ingendered any children because in these the abundance of divers humours retained and stopped hath bred some worse thing and hath given greater occasion of disturbing the temperate health of the body CHAP. II. Of the cure and remedy of sterilitie and barrennesse proceeding from Phlegme THe causes and signes of the difficulty and hardnesse of conceiving in women in men of causing women to be conceived and in them both of begetting being already knowne it followeth now to speake of the cure of them And first of all truely if that difficulty shall be bred and caused of moist and cold Phlegme before all things be used that superfluous matter shall be prepared and digested with this syrup following Take of the roots of Madder the greater two ounces of Ruscus or Butchers-broome Sperage Galangale of each one dram Mugwoort Savine wild Penniroyall Balm Balsamint or Costmary Mints Harts-tong Venus-haire Gallitricum or Clary Sambucus or common Elder Origanum Calamentum montanum Penniroyall of the roots of Valerian of each halfe a handfull of the seed of Seselie drams six Anise Carui or Caruway-seeds of the seed of Fennell Ameos Spikenard of each two drams Xylobalsamum Carpobalsamum of each one dram Liquorice Raisins of each one ounce Rosemary-flowers Staechados Arabica of each halfe an ounce scrapings of Ivory Calamus aromaticus Red-sanders of each halfe a dram Let all these things be beaten together and make a decoction of them with running water as much as sufficeth and with three drammes of Vinegar and three pound of Sugar let them be strained to one halfe of it and adde to the straining Cinamome one dram Muske foure graines The party must drinke foure ounces every day in the morning of this Aromaticall syrup very warme Or you may make this syrup more thin with water of Elder Pimpinel and Mugwoort taking one ounce of each of them and so to drinke three ounces in the morning very warme Or you may prepare another syrup in this manner take Mugwoort Savine Mints Origanum Calamint Hyssop Pimpinel Germander Maiden-haire flowers of the common Elder Staechados of each one handfull Anise Fenel Ameos Carui the seeds of Dill Sesely of each halfe an ounce of the roote of Sperage Butchers-broome the greater Madder of each halfe a pound of red Cicers a little quantity termed of the Physicians a Pugill Spica celtica Spica nardi Galangall Squinantum Calamus aromaticus of each two drammes mixe them and make a decoction of them with running-running-water with Hony and Sugar of each one pound and a halfe and let it be made aromaticall and sweete to the sense of smelling with Cinamome and Muske as is declared before Three draughts of this syrup to be taken every day in the morning very warme may be prepared in this manner Take Oxymel squiliticum syrup de radicibus acetosi syrup of Mugwoort of each one ounce and a halfe of the waters of Pimpinel Fenel Mugwoort of each three ounces Let three draughts be made of this mixture Afterward the matter being sufficiently prepared and digested by these syrups to be purged out of the body If the woman shall be of a strong Nature or Complexion which is affected with this difficulty of conceiving she may also take these pills Take Pilulae faetidae two scruples Species Diacastoreum one scruple Diagridium sixe graines make of them eleven Pills with syrup of Mugwoort or Hony But if shee cannot brooke the use of Pills let her use this potion in steed of the Pills Take Diacassia halfe an ounce Electuarie of Diaphaenicon Electuarium Indum of each two drams syrup de radicibus made without Vinegar temper them with two ounces of Mugwoort or Bawme water and make a draught of them or else take of the Electuary Diaphaenicon Electuarium Indum Diacassia of each one dram of the best Agarick two drams Ginger one scruple Sal gemma sixe graines Let all things be infused in the whey of Goats milk and hony of Roses one ounce and when they have been infused twelve houres let them be strained and make a drinke of them being mixed with the aforesaid Electuaries But if a dry Electuary shall better please the party let three dry morsells be made up in this manner Take Electuarie Diaphaenicon Electu Indum Diacassia of each two drams white Sugar so much as sufficeth and make three morsells gilded If this shall not be so well liked you may make this Confection in little roundells or Trocoisks take red Roses Cinamome Ginger of each one dram Sanders white and red of each halfe a dram Hermodactyli Esula of each one dram and a halfe Diagridium Turbit of each two drams Mastick one scruple white Sugar halfe a pound Dissolve all these things with the juyce or water of Mugwoort and after they have beene infused in it some houres let them be strained and let a confection be made in little rundells or Trochiskes Let the Dosis or quantity to be taken bee halfe an ounce or five drams Or if you please you shall take of the powders and shall mingle them with white Sugar in equall weight and shall make a mixture of them properly named Tragaea of which you shall give one dram and a halfe in broth of Cicers very warme Some doe give the leaves of Sena beaten to powder two drams and a halfe after this manner But these purging medicines are to be tempered by the counsell of skilfull Physitians according to the qualities of those things for which they are given Now such kind of matter being sufficiently purged the next thing shall be that the use of bathes doe follow and so often as the woman shall come out of them let her take one dram of common Triackle or Mithridate in water of Mugwoort Or if it like you better let her take a little of this confection following Take of the Species or kindes of Triphera magna without Opium Diapliris Diambra Diamuscus Diasatyrion of each halfe a dram scraping of Ivory seed of the herbe of Mercury of each two scruples the Runnet of a Hare and Matrix of it of each halfe a dram Sisely halfe a scruple white Sugar halfe a pound Let them be dissolved with Bawme-water and let there be added to them being orderly boiled Conserve of the rinds of the Citron one ounce and conserve of Rosemary-flowers halfe an ounce Let there be a confection made somewhat thicke But let her chiefest care be while shee doth use bathes that she use a certaine convenient diet and moderate feeding which alwaies must be prescribed and appointed of a skilfull Physitian But if the woman cannot have such naturall bathes a bathe may be prepared for her of these herbes following sodden in water Take Mugwoort Betony Chamaepitis Germander Celandine Clary Bay-leaves Mallowes Feverfew Bawme wilde Penniroyall Origanum Ozimus Penniroyall Rose-mary Savine Melilote St. Iohns-worth Hissop Cammomel of each one handfull Carui Cummin Siler montanum Anise Dill of each three ounces Linseed Fenugrec of each three ounces roots of Cumfrey
else take of the Waters of Buglosse Pimpinell Fumitary Mugwoort Harts-tong of each three ounces Vinegar one ounce white Sugar foure ounces When these are made odoriferous with Cinamome let them be made a Iuleb Let the Dose or quantity at a time be foure ounces Or otherwise Take Calaminth Origanum Staechados Liver-woort Borrage-flowers Mugwoort Buglosse Germander of each halfe a handfull Harts-tong halfe a handfull the barks of the Broome and Ash-tree of each halfe a handfull Raisins one ounce Mixe them and let a decoction be made with one ounce of Epithymie Sugar one pound clarified Hony halfe a pound Vinegar two ounces Let this decoction be spiced with Cinamome let the quantity of an ounce and a halfe be taken with the aforesaid waters The matter being prepared and made solutive for purgation it followeth that it be purged and expelled with medicine Take Cassia newly extracted Manna of each halfe an ounce Let them be dissolved in this decoction following Take Venus-haire flowers of Buglosse Borrage Violets Germander Harts-tong of each halfe a handfull Raisins halfe an ounce Mixe them and make a decoction in water to which adde Cinamome a dram Cassia extracted Manna confection of Hamech of each two drams syrup of Violets one ounce Let all things be tempered together and let a purging medicine be made of them let the quantity of an ounce and a halfe be taken at a time Or else take of the confection of Hamech three drams and a halfe Sugar a sufficient quantity and let a gilded morsell be made devided into three parts Also the pills named Pilulae Lazuli may be used a dram taken at a time The superfluous matter expelled and voyded the next thing to be performed is to use convenient and fit bathes for this purpose which shall be prepared in this manner Take Camomel Melilot Germander Chamaepithys Hyssop Bay-leaves Lavander of each two handfulls Mugwoort foure handfulls Marish-Mallowes with the rootes five handfulls Line-seed Fenegrec of each one pound roots of Valerian halfe a pound Let them all be cut in pieces and being inclosed in a bagge let them boile in bathe let the woman sit afterward But after the Bathe let her eate every day morning and evening a certaine little portion of this confection following Take of the Species of precious Stones two drams seed of Mercury scrapings of Ivorie of each two drams the Pissle of a Bull the Runnet of a Hare with the Matrix of each two scruples white Sugar halfe a pound Dissolve them with water of Buglosse and put to it conserves of Buglosse halfe an ounce of Borrage three drams Cinamome one dram Let those things be powdred which are to be powdred and let the confection be made in Morsells But if the use of the bathe prescribed shall not be convenient yet Fomentations may be made of the aforesaid recited Simples this Electuary going before being alwaies used Further after the bathe or fomentations it shall not be unprofitable to use these Pessaries also in the night and at any other convenient time Take Costus powdered and with oile of Roses and Silke make a Pessary Or with Fenegrec and the Grease of a Ducke or with Sperage-seedes and fat of a Goose Or with oile of Violets Muske and the aforesaid seeds CHAP. VI. Of the Cure and Remedy of sterility proceeding of over-much heate drinesse moisture and coldnesse AMong other impediments and hinderances of conceiving and ingendring immoderate siccity and drinesse of the Matrix is not the least cause And that cause being found out the use of all things is to be directed to a moist temperature yet so as the body be not weakened by these things but strengthened Therefore it shall be very profitable to use these little Cakes often Take white Sugar one pound and a halfe Amylum three ounces Let the Sugar be dissolved with Rose-water and the Amylum mingled with it let a decoction be made with three ounces of sweet Almonds and a little oile of sweete Almonds and little Morsells It is also exceeding profitable to drinke Goats-milke newly milked with Hony or Sugar mixed with it Likewise this bathe is wonderfull convenient Take Heads of Weathers and let them be sodden in a Kettle full of water so long till the flesh be loosed and part quite from the bones which being done Take moreover the leaves of Vine named Vitis Muscatella of the Willow tree Violet-leaves Camomel Melilot of each two handfuls Marish Mallowes with the roots six handfuls Fenegrec Line-seed of each two pound roots of Valerian one pound and a halfe let all things be mingled together and let a bathe be made of them being sufficiently boiled And it may be prepared so that either the woman may sit in it or make Fomentations of it But after the bathe or Fomentations she may take a little morsell of this confection the next houres after meate Take of the Species of Diarhodon Abbatis two drams seede of Mercury scrapings of Ivorie of each two scruples the Matrix of a Hare two drams Cotton-seed Tragacantha Gumme Arabicke of each halfe a dram white Sugar halfe a pound dissolved in water of Buglosse conserve of Buglosse Borrage of each one ounce mixe them and let a gilded confection be made But especially it shall be needfull to moisten the Matrix which shall partly be done by Fomentations used underneath in a chaire inclosed and covered round about and partly by Pessaries being thus prepared Take Marrow of the leg of a Cow Grease of a Henne of each halfe an ounce Styrax liquida two drams Also foure ounces of oile of sweete Almonds may be added to them and let Pessaries be made with cleane wooll But if conception be hindered through intemperate hear that either the body is of an over-hot complexion or the secret parts are molested with intemperate heat First of all this heat shall be diminished by a convenient launcing and opening of the veines the Ankle-veines in the left foot and the Liver-veines in the right foot Afterward purgations must be used so much as reason shall require but before them this Potion shall be taken for a preparative of the hot humours Take herbes of Plantane the greater Endive Venus-haire Polipodie Fumirary of each halfe a handfull red Roses Violet-flowers Buglosse Water-Lillies Borrage of each a little quantity named a Pugil Raisins halfe an ounce Let all of them mixed together be boiled in running-running-water let one halfe be consumed and wasted let them be strained and to the straining let there be added a sufficient quantity of white Sugar and let it be made aromaticall with Cinamome scrapings of Ivory red Corall prepared red Sanders of each halfe a dram Take three ounces of the aforesaid decoction and let them be tempered with two scruples of Choyse Rhubarb powdred with syrup of Epithymie halfe an ounce Cassia newly drawne one dram and a halfe or Manna one dram Or otherwise Take of the Electuary de Succo Rosarum three drams Cassia newly extracted Diasena
