syde / so that nothyng appeare betwene the peces of lynnen in the myddes of them / but onely the clefte and ryfte of the wounde in the breadthe of a strawe / then this done / sowe these sydes of lynnen to gether close as before I bed you to sowe the skynne when they be thus stytched to gether / laye a lyttell lyquyd pytche vpon the seme and this done the lappes and sydes of the wond vnder the lynnen plaster wyll growe to gether agayne heale / theÌ„ may ye remoue your plasters ¶ Iâ—eÌ„ another way take camfely dryed / beate it to powder / also cummyn and cynamome both beaten to powder / ioyne all thre to gether / and strew of this powder into the wounde / and without faute it shall heale ¶ Of aborcementes or vntymelye byrthes and the causes of it and by what remedyes it maye be defended holpen eased ¶ Cap .viii. ABorcement or vntymely byrth is / when the woman is delyuered before due season before the frute be rype as in the iij.iiij or .v. monethe before the byrth haue lyfe and sometymes after it hath lyfe it is delyuered before it steare beynge by some chaunse dead in the mothers wombe Of the which thynge there be many and dyuers causes ¶ Fyrste sometymes the mouth of the matrice is so large and ample / that it can not coÌ„ueniently shytte it selfe to gether / nether contayne the feture or conceptioÌ„ / or it is corrupt and infect with such vicyous yll humours that it is so slyppery that the feture slyppeth and slydeth forth Also sometymes the matrice is apostumated sore / so that for payne it can not contayne the conception ¶ Item sometyme the cotilydons / that is the vaynes and synnues by the which the coÌ„ception and feature is tyed and fastened in the matrice through the which also the feature receaueth noryshment and fode be stopped with vyscous and yll humours / or elles swollen by inflation / so that they breake / by the whiche meanes the feature destitute of his wont noryshment peryssheth and dyeth / and that moste commonlye in the seconde or thyrde monethe after conception wherfore Hypocrates sayth All suche women whiche be impregnat or conceaued being of a meane state in her bodye / that is to saye / neyther to fat or grosse / ne to spare or leane yf it chanse anye suche to aborce in the seconde or thyrde moneth no other euident cause appearyng knowe ye for certayne that it ensueth for because the cotilydons be opplete / stopped / and stuffed with yll humours / be swollen and puffed therewith / that they breake / and so coÌ„sequeÌ„tly the feature dryeth for faute of fode ¶ Item aborcemente sometyme commeth by reason that some of the places about the matrice be deseased and greaued as yf intestinum rectum / whiche is called the fundament gutte be exulcerat / hauynge the pyles or hemorroides / or the vysyke or bladder be swollen or encombred with the stone / the strangurye / or other yll / in these cases thorough the greate labor and payne the which the partie hathe in endeuourynge and enforsynge her selfe other to stole or to make water / be engendred greate motions downewarde / by the whiche meanes manye tymes the cotylydons be enfringed and broken ¶ Also aborcement maye come of a disease called Tenasmus / the whiche is when one hath euer greate desyre and luste to the stole and yet can do nothynge / neuer the lesse the parties greately do enforce and payne them selfe to it / as Hypocrates sayth The pregnant woman which hath tenasmum / for the moste parte aborteth ¶ Item the coughe / yf it be greuous / causeth the same / and as the forenamed excelleÌ„t phisytiane sayth / such as are very spare and leane and brought lowe euermore lyghtlye dothe aborte / for because that as Auicenna wryteth all the meate and fode the whiche they receaue / turneth to the fode / noryshmeÌ„t / and restauration of theyr owne bodyes / and so is the conception destitute of fode / wherfore necessarily it dyeth ¶ Item this chanse also commeth by ouer muche bleadynge or yssuyng of the flowres / when they yssue immoderatly And so sayth Hypocrates Yf the woman yelde flowres after her conception / it can not be that the feature do longe proue / the which saying muste be vnderstande / yf they flowe vehementlye / or that the partie be weake and verye spare / or yf it be after the thyrde moneth / for it may be well that in the fyrst and seconde moneth flowres maye yssue / and yet no daunger / for as yet lyttell fode and noryshment satisfieth the conception ¶ Item to be let bloude / maye be the cause of aborcement as Hypocrates sayth whiche muste be vnderstande in suche as haue but lyttell store of bloud but such as haue great copie plentie of bloude maye without any parell yf any cause requyre it be let bloude / so that it be after the .iiij. moneth and before the .vii. Howe be it I wolde that none shold be let bloude / except some greate and vrgent cause dyd requyre it ¶ Item it maye come by takynge of some stronge purgation before the .iiij. monethe after the vii moneth / and yf it be so that any necessitie do so requyre that she muste nedes receaue a purgation / let it be done betwent the .iiij. and the .vij. moneth after the conception for then maye it be with lest parell / and se that the purgation be very gentell easy ¶ Also this maye come by reason of a continuall fluxe / be it bloudy or otherwyse / and spetially yf the woman be weake and spare / for by that meanes the conception is greately weakened and peryshed Item ouer much vomytynge may be cause of aborcement / for by ouer muche galpynge and reachynge vpwardes the