Title: The Sweating Sickness - A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called - the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse
Author: Caius, John, 1510-1573
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.


*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Sweating Sickness - A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called - the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse" ***


[Transcriber’s Note:

This text uses UTF-8 (unicode) file encoding, primarily for the letters

  ã ẽ ĩ õ ũ (vowel with following n or m)
  ʒ (ezh, used here for the “dram” symbol)

If any of these characters do not display properly, or if the
apostrophes and quotation marks in this paragraph appear as garbage,
make sure your text reader’s “character set” or “file encoding” is set
to Unicode (UTF-8). You may also need to change the default font. As a
last resort, use the ASCII-7 version of the file instead.

The text is taken from the 1912 Cambridge edition of Caius’s _Complete
Works_. The editor’s general introduction says:

  In this volume no attempt has been made to produce a facsimile
  reprint. Even if such a design had been entertained, the great
  variety of form in which the original editions were issued would
  have made it impossible to carry out the re-issue with any
  uniformity. Obvious misprints have been corrected, but where a
  difference in spelling in the same work or on the same page--_e.g._
  _baccalarius_, _baccalaureus_--is clearly due to the varying
  practice of the writer and not to the printer, the words have been
  left as they stood in the original. On the other hand the accents
  in the very numerous Greek quotations have been corrected.

Numbers in parentheses (2, 3, 4...) were printed in the gutter; they
probably represent leaves of the 1552 original. Bracketed corrections
are from the 1912 text.

Sidenotes are shown in brackets. Superscripts are shown with ^ marks.
Typographical errors are listed at the end of the e-text.

The usual disclaimers apply. Do not try this at home.]


       *       *       *       *       *
           *       *       *       *
       *       *       *       *       *


  A boke or coun-
  seill against the disease
  commonly called the
  sweate or swea-
  tyng sicknesse

  made by Jhon Caius
  doctour in phisicke

  uery necessary for everye
  personne and much requi-
  site to be had in the handes
  of al sortes, for their better
  instruction, preparation and
  defence, against the soub-
  dein comyng, and fear-
  ful assaultyng of the
  same disease

  1552



  TO THE RIGHTE HONOURABLE
  WILLIAM EARLE OF PENBROKE, LORDE
  HARBERT OF CARDIFE, KNIGHT OF THE HONOUR-
  ABLE ORDRE OF THE GARTER, AND PRESIDENT OF
  THE KYNGES HIGHNES COUNSEILL IN
  THE MARCHES OF WALES:
  JHON CAIUS WISHETH
  HELTH AND HONOUR.


In the fereful tyme of the sweate (ryghte honourable) many
resorted vnto me for counseil, among whõe some beinge my frendes
& aquaintance, desired me to write vnto them some litle counseil
howe to gouerne themselues therin: saiyng also that I should do
a greate pleasure to all my frendes and contrimen, if I would
deuise at my laisure some thĩg, whiche from tyme to tyme might
remaine, wherto men might in such cases haue a recourse &
present refuge at all nedes, as thẽ they had none. At whose
requeste, at that tyme I wrate diuerse counseiles so shortly as
I could for the present necessite, whiche they bothe vsed and
dyd geue abrode to many others, & further appoynted in my self
to fulfill (for so much as laye in me) the other parte of their
honest request for the time to come. The whiche the better to
execute and brynge to passe, I spared not to go to all those
that sente for me, bothe poore, and riche, day and night. And
that not only to do thẽ that ease that I could, & to instructe
thẽ for their recouery: but to note also throughly, the cases
and circumstaunces of the disease in diuerse persons, and to
vnderstande the nature and causes of the same fully, for so much
as might be. Therefore as I noted, so I wrate as laisure then
serued, and finished one boke in Englishe, onely for Englishe mẽ
not lerned, one other in latine for men of lerninge more at
large, and generally for the help of thẽ which hereafter should
haue nede, either in this or other coũtreis, that they may lerne
by our harmes. This I had thoughte to haue set furth before
christmas, & to haue geuẽ to your lordshippe at new-yeres (3)
tide, but that diuerse other businesses letted me. Neuertheles
that which then coulde not be done cometh not now out of season,
although it be neuer so simple, so it may do ease hereafter,
which as I trust this shal, so for good wil I geue
and dedicate it vnto your good Lordshippe, trustyng the
  same will take this with as good a mind, as I
  geue it to your honour, whiche our Lorde
  preserue and graunt long
  to continue.

At London the first of Aprill.

1552.



The boke of Jhon Caius

against the sweatyng sicknes.


Man beyng borne not for his owne vse and cõmoditie alone, but
also for the commõ benefite of many, (as reason wil and al good
authoures write) he whiche in this world is worthy to lyue,
ought al wayes to haue his hole minde and intente geuen to
profite others. Whiche thynge to shewe in effecte in my selfe,
although by fortune some waies I haue ben letted, yet by that
whiche fortune cannot debarre, some waies again I haue declared.
For after certein yeres beyng at cambrige, I of the age of XX.
yeres, partly for mine exercise and profe what I coulde do, but
chefely for certein of my very frẽdes, dyd translate out of
Latine into Englishe certein workes, hauyng nothynge els so good
to gratifie theim w^t. Wherof one of _S. Chrysostome de modo
orandi deum_, that is, of y^e manner (4) to praye to god, I sent
to one my frende then beyng in the courte. One other, a woorke
of _Erasmus de vera theologia_, the true and redy waye to reade
the scripture, I dyd geue to Maister Augustine Stiwarde Alderman
of Norwiche, not in the ful as the authore made it, but
abbreuiate for his only purpose to whome I sent it, Leuyng out
many subtile thinges, made rather for great & learned diuines,
thẽ for others. The thirde was the paraphrase of the same
Erasmus vpon the Epistle of S. Jude, whiche I translated at the
requeste of one other my deare frende.

These I did in Englishe the rather because at that tyme men ware
not so geuen all to Englishe, but that they dyd fauoure &
maỹteine good learning conteined in tongues & sciences, and did
also study and apply diligently the same thẽ selues. Therfore I
thought no hurte done. Sence y^t tyme diuerse other thynges I
haue written, but with entente neuer more to write in the
Englishe tongue, partly because the cõmoditie of that which is
so written, passeth not the compasse of Englande, but remaineth
enclosed within the seas, and partly because I thought that
labours so taken should be halfe loste among them whiche sette
not by learnyng. Thirdly for that I thought it beste to auoide
the iudgement of the multitude, from whome in maters of learnyng
a man shalbe forced to dissente, in disprouyng that whiche they
most approue, & approuyng that whiche they moste disalowe.
Fourthly for that the common settyng furthe and printĩg of euery
foolishe thyng in englishe, both of phisicke vnperfectly, and
other matters vndiscretly diminishe the grace of thynges learned
set furth in thesame. But chiefely, because I wolde geue none
example or comforte to my countrie men, (whõ I wolde to be now,
as here tofore they haue bene, comparable in learnyng to men of
other countries) to stonde onely in the Englishe tongue, but to
leaue the simplicite of thesame, and to procede further in (5)
many and diuerse knoweleges bothe in tongues and sciences at
home and in vniuersities, to the adournyng of the cõmon welthe,
better seruice of their kyng, & great pleasure and commodite of
their owne selues, to what kinde of life so euer they shold
applie them. Therfore whatsoeuer sence that tyme I minded to
write, I wrate y^e same either in greke or latine. As firste of
all certein commentaries vpon certein bokes of William
framinghã, maister of art in Cambrige, a man ot great witte,
memorie, diligence and learnyng, brought vp in thesame scholes
in Englande that I was, euer frõ his beginnyng vntil his death.
Of the which bokes, ij. of _cõtinẽtia_ (or cõtinence) wer in
prose, y^e reste in metre or verse of diuerse kindes. One a
comforte for a blinde mã, entitled _ad Aemilianum cæcum
consolatio_, one other _Ecpyrosis, seu incendiũ sodomorũ_, the
burnyng of Sodome. The thirde _Laurentius_, expressyng the
tormentes of Saincte Laurence. The fourthe, _Idololatria_,
Idolatrie, not after the trade and veine of scripture (wherein
he was also very well exercised) but conformable to scripture
and after the ciuile and humane learnyng, declaryng them to
worshippe _Mars_, that warre, or fight: _Venus_, that lyue
incontinently: _Pluto_, that folowe riches couetousely; and so
forth through all vices vsed in his time. The fiueth boke
_Arete_, vertue: the sixth, Epigrãmes, conteined in two bokes,
whiche by an epistle of his owne hand before y^e boke yet
remainyng, he dedicated vnto me, purposyng to haue done many
more prety thynges, but that cruell death preuẽted, and toke him
away wher he and I was borne at Norwiche, in the yere of our
Lord M.d.xxxvij. the xxix. daie of September, beynge then of the
age of xxv. yeres, vij. Monethes, and vj. daies, a greate losse
of so notable a yonge man. These workes at his death he willed
to comme to my handes, by (6) which occasion after I had viewed
thẽ, and perceiued them ful of al kyndes of learnyng, thinkyng
thẽ no workes for all mẽ to vnderstande with out helpe, but such
as were wel sene in all sortes of authours: I endeuoured my
selfe partely for the helpe of others, & partly for mine owne
exercise, to declare vpon theim the profite of my studie in
ciuile and humane learnynge, and to haue before mine eyes as in
a worke (which was alwaies my delyght) how muche I had profited
in the same. Thys so done, I ioyned euery of my commentaries to
euery of hys saied bokes, faier written by Nicolas Pergate puple
to the saied Maister Framyngham, myndyng after the iudgement of
learned men had in thesame, to haue set theim furthe in prynte,
if it had ben so thought good to theim. For whyche cause, at my
departynge into Italie, I put an Epistle before theym
dedicatorye to the right Reuerend father in God Thomas Thirlbye,
now Bishoppe of Norwiche, because thesame maister Framyngham
loued hym aboue others. He after my departure deliuered the
bokes to the reuerende father in god Jhõ Skippe, late bishop of
Hereforde, then to D. Thirtle, tutor to the sayd maister
framynghã, frõ him to syr Richard Morisine, now ambassadoure for
y^e kinges maiestie with thẽperour, then to D. Tailour Deane of
Lincolne, and syr Thomas Smithe, secretarie after to y^e kynges
Maiestie, all great learned men. Frõ these to others they wente,
among whome the bokes died, (as I suppose,) or els be closely
kept, that after my death they may be setfurthe in the names of
them which now haue thẽ, as their workes. Howe soeuer it be,
well I knowe that at my returne out of Italie (after vj. yeres
continuance ther) into Englãd, I coulde neuer vnderstand wher
they wer, although I bothe diligently and desirousely sought
thẽ. After these I translated out of Greke into Latine a litle
boke of _Nicephorus_, declarynge howe a man maye in praiynge
confesse hym selfe, which after I dyd geue vnto Jhõ Grome
bacheler in arte, (7) a yong man in yeres, but in witte &
learnyng for his tyme, of great expectatiõ. That done I beganne
a chronicle of the citie of Norwiche, of the beginninge therof &
thinges done ther frõ time to time. The matere wherof yet rude
and vndigested lyeth by me, which at laisure I minde to polishe,
and to make an end of that I haue begunne. And to be shorte, in
phisicke diuerse thynges I haue made & settefurth in print bothe
in Greke and Latine, not mindyng to do other wise, as I haue
before said, al my life: For which cause al these thinges I haue
rehersed, els superfluous in this place. Yet see, meaning now to
counseill a litle agaynst the sweatyng sickenes for helpe also
of others, notwithstandyng my former purpose, two thynges
compell me, in writynge therof, to returne agayne to Englishe,
Necessite of the matter, & good wyl to my countrie, frendes, &
acquaintance, whiche here to haue required me, to whome I thinke
my selfe borne.

