THE ORDERS AND Directions, Of the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, to be diligently observed and kept by the Citizens of London, during the time of the present Visitation of the PLAGUE.  
As also, Rules and Instructions, to all Brewers, Butchers, Fishmongers, Victualling-houses, Hackney-Coaches, Brokers, and the rest of the Inhabitants, both in City and Suburbi.  
With divers excellent Receipts, as well for the Cure of the Plague, as for preventing the further Increase and Infection thereof, by God's blessing and Assistance: Set forth and approved of by the Learned Sir Walter Raleigh, Mr. Culpepper, and divers other famous Physicians and Doctors;  
And now published for the use and benefit of all His Majesty's Liege Subjects.  
Printed for George Horton, living near the Three Crowns in Barbican.   

Health better than Gold: Or, Rules and Directions, as well for the Cure of the Plague, as for preventing the Infection, etc.  
Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to send forth his destroying Angel amongst Us, to scourge and chastise a stiffnecked and perverse Generation of People, by spreading the Black-Cloud of Plague and Pestilence, over many famous Nations & Cities beyond the Seas; but hath also out of his Divine Justice, even now brought it to the very Doors of many who have slighted his gracious Tenders and Mercies; and indeed who can say, I am free from such provocations, from provoking a just and righteous God, and from crucifying afresh a precious, dear and blessed Saviour, by their wicked and abominable Oaths, by their sad and lamentable Imprecations, by their vicious Vices of Whoredom, Drunkenness, Sabbath-breaking, etc. O let every one therefore seriously lay it to heart, the great and original cause of these our present Judgements, and by serious Repentance, and contrition of spirit, endeavour to cure the sinful Plague of the Heart, to amend their Lives, to become new Creatures, to bear a high esteem of the Blessed Sabbath, and an ardent affection to his gracious Ordinances; That the Lord may say unto London, as he did unto Israel, Return thou back-sliding People, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am me ciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. ● g acious saying, and worthy of acceptation. But now for the public benefit of all people, in these Times of Calamity, I shall not only recite some Orders of the Right Honourable the Lord Ma●or, and Court of Aldermen, for preserving of Health; but also divers Receipts and Directions as well for the cure of the Plague, as for preventing the Infection of it etc. And first it is thought requisite that in every Parish there be one, two, o● more persons of good sort and credit, chosen and appointed by the Alderman, his Deputy, and Common-council of every Ward by the name of Examiner's to continue in that Office the space of two Months at least: and if any person so appointed shall refu●e to undertake the same, the said parties so refusing, to be committed to Prison until they shall conform themselves accordingly. That these Examiner's be sworn by the Alderman, to inquire what houses be visited, what persons sick, and of what Diseases, as near as they can and upon doubt, to command restraint of access, until it appear what the Disease shall prove: and if they find any person sick of the Infection, to give order to the Constable that the house be shut up; and if the Constable shall be found remiss or negligent, to give present notice thereof to the Alderman of the Ward. That to every infected house there be appointed two Watchmen, one for the day, and the other for the night. That for the Women-searchers in every Parish, to be of honest reputation and sworn to make due search and true report: and that the Physicians appointed for the cure and prevention of the Infection, do call before them the said Searchers, who are or shall be appointed for the several Parishes under their respective cares, to the end they may consider whether they are fitly qualified for that employment: and that no Searcher, during this time of Visitation, be permitted to use any public work or employment, or keep any shop or stall, or be employed as a Landress, or in any other common employment whatsoever. And for better assistance of the Searchers, it is ordered, that there be chosen able and discreet Surgeons, to be resident in most convenient places, and to be sequestered from all other cures, and kept only to this Disease of the Infection, and every Chirurgeon to have twelve pence a Body searched by them, to be paid out of the goods of the party searched, if he be able, or otherwise by the Parish. And if any Nursekeeper shall remove herself out of any infected house before 28 days after the decease of any person dying of the Infection, the house to which the said Nursekeeper doth so remove, herself shall be shut up until the said 28 days be expired. Likewise, that the burial of the dead by this Visitation be at most convenient hours, always before either Sunrising or after Sunsetting, with the privity of the Churchwardens or Constables, and not otherwise; and that no Neighbours nor Friends be suffered to accompany the Coarse to Church, or to enter the house visited, upon pain of having his house shut up, or be imprisoned. And further, all public Assemblies at other Burials are to be forborn during the continuance of this Visitation. And to the end no infected Stuff shall be uttered, it is ordered, That no Clothes, Stuff, Be●ding, or Garments be suffered to be carried or conveyed out of any infected houses, and that the Criers and Carrier's abroad of Be●ding or old Apparel to be sold or pawned, be utterly prohibited and restrained, and no Brokers of Bedding or Old Apparel be permitted to make any outward show, or hang forth on their Stalls, shopboards or Windows toward any Street, Lane, Common-way, or Passage, any old Bedding or Apparel to be sold, upon pain of imprisonment: and if any Broker or other person shall buy any Bedding, Apparel, or other stuff out of any infected house, within two mone●ns after the Infection hath been there, his house shall be shut up as infected, and so shall continue shut up 20 days at least.  
It is also ordered, that care be taken of Hackney-Coachmen, that they may not (as some of them have been observed to do) after carrying of infected persons to the Pest-house, and other places, be admitted to common use, till their Coaches be well aired, and have stood unimpistyed by the space of 5 or 6 days after such service. Ordered, That every Housholder do cause the Street to be daily pared before his door, and so to keep it clean swept all the Week long. And that the sweeping and filth of houses be daily carried away by the Rakers, and that the Raker shall give notice of his coming by the blowing of a Horn, as heretofore hath been done. Likewise, that the Laystals be removed as far as may be out of the City, and common passages, and that no Nightman or other be suffered to empty a Vault into any Garden near about the City. That special care be taken, that no stinking Fish, or unwholesome Flesh, or musty Corn, or other corrupt Fruits of what sort soever, be suffered to be sold about the City, or n●y part of the same. That the Brewers and ●ipling-houses be looked unto, for musty and unwholesome Cask. That no Hogs, Dogs, or Cats, or tame Pigeons, or Coneys, be suffered to be kept within any part of the City, and that the Dogs be killed by the Dog-killers appointed for that purpose. That all public Feasting, and particularly by the Companies of this City; and Dinners at Taverns, Alehouses, & other places of common entertainment be forborn until further order and allowance; and that the money thereby spared, be preserved and employed for the benefit and relief of the poor visited with the Infection. That every house visited be marked with a Red-Cross of a foot long in the middle of the door, and with the usual printed words, Lord have Mercy upon Us.  