cotilydons maye be broken / and so the feature to perysshe ¶ Item ouer muche famyne or hunger also sharpe and faruent syckenesse maye be the cause hereof / as the pestelence / apostume in the breste / the soden palsie / the fallynge syckenes c. Also ouer much dronkenesse excesse fedynge and surfetynge / by the which the byrthe is suffocat and strangeled in the bellye and the fode corrupte for lacke of due digestion IteÌ„ yf the byrthe be sycke by anye outwarde or inwarde cause / or yf the secondyne in the which the feature is contayned / do breake before his tyme and the humours and waterres of the same flowe and yssue forth / causeth the place to be slyppery / and so the byrth to slyde awaye vntymely / or yf the mother haue taken very greate colde / which maye sone chanse in the farre northe partes / or ouer greate heate / which weakeneth both mother and chylde And therfore ought women with chylde to eschue muche bathynge or goyng to the hote houses in theyr temyng for that maye do hurte
as wyll not be ruled / remouyng her selfe from one place to another / all such thynges causeth the labour to be much more payn full / cruell / and dolorous / then it wolde otherwyse be Also ye must vnderstande that generallye the byrthe of the man is easyer then the byrth of the female ¶ Item yf the chylde be of a fuller greater groweth than that it maye easelye passe that narowe passage / or contrarye wyse / yf it be so faynt / weake / and tender / that it can not turne it selfe / or doth it very slowly / or yf the womaÌ„ haue two chyldren at ones / other elles that it with the which she laboreth be a menster / as for example / yf it haue but one body and two heddes / as appeareth in the .xvij. of the byrth fygures / such as of late was sene in the dominion of werdenberghe ¶ Agayne wheÌ„ it procedeth not in due tyme or after due fashion / as when it cometh forthe with bothe fete or both knees togyther / or els with one fote onely / or with both fete downewarde and both handes vpwarde / other els the which is most perellous sydelong / arselonge / or backelonge / other hauynge two at a byrth / both procede with their fete fyrst / or one with his fete and the other with his head / by those and diuers other wayes the woman susteyneth greate doloure payne and anguysh ¶ Item yf the woman suffer aborsmeÌ„t / that is to saye brynge forth her chylde in the .iiii. or v. moneth after the conception / whiche is before the due tyme / in this case it shal be great payne to her / for so muche as accordynge to Galenus sayenge in that tyme the entrance of the wombe is so firmely and strongely enclosed / that scace the poynte of a nedle maye enter in at it ¶ Also yf the chyld be dead in the mothers bellye it is a verye perellous thynge / forsomuche as it can not be easely turned / nother can it weld or helpe it self to come forth / or yf the chyld be sycke or weakened / so that it can not for feablenesse helpe it selfe The whiche thynge maye be foresene knowen by these tokens Yf the woman with chylde haue ben longe sycke before her labor / yf she haue ben sore laxed / yf after her conception she haue had dayly vnwontly her flowres / yf streate after one moneth vppon the conception her brestes yelde anye mylke / yf the chylde steare not ne moue at suche tyme as is conuenient for it these be tokens that it sholde be verye weake By what tokens ye shall knowe it is dead / I shall shewe you in the nynth chapter hereafter ¶ Also there is greate parell in laborynge / when the secondyne or latter byrthe is ouer fyrme or stronge / and wyll not sone ryue or breake asunder / so that the chylde maye haue his easy commyng forth And contrary wyse when it is ouer weake slender or thynne / so that it breaketh asunder before that the chyld be turned or apte to yssue forthe / for then the humours which are collecte and gathered to gether about this secondyne or secoside byrth passe away soner then it sholde do / the byrth shall lacke his due humidite and moystenes / whiche sholde cause it the â—â—selyar to procede and with lesse payne ¶ The byrth also is hindered by ouer much colde or ouer muche heete / for in ouer muche colde the passage and all other powres of the laborynge woman be coarted and made narrower then they wolde otherwyse be Lykewyse ouer much heate debiliteth / weakeneth and faynteth both the woman and the chyld / so that neyther of them in that case can well welde or helpe them selfes for fayntnesse ¶ And forther yf the woman haue vsed to eate commenly such meate or fruytes / whiche do exiccat or drye and constrayne or bynde / as medlars / chestenuttes / all sowre fruyte / as trabbes / chokeperes / and suche other / with ouer muche vse of vergers / such lyke sowre sauces / with ryse myll / and many other thynges / all this shall greately hynder the byrth ¶ Also the vse of colde bathes after the .v. moneth folowyng the conception or to bathe in such water where alome is / yron / or salte / or any suche thynges which do coarcte and constrayne / or yf she haue ben oftentymes heauye and murnyng / or yll at ease / or yf she haue ben kept ouer hungrye and thurstye / or haue vsed ouer much watche and walkinge / other yf she vsed a lyttell before her labor thinges of great odour smell or sauoure / for suche thynges attracte and drawe vp warde the mother or matrice / the whiche is greate hynderaunce to the byrthe ¶ Also yf the womaÌ„ fele payne onely in the backe and aboue the nauell and not vnder / it is sygne of harde labor / lykewyse yf she ware