Wine or Malmsey and of Rose Water or Sorrell Water then let them be put in a Vessell of Glasse and add thereto of Treacle and Methridate of each foure Ounces then distill them in Balneo Mariae and let the distilled Water be receiued in a Glasse Viall and let there be added thereto of Saffron two Drammes of Bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata Yellow Sanders Shauings of Iuorie and Harts-horne of each halfe an Ounce then let the Glasse be well stopped and set in the Sunne for the space of eight or tenne dayes Let the prescribed quantitie be taken euerie morning so oft as shall be needfull It may be giuen without hurt to sucking Children and to Women great with Child But that it may be the more pleasant it must be strayned thorough an Hippocras Bagge adding thereto some Sugar and Cynnamon Some thinke themselues sufficiently defended with a Root of Elecampaine Zedoarie or Angelica rowled in their Mouth or chawed betweene their Teeth Others drinke euerie morning one Dramme of the Root of Gentian brused being macerated for the space of one night in two Ounces of White Wine Others doe take Worme-wood Wine Others sup vp in a rere Egge one Dramme of Terra Sigillata or of Harts-horne with a little Saffron and drinke two Ounces of Wine after it There be some that doe infuse Bole Armenicke the Roots of Gentian Tormentill Diptam the Berryes of Iuniper Cloues Mace Cynnamon Saffron and such like in Aqua Vitae and strong White Wine and so distill it in Balneo Mariae This Cordiall Water that followeth is of great virtue Take of the Roots of the long and round Aristolochia Tormentill Diptam of each three Drammes of Zedoarie two Drammes Lignum Aloes Yellow Sanders of each one Dramme of the Leaues of Scordium S t Iohns Wurt Sorrell Rue Sage of each halfe an Ounce of Bay and Iuniper Berryes of each three Drammes Cytron Seeds one Dramme of Cloues Mace Nutmegs of each two Drammes of Masticke Olibanum Bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata Shauings of Harts-horne and Iuorie of each one Ounce of Saffron one Scruple of the Conserues of Roses Buglosse Flowers Water Lillyes and old Treacle of each one Ounce of Camphire halfe a Dramme of Aqua Vitae halfe a pint of White Wine two pints and a halfe make thereof a distillation in Balneo Mariae The vse of this distilled Water is euen as Treacle Water is The Electuarie following is verie effectuall Take of the best Treacle three Ounces Iuniper berries and Carduus Seeds of each one Dramme and a halfe of Bole Armenicke prepared halfe an Ounce of the Powder of the Electuarie De Gemmis and Diamargariton Frigidum the Powder of Harts-horne and Red Corall of each one Dramme mixe them with the Sirrupe of the Rinds and Iuyce of Pome-citrons as much as shall suffice and make thereof a liquid Electuarie in the forme of an Opiate let them take euerie morning the quantitie of a Filberd drinking after it two Drammes of the Water of Scabions Cherryes Carduus Benedictus and of some such like cordiall things or of strong Wine The following Opiate is also verie profitable which also may be made into Tablets Take of the Roots of Angelica Gentian Zedoarie Elecampaine of each two Drammes of Cytron and Sorrell Seeds of each halfe a Dramme of the dryed Rinds of Cytrous Cinnamon Bay and Iuniper Berryes and Saffron of each one Scruple of Conserue of Roses and Buglosse of each one Ounce of fine hard Sugar as much as is sufficient make thereof Tablets of the weight of halfe a Dramme let him take one of them two houres before meat Or make thereof an Opiate with equall parts of Conserues of Buglosse and Mel Anthosatum and so adding all the rest dry and in Powder Or take of the Roots of Valerian Tormentill Diptam of the Leaues of Rue of each halfe an Ounce of Saffron Mace Nutmegs of each halfe a Dramme of Bole Armenicke prepared halfe an Ounce of Conserue of Roses and Sirupe of Lemons as much as will be sufficient to make thereof an Opiate liquid enough Or take of the Roots of both the Aristolochia's of Gentian Tormentill Diptam of each one Dramme and a halfe of Ginger three Drammes of the Leaues of Rue Sage Mints and Peny-royall of each two Drammes of Bay and Iuniper Berries Citron Seeds of each foure Scruples of Mace Nutmegs Cloues Cinnamon of each two Drammes of Lignum Aloes and Yellow Saunders of each one Dramme of Male Frankincense i. Olibanum Masticke shauings of Harts-horne and Iuorie of each two Scruples of Saffron halfe a Dramme of Bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata Red Corall Pearle of each one Dramme of Conserues of Roses Buglosse Flowers Water Lillyes and old Treacle of each one Ounce of Loafe
