what great profit it is to have an exact knowledge of this Tractat. Chap. 3 Of the condition of the Infant in the wombe also of the care and duty belonging to women conceived with child Chap. 4 How the Infant is conditioned and in what state he is the fifth sixth seventh and eighth moneth And also of the difference of the sexe and formes Chap. 5 Of certaine Precepts very necessary for women conceived with child even to the houre of the birth by reason of divers chances Chap. 6 The third Booke of the birth and of all manner of remedies which may concerne women in time of child-birth and also their Infants 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 Chap. 1. Of the office of Midwives and of the apt forme and fashion of their Stoole or Chaire Chap. 2 Of certaine naturall Precepts and Medicines furthering and easing the slownesse and difficulty of the birth Chap. 3 How the Secundines or after-burden may have an easie passage if it stay behinde Chap. 4 Of the usage and ordering of the woman in child-bed and of the Infant being newly borne Chap. 5 How and with what Instruments children sticking in the wombe and being dead are to be brought forth Chap. 6 The fourth Booke of the differences and varieties of an unnatuarall birth and of the cure and remedies of them Of the first forme and fashion of a birth not naturall and how it is to be remedied Chap. 1 Of the second Chap. 2 Of the third Chap. 3 Of the fourth Chap 4 Of the fifth Chap. 5 Of the sixth Chap. 6 Of the seventh Chap. 7 Of the eighth Chap 8 Of the ninth Chap. 9 Of the tenth Chap. 10 Of the eleventh Ch. 11 Of the twelfth Chap. 12 Of the thirteenth Ch. 13 Of the fourteenth Ch. 14 Of the fifteenth Cha. 15 The fifth Booke of the false conception named Mola and other false tumors of the womb Also of aborcements and certaine Monsters and likewise of the divers signes of conception Of the deceiving conception Mola and of other falsly supposed conceptions Chap. 1 Of the cure of the false conception Mola and other false tumours and swellings of the womb Chap 2 Of unperfect children and also of monstrous births Chap. 3 Of the causes and signes of aborcement or untimely births and also of all manner of cures of such as suffer abortion Chap. 4 Of the signes of Conception Chap. 5 Whether men and women may ingender or conceive children of Divells and Spirits and againe whether Divells and Spirits may have children by men and women Chap. 6 The sixth Booke of divers causes of sterility and barrennesse and of the speciall maladies of the Matrix and also of the divers remedies of all of them Of the sterility of men and women also of the causes and signes of the same Chap. 1 Of the cure and remedy of sterility and barrennesse proceeding from phlegme Chap. 2 Of the cure of sterility arising from the cholericke humidities and moistures of the Matrix Chap. 3 Of the cure of barrennesse if it proceed from superfluous bloody humours of the Matrix Chap. 4 Of the cure of sterility proceeding from a melancholie humour Chap. 5 Of the remedy of sterility proceeding from overmuch heat drinesse moisture and coldnesse Ch. 6 Of certaine generall Precepts serving for the curing of the barrennesse of men and women Chap. 7 Of the suffocation or choking of the Mattrix and of the causes and cure of the same Chap. 8 Of the praecipitation or falling downe of the Matrix and of the causes and cure of it Chap. 9 Of the superfluities of the Termes and of the cure of the same Chap. 10 Of the causes and cure of the stopping of the Termes Chap. 11 THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE Generation of Man CHAP. I. Of the Generative or Begetting Seede how and in what manner it hath his beginning WE observe the naturall Procreation of man The procreation of man such as the generation and beginning of Plants or Herbes to be altogether such as we perceive the Generation beginning of Plants or Herbes of every kinde to be For as they every one of them from the seede of his kinde cast into the wombe of the earth doe bud or increase and doe naturally grow to the perfect forme of his proper Nature So man also being a reasonable creature according to the quality of his body doth naturally draw his originall beginning from the Sperme and Seede of man projected and cast forth into the wombe of woman as into a field But that matter of Generation which we call Sperme or Seede What the begetting seed is by his originall and nature is onely a superfluous humour the residue and remainder I say of the nutriment and food and the superfluity of the third concoction or gestion in the body derived and conveyed along through the hidden and secret organs or instruments from the chiefest members of the body unto the generative parts and serveth for Generation From whence it hath its beginning And it hath his beginning and breeding from the residues and remnants of all the meats belonging to the nourishment of man after they be altered and transmuted even to the third Concoction of the superfluity of which concocted food collected and gathered together in his proper and due manner it is evident that the same is ingendred according to the constitution of the age and nature For there is made a threefold concoction of any meat Three Concoctions altered and converted into the nourishment of the living creature even to generation of Seed that concoction neverthelesse following which is the purest of all concoctions For the food being Concoction 1 sent downe into the stomacke by chewing streight way the pure nutriment which is ordained to the other part the dry excrement being driven downeward thorow the guts to the belly through the sucking veines named in Latine Meseraicae carryed as it were to one gate flowing out of innumerable chanels is brought to the Liver Where to the disposition of the former concoction made in the stomacke there is forthwith made the second concoction in the Concoction 2 Liver of the food derived unto it the superfluous matter being separated that is to say both kinds of choler and the waterish humor drawne and attracted by the emulgent vessels in Latine Vasa emulgentia that it being strained thorow the Kidnies might descend down into the Bladder then the remnant and residue refined and cleansed in the Liver by this concoction that is to say blood is conveyed over to the heart to receive his vitall administration and office In Concoction 3 the heart againe is made the third concoction of the food being received at one time For there blood having taken unto it vitall and lively Spirit being diffused and sent abroad throughout the severall members
things doe attribute this to the more copious and abundant seed of the woman The abundant seed of women causeth the conception Mola especially in those women which are somewhat more lascivious than others are which conceiving little seed from their husbands dry by nature by the desire of the Matrix doe stirre up copious seed of their owne which augmented with the flowers by heat of the Matrix is congealed together and by the defect and want of mans seed Mans seed the proper worke-man the proper worke-man and contriver of it doth grow together into such a lump For nothing can be ingendred without the seed of man as neither any can be ingendred of the seed of women onely For the seede of the woman doth only inclose the seede of man conceived in the wombe whereby the coats or caules which afterwards doe passe into the Secundines may onely be ingendred of it For as it is in an Egge A Simily even so is the matter discerned to stand in this case for as of the white and yolke of it selfe nothing can be ingendred unlesse the seede of the Cocke be infused into it although the copiousnesse of them is much greater in comparison of the seed so also of womans seed alone nothing can be ingendred unlesse mans seed be added to it so that if this be little and the seed of the woman copious abundant then they being augmented and increased with the Termes are wont to breed ingender the false conception Mola of which some women are disburdened of the fift sixt or at last the seventh yeere and some never Besides there are also many other false and corrupt conceptions False and corrupt conceptions of which not onely the false conceptions named Molae but also some other deformed shapes defective and unperfect in some part through defect of both seeds are in like manner wont to be ingendred It commeth also to passe that by the corruption that some hurtfull living creatures or shapes of living creatures are ingendred in the Matrix with children The reason why some women swell as if they were with child yet never delivered of any I speake not of strange shapes conceived of beasts as it hath often fallen out Oftentimes also wee perceive some women to swell as if they were conceived with child and yet never to be delivered of any child because that both seedes conceived together were so liquid and thin that by the defect of the heat of the Matrix they cannot be congealed and united together whereby it falleth out that of such diverse humours inclosed the Hydropsie doth afterward ensue But the generation and breeding of the false conception Mola Signes of the conception Mola hath certaine signes and tokens above all other tumours whereby it may be knowne And first truely concerning the constitution and state of the body the limbs of her which beareth the false conception Mola are feeble and soft there is a certaine numnesse in them her lips and eyes are swolne the face is pale her belly being swolne appeareth to be hard when it is touched she hath prickings and many wringings in her belly her Termes are stopped dimnesse of the eyes doth molest and vexe her the beating of her heart is continuall her limbes tremble she cannot away with meat she vomiteth often and much shee hath many spots in her face the apples of her eyes standing outward her looke sterne and frowning But because many of these signes are also common to a true conception The false conception Mola and the true conception differ many waies a certaine difference is here to be determined Therefore wee must understand that the false conception Mola doth differ so many waies from a true conception as hereafter followeth First when the Termes shall appeare the false conception Mola cannot be ingendred because it is onely ingendred of the Termes being retained and the weake and feeble seed of man When a great moving shall happen in the womb before the third moneth after the conception it is a signe of the false conception Mola For there cannot be such speedy motion in a true conception In the false conception Mola the wombe swelleth sooner and more Also the moving of a childe is not all one with the moving of the false conception Mola For the childe is moved from side to side but the conception Mola is not so The false conception Mola pressed together with the hand streight-way departeth from his place but by and by returneth into the same place being removed with the hand But as a child doth not remove out of his place so doth he not returne backe againe In the conception of Mola their belly remaineth harder which are conceived with it than it is unto them which beare a childe The woman is more slow and heavie in her going and moving which is conceived with the false conception Mola than they are which have conceived a child The brests doe not swell so much nor are so hard in the conception of Mola as in the conception of a child In the generation of the false conception Mola the limbs and parts doe waxe feeble and soft which thing doth not happen in the conception of a childe The birth of a child cannot be deferred beyond the tenth moneth at the farthest but the birth of the false conception Mola is sometimes deferred unto the fifth or sixth yeere sometimes also untill the end of the life Such a certaine and manifest difference The difference of the false conception Mola from other tumours of the womb set downe and determined betweene the false conception Mola and a true conception in like manner also the same is to be discerned and knowne from other false tumours swellings of the wombe For it commeth to passe that many women also begin to swell either because of aire inclosed in the wombe whereby a Tympany is ingendred Tympany ingendred or through abundance of divers humours stopped and retained whereby the Hydropsie is caused Hydropsie ingendred But those women which doe swell by reason of aire inclosed in the wombe doe exceede with the tumour and hardnesse of the wombe those women which doe swell and waxe big by the humours being stopped and retained The Tympany removed from place to place Also the tympany sometime falleth down departeth away and is removed from place to place The Hydropsie seldome removed neither is felt without paine but the Hydropsie that is to say retained humors is seldome removed and those humors doe make a noyse with a continuall sounding of the belly And there is a difference also betweene those tumours The conception Mola makes the belly harder than the other tumors doe In the Hydropsie the legs swell in the Mola they waxe lesse In the Tympany the belly sounds like a drum in the Mola not so and the false conception Mola For in the bearing of Mola the belly remaineth much harder than in those
