¶ Hereafter foloweth the causes of Pestilence .

THe Pestilence commith of thre thingis , sometyme it commith from the rotte bynethe . Other whyle from the rotte aboue , so that we maye feele sensibly how the chaunge of the ayer apperith vnto vs , And sometyme it commith of bothe together , aswell from the rotte aboue , by the rotte bynethe is ment of stinking plac{is} on the earthe , as seges deade carryn &c as from the rotte byneth , As we see a sege or priu● next to a chambre or of any other perticuler thinge , whiche corruptith the ayer in his substaunce and qualite , whiche is a thinge may happe euery day : And therof commith the ague of Pestilence , And aboute the same many Phisicions be deceyued : not supposing this ague to be a Pestilence , some tyme yt commith of deade careyn , or corruption of standing water in diches or sloughes , & other corrupt places and these thingis sometyme be vniuersall and sometyme perticuler from the rotte aboue : it fortunith the causes of the bodies aboue in the ayer by whome the spirite of lyfe is corrupte in a man or in a beaste . by the rotte aboue is ment stinking mystes & other infections of the ayer . In lykewyse as Auicen saith in his fourthe boke , by the forme of the ayer aboue , the bodies byneth lightly be infecte , for the impressions aboue corruptith the ayer & so the spiritis of a man been corrupte , This infirmite commith also from the rotte aboue and byneth : when of them pressions aboue , the ayer is corrupte , & of the putrefaction or roten careyn of the vyle places byneth an infirmite is caused in a man , and suche an infirmite somtyme is an axes , sometyme a postume or aswelling , & that is in many thingis : Also the ayer inspired is venemous , & corrupte hurting the harte , that nature many wayes is greued so that he perceyuith not his harme , for the vryne apperith fayer , & shewith goode digestion , yet neuertheles the patient is lyke to dye , wherfore many Phisicions seyng the vryne of theire patientes , they speake superficially and be deceyued : therfore it is nede that euery pacient prouyde to him self a goode and expert Phisicion . These thingis before wryten at the causes of Pestilence , But aboute these thingis , two questions be moued . The fyrst is wherfore one dyeth , The fyrst question . and another dyeth not in a towne where men be daede in one house , and in another there dieth none . The seconde question . An answere to the fyrst question . The seconde question is whether Pestilence sores be contagious , To the fyrste question I saye , it may happe to be of two causes , that is to sey of the thing that doith , & of the thinge that suffreth An ensample of that thinge that doythe the influence of the bodies aboue beholdith that place or that place more then this place , or this place , and the pacient is more disposed to dye then another . Therfore it is to be noted that bodies be more hote disposed of open pooris , then bodies infect hauing the poores stopped with many humors , where bodies be of resolution or opening as men that abusen theym self with wemen , or vsen often tymes bathes , or men that be hote , with labour , or greate angre , theyr bodyes be more disposed to this syknes . An answe● To the seconde question I say that Pestilence sores be contagious because of infect humerous bodies and the reke or smoke of suche sores is venemous and corruptitch the ayer , Exchewr greate assrmbles of people and therfor it is to fiee from suche persones as be infect , In Pestilence tyme no body shulde stande in greate preace of people or assembles of people , for some man of theym may be infect . Therfore wyse Phisiciens visiting folke that been syck of the Pestilence stande farre from the pacient , holding theire face towarde the doore or wyndowe and so shal the seruaunt{is} or ministers of the syk folke stande , Also it is goode to a pacient euery day to chaunge his chambre , and often tymes to haue the wyndowes open againste the nor the and easte , and to sparre and shitte the wyndowes againste the southe . For the southe wynde hathe two causes of putrifaction . The fyrst is , it makith a man being hole or syck , feble in theire bodies , . The seconde cause is , as yt ys wryten in the thirde of Amphorismis the south wynde greuith the heering , The southe wynde is vnholsome . and hurtith the harte because yt openith the poores of man and entreth in to the hert . wherfore it is goode in tyme of Pestilence to an hole man when the wynde is in the southe to be within the house all day , and yf it nedith to go outhe , yet lett a man abyde in hys house vntyll the sonne be vp in the east passinge south warde .

