as wyll not be ruled / remouyng her selfe from one place to another / all such thynges causeth the labour to be much more payn full / cruell / and dolorous / then it wolde otherwyse be Also ye must vnderstande that generallye the byrthe of the man is easyer then the byrth of the female ¶ Item yf the chylde be of a fuller greater groweth than that it maye easelye passe that narowe passage / or contrarye wyse / yf it be so faynt / weake / and tender / that it can not turne it selfe / or doth it very slowly / or yf the womaÌ„ haue two chyldren at ones / other elles that it with the which she laboreth be a menster / as for example / yf it haue but one body and two heddes / as appeareth in the .xvij. of the byrth fygures / such as of late was sene in the dominion of werdenberghe ¶ Agayne wheÌ„ it procedeth not in due tyme or after due fashion / as when it cometh forthe with bothe fete or both knees togyther / or els with one fote onely / or with both fete downewarde and both handes vpwarde / other els the which is most perellous sydelong / arselonge / or backelonge / other hauynge two at a byrth / both procede with their fete fyrst / or one with his fete and the other with his head / by those and diuers other wayes the woman susteyneth greate doloure payne and anguysh ¶ Item yf the woman suffer aborsmeÌ„t / that is to saye brynge forth her chylde in the .iiii. or v. moneth after the conception / whiche is before the due tyme / in this case it shal be great payne to her / for so muche as accordynge to Galenus sayenge in that tyme the entrance of the wombe is so firmely and strongely enclosed / that scace the poynte of a nedle maye enter in at it ¶ Also yf the chyld be dead in the mothers bellye it is a verye perellous thynge / forsomuche as it can not be easely turned / nother can it weld or helpe it self to come forth / or yf the chyld be sycke or weakened / so that it can not for feablenesse helpe it selfe The whiche thynge maye be foresene knowen by these tokens Yf the woman with chylde haue ben longe sycke before her labor / yf she haue ben sore laxed / yf after her conception she haue had dayly vnwontly her flowres / yf streate after one moneth vppon the conception her brestes yelde anye mylke / yf the chylde steare not ne moue at suche tyme as is conuenient for it these be tokens that it sholde be verye weake By what tokens ye shall knowe it is dead / I shall shewe you in the nynth chapter hereafter ¶ Also there is greate parell in laborynge / when the secondyne or latter byrthe is ouer fyrme or stronge / and wyll not sone ryue or breake asunder / so that the chylde maye haue his easy commyng forth And contrary wyse when it is ouer weake slender or thynne / so that it breaketh asunder before that the chyld be turned or apte to yssue forthe / for then the humours which are collecte and gathered to gether about this secondyne or secoside byrth passe away soner then it sholde do / the byrth shall lacke his due humidite and moystenes / whiche sholde cause it the â—â—selyar to procede and with lesse payne ¶ The byrth also is hindered by ouer much colde or ouer muche heete / for in ouer muche colde the passage and all other powres of the laborynge woman be coarted and made narrower then they wolde otherwyse be Lykewyse ouer much heate debiliteth / weakeneth and faynteth both the woman and the chyld / so that neyther of them in that case can well welde or helpe them selfes for fayntnesse ¶ And forther yf the woman haue vsed to eate commenly such meate or fruytes / whiche do exiccat or drye and constrayne or bynde / as medlars / chestenuttes / all sowre fruyte / as trabbes / chokeperes / and suche other / with ouer muche vse of vergers / such lyke sowre sauces / with ryse myll / and many other thynges / all this shall greately hynder the byrth ¶ Also the vse of colde bathes after the .v. moneth folowyng the conception or to bathe in such water where alome is / yron / or salte / or any suche thynges which do coarcte and constrayne / or yf she haue ben oftentymes heauye and murnyng / or yll at ease / or yf she haue ben kept ouer hungrye and thurstye / or haue vsed ouer much watche and walkinge / other yf she vsed a lyttell before her labor thinges of great odour smell or sauoure / for suche thynges attracte and drawe vp warde the mother or matrice / the whiche is greate hynderaunce to the byrthe ¶ Also yf the womaÌ„ fele payne onely in the backe and aboue the nauell and not vnder / it is sygne of harde labor / lykewyse yf she ware wont to be delyuered with greate payne in tymes passed / is a sygne of great labor alwayes in the byrth ¶ Nowe sygnes and tokens of an expedite and easy delyueraunce be such as be contrary to all those that go before As for example / when the woman hathe ben wonte in tymes passed easelye to be 〈…〉 that in her labor she feale but lyttell thronge or dolor / or thoughe she haue greate paynes / yet they remayne not alwayes in the vppar partes / but descend to the nether partes or botome of the bellye ¶ And to be shorte in all paynefull troublesome labours / these sygnes betokeÌ„ signify good spede and lucke in the labor vnquietnes / muche stearynge of the chylde in the mothers belly / all the thronges and paynes tomblynge in the fore parte of the botome of the bellye / and when the woman is stronge and myghtye of nature / and such as can well and strongelye helpe her selfe to the expellynge of the byrth And agayne euell sygnes be those / when she swetethe colde swete and that