The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

Of the fashion of a childe in the wombe, and how the members are framed one after another in the mothers bellie: of the time and dayes, within which a childe is perfectly fashioned.

ARAM. I cannot marueile enough at the pride and presumption of many, who thinke themselues to be such great Philosophers, and so skilfull in the knowledge of naturall things, that they perswade themselues, that nothing is so secrete in nature which they know not, and whereof they are not able to shew the causes and reason. But experience sheweth vnto vs daily, how farre short they are of that which they thinke, and in what ignorance the best learned are wraped at this day. For how many things are daily manifested vnto them, which the greatest searchers of nature, that euer haue beene, were ignorant of, vnto whome notwithstanding they that now liue are but disciples? And how many things doe continu∣ally come to passe, into which the chiefest, sharpest sighted, and most expert haue no sight * 1.1 at all, or very small? And among them that suppose they haue good knowledge, how are they deceiued oftentimes? How many are doubtfull in many things whereof they haue but small coniectures, whereupon they gesse at all aduenture, and as they imagine? VVe may easily iudge hereof by this, that continually one reprehendeth and correcteth another, and that the later writers condemne sundry things in the former. But not to seeke a farre off for examples, we may see them daily in the science of the Anatomie of mens bodies. For there was neuer yet Phisicion or Anatomist either olde or newe, that attained to perfect

knowledge, and could render a reason of euery thing that is but in one body, notwithstan∣ding that they are continually conuersant in that matter. Therefore to leaue vnto God that secret which is hidden from our vnderstanding, let vs consider of that which we may know touching the forme of a child in the wombe.

If we loooke narrowly into that order that nature followeth in the framing of man, who is the litle world, we shall find it like to that which the Authour of nature obserued in the creation of the world, which Moses calleth the generation of the heauens and of the earth. * 1.2 For in the beginning the earth was without for me & v••id, and couered with a great gulph of waters, so that the earth and waters and matter of all the elements, and of all creatures * 1.3 created afterward, were mingled and confoūded together in this great heape. Vnto this the Almighty afterwards added a form••, and created so many goodly creatures, and of so diuers natures & kinds as are to be seene in the whole world, which he hath adorned with them, and endued with so great beauty that it hath receiued the name of that, which is as much as Ornament or Order of things well disposed.

After the same manner doth nature, or rather God by nature work in the creation and generation of men. For the seed of which they are formed, and which is the matter prepa∣red, disposed and tempered by the same prouidence of God for the work he hath in hand, receiueth not fashion presently vpon the conceptiō, but remaineth for a time without any figure or lineaments, or proportion, and shew of a humane body, or of any member therof. The natural Philosophers & Phisicions, who haue searched most carefully into this work, and haue had greatest experience, they say that there are certaine membranes and skins that are wrappeh round about the infant in the wombe, which some commonly call the Matrix others cal the Mother: and that within these skins, which are three in number, as some A∣natomists say, others but two, as it were within certaine bands, the fruite is preserued vntill the birth. Wherein we are to acknowledge the prouidence of almighty GOD, who hath so disposed of nature, that euen from our mothers wombe, she is in steade of a mother to vs, * 1.4 folding vs vp with bandes before shee that hath conceiued vs can performe the same.

But let vs proceede on with our matter, so far foorth as we haue learned of the fashion of the child in the discourse of Philosophers and Physicions. They say then, that after the wombe hath receiued the seeds ioyned together, of both which the childe is to be framed, it commeth to passe that the heat of the Matrix warmeth all this matter as it were in a litle fornace, and so raiseth a skin ouer it which being as it were rosted by litle and litle, waxeth * 1.5 crusty and hard round about the seed. This causeth the whole matter to resemble an egge, by reason that this skinne compasseth about the seed, which boyleth inwardly through the abundance of naturall spirits that are within it. This is that skinne which is * 1.6 commonly called the Secundine, or After burthen, being ioyned on euery side to the womb by reason of a great number of Orifices, veines and arteries reaching thereunto, to the end that by them the blood, spirites, and nourishment should be conueyed to the in∣fant: For as the whole wombe embraceth the seed, so likewse it heateth and nourish∣eth the same. Therefore this skinne that serueth in steade of little bandes hath two vses: the first is to take fast hold of the womb: the other, to serue for the nourishment of the burthen, and of the childe. For this cause there are two veines and two arteries in it (besides a passage in the middest (which are as it were the rootes of the burthen, and make the Nauill.

