Wellcome Collection: The Regiment of Healthe (MS674)

{30}

{31}

A Treatice of medicynes good agaynst the pestilence, devided into Three parte. Wherof the first declarethe how a man should ordre and keep him self in the tyme of the Pestilence that he fall not into the said sicknes. The second expressethe how this sicknes comethe. And the third part sheweth what medycynes are good and fitt to be vsed agaynst this contagious disease.

Caput.1.

It often fallethe out that thoroughe default of observinge good ordre and goverment in dyet, eateinge and drinckinge they care not how nor what men doe fall many tyme into the danger of his sicknes. Therfore when the pestilence dothe raigne it Behovethe everie man to observe a good dyett and keepe him selfe from excesse of meate and drincke, To vse noe bathes, nor sweate to much, for all these open the powers of the bodye & cause infectious ayre to enter. and they destroye the livelie spirites in a man and doe weaken it verie muche. And princypallie to eschue and avoyde the often vse of pennerie, for that enfeoblethe a man and wastethe nature and soe openethe the powers of his bodie that evill ayre may enter in and soe weaken and decayea mans [spirites]. Alsoe in the tyme of Infestion vse to eate noe frutes but such as be tarte. Alsoe abstyne from Garlicke, Oyinons, Leekes or any meates that bringe a man into any vnkynd heates. drincke measurablye to shake thie thirst or heate. The best drinke were cold water mixed with vinegre, or [Tysen] for that drincke is verie good for them that are of cholerique complexion, for they be hott and drye and leane of boeye

Caput .2.

In a man are three princypall members. That is to saye the hart, the Liver and the Brayne. and everie of these have their clensinge places. wher they may put out their superfluities and purysie them selves. The heart hath his clensinge place vnder the arme holes. The liver hathe his clensinge place in the flanckes of man or woman. And the Braynes have their clensinge place vnder the eares and vnder the thoate. Then by reason his sicknes comethe when the powers be open, and that the ayre may speedilie enter into the bodie , and mixe it selfe with a mans blood and soe it runnethe to a mans harte which is the roote and ground of lyfe and soe it destroyethe man kynd & killethe him in short tyme. soe that the harte being thus infected, insecteth and destroyethe what soever is obvious vnto it, strivinge to

{expell}

{32}

expell his contagion at his clensing place, which yf it fynd soe stopped that it may not passe furthe, then it remaynethe still with in the body and soe dothe infect that principall part which is next vnto it. which is the liver and destroyethe it. the liver haveinge roceyved infection from the hart in devourethe to send the same to his clensinge place, which yf it fynd the passage soe stopped that it may not ysshue forthe, then the contagion passethe to the third principall part, the Brayne and that sendes it to his purginge place [viz.] to the eares or the throat and yf it may not goe out ther it is greate mervayle yf it rest [Aeofastlie] in any place. And yf his contagious venim passe not out within twelue howres after it is receyved with bleedinge then it abydethe in some place or other and makethe a [bocchein] some one of the three clensinge places aboue said.

Caput .3.

Whosoever feelethe him self infected with the plugue or pestilence he shall know it by the shootinge and prickinge in his bodye, which is a manifest token of the sicknes wherfore he should bleed as speedilie as he can and yf he bleed not with in xii howers, then lett him abstayne from meate and drinck vntill he doe bleede but defer not bleedinge about xii howers for lettinge blood in tyme (as shalbe declared[ he. easter]) is a specy all meanes of cure. And the matter is then hardned and gathered togither when it will not passe out of the vayne thoughe it were cutt with a sword. never he lesse yf a man doe bleede it cannot hurt him, neyther is he sure that it will helpe him after the contagious matter is hardned and collected together. And if the matter have gathered to a head vnder the armehole it comethe of the veyne that is called Tocall and then it is expedient to bleed in the same soe that the sicknes appearethe otherwise it bringethe a double harme One is that yf you bleede on the hole side, the good blood on that side is not corrupt and [sunnomed] and then the evill blood will corrupt that place [fr.] whence the good blood went and soe the bodye becomethe the feobler for want of good blood to comfort natuer: the second harme is greater for then the corrupted blood will passe over the hearte and venome it, and soe baringe deathe vnto the partie soe infected And yf the sicknes doe appeare betweene the thyghe and the belly then it comethe of the liver, and then yf the matter appeare in the inner side by the privie members, then lett the [p..tie] blood

