The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

OF THE GENERATION OF MAN. THE TWENTY FOURTH BOOK. (Book 24)

THE PREFACE.

GOD, the Creator and maker of all things, immediately after * 1.1 the Creation of the world, of his unspeakable counsell and in∣estimable wisedome not onely distinguished mankinde, but all other living creatures also, into a double sex, to wit, of male and female; that so they being moved and enticed by the al∣lurements of lust, might desire copulation, thence to have pro∣creation. For this bountifull Lord hath appointed it as a solace unto every living * 1.2 creature against the most certaine & fatall necessity of death: that for as much as each particular living creature cannot continue for ever, yet they may endure by their species or kinde by propagation and succession of creatures, which is by procreation, so long as the world endureth. In this conjunction or copulation, re∣plenished with such delectable pleasure, which God hath chiefly established by the law of Matrimony, the male and female yeeld forth their seeds, which pre∣sently mixed and conjoyned, are received and kept in the females wombe. For, * 1.3 the seed is a certaine spumous or foamie humour replenished with vitall spirit, by the benefit whereof, as it were by a certain ebullition or fermentation, it is puf∣fed up and swolne bigger, and both the seedes being separated from the more pure bloud of both the parents, are the materiall and formall beginning of the issue, for the seede of the male being cast and received into the wombe, is accounted the principall and efficient cause, but the seede of the female is reputed the subja∣cent matter, or the matter whereon it worketh. Good and laudable seede ought * 1.4 to bee white, shining, clammy, knotty, smelling like unto the elder or palme, de∣lectable to bees, and sinking downe to the bottome of water being put into it, for that which swimmeth on the water is esteemed unfruitfull; for a great portion commeth from the brain, yet some thereof falles from the whole body, & from all the parts both firme and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thereof. For unlesse it come from the whole body, & * 1.5 every part therof, all & every part of the issue cannot be formed thereby: because

like things are engendered of their like: and therefore it commeth that the child resembleth the parents, not onely in stature and favour, but also in the confor∣mation and proportion of his lims and members, and complexion and tempera∣ture of his inward parts, so that diseases are oft times hereditary, the weakeness of this or that entrall being translated from the parent to the childe. There are * 1.6 some which suppose this falling of the seed from the whole body not to be under∣stood according to the weight and matter, as if it were a certaine portion of all * 1.7 the blood separated from the rest; but according to the power and forme, that is to say the animall, naturall, and vitall spirits, being the framers of formation and life, and also the formative faculty to fall down from all the parts into the seed, that is wrought or perfected by the Testicles, for proofe and confirmation whereof, they alledge that many perfect, sound, absolute, and well proporti∣oned children, are borne of lame and decrepit parents.

CHAP. I. Why the generative parts are endued with great pleasure.

A Certaine great pleasure accompanieth the function of the parts appointed for generation, and before it, in living creatures that are of a lusty age, when matter aboundeth in those parts, there goeth a certaine fervent or furious desire: the causes thereof are many, of which the chiefest is, That the kind may be preserved and kept for ever, by the propagation and substitution of other living creatures of the same kinde. For brute beasts which want reason, and therefore cannot bee solicitous for the preservation of their kinde, never come to carnall copulation, unlesse they be moved thereunto by a certaine vehement provo∣cation of unbridled lust, and as it were by the stimulation of venery. But man, that * 1.8 is endued with reason, being a divine and most noble creature, would never yeeld nor make his minde subject to a thing so abject and filthy as is carnall copulation, but that the venerous ticklings, raised in those parts, relaxe the severity of his mind, or reason admonish him that the memory of his name ought not to end with his life, but to be preserved unto all generations, as farre as may be possible, by the propa∣gation of his seed or issue. Therefore by reason of this profit or commodity, na∣ture hath endued the genitall parts with a far more exact or exquisite sense than the * 1.9 other parts, by sending the great sinewes unto them, and moreover she hath caused them to be bedewed or moistened with a certain whayish humour, not much unlike the seed sent from the glandules or kernells called prostatae, situated in men at the be∣ginning of the necke of the bladder, but in women at the bottome of the wombe: this moisture hath a certaine sharpenesse or biting, for that kinde of humour of all o∣thers can chiefly provoke those parts to their function or office, and yeeld them a delectable pleasure, while they are in the execution of the same. For even so whay∣ish and sharpe humours, when they are gathered together under the skinne, if they waxe warme, tickle with a certaine pleasant itching, and by their motion inferre de∣light: but the nature of the genitall parts or members is not stirred up or provoked to the expulsion of the seed with these provocations of the humours, abounding ei∣ther in quantity or quality onely, but a certaine great and hot spirit or breath contei∣ned in those parts, doth begin to dilate it selfe more and more, which causeth a cer∣taine incredible excesse of pleasure or voluptuousnesse, •…•…erewith the genitalls be∣ing replete, are spread forth or distended every way unto their full greatnesse. T•…•…

yard is given to men whereby they may cast out their seed directly or straightly in∣to the womans wombe, and the necke of the wombe to women, whereby they may receive that seed so cast forth, by the open or wide mouth of the same necke, and al∣so that they may cast forth their owne seed, sent through the spermaticke vessels un∣to their testicles; these spermaticke vessels, that is to say, the veine lying above, and * 1.10 the artery lying below, do make many flexions or windings, yet one as many as the other, like unto the tendrills of vines diversly platted or foided together, and in these folds or bendings the blood and spirit which are carryed unto the testicles, are con∣cocted a longer time, and so converted into a white seminall substance. The lower of these flexions or bowings doe end in the stones or testicles. But the testicles, for as much as they are loose, thin, and spongeous or hollow, receiving the humour which was begun to be concocted in the forenamed vessels, concoct it again themselves: but the testicles of men concoct the more perfectly for the procreation of the issue; & the testicles of women more imperfectly, because they are more cold, lesse, weake and * 1.11 feeble, but the seed becommeth white by the contact or touch of the testicles, be∣cause the substance of them is white. The male is such as engendereth in another, and the female in her selfe, by the spermaticke vessels which are implanted in the inner capacity of the womb. But out of all doubt unlesse nature had prepared so many al∣lurements, * 1.12 baits, and provocations of pleasure, there is scarce any man so hot or de∣lighted in venereous acts, which considering and marking the place appointed for humane conception, the loathsomnesse of the filth which daily falleth downe unto it, and wherewithall it is humected and moistened, and the vicinity and neerenesse of the great gut under it, and of the bladder above it, but would shun the embraces of women. Nor would any woman desire the company of man, which once premeditates or forethinkes with her selfe on the labour that shee shall sustaine in bearing the burthen of her childe nine moneths, and of the almost deadly paines that she shall suffer in her delivery.

Men that use too frequent copulation, oftentimes in stead of seed cast forth a crude * 1.13 and bloody humor, and sometimes also meere blood it selfe; and oft times they can hardly make water but with great pain, by reason that the clammy and oily moisture, which nature hath placed in the glandules called prostatae, to make the passage of the urine slippery, & to defend it against the sharpenesse of the urine that passeth through it, is wasted, so that afterward they shal stand in need of the help of a Surgion to cause them to make water with ease & without pain, by injecting a little oile out of a siringe into the conduit of the yard. For generation it is fit the man cast forth his seed * 1.14 into the wombe with a certaine impetuosity, his yard being stiffe and distended, and the woman to receive the same without delay into her wombe, being wide open, lest that through delay the seed waxe cold, and so become unfruitfull by reason that the spirits are dissipated and consumed. The yard is distended or made stiffe, when the nervous, spongeous, and hollow substance thereof is replete and puffed up with a flatulent spirit. The womb allures or drawes the masculine seed into it selfe by the mouth thereof, and it receives the womans seed by the hornes from the spermatick vessels, which come from the womans testicles into the hollownesse or concavity of the womb, that so it may be tempered by conjunction, commistion & confusion with the mans seed, and so reduced or brought unto a certaine equality: for generation or conception cannot follow without the concourse of two feeds, well and perfect∣ly wrought in the very same moment of time, nor without a laudible dispo•…•… the wombe both in temperature and complexion: if in this mixture of •…•… mans seed in quality and quantity exceed the womans, it will be a man chil•…•…, a woman childe, although that in either of the kindes there is both the mans and wo∣mans * 1.15 seed, as you may see by the daily experience of those men who by their first wives have had boyes onely and by their second wives had girles onely: the like you may see in certaine women, who by their first husbands have had males onely, and by their second husbands females onely. Moreover, one and the same 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is not alwaies like affected to get a man or a woman childe, for by reason of his age, temperature and diet, hee doth sometimes yeeld forth seed endued with a masculine vertue, and sometimes with a feminine or weake vertue, so that it is no marvaile if men get sometimes men, and sometimes women children.

CHAP. II. Of what quality the seed is, whereof the male, and whereof the female is engendered.

MAle children are engendered of a more hot and dry seed, and women of a more cold and moist: for there is much lesse strength in cold than in heat, and likewise in moisture than in drynesse; and that is the cause why it will be longer before a girle is formed in the womb than a boy. * 1.16 In the seed lyeth both the procreative and the formative power: as for example; In the power of the Melon seed are situate the stalkes, branches, leaves, flowers, fruite, the forme, colour, smell, taste, seed and all. The like reason is of o∣ther seeds; so Apple grafts engrafted in the stock of a Pearetree, beare Apples; and we doe alwaies finde and see by experience, that the tree (by vertue of grafting) that is grafted, doth convert it selfe into the nature of the Sions wherewith it is grafted. But although the childe that is borne doth resemble or is very like unto the father or the mother, as his or her seed exceedeth in the mixture, yet for the most part it hap∣peneth * 1.17 that the children are more like unto the father than the mother, because that in the time of copulation, the minde of the woman is more fixed on her husband, than the minde of the husband on, or towards his wife: for in the time of copulation or conception, the formes, or the likenesses of those things that are conceived or kept in minde, are transported and impressed in the childe or issue; for so they af∣firme that there was a certain Queene of the Aethiopians who brought forth a white child, the reason was (as she confessed) that at the time of copulation with her King, she thought on a marvellous white thing, with a very strong imagination. Therefore Hesiod advertiseth all married people not to give them selves to carnall copulation when they return from burialls, but when they come from feasts and plaies, lest that * 1.18 their sad, heavie, and pensive cogitations, should bee so transfused and engrafted in the issue, that they should contaminate or infect the pleasant joyfulnesse of his life, with sad, pensive and passionate thoughts. Sometimes it happeneth, although very seldome, the childe is neither like the father nor the mother, but in favour resem∣bleth * 1.19 his Grandfather, or any other of his kindred, by reason that in the inward parts of the parents, the engrafted power and nature of the grandfather lieth hidden: which when it hath lurked there long, not working any effect, at length breakes forth by means of some hidden occasion: wherein nature resembleth the Painter, making the lively portraiture of a thing, which as far as the subject matter will permit, doth forme the issue like unto the parents in every habit; so that often times the diseases of the parents are transferred or participated unto the children, as it were by a certaine hereditary title: for those that are crooke-backt get crooke-backt children, those that are lame, lame; those that are leprous, leprous; those that have the stone, chil∣dren having the stone; those that have the ptisicke, children having the ptisick; and those that have the gout, children having the gout: for the seed followes the power, nature, temperature, and comnlexion of him that engendereth it. Therefore of those * 1.20 that are in health and sound, •…•…thy and sound; and of those that are weake and dis∣eased, weake and diseased children are begotten, unlesse happely the seed of one of •…•…ents that is sound doth correct or amend the diseased impression of the o∣•…•…t is diseased, or else the temperate and sound wombe as it were by the gen∣•…•… pleasant breath thereof.

CHAP. III. What is the cause why the Females of all brute beasts, being great with young, doe neither desire, nor admit the males, untill they have brought forth their Young.

THe cause hereof is, that, forasmuch as they are moved by sense only, * 1.21 they apply themselves unto the thing that is present, very little, or nothing at all perceiving things that are past, and to come. Therfore after they have conceived, they are unmindfull of the pleasure that is past, and doe abhor copulation: for the sense or feeling of lust is given unto them by nature, onely for the preservation of their kinde, and not for voluptuousnesse, or delectation. But the males * 1.22 raging, swelling, and as it were stimulated by the provocations of the heat, or fer∣vency of their lust, do then runne unto them, follow and desire copulation, because a certaine strong odour or smell commeth into the aire from their secret or genitall parts, which pierceth into their nostrills, and unto their braine, and so inferreth an imagination, desire, and heat. Contrariwise, the sense and feeling of venereous acti∣ons seemeth to be given by nature to women, not onely for the propagation of issue * 1.23 and for the conservation of mankinde, but also to mitigate and asswage the miseries of mans life, as it were by the entisements of that pleasure: also the great store of hot blood that is about the heart, wherewith men abound, maketh greatly to this purpose, which by impulsion of imagination, which ruleth the humours, being dri∣ven by the proper passages, downe from the heart and entralls into the genitall parts, doth stirre up in them a new lust.

The males of brute beasts, being provoked or moved by the stimulations of lust, rage, and are almost burst with a Tentigo or extension of the genitall parts, and some∣times waxe mad, but after that they have satisfied their lust with the female of their kinde, they presently become gentle, and leave off such fiercenesse.

CHAP. IIII. What things are to be observed, as necessary unto generation in the time of copulation.

WHen the husband commeth into his wives chamber hee must en∣tertaine her with all kinde of dalliance, wanton behaviour, and al∣lurements * 1.24 to venery: but if he perceive her to be slow, and more cold, he must cherish, embrace, and tickle her, and shall not abrupt∣ly, the nerves being suddenly distended, breake into the field of nature, but rather shall creepe in by little and little, intermixing more wanton kisses with wanton words and speeches, handling her secret parts and dugs, that she may take fire and bee enflamed to venery, for so at length the wombe will strive and waxe fervent with a desire of casting forth its owne seed, and recei∣ving the mans seed to bee mixed together therewith. But if all these things will not suffice to enflame the woman, for women for the most part are more slow and slack unto the expulsion or yeelding forth of their seed, it shall be necessary first to foment her secret parts with the decoction of hot herbes made with Muscadine, or boiled in any other good wine, and to put a little muske or civet into the neck or mouth of the wombe: and when shee shall perceive the efflux of her seed to approach, by reason * 1.25 of the tickling pleasure, shee must advertise her husband thereof, that at the very in∣stant time or moment, hee may also yeeld forth his seed, that by the concourse or meeting of the seeds, conception may be made, and so at length a child formed and borne. And that it may have the better successe, the husband must not presently se∣parate himselfe from his wives embraces, lest the aire strike into the open wombe,

and so corrupt the seeds before they are perfectly mixed together. When the man departs, let the woman lye still in quiet, lying her legges or her thighes acrosse, one upon another, and raising them up a little, lest that by motion or downeward situa∣tion, the seed should be shed or spilt: which is the cause why she ought at that time not to talk, especially chiding, nor to cough, nor sneese, but give herselfe to rest and quietnesse, if it be possible.

CHAP. V. By what signes it may bee knowne whether the woman have conceived or not.

IF the seed in the time of copulation, or presently after be not spilt, if in the meeting of the seedes the whole body doe somewhat shake, that is to say, the wombe drawing it selfe together for the compression & entertainment therof, if a little feeling of pain doth runne up and downe the lower belly and about the navell, if shee be sleepy, if she loath the embracings of a man, and if her face bee pale, it is a token that she hath conceived.

In some, after conception spots or freckles arise in their face, their eyes are depres∣sed and sunke in, the white of their eyes waxeth pale, they waxe giddy in the head, * 1.26 by reason that the vapours are raised up from the menstruall blood that is stopped, sadnesse & heavinesse grieve their mindes, with loathing and way wardnesse, by rea∣son that the spirits are covered with the smoaky darkenesse of the vapoures: paines in the teeth and gummes, and swouning often times commeth, the appetite is depra∣ved or overthrown, with aptnesse to vomit, and longing, whereby it happeneth that they loath meats of good juice, and long for and desire illaudable meates, and those that are contrary to nature, as coales, dirt, ashes, stinking salt-fish, sowre, austere and * 1.27 ta••t fruits, pepper, vinegar, and such like acride things, and other, altogether contrary to nature and use, by reason of the condition of the suppressed humour abounding & falling into the orifice of the stomack. This appetite so depraved or overthrown, endureth in some untill the time of childe-birth; in others it commeth in the third moneth after their conception, when haires do grow on the childe, and lastly it lea∣veth them a little before the fourth moneth, because that the child, being now grea∣ter and stronger, consumes a great part of the excrementall and superfluous humour. The suppressed or stopped tearms in women that are great with childe, are divided into three parts: the more pure portion maketh the nutriment for the childe, the se∣cond * 1.28 ascendeth by little and little into the dugs, and the impurest of all remaineth in the womb about the infant, and maketh the secundine or after-birth, wherein the in fant lieth as in a s•…•…ed. Those women are great with child whose urine is more sharpe, fervent, and somewhat bloody, the bladder not only waxing warme by the compression of the wombe, servent by reason of the blood conteined in it, but also the thinner portion of the same blood being expressed, and sweating out into the bladder. A swelling and hardnesse of the dugs, and veines that are under the dugs in * 1.29 the breastes and about them, and milke comming out when they are pressed, with a certaine stirring motion in the belly, are certaine infallible signes of greatnesse with childe. Neither in this greatnesse of childe bearing, the veines of the dugges onely, but of all the whole body, appeare full and swelled up, especially the veines of the thighes and legges, so that by their manifold folding and knitting together, they do * 1.30 appeare varicous, whereof commeth fluggishnesse of the whole body, heavinesse & impotency or difficulty of going; especially when the time of deliverance is at hand. Lastly, if you would know whether the woman have concerved or not, give unto her when she goeth to sleepe, some meed or honyed water to drink, and if she have agri∣ping in her guts or belly, she hath conceived, if not, she hath not conceived.

CHAP. VI. That the wombe, so soone as it hath received the seede, is presently con∣tracted or drawne together.

AFter that the seeds of the male and female have both met, and are mixed together in the capacity of the wombe, then the orifice thereof doth draw it selfe close together, lest the seedes should fall out. There the females seede goeth and turneth into nutri∣ment * 1.31 and the encrease of the males seede, because all things are nourished and doe encrease by those things that are most fami∣liar and like unto them. But the similitude and familiarity of seede with seede is farre greater than with bloud, so that when they are perfectly mixed and eoagulated, and so waxe warme by the straight and narrow inclosure of the wombe, a certaine thinne skinne doth grow about it, like unto that that will bee over unscimmed milke.

Moreover, this concretion or congealing of the seede, is like unto an egge layed before the time that it should: that is to say, whose membrane or tunicle that com∣passeth it about, hath not as yet encreased or growne into a shelly hardnesse about it; in folding-wise are seene many small threads dividing themselves, over-spread with a certaine clammy, whitish or red substance, as it were with blacke bloud. In the middest under it appeareth the navell, from whence that small skinne is produ∣ced. But a man may understand many things that appertaine unto the conception * 1.32 of mankinde by the observation of twenty egges, setting them to bee hatched under an Henne, and taking one every day and breaking it, and diligently considering it; for in so doing, on the twentieth day you shall finde the Chicke perfectly formed with the navell. That little skin that so compasseth the infant in the wombe is cal∣led the secundine or Chorion. but commonly the after-birth.

This little skinne is perfectly made within sixe dayes, according to the judgment of Hippocrates, as profitable and necessary not onely to containe the seeds so mixed * 1.33 together, but also to sucke nutriment through the orifices of the vessels ending in the wombe. Those orifices the Greekes doe call Cotyledones, and the Latines Ace∣tabula, * 1.34 for they are as it were hollowed eminences, like unto those, which may bee seene in the feete or snout of a Cuttle fish many times in a double order, both for the working and holding of their meate. Those eminences called Acetabula doe not so greatly appeare in women as in many brute beasts. Therefore by these the secundine cleaveth on every side unto the wombe, for the conservation, nutriti∣on, and encrease of the conceived seede.

CHAP. VII. Of the generation of the navell.

AFter the woman hath conceived, to every one of the aforesaid emi∣nencies groweth presently another vessell, that is to say, a veine to the veine, and an artery to the artery: these soft and yet thin vessels, are fra∣med with a little thin membrane, which being spread under, sticketh to them, for to them it is in stead of a membrane, and a ligament and a tunicle or a defence, and it is doubled with the others, and made of the veine and ar∣tery of the navell, to compasse the navell. These new small vessels of the infant, with their orifices, doe answer directly one to one to the cotyledones or eminences of the womb, they are very swall and little, as it were the hairy fibres that grow upon roots that are in the earth, and when they have continued so a longer time, they are combi∣ned together, that of two they are made one vessell, until that by continuall connexi∣on, all those vessels go and degenerate into two other great vessels, called the umbi∣licall

vessels, or the vessels of the navell, because they do make the navell, and do en∣ter into the childs body by the hole of the navell. Here Galen doth admire the sin∣gular providence of God and Nature, because that in such a multitude of vessels, and * 1.35 in so long a passage or length that they go or are produced, the vein doth never con∣found it selfe nor stick to the artery, nor the artery to the veine, but every vessell joy∣neth it selfe to the vessell of its owne kinde. But the umbilicall veine or navell veine, entering into the body of the child, doth joyne it self presently to the hollow part of the liver, but the artery is divided into two, which joine themselves to the two iliack arteries along the sides of the bladder, & are presently covered with the peritonaum, & by the benefit thereof are annexed unto the parts which it goes unto. Those small veines and arteries are as it were the rootes of the child, but the veine and artery of the navell are as it were the body of the tree, to bring down the nutriment to nourish the child. For first we live in the wombe the life of a plant, and then next the life of a sensitive creature; and as the first tunicle of the child is called Chorion or Allantoides, so the other is called Amnios or Agnina, which doth compasse the seed or child about on every side. These membranes are most thin, yea for their thinnesse like unto the spiders web, woven one upon another, and also connexed in many places by the ex∣tremities of certaine small and hairy substances, which at length by the adjunction of * 1.36 their like do get strength; wherby you may understand, what is the cause why by di∣vers and violent motions of the mother in going and dancing or leaping, and also of the infant in the wombe, those membranes are not almost broken. For they are so conjoyned by the knots of those hairie substances, that betweene them nothing, neither the urine nor the sweate can come, as you may plainely and evidently per∣ceive in the dissection of a womans body that is great with child, not depending on any other mans opinion, be it never so old or inveterate: yet the strength of those membranes is not so great but that they may bee soone broken in the birth by the kicking of the child.

CHAP. VIII. Of the umbilicall vessels, or the vessels belonging to the navell.

MAny of the ancient Writers have written that there are five vessels found in the navell. But yet in many, nay all the bodies I sought * 1.37 in for them, I could never finde but three, that is to say, one veine, which is very large, so that in the passage thereof it will receive the tagge of a poynt, and two arteries, but not so large, but much narrower, because the childe wanteth or standeth in need of much more bloud for his conformation and the nutriment or increase of his parts, than of vitall spirit.

These vessels making the body of the navell, which, as it is thought, is formed within nine or tenne dayes, by their doubling and folding, make knots like unto the * 1.38 knots of a Franciscan Friers girdle, that staying the running bloud in those their knotty windings, they might more perfectly concoct the same: as may be seene in the ejaculatory spermatick vessels, for which use also the length of the navell is halfe an ell, so that in many infants that are somewhat growne, is is found three or foure times doubled about their neck or thigh.

As long as the childe is in his mothers wombe, hee taketh his nutriment onely by the navell, and not by his mouth, neither doth hee enjoy the use of eyes, eares, no∣strils * 1.39 or fundament, neither needeth hee the functions of the heart. For spirituous bloud goeth unto it by the arteries of the navell, and into the iliack arteries, and from the iliack arteries unto all the other arteries of the whole body, for by the motion of these onely the infant doth breathe. Therefore it is not to bee supposed that aire is carryed or drawne in by the lungs unto the heart, in the body of the childe, but con∣trariwise * 1.40 from the heart to the lungs. For neither the heart doth performe the ge∣neration or working of bloud, or of the vitall spirits. For the issue or infant is con∣tented

with them as they are made and wrought by his mother. Which, untill it hath obtained a full, perfect and whole description of his parts and members, can∣not be called a child, but rather an embrion, or an imperfect substance.

CHAP. IX. Of the ebullition or swelling of the seed in the wombe, and of the concretion of the bubbles or bladders, or the three principall entralls.

IN the sixe first dayes of conception the new vessels are thought to bee made and brought forth of the eminences or cotylidons of the mothers vessels, and dispersed into all the whole seede, as they were fibres or hairy strings. Those as they pierce the wombe, so do they equally and in like manner penetrate the tuni∣cle Chorion. And it is carried this way, being a passage not only necessary for the nutriment and conformation of the parts, but also into the veines diversly woven and dispersed into the skin Chorion. For thereby it commeth to passe that the seed it selfe boileth, and as it were fermenteth or swel∣leth, not onely through occasion of the place, but also of the bloud and vitall spirits that flow unto it, and then it riseth into the bubbles or bladders, like unto the bub∣bles which are occasioned by the raine falling into a river or channell full of water. These three bubbles or bladders, are certain rude or new formes or concretions of * 1.41 the three principall entrals, that is to say, of the liver, heart and braine. All this for∣mer time it is called seed, and by no other name; but when those bubbles arise, it is * 1.42 called an embrion, or the rude forme of a body untill the perfect conformation of all the members: on the fourth day after that the veine of the navell is formed, it sucketh grosser bloud, that is, of a more fuller nutriment out of the Cotylidons. And this bloud, because it is more grosse, easily congeales & curdles in that place, where it ought to prepare the liver fully & absolutely made. For then it is of a notable great * 1.43 bignesse above all the other parts, & therfore it is called parenchyma, because it is but only a certain congealing or concretion of bloud brought together thither or in that place. From the gibbous part thereof springeth the greater part or trunke of the hol∣low veine, called commonly vena cava, which doth disperse his small branches, which are like unto haires, into also the substance thereof: and then it is divided in∣to two branches, whereof the one goeth upwards, the other downwards unto all the particular parts of the body.

In the meane season the Arteries of the navell suck spirituous bloud out of the e∣minences or Cotylidons of the mothers arteries, whereof, that is to say, of the more servent and spirituous bloud, the heart is formed in the second bladder or bubble, being endued with a more fleshy, sound and thicke substance, as it behooveth that vessell to bee, which is the fountaine from whence the heate floweth, and hath a con∣tinuall motion.

In this the vertue formative hath made two hollow places, one on the right side, another on the left. In the right, the root of the hollow veine is infixed or ingraffed, carrying thither necessary nutriment for the heart; in the left is formed the stamp or roote of an artery, which presently doth divide it selfe into two branches, the grea∣ter whereof goeth upwards to the upper parts, and the wider unto the lower parts, carrying unto all the parts of the body life and vitall heat.

CHAP. X. Of the third bubble or bladder, wherein the head and the braine is formed.

THe farre greater portion of the seede goeth into this third bubble, that is to say, yeelding matter for the conformation of the braine and all the head. For a greater quantity of seede ought to goe unto the conformation of the head and braine, because these parts are not san∣guine * 1.44 or bloudy as the heart and liver, but in a manner without bloud; bonie, mar∣row, cartilaginous, nervous and membranous, whose parts, as the veines, arteries, nerves, ligaments, panicles, and skinne, are called spermaticke parts, because they obtaine their first conformation almost of seede onely: although that afterwards they are nourished with bloud, as the other fleshy and musculous parts are. But yet the bloud when it is come unto those parts, degenerateth and turneth into a thing somewhat spermatick, by vertue of the assimulative faculty of those parts. All the other parts of the head, forme and fashion themselves unto the forme of the braine when it is formed, and those parts which are situated and placed about it for defence especially, are hardened into bones.

The head as the seate of the senses, and mansion of the minde and reason, is situ∣ated * 1.45 in the highest place, that from thence, as it were from a lofty tower or turret, it might rule and governe all the other members and their functions and actions, that are under it, for there the soule or life which is the rectresse or governesse is situated; and from thence it floweth and is dispersed into all the whole body. Nature hath framed these three principall entrals as proppes and sustentations for the weight of all the rest of the body: for which matter also shee hath framed the bones.

The first bones that appeare to bee formed, or are supposed to be conformed, are the bones called ossa Illium, connexed or united by spondils that are betweene them: then all the other members are framed & proportioned by their concavities & hol∣lownesses, which generally are seaven, that is to say, two of the eares, two of the nose, one of the mouth, and in the parts beneath the head, one of the fundament, and ano∣ther of the yard or conduit of the bladder; and furthermore in women, one of the necke of the wombe, without the which they can never bee made mothers or beare children.

When all these are finished, nature, that shee might polish her excellent worke in all sorts, hath covered all the body and every member thereof with skinne. Into this excellent work or Microcosmos so perfected, God, the author of nature and all things, infuseth or ingrafteth a soule or life: which St. Augustine proveth by this sentence * 1.46 of Moses: If any man smite a woman with child, so that there by she be delivered be∣fore her naturall time, and the child bee dead, being first formed in the wombe, let him die the death: but if the child hath not as yet obtained the full proportion and conformation of his body and members, let him recompence it with mony. There∣fore it is not to bee thought that the life is derived, propagated or taken from A∣dam or our parents, as it were an haereditary thing distributed unto all mankinde by their parents; but we must believe it to be immediately created of God, even at the very instant time when the child is absolutely perfected in the lineaments of his bo∣dy, and so given unto it by him.

So therefore the rude lumpes of flesh called molae that engender in womens * 1.47 wombes, and monsters of the like breeding and confused bignesse, although by rea∣son of a certaine quaking and shivering motion, they seeme to have life, yet they cannot bee supposed to bee endued with a life or a reasonable soule: but they have their motion, nutriment and increase wholly of the naturall and infixed faculty of the wombe, and of the generative or procreative spirit that is engraffed naturally in the seed.

But even as the infant in the wombe obtaineth not perfect conformation before the thirtieth day, so likewise it doth not move before the sixtieth day: at which

time it is most commonly not perceived by women, by reason of the smallnesse of the motion. But now let us speake briefly of the life or soule, wherein consisteth the principall originall of every function in the body, and likewise of gene∣ration.

CHAP. XI. Of the life or soule.

THE soule entreth into the body, so soone as it hath obtained a per∣fect * 1.48 and absolute distinction and conformation of the members in the wombe: which in male children, by reason of the more strong and forming heate which is engraffed in them, is about the fortieth day, and in females about the forty fifth day, in some sooner, and in some later, by reason of the efficacy of the matter working, and plyantnesse or obedience of the matter whereon it worketh. Neither doth the life or soule being thus inspired into the bo∣dy presently execute or performe all his functions, because the instuments that are placed about it cannot obtaine a firme and hard consistence necessary for the live∣ly, but especially for the more divine ministeries of the life or soule, but in a long processe of age or time.

Those instruments of the soule are vitiated either in the first conformation, as when the forme or fashion of the head is sharpe upwards or piramydall, as was the head of Thersites, that lived in the time of the Trojan warre, and of Triboulet and Tonin, that lived in later yeares; or also by some casualty, as by the violent hand∣ling of the mydwife, who by compression, by reason that the scull is then tender and soft, hath caused the capacity of the ventricles that be under the braine to be too narrow for them: or by a fall, stroake, disorder in diet, as by drunkennesse, or a feaver, which inferreth a lithargie, excessive sleepinesse, or a phrensie.

Presently after the soule is entred the body, God endueth it with divers and sun∣dry * 1.49 gifts: hereof it commeth that some are endued with wisedome by the spirit; others with knowledge by the same spirit; others with the gift of healing by the same spirit; others with power, dominion and rule; others with prophesie; others with diversities of tongues; and to others other endowments, as it hath pleased the di∣vine providence and bounty of God to bestow upon them, against which no man ought to contend or speake. For it is not meet that the thing formed should say unto him that formed it, why hast thou made mee on this fashion? hath not the Potter power to make of the same lumpe of clay one vessell to honour and another to dishonour? it is not my purpose, neither belongeth it unto mee or any other hu∣mane creature to search out the reason of those things, but onely to admire them with all humility: But yet I dare affirme this one thing, that a noble and excel∣lent soule neglecteth elementary and transitory things, and is ravished and moved with the contemplation of celestiall, which it cannot freely enjoy before it bee separated from this earthly enclosure or prison of the body, and be restored unto its originall.