respect vnto his custome age the region and the time for through emptinesse there is great danger lest that the venomous matter that is driuen out to the superficiall parts of the bodie should be called backe vnto the inward parts by an hungrie stomacke and the stomacke it selfe should bee filled with choloricke hot thinne and sharpe excrementall humors whereof commeth biting of the stomacke and gripings in the guttes CHAP. XIV What drinke the Patient infected ought to vse IF the Feauer be great and burning the patient must abstain from wine vnlesse that he be subiect to swounding and he may drink the Oxymell following in stead thereof Take of fair water three quarts wherin boile foure ounces of hony vntill the third part bee consumed scumming it continually then straine it and put it into a clean vessell and adde thereto foure ounces of vineger and as much cynamon as will suffice to giue it a taste Or else a sugered water as followeth Take two quarts of fair water of hard sugar sixe ounces of cynamon two ounces straine it through a woollen bagge or cloth without anie boiling and when the patient will vse it put thereto a little of the iuice of Citrons The syrupe of the iuce of Citrons excelleth amongst all others that are vsed against the Pestilence The vse of the Iulep following is also verie wholesome Take of the iuice of Sorrell well clarified halfe a pinte of the iuice of Lettuce so clarified foure ounces of the best hard Sugar one pound boile them together vnto a perfection let them be strained and clarified adding a little before the end a little vineger let it be vsed betweene meales with boyled water or with equall portions of the water of Sorrell Lettuce Scabious and Buglosse or take of this former described Iulep strained and clarified foure ounces let it be mixed with one pound of the forenamed cordiall waters and boile them together a little And when they are taken from the fire put thereto of yellow Sanders one dram of beaten Cinamon halfe a dram straine it through a cloth when it is cold let it bee giuen vnto the patient to drinke with the iuice of Citrons Those that haue accustomed to drinke Sider Perrie Beere or Ale ought to vse that drinke still so that it be clear transparent and thinne and made of those fruits that are somewhat tarte for troubled and dreggish drinke doth not onely engender grosse humors but also crudities windinesse and obstructions of the first region of the bodie whereof comes a feauer Oxycrate being giuen in manner following doth asswage the heate of the feauer and represse the putrefaction of the humors and the fiercenesse of the venome and also expelleth the water through the veines if so be that the patients are not troubled with spitting of bloud cough yexing and altogether weake of stomacke for such must auoid all tart things Take of faire water one quart of white or red Vineger three ounces of fine Suger foure ounces of Sirup of Roses two ounces boile them alittle and then giue the patient thereof to drinke Or Take of the iuice of Lemons and Citrons of each halfe an ounce of iuice of soure Pomegranats two ounces of the water of Sorrell and Roses of each one ounce of fair water boiled as much as shall suffice make therof a Iulep and vse it between meales Or take of Sirup of Lemons and of red Currance of each one ounce of the water of Lillies foure ounces of faire water boiled halfe a pinte make therof a Iulep Or Take of the syrups of water Lillies and Vineger of each halfe an ounce dissolve it in fiue ounces of the water of sorrell of faire water one pinte make thereof a Iulep But if the patient bee young and haue a strong and good stomacke and choloricke by natnre I thinke it not vnmeete for him to drinke a full and large draught of fountaine water cold for that is effectuall to restraine and quench the heate of the feauer and contrariwise they that drinke cold water often and a verie small quantitie at a time as the Smith doth sprinkle water on the fire at his forge doe increse the heate and burning and thereby make it endure the longer Therefore by the iudgement of Celsus when the disease is in the chiefe increase and the patient hath endured thirst for the space of three or foure dayes cold water must be giuen vnto him in great quantitie so that hee may drinke past his satietie that when his belly and stomacke are filled beyond measure and sufficiently cooled he may vomit Some doe not drinke so much thereof as may cause them to vomite but do drinke euen vnto satietie and so vse it for a cooling medicine but when either of these is done the patient must be couered with many clothes and so placed that he may sleepe and for the most part after long thirst and watching and after long fulnesse and long and great heate sound sleepe commeth by which great sweat is sent out and that is a present helpe But thirst must sometimes bee quenched with little peeces of Melons Gourds Cucumbers with the