A treatise of the plague containing the nature, signes, and accidents of the same, with the certaine and absolute cure of the feuers, botches and carbuncles that raigne in these times: and aboue all things most singular experiments and preseruatiues in the same, gathered by the obseruation of diuers worthy trauailers, and selected out of the writing of the best learned phisitians in this age. By Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Phisicke.

CHAP. II. Of the causes of the Plague. (Book 2)

THose sicknesses which are contagious and pestilent (euen as al other kinds of in∣firmities) haue their causes. For nothing may produce without an efficient cause that bringeth the same to effect: The Plague then hath his originall & produ∣cing causes, from whence shée taketh ori∣ginall beginning: and is engendred by a certaine and more secret meanes then all other sicknesses. For, for the most part the causes of priuate sicknesses which are not in∣fectious, are either to great repletion, or a generall deprauati∣on of the humours which are in the body, or obstruction, or binding, or putrifaction, as Galen in his Booke, (Of the Causes of sicknesses) hath very learnedly written. But the Plague hath none of these aboue mentioned causes, but only contagious and pestilent: yet notwithstanding together with these causes of repletion, Cachochimie, obstruction, & putrifacti∣on, the Plague may bée annexed and vnited; but yet in such sort, as they be not the proper reputed causes which ingender the Plague, for then if y^t should follow, all sicknesses accompa∣nied with such like causes might be reputed pestilentiall, which were both vntrue and absurde: It behooueth vs therefore, to finde out a proper and continent cause of the Plague, and such like contagious infirmities. Let vs then conclude with Ga∣len, in his Booke Of Treacle, to Piso, and Pamphilianus, that all pestilentiall sicknesses, as from the proper cause, are ingendred from the ayre, depraued and altered in his sub∣stance, by a certaine vicious mixture of corrupted and strange vapours, contrary to the life of man, and corrupting the vi∣tall spirit: which vnkindly excretion sowed in the ayre, and infecting the same, communicateth vnto vs by our conti∣nuall alteration of the same, the venome which poysoneth vs.

The ready and spéedy chaunges, saith Galen, which happen in the ayre, through the euill corruption of the same, produce the Plague; which like a rauishing beast depopulateth and de∣stroyeth diuers men by death, yea whole cities, because men hauing a necessitie to sucke in the ayre, together with the same sucke in the infection and venome: By this it appeareth that the proper and immediat cause which ingendreth the Plague, is the attraction and in breathing of the ayre, infected and poi∣soned with a certaine venemous vapour, contrary to the na∣ture of man. To his effect before his time, the great M. of Physique, Hipocrates writeth thus, in his Booke Of Humane Nature: The cause (saith he) of the generall pe∣stilence which indifferently attainteth all sortes of men, is the ayre which we sucke, that hath in it selfe a corrupt and venemous seede, which we draw with our in-breathing. Now the causes which engender such vapours in the aire, are diuers and of different kindes, for sometimes such a vapour is lifted vp into the ayre, by reason of the corruption & stench of dead and vnburied bodyes; (as in places where any great battell haue béene fought, it often falleth out, according as diuers Histories testifie.) It is ingendred also through euill vapours that issue from the earth, or certaine Caues thereof, which yéelde foorth exhalations full of corruptions that infect the ayre, where it contracteth by an euill qualitie. It happeneth likewise by a loathsome steame, of certain Marsh in plashie Fennes full of mudde and durt, as also from di∣uers sorts of Plantes, and venemous beastes, whose euill qualitie may produce such an effect in the ayre. But the an∣cient Physitians and Astrologers, (as namely Auicen, with diuers others) report: that the Plague hath two originals and sources, from whence (as from a Fountaine) shée taketh her beginning.

The first is, in the indisposition of the earth ouerflow∣ed with too much moysture, and filled with grosse and euill vapours, which by vertue of the Sunne béeing lifted vppe into the ayre, and mixed with the same, corrupteth

the nature and complexion thereof, and engendreth a certaine indisposition in the same contrary to our substaunce, from whence it commeth to passe, that they who sucke this infec∣ted aire are in daunger to be attainted with this contagion and sicknesse of the Pestilence. Especially, if they be of an euil constitution of body, repleate with euil humours, men of vnbrideled dyet, sanguine, and such as haue large and portu∣all pores: They likewise who are weake and delicate, are men ready to be surprised and infected.

An other cause of the Plague saith Auicen, procéedeth from the celestiall formes, that is to say, the starres and their confi∣gurations and malignant aspects, which by their influences cause such sicknesses full of contagion and Pestilence, as in generall all other Astrologians testifie: But in truth as tou∣ching mine owne opinion which is grounded vpon the diuine determination of Plato in his Epinomides, and his Timae∣us, of Plotinus his chiefe follower, of Iamblichus, Proclus, Mercurius, Trismegistus, Aristotle, and Auerrhois, I finde that this opinion, is both false and erronious; as namely, to thinke that any contagion or misfortune, incommoditie or sick∣nesse whatsoeuer may by reason of the starres befall man. Because as Plato witnesseth in his Dialogue intituled Epi∣nomis, The nature of the starres is most goodly to behold, wel gouerned in their motions, and beneficiall to all liuing crea∣tures, bestowing on them all commodities of generation and conseruation: If then the nature of the starres be so good that it meriteth to be called diuine (as in the same place Plato inti∣tuleth it) and yéeldeth so many benefites to these inferiour bodies: how can it be that the starres infuse such infection and contagion vpon the earth and earthly creatures, whereas it is manifest that no cause can produce such effects as are con∣trary to it selfe? If then the good of inferior bodies procée∣deth from celestiall bodies, as namely the generation, production of fruites, and riping of the same: yea and the conseruation of euery ones vertue (as in truth it doth): It shall neuer be truly and possibly concluded that the corruption and

