The Sweating Sickness Part 1

The Sweating Sickness.

by John Caius.

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 a.s.saultyng 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 whe 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 thig, whiche from tyme to tyme might remaine, wherto men might in such cases haue a recourse & present refuge at all nedes, as th? 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 pa.s.se, 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 th? that ease that I could, & to instructe th? for their recouery: but to note also throughly, the cases and circ.u.mstaunces 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 m?

not lerned, one other in latine for men of lerninge more at large, and generally for the help of th? which hereafter should haue nede, either in this or other coutreis, that they may lerne by our harmes. This I had thoughte to haue set furth before christmas, & to haue geu? to your lords.h.i.+ppe 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 Lords.h.i.+ppe, 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 cmoditie alone, but also for the comm 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 fr?des, 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 G.o.d, 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 auth.o.r.e made it, but abbreuiate for his only purpose to whome I sent it, Leuyng out many subtile thinges, made rather for great & learned diuines, th? 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 & ma?teine good learning conteined in tongues & sciences, and did also study and apply diligently the same th? 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 cmoditie of that which is so written, pa.s.seth not the compa.s.se 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 mult.i.tude, 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 printig 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, (wh 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 cmon 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 framingh, 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 fr his beginnyng vntil his death.

Of the which bokes, ij. of _ctin?tia_ (or ctinence) wer in prose, y^e reste in metre or verse of diuerse kindes. One a comforte for a blinde m, ent.i.tled _ad Aemilianum caec.u.m consolatio_, one other _Ecpyrosis, seu incendiu sodomoru_, 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 wors.h.i.+ppe _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, Epigrmes, 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 preu?ted, and toke him away wher he and I was borne at Norwiche, in the yere of our Lord M.d.x.x.xvij. 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 th?, and perceiued them ful of al kyndes of learnyng, thinkyng th? no workes for all m? 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d Jh Skippe, late bishop of Hereforde, then to D. Thirtle, tutor to the sayd maister framyngh, fr him to syr Richard Morisine, now amba.s.sadoure for y^e kinges maiestie with th?perour, then to D. Tailour Deane of Lincolne, and syr Thomas Smithe, secretarie after to y^e kynges Maiestie, all great learned men. Fr 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 th?, as their workes. Howe soeuer it be, well I knowe that at my returne out of Italie (after vj. yeres continuance ther) into Engld, I coulde neuer vnderstand wher they wer, although I bothe diligently and desirousely sought th?. 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 Jh Grome bacheler in arte, (7) a yong man in yeres, but in witte & learnyng for his tyme, of great expectati. That done I beganne a chronicle of the citie of Norwiche, of the beginninge therof & thinges done ther fr 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 th?, furiousely handle them, spedily oppresse them, vnmercyfully (8) choke them, and that in no small numbers, and such persons so notably n.o.ble in birthe, goodly conditions, graue sobrietie, singular wisede, 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 circustances, 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 fr it, and remedy them wh? they haue it.

[The beginnyng of the disease] In the yere of our Lorde G.o.d M.CCCC.lx.x.xv. 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 pa.s.sed 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 th? 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 th? I wil declare, wh? I shal come to shewe the signes therof. In the mene s.p.a.ce, 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 th?peror 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 s.p.a.ce 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 wh (10) it is almoste proper, & also began here: or els pestilent, for that it cmeth 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, Quotidi, Tertian, Quartane, Aier, Infection, Pestilence, Uomite, Person, Reines, Ueines, Peines, Chamere, Numbre, &c. a litle altered by the commune p.r.o.nunciation. In Greke, Pleuresie, Ischiada, Hydrops, Apostema, Phlegma, and Chole: called by the vulgare p.r.o.nunciati, 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, writt? and p.r.o.nouced comly, kerchief in y^e south, & courchief in the north. Thereof euery head or princ.i.p.all thing, is comonlye called cephe, p.r.o.nouced & writt?, chief. Uery many other there be in our commune tongue, whiche here to rehea.r.s.e 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 cmly vsed. Let vs therfore returne to the thing, which as occasi & 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 Dec?bre. 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 G.o.d, 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 wh no registre was kept, fr that it abated vntil the x.x.x. day of the same, with the losse of C. xlii. more.