leaues of Lettuce Sorrell and purslane made moist or soked in cold water or with a little square peece of a Citron Lemon or Orange macerated in Rose water and sprinkled with sugar and so held in the mouth and then changed But if the patient be aged his strength weake phlegmaticke by nature and giuen to wine when the state of the feauer is somewhat past and the chiefe heate beginning to asswage he may drinke wine verie much delayed at his meate for to restore his strength and to supply the want of the wasted Spirits The patient ought not by anie meanes to suffer great thirst but must mitigate it by drinking or else allay it by washing his mouth with Oxicrate and such like and hee may therein also wash his hands and his face for that doth recreate the strength If the Fluxe or Laske troubel him he may verie well vse to drinke steeled water and also boiled milke wherein many stones comming red hot out of the fire haue beene manie times quenched For the drinesse and roughnesse of the mouth it is verie good to haue a cooling moistening and lenifying lotion of the mucilaginous water of the infusion of the seedes of Quinces Psilium id est Flea-wurt adding thereto a little Camphyre with the water of Plantaine and Roses then cleanse and wipe out the filth and then moisten the mouth by holding therein a little oyle of sweete Almonds mixed with a little sirup of Violets If the roughnesse doe breede or degenerate into Vlcers they must be touched with the water of the infusion of sublimate or Aqua fortis CHAP. XV. Of Antidotes to be vsed in the Plague NOw we must entreate of the proper cure of this disease which must bee vsed as soone as may bee possible because this kinde of poison in swiftnesse exceedes the celeritie of the medicine
Sugar one pound and a quarter A little before the end of the making it vp add two Drammes of Confectio Alkermes and of Camphire dissolued in Rose Water one Scruple make thereof an Opiate according to Art the Dose thereof is from halfe a Dramme to halfe a Scruple Treacle and Mithridate saithfully compounded excell all other Cordiall Medicines adding for euerie halfe ounce of each of them one Ounce and a halfe of Conserues of Roses or of Buglosse or of Violets and three Drammes of Bole Armenicke prepared Of these being mixed with stirring and incorporated together make a Conserue It must be taken in the morning the quantitie of a Filberd You must choose that Treacle that is not lesse then foure yeeres old nor aboue twelue That which is some-what new is iudged to be most meet for Cholericke persons but that which is old for Flegmaticke and old Men. For at the beginning the strength of the Opium that enters into the composition thereof remaines in its full vertue for a yeere but afterwards the more yeeres old it waxeth the strength thereof is more abolished so that at length the whole composition becommeth verie hot The Confection of Alkermes is verie effectuall both for a preseruatiue against this Disease and also for the Cure The quantitie of a Filberd of Rubarbe with one Cloue chawed or rowled in the Mouth is supposed to repell the comming of the pestilent Aire As also this composition following Take of preserued Citron and Orange Pilles of each one Dramme of Conserue of Roses and of the Roots of Buglosse of each three Drammes of Citron Seeds halfe an Ounce of Annice Seeds and Fennell Seeds of each one Dramme of Angelica Roots foure Scruples Sugar of Roses as much as suffices Make a Confection and couer it with Leaues of Gold and take a little of it out of a Spoone before you goe abroad euerie morning Or take of Pine Apple Kernels and Fisticke Nuts infused for the space of sixe houres in the Water of Scabious and Roses of each two Ounces of Almonds blanched in the fore-named Waters halfe a Pound of preferued Citron and Orange Pilles of each one Dramme and a halfe of Angelica Roots foure Scruples Make them according to Art vnto the forme of March-pane or of any other such like Confection And hold a little piece thereof often in your Mouth The Tablets following are most effectuall in such a case Take of the Roots of Diptam Tormentill Valerian Elecampaine Eringoes of each halfe a Dramme of Bole Armenicke Terra Sigillata of each one Scruple of Camphire Cinnamon Sorrell Seeds and Zedoarie of each one Scruple of thē Species of the Electuarie Diamargariton Frigidum two Scruples of Conserue of Roses Buglosse preserued Citron Pilles Mithridate Treacle of each one Dramme of fine Sugar dissolued in Scabious and Carduus Water as much as shall suffice Make thereof Tablets of the weight of a Dramme or halfe a Dramme take them in the morning before you eat The Pilles of Ruffus are accounted most effectuall preseruatiues so that Ruffus himselfe saith that he neuer knew any to be infected that