of each two drams Temper them with an ounce and a halfe of the aforesaid decoction or of findive-findive-water let a Potion be made of it Or else Take syrup of Peach-Roses one ounce syrup of Peach-flowers halfe an ounce Trochiskes of Agaricke one dram Cassia newly extracted two drams waters of Buglosse and Burrage of each one ounce mixe them and make one draught Pessaries also may be prepared and be applied underneath compounded with the juyce of Mandrake Mastick Myrrh Camphire and Gum Arabick But if the heat do not exceed but shall be more temperate then that which aboundeth shall be diminished with Plaisters laid upon the Navell and secret members as with Vnguentum Santalinum decocted in a liquid and thick forme In few words wee may proceed in the same order as wee have prescribed concerning choler and blood But if coldnesse and moistnesse shall molest and vexe the secret parts over-much First the superfluity of them shall be mollified and prepared for purgation by remedies declining from them to heat and drinesse according to the prescript of the syrup following Take of the herbes of Mugwoort Betony Bawme Penny-royall Marjoram of each one handfull roots of Enula Campana Galangal Saytrion Parsley Fennel Asarum of each two drams Anis-seed Amomum Liquorice Madder that Diers doe use wilde Carrot Siler montanum Cummine of each one dramme Raisins one ounce Fountaine-water so much as sufficeth of Sugar or clarified Hony a sufficient quantity Let them all be commixed and after the straining made let them be made odoriferous with Cinamome and let Oxymel squilliticum be added to it Take three ounces at a time Or else take Electuarium Indum one ounce Catharticum Imperiale halfe an ounce waters of Buglosse and Borrage of each one ounce temper them together and make a draught Or dissolve them with three ounces of the aforesaid decoction and in like manner make one draught There may also be use here of Pilulae Foetidae and of Pills confected of Rheubarb Purgation sufficiently made let her take Pills prepared in this manner the quantity of a dram when shee is about to goe to bed Take Lignum Aloes Xylobalsamum Siler monnum Asarum or Asara Bacca Masticke Nutmegge Anis-seede Fennel-seede of each one dram Spicke-Nard Calamus Aromaticus Galbanum of each halfe a dram Myrobalani Chebuli Bellirici of each sixe drams Aloes two ounces mingle them with syrup of Peach-Roses and make a masse of Pills let the quantity to be taken be one dram at once To be briefe you may proceed in the same manner as wee have before advised in the cure of Phlegme CHAP. VII Of certaine generall Precepts serving for the curing of the barrennesse of men and women A Great part of the Cure of the barrennesse of men and women consisteth in the use of exeternall things which by our advice must be moderate that the body doe not become grosse and fat because fatnesse doth very much hinder secundity and fruitfulnesse Also extreme leanesse cannot be without fault in this case Wherefore in both these they must use temperate nourishments which have not the Nature to inflate and to breed windy matter in the body They must use Wine but little and sparing and moderate meate But principally let women observe and consider the complexion and state of the Matrix and let them warily marke their Termes lest in the time when they issue forth or when they are cleared from them they use an inconvenient diet but that rather they use most especially such things which are knowne to have an expulsive vertue and force to expell out of the body such as are parsley Stone-parsley Fennel the herbe which the Germans call commonly Pimpinella with the like herbes and roots of the same nature and quality But that every one may be instructed concerning every case wee will give an Antidote and Medicine contrary to the complexion of every corrupted Matrix And verily first of all when the Matrix shall be distempered and troubled with immoderate coldnesse there is caused a stopping of the Flowers bred and ingendred by reason of an evill diet observed in meat and drinke whereby continuall paines are felt about the loynes kidnies secrets along the backe and other members of the body and ever and anon horrible cold doth vex and molest them When things are come to this passe the use of those things is profitable whatsoever are of a hot Nature specially hot baths abounding with Brimstone such as are the bathes of the Helvetians or Swissers especially named the bathes of Badena a City in Helvetia in Germany But it shall be very profitable to use this syrup or potion for a preparative of the mattet to be purged Take of the syrup of Mugwoort on ounce Oxymel compound halfe an ounce waters of Mugwoort and Bawme of each one ounce By mixing them together make one draught But this drinke following must be used for a purgation Take Benedicta Laxativa Cassia newly extracted of each three drams water of Penny-royall and Mugwoort one ounce and a halfe mingle them and let one draught be made Also the confection of Diacastoreum is approved for this use Likewise all their meats are to be seasoned with these spices which have the Nature to heat as with Peper Ginger and such like To be short they must proceed in the same order as wee have taught before in curing sterility comming from a phlegmaticke humour Further if the Matrix shall be grieved with intemperate heat and drinesse the Termes will issue forth often but so sharpe that often times the secret parts are diseased and exulcerated In this case the diet medicines and use of all outward things is to be reduced and brought to a cold and moist temperature as it is in like manner declared before in the Cure of barrennesse proceeding from superfluity of choler But because oftentimes conception is hindred of wind inclosed within the body they must use meate and drinke which doth not puffe up and breed wind in the body but such as doth dissipate and disperse the same and proceed in the same order as we have taught before in curing the false windy conception named Mola And let these things be sufficiently spoken concerning those things which rectifie and remedy barrennesse Now in this discourse those things are not to be omitted Helps of frutfulnesse which further and cause fecundity and fruitfulnesse In this behalfe many excellent profitable things are delivered of the ancient and latter Physicians of which those which are chiefest we have thought it a profitable thing to gather together and to publish abroad to the profit and commodity of many Suffumigation These Fumes first made upon the coales and directed to the Matrix doe please very many Take Cypresse-nuts Nutmegge Masticke Frankincense Ladanum Myrrh Galbanum Bdellium Bay-berries of each one dram Styrax-calamita Styrax liquida of each two scruples Cloves Carui of each halfe a dram Amber two graines Saffron one scruple Muske five graines
observed that the retention of the Termes is caused by the corruption of some humour are these namely most great paines from the Navil even to the privities and about the Kidnies loynes and hips continuall paines but most often paines of the head and also cold sweats many infirmities and griefes of the eyes because of their affinity and fellowship with the Matrix a painfull heavinesse of the eye-lids the colour pale much sadnesse often refusing of meate appetite slow weakenesse of the members and heavinesse of the whole body But here also concerning the quality of the humors very great differences are noted and observed as shall be made manifest in the discourse following If the cause be from Phlegme If the cause of the stopping of the Termes come from phlegme what be the signes and what be the cures the woman waxe pale the eyes doe become blewish the eye-browes doe swell cold is felt in the bottome of the Matrix thick and stinking humors doe issue from it white Termes doe drop from them the vrine is plae like unto Milke thicke and grosse substance is found in the bottome But where this cause shall be observed and found first the diet shall be directed and ordered to a hot and dry temperature Next that cold matter shall be mollified and prepared for purgation with this syrup following Take Chamaepitis Germander Origanum Rosemary Penny-royall Savine water-Mints Calamint wild Mints Thyme of each one handful leaves of Sena one ounce rootes of Ruscus or Butchers Broome Sperage Parsley stone-Parsley wild Radish Madder Valerian of each one ounce a halfe Iuniper-berries foure ounces Agarick two drams seede of the Nettle of the wild Carrot Ameos Anise Fennel Costus of each halfe an ounce and a halfe Let all things be mixed and beaten together and sodden in three pound of running-running-water to the wasting away of halfe of it let them be strained and to the straining adde Sugar so much as sufficeth let it be spiced with two drams of Cinamome and let a syrup be made and let three ounces be taken at a time Or let another such digestive be made Take Oximel compound three ounces water of Mugwoort and Bawme of each foure ounces and a halfe let it be spiced with one dram of Cinamome let a Potion be made of them to be taken at three draughts Then the matter being prepared for purgation shall be purged with this potion following A Potion Take fat Cassia and extracted with the decoction of Germander one ounce and a halfe Dodder Liquorice Polipodium Raisins Venus Haire of each halfe a handfull Cassia extracted Electuarium Indum of each three drams syrup de radicibus sine Aceto one ounce temper them and with the broth of red Cicers let a potion be made and let the quantity of it to be taken be two ounces If they had rather use Pills than this Potion they shall use these Pills take of Masses or Lumps of Pilulae foetidae Agregativae of each halfe a dram Pills Diagridion three graines mingle them with syrup of Mugwoort and let pills be made of them of which nine shall be taken at a time Or else this Powder to be taken in the broth of Cicers or in Whey shall be prepared in this manner Take of the best Turbit one dram A Powder or foure scruples Ginger halfe a dram Sal gemma six graines Saffron two graines Cinamome three graines Sugar two drams mixe them and let a powder be made of them Or they may use this potion following Take Benedicta Laxativa Electuarium Indum of each two drams Diacassia three drammes temper them with bawme-Bawme-water and Mugwoort-water so much as sufficeth Morsells Or let such purging morsells be made Take red Roses Ginger Cinamome of each three drams Sanders white and red of each one dram Hermodactyli Esula of each three drams Turbit foure drams Diagridion two drams Masticke one scruple white Sugar one pound Let all these things be dissolved in water of Mugwoort and let a confection be made in morsells and give foure drams at a time Or they may use this infusion following An Infusion Take Agarick halfe an ounce Ginger two scruples Sal gemma halfe a scruple let them be infused in three ounces Adde to them Oximel Squiliticum one ounce let all these things be infused twelve houres afterward let them be strained and squeised out and also spiced and made sweete with Cinamome and Sugar so much as sufficeth and let a potion be made of it the superfluous matter being sufficiently purged the next thing is that such a bathe be prepar'd in which the woman which is purged may sit A Bath Take Savine Calamint Origanum Bawme Feverfew wild-Mints Penny-royall Melilot Camomile of each two handfulls Celandine Pucedanum Horehound worme-Wood of each one handfull Bay-leaves Lavander Mercury Rosemary Ozymus flowers of the Elder-tree of each three handfulls Marish-Mallowes with the roots foure handfulls Mugwoort six handfulls rootes of Valerian two pound let all these things except the Mugwoort be beaten together and being put in a bagge let them boile in water and let a bathe be made of them And when shee commeth out of the bathe let her be annointed with this oyntment following under the Navell and about the loynes take oile of Lillies of sweet Almonds Marrow of the legge of a Calfe one ounce Muscilage Marish-Mallowes Fenegrek Line-seed of each one ounce Wax so much as is sufficient mingle them being beaten and let an Vnguent be made of them This being done let her drinke one spoonfull of this powder following with a convenient portion of the former decoction and afterward lying downe in her bed let her take her rest Take the best Cinamome rindes of Cassia Fistula of each halfe an ounce Cassia lignea three drams Saffron one dram a halfe Aristolochia rotunda Asarum Calamus Aromaticus rinds of the roots of Capparis Costus Dittany roots Tormentill of Eringus Lacca of each foure scruples Chamaepitis Germander Bay-leaves Origanum Penny-royall Ginger Calamint Thyme seeds of Broome of wild Rue of Daucus wild Cresses Hyssop Nigella or Gith Ameos Anise Fennell Bay-berries Serapinum of each halfe a dram Sugar equall to all in waight mixe them together and let a powder be made of them If shee cannot well away with this powder in this manner then let a confection be made in morsells after this manner following of which let her alwaies eate after the bathe Take of the aforesaid powder without Sugar one ounce and halfe a pound of white Sugar Let the Sugar be dissolved in the former decoction or in Mugwoort-water so much as sufficeth and let a confection be made in morsells In this cause proceeding from Phlegme all hot bathes consisting of much Brimstone are approved such as are bathes of Badina a City in Germany But if the woman shall not be able to use the bathe prescribed let her take foure handfulls of the aforesaid sorts of herbes let her boile them