Necessite, for that this disease is almoste peculiar vnto vs
Englishe men, and not common to all men, folowyng vs, as the
shadowe the body, in all countries, albeit not at al times.
Therfore compelled I am to vse this our Englishe tongue as best
to be vnderstande, and moste nedeful to whome it most foloweth,
most behoueth to haue spedy remedie, and often tymes leaste
nyghe to places of succourre and comforte at lerned mennes
handes: and leaste nedefull to be setfurthe in other tongues to
be vnderstand generally of all persons, whome it either haunteth
not at all, or els very seldome, as ones in an age. Thinkynge it
also better to write this in Englishe after mine own meanyng,
then to haue it translated out of my Latine by other after their
misunderstandyng.

Good wyll to my countrie frendes and acquaintance, seynge them
wyth out defence yelde vnto it, and it ferefully to inuade thẽ,
furiousely handle them, spedily oppresse them, vnmercyfully (8)
choke them, and that in no small numbers, and such persons so
notably noble in birthe, goodly conditions, graue sobrietie,
singular wisedõe, and great learnynge, as Henry Duke of
Suffolke, and the lorde Charles his brother, as fewe hath bene
sene lyke of their age: an heuy & pitifull thyng to here or see.
So that if by onely learned men in phisicke & not this waye also
it should be holpen, it were nedeful almost halfe so many
learned men to be redy in euery toune and citie, as their should
be sweatynge sicke folkes. Yet this notwithstandynge, I wyll
euery man not to refuse the counseill of the present or nighe
phisicen learned, who maie, accordyng to the place, persone,
cause, & other circũstances, geue more particular counseil at
nede, but in any wise exhorte him to seke it with all diligence.
To this enterprise also amonge so many learned men, not a litle
stirreth me the gentilnes and good willes of al sortes of men,
which I haue well proued heretofore by my other former bokes.
Mindynge therefore with as good a will to geue my counseil in
this, and trusting for no lesse gentlenes in the same, I wyll
plainly and in English for their better vnderstandynge to whome
I write, firste declare the beginnynge, name, nature, and signes
of the sweatynge sickenes. Next, the causes of the same. And
thirdly, how to preserue men frõ it, and remedy them whẽ they
haue it.

[The beginnyng of the disease] In the yere of our Lorde God
M.CCCC.lxxxv. shortly after the vij. daye of august, at whiche
tyme kynge Henry the seuenth arriued at Milford in walles, out
of Fraunce, and in the firste yere of his reigne, ther chaunced
a disease among the people, lastyng the reste of that monethe &
all September, which for the soubdeine sharpenes and vnwont
cruelnes passed the pestilence. For this commonly geueth iij. or
iiij. often vij. sumtyme ix. as that firste at Athenes whiche
_Thucidides_ describeth in his seconde boke, sumtyme xj. and
sumtyme xiiij. dayes respecte, to whome it (9) vexeth. But that
immediatly killed some in opening theire windowes, some in
plaieng with children in their strete dores, some in one hour,
many in two it destroyed, & at the longest, to thẽ that merilye
dined, it gaue a sorowful Supper. As it founde them so it toke
them, some in sleape some in wake, some in mirthe some in care,
some fasting & some ful, some busy and some idle, and in one
house sometyme three sometime fiue, sometyme seuen sometyme
eyght, sometyme more some tyme all, of the whyche, if the haulfe
in euerye Towne escaped, it was thoughte great fauour. How, or
wyth what maner it toke them, with what grieffe, and accidentes
it helde theym, herafter thẽ I wil declare, whẽ I shal come to
shewe the signes therof. In the mene space, know that this
disease (because it most did stand in sweating from the
beginning vntil the endyng) was called here, the Sweating
sickenesse: and because it firste beganne in Englande, it was
named in other countries, the englishe sweat. Yet some
conjecture that it, or the like, hath bene before seene among
the Grekes in the siege of Troie. In thẽperor Octauius warres at
_Cantabria_, called nowe Biscaie, in Hispaine: and in the
Turkes, at the Rhodes. How true that is, let the aucthours loke:
how true thys is, the best of our Chronicles shewith, & of the
late begonne disease the freshe memorie yet confirmeth. But if
the name wer now to be geuen, and at my libertie to make the
same: I would of the maner and space of the disease (by cause
the same is no sweat only, as herafter I will declare, & in the
spirites) make the name _Ephemera_, which is to sai, a feuer of
one natural dai. A feuer, for the feruor or burning, drieth &
sweating feure like. Of one naturall day, for that it lasteth
but the time of xxiiij. houres. And for a distinction from the
commune _Ephemera_, that Galene writeth of, comming both of
other causes, and wyth vnlike paines, I wold putte to it either
Englishe, for that it followeth somoche English menne, to whõ
(10) it is almoste proper, & also began here: or els pestilent,
for that it cõmeth by infection & putrefaction, otherwise then
doth the other _Ephemera_. Whiche thing I suppose may the better
be done, because I se straunge and no english names both in
Latine and Greke by commune vsage taken for Englishe. As in
Latin, Feure, Quotidiã, Tertian, Quartane, Aier, Infection,
Pestilence, Uomite, Person, Reines, Ueines, Peines, Chamere,
Numbre, &c. a litle altered by the commune pronunciation. In
Greke, Pleuresie, Ischiada, Hydrops, Apostema, Phlegma, and
Chole: called by the vulgare pronunciatiõ, Schiatica, Dropsie,
Impostume, Phleume, & Choler: Gyne also, and Boutyre, Sciourel,
Mouse, Rophe, Phrase, Paraphrase, & cephe, wherof cometh
Chaucers couercephe, in the romant of the Rose, writtẽ and
pronoũced comõly, kerchief in y^e south, & courchief in the
north. Thereof euery head or principall thing, is comonlye
called cephe, pronoũced & writtẽ, chief. Uery many other there
be in our commune tongue, whiche here to rehearse were to long.
These for an example shortelye I haue here noted. But for the
name of this disease it maketh now no matter, the name of Sweat
beyng cõmõly vsed. Let vs therfore returne to the thing, which
as occasiõ & cause serued, came againe in the M.D.vi. the xxii.
yeare of the said Kyng Henry the seuenth. Aftre that, in the
yeare M.D.xvii. the ix. yeare of Kyng Henry the viii, and
endured from July, vnto y^e middest of Decẽbre. The iiii tyme,
in the yeare M.D.xxviii. the xx. yeare of thesaied Kyng,
beginning in thende of May, & continuing June and July. The
fifth tyme of this fearful _Ephemera_ of Englande, and pestilent
sweat, is this in the yeare M.D.LI. of oure Lorde GOD, and the
fifth yeare of oure Souereigne Lorde king Edwarde the sixth,
beginning at Shrewesbury in the middest of April, proceadinge
with greate mortalitie to Ludlowe, Prestene, and (11) other
places in Wales, then to Westchestre, Couentre, Oxenfoorde, and
other tounes in the Southe, and such as were in and aboute the
way to London, whether it came notablie the seuenth of July, and
there continuing sore, with the losse of vii. C. lxi. from the
ix. day vntil the xvi. daye, besides those that died in the vii.
and viii. dayes, of whõ no registre was kept, frõ that it abated
vntil the xxx. day of the same, with the losse of C. xlii. more.
Then ceassing there, it wente from thence throughe al the east
partes of England into the Northe vntill the ende of Auguste, at
whiche tyme it diminished, and in the ende of Septembre fully
ceassed.