her pulces beate and labor ouer sore / and that she her selfe in the laborynge faynt and swowne these be vnluckye and mortall sygnes ¶ Howe a woman with chylde shall use herselfe and what remedies be foâ—â— them that haue harde labor ¶ Cap .iiii. Tâ—… 〈…〉 such as are in suche difficull parell of labor / as we haue spoken of before / ye must obserue / kepe marke those thynges whiche we shall by the grace of god shew you in this chapter folowynge Fyrst the woman with chyld must kepe two dyettes / the one a monethe before her labor / the other in the verye laborynge / aboue all thynges she muste exchue and forbare all suche thynges which maye hynder the byrthe so nere as she can possible / the which we rehersed in the chapter before / but yf there be anye suche thynge which can not be auoyded / for so much as it commeth by nature or by long
in maner colde as yise / or to fluye or thynne c. dyuers other other wayes also it maye be letted / whyche shall not nede here to be rehersed ¶ Nowe yf the woman can not conceaue / the cause commynge of ouer muche frigidite and coldenesse in the matrice / that shall she knowe by these tokens she shal feale greate cold about the sydes / the raynes of the backe and the matrice / her vryne shall appeare whyte and thynnysshe / and sometymes also somewhat spysse and thycke / and all maner of colde thynges shall noye her / hote thynges shall greately comfort her ¶ But yf it come by ouer muche humidite of the matrice / that shall she knowe by these sygnes Yf the bodye of her be of a fatte and grosse disposition / yf with her flowres yssue forth at the begynnynge and the latterende of them certayne vyscous and waterye substaunce / and that her vrine be whyte / thycke / and sometyme as it were mylke Alsoo that she feale greate colde and payne aboute the matrice pryuie partes / muche dolour in her sydes and in the raynes of her backe ¶ And when ouer much heate or dryeth in the matrice / is cause of the hynderaunce of conception / then is the vryne hye coldred / red or yelowe / beynge thynne with certayne motes appearyng in the water / the womā hath greate thyrste / and bytter rysynge or belking oute of the stomacke in to the mouthe And manye tymes they that are in this case / are verye spare and leane in all theyr bodye / hauyng also but small quantite of flowres / the whiche thynge maye happen other by ouer muche watche / or ouer much fastynge / labor / trauell / sorowe / syckenesse c. But suche women which naturally are thus spare lene / maye verye hardely be brought to a temperancye agayne be made apte to conceaue And this shal be sufficiente for this tyme to knowe whiche qualite by his excesse causeth sterilite / nowe wyll we shewe howe it shal be knowen whether lacke of conception be in the woman or elles in the man / and howe to knowe whether the woman be conceaued or no / accordynge to the mynde of ryght expert doctors of physycke ¶ Howe to knowe whether lacke of conception be of the woman or of the man and howe it maye be perceaued whether she be conceaued or no. ¶ Cap .iiii. IF ye be desyrous to know whether the man or the woman be hynderance in conception lette eche of them take of whete and barlye cornes / and of beenes of eche .vii. the which they shall suffer to be steped in theyr seueral vryne / the space of .xxiiij. houres / then take .ij. pottes / suche as they set gylyflowres in / fyll them with good earth / in the one let be set the whete / barlye / beanes / styped in the mans water / in the other the whete / barlye / and beanes / styped in the womans water / and euerye mornynge the space of eight or ten dayes / lette eche of them with theyr proper vryne / water the sayd seades sowen in the forenamed pottes / marke whose potte dothe proue / the seades therin contained dothe growe / in that partie is not the lacke of conception / but see that there come no other water or rayne on the pottes ¶ Itē accordynge to Hypocrates wrytyng yf ye wyl knowe whether the faute be in the woman or no / then lette the woman receaue in to her body vndernethe / beynge well and closely closed round about the fume of some odoriferous perfume / as laudanum / storax / calamyte / lignum aloes / muske / ambre / and suche other / and yf the odour and sauour of suche thynges assende thorowe her body vp vnto her nose / ye shall vnderstande / that sterilite commeth not of the womans parte / yf not then is the defecte in her ¶ Item yf she take garlycke beynge pylled out of the huskes / and conueye of it into the pryuie partes / and yf the sente of it assende vp through the bodye vnto the nose / the woman is fautelesse / yf not then is there lacke in her These are sygnes to knowe whether the lacke be in the man or the woman ¶ Whether she be conceaued alreadye or no / ye shall knowe by these sygnes Fyrste the flowres yssue not in so great quantite as they are wōt / but wexe lesse and lesse / and in maner nothinge at all commeth from them Also the brestes begyn to waxe rounder / harder / and styffar then they were wonte to be / the woman shall longe after certayne thynges otherwyse thē she was vsed to do before that tyme. Also her vryne waxeth spysse and thyckysshe / by retension of the superfluyties Also the woman fealeth her matrice verye fastelye enclosed and shytte / in so muche that as Hypocrates saythe / the poynte of a nedle maye scace enter ¶ Item to knowe whether she be conceaned or no / accordynge to Hypocrates mynde / in the .v. of his Ampho geue vnto the woman when she