¶ Here beginneth a treatise against pestilence & of the infirmits  

A●t●onomye. Ptholomeus.    

AT the reverence and worship of the blessed trinity & of the glorious virgin saint mary/ & the conservation of the common weal of christian people as well for them that be hole as for remedy of them that been seek. I the bishop of Arusiens in the royalme of denmark doctor of physic will write by the most expert end famous doctors authorized in physyque some things of thee, infirmity of the pestilence which daily infecteth & soon suffereth us to depart out of this life. ¶ first I will write the tokens of this infirmity/ ¶ The second/ the causes whereof it cometh. ¶ The third remedies for the same. ¶ The. iiii. comfort for the heart & the principal members of the body. ¶ The. u when it shall be season to be let blood.  

first I said the tokens of this infirmity. seven. things aught to be noted in the same/ the first is when in a summers day the weather oftentimes changeth as in the morning the weather appeareth to rain/ afterward it appeareth cloudy & at the last wind in the south. The second token is when in summer the days appeareth all dark & like to rain & yet it raineth not/ and if many days so continue it is to dread great pestilence. The third token is when great multitude of flies been upon that earth than it is sign/ that the air is venomous and infect. The. iiii. token is when the stars semen oftentimes to fall/ then it is token that the air is infect with much venomous vapours. The. u token is when a blazing star is seen in the element above/ then it should fortune soon after to be great manslaughter. in battle. The. vi. token is when there is great lightning & thunder namely out of the south. The. seven. token is when great winds passen out of the south/ they be foul & unclean/ therefore when these tokens appear it is to dread great pestilence but god of his mercy will remove it.   

These things following been the causes of pestilence. The pestilence cometh of. three things/ sometime it cometh fro the rote beneath other while fro the rote above to the we may feel sensibly how the change of the air appeareth unto us/ & sometime it cometh of both together as well fro the rote above as fro the rote beneath/ as we see a siege or a privy next to a chamber or of any other particular thing which corrupteth the air in his substance & quality which is a thing may hap every day/ & thereof cometh the ague of pestilence/ & about the same many physicians be deceived/ not supposing this axes to be a pestilence/ sometime it cometh of deed carrion or corruption of standing water in dyches or sloughs & other corrupt places/ and these things sometime be universal & sometime particular. ¶ From the rote above it fortuneth the causes of the bodies above the air by whom the spirit of life is corrupt in man or be'st as Auicēce saith in his.. iiii. book/ by the form of thayt above the bodies beneath lightly be infect/ for thynpressyons above corrupteth the air & so the spirits of man be corrupt/ this infirmity cometh from the rote above/ & beneatheth when of thynpressyons above the air is corrupt/ and of the putrefaction or rotten careyne/ or of vile places beneath an infirmity is caused in a man/ & such an infirmity sometime is an axes/ sometime apostume or a swelling and that is in many things. Also the air inspired sometime is venomous and corrupt/ hurting the heart/ that nature many ways is grieved so/ that he perceiveth not his harm for the virgin appeareth fair & showeth good digestion yet nevertheless the patient is like to die/ wherefore many physycyens saying the urine of their patients that speak superfycyally & be deceived. There fore it is need that every patient prove to himself a good & expert physician. These things written before are the causes of pestilence. But about these things two questions be moved. The first is wherefore one dieth & another dieth not in a town where men be deed in one house/ & in another house there dieth none. The second question is whether pestilence sores be contagious. To the first question I say it may hap to be of two causes/ that is to say of the thing that doth & of that thing that suffereth/ an example of that thing that doth/ the Influence of the bodies above beholdeth that place or that place more than this place or this place/ & the patient is more disposed to die than another. therefore it is to be noted that the bodies be more hot disposed of open poors than bodies Infect ha': ve the poors stopped with many humours where bodies be of resolution or opening/ as men which abusen themself with women or use often times baths/ or men that be hot with labour or great anger they have their bodies more disposed to this great sickness. To the second question I say that pestilence sores be contagious by cause of infect humours of bodies and the reek or smoke of such soores is venomous and corrupteth the air & therefore it is to flee fro such persons that be infect/ in pestilence time no body should stand in great prece of people by cause some man use the remedies following.   

In the morning when ye rise/ wash a little rue & one or two fylberde nots clenc with salt & eat them/ & if that can not be had than eat breed or a toast sopped in vinegar namely in troublous & cloudy weather. Also in the time of pestilence it is better to abide within the house/ for it is not wholesome to go in to city or town/ also let your house be sprinkled specially in summer with vinegar and roses & with leaves of vine tree. Also it is good to wash your hands oft times in the day with water & vinegar/ & wipe your face with your hands & smell to them. Also it is good alway to savour ayger things. In the mount of pessulane I might not eschew the company of people for I went fro house to house because of my poverty to cure seek folks therefore breed or a sponge sopped in vinegar I took with me holding it to my mouth and nose because all eager things stoppen the ways of humours and suffereth no venomous things to enter in to a man's body & so I escaped the pestylens my fellows supposing that I should not live these things I have proved by myself.   