This worke with other circumstances belonging thereunto, which we omit for bre∣••ity * 1.7 sake, is brought to passe the first sixe dayes of the conception. After this skinne, they that make three, speake of a second skinne that is in the middest, which they saye was created to receiue the vrine of the childe, which in the former monethes is voyded by the Nauill, and in the latter moneths by the ordinary passage. This voyding place is ordayned to this ende, that the vrine might not frette and rent in sunder the tender skin of the infant, who is therefore couered with a third skinne next to the other, and that is very tender. So that the vrine toucheth not the infant, but is voyded by the middle way, as I haue already declared. Thus you see the beginning of the conception, before the burthen be wholly formed like to an infant. Wherunto that saying of the Prophet hath * 1.8 relation, Thi••e e••es (sayth hee) did see mee when I was without forme: for in thy books was all things written which in continuance were fashioned, when there was none of them before. Then hee compareth the secre••t partes seruing for generation, especially the belly, and

wombe of the woman, vnto the earth, and to an obscure, secret and hidde place, euen to deepe and darke caues in the ground. For as the earth hauing receiued the seede in which is the vigour, keepeth, cherisheth, and increaseth the same: euen so fareth it with the wombe and with the mother. On the other side, as these parts are lowest in regard of the trunke of the body, and of all the receptacles and vessels thereof, so are they very secret and hidden, and as it were, in the midst & center of the body, if the whole be considered together, name∣ly the trunke with both ends therof. For this cause the work that is there wrought by God, is so much the more marueilous, because euen in that obscure place, it receiueth the good¦liest and most perfect forme that can be imagined. And who will not be abashed to consi∣der, that out of that slymie seed of man there should come bones, sinewes, flesh, skinne, and such like things so diuers one from another? But yet it is a greater marueile to see all this great diuersity of matter, to be framed in so many sundry members, and of so many sundry formes, and that with such excellent beauty, so profitable and so fit for those offices that are assigned vnto them, as we haue learned in our former discourses. Now as God did not create all creatures in one day, although he could well haue done it, if it had so pleased him, so doth he in the generation of men, for albeit that the members are fashioned all at once, so that not one of them is framed before an other, neuerthelesse because there is great variety betwixt them, both in respect of their dignity, and of their strength, nature their mother doth not set them forward all alike. For in displaying her power generally to∣wards * 1.9 all the parts of the body, it commeth to passe that her worke, and the figure giuen vnto it, appeareth sooner or later in some members more then in others. Hereof it is that the greatest and chiefest members appeare naturally before the rest, albeit they are not the first that are fashioned. So likewise all the members are not beautified and made perfect at the same time, but some after others, according as they haue heat and nourishment. Nature therefore obserueth this order, that the worthiest parts and such as haue in them the be∣ginning of motion, shew themselues first, and then those members that are profitable and seruiceable to the former, and are created for their cause. And according to this order the highest parts are seene sooner then the lowest, & those within before them without, and they that receiue their substance from the seed before those that haue it from blood. Those also amongst them that are most excellent are first, notwithstanding many times they haue their accomplishment and perfection after the other, as it appeareth in the Nauil. For although the heart, liuer, and braine, being the chiefest parts of the body, haue their begin¦ning before that, yet is it the first among thē all that appeareth perfect. Now then after the Nauill with his pipe or passage is formed and fashioned within the first sixe dayes, the * 1.10 blood and spirit are next drawne by those veines and arteries, whereof wee spake euen now to be sent to the seed, & mingled therwith, that the principall members might be figu∣red, as the liuer, the hart, & the braine, which begin first like to litle bladders, and so conse∣quently the rest which are fashioned by litle & litle according as they receiue nourishment. For the veines whereby the burthen is nourished, may well bee likened to small rootes, whereby plants are cherished: as also the burthen it selfe may be compared vnto plantes in this point, as wee haue already learned. So that the seed receiuing this forme already spoken of, in the first sixe daies, during which time it is called by no other name then seed, nine dayes after that the blood is drawne thither, of which the liuer and the heart receiue their forme: so that after twelue dayes added to the former, a man may discerne the line∣aments and proportion of these two members, and also of the braine, albeit they are not then altogether fashioned. At this time the burthen is called Foetus of the Latines, and Em∣bryon of the Greeks, which is as much in our language as Sprouting or Budding. Next after * 1.11 this, within the space of other eighteene dayes, all the other members are fashioned and di∣stinguished. So that about fiue and forty dayes after th•• conception, the members receiue their perfect fashion: and then doth the burthen begin to liue not only as plants liue, but also as other liuing creatures. For it hath sense & feeling about the sixe & thirtieth day, and from that time forward it is called an infant. But as yet it is void of motion. For by and by * 1.12 after it is formed, it is very tender, vntill that by vertue of the heat it waxeth more dry and firme, which is by reason that the moisture, whereby it is made so soft and tender, consu∣meth away by litle and litle, so that the nayles begin to take roote at the fingers ends, and the haires in the head. Now after the child is come to the third moneth if it be a male, or to * 1.13 the fourth if it be a female, it beginneth to stirre it selfe according to the testimony of Hip∣pocrates, because then his bones are more firme and somewhat harder. But this is not alwaies