is goyng to bedde a quantite of mellicratum to drynke / and yf after that drynke she feale greate payne / gnawing / and tumblynge in her belly / then be ye sure / that she is conceaued yf not / she is not cōceaued / this mellicratum is a drynke made of one parte wyne / an other parte water soden together / with a quantite of hony ¶ But if ye be desyrous to knowe whether the conception be man or woman then lette a droppe of her mylke or twayne be mylked on a smothe glasse / or a bryght knyfe / other elles on the nayle of one of her fyngers / and yf the mylke flewe and spredde abrode vpon it / by and by then is it a woman chylde but yf the droppe of mylke contynue and stande styll vppon that / the whiche it is mylked on / then is it sygne of a man chylde Item yf it be a male / then shall the woman with childe be well coloured / and lyghte in goynge / her belly rounde / bygger towarde the right syde then the lefte / for alwayes the man chylde lyeth in the ryghte syde / the woman in the lefte syde ¶ Of certayne remedyes and medycynes which shall cause the woman to conceaue ¶ Cap .v. ALl sterilite then for the moste parte ensueth and commeth of the dystemperancye of one of these .iiij. forenamed qualities / wherfore the remedye and cure of the same when it chaunseth / must be done by such thynges / the whiche haue contracye power operation to the excessyue qualities for by that shall it be reduced to his temperancye agayne ¶ As yf that coldenesse and moystenesse exceadynge temperancye in the matrice be occasion of sterilite / then muste she applie such thynges to that place / the whiche be of nature hote drye / the whiche maye calify and
the which is decoct and soden myntes / roses / violettes / and xiloaloes Also to eate of the brothe in the which is soden a henne / with cynamome / maces / and cardamomum / and also the yowlke of an egge Item it is good for her to eate fresshe chese and mylke / and to refrayne frome all maner of greate labor and harde workes Also potage made of beane meale / ryse / and breade made of fyne flowre / tempered with mylke and sugre / putting to it also a quantite of fenell sede or of the â—eues / is very good for her ¶ Item take of anys sede / of syler montanum / of eche .iii. dramÌ„s / of christall beten to powder u. dramÌ„s / as muche of sugre / geue her this to drynke aboute .x. dayes at morning / euening / myddaye IteÌ„ take of fenell sede or the leues / of horehownde of eche .ij. haÌ„ofulles / of ams sede iiij dramÌ„s / of safrane beaten one scruple also of fresshe butter .iij. ounces / sethe all these in sufficient water / makynge hereof a plaster / the same plaster whylst it is hote / laye it to the nourses brest ¶ Item take of comyn sede an ounce an halfe / of clarifyed hony .iij. ounces sethe it in .vi. li. wayght of water alto gether beynge put into a newe pot let it sethe to the thyrd parte / of this decoction geue the nourse theÌ„ ofteÌ„tymes to drynke IteÌ„ take of beetes well wasshed one ounce of coÌ„myn halfe an ounce of hony .vi. ounces of these myngled tempered to gether / make an electuarie / of the which let her take both in the morninge and eueninge at eche tyme a sponefull IteÌ„ take two dramÌ„s of crystal beateÌ„ into fyne pouder deuyde that in foure equall partes / one of these partes geue vnto the nourse the space of .iiij. dayes to drynke / with brothe made other of cicer / or els of peason also all those thinges folowing encrease augmeÌ„t mylke in the brestes annes annes sede / dyll the sede / horehownde / cardomome / fresshe chese / wortes made of olde ehece / cicer / crislal beateÌ„ to powder takeÌ„ with hony lettuse / fenell / wyne in which rosemary or serpilluÌ„ be sodeÌ„ IteÌ„ to abstayne froÌ„ venery or mans coÌ„pany / for yf she vse that / it shall spende consume the mylke make it vnsauery vnholsome nether can the chylde well broke it / but most coÌ„menly shall cast it vp again / because it can not digest it Also it shal be best that the child sucke not of the mothers breste by and by as sone as it is borne but rather of some other womans for a daye or two / for because that the creme as they cal it streit after the byrth the fyrst daye in all women doth thyckeÌ„ and congeyle ¶ Item yf it chaunse that the nourse be ouer sore laxed / or that she be ouer bounde / so that she take anye medycynes to remedye it / then let another geue the chylde sucke / whylst she be recouered agayne And when the chylde is layde in cradell to be rocked rocke not to fast / lest through ouer much rockyng and stearyng the chyldes stomacke torne and the mylke there corrupte for lacke of rest ¶ Auicen auyseth to geue the chyld sucke two yeres / howe be it amonge vs most commenlye they sucke but one yeare And when ye wyll wene them / then not to do it sodenly / but a lyttell and lyttell / and to make for it lyttell pylles of breade sugre to eate accustome it so / tyll it be able to eate all maner of meate this shall suffyce for the education and bryngynge vp of infantes at this tyme / notwithstandinge dyuers other thynges here are lefte vnspoken of / another tyme god willyng we shall declare them at large ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste boke THE SECONDE BOKE ¶ Of dyuers deceases and infirmities whiche chaunse to chyldren lately borne and the remedyes therefore AL thoughe there be in manner infinite deceases which happeÌ„ to infantes / as wryteth Hypocrates / Galenus / Rasis / AmceÌ„na / and diuers other yet for breuite and shortnesse