Then cea.s.sing 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 cea.s.sed.

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 th?, are moued to the like. In which labors, if nature be strg & able to thrust out the pois by sweat (not otherwise letted) y^e pers 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 fluss.h.i.+ng, 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 pa.s.sion of the hart. For the fluss.h.i.+ng 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 cmonly is in tharme or legge (the fartheste partes of theire refuge) the backe or shulder: trieng ther first a brut 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 pl?tuous as in their founteines, whether alwaies thinfection desireth to go. For fr the liuer, the nigh stomack, braine, and harte, come all the iij. sortes, and kyndes of spirites, the gouernoures of oure bodies, as firste sp.r.o.nge 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 stdeth 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.: infecti, & impure spirites in bodies corrupt by repleti. Infection, by thaire receiuing euel qualities, dist?pring not only y^e hete, but the hole substce 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 & regi, many wayes. First & specially by euel mistes & exhalatis drawen out of the grounde by the sune in the heate of the yeare, as chanced amg the Grekes in the siege of Troy, wherby died firste dogges & mules, after, (14) m?

in great numbre: & here also in Engld 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 fr toune to toune, with suche a stincke in morninges & eueninges, that m?

could scarcely abide it. Th? by dampes out of the earth, as out of Galenes _Barathru_, or the poetes _auernu_, or _aornu_, the dampes wherof be such, that thei kil y^e birdes fli?g ouer them.

Of like dampes, I heard in the north coutry in cole pits, wherby the laboring m? be streight killed, except before the houre of coming therof (which thei know by y^e flame of their cdle) thei auoid the groud. Thirdly by putrefacti or rot in groudes aftre great flouddes, in carions, & in dead men. After great fluddes, as happened in y^e time of Gallien th?peror 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 caris 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 mnes 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 pa.s.sage 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 infecti, 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 infecti 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 groud made for grain, wherof many I did se in & about _Pesaro_ in Italy, by openig th? aftre a great s.p.a.ce, as both those coutrim? do cfesse, & also by exple is declared, for y^e manye in openig th? vnwarely be killed. Out of caues, & tbes also, as chauced 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 Ca.s.sius_, spi?g a litle hole therin, in the t?ple of _Apollo_ in _Seleucia_, as _Ammia.n.u.s Marcellinus_ writeth. To these mai be ioyned the particular causes of infecti, which I cal the accidentes of the place, augmenting thesame. As nigh to dwelling places, merishe & muddy groundes, puddles or donghilles, sinkes or ca.n.a.les, 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 repleti. 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 nutrim?t; or both ioyntly. To such spirites when the aire infectiue cometh (16) csonant, th? be thei dist?pered, corrupted, sore handled, & oppressed, th? nature is forced, & the disease engendred. But while I doe declare these impure spirites to be one cause, I must remoue your myndes fr 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 rea.s.s, 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 hauteth vs English men more th? other nations.

Therfore I pa.s.se ouer the vng?tle sauoure or smell of the sweate, grosenes, colour, and other qualities of the same, the quant.i.tie, the daunger in stopping, the maner in coming furthe redily, or hardly, hot or cold, the notes in the excrem?tes, the state longer or sorer, with suche others, which mai be tok?s of corrupt humours & spirites, & onli wil std up iii. rea.s.s declaring y^e same swet by gret repleti to be in vs not otherwise for al the euel aire apt to this disease, more th?

other natis. For as hereaftre I wil shew, & Gal? cfirmeth, our bodies c not suffre any thig or hurt by corrupt & infectiue causes, except ther be in th? a certei mater prepared apt & like to receiue it, els if one were sick, al shuld be sick, if in this countri, in al coutres wher the infection came, which thig we se doth not chce. For touching the first reas, we se this sweting sicknes or pestil?t _Ephemera_, to be oft in Engld, but neuer entreth Scotland, (except the borders) albeit thei both be ioinctly within the cpas of on sea. The same beginning here, hath a.s.sailed Brabant & the costes nigh to it, but neuer pa.s.sed Germany, where ones it was in like faci 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, cueni?t time, reas, or necessite, th? 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 cmon welthes.