When the Termes are retained and stayed and neither Fevers nor fit of Agues doe follow and also an abhorring and refusall of meat happeneth to the woman we must understand without doubt that the woman is conceived with childe The legs begin to swell with paines aches The body is feeblished and the face waxeth pale The Pulse at first beateth swiftly by and by slowly The excrements of the belly are voided more hardly and painfully because the guts are pressed and thrust together The urine or water is white a little cloud floting or swimming aloft and many motes are seene in it as in the beames of the Sun but first of all in the first moneth when many such like things do sinck down to the bottome they are drawn out in length like unto wooll the Vrinall being moved in which they are in In the later moneths the urine is red or yellow but at length it becommeth blacke a little red cloud swimming above Hippocrates teacheth us to make triall of conception with water mingled with Hony that if the women having taken this lying downe in her bed shall feele gripings or wringings of the belly then it is a signe she hath conceived if she doe not she hath not yet conceived with child Whereas some would have this experiment to be practised by a suffumigation received underneath that maketh little or nothing to the matter For Hippocrates teacheth that so the signes and tokens of barrennesse and fruitfulnesse are to be observed and not of conception but they which attribute to fumes made underneath any thing for the searching out of conception do say that the fume made of the thing put underneath must be restrained kept that it ascend not up to the nostrills they would have such conjecture to be taken of Garlicke put underneath and Aristolochia used with it But by what probable reason they themselves know best It shall be a more certaine experiment to stop close the Vrine of the woman put into a glasse for three daies which time being ended let it be strained thorow a cleane fine linnen-cloth and if she have conceived there will appeare little living creatures like unto Lice if they be red they say they do portend and signifie a man childe if they be white they say a maiden-childe is conceived And some doe affirme this thing for a certainty If a smooth and bright needle be put into the Vrine of a woman in a brazen Bason covered close a night on the morrow if the woman have conceved that needle will be speckled with red spots if she have not it will be blacke and rusty If a woman take the juyce of Carduus and shall cast it up againe being taken it is supposed to be a certain signe of conception And so much concerning confused signes of conceptions that is to say such as concerne Male and Female both alike But whether a man-child or woman-child be conceived it is delivered and set downe to be marked observed by these signes following If it be a man-child The signes of a man-childe the right-eye is moved more often and is better affected with his naturall colour than the left The right brest is more plump and harder than the left the colour of the nipples is changed sooner Milk breedeth sooner and if it be drawne out and opposed and set against the beames of the Sun in a glasse it cleaveth together into a little cleare lump not unlike unto a cleare Pearle If the milke of the woman conceived with child be sprinkled into her urine it sinketh by and by to the bottome if Salt be put to it it doth not melt The lid of the right eye is redder and all the colour of the face is better than it was wont as Hippocrates telleth us Lesse heavinesse is felt The first moving for the most part the fortieth day is felt more quicker in the right side For Hippocrates instructing concerning the lying of children in the womb doth advertise us that male-children lie on the right side and female-children on the left because man-men-children have need of more heat which they attract and draw unto them from the Liver scituated and seated in the same side If the Flowers issue forth the fortieth day after conception The belly is more sharpe about the Navell The woman when she goeth a journy putteth forth her right foot first and in rising up from her seat she doth sooner stay her self and lift her self up upon her right hand than upon her left The pulse is more swift in the right hand than in the left But if they shall conceive maiden-children The signes of the conception of a maiden child all things happen otherwise and these signes for the most part are observed The first moving for the most part is made the nintieth day after conception The moving is made on the left side Women-children are carried in the wombe with great paines The legs doe swell and also the privie parts The colour is more pale The appetite is more vehement On the contrary a loathing and abhorring of meat more soone and speedy The Termes doe issue forth about the thirtieth day after conception If the powder of Aristolochia be tempered with Hony and the loynes and the secrets be annointed with it it is thought to be an easie thing to discerne the sex that if the spittle of the child-bearing-woman shall be sweete shee beareth a man childe if it shall be bitter shee beareth a woman-childe The age also of women availeth not a little For women which are young doe sooner conceive boyes but such as are somewhat aged doe sooner conceive girles by reason of the defect of heat in the Matrix caused by old age Likewise maiden-children are ingendred by parents moist and cold by nature of seed more moist cold and liquid than sufficeth And it may also be observed by certaine signes whether the child be in good state in the wombe or no. If the Babe be well the Paps as Hippocrates testifieth are hard If it be not in health watrish milke doth flow forth from the dugs voluntarily Againe if their Termes doe issue forth often-times which are conceived with child as Pliny averreth they signifie that the childe is not in health and lively but weake and feeble Further fat women commonly doe beare feeble children If the Hydropsie suddenly invade and take a woman with childe and her nostrills eares and lips begin to be red they portend and shew that the fruit in the wombe is dead If a woman beare Twins of which one is a man-child the maiden-childe is in great danger because they are nourished and prosper in the wombe with a diverse kind of nourishment as Aristotle witnesseth There is lesse danger if they be maiden-children For under Maximilian the Emperour a certaine woman brought forth three maiden-children at one birth all which came unto a perfect age If a woman conceive before or about the purging of her Flowers infected and venomous
humours will be mixed to the seed of which it is found most commonly that Lepers are ingendred otherwise the learned doe declare that conception is not caused but the Termes beginning or ceasing to flow If a woman conceive once after- A superfaetation or after-after-conception and a little time after conceive againe the last seede will hardly live in the wombe For Aristotle declareth that a woman brought forth two man-men-children at one birth alive and that the fifth moneth after she brought forth another but dead before in the wombe If the Infant doe proceed out of the wombe after the ninth moneth for the most part hee is weake and feeble If a young maiden conceive before her first Flowers she ingendreth an excellent and perfect Creature All these things being declared this also is to be understood which Midwives are wont to observe concerning the issue to come I meane whether the woman shall bring forth more children For how many knots they shall perceive to be in the Navell of the childe newly borne so many man-men-children shall afterward be ingendred as they say But let it suffice to have spoken these things concerning the signes of conception many other things being omitted which are reported and delivered CHAP. VI. Whether men and women may ingender or conceive children of Divells or Spirits and againe whether Divells may have children by men and women NO man doubteth but that the deceits and sleights of the Divell are infinit amongst which hee hath that whereby as the sacred Scripture testifieth he is able to transforme himselfe into an Angell of Light and to take unto himselfe the shapes of men or women and to resemble them the Righteous God permitting and suffering him the which thing to be so variable experience of things doth testifie Wherefore it shall not be needfull to call that into question But whether he may have carnall company with men and women but especially whether hee can cause women to be conceived with childe needeth no question No man doth deny but that he may have carnall copulation with them having taken the shape of man or woman For S. Augustine testifieth the same thing saying There is a constant report taken from the testimony of them to whom these things hapened that there be certaine Spirits Divells and savage people which sometimes have allured women and have had their pleasure of them but the same thing is not only approved of the ancient but among us also is found to be so by many examples In a few yeeres past a certaine Harlot having her body lasciviously abused of the Divell in the night comming in the shape of a man did streight way fall into a most great sicknesse so that her wombe and privity were quickly consumed with a consumption or rotting Gangraena so that when no medicine could represse the hellish fury of the disease her intralls also and parts about her secret members did fall out of her body There was also a certaine Butchers servant which making a journy and thinking of Lechery had a Divell to meete him in the beautifull shape of a woman with whom hee lay not knowing hee had any company with a Divell but by and by his privie members being inflam'd with a fiery heat were exulcerated with a speedy putrefaction and rotting And indeed God who is alwaies just and righteous is wont to permit these things by his just Iudgement for the punishment of wickednesses and admonition of men Cassianus doth deny this act saying that it is an impossible thing that a Spirituall creature should have carnall copulation with men and women neither that this thing ought to be believed because if the act goe before it is necessary likewise that sometime also the effect should follow that is that something should be ingendred which thing as yet may not be evident by any experience Againe if this act were possible to divells and spirits he saith they would rather be mutually turned toward themselves than to be commixed with men or women Therefore concerning the truth of the matter these things are to be accounted for the exceeding subtilty and deceit of the Divell and wicked perswasion of men so farre forth that we doe not beleeve that either the divells can cause women to be with childe nor on the other side that divells assuming and taking unto them the forme and shape of women may be conceived with childe by men For that never any man was borne without humane seede Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Saviour the onely eternall Sonne of the onely God excepted conceived by the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary wee affirme as a most true thing Wherefore concerning that which is rehearsed of one Merlin we entertaine no otherwise than a Fable and a Tale agreeing with his name in the Germane tongue Hee which shall desire to know the History of him shall finde it at large in the one and twentieth Booke of Vincentius named Historiale Speculum the thirtieth Chapter Truly by the law of Nature it is certaine that like things are ingendered of their like therefore a man could not be borne of the Divell neither have wee knowne at any time that the most righteous and omnipotent God hath permitted so much unto spirits and divels or granted them so large a licence as that they should be able to ingender and procreate children by men and Women and as it were to ordaine and constitute their divellish issue damnable brood in man created after the similitude of God But if a Sorceresse and Witch was his mother shee was not ashamed to gratifie the Divell to blab abroad so great and monstrous a lie to pervert the mindes of many with this false opinion She might have her body abused by the Divel but shee could not conceive a man by him If hee had not abused her body lasciviously notwithstanding he was able to cause her wombe to swell by his divellish and despightfull practices that she might thinke her selfe to be conceived with childe by him Also so long time being ended as women are wont to beare a child in the wombe he is able to stirre up grievous paines and pangs in the wombe and also craftily to put a child underneath her brought from another place also streight way to dissolve and represse those tumours and swellings stirred and raised up by some Windy vapours For such a like thing is manifest in the experience of our times For at Constantia a Citty in Germany a certaine beautifull maid-servant of a certaine Citizens named Magdalen being deflowred of the Divell after she being cast into prison had utterly renounced him by repentance moved by the counsell of devout Ministers of the Word of God by Divines reasons from that time she felt so great torments in her wombe that she did thinke almost that every houre she should be delivered of a childe But the helpe of Midwives being often imployed she voided iron nailes pieces of wood broken glasses haires towe
