MEDELA PESTILENTIAE: Wherein is contained several Theological Queries CONCERNING THE PLAGUE, WITH Approved Antidotes, Signs, and Symptoms: ALSO, An exact Method for curing that EPIDEMICAL DISTEMPER.  
Humbly presented to the Right Honourable, and Right Worshipful, the LORD MAYOR and SHERIFFS of the City of London.  
LONDON: Printed by J. C. for Samuel Speed, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Rainbow, near the Temple, in Fleetstreet, MDCLXV.   

TO ●HE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir John Laurence, Knight, LORD MAYOR of this Honourable City of LONDON; AND THE Right Worshipful Sir GEORGE WATERMAN, and Sir CHARLES DO, Knights, and Sheriffs thereof.  
Right Honourable, And Right Worshipful:  
FAME proclaiming everywhere your deserved worth, it reached my ear; and hearing how careful your Honour and Worships have been in the preservation of every individual person, but such more especially committed to your Tutelage (wherein you have shown yourselves indulgent Fathers, as well as prudent Governors) I could do no less than step in amongst the crowd of your Honours and Worship's admirers, to make my grateful acknowledgement. I have but this Mite to offer; but as much water as the palm of my Hand will hold, to east into this new-kindled fire; and yet it may quench it ere it rise to a flame, if the heavenly Physician see it good. The peaceful Dove hath now got some few sick feathers; let her not therefore be deserted. Some of late have forsaken her, because fallen sick a little; which argues both their ingratitude and folly, in flying that Mother which gave some breath, others benefit and profit, thinking thereby they can shun the hand of God's just judgement. In this Honourable City I first drew my breath, and received the major part of my education: as your Honours and Worships therefore, are our Fathers in general, so I hope you will not deny me your particular Patronage. Let your noble favours than strengthen this weak hand, which a Son's duty reacheth forth to a Mother's support: grateful pity commands me thus to do▪ and my knowledge in reading (with the experience of others) justifieth the act. Accept therefore of these my well-wishing endeavours; and whilst some are using the means, let others join with them in Prayers to Almighty God to be merciful to this City, and if it be his blessed will to sheathe his sword, and unbend his bow, that the dreadful Judgement of the Plague may be averted from us. Pardon, I beseech you, this grand presumption, and I shall glory in subscribing myself  
Right Honourable, And Right Worshipful, Your most devoted and obedient Servant, Richard Kephale.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
TWo most sovereign Antidotes against the Plague, found out first, and experimented by the Author of the ensuing Treatise, to be the most infallible Preservatives against pestilential Contagion. The one is in form of a Conserve, to be taken first in the morning, the quantity of an Hazelnut on the point of a knife, fasting one hour after, and then you may both eat and drink what you please. Take the same quantity also two hours before dinner, and about three or four in the afternoon, and at night when you go to bed.  
The other is a most admirable and pleasant Spirit, which you are to take as the forementioned, four or five times a day. These two are to be sold, sealed, by Mr. Samuel Speed, at the Rainbow in Fleetstreet, near the Temple; where also you may have the Spirit of Salt, which is excellent good to prevent infection, causing a good appetite, and curing most diseases; most truly prepared, according to the Method of Rhodocanasi. Take thereof (when you desire to drink) two drops, in a middlesized cup of Ale or Beer, provided it be not stale.   

Medela Pestilentiae. OR, Rules for the Prevention, and Cure OF THE PLAGUE.  

How the Plagues began, 1603, 1609, 1625, 1630, 1636. For what sins, the Divines of those times judged, they were inflicted, and with what Godly means they were allayed.  
1 OUt of God's tender Goodness towards this Nation, after many warnings before hand, by his Ministers, who observing what sins were impudently, and impenitently committed, foresaw, and foretell, what God would bring upon this People, and particularly a Plague throughout that year, before it came. He began this sore Judgement by degrees in those times; Jan. 24. only one died, Feb. 3. three died, Feb. 10. five, Feb. 17. three, Feb. 24. one, March 17. two, March 24. eight, March 31. six, April 7. eight, April 14. eighteen, April 21. eighteen; and after that the Bill increased every week more and more, till August 18. when there died in one week, 4463. of the Plague, which began the first time, by a surfeit in White Chapel, the second time, by Seamen, about the same place, the third by reason of rotten Mutton at Stepney, the fourth with a pack of Carpets from Turkey; the fifth with a Dog that came over from Amsterdam.  
2 Bishop sanderson's words, in a Sermon at an Assizes at Lincoln, Aug. 4. 1625. upon Psalm. 106.30. are these:  
As God brought upon that people for their sins, a fearful destruction; So he hath in his just wrath sent his destroying Angel against us, for ours; the sins that brought the Plague upon them were, Whoredom and Idolatry: I cannot say the same sins have caused ours; for although the execution of good Laws, against both Incontinent and Idolatrous persons hath been of late years, and yet is (we all know) to say no more, slack enough, yet (Gods Holy Name be blessed for it) neither Idolatry nor Whoredom are at that height of shameless impudence, and impunity among us, that they dare outbrave our Moseses, and outface whole Congregations, as it was in Israel; But still, this is sure, no Plague but for sin: nor National Plagues, but for National sins; So that albeit, none of us may dare to take upon us, to be so far of God's Counsel, as to say for what very sins most this Plague is sent among us: yet none of us can be ignorant, but that besides those secret, personal Corruptions which are in every one of us, and whereunto every ones heart is privy, there are many Public and National sins, whereof the people of this Land are generally guilty, and is abundantly sufficient to justify God in his dealings towards us, when he judgeth us.  
1. Our wretched unthankfulness unto God, for the long continuance of his Gospel, and our Peace, our carnal confidence, and security in the strength of our wooden and watery walls: our riot and excess, (the noted and proper sins of this Nation) and much intemperate abuse of the good Creatures of God, in our meats, drinks, and disports, and other provisions and comforts of this life. Our incompassion towards our Brethren miserably wasted with war and famine in other parts of the World, our heavy oppression of our Brethren at home, in racking the Rents, cracking the backs, and grinding the face of the poor: Our cheap and irreverent regard to God's Holy Ordinances, of his Word, Sacraments, Sabbaths and Ministers, our wantonness and toyishness of understanding, in corrupting the simplicity of our Christian Faith, and troubling the peace of the Church, with a thousand niceties, novelties and unnecessary wranglings in matters of Religion: and to reckon no more, that universal corruption in Courts of Justice by sale of Offices, enhancing Fees, devising new subtleties, for delay and evasion, trucking for expedition; making traps of petty penal statutes, and but Cobwebs of the most weighty and material Laws.  
I doubt not, but through the mercy of God, many of his servants in this Land, are free from some, and some from all these common crimes in some good measure: But I fear me, not the best of us all, not a man of us all, but are guilty of all or some of them, at least thus far, that we have not mourned for the Corruptions of the times so feelingly, nor endeavoured the reformation of them so faithfully, as we might, or aught to have done.  
Doctor Gouge's words, in his plaster for the Plague are these:  That it may appear what just cause the Lord hath to pour out the Vials of his wrath among us, it will be a seasonable task to take a view of our own times, and to observe, whether the forenamed sins may be found among us, for too truly it may now be said of this Land, of this City there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the Plague is begun; in prosecuting this task, I will follow the order before propounded; and bring those sins which have been proved formerly, to have provoked God's wrath, to our times; 1. For Idolatry, though the bright light of the Gospel hath for many years dispelled the thick cloud of Popery, a detestable Idolatry, yet in many places that cloud gathereth and thickeneth again; I pray God it increase not as that cloud which Eliah's servant espied, which though at first it were but a little one, like a man's hand, yet it grew to cover the whole Sky, and to cause much Rain; too many seducers are among us; too great countenance is given to them, we Ministers have need to inculcate this Apostolical prohibition, flee from Idolatry. 
2 For profanation of Holy things and times, he is blind that discerneth it not; he himself is too profane, that is not in his Righteous soul vexed thereat. Prayer, Preaching, Sacraments, are altogether neglected, or very carelessly observed, as for the Lords day, it is in many places by many persons made the Devil's day; it is not only in act profaned, but the profanation thereof too much countenanced, and justified.  
3 For pollution of Profession, what advantage is thereby given to our adversaries; thence they take occasion of upbraiding us with our reformation; yea, the profane among us, are hereby justified, for many Professors are every way as lewd and licentious as they, as vain in their attire, as corrupt in their speeches, as wanton in their gestures, as deceitful in their dealings, as uncharitable in their censures, as unmerciful to the poor.  
4 For ungrateful vilifying Gods mercies, I think our people exceed therein the Israelites, that dwelled in the Wilderness; Heavenly Mannah, the Word of Life, that plentifully falleth among us, is by superstitious, schismatical, and profane persons loathed; superstitious persons wish for Queen Maries days again, Schismatics wish there had been no Reformation unless it had been better, the profane, cry out of too much Preaching.  
5 For Ministers perverting their Function, many among us exceed the false prophets among the Jews, none greater discouragers of the upright, none greater animaters of the Profane, the greatest zeal which they use to show, is in their bitter invectives against such as make most conscience of sin, they are too great companions with the base and lewder sort.  
6 For trampling upon such as are fallen, so inhuman are many, as they do not only stretch themselves upon their Beds, and drink Wine in Bowls, while their Brethren lie groaning under sore afflictions, (or like the Priest and Levite) pass by without succouring such as are not able to help themselves, but as Job's friends, charge them with hypocrisy, or like the Jews account them the greatest sinners; or as Shimei, rail on them, and so give them instead of a cup of Consolation, Vinegar and Gall to drink.  
7 For conspiracy and consent in sin, when was there more than among us; great ones, mean ones, old, young, male, female, Magistrates, subjects, ministers, people, rich, poor, masters, servants, all of one mind, to disgrace integrity, and to countenance impiety, and iniquity; insomuch, as the Prophet's complaint is too truly verified among us, he that refraineth from evil, maketh himself a prey.  
8 For obstinacy in sin, who can open his mouth wide enough against men's stubbornness, they are impudent, and stiffnecked, they have a whore's forehead and will not be ashamed; they bid a kind of defiance to God himself, as they abuse his Mercies, so they despise his Judgements. What Swearer, what Blasphemer, what Drunkard, what Adulterer, what Fornicator, what Oppressor, what Extortioner, what Usurer, what Deceiver is reform by this Plague: So obstinate are people, as God had need to make the faces of the Ministers strong against their foreheads.  
9 For Infidelity, we Ministers have too great cause to cry out, who hath believed our report? were not this sin so fast fixed in men's hearts as it is, much more comfort would be received from the Ministry of the Gospel, and much better obedience yielded thereto.  
10 For impenitency, it cannot be denied, but that many, yea, most are so settled on their sins, as they hate to be reform, where are the true fruits of Repentance to be found? where shame, where sorrow for sin? where turning from sin? Men rather grow worse and worse, God's Judgements harden their hearts, as they did the heart of Pharaoh, but he paid thoroughly for the abuse of so much patience, if by any occasion their consciences be any whit rubbed, and they brought thorough fear and anguish, to promise amendment, they quickly show that no true repentance was wrought in them, but it is happened unto him according to the true proverb, the Dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing again.  
11 Apostasy, if first, we consider inward Apostasy, (which is a decaying inward in former love of truth) too just cause of complaint is given, many have left their first Love, and become Lukewarm, as the Laodiceans. Thus, a ready way is made to outward Apostasy, which is an open renouncing of very profession of true Religion, as this whole Land did in Queen Mary's Reign; It is much to be feared, that if the like occasion should be given, a like Apostasy would follow.  
If these, and other like provocations of God's wrath among us, be duly weighed, we shall see cause enough to confess, that God's wrath is justly gone out against us, and that we have deservedly pulled this Plague on our own pates. It remains therefore that we thoroughly humble ourselves, that we lay open our sores before our merciful God, that we faithfully promise amendment, that we give evidence of the entire purpose of our heart, in promising by answerable performance; but above all, for the present, that we crave mercy of God, thorough Jesus Christ, that he may offer up his sweet incense to pacify his Father, and cause his destroying Angel to stay his hand.   

Quest. What good Orders God hath been pleased to bless, either for the preventing, or, allaying of the Plague, in the fatal years, 1603, 1609, 1625, 1636. and are fit to be observed by all good people at this time.  
1 FOur Doctors at least, two Apothecaries, and three Surgeons, were Pentioned for their own lives, and their Wives, to attend on persons troubled with this disease.  
2 Neither men nor goods came from other places, without a Certificate of health, otherwise, they were either sent suddenly away, or put in the Pest-house, or some such place for forty days, till the certainty of their soundness might be discovered.  
3 All the Statutes and good Orders, against Beggars, Players, Bowling-Alleys, Inmates, Tippling-houses, Leastals (whereby the Infection might spread and disperse, by reason of the Sin, as well as the Commerce and throng of Idle sort of Persons) and against the uttering of stinking Flesh or Fish, and musty Corn or Beer.  
4 The Scavengers in general, and every Householder in particular, took care for the due, and orderly cleansing of the Streets and Private houses, every morning and night.  
5 Dogs, Cats, Coneys, tame-Pidgeons, and Swine, were destroyed about the Town, or kept so carefully, that no offence might come thereby.  
6 The Funnels in Church Vaults, Slaughter-houses, and the depth of Graves were considered of.  
7 The sweeping and filth of houses were daily carried away by the Rakers, and the Raker gave notice of his coming, by the blowing of a horn; and the Laystalls were removed as far as might be out of the City, and common passages; and no Night-man or other, suffered to empty a vault, into any Garden near about the City.  
8 Two or more of the best in the Parish were sworn Examiner's in their turns for two months at least, to inquire and learn from time, to time, what houses in every parish were visited, what persons sick, (and of what diseases) as near as they could inform themselves, and upon suspicion, to command restraint of access, until it appeared what the disease proved: and if any person were found sick of the Infection, to give order to the Constable, that the House should be shut up, and if the Constable were remiss, or negligent, to give present notice thereof, to the Alderman, or to the next Justice of Peace respectively.  
9 To every infected house, there were two watchmen, one for the day till 10. of the Clock at night, and another for the night till six in the morning, having a special care, that no person went in and out of such Infected houses, whereof they have the charge, upon pain of severe punishment.  
10 Six Surgeons were joined to the Searchers, (who were women of the best reputation and skill that could be procured) and allowed twelve pence a body, for all they searched, out of the sick man's estate, being enjoined to attend the Examiner's orders.  
11 The Infected person was sequestered, and though he died not, the house where he sickened was shut up for a month after, the use of due preservatives taken by the rest; yea, the house of any person that visited any that were Infected, was shut up for certain days.  
12 All goods in Infected houses, were either to be burned, or if too good to burn, aired, and perfumed, and not either removed or sold, for six months after the Infection ceased in the House: All Brokers and Criers of Apparel being restrained in that behalf upon pain of having their Houses shut up for forty days.  
13 None were to go out of an Infected house (except into the Pest-house, or a Tent, or to a house which the man occupieth either himself, or by Servants) without security given, that they shall not wander about till they be sound, and that the attendance and charge about the sick person should be observed in all the particularities thereof, and if one man kept two houses, his sick people shall not go into the house where the sound are, nor the sound, into the house where the sick are; the persons removed were to go by night, and keep in at least a week from all company, for fear of some Infection, at the first not appearing.  
14 The dead of the Plague were buried at convenient hours, always either before Sunrising, or after Sunsetting, with the privity of the Churchwardens, or Constables, and not otherwise; and no Neighbours or Friends were suffered to accompany the Coarse to Church, or to enter the visited house, upon pain of having their houses shut up, and being close imprisoned, only the Minister might attend at a competent distance.  
15 The Surgeons, Searchers; Keepers and Buryers, were not to pass the streets, without holding a red Rod, or wand, of three foot in length in their hands, open and evident to be seen, being not to go into any house but their own, or into that whereunto they were sent, or directed, forbearing all company, especially, when they have been lately used in any such business or attendance.   

