r%&'
*7 "M&j
x*..  *


:.y; 
 
/I
w.
<  •- K*y,»
£tP< .:
 
 
      kit              ' t
                        THE
                    WORKS
                        OF
        ARISTOTLE,
                       THE
            iPamatus 3||)Cfosop9*r,
               IN FOUR PARTS.
                   CONTAINING
   1. His Complete Master-Piece j displaying the secrets ot
 Nature m the Generation of Man.  To which is added, The Fam-
 ilf rHysiciAH, being approved remedies for die several Distem-
 pers mcidenl to die human Body.
  2. His Experienced Midwife; absolutely necessary  for
 Surgeons, Midwives, Nurses and child bearing Women.
  S. His Book of Problems, containing various Questions and
Answers, relative to die Slate of Man's Body.
i^fwSs.unf0,dins *■Secrets of "«™»*~
A NEW EDITION WITH ENGRAVINGS.
     NEW-ENGLAND:
PRINTED FOR THE PUBLISHERS.
1831. 
IV 2
TO  THE   READER.
APU
  To !»j that  Aristotle, the learned  author of the following sheets, was reported
.o he  ttie most learned philosopher in the world, is no m*re than what every in-
telligent person already knows: nor can any think otherwise, who will five tnem-
selvesiime to consider that he was (he Scholar of Plato (Hie wisest philosopher
of hit time) and under whom Ai islolle profited so  much, tint he was chosen by
king  Philip of Macedon as the most worthy and proper person iu his dominions
to be  the  tutor of his son Alexander, by whose wbe precepts and instructions,
Alexander became of so great wisdom, judgment, prowess and magnanimity, that
he justly obtained the title of  the Great Alexander himself was so sensible of
the advantages he received from  the instructions of so great a Stngirile (for so
Aristotle was called from the country of  Slagira, where he was born) that he
often  declared he was more beho. 'en to his tutor Aristotle for the cultivation of
his mind, than to his father Philip  for the kingdom of Macedon.
  Though Aristotle applied himself  to the  investigation of the secrets of nature,
yet he was pleased to bring into a fuller and more true  light thoie secrets with
respect to the generation of man.  This he styled his Master-Pitce ; and in this
he wis mad?so thorough a search,  that lie has, as it were, turned nature inside out
  The divine records assure  us, that the secrets of nature have  been the study
of diverse  illustrious persons, equally renowned for wisdom and goodness; the
first of whom, Job has  made it sufficiently  evident hy that excellent philosophi-
cal account he gives of the generation of man in the tenth ohapter of the book
which hears his name, where he says,  " Thine hands have  made me, and fash-
ioned me together round about:  Thou hast  poured me  out as  milk and cur-
dled  me  like cheese:   Thou   hast  clothed  me  with ?kin and  flesh,  and
hast fenced me with bones and sinews."  David, one of the  greatest kings of Is-
rael, whose picly was superior to  his power, being peculiarly styled a man after
God's own heart, says in nis divine soliloquies to his Creator, "Thou  hast cover
cd me in  my  mother's womb;   I  will praise thee for I  am fearfiify  and
wonderfully  made:  Marvellous are  thy  works,  and that  my soul  know
elh right welL My substance was not bidder, from me when I was in secret, and
curiously wrought in the lowest parts of (he earth:  Thine eye did see my mh-
stMn, yet being  imperfect: and in thy  hook, all  my  members were written,
which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was  none of them."
  Let the words of holy Job, and  those of David be put  together, and I will not
scruple to affirm, that they make the  most accurate system cf philosophy respect-
ing the generation of man (hat has ever yel been penned •, therefore why ahould
not the mysteries of nature be cnquii ed into without censure, since from mis in-
quiry, so much praise resounds to the God of nature!  For, the more we know
of his works the more our hearts will he inclined to praise him, as we see in the
instance of David ahoveinentloned.
  Having laid  thus much of the wonderful  works of  nature in the generation of
man, I shall next proceed to give  (he reader  th* best translation possible of that
excellent treatise of the renowned Aristotle, which he  was pleased to style his
MASTER PIECE.
  I cannot help observing, that having met with n collection of approved receipts
by the great HIPOCRATES, and  thinking they world be acceptable to  my
5yIhl« added the «me hy way of supplement, at (he end of the MAS
m. Lit PIECE. 
       ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

                           PART 1.

        THE SECRETS OF NATURE DISPLAYED.

                  INTRODUCTION.

   It is strange to see how tilings are slighted only because thty U'e  -
common, though in dieinsclves worthy tlie more serious consideration,
this is  the very case of the subject I am now treating of.   Wliat is
more common than  the begetting of chikhenl  And what is more
wonderful dian die plastic  power of nature, by which  children are
formed]'   For  though diere is radicated in  die very nature of all
creatures  a projiensity which leads diem to  produce die image of
dieinse'.ves, yet how diesc images are produced after diose propensi-
ties are satisfied, is only known to those whs trace die secret me-
anders of nature iu their private  cliambers, to those dark recesses
of the womb, where diis embryo receives formation.  The original
of which proceeds from the divine, command,  increase  and multi-
ply.  The natural inclination and  propensity of both sexes  to each
other, die plastic power of nature, is the only  energy  of  die  first
blessing,  which to  this day upholds the species of mankind in die
world.
  Now since philosophy informs us, tint Nonce teiptum, i» one of
die first lessons a man ought to learn, it cannot surely be accounted
un useless piece of knowledge  for a man to be acquainted with the
cause of his own  being, or by what secret power of nature it was,
that coagulated milk (as a divine  auther calls it) came to  be sub-
stantiated into a human body.  The explanation of diis mystery,
and die unfolding die plastic power of nature, in die secret workings
of generation and die formation of die seed in the womb is the subject
of the following treatise; a subject  so necessary to be known to die
female sex,  diat many for  want of this knowledge liave  perished
widi die fruit of dieir womb, who, had they but  understood the se-
crets of generation, which  are displayed in this treatise, might liave
been still living.  For die sake of such, I have compiled  this work
which I have divided in two parts in die following manner.
  1st.   I will shew diat nature need not be ashamed of her work;
and give a particular' description  of die parts or  organs of genera-
tion in man, and afterwards in women; and then to shew  die use
of diese parts in die act of coition, and how  positively nature  lias
adapted diem to die end for which she has ordained them.
  2dly.  I  will point out die prohibition  or restriction,  that the
Creator of all  diings aud Lord  of nature has put  upon  «wh by
                                    !• 
 6            ARISTOTLE'S MASTERPIECE.

 the institution of marriage, with die  advantages it brings to man-
 kind.
   3dly.   I shall sliew when either sex may enter  into a  married
 state, and be fit to answer the end of die creation.
   4thly.  I shall discourse of virginity, and dierein shew what it is,
 how it is known, by what means it may be lost, and how a person
 may know that it is so.
   In the second part, which chiefly relates to married  women, and
 die  preservation of die  fmit of the womb, for the propagation of
 mankind to die world, I shall shew,
   1st.  What conception is: wliat is prerequisite  th^eunto: how
 a woman may know when  she  hath conceived, and whether a boy
 or a girl.
   2d!y.   Shew  how a woman tliat  hadi conceived ought to order
 herself.
   Sdly.   Shew what a woman ought to do diat is near die time of
 Iter delivery,  and  how site ought to be assisted.
   4tbly.   I sliallshew what are the obstructions of conception, and
 dierein discourse  largely about  barrenness, and  shew what are die
 causes, and the cure thereof, both in men and women.
   5dily.   Dhect  inidwive's how they could assist  women in die
 time of their lying in, bringing several other material matters  prop-
 er to be  spoken of under each of these  several heads; which will
 sufficiently render this  book  what Aristotle designed it, his Com-
 plete Master Piece.
                          CHAP. I.
 A particular description of the. Parts and Instruments of  Gen-
             eration, both in  Men and Women.
                         Section 1.
 Of the instruments of Generation in Men,  with  a particular
                      description thereof.
  Though die Instruments or parts of generation in till  creatures,
widi resjiect to dieir outward form, are not perhaps the most come-
ly;  yet  in coin|ieiisation of that, nature hits put upon diem a  more
abundant, and far greater honor  than oilier parts, in ordaining them
to be the  means by which every species of lieing is continued  from
one generation to another.  And therefore diough a  man or woman
were through die bounty of nature, endowed  with angelic  counte-
nances, and the most oxac.t symmetry and proportion of parts that
concurrea together to the  making  up  of  the most perfect Iieau-
ty, yet, if dicy were defective in the iusirumenls of generation, they
would not for all  their beauty be acceptable to either  of the  other
sex; because they would  na thereby rendered incapable of satisfying
the natural  pro-pensions  which  every  one finds  in himself.  And
therefore, since it  is our duty to  lie acquainted  with ourselves, and
to search out die wonders of God in  uatui e, 1 need not  make any
apology for anatomising the secret parts of generation. 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTERPIECE.            7

   The organ of generation in man, nature  has placed  obvious to
 the sight, and is called the yard;  ami because hanging without the
 belly, is called the penis, a pendendo.  It is in form long, round,
 and on *he upper side flatish, and consists of skin, tendons, veins,
 arteries, and sinews, being seated under the  Ossa  Pubis, and or-
 dained by nature for a two fold work, viz.  for  the  evacuating of
 urine, and conveying the seed into die matrix,   lite urine which it
 evacuates ;■ i«nught to it through the neck of the Vesica  Lrinatise,
 and the seed which it conveys into the matrix, is  brought into it
 from the VeaicuJae SeuiuiA.  But to be more particular.
   Besides the common parts, as me outicle,  die skin and the Mem-
 brana Carnosa:  it  has several internal  parts proper to it, of which
 number diere are seven, viz.
   The two nervous bodies; the Steptum; the Urethra; the Glands;
 die Muscles; and   the  vessels;  of each of  these distinctly, in the
 order 1 have placed them;  and first, of
   The two nervous bodies.  These are called so from their lxing
 surrounded widi a diick, white, nervous membrane, though dieir in-
 ward si distance is  spongy;  as consisting principally  of veins, arte-
 ries, and nervoiw fibres, interwoven like a net.  And nature has or-
 dained it, diat when die nerves are filled with animal spirits, and
 the arteries with hot and spiritous blood, dien die yard is distended,
 and becomes erect; when die flux of die  spirit ceases,  when the
 blood and the remaining spirits are absorbed, or sucked up by the
 veins, so die penis becomes limber and flaggy.
   2. The second internal part is  die Steptum Lucidum, and tliis ii
 in substance  white and nervous, or sinewy; and its office is to up-
 hold the two lateral or side ligaments and the Urethra.
   3. The third is  die Urethra, which is only die channel by which
 bodi seed and urine are conveyed  out;  it is  in  substance soft  and
 loose, thick and sinewy,  like tliat of the ligaments.   It  begins at
 die neck of  the bladder, but springs not <rom dience, only is joined
 to it and so proceetljjo the glands.  It has diree holes at tile begin-
 ning, the largest of wliich is in die  midst,which receives die urine into
 it.   The other two are smaller receiving the seed into each seminal
 vessel.
   4. The fbiudi is the Glands, which is at the end of die penis,  cov-
ered  with a veiy thin membrane, Ijy  reason  of a   Fraeputum or
Foreskin, which in some covers die ton of die yard quite close, in
others not; and by its moving up  and down in the act of copulation
brings pleasure both to man and woman.  The extreme part of  this
cover, which I call Praeputium,  and which is so called a praepu-
tando, from  cutting off, as die Jews were commanded to cut  it off
on the eighth day.   The  ligaments by  which it  is fastened to the
glands is called Fracuum, or  die bridle.
   5.  The fifth thing is die  muscles, and diese are four in number,
two being placed  on each side.   These muscles which are  instru- 
8            ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

maris of voluntary motion, and without  which no part of die body
can move itself, consislB ef fibrous flesh to make up their body:  of
nerves for the senses; of veins for dieir vital heat;  and a membrane
or akin  to knit them together, and to distinguish one muscle from
the other, and  all of them from  the flesh.   I have already said
there are two of them on each  side;  and I now will add, that one
on cadi side is shorter and thicker, and diat dieir use is to  eieot
die p-d, from whence they have  obtained die na>»» "f erectors.
And having told you that two  of them are di>«*er and shorter diaa
the odier, I need not tell you that the "Oter two are longer and thin-
ner; only I take notice. tha« *»* office of do  two  last is to dilate,
if you will open d» lower part of the Urethra, bodi for making wa-
ter and  voiding the seed, and therefore are called Accelerators.
   6. The sixdi and  last things are the vessels, which consists of
Veins, Nerves and Arteries: of which some  pass  by die skin and
are visible to die eye, and others pass more  inwardly.  For indeed
the arteries are dispersed dirough the body of  the yard much more
dian the veins, and die dispersion is contrary-wire, die right artery
being dispersed te die left side, and the left to die right;  as for  the
two nerves, the greater is bestowed upon die muscles and  die  body
of the yard, and die less  upon die skin.
   What I have hidierto said relates to the yard, properly so called;
but, because  diere are some appendages belonging thereto, which
when wanted, renders the yard of no use  in die act of generation, it
will also be necessary before I conclude die  section, to say  some-
thing of diem,  I mean  the  stones,  or  testicles so called  because
they testify die person to be a man;  their number  and  p.ace  is ob-
vious;  and as to dieir use, in diem die blood brought diidier by die
spermatic arteries is elaborated into seed.  They liave coats or cov-
erings of two soils proper and common;  the common are  two, and
invest bodi the testes: die outermost of the common coats,  consists
of diecuticula, or true skin, called Scrotum hanging out of the ab-
domen  like a purse.  Membrsma Cariuwa  is the   innermost.   The
proper  coats are  also two; the outward called  Elidioridis or Vag-
inalis, die inner, Albugiena, into die outward are  inserted the Cre-
masters; to the upper |>art of the testes  are fixed the  Epidermis or
Paristatae, from whence arise die Vasu Deferentia  Ejuculatnria,
 which when tliey approach near the neck of  die bladder* de|w>sit die
 seed into the Siculae Seminales, which are each or two or diree of
 diem, like a IxihcIi of grapes, and emit  the seed into  die urethra  in
 die act of copulation.   Near  those are  the  Purasletne,  which are
 about die bigness of a walnut, and  join to die neck of the bladder.
 These afford an oily, slippery and  salt humor, to liesmear  'he Ure-
 dira, and  lliereby  defend  it from  the crimony of  the  seed and
 urine.   Beside diese vessels,  by  which  die blood is conveyed to die
  testes or of which die seed is made, and die arteries s|ieiinaticaea 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.             9

these are also two, and  so likewise are  the veins,  which carry
<mi the remitting blood, which are called venae spermaticae*
               And thus (hut* noble paid we see
               For such the parts cf generttoo be
               And they who carefully surrey will find
               Each part  a titled for the luedengaU;
                The purest blood we find if well we heed,
                It in the testicles turn'd into iced;
                Which by moat proper channel* ■ tnJTfittaaJ)
               Into Jie place for k by nature fitted:
               With highest rente of pleasure lo excite
               In amorous combauwU the more aeliadat I
               For in this work nature doth design
               Profit and plevure in one act to join.
                         SECTION II.
                 Of the  secret parts in  IVomen.
   WOMAN, next to man, die noblest piece of this Creadon, it bone
of his bone, and  flesh oft bi  flesh, a sort  of  second self;  and, in •
married state are accounted but  ue, as the poet says,
                    Man and wife are but one right
                    Canonical hermaphrodite.
   It is  therefore  the  secret parts of that curious  piece of nature
that we are  to lay open, which  we will do with as much modesty
as will  consist with speaking intelligibly*
   The external parts commonly silled  pudenda (from the  shame*
facedness that is  in woman to  tare them seen,) are the lips of  the
great orifice which are  visible to  the eye; and in those  that are
grown, are sovered widi hair, and have  a pretty  store of spongy
fat; dieir use being to keep the internal  parts from all  annoyance
by outward  accidents.
   Widiin diese  are the  Nymphs,  or wings, which  present them-
selves to  the eye when the lips are  severed, and consist of soft and
    rngy flesh, and the doubling of  the skin  placed at the  sides of
     neck; diey compass  the  clitoris, and both in  form  and colour
resemble the comb of a cock,   looking fresh  and red, and in die  act
of coition receive die penis or yard betwixt them;  besides which
they give  passage  both to the  birth and urine.   The  use of  the
wing's and  knobs like myrUe berries, is  to shut  the  orifice mid
neck of the  bladder, and by  the  swelliug up, cause  titulation and
delight  in those parts, and also to obstruct the voluntary  passage of
the urine.
   The  next  thing is the c'jtoris,  which is a sinewy and  hard part
of the womb, replete  widi spongy and  black matter  widiin, in the
same manner as  die side ligaments of  the yard  suffers erection and
fadling  in the same manner,  and both stir up lust and  give delight
in copulation, for without diis die fair sex  neither  desire  nuptial
embraces nor have pleasure in diem, nor conceive   by them; aud
according to the greatness or smallneas of this part, they are more 
     10           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

     or less fond of men's embraces; so it may properly be  styled the
     seat of lust,*
                 Blowing the coals of those amorous fires,
                 Which youth and beauty to be queccb'd requires.
        And it may  well be  styled so, for it is like a yard in situation,
     substance, composition, and erection, growing sometimes  out of the
kk   body two inches, but that happens only upon some  extraordinary
"   accident.  It consiste  as I have said,  of two  spongy and skinny
     bodies which being a distinct original from the Os  Pubis, the liead
     of it being covered widi a tender skin  having a hole  like the yard
     of a man, but not through, in which, and die bigness of it  only dif-
     fers.
       The next diing, is  the passage of die urine, which is  under the
     clitoris, and over the neck of the womb, so that the urine of die wo-
     man comes  not through the neck of die womb,  neither is  die pas-
     sage  common  as in men, but in particular,  and by itself.   This
     passage opens itself into die fissure to evacuate die urine for the secur-
     ing of which from cold, or any other inconveniency, diere is one of the
     four caruncles, or fleshy knobs placed before it, which shuts up the
     passage.
       For these knobs, which are in humber four, and  in  resemblance
     like myrtle berries are placed  behind the wings bespoken of  quad-
     rangularly  one against  the other.  These  are round in virgins but
     liang flagging when  virginity is lost.   'Tis the uppermost of diese
     diat nature  has placed "for die securing die urinary  passage from
     cold, and which is therefore largest and  forked for that end.
       The lips of the womb  diat next  appear, cover die neck thereof
     but being seperated  disclose it;  and then two things  are  to lie ob-
     served, arid, these are die neck  itself, and the  hymen,  more  prop-
     erly catlea the  Claustrum  Virginale, which   I shall  treat more at
     large when I come to  show what  virginity  is.  The  neck of die
     womb I call the  channel,  is between the  foremcntioned knobs and
     die inner bone of the womb, which receives die man's yard like a
     sheadi;  and tnat it may be dilated with the more ease and pleasure in
     the act of coition, it is sinewy and a little spongy;  and there  being
     in this concavity divers  folds or  orbicular  plates made by tunicles,
     which are wrinkled,  it  forms an expanded roso  that may be seen
     in virgins, but in those  that have used  copulation, it  comes by de-
     grees to be extinguished: so diat die inner side of the neck of  die
     womb appears smoodi,  and in old women  it   becomes  more, hard
     and grisly.   But  tho'-gh this channel  be sinking down,  wreathed
     and crooked, yet  it is otherwise in the  time of  copulation: as also
     when women are under 'lie mondily purgation, or  in labour,  being
     tnt-ii very mucn  extenueu, which  is a great cause of their pains.
        the ObL...triun  Virginale, commonly called the Hymen,  is that
     which closes the  neck of the womb; for between the"  duplicity of
     the two tunicate which  constitute the ue«k #f  the wtmih, diere are 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
11
 many veins  and arteries running  along,  diat arise  from die ves-
 sels of bodi side of the thighs,  and so pass  into the neck  of die
 womb, being very large; ami die reason thereof is because d«e neck
 of tie womb, requires to be  filled  with abundance of spirits to be
 dilated thereby, that it may the better  take hold of die penis, such
 emotions requiring great heat, which being more  intent by the act
 of friction consumes a great deal of moisture, in the supplying of
 which large  vessels, are very necessary;  hence it is  diat the neck
 of die womb in women of reasonable stature  is eight inches in
 length.
   But diere is also another cause of die  largeness of dieir vessels,
 because dieir monthly purgations makes their way through  them;
 and for diis reason, women diough widi child,  often continue them:
 for though the womb be shut up, yet die passage in die neck of die
 womb through which  these  vessels pass, is  open.  And dierefore
 as soon  as you penetrate the pudendum, diere may be seen  two lit-
 tle pits or holes,  and in which are  contained  an humor, which  by
 being pressed out  in time of coition  does greatly  delight die fair
 sex.
   I shall in the next place, proceed  to a description of  die womb
 which is die field of generation, without which ncdiingcan be done
 The parts we have been speaking  of being  ordained  by nature to
 convey die seed to die womb, which being  impregnated  therewidi
 by virtue of the plastic power of nature, produces its  own likeness.
   The womb is situated in the lower  parts of  the hypogastrion,
 being joined to  the  neck,  and is placed between die bladder and
 die straight gut,  so diat it is kept  from swaying  or rolling yet
 hadi its liberty to stretch and dilate itself,  and also to  couduct it-
 self according as nature in diat case disposes it, it is of a round fig-
 ure somewhat like a gourd, lessening and growing more acute tow-
 ards one end, being knit together by its  proper ligaments,  and its
 neck joined by its own substance, and certain  membranes  diat fas
 ten it to the Os Sacrum and die share bone.  It is so thick in sub-
 stance  that it exceeds  a thumb's  breadth; and  after conception
 augment to a greater  proportion, and  to  strengthen it yet more,  it
 is interwoven wtth fibres overthwart, bodi strait mid winding  and
 'ts proper vessels are  veins  arteries and nerves;  amongst which
 there arc two little veins which pass  from  the  spermatic  vessels to
 the bottom of the womb, and two bigger from the  hypogastricks,
touching die  bottom  and neck, the mouth  of  these veins piercing
bo far as the inward cavity.
  The womb besides what  I have already mentioned, hath two ar-
teries on bodi sides  the spermatic  vessels  and the hy|K>gastricks
which still accompany die veins, with sundry little  nerves knit and
interwoven in the forin of a net, which are also extended throughout,
even from the bottom to the pudenda   themselves,  being so placed 
12            ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
chiefly for  die sense of pleasure,  sympathetically moving from die
head and womb.
  Here die reader ought  to observe diat  two  Ligaments  hanging
on eidier side of die womb from the share bone, piercing duimgn
the Peretoiieum and joining to  die bone itself causes die womb to
be moveable, which upon divers occasions eidier falb low or rises,
the neck of die womb is of die most exquisite sense, so, that if it
be at any time disordered, eidier widi u schirrosity,  too  much hot
moisture, or relaxation, the womb is subject to barrenness.   In those
diat are near their delivery, diere  usually  stays  a most glutinous
matter in the entrance, to facilitate the birth; for at  diat  time die
mouth of die womb is open to a wideness in proportion to the big.
ness of  die child.
   Under the parts belonging to generation in women, are also com-
prehended  die preparatory  or spermatic vessels;  the preparatory
vessels differ not in number from those in man, for they are  likewise
four,  two vessels and two  arteries; dieir rise and original is die
Bame as in man, on die side of them  are two arteries which grow
from them, differing only in their size and manner of insertion, die
right vein issuing frojn the trunk of the  hollow  vein, and die Jeft
from the emulgent vein; and  on the  side of diem  are two arteries
which grow from die areata.  These  preparatory vessels are shor-
ter in women than  in men, because  they  have a  shorter passage,
the stones of a woman lying within the belly but these of a man
without: but to make amends  for their shortness,  diey  hare fai
more wridiing to and fro, in and out, than they have in  men; that
so the substance they carry may be the better prepared,  neither are
they united as they are in men, before they come to, the stones, but
are divided into two  branches, whereof the greater   only passeth to
die stones, but die lesser to die secundated egg, and this is  projierly
called conception.  And then, secondly, to cherish   and nourish it,
till nature  has framed die child,  anil brought  it to perfection.
Thirdly, it strongly operates in sending forth the birth, when its a|>-
pointed lime is accomplished, there dilating itself in an extraordi-
nary  manner; and so  aptly removed from the senses, that  no inju-
ry accrues  to it from thence, retaining in itself a strength and |iower
to operate  and cast forth the birth.
   The  use of the preparatory vessels is to convey  the blood to the
testicles, of which a part is spent  in the nourishment of  them, and
the production of those little bladders in all  things resembling eggs,
through which die  vasa  Pmoparnatia run, and are obliterated in
them.  This  conveyance of blood is by the arteries, but as for the
veins, then- office is to  bring  back what blood  remains  from the
forementioned use.
   The  vessels of this kind are much shorter in women dian in men,
by reason  of their nearness  to die testicles; and yet that defect  is
more than  made  good by die  many  intricate windings  to which 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.            13
they are subject;  for in the middle way they divide themselves in-.
to two branches of different magnitude; for, one of them being big-
ger than the other passes to the testicles.
   The testicles in women are  very useful; for where they are de-
fective, generation  work is quite spoiled; for though those  little
bladders which are  on their  outward aiperfices contain nothing of
feed, as the followers of Galen, &c. erroniousiy imagine, yet  they
contain several eggs (about the number of twenty in each testicle,)
one of which being impregnated by  the  most spirituous part of a
man's seed, in the actof coition, descends through the oviducu into
the womb where it is cherished till  it becomes a live child.  The
figure of these Oveae or eggs,  is not altogether  round, but  a little
flat and depressed on  the sides, and in their lower part oval, but
where the blood vessels enter  them,  (hat is, in the upper part, they
are more plain, having but one membrane about them, that the heat
may have more ea«w acres* to the womb, both to the nouriement of
itself and  the infant therein.   Let me (oilier add, these spermatic
veins receive the arteries as they pass by the side of the womb and
thereby make a mixture of the vital and natural blood, that  their
works be more perfect.   The deferentia, or  carrying  vessels spring
from the lower part of the stones, and are in color white, substance
sinewy,  and pass not through die womb  straight, but  wreathed:
they proceed from the womb in two parts,  resembling horns, whence
they pre called the horns of the womb.
   The stones of  women are another part belonging to  the instru-
ments of generation;  for such tilings they also have as well ar. men,
but they are differently placed: neither is  dieir bigness, tempera-
ment, substance, form,  or  covering the same.  As to  their  place it
is the hoilowness of the abdomen, resting upon muscles of the  loins,
and so not pendulous as in man.  And that they are so placed is,
that by contracting the heat «hey may be the more fruitful, their of-
fice being to contain the ovum, or egg, which  being impregnated by
die seed  of the man is that from which die embryo is engendered.
The stones also differ from men's in  their form;  for though they are
smooth in men, they are uneven in women;  being  also depressed
or flalish  in diem though  in  men  their  form is round and  oval.
They have also in women but  one skin, whereas in  men diey liave
four.  Nature  having wisely  contrived to fortify diese  most  against
the injuries of  the air,  that are  most exposed to it; the stones of
women being  within, but  those of men without  the  belly.   They
differ also in  dieir substance,  being  much more soft  than diose of
men, and not so well compacted; their bigness and temperature dif-
fer, in that they are less and colder than  those in men.   Some in-
deed will have their use to be die same as in men,  but that  is for
want of judgment;  for  Aristotle and Scotus both affirm, that the wo-
men have  no seed,  and that their stones differ also in theh a*" :.««u
those ef men;  their um being as I have already said, u» coataia that
* 
 14            ARISTOTLE'S MATER PIECE.

 which egg is to be impregnated by the seed of a man.
   It now remains, diat  I now say somediing  of the  ejaculatory
 vessels, which have two obscure passages, one on either side, which
 in substance differ nothing from die  spermatic veins.   They rise in
 one part from the bottom of die womb, but not  reaching uom die
 other extremity, either to  the stones, or any other part, are shut  up
 and •noupable, adhering to die womb, as the colon dodi to the blind
  fit, and winding half way about;  though  the  stones are  remote
  om them, and touch them not, yet diey are tied to them  by certain
 membranes resembling the wings of a bat, thro'  which certain veins
 and arteries,  passing  from  the end of the  stones, may be said to
 have their passages, proceeding from the corner  of die womb to the
 testicles, and  are accounted  the proper ligaments by which the tes-
 ticles and die womb are  united and strongly knit together.
            Thus the woman's  secrets I've survey'd
            And let them see how curiously they're made,
            And that though they of different sexes be,
            Tot on the whole  they are the same as we,
           For those that have the str:ct**t icwchers beau.
           Find women are but men turned outside in.
           And men if they but cast their eyes about,
           May find they're women with their inside out
                        SECTION III.
 Of the use and Action of the several Parts in  Women appro-
                    priate to Generation.
   I SHALL next take a survey of  the  parts of generation both in
 men and women, and shew die use and a"tlnn of these parts in the
 work of generation, which will excellently inform us diat nature has
 made nothing in  vain.
   The external parts in a woman's privities, or  diat which  is most
 obvious to the eye at first, commonly  called Pudendum, are design-
 ed by nature to cover the great  orifice, nature intending  that orifice
 to receive the penis or  yard  in the act  of coition, and also to  give
 passage to die urine, and  at die time  of birth to  die  child.   The use
 of die wings or knobs,  like myrtle berries, arc for die security of the
 internal part by shutting up die orifice,  aud  neck of the  bladder,
a'so for delight and pleasure; for by their swelling  up they cause
titilatiou and delight in those pails, being pressed by the man s yard.
Their use is likewise to obstruct die involuntary passage of die urine.
  The use  and action of the clitoris in women  is like that of the pe-
 nis or yard  in men, that is erecting its extreme end  being  like  thai
of the glands in Mie men, the seat of  the greatest pleasure in the an
of copulation, so is that of die clitoris in  women, and therefore cal-
led the sweetness of love, and  the fury of veuery.
  The action and use of die   neck of die womb, is die same with
that of the Penis, that is, erection, which is occasioned sundry ways:
 for First, in copulation, it is erected and made  straight for the pas-
 sage of the Penis to the womb.  Secondly,* while the  passage  is re- 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTERPIECE.           15
ptote with the spirits and vital blood it becomes  more straight for
embracing the penis, and for the necessity of erection diere is a two-
fold reason: one is, that if the neck of die  womb was not erected,
the yard could have no convenient passage to the womb.  The oth-
er is, that it hinders any  hurt or damage that might  ensue through
the violent concussions of the yard diving the time of copulation.
  Then as the vessels that pass  through the neck of the womb, their
office is to replenish it with  blood  and spirits, that so as  the mois-
ture consumes through die heat contracted in copulation, it may still
by these vessels be renewed.   But their chief business is  to convey
nutriment to the womb.
            Thus nature nothing does in vain produce,
            But fits each part for what's it proper use;
            Ami though of different sexes formed  we be,
            Yet betwixt these there  is that unity,
            That we in nothing en  a greater find,
            Unlets the soul that's in tfia body join'd:
            And sure in this Dame Nature's in the right
            The strictest union yields the most delight
                          CHAP. II.
Of the restriction  laid upon Men in the use of Carnal Copula-
  tion, by the institution of Marriage, unth the advantage that
  it brings to mankind and the proper time for it.
  Though the Architect of die world has been pleased to frame us
of different sexes, and for the propagation and continuation of man-
kind, has indulged us in the mutual embraces  of each other, die de-
sire whereof, by a powerful secret instinct, is become  natural to us.
yet he would leave them to die law of the Creator, who has ordained
that every man shall  have his own   wife; and, though since man,
by sinning against his Creator, hadi fallen from liis primitive purity,
and has multiplied wives and concubines, by which the first institu-
tion is violated, and the grossest affront given  to the Divine Law-
giver; for the holy  Jesus hath told us, diat in die beginning  mar-
riage was of one man to one woman; so diat as these conjugal de-
lights cannot be enjoyed but  in a married state, so neidier, m that
state can they lawfully be participated of, with more than  one wife.
And it is die breaking^* this order diat has filled the world widi
confusion, and debauchery; has brought diseases on the  body, con-
sumpdon on die estates, and eternal ruin to the soul, if not repented
of.   Let all those therefore of either sex, that have a desire to en-
joy  the  delights of mutual embraces, take case that they do it in a
married state, with  their  own wives and husbands, or else  it will
become a curse to  them instead of a  blessing.  And to diat end,
let them consider what is due  to transgressors of his law who hath 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
■aid "thou  shatt  not commit Adultery."  Whatever is  spoket
of the vernal pleasure, is spoken to diose who  have or  may  have, t
right thereunto, by being in a married state.   For,
             Who to forbidden pleasures are icclin'd
             Will find at last they leave a sting behind.
                        SECTION II.
             Of the happiness of tins Married State.
  Matrimony, in the present age, is looked upon as  a most inavp
portable yoke;  Wives and husbands are accounted die  greatest clq.,
and burthens to diose who give up the reins to dieir unbridled passions
Notwithstanding the present mode of thinking isagahut me, I doubt
not of making it appear that  a married state is die most happy con
dition, (where persons are equally  yoked  and pull togedier) that u
to be enjoyed on this side of heaven.
  The author and  institutor of marriage, and  who  first brough
man and woman together, was no other than he  diat  made dieiu.
even the great  Lord of the universe, whoso  wisdom being _ infinite
could not but know what condition was good for  us;  and his good-
lees being equa. to  his wisdom; sufficiendy shews  the end of this in-
stitution was the happiness of the creature he liad made; and indeed
man could not be happy without it; for he saw that it  was not good
diat man should be alone, and therefore made a woman to complete
his happiness, whicli was not perfect while he wanted such a help
mate for him.
   The time of the  institution is very remarkable; for it was whiUt
Adam and his new made bride were clothed widi  all diat  virgin pu-
rity and innocence widi which diey  were created, before  they had
entertained the least converse with the tempter,  or had given way
to one disordered thought; and yet could curiously survey die sev-
eral incomparable beauties and perfections of each odier without sin
and knew not what it was to lust.   It  was at this time diat the cre-
ator united Adam in the  holy bands of wedlock.
   'Twas in paradise where the first  match w;is made; and which
could scarcely have been  paradise widiout it; for  paradise is known
to l)e a  place of pleasure,  wherein diey w«-e surrounded  wid> die
quintessence of all deliglits;  where diere \^p nothing wanting that
 might please die eye, charm the ear, or gratify  the taste;  and yet
 Adam was not happy with these pleasing sweets till he received his
 Eve;  so diat it was a married state which  completed his happiness
 and whicli was a paradise of pleasure itself.
    What an addition to happiness  a  good wife  makes* such an one
 is  die  best companion  in prosperity, and  in  adversity die surest
 friend;  die greatest assistance in business, the only lawful and com-
 fortable means by which he can  have  issue, and the  great  remedy
 against incontinence; and if we believe  king Solomon "The great- 
A-RISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE            17
est honor unto him  that he  has  her."  For he tells us "She is a
croion to  her husband."  Surely these are not small advantages.
   If married persons would be careful to do their respective duties,
there would be but little complaining; nor would  any condition  in
life be so agreeable as the married state. How much more satisfaction
a man receives in the embraces of a loving wife, than in the wanton
dalliance of a deceitful harlot.
             Thus does this section unto all relate,
             The pleasures which attend  the married state ■
             And snows it doth with innocence consist,
             And that so many have those p'easure nussM,
             Tis their own fault, they will no wiser be,
             As in this mirror they may plainly see.
                         Section III.
At what age young Men and  Virgins are  capable of carnal
         copulation;  and why they so much desire it.
     shall in die present section make  it my business to shew at what
&ge young men and virgins  are capable of the marriage bed, which
because so  many desire before diey attain  to it, it will likewise be
necessary to shew the cause  of their impetuous desires.
   The inclination  of virgins to marriage is to lie  known by many
symptoms; for when diey arrive at ripe age, which is about fotuteen
or fifteen,  their natural  purgations begin to flow;  and  then  the
blond, which no longer serves for the  increase of dieir  bodies, does
by its abounding, stir up  dieir minds to  venery;  to which also ex-
ternal causes may incite diem.   For  their spirits are brisk and  in-
flamed when diey arive at this age, and dieir bodies are often more
heated by their  eating sharp and salt diingj: and by spices,  by
which their desire of veneral embraces becomes  very  great, and,
at some critical junctures, almost insupportable.  The  use of diose
so much desired enjoyments ln-ing denied to virgins, is often followed
by very dangerous, and sometimes dismal consequences, precipitating
them into those follies diat may  bring an  indeliible stain on dieir
families, or bring on themselves the Green sickness, or odier disea-
ses.  But when they are married and those desires satisfied by dieir
husbands, those  distempers vanish, and their beauty  returns more
gay  and lively than ,!>efore.  And this strong  inclination of theirs
maybe known by their eager gazing  at  men,  and  affecting dieir
company, which sufficiently demonstrates that  nature excites diem
to desire coition.   Nor is Uiis the case with young virgins only, but the
same may be olwerved in young widows,  wiio  cannot  lie satisfied
without that  due benevolence which diey were   wont to  receive from
dieir husliamls.
   At fourteen years of age commonly, the menses begins to  flow in
virgins;  at which time they are capable of conceiving and dierefore
fit for marriage, though it would be much better for diemselves and
dieir children if diey would not  marry till eighteen or twenty;  if
they ure healthy, ef strong body, and  use  themselves to temperance, 
18
ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
 they may continue bearing till upwards of 60, though generally leave
 off between 40 and 60: for die menses flow longer  in some than in
 others; But when they cease, they cease bearing, and dierefore Sa-
 rah bearing Isaac after it had  ceased to be widi her according to
 the custom of women, may well be termed miraculous.
   As for  male youth, when they arrive at 16  or between diat  and
 seventeen; having much vital strength, they may be capable of be-
 getting children; which ability, by the force  and heat of procreat-
 ing matter, constantly increases till 45, 66, 65, and then  begins to
 flag, the seed  by degrees  becoming unfruitful, die nature of spirits
 being extinguished, and the  heat dried up.   Thus it is widi them
 for the most part, but many times it fells out otherwise in particular
 instances, as once in Sweden, a man was married at 100 years  old
 to a bride of  30, and had many children by  her; but he was a man
 of so hale a constitution, and carried his age  so well diat strangers
 would not liave guessed him at above 60. And in Campania, where
 the air is clear and temperate, it is usual for men of 80 years old to
 marry young virgins, and  have children by  them; which shews diat
 age in man, hinders not procreadon, unless  they be exaiisted in their
 youdi, and their yards shrivelled up.
   If any  ask, why a woman is sooner barren than a man, let such
 know, that the natural heat,  which in die  cause of generation, is
 more predominant in men than women; for the monthly purgations
 of women show diem to be more moist than men, and so  does also
 the softness of their bodies.   And the man exceeding her in native
 heat, concocts the humors in proper-al lament, by the benefit whereof
 they are elaborated into seed; but women though of a finer make,
 yet uot being so strong as men, their faculties  are diereby  hindered
 in their operation.
             Thus nature to her children is so kind,
             That early tliey those inclination) find,
             Which prompts them on u> propoxate their Iciad.
             Hence 'tis a virgin her desires can't smother,
             But restless is till she be made a mother.
                         CHAP. III.
 Of Virginity, what it is, how it may be known, by what means
  it may  be lost, and how a person may know that it  is so
                         SECTION  I.
  iiAirriu/- °f VirSini<y>  and wherein it consists.
  HAVING treated  of the desire  young men and  virgins liave to
mutual embraces,and at what age diey  arc  fit  for them;  I have al-
so shewn that those pleasures  are only lawful to be enjoyed  in a mar-
ried state; and have also acquainted the  reader  with the advantage
of such a  condition.  But since the desires  of many after mutual
embraces are so  impetuous diat  not  having an opportunity  to enter
into a married state, they have anticipated the  pleasures of matrimo-
ny, and lost their virginity before hand; and yet perlia,*,  have af-
terwards pretended  to bring  their virginity to  a marriage  bed  I™ 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           19

which means many an Vr nest man, has been deceived, and meretri-
cious women escaped widi impunity; on the other hand, some vir-
tuous young virgins, diat have come such to their  husband's beds,
have been accused by the ignorance  and credulity of dieir husbands,
to have lost their virginity beforehand, when there lias been no such
matter; therefore to do right in this case to both parties, my design
in this chapter is to show what  virginity  is,  wherein it consists;
bow many ways it may be lost, and how a  man may know that  it is
so or not;  diat so women may not be wrongfully censured, or men
imposed on.
   Virginity untouched and taintless, is the boast and pride  of the
(air sex.  But generally  commend at to put it off;  for, as good as
k is, they care  not how soon they are  honestly rid of it.   And I
think they are in the  right of it,  for if kept it grows useless, or at
least loses so much of its value; a stale virgin, (if such a thing there
be) being looked upon like an old  almanack, Out  of date.  But to
speak to the purpose, virginity is (he chief, the prime, the best of any
thing, and is properly the integrity of a  woman's privities, not  vio-
lated by man,  or not  known by  him, it  being the  distinguished
characteristic of a virgin, that  she has not known man.
   To make this more plain, I must observe, that there  is in maids,
in the neck of the womb,  a membraneous production called die  Hy-
men, which is like die bud of a rose half blown,  and this is  broken
in the first act of copulation with man;  and hence comes the word
 Deflora, to deflower;  whence the taking of virginity, is "ailed de-
flowering a virgin;  for when the rose bud  is expanded, virginity is
lost.  Certain  it is, there is in die first act of copulation,  something
that causes pain and bleeding;  which is an evident sign of virginity.
But what diis is authors are not agreed  on. Some  say it is a ner-
vous membrane, a thin skin with  small veins, that bleeds at the  first
penetration of die yard.   Others say it  is the four caruncles, knobs,
or little buds like myrtle berries, which are plum, and full in virgins,
but hang loose or flaggy in those  who have used copulation, being
pressed Dy the yard.  Some have observed the. fleshy  circle about
die Nymphae, or neck of die womb, with little obscure veins, which
make the  membrane not to be  nervous,  but  fleshy.   But setting
aside conjectures, the Hymen, or Claustrum Virginale, is a dlin mem-
brane, interwoven with fleshy fibres, and endowed with  many little
arteries and veins, spread across  the passage of the vagina, behind
the insertion of the bladder, with a hole in the midst for die menses
to flow, so big, that it will admit  die top of one's little finger.  This
is diat which is called die zone, or girdle of chastity; and  where it
is found in the form described, it is a certain uote of virginity; but
in the first act of copulation  it is necessarily violated, and then ac-
companied widi an effusion of blood, which blood, is called the flow-
er of virginity; and when once broke, it never closes again. 
 20           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECB.

