Fyrst I sayd the tokens of this infyrmyte . vii . thynges ought to be noted in the same / the fyrst is whan in a sommers day the weder oftentymes chaungeth as in the mornynge the weder appereth to rayne / afterwarde it appereth cloudy & at the last wynde in the south . The seconde token is whan in somer the dayes appereth all derke & lyke to rayne & yet it rayneth not / and yf many dayes so contynue it is to drede grete pestylence . The thyrde token is whan grete multytude of flyes ben vpon that erthe then it is sygne / that the ayer is venymous and infecte . The. iiii . token is whan the sterres semen oftentymes to fal / then it is token that the ayer is infect with moche venemous vapours . The. v. token is whan a blasynge sterre is sene in the element aboue / then it sholde fortune sone after to be grete manslaughter . in batayll . The. vi . token is whan there is grete lyghtnynge & thundre namely out of the south . The. vii . token is whan grete wyndes passen oute of the south / they be foule & vnclene / therfore whan these tokens appere it is to drede grete pestylence but god of his mercy wyll remeue it .

These thynges folowynge ben the causes of pestylence . The pestylence cometh of . iii. thynges / sometyme it cometh fro the rote byneth other whyle fro the rote aboue to the we may fele sensibly how the chaunge of the ayer appereth vnto vs / & sometyme it cometh of both togyder as well fro the rote aboue as fro the rote byneth / as we see a sege or a preuy nexte to a chamber or of ony other pertyculer thynge whiche corrupteth the ayer in his substaunce & qualyte whiche is a thynge may happe euery day / & therof cometh the ague of pestylence / & aboute the same many physycyons be deceyued / not supposynge this axes to be a pestylence / somtyme it cometh of dede careyn or corrupcion of standynge water in dyches or sloughes & other corrupt places / and these thynges somtyme be vnyuersall & sometyme perticuler . ¶ Fro the rote aboue it fortuneth the causes of the bodyes aboue the ayer by whome the spyryte of lyfe is corrupt in man or beest as Auicēce sayth in his .. iiii . boke / by the forme of thayt aboue the bodyes byneth lyghtly be infect / for thynpressyons aboue corrupteth the ayer & so the spirytes of man be corrupt / this infyrmyte cometh from the rote aboue / & bynethe whan of thynpressyons aboue the ayer is corrupte / and of the putryfaccyon or roten careyne / or of vyle places byneth an infyrmyte is caused in a man / & suche an Infyrmyte somtyme is an axes / somtyme apostome or a swellynge and that is in many thynges . Also the ayer inspyred sometyme is venymous and corrupt / hurtynge the herte / that nature many wayes is greued soo / that he perceyueth not his harme for the vyrgyn appereth fayre & sheweth good dygestyon yet neuerthelesse the pacyent is lyke to dye / wherfore many physycyens seynge the vryn of theyr pacyentes that speke superfycyally & be deceyued . Ther fore it is nede that euery pacyent proue to hym selfe a good & experte physycyon . These thynges wryten before are the causes of pestylence . But aboute these thynges two questyons be moeued . The fyrst is wherfore one dyeth & another dyeth not in a towne where men be dede in one house / & in another house there dyeth none . The seconde questyon is whether pestylence sores be contagyous . To the fyrst questyon I saye it may happe to be of two causes / that is to saye of the thynge that doth & of that thynge that suffreth / an example of that thynge that doth / the Influence of the bodyes aboue beholdeth that place or that place more than this place or this place / & the pacyent is more disposed to dye than another . therfore it is to be noted that the bodyes be more hote disposed of open poores than bodyes Infect ha : uynge the poores stopped with many humoures where bodyes be of resolucyon or openynge / as men whiche abusen them selfe with women or vse often tymes bathes / or men that be hote with laboure or grete anger they haue theyr bodyes more disposed to this grete sekenes . To the seconde questyon I saye that pestylence sores be contagyous by cause of infect humoures of bodyes and the reeke or smoke of suche soores is venymous and corrupteth the ayer & therfore it is to flee fro suche persones that be infect / in pestylence tyme no body sholde stande in grete prece of people by cause some manne vse the remedyes folowynge .

