it comes by cold then are the signes contrary to those even now recited If through an evill quality in the wombe Make a suffumigation of red storax myrrhe cassia wood nutmeg cinnamon and let her receive the sume of it into the wombe covering her very close and if the odour so received passeth through the body up into the mouth and nostrills of herselfe shee is fruitfull but if shee feeles not the fume in her mouth and nose it argues barrennesse one of these wayes that the spirit of the seed is either through cold extinguisht or through heat dissipated If any woman bee suspected to bee unfruitfull cast naturall brimstone such as is digged out of the mine into her urine and if wormes breed therein of herselfe she is not barren Prognosticks Barrennesse maketh women looke young because they are free from those paynes and sorrowes which other women are accustomed to bring forth withall Yet they have not that full perfection of health which fruitfull women doe injoy because they are not rightly purged of the menstruous blood and superfluous seed the retayning of which two are the principall cause of most uterine diseases Cure First the cause shall be removed and then the wombe strengthened and the spirits of the seed enlived If the wombe bee over-hot take sirrup of succhorie with rhubarbe sirrup of violets endive roses cassia purselaine â„ž Ofendive water lillies borage flowers ana m. anaÊ’iii with water make a decoction adde to the strayning of the sirrup laxative of violets â„¥ i. sirrup of cassia â„¥ s. mannaÊ’iii make a potion â„ž Of the sirrup of mugwort â„¥ i. sirrup of maiden haire â„¥ ii water of succhorie borage feuell ana â„¥ iii. pulâ— elect triâ—sand Ê’i anaÊ’iii rhubarbe ℈ i. make a bolus Apply to the reynes and privities fomentations of the juce of lettice violets roses mallowes vine leaves and nightshade Anoint the secret parts with the cooling unguent of Galen If the power of the seed bee extinguisht by cold Take every morning two spoonfulls of cinnamon water with ℈ i. of mithridate â„ž Sirrup of calamint mugwort betoâ—y ana â„¥ i. water of penny royall feverfew hysope sage ana â„¥ ii make a julep â„ž Oyle of anice seed ℈ is anaÊ’i sugar â„¥ iiii themÊ’is twice a day two houres before meales Eastâ—n cupping-glasses to the hipps and bellie â„ž of stiraâ—â— calamint ana â„¥ i. masticke cloves cinnamon nutâ—â—g lig aloes frankincenâ—â— ana â„¥ s. muske gr 10. ambergrise ℈ s. with rose-water make a confection divide it into foure equall parts Of one part make a pomum odoratum to smell on if shee bee not hystericall Of the second make a masse of pills and let her take three every night Of the third make a pessarie dippe it in oyle of spikenard and put it up Of the fourth make a suffumigation for the wombe If the faculties of the wombe be weakened and the life of the seed suffocated by over much humidity flowing to those parts â„ž Of betonie marierom mugwort penny royall bawme ana m.i. anaÊ’ii anaÊ’i with sugar and water s. q. make a sirrup take of â„¥ iii. every other morning Purge with these pills following â„ž Of digridion gr.ii. specierum dacastorei ℈ i. pil faetid ℈ ii with sirrup of mugwort make vi anaÊ’i cinnamonÊ’is anaÊ’s sugar â„¥ vi with water of feverfew make lozenges to bee taken of every morning Take of the decoction of sarsaparilla and virga aurea not forgetting sage which Agrippa wondering at the operation of hath honour'd it with the name of a holy hearbe And it is recorded that after so many of the Egiptians were dead the surviving women that they might multiply the faster were commanded to drinke the juce of sage Anoynt the genitalls with oyle of aniceseed and anaÊ’i anaÊ’s turpentine q s. â—â—â—ke trochisâ—ks to smother the â—â—ombe â„ž Of the roots of Vaâ—â—rian ellecampane ana lb. i. â—â—ulangale â„¥ ii origan lavenâ—â—r marjerom betonie mugâ—ort bay-leaves calamint ana 〈◊〉 iii. with water make an â—â—osession in which she shall 〈◊〉 after shee hath had her â—â—ources If barrennesse proceeds â—â—om drynesse consuming â—â—e matter of the seed Take very day of Almond milke â—â—d Goates milke extracted â—ith hony Eate often of â—â—e roots Satyrion condited â—â—nd of the electuary diasatyâ—on Take three weathers â—â—ds boyle them untill the flesh comes from the bones then take of melilote violets chammomill mercury orchiâ— with their roots ana m.i. faengrecke liâ—esâ—ed valeâ—an roots ana li. i Let all these bee decocted in the foresaid broth then let the woman fit in the decoction up to the navill â„ž Of Decres suet â„¥ â— anaÊ’ii oyle of sweet almoÌ„ds â„¥ ii with silke cotton make a pessarie Make injections only of fresh butter and oyle of sweet almonds If barrennesse bee caused by any proper affect of the wombe the cure is set down in the foregoing chapters Sometimes the woman proves barren when there is no impediment of