extermination of bodies procéedeth from the starres. And ther∣fore Aristotle very aduisedly saith; That this inferiour world is very necessarily coupled and ioyned with the superiour, to the ende that all the vertue therof might be conducted and gui∣ded by the same. If the starres by their vertue conserue all the creatures in this world, how can they by corruption, venome and contagion, dissipate and destroy them? The saide Plato also calleth all the Planets and starres sisters, for their accord in good doing; and saith that it is a great folly in men to thinke that some Planets are euil and malignant, and the rest good, whereas all are good. For as Calcidius the great Platonist saith in his Commentaries vpon Platoes Timaeus,

No euil may either procéed or take beginning from the heauens, be∣cause in that holy place all thinges are good, and such as re∣semble the diuinitie, and nothing that sauoureth of malice may abide and haue place: neither saith he, can the starres chaunge their nature, because it is simple and pure, neither can they degenerate from the simplicitie and puritie which by the Almightie power hath bene bestowed vpon them.

Why then shall we attribute vnto them a malignant, pestilent, and contagious qualitie, and such as rauisheth and spoyleth all li∣uing creatures by a venemous and pestilent influence? For if contagion be as badde a thing as may be (as in truth it is) the most disordinate and contrary to nature, or rather enemy to life) the source and originall of which contagion, is nothing but very infirmitie, putrifaction and corruption in matter, how dare we attribute to the starres & heauen (which is the be∣ginning of all generation) such an erroneous and vnnaturall accident? Wheras the Planets are Celestiall bodies, well dis∣posed, powerfull, without vice, corruption, or matter, subiect or inclining to any contagion: And therefore Auerrois the chiefe Commenter vpon Aristotle saith;

That whosoeuer beléeueth that Mars or any other Planet disposed in any sort whatsoeuer, doth hurt to any inferiour bodies; the same man in sooth beléeueth such things as are estraunged from all Philo∣sophie. And the same Author vpon the ninth of Aristotles

Metaphisiques, saith; that the Celestiall bodies which are the beginning of all things are eternall, and haue neither euil error or corruption in them; for corruption is of the order of such things as are euil.

And therefore saith he, it is impossible to know that which the Astronomers say, that there are some fortunate, and some vnfortunate starres, but this only may be knowne, that whereas all of them are good, that some of them are better then other some. Behold here the worthy and true opinion of this excellent Philosopher, which before him (in as much as concerneth the first part of this sentence) Aristotle in the ninth of his Phisiques, Chapter 10. had testified. The wise Philosopher Mercury Trimisgistus in his Dialogue in∣tituled Asclepius, saith; that all that which descendeth from heauen is generatiue; if then in respect of vs the influence of heauen be generatiue (as in truth it is): for as Aristotle saith, Sol & homo generant hominē) it cannot any waies be possible that it can corrupt or cause the confusion of mankinde. The like also is confirmed by Proclus, (who interpreteth vpon Platoes booke de Anima & Demone,) The Celestiall bodies (saith he) by a soueraigne harmony containe all thinges in themselues, and perfect them, and conforme them among themselues: and to the vniuers, If then it appeareth that the Celectiall bodies perfect all things, and both confirme & con∣serue them, (as in truth they doo, and this Author witnesseth) how can these engender contagion and infection in vs, which abolishe our perfection and integritie, and destroy vs by rauishing our liues? To speake truth, as me séemeth it were a thing impossible. For it is contrary to the nature of contagi∣on, that it should descend from heauen, because contagion is no other thing but an infection procéeding from one vnto an other by communication of a pestilent and infected vapour, and by this meanes if the Plague and contagion procéeded from the starres, it should necessarily follow by the definition of contagion, that the starres were primarily or formerly in∣fected, if by their influence they should send a pernicious con∣tagion among vs. But this in no sort may be graunted, be∣cause

the starres by being Celestiall bodies, pure, diuine, and estranged from all corruption, receiuing and containing no infection in them, being no materiall bodies apt to transmuta∣tion or chaunge, (as Aristotle and Auerrois in his Booke de Caelo est mundo, doo learnedly alledge) cannot be capable of in∣fection or contagion, neyther communicate it to the inferior bodies. Let vs therefore cast off this vaine and sottish opini∣on whereby we are induced to beléeue that the Plague pro∣céedeth from the heauens: that is to say, from the influence of the starres, (as by the vanitie of time we haue had induce∣ments.) But let vs confesse that it procéedeth from the secret iudgements of God, who intendeth by this scourge to whip vs for our sinnes, as it appeareth in Leuiticus, and Deu∣teronomy▪ To conclude, we say that the cause of the Plague is a malignant alteration and corruption of the ayre in∣fecting our bodies, as it hath bene declared in the beginning of this Chapter.