Of the cure of the Pestilence.

AS I haue already declared that there is a fourefolde cause of this cruell disease of the pe­stilence: Cure. so also there is a fourefold meanes to cure the same.

The first consisteth in euacuation and mundifica­tion 1 of the body.

The second, in a due obseruation of diet.

The third, in comforting and strengthning of 2 the principall members; which are the hart, the li­uer, 3 and the braine, with asseueration of the poten­tiall and operati [...]e powers.

The fourth, in giuing and administring of Anti­dots, Alexipharmacon, and other preseruatiues a­gainst 4 venomous and contagious ayres, with the office of the Chirurgian, for Phlebotomy, bloud letring, maturation, extraction, and healing of Carbuncles.

For preseruatiue against the Pestilence they must [Page] be such as haue faculty of resisting putrifaction, and euen presently from the beginning those bodies (as I haue before said) which are humid & moyst, must be by all possible meanes that may be made dry, and those that are dry must be kept & preserued. But in those bodies that doe abound with corrupt, rotten, & hurtfull humours: it shall be needefull for them before infection, to vse purgation and bloud letting by aduice of the skilfull and learned Phisition.

And whereas the Phisition in other feuers are accustomed to vse a longer processe: that is to say, by preparing the body, by digesting of humours offen­ding, and last of all by euacuation and purging out of the same: in this cruell disease which will not ad pacis conditiones descendere ▪ that is, indure no dali­ance or delay, we must flie foorthwith vnto the cure and remedies for the same.

And for because it seldome hapneth that persons which are infected with the pestilence, are visited with the Phisitiō, or Chirurgiō wherby many wāt cure & remedie which liue & recouer, I am there­fore determined by Gods assistance to set downe such meanes and remedies as shall be profitable to all those that shall haue neede to vse the same.

And first of all for preseruatiue before the body be infected may be vsed this following.

• Take
  • Oxysaccharum.
  • Syrupe of Sorrell.
  • Oxymel Symplex, of either of them halfe an ounce.
  • Waters of Endiue, Scabios, Carduus bene­dictus, of either one ounce.

[Page]Let all these be mixt togither and taken in the morning fasting, and so continue it euery other day day during the time of the Pestilence.

Pils for the resisting of the Pestilence.

• Take
  • Aloes elect one ounce.
  • Myrrhe.
  • Safferne of either ii. Dragons.
  • Agarick prepared.
  • Rhubarbe, elect of either so much.
  • Camphere, 1. Dragme, and 2. Scruples.
  • Red and yellow Saunders.
  • Red Roses.
  • Red Corrall of either 1. Dragme.
  • Dictamni.
  • Gentian roote.
  • Z [...]doarie.
  • Tormentil of either 4. Scruples.

Let all those be made into a masse with the Sy­r [...] [...]l [...]ed Aeotosi [...]atis ci [...]i, as much as shall be suf­ficient, and when any will vse thereof, let him take the weight of one scruple made into a [...]il in the euening when he entreth into his bed, & so let him continue euery day during the time of the Pesti­lence, if you giue thereof to children halfe a scruple shall suffice, these pils haue a wonderfull proper­tie in resisting venome, and in euacuating of rotten and corrupt humours with strengthning and con­firming of the principall members.

An other preseruatiue against the Pestilence.

• Take
  • Of Andromachas treacle of either 1. dram.
  • Of the best Mithradate, of either 1. dram.
  • Suger roset.
  • Saccharie boraginati,
  • Sacchari buglossati,
  • Of the citren rinde condite.
  • Of either of them one ounce and a halfe.
  • Electuari de gemmis 10. drams.
  • Diarhodon Abbatis.
  • Diatrion santuli of either 1. ounce.

M [...]xe altogether with the Sirup of the rinde of Citrens as much as shall suffice, and take of the same Electuarie eueryday, or euery other day the quantitie of a Chest nutte in the morning foure houres before dinner. And for as much as euery man cannot be at so great a charge as to attaine these former things prescribed, they may vse eue­ry morning fasting one scruple of the pils called Pilulae Ruffi which doth excellently resist putrifac­tion, or they may vse euery morning vpon the point of a knife The [...]iac [...] Diates [...]aron which also is a pre­seruatiue against the Pestilence.

They may also take one ounce of London trea­cle, with the powder of Carduus Benedictus, and the roote of Angelica of either of them halfe a dramme, and mixe them together, and thereof take [Page] euery morning fasting vppon the point of a knife often times in the day. I omit to speake of the Vnicornes Horne, and Bezars stone, because their value is so great, and the graine held at so deare a rate: onely I aduise euery man that will seeke the preseruation of his owne health, to keepe their houses sweete, and cleane, vsing in their com­mon roomes not onely fiers in the chimneyes, but also in earthen pans, with perfumes and sweete vapours, which be not onely pleasant to the sences, but also haue propertie to cleanse and purifie the ayre, such as is Rose vineger, red Rose water, lig­num Aloes, Olibanum, Bengimin, Storax Calamint, Juniper Buris; with the wood and such like Besides, to be carefull not to be much out of their owne doores before the Sumre haue beene vp for two houres space, or after it is set and gone downe. And thus much briefely by way of precaution and preseruatiue before infection. Now it resteth to de­scribe the cure of the Pestilence after infection ac­cording to the practise and cures of Phisicke.