we wyll reherse here only such of them / which moste commenly happen to the same / and that be those Exulceration of the gummes / flyx of the belly or ouer much loosenesse of the same / the belly hardbownd / the crampe / the cough / distillation of the heade / short wynded / bladders on the tounge / exulceration or chyppynge of the mouthe / apostume in the eares / apostume in the brayne / swellynge and bolnynge of the eyes / skum or creme of the eyes / the feuer / knawynge in the bellye / the body swellynge and puffed vp / often sneesynge / whelkes or bladders on the bodye / swellynge of the coddes / swelling of the nauell / vnslepynesse / yexynge / appetyte to perbrake / fearefulnes in the dreames / the mother / yssuyng out of the fondament gut / wormes in the belly / chawfynge / the fallynge syckenesse / the consumsyon / the palsye / trymblynge of the partes of the bodye / the stone / gogell eyes ¶ Howe to cure and to remedye all these / nowe wyll I shewe in order Fyrst in exulceration of the gummes are wonte certayne pusshes and as it were wheles grow on the gummes or in the corners of the iawes / the which put the place to muche greuance and to remedie this it shall be good that ye with your fynger rubbe the infaÌ„tes gummes and the pusshes or whelkes with all and then to annoynt the same gummes with oyntment made of hennes grese / hares brayne / oyle of camomell mixt with honye / other els turpen tyne tempered with hony / then take water / and in it sethe camomell and dyll / the which water beynge hote powre it on the chyldes heade / holdynge it a fote aboue the heade ¶ Of the flyx or ouer muche loosenesse of the bellye For this take the sede of roses / cuÌ„myn / anyse and the sede of smalege beate all those together and make them plaster wyse / and laye it to the chyldes bellye yf it stynte not by this remedye / then take of the coaguluÌ„ of a kyd a halfe peny wayght or a lyttell more / geue it to the chylde to drynke with colde water / and all the same daye let the chylde be kepte frome suckynge / leste the mylke shulde curde in the stomacke of it / but in the meane whyle let it eate of the yowlke of poched egges / or of whyte breade soden in water ¶ And farther yf that it whiche the infant voydeth be of / redde or yelowe colour / then lette drynke of the syrupe of roses / or of crabbes / other elles of pome granates / tempered with a lyttell mynte water ¶ Item another medycyne take leuen and in water breake it
of the eares When that humours and matter yssueth out of the eares which properly commeth of aboundant humours in all the body / most spetially in the head / thē take a pese of wool / and dyppe it in hony mixt with redde wyne / to the which is put also a lyttell quantite of alome beaten to pouder / or of safrane / then make of the same as it ware a tente / and put it in the childes eare / when the wooll hath sucked and drawen to it the humour and fyl thynesse of the eare / then take it out / and put in newe / and if that / the which commeth out of the eare be as matter / then take of soden hony and tempered with water / put of it in to the eares / or elles take the pouder of galles temperynge it with vynegre / and do lyke wyse ¶ But yf the chylde haut greate payne dolor by wyndynesse / ventosyte and the humours in this place / then sethe organnye or myrrhe with oyle olyfe and so beyng warme put of it in to the eares ¶ Of Appostumation in the heade Yf there be any appostume engendred in the heade whiche many tymes chaunseth the whiche causethe the cheekes and eyes to be greatelye payned / and the eye sight to waxe wannysshe or tawnye / then must be applyed suche thynges whiche maye refrigerat and coole the braynes as take of the iuyce of gowardes and the iuyce of solatrum / and the iuyce of purcelayne / and temper them with the oyle of roses / in this dyp a pese of wooll and laye it to the head / and as ofte as it waxeth drye / dippe it agayne / and lykewyse laye it to the heade ¶ Of the swellynge or bolnyng of the eyes Agaynst swellynge bolnynge of the eyes take licium / and temper it with womans mylke / and put of it into the chyldes eye / and bynde it to the place with fyne and softe lynnen clothe / then afterwarde wasshe the eyes with water in whiche camomell and basyll haue ben soden in Yf that in this swellynge the eyes be not redde / neyther the browes swollen / then take myrrhe / aloes / safrane / the leues of roses / and temper all these / and stype them in olde wyne and bynde it to the thyldes eyes with some lynnen clothe / into the childes nose put a quantite of ambre dissolued in womans mylke ¶ Of the scum or whyte of the eye Agaynst the scum or whyte of the eye which for the most parte happeneth to chyldrē thorowe ouer much cryeng wepynge take the iuyce of solatrum / and droppe of the same in to the chyldes eye / and yf by the same chanse the vayne of the eyes wexe reddysshe / or be swollen / then annoynt them with the same iuyce ¶ Agaynst immoderat heate or the feuer Yf the infant be in great vehement heate contrary to nature / the whiche is called a feuer Fyrst it shal be the nources parte to eate and vse suche thynges the whiche coole and moystē Also to geue vnto the infant of these thynges folowynge the iuyce of pome granate / the water of gourdes / sugre / with a lyttell camphere myxed here with all / tempered well to gether Itē it is very good to prouoke it to sweiyng ¶ Itē take of the iuyce of worme wood / of plantayne / malows / syngrene / and temper them