This disease is not a Sweat onely, (as it is thought & called)
but a feuer, as I saied, in the spirites by putrefaction
venemous, with a fight, trauaile, and laboure of nature againste
the infection receyued in the spirites, whervpon by chaunce
foloweth a Sweate, or issueth an humour compelled by nature, as
also chanceth in other sicknesses whiche consiste in humours,
when they be in their state, and at the worste in certein dayes
iudicial, aswel by vomites, bledinges, & fluxes, as by sweates.
That this is true, the self sweates do shewe. For as in vtter
businesses, bodies y^t sore do labour, by trauail of the same
are forced to sweat, so in inner diseases, the bodies traueiled
& labored by thẽ, are moued to the like. In which labors, if
nature be strõg & able to thrust out the poisõ by sweat (not
otherwise letted) y^e persõ escapeth: if not, it dieth. That it
is a feuer, thus I haue partly declared, and more wil streight
by the notes of the disease, vnder one shewing also by thesame
notes, signes, and short tariance of the same, that it
consisteth in the spirites. First by the peine in the backe, or
shoulder, peine in the extreme partes, as arme, or legge, with a
flusshing, or wind, as it semeth to certeine of the pacientes,
flieng in the same. Secondly by the grief in the liuer and the
nigh stomacke. Thirdely, by the peine in the head, & madnes of
(12) the same. Fourthly by the passion of the hart. For the
flusshing or wynde comming in the vtter and extreame partes,
is nothing els but the spirites of those same gathered together,
at the first entring of the euell aire, agaynste the infection
therof, & flyeng thesame from place to place, for their owne
sauegarde. But at the last infected, they make a grief where
thei be forced, which cõmonly is in tharme or legge (the
fartheste partes of theire refuge) the backe or shulder: trieng
ther first a brũt as good souldiers, before they wil let their
enemye come further into theire dominion. The other grefes be
therefore in thother partes aforsaid & sorer, because the
spirites be there most plẽtuous as in their founteines, whether
alwaies thinfection desireth to go. For frõ the liuer, the nigh
stomack, braine, and harte, come all the iij. sortes, and kyndes
of spirites, the gouernoures of oure bodies, as firste spronge
there. But from the hart, the liuish spirites. In putrifieng
wherof by the euel aier in bodies fit for it, the harte is
oppressed. Wherupon also foloweth a marueilous heauinesse, (the
fifthe token of this disease,) and a desire to sleape, neuer
contented, the senses in al partes beynge as they were bounde or
closed vp, the partes therfore left heuy, vnliuishe, and dulle.
Laste foloweth the shorte abidinge, a certeine Token of the
disease to be in the spirites, as wel may be proued by the
_Ephemera_ that Galene writethe of, whiche because it
consistethe in the Spirites, lasteth but one natural day. For as
fire in hardes or straw, is sone in flambe & sone oute, euen so
heate in the spirites, either by simple distemperature, or by
infection and putrefaction therin conceyued, is sone in flambe
and sone out, and soner for the vehemencye or greatnes of the
same, whiche without lingering, consumeth sone the light matter,
contrary to al other diseases restyng in humoures, wherin a fire
ones kindeled, is not so sone put out, no more (13) then is the
same in moiste woodde, or fat Sea coles, as well by the
particular Example of the pestilence, (of al others most lyke
vnto this) may be declared, whyche by that it stãdeth in euel
humors, tarieth as I said, sometyme, from iiij. vii. ix. & xj.
vntill xiiij. dayes, differentlie from this, by reason therof,
albeit by infection most lyke to this same. Thus vnder one
laboure shortelie I haue declared both what this disease is,
wherein it consisteth, howe and with what accidentes it grieueth
and is differente from the Pestilence, and the propre signes,
and tokens of the same, without the whiche, if any do sweate,
I take theym not to Sweate by this Sickenesse, but rather by
feare, heate of the yeare, many clothes, greate exercise,
affection, excesse in diete, or at the worst, by a smal cause of
infection, and lesse disposition of the bodi to this sicknes. So
that, insomoche as the body was nat al voide of matter, sweate
it did when infection came: but in that the mattere was not
greate, the same coulde neyther be perilous nor paineful as in
others, in whom it was greater cause.

[_The causes._] Hetherto I haue shewed the beginning, name,
nature, & signes of this disease: nowe I will declare the
causes, which be ij.: infectiõ, & impure spirites in bodies
corrupt by repletiõ. Infection, by thaire receiuing euel
qualities, distẽpring not only y^e hete, but the hole substãce
therof, in putrifieng thesame, and that generally ij. waies. By
the time of the yere vnnatural, & by the nature & site of the
soile & region--wherunto maye be put the particular accidentes
of this same. By the time of the yeare vnnaturall, as if winter
be hot & drie, somer hot and moist: (a fit time for sweates) the
spring colde and drye, the fall hot & moist. To this mai be
ioyned the euel disposition by constellation, whiche hath a
great power & dominion in al erthly thinges. By the site &
nature of the soile & regiõ, many wayes. First & specially by
euel mistes & exhalatiõs drawen out of the grounde by the sũne
in the heate of the yeare, as chanced amõg the Grekes in the
siege of Troy, wherby died firste dogges & mules, after, (14) mẽ
in great numbre: & here also in Englãd in this m.d.lj. yeare,
the cause of this pestilent sweate, but of dyuers nature. Whiche
miste in the countrie wher it began, was sene flie frõ toune to
toune, with suche a stincke in morninges & eueninges, that mẽ
could scarcely abide it. Thẽ by dampes out of the earth, as out
of Galenes _Barathrũ_, or the poetes _auernũ_, or _aornũ_, the
dampes wherof be such, that thei kil y^e birdes fliẽg ouer them.
Of like dampes, I heard in the north coũtry in cole pits, wherby
the laboring mẽ be streight killed, except before the houre of
coming therof (which thei know by y^e flame of their cãdle) thei
auoid the groũd. Thirdly by putrefactiõ or rot in groũdes aftre
great flouddes, in carions, & in dead men. After great fluddes,
as happened in y^e time of Gallien thẽperor at rome, in _Achaia_
& _Libia_, wher the seas sodeinly did ouerflow y^e cities nigh
to y^t same. And in the xi. yeare of _Pelagius_, when al the
flouddes throughe al Italye didde rage, but chieflye _Tibris_ at
Rome, whiche in many places was as highe as the walles of the
citie.

In cariõs or dead bodies, as fortuned here in Englande vpon the
sea banckes in the tyme of King Alured, or Alfrede; (as some
Chroniclers write) but in the time of king Ethelred after
Sabellicus, by occasion of drowned Locustes cast vp by the Sea,
which by a wynde were driuen oute of Fraunce thether. This
locust is a flie in bignes of a mãnes thumbe, in colour broune,
in shape somewhat like a greshopper, hauing vi. fiete, so many
wynges, two tiethe, & an hedde like a horse, and therfore called
in Italy _Caualleto_, where ouer y^e city of _Padoa_, in the
yeare m.d.xlij. (as I remembre,) I, with manye more did see a
swarme of theim, whose passage ouer the citie, did laste two
hours, in breadth inestimable to euery man there. Here by
example to note infection by deadde menne in Warres, either in
rotting aboue the ground, as chaunced in Athenes by theim of
Ethiopia, or els in beyng buried ouerly (15) as happened at
Bulloigne, in the yere M.D.xlv. the yeare aftre king Henrye
theight had conquered the same, or by long continuance of an
hoste in one place, it is more playne by dayly experience, then
it neadeth to be shewed. Therefore I wil now go to the fourth
especial cause of infectiõ, the pent aier, breaking out of the
ground in yearthquakes, as chaunced at Uenice in the first yeare
of _Andrea Dandulo_, then Duke, the xxiiij. day of Januarye, and
xx. hour after their computacion. By which infectiõ mani died,
& many were borne before their time. The v. cause is close,
& vnstirred aire, & therfore putrified or corrupt, out of old
welles, holes in y^t groũd made for grain, wherof many I did se
in & about _Pesaro_ in Italy, by openĩg thẽ aftre a great space,
as both those coũtrimẽ do cõfesse, & also by exãple is declared,
for y^e manye in openĩg thẽ vnwarely be killed. Out of caues,
& tõbes also, as chaũced first in the country of _Babilonia_,
proceding aftre into Grece, and so to Rome, by occasion that y^e
souldiers of themperour _Marcus Antoninus_, vpon hope of money,
brake up a golden coffine of _Auidius Cassius_, spiẽg a litle
hole therin, in the tẽple of _Apollo_ in _Seleucia_, as
_Ammianus Marcellinus_ writeth. To these mai be ioyned the
particular causes of infectiõ, which I cal the accidentes of the
place, augmenting thesame. As nigh to dwelling places, merishe &
muddy groundes, puddles or donghilles, sinkes or canales, easing
places or carions, deadde ditches or rotten groundes, close aier
in houses or ualleis, with suche like. Thus muche for the firste
cause.