Therefore the soule is the inward Entelechia or perfection, or the primative cause * 1.50 of all motions and functions both naturall and animall, and the true forme of man. The Ancients have endeavoured to expresse the obscure sense thereof by many de∣scriptions. For they have called it a celestiall spirit, and a superiour, incorporeall, invisible, an immortall essence, which is to bee comprehended of its selfe alone, that is, of the minde or understanding. Others have not doubted but that wee have our soules inspired by the universall divine minde, which as they are alive, so they doe bestow life on the bodies unto whom they are annexed or united. And * 1.51 although this life bee dispersed into all the whole body, and into every portion of the same, yet is it voyd of all corporall weight or mixtion, and it is wholly and a lone in every severall part, being simple and indivisible, without all composition or mixture, yet endued with many vertues and faculties, which it doth utter in divers

parts of the body: For it feeleth, imagineth, judgeth, remembreth, understandeth, and ruleth all our desires, pleasures and animall motions; it seeth, heareth, smelleth, tasteth, toucheth: and it hath divers names of these so many and so great functions which it performeth in divers parts of the body. It is called the soule or life, be∣cause it maketh the body live, which of it selfe is dead. It is called the spirit or breath, because it inspireth our bodies. It is called reason, because it discerneth truth from falshood, as it were by a certaine divine rule. It is termed the minde, because * 1.52 it is mindfull of things past, in recalling and remembring them: and it is called the vigour or courage, because it giveth vigour and courage to the sluggish weight or masse of the body. And lastly it is called the sense & understanding, because it com∣prehendeth things that are sensible and intelligible. Because it is incorporeall it can∣not occupie a place by corporeall extension, although notwithstanding it filleth the whole body. It is simple, because it is but one in essence, not encreased nor dimini∣shed: for it is no lesse in a Dwarfe than in a Gyant, and it is like perfect and great in an infant as in a man, according to its owne nature.

But there are three kindes of bodies informed by a soule whereby they live: the * 1.53 first being the most imperfect, is of plants, the second of brute beasts, and the third of men. The plants live by a vegitative, beasts by a sensitive, and men by an intelle∣ctive * 1.54 soule. And as the sensitive soule of brute beasts is endued with all the vertues of the vegetative, so the humane intellective comprehendeth the vertues of all the inferior, not separated by any division, but by being indivisibly united with reason and understanding, into one humane forme and soule whereon they depend. But because we have sayd a little before, that divers functions of the life are resident, and appeare in divers parts of the body, here in this place, omitting all others, wee will prosecute those only which are accounted the principall.

The principall functions of a humane soule, according to the opinion of many, are foure in number, proceeding from so many faculties, and consequently from one soule; they are these: The common Sense, Imagination, Reasoning, and Me∣mory. And they thinke that the common or interior sense doth receive the formes * 1.55 and images of sensible things, being carryed by the spirit through the passage of the * 1.56 nerves, as an instrument of the externall senses, as it were a messenger to goe between them; and it serves not onely to receive them, but also to know, perceive and dis∣cerne them. For the eye, wherein the externall sense of seeing consisteth, doth not know white or blacke. Therefore it cannot discerne the differences of colours, as neither the tongue tastes, nor the nose savours, nor the eares sounds, nor lastly, the hands their touching quality: yea, the eye doth not of it selfe perceive that it seeth, nor the nose that it smelleth, nor the eares that they heare, nor the tongue that it ta∣steth, nor the hands that they touch. For all these things are the offices and fun∣ctions of the common sense; for this sense knoweth that the eye hath seene some thing, either white, blacke, red, a man, horse, sheepe, or some such like materiall thing, yea, even when the sight is gone and past; and so likewise the nose to have smelled this or that savour, the eare to have heard this or that sound, the tongue to have tasted this or that tast, and the hand to have touched this or that thing, bee they never so diverse. For all the externall senses, and all the functions thereof do end and are referred to the common sense, as it were the lines of a circle from the circumfe∣rence into the centre, as it is expressed in this figure.

[illustration]

For which cause it is called the common or principll sense, for that therein the * 1.57 primitive power of feeling or perceiving is situated, for it useth the ministery or ser∣vice of the externall senses to know many and divers things, whose differences it

doth discerne and judge, but simple things, that are of themselves, and without any * 1.58 composition and connexion, which may constitute any thing true or false, or any ar∣gumentation, belongeth onely to the minde, understanding or reason. For this was the counsell of nature, that the externall senses should receive the formes of things superficially, lightly and gently onely, like as a glasse, not to any other end but that they should presently send them unto the common sense, as it were unto their cen∣ter and prince, which he (that is to say the common sense) at length delivereth to be collected unto the understanding or reasoning faculty of the soule, which Avicen and Averrois have supposed to be situated in the former part of the braine.

Next unto the common sense followeth the phantasie or imagination, so called, * 1.59 because of it arise the formes and Ideas that are conceived in the minde, called of the Geekes Phantasmata. This doth never rest but in those that sleepe: neither al∣waies in them, for oft-times in them it causeth dreames, and causeth them to sup∣pose they see and perceive such things as were never perceived by the senses, nor which the nature of things, nor the order of the world will permit. The power of this faculty of the minde is so great in us, that often it bringeth the whole body in subjection unto it.

For it is recorded in history, that Alexander the Great sitting at Table, and hea∣ring Timotheus the Musician fing a martiall Sonnet unto his Citherne, that hee pre∣sently leaped from the table, and called for armes; but when againe the Musician mollifyed his tune, hee returned to the Table and sate downe as before. The power of Imagination caused by musicall harmony, was so great, that it subjected to it the courage of the Worlds conquerour, by whose various motion, it would now as it were cause him to runne headlong to armes, and then pacifie and quiet him, and so cause him to returne to his chaire and banquetting againe. And there was one whosoever it was, who some few yeares agone, seeing the Turke dance on a rope on high, with both his feet fastened in a bason, turned his eyes from so dangerous a sight or spectacle, although hee came to the place of purpose to see it, and was stricken with such feare, that his body shooke and heart quaked, for feare lest that by sudden falling downe headlong hee should breake his necke. Many looking downe from an high and lofty place, are so stricken with feare, that suddenly they fall downe headlong, being so overcome and bound with the imagination of the dan∣ger, that their owne strength is not able to sustaine them. Therefore it manifestly appeareth that God hath dealt most graciously and lovingly with us, who unto this power of imagination, hath joyned another, that is, the faculty or power of rea∣son and understanding; which discerning false dangers and perils from true, doth sustain and hold up a man that he may not be overthrowne by them.

After this appeareth and approacheth to performe his function, the faculty of * 1.60 Reason, being the Prince of all the principall faculties of the soule; which bringeth together, composeth, joyneth and reduceth all the simple and divided formes or images of things into one heape, that by dividing, collecting and reasoning it might discerne and try truth from falshood.

This faculty of Understanding or Reason is subject to no faculty or instrument * 1.61 of the body, but is free, and penetrateth into every secret, intricate and hidden thing, with an incredible celerity: by which a man seeth what will follow, percei∣veth the originalls and causes of things, is not ignorant of the proceedings of things, he compareth things that are past with those that are present and to come, decreeing what to follow, and what to avoyde. This bridleth and with-holdeth the furious motions of the minde, bridleth the overhasty motions of the tongue, and admoni∣sheth the speaker that before the words passe out of his mouth, hee ought with dili∣gence and discretion to ponder and consider the thing whereof hee is about to speake.

After Reason and Judgement followeth Memory, which keeping and conser∣ving * 1.62 all formes and images that it receiveth of the senses, and which Reason shall ap∣point, and as a faithfull keeper and conserver, receiveth all things, and imprinteth and sealeth them as well by their owne vertue and power, as by the impulsion and adherence of those things in the body of the braine, without any impression of the

matter; that when occasion serveth, we may bring them forth therehence as out of a treasurie or store-house. For otherwise, to what purpose were it to reade, heare and note so many things, unlesse wee were able to keepe and retaine them in minde by the care and custody of the Memory or Braine? Therefore assuredly God hath given us this one onely remedy and preservative against the oblivion and ignorance of things, which although of it selfe and of its owne nature it bee of greater efficacie, yet by daily and often meditation it is trimmed and made more exquifite and per∣fect. And hence it was that the Ancients termed wisedome the daughter of memo∣ry * 1.63 and experience. Many have supposed that the mansion or seate of the Memory, is in the hinder part, or in the ventricle of the Cerebellum; by reason that it is apt to receive the formes of things, because of the engrafted drynesse and hardnesse thereof.

CHAP. XII. Of the naturall excrements in generall, and especially of those that the childe or infant being in the wombe excludeth.

BEfore I declare what excrements the infant excludeth in the wombe and by what passages, I thinke it good to speak of the excrements which * 1.64 all men doe naturally voyde. All that is called an excrement which nature is accustomed to separate and cast out from the laudible and nou∣rishing juice. There are many kinds of those excrements.

The first is of the first concoction, which is performed in the stomacke, which * 1.65 being driven downe into the intestines or guts, is voyded by the fundament.

The second commeth from the liver, and it usually is three-fold, or of three kinds; one cholericke, whereof a great portion is sent into the bladder of the gall, that by sweating out there hence, it might stirre up the expulsive faculty of the guts to ex∣pell and exclude the excrements. The other is like unto whay, which goeth with the bloud into the veines, and is as it were a vehicle thereto to bring it unto all the parts of the body, and into every Capillar veine for to nourish the whole body; and after it hath performed that function, it is partly expelled by sweate, and partly sent into the bladder, and so excluded with the urine. The third is the melancholicke excrement, which being drawn by the milt, the purer and thinner part thereof goeth into the nourishment of the milt, and after the remnant is partly purged out downe-wards by the haemorrhoidall veines, and partly sent to the orifice of the stomacke, to instimulate and provoke the appetite. The last commeth of the last concoction, which is absolved in the habit of the body, and breatheth out, partly by insensible * 1.66 transpiration, is partly consumed by sweating, and partly floweth out by the evi∣dent and manifest passages that are proper to every part: as it happeneth in the braine before all other parts; for it doth unloade it selfe of this kinde of excrement by the passages of the nose, mouth, eares, eyes, pallat bone and sutures of the scull.

Therefore if any of those excrements bee stayed altogether, or any longer than it is meete they should, the default is to bee amended by diet and medicine. Further∣more, there are other sorts of excrements not naturall, of whom wee have entrea∣ted at large in our booke of the pestilence.

When the infant is in the mothers wombe, untill hee is fully and absolutely for∣med * 1.67 in all the liniments of his body, hee sends forth his urine by the passage of the navell or urachus. But a little before the time of childe-birth, the urachus is closed, and then the man childe voydeth his urine by the conduit of the yard, and the wo∣man childe by the necke of the wombe. This urine is gathered together and con∣tained in the coate Chorion or Allantoides, together with the other excrements, that is to say, sweat, & such whayish superfluities of the menstruall matter, for the more easie bearing up of the floting or swimming childe. But in the time of child-birth, when * 1.68 the infant by kicking breaketh the membranes, those humous runne out, which when the mydwifes perceive, they take it as a certaine signe that the childe is at hand.

For if the infant come forth together with those waters, the birth is like to be more easie, and with the better successe; for the necke of the wombe and all the genitalls are so by their moisture relaxed and made slippery, that by the endeavour and stir∣ring of the infant the birth will be the more easie, and with the better successe: con∣tratiwise, if the infant bee not excluded before all these humours bee wholly flowed out and gone, but remaineth as it were in a dry place, presently through drinesse the necke of the wombe and all the genitalls will be contracted and drawne together, so that the birth of the childe will bee very difficult and hard, unlesse the necke of the wombe, to amend that default, be anointed with oile, or some other relaxing liquor. Moreover, when the childe is in the wombe, he voideth no excrements by the fun∣dament, unlesse it be when at the time of the birth, the proper membranes and recep∣tacles are burst by the striving of the infant, for hee doth not take his meat at the mouth, wherefore the stomacke is idle then, and doth not execute the office of tur∣ning the meats into Chylus, nor of any other concoction; wherefore nothing can goe downe from it into the guts. Neither have I seldome seene infants borne with∣out * 1.69 any hole in their fundament, so that I have beene constrained with a knife to cut in sunder the membrane or tunicle that grew over and stopped it. And how can such excrements be engendered, when the child being in the wombe, is nourished with the more laudable portion of the menstruall blood? therefore the issue or child is wont to yeeld or avoyd two kindes or sorts of excrements, so long as he is in the womb, that is to say, sweat and urine, in both which he swimmes; but they are separa∣ted by themselves, by a certaine tunicle called Allantoides, as it may be seene in kids, dogges, sheepe, and other brute beasts; for as much as in mankinde the tunicle Cho∣rion and Allantoides or Farciminalis be all one membrane. If the woman be great of a * 1.70 man childe, she is more merry, strong, and better coloured, all the time of her child bearing, but if of a woman childe, she is ill coloured because that women are not so hot as men.

The males begin to stirre within three moneths and an halfe, but females after: if a woman conceive a male child, she hath all her right parts stronger to every work: wherefore they do begin to set forwards their right foot first in going, & when they * 1.71 arise they leane on the right arme, the right dug will sooner swell and waxe hard; the male children stirre more in the right side than in the left, and the female chil∣dren rather in the left than in the right side.

CHAP. XIII. With what travell the Childe is brought into the world, and of the cause of this labour and travell.

WHen the naturall prefixed and prescribed time of child-birth is come, the childe being then growne greater, requires a greater quantity of food: which when he cannot receive in sufficient measure by his navell, with great labour and striving hee endeavoureth to get forth: therefore then free is moved with a stronger violence, and doth breake the membranes wherein he is contained. Then the wombe, because it is not able to endure such vio∣lent motions, nor to sustaine or hold up the childe any longer, by reason that the conceptacles of the membranes are broken asunder, is relaxed. And then the childe * 1.72 pursuing the aire which hee feeleth to enter in at the mouth of the wombe, which then is very wide and gaping, is carried with his head downewards, and so com∣meth into the world, with great pain both unto it selfe, and also unto his mother, by reason of the tenderness of his body, & also by reason of the extension of the nervous necke o•…•… mothers wombe, and separation of the bone called Os Ilium from the bone cal•…•… Os sacrum. For unlesse those bones were drawne in sunder, how could * 1.73 not onely twinnes that cleave fast together, but also one childe alone, come forth at so narrow a passage as the necke of the wombe is? Not onely reason, but also expe∣rience confirmeth it; for I have opened the bodies of women presently after they

have died of travell in childe-birth, in whom I have found the bones of Ilium to bee drawne the breadth of ones finger from Os sacrum: and moreover, in many unto whom I have been called being in great extremity of difficult and hard travell, I have not onely heard, but also felt the bones to crackle and make a noise, when I laid my hand upon the coccyx or rumpe, by the violence of the distention. Also honest ma∣trons have declared unto me that they themselves, a few daies before the birth, have felt and heard the noise of those bones separating themselves one from another with great paine. Also a long time after the birth, many doe feele great paine and ache about the region of the coccix and Os sacrum, so that when nature is not able to re∣paire the dissolved continuity of the bones of Ilium, they are constrained to halt all the dayes of their life after. But the bones of the share called Ossa pubis, I have never seene to be separated, as many do also affirme. It is reported that in Italy they break * 1.74 the coccyx or rumpe in all maidens, that when they come to bee married they may beare children with the lesser travaile in childe-birth; but this is a forged tale, for that bone being broken, is naturally and of its owne accord repaired, and joyned to∣gether again with a Callus, whereby the birth of the childe will be more difficult and hard.

CHAP. XIV. Of the situation of the infant in the wombe.

REASON cannot shew the certain situation of the infant in the wombe, for I have found it altogether uncertaine, variable and divers both in li∣ving * 1.75 and dead women: in the dead by opening their bodies presently after they were dead, and in the living by helping them by the industry of my hand, when they have beene in danger of perishing by travell of child-birth: for by putting my hand into the womb, I have felt the infant comming forth, sometimes with his feet forwards, sometimes with his hands, and sometimes with his hands and feet turned backwards, and sometimes forwards, as the figure following plainely describeth.

[illustration]

I have often found them comming forth with their knees forwards, and some∣times with one of the feet, and sometimes with their belly forwards, their hands and feet being lifted upwards, as the former figure sheweth at large.

[illustration]

Sometimes I have found the in∣fant comming with his feet down-wards striding awide, and some∣times headlong, stretching one of his armes downward out at length, and that was an Hermaphrodite, as the figure following plain∣ly declareth.

[illustration]

One time I observed in the birth of twinnes, that the one came with his head forwards, and the other with his feet, according as here I have thought good to describe them.

In the bodies of women that died in travaile of childe I have sometimes found children no bigger than if they had beene but foure moneths in the wombe, situated in a round compasse like a hoope, with their head bowed downe to the knees, with both their hands under the knees, and their heeles close to their buttockes. And moreover, I protest before God that I found a childe being yet alive in the body of his mother (whom I opened so soone as shee was dead) lying all along stretched out, with his face upwards, and the palmes of his hands joyned together, as if he were at prayer.

CHAP. XV. Which is the legitimate and naturall, and which the illegitimate or unnatu∣rall time of childe birth.

TO all living creatures, except man, the time of conception and bringing * 1.76 forth their young is certaine and definite; but the issue of man commeth into the world, sometimes in the seventh, sometimes in the eighth, and sometimes, which is most frequent, in the ninth moneth, sometimes in the tenth moneth, yea sometimes in the beginning of the eleventh moneth. Massuri∣us reports that Lucius Papyrius the Pretor, the second heire commencing a suit, gave the possession of the goods away from him, seeing the mother of the childe affirmed that she went thirteen moneths therewith, being there is no certaine definite time of child-birth. The child that is borne in the sixt moneth cannot be long lived, because that at that time all his body or members are not perfectly finished or absolutely formed. In the seventh moneth it is proved by reason and experience that the infant * 1.77 may be long lived. But in the eight moneth it is seldome or never long lived: the rea∣son thereof is, as the Astronomers suppose, because that at that time Saturne ruleth, those coldnesse and drynesse is contrary to the originall of life: but yet the phisi∣call reason is more true; for the physitians say that the childe in the wombe doth often times in the seaventh moneth strive to bee set at liberty from the inclosure of the wombe, and therefore it contendeth and laboureth greatlie, and so with labou∣ring

and striving it becommeth weak, that all the time of the eight moneth it cannot recover his strength again, whereby it may renew his accustomed use of striving, and that some by such labouring and striving, hurt themselves, and so dye. Yet some strong and lusty women are thought to bring forth their children, being lively and strong, on the eight moneth, as Aristotle testifieth of the Aegyptians, the Poets of the inhabitants of the Isle of Naxus, and many of the Spaniards. Furthermore, I cannot * 1.78 sufficiently marvaile, that the wombe, which all the time of childe-bearing is so clo∣sed together, that one can scarce put a probe into it, unlesse it be happely by reason of superfoetation, or when it is open for a short time to purge it selfe, that presently before the time of childe-birth, it should gape and waxe so wide, that the infant may passe through it, and presently after it to close againe as if it had never been opened. But because that the travell of the first time of childe-birth, is wont to be very diffi∣cult and grievous, I thinke it not unmeet that all women, a little before the time of their first travell, anoint and relaxe their privie parts with the unguent here descri∣bed. ℞. sper. ceti, ℥ ii. ol. amygd. dul. ℥ iv. cerae alb. & medul. cervin. ℥ iii. axung. ans. & gallin. an. ℥ i. tereb. venet. ℥ ii. make thereof an ointment to anoint the thighes, share, privie parts and genitalls. Furthermore, it shall not bee unprofitable; to make a trusse or girdle of most thinne and gentle dog-skinne, which being also anointed with the same unguent, may serve very necessarily for the better carrying of the in∣fant in the wombe. Also bathes that are made of the decoction of mollifying herbs, are also very profitable to relaxe the privie parts a little before the time of the birth. That is supposed to bee a naturall and easie birth, when the infant commeth forth * 1.79 with his head forwards, presently following the flux of the water; and that is more difficult, when the infant commeth with his feet forwards: all the other wayes are most difficult. Therefore Mid-wives are to be admonished that as often as they shall perceive the infant to be comming forth none of those waies, but either with his bel∣ly or his backe forwards, as it were double, or else with his hands and feet together, or with his head forwards, and one of his hands stretched out, that they should turne it, and draw it out by the feet; for the doing whereof, if they be not sufficient, let them crave the assistance and helpe of some expert Chirurgian.

CHAP. XVI. Signes of the birth at hand.

THere will bee great paine under the navell, and at the groines, and sprea∣ding therehence towards the Vertebrae of the loines, and then especially when they are drawne backe from the Os sacrum, the bones Ilia and the Coccix are thrust outward, the genitalls swell with paine, and a certaine feaver-like shaking invades the body, the face waxeth red by reason of the endea∣vour of nature, armed unto the expulsion of the infant. And when these signes ap∣peare let all things bee prepared ready to the childe-birth. Therefore first of all let * 1.80 the woman that is in travell be placed in her bed conveniently, neither with her face upwards, nor sitting, but with her backe upwards and somewhat high, that she may breath at more liberty, and have the more power or strength to labour. Therefore she ought to have her legs wide one from another, and crooked, or her heeles some-what bowed uptowards her buttocks, so that she may lean on a staffe that must be pla∣ced overthwart the bed. There are some that do travell in a stoole or chair made for the purpose: others standing upright on their feet, and leaning on the poast or piller of the bed. But you must take diligent heed that you doe not exhort or perswade the woman in travell to strive or labour to expell the birth before the forenamed signes thereof doe manifestly shew that it is at hand. For by such labour or pains she might be wearied or so weakened, that when shee should strive or labour, she shall have no power or strength so to doe. If all these things doe fall out well in the childe-birth, the businesse is to be committed to nature and to the Mid-wife. And the woman with child must onely bee admonished that when shee feeleth very strong paine, that shee

presently therewith strive with most strong expression, shutting her mouth and nose if shee please, and at the same time let the mydwife with her hands force the infant from above downewards. But if the birth bee more difficult and painefull, by rea∣son * 1.81 that the waters wherein the infant lay are flowed out long before, and the womb be dry, this ointment following is to be prepared. ℞. butyri recentis sine sale in aqua artemesiae loti ℥ii. mucaginis ficuum, semin. lini & altheae cum aqua sabinae extractae, an. ℥ss. olei liliorum ℥i. Make thereof an ointment, wherewith let the mydwife often annoynt the secret parts. Also this powder following may bee prepared. ℞. Cina∣mom. cort. cassiae fistul. dictamni an. ʒiss. sacch. albi ad pondus omnium: make thereof a most subtle and fine powder. Let the woman that is in extremity by reason of dif∣ficult * 1.82 and painefull travell in child-birth, take halfe an ounce thereof at a time, with the decoction of linseede, or in white wine, for it will cause more speedy and easie deliverance of the childe.

Moreover, let the mydwife anoynt her hands with this ointment following as of∣ten as shee putteth them into the necke of the wombe, and therewith also anoint the parts about it. ℞. olei ex seminibus lint ℥i. ss. olei de castoreo ℥ss. galliae moschatae ʒiii. * 1.83 ladani ʒi. make thereof a liniment. Moreover, you may provoke sneesing, by put∣ting a little pepper or white hellebore in powder into the nostrils. Linseed beaten, and given in a potion, with the water of Mugwort and Savine, is supposed to cause speedy deliverance. Also the medicine following is commended for the same pur∣pose. * 1.84 ℞. corticis cassiae fistul. conquassatae ℥ii. cicer. rub. m. ss. bulliant cum vino albo & aqua sufficienti, sub finem addendo sabinae, ʒii. in colatura pro dosi adde cinamomi ʒss. cro∣cigr. vi. make thereof a potion, which being taken, let sneesing bee provoked, as it is above-said, and let her shut or close her mouth and nostrils.

Many times it happeneth that the infant commeth into the world ou•• of the wombe, having his head covered or wrapped about with portion of the •…•…dine or tunicle wherein it is enclosed, especially when by the much, strong, and happy striving of the mother, he commeth forth together with the water wherein it lyeth in the wombe, and then the mydwives prophesie or foretell that the childe shall be happy, because hee is borne as it were with a hood on his head. But I suppose that it doth betoken health of body both to the infant and also to his mother; for it is a to∣ken of easie deliverance. For when the birth is difficult and painfull, the child never bringeth that membrane out with him, but it remaineth behinde in the passage of the genitals or secret parts, because they are narrow. For even so the Snake or Adder when shee would cast her skinne thereby to renew her age, creepeth through some narrow or straight passage. Presently after the birth, the woman so delivered must * 1.85 take two or three spoonefuls of the oyle of sweet almonds extracted without fire, and tempered with sugar. Some will rather use the yolks of egges with sugar, some the wine called Ipocras, others cullises or gelly: but alwaies divers things are to bee used, according as the patient or the woman in childbed shall be grieved, and as the Physician shall give counsell, both to cease and asswage the furious torments and paine of the throwes, to recover her strength and nourish her.

Throwes come presently after the birth of the child, because that then the veines * 1.86 (nature being wholly converted to expulsion) cast out the reliques of the menstruall matter that hath beene suppressed for the space of nine moneths, into the wombe with great violence, which because they are grosse, slimie and dreggish, cannot come forth without great paine both to the veines from whence they come, and also un∣to the wombe whereinto they goe: also then by the conversion of that portion thereof that remaineth into winde, and by the undiscreete admission of the aire in the time of the child-birth, the wombe and all the secret parts will swell, unlesse it be prevented with some digesting, repelling or mollifying oile, or by artificiall row∣ling of the parts about the belly.

CHAP. XVII. What is to bee done presently after the child is borne.

PResently after the child is borne, the mydwife must draw away the secundine or after birth, as gently as shee can: but if she cannot, let her * 1.87 put her hands into the wombe, and so draw it out, separating it from the other parts; for otherwise if it should continue longer, it would bee more difficult to bee gotten out, because that presently after the birth, the orifice of the wombe is drawn together and closed, and then all the secun∣dine must be taken from the child. Therefore the navell string must bee tyed with a * 1.88 double thread an inch from the belly. Let not the knot be too hard, lest that part of the navell string which is without the knot should fall away sooner than it ought, neither too slacke or loose, lest that an exceeding and mortall fluxe of bloud should follow after it is cut off, and lest that through it (that is to say, the navell string) the cold aire should enter into the childs body. When the knot is so made, the navell∣string must be cut in sunder the breadth of two fingers beneath it with a sharpe knife. Upon the section you must apply a double linnen cloth dipped in oyle of Roses, or of sweet almonds, to mitigate the paine; for so within a few dayes after, that which is beneath the knot will fall away, being destitute of life and nourishment, by reason that the veine and artery are tyed so close, that no life nor nourishment can come unto it: commonly all mydwives doe let it lye unto the bare belly of the infant, whereof commeth grievous paine and griping, by reason of the coldnesse thereof, which dyeth by little and little, as destitute of vitall heat. But it were farre better to roule it in soft cotton or lint, untill it be mortified, and so fall away.

Those mydwives doe unadvisedly, who so soone as the infant is borne, doe pre∣sently tye the navell string and cut it off, not looking first for the voyding of the se∣cundine. When all these things are done, the infant must bee wiped, cleansed and rubbed from all filth and excrement with oyle of Roses or Myrtles. For thereby the pores of the skinne will bee better shut, and the habite of the body the more streng∣thened.

There bee some that wash infants at that time in warme water and red wine, and afterwards annoynt them with the forenamed oyles. Others wash them not with wine alone, but boyle therein red Roses and the leaves of Myrtles, adding thereto a little salt; and then using this lotion for the space of five or sixe dayes, they not onely wash away the filth, but also resolve and digest, if there bee any hard or contused place in the infants tender body, by reason of the hard travell and la∣bour in child-birth. Their toes and fingers must bee handled, drawne asunder and * 1.89 bowed, and the joynts of the armes and legges must bee extended and bowed for many dayes and often; that thereby that portion of the excrementall humour that remaineth in the joynts, by motion may bee heated and resolved. If there bee any default in the members, either in conformation, construction or society with those that are adjoyning to them, it must bee corrected or amended with speed. Moreo∣ver, you must looke whether any of the naturall passages bee stopped, or covered with a membrane, as it often happeneth. For if any such cover or stop the orifices * 1.90 of the eares, nostrils, mouth, yard or wombe, it must bee cut in sunder by the Chy∣nurgion, and the passage must bee kept open by putting in of tents, pessaries or de∣sels, lest otherwise they should joyne together againe after they are cut. If he have one finger more than hee should naturally, if his fingers doe cleave close together, like unto the feete of a Goose or Ducke, if the ligamentall membrane thir is under the tongue bee more short and stiffer than it ought, that the infant cannot sucke, nor in time to come, speake, by reason thereof; and if there be any other thing con∣trary to nature, it must bee all amended by the industry of some expert Chyrur∣gion.

Many times in children newly borne, there sticketh on the inner side of their mouth and on their tongue, a certain chalkie substance, both in colour & consistence;

this affect proceeding from the distemperature of the mouth, the French-men call it the white Cancer. It will not permit the infant to suck, & will shortly breed & de∣generate * 1.91 into ulcers that will creepe into the jawes, and even unto the throate, and unlesse it bee cleansed speedily, will bee their death. For remedy whereof, it must bee cleansed by detersives, as with a linnen cloth bound to a little sticke, and dipped in a medicine of an indifferent consistence made with oyle of sweete al∣monds, hony and sugar. For by rubbing this gently on it, the filth may bee molli∣fied, and so cleansed or washed away.

Moreover it will bee very meete and convenient to give the infant one spoonefull of oyle of almonds, to make his belly loose and slippery, to asswage the rough∣nesse of the weason and gullet, and to dissolve the tough phlegme, which causeth a cough, and sometimes difficulty of breathing. If the eye lids cleave together, or if they bee joyned together, or agglutinated to the coats cornea or adnata; if the wa∣tery tumour called hydrocephalos affect the head, then must they bee cured by the proper remedies formerly prescribed, against each disease.

Many from their birth have spots or markes, which the common people of France call Signes, that is, markes or signes. Some of these are plaine and equall with the skinne, others are raised up into little tumours, and like unto warts, some have haires upon them, many times they are smoothe, blacke or pale, yet for the most part red. When they arise in the face, they spread abroad thereon many times with great deformity. Many thinke the cause thereof to bee a certaine portion of the menstruall matter cleaving to the sides of the wombe, comming of a fresh flux, if happely the man doe yet use copulation with the woman, or else distilling out of the veines into the wombe, mixed and concorporated with the seedes at that time when they are congealed, infecting this or that part of the issue, being drawne out of the seminall body, with their owne colour. Women referre the cause thereof unto their longing when they are with childe; which may imprint the image of the thing they long for or desire, in the child or issue that is not as yet formed (as the force or power of imagination in humane bodies is very great:) but when the child is formed, no imagination is able to leave the impression of any thing in it, no more than it could cause hornes to grow on the head of King Chypus as hee slept * 1.92 presently after hee was returned from attentively beholding Bulls fighting toge∣ther. Some of those spots bee curable, others not; as those that are great, and those that are on the lips, nostrils, and eye lids. But those that are like unto warts, because * 1.93 they are partakers of a certaine maligne quality and melancholicke matter, which may bee irritated by endeavouring to cure them, are not to bee medled with at all, for being troubled and angered, they soone turne into a Cancer (which they call Noli me tangere). Those that are curable are small, and in such parts as they * 1.94 may bee dealt withall without danger. Therefore they must bee pierced through by the roots with a needle and a thread, and so being lifted up by the ends of the thread, they must bee cut away, and the wound that remaineth must be cured accor∣ding to the generall method of wounds.