vsed them The composition of them is thus Take of the best Aloes halfe a Dramme of Gumme Ammoniacum two Drammes of Mirrhe two Drammes and an halfe of Masticke two Drammes of Saffron seuen Granes Put them altogether and incorporate them with the Iuice of Citrons or the Sirupe of Limons and make thereof a Masse and let it be kept in Leather Let the Patient take the weight of halfe a Dramme euery morning two or three houres before Meat and let him drinke the Water of Sorrell after it which through its tartnesse and the thinness of its parts doth infringe the force and power of the malignitie or putrefaction For experience hath taught vs that Sorrell being eaten or chawed in the Mouth doth make the pricking of Scorpions vnhurtfull And for those Ingredients which doe enter into the composition of those Pilles Aloes doth clense and purge Myrrhe resisteth putrefaction Masticke strengthens Saffron exhilarates and makes liuely the Spirits that gouerne the Body especially the Vitall and Animall Those Pilles that follow are also much approued Take of Aloes one Ounce of Myrrhe halfe an Ounce of Saffron one Scruple of Agaricke in Trochisces two Drammes of Rubarbe in powder one Dramme of Cinnamon two Scruples of Masticke one Dramme and a halfe of Citron Seeds twelue Graines Powder them all as is requisite and make thereof a Masse with the Sirupe of Maiden Haire Let it be vsed as afore-said If the Masse begin to waxe hard the Pilles that must presently be taken must be mollified with the Sirupe of Lemons Take of washed Aloes two Ounces of Saffron one Dramme of Myrrhe halfe an Ounce of Ammoniacum dissolued in White Wine one Ounce of Honey of Roses Zedoarie Red Saunders of each one Dramme of Bole Armenicke prepared two Drammes of Red Corall halfe an Ounce of Camphire halfe a Scruple Make thereof Pilles according to Art But those that are subiect or apt to the Haemorrhoides ought not at all or verie seldome to vse those kinds of Pilles that doe receiue much Aloes They say that King Mithridates affirmed by his owne writing that whosoeuer tooke the quantitie of an Hasell Nut of the preseruatine following and dranke a little Wine after it should be free from Poyson that day Take two Wall-Nuts those that be verie dry two Figges twentie Leaues of Rue and three Graines of Salt beat them and incorporate them together and let them be vsed as is afore-said This remedy is also said to be profitable for those that are bitten or stung by some venomous Beast and for this onely because it hath Rue in the composition thereof But you must forbid Women that are with Child the vse of this Medicine for Rue is hot and dry in the third degree and therefore it is said to purge the Wombe and prouoke the Flowers whereby the nourishment is drawne away from the Child Of such varietie of Medicines euerie one may make choyse of that that is most agreeable to his tast and as much thereof as shall be sufficient CHAP. VIII Of Locall Medicines to be applyed outwardly THose Medicines that haue proper and excellent vertues against the Pestilence are not to be neglected to be applyed outwardly or carried in the Hand And such are all aromaticall astringent or spirituous things which therefore are endewed with vertue to repell the venomous and pestiferous Aire from comming and entring into the Body and to strengthen the Heart and the Braine Of this kind are Rue Baulme Rosemary Scordium Sage Worme-wood Cloues Nutmegs Saffron the Roots of Angelica and Louage and such like which must be macerated one night in sharpe Vineger and Aqua Vitae and then tyed in a knot as bigge as an Egge Or rather let it be carryed in a Sponge made wet or soaked in the said Infusion For there is nothing that doth sooner and better hold the spirituous vertue and strength
of aromaticke things then a Sponge Wherefore it is of principall vse either to keepe or hold sweet things to the Nose or to apply Epithemes and Fomentationsto the Heart Those sweet things ought to be hot or cold as the season of the yeere and kind of the Pestilence is As for example in the Summer you ought to infuse and macerate Cinamon and Cloues beaten together with a little Saffron in equall parts of Vineger of Roses and Rose Water into which you must dip a Sponge which rowled in a faire Linnen Cloath you may carrie in your Hand and often smell to Take of Worme-wood halfe a Handfull ten Cloues of the Roots of Gentian and Angelica of each two Drams of Vineger and Rose Water of each two Ounces of Treacle and Mithrid te of each one Dramme beat and mixe them all well together and let a Sponge be dipped therein and vsed as aboue-said They may also be enclosed in Boxes made of sweet Wood as of Iuniper Ceder or Cypresse and so carryed for the same purpose But there is nothing more easie to be carryed then Pomanders