The compleat midwife's practice enlarged in the most weighty and high concernments of the birth of man containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses : as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our English authors, viz., Sir Theodore Mayern, Dr. Chamberlain, Mr. Nich. Culpeper ... : with instructions of the Queen of France's midwife to her daughter ... / by John Pechey ... ; the whole illustrated with copper plates.

CHAP. V. Of the Vessels that run through the neck of the Womb.

BEtween the Duplicity of the two Tunicles, that constitute the neck of the Womb, there are ma∣ny Veins and Arteries that run along, arising from those Vessels that descend on both sides the thighs, and are incerted into the side of the neck of the Womb: The great quantity and bigness of them deserves ad∣miration; for they are much bigger than the nature and openness of the place seems to require.

* 1.1The cause of this is twofold; first, Because it being requisite for the neck of the Womb to be filled with abundance of spirits, and to be ex∣tended and dilated for the better taking hold of the Yard; there is required a great heat for these kind of motions, which growing more intense by the act of frication, doth consume a great quantity of moisture, so that great Vessels are requisite, and only able to make that continual supply that is needful.

There is another cause of the longness of these Ves∣sels, which is this; Because that the monthly purgations are poured through those veins; for the flowers must not come only out of the Womb, but out of the neck of the Womb also.* 1.2 Whence it happens, that Wo∣men with Child do sometimes continue their purgations, because that though the womb be shut up, yet the passages in the neck of the womb are open.

This is also further to be noted in the neck of the womb, that as soon as ever your sight is entred with∣in

the female fissure,* 1.3 there do ap∣pear to the view, two certain little holes or pits, wherein is contained a serous humour; which being pres∣sed out in the act of copulation, does not a little add to the pleasure thereof.

This is the humour with which women do moisten the top of a mans Yard; not the Seed, but a humour proper to the place, voided out by the Womb.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The cause of the largeness of the Vessels.
• * 1.2

  Note.
• * 1.3

  The two holes, or pits, near the lips of the Pudendum.