¶ The remedies for the Pestilence .

NO we it is to witte by what remedies a man may preserue hymself from Pestilence , fyrst see the wryting of Hieremi the Prophet that a man ought to forsake euyll thin ges , and do goode dedes , and me kely to confesse , his synnes , for it is the hy ghest remedy in tyme of Pestilence penaunce and confession to be prefered all other medecynes . Exchewt the infects place . Neuertheles I promitte you verely , yt is a gode remedy to avoyde & chaunge thenfect place : but some may not profitably chaunge theyre places therfore asmyche as to theym is possible , it is to eschewe euery cause of putrifaccion and stinking , and namely euery flesly lust wyth women shal be eschewed , Also the the sothern wynde whiche is naturally infectyue , therforesperreand closse the wyndowes agaynste the southe as yt is sayed before tyll the fyrst houre after the myddes of the day thē open the wyndowes agaynste the northe . Of the same cause euery foule stynche is to be eschewed , of stable , stinking feldes , wayes , or streates , Avoyde ● exchew al foule sauiours . and namely of stinckyng deade careyn , and most of styncking waters where in many places water is kept , two dayes , or two nyghtes , orelles there be gutters of water casten vndre the earthe whiche causith greate stinke & corrupcion and of this cause some dye in that house where suche thingis happen , & in another house dye none , as it is sayed before , lykewyse in that place where the wortes & cooles putrifyed it makith a noyfull sauour & a stinking , The harte is comforted by swete sauour . For lyke as by the swete adour of bawme the herte and the spirites haue recreacion , so of euyl sauours they be made feble , wherfor kepe your house that an infect ayer entre not in , for an infect ayer most causith putrifaction in places and houses where folke slepe , therfore let your house be cleane and make clere fyre of wodde flamyng , let your house he made with fumigacion of herbes which be the leaues of bay tree , Brenne Ie ueper and other swete thingis in your house . Ieneper , vberyorgany , it is in the Poticary shoppes , worme wode , rewe , mugwort , and of the tree of aloes which is best , but it is deare such a fume taken by the mouthe , and eares openith the inwarde partes of the body , Also it is to eschewe all greate replections because full bodies be lightly infect as Auicen sayeth in the fourthe canon . Eate tent peratly . They that chargen theire bodies with replection shortē their lyfe , also comen bathes ar to be eschewed for a lytle ruste corruptith all the body . Therfore the people asinyche as is possible is to be eschewed leaste of infecte breathes some man be infect , But when the multitude of people may not be eschewed thē vse the remedies folowinge , In the morning eate . In the morninge when ye ryse wasshe a litle rewe , and one or two fylberd nuttes cleane wyth salte , and eate theym , and yf that cannot be had then eate breade , or a tofte sopped in vynegre namely , in troublous and cloudy wecher , Also in tyme of Pestilence it is better to abyde within the house , for it is not holsom to go in the City or Towne , Sprencle your hou●… Also sprencle youre house specially in somer with vynegre and roses and with the leaues of vyne tre . Also it is goode to washe often tymes in the day your handes with water and vynegre , & wype your face wyth your handis and smelle to theim . Also it is goode alway to sauour egre thingis , In the mounte of Pessulane I myght not eschewe the company of people for I went from house to house because of my pouertye to cure syck folkes therfore breade or a sponge sopped in vynegre I toke wyth me holding it to my mouthe , and nose because all egre thynges stoppen the wayes of humours and suffreth no venemous thinges to entre into a manes body , and so I escaped the Pestilence my felowes supposing that I shulde not lyue , these thyngis I haue proued by my self

¶ The confortis of the herte , & the principall membres .