There are some that suppose the red spots that are raised up into little knobbes and bunches, may bee washed away and consumed by rubbing and annoynting them often with menstruall bloud, or the bloud of the secundine or after-birth. Those that are hairie and somewhat raised up like unto a Want or Mouse, must bee pierced through the roots in three or foure places, and straightly bound, so that at length being destitute of life and nutriment, they may fall away: after they are fal∣len away, the ulcer that remaineth must bee cured as other ulcers are. If there bee a∣ny superfluous flesh remaining, it must bee taken away by applying Aegyptiacum, or the powder of mercury, and such like: but if it be doubted that it commeth from the root of the tumour that may happely remaine, it must bee burned away by the root with oyle of vitrioll or aqua fortis.

There is also an other kinde or sort of spots, of a livide or violet colour, com∣ming especially in the face about the lips, with a soft, slacke, laxe, thinne, and un∣painefull tumour, and the veines as if they were varicous round about it. This kinde of tumour groweth greater when it ariseth on children that are wayward and crying,

and in men of riper yeares that are cholericke and angry, and then it will bee of a diverse colour, like unto a lappet or flap of flesh that hangeth over the Turkie-cocks bill. When they have done crying, or ceased their anger, the tumour will returne to his owne naturall colour againe. But you must not attempt to cure it in people that are of these conditions.

CHAP. XVIII. How to pull away the secundine or after-birth.

I Suppose that they are called secundines, because they doe grieve the woman that is with child the second time, as it were a second birth: * 1.95 for if there bee severall children in the wombe at once, and of different sexes, they then have every one their severall secundines, which thing is very necessary to bee knowne by all mydwives. For they doe ma∣ny times remaine behinde in the wombe when the child is borne, either by reason * 1.96 of the weakenesse of the woman in travell, which by contending and labouring for the birth of her childe, hath spent all her strength: or else by a tumour rising suddenly in the necke of the wombe, by reason of the long and difficult birth, and the cold aire unadvisedly permitted to strike into the orifice of the wombe. For so the liberties of the wayes or passages are stopped and made more narrow, so that nothing can come forth: or else because they are doubled and foulded in the wombe, and the waters gone out from them with the infant, so that they remaine as it were in a dry place: or else because they yet sticke in the wombe by the knots of the veines and arteries, which commonly happeneth in those that are de∣livered before their time. For even as apples which are not ripe, cannot bee pulled from the tree but by violence; but when they are ripe, they will fall off of their owne accord: so the secundine before the naturall time of the birth can hardly bee pulled away but by violence; but at the prefixed naturall time of the birth, it may easily be drawne away.

Many and grievous accidents follow the staying of the secundine; as suffocation * 1.97 of the wombe, often swouning, by reason that grosse vapours arise from the putre∣faction unto the mydriffe, heart and braine: therefore they must bee pulled away with speede from the wombe, gently handling the navell, if it may bee so possibly done. But if it cannot bee done so, the woman must bee placed as shee was wont * 1.98 when that the childe will not come forth naturally, but must bee drawne forth by art. Therefore the mydwife having her hand annoynted with oyle, must put it gently into the womb, and finding out the navell string, must follow it untill it come unto the secundine, and if it doe as yet cleave to the wombe by the cotylidons, shee must shake and move it gently up and downe, that so when it is shaked and loosed, shee may draw it out gently; but if it should bee drawne with violence, it were to be feared lest that the wombe should also follow: for by violent attraction some of the vessels, and also some of the nervous ligaments, whereby the wombe is fastened on each side, may bee rent, whereof followeth corruption of bloud shedde out of the vessels, and thence commeth inflammation, an abscesse or a mortall gangrene. Neither is there lesse danger of a convulsion by reason of the breaking of the ner∣vous * 1.99 bodies, neither is there any lesse danger of the falling downe of the wombe. If that there bee any knots or clods of bloud remaining together with the secun∣dine, the mydwife must draw them out one by one, so that not any may bee left behinde.

Some women have veyded their secundine, when it could not bee drawne forth by any meanes, long after the birth of the child, by the necke of their wombe, piece-meale, * 1.100 rotten and corrupted, with many grievous and painefull accidents. Also it shall bee very requisite to provoke the endeavour of the expulsive faculty by ster∣nutatories, aromaticke fomentations of the necke of the wombe, by mollifying injections: and contrariwise, by applying such things to the nostrils as yeeld a ranke

savour or smell, with a potion made of mugwurt and bay berries taken in hony and wine mixed together, or with halfe a dramme of the powder of savine, or with the haire of a womans head, burnt and beaten to powder, and given to drink; and to con∣clude, with all things that provoke the tearmes or courses.

CHAP. XIX. What things must bee given to the infant by the mouth, before hee bee permitted to suck the Teat or Dugge.

IT will bee very profitable to rub all the inner side of the childes * 1.101 mouth and pallat gently with treacle and hony, or the oyle of sweete almonds extracted without fire, and if you can, to cause it to swallow some of those things: for thereby much flegma∣tick moysture will bee drawne from the mouth, and also will bee moved or provoked to bee vomited up from the stomacke; for if these excrementall humours should bee mixed with the milke that is sucked, they would corrupt it, and then the vapours that arise from the cor∣rupted milke unto the brain would inferre most pernicious accidents. And you may know that there are many excrementall things in the stomacke and guts of children by this, because that so soon as they come into the world, and often before they suck milke or take any other thing, they voyde downewards many excrements diversly coloured, as yellow, greene, and blacke. Therefore many, that they may speedi∣ly evacuate the matter that causeth the fretting of the guts, doe not onely minister * 1.102 those things fore-named, but also some laxative syrupe, as that that is made of da∣maske Roses. But before the infant bee put to suck the mother, it is fitting to presse some milke out of her breast into its mouth, that so the fibres of the stomack may by little and little accustome themselves to draw in the milke.

CHAP. XX. That mothers ought to nurse or give sucke unto their owne children.

THat all mothers would nurse their owne children were greatly * 1.103 to bee wished: for the mothers milke is farre more familiar nou∣rishment for the infant than that of any other nurse: for it is no∣thing else but the same bloud made white in the dugges, where∣with before it was nourished in the wombe. For the mother ought not to give the child suck for the space of a few dayes after the birth, but first to expect the perfect expurgation and avoyding of the excremen∣tall humours. And in the meane time let her cause her breasts to bee sucked of an∣other, or many other children, or of some wholsome or sober maide, whereby the milke may bee drawne by little and little unto her breasts, and also by little and little purified.

For a certaine space after the birth, the milke will bee troubled, and the humours of the body moved: so that by long staying in the dugges, it will seeme to dege∣nerate from its naturall goodnesse, as the grossenesse of it is somewhat congealed, the manifest heate in touching, and the yellow colour thereof testifieth evidently. Therefore it is necessary that others should come in place thereof when it is sucked * 1.104 out, wherewith the infant may be nourished. But if the mother or the nurse chance to take any disease, as a Feaver, Scouring, or any such like, let her give the child to another, to give it sucke, lest that the child chance to take the nurses diseases. And moreover, mothers ought to nurse their owne children, because for the most part they are farre more vigilant and carefull in bringing up and attending their chil∣dren, than hired and mercenary nurses, which doe not so much regard the infant,

as the gaine they shall have by the keeping of it, for the most part. Those that doe not nurse their owne children, cannot rightly bee termed mothers: for they doe not absolutely performe the duty of a mother unto their childe, as Marcus Aure∣lius * 1.105 the Roman Emperour was wont to say. For this is a certaine unnaturall, imper∣fect and halfe kinde of a mothers duty, to beare a childe, and presently to abandon or put it away as if it were forsaken: to nourish and feede a thing in their wombe (which they neither know nor see) with their owne bloud, and then not to nourish it when they see it in the world alive, a creature or reasonable soule, now requiring the help and sustentation of the mother.

CHAP. XXI. Of the choice of Nurses.

MAny husbands take such pitty on their tender wives, that they pro∣vide nurses for their children, that unto the paines that they have su∣stained in bearing them, they may not also adde the trouble of nursing them: wherefore such a nurse must bee chosen which hath had two or three children. For the dugges which have beene already sucked and accustomed to bee filled, have the veines and arteries more large and capable to re∣ceive the more milke. In the choyce of a nurse there are ten things to bee conside∣red very diligently: as, her age, the habit of her body, her behaviour, the condi∣tion of her milke, the forme, not onely of her dugges or breasts, but also of her teats or nipples, the time from her child-birth, the sexe of her last infant or childe, that shee bee not with childe, that shee bee sound and in perfect health. As concerning her age, shee ought not to bee under twenty five yeares, nor above thirty five: the * 1.106 time that is betweene is the time of strength, more temperate, and more wholesome and healthy, and lesse abounding with excrementall humours. And because her bo∣dy doth not then grow or encrease, shee must of necessity have the more abundance of bloud. After thirty five yeares in many the menstruall fluxes do cease, and there∣fore it is to bee supposed that they have the lesse nutriment for children.

The nurse must also be of a good habit, or square or wel set body, her breast broad, her colour lively, not fat, nor leane, but well made, her flesh not soft and tender, but * 1.107 thick, and hard or strong, whereby she may be the more able to endure watching & taking of pains about the child; she must not have a red or freckled face, but browne or somewhat shadowed or mixed with rednesse: for truly such women are more hot than those that are red in the face, by reason whereof they must needs concoct and turne their meate the better into bloud. For according to the judgement of Sextus Cheronensis, as blackish or browne ground is more fertill than the white; even so a * 1.108 browne woman hath more store of milke. You must looke well on her head, lest shee should have the scurfe or running sores; see that her teeth bee not foule or rot∣ten, nor her breath stinking, nor no ulcer nor sore about her body, and that she be not borne of gouty or leprous Parents.

Shee ought to bee quicke and diligent in keeping the childe neate and cleane, * 1.109 chaste, sober, merry, alwaies laughing and smiling on her infant, often singing unto it, and speaking distinctly and plainely, for shee is the onely mistrisse to teach the childe to speake. Let her bee well mannered, because the manners of the nurse are participated unto the infant together with the milke. For the welpes of dogges, if they doe sucke Wolves or Lionesses, will become more fierce and cruell than other-wise they would. Contrariwise, the Lions whelps will leave their savagenesse and fiercenesse, if that they bee brought up and nourished with the milke of any Bitch, or other tame beast. If a Coat give a Lambe sucke, the same Lambes wooll will be more hard than others: contrariwise, if a Sheep give a Kyd suck, the same Kyds haire will be more soft than another Kyds haire. She ought to be sober, and the rather for this cause, because many nurses being overloaden with wine & banqueting, often set their children unto their breasts to suck, and then fall asleep, and so suddenly strangle or choak them.

Shee must abstaine from copulation: for copulation troubleth and moveth the * 1.110 humours and the bloud, and therefore the milke it selfe; and it diminisheth the quantity of milke, because it provoketh the menstruall fluxe, and causeth the milke to have a certain strong and virous quality, such as we may perceive to breathe from them that are incensed with the fervent lust and desire of venery. And moreover, be∣cause that thereby they may happen to bee with childe, whereof ensueth discom∣modity both to her owne childe that is within her body, and also to the nurse child: to the nurse childe, because that the milke that it sucketh will be worse and more de∣praved than otherwise it would bee, by reason that the more laudable bloud after the conception remaineth about the wombe, for the nutriment and increasing of the infant in the wombe; and the more impure bloud goeth into the dugges, which breedeth impure or uncleane milke: but to the conceived childe, because it will cause it to have scarcity of foode; for, so much as the sucking childe sucketh, so much the child conceived in the wombe, wanteth.

Also shee ought to have a broad breast, and her dugges indifferently bigge, not * 1.111 slacke or hanging; but of a middle consistence, betweene soft and hard; for such dugges will concoct the bloud into milke the better, because that in firme flesh the heate is more strong and compact. You may by touching try whether the flesh bee solid and firme, as also by the dispersing of the veines, easily to bee seene by reason of their swelling and blewnesse, through the dugges, as it were into many streams or little rivelers; for in flesh that is loose and slacke, they lie hidden. Those dugges that are of a competent bignesse, receive or containe no more milke than is suffici∣ent to nourish the infant. In those dugges that are great and hard, the milke is as it were suffocated, stopped or bound in, so that the childe in sucking can scarce draw it out: and moreover, if the dugges bee hard, the childe putting his mouth to the breast, may strike his nose against it, and so hurt it, whereby hee may either refuse to sucke, or if hee doth proceede to sucke, by continuall sucking, and placing of his nose on the hard breast, it may become flat, and the nostrils turned upwards, to his great deformity, when hee shall come to age. If the teates or nipples of the dugges doe stand somewhat low or depressed inwards on the toppes of the dugges, the childe can hardly take them betweene its lippes, therefore his sucking will bee very laborious. If the nipples or teats bee very bigge, they will so fill all his mouth, that he cannot well use his tongue in sucking or in swallowing the milke.

Wee may judge of or know the nature and condition of the milke, by the quan∣tity, * 1.112 quality, colour, savour and taste: when the quantity of the milke is so little, that it will not suffice to nourish the infant, it cannot bee good and laudable; for it argueth some distemperature either of the whole body, or at least of the dugges, especially a hot and dry distemperature. But when it super-aboundeth, and is more than the infant can spend, it exhausteth the juice of the nurses body; and when it cannot all bee drawne out by the infant, it cluttereth, and congealeth or corrup∣teth in the dugges. Yet I would rather wish it to abound, than to bee defective, for the super-abounding quantity may bee pressed out before the child be set to the breast.

That milke that is of a meane consistence betweene thicke and thinne, is estee∣med * 1.113 to bee the best. For it betokeneth the strength and vigour of the faculty that ingendereth it in the breasts. Therefore if one droppe of the milke bee layd on the naile of ones thumbe, being first made very cleane and faire, if the thumbe bee not moved, and it runne off the naile, it signifieth that it is watery milke: but if it sticke to the naile, although the end of the thumbe bee bowed downewards, it sheweth that it is too grosse and thicke: but if it remaine on the naile so long as you hold it upright, and fall from it when you hold it a little aside or downewards by little and little, it sheweth it is very good milke. And that which is exquisitely white, is best of all. For the milke is no other thing than bloud made white.

Therefore, if it bee of any other colour, it argueth a default in the bloud: so that * 1.114 if it bee browne, it betokeneth melancholy bloud; if it be yellow, it signifieth cho∣lericke bloud; if it bee wanne and pale, it betokeneth phlegmaticke bloud; if it bee somewhat hat red, it argueth the weakenesse of the faculty that engendreth the milke.

It ought to be sweet, fragrant, and pleasant in smell; for if it strike into the nostrills with a certaine sharpenesse, as for the most part the milke of women that have red * 1.115 haire and little freckles on their faces doth, it prognosticates a hot and cholerick na∣ture: if with a certaine sowernesse, it portendeth a cold and melancholy nature. In taste it ought to be sweet, and as it were sugred, for the bitter, saltish, sharp, and stip∣ticke, is naught. And here I cannot but admire the providence of nature, which hath caused the blood wherewith the childe should be nourished to be turned into milke: which unlesse it were so, who is he that would not turne his face from, and abhorre so grievous and terrible a spectacle of the childes mouth so imbrued and besmeared with blood? What mother or nurse would not be astonished or amazed at every mo∣ment with the feare of the blood so often shedde out, or sucked by the infant for his nourishment? Moreover, we should want two helps of sustentation, that is to say, butter and cheese.

Neither ought the childe to bee permitted to sucke within five or sixe dayes after it is borne, both for the reason before alledged, and also because he hath need of so much time to rest quiet, and ease himselfe after the paines hee hath sustained in his birth: in the meane season the mother must have her breasts drawne by some maide that drinketh no wine, or else she may sucke or draw them her selfe with an artifici∣all instrument which I will describe hereafter.

That nurse that hath borne a man childe is to be preferred before another, because * 1.116 her milke is the better concocted, the heate of the male childe doubling the mothers heate. And moreover, the women that are great with childe of a male childe, are better coloured, and in better strength, and better able to doe any thing all the time of their greatnesse, which proveth the same: and moreover the blood is more laudable, and the milke better. Furthermore, it behoveth the Nurse to bee brought on bed, or to travell at her just and prefixed or naturall time: for when the * 1.117 childe is born before his time of some inward cause, it argueth that there is some de∣fault lurking and hidden in the body and humours thereof.

CHAP. XXII. What diet the Nurse ought to use, and in what situation shee ought to place the infant in the cradle.

BOth in eating, drinking, sleeping, watching, exercising and resting, the nurses diet must be divers, according as the nature of the childe both in habit and temperature shall be: as for example, if the childe bee altoge∣ther of a more hot blood, the nurse both in feeding and ordering her selfe ought to follow a cooling diet. In generall, let her eat meates of good juice, moderate in quantity and quality, let her live in a pure and cleere aire, let her abstaine from all spices, and all salted and spiced meats, and all sharpe things, wine, especially that which is not allayed or mixed with water, and carnall copula∣tion with a man, let her avoyd all perturbations of the minde, but anger especially, * 1.118 let her use moderate exercise, unlesse it be the exercise of her armes and upper parts, rather than the legges and lower parts, whereby the greater attraction of the blood, that must be turned into milke, may bee made towards the dugges. Let her place her childe so in the cradle that his head may be higher than all the body, that so the ex∣crementall humours may bee the better sent from the braine unto the passages that are beneath it. Let her swathe it so as the neck and all the back-bone may be straight and equall. As long as the childe sucketh, and is not fed with stronger meat, it is better to lay him alway on his backe, than any other way, for the backe is, as it were the Keele in a ship, the ground-worke and foundation of all the whole body, where∣on the infant may safely and easily rest. But if hee lye on the side, it were danger lest that the bones of the ribs being soft and tender, not strong enough, and united with slacke bands, should bow under the waight of the rest, and so waxe crooked, whereby the infant might become crooke-backed. But when he beginneth to breed

teeth, and to bee fed with more strong meat, and also the bones and connexions of them begin to waxe more firme and hard, hee must bee layed one while on this side, another while on that, and now and then also on his backe. And the more hee groweth, the more let him be accustomed to lye on his sides; and as hee lieth in the cradle, let him bee turned unto that place whereat the light commeth in, lest that o∣therwise he might become poore-blind, for the eye of its owne nature is bright and light-some, and therefore alwaies desireth the light, and abhorreth darkenesse, for all things are most delighted with their like, and shunne their contraries. Therefore unlesse the light come directly into the childes face, he turneth himselfe every way being very sorrowfull, and striveth to turne his head and eyes that hee may have the light; and that often turning and rowling of his eyes at length groweth into a custome that cannot bee left: and so it commeth to passe that the infant doth either become poore-blind, if hee set his eyes stedfastly on one thing, or else his eyes doe become trembling, alwaies turning and unstable, if hee cast his eyes on many things that are round about him: which is the reason that nurses, being taught by experi∣ence, * 1.119 cause over the head of the childe lying in the cradle, an arch or vault of wick∣ers covered with cloath to be made, thereby to restraine, direct, and establish the un∣certaine and wandering motions of the childes eyes.

If the nurse be squint-eyed, she cannot look upon the childe but side-waies, where∣of it commeth to passe that the childe being moist, tender, flexible and prone to any thing with his body, and so likewise with his eye, by a long and daily custome unto his nurses sight, doth soone take the like custome to looke after that sort also, which afterwards he cannot leave or alter. For those evill things that we learn in our youth, do stick firmly by us, but the good qualities are easily changed into worse. In the eies of those that are squint-eyed, those two muscles which do draw the eyes to the grea∣ter or lesser corner, are chiefly or more frequently moved. Therefore either of these being confirmed in their turning aside by long use, as the exercise of their proper of∣fice encreaseth the strength, soone overcomes the contrary or withstanding muscles, called the Antagonists, and brings them into their subjection, so that will they nill they, they bring the eye unto this or that corner as they list. So children become left∣handed, * 1.120 when they permit their right hand to languish with idlenesse and sluggish∣nesse, and strengthen their left hand with continuall use and motion to do every acti∣on therewithall, and so bring by the exercise thereof, more nutriment unto that part. But if men (as some affirme) being of ripe yeers and in their full growth, by daily so∣ciety and company of those that are lame and halt doe also halt, not minding so to doe, but it commeth against their wills and when they thinke nothing thereof, why should not the like happen in children, whose soft and tender substance is as flexible and pliant as waxe unto every impression? Moreover, children, as they become lame and crook-backt, so doe they also become squint-eyed by the hereditary default of their parents.

CHAP. XXIII. How to make pappe for children.

PAppe is a most meet foode or meat for children, because they require moist nourishment, and it must bee answerable in thickenesse to the * 1.121 milke, that so it may not be difficult to be concocted or digested. For pap hath these three conditions, so that it be made with wheaten flow∣er, and that not crude but boiled: let it be put into a new earthen pot or pipkin, and so set into an oven at the time when bread is set there∣into to bee baked, and let it remaine there untill the bread bee baked and drawne out; for when it is so baked it is lesse clammy and crude. Those that mixe the meale crude with the milke, are constrained to abide one of these discommodi∣ties or other, either to give the meale grosse & clammy unto the child, if that the pap be onely first boiled over the fire in a pipkin or skillet so long as shall bee necessary

for the milke; hence come obstructions in the mesaraike veines, and in the small veines of the liver, fretting and wormes in the guts, and the stone in the reines. Or else they give the child the milk, despoiled of its butterish and whayish portion, and the terrestriall and cheeselike or curdlike remaining, if the pap be boiled so long as is necessary for the meale: for the milke requireth not so great, neither can it suffer so long boyling as the meale. Those that doe use crude meale, and have no hurt by it, are greatly bound to nature for so great a benefit. But Galen willeth children to bee nourished onely with the nurses milke, so long as the nurse hath enough to nourish * 1.122 and feed it. And truely there are many children that are contented with milke only, and will receive no pappe untill they are three moneths old. If the child at any time bee costive, and cannot voide the excrements, let him have a cataplasme made with one dramme of Aloes, of white and blacke Hellebore, of each fifteene graines, be∣ing * 1.123 all incorporated in as much of an oxe gall as is sufficient, and extended or spread on cotton like unto a pultis, as broad as the palme of ones hand, and so apply it upon the navell warme: moreover, this cataplasme hath also vertue to kill the wormes in the belly. Many times children have fretting of the guts, that maketh them to cry, * 1.124 which commeth of crudity. This must bee cured by applying unto the belly sweaty or moist woole, macerated in oile of chamomile.

If when the childes teeth begin to grow, he chance to bite the nipple of the nurses breast, there will bee an ulcer very contumacious and hard to be cured, because that the sucking of the childe, and the rubbing of the cloaths doe keep it alwaies raw; it * 1.125 must be cured with fomenting it with allome water, and then presently after the fo∣mentation putting thereupon a cover of leade, made like unto a hat, as they are here described, with many holes in the toppe, whereat both the milke, and also the sa∣nious matter that commeth from the ulcers may goe out, for lead it selfe will cure ulcers.

[illustration]

The figure of leaden Nipples to be put upon the Nipple or Teat of the Nurse when it is ulcerated.

Children may be caused to cease their crying foure manner of waies, that is to say, by giving them the teat, by rocking them in a cradle, by singing unto them, and by changing the cloaths and swathes wherein they are wrapped. They must not bee rocked too violently in the cradle, lest that the milke that is sucked should be corrup∣ted by the too violent motion, by reason whereof they must not be handled violent∣ly any other way, and not altogether prohibited or not suffered to cry. For by cry∣ing the breast and lungs are dilated and made bigger and wider, the naturall parts * 1.126 the stronger, and the braine, nostrills, the eyes and mouth are purged, by the teares and filth that come from the eyes and nostrills. But they must not bee permitted * 1.127 to cry long or fiercely, for feare of breaking the production of the Peritonaum, and thereby causing the falling downe of the guts into the cod, which rupture is called of the Greekes Enterocele, or of the caule, which the Greekes call Epiplocele.

CHAP. XXIIII. Of the weaning of children.

MAny are weaned in the eighteenth moneth, some in the twentieth, but all, or the most part, in the second yeare, for then their teeth appeare, * 1.128 by whose presence nature seemeth to require some harder meat than milke or pappe, wherewith children are delighted, and will feed more earnestly thereon. But there is no certaine time of weaning of children. For the teeth of some will appeare sooner, and some later; for they are prepared of nature for no other purpose than to chaw the meat. If children bee weaned before * 1.129 their teeth appeare, and bee fed with meat that is somewhat hard and solid, accor¦ding to the judgement of Avicen, they are incident to many diseases comming through crudity, because the stomacke is yet but weake, and wanteth that preparati∣on of the meates which is made in the mouth by chawing; which men of ripe yeers cannot want without offence: when the childe is two yeeres old, and the teeth ap∣peare, * 1.130 if the childe more vehemently desire harder meates, and doth feed on them with pleasure & good successe, he may be safely weaned, for it cannot be supposed that he hath this appetite of hard meats in vain, by the instinct of nature. Yet he may not be weaned without such an appetite, if all other things be correspondent, that is to say, his teeth and age, for those things that are eaten without an appetite, cannot profit. But if the childe be weake, sickly, or feeble, he ought not to be weaned. And when the meet time of weaning commeth, the nurse must now and then use him to the teat, whereby he may leave it by little and little, and then let the teate be anoin∣ted or rubbed with bitter things, as with Aloes, water of the infusion of Colocynthus, or worme-wood, or with mustard, or soote steeped in water, or such like. Children * 1.131 that are scabby in their heads, and over all their bodies and which void much flegme at their mouth and nostrills, and many excrements downwards, are like to be strong and sound of body; for so they are purged of excrementall humours: contrariwise, those that are cleane and faire of body, gather the matter of many diseases in their bodies, which in processe of time will breake forth and appeare. Certainely by the * 1.132 sodaine falling of such matters into the backe-bone, many become crookebackt.

CHAP. XXV. By what signes it may bee knowne whether the childe in the wombe bee dead or alive.

IF neither the Chirurgians hand, nor the mother can perceive the * 1.133 infant to move, if the waters bee flowed out, and secundine come forth, you may certainely affirme that the infant is dead in the wombe, for this is the most infallible signe of all others: for be∣cause the child in the wombe doth breathe but by the artery of the navell, and the breath is received by the Cotyledon of the arteries of the wombe, it must of necessity come to passe that when the secundine is separated from the infant, no aire or breath can come unto it. Wherefore so often as the se∣cundine is excluded before the childe, you may take it for a certaine token of the death thereof: when the childe is dead, it will be more heavie to the mother than it was before when it was alive, because it is now no more sustained by the spirits and * 1.134 faculties wherewith before it was governed and ruled, for so we see dead men to be heavier than those that are alive, & men that are weak through hunger and famine to be heavier than when they are well refreshed, and also when the mother enclines her body any way, the infant falleth that way also even as it were a stone. The mother is also vexed with sharpe paine from the privities even to the navell, with a perpetuall desire of making water, and going to stoole, because that nature is wholly busied in

the expolsion or avoidance of that which is dead: for that which is alive will expell * 1.135 the dead so farre as it can from it selfe, because the one is altogether different from the other; but likenesse, if any thing, conjoynes and unites things together: the ge∣nitalls are cold in touching, and the mother complaineth that she feeleth a coldnesse in her womb, by reason that the heat of the infant is extinguished, wherewith before her heate was doubled: many filthy excrements come from her, and also the mo∣thers breath stinketh, she swouneth often, all which for the most part happen within three daies after the death of the childe: for the infants body will sooner corrupt in the mothers wombe than it would in the open aire, because that, according to the judgement of Galen, all hot and moist things, being in like manner enclosed in a hot * 1.136 and moist place, especially if by reason of the thickenesse or straitenesse of the place they cannot receive the aire, will speedily corrupt. Now by the rising up of such vapours from the dead unto the braine and heart, such accidents may soone follow, her face will be clean altered, seeming livid and ghastly, her dugs fall and hang loose and lanke, and her belly will be more hard and swollen than it was before. In all bo∣lies so putrefying, the naturall heat vanisheth away, and in place thereof succeedeth * 1.137 a preternaturall, by the working whereof the putrefyed and dissolved humours are stirred up into vapours, and converted into winde, and those vapours, because they possesse and fill more space and roome (for naturalists say that of one part of water ten parts of aire are made) doe so puffe up the putrefyed body into a greater bignesse. You may note the same thing in bodies that are gangrenate, for they cast forth many sharpe vapours, yet neverthelesse they are swollen and pufted up.

Now so soone as the Chirurgian shall know that the childe is dead by all these forenamed signes, he shall with all diligence endeavour to save the mother so spee∣dily as hee can, and if the Physitians cannot prevaile with potions, bathes, fumiga∣tions, sternutatories, vomits, and liniments appointed to expell the infant, let him prepare himselfe to the worke following; but first let him consider the strength of the woman, for if he perceive that shee bee weake and feeble by the smalnesse of her * 1.138 pulse, by her small, seldome and cold breathing, and by the altered and death-like colour in her face, by her cold sweats, and by the coldnesse of the extreme parts, let him abstaine from the worke, and onely affirme that shee will dye shortly; contrari∣wise, if her strength be yet good, let him with all confidence and industry deliver her on this wise from the danger of death.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Chyrurgicall extraction of the childe from the wombe either dead or alive.

THerefore first of all the aire of the chamber must bee made tempe∣rate, and reduced unto a certaine mediocrity, so that it may nei∣ther * 1.139 be too hot nor too cold. Then she must be aptly placed, that is to say, overthwart the bed side, with her buttockes somewhat high, having a hard stuffed pillow or boulster underthem, so that she may be in a meane figure of situation, neither sitting altogether upright, nor altogether lying along on her backe; for so shee may rest quietly, and draw her breath with ease, neither shall the ligaments of the womb bee extended so as they would if shee lay upright on her backe, her heeles must bee drawn up close to her buttocks, and there bound with broad and soft linnen rowlers. The rowler must first come about her neck, and then crosse-wise over her shoulders, * 1.140 and so to the feet, and there it must crosse again, and so be rowled about the legs and thighes, and then it must be brought up to the necke againe, and there made fast, so that she may not be able to move her selfe, even as one should be tyed when he is to be cut of the stone. But that shee may not bee wearied, or lest that her body should yeeld or sinke downe as the Chirurgian draweth the body of the infant from her, and so hinder the worke, let him cause her feet to bee set against the side of the bed,

and then let some of the strong standers by hold her fast by the legs and shoulders. * 1.141 Then that the aire may not enter into the wombe, and that the worke may bee done with the more decency, her privie parts & thighs must be covered with a warm dou∣ble linnen cloath. Then must the Chirurgion, having his nailes closely pared, and his rings (if hee weare any) drawne off his fingers, and his armes naked, bare, and well anointed with oyle, gently draw the flappes of the necke of the wombe asunder, and then let him put his hand gently into the mouth of the wombe, having first made it gentle and slippery with much oile; and when his hand is in, let him finde out the forme and situation of the childe, whether it be one or two, or whether it be a Mole or not. And when he findeth that he commeth naturally, with his head toward the * 1.142 mouth or orifice of the wombe, he must lift him up gently, and so turne him that his feet may come forwards, and when he hath brought his feet forwards, he must draw one of them gently out at the necke of the wombe, and then hee must binde it with some broad and soft or silken band a little above the heele with an indifferent slack knot, and when he hath so bound it, he must put it up againe into the wombe, then he must put his hand in againe, and finde out the other foote, and draw it also out of the wombe, and when it is out of the wombe, let him draw out the other againe where∣unto he had before tyed the one end of the band, and when hee hath them both out, let him join them both close together, & so by them by little & little let him draw all the whole body from the wombe. Also other women or Midwives may help the en∣deavour of the Chirurgion, by pressing the patients belly with their hands downe-wards as the infant goeth out: and the woman her selfe by holding her breath, and closing her mouth and nostrills, and by driving her breath downewards with great violence, may very much helpe the expulsion. I wish him to put backe the foot into the wombe againe after he hath tyed it, because if that he should permit it to remain in the necke of the womb, it would hinder the entrance of his hand when he putteth it in to draw out the other. But if there bee two children in the wombe at once, let the Chirurgian take heed lest that he take not of either of them a legge, for by draw∣ing them so, hee shall profit nothing at all, and yet exceedingly hurt the woman. Therefore that he may not bee so deceived, when hee hath drawne out one foot and tyed it, and put it up again, let him with his hand follow the band wherewithall the foot is tyed, and so goe unto the foot, and then to the groine of the childe, and then from thence he may soone finde out the other foot of the same child: for if it should happen otherwise, he might draw the legges and the thighes out, but it would come no further, neither is it meet that hee should come out with his armes along by his sides, or bee drawne out on that sort, but one of his armes must bee stretched out a∣bove his head, and the other down by his side, for otherwise the orifice of the womb when it were delivered of such a grosse trunke, as it would be when his body should * 1.143 be drawne out with his armes along by his sides, would so shrinke and draw it selfe when the body should come unto the necke, onely by the accord of nature requi∣ring union, that it would strangle and kill the infant, so that hee cannot be drawne there-hence unlesse it bee with a hooke put under, or fastened under his chinne, in his mouth, or in the hollownesse of his eye. But if the infant lyeth as if hee would come with his hands forwards, or if his hands bee forth already, so that it * 1.144 may seeme hee may bee drawne forth easily that way, yet it must not be so done; for so his head would double backwards over his shoulders, to the great danger of his mother. Once I was called unto the birth of an infant, whom the midwives had assayed to draw out by the arme, so that the arme had been so long forth that it was gangrenate, whereby the childe dyed; I told them presently that his arme must bee put in againe, and hee must bee turned otherwise. But when it could not bee put backe by reason of the great swelling thereof, and also of the mothers genitals, I determined to cut it off with an incision knife, cutting the muscles as neare as I could to the shoulder, yet drawing the flesh upwards, that when I had taken off the bone with a paire of cutting pincers, it might come downe againe to cover the shivered end of the bone, lest otherwise when it were thrust in againe into the wombe, it might hurt the mother. Which being done, I turned him with his feete forwards, and drew him out as is before sayd. But if the tumour either naturally or by some

accident, that is to say, by putrefaction, which may perchance come, bee so great that hee cannot bee turned according to the Chirurgions intention, nor be drawne out according as hee lyeth, the tumour must bee diminished, and then hee must bee drawne out as is aforesaid, and that must bee done at once. As for example, * 1.145 if the dead infant appeare at the orifice of the wombe, which our mydwives call the Garland, when it gapeth, is open and dilated, but yet his head being more great and puffed up with winde so that it cannot come forth, as caused to bee so through that disease which the Greeks call Mucrophisocephalos, the Chirurgion must fasten a hooke under his chinne, or in his mouth, or else in the hole of his eye, or else, which is better and more expedient, in the hinder part of his head. For when the scull is so opened, there will bee a passage whereat the winde may passe out, and so when the tumour falleth and decreaseth, let him draw the infant out by little and little, but not rashly, lest he should break that whereon he hath taken hold: the figure of those hookes is thus.