Quest. What course every Man and Woman should take particularly, to prevent being infected, and what good orders God hath been pleased to bless for the preservation of every particular Man and Woman from the Plague, when it raged in the places they lived in?  
In the years, 1603, 1609, 1625, 1630, 1636. when there were great Plagues in the City of London, these Directions given by the College of Physicians, did a great deal of good.  

1 For Correction of the Air.  
FOr the Correcting of the Infectious Air, it were good, that often Bonfires were made in the streets, and that sometime, the Tower Ordnance might be shot off, as also that there be good fires kept in and about the visited houses, and their neighbours.  
Take Rosemary dried, or Juniper, Bay-leaves, or Frankincense, cast the same upon a Chafing-dish, and receive the fume or smoke thereof.  
And to make fires rather in Pans, to remove about the Chamber, than in Chimneys, shall better correct the air of the houses, adding a piece of old Iron to the fire.  
Take a quantity of Vinegar, very strong, and put to it some small quantity of Rose-water, ten branches of Rosemary, put them all into a Basin, and take five or six Flint stones, heated in the fire, till they be burning hot, cast them into the same Vinegar, and so let the fumes be received from place, to place, of your house.  
That the House be often perfumed with Rue, Angelica; Gentian, Zedoary, Setwel, Juniper wood or berries burnt upon embers, either simply, or they may be steeped in Wine Vinegar, and so burnt.  

Perfume the house and all therein with this:  
Slake Lime in Vinegar and air the house therewith, burn much Tar, Rosen, Frankincense, Turpentine, both in the private houses, and in the Churches before Prayers.   

By Perfuming of Apparel.  
Such apparel as you commonly wear, let it be very clean, and perfume it often, either with some Virginia Cedar burned, or with Juniper, and if any shall happen to be with them that are Visited, let such persons, as soon as they shall come home, shift themselves, and air their clothes, in the open air for a time.   

By carrying about of Perfumes.  
Such as are to go abroad, shall do well, to carry Rue, Angelica, or Zedoary in their hands to smell to, and of those, they may chew a little in their mouths, as they go in the street, especially, if they be afraid of any place; It is not good to be over fearful, but it cannot be but bad, to be over presumptuous and bold.  
Take Rue one handful, stamp it in a Mortar, put thereto Wine Vinegar enough to moisten it, mix them well, then strain out the juice with a piece of sponge, put a toast of brown bread therein, tie it in a thin cloth, bear it about to smell to.  
Take the Root of Angellica, beaten grossly, the weight of six pence, of Rue and Worm wood, of each the weight of four pence, Setwel the weight of three pence, bruise these, then steep them in a little Wine vinegar, tie them in a linen cloth, which they may carry in their hands, or put it into a Juniper box full of holes to smell to.   

Or they may use this Pomander.  
Take Angellica, Rue, Zedoary, of each half a dram, Myrrh two drams, Camphire six grains, wax, and Labdanum, of each two drams, more or less as shall be thought fit to mix with the other things, make hereof a ball to carry about you, you may easily make a hole in it, and so wear it about your neck with a string.   

The Richer sort may make use of this Pomander.  
Take Citron-pills, Angelica seeds, Zedoary, red-Rose leaves, of each half a dram, yellow Sanders, Lignum Aloes, of each one scruple, Galliae Moschatae four scruples, Storax, Calamint, Beusoni, of each one dram, Camphire, six grains, Labdanum, three drams, Gum Tragaranth dissolved in Rose-water, enough to make it up into a Pomander, put thereto six drops of spirit of Roses, enclose it in an Ivory box, or wear it about your neck.   

By inward Medicines.  
Let none go fasting forth, every one according to their fortunes, let them eat some such things as may resist putrefaction, some may eat Garlic with butter, a clove, two, or three, according to the ability of their bodies, some may eat fasting, some of the electuary with figs and Rue, hereafter expressed: Some may use London Treacle, the weight of eight pence in the morning, taking more or less, according to the age of the party, after one hour, let them eat some other breakfast, as bread and butter, with some leaves of Rue or Sage, and in the heat of Summer, of Sorrel, or Woodsorrel.   

Of the Physicians.  
To steep Rue, wormwood, or Sage, all night in their drink, and to drink a good draught in the morning fasting, is very wholesome, or to drink a draught of such drink after the taking of any of the preservatives, will be very good.  
In all Summer-Plagues it shall be good to use Sorrel sauce to be eaten in the morning with bread, and in the fall of the leaf to use the juice of Barberries with bread also.   

Mithridate's Medicine of Figs.  
Take of good Figs and Walnut-kernels, of each twenty four, Rue picked two good handfuls, of Salt, half an ounce, or somewhat better; first stamp your Figs and Walnuts well together in a stone Morter, then add your Rue, and last of all your salt, mix them exceeding well: take of this mixture every morning fasting, the weight of sixteen pence, to children and weak bodies, less.  
Or, Take twenty Wal-nuts peeled, fifteen Figs, a handful of Rue, three drams of Tormentil roots, two drams of Juniper-berries, a dram and a half of bolearmoniack; first stamp your Roots, than your Figs, and seeds, then add your Wal-nuts, then put to your Rue and bolearmoniack, and with them put thereto six drams of London Treacle, and two or three spoonfuls of Wine Vinegar, mixing them well in a stone Morter, and take of this every morning, the quantity of a good Nutmeg fasting, they that have cause to go much abroad, may take as much more, in the evening two hours before supper.  
It is very good to take Tobacco, to eat Raisens' of the Sun fasting, or to drink a pint of Maligo in a morning against the Infection.   

For Women with Child, and Children, and such as cannot take the bitter things before prescribed.  
Take Conserve of Roses, Conserve of Woodsorrel, of each two ounces, Conserve of borage, of Sage flowers, of each six drams, bolearmoniack, shave of Hartshorn, Sorrel-seeds, of each two drams, yellow, or white Sanders half a dram, Safferon one scruple, syrup of Woodsorrel enough to make it a moist Electuary, mix them well, take as much as a Chestnut at a time, once or twice a day, as you shall find cause.   

For the Richer sort.  
Take the shave of Hartshorn, of Pearl, of Coral, Tormentil-roots, Zedoary, true Terrasigillata, of each a dram, Citorn-pills, yellow, white and red Sanders, of each half a Dram, white Amber, Hyacinth stone prepared, of each two scruples, Bezoar-stone, of the East Unicorns horn, of each twenty four grains, Citron and Orange pills candied, of each three drams, Lignum Aloes one scruple, white Sugar-candy, twice the weight of all the rest, mix them well; being made into a dredg-powder; Take the weight of twelve pence at a time, every morning fasting, and also in the evening, about five of the clock, or an hour before supper.   

With these Powders and Sugar there may be made Lozenges, and with convenient Conserves they may be made into Electuaries.  
Bezoar-water or Treacle-water, is good both alone and in composition with these Antidotes.  
London-Treacle is good to preserve from the sickness, as also to cure the sick, being taken upon the first apprehension, in a greater quantity, as, to a man two drams, and less to a weak body, or a Child, in Cardus or Dragon-water.  
Or, Take the finest clear Aloes you can buy, in colour like a Liver, and therefore called Hepatica, of both Cinnamon and Myrrh, the weight of three French Crowns, or of two and twenty pence of our money; of Cloves, Mace, Lignum-Aloes, of Mastic, of Bole-Oriental, of each of these half an ounce, mingle them together, and beat them into a very fine Powder: of the which, take every morning fa●●ng the weight of a groat in white-Wine and Water. Or,  
Take a dry Fig, and open it, and put the kernel of a Wal-nut into the same, being cut very small, three or four leaves of Rue, commonly called herbgrace, a corn of salt, then roast the Fig, and eat it warm, fast three or four hours after it, and use this twice a week. Or,  
Take the powder of Tormentil, the weight of six pence, with sorrel, or scabious water in Summer, and in the Winter with the water of Valerian, or common drink, wherein hath been infused the forenamed herbs. Or,  
One day you may take a little Wormwood, and Valerian, with a grain of Salt: Another you may take seven or eight berries of Juniper, dried and powdered, with common drink, or with drink wherein Wormwood and Rue, hath been steeped all night. Or,  
Take the Treacle called Diatessarum, of light price, easy to be had. Or,  
The Root of Ennula Campana taken in powder, with drink. Or,  
A piece of Arras root, kept in the mouth, as men pass the streets. Or,  
Take six leaves of Sorrel, wash them with water, and Vinegar, letting them lie in the said water and Vinegar a while, then eat them fasting, and keep in your mouth, and chew now and then, either Set-wall, or the root of Angelica, or a little Cinnamon, or four grains of Myrrh, or so much of Rattle-snake root.   

Of Medicines purgative.  
It is good for prevention, to keep the body open, especially, with such things as are easy of operation, and good to resist putrefaction, as Pestilential Pills, etc.  
Take Aloes two ounces, Myrrh and Saffron of each an ounce, Ammoniacum half a ounce, make them up into a mash with the juice of Lemons, or White-wine Vinegar, to keep the body open, a small pill or two will be enough, taken before Supper, or before Dinner.  
But to purge the body, take the weight of a dram made into five, or six, or more Pills in the morning fasting, and that day keep your Chamber.  
If you be costive and bound in body, you may take a Glister made with a little boiled honey, and a little fine powder of salt, and so taken in at the fundament, and kept till it move a stool. Or,  
If you are poor, take Aloes the weight of six pence, put in the pap of an Apple, and if able to buy them, pills of Ruffus, to be had in every shop.  
Such as are tied to necessary attendance on the Infected, as also such as live in visited houses shall do well to cause Issues to be made in their left Arms, or right Legs, or both.   

Blood Letting.  
If the Patient be full of blood and strong, let him be let blood upon the Liver Vein, in the right arm, or in the Median Vein of the said arm, but bleeding and purging must be used, the first day the Patient is sick, both to be forborn, in case any sores or spots appear.   

Vomits.  
To provoke a Vomit, take two ounces of zant oil, or Wal-nut-oyle, a spoonful of the juice of Celandine, and half a spoonful of the juice of Radish-roots, or two spoonfuls of Oxymel of Squills, with posset drink, and oil.   

Expulsive Medicines.  
The Plague is best expelled by sweeting, caused by posset-Ale, made with Fennel, and Marigolds, in Winter, and with Sorrel, Bugloss, and Borrage, in Summer, with which at both times, London Treacle to the weight of two drams must be mixed; and so lay themselves with all quietness to sweat one half hour, or an hour, if they be strong.  
For the cure of the Infected, upon the first apprehension; Bur-seeds, Cucheneely, powder of Hartshorn, Citron-seeds, one or more of them, with a few grains of Camphire, are good to be given in Cardus, or Dragon Water, or with some Treacle Water. Or,  
Take Bur-seeds and Cucheneely, of each half a dram, or to a weak body, of each one scruple, Camphire five grains, mix these with two ounces of Cardus or Dragon water, half an ounce of Treacle water, syrup of woodsorrel a spoonful, mix these; give it to the Patient warm, cover him to sweat; you may give him a second draught after twelve hours, let him drink no cold drink; this posset drink or the like will be good to give the Visited liberally. Or,  
Take woodsorrel half a handful, Marigold flowers half so much, shave of Hartshorn three drams, a Fig or two sliced, boil them well in clear posset drink, let them drink thereof freely, you may put thereto a little Sugar. Or,  
Take Citron-seeds six or eight, shave of Harts-hornes half a dram, London Treacle a dram, mix them with two ounces of Cardus water, or with three ounces of the prescribed posset-drinke, drink it warm, and so lie to sweat. Or,  
Take Sorrel-water five or six spoonfuls, Treacle water a spoonful, London Treacle a dram and a half, mix them well, give it warm, and so lay the patient to sweat. Or,  
Take Tormentil and Celandine-roots, of each four ounces, Scabious and Rue, of each a handful and a half, London Treacle a dram and a half, bolearmoniack half a scruple, put thereto a little Sugar, mix them well, let the party drink it warm, and cover him to sweat.   