the forme of which is thus Take of Yellow Saunders Mace Citron Pilles Rose and Mirtle Leaues of each two Drammes of Benzoin Ladanum Storax of each halfe a Dramme of Cinnamon and Saffron of each two Scruples of Camphire and Amber Greece of each one Scruple of Muske three Graines Make there of a Pomander with Rose Water with the infusion of Tragacanth Or take Red Rose Leaues the Flowers of Water Lillyes and Violets of each one Ounce of the three Saunders Coriander Seeds Citron Pilles of each halfe an Ounce of Camphire one Dramme Let them all be Powders and with Water of Roses and Tragacanth make a Pomander In the Winter it must be made thus Take of Storax Benzoin of each one Dramme and a halfe of Muske halfe a Scruple of Cloues Lauander and Cyperus of each two Drammes of the Root of Orris i. Flower de Luce and Calamus Aromaticus of each two Drammes and a halfe of Amber Greece three Drammes of Gum Tragacanth dissolued in Rose Water and Aqua Vitae as much as shall suffice Make thereof a Pomander And for the same purpose you may also vse to carrie about with you sweet Powders made of Amber Greece Storax Orris Nutmegs Cinamon Mace Cloues Saffron Benzoin Muske Camphire Roses Violets Iuncus Odoratus Marioram and such like Of which being mixed together Powders may be compounded and made Take of the Roots of Orris two Drammes of Cyperus Calamus Aromaticus Red Roses of each halfe an Ounce of Cloues halfe a Dramme of Storax one Dramme of Muske eight Graines Mixe them and make a Powder for a Bagge Or take the Roots of Orris two Ounces Red Rose Leaues White Saunders Storax of each one Ounce of Cyperus one Dramme of Calamus Aromaticus one Ounce of Marierome halfe an Ounce of Cloues three Drammes of Lauender halfe a Dramme of Coriander Seeds two Drammes of good Muske halfe a Scruple of Ladanum and Benzoin of each a Dramme of Nutmegs and Cinnamon of each two Drammes Make thereof a fine Powder and sow it in a Bagge It will be verie conuenient also to apply to the Region of the Heart a Bagge filled with Yellow Saunders Mace Cloues Cinnamon Saffron and Treacle shaken together and incorporated and sprinckled ouer with strong Vineger and Rose Water in Summer and with strong Wine and Muskedine in the Winter These sweet aromaticke things that are so full of Spirits smelling sweetly and strongly haue admirable virtues to strengthen the principall parts of the Body and to stirre vp the expulsiue facultie to expell the Poyson Contrarie-wise those that are stinking and vnsauerie procure a desire to vomit and dissolution of the Powers by which it is manifest how foolish and absurd their perswasion is that councell such as are in a pestilent constitution of the Aire to receaue and take in the stinking and vnsauorie vapors of Sinkes and Priuies and that especially in the morning But it will not suffice to carrie those Preseruatiues alone without the vse of any other thing but will be also verie profitable to wash all the whole Body in Vineger of the decoction of Iuniper and Bay Berryes the Roots of Gentian Marigolds S t Iohns Wort and such like with Treacle or Mithridate also dissolued in it For Vineger is an enemie to all Poysons in generall whether they be hot or cold For it resisteth and hindreth putrefaction because it is cold and dry Therefore in this inanimate Bodyes as Flesh Hearbes Fruits and many other such like things may be kept a long time without putrefaction Neither is it to be feared that it should obstruct the Pores by reason of its coldnesse if the Body be bathed in it For it is of subtile parts and the Spices boyled in it haue vertue to open Whosoeuer accounteth it hurtfull to wash his whole Body there-with let him wash but onely his Arme-holes the Region of his Heart his Temples Groine parts of Generation as hauing great and maruelous sympathy with the principall and noble parts If any mislike bathing let him annoint himselfe with the following Vnguent Take Oyle of Roses foure Ounces Oyle of Spike two Ounces of the Powder of Cinnamon and Cloues of each one Ounce and a halfe of Benzoin halfe an Ounce of Muske sixe Graines of Treacle halfe a Dramme of Venice Turpentine one Dramme and a halfe of Waxe as much as shall suffice Make thereof a soft Vnguent You may also drop a few drops of Oyle of Masticke of Sage or of Cloues and such like into the Eares with a little Ciuet or Muske CHAP. IX Of the signes of such as are insected with the Plague WE must not stay so long before we pronounce one to haue the Plague vntill there be paine and a tumour vnder his Arme-holes or in his Groyne or Spots vulgarly called Tokens appeare ouer all the Body or Carbuncles arise For many dye through the venenate malignitie before these signes doe appeare Wherefore the chiefest and truest signes of this Disease are to be taken from