[illustration]

The forme of hookes for drawing out the infant that is dead in the wombe.

But if the breast bee troubled with the like fault, the hookes must bee fastened a∣bout the chanell bone: if there bee a Dropsie or a Tympany in the belly, the hooks must bee fastned either in the short ribs, that is to say, in the muscles that are be∣tweene the ribbes, or especially, if the disease doe also descend into the feete, about the bones that are above the groine; or else putting the crooked knife here pictured i•…•…he wombe with his left hand, let him make incision in the childs belly, and so get out all his entrals by the incision, for when hee is so bowelled, all the water that caused the dropsie will out. But the Chirurgion must do none of all these things but when the child is dead, and the woman that travelleth in such danger that shee cannot otherwise be holpen.

But if by any meanes it happeneth that all the infants members bee cut away by * 1.146 little and little, and that the head onely remaineth behinde in the wombe, which I have sometimes against my will, and with great sorrow seene, then the left hand being anoynted, with oyle of Lillies or fresh butter must bee put into the wombe, wherewith the Chirurgion must find out the mouth, putting his fingers into it; then with his right hand hee must put up the hooke, according to the direction of the left hand, gently, & by little & little, and so fasten it in the mouth, eye, or under the chin, and when hee hath firmely fixed or fastened it, hee must therewith draw out the head by little and little, for feare of loosening or breaking the part whereon hee hath hold. In stead of this hooke you may use the instruments that are here descri∣bed,

which therefore I have taken out of the Chirurgery of Francis Dalechamps, for they are so made, that they may easily take hold of a sphaericall and round body with the branches, as with fingers.

[illustration]

Gryphons Talons, that is to say, instruments made to draw out the head of a dead infant that is separated in the wombe from the rest of the body.

But it is not very easie to take hold on the head when it remaineth alone in the * 1.147 wombe, by reason of the roundnesse thereof, for it will slip and slide up and downe, unlesse the belly be pressed downe, and on both sides, thereby to hold it unto the in∣strument, that it may with more facility take hold thereon.

CHAP. XXVII. What must bee done unto the woman in travell presently af∣ter her deliverance.

THere is nothing so great an enemy to a woman in travell, especially to * 1.148 her whose child is drawne away by violence, as cold: wherefore with all care and diligence shee must bee kept and defended from cold. For after the birth, her body being voyde and empty, doth easily receive the ayre that will enter into every thing that is empty, and hence shee waxeth cold, her wombe is distended and puffed up, and the orifices of the vessels thereof are shut and closed, whereof commeth suppression of the after-birth, or other after purga∣tions. And thereof commeth many grievous accidents, as hystericall suffocation, * 1.149 painefull fretting of the guts, feavers, and other mortall diseases.

What woman soever will avoyde that discommodity, let her hold her legges or thighes acrosse, for in so doing, those parts that were separated will bee joyned and close together againe. Let her belly bee also bound or rowled with a ligature of an indifferent breadth and length, which may keep the cold ayre from the wombe, and also presse the bloud out that is contained in all the substance thereof. Then give her some Capon broth or Caudle, with Saffron, or with the powder called * 1.150 Pulvis ducis, or else bread toasted and dipped in wine wherein spice is brewed, for to restore her strength, and to keepe away the fretting of the guts. When the secundine is drawne out, and is yet hot from the wombe, it must bee layd warme unto the region of the wombe, especially in the winter, but in the summer, the hot skinne of a Weather newly killed must be laid unto all the whole belly, and unto the

region of the loynes. But then the curtaines of the bed must bee kept drawne, and all the windowes and doores of the chamber must bee kept shut with all diligence, that no cold ayre may come unto the woman that travelleth, but that shee may lye and take her rest quietly. The Weathers skinne must bee taken away after that it hath lyen five or sixe houres, and then all the region of her belly must bee annoin∣ted with the oyntment following.

℞. spermatis Ceti, ℥ii. olei amygdal. dulcium & hypericon. an. ℥iss. sevihircini. ℥i. * 1.151 olei myrtillor. ℥i. cer ae novae quantum sufficit; make thereof an oyntment, wherewith let her bee annoynted twice in the day: let a plaster of Galbanum bee applyed to the navell, in the middest whereof put some few graines of Civet or Muske, so that the smell of the plaster may not strike up into her nostrils. Then let this medicine following bee applyed, commonly called Tela Gualterina. ℞. cer ae novae ℥iiii. spermatis Ceti. ℥iss. terebinth. venetaein aqua rosacea lotae ℥ii. olei amygdal. dulcium & * 1.152 hypericonis an. ℥i. olei mastich. & myrtini, an. ℥ss. axungiae cervi ℥iss. melt them all together, and when they are melted, take it from the fire, and then dippe a linnen cloth therein, as bigge as may serve to fit the region of the belly, whereunto it is to bee applyed. These remedies will keepe the externall region of the belly from wrinkling.

But of all other, the medicine following excelleth. ℞. limacum rub. lb i. florum anthos quart. iii. let them bee cut all in small pieces, and put into an earthen pot well nealed with lead, and close stopped, then let it bee set in the dung of horses for the space of forty dayes, and then bee pressed or strained, and let the liquor that is strayned out bee kept in a glasse well covered, and set in the sunne for the space of three or foure dayes, and therewith annoynt the belly of the woman that lyeth in child-bed. If shee bee greatly tormented with throwes, let the powder following bee given unto her. ℞. anisi conditi ℥ii. nucis moschat. cornu cervi ust. an. * 1.153 ʒi.ss. nuclcorum dactyllor. ʒiii. ligni aloës & cinamomi an. ʒii. make thereof a most subtle powder, let her take ʒi. thereof at once with white wine warme. Or, ℞. rad. confolidae major. ʒiss. nucleorum persicorum, nucis moschat. an. ℈ii. carab. ℈ss. ambrae graezoe gra. iiii. make thereof a powder, let her take one dramme thereof at a time with white wine, or, if shee have a feaver, with the broth of a Capon. Let there be hot bagges applyed to the genitalls, belly and raynes; these bagges must bee made of millet and oates fryed in a frying pan with a little white wine.

But if through the violence of the excraction the genitall parts bee torne, as anci∣ent writers affirm it hath come to passe, so that the two holes, as the two holes of the * 1.154 privie parts and of the fundament have beene torne into one, then that which is rent must bee stitched up, and the wound cured according to art. Which is a most unfortunate chance for the mother afterwards, for when shee shall travell againe, shee cannot have her genitall parts to extend and draw themselves in againe by rea∣son of the scarre. So that then it will bee needfull that the Chirurgion shall againe open the place that was cicatrized, for otherwise shee shall never bee delivered, although shee strive and contend never so much. I have done the like cure in two women that dwelt in Paris.

CHAP. XXVIII. What cure must bee used to the Dugges and Teates of those that are brought to bed.

IF great store and abundance of milke bee in the breasts, and the wo∣man bee not willing to nurse her owne childe, they must bee annoyn∣ted with the unguent following, to repell the milke, and cause it to * 1.155 bee expelled through the wombe. ℞. olei ros. myrtini an. ℥iii. a∣ceti rosat. ℥i. incorporate them together, and therewith annoynt thè dugges foure times a day, and presently after the annoynting besprinkle them with the powder of myrtils, and then apply the plaster following. ℞. pulv. mastichini,

nucis moschat. an. ʒii. nucis cupressi ʒiii. balaust. myrtill. an. ʒiss. Ireos, florent. ℥ss. o∣lei myrtini ℥ iii. terebinth. veneta ℥ ii. cerae novae quantum sufficit, make thereof a soft plaster.

The leaves of brooke-lime, cresses and boxe boyled together in urine and vine∣gar, are thought a present remedy for this purpose, that is to say, to draw the milke from the breasts. And others take the clay that falleth downe into the bottome of the trough wherein the grindstone, whereon swords are grownd, turneth, and mixe it with oyle of roses, and apply it warme unto the dugges, which in short space, as it is thought, will asswage the paine, stay the inflammation, and drive the milke out of the dugges. The decoction of ground Ivie, Peruwincle, Sage, redde Roses and roach Alome being prepared in oxycrate, and used in the forme of a fomen∣tation, is thought to performe the like effect: the like vertue have the lees of red wine, applyed to the dugges with vinegar, or the distilled water of unripe Pine-ap∣ples applyed to the breasts with linnen clothes wet therein, or hemlocke beaten and applyed with the young and tender leaves of a gourd.

This medicine following is approved by use: Take the leaves of Sage, Smal∣lage, * 1.156 Rue, and Chervill, and cut or chop them very small, and incorporate them in vinegar and oyle of Roses, and so apply it warme to the breast, and renue it thrice a day. In the meane time let Cupping-glasses bee applyed to the inner side of the thigh and groine, and also above the navell. For this is very effectuall to draw the milke out of the breasts into the wombe by the veines, whereby the wombe communicateth with the breasts. Moreover, they may let children or little welpes sucke their breasts, whereby they may draw out the milke that is fix∣ed fast in their dugges, in steed whereof wee have invented this instrument of glasse, wherewith, when the broader orifice is fastened or placed on the breast or dugge, and the pipe turned upwards towards her mouth, shee may suck her owne breasts her selfe.

[illustration]

The forme of a little glasse, which being put on the nipple, the woman may sucke her owne breasts.

In steede of this instrument, a violl of glasse being first made warme, and the mouth thereof applyed to the nipple or teat, by reason of the heate and wide∣nesse thereof will draw the milke forth into the bottome thereof, as it were by a certaine sucking. The after purgations being first evacuated, which is done for the most part within twenty dayes after the birth, if the woman bee not in danger of a feaver, nor have any other accident, let her enter into a bath, made of mar∣jerome, mints, sage, rosemary, mugwurt, agrimonie, pennyroyall, the flowers of chamomile, melilote, dill, being boyled in most pure and cleare running water. All the day following let another such like bath bee prepared, whereunto let these things following bee added. ℞. farini fabarum & aven. an. lb. iii. farin. orobi, lu∣pinor. & gland. an. lb. i. aluminis roch. ℥iiii. salis com. lb. ii. gallarum, nucum cu∣pressi, an. ℥iii. rosar. rub. m. vi. chariophyl. nucum moschat. an. ʒ iii. boyle them all in common water, then sew them all in a cleane linnen cloth, as it were in a bagge, and cast them therein into the bath wherein Iron red hot hath beene ex∣tinguished, and let the woman that hath lately travelled sit downe therein so long as shee pleaseth, and when shee commeth out, let her bee layd warme in bedde,

and let her take some preserved Orange pill, or bread toasted and dipped in Ipocras, or in wine brewed with spices, and then let her sweate, if the sweate will come forth of its owne accord.

On the next day let astringent fomentations bee applyed to the genitals on this * 1.157 wise prepared. ℞. gallar. nucum Cupressi, corticum granat. an. ℥i. rosar. rub. mi. thymi, majoran. an. m. ss. aluminis rochae, salis com. an. ʒii. boyle them all together in redde wine, and make thereof a decoction for a fomentation, for the forenamed use. The distilled liquor following is very excellent and effectuall to confirme and to * 1.158 draw in the dugges, or any other loose parts. ℞. charyophyl. nucis moschat. nucum cupressi. an. ℥ i ss. mastich. ℥ii. alumin. roch. ℥ i ss. glandium & corticis querni, an. lb ss. rosar. rubr. m. i. cort. granat. ℥ ii. terrae sigillat. ℥ i. cornu cervi usti ℥ ss. myrtillor. san∣guinis dracon. an. ℥ i. boli armeni. ℥ ii. ireos florent. ℥ i. sumach. berber. Hyppuris, an. m. ss. conquassentur omnia, & macerentur spatio duorum dierum. in lb i ss. aquae rosarum lb ii. prunorum syvestr. mespilorum, pomorum quernorum, & lb ss. aquae fabrorum, aceti denique fortiss. ℥iv. afterward distill it over a gentle fire, and keep the distilled liquor for your use, wherewith let the parts be fomented twice in a day. And after the fo∣mentation, let wollen clothes or stupes of linnen cloth be dipped in the liquor, and then pressed out and laid to the place. When all these things are done and past, the woman may againe keep company with her husband.

CHAP. XXIX. What the causes of difficult and painefull travell in child-birth are.

THe fault dependeth sometimes on the mother, and sometimes on the in∣fant * 1.159 or childe within the wombe. On the mother, if shee bee more fat, if shee bee given to gurmundize or great eating, if she be too leane or yong, as Savanarola thinketh her to bee, that is great with childe at nine yeares of age, or unexpert, or more old, or weaker than shee should bee, eyther by na∣ture or by some accident: as by diseases that shee hath had a little before the time of child-birth, or with a great fluxe of bloud. But those that fall in travell before the full and prefixed time, are very difficult to deliver, because the fruit is yet un∣ripe, and not ready or easie to bee delivered. If the necke or orifice of the wombe bee narrow, eyther from the first conformation, or afterwards by some chance, as by an ulcer cicatrized: or more hard and callous, by reason that it hath beene torne before at the birth of some other childe, and so cicatrized againe, so that if the cicatrizeed place bee not cut even in the moment of the deliverance, both the childe and the mother will bee in danger of death; also the rude handling of the mydwife may hinder the free deliverance of the child. Oftentimes women are * 1.160 letted in travell by shamefac'tnesse, by reason of the presence of some man, or hate to some woman there present.

If the secundine bee pulled away sooner than it is necessary, it may cause a great fluxe of bloud to fill the wombe, so that then it cannot performe his exclusive fa∣culty, no otherwise than the bladder when it is distended by reason of overabun∣dance of water that is therein, cannot cast it forth, so that there is a stoppage of the urine. But the wombe is much rather hindred, or the faculty of child-bith is stop∣ped or delayed, if together with the stopping of the secundine, there be either a mole or some other body contrary to nature in the wombe. In the secundines of two women whom I delivered of two children that were dead in their bodies, I found a great quantity of sand like unto that that is found about the banks of rivers, so that the gravell or sand that was in each secundine was a full pound in weight.

Also the infant may bee the occasion of difficult child-birth, as, if too bigge, if it * 1.161 come overthwart, if it come with its face upwards, and its buttocks forwards, if it come with its feet and hands both forwards at once, if it be dead and swolne by rea∣son of corruption, if it bee monstrous, if it have two bodies or two heads, if it bee manifold or seven-fold, as Albucrasis affirmeth hee hath seene, if there bee a mole

annexed thereto, if it be very weake, if when the waters are flowed out, it doth not move or stirre, or offer its selfe to come forth. Yet notwithstanding, it happeneth * 1.162 sometimes that the fault is neither in the mother nor the childe, but in the aire, which being cold, doth so binde, congeale and make stiffe the genitall parts, that they cannot bee relaxed: or, being contrariwise too hot, it weakeneth the woman that is in travell, by reason that it wasteth the spirits, wherein all the strength con∣sisteth: or in the ignorant and unexpert mydwife, who cannot artificially rule and governe the endeavours of the woman in travell.

The birth is wont to bee easie, if it bee in the due and prefixed naturall time, if the * 1.163 childe offer himselfe lustily to come forth with his head forwards, presently after the waters are come forth, and the mother in like manner lusty and strong: those * 1.164 which are wont to bee troubled with very difficult child-birth, ought a little before the time of the birth, to goe into an halfe tub filled with the decoction of mollifying rootes and seeds, to have their genitals, wombe, and necke thereof to bee anoynted with much oyle, and the intestines that are full and loaded must bee unburthened of the excrements, and then the expulsive faculty provoked with a sharpe glyster, that the tumours and swelling of the birth concurring therewith, the more easie exclusion may be made. But I like it rather better, that the woman in travell should be placed in a chaire that hath the backe thereof leaning backwards, than in her bed, but the chair must have a hole in the bottome, whereby the bones that must be dilated in the birth, may have more freedome to close themselves againe.

CHAP. XXX. The causes of Abortion or untimely birth.

ABortion or untimely birth is one thing, and effluxion another. They * 1.165 call abortion the sudden exclusion of the childe already formed and a∣live, before the perfect maturity thereof. But that is called effluxion, * 1.166 which is the falling downe of seeds mixed together and coagulated but for the space of a few dayes, onely in the formes of membranes or tu∣nicles, congealed bloud, and of an unshapen or deformed piece of flesh; the mydwives of our countrey call it a false branch or budde. This effluxion is the cause * 1.167 of great paine and most bitter and cruell torment to the woman: leaving behinde it weaknesse of body farre greater than if the childe were borne at the due time. The causes of abortion or untimely birth, whereof the the child is called an abor∣tive, are many, as a great scouring, a strangury joyned with heate and inflammation, sharpe fretting of the guts, a great and continuall cough, exceeding vomiting, ve∣hement labour in running, leaping, and dauncing, and by a great fall from on high, carrying of a great burthen, riding on a trotting horse, or in a Coach, by vehement, often and ardent copulation with men, or by a great blow or stroke on the belly. For all these & such like vehement and inordinate motions dissolve the ligaments of the wombe, and so cause abortion or untimely birth.

Also whatsoever presseth or girdeth in the mothers belly, and therewith also the * 1.168 wombe that is within it, as are those Ivory or Whale-bone buskes, which women weare on their bodies, thereby to keepe downe their bellies; by these and such like things the childe is letted or hindred from growing to his full strength, so that by expression, or as it were by compulsion, hee is often forced to come forth be∣fore the legitimate and lawfull time. Thundering, the noyse of the shooting of great Ordnance, the sound, and vehement noyse of the ringing of Bells constraine women to fall in travell before their time, especially women that are young, whose bodies are soft, slacke and tenderer than those that bee of riper yeares. Long and great fasting, a great fluxe of bloud, especially when the infant is growne some what great: but if it bee but two moneths old, the danger is not so great, because then hee needeth not so great quantity of nourishment, also a long disease of the mother, which consumeth the bloud, causeth the childe to come forth being destitute of

store of nourishment before the fit time. Moreover, fulnesse, by reason of the ea∣ting great store of meates, often maketh or causeth untimely birth; because it depra∣veth the strength, and presseth down the child: as likewise the use of meats that are of an evill juice, which they lust or long for. But bathes, because they relaxe the li∣gaments * 1.169 of the wombe, and hot houses, for that the fervent and choaking ayre is re∣ceived into the body, provoke the infant to strive to goe forth to take the cold ayre, and so cause abortion.

What women soever, being indifferently well in their bodies, travell in the second * 1.170 or third moneth without any manifest cause, those have the Cotylidones of their womb full of filth and matter, and cannot hold up the infant, by reason of the weight thereof, but are broken: Moreover, sudden or continuall perturbations of the minde, whether they bee through anger or feare, may cause women to travell before their time, and are accounted as the causes of abortions, for that they cause great and vehement trouble in the body. Those women that are like to travell before their time, their dugs will wax little: therefore when a woman is great with childe, if her dugs suddenly wax small or slender, it is a signe that shee will travell before her time; the cause of such shrinking of the dugs is, that the matter of the milke is drawne back into the wombe, by reason that the infant wanteth nourishment to nourish and suc∣cour it withall. Which scarcity the infant not long abiding, striveth to goe forth to seek that abroad which he cannot have within, for among the causes which do make the infant to come out of the womb, those are most usually named with Hippocrates, * 1.171 the necessity of a more large nutriment and aire.

Therfore if a woman that is with child have one of her dugs small, if she have two children, she is like to travell of one of them before the full and perfect time: so that if the right dug be small, it is a man child, but if it be the left dug it is a female. Wo∣men are in farre more paine when they bring forth their children before the time * 1.172 than if it were at the full and due time, because that whatsoever is contrary to na∣ture, is troublesome, painefull, and also oftentimes dangerous. If there be any errour committed at the first time of childe-birth, it is commonly seene that it happeneth alwayes after at each time of child-birth. Therefore, to find out the causes of that er∣rour, * 1.173 you must take the counsell of some Physician, and after his counsell en∣deavour to amend the same. Truly this plaster following being applyed to the reines doth confirme the wombe, and stay the infant therein. ℞. ladani ʒii. galang. ℥i. nu∣cis moschat. nucis cupressi, boli armeni, terrae sigill. sanguin. dracon. balaust. an. ʒss. aca∣tiae, * 1.174 psidiorum, hypocistid. an. ℥i. mastich. myrrhae, an. ʒii. gummi arabic. ʒi. terebinth. venet. ʒii. picis naval. ℥i. ss. ceraequantum sufficit, fiat emplast. secundem artem; spread it for your use upon leather. if the part begin to itch, let the plaster be taken away, & in stead thereof use unguent. rosat. or refrig. Galen. or this that followeth. ℞. olei myrtini, mastich. cydonior. an. ℥i. hypocist. boli armen. sang. dracon. acatiae, an. ʒi. sant. citrini ℥ss. cerae quant. suf. make thereof an oyntment according unto art. There are women that beare the child in their wombe ten or eleven whole moneths, and such * 1.175 children have their conformation of much and large quantity of seede: wherefore they will bee more bigge, great and strong, and therefore they require more time to come to their perfection and maturity; for those fruits that are great will not bee so soone ripe as those that are small. But children that are small and little of body do of∣ten come to their perfection and maturity in seven or nine months: if all other things are correspondent in greatnesse and bignesse of body, it happeneth for the most part that the woman with child is not delivered before the ninth moneth bee done, or at the least wise in the same moneth. But a male child will bee commonly borne at the beginning, or a little before the beginning of the same moneth, by reason of his en∣grafted * 1.176 heat which causeth maturity and ripenesse. Furthermore, the infant is sooner come to maturity and perfection in a hot woman than in a cold, for it is the proper∣ty of heat to ripen.

CHAP. XXXI. How to preserve the infant being in the wombe, when the mother is dead.

IF all the signes of death appeare in the woman that lieth in travell, and cannot be delivered, there must then be a Chirurgian ready and at hand, which may open her body so soone as shee is dead, whereby the infant may be preserved in safety; neither can it bee * 1.177 supposed sufficient if the mothers mouth and privie parts bee held open; for the infant being enclosed in his mothers wombe, and compassed with the membranes, cannot take his breath, but by the contractions and dilatations of the artery of the navell. But when the mother is dead, the lungs doe not execute their office and function: therefore they cannot gather in the aire that compasseth the body by the mouth or aspera arteria into their owne substance, or into the arteries that are dispersed throughout the body thereof, by reason whereof it cannot send it unto the heart by the veiny artery which is called arteria venalis: for if the heart want aire, there cannot bee any in the great artery which is called arteria aorta, whose function it is to draw it from the heart; also by reason thereof it is wanting in the arteries of the wombe, which are as it were the little conduits of that great artery, whereinto the aire that is brought from the heart is derived, and floweth in unto these little ones of all the body, and likewise of the wombe. Wherefore it must of necessity follow that the aire is wanting to the coty∣ledons of the secundines, to the arterie of the infants navell, the iliacke arteries also, and therefore unto his heart, and so unto all his body: for the aire being drawne by the mothers lungs, is accustomed to come to the infant by this continuation of pas∣sages. Therefore because death maketh all the motions of the mothers body to cease, * 1.178 it is farre better to open her body so soone as shee is dead, beginning the incision at the cartelage, Xiphoides, or breast-blade, and making it in a forme semicircular, cut∣ting the skinne, muscles and peritonaeum, not touching the guts: then the wombe be∣ing lifted up, must first be cut, lest that otherwise the infant might perchance be tou∣ched or hurt with the knife.

You shall oftentimes finde the childe unmoveable, as though hee were dead; but not because he is dead indeed, but by reason that he, being destitute of the accesse of the spirits by the death of the mother, hath contracted a great weakenesse: yet you * 1.179 may know whether hee be dead indeed or not, by handling the artery of the navell, for it will beat and pant if he be alive, otherwise not; but if there be any life yet re∣maining in him, shortly after he hath taken in the aire, and is recreated with the ac∣cesse thereof, he will move all his members, and also all his whole body. In so great a weakenesse or debility of the strength of the childe, the secundine must not bee se∣parated as yet from the childe, by cutting the navell string, but it must rather be laid close to the region of the belly thereof, that thereby the heat (if there be any jor re∣maining) may bee stirred up againe. But I cannot sufficiently marvaile at the inso∣lency of those that affirme that they have seene women whose bellies and wombe have bin more than once cut, and the infant taken out, when it could no otherwise be gotten forth, and yet notwithstanding alive; which thing there is no man can perswade me can be done, without the death of the mother, by reason of the neces∣sary greatnesse of the wound that must be made in the muscles of the belly, and sub∣stance of the wombe, for the wombe of a woman that is great with childe, by rea∣son that it swelleth, and is distended with much blood, must needs yeeld a great flux of blood, which of necessity must be mortall. And to conclude, when that the wound or incision of the wombe is cicatrized, it will not permit or suffer the womb to be dilated or extended to receive or beare a new birth. For these and such like o∣ther causes, this kinde of cure, as desperate and dangerous, is not (in mine opinion) to be used.

CHAP. XXXII. Of superfoetation.

SUperfoetation is when a woman doth beare two or more children at one time in her wombe, and they bee enclosed each in his seve∣rall * 1.180 secundine: but those that are included in the same secundine, are supposed to bee conceived at one and the same time of copula∣tion, by reason of the great and copious abundance of seed, and these have no number of daies between their conception & birth, but all at once. For as presently after meat the stomacke which is naturally of a good temper, is contracted or drawn together about the meate, to comprehend it on eve∣ry side, though small in quantity, as it were by both hands, so that it cannot rowle neither unto this or that side; so the wombe is drawne together unto the conception about both the seeds, as soone as they are brought into the capacity thereof, and is so drawne in unto it on every side, that it may come together into one body, not per∣mitting any portion thereof to goe into any other region or side, so that by one time of copulation the seed that is mixed together, cannot engender more children than one, which are devided by their secundines. And moreover, because there are no such cells in the wombes of women, as are supposed, or rather knowne to bee in the * 1.181 wombs of beasts, which therefore bring forth many at one conception or birth. But now if any part of the womans wombe doth not apply and adjoine it selfe closely to the conception of the seed already received, lest any thing should be given by nature for no purpose, it must of necessity follow that it must be filled with aire, which will alter and corrupt the seeds. Therefore the generation of more than one infant at a time, having every one his severall secundine, is on this wise. If a woman conceave * 1.182 by copulation with a man as this day, and if that for a few daies after the conception, the orifice of the wombe be not exactly shut, but rather gape a little, and if shee doe then use copulation againe, so that at both these times of copulation there may be an effusion or perfect mixture of the fertile seed in the wombe, there will follow a new conception, or superfoetation. For superfoetation is no other thing than a certaine second conception, when the woman already with childe, againe useth copulation with a man, and so conceiveth againe, according to the judgement of Hippocrates. * 1.183 But there may be many causes alledged why the wombe which did joyne and close doth open and unlose it selfe againe. For there bee some that suppose the wombe to be open at certaine times after the conception, that there may be an issue out for cer∣taine excrementall matters that are contained therein, and therefore that the woman that hath so conceived already, and shall then use copulation with a man againe, shall also conceive againe.

Others say that the wombe of it selfe, and of its own nature is very desirous of seed or copulation, or else being heated or enflamed with the pleasant motion of the man moving her thereto, doth at length unclose it selfe to receive the mans seed: for like-wise it happeneth many times that the orifice of the stomack being shut after eating, is presently unloosed again, when other delicate meats are offered to be eaten: even so may the wombe unclose it selfe againe at certain seasons, whereof come manifold issues, whose time of birth and also of conception are different. For as Pliny writeth, * 1.184 when there hath bin a little space between two conceptions, they are both hastened, as it appeared in Hercules and his brother Iphicles; and in her, which having two children at a birth, brought forth one like unto her husband, and another like unto the adulterer. And also in the Procomesian slave or bond-woman, who by copula∣tion on the same day brought forth one like unto her master, and another like unto his steward: and in another who brought forth one at the due time of childe-birth, and another at five moneths end. And againe in another, who bringing forth her burthen on the seventh moneth, brought forth two more in the moneths following. But this is a most manifest argument of superfoetation, that as many children as are in the wombe (unlesse they bee twinnes of the same sexe) so many secundines are

there, as I have often seene my selfe. And it is very likely that if they were con∣ceived in the same moment of time, that they should all bee included in one secundine. But when a woman hath more children than two at one burden, it seemeth to bee a monstrous thing, because that nature hath given her but two breasts. Although wee shall hereafter rehearse many examples of more numerous births.

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the tumour called Mola, or a Mole growing in the wombe of Women.

OF the greeke word Myle, which signifieth a Mill-stone, this tumour * 1.185 called Mola hath its name: for it is like unto a Mill-stone both in the round or circular figure, and also in hard consistence, for the which selfe same reason the whirle-bone of the knee is called of the Latines mola, and of the Greeks Myle. But the tumor called Mola, whereof we heere entreate, is nothing else but a certain false conception of deformed flesh, round * 1.186 and hard, conceived in the wombe as it were rude and unperfect, and not distingui∣shed into members, comming by corrupt, weake, and diseased seed, and of the im∣moderate fluxe of the termes, as it is defined by Hippocrates. This is enclosed in no secundine, but as it were in its owne skinne. * 1.187

There are some that thinke the Mola to bee engendered of the concourse or mix∣ture of the womans seed and menstruall blood, without the communication of the mans seed. But the opinion of Galen is, that never any man saw a woman conceive either a Mola, or any other such thing, without copulation of man, as an hen laieth * 1.188 eggs without a cock: for the onely cause and originall of that motion is in the mans seed, and the mans seed doth onely minister matter for the generation thereof. Of the same opinion is Avicen, who thinketh the Mola to be made by the confluxion of * 1.189 the mans seed that is unfertile, with the womans; when as it, because unfruitfull, one∣ly puffes up or makes the womans seed to swell as leaven into a greater bignesse, but not into any perfect shape or forme. Which is also the opinion of Fernelius, by the decrees of Hippocrates and Avicen: for the immoderate fluxes of the courses are con∣ducing to the generation of the mola, which overwhelming the mans seed, being now unfruitfull and weake, doth constraine it to desist from its enterprise of confor∣mation already begun, as vanquished or wholly overcome: for the generation of the mola commeth not of a simple heat working upon a clammy and grosse humour, as wormes are generated; but of both the seeds, by the efficacy of a certaine spirit, after a sort prolificall, as may be understood by the membranes wherein the mola is enclosed, by the ligaments whereby many times it is fastened or bound to the true conception or child, engendered or begotten by superfoetation; and finally, by the encrease, and great and sluggish waight. If all men were not perswaded that the con∣flux of a mans seed must of necessity concurre to the generation of the mola, it would bee no small cloake or cover to women to avoide the shame and reproach of their light behaviour.