with the best wine and let her receive the Fume of them underneathe thorow a Tunnell And if shee shall also be unable to endure this notwithstanding let her have a Fumigation with this fume following Take Amomum Galbanum of each three drams Assa Foetida Castoreum Spodium of each one dram mixe them and and let a powder be made of them of which one dram at a time cast upon the coales let a Fume be made to be received onely into the Matrix After the Fume being done let her use these Pills seven of them taken at a time Pills Take the fruit of Savine two drams Rue dryed one dram seed of wild Rue halfe a dram Assa Foetida Lachryma Ammoniaca Diers Madder of each one scruple Myrrh Castoreum of each two scruples Cinamome black Peper of each halfe a dram let all things be mix'd together and let them be made a powder and tempered with water of Mugwoort and let pills be formed as big as Pease all these things being finished both the veines named Saphenae shall be opened in both feete the Moone going downe Afterward she may use these Pessaries Take Triacle Mithridate Pessaries of each halfe a dram Castoreum Lachryma Ammoniaca of each one dram mixe them with Cotton dipped in the juyce of the herbe Mercury and make a Pessary Or otherwise Take of the juyce of Rue Wormewood of each equall parts Myrrh Euphorbium seed of Savine of each one dram and a halfe mixe them and let a Pessary be made Another may be made in this manner for women which are stronger by Nature Take Elleborus albus Pyretrum of each three drams Nigella Diagridium of each one dram mingle them with the juyce of Mercury and let a Pessarie be made Let such another be made which is of more efficacie and force Take Nigella Staves-acre Centaury the lesse of each two drams Elleborus albus Vitrum Sal gemma blacke Peper Diagridium of each two scruples Aloes Ladanum cleare Turpentine Styrax Calamita of each three drams Amber one scruple let all things be mixed together and incorporated with a hot Pessell because of the Gummes and being inclosed in a cloth moistned in the juyce of Mercury let Pessaries be made of them Or otherwise Take Gentian Savine Staves-acre Colocynthis Nigella or Gith of each one dram and a halfe let all these things be incorporated with the juyce of the wild Cowcumber named Elaterium or with the juyce of Mercury and let Pessaries be made of it If these former seeme to profit little other Pessaries shall be prepared in this manner Take juyce of Mercury Wormewood Feverfew Mugwoort of each three ounces Myrrhe Euphorbium Castoreum of each two drams Savine-seede Gith-seed of each one dram Ladanum Galbanum of each one dram and a halfe those things which are to be beaten to powder let them be powdered but let the juyces be decocted to a thicknesse let Pessaries be made of them the length and thickenesse of a finger If retention of the Termes be from Choler how it is to be Cured But if retention and straining of the Termes doe proceed from Choler heat shall be felt in the sound and botome of the Matrix drinesse coarctation and streightnesse and a certaine hardnesse not without paines and prickings desire of Venus a yellow colour of the eye-lids the urine red small store of Termes alwaies of a Citrine or yellow colour doth follow and accompany these signes and tokens of Choler And that cause being known the universall diet shall decline to a cold and dry temperature Afterward the supefluous matter shall be prepared for to be purged with this decoction following take leaves of Sena one ounce Mugwoort two handfuls Venus-haire Sorrell Endive Harts-tong Betony Liverwoort Bawme Mercury of each one handfull the foure cold seeds Agnus Castus Daucus or wild Carrot Pyonie Sperage Sothernwood Basil Milium Solis or Gromell of each halfe an ounce red Roses Borrage-flowers Violets of each a small quantity calld a Pugil roots of the best Rheubarb one dram Valerian Butchers-broome stone Parsly Smallage of each an ounce Cyperus Spike of each one dram and a halfe Cicers red Beanes Iuniper-berries Fenegrek of each one Pugil Let all these things be mingled together and beaten and boiled in three pound of running-water untill halfe be wasted let them be strained and to the straining let Sugar be added so much as sufficeth let it be spiced with a dram and a halfe of Cinamome You shal give 3 ounces of this decoction foure daies together in the morning when the stomack is empty or in the evening three houres before supper very warme to be drunk of the Patient But if she shal loath this decoction let her use this syrup following A Syrup Take syrup Acetosae simplicis one ounce Oximel simple half an ounce mingle them with the water of Succory and Endive of each one ounce and let a draught be made of it Or else take one ounce of the syrup of Peach-Roses syrup of Endive half an ounce commixe them with two ounces of the afore-spoken decoction or water of Endive and let a draught be made Or you may prepare such solutive medicines Take Manna halfe an ounce Electuarium de Succo Rosarum confection of Hamech Diacassia of each one dram syrup of Violets halfe an ounce waters of Succory and Endive of each one ounce mixe them and let one draught be made or otherwise take of the best Rheubarbe two drams Spike Nard six graines sprinckled with the best Wine infuse them in Whey twelve houres then straine them and to the straining adde Manna Cassia newly drawne of each one ounce and a halfe syrup of Violets one ounce let it be spiced with Cinamome as much as sufficeth and let a potion be made to the quantity of three ounces The superfluous matter being sufficiently purged voided by these solutive medicines such a bathe is to be decocted in which the woman may sit Bathe Take Marish-Mallowes with the rootes three handfulls Motherwoort or Mugwoort two handfulls Elder-flowers Willow-flowers Violet-Plants or Mater violarum Maiden-haire of each one handfulll Valerian halfe a pound Fenegrek Line-seed of each three ounces common Salt two drams Roche Allome halfe an ounce Brimstone one dram let all things be beaten together mingled and put in a bagge and let a bathe be made by boiling of them in which the woman may sit In this case all temperate waters with Allome and Copper doe profit and doe good when shee commeth out of the bathe let her be annointed with this ointment about the Loines and under the Navell Take oile of Roses of sweet Almonds of Violets of each one ounce Marrow of the leg of a calfe halfe an ounce two drams fresh Butter Hens-grease Muscilage of Fenegrek Muscilage of Line-seed of each halfe an ounce Waxe so much as sufficeth and let an Vnguent be made of them in a liquid forme After the Vnction being performed A
Valerian Stone-parsley of each one pound Brimstone one ounce and a halfe Salt two ounces Allome one ounce Let all of them being mingled together be put in a bag and let them boile in water And alwaies every fourth day this bathe must be renewed againe As often as shee shall leave bathing let her take of comon Triacle or Mithridate as is spoken before let her lie downe in her bed and let her provoke sweating if she can by any meanes Or let her use the confection before described morning and evening in the same manner But when it shall not seeme commodious to use this bathe some of the aforesaid herbes may be gathered and fomentations may be made of them But when all these things shall not sufficiently purge the Phlegmaticke humour it shall be profitable to minister a pessarie to her every night prepared in this manner and let her use it untill she shall feele her selfe freed from those superfluous Phlegmatick humours Take Mugwoort Savine Marjoram Dittany Wormewood of each halfe a dram Anise Rue the rind or outside of Frankincense of each one scruple the pulpe of Colocynthis two scruples Make a powder of them and let it be tempered and incorporated with the juyce of the herbe Mercurie or Germander and make a Pessarie Further among all the medicines which bind the Matrix wee thinke that nothing can be better approved than this following Take Acacia Balaustium or the flowers of Pomgranates Akorne cups the drosse or scales of Iron Mints Lillies barke of the Mastick-tree or Lentiscus the outside of Olibanum Anthera Sumach Tartar Spike of each halfe a dram mingle them and make a powder of them of which with the juyce of Sorrell or Fullers teasell named in latine Virga Pastoris or with the juyce of Milfoile or Yarrow let Pessaries be made But because sometimes it commeth to passe that by reason of cold and moist Phlegme How the ill-savour of the Matrix is to be cured the Matrix cannot onely retaine and hold the seed but also doth offend with a noisome stinch and savour therefore when this chanceth we must use this medicine following Take Galls Nutmegs of each three drams Cloves one dram Muske halfe a scruple let them be beaten to powder and dissolved with one pound of red Wine When the woman will use these things let her wash her secrets well with them and lay clothes being dipped therein upon them but let her doe it especially when she goeth to bed But if it pleaseth to use a more forcible medicine to restraine and binde the Matrix you may then use this following Take the root of Comfrey Allome Balaustium Myrrhe Olibanum Mastick Colophony Bole-Armeny Cypresse-nuts Harts-horne burnt of each one dram and a halfe Let all things be pounded and reduced into a powder and let the halfe part of it or all boile in sower red Wine a little Vinegar being mixed with it Let the woman wash and bathe her secrets with that decoction being very warme Likewise shee may sprinckle the dry powder upon them and also lay a cloth doubled once or twice upon being dipped and moistned before in that decoction But if this shall profit nothing or little you must use also this Pessarie besides prepared after this manner Take Allom named in latin Allumen Scissile Myrrh Lignum Aloes the haires of a Hare cut into small pieces Rue or Herb-grace Bayberries Doronicum Cypresse-nuts of each halfe a dram Storax Calamita two drams Amber one scruple and a halfe Muske Allome called Allumen Saccharinum of each two drams Let them be mingled together and brought to a powder and make a Pessery of it with Oyle of Myrtles CHAP. III. Of the Cure of sterility arising from cholericke humidities and moistures of the Matrix WHen choler shall be an impediment to conception before all things a good diet must be appointed and a moderate use of all those things which doe necessarily belong to the life of man and woman to wit sleepe watching moving resting meate drinke and the like things and that all decline from that humour to that which is cold and moist Next after the convenient use of these things proved a little time the anckle-veines of both the feete shall be opened but specially when the woman shall abound with blood But let her not have overmuch blood taken from her because blood as they say is the bridle of choler After the opening of a veine the cholericke humours shall be prepared with this syrup following Take of the syrups of Acetosae simplicis Oxysaccharum simplex syrup of Endive of each one ounce waters of Succory Hops Buglosse of each two ounces Temper them with yellow Sanders Cinamome and Mace so much as sufficeth that the drinke may be odoriferous You shall give a certaine quantity of this drinke to her in the morning every day when her stomacke is empty and three houres before supper or so often as it shall seeme necessary Or if it please you for this drinke you may give her this decoction reasonable warme Take the flowers of Buglosse Borrage red Roses of each halfe a handfull Violets Lettuce the flowers of white Poppy Endive broad-leaved or garden Endive of each one handfull Endive and Lettuce-seed of each halfe an ounce the Foure Cold-seeds six drams Mingle them together and let a decoction be made of them in fountain-Fountaine-water so much as may suffice or with an ounce and a halfe of the wine of Pomgranates and foure ounces of Vinegar and let two pound of Suger be added to them and let it be made aromaticall with yellow Sanders Cinamome and Amber of each one scruple Let her use this syrup morning and evening the quantity of three ounces Now the superfluous matter of cholericke humours being prepared for purgation it shall be purged with the draught following Take of Cassia newly extracted or the best Manna one ounce Let it be tempered with this decoction following Take Venus-haire flowers of Buglosse Violets Prunes Tamarindae Electuary de succo Rosarum of each two drams make a decoction and mingle the Cassia or Manna with three ounces of this aforesaid decoction and let one draught be made of it Or take of choice Rheubarb two drammes Spick-Nard six graines let them be infused in Goats milke with a little white Wine and the infusion being made ten houres let them be strained and take three ounces of that which is strained and one ounce and a halfe of the syrup of Peach-flowers and of them mixed together let one draught be made If this potion doe not like her you shall give her this morsell following confected in this manner Take of the Electuary de Succo Rosarum Diamanna of each three drams white Sugar so much as sufficeth let the Bolus or Morsell being gilded be divided into three parts How Citrine or yellow choler is to be purged But if Citrine or yellow Choler shall breed this difficulty of conceiving to the Matrix wee must use these solutive