In the mornynge whan ye ryse / wasshe a lytell rewe & one or two fylberde nottes clenc with salte & ete them / & yf that can not be had than ete brede or a toste sopped in veneger namely in troublous & cloudy weder . Also in the tyme of pestylence it is better to abyde within the house / for it is not holsome to go in to cyte or towne / also let your house be sprynkled specyally in somer with vyneger and roses & with leues of vyne tree . Also it is good to wasshe your handes ofte tymes in the day with water & veneger / & wype your face with your handes & smell to them . Also it is good alwaye to sauoure ayger thynges . In the mount of pessulane I myght not eschewe the company of people for I wente fro hous to house bycause of my pouerte to cure seke folkes therfore brede or a sponge sopped in vyneger I toke with me holdynge it to my mouth and nose bycause all egre thynges stoppen the wayes of humours and suffreth no venymous thynges to entre in to a mannes body & so I escaped the pestylens my felowes supposynge that I sholde not lyue these thynges I haue proued by my selfe .

¶ Here foloweth the confortes of the herte & of the pryncypall membres .

The confortes of the herte be these / saffron anifex plantayn : with other herbes they open the inwarde spyryte / & these be good amonge the comyn people where lyghtly it happeth that one is infecte of another therfore beware the brethe of another . Also of an Infect ayet a mans eyen be made dymme yf he bere not the forsayd thynges in his hande Also it is holsome that ye wasshe your mouth face eyen & handes oftentymes in the day with rose water medeled with veneger / & yf ye haue no rose water take veneger and so these thynges vsed ye may go surely amonge the people . Also a naturall lax of the bely is a grete remedy elles prouoke a lax by a supposory craftly / vse pypylle pestilenciales for they be good / they be in thap potycarye shoppes . Also kepe fyre alway in your hou se for it letteth moche the Impressyons of the bodyes aboue & clarefyeth the ayer . Also it is profytable as well for & hole seke folkes to drynke tryacle therfore take it . ii . tymes a day with clere wyne limphat or with clere rose water or with clere ale / take a quantyte of tryacle & two sponefull of clere wyne or rose water or ale dyssolue the tryacle in the cup & drynke it & dyne not tyll the myddes of the day that the tryacie may haue his operacyon / then chese a good dysshe with mete / & drynke clere wyne & often tymes drynke in the day but not moche togyder / for moche haboundaunce of drynke putryfyeth the humours . Also beware hote thynges in metes as peper & garlyke / though peper purgeth the brayne from the flewme & specyally the membres from vesyous humours / yet it maketh moche hete / & hete falleth in to putryfacion / bytternes onely is more please than hote odoure or sauoure . Also garlyke though it putgeth flewme & put out all humours & prouoketh an appetyte to ete & suffreth no drye aper to entre yet it troubleth the eyen & maketh the hede hote therfore it is not good to ete garlyk . The pestylence groweth often tymes of an hote cause therfore all metes the more they be lyght dygestion so moche they be the better / In the mornynge ere boyled mete at euyn rosted / forbere brothe & potage without they be eyger / in the tyme of this sekenes eyger meters be better than other . Also forbere all fruytes but yf they be eyger / as cheryes or pomegarnates or a lytell of a pere or apple by the way of medycyne / bycause all fruyte enduceth putryfaccyon / ete conuenyent spyces as gv̄ger synamum comyn macys & saffron / these be the best sauce may be made for ryche people / for poore take rewe sage fylberde nottes percely with veneger mȳste togyder these be good & letteth putryfaccyon . To be mery in his herte is a grete remedy for helth of his body . Therfore in tyme of this grete Iyfyrmyte be ware ye drede not deth but lyue merely & hope to lyue longe .

¶ For the lettynge of blode .