¶ Here followeth the comforts of the heart & of the principal members.  
The comforts of the heart be these/ saffron anifex plantain: with other herbs they open the inward spirit/ & these be good among the common people where lightly it happeth that one is infect of another therefore beware the breath of another. Also of an Infect ayet a man's eyen be made dim if he bear not the foresaid things in his hand Also it is wholesome that ye wash your mouth face eyen & hands oftentimes in the day with rose water medeled with vinegar/ & if ye have no rose water take vinegar and so these things used ye may go surely among the people. Also a natural lax of the belly is a great remedy else provoke a lax by a supposory craftily/ use pypylle pestilemciales for they be good/ they be in thap potycarye shops. Also keep fire always in your how see for it letteth much the impressions of the bodies above & clarefyeth the air. Also it is profitable as well for & hole seek folks to drink treacle therefore take it. two. times a day with clear wine limphat or with clear rose water or with clear ale/ take a quantity of tryacle & two spoonful of clear wine or rose water or ale dissolve the treacle in the cup & drink it & dine not till the mids of the day that the tryacie may have his operation/ then cheese a good dish with meet/ & drink clear wine & often times drink in the day but not much together/ for moche abundance of drink putryfyeth the humours. Also beware hot things in meats as pepper & garlic/ though pepper purgeth the brain from the phlegm & specially the members from vesyous humours/ yet it maketh moche heat/ & heat falleth in to putryfation/ bitterness only is more please than hot odour or savour. Also garlic though it putgeth phlegm & put out all humours & provoketh an appetite to eat & suffereth no dry aper to enter yet it troubleth the eyen & maketh the heed hot therefore it is not good to eat garlic. The pestilence groweth often times of an hot cause therefore all meats the more they be light digestion so moche they be the better/ In the morning ere boiled meet at even roasted/ forbear broth & pottage without they be eyger/ in the time of this sickness eyger metres be better than other. Also forbear all fruits but if they be eyger/ as cherries or pomegranates or a little of a peer or apple by the way of medicine/ because all fruit enduceth putrefaction/ eat convenient spices as gunger synamum common maces & saffron/ these be the best sauce may be made for rich people/ for poor take rue sage fylberde nots parsley with vinegar mynste together these be good & letteth putrefaction. To be merry in his heart is a great remedy for health of his body. Therefore in time of this great jyfyrmyte be aware ye dread not death but live merely & hope to live long.   

