❧ Hereafter ensuith a little treatise very necessary, & behouefull as well to preserve the people from ●… e Pestilence as to help & recover ●heym that be infected with the same, made by a bishop, & doctor of physic of Denmark, & thexperience therof proved by the same bishop, a●d also of late ●… nctised and proved in many places within the City of london, & by the same many folk haue been recovered & cure● & therf●re a book much pro●… for all men, & specially for such as be far from physicians.  
1536   

¶ The preface of the author.  
AT the reverence of God, and worship, of the blessed trinity, and the conservation of the comen weal of all Christen people, as well for them that ben hole, as for remedy for them that be infected and sick. I the bishop of arusiens in the realm of denmark, and doctor of Phisyk woll hereafter in this book write some thing is of that contagious infirmity & sickness called the Pestilence, which daily infectith, and sone suffereth us to depart out ●f this life.  

¶ first, I wool write of the tokens of this infirmity.  
¶ The second, of the causes whereof yt cometh.  
¶ The third, of the remedies for 〈◇〉 same.  
¶ The fourthe, how to comfort the heart and principal membres of the body.  
¶ The fyft, of the ty●… e and season when it is necessary to le●…    

FIrst I said I wolde writ the tokens of this infirmity seven thingis ought to be noted in the same. 
The first token  The first is when in a summers day the wecher often times chaungith, as in the morning the weter aperith to rain, afterward it aperith cloudy, and at the last windy in the south. 
The second token  The second token is when in summer the dayes apperen all dark, and like to rain, & yet yt raynith not, And yf many dayes so continue, yt is to dread of great Pestilence.  
The thyrde token is when great multitude of fles ben vpon the earth, 
The third token. The four token.  then it is a sign that the air is venomous, & infect The fourthe token is when the stars seemen often times to fall, then it is a token that the air is infect with abundance of venomous vapours. 
The fift token  The fift token is when a blazing star is seen in the element, then it is a sign to be sone after great Pestilence, or great slaughter of men in battle.  
The sixte token is when there is great lyghtenyng, 
The sixte token.  and thundre namely out of the soute.  
The seventh token is when great winds passen out of the south, they be foul and unclean, 
The seventh token.  therfore when these tokens appear, yt is to dread of great Pestilence, unless God of his infinite mercy woll remove yt.  

¶ Hereafter followeth the causes of Pestilence.  
THe Pestilence cometh of three thingis, sometime it cometh from the rot bynethe. Other while from the rot above, so that we may feel sensibly how the change of the air appeareth unto us, And sometime it cometh of both together, as well from the rot above, 
by the rot beneath is ment of stinking plac{is} on the earth, as sedges deade carryn &c  as from the rot beneath, As we see a siege or priu● next to a chamber or of any other particular thing, which corrupteth the air in his substance and quality, which is a thing may hap every day: And therof cometh the ague of Pestilence, And about the same many physicians be deceived: not supposing this ague to be a Pestilence, some time yt cometh of deade careyn, or corruption of standing water in ditches or sloughes, & other corrupt places and these thingis sometime be universal and sometime particular from the rot above: it fortunith the causes of the bodies above in the air by whom the spirit of life is corrupt in a man or in a beast. 
by the rot above is ment stinking mists & other infections of the air.  In likewise as Auicen saith in his fourthe book, by the form of the air above, the bodies beneath lightly be infect, for the impressions above corrupteth the air & so the spiritis of a man been corrupt, This infirmity cometh also from the rot above and beneath: when of them pressions above, the air is corrupt, & of the putrefaction or roten careyn of the vile places beneath an infirmity is caused in a man, and such an infirmity sometime is an axes, sometime a postume or aswelling, & that is in many thingis: Also the air inspired is venomous, & corrupt hurting the heart, that nature many ways is grieved so that he perceyuith not his harm, for the urine appeareth fair, & showeth good digestion, yet nevertheless the patient is like to die, wherefore many physicians seeing the urine of their patients, they speak superficially and be deceived: therfore it is need that every patient provide to himself a good and expert physician. These thingis before written at the causes of Pestilence, But about these thingis, two questions be moved. The first is wherefore one dieth, 
The first question.  and another dieth not in a town where men be daede in one house, and in another there death none. 
The second question. An answer to the first question.  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 the thing that suffereth An ensample of that thing that doythe the influence of the bodies above beholdith that place or that place more then this place, or this place, and the patient is more disposed to die then another. Therfore it is to be noted that bodies be more hote disposed of open pooris, then bodies infect having the poores stopped with many humors, where bodies be of resolution or opening as men that abusen theym self with women, or vsen often times baths, or men that be hote, with labour, or great anger, their bodies be more disposed to this sickness. 
An answer  To the second question I say that Pestilence sores be contagious because of infect humorous bodies and the reke or smoke of such sores is venomous and corruptitch the air, 
Exchewr great assrmbles of people  and therefore it is to fiee from such persons as be infect, In Pestilence time no body should stand in great preace of people or assemblies of people, for some man of them may be infect. Therfore wise Phisiciens visiting folk that been sick of the Pestilence stand far from the patient, holding their face toward the door or window and so shal the seruaunt{is} or ministers of the syk folk stand, Also it is good to a patient every day to change his chamber, and often times to haue the windows open against the nor the and east, and to sparre and shitte the windows against the south. For the south wind hath two causes of putrefaction. The first is, it maketh a man being hole or sick, feeble in their bodies,. The second cause is, as yt is written in the third of Amphorismis the south wind greuith the hearing, 
The south wind is unwholesome.  and hurtith the heart because yt openith the poores of man and entereth in to the heart. wherefore it is good in time of Pestilence to an hole man when the wind is in the south to be within the house all day, and yf it needeth to go outhe, yet let a man abide in his house until the son be up in the east passing south ward.   