The second cause of this Englyshe _Ephemera_, I said were
thimpure spirites in bodies corupt by repletiõ. Repletion I cal
here, abundance of humores euel & maliciouse, from long time by
litle & litle gathered by euel diete, remaining in the bodye,
coming either by to moche meate, or by euel meate in qualitie,
as infected frutes, meates of euel iuse or nutrimẽt; or both
ioyntly. To such spirites when the aire infectiue cometh (16)
cõsonant, thẽ be thei distẽpered, corrupted, sore handled, &
oppressed, thẽ nature is forced, & the disease engendred. But
while I doe declare these impure spirites to be one cause,
I must remoue your myndes frõ spirites to humours, for that the
spirites be fedde of the finest partes therof, & aftre bringe
you againe to spirites where I toke you. And forsomuche as I
haue not yet forgotten to whome I write, in this declaration I
will leaue a part al learned & subtil reasõs, as here void &
vnmiete, & only vse suche as be most euident to whom I write,
& easiest to be vnderstanden of the same: and at ones therwith
shew also why it haũteth vs English men more thẽ other nations.
Therfore I passe ouer the vngẽtle sauoure or smell of the
sweate, grosenes, colour, and other qualities of the same, the
quantitie, the daunger in stopping, the maner in coming furthe
redily, or hardly, hot or cold, the notes in the excremẽtes, the
state longer or sorer, with suche others, which mai be tokẽs of
corrupt humours & spirites, & onli wil stãd upõ iii. reasõs
declaring y^e same swet by gret repletiõ to be in vs not
otherwise for al the euel aire apt to this disease, more thẽ
other natiõs. For as hereaftre I wil shew, & Galẽ cõfirmeth, our
bodies cã not suffre any thĩg or hurt by corrupt & infectiue
causes, except ther be in thẽ a certeĩ mater prepared apt & like
to receiue it, els if one were sick, al shuld be sick, if in
this countri, in al coũtres wher the infection came, which thĩg
we se doth not chãce. For touching the first reasõ, we se this
sweting sicknes or pestilẽt _Ephemera_, to be oft in Englãd, but
neuer entreth Scotland, (except the borders) albeit thei both be
ioinctly within the cõpas of on sea. The same beginning here,
hath assailed Brabant & the costes nigh to it, but neuer passed
Germany, where ones it was in like faciõ as here, with great
mortalitie, in the yere m.d.xlix. Cause wherof none other there
is naturall, then the euell diet of these thre contries whiche
destroy more meates and (17) drynckes withoute al ordre,
cõueniẽt time, reasõ, or necessite, thẽ either Scotlande, or all
other countries vnder the sunne, to the greate annoiance of
their owne bodies and wittes, hinderance of theim which have
nede, and great dearth and scarcitie in their cõmon welthes.
Wherfore if _Esculapius_ the inuentour of phisike, y^e sauer of
mẽ from death, and restorer to life, should returne again ĩto
this world, he could not saue these sortes of men, hauing so
moche sweatyng stuffe, so many euill humoures laid vp in store,
frõ this displeasante, feareful, & pestilent disease: except
thei would learne a new lesson, & folowe a new trade. For other
wise, neither the auoidyng of this countrie (the seconde reason)
nor fleyng into others, (a commune refuge in other diseases)
wyll preserue vs Englishe men, as in this laste sweate is by
experience well proued in Cales, Antwerpe, and other places of
Brabant, wher only our contrimen ware sicke, & none others,
except one or ii. others of thenglishe diete, which is also to
be noted. The cause hereof natural is onely this, that they
caried ouer with thẽ, & by lyke diete ther incresed that whiche
was the cause of their disease. Wherefore lette vs asserteine
our selues, that in what soeuer contrie lyke cause and matter
is, there commyng like aier and cause efficient, wil make lyke
effecte and disease in persõs of agreable complexions, age, and
diete, if the tyme also doe serue to these same, and in none
others. These I putte, for that the tyme of the yere hote,
makethe moche to the malice of the disease, in openynge the
pores of the body, lettynge in the euill aier, resoluynge the
humores and makynge them flowable, and disposing therfore the
spirites accordyngly, besyde, that (as I shewed in the first
cause of this pestilente sweate) it stirreth and draweth out of
the erthe euill exhalations and mistes, to thinfection of the
aier and displeasure of vs. (18) Diet I put, for that they of
the contrarie diete be not troubled with it at all. Age and
complexion, for this, that although it spareth nõ age of bothe
kyndes, nor no complexion but some it touchethe, yet for the
most parte (wherby rules and reasones be alwayes to be made) it
vexed theim of the middle age, beste luste, and theim not moche
vnder that, and of complexions hote & moiste, as fitteste by
their naughty & moche subtiltie of blode to fede the spirites:
or nigh and lyke to thesame in some one of the qualities, as
cholerike in hete, phlegmatike in moister, excepte thother their
qualities, as drinesse in cholerike, & cold in phlegmatike, by
great dominion ouer thother, did lette. For the clene contrarie
complexiõs to the infected aier, alwaies remaine helthful,
saulfe and better then tofore, the corrupte and infected aier
notwithstandyng. Therfore cold and drie persones either it
touched not at all, or very fewe, and that wyth no danger: such
I say as beside their complexion, (whiche is so harde to finde
in any man exacte and simple, as exacte helthes) were annoied
with some corrupt humoures & spirites, & therfore mete by so
moch to receiue it, & that by good reasõ. For nothing can
naturally haue power to do ought against any thing, excepte the
same haue in it selfe a disposicion by like qualities to receiue
it. As the cause in the fote cãnot trouble the flanke and leue
the knee (the mean betwixte) except there were a greater
consent and likenes of nature in sufferance (whiche we call
_sympathian_) betwixte those then thother. Nor fire refusynge
stones, canne burne hardes, strawe, stickes and charcole, oile,
waxe, fatte, and seacole, except these same first of al wer
apte, and by conuenient qualities disposed to be enflamed and
burned. Nor any man goeth about to burne water, because the
qualities thereof be contrary, and the body vndisposed to the
like of fire. By whiche reason it may also be perceiued, that
y^e venemouse qualitie of this corrupt aire is (20) [= (19)]
hote and moiste, for it redily enfectethe the lyke complexions,
and those nigh vnto theim, and the contrary not at all, or
hardly: & easely doth putrify, as doe the Southe wyndes.
Therfore next vnto those colde and drie cõplexions, olde men
escaped free, as like to theim by age: and children, as voide of
replecion consumed by their great hete, and therefore alwaies
redy to eate. But in this disease the subtile humour euill and
abundant in full bodies fedyng y^e spirites, is more to be noted
then the humour complexional, whiche notwithstanding, as an
helper or hinderer to y^e same, is not to be neglected. For els
it should be in all contries and persones indifferently, wher
all complexiones be. The thirde and laste reason is, y^t they
which had thys sweat sore with perille or death, were either men
of welthe, ease, & welfare, or of the poorer sorte such as wer
idle persones, good ale drinkers, and Tauerne haunters. For
these, by y^e great welfare of the one sorte, and large drinkyng
of thother, heped vp in their bodies moche euill matter: by
their ease and idlenes, coulde not waste and consume it.
A comfirmacion of this is, that the laborouse and thinne dieted
people, either had it not, because they dyd eate but litle to
make the matter: or with no greate grefe and danger, because
they laboured out moche thereof. Wherefore vpon small cause,
necessarily must folowe a smal effecte. All these reasones go to
this ende, that persones of all contries of moderate and good
diete, escape thys Englishe _Ephemera_, and those be onely vexed
therewith, whiche be of immoderate and euill diete. But why? for
the euill humores and corrupte aier alone? No, for thẽ the
pestilence and not the swet should rise. For what then? For y^e
impure spirites corrupte in theim selues and by the infectiue
aier. Why so? for that of impure and corrupte humores, whether
thei be blode or others, can rise none other then impure
spirites. (20) For euery thynge is suche as that whereof it
commeth. Now, that of the beste and fineste of the blode, yea in
corrupte bodies (whyche beste is nought) these spirites be
ingendred and fedde, I before expressed. Therfor who wyl haue
them pure and cleane, and him selfe free from sweat, muste kepe
a pure and cleane diete, and then he shalbe sure.