passages doe bend and incline upward from the Matrix to the brests as in the booke following shall appeare in the Anatomicall demonstration The third the most grosse and impure part of blood remaineth in the Matrix and issueth and floweth forth with the Secundine in the birth and after the birth Thereby it is Great affinity between milke and the terms that Hippocrates saith that there is great affinity betweene the milke and the Termes when as it happeneth that the milke is bred and made of them Galen also because of this matter doth elegantly and excellently advertise us that the Infant taketh and hath more from the mother The Infant receiveth more from the mother than from the father than from the father because first that the seedes are augmented and increased by the Termes next because the Feature is nourished by them in the wombe by and by thirdly because being borne hee is nourished with her milke and even as any sprigs or slips have more from the earth than from the Plant being as it were the Father So Infants have more from their Mother Hereby he saith it commeth to passe that so much the more is retributed and yeelded backe againe to the Mother by how much the more they have given The Infant being perfected in the wombe the first month sendeth forth urine by the passages of the Navell but the last moneth by the privie members But now the Infant being formed and perfected in the wombe the first Moneth it voideth and sendeth forth urine by the passages of the Navell but the last Moneth that passage and conveyance being stopt and shut up hee voydeth it by the privie members as hath bin before declared in the third Chapter Nothing expelled by the fundament so long as the Infant is in the wombe concerning the three coats or caules But by the Fundament so long as hee is in the wombe he voydeth and expelleth nothing at all because he hath as yet attracted no nutriment by the mouth The time of the life of the Infant After the forty and fift day by the advertisement of Hippocrates he taketh life and with it the Soule infused into him from Heaven by the judgement of many so that then he beginneth to have sense and feeling But at this time although he be able to have sense and feeling yet hee wanteth motion to wit being as yet very tender and feeble The time of moving but concerning the time of his moving Hippocrates doth excellently instruct us in this wise A rule to know the time of motion and the time of the birth If you double the number of the daies from the conception you shall finde out the time of motion and the number of the time being tripled accompted thrice will declare the day of the birth For example sake An Example It the Infant should be formed in forty five daies hee will move and stirre himselfe the nintieth day after which is the middle day of the Infant lying in the womb but in the ninth Moneth hee will proceede hasten and come forth to the birth although maiden-children for the most part are borne the tenth Moneth And let these things suffice concerning the forming growing increase and perfection of the Infant in respect of the daies and times The end of the first Booke The second Booke Of the Matrix and parts thereof also of the condition and state of the Infant in the womb and of the care and duty to be observed of women with childe CHAP. I. How necessary a thing it is to insert and annex the Anatomy of the Matrix to this worke But because there is no difference in the bowells of the body of man and woman No difference in the bowels of man and woman but in the privities and seede-vessells except only in the privie parts and in the Spermaticall or seed-vessells we distinguish and divide them severally as the intent of our Tractate requireth and doe propound to sight the Matrix with the Orifice or mouth of the necke thereof with the annexed Vrine-pipes or water-conduits and also the whole frame of the same to be viewed and seene in this Figure But the Figure following doth demonstrate and shew the wombe mother or Matrix with the necke cut from it with the mouth or port-passages of the Matrix being closed and shut up within the which the conceived seede is fashioned formed and detained even unto the houre of the birth The same Figure also doth in like sort shadow out the bladder cut from the neck But we accounted it a superfluous thing to marke and point out every severall thing with Letters and Characters because they are extant and are to be seene every where in the bookes of those which have written of Anatomies CHAP. II. Of the substance forme qualities of the Matrix and parts annexed THe Matrix mother or wombe a member proper and peculiar to the Female sexe is made and framed of Nature to be the receptacle and receiver of seed in which it being conceived is conteined until it grow to the due forme and shape of a body The forme of the Matrix The forme of this is somewhat square at length it is also round not unlike unto a bladder The parts are two The parts of it are two The first is the receptacle concavity or hollow vault 1. The receptacle whose substance is full of sinews having one coat of sinewes ligaments and mixed flesh mingled together and the substance is indowed with small sense or feeling closed together with a strict straight narrow passage greedy and desirous of receiving altering and distributing that naturall humor That part is called the Matrix Mother Wombe or the Generative member in which the seede is conceived and formed The passage and gate of this after conception The passage of the wombe after conception so closed that a needle cannot enter into it is so fast and firmely shut and closed together that a needle cannot enter into it without violence and danger which thing is a most certaine argument and signe of conception A certaine signe of conception Also this passage or wombe-port is not opened but in the conception Carnall-copulation birth issuing forth of the Termes The latter part of it is called Cervix or the neck 2. The Necke or Cervix full of sinewes as it were consisting of Cartilaginous or gristled flesh yet not without fat having a wrinckle in the upper part and being of it selfe very sensible That part is called the womans privity or privie-passage in the top of which there are two lips or brims called the foreskinnes in Latine Praeputia by which the wombe and secret parts are covered fortified and defended against externall aire comming underneath About the sound and bottome of this part under the bone named in Latine Os sacrum the necke of the bladder and conduit of the water or urine is discerned
Plaister Also this plaister if there shall be need may be laid upon her Navell to be prepared in this manner Take of Colocynthis decocted in water one part and as much of the juyce of Rue or herbe-Grace to which you shall mingle Myrrh Lineseed Fenegreke Barley-meale of each a spoonefull let them all be sodden and decocted together And let the Plaister confected and compounded of these things be laid upon the whole belly from the Navell even to the Secrets This hath beene sometime tried and proved yet it shall not rashly be used without the counsell of an expert and skilfull Physician Not to be rashly used And let these things be spoken concerning the bringing forth of the Secundine or after-birth CHAP. V. Of the usage and ordering of the woman in child-bed and of the Infant being newly borne THe mother being delivered of her childe The care that ought to be had of the mother by and by after her deliverance and after-birth let the Midwife take a cleane Sponge dipped in warme water and gently bathe and wash her as yet sitting on her stoole where there is neede and if any of the Matrix doth hang and appeare outwardly let her annoint it with warme oiles of Roses Violets or Camomile and let her direct and reduce it againe being cherrished with warme clothes into her proper place which being done let the child-delivered-woman be brought to her bed where the place and roome may be temperate there let her lie on her backe let her stretch out her legs and hold them wide abroad so much as shall be convenient the other part of her body being so upright that shee may rather seeme to sit than to lie downe because by that meanes if any superfluous matter doth remaine it may more commodiously passe away But if in the first daies the issuing of her Flowers shall cease oversoone as it often chanceth The flux of the Flowers to be provoked then powder of Elleborus or Peper shall be blowne into her nostrills every day once or twice for to move and provoke the flux of the Flowers as necessity shall seeme to require If too abundant to be stayed But if the flux be too vehement and more abundant than it should and that the childe-bringing-woman is weakned and feeblished by it let her rest much and use dry meats to wit Hens and Capons boiled and rosted and also any meates fryed in a Frying-pan Let her abstaine from all liquid and moist meats for by these the Termes will issue forth more abundantly Let her also use the confection named Diatriasandalon for that doth both comfort and bind a little morsell of it taken now and then Or if you thinke good let her use this commixtion of powders with bread tosted upon the coales and steeped in sweet wine Take of the species Dianthos Diapliris Diamargariton Diacarophylon Diagalanga Diatriasandalon of each halfe an ounce Diamuscum Diambra of each halfe a scruple Sugar so much as sufficeth mixe them and make a powder or as the Apothecaries name it Tragema and let it be kept in a little box or pot Now many say that the child being washed and wrapped in his swadling-clothes before he sucke the brests or take any meate must be laid by his mother lying in her bed The childe to be laid on the left side of the mother neere the heart whereby the diseases of the child may be attracted to the mother on the left side neere the heart first of all For they thinke as they are perswaded that the mother doth attract and draw to her all the diseases from the child and that she doth expell and void againe by the flux and issue of her wombe what evill soever she hath attracted without any hurt to her selfe for they thinke this thing doth preserve the childe from the Falling-sicknesse and the Leprosie through his whole life They would have this to be done every day one houre while hee abstaineth from meate and milke Red Coralls prepared to be used But at that time often-times red Coralls prepared mixed with Sugar and fresh Butter are to be put into the mouth of the child because they also doe preserve the Infant from the aforesaid diseases continually Red Corall the seeds of Piony to be hanged about the necke and armes Let also red Corall and the seeds of Pionie be hanged upon his necke and armes for they doe strengthen comfort and also make the childe merry and lively And so much also concerning the first care and usage of a woman lately delivered and her child after the birth CHAP. VI. How and with what instruments children sticking in the wombe and being dead are to be brought forth FOrasmuch as the parts of the Matrix are two of which both do consist of sinewes wrinckled flesh and grosse thicknesse as wee have mentioned in the third Chapter before we must know that the inward part of it whose port or entrance is almost unsensible and most streight neither is opened at any time but in the act of Generation issuing of the Termes and in the birth is able to abide and admit so great a dilatation and enlargement that it sufficeth to afford free passage to an Infant to come forth out of the wombe if the birth shall be naturall without any detriment or hurt to the child or mother But when the Infant of himselfe can neither finde nor open this way as at other times by Nature hee is wont because of the restriction and straitnesse of the privie-passage and because the vaults and caves of the same are stopped then let the Midwife convey her fingers in her hands being annointed and let her dilate amplifie and enlarge that strictnesse and narrownesse as conveniently as she can in bredth only but not in length at all lest the ligaments and holders of the Matrix be broken The precipitation or falling downe of the Matrix and the precipitation and sudden falling downe of the Matrix doe follow being a disease uncurable I say the perverting and disordering of the same with the processe and comming forth of the necke of the Matrix Therefore let the Midwife in dilating and opening the inward part move it forward that the head of the Infant which is neerest may put it selfe forth from thence and may proceed and come forth into the utter part to wit the necke of the Matrix For the dilatation and opening of the inward part now spoken of can neither hurt or indammage the mother nor the babe because Nature her selfe doth in an easie birth amplifie and extend the same and also after the birth shut and close the same together againe But if the child cannot proceed forth for the straightnesse and narrownesse of the other part that is to say of the necke but sticke there with his head the other part of his body remaining as yet in the inward receptacle or seede-plot which thing seldome hapneth when he commeth forth