Directions for the Searchers.  
1. They are to take notice whether there be any swell, rise, or botch under the ear, about the neck, on either side, or under the armpits of either side, or the groins, and of its hardness, and whether broken or unbroken.  
2. Whether there be any blains which may rise in any part of the body in the form of a blister, much bigger than the Small Pox, of a straw-colour or livid colour, which latter is the worse; either of them hath a reddish Circuit, something swollen round about it, which Circuit remains after the blister is broken, encompassing the Sore.  
3. Whether there be any Carbuncle, which is something like the blain, but more fiery and corrosive, easily eating deep into the flesh, and sometimes having a black crust upon it, but always compassed about with a very fiery red (or livid) flat and hard tumour, about a finger-breadth more or less: this and the blain may appear in any part of the body.  
4. Whether there be any tokens, which are spots arising about the skin, chief about the breast and back, but sometimes also in other parts; their colour is something various, sometimes more reddish, sometimes inclining a little toward a fai● t blue, and sometimes brownish mixed with blue; the red ones have often a purple-circle about them, the brownish, a radish.   

Perfumes against the Plague.  
Such as are to go abroad, shall do well to carry rue, anglica, Masterwort, myrrh, scordium, or water-germander, wormwood, valetian, or setwall-root, Virginian-snake root, or Zedoary in their hands to smell to; and of those they may hold or show a little in their mouths as they go in the streets; they may anoint their nostrils with oil of Amber, or balsam of sulphur; especially if they be afraid of any place: Fear, as well as presumption, being hurtful.  
Take rue one handful, stamp it in a mortar, put thereto Vinegar enough to moisten it, mix them well, then strain out the juce, wet a piece of sponge, or a toast of hrown bread therein, tie it in a thin cloth, bear it about to smell to.  
Take the root of angelica beaten grossly, the weight of six pence, of rue and wormwood, of each the weight of four pence, setwall the w●●g●t of three pence b●●●se these, then steep them in a l●ttle Wine Vinegar, tie them in a l nnen cloth, which they may carry   