                         SECTION II.
                  How  Virginity may be lost.
   In the former section I  have shewn in what virginity consists, and
 (hat it is lost at the first penetration of the yard, whicli may  easily
 be known by its being  attended widi an effusion of  blood upon the
 rupture ot the  Hymeneal membrane,or Claustrum Virginale;  but I
 must do the  fair sex diis  justice, to  let the  world know, that al>
 diough wherever  this  is found, it  is an  undoubted  token  of vir-
 ginity, yet it will not follow, that where  diis token is wanting, vir-
 ginity is deflowered;  for  the hymen may be  corroded by acrimoni-
 ous and fretting humors flowing through it with  die menses,  or it
 may be violated by the- inversion or foiling out of  die uteres, or of
 vagina or sheath,  which sometimes, even to  virgins; or (whicli all
 virgins should beware of, for die preservation of dieir credit, and
 preventing of suspicion)  perhaps die unwary bride has  had her
 menses but a day or two before, in which rnse hoth die Hymen and
 inner wrinkled  membranes of the vaginia are  flaggy, weak and re-
 laxed, so that no such  rupture or  effosion may happen.   It were
 better therefore that when virgins are about to marry, they would fix
 their wedding day at least six or seven days after tile meases have
 done flowing.
   But further, nature  hath given greater desires after enjoyment to
 some dian to others, and such, though they  abstain  from  enjoyment,
 yet so great is their desire after it, diat they may break the Hymen
 or Claustrjm Virginale; and sometimes it itches so bad, diat they
 put in their finger, and so break it.   Sometimes the midwives break
 it in the  birth; and   sometimes it is done by stoppage  of  urine,
 coughing,  violent  straining or sneezing;  so that no bleeding at die
 first penetration of the  husband is not always  a sign of unchastitv,
 or that anodier has been diere  before him,  seeing that die hymenial
 membrane may  be  broke, so many other ways; but when bleeding
does flow,  it is  undeniable that the  person  was a virgin, and
 never  knew man before.   And indeed, tho'  the Hymen may be
 broke, all these ways mentioned, yet it so  rarely happens to be broke
any other way,  diat Leo Africanus makes mention of  it as a general
custom of die Africans  at their weddings, that the marriage ceremo-
ny being  over,  the bride and bridegroom are shut  up in a cham-
ber while  the wedding dinner   is  preparing; an  ancient woman
stands at the  door to receive  from  die bridegroom a sheet, having
 the bloody token of the wife's virginity, which she shews in triumph
to all the  guests, and then they feast with joy; but if there U no
 blood seen, the  bride  is to be sent home again to her friends with
disgrace, and the disappointed guests go home without their dinner.
  There are  others, that  make die  straightness of die  privities a
Sign of virginity, but this is a very uncertain rule;   for diis depends
 much upon the age, habit of die body, and other circumstances. But
though women who have used carnal corpulation, are not so straight 
             ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           M

as virgins, yet this cannot be a certain argument  of virginity, be-
cause the  privities may be made straight by  die  use of astringent
medicines.   I liave heard of a courtezan, who, though sl<e had been
married, gave herself out to be a virgin, and by the help of a bath
of comfrey roots, deceived those widi whom she had to do.
  Others  judge  of lost  virginity by the milk of the breast; but
■och_perhaps, are ignorant diat there is two  fold milk; die one of
virgins, the other of such as have conceived or brought fordi children:
that of virgins is a malady contrary to nature, made of blood from
the womb; turned into milk by die faculty of the breasts;  die other
is natural, where there is a  child eidier  in the womb or born-; yet
the milk (though bodi are while) differs very much bodi in respect
to the blood,  and diversity of veins dial bring  it to the breasts:  and
that of virgins is thinner, less in quantity and not  so  sweet: there-
fore if virgins happen to liave such milk, they are  not  for diat rea-
son to be reckoned unchaste.
  Upon the whole, the sum  of what I have said upon this head of
virginity, terminates in this; that wlseii a man is married and finds
the tokens of his wife's virginity,  upon die first act of copulation,
he has all the reason in the world to believe her such, but if he finds
litem not, lie  has not reason  to diink her devirginated if he finds her
odierwise sober and modest; seeing the Hymen may be broken so
many ether ways, and yet die  woman  both chaote and  virtuous.
Only  let me  caution virgins to  take all imaginable  care to keep
these  virgin zones, entire, that so  when  they marry, diey may be
such as die  great Ceasar wished his wife  to be,  not only without
(auk but without suspicion also.
              Thus have I virgin innocence survcy'd
              And show'd the difference betwixt wife and maid,
              And that their chastity they need not fear,
              Whose virg-'o token plainiy doth appear,
              Nor censure ' hose in whom they do not so,
              Unless the contrary they plainly know,
              For "they may yet unspotted virgins be
              Although their virgin tokens none can see.
      ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
                           PART II.
The Secrets of Nature dispalyed in the production cf Man
                         CHAPTER I.
What conception is;  what  is prerequisite thereunto; how A
  woman may know whether she hath  conceived, and whether
  a boy or a girl.
                         SECTION  I.
                Of Conception, what it is, fyc.
  Having in the first part of this work, described die instruments
•f generation in both sexes, and the use for which <nose instrument
were intended by nature, I shall, in die part  before me proceed to 
22            ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
show wliat  conception is: tho  signs and tokens thereof, and wliat
are die prerequisites thereunto; for when onco a  woman has con-
ceived the work of generation is begun, time, with nature's help,
will perfect the work.
  Now in conception, diat which is first to be regarded, and with-
out which it cannot be, is  the seed of the  man, that being the ac-
tive principle, or efficient cause  of die foetus, die  matter of which
is arterial blood, and animal spirits whicli are elaborated into seed
in the testicles, and from thence  by proper vessels conveyed into the
yard, and the act of copulation it is injected or  emitted lnar 'jha
womb.—The next thing is  the passive principle, to the foetus (for
there must oe bodi in order  to conception) and this is an ovum, or
egg, impregnated by the man's seed, or being conveyed to it, die
womb closes op, that no air may enter dierein but die impregnated
ovum may swell into a  foetus.   This is that which  is  truly and
properly conception, and die prerequisites thereunto I shall make the
subject of the next section.
                        SECTION II.
               Of the prerequisites to conception.
  I have shewn in the  former section, diat there are two things to
be regarded chiefly in conception, to wit, die active and passive
principle.  This in part shews, that difference of sexes is a pre-
requisite to  conception.   So  nature  has ordained there must  be a
proper vehicle for the  active principle to be injected thereinto and
there must  also be  a passive  principle to be impregnated there-
by,  so die  woman  has no  active  principle to  impregnate, and
dierefore, without different sexes, there can be no conception.
  But this is not all: for it is not enough diat there be different sexes,
these different sexes must unite, and^there must be coition, in order to
conception.and it is coition,or die mutual embraces of both sexes,which
nature lias made so desirable to each odier:  which, when authorized
in the way that heaven has ordained, diere is no  need of ravishing;
for die fa>r bride will quickly meet her bridegroom with equal vigor.
But since in diat dice may be overdoing, and such errors committed
by their giving way to the impetuosity of dieir  desires, as may be
prejudicial to  conception, it will not be  amiss to give some direc-
tions to make  diis operation the more  effectual.
                        SECTION III.
A word of advice  to both sexes: or, Directions respecting the
              act of Coition or carnal copulation.
  Though there are some diat desire not to have  children,  and  yet
are very fond of nocturnal embraces to whom these direction  will
be no wav acceptable, because it may probably produce those effect-i
which they had rather be without; yet 1 doubt not but the generality
of bodi sexes, when  in the married state, have such a desire to pro-
duce the fair image of themselves, that nodiing can  bo more wel-
come to them than those directions that may make dieir mutual em- 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.            23

braces most effectual: and dierefore let none think it strange diat we
pretend to give directions for die promoting that which  nature itself
teachcth ah to perform; since 'tis  no  solecism for art  to be a hand-
maid to nature, and to  assist in her noblest operations.  Neither is it
the  bare performing of diat act whicli we here direct to, but die per-
forming it so as to make it conducive unto die work of generation. And
since this act is the foundation of generation, and widiout which  it
cannot be, some care ought to be taken, and consequently  some ad-
vice given how to perform ii well;  and  therein I am sure die prov-
erb is on our  side, which tells us  that what is once well  done, is
twice done.—But yet what we shall advance on  this  nice  subject,
shall be offered with such caution, as not to give offence to the chast-
est ear. nor pat the fair sex to the trouble of blushing.—What I
shall offer will consist of two parts.  First, soinediing previous to it;
and secondly, something consequential to it.
   For die first, when married persons design to follow die  propen-
sioiis of  nature, for die production of die fair  image of themselves,
let every thing diat looks  like care and business be banished  from
their thoughts, for  all such  things  are enemies^o  Venus;  and  let
their animal mid vital spirits be powerfully exlimreted by some brisk
Btnd generous restoratives; and let them, to invigorate their  fancies,
survey the lovely beauties of each  other, and  bear  die bright ideas
of diem in dieir ininds;  and  if it happens, that instead of beauty
there is any thing that looks like imperfection  or deformity (for na-
ture is not  alike bountiful to  all) let them  be  covered  over with a
veil of darkness  and oblivion.  And since  the utmost  intention of
desire is required in diis act, it may not be amiss for the bridegroom
for die  more eager heightening of his joy, to delineate the scene of
dieir approaching  happiness to his fair languishing bride in some
such aier..>roiis  rapture as diis,
            Now, my fair bride, now will I storia the  mint,
           Of love and joy, and rifle all that's in'L
           Now my infranclns'd hand on every side
           Shall o'er thy naked polished ivory, slide,
           Freely shall now my longing eyes behold,
           Thy bared snow and thy undrained gold;
           Nor curtain now though of transparent lawn,
           S^hall be hefure tby virgin treasure diawn,
           1 will enjoy thee now my fairest come,
            And flv with  mo lo lovca elyiuin,
           My rudder with thy hold hand, like: a try'd
            And skillful pilot, Ihmi shall sfcer, ami  guide,
            My hark in love's dark channel, where it shall
            Dance, as the 'nonnding waves do rise  and tall.
            W hilst my tall pinnance in the (Jyprian straits,
            Hides sife at anchor and unlades the freight.
   Having by these and other amorous acts (which love can bettei
dictate dian my pen) wound up your fancies to  the highest order and
desires. 
24           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER  PIECE
           Perform those rights nature and love requires.
           Till you have quench'd each other's am rous fires.
  When die act of coition is  over, and the bridegroom has Gone
what nature prompted him to do, he ought to take care not to with-
draw too precipitately from the  field of love, lest he should, by so
doing, let the cold into the womb which might be of dangerous con-
sequence.  But when he has given time for  die matrix  to close up,
he may withdraw, and leave the bride to her repose, which ought to
be with all the calmnesss possible, betakingjlienself to  rest on the
right side, and not removing without great occasion, till she lias tak-
en her  first sleep.   Coughing and sneezing, if possible, should be a-
voided, or any thing that agitates  or causes  a motion of die body.
These  amorous  engagments should not be often repeated  till the con-
ception is formed.   And it may not be amiss  to remind the bride-
groom, that the fair lasts all the year, and that he should be careful
not to  spend his stock lavishly,  as  women,  in general, are better
pleased in having  a thing once well done, than  often  ill done.
                         Section IV.
       How a woman may know  when she hath conceived.
  After the meanswade use of  in order to conception, according to
the directions given before, there is reason  to expect that conception
should follow;  but as dungs do not always succeed according to
desire, so therefore conception does not follow  upon coition.  For
there are many  women, especially  those newly married, who know
notwhedier diey  have  conceived  or not,  after coition; which, if
they were assured of, they might and would  avoid several inconven-
iences  whion diey now  ran upon.   For after  conception  a woman
finds an alteration in herself, and yet knows not from whence it ari-
ses, she is apt to run to  the doctor and enquire  of  him what is die
mattei, who not knowing diat she is with child, gives a  strong  por-
tion, which certainly destroys conception.   There are  others, who
out of  foolish bashful coyness, though diey know that they have con-
ceived yet will not confess it, that diey may be instructed how to or-
der themselves accordingly.  Those that are  coy may learn  in  time
to be wise; and for the sake of those that are ignorant, I shall set
dowi the signs of  conception, diat women may know diereby wheth-
er thpy have conceived or not.
  If a woman hath conceived, the vein under her eye  will  be
swelled, (i.e.) under the lower  eyelid,  the vein in die eyes appear-
ing clearly, and the eyes somewhat discolored;  if the woman hath
not her turns upon her, nor hath watched die night Iwfore, there is a
certain sign of her having conceived;  and diis appears most plainly
just upon the conception,  and holds for die first two  niondis after.
Stop the urine of a  woman close  in a gluts or bolde three days, at
the expiration of  which »bae strain it  through a linen rag; if you
perceive small  living creatures  in it you fi&y instantly conclude dial 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           25

 she hath conceived; for die tu-ine, whicli was before part of her own
 Bubstance, will lie generative as well  as its mistress.
   A coldness and dullness of the outward parts  after  copulation,
 shews a woman td have conceived, the heat being retired  to make
 the conception;  and  the veins of die breast are more clearly seen
 dian they  were before.   The tops of the nipples look  redder than
 formerly;  die body is weakened, and the face discolored, die belly
 waxetn very fat, because the womb closedi itself togedier to nourish
 and cherish  die seed.  If she drinks cold water, a coldness is  felt
 in die  breasts: she has  aiso a loss of appetite, sour beichings, and
 exceeding  weakness of the stomach;  die breads  begin to  swell,
 and wax  hard, not without pain or  soreness;  wringing or griping
 pains like  die  cramp, happen in the belly above  die  navel; also
 divers  appetites  ana  longings are  engendered.  The veins of  the
 eyes are also clearly seen, and die eyes seem something discolored
 as a looking glass will  shew.  The  excements  of the guts  are
 voided painfully, because the womb swelling thrustetn  the right  gut
 togedier; likewise let her take a green nettle and put it into her  ur-
 ine, cover  it closely, and let  it remain  all night; if she is with
 child it will be fell  of red spots on the Hext morning, if she is  not
 with child  it will be blackish.
  By these experiments,  some of  which never (ail, a woman may
 know  whether she hath  conceived or not, and to regulate herself
 accordingly; for
           When wr men once with child conceived are,
           They of tnenue ivcs should take especial care.
                         SECTION V.
 How  to know whether a woman be  conceived of a male or fe-
                          male Child.
  In the present  section I  shall endeavour  to gratify  the curiosity
 of many persons who are very desirous  to know whether they are
 conceived of  a male or  female.  For die satisfaction of such I shall
 give the sign of a male child being conceived, and the reverse that
 of a female.
  It is then a sign of a  male child,  when tne woman feels  it firs.
 on the  right side;  for male children lie  always on that side  of  tho
 womb, the woman  also  when rising  from her chair,  doth  sooner
 stay herself upon the right hand dian on  the  left.   Also the belly
 lies rounder and higher  than when it is a female.   The colour of
the woman is not so swarthy, but more clear than when it is a .girl.
The right side is   more piump and harder  than the left,  the right
nipple  redder.  She likewise breeds a boy easier and with less pain
than a girl, and carries  her biudien not so heavily, but is  moie nim-
 ble  and stirring.
  I will only as to this, addjhe following experiments which I nev-
er knew fail.  If the circle under the  woman's eyes, which is of a
                                   3 
26           ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
  wan blue colour, be more apparent under die right eye, and dial most
  is coloured, she is widi child of a boy: if die mark is more appar-
  ent in her left eye, she is with child of a girl.   The other u, It! her
  drop a drop of her milk in a bason of  fan water,  if it sinks to the
  bottom as it drops in, round in u drop, it is a girl  she is widi child
  of; for, if it lie a boy it will spread and swim at  the  top.  This I
  have often tried and it never failed
              For whether m-dcur female child it be.
              You have cuncciiM by Ihese rules you'll sou.
                         CHAR I.
                        SECTION.   II.
  How a Woman should order herself in order  to Conception.
    1 am very well  satisfied that many women  desire copulation, not
 from any delight or satisfaction diey tiike dierein, more dian  as it  is
 die means  appointed by Him diat bids  us increase  and  multiply,
 for the propagation of mankind.   And diough several make use of
 coition to obtain that end, yet we find by experience, that in many
 it docs not succeed, because diey order  not diemselvos as diey ought
 to do;  for diough it must be granted, that all our endeavours depend
 ti|x>n the divine btfcsing, yet if we are wanting in any diing to our-
 selves how caa we cxpectthat blessing to  succeed our endeavours'!
 My business dierefore  in this section shall be to shew how women
 that desire to have children should order themselves.
   First women that are  desirous  to have  children, must, in order
 thereunto, give themselves  to moderate excercise;  for  want of ex-
 ercise,  and  idleness, are very great enemies to die work  of genara-
 tion, and  indeed are  enemies  both to  sou   and  body.  Those
 that shall give  themselves  the troubld to observe it, will  find those
 city dames that live high, and do nothing, seldom have  children, or
 if they have, they seldom live; whereas, those poor women that ac
 custom themselves to labor, have  many children  and those strong
 and lusty.  'Nor need we wonder at it, if we eansider the benefit
 that comes  by a moderate excercise and laJnpr;  for it  opens the
 pores, quickens the spirits, stirs up the natumi teat, strengthens the
 body, senses and spirits, comforts the limbs, end helps nature in all
 her exercises of which procreation of children  is none of the least.
  Secondly, women in order to conception, should avoid all man-
ner of diecontent and the occasion of it;  for  discontent is  a great
enemy to conception, and it so dispirits either man  or woman, that
it hinders  them from putting forth diat vigor which ought 'o be ex-
erted in die act of coition.   When on the  contrary, content and sat-
isfaction of mind dilate  the heart  and arteries, whereby the  vital
blood and spirits are freely  distributed  diroughout the body  and
thence arise such affections, as  please,  recreate and refresh the na-
ture of man, as hope, joy,  love gladness,  and mirth.  Nor does it
only comfort and strengthen the body, but also the operation and in> 
               ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           2.1

 agination of die  mind;  which is so  much the more  necessary; in
 so much  die  imagination of the modier works forcibly  upon the
 conception of  die child.  Women  therefore, ought to take  great
 care that their imagination be pure and clear., that  their children
 may lie well formed.
   Thirdly, women ought  to take good  care  to keep die   womb in
 good order; and to see diat die menses come down as diey ought to
 do, for if they are discoloured they are out of order, but if the blood
 comes down pure, dien die  women  will be very prone to conceive
 with child, especially if diey use copulation in two or Uwee days af-
 ter the monthly cotuses are stayed.
   Fourthly, a woman  diat would conceive sliould  observe diat she
 does not use the act of coition  too often: for satiety  gluts die womb
 and renders It unfit for its office.  There are two things diat dem-
 onstrate this;  i.  e. diat common whores (who often use copulation)
 have never, or very rarely any children: for the grass seldom grows
 in n path that is  commonly trodden in.  The odier  is, diat woman
 whose  hurbands  have  been long absent do,  after  copulationnvjitii
 diem again conceive very quickly.                         j*^
   Fifthly,  are sliould be taken diat the time of,copulation Be con-
 venient dial there be no fear of surprise; for fear hinders conception.
 And then  it vt.-ed«e best also diat the desire of copulation be nat-
 ural, and not stirred up by provocation; and  if it.  be  natural, die
 greater die woman's desire of  copulation is, die mure  likely she is
 to conceive.
   I will add no mo."*, but some authors report, that a loadstone ear-
 ned alxint a woman, not only  causedi conception,  but concord be-
 tween man and wife; if it be true I would have  no married woman
 go without one, botn for her own and her husband's quiet.
            Let all the fair whe would hate children  from
            Their sen embrace; :ead what's here laid down,       *
            Those that to excercise themselves i.icline,
            And in their lov e to he content design
            Wh .■ nave their monthly terms is oruer Aow ;
            And - egulate them ii they do not so;
            That love's embrace* moderately use,
            And to ?njoy them a lit season choose
            These n.ay,  content with what they've aone, remain,
            And need not fear their wishes to obtain.
                         SECTION II
       What a woman ought to observe after conception.
   After a  woman has  conceived, or  has reason to think  so, slw
ought to be very  careful of herself  lest she sliould do any diing diat
might hinder nnture in her conception.  For in die first two months
after conception  women arc very subject to  miscarriages, because
then die ligaments are weak and soon broken.   To prevent  this, lev
die woman eveiy morning drink  a  draught of sage  ale, and it  ni'l
do her abundance of good 
  28           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

   ^ And if signs of abortion or miscarriage appear let her lay a toast
  dipped hi tent (in case miucadel cannot be  gotten) to die navel, for
  this is very good.  Or, take a little green  tansy, and having bruised
  it sprinkle  it with muscadel, mid apply it to the navel, and she will
  find it  much better.   Also tea  infused in ale, like sage ale, and a
  draught  drank every  morning, is most excellent for such  women
  as a-e  subject  to miscarrriages.  Also if  she  can,  let  her  be
  wliere the air is temperate.   Let her sleep be moderate;  let her also
  avoid all  watcliing and immoderate excercise, as also disturbing pas-
  sions, loud  clamours and filthy smells; and  let her abstain from all
  thiugs whiJi may provoke either uriue or  die courses, and also from
  all sliarp  and windy  meats; and let a moderate diet  be observed.
  If the excrements of the guts be retained, lenefy  the belly w idi clys-
  ters made of the  decoction of mallows and violets, with sugar and
  common oil; or make brodi of borage, bugloss, beets, mallows, and
  take therein a little  manna;  but on  the contrary if she be troubled
  with a looseness of die belly, let it not be  stopped without the judg-
  ment of a physician: for diat matter all uterine  duxes  have a malig-
  nant miality, and must be evacuated and removed before  the flux be
  Btayeo»
                        CHAP  III.
  How the  child lieth and how it groweth up  m the womb of  the
                    Mother after conception.
                        SECTION U4.
     How  the child is formed in the  womo a/let  conception.
   As to die  formation of die child, it is to  be noted,  diat after coi.
 tion the seed lies warm in the womb for sue days, widiout any visible
 alteration, only diat  die womb closes up itself to prevent  its issuing
 fordi again,  and for  the securing it from  any cold, and  all this time
 it looks like  butter or coagulated milk.   And it would .be necessary
 for her who has conceived, to forbear the emb- aces  of her husband
 all  the time,  lest Uieconception should lie spoiled.  In airee days af-
 ter, it is altered from  the quality of thick milk 01 Outter, and lie-
 comes blood, cr at least resembles it  in colour, nature  having now
 Degun to work upon it;  in die next six days following, that blood be-
 gins to be united  into  one body, glows hard at.d  becomes a little
 quantity, and to appearance a round lump.  And as  in the  first  crea-
 tion the earth was  void  and  without form, so  in diis creatine work
 of divine power in the womb; and this  shapeless  embryo Ties the
 first mass.   But in two days after the principal  members are formed
 ny the plastic power of nature, and these principal members are. four
 in number, viz.  The  heart, the brain, the liver, and the testicles
 or stones.—Three days after the odier members  are formed, and are
 distinguished from the  shoulders to die knees, and  the heart,  liver
and stones, widi their  appurtenances,  do grow bigger  and bitrcer.
Four days after  that, the several  members  of die  whole body ap-
pear, and as  nature l^uirsje, tbey conjuncdy and severally  do re 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
29
 oeive dieir perfection.   And so in die appointed time, the whole cre-
 ation hath diat essence which it ought to liave in the perfection of it,
 receiving from God a  living soul, dierewidi putting it in its nostrills
 the breath of life.   Tlum 1 have shown the whole opperatiou  of na-
 ture in  the formation of the chHd in the womb, according to the en-
 ergy given it by the Divine Creator, Maker and  upholder  of all
 things both in heaven and earth.
   By some others more briefly, cm to the same purpose, the  form-
 ing of the child in the womb of its mother is thus described ; three
 days hi  the milk, three in  the blood, twelvedays form the flesh, and
 eighteen the raembare, and forty dayr after the ehild is inspired with
 hJo, being endowed with a an imnVvrtaJ living soul.
                        SECTION  II.
 Of the  wanner of the child's  lying in the womb from the con-
                      ception to the birth.
   I come now to shew in what manner the child lieth in the  womb
 of itt mother, whilst it  is confined in the dark receeses: first giving
 the reader the teattimok/ of two or three of  the most learned on this
 head.
   The learned  Hippocrates afflhne that the child, as he is placed in
 the womb, hath his liands upon  his knees, and his  head bent to  his
 feet;  to diat be lie* round together, his hands upon his knees, and
 hit face between  them: so that  each eye touches each  thumb, and
 bis Dose betwixt his knees.  And of die same opinion in this mat-
 ter was  Bartholonius the younger.   Columbius is of opinion diat the
 figure of the child in the. womb is round, die right  arm  bowed, die
 fingers thereof under die car, above  the neck, and the head bowed,
 so tba*  die chin touched] die breast, die left arm bowed above both
 breasts and face, and propped up by die bending of the right elbow:
 the legs  are lifted  upwards, the right of which is so lifted up, diat
 the thigh  toucheth the belly, the  knees, die naval, the heel loucheth
 the left  buttock, and die foot is turned back ami  covered) die se-
 crets; the left thigh toucheth the belly, and  die leg lifted up  to the
 breast, the back lying outwards.
   Thus  the reader may see how authors differ herein: but this ought
to be noted,  that die different positions which die child hath been
seen in, hath  given occasion  to die  different opinions of authors.
For when die  woman  is  young with  child die embryo is always
found of a round figure, a litde oblong, having the spine moderately
turned inwards, the diighs folded, and a little raised, to whicli  die
legs are joined, that the heels touch the buttocks, the arms bending,
the hands placed upon the  knees towards which, the head is inclined
forwards so that die chin touches the breast; die  spine  of die back
is at diat time placed towards the inodier's, die head uppermost, tho
hands forward, and the feet downwards, and proportionable  to  its
growth it extends its members by litde and  little,  which were  ex-
actly formed in the first month.   In this posture it usually keeps till
                          •    3* 
80           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
 the seventh or eighdi  month, and then  by a natural Dropcnsity and
 disposition of the upper parts of the body die head is turned down-
 wards towards the inward orifice of the womb,  tmiibling as it were
 jver its head; so that die feet are u|>peniiost, and the face towards
 the mother's great gut.  And this turning of the infant in this man-
 ner with his bead downwards, towards die. latter end of a woman's
 reckoning, is so ordered of nature, that it may be die better disposed
 for die birtn.    The knowledge or these dungs being so essentia, to
 the practice of a midwife, I could not omit them.
                          CHAP.  IV.
 Of the obstructions of conception; with the  cause and curt of
   Barrenness, and the signs of Insufficiency both  in Men and
   Women.
   BEFORE I proceede  any further, it is  highly  necessary that I
 treat of die instructions of conception,  which naturally leads me to
 treat of barrennesss  tne grand obstruction of conception.
                          SECTION I.
                        Of Barrenness.
   Barrenness is a natural or accidental defect  which hinders con-
 ception:   for diat which   hinders conception causcth  barrenness.
 There are several  causes why conception may be hindered: as too
 much lieat or cold dries up the seed and makes it corrupt: this, ex-
 tinguishing  die life of  die seed, and diat, making it waterish, and
 unfit for generation.    It may be caused  also  by  the stoppage or
 overflowing of die courses, and by swelling ulcers, or  infliimations
 of the womb,  or by an excrescence of flesh growing  about die
 mouth of the matrix, w hereliy the seed is hindered from being inject-
 ed into the womb, and what of love in the |vr«»na copulation may also
 'tinder conception, and is  apparent from diose women who are de-
 flowered  against dieir  will;  no conception  following any  forced
 copulation.
  And here  let me  caution  parents against one thing diat often,
 caused] barrenness, which  mijdit  easily he  prevented;  anil that  is
 against  virgins letting  blood  in  their arm  before dieir  courses
 come down;  diese come down in virgins urually in the 14di vear of
 their age, ><eldom before die 13th but never before the 12di. " Now,
 because usually a young virging is out of order before the irst break
 down, the mother  goes with  her to the doctor, who  finding  that
fullness of blood is  the occasion  of her  illness,  orders her to let
blood in the arm;  upon which she beromes well for a time, the su-
perfluous blood  being taken away; and the remedy, which is won*
than die disorder, being repeated four or  five times, the blood conies
i.ot down at all to the  womb, as it doth in odier  women, but dries
up, and is forever  barren;  whereas, had she been let blood in the
foot it would liave brought  the  blood downwards, and so have prc-
 roked die terms and prevented mischief. 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE            81

    Another cause of barrenness is, for want of convenient, moderate
 quality, whicli the woman ought to have  with the man; as,  if she
 be hot, lie must be cold; if he be dry, she moist;  but if they both
 are dry or both are of a  moist constitution, they cannot  propagate,
 though in this case neither of them may be barren, singly considered;
 for he or she, now as barren as the barren fig-tree, yet joined with
 an apt constitution, they become as fruitful as the vine.
   A:iodier cause of barrenness may be die disuse of copulation, for
 some there are of that  fi'igid  constitution, diat (hey ekher use not
 the means at all or else perform  it with so much languor and cold-
 ness that it is not  likeiy it should prove efficacious; for die act of
 coition should lie performed with Uie greatest ardor and intenseness
 of deiire imaginable, cr else diey might as well let it alone; a frigid
 disposition being the effect of  a cold distemper, and must be aired
 by such things as heat and nourish, For,
                Without trooddnnk" and feeding high
                Desires of Venus soon will die.
   Such therefore ought to feed upon cock stones and  lamb stones,
 sparrow's, patridge's quail's and pheasant's eggs, for 'tis  an  infal-
 lible  aphorism in physic, that  whatsoever any creature  is extremely
 addicted to, they operate to the same end by dieir  mutual virtue in
 the man that eats diem.   Therefore patridges, quails, sparrows, &c.
 being extremely  addicted to venery, they work the same effect in
 diose dia* eat them; ami  diis likewise is worthy to be noted, that
 wliat part »f the body  the  faculty is strong,  as a medicine;  as  for
 instance,  die virtus procreativus lies in the testicles: therefore cock
 stones, &c «i-. medicinal in this distemper.   Let such persons also
 eat such food as  is very nourishing, as parsnips, alisanders, skirds,
 and pine nuts; and let them take a dram of diasatryon in an electua-
 ry every morning.  The stones of a fox dried to powder, a dram
 taken every morning  in tent, is also  very good  in this ca.se; and  so
 also is a dram of satyrion root, taken in like manner.
                         SECTION II.
 Of the signs of insufficiency in Men, and barrenness in  Women.
   After married  people have  lived long  together,  and both seem
 likely, and yet neither of them  have children, there often arises  dis-
 content be! ween them, and both are troubled because they know not
 whose fault it is.  And  though authors have  left  several ways  to
 know whedier the man  or  woman be  defective, yet  because I can-
 not coincide in dieir judgments, I shall pass dieinby in silence, and
 rather lay  down a few rules that may be de|>entled upon, than many
 dia'arc uncertain,  tiut I must first premise that women  are sub-
ject to many infirmities more dian men, that tho cau.-=e of barrenness
is  oftner on dieir side than man's.  For, if the man has the instru-
ment  of generation perfect being in heall.lt ami keeping a regular and
temperate  diet anil exercise I know no accidental cau.-ieof barren-
ness in  him;  whereas  die cause of barrenness in a woman lies in 
 82           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER  PIECE.

 her womb,  and the infirmities  incident diereunto; some of which
 are stopping of die menstrua, or dieir overllowing; as also die falling
 out diercof, aud die iiifiamation, windinc*, heat and dryness thcreol,
 for each of which we will prescribe proper cures.
   But to be more particular.  If a man or  voinau, in  whom die
 inRiKuraents of generation appear no  ways  defective would know
 whether die cause of barrenness be in diemselves or their bedfellow,
 let them take a liandful of barley, or any edier corn diat v. ill grow
 quickly, and steep half of it  in  the urine ol  a  man and die other
 half in die  urine  of a woman during tlie F|Kice  of fc4 horn's, then
 take it out, and set each by  itself in a flower  pot or where  you
 may keep them dry.  Then water the man's  every morning with
 his own urine,  an 1 the woman's  with  her's;  and that which grows
 is most fruittul;  and that which does not grow, denotes die  person
 to be barren.  Nor let any despise diis trial;  foreseeing physicians
 will by urine undertake to tell a person of his or her diseases, why
 should not urine alse shew whedier a person be fruitful or not 1  But
 if in man the instrument of generation is not jierfect, it vill be ob-
 vious to the sight, and if die yard be so feeble, diat it will not ad-
 mit of erection, it  can never  convey seed into die  womb, nor can
 tilers be in such a caje  ury conception.  But diis  is so plain and
 easily discerned, that it must  needs be obvious to bodi parties, and
 the man who finds himself debilitated ought not to marry.
   The case cannot be so had with  the woman,  though she may be
 barren, but what  her  husband may make use of her, unless she be
 impenetrable, which (though it sometimes does) but rarely happens :
 and  therefore die man is  the moat in«xeuaabU» if he transgress.
   Betides wliat I  have already mentioned, signs of barrenness in
 women are  ; if she be of an  over hot constitution, of a dry Ixidy,
Bubject to  anger, hudi black hair, a thick  p'llse,  her purgations
flow little,  and  that with pain, and yet hath a violent desire to co-
 ition ;  but if she be of a cold constitution,  then are die  signs con-
trary  to those  recited.   If barrenness be  caused  through an evil
quality of the womb, it may lie known  by making a fumigation of
redstorax,  myrrh, cassiawood, nutmeg,  cinnamon, and letting her
receive die tluue of it into her womb, covering  her very close.   If
die odor passeUi through the  boiJy up into the mouth and nostrils,
she is fruitful.    But if she feel not the same in her mouth and nose,
it denotes barrenness one of tlie--e ways, viz.   That the stted is either
through cold extinguished, or  through  beat  dissipated.   And  if a
woman be  suspected to  be unfruitful, cast natural brimstone, such
as is digged out of tile mine, into  her urine, and if worms breed
dierein she  is fruitful.   But  diis shall  suffice, to be said  of  the
causes  and signs of barrenness, and it  is now time  to  proceed to
the cure. 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE            33

                        SECTION III.
                   Of the cure of Barrenness.
   In die cure of barrenness respect must  be had  to the cause;  for
the cause must be first removed, and  dien die womb  strengthened,
and die spirits of die seed enlivened by corroborating applications.
   If barrenness proceed from over much heat, let  her use inwardly,
succory, endive,  vioit-w,  water lilies, sorrel, and  lettuce, white
syrups, and conserves made diereof, thus,
   Take conserve of borage, violets, succory, water lilies, of each
one ounce, naif an ounce of conserve of roses: diamagarition frigid,
diatrion,  foncalon, of each half a dram; with syrup of violets, or
of juice of ;itron make an electuary.
   Let her also take of endive, water lilies, borage flowers, of each
a handful,  rhubarb, myrobalans, of each  diree drams; with water
make a decoction, add to die straining, die syrup relaxative of vio-
lets,  one  ounce, syrup  of cassia,  half an  ounce,  manna,  three
drains: make all into a portion.  Take  of the  syrup of inugwort
one ounce, syrup of maiden  hair, two ounces pulv.  elect, trionnat,
make all up into a julep.  Apply to die reins and  privities fomenta-
tions, of the juice of lettuce, violets, mallows, vine  leaves, and night-
shade; let her also annoint her secret parts with  die  cooling oint-
ment of galls.  Badis are good for  her to sit in.   Let  die  air lie
clear, Iter  garments  diin, her food, lettuce, endive, succory, and
barley; but let her have  no hot meats, nor strong wines, except it
be waterish and thin.  Rest  is good  for her both body and mind;
but she must use little copulation, but may sleep as much as she will.
   If barrenness be occasioned by the predominancy of cold extin-
guishing the ]K>wer of die seed, which may lie known by her desir-
ing venery,  and receiving no pleasure in the act of copulation, eren
while the  man  is spending  his soed; her  terms are  phlegmatic,
thick, slimy, and flow not  rightly.   In diis case  let her take syrup
of calamint, mugwort, betony, of each one ounce;  water of penny-
royal, feverfew;  hysop, sage, of each two ounces;  and make a
julep. Let her take every  morning  two spoonfuls of cinnamon wa-
ter,  widi one scruple of  mithridate.   Also let her take oil of an-
niseed, on»  scruple anil a half, jessamine, diaclyo i bodi disnosch
diaglang, of each one dram; sugar, four ounces; with water of cin-
namon make lozenges, and take of thein  a dram  and-a half twice
a ''...y two hours before meals.   Let her also fasten cupping glasses
to her hips and belly; and let her take stores calamint, one ounce;
mastic, cloves, ciimamon,  nutmeg,  lignum, aloes, frankincense, of
each half an ounce; musk,  ten grains; ambergrease, half a scruple,
vidi rose water make a confection;  divide it into  four parts, of one
snake a pouum adoratum to smell to, if she be not hysterical;  of the
second make  a mass of pills, and let her take diree  every night;
of the third make a pessary, and  put  it up; of die  fourth make a
fumigation for the womb- 
 34           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

