thre wayes / fyrst that it kenleth enflameth the ayre or brethe contayned in the body / and so styfleth the chylde and sometymes the mother to / secondly that it relaxeth / dissolueth / and loseth the cotylydōs / and so maketh the byrth to yssue forth / thyrdlye that the vtter hette of the bathe encreaseth the inwarde heate of the body / in so muche that the byrthe not beynge able to sustayne and abyde the heate naturallye procedeth for refrigeration colynge / but in the tyme or about the tyme of labor she may vse bathes / as I declared before for the redyar and more expedite delyueraunce ¶ Item the intemperancie and mutation of the ayre / and whether maye be cause of aborcemente / for as Hypocrates wrytteth / when so euer the wynter is hote moyst / the sprynge tyde after colde and drye / suche women in that sprynge tyde maye sone and of a lyghte cause haue aborcement / or yf they aborce not / yet they shall be delyuered with greate payne / and the byrthe shall be verye weake and syckelye / soo that it shall dye strayght / or yf it dye not by and by / it shall proue but verye slenderlye / the cause of the whiche thynge is this for when that suche wynterynge chaunseth / the hote and moyste whether heateth and moisteth the womans bodye / and by that the bodye is opened / vnloosed / and resolued / no lesse then thought she ware euery daye bathed / and vpon this when the sprynge tyde cometh / yf it be colde and drye fyndynge the body open and vnlosed after suche sorte / the colde entryth and percethe the bodye the soner and the more vehementlye / and the byrthe fealynge the soden colde and change of whether / pyneth awaye and dyethe in the mothers bellye / or anone after it is delyuered / or yf it lyue / it lykethe not / nor prouethe not / and greate payne shall it be to kepe lyfe in it ¶ Item aborcement maye happen by ouer muche stearynge of the bodye in laborynge / daunsynge / or leapynge or by some fall or thrust agaynst some wall / or beatynge / or by some sodayne anger / feare / dredde / sorowe / or some soden vnloked for ioye Thus haue I rehersed all the causes of the whiche most commonlye maye ensue aborcemente or vntymely byrth the which no doubte is muche more grefe and vayne to the womā then the verye naturall labor / for suche thynges as chaunse to man or woman contrarye to nature / or before nature doth require it / is farre greater grefe then the same happenyng and commynge in his due season Sygnes wherby ye may forsee aborcemēt When the woman shall labor before her tyme / these sygnes are wonte to go before Fyrste her brestes which before were hoole / sounde / and full / shall begyn to were lesse / to fall / and to flagge then euer for the moste parte aborcement foloweth But yf it be so that she go with two chyldrē at once / yf one of the brestes swage / whiche before was in good lykynge / the other remaynyng sounde and safe / then loke of what syde the brest is of / and the chylde of that syde is in parell / wherfore Hypocrates wryteth Yf the ryght breste slake or flagge / the masculyne or male byrth is in parel yf the left / the female byrth for because that for the most part whē there be two at once / the one is masculyne and the other femenyne / the man lyeth in the ryght syde / and the woman in the lefte ¶ Also an other sygne of aborcemente is / when the woman hath greate paynes dolours of the matrice / and that she begyn to wexe redde in the face / and all partes of her bodye to shake and tremble / as thoughe it ware in a feuer / or the palsye in the heade Item when she feleth greate ache in the ynner parte of the eyes towarde the braynes / the reste of the bodye taken as it were with a werynesse and languesshynge / these thynges portende and sygnifye aborcement to be at hande / spetiallye yf at the same tyme the flowres yssue also ¶ Item yf the womans body do swell and inflate with a certayne hardnesse or styfnesse and that she fele stytches and as it were ven tosyte or wynde runnynge frome one syde of the bodye to the other / and yet the belly not withstandynge / beynge nothynge the more ponderous or wayghtye / and that the same inflacion do persyst and continue any whyle the woman takynge and eatynge such thynges which haue vertue to discusse and vanqueshe ventosite wyndénesse this thynge I saye dothe betoken parell of aborcemente throughe ventosite and inflacion / and that chieflye aboute the thyrde or fourth moneth after the conception Now haue I sufficiently declared euident sufficient signes where by maye