wont to be delyuered with greate payne in tymes passed / is a sygne of great labor alwayes in the byrth ¶ Nowe sygnes and tokens of an expedite and easy delyueraunce be such as be contrary to all those that go before As for example / when the woman hathe ben wonte in tymes passed easelye to be 〈…〉 that in her labor she feale but lyttell thronge or dolor / or thoughe she haue greate paynes / yet they remayne not alwayes in the vppar partes / but descend to the nether partes or botome of the bellye ¶ And to be shorte in all paynefull troublesome labours / these sygnes betokeÌ„ signify good spede and lucke in the labor vnquietnes / muche stearynge of the chylde in the mothers belly / all the thronges and paynes tomblynge in the fore parte of the botome of the bellye / and when the woman is stronge and myghtye of nature / and such as can well and strongelye helpe her selfe to the expellynge of the byrth And agayne euell sygnes be those / when she swetethe colde swete and that her pulces beate and labor ouer sore / and that she her selfe in the laborynge faynt and swowne these be vnluckye and mortall sygnes ¶ Howe a woman with chylde shall use herselfe and what remedies be foâ—â— them that haue harde labor ¶ Cap .iiii. Tâ—… 〈…〉 such as are in suche difficull parell of labor / as we haue spoken of before / ye must obserue / kepe marke those thynges whiche we shall by the grace of god shew you in this chapter folowynge Fyrst the woman with chyld must kepe two dyettes / the one a monethe before her labor / the other in the verye laborynge / aboue all thynges she muste exchue and forbare all suche thynges which maye hynder the byrthe so nere as she can possible / the which we rehersed in the chapter before / but yf there be anye suche thynge which can not be auoyded / for so much as it commeth by nature or by long
strokynge the bellye of the chyld before the vesike of bladder to help to ease and to prouoke the chylde to the makynge of water / and when ye laye it in the cradell to slepe / set the cradell in such a place that nether the beames of the sonne by daye nether of the mone by nyght come on the infant but rather set it in a darke and shadow place layenge also the head euer somewhat hyer then the reste of the bodye ¶ And farther lette it be wasshed two or thre tymes in the daye / and that anone after stepe in the wynter with hote water / in the sommer with luke warme water nether let it tary long in the water but vnto such tyme as the body begyn to waxered for hete but take hede that none of the water come in to the infantes eare / for that shulde greatelye hurte his hearynge another daye Then to be shorte / when it is taken oute of the bathe / let it be wyped and handeled with gentell and softe lynnen cloth warmed / and then to laye it on her lap the backe vpward / the whiche with her handes let her tenderly stroke and rubbe / and then to lappe it vppe / and to swadell it / when it is swadeled / to put a drop or two of water in to the nostrelles of it / is very good for the eye syght And so laye it to reste ¶ Of the nourse and her mylke and howe longe the chylde sholde soucke AS conternynge the bryngynge vp nourisshement and geuyng of sucke to the chylde / it shall be best / yf the mother geue her chyld sucke herselfe / for the mothers mylke is more conuenient and agreable to the infante then anye other womans / and more dothe it nourysshe it / for because that in the mothers bellye it was wonte to the same and fedde with it / and therfore also it dothe more desyrouslye couet the same / as that / with the which it is best acquēted / and to be shorte / the mothers mylke is most holsomste for the chylde As Auicenna writeth it shall be sufficient to geue it sucke twyse or thryse in a daye And alwayes beware / ye geue not the chylde to much sucke at once in this tender aege of it / for clowyng of it / and leste also it lothe it / but rather let it haue often of it / and lytell at once / then fewe tymes / and ouer muche at once For such as be ouer clowed with the mothers mylke / causethe theyr body to swell and inflate / and in theyr vrine shal it appeare that it is not ouer come ne concocied or digested in the chylde / which thyng yet yf it chaunse / let the infant be kept fastinge / vntyll such tyme as that the which it hath receaued already / be compleately digested Item yf the mothers mylke be somewhat sharpe or egre / lette her neuer geue the chylde her breste fastynge ¶ Yf it be so that the mother can not geue the infant sucke herselfe / ether for because of syckenesse or that her brestes be sore and her mylke corrupted then let her chose a holsom nurse with these conditions folowynge ¶ Fyrste that she be of a good coloure and complexion / and that her bulke and breste be of good largenesse Secondly that it be not to sone after her labor / ne to longe after / so that it be two monethes after her labor at the leste / and that yf it maye be suche one whiche had a man chylde / thyrdelye that she be of meane and measurable lykynge / neyther to fatte ne to leane Fourthelye that she be good and honest of conuersation / neyther ouer hastye or yrefull ne to sad or soleme / nether to fearefull or timorous for these affections and qualitees be parnicious and hurtfull to the mylke / corruptynge it / and passe forth through the mylke in to the chylde / makynge the chylde of lyke condition and manners / also that they be not ouer lyght wanton of behauoure Fyftelye that her brestes be full and haue sufficient plentie of