CHAP. XXXIIII. How to discerne a true conception from a false conception or Mola.

WHen the mola is enclosed in the wombe, the same things appear as in the * 1.190 true and lawfull conception. But the more proper signes of the mola are these: there is a certaine pricking paine, which at the beginning trou∣bleth the belly as if it were the cholicke, the belly will swell sooner than it would if it were the true issue, and will be distended with greater hard∣nesse, and is more difficult and troublesome to carry, because it is contrary to nature,

and voyd of soule or life. Presently after the conception the dugges swell and puffe up, but shortly they fall and become lanke and laxe; for nature sendeth milk thither in vaine, because there is no issue in the wombe that may spend the same. The mola will move before the third month, although it be obscurely, but the true conception will not: but this motion of the mola is not of the intellectuall soule, but of the facul∣ty * 1.191 of the wombe, and of the spirit of the seed dispersed through the substance of the mola; for it is nourished and encreaseth after the manner of plants, but not by reason of a soul or spirit sent from above, as the infant doth. Moreover, that motion that the infant hath in its due and appointed time, differeth much from the motion of the mo∣la; * 1.192 for the childe is moved to the right side, to the left side, and to every side gently, but the mola, by reason of its heavinesse, is fixed, and rowleth in manner of a stone, carried by the weight thereof unto what side soever the woman declineth her selfe. The woman that hath a mola in her wombe doth daily waxe leaner and leaner in all her members, but especially in her legges, although notwithstanding towards night * 1.193 they will swell, so that shee will bee very slow or heavie in going, the naturall heat forsaking the parts remote from the heart by little and little; and moreover, her belly swells, by reason that the menstruall matter resteth about those places, and is not consumed in the nourishment of the mola: she is swolne as if she had the dropsie, but that it is harder, and doth not rise againe when it is pressed with the fingers. The navell doth not stand out as it will do when the true issue is conteined in the womb, neither do the courses flow as they sometimes do in the true conception; but some∣times great fluxes happen, which ease the waight of the belly. In many when the mo∣la doth cleave not very fast, it falleth away within three or foure moneths, being not as yet come unto its just bignesse; and many times it cleaveth to the sides of the wombe and Cotyledons very firmely, so that some women carry it in their wombs five or sixe yeeres, and some as long as they live.

The wife of Guiliam Roger Pewterer, dwelling in S. Victors street, bore a mola in her womb seventeen yeeres, who being of the age of fifty yeers, died; and I having * 1.194 opened her, found the body of her womb to be almost loosed, and not tyed or bound by its accustomed ligatures, but as it were hanging onely by the necke, and further∣more cleaving to the Kall adjoyning to it, having but onely one testicle, and that on the right side, and that somewhat broader and looser than usuall: the hornes were not to be seene except it were on that side, the vessells were on the necke onely, and there very manifest and puffed up, it was as bigge as a mans head. When I had taken it out of her body, I brought it home unto my house, that at my leasure I might finde out what was conteined in it so long, therfore on a certaine day, calling together the chiefe Physitians of Paris, as Massilaeus, Alexis, Vigor, de S. Pont. Feure, Brovet, Vio∣lais, Grealmus, Ravin, Marescotius, Milotus, Hautin, Riolan, Lusson; and Chirurgians, as Brun, Cointerell, Guillemean: all these being present, I opened the wombe, and I found it in all the body thereof and in the proper tunicle, so schirrhous, and so hard, * 1.195 that I could hardly cut or make a knife to enter into it: the body thereof was three fingers thicke. In the midst of the capacity thereof I found a Iumpe of flesh as bigge as both my fists, like unto a Cowes udder, cleaving to the sides of the wombe but in certaine places, of a very thicke, unequall and cloddish substance, with many bodies therein, even as are commonly found in wennes and gristles, dispersed through it as if it were bones. The judgement of all that were present was, that this great tu∣mor at the first was a mola, which in process of time degenerated into a schirrous bo∣dy, together with the proper substance of the womb. Moreover, in the middle of the neck of the womb, we found a tumor as big as a Turkies egge, of substance hard, car∣tilaginous and bonie, filling all the whole necke, but especially the inward orifice of the womb, which the common people of France do call the Garland, so that by that passage nothing could goe out, or enter into the wombe: all that tumour weighed nine pounds and two ounces, which I, by reason of the novelty of the thing, keep in my closet, and here I have described it.

[illustration]

The externall forme and description of the fore-named wombe.

A. Sheweth the body of the wombe.

B. The testicle.

C. The neck of the wombe, wherein that little tumour was contained.

D. Sheweth the end of the necke of the wombe that was plucked in sun∣der, and also the vessels whereby it drew the nutriment unto it.

E. Sheweth the band.

FFF. The vessels dispersed thorow the wombe.

[illustration]

The description of the womb being open, and shewing the Mola contained therein.

AA. Shew the externall and superficiall part of the wombe.

BSBB. Shew the thicknesse of the body or proper substance of the wombe.

C. Sheweth the Mola.

DD. Shew that concavity wherein the mola was conteined or inclosed in the womb.

As long as the woman carried this Mola in her wombe, shee felt most sharpe pain in her belly, the region of her belly was marvellous hard, distended and large, as if it were a woman that had many children at once in her wombe, so that many Phy∣sicians when the time of child-birth was past, supposed that swelling of the belly to come of the dropsie, and assayed to cure it as they would the dropsie, but for all the medicines they could use, the belly became never the lesser. Oftentimes the urine was stopped for the space of three dayes, and then the making of urine was very pain∣full unto her, and many times also her excrements were stopped for the space of a weeke, by reason that the guts were pressed by the weight of the Mola. At certaine seasons, as every third moneth, there came exceeding great fluxes, the matter there∣of could not be carryed through the capacity of the wombe, as wee said before, be∣cause it was exactly shut and stopped, but through the vessels by which virgins, and also certaine other women great with childe evacuate their menstruall matter. If the Mola be expelled or cast out in the first or second moneth, as many times it so hap∣peneth, it is called of women an unprofitable or false conception. Sometimes there * 1.196 are found in one wombe two or three moles separated one from another, and some∣times bound or tyed to the sound and perfect infant. As it happened in the wife of Vallcriola the Physician, which was delivered of a Mola which she had carryed in her wombe twelve moneths, annexed with a child of foure moneths old, which had de∣prived the infant both of its roome and nutriment. For it is alwayes to be certainely * 1.197 supposed, that the Mola, as a cruell beast, by its society, and keeping it from its nutri∣ment and place, kils the infant that is joyned unto it.

I remember once I opened the body of a dead woman, which had a Mola in her wombe as bigge as a goose egge, which when nature had assayed by many vaine en∣deavours to cast out, remained notwithstanding, and at length putrefied, and there∣with infected the whole wombe, whereof she dyed. There be some which judging themselves great with childe, doe about the ninth or tenth moneth expell no other thing but sounding blasts of winde; whereby the wombe suddenly falling downe and waxing more slender, they are said in a mockery to have been delivered of a fart. To conclude, whatsoever resembles being with child, if it be not excluded at the due and lawfull time of child-birth by its owne accord or by the strength of nature, then must it bee expelled by art.

CHAP. XXXV. What cure must bee used to the Mola.

ALL things that provoke the flowers and secundines, and exclude the in∣fant being dead, are to be prescribed, given inwardly, put up, and apply∣ed * 1.198 outwardly, as the trochisces of myrrha, hermodactils, and such like, first having fomentations that are relaxing and mollifying alwaies applyed to the places. You must use these medicines and phlebotomy, diet and bathes then & so long as it shall seem necessary to the Physician that is present. But if it happens that the mola is separated or loosed from the wombe, and nature cannot expell it when it is so loosed, let the Chirurgion place the woman in that situation that wee * 1.199 said she was to bee put in, when the child was to bee drawne from her. Then open∣ing her genitall parts, let him take hold on it by putting an instrument into it, which by reason of the likenesse thereof, is called a Gryphons Talon, for it cannot be taken hold on otherwise, by reason of the roundnesse thereof, for it hath no place whereon it may be taken hold of: therfore, when one taketh hold on it with his hand, it cannot be holden fast by reason of the slipperinesse thereof, but will run and slip backe into the hollownesse of the wombe, like unto a bowle or great ball; but it may bee more easily taken hold on with the Gryphons Talon, if the belly be pressed on both sides that it may remaine still while the Gryphons Talon takes hold on it, for when it hath taken good hold on it, it may be easily drawne out. When the mola is drawne out, the same cure must be used to the woman, as is used to a woman after that she is delivered of child.

[illustration]

The figure of an instrument called a Gryphons Talon, to draw out the Mola when it is loose in the wombe.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of Tumours or swellings happening to the Pancreas or sweet-bread, and the whole Mesentery.

THe tumours of other places and parts in the belly ought diligently to bee distinguished from the mola, and other tumours of the wombe. For when tumours arise in the glandula called Pancreas, and in all the whole Mesen∣terium, many unskilfull Chirurgions take them for mola's or scirrhous tu∣mors of the wombe, and so goe erroneously about to cure them, as shall appeare by those histories following.

Isabel Rolant the wife of John Bony dwelling in Paris in the street Moncey neere * 1.200 to St. Gervise his Church, being threescore yeares of age, departed this life in the yeare of our Lord God 1578. on the twenty second day of October: and her bo∣dy being opened in the presence of Doctor Milot the Physician, hee when the Mesentery was taken out of the body, caused it to be carried home to his house, that at his leasure he might find out the cause of this mortall disease, which was alwayes suspected to be in the Mesentery. Therefore on a time calling Varadeus, Brove, Chap∣pell, Marescotius, Arragonius, Baillutius, Reburtius and Riolan, all Doctors of Physick, and me and Pineus Chirurgions, to his house to see the same. Where wee found all the Mesentery and the Pancreas in the Mesentery swolne and puffed up with a mar∣vellous and almost incredible tumour, so that it wayed ten pound and an halfe, alto∣gether scirrhous on the out side, cleaving on the hinder part onely to the vertebres of the loynes: but on the fore part to the Peritonaeum, being also scirrhous and whol∣ly cartilaginous. Moreover, there were infinite other abscesses in the same Mesente∣ry, * 1.201 every one closed in his severall cyst, some filled with a hony-like, some with a tallow-like, some with an albugineous, and some with a waterish liquor or humour, whereof some also were like unto pap, and to conclude, looke how many abscesses there were, so many kinds or differences of matters there were. It was then eight * 1.202 yeares since that tumour began to grow by little and little without feeling and paine unto such a greatnesse, because that the Mesentery it selfe was without pain in a man∣ner. For the woman her selfe could do all the faculties of nature almost as well as if she had bin sound and whole, except that two moneths before she died, she was con∣strained to keep her bed, because shee had a continuall feaver, which endured so long as she lived, and also because that the Mesentery, being as it were separated or torne from its roots or seate, did rowle up and downe in the belly, not without the fee∣ling of grievous paine: for, as we said before, it did stick but only to the vertebres of the loynes and Peritonaeum, and nothing at all to the guts and other parts whereunto it is as it were naturally knit or joyned.

Therefore because the weight and heavinesse thereof depressed the bladder, it caused a great difficulty in her making of water, and also because it rested on the guts, it made it very painefull for her to goe to stoole, so that the excrements would not come downe except shee tooke a sharpe glyster to cause them: and as concer∣ning glysters, they could not be put up high enough, by reason of the greatnesse of the tumour which enclosed and shut the way; and suppositories did no good at all. It was also very difficult for her to take breath, by reason that the midriffe or dia∣phragma was compressed with the tumour. There were some that did suspect it to be a mola, others thought that it came by reason of the dropsie. Assuredly this disease * 1.203 caused the dropsie to ensue; neither was the cause thereof obscure, for the function of the liver was quite frustrated by reason that the concoction or alteration of the Chylus was intercepted by occasion of the tumour: and moreover, the liver it selfe had a proper disease, for it was hard and scirrhous, and had many abscesses both within and without it, and all over it. The milt was scarce free from putrefaction, the guts and Kall were somewhat blew and spotted, and to bee briefe, there was no∣thing sound in the lower belly.

There is the like history to bee read, written by Philip Ingrassias, in his booke of * 1.204 tumours, of a certaine Moore that was hanged for theft, for (saith he) when his body was publikely dissected, in the Mesenterium were found seventy scrophulous tumours, and so many abscesses were contained or enclosed in their severall cysts or skins, and sticking to the externall tunicle, especially of the greater guts: the matter conteyned in them was divers, for it was hard, knotty, clammy, glutinous, liquid and waterish, but the entrals, especially the liver and the milt, were sound and free from all manner of tainture, because (as the same Author alledgeth) nature being strong, had sent all the evill juice, and the corruption of the entrals into the Mesentery: and verily this Moore, so long as he lived, was in good and perfect health. Without doubt the cor∣ruption of superfluous humours for the most part is so great (as it is noted by Ferne∣lius) * 1.205 that it cannot bee received in the receptacles that nature hath appointed for it; therefore then no small portion thereof falleth downe into the parts adjoyning, and especially into the Mesentery and pancreas, which are as it were the sink of the whole body. In those bodies which through continuall and daily gluttony abound with * 1.206 choler, melancholy and flegme, if it be not purged in time, nature being strong and lusty, doth depell and drive it downe into the pancreas and the Mesentery, which are as places of no great repute, and that especially out of the liver and milt by those veines or branches of the vena porta which end or goe not into the guts, but are ter∣minated in the Mesentery and pancreas. In these places divers humours are heaped together, which in processe of time turne into a loose and soft tumour, & then if they grow bigger, into a stiffe, hard and very scirrhous tumour. Whereof Fernelius affir∣meth that in those places he hath found the causes of choler, melancholy, fluxes, dy∣senteries, cachexia's, atrophia's, consumptions, tedious and uncertain fevers, and last∣ly of many hidden diseases, by the taking away whereof some have received their health, that have been though past cure. Moreover Ingrassias affirmeth out of Julius * 1.207 Pollux that Scrophulaes may be engendred in the Mesentery, which nothing differs from the mind & opinion of Galen, who saith that Scrophulaes are nothing else but indurate & scirrhous kernels. But the Mesenterium with his glandules being great and many, making the Pancreas, doth establish, strengthen and confirme the divisions of the vessels. Also the scirrhus of the proper substance of the wombe is to bee distin∣guished * 1.208 from the mola: for in the bodies of some women that I have opened, I have found the wombe annoyed with a scirrhous tumour as big as a mans head, in the cu∣ring whereof Physicians nothing prevailed, because they supposed it to bee a mola contained in the capacity of the wombe, and not a scirrhous tumour in the body thereof.

CHAP. XXXVII. Of the cause of barrennesse in men.

THere are many causes of barrenness in men, that is to say, the too hot, cold, dry or moyst distemper of the seed, the more liquid and flexible consi∣stence thereof, so that it cannot stay in the womb, but will presently flow out again: for such is the seed of old men and striplings, and of such as use the act of generation too often and immoderately: for thereby the seed becommeth * 1.209 crude and waterish, because that it doth not remaine his due and lawfull time in the testicles, wherein it should be perfectly wrought and concocted, but is evacuated by wanton copulation. Furthermore, that the seed may be fertile, it must of necessity be copious in quantity, but in quality well concocted, moderately thicke, clammy, and puffed up with the abundance of spirits; both these conditions are wanting in the seed of them that use copulation too often: and moreover, because the wives of those men never gather a just quantity of seede laudible both in quality and consi∣stence in their testicles, whereby it commeth to passe that they are the lesse provoked or delighted with venereous actions, and performe the act with lesse alacrity, so that they yeeld themselves lesse prone to conception. Therefore let those that would be parents of many children use a mediocrity in the use of venery.

The woman may perceive that the mans seed hath some distemperature in it, if * 1.210 when shee hath received it into her wombe, shee feeleth it sharpe, hot or cold, if the man be more quick or slow in the act. Many become barren after they have beene cut for the stone, and likewise when they have had a wound behind the eares, where∣by certaine branches of the jugular veines and arteries have been cut, that are there, so that after those vessels have been cicatrized, there followed an interception of the seminall matter downewards, and also of the community which ought of necessity to be betweene the braine and the testicles, so that when the conduits or passages are stopped, the stones or testicles cannot any more receive, neither matter nor lively spirits from the braine in so great quantity as it was wont, whereof it must of neces∣sity follow, that the seed must bee lesser in quantity, and weaker in quality.

Those that have their testicles cut off, or else compressed or contused by violence, cannot beget children, because that either they want the help that the testicles should minister in the act of generation, or else because the passage of the seminall matter is intercepted or stopped with a Callus: by reason whereof they cannot yeeld forth seed, but a certaine clammy humour conteyned in the glandules called prostatae (yet with some feeling of delight).

Moreover the defects or imperfections of the yard may cause barrennesse: as, if it * 1.211 be too short, on if it bee so unreasonable great, that it renteth the privie parts of the woman, and so causeth a fluxe of bloud, for then it is so painefull to the woman, that shee cannot voyde her seed, for that cannot bee excluded without pleasure and de∣light, also if the shortnesse of the ligament that is under the yard doth make it to bee crooked, and violate the stiffe straightnesse thereof, so that it cannot be put directly or straightly in the womans privie parts. There bee some that have not the orifice of the conduit of the yard rightly in the end thereof, but a little higher, so that they cannot ejaculate or cast out their seed directly into the wombe.

Also the particular palsie of the yard is numbred among the causes of barrennesse; * 1.212 and you may prove whether the palsie be in the yard by dipping the genitals in cold water: for except they do draw themselves together or shrinke up after it, it is a to∣ken of the palsie, for members that have the palsie, by the touching of cold water, do not shrinke up, but remaine in their accustomed laxity and loosenesse: but in this case the genitals are endued with small sense; the seed commeth out without plea∣sure or stiffenesse of the yard; the stones in touching are cold; and to conclude, those that have their bodies daily waxing leane through a consumption, or that are vexed with an evill habit or disposition, or with the obstruction of some of the entrals, are barren and unfertile, and likewise those in whom some noble part necessary to life

and generation exceedeth the bounds of nature with some great distemperature, and lastly those who by any meanes have their genitall parts deformed.

Here I omit those that are witholden from the act of generation by inchantment, * 1.213 magick, witching, and enchanted knots, bands and ligatures, for those causes belong not to physick, neither may they bee taken away by the remedies of our art. The Doctors of the Cannons lawes have made mention of those magick bands which may have power in them, in the particular title De frigidis, maleficiatis, impotentibus & incantatis: also St. August. hath made mention of them, Tract. 7. in Joan.

CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the barrennesse or unfruitfulnesse of women.

A Woman may become barren or unfruitfull through the obstruction of the passage of the seed, or through straightnesse or narrownesse of the * 1.214 necke of the wombe, comming either through the default of the forma∣tive facultie, or else afterwards by some mischance, as by an abscesse, scirrhus, warts, chaps, or by an ulcer, which being cicatrized, doth make the way more narrow, so that the yard cannot have free passage thereinto: Moreover, the membrane called Hymen, when it groweth in the midst or in the bot∣tome * 1.215 of the neck of the wombe, hinders the receiving of the mans seede. Also if the womb be over slippery, or moreloose, or slack, or over wide, it maketh the woman to bee barren, so doth the suppression of the menstruall fluxes, or the too immoderate flowing of the courses or whites: which commeth by the default of the wombe or some entrall, or of the whole body, which consumeth the menstruall matter, and car∣rieth the seed away with it.

The cold and moyst distemperature of the wombe, extinguishes and suffocates the * 1.216 mans seed, and maketh it that it will not stay or cleave unto the wombe, and stay till it be conconcted: but the more hot and dry doth corrupt for want of nourishment, for the seeds that are sowne either in a marish or sandy ground cannot prosper well: also a mola contained in the wombe, the falling down of the wombe, the leannesse of the womans body, ill humours bred by eating crude and raw fruits, or great or over-much drinking of water, whereof obstructions and crudities follow, which hinder her fruitfulnesse. Furthermore, by the use of stupefactive things, the seminall mat∣ter is congealed and restrained, and though it flow and be cast out, yet it is deprived of the prolificke power, and of the lively heat and spirits, the orifices or cotylidones of the veines and arteries are stopped, and so the passage for the menstruall matter in∣to the wombe, is stopped. When the Kall is so fat that it girdeth in the wombe nar∣rowly, it hindereth the fruitfulnesse of the woman, because it will not permit the mans seed to enter into the wombe. Moreover the fat and fleshy habit of the man or woman hinder generation. For it hindreth them that they cannot joyne their geni∣tall parts together: and by how much the more bloud goeth into fat, by so much the * 1.217 lesse is remaining to be turned into seed & menstruall bloud, which two are the ori∣ginals & principals of generation. Those women that are speckled in the face, some what lean, & pale, because they have their genitals moystned with a saltish, sharp and tickling humour, are more given to venery than those that are red & fat. Finally, Hip∣pocrates sets downe foure causes onely why women are barren and unfruitfull. The first is, because they cannot receive the mans seede, by reason of the default of the neck of the wombe; the second, because when it is received into the wombe, they cannot conceive it; the third is, because they cannot nourish it; the fourth, because they are not able to carry or beare it untill the due and lawfull time of birth. These things are necessary to generation, the object, wil, faculty, concourse of the seeds, and the remaining or abiding thereof in the wombe, untill the due and appointed natu∣rall time.

CHAP. XXXIX. The signes of a distempered wombe.

THat woman is thought to have her wombe too hot, whose courses * 1.218 come forth sparingly and with paine, and exulcerate by reason of their heate, the superfluous matter of the bloud being dissolved or turned into wind by the power of the heat: whereupon that men∣struall bloud that floweth forth is more grosse and black. For it is the property of heat, by digesting the thinner substance, to thicken the rest, and by adustion to make it more black. Furthermore, shee that hath her genitals itching with the desire of copulation, will soone exclude the seede in copulation, and shee shall feele it more sharpe as it goeth through the pas∣sages. That woman hath too cold a wombe whose flowers are either stopped, or * 1.219 flow sparingly, and those pale and not well coloured.

Those that have lesse desire of copulation, have lesse delight therein, and their seed is more liquid and waterish, and not stayning a linnen cloth by sticking thereunto, and it is sparingly and slowly cast forth. That wombe is too moist that floweth con∣tinually * 1.220 with many liquid excrements, which therefore will not hold the seed, but presently after copulation suffereth it to fall out, which will easily cause abortion. The signes of too dry a wombe appeare in the little quantity of the courses, in the * 1.221 profusion of a small quantity of seed, by the desire of copulation, whereby it may be made slippery by the moysture of the seede, by the fissures in the necke thereof, by the chaps and itching, for all things for want of moysture will soone chap, even like unto the ground, which in the summer by reason of a great drought or drynesse, will chap and chinke this way and that way, and on the contrary, with moisture it will close and joyne together againe as it were with glew.

A woman is thought to have all opportunities unto conception when her courses * 1.222 or flowers doe cease, for then the wombe is voyd of excrementall filth, and because it is yet open, it will the more easily receive the mans seede, and when it hath recei∣ved it, it will better retaine it in the wrinkles of the cotylidones yet gaping as it were in rough and unequall places. Yet a woman will easily conceave a little before the time that the flowers ought to flow: because that the menstruall matter falling at first like dew into the wombe, is very meet and fit to nourish the seede, and not to drive it out againe, or to suffocate it.

Those which use copulation when their courses fall downe abundantly, will very hardly or seldome conceive, and if they doe conceive, the child will be weake and diseased, and especially if the womans bloud that flowes out be unfound; but if the bloud bee good and laudable, the childe will bee subject to all plethoricke diseases. There are some women in whom presently after the fluxe of the termes, the orifice of the wombe will be closed, so that they must of necessity use copulation with a man when their menstruall fluxe floweth, if at lest they would conceive at all. A wo∣man may beare children from the age of fourteene untill forty or fifty: which time whosoever doth exceed, will beare untill threescore yeares, because the menstruall fluxes are kept, the prolificall faculty is also preserved: therefore many women have brought forth children at that age, but after that time no woman can beare, as Aristo∣tle * 1.223 writeth.

Yet Pliny saith that Cornelia (who was of the house of the Scipioes) being in the * 1.224 sixty second yeare of her age, bare Volusius Saturnius, who was Consull; Valescus * 1.225 de Tarenta also affirmeth, that he saw a woman that bare a childe on the sixty second yeare of her age, having borne before on the sixtieth and sixty first yeare. Therefore it is to bee supposed that by reason of the variety of the ayre, region, diet and tem∣perament, the menstruall fluxe and procreative faculty ceaseth in some sooner, in some later; which variety taketh place also in men. For in them although the seede * 1.226 be genitable for the most part in the second seventh yeare, yet truely it is unfruitfull untill the third seventh yeare. And whereas most men beget children untill they bee

threescore yeers old, which time if they passe, they beget till seventy: yet there are some knowne that have begot children untill the eightieth yeere. Moreover, Pliny writeth that Masinissa the King begot a sonne when hee was fourescore and sixe * 1.227 yeeres of age, and also Cato the Censor after that he was fourescore.

CHAP. XL. Of the falling downe, or perversion, or turning of the wombe.

THe wombe is said to fall downe and be perverted, when it is moved out of its proper and naturall place; as when the bands and ligatures there∣of * 1.228 being loosed and relaxed, it falleth downe unto one side or other, or into its owne necke, or else passeth further, so that it comes out at the necke, and a great portion thereof appeares without the privie parts. Therefore what things soever resolve, relaxe, or burst the ligaments or bands whereby the * 1.229 wombe is tyed, are supposed to be the causes of this accident. It sometimes happens by vehement labour or travell in childe-birth, when the wombe with violence ex∣cluding the issue and the secundines, also followes and falls downe, turning the in∣ner side thereof outward. And sometimes the foolish rashnesse of the midwife, when shee draweth away the wombe with the infant, or with the secundine cleaving fast thereunto, and so drawing it downe and turning the inner side outward. Further∣more, a heavie bearing of the womb, the bearing or the carriage of a great burthen, holding or stretching of the hands or body upwards in the time of greatnesse with childe, a fall, contusion, shaking, or jogling by riding, either in a waggon or a coach, or on horse backe, or by leaping or dancing, the falling downe of a more large and abundant humor, great griping, a strong and continuall cough, a Tenesmus, or often desire to go to stoole, yet not voiding any thing, neesing, a manifold and great birth, difficult bearing of the wombe, an astmaticall and orthopnoicall difficulty of brea∣thing, whatsoever doth waightily presse downe the Diaphragma or Midriffe, or the muscles of the Epigastrium, the taking of cold aire in the time of travell with childe, or in the flowing of the menstruall fluxe, sitting on a cold marble stone, or any other such like cold thing, are thought often times to bee the occasion of these accidents, because they may bring the wombe out of its place.

It falls downe in many (saith Aristotle) by reason of the desire of copulation that * 1.230 they have, either by reason of the lustinesse of their youth, or else because they have abstained a long time from it.

You may know that the wombe is fallen downe by the pain of those parts where-hence * 1.231 it is fallen, that is to say by the entrals, loynes, os sacrum, and by a tractable tu∣mour at the necke of the wombe, and often with a visible hanging out, of a diverse greatnesse, according to the quantity that is fallen downe. It is seene some∣times like unto a piece of red flesh, hanging out at the necke of the wombe, of the * 1.232 bignesse and forme of a Goose egge; if the woman stand upright, shee feeleth the weight to ly on her privie parts, but if she sit or ly, then she perceiveth it on her back, or goe to the stoole, the straight gut called intestinum rectum will bee pressed or loa∣den as it were with a burthen, if shee lye on her belly, then her urine will bee stop∣ped, so that shee shall feare to use copulation with a man.

When the wombe is newly relaxed in a young woman, it may bee soone cured, but if it hath beene long downe in an old woman, it is not to bee helped. If the palsie of the ligaments thereof have occasioned the falling, it scarce admits of cure, but if it fall downe by meanes of putrefaction, it cannot possibly be cured. If a great quantity thereof hang out betweene the thighes, it can hardly be cured; but it is cor∣rupted by taking the ayre, and by the falling downe of the urine and filth, and by the motions of the thighs in going it is ulcerated, and so putrefies.

I remember that once I cured a young woman who had her wombe hanging out * 1.233 at her privie parts as big as an egge, and I did so well performe and perfect the cure thereof, that afterwards she conceived, and bare children many times, and her womb never fell downe.

CHAP. XLI. The cure of the falling downe of the Wombe.

BY this word, falling downe of the wombe, we understand every moti∣on * 1.234 of the womb out of its place or seat: therefore if the wombe ascend upwards, wee must use the same medicines as in the strangulation of the wombe. If it bee turned towards either side, it must bee restored and drawne backe to its right place, by applying and using cupping glasses. But if it descend and fall downe into its owne neck, but yet not in great quantity, the woman must be placed so that her buttockes may be very high, and her legs acrosse; then cupping glasses must bee applied to her navell and Hypogastrium, and when the wombe is so brought into its place, injections that binde and dry strongly must bee injected into the necke of the wombe, stinking fumigations must bee used unto the privie parts, and sweetthings used to the mouth and nose. But if the wombe hang * 1.235 downe in great quantity betweene the thighes, it must be cured by placing the wo∣man after another sort, and by using other kinde of medicines. First of all shee must bee so layed on her backe, her buttockes and thighes so lifted up, and her legges so drawne backe as when the childe or secundine are to bee taken or drawne from her; then the necke of the wombe, and whatsoever hangeth out thereat, must be anoin∣ted with oile of lillies, fresh butter, capons grease, and such like, then it must be thrust gently with the fingers up into its place, the sick or pained woman in the mean time helping or furthering the endeavour by drawing in of her breath as if she did suppe, drawing up as it were that which is fallen downe.

After that the wombe is restored unto its place, whatsoever is filled with the oint∣ment must be wiped with a soft and cleane cloth, lest that by the slipperinesse there∣of the wombe should fall downe againe; the genitalls must bee fomented with an astringent decoction, made with pomegranate pills, cypresse nuts, galles, roach al∣lome, horse-taile, sumach, berberies, boiled in the water wherein Smithes quench their irons; of these materialls make a powder, wherewith let those places be sprin∣kled: let a pessary of a competent bignesse be put in at the necke of the wombe, but let it bee eight or nine fingers in length, according to the proportion of the grieved patients body. Let them bee made either with latin, or of corke covered with waxe, of an ovall forme, having a thred at one end, whereby they may bee drawne backe a∣gaine as need requires.

[illustration]

The formes of ovall pessaries.