Wherfore if _Esculapius_ the inuentour of phisike, y^e sauer of m? from death, and restorer to life, should returne again ito this world, he could not saue these sortes of men, hauing so moche sweatyng stuffe, so many euill humoures laid vp in store, fr 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 th?, & by lyke diete ther incresed that whiche was the cause of their disease. Wherefore lette vs a.s.serteine 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 perss 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 n 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 l.u.s.te, 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 complexis 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 reas. 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 cnot 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 cplexions, 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 th? 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 l.u.s.tethe 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 l.u.s.t, 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 intemperce or excessiue diete of Englande, thincommodities & displeasures of the same many waies: and contrarie, in comm?dation of meane diete and temperance (called of _Plato_ _sophrosyne_, for that it cserneth 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 l.u.s.te not to here, I will lette that pa.s.se, and moue th? 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. Wis.h.i.+g for the better executi 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, c.o.c.ke, pertriche, phesane, felfare, smal birdes, pigeon, yong pec.o.c.kes, 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 tak? awaye, roste, & eat? 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. b.u.t.ter 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 th? that haue none other, & wel lyke it. Nor all fishes, no more then al fleshes be so euil as they be tak? for: as is wel declared in physik, & approued by the olde and wise romaines moche in their fisshes, l.u.s.ty 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 appet.i.te, 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 enfecti. The seconde, by doynge in all pointes the contrary thereto. Take awaye the causes we maye, in d.a.m.nyng diches, auoidynge caris, lettyng in open aire, shunning suche euil mistes as before I spake of, not openynge or sturrynge euill brethynge places, landynge muddy and rott?

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 pestil?ce 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_ _abder in Thratia_ fr y^e pestil?ce, & preserued fr the same other the cities in _Grece_, at diuerse times cyng with the wynde fr _aethiopia_, _illyria_ & _paeonia_, by putting to the fires wel smelling garldes, floures & odoures, as _Galene_ and _Sora.n.u.s_ write. Of like pollicie for purgyng the aier were the bonfires made (as I suppose) fr long time hetherto vsed in y^e middes of sommer, (24) and not onely for vigiles. In cfortyng 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 quant.i.te, 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 wa.s.she 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 wa.s.shed, accordynge to the right entente in curynge this disease. For in al the discurse, preseruati, 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 cposition 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, ? seis citri. acetos. ros. rub. sdal.

citrin. n. ? i, boli armeni ori?tal. ? i. s, terr. sigil. ? s, margarit. ? i, fol. auri puri. n. iiij, misce. & f. pul.

diuidatur ad pd. ? s. Or in the stede of this, take fasting the quant.i.tie 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, saffr, & cinamone, of eche the weight of ij. d. finely beat?; 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 repleti I spake before. Of ?ptieng, 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, t?dring the wealth of many so much geu? to their bellies to their own hurtes & damages, not able for wt of reas to rule th? 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 cnot be safely done withoute the healpe of a good Phisicien, I let pa.s.se 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 l.u.s.teth 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 rehea.r.s.ed, 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 circ.u.mstaunces, and thereafter to geue the quant.i.tie, 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 know? 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 th? 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 sune, moone, or sterres, by blessynges and Blowinges, Hipocriticalle prayenges, and foolysh smokynges of s.h.i.+rtes 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 th? most, whiche you know not at al, and vnderstd 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 l.u.s.tye, 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 T?nes 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.