   If barrenness arises from ths faculties of die womb being weaken-
 ed, and die life of the seed suffocated by over much humidity flow-
 ing on  diose  parts, let her  take of betony, majorum, mugwort,
 pennyroyal, balm, of each one handful; root of onrum, fennel, ele-
 campane, of each two  drams; anmseed,  cummin seed, of each  a
 dram, with sHgar and water a sufficient quantity, of which make  a
 syrup, and take  diree ounces  every  morning.  Then  purge  with
 diese pills, following, take of pil. ext. two scruples; diagridion, two
 grains, species decasto,  one scruple; make diem up into nine pills
 widi syrup of mugwort: Also take spec, diagminae, diamoschi, di-
 ambrae, of each one dram; cinnamon, one dram and a half; mace,
 cloves, nutmeg, of each half a dram; sugar  six ounces, with water
 of feverfew;  make lozenges, to be  taken ewry morning.  Likewise
 let her  take of the decoction of sassaparilla and viga  aurea, with  a
 good quantity of sage, which is an herb of that virtue, that Corne-
 lius Agrippa honored it  with the title of sacra herba,  a holy herb;
 and Dodoneous, in his history of plants, reports diat  after  a great
 plague had happened in  Egypt, which  had almost  depopulated the
 country, the surviving women  were commanded to drink the juice
 of sage,  that they might multiply the faster.   Let  her anoint die
 genitals  with the oil of annisseed  and  spikenard.   Trochiks to
 smooth die womb are also very good.   To make  which,  let  her
 take  mace,  nutmeg,  cinnamon, slonix, and  amber,   of each  one
 dram; cloves, laden, of  each half  a dram; turpentine,  a sufficient
 quantity.  Lastly, take  the roots of vallerian  and elecampane, of
 each one pound; of gallangal, three ounces; origan, marjorum, beto-
 ny, mugwort, bay leaves,  calamint, of  each diree handfuls; with
 water make an infusion, in which let her  sit after  she has liad her
 courses.   But to  proceed.
   If barrenness  be caused by the dryness of the womb consuming
 die matter of the  seed,  Jet her rake every  day almond milk  mid
 goat's milk, extracted with honey:  eat often of root Satyrion can-
 died, and of the electuary  of  diasatryon.  Let her also take  three
 sheep's heads, and boil them till the flesh  comes from the  bones;
 died take of  meloit violets camomile,  mercury, orchies, with  the
 roots of  each one pound; fenugreek linseed, vallerian roots, of each
 a handful:  let all  of these lie decocted in  the aforesaid broth  and
 let die woman sit  in  the decoction up to the navel.  Also, take of
 deer's suet half an ounce; cow's marrow, styracis lyquide:  of each
 one dram; or of sweet  almonds: two ounces  with silk or cotton
 make a  pessary:  and make  injections: only of fresh  butter:  and
 oil of sweet almonds.
   It sometimes  happens that   barrenness is caused  by   reiuisness in
 the manner and act of coition;  and though  there be no impediment
53 »ither side;  yet if both sexes meet  not in that act with equal
 vigor, no concept ion follows; for many times the man  is loo  quick
for the woman, or i>.dier the woman loo slow for the man, and is not 
               ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.            38

 prepared to receive the seed with that delight she ought when it it
 emitted by the  man;  and those  who follow die  opinion-qf the an-
 cients, diat the woman who contributes seed in die formation-<if the
 child as wejl as dm man, are  of opinion that there ought to be a
 joint emission both, of the man and  woman at  the  same instant,
 which administering to both a great delight,  perfects die work of
 oonception.  But if in this case die woman  be slack, it  will be
 proper for die man to follow die advice given in chapter 3d, sect
 2d, where both sexes are shown  how to manage themselves in the
 act of coition,  that so by stirring up in the women a  desire to ve-
 nery, she  may meet his embraces  with the greatest ardor.  If this
 should prove ineffectual, let her before die aot of coition, foment the
 privities with  the decoction of betony,  sage,  hysop and calamint,
 annoint (lie mouth and head of die womb with musk and civit; and
 the cause of barrenness being  removed, let die womb be corrobora-
 ted by die following applications.
   Make of bayberries. mastick. nutmeg, (rank-incense, cypress nuts,
 zadani, galbuia, of each one dram: styracts  liquidae, two scruples;
 cloves half a scruple; ambergrcase two grains;  musk six grains;
 then with oil of spikenard make a pessary.  Also- take red roses,
 with frankincense,  lapids hamautis, of each half  an ounce, saugus,
 draconis, fine  bole mastic, of each two drams; nutmegs, cloves of
 each one  drain;  spikenard half a scruple, and  with oil of  worm-
 wood make a plaster for the lower part of the belly.    And let her
 eat of errihgo roots candied, and make an injection of the juice  of
 the roots  of statyrion: and dien let her use copulation soon after die
 menses are ceased, conception being most apt to folio-v; for dien
 the womb is thirsty and dry, and aptest both to draw  the seed and
 to retain it by the roughness of the inward superfices.   A woman
 sliould be careful to avoid  excess in all things, as being the greatest
 enemy to conception.  For should a  woman conceive  under care,
 «tudy, &c. die child would probably be foolish, because the animal
 (acuities of die parents were confused.
                          CHAP.  V.
                         SECTION 1.
 How women ought to govern themselves during their pregnancy.
  First, let a woman diat  is widi child choose a temperate air, not
 infested with fogs, and for  diat reason not near any marshy  grounds,
 rivers, &c.  But diis cannot be avoided by some, their habitation
 falling out  to be in such places.  But those who can live where they
 please ought to  avoid such places, as likewise  the going abroad in
 too hot or  too cold weather; also when die south  wind blows hard,
 for  diat often  proves hurtful to women with child, and sometimes
causes abortion.
  Secondly, she ought to be very cautious in the manner of her diet,
choosing only  those meats diat create wholesome   nourishment, ami
such as are  moderately dry; and let her take  cato to prevent and 
36           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

avoid immoderate (anting, for that will utMikfm tlifi infant, and render
it of a  siokly constitution, and sometimes cause abortion.  And as
all excesses ought to be avoided, so she must take care not only of
avoiding  immederate fasting, but  likewise  immoderate eating too,
which will not only be apt to stuff up the child, but to swell it up to
that degree that it will endangerjdie  life of itself and the mother in
its birth.  Let it suffice that in general she avoids all meats which
are too hot or too cold, and  moist; such as sallads,  spices and hot
meats which often  cause the child to be born  before its time;  and
sometimes without nails, which foresbews a short life.   And there-
fore in  this  case  the wholesome meats are  pigeons,  patcidges,
pheasants, larks, veal, mutton or any meat that yields a good juice,
and contributes kindly nourishment; as also, such fruit as is sweet
and of easy  digestion, as cherries, pears, damsons, and  the like.
But let her avoid, as pernicious, all such things as cause and create
wind.
  Care  ought also in ha taken with rospp^t. to har PTP.rr.ise;  which
ought to be moderate, for violent motion either in walking or work-
ing, is hurtful and  disturbing to the womb, especially riding upon
die stones in a coach, or any other  uneven  pace; and in like man-
ner, all extraordinary sounds and noises should be avoided, especial-
ly die ringing of bells,  and the discharging of great guns; neither
ought she to give way to eidier immoderate laughter or weeping, or
to anger, or any other passion, for diat may be prejudicial to her.
                        SECTION H.
  Further rules for women to observe during their pregnancy.
  Though die act of coition is that widiout which  conception can-
not be,  yet die  immoderate use of it hinders die brief end for which
it was designed.   In die first four  months  after conception, site
ought not to lie with her  husband,  at least sparingly, lest by shak-
ing die  womb in diat  action,  die courses  should  again lie forced
down.  In die fifth and sixth mondi she ought  to abstain; but in
die 7di, 8th, and 9di it may  freely be  permitted, by reason of its
opening die passage, and facilitating die birth.    To contribute the
better towards  which, die  woman  should be careful to  keep Iter
body soluble; syrups and  odier opening things being very helpful to
nature in diose  operations.   Let  her not lace too close, lest die
child be thereby  hindered from coining to its full grovrth.
  To prevent any disorder  diat may happen  to her breasts by too
much blood, which will cause curdled milk, let her wear a necklace
of gold  about her neck, or radier  a small ignot of steel between her
breasts, fomenting  them a quarter of an  hour every morning  widi
water distilled  from giouud ivy, periwinkle and sage, being blood
warm.
   When her Hetty is swelling, and die motion is great, which will
be about  the  fourth  mondi, she   may swathe it widi a swadiband
anointed with pouHttam, or any other thing of the kind, to keen it 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
37
  smoodi and free from wrinkles.  For which end  it will be best to
  take die caul of a kid, and of a sow, of each  duee  ounces; capon
  grease  and goose  grease, of each one ounce and a  half;  having
  melted  them altogedier, put diereto a  quarter of a pint of water;
  after which strain  them through a linen clotii into fair water; cast-
  ing it to aud fio till it be white :  at which time add to it of mar-
  row of a red deer, one ounce, and lay it in  red rose  water,  twelve
  hours.  After the expiration of which you  may  use it,  unnointing
  the swadie  and belly.
    But if these  ingredients are not easy to be had, you may make
  use of the following lineament,  which will do almost as well as  die
  other : take of mutton suet and of dogs grease of each  two  oimces,
  whale  oil one ounce, and oil of sweet almonds die same quantity  ;
 wash diem  well, after they are melted togedier in  die water of ger-
 mander,  or new white wine, anoint  the belly and  swathe  there-
 with.   Those diat care not to anoint their bellies, may  make  use
 of the following bath and decotion  ;  take  of all sorts of mallows
 and modier wort each two handfuls ; white lilly root diree ounces  ;
 meliot and eammoile, of each  two handfuls  lime  seeds, quince seeds
 and fenugreek seeds diree ounces,  boil diem well  in  spring  water
 and bathe therewith.  If the woman  after  her  quickening^ finds
 but little motion of the infant in  the womb let her  make a  quilt in
 the following manner, and bind it to die  navel,  and it will  much
 strengthen and comfort die infant ; take the  powder  of roses,  red
 coral and jelly flowers of each two  ounces ; mastic a dram, angelica
 seeds  two  drams, ambergrease two grains, and musk two grains,
 all of which being well beaten, put diem into a linen  bag, spread
 diem abroad and quilt it, that they may be in every  part of it, pla-
 cing upon the navel, and it will  have do  desired  effect.  These
 things are sufficient to observe during the  time of  their pregnancy,
 that neither die chdd nor mother may miscarry, but be brought  to
 the birth at  the appointed time.
                         CHAP.  VI.
 Directions for midwives how to assist Women in  the  Ume  of
   their Labors, and  how Child bearing Women should be or-
   dered in time  of their lying in.
                         Section I.
             How a Midudfe ought to be qualified.
   A Midwife ought to be of a middle age, neither too old  nor  too
young, and  of a  good ltamt  of body, neither  subject to  diseases,
fears or sudden frights  ;  nor are the qualifications assigned to n sur-
geon improper for a midwife,  viz. a lady's hand, a hawk's eye,  and
a lion's heart  ;  to which may be added,  activity  of body, and a
convenient strength, widi caution and diligence, not subject to drow-
siness, nor aptlo be impatient.  She ought to be sober and  affable,
not subject to passion, but  bountiful and  compassionate, and her
                        4 
 88          ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

 temper cheerful and pleasant, that she may die  better comfort  Iter
  Catients in dieir sorrow.  Nor must she be very hasty, though  her
  uisness perhaps require her in another place, lest she should  make
 more haste than good speed.   Rut above all she ought to be quali-
 fied with the fear of God, which is die principal thing in every state
 and condition, and will furnish her on  every occasion bodi  with
 knowledge  and discretion.   But I  now proceed to more particular
 directions.
                         Section  II.
 What must be done when a woman's  time  of labor is  come,
   When die time of birth draws near, and the good  woman finds
 her travailing pains begin to  come upon her,  let  her send  for  a
 midwife in  time ;  better too  soon  than too late, and  get those
 things ready which are  proper  on  such   occasions.   When  die
 midwife is come, let the first thing she does be to find  whether  die
 true  time of birth be come.  The want of observing this hath  spoil-
 ed many a  child, and endangered the life of die mother, or at least
 put Iter to twice as much pain as she  needed ;   for  unskilful mid-
 wives, not minding this, have tilings to force down die child* and
 dierby disturbed die natural  course of her  labors, whereas  nature
 works best in her own  time and way.   I do confess it is somewhat
 difficult to  know the true  time of some  women's  labor,   being
 troubled with pain  so long before their  true labor  comes  in some
 weeks before ;  the reason of which is the heat of the reins, which
 is manifest by the swelling of the legs.  And therefore  when wo-
 men  with child find dieir legs to swell much, they may  be assured
 their reins are too hot. Wherefore my advice to such women  is,
 to cool  their reins before the time  of dieir labor,  which  may  be
 effectually done by annointing the reins of the   back  with  the  oil
 of poppies and violets,  or water lillies,  and thus  may  avoid that
 hard labor  which  they usualy undergo whose  reins  are hot,
 that  they may the better prevent,  let me  recommend to you  the
 decoction of plantain leaves and roots, which is  thus made :  Make
a strong decotion of them  in water and then having  strained and
 clarified  it with the  white of an egg, boil it in a syrup with  its
equal weight of sugar, and keep it for use.  But since it is so  ne-
cessary for  midwives to know the  time  of woman's labor ;  die
 following section will rightly inform them.
                       Section III.
 Signs by which the true time of a  Woman's  labor  may  be
                           known.
  When women draw  near die time of their reckoning especially
 widi  their first child, and perceive  any extraordinary pains in  the
belly, diey immediately  send for their midwife, as taking it for their
 labor; though  perhaps those pains  which are so often mistaken  for
 labour, are  only die cholic, and proceed from the wind, which pains
 diotigh they come and go, griping the  whole belly,  are yet without 
ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
 any forcing downwards into the womb, as is done  by diose diat go
 before labor.   But  these  cholic pains may be removed  by warm
 clothes  laid upon die belly: and die application of a clyster or two
 by which those pains that precede a true*  labor are rather  fordiered
 than hindered.  There  are also odier pains incident to women in
 diat  condition Com die flux of the  belly, whicli are easily known
 by die freqnent stools diat follow diem.
   But to speak more directly  of die matter; the  signs  of labor
 some few days before are that  die woman's belly, which before  lay
 high, sinks down, and  hinders hor frcoi walking so easily as she
 used to do;  also there flows from the  womb slimy  humors, whicli
 nature has appointed to moisten and make smooth the passage, diat
 its inward orifice may  be the more easi'y ddated when there is  oc-
 casion, which beginning to  open at that time,  suffers diat slime to
 flow away, which proceeds from the glands, called  prestatae.
   But when  she is presently falling  into labor, the signs  are great
 pains about the reins and loins, which coming  and retreating by in-
 tervals,  answer in the bottom of the belly by congruous throes; and
 sometimes the face is red and inflamed, die blood being much heat-
 ed by the  endeavor a women  makes to bring  forth the child: and
 likewise during the strong  lliroes her prespiration   is  intercepted,
 whhh causes die  blood to have recourse to her face; her privy
 parts are so swollen  by die infant's  head lying in the birth, which
 by often thrusting, causes those parts to distend outwards.  She is
 likewise much subject to vomiting, which  is  also a sign  of good
 labor and speedy delivery, diongh by  a great many  ignorant women
 diougiit otherwise; for good pains are thereby  excited and redoub-
 led; which vomiting is occasioned by the sympathy there is between
 the womb  and the  stomach;  also,  when die  birth is  near,  most
 women are troubled with trembling of the thighs and legs;  not with
 cold, like the beginning of an ague fit, but with  the heat of the whole
 body;  though this indeed does  not  happen always.  Also if the
 humors, which dien flow from the womb, are discolored with blood
 (which is what the midwife calls shews) it is an infallible mark  of
 the birth's  being near; and dien if the midwife put  her finger  up
 the neck of die womb,  site  will find the inward orifice dilated;  at
 the opening of which the membranes of the infant,  containing the
 waters, present themselves,  and are strongly foi'ced downwards with
 each pain she hath; at which time one may perceive  them sometimes
 to resist  the finger;  and dien again  to press forward,  being more
or less hard and extended,  according as the  pains  are  stronger or
 weaker.   These membranes with the water in  them, when they are
 before the head of die child, which the midwife calls the gathering
of die womb, to die touch of the fingers resembles tlv>se eggs which
 yet have  no shell,  but are   coveued only by  a simple  membrane.
 After this \\\ina  still redoubling, die membranes are broken by the
 strong  impression  of die waters, whicli presently  flow away, and 
  40           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
                                     --4
  dien die head of the infant is presendy felt  naked, and presents it
  Bclf at die inward orifice of die womb.   When diose waters coins
  thus away, dien die midwife may be assured the birth is very near:
  diis being die most certain sign diat  can be;  for die  amnion and
  alantois being broken whicli contained those waters by die pressing
  forward of die birth, die child is no more able to subsist long in tlio
  womb  afterwards,  dian a naked man  in a heap of snow.  Now,
  diose waters, if the  child come presendy after  them, facilitate the
  labor, by making die passage  slippery; and therefore  let no mid-
  wife  use  means  to force away the water;  for nature  knows best
  when  die true time  of die birth is, and dierefore retains the water
  till die time; but if by accident die water breaks  away too long
  before die birdi, then such things as will hasten  it may be safely ad-
  ministered.
                         SECTION IV.
            What is to be done at the time of Labor.
    When the midwife is satisfied diat it is their true time of labor, she
  must  take care  to get all things ready that are necessary to comfort
  the travailing woman in  diat time; and the better to do it,  let her
  see diat she be not straight laced.    She may  also give her a pretty
  strong clyster, if she finds diere is occasion  for it;  but widi diis
  proviso, that  it be done  at the beginning, and  before  the clii'd be
  too forward:  for otherwise it will be difficult for  ha- to receive it.
  The advantage of which clyster is, that the gut thereby will  be ex-
  cited  to discharge itself of its excrements, and the rectum  Deing
  emptied, there will be more space for the dilating of the passage;
  likewise to cause  the pains to bear more downwards, through die
 endeavors she makes when otiier necessary tilings for  her labour are
  pjt in order, both for the mother and die child.
   As to die maimer of  the delivery, various midwives use different
  ways; some are delivered sitting on a midwife's stool:  but, for my
 own part, I think that a pallet bed girded  and placed near the fire,
 diat the good  woman may come on each side, and be more readily
 assisted, is much the best way.
   And  if the laboring  woman abounds with blood it  may  not be
 improper to let her bleed a little, for by diat  means  she will both
 breathe the better, mid have her breath more at liberty, and likewise
 more strengdi to bear down her pain;  and diis  may be done  with-
 out danger, because the  child being now ready to be born, needs not
 the mother's blood for its nourishment any longer; and not only  so,
 but diis evacuation does many times prevent her having a fever  af-
. ter delivery.   Likewise if her strength will permit,  let her  walk
 up and down her chamber; and the lietter to enable her thereto,  let
 her take some good and strengthening tilings, such as  new laid eggs,
 jelly broth, some spoonfuls  of burnt wine;  and encom-age lier to
 hold off her pains, bearing diem down when they take her, all that
 site can.  And let the midwife often touch the inward orifice with 
               ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           41

 her finger, diat she may better know wlietiier the waters  are  going
 to break, and  whether die birth will follow soon after;  for generally
 die birdi follows in two hours after die eflux cf  the water.  And to
 help it afterwards, let her anoint die woman's privities widi emoll-
 ient oil, hcg's grease, and fresh butter ; especially if she finds  diem
 too hard to  be dilated.
   Let die midwife also be near the laboring woman all  the while
 and diligently observe her  gestures, pains, and  complaints, foi by
 this she may guess pretty well how her labor goes  forward  ;  for
 when she  changes her  groans  into loud cried, it is a great sign her
 birth is near ;  at whicli time her pains   arc greater and more fre-
 quent.  Let her also sometimes] rest herself  on  die bed, to renew
 her strength but not too long at a  time, for  to lie too long at a time
 will  retard her labor, and-therefore 'tis better  for her  to walka-
 bout her chamber as much as she can ; which diat she may the bet-
 ter do, let the good woman support her tinckr Iter arms, if it be ne-
 cessary; for by walking, the weight of the cliild causes  die inward
 orifice of  a woman to dilate much sooner  than it would do if she
 lay upon  her bed; besides  her pains, by  walking will lie stronger
 and more frequent, and in consequence her labor will not be near so
 long.  If she finds any sick qualms, let her  not be discouraged;
 and if she finds  tiny /notions to vomit,  let her  not  suppress them.
 but radier  give way to them; for it will  (however uneasy and irk-
 some diey be for the present) be much for her benefit, because they
 further die pains, and provoke downward.
                        SECTION V.
      How to provide the birth, and cause speedy delivery.
   Whet;  the birth is long deferred, after die coming  down of die
 waters, let her hasten die birth by drinking a draught of wine where-
 in ditany,  red coral, juniper berries, betony, pennyroyal, and fever-
 few have lieen  boiled,  or the juice of feverfew  taken in  its  prime
 (which is in May) and clarified and so boiled in a syrup, and twice
 its weight of sugar is very good upon diis occasion.   Also mugwort
 used in the  same  manner, works die same effect.  Likewise  die
 stone jEtitis held  to the privities does in a very little time draw
 forth the child and the after burden; but great care n-ust betaken
 to remove it gently, or else it will draw forth the womb and all, so
 great is its magnetic virtue.  Also a decoction of savory made widi
 white wine, and drank, gives a woman speedy delivery.   Also wild
 tansey or silver weed bruised and applied to the woman's nostrils,
 is very good.   So also are date stones beaten to powder, and half a
 dram of them taken in  white wine; parsley is of  excellent use on
 diis occasion; for if you bruise  it and press out the juice, and then
 dip a linen cloth in it, and  put  it up, being so  dipped in the moudi
of the womb, it will presently  cause the child to come  awav, though
it be dead, and will bring away the after burden also.  Tho juice of 
 42          ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

 parsley being of great virtue especially the stone parsley, being drank
 by a woman with child, it cleareth not only  the -womb, but also the
 child in die womb, of  all gross humours.  A scruple of castonim in
 powder, in any convenient liquor, is very good to  be taken in such
 a case, and so also  are two or three drops  of spirit of castonim in
 a convenient liquor.   Eight or nine drops of die spirit of myrrh, giv-
 en in a convenient liquor, nave die same effect.  Or, give a women in
 travail another woman's milk to drink, it will cause speedy deliv-
 ery.   Also tlfe juice of leeks being drank with warm  water hath a
 mighty effect causing speedy delivery.  Take piony seeds beat them
 to powder  and mix the powder  widi  oil;  with whicli oil anoint
 die loins and privities of the woman widi child  it gives he.-deliv-
 erance  very speedily, and with  less  pain than  can be imagined.
 And diis may be noted for a general  rule, diat all diose  diings that
 move the terms are good for making the delivery easy.  There are
 several  odier things efficacious  in this case; but I  need  not heap
 medicines unnecessarily, those I have  already named being suffi-
 cient.
   When any of the forenamed medicines have hastened the birth, let
 the midwife  lay  the woman in a posture  for delivery.  And first
 let the woman be conducted to the pallet bed,  placed at  a conven-
" ient distance from the fire, according  to die season of tho year;  and
 let diere be a quill laid upon the pallet bedstead, which is better  than
 a feadierbed, and let  it  have thereon a linen cloth  in many folds,
 with such other diings as are necessary, which may  be changed as
 the occasion requires it, that so die  wonvui  may not be  incommo-
 ded widi blood, waters and other fildi,  wlfich  are voided in labour.
 Then let her lay die woman  upon her back, having her head a lit-
 de raised by the help of a pillow, having tile like help to support the
 reins and buttocks, that her rump may lie high;  for if she lie low,
 she cannot very well be delivered.  Tlien  let her  keep her knees
 and thighs as far asunder as she can, lier legs being bowed towards
 the buttocks, and. Set her feet be stayed against  a  log,  or some other
 firm thing.  And  let two women  help her two shoulders,  that she
 may strain out theVirth with more advantage, holding in her breatii,
 and forcing herself as much  as possible in fike manner as when she
 goes to  stool;  for by  straining,  die diaphragm, or  midriff, being
 strongly thrust downwards, necessity forces   down  the  womb  and
 the child in it.  In the mean time, let the midwife encourage lier all
 she can, and take care  that she  have  no rings on her hand when
 she anoints die part;  dien let her gently dilate the  inward orifice
 of die womb and putting her fingers  in the entry thereof,  stretch
 them from ono another when  lier pains  take her  by  this means en-
 deavour to lielp forward  the child, and  thrusting  by little and little
 tiie sides of die orifice towards the hinder jwt of the child's head,
 anointing diose parts  with fresh butter, in  case it l>c  necessary
 And when tho head of die infant is somewtat advanced into die in 
ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
43
ward orifice, it is usual among midwives to say it is  crowned, be-
cause it bodi girds and surrounds it like a erewn;  but  when  it is
gone so far, and the extremity begins to appear  widiout  the privy
parts, they say the child is in the passage;  and at this time die wo-
man feels herself as if she was scratched or pricked with pins,  and
is ready to think that the midwife hurts Iter;  whereas in trudi it is
only occasioned by the violent distention of those parts, which some-
times even suflei a  laceration through the bigness of the child's head.
When things are come to diis posture, let the midwife scat  herself
conveniently to receive the child, which will now come very quick-
ly; and widi her fingers end, which she ought also  to keep  pared,
let her endeavor to thrust the crowning of die womb back over the
head of die child.   And as soon as it is advanced as far as the ears
or diereabout, let her take hold of the two sides with her two hands,
and wait till the good pain comes, and then quickly draw forth die
child, taking care that the navel string be not  entangled about die
child's neck, or any odier part, as sometimes it  is, lest  thereby the
after burden be pulled with violence, and perhaps the womb also, to
which it is fastened, so eidier cause her to flood  or else break the
string, bodi of which are of bad consequence  to the  woman,  and
render her delivery die more difficult.  Great  care must  be taken
that the head be not drawn forth straight, but shake it a little  from
one side to the other, diat the shoulders may the sooner  and easier
take  its place immediately after it is past; which must be done
without losing any  time, lest the head being  passed, die child stop
there by die largeness of the shoulders, and so  be in danger of be-
ing suffocated in the passage,  as  it  has sometimes happened, for
want of care therein.   When the head is born, she may slide in her
fingers under the armpits,  and die rest of the body will follow with-
out difficulty, as soon as the  midwife  hadi in this manner  drawn
forth the child, let her lay  it on one side, lest the blood and water
which  follow too immediately, ohould do it an  injury,  by  running
into its mouth and  nose, as it would do if it lay on its back, and so
endanger  the choaking of it.  The child being  thus drawn forth,
die next diing requisite is  to bring away the after  burden;  but be-
fore diat, let the midwife be very careful to examine  whether there
lie any more  children  in the womb, for sometimes a woman  may
have twins; of which the midwife may satisfy herself by die contin-
uance of the woman's throes and the bigness of her belly.  But this
is not so certain as to put her  hand up the  entry of die womb and
diere feel whcdier  anodier is  not presenting itself to the passage;
and if so  she must have a care how she goes about the  after birth
till the woman be delivered.  The  first string  must be cut and tied
widi a thread three or four double, and the ends fastened with  a
string to die woman's thigli to prevent the  inconvcnierce  it may
cause by hanging between die tiiighs. 
44           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
                       SECTION VI.
                     Of the after burden.
  Until the after burden is brought away, which sometimes is more
difficult to do than the child, ana altogether as  dangerous, if  it be
not speedily done, the woman cannot  properly be said to be safely
delivered, though the child be born.
  Therefore as soon as the child is born, before the  midwife eidier
ties or cuts the navel string, lest  the womb should close, let her;
having taken the string, wind it once or twice about  one or two of
the fingers of die left hand, joined togedier, the better to hold it,
with which she may only take single hold of it above the  left, near
'he privities, drawing likewise widi that very gently,  resting a
while, widi a fore finger of the same hand, extending  ar.d stretching
along (he string towards the entry of the Veginia, always observing,
for the more facility, to draw it from the side  to which the  burden
least inclines, for in so doing the rest  will separate the better.   And
extraordinary care must be taken that it be not drawn forth with too
much violence, lest by breaking the string near the burden, she  be
obliged to put her whole hand into the womb to deliver the woman;
and she had need to take care in this matter, that so the womb itself,
to which sometimes this burden is fastened very strongly, be  not
drawn  widi it which has sometimes happened.   It is dierefore  ne-
cessary, to assist native widi proper remedies, which are in general,
what has  been before mentioned, to cause a speedy delivery;  for
whatever has magnetic virtue to bring away the birth, has the same
to bring away the after birth.  Besides, which, the midwife ought
to consider diat the woman cannot but be much spent by die  fa-
tigue she has  already undergone  in bringing forth the infant, and
dierefore sliould be sure to take care to give her  something  to com-
fort  her.  To which purpose some  good jelly broths and a little
wine, with a toast in it, and other comforting things, will be neces-
sary.  Sneezing being conducive  to bring away the after birdi,  let
her take a little white hellebore in powder to cause her to sneeze.—
Tansey and  the stone  yEtitis,  applied as before directed, is very
efficacious in this.   The smoke of marygold flowers, received  up a
woman's privities by a funnel will bring away die after birth, though
the midwife has lost her hold.   Or, if you  boil  mugwort  in  water
till it be very soft, and then take it out and apply it like a poultice
to the navel of the woman in travail, constantly brings away both
the birth and the nfter birth; but as soon as they are come forth, it
must be instantly  taken away, lest it should bring away  the wjmh
also.
                       SECTION VII.
              How to cut the child's Navel string.
   After the  birth  and after birth are safely brought away, the  mid-
wife ought to take care to cut die  navel string;  which, though it be
by some esteemed a thing of small matter, yet it requires none  of 
              ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           4.

die least skill of a midwife to do  it with  that care  and  prudence
which it ought, and dierefore to instruct the industrious midwife  a
little herein:   As soon as the child is come into the world, let her
consider whetlier it be weak or strong;  if it be weak, let her gendy
put back part of the vital and natural blood in die body of the child
>»y_ the navel, for that recruits a weak chi'd, the  vital and  natural
spirits lieing communicated by the modier to the child by its -.wel
string.  But if die child be strong there is no need  of it.  Only it
will not be amiss to let the midwife know, that many children who
are bom seemingly dead, may be brought to life again, if she squeeze
six or eeven drops of blood out  of  diat part of die navel  string
which is cut off and give it to the cliild  inwardly.
   As to die cutting it short or long, authors can scarce agree about
it, nor midwives neither:  some prescribe it to be cut at four fingers'
breadth, which is at the best but an uncertain rule, unless all fingers
were  of an  equal size.   Tis  a received opinion, that the parts
adapted to generation are eidier contracted or dilated, according to
the cutting of die navel string, which is the  reason  that  midwives
are generally  so kind to their own sex, that they leave a longer part
of die navel string of a male than  a female, liecause they  would
have  die  male well provided_ for the encounters of Venus.  And
the reason diey give why they cut those more short is, because they
lielieve it  makes diem  modest,  and their parts  narrower,  which
makes them more acceptable to their husbands.   But whether this
be so or not (which yet some of the greatest searchers into  the se-
crets  of nature affirm for a truth) yet certain it  is that great care
ought to be used about cutting of the  navel string; and especially, diat
after  it is  cut, it be not suffered to touen the ground,  for if  it be,
die child will  never be able to hold  its water, but be subject  all its
life time to diabetes, as experience often  confirms;   but  as to the
manner of cutting the navel string, let the midwife take  a  brown
thread, tlu-ee  or four times double, of an  ell long,  or thereabouts,
tied widi a single knot at each of the ends, to prevent their entang-
ling;  and with diis thread so  accommodated (which  die  midwife
ought to have  in readiness before  the woman's labor, as also a good
pair of scissors, diat so no time may be lost)  let her tie die string
widiin an inch of the belly with a double  knot, and turning about
die ends of die tiiread, let her tie two or more on die side of die
string, reiterating it again, if it he necessary;  then let her cut off
die navel string, anodier inch below the  ligator towards  the after
birth; so that diere only remains but two inches  of die  string, in
the  midst of which will be the knot spoken  of,  which  must be
straight knit, as  not  to  suffer a drop of blood to squeeze  out of
die vessels; but yet care  must be taken not to knit it so  straight as
to cut it in two; and dierefore the tiiread must be pretty  diick, and
pretty straight knit,  it being better too straight than too loose.—
Some children liave miserably lest heir lives, before  it  hatii been 
46           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE

discovered that the navel string was not well tied.   Therefore great
core must be taken that no  blood squeeze through,  for if diere do,
new knots must be  made with the rest of the string.  You need
not fear to bind die  navel  string very hard, because it is void of
sense; and that part of it which you leave on falls off  of its own ac-
cord in a few days, ordinarily six or seven, and some times in less
time; but it very rarely tarries longer than  die eighth or ninth dav.
  As soon as the navel string is cut off, apply a little cotton or lint
in die place to keep it warm, lest the cold enter into die body of the
child, which it win unavoidably do, in case it be  not bound hard
enough: and if  the lint or cotton you apply to it be  dipped in the
oil of roses, it will be better: then  having  put another small rag
three or four times double, upon the body of the  child, above the
navel, lay the string so wrapped  upon it that it may  not touch the
naked belly.  Upon die top of all put another small bolster: and
then swathe it in a  linen swadie, four fingers broad,  to  keep  it
steady, lest by rolling too much, or being  continually stirred from
side to side, it come to fall  off before the navel string  which you
left remaining is fallen off.   Tis the usual custom of die midwives
to put a piece of burnt rag to it; but I  would advise  them to put a
small quantity  of bole  amonica, because of its drying quality.—
Thus much may suffice as to cutting the navel string and delivery of
a woman in labor, where the labor is natural, and  no ill  accident
happens.  But it sometimes so (alls out, that the labor  is not only
hard and difficult, but unnatural also, in which the midwife must
take other measures.
                          chap. vn.
 What unnatural Labor it, and whence it proceeds;  and what
            the Midwife ought to do in such  Cases.
                         SECTION  I.
                  What unnatural Labor is.
   IT will be necessary to acquaint ray readers, that diere are three
sorts of bad labor, all painful and difficuk, but not all properly un-
natural, which are as follows:
   The first, properly styled hard labor, is that wherein  the mother
and child do siujsr very much by extreme pain.
   The second is difficult labor, different  from the former, in thai
besides those extreme pains, it is generally attended with some un-
happy accident, which, by retarding the birth,, makes it very diffi-
cult: neidier of these, tiiough liard and difficult, can  be  called un
natural;  for women to bring forth children in pain and sorrow  i.«
natural.
   It is therefore the third sort  of labor which I call unnatural: anti
diat is, when the child essays to come into the world in  a contrary
position to that which nature ordained.  To explain this, the reader
must know, that there is but one right and natural |>oyiiire in which
children come to die  birtn, and that is when the head utnncs first, 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           47
and die body follows after in  a straight line.   V instead of djjs,
the child comes widi its feet foremost, or with die side across, it is
contrary to nature, or to speak more plainly, unnatural.
                        SECTION  II.
     Whence hard, difficult and unnatural labor proceeds.
   The true physical reason why women in general bring forth dieir
children with 60 much pain, is diat die sense  of feeling  being  dis-
tributed to the  whole body by the  nerves, and the  mouth  of  the
womb being so straight, that it must of necessity  be  dilated at  the
time of her delivery;  the dilation thereof stretcheth die nerves, and
from thence comedi the pain;  seine woman  having more pain in
dieir labor dian odiers, proceeds from dieir having the mouth of  the
matrix more full of nerves than others. '
   Hani and difficult labor m^y proceed eidier from the mother  and
child, or from bodi: It may proceed from die mother, by  reason of
a general indisposition of her  body, or from  die indisposition of
some |iarticular part, and that principally of the womb, which may
be affected with such a weakness  as render's  die mother  unable to
expel her bmdeu.  It may be also because she is too young or  she
may be too old, and so may liave the passage too straight, and dien,
if it be her first child, die parte may be too dry  and hard  and can-
not easily be dilated. The cholic does also cause labor to be hard and
difficult, because it hinders the true pain which should accelerate it;
for which reason, all great and acute pains render a woman's labor
very difficult.   As  when the woman  is taken widt a v iolent fever,
frequent convulsons, a great flooding, or any  other violent  distem-
per especially when the membranes are thick, and the orifice  is  too
straight, or the neck of the womb not sufficiently opened.
   Hard labor may also proceed from  the child, and this is either
when it happens to stick to a mole, or is  so weak  that  it cannot
break the  membrane; also when it is too big eidier all over, or its
head oidy; or if the navel vessels should be twisted  about its neck
as when it proves monstrous, or comes into the birth in an unnatural
posture.   Sometimes it. proceeds from the ignorance of die midwife,
who may  hinder nature in lier work.
                        SECTION  III.        0
How the midwife must proceed in order to the Delivery of a
      Woman in case of hard labor and great extremity.
   In case the midwife finds die woman in difficult labor,  she must
endeavor to know die particular obstmction  or cause diereof, that
so she may apply a suitable remedy.  When hard labor is caused
by a woman's being too  young and straight,  the  passages must be
anointed with oil, hog's  lard, or  fresh butter  to relax  and dilate
them the easier.  But if a woman be in years and has hard labor
from  her first child let her lower  parts be  anointed to  molify  th?
inward orifice, which in such case (being more hard anil callou.i
dees not easily yield to the distension of labor;  ana indeed diis is tjm 
48           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

tnie cause why such women  are longer  in labor, and  why  tiieir
children  in dieir birth  are  more subject to bruises than  others.—-
Those who are very lean, and have hard labor from  that  cause, let
them moisten dieir  parts widi oil and ointments,  to make  them
smooth and slippery that die head of die infant in die womb may
not be compressed and  bruised  by die hardness of the  mother's
Ixines in its passage.  But if die cause be weakness she ought to be
strengthened,  die better to  enable her to support her paiii.  Since
difficult labor proceeds from divers causes, the  midwife must make
use of several remedies  to  women in hard,  difficult labor, which
must be adapted to the cause from whence it proceeds.
   I need not tell die judicious midwife diat in  case of  extremity,
when the labor is not only hard, but  difficult  and dangerous, a  far
greater care must be had than at otiier  times.   In  such cases  the
situation of the womb must be minded, and accordingly her  jxwture
of lying will be regulated;  which will be best across the bed, being
held by those  that are of good strength to prevent her slipping
down or moving lierself duriug  the time  of the operation.   Then
let her thighs be put assundsr as far as may be, and  held so, while
lier legs are bent backwards towards her hips, her head leaning
upon a bolster, and the  reins of her back supported in like manner,
her  rump and buttocks being lifted up; observing to cover  her
stomach, belly, and thighs,  with warm linen, as  well   for de-
cency's sake as to keep them from the cold.
   The woman being in  diis posture, let die midwife, or other opera-
tor pul up her hand and try  if the neck  of die womb  be dilated,
and dien remove die contracted blood diat obstructs die  jiassage of
die birth, and having greatly  made  way, let the operator  tenderly
move tho infant, having the liand anointed widi sweet butter, or an
harmless pomatum, and if  the waters are not come down they may
be let forth widiout any difficulty.  And if the infant sliould attempt
to break forth not with die head foremost or across, he ought gently
to turn it, diat he may find the feet;  which  having. done, let him
 draw forth one, and having fastened it to a ribbon, put  it up again,
 and finding die other, bring diem as close as may bo; let die woman
 breathe between whiles, assisting nature  what she can  by straining
 in bringing forward the birth, that so he may die more  easily draw
 it forth; and diat the operator may do it the  I letter, and his hold
 may be the surer, he must  fasten or wrap a linen  cloth  alxmt  the
 cnild's  thighs, observing to bring it into the  world with its  foet
 downwards.
   But in case diere he a flux of blood, let the operator lie well  sat
 .'sfied whether the cliild or  secundine come first; for sometime when
 die secundine has come first, die mouth of the womb has been diere-
 by stopped, and die birth hindered, to die liazard bodi  of the  wo-
 man and child; and dierefore, in this case the secundine must lx: re-
 moved by a swift turn, and the child sought for, and drawn forth, aa 
             ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE            49

