Chap. 2.

1 By what ſignes you may know whether the ſick be infected with the Peſtilence. 2 How thoſe ſignes doe encreaſe or decreaſe every day; 3 Whether life or death be likely to enſue; 4 A caveat not to tamper with thoſe that begin to amend of themſelves.

Thoſe that are infected with the Peſtilence, in the beginning or firſt day thereof, are taken with an extraordinary cold outwardly, and a burning heate inwardly, a great paine and girding about the ſtomacke, a ſluggiſhneſſe and drouſineſſe of the whole body, a loſſe of appetite, a bitterneſſe in the throat, with a deſire to vomit, & ſometimes they do vomit.

The diſeaſe continuing unto the ſecond and third day, the heate breaketh outwardly, ſtronger, and ſtronger, ſo that there followeth a great paine in the head, and a difficulty of breathing, ſuperfluous ſleeps, and ſometimes ſuperfluous watchings, they grow frantike and light-headed, and they looke very ſtaringly: And if there doth any ſwelling appear under the eares, armes, cheeks, or groines, and that theſe ſignes aforenamed doe begin to ceaſe, Then ſhall the ſick recover immediatly without any medicine, onely give him a plaſter or pulteſſe to ripen the tumour, which muſt be applyed the next day after the ſwelling appeareth; but give him nothing inwardly, except it be a warme Caudle, or Ale-brue, or Broth; for

Therefore bee carefull that you doe not tamper with thoſe that do begin to amend: for thoſe very Medicines that are excellently available againſt any Fevers in the beginning or encreaſe of them, being given in the declination or recovery, will bring the patient into a Relapſe, which is worſe then the former diſeaſe, and which ſhall greatly endanger life. For how many have died by the unſeaſonable taking of Treacle, Mithridate, and other good Medicines? Wherefore I have often ſaid, that a skilfull Phyſician by watching his time ſhall doe more with a cup of warme drinke in the cure of the Plague, or any Fever, then the ignorant ſhall do with all the excellent Medicines that are in the Apothecaries Shop.

Now if the riſing doe appear, & that the ſymptoms or ſignes aforenamed doe not begin to ceaſe, but rather encreaſe, Then ſhortly after there will appeare ſome blains or ſpots, & ſo death enſueth, unleſſe you draw ten or twelve ounces of bloud (according to the ſtrength of the ſick) from the liver or middle vein of the arme, on that ſide where the riſing is.

But if ſo be that the ſickneſſe continueth unto the third and fourth day, and the ſymptomes remaine in their full vigour, then ſhortly will the ſpots come forth; and then I know no medicine that can deliver from death, except God be more mercifull to the ſick: But only on the third day before the ſpots appear it ſhall be greatly available to give him one of the cordial ſweats preſcribed in the enſuing Chapter.