either side except onely in the manner of the act as when in the emission of the seed the man is quicke and the woman too slow whereby there is not a concurse of both seeds at the same instant as the rules of conception require Wherefore to take away this inconvenience Muller praeparari ac disponi debet molli complexu lascivis verbis osculu lasciviora miscenda If this doth not suffice before the act of coition foment the private parts with the decoction of betony-sage hysope and calamint Annoint the mouth and necke of the wombe with Muske and Civet The cause of barrennesse being removed the wombe shall be corroborated as followes â„ž Of bay berries masticke Nutmegge Frankincense Cypresse nuts Ladani Galbani ana Ê’i Styracis liquid ℈ ii Cloves ℈ s. Amber grise gr ij Muske gr vi with Oyle of Spiknard make a pessary â„ž of red Roses Lapidis hematitis white Frankincense ana â„¥ s. anaÊ’ii anaÊ’i Spicknard ℈ s. with oyle of Wormewood make a playster for the lower part of the belly Let her eate often of Eringo roots condited Make an injection onely of the juce of the roots of Satyrion The aptest time for conception is instantly after the monthes be ceast because then the wombe is thirsty and dry apt to draw the seed and also to retaine it by the roughnesse of the inward superficies And besides in some the mouth of the wombe is turned unto the backe or side and is not place right untill the last day of the courses Excesse in all things is to be avoyded lay aside all passions of the minde Shun study and care as adverse to conception for if a woman doth conceive the wise parents being otherwise addicted of ten beget but foolish children because the animall faculties of the parents viz. The understanding and the rest from whence the childe hath his reason are as it were confused through the multiplicity of cares and cogitations Examples hereof we have in learned men who
combates are neglected the urine is crude watrish and much in quantity the excrements of the guts usually are retained If of heat the signes are contrary to those even now recited If the retention be naturall and come of conception this may be known by drinking of Hydromell that is water and honey after supper going to bed and by the effect which it worketh for after the taking of it if shee feeles a beating paine about the navell and lower parts of the belly it is asigne she hath conceived and that the suppression is naturall If not that is it vitious and ought medicinally to be taken away Prognosticks With the evill quality of the wombe the whole body stands charged but especially the Heart the Liver and the Braine and betwixt the wombe and these three principall parts there is a singular consent First the wombe communicates to the heart by the mediation of those Arteries which come from Aorta hence the termes being supprest will ensue faintings swoonings intermission of pulse cessation of breath Secondly it communicates to the Liver by the veines derived from the hollow veine hence will follow obstructions cachexies jaundise dropsies hardnesse of the spleene Thirdly it communicates unto the braine by the nerves and membranes of the backe hence will arise Epilepsies Apoplexies Frensies melancholy passions paine in the after parts of the head fearfulnesse inability of speaking Well therefore may I conclude with Hyppocrates if the moneths be supprest many dangerons diseases will follow Cure In the cure of this and of all the other following effects I will observe this order The cure shall bee taken from Chirurgicall Pharmaceuticall and Diaeteticall meanes This suppression is a plethoricke affect and must be taken away by evacuation and therefore first we will beginne with Phlebotomie In the middest of the menstruall period open the Liver veine and for the reversion of the humour two dayes before the wonted evacution open the Saphena on both feet If the repletion be not great apply cupping glasses to the legges and thighs And although there be no hope to remove the suppression as in some the Cotyledones are so closed up that nothing but copulation will open them yet it will be convenient as much as may be to ease nature of her burden by opening the Hemerhoid veines with a Leech After Phlebotomie let the humours bee prepared and made fluxile with syrrupe of Staechas Calamint Betonie Hysop Mugwort Horehound Fumeterre Maiden-haire Bathe with m.j. make a decoction take thereof â„¥ iij. syrrupe of Maiden-haire Mugwort Succory ana â„¥ s. Misce After she comes out of the Bath let her drinke it off Purge with Pil. de Agarico Elephang Coch. Foetid Galen in this cause commends pil de Hiera cum Colocyutide for as they bee proper to purge the humour offending so also they doe open the passages of the wombe and strengthen the faculty by their Aromaticall quality If the stomacke be overcharged let her