the Heart being the Mansion of Life which chiefly and first of all is wont to be assaulted by the force of the Poyson Therefore they that are infected with the Pestilence are vexed with often swoundings and fainting their Pulse is feebler and slower then others but some-times more frequent but that is specially in the night season they feele prickings ouer all their Body as if it were the pricking of Needles but their Nose-thrils doe itch especially by occasion of the maligne vapours rysing vpwards from the lower and inner into the vpper parts their Breast burneth their Heart beateth with paine vnder the left Dug difficultie of taking breath Ptissicke Cough paine of the Heart such an elation or puffing vp of the Hypocondria or sides of the Belly distended with the aboundance of vapours raysed by the force of the feuerish heat that the Patient will in a manner
be loosed as if he had taken Antimonie and so they were all for the most part cured especially all those that tooke that remedie betimes and before the disease went vnto their heart as I my selfe haue proued in some that were sicke at Paris with most happie successe Truely Mugwort is highly commended by the ancient Physitions being taken and applied inwardly or outwardly against the bitings of venemous creatures so that it is not to be doubted but that it hath great vertue against the Pestilence I haue heard it most certainly reported by Gilbertus Heroaldus Physition of Mompilier that eight ounces of the pickle of Anchoues drunke at one draught is a most certaine and approued remedie against the Pestilence as hee and many other haue often found by experience For the Plague is no other thing but a verie great putrefaction for the correction and amendment whereof there is nothing more apt or fit than this pickle or substance of the Anchoues being melted by the sun force of the salt that is strawed thereon There be some which infuse one dramme of Walewort seede in white wine and affirme that it drunken wil performe the like effect as Antimony Others dissolue a little weight of the seede of Rue beeing bruised in Muskadine with the quantitie of a Beane of Treacle and so drink it Others beate or bruise an handfull of the leaues or toppes of Broome in halfe a pinte of white wine and so giue it to the patient to drink to cause him to vomite loose his belly and make him to sweate Truely those that are wounded or bitte with venemous beasts if they binde broome aboue the wound it will prohibit or hinder the venome from dispersing it selfe or going any farther therefore a drinke made thereof will prohibite the venome from going anie neerer the heart Some take of the roote of Elecampane Gentian Tormentill Kermesberries and broome of the pouder of Iuorie and Harts-horne of each halfe a dramme they do bruise and beat all these and infuse them for the space of foure and twentie hours in white Wine and Aquavita on the warme embers and then straine it and giue the patient three or foure ounces thereof to drinke this prouokes sweate and infrignes the power of the poison and the potion following hath the same vertue Take good Mustard halfe an ounce of Treacle or Mithridate the weight of a Beane dissolue them in white Wine and a little Aqua vita and let the patient drinke it and sweate thereon with walking You may also roste a great Onion made hollow and filled with halfe a dram of Treacle and Vineger vnder the embers and then straine it and mixe the iuice that is pressed out of it with the water of Sorrell Carduus Benedictus or anie other cordiall thing and with strong wine and giue the patient to drinke thereof to prouoke sweate and to repell the malignitie Or else take as much Garlicke as the quantitie of a bigge Nut of Rue and Celandine of each twentie leaues bruise them all in white Wine and a little Aqua vita then straine it and giue the patient thereof to drinke There be some that doe drinke the iuice that is pressed out of Celandine and Mallowes with three ounces of Vineger and halfe an ounce of the oyle of Walenuts and then by much walking doe vnburthen their stomacke and belly vpwards and downewards and so are helped When the venemous ayre hath alreadie crept into and infected the humors one dramme of the dried leaues of the Bay tree macerated for the space of two daies in Vineger and drunk is thought to bee a most soueraigne medicine to prouoke sweate loosenesse of the belly and vomiting Matthiolus in his Treatise de Morbo Gallico writeth that the powder of Mercury ministred vnto the patient with the iuice of Carduus Benedictus or with the electuarie de Gemmis will driue away the Pestilence before it be confirmed in the bodie by prouoking vomite loosenesse of the belly and sweate one dramme of Calchanthum or white Copperose dissolued in rose-Rose-water