¶ The remedies for the Pestilence.  
NO we it is to wit by what remedies a man may preserve himself from Pestilence, first see the writing of Hieremi the Prophet that a man ought to forsake evil thin ges, and do good deeds, and me kely to confess, his sins, for it is the hy guest remedy in time of Pestilence penance and confession to be preferred all other medecynes. 
Exchewt the infects place.  nevertheless I promitte you verily, yt is a good remedy to avoid & change thenfect place: but some may not profitably change their places therfore asmyche as to them is possible, it is to eschew every cause of putrifaccion and stinking, and namely every fleshly lust with women shalbe eschewed, Also the the sothern wind which is naturally infectyue, therforesperreand close the windows against the south as yt is said before till the first hour after the mids of the day thē open the windows against the north. Of the same cause every foul stynche is to be eschewed, of stable, stinking fields, ways, or streets, 
avoid ● eschew al foul saviours.  and namely of stinckyng deade careyn, and most of styncking waters where in many places water is kept, two dayes, or two nights, orelles there be gutters of water casten under the earth which causeth great stink & corruption and of this cause some die in that house where such thingis happen, & in another house die none, as it is said before, likewise in that place where the bats & cools putrefied it maketh a noyful savour & a stinking, 
The heart is comforted by sweet savour.  For like as by the sweet adour of balm the heart and the spirites haue recreacion, so of evil savours they be made feeble, wherefore keep your house that an infect air entre not in, for an infect air most causeth putrefaction in places and houses where folk sleep, therfore let your house be clean and make clear fire of wood flaming, let your house he made with fumigacion of herbs which be the leaves of bay three, 
Brenne je ueper and other sweet thingis in your house.  Ieneper, vberyorgany, it is in the Poticary shops, worm wode, rue, mugwort, and of the three of aloes which is best, but it is dear such a fume taken by the mouth, and ears openith the inward partes of the body, Also it is to eschew all great replections because full bodies be lightly infect as Auicen saith in the fourthe canon. 
eat tent peratly.  They that chargen their bodies with replection shortē their life, also comen baths ar to be eschewed for a little rust corrupteth all the body. Therfore the people asinyche as is possible is to be eschewed least of infect breaths some man be infect, But when the multitude of people may not be eschewed thē use the remedies following, 
In the morning eat.  In the morning when ye rise wash a little rue, and one or two fylberd nuts clean with salt, and eat them, and yf that cannot be had then eat bread, or a tofte sopped in vinegar namely, in troublous and cloudy wecher, Also in time of Pestilence it is better to abide within the house, for it is not holsom to go in the City or town, 
Sprencle your hou●…  Also sprencle your house specially in summer with vinegar and roses and with the leaves of vine tre. Also it is good to wash often times in the day your hands with water and vinegar, & wipe your face with your handis and smell to them. Also it is good alway to savour eager thingis, In the mount of Pessulane I might not eschew the company of people for I went from house to house because of my poverty to cure sick folkes therfore bread 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 entre into a manes body, and so I escaped the Pestilence my fellows supposing that I should not live, these thyngis I haue proved by myself   