[_The preseruacion_] Infection by the aier, and impure spirites
by repletion thus founde and declared to be the causes of this
pestilente sweate or Englishe _ephemera_, lette vs nowe see howe
we maye preserue our selues from it, and howe it may be
remedied, if it chaunce, wythe lesse mortalitie. I wyll begynne
wyth preseruation. That most of all dothe stande in auoidyng the
causes to come of the disease, the thinges helping forward the
same, and remouyng that whiche is alredy had & gotten. Al be
done by the good order of thynges perteynyng to the state of the
body. Therfore I will begin with diete wher I lefte, & then go
furth with aier where I beganne in treatyng the causes, and
declare the waie to auoide infection, and so furthe to the reste
in order. Who that lustethe to lyue in quiete suretie, out of
the sodaine danger of this Englishe _ephemera_, he aboue all
thynges, of litle and good muste eate & spare not, the laste
parte wherof wyl please well (I doubt not) vs Englishe men: the
firste I thinke neuer a deale. Yet it must please theim that
entende to lyue without the reche of this disease. So doyng,
they shall easely escape it. For of that is good, can be
engendred no euill: of that is litle, can be gathered no great
store. Therfore helthful must he nedes be and free from this
disease, that vsethe this kinde of liuynge and maner in
dietynge. An example hereof may the wise man _Socrates_ be,
which by this sorte of diete escaped a sore pestilence in
Athenes, neuer fleynge ne kepyng close him selfe from the same.
Truly who will lyue accordynge to nature and not to lust, may
with this diete be well contented. For nature is pleased with a
litle, nor seketh other then that (22) [= (21)] the mind voide
of cares and feares may be in quiete merily, and the body voide
of grefe, maye be in life swetly, as _Lucretius_ writeth. Here
at large to ronne out vntill my breth wer spent, as vpon a
common place, against y^e intemperãce or excessiue diete of
Englande, thincommodities & displeasures of the same many waies:
and contrarie, in commẽdation of meane diete and temperance
(called of _Plato_ _sophrosyne_, for that it cõserneth wisdome)
and the thousande commodities therof, both for helthe, welthe,
witte, and longe life, well I might, & lose my laboure: such be
our Englishe facions rather then reasones. But for that I
purpose neither to wright a longe worke but a shorte counseill,
nor to wery the reders with that they luste not to here, I will
lette that passe, and moue thẽ that desire further to knowe my
mynde therin, to remember that I sayd before, of litle & good
eate and spare not, wherby they shall easely perceiue my
meanyng. I therefore go furth with my diete, wherin my counseill
is, that the meates be helthfull, and holsomly kylled, swetly
saued, and wel prepared in rostyng, sethyng, baking, & so furth.
The bred, of swet corne, wel leuened, and so baked. The drinke
of swete malte and good water kyndly brued, without other drosse
nowe a daies vsed. No wine in all the tyme of sweatyng, excepte
to suche whose sickenes require it for medicin, for fere of
inflamynge & openynge, nor except y^e halfe be wel soden water.
In other tymes, old, pure, & smal. Wishĩg for the better
executiõ hereof & ouersight of good and helthsome victalles,
ther wer appointed certein masters of helth in euery citie and
toune, as there is in Italie, whiche for the good order in all
thynges, maye be in al places an example. The meates I would to
be veale, muttone, kidde, olde lambe, chikyn, capone, henne,
cocke, pertriche, phesane, felfare, smal birdes, pigeon, yong
pecockes, whose fleshe by a (22) certeine natural & secrete
propertie neuer putrefie, as hath bene proued. Conies, porke of
meane age, neither fatte nor leane, the skynne takẽ awaye,
roste, & eatẽ colde: Tartes of prunes, gelies of veale & capone.
Yong befe in this case a litle poudered is not to be dispraised,
nor new egges & good milke. Butter in a mornyng with sage and
rewe fastynge in the sweatynge tyme, is a good preseruatiue,
beside that it nourisheth. Crabbes, crauesses, picrel, perche,
ruffe, gogion, lampreis out of grauelly riuers, smeltes, dace,
barbell, gornerd, whityng, soles, flunders, plaice, millers
thumbes, minues, w^t such others, sodde in water & vinegre w^t
rosemary, time, sage, & hole maces, & serued hote. Yea swete
salte fishe and linge, for the saltes sake wastynge y^e humores
therof, which in many freshe fishes remaine, maye be allowed
well watered to thẽ that haue none other, & wel lyke it. Nor all
fishes, no more then al fleshes be so euil as they be takẽ for:
as is wel declared in physik, & approued by the olde and wise
romaines moche in their fisshes, lusty chartusianes neuer in
fleshes, & helthful poore people more in fishe then fleshe. But
we are nowe a daies so vnwisely fine, and womanly delicate, that
we may in no wise touch a fisshe. The olde manly hardnes, stoute
courage, & peinfulnes of Englande is vtterly driuen awaye, in
the stede wherof, men now a daies receive womanlines, & become
nice, not able to withstande a blaste of wynde, or resiste a
poore fishe. And children be so brought vp, that if they be not
all daie by the fire with a toste and butire, and in their
furres, they be streight sicke.

Sauces to metes I appoint firste aboue all thynges good
appetite, and next Oliues, capers, iuse of lemones, Barberies,
Pomegranetes, Orenges and Sorel, veriuse, & vineigre, iuse of
vnripe Grapes, thepes or Goseberies. After mete, quinces, or
marmalade, Pomegranates, Orenges sliced eaten with Suger,
Succate of the pilles or barkes therof, and of pomecitres, olde
apples and peres, Prunes, Reisons, Dates & Nuttes. Figges (24)
[= (23)] also, so they be taken before diner, els no frutes of
that yere, nor rawe herbes or rotes in sallattes, for that in
suche times they be suspected to be partakers also of the
enfected aire.

Of aire so much I haue spoken before, as apperteinethe to the
declaration of enfection therby. Nowe I wyl aduise and counseill
howe to kepe the same pure, for somoche as may be, or lesse
enfected, and correcte the same corrupte. The first is done in
takynge a way y^e causes of enfectiõ. The seconde, by doynge in
all pointes the contrary thereto. Take awaye the causes we maye,
in damnyng diches, auoidynge cariõs, lettyng in open aire,
shunning suche euil mistes as before I spake of, not openynge or
sturrynge euill brethynge places, landynge muddy and rottẽ
groundes, burieng dede bodyes, kepyng canelles cleane, sinkes
& easyng places sweat, remouynge dongehilles, boxe and euil
sauouryng thynges, enhabitynge high & open places, close towarde
the sowthe, shutte toward the winde, as reason wil &
thexperience of _M. varro_ in the pestilẽce at _Corcyra_
confirmethe. Correcte in doyng the contrary we shall, in dryenge
the moiste with fyres, either in houses or chambers, or on that
side the cities, townes, & houses, that lieth toward the
infection and wynde commyng together, chefely in mornynges &
eueninges, either by burnyng the stubble in the felde, or
windfallynges in the woodes, or other wise at pleasure. By which
policie skilful _Acron_ deliuered Athenes in _Gretia_, and
diuine _Hippocrates_ _abderã in Thratia_ frõ y^e pestilẽce, &
preserued frõ the same other the cities in _Grece_, at diuerse
times cõyng with the wynde frõ _æthiopia_, _illyria_ & _pæonia_,
by putting to the fires wel smelling garlãdes, floures &
odoures, as _Galene_ and _Soranus_ write. Of like pollicie for
purgyng the aier were the bonfires made (as I suppose) frõ long
time hetherto vsed in y^e middes of sommer, (24) and not onely
for vigiles. In cõfortyng the spirites also, and by alterynge
the aier with swete odoures of roses, swet perfumes of the same,
rosemary leaues, baies, and white sanders cutte, afewe cloues
steped in rose water and vinegre rosate, the infection shalbe
lesse noious. With the same you maye also make you a swete house
in castynge it abrode therin, if firste by auoidynge the russhes
and duste, you make the house clene. Haue alwaies in your
handcercher for your nose and mouth, bothe with in your house
and without, either the perfume before saide, or vinegre rosate:
and in your mouth a pece either of setwel, or of the rote of
_enula campana_ wel steped before in vinegre rosate, a mace, or
berie of Juniper. In wante of suche perfumes as is beforesaide,
take of mirrhe & drie rose leues of eche a lyke quantite, with a
little franke encense, for the like purpose, and caste it vpon
the coles: or burne Juniper & their beries. And for so moche as
clenelines is a great help to helthe, mine aduise is, that all
your clothes be swete smellynge and clene, and that you wasshe
your handes and face not in warme water, but with rose water and
vinegre rosate colde, or elles with the faire water and vinegre
wherein the pilles or barkes of orenges and pomegranates are
sodden: or the pilles of pomecitres & sorel is boiled: for so
you shalle close the pores ayenst the ayre, that it redily entre
not, and cole and tempre those partes so wasshed, accordynge to
the right entente in curynge this disease. For in al the
discurse, preseruatiõ, and cure of thys disease, the chefe marke
& purpose is, to minister suche thynges as of their nature haue
the facultie by colyng dryenge and closyng, to resiste
putrefaction, strength and defende the spirites, comforte the
harte, and kepe all the body ayenst the displeasure of the
corrupte aire. Wherfor it shal be wel done, if you take of this
cõposition folowyng euery mornyng the weight of ij. d. in vi.
(25) sponefulles of water or iuleppe of Sorel, & cast it vpon
your meate as pepper, ℞ seĩs citri. acetos. ros. rub. sãdal.
citrin. ãn. ʒ i, boli armeni oriẽtal. ʒ i. s, terr. sigil. ʒ s,
margarit. ʒ i, fol. auri puri. nº. iiij, misce. & f. pul.
diuidatur ad põd. ʒ s. Or in the stede of this, take fasting the
quantitie of a small bene of _Mithridatum_ or Uenice triacle in
a sponeful of Sorel, or Scabious water, or by the selfe alone.
And in goyng abrode, haue in youre hande either an handekercher
with vinegre and rose water, or a litle muske balle of
nutmegges, maces, cloues, saffrõ, & cinamone, of eche the weight
of ij. d. finely beatẽ; of mastike the weight of ij. d. ob. of
storax, v. d. of ladane x. d. of Ambre grise vi. graines, of
Muske iii. graines dissolued in ryght Muscadel: temper al
together, & make a balle. In want of _Mithridatum_ or suche
other as I haue before mencioned, vse dayly the Sirupes of
Pomegranates, Lemones, and Sorell, of eche half an vnce, with
asmuche of the watres of Tormentille, Sorell, and Dragones,
fasting in the morning, and one houre before supper. A toste in
vinegre or veriuse of Grapes, with a litle poulder of Cinamome
and Settewelle caste vppon it. Or two figges with one nutte
carnelle, and tenne leaues of rue in eche, and a litle salt. Or
boutire, rue, and sage, with breade in a morning eaten nexte
your harte, be as good preseruatiues, as theie be easye to be
hadde. These preseruatiues I here appoincte the more willingly
among many others further to be fetched, because these maye
easelier be hadde, as at hande in niede, which now to finde is
my most endeuour, as moste fruictfulle to whome I write. And
this to be done I counsaille in the sickenesse tyme, when firste
you heare it to be comming and begonne, but not in the fitte.
Alwayes remembryng, not to go out fastinge. For as _Cornelius
Celsus_ wrytethe, Uenime or infection taketh holde muche soner
in a bodye yet fasting, then in the same not fastinge. Yet this
is not so to be vnderstande, that in the (26) mornynge we shal
streight as our clothes be on, stuffe our bellies as fulle as
Englishe menne, (as the Frenche man saieth to our shames,) but
to be contente with oure preseruatiues, or with a little meate
bothe at breakefaste (if custome and nede so require) dynner and
supper. For other wise nature, if the disease shoulde take vs,
shoulde haue more a doe againste the full bealy and fearce
disease, then it were able to susteyne.