In Summer.  
Take the juice of Woodsorrel two ounces, the juice of Lemons an ounce, Diascordium a dram, Cinnamon six grains, Vinegar half an ounce, give it warm, and lay the Patient to sweat; in case of fluxes of the belly or want of rest. Or,  
Take an Egg, and make an hole in the top of it, take out the white and yolk, fill the shell with the weight of two French Crowns of Saffron, roast the said Egg, thus filled with Saffron, under the embers, until the shell wax yellow; then take it from the fire, and beat the shell and Saffron in a Mortar with half a spoonful of Mustardseed. Take of this powder, a French Crown weight, and as soon as you suspect yourself Infected, dissolve it into ten spoonfuls of posset Ale, and drink it Lukewarm: then go to bed, and provoke yourself to sweeting. Or,  
Take one dram of the Electuarium de Ovo. Or,  
Take five or six handful of Sorrel that groweth in the field, or a greater quantity, according as you will distil, more or less of the water thereof, and let it lie steeped in good Vinegar four and twenty hours, then take it off, and dry it with a Linen cloth, and put it into a Limbeck, and distil the water thereof, and as soon as you find yourself touched with the sickness, drink four spoonfuls of the said water, with a little Sugar, and if you be able, walk upon it till you sweat, if not, keep your bed, and being well covered, provoke yourself to sweeting. Or,  
Take of the Root Butter-burre, otherwise, called Pestilent-wort, one ounce, of the Root of great Valerian a quarter of an ounce, of Sorrel an handful, boil all these in a quart of water, to a pint, then strain it, and put thereto two spoonfuls of Vinegar, two ounces of good Sugar, boil all these together till they be well mingled: Let the Infected drink of this so hot as he may suffer it, a good draught, and if he chance to cast it up again, let him take the same quantity straight way upon it and provoke himself to sweat. Or,  
Take Sugar of Roses four ounces, Ginger two ounces, Camphire an ounce, make these into fine powder kept in Butts with Wine, taking a dram at a time. Or,  
Take of the powder of good Bayberries, the husk taken away from them before they be dried, a spoonful; Let the Patient drink this, well mingled in a draught of good stale Ale, or Beer, or with a draught of white Wine, and go to bed, and cast himself into a sweat, forbearing sleep. Or,  
Take of the inward Bark of the Ash-tree one pound, of Wal-nuts with the green outward shells to the number of fifty, cut these small, of scabious and Vervain, each a handful, Saffron two drams, pour on the strongest Vinegar you can get, four pints, let them a little boil together, upon a very soft fire and then stand in a close pot well stopped all night upon the embers, after distil them with a soft fire, and receive the water close kept, give to the Patient laid in Bed, and well covered with clothes, two ounces of this water to drink, and let him be provoked to sweat, and every eight hours, during the space of twenty four, give him the same quantity to drink.  
Care must be taken in the use of these sweeting Cordials, that the party Infected sweat two or three hours, if he have strength, and sleep not till the sweat be over, and that he hath been well wiped with warm Linen, and when he hath been dried, let him wash his mouth with Water and Vinegar warm, and let his face and hands be washed with the same: When these things are done, give him a good draught of broth, made with a Chicken, or Mutton, with Rosemary, Thime, Sorrel, succory, and Marigolds.  
Or else Water-gruel, with Rosemary and Winter-savory, or Thyme, Pomado seasoned with Verjuice, or juice of Woodsorrel; For their drink, let it be small beer warmed with a toast, or water boiled with Carraway-seed, Cardus-seed and a Crust of bread, or such Posset-drink as is mentioned before in the second medicine; after some nutriment let them sleep, or rest, often washing their mouth with water and vinegar.  
These Cordials must be repeated once in eight, ten, or twelve hours at the furthest.  
If the party Infected vomit up his Medicine, then repeat it presently, or else give him two or three spoonfuls of Vinegar of Squills, or Oxymel of Squils', with posset-drink, and then after proceed.   

External Medicines.  
Veficatores applied to the Arms, the inside of the thighs, or about the bottom of the Calf of the Leg will draw forth the venom.   

For the swelling under the ears, armpits, or in the groins, they must be always drawn forth, and ripened, and broke with all speed.  
Pull off the feathers from the tails of living Cocks, Hens, Pigeons or Chickens, and holding their bills, hold them hard to the Botch or swelling, and so keep them at that part, until they die, and by this means draw out the poison; It is good to apply a Cupping-glass or embers in a dish, with a handful of Sorrel upon the Embers.   

To break the Humours.  
Take a great Onion, hollow it, put into it a Fig, Rue cut small, and a dram of Venice Treacle, put it close stopped in a wet paper, and roast it in the Embers.  
Apply it hot unto the humour, lay three or four one after another, let one lie three hours. Or,  
Scabious and Sorrel roast in the Embers, mixed with a little strong leaven, and some Barrows grease, and a little salt, will draw it and break it. Or,  
Take two or three roasted Onions, a Lily root, or two roasted, a handful of scabious roasted, four or five figs, a piece of leaven, and a little Rue, stamp all these together, if it be too dry, put to it two ounces of oil of Lilies, or so much salt-butter, make a poultess, apply it hot, after it hath been three or four hours, take it off, and burn it, and apply a fresh poultesse of the same, if it prove hard to break, add a little burnt Coperass to the Poultess. Or,  
Take the Flowers of Elders two handfuls, Rochet seed bruised one ounce, Pigeon's dung three drams, stamp these together, put to them a little Oil of Lillys, make thereof a poultess, apply it, and change it, as you did the former.   

To Draw.  
When it is broken, to draw it, and heal it, take the yolk of an Egg, one ounce of honey of Roses, Turpentine half an ounce, Wheat flower a little, London Treacle a dram and a half, mix these well, spread it upon Leather, change it twice a day, or take Diachylon cum Gummis.   

For the Carbuncle.  
Apply an actual or potential Cautery, laying a defensative of bolearmoniack, or Terra Sigillata, mixed with Vinegar and the white of an Egg, round about the tumour, but not upon it.  
Take three or four Cloves of Garlic, Rue half a handful, four figs, strong leaven, and the soot of a Chimney in which Wood hath been burnt, of each half an ounce, Mustardseed two drams, Salt a dram and a half, stamp these well together, and apply it hot to the sore, you may put thereto a little Salt-butter, if it be to dry. Or this,  
Take Leaven half an ounce, Radish roots, the bigger the better, an ounce and an half, Mustardseed two drams, Onions and Garlic roasted, of each two drams and a half, Venice Treacle, Mithridatum three drams, mix these in a Mortar, apply it hot thrice a day to the sore.  
But these sores cannot be well ordered and cured, without the personal care of a discreet Chirurgeon.  
Take of Scabious two handfuls, stamp it in a stone Morter with a pestle of stone, if you can get any such, then put into it of old swine's grease salted, two ounces, and the yolk of an Egg, stamp them well together and lay part of this warm to the sore.  
Take of the leaves of Mallows, of Cammomel-flowers, or either of them, a handful, of Lin-seed beaten into a powder two ounces, boil the Mallow-leaves first cut, and the flowers of Cammomel in fair water, standing about a finger's breadth, boil all them together, till the water be almost spent: Then put thereunto the Lin-seed, of Wheat flower half a handful, of Swines-greace, the skins taken away, three ounces, of Oil of Lilies two ounces. Stir them still with a stick, and let them all boil together on a soft fire without smoke, until the water be utterly spent, beat them all together in a Mortar until they be well incorporated, and in feeling smooth, and not rough, then take part thereof hot in a dish, set upon a Chafingdish of coals, and lay it thick upon a linen cloth, applying it to the sore.  
Take a white Onion cut in pieces, of fresh butter three ounces, of Leaven the weight of twelve pence, of Mallows one handful, of Scabious, if it may be had, one handful, of cloves of Garlic the weight of twentipence, boil them on the fire in sufficient water, and make a poultesse of it, and lay it warm to the sore.   

Another.  
Take two handfuls of Valerian, three roots of Dane-wort, an handful of Smallage or Lovage, seeth them all in butter and water, and a few crumbs of bread, and make a poultess thereof, and lay it warm to the sore till it break.   

Another.  
If you cannot have these Herbs, it is good to lay a loaf of bread to it, hot, as it cometh out of the Oven, (which afterward shall be burnt, or buried in the earth,) or the leaves of Scabious or Sorrel roasted, or two or three Lily roots Roasted under embers, beaten and applied.     

Quest. Is it lawful to depart from our own place, and habitation in time of Plague?  
Ans. Provided a man be not tied by the Relation of a Husband to a Wife, a Father to his Children, a Master to his Family, a Governor and Overseer of good Order in the place he lives in, and be otherwise free, he may fly. For,  
1 THe departure of some may be a means in an Infectious air, to keep the Infection from violence; much fuel where fire is kindled increaseth the fervour and violence of the fire, multitudes of people to an Infected place, are as fuel to the fire of Pestilence.  
2 Such by escaping, provide for their own safety, without prejudice to others; for what prejudice can it be, that such as are not by any particular Bond tied to them that tarry, to leave those that are Infected?  
3 The departure of some, may make much to the benefit and advantage of such as tarry, for they have the better opportunity of sending succour to them, this was one Reason why the people would not have David go into the field, that he might succour them out of the City.  
4 It is permitted to such, in time of Persecution to fly; yea, and in time of War, why not in time of Plague? the Plague is an immediate stroke of God, whereby such as he hath appointed to death are stricken.  
Answ. I grant it to be an extraordinary disease, but not immediate; The kind of the disease, and the effects thereof on man's body, do show, that it is no more immediate than many other diseases; if because such as are appointed to death, are strucken with it, means of escaping it might not be used, no means for avoiding any Judgement might be used; For the Infection of it, let experience determine that case.  
Object. 2. Is it a fruit of faithlesseness to shun the Plague.  
Answ. No more then to shun other dangers; men may indeed upon distrust fly, but that shows the frailty of the person, not the unlawfulness of the action.  
Object. 3. If some fly, all may fly, and so the sick left without succour.  
Answ. 1. Some are more bound to venture the hazard than others; as Magistrates, for keeping good orders, Ministers for feeding the soul, near of kindred for looking to their bodies; such as are under command, as Children and Servants.  
2 Others are not so subject to Infection: as Aged.  
3 Others are not of such use, but may better be spared: as the poorer and meaner sort.   

A discourse of fleeing or stay in the time of Pestilence, whether lawful for Ministers or People? By Bishop Hall.  
HOw many hath a seduced conscience led untimely to the Grave? I speak of this sad occasion of Pestilence? The Angel of God follows you, and you doubt, whether you shall fly, if a Lion out of the Forest should pursue you, you would make no question, yet could he do it unsent; what is the difference? Both instruments of Divine Revenge; both threaten death, one by spilling the blood, the other by Infecting it; who knows whether he hath not appointed your Zoan out of the lists of this destruction, you say it is God's visitation; What evil is not? If war have wasted the confines of your Country, you save your throats by flight, why are you more favourable to God's immediate Sword of Pestilence; every Leprosy by God's Law, requires a separation, yet no mortal sickness, when you see a noted Leper proclaim his uncleanness in the street; will you embrace him for his sake that hath stricken him, or avoid him for his sake, that hath forbidden you? If you honour his Rod, much more will you regard his Precept; if you mislike not the affliction, because he sends it, then love the life, which you have of his sending; Fear the Judgement which he will send, if you love it not, he that bids us fly when we are persecuted, hath neither excepted Angel nor Man; Whether soever I fear, our guiltiness, if wilfully we fly not; But whither shall we fly from God, say you? where shall he not both find and lead us? whither shall not our destiny follow us? Vain men, we may run from our home, not from our graves; Death is subtle, our time is set; we cannot, God will not alter it; alas, how wise we are to wrong ourselves? because death will over take us, shall we run and meet him, because God's decree is sure, shall we be desperate, shall we presume, because God changeth not; Why do not we try every knife and cord, since our time is neither capable of prevention, nor delay: our end is set, not without our means, in matter of danger, where the end is not known, the means must be suspected, in matter of hope, where the end is not known, means must be used: Use then freely the means of your flight, suspect the danger of your stay; and since there is no particular necessity of your presence, know, that God bids you depart and live: You urge the instance of your Minister, how unequally, there is not more lawfulness in your flight, than sin in ours; you are your own we our peoples, you are charged with a body which you may not willingly lose, nor hazard by staying; we with all their souls, which to hazard by absence is to lose our own; we must love our lives; but not when they are Rivals with our souls, or with others. How much better is it to be dead, then negligent, then faithless: If some bodies be contagiously sick, shall all souls be wilfully neglected? there can be no time wherein good counsel can be so seasonable, so needful, every threatening finds impression, where the mind is prepared by sensible Judgements.  
When will the Iron hearts of men bow, if not when they are heat in the flame of God's affliction, now then to run away from a necessary and public good, to avoid a doubtful and private evil, is to run into a worse evil than we would avoid, he that will thus run from Ninive to Tarshish, shall find a tempest, and a Whale in his way, not that I dare be an author to any of the private visitation of Infected beds.  
I dare not without better warrant, no, whoever said, we were bound to close up the dying eyes, of every departing Christian, and upon whatever conditions to hear their last groans; if we had a word, I would not dilate of the success, then that there were cowardliness, which now is wisdom; is it no service that we publicly teach and exhort, that we privately prepare men for death, and arm them against it? that our comfortable Letters, and Messages stir up their fainting hearts, that our loud voices pierce their ears afar; unless we feel their pulses, and lean upon their Pillows, and whisper in their ears: Daniel is in the Lion's den; is it nothing that Darius speaks comfort to him thorough the Grates, unless he go in to salute him, amongst those fierce companions? a good Minister is the common good, he cannot make his life peculiar to one, without injury to many, in the common cause of the Church, he must be no niggard of his life, in the private cause of a Neighbours bodily sickness, he may soon be Prodigal, a good Father may not spend his substance on one Child, and leave the rest Beggars. If any man be resolute in the contrary, I had rather praise his courage, then Imitate his practice. I confess, I fear not so much Death, as want of warrant for Death.   

Quest. How far public persons are bound to visit particular men under the Infection.  
Ans. I Find no ground in sacred Scriptures to bind public persons to hazard their life in particular men's cases, they are set over a society, not over one or two particular persons: Indeed every particular member of a Society, belongs to their charge, and they ought to do what they can to the good of every particular Member under their charge, so far as may stand with the good of the whole body, and prove no prejudice thereto. But if by visiting particular persons, they should be Infected, and by that Infection their life taken away, would not this prove a prejudice and damage to the whole body; Is it the way, is it the Calling, of a public person to go into a particular man's House that is Infected? Private persons may every where be found out competently enabled to do such duties as are requisite to be done to such as are Visited with the sickness; or at least fit persons, that have not public employments may be chosen out, and set apart to visit the sick, in contagious places, to comfort them, and to see all things meet for them, duly performed.   

Quest. And whether they may substitute others in their places?  
Ans. QUestionless difference may be put betwixt persons, some Magistrates are of such use in a Commonwealth, as it is meet they be, as as much as lieth in man, preserved from danger, on this ground, When David the King would have gone out with his Soldiers to battle, the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth, thou art worth ten thousand of us. Wherefore eminent, excellent persons may be exempted from abiding in dangerous places, and others substituted in their name and stead, to preserve peace, keep good order, and provide necessaries; Provided, that they who are substituted be able, and willing, to perform the duties whereunto they be deputed: The like may be said of Ministers, yea, of Husbands, Parents, Masters, and the like: to leave a Wife, a Child, a Servant, Infected with an Infectious Disease, to the tendance of others that are fit and willing to do that duty, and faithful in what they undertake, is not to forsake wife, child, or servant.   

