¶ Here begynneth a treatyse a­gynst pestylēce & of ye infirmites.

Ptholomeus.

Astronomye.

AT the reuerence and worshyp of ye blessed trynyte & of ye gloryous virgyn saynt mary / & the conseruacyon of the comyn wele of crysten people as well for them yt be ho­le as for remedy of them that ben seke. I the bysshop of Arusiens in the royalme of denmark doctour of physycke wyll wryte by the moost expecte and famous doctours auctorysed in physyque some thynges of ye Infyrmyte of ye pestylence whiche day­ly enfecteth & soone suffreth vs to departe out of this lyfe. ¶ Fyrst I wyll wryte ye tokenes of this infyrmy­te / ¶ The secōde / ye causes wherof it cometh. ¶ The thyrde remedyes for the same. ¶ The .uij. comforte for the herte & the pryncypall membres of the body. ¶ The .v. whan it shal be season to be let blode. Fyrst I sayd ye tokens of this infyrmyte .vij. thȳges ought to be noted in the same ye fyrst is whan in a sommers day the weder oftentymes chaūgeth as in ye mornyn­ge the weder appereth to rayne / afterwarde it appe­reth cloudy & at ye last wynde in the south. The seconde token is whan in somer the dayes appereth alder ke & lyke to rayne & yet it rayneth not / and yf many dayes so cōtynue it is to drede grete pestylence. The thyrde token is whan grete multytude of flyes ben vpon ye erthe then it is sygne / yt ye ayer is venymous and infecte. The .iiij. token is whan ye sterres semen oftentymes to fal / than it is token ye the ayer is infect wt moche venemous vapours. The .v. token is whan a blasynge sterre is sene in the element aboue / then it sholde fortune sone after to be grete manslaughter. in batayll. The .vi. token is whā there is grete lyghtnynge & thundre namely out of the south. The .vij. token [Page]is whan grete wyndes passen oute of the south / they be foule & vnclene / therfore whan these tokens appere it is do drede grete pestylence but god of his mercy wyll remeue it. These thȳges folowynge ben the causes of pestylence. Thepestylēce cometh of .iiij. thynges / sōtyme it cometh fro the rote byneth other whyle fro ye rote aboue to yt we may fele sensibly how the chaūge of the ayer appereth vnto vs / & sōtyme it cometh of both togyder as well. fro the rote aboue as fro the rote byneth / as we see a sege or a preuy nexte to a chamber or of ony other pertyculer thynge whyche corrupteth ye ayer in his substaūce & qualyte whi­che is a thȳge may happe euery day / & therof cometh the ague of pestylence / & aboute the same many phy­sycyons be deceyued / not supposynge this axes to be a pestylence / somtyme it cometh of dede careyn or corrupcion of standynge water in dyches or sloughes & other corrupt places / and these thynges somtyme be vnyuersall & sōtyme perticuler. ¶ Fro the rote aboue it fortuneth ye causes of the bodyes aboue the ayer by whome the spyryte of lyfe is corrupt in man or beest as Auicēce sayth in his .iiij. boke / by ye forme of thayr aboue the bodyes byneth lyghtly be infect / for thyn­pressyons aboue corrupteth the ayer & so the spirytes of man be corrupt / this infyrmyte cometh from the rote aboue / & bynethe whan of thynpressyons aboue the ayer is corrupte / and of the putryfaccyon or ro­ten carcyne / or of vyle places byneth an infyrmyte is called in a man / or such an Infyrmyte somtyme is an axes / somtyme a postome or a swellȳge and that is in many thynges. Also the ayer inspyred sōtyme is [Page]venymous and corrupt / hurtynge ye herte / yt nature many wayes is greued soo / yt he perceyueth not his harme for ye vyrgyn appereth fayre & sheweth good dygestyon yet neuerthelesse ye pacyent is lyke to dye / wherfore many physycyens seynge the vryn of theyr pacyentes yt speke superfycyally & be deceyued. Therfore it is nede that euery pacyent proue to hym selfe a good & experte physycyen. These thynges wryten be fore are ye causes of pestylence. But aboute these thȳ ges two questyons be moeued. The fyrst is wherfore one dyeth & a nother dyeth not in a towne where mē be dede in one house / & in a nother house there dyeth none. The seconde questyon is whether pestylence sores be cōtagyous. To ye fyrst questyon I saye it may happe to be of tho