oftentimes proceeded in these accidents and chances The end of the third Booke The fourth Booke Of the differences and varieties of an unnaturall birth and of the cure and remedies of them Seeing that the birthes which shew themselves contrary to nature are many and in them variable accidents and chances we will speake of them in this Booke following how and by how many manner of meanes they may be made against Nature also by what meanes and art every one of them are to be cured for that end onely that the dangers of such a birth may be knowne the sooner and be more diligently prevented so much as may be CHAP. I. Of the first-forme and fashion of a birth not Naturall and how it may be remedied IT hapneth oftentimes that the Infant commeth to the birth as this Figure annexed doth expresse with the feete I say put forth first and the hands stretched downeward to the thighes But in that case the Midwife shall have care that she be furnished and provided with oile convenient ointments The Midwife to be provided of oile and convenient ointments and may so farre forth help and further the proceeding of the Infant by annointing and stroking gently that hee be not carried backe but may proceed forth the right way as hee hath begunne But especially shee shall doe her endeavour that she may take hold of both the armes of the child stretched out downeward and hold them hard nor suffer him to draw them backe againe but compell him to proceede in the same manner The wombe to be annointed with oile and Elleborus to be blowne into the nostrils And if the Infant comming forth in this fashion both because of his bignesse and also his armes stretched out by his sides be so fastned in the narrownesse and streightnesse of the Matrix that hee cannot breake forth wholly to the birth then the wombe of the labouring-labouring-woman and the childe shall be annointed with oile and the powder of Elleborus is to be blowne into the nostrills of the labouring-labouring-woman for to provoke and hasten the birth also her wombe is to be pressed downe gently with both the hands that hee may not bend upward but may incline downeward as hee ought till hee proceede forth into the light CHAP. II. What the second forme or figure of an unnaturall birth and how it may be remedied and cured IT chanceth againe that sometimes the birth commeth forth with the feete first yet the hands not stretched downeward to the thighes by the sides as in the former Figure This manner of birth not to be received unlesse the child be very slender and the orifice of the Matrix very wide but lifted up above the head The which thing happening the Midwife shall by no meanes receive such a birth unlesse the childe be very little and slender and the Orifice or entrance of the Matrix very wide that an easie passage may be hoped without the hurt or harme of the mother and child at all neither shall she receive it yet before she have carefully annointed the wombe and the Infant The birth to be put back into the wombe and brought to a naturall forme But it shall be more safe and more healthfull for both to put backe the birth into the womb and to convert it to a naturall and lawfull forme which may be done in this manner The manner how The labouring-labouring-woman shall lie on her bed with her face upwards her head bended backward her middle part lying higher than the rest which thing being done the Midwife shall binde downe her belly toward the Midriffe in a reasonable manner that she may drive and force the Infant into the womb and may minister occasion that he proceede forth in another forme But before all things she shall have regard that shee turne the face of the child towards the backe of the mother next that she shall lift up the buttocks and legges of the infant towards the Navell of the mother that he may hasten to a due and naturall birth In this case there is no experiment more safe to wit being most profitable of all in all births comming contrary to the forme of Nature CHAP. III. The third forme of an unnaturall birth what it is and how it may be cured BVt if it shall happen that the childe commeth forth with one foot onely the armes hanging downeward about his sides but the other foot turned backward as this Figure hath it the labouring-labouring-woman must not be urged to proceed in her labour but be brought to her bed or to be laid downe some where else and the Midwife must proceed in the same māner as we taught before by the helpe of other women which are present to help her namely by turning in againe the foot comming out first The which being performed let the labouring-woman move and roll her selfe to and fro in her bed her head being lower than her other parts but her thighes and belly higher than the rest declining backward untill the Infant shall be perceived to be turned a little then she is to be brought againe to her labour and travell and she is to be furthered with all the help that may be The same moving rolling and stirring may be done in all the like births when the Infant shall appeare in an unapt and inconvenient manner In the meane while when there shall be need shee shall likewise be refreshed and comforted with drinkes and other medicines set downe before and she is to be urged forward to the birth But if it shall chance in this case that the other foote turned backe doe by that moving and stirring of the mother or by some other help of the Midwife come forth directly to the birth then the Midwife shall straightway having taken hold of the armes hanging downe by the sides bring forth the Infant as conveniently as she can in the same manner as we taught in the first Figure CHAP. IIII. Of the fourth forme of an unnaturall birth and of the cure of it SOmetimes it hapneth that the child appeareth in an overthwart manner and that the side commeth forth first which hapning neither is the labouring-labouring-woman to be urged to labor neither the Infant to be desired in this manner Impossible to bring forth the birth in this manner For that a childe should bee borne so without all controversie both Nature and the thing it selfe do shew that it is an impossible thing Wherefore the Midwife shall doe her endevour To be reduced to a naturall birth that she reduce and bring backe to the lawfull forme of a naturall birth I say by removing the buttocks and by directing and guiding the head to the out-passage if it shall not be effected this way let her assay by often moving and stirring untill he shall be turned to a right forme and manner CAHP. V. Of the fifth forme of a birth against Nature and of the cure of the same BVt if
it happen that the Infant hasten to the birth the feete and armes wide abroad let not the Midwife procure the labour of the woman but let her be brought from the Stoole to the Bed where let her represse backeward her womb lying after the māner and fashion oftentimes before mentioned or let her bid her sometimes turne and move her selfe to and fro untill the child shall be turned to a more apt and convenient forme If this shall seeme to profit nothing at all let the Midwife joyne both the feet together and reduce and bring downe the hands about the sides if shee may by any meanes and let her direct and conduct him to the birth in the safest manner she can Notwithstanding it shall be the surest way and least dangerous that the Infant should be turned and reduced into the wombe and there to be framed to a right and naturall forme of proceeding to the birth CHAP. VI. Of the sixt forme and fashion and of the helpe and remedy of it BVt if the Infant shall proceed to the birth with both the knees the hands let downe about the thighes then let the Midwife thrust both the knees upward with her right hand conveyed into the place untill it shall happen that the feet shall issue forth and then let her take hold of the feet with her left hand but the hands retained about the sides with her right hand let her gently move the childe to proceed to the birth If this shall not seeme to be safe enough the labouring-labouring-woman shall be brought to her bed where lying backward in the manner before spoken shee shall move and turne her selfe so long untill the child shall be turned to a better forme and fashion of birth CHAP. VII Of the seventh forme and how it is to be remedied BVt when the Infant shall hasten to the birth w th one hand appearing only the other arme remaining about the sides and the feete stretched out streight into the wombe the Midwife shall in no case receive him nor suffer him to proceede any further to the birth but let her bring the labouring-labouring-woman to bed where shee may lie downe againe her middle part high and her head low Then her belly also is gently to be restrained and repressed backeward that the Infant may fall backe againe into the wombe likewise let the Midwife if there be need and that the child will not proceede forth of his owne accord hold and presse downe his shoulders with her hand conveied into the place and bring downe the arme appearing out to his side that he may be reduced to a naturall forme in the wombe and may breake forth to an easie birth GHAP. VIII Of the eight forme and the cure of it THis birth is very dangerous among those which offer themselves contrary to nature A very dangerous birth whose forme and Figure thou doest see here described and set forth therefore the Midwife shall imploy her labor that great diligence being used shee may reduce and bring backe all this birth into the wombe Therefore let her first annoint the hands and the wombe of the labouring-labouring-woman with oile because in this case there is need of great labour and travell Afterward if shee can let her thrust backe the shoulders of the childe with one of her hands conveyed in nigh his armes that he fall wholly backe againe into the wombe And againe lest he returne to the same forme and fashion of birth let her bring downe the armes of the childe slid back againe to his sides and by that meanes let her reduce him to a naturall birth If it fall not out well this way the travelling-travelling-woman is to be brought to her bed where after she hath had some rest you must proceede in the same manner as wee before delivered If this thing be done in vaine neither is he changed into another forme shee is to be brought againe to the Stoole and her wombe is to be depressed on every part and to be kept downeward by the help of the women standing by Moreover the Midwife having annointed the Matrix and both the armes put forward let her joyne them together as well as she can and let her receive the Infant breaking forth in that manner Lesse danger if the Midwife be not negligent and the child be small There will be lesse danger in this birth if the Midwife shall be nothing negligent in her duty and the child shall be slender and small in the birth CHAP. IX Of the ninth forme and fashion and of the cure of the same BVt if the childe shall proceede forth to the birth with his buttockes first let the Midwife lift up the Fundament with her hand annointed and conveyed in and turne the head to the way of passage She must not make haste in this case lest he slide backe into a worser forme fashion Neither also is it possible that the Infant should be borne so without most great danger of the mother and childe Therefore if hee cannot be turned otherwise with the hand conveyed in the labouring-labouring-woman is to be brought to her bed where if she shall be faint and feeble she must be refreshed and comforted with convenient meats and now shee must proceed in the manner often spoken of before untill the forme of a more convenient birth shall come CAHP. X. Of the tenth forme and cure of it IT cōmeth sometime to passe that the birth appeareth with the necke turned awry the shoulders bending forward to the birth but the head turned backeward and the feete with the hands lifted upward In that case the Midwife shall remove the shoulders of the childe backward that the head may appeare first for this shall easily be brought to passe because the shoulders being removed a little the head of it selfe will be neerest the Orifice of the Matrix And if the matter shall be put in triall otherwise the labouring-labouring-woman shall be brought to her bed and laid downe againe and let the Midwife use the Precepts delivered before CHAP. XI Of the eleventh forme and remedy of it WHen the child bendeth forward to the birth w th both the hands and feete at once heed must be taken that no danger happen through the difficulty deformed fashion of the birth therefore let the Midwife have a care that being busied in removing the feet of the Infant shee take hold of his head and as much as she may first direct and conduct him to proceede forth also the armes must be removed unlesse they shall fall downe to the sides of themselves If it succeed not well this way we must use the former manner of turning CHAP. XII Of the twelv'th forme and cure of it SOmetimes it cōmeth to passe contrary to the forme before The most perilous birth of all that the birth proceedeth forth brestward Precepts to be observed the hands and feet cast and turned backeward This is accompted most perilous of all wherefore the