THe confortes of the harte be these , saffron Lanifex planteyn with other herbes they opon the in wardespirite , Saffiōcō fortith the harte . & these be goode amonge the comen people , where lyghtly yt hap penyth that one ys infect of another therfore be ware the breathe of another , Also of infect ayer a mans eyen be made dymme yf he beare not these sayed thingis in his hande . Also it is holsome to washe your mouthe , face , eyen , and handes of ten tymes in the day with rose water medle●… with vynegre , and yf ye haue no Rose water take vynegre : Kepe your selfe sulible . and so these thinges vsed ye maye surely go amonge the people . Also a naturall lare of the bellye is a greate remedye , ellis prouoke a laxe by a supposytory craftely vse pipille pestilenciales for they be goode they be in the Potecaries shoppies . Kepe good fyere in your house . Also kepe fyre alway in youre house , for yt settith miche the inpressions of the bodies aboue & clarified the ayer . Also it is profitable aswell for hole and sycke folkes to drinke Traicle , therfore take it two tymes a day , with cleare wyne lymphate or with cleare rose water or with cleare ale . Take a quantite of triacle of a pease and two sponefull of cleate wyne or rose water or ale , drinke triacle . dissolue the triacle in the cup and drinke yt , & dyne not vntyli the myddes of the daye , so that the triacle may haue his operation , then chose a goode dyshe of meate , and drinke cleare wyne , and often tymes drinke in the day , but not myche together for myche habundaunce of drinke putrifyeth the humors . Also beware of hote thinges in meate as peper & garlyke , Beware of peper in meate . though pe{per} pourgeth the brayne from flewme and specially the membres from viscous humours yet yt makith myche heate , & heate fallith into putryfaction , bitternes only ys more to please then hote odour or sauor . Also garlycke though yt pourgith flewme and put oute euyll humour , and prouoked an appetite to eate and sufrith no drye ayer to entre , yet it troublith the eyen and makith the hedde hote , therfore it is not goode to eate garlyck , the pestilence growith often tym●… of an hote cause , therfore all meates the lighter they be of digestion so myche they be the better In the mornynge eate boylled meate , Eate meates oflight digestion . Forbeare pottage at euen rosted , forbeare brothe and potage withoute they be egre , In the tyme of pestilence eygre and tarte meates be myche better then other meates . Also forbeare al fruetes , Forbeare all frutes but yf they be eygre as cheries or pome garnates or a litle of a peare or apple by wey of medecyne , because all frute enducith putrifaction . Eate conuenient spyces as gynger , Eate gynger . cinamum , comin , macis , and saffron , These be the best sause that may be made for ryche people , for the poore people take rewe , sage , fylbordnutt{is} , percelly with vynegre mengled together . These be goode and lettith putrifaction . To be mery in the herte ys a greate remedy for helth of body . Therfore in tyme of pestilence beware ye feare not deathe , but lyue merely and hope to lyue longe .

For the letting of bloude .

