Of the Mother. Cap. 8.
THe mother is called Mater,* 1.1 for shée profereth and putteth forth the breast to giue the childe, and is busie to nou∣rish and so kéepe it, and the childe in the mothers wombe is fed with bloud men∣struall, but when the child is born, kinde sendeth that bloud to the breasts, & tour∣neth it to milke to féede the childe, and so the childe is more better and kindlye fed with his owne mothers milke, than with other milke. The mother that con∣ceiueth with liking, trauaileth & bringeth forth hir childe with sorrow and woe, & she loueth the childe tenderly, and clip∣peth and kisseth it, and féedeth and nori∣sheth it busily. Also after that the mother is with childe, she sheddeth not menstru∣all bloud: for as Arist. saith, it turneth into féeding of the childe. The mother is lesse grieued if she go with a male child, then when she goeth with a maid child: and therefore she is fairer of colour, and lighter of mouing, as Aristo. saith. And Aug. saith, The néerer the time of birth the mother is, the more she is grieued & trauailed with mouing of ye child. Arist. saith, and Galen also super Aphor. that the tokens that women goe with child, be if they desire diuers things, & chaunge colour, & were wan vnder the eyen, and the breasts were great, and little & little the wombe ariseth, and with greatnesse of the child, the mother is stretched, their stomackes wamble, and oftentimes they be ready to spewe, they be very sad, and can away with no labour, in trauails of childe they be compelled to crye & light∣ly perish, & namely young women with small members and straight. The more woe and sorrow women haue in trauel, the more they loue the childe, when it is borne •• and they kéepe and nourisheth, & instrudeth it the better. The lettes of a woman in conceiuing & féeding of a child, sake afore in the fift book, wher is trea∣ted of the mother and breasts. Further∣more in the same it toucheth of death birth, and of the causes thereof.