medicines mixed together a certaine waight taken of them as the counsell of a skilful Physician shall direct you Namely the Electuary Diaphaenicon Electuarium Indum Pillulae de Rhahabarbaro and Pillulae Agregativae Afterward superfluous humours being sufficiently purged the nature and habite of the Matrix shall be strengthened with this medicine following Take of the Species or Simples of the confection of Diatriasandalon two drams the scrapings of Ivorie Viscus Quercinus the powder of a Bulls Pissle of the Matrix of a Hare of each two drams white Sugar halfe apound Let it be dissolved with Rose-water and let the confection or receit be made in morsells Or otherwise Take conserve of Roses halfe an ounce of Borrage of the flowers of the water-Lilly of Buglosse of each three drams the Species of Diarrhodon Abbatis Diatriasandalon Aromaticum Rosatum of each one scruple Pearles Powder of precious Stones scrapings of Ivorie Viscus Quercinus of each halfe a scruple Let all these kindes be dissolved with a sufficient quantity of syrup of Roses and make a mixture of them and an Electuary gilded All these things orderly performed let her wash in the bathe following which may be prepared in this manner Take of the both kindes of Mallowes Mater violarum or Violet plants red Roses water-Lilly Quince-leaves of each one handfull Fenegrek common Salt Roach-Allome of each two drammes Let all the herbes be shred in pieces very small and being inclosed in a bag let them boile in the water in which the woman must sit This bathe may be used every yeere for there are foure weeks together But so often as shee shall come forth out of the bath shee must take the waight of a Filberd-nut of the cordiall Electuary before prescribed Also let her make this Fume underneath for her wombe after her bathe Take of all the Sanders of each one dram and a halfe Styrax Calamita two scruples Amber sixe graines red Roses Water-lilly-flowers Violets of each one dram Let them all be beaten together with Rose-water and let Trochiskes be made with them Also it shall not be unprofitable to annoynt the loynes and Matrix sometime with the oyntment of Gallen or with the oyntment named Vnguentum Sandalinum Likewise shee may use Pessaries in the night in this sort prepared Take Marrow of the legge of a Calfe Braine of a Hart Butter made of Cowes milke the Fat of a shee Goate seede of the herbe Mercury of each halfe an ounce Acacia Hypoquistidos red Sanders Styrax liquida Horne of a Hart burned of each halfe a dram Let them be incorporated with oyle of Roses and cleane wooll and let Pessaries be made with them CHAP. IV. Of the cure of barrennesse if it proceed from superfluous bloody humours of the Matrix BVt because sterility and barrennesse is not only ingendered of Phlegme and Choler abounding but is also bred of overmuch blood and sometimes also other superfluous or corrupt humours are mixed with the same we must first see by the signes of Vrine which of those humours doe abound If you shall finde that blood alone is abounding then such a diet shall be appointed which may diminish blood and minister small nourishment unto to it If you shall perceive cholericke humour to be in it you shall order your diet to a cold temperature If Phlegme shall abound in it you shall direct the temperature of your diet to drinesse For it shall come to passe that that superfluitie of what humour soever it shall be may by little and little be prepared for a convenient purgation But because the meanes is not commonly knowne to purge blood from those aforesaid humours when it is mixed with them it is to be inquired for of skilfull Physicians we will only prosecute that in this place which pertaineth to the diminishing of the abundance and superfluity of bloody humours Therefore when it is knowne and evident that abundance of blood doth hinder conception in women let first the veines of the Anckle be opened in both the feete and let a just quantity of blood be taken away Which done a bathe shall be prepared of such herbs as doe incline to cooling and refrigeration After the bath the woman ought to use these Lozenges or little Cakes Take Cinamome seede of Mercury red Roses Scrapings Pearles prepared of each one dram red Corrall prepared powder of precious Stones of each two scruples all the sorts of Sanders halfe a dram Sugar halfe a pound Let the Sugar be dissolved in Rose-water and let all things be decocted and boiled untill the Rose-water be wasted away which being done let one ounce of conserve of Roses be added to it and all things being mixed together let gilded Lozenges or little Roundells be made in such sort as they ought to be Likewise an Electuary very commodious profitable for this use may be prepared in this manner of which let her take the quantity of a Filberd-nut alwaies before meat Take of conserve of Roses one ounce of Buglosse Borrage of each two drams of the species or simples of Diatriasandali of Diarhodon Abbatis of each three drams Let these Ingredients be tempered together with syrup of Roses and let them all be incorporated together and let them be gilded with the leaves of Gold so much as may suffice and let an Electuarie be made of them Also it shall be a profitable thing that shee should be bathed with a decoction made with these Simples following made in raine-water or in water wherein steele hath beene often quenched Take red Roses Galls Sumach the seed of the greater Plantane with the leaves Comfrey of each halfe a handfull Terra Sigillata Bole Armeniacke Roch Allome of each halfe an ounce Also a powder may be made of the Simples before prescribed and may be boiled in the aforesaid water in which a cloth sometimes doubled together being dipped and moistened may be laid very warme upon the loynes and privie parts Also this Plaister following being warme in the same manner may likewise be laid upon them Take Muske sixe graines Citrine Sanders red Roses of each halfe a dram oyle of Roses one ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a plaister of them CHAP. V. Of the Cure of sterility proceeding from a melancholy humour IF a melancholike humour abounding shall be the cause of sterility and barrennesse First of all a diet must be appointed declining from the qualities of this humor to that which is hot and dry Care and sadnesse must be banished away and mirth joy must be procured as much as may be but sorrowes and pensivenesse are to be omitted so much as is possible Then the superfluous humor shall be prepared and mollified for purgation with this syrup following Take syrup of Acetosa de radicibus two ounces syrup of Fumitary one ounce of the waters of Harts-tongue and Mugwoort of each two ounces Let these be mingled and made Aromaticall with Cinamome and let there be made a cleare syrup of them Or
Waxe and Hens grease so much as is sufficient and make an ointment of them Let such a water be made for the same purpose A Water Take Anâ—s figges five ounces Indian-nuts the Fishes named Scinci brought from beyond the Seas the taile of the Fish named Lacertus sweet Almonds Pine-apple-kernells Rocket-seed of each one ounce Vrtica the roots of both the kindes of Satyrion Hermodactili Peper long and blacke of each two ounces Muske one scruple the best white Wine wine sublimated of each one equall Measure Let them all be mixed and infused and haxing beene set out to the Sune fouretene daies let them be distilled If you will use this water take halfe an ounce with one ounce of the Electuary Diassatyrion and drinke them mixed together morning and evening very hot Also these Pills are approved taken in the evening Take of the seede of Rocket Radish stone-Parsley Pills Vrtica Satyrion of each one dram stones of a Fox pissle of a Bull of each two drams the taile of the Fishes named Scinci and the Fishe Lacertus of each one dram braines of Cocke Sparrowes Drakes Cocks Pigeons of each halfe an ounce Peper Galangal long-peper of each a dram and a halfe roots of both kinds of Satyrion halfe an ounce Euphorbium Castoreum of each one scruple Let all be beaten to powder let them be incorporated with Hony and let Pillls be made of them Take the quantity of two or one dram Another Electuary for the same purpose to be taken morning evening Another Electuary the quantity of a Chesse-nut shall be prepared in this manner Take Satyrion-rootes halfe a pound Dates foure ounces Mints Ginger candi'd or green-Ginger Iujubae of each three drams Let all things be mingled together and sodden in Sheeps-milke and pounded in a Morter as is accustomed which being done afterward take Cock-stones stones of a Weather or of a Bull or of a Goat Let those things be decocted in Sheeps-milk with a little fresh Butter and the yolkes of two Egges let them be dried in a Pipkin on the fire orderly After which things take clarified Hony two pound and a halfe of the Sugar named Tabarzeth as much as sufficeth Let all these things be decocted in due order and these powders following be mingled with them being boiled take the Pissle of a Bull of a Goat Rocket-seed of each one dram and a halfe Galangal Zedoaria of each one ounce Cinamome Ginger long-peper seed of the Ash-tree of each six drams seed of Mercury seed of Mallowes of each halfe an ounce the pith of the Indian Nut Pine-apple-kernells cleansed sweet Almonds of each one dram Let all these things be brought to a powder and let them be mixed to the decoction before prescribed and let an Electuary be made of them And now also let these things be sufficient to have beene spoken concerning medicines to be received inwardly for the cure of barrennesse sterility CHAP. VIII Of the Suffocation and choking of the Matrix and of the causes and cure of the same IT remaineth also to speak a few things hereafter concerning the most especiall diseases of the Matrix which have greatest force to procure and cause sterility and also to hinder conception and generation such as are principally the Suffocation and Precipitation or falling downe of the Matrix the immoderate issuing of the Termes and the stopping of the same But we will speake first of the first What the suffocation of the Matrix is Wee say that the Suffocation of the Matrix is not naturall but that it is a forced and constrained ascending and rising up of the Matrix or Mother towards Diaphragma or the Midriffe whereby it commeth to passe that the passages of the aire are stopped the Lungs and Arteries of the heart being pressed and thrust together and the Lungs is prohibited and barred from amplifying and inlarging it selfe as it should which passion proceedeth from windy and divers vapors arising from corrupt matter And by this sicknesse the breathing is hindred the braine is molested the Heart is restrained of his free liberty the Lungs is crowded together the senses and motions doe cease the Spirits are intercepted the members of the body doe deny to doe their office whereby it falleth out that faintings of the faculties of life doe happen sudden swoonings doe overwhelme the diseased and sometime doe deprive them of life the Heart being suffocated for which effect it is supposed that it is therefore called in Latine Suffocatio The Causes We cannot say that there are any other causes of this Malady but the stopping of the Termes contrary to the course of Nature or corrupted seede or else other depraved and evill humours inclosed in the Matrix being dissolved into winds vapors and so forcing the Matrix to be heaved and lifted upward The signes of this disease are two-fold The Signes one of the sickenesse present by the fit which is present the other of the disease to come taken from the tokens of the fit to come But the tokens of the present sickenesse taken by the Present fit are these signes The women doe hardly fetch their breath Signes of the present fit the Pulse of the Arteries is seldome their hands are continually laid upon their belly above the Navell for to depresse and keepe downe the Matrix rising upward the habite and forme of the body is bending downward the colour is pale when you speake they make no answer the understanding is quicke and lively without any voyce at all there is no motion of the body and indeed nothing else but a similitude of present death But whether life doth remaine still in the body or not in this extreme passion of the present fit we may finde out by these experiments and trialls Let feathers or cleane wooll be put to the mouth of her which is afflicted with this grievous fit the which if they be blowne away or at least be moved it shall be certaine that there is life remaining in the body Moreover it shall be a more certaine thing to place a glasse full of water upon her breast for life remaining as yet must needs thrust and extend it selfe out and so moving of the water must follow Or else a cleane and smooth looking-glasse is to be put to her mouth and nostrills and if life be not departed you shall see the glasse stained by the hot breath Which experiment seemeth to be most probable of all Some doe declare that a certaine woman was afflicted with this fit three whole daies and nights and at last to have returned to her selfe being supposed to have beene dead Wee have seene the same thing to have happened in some women for one naturall day that is foure and twenty houres together through suffocation of the Matrix Signes of a future fit But these signes goe before a fit which shall follow that is to say paine of the head dimnesse of the eyes a continuall