Quest. How bold Christians ought to be in dangers in the time of a Plague, when they have a good calling.  
A Good calling is that way wherein God by his Divine Providence setteth a man, and wherein he hath appointed him to walk, in that way he hath given his Angels charge over him to keep him; where we have the Angels to Minister for us, and to encamp round about us; what need we to fear? they will either keep us safe from danger in this world, or if it seem good to God, to take us out of this world, they will carry our souls into Heaven, as they did the soul of Lazarus.  
For Application of this point, it is requisite that we be well instructed by God's Word, in the kind of our Calling, whether it be lawful and warrantable, or no, as for extraordinary Callings, they must be warranted by an extraordinary spirit, which is rare, if at all in these days, but ordinary Callings, have their express warrant in God's Word. As the Callings of Magistrates, Ministers, Soldiers, Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, Nurses, and Helpers in all kind of necessities; these may, these must in their place and calling expose themselves to danger, for performing the work which by virtue of their place belongeth unto them; Captains and Soldiers, must stand against Enemies, though thereby they endanger their lives; Magistrates must abide in Cities, and other places diseased or Infected with contagious Diseases, to see good order kept, to take order for supply of such necessaries as are fit for all sorts, though by abiding there, they be in danger. So Ministers must abide in such places, to instruct, direct, comfort and encourage the people under their charge. So Husbands and Wives, being one flesh, must have such a tender respect each of other, as not to forsake one another for fear of Infection, or other like danger; Servants also, Nurses and others, that in such cases take upon them, or by public authority, are appointed to be helpers, to such as are Infected with the Plague, or any other contagious and infectious Disease, are bound to attend such persons, and abide by them, yea, though it be with danger of their own lives; For it is necessary that such persons be looked unto: to forsake and leave them, that are not able to help themselves, is more than barbarous inhumanity; it is necessary that some abide by them, who are more bound than they that have an especial Calling thereto? they with greatest confidence may depend on God's special providence for protection from Infection, if they be infected and die, they with greatest comfort may yield up their souls into God's hands, as dying in that place wherein God hath set them, in these cases, God hath called them to venture their lives for their brethren▪ and thereby to give evidence of their true brotherly love.  
Of old, Christians were so charitable in relieving such as were visited with the plague, as willingly they hazarded their own lives; for proof whereof, I will here set down, what Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria reporteth, in an Epistle to the Brethren in Egypt.  
Many of our Brethren by Reason of their great love, 
Euseb. Hist. Eccle. l. 7. c. 11.  and Brotherly Charity, sparing not themselves, cleaved one to another, visited the sick of the Plague, and attended upon them diligently, cured them in Christ, which cost them their lives; and being full of other men's Maladies, took the Infection of their Neighbours, and translated of their own accord, the sorrows of their Neighbours, upon themselves, fulfilling indeed the Common saying: That Friendship, is always to be retained; and departing this life, they seemed the off scouring of others.  
In this sort, the best of our Brethren departed this life, whereof some were Ministers, some Deacons, in great reverence among the common people; So that this kind of Death for their great piety and strength of Faith, may seem to differ nothing from Martyrdom, for they took the dead bodies of the Saints, whose breasts, and faces, and hands, lay upwards, and closed their eyes, shut their mouths, and jointly with one accord, being like affectioned, embraced them, washed them, and prepared their Funerals, their own being a little while afterward; in all likelihood prepared by others, For the living continually traced the steps of the dead, the wicked on the contrary, scarce had the Pestilence among them, but they diverted themselves, and fled from their most loving and dearest friends, throwing them half dead in the streets; the dead they left unburied, to be devoured of Dogs, to the end, they might avoid death, which they could not escape.   

Quest. How men are to fly into the Country, or from one place unto another, in a time of Infection.  
1 NO man should (according to the Physician's advice, 1603.) depart his house, except it were an house not inhabited, and to an house of such distance, as that he may conveniently travel thither without lying by the way, much less that he send his Children or servants; and this with the approbation of the Overseers, under their hands.  
2 Such as removed into the Country, before their houses were Visited, had Certificates from the Overseers of the Parish, under their hands and seals, testifying that they were not Visited before their removal; by virtue whereof, they traveled the more freely into the Country, and were the more readily entertained.  
3 Whosoever refused to stay within, when shut up, were to be proceeded against as felons, if the sores were upon them uncured; and as Vagabonds, if they were not upon them.  
4 The Master of each Family whereinto an Infectious person is privately received, and wherefrom he privately steals, was severely punished.  

King James his Proclamation and Order, against all such as held, a man should not fly from the Plague, because if it were decreed, a man should die of the Plague, he could not escape it, and if not, he need not fear it.  
ITem, If there be any person Ecclesiastical, or Lay, that shall hold or publish any Opinions (as in some places report is made) that it is a vain thing to forbear resorting to the Infected; or that it is not charitable, to forbid the same; pretending, that no persons shall die, but at their time prefixed: Such persons shall not only be reprehended, but by Order of the Bishop, (if they be Ecclesiastical) shall be forbidden to Preach, or being Lay, shall be also enjoined to forbear to utter, such dangerous Opinions, upon pain of imprisonment, which shall be executed, if they shall persevere in that Error: And yet, it shall appear manifestly by these Orders, that according to Christian Charity, no persons of the meanest degree, shall been left without succour and relief.    

Quest. In what cases are the Godly involved in Common Calamities with the Wicked?  
Answ. The Godly are involved in the same Judgements with the Wicked,  
1 WHen they make themselves accessary to the Common Provocations, that pull down Common Judgements, Rev. 18.4. Nay, the sins of God's People, do (especially in this case) more provoke him unto outward Judgements, than the sins of his professed Enemies; because they expose his Name to the more contempt, 2 Sam. 12.8. And are committed against the greater love, Amos 3.2. And God hath future Judgements for the wicked; and therefore usually beginneth here at his own Sanctuary, Ezek. 9.6. 1 Pet. 4.17.  
2 When the wise God knoweth, that greater evils would befall them, if they should then escape; see 2 King. 23.29. 2 King. 22.20.  
3 When the just Lord will show the fierceness of his Wrath, how far the Wicked hath provoked him, to aggravate the Judgement, he taketh away therewith, who are as Chariots and Horsemen, while they remain, thus was good Jonathan taken away, who if he had lived, might have been a means of preserving the House of Saul from utter ruin; Though David had been King, the death of Righteous Jonathan much aggravated the sin of Saul, and the Judgement that followed thereupon.  
4 When the Lord to whom vengeance belongeth, will give the wicked an occasion to expect sure and sore vengeance, than he maketh his Saints a sign, and an example unto them; thus he caused a Lion to slay the man of God, that was seduced by a lying Prophet, to transgress the Word of God. In this case saith the Apostle, Judgement must begin at the house of God; and if he first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God?  
5 When good men who have preserved themselves from public sins, do yet fall by public Judgements, yet there is a great difference in this seeming equality, the same affliction having like the Pillar that went before Israel, a light side towards God's People, and a dark side towards the Egyptians; God usually recompensing the outward evils of his people, with more plentiful evidences of inward and Spiritual joy, a good man may be in great darkness as well as a wicked man, but in that case, he hath the Name of God to stay himself upon, which no wicked man in the world hath; Isa. 50.10. The Metal and the Dross go both into the fire together, but the Dross is consumed, the Metal refined, so it is with Godly and Wicked Men in their sufferings, Zach. 3.3.9. Eccles. 8.12, 13.   

Quest. How the Godly may avoid the Judgements brought upon the Wicked.  
THey that would avoid the Judgements that fall on the Wicked, must avoid communion with them; For this end, did God cause an Ark to be made for Noah and his Family to go into, from the old World, that so they might be preserved from the general Deluge, and sent his Angels, to bring Lot, and such as belonged to him, out of Sodom; to this purpose, the People of God were advised to remove out of the midst of Babylon, and to deliver every man his soul, which advice is also given, in regard of Spiritual Babylon to come out of her, and that on this ground, that they receive not her Plagues; Saints by separating themselves from the Wicked in time of Judgement, show their care to use what means they can for preventing mischief, which is a point of wisdom, commended by the Holy Ghost, who giveth this note of a Wise man, A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. This care of using means for safety, and in the use of means, to depend on God for his blessing, is well pleasing to God. God had promised that none in the Ship with Paul should be lost; yet when some of the ship-men were about to leave the Ship. Paul said, Except these men abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. All lawful and warrantable means are the visible hand of God's invisible Providence: to reject or neglect means, is to refuse to take God by the hand when he reacheth it out unto us, and to follow his visible direction.  
It is therefore foolish presumption, rather than a prudent resolution, either to accompany those that are as it were in the fire of God's judgement, or not to go from them when a fair and warrantable opportunity is offered. This is taxed as a point of folly in Lot's sons in Law. Jehosaphat too much failed herein; he heard the Prophet say that Ahab should fall at Ramoth Gilead, and yet he would accompany him thither; it had almost cost him his life: yet hath God his ways and means to deliver the righteous, in the forementioned cases, and all other cases whatsoever. As,  
1. By visible preservations of them from external judgements: as Ebedmelech was preserved.  
2. By taking them from the evil to come. This was before exemplified in good Josiah.  
3. By ordering the judgement so, as it proves a means to them to honour God the more, and to do more good to such as are better prepared to accept the good which they do. Thus was Ezekiel carried away to Babel in the first Captivity, that he might prophesy in Babylon to the Jews there, who were counted good Figgs in comparison of the Jews that were at Jerusalem, who were as evil Figgs.  
4. By making the judgement a means of their peace, honour, and eternal prosperity in this world. Thus the captivity of Daniel, and his three companions; and of Esther and Mordecai, was a means of higher honour, and greater advancement, than they could in all probable conjectures have attained unto in their own land: They were also thereby special Instruments of doing much good to the Church; and their names by that means are more honourable to this day in the Church of God.  
5. By taking them by an external judgement from earth to heaven, where they live being dead; yea, by making the judgement a means to free them from eternal damnation, of such as by some extraordinary judgement died (for 'tis said of them, many sleep) the Apostle saith, When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Blessed be that sword, though it be the sword of a mortal enemy, that openeth a passage in the body for the soul to enter into heaven. And blessed be that sickness, though it be the Plague, that thrusteth the soul out of the body's prison, to celestial glory and eternal life: and they may say, we had perished, if we had not perished.  
Be not affrighted, O ye righteous ones, be not affrighted overmuch at the judgements, though they be terrible judgements, which fall out in the world; though by reason of the multitudes of wicked ones among whom ye live in this world, ye be every one forced to complain and cry, Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar: and to wish and say, O that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people: yet can the Lord single you out, and when he comes to sweep with the besom of destruction, set you aside, and as a few precious Jewels in the midst of a great heap of rubbish, sift them out, and preserve them safe to himself, when the rubbish is cast away. It is said of Christ, that he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Men when they fan their corn cannot do it so thoroughly clean, but that some chaff or tares will remain with the wheat, and some wheat be cast out with the chaff: witness the offal that remains after the best fanning that men can make: but God's fanning is a thorough fanning; not a grain, not a Saint shall be overslipt. This is indeed most properly meant of the last fanning of the world at the day of Judgement: yet in the mean time doth the Lord take notice of every one of his, to provide for them, and in the most common and general judgements doth that which in his wisdom he seeth to be fit for them. When Elijah thought he had been left alone in Israel, God knew many more, yea he could tell the just number of them: Thou mayest therefore, O faithful one, say of the Lord, He is my refuge and fortress, my God, in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the Fowler, and from the noisome pestilence, etc.  
In the midst of Judgements pronounced against sinners that are obstinate, God doth reserve and proclaim Mercy unto sinners that are penitent. When a consumption is decreed, yet a remnant is reserved to return, Isa. 10.22, 23. The Lord will keep his Vineyard, when he will burn up the Thorns and the Briers together: Isa. 27.3, 4. When a day of fierce anger is determined, the meek of the earth are called upon to seek the Lord, Zeph. 2.3. When the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, he calls upon his people to hide themselves in their chambers, until the indignation be overpast; Isa. 26.20, 21. the Angel which was sent to destroy Sodom, had withal a Commission to deliver Lot, Gen. 19.15. God made full provision for those who mourned for public abominations, before he gave order to destroy the rest, Ezek. 9.4, 6. men in their wrath will many times rather strike a friend, than spare a foe; but God's proceedings are without disorder; he will rather spare his foes, than strike his servants; as he showed himself willing to have done in the case of Sodom, Gen. 18.26. Moses stood in the gap, and diverted judgements from Israel, Psal. 106.23. Yea God seeks for such, Ezek. 22.30. and complains when they cannot be found, Ezek. 13.15. And if he deliver others for them, certainly he will not destroy them for others. However it go with the world, and with wicked men, it shall go well with the righteous; there shall be a sanctuary for them when others stumble, and they shall pass through the fire when others shall be consumed by it, Psal. 3.10, 11. Isa. 8.14, 15, 16. Zech. 13.8, 9  
Reason's hereof are, God's Justice; He will not punish the righteous with the wicked; he will have it appear that there is a difference between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not, Gen. 8.23. Mal. 3.18. God's love unto his people, he hath Book of remembrance written before him, for them that fear him, and think upon his Name; And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts; In that day when I make up my Jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him, Mal. 3.16, 17. Here is a climax and gradation of Arguments, drawn from love in a great fire, and devouring trouble, (such as is threatened, Chap. 4.1.)  Property alone is a ground of care, a man would willingly save and secure that which is his own, and of any use unto him. 
But if you add to this, preciousness; that Increaseth the care; A man will make a hard shift to deliver a rich Cabinet of Jewels, though all his ordinary goods and utensils should perish, but of all Jewels, those that come out of the body are more precious than those that only adorn it; who would not rather snatch his Child, than either his Kasket or his purse out of the flame? Relation works not only upon the affection, but upon the bowels; Jer. 31.20. And lastly, the same excellency that the word Jewel doth add unto the word mine; the same esteem doth service, add unto the Word, Son; A man hath much conflict in himself to take off his heart from an undutiful Child, but if any be more a Jewel than others, certainly, it is a dutiful Child, who hath not only an Interest in our love, by Nature, but by Obedience.  
All these grounds of care and Protection for God's People in trouble are here expressed, property, they are mine, in preciousness, they are Jewels, in relation, they are Sons, usefulness, they are Sons that serve.  
Lastly, God's Name and Glory: he hath spared his people in the midst of their provocations for his Names sake, Deut. 33.26, 27. Jos. 7.9. how much more, when they repent and seek his face? he will never let it be said, that any seeks his face in vain. Isa. 45.19.  
The way to be safe in times of trouble, is to get the blood of the Lamb upon our doors: All troubles have their Commission and Instruction from God, what to do, whither to go, whom to touch, whom to pass over. Be Gold, though the fire come upon you, you shall keep your Nature, and your Purity still. It should be every man's chief business to clear up the evidences of his particular title and relation unto this great Governor of the world: and this will be the surest means to set us above the fear, or hurt of all outward changes.  
We see with what artifice and compliance men will insinuate themselves, into the affection of those, (who according to the several revolutions) are advanced into places of power. Of how much greater advantage would it be, to get an interest in his favour, who doth, and shall always, Rule over the Sons of men, having all times at his disposal, out of whose hands, no strength or policy, shall ever be able to wrest the sway and dominion of things?  
It cannot but afford strong consolation, unto every true Believer, to consider, that he who hath the chief influence in all these great changes, and variety of events in the world, is both his God, and his Father. How would it compose men's minds and thoughts otherwise disquieted, and dejected, either by want of this evidence, or by the neglect of applying it to enjoy such an assurance of an Interest in God, as to have him for their strength and refuge, though the Earth be removed, and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea, though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled, and the Mountains shake with the swellings thereof, so that there can be no distress, against which there was not a refuge and an escape for them, when Penitent, unto some promise or other. Against Captivity, when they be in the Land of their Enemies, I will not cast them away, nor abhor them; Levit. 26.44. Against Famine and Pestilence; If I shut up Heaven that there be no Rain, or if I Command Locusts to devour the Land, or if I send Pestilence among my People; If my People which are called by my Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their Land, 2 Chron. 7.13, 14. Against sickness, the Lord will strengthen them upon the bed of languishing, and make all his bed in his sickness; Psal. 41.3. Against poverty, when the poor and needy seek water and there is none; I the Lord will hear them, Isa. 41.17. Psal. 68.10. Against want of Friends, when my Father and Mother forsake me, than the Lord will take me up, Psal. 127.10. Psal. 72.12. Against Oppression and Imprisonment; he executeth Judgement for the Oppressed, he looseth the Prisoners, Psal. 146.7. Against whatsoever Plague or trouble, 1 King. 8.37, 38, 39 He is the God of all consolation, how disconsolate soever a man's condition is in any kind, there cannot but within the compass of all consolation, be some one, or other Remedy at hand, to comfort and relieve him.  
Mixture of the godly with the wicked is a stay of Judgement. When God was about to destroy Sodom, he saith to Lot, haste thee; I can do nothing till thou be gone. Good Josiah was a stay of those judgements which God had threatened to bring upon Jerusalem for the sins of Manasseh. Had there been but ten righteous men in Sodom, surely it had not been then destroyed when it was: Abraham intimates the reason hereof in this Rhetorical communication with God, Will't thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? That be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the world do right? The supreme Lord of all hath such respect to his faithful ones, as he will rather spare many wicked ones for a few righteous ones, than destroy a few righteous ones with many wicked ones.  
Behold here a means of God's patience and long-suffering in the world: which is that mixture of holy ones with the elect, and were such as are sanctified taken out of the world, soon would there be an end of all. Many Nations, Cities, Towns, and other Societies are spared for some faithful Saints therein. This surely is the reason of God's much forbearance towards this Land, this City of London, and other places in this Kingdom. There is a remnant of righteous persons, these hold up their hands to God ordinarily and extraordinarily: to their persons, to their prayers hath the Lord such respect, as they do in a manner hold him, as Moses held God when it was in his mind utterly to destroy all the children of Israel that came out of Egypt. God gave to Paul all them that sailed with him. It is said that a little before Heidelberg in the Upper Palatinate was taken, their faithful Ministers were all taken away.  
O the ungratefulness of the wicked in the world, thorough God's favour to the Saints here and there dispersed in the world; they that live and enjoy any comforts in the world, are beholding to those Saints for their peace, plenty, safety, honours, wealth, liberties, livings, and life itself: yet in the world who more hated, scorned, reproached, evilly entreated, and persecuted in the world? Is not this more than monstrous ingratitude?  
But how beholding to God are these Saints, to whom the Lord (who is beholding to none) beareth such respect, as not only to spare them, but, for their sakes, those among whom they live?   