be prouyded and forsene the aborcement before it come / nowe wyll I shewe you the remedyes / whereby it maye be auerted and let ¶ The chiefe remedy to auoyde aborcemēt is to auoyde shun all such thynges which maye be cause of it / the whiche I haue competentlye entreated of alreadye but yf ye feare aborcement because that the mouth of the matrice be ouer ample and large / then muste ye vse such thynges / whose operation is to contrahe / constrayne / and brynge to gether as bathes / fumigations / oyntementes / plasters / odours / and suche lyke / of the whithe I spake before in the seuenthe chapter / and suche thynges the whyche represse and stynte the flowres flowynge ouer muche after the byrthe ¶ Agayne yf ye feare this parell / because the mouthe of the matrice is moist and flypperye / other because that the cotylydons be repleate and fulfylled with vyscous humours / and with inflations or ventosytees then maye ye defende it by vsynge of suche thynges / whose qualitees be to purifye / clense / exiccat / or drye / and to represse ventosytees ¶ Howe be it / in all this matter lette not to make some experte physytyan of youre counseill / yf ye maye haue suche one / for because that manye suche thynges come / and not all by one waye or meane ¶ And yf ye doubte parell / for because that the matrice or other places aboute be infected / exulcerated / or appostumat / or hauynge the stone or strangurye / and such other thynges / then aske / and vse the aduyse of some well learned medycyne / and he shall shewe you howe all thynges shall be recured ¶ Yf agayne ye feare aborcement / because the partye is very weake and lowe brought / then let her feade on such thinges the which moysten and norysshe well or fatten the bodye / as capon flesshe / kydde / lamme / younge veale / partrige / and suche other ¶ Agayne yf the womā be taken with any sharpe and fell decease / then let her
rote of the tunge nexte to the throte / to prouoke the chylde to vomyte / and to voyde the grosse and viscous humours which be cause of this yll ¶ Item take gumme arabicke / gumme dragagant / the sede of quynces / the iuyce of lycoryse / and sugre penedium all this beaten together / geue euery daye to the chylde a quantite of it with mylke newe mylked Item take swete almons and blanch them / then beate them in a morter / and then sethe them with the iuyce of fenell / or els the water therof of this decoction geue to the chylde at euenynge and mornynge Item the water of fenell tempered with mylke / and so dronken / is very good ¶ And yf it so be that the coughe haue exasperat and made roughe the tounge the rofe of the mouthe / then take of the sedes of rydonium .ij. sponefulles bruse them a lyttel and stype them in warme water the space of two or thre houres then strayne the vyscose and grosse water frō them throughe a strayner / and that remayneth / frye it to gether in a fryenge panne with sugre penidium the oyle of swete almons therof makyng an electuarium the which geue vnto the chylde to receaue yf the chylde haue great heate with the coughe / then adde vnto the same electuarie the iuyce of a swete pome granate ¶ Item agaynst the coughe ouer muche heate take of whyte popye / and dragagant two dram̄s / of the granes of Gowards .iiij. dram̄s / and beate all these to gether / geue of it to the chylde with the water in whiche reasons haue ben soden ¶ Item take reasons / and takynge out the sede or graynes of it sethe them to gether with water in a fryenge panne / so that they burne not to the botom of the pan / then take it from the fyre / and beate it well in a morter temperynge there with all sugre penidium / and geue of this in the mornynge euenyng to the chylde ¶ Agayne yf the coughe come of a colde cause / then take a lyttell myrrhe beaten to powder / and temper it with a quantite of warmed hony and the oyle of swete almondes / and of this geue vnto the chylde ¶ Farthermore the nourse muste auoyde all such thynges the whiche maye engender coughe as vynegre / ouer muche salted meates / nuttes / and all sharpe thynges Also she muste annoynt the chyldes brest with butter and with dialtheas ¶ Item for the coughe take reasons / and frye them in a fryenge panne / then stampe them in a mortar / and to that adde as much of sugre penidium / with a lyttell oyle of violettes / and make an electuarye of these / and geue to the chyld the mountenaunce of a hasell nutte ¶ Remedye for shorte wynde Manye tymes chaunseth also to infantes difficultie of brethynge or shorte wyndenesse / the which to remedye take lyne sede / beate it / and geue it on the childe with hony but yf the desease encrease on the chylde / that the wyne pipes in maner seme stopped / then annoynte well the eares / and all the places about the eares with oyle olyfe / and also the tounge for to prouoke vomyte / and then powere a lyttell warme water in to the chyldes mouthe / and geue to it a lyttell lynesede tempered with hony and beaten / made after the fashyon of an electuarye ¶ Item yf the chylde haue besydes this also the flyx then geue vnto it the syrupe of myrche decocte with hony / other elles dates soden with mylke / and the meale of wheate ¶ Agaynst wheles or bladders on the tounge Item sometymes happeneth to chyldren wheles and blysters on theyr tounges and mouth / whiche thinge cometh of the sharpenesse and egrenesse of the nources mylke / the mouthe tounge of the infant beynge so tender that the lest thing that toucheth it / shall offende it / wherefore besydes that it is great payne to the chylde thus to be blystered by the egrenesse of the mylke it is also verye perellous dangerous / for such wheles which be not rype and seme blacke / betoken death / whiche yf they be whyte or yelowyshe / then they be of lesse parell Agaynst this yll take violettes / roses / and xylocaracta / and temper all these beatynge them to gether / laye of it vpon the blysters ¶ Itē take the iuyce of letuse / the iuyce of solatrum / and the iuyce of purcelayne / whiche when they be well commyxte and tempered to gether / annoynt there with the whelkes And yf the foresayde blysterres or whelkes be blackysshe / then adde to the foresayde myces lycoryse beaten to pouder ¶ Item yf the same be very moyst / then take myrrhe / galles / the ryne of frākencense bete them well to gether / and temper them with hony / and annoynte the chyldes tonge there with ¶ Item take the iuyce of sharpe mulberies other els of vnrype grapes / which is called vergeus / with that annoynt the tonge Itē it is verye good to wasshe the tunge with wyne / then to strewe vpon it the pouder of galles / or elles of the barke or rynde of frankencense ¶ Yf ye wyll haue a quyckar medicine in operation a sharper / then take bole armenye / psida and sumach of eche .iij. dram̄s / also of galles .ij. drin̄s of alome one dram̄ all these beate to gether serche them throught a serchar / strewe that pouder on the blysterres Itē yf this wheles be reddyshe cause muche spettyll to gather to gyther in that place / then lette the nourse vse suche thinges which are moyst colde / and let her chawe in her mouthe verye small a fewe fatches / of the which laye on the infātes mouth tūge ¶ Itē amidum tēpered to gether with rose water / put on the chyldes tunge / is good Itē take the iuyce of pome granates / the iuyce of quynces / or the iuyce of orynges / do of this on the chyldes tunge in lyke maner / but yf the wheles or blysters be somewhat yelowysh then to these iuyces spoken of before adde the iuyce of lettuce of purcelayne ¶ But yf the wheles seme whytyshe / then take of myrre / of safrane / of eche one dram̄ / of sugre candy .ij. dram̄s / and beate these to pouder and laye of it on the wheles and the tunge ¶ Of exulceration or clefture chappynge or chynynge of the mouthe Sometymes by reason of the hardenesse of the nources pappes the chyldes lyppes mouthe be exulcerat hauynge in manner of cleftes and chynnes in them and in this case take tozed wooll / and dyppe it in the iuyce of plantayne / or elles in butter molten / or in fresshe hens grese euery of thē beyng warme and with this annoynte the mouth and lyppes of the chylde ¶ Of Apostumation and runnyng
strokynge the bellye of the chyld before the vesike of bladder to help to ease and to prouoke the chylde to the makynge of water / and when ye laye it in the cradell to slepe / set the cradell in such a place that nether the beames of the sonne by daye nether of the mone by nyght come on the infant but rather set it in a darke and shadow place layenge also the head euer somewhat hyer then the reste of the bodye ¶ And farther lette it be wasshed two or thre tymes in the daye / and that anone after stepe in the wynter with hote water / in the sommer with luke warme water nether let it tary long in the water but vnto such tyme as the body begyn to waxered for hete but take hede that none of the water come in to the infantes eare / for that shulde greatelye hurte his hearynge another daye Then to be shorte / when it is taken oute of the bathe / let it be