Aftre diete and ayer followethe filling or emptieng. Of filling
in the name of repletiõ I spake before. Of ẽptieng, I will now
shortely write as of a thing very necessary for the conseruation
of mannes healthe. For if that whiche is euel within, be not by
good meanes & wayes wel fet oute, it often times destroyeth the
lyfe. Good meanes to fet out the euelle stuffe of the body be
two, abstinence, & auoydance.

Abstinence, in eatynge and drinckynge litle, as a lytle before I
sayed, and seldome. For so, more goeth awaie then comethe, and
by litle and litle it wasteth the humours & drieth. Therfore
(as I wiene) throughe the counseil of Phisike, & by the good
ciuile, & politique ordres, tẽdring the wealth of many so much
geuẽ to their bellies to their own hurtes & damages, not able
for wãt of reasõ to rule thẽ selues, & therby enclined to al
vices and diseases: for thauoiding of these same, increase of
vertue, witte and health, sauing victualles, making plenty,
auoyding lothesomenesse or wearinesse, by chaunge, in taking
sometime of that in the sea, and not alwaies destroieng y^t of
the lande, an ordre (without the whiche nothing can stand) and
comon wealth, dayes of abstinence, and fasting were firste made,
and not for religion onely.

Auoidance, because it cãnot be safely done withoute the healpe
of a good Phisicien, I let passe here, expressing howe it
shoulde bee done duelye accordinge to the nature of the (27)
disease and the estate of the personne, in an other booke made
by me in Latine, vppon this same matter and disease. Who
therfore lusteth to see more, let him loke vpon that boke. Yet
here thus much wil I say, that if after euacuation or auoiding
of humors, the pores of the skinne remaine close, and y^e
sweating excrement in the fleshe continueth grosse (whiche
thinge howe to know, hereafter I will declare) then rubbe you
the person meanly at home, & bathe him in faire water sodden
with Fenel, Chamemil, Rosemarye, Mallowes, & Lauendre, & last of
al, powre water half colde ouer al his body, and so dry him, &
clothe him. Al these be to be don a litle before y^e end of y^e
spring, that the humours may be seatled, and at rest, before the
time of the sweting, whiche cometh comonly in somer, if it
cometh at al. For the tormoiling of the body in that time when
it ought to be most quiete, at rest, and armed against his
enemy, liketh me not beste here, no more then in the pestilence.
Yet for the presente nede, if it be so thoughte good to a
learned and discrete Phisicien, I condescend the rather. For as
in thys, so in alle others before rehearsed, I remytte you to
the discretion of a learned manne in phisike, who maye iudge
what is to be done, and how, according to the present estate of
youre bodies, nature, custome, and proprety, age, strength,
delyghte and qualitie, tyme of the yeare, with other
circumstaunces, and thereafter to geue the quantitie, and make
diuersitie of hys medicine. Other wise loke not to receiue by
this boke that good which I entend, but that euel which by your
owne foly you vndiscretelye bring. For good counseil may be
abused. And for me to write of euery particular estate and case,
whiche be so manye as there be menne, were so great almost a
busines, as to numbre the sandes in the sea. Therfore seke you
out a good Phisicien, and knowen to haue skille, and at the
leaste be so good to your bodies, as you are to your hosen or
shoes, for the wel making or mending wherof, I doubt (28) not
but you wil diligently searche out who is knowẽ to be the best
hosier or shoemaker in the place where you dwelle: and flie the
vnlearned as a pestilence in a comune wealth. As simple women,
carpenters, pewterers, brasiers, sopeballesellers, pulters,
hostellers, painters, apotecaries (otherwise then for
their drogges,) auaunters thẽ selues to come from Pole,
Constantinople, Italie, Almaine, Spaine, Fraunce, Grece and
Turkie, Inde, Egipt or Jury: from y^e seruice of Emperoures,
kinges & quienes, promising helpe of al diseases, yea vncurable,
with one or twoo drinckes, by waters sixe monethes in
continualle distillinge, by _Aurum potabile_, or _quintessence_,
by drynckes of great and hygh prices, as though thei were made
of the sũne, moone, or sterres, by blessynges and Blowinges,
Hipocriticalle prayenges, and foolysh smokynges of shirtes
Smockes and kerchieffes, wyth suche others theire phantasies,
and mockeryes, meaninge nothinge els but to abuse your light
belieue, and scorne you behind your backes with their medicines
(so filthie, that I am ashamed to name theim) for your single
wit and simple belief, in trusting thẽ most, whiche you know not
at al, and vnderstãd least: like to them whiche thinke, farre
foules haue faire fethers, althoughe thei be neuer so euel
fauoured & foule: as thoughe there coulde not be so conning an
Englishman, as a foolish running stranger, (of others I speake
not) or so perfect helth by honest learning, as by deceiptfull
ignorance. For in the erroure of these vnlerned, reasteth the
losse of your honest estimation, diere bloudde, precious
spirites, and swiete lyfe, the thyng of most estimation and
price in this worlde, next vnto the immortal soule.