¶ For the letting of blood.  
¶ Letting of blood once in the month may be made/ but age or other things forbid it as pilgrims or feeble persons that have the flix/ suffer to be let blood in the vain called basilica on the right or life side before eating/ & after in cision of the basilisca be merry & drink wine or ale temperately/ sleep not that day when basilica is cut/ if ye feel you grieved to be infect/ than eschew sleep & be walking & moving/ for by sleep thynwarde heat induceth poison to the heart and to other special members/ so that uneath any herb may take away such poison/ which should not be if a man would be moeving to & fro/ but some would axe wherefore should sleep be eschewed/ I say shortly that in pestilence time anon after meet if a body list to sleep/ then such a lust aught to be forborn by a space walking in the gardens or fields/ & therefore Auicenne writeth that if a man would sleep he must drink a good draft of ale or wine a●ore/ because a man being a sleep draweth many humours/ & the evil humours be put down by thumours of a good draft. But some would understand how may a man feel when he is infect/ I say that a man which is infect that day he eateth not moche meet/ for he is replenished with evil humours/ & forthwith after dinner he hath lust to sleep & feeleth great heat under cold. Also he hath great pain in the forehead but all these things he may put a way by moving of a place hither and thither to ride or to walk he may not for sloth/ of the body & the weight of the same. Also a man which is infect hath lust to sleep every hour for the vemyn within the body troubleth the spirit of life so that always he would rest & sleep & so of these tokens a man shall know & feel himself infect/ & if a body will not believe this. Abide the mids of the day/ & then anon he shall feel a swelling under the arm about the share/ or about the ears & therefore see an high & a good medicine/ forbear sleep because of the things aforesaid/ & it is plain that the spirit of life resteth in sleep & all the body here and there is venomed. All these things I have proved by myself/ these things known when a man feeleth himself infect as soon as he may let him be let blood plenteously till he swoon/ then stop the vain/ for a little letting of blood moveth or stirreth vemyn/ if a man will not have many veins cut together/ then let him suffer the vain cut to run till the blood with draw/ for a little bledynge moveth strongly the venom as it is said afore also a man whether he be infect or not if he be let blood let him forbear sleep all that day till midnight following/ & always let blood the vain upon that side of the body where that swelling appeareth. Therefore if a swelling appear under the right arm let blood in the mids of the same arm in the vain called mediana/ if it of them may be infect. Therefore wise physicians in visiting seek folk stand far fro that patient holding their face toward the door or window. And so should the servants of seek folk stand. Also it is good to a patient every day for to change his chamber/ & to have the windows open against the north & east/ & to spear the windows against the south/ for the south wind hath two causeth of putryfycicaon. The first is/ it maketh a man being hole or seek feeble in their bodies. The second cause is as written in the third of Amphyrosmis the south wind grieveth the heecing & hurteth the heart because it openeth the poors of man and entereth in to the heart/ wherefore it is good to an hole man in time of pestilence when the wind is in the south to be within the house all day & if it shall be need a man to go out/ yet let him abide in the house till the son be up in the east passing south ward.  
¶ The remedies of pestilence here after followeth. Now it is to weet by what remedies a man may preserve himself fro pestilence/ first se the writing of jeremy the prophet that a man aught to forsake evil things & do good deeds & meekly to confess his sins/ for why it is the highest remedy in time of pestilence/ penance & confession to be preferred of other medicines. Nevertheless I promytte you verily it is a good remedy to void & change thinfect pleaces. but some may not profitably change their places/ therefore as much as to them is possible it is to eschew every cause of putryfaction/ & namely every fleshly lust with women it to be eschewed. Also the southern wind which is naturally infecteth therefore spear the windows axenst the south as it is said before unto to the first hour after the mids of the day. Then open the windows against the north. Of the same cause every foul stink is to be eschewed/ of stable stinking fields ways or streets/ & namely of stinking deed carrion & most of stinking waters where in many places water is kept by. seven. days or. two. nights/ or else there be gutters of water casten under the earth which causeth great stink & corruption & of this cause some die in the house where such things happen/ & in another house die none as it is said afore. like wise in that place where be wurtes & coals putrefied it maketh a noyful savour & stinking for as by the sweet odour of balm the heart & the spirits have recreation/ so of evil savours they be made feeble wherefore keep your house that an infect air enter not in/ for an Infect air most causeth putrefaction in places and houses where folk sleep/ therefore let your house be clean and make clear fire of wood flammynge/ let your house be made with fumigation of herbs/ that is to say with leaves of bay tree Jeneper uberyorgany it is in thapothecary shops/ wormwood rue mugwort & of the tree of aloes which is best but it is dear. Such a fume taken by the mouth & ears openeth thynwarde parts of the body. Also it is t'eschew all great replections by cause full bodies be lightly infect/ as Avicenne saith in the fourth canon/ they that chargen their bodies with replection/ shorten their life. Also common baths are to be eschewed/ for a little crust corrupteth all the body Therefore the people as much as is possible is to be eschewed/ least of infect breathes some man be infect/ but when the multitude of people may not be eschewed. them be risen. But & if that he feel any such swelling after his sleep/ then upon the contrary part the letting of blood must be made/ as for if the swelling or rising appear in the right arm let him blood in the lift arm in epate or (basilica) or mediana. And if that a swelling or a moving appear under the left arm let him blood in the right arm like wise as is be foresaid of the lift arm/ and so of alother places of the body/ let blood on the contrary part of such swelling or rising. And that the letting of blood be very little and feeble/ Then let the patient sleep after the mids of the day/ and then alway within the mids of the day/ for he must be in continually moving riding or going moderately/ and afterward if that the swelling grow let him not be afraid of death by cause such a swelling putteth out all manner of evils/ and maketh a man very hole. And that the sooner a swelling may be made ripe/ take this medicine as followeth. Bruise the leaves of an elder tree the which been fair and great and put thereto mustard the which shall be well and strongly grounden in a pair of querues and then when ye have done as I have told you/ take and drive a plaster of the foresaid things good & thick and after put it upon the sore and swelling and it shall allege him anon of the foresaid sickness  
¶ Also for the foresaid swelling/ or rising in the neck/ or in the arm/ or in any other place of a man's body when it appeareth take fylberde nots figs and rue and bruise them together in a mortar well and say it upon the swelling. And if that it appear under the left arm let him blood in the mids of the same or in the vain of the liver which is above the little fayger/ & if it, be about the share let him blood about the heel upon the same side/ if the swelling be in the neck let him blood in the vain called cephalica about the thumb in the hand in the same side or in the vain called medsana of the same arm or in the hand of the same side about the little finger/ if the swelling appear about the ere let him blood in the vain called cephalica of the same side or in the vain which is between the long finger & the thumb/ jest many venomous things go in to the brain/ or let blood the vain which is about the little finger that is named by physicians basiuca/ & if a swelling appear in the shoulders less it with ventosity and first jest the vain called mediana/ if the swelling be on the back/ less it upon the vain called pedia magna) & all these things be made if man sleep not before the knowledge of the swelling. some surgeons will put treacleto the swelling But do not so/ for treacle putteth out venom. Therefore drink treacle for that putteth out the same. Also there is another medyeyne take syngreve hysworte other wise called wild time mawdesyn grafie plantain and a little rye flower & break all these together till ye see water come out there of/ meddle that water with woman's milk & give it to the patient fastrnge before sleep & will work the better for to remove the swelling These remedies be sufficient to eschew this great sickness with the help of god to whom be ever lasting laud & praising world without end. Amen.   
¶ imprinted by Wynkyn de word.