take a vomit yet such a one as may worke both wayes lest working onely upward it should too much turne backe the humour â„ž Trochisks of Agrick Ê’ij infuse them iâ— â„¥ iij. of Oximel in which dissolve of the Electuary Diasarum ℈ is Benâ—dic Laâ—â—t â„¥ s Take this after the manner of a purge After the humour hath beene purged proceed to more proper and forceable remedies â„ž trochiscks of myrrhe Ê’is persly-seed castor rindes of cassia ana ℈ i. of the extract of mugwort ℈ is muske gr.x. with the juce of smallage make 12 pils tak 2 every morning or after supper going to bed â„ž of cinnamoÌ„ â„¥ s. roots of smirnium valerian aristolochia ana Ê’ii roots of Asrum Ê’i castor saffron ana ℈ ii specdiambrae Ê’ii trochisks of myrrhe ℈ iiii tartari vitriolati ℈ ii make all into a powder with mugwort water and suger qs make lozenges take Ê’i of them every morning or mingle Ê’i of the powder with Ê’i of sugar and take it in white wine â„ž of prepared steele specierum hierae ana Ê’ii borace species of myrrhe ana ℈ i. with the juce of savine make 38. take three every other day immediatly before dinner â„ž of castor ℈ i. wilde carret seed Ê’s with syrrupe of mugwort make 4 pils take them in the morning fasting and so for three dayes together before the wonted time of the purgations â„ž of Agaricke aristolochia juce of horehound ana Ê’v rhubarb spicknard anice-seed galbanum assafaetida smallage roots gentiane of the three peppers laccae ana Ê’vi with honie make an electuarie take of it Ê’iii for a dosis In flegmaticall bodies nothing better can bee given then the decoction of the wood guaiacum with a little Dictam taken in the morning fasting and so for 12 dayes together without provokeing of sweate Administer to the lower parts by suffumigations pessaries unctions injections insessions Make suffumigations of cinnamon nutmeg cloves bayberries mugwort galbanum melanthium Amber c. Make pessaryes of figgs and the leaves of mercury brused and rowled up with lint If you desire a stronger make one of myrrhe bdelium opopanax Ammoniacum galbanum sagapenum mithridate agarick coloquintida c. Make injections of the decoction of origane mugwort mercurie betonie and figgs powring the same into the wombe by a metrenchyta â„ž oyle of sweet and bitter almonds lillies capers chammomill ana â„¥ s. ladani oyle of myrrhe ana Ê’ii with wax make an unguent with which let the places bee anointed Make insessions of faengreeke chammomill melilote dill marjerom pennyroyall feverfew juniper berries and calamynt But if the suppression comes by a defect of matter then ought not the cources to be provoked untill the spirits bee animated and the blood againe encreased Or if by proper affects of the wombe as dropsies inflammations and the like then must a particular cure bee used the which I will not insist upon here but of them as they lie in order If the retention comes from repletion or fulnesse let the aire bee hote and drie use moderate exercise before meales Let your sleep bee shorter then ordinary and your meat and drinke attenuating Seeth with your meat garden savorie time origan and ciche peason If of emptinesse or defect of matter let the ayre bee moyst and moderately hote Shun excercise and watchings let your meate bee nourishing and of a light digestion as reare eggs lambe chickens almond milke and the like CHAP. III. Of the overflowing of the cources THE Scholearium saith by comparing of contraries truth is made manifest Having therefore spoken of the suppression of the terms order requires now that I should insist upon the overflowing of them an effect no lesse dangerous then the former And this immoderate flux of the months is defined to be a sanguineous excrement proceeding from the wombe exceeding both in quantity and time First it is said to be sanguineous the matter of the flux being only blood wherein it differs from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
genitalls difficult childe-birth vehement agitation of the body falls blowes to which also may bee added the use of sharp pessaries whereby not seldome the wombe is inflamed Cupping-glasses also fastened to the pubes and hypogastrium draw the humours to the wombe Signes The signes are aguish horrours paines in the head and stomacke vomitting coldnesse of the knees convulsions of the necke doting trembling of the heart sometimes there is a Dyspnaea or streightnes of breath by reason of the heat which is communicated to the diaphragme The brests symphathizing with the wombe are payned and swelled Particular signes If the forepart of the matrice be inflamed the privities are grieved the urine is supprest or flowes forth with difficutie If the after part the loynes and backe suffer the excrements are retained If the right side the right hip suffers the right legge is heavy slow to to motion in so much that sometimes