 has been directed.   If upon  enquiry, it appears  that the secundine
 comes first,  let the woman be delivered widi all  convenient  speed,
 because a great flux of blood will follow; for dien the  veins are
 opened.  And on  this account two things are to  be minded; first,
 whedier die  secundine  advances forward much or little; if the for-
 mer, and die head of die  child first appears, k must be  directed to
 die ueck of  the womb, as in th« case of natural births; but if there
 appears any difficulty in die delivery, the  best way is to search  for
 the feet, and by them itraay be put by with  a gentle hand, and the
 cliild taken  ont first:  but  if the secundine  is advanced, so  that it
 cannot be pot back, and the child follow it close, then the secundine
 is  to lie  taken out first with much  care, and as swift as may be,
 and laid aside, widiout cutting the entrail that is fastened to them;
 for  by diat you may be guided to  the infant, which whedier  it  be
 alive or dead,  must be drawn firth by the feet as soon as possible;
 though diis is not  to be done but in case of great necessity, for the
 order of nature is  for  the secundine to come last.
                       SECTION IV.          »
               Of the delivery of a dead  Child.
   In delivering a woman  of a dead  child, the operator ought to
 be certain the child is  dead, which might be known by the felling
 of the mother's breasts, the coolness of her belly, the  thickness of
 her urine, which is attended with stinking sediment at the bottom;
 and no  motion to be perceived in  the child.  Also when she turns
 herself in her bed, the  child sways  like a lump of lead, and her
 breath stinks,  though  not  used to do so.  When the operator is
 certain  that the child is dead, let him or her apply themselves to
 the saving of the mother, by giving her those tilings that are most
 powerful  in  serving nature in her  operations.   But, if through
 weakness, the womb is not able to co-operate with nature, so that
 a manual operation is  absolutely necessary, let the operator care-
 fully observe  the following directions, viz :  If the child be found
 dead with its head foremost, be must take notice that the delivery
 will be more  difficult,  because  in this case it is only impossible
 that die  child should  any  ways assist  in its delivery, but the
 strength of the mother does aho very much fail her, wherefore the
 most sure and safe  way for him to put np his left hand, sliding it,
 as hollow in the palm as he can, into the neck of the womb, into the
 lower part towards the feet,  then between the infant  and the neck
of the matrix ; and having a hook in the right hand, couch it close
 and slip it above the left'hand between the head of the child and
 the flat  of the  hand, fixing it to  the bone of the  temple towards
 the eye; or,  for want of convenient  coming  at that, observe to
 keep the left hand in its place, gently moving and stiring the head
 with it, and so with the right hand hook  draw the child forward,
 encouraging the woman to put  forth  her utmost strength, and ■»!-
                   5 
60
ARISTOrLE'S MASTER PIECE.
 ways drawing when the woman's pains  are upon her.  The head
 being thus drawn forth, the operator must, with all speed, slip his
 hand under the armholes of the child, and take it quite forth, giv-
 ing immediately to the woman a toast of fine  wheaten bread, m a
 quarter of a pint of tent to revive and cherish her  spirits.
   By what I have already shewn, the midwife will know what to
 do in any other case that  may fall  out, remembering,  that for a
 child to come head foremost, and the body to follow in a straight
 line, is the  right posture for a child when it comes to its birth; and
 if it comes  any  other way, it will be the wisdom of the midwife,
 if possible to bring it to this posture; but if that cannot be done
 without very great danger, then pat it in a  posture that it may be
 brought forth by the feet.
   And the midwife perceiving in what posture the child presents, or
 that the  woman floods, or any other accident  happens, by which
 she finds it  not in her power  to deliver it, it will be best for her
 to send for a man midwife in time, rather than put things to the
 utmost extremity.
                        CHAP. VIII.
                      SECTION  IV.
       Directions for child  bed Women after delivery.
   After the  birth and after birth are brought away if the woman's
 body be very weak  keep her not too hot, the extremity of heat
 weakens  nature, and dissolves  the strength, but  whether she be
 weak or strong, let no cold come near her, for cold is an enemy
 to the spermatic parts : and if cold gets into the womb it increased
 the after pains, causes swellings in the womb, and hurts the nerves.
 Therefore if a woman has had very hard labor, it is proper, after
 delivery, to  wrap  her in the  skin of a sheep,  taken as  warm as
 possible, and putting the fleshy sides to her reins and belly; if a
 sheep's skin cannot well be had,  the skin of a hare or rabit, ta-
 ken off as soon as it is killed may be applied to the same part,
 and by so  doing, the dilation  made in the birth will be closed up
 and the melancholy blood  expelled from those parts;  and these
 may be continued  during the space of an  hour or two.   After
 which let tne woman  be swathed with a fine  linen cloth  about a
 quarter of a yard in length, chafing the belly before it be swathed,
 with the oil of St. John's  wort: afterwards raise  up th& matrix
 with a linen clotn, many times folded, then with a  little pillow or
 quik, cover her flank, place  the swathe  somewhat  above the
 haunches, winding it indifferently stiff, applying at  the same time,
 a warm cloth to the  nipples.   Care must be taken not  to  an)ply
 any remedy  to keep back the  milk, being of a dissolving nature, it
 it improper  to apply  them to the breast during such a disorder,
'east evil humors should be contracted in the breasts thereby; ami
therefore twelve  hours at feast ought to be allowed for the circu'
 latioo and settlement of the blood. 
              A MS 101 L£*8 M AS1ER PIECE.           5.

  After the woman has been delivered for  some time,  you may
make a restrictive  of the yolk of two  eggs, a quarter of white
wine, oil of St. John's  wort, oil of rosea, plantain, and rose wa-
ter of each an ounce, mix them together, fold a linen cloth and
dip therein, warm it before a gentle Are, apply it to the breasts,
and the pain of these parts will be greatly eased.
  But be sure not to let her sleep soon  after her delivery, but let
her take some broth, or caudle, or any other liquid matter that is
nourishing, about four hours after her delivery,  and then  she may
be safely permitted to sleep, if she is disposed as it is probable she
will be, being tired with the fatigue of her labor.  But before this,
as soon as  she is  laid in her bed let her  drink a draught  of burnt
white wine in which melt a  drachm of spermatic.   Let ber also
avoid the light  for the first three days, for labor weakens the eye
sight.  The herb  vervain is  of singular service to the sight, and
may be used any way, either boiled in meat, or drink, not having
the least offensive taste, but many pleasant virtues.  If she should
be feverish, add the leaves or  roots of plantain  to it; but if her
courses come not  away as they ought, let  the plantain alone, and
instead thereof put mother of thyme.   If the womb is foul, which
may be known by  the impurity of tne blood, and its  stinking and
coming away in clotted lumps; or if you suspect any of the after
birth to be  left behind, which may sometimes happen though the
midwife be ever so careful and skilful, then  make  her a drink of
feverfew, penneroyal, mother of thyme boiled in white wine, and
sweetened  with sugar; panada and  new laid eggs  are  die beat
meat for her at first; of which let her eat often, and but a little
at a time.  Let her use cinnamon in all her  meats and drinks, for
it mightily  strengthens the womb; let ber stir very  little for six or
seven days after  her delivery j and talk little,  for that weakens
her.  If she goes  not to stool, give a clyster  made with the decoc-
tion of mallows, and a little brown sugar.    After she has lp.in a
week, or more, give her such things aa close the womb;  to which
you may add a little polypodium, both leaves and roots  bruised,
which will  purge gently.   This is aa much in case of  natural birth
as needs at first be done.
                        SECTION H.
               In extremity of unnatural labor.
  Let the woman be sure to keep a temperate diet; and take care
that she does by no means overcharge herself, after such an exces-
sive evacuation not being ruled by or giving credit to unskilful nur-
ses, who are apt  to admonish them to feed heartily,  the better to
repair  the  loss of blood  ; for the blood is not for  the most part
pure, but such as  has been detained in the vessels or membrane,
and it is better voided for the health of a woman than  kept, unless
there happens an  extraordinary flux of blood; for if her nourish-
ment be too much, * may make bar liable to  a fever,  and increase 
62          ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

the milk to a superfluity which may bo of dangerous consequence.
It is therefore requisite for the first five day* especially, that she take
moderately panada broth, poached eggs, jelly of chickens and calves
feet, French barley broth, each somewhat increasing die quantity.
And if she intend to  be nurse to her child, she  may take a little
more than ordinary to increase die milk by degrees ; which must
be  of no continuance, but draw off either by the child or other* jse
In  that case likewise, let her have coriander  or fennel seed boiled
in barley broth ; and by that means, for the time before mentioned
let her, abstain from meat If no fever trouble her, she may  drink
now and then a small quantity  of white wine or claret, as also a
syrup of  maiden hair, or any other syrup that is of an astringent
quality, taking it in a little water well boiled.  And after the fear
of a fever or contraction of humors  to the breast is over,  she mav
then be nourished more plentifully with the broth of pullets, capons,
pigeons,  partridges, mutton, veal, &c.—which  must not be till
after eight days at least from the timo of the deliver*    for by that
time the womb will have purged itself, unless  some intervening ac-
cident should hinder.   It will then be expedient to g ve coo.  meats
so  it  be done sparingly, the better to gather strengtn; and let her
during the time rest quietly,  and free from  disturbance, not  sleep-
ing in the day time, if aha can avoid it.   If there Happens any ob-
structions in the evacuation of excrements, the  following clysters
maybe administered.  Take Deli tory of the wall, and of  both the
mallows, of each a handfu  ; fennel and annisseed  of each two
ounces; boil them in a decoction of a sheep's head,  and take of
this diree quarters, dissolving it in common honey aud coarse su-
gar, and of new fresh boater two ounces ; strain it well,  and ad-
minister it clyster wise.  Bat if  this does  not  operate  to your
mind, then you may take one  ounce of catholicon.
i                         CHAP.  IX.
 Of a mole or ftilte conception: and of Monsters and Monstrous
                Births, roith the reason thei'eof.
                        SECTION I.
                 Of a mote, or false conception.
   A  Mole or false conception, is nothing else but a mass or great
tamp of flesh burdening the womb.  It is an inarticulate  piece
 of flesh  without any  form,  and therefore  differs from monsters,
 which are formata and articulata; and then it is  said to be a
 conception,  but a false one, which puts a difference bet weed  a
 true  couception and a mole; and the difference holds good in three
 different ways; First in the genius,  because a mole cannot  be
 said to be an animal.   Secondly, it differs in species, because it
 hath  no human figure,  and  bears not the character  of a man.
 Thirdly, it differs in the individium for it bath no affinity  widi the
 parts of that in the  whole  body, or any particles of the  same.
 There are variety of judgments among authors,  about the produ- 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
53
  tjng cause of this effect, some  affirming that it is produced by die
  woman's sied going  into the womb witho'ut die man's; but be-
  cause we nave before proved that women properly have no seed at
   II, but only an ovalium, which is fecundated by the active princi-
  ple of the man's seed, this opinion needs no confutation.  Others
  say, it is engendered  of the menstruous blood;  but were this gran-
  ted, it would follow that maids by  having their  courses  stopped,
  might be subject to the same,  which never any  yet were.   The
  true cause of this car nous conception, which we call  a mole  pro-
  ceeds both from the man and the woman, from corrupt and barren
  seed in  the man,  and from the  menstruous blood in the  woman,
  lioth mixed  together  in the  cavity of the womb; and  nature fin-
  ding herself weak (yet desirous of maintaining the perpetuity of
  her species) labors to  bring forth a vicious conception rather than
  none; and not being able to bring  forth a  living creature, gener-
  ates a piece of flesh.
   This imperfect conception may be known to be such, by the fol-
  lowing signs.   The monthly courses are suppressed,  the belly is
 puffed up, and waxeth hard,  the breath smells,  and the appetite is
 depraved.  But you will say  these are signs of  a breeding woman
 in true conception,  and therefore  these cannot  distinguish a mole.
 To this I answer, though thus they agree, yet they are different in
 several respects ; for a mole may  be felt in die womb before the
 third month, which an infant cannot; the motion of the mole being
 only by the faculty of  the womb, and of the seminal spirit  diffused
 through its  substance  ; for though it has no  animal,  yet it has a
 vegetative life :  and then the belly is suddenly swelled where there
 is a  mole; but in conception the belly is first contracted, and then
 riseth gradually.  Another difference is, the belly being pressed
 with the hand the mole gives way, and the hand  being taken away,
 k returns to the  place  again;  but a child in the womb, though
 pressed widi the hand, moves not presently, and being removed re-
 turns not at all,  or  at  least very slowly.   But,  to name no more,
 anodier  material difference is,  diat a child  continues  not in  the
 womb above eleven months at most; but  a mole  sometimes con-
 tinues lour or five vears,  sometimes, more or less, according to its
 being.fastened to the matrix,  for sometimes the  mole  hath fallen
 away in four or fire  months; and if it  remains  until the llth
 monili, the legs are feoble, and the whole body appears  In a wast-
 ing condition, or the belly swells bigger and bigger,  which is"lhe
reason that some, who are  thus afflicted, think  they are hydropi-
cal, though it be no such thing; which a  woman easily  knows, if
she will but consider that in a dropsy the legs will swell and grow
big;  in case of  a mole, they consume and wither.  This distem-
per is an  enemy to true conception, and of dangerous consequence;
for a woman that breeds a mole', is  every way more inconvenien- 
54           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

ced than a woman that is with child, and all the while she keep* it,
she lives in danger of her life.
  The cure of this distemper consists chiefly in expelling it as soon
as may be; for the longer it is kept the worse it is, and this many
times cannot be effected without  manual operation; but that  be-
ing the  last remedy,  all  other  means  ought to  be first  used.
Amongst which, phlebotomy ought not to be omitted ;  far seeing
letting of blood causedi abortion, by reason it takes away that nour-
ishment  diat should sustain the  lite of the child,  why may not  this
vicious conception be by the same, deprived of that  vegetative  sap
by which it lives'? to which  end open the liver vein and the sapliana
in bodi feet; fasten cupping  glasses to die loins and sides  of  the
belly, which done, let the urinary part first lie  melified, and  die  ex-
pulsive faculty lie provoked  to expel the burden.  And to loosen  die
ligatures of the mole, take  mallows, with roots, three handsful, pel-
! itory, cammomile, violet leaves meftiot, roots of feunel, parsley, mer-
cury, of each two handfuls; fenugreek aad  linseed,  of each  one
pound; boil them in water, and make a bath thereof,  and let her sit
therein up to her navel.  At her going out of the bath, let her reins
and  privities be anointed  with  this ointment.  Take amoniati,
landani, fresh butter,'of each an ounce; and  with  oil of linseed
make an ointment; or, instead of this may be used unguentum  ag-
rippae or dialthae.  Also take  aq. bryonae composite, roots althse
and mercury of each a handful;  linseed and barley  meal,  of each
six ounces; boil all titese with water and  honey, and make a plas-
ter, and die  ligaments of the mole being tiius loosened, let the  ex-
pulsive faculty be stirred up to expel die mole;for the effecting of \t I tich
all diose medicants are very proper which bring down the courses.
  Therefore  take sat vine, madder, valerian, horehound,  sage,
hyslop betony, pennyroyal, calamint, hypericon,  and  widi water
make a  decoction,  and give three ounces of it, with an ounce
and a half of syrup of feverfew.  But if these  remedies prove  not
available, then must the mole be  drawn away by manual ojieration,
in die manner following : let the operator (having placed  tne  wo-
man in a proper posture, as has been directed in cases of unnatural
labor)  slide his  hand into  the womb, and  widi it draw forth  the
mole; but if it be grown  so  big that  it  cannot be  drawn away
whole, (which is very rare, because it is a  soft tender body, -ind
much more pliable dian a child)  let die operator  bring it away  by
parts, using a crotchet or knife,  if it  cannot  be done odierwise.—
And if the operator finds it is joined and  fastened to the womb, he
must gently separate it with his finger's ends, his nails being pared,
putting them  by little and little between die mole and the womb,  lxj-
girming on the side where it does stick fast,  and so  pursue it  till
it be quite loosened,  taking great care if it grows too fast, not  to
rend or  hurt the proper substance of  the womb, proceeding as in
case of an after burden  that stays behind in the womb when  die 
             ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           55

string is broken off; but a mole has never any string {listened to it,
or any burden whence it sliould receive any nourishment, but does of
itself immediately draw it from the vessels of die womb.  And thus
much shall suffice to be said concerning a mole; of which 1 have
shewn the cause, the signs*, and the cure.
                         Section II.
             Of Monsters, and monstrous  birtlis.
  Monsters are properly depraved conceptions, and are deemed by
the ancients to be excursions of nature and are always vicious eidier
by figure, situation, magnitude, or number.
  They are vicious in figure, when a man bears die character of a
beast;  vicious in  magnitude when the parts are not  equator one
part is bigger dian another: and this is a  thing very common, by
reason of some excresence.    They  are vicious in situation many
ways;  as if the  ears were on the face,  or the eyes on  die breasts,
or on die legs, as were seen in a monster born at Ravenna, in Italy,
in the year 1570.  And lastly vicious in number, when a man hath
two heads, four hands and two bodies jomed, which was me case of
the monster born at Zazara in the year 1550.
  As to the cause of dieir generation, it is eidier divine or natural.
The divine cause proceeds from the permissive will of the great au-
thor of  our being, Buffeting parents  to bring forth such deformed
monsters, as a punishment for  their filthy and corrupt affection, let
loose unto wickedness like brute beasts that have no understanding:
for which reason  the ancient Romans enacted, diat diose who were
deformed should not be put into religious houses.  And St. Jerome,
in his time, grieved to see die deformed and lame offered up to God
in religious houses; and Kecherman, by way of inference, excluded
all diat were mishapen, because outward deformity of  body is often
a sign of the pollution of the heart, as a curse  laid upon die child
for the incontinence of the parents.  Let us tiierefore  search out the
natural  cause of their generation, which according  to  those who
have dived  into die secrets of nature, is eidier in  the matter or the
agent, in the seed or in the womb.  The matter may be in fault two
ways, by delect or excess.   By defect, when  the child hath but one
ai in or leg &c. by excess, when it has three   hands  or two heads.
Some monsters are also begotten by women's  bestial and unnatural
coition,  &c.  The agent  or womb may be in fault diree ways: first,
in the forming faculty,  which   may lie  too  strong or too  weak,
which sometimes produces a depraved figure.  Secondly, The  evil
disposition  of the instruments or place of conception, will cause a
monstrous birth.  And thirdly, die imaginative power at the time of
conception, is of such a force as to stamp a character  of die thing
imagined upon the child; thus  a  woman at the time  of conception,
beholding the picture of a blackamoor, conceived and brought fordi
a child resembling an Ethiopian; and by this  die children  of an
tsdukreaa, though begotten by another man, may have die uearesl re> 
    56           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

    semblance to her own  husband.   This power of imagination was
    well known to the ancients, as is evident by the example of Jacob,
    the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, who having agreed with his
    father  in-law to have  all the spotted sheep for the keeping of his
    flock to increase his wages, took  hazel  Bods, peeling  them with
    white streaks in them, and  laid tbem  before the sheep when they
    came to drink,  and they coupling  together whilst  they  beheld the
    rods, conceived and brought forth spotted young.  Nor does the im-
    agination work in die child at the  time of conception only, but af-
    terwards also: as was seen in die example of a worthy gentlewoman,
    who being big with child, and passing by  a butcher killing meat, a
i   drap of blood spirted on her face, whereupon she then said diat die
    child would have some blemish on  his face, which proved frue, for
    ul the birth it was found marked with a red spot.
      But besides „.e way already mentioned,  Monsters are  sometimes
    produced by other means, to wit, by the  undue coition  of a  man
    and his wile when her monthly flowings are upon her; which being
    a tiling against nature, no wonder that it should produce-an unnatu-
    ral issue.  If therefore a man's desire be ever so great for  coition
    (as sometimes it is after long absence) yet  if a woman knows that
    the custom of women is upon her, she ought  not  to admit  of anv
    embraces, which at that time are both unclean and unnatural.  The
    issue of these unclean embraces proving often monstrous,  as a  just
    punishment for such a turpidious action.  Or, if they should not al-
    ways produce monstrous births, yet are (he children thus begotten,
    for the most part dull, heavy, sluggish, and  defective in understand-
    ing, wanting the vivacity and liveliness which those children are en-
    dued with  who  are begotten when  women are free from theii
    courses.
      There has been some contending amongst authors, whether those
    who are  born  monsters have reasonable  souls, the result of both
    sides, at last coming to this, that those who, according to  tho ordei
    of nature, are descended from our first parents  by the coition  of
    man and woman, though their outward shape be deformed and mon-
    strous, have notwithstanding  reasonable souls; but  these monsters
    that are not begotten by man, but are the product of a woman's un-
    natural lust,  copulating with other creatures,  shall perish as the
    brute beasts by  whom they were begotten, not having a reasonable
    soal.   The same  being also true  of  imperfect  and  abortive
    bu-tlis.
      Some are of opinion, that monsters may be  engendered by infer
    nal spirits; but notwithstanding *<£gidius  Facius pretended  to be-
    lieve it with respect to a deformed monster born  at Cracoyia, and
    Hieronimus Caromus writeth of a  maid diat was begot with child
    by the devil; yet as a wicked spirit is not capable of having human
    seed, Iiow is it possible he should beget a human creature 1   If they
    say, that foe ilevil may assume to himself a dead,body and enliven 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           57
the faculties of it, and thereby make it able  to generate, I answer,
that though  we suppose this could  be done, (which I believe not)
yet diat body must bear the image of the devil;  and it borders on
blasphemy, to think  diat the allwise and good Beiruj would  so  far
give way to the worst of spirits as to suffer him to raise up his dia-
bolical offspring; for in the school of nature, we are taught the con-
trary, viz. that like begets  like; whence it follows, that a man can-
not be born of a devil. 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
   1'be first I shall present is a most frightful  monster indeed, repre-
senting  a hairy  child.   It was covered  over with hair like a
beast, as the above cut represents.   That  which rendered it yet
more  frightful was that its navel was in the place where his  nose
should have been,  and his eyes placed where his mouth should stand,
and its  mouth was in the place of its chin.   It stood  erect like the
human species, and bore some little resemblance to the human form.
It was of  the  male kind and born in  France, in the year 1597.—
Whether it was  endowed with faculties  above the brutes, I never
learned. 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
  The above plate represents die figure of a boy, born in Germany,
with one head and one body, but having  four ears, four  arms, four
thighs, four legs and four feet.
  This birth  the  learned who beheld it,  judged to  proceed from
the redundance of the  seed: but there not being enough for twins,
nature formed wliat she could, and  so made the most of it.   The
child lived some  years, and  although he liad four feet he knew not
how to walk, by which we may see the wisdom of nature or  rather
the God of nature, in the formation of the body of man.

         Heav'n in our first formation did provide
         Two arms and legs;  but what we have beside
         Renders us monsters, and misshapen too,
         Nor have we any work for them to do;
         Two arms, two legs, are all that we can use.
         And to have more there's no wise man would ohoose. 
00
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
ih"e. ""? °/^nry IU. a woman, was delivered of a child, hav-

mgtwoheadsand fooranns,  and tile reet was a twin rmder the


fi  ,rl;  rhS ^"eath  a,1.the. T* was 8in°le' M "PP"» !»  l"°
u   t.^  K^l8arc8?p,HCedthflt th«y "ookcd contrary ways,
and each  had two distinct arms and haivls,  They would both

laugh, speak, cry, and  both eat and be hungry together   Some-

boTv^stakT^,^ t  °^ keepsSt%desomeb(r: 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           61
  A child was born in Flanders which had two heads  and four
arms seeming like two girls joined togedier;  having two of their
arras lifted above dieir heads; the thighs being placed as it  were
across one another according to the figure.   How long  diey lived I
had no account of.  Many speculative ideas have been given to the
world (from the learned) upon the subject of such monsters or un-
natural productions as  the above,  being endowed with  immortal
souls.  Some have pretended that they have, widiout assigning any
odier reason, than that, their being generated by beings of immor-
tality, they would partake of dieir nature in every respect, although
their outward form may differ.  Odiers, have doomed them to die
enevitable lot of die brutes.
6 
      ARISTOTLE'S MASTER  PIECE.
                         PART III.
 Displaying the Secrets of Nature Relative to Physiognomy.
                          CHAP. 1.
                       SECTION  I.
Of Physiognomy, shewing what it is, and from  whence it is
                           derived.
  PHYSIOGNOMY is an ingenious  science or knowledge of na-
ture, by which the inclination and dispositions of every creature are
understood;  and because some of the members are unconipounded
and entire of themselves, as die tongue, die heart, &c. and some of
a mixed nature, as the  eyes, the nose,  and others, we  tiierefore
Fay, that there are many  signs which  agree and live  together,
which  inform a wise man how to make his judgment, before he bo
too rash to deliver it  to the  world.  Nor is it  to be  esteemed a
foolish or idle art, seeing it is derived from the superior bodies;
for there is  no part of  the face of a man, but  what  is under the
peculiar influence or government, not only of the seven planets, but
also of the twelve signs of the zodiac; and die dispositions, vices,
virtues, and  fatality, either of a man  or woman, are plainly fore-
told, if die person pretending to the knowledge thereof be an artist,
which, that  my readers may attain to, I shall set these things in a
clear light.
  The reader should  remember that the forehead is governed  by
Mars; the right eye is under the dominion of Sol;  the left is  ruled
by Luna or  the Moon; die  right ear is iu the care of Jupiter; the
left of  Saturn ; the rule of the nose is claimed by Venus, which by
the way is one reason that, in all the unlawful venereal encounters,
the nose is too  subject to bear the scars  which are gotten in  those
wars ; and  the nimble  Mercury, die signification of eloquence,
claims the dominion of  the mouth, and that very justly.
  Thus have the .seven  planets divided die face  among  them, but
so absolutely,  that the twelve  signs  of the zodiac do  also  come
in for a part.  And therefore die sign Cancer presides in the upper-
most part of the forehead;  Leo attends upon the right eyebrow, as
Sagittarius does  upon the right eye, and Libra  upon  the right ear;
upon the left eye  and  eye brow Aquarius  and Gemini, anil  Aries
the  left ear; laurus rules  in the middle  of the forehead, and
Capricorn the chin ;  Scorpio takes upon him the protection of the
nose ;  Virgo claims the precedence of the right cheek, and Pisces
of the left.  And thus  the face of man is cantoned out among die
(Aiggs and Planets; which being carefully attended  to, will suffi- 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTERPIECE.
63
ciently inform the artists how to  pass  judgment; For, according
to the Sign or Planet ruling, so also is  the judgment  to  lie of die
part ruled, whicli all those who have understanding know how  to
apply.
  In the judgment that is to be made from physiognomy, there is a
great lifference betwixt a man and a woman, liecause, in  respect of
the whole composition, men more fully comprehend it than women do,
as will appear in the following section.  Therefore the judgments
we pass  properly concern  a man, as comprehending the whole
s|iecies, and but improperly the woman, as a part thereof, and de-
rived from the man; and therefore in  the judgment about die lines
and marks of a face, respect should be had to the sex ;  for when
we behold a man whose face is  like unto  a woman's: or the face of
a woman, who  in respect of her fleah and  blood is like unto a man,
the same judgment is not passed on her, as on a man  that is like
unto her, in regard  that the complexion  of the woman is much
different from that of a man, even in those respects which are said
to be common; therefore respect should be had to other parts of the
body, as the hands &c.  Now in thes? common respects,  two parts
are attributed to  a man, and a  third part to a woman.
  Wherefore, it being our intention to  give you an exact  account
according to the rule of Physiognomy, of  all and every part of the
members of the body, we will begin with the head, as  it hath rela-
tion only to a man and  a woman, and  not any other creature that
the work may be more obvious to every reader.
                         CHAP. II.
               Of the judgment of Physiognomy.
  Hair that  hangs  down  without curling, if it be of a fair  com-
plexion thin and soft, signifies a man to be naturally feint hearted,
and of a weak body, but  of a  quiet and harmless disposition.—
Hair that is big and tiiick and hard denotes a man to be of a strong
constitution, bold secret, deceitful, mid  for the most part,  unquiet
and vain, lusting after beauty, and more  foolish and  wise, though
fortune may favor him.  He whose hair is partly curled and partly
hanging  down, is commonly a  wise man or a very great  fool, or
else a knave.  He whose hair groweth thick on his temples and his
brow; one may  at first sight certainly conclude that such a man is
by  nature simple, vain luxurious, lustful, credulous, clownish in  his
speech and conversation and diril inappreliension.  He whose hair
not only  curls very   much,  buslieth out, and  stands on end, if  the
hair be white, or yellowish, he  is by nature proud and bold, dull of
apprehension, soon angry, a lover of venery, given to  lying,  mali-
cious, and ready to  do any mischief.   He whose hair  rises in the
corner of his temples, ana also gross and rough is a man highly con-
ceited of himself,  inclined  to  malice, but cunningly conceals  it,
very courtly, and a lover of new fashions.   He who hath much hair
that is thick all over his head is naturally vain and very  luxurious, 
64            ARISTOTLE'S MASTER liECF,.

of a good digestion, easy of belief and slow  of performance,  of a
weak memory, and for die most part unfortunate.  He whose  hair
is of a reddish complexion, is for the most part, if not always proud
deceitful, detracting, venerous, and full of envy.  He wliose hair is
extraordinary fair, is  for the  most  part, a man fit for all praise-
worthy enterprises, a lover of honor and much more  inclined to do
good than evil; laborious and careful to perform whatever  m com-
mitted to his  care; secret  in carrying on   any business, and' fortu-
nate.  Hair of a  yellowish color shews a man  to be  good  condi-
tioned, and willing to do any  thing fearful, shamefaced ant,'1 weak
of body, but strong in die abilities of die mind, and more apt to
remember than revenge  an injury.   He wliose  hair is of a brown-
ish color, and curlcth  a  little is a well  disposed  man, inclined  to
that which is good, a lover of |>eace cleanliness and good manners.
He whose Inir turns grey or hoary in he time of bis youth, is gen-
erally given to women, vain, false, unstable and talkative.
   Note.   That  whatsoever signification  die hair has  in men, it
hath the same in  women also.
            Thus docs wise Nature make our very hair
            Shew all the passions that within us are;
            If to the bailie wc are most inclin'd,
            Or, if we fancy most the female kind;
            If into  virtue's paths our nvoJs we bend
            Or, if to vicious ways our footsteps tend,
            A skilful artist  can unfold the same.
            And from our hair a certain judgment frame,
            Uut since our periwigs are come in fashion,
            No room is left for such an observation.
   The forehead that  raisedi in a round, signifies  a* man  liberally
 merry, of good understanding and  generally inclined to virtue.—
 He whose forehead is fleshy, and the bone of the brow jutting out,
 and without wrinkles, is a man inclined to suits of law, contentions,
 vain, deceitful, and addicted to follow ill courses.  He  whose fore-
 head is very low and little, is of good understanding  magnanimous,
 but extremely bold and confident, and a great pretender to love and
 honor.  He whoso  forehead  seems sharp, ami  pointing up in  the
 corners of  his temples, so  that die bone seems to jut forth a  little,
 is a man naturally  weak and fickle, and  weak  in his intellec-
 tuals.   He whose brow upon die temple is full of tlesh is a man of a
 great spirit,  proud,  watchful,  and of gross  understanding.  He
 whose brow is full of wrinkles, and hadi as it were a seam coming
 down  in  die middle  of the forehead, is  one that is of a  great
 spirit, a great wit, void  of deceit, and yet of hard  fortune.  He
 who has a full large lorehead, and a little round, destitute of hair,
 or at least that has a little on  it, is bold, malicious, high spirited,
 full of clioler, and apt to transgress beyond all bounds and yet a good
 wit.  He wliose  forehead is long  and high, jutting fortli, and  whose
  face is  figured almost sharp and  {leaked towards the chin, is o>i<j 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
65
 reasonably  honest,  but  weak and simple,  and of hard  fortune.
            Who view men well may on Ccir vices hit,
            For some men's crimes are on their foreheads writ;
            But the resolved man outbraves his fate,
            And will be good although unfortunate.
   The eyebrows that are much arched, whether in man or woman,
 and which, by frequent motion elevate themselves, shew  the person
 to bo prind,  high spirited,  vain, glorious, bold  and threatening, a
 love of beauty, and  indifferently inclined  to either good  or evil.—
 He whose eyelids ben'l downwards when he speaks to another man
 or looks upon him, and who has a kind  of skulking look,  is by na-
 ture a penurious wretch, close in all his actions, of a few words, but
 full of malice.  He whose brows are tiiick,  and have but a litttle
 hair upon th^n, is weak and credulous, very  sincere, sociable, and
 desirous of good company.   He whose  eye  brows are folded, and
 the hair thick, mid  bending downwards,  is one  that is clownish,
 heavy, suspicious, miserable, envious, and  will  cheat or cozen you
 if he can.  He wliose eye brow  hath but short  hair, and of whit-
 ish color is fearful, easy of belief and apt to undertake any thing.—
 Those whose eyebrows are black, and the  hair of them  diin, will
 do nothing without great consideration, is bold and confident of  die
 performance of what  he  undertakes, anl  is no- apt to believe any
 thing without-resaon for so doing.
           Thus by the eye brows woman's minds we know,
           Whether they're white or black or «uick or slow.,
           And whether they'll be cursed or be kind,
           By looking in their eye brows we may find.
   If die space between the eye  brows be  of more dian  ordinary
 distance, it  shews the  person to be hard hearted, envious, close
 aii I cunning,  apprehensive, greedy of novelties, addicted  to cruel-
 ties more than love.   But those men whose eye brows are at a lesser
 distance are  for the most part of a dull understanding, yet subtle
 i'.i nigh  in their dealings, and of an uncommon boldness which is
 often attended with great  felicity; but above all, they are most sure
 and constant in their friendship.
   Great and  full eyes either in men or women, shew the  person
 to be for the most  part slothful, bold, envious, a  bad concealer of
 secrets, miserable, vain, given to  lying,  and yet of a bad memory,
 slow in invention, weak in his intellectuals  and yet very conceited
 of his  abilities.   He whose eyes are  hollow in his head, and
 therefore discerns excellently well at a distance is one that is sus-
 picious, malicious, furious, perverse  in his conversation, of an ex-
 traordinary memory, bold, cruel and false,  both in words and deed,
 proud, threatening vicious,  envious,  treacherous.  But he whose
 •yes are starting as it were out  of his  head, is a simple  foolish
person,  shameless, very servile, and easy to be persuaded  either to
vice or virtue.  He whe  looks studiously with his eyes downwards,
 is of a malicious nature, very treacherous, unfaithful, en v ■<•-?,  mis-
                    6* 
66
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
 erable, impious towards God, and  dishonent towards men.  He
 whose eyes  are small,  and  conveniently  round,  is  bashful  and
 weak, very credulous, liberal to others  and even  in his con/eisa-
 tion.  He whose eyes look on a squint, is deceitful, unjust, envious,
 furious, a great liar, and as the effect  of all diis, miserable.—A
 wandering eye, rolling up and down, denotes a vain,  simple man,
 lustful treacherous.  He or she whose  eyes are  twinkling,  and
 which move forward or backward,  shew die person to be  luxuri-
 ous, unfaithful, presumptuous, treacherous, ami hard to believe any
 thing that is spoken.   If a person has any greenness  mingled in
 the whke of his eyes, such Js commonly silly, and often very 'false
 and deceitful, unkind to  his frieuds,  a great concealer of  his own
 secrets, and very choleric.  Those whoso eyes roll  up and down 01
 those who seldim move  dieir eyes, but when  they  do, draw them
 inwardly,and fasten them upon some object, such are by their incli-
 nations, very malicious, vain glorious, slothful unfaithful,  envious.
 false and contentious.   They whose  eyes are addicted  to blood -
 allot,  are  naturally choleric, proud, disdainful,  cruel, shameful
 perfidious, and much  inclined to  superstition.   They who hare.
 eyes like oxen,  are persons of good nutriment, but  of a  weak
 memory, dull of unerstanding, and silly in their  conversation:  bui
 they whose eyes are neither too little nor  too big, and  inclined  to
 a black, do signify a man mild, peaceable, honest,  witty,  and  o<
 good understanding: and one that, when need requres, isserviceatl.
 to bis friends.
            Thus from the eyes we several things may see,
           By nature's art of physiognomy,
            That no  man  scarce can make a look awry.
           But we thereSy some secret symptoms may
           Discern of Ins intention, and  foresee
           Unto which paths his steps directed be;]
           And this may teach us, goodness more to prue,
           For where one's good, there's twenty  therwise.
  A long aud thin nose denotes a man bold, curious, angry,  weak
and credulous;  easy to be persuaded  eidier to good or evil.  A  lon»
nose and extended, its tip bending downwards, shews the person to
be wise, discreet, officious, heat>st, and faithful, and who will not lw
easily overreached.  A bottle  nose  denotes a  man  to be impetuoue
in the obtaining his desires, vuin, false, luxurious, weak and  credu-
lous.   A nose broader in Uve middle, and less  towards die  end, de-
notes a vain, talkative person, a  liar,  and  one of bard fortune   Ht
who hnth a long  and great nose, is an admirer of die fair sex, well
accomplished for die wars of Venus, but ignorant of nny  tiling that is
good;  assiduous in obtaining  his desires, and diough very ignoran'
would fain be thought very knowing.   A nose sharp  on  the tip of i\
and neidier too  long nor too sharp, too tiiick nor too thin,  denote*
'-be person, if a man, to beofa fretful disposition, always pin^g am7
peevish;  and if a woman  a scold, contentious, wedded to  her owt 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
67
humour;  and if married, a plague to her husband.   A cose  very
round at die end of it, and having  but  little nostril, shows the pei-
•on to be  munificent and liberal, true to his trust,  but ci iilulutis,
proud, and vain.  A nose very long,  and diin at  die end of it, ami
sometimes round, signifies one  bold iu his discourses, honest in his
dealings,  patient in receiving, and slow in offering injuries, but  yet
privately  malicious.  He whose msc is naturally more red  dian any
other part of his face is denoted to be  covetous,  luxurious, and -in
enemy to goodness.  A nose that turns up again And is long uu<l  foil
on the tip of it, shews the person to be bold, covetous, envious, a liai,
and deceiver, vainglorious, contentious, and unfortunate.   He whore
nose riseth high in the middle,  is prudentf*politic, courageous, hon-
orable in his actions  and true to his word.  A nose big at  dif end
Bhews a person to be of a peaceful disposition, industrious, faithful,
and of a good understanding.  A very wide nose, widi wide nostril'.-,
denotes a man full of apprehension, and inclined more to  simplicity
than  wisdom, mid withal contend mis, vain-glorious, and a liar.
             Thus from the nose oat  physiognomist
             Can smell men's inclinations if we list;
             Ami from in color and its make,
             Of vice and vis)ue a  survey can take.
  When the nostrils are close  and thin, they denote a man  to have
but little testicles, and to be very desirous of the enjoyment  of women
but modest in his conversation.  But he  whose  nostrils are  gre;n
and wide is usually  well hung, and lustful;  but of an envious,  buhl,
and treacherous  disposition; and though dull of understanding \ci
confident.
           Thus those who chiefly  mind the brutal part,
           May learn to choose a husband by this art.
  A great wide  mouth  shews a  man to be bold, warlike, shameless,
■tout, a great liar, talkative, and a great eater, but dull  as to bis  in-
tellects.   A little mouth shews the person to  be of a quick and pa-
cific temper,  somewhat  fearful, but faithful, secret, modest,  bountiltil,
and a little cater.  He whose mouth  smells of a bad breadi, is one
of a corrupted liver or lungs, is often  times vain,  wanton, deceitful,
of indifferent intellect, envious,  covetous,  and  a promise  breakei.
He that hath a sweet breadi is the contrary.
           Thus Irom the mouth itself we likewise see
           What signs of good and bad may gathered be
           For  let the wind blow east, west, noilh or south,
           Both good and bad proceed out of the mouth.
  The lips, when they  are very big and blubbering,  shew a person
to be credulous, foolish, dull and  stupid,and  apt to be enticed to
any thing.  Lips of a different  size,  denote a person to be discreet,
secret, judicious, of a good wit, but somewhat hasty.  To  have lips
well colored, and more thin than tiiick, shews a  person to be good
humored,  and more easily persuaded to  do good dian evil.   To have 
68           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
one lip bigger dian the other, shews variety of fortunes, denotes a
dull sluggish temper, and an indifferent understanding.
           The lips they so much dole on for a kiss,
           Oft tell fond lovers when they do amiss.
  When die  teeth are small,  and but  weak in performing dieir
office, and especially if they are short and  few, though die party
be of a weak constitution, yet they denote him to be of a meek  dis-
position, bonest, faithful and  secret, in whatsoevei  he  is entrusted
with.  To have some teeth  longer and some  shorter  than others,
denote a person to be of a good apprehension, but bold,  disdainful,
envious and proud.  To have teeth very  long, and growing sharp
towards the end,  if they are long in chewing, and dun, denotes the
person to be  envious,  gluttonous, bold, shameless, unfaithful  and
suspicious.  When the teeth  look very  brown or yellowish, whether
diey be long  or short, it shews  the  person to  be of a suspicious
temper, envious, deceitful  and turbulent.  To have teedi strong and
close together, shews the   person to be of a long life, a desirer of
novelties, and tilings that are fair and beautiful, but of a high spirit:
and  one  that  will have his humor in all tilings; he  loves to hear
news, and afterwards to repeat it, and  is apt to entertain any tiling
in his owd behalf.   To have  teeth thin ana weak, shews a  weak,
feeble  man,  one  of short life,  and of a weak  apprehension;  but
chaste, shame-faced, tractable and honest.
             Thus from the teeth the learned can portend,
              Whether man's steps to vice or virtue bend.
  A tongue loo swift  in speech, shews a  man to be downright fool-
ish, or at best  but a very  vain  wit.   A  stammering tongue, or one
that stumbles  in the mouth, signifies a  man  of a weak understand-
ing, of a wavering mind, quickly in a  rage, and soon pacified.  A
thick aud rough tongue denotes  a man to be apprehensive, subtle
and  foil of compliments, yet vain and  deceitful, treacherous  and
prone to impiety.   A thin tongue shews a man of wisdom and sound
judgment;  very ingenious, and of an affable disposition, yet some-
times timorous, and too credulous.
              No wonder 'tu thai from men's speech we see
              Whether they wise, or whether foolish be ;
              But from a silent tongue our  authors tell
              The secret passions within men tliat dwell.
  A  great and foil voice in eidier sex, shew them to  be of a great
spirit, confident, proud and wilful.  A faint or weak voice, shows
a person of a good understanding, nimble fancy, a little eater, but
weak of body and timorous.   A loud and shrill voice denotes  one
sagacious and ingenious,  but capricious, vainglorious, and  weak,
bjo credulous,  A strong voice when a man sings, denotes  a strong
constitution,  a good understanding, ingenious, amorous.   A weak
and trembling voice, denotes one to be envious, suspicious,  slow in
business, and  fearful.  A  loud, shrill  and unpleasant voice, signifies
one  bold and valiant, but quarrelsome, injurious, and wedded to his 
                ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           69