The several names the Greeks and Latins gave the Plague: describing also two sorts of this contagious Sickness.  
THat which we call in English the Plague, is known in Latin by Pestis or Pestilentia, in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Pernities seu exitium, a deadly fretting. Our English word signifieth, a sharp Punishment of what kind soever. In that sense, we read many were the Plagues inflicted on the Egyptians: We are apt, when offended by any, to say, Well, I will plague you for this. Hypocrates calleth this distemper, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Morbus epidemicus, an universal or popular Disease. Thus much for the name: in the next place take notice, there are two sorts of Plagues; the one simple, the other putrid. The simple Plague is the very influence of the striking Angel, executing the vengeance of God on the bodies of men. This kind of Plague ariseth from no distemper of blood, putrefaction of humours, or influence of Stars, but falleth merely from the stroke of God's punishing Angel (such were the Plagues of old, as you may read in Exodus 12. & Numb. 11.16, 25. also 2 Samuel 24. 2 Kings 19) whereof some die suddenly, without any precedent or foregoing complaint, or conceit of infection. Others again, though they be sick before they die, yet their first taking hath been after an extraordinary manner. Some whereof I have talked with, who have ingenuously confessed, they at their first infection felt themselves manifestly stricken, being sensible of a blow suddenly given them; some on the head and neck; others on the back and side, etc. sometimes so violently, that they have been as it were knocked down to the ground, remaining for a time senseless, whereof some have died instantly, others in a short time after; and those that did recover, escaped without humane help or means. For this kind of Plague, as it is rare, so it is by all art of man incurable. Therefore no method but Repentance, no medicine but Prayer can avert or heal this stroke. Of all Antidotes for the body, that treacle is the best esteemed which is made of the flesh of earthly Serpents: but for the soul, that only which is made of the blood of the brazen Serpent, which was lifted up on the Cross for our sins. He that by a lively faith applieth the benefit of our blessed Saviour's sufferings to the Plaguesore of his soul, shall undoubtedly recover, (if not health here, yet) heaven hereafter. The putrid Plague is a popular Fever, venomous and infectious, striking chiefly (when first seizing the body) at the very heart, and for the most part is accompanied with some swelling, which is either called a Blain, a Botch or Carbuncle; or else with spots, called God's Tokens. This comes of putrefaction of blood and humours in the body, which it pleaseth God sometimes to make the instrument of his punishing justice, mixing it with the simple Plague beforementioned. This putrefaction may be caused by the influence of the Stars, who do undoubtedly work upon all sublunary bodies. For Astrologers are of opinion, that if Saturn and Mars have dominion (especially under Aries, S●gittarius, and Capricorn) a Plague or Pestilence is shortly to be expected: Or, if these two (beforenamed) most malevolent Planets be in opposition to Jupiter, according to the Poet: 

Coelitus imbuitur tabe difflatilis aura,  
Mars quando objicitur falcitonensque Jovi.   

When Mars in opposition is to Jove,  
The Air will be infected from above.    
The winds likewise are led into their motions by the Starry-course; the Planets (especially the Sun) by extracting the earth's exhalations (which are the substance of the winds) do set them so on work: And the winds, some are naturally wholesome, others unwholesome. The south-wind blowing from the Meridian, is of nature hot and moist, and full of showers. Now when by the influence of the Stars this wind bloweth long, and bringeth continual rain, it causeth much moisture in all airy and earthly bodies; and so much the more, by how much the milder it is. This moisture being in such abundance, cannot be digested nor attenuated by the Sun's beams or heat, and therefore settling together, it must needs putrify; and that so much the sooner, because the heat of the Sun (not being able to extract all) doth inflame what remains; by which inflammation the putrefaction becomes the greater. In this manner are the winds in cause: and moreover, they do sometimes transfer the contagion from one Region to another; as Hypocrates affirmeth the Plague to be brought over the Sea from Aethiopia into Greece by the south-wind. Now if the Stars be pestilentially bend against us, neither Arts nor Arms, Perfumes nor Prayers, can prevail with them; who have neither pity, sense, nor power to alter their motions appointed them by the Omnipotent Creator. But he that commandeth their course, and altereth them at his pleasure; he that made the Sun and Moon stand still for Joshua, and drew the Sun ten degrees back for Hezekiah, and caused the Stars to fight in their courses against Sisera; he, and he alone is able to heal all infections that can arise from their influences. Other causes there are also of this putrid Plague; namely, corrupt and unwholesome feeding, all sorts of unsavoury stenches, proceeding either from Carrion, Ditches, rotten Dunghills, Vaults, Sinks, nasty Kennels and Streets (strewed with all manner of filth) seldom cleansed. Wherefore I cannot but justly applaud the prudence of the right Honourable the present Lord Mayor, in taking so much care, and giving such strict order, that the kennels and streets be very frequently swept and kept sweet, every one throwing fair water before his own door thrice a day, to cool as well as cleanse: A good primary way for prevention of any ensuing general infection: he wisely advised that said, Principiis obsta, Hinder beginnings. These foetid smells (as I said) are the maintaining causes of the contagion after it is begun.  

Corpora foeda jacent, vitiantur odoribus aurae.   

If stinking bodies lie, than hence I see,  
The Air will with their stench corrupted be.   
So likewise the unseasonableness of the weather, Quum tempestiva intempestiuè redduntur, saith Hypocrates; When the weather is unseasonable for the season of the year, being hot when it should be cold, (very hot one day, and in the like measure cold the next) moist when it should be dry, and so on the contrary. Now this kind of Plague is by Art curable, in as many as God pleaseth to bless the means to: For this therefore I intent to prescribe a course of Physic, such as both my much reading, and also my practice and manifest experience in this Sickness hath preferred to my best approbation; wherein I will first open the way of preservation; after that, show the signs of being infected; and lastly, the course of cure.   

Who are most subject to infection.  
IN the way of preservation, it is first necessary to be considered, Whether the Plague be infectious or not; and then, who are most or least subject (according to natural reason) to receive this infection. This putrid Plague is (as I have said in the definition) venomous and infectious, best known by experience. By venom or poison, the Reader is to understand something that hath in it a dangerous subtle quality, that is able to corrupt the substance of a living body, to the destruction or hazard of the life thereof. This working is apparent in this Sickness, by his secret and insensible insinuation of himself into the vital Spirits; to which, as soon as he is gotten, he showeth himself a mortal enemy, offering with sudden violence to extinguish them. His subtle entrance, sly cruelty, and swift destroying; the unfaithfulness of his Crisis, and the other Prognostic signs, with the vehemency, grievousness and ill behaviour of his symptoms, do all declare by manifest proofs his venomous quality: For in this disease the Urine and sweat have a loathsome and abominable savour, the breath stinks and is noisome; ill coloured spots, pustles, blisters, swellings, and ulcers full of filthy matter arise in the outward parts of the body; such, as no superfluity or sharpness of humours, nor any putrefaction of matter (without a venomous quality joined with it) can possibly produce. Now though this Disease may be acknowledged by the Learned to be venomous, yet some ignorant persons may say it is not infectious. To satisfy such, I define Infection or Contagion to be that which infecteth another with his own quality by touching it; whether the Medium of the touch be corporeal, spiritual, or an airy breath. Of this kind there are divers Diseases that are infectious, though not so deadly as the Plague: As the Itch and scabbiness, Warts, Measles, Smallpox, and that which is venereal too, called Morbus Gallicus; these by rubbing and corporeal touches do infect: Also sore eyes do by their spirituous beams infect others eyes; and the Ptisick or putrified Lungs, do by their corrupt breath infect others that are sound. But the Plague infects by all these ways; and such sick bodies infect the outward Air, and that Air again infects other bodies: for there is a seminary tincture full of a venomous quality, that being very thin and spirituous, mixeth itself with the Air; and piercing the Pores of the body, entereth with the same Air, and mixeth itself with the humours & spirits of the same body also: For proof of this, experience giveth us to understand, that Garments, Coffers, nay walls of Chambers will a long time retain any strong scent wherewith they have been fumed. Now the scent is merely a quality, and his substance is the Air, which is also the vehiculum wherein it is seated and conveyed. So doth the Pestilent infection take hold, though not sensibly (for the strongest poisons have little taste or smell) yet certainly, as experience testifieth; for garments and householdstuff have been infected, and have infected others. As Fracastinus tells of a furred Gown, that was the death of twenty five men in Verona (when that City was visited) who one after another wore it, thinking still they had aired it sufficiently. And if Alexander Benedictus may be believed, featherbeds will keep the Contagion seven years. Other experiences we have also of living Poultry, which being applied to the sores, were taken away dead, though no ways crushed or hurt in the least. But say some, Then why is not one infected as well as another? I have eaten in the same dish, drank in the same cup, and have lain in the same beds with infected persons, and then too, whilst their sores were running; yet never had the Plague in my life. By way of answer, there may be two special causes for this: The first and principal cause, is the protection of the Almighty, which preserves some as miraculously, as his justice strikes others dreadfully. Thus through his mercy he often preserves those that with faithful and conscionable care do their duties like Christians about the sick, being warrantably called thereunto, and not thrusting themselves either presumptuously or rashly into the business, without a just and reason-rendring cause: for God hath given his Angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways, such as may be esteemed lawful. In the next place, every pestilential Contagion is not of the same nature, nor hath equal conformity with every constitution, Age, or manner of live: for some Contagion is apt only to infect the sanguine complexion, some the choleric, some the phlegmatic only; some children, some youths, some those of ripe age, some ancient people; and where the seminary tincture hath no analogy, there will be none or very little infection. And first, those are most apt to be infected that have thin bodies and large open Pores, and whose hearts are so hot, that they need much attraction of Air to cool them; also they whose veins and vessels are full of gross humours, the venomous matter being thick, and therefore unapt to breath through the Pores, their putrefaction is increased by the inward heat, and so driven to malignity, and thence on-ward to a pestilent quality. Hence those bodies that are moist and full of phlegmatic humours, whose veins are strait (and therefore apt to intercept then entertain those well-concocted juices that would make the purest blood) and the thickness of whose skin denyeth the transpiration of excrements; these are easily polluted and infected. And such are women, especially women with child; for their bodies are full of excrementitious humours, and much heat withal, which is as oil and flame put together. Also Virgins, that are ripe for marriage, are apt to receive infection; and being stricken, seldom or never escape without great means: Quia spirituosum semen in motu eum sit facile succenditur; vel quia intus detentum facile corrumpitur, & in veneni perniciem abit. Their blood being hot, and their seed retained for want of copulation, the one will soon be inflamed, the other corrupted; from thence infection. Also young children, in regard of their soft, tender, and moist bodies; and likewise, because as their meats are moister, so they feed with more appetite than judgement. Likewise, the more pure and delicate complexions, whose blood is finer and thinner than others, is so much the more apt to receive mutation; and the Contagion insinuates itself with more facility into all the humours; but first and most easily into blood, choler next, more slowly into phlegm, but very seldom into melancholy. Those that are very costive, and have not a frequent propensity to make water; for the noisome vapours that are by these excrements engendered, make the body apt to infection. Those that fast too long (their bodies being empty) receive more Air in then they let out; and (their spirits being weakened for want of due nourishment) they have less strength to resist the Contagion. On the other side, gluttons and drunkards (let them argue what they will for the filling of the veins, as they use to say, to keep out the evil Air) can never be free from crudities and distempered blood, which easily takes infection, as Hypocrates testifies; Corpora impura quo magis aluntur, eo magis laeduntur; impure bodies, the more they are nourished, the more they are endangered. Poor people, by reason of their great want, living sluttishly, and feeding nastily and unwholesomly on any food they can with least cost purchase, have corrupted bodies; and of all others, are therefore most subject to this Sickness. At this present, most of those houses which are infected, are the habitations of poverty, in some obscure close place in the Suburbs; as towards St. Giles', &c. One house I know more especially by Curfitors-Alley, where the Man, his Wife and Child lived in a Room that looked more like, for bigness, a great Chest then any thing else: They had not space enough (according to the vulgar saying) to swing a Cat in; so hot by reason of the closeness, and so nastily kept besides, that it even took away a man's breath to put his head but within the doors. In this house, all this little family died lately, in two days. The child dying suddenly, the neighbours were afraid to come near them. The man having languished a long time, for want of Air, as well as money, and he not able to stir out, and none coming to his relief, died quickly after. The woman being as big with child as she could tumble, seeing her child dead on the one side, and her husband in his clothes on the other, and forsaken by all, fell in labour and died too, instantly. A very true and sad accident, which doubtless was occasioned by their loathsome living, but perfected by the cruelty of those that lived near them. Furthermore, nearness of blood and kindred, by sympathy of nature, is another aptness. But old folks, whose bodies are cold and dry; confident spirits, whose very courage is an Antidote, if they keep their bodies clean by a regular course of life; and those that have the Gout, in whom the nobler parts of the body do expel the noxious humours to the ignobler, have the same benefit of non-infection; as Milch-nurses have, because their children suck the evil juices from them with their milk. These are in the way likely to escape; but if the Nurse be infected, the child cannot recover it. Lastly, they who keep themselves private, or have Issues, Ulcers, Haemorrhoids, or women that have their courses abundantly, are least subject to infection; because the hurtful humours are by those means drained away.   

