Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

CHAP. IIII. Of Conception.

THese two principles of Generation, Seede and the Mothers bloud are not at one and the same time auoyded in coition, because the spermaticall and the fleshy parts are not at one and the same time delineated. But if the generati∣on goe rightly on, first both sexes doe affoord fruitfull and pure seedes which are poured out into the wombe as it were into a fertil field. Afterward when the filaments or threds of the solide parts are lined out, then the bloud floweth thereto as wel for the structure of the parenchymata or substāces of the bowels, as also for the nourish∣ment of the whole embryo or little Infant.

The man therefore and the woman ioyned together in holy wedlocke, and desirous to raise a posterity for the honour of God and propagation of their family; in their mutual im∣bracements doe either of them yeeld seede the mans leaping with greater violence. The woman at the same instant doth not onely eiaculate seede into her selfe, but also her womb snatcheth as it were and catcheth the seede of the man, and hideth it in the bottom and bo∣some thereof.

These seedes thus cast and drawne into the bottome of the wombe are out of hand ex∣quisitly mingled, otherwise sayeth Hippocrates in his Book de Naturapuert, they are neither nourished nor animated together. And if any man, sayth he in his first Book de diaeta, do de∣ny that the Soule is mixed with the Soule, let him be held for a dotard. Now by the Soule hee meaneth the Seed, as we haue sayed before. This mingling of the seedes is the first work or indeuour of Nature in generation. And presently after the seeds are thus mingled, the womb, which is the most noble and almost diuine Nurse, gathereth & contracteth it selfe, and that I may vse the words ofthe Arabians is so corrugated that ther is no empty or void place left therein. And this it doth as being greedy to conteyne and to cherish, we say to Conceiue the seed. Moreouer, least the geniture thus layd vp should issue forth againe, the mouth or orifice of the wombe is so exquisitly shut and locked vp that it will not admit the poynt of a needle. Then the wombe rowzeth and raiseth vp the sleepy and lurking power of the seeds, and that which was before but potentiall, it bringeth into act. This action of the womb we properly call Conception, the Grecians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and it is a Vi∣rification of fruitfull seede to make a creature, depending vpon a proprietie of the body of the wombe.

Hippocrates in his Booke de Principijs, and the fift Aphoris: hath left vnto vs some signes of Conception. Some also doe gather signes of Conception out of all the parts almost of the body. We thinke a woman hath conceiued, if in the confluence of their seedes there runneth a chilnesse or light horror through her whole body; or if she perceiue her womb to contract it selfe; if she receiue the seede of man with delight and it yssue not from her a∣gaine, if the inner mouth of the womb be exquisitely and perfectly snut; if she haue a light and wandering paine about her Nauell or Hypogastrium, which we call the Water course; if her monthly courses do stop vnvsually; if her Paps grow hard, do swell and haue paine in them; if she be not so fit for, or desirous of Venus combats; if she suddenly grow mery and as suddenly againe sad beyond her accustomed manner; finally, if shee haue a loathing of her meate, and vse to cast in the morning after her bodye is a little stirred. But vvhether a woman be conceiued with a man or a woman childe it is very hard to iudge. Notwithstan∣ding, we may thus make coniecture out of Hippocrates in the 48. Aphorisme of the 5. Sec∣tion. She that goeth with a manchilde is well coloured, she that goeth with a woman child is swarthy or pale coloured. Againe, in the same place Male children are born in the right side, Females in the left; & in the 38 Aphorisme of the same Section. If she haue conceiued a male the right pap will swell, if a female the left: but all these signes are rather coniectu∣rall then carry any certainty with them.

Notes

• The order of the accesse of the principles
• Hippocrates ex¦pounded.
• Conception what it is.
• An action of the wombe.
• The signes of Conception.
• Of a man and of a Woman∣child.