be prepared for her drinke Compound Medicines But because the ancient Physicians have many times beene accustomed to use compound medicines not without praise in restraining and stopping this unnaturall Flux wee will hereafter also bring forth some of them An Electuary First of all you shall prepare an Electuary of which you shall give halfe a dram every day in the morning when the stomacke is empty to the woman which is grieved with this Flux dissolved in red Wine wherein Steele hath been quench'd Take roots of Comfrey Plantane as much as sufficeth Let them being boiled well be brayed in a Mortar and let them be straind a thorow strainer made of horse-haires Take of the Paste of Comfrey two drams of the roots of Plantane one dram and a halfe Sugar one pound dissolve the Sugar in raine-water or water wherin Iron red-hot hath been quenched or temper them together in Plantan-water in which Lapis Haematites hath beene dissolved untill it be red and boile all being mixed together with a little and easie fire and when they are are boiled and cooled a little put to them these simples following Take Sanguis Draconis Succus Acaciae seed of Sumach Terra Sigillata Amber Harts-horne burned and washed of each one dram Pearles prepared foure scruples red Corall prepared one dram and a halfe Spodium Lapis Haematites Parsley-seed of each two scruples mixe them being beaten to powder and make an Electuary in a dry Forme to be divided into Morsells Another Electuary Or prepare another Electuary in this manner Take old conserve of Roses one ounce Diacydonion cum saccharo sine speciebus three ounces Diarrhodon specierum Abbatis Coralls red prepared and powdred foure scruples Pearles prepared one dram Trochiskes de Carabe de Terra Sigillata of each two scruples Spodium Lapis Haematites Mumia of each of them halfe a dram Temper them with syrup of Pomegranates and make a gilded Electuary of which let the quantity of a Chesse-nut be taken every day morning and evening and let it be drunke being dissolved in red-Wine wherein Steele red-hot hath been quenched Also the Party may take these Pills following seven of them taken every morning when the stomake is empty as yet fasting Take Mumia Frankincense Masticke Harts-horne burned and washed of each halfe a dram the Runnet of a Hare or Kid foure scruples Temper them with Plantane-water in which Gum Arabick may be dissolved and let Pills be formed of it Also Mesue doth commend in this case Pilulae de Bdellio Majores and Minores to be taken one dram at a time Notwithstanding also these Pills following do profit Take Terra Sigillata Bole-Armeniacke prepared Galls Sanguis Draconis Runner of a Kid of each one dram Camphire two scruples mixe them and let Pills be made with syrup of Myrtles a dram to be taken at a time There is also no lesse consideration and respect to be had of the cure to to be used outwardly than of the inward hitherto handled and intreated of for there are many things which applyed outwardly doe wonderfully profit for the curing of these Fluxes But first of all such a bath or fomentation is to be prepared A Bathe or Fomentation Take Cauda Equina or Horse-taile leaves of the Mulberry-tree of the Peare-tree of Sloes of Services of the Medler-tree the inward barkes of the Oke red Roses Virga Pastoris or Fullers Teasell of each two handfulls Galls Myrtles of each one pound Medlers Services Acorne-cups of each two pound mixe them together and let a bathe or fomentation be made of all of them in water wherein Iron red-hot hath beene quenched If it be not convenient to use this bathe or fomentation you shall prepare such a Fume to be received by a Tunnell A Fume Take Colophonie halfe an ounce Spodium Bole-Armeniacke Blatta Byzantina blacke Poppie Henbane of each two drams mixe them and make a grosse powder Or else you must use this experiment very well approved Take the barks of the Pitch-tree used of the Curriers already in their worke one pound the inward parts or inward kernells of Galls bunches of Grapes dried let these being mixed together boile in water wherein red-hot Steele hath beene quenched and let the woman convey that fomentation into the Matrix by a Tunnel and that being done let her eat a Morsell for to comfort her of the Electuary before prescribed Also Vnguentum Comitissae is approved the which because it is knowne unto the Apothecaries It was not needfull to set it downe But if that cannot be gotten you may profitably use this Vnguent following prepared in this manner Take oile of Myrtles foure ounces juyce of the greater Plantane two ounces powder of Masticke two drams Sumach-seed Succus Acaciae Hypocistidos Myrtles Terra Sigillata Bole-Armeniack of each two ounces and a halfe Spodium Barley burned red Roses of each one dram Mingle them with Waxe so much as sufficeth and let an Vnguent be made of it A soft oynment Also such a soft ointment very profitable may be made Take the juyce of Comfrey of both the kindes of Plantane Cinquefolie or five-finger-grasse of each a like a little Vinegar mixe all things together and lay Linnen-clothes moistned in them upon the belly and loynes Or you shall prepare another in this forme Take Succus Acaciae Hypocistidos Psidia Another soft oynment Terra Sigillata Trochiskes de Carabe Colophonie of each halfe an ounce mingle them together and let a powder be made of them which you shall use in manner of a Cataplasme tempered with the juyce of Plantane applyed to the fore-parts and hinder-parts Also such a Plaister not unprofitable may be made Take the powder of Harts-horne burnt A Plaister Paper burned the drosse of Iron of each one ounce Acorne-cups two ounces mixe them make a powder with which tempered with the white of an Egge a little Vinegar and plantane-Plantane-water let a plaister be made A certain other plaister shall be prepared in this manner Take Masticke Olibanum Mumia Sanguis Draconis of each one ounce Flea-beane burnt Allome roots of Wal-woort or Asse-eare Psidia Pomegranate-flowers of each equall parts of all of them being beaten to powder halfe an ounce Earth-wormes pounded Frankincense of each two drams Mixe them together and make a Plaister of them with the white of an Egge a little Vinegar and plantane-Plantane-water Againe let another Plaister be thus made to be used after the manner of a soft ointment Take the juyce of Plantane mixed with Vinegar steepe leather of a Cowes hide in that Mâ—â—ture Afterward boile it and dip a cloth sometimes folded together in that decoction and apply it in manner of a soft ointment But if you shall use all these things in vaine at last you shall use these Pessaries Pessaries having wonderfull power to bind Take Triphera Magna Micleta Athanasia of each one dram Hypocisthidos Succus Acaciae Bole Armeny Sanguis Draconis roots of Comfrey
Plantane the lesser or Ribwoort Galls Psidia of each one dram Let all of them be mixed and incorporated with juyce of Plantane and Rue and let Pessaries be made of them Or else take unripe Galls burn'd quenched with Vinegar two drams Gumme Arabick halfe a dram Sanguis Draconis powder of the roots of Walwoort or Asse-eare Sumach Masticke Acorn-cups Hypocisthidos Acacia Harts-horne burnt Colophony Myrrh drosse of Iron of each one dram Camphire one scruple mingle and incorporate all together with the juyce of Knot-grasse Housleeke Night-shade Wormegrasse or Stonegrasse and of Plantane as much as sufficeth and let a Pessary be made of it Or otherwise Take the ashes of Egs-shels burn'd the shels of Crab-fish Sanguis Draconis Bole Armenie Oxe-dung dried of each two drams leaves of Silver or Gold most diligently beaten one dram Haire of Goats of Hares Cotton all burned of each halfe a dram temper them with the juyce of Rue and Plantane so much as may suffice and let a Pessary be made of it But if intemperate heate of the blood shall inforce the Fluxe If the Flux do arise from the heate of the blood how it is to be cured and shall ingender great thirst the diet shall be directed to a cold and dry temperature and the use of all outward things to be ordained and disposed of as they may strengthen and make the body prosper Let her drinke Water wherein red-hot Steele hath beene quenched mingled with syrup of Pomegranates And such an Electuary may first be prepared of which let her eate morning and evening and after meat a little morsell the bignesse of a Chesse-nut Take old conserve of Roses one ounce Diaolibanum two ounces red Corall prepared one dram Pearles prepared one scruple Cummin-seed infused the space of a day in Vinegar one dram and a halfe dry Mints foure scruples Olibanum two scruples Mastick Cypress-nuts roots of Bistort of each halfe a dram Spica Indica one scruple Let al things that are to be beaten to powder be powdred and let an Electuary gilded be made of them being tempered with syrup of Pomegranates so much as sufficeth Also she shall use these pills following five of them taken in the morning or three houres before supper the waight of a dram Take Frankincense Mastick Mumia Allom Harts-horne burn'd washed Cypresse-nuts Runnet of a Hare or Kid of each a dram Gumme Arabicke one dram mixe them and let a masse or lumpe be made wherewith pills may be formed with the juyce of the Thistle named Carduus Mariae our Ladies Thistle or white Thistle Here also Pilulae de Bdellio prepared with the juyce of a Leeke This Plaister prepared either in a hard or liquid forme after the manner of an Vnguent shall have great efficacy by annointing the woman with it before and behind Take oile of Masticke two ounces oile of Myrtles juyce of Mints red Roses of each one ounce powder of Mastick two ounces Cypressenuts Mumia Bistort Olibanum Myrtles red Roses of each two drams Chalk burnt Allom Galls Acorne-cups of each one dram Bole Armeniack Terra Sigillata of each halfe a dram white Waxe so much as sufficeth and let a Plaister be made of them After shee hath beene annointed with this Vnguent shee shall weare this Cere-cloth following continually laid before and behind upon her Take Masticke one dram and a halfe Ladanum Olibanum of each two drams Galls Cypresse-nuts Bistort Mumia of each one dram Myrrhe Galbanum Terra sigillata of each two scruples temper them with Oyle of Masticke and Wax so much as sufficeth and let a Cere-cloth bee made of it which being spred over white Leather must bee laid upon the woman before and behind afflicted with this unnaturall flux Hot Bathes do profit and availe in this case not such as consist of Brimstone but of Copper and Allome But if the flux of blood shall arise only from a cold cause then you must proceed altogether in the same manner as we have prescribed before in curing barrennesse engendered of a phlegmaticke humour CHAP. XI Of the the Causes and Cure of the stopping of the Termes BVt because in the former Chapter we have given instructions concerning the immoderate Fluxes and issuings of the Termes and of the Cure of the same The next thing is that wee should also speake a little concerning the retention and stopping of them For thereby many sicknesses and diseases are bred and ingendred if they be detained contrary to Nature nor doe not issue forth in such a quantity as they should every Moone in women well disposed in respect of age and constitution of body And we must understand that this happeneth by outward and inward Causes Outward causes of the stopping of the Termes Externall causes are the aire intemperately hot cold and dry meats over hot and binding whereby the humours are burned the body dried and concoctions are hindred also meats which are too cold congealing and freezing as it were the rest of the humours of the body by their coldnesse and letting them from issuing forth by restraining and binding them To these causes also these following doe pertaine too much watching immoderat fasting every unseasonable and sudden commotion or perturbation of the body as great anger sudden fury great sadnesse great lamentation over-much solitarinesse great labour any great diseases sharp fits a Quartane Fever paine of the Head the Fever Hecticke too much fatnesse issuing forth of the blood of the nostrils or any other member Vlcers and great Apostems Inward causes Inward causes are partly bred by the corruption of some humour and partly without the corruption of any humour Causes without the corruption of the humour are over-much heat coldnesse and drinesse For to those which are cholericke the humours are exsiccated and dried up through immoderate heat and therefore the Termes are stopped But to the melancholicke The corruption of the qualities the same thing happeneth by immoderate coldnesse and drinesse But when they happen without the corruption of the humour we must allege the qualities to be the cause and we may observe certaine signes from what quality they doe proceede and againe whether from a simple or a compound quality If they happen from coldnesse and drinesse the issue of the Termes is little the colour will be pale no desire of Venus the urine thin white and without any convenient subsidence or grounds in the bottome If they chance from hotnesse and drinesse the Termes will be few the colour redder the greater desire of Venus the urine thinne reddish but almost no subsidence or dregs in the bottome of it But for the most part this retention and stopping of the Termes The corruption of the humours doth happen by the corruption and fault of some humour as of Phlegme Choler and Melancholy but not of blood at all because they are onely retained and stopped through the other humours bearing sway in the blood Moreover common signes by which it is