What things are to be observed by every man that is desirous to preserve himself from the infection of the Plague.  
BY discovering to you the six strings of Apollo's Viol, I shall show wherein consisteth the whole harmony of Health; which are Air, Meat and Drink, Repletion and Evacuation, Exercise and Rest, Sleep and Watching: and lastly, the passions of the Mind. If these be in tune, the body is sound; but any of these too high wrested, or too much slackened (that is, immoderately used) makes a discord in Nature, and puts the whole body a jarring.  

Aer, Esca, Quies, Repletio, Gaudia, Somnus;  
Haec moderata juvant, immoderata nocent.   

Air, Meat and Rest, Repletion, Joys and Sleep;  
As they are used, an healthful body keep.   
Or thus:  

Sleep, Joys, Repletion, Resting, Air and Food;  
Immoderate are bad, if moderate good.   
Air we shall first begin with, since it is that we draw in with our breath continually, and we cannot live without it one minute; for it is the food of our spirits, and therefore we had need take heed that the Air we draw be pure and wholesome. The whole stream of opinion runs upon a cold and dry air; so commending the North and East winds as most wholesome, and condemning the hot and moist air engendered by the South and West winds, as the fittest matter for infection, because most apt to putrefaction. So Galen affirmeth, saying, That the hot and moist constitution of the Air doth most of all breed pestilential diseases. From his mouth many modern Authors have learned to speak the same thing: yet we know, that the hot and dry weather also may cause a contagious air. Titus Livius mentioneth in his Decades, that Rome was so infected by an hot and dry distemper of the Air. It is not out of my remembrance, that the Summer 1624. preceding the great Sickness, was an extreme dry and parching Summer: I pray God this Summer prove not a Mother to a like Contagion. Now to avoid the mischiefs of an unwholesome air, take Hypocrates his counsel (in his Treatise of humane Nature) walk abroad as little as may be, and as much as may be shun passing by any place infected; but by no means would I advise any to fly, though the Sickness should spread all over the City: For, in the last great Visitation, many with Daedalus did put on wings, that with Icarus dropped down by the way. Only my counsel is this: Should the Sickness increase, let every one keep himself as private as he may; eat throngs of people, and all wet, close, and stinking places; walk not abroad before, not after Sun; keep moderation between heat and cold in all things: yet rather incline to heat a little, because of drying up superfluous moistures. Let not your houses be pestered with many Lodgers; and it is best for those that are able, to have change of Beds and Chambers to lie in, that the air in them may be kept free and sweet. Keep every Room daily very clean, and let there be no sluts corners; let not water stand so long in any vessel as to putrify, which in hot weather it will soon do. Make fires every day in every room, in quantity according to the largeness of the room, and the temperature of the weather: perfume them in cold and moist weather with Frankincense, Storax, Benjamin, Pitch, Rozin, Lignum-Aloes, Lignum Rhodium, Juniper-wood, or the Berries; in hot and dry weather, with Rose-water on a hot fireshovel, or some such like cool fume, in a perfuming-pot: strew the windows and ledges with Rue, Wormwood, Lavender, Margerum, Peniroyal, Costmary, and such like, in cold weather; but in hot, with Primroses, Violets, Rose-leaves, Borage, Bugloss, and such cooling scents. For garments, avoid as much as may be, all leather, woollen and fur; also velvets, plush, and shag; but choose such as may be watered, as chamlets, grograms, etc. for their gumminess excludeth infectious air best: shift your shirt often, and clothes also; and before you put them on again, perfume them well: be sure you take care that you buy not old clothes, bedding, or such like stuff; for the garments of infectious persons deceased, are usually put to sale, which oftentimes prove very dangerous to the buyer. Carry in your mouth a piece of the Pill of Citron or Lemon; a Clove is of excellent use to that purpose: forget not to carry in your hand a Lemon stuck with Cloves, sweet Marjoram, Lavender, Balm, Rue, or Wormwood, and thereunto smell frequently: I should commend for your use Camphire, because it is accounted an excellent cool fume for ill airs; but I would have those that have cold and weak stomaches to beware thereof, since such are very much weakened by the use of it. Though Dioscorides and Cardan commend Galbanum, burning of leather, and smelling to horse-dung; yet my advice is to eschew unsavoury smells and stinking odours; judging what are sweet and pleasant more proper, because they dilate, restore, and comfort the spirits, whereas the contrary do contract, and by repugning them, weaken the faculties.   

What manner of Diet is to be observed for self-preservation.  
THe next thing which we shall handle for preservation, is the due observation of diet for meat and drink. Let your meat be always good and sweet, temperate, betwixt hot and cold, and not too moist or flashy, easy of digestion, and such as makes the best blood: if your purse cannot purchase Turkey, Capon, Pullet, Partridge, Pheasant, Pigeons, Larks, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Finches, etc. (all which afford as much wholesome nourishment to the body, as pleasure to the taste) feed then on Beef, Mutton, Lamb, Kid, and Rabbits, etc. Of Fish, which should be eaten but seldom, although of the best kind, those I approve, are fresh Salmon, Trout, Barbel, Shrimps, Plaice and Flounder, (when they are firm) Smelts, Mackerel, Gudgeon, Mullet, Soal, Gurnard both grey and red, Lobster and Crayfish: but Eels and Lampreyes, and all such as delight in mud, are to be avoided. Turkeys and Hens-eggs are very good. Oil and Butter are kinds of Antidotes against venom. Let those who have hot constitutions, drink sometimes Buttermilk or Whey; but more especially if it be clarified with cool herbs: eat not fruits at any time, sparingly; and then too, those which are, as Cherries, Plumbs, and Goosberries, before they be full ripe; also Peaches, Quinces, Pomegranads, Oranges, Lemons, Medlars, Cervices, Mulberries, Rasps, Strawberries and Currants, which being not ripe, are astringent, but at full maturity do loosen the body. But of Walnuts, Filberts, and Small-nuts, the elder are the better: dried fruits are also good, and so are Pease, Beans and Artichokes, which may be used sometimes by lean and spare bodies. The best roots, are Onions, Leeks and Radishes, for in these is great power and virtue against venom, yet offensive to hot heads and weak eyes. Of herbs, Mints, Rosemary, Sage, and Thime, and Rue, with those herbs aforementioned. For salads and sauces, Borage and Bugloss, Violets, Fennel, and especially Sorrel, Olives also and Capers. As a Plant, let me not forget to mention the inexpressible virtues of Tobacco, the fume whereof hath been approved the most sovereign Antidote against pestilential Contagion: The truth hereof is in a great measure of late confirmed by the practice of the most eminent, now taken for this very reason, by the advice of the best of Physicians now extant, though not long since slighted and prohibited: a pipe taken fasting in the morning is the best time. These following likewise have an excellent property in them for this purpose: Vinegar, Verjuice, juice of Lemons and Oranges, which for their dryness resist putrefaction; and for their coolness, Fevers. Beware of Cabbages, Coleworts, Lettuce, Pompions, Musk-melons and Cucumbers; for they are very dangerous meats in contagious times: neither can I approve of any other roots than Garlic for rustic bodies; and for others, only Onions, Leeks and Radishes, as I said before. Let your flesh be roasted, for that is the wholesomest way of dressing it. Either fry or boil your fish: as for drink, you must take but as little as may well be born, of the best and purest. Wine is the best liquor for weak stomaches and aged people: but let not youth meddle therewith, lest it breed in them inflammations, after which follows putrefaction, which is a fit host to entertain such an ill guest as the Pestilence. Wheaten bread of a day old, and a little leavened, is absolutely the best for healthy people: light biscuits also with aniseeds are very good. I cannot prescribe the strict quantity of eating and drinking, since I know not how to stint every man's stomach; wherefore I shall let season, place, and custom bear some sway in these things; only beware of cramming satiety, since meat and drink immoderately taken, cause sickness; for from thence arise crudities, which breed new diseases. Therefore let Avicen advise you in these words: Rise always from meat with some remaining appetite; for within a little time, as soon as the meat first eaten beginneth to digest, hunger will then cease. And hence it is, that some greedily following the sense of their appetite only, over-charge their stomaches, even to vomiting, before they feel themselves satisfied; because though the vessel be over-full, yet appetite is not appeased, till concoction hath begun her work upon that which is already received. Others may be taxed for the like immoderate drinking, so excessive therein, that it may be said of them, as Valerius Aurelianus the Emperor was wont to say of Bonosus a Spaniard; Such are born not to live, but to drink. The Dutch may yield up their Seas of drinking, and strike sail to the English, acknowledging themselves inferior to us in every thing. Men now adays care not, though they lose their own good names, provided they may get new ones; as Damn Blades & Hector's, who rise to drink, then drink to fall: after this, sleep of necessity, and ere they are half sober, fall a drinking, and be drunk again. If any of that luxurious Sect be at this time sober, let them but listen to the testimonies of learned experience, & they will tell them into what bodily dangers they do plunge themselves, by this detestable disorder: For of all Diseases, as Paulus Egineta affirmeth, the overcharging of the vessels is the worst. Wine moderately taken, increaseth natural heat, as being its proper aliment; and so the best meats taken in the same manner, afford the purest nourishment. But hear what Avicen saith, laying down the dangers that follow over-Repletion, in these words; Eating much nourisheth not, but fills the body with crudities and raw humours; stops the Pores, weakens the powers of nature, causeth putrefaction, mixed Fevers, short breath, Sciatica of joint aches. Of drinking thus he speaks: Much drinking of wine in sanguine and choleric complexions, overheats the blood, and causeth choler to superabound; and by too much Repletion of the veins and vessels, there may follow a hot Apoplexy and sudden death. A tragical example whereof we lately had, of two, who having drunk a very large quantity of Sack, would notwithstanding go to the Alehouse; where out of a bravado they drank, in Beer, thirty Cans apiece: coming home, they both instantly died. The suddenness of their death, made some suspect that they died of the Plague; and thereupon the house was shut up; whereas it was no otherwise then a mere misprision of the true cause. What Avicen hath said of wine, may be applied to all other strong drinks. I hope these lines will keep such men the soberer in this dangerous time; and in that sober tune, the time may touch their heartstrings so, that sobriety may let in religious meditations (which continual drunkenness hath locked out of doors) and then repentance may draw them to God, and him nearer to them, and at last become new creatures: which the Father for his Son's sake grant. In the mean time, let those which are well, eat the afore-prescribed flesh; but the sick, the juices of them rather, because aliment must be made more easy and quick for their supply. Let the flesh be boiled till all the virtue of the meat be boiled out, and then the broth to be strained hard, that the flesh may be left juiceless, so will all the strength of the meat be in the broth; which you may spice with some of these powders following.  
Take of red Saunders, half an ounce; Cinnamon, three drams and half; Saffron, half a dram: make them into a fine powder.  
Or else make a powder thus: Take of Cinnamon, half an ounce; Cloves and Saffron, of each half a dram; red Coral, two scruples: and the weight of all in Sugar.  
Let all be more sparing in diet now, then at other times; eat little, and drink less; but never go out of doors fasting: But first, take an Antidote, of which there are several; some whereof, for their excellency, I shall here nominate.  