A. sheweth the body of the Pessary.

B. sheweth the thread wherewith it must be tyed to the thigh.

When all this is done, let the sicke woman keep her selfe quiet in her bed, with her buttocks lying very high, and her legs acrosse, for the space of eight or ten daies: in the meane while the application of cupping glasses will stay the wombe in the right place and seat after it is restored thereunto: but if shee hath taken any hurt by cold aire, let the privie parts be fomented with a discussing and heating fomentation, on this wise. ℞. fol. alih. sal••v. lavend. rorismar. artemis. flor. chamoem. melilot•…•…. * 1.236 m ss. sem. anis. foenugr. an. ℥i. let them bee all well boyled in water and wine, and make thereof a decoction for your use. Give her also glysters, that when the guts are emptied of the excrements, the womb may the better be received into the voyd and empty capacity of the belly: for this reason the bladder is also to be emptied, for otherwise it were dangerous lest that the wombe lying betweene them both being full, should be kept down and cannot be put up into its owne proper place by reason therof. Also vomiting is supposed to be a singular remedy to draw up the womb that is fallen down: furthermore also it purgeth out the phlegme which did moisten and * 1.237 relaxe the ligaments of the wombe; for as the wombe in the time of copulation at the beginning of the conception is moved downewards to meet the seed, so the sto∣macke, even of its owne accord, is sifted upwards when it is provoked by the injury of anything that is contrary unto it, to cast it out with greater violence, but when it is so raised up, it drawes up together therewith the peritonaeum, the wombe, and also the bodie or parts annexed unto it. If it cannot bee cured or restored unto its place by these prescribed remedies, and that it be ulcerated and so putrefyed that it cannot * 1.238 be restored unto his place againe, we are commanded by the precepts of art to cut it away, and then to cure the womb according to art, but first it should be tyed, and as much as is necessary must bee cut off, and the rest seared with a cautery. There are some women that have had almost all their wombe cut off, without any danger of their life, as Paulus testifieth. * 1.239

John Langius Physitian to the Count Palatine, writeth that Carpus the Chirurgian * 1.240 tooke out the wombe of a woman of Bononia, he being present, and yet the woman lived and was very well after it. Antonius Benivenius Physitian of Florence, writeth that hee was called by Ugolius the Physitian to the cure of a woman whose wombe * 1.241 was corrupted and fell away from her by peeces, and yet shee lived ten yeeres af∣ter it.

There was a certaine woman, being found of body, of good repute, and about the age of thirty yeers, in whom shortly after she had been married the second time, * 1.242 which was in Anno 1571. having no childe by her first husband, the lawfull signes of a right conception did appear: yet in processe of time there arose about the low∣er part of her privities the sense or feeling of a waight or heavinesse, being so trou∣blesome unto her by reason that it was painefull, and also for that it stopped her u∣rine, that she was constrained to disclose her mischance to Christopher Mombey a Chi∣rurgian her neighbour dwelling in the suburbs of S. Germans; who having seen the tumour, or swelling in her groine, asswaged the paine with mollifying and ano∣dine fomentations and cataplasmes; but presently after he had done this, hee found on the inner side of the lip of the orifice of the necke of the wombe, an apostume rot∣ten & running as if it had bin out of an abscesse newly broken, with sanious matter, somewhat red, yellow, & pale, running out a long time. Yet for all this the feeling of the heaviness or waight was nothing diminished, but did rather encrease daily, so that from the yeere of our Lord 1573. she could not turne herselfe being in bed on this or that side, unlesse she layed her hand on her belly to beare and ease her selfe of the waight, and also she said when she turned her self, she seemed to feele a thing like un∣to a bowle to rowle in her body unto the side whereunto she turned her selfe, neither could shee goe to stoole, or avoyd her excrements standing or sitting, unlesse shee lifted up that waight with her hands towards her stomacke or midriffe: when shee was about to go she could scarce set forwards her feet, as if there had something han∣ged between her thighes, that did hinder her going. At certaine seasons that rotten apostume would open, or unclose of it selfe, and flow or run with its wonted sanious matter, but then she was grievously vexed with paine of the head, and all her mem∣bers, swouning, loathing, vomiting, and almost chosing, so that by the perswasi∣on

of a foolish woman she was induced and contented to take Antimonium; the wor∣king * 1.243 and strength thereof was so great and violent, that after many vomits, with ma∣ny frettings of the guts and watry dejections or stooles, she thought her fundament fell downe; but being certified by a woman that was a familiar friend of hers, unto whom she shewed her selfe, that there was nothing fallen downe at or from her fun∣dament, but it was from her wombe, shee called, in the yeere of our Lord 1575. Chirurgians, as my selfe, James Guillemeau, and Antony Vieux, that we might helpe her in this extremity.

When we had diligently and with good consideration weighed the whole estate * 1.244 of her disease, wee agreed with one consent, that that which was fallen down should bee cut away, because that by the blacke colour, stinking, and other such signes it gave a manifest testimony of a putrefyed and corrupted thing. Therefore for two daies wee drew out the body by little and little, and piece-meale, which seemed un∣to the Physicians that wee had called, as Alexius, Gaudinus, Feureus, and Violaneus, and also to our selves, to be the body of the wombe, which thing we proved to bee so, because one of the testicles came out whole, and also a thicke membrane or skin, being the relick of the mola, which being suppurated, and the abscesse broken, came out by little and little in matter; after that all this body was so drawne away, the sicke woman began to waxe better and better, yet notwithstanding for the space of nine dayes before it was taken away, she voided nothing by siege, and her urine also was stopped for the space of foure daies.

After this all things became as they were before, and shee lived in good health three moneths after, and then died of a Pleurisie that came on her very suddenly, and I having opened her body, observing and marking everything very diligently, could not finde the wombe at all, but instead thereof there was a certaine hard and cal∣lous body, which nature, who is never idle, had framed in stead thereof to supply the want thereof, or to fill the hollownesse of the belly.

CHAP. XLII. Of the tunicle or membrane called Hymen.

IN some virgins or maidens in the orifice of the neck of the womb * 1.245 there is found a certaine tunicle or membrane called of anti∣ent writers Hymen, which prohibiteth the copulation of a man, and causeth a woman to be barren; this tunicle is supposed by ma∣ny, and they not of the common sort onely, but also learned Phy∣sitians, to be, as it were, the enclosure of the virginity or maiden-head. But I could never finde it in any, seeking of all ages from three to twelve, of all that I had under my hands in the Hospitall of Paris.

Yet once I saw it in a virgin of seaventeene yeeres, whom her mother had con∣tracted to a man, and she knew neverthelesse there was something in her privie parts * 1.246 that hindered her from bearing of children, who desired me to see her; and I found a certaine very thin nervous membrane a little beneath the nymphae, neere unto the orifice of the neck of the wombe; in the midst there was a very little hole whereout the termes might flow: I seeing the thickenesse thereof, cut it in sunder with my siz∣zers, and told her mother what she should doe afterwards: and truely shee married shortly after and bore children. Realdus Columbus is of my opinion, and saith that * 1.247 this is seene very seldome, for these are his words: under the nymphae in many, but not in all virgins, there is another membrane, which when it is present (which is but seldome) it stoppeth, so that the yard cannot be put into the orifice of the wombe; for it is very thicke above towards the bladder; it hath an hole by which the courses flow out. And hee also addeth that he observed it in two young virgins, and in one elder maide.

Avicen writeth that in virgins in the necke of the wombe there are tunicles com∣posed * 1.248 of veines and ligaments very little, rising from each part of the necke thereof,

which at the first time of copulation are wont to bee broken, and the blood to runne out. Almansor writeth that in virgins, the passage or necke of the wombe is very wrinkled, or narrow and straight, and those wrinkles to be woaven or stayed toge∣ther with many little veines and arteries, which are broken at the first time of copu∣lation.

These are the judgements of Physitians of this membrane: Midwives will certain∣ly * 1.249 affirme that they know a virgin from one that is defloured, by the breach or soundnesse of that membrane. But by their report too credulous Judges are soone brought to commit an errour. For that Midwives can speake nothing certainely of this membrane, may bee proved by this, because that one saith that the situation thereof is in the very entrance of the privie parts, others say it is in the midst of the necke of the wombe, and others say it is within at the inner orifice thereof, and some are of an opinion that they say or suppose that it cannot be seen or perceived before the first birth. But truly of a thing so rare, and which is contrary to nature, there can∣not be any thing spoken for certainty. Therefore the blood that commeth out at the first time of copulation, comes not alwaies by the breaking of that membrane, but by the breaking and violating or renting of the little veines which are woaven and be∣spread all over the superficial & inward parts of the womb and neck thereof, descen∣ding into the wrinkles, whichin those that have not yet used the act of generation, are closed as if they were glewed together: although that those maides that are at their * 1.250 due time of marriage, feele no pain nor no flux of blood, especially if the mans yard be answerable to the neck of the womb; whereby it appeares evidently how greatly the inhabitants of Fez, the metropolitane city of Mauritania, are deceived: for Leo the Affrican writeth that it is the custome among them, that so soon as the married man and his spouse are returned home to their house from the church where they have been married, they presently shut themselves into a chamber, and make fast the dore, while the marriage dinner is preparing: in the mean while some old or grave matron standeth waiting before the chamber dore, to receive a bloody linnen cloth the new married husband is to deliver her there, which when she hath received, she brings it into the midst of all the company of guests, as a fresh spoile and testimony of the married wives virginity, and then for joy thereof they all fall to banqueting solemnely. But if through evill fortune it happeneth that in this time of copulation the spouse bleedeth not in the privie parts, shee is restored againe unto her parents, which is a very great reproach unto them, and all the guests depart home sad, heavie, and without dinner.

Moreover, there are some, that having learned the most filthy and infamous arts of bawdry, prostitute common harlots to make gaine thereof, making men that are * 1.251 naughtily given to beleeve that they are pure virgins, making them to thinke that the act of generation is very painefull and grievous unto them, as if they had never u∣sed it before, although they are very expert therein indeed; for they doe cause the necke of the wombe to be so wrinkled and shrunke together, so that the sides there∣of shall even almost close or meet together; then they put thereinto the bladders of fishes, or galles of beasts filled full of blood, and so deceive the ignorant and young lecher, by the fraud and deceit of their evill arts, and in the time of copulation they mixe sighes with groanes, and womanlike cryings, and the crocodiles teares, that they may seeme to be virgins, and never to have dealt with man before.

CHAP. XLIII. A memorable history of the membrane called Hymen.

JOhn Wierus writeth that there was a maid at Camburge, who in the mid∣dest * 1.252 of the necke of the wombe, had a thicke and strong membrane growing overthwart, so that when the monethly termes should come out, it would not permit them, so that thereby the menstruall matter was stopped and flowed back againe, which caused a great tumour and distension in the belly, with great torment, as if she had beene in travell with child:

the mydwives being called, and having seene and considered all that had beene done, and did appeare, did all with one voyce affirme, that shee sustained the paines of childe-birth, although that the maide her selfe denyed that shee ever dealt with man. Therefore then this foresaid Author was called, who, when the mydwives were void of help and counsell, might helpe this wretched maid, having already had her urine stopped now three whole weeks, and perplexed with great watchings, losse of appetite, and loathing: and when hee had seene the grieved place, and mar∣ked the orifice of the neck of the wombe, he saw it stopped with a thick membrane; he knew also that that sudden breaking out of bloud into the wombe and the vessels thereof, and the passage for those matters that was stopped, was the cause of her grie∣vous and tormenting paine. And therefore hee called a Chirurgian presently, and willed him to divide the membrane that was in the midst, that did stop the fluxe of the bloud, which being done, there came forth as much black congealed and putre∣fied bloud as wayed some eight pounds. In three dayes after shee was well and void of all disease and paine. I have thought it good to set downe this example here, be∣cause it is worthy to be noted, and profitable to be imitated, as the like occasion shall happen.

CHAP. XLIIII. Of the strangulation of the wombe.

THe strangulation of the wombe, or that commeth from the wombe, is an * 1.253 interception or stopping of the liberty in breathing or taking wind, be∣cause that the wombe, swolne or puffed up by reason of the accesse of grosse vapours and humours that are contained therein, and also snatch∣ed as it were by a convulfive motion, by reason that the vessels and ligaments disten∣ded with fulnesse, are so carried upwards against the midriffe and parts of the breast, that it maketh the breath to bee short, and often as if a thing lay upon the breast and pressed it.

Moreover, the wombe swelleth, because there is contained or inclosed in it a cer∣taine * 1.254 substance, caused by the defluxion either of the seed or flowers, or of the womb or whites, or of some other humour, tumour, abscesse, rotten apostume, or some ill juice, putrefying, or getting or engendering an ill quality, and resolved into grosse vapours. These, as they affect sundry or divers places, inferre divers and sundry ac∣cidents, as rumbling and noyse in the belly, if it be in the guts, desire to vomit, af∣ter * 1.255 (with seldome vomiting) commeth wearinesse and loathing of meat, if it trouble the stomack. Choaking with strangulation, if it assaile the breast and throate; swou∣ning, if it vex the heart; madnesse, or else that which is contrary thereto, sound sleep or drousinesse, if it grieve the brain: all which oftentimes prove as maligne as the bi∣ting of a mad dogge, or equall the stinging or bitings of venemous beasts.

It hath been observed, that more grievous symptomes have proceeded from the * 1.256 corruption of the seede, than of the menstruall bloud. For by how much every thing is more perfect and noble, while it is conteyned within the bounds of the in∣tegrity of its owne nature, by so much it is the more grievous and perillous, when by corruption it hath once transgressed the lawes thereof. But this kind of accident doth very seldome grieve those women which have their menstruall fluxe well and orderly, and doe use copulation familiarly; but very often those women that have not their menstruall fluxe as they should, and do want, and are destitute of husbands, especially if they be great eaters, and lead a solitary life. When the vessels and liga∣ments * 1.257 of the wombe are swollen and distended as wee said before, so much as is ad∣ded to their latitude or breadth, so much is wanting in their length: and therefore it hapneth that the wombe, being removed out of its seate, doth one while fall to the right side towards the liver, sometimes to the left side towards the milt, sometimes upwards unto the midriffe and stomacke, sometimes downewards, and so forwards unto the bladder, whereof commeth an Ischury and strangury; or backwards, where∣of

commeth oppression of the straight gut, and suppression of the excrements, and the Tenesmus.

But although wee acknowledge the wombe to decline to those parts which wee named, yet it is not by accident onely, as when it is drawne by the proper and com∣mon ligaments and bands, when they are contracted or made shorter, being disten∣ded with fulnesse, but also of its selfe, as when it is forced or provoked through the griefe of something contrary to nature that is contained therein: it wandreth some∣times unto one side, and sometimes unto another part with a plaine and evident na∣turall motion, like unto the stomack which imbraceth any thing that is gentle and * 1.258 milde, but avoydeth any thing that is offensive and hurtfull; yet we deny that so great accidents may bee stirred up by the falling of it alone unto this or that side, for then it might happen, that women that are great with childe, whose wombes are so distended by reason that the childe is great, that it doth presse the midriffe, might * 1.259 be troubled with a strangulation like unto this; but much rather by a venemous hu∣mour breathing out a maligne and grosse vapour, not onely by the veines and arte∣ries, but also by the pores that are invisible, which pollutes the faculties of the parts which it toucheth with its venemous malignity & infection, and intercepts the fun∣ctions thereof. Neither doth the variety of the parts receiving only, but also of the matter received, cause variety of accidents.

For, some accidents come by suppression of the termes, others come by corrup∣tion * 1.260 of the seede, but if the matter bee cold, it bringeth a drousinesse, being lifted up unto the braine, whereby the woman sinketh downe as if shee were astonished, and lyeth without motion, and sense or feeling, and the beating of the arteries, and the breathing are so small, that somtimes it is thought they are not at all, but that the wo∣man is altogether dead. If it be more grosse, it inferreth a convulsion; if it partici∣pate of the nature of a grosse melancholick humour, it bringeth such heavinesse, fear, and sorrowfulnesse, that the party that is vexed therewith shall thinke that shee shall die presently, and cannot be brought out of this minde by any meanes or reason: if * 1.261 of a cholerick humour, it causeth the madnesse called furor uterinus, and such a prat∣ling, that they speake all things that are to be concealed; and a giddinesse of the head, by reason that the animal spirit is suddenly shaken by the admixtion of a putrefied vapour and hot spirit: but nothing is more admirable, than that this disease taketh the patient sometimes with laughing, and sometimes with weeping, for some at the first will weepe and then laugh in the same disease and state thereof.

But it exceedeth all admiration which Hollerius writeth usually happened to two * 1.262 of the daughters of the Provost of Roven. For they were held with long laughter for an houre or two before the fitte, which neither for feare, admonition, nor for any other meanes they could hold; and their parents chid them, and asked them where∣fore they did so, they answered, that they were not able to stay their laughter. The ascention of the wombe is diligently to bee distinguished from the strangulation * 1.263 thereof; for the accidents of the ascention and of the strangulation are not one, but the woman is onely oppressed with a certaine paine of the heart, difficulty of brea∣thing, or swouning, but yet without feare, without raving or idle talking, or any o∣ther greater accident.

Therefore often times contrary causes inferre the ascention: that is, overmuch drynesse of the wombe, labouring through the defect of moysture, whereby it is forced after too violent and immoderate evacuations of the flowers, and in childe∣bed, and such like, and laborious and painefull travell in child-birth, through which occasion it waxeth hot, contrary to nature, and withereth and turneth it selfe with a certaine violence unto the parts adjoyning, that is to say, unto the liver, stomacke and midriffe: if happely it may draw some moysture therehence unto it. I omit that the wombe may be brought unto its place upwards by often smelling to aroma∣tick things, yet in the meane while it infers not the strangulation that wee described before.

CHAP. XLV. The signes of imminent strangulation of the wombe.

BEfore that these forenamed accidents come, the woman thinks that a cer∣taine painefull thing ariseth from her wombe unto the orifice of the sto∣macke and heart, and shee thinketh her selfe to bee oppressed and choa∣ked, shee complaineth her selfe to bee in great paine, and that a certaine lumpe or heavie thing climes up from the lower parts unto her throat, and stoppeth her winde, her heart burneth and panteth. And in many the wombe and vessels of the wombe so swell, that they cannot stand upright on their legs, but are constrai∣ned to lye downe flat on their bellies, that they may bee the lesse grieved with the paine, and to presse that downe strongly with their hands, that seemeth to arise up∣wards, although that not the wombe it selfe, but the vapour ascendeth from the * 1.264 wombe, as wee said before: but when the fitte is at hand, their faces are pale on a sudden, their understanding is darkened, they become slow and weak in the legges, with unablenesse to stand. Hereof commeth sound sleepe, foolish talking, intercep∣tion of the senses, and breathe as if they were dead, losse of speech, the contraction of their legs, and the like.

CHAP. XLVI. How to know whether the woman be dead in the strangulation of the wombe or not.

I Have thought it meet (because many women not onely in ancient times, * 1.265 but in our owne and our fathers memory have beene so taken with this kind of symptome, that they have beene supposed and layd out for dead, although truly they were alive:) to set downe the signes in such a case which do argue life and death. Therefore first of all it may be pro∣ved, whether she be alive or dead, by laying or holding a cleere and smooth looking-glasse before her mouth and nostrils. For, if she breathe, although it be never so ob∣scurely, the thin vapour that commeth out will staine or make the glasse duskie. Al∣so a fine downish feather taken from under the wing of any bird, or else a fine flocke being held before the mouth, will by the trembling or shaking motion thereof, shew that there is some breath, and therefore life remaining in the body. But you may prove most certainly whether there be any sparke of life remaining in the body, by * 1.266 blowing some sneesing powders of pellitory of Spaine, & ellebore into the nostrils. But though there no breath appeare, yet must you not judge the woman for dead, for the small vitall heat, by which, being drawn into the heart, she yet liveth, is contented with transpiration onely, and requires not much attraction, which is performed by the contraction & dilatation of the breast and lungs unto the preservation of its selfe. For so flyes, gnats; pismires and such like, because they are of a cold temperament, * 1.267 live unmoveably inclosed in the caves of the earth, no token of breathing appearing in them, because there is a little heat left in them, which may be conserved by the of∣fice of the arteries and heart, that is to say, by perspiration, without the motion of the breast, because the greatest use of respiration is that the inward heat may be pre∣served by refrigeration and ventilation. Those that do not mark this, fall int•…•…ha•• er∣rour which almost cost the life of him who in our time first gave life to anotomicall administration, that was almost decayed and neglected.

For he being called in Spaine to open the body of a noble woman which was sup∣posed * 1.268 dead through strangulation of the wombe, behold at the second impression of the incision knife, she began suddenly to come to her selfe, and by the moving of her members and body, which was supposed to be altogether dead, and with cry∣ing, to shew manifest signes that there was some life remaining in her. Which thing

strooke such an admiration & horror into the hearts of all her friends that were pre∣sent, that they accounted the Physician, being before of a good fame and report, as infamous, odious and detestable, so that it wanted but little but that they would have scratched out his eyes presently: wherefore hee thought there was no better way for him, if he would live safe, than to forsake the countrey. But neither could hee so also avoyde the horrible pricke and inward wound of his conscience (from whose judgment no offender can be absolved) for his inconsiderate dealing, but within few dayes after, being consumed with sorrow, he dyed, to the great losse of the common wealth, and the art of physick.

CHAP. XLVII. How to know whether the strangulation of the wombe comes of the suppression of the flowers, or the corruption of the seed.

THere are two chiefe causes especially, as most frequently happening of the * 1.269 strangulation of the wombe: but when it proceedeth from the corrupti∣on of the seed, all the accidents are more grievous and violent: difficulty of breathing goes before, and shortly after comes deprivation thereof; the whole habit of the body seemeth more cold than a stone: the woman is a widow: or else hath great store or abundance of seed, and hath been used to the company of a man, by the absence whereof she was before wont to be pained with heavinesse of the head, to loath her meat, and to bee troubled with sadnesse and feare, but chiefly * 1.270 with melancholy. Moreover when she hath satisfied, and every way fulfilled her lust, and then presently on a sudden begins to containe her selfe. It is very likely that shee is suffocated by the supprossion of the flowers, which formerly had them well and sufficiently, which formerly hath bin fed with hot, moist, and many meats, and there∣fore engendring much bloud, which sitteth much, which is grieved with some weight and swelling in the region of the belly, with paine in the stomacke, and a desire to vomit, and with such other accidents as come by the suppression of the flowers. Those who are freed from the fit of the suffocation of the wombe, either by nature * 1.271 or by are, in a short time their colour commeth into their faces by little and little, and the whole body beginneth to wax strong, and the teeth, that were set and closed fast together, begi•• (the jawes being loosed) to open and unclose againe, and lastly, some moisture floweth from the secret parts with a certaine tickling pleasure; but in some women, as in those especially in whom the necke of the wombe is tickled with the mydivives singer, in stead of that moysture comes thick and grosse seed, which moy∣sture or seed when it is fallen, the wombe being before as it were raging, is restored unto its owne proper nature and place, and by little and little all symptomes vanish away. Men by the suppression of their seede have not the like symptomes as women have, because mans seed is not so cold and moyst, but far more perfect and better di∣gested, * 1.272 and therefore more meet to resist putrefaction, and whiles it is brought or drawn together by little and little, it is dissipated by great and violent exercise.

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the cure of the strangulation of the wombe.

SEeing that the strangulation of the wombe is a sudden and sharp disease, it therefore requireth a present and speedy remedy, for if it be neglected * 1.273 it many times causeth present death. Therefore, when this malady com∣meth, the sick woman must presently be placed on her back, having her breast and stomack loose, and all her clothes & garments slack & loose about her, whereby she may take breath the more easily; and she must be called on by her owne name, with a loud voice in her eares, and pulled hard by the haires of the

temples and neck, but yet especially by the haires of the secret parts, that by provo∣king or causing paine in the lower parts, the patient may not onely be brought to her selfe againe, but also that the sharpe and maligne vapour ascending upwards, may be drawne downewards: the legs and armes must bee bound and tied with painefull ligatures, all the body must bee rubbed over with rough linnen clothes besprinkled with salt and vinegar, untill it be very sore and red, and let this pessary following be put into the wombe. ℞. succi mercurial. artemis. an. ℥ii. in quibus dissolve pul. bened. * 1.274 ʒiii. pul. radic. enulae camp. galang. minor. an. ʒi. make thereof a pessary. Then let the soales of her feet bee anoynted with oyle of dayes, or with some such like oyle, let a great cupping-glasse with a greatflame be applyed to the belly below the navell, to the inner part of the thigh, and to the groin, whereby both the matter that climes up∣wards, and also the womb it self running the same way, may be brought downwards or drawn back. There may be made a fumigation of spices to be received up into the wombe, which, that it may be the easier done, the wombe may be held open by put∣ting in this instrument here described into the neck thereof. Let it be made of gold, silver or latin into the forme of a pessary; at the one end thereof, that is to say, that end which goeth up into the necke of the wombe, let there be made many holes on each side, but at the lower end let it be made with a spring, that it may open and shut as you wil have it. Also it must have two laces or bands by which it must be made fast unto a swathe or girdle tyed about the patients belly.

[illustration]

The forme of a Pessary to be put into the neck of the wombe to hold it open.

[illustration]

The description of a vessell made with a funnell or pipe for to fumigate the wombe.

The matter and ingredients of sweet and aromaticke fumigations, are cinnamon, callam. aromat. lig. aloes, ladanum, benzoin, thyme, pepper, cloves, lavander, ca∣laminth, * 1.275 mugwort, penniroyall, alepta moschat. nutmegs, muske, mosse, amber, squi∣nant, and such like, which for their sweet smell and sympathy, allure or entice the * 1.276 wombe downewards, by their heat consume and digest the thicke vapours, and pu∣trefied ill juice. Contrariwise, let the nostrils bee perfumed with foetide and ranke smels, and let these be made with gum. galbanum, sagapenum, ammoniacum, assa foeti∣da, bitumen, oyle of Jeat, snuffe of a tallow candle when it is blowne out, with the fume of birds feathers, especially of Partridges and Woodcocks, of mans haire or goats haire, of old leather, of horse hoofes, and such like things burned, whose noy∣some or offensive savour the wombe avoyding, doth returne unto its owne place or seate againe.

Moreover it shall be very necessary to procure vomit by thrusting a goose feather downe into the throate, or else the haires of the patients owne head. Shortly after shee must use a potion of fifteene graines of blacke pepper bruised and dissolved in * 1.277 hydromel, or water and hony mixed together, or in some strong wine, which remedy Avicen holdeth for a secret.

Also in stead thereof three houres before meat ʒss. of treacle dissolved in ℥i. of the water of wormewood may be given her: Also it is thought that one drop of the oyle of Jeat dropped on the tongue, is a very profitable remedy. There bee some that allow a potion of halfe a dram of Castoreum dissolved in white wine, or in the * 1.278 broth of a capon: also it is profitable not onely to give her treacle to drinke, but al∣so

to inject it into the wombe, being first dissolved in aqua vitae, and in the meane time to drop two drops of oyle of sage, or some such chymicall oyle into the eares. * 1.279 If shee bee drousie or sleepy, she must be awaked or kept waking with sneesing pow∣ders of white ellebore and pellitory.

It is also requisite to inject glysters both into the fundament and secret parts, which must be made of the decoction of things that discusse winde, as of calamint, * 1.280 mugwort, lavender, pennyroyall, chamomel, melilote, and such like; and let pessaries or suppositories be made of ladanum, ginger, gallia moschat. treacle, mithridate, civet and muske, of the oyle of cloves, anniseeds, sage, rosemary, and such like, chymi∣cally drawne; this following is a convenient description of a glyster. ℞. radic. enu∣lae, * 1.281 camp. Ireos, ebuli, aristoloch. an. ℥i. fol. absynth. artemesiae, matricar. puleg. origani, an. m. i. baccarum lauri, juniperi & sambuc. an. p. i. sem. amios, cymini, rutae an. ʒii. florum sloechados, rorismarin. salviae, centaur. minor. an. p. ii. fiat decoctio, cape colaturae lb. i. in qua dissolve mellis anthosati, sacch. rubr. & bened. an. ℥i. diacharth. ʒii. olei aneth. nard. an. ℥iss. make thereof a glyster, and apply this plaster following to the belly. ℞. mass. empl. oxycrocei, & melilot. an. ℥iii. olei nard. as much as shall suffice to make it conveniently soft, make thereof a plaster, and spread it on leather, and apply it to the region of the belly when the fitte is ended: if she be married, let her forthwith use * 1.282 copulation, and bee strongly encountered by her husband, for there is no remedy more present than this.

Let the mydwife annoint her fingers with oleum nardinum or moschetalinum, or of cloves, or else of spike mixed with muske, ambergreese, civet, and other sweet pow∣ders, and with these let her rub or tickle the top of the necke of the wombe which toucheth the inner orifice; but her secret parts must first be warmed by the applying of warme linnen clothes, for so at length the venemous matter contained in the wombe, shall bee dissolved and flow out, and the maligne, sharpe and flatulent va∣pours, whereby the wombe is driven as it were into a fury or rage, shall bee resolved and dissipated, and so when the conjunct matter of the disease is scattered and wasted, the wombe, and also the woman shall bee restored unto themselves againe. Some hold it for a secret to rub the navell with the juice of garlicke boyled and mixed with aloes.

CHAP. XLIX. Of womens monethly fluxe or courses.

USually they call the fluxe of bloud, that issueth from the secret parts of * 1.283 women, monethly flowers or courses, because it happeneth to them every month so long as they are in health. There bee some which call them termes, because they returne at their usuall time. Many of the French men call it sepmaines, because in such as sit much, and are gi∣ven to plentifull feeding, it endureth almost for the space of seven dayes. Some call them purgations, because that by this fluxe all a womans body is purged of su∣per fluous humours. There bee some also that call those fluxes the flowers, because that as in plants the flower buddeth out before the fruits, so in women kinde this flux goeth before the issue, or the conception thereof.

For the courses flow not before a woman bee able to conceive: for how should the seede being cast into the wombe have his nourishment and encrease, and how should the child have his nourishment when it is formed of the seed, if this necessary humour were wanting in the wombe? yet it may bee some women may conceive * 1.284 without this fluxe of the courses: but that is in such as have so much of the humour gathered together, as is wont to remaine in those which are purged, although it bee not so great a quantity that it may flow out, as it is recorded by Aristotle. But as it is in some very great, and in some very little, so it is in some seldome, and in some very often.

There are some that are purged twice, and some thrice in a moneth, but it is al∣together

in those who have a great liver, large veines, and are filled and fed with many and greatly nourishing meats, which sit idely at home all day, which having * 1.285 slept all night, doe notwithstanding lye in bed sleeping a great part of the day also, which live in a hot, moyst, rainie and southerly ayre, which use warme bathes of sweet waters and gentle frictions, which use and are greatly delighted with carnall copulation: in these and such like women the courses flow more frequently and a∣bundantly.

But contrariwise, in those that have small and obscure veines, in those that have * 1.286 their bodies more furnished and bigge either with flesh or with fat, are more seldome purged, and also more sparingly, because that the superfluous quantity of bloud useth to goe into the habit of the body. Also tender, delicate and faire women are lesse purged than those that are browne and endued with a more compact flesh, be∣cause that by the rarity of their bodies, they suffer a greater wasting or dissipation of their substance by transpiration. Moreover, they are not so greatly purged with this kind of purgation, which have some other solemne or accustomed evacuation in any other place of their body, as by the nose or hemorrhoids.

And as concerning their age, old women are purged when the Moone is old, and * 1.287 young women when the Moone is new, as it is thought. I thinke the cause thereof is, for that the Moone ruleth moyst bodies, for by the variable motion thereof the Sea floweth and ebbeth, and bones, marrow and plants abound with their genitall humour.

Therefore young people which have much bloud, and more fluxible, and their bodies more fluxible, are soone moved unto a fluxe, although it bee even in the first quarter of the Moones risingor increasing: but the humours of old women, because * 1.288 they wax stiffe as it were with cold, & are not so abundant, and have more dense bo∣dies and straighter vessels, are not so apt to a fluxe, nor do they so easily flow, except it bee in the full of the Moon, or else in the decrease; that is to say, because the bloud that is gathered in the full of the Moon falls from the body even of its own weight, for that by reason of the decreasing or wane of the Moone this time of the month is more cold and moyst.

CHAP. L. The causes of the monethly flux or courses.

BEcause a woman is more cold, and therefore hath the digestive faculty more weake, it commeth to passe, that shee requireth and desireth more * 1.289 meate or foode than shee can digest or concoct: And because that su∣perfluous humour that remaineth is not digested by exercise, nor by the efficacy of strong and lively heat, therefore by the providence or benefit of nature it floweth out by the veines of the wombe, by the power of the ex∣pulsive faculty, at its owne certaine and prefixed season or time. But then especially * 1.290 it beginneth to flow, and a certaine crude portion of bloud to bee expelled, being hurtfull and maligne otherwise in no quality, when nature hath laid her principall foundations of the encrease of the body, so that in greatnesse of the body, she hath come as it were in a manner to the highest toppe, that is to say, from the thirteenth to the fiftieth yeare of our age.

