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THE tender and soft particles of the Infant being now all perfected and esta∣blished hee becommeth euery day greater and hotter, and requireth more nourishment, and being now not contented onely with transpiration, desi∣reth and striueth after a more free vse of the ayre.
Now when as the mother is not able to supply vnto the Infant either the ayre whereby it liueth in sufficient quantity through the narrow vmbilical arteries, or other
nourishment by the vmbilicall veines, whereby it might be supported and refrigerated, the Infant then as it were vndertaking of himselfe a beginning of motion, striueth to free him∣selfe from the prison and dungeon wherein he was restrayned; kicking therefore hee brea∣keth the membranes wherein he was inwrapped, and arming himselfe with strong violence maketh way for his inlargement with all the strength and contention that he may.
This contention and distention the wombe ill brooking, and besides being ouer burthe∣ned with the waight of the Infant now growne, striueth to lay downe her loade, and with all her strength by that expulsiue faculty wherewith she is especially furnished she rowzeth vppe her selfe, and with violence thrusteth her guest out of possession of his true inheri∣tance.
Thus the ioynt strife and as it were consent betwixt the Infant and the wombe bringeth to light a new man, not vppon his feete, nor side-long, but as diuine Hippocrates hath fore∣shewed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is head-long, so be his out-gate be naturall. The reason is, because the vpper parts which hang vpon the nauel string as at the beame of the ballance, do ouer∣way the neather.
Furthermore, this strife and contention of the Infant and the wombe is assisted by the voluntary endeuor of the woman in trauell, which is by drawing in her breath and by that meanes bearing down the midriffe: adde hereto the skilfull hand of the heads-woman or Midwife as we cal them, for she setteth the woman in a due posture or position of parts, receiueth the Infant gently which falleth from betwixt her knees, directeth it if it offer it selfe amisse; and finally draweth away as easily as is possible the after-birth which stayeth behinde.
Here Galen in his 15. Booke de vsu partium, breakes out into an admiration of the Im∣mortall God; for the mouth or orifice of the womb, which in the whole time that the bur∣then was carried, was so exquisitly closed vp, nowe enlargeth it selfe to that extent that the body of the Infant passeth through it.
This birth hath no certaine or limitted time in man as in other creatures, but hapneth vncertainly at any time of the yeare: the reason is, because other creatures haue set times of copulation, but man because the propagation of his kinde was most necessary; is not tyed to any time or season, but left to the liberty of his appetite and guidance of his discretion. Adde hereto; that other creatures in their coitions are glutted and more then satisfied: man (I know not how) hath his appetite encreased euen in the fruition of that which hee affec∣teth. Other creatures vse alwayes one and the same manner of diet, which may be a bry∣dle and restraynt: Man wandreth wantonly through infinite varieties of viands and delica∣ces whereby he is goaded and prouoked to intemperate lust. I forbeare to speake of the power of those fancies, lustful imaginations and passions wherby euery houre as by so ma∣ny furies he is racked and tormented: all which we know are of great auaile to alter the bo∣dy of man.
The times of the birth of man are the 7. 8. 9. 10. and eleuenth monethes. The seauenth moneth is the first time, because before it an Infant cannot be borne aliue into the world, neither indeede is such an exclusion properly called a birth, but an abortment. The elea∣uenth moneth is the last time and vtmost limit, which whosoeuer exceedeth, is deceiued in the time of her conception, and the Cat we say hath eaten her marke. The middle months are the nine and the tenth.
By a moneth we meane with Hippocrates that which they call mensis solaris, that is to say thirty dayes. Nor that birth which we cal Septimestris, or Nonimestris, or Decimestris, each fulfill seauen or nine or ten whole and compleate monethes: for wee knowe that there is a great latitude of the seuenth and tenth moneth, so that the Infant that is born in the begin∣ning or middle or end of the seuenth month is truely called partus septimestris. The begin∣ning of the seuenth moneth Hippocrates designed in his Booke de septimestri partu, where he sayeth that those Infants which wee call septimestres are brought into the world within an hundred and fourescore dayes and a peece of a day. The end of the seuenth month hee limitteth in his Booke de principiis, where he sayth that the Septimestris partus is circumscri∣bed within thirty weekes, that is two hundred and ten dayes; for 7. times 30. amounteth to that number.
The Infants called Octimestres, that is, such as are borne the eight moneth do neuer liue, vnlesse happely in Egypt, because the heauen and the soyle are there most gentle and be∣nigne. The birth at nine moneths is most legitmate and to Nature most familiar. In the
tenth month trauell is not so vncouth, in the eleuenth most rare.
But why the seuenth month and the ninth should bring forth liuing Infants not the eight, the Pythagorians do refer to the power and efficacy of Numbers, the Geometricians to the duplicated proportion of the conformation and the motion, and the triplicated proporti∣on of the motion to the birth. The Astrologians refer it to the diuerse and different Aspects of the Planets and Stars. But these are meere toyes.
The Physitians vppon better grounds haue found out certaine and established rules of Nature and her ordinary Circuites and Returnes, which vnlesse she be interrupted or pro∣uoked, she neuer either hasteneth or foresloweth. Wherefore seeing the infant in the se∣uenth month becommeth perfect, not wanting any accomplishment of his parts, if at that time he haue strength sufficient, he breaketh the Membranes and worketh out his passage, liuing and suruiuing because he is perfect, especially if it be a male childe.
But in the eight moneth if he be borne, albeit he haue the perfection of his parts, yet he suruiueth not, because he is not able to endure two instantly succeeding afflictions (as we call them) or contentions; for the seuenth month being now perfected he laboureth sore and striueth for his enlargement. If therefore being weakened by that strift he againe re∣turne to labor before he be refreshed, it is impossible he should hold out or suruiue so great expence of strength and spirits but must needs sink and faile.
Furthermore, at the eight moneth the Infant doth not liue, because he commeth after the day of birth which should haue been in the seauenth month, and before the day which is to be the ninth.
Whereupon we gather, that some euill accident hath betided him, which eyther hath hindred his birth the seauenth month, or preuented his stay till the ninth. But because these things are somewhat obscure, we referre you for further satisfaction to the Controuersies next ensuing, wherein we will labour to assoile not onely this difficulty, but also all others which may arise concerning the difference and temper of the Sexes, the Nature and Effu∣sion of the seede, the quality and causes of Excretion of the Mothers bloode, the Lawful∣nesse and Errors of Conception, the manner and time of Conformation, the Growth and encrease of the Infant, and how it exerciseth the Naturall, Vitall and Animall Functi∣ons; and finally, concerning the Nature, Differences, Times, and Causes of the Birth:
The causes of a womās deli∣uerance.
In what man∣ner the Infant is borne.
Galens admira¦tion at the prouidence of God.
The time of trauel vncer∣taine.
The time of mans birth.
Hippocrates.
Septimestris par¦tus what it is.
Why the In∣fant borne the 7. month sur∣uiueth.
The Physitiās reasons.
Why the viii. month the in∣fant liuethnot
The subiect of the Con∣trouersies fol∣lowing.