feele the dolours and paines of their labour to be moved and stirred up either through some immoderate exercise or constipation and hard binding of the belly or by an Ague or some other disease let her receive a Fume or Suffumigation of Frankincense upon the coales For the doing of this will greatly strengthen the Matrix and the Infant Afterward let her bathe the outwards parts with Allome Galls Comfrey decocted and sodden in Raine-water Wine and Vinegar And if they shall be weak and feeble by swooning let them take Diamargariton or Manus Christi after the same manner as wee spake before But if a disposition to vomiting shall creepe upon them If there happens a disposition to vomit or want of digestion what to doe or that they cannot digest the meat which they have taken let them use this syrup Take of the syrup of Pomegranates one ounce and a halfe Muske Lignum Aloes of each one scruple Cinamome one scruple and a halfe temper and commixe them with three ounces of water of Sorrell and make a draught of it for them to drinke Let them drinke this syrup every day when they are fasting being well warmed Also for the strengthning and comforting of the stomacke let them use these Roundells or Trochiskes Take of the confection Diambra morning and evening and also after meat To strengthen and comfort the stomacke Also let them lay this Plaister following upon the mouth of the stomacke Take Masticke Cinamome red Roses Sage Mint Baulaustium or the flowers of Pomegranates of each one ounce and a halfe Oile of Quinces of Turpentine a sufficient quantity make a Plaister of which take so much as may suffice to spread upon a piece of Leather the breadth and forme of a stomack-plaister termed Seutum which may be covered with silke Or let them use this Vnguent or Ointment Take Masticke white Frankincense Mints of each a little quantity let them temper every one of them beaten to powder with common oile and therewith annoint well the mouth of the stomacke 10. If they shall have their Termes come downe what to doe But if in the time of child-bearing they shall have the Termes to come downe they shall prepare sweet milke in which a piece or gad of steele red hot hath been extinguished and quenched they shall drinke of it they shall eate of it they shall make Pottage and Sops with it Also they may sweat using these things Take of the greater Plantane Inula campana Cinquefoile or Five-finger grasse Culvers or Pigeons dung the stalks of Beanes and Oats of each one handfull let them all be let decocted in water together and let sweatings be provoked by sitting in a bathe of them 11. Women that are seldome delivered at the due time what to doe There are also many women which are seldome delivered at the due time but too soone and before the time let them when the are conceived with childe prepare and make bathes for their feete and legges in which let them sit daily one houre before supper and againe three houres together after supper Take Saxifrage Camomile Salt Dill of each a handfull Also they may use this Electuary in the morning and when they goe to bed Take Electuarium laetificans mixed and tempered with Been white red beaten to powder But especially this thing which is knowne by much experience shall greatly profit Take the little skinnes extracted and drawne out of stomackes of Hens and let them take them beaten to fine powder for a few daies in the morning fasting with Wine the waight of a French-crowne And these truely are generall precepts fit and convenient for many accidents and changes that it may be certainly evident and apparent to every one how they ought to carry and demeane themselves from the conception even untill the time of the birth the knowledge of the which is not so profitable as the use is necessary The end of the second Booke The third Booke Of the birth and all manner of remedies which may concerne women in time of child-birth and also their Infants CHAP. I. Of the due and lawfull time of the birth and of the forme and manner of it and also of the paines and dolours of women in time of their travell and labour NOw the ninth Month being instant the nourishment of the Infant beginneth to faile in the wombe and not to be sufficient The Infant being great and wanting nourishment moveth with great violence in the wombe because of the greatnesse of the Infant to which he is growne unto For now being great hee needeth much nutriment and food which because he cannot sufficiently attract and draw unto him by the small veines and likewise by the Navell he is moved with great force and violence in the womb He breaketh the ligaments so that he breaketh asunder the Ligaments or binders the small veines with the coats or caule in which he is wrapped infolded I say the Secundine with the other two coats or wrappers of which it hath been spoken before and doth prepare unloose himselfe to the birth after the maner of this figure What the paines of the birth are By this declaration appearance Midwives and other women which are present with pregnant and laboring women may marke and observe the true and proper paines passions and throngs of child birth which indeed are no other thing but the violence and strugglings of the Infant being come to perfection with which he is driven tossed and rolled hither and thither and striveth downeward to the lower parts that he might have passage to come forth into the light For the membranes or caules being broken by his striving violence and the Matrix being disclosed and opened the humours doe begin to flow abroad from which the Infant being freed and delivered by and by feeleth the aire and through desire of this life is rolled towards the out-passage of the Matrix A naturall birth his head turned towards the mouth and entrance of the Matrix And this is the forme and manner of a legitimate and most naturall birth if first the head proceede forth the hands stretched downewards by the sides and laid upon the hips as the present Figure adjoyned doth shew and expresse But the birth is said to be unnaturall if any of these conditions and properties shall be wanting The Midwife to be provided of convenient things Wherefore the Midwife shall have a diligent care that shee be furnished and provided timely and speedily to receive any birth with a convenient Stoole or Chaire with a Knife Sponge binders and with oile of Lillies warmed with which shee may profitably annoint both the wombe of the labouring woman and her owne hands CHAP. II. Of the Office of Midwives and of the apt and fit forme and fashion of their Stoole or Chaire The office of Midwives BVt what the Office of Midwives is in the time of birth and how the action
may proceed we will now declare First let the Midwife know the time and observe the true paines and dolours also let her comfort and cheare up the labouring woman and let her chearefully exhort her to obey her Precepts and admonitions Likewise let her give good exhortations to other women being present especially to poure forth devout prayers to God afterward to doe their duties at once as well as they are able Which done let her bring the labouring woman to her Stoole which ought to be prepared in this fashion The Navell being cut and the childe washed The Navell to be sprinckled with powder his Navell being dry must be strewed and sprinckled with powder compounded of Bole-Armeniacke Sanguis Draconis and Myrrh and to be pressed downe with a double cloth laid upon it For this doth remedy a Flux of blood and other chances CHAP. III. Of certaine naturall Precepts and Medicines furthering and easing the flownesse and difficultie of the birth BEcause here we will discourse of removing the impediments of the birth wee must consider first of all that the birth is hindred two manner of waies The birth hindred two waies naturally and unnaturally When it shall happen to be hindred unnaturally wee must proceed according to the Precepts and Rules delivered in the fourth Booke following But when it is hindred naturally we must use the Precepts delivered and set downe in this Chapter Before all things let the Midwife be so skilfull of the matter that so much as lieth in her power she may conveniently and readily decline and avoyd all impediments and hindrances of the birth If the birth be hindred by the drinesse or straitnesse of the necke of the Matrix what to doe But if it shall happen that the birth is hindred by siceity drinesse or straitnesse of the necke or privie passages of the Matrix a little quantity of sneesing-powder and Pepper is to be blowne into the nostrills of the labourig-woman with a quill also her mouth is to be kept close and her breath to be kept in and sternutation or sneefing is to be provoked whereby the breath being driven downward may thrust and depresse the Infant to the nether most parts Which effect is also caused by these things following The herbe Bursa pastoris beaten to powder and taken in Wine or broth of Cicers will greatly prevaile Also a spoonfull of Hony taken with twice as much warme water Also the milke of another woman mixed and tempered with the leaves of Mugwoort or Mother woort laid warme upon the Navell Also oile of Bay taken in warme water or broth of Cicers Also two graines of Pepper being taken doe both force and drive forward the birth and also the Secundine Our medicine which we most especially use the birth being hindred and paines of travelling failing and slaking is this Take of the Trochiskes of Myrrh one ounce Saffron ten graines Cinamome one scruple mingle them with two ounces of the water of Mugwoort or Peniroyall and make one draught of it Let the labouring-woman take this draught warme which being taken A Potion let her returne to bed againe about the space of an houre untill feeling the force of this Potion her pangs and paines stirred up againe shee rising up returne to her labour and travell But if this will not profit nor doe any good and the Infant having put forth his head to the birth first doe as yet sticke and doe not proceed forward by and by seven of these Pills are to be given her which being taken let her rest againe a little Take of the Gum Bdellium Myrrh Pills of the seed of Savine Storax liquida that is Stactes Castoreum Agaricum of each halfe a scruple Diagridion sixe graines temper them with the pulpe of Cassia newly extracted as much as may suffice and make Pills of them as big as a Pease Both these medicines procuring a speedy birth are approved almost of all skilfull Physicians and are in use A Pessary Also wee shall use this Pessary which you shall make the length and bredth of a finger of pure wooll and shall cover it over with silke which you shall orderly use dipped in the juyce of Rue or herbe Grace in which Scamonie is dissolved There are some which hang the Iasper-stone or the stone called lapis Aquilinus on the left hip If these things after triall take no effect let the child bearing woman exercise her selfe by going a little afterward let her use this bath or fomentation A Bathe the bath I say reaching up so high that it may come over her belly Take Marish-Mallowes the herbe and root sixe handfulls of other Mallowes Camomile Melilot Parsley of each foure handfulls Lineseed Fenegreke of each two pound Bay-leaves Lavender-leaves of each two handfulls let all these things be boiled in water in which let the labouring woman sit or sometimes apply Sponges dipped in the same warme to her belly and backe The which being done sufficiently let her be cherrished with warme clothes and being brought to her bed let her be annointed with this ointment Take of the oile of sweet Almonds Hens grease An Vnguent oile of Lillies of Muscilage of Marish-Mallowes of each halfe an ounce temper them with a sufficient quantity of wax and make an ointment These things will prevaile to expell and drive forth the Secundines as wee will teach in the Chapter following This being done you shall give her a sop or morsell sodden with the yolke of two Egges in old wine these sorts of things commixed and tempered with them Take Cinamome halfe an ounce the rindes of Cassia or rather so much the more Cinamome in stead of Cassia because the Druggists often sell that which is not good Saffron halfe a scruple Savine Betony Maiden haire Dittany Fenegreke Bay-berries Mints of each one ounce of the bone found in the heart of a Hart Pearles prepared of each halfe a scruple mix them with Sugar If the Secundine come forth first and hinder the passage of the Infant what to doe and make a powder of them somewhat grosse But if the Secundine or after-birth come forth before the child and hinder and let the passage of the Infant that shall be cut off but the Navell must be bound up and this Pessary following must be conveyed into the necke or privie passage of the Matrix Take of Marish-Mallowes with the roots two handfuls of Mother or Mugwoort on handfull of Rue or herb-grace one ounce a halfe Fenegreke Lineseed of each one ounce ten Figs temper them together and make a decoction with a sufficient quantity of water to which being throughly strained adde these things oile of Lillies oile of Lineseede of both two ounces Muske one graine Let the Pessary being moistned in the decoction be conveyed into the necke of the Matrix Let her also by and by use this Electuary An Electuary Take Myrrh Castoreum Calamus aromaticus two ounces Cinamome