all to gether / in the whiche also myxte barly meale / and make a plaster of all these / and laye it to the chyldes breste Itē take the oyle of roses the oyle of poplar / myxte them to gether with this oyntment beyng colde / annoynt the chyldes forehead / the temples / the armes / the hādes about the wrystes pulces / the fete about the ancles Itē take of barlye meale and of dryed roses poudered / temper these with the water of roses the water of endyue / make therof a plaster / the which laye to the chyldes brest ¶ Also as often as the chylde is wasshed / let it be done with water in whiche is soden such thynges whiche coole / as lectuse / purcelayne / endyue / plantane / and such other ¶ Agaynst frettynge or knawynge in the belly Yf the chylde be vexed with frettynge and knawynge in the belly / the which thynge ye shall know by the immoderat cryeng of the chylde / and that it turneth from one syde to another with greate cryenge / then shall you take warme water / oyle olyfe / and a lyttell waxe / temperynge them to gether / and herein dyppe a pese of wooll / and there with soke the chyldes bellye oftentymes ¶ Agaynstc swellynge of the bodye When the chyldes bodye or any parte ther of is swollen and puffed vp / then take the toppes of elder tree / and of walworte and sethe them in white wyne / therein lap the infante / spetially yf it be not takē with ouer greate heate / but yf so be that with swellyng in the heade the bellye be swollen also / then take myrrhe / aloes epaticus / safrane / and beate them all to gether / and temper them with the iuyce of beanes / and laye it to the thyldes heade ¶ Agaynst often sneesynge Sometymes the infantes be sore troubled and vexed with often starnutatiō and sneesynge / which thynge yf it come of the appostume in the head then shal ye minister such thynges to the heade whiche refrigerat and coole / whether it be oyles / oyntmentes / iuyces of herbes or other thynges Yf this come of anye other cause then of appostume / then take basilicum / be it grene or drye / and put of the iuyce or pouder of it into the childes nose but yf this sneesynge come and begyn with heate / that the chyldes eyes seme as they grewe in warde for payne of this sneesynge / then laye to thyldes heade the leaues of pur celayne / or gowarde cut in thynne peces and tempered with the oyle of rooses and barley meale / and also the yowlke of an egge ¶ Of whelkes in the body and the cure These whelkes yf they appeare blacke vppon the body / they sygnify parell of lyfe / and so muche the more the greater quantite that there is of them / but yf they seme whytyshe or reddyshe / it is no parell / maye easelye be cured wherfore take the leues of the red rose the leues of myrtylles of tamariscus / and sethe these in water / and in that water wette a lynnē cloth / soke there with the whelkes Itē like wyse it is good to annoynt the same with the oyle of roses / of myrtylles / tamariscus Yf the whelke be whyte or reddyshe / then let them be rype / before ye minister any thyng to them / when they be open begyn to matterye / then annoynte them with the
oyntemente of ceruse Item it shal be verye good for the same purpose to wash the same whelkes with mulsum hydromell / in whiche salt peter hath ben styped dyssolued ¶ Agaynst swellyng of the coddes Manye tymes chaunseth to chyldren thorowe ouer much cryenge swellynge aboute the coddes / sometymes burstennesse swel lynge in the ynner parte of the thyghes Against this yll take the sede of ameos bete it temper it with the yowike of an egge / laye it to the swellynge or burstenneste / and thereto bynde it with some gentell lynnen clothe Item take bytter lupynes myrre / and stype them in wyne / and sethe them to gether makynge hereof a plaster / the whiche laye to the greued parte ¶ Item take of alome .xiii. dramÌ„s / of galles .xi. dramÌ„s beate them / and sethe them to gether in redde wyne / tyl it be thycke / of this laye on the greued place / holdyng also vpon it a sponge dypped in water / myxt with vynegre / oftentymes renuynge the same when it is wasted Also you maye take the aforesayde decoction / puttynge vnto it a quantite of syse / and sethynge them to gether / make a plaster of it / spredde it on a lynnen cloth / and so bynde it to the place / and often tymes to renue it ¶ Agaynste swellynge of the nauell Also sometymes the chyldes nauell swelleth / spetially streyte after the byrth when it is cutte / for this take spyke celtyke / whiche some call mary mawdelyne flowre / the whiche women vse to put in lye / sethe it in the oyle of sesamuÌ„ myxed with turpentyne / then in this dyp wooll / laye it on the place the thyckenesse of a fynger ¶ But yf so be that this swellyng come of ouer muche cryenge / cough / or of a strooke or fall / then take lupynes the pouder of fayre olde lynnen clothe burnt to pouder / and temper these with red wyne / then in this dyp a pese of towe / and laye it to the nauell ¶ Agaynst vnslepynesse Agaynste vnslepynesse / that is / when the chylde is destitute and wanteth his due and naturall reste / all the whyle cryeng and wepinge / for this take the stalkes of popye / and the sede with all / and temper it with the oyle of lectuse and the oyle of popye / all these beynge myxt to gether / bynde them with some lynnen clothe to the forehead temples of the chylde ¶ But yf this vnslepynesse come of the impurite and ylnesse of the nourses mylke as many tymes it doth then take of the oyle of violettes / and put vnto it a lyttell