performeth the like effect in the same disease Some do giue the patient a little quantitie of the oile of Scorpions with white wine to expel the poison by vomite and therewithall they doe annoint the region of the heart the brest and the wrasts of the hands I thinke these very meet to be vsed often in bodies that are strong and well exercised because weaker medicines doe euacuate little or nothing at all but onely moue the humors whereby commeth a Feauer When a sufficient quantie of the malignitie is euacuated then you must minister things that may strengthen the belly and stomacke and withhold the agitation or working of the humors and such is confection of Alkermes CHAP. XVIII Of maute Symptomes which happen together with the Plague and first of the paine of the head IF the malignitie be carried into the braine and nature be not able to expell it it inflames not onely it but also the membranes that do couer it which inflamation doth one while hurt trouble or abolish the imagination another while the iudgement and sometimes the memorie according to the situation of the inflamation whether it bee in the former hinder or middle part of the head but hereof commeth alwayes a Phrensie with fierie rednesse of the eyes and face and heauinesse and burning of the whole head If this will not be amended with Clisters and with opening the Cephalicke veine in the arme the arteries of the temples must be opened taking so much bloud out of them as the greatnesse of the Symptomes and the strength of the patient shall require and permit Truely the incision that is made in opening of an arterie will close and ioine together as readily and with as little difficultie as the incision of a veine And of such an incision of an arterie commeth present helpe by reason that the tensiue and sharpe vapours do plentifully breath out together with the arterious bloud It were also verie good to prouoke a fluxe of bloud at the nose if nature be apt to exonerate her selfe that way For as Hippocrates saith when the head is grieued or generally aketh if matter water or bloud flow cut at the nostrels mouth or eares it presently cures the disease Such bleeding is to be prouoked by strong blowing or striuing to cleanse the nose by scratching or picking of the inner sides of the nostrels by pricking with an horse haire and long holding downe of the head The Lord of Fontaines a Knight of the Order when wee were at Bayon had a bleeding at the nose which came naturally for the space of two daies and thereby hee was freed of a pestilent Feuer which he had before a great sweate rising therewithall and shortly after his Carbuncles came to suppuration and by Gods grace he recouered his health being vnder my cure If the bloud doe flow out and cannot bee stopped when it ought the hands armes and legges must be
sleeping For all such things do draw the humors inwardly and worke contrary to nature But it is better to prouoke the motion of nature outwardly by applying of drawing medicines outwardly and ministring medicines to prouoke sweate inwardly for otherwise by repelling and stopping the matter of the eruptions there will be great danger lest the heart be oppressed with the aboundance of the venome flowing backe or else by turning into the belly it inferres a mortall bloody flixe which discommodities that they may be auoyded I haue thought good to set downe this remedy whose Efficacy I haue knowne and proued many times and on diuerse persons when by reason of the weaknes of the expulsiue faculty and the thicknes of the skinne the matter of the spotts cannot breake forth but is constrayned to surke vnder the skinne lifting it vp into bunches and knobbes I was brought vnto the inuention of this remedy by comparison of the like For when I vnderstood that the essence of the French Poxs and likewise of the Pestilence consisted in a certaine hidden virulency and venemous quality I soone descended vnto that opinion that euen as by the anoynting of the body with the vnguent compounded of Quicksiluer the grosse clammie humors which are fixed in the bones and vnmoueable are dissolued relaxed and drawen from the center into the superficiall parts of the body by strengthening and stirring vp the expulsiue faculty and euacuated by sweating and fluxing at the mouth That so it should come to passe in Pestilent feauers that nature being strengthened with the same kind of vnction might vnloade her selfe of some portion of the venemous and Pestilent humor by opening the pores and passages and letting it breake forth into spotts and pustles and into all kinde of eruptions Therefore I haue annoynted many in whom nature seemed to make passage for the venemous matter very slowly first loosing their belly with a Clister and then giuing them Treacle water to