alike in al women with child. For there are some that alwaies feele it stirre about the two & fourtieth day, others neuer feele the same vntill the middest of the time from the concep∣tion to the birth. Yea in the same woman the same time and order is not alwaies obserued. For according to the strength and good complection of the child, and the nature and dis∣position of the mother, these things change, and not onely because of the sexe. Neuerthe∣lesse it is most ordinary and vsuall formale children to mooue within three moneths or there abouts, as likewise to be borne at the ninth moneth: whereas females are commonly somewhat slower both in stirring and also at their birth, the reason wherof is this, because male childrē are naturally a great deale more hote then females. Galen attributeth the cause * 1.14 of the generation of sons to the strength and heat of the seed and saith that they are caried on the right side of the wombe, as the daughters on the left, which is the colder side, as be∣ing farthest remoued from the liuer. He yeeldeth also this reason why some children are more like the father and some the mother, because of the greater strength of seede which they haue either from the one, or from the other. And when it commeth to passe, that the wombe receiueth seed at two sundry passages which it hath, then are twins engen∣dred either at one conception or at twaine, so that the later bee not long after the former, according to the opinions of the Philosophers, & namely of Aristotle, who rehearseth ma∣ny examples therof in his seuenth booke of the history of liuing creatures, saying that a whore was deliuered of two children, wherof the one was like the father, and the other like the adulterer. But now we are to consider of the child birth, which is as wonderfull a work of God in nature as any other. It belongeth then to thee ACHITOB, to end this dayes worke by a discourse tending to this purpose.

Notes

• * 1.1

  No mans knowledge perfect.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 24.
• * 1.3

  The creation of the world, and of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 co•• pared to∣gather.
• * 1.4

  An argument of the prou••∣dence o•• God
• * 1.5

  Of the forme of an infant.
• * 1.6

  Of the after∣burth••n.
• * 1.7

  The first sixe dayes worke from the con¦ception.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 139. 16.
• * 1.9

  All the mem∣bers receiue their forme together.
• * 1.10

  The nauill first made perfect.
• * 1.11

  Whē the seed is called Em∣bryon.
• * 1.12

  When the burthen is cal¦led a child or infant.
• * 1.13

  When the childe first ••••••eth.
• * 1.14

  Galens opini¦on of the birth of sons.