Inward Medicines against the Plague.  
Let none go fasting forth, every one according as they can procure, let them take some such thing as may resist putrefaction.  
Some may take Garlic with Butter, a Clove two or three, according as it shall agree with their bo●ies: And for Women with child, children and such as cannot take bitter things, use this. Take Conserve of Red-Roses, Conserve of Woodsorrel, of each 2 ounces, Conserves of Borage of Sage-flowers, of each 6 drams, , shaving of Hartshorn, Sorrel seeds of each two drams, yellow or white  half a dram Saffron one scruple, Syrup of Woodsorrel, enough to make it a most Electuary; mix them well, take so much as a Chestnut at a time, once or twice a day, as you shall find cause. It will be good to forbear all crude and moist Fruits; as Cucumbers, Melons, Plumbs, Cherries, Peaches, and raw Herbs and Salla●s, as Lettuce, spinach, Radish, and such like, or to be moderate in the use of them, mixed with Oil and Vinegar.   

A Remedy sent to the Lord Mayor of London, by King Henry the Eighth, against the Plague.  
Take a handful of Sage, a handful of Herbgrace, a handful of Elder-leaves, a handful of Red-bramble leaves, stamp them all, and strain them through a fine cloth, with a quart of White-wine, and then take a quantity of Ginger, and mingle them together, and take a spoonful of the same, and you shall be safe for twenty four days; Nine times taking of it, is sufficient for a whole Year by the Grace of God. And if it be so, that the Party be stricken with the Plague, before he hath drank this Medicine; then take the Water of Scabios a spoonful, of Water of Bettony a spoonful, and a quanaity of fine Treacle; and put them all together, and cause him to drink it, and it will expel all the Venom. If the botch appear, then take the Leaves of Brambles, Elder Leaves, Mustard seed, and stamp them together, and make a Plaster thereof, and lay it to the Sore, and that shall draw out the Venom, and the party shall be whole, by the Grace of God.   

A Medicine, that was taught King Henry the Seventh, by his Physician, against the PESTILENCE.  
Take of Rue, Maudragories, Featherfew, Sorrel, Barnet, of each half a handful; of crops and roots of Dragons a like quantity; wash them clean, and seethe them, with a soft fire, in running Water, from a bottle to a quart; and then strain them together, through a clean cloth; and if it be bitter, put thereto a quantity of Sugar-Candy, or Sugar: And if this Medicine be used before the Purples do arise, you shall be whole by God's Grace.   

Sir Walter Raleighs Receipt against the Plague.  
Yake three pints of Malmsey (or Canary-Sack) and boil in it one handful of Sage, and as much of Rue, till one pint be wasted away; then stra●n it, and set it over the fire again, and put thereto one dram of long Pepper, half an ounce of Ginger, and a quarter of an ounce of Nutmegs, all well beaten together; then let it boil a little, and put thereto one dram & a half of Mithridate, one dram of Venice-Treacle, and a quarter of a pint of Aqua-Vita, or hot Angelica-water.  
Keep this as your life, above all worldly treasure: take it always morning and evening three spoonfuls at each time, if the party be diseased: if not, every morning is sufficient.  
In all the Plague-time trust to this; for certainly (God be praised for it) there was never man, woman nor child whom this drink deceived, if the heart were not poisoned and downed with the disease before.   

An approved Remedy against the Pestilence be it never so vehement.  
Take an Ounion and cut him overthwart, then make a little hole in each piece, the which you shall fill with fine Treacle, than set the pieces together again as they were before, then wrap them in a white linen cloth. Putting it so to Roast in the Embers and Ashes, then when it is Roasted enough press out all the juce of it: and give the patiented a spoonful thereof to drink, and so by God's help he shall feel ease and most undoubtedly be healed.   

For him that is sick of the Plague.  
Take white Dittany, Turmentil, white Coral, Genitine, Bole Armonic, Teria sigilata, and Endive, water of Scabius; and the Accident coming upon him, this must be made at least four hours before it be used, take of the said things stamped each one by itself, and put them severally in glasses, and make of all of them a drink at your own discretion, making the Vinegar mount in the glass a little above the other things, and let the patient take it hot, covering himself 〈◊〉 in his bed until he sweat, and by God's help he shall undoubtedly be Cured.   
FINIS.