LEtting of bloud ones in the moneth may be made , Lett bloude . onles age or other thing forbed yt , as pilgrymes or feoble {per}sones which haue the flixe , suffce to be lett bloude in the vayne called basylica on the ryght or lefte syde before eating , & after incision of basilica be mery & drinke wyne or ale temperately : slepe not that day when basilica ys cutt , yf ye feele you greued to be infect , Eschewe slepe after ye be infect . then eschewe slepe , and be walking and mouing for by slepe the inwarde heate inducith poyson to the harte , & to other specyall membres that vneth any herbe may take away such poyson which shulde not be yf a man wolde be mouinge to and fro . But some wolde aske , wherfore slepe shal be eschewed . I saye that in Pestylence tyme anon after meate yf a body lyste to slepe thē suche luste shal be forborne by a space , walking in the gardeins or feldes , and then make a naturall slepe by the space of an houre , And therfore Auicen wrytith that yf a man wolde slepe , he must drincke a goode draught of ale or wyne before , because a man being a slepe drawith many humors , and the euyll humors be putt downe by the humors of a goode draught , But some wolde aske , howe may a man feele when he is infecte I say that a man whiche is infect that day eatith not myche meate for he is replenished with euyll humours , Howe a man shall know when he is ifect & forth with after dyner he hathe luste to slepe , and feelith greate heate vndre colde , Also he hathe greate payne in the forehed , but all these thingis he may put a way by mouing of a space hyder & thider , to ryde or to walke , ryde or walke . he may not for sleuthe of the body , and the weight of the same , Also a man that is infecte hathe luste to fleape euery houre of the day and night for the venim beyng within the body troublythe the spirite of lyfe so that all way he wolde rest and slepe . And also of these tokens a man shall knowe and feele himself infect , and yf a body wol not beleue this abyde the myddes of the day , and thē he shal feele a swelyng vndre the arme or aboute the share , or aboute the eares , and ther fore see an hye and a gode medicine , forbeare sleape because of these thingis aforesaid , and it is playne that the spirite of lyfe restith in sleape , and all the body here and there is venimed : Alle these thinges I haue proued by my selfe . These thinges knowen , when a man feelith hymself infect , assone as he may let hym be letc bloude plentuoussy tyll he swowne , then stoppe the vayne . For a litle lettyng of bloude mouith or styreth venymtand yf yt be so that a man wol not haue many vaynes cutt together , When ye shall lett vionde . then let him suffce the vayue cutt to renne tyll the bloud withdrawe , for a lytle bleding mouith strongly the venym , as it is sayed afore . Also a man whether he be infect or not , yf he be lett bloude , let him forbeare sleape all that day tyl mydnight folowing , and alweye lett bloude that vayne , vpon that syde of the body where the swellyng apperith . Therfore yf a swelling appere vndre the right arme lett bloude in the myddes of the same arme in the vayne called mediana , yf yt appere vndre the lyfte arme , let him bloude in the myddes of the same or in the vayne of the lyuer whiche is aboute that lytle fynger , and yf it be aboute the share , lett him bloude aboute the hele vpon the same syde , yf the swelling be in the neck , let hym bloude in the vayne called Cephalica abouthe the thombe in the hande of the same syde or in the vayn called mediana of the same arme : or in the hande of the same syde aboute the litle fingre . And yf the swelling appere aboute the eare , let hym bloude in the vayne called cephalica of the same syde , or in the vayne whiche is betwene the longe fyngre & the thombe leaste many venemous vaynes go in to the brayne , or let bloude in the vayne which is aboute the lytle fyngre named by the Phisicions Basilica , and yf a swelling appeare in the shoulders lesse and diminishe yt with ventosite , & fyrst lesse the vayne called mediana , yf the swelling be on the back , lesse yt vpon the vayne called pedica magna , and all these thingis be made yf a man slepe not before the knowlege of the swellynge . But if ye feele suche swellyng after slepe , yf be feele swellynge after slepe then on the contrary parte the lettyng of bloude must be made , As yf the swelling appere in the ryght arme lett him bloude in the lefte arme in Epate , or Basilica , or mediana , and a swellyng appere vndre the lyfte arme , lett hym bloude in the ryght arme lyke as yt ys sayed of the lyfte arme : and so of other places of the body , lett bloude in the contrary parte of suche swellyng , and yf the lettyng of bloude be veray lytle , and feble , then lett the pacient sleape after myddes of the day , & alway in the myddes of the day he must be in continual mouinge , ryding or going moderatly , and afterwarde yf the swelling growe , let hym not be aferde of deathe because suche a swelling puttith oute all cuyll , and makith a man veray hole , and that the swellyng may the soner be made rype , take this medicine as folowith , Brose the leaues of an eldre tree , and putt therto grounde mustard , a plaster for the sort . and make a plaster therof and put yt vpon the swellyng , some surgeons woll put triacle vpon the swelling , but do not so for triacle puttith oute venym , therfor drincke triacle for that puttith oute the same , Also there is another medicyne , Take sengrene hylworth other wyse called wylde tyme , maudelyn , grasse planteyn & a lytle Rye floure , and breake all these together til ye see water come oute therof , medle that water with womans mylke , and gyue yt to the pacient fasting be for sleape , & yt wol worke the better for to remoue the swelling , Also for the swelling when it apperith . Take filbert nuttes , fygges , and rewe , and bruse theym together , and lay is vpon the swellynge . These remedies be sufficient to eschewe this greate sycknes wyth the helpe of allmyghty God , to whome be euerlasting laude , and praising , worlde withoten ende .

AMEN .