¶ The confortis of the heart, & the principal membres.  
THe confortes of the heart be these, saffron Lanifex planteyn with other herbs they opon the in wardespirite, 
Saffiōcō fortieth the heart.  & these be good among the comen people, where lightly yt hap penyth that one is infect of another therfore be ware the breath of another, Also of infect air a mans eyen be made dim yf he bear not these said thingis in his hand. Also it is wholesome to wash your mouth, face, eyen, and hands of ten times in the day with rose water medle●… with vinegar, and yf ye haue no Rose water take vinegar: 
keep yourself sulible.  and so these things used ye may surely go among the people. Also a natural lare of the belly is a great remedy, ellis provoke a lax by a supposytory craftily use pipille pestilenciales for they be good they be in the Potecaries shoppies. 
keep good fire in your house.  Also keep fire alway in your house, for yt settith miche the inpressions of the bodies above & clarified the air. Also it is profitable as well for hole and sick folkes to drink Traicle, therfore take it two times a day, with clear wine lymphate or with clear rose water or with clear ale. Take a quantity of treacle of a pease and two spoonful of cleate wine or rose water or ale, 
drink treacle.  dissolve the treacle in the cup and drink yt, & dine not vntyli the mids of the day, so that the treacle may haue his operation, then choose a good dish of meate, and drink clear wine, and often times drink in the day, but not much together for much abundance of drink putrifyeth the humors. Also beware of hote things in meate as pepper & garlic, 
Beware of pepper in meate.  though pe{per} purgeth the brain from phlegm and specially the membres from viscous humours yet yt maketh much heat, & heat falleth into putryfaction, bitterness only is more to please then hote odour or savour. Also garlycke though yt pourgith phlegm and put out evil humour, and provoked an appetite to eat and sufrith no dry air to entre, yet it troublith the eyen and maketh the head hote, therfore it is not good to eat garlyck, the pestilence groweth often tym●… of an hote cause, therfore all meats the lighter they be of digestion so much they be the better In the morning eat boylled meate, 
eat meats oflight digestion. forbear pottage  at even roasted, forbear broth and pottage without they be eager, In the time of pestilence eager and tart meats be much better then other meats. Also forbear al fruetes, 
forbear all fruits  but yf they be eager as cherries or pome garnates or a little of a pear or apple by wey of medicine, because all fruit enducith putrefaction. eat convenient spices as ginger, 
eat ginger.  cinamum, coming, maces, and saffron, These be the best sauce that may be made for rich people, for the poor people take rue, sage, fylbordnutt{is}, percelly with vinegar mengled together. These be good and lettith putrefaction. To be merry in the heart is a great remedy for health of body. Therfore in time of pestilence beware ye fear not death, but live merely and hope to live long.   