For consuming of euel matter within, and for making our bodies
lustye, galiard, & helthful, I do not a litle comende exercise,
whiche in vs Englishe men I allowe quick, and (29) liuishe: as
to runne after houndes and haukes, to shote, wrastle, play at
Tẽnes and weapons, tosse the winde balle, skirmishe at base
(an exercise for a gentlemanne, muche vsed among the Italianes,)
and vaughting vpon an horse. Bowling, a good excercise for
women: castinge of the barre and camping, I accompt rather a
laming of legges, then an exercise. Yet I vtterly reproue theim
not, if the hurt may be auoyded. For these a conueniente tyme
is, before meate: due measure, reasonable sweatinge, in al times
of the yeare, sauing in the sweatinge tyme. In the whiche I
allow rather quietnesse then exercise, for opening the body,
in suche persons specially as be liberally & freely brought vp.
Others, except sitting artificers, haue theire exercises by
daily labours in their occupatiõs, to whom nothing niedeth but
solace onely, a thing conuenient for euery bodye that lusteth to
liue in helth. For els as nõ other thing, so not healthe canne
be longe durable. Thus I speake of solace, that I meane not
Idlenesse, wisshing alwayes no man to be idle, but to be
occupied in some honest kinde of thing necessary in a cõmon
welth. For I accompt thẽ not worthi meate & drink in a cõmõ
welth, y^t be not good for some purpose or seruice therin, but
take thẽ rather as burdennes vnprofitable and heauye to the
yearth, men borne to fille a numbre only, and wast the frutes
whiche therthe doeth giue, willing soner to fiede the
Lacedemonians old & croked asse, whiche labored for the liuing
so long as it coulde for age, then suche an idle Englisshe
manne. If the honestye and profite of honeste labour and
exercise, conseruation of healthe, preseruation from sickenesse,
maintenaunce of lyfe, aduauncement, safety from shamefull
deathes, defence from beggerye, dyspleasures by idlenesse,
shamefulle diseases by the same, hatefulle vices, and
punishemente of the immortalle soule, canne not moue vs to
reasonable laboure and excercise, and to be profitable membres
of the commune welthe, let at the least shame moue vs, seyng
that (30) other country menne, of nought, by their owne witte,
diligence, labour and actiuitie, can picke oute of a cast bone,
a wrethen strawe, a lyghte fether, or an hard stone, an honeste
lyuinge: Nor ye shal euer heare theym say, alas master, I haue
nõ occupaciõ, I must either begge or steale. For they can finde
other meanes betwene these two. And forsomuche as in the case
that nowe is, miserable persons are to be relieued in a cõmon
welth, I would wisshe for not fauouring the idle, the discretion
of _Marc. Cicero_ the romaine were vsed in healping them: Who
wolde compassion should be shewed vpon them, whome necessitie
compelled to do or make a faute: & no cõpassion vpon them, in
whome a faulte made necessitie. A faulte maketh necessitie, in
this case of begging, in them, whyche might laboure and serue, &
wil not for idlenes: and therfore not to be pitied, but rather
to be punished. Necessitie maketh a fault in thẽ, whiche wold
labor and serue, but cãnot for age, ĩpotẽcy, or sickenes, and
therfore to be pitied & relieued. But to auoyde punishmente & to
shew the waye to amendmente, I would again wishe, y^t forsomuch
as we be so euel disposed of our selfes to our own profites and
comodities with out help, this old law were renued, which
forbiddeth the nedy & impotent parentes, to be releued of those
their welthi chyldren, that by theym or theire meanes were not
broughte vppe, eyther in good learning and Science, or honeste
occupation. For so is a man withoute science, as a realme
withoute a kyng. Thus muche of exercise, and for exercise. To
the which I wolde now ioyne honeste companye betwene man and
woman, as a parte of natural exercise, and healpe to y^e
emptieng & lightning the bodye in other tymes allowed, in this
sweating tyme for helthes sake, & for feare of opening the
bodye, and resoluing the spirites, not approued, but for dout,
that w^t lengthing the boke, I shold wery y^e reader. Therfore I
let y^t passe & come to sleping & waking, whiche without (31)
good ordre, be gretly hurtful to the bodie. For auoiding the
whiche, I take the meane to be best, and against this sweat
moste commendable. But if by excesse a man must in eyther part
offend, I permit rather to watch to muche, then to lie in bedde
to longe: so that in watchinge, there be no way to surfetting.
Al these thinges duely obserued, and well executed, whiche
before I haue for preseruation mencioned, if more ouer we can
sette a parte al affections, as fretting cares & thoughtes,
dolefull or sorowfull imaginations, vaine feares, folysh loues,
gnawing hates, and geue oure selues to lyue quietly, frendlie,
& merily one with an outher, as men were wont to do in the old
world, whẽ this countrie was called merye Englande, and euery
man to medle in his own matters, thinking theim sufficient,
as thei do in Italye, and auoyde malyce and dissencion, the
destruction of commune wealthes, and priuate houses: I doubte
not but we shall preserue oure selues, bothe from this sweatinge
syckenesse, and other diseases also not here purposed to be
spoken of.

[_The cure or remedy._] But if in leauinge a parte these or some
of them, or negligently executing them, it chaunceth the disease
of sweating to trouble our bodies, then passinge the bondes and
compasse of preseruation, we must come to curation, the way to
remedie the disease, & the third and last parte (as I first
sayed) to be entreated in this boke. The principalle entente
herof, is to let out the venime by sweate accordinge to the
course of nature. This is brought to passe safely two waies, by
suffring and seruing handsomly nature, if it thruste it oute
readily and kindely: and helping nature, if it be letted, or be
weake in expellinge. Serue nature we shall, if in what time so
euer it taketh vs, or what so euer estate, we streyghte lay vs
downe vppon oure bedde, yf we be vp and in oure clothes, not
takyinge them of: or lie stille, if we be in bed out (32) of our
clothes, laiyng on clothes both wayes, if we wante, reasonably,
and not loadinge vs therewith vnmeasurably. Thus layed and
couered, we must endeuoure our selues so to continue wyth al
quietnes, & for so much as may be without feare, distruste, or
faintehartednesse, an euel thinge in al diseases. For suche
surrendre and geue ouer to the disease without resistence. By
whiche occasion manye more died in the fyrste pestilence at
_Athenes_, that I spake of in the beginnynge of thys boke, then
other wyse should. Oure kepers, friendes and louers, muste also
endeuoure theym selues to be handesome and dilygente aboute vs,
to serue vs redilye at al turnes, and neuer to leaue vs duringe
foure and twentie houres, but to loke welle vnto vs, that
neyther we caste of oure clothes, nor thruste out hande or
foote, duryng the space of the saide foure and twenty houres.
For albeit the greate daungere be paste after twelue houres, or
fourtene, the laste of trial, yet many die aftre by to muche
boldenes, when thei thinke theim selues most in suretye, or
negligence in attendaunce, when they thinke no necessitie.
Wherby it is proued that without dout, the handsome diligence,
or carelesse negligence, is the sauing, or casting awaye of
many. If ij. be taken in one bed, let theym so continue,
althoughe it be to their vnquietnesse. For feare wherof, & for
the more quietnesse & safetye, very good it is duryng all the
sweating time, that two persones lye not in one bed. If with
this quietnes, diligẽce, and ordre, the sicke do kindelye
sweate, suffre them so to continue, without meate all the xxiiij
houres: withoute drincke, vntil the fifth houre, if it maie be.
Alwayes taking hede to theim in the fourth, seuenth, nineth, &
eleuenth houres speciallye, and fourteenth also, as the laste of
triall and daungier, but of lesse in bothe. For these be most
perilous, as I haue obserued this yere in this disease, hauing
y^e houres iudicial, as others haue theire dayes, and therfore
worse to geue anye thinge in, for troublyng nature standyng in
trialle. (33) Yet wher more daunger is in forbearyng then in
takyng, I counseill not to spare in these howres to do as the
case requireth with wisdome & discretion, but lesse then in
other howres. In the fifthe howre geue theim to drinke clarified
ale made only doulcet with a litle suger, out of a cruet, or
glasse made in cruet facion, with a nebbe, for feare of raisynge
theim selues to receiue the drinke offered, & so to let the
sweat, by the ayer strikyng in. But if the sicke on this wise
beforesaid canot sweate kyndly, then nature must be holpen, as I
sayd before. And for so moch as sweat is letted in this disease
fower waies, by disorder, wekenes of nature, closenes of the
pores in the skinne, & grosnes of the humoures: my counseil is
to auoide disorder by suche meanes as hetherto I haue taught,
and next to open the pores if they be close, and make thinne the
matter, if it be grosse, and prouoke sweat, if nature be weke.
Those you shal doe by gentle rubbynges, this by warme drinckes
as hereafter streight I will declare. And for that euery man
hath not the knowlege to discerne which of these is the cause of
let in sweatyng, I wil shewe you plainly howe to do with moste
suretie and leste offense. I wyll beginne with wekenes of
nature. Therefore remember well that in treatynge the causes of
this disease, I sayed that this sweate chauncethe cõmonly in
theim of the mydde age and beste luste, the infection hauyng a
certein concordance, or conuenience with the corrupte spirites
of theim more then others. Knowe agayne that nature is weke, ij.
waies, either in the selfe, or by the annoiance of an other. In
the selfe, by wante of strength consumed by sicknes or other
wise. By annoiaunce of an other, when nature is so ouerlaid with
the quantitie of euill humours that it can not stirre. Betwene
thes two set youre witte, and se whether the persõ be lustye
(34) or sickly. If he be lustye, vnderstande that the sweat doth
not stoppe for wekenes of nature in it selfe. Then of necessitie
it must be for some of thother causes. But for whiche, thus
knowe. Consider whether the lusty person were in foretyme geuen
to moche drynkyng, eatyng and rauenyng, to moch ease, to no
exercise or bathinges in his helth, or no. If all these you
finde in him, knowe that bothe nature is wekened by the
annoiance of the humoures, and that the skinne is stopped, and
the humoure grosse, and that for thys the sweate is letted. If
you finde onely some of these, and that rauenynge, annoiance is
the cause. If want of exercise or bathinges, stoppinges of the
pores and closenesse, or grosenes of humours, or bothe, be the
cause of not sweatying. On the othersyde, if the persõ be
sickely, it is easely knowẽ that his wekenes consisteth in
nature the self. And for so moche as weke folkes and sicke shal
also by other causes not sweate, consider if in his sickenes he
hath swette moche or no, or hath bẽ disposed to it and coulde
not. If he neither hath swette, nor coulde sweat disposed, knowe
that closenes of the skinne, and grosenes of the humour is the
cause. Therfore euery thing in his kynde muste be remedied,
Wekenes of nature, by drinkes prouokyng sweate: closenes, &
grosenes, by rubbynge, as I said. But be ware neither to rubbe
or geue drinkes, excepte you see cause as beforesayd. For other
wise, the one hindrethe nature, and thother letteth out the
spirites & wasteth y^e strength. Therefore accordyngly, if rubbe
you must, geue to the sicke in to their beddes a newe and
somewhat harde kerchefe, well warmed but not hote, and bydde
theim rubbe all their bodies ouer therewith vnder the clothes,
neither to moche neither to litle, nor to harde or to softe, but
meanely betwene, takyng you hede whiche be aboute them, that by
stirrynge their armes they raise not the clothes to let in the
ayer. This done, if case so require, geue thẽ a good draught of
hote possette ale (35) made of swiete milke turned with vinegre,
in a quarte wherof percely, and sage, of eche haulfe one litle
handfull hath been sodden, wyth iii. sliftes of rosemary, ii.
fenel rootes cutte, and a fewe hole maces. Alwaies remembrynge
here, as in other places of this boke, to heate the herbes in a
peuter dishe before the fyre, or washe theim in hote water,
before you putte them in to the posset ale, and that you putte
their to no colde herbes at any tyme durynge the hole fitte. Or
geue theim posset ale hote with rosemary, dittane, & germander.
Or baie beries, anise seades, & calamintes with claret wine
sodden and dronke warme. Or white wine with hore and wilde tansy
growen in medes sodden therin, and ii. d. weight of good
triacle, dronke hote, or in y^e stede of that, wilde tanesy,
mogwort or feuerfue. These prouoke sweat, may easely be hadde,
& be metest for thẽ which haue al y^e causes beforesayde of
lettyng thesame. But specially if for colde and grose humoures,
or for closenes of the skinne, the sweate commethe not furthe.
If with one draught they sweate not, geue theim one other, or
ij. successiuely, after halfe one houre betwene, and encrease
the clothes, first a litle aboue the meane, after, more or lesse
as the cause requireth, & make a litle fire in the chamber of
clene woode, as ashe & oke, with the perfume of bdellium: or
swiet woode, as Juniper, fyrre, or pine, by theimselues:
remembrynge to withdrawe the fire, when they sweat fully, and
the clothes aboue the meane, by litle and litle as you laide
theim on, when they firste complaine of faintyng. And after xii.
or xiiii. houres, some also of the meane, but one after an other
by halfe one houre successiuely with discrecion, alwaies not
lokyng so moche to the quantitie of the sweat, as what the sicke
may saufely beare. And in suche case of faintynge, suffer
competent open aier to come into the chamber, if the same and
the wether be hote, for smoderynge the pacient, by (36) suche
windowes as the wynde liethe not in, nor openeth to the south.
Put to their noses to smell vinegre and rose water in an
handkercher, not touchynge theim there with so nighe as maye be.
Cause theim to lie on their right side, and bowe theim selues
forward, call theim by their names, and beate theim with a
rosemary braunche, or some other swete like thynge. In the stede
of posset ale, they whiche be troubled with gowtes, dropsies,
reumes, or suche other moiste euill diseases, chauncing to
sweat, may drinke a good draught of the stronger drinke of
_Guaiacum_ so hote as they can, for the lyke effecte, as also
others may, not hauynge these deseases, if it be so redy to
theim as the other. After they ones sweat fully, myne aduise is
not to geue any more posset ale, but clarified ale with suger,
duryng the hole fitte, neither vnreasonably, nor so ofte as they
call for it, neither yet pinchyng theym to moche when they haue
nede, alwayes takynge hede not to putte any colde thynge in
their mouthe to cole and moiste them with, nor any colde water,
rose water, or colde vinegre to their face duryng the sweat and
one daie after at the leaste, but alwaies vse warmeth accordynge
to nature, neuer contrariyng thesame so nighe as may be. If they
raue or be phrenetike, putte to their nose thesame odour of rose
water & vinegre, to lette the vapoures from the headde. If they
slepe, vse theim as in the case of faintyng I said, with betyng
theim and callynge theim, pullyng theim by the eares, nose, or
here, suffering them in no wise to slepe vntil suche tyme as
they haue no luste to slepe, except to a learned mã in phisicke
the case appere to beare the contrary. For otherwise the venime
in slepe continually runneth inward to y^e hart. The contrary
hereof we muste alwaies intende, in prouokyng it outwarde by all
meanes duryng the fitte, whyche so longe lasteth in burnynge and
sweatyng, as the matter thereof hath any fyrie or apte partes
therfore. For as great & strong wine, (37) ale, or bere, so
longe do burne as there is matter in theim apte to be burned,
and then cesse when that whiche remainethe is come againe to hys
firste nature: that is, to suche water clere & vnsauery, as
either the bruer receiued of the riuer, or vine of the earth:
euen so the body so longe continuethe burnynge and sweatynge,
as their is matter apte therefore in the spirites, and then
leaueth, when the corrupcion taken of the finest of the euill
blode is consumed, and the spirites lefte pure and cleane as
they were before the tyme of their corruption.