quantite of vynegre / and of this lycoure drop often tymes in to the chyldes nosethrylles / or elles take the oyle of rooses / and temper it with the iuyce of letuce / and therewith annoynte the heade and stomacke of the chylde / farther se that the nourses mylke be amended ¶ Item take the syrupe of whyte popye / geue of it to the chyld to drynke / annoynting the foreheade and temples with the oyle of violettes / in whiche is put a lyttell quantite of safrane and of oppium ¶ Agaynste yexynge Agaynst yexynge take a nutte of ynde / and beate it / temperynge it with sugre / and geue it to the chylde to eate this yexynge cometh other of ouer muche meate / or for lacke of meate and emptynesse of the stomacke ¶ As often as it commeth by the aboundance of meate coldenesse of the stomacke / then annoynte the stomacke with the oyle of bays warmed / other els laye to the stomacke a plasâ—â—r made of the sede of dyll beaten and tempered with the iuyce of myntes ¶ But yf it come by defecte and lacke of meate and emptynesse of the stomacke / take the oyle of violettes / or of rooses / or the iuyce of endyue / or of anye other suche herbes / the which haue power to infrigidat coole / and temper the same with womans mylke / and annoynte therewith the chyldes stomacke Also geue the chylde to feade vpon mylke other good and holsome thynges to suppe neyther passe not greately / though the chyld reiecte and vomyte vp agayne that the whiche it receaueth / for soo muche euer wyll remayne in the stomacke that shal be sufficient to sustayne it and to moysten it ¶ Of yerkenesse or appetyte to vomyte Agaynst ouer muche appetyte to vomyte / bete .iiij. graynes of cloues / and geue it to the chylde Item take of mastycke / whyte frankensence / and the leues of the redde roose / so muche as shal be sufficient / and all these beaten to gether / temper them with the iuyce of myntes / and make a plaster of it layenge it to the chyldes stomacke but yf the chyldes vomytynge be very vehement / then put vnto these foresayd thynge a quantite of vynegre ¶ Item take fyne meale / and bake it so hote / tyll it ware browne / then beate it to pouder agayne / puttynge it in to vynegre / to these adde the yowlke of an egge harde rosted / mastycke / frankensence / gumme arabycke / and temper all these with the iuyce of myntes / makynge of it a plaster the which lay to the childes stomacke / to the childes mouth holde a warme toste of breade ¶ Causes of this yll be .iii. the fyrste / yf the childe haue taken more mylke then it is able to concocte digeste the seconde / yf the nourses mylke be ouer thynne / waterysh / and fluyshe the thyrd / yf the same mylke be impure feculent and corrupte these causes pronoke vomyte / and spetiallye yf the chylde alsoo haue a weake and waterysshe stomacke / wherfore ye must helpe the infant after this maner fyrste lette the chylde sucke lesse then it dyd before / and then alsoo marke that the whiche the chylde dothe perbrake / whether it sauer sharpelye lyke vynegre / and that it be whytysshe for yf it be soo / then take of whyte frankensence .viij. graynes / of dryed rue .xx. graynes / beate these to pouder / and geue it to the chylde to drynke / with the syrupe of redde rooses ¶ Or elles lette the nourse chawe comyn / and so put it into the chyldes mouthe / geue alsoo of the syrupe of pome granates / with the pouder of drye myntes to the chylde ¶ Item take of xiloaloes one dramÌ„ / of galles .x. graynes beate all those to pouder / temper it with the syrupe of rooses / puttynge to it a lyttell of nutmegges / and geue of this to the chylde to drynke euer before it sucke / alsoo to the stomacke of the chylde laye this plaster ¶ Take mastycke / accatia / xiloaloes / galles / whyte frankencense / tosted breade / of eche lyke much / beate them to gether puttynge to of redde rooses and temperynge it with the syrupe of rooses /
be engendred any apostume or other dysease in the preuye places after her labor / then moste the apostumes and deseases be clensed / purged / healed / the payne and ache of it mitigated and swaged with the iuyce of the beryes of solatrum and the iuyce of plantane / also the oyle of rooses / so that all these thynges be tempered to gether / and the places annoynted therewith ¶ Itē otherwyse take the wyte of an egge / womās mylke / the iuyce of purselayne / and temper all these to gether / and conueye it to the dyseased place / also let a bathe be made of water / in the whiche be soden psida / redde rose leues / the cuppes of acornes / oke barke / tormentyll / colubryne / and cinkefoyle / the leues and the rotes / lette all these thynges be soden to gether / and in the water the womā to bathe her selfe vp to the nauell and after that the greued partes be healed and clensed let the place be annoynted with vnguentum album / or vnguentum rubeum / whiche is to be had at the apothecaries / and with suche other thynges whose propertie be to refrige rate and coole And loke what cure and remedies be mynystred to this places beynge apostumate / or otherwyse deseased / the same also seruethe / yf the matrice or anye other parte of the secreates be rupte or broken ¶ Manye tymes also it chanseth that the foundament gut commeth forth both in mā and woman / and spetially in women in this busynesse / by reason of theyr great labor and stryuynge with themselfe wherfore in this case it is the mydwifes parte with her hand warmed wet in whyt wyne / to reduce it backe into his place agayn / the which yf