mylke and that they be neyther to great / softe / hangynge / and flaggynge / ne to lyttell / harde / or contracte / but of a measurable quantitie ¶ Also loke vpon her mylke / that it be not blackysshe / blueysshe / grey or reddysshe / neyther sowre / sharpe / saltysshe / or brackysshe / nether thyn fluye / neyther ouer grosse and thycke but temperatly whyte and pleasante in taste and to be shorte that mylke is beste and moste to be chosen of the whiche a drop beynge mylked softelye on the nayle of the thombe holdyng your fynger styll / it rolleth not of / nether flytteth abrode / but yf ye moue your hand a lyttell it will slyde of by and by but yf whē it is mylked on the nayle it spred abrode / flyt by by / then is it to thyn but yf it cleaue styll when that ye moue a lyttell youre hande then is it so spysse thycke / the meane betwene bothe is beste ¶ Yf it be so / that the nourses mylke be to hote or sharpe / then lette her neuer geue the chylde sucke her selfe beynge fastynge Sometyme it chaunseth / that the mothers or nourses mylke dothe fayle or decrease / the which thynge maye come by dyuers causes as by syckenesse / by decease in the brestes / or by takyng of colde in the same / and so stoppe and cludder the mylke or for because she lackethe suche thynges / the whiche myght engender mylke / other by ouer muche fastinge / hungre / and thurste the whiche causes must be well consydered / and then accordynge to that minyster a remedy ¶ Thinges which do augment encrease mylke / be those let her vse to eate parsenyp / other the sede or the rote Also the sede or rote of fenell soden in the brothe made with barley or cicercula let her eate of that with other meates that she feadeth on Item to eate shepes breste and the mylke of them is good Item take an ounce of cowe butter / dissolue it in warmed wyne / the which lette the nource drynke Item boxynge vnder the brestes doth well / not cuttynge the skynne ¶ Item a plaster for the same of frankensence / mastycke / and pytche layde to the brestes or vnder the brestes the skynne fyrst beyng annoynted with oyle / left it shold cleaue ouer faste to the place Item it shal be verye good to rubbe softelye with the hande the brestes / or elles in bathynge after dynner or supper to cause some to sucke her breste Item take the oyle of white lyllyes or of violettes / and myngle with it muske / encense / laudanum well tempered to gether / in the same dyppe a pese of wooll / and clappe it to the brestes / and soke them with it Item wasshe them / and soke them often tymes with wyne / in
the which is decoct and soden myntes / roses / violettes / and xiloaloes Also to eate of the brothe in the which is soden a henne / with cynamome / maces / and cardamomum / and also the yowlke of an egge Item it is good for her to eate fresshe chese and mylke / and to refrayne frome all maner of greate labor and harde workes Also potage made of beane meale / ryse / and breade made of fyne flowre / tempered with mylke and sugre / putting to it also a quantite of fenell sede or of the â—eues / is very good for her ¶ Item take of anys sede / of syler montanum / of eche .iii. dramÌ„s / of christall beten to powder u. dramÌ„s / as muche of sugre / geue her this to drynke aboute .x. dayes at morning / euening / myddaye IteÌ„ take of fenell sede or the leues / of horehownde of eche .ij. haÌ„ofulles / of ams sede iiij dramÌ„s / of safrane beaten one scruple also of fresshe butter .iij. ounces / sethe all these in sufficient water / makynge hereof a plaster / the same plaster whylst it is hote / laye it to the nourses brest ¶ Item take of comyn sede an ounce an halfe / of clarifyed hony .iij. ounces sethe it in .vi. li. wayght of water alto gether beynge put into a newe pot let it sethe to the thyrd parte / of this decoction geue the nourse theÌ„ ofteÌ„tymes to drynke IteÌ„ take of beetes well wasshed one ounce of coÌ„myn halfe an ounce of hony .vi. ounces of these myngled tempered to gether / make an electuarie / of the which let her take both in the morninge and eueninge at eche tyme a sponefull IteÌ„ take two dramÌ„s of crystal beateÌ„ into fyne pouder deuyde that in foure equall partes / one of these partes geue vnto the nourse the space of .iiij. dayes to drynke / with brothe made other of cicer / or els of peason also all those thinges folowing encrease augmeÌ„t mylke in the brestes annes annes sede / dyll the sede / horehownde / cardomome / fresshe chese / wortes made of olde ehece / cicer / crislal beateÌ„ to powder takeÌ„ with hony lettuse / fenell / wyne in which rosemary or serpilluÌ„ be sodeÌ„ IteÌ„ to abstayne froÌ„ venery or mans coÌ„pany / for yf she vse that / it shall spende consume the mylke make it vnsauery vnholsome nether can the chylde well broke it / but most coÌ„menly shall cast it vp again / because it can not digest it Also it shal be best that the child sucke not of the mothers breste by and by as sone as it is borne but rather of some other womans for a daye or two / for because that the creme as they cal it streit after the byrth the fyrst daye in all women doth thyckeÌ„ and congeyle ¶ Item yf it chaunse that the nourse be ouer sore laxed / or that she be ouer bounde / so that she take anye medycynes to remedye it / then let another geue the chylde sucke / whylst she be recouered agayne And when the chylde is layde in cradell to be rocked rocke not to fast / lest through ouer much rockyng and stearyng the chyldes stomacke torne and the mylke there corrupte for lacke of