This done, and the body by sufficient sweate discharged of the
venime, the persone is saulfe. But if he by vnrulines & brekyng
his sweate, sweateth not sufficiently, thẽ he is in daunger of
death by y^t venime that doth remaine, or at the leaste to sweat
ones againe or oftener, as many hath done, fallynge in thrise,
sixe tymes, yea, xii. tymes some. If sufficiently the sweate be
come, you shal know by the lightnes & cherefulnes of the body,
& lanckenes in all partes, by the continuall sweatyng the hole
daie and out of all partes, whyche be the beste and holsome
sweates. The other which come but by tymes and onely in certein
partes, or broken, be not sufficient nor good, but very euill,
of whose insufficiency, ij. notes learne: a swellyng in y^e
partes with a blackenes, & a tinglyng or prickyng in the same.
Suche I aduise to appointe theim selues to sweat againe to ridde
their bodies of that remaineth, & abide it out vntill they fele
their bodies lanke & light, and to moue the sweat as before I
said, if thesame come not kyndly by the selfe. If they canot
forbeare meate during y^e space of their fitte, and faste out
their xxiiij. houres, without danger, geue theim a litle of an
alebrie onely, or of a thinne caudel of an egge sodden with one
hole mace or ij. If they be forced by nature to ease them selues
in the meane time, let them do it rather in warme shetes put
into them (38) closely, then to arise. After they haue thus
fully swette, conuey closely warme clothes into theyre beddes,
and bid them wipe themselues there with in al partes curiouslye:
and be ware that no ayer entre into theire open bodies (and
speciallye their arme holes, the openest & rarest parte therof)
to let the issue of that whych doeth remaine. The lyke may be
done in the reste of their fitte, with lyke warenes, for that
clenlinesse comfortethe nature, and relieueth the pacient. If in
duringe oute the foure and twentye houres there be thought
daungiere of death without remouing, rather warme well the other
side of the bedde, and wil hym to remoue himself into it, thẽ to
take him vp & remoue hym to an other bed, which in no case mai
be done. For better is a doubtful ware hope, then a certeine
auentured death. The foure and twenty houres passed duly, they
may putte on theire clothes warme, aryse, and refresshe theym
selues with a cawdle of an egge swietelye made, or such other
meates and sauces reasonably and smally taken, as before I
mencioned. And if their strength be sore wasted, let theym
smelle to an old swiet apple (as Aristotle did by his reporte in
the boke _de pomo_) or hotte new bread, as _Democritus_ did, by
the record of _Laertius_ in his life, either by it self alone,
or dipped in wel smelling wyne, as Maluesey or Muscadelle, &
sprinckled with the pouder of mintes. Orenges also and Lemones,
or suche muske balles as I before described, be thinges mete for
this purpose. For as I saied in my ij. litle bokes in Latine _de
medendi methodo_, of deuise to cure diseases, there is no thinge
more comfortable to the spirites then good and swiet odoures. On
this wise aduised how to order your selues in al the time of the
fitte, now this remaineth, to exhorte you not to go out of your
houses for iij. dayes, or ij. at the least after the fitte
passed, and then wiselye, warely, and not except in a faire (39)
bright daye, for feare of swouning after great emptinesse, and
vnwont ayer, or for forcyng nature by soubdaine strikyng in of
thesame aier, colde, or euil, in to the open body. For nature so
forced, maketh often tymes a sore and soubdaine fluxe, as wel
after auoidaunce of these humores by sweate, (as was this yere
well sene in many persones in diuerse contries of Englande for
none other cause) as of others by purgation.

Thus I haue declared the begynning, name, nature, accidentes,
signes, causes, preseruations, and cures naturall of this
disease the sweatynge sickenes, English _Ephemera_, or pestilent
sweate, so shortly & plainly as I could for y^e cõmune saufty of
my good countrimen, help, relieue, & defence of thesame against
y^e soubdaine assaultes of the disease, & to satisfie the
honeste requeste of my louynge frendes and gentle acquaintance.
If other causes ther be supernatural, theim I leue to the
diuines to serche, and the diseases thereof to cure, as a matter
with out the compasse of my facultie.


                   IMPRINTED
            _at London, by Richard
                Grafton Printer
                 to the Kynges
                    majestie
                 Anno. Do. 1552
            Cum privilegio ad impri-
                 mendum solum_


       *       *       *       *       *
           *       *       *       *
       *       *       *       *       *


_Errors and Inconsistencies_

The name is consistently spelled “Jhon”

The letters u and v are shown as printed, including the occasional
initial u or non-initial v. The capital U form is used consistently;
conversely, the “v” form is used in all numbers.

Random spacing of “the same” : “thesame” is unchanged.

  A comfirmacion of this is  [_spelling unchanged_]
  sodde in water & vinegre w^t rosemary, time, sage, & hole maces
    [_missing , after “rosemary”_]
  _abderã in Thratia_
    [_italicized as shown: expected form would have only “Thracia”
    in italics_]
  frõ _æthiopia_, _illyria_ & _pæonia_
    [_printed with italic ampersand as if one place: “Illyria and
    Pæonia”_]
  Good meanes to fet out the euelle stuffe of the body be two
    [_printed as shown: long “s” (“ſet”) in 1552 text?_]
  and wast the frutes whiche therthe doeth giue  [_text has “grue”_]





*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The Sweating Sickness - A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called - the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse" ***

Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.