she can not by this meanes / for because that per aduenture it be swollen / then let her dissolue butter in whyt wyne warmed / and there in dyp wooll with the which wrappe the same gutte a while / so doynge often tymes / tyll it be swaged / that it may be retorned in agayn and ye maye vse in the stede of wyne luke warme mylke And when it is thus retourned and reduced into his place take waxe / and melt it to gether with masticke / or whyt frankencense / then sprede it vpon lynnē plasterwyse / and laye it ouer the place where it came forthe byndynge it to it with a lynnen clothe or roller for partynge of / let this be done thus so oftē as she goythe to stole after that she hath done / vntyll suche tyme that it be so setteled within / that it come no more oute / and yf ye wyll not occupye waxe / then dyp wooll in the oyle of masticke or of speke nardy / and lay it vnto the place ouer the fundament / byndynge it faste vpon the place / as before ¶ Item another way wasshe soke the gut with the water in which is decoct soden such thynges whiche exiccat drye and constrayne or combyne / as gaules / cypresse nuttes / spida / karabe / mastick / frankencense / sanguis draconis / and when it is well wasshed and soked with this water / then take the powder of an hartes horne burnte / and strue it rounde aboute the gutte / and so restore it agayne in to his place ¶ Agayne yf it chanse / that after the womans labor the matryce be remoued oute of his place / and appeare forthe / then lette it be wasshed and soked with the water in whiche be soden these thynges folowynge take of cupresse nuttes / spicanarde / psida / balaustium / acorne cuppes / of eche an ounce of mespylles and vntype wylde peres / vnrype aples / plummes / and damsens or bolous of eche a handefull and such / of those as be to be powdered beate them to powder and the reste diuide / and cutte them small then seathe them all to gether in rayn water / or els in water in the whiche stele beynge red hote hathe ben often tymes quenched and in the same water lette the partie bathe her vp to the nauell / or els dyp a spōge or a locke of wooll in it / therewith wasshe and soke the same matrice oftentymes then / euer with a fayre cleane lynnen clothe wype it cleane agayne strewe vpon it the powder folowynge / beaten verye small and searched thorough sylke ¶ Take of frankencense / karabe / galles / pside / balaustie / cypresse nuttes / alome / antymonye / bole armoniacke / masticke / of eche lyke much beate these to very fyne powder / and strewe the matrice with it / then tenderlye reduce it in to his place agayne with warme lynnen clothes byndynge it vp ¶ But yf so be that the matrice be swollē / so that by this meanes it wyll not be restored to his naturall place agayne / then dissolue butter in whyte wyne / as ye dyd before / and with the same soke it vnto suche tyme as it be asswaged / and then reduce it ¶ Agayne sometyme it chanseth that the womans nauell thoroughe labor is dyssolued / so that it openeth it selfe then make a small tente of fyne lynnen / and anoynte it with this oyntement that foloweth / and the same put it in to the nauell take whyte frankensence / and beate it to powder / and then tēper it with the whyte of an egge / so that it be after the manner of lyquyd honye with this annoynte the nauell within and withoute / annoyntynge also the tente / the which beynge putte in the hole of the nauell bynde some clothe ouer it to kepe it in his place ¶ Item many tymes it chanseth that thorowe the greate difficultie and thronges of labor the preuye parte and the foundament be come one / by reason of rupture and breakynge of the same parte in the delyueraunce of the chylde / and that by that meanes the matrice descendeth and yssueth downe / the whiche thynge chanseth sometymes by reason that the same place is very narowe and also tender / and the byrthe bygge / and of greate growethe / soo that it procedeth with suche violence / that it breakethe the waye before it ¶ When thys myshappe fallethe / then fyrste wasshe and soke the matrice / and alsoo reduce it to his place agayne / after the manner as I tolde you here immediatly before / then heale these bracke wounde sowynge of bothe sydes of it to gyther agayne with a sylken threde / as surgeons do other woundes and yf that lyke ye not then / may ye cure it otherwyse without sowyng thus ¶ Take two lyttell peces of lynnen cloth / eche of the length of the wounde / in bredth two fyngers brode spred the lyttell clothes with some faste cleauynge plaster the which wyll cause the clouthes to stycke fast where they shal be set / then fasten them the one on the one syde of the ryfte / the other on the other