rest ¶ Auicen auyseth to geue the chyld sucke two yeres / howe be it amonge vs most commenlye they sucke but one yeare And when ye wyll wene them / then not to do it sodenly / but a lyttell and lyttell / and to make for it lyttell pylles of breade sugre to eate accustome it so / tyll it be able to eate all maner of meate this shall suffyce for the education and bryngynge vp of infantes at this tyme / notwithstandinge dyuers other thynges here are lefte vnspoken of / another tyme god willyng we shall declare them at large ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste boke THE SECONDE BOKE ¶ Of dyuers deceases and infirmities whiche chaunse to chyldren lately borne and the remedyes therefore AL thoughe there be in manner infinite deceases which happeÌ„ to infantes / as wryteth Hypocrates / Galenus / Rasis / AmceÌ„na / and diuers other yet for breuite and shortnesse we wyll reherse here only such of them / which moste commenly happen to the same / and that be those Exulceration of the gummes / flyx of the belly or ouer much loosenesse of the same / the belly hardbownd / the crampe / the cough / distillation of the heade / short wynded / bladders on the tounge / exulceration or chyppynge of the mouthe / apostume in the eares / apostume in the brayne / swellynge and bolnynge of the eyes / skum or creme of the eyes / the feuer / knawynge in the bellye / the body swellynge and puffed vp / often sneesynge / whelkes or bladders on the bodye / swellynge of the coddes / swelling of the nauell / vnslepynesse / yexynge / appetyte to perbrake / fearefulnes in the dreames / the mother / yssuyng out of the fondament gut / wormes in the belly / chawfynge / the fallynge syckenesse / the consumsyon / the palsye / trymblynge of the partes of the bodye / the stone / gogell eyes ¶ Howe to cure and to remedye all these / nowe wyll I shewe in order Fyrst in exulceration of the gummes are wonte certayne pusshes and as it were wheles grow on the gummes or in the corners of the iawes / the which put the place to muche greuance and to remedie this it shall be good that ye with your fynger rubbe the infaÌ„tes gummes and the pusshes or whelkes with all and then to annoynt the same gummes with oyntment made of hennes grese / hares brayne / oyle of camomell mixt with honye / other els turpen tyne tempered with hony / then take water / and in it sethe camomell and dyll / the which water beynge hote powre it on the chyldes heade / holdynge it a fote aboue the heade ¶ Of the flyx or ouer muche loosenesse of the bellye For this take the sede of roses / cuÌ„myn / anyse and the sede of smalege beate all those together and make them plaster wyse / and laye it to the chyldes bellye yf it stynte not by this remedye / then take of the coaguluÌ„ of a kyd a halfe peny wayght or a lyttell more / geue it to the chylde to drynke with colde water / and all the same daye let the chylde be kepte frome suckynge / leste the mylke shulde curde in the stomacke of it / but in the meane whyle let it eate of the yowlke of poched egges / or of whyte breade soden in water ¶ And farther yf that it whiche the infant voydeth be of / redde or yelowe colour / then lette drynke of the syrupe of roses / or of crabbes / other elles of pome granates / tempered with a lyttell mynte water ¶ Item another medycyne take leuen and in water breake it
Yf it be so that the chyldes head be soo swollen by inflation / swellynge / or resorte of humours that it wyl not conueniently yssue oute that narowe places / then let the mydwyfe with a sharpe penknyfe cutte open the heade / that the humours contayned in it maye yssue and runne forth / and so the head to waxe lesse able to be plucked out but yf it so be that not by any suche casualte the head be bygge / but onely of a naturall groweth / then muste the head be broken in peces / and the partes euermore taken forth with suche instrumentes / as the surgeons haue readye and necessarye for suche purposes ¶ Agayn yf that after the head were come forthe / yet the breste parte wolde not folowe for greatenesse / then muste ye breake and cut lykewyse that parte / vnto suche tyme that it maye be had forth And euen so lykewyse / yf all the rest of the bodye sholde be so swollen that it wolde not procede ne come forth / then muste it lykewyse be broken in peces / so had forthe ¶ Farthermore if by chanse or bysease it come to passe that the mouth of the matrice be exulcerat or apostumat / so that the passage be made the narower by that meanes / the dryer and the more contracte / then muste ye fyrste studye and endeuour you to sople and ease the places by oyles other greces / suche as I spake of sufficientlye before in the fyfth chapter with bathes and fumigations ¶ Also yf the dead byrth come sydelonge / then muste ye do what maye be doue to conuerte torne it to such fashion / that it maye moste easyly be brought forth the matrice other secreates muste be annoynted / perfumed / and vapored with suche thinges / the which maye make it more ample large / yf it can not be thus had forthe hole then let it be cut out by pese mele / as is before spoken of And yf after this delyueraunce the flowres yssue ouer vehementlye / then vse suche thynges as haue vertue to restrayne them / of the which I haue spoken in the .vij. chapter before But cōtrary to all this / yf it chāse that the woman in her labor dye / the chyld hauyng lyfe in it / thē shall it be mete to kepe open the womās mouth / and also the nether places / so that the chylde maye by that