Of the cure of the Pestilence.

VVE haue already set downe in briefe man­ner precautions and preseruatiues against the Pestilence. Now if it happen any man to be in­fected, let him presently with all the speed that pos­sible may be, take two drams of this powder fol­lowing in halfe a draught of good white wine.

• [Page] Take
  • Tormentil. of either 1. dram.
  • Dictamni. of either 1. dram.
  • Zedoari. of either 1. dram.
  • The roote of Gentian,
  • Of the roote Carlinae,
  • Of the roote Verbascus, dried in the shade and powdered of either 1. dragme.

Make all these into fine powder and as soone as it may be, let the patient that is infected take 2. dragmes in halfe a draught of good white wine, then let him goe into his bed & be couered warme with cloathes that he may sweate throughly. And to the entent he may sweate the sooner, you may put into the bed earthen bottles filled with hot water, and so let him sweate for the space of two or three houres keeping him from sleepe and drinke, all that while. In like manner this powder may be vsed.

• Take
  • the rootes of Pimpinella.
  • Of Tormentil,
  • Of Cinamon, of either 1. ounce.
  • Lignum aloes,
  • Greeke mynts, of either 2. ounces.
  • Iuniper berries,
  • Narde seede, of either so much.

Make all into fine powder and mixe 2. drams thereof with Andromachus treacle, and of choyse Mithradat of either halfe an ounce, with halfe an ounce of Sirup de ribes: and giue thereof at one time a dragme or better & so prouoke him to sweat [Page] as aforesaid, if you adde to euery dragme or dos. 6. graynes of Bezars stone, you shal see a maruailous effect for it resisteth the Pestilence and all maner of venome.

An other electuarie to be taken after infection.

• Take
  • Bolearmonick washed in red rosewater.
  • Two Dragmes.
  • Terrae Sigillatae.
  • Red Coral, of either 1. dragme.
  • Of the Citren rinde,
  • Zedoarie.
  • Safferne, of either halfe a dragme.
  • Suger rosat, of red roses, 6. ounces.
  • Syrupus acetositatis citri, 10. ounces.

Let all be made into fine powder, and make an electuarie of this electuarie, the patient shall take one dram, and of Andromachas treacle so much, and mixe them together and receiue all presently at one Dose, and drinke presently after a draught of Scabi­os water or sorrell water with a little of vineger of roses, or take the foresaid treacle and electuarie and mixe it with the water and so drinke it, presently prouoking sweate as aforesaid.

And thus much I thinke to be sufficient at this time, as concerning this cruell disease of the Pesti­lence, I know much more may be written, but for as much as I promised to auoyde prolixitie, I will end onely with aduice vnto such Chirurgious as shall be called, or shall aduenture themselues to [Page] the cure of this so daungerous a sicknesse.

The chiefe matter belonging to the Chirurgian is blood letting, extraction, and maturation of Car­buncles and Apostumes, as for blood-letting, let not the Chirurgian draw so much foorth as may be an occasion of fainting, or sowning to the patient, but let him draw foorth blood by degrees, and ite­rate the same, as if the patient bleed in the morning 5. ounces, he may bleed at three of the clocke in the after noone, 3. ounces more, and so againe the next morning if neede shall require.

And this is to be noted, that this blood letting is to be vsed at the beginning of infection and not otherwise; prouided alwaies that there with some one or other of this Antidots or electuaries before declared be vsed.

And whereas I haue obserued that the patient infected with this disease hauing absessus tumor or Carbuncle arising either in the groyne, Armeholes or vnder the eares, or in some emunctuarie or clen­sing place of the body weyting the suppuration and ripening of the same either by nature, or medicine, they haue dyed, which if the Chirurgian would ei­ther by extirpation, or incision, with present appli­cation of some ripening and attractiue plaster, na­ture would thereby be eased & the venomous and corrupt vapours by nature expelled, for nature be­ing weake, and not able to expell the venome fast enough, if by insensible transpiration, the venome returneth backe to the hart, and so presently de­stroyeth nature. But if the Chirurgian or the pa­tient himselfe doe follow my aduise, he shall pre­sently [Page] either with incision, knife, or other instru­ment remooue that turnor where nature may haue way made to expell that venomous and corrupt matter which is noysome vnto it.

And thus by the grace of God and his blessing, whosoeuer shall follow the foresaid precepts, and rules, shall preserue both himselfe and his familie from the Pestilence. And I beseech the Almightie to hold his holy hand ouer this Realme of Eng­land which by sinne hath deserued farre greater punishments.