  own humor.  A  rough  and hoarse  voice  declares one to be a dull
  and heavy  person, of much guts and little brains.   Full  and yet
  mild voice, and pleasing to die hearer, shews a person to be quiet
  and peaceable, thrifty and secret, not prone to anger.   A voice be-
  ginning low or m die bass, and ending high in the treble, denotes a
  person to be violent, angry, bold, secure.
               Thus by our voice 'lb to an artist known
               Unto what virtue or to what vice we're prone;
               And he that of n good wife will make choice,
               May choose her by observing of lier voice.
   A tiiick and full chin, abounding with flesh, shews a man inclined
 to peace,  honest, but slow in invention, and easy to be drawn to
 good or evil.  A peaked chin, reasonably foil of flesh, shews a good
 understanding, a high spirit, and laudable conversation.  A double
 chin, shews  a peaceable disposition, but dull apprehension,  vain,
 credulous, and secret in his actions.   A  crooked  chin, tending
 upwards,  and peaked for want of flesh, is, according to nature, a
 very bad  man, proud,  imprudent,  envious, threatening, deceitful,
 prone to anger and treachery, and a great thief.
             Thus from the  forehead to the head we've shewn
             How mankind's inclinations may be known;
             From which th' observing reader still may find
             We're more to evil, than to good inclined.
   Young men usually have hair begin to  grow  upon  their chins at
 lo years of  age, and sometimes sooner.  These hairs proceed from
 the superfluity of heat, the fumes whereof ascend to tiieir chins  like
 smoke to die funnel of a chimney; and because it can find no  open
 passage by which it may ascend higher, it vents  itself' in hairs whicli
 are  called the  beard.  Tliere are few women that have hair on
 their cheeks, and  the' reason is, those humors which cause hair to
 grow on die cheeks of a man  are evacuated by women in  their
 monthly courses, which they have more or less according to the heat
 or coolness of the constitution; yet, sometimes women of  a hot con-
 stitution have hair  on  their cheeks,  but  more  commonly on their
 lips  or near their months, where the heat most aboundeth; and such
 women are much addicted to the company of men, and of a strong
 and  manly  constitution.   A woman  who hath litde  hair  on  her
 cheeks, or about her mouth and lips, is of a good complexion, weak
 constitution,  shamefaced, mild and obedient;  whereas a woman of a
 more hot  constitution is otherwise.  But  in  a  man, a  beard  wel'
 composed and  thick  of hair signifies him  good natured, honest,
 loving, sociable and full of humanity;  on the  contrary, he that hadi
 little beard, is for the  most part proud, pining, peevish and unsocia-
 ble.   They who have no  beards, have always shall  and strange
squeaking voices, are of a weak  constitution, as' is apparent in die
care  of eunuchs, who, after they are  deprived of their virility,  are
transfocmed from the nature of wen into the condition of ivomeu. 
70
ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE.
             Of men and women's beard" I might say more,
             But prudence bids mo this discourse give o'er.
   Great and 'tiiick ears are certain signs  of a foolish person, of ;
 bad  memory, am',  worse of understanding;  but small, thin  ears.
 shew a person to be of  good wit, grave, secret,  thrifty,  modest, o
 good memory, and  willing to serve his friend.   Ears longer dian
 ordinary, signify a bold man, uncivil, vain, foolish, of small industry,
 but a great stomach.
              Who his just praise unwillingly does hear,
              Shews a good life as well as a good ear.
   A  face apt to sweat on every motion,  shews the person to be of a
 hot constitution, vain, luxurious, of  a good stomach, bad under-
 standing,  and  worse  conversation.  A very fleshy  face denotes u
 fearful  disposition, a merry heart, bountiful and discreet,  easy to
 be entreated, and apt to believe any thing.  A lean face, denotes a
 good understanding,  but somewhat capricious and  disdainful in his
 conversation.   A little round face  sliews  a person  to  be simple,
 fearful, of a  bad memory,   and  a clownish disposition.   A plump
 face and foil of carbuncles, shews a man to be a '^reat drinker, vain
 and daring.   A face red  and high colored, rhews  a man to  be
 choleric, and not easily pacified.  A  long  awi lean face, shews one
 to be  bold in  speech  and  action,  but  fooUJi,  quuirelsome, proud
 and injurious.  A  face every way of a  duu proportion, denotes an
 ingenuous person, fit for any thing,  and yell inclined.  A broad,
 full, fat face, shews a dull heavy constitution, and diat for one vir-
 tue has diree vices.   A plain flat face widiou\ any rising, shews a
 person  to be very wise, loving -auid courtly, faithful to his friend, and
 patient in adversity.  A face sinking down u little, with creases in
 it, inclining to leanness, denotes a person to be laborious, envious,
 deceitful,  false, quarrelsome, vain,  silly,  clownish.   A face of a
 handsome proportion, and  more inclined to fat  than  lean, shews a
 person just in his actions, true to his word, civil, respectful, and of
 an extraordinary memory.   A croaked face, long and  lean, denotes
 a man endued widi as bad qualities  as the  face is widi ill features.
 A face  broad about  the brows mid sharper and less towards the
 chin, shews  a man simple and foolish, vain, envious, deceitliil and
 quarrelsome.   A face well colored, full of good features, of  an ex- '
 act symmetry and just proportion, is commonly the index of a fairer
 mind, and sliews the jierson to be well  disposed; but yet virtue is
 not so  impregnably  seated  there, but  diat by strong temptation,
es|iecially of die fair  sex, it may be supplanted and overcome by
vice.   A pale complexion, shews  die person not only to be fickle,
but malicious,  treacherous, proud,  and extremely  unfaithful.' A
face well colored, shews the  person to be  of a praisewordry disposi-
tion, sound complexion, easy of belief, respectful to his  friend, ready
to do a courtesy, and very easy to be drawn to any tiling. 
             ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.            71

           Thus physiognomy readeth  in each face,
           But vice or virtue we're most prone to embrace ;
           For in man's face there hardly is a line
           But of some inward passion ^{m a sign ;
           And he that reads this section o'er may find,
           The fairest face hath still the clearest mind.
  A great head, and round withal, denotes a person to lie secret,
ingenious, laborious, constant and  nonest.  The head whose gullet
stands fortii, and inclines  towards die eardi,  signifies  a person
thrifty, wise, peaceable, secret, of a retired temper,  and constant in
the management of his affairs.   A  Jong head and  face, and great
withal, denotes  a vain, foolish and idle  person, credulous and en-
vious.  To have one's head always shaking and moving from side
to side, denotes a shallow, weak, unstable person, given to  lying, a
great talker, and prodigal  in all  his fortunes.   A big head and
broad face shews a  man  to be  courageous, a great hunter after
women, suspicious, bold, shameless.  A very big  head, but not so
proportionate  to the  body, and a  short neck and gullet, denotes a
man of apprehension, wise, ingenious, of a sound judgment, faith-
ful, true and courteous to all.  He is weak, yet apt  to learn,  but
unfortunate in his actions.  And  so  much shall suffice  with respect
to judgment from die head and face.
                          CHAP. IX.
  Of Judgment drawn from several Parts of Man's  Body, fyc.
  In die body of a  man  the  head and  face are the  principal part*,
being the  index which heaven has  laid open to every one's view, to
make a judgment therefrom, therefore I have been the larger in  my
judgment from the several parts thereof.  But as to the other parts,
not so obvious to the eyes, 1 shall be much more brief;  yet I would
proceed in order.
   The throat, if it be white, whedier it be fat or lean,  shews a man
to be vain glorious, timorous, wanton,  and much subject to cholcr.
If die throat be so thin, and  kan tint die veins appear, it  shews a
man to be weak, slow, and of a dull and heavy constitution.
   A long neck shews ( oe to have a long and slender foot and diat  lie
is stiff and inflexible.  A short neck shews one to be witty mid in-
genuous but deceitful and  inconstant,  and a great lover of peace and
quietness.
   A lean shoulder bone signifies a man  to be weak, timorous, peace-
ful, not laborious, and yet fit for any employment.  Large shoulder
bones denote a strong man, faithful,  but  unfortunate; somewhat dull
of  understanding,  laborious, contented, a great eater and drinker.
He whose shoulder bone seems to be smooth, is moderate  and tem-
perate.   He whose shoulder bone bends and is  crooked inwardly,
is commonly a dull person and deceitful.
   Long arms hanging down, and touching the knees,  denote a man
 liberal, vain glorious, proud -and  inconstant.  He whose arms are ve-
 -y short in respect to his body, is  ;i m;mi of high and  gallant spirit, 
72           ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.

and of a graceful lem|x?r.  He whose arms are full of bones, sinews
mid flesh is a great desirei of novelties, credulous and apt to believe
everything.  He whose arms are very liuiry,  whedier diey be  lean
or fitt, is for the most part a  luxurious  person, weak in body and
mind, very suspicious and malicious.   He whose arms have no na'ir
on them at all, is of a weak judgment angry, vain, wanton, credu-
lous, a deceiver, and very apt to betray life clearest friends.
                        CHAPTER IV.
Of Palmistry, shewing the various  Judgments drawn from the
                             Hand.
  Being engaged, in diis third jiart to shew what judgments may be
drawn iiccordnig to physiognomy from die several parts of die body
ami coming in order to speak of die  hands it has put  me under the
necessity of saying something about palmistry, which is a judgment,
made of die conditions,  inclinations,  and fortmies of men  and wo-
men from die various lines and characters, nature lias imprinted in
tiieir hands, which  are almost as  various as the  hands that have
them.
  The render should remember  that one of  these lines of die hand
and which indeed is reckoned die principal is called the line of life;
this line encloses the thumb  separating it from the hollow of the
hand.  The next to it called the natural line,  takes its  beginning
from the rising of the forefinger near die line of life, and reaches to
the table line and generally  makes a triangle.   The table line com-
monly called the line of fortune, begins under die little1 finger and
ends niwr the middle finger.  The girdle of Venus, which is  anoth-
er line so called, begins near die first joint of the little finger and
ends between the fore  finger  and  the middle  finger.  The line of
death is that which   plainly  appears in  a counter line to that of
life and is called the after line ending usually as die other ends; for
when the line of life is ended death comes and it can go no farther.
There are lines in the fleshy parts as in  the ball of die thumb called
the Mount of Venus; under each of die fingers are  also  mounts,
each governed by several planets;  and die hollow  of the  hand is
called the Plain of Mars.  Thus,
           The thumb we to dame Venus' rule commit.
           Jove the fore finger sways as he thinks fit;
           Old Saturn does the middle  finger guide;
           O'er (lie ring finger Sol does still preside;
           The outside drawn, pale Cynthia does direct,
           And unto the hollow Mars does much inspect;
           The little finger does to Merc'ry fall,
           Which is the nimblest planet of them all,
   I proceed to give judgement from die several lines.  In Palmis-
try the left hand is chiefly   to  be regarded, because therein the
lines are most visible, and  have the strictest communication  with
the heart and brain.  In the next place observe the line of life and
if it be  fair, extending to its fidl length and  not  broken  with  an 
             ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.           78

intermixture of cross lines it shews life and  health : and it  is  the
mine if a double line  appear  as diere  sometimes does.  When
stars appear in this line it signifies great losses and calamities;  if
on it there  be the figures of two G's or a Y it threatens the person
with blindness; if it wraps itself about the table line it  promises
i\ ealth and  honor to be attained by prudence and industry. If the line
be cut ragged at die upper end it denotes much  sickness  ; if this
line be cut by any lines coming from Mount  Venus it  declares the
person to be unfortunate in love and  business  also, and  threatens
him with sudden death.  A cross between the line of life  and the
table line shews the person to be very liberal and charitable and  of
a noble spirit.
  The table line when broad and of a lively  color* shews a health-
ful constitution a quiet contented mind and  a courageous spirit;
but if it liave crosses towards the litde finger it threatens the par-
ty with much affliction by sickness,   if the line be double or di-
vided into  three parts at any of die extremities it shews the person
to be of a generous temper and a  good fortune to support  it; but
if this line be forked at the  end it threatens the person shall suffer
by jealousies and less of riches gotten by deceit.  If three point!
such as diese '.* are found in it they denote the person prudent and
liberal a lover of learning and of a good  temper.  If it spreads to-
wards die  fore and middle finger and ends blunt it denotes  pre-
ferment.
   The  middle line has  in it often  very significant characters.
Many small lines between this and the table line threaten the  par-
ty with sickness, but also give hopes of recovery.—A half cross
branching into this line shews honor, riches, and good success in  all
undertakings.  A half moon denotes cold and watery distemper*:
 but a sun or stars promises prosperity and riches.  This line double
 ill a woman shews she will have several nusUuids but no  children.
   If the lines of Venus happens to be cut or divided near  the fore
 Gnger, it threatens ruin to the party, and that  it shall befal him  by
 means of  lacivions  women and  bail  company.   Two crosses  on
 this line one near the fore finger and  the othev bending  towards
 the little finger shew the party to be weak inclined to modesty and
 virtue ;  and in women generally denotes modesty.
   The liver line  if it be straight and crossed by other lines denotes
 u, sound judgment and a piercing understanding; but if it be wind-
 ing crooked and bending outwards  it  shews deceit aad flattery.
 If it makes a triangle or quadrangle it  shews one to be of a noble
 descent ambitious of honor and promotion.   If tills  line  and  the
 middle line begin near e-ch odier it  denotes a man to be weak in
 judgment  but if a woman danger by hard labor.
   The  plain of Mars being the  hollow  of the hand,  most of the
 lines  passing through it are  very significant.  Being  hollow and
 the lines crooked and distorted it threatens the party to fall by ea-
                         7 
74            ARISTOTLE'S MASTER  PIECE.

emies.  When die lines beginning at the wrist are long within the
plain rcachiug to tile brawn of the hand it sliews the person to  be
of a hot and fiery spirit  given to quarrelling.   If deep large cross-
es be in die middle plain it sliews the  person  shall obtain  honor
by exploits;  but  if a woman that 6he shall have several husbands
and easy labor with children.
  The line  ot death is fatal and threatens  with sickness and short
fife when crosses appear in  it.  A clouded moon therein  threat-
ens  a cliild  bed woman  with  death.  A star   like a   comet
threatens ruin  by war, or death by pestilence;  But if a bright sun
appear therein it promises long life and prosperity.
  The lines of die wrist being fair denote good fortune but if bro-
ken and crossed the contrary.
            Thus  he 'Jial nature richly understands,
            May from each line imprinted in his  hands
            His luture fate and fortune come to know,
            And in what path it is his feet shall go;
            His secret Inclinations he may see,
            And to what vice  he shall addicted be;
            To the end that, when he looks into bis ham
            He may upoi his guard the better stand,
            And turn his wandering steps another way
            When'ei  he finds he does from virtue stray.
                            CHAP. II-
      Judgments drawn from the several parts of the body.
  A largo and full breast, shews a man valiant, but proud, soon an-
gry and hard to deal with.  He whose breast is narrow,  rising  a
little in the middle, is by the best  rules  of  phisiognomy, of  a clear
spirit, great understanding, very faithful, clean  both  in body and
mind, yet soon angry and inclined long to keep it.  He  whose breast
is somewhat hairy is very luxurious and serviceable  to  another.
ale who hath no hairs upon his breast  *»  weak  by  nature, of a
slender  capacity, timorous  but of (audible life and conversation,
much retired and inclined to peace.
  The back cf tile chime bone if  die flesh is hairy and lean, high-
er than any other part behind  signifies  a  man shameless,  beastly
and malacious.  He whose back is large and fat is  thereby   to  b
strong and stout, but of a heajw disposition;  vain, slow, and  ful
of deceit.
  He or she whose belly  is soft all ever  is weak,  lustful, and fear-
ful of good understanding, an excellent  invention, a little cater, of
various fortune.  He whose flesh is rough and   hard is of a strong
constitution very bold but proud, vain, and of a cruel temper.  He
whose skin is smooth, fat and white, is curious vain glorious timor-
ous and malicious.
  A  thigh  full of strong bristly ha t  inclined  to  curl, signifies
oue  lustful and fit for copulation;  thighs with little hair a>id tiia* 
              ARISTOTLE'S  MASTER PIECE            71

 Boft shews the person to be chast, having no great desire to veneral
 pleasure,  and will have  but few  children.
   The legs of both men  and women have a fleshy substance  behind
 railed calves;  and now a great calf and large bone  and  hairy  de-
 notes the person to be  strong, bold, dull in  understanding,  slow in
 business, inclined to procreation,  and for die most  part fortunate.
 Little legs and little hair on them shew the person to  be weak fear-
 ful of a quick understanding and neidier luxurious at bed or  board.
 He whose do much abound with hair is lustful, luxurious, strong, but
 fickle, and abounding widi ill humors.
   The feet of either men or womon if broad and tiiick  with flesh
 and  long in figure, especially if die skin feels hard, of a strong con-
 stitution but of weak intellects.  But feet diat are thin and lean and
 soft shew a weak body but a strong understanding and excellent wit.
   The soles of the feel do administer as plain and evident signs to
 know the disposition and constitution as the  palms of die  hands
 being foil of lines by which all fortunes cr misfortunes  of man  or
 woman may be known and tiieir inclinations appear.   But diis  in
 general we may take notice of, diat many long lines  and strokes do
 presage many afflictions and a very  troublesome line  attended with
 much grief care and poverty.  But short lines if they are thick and
 foil of cross lines are yet worse in every degree.  Those die skin of
 whose soles are very thick  are  generally strong and  venturous;
 whereas those the skin of whose soles are thin are generally  weak
 and timorous.
   I shall now having given an account of what judgments may  be
 formed from the several parts of die body before I conclude give an
 account of what may be drawn by tho ruloo  of  Pyoiognomy  from
 things extraneous which are found upon muiy  and  which indeeed
 to them are parts of the body but are so far from being necessary
parts that they are the deformity and burden of it and speak of die
habits  of the body as they will distinguish persons.
            I.   Of crooked and deformed persons.
  A crooked breast or shoulder or  die  exuberance of flesh in the
body eidier of  a man or woman signifies the person to be extreme-
ly parsimonious  and ingenious,  and of great understanding, but
very covetous,  deceitful, malicious,  and of a bad memory;  eidier
extremely virtuous or vicious,  seldom in a medium.   But if the
 person deformed  hath  an excrescence  on his breast  instead of die
 back he is for die most part of a double heart, and very mischievous.
 II.  Of tlie divers manners  of going, and particular postures
                   both of men and women.
  He or sho that goes slowly, making great steps as they go, ore
 generally persons of bad memory,  dull  of apprehension, given to
 loitering, and slow of belief.
       III.  Of the Gait or Motion in Men or Women.
   Every man or woman  hath a certain gait or motion.   For a 
re
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER PIECE.
  man  to be  shaking his nead or using any light motion  with his
  hands or feet whether he stands sits or speaks is superfluous unneces-
  sary and unhandsome: and such, by the rules of physiognomy are vain
  unwise unchaste detractors unstable and unfaithful.   He or she who
  have little motion wh-m discoursing with any one is  for the most
  part wise well bred frugal faithful industrious  and  fit for any em-
  ployment.   He whose posture is forwards or backwards mimical is
  ..hereby denote i to be a vain silly person dull of wit and very mali-
  cious. He whose motion is hune and  limping or  otherwise  imper-
  fect or that counterfeits an imperfection is denoted to be envious ma-
  licious false and detracting.
        IV.   Judgments drawn from the stature of a man.
  Physiognomy draws also  several judgments  from  the  stature of a
  man;  such  as, if a man be straight and  upright  inclined rather to
  leanness than to fat it shews him to be  bold cruel proud clamorous
  hard to pleas and harder  to be  reconciled when  displeased  veiy
  frugal deceitful and malicious.  To be of a tall statue and corpulent
  widi it denotes him to be  not only handsome but valiant  a'so; altho'
  of no extraordinary understanding, and which is worst  of all un-
  grateful.  He who is extremely tall and very lean and thin is a pro-
  jecting man that designs no good to himself and suspects every one
  to be as bad as  himself importunate to obtain  wliat he  desires and
  extremely wedded to his own humors.  He who is thick and short,
  is vain envious suspicious shallow of apprehension easy of belief, and
  long before  he forgets an  injury.   He who is lean and short but up-
  right is by the rules of Physiognomy  wise and ingenuous bold and
  confident a  good understanding but of a deceitful heart.  He who
- Stoops as he goes nut by ago but ouctoni is laborious a retainer of se-
  crets,  but very  incredulous.  He that goes with  his belly stretched
  forth,  is forcibly merry, and easy to lie persuaded.
           V. General Observations worthy of Note.
    When you find a red man to be  faithful, a tall man to be wise,  a
  fat man to bo swift on foot, a lean man to be a fool, a handsome man
  not proud, a poor man not envious, a whitely man  not wise, one
  that talks through die nose to speak without  snuffing,   a knave no
  liar, an upright  man not to walk straight, one that dwells when he
  speaks not crafty and circumventing; a man of  a hot constitution
  not lustful, one that winks at anodier with his eyes not false and de-
  ceitful, one  that knows how to shuffle his  cards ignorant how to
  deal them, a rich man prodigal, a sailor  and hangman pitiful, a poor
  man to build churches, a  higler not to be a liar, and a praiser of
  his ware a buyer not to find fault with and undervalue that which be
  would  willingly buy, a quack doctor to  have a good conscience, a
  bailiff  or catehpole not to be a merciless  villain, a hostess  not to
  over reckon you, and an usurer to be charitable;  then say you have
  ound a prodigy or men acting contrary to the course of their nature, 
FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
Being choice and approved remedies for the several distempers
                 incident to the human body.
        A powder for the  Epilepsy or falling sickness.
  Take of opponax,  crude antimony, dragon's blood, castor, peony
seeds,  of each  an  equal  quantity, make them into a subtle pow-
der, die dose of half a dram in black cherry water.   Before you take
it, die stomach must be  cleansed with some  proper vonik, as  that
of Mynsinct's emetic of Tartar, from four grains to six.  For chil-
dren, salt of vitriol, from a scruple to half a drachm.
             A vomit for swimming in the head.
  Take cream of Tartar half a scrapie, castor two grains, mix all
together for a vomit, to be taken at four  o'clock  in the afternoon.
At night, going to bed, it will be very proper to take a dose of die
apoplectic powder.
                   For spitting of blood.
  Take of conserve of comfrey, and  of hops, of each an ounce and
a half, conserve of roses three ounces, dragon's  blood a  drachm,
species of hyacinth two scruples, red  coral a drachm) mix  widi the
syrup of red poppies, and make a  soft electuary; take the quantity
of a walnut night and morning.
                 A powder against vomiting.
  Take crabs eyes, red coral  ivory of each two drachma;  burnt
hartshorn, one drachm cinnamon mid red saunders of each half a
draehm make all for a  subtle powder anh take half a drachm.
                     For the bloody flux.
  Take a drachm of  powder of  rheubarb, in a sufficient quantity
of conserve of red roses, early in the morning, and at night  take of
torrefied or roasted rheubarb half a drachm, diaschordium a drachm,
and a half liquid laudunum, cydoniated a scruple.   Mix diem and
make a bolus.
               For an influmation of the lungs.
  Take currant water  ten ounces, water of red  poppies three  oun-
osr., syrup of poppies one ounce, pearl prepared, a drachm;  Make a
julep and take Bix spoonfuls every four hours.
                   For weakness in women.
  After a gentle purge  or two, tas.e the  following decoction, viz. a
quarter of a pound of  lignumvithae, sassafras  two ounces; boil the
whole in six quarts of  water to a  gallon;  strain and keep it for use;
Take half a pint first  thing  iu the morning, fasting for two hours 
18
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 after; another at four o'clock in the afternoon, and a diird at going
 to bed.
                    For worms in children.
   Take wonnseed half a drachm,  (lower of sulphur a drachm, sul-
 prunella half a drachm; mix and make a powder, give as much as
 will lie upon a silver tiiree-pence  night and morning in treacle or
 honey.  For  grown persons add a little aloe rosatum, and so
 make them up into pills, three or four may be taken every morning.
   A  Diet drink for the Vertigo or swimming of the Hood.
   Take small ale,  and boil it in  the leaves of the misletoe of  the
 nyple tree roots of male peony uml peony flowers;  then put it into a
 vessel of four gallons, in which hang a bag of half a pound of pea-
 cocks dung, and two drachms of cloves bruised;  drink it as a  com-
 mon drink.
                    Forfevtitin children.
   Take of crab's eyes one  drachm, cream of tartar half a drachm,
 wliite sugar finely powdered, the weight of both;  mix them well to-
 gether, and give as much as will lie upon a silver three-pence in a
 spoonful of bailey water or sack whey.
              For a headache of long standing.
   Take the juice of |>owder of distilled water  of hogs Hoe, and con-
 tinue the use of it.
                  For the Gripes in children.
   Give a drop of the oil of annisseed in a spoonful of penada, miUt,
 or any thing you shall think proper.
                        For an Ague.
   Take the common bitter drink, without the purgatives, 2 quarts
 salt of wormwood, 2" ounces of saffron a drachm.  After a vomh or
 convenient purge, take half a pint of this three  times a day, in the
 morning fasting, mid day and at night.
                       For the  Cholic.
  Take annisseed, sweet  fennel, coriander,  can-away  seeds two
 drachms each, cummin seed a drachm, rased ginger a small quanti-
 ty, bruise all in a mortar, and put  them into a quart of Nantz bran-
 dy, to infuse three days shaking die bottle three or  four times a day,
 dien strain it;  take two or three spoonfuls in the (it.
          For the palpitation or beating of the heart.
  Take powder of crabs  eyes, burnt hartshorn, red coral, of each a
 drachm, Fnglish saffron a scruple, mix and make a powder.  Taka
 a scruple of it  night and  morning in a spoonfal of barley water,
 drinking a draught after it.
            Lozenges restorative in Consumption.
  Take pine nuts prepared two drachms and a half, green fustic two
 drachms and a half, green fostic two drachms, species diambre two
scruples, cinnamon and cloves half a drachm each, galangal a scru-
ple, nutmegs two scruples, wliite ginger half a drachm.   Xilo aloes
half a scruple, with four  ounces and a half of sugar dissolved in 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
79
rose water,  and of  die  species make a confection  in  lozenges,
            Against Aches and pains in the Joints.
  Take powder of camopetys and gentsan, of each 5 drachms dried,
leaves of rue three ounces; make an into a fine powder after  don
purging, give a drachm of diis night and morning, in  a spoonful of
white wine.
              For spots and pimples in the Skin.
  Take black soap  two oimc.es,  sulphur vive in powder one ounce.,
lie them in a rag, and hang them in a pint of vinegar for the space of
nirte days;  dien  rub and wash die part gently  '.wice a day, that is
night and morning.
                Purging- Pills far the scurvy ^
  Take rosin of julep twenty grains, aromatic pills with gum two
pains, viti iolated tarter, twenty six grains, oil of juniper ten grains,
widi insufficient quantity of gum armoniac dissolved in vinegar of
squills.  Take four at  a time early in the morning,fasting two hours
after.  You may take  them once a week.
          A  distilled water for a confirmed Phthisic.
  Take leaves of ground ivy five handfuls, six nutmegs sliced  two
pound of die  crumbs of wheat  bread,  three pounds of snails,  half
boiled and sliced  into milk, and  take it three or four times a day,
sweetened with sugar aud pearl of roses.
                 For vomiting or  Looseness.
  Take of Venice treacle  one ounce, powder of tormentilee roots
contiayerva, pearl and prepared  coral,  of each a sufficient quantity,
with the syrup of dried roses make an electuary; take the  quantity
of a walnut every fourdi or fifth hour; drink after it a.  draught of
ale or beer, with a crust of bread, mace or cinnamon boiled in it.
             A distilled  Water for the Jaundice..
  Take one pound of  die roots of English rheubarb sliced,  the rinds
of four oranges sliced, filings of steel one pound, fresh strawberries.
six pounds, diree quarts of white wine;  let them stand  in  infusion
for some time, distill all according to art.   Take four ounces twice
a day, with twenty drops of  the spirit of saffron.
                     For the Rheumatism.
  Take volatile salt of hartshorn, volatile salt of amber, two drama
each, crabs eyes one ounce, cochineal a scrapie; mix and_  make a
powder. Take half a drachm three times a day, or every four hours,
Keeping your bed and  sweating upon it.
                   For a violent Toothache.
  If the teedi be hofiW, mulling tura but drawing, but if occasioned
through a  dsfluxion  of humors, first  take a gentle purge, and at
night when you go to bed take a grain or two of London Laudanum,
which will thicken the humor, stop  the defluxion, and consequently
remove the pa'ut.
                  For saint Anthony's Fire.
  Bleeding surmised,  take frog spawn water,, plantain water,  half 
80             EXl'ERIENCFD  MIDWIFE.

a pint tacli, sugar of lead two drachms; mix  and shake the bottle
till die salt is dissolved.  Dip a linen cloth in this water and batlss
die part affected;  it cools wonderfully.
                  For the Black Jaundice.
  Take flowers of sal amoniac diancum, and extract of gentian, of
each a drachm; salt amber a scruple;  gum  ameniac dissolved ia
vinegar of squills suffices;  make a mass of small pills, take it three
or foui mornings and evenings.
      For the Rheumatism proceeding from thescurvey.
  Take stone horse dung a pound, white wine three or four quarts,
distil according to  art: tike five or six ouncoSlwice or thrice a day.
Some take the infusion only, but (his exceeds it.
           For a Convulsive Cough in Children..
  After a gentle vomit and purge, apply a blister to the nape of the
neck; but if die distemper be obstinate, cut an issue hi the neck or
arm; keep diem close to a diet drink of shavings of ivory, saunders,
and some diuretio ingredients.  But if a specific you may have cup-
moss in powder every day in boiled milk, aud the decoction of hyssop,
wkh a little castor and saffron.



  EZPSRIBlirOIlD  tcedwxfe.

                       PART  I.

      GUIDE FOR CHILD BEARING  WOMEN.

                     INTRODUCTION.