Moreover, the childe cannot bee formed in the wombe, nor have his nutriment or encrease without this fluxe: therefore this is another finall cause of the monethly * 1.291 flux. Many are perswaded that women do farre more abound with bloud than men, * 1.292 considering how great an abundance of bloud they cast forth of their secret parts every moneth, from the thirteenth to the fiftieth yeare of their age: how much wo∣men great with childe, of whom also many are menstruall, yeelde unto the nutri∣ment and encrease of the childe in their wombes, and how much Physicians take from women that are with childe by opening of a veine, which otherwise would bee delivered before their naturall and prefixed time; how great a quantity thereof

they avoid in the birth of their children, and for ten or twelve daies after, and how great a quantity of milk they spend for the nourishment of the child when they give sucke, which milke is none other thing than blood made white by the power of the kernels that are in the dugges, which doth suffice to nourish the childe, be he great or little; yet notwithstanding many nurses in the meane while are menstruall: and as that may be true, so certainely this is true, that one dramme (that I may so speake) of a mans blood, is of more efficacy to nourish and encrease, than two pounds of wo∣mans * 1.293 blood, because it is farre more perfect, more concocted, wrought, and better replenished with abundance of spirits: whereby it commeth to passe that a man en∣dued with a more strong heat, doth more easily convert what meat soever he eateth * 1.294 unto the nourishment & substance of his body; & if that any superfluity remains, he doth easily digest and scatter it by insensible transpiration. But a woman being more cold than a man, because shee taketh more than shee can concoct, doth gather toge∣ther more humours, which because shee cannot disperse, by reason of the unperfect∣nesse and weakenesse of her heat, it is necessary that shee should suffer, and have her monethly purgation, especially when shee groweth unto some bignesse; but there is no such need in a man.

CHAP. LI. The causes of the suppression of the courses or menstruall fluxe.

THe courses are suppressed or stopped by many causes, as by sharp∣vehement, and long diseases, by feare, sorrow, hunger, immode∣rate labours, watchings, fluxes of the belly, great bleeding, hoe∣morrhoides, fluxes of blood at the mouth, and evacuations in any other part of the body whatsoever, often opening of a veine, great sweats, ulcers flowing much and long, scabbinesse of the whole skinne, immoderate grossenesse and clamminesse of the blood, and by eating of raw fruites, and drinking of cold water, by sluggishnesse and thicknesse of the vessels, and also the obstruction of them by the defaults and diseases of the wombe, by distemperature, an abscesse, an ulcer, by the obstruction of the inner ori∣fice thereof, by the growing of a Callus, caruncle, cicatrize of a wound or ulcer, or membrane growing there, by injecting of astringent things into the necke of the * 1.295 wombe, which place many women endeavour foolishly to make narrow: I speake nothing of age, greatnesse with child, & nursing of children, because these causes are not besides nature, neither doe they require the helpe of the Physitian.

Many women, when their flowers or tearmes be stopped, degenerate after a man∣ner into a certaine manly nature, whence they are called Viragines, that is to say, stout, or manly women; therefore their voice is more loud and bigge, like unto a mans, and they become bearded.

In the city Abdera (saith Hippocrates) Phaethusa the wife of Pytheas at the first did beare children and was fruitfull, but when her husband was exiled, her flowers were stopped for a long time: but when these things happened, her body became man∣like and rough, and had a beard, and her voice was great and shrill. The very same thing happened to Namysia the wife of Gorgippus in Thasus. Those virgins that from the beginning have not their monethly fluxe, and yet neverthelesse enjoy their per∣fect * 1.296 health, they must necessarily be hot and dry, or rather of a manly heat and dry∣nesse, that they may so disperse and dissipate by transpiration, as men doe, the ex∣crements that are gathered, but verily all such are barren.

CHAP. LII. What accidents follow the suppression or stopping of the monthly fluxe or flowers.

WHen the flowers or monethly fluxe are stopped, diseases affect the womb, and from thence passe into all the whole body. For thereof commeth suffocation of the womb, headache, swouning, beating of the heart, and swelling of the breasts and secret parts, inflamma∣tion of the wombe, an abscesse, ulcer, cancer, a feaver, nauseous∣nesse, vomitings, difficult and slow concoction, the dropsie, stran∣gury, the full wombe pressing upon the orifice of the bladder, blacke and bloody * 1.297 urine, by reason that portion of the blood sweateth out into the bladder. In many women the stopped matter of the monethly fluxe is excluded by vomiting, urine, and the hoemorrhoides, in some it groweth into varices. In my wife, when shee was a maide, the menstruall matter was excluded and purged by the nostrills. The wife * 1.298 of Peter Feure of Casteaudun, was purged of her menstruall matter by the dugges eve∣ry moneth, and in such abundance, that scarce three or foure cloaths were able to dry it and sucke it up.

In those that have not the fluxe monethly to evacuate this plenitude by some part or place of the body, there often followes difficulty of breathing, melancholy, mad∣nesse, the gout, an ill disposition of the whole body, dissolution of the strength of the whole body, want of appetite, a consumption, the falling sickenesse, an apo∣plexie.

Those whose blood is laudable, yet not so abundant, doe receive no other dis∣commodity by the suppression of the flowers, unlesse it be that the wombe burnes or itcheth with the desire of copulation, by reason that the wombe is distended with hot and itching blood, especially if they lead a sedentary life. Those women that have beene accustomed to beare children, are not so grieved and evill at ease when * 1.299 their flowers are stopped by any chance contrary to nature, as those women which did never conceive, because they have beene used to be filled, and the vessels by rea∣son of their customary repletion and distention, are more large and capacious: when the courses flow, the appetite is partly dejected, for that nature, being then wholly applied to expulsion, cannot throughly concoct or digest, the face waxeth pale, and without its lively colour, because that the heat with the spirits, go from without in∣wards, so to helpe and aide the expulsive faculty.

CHAP. LIII. Of provoking the flowers or courses.

THe suppression of the flowers is a plethorick disease, and therefore must be cured by evacuation, which must be done by opening the veine cal∣led Saphena which is at the ankle, but first let the basilike veine of the arme be opened, especially if the body bee plethoricke, lest that there * 1.300 should a greater attraction be made into the wombe, and by such attraction or flow∣ing in, there should come a greater obstruction. When the veines of the wombe are distended with so great a swelling that they may be seen, it will be very profitable to apply horse-leeches to the necke thereof: pessaries for women may be used; but fu∣migations of aromaticke things are more meet for maides, because they are bashfull and shamefaced. Unguents, liniments, emplasters, cataplasmes, that serve for that matter, are to bee prescribed and applied to the secret parts, ligatures and frictions of the thighes and legges are not to bee omitted, fomentations and sternutatories are to be used, and cupping glasses are to bee applied to the groines, walking, dancing, ri∣ding, often and wanton copulation with her husband, and such like exercises, pro∣voke

the flowers. Of plants, the flowers of St. Johns wort, the rootes of fennell, and asparagus, bruscus or butchers broom, of parsley, brooke-lime, basill, balme, beto∣ny, * 1.301 garlicke, onions, crista marina, costmary, the rinde or barke of cassia fistula, cala∣mint, origanum, pennyroyall, mugwort, thyme, hissope, sage, marjoram, rosema∣ry, horehound, rue, savine, spurge, saffron, agaricke, the flowers of elder, bay ber∣ries, the berries of Ivie, scammony, Cantharides, pyrethrum or pellitory of Spaine, suphorbium. The aromaticke things are amomum, cynamon, squinanth, nutmegs, ca∣lamus * 1.302 aromaticus, cyperus, ginger, cloves, galangall, pepper, cubibes, amber, muske, spiknard, and such like; of all which let fomentations, fumigations, baths, broaths, boles, potions, pills, syrupes, apozemes, and opiates be made as the Physitians shall thinke good.

The apozeme that followeth is proved to be very effectuall. ℞. flo. & flor. dictam. * 1.303 an. pii. pimpinel. m ss. omnium capillar. an. p i. artemis. thymi, marjor. origan. an. m ss. rad. rub. major. petroselin. faenicul. an. ℥ i ss. rad. paeon. bistort. an. ʒ ss. cicerum rub. sem. paeon. faenicul. an. ʒ ss. make thereof a decoction in a sufficient quantity of water, ad∣ding thereto cinamon ʒ iii. in one pinte of the decoction dissolve (after it is strained) of the syrupe of mugwort, and of hissope, an. ℥ ii. diarrhod. abbat. ʒ i. let it bee strai∣ned through a bagge, with ʒ ii. of the kernells of dates, and let her take ℥ iiii. in the morning.

Let pessaries bee made with galbanum, ammoniacum, and such like mollifying things, beaten into a masse in a mortar with a hot pestell, and made into the forme of a pessary, and then let them be mixed with oile of Jasmine, euphorbium, an oxegall, the juice of mugwort, and other such like, wherein there is power to provoke the flowers, as with scammony in powder: let them be as bigge as ones thumbe, sixe fin∣gers long, and rowled in lawne, or some such like thinne linnen cloath; of the same things nodula's may bee made. Also pessaries may be prepared with hony boyled, adding thereto convenient powders, as of scammony, pellitory, and such like. Nei∣ther ought these to stay long in the necke of the wombe, lest they should exulcerate, and they must be pulled backe by a threed that must bee put through them, and then the orifice of the womb must be fomented with white wine of the decoction of pen∣nyroyall or mother-wort.

But it is to be noted, that if the suppression of the flowers happeneth through the * 1.304 default of the stopped orifice of the womb, or by inflammation, these maladies must first bee cured before wee come unto those things that of their proper strength and vertue provoke the flowers: as for example, if such things be made and given when the wombe is enflamed, the blood being drawne into the grieved place, and the hu∣mours sharpened, and the body of the wombe heated, the inflammation will be en∣creased. So if there be any superfluous flesh, if there be any Callus of a wound or ul∣cer, or if there be any membrane shutting the orifice of the wombe, and so stopping the fluxe of the flowers, they must first bee consumed and taken away before any of those things bee administred. But the oportunity of taking and applying of things, * 1.305 must be taken from the time wherein the sicke woman was wont to be purged before the stopping, or if she never had the flowers, in the decrease of the moone; for so we shall have custome, nature, and the externall efficient cause to helpe art. When these * 1.306 medicines are used, the women are not to bee put into bathes or hot houses, as many doe, except the malady proceed from the density of the vessels, and the grossenesse and clamminesse of the blood. For sweats hinder the menstruall fluxe, by diverting and turning the matter another way.

CHAP. LIIII. The signes of the approaching of the menstruall fluxe.

WHen the monethly fluxe first approacheth, the dugges itch and become more swollen and hard than they were wont, the woman is more desi∣rous of copulation, by reason of the ebullition of the provoked blood, * 1.307 and the acrimony of the blood that remaineth, her voice becommeth bigger, her secret parts itch, burne, swell, and waxe red. If they stay long, shee hath paine in her loynes and head, nauseousnesse and vomiting troubleth the stomacke: notwithstanding, if those matters which flow together in the wombe, either of their owne nature, or by corruption, be cold, they loath the act of genera∣tion, by reason that the wombe waxeth feeble through sluggishnesse and watery hu∣mours filling the same, and it floweth by the secret parts very softly. Those maides that are marriageable, although they have the menstruall fluxe very well, yet they * 1.308 are troubled with head ache, nauseousnesse, and often vomiting, want of appetite, longing, an ill habite of body, difficulty of breathing, trembling of the heart, swou∣ning, melancholy, fearfull dreames, watching, with sadnesse and heavinesse, because that the genitall parts burning & itching, they imagine the act of generation, where∣by it commeth to passe that the seminall matter, either remaining in the testicles in great abundance, or else powred into the hollownesse of the womb, by the tickling * 1.309 of the genitalls, is corrupted, and acquireth a venemous quality, and causeth such like accidents as happens in the suffocation of the wombe.

Maides that live in the country are not so troubled with those diseases, because there is no such lying in wait for their maiden-heads, and also they live sparingly and hardly, and spend their time in continuall labour. You may see many maides so full of juice, that it runneth in great abundance, as if they were not menstruall, into their dugges, and is there converted into milke, which they have in as great quantity as nurses, as we read it recorded by Hippocrates. If a woman which is neither great with * 1.310 child, nor hath born children, hath milke, she wants the menstruall fluxes; whereby you may understand that that conclusion is not good which affirmeth that a woman which hath milke in her breasts, either to be delivered of childe, or to be great with childe: for Cardanus writeth that hee knew one Antony Buzus at Genua, who being * 1.311 thirty yeeres of age, had so much milk in his breasts as was sufficient to nurse a child; for the breeding and efficient cause of milke proceeds not onely from the engrafted faculty of the glandulous substance, but much rather from the action of the mans * 1.312 seed; for proofe whereof you may see many men that have very much milk in their breasts, and many women that almost have no milke, unlesse they receive mans seed. Also women that are strong and lusty like unto men, which the Latines call Viragi∣nes, that is to say, whose seed commeth unto a manly nature, when the flowers are stopped, concoct the blood, and therefore when it wanteth passage forth, by the likenesse of the substance it is drawne into the duggs, and becommeth perfect milk: those that have the flowers plentifully and continually for the space of foure or five daies, are better purged and with more happy successe than those that have them for a longer time.

CHAP. LV. What accidents follow immoderate fluxes of the flowers or courses.

IF the menstruall flux floweth immoderately, there also followes many accidents; for the cocoction is frustrated, the appetite o∣verthrown, then followes coldnesse throughout all the body, ex∣olution of all the faculties, an ill habite of all the body, leannesse, the dropsie, a hecticke feaver, convulsion, swouning, and often sodaine death: if any have them too exceeding immoderately, the blood is sharpe and burning, and also stinking, the sicke wo∣man is troubled with a continuall feaver, and her tongue will bee dry, ulcers arise in the gummes and all the whole mouth. In women the flowers doe flow by the veines * 1.313 and arteries which rise out of the spermaticke vessels, and are ended in the bottome and sides of the wombe, but in virgins and in women great with childe, whose chil∣dren are sound and healthfull, by the branches of the hypogastrick veine and artery, which are spred and dispersed over the necke of the wombe. The cause of this im∣moderate flux is in the quantity or quality of the blood, in both the fault is unreaso∣nable * 1.314 copulation, especially with a man that hath a yard of a monstrous greatnesse, and the dissolution of the retentive faculty of the vessels: oftentimes also the flow∣ers flow immoderately by reason of a painfull & a difficult birth of the child or the after-birth, being pulled by violence from the cotyledons of the wombe, or by rea∣son that the veines and arteries of the necke of the wombe are torne by the comming forth of the infant with great travell, and many times by the use of sharpe medicines, and exulcerating pessaries. Often times also nature avoides all the juice of the whole body critically by the wombe after a great disease, which fluxe is not rashly or so∣dainely * 1.315 to be stopped. That menstruall blood that floweth from the wombe is more grosse, blacke, and clotty, but that which commeth from the necke of the wombe is more cleere, liquid and red.

CHAP. LVI. Of stopping the immoderate flowing of the flowers or courses.

YOu must make choice of such meats and drinkes as have power to incras∣sate the blood, for as the flowers are provoked with meats that are hot, and of subtle parts, so they are stopped by such meates as are cooling, thickening, astringent and stipticke, as are barly waters, sodden rice, the extreme parts of beasts, as of oxen, calves, sheep, either fryed or sodden with sorrell, purslaine, plantaine, shepheards purse, sumach, the buds of brambles, berberries, and such like. It is supposed that a harts horne burned, washed, and taken in astringent water, will stoppe all immoderate fluxes; likewise sanguis draconis, ter∣ra sigillata, bolus armenus, lapis haematites, corall beaten into most subtle powder and drunke in steeled water; also pappe made with milk, wherein steele hath often times been quenched, and the floure of wheat, barly, beanes or rice, is very effectuall for the same. Quinces, cervices, medlars, cornelian berries, or cherries may likewise be eaten at the second course, Juleps are to be used of steeled waters, with the syrupe of dry roses, pomegranates, sorrell, myrtles, quinces, or old conserves of red roses, but wine is to bee avoided: but if the strength be so extenuated that they require it, you must choose grosse and astringent wine tempered with steeled water; exerci∣ses are to be shunned, especially venereous exercises, anger is to bee avoided, a cold aire is to be chosen, which, if it be not so naturally, must bee made so by sprinkeling * 1.316 cold things on the ground, especially if the summer or heat bee then in his full strength; sound sleeping stayes all evacuations except sweating. The opening of a

veine in the arme, cupping glasses fastened on the breasts, bands, and painfull fricti∣ons of the upper parts are greatly commended in this malady.

But if you perceive that the cause of this accident lieth in a cholerick ill juice mix∣ed with the blood, the body must bee purged with medicines that purge choler and * 1.317 water, as Rubarbe, Myrobalanes, Tamarinds, Sebestens, and the purging syrupe of roses.

CHAP. LVII. Of locall medicines to bee used against the immoderate flowing of the Courses.

ALso unguents are made to stay the immoderate fluxe of the tearmes, and likewise injections and pessaries. This or such like may bee the forme of an unguent. ℞. ol. mastich. & myrt. an. ʒii. nucum cupres. olibani, myrtil. an. ʒii. succi rosar. rubr. ℥i. pulv. mastichin. ℥ii. boli armen. terrae sigillat. * 1.318 an. ʒss. cerae quantum sufficit, fiat unguentum. An injection may be thus made. ℞. aq. * 1.319 plantag. rosar. rubrar. bursae pastor. centinodii, an. lb ss. corticis querni, nucum cupressi, gallar. non maturar. an. ʒii. berberis, sumach. balaust. alumin. roch. an. ʒi. make there∣of a decoction, and inject it with a syringe blunt pointed into the wombe, lest if it should be sharpe it might hurt the sides of the necke of the wombe; also snailes bea∣ten with their shells and applied to the navell, are very profitable. Quinces roasted under the coals, and incorporated with the powder of myrtills, and bole armenick, and put into the necke of the wombe, are marvellous effectuall for this matter. The forme of a pessary may be thus. ℞. gallar. immaturar. combust. & in aceto extinctar. ʒii. ammo. ʒss. sang. dracon. pul. rad. symphyt. sumach. mastich. succi acaciae, cornu cer. * 1.320 ust. colophon, myrrhae, scoriae ferri, an. ʒi. caphur. ℈ii. mixe them, and incorporate them all together with the juice of knot-grasse, syngreen, night-shade, henbane, wa∣ter lillies, plantaine, of each as much as is sufficient, and make thereof a pessary.

Cooling things, as oxycrate, unguentum rosatum, and such like, are with great profit used to the region of the loines, thighes, and genitall parts: but if this immo∣derate flux doe come by erosion, so that the matter thereof continually exulcerateth the necke of the wombe, let the place be anointed with the milke of a shee Asse, with barly water, or binding and astringent mucelages, as of psilium, quinces, gumme trugacanth, arabicke, and such like.

CHAP. LVIII. Of womens fluxes, or the Whites.

BEsides the forenamed fluxe, which by the law of nature happeneth to women monethly, there is also another called a womans fluxe, because * 1.321 it is onely proper and peculiar to them: this sometimes wearieth the woman with a long and continuall distillation from the wombe, or * 1.322 through the wombe, comming from the whole body without paine, no otherwise than when the whole superfluous filth of the body is purged by the reines or urine; sometimes it returneth at uncertaine seasons, and sometimes with pain and exulcerating the places of the wombe: it differeth from the menstruall fluxe, because that this for the space of a few dayes, as it shall seeme convenient to nature, casteth forth laudable blood, but this womans fluxe yeeldeth impure ill juice, sometimes sa∣nious, sometimes serous and livide, otherwhiles white and thicke, like unto barly creame, proceeding from flegmaticke blood: this last kind thereof is most frequent. Therefore wee see women that are flegmaticke, and of a soft and loose habite of bo∣dy, * 1.323 to be often troubled with this disease, and therefore they will say among them∣selves

that they have the whites. And as the matter is divers, so it will staine their smockes with a different colour. Truely if it bee perfectly red and sanguine, it is to be thought that it commeth by erosion, or the exolution of the substance of the ves∣sels of the wombe, or of the necke thereof: therefore it commeth very seldome of * 1.324 blood, and not at all except the woman be either great with childe, or cease to bee menstruall for some other cause; for then in stead of the monethly fluxe there flow∣eth a certaine whayish excrement, which staineth her cloaths with the colour of wa∣ter wherein flesh is washed.

Also it very seldome proceeds of a melancholy humour, and then for the most part it causeth a cancer in the wombe. But often times the purulent and bloody mat∣ter of an ulcer lying hidden in the wombe, deceiveth the unskilfull Chirurgian or Physitian: but it is not so hard to know these diseases one from the other; for the matter that floweth from an ulcer, because (as it is said) it is purulent, it is * 1.325 also lesser, grosser, stinking, and more white. But those that have ulcers in those pla∣ces, especially in the necke of the wombe, cannot have copulation with a man with∣out paine.

CHAP. LIX. Of the causes of the Whites.

SOmetimes the cause of the whites consisteth in the proper weaknesse of the wombe, or else in the uncleannesse thereof, and sometimes by the default of the principall parts. For if the brain or the stomacke be coo∣led, or the liver stopped or schirrous, many crudities are engendered, which if they runne or fall downe into the wombe that is weake by na∣ture, they cause the fluxe of the wombe, or whites: but if this fluxe be moderate and * 1.326 not sharpe, it keepeth the body from maligne diseases; otherwise it useth to inferre a consumption, leannesse, palenesse, and an oedematous swelling of the legges, the falling downe of the wombe, the dejection of the appetite and all the faculties, and continuall sadnesse and sorrowfulnesse; from which it is very hard to perswade the sicke woman, because that her minde and heart will bee almost broken, by reason of the shame that shee taketh because such filth floweth continually; it hindereth con∣ception, because it either corrupteth, or driveth out the seed when it is conceived. * 1.327 Often times, if it stoppeth for a few moneths, the matter that stayeth there causeth an abscesse about the wombe in the body or necke thereof, and by the breaking of the abscesse there followeth rotten and cancerous ulcers, sometimes in the wombe, sometimes in the groine, and often in the hippes.

This disease is hard to bee cured, not onely by reason of it selfe, as because all the whole filth and superfluous excrements of a womans body floweth downe into the * 1.328 womb, as it were into a sink, because it is naturally weak, hath an inferiour situation, many vessells ending therein; and last of all, because the courses are wont to come through it; as also by reason of the sicke woman, who often times had rather dye than to have that place seene, the disease knowne, or permit locall medicines to bee applied thereto: for so saith Montanus, that on a time hee was called to a noble wo∣man * 1.329 of Italy who was troubled with this disease, unto whom hee gave counsell to have cleansing decoctions injected into her wombe, which when shee heard, she fell into a swoune, and desired her husband never thereafter to use his counsell in any thing.

CHAP. LX. The cure of the Whites.

IF the matter that floweth out in this disease bee of a red colour, it * 1.330 differeth from the naturall monthly fluxe in this onely, because it keeps no order or certain time in its returning. Therfore phleboto∣my and other remedies which we have spoken of, as requisite for the menstruall fluxe when it floweth immoderately, is here neces∣sary to be used. But if it bee white, or doth testifie or argue the ill juice of this or that humour by any other colour, a purgation must be prescribed of such things as are proper to the humour that offends: for it is not good to stop such * 1.331 a flux suddenly; for it is necessary, that so the body should be purged of such filth or abundance of humours: for they that doe hasten to stop it, cause the drop••ie, by rea∣son that this sinke of humours is turned backe into the liver; or else a cancer in the womb, because it is stayed there; or a feaver, or other diseases, according to the con∣dition of the part that receiveth it. Therefore we must not come to locall detersives, de••i••catives, restrictives, unlesse we have first used universall remedies according to art. Alom baths, baths of brimstone, and of bitumen, or iron, are convenient for the whites that come of a phlegmaticke humour; instead whereof bathes may bee made * 1.332 of the decoction of herbes that are hot, dry, and endued with an aromaticke pow∣er, with alome and pebbles, or flint-stones red hot throwne into the same. Let this bee the forme of a cleansin•• decoction and injection. ℞. fol. absynth. agrimon. centi∣nod. burs. past. an. mss. boyle them together, and make thereof a decoction, in which * 1.333 dissolve mellis rosar. ℥ii. aloes, myrrhae, salis nitri, an. ʒi. make thereof an injection, the woman being so placed on a pillow under her buttockes that the necke of the wombe being more high, may be wide open: when the injection is received, let the woman ••et her legges acrosse, and draw them up to her buttockes, and so shee may keepe that which is injected. They that endeavour to dry and bind more strongly, adde the juice of acatia, greene galles, the rindes of pomegranates, roch alome, ro∣mane vitrioll, and they boile them in Smithes water and red wine; pessaries may be made of the like faculty.

If the matter that commeth forth be of an ill colour or smell, it is like that there is a rotten ulcer; therefore we ought to inject those things that have power to correct * 1.334 the putrefaction: among which aegyptiacum, dissolved in lye or red wine, excelleth. There are women which when they are troubled with a virulent Gonorrhaea, or an * 1.335 involuntary fluxe of the seed, cloaking the fault with an honest name, doe untruly say that they have the whites, because that in both these diseases a great abundance of filth is voided. But the Chyrurgian may easily perceive that malady by the rot∣tennesse of the matter that floweth out, and hee shall perswade himselfe that it will not bee cured without salivation or fluxing at the mouth, and sweats. In the meane while let him put in an instrument made like unto a pessary, and cause the sicke wo∣man to hold it there: this instrument must have many holes in the upper end, through which the purulent matter may passe, which by staying or stopping might get a sharpnesse; as also that so the womb may breathe the more freely, and may be kept more temperate and coole by receiving the aire, by the benefit of a spring whereby this instrument, being made like unto a pessary, is opened and shut.

[illustration]

The forme of an instrument made like unto a pessary, whereby the wombe may bee ventilated.

A. sheweth the end of the instrument, which must have many holes therein.

B. sheweth the body of the instrument.

C. sheweth the plate whereby the mouth of the instrument is opened and shut, as wide and as close as you will, for to receive aire more freely.

D. sheweth the spring.

EE shew the laces and bands to tye about the patients body, that so the instrument may be stayed and kept fast in his place.

CHAP. LXI. Of the hoemorrhoides and wartes of the necke of the wombe.

LIke as in the fundament, so in the necke of the wombe there are hoemorrhoides, and as it were varicous veines, often times flow∣ing * 1.336 with much blood, or with a red and stinking whayish humor. Some of these by reason of their rednesse and great in equality as it were of knobs, are like unripe mulberries, and are called vul∣garly venae morales, that is to say, the veines or hoemorrhoides like unto mulberries; others are like unto grapes, and therefore are named uvales; other some are like unto warts, and therefore are called venae verrucales: some appeare & shew themselves with a great tumour, others are little and in the bottome of the neck of the wombe, others are in the side or edge thereof. Achrochordon is a kinde of * 1.337 wart with a callous bunch or knot, having a thin or slender root, and a greater head, like unto the knot of a rope, hanging by a small thread; it is called of the Arabians, verruc•• botoralis.

There is also another kinde of wart, which because of his great roughnesse and un∣equality is called thymus, as resembling the flower of Thyme. All such diseases are * 1.338 exasperated and made more grievous by any exercise, especially by venereous acts: many times they have a certaine malignity, and an hidden virulency joyned with them, by occasion whereof they are aggravated even by touching onely, because they have their matter of a raging humour: therefore to these we may not rightly use a true, but onely the palliative cure, as they terme it: the Latines call them one∣ly ficus, but the French men name them with an adjunct, St. Fiacrius figges. * 1.339

CHAP. LXII. Of the cure of the Warts that are in the necke of the wombe.

THe warts that grow in the necke of the wombe, if they bee not maligne, * 1.340 are to bee tyed with a thread, and so cut of••. Those that lye hid more deep in the wombe, may be seene and cured by opening the matrix with a dilater made for the purpose.

[illustration]

Divers Specula matricis, or Dilators for the inspection of the matrix.

[illustration]

An other forme of a dilater or Speculum matricis, whereof the declaration followeth.

A. sheweth the screw which shutteth and openeth the dilater of the matrix.

B. B. shew the armes or branches of the instrument, which ought to be eight or nine fingers long.

But these dilaters of the matrix ought to be of a bignesse correspondent to the pa∣tients body; let them be put into the matrix when the woman is placed as wee have said, when the child is to be drawne out of her body. That instrument is most meet to tye the warts, which wee have described in the relaxation of the palate or Uvula: let them bee tyed harder and harder every day untill they fall away. Therefore for * 1.341 the curing of warts there are three chiefe scopes, as bands, sections, cauteries; and lest they grow up againe, let oyle of vitrioll be dropped on the place, or aqua fortis, or some of the lye wherewith potentiall cauteries are made. This water following is most effectuall to consume and waste warts. ℞. aq. plantag. ℥vi. virid. aeris, ʒii. a∣lum. * 1.342 roch. ʒiii. sal. com. ℥ss. vit. rom. & sublim. an. ʒss. beat them all together, and boile them; let one or two drops of this water be dropped on the grieved place, not touching any place else; but if there be an ulcer, it must be cured as I have shewed be∣fore. A certain man, studious of physick, of late affirmed to me that oxe dung tem∣pered * 1.343 with the leaves or powder of savine, would waste the warts of the wombe, if it were applied thereto warme; which whether it be true or not, let experience, the mistresse of things, be ••udge: verily cantharides put into unguents, will doe it, and (as it is likely) more effectually; for they will consume the callousnesse which groweth betweene the toes or fingers. I have proved by experience that the warts that grow on the hands, may be cured by applying of purslain beaten or stampt in its own juice. The leaves and flowers of marigolds doe certainely performe the selfe same thing.

CHAP. LXIII. Of chaps, and those wrinkled and hard excrescences which the greeks call Condylomata.

CHapps or fissures, are cleft and very long little ulcers, with paine very * 1.344 sharpe and burning, by reason of the biting of an acride, salt and dry∣••ng humour, making so great a contraction, and often times narrow∣nesse in the fundament and the necke of the wombe, that scarcely the ••oppe of ones finger may be put into the orifice thereof, like unto pie∣ces of lea••••er or parchment, which are wrinkled and parched by holding of them to the fire. They rise sometimes in the mouth, so that the patient can neither speake, eat, nor open his mouth, so that the Chirurgian is constrained to cut it. In the cure * 1.345 thereof, all sharpe things are to be avoided, and those which mollifie are to be used, and the grieved part or place is to be moistened with fomentations, liniments, cata∣plasmes, emplasters, and if the malady bee in the wombe, a dilater of the matrix or pessary must be put thereinto very often, so to widen that which is over hard, & too much drawn together or narrow, and then the cleft little ulcers must be cicatrized. Condylomata are certaine wrinkled and hard bunches, and as it were excrescences of * 1.346 flesh, rising especially in the wrinkled edges of the fundament and neck of the womb. Cooling and relaxing medicines ought to be used against this disease, such as are oile of egges, and oyle of linseed, take of each of them two ounces, beat them together * 1.347 a long time in a leaden mortar, and therewith anoint the grieved part; but if there be an inflammation, put thereto a little camphire.

CHAP. LXIV. Of the itching of the wombe.