wyped and handeled with gentell and softe lynnen cloth warmed / and then to laye it on her lap the backe vpward / the whiche with her handes let her tenderly stroke and rubbe / and then to lappe it vppe / and to swadell it / when it is swadeled / to put a drop or two of water in to the nostrelles of it / is very good for the eye syght And so laye it to reste ¶ Of the nourse and her mylke and howe longe the chylde sholde soucke AS conternynge the bryngynge vp nourisshement and geuyng of sucke to the chylde / it shall be best / yf the mother geue her chyld sucke herselfe / for the mothers mylke is more conuenient and agreable to the infante then anye other womans / and more dothe it nourysshe it / for because that in the mothers bellye it was wonte to the same and fedde with it / and therfore also it dothe more desyrouslye couet the same / as that / with the which it is best acquēted / and to be shorte / the mothers mylke is most holsomste for the chylde As Auicenna writeth it shall be sufficient to geue it sucke twyse or thryse in a daye And alwayes beware / ye geue not the chylde to much sucke at once in this tender aege of it / for clowyng of it / and leste also it lothe it / but rather let it haue often of it / and lytell at once / then fewe tymes / and ouer muche at once For such as be ouer clowed with the mothers mylke / causethe theyr body to swell and inflate / and in theyr vrine shal it appeare that it is not ouer come ne concocied or digested in the chylde / which thyng yet yf it chaunse / let the infant be kept fastinge / vntyll such tyme as that the which it hath receaued already / be compleately digested Item yf the mothers mylke be somewhat sharpe or egre / lette her neuer geue the chylde her breste fastynge ¶ Yf it be so that the mother can not geue the infant sucke herselfe / ether for because of syckenesse or that her brestes be sore and her mylke corrupted then let her chose a holsom nurse with these conditions folowynge ¶ Fyrste that she be of a good coloure and complexion / and that her bulke and breste be of good largenesse Secondly that it be not to sone after her labor / ne to longe after / so that it be two monethes after her labor at the leste / and that yf it maye be suche one whiche had a man chylde / thyrdelye that she be of meane and measurable lykynge / neyther to fatte ne to leane Fourthelye that she be good and honest of conuersation / neyther ouer hastye or yrefull ne to sad or soleme / nether to fearefull or timorous for these affections and qualitees be parnicious and hurtfull to the mylke / corruptynge it / and passe forth through the mylke in to the chylde / makynge the chylde of lyke condition and manners / also that they be not ouer lyght wanton of behauoure Fyftelye that her brestes be full and haue sufficient plentie of mylke and that they be neyther to great / softe / hangynge / and flaggynge / ne to lyttell / harde / or contracte / but of a measurable quantitie ¶ Also loke vpon her mylke / that it be not blackysshe / blueysshe / grey or reddysshe / neyther sowre / sharpe / saltysshe / or brackysshe / nether thyn fluye / neyther ouer grosse and thycke but temperatly whyte and pleasante in taste and to be shorte that mylke is beste and moste to be chosen of the whiche a drop beynge mylked softelye on the nayle of the thombe holdyng your fynger styll / it rolleth not of / nether flytteth abrode / but yf ye moue your hand a lyttell it will slyde of by and by but yf whē it is mylked on the nayle it spred abrode / flyt by by / then is it to thyn but yf it cleaue styll when that ye moue a lyttell youre hande then is it so spysse thycke / the meane betwene bothe is beste ¶ Yf it be so / that the nourses mylke be to hote or sharpe / then lette her neuer geue the chylde sucke her selfe beynge fastynge Sometyme it chaunseth / that the mothers or nourses mylke dothe fayle or decrease / the which thynge maye come by dyuers causes as by syckenesse / by decease in the brestes / or by takyng of colde in the same / and so stoppe and cludder the mylke or for because she lackethe suche thynges / the whiche myght engender mylke / other by ouer muche fastinge / hungre / and thurste the whiche causes must be well consydered / and then accordynge to that minyster a remedy ¶ Thinges which do augment encrease mylke / be those let her vse to eate parsenyp / other the sede or the rote Also the sede or rote of fenell soden in the brothe made with barley or cicercula let her eate of that with other meates that she