meanes bothe receaue also expell ayre brethe which otherwyse myght be stopped / and thē to turne her on the left syde / there to cutte her open / so to take out the chylde / they that are borne after this fashion be called cesares / for because they be cut out of theyr mothers belly / whervpon also the noble Romane cesar the .j. of that name ī Rome toke his name ¶ Howe the infante newlye borne muste be handled nouryshed and loked to ¶ Cap .x. AFter that the infant is once borne / by by the nauel must be cutte thre fyngers bredthe from the belly / so knyt vp then as Auicēna wryteth / let be strued on the head of that that remayneth / of the powder of bole arme nyacke / sanguis draconis / sarcocolla / myrrha and comyne / of eche lyke much beaten to powder / strewe on the cut of that pece that remayneth / then vppon that bynde a pece of wooll dypped in oyle olyfe that the powder fall not of some vse fyrst to knyt the nauell / and after to cutte it so much / as is before rehersed ¶ And farthermore some say that of what length the reste of the nauell is lefte / of the same length shall the chyldes tonge be / yf it be a man chylde Item Auicenna sayth that dyuers thynges maye be knowen by merkynge of the chyldes nauell / for as he sayth / when the woman is delyuered of her fyrste chylde / then beholde the nauell of the childe / which yf in that parte of it which is next vn to the body it haue neuer a wryncle / it proten deth and doth signifye perpetuall frō thensforth sterilite or barennesse / yf it haue any wrynkles in it / then so manye wrynkles / so many chyldren shal the womā haue in tyme to come Also some adde to this saye that yf there be lytteli space betwene these wrynkles in the nauell / then shall there be also lyttell space betwene the barynge of the chyldren / yf muche / it syngnifyeth longe tyme betwene the barynge of them ¶ Nowe to returne to our purpose / when that the nauel is cut of / the reste knytte vp annoynt all the chyldes bodye with the oyle of acornes / for that is syngularly good to cōfirme / stedfast / and to defende the body from noysom thinges / whiche may chaunse from without as smoke / colde / suche other thinges which yf the infant be greaued with all / streate after the byrth / being yet very tender / it sholde hurte it greately ¶ After this annoyntynge wasshe the infant with warme water / and with your fynger the nayle beynge pared open the chyldes nosestrelles / and purge them of the fylthynesse Item it shal be good to put a lyttell oyle into the eyes and also that the mother or nource handle so the childes syttyng place that it maye be prouoked to purge the belly And chieflye it muste be defended from ouer much colde or ouer muche heate ¶ After that that the parte extante or boging forth of the nauell is fallen / the whiche commonlye chanseth after the thyrde or .iiij. daye then on the reste remaynyng strewe the powder or asshes of a calfes houe burnt / or of snayle shelles / or the powder of ledde / called redde ledde / tempered with wyne ¶ Farthermore when the infant is swadeled and layde in cradell / the nource muste geue all diligence and hede that she bynde euerye parte ryght and in his due place and order / and that with all tendernesse and gentell entreatynge / and not crokedlye and confusely / the which also muste be done oftentymes in the daye for in this is it as it is in younge and tender ympes / plantes / twygges / the whiche euen as ye bowe them in theyr youthe / so wyll they euermore remayn vnto aege And euen so the infante yf it be bounde and swadeled / the membres lyenge ryght strayght / then shall it growe streate and vpryght / yf it be crokedlye handled / il wyll growe lykewyse / and to the yll negligence of many nources may be imputed the crokednesse and deformite of manye a man and woman / which otherwyse myght seme well fauered as any other ¶ Item let the chyldes eyes be oftentymes wyped and clensed with a fyne and cleane lynnen clothe or with sylke and let the armes of the infante be verye strayght layde downe by the sydes / that they maye growe ryght / and sometyme
of the eares When that humours and matter yssueth out of the eares which properly commeth of aboundant humours in all the body / most spetially in the head / thē take a pese of wool / and dyppe it in hony mixt with redde wyne / to the which is put also a lyttell quantite of alome beaten to pouder / or of safrane / then make of the same as it ware a tente / and put it in the childes eare / when the wooll hath sucked and drawen to it the humour and fyl thynesse of the eare / then take it out / and put in newe / and if that / the which commeth out of the eare be as matter / then take of soden hony and tempered with water / put of it in to the eares / or elles take the pouder of galles temperynge it with vynegre / and do lyke wyse ¶ But yf the chylde haut greate payne dolor by wyndynesse / ventosyte and the humours in this place / then sethe organnye or myrrhe with oyle olyfe and so beyng warme put of it in to the eares ¶ Of Appostumation in the heade Yf there be any appostume engendred in the heade whiche many tymes chaunseth the whiche causethe the cheekes and eyes to be greatelye payned / and the eye sight to waxe wannysshe or tawnye / then must be applyed suche thynges whiche maye refrigerat and coole the braynes as take of the iuyce of gowardes and the iuyce of solatrum / and the iuyce of purcelayne / and temper them with the oyle of roses / in this dyp a pese of wooll and laye it to the head / and as ofte as it waxeth drye / dippe it agayne / and lykewyse laye it to the heade ¶ Of the swellynge or bolnyng of the eyes Agaynst swellynge bolnynge of the eyes take licium / and temper it with womans mylke / and put of it into the chyldes eye / and bynde it to the place with fyne and softe lynnen clothe / then afterwarde wasshe the eyes with water in whiche camomell and basyll haue ben soden in Yf that in this swellynge the eyes be not redde / neyther the browes swollen / then take myrrhe / aloes / safrane / the leues of roses / and temper all these / and stype them in olde wyne and bynde it to the thyldes eyes with some lynnen clothe / into the childes nose put a quantite of ambre dissolued in womans mylke ¶ Of the scum or whyte of the eye Agaynst the scum or whyte of the eye which for the most parte happeneth to chyldrē thorowe ouer much cryeng wepynge take the iuyce of solatrum / and droppe of the same in to the chyldes eye / and yf by the same chanse the vayne of the eyes wexe reddysshe / or be swollen / then annoynt them with the same iuyce ¶ Agaynst immoderat heate or the feuer Yf the infant be in great vehement heate contrary to nature / the whiche is called a feuer Fyrst it shal be the nources parte to eate and vse suche thynges the whiche coole and moystē Also to geue vnto the infant of these thynges folowynge the iuyce of pome granate / the water of gourdes / sugre / with a lyttell camphere myxed here with all / tempered well to gether Itē it is very good to prouoke it to sweiyng ¶ Itē take of the iuyce of worme wood / of plantayne / malows / syngrene / and temper them all to gether / in the whiche also myxte barly meale / and make a plaster of all these / and laye it to the chyldes breste Itē take the oyle of roses the oyle of poplar / myxte them to gether with this oyntment beyng colde / annoynt the chyldes forehead / the temples / the armes / the hādes about the wrystes pulces / the fete about the ancles Itē take of barlye meale and of dryed roses poudered / temper these with the water of roses the water of endyue / make therof a plaster / the which laye to the chyldes brest ¶ Also as often as the chylde is wasshed / let it be done with water in whiche is soden such thynges whiche coole / as lectuse / purcelayne / endyue / plantane / and such other ¶ Agaynst frettynge or knawynge in the belly Yf the chylde be vexed with frettynge and knawynge in the belly / the which thynge ye shall know by the immoderat cryeng of the chylde / and that it turneth from one syde to another with greate cryenge / then shall you take warme water / oyle olyfe / and a lyttell waxe / temperynge them to gether / and herein dyppe a pese of wooll / and there with soke the chyldes bellye oftentymes ¶ Agaynstc swellynge of the bodye When the chyldes bodye or any parte ther of is swollen and puffed vp / then take the toppes of elder tree / and of walworte and sethe them in white wyne / therein lap the infante / spetially yf it be not takē with ouer greate heate / but yf so be that with swellyng in the heade the bellye be swollen also / then take myrrhe / aloes epaticus / safrane / and beate them all to gether / and temper them with the iuyce of beanes / and laye it to the thyldes heade ¶ Agaynst often sneesynge Sometymes the infantes be sore troubled and vexed with often starnutatiō and sneesynge / which thynge yf it come of the appostume in the head then shal ye minister such thynges to the heade whiche refrigerat and coole / whether it be oyles / oyntmentes / iuyces of herbes or other thynges Yf this come of anye other cause then of appostume / then take basilicum / be it grene or drye / and put of the iuyce or pouder of it into the childes nose but yf this sneesynge come and begyn with heate / that the chyldes eyes seme as they grewe in warde for payne of this sneesynge / then laye to thyldes heade the leaues of pur celayne / or gowarde cut in thynne peces and tempered with the oyle of rooses and barley meale / and also the yowlke of an egge ¶ Of whelkes in the body and the cure These whelkes yf they appeare blacke vppon the body / they sygnify parell of lyfe / and so muche the more the greater quantite that there is of them / but yf they seme whytyshe or reddyshe / it is no parell / maye easelye be cured wherfore take the leues of the red rose the leues of myrtylles of tamariscus / and sethe these in water / and in that water wette a lynnē cloth / soke there with the whelkes Itē like wyse it is good to annoynt the same with the oyle of roses / of myrtylles / tamariscus Yf the whelke be whyte or reddyshe / then let them be rype / before ye minister any thyng to them / when they be open begyn to matterye / then annoynte them with the