IN women, especially such as are old, there often times commeth an it∣ching * 1.348 in the neck of the wombe, which doth so trouble them with pain and a desire to scratch, that it taketh away their sleep. Not long since a woman asked my counsell, that was so troubled with this kind of mala∣dy, that she was constrained to extinguish or stay the itching burning of

her secret parts by sprinkling cinders of fire, and rubbing them hard on the place; I counselled her to take aegypt. dissolved in sea-water or lye, & inject it into her secret parts with a syringe, and to wet stupes of flaxe in the same medicine, and put them up into the wombe, and so she was cured. Many times this itch commeth in the fun∣dament or testicles of aged men, by reason of the gathering together or confluxe of * 1.349 salt flagme, which when it falleth into the eyes, it causeth the patient to have much adoe to refraine scratching: when this matter hath dispersed it selfe into the whole habite of the body, it causeth a burning or itching scabbe, which must be cured by a cooling and a moistening diet, by phlebotomy and purging of the salt humour, by bathes and hornes applied, with scarification and anointing of the whole body with the unction following. ℞. axung. porcin. recent. lb i ss. sap. nig. vel gallici, salis nitri, assat. tartar. staphisag. an. ℥ ss. sulph. viv. ℥ i. argent. viv. ℥ ii. acet. ros. quart. i. in conporate them all together, and make thereof a liniment according to art, and use 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is said before: unguentum enulatum cum mercurio is thought to have great force, not without desert, to asswage the itch, and dry the scab. Some use this that follow∣eth. * 1.350 ℞. alum. spum. nitr. sulph. viv. an. ʒ vi. staphis. ℥ i. let them all be dissolved in vi•…•…gar of roses, adding thereto butyr. recent. q. s. make thereof a liniment for the forenamed use.

CHAP. LXV. Of the relaxation of the great gut or intestine, which happeneth to women.

MAny women that have had great travell and straines in child-birth, have the great intestine (called of the Latines crassum intestinum) or gut, re∣laxed * 1.351 and slipped down; which kind of affect happeneth much to chil∣dren, by reason of a phlegmaticke humour moistening the sphincter muscle of the fundament, and the two others called levatores. For the cure thereof, first of all the gut called rectum intestinum or the straight gut, is to be fo∣rented with a decoction of heating and resolving herbes, as of sage, rosemary, la∣vander, * 1.352 thyme, and such like; and then of astringent things, as of roses, myrtills, the ••••ds of pomegranats, cypresse nuts, galles, with a little alome, then it must be sprin∣kied with the pouder of things that are astringent without biting, and last of all it is to be restored and gently thrust into its place. That is supposed to bee an effectuall * 1.353 and singular remedy for this purpose, which is made of twelve red snailes put into a put with ℥ ss. of alome, and as much of salt, and shaken up and down a long time, for so at length when they are dead there will remaine an humour, which must bee put upon cotton, and applied to the gut that is fallen downe. By the same cause (that is in say of painefull childe-birth in some women) there ariseth a great swelling in the * 1.354 navell; for when the peritonaeum is relaxed or broken, sometimes the Kall, and sometimes the guts slippe out: many times flatulencies come thither: the cause, as I now shewed, is over great straining or stretching of the belly, by a great burthen car∣ried in the wombe, and great travaile in childe-birth: if the fallen downe guts make that tumour, paine joyned together with that tumour doth vexe the patient, and if it be pressed you may heare the noise of the guts going backe againe: if it be the Kall, then the tumour is soft, and almost without pain, neither can you heare any noise by compression: if it be winde, the tumour is loose and soft, yet it is such as will yeeld to the pressing of the finger with some sound, and will soone returne againe: if the tumour be great, it cannot be cured unlesse the peritonaeum bee cut, as it is said in the cure of ruptures. In the church-porches of Paris I have seene begger-women, who by the falling downe of the guts, have had such tumours as big as a bowle, who not∣withstanding * 1.355 could goe, and doe all other things as if they had beene sound and in perfect health: I think it was because the faeces or excrements, by reason of the great∣nesse of the tumor, and the bignesse or widenesse of the intestines, had a free passage in and out.

CHAP. LXVI. Of the relaxation of the navell in children.

OFten times in children newly borne, the navell swelleth as bigge as an egg, because it hath not bin well cut or bound, or because the whayish humours are flowed thither, or because that part hath extended it selfe too much by crying, by reason of the paines of the fretting of the childes guts, many times the childe bringeth that tumour joined with an abscesse with him from his mother wombe: but let not the Chirurgian assay to open that abscesse, for if it be opened, the guts come out through the incision, as I * 1.356 have seene in many, and especially in a child of my Lord Martigues; for when Pe∣ter of the Rocke, the Chirurgian, opened an abscesse that was in it, the bowels ranne out at the incision, and the infant died; and it wanted but little that the Gentlemen of my Lords retinue that were there, had strangled the Chirurgian. Therefore when John Gromontius the Carver desired me, and requested mee of late that I would doe * 1.357 the like in his sonne, I refused to doe it, because it was in danger of its life by it alrea∣dy, and in three daies after the abscesse broke, and the bowells gushed out, and the childe died.

CHAP. LXVII. Of the paine that children have in breeding of teeth.

CHildren are greatly vexed with their teeth, which cause great paine when they begin to break, as it were, out of their shell or sheath, and begin to * 1.358 come forth, the gummes being broken, which for the most part happe∣neth about the seventh month of the childs age. This pain commeth with itching and scratching of the gummes, an inflammation, fluxe of the belly, whereof many times commeth a feaver, falling of the hair, a convulsion, and at length death. The cause of the paine is the solution of the continuity of the gummes by the com∣ming * 1.359 forth of the teeth. The signes of that pain is an unaccustomed burning, or heat of the childes mouth, which may bee perceived by the nurse that giveth it sucke, a swelling of the gummes and cheekes, and the childes being more wayward and cry∣ing than it was wont, and it will put its fingers to its mouth, and it will rubbe them on its gummes as though it were about to scratch, and it slavereth much. That the * 1.360 Physitian may remedy this, hee must cure the nurse as if she had the feaver, and shee must not suffer the childe to sucke so often, but make him coole and moist when hee thirsteth by giving him at certaine times syrupus alexandrinus, syrup. de limonibus, or the syrupe of pomegranats with boiled water; yet the childe must not hold those things that are actually cold long in his mouth, for such by binding the gums, doe in some sort stay the teeth that are newly comming forth; but things that lenifie and mollifie are rather to bee used, that is to say, such things as doe by little and little re∣laxe the loose flesh of the gummes, and also asswage the paine. Therefore the nurse shall often times rubbe the childs gummes with her fingers, anointed or besmeared with oyle of sweet almonds, fresh butter, hony, sugar, mucilage of the seeds of psili∣um, or of the seeds of marsh mallowes extracted in the water of pellitory of the wall. Some thinke that the braine of a hare, or of a sucking pig rosted or sodden, through a secret property, are effectuall for the same: and on the outside shall be applied a ca∣taplasme of barly meale, milke, oyle of roses, and the yelkes of egges. Also a sticke of liquorice shaven and bruised and anointed with hony, or any of the forenamed syrupes, and often rubbed in the mouth or on the gummes, is likewise profitable: so * 1.361 is also any toy for the childe to play withall, wherein a wolves tooth is set, for this by scratching doth asswage the painfull itching, and rarifie the gummes, and in some weareth them that the teeth appeare the sooner. But many times it happeneth that

all these and such like medicines profit nothing at all, by reason of the contumacy of the gums, by hardnesse or the weaknesse of the childes nature: therefore in such a cause, before the forenamed mortall accidents come, I would perswade the Chirur∣gian to open the gummes in such places as the teeth bunch out with a little swelling, with a knife or lancet, so breaking and opening a way for them, notwithstanding that a little fluxe of blood will follow by the tension of the gummes: of which kind of remedy I have with prosperous and happy successe made tryall in some of mine owne children, in the presence of Feureus, Altinus, and Cortinus, Doctors of Phy∣sick, and Guillemeau the Kings Chirurgian, which is much better and more safe than to doe as some nurses doe, who taught onely by the instinct of nature, with their nailes and scratching, breake and teare, or rent the childrens gummes. The Duke of Nevers had a sonne of eight moneths old, which died of late, and when wee, with * 1.362 the Physitians that were present, diligently sought for the cause of his death, we could impute it unto nothing else, than to the contumacious hardnesse of the gums, which was greater than was convenient for a childe of that age; for therefore the teeth could not breake forth, nor make a passage for themselves to come forth: of which our judgement this was the tryall, that when we cut his gummes with a knife, we found all his teeth appearing as it were in an array, ready to come forth, which if it had bin done when he lived, doubtlesse he might have beene preserved.

The End of the twenty fourth Booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The distinction of male and fe∣male.
• * 1.2

  The cause of this distinction.
• * 1.3

  What seed is.
• * 1.4

  The conditions of good seed.
• * 1.5

  Seed fallea•• from all the parts of the body.
• * 1.6

  Wherefore ma∣ny diseases are hereditary.
• * 1.7

  How feed is to be understood to fall from the whole body.
• * 1.8

  What moueth a man to copu∣lation.
• * 1.9

  Why the geni∣tall, are endued with a whayish moisture.
• * 1.10

  The cause of the foldings of the sper maticke vessels.
• * 1.11

  Womens test∣cles more im∣perfect.
• * 1.12

  Why many men and women ab∣horre renercous copulation.
• * 1.13

  Why the stran∣gury ensueth immoderate copulation.
• * 1.14

  What things necessary unto generation.
• * 1.15

  Why a male, & why a female is engendered.
• * 1.16

  Why men chil∣dren are sooner formed in the womb than women. The seed is that in power from whence each •…•…ing commeth 〈…〉〈…〉 floweth.
• * 1.17

  Why the chil∣dren are most commonly like unto their fa∣thers.
• * 1.18

  When children should be be∣gotten.
• * 1.19

  Why often times the child resembleth the Grand-father.
• * 1.20

  Why sometime those that are •…•…ased do get •…•…d children.
• * 1.21

  Why the sense of venereous acts is given to brute beasts.
• * 1.22

  Why of brute beasts, the males raging with lust, follow after the fe∣males.
• * 1.23

  Wherefore a woman when she is with childe, desireth copulation.
• * 1.24

  How women may be moved to venery and conception.
• * 1.25

  The meeting of the seeds most necessary for ge∣neration.
• * 1.26

  Spots or speeks in the faces of those that are with childe.
• * 1.27

  Why many wo∣men being great with childe re∣fuse laudable meates, and de∣sire those that are illaudable & contrary to na∣ture.
• * 1.28

  The suppressed tearmes divided into three parts.
• * 1.29

  Hip. 1. de morb. mul.
• * 1.30

  Aph. 41. sect. 5.
• * 1.31

  Why the female seede is nutri∣ment for the male seed.
• * 1.32

  A compendious way to under∣stand humane conception.
• * 1.33

  Lib. de nat. puer.
• * 1.34

  What the Coty∣lidones are.
• * 1.35

  The veine never joyneth it selfe with the artery.
• * 1.36

  Hippocrates cal∣leth all the membranes that compasse the infant in the wombe, accor∣ding to the judgement of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in his booke de usu partium, by the name of the se∣cundines.
• * 1.37

  An old opinion confuted.
• * 1.38

  To what use the knots of the childs navell in the wombe ser∣veth.
• * 1.39

  The child in the wombe taketh his nutriment by his navell, not by his mouth.
• * 1.40

  How the child breatheth.
• * 1.41

  The three bladders.
• * 1.42

  When the seede is called an embrion.
• * 1.43

  Why the live called Paren∣chyma.
• * 1.44

  Why the grea∣ter portion of goeth into generation of the head and braine.
• * 1.45

  Why the head is placed on the top of the body.
• * 1.46

  Exod. 20. qu. 52.
• * 1.47

  The molae in the wombe liveth not as the child.
• * 1.48

  The life goeth not into the masse of seed that doth en∣gender the child, before the body of the child and each part thereof hath his perfect proportion and forme. Why the life or soule doth not presently exe∣cute all his of∣fices.
• * 1.49

  1 Cor. c. 12.
• * 1.50

  What the soule or life is.
• * 1.51

  The life is in all the whole bodys and in every portion thereof. The life or soule is simple and indivisible.
• * 1.52

  Divers names, and the reason of divers names that are given to humane formes.
• * 1.53

  Three kinds of living bodies.
• * 1.54

  The superiour soule containeth in it selfe all the powers of the inferiour.
• * 1.55

  What the com∣mon sense is.
• * 1.56

  The function of the common sense is double.
• * 1.57

  For what cause the internall sense is called the common sense.
• * 1.58

  The common sense understan∣deth or know∣eth those things that are simple onely.
• * 1.59

  What Imagina∣tion is.
• * 1.60

  What Reason is.
• * 1.61

  The functions of Reason.
• * 1.62

  What Memory is.
• * 1.63

  Wisdome the daughter of me∣mory and ex∣perience.
• * 1.64

  What an excre∣ment is.
• * 1.65

  The excrement of the fist con∣coction. The excrement of the second concoction is triple.
• * 1.66

  The excrement of the third con∣coction is triple.
• * 1.67

  The use of the navellstring.
• * 1.68

  The signes of speedy and easie deliverance.
• * 1.69

  Children born without a pas∣sage in their fundament.
• * 1.70

  Aph. 42. sect. 5.
• * 1.71

  Aph. 47. sect. 3.
• * 1.72

  Why the infant is borne some∣times with his head forwards.
• * 1.73

  In the time of childe birth the bones of Ilium and Os sacrum are drawne & extended one from another.
• * 1.74

  An Italian fa∣ble.
• * 1.75

  The situation of the infant in the wombe is divers.
• * 1.76

  Mankinde hath no certain time of bringing forth young.
• * 1.77

  Why the child is scarce alive in the eight moneth.
• * 1.78

  Lib. 4. de hist. anim. cap. 7.
• * 1.79

  The naturall & easie child birth
• * 1.80

  How the wo∣man that tra∣velleth in child-birth must bee placed in her bed.
• * 1.81

  An unction to supply the de∣fect of the wa∣ters that are flowed out too long before the birth.
• * 1.82

  A powder to cause speedy de∣liverance in child-birth.
• * 1.83

  Aph. 35. & 45. sect. 5.
• * 1.84

  A potion cau∣sing speedy de∣liverance.
• * 1.85

  What a woman in travell must take presently after her deli∣verance.
• * 1.86

  The cause of the after∣throwes.
• * 1.87

  Why the secun∣dine or after-birth must bee taken away pre∣sently after the birth of the childe.
• * 1.88

  The binding of the childs na∣vel-string after the birth.
• * 1.89

  The defaults that are cōmon∣ly in children newly borne.
• * 1.90

  The defaults of conformation must be speedily amended.
• * 1.91

  Remedies for the cancer in a childs mouth.
• * 1.92

  An old fable of King Chypus.
• * 1.93

  Which uncura∣ble.
• * 1.94

  Which and how they are curable.
• * 1.95

  Why it is called the secundines.
• * 1.96

  The causes of the staying of the secundines.
• * 1.97

  Accidents that follow the stay∣ing of the se∣candines.
• * 1.98

  The manner of drawing out the 〈…〉〈…〉 that 〈…〉〈…〉 after the birth.
• * 1.99

  The cause of the falling down of the wombe.
• * 1.100

  Thr accidents that come of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pulling 〈…〉〈…〉 the wombe, together 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 secundine.
• * 1.101

  To draw fleame from the childs mouth.
• * 1.102

  Milke soon cor∣rupted in a fleg∣matick stomack.
• * 1.103

  The mothers milke is most si¦miliar for the child.
• * 1.104

  The disease of the nurse is par∣ticipated unto the child.
• * 1.105

  Gel. lib. 12. ca. 1.
• * 1.106

  The best age of a nurse.
• * 1.107

  The best habit of body in a autse.
• * 1.108

  Lib. de inf. nutr.
• * 1.109

  Of what beha∣viour the nurse must bee.
• * 1.110

  Why the nurse must abstaine from copulati∣on.
• * 1.111

  What dugs a nurse ought to have.
• * 1.112

  What is to bee observed in the milke.
• * 1.113

  The laudable consistence of milke.
• * 1.114

  Why the milke ought to be ve∣ry white.
• * 1.115

  Why a woman that hath red hair, or freckles on her face can∣not be a good nurse.
• * 1.116

  Why that nurse that hath borne a man childe is to be preferted before another.
• * 1.117

  Why she can∣not be a good nurse whose childe was born before the time.
• * 1.118

  Anger greatly hurteth the nurse. The exercise of the arms is best for the nurse. How the child should be pla∣ced in the cra∣dle.
• * 1.119

  Why an arch of wickers must be made over the childes head lying in the cra∣dle. Why a squint-eyed nurse cau∣seth the childe to be squint-eyed.
• * 1.120

  How children become left∣handed.
• * 1.121

  Three laudable conditions of pappe How the meale must be prepa∣red to make the pap withall. Why the meale wherewith the pap must be made, must first be boiled or ba∣ked.
• * 1.122

  1. de sanit. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.123

  A cataplasme to relaxe the childs belly.
• * 1.124

  For the fretting of the guts in children.
• * 1.125

  For the ulcers of the nipples or teats.
• * 1.126

  What moderate crying worketh in the infant.
• * 1.127

  What immo∣derate crying causeth.
• * 1.128

  When children must be weaned
• * 1.129

  Why children must not be weaned before their 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ap∣peare.
• * 1.130

  How children must be weaned.
• * 1.131

  What children are strong and found of body.
• * 1.132

  An often cause of sudden croo∣kednesse.
• * 1.133

  A most certaine sign of the child dead in the wombe.
• * 1.134

  When the child is dead in the wombe hee is more heavie than he was be∣fore being alive.
• * 1.135

  That which is alive will not suffer that which is dead.
• * 1.136

  Lib. de tumorib.
• * 1.137

  Why the belly of a woman will be more bigge when the child is dead within her, than it was before, when it was alive.
• * 1.138

  The signes of a woman that is weake.
• * 1.139

  After what sort the woman in travell must be placed when the child, being dead in her wombe, must be drawne out.
• * 1.140

  How she must be bound.
• * 1.141

  How the Chi∣rurgion ought to prepare him∣selfe and his pa∣tient to the drawing out of the child from the wombe.
• * 1.142

  How the infant that is dead in the womb must be turned, bound and drawne out.
• * 1.143

  A caution to a∣void strangling of the infant in drawing out the body.
• * 1.144

  Why the child must not bee drawn out with his hands for∣wards. A history.
• * 1.145

  To diminish the wind wherewith the infant being dead in the wombe, swolleth & is pufted up that he cannot be gotten out of the wombe.
• * 1.146

  How the head of the infant, if it remaine in the wombe separa∣ted from the body, may be drawne out.
• * 1.147

  Why the head being alone in the wombe, is more difficult to be drawne out.
• * 1.148

  Cold an enemy to women in travell.
• * 1.149

  What accidents follow the ta∣king of cold in a woman that is delivered of child.
• * 1.150

  Secundines must be laid to the region of the wombe whilest they be warme.
• * 1.151

  Uugaents for the woman in travell that the region of the belly may not be wtiakled.
• * 1.152

  The medicine called Tela Gualterina.
• * 1.153

  A powder for the fretting of the guts.
• * 1.154

  What must bee done when the groine is torne in child-birth.
• * 1.155

  To drive the milke downe-wards.
• * 1.156

  By what reason, and which way cupping-glasses, being fastened on the groine or above the na∣vell, do draw the milke out of the breasts.
• * 1.157

  Astringent fo∣mentations for the privie parts.
• * 1.158

  A distilled li∣quor for to draw together the dug that are loose and slacke.
• * 1.159

  The causes of the difficult child-birth that are in the wo∣men that tra∣velleth.
• * 1.160

  The pas••ions of •…•…hin••••r the ••••th.
• * 1.161

  The causes of difficult child-birth that are in the infant.
• * 1.162

  The externall causes of diffi∣cult child-birth.
• * 1.163

  Which is an ea∣sie birth.
• * 1.164

  What causeth easinesse of child-birth.
• * 1.165

  What Aborti∣on is.
• * 1.166

  What Effluxi∣on is.
• * 1.167

  Women are in more paine by reason of the ef∣fluxion than at the true birth. The causes of Abortion.
• * 1.168

  Girding of the belly may cause untimely birth.
• * 1.169

  How bathes & hot houses cause untimely birth.
• * 1.170

  Hip.. 53. & 37 sect 5. Hipaph 45. se 5.
• * 1.171

  Hip. aph. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 se. 5.
• * 1.172

  Women are in more pain at the untimely birth than at the due time of birth.
• * 1.173

  The errour of the first child-birth continues afterwards.
• * 1.174

  A plaster stay∣ing the infant in the wombe.
• * 1.175

  What children are ten or e∣leven moneths in the wombe.
• * 1.176

  A male will bee borne sooner than a female.
• * 1.177

  Why it is not sufficient to preserve life in the childe to hold open the mouth and pri∣vie parts of the mother so soone as the is dead and the childe alive in her bo∣dy.
• * 1.178

  How the body of the woman that death in travell must be cut open to save the childe.
• * 1.179

  How it may bee known whether the infant be •…•…∣live of not.
• * 1.180

  What superfoe∣tation is.
• * 1.181

  A womans wombe is not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 into divers cels.
• * 1.182

  The reason of superfoetation
• * 1.183

  Lib. de superfoe∣tation•…•…. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the womb 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the con∣ception of the seed. doth ma∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••imes after∣wards open.
• * 1.184

  Lib. 7. cap. 11.
• * 1.185

  The reason of the name.
• * 1.186

  What a mola is.
• * 1.187

  Lib. de steril.
• * 1.188

  Cap. 7. lib. 4. de usu part.
• * 1.189

  How the mola is engendered.
• * 1.190

  The signes of a mola enclosed in the wombe.
• * 1.191

  By what faculty the wombe mo∣veth.
• * 1.192

  How the moti∣on of the mola differeth from the motion of the infant in the wombe.
• * 1.193

  The mola doth turne to each side of the wombe, as the situation of the body is.
• * 1.194

  A history.
• * 1.195

  The descripti∣on of a mola car∣ried seventeene yeeres in the wombe.
• * 1.196

  A vaine or un∣profitable con∣ception.
• * 1.197

  The mola 〈…〉〈…〉 the infant in the 〈…〉〈…〉 it is fastened unto it.
• * 1.198

  There things that provoke the flowers for∣cibly due also 〈…〉〈…〉 or wast the mola.
• * 1.199

  The Chirurgi∣on all 〈…〉〈…〉 of the mola.
• * 1.200

  A history.
• * 1.201

  Apostumes of di∣vers kinds in the Mesenterium.
• * 1.202

  The accidents that come when the Mesentertum is separated from the bodies adjoyning.
• * 1.203

  The dropsie comming of a tumour of the Mesenterium.
• * 1.204

  Tom. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. c. 1.
• * 1.205

  Lib 6. part. morb. cap. 7.
• * 1.206

  The Mesenteri∣um is the sinke of the body.
• * 1.207

  The Scrophu∣laes in the Mesenterium.
• * 1.208

  A scirrhus of the wombe.
• * 1.209

  How the seed is unfertile.
• * 1.210

  How the cutting of the veines be∣hind the eares maketh men barren.
• * 1.211

  The defaults of the yard.
• * 1.212

  The signe of the palsie in the yard.
• * 1.213

  Magick bands and enchanted knots.
• * 1.214

  The cause why the neck of the wombe is nar∣row.
• * 1.215

  The membrane called Hymen.
• * 1.216

  The cause of the fluxe of women.
• * 1.217

  Apb 36. sect. 5. Gal. lib. 14. de u∣su par cap. 9. Arist. in prob. sect. de ster. quae. 3. & 4.
• * 1.218

  The signes of a hot wombe.
• * 1.219

  The signes of a cold wombe.
• * 1.220

  The signes of a moyst wombe.
• * 1.221

  The signes of a dry wombe.
• * 1.222

  A meet time for conception.
• * 1.223

  Arist. l. 7. de hist. anim. c. 2. &. c. 5.
• * 1.224

  Lib. 7. cap. 14.
• * 1.225

  Lib. 6. cap. 12.
• * 1.226

  Lib. 7. de hist. c. nim. c. 1. &. c. 6.
• * 1.227

  lib. 7. cap. 14.
• * 1.228

  What is the fal∣ling downe of the wombe.
• * 1.229

  The causes.
• * 1.230

  〈…〉〈…〉 lib. 7. de histor. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.231

  The signes.
• * 1.232

  The prognosti∣cations.
• * 1.233

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 history.
• * 1.234

  Remedies for the ascension of the wombe.
• * 1.235

  For the falling downe of the wombe, proper∣ly so called.
• * 1.236

  A discussing & hearing fomen∣tation.
• * 1.237

  How vomiting is profitable to the falling down of the wombe.
• * 1.238

  The cutting a∣way of the womb when it is patrefyed.
• * 1.239

  Lib. 6.
• * 1.240

  Epist. 3••. lib. 2. Epist. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.241

  ••ract. de mirand. morbor. caus.
• * 1.242

  A history.
• * 1.243

  Antimonium ta∣ken in a potion doth cause the wombe to fall downe.
• * 1.244

  The signes of the substance of the wombe drawne out.
• * 1.245

  Whether there be a membrane called Hymen.
• * 1.246

  A history.
• * 1.247

  Lib. 11. cap. 16.
• * 1.248

  Lib. 3. sent 21. fract. 1. cap. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.249

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of midwives about the membrane called Hymen.
• * 1.250

  What virgins at the first time of copulation doe not bleed at their privie parts. Lib. 3.
• * 1.251

  The filthy de∣•…•… of bauds & harlots.
• * 1.252

  Lib. deprost. demon. cap. 38.
• * 1.253

  What is the strangulation of the wombe.
• * 1.254

  Why the womb swelleth.
• * 1.255

  The accidents that come of the strangling of the wombe.
• * 1.256

  Why the stran∣gulation that commeth of the corruption of the seed is more dangerous than that that comes of the corrupti∣on of the bloud.
• * 1.257

  The cause of the divers turning of the wombe into divers parts of the body.
• * 1.258

  The wombe is not so greatly moved by an ac∣cident, but by it selfe.
• * 1.259

  Whereof come such divers acci∣dents of stran∣gulation of the wombe.
• * 1.260

  The cause of sleepiners in the strangulation of the wombe.
• * 1.261

  The cause of a drousie madnes.
• * 1.262

  A hisrie.
• * 1.263

  The ascention of the womb is to be distingui∣shed from the stangulation.
• * 1.264

  The wombe it selfe doth not so well make the ascention as the vapour thereof.
• * 1.265

  Women living taken for dead.
• * 1.266

  How women that have the suffocation of the wombe, live only by transp∣ration without breathing.
• * 1.267

  How flies, gnats and pismires do live all the win∣ter without breathing.
• * 1.268

  A history.
• * 1.269

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.
• * 1.270

  The 〈…〉〈…〉 when i•…•… of the suppossion 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the flowers.
• * 1.271

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.
• * 1.272

  Why the sup∣prossion the 〈…〉〈…〉 ••eri∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 or deadly ••••men.
• * 1.273

  The pulling the haire of the lower parts 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 both for this malady and for the cause of the same.
• * 1.274

  A Pessary.
• * 1.275

  The matter of sweet fumiga∣tions.
• * 1.276

  By what power sweet fumigati∣ons do restore the womb unto its owne nature and place. Stinking smels to be applied to the nostrils.
• * 1.277

  Avicens secret for suffocation of the wombe.
• * 1.278

  Castoreum drun∣ken.
• * 1.279

  Expressions in∣to the wombe.
• * 1.280

  The matter of pessaries.
• * 1.281

  A glyster scat∣tering grosse vapours.
• * 1.282

  A quick, certain & a pleasant re∣medy for the suffocation of the wombe. Tickling of the neck of the wombe.
• * 1.283

  The reason of the names of the monthly flux of women.
• * 1.284

  What women do conceive this flux not appea∣ring at all.
• * 1.285

  What women have this men∣struall flux of∣ten, abundantly & for a longer space than o∣thers.
• * 1.286

  What women have t•••• fluxe more seldome, lesse, and a far more shorrtime than others.
• * 1.287

  Why young wo∣men are purged in the new of the Moone.
• * 1.288

  Why old wo∣men are purged in the wane of the Moone.
• * 1.289

  The materiall cause of the monthly fluxe.
• * 1.290

  When the monthly flux begins to flow.
• * 1.291

  The final cause.
• * 1.292

  A woman ex∣ceeds a man in quantity of bloud.
• * 1.293

  A man exece∣deth a woman in the quality of his blood.
• * 1.294

  A man is more hot than a wo∣man, and there∣fore not men∣struall.
• * 1.295

  The foolish en∣deavour of ma∣king the orifice of the wombe narrow, is re∣warded with the discommodity of stopping of the flowers. What women are called vira∣gines. Lib. 6. epidem. sect. 7.
• * 1.296

  The women that are called viragines are barren.
• * 1.297

  Why the stran∣g•…•… or bloodi∣nesse of the u∣rine followeth the suppression of the flowers.
• * 1.298

  Histories of such as were purged of their menstruall flux by the nose and dugges.
• * 1.299

  To what women the suppression of the moneths is most grievous
• * 1.300

  Why the veine called basilica in the arme must be opened be∣fore the vein sa∣phena in the foot. Horse-leeches to be applied to the neck of the wombe.
• * 1.301

  Plants that pro∣voke the flowers
• * 1.302

  Sweet things.
• * 1.303

  An apozeme to provoke the flowers.
• * 1.304

  What causes of the stopping of the flowers must be cured before the dis∣case it selfe.
• * 1.305

  The fittest time to provoke the flowers.
• * 1.306

  Why hot hou∣ses do hurt those in whom the flowers are to be provoked.
• * 1.307

  What women •…•…and what women due loath the act of generati∣on when the moneths are stopped.
• * 1.308

  With what ac∣cidents those that are ma∣nageable and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mar••••••, a•…•… troubled.
• * 1.309

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.310

  Aph. 36. sect. 5.
• * 1.311

  Lib. 2. de subt.
• * 1.312

  The efficient cause of the milke is to be noted.
• * 1.313

  By what pores the flowers due flow in a wo∣man and in a maide.
• * 1.314

  The causes of an unteasiona∣ble flute of blood.
• * 1.315

  The criticall fluxe of the flowers. The signes of blood dowing from the womb or necke of the wombe.
• * 1.316

  The institution or order of 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.317

  Purging
• * 1.318

  An unguent.
• * 1.319

  An astringent injection.
• * 1.320

  Astringent pes∣•…•….
• * 1.321

  The reason of the name.
• * 1.322

  The differences
• * 1.323

  What women are apt to this fluxe.
• * 1.324

  Womens fluxe commeth very seldome of blood.
• * 1.325

  By what signes an ulcer in the wombe may be known from the white flowers.
• * 1.326

  How a womane fluxe is whol∣some. How it causeth diseases.
• * 1.327

  How it letteth the conception.
• * 1.328

  Why it is hard to be cured.
• * 1.329

  A history.
• * 1.330

  If the flux•• of a woman be red, wh••••ein it dif••e∣r••th ••ro•• the •…•…uall ••lux.
• * 1.331

  A womans flux is not suddenly to be stopped.
• * 1.332

  What baths are profitable.
• * 1.333

  An astringent ••nj••••tion.
• * 1.334

  The signes of a putrefyed ulcer in the wombe.
• * 1.335

  The virulent Gonorrhaea is like unto the duxe of women.
• * 1.336

  The differences of the hoemor∣rhoides of the necke of the wombe.
• * 1.337

  What an Acro∣chordon is.
• * 1.338

  What a thymus is.
• * 1.339

  St. Fiacrius figges.
• * 1.340

  What warts of the womb must be bound and so cut off.
• * 1.341

  Three s••op•••• of the cure of wa••ts in the wombe.
• * 1.342

  An effectuall water to con∣sume warts.
• * 1.343

  Unguents to consume war••••.
• * 1.344

  What 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ar••.
• * 1.345

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.346

  What co••dyl••∣mat•• ar••.
• * 1.347

  The cure.
• * 1.348

  What the itch of the womb i••.
• * 1.349

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.350

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.351

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.352

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.353

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.354

  Thdifferences and signes.
• * 1.355

  〈1 line〉〈1 line〉
• * 1.356

  An abscesse not to be opened.
• * 1.357

  A history.
• * 1.358

  The time of breeding of the teeth.
• * 1.359

  The cause of the paine in breeding teeth. The signes.
• * 1.360

  The cure.
• * 1.361

  What power scratching of the gums hath to asswage the pain of them.
• * 1.362

  A history.