¶ Lettynge of blode ones in the moneth may be made / but age or other thynges forbede it as pylgryms or feble persones that haue the flyxe / suffre to be let blode in the vayne called basilica on the ryght or lyft syde before etynge / & after in cision of the basilisca be mery & drynke wyne or ale temperatly / slepe not that day whan basilica is cut / yf ye fele yeu greued to be infect / than eschewe slepe & be walkynge & moeuynge / for by slepe thynwarde hete induceth poyson to the herte and to other specyall membres / so that vnneth ony herbe may take awaye suche poyson / whiche sholde not be yf a man wolde be moeuynge to & fro / but some wolde axe wherfore sholde slepe be eschewed / I saye shortely that in pestylence tyme anone after mete yf a body lyst to slepe / then suche a lust ought to be forborne by a space walkynge in the gardyns or feldes / & therfore Auicenne wryteth that yf a man wolde slepe he must drynke a good draught of ale or wyne a●ore / bycause a man beynge a slepe draweth many humours / & the euyll humours be put doune by t humours of a good draught . But some wolde vnderstonde how may a man fele whan he is infect / I say that a man whiche is infect that day he eteth not moche mete / for he is replenysshed with euyll humours / & forthwith after dyner he hathe luste to slepe & feleth grete hete vnder colde . Also he hath grete payne in the forhede but all these thynges he may put a way by moeuynge of a place hyder and theder to ryde or to walke he may not for slouth / of the body & the weyght of the same . Also a man whiche is infect hath lust to slepe euery houre for the vemyn within the body troubleth the spyryte of lyfe so that alway he wolde rest & slepe & so of these tokens a man shall knowe & fele hym selfe infect / & yf a body wyll not beleue this . Abyde the myddes of the day / & then anone he shall fele a swellynge vnder the arme aboute the share / or aboute the eres & therfore se an hye & a good medycyne / forbere slepe bycause of the thynges aforsayd / & it is playne that the spyryte of lyf resteth in slepe & all the body here and there is venymed . All these thynges I haue proued by my selfe / these thynges knowen whan a man feleth hym selfe infect as sone as he may let hym be let blode plentuously tyll he swoune / then stoppe the vayne / for a lytell letynge of blode moeueth or styrreth vemyn / yf a man wyll not haue many vaynes cut togyder / then let hym suffre the vayne cut to renne tyl the blode with drawe / for a lytell bledynge meueth strongly the venym as it is sayd afore also a man whether he be infect or not yf he be let blode let hym forbere slepe all that day tyll mydnyght folowynge / & alway let blode the vayne vpon that syde of the body where that swellynge appereth . Therfore yf a swellynge appere vnder the ryght arme let blode in the myddes of the same arme in the vayne called mediana / yf it of them may be infect . Therfore wyse physycyens in vysytynge seke folke stande ferre fro that paciente holdynge their face towarde the dore or wyndowe . And so sholde the seruauntes of seke folke stande . Also it is good to a pacyent euery daye for to chaunge his chamber / & to haue the wyndowes open ayenst the northe & eest / & to spere the wyndowes ayenst the south / for the south wynde hath two causeth of putryfycicaon . The fyrst is / it maketh a man beynge hole or seke feble in theyr bodyes . The seconde cause is as wryten in the thyrde of Amphyrosmis the south wynde greueth the heecynge & hurteth the herte bycause it openeth the poores of man and entreth in to the herte / wherfore it is good to an hole man in tyme of pestylence whan the wynde is in the south to be within the house all day & yf it shall be nede a man to go out / yet let hym abyde in the house tyll the sonne be vp in the eest passynge south warde .