shee seemes to hault And so if the left side of the wombe be inflamed the left hip is payned and the left legge is weaker then the right If the necke of the wombe bee affected the midwife putting up her finger shall feele the mouth of it retracted and closed up with a hardnesse about it Prognosticks All inflammations of the wombe are dangerous if not deadly and especially if the totall substance of the matrice bee inflamed Yet lesse perilous are they if they bee in the necke of the wombe A flux of the belly foretells health if it bee naturall for nature works best by the use of her owne instruments Cure In the cure first let the humours flowing to the wombe be repell'd for effecting of which after the bellie hath beene loosened by cooling clysters phlebotomie will bee needfull Open therefore a veine on the arme and if shee be not with childe the day after strike the Saphena on both feet Fasten ligatures and Cupping glasses to the armes rubbe the upper parts Purge lightly with SeneÊ’ii Anice seed ℈ i. myrobolanes â„¥ s. Barly water s.q. make a decoction dissolve in it sirrup of Succorie with Rhubarbe â„¥ ii pulp of Cassia â„¥ s. oyle of Anice seed gut ii make a potion At the beginning of the disease anoint the privities and reynes with oyle of roses and quinces Make plasters of Plantaine Lineseed Barley meale Melilote Fengrecke whites of egges and if the paine be vehement adde a little opium Foment the genitalls with the decoction of Poppieheads purcelaine knotgrasse and water-lillies Make injections of Goates-milke rose water clarified whey with hony of roses In the declining of the disease use insessions of Sage Lineseed Mugwort Penny-royall horehound faengrecke Anoint the lower parts of the belly with oyle of chammomill and violets â„ž Of lilly roots mallow roots ana â„¥ iiii mercurie m.i. Mugwort feverfew ana m.s. Chammomill flowers melilote ana p.i. bruse the hearbes and the rootes and boyle them in a sufficient quantity of milke then adde of fresh butter oyle of chammomill lillies ana â„¥ ii bean meale s.q. make two plasters apply one before and the other behinde If the tumour cannot bee removed but tends to suppuration â„ž Of faengrecke mallow roots decocted figgs line seed barley meale doves dung turpentine ana Ê’iii suetÊ’s opium ℈ s. with wax make a plaster â„ž Of bay leaves sage hysope chammomill mugwort with water make an insession â„ž Of wormewood betonie ana ms white wine milke ana lib. s. boyle them untill one part bee consumed then take of this decoction â„¥ iiii hony of roses â„¥ ii make an injection Yet beware the humours bee not brought downe unto the wombe â„ž anaÊ’iii anaÊ’i opium gr ii with wax make a pessarie The aire must bee cold All motion of the body especially of the lower parts is forbidden Vigilancie is commended for by sleepe the humours are carried inward whereby the inflammation is increased eate sparingly Let your drinke bee barley water or clarified whey and your meate chickens and chicken broth boyled with endive succhorie sorrell buglosse and mallowes CHAP. IX Of the Schirrositie or hardnesse of the wombe OF a Phlegmon neglected or not perfectly cured is generated a Schirrus of the matrice which is a hard unnaturall swelling insensible hindering the operations of the wombe and disposing the whole body to slouthfulnesse Cause One cause of this disease may bee asâ—iâ—ed to want of judgement in the Physitian as many Empirickes administring to an inflammation of the wombe doe over much refrigerate astring the humour that it can neither passe forward no backward hence the matter being condenst degenerates as it were into lapidious or hard substance Other causes may bee suppression of the menstrualls retention of the Lochia commonly called the after-purgings eating of corrupt meates as in the disordinate longing called Pica unto which breeding women are often subject It may proceed also from obstructions and ulcers in the Matrix or from evill affects in the Liver and Spleene Signes If the bottome of the wombe bee affected shee feeles as it were a heavy burden representing a mole yet differing in that the brests are attenuated and the whole body waxeth lesse If the necke of the wombe bee hardned no outward humour will appeare the mouth of it is retracted and being toucht with the finger feeles hard that shee cannot have the company of a man without great payne and prickings Prognosticks A Schirrus confirmed is incurable and will turne into a Canker or a Dropsie and ending in a Canker proves deadly because the native heat in those parts being almost smothred can hardly againe be restored Cure Where there is a replection phlebotomy by our master Galen is both commended and commanded Wherefore open the mediana on both armes and then the Saphena on both feet especially if the termes bee supprest Prepare the humour with