De Morbo Gallico. Of the French Poxe Chap. 66.
* 1.1IN times past they were called the Spanish Poxe, about the yeare of our Lorde God. 1493. This pestiferous euill crept among the people, it first ap∣pered at Naples,* 1.2 in ye frēnch mens host, (whereof it tooke the name) afterward the French men loathing the name of French Poxe, tearmed it the Euill of Naples, Sithence which time, it is be∣come the euill to change Countryes. Notwithstanding it was diverslye cal∣led, as Iobs scabbes, ••••••gers Euill, Fiacres sicknesse. The wiser sorte of people did interpreate this disease to bée the wrath of God, a disease of much filthinesse, it is to be taken by drinking with those that haue this Euill, with vsing to their stooles of ease, and Pri∣uies, and soonest with lyeng in theyr beddes, of the cause of this disease. In∣to what disease the French Poxe are tourned, hewe men sought to preuent the same, and of the discription of Gu∣aiacum, Reade the booke Tituled Mor∣bus Galicus, sette forth by Nicholas Massae, Doctour of Phisicke, a Veneti∣an, Anno. 1532. and translated by Tho∣mas Poynell of Marten Abbeye Cha∣non. Anno. 1533. It may easily bée per∣ceiued that Bartholomeus neuer knew of this euill, nor a multitude of other woodes, trées, plants, hearbes, stones, wormes, fishes, birdes, séedes and peo∣ples, which in this worke thou shalt finde, as the place requisite shall declare. Also of this Morbus Galicus, or Variole Maiores, of some named Mentagra, the French Poxe, there bée diuerse, some be moyst, some bée weasing watrishe, some bee drye, some bée like King∣wormes, some bée fistuled, some be feste∣red, some cancarous, some bée lyke Wennes, some bée lyke Biles, some bee knobbed and knurred, and some bée vlterous, hauing a drye scabbe in the middle, some haue ache in the ioyntes, and no outwarde signe of the Poxe, and there is smal Poxe. The abhominablest and filthiest taking of this disease, is by carnall copulation with those yt haue it. The diet made with Guiacum is the ap∣proued remedy. Use counsaile of the phi∣sition.