The Praeface.
FInding this following discourse of the forming of the Infant in Lau∣rentius immediately following his History of the parts of Generation, and considering that it contained many things not only profitable but pleasant also, I thought good (gentle Reader) to make thee partaker thereof. And the rather I heere to perswaded my selfe, because at the first sight I conceiued that my selfe also in this my conception shold find pleasure. But it hapneth all otherwise with me then it is in naturall ge∣neration, where the infant is begotten in pleasure, though brought forth in paine. For this I assure thee was begotten with much paine & trauel, and if thy gentle hand help not in the birth, that also wil be very irksome. I know I shalbe taxed by some for hanging too long in this argument, but I also know that all the Authority blame hath, is frō the Authors therof. The subiect of our present discourse is the history of the Infant, of the Principles of his ge∣neration, his Conception, Conformation, Nourishment, Life, Motion and Birth. Verilie a knotty & snarled skaine to vnreele; a thicket, wherein he that hasteth with bold rashnesse * 1.1 and temerity shall offend & stumble at euery step; he that is diligent shall entangle himself, and he that is guided by blinde ignorance shall light vpon pits and bogs; so that it will bee impossible for any man that enters into these Listes fairely to acquite himselfe. The further he wadeth in this Riuer, the greater confluence of waters wil ouertake him, the deeper must he sound if he will finde the bottome.
We begin with the seed which is like the Chaos. Vpon which as the spirit of God moued whilst it was without forme; first to preserue it & after to distinguish it, so it is in this masse * 1.2 of seed; the Formatiue spirit broodeth it first. After as a Spider in the center of her Lawnie Canopy with admirable skil weaueth her Cipresse web, first hanging it by slender Ties to the roose, and after knitting her enter braided yarn into a curious net: so the spirit first fast∣neth the seed to the wombe with membranes and ligaments, after distinguisheth it into cer∣taine spermaticall threds which we call Stamina corporis, the warpe of the bodie. To these when the second principle which is the Mothers blood accrueth, it filleth vp their voyde distances and so amasseth them into a solid body, which euery day is nourished and en∣creased into all dimensions, furnished also with motion, sense and finally with a reasonable soule. Then as impatient of so close imprisonment, as vnsatisfied with so slender allowance, it instantly striues till this Little world arriues into the great.
After we haue thus perfected the History, we descend vnto the many and busie Contro∣uersies depending thereupon. These concerne the differences of the sexes, the Nature of * 1.3 the Seed with the maner of his excretion; the qualities of the Mothers blood, the accidents hapning vnto vs there-from, with the causes of the monthly euacuation of the same; the manner of Conception as well lawful, both simple, double & manifold, as illegitimate and Monstrous; the order and times of Conformation, not onely of the infant it selfe, but also of the membranes and vessels to which it is fastned; the Similitude of the children to theyr parents; the admirable effects of the Imagination; the causes of superfoetation, the maner & matter of the infants Norishment; the admirable Vnion and communion of the vessels of the heart; how he breatheth by Transpiration, not by Respiration; the works of his Vital & Animall spirits; his Scituation or position in the womb; and finally, the nature, differences times and causes of his Birth, togither with the consequences thereof. All these with many more falling in with our disputations we heere exhibit for their satisfaction whome they may concern, & who are more desirous to know them, then able of themselues to attaine thereto.