Sirrup of Borage Succhory Epithimum and clarified Whey Then take of these Pills following according to the strength of the patient â„ž picraeÊ’vj anaÊ’iis anaÊ’is misce make Pills The body being purged proceed to molifie the hardnesse as followeth Anoynt the privities and the necke of the wombe with Vnguentum dialtheae and agrippae Or â„ž MyrrhaeÊ’ij SaffronÊ’9 Dissolve the gumms in Oyle of Lillies and sweet Almonds with Wax and Turpentine make an Vnguent Apply below the navill the playster of Melilot and Diachylon Fernelij Make insessions of Figges Mugwort Mallowes Pennyroyall Althea Fenell roots Meliote Foengrecke Line seed boyled in water Make injections of Calamint Line seed Melilote Foengrecke and the foure mollifying hearbs with oyle of Dill Chammomile and Lillies dissolving the same Ê’iij of the gumme Bdellium Cast the stone Pyrites on the coales and let her receive the fume of it into her wombe Foment the secret parts with the decoction of the leaves and roots of Danewort â„ž anaÊ’i Iuâ—e of Danewort Mucilage of Fengrecke anna â„¥ s. Calves marrow â„¥ i. q.s. make a pessary Or make a pessary onely of Lead dipping it in the aforesayd things
and so put it up The aire must be temperate Grosse viscuous and salt meats are forbidden as Porke Bulls-beefe Fish old cheese c. CHAP. 10. Of the dropsie of the wombe THE uterine dropsie is an unnaturall swelling ellevated by the gathering together of winde or flegme in the cavity membranes or substance of the wombe by reason of the debility of the native heat not digesting the aliment received and so it turnes into an excrement Cause The causes are over much cold and moystnesse of the Milt and Liver immoderate drinking eating of crude meats all which causing a repletion doe suffocate the native heate It may bee caused likewise by the overoflowing of the courses or by any other immoderate evacuation To these may bee added abortion ulcers phlegmons and schirrosities of the wombe Signes The signes of this affect are these The lower parts of the belly with the genitals are puffed up and payned the feete swell the natuâ—all colour of the face decaies the appetite is depraved and the heavinesse of the whole body concurres If she turnes her selfe in the bed from one side to the other a noyse like the flowing of water is heard Water sometimes comes from the matrice If the swelling bee caused by winde the belly being hit with the hand sounds like a drum the guts rumble and the winde breakes thorough the necke of the wombe with a murmuring noyse This affect may be distinguisht from a true conception many waies as will appeare by comparing this chapter with the 14. It is distinguisht from the generall dropsie in that the lower parts of the belly are most sweld Againe in this the sâ—nguificative faculty doth not apppeare so hurt nor the urine so pale nor the countenance so soone changed neyther are the superiour parts so extenuated as in the general dropsie Prognostickes This affect foretels the totall ruine of the naturall functions by that singular consent the wombe hath with the liver and therefore that a cachexia or a generall dropsie will follow Cure In the cure of this disease imitate the practice of Hypocrates First mittigate the payne with fomentations of Melilote Mercury Mallows Line seed Chammomile Althea Then let the humour be prepared with syrrupe of Staechas Hysope Calamint Mugwort de bisant With the distilled waters or decoctions of Dodder Marjorum Sage Origan Sperage Penny-royall Betony Purge with sene Agaricke Rhubarb Elaterium â„ž Specierum hierae Rhubarb trochisckes of Agaricke ana ℈ i. with the juce of Ireos make pills Or â„ž pill de Rhubarbaro â„¥ s. pill de mezereo ℈ i. with Mugwort water make pills In diseases which have their being from moystnesse purge with pills and in those affects which are caused by emptinesse or drynesse purge with potions Fasten cupping glasse to the belly with a great flame and also to the navill especially if the swelling be flatulent Make an issue on the inside of each leg a handfull bredth below the knee â„ž anaÊ’ij Sugar lb. i. with Betony water mâ—ke Lozenges take of them two houres before meales Apply to the bottome of the belly as hot as may bee indured a little bagge of Chammomill Cummin and Melilot boyled in Oyle of rue Anoynt the belly and secret parts with Vnguentum Agrippae and Vnguentum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mingling therewith Oyle of Ireos Cover the lower parts of the belly with the playster of bay berries or with a cataplasme made of Cummin ChaÌ„momill Briony rootes adding thereto Cows and Goats dung Our Moderns ascribe a great vertue to Tobacco water distilled and poured into the wombe by a metrenchyta â„ž of Baume Sothern wood Organ Wormewood Calamint Bayleaues Marjorom ana m i. Iuniper berries â„¥ iiij with water make