that meanes the Matrix will both be drawne backe and also retained and held still being reduced into her proper place But that the Matrix being reduced and brought into the wombe may remaine and continue there nor suddenly fall downe againe it must be strengthened according to these precepts and rules following First let the woman lie a whole day upon her backe after the reducing of the Matrix into her proper place But the next day let her sit in a bathe boiled with these herbes about the space of one houre Take red Roses Myrtles seede of Sumach A Bathe leaves of the Medler-tree of a Service-tree the bark of an Oke Acornes Origanum Sage Rue Comfrey of each a handfull let them all be mixed and beaten together and let a decoction or bathe be made with them in raine water or in water in which burning-iron hath beene quenched When she commeth out of the bathe let her drinke this powder boiled in Wine very hot Take Rue Mugwoort of each halfe a handfull Castofeum two drams mingle them and make a powder of them Then take the best white Wine so much as sufficeth straine it and to the straining adde two drams of Mithridate And let a hot Potion be made of it Afterward the secrets are to be Fomented and bathed nine daies together and likewise Pessaries are to be used A Plaister And the tenth day this Plaister following spread upon white Leather shall be laid to the lowest part of the belly and to remaine there for some weekes together But let the Cerot or Plaister be made in this manner Take Frankincense Masticke Opopanax Turpentine Galbanum Serapium Rosine of the Pine-tree Styrax liquida Colophonie of each two drams yellow wax three drams temper them together and let a Cerot be made with them Or else Take Galbanum halfe a dram Gallia Muscata one dram Cloves halfe a dram Rosine of the Pine-tree and Colophonie so much as sufficeth mixe them and let a Cerot or Cerecloth be made of them We let passe here of set purpose nor without great cause something in this Cure which is onely knowne to the learned and skilfull which may be demanded of them so often as neede shall require Further you shall consider that when the aforesaid sicknesse shall arise from cold wind or over-much moistnesse of the Matrix that you must proceede altogether in the same manner which wee have prescribed and set downe before discoursing of the windie and waterish false conception named Mola I say concerning a Tympany and Hydropsie CHAP. X. Of the superfluities of the Termes and of the Cure of the same EVen as the Termes may be stopped contrary to the course of Nature so they may issue forth too immoderately contrary to the custome of Nature and as by them being stopped so by them flowing abundantly many diseases are caused unto women as Hippocrates doth advise us But as the naturall issue of the Termes which otherwise we call the Menstruall The unnatural issuing forth of the Termes or monthly purgation should issue forth every Moone naturally in women being well disposed in body and age I say from the third or fourth day after the new-Moone untill the eighth day although in this case there be many differences of ages complexions and disposition of body so wee say that issuing forth of the Termes not to be naturall which passeth beyond that time And we say that this doth happen two waies that is outward and inward Causes The outward causes are these Externall Causes as if some little veine be broken in the mouth or necke of the Matrix through immoderate exercise or some hurt chancing unto it as over-lifting stroke fall violence or exulceration Also some such like thing may be caused by aborcement and hard birth and also by the ulcers or fores of the Matrix Notwithstanding it happeneth sometime that Fluxes and issues are found to be in women conceived with childe every moneth yet they are never the weaker by them neither doe they substract or withdraw any nourishment from the Infant Inward causes are to be judged and discerned from Nature it selfe or from the blood Internall Causes From Nature when shee being strong doth expell the blood or being feeble and weake cannot hold or retaine it For the blood when it is too hot or sharp or over cold and thinne againe when by idlenesse immoderate meate and drinke too much nourishment is afforded to the blood Moreover certaine signes doe happen Signes of the Causes by which it may certainly be found out whether they come from an outward or inward cause If the Flux happen from an outward cause as from a veine being broken through some immoderate exercise by some hurt or fall then the colour of the blood will be red at the first but by and by blackish or blacke If it issue forth straight-way it will appeare in his naturall colour but being retained sometime in the Matrix it will issue forth with an ugly and thicke colour if it shall remaine there long it will be altogether full of corrupt matter But if the blood shall issue forth because of ulcers and sores of the Matrix First it will be cleare and thin but by by it wil be ful of filthy matter without all colour If the strong and mighty force of Nature doe expell it then it will be done without paine that also the body is alleviated and eased by it because Nature voideth no more of that which is ingendred but that which is superfluous either in quality or quantity If it shall happen by defect of retentive vertue it will issue forth by drops by little and little and disorderly without any intermission and the woman which shall be affected and afflicted with this issue shall waxe pale leane and very feeble in all her members but the blood doth retaine still his naturall colour and flowing abroad it doth not burne bite or molest with any paines But the cause of this Flux for the most part doth happen to women having passed beyond the fiftieth yeere when as their Termes doe generally depart away When it chanceth to young women oftentimes it h ppeneth by vehement and grievous fits of a Tertian Quartan Ague and paines of the head For these things doe dissipate and drive away Naturall vertue and power and do easily bring upon them such a Flux and immoderate issue If it proceed and be caused by intemperate heate or acrimony and egernesse of the blood the issue doth burne bite inflame and corrode the entrance and mouth of the Matrix The woman pained with this passion doth endure intolerable thirst and her lips are grieved with chaps bred and caused by most sharpe and hot vapours of the blood fuming and steaming upward Most grievous dolours and paines are felt in the niples of the Dugs by reason of the affinity and fellowship that they have with the Matrix The blood resembleth the colour of Saffron and is
blacke neither doth it issue forth copiously although it be constrained If it arise through subtility and thinnesse of the blood then the blood is pure and cleare and the Flux is small If heate be mixed with it it shall easily be discerned in the Matrix and by other tokens and signes If cold be mixed with it it shall in like manner be observed and found out If the blood shall issue forth because it is liquid and thin the cause of this is the evill disposition and state of the body and the debility of the concoctions caused and ingendred by abundance of many moistures and winds or vapors inclosed and imprisoned in the Matrix But if you will have certaine knowledge of the humor constraining this unnaturall issue looke upon a linnen cloth sleightly coloured and dipped in the menstruous blood If the colour of it doth incline to rednesse you may know that the cause of the Fluxe doth proceed from blood If it bend toward Citrine or yellow colour from Choler if it incline to whitenesse from Phlegme But if it incline to a black colour you may know the cause of the Fluxe to arise from Melancholy What Fluxes are to be stopped Further you shall consider when as the Flux shall be tolerable and easie to be indured which doth not make the body leane nor weaken it but doth dis-burden it and make the same more light and nimble that such a Flux is inforced and moved by naturall vertue and power only expelling and voyding that which is superfluous in the blood and therefore such Flux and issue ought not to be restrained or stopped But if the contrary thing happen it is to be restrained and staied altogether lest it bring the Patient to cholerick Fevers because that blood being evacuated and exhausted Choler doth beare the whole sway and play the Tyrant and being freed from his bridle doth furiously vex and torment the Patient For blood as it is commonly said is the bridle of Choler But because also naturall colour is nourished cherrished with blood that flowing away it is necessary that a defect and decay of heat must follow and ensue and by that all the members and parts of the body to waxe cold the whole body to be debilitated and weakened the whole appetite to be taken away the concoctions to be hindred the Consumption and Hydropsie and also other most miserable diseases at the last to hasten after the same But because it is not sufficient to know the diversities of the diseases onely unlesse wee be resolved likewise of the fit and convenient cure of repelling them wee will hereafter also declare a few things of many which shall seeme to be the choisest and most speciall concerning the cure and remedy of these evills And as the Causes of these Fluxes and issues are inward and outward so the cure shall be inward and outward also The inward cure of unnaturall Fluxes And truely first of all if this unmeasurable or unnaturall Fluxe shall happen by some inward cause before all things the diet and use of all outward things shall be ordered and directed to a cold and dry temperature that blood may decrease and be diminished Therefore it will greatly profit to decoct and seethe all convenient and agreeable meats in Milke or Water in which Steele red-hot hath beene quenched and to eate Colewoorts boiled with Lentills or Beanes Or if it please you such a decoction shall first be prepared wherein other meats afterward shall be boiled Take Plantane-leaves flowers of Wool-blade or Lungwoort with the leaves of each one handful the roots of Symphytum or comfrey one ounce mingle them together and boile them with water or Milk in which burning Iron hath beene quenched straine it and squeise it out hard With this decoction all other meates may be prepared as Almonds Lentills Beanes the graine Milium Rice Amylum and the like things rosted flesh is to be preferred before sodden Also sauces may be prepared of the juice of Goose-berries Sorrell and Barberries to be mingled with other meats Let her abstaine from Spices and all things which are of a hot nature but specially from Saffron Let her drinke thicke red Wine allaied with water wherein Steele hath beene quenched It will likewise be profitable that Gold should oftentimes be extinguished and quenched in that Wine after it hath beene made red-hot in the fire Let her use no exercise but as much rest as may be Let her use much sleep let her wholly shake hands with Venus and flie from her as from a deadly poison Her belly being constipated and bound by reason of this continuall Fluxe shall be relaxed and unloosed with a gentle Clyster but thou shalt not by any meanes restraine and stop the Flux unlesse it shall induce and bring debility and feeblenesse lest thou oppose thy selfe against Nature of her owne accord expelling and voiding out superfluous things when thy resistance shall procure great evill When and how Fluxes are to be restrained But when necessity shall require then at last it will be convenient and profitable to binde and stop this Flux And first of all you shall use this powder of which you shall give one dram to be drunke at a time in water in which Gold heat red-hot hath bin quenched And the powder shall be thus prepared Take Terra Sigillata Carabe or Amber Succus Acacia of each halfe an ounce Hypocistis or Hypoquistidos Harts-horne washed and burnt the Runnet of a Kid or Hare of each two drams red Corrall prepared and beaten to powder one dram Gumme Arabicke Costus Sanguis Draconis Bole-Armeniacke prepared of each one dram and a halfe Comfrey flowers of Quinces the pills or rindes of Pomgranates of each one dram Pearles prepared one scruple Mumia halfe a dram Myrtles Olibanum of each one dram Lapis Haematites or the Blood-stone roots of the water-Lilly of each one dram and a halfe Mix them all together and let a powder be made of them Also you shall not unprofitably give this powder following to be eaten in an Egge Take Bole-Armenie prepared Terra Sigillata red Sanders Anthera of each one scruple and a halfe Rindes of Pomegranates Acorne-cups Nut-meg of each halfe a dram Mixe them and make a Powder Or let her use this Electuary morning and evening Take of the Antidote Athanasia Micleta of each one ounce old conserve of Roses one ounce and a halfe Rindes of Pomegranates Acorne-cups Nut-meg Corall prepared of each one scruple and a halfe Pearles prepared halfe a scruple Terra Sigillata halfe a dramme Sanguis Draconis Bole-Armenie prepared Lapis Hematites of each one scruple Temper them with syrup of Pomegranates as much as sufficeth and let an Electuary be made of it Adde to it if neede be Philonium Persicum one dram Moreover against Thirst Water wherein red-hot Steele hath beene quenched mingled with the syrup of Quinces and Pomegranates and with the juyce of Gooseberries and Acetosa simplex shall