  I have given tms oook the title of the Complete  and  Experien-
ced Midwife, both because it  is chiefly designed for these that  pro-
fess  midwifery, and contains whatever is  necessary for them to
know in the practice thereof,  and  also because it is the result of
many years  experience, and that in the  most  difficult cases, and
and  is therefore the more to be depended upon.  A midwife  is tin
most necessary and honorable office,  being indeed a helper of na-
ture; which  therefore makes it  necessary for her to be  well ac-
quainted with all tile operations of nature in the work of genera-
tion, and the instruments with  which aho  works. For she that
knows not the operation of nature, nor with what tools she works,
she must needs be at a loss how to assist therein.  And seeing the
instruments of operation both  in men and women are those  things
by whicli mankind is produced, it is very necessary that all mid-
wives should  be acquainted with them, that they may  the better
insderstand their  business, and  assist nature as there shall be oc- 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
81
casion.  The  first thing then  necessary, as  introductory to this
treatise, is an  Anatomical Description of the several pain
of generation both  in men and women;  and having designed
throughout to comprehend much  in a little room, I shall avoid ail
unnecessary  and  impertinent matters with  which books of this
nature are for the  most part too much clogged, and which are
more  curious than needful.  And though I sliould be  necessitated
to speak  plainly, that so I may be understood, yet  I shall do it
widi that  modesty that none  shall have to blush, unless it be from
something in  themselves, rather than  from what they shoal find
here,  having tho motto of the royal garter for  my defence,  which
is, "  Honi soil qui maly pense;"  or, " Evil  to  him that evil
thinks."
                          CHAPTR I.
An Antomical Description of the Instuments of generation in
                       Men and women.
                          Section I.
              Of Ike parts of Generation in  Man.
  As  the generation of mankind  is produced by the coition of both
sexes, it necessarily follows  diat the  instruments of generation are
of two sorts, to wit,  male and  female;  die operations  of which
are by action and passion, and herein die agent is  the seed, and
the patient blood : whence we may easily collect, that die  body of
man being generated by action awl passion, he must needs be sub-
ject diemnto during his life.   Now since the  instruments  of gener-
ation  ire male and female it will be necessary to treat of diem both
distinctly that  the discreet midwife maybe  well acquainted  with
heir several parts, and dieir various operations, as diey contribute
to the work of generation.   And, in doing this,  I shaft1 give the
honor of precedence to my own  sex, and speak first of the parts of
generations i a man,which sliaH be comprehended under  six par-
ticulars, viz. The preparing vessels, the corpus varicosum, the tes-
ticles  or stones the vusa deferentia, die  seminal vessels,  and the
yard;  of each of which in tiieir order.
  1. The  first are die  vassa peeparentia,  or  preparing  vessels,
which are  in number four, two veins, and as many arteries; and
they are called preparing vessels from their office, which is to  pre-
pare that matter or substance whicli the stones turn into seed to fit it
for the work.  Whence you may note, diat die liver, is the origin-
al of blood, and distributes  it through the body by the veins, aad
not the heart,  as some  have taught.   As to  die  original  of these
veins  the right vein  proceedeth from die vena cava, or great vera,
whicli receives the blood from die liver  and  distributes it  by its
branches to all the body; the left is from theemulgent  vein,  which
rs one of  the  two  mam branches  of die hollow vein, passing to
die reins.  As to the arteries, they both rise from the great artery,
which ate Greeks call  that which is iadeed the great trunk and 
 82             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE,

 original of all the arteries.  But I will not trouble yon witri Greed
 derivations of words, affecting mora to teach you the knowledge o»
 things than words.
   2.  The next thing to be spoken of is the corpus varicosura, aad
 this is an interweaving of the veins and arteries which carry the vital
 and natural blood to die stones to make seed of. These,though at the
 first descension they keep at a small distance the one from the other,
 yet before they enter the stones they make an  admirable intermix-
 ture of twisting die one from the other, so that sometimes the veins
 go into the arteries, and sometimes the arteries into tile veins; the
 substance of which is very hard and long, not much unlike a pyra-
 mid in form, without any sensible hollowness.  The use is to maks
 one boly of  the blood and vital spirits, which they both  mix  and
 change the color of, from red to white, so that the stones may  both
 have a fit n*atter to work upon and do their work more  easy; for
 which reason, the interweaving reacheth down to the  very stones
 and pierceth in their substance.
   3.   The stones are the  third  tiling to be spoken of, ealled also
 testicles; in Latin,  Testes, that is, witnesses,  because they witness
 to be a man.  As to  these I need  not tell you their  aiunber,  nor
 where nature has placed them, for that is obvious to the eye. Their
substanco is soft, white and spongy, full of small  veins and arteries,
 whicli  is the reason they swell to such a bigness upon the  flowing
 down of  the humor  in them.  Their form is oval; out most authors
 are of opinion, diat their bigness is not equal, but that the right is
 the biggest,  the hottest, and breeds  the best and the strongest seed.
 Each of  these stones hath a muscle, called cremastsr, which signi-
 fies to hold up, because they pull up the stones in the act of coition,
that so the vessels being slackened  may tho better void the seed.
These muscles are weakened both by age and  sickness; and the
stones  dien  hang down  lower than in youth and health.   These
stones are of great use, for they convert the blood and vital spirits
into seed for the procreation of man.   But this must not be under-
stood  as if they converted all the blood that comes  into them  into
 seed, foi  they keep some for  their own  nourishment.   But besides
 diis they  add strength  and courage .to  die body; which h» evident
 from this, that eunuchs are  neither hot, strong, nor valiant, as other
men, nor is an ox so hot or  valiant as a bull.
   4.   The next in order are the vasa dcfercutia, which are the ves-
sels that carry the seed from the stones to the seminal vessels, which
 ia kept there till its expulsion.  These are in number two, iu color
white, and hi substance  nervous or sinewy; and form  a  certain
hollowness which they have in them, are also called spermatic pores,
they rise not far from  the preparing vessels;  and when  they come
 into the cavity of the belly, they turn back again and pass into  the
 backside of the bladder, between  it and the right gut;  and when
 they come near the neck of the bladder they are joined to the semi- 
                 I.XPER1ENCED MIDWIFE.              63

nal galls,  which somewhat resembles the cells of an honeycomb;
which cells contain an oily substance, for they draw the  fatty sub-
stance from  the  seed which they empty into the urinal  passage,
which is done fur the most part in the act of copulation, that so  die
thin internal  skin of the yard  suffers  not through the acrimony or
■hat pness of  die seed.  And when the vasa deferentia has passed as
before declared, they fall into die glandula prostrate, which are  the
vessels ordained to keep the seed, and which are next to be spoken of.
   5.  The seminal vessels called gradulum seminale, are certain
kennels placed  between the neck of the bladder, and the right gut,
compassing about the vasa deferentia, the urethra,  or common pas-
sago  for seed and urine, passing through  the midst of it, and may
properly enough be called the conduit  of the yard.  At  the mouth
of die urethra,  where it  meets  with  t!ie vasa deferentia, there is a
illicit skin wliose office is to hinder the seminal vessels which are of
a spongy nature,  from shedding their seed  against their will;  the
skin is very  foil of pores, and  through the heat of  the act of copu-
lation, the pores open, and so give passage to the seed, which being
of a very subtle spirit, and especially being moved, will pass through
the caruncle or  skin as quicksilver through leather; and yet the pores
of this skin are not discernable unless, in the anatomy of  a man who
had some violent  running in the reins when  he died,  and then diey
arc conspicuous, those vessels being the proper seat of that disease.
   6.  The last of the parts of  generation in man to be  spoken of
is the yard, which has a principal share in the work of generation;
and is called Penis, from its hanging without the belly;  and it con-
sists of skin, tendons, veins, arteries, sinews and great ligaments,
and is long and round,  being ordained by nature bodi for the pas-
sage  of the urine, and for the conveyance of seed into the matrix.
It hath some parts common with  it to the rest of the body, as  the
skiu, or the  Mcmbrana Carnosa, and  some parts it has peculiar to
itself, ;is the  two nervous bodies, the Septum, the Urethra, the glans,
die four muscles, and the vessels.   The skin whicli the Latins called
Cutis, is full  of pores,  through whicli  die  sweat and (uliginous or
sooty black  vapors of  the  third  concoction (which concocts the
blood into flesh) pass out; these pores are very many and thick but
hardly visible  to die eye; and when  the  yard stands not, it is
flaggy; but  when  it stands it  is stiff.   The skin is very sensible,
because the nerves concur to make up its being; for the brain gives
sense to die  body by the nerves.  As to die Camus Membrana, or
the fleshy skin, it is so called,  not because its body  is  fleshy skin,
but because it lies between  the flesh  and  passetli   into  other
parts of die  laxly  underneath  the fat, and  sticks close  to die
muscle;  but in the yard there is no  fat at all, only a few super-
ficial veins   and  arteries pass  between die  former sltin and this,
which when die yard stands are visible to the eye.   These are the
parts common  both to  the yard  aud the rest of die  body.   I  will 
84             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
now sjicak of those parts of the yard which are peculiar to itsed
and to no other parts of the body;  and those are likewise six, as
has been already said,  of which it will be  necessary to speak par-
ticularly.  And,
  1.  Of the  nervous  bodies;  These are  two, though joined to-
gether, and are hard long and sinewy; they arc spongy within, and
foil of. black blond; the spongy substance  of the inward part of it
seams to be  woven together  like a net,  consisting of inimmerabla
twigs of veins and  arteries.  The black blood contained therein hi
very full of spirits, and the delights or desires of Venus add  heat to
those, which cause  the  yard to stand; and  that is the reason  that
both veneral sights and talcs will do it.  Nor need  it  be strange to
any, that Venus, being a planet cold and moist should add heat to
those parts, since by night as the Psaimist testifies, Ps. cxxxi. 6.
Now this hollow, spongy intermixture or weaving -was so ordered
by nature, on purpose to contain the spirit of veneral  heat, diat  the
yard may not fall before it has  done  its  work.  These two  side
ligaments of die yard,  where they are thick and round, arise  from
the lower  part of the share bone, and at the beginning are separated
the one from tii? other, resembling a pair of horns or die letter  Y,
where the Urethra, or common passage of mine and seed,  passed!
between diem.
  2. Those nervous bodies of which I have spoken, so soon as they
come to die joining of the share bone, are joined by  the  Sceptum
Lueium, which is the second internal part to be described, which in
sublance is wliite and nervous, or sinewy, and its  use  is to uphold
the two side ligaments and, the Urethra.
  3. The third thin;,' in the internal part of  the yard is the Uredrra,
which is the passage or channel by which both the seed and urine is
conveyed out through the yard.   The subtance of it is sinewy, tiiick,
soft and loose, as the side ligaments are;  it  begins at  die  neck of
the bladlcr, and, bein<r joined to it, passeth to tii-i glands.   It  has
in the beginning of it tlnco holes, of which the kujest of them is in
the niiilst, which receives die seed from each .seminal vessel.
  4.  The yard has four muscles;  on each  side two;  these muscles
are instruments of voluntary motion, without which no part  of the
body can move itself.   It consists of fibroua flesh to make its body,
of nerves  for "its sense,  of veins for its nourishment,  of arteries for
its  vital lujat, of a membrane  or  skin to knit togedier, and to dis-
tinguish one muscle from another, and all of  diem from die flesh.  Of
these muscles as I said before,  the yard has two on each  side, and
the use of  them is to erect the yard, and make it stand, and therefore
they are also called erectors.  But here you must note,  that of the
two on each side the one is shorter  and thicker than  die other: and
these are they tliat do erect  the yard, and  so are called erectors.
But the two others being longer and smaller, dieir office is to ilfntie 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
86
the lower part of die Uredira, for making water, and emitting the
seed; upon which account they are called Accelerators.
  5. T'lat which is called the glands is the extreme part of the yard,
which is very soft,and of a most exquisite feeling by reason of the thin-
ness of die skin wherewidi it k covered. This iscovered with Pnepu-
tium, or foreskin, which  in some men cover the top of die yard
quite close, but in others it doth not : which  skin moving up  and
down in die act of copulation, brings pleasure both to man and wo-
man; this outer  skin ia that whi^h thfi Jews  were commanded  to
cut off on die eighth day; this Prseputium,  or  foreskin,  is tied to
the glands by a ligament or bridle, which is called Fi-oenum.
  6.  The last internal part of die yard are die vessels thereof, veins
nerves and arteries.  Of these some pass by the skin, and are visi-
ble to the eye when the  yard stands; others  pass by the inward
part of the yard; the  arteries are wonderfully dispersed through
the body of the yard, much  exceeding the dispersion  of the  veins;
for the right artery is dispersed to the left side, and die left  to  the
right side.   It hadi two nerves, the lesser whereof is bestowed  up-
on the skin,  the  greater  upon the  muscles and  body of the yard.
But this much shall suffice to be said in describing the  parts of gen-
eration in men;  and shall, tiierefore in  the next place, proceed to
describe those of  women,  so  that the  industrious  midwife may
know how to help them in their extremities.
                        SECTION II.
        Describing the Parts of Generation in Women.
  Whatever ignorant persons may imagine, or some good women
think, they are unwilling those private parts which nature has  giv-
en them should be exposed, yet it is in this case absolutely necessary:
for I do positively affirm, that it  is impossible  truly to apprehend
what a midwife  ought  to do,  if  these  parts are not perfectly un-
derstood by  them, nor do  I  know any reason  they have to be
ashamed to see or hear a particular description of what God  and
nature haih given them, since it is not  the having these  parts, but
the unlawful use of them that causes shame.
  To proceed then, in this description more regularly, I shall speak
in order  of these following principal  parts;  1st.  Of die Privy
Passage; 2d. Of die  Womb; 3d. Of the  Testicles, or  Stones;
4th.  Of the Spermatic Vessels.
   1st.  Of  the privy passage.   Under  this bead  I  shall consider
the six following parts.
   1.   The  lips,  which are visible  to  the eye and are designed by
nature as a cover to the Fissura Magna, or great  orifice ; diese
are  framed of the body, and have pretty store of spongy fat ;  and
dieir use is to keep the internal parts  from cold and  dust.  These
are the only tilings that are obvious to the sight, the rest are con-
                            8 
86
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
 eealed, and cannot be seen, unless tbe two lips are stretched asun-
 der, and the entry of the privities opened.
   2.   When die lips are severed, the next thing that appears ia
 the Nymphae or wings; they are  formed of soft and  spongy flesh
 and are in form and color like the comb of a cock.
   3.   In the uppermost parts, just above the urinary passage, may
 be observed the Clitoris, which is a sinewy and hard  body, full of
 spongy and black matter widiin, like the side ligament of the yard;
 representing in form the  yard of a man, and foiling  as a man's
 yard, in proportion to the desire a woman hath in copulation; and
 this also is that which gives a woman  delight in copulation;  for
 without this a woman hath  neither a desire to copulation, and de-
 light in it, nor can conceive by it.   And I have heard  that  some
 women have had their Clitoris so long that they have abused other
 women there widi; nay, some have gone so far as to say, diat those
 persons that have been  reported to be Hermaphrodites, as having
 the genitals both of men and women are only such women in whom
 the Clitoris hangs out externally, resembling the form  of a yard.
 But though I will not be positive in that, yet it  is certain, tbe larg-
 er the Clitoris is in any woman the more lustful  she is.
   4.   Under the Clitoris, and above the neck, appears the Orifice,
 or urinary  passage which is much larger in women than men, and
 causes their water to come from them in a great stream.  On both
 sides the urinary passage may be  seen  two small  membraneous
 appendices, a little broader  above than below, issuing fortii of the
 inward parts of the  great  lips,  immediately under the Clitoris;
 the use whereof is to cover the orifice of the urine, and defend the
 bladder from the  cold air; so that when a  woman  pisseth, she
 contracts herself so, that  slip conducts out the urine without suffer-
 ing it to spread along die privities, and often without even wetting
 the lips;  and therefore these small membraneous wings are  called
 Nympha, because they govern the woman's water.  Some women
 have them so great and long, that they have  been necessitated to
 cut off so much as has exceeded and grew without the lips.
  5.  Near this are four  Caruncles, or fleshy knobs,  commonly
 called Caruncles Myrtiformes:  these are placed  on each side two,
 and a small one above, just under the urinary passage, and  in vir-
 gins are reddish plump and round, but hanging  flagging when vir
 ginity is lost.  In virgins they are joined together by a thin and
 sinewy skin or membrane, which  is called the Hymen, and keeps
them in subjection, aud  makes them resemble  a kind of rose bud
half blown.   This disposition of the Caruncles is the only certain
mark of virginity, it being in vain to search for it elsewhere,  or
hope to be  informed  of it in any other way; and it is from the
 Sressing and bruising the Canmcles, and forcing and breaking the
 ttie membranes (which   is done by the yard  in  the first  act of
«np*uion)  that there happens  an effusion of blood; after  which 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             87

 they remain  separated and never recover tiieir. fust figure, become
 more ami more flat as the auto of copulation are increased; and ia diose
 that have children they are almost totally defaced by reason  of the
 great distention these parts suffer in time of their labor.  Their use
 is to (straighten the neck of die womb to hinder the cold air from in-
 commoding it, and likewise to increase mutual pleasure in the  act
 of coition;  for the Caruncles being  then extremely swelled, and fil-
 led with  blood and spirits, they close with more pleasure upon  the
 yard of a man, whereby the woman is much more delighted. What
 I have said of the effusion of blood which happens in the  first  act
 of copulation, though when it happens it is  an  undoubted sign of
 virginity, shewing the Caruncles Myrtiforms have never been pressed
 till then : yet when there happens no blood, it ie not always  a sign
 that virginity is lost before;  for the hymen  may be broken without
 copulation by the defluxion of sharp humors, which sometimes bap-
 pens to young virgins, because in diem it is tbe thinest.  It is  also
 done by die unskilful applying of bestaries to provoke diecerms, &c.
 But diese things happen so rarely,  that those  virgins  do thereby
 bring themselves under a just suspicion.
   6. There is next to be spoken of the neck of tbe womb which ia
 nothing else but the distance between  the  privy  passage and  the
 inoudi of die  womb, into which the man's yard enters in the act of
 copulation; and tn women of reasonable  stature is abouteigiit  in-
 ches in length.  It ia of a membraneous substance, fleshy without,
 skinny and very much wrinkled within : and that it may both re-
 tain the seed  cast into it in tbe act of copulation, and  also  that it
 may dilate and extend itself  to give sufficient passage to the  infant
 at its birth.  It is composed of two membranes, the innermost of
 them being wliite, nervous  and circularly  wrinkled  much like tbe
 |>alate of an ox that so it might eitfter contract or dilate itself ac-
 cording to the bigness or length of the man's yard and to the  end,
 that by die collision, squeezing, or  pressing made  by the yard  in
 copulation, the pleasure may be mutually augmented.   The external,
or outmost membrane is red and fleshy like the muscle of die Fun-
dament, surrounding tire first, to the end of the yard may be better
closed within it; and it is by means of this membrane that the neck
 adheres the stronger to both  the bladder and the right  gut.   The
 internal  membrane  in young girls  is very  soft and delicate, but in
 women much addicted to copulation it grows harder; and  in those
 diat are grown aged, if they have been given much to venery, it is
almost become grisly.
   7. Having spoken of  the privy passage, I come now to speak of
 the womb or  matrix, its parts  are two j the mouth of the womb
 and the bottom of it.   The mouth is an orifice at the entrance  in-
 to the womb, which may be dilated and shut together like a purse;
 for though in  the act of copulation it is big  enough to  receive  the
 glands of the yard yet after conception it is so  close  shut  that it
^ 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
 will not admit the point of a bodkin to enter ; and yet again at  die
time of a woman's delivery it is opened o« extraordinary  that  the
infant passeth through it into the world;  at  which time  this  ori-
fice wholly disappears, and the womb seems to have but one great
cavity from its bottom to the  verv entrance of die neck.  When a
woman is not with cliild, it is a little oblong, and of a  substance
very thick and close;  but when she is with  child, it  is  shortened,
and  its  thickness diminished!, in proportion  to its distension :  and
therefore it is a mistake  of some anatomists to affirm, that its  sub-
stance waxeth thicker a  little before a woman's labor; for any one's
reason will inform diem that the more distended it is, the tinner it
must be, and  the nearer  a  woman is to the time of her delivery, the
shsrter her womb must be extended.  As to  die  action  by which
this inward orifice of the womb is opened and shut, it is purely nat-
ural  for were it otherwise, there would not be so many bustards got-
ten as there are  ; nor would some married women  have so many
children were it at dieir own choice, but diey would hinder  con-
ception, though they would be willing enough to  use copulation ;
for nature has attended that action widi something pleasing and de-
lightful, that they are willing to indulge themselves  in die use thereof?
notwithstanding  the  pains which they  afterwards endure : and
the hazard of their lives  which  often follow  it:  And  this cornea
to pass not so much from any inordinate lust in women,  as for  that
the great DIRECTOR of nature, for the increase  and multiplication
of mankind, and even for all other species in the elementary  world,
hathplaced such a magnetic virtue in the womb, that it  draws the
seed to  it as the loadstone  draws iron.                           '
   The author of nature has placed the womb in the belly  that  the
heat might always be maintained  by the warmth of die parts sur-
rounding it ;  it  is dierefore seated in the middle of the  Hypogas-
trum (or the  fewer part  of the belly) between the bladder and the
rectum (or right gut) by  which also it is  defended  from  any  hurt
through the hardness ot die bones; and it is placed  in  the lower
part  of the belly for the  conveniency of copulation, and of a birth's
being tliurst out at the foil time.
   It is of figure almost round, inclining somewhat to an oblong, in
part  resembling a pear, for from being broad ar the bottom, it grad-
ually terminates in the point of the orifice, which is narrow.
   The length, breadth and tiiickness of the womb differ according
to the age  and disposition of the body; for,  in virgins  not ripe, it
is very small  in all its dimensions, but in  women  whose terms flow
in great quantities, and such as frequently use copulation, it is much
larger; and if they have had children, it  is larger in them than in
such as  have  none; but in women  of a good  stature,  and well
shaped  (it is as I have said  before) from the entry of the privy
parts to  the  bottom of the  womb,  usually about eight,  but  the
length of the  body of the womb alone does not exceed three  inches, 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             89

 and tin: breadth thereof is nearly about the same, and of the little
 finger, .when die woman is  not pregnant; but when tbe woman is
 with child, it becomes of a prodigious greatness, and die  nearer
 die woman is to her delivery, the more is the womb extended.
   It  is not .without reason  then that nature (or the  God of nature
 rattier) has made die womb of a membraneous   substance;  for
 thereby it does  easier open to conceive,  and is gradually dilated
 from die growth of the Fatus, or young one, and is afterwards
 contracted  and closed again,  to thrust fortli, both h and tbe after
 burden,  and then  to  retire to  its primitive seat.  Hence also it is
 enabled to  expel any noxious humors which may sometimes happen
 to be contained widiin it.
   Before  I have done with the womb, which is the field of genera-
 tion, and ought  therefore to be more  particularly taken care of
 (for as the  seed of plants can produce  no  fruit, nor spring, unless
 sown in ground proper to waken and excite their vegetative virtue,
 so likewise the seed of a man, though potentially containing all the
 parts of a cliild, would never produce so admirable an effect, if it
 were  not cast into the field of nature (the womb) I shall proceed
 to a more  particular  description of die parts thereof, and the uses
 to which nature had designed diem.
  The womb then is  composed of various  similarly parts, that  is
 of membranes, veins, arteries and nerves.   Its membranes are two,
 and  they compose the principal part of its  body; die utmost of
 which arisedi from die Peritonium or cawl, and  is very thin,
 without smooth, but within equal that  it may the better cleave to
 to die womb, as it were fleshy and thicker than any thing else we
 meet with in die body when a woman is not pregnant, and is  inter-
 woven with all sorts of fibres or small  strings, that it may the bet-
 ter suffer die extension of the child  and the waters  caused during
 die pregnancy, and also that it may the easier close again after de-
 livery.
  The veins and arteries proceed both from  die Hypogastrics and
die Spermatic Vessels, of which I shall speak by and by; al these
are inserted and terminated in tfie  proper membrane  of the womb.:
The arteries supply it with blood for its nourishment, which  being
brought thither in too great a quantity, sweats through tbe substance
of it, and  distils as it were dew into the bottom of its cavity, from;
whence do  proceed bodi the terms in   sine  virgins  and the blood
 which nourisheth die embryo in breeding women.    The branches
 which issue from the Spermatic Vessels, are in each side  of the
bottom of the womb, and are much less than those whicli proceed
 from die Hypogastrics, those being greater, and bedewing the whole'
substance of it.  There  are yet some  other  small  vessels,  which
arising, the  one from the other,  are conducted to the internal orifice,
and by these, those that are pregnant do purge away the superfluityt
of their terms, when they happen to have more than is used in the 
 dO             EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.

 nourishment of the infant;  by which means nature has taken such
 care of it in tbe  womb, that during  its pregnancy, it shall not be
 obliged to open itself for the passing  away those excrementious hu-
 mors, which sliould it be forced to do might often endanger abortion.
   As touching  the nerves,  they proceed from the brain*, whicli  fur-
 nishes all the inner parts of the lower belly with them, which is  the
 true reason it hath so great a  sympathy with die stomach, which is
 likewise very considerably furnished from the same part;  so that the
 womb cannot be afflicted with any pain,  but die stomach is  imme-
 diately  sensible  thereof, which  is the cause of those  fondlings or
 frequent vomitings which happen to it.
   But, besides all these parts which compose the  womb, it hath
 four ligaments, whose office is  to keep it firm in its place, and pre-
 vent its constant agitation, by  the continual motion of the intestines
 which surround it, two  of which  are above and two below:  those
 above are called the broad  ligaments, because of their  broad and
 membraneous figure, and are nothing else but the production of the
 Perionaum which growing out of the side of the loins towards the
 reins, come to be inserted in the sides  of the bottom of the womb,
 to hinder the body from bearing too much on the  neck and so from
 suffering a precipitation, as will  sometimos happen when the liga-
 ments are too much relaxed; and do  also contain the testicles, and
 as well conduct the different vessels, as die ejaculators to the womb.
 The lowermost  are called round  ligaments, taking  their original
 from the side of the womb near the horn, from whence they pass  die
 grain,  together with the production of the Peritonttnum,  which
 accompanies  diem through die rings  and holes of die oblique and
 transverse  muscles of the  belly where they divide themselves into
 many little branches, resembling the foot of a goose, of which some
 are inserted into the os pubis, and the rest are  lost and confounded
 with die  membranes that cover the upper and interior parte of  the
 thigh;  and it is diat which causes that numbness which women with
 child feel in their thighs. These two ligaments are long, round and
 nervous, and pretty big  in their beginning, near the matrix, hollow
 in their rise, and  all along to the os  pubis, where they  are a little
 smaller, and  become  flat, the better  to be inserted in the manner
 aforesaid; it is by their means the womb is  hindered from  rising
 too high.  Now, although the womb is held in  its natural situation,
 by means of these four ligaments, yet it has liberty enough to extend
 itself when pregnant, because they are very loose, and so easily yield
 to its distension.   But besides the  ligaments, which keepdie  womb
as it were in a  poise, yet  it is fastened, for greater security, by its
reck, both to die bladder and rectum, between  which it  is situated.
Whence it comes  to pass, tliatif at any time the womb be iinflamed,
 it communicates the inflamatjon to the neighbouring parts.
  Its use or proper action  in  the work of generation, is to receive
 audretaia the seed, and to (educe  it from power to action,  by its 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
91
  heat, for the generation  of the infant, and  is therefore absolutely
  necessary for the conversation of die species.  It also seems by ac-
  cident to  receive and expel  the  impurities of the whole body, as
  when women have abundance of  whites, and to purge away  from
~  time to time the superfluity of blood, as it doth every  month by the
  evacuation of blood, as when a woman  is not with cliild.  And thus
  much shall suffice for the description of the womb,  in which I  have
  been the larger, because,  as I have said before,  it is the field of
  generation.
    3d.  The next thing to be described  in  the genitals of women, is
  the testicles, or stones, for such  women have, as well a3 men, but
  are not for the  same  use, and  indeed  are different from diose in
  men, in several particulars; as 1st, in place,  being within die belly,
  whereas in men they  are without.  2dly, in  figure, being  uneven m
  women, but smooth in men.  3dly,  in magnitude, being lesser in
  women than in men.  4dily, they  are not fixed  in  women by uius-
  clos, but by ligatures.   5thly, they have no prostrates or kernels, aj
  men have.  6dily, they differ  in  form, being depressed or flattish
  in women, but oval in men.   7thly, they have but one skin, whereas
  men have four: for the stones of  men being more  exposed, nature
  b-is provided for them accordingly.  8lhly, their substance is more
  soft than in men.   And,  9thly, their  temperature  is colder  than
  men.  And as they differ in all these respects, 3q they d» in  then-
  use, for they perform not the same action as  men's, as I shall shew
  presently.   As  for their seed, it is in the hollowness of the abdo-
  men, and  therefore not extremely pendulous,  but rest upon the ova
  or egg.  It is true Galen and Hippocrates did erroneously imagine
  that the stones  in women did  both  contain and elaborate seed as
  those do  in men, but  it is a great mistake;  for the testicles of
 women are as  it were no more than two clusters  of eggs, which
 lio there to bo impregnated by die moist, spiritous particles, or ani-
 mating effluvia conveyed out of the worn!) through the two tubes, or
 different vessels.  But,  however,  the stones  in women  are  very
 useful, for  where they are defective, generation  work is at an end.
 For though these little blidders, which are on their  superfices,  con-
 tain nothing of seed, yet they contain several eggs, resembling die
 eggs of birds, (commonly to the number of twenty in each testicle)
 one of which being impregnated  in the act of coition,  by the most
 spiritous |iart of the seed of the man, descends through the oviducts
 into  the  womb, and  there,  in process of time, becomes a living
 child.
   4th.  I  am  now to speak  of die  spermatic vessels in  women,
 which arc two,  and are fastened in their  wbele extent by a mem-
braneous appendix to the broad ligament of die womb.  These do
 not proceed from the testicles as in men, but  are distant from them
 a finger s breadth at least; and being disposed after the manner of
 die  miseraic veins,  are trained along  the membraneous distance 
92
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
 between the different vessels and the testicles.  Their substance is
 as it were nervous and moderately  hard;  they are  round,  hollow,
 big, and broad enough at tiieir end, joining to the horn of the womb.
 Some authors affirm, that by these, women discharge their seed in-
 to the bottom of the womb; but the  whole current of our modern
 authors  run  quite another  way, and are positive that there is no
 seed at  all in their vessels; but that after  the egg or eggs in the
 avoric or testicles are impregnated by the seed of the man,  diey
 descend  through these two  vessels into  the  womb, where being
 placed,  the  embryo  is nourished.  These vessels  are  shorter in
 women than they arc in men; for the stones of a woman lying with-
 in the belly, their passage must needs be shorter;  but their various
 wreathing and windings in and out, make amends for die shortness
 of their passage.  The vessels are not united before they come to the
 stones, but divide tiiemselves into two branches, the largest whereof
 only passes through Uie testicles, the  lesser to  the womb, both for
 the nourishment of itself  and the infant in it.  I furtlier observe,
 diat these  spermatic  veins  receive the arteries as they pass by the
 womb, and so diere is a  mixture between natural  and vital blood,
 that so tile work might be better wrought, and that it is bo, appears
 by this.  That if you blow up the spermatic vein, you may perceive
 the right and left vessel of the womb blown by; from whence also
 die communication of all the vessels of the womb  may be easily
 perceived.
   The deferentia or carrying vessels,  spring from the lower  part
 of the  testicles, and are  in  color white, and in substance sinewy,
 and  pass not  the womb straight, but wreathed with several turnings
 and  windings, as was said of the spermatic vessels, that so the
 shortness of the way may be  likewise  recompensed  by their wind-
 ing meanders; yet near the woinb they become broad again.  They
 proceed  in two parts from die womb,  which resemble horns,  and
 are therefore  called die corns of the womb.  And this is all that is
 needful to be known or treated of concerning  the parts of generation
 both in men and women.
  Only since  our modern  anatomists aud physicians are of different
 sentiments  from the ancients,  touching the woman's contributing
 of seed,  for the formation of the child  as well as the man; the an-
 cients strongly affirming it, but our modern  authors being generally
 of another judgment; I will here declare  die several reasons for
 dieir opinions, and so pass on.
                        Section III.
 Of the differences between the modern Physicians touching the
   Woman's  contributing seed to  the formation of the child.
  I will  not make myself a jrarty in this controversy,  but set down
 impartially, yet briefly,  die arguments on each side,  leaving the
judicious reader to judge for himself.
  Though it  is apparent (say the ancients) that the seed of man is 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
93
 the principal efficient and beginning of action, motion and genera-
 tion, yet it is evident that the woman doth afford seed, because she
 hath seminal vessels,  which else had been given her in vain; but
 since  nature forms  nothing  hi  vain,  it must be granted they were
 made for the use of  seed and procreation, and fixed in dieir proper
 places, to contribute virtue and efficacy to the seed.  And this (say
 they)  is  fordier proved from hence.  That if women, at years of
 maturity, use not copulation to object their seed, they often fall into
 strange diseases, and  it is  apparent that women are never better
 pleased than when  they are often satisfied  this way, which argues
 the pleasure and delight they take diere ; which pleasurj, say they,
 is double  in women to what it is  in men ; for, as the delight of men
 in copulation, consists chiefly, in the emission of  die  seed* so wo-
 men are delighted both in the emission of their own, and the  re-
 ception of the man's.
   But against all this our modern audiors affirm,  that the ancients
 wei« very eroneous, Forasmuch as the testicles in  women do  aot
 afford seed, but are two egg3, like diose of fowls, and odier crea-
 tures neither have they any such offices as men, but indeed  are an
 Ovarium, or receptacles for eggs, wherein these eggs  are nourished
 by die sanguinary vessels dispersed through them;  and from thence
 one or more fecundated by the man's seed, are conveyed into  the
 womb by the oviducts.   And the truth of this, say diey,  is   plain,
 that if you boil them their liquor will have the  same  taste  color,
 and consistency, widi die taste of  bird's eggs.—And if it be objec-
 ted, that they liave no shells, the  answer is   easy ; for  die eggs of-
 fowls, while they are in the ovary,  nay, after they  are fallen  into
 uteras, have no shell; and though they have one when they are laid
 yet it is no more than a fence which nature has provided for them
 against outward injuries, they being hatched without the body ;  but
 those of women being batched within die body, have no need of  a-
 ny other fence than the womb to secure them.
  They also further  say, there are in the generation of die Foetus, or
young ones, two principles, active, and passive ; the active  is  the
man's seed, elaborated in the testicles, out of the arterial  blood and
animal spirits ; the passive principle is the ovum or   egg, impreg-
 nated by die man's seed ;  to say that women  have true  seed,  say
 they, is  erroneous.   But the manner  of conceptien  is diis ; The
spiritcous part of men's seed, in die act  of copulation, reaching up
 die ovarium or testicles of tne woman, which contain diverse eggs,
sometimes more and sometimes fewer,  impregnates of them,  which
being conveyed by the ovaducts to  the  bottom of  the  womb, pres-
ently begins to swell bigger and bigger and drinks in the moisture
 diat  is-sent thither after the same  man.icr  that die  seeds in  the
 'round suck the fertile moisture thereof to make them sprout.
  But notwithstanding wliat is here  urged by our  modern  anato--
 niste, there are  some late writers of the opinion of die aecients,. 
 91              EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

 vi/.. thai women have both and emit seed, in the  act of copulation,
 mid the good  women  themselves take  it ill to be thought merely
 passive in those wars, wherein they make ssufh vigorous encounters,
 and positively affirm, they are sensible of the emission of their seed
 in those engagements, and tliat a great part of the delight they take
 in that act consists in it.  I will not therefore go about to take any
 of tiieir happiness away from them, but  leave them in possession of
 their imagined  felicity.
   Having thus laid the  foundation of this work in the description
 I have give.i of die parts dedicated to the  work of generation both
 in man and woman, I will now proceed to speak of conception and
 of those things  that are necessary to be*observed by women  from the
 time of tiieir conception to the time of their delivery.
                            CHAP.  III.
 Of  conception ; what  it is;  the  signs thereof, whether  con-
   crioed of amah or female ; how women  are to order them-
   selves after  conception.
                         SECTION I.
 What conception is,  and  the qual\ficationt requisite  thereto.
   Conception is  nothing else but an action of the womb, by which
 the prolific seed  is  received  and retained,  that  an infant  may
 be   engendered and  formed  out  of  it.    There  are  two sorts
 of conception;  the one  according to nature, which  is followed by
 die generation  of the infant  in  the womb; the other  is false,  and
 wholly against  nature in which  die  seed changes into water,  and
 produces  only  false  conception,  moles or other strange  matter.
 Now diere  are three odier things principally necessary m  order to
 true conception, so that generation may follow; to wit, diversity of
 sex, congression, and emission of seed.  Without diversity of sexes
 there can be no conception;  for  diough some will have a woman to
 be an animal  that can engender of  herself, it is a great mistake;
 there can be no conception without a man to discharge his seed  into
 her womb.   What they  alledge of pullets laying eggs, without  a
 cock's  treading them is nothing to die purpose; for those eggs,
 should they bo set under a hen, will never become chickens, because
 they never received any  prolific virtue, from die male which is abso-
 lutely necessary to this purpose, and is sufficient to convince us  that
 diversity of  sex is necessary even to those animals as well as to the
 generation of man.  But diversity of sex, though k be necessary to
 conception, yet it will not do alone; diere must also be a congression
 of those different  sexes; for  diversity of sex would  profit  little, if
 copulation did not follow.  I confess  I have heard of some subtle
women, who to cover dieir sin and shame have endeavored to per-
suade some persons that they were never touched by men to get them
 widi cliild;  and that one in particular  pretended to conceive, by
going iuto a bath where a man  had washed himself a little before, and
scent his  seed in  it, which was drawn and sacked into her womb 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
95
as she pretended.   But such  stories as those are only fit to amuse
them that k-iow no better.   Now that these different sexes should
be obliged to come to the touch, which we call copulation cr coition,
besides,  the natural  desire of begetting their like,  whicli  stirs up
men and  women to  it, the  parts appointed for generation are  en-
dowed-by nature with a delightful and mutual itch, which begets in
them desire  to the action; without which, it would novbe very easy
for man born for the contemplation of cliv iue mysteries to join him-
self by way  of coition to a woman, in regard of the  iincleanness of
the part and of the action;  and on the other side, if women did but
think of those pains and  inconvciiiencies to which they are subjccJ
by dieir great bellies, and those  hazards even of life itself, besides
the unavoidable pains that attend their delivery, it is reasonsble to
believe diey  would lie affrighted from it.  But neither sex make these
reflections till after the action is over, consideringnodiing beforehand
but the  pleasure of enjoyment.   So diat it is from diis voluptuous
itch that  nature  obligetli  both  sexes  to diis  congression.   Upon
which ^lie third thing followeth of course, to wit, die emission of
seed into die womb in the act of copulation. For die woman having
received this prolific seed into her womb, and  retained it there  the
womb  thereupon  becomes compressed, and embraces the  seed so
closely diat being closed, the point of a needle (as saith Hippocrates)
cannot enter it without violence; and  now die woman may be said
to have conceived; die  several  faculties which arc  in the seed it
contains, being reduced by its heat from power  into action, making
use of the spirits  widi which the seed abounds, and  which are the
instruments by which it begins to trace out the first line&iuents of all
the parts; to which afterwards,  of making use of die menstruous
blood flowing to it, it gives in time growth and final perfection. And
thus much shall suffice to shew  what conception is.   I shall now
proceed to shew,
                        Section II.
                   The signs of Conception.
  There  tire  many  prognostics or signs of conception ; I will
name some of  the chief, whicli  are most certain, and let alone  the
rest.
  1.  If  a woman has been more than ordinary desirous  of cop-
ulation, and hath taken more  pleasure than usual therein, (which
upon recollection  she  may easily  know,)  it  is  a   sign of con-
ception.
  2.  If she retain the seed in her womb after copulation, which  she
may know if she peiceives not  to flow down from die  womb,  as it
u.-eil to do before, for that is a sure sign the womb has recieved it
into tne inward orifice, and  there retains it.
  3.  If she finds a coldness and dullness after copulation it shews
the heat is retired to make  conception. 
96              EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