feadeth on Item to eate shepes breste and the mylke of them is good Item take an ounce of cowe butter / dissolue it in warmed wyne / the which lette the nource drynke Item boxynge vnder the brestes doth well / not cuttynge the skynne ¶ Item a plaster for the same of frankensence / mastycke / and pytche layde to the brestes or vnder the brestes the skynne fyrst beyng annoynted with oyle / left it shold cleaue ouer faste to the place Item it shal be verye good to rubbe softelye with the hande the brestes / or elles in bathynge after dynner or supper to cause some to sucke her breste Item take the oyle of white lyllyes or of violettes / and myngle with it muske / encense / laudanum well tempered to gether / in the same dyppe a pese of wooll / and clappe it to the brestes / and soke them with it Item wasshe them / and soke them often tymes with wyne / in
also after theyr labor / and farther of such infirmities and deseases / which are wont to vexe the infant after it is delyuered into this wordle / with competent remedyes for the same ¶ And here in this thyrde boke by the leaue of god shall brefelye be declared suche thynges whiche maye farther or hynder the conception of man / whiche as it maye be by dyuers meanes letted and hyndered / so also by many other wayes it maye be farthered and amended Also to knowe by certayne sygnes and tokens whether the woman be conceaued or no / whether the conception be male or female / and finally certayne remedies and medycynes to farther and helpe conceptiō / so to conclude this small tracte or treatyce ¶ Of conception howe many wayes it maye be hyndered or letted ¶ Cap .ii. THere is nothyng vnder heauen which so manifestly playnlye doth declare shewe the magnificēt myghtynesse of that omnipotēt lyuing god / as doth the perpetuall and continuall generation conception of lyuynge thynges here in earth / by the whiche is saued / proroged / augmented the kynd of al thinges And where that this almyghty lorde creator hath so institute ordeyned / that no syngular thynge in it selfe here vpon the earth sholde contynually remayne abyde / yet hath he geuen from the begynnyng and instincted such a power and vertue vnto these mortall creatures / that they maye engender and produce other lyke thinges vnto them selfe / vnto theyr owne sunilitude / in the which alway is saued the sede of posterite / were not this prouisiō had by almyghtye god / the nature kynde of all maner of thinges wold sone perysh com to an ende / the which vertue power of generatiō many times doth halt misse / by defect the cōtrary dispositiō in the partes generāt As ye maye euidentlye see in the sowynge of corne and all other maner of seade / so that there be in all maner of generation thre principal partes cōcurrēt to the same the sower / the scade sowen / and the receptacle or place receauynge and contaynynge the seade Yf there be faute in any of these thre / then shall there neuer be due generation / vnto suche tyme as the faute be remoued or amended The earth vnto all seades is as a mother nource contaynynge / clyppynge and enbrasynge them in her wombe / feadynge and fosterynge them as the mother doth the chyld in her belly ormatrice / vntyll suche tyme as they come vnto the growyth / quantite / per fection due vnto theyr nature and kynd but yf this seade cōceaued in the bowelles of the earth do not proue or fructifye / then be thou sure that other there is lette in the sower / in the seade / or elles in the earthe The earthe maye be ouer waterysshe / dankesshe / or ouer hote and drye / or elles full of stones / grauell / or other rubryshe / or ful of yll weedes / which maye strangle and choke the good corne in his growynge / also the sede maye be putrifyed / or otherwyse viciat and corrupted / and so the lyfe sprete of it vanyshed awaye and destroyed The sowar maye vnordynatlye strewe and caste the seade on the earthe c. So that yf there be let in none of these thre partes concurrent to generation / or that the lettes be remoued done away / then doubte lesse will ensue multiplicacion and encreasemēt of that kynde / of the which the seade cōmeth / accordyng to the naturall enclination the whiche almyghtye god hathe enplanted and set in the kynde of all thynges ¶ Howe many wayes conception maye be letted and howe the causes maye be knowen ¶ Cap .iii. EVerye thynge then the whiche doth encrease in his kynd must fyrst be cōceaued in the wombe matrice of the mother / which is apte and conueniente for the receate of such seade And as I sayde