Decoction let her take one sponefull of this powder following in a little potion of the decoction hereunto adjoyned and lying downe in her bed let her take rest Take of the Herbes of Sorrell Bawme Mercury Motherwoort red Cicers red Beanes Fenegrek roots of Imperatoria Valerian of each halfe a handfull mingle them with wine so much as sufficeth and let a decoction be made let it be strained and let there be added to the straining two ounces of the powder following and let them be drunke together very hot A powder Take of the rindes or barkes of Cassia Fistula Cyperus of each one dram rootes of Tormentill of Pionie cleared from uttermost rinde Cinamome of each two drams Saffron seed of Daucus graines of Pionie of each one dram and a halfe seedes of Agnus castus of Parsley Basill Stone-Persley Mercury Sperage Milum solis or Gramill Venus-haire Maiden-haire Camomile Betony Liverwoort Spike-Nard Squinanthum Hops Endive of each one scruple Sugar so much mixe them and let a powder be made If she will not use this powder in the aforesaid manner let a confection be made in little rundells or cakes which shee may eate alone comming out of the bathe or may take them dissolved in the afore prescribed decoction And let the confection be such Cakes â—sells Take one ounce of the prescribed powder without Sugar white Sugar halfe a pound let the Sugar be dissolved in Rose-water let the powder be tempered together with it and let little cakes be made in morsels If it doe not please her to use this bathe yet let her use this Fomentation Take Sothernwood â—entaâ— Dill Motherwoort Camomile Clarie Bawme Mercury Elder-flowers red Roses of each one handfull Fenegrek Line-seed of each halfe a pound mingle all things together and make a decoction with Wine so much as sufficeth with which let the woman be fomented Or let her receive this fume following underneath by a Tunnell or Pipe for the purpose Take seed of Agnus castus one ounce Dill one handfull Carui Costus of each one ounce commixe them and let a decoction be made with wine so much as sufficeth All these things being performed the veines of the Ancle or Saphenae shall be opened after the fift or sixt day in both feeet or in one day one only and in another day the other It will also be profitable to sweate in a bathe also to scarifie the skinne with cupping-glasses about the hips Afterward shee may use these Pessaries Take Borace Amomum Myrrhe Aristolochia rotunda Calamus Aromaticus Cloves Pessaries Majorame of each one dram and a halfe Diagridium tenne graines temper them with the juyces of Motherwoort Wormewood and wild Mint and let a Pessery be made which she shall use continually Or else take Triphera magna sine Opio halfe an ounce Myrrhe Mountaine calamint of each two drams fresh Rue three drams Savine rootes of Sothernwood of each foure drams Ladanum Galbanum Serapinum Assa Foetida of each one dram and a halfe roots of Madder the greater of Cyperus of each one dram mix them and let a powder be made of them but let the Pessary be made with the Gall of a Bull and Oile of Lillies Or she must use the Pessary following Take juyce of Mercury Wormewood Majoram Mugwoort Clary wild Mint of each halfe an ounce mingle the aforesaid prescribed powders with these juyces and make a Pessary of such forme and quantity as it ought to be 〈◊〉 the reâ—â—n shall â—ed of meâ—â—â—â—â—oly how 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 But when retention of the Termes shall proceed from melancholy there are found paines and a sound or noise in the bottome of the Matrix by reason of vapours and winds mixed and shut up together in the same the Vrine will be thin blacke and blewish and loose a cloth stained with that flux will appeare with a black colour Moreover this cause being knowne before all things the diet must be directed to a hot and moist temperature afterward the superfluous matter shall be mollified with this decoction or digestive following and prepared for to be purged Take leaves of Sena one ounce herbs of Calamint Origanum Motherwoort Staechados Harts-tong Liverwoort of each half a handful Borrage-flowers Buglosse-flowers Violets Venus-haire Germander of each one Pugil Parsley-roots roots of Sperage Fennel rindes of Cappar-roots of each two drams Liquorice Raisins of each halfe an ounce the best Rheubarb Agarick of each one dram mingle them with running-water and let it be boiled untill one halfe be consumed afterward straine and to the straining adde so much white Sugar as sufficeth and let it be aromatized and spiced with one dram of Cinamome You must give so often of this decoction to the sicke woman untill the superfluous matter shall seem to be sufficiently prepared Or you shall prepare another digestive in this manner Take Oximel simplex one ounce Syrup de radicibus halfe an ounce waters of Sperage and Elder of each one ounce Let it be spiced with Cinamome so much as sufficeth and let one draught be made of it but the matter being sufficiently prepared shall be expelled and purged with this potion following Take Maiden-haire flowers of Borrage Buglosse Violets Hops Staechados Germander of each halfe a handfull Polypodie three drams Liquorice Raisins of each one ounce let all things be mingled and stamped together and let a decoction be made with running-running-water so much as sufficeth till halfe of it be wasted afterward straine it and to the straining put syrup de Epithymo of Violets Cassia newly extracted Manna of each three drams Electuary Hamech Diaphaenicon of each one dram and a halfe commixe them and let a minorative or purging medicine be made of it Or if it please you let it be made in this manner Take Myrobalani Indi halfe an ounce Citrini two drams let them be infused in Whey the space of eleven houres afterward let them be strained out and let there be added to the straining Cassia extracted Manna of each halfe an ounce powder of Epithymie two scruples Ginger six graines Sugar so much as sufficeth temper them and let a potion be made of it In this case also Pilulae Indae are most specially allowed Moreover the superfluous matter being sufficiently purged bathes also fomentations suffumigations unguents powders pessaries may be prepared in the same manner as we have spoken of late concerning Phlegme and choler but not without the counsell of skilfull Physicians For now wee will make an end to say any more concerning the retention and stopping of the Termes by some certaine and manifest cause These are those things courteous Reader which that most learned and expert Chirurgion Iames Rueff compiled in Latine concerning the Originall of Humane-seed and Generation c. FINIS
Let all these things be mingled together with oile of odoriferous Spike and let Trochiskes be made of them with the which let the woman in the morning being fasting and in the evening about to goe to bed receive a fume underneath Also it will be profitable to annoint the privie parts with this unguentum following An Vnguent Take Styrax Calamita one dramme Saffron Masticke Ladanum Myrrh of each one dram Temper them with oyle of Spike and Roses and white Waxe so much as may suffice and a Liniment be made Likewise the braines rosted of Hares will do good in this case But some do use the grease of Duckes Geese Hennes Harts and the like to which they doe mixe the sorts of simples before prescribed and make Trochiskes convenient to make a Suffumigation Likewise you may use these fumes following Suffumigation Take Pure Ladanum one ounce Styrax Calamita Olibanum of each one dram Lignum Aloes dry Savine of each one dram and a halfe Amber three graines Muske six graines Let all these things be mixed and beaten to powder and let Trochisks be made with a hot Pestle of which being cast upon the coales let a fume be made underneath thorow a Tunnell Likewise Pessaries may be made of the Masse or Lumpe of them Or otherwise Take Ladanum one dram Styrax Calamita halfe an ounce Cloves Lignum Aloes red Roses of each two drams Amber halfe a scruple Muske sixe graines let all these things be pounded and let Trochiskes be made of them in the manner aforesaid Some of these also may be dissolved with Rose-water and the mouth of the Matrix may be washed with it Of these also Pessaries may be prepared Here is also another thing very profitable Take red Roses halfe an ounce Frankincense Masticke Myrrh Sanguis Draconis Bole-Armeniacke Myrtles of each two drams Styrax Calamita halfe an ounce Ladanum halfe an ounce Amber Muske Lignum Aloes Cloves Artificiall Balsamum Spick-Nard of each halfe a scruple Those things that are to be powdred let them be beaten to powder and let Trochiskes be made in the aforesaid manner and let a Suffumigation be made thorow a Tunnell with one dram of it It hath beene received for a truth of some acient Writers that women which did often eate the roots of Aristolochia with rosted Veale should almost certainely conceive malechidren Pessaries But many of the later Physicians doe counsell to apply these Pessaries underneath the seventh day after the issuing forth of the Flowers for to rectifie conception Take of the root of Gentian Saffron Myrtles Aloes of each two drams Line-seede Oyle so much as sufficeth And let a Pessarie be made with them which they say will cause Conception within a few daies after it hath beene used But Galen counselleth to drinke Castoreum which is new and any kind of Peper taken the weight of twelve Barley cornes in Malmesey being mixed with the juyce of Penny-royall The same Galen reporteth that the Matrix of a Hare being dryed and beaten to powder taken in Malmesey to be approved of some But it is certaine that the Fumes or Suffumigations before prescribed to be most approved of many later Physicians Also while wee make mention of these things wee desire that all men should know that wee have nothing to doe with the Sorceries and divellish Arts of some old Witches concerning this matter But let it suffice to have spoken hitherto of those things by which sterility may be averted and fruitfulnesse furthered It remaineth also to speake a few words of those things which are to be ministred inwardly Inward helps of fruitfulnesse For because the fruitfulnesse of man and wife may be hindred very much for want of desire to be acquainted with Venus and by impotency and disability of ingendring and effecting Conception and also by infirmity of the seeds caused either by the defect of Nature or by the inchantments of evill arts Wee will declare how all these things are to be amended in the prescript formes of these medicines following But first let such a powder be made profitable and commodious for this matter A powder Take the stones of a Foxe Castoreum the Matrix of a Hare dryed of each two drams Galangal Long-peper of each two drams Sugar equall to all in weight Mix them and make a powder of which one spoonefull is to be taken every day morning and evening with Malmesey An Electuary Also an Electuary very much approved is very profitable for men and women to be taken every day in the morning fasting and in the evening when they are about to goe to bed the weight of a Filberd-nut shall be prepared in this manner Take the Testicles or stones of a Foxe cleansed six ounces red Cicers Mints Satyrion wild Rocket the roote of Acorus wilde Carrot the root of Gladiolus or Sword-grasse Bawme Cresses Ozimus Penny-royall Vrtica Fennell of each two ounces Let all things be made very cleane and being sodden in Sheeps-milke let them be very well pounded in a Morter and let them be reserved for the preparation of this Electuary following Next take the Braines of Pigeons Hens Cocks Sparrowes Drakes Phesans Stones of a Ball of a lecherous Goat of Bores stones of each three ounces Let these likewise be boiled in Sheeps-milke and being decocted let them be incorporated with a little fresh Butter with the yolkes of Egs and let them be successively dried on the fire in Pans Which being done Take sweete Almonds Filberd-nuts kernells of common Nuts Pine-apple-kernells all of them being made very cleane and dried a little on the fire of each one ounce the pith of the Indian Nut fat Dates of each one ounce and a halfe Let all these things be cut into small pieces and beaten to as fine powder as may be at last take the dry Pissle of a Bull Rocket-seed of each halfe an ounce the seeds of Anise Baucia Sperage of the Ash-tree Parsley Stone-parsley Radish of each two drams Long-peper Ginger of each three drams the roots of both kinds of Satyrion of each halfe a dramme the taile of the Fishes named Scinci five drams the taile of the Fish named Lacertus one dram and a halfe Let all these things be beaten to a most fine powder And all things being prepared confect and forme the Electuary with sixe pound of Sugar mixed with two pound of the Paste of the aforesaid things or with foure pound of clarfied Hony and two pound and a halfe of the aforesaid Paste Such an Vnguent also may be prepared for the same use with which the secrets and loynes may be annointed Take Oile made of the Egs of Pismires or Ants of the Oile of Castoreum of a Foxe Costus Galangal Elder of each halfe an ounce Petroleon Oile of odoriferous Spike of each two drams the roots of Peper Pellitory Euphorbium Castoreum of each halfe a dram seed of Rocket of an Onion of each one dram decoct all these things mixed with white