causes / yt is to saye of ye thynge yt doth & of ye thȳge that suffreth / an example of ye thyn­ge that doth / ye Influence of the bodyes aboue beholdeth that place or that place more than this place or this place / & the pacyent is more disposed to dye thā another. therfore it is to be noted yt ye bodyes be more hote dysposed of open pore than bodyes Infect ha­uynge the poores stopped wt many humoures where bodyes be of resolucyō or openynge / as men whiche abusen them selfe wt women or vse often tymes ba­thes / or men yt be hote wt laboure or grete anger they haue theyr bodyes more disposed to this grete seke­nes. To the secōde questyon I say yt pestylence sores be cōtagyous by cause of infect humoures of bodyes and thereke or smoke of suche soores is venymous and corrupteth ye ayer & therfore it is to flee for suche persones yt be infect / in pestylence tyme no dody sholde stande in grete prece of people by cause some man [Page]of them may be infect. Therfore wyse physycyens in vysytȳge seke folke stāde ferre fro ye paciente holdynge their face towarde ye dore or wȳdowe. And so shol de ye seruaūtes of seke folke stāde. And it is good to a pacyent euery daye, for to chaunge his chamber / & to haue the wyndowe open ayenst ye northe & eest / & to spere the wyndowes ayenst the south / for the south wynde hath two causes of putryfycacyon. The fyrst is it maketh a man beynde hole or seke feble in theyr bodyes. The secōde cause is as wryten in ye thyrde of Amphyrosmis ye south wynde greueth ye heerynge & hurteth ye herte bycause it openeth ye poores of man and entreth in to the herte / wherfore it is good to an hole man in tyme of pestylence whan the winde is in the south to be within the house all day & yf it shal be nede a man to go out / yet let hym abyde in the house tyll the sonne be vp in the eest passynge southe warde ¶ The remedyes of pestylence here after foloweth. Now it is to wete by what remedyes a man may preserue hym selfe fro pestylence / fyrst so ye wrytynge of Ieremye ye prophete yt a man ought to forsake euyll thynges & do good dedes & mekely to cōfesse his syn­nes / for why it is the hyest remedy in tyme of pestylē ­ce / penaūce & confessyon to be preferred of other me­dycynes. Neuerthelesse I promytte you verely it is a good remedy to voyde & chaūge thynfect places. but some may not prouffytably chaūge their places / ther fore as moche as to them is possible it is to eschewe e­uery cause of putryfaccion / & namely euery flesshely luste with women is to be eschewed Also the sothern wynde whyche is naturally enfecteth therfore spere ye wyndowes ayenst the south as it is sayd before vn [Page]to the fyrste houre after the myddes of ye daye. Then open ye wyndowes ayenst ye north. Of ye same cause euery foule stynche is to be eschewed / of stabyll styn­kynge feldes wayes or stretes / & namely of stynkȳge dede carayne & moost of stynkȳge watres where in many places water is kepte by .vij. dayes or .ij. nygh­tes / or elles there be gutters of water casten vnder the erthe whiche causeth grete stynke & corrupcyon & of this cause some deye in yt house where suche thȳ ges happen / & in a nother house dye none as it is said before. lyke wise ī yt place where be wurtes & coles putrefyed it maketh a noyfull sauoure & stynkynge for as by the swete odoure of bawme yt herte & the spyrytes haue recreacion / so of euyll sauours they be made feble wherfore kepe youre house that an infect ayer enter not in / for an Infect ayer moost causeth putry faccyon in places and houses where folke slepe / ther fore lette youre house be clene and make clere fyre of wood flāmynge / let your house be made with fumy­gacyon of herbes / that is to saye with leues of baye tre Ieneper vberyorgany it is in thappotycary shoppes / wormwode rewe mugworte & of yc tre of aloes whiche is best but it is dere. Suche a fumy taken by the mouche & eres openeth thynwarde partes of the body. Also it is teschewe all grete repleccyons by cause full bodyes by lyghtly infect / as Auicēne sayth in the fourth canon / they yt chargen theyr bodyes with respeccion / shorten theyr lyfe. Also comyn bathes are to be eschewed / for alytell crust corrupteth all ye body Thefrore ye people as moche as is possyble is to be eschewed / leest of infect brethes some mā be infect / but whan the multytude of people may not be eschewed. [Page]then vse the remedyes folowynge. In the mornynge whan ye ryse / wasshe a lytell rewe & one or two fyl­berde nottes clene wt salte & ete them / & yf yt can not be had than ete brede or a toste sopped in veneger na­mely in troublous and cloudy weder. Also ī the tyme of pestylence it is better to abyde win the house / for it is not holsome to go in to cyte or towne / also let your house be sprynkled specyally in somer with vyneger and roses & with leues of vyne tree. Also it is good to wasshe your handes ofte tymes in the day wt wa­ter & veneger / & wype your face with your handes & smell to them. Also it is good alwaye to sauoure ay­ger thynges. In the moūt of pessane I myght not eschewe the company of people for I wente for hous to house bycause of my pouerte to cure seke folkes / therfore brede or a sponge sopped in vyneger I toke with the holdynge it to my mouth and nose bycause all egre thynges stoppen the wayes of humours and suffreth no venymous thynges to entre in to a mannes body & so Iescaped the pestylens my felowes supposȳge yt I sholde not lyue / these thynges I haue proued by my selfe. ¶ Here foloweth the cōfortes of ye herte & of ye pryncypall membres. The cōfortes of ye her te be these / saffron auisex plantayn: wt other herbes they open the inwarde spyryte / & these be good amonge the comyn people where lyghtly it happeneth yt on is inefete of another therfore be ware the brethe of a nother. Also of an Infect ayer a mans eyen be made dymme yf he bere not ye forsayd thȳges in his hande Also it is holsome yt ye wasshe your mouth face eien & handes oftentymes in the day wt rose water medeled wt veneger / & yf ye haue no rose water take veneger [Page]and so these thynges vsed ye may go surely amonge the people. Also a naturall lax of the bely is a grete remedy elles prouoke a lax be a supposory craftly / vse pypylle pestilēciales for they be good / they be in thappotycarye shoppes. Also kepe fyre alway in your house for it letteth moche the Impressyons of the bodyes aboue & clarefyeth the ayer. Also it is profytable as well for & hole seke folkes to drynke tryarle therfore take it .ij. rymes a day with clene wyne limphat or wt clere rose water or wt clere ale / take a quantyte of tryacle & two sponefull of clere wyne or rose water or ale dyssoiue the tryacle in the cup & drȳke it & dyne not tyll ye myddes of the day ye the tryacle may haue his operacyon / then chese a good dysshe wt mete / & drȳke clere wyne & often tymes drynke in the day but not moche togyder / for moche hadoundaunce of drynke putryfyeth the humours. Also beware hote thynges in metes as peper & garlyke / though peper purgeth the brayne from the flewme & specyally ye membres from vycyous humours / yet it maketh moche hete / & hete falleth in to putryfaccion / bytternes onely is more please than hote odoure or sauoure. Also garlyke though it purgeth flewine & put out all humours & prouoketh an appetyte to ete & suffreth no drye ayer to entre yet it troubleth the eyen & maketh the hede hote therfore it is not good to ete garlyk. The pesty­lence groweth often tymes of an hote cause therfore all metes the more they be lyght dygestion so moche they be the better / In the mornynge ete boyled mete at euyn rosted / forbere brothe & potage wt out they be eyger / in ye tyme of this sekenes eyger meters be better thā other. Also for bere all fruytes but yf they [Page]be­eyger / as cheryes or pome garnates or a lytell of a pere or apple by the way of medycyne / bycause all fruy­te enduceth putryfacryon / ete conuenyent spyces as gȳger synamum comyn macys & saffrō / these be the best sauce may be made for ryche people / for poore take rewe sage fyllberde nottes percely wt veneger mȳste togyder these be good & letteth putryfaccyon. To be mery in his herte is a grete remedy for helth of his body. Therfore in tyme of this grete Infyrmyte he ware ye drede notdeth but lyue merely & hope to ly­ue longe.