{in the}

{33}

{Betwixt the height of the foote & the greate toe ther is a greate boyne which is the best to be lett blood in for diverse causes diseases & mae ladyes as the pestilenes which is suddenlie taken by greate abundaunse of humurs but it must be at within the spare [of] 24 hours [when] on feelethe him selfe diseased, before any fewer come for everie desease begmethe or endethe with or fever.}

in the foote on the same side and on the veyne betwene the thumble Too & the Too next thervnto, and yf the bothe arise ther, yf you bleed on the arme all the corruption will drawe vpp agayne vnto the harte and kill it. Alsoe yf the matter be more upward or outward to the side further from the privie place, then it is best to bleed on the veyne betwixt the ancle and the heele, or on the veyne that is vnder the ancle which is called sophia, or els be vento soe on the thyghe with a boyste beside the[ Botche] And yf the botche appeare in the clensinge place of the head & of the brayne then it is requisite to bleede on the head veyne on the same arme that is called Cephalzia that is the veyne that lyeth about the bodie veyne which is called Cordiuea Focall in the bout of the arme, or els bleed in the veyne that is about the hand called venaflliea Sol Vena Pulsatilis or els I be vento see betwixt the shoulders with a boyst till the blood be drawne out. And soe the princypill members beinge thus clen see the hearte shalbe comforted with cold electuaries to temper the greate heate therof, and then it shalbe requiste to have water of these herbes That is to saye:

The water of dytamie , Pimpernell, Cormentill, and seabious, and his a berie good medyryne for the sicknes yf a man be well kept.

But whiles a man is in this sicknes he ought to be carefullie and measurably dyetted by the reason of the sharpe fevor which all [comyes] accompanethe his sicknes, and while a man is in his accute fevor he must eate but little fleshe except some smale chickns sodden in water or els freshe water fishe rostee on the coales to eate with vinegre. Alsoe it is good to eate pottage of Almons and drinke Tysen or smale old ale and thinn And yf the patient desire to drrinke redd wyne give him in steede therof vinegre mingled with payre water, but Reinshe wyne is much better then redd wyne yf the patient drinke measurablie therof

And it good to lake the poulder of these herbes followinge which is verie comfortable agaynst infection and Veniom:

Take Dittanu, Pinpernell, Tormentill, Scabeous, Bollarmomack and Terra Sigillata: Braye all these herbes seidlye by them selves and the [Bolar..] and Ferrasigiles. liekewise by them selves and put it in Wyne or ale and drinke it and it will drive the venome out wher it did enter. To conclude keepe him from these thinge recyted in the first chapter which are hinge that Doe furthert the sicknes. And lett him that is in sertre bleed betymes as is expressed in the ii chapter. And yf he [be] ruled and ordred accordinge to this pestrixtion by Gode grace he shall be made hole and delivered of his sicknes for ever.

A Medecyne for Plague which king Henrye the Eyght did vse in the first yeare of his raigne which healed aboue eyght Thousand persons the same yeare.

Inprinus Take a handfull of herbe grace, of feverfewe, marygoldes, sorrell the lieke quantitie, of Burnett a quantie, of the topp or roote of Dragons a quantitie, washe them cleane and seethe them softlye in a pottle of runninge water from a pottle to a quart of liquor Then let it stand from the fyre till it be almost cold. stayne it with a fyne cloathe and drinke it, and yf it be to bitter put therto a quantitie of suger candie And yf it be dronken before any purples or flowers doe arise ther is noe perillon the patient by Gode grace ffor his medycyne is well proved.

Another sovoraigne medycyne for the plague

Take of sage of Vertue, of herbe Grace, of elder leaves of Bramble leaves, of wormewoode of eache of these a handfull stampe all these togither and staine them thoroughe a cleane clothe, with a quart of, whyte wyne, and put therto aquantitie of white ginger and drinke therof everie daye a spoonefull nine dayes togither, and after the first spoonsfull you shalbe safe from the disease all the yeare after yf you be not infected before you drinke it. Neverthelesse yf a man benifeited before he drinke his medycyne, Then lett him take water of seabious, water of dragons, water of Byttenie of eache a spoonfull and a good quantitie of Treacle of Geene and mixe them togither and drinke it: And it will cause the venome of the plague to growe to a sore. And when the sore dothe appeare.

Take Bramble leaves Elder leaves, muster soede and stampe them altogither and make a playster therof and laye it to the sore, and it will by Gode grace in short tyme drawe out the venome and heale the sore. yf the sicke man be well governed and close[ beop..] for his hath bene well proved.