CHAP. IIII. Of the preparation of humours to putrefaction, and admission of pestiferous impressions.
HAving shewed the causes from which the Aire doth putrefie, become corrupt, and is made partaker of a pestilent and poysonous constitution, wee must now declare what things may cause the humours to putrefie, and make them so apt to receive and retaine the pestilent Aire and ve∣nenate quality.
Humours putrefie either from fulnesse, which breeds obstruction, or by distempe∣rate * 1.1 excesse, or lastly, by admixture of corrupt matter & evill juice, which ill feeding doth specially cause to abound in the body: For the Plague often followes the drin∣king of dead and mustie Wines, muddy and standing waters, which receive the sinks and filth of a City; and fruits and pulse eaten without discretion in scarcity of o∣ther Corn, as Pease, Beans, Lentils, Vetches, Acorns, the roots of Fern, & Grass made into Bread. For such meats obstruct, heap up ill humours in the body, & weaken the strength of the faculties, from whence proceeds a putrefaction of humours, and in that putrefaction a preparation and disposition to receive, conceive and bring forth the Seeds of the Plague: which the filthy scabs, maligne sores, rebellious ulcers, and putrid feavers, being all forerunners of greater putrefaction and corruption, doe te∣stifie. Vehement passions of the minde, as anger, sorrow, griefe, vexation and feare, * 1.2 helpe forward this corruption of humours, all which hinder natures diligence and care of concoction: For as in the dog-dayes, the Lees of wine subsiding to the bot∣tome, are by the strength and efficacy of heat drawne up to the top, and mixed with the whole substance of the wine, as it were by a certaine ebullition, or working: So melancholy humours, being the Dregs or Lees of the bloud, stirred up by the passi∣ons of the mind, defile or taint all the bloud with their feculent impurity.
We found that some years agone by experience, at the battell of St. Dennis. For all wounds, by what weapon soever they were made, degenerated into great and filthy putrefactions & corruptions, with feavers of the like nature, & were commonly deter∣mined by death, what medicines, & how diligently soever they were applyed; which caused many to have a false suspicion that the weapons on both sides were poisoned. But there were manifest signes of corruption and putrefaction in the bloud let the same day that any were hurt, and in the principall parts dissected afterwards, that it was from no other cause, than an evill constitution of the Aire, and the minds of the Souldiers perverted by hate, anger and feare.