Theriaca Andromachi. Venice-Triacle.  
Theriaca Londinensis. London-Triacle.  
Mithridatium Damocratis. Mithridate.  
Electuarium de ovo Imperatoris.  
Antidote magna Matthioli.  
Confectio liberans.  
Diascordium.   
Of any of these take the quantity of a Nutmeg; and of Confectio Alkermes, and Confectio de Hiacyntho, the quantity of an hazelnut: Or, you may take a powder, called Pulvis contra Pestem Montagnanae, half a dram at a time; or, half an ounce of Angelica-water, or aqua Theriacalis, either with white-wine, and a few drops of the juice of a Lemon; or, aqua Bezoartica Langii. Aqua coelestis Matthioli, for the richer sort, with a drop of oil of Vitriol, in half an ounce of either. But for such as love not the taste of physic, and had rather take their Antidote in form of Pills then otherwise, let a skilful Apothecary make this Mass of Pills following.  

Recip. Zadoarie, Ligni Aloes, agrimony, Croci, Aristolochie rotunde, Dictamni, Gentiane, court. Citri, semp. Citri, ana scrup. 1. Coriandri prepar. Tormentille, Santali rumb. Corallii rub. Spodii, Myrobalan. Emblic. ana drach. 2. Terrae sigillat. drach. 2. Boli-Armeni, drach. 3. cum syrupo ex Acetositate Citri fiat Massa.  
Of which 10, 15, 20. or two shillings grains may be taken at once, in one, or two, or three Pills, as the person can swallow them in bigness. Those that are offended with the heat of treacle, or other of the hot Antidotes abovementioned, may use this Opiate of Palmarius; which is excellent for hot complexions.   

Recip. Flor. Bugloss. Boraginis, Cariophillorum, Ros. rub. horum separatim conditorum, ana unc. 1. Terre Lemnie, Boli-Armeni, Scobis Cornu Cervicis, ana drach. 2. Margarit. prepar. drach. 1. Ambari grisci, scrup. ss. surup. de succo Bugloss. q. s. fiat Opiata. S. A.  
The Dose is the quantity of a Nutmeg.  
An especial care must be had, that women with child be not overheated with common Antidotes; therefore theirs must be only of Terra Lemnia, bolearmoniack, Hartshorn, Conserves and syrrups of Roses, Violets and Betony, or a little Mithridate, with twice as much conserve of Borage or Bugloss; likewise the species de gemmis frig. or of Diamargar. frig. in Borage, Bugloss, and Carduus-water: Or else such may have this Antidote made for them.   

Recip. Cornu Cervi, Cinamoni, nucis Mosch. Santalorum omnium, ana drach. 1. Rad. Angelice, Tormentille, Enulecamp. ana drach. ss. f. pull. subt.  
Then take Conserves of Borage and Bugloss, each three drams, with the like quantity of syrup of Lemons and dried Roses, f. conditum s. a.  
There is nothing fitter or better for young children then bolearmoniack, or Terra Lemnia, with a little of the root of Tormentil, or Citron-Pills, made into fine powder, and mixed with their meats, butter and broths for their breakfast. And because they are not much to be tampered with by internal Medicines, anoint the region of their hearts with the oil of Hypericon every morning and evening, or with oil of Scorpions, or oil of _____ or else let them commonly wear next their skin, over their heart, such a Quilt as this:  
Take of red Roses two drams, red Saunders, red Coral, and Spodium, of each one dram; Zedoary, Lignum-Aloes, Cinnamon, Cloves, Citron-Pill, Saffron, of each half a dram.  
Sew it up in a piece of red Sarsenet, or calico; moisten it with a little Rose-vinegar, so heat it, and apply it warm; and when it begins to be dry, moisten it, and after the same manner heat it again.  
Always observing this following direction.  
When you suspect a child to have the worms in a contagious time, use not wormseed, nor those common trifles, but order it as in danger of infection; for that disease coming of so much putrefaction as it doth, is as apt to receive contagion, as tinder to take fire; give it therefore 10 or 20 grains of this powder following.  
Take of Hartshorn one dram, Citron-Pill, roots of Angelica, and Tormentil, Rheubarb, and Coralline, of each half a dram.  
Make all into a fine powder, and give the aforesaid quantity in a little Carduus-water, sweetened with some sugar.  
But you must be sure to abstain from all meat and drink for two or three hours after the taking of any of these Antidotes; and then eat a piece of bread and butter, strewed with a piece of grated Nutmeg, or bread and Salad-oil spiced with the powder of Tormentil-roots, or a piece of bread sopped in white-wine, allayed with a little vinegar.  
Let your dinner be about high Noon; and then eat not of above two or three several dishes: Let your supper be about five or six in the evening, and then let one dish suffice; for it is a pretty saying, and worthy of observation: In the morning, a little is enough; at noon, enough is but a little: but at night, a little may be too much.  
Go not to bed till three or four hours after supper, lest sleeping upon a full stomach, you hinder digestion. And so I bid good night to the second point of Diet.  
The third Point, is Repletion and Evacuation. When you rise in the morning, rub your sides, arms, thighs and legs downwards gently; your clothes being on, comb your head and rub it, hake, spit, and blow your nose, to evacuate the excrements of your head and stomach; then assay to make water, and to go to stool, and labour to bring your body to this daily custom; for the body ought especially to be kept free from superfluities, saith Galen, lib. 1. de differ. treb. cap. 4. therefore if you be costive, use some Suppository or Clyster, and suffer not two whole days to pass without such evacuation.  
It is necessary for every one (who hath so much understanding) that he learn to know whether he be Phlethorick or Cachochimick: if Phlethorick (that is, full of blood, as those that live in high feeding) it will appear by his high colour, full veins, pulse greater and more frequent than it used ordinarily to be, pursiness, heaviness and dulness of body, and such like signs: if you be costive, take a common Clyster first; then be let blood according to the appointment of some skilful Physician, and so ordered afterwards according to Art.  
If Cacochimick, that is, full of gross and corrupt humours (which will appear by the paleness and ill colour of the face, defective strength, and the like) he must be well purged; which none but a Physician can safely prescribe, and that upon examination of his body and urine.  
But as a general Rule, all do appoint some purging Medicines twice or thrice in a week, to keep the body free from the increase of superfluous humours; to which purpose the Pills of Ruffus (which may be had commonly in any Apothecary's shop) are very apt and good. But those that cannot take Pills, may have this syrup made for them; which for its excellent virtue in this case, is called, The divine Syrup.   

Recip. Cort. Citri, Rad. Cappar. Berber. Santal. Rub. & Citrin, Spodii, ana drach. 1. Carriophil. Borrag. Bugloss. Mellissa, Cichorei, ana unc. 1. Acetosae, Hepaticae, Marrubii, ana unc. ss. Thymi, Epithymi, Scariolae, Rhabarb. fol. Senae, Rad. Polypodii, ana drach. 1. Succorum Absynthii, Fumariae, Ebuli, Plantaginis Myrobalanorum, Chebul & Citrin, ana drach. 6. cum Sacchari li. 2. ss. fiat syrupus s. a. & cum Aceti succi Cydoniorum q. s. reddatur dulcè acidus▪  
Take two or three spoonfuls of this, more or less, as it works; but keep very warm, for it causeth sweat as well as siege. In an old Manuscript, I find this called St. Ambrose his Syrup; the same a little altered, is in Rhenodaeus his Dispensatory; and he hath added two drams of Diagridium. Let men of judgement do as they please, I like it best as I have set it down. Rhenodaeus gives it this title, (not acknowledging any Author) Syrupus qui, etc. It is a syrup that cleanseth the body from superfluities, and by consequence doth strengthen and comfort the heart, brain, liver, and all other members.  
Always observing, that you must forbear to take this syrup that morning that you take your purging Medicine.  
Women with child must be kept soluble, only with mild Suppositories and gentle Clysters, wherein a little new-drawn Cassia is to be used; or else a mild Potion, made with some pectoral decoction, and a little Cassia; for stronger Purgatives will endanger abortion: but these aught to be directed by a good Physician.  
Young children also with a Violet-comfit (for a Suppository) dipped in sweet salad-oil, or else a little Cassia newly drawn, dissolved in a small draught of chicken-broth; or a little Manna in the like broth, or in posset-drink. Beware of bathe, especially in open standing waters, within the Region of the air infected.  
If Urine or Menstrua stop, repair speedily to the Physician for counsel: fly Venus as far as you may; for in these times she hath but an ill name.  
Sweat coming easily of itself, and within doors, (the house being well aired) is good, so it exceed not: but abroad it is dangerous.  
Lastly, it is good to keep open all issues and running sores; because nature will labour to expel any venom to such a Common-sewer.   

The fourth Point is Exercise and Rest. As it is not good for us to addict ourselves to laziness, lest we thereby increase those superfluous humours which are never wanting in bodies to foment diseases; so neither must we use (as little as may be) too great a violence in our labours or exercise, because it consumeth the best juices we have in our bodies, and spoileth our radical moisture: whereas moderate and convenient exercise (ad ruborem tantum, non ad sudorem) if used in times and places, and seasonable, doth stir up, nourish and preserve the greatest and best assistant to life, natural heats, helping concoction and evacuation.  
The best Exercise is walking, with a little stirring of the arms; the time, in the morning; and the place, either in a pure air abroad, or in a purified air at home, in some large room, where is little or no company, by the heats of their bodies and breaths to distemper and corrupt the air. But at all times beware of taking cold; for great colds and rheums do easily turn to putrid Fevers, and they as easily prove Pestilent.  
The fifth Point, is Sleep and Watching. Sleep, either immoderate or unseasonable, hindereth digestion, and causeth crudities, quells the vital, and dulls the animal spirits: Watching also overmuch, dries up and inflames the good blood, and weakens all the powers of nature.  
Let your sleep therefore be seasonable, and not superfluous; not upon your dinner, unless custom commands it; and then take it but napping, for half an hour or so, sitting in a chair upright.  
Three hours at least after a light supper go to bed; where let five or six hours suffice for sleep; lie conveniently warm, the chamber-doors and windows being shut to exclude the night-air: but beware of sleeping or lying on the ground or grass; for the nearer the earth, the more deadly is the air. And the immediate stroke of the cold vapours rising from the ground, is very dangerous at all times.  
The sixth Point of Diet, is passions of the mind. All kinds of passion, if they be vehement, do offer violence to the spirits; yea, though they be of the better and more natural sort.  
As laughter (if unbridled) doth run even life out of breath, and greatly perplexeth the body; insomuch as the breast and sides are pained, the breath is straitened, and sometimes the soul itself is (as I may say) laughed out of her skin.  
For so it is recorded of Chrysippus, that only upon the sight of an Ass eating figs, he broke into such an unmeasurable laughter, that he fell down and died.  
And Zeuxis that excellent Painter (who made a most curious beautiful picture of the Spartan Helen) upon the sight of a very ill-favoured old woman, burst out into such a profuse laughter, that he laughed himself to death.  
Now this is a disease of the Spleen, called Risus Sardonius, with which there be many of my acquaintance not long since grieved.  
But sometimes immoderate joy lives not to the age of laughter, when it binds the vital spirits so close together, that it chokes the heart instantly; for so Sophocles the Tragedian, receiving a wonderful applause of the people for the last tragedy he wrote, was so overjoyed at it, that he became a Tragedy himself, and died upon it.  
The like is recorded of one Rhodias Diagoras, who when he saw his three sons all at one time crowned with victory at the Olympian games, ran to meet them; and while he embraced them in his arms, and they planted their garlands on his head, he was so overcome with joy, that he turned their Ensigns of victory into the Pennons of his Funeral.  
On the other side, sorrow afflicts the heart, disturbs the faculties, melts the brain, vitiates the humours, and so weakens all the principal parts; yea, sometimes sinks the body into the grave.  
As Adrastus' King of the Argyves, being told of the death of his son, was taken with so violent sorrow, that he fell down and died immediately.  
Anger is also so furious a passion, that it violently disturbs the spirits and faculties, as appears by the shaking and tossing of the body to and fro, the fiery sparkling of the eyes, the colour coming and going, now red, now pale; so that all the humours appear to be inflamed (especially choler) and the spirits hurried this way and that way; sometimes thrust outward, and presently haled in again: by which violent motions, an unnatural heat in the spirits, and corruption in the humours are engendered. Hereupon many times follow burning Fevers, Palsies, violent Bleedings, loss of Speech; and sometimes Death itself.  
Nerva the Emperor being highly displeased with one Regulus, fell into such fury against him, that he was stricken therewith into a Fever; whereof he died within a few days after.  
Wenceslaus King of Bohemia, in a rage conceived against his Cupbearer, would needs kill him presently with his own hand; but his endeavour was his own deathsman, striking him with a Palsy, that shook him shortly after into ashes.  
Valentinianus the Emperor, in a fierce fury, would needs destroy the whole Country of Sarmatia; but his unruly rage broke a vein within, and his own life-blood ended his bloody design.  
Fear likewise gathers the heat and spirits to the heart, and dissolves the brain, making the moisture thereof shed and slide down into the external parts, causing a chillness and shaking over all the body; and falling upon the gullet, makes one to swallow when they should speak: It abuses the fancy and senses, brings a Lethargy upon the organs of motion, and condemns the heart to deadly sufferings.  
As Cassander the son of Antipater, upon the sight of Alexander the Great's Statue, was stricken with such a terror, that he could hardly make his legs leave trembling, so much as to carry him out of the place. This Fear hath in it a very strange operation, having bereaved several of their senses, on others diseases; as a Fever, etc. which Fever hath afterwards turned into the Plague; so that this Fear, though it doth not arise from danger of infection, yet it will draw it on: how much more than doth the fear of the same cause work it? Instead of bringing Examples for the proof hereof, I shall only give you a Reason for it Fear, of all Passions, is the most pestilently pernicious; for it enforceth the vital spirits to retire inward to the heart; by which retiring, they leave the outward parts infirm: as appears by the paleness and trembling of one in great fear. So that the Walls being forsaken (which are continually besieged by the outward air) in comes the Enemy boldly; the best spirits that should expel them, having cowardly sounded a retreat: In which withdrawing, they draw in with them such evil vapours as hang about the outward Pores, even as the Sun draws towards it the vapours of the Earth. And hence it is, that fear brings infection sooner than any other occasion. This therefore, and all other passions, by a wise watching over ourselves, be beaten off, whensoever they but offer to set upon us. But these are diseases of the soul, whose Physicians are Divines. They must purge out the love of this world, and the distrust of God's providence; minister the Cordials of Faith, Hope, Patience and Contentedness; and ordain the strict Diet of holy Exercises. We that are Physicians to the Body, are but Chirurgeons to the Soul; we can but talk of Topical Remedies.  
Thus have I run through the first part of my Method, which is the way of Preservation; now shall I discourse on the second part, which is as followeth.    