Ephesius the sonne of Demostratus when hee hated women had carnall company with an Asse which in processe of time brought forth a most beautifull Maiden-childe named Onoscelin Aristotle being author of it in the second of his Paradoxes And againe when as Fulvius Stellus did disdaine and hate women he had carnall company with a Mare which the Months of bearing being passed over brought forth a very beautifull Maiden-child which he named Epona peradventure Hippona A Goddesse which taketh care of Horses And indeede there is a goddesse of this name which taketh care of Horses as Agesilaus writeth in his third booke of the affaires of Italy Againe of one Fulvius and a Mare the Maiden-child Hippo is said to be borne as wee reade in Plutarch And even as Nature doth change and alter her self in man In Helvetia A Mare brought forth a colt or rather a Cowe so experience doth teach that it may also happen so in beasts For among the Helvetians a Mare being covered of a Bull at the due time brought forth a colt In France a Mare brought forth a colt the hinder part like a Hart. onely having horses feet but in shape haire and taile he was like unto a Cowe And in France a Mare being covered of a Hart brought forth a colt in the hinder part like unto a Hart whom no other Horse could equall match in running and Ludovicus the King received him for a gift of the owner CHAP. IIII. Of the causes and signes of aborcement or untimely births and also of all manner of cure of such as suffer abortion WE must understand The causes of aborcement are two-fold that it happeneth from inward and outward causes that women suffer aborcement that is to say bring forth an immature Feature or an untimely fruit The inward causes Inward causes are considered from the Feature it selfe or from the Matrix If it happen by the Feature it is caused for that the Cotilidons are over-weake which are veines by which the conception is tied and fastned in the Matrix by whose feeblenesse and weaknesse the mouthes or specks of the veines in the Matrix named in Latine Acetabula are caused to be quickly dissolved and broken and aborcement doth follow Againe if the coats or caules also wherein the childe is wrapped and infolded in the womb be loosed dissolved and broken through debility and weaknesse and the retained and inclosed humours doe issue forth by which fluxe the Matrix is made slippery and feeblish and the Feature destitute of moist nourishment doe perish and be destroyed and also likewise if venomous humours flow and issue forth and stirre and pricke forward the expulsive faculty of the Matrix It chanceth also sometime that abortion is caused in respect of the Matrix by an inward cause that happeneth when the woman is weake and waxing feeble and faint doth substract and withdraw nourishment from the Feature that it hath no augmentation nor sufficient matter to ingender and procreate the members Further in respect of the Matrix the wide and ample largenesse of the mouth of the Matrix and the immoderate humidity and moistnesse of the same the evill disposition and distemperature of the qualities also ventosity or vapours inclosed within the Matrix and the ulcers and Apostumations of the same doe minister and afford a cause and occasion of aborcement And also other maladies and infirmities as an immoderat flux of blood an unkinde loosenesse of the belly the disease Tenasmus which is a desire to goe to stoole when nothing can be voided the cough Tenasmus continuall sneesing and what things soever do shake the body over-much yea likewise every sharp sicknesse which doth so molest the body of the woman that it disperseth the nutriments of the Feature Outward causes Besides the externall or outward causes which chance outwardly and hasten and procure aborcement are also many such as are falls running leaping or dauncing riding immoderate exercise and blowes Also inconvenient and intemperate application and use of things which are without the body as of the aire too hot or too cold For great coldnesse doth destroy the Feature but overmuch heate intercepteth and keepeth away the aire from the Infant and stifleth and strangleth him in the wombe Hot bathes also effect the same thing if women doe use them the first three moneths after conception Also noysome stinckes and savours doe provoke and procure abortion as of Lamps or Candles newly put out as Aristotle witnesseth Likewise an intemperate using of unkinde meate and drinke as by the greedy desire of an unnaturall appetite to eate immoderate store of Salt to eate coales dirt or such things by which naughty and corrupt humours or hurtfull drinesse is caused and procured Also great hunger doth hurt the Feature very much and over-much repletion and surfeting the waies and passages of nourishment being soone stopped doth suffocate and choke him Further immoderate exercise intemperate labours immoderate sleep also unseasonable and over-much watching or continuall sluggishnesse and slothfulnesse doe harme and endamage the Feature Likewise other accidents and chances such as are sudden fury great danger exceeding great feare over-much sorrow sudden joy dull appetite desire of things not to be gotten immoderate Venus unfaciable lust And these things concerning the causes Moreover the signes of aborcement to come Signes of aborcement whether they proceed from internall or externall causes are two-fold First before conception there are some fore-shewing tokens belonging to these women which are wont to abort and bring forth unripe fruit as superfluous moisture sudden and unaccustomed fatnesse as if they wax fat contrary to their nature which alwaies were wont to be of a leane and slender body Or such women will suffer aborcement which have a continuall paine about the Kidnies or else doe suddenly fall into other perilous and dangerous diseases Next after conception be thou most certaine and sure of an aborcement to ensue by these signes and notes when you shall perceive the dugs suddenly to waxe soft and lancke which before were plump and hard if immeasurable fluxes and the Flowers shall issue forth continually Further also if the shivering Agues coldnesse and paines of the head with a mistinesse and dimnesse of the eyes shall suddenly ceaze upon the woman conceived with childe All which things do prognosticate and signifie that Aborcement shall follow quickly after How it is to be observed that the childe is dead in the wombe But that the Feature is dead in the wombe hereby it is evident when no motion is felt any more in the wombe when the eyes of the impregnant and conceived woman doe wax hollow when her colour is changed into a swartish whitenesse when great wringings and gripings happen about the Navell and loynes whereby it cōmeth to passe that the lower parts are pressed and clunged together The Strangury and Tenasmus do happen Also the Strangury and Tenasmus doe happen the former
that manner as wee have declared in the Cure of dispersing Ventositie and windie matter Divers experiments leting Abortion Furthermore other experiments also are approved A little bone which they call Saltus or Astragalus Leporis to bee carried about the woman and to drinke of it daily the stomacke being empty Also the stone named Lapis-stellatus so enchased in gold or silver that it may touch the naked body Some women beare about them a claw taken from the foot of a Beare Also the ashes gathered together of a Hedgehog being burnt and tempered with oyle affordeth an oyntment very commodious and profitable for this affection and passion Little wormes are found underneath herbes which if they be hanged alive on the womans necke shee shall never Aborte neither bring forth before due season as some are bold to promise and let the truth of the matter depend upon their credit For they say they have such great efficacy to hinder the birth that the woman cannot be delivered unlesse they bee removed Wherefore they admonish that they must bee alwaies removed and taken away in time Also the stone named Lapis Aetiles which some say is found in an Eagles nest is proved against Aborcements and over hastie birthes which in like manner is reported to further and promote a lingring and over-flow birth 10. There are likewise some other external things which chance outwardly and for all that doe cause aborting to women by a naturall cause as if a woman-conceived with childe doe tread upon a serpent viper the egge of a Crow as some doe write or a dead serpent with two heads named Amphisbaena Some also doth attribute this property to Castoreum carried in the bosome But if it happen that the Termes issue forth after Conception 11. they are not straight way to be stopped unlesse the woman become weake with Flowing of them If they issue forth moderately this thing is to bee permitted because they signifie that much slyminesse and distempered humours and abundance of bloud is deteyned in the wombe If they flow forth more copiously they shall bee stayed and restreyned with Acacia Hypocisthis and Lin-seed sodden in water to be used by a bathe or Fomentation If the legs shal be swoln which thing often time happeneth the three former monethes regard is to bee had of the liver and stomacke that they may bee lightened and eased from superfluous humors and let meats bee given them of another quality If the liver grow hard to women-conceived with childe it is a hard thing to remedy it because as Galen witnesseth in this passion they are not able to endure strong medicines Wherefore the most gentlest shall bee administred to them But because it falleth out that dead Features sometime doe proceed forth more slowly and sometimes never even as the Secundines doe wee must understand that most great dangers doe happen to women also sicknesses swooning failing of life especially in sommer-time by reason of venemous vapours fuming and flying upward from the putrefying Feature and so greatly vexing and molesting the heart and the brain that oftentimes they are deprived of the use of reason and understanding Therefore all care is to bee used and imployed that dead Features may speedily be expelled the poore women freed from so great dangers which thing how it may bee done wee have taught in the former books by a large discourse CHAP. V. Of the signes of Conception ALthough it be a hard thing to know the true conception of women yet we may give a coniecture by many signes and attaine unto it by some arguments confirmed and ratified by experience It is credited for certaine signe of conception if the woman the tenth day or some day sooner after shee had company carnally with man shall perceive the Termes to bee white or red by reason of humours also the stopping and retention of the Termes is accompted for a signe yet it deceiveth because it happeneth also often times without conception Therefore this being omitted wee will prosecute other notes and signes taken from the body of the woman herselfe concerning true conception every member and part examined and first the beginning shall proceed from the head The paines of the head swimming of the brain and dymnesse of the eyes if they concurre and chance together doe signifie conception The apples of the eyes are lessened The eyes swell and are changed into a swartish colour The little veines doe waxe red and begin to swell with bloud The eyes sinke downe into the head The eye-lids become feeble Divers colours are seene in the eyes and perceived in a looking-glasse Red pimples doe arise in the face The little veines placed betwixt the nose and eyes are swolne with bloud and are seene more clearely and plainely than they were wont The veine under the tongue waxeth greenish The necke is hot the backe-bone cold The veines and arteries are full the pulses are easily perceived The veines situated in the breast at first wax blacke afterward begin to be yellow or to be of a blewish-colour The dugs begin to swell and wax hard with paines The nipples beginne to be reddish If cold water be drunke a coldnesse is felt in the breasts A loathing and refusing of meat and drinke creepeth upon the woman Divers appetites longings are ingendred A destruction and decay of Naturall appetite and desire is caused and procured A continuall casting and parbreaking and weakenesse of the stomach Sower and slow belchings A loathing of wine A disordered and intemperate beating of the heart Sudden ioyes after these sudden sorrowes Wringings and gripings about the Navell Paine of the loynes The lower part of the belly is affected with swellings There are inward compunctions and prickings in the body The seed is reteyned seaven daies after carnal company A coldnesse and chilnesse of the outward members after the act of Generation The attractive faculty and vertue of the Matrix is increased The Matrix is dryed by and by A great delight and pleasure in the Venerious act but after conception a disdayning of Venus The Matrix is restreyned and closed But because this thing is procured by other causes also it may bee observed and noted by an infallible and certaine difference when it foresheweth conception For then it is slender and soft but if it be restreyned and closed for any other cause as by too much heate or swelling then it remayneth harder The secret parts of the woman are wrinkled even unto the seaventh moneth The wombe waxeth round and swelleth About the beginning of Conception paines of the belly and backe 〈◊〉 felt as it were beating The Termes or Flowres are stopped For the veines from whence they doe flow carrie and conveigh by the mouthes and speckes named Acetabula bloud to nourish the Feature through the Navel and some of that matter is drawne upward to the breasts where it is transmitted and changed into milke For so also Hippocrates admonisheth us saying