a decoction of this may be made fomentations injections and insessions Make pessaries of Sâ—yrax Alloes with the roots of Dictam Aristolochia and Gentiane Instead of this you may use the pessary prescribed pag. 77. Let her take of Electuarinus aromaticum diasatâ—rion and Eringo roots condited every morning The are must be hot and dry moderate exercise is allowed Much sleepe is forbidden She may oate the flesh of Patridges Larks Chickens mountaine birds Hares Conies c. Let her drinke be thin Wine CHAP. 11. Of Barrennesse IN times past before woemen came to the marriage bed they were first searched by the midwife and those onely which she alowed of as fruitfull were admitted I hope therefore it will be thought a needles labour to shew how yee may prove your selves and turne the stonny ground into a fruitfull soyle Barennesse is a deprivation of life and powre which ought to bee in the seed to procreate and propagate for which end both man and woman were made Cause It is caused by overmuch heat or cold that drying up the seed and making it corrupt this extinguishing the life of the seed making it watrish and unfit for generation It may be caused also by the not flowing or overflowing of the cources by swellings ulcers and inflammations of the wombe by an excrescence of flesh growing about the mouth of the matrice by the mouth of the wombe being turned unto to the backe or side by the grossenesse and fatnesse of the body whereby the mouth of the matrice is closed up by being prest with the Omentum or caule and the matter of the seed is converted into fatnesse Or if shee bee of a leane and exhaust body to the world shee proves barren because though shee doth conceive yet the fruit of the wombe will wither before it comes to perfection for want of nourishment Aetius and Sylvius ascribe one maine cause of barrennesse to compeld copulation as when parents enforce their daughters to have busbands contrary to their liking therein marrying their bodies but not their hearts and where there is a want of love there for the most part is no conception as appeares in women which are deflowred against their will Another maine cause of barrennesse is attributed to the want of a convenient moderating quality which the woman ought to have with the man as if hee bee hot shee must be cold If hee bee drie she must bee moist But if they bee both drie or both moyst of constitution they cannot propagate and yet simply considered of themselves they are not barren for he or she which before was as the barren fig-tree being now joyned with an apt constitution becomes as the fruitfull Vine And that man and women being every way of a like constitution cannot procreate I will bring nature it selfe for a testimonie who hath made man of a hotter constitution then woman that the quality of the one may moderate the quality of the other Signes If barrennesse proceeds from the overmuch heat shee is of a drie body subject to anger she hath blacke haire quicke purfe her purgations flow but little and that with paine shee loves to play in the courts of Venus But if
from the urine from the infant and from experiment Signes collected from the woman are these The first day after conception shee feeles a light quivering or chillinesse running through the whole body a tickling in the wombe and a little paine in the lower parts of the bellie Ten or twelve dayes after the head is affected with giddinesse the eyes with a dimnesse of sight then followes red pimples in the face with a blue circle about the eyes the brests swell and grow hard with some paine and pricking in them the belly suddainly sinketh and riseth againe by degrees with a hardnesse about the navill The nipples of the brests wax red the heart beats inordinately the naturall appetite is dejected yet shee hath a longing desire after strange meates The necke of the wombe is retracted that it can hardly bee felt with the finger being put up and this is an infallible signe She is suddainly merrie and as soone melancholie her monthly courses are stayed without any evident cause the excrements of the guts are unaccustomedly retained by the wombe pressing the great gut and her desire to Venus is abated The surest signe is taken from the infant which begins to move in the wombe the third or fourth month and that not in the manner of a mole from one side to another rushing like a stone but mildely as may bee perceived by applying the hand hot on the bellie Signes taken from the urine The best clerks doe affirme that the urine of a woman with child is white and hath little motes like those in the Sunne beames ascending and descending in it and a clowd swimming aloft of an opall colour the sediment being devided by shaking of the urine appeares like carded wooll In the middle of her time the urine turneth yellow next red and lastly blacke