The Manner, Signs and Symptoms, of such that are infected by the Plague.  
IT's usual manner is, at the first infection, to strike at the heart, which is apparent by the sinking and languishing of the vital faculties; the whole strength of the body is likewise suddenly turned into weakness, the vital spirits being greatly oppressed and discouraged: whereas the animal faculty commonly remains (for a while) in good plight, and perfect in the use of Sense, Understanding, Judgement, Memory, and Motion. The Natural faculty also is not so presently hurt, but there is concoction and all other functions performed by the Liver, Stomach, Guts, Reins, Bladder, and other parts, as nature requires: though indeed in a little time (the venom being very strong) these and the brain are also overcome; as appears by the symptoms that follow, as Lethargies, Frenzies, Vomitings, Fluxes, etc. Take notice therefore, that as soon as the venomous matter strikes to the heart, the Contagion hath now found out the Prince of the vital parts, who, if he want armour of proof to resist (either of natural strength, or forged out by Arts Cyclops, the Physician) is presently taken Prisoner by his venomous enemy; who soon after, taketh possession of the arteries and veins. In this conflict, the Pulse (which useth to be the truest intelligences of the heart's well or ill fare) becomes now languishing, little, frequent, and unequal. Languishing, by reason that native heat lessens, and a heat contrary to nature increaseth; little, because oppressed; frequent, from nature's strife; unequal, partly from the Fever, and partly from the malignant vapour that besiegeth the heart. Concerning the Pulse, thus writes Rodericus à Castro, concerning the Plague that was at Hambrough: Manus dun Medico porrigunt Pulsum, quodam modo retrahuntur cum tremore; quod à veneno sit cor ipsum pungente, & signum mihi diutina experientia indubitatum est, ut eo solo saepissime pestilentem affectum cognoverim; That he observed the sick stretching out their hands to the Physician to feel their Pulse, they would after a certain manner pull them back again with trembling, which might be from the venom pricking the very heart; which was an undoubted sign (he saith) by daily experience, by which alone he oftentimes knew a person infected pestilentially. From this ground did I find another that never failed me: If in reaching out the hand the former sign appeared not, then if I suspected it to be the Plague, I would touch the Pulse something hard; and if it were the Plague, the hand would not fail to tremble and twitch back. The reason is, the stopping of the course of the pulse, drives the venom something back to the heart, by which is caused a kind of sudden Passion. The next sign, is the enemy's Ensign hung out at the windows, the eyes I mean; for than they will be various in turning, and sometimes fiery shining; the looks sad, and the face changing colour: which show that the radical humours begin to vast, and the spirits to wax dry and inflamed. Then followeth lightness or giddiness of the head; drought, and bitter taste in the mouth, which proceed from the superfluity of choler, aggravated by the mixture of the venomous vapours: vomiting likewise of vicious matter, being (according to the redency of any of the humours) of phlegm, sometimes waterish; of choler, sometimes yellow or greenish; of melancholy, leaden or blackish. But this is from the virulency of the venom, vexing the veins and fibres in the coat of the stomach; not from any strength of nature to expel the poison, as it appeareth, in that no ease, but increase of accidents succeedeth the exoneration: after which follows a painful convulsion or hicket, by the progress of the venom working convulsively on the fibres of the stomach; shortness of breath also, and often sighing, show the heart is inflamed, and would fain exchange the overheated air within the body, for that which is cool without: then the spirits begin to faint and sink through the fierce gripe of the venomous vapour that now insults over the yielding heart. The external parts become cold and i'll, while the internal are all overhot with the inflammation of the bowels. By By this time the venom is gotten up into the waterish humouts of the brain, and infecting them, causeth headache, whiles the hot vapours (getting between the two mother-membranes) cause painful prickings there: whereupon followeth restlessness of the body, and lack of sleep; and upon these frenzy, except the brain be full of moisture; and the head is over-heavy and Lethargic; sometimes also the venom works itself from the substance of the brain into the sinews, causing cramps and convulsions. The urine is altogether untrue, therefore unworthy the fellowship of faithful signs; and the most faithful, are the sores and spots (if they be right) called God's Tokens. But before we proceed to describe them, give me leave to express my sorrow, for what I had daily observation of abroad amongst unskilful Physicians, who frequently undertook the cure of the Plague, who knew no more than to sweat the Patient, and apply outward drawing Medicines to the sores, without knowing these symptoms here specified, absolutely material to the cure; without the knowledge of which, many a poor soul doth perish: All which I shall here reckon up, to see if I can deter impudent Practitioners, who dare without learning to enrich themselves, by filling graves and fattening Churchyards.  
There is commonly, 

1. A trembling of the heart, fainting or swooning.  
2. A Fever, though not easily discerned at first.  
3. Cardialga, commonly called heart-ach.  
4. Vomiting and loathing in the stomach.  
5. Extreme thirst, and vile taste in the mouth.  
6. Headache, and pricking pains there.  
7. Swimming or Vertigo.  
8. Loss of memory, and foolish behaviour.  
9 Want of sleep.  
10. Delirium or Frenzy.  
11. Convulsions or Cramps.  
12. Lethargy, or extreme drowsiness.  
13. Sharp pains in the ears.  
14. Ophthalmia, or inflammation of the eyes.  
15. Bleeding at the nose.  
16. The tongue and mouth inflamed and furred.  
17. Spitting of blood.  
18. Squinansy.  
19 Pleurisy.  
20. Very short breath, and continual sighing.  
21. Dry Cough.  
22. Jaundice.  
23. Swelling of the Belly, with external pain.  
24. Colic and Iliack passions.  
25. Extreme costiveness.  
26. Worms.  
27. Flux of the Belly, either Lienteria or Diarrhaea.  
28. Bloodyflux.  
29. Swelling of the Testicles very painfully.  
30. Suppression of Urine.  
31. Extreme heat, and pain in the back.  
32. Swelling of the feet and legs with intolerable pain.  
33. And sometimes such immoderate sweat, horribly stinking, that it doth affrighten the Physician from his course of sweeting the Patient; and yet for all this sweat, the deadly danger increaseth.    
And not one of these symptoms can be cured by the common Method of such cases, because of the venomous quality is mixed with them. But when I had well informed myself of these things, and saw how little they were regarded by others, I was much amazed to see, with what peaceable consciences some men went a kill: And I began to doubt, whether it were not better for a man to be at peace with ignorance, then to carry his trembling heart in his hand, as I did all that time: yet still it pleased God to bless my labours and counsels; so that in what place soever I came into, which was infected, a very small number failed under my advice. But to go forward. I must enlarge myself a little in the discovery of the faithfullest and most apparent signs (which are the Botch, the Blain, the Carbuncle, and the Spots, called God's Tokens) because the Searchers do sometimes mistake. The Botch is a hard tumour, rising in the glandulous parts, called the Emunctories; which are in three places on each side of the body, viz. under each ear (or sometimes under the jaws or chin) in the armpits, and in the groynes. This tumour lies sometimes very deep in the flesh, only to be found by feeling; nay, sometimes also scarcely to be felt: but if you touch the place, there is pain. But for the most part, it swelleth out to the bigness of a Nutmeg or Walnut; yea, even to the size of a man's fist: also sometimes it is round, sometimes oval, sometimes long and slender as ones finger. I have seen a Lad of ten years old, that had one risen in his left armpit, which ran from thence backward to the shoulderblade, making a semicircle thereon; and so turning downward towards the backbone, as if under the skin had been laid a good big cord, in the form almost of a circle; the youth was not heartsick but at the first taking: and it so pleased God to bless the means I applied, that this tumour sunk again, and vanished without any suppuration. But some again, are flat, broad, and spreading, even over half the breast, which I have seen; they are of colour various, according the humour predominant at the first; it is commonly movable, but grows afterwards more moderate and fixed: it riseth for the most part with a pricking pain; and as it grows greater, is more dully painful, and seems to the Patient as a weight or burden. It cometh of a venomous matter, putrifying and poisoning the blood, which is thick, gross, and excrementitious of itself, and something phlegmatic: Nature therefore strives to drive forth this venom into the Emunctories, which are the sinks and receptacles of excrementitious humours. When they rise under the jaws, they show the strength of the brain; the armpits, of the heart; and in the groynes, of the Liver. According to the quantity of the humour infected, so the Botches are bigger or lesser, and more or fewer in number: and according to the malignancy of the humour, are their colours whiter, redder, more bluish or blackish; whereof the later are still the worse. The Blain is a kind of Blister, somewhat like one of the Swine-pox, of a straw-colour for the most part, but sometimes of a bluish or leaden colour, but than it is apt to turn to a Carbuncle; and when it runneth, affords filthy matter of the like complexion. Round about the Blister there is a red fiery circle (yet nothing so fiery as that of the Carbuncle) the whole taking up the breadth of a groat or sixpence: I have seen of the breadth of a large shilling, but very rarely. These will rise in any part of the body or limbs, sometimes one, two, or three, but never many: when the matter is run out, the skin falls, and dries up to a rusty scab, and so falls off. These show, that Nature is strong to expel the venom speedily, and that the humours infected are not superabundant; for many that have these are not sick at all, and the most recover by good looking to. The Carbuncle is a little venomous pustle, with a broad compass of a deep redness upon it, wonderful angry, and burning like a fire-coal; thence comes his name, Carbunculus. It riseth like a Blister, producing an ash-coloured, or else a blackish crust; sometimes it rises in many pustles like burnt blisters on the outward skin, which being broken, and the matter run out, the like crusty escar grows over it till it falls off. It appears in any part of the body or limbs, many times on the breast, and sometimes in the face: with it always go these evil companions, itching, inflammation and erosion; for it is so full of burning poison, that it consumes the flesh, and will in a short time, if it be not well looked to, eat so deep and large a hole, as if the flesh were hollowed with an hot iron. It riseth from the same cause in the Botch, but the blood is more hot, black, thick, and feculent, proceeding from burnt choler, or adust melancholy. The Spots, otherwise called God's Tokens, are commonly of the bigness of a fleabitten spot, sometimes much bigger; their colour is according to the predominancy of the humour in the body; red or reddish, if choler; pale blue, or dark blue, if phlegm; leaden or blackish▪ if melancholy abound; but, they have ever a circle about them: The red ones a purplish circle, and the others a reddish circle: they appear most commonly on the breast and back, and sometimes on the neck, arms and thighs; on the breast and back, because the vital spirits strive to breath out the venom the nearest way. In some bodies there will be very many; in some, but one or two, or very few, according to the quantity of the venom, and the strength to drive them out. They usually show themselves on the third, fourth, fifth, or seventh day; sometimes not till death, the venom yet tyrannising over the dead carcase: sometimes they appear together with the sores, but for the most part without: the cause is, the venomous matter condensed and hardened in the act of penetrating the Pores of the skin: if they be skilfully dissected in the dead body, you may find some half way, deep in the flesh; and some in the muscles of the breast have been followed with the Incision-knife, even to the rib-bones. The reason why they are thus congealed is, the thickness of the venomous matter, and the coldness of it; for it is the most phlegmatic part of the blood, yet mixed also with the other humours according to the colours. They appear in dead bodies most, because nature fainting in her labour to thrust out the venom through the skin, life's hear going out, the privation thereof, and the nearness of the outward air do congeal them presently: and because many times at the last gasp Nature gives the stoutest struggle, it comes to pass they are not so far thrust forth as to appear till death. All these symptoms must be looked to very diligently and skilfully.   

How to know whether the dead body died of the Plague, though neither sore or Token appear.  
HEnricius says, those that die of the Plague, are known from others by these marks: The nose looks blue, sometimes blackish blue, as if it had been beaten bruised; the like colour is in the ears and nails: and their bodies are ever worse coloured than other dead bodies be. But add to this one sign more, approved by experience, and standing with good reason, viz. That whereas other dead bodies must be laid out straight while they are warm, or else when they are cold they will be too stiff to be straitened; in those of the Plague (or poisoned either) the flesh is soft, and the joints limber and flexible, after the body is cold; which shows the vileness of putrefaction in all the humours and moist parts of the body.   

How to know whether the person infected at the first, or soon after, be likely to be recovered or no.  
IF one be taken with the first signs, of sinking of his spirits, causeless sadness, shortness of breath, on the sudden, that he cannot forbear sighing, yet knows no cause why; sick-heartedness, etc. If this happen at his meat, or presently after, let him if he can, vomit: if he offer and cannot, help him with a little warm water and oil; or, dip a feather in linseed-oil, or oil of Scorpions, and thrust it into his throat. Then, or if he be taken betwixt meals, or fasting, make this draught for him.  
Take of bolearmoniack, one dram, powdered; juice of Oranges, half an ounce; white-wine, an ounce; Rose-water, two ounces.  
If he vomit it up again, it is a sign the venom is abundant, and hath gotten great power over the vital parts: therefore wash his mouth with a little white-wine, and give him the same Potion again. If he again cast it up, repeat the wine-Lotion, and this Potion again, three times. This is taken out of the second Canon of Avicen, by Guanerius; who testifies upon his own knowledge, that never any that at first kept it, without casting it up again, died of that Sickness. Let the infected take this following Medicine, which hath been approved the best Remedy against the Plague: Take three pints of Muskadine, and boil therein a handful of Sage, and a handful of Rhue, till a pint be wasted; then strain it, and set it over the fire again; then put thereto a pennyworth of long-pepper, half an ounce of ginger, and a quarter of an ounce of Nutmegs, all beaten together; then let it boil a little, and put thereto three pennyworth of treacle, and a quarter of a pint of the best Angelica-water you can get. Take of it always warm, both morning and evening, if infected, two spoonfuls, and sweat thereupon; if not, a spoonful a day is sufficient, half in the morning, the rest in the evening. Keep this as your most estimable treasure; for under God, in the Plague-time, you may safely trust to this, since it never deceived any.  
AN Excellent Preservative against the Plague, Pestilence, and all Infectious Diseases, Noisome Smells, and Corrupt Air, Sea-fogs, Kentish and Essex-Agues, Scurvy and Dropsies; prepared by R. Turner Med. Sold by Sam. Speed at the Rainbow near the Inner Temple-gate, at 2 s. 6 d. per▪ Paper, sealed.   

Directions for the use thereof.  
TAke of it morning, and going to bed; and at any time going abroad hold a piece in your mouth, letting it there dissolve. The quantity may be from the bigness of an Hazelnut, to a small Nutmeg.   
FINIS.