drinke which might defend the vitall faculty of the heart but yet not distende the stomacke as though they had had the French Poxe and I obtained my expected purpose in stead of the Treacle water you may vse the decoction of Guaiacum which doth heate dry prouoke sweat and repell putrefaction adding thereto also vineger that by the subtletie thereof it may pearce the better and withstand the putrefaction This is the description of the vnguent Take of Hoggs grease one pound boyle it a little with the leaues of Sage Time Rosmary of each halfe an handfull straine it and in the straining extinguish fiue ounces of Quicksiluer which hath bin first boyled in Vineger with the forenamed herbs of Sal Nitrum 3 drams the yelkes of three eggs boyled vntill they be hard of Treacle and Mithridate of each halfe an ounce of Venice Turpentine oile of Scorpions and Bayes of each three ounces incorporate them altogether in a morter and make thereof an vnguent wherewith annoynt the patients arme-hooles and groine auoyding the parts that belong to the head breast and backe bone then let him be layed in his bed and couered warme and let him sweat there for the space of two houres and then let his body be wiped and clensed and if it may bee let him be layed in another bed and there let him be refreshed with the broth of the decoction of a Capon reare Eggs and with such like meates of good iuyce that are easie to be concocted and digested let him be anointed the second and the third day vnlesse the spotts appeare before If the patient fluxe at the mouth it must not be stopped when the spotts and pustles doe all appeare and the patient hath made an end of sweating it shall be conuenient to vse diureticke medicines for by these the remainant of the matter of the spotts which happely could not all breath forth may easily be purged and auoyded by the vrine If any noble or gentlemen refuse to be annoynted with this vnguent let them be inclosed in the body of a Mule or Horse that is newly killed and when that is cold let them be layed in another vntill the pustles and eruptions doe breake forth being drawne by that naturall heate For so Matthiolus writeth that Valentinus the sonne of Pope Alexander the sixt was deliuered from the danger of most deadly poyson which he had drunke CHAP. XXI Of a Pestilent Bubo or Plague-sore A Pestilent Bubo is a tumor at the beginning long and moueable and in the state and full perfection copped and with a sharpe head vnmoueable and fixed deepely in the glandules or kernels by which the braine exonerates it selfe of the venemous and pestiferous matter into the kernells that are behinde the eares and in the necke the heart into those that are in the arme-hooles and the liuer into those that are in the groine that is when all the matter is grosse and clammy so that it cannot bee drawen out by spotts and pustles breaking out on the skin and so the matter of a Carbuncle is sharpe and so feruent that it maketh an Eschar on the place where it is fixed In the beginning while the Bubo is breeding it maketh the patient to feele as it were a coard or rope stretched in the place or a hardened nerue with pricking payne and shortly after the matter is raised vp as it were into a knob and by little and little it groweth bigger and is enflamed these accidents before mentioned accompanying it If the tumor be red and encrease by little and little it is a good and salutary signe but if it be liuide or blacke and come very slowly vnto its iust bigness it is a deadly signe It is also a deadly signe if it encrease sodainly and come vnto his iust bigness as it were with a swift violence as in a moment haue all the Symptomes in the highest excesse as pain swelling and burning Buboes or Sores appeare sometimes of a naturall colour like vnto the skinne and in all other things like vnto an oedematous tumor which notwithstanding will sodainly bring the patient to destruction like those that are liuide and blacke wherefore it is not good to trust too much to those kindes of tumors CHAP. XXII Of the cure of Buboes or Plague-sores SO soone as the Bubo appeares apply a Cupping-glasse with a great flame vnto it vnlesse it bee that kinde of Bubo which will sodainly haue all the accidents of burning and swelling in the highest nature but first the skinne must be annointed with oyle of Lillies that so it beeing made more loose the Cupping-glasse may draw the stronger and more powerfully it ought to sticke to the part for the space of a quarter of an houre and to bee renewed and applied againe euerie three quarters of an houre for so at the length the venome shall bee the better drawne forth from anie noble part that is weake and the worke of suppuration or resolution whichsoeuer nature hath assaied will the better and sooner be