in maner colde as yise / or to fluye or thynne c. dyuers other other wayes also it maye be letted / whyche shall not nede here to be rehersed ¶ Nowe yf the woman can not conceaue / the cause commynge of ouer muche frigidite and coldenesse in the matrice / that shall she knowe by these tokens she shal feale greate cold about the sydes / the raynes of the backe and the matrice / her vryne shall appeare whyte and thynnysshe / and sometymes also somewhat spysse and thycke / and all maner of colde thynges shall noye her / hote thynges shall greately comfort her ¶ But yf it come by ouer muche humidite of the matrice / that shall she knowe by these sygnes Yf the bodye of her be of a fatte and grosse disposition / yf with her flowres yssue forth at the begynnynge and the latterende of them certayne vyscous and waterye substaunce / and that her vrine be whyte / thycke / and sometyme as it were mylke Alsoo that she feale greate colde and payne aboute the matrice pryuie partes / muche dolour in her sydes and in the raynes of her backe ¶ And when ouer much heate or dryeth in the matrice / is cause of the hynderaunce of conception / then is the vryne hye coldred / red or yelowe / beynge thynne with certayne motes appearyng in the water / the womā hath greate thyrste / and bytter rysynge or belking oute of the stomacke in to the mouthe And manye tymes they that are in this case / are verye spare and leane in all theyr bodye / hauyng also but small quantite of flowres / the whiche thynge maye happen other by ouer muche watche / or ouer much fastynge / labor / trauell / sorowe / syckenesse c. But suche women which naturally are thus spare lene / maye verye hardely be brought to a temperancye agayne be made apte to conceaue And this shal be sufficiente for this tyme to knowe whiche qualite by his excesse causeth sterilite / nowe wyll we shewe howe it shal be knowen whether lacke of conception be in the woman or elles in the man / and howe to knowe whether the woman be conceaued or no / accordynge to the mynde of ryght expert doctors of physycke ¶ Howe to knowe whether lacke of conception be of the woman or of the man and howe it maye be perceaued whether she be conceaued or no. ¶ Cap .iiii. IF ye be desyrous to know whether the man or the woman be hynderance in conception lette eche of them take of whete and barlye cornes / and of beenes of eche .vii. the which they shall suffer to be steped in theyr seueral vryne / the space of .xxiiij. houres / then take .ij. pottes / suche as they set gylyflowres in / fyll them with good earth / in the one let be set the whete / barlye / beanes / styped in the mans water / in the other the whete / barlye / and beanes / styped in the womans water / and euerye mornynge the space of eight or ten dayes / lette eche of them with theyr proper vryne / water the sayd seades sowen in the forenamed pottes / marke whose potte dothe proue / the seades therin contained dothe growe / in that partie is not the lacke of conception / but see that there come no other water or rayne on the pottes ¶ Itē accordynge to Hypocrates wrytyng yf ye wyl knowe whether the faute be in the woman or no / then lette the woman receaue in to her body vndernethe / beynge well and closely closed round about the fume of some odoriferous perfume / as laudanum / storax / calamyte / lignum aloes / muske / ambre / and suche other / and yf the odour and sauour of suche thynges assende thorowe her body vp vnto her nose / ye shall vnderstande / that sterilite commeth not of the womans parte / yf not then is the defecte in her ¶ Item yf she take garlycke beynge pylled out of the huskes / and conueye of it into the pryuie partes / and yf the sente of it assende vp through the bodye vnto the nose / the woman is fautelesse / yf not then is there lacke in her These are sygnes to knowe whether the lacke be in the man or the woman ¶ Whether she be conceaued alreadye or no / ye shall knowe by these sygnes Fyrste the flowres yssue not in so great quantite as they are wōt / but wexe lesse and lesse / and in maner nothinge at all commeth from them Also the brestes begyn to waxe rounder / harder / and styffar then they were wonte to be / the woman shall longe after certayne thynges otherwyse thē she was vsed to do before that tyme. Also her vryne waxeth spysse and thyckysshe / by retension of the superfluyties Also the woman fealeth her matrice verye fastelye enclosed and shytte / in so muche that as Hypocrates saythe / the poynte of a nedle maye scace enter ¶ Item to knowe whether she be conceaned or no / accordynge to Hypocrates mynde / in the .v. of his Ampho geue vnto the woman when she is goyng to bedde a quantite of mellicratum to drynke / and yf after that drynke she feale greate payne / gnawing / and tumblynge in her belly / then be ye sure / that she is conceaued yf not / she is not cōceaued / this mellicratum is a drynke made of one parte wyne / an other parte water soden together / with a quantite of hony ¶ But if ye be desyrous to knowe whether the conception be man or woman then lette a droppe of her mylke or twayne be mylked on a smothe glasse / or a bryght knyfe / other elles on the nayle of one of her fyngers / and yf the mylke flewe and spredde abrode vpon it / by and by then is it a woman chylde but yf the droppe of mylke contynue and stande styll vppon that / the whiche it is mylked on / then is it sygne of a man chylde Item yf it be a male / then shall the woman with childe be well coloured / and lyghte in goynge / her belly rounde / bygger towarde the right syde then the lefte / for alwayes the man chylde lyeth in the ryghte syde / the woman in the lefte syde ¶ Of certayne remedyes and medycynes which shall cause the woman to conceaue ¶ Cap .v. ALl sterilite then for the moste parte ensueth and commeth of the dystemperancye of one of these .iiij. forenamed qualities / wherfore the remedye and cure of the same when it chaunseth / must be done by such thynges / the whiche haue contracye power operation to the excessyue qualities for by that shall it be reduced to his temperancye agayne ¶ As yf that coldenesse and moystenesse exceadynge temperancye in the matrice be occasion of sterilite / then muste she applie such thynges to that place / the whiche be of nature hote drye / the whiche maye calify and