stones bones iron and innumerable such like things through the Matrix all which things verily the wicked Spirit had subtilly and maliciously conveyed underneath and brought in The same Vincentius citeth some other Histories serving to this matter and question in the twenty sixt and twenty seventh Chapter of his Booke named Naturale Speculum Namely that a certaine young-man caught a woman by the haire of the head bathing her selfe in the Sea about the evening whom he tooke to wife after he had brought her home to his house and begot a sonne by her But she not speaking a word at all hitherto that her husband compelled her to speake moved by instigation of others which said she was a spirit making a shew as if hee would murther the child begotten of her unlesse shee would declare her of-spring But shee having uttered forth sorrowfull things to have vanished away and also to have drowned this childe washing himselfe in the Sea being growne to ripenesse of age and that hee was afterward found in no place cast out to the shore side Therefore that hee was not a true man although he was borne and brought up in shape of a true man Moreover that many did believe that this spirit which by a false apparition did seeme to be a woman The Divell named Succubus to be a divell which is named Succubus It is not unlike to this which hee bringeth forth in the aforesaid place Namely that at Colonia Agrippina many Noble men sate in Councell in a certaine Palace sometime neere the shore of the river Rhenus which while by chance they did looke downe into the water did see a certaine souldier carried in a little boat a Swanne swimming before drawing the little boat with a silver chaine put upon his neck suddenly to leap upon the shore the Swan being sent away with the little boat there to have married a wife and to have begotten many children of her And some yeeres being ended the empty boat swimming backe againe and the Swanne swimming before it as hee did before time that the same souldier did returne againe into the same boat and to have appeared to no man againe and that his children lived there a long time But many have believed that he was a Divel whom they named Incubus who dwelling so long with the woman and so many yeeres in the shape of a man having used such great coozenages and deceits did shew forth counterfeited tumours of her wombe and counterfeited births children conveyed underneath taken by stealth from some other place Whether the Divell may conceive seed of men and by the same seed cast forth into women ingender or not But whereas many doe labour by this perswasion and contend that the Divell named Succubus may be able to conceive seede from man and by and by being changed into a Divell named Incubus to cast forth the same seede into the wombe of a woman and of her to ingender a man as it is most false so it ought to deserve no credit at all For it is most contrary and repugnant both to Religion and also to Nature For if this were possible with how many monsters of wilde beasts had wee seene mankinde so long space of time to have beene tormented and vexed of such a great enemy of mankind by the change and alteration of seeds made in brute beasts men and women Wherefore Conciliator in his Booke de Medicina the twenty and fifth Difference determineth well of these things saying Wee must know that the testicles or stones of man are the principall parts of the generative or begetting vertues but not the sole or onely parts because the beginning of Generation is not caused by them alone neither are they alone able to perfect Generation For the first beginning is from the heart by reason of vitall and lively faculty and vertue reposed and laid up in the same so that no living thing can be ingendered without the helpe and aid of the power and vertue of it For at last the vertue and faculty of the testicles doe consist by vitall vertue and naturall heat Wherefore that the Divell named in Latine Succubus may be able to conceive with men and being changed into the Divell termed Incubus may cast forth the same seede conceived into women and beget a man is not only a fabulous thing to be spoken but also impious wicked and odious to be believed But whether the Divell hath power to steale to carry from one place to another to convey and change children one for another is a matter that needeth no great enquiry For that some such like thing may be brought to passe some time wee must understand but that it is not done by his owne power but by the permission of the most just and omnipotent God for the sinnes of men especially when wicked Parents having no religious care of their children do not strengthen and fortifie them with the blessing of God and overwhelme them with the curse of the Divell Therefore let all because they are the children of God learne to bring them up religiously and to consecrate them to God and not to object them to the maledictions of the Divell The sixth Booke Of the divers causes of Sterility and barrennesse and of the speciall maladies of the Matrix and also of the divers remedies of all of them CHAP. I. Of the Sterilitie of men and women also of the cause and signes of the same WEe say that sterility or barrennesse of which wee have purposed to speak at this present is not onely a disability and unaptnesse of bringing forth children in women contracted and caused by some cause that may be corrected and remedied but in men also of ingendering and sending forth fruitfull seede Aristotle attributeth this disability and impotency principally to fat men and women because of the evill proportion and ill disposition of the generative members that is to say in whom the seed is procured and derived from a more remote place and so vitall spirit inclosed in it doth vanish away sooner by that delay But not onely that habite and disposition of the body is a cause but there are many other causes also besides of this difficulty and infirmitie For when we see oftentimes man and wife joyned together not to ingender and beget children but being separated both of them to procreate children and on the contrary part that those which being coupled together doe beget children are not fruitfull when they are separated it must needes be that without doubt there is some hidden cause Where wee thinke it will not be an unprofitable thing to declare and bring forth those things which are best knowne For there are many outward and inward causes which doe concurre together in this case But as fertility and fruitfulnesse hath his helpes and furtherances by many outward things as in a convenient diet in an accustomed temperature of the aire by bathes warme by nature such as are the Helvetian
THE EXPERT MIDWIFE OR An Excellent and most necessary Treatise of the generation and birth of Man Wherein is contained many very notable and necessary particulars requisite to be knowne and practised With divers apt and usefull figures appropriated to this worke Also the causes signes and various cures of the most principall maladies and infirmities incident to women Six Bookes Compiled in Latine by the industry of Iames Rueff a learned and expert Chirurgion and now translated into English for the generall good and benefit of this Nation LONDON Printed by E G. for S. B. and are to be sold by Thomas Alchorn at the signe of the Greene Dragon in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1637. Imprimatur THO. WYKES R. P. Ep. Lond. Cap. Domest To all grave and modest Matrons especially to such as have to doe with women in that great danger of childe-birth as also to all young practitioners in Physick and Chirurgery whom these matters may concerne Grace Peace and good successe in their undertakings heartily wished ALbeit the sundry presidents of bookes in this kinde formerly published might free me from Apologizing for myselfe for this worke yet will I adde to what others have said one reason of maine consequence not observed by any that I have read which will much strengthen these my endeavours It is observeable that in all ages of the world and throughout all countries in the world that the helpe of grave and modest women with us termed Midwives hath ever been useful for releife succour of all the daughters of Evah whom God hath appointed to beare children into this world which things so being and women with all being Vniversally as all men know for the most part unlearned any further then to understand their owne native language as a french woman to understand french a dutch woman dutch or an english woman english And the businesse whereunto God hath ordayned them of so great and dangerous consequence as concernes the very lives of all such as come into the world and withall for preventing of great danger and manifold hazards both unto the mother and unto the infant it being necessarily required that the parties imployed thereabout should understand the businesse which they take in hand which cannot be without the knowledge of many particulars concerning both the mother and the Infant which they can never attaine unto but either by the use of bookes penned by skilful Physitians Chirurgions or by conference with the learned and skilfull which can hardly or not at all in most places be had or else by practicall long experience which though it bee the surest mistresse yet is it the dearest and hath cost the lives of many both in this kinde and otherwise before knowledge could be therby obtained these things so being what reason hath any to seeke or debarre grave and modest women such as God hath called to that function or other grave and modest matrons such as though not so precisely thereunto called yet may bee assistant and helpefull unto the midwife in so great dangers and whose paines labours also are of an absolute necessity in the mid-wives absence of the use of such meanes as may inable them to the undertaking of matters so dangerous and so full of perill with much lesse hazard to the patients and paines and turmoylings to themselves for the unskilfulnesse and want of knowledge in the midwife in matters both concerning the mother and the infant doth questionlesse oftentimes indanger the lives both of the one and the other and procure much unnecessary trouble to themselves whenas perhaps had a skilfull midwife the matter in hand there would be neither perill to the one nor paine to the other but will some nicely precise perhaps say It is unfit that such matters as these should bee published in a vulgar tongue for young heads to prie into True if by other meanes it might be effected but the danger being great and manifold and the unlearned for their sex for the most part further then their owne tongue being in all ages and in all places as I have said thereunto assigned whether is it better that millions should perish for want of helpe and knowledge or that such meanes which though lawfull in themselves yet may by some be abused should be had and used doe we not see in many cases that those things which otherwise were monstrous are yet by necessity made tollerable Or shall we because some good things are by evill men and evill mindes abused therefore deprive the good of the use of good things If such slender reasons as these might prevaile then might there perhaps a great number perish before ever they saw the light who otherwise might live and increase the number of Gods church by their off-springs and perhaps also a great deale more worke might be made for men-mid-wives then yet is although there bee too too much already and some perhaps for private profit have too farre already incroached upon womens weakenesses and want of knowledge in these their peculiar businesses To conclude I say onely this my intentions herein are honest and iust and my labours I bequeath to all grave modest and discreet women as also to such as by profession practise either Physicke or Chirurgery And whose helpe upon occasion of extreame necessity may be usefull and good both for mother child and mid-wife But young and raw heads Idle serving-men prophane fidlers scoffers jesters rogues avant pack hence I neither meant it to you neither is it fit for you Thus craving the favourable construction of the grave and honest but not respecting the rash censures of the peevish I rest at your devotion unto whom in the beginning I have inscribed these my labours the particular contents whereof follow in the next leafe Fare you well The Methode of the Worke through the Arguments of the Bookes and Chapters THe first Booke intreateth of the Generation of man and women Of the generative or begetting seed what it is how and in what manner it hath its beginning Chap. 1 Of the mixture of the seed of both sex also of the substance and forme of the same Chap. 2 Of the three coats with which the Feature is invironed defended covered in the womb Chap. 3 Of the three faculties disposing and governing the body and of the spirit it selfe Chap. 4 Of the true Generation of the parts and the increase of the Feature according to the daies and moneths Chap. 5 Of the food of the Feature in the wombe with what nourishments it is nourished and when it groweth to be an Infant Chap. 6 The second Booke of the Matrix and parts thereof also of the condition and state of the Infant in the wombe and of the care and duty to be observed by women with childe How necessary a thing it is to insert the Anatomy of the Matrix to this Worke. Chap. 1 Of the substance forme qualities of the Matrix and the parts annexed Chap. 2 Of