  4   If after this she begins to have loathings  to  those  things
which she loved before, and this attended with a loss of appetite, and
a desire after meats, to which she was not affected before, and  hath
often nauseatings and vomitings witlrsour belchings and   exceeding
weakness of stomach.
  5.  After conception the belly waxeth very flat, liecause the womb
closeth itself together, to nourish and cherish  die  seed,  contracting
itself so as to leave no empty space.
  6.  If the veins of  the breast are more clearly seen  dian  they
were wont to be, it is a sign  of conception.
  7.  So  it is, if die tops of die nipples looks redder than form-
erly, and   die breasts  begin  to  swell, and grow  harder   than
usual,  especialy if diis be attended  with pain and soreness.
  S.  If a woman hath  twisting  and griping  pain,  much  like
'those of the cramp in the belly, and about the navel, it is a sign she
has conceived.
  9.  If under the  lower eye-lid the veins be swelled,  and appear
clearly, and the eye something  discolored,  it is a  certain sign site
ia with child unless she have her menses at the same time upon her, or
diat she hath sat up  die  night  before.   This sign has  never fail-
ed.
  10.  Some also make this  trial of conception:  they stop  the
woman's urine in a glass or phial for three days, and  dien strain it
through a linen cloth, and if they find small  living creatures in  it,
they conclude diat the woman has certainly  conceived.
   11.  There is also another easy trial: let the woman that  sup-
poses she has conceived, take a green nettle,  and put  it  into her  u-
rine, cover it close, and let it remain  therein  a whole night ;  if the
woman be with child, it will be full of red spots on die morrow;
but if she be not with child it will be blackish.
   12.  The last sign I shall mention is that  which  is   most obvi-
ous to every woman, which is the suppression of  the terms.  For
after conception, nature mokes use of that blood  (for the  accom-
plishing of her work,) by its nourishing the embryo,  which before
was ca3t out by nature because it was too great in quantity.  For
it is an error to think that the menstrul Wood, simply in itself con-
sidered, is bad;  because if a woman's body be in good  temper,
the blood must needs be good;  and that it is  voided monthly, is be-
cause it offends in quantity, but not  in quality.
i But though the suppression of the terms is generally a sure sign
of conception to such persons as have had them orderly  before, yet
it is not the having them always a sign  there is  no  conception.
Forasmuch as many diat have  been with  child  have had  their
terms, and s^ome even till the fifth or sixth month ;  which happens
according  to the woman's being more or  less  sanguine; for  if  a
woman lias more blood  than will suffice for  die nourishment of the
embryo, nature  continues  to avoid it in the usual way.   Whence 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             97
tbe Experienced midwife may learn there are a few general rules
whicli do not sometimes admit  of an  exception.   But diis  shall
suffice to be spoken of the signs and  prognostics of conception.
                        Section III.
         Whether conception be of a Male or Female.
   Audiors give us several prognostics  of this; though they are not
all to be trusted, yet there is some truth among them ;  The  signs
of a male child conceived are,
   1.  When a woman atjier rising up is more apt to  stay herself
upon her right Iiand than left.
   2.  Her belly lies  rounder and higher than when  she  has con-
ceived of a female.
   3.  She first feels  the child to beat on her right side.
   4.  She carries her burden more liglrt, and with  less pain than
when it is a female.
   5.  Her right nipple is redder than the left and her right breast
harder and more plump.
   6.  Her color is more clear,  nor is  she so swarthy as when she
has conceived a female.
   7.  Observe a circle under her eye, which is a pale and  bluish
color ; and if that under her rigid eye be most apparent; and most
discolored, she hath  conceived a son.
   8.  If she would know whether she hadi conceived a son or a
daughter, let her milk a drop of her milk into a bason of fair wa-
ter ;  if it spreads and  swims at top, it  certainly  is a boy;  but
if it is round us it drops in, and sinks to the  bottom, it is a girl.
This last is an  infal'ible  rule.    And in all it is to be noted, that
what is a sign  of male  conception, die contrary  holds good of a
female.
                        Section IV.
    How a woman  ought to order herself after conception.
   My design in this treatise being brevity,  I ohall pretermit all tnat
others say of die causes of twins ; and whether there be any such
thing as superfbatations, or a second conception in women, which is
yet common enough, when I come to  shew yog how the midwife
ought to proceed in the delivery  of those women that are  pregnant
with diem.   But having already spoken of conception,  I think  it
now necessary  to shew how such as have conceived ought to  order
themselves during their pregnancy, but diey may avoid those incon-
veniencies which often endanger the  life of  die child,  and many
times their own.
   A woman after her conception, during the time of her being with
child, ought to be looked on as indisposed or sick diough in good
health: for cliild  bearing is u kind of nine month's sickness, being
all that time in expectation of many inconveniencies, which such a
situation usually causes to those that  are not well governed   during
 that time and  therefore ought to resemble a good  oilot who, when
                             Q 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
sailing in a rough  sea and full of rocks,  avoids and  shuns die dan-
ger if he steers  with prudence; but if no;, it is  a thousand to ono
but he suffers shipwreck.   In like manner, a worn.in with child is
often in danger of miscarrying and losing her life, if  she is not care-
ful to prevent those accidents to which she is subjec  all the time of
her  pregnancy; all whicli time her  care must be   double, first of
herself, and secondly, of the child she goes with, for otherwise a
single error may produce a double  mischief;  for   if she  receives
any prejudice, her child also suffers with her.
   Let a woman therefore, after conieptinn, observe a good diet, sui-
table tn her temperament, custom, condition and quality; and  if she
can let the air where  she ordinarily dwells be clear and well temper-
ed free from extremes, either of heat or cold; for being too hol^ it
diesipatcth   the spirits-  loo much, and  causelh many weaknesses,
and by being  too  cold and foggy, it may bring down  rheums, and
distillations on the lungs, and so cause her  to cough, which  by its
impetuous  motions forcing  downwasds,  may  make her miscarry.
She ought also to avoid all nauseous and filthy smells; for sometimes
the stink of a cardie not well put out may cause her to come be-
fore her time: and I have kuown the smell of charcoal to have the
Same effect.   Let her also avoid smelling of rue, mint, pennyroyal,
castor, brimstone, &c.
   But with respoct to her diet, women with child have generally so
great loathings, and so  many different longings, that it is very diffi-
cult to prescribe an exact diet for them.   Only this  I  think advisa-
 ble, that they may use of those  meats  and drinks which  arc to
 thein most desirable,  though perhaps not in diemsetves so wholesome
 as some others, and it may not be so pleasant;  but this liberty must
 be made use of widi  this caution, that what she so desires be not in
 itself  absolutely  unwholesome;  and also that in every tiling they
 take care of excess.  But if a child-liearirg  woman finds herself
 not troubled with  such longings as we liave spoken of, and in such
 quantity as may be sufficient for herself and the child which her ap-
 petite may  in a great measure  regulate; for it is  alike hurtful for
 her to fast too long, as to cat too much, and therefore rather eat too
 little  and  often,  especially let her avoid eating too  much at night;
 because die stomach, being too much filled, compresseth the dia-
 phragm, and thereby cantes difficulty  of breathings.  Let her meat
 be easy of  decoction, such as the tenderest  parte of beef, mutton,
 veal, sows, pullets, capons, pigeons  and patridges,  either  boiled or
 roasted, as she likes best: new  laid eggs are also very good for her;
 and let her put hito  her broths  those herbs that purify it, as sorrel
 lettuce, succory and burrage;  for they will purge  and purify the
 blood;  let her avoid whatsoever is  hot  seasoned especially pies and
 baked meats, which  being of hot digestion overcharge the stomach.
 If she desires fish, let it be fresh, and such as is taken out of rivers
 and running  streams.   Let  her  eat  quinces, or marmalade to 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
99
strengthen  her child; for which  purpose sweet  almonds, lio.iey,
sweet apples, and full  ripe  grapes are also good.   Let her abstain
from  all sharp, sour, bitter, salt things, and all things dial tend to
provoke the terms, such as garlic, onions, olives,  mustard,  fennel,
with pepper, of allspices, except cinnamon, which in the last three
months is good for  her.   If at first her diet be sparing as  she in-
creases in bigness, let her diet be increased, for she ought to consider
she has a child as well as herself to nourish.   Let  her be  moderate
in her drinking;  and  if she  drinks  wine,  let it be rather claret
than wliite, (which  will  breed good blood, help the digestion, and
comfort the stomach  which is always weakly  during her pregnancy)
but white wine being diuretic, or  that which  provokes  urine ought
to be iivoided.  Let her have a care of too much exercise, and let
licur avoid dancing, riding in a coach, or whatever else puts  the body
into violent motion,  especially in her first month.   But to be more
particular I shall  here set down rules proper for every month for the
child-bearing woman to order herself, from the time she  Iia3 first
conceived to the time of her delivery.
                Rules for the first two montlts
  As soon  as a woman  knows or has  reason to  believe, she has
conceived, she  ought-..o abstain from all violent motion or  exercise,
whedier in walking, riding on horseback or  in  a  coach.   Let her
also abstain from venery, to which after conception, she has usually
no great inclination,  lest there be a mole or superfoetation;  which is
the adding of one embryo to anodier.  Let her beware  she  lift not
her arms too high, nor  carry great burdens,  nor repose herself on
hard and  uneasy seats.   Let her use  moderately meats  of good
juice and easy concoction, and let wine be neidier  too strong nor too
sharp, but a  little mingled with water  ; or if she be very   abstemi-
ous,  she may use water  wherein cinnamon is boiled.  Let heravoid
fastings, thirst, watching, mourning, sadness, anger,  and  all otiier
pertubations of die  mind.   Let none present any strange or  un-
wholesome  diings   to her, not  so much  as name   it,  and   so
either cause her to miscarry,  or die cliild have some  deformity  on
that account.   Keep her belly loose with prunes raisins, or manna
in her broth ;  and let her use  die following electuary  to  strengthen
die  womb and the child.
   Take conserve of burage,  burloss, and red  roses, two ounces
each; balm citron peel, and mirohalans candied,  each an  ounce:
extract of wood aloes a scruple ; pearl  prepared  half a dram, red
coral, ivory, each a dram ; precious stones each  a  scruple ; can-
died nutmegii two drains;  and widi syrup  of apples and quinces
make an electuary.
                 Let her use  the following  Rules.
   Take pearls prepared a drain ; red  coral  prepared and ivory
each half a dram, precious stones,  each a scruple ; yellow  citron
 peels, mace, cinnamon, cloves, each half  a dram,  saffron a scruple, 
100
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
wood aloes half a scruple ; ambergrease  six  drains, and  with six
Dunces of sugar, dissolved in rose water,  make rouls.   Let her  also
apply strengtheners to die navel, of nutmegs,  mace,  mastic,  made
up in  bigs, or a toast dipped in malmsey, sprinkled in  powder of
mint.  If she happens   to desire clay, chalk, or coal (as many wo-
men with child  do) give her beans boiled with sugar ; and if she
long for any thing which she cannot obtain let  her presently drink
a  large draught of pure cold water.
                 Rules for the third Month.
   In this mondi and the next, be sure to  keep from  bleeding : for
though it may be safe at other limes, it will not be so untill the end
of the fourth month : and yet if too much blood abound,  or some
incident  disease happen, whicli  requires evacuation, you may use  a
cupping  glass, widi scarification, and a little may be drawn  from
the shoulders and arms especially if she  has  been  accustomed to
bleed.  Let her take care of lacing herself too straightly but  give
herself more  liberty than she used to  do ;  for, enclosing her belly in
too straight a mould, she hinders  the  infant from  taking its  free
growth,  and often makes it come before its time.
                  Rules for the fourth Month.
   In this  month you ought  also to keep the child  bearing women
from  bleeding,   unless   in  extraordinary cases ; but   when this
mondi is passed, blood letting and  physic may be permitted, if  it
be gentle and mild ; and perhaps it  may  be necessary to prevent
abortion, in  this month  she  may purge in acute  diseases ; but pur'
ging may be  only  used from the beginning of diis month to the end
of the sixth ; but let her take care that in purging she uses no \e-
hement medicine, nor very bitter, as aloes, which is  an  enemy to
the cliild, and opens the mouth of the vessels ; neither  let  her use
coloquintia scamony, nor  turbith ;  she may  use  cassia, manna,
rhubarb,  agaric, and senna diacidonium, purgans is the best  with
little of the electuary of the juice of roses.
       Rules for the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Months.
   In those months child bearing women  are often  troubled  with
coughs, heart beating, fainting, and  watching, pains in  the  loins,
hips, and bleeding.   The  cough is from a sharp vapour that  comes
to the jaws and rough artery from the terms, or  from   the   thin
partof that blood gotten into the veins of the  breast,  or  fallen  from
the head  to the  breast, this  endangers abortion,  and strength  fails
from watching,   therefore purge the  humours that fall  from  the
breast with rhubarb and agaric, and strengthening die head  as   in a
catarrh, and give sweet  lenitives  as in a cough.  Palpitation   and
feinting arise irom a vapour that go to it by the arteries  or  from
blood  that  aboundctii, and cannot get  out at the womb, but ascends
and oppress the heart; and in this case, cordials should lie used bodi
'mrardly and outwardly.   Watching is  from sharp, dry'vapour*
that trouble die spirits ;  in this case   use friction*,  and  let   tim 
               EXPERIEN CED MIDWIFE              101

woman wash her feet at bed time, and let her tame syrup of popies,
dried roses emulsions of sweet almond and popy seeds.  If she be
troubled with pains in her loins and hips, as in these mondis she is
subject to  be from die weight of her child, who is now  grown  big
and heavy, and so strengthen die ligaments of die womb, and  parts
adjacent, let lier hold it up  with swatiiing bands about  her neck.
About  this time also  die woman often  happens to have a  flux of
blood, either at the nose, womb, or  hemorrhoids,  from  plenty of
blood, or  from the weakness of the child diat takes it not  in,  or
else from evil humours  in the blood,  that <ttirs up nature to  send it
forth.  And sometimes it  happens that die  vessels of the  womb
may be broken, eidier by some violent motion, full cough or  trouble
of mind, (for any of these will work that effect) and this is go  dan
gerous, that  in such a case the child cr.nnot  be well ;  but if it  be
from blood only, the danger is no less, provided it flows by the veins
of the neek of the womb, for then it prevents plethory, and takes a
way the nourishment of the child ; but  it proceeds from the weak-
less of die child that draws k not, abortion of die child  often  fol-
lows, or liard travail, or  else she goes beyond her time.  But  if it
(lows by the inward veins of her womb there in more danger by the
openness of die womb if it comes from evil blood ; the danger is
alike from  cacochimy,  whi-,h  is  like to  fall upon bodi.   If it a-
rises from plethory, open a vein, but withgreat caution, and give
her astringents such  as the following.  "Take  pearl  prepared a
scruple ;  red coral two  scruples, mace,  nutmegs,  each a dram,
cinnamon, half a dram ; make a powder, or with  sugar  rouls  ;"
or, give this powder in broth ;  " Take red coral a dram ; precious
stones half a scruple; rod sounders half a dram ; sealed earth and
tormentil roots, each two scruples widi  sugar of roses and mania
Christi, widi pearl five drams, make a  powder.  You  may  also
strengthen the  cliild at die navel; and if there be a cacochim, alter
die humours, and evacuate, if you may do it safely ; you may like-
wise use amulets on her nands  and  about  her neck.   In a  flux  of
hemorrhoids, let  her drink hot  wine with a  toasted nutmeg.  In
these months the belly  is  also  subject to lie  bound ; but  if it be
withoutany apparent disease, the  broth of a chicken, or  of veal
sodden with oil, or with the decoction  of  mallows, mercury  and
 linseed put up in a clyster will not be amiss, but  in less quantity
 than is given m other cases ; to wit  of the decoction  five  ounces
 of common oil, three ounces of sugar, two  ounces of cassia, fistula,
 one ounce.   But if she will not take a clyster one or  two  yolks of
 new laid eggs; or a few peas pottage warm with a  little salt and
 sugar supped a  little before meat  will   be  very  convenient.
 But if her belly shall be distended and stretched out  with  wind a
 a little fennel seed and anhiseed reduced into powder  and  mingled
 with honey and sugar made after the manner of an electuary will do
 verv well.  Abo if the thighs and feet swell let them be annointed 
102            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
with oxphrcdium (whicli is a liquid medioine  made  with vinegar
and rose water) mingled with a little salt.
                Rules for the Eighth  Month.
   The eighth is commonly the most  dangerous and therefore the
greatest care and caution ought to be used ;  and her diet ought to
be better  in quality,  but not more,  nor  indeed  so much in quanti-
tity as before;  but as she must  abate her diet, so  she must  in-
crease her exercise.   And because then women with child, by  rea-
son of the sharp humours, after the belly, are accustomed to weaken
their spirits and strength, they may well take before meat an  elec-
tuary of diarrhodan or aromaticum, restium  or  diamargarton  and
as diey will loathe and nauseate tiieir meat, they may  take green
ginger condited with sugar, or the  rinds of citrons and oranges
condited ; and often use honey for the strengdiensng of the infant.
When she is not far from her labor, let ber use  every   day  seven
roasted figs before meat mid sometimes lick  a little honey but let
her beware of salt and powder meat, for it is  neither good for her
nor her child.
                  Rules for the Ninth Month.
   In the nindi month, let her have a care of lifting any great weight;
but let her move a little more to dilate  the  parts, and stir up the
natural heat.  Let her take heed of stooping, neither sit too much
nor lie on  her sides;  neither ought she to bend herself  much, lest
the cliild be unfolded in the umbilical ligament, by which means it
often perishes.  Let her walk and stir often, and let ber  exercise
be rather to go upwards than  downwards ;  let her diet now espec-
ciallX be light and  easy of digestion  ;  as damask, prunes with sugai
or figs, and raisins, before her meat, as aho  die yolk of eggs, flesh
and broth of chickens, birds, partriges, and pheasants; astringent
and roasted meats, with  rice and hard eggs, millet, and such like
other diings are proper ;  baths of sweet water with emolient herbs,
ought to be lined by her  this  mondi without  intermission.  And
after the bath let her beily be annointed wild the oil of roses and vi-
olets ; but for her privy parts, it is fitter to annoint them  with the
fat of hens, geese, or  ducks, or with oil of lillies, and   the decoc-
tion of linseed nndpeiiugrcck, boiled with oil of linseed  and marsh-
mallows, or widi the following  liniment.
   " Take of mallow sand marshmallows, cut and shred, of each an
ounce;  of linseed one ounce;  let them be  boiled  from twenty  oun-
ces of water to  ten ;  then let her take three ounces of boiled brotf
of oil of almonds, and oil of flourdeluce, of each  one  ounce ;  of
deci suet three  ounces ; let her bathe with this, and annoint her-
eslf w'"Ji it warm."
   If for fourteen days before the birth she  do   every  night  am"
morning bathe and moisten her belly with muscadel and  lavender
water the   cnild will be much strengthened thereby.   And if  every
dav she eat toasted bread, it will kmder  any thing  from  growing 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
103
to the child.  Her privy parts may be also gently stroaked down
with formentation.
  "Take 3 ounces of linseed; of mallows and marshroallows sliced,
of each one  handful;  let them be put into a bag and boiled imme-
diately ;  and let the woman with child every morning and evening
take die vapor of this decoction in a hollow stool, taking great heed
that no wind nor air come to her in any part, and let her wipe  the
part so anointed with a linen  cloth diat she may anoint the belly and
groins as at first.   When she is come so  near lier time  as to be
within  ten  or fourteen days thereof if she begins to  feel any more
than ordinary pain let her use every day the  following.
  Take mallows and murshmallows of each one  handful; camomile,
herd, mercury, maiden hair, of each one handful; of linseed four
ounces: let them be boiled  in such  a sufficient  quantity of water as
may make  a broth therewith.   But let her not  sit too hot upon  die
seat nor higher than a little above her navel; nor let her sit on it
longer than above half an l>our lest  her strength  languish and decay,
font is better to use it often than to stay too  long in it.   And thus
I have shewn how a child-bearing woman ought  to govern herself in
each mondi during her pregnancy.   How she must order herself at
her delivery shall be shown in anodier chapter after I have first shewn
the industrious Midwife  how the child is formed in the womb and
die manner of it* decumbiture there.
                       CHAPTER I.
Of the parts proper for the Child  in  the Womb: how it u
    formed there, and the manner of its  situation therein.
  In the lost chipter 1 shewed  what conception was, how- ccom-
plished, its signs, and how  she who hath conceived ought to order
herself during die time of her pregnancy.   Now before I speak of
her delivervi't is necessary tnat the midwife be first acquainted with
die parts proper to a child in the womb, and also how it is formed
and  the manner of its situation and decumbiture diere; widiout  the
knowledge of which, no one can tell how to deliver a woman as  she
ought.   This therefore shall be die  work of this chapter.   I shall
begin vidi die first of these.
                        SECTION  I.
          Of the parts proper to a child in the womb.
  In this section I  must first  tell you what I  mean by the parts
proper to a child in the  womb, and  diey arc only diose diat either
help or nourish it,  whilst  it is  lodged in diat  dark  repository  of
nature, and that help to clothe  and defend it there, and are cast a-
way as of no more use after it is born, and these are  two, viz.  the
uinbllicum,  or navel  vessels, and the secundem;  by die first it is
nourished, and bv  the necond clothed and defended from wrong.   Of
each of these 1 shall speak distinctly, and first,
             Of the Umbilicum or  navel vessels.
  These are four  in number, vis. one  vein, two arteries,  and the 
104
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
vessel which is called urachos.  1. The vein is that  by which tin
infant is nourished, from die time of its  conception ti die lime of
its delivery, till  being brought into (lio light of this  world it has
the same way of concocting its food that we have.  This"ciu art-
scth from the liver of the child, and is  divided into two pails when
it liath passed  the  navel;  anddiese two are again divided, and sub-
divide J, the branches  being upheld by the skin called chorion (of
which I shall speak  by and by) and  are joined to the veins of tlie
uinitier's womb, from thence  they have  tiieir biood for the nourish-
ment of the  child.   2.  The arteries ore two on each side,  which
proceed from the back branches of the great artery of the mother:
and the vital blood is carried by these to the child, being ready con-
cocted by die  mother.  3. A nervous >r sinewy  production  is led
from tho bottom of dw bladder of the infant to die navel, and this is
called  machos; and its  use is to  convey the  urine of the  infant
from the bladder  to the alantois.  Anatomists do  very mueh vary
in their opinions concerning diis; some den zing  any such thing to
be in die delivery  of women, and  others affirming it;  but experi-
ence testifies there is such a thing.  For Bartholomew Cabrolios,
the ordinary doctor of anatomy  to  the college of  physicians at
Montpelier in  Franco, records die history of a maid whose water be-
ing a long time stopped, at last issued out through  her navel; and
Johannes Fernelius speaks of  the same thing  that  happened to a
man of thirty years of age, who having a stoppage in the neck of
die bladder his urine issued out of his navel many months  together,
without any prejudice at all to  his health, which he ascribes to the
ill lyiug of his navel, whereby the urachos was not well dried.  And
Volcliiei Coitas, quotes another such in a maid of thirty four years,
at Niiremburg in Germany.  There  instances, though they hap|)en
but seldom, are  sufficient to prove  diat there is such a thing as an
urachos in men.   These  four vessels before  mentioned,  viz. one
vein, two arteries, and the urachos do join near to the navel, and
are united by a skin which they have  from the chorion, and so be-
come like a gut rope, and are altogether  void of sense; and this is
that which the good women call the navel string.  The  vessels are
thus joined together, diat so they may  neither be broken, severed
nor entangled: and  when the infant is born, are of no use, save only
to make up the  ligament, which stop*  the whole of the  navel and
some  other physical use, &c.
                Of the secundine or after birth.
   Setting aside the name given to  this, by die Greeks and Latins,
it is called in English by  the name of Secundine.  After  birth and
after bnrden, which are held to be  four  in number.
   1. The first is called Placenta, because it resembles the form of
a cake, '»nd is knit both to the navel and chorion  and  makes up the
greatest part of  the  secundine or  after birtll.  The  flesh of it is
like that of tlie milt, or spleen, soft,  red, and tending sometiiing te 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
10S
blackness,  and hath many small veins  and arteries in it; and cer-
tainly the chief use of it is for containing the cliild in die womb.
>  2. The second is the  Chorion.  This skin,  and that  called the
Amnios, involve the cliild rouad, both above and underneath,  and
on both  sides, whicli  the Alantcis doth not.   This  skin  is that
which is most commonly called tbe secundine,'' as it is thick and
white, giirnished with many small veins and arteries,  ending in the
Placenta, before named,  being very light and  slippery.  Its use is
not only to cover the child round about, but also to receive and safe-
ly bind up the roots and die veins and arteries, or navel vessels  be-
fore described.
  8. The third thing which makes up the secundine, is the Alan-
tois, of which there is a great dispute iraong die anatomists; some
saying there is such a thing  and others  that there is not.   Those
that will have it to lie a membrane, say, it is white, soft, and excee-
ding thin, and just under the  placenta, where  it ts knit to the  ura-
chos, from  whence it receives die  urine, and its office is to keep it
separate from the sweat,  that the saltness of it may not offend the
tender skin of the child.
  4. The fourth and last covering of the chdd is called Amnois, and
it is white, soft  and transparent,  being nourished by some very
small veins and arteries.   Its use is not  only to enwrap  die child
round, but  also to renin the sweat of the child.
  Having thus described the parts proper to the child in the womb,
I will next  proceed to speak  of the formation of the child therein,
as soon as I have explained the hard terms in this section that those
for  whose help this is designed may know what they read.   There
is none so ignorant as not to know that a vein is that which receives
blood from  the liver, and distributes it in  several branches to all
parts of the body.  Arteries proceed from die heart, are in continu-
al motion, and by die motion quicken the body.   Nerve is the same
as sinew, and is diat by which the  brain adds sense and motion to
the body.  Placenta properly signifies a sugar cake; but in  this
section it is used to signify a spongy piece of flesh, resembling a cake
foil of veins and arteries, and is made to receive the mothers'.lood,
appointed  for die infant's nourishment in the womb.  Chorion is
the outward skin whicli compisseth tlie child in the womb. The am-
nois is the inner skin which compasseth the child in the womb.   The
Alantois  is  the skin that holds the urine of the child during die time
that it abides in the womb  The Urachos is die vessel diat conveys
the urine from the child into the womb to the Alantois.  I now pro-
ceed to
                         SECTION II.
         Of the formation of the child m the toorno.
  To speak of the formation of die child in die womb, we must be-
gin  where nature begins;  and that is, at the act of coition, in  which
the womb having received the enerative seed, without which there 
106
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
 can lie no conception, die womb immediately shuts up itself to close
 that not  the point of a needle can enter  die  inward orifice;  and
 this it does partly to hinder the issuing out of die  seed again,  unj
 partly to clierish it by the  inbred heat,  the better  to pruvul'e
 it  to  action;  whioli  is  one reason  why women's bellies are so
 lank at tiieir first conception.  The woman having thus  concebed,
 the first diing which is die  operative in die conception, is die spirit
 whereof the seed is  full, which nature quickening by die heat of tits
 womb, stirs it  up to  action.  This seed  consists  of very  different
 parts, of which some are more and some are has pure.   Tlie inter-
 nal spirits therefore separateth those parts diat are less pure, which
 are thick,  cold and clammy, from them that are more ptu-e and no-
 ble.  The  less pure are cast to the outsides, and widi them the sooil
 is circled round, and of them the  membranes are  made, in which
 dial seed which is the most pure is wrapped round, and  kept close
 together, that it may be defended from cold and other accidents,  and
 operate the better.
 * The first that is formed  is the amnois, the next the  chorion;  and
 they enwrap the seed round as it  were a curtain.  Soon  after  diis
 (for the seed thus shut up in the womb lies not  idle) the  navel vein
 is bred, which pierceth those skins, being yet very  tender, and car-
 ries a drop of blood from the veins  of the mother's womb to the seed;
 from which drop is formed the liver, from which livei there is quickly
 bred die vena cava  or chief vein,  from which all the  rest of die
 veins diat nourish the body spring:  and now die body hath some-
 thing to nourish it, whilst it performs die rest of nature's  work,  and
 also blood administered to  every part of it to form  fW>.
   This vein being formed,   the arteries are soon after formed, dien
 the great artery, of which all others are but branches, and dien die
 heart; for  tbe liver furnisheth the arteries widi blood to form the
 heart, the  arteries  being  made of  seed,  but die  heart  and
 the flesh of  blood.   After  this the brain  is  formed,  and  then
 the nerves  to  give  sense  and  motion to the  infant. Afterwards
 the bones and  flesh are formed, and of the bones, first the vertebra
 or cl ine bones, and then die skull  &c.
   A., to the time in  whicli this curious part of  nature's  workman-
 ship is formed, physicians assign  four different seasons wherein  this
 microcosm  is  formed, and its formation  perfected  in the womb:
 The first is immediately after coition; the second time of forming,
 say they, is when the womb, by the force of ■*■ «wn innate power
 ami virtue makes a manifest mutation or coagulation in the seed,
 so (hat all die  substance thereof  seems coagulated flesh and blood,
 which happens about the twelfth or fourteenth day after copulation,
 and theugh this concretion  or fleshy mass abounds  with spirits, yet
 it remains undistinguishable without any form,  and may be  cab
led a rough draught of the  foetus  or  embryo.   The third  time in
which tins fabrie  is come  to some further maturity  is,  when  the 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
107
 principal parts may be in some measure distinguislied, and one may
 discern the liver, umbilical veins, arteries, nerves, brain and heart;
 and this is about eighteen days after conception.   The fourth and
 last time assigned by physicians for the formation of  the child, is
 about the  thirtieth day  after conception for a male, but  for a fe-
 male, they say forty-two or forty-five days are required, though for
 what reison  I  know not, nor does  it appear by the  birth; for if
 the male receives its formation fifteen days sooner than the female why
 should it not be born so much sooner too. But as to that, every day's
 experience shews us the contrary; for womengo to tlie full time of
 nine months bodi with male and female.   But at this time of thir-
 ty days, (or some will have it 45) die outward parts may be  also
 seen exquisitely elaborate, and distinguished by joints,  and from
 this time the child begins to be animated, though as. yet there is no
 sensible motion: and has all the  parts of the body, though small
 and very tender, yet entirely  formed and figured, although not lon-
 ger in the whole than one's middle finger;  and from thence forward
 the blood flowing every day more and more to the womb, not by in-
 tervals, like  their  courses,  but continually,  it  grows  bigger  and
 stronger in the end of nine mondis being the full time of a woman's
 ordinary labour.
  Very great have been the disputes  among both  philosophers and
 Physicians about the nourishment of  die child in the womb, both as
 to what it is and which way it receives it.  Alnweon was of opinion
 that die infant drew in its nourishment by its whole body, because it
 is rare and spongy, as a spunge sucks in water  on  every side;  and
 so he thought the infant  sucked blood not only from its  mother's
 veins, but  also from die womb.   Democritus held diat  the child
 sucks in the nourishment at its mouth.  Hippocrates affirms that die
 child sucks in nourishment and breath by its mouth from the  modi-
 er, for which he gives two reasens: 1st.   That it will suck as soon
 as it is born, and must have learnt  to suck before.   2nd.   Because
 there are excrements found in the  guts as soon as  it is born.   But
 neither of these reasons are sufficient to prove his assertions ; for as
 to tlie first, " that die child will suck as soon as  it is born," it is
from natural instinct; far take a young cat that never saw her dam
catch a mouse, and yet &'.«; will catch mice herself as soon  as she is
able.  And as to his second reason, it is a sufficient answer to say,
that die excrements found in die guts of an infant new born, are not
excrements of die first concoction, which is  evident, because they
don't stink, but are die thickest part of the blood, whicli is conveyed
from the vessels of the spleen to the  guts.   Having tiierefore said
enough to confute the opinion of the child's receiving nourishment
by the mouth, I do affirm that the child receives its nourishment in
 die  womb by  the  navel, and, that  it should lie so, is much more
consonant to truth and reason; which being granted, it will easily
 follow that  the nourishment the child receives, is pure blood convey- 
108            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE
ed into  the liver by the navel vein, which is a  branch of the vena
porta, or great vein, and passes to the smallest veins of the liver.
Here this blood is made most pure, and tin* thicker and  rawer part
of it is conveyed to tho spleen and kidneys, and the thick excrement
of it to  the  guts, which is that excrement  found  there so soon as
they are born.  The pure  part is conveyed to  the vena cava,ami
by it distributed throughout the body by the small veins, which liko
so many small rivulets, pass to  everyvpart of it.   This blood  is
accompanied (as all blood is) with a certain watery  substance, the
better to convey it  through the passage it is to run  in, which as  in
men, is breathed out bv sweating, and contained in the amnios, as I
have already said.
Explanation of the different parte of the Womb, fyc—togeth-
       er with the manner of the Child's lying therein.
  A.  The portion of die Chorion dissected and removed from  its
      proper place.
  B.  A portion of the Amnios.
  C.  The Membrane of the Womb dissected. 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
109
  D.  The p'.icen'.a, being a  fleshy substance endued widi many
      small vei-M-ls by which the infant receives its nourishment.
  E.  The varication of die vessels which mikes up the navel string.
  F.  The navel string, by which die urabelical vessels are carri-
      ed from die Placenta to the navel.
  (J.  The infant as it lieth perfect m the womb near die time of
      delivery.
  II.  The insertion of die umbelica!  vessels into  the navel of the
      infant.
                       Section Hi.
The different positions in which the  Child is found in the
      Womb, during the lime of the woman's pregnancy.
  I come now to shew after what manner the child Kes in die womb,
a tiling so essential for a midwife to know, that she can be no mid-
wife who is  ignorant of it; and yet, even about  this, authors ex-
tremely differ;  for there is not  two in  ten that agree what is ihe
form  that the child  lies in the womb,  or in what fashion  it  lies
there; and diis may arise  in a  great measure from the different figv
ures that the cliild is found in, according to the different times of the
woman's pregnancy; for near the  time of its  deliverance out of
those  winding chambers of  nature, it oftentimes changes the form in
which it lay before,  for another. Hippocrates affirms, die cliild is
so placed ir the womb, as to have ks hands, its knees, and its head
bent down towards its feet, so  that it lies round togedier,  its hands
upon both its knees and its face between them; so that  each eye
toucheth each thumb, and  bis  nose betwixt  his  knees.   And Bar-
iholinug was also of ihe same opinion.   Columbus describes tlie pos-
ture of the child thus:  " The right arm bowed, the fingers were un-
der die ear and above the  neck; the head bowed down, so that the
chin toucheth the breast, the left arm is propped up by die bending
of the right elbow, the legs are lifted up so that the dngh  touchetii
the belly, the knees die navel, the heel tlie left buttock, and the  foot
is turned back and covereth the secrets;  the left thigh toucheth the
billy, and  tlie leg is lifted up to the breast, the back lying outward.
And thus much shall suffice concerning the opinion of authors.
   I will now shew the several  situations of the child in the womb
according to die  different times of pregnancy, by  which those that
are contrary to nature, and are the chief cause of all labours, will
bo more easily conceived by the understanding midwife.   It ought
dierefore, in the that place, to  be observed, that  the infante, as  well
male as female, are generally  situated  in the midsi of the womb;
for diough sometimes to appearance a woman's Mly seems higher
on the one side than on die other, yet it is so with respect to her belly
only, and not of her womb, iu die midst of which it ts always placed.
   But in  the second place a  woman's gre^t belly makes  differ-
ent  figures according to the different times  of pregnancy; for
when %ic- is young  with ehild, die  einbrvo  is  alwav s  found 
 110             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

 of   round  figure a  little oblong, having  the spine moderately
 turned inwards, the thighs folded, and  a little  raised, to  which
 the legs are so joined  that the heels touch the buttocks.    The
 arms are bending, and the hauls placed upon  the  knees; towards
 which  the head is inclining forwards, so that the chin toucheth die
 breast  in which  posture it  resembles  one sitting to ease nature,
 and stooping down with the head to  see  what  comes from him.
 The spine of its   back is at that time placed towards the  mother's
 and the head uppermost, the fuce forwards, and the feet downwards:
 proportionably to its growth, it extends its  members  by little and
 little, which were exactly folded the first month.  In this posture it
 usually keeps till the seventh month, and then by a natural  propen-
 sity and disposition of the upper part  of the  body,  die head is
 turned downwards toward* the inward orifice of the  womb, tumb-
 ling as  it were over its head, so that then the feet are uppermost,
 and the face towards the mother's great  gut;  and this turning of
 the infant in this  manner, with his head downwards, towards the
 latter end of a woman's reckoning is so ordered by nature, that it
 may thereby be  the better disposed for its passage into the world
 at tlie time of its mother's labour which is dien not  far off:  (and
 indeed several children turn not all until the very time of birtll) for
 in this  posture all its  joints are most  easily extender! in coming
 fortli, for by this means, die arms and legs cannot hinder its birtll,
 because they cannot be  bended against die inward orifice of die
 womb;  and the rest of die body,being very supple, passedi without
 any difficulty after the head, which is  hard and big, being past the
 birth.   It is true, there are divers children that lie in  the womb iu
 another posture,  and come to the birth with  their feet downwards,
 especially  if there be twins; for then by their different  motions they
 so disturb one another that they seldom come both in the same pos-
 ture at the time  of labor, but one will come  with the head, and
 another with the  feet, or perhaps lie across, and sometimes one of
 them will come right.   But however the  child  may be situated in
 the womb, or to whatever  posture it presents itself at the time  of
 birth, if it be not with its head forward, as I have before descrilied,
 it is always  agai:ist  nature.'  and tlie delivery will occasion  the
 mother more pain and danger and require greater care and  skill
 from the midwife than when the labor is more natural.
                          chap. rv.
 A Guide for Women in  travail shewing what is to  be aone
      when they fall in labor,  in order for their delivery.
   Tlie end of all that we have been treating of, is the bringing fortii
 of a child  into the world, with safety both to  the mother and to the
 infant.   The whole time of the woman's pregnancy may very well
 lie termed a kind  of labor ; for, from the time of her conception, to
 die time of'ier delivery she labors under many difficulties; is sub-
pel to muny distempers, and in continual  danger, from one cause 
                EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.             HI

 or another, till the time of birth comes,  and when that conies the
 greatest labor and travail comes along with  it, insomuch, that, then
 all her others are forgotten, and that only is called die time of her
 labor;  and to deliver Tier safely is the principal business of the mid-
 wife.   To assist her herein, is the chief design of this chapter.  The
 lime of the child's being  ready for  its birth, when nature endeav-
 ors to  cast it forth, is that which is properly the time of a woman's
 labor.  And since many  women, especially of their first chil , are
 mistaken in their reckoning, and so, when diey draw near their time,
 take every pain diey meet  with for the labor, when it is not so,
 which often proves prejudicial  and  troublesome to diem, I will  in
 the first section  of diis chapter, set  down some signs, by weich a
 woman may know when the true time of her  labor is come.
                         SECTION I.
           Signs of the true time  of a woman's labor.
   When women with tiieir first child, percieve any extraordinary
 pains  in their belly, they immediately send for their midwife, taking
 it for their labour;  and then if the midwife be not a skilful and jn-
 dicious woman, she will without  further inquiry, take it for gran-
 ted, and so go about to put her into  labor before nature is prepared
 for it;  which may endanger the life both of the mother and die child
 by breaking both the amnois and chorion.  These pains which  are
 often mistaken for labor, are removed by warm clothes laid on die
 belly, and the applications of a clyster or two by which those pains
 which precede a true  labour, are rather  furthered than  hindered.
 There are also odier pains incident to women in that condition from
 a flux in the belly, which are  easily known  by the frequent stools
 which  follow them.
   The signs dierefore of labour some  few  days before are, that the
 woman's belly, which before lay high, sinks down  and hinders her
 from walking so easily as the used to do;  also there flows from die
 womb  slimy  humors, which  nature  has appointed to  moisten and
 smooth the passage, tliat its inward orifice may be  the  more easi-
 ly  dilate! when there is occasion; which  beginning to open at that
 time suffers that shine to flow away,  which proceeds from the glan-
dules called  Prostata?.   These  are  signs preceding  labonr;  but
when she is presently falling into labor,  the signs are  great  pains
 about the region of the reins and loins, which, coming  and reiter-
ating by intervals, answer to the bottom of the belly hy congnious
throes, and sometimes the face is red and inflamed, the blood  being
much heated by the endeavors a woman  makes to  bring forth  her
child,  and likewise because during these strong  throes  her respi-
ration is intercepted,  which causes the blood to have  recourse  to
her face; also ber privy parts are swelled by tbe infant's head Iving
in the birth, which by often thrusting, causes those pains to descend
outwardly, and is much  subject  to  vomiting,  which is a sign  of
good labor and speedy delivery,  thangli by ignorant women  thought 
a
 112            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

 otherwise, for  good pains  are  thereby excited and  redoubled;
 which vomiting is occasioned by  die  sympathy  there  is between
 the womb and tbe stomach.  Also, when the birtll is near,  women
 are troubled  with a trembling  in the  thighs  and  legs:  not  with
 cold like the beginning of an  ague fit, but  with the  heat of tho
 whole body though this does  not always happen.  When the humors
 which flow from the womb are discolored with blood the  midwives
 call it Shows, and it ts an infallable mark of the birth's  being near;
 and then if the midivife put her finger  into the  neck of the womb
 she will find the inner orifice dilated; at the opening of which, the
 membranes of the infant containing the waters present themselves,
 and are strongly forced downards  with  each  pain   she  hath; at
 which time one may perceive them sometimes  to resist and  then
 agaiti to press forward the finger, being more or less hard and exten-
 ded according as the pains  are stronger or weaker.   These mem-
 branes,  widi the waters in them, whom diey are before die head of
 the child, whicn the midwives  call the Gathering of the  Waters,
 resemble, to  the touch of die finger,  those  eggs which have no
 Bhell, but are  covered  only with a single  membrane.  After  this,
 the pains  redoubling,  the membranes are broken  by a strong im-
 pulsion of the waters, which presently flow away, and then the head of
 llie infant  is presently felt naked, and presents itself at the  inward
 orifice of the womb.   When these waters come thus away, then the
 midwife may be assured the birth  is very near, this  being the most
 certain sign diat can be; for the amnois and alantois being  broken
 which contain those waters, by pressing forward of the  birth;   the
 child is not better able to subsist long in the womb afterwards, than
 a naked man in a heap of  snow.   Now, these  waters if the  child
 comes presently after diem facilitate  the labor by making the  pas-
 sage slippery :  and therefore let no  midwife  (as some have  fool-
 ishly done) endeavor to force away the   water,  for  nature knows
 best when the true time of the  birtll is,  and  therefore retains the
 water till that time.  But if  by accident  the  water   breaks away
 too long before  tlie birth, then such  things as will hasten it, may
 be safely admitted: and what those  ate   I  shall shew  in  anothei
 section.
                         Section II.
 How a woman ought to  be ordered when the  time of  Labor is
                            Come.
  When it is known that the time of a  woman's labor  is come  by
the signs la»l down in the  foregoing section  of which diose  diat
arc most to be relied on are  pains or throes  in  the  I jelly,  forcing
downwards the womb, and a dilation of die inward  orifice, which
may bo perceived by touching it with die finger and gadiering of the
waters before the head of die  child,  and dirusliu.g  down of the
membranes which contain them; through which, between the pains,
one  may  widi  die  finger  discover  the parts  whicli presents as 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.              113

 faid before, especially if it be die head of tbe cliild, by  its round-
 ness  and hardness.   If these tilings concur, and  are evident,  die
 midwife, may be sure it is the time of her  labor;  and  care  must
 be taken to get all things ready that are  necessary  to  comfort  tlie
 woman in that time, and the better to help her, be sure to see  she
 be not straight laced.  You  may also give her a pretty strong clys-
 ter, or more,  if there be occasion, provided  it be done at the be-
 ginning, and before the child be too  forward.  The benefit accru-
 ing hereby will be, to excite the gut to discharge itself of its excre-
 ments, that so the rectum being emptied, there may be more  space
 for dilation of the passage; likewise to cause die pains to bear  the
 more downwards; through the endeavours she makes when she  ij
 at stool; and  in the mean time, all other necessary diings for  her
 labor should be put in order, both for  the midwife  and die cliild.
 To this end some get a midwife's stool but  a pallet bed  girted ia
 much the best way,  placed near the fire, if the season so  require.
 Which pallet  ought to be so placed, that  there may be  easy access
 to it on every side, that the woman may be the more  readily asis-
 ted, as there is occasion.
   If  the woman  abound  with  blood, to bleed her a  little  may
 not  be improper, for  thereby  she  will both breathe the better,
 and have her breast  more at liberty, and likewise more  strength to
 bear down the pain :  diis she may do without danger,  because  tlie
 child being about that time ready to be born, has no  more  need  of
 the mother's blood for  its nourishment; besides, this  evacuation
 does many times prevent her  having  a  fever  after her  delivery.
 Also  before her deliver}', if her strength  will permit, let  her  walk
 up and down her chamber; and that she  may have strength so to  do,
 it Tvill be necessary to give her some strengthening  things, such  as
jelly brodi ne-v laid *-ggs, or some spoonfuls of burnt wine.  And let
her, by all means, hold out her pains, bearing them down as much as
she can at the time when tiit-y take her;  and let the  midwife  from
time to time touch the inward  orifice with the finger,  to  know
whether the waters are ready to break, and whether die birdi will
soon follow, let her also anoint the woman's  privitives  with em-
oilont oil, hog's grease and fresh butter, if she finds they  are  hard
to be dilated.   Let the midwife be all the while near the  laboring
woman, and diligently observe her gestures, complaints,  and pains,
for by this she may guess pretty well how her labor  advanceth; be-
cause when  she changedi her ordinary groans  into long cries, it is a
sign the cliild  is very  near die birtll; for at that time the pains are
greater and more frequent.  Let die  woman  likewise by  intervals
rest herself on the bed to  regain her strength,  not too long, especi-
.illy if she be little, short  and tiiick, for  si-ch women  have always
worse labor, if they lie long on  their beds in  their travail;  it "is
lietter, therefore that  they  walk, as  much as they can,  about the
                                 10* 
 114            EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.