to drynke / for this drynke wyl engendre lubrycyte and slypperynesse in the nether partes / and vse also some of those thynges whiche haue vertue to prouoke the byrth / wherof we entreated before ¶ Item certayn pessaries or suppositaries concernynge the same take gumme armoniacke / oppoponacum / helleborus niger / staphisagre / aristolochia longa / colocynthis without his kernelles beate all these thynges to gether / temperyng them with oxe gall and also with the iuyce of fresshe rue / then make a pessarie of wollen / and annoynt and wet the pessarie with the same / conueynge it into the secreate places ¶ Item another make a pessarie of wolleÌ„ of the lengthe thyckenesse of a fynger / and do it in the iuyce of rue in the which is dissolued a quantitie of scammome / and do with that pessarie / as before ¶ Item take aristolochia rotunda / sauyne / garde cresses / of eche lyke muche / beate them to powder / and temper them with oxe gall with this annoynt a pessarie made and ordered as before is spoken of Item yf the woman drynke the mylke of another woman / it wyll steare and expell the byrth ¶ Item take of the iuyce of dyttayne or of the powder of the roote of the same herbe .ij. dramÌ„s / and geue the same to drynke to the woman with wyne / excepte she be in greate heate / for then shall ye geue it her with luke warme water / and this shall expell the dead byrth without any parell of the mother ¶ Item take of myrrhe .iiij. drammes / of cinamome / galbanum / castoriuÌ„ / of eche two drammes of oppoponacum one dramÌ„ all those beaten / and tempered to gether with oxe gall / make pylles of them / wayenge eche of them a dramÌ„ / and with the fume of those perfume the nether partes / by this vapoure the deade byrthe is broughte forthe / inflamation and suffocation of bloude is expelled ¶ Item take of water mynte / sothernwood / muggewort / of eche a handefull / of asphaltum halfe an ounce / of madder two ounces and an halfe / of camomell / barotum / fenegreke / of eche two ounces sethe all these thynges to gether in rayne water in the whyche lette the woman bathe her selfe / then take of hensgrece and duckes grece / of eche .iiij. dramÌ„s to the which adde two ounces of oyle of anues sede / with this oyntmeÌ„t annoynt the womaÌ„s head comminge out of the bath then take datestones beate them to powder a dramÌ„ and a halfe / with a scruple of safrane tempered to gether with whyt wyne the which let her immediatlye drynke after she come forthe of the bathe ¶ Item take oppoponacum / make there of a pessarye the quantitie of a fynger / conueye it into the priuities / this expelieth the dead byrth ¶ Item take of galbanum a dramÌ„ or some what lesse of gotes mylke an ounce and a halfe or two ounces in the which the galbanum beynge dissolued / geue it to the woman to drynke ¶ Item a plaster for the same take galbanum beaten and tempered with the iuyce of motherworte / and of this make a plaster by puttyng to of wexe a certayne quaÌ„tite / than take a lynnen cloth of suche length bredth that it maye couer all the belly vnder the nauel to the priuities froÌ„ one syde to the other / on this cloth spred this plaster of the thyckenesse of a strawe / and laye it to the bellye Item take the tryacle which is called diatessaron and geue of it to the woman for to drynke / and it wyll expell this dead byrth ¶ But yf all these medicines profette not / then muste be vsed more seuere and harde remedyes / with instrumentes / as hokes / tonges / and suche other thynges made for the nonce And fyrst the woman must be layde a longe vpryght / the myddell parte of her bodye lyeng hyer then all the reste / companyed of women assistynge her aboute to comforte her / and to keape her downe / that when the byrthe is plucked oute she ryse not withall Then let the mydwyfe annoynt her left haÌ„d with the oyle of whyte lyllyes or other that may make it sople and smouth and holding out her fyngers shytting to gether her hand let her put it to the matrice to feale and perceaue after what fasshion the dead byrth lyeth in the mothers wombe so that she maye the better putte in hokes and suche other instrumentes to plucke it out with all ¶ Yf it be so that it lye the head forewarde / then fasten a hoke other vpoÌ„ one of the eyes of it / or the rofe of the mouthe / or vnder the chyn / on one of the sholders / whiche of these partes shall seme moste commodious and handsome to take it oute bye / and the hoke fastened to drawe it oute verye tenderlye for hurtynge of the woman ¶ But yf it lye the fete forewarde / then fasten the hoke on the bone aboue the priuye partes / or by some ribbe / or some of the backe bones / or of the breste bones / and when this hoke is thus fastened / the midwyfe may not by and by drawe and plucke at it / but holdynge it in her lefte hande / lette her with her ryghte hande fasten another in some other parte of the byrthe ryght agaynste the fyrste / and then tenderlye let her drawe both to gether / so that the byrth may procede and come forthe on bothe sydes equallye / mouynge it from one syde to another / tyll ye haue gotteÌ„ out alto gether / and nowe and then to helpe it in the comming forth with the fore fynger well annoynted / if it chanse to stycke or to be let any where and as it commeth forthe / alwaye to remoue the hokes farther and farther on the dead byrthe ¶ Agayne yf it chanse that one of the handes onely of the byrth do appeare / that it can not conuenientlye be reduced returned vpwarde agayne / by reason of the narownesse of the place / then byndt it with a lynneÌ„ cloth / that it slyp not vp agayne / and then to plucke it outwarde / vntyll suche tyme that the hole arme be out and then with a sharpe knyfe cut it of from the body / and euen so do yf both handes appeare fyrste at once / or one legge or bothe / yf they can not be returned backe / to be otherwyse taken out conuenient lye / as ye cutte the arme frome the sholders / soo lykewyse cuttinge the legges frome the thyghes / for the which purpose the surgeoÌ„s haue meâ—e instrumentes made for the nonce with the which such legges and armes may sone be cut frome the bodye / these partes beynge once reseâ—te and cutte frome the bodye / then turne the teste / so that it maye easylye procede with as lyttell payne to the mother / as maye be ¶