he be distinctly and propound 〈◊〉 formed yet hee hath not attained to his just perfection But if he bee borne the seventh month Why the Infant borne the seventh month may live hee shall live most easily because hee is perfect enough then But that they which are borne in the eight moneth are most seldome able to live when some borne in the seventh moneth doe for the most part remaine alive doth come to passe not without good reason For in the seventh moneth the Infant is alwaies moved to the birth at which time if he shall be of that force and strength he commeth forth to the birth If he be not hee remaineth in the wombe untill hee shall be able and strong enough that is to say the other two moneths If after that motion of the seventh moneth hee proceed not to birth he removeth himselfe from thence into another place of the womb is so debilitated effeeblished by that moving The Infant borne the eight moneth cannot live that if he come forth to birth the eight moneth following hee cannot live at all because of that motion For neither is the Infant weakned with this moving alone but with a double motion even unto death First Two deadly motions of Infants when he is borne the eight moneth after his moving in the seventh as we said of late Next because in respect of the Planets every seventh moneth bringeth forth a motion hurtfull and dangerous to any Feature The Sun I say at that time remaining in an opposite Signe and because the eight moneth is proper to Saturne an enemy of all things which receive life Also we must know The difference of sex and the cause thereof that male-children are conceived in the right side of the Matrix by plentifull seed issuing out of the right testicle or stone of the man but female-children in the left side by the seed of the left testicle For the right side because of the Liver is hotter but the left side is colder But principally the more copious and plentifull heat is a cause of ingendring and procreating of male-children The similitude of forme with the parents is from the power of the seed That also children doe sometimes answer and agree to their parents in likenesse of forme that thing is caused by the vertue and power of the seed that the Infant is most like to him or her in forme and shape whose seede doth most exceed and excell in power and vertue But in this case Motion of the starres supposed a cause the motion of the Starres is supposed to prevaile some thing that when the seed is conceived under good aspects of the Planets this causeth an excellent shape but when it is conceived under evill aspects in like case it procureth an ugly shape And so much hitherto CHAP. VI. Of certaine Precepts very necessary for women conceived with childe even to the houre of the birth by the reason of divers chances HEreafter we will give some wholesome and necessary Precepts to women conceived with childe by which being instructed they may certainly know how they may behave and use themselves from their conception even to the birth and deliverance that no danger may happen to them or they cause a hard and painfull birth to themselves by the neglect of the Precepts Before all things 1. To be merry and cheerefull not pined with care let them be of a merry heart let them not be wasted and pined with mourning and cares let them give their endevour to moderat joyes and sports For these things doe both exhilarate and cheare up the Infant and stirre up all the faculties of the Feature and doe strengthen and comfort him in his parts and members as is manifest in the third Chapter Further 2. let them abstaine and forbeare from all violent motion and hard painfull labours To abstaine from violent motion and painfull labour c. and let them use moderate exercise let them not leape or rise up suddenly let them not runne also neither dance nor ride neither let them lace or gird in themselves hard or straight or lift up any heavie burden with their hands Sleepe especially is convenient 3. To take heed of sharpe and cold winds great heat c. Againe let them take heed of cold and sharp winds great heat anger perturbations of the minde feares and terrours immoderate Venus and all intemperance of eating and drinking Let the diet and food of women with child 4. To be moderate in diet be frugall and moderate let them abstaine from crude raw and grosse meates to wit Lentills Beanes Milium Beefe salt and fryed fruites milke cheese and such like But let them use Chickins Egs divers sorts of Pottages Birds Mutton and Veale It will be good sometime to use Cinamome and Nutmeg with Sugar Let reasonable white Wide serve for their drinke 5. Not to let blood the first foure months nor to use boxing-glasses The first foure moneths from the conception by the counsell of Hippocrates let them not open any veine let them also abstaine from boxing glasses or boxing let them take no Pills or purge without the counsell of an expert and skilfull Physician for that time the Ligaments and binders of the Feature are as yet tender and weake and therefore the Feature is easily destroyed and nourishment is substracted and drawne from him But if it shall happen that they be bound and cannot got orderly to stoole 6. To make the body soluble being bound let them take Spinage seasoned with store of Butter also Lettuce made tender with Water with Salt Wine and Vinegar But if those things will not relaxe and unloose the belly let them use Suppositors confected and made of Hony and the yolke of an Egge or with Venice-soape But if the constipation and binding shall be so great that this remedy will not profit let them by the advice of a skilfull Physician use a potion of the decoction of the leaves of Sena together with Cassia newly extracted and drawne which the Physician shall minister more or lesse according to the quality of the constipation or costivenesse And if they shall conceive with grievous Symptomes and accidents 7. If after conception there happen swooning and fainting what to doe and after the conception shall suffer swoning and fainting continually let them drinke Sorrell-water and Rose-water warmed tempered with Cinamon and little Rundells or Cakes named Manus Christi or Diamargariton Or the water of Roses and Buglosse being tempered with a litte Cinamon Cloves and Saffron beaten to powder shall be laid upon the brest in a cloth once or twice doubled together dipped and steeped in that water If they thinke they shall be delivered before their time through some accident what to doe But if they thinke they shall be delivered before the time as in the seventh moneth or some other immature and unseasonable time and shall already
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
Midwife in this case must diligently observe these precepts First let the Midwife annoint her owne hands and the wombe of the labouring-woman which being done let her search for the armes of the childe with her hand conveyed in and let her hold them fast when shee hath hold of them untill shee shall take hold of the head all her care and diligence being used that she may first reduce the head to the out passage After shee shall remove the armes of the childe and shall direct and convey them to the sides for this being done both the Birth shall sooner have passage and there shall be lesse danger also Lastly if the childe shall not bee brought forth with any of these meanes it shall bee the safest way to bring the labouring-labouring-woman to bed and to proceede in the manner already often spoken of if peradventure by that delay the Infant may frame himselfe to an apt and commodious forme and manner of birth CHAP. XIII Of the thirteenth forme and the cure of it THe same reason also is observed to bee in the birth of two or three Of the birth of twinnes which is in the birth of one For as the birth of one alone hath only one naturall forme but many unnaturall so hath also the birth of twinnes Therefore when it shall happen that the twinnes appeare with their heads proceeding forth the Midwife shall have a care that she doe orderly receive one of them which shall be perceived to lie most commodiously and fitly in those privie vaults but doe not let the other slip away while the o her commeth forth least sliding backe againe into the wombe he be turned into another forme and fashion but one of them being borne let her likewise also receive the other straight-way as she ought The second birth more easie than the first This second birth will be more easie without danger because the former childe hath made the way so plaine for the latter In the birth of twinnes great care to be used to bring forth the secundines There must also diligence and care be used that in this birth of twinnes the Secundines or second birth may speedily bee procured to issue forth least the womb being freed of the children doe quickely fall downe and deteine them reteyned there not without great hurt CHAP. XIV Of the fourteenth forme and the cure of it ALso this is the forme of an unnaturall birth of twinnes which we propound and 〈◊〉 forth to be viewed in this figure that is to say with the feet of both the Infants turned to the mouth of the Matrix This birth of twins very dangerous such a birth is very dangerous but to be remedied and corrected by the wisdome of the Midwife Therefore let the Midwife annoynt the womb of the labouring-woman that by that the way may bee more easie for the birth which being done she shall have a care that she take hold of the armes of one of the children and hold them hard brought downeward to the sides and gently procure the head to proceed forth He being borne by and by the other being taken hold of let her proceed in like manner But if she cannot apprehend the armes of neither so that there is no hope of a happy birth shee must haue recourse to the first forme and fashion of them if peradventure the children may be sooner delivered and brought forth into the light by that meanes and turning which is performed on the bed CHAP. XV. Of the last forme and fashion of an unnaturall birth and the cure of it THere is another forme of an unnaturall birth which may bee viewed here the one comming with his head downeward and the other with the feete which forme truely is framed and composed of a naturall and unnatural kind of birth A naturall and unnaturall kind of birth But when it shall happen that two children doe shew themselves in this manner let the Midwife first bring forth the former of them being turned into a naturall forme and shee shall remove the other comming with his feet first and if it shall be possible she shall reduce and bring him backe againe into the womb that he also may be disposed and framed to the forme of a naturall birth But if he cannot be converted into a better forme his hands streight way being taken hold of hee must be procured and moved to issue forth More safe if it be turned to a naturall birth Yet it would be more safe that it be turned to a naturall forme and to effect the same the Midwife shall bend her diligent labour by annointing removing and turning to and fro lest that the womb be offended and hurt by such a forme and manner of an unnaturall birth and lest also the fore-skins begin to swell whereby the birth cannot come forth without danger or may be hindred longer All which things truely by provident care may either be avoyded or at least in some sort amended The end of the fourth Booke The fifth Booke Of the false Conception named Mola and other false tumours of the womb also aborcements and certaine monsters and likewise of the divers signes of conception CAHP. I. Of the false Conception named Mola and other falsely supposed Conceptions SO many as have at any time written of the false conception Mola have called it a deceivable conception What the false conception Mola is which if at time it commeth to the birth commeth forth in the likenesse and similitude of a piece or lump of mishapen flesh The Name Some will have the name of it to be derived of Molon which among the Greekes doth signifie a round thing because the forme and shape of it is round or else to be so named of the Persian word Moli which to them signifieth a certaine mishapen thing or a disordered lump Or rather as the more learned doe write beause it is a certaine hardned swelling or tumour which in the sense of touching seemeth to be stony like unto a Mill-stone named in Latine Mola either in the whole wombe or in the entrance or wicket of it only Whereby a heavinesse and difficulty of moving happeneth to women possessed with this evill as it were pressed downe with a heavie weight How the false conception Mola is ingendred For the Grecians doe name it Mylon which in Latine is called Mola Averrois and Paulus Aegineta doe declare that this deformed lump of flesh is ingendred of the weaknesse and debility of both the seedes that is to say of the mans and womans or else of the corruption of good seedes which happeneth about the first time of conception But others doe say that it is ingendred of the abundance of the flowers or Terms because through great heat of the Matrix they are sometimes congealed and clotted together and brought into a mishapen masse or lump of flesh but they which doe more narrowly pay and search into the Natures of