with a red cloud Signes taken from experiment At night going to bed let her drinke water and hony afterward if shee feeles a beating paine in her bellie and about her navill shee hath conceived Or let her take the juce of Cardâ—us and if she vomiteth it up it is a signe of conception Cast a cleane needle into the womans urine put in a brasen bason let it stand all night and in the morning if it bee coloured with red spotts shee hath conceived but if it bee blacke or rustie shee hath not Signes taken from the Sex to shew whether it bee male or female Being with childe of a male the right brest swells first the right eye is more lively then the left her face well coloured because such as the blood is such is the colour and the male is conceived of purer blood and of more perfect seede then the female Red motes in the urine setling downe to the sediment foretell that a male is conceived but if they be white a female Put the womans urine which is with childe into a glassen bottle let it stand close stopt three dayes then straine it through a fine cloth and you shall finde little living creatures if they be red it is a male if white a female To conclude the most certaine signe to give credit unto is the motion of the infant for the male moves in the third moneth and the female in the fourth CHAP. XV. Of untimely birth WHen the fruite of the womb comes forth before the seventh moneth that is before it comes to maturity it is said to bee abortive And in effect the child proves abortive I meane not to live if it bee borne in the eight moneth And why children borne in the seventh and ninth moneth may live and not in the eight moneth may seeme strange yet it is true The cause hereof by some is ascribed unto the Planet under which the childe is borne for every moneth from the conception to the birth is governed by his proper planet and in the eight moneth Saturne doth predominate which is cold and dry and coldnesse being an enemy unto liâ—e destroys the nature of the childe Hypocrates gives a better reason The infant being every way perfect and compleate in the seventh moneth desires more aire and nutriment than it had before which because hee cannot obtaine hee labours for a passage to goe out and if his spirits bee weake and faynt and have not strength sufficient to break the membrances and come forth it is decreed by nature that he should continue in the womb untill the 9th month that in that time his wearied spirits might be againe strengthned and refreshed but if he returnes to strive againe in the eight moneth and bee borne hee cannot live because the day of his birth is eyther past or to come for in the eight moneth sayth Avicen hee is weake and infirme and therefore bâ—ing then cast into cold ayre his spirits cannot but sinke Cause Vntimely birth may bee caused by cold for as it maketh the fruit of the tree to wither and fall downe before it be ripe so doth it nip the fruit of the wombe before it comes to full perfection and make it to be abortive Sometimes by humidity weakening the faculty that the fruit cannot be retain'd untill the due time by drinesse or emptinesse defrauding the childe of his nourishment by one of the three alvine fluxes by phlebotomy and other evacuations by inflammations of the wombe and by other sharpe diseases Sometimes it is caused by joy laughter anger and especially by feare for in all but in that especially the heate forsakes the wombe and runnes to the heart to helpe there and so the cold strikes into matrice whereby the ligaments are relaxt and abortion follows Wherefore Plato in his time commanded that the woemen should shunne all temptations of great joy and pleasure and likewise avoyd all occasions of feare and griefe Abortion also may bee caused by the corruption of the ayre by filthy odours and especially by the smell of the snuffe of a Candle also by falls blowes violent exercise leaping dancing c. Signes Signes of future abortion are extenuation of the brests with a flux of watrish milke payne in the womb heavinesse in the head unaccustomed wearinesse in the hippes and thighes flowing of the courses Signes foretelling the fruit to bee dead in the wombe are hollownesse of the eyes griefe in the head aguish horrours palenesse of the face and lippes gnawing of the stomacke no motion of the infant coldnesse and loosenesse of the mouth of the wombe the thicknesse of the belly which was above is fallen downe waterish and bloody excrements comes from the matrice A regiment or rule for breeding women THe prevention of untimely birth consists in the taking away of the forementioned causes which must bee effected both before and after conception Before conception if the body bee ever hot cold dry or moyst correct it with the contraries if cacochimiall purge it if plethoricall open the liver veine if too grosse extenuate