For the letting of blood.  
LEtting of blood ones in the month may be made, 
let blood.  unless age or other thing forbid yt, as pilgrymes or feoble {per}sones which haue the flix, suffce to be let blood in the vain called basylica on the right or left side before eating, & after incision of basilica be merry & drink wine or ale temperately: sleep not that day when basilica is cut, yf ye feel you grieved to be infect, 
eschew sleep after ye be infect.  then eschew sleep, and be walking and moving for by sleep the inward heat inducith poison to the heart, & to other special membres that vneth any herb may take away such poison which should not be yf a man wolde be moving to and fro. But some wolde ask, wherefore sleep shalbe eschewed. I say that in pestilence time anon after meate yf a body list to sleep thē such lust shalbe forborn by a space, walking in the gardeins or fields, and then make a natural sleep by the space of an hour, And therfore Auicen wrytith that yf a man wolde sleep, he must drink a good draft of ale or wine before, because a man being a sleep drawith many humors, and the evil humors be put down by the humors of a good draft, But some wolde ask, howe may a man feel when he is infect I say that a man which is infect that day eatith not much meate for he is replenished with evil humours, 
Howe a man shall know when he is ifect  & forth with after dinner he hath lust to sleep, and feelith great heat under cold, Also he hath great pain in the forehead, but all these thingis he may put a way by moving of a space hither & thither, to ride or to walk, 
ride or walk.  he may not for sleuthe of the body, and the weight of the same, Also a man that is infect hath lust to fleape every hour of the day and night for the venom being within the body troublythe the spirit of life so that all way he wolde rest and sleep. And also of these tokens a man shall know and feel himself infect, and yf a body will not believe this abide the mids of the day, and thē he shal feel a swelyng under the arm or about the share, or about the ears, and ther fore see an hye and a good medicine, forbear sleep because of these thingis aforesaid, and it is plain that the spirit of life restith in sleep, and all the body here and there is venimed: Alle these things I haue proved by myself. These things known, when a man feelith himself infect, as soon as he may let him be letc blood plentuoussy till he swoon, then stop the vain. For a little letting of blood mouith or stirreth venymtand yf yt be so that a man will not haue many veins cut together, 
When ye shall let vionde.  then let him suffce the vayue cut to renne till the blood withdraw, for a little bleding mouith strongly the venom, as it is said afore. Also a man whether he be infect or not, yf he be let blood, let him forbear sleep all that day till midnight following, and alway let blood that vain, vpon that side of the body where the swelling appeareth. Therfore yf a swelling appear under the right arm let blood in the mids of the same arm in the vain called mediana, yf yt appear under the lift arm, let him blood in the mids of the same or in the vain of the liver which is about that little finger, and yf it be about the share, let him blood about the hele vpon the same side, yf the swelling be in the neck, let him blood in the vain called Cephalica abouthe the thumb in the hand of the same side or in the vain called mediana of the same arm: or in the hand of the same side about the little fingre. And yf the swelling appear about the ear, let him blood in the vain called cephalica of the same side, or in the vain which is between the long fyngre & the thumb least many venomous veins go in to the brain, or let blood in the vain which is about the little fyngre name by the physicians Basilica, and yf a swelling appear in the shoulders less and diminish yt with ventosite, & first less the vain called mediana, yf the swelling be on the back, less yt vpon the vain called pedica magna, and all these thingis be made yf a man sleep not before the knowledge of the swelling. But if ye feel such swelling after sleep, 
yf be feel swelling after sleep  then on the contrary parte the letting of blood must be made, As yf the swelling appear in the right arm let him blood in the left arm in Epate, or Basilica, or mediana, and a swelling appear under the lift arm, let him blood in the right arm like as yt is said of the lift arm: and so of other places of the body, let blood in the contrary part of such swelling, and yf the letting of blood be very little, and feeble, then let the patient sleep after mids of the day, & alway in the mids of the day he must be in continual moving, riding or going moderately, and afterward yf the swelling grow, let him not be afeard of death because such a swelling putteth out all cuyll, and maketh a man very hole, and that the swelling may the sooner be made ripe, take this medicine as followeth, Brose the leaves of an eldre three, and put thereto ground mustard, 
a plaster for the sort.  and make a plaster therof and put yt vpon the swelling, some surgeons woll put treacle vpon the swelling, but do not so for treacle putteth out venom, therefore drink treacle for that putteth out the same, Also there is another medicine, Take sengrene hylworth other wise called wild time, maudelyn, grass planteyn & a little Rye floure, and break all these together till ye see water come out therof, meddle that water with womans milk, and give yt to the patient fasting be for sleep, & yt will work the better for to remove the swelling, Also for the swelling when it appeareth. Take filbert nuts, figs, and rue, and bruise them together, and lay is vpon the swelling. These remedies be sufficient to eschew this great sickness with the help of almighty God, to whom be everlasting laud, and praising, world withoten end.  
AMEN.    

¶ laud, and praise be to almighty God, and gentle reader pray for the maker of this book.  
¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Gybson, in the month of september, in the year of our lord God A thousand five hundreth thirty & six And in the .xxviii. year, of the reign of our most gracious sovereign lord Henry the eight by the grace of God of Englonde and of france king, defender of the faith and lord of Irelonde & in earth( next under christ) supreme head of the church of england.  
¶ God save the king.  
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