¶ For the lettynge of blode.

¶ Lettynge of blode ones in the moneth may be ma­de / but age or other thynges forbede it as pylgryms or feble ꝑfones ye haue the flyxe / suffre to be let blode in ye vayne called basilica on the ryght or lyft syde be­fore etȳge / & after incision of the basilisca be mery & drynke wyne or ale temperatly / slepe not yt day whā basilica is but / yf ye sele you greued to be infect / than eschewe slepe & be walkynge & moeuynge / for by sle­pe thynwarde hete induceth poyson to ye herte and to other specyall membres / so ye vnneth ony herbe may take away suche poyson / whiche sholde not be yf a mā wolde be moeuȳge to & fro / but some wolde saye wherfore sholde flepe be eschewed / I saye shortely yt in pestylence tyme anone after mete yf a body lyst to slepe / then suche a lust ought to be forborne by a space walkȳge in the gardyns or feldes / & therfore Aui­cenne wryteth ye yf a man wolde slepe he must dryn­ke a good draught of ale or wyne a fore / bycause a mā beynge a slepe draweth many humours / & ye cuyl humours be put doune by thumours of a good draught. But some wolde vnderstonde how man a may felt [Page]whan he is infect / I say that a man whiche is infect ye day he eteth not moche mete / for he is replenysshed wt euyll homours / & forth with after dyner he hathe luste to slepe & feleth grete hete vnder colde. Also he hath grete payne in the forhede but all these thȳges he may put away by moeuynge of a place hyder and theder to ryde or to walke he may not for slouth / of the body & the weyght of the same. Also a man whi­che is infect hath lust to slepe euery houre for the ve­myn wtin the body troubleth the spyryte of lyfe so yt alway he wolde rest & slepe & so of these tokens a mā shall knowe & fele hym selfe infect / & yf a body wyll not beleue this. Abyde the myddes of ye day / & then anone he shall fele a swellȳge vnder the arme aboute the share / or aboute the eres & therfore se an hye & a good medycyne / forbere slepe bycause of the thȳges aforesayd / & it is playne that ye spyryte of lyfe resteth in slepe & all the body here and there is venymed. All these thinges I haue proued by my selfe / these thyn­ges knowen whan a man feleth hym felfe infect as sone as he may let hym be let blode plenteuously tyl he swoune / then stoppe the vayne / for a lytell letynge of blode moeueth or styreth vemyn / yf a man wyll not haue many vaynes kut togyder / then let hym suffre ye vayne kut to renne tyll ye blode wt drawe / for alytell bledȳge meueth strongly ye venym as it is sayd afore also a man whether he be infect or not yf he be let blode let hym forbere siepe all that day tyll mydnyght fo­lowȳge / & alway let blode ye vayne vpon ye syde of the body where ye swellȳge appereth. Therfore yf a swel­lynge appere vnder ye ryght arme let blode in ye myd­des of ye same arme in the vayne called medtana / yf it [Page]be rysen. But & yf yt he fele ony suche swellȳge after his slepe / thenne vpon the contrarye parte the let­tynge of bloode muste be made / as for yf the swel­lynge or rysynge appere in the ryghte arme lette hym bolde in the lyfte arme in epate or (basilica) or medi­ana. And yf that a swellynge or a moeuynge appere vnder the lefte arme lette hym bloode in the ryghte arme lyke wyse as it be forsayd of the lyfte arme / and soo of all other places of the body / lette bloode on the contrarye parte of suche swellynge or rysyn­ge. And that the lettynge of bloode be veraye lytell and feble / Thenne lette the pacyente slepe after the myddes of the daye / and thenne alwaye within the myddes of the daye / for he muste be in contynuelly meuynge rydynge or goynge moderatly / and after­warde yf that the swellynge growe lette hym not be a frayde of dethe by cause suche a swellȳge putteth oute all maner of euylles / and maketh a man veray hole. And that the sooner a swellynge may be made type / take this medycyne as foloweth. Bruse the le­ues of an elder tree the whiche ben fayre and grete and putte therto mustarde the whiche shall be well and strongely grounden in a payre of quernes / and then whan ye haue done as I haue tolde you / take and dryue a playster of the forsayd thynges good & thyche and after put it vpon the sore and swellynge and it shall aledge hym anone of the forsayd sykenes ¶ Also for the forsayd swellynge / or rysynge in the necke / or in the arme / or mony other place of a man­nes body whan it appereth take fylberde nottes fyg­ges and rewe and bruse theym togyder in a morter well and laye it vpon the swellynge. And yf that it [Page]appere vnder ye left arme let hym blode in ye myddes of the same or ī ye vayne of ye lyuer whiche is aboue ye lytell fynger / & yf it be about the share lete hym blode aboute the here vpon ye same syde / yf the swellȳge be in the necke let hym blode in the vayne called cepha­lica about the thombe in ye hande in the same syde or in the vayne called medsana of the same arme or in ye hande of the same syde aboute the lytell fynger / yf ye swellynge appere aboute the ere let hym blode in the vayne called cephalica of the same syde or in ye vayn whiche is betwene the longe fynger and the thombe / lest many venymous thynges go in to the brayn / or let blode the vayne whiche is aboute the lytell fyn­ger ye is named by physycyons basilica / & yf a swellȳ ­ge appere in the sholders lesse it with ventosyte and fyrst lest the vayne called mediana / yf the swellyngs be on the backe / lesse it vpon the vayne called (pidia magna) & all these thȳges be made yf man slepe not before yt knowledge of ye swellȳge. some surgeons wyl put treacle to ye swellynge But do not so / for tryacle putteth out venym. Therfore drȳke tryacle for ye put teth out the same. Also there is another medycyne take syngrene hylworte other wyse called wylde tyme mawdelyn grasse plantayne and a lytell rye floure & breke all these togyder tyll yese water come out ther of / medle yt water we womans mylke & gyue it to the pacyent fastȳge before slepe & wyll werke the better for to remeue the swellȳge. These redmeyes be suffy cyent to eschewe this grete sekenesse wt the helpe of god to whom be euer lastȳge laude & praysȳge worl­de wt out ende. Amen.

¶ Enprynted by Wynkyn de worde.

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