before / as there maye be defecte and lacke in the mother receauynge the seade / soo maye there be faute and defecte in the sower / in the seade it selfe also ¶ And in woman there maye be foure generall causes / by the whiche the conception may be impedyte and let ouer much calidite or heate of the matrice / ouer much coldnesse / ouer muche humidite or moystenesse / ouer much dryenesse Any of these foure qualitees exceadynge temperancye / maye be sufficient causes to lette due conception ¶ Wherfore the ryght excellent physitian Hypocrātes in the .v. boke of his Amphorysmes sayth All such women the which haue colde and dense matrices / can not conceaue / nor such as haue moyste and waterysshe matrices can cōceaue / for the powre of the seade is extynguyshed in it Also hauyng drye matryces / conceaue not / for the seade peryssheth for lacke of due nutriment and fode / but that matrice the whiche hath all these qualities in temperancye / that is fruytfull / this is Hypocrates sayenge / the which thing also may be well perceaued by a famylyer example of the sowynge of corne ¶ For yf it be sowen in ouer colde places / such as be in the partes of a countrye / called Sithia / and in certayne places of Almayne / or in such places where is contynuall snowe or froste / or where the sonne doth not shyne / in this places the seade or grayne sowen / wyll neuer come to profe / nor fructyfye / but throughe the vehemente coldenesse of the place in the whiche it is conceaued / the lyfe and quyckenesse of the grayne is vtterlye destroyed and adnyhilat ¶ And farther as concernyng ouer muche humidite Yf ye sowe your grayne in a fen or marysse and watery grounde / the seade wyll perysshe through the ouer much aboundāce of water whiche extynguyssheth the lyuelynesse and the naturall power of the grayne and sede ¶ Lykewyse yf it be sowen in such a countrye or place where is ouer greate heate / not tēpered with water rayne / or yf the yere be so drye / that there cam no rayne at al to alay the extreme faruēt heate of the sonne / then shall the seade sowen whyther drye away / and the power of it be consumed burnt ¶ Also yf it be sowen in drye places / where neuer commeth rayne / or on the sande / and grauelye places / in suche a place the grayne can neuer take / ne proue / ne be conceaued in it to come to any fruyte or profet ¶ Wherefore yf the matrice be distempered by the excesse of any of these foure qualities / then must ye reduce it agayne to temperancie by suche remedyes / as I shall shewe you hereafter Lykewyse maye there be defecte and lacke in the man / as yf the seade be ouer hote / the which the woman shall feale / as it were burning hote / or to cold the which he shall feale / as it were
in maner colde as yise / or to fluye or thynne c. dyuers other other wayes also it maye be letted / whyche shall not nede here to be rehersed ¶ Nowe yf the woman can not conceaue / the cause commynge of ouer muche frigidite and coldenesse in the matrice / that shall she knowe by these tokens she shal feale greate cold about the sydes / the raynes of the backe and the matrice / her vryne shall appeare whyte and thynnysshe / and sometymes also somewhat spysse and thycke / and all maner of colde thynges shall noye her / hote thynges shall greately comfort her ¶ But yf it come by ouer muche humidite of the matrice / that shall she knowe by these sygnes Yf the bodye of her be of a fatte and grosse disposition / yf with her flowres yssue forth at the begynnynge and the latterende of them certayne vyscous and waterye substaunce / and that her vrine be whyte / thycke / and sometyme as it were mylke Alsoo that she feale greate colde and payne aboute the matrice pryuie partes / muche dolour in her sydes and in the raynes of her backe ¶ And when ouer much heate or dryeth in the matrice / is cause of the hynderaunce of conception / then is the vryne hye coldred / red or yelowe / beynge thynne with certayne motes appearyng in the water / the womā hath greate thyrste / and bytter rysynge or belking oute of the stomacke in to the mouthe And manye tymes they that are in this case / are verye spare and leane in all theyr bodye / hauyng also but small quantite of flowres / the whiche thynge maye happen other by ouer muche watche / or ouer much fastynge / labor / trauell / sorowe / syckenesse c. But suche women which naturally are thus spare lene / maye verye hardely be brought to a temperancye agayne be made apte to conceaue And this shal be sufficiente for this tyme to knowe