bee confected and laid upon the swolne belly Take of the seed of Rue Cummine Garden-cresses Centaurie the lesse Majoram Anise wilde Penny-royall of each one handfull let all of them be shred into pieces and beaten together and make an Emplaster of them with wine CHAP. III. Of unperfect children also of monsterous Births WEE see that it commeth to passe in divers manners by experience of matters testimony of the times that many monsters and imperfect or mishapen children are borne But when as that thing is specially to bee attributed and ascribed to the Iudgements of God yet afterward also the corruption and fault of the seed is to bee acknowledged to wit which was either too much or too little or corrupted from whence those monsters are ingendred But we will hereafter give you some Figures of those shapes not to the intent to handle all things to the full perfection but that by a few of them wee may propound some knowledge of the Iudgements of God by divers monsters against Nature as it were prognosticating things to come and that we may see how much the fault and corruption of seed avayleth in this case In the yeare 1552 in England not far from Oxford a certaine deformed birth was borne with two heads foure armes with so many hands with one belly having the secret parts of a woman and one fundament On the one side there were two feete over-thwart on the other one onely stretched out right of forme of two feet having tenne toes One of them lived fifteene daies and the other lived one day more They wept seldome in this time One of them was very merry but the other drowsie and sad the length and breadth of them was the bredth of twenty fingers But if it be demanded of the cause of such conceptions and birthes The causes of Monsters we must know before all things that they come not to passe without the providence of the Almighty and Omipotent God but also that they are permitted oftentimes by his just judgement for to punish and admonish men for their sinnes Likewise we allege the immoderate desire of lust to be a cause whereby it commeth to passe Immoderate desire of last a cause that the seeds of men and women are caused to be very feeble and imperfect whereby of necessity a feeble and imperfect Feature must ensue The defect of the seede causeth the defect of the Feature For the defect of seede going before the consequence is that a defect of the Feature doth follow and contrariewise if the seed shall be superfluous it is easily collected and concluded that superfluous things are ingendred of a superfluous matter But if at any time two Infants doe grow together The causes of two children growing together sometime this thing is caused of thinne and corrupt seede sometime by terrours and affrightments and also other evill chances whereby it falleth out that the children already conceived before in the wombe are squashed together and the seeds being broken doe grow together in some part Similies For as Creame or the fatnesse of milke although it be congealed and clotted together notwithstanding with some motion is troubled and spoiled and even as the flowers blossomes of the trees are cast down with any windâ— so also the conceived seeds by an easie and small mischance may be corrupted that they may flow abroad and by flowing abroad are altogether commixed and mingled together or at least doe in some sort grow and increase together whereby it must needes be that some deformed and mishapen birth must follow which God the first Authour doth permit and suffer to be formed so and shaped for the punishment and admonition of men The causes of cloven or Hare-lips Many also are ingendred with cloven lips after the forme and manner of the mouth of a Hare and are named Hare-lips either in one or in both parts of the lips and they grow together with that evill deformity which things we must understand to be caused by terrours and sudden sights of Hares Swine or other Cattell this sudden terrour troubling and moving the conceived seed Againe through longing terrors many are borne The causes of spots marks in children which have divers spots and markes imprinted on the body to wit of Hares of Mice of divers colours of a bunch or cluster of grapes of flames of fire and other things Which things because they are common and often we would not let them out to view by severall Figures It happeneth also that some are ingendred and do grow and increase untill some time that hee that vieweth them cannot determine and be resolved of what sex or kinde they may be of The more unskilfull doe suppâ—â—â—â—â—em to be of both kindes but they are farre 〈◊〉 For it falleth out by some chance that the seed gathereth some corruption about these members For example sake An Example It happened that such a child was brought before us concerning whom it was not apparent of what sex or kind he should be The testicles or stones did appeare outwardly but no privie member besides under the testicles there was a rupture and division from which the water did issue forth But because by reason of the defect of the yard or urine-pipe standing outwardly for it was not altogether wanting but turned inwardly toward the rupture even new spoken of Nature had given this way to the urine it seemed good that it should not be baptized for a maiden childe nor for such a one as is both Male and Female The conjecture of the mother but for a man-childe And the mother did confesse that she was greatly affrighted and terrified by a certaine thing she had seene so that she did conjecture that by that meanes that was so contracted and shrunck unto the child But because such things are rather perceived by the understanding than the eyes wee would not frame any Figure peculiar to such a birth But now 〈◊〉 returne to another Figure That of brutes such various shapes are borne it is lesse wonder therefore when as Pliny reports of living creatures in Africa that have such various formes and shapes seeing their coupling and conception is of divers creatures Rabbi Moses in his Aphorismes Particle 25. Rabbi Moses his report writeth thus In Sicilie there happened a great Eclipse of the Sunne and in that yeere women brought forth very many deformed double-headed children It may be demanded here whether beasts may conceive by men Whether beasts may conceive by men or in like sort women of beasts We affirme this may come to passe for three reasons First by naturall appetite Secondly by the provocation of Nature by delight Thirdly by the attractive vertue of the Matrix Histories of some that have had carnall copulation with beasts which in beasts and women is alike Examples are at hand For Plutarch in his lesser Paralells hath these words Aristonymus
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
lumpe is felt in the necke of the Matrix with which the Bladder and Intestinum rectum or the Fundament gut are so pressed together that it is a hard and difficult thing for her to void her urine and other excrements her urine also will be white and thick blewish or blacke dregs gathered together in the bottome almost no pulse at all soft slender thicke and disordered But if by intemperate moisture of the Matrix the ligaments and stay-bands of it are putrefied and rotted so that for that cause it falleth downe to issue forth we must understand that this is caused without any paine and when the case standeth so stinking and filthy corrupt matter doth issue out of the Matrix continually If it happen by difficultie and hardnesse of the birth it will at all times appeare out of the privities but it will come forth being forced and constrained by great labours and exercises and will stirre up great paines betweene the lips or brimes of the same being pressed together Therefore all the qualities and conditions of this sickenesse and malady are diligently to be marked and observed that all things may goe forward the better in the administration of the cure The cure of the suffocation of the Matrix It remaineth now to give diligent admonion and counsell also concerning the cure so much as we have beene able to know and profitably to gather out of others Wherefore if the Matrix shall be removed upward without any suffocation it shall be able easily to be reduced and brought into her place againe with Fumes Fomentations or other things which have force to repell and drive backe as it hath been made evident and manifest in the Tractat of the former Chapter concerning the suffocation of the Matrix But if it shall remove toward the right side Cupping-glasses are to be fixed on the contrary side without Scarification Also let there be binding-bands made of cloth folded together a little bundle compounded by the advice of some Physician of such things as have force to move the Matrix being put betweene those bands When those things are inclosed with the binding-bands let them be tyed to that side into which the Matrix is removed and let the woman that suffereth this infirmity lye downe upon them and let her make a tryall to repell it backe And those things bundled together shall be Bawme Camomile Mugwoort Melilot Rue or herbe-Grace and such like things Moreover A Powder shee must take one spoonfull of this powder following with wine very hot her stomacke being as yet empty every day in the morning Take Flowers and Berries of the Bay-tree Harts-horne burnt of each two drams Myrtles two scruples Aristolochia rotunda one dram Mingle them and make a powder Or otherwise take Peach-kernells in number twelve Dissolve them with the yolkes of three Egs. Afterward take Cinamome Bay-berries Aristolochia rotunda of each one dram Dittany halfe a dram Nutmegge one scruple Saffron halfe a scruple mingle them with Wine and Sugar so much as sufficeth let a broth or meate be decocted of this and let the woman eate it very hot next her heart having eaten nothing before in the morning For it serveth wonderfully for restoring the Matrix into her place and doth mitigate the paines of the same But if it fall downeward and appeare outwardly by the secrets first the excrements of the belly are to be moved to issue forth with a Clyster conveniently and likewise the Bladder is to be dis-burdened also the wombe is to be mollified with this bathe following A Bathe that the Matrix may have the more easie regresse and returne into her place Take Mugwoort Camomile both kindes of Mallowes with the roots Fenegrec Bay-berries of each one handfull mingle them together and let a bathe be made of them So often as she shall come forth of the bathe let the Matrix be cherrished with warme cloths and let it be annoynted with the Muscilage made of the Kernells of Quinces mollified with the water of Acacia that it may be slippery in her returne back Afterward this powder following being sprinckled on it being cherrished with a warme cloth let it be put againe into the wombe Take of the juyce of Acacia Myrtles Pomegranat-flowers red Roses of each one dram and a halfe mixe them and make a powder And in the cure of this disease let the woman lie in her bed upon her backe her middle part or hips lifted up in a reasonable manner higher than the rest of her body that the Matrix fallen downe may be repelled and sent backe into the wombe And when it is reduced into her proper place let her lie with her legs stretched out abroad and let a large glasse or more glasses be fastened to her belly as shee lyeth and let such things as are of good and pleasant smell and savour be applied unto her nostrills as Amber and such like things that the Matrix may be drawne upward by the sweetnesse of the savour which it feeleth A Fume Also you shall make a Fume for her as shee lieth which may onely attaine to her Matrix but may in no wise come unto her nostrills Take of the juyce of Acacia the bone of the Cuttle-fish Pomegranat-flowers roots of Bistort Galls Cypresse-nuts myrtles or the leaves of each halfe an ounce Masticke Olibanum of each three drams Assa Foetida one ounce mingle them and make a powder of them After this Suffumigation or Fume let the Matrix be Fomented and comforted with hot Spunges dipped in this decoction following and applied one after another Take Myrtles one handfull red Roses Acornes Pomgranat-flowers Acacia of each halfe a handfull mingle them together and make a decoction of them with red Wine untill the halfe part be consumed and wasted away A Pessary Afterward it will be profitable to use this Pessarie Take Assa Foetida one dram Mastick two drams Myrtles Frankincense Galls Cypresse-nuts of each one dram and a halfe temper them with oile of Myrtles and let a Pessary be made of them the length and thicknesse of one finger covered over with silke Also this experiment is proved to be very profitable Dissolve Garlick bruised in a Mortar so in water that it have no thicknesse left in it let the Matrix be washed with that water and being sprinckled with this powder following let it be put into the wombe againe Take Pine-apple-kernels burn'd Harts-horne burn'd Frankincense Masticke of each one dramme mixe them and make a powder How the Matrix is to be retained being brought into the wombe Now the Matrix being reduced into the wombe and settled againe into her proper place we must use Ventoses or Cupping-glasses and what things soever have retentive force to draw the same Some doe acknowledge this thing for a certaine experiment to lay Nettles being well bruised upon the belly like a plaster and not to be removed from thence for a good while for by