¶ The remedyes of pestylence here after foloweth . Now it is to wete by what remedyes a man may preserue hym selfe fro pestylence / fyrst se the wrytynge of Ieremye the prophete that a man ought to forsake euyll thynges & do good dedes & mekely to confesse his synnes / for why it is the hyest remedy in tyme of pestylence / penaunce & confessyon to be preferred of other medecynes . Neuerthelesse I promytte you veryly it is a good remedy to voyde & chaunge th ynfect pleaces . but some may not prouffytably chaunge their places / therfore as moche as to them is possible it is to eschewe euery cause of putryfaccion / & namely euery flesshely luste with women it to be eschewed . Also the sothern wynde whiche is naturally enfecteth therfore spere the wyndowes axenst the south as it is sayd before vnto to the fyrste houre after the myddes of the daye . Then open the wyndowes ayenst the north . Of the same cause euery foule styncke is to be eschewed / of stabyll stynkynge feldes wayes or stretes / & namely of stynkynge dede carayne & moost of stynkynge waters where in many places water is kepte by . vii . dayes or . ii . nyghtes / or elles there be gutters of water casten vnder the erthe whiche causeth grete stynke & corrupcyon & of this cause some deye in the house where suche thynges happen / & in another house dye none as it is said afore . lyke wise in that place where be wurtes & coles putrefyed it maketh a noyfull sauoure & stynkynge for as by the swete odoure of bawme the herte & the spyrytes haue recreacion / so of euyll sauours they be made feble wherfore kepe youre house that an infect ayer enter not in / for an Infecte ayer moost causeth putryfaccyon in places and houses where folke slepe / therfore lette youre house be clene and make clere fyre of wood flammynge / let your house be made with fumygacyon of herbes / that is to saye with leues of baye tre Jeneper vberyorgany it is in th appotycary shoppes / wormwode rewe mugworte & of the tre of aloes whiche is best but it is dere . Suche a fume taken by the mouthe & eres openeth thynwarde partes of the body . Also it is t eschewe all grete repleccyons by cause full bodyes be lyghtly infect / as Auicenne sayth in the fourth canon / they that chargen theyr bodyes with repleccion / shorten their lyfe . Also comyn bathes are to be eschewed / for a lytel crust corrupteth all the body Therfore the people as moche as is possyble is to be eschewed / leest of infect brethes some man be infect / but whan the multytude of people may not be eschewed . them be rysen . But & yf that he fele ony suche swellynge after his slepe / thenne vpon the contrarye parte the lettynge of bloode muste be made / as for yf the swellynge or rysynge appere in the ryghte arme lette hym bloode in the lyfte arme in epate or ( basilica ) or mediana . And yf that a swellynge or a moeuynge appere vnder the lefte arme lette hym bloode in the ryghte arme lyke wyse as is be forsayd of the lyfte arme / and soo of allother places of the body / lette blode on the contrarye parte of suche swellynge or rysynge . And that the lettynge of bloode be veraye lytell and feble / Thenne lette the pacyente slepe after the myddes of the daye / and thenne alwaye within the myddes of the daye / for he muste be in contynuelly meuynge rydynge or goynge moderatly / and afterwarde yf that the swellynge growe lette hym not be afrayde of dethe by cause suche a swellynge putteth oute all maner of euylles / and maketh a man veray hole . And that the sooner a swellynge may be made rype / take this medycyne as foloweth . Bruse the leues of an elder tree the whiche ben fayre and grete and putte therto mustarde the whiche shall be well and strongely grounden in a payre of querues and then whan ye haue done as I haue tolde you / take and dryue a playster of the forsayd thynges good & thycke and after put it vpon the sore and swellynge and it shal aledge hym anone of the forsayd sykenes

¶ Also for the forsayd swellynge / or rysynge in the necke / or in the arme / or in ony other place of a mannes body whan it appereth take fylberde nottes fygges and rewe and bruse theym togyder in a morter well and laye it vpon the swellynge . And yf that it appere vnder the left arme let hym blode in the myddes of the same or in the vayne of the lyuer whiche is aboue the lytel fayger / & yf it , be about the share lete hym blode aboute the hele vpon the same syde / yf the swellynge be in the neeke let hym blode in the vayne called cephalica about the thombe in the hande in the same syde or in the vayne called medsana of the same arme or in the hande of the same syde aboute the lytell fynger / yf the swellynge appere aboute the ere let hym blode in the vayne called cephalica of the same syde or in the vayn whiche is betwene the longe fynger & the thombe / lest many venymous thynges go in to the brayn / or let blode the vayne whiche is aboute the lytell fynger that is named by physycyons basiuca / & yf a swellynge appere in the sholders lesse it with ventosyte and fyrst lest the vayne called mediana / yf the swellynge be on the backe / lesse it vpon the vayne called pedia magna ) & all these thynges be made yf man slepe not before the knowlege of the swellynge . some surgeons wyl put treacleto the swellynge But do not so / for tryacle putteth out venym . Thefore drynke tryacle for that putteth out the same . Also there is another medyeyne take syngreue hysworte other wyse called wylde tyme mawdesyn grafie plantayne and a lytell rye floure & breke all these togyder tyll ye se water come out ther of / medle that water with womans mylke & gyue it to the pacyent fastr̄ge before slepe & wyll werke the better for to remeue the swellynge These remedyes be suffycyent to eschewe this grete sekenesse with the helpe of god to whom be euer lastynge laude & praysynge worlde without ende . Amen .