whiche qualite by his excesse causeth sterilite / nowe wyll we shewe howe it shal be knowen whether lacke of conception be in the woman or elles in the man / and howe to knowe whether the woman be conceaued or no / accordynge to the mynde of ryght expert doctors of physycke ¶ Howe to knowe whether lacke of conception be of the woman or of the man and howe it maye be perceaued whether she be conceaued or no. ¶ Cap .iiii. IF ye be desyrous to know whether the man or the woman be hynderance in conception lette eche of them take of whete and barlye cornes / and of beenes of eche .vii. the which they shall suffer to be steped in theyr seueral vryne / the space of .xxiiij. houres / then take .ij. pottes / suche as they set gylyflowres in / fyll them with good earth / in the one let be set the whete / barlye / beanes / styped in the mans water / in the other the whete / barlye / and beanes / styped in the womans water / and euerye mornynge the space of eight or ten dayes / lette eche of them with theyr proper vryne / water the sayd seades sowen in the forenamed pottes / marke whose potte dothe proue / the seades therin contained dothe growe / in that partie is not the lacke of conception / but see that there come no other water or rayne on the pottes ¶ Itē accordynge to Hypocrates wrytyng yf ye wyl knowe whether the faute be in the woman or no / then lette the woman receaue in to her body vndernethe / beynge well and closely closed round about the fume of some odoriferous perfume / as laudanum / storax / calamyte / lignum aloes / muske / ambre / and suche other / and yf the odour and sauour of suche thynges assende thorowe her body vp vnto her nose / ye shall vnderstande / that sterilite commeth not of the womans parte / yf not then is the defecte in her ¶ Item yf she take garlycke beynge pylled out of the huskes / and conueye of it into the pryuie partes / and yf the sente of it assende vp through the bodye vnto the nose / the woman is fautelesse / yf not then is there lacke in her These are sygnes to knowe whether the lacke be in the man or the woman ¶ Whether she be conceaued alreadye or no / ye shall knowe by these sygnes Fyrste the flowres yssue not in so great quantite as they are wōt / but wexe lesse and lesse / and in maner nothinge at all commeth from them Also the brestes begyn to waxe rounder / harder / and styffar then they were wonte to be / the woman shall longe after certayne thynges otherwyse thē she was vsed to do before that tyme. Also her vryne waxeth spysse and thyckysshe / by retension of the superfluyties Also the woman fealeth her matrice verye fastelye enclosed and shytte / in so muche that as Hypocrates saythe / the poynte of a nedle maye scace enter ¶ Item to knowe whether she be conceaned or no / accordynge to Hypocrates mynde / in the .v. of his Ampho geue vnto the woman when she is goyng to bedde a quantite of mellicratum to drynke / and yf after that drynke she feale greate payne / gnawing / and tumblynge in her belly / then be ye sure / that she is conceaued yf not / she is not cōceaued / this mellicratum is a drynke made of one parte wyne / an other parte water soden together / with a quantite of hony ¶ But if ye be desyrous to knowe whether the conception be man or woman then lette a droppe of her mylke or twayne be mylked on a smothe glasse / or a bryght knyfe / other elles on the nayle of one of her fyngers / and yf the mylke flewe and spredde abrode vpon it / by and by then is it a woman chylde but yf the droppe of mylke contynue and stande styll vppon that / the whiche it is mylked on / then is it sygne of a man chylde Item yf it be a male / then shall the woman with childe be well coloured / and lyghte in goynge / her belly rounde / bygger towarde the right syde then the lefte / for alwayes the man chylde lyeth in the ryghte syde / the woman in the lefte syde ¶ Of certayne remedyes and medycynes which shall cause the woman to conceaue ¶ Cap .v. ALl sterilite then for the moste parte ensueth and commeth of the dystemperancye of one of these .iiij. forenamed qualities / wherfore the remedye and cure of the same when it chaunseth / must be done by such thynges / the whiche haue contracye power operation to the excessyue qualities for by that shall it be reduced to his temperancye agayne ¶ As yf that coldenesse and moystenesse exceadynge temperancye in the matrice be occasion of sterilite / then muste she applie such thynges to that place / the whiche be of nature hote drye / the whiche maye calify and