 chamber, die women supporting her under the arms, if it be necessary,
 for by this mean  the weight of the child causeth  the  inward  ori-
 fice of the womb to dilate sooner than in lied; and if her pains be
 stronger and more frequent, her labor will not be near so  long.
   Let not  the labouring woman be concerned at those  qualms  and
 vomitings, perhaps which she may find  come upon lier,  for  tliey
 will be much to her advantage in  the issue,  however uneasy she
 may be for the time, as  they  further tiiroe3  and  pains provoking
 djunuards.   But toprocoed;
   When the waters of the children are ready and gathered  whicli
 may be perceived through the membranes to present themselves to
 the inward orifice, of  the bigness of the whole dilation,  the  mid-
 wife ought to  let diem break of themselves  and not, like some has-
 tv midwives, who being  impatient of the woman's long labor, break
 tliem, intending thereby to hasten their business,when instead tiierc-
 of, they retard it;  for, by die too  hasty  breaking of these waters
 (which Nature designed to cause the infant to slide  fortii  the more
 easily) the pass;ige remains dry, by which  mums tlie pains and throes
 of the laboring woman are less efficacious to bring forth  the  infant
 than they would otherwise have  been.  It is therefore much  the
 better way to  let the waters break of themselves;  after  which the
 midwife may with ease "feel the child bare by that which first  pre-
 sent, anil  thereby  discern whether it comes  right,  that is,  with
 the head foremost, for that  is die most proper and  natural way of
 its  birth;  if the head comes  right,  she will find it  round,  big,
 hard and equal;  but if it be  in any other part,  she will  feel it
 unequal, rugged, and soft, or hard, according  to the nature of the
 part it is.   And this being the true time when the woman ought to
 deliver, if  nature be not wanting to perfom its office, therefore when
 the midwife finds the birth thus coming  forward, let her hasten to
assist and deliver it, for it ordinarily happens soon after, if it be na-
tural.
  But  if  it  happens  as  sometimes   it   may, that tlie   wa-
 ters break  away  too  long before  tlie  birth, in  such  a  case
 those things that  hasten  nature  may   be safely  admitted;  to
 which purpose,  let  her  make  use of pennroyal,  dittany  ju-
 niper  berries, and coral, betony,  and  feverfew  boiled  in  white
wine, and a draught of if drank;  or it  would be much  better, to
take die juice of  it when  it is  in its prime, which is  in  May,  and
having clarified it, let them make it into a syrup, widi double its
weight of sugar, and keep it by them all die year  to use when oc-
casion calls for it.  Mugwort, used in  die  same  manner, is also
good in this case.  Also  a dram  of cinnamon powder given in-
wardly profits much in this case: and so does tansey  bruised  apd
applied to  the privitives or an oil of it so made and used as  you
 were taught before.  The stone dBtites held to the privities  is of
extraordinary virtue and instantly draws away bodi cliild and after 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
US
 burden, but care intuit be taken to remove it j.resently,  or  it will
 draw fortli the womb and all;  for  such is die magnetic  virtue of
 this stone, that both  cliild and womb follow it as readily as  iron
 doth tlie loadstone, or as die loadstone die North  Star.
    There are many other things that  physicians affirm are good in
 this case among which are, an ass's  or an horse's hoof hung near
 die privities; a piece of red coral hung near the said place; a load
 stone helps much, held  in the woman's left hand, or the skin  which
 a snake hath cast off girt  about die middle next the  skin.   These
 tilings are mentioned by Mizaldus;  but setting diose  tilings  aside
 as not so  certain, notwithstanding Mizaldus  quotes them, the fol-
 lowing  prescriptions are very  good to give speedy deliverance to
 women in  travail.
    1,  A decoction of white wine  made in savory, and drank.
    2.  Take wild tansey, or silver weed, bruise it, and apply it to
 the woman's nostrils.
   3.  Take date stones, and beat thJm to  powder, and let  her
 take half a drachm of them in white wine at a time.
   4.  Take parsley, and bruise it, and press out die juice, and dip
 a linen cloth iu it, and  put  it up so dipped into the mouth of tlie
 womb, it will presently cause the child to come away though it be
 dead,  and will bring  away the after  burden.  Also the juice of
 parsley is  a tiling of so great virtue (especially stone parsley)  being
 drank by a woman with child, it cleansetli not only the womb, but
 the child in tlie womb of all gross humors.
   5.  A scrapie of castorum in powder, in any convenient liquor,
 is very good to be taken in such case;  and so also is two or  three
 drops  of spirit  of castorum in any convenient  liquor;  also eight or
 nine drops of spirit of myrrh, given in any convenient liquor  gives
 speedy deliveran«e.
   6.  Give a woman in such a case another woman's milk to drink
 it will  cause speedy delivery and almost without any pain.
   7.  The juice of leeks,  being drank with warm water, hath a
 might? o"*»-»tion to cause speedy delivery.
  8.   Take piony seeds, and beat  them into powder and mix the
 powder with oil, with wnich oil anoint the loins and  privities of
 the woman widi child;  it gives her deliverance very  speedily, and
 with less pain  than can  be imagined.
  9.   Take a swallows  nest, and dissolve it in  water, strain it, and
drink  it  warm; it gives delivery with great speed and  much  ease.
  Note, this also is  general,  diat all  diings  diat  move the terms
are good foi making the delivery easy; such as myrrh,  amber in
wliite wine, or lily water, two scruples  or a drachm; or cassia lig-
riea, dittany, each a dram, cinnamon half a dram,  saffron a  scru-
ple, give a  dram; or take borax  mineral  a drain,  cassia lignea
a scruple, saffron six grains, and give  it  in sack;  or take cas-
sia  lignea a drachm, dittany, amber, of each half a  drachm, cuiim- 
116
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
i,.iin, boras, of each a drachm and a half, saffron  n scruple, and
!>-u: her half a drachm, or give her someidrops of hazel  in a con-
venient liquor; or two or three  drops oil of cinnamon in vcrvian
water.   Some prepare the secundine thus; take tlie navel  slringd
anil dry it in an oven; take two drachms of the powder, cinnamon
•i drachm, saffron half a scruple, widi juice of savin make troches;
give two  drachms, or wash the secundine in wine and  bake it in a
put-; then wash it in en-live water and wine; take  half a drachm
of it; long pepper gagangal, of each  half a drachm: plantain aud
endive seed, of each a drachm and a half; lavender seed four scru-
ples;  make a powder; or take laudunum two drachms, storax cal-
omine, benzoin, of each half a drachm;  musk, ambcrgrease, each,
six grains; make a powder or troches for a fume.   Or use  pessa-
ries to provoke the birth: take galbanum, dissolved  in  vinegar, an
ounce; myrrh two drachms;  saffron a drachm;  with oil of orts
make a pessary.
                 An ointment for  the Navel.
   Take oil of kier two ounces, juice of savin an ounce, of leeks
and mercury, each half an ounce, boil them to the consumption of
the juice; and galbanum dissolved in vinegar haif an ounce,  myrrh
two drachms, storax liquid a  drachm round birth wort, sowbread,
cinnamon, saffron,  a drachm;  widi wax make  an  ointment and
apply it.
   If the birtll be retarded  through  the weakness of tlie mother,
refresh her widi applying wine and soap to the  nose,  Confect  Al-
kermas Dhimarg.
   These tilings may be applied to help nature in the delivery when
the child  comes  te the birth the right way, and yet (he birth is re-
tarded ;  but  if she finds the child comes tlie  wrong way, and  she
is not able to deliver the woman as she ought to lie, by helping na-
:  ire, and saving both mother and  child, (for it is not  enough to
lay a woman, if it might be done by another with more safety and
 »ase,and less hazard both to woman and child) then let her send spee-
dily for better and more able help, and not as I once knew  a mid-
wife, when a woman she wis to  deliver had hard laboi indier than
a man midwife  should be sent for, would undertake  to deliver the
 woman herself (though tol  by others that it was a  man's business)
and in her attempting it, brought away  the child, but left the head
of the infant behind in the mother's womb;  and  had not  a man
 midwife been presently sent  for, the mother had lost her life as
 well as die child;  such persons may be  rather  termed butchers
 than midwives.   But supposiug the  woman's  labor to  be natural, I
 will next show what die midwife ought to do  in order to  her  dcliv- 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            117

                     (    CHAP.  V.
   Of natural labor;  what it is ; and what the midwife is to
                      do in such a Labor.
                          Suction I.
                    IVhal natural labor is.
   There are four  things  to demonstrate a woman's labor  natural :
 the first is that it lie at the Ails lime ; for if a woman comes  before
 her time, it cannot be properly termed natural labor, neither will it
 be so easy as if she had completed her  nine months.  The second
 tiling is, that it lie speedy, and  without any  ill accident  ;  for when
 the time of tlie birtll is come, nature is not dilatory in the bringing
 ol it fortli, without  some ill accident intervene, which  renders  it
 unnatural.  The  third is, that the child  be  alive :  for  all  will
 gram, that the being delivered of a dead child is very unnatural.
 The fourth thing requisite to a natural birth   is, that the  child
 come right; for if the position of the child, in the womb  be   con-
 trary to wliat is natural, and the event proves  it so too often, mak-
 ing that which should be a time of life, die death both of the  modi-
 er and the child.
   Having thus told you what I mean by natural  labor, I shall  next
 shew how the midwife is to proceed here, in order to the woman's
 delivery.   When all ihe  foregoing requisites concur, and after  the
 waters are broke of themselves, let the laboring woman  be conduc-
 ted to a pallet bed, provided near the fire  for that purpose, as  has
 already been  said,  and let there  rather be a quilt  laid  upon  the
 pallet bedstead, than a feather bed, having diereon  linen clothes  in
 many folds, with such other things as  are necessary,  and  may be
 changed according to the  exigence requiring it, that so die woman
 may not lie incommoded  with the blood, waters,  and other  filth,
 which is voided in labor.   The bed ought to  be so ordered,  that
 die woman, being ready to be delivered, should lie on her back up-
 on it, having her  body in a convenient posture; that is, her  head
 and breast a little raised, so that she is between  lying and  sitting,
 for being so placed, she is best capable of breathing, and likewise
 will have more strength to bear her pains,  than if she  lay  other-
 wise, or sink down in her bed.   Being so placed, she must spread
 her thighs abroad, folding her legs  a little towards her  buttocks,
 somewhat raised hy a small pillow unoerneath  to the end,  that her
 rump should have  more liberty to retire back, and let her feet be
stayed against firm things ; besides this let her take nold  of  some
of tlie good women attending  her with  her hands,  mat  she   iuav
 the better  stay herself during  ner pains.   She  being  thus placeil
near the side of her bed having her midwife  by, die  oetter to as-
sist upon occasion, let her take courage, and help  her  pains the
best she can bearing them down when  they take  her, which  she
must do by holding in her breath, and forcing  herself as  much as
possible, in like manner as when she goes  te steal ; for by  suuij 
118             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
straining the diaphragma or miilriff, being.,strongly  ihrust down-
wards, necessarily forces down die womb and the child in  it.  In
the meantime, let tile midwife endeavour to comfort her all she can,
exhorting her to tear her labor courageously, telling her it will be
quickly over, and that there is no fear but she  will  have a speedy
delivery.   Let the midwife also, nave no rings upon her hand, and'
anoint  it with oil or fresh butter,'and therewith, dilate gently die
inward orifice of the womb, putting her fingers ends  into  the  entry
thereof and stretch them one from die other, when  her pains  take
lier ; by this means endeavouring to help forward  the cliild, and
thrusting by little and little the  sides of the orifice   towards the
hinder part of the child's head,  annointing the parts aho with fresh
butter if  it be necessary.
   When the head of the infant is somewhat advanced  into the in-
ward orifice die inidwiie's phrase is, it is crowned, because  it  girds
and surrounds  it just  as  a crown ;  but when  it is so far that the
extremities begin to appear without tlie privy parts, then say they,
the  cliild  is  in  the passage.   And at this time  the woman feels
herself as it were scratched or pricked with pins, and is ready  to
imagine  the midwife hurts her, when  it is occasioned by  the vi-
olent distention of those parts, and the  laceration which at  some
times, the bigness of die child's head causeth  "there.   When  thinge
are in this posture, let die  midwife seat herself conveniently,  to re-
ceive tlie child, which will now  come quickly, and  with her lingers
 ends (which she must be sure to keep close paired) let her endeav-
 our to thrust the  crowning of die womb (of which I have spoken be-
 fore) back over the head of the child.   And as soon as it is advan-
 ced, as far as the ears, or thereabouts let her take  hold of the twu
 sides with her two hands, that when a good  pain comes,  she may
 quickly  draw forth the  child, taking care that the  navel  string -be
 not then entangled about tile neck or any other part,  as  sometimes
 it is, lest thereby the after burden be pulled with violence and |>er-
 haps the womb also, to which it is fastened, and so either cause her
 to flood, or else break die  string, both which are  of bad consequence
 to the woman, whose delivery may thereby be rendered difficult.   It
 must idso be carefully heeded that the head be not drawn out strait,
 but shaking it a little from one side to the other, that the shouklefc
 may sooner and easier take dieir place immediately after it be past
 without losing any time,  lest the head being past, the child lie stop-
 ped there by the bigness of the shoulders, and so come in danger of
 being suffocated snd strangled  in the passage, as it sometimes hap-
 pens, for want of care therein.   But as soon  as the head  is bun,
 if there be need, Bhe may  slide in her fingers under  the  arm pits,
 and die rest of die body will foilow without difficulty.
    As soon as tlie  midwife  hath in this manner  drawn  forth the
 child, let her put it on one side, lest the blood and water which  fol-
 low immediately, should do it ;m injury, by running  into iu  mouth 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
119
■ and nose, as it would do if it lay on its back, and so  endanger the
 choukihgof it.  The^hild being thus born, tlie next thing requisite
 is to bring away tli<-after burden; but before mat, let the midwife
 be very careful  to examine whether  there be more children  in tlie
 womb; for sometimes a  woman  may have twins that  expected il
 nqt;  which the  midwife may easily know by  continuance of pain
 after the child is born, and the bigness of the mother's belly. But tlie
 midwife may be more sure  of it, if she puts her hand up the entry
 of ihe womb,  and finds (here another water gathering, and a child
 in it  pressiiig to the passage;  and  if she finds it so she must have
 a care of going about to fetch away  the after birth  till tlie woman
 be delivered of  all tlie children she  is pregnant widi.  Wherefore
 the first .string must be cut being  first  tied with  a  tiiread three or
 four times doubled  and the  other end fastened with a  string to  die
 woman's thigh to prevent the inconvenience it may cause by  hang-
 ing between her thighs; and then removing the cliild already born.
 she «iui!.t take care to deliver her of the rest whether  more or less,
 observing all  tlie same circumstances  as the first;  after which it
  will lie necessary to fetch away the  after birtll, or  birdis.   But of
 that in  anodier section; after first  shewing  what  is to be  done
 to tlie new born infant.
                          SECTION II.
           Of the cutting off the Child's i\avel string.
    Though this  is by many accounted but a trifle, yet great care istc
  be taken about it;  and it shows none  of tlie least art or  skill of a
  midwife to do it tis it should be.  In doing this the midwife ought
  observe,  1st  the time;  2d  the  place;  3d the  manner;  4th  tlie
  event.
     The time is, as  soon as ever tlie  infant comes out of die womb,
  whether   it  brings  part of die  after  burden  with  it  or not;
  foi sometimes  the  child brings into  the world  a piece of  the
  anuiois upon  its head, and is what tlie good woman  calls the caul,
  and ignoraiitly  attributes some  extraordinary virtue to the  child
  that is so  born; but  diis opinion is only the effect of their ignor-
  ance; for when a child is born with such a crown, a3 some call it,
  upon its brows, it generally  betokens woaltness, and denotes a short
  life.  But to the matter in hand.   As soon as the child is come in-
   to the world, consider whether it be weak or strong;  and if it be
   weak, let the midwife gently put back part of tlie  vital and  natur-
   al blood  into the body of the child by its  navel; for that recruits a
   weak child; but,  if the  child be strong, the  operation is needless.
   Duly let me  advise you that many children that are born seemingly
   dead, may be soon brought to life again, if you squeeze six or seven
   drops of blood out of diat part of the navel string which is  cutoff,
   and give it to  tlie child  inwardly.
     Authors can scarce agree whedier the navel string should be cut
   .ong  or  sh-jrt; some prescribing it te  be cut off at  four  fingei j 
120
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
breadth, which is at best but  an uncertain rule, unless all fingers
were of a size.   It is a received opinion, that the parts adapted lo
generation are either contracted or dilated according to  the cutting
of the navel string; and therefore midwives generally  leave a lon-
ger part of it to a male than to a female, because  they would have
the male well provided for  die encounters of  Venus ; and the rea-
son they give that they cut that of the females  shorter is, because
they believe it makes them  modest, and their privities narrower,
which makes diem  more acceptable to  their  husbands.   Mizaldus
was not of this opinion,  and therefore he ordered iiie navel  string
to be cut long both  in male and female children;  because said he
the instrument of generation follows the proportion of it, and there-
fore if it be cut too short in a female,  it will be  a hindrance of her
naving children.  I will not contradict these   opinions of Mizaldus
diat experience  has  made good.  The one  is, that  if the navel
string of a child, after  it is  cut be suffered to  touch the ground,
the child will never  hold its water  neidier sleeping  or waking, but
will be subject to an involuntary making of water all its life time.
The other is, that a piece of the childs navel string  carried about
one, so as to touch his skin, defends him that wears it from  tlie
falling sickness and convulsions.
   As to the manner how it must be cut : Let the midwife  take  a
crown thread four or five times donble, of an ell long or thereabouts
tied with a single knot at each of the enils, to  prevent their entang-
ling; and with this thread so accommodated, (which the midwife must
have in readiness before the woman's labor, as also a good  pair of
scissors, that no time may lie lost,) let her tie die string  within an
inch of the belly, with a double knot and turning about the ends of
tlie thread, let ner tie two more  on the other  side of the string reit-
erating it again if it  be necessary; then let her cut off the navel a-
nother inch below the ligature, towards the after birdi, so that there
only remains but two inches of the string, iu   the midst  of  which
will be  the knot we speak of, which must be so  strait knit, as not
to suffer a drop of blood to  squeeze out of the vessels; but care must
be taken not to  knit it so strait  as to cut it in  two, and therefore
the thread must be pretty thick, and pretty strait  knit, it  being  bet-
ter too  strait than too  loose;  for some  children  have miserably
lost their lives,  with all tiieir blood before it was discovered, be-
cause  the navel string was not  well  tied.   Therefore great  care
must be taken that  no  blood squeeze through, for if tliere  does, a
new knot must be made  with the rest of the  string.   You need not
fear to bind the navel string  very hard, because they  are  void of'
sense, and that part of it which you leave on falls off of its own ac-
cord in a very few days, sometimes  six or seven, and  sometimes
sooner;  but rarely tarries longer than the eighth or nindi.   When
you have thus cut die navel string then take care  the piece that fulls 
                EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.             121

off, touch not the ground for  the reason I have told you that Mizal-
dus gave, which experience has justified.
   As to  the  last thing mentioned, which is die event or consequence
of what follows cutting off the navel  string.   As soon  us- the  navel
string is cut off, apply a  little cotton or lint to the  place to kef p it
warm, lest the cold sliould enter into the body of the child, which it
will most certainly do, if you have not bound it hard  enough.  If
the lint or cotton you apply to it be dipt  in  oil of  roses, it will be
better; and then put anodier small rag three  or four  times double
upon die belly.  Upon the the top of all, put another small bolster,
and I'-en swathe it with a linen swathe, four fingers broad, to keep
it steady, lest by rolling too much or by being  continually stirred
from side to side, it comes to  fall off before the navel string,  whicli
you left  remaining, is fallen off.   It  is  the usual custom  of mid-
wives to put  a piece of burnt rag to it, which we commonly call tin-
tier ;  but I would rather advise them  to put a  little armoniac to it,
because of its drying quality.  But this shall suffice to be spoken as
to the cutting of the navel string.
                        SECTION III.
             How  to bring  away the after ouraen.
   A woman cannot be said fairly  to be delivered though the child
be born, till die after burden  be also taken from her: herein differ-
ing from most animals, who when they have brought forth tiieir young,
cast forth nothing else but some waters, and the membranes which
contained  them.  But women have an after  labor, which  some-
times proves  more dangerous titan the first;  and how to  bring it
safely away, without prejudice to her, shall be my business to show
in this section.
   As soon as the cliild  is born, before the  midwife either ties or
cuts  the navel  string, lest the womb should close let her  take the
string and wind it once or twice about one or two of die fingers of
her left hand joined together, the  better to hold it, with it she may
draw moderately, and with her right hand she may only take a sin-
gle hold of it  above tbe left near the privities drawing likewise with
diat very gently, resting the while the fore finger of the same hand,
extended and stretched forth along the string towards the entry of
the vagina : always  observing, for the mora  facility, to draw it
from the   side where the  burden cleaves least, for in so  doing, the
rest will  separate the better ; and especially  care must be taken
that it be  not drawn forth with too much violence, lest by breaking
the string near the burden, tlie midwife will be obliged  to put the
whole hand  into tire womb to deliver the  woman; and she need
be a very skilful person that  undertakes it, lest the womb to which
this burden is sometimes   very strongly fastened, be drawn with it,
as it sometimes happens.   It is therefore best to use such remedies
as may assist nature.—And here take  notice, that  what brings 
122            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
away die birtb  will also bring away the after birth.  And  there-
fore, for the effecting this work,  I will  lay down the following
rules:
  1.  Use the same means bringing away the after birth, that you
make use of to  bring away the birth; for tlie same care and cir-
cumspection is needful now that was then.
  2.  Consider the laboring woman cannot but be much spent by
what she has aheady  undergone in bringing forth  die infant ; and
therefore be sure to take care to give her something to comfort her.
And iu this case good jelly broth, also a little wine  and toast in it,
and other comforting  things will be necessary.
  3.  A litde  white hellebore in  powder,  to make her sneeze, in
this case, is very proper.
  4.  Tansey and the stone  iEtitis, applied as before directed, is
also of good use in this case.
  5.  If you take die herb vervian, and either boil it in wine or
make a syrup widi the juice of it, which you may do, by adding to
it double its weight of sugar (having clarified it) and a spoonful or
two of diat given to  the woman is  very efficacious to bring  away
the secundine ; and feverfew and  mugwort, have  the  same opera-
tion taken as the  former.
  6.  Alexander boiled in wine, anal the wine  drank ;  also sweet
cicily, angelica roots, and masterwort, are  excellent  remedies in
this case.
  7.  Or if these fail, tlw smoke of marygolds received up a wo-
man's privities by a funnel have been known to bring away the af-
ter birth, even when the midwife let go her  hold.
  8.  Which is all I  should add in the case.  Boil mugwort in wa-
lei  till it be very  soft; then take it out, and apply it in a manner
of a poultice to the navel of the laboring woman, and  it instantly
brings away the birth  and after birth ; but special care must be ta-
ken to remove it as soon as they come away, lest by its longer tarry-
ing it should draw away the womb  also.   But thus much shall suf-
fice to bespoken of in  bringing away the after burden in all natural
labors.
                        SECTION IV.
   Of laborious and difficult Labors, and how the midwife  is to
                        proceed therein.
   To proceed in this  section the more Regularly, it will be necessa-
ry to acqi.-aint thereafter that there are three sorts of bad labors, all
painful and  difficult, but not all properly unnatural.  It will be ne-
cessary therefore  to distinguish these.
   The first of these bad labors is that wherein the mother and child
suffer very much by  extreme pain  and difficulty, even though the
child  come  right;  and diis is  distinguishabfy  called laborious
labor-
   The second is that  which is difficult, -md differs not  much  from 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             123

tlie  former except that besides those extraordinary  pains, it is gen-
erally attended  with some unhappy  accident, which by  retarding
die birth, causes the difficulty ; and these difficulties being removed,
accelerates the birth and hastens tlie delivery.
  Some liave asked tl<e reason why women  bring  forth tiieir chil-
dren with so much pain!  1 answer, die sense of feeling is distribu-
ted to the whole body by the nerves, and the mouth of the womb
being so straight that it must of necessity be dilated at the tune of
the woinans delivery, the dilating thereof stretches die nerves and
from  thence comes the pain.  And tiierefore the reason why some
women have  more pain in tiieir  labor dian others, proceeds from
their having the mouth of tlie matrix more full of nerves than others,
as skilful anatomists do easily discover.
  But to proceed, the best way to remove these difficulties that oc-
casion such htud pains and labor I am here to treat of, is to shew
from  whence they  proceed for the came  of any distemper being
known, is as much as half the cure.   Now  the difficulty of labor
proceeds either from the mother or child or both.
  From  the mother,  by reason of the indisposition of her body or
may be from some particular part only, and chiefly the womb,  as
when the woman is  weak, and the womb is not active to expel its
burden, or from weakness or disease, or want of spirits;  or it may
be from seme strong passion of die mind with  which  she was be-
fore possessed :  it  may be also because her parts are too dry and
too hard, and ca.uiot be so easily dilated, as happens also to them
who are too lean.  Likewise those who are either small or short
or deformed, as crooked women, who have not a  breath enough to
help  their pains, and to  bear them  down,  and  persons that are
crooked having sometimes the bones of the  passage not well shapen
tho cholic also hinders labor,  by preventing  the  true pains, and all
great and acute pains, as  when the woman is taken with a violent
fever, great flooding, frequent convulsions, bloody flux, or any otiier
great distemper.
  Also excrements retained,  cause much difficulty, and so does a
stone in the  bladder; or when die bladder  is foil of urine without
being able to void  it; or when  the woman is troubled with great
and painful  biles.   It mav also  be  from  the passages,  when the
membranes  are thick, the orifice too strait, and  die neck of the
womb nut sufficiently open, the passages are pressed  and strained
by  tumors  iu the adjacent parts, or when the  bones arc too firm,
and will  not  open,  whicli  very much endangers both mother and
child; or when the passages are not slippery, by reason of die wa-
ters 1 laving broke too soon, or the membranes being too thin.  The
womb may also be  out of order with respect to  its bad  situation,
or conformation, having its neck too strait, hard or callow; which
may easily be so naturallv, or may  come  by accident, being manv 
124            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
 times  caused by  a  tumor,  a poethiime,  nicer or  superfluous
 flesh.
   As to hard labor occasioned by tbe child, it is when tbe child hap-
 pens to stick to a mole,  or when it is so weak tlsat it cannot break
 the membranes, or if it  be too big all over, or in the  head only, or
 if the navel vessels are twisted about its neck, when the belly is hy-
 dropical, or when it is monstrous, having two beads,  or being join-
 ed to another child; also when the child is dead, or w weak that it
 can contribute nothing to its  birth, likewise  when it comes wrong,
 or when there are one or two more.   And  in all these various diffi-
 culties there is  oftentimes one  more, and  that is tbe ignorance of
 the midwife ; for want of understanding her business hinders nature
 in her work, instead of helping her.
   Having  thus looked into  the cause of  hard labor, I  will now
 show the industrious midwife how she  may administer some relief
 to die  laboring woman under these  circumstances. But it will re-
 quire understanding and judgment in the midwife,  when she finds a
 woman in  difficult  labor, to know the particular obstruction,  or
 cause thereof,  and so  a suitable remedy may be  applied.  As for
 instance, when it happens to  the mother's lieing too young and loo
 strait, she must be gently treated, and the   passages anointed  with
 oil, hog's lard or fresh  butter, to relax and dilate them the easier,
 lest there  should happen a rupture of any part when the child is
 born; for sometimes the peri ton ium  breaks with die skin  from lbs
 privities of  the fundament. But if a woman  be in years  with  her
 first child, lei  ber lower parts be anointed to modifv the  inward
 orifice, which in such a case being more nard and callous, doth  not
 easily yield  to  the  distension of labour, which is  tlie true  cause
 why such women are longer in labour, and also why dieir children
 being forced against die  inward orifice of the womb (whicli  as I
 have said is a little callous) are born with great humps or bruises
 on their heads.  Those women that  are  very small and mishapen
 Bhouff not be put to bed, at  least till  their waters are broke  but
 rather kept upright, awl assisted to walk about the  chamber, by be-
 ing supported under tiieir arms;  for by that  means they will breathe
 more freely, and bear their pains better than on the  bed, because
 there they lie all in a heap.   As for those diat are very lean, and
 have hard labor from that cause let them  moisten the parts  with
 oils and ointments,  to make  them more smooth and slippery, that
 the  head of the infant and  the womb  be not so compassed  and
 bruised by the hardness of the mother's  bones which form the pas-
sage.  If the cause be  weakness, she ought to be strengdiened,  the
better to support ber pains; to which end give her good jelly broth's
 end & little wine with a toast  in it.   If she  fears  her pains, let  her
 be comforted, assuring her that she will not  bear many  more, but be
 delivered in  a little  time.  But if her pains be slow and small, or
 none  at all, they must be provoked  by frequent and pretty strong 
                 EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.             125

 clysters, that so they may be  excited thereby;  after whicli let her
 walk  about the chamber, that so die weight of  the  cliild  may
 help them forward.   But if she flood or have convulsions,  she must
 then be helped by a speedy delivery: the operation whereof 1 shall
 relate in  die section of unnatural labors.  If she be costive, let her
 use clysters, which may also help to dispel die  cholic, at these times,
 very injurious because attended with useless pains, and because such
 bear not downwards, and so help not to forward die birth.  If she
 finds  an obstruction or stoppage of the urine, by reason tile womb
 bears  too  much on  the bladder, let her lift up die belly a little with
 her hand, and try if by that she receives any benefit ; if she finds she
 does not, it will be necessary to introduce a catheter in  the bladder
 and thereby draw fortii her urine.  If the difficulty be from the ill pos-
 ture of a woman, let lier be placed otlierw ise, in a posture more suitable
 and convenient for her.   Also if it proceed from  tlie indisposition
 of the  womb, as from its oblique situation,  &c. it must be remedied
 as well as cau be, by the placing of her body accordingly: or if it
 be a vicious conformation,  having the neck too hard,  too callous,
 and too straight, it must be anointed with oils  and ointments as be-
 fore directed.   If the membranes be so strong as that  tlie waters do
 not break  in due time,  they may be broken with the  fingers, if the
 midwife be first well assured that the child "come forward  into the
 passage, and ready to follow after, or else by the breaking  of the
 waters too soon, the child may be in danger of  remaining dry a
 longtime; to supply which defect you may moisten the  parts with
 fomentations, decoctions and emolient oils;  which yet is not half so
 well as when nature  does die work in her own time, with the ordi-
 nary slime and waters which  do best when they come in their oivn
 proper time and places.   But these membranes do sometimes press
fortii with  the waters three or  four fingers  breadth out of the body
before  the child  resembling a bladder  fid of water; but there  is
then no great danger to break diem, if they be not already broken,
for when the case is so, the cliild is always in  readiness to follow,
being in die passage; but let the midwife be very careful not to  pull
it  with her hand lest the after  burden be thereby loosened before its
time, lin- it adheres to it very strongly.  If the navel string  happens
to  come first, it  must presently be put up  again, and kept too, if
possible, or odierwise  the woman must immediately be delivered.
But if die after burden should come  first, it  must  not be put up
again by  no means;  for the infant having no further occasion for it,
it  would be but an obstacle if it were  put up;  in this case  it must
be cut  off, having tied the navel string, and afterwards draw  forth
the child with all the speed that may be, lest it be suffocated.
                         SECTION  V.
           Of Women laboring with a dead Child.
   When  the  difficulty of labor arises  from a dead  child,  it  is a
                       11* 
126
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
case of great danger to the  mother, and great care ought to be ta-
ken therein; but before any tiling be done,  the midwife ought to
be well assured the child is dead  indeed,  which may Iks  known by
these signs:
  1.   The breast suddenly slacks, or falls flat, or bags down.
  2.   A great  coldness possesses die belly of the mother, especial-
ly about the navel.
  3.   Her urine is tiiick, a stinking settling at the bottom.
  4.   No  motion  of the  child  can  be perceived; for  the  trial
whereof put her hand into warm  water, and  lay it upon  her belly;
for that if it be alive, will make it stir.
  5.   She is very subject to dream of dead men, and be  affrighted
therewith.
  6.   She  has extravagant longings to eat such things as  are
against nature.
  7.   Her breath stinks,  though not used so to do.
  8.When she turns herself in die bed, or rises up, the child sways
that way like a lump of lead.
  But these things carefully observed, the  midwife may make  a
judgment whedier the child be alive or dead; especially  if die  wo-
man takes the following perscription:
  "Take half a pint of white wine, and burn it,  and  add thereto
naif an ounce of cinnamon, but  no other spice  whatever;"  and
when she has drank  it, if hep  travailing pains  come  upon  her,
tlie child is  certainly dead;  but  if not, the  child may possibly be
eidier weak or  sick, but not dead.—And  in this case,  it will re-
fresh the cliild, and give her ease; for  cinnamon refresheth  and
strengtheneth the child in the womb.
  Now, if upon trial, it be found the child is dead, let the mother
do all site can to forward lier delivery, because a dead child can  be
no ways helpful  therein.   It  will be  necessary  therefore that  she
take some comfortable things to prevent her fainting,  by reason of
those putrid vapours ascending from the dead child.  And in  order
to her delivery, let her take the following herbs boiled in white wine,
or as many of them as you can get,  viz.  dittany, betony, penny-
royal, sage, feverfew, century, ivy leaves and berries.   Le» lier also
take sweet basil in powder, half a dram at a time, in white wine;
and her privities be anointed with the juice  of  garden tansey;  or
if you take tansey in the summer, when it may be most  plentifully
had, and before  it runs up to the  flower, and having bruised it well.
Ixiil it in oil till the juice of it be consumed.   If  you  set  it iu the
sun, after you have mixed it with  oil, it  will  be  more  effectual.
This a careful midwife ought to have  always by  her.    An to  the
manner of her delivery,  die  same  methods  must be  used as are
mentioned in tlie section of natural  labor.   And here I ramiot  but
again recommend tlie stone TEties, held near the  privities, wliose 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             127
magnetic virtue draws the child any way with the same facility  as
the loadstone draws iron.
  Let the midwife also make a  strong  decoction  of hyssop with
water, and give the woman to drink it very hot,  and it will, in a
little ';me, bring away the dead child.  A decoction of the herb
masterwort, used as above, works the same effects.   The roots_ of
polipodium stamped well, warmed a little, and bound on  the sides
of her feet, will soon bring away the  child either alive or dead.
  If as soon as she is delivered of die dead child, you are in doubt
that part of her after birth is left behind, for in  such  cases, being
often, it may come away piece meal,  let lier continue  drinking  die
same decoction, till her body is cleansed.
  The following medicines stir up also the expulsive faculty;  but
in this case they must be made stronger because  the motion of the
child ceaseth.
  Take savin, round birthwort, troches of myrrh,  assaram roots,
cinnamon, half" an ounce, saffron a scruple, give a dram with savin
water.  Or, take borax, savin, dittany; each an ounce;  myrrh, as-
saram roots, cinnamon, saffron, each  half a dram make  a  powder
give a dram.
  But she may purge first, and put her in an emollient bath anoint-
ing her round about die womb with oil of lillies,  Bweet  almonds,
Jamomile, hen and goose grease.   Also foment to get out the child,
v» ith a decoction of mercury, orris wild  cucumbers, ajchus, broom
flowers.  Then anoint the privities and loins with ointment of sow-
bread;  Or,
   Take  coloquintida,  agarac,  birthwort,  each a dram, make a
powder, add armoniac dissolved  in wine, ox gall, each too drains,
with oil of kier make an ointment.   Or, .make a fume, with asses'
hoofs burnt, or  gallianum, or caster,  and let it be taken  in widi a
funnel.
  To take away p-iins and strengthen the parts, foment with  the
decoction of mugwort, mallows, rosemary, woodmyrtle, St.  John's
wort, each half  an ounce;  spermaceti two drams, deer's suet an
ounce, w:th wax make an ointment.   Or, take  wax  four  ounces,
spermaceti an ounce, melt them, dip flax therein, and lay it all over
her belly.
   If none of these  things will do, the  last remedy is to use surgery,
and then the mid./ife ought, without  delay,  to send for  an expert
an atile man midwife, to deliver her  by manual operation; of which
I shall treat more  at large in the next chapter.
                       CHAPTER  VI.
   In shewing the duty of a   midwife, when the  woman's  labor is
unnatund, it will  be requisite  to shew in the  first place  what I
mean by natural labor;for it is natural to a woman  to bring forth
children in pain and sorrow.  That which I call unnatural, is when
the ehild comes te die birdi  ia a  contrary  pestare to that which 
12S
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
naiure ordained, and in which  die generality of children come into
the world.   Now, as truth is but  one, but error  dilates itself into
infinite variety;  so there is but  one proper right and natural posture
in which children come to birth; but  there  are  as  many  wrong
a-.id unnatural ways,  as  there  are  different postures  of children
when they come to be born.  Tha right and  natural birtll  is when
the child comes with its head first and yet  even  this is too  short a
definition of a natural birlh,  for if  any  part  of the head but  the
crown comes first, so that the  body follow not  in a straight  line
it is a wrong and difficult  birtll.  Now there are four general
ways a child may conic wrong; 1st, when any of tile  fore parts of
the  body first present  themselves,   2dly, when by an  unhappy
transition,  any  of die hinder  parts, present  themselves.   Silly,
when either of the sides.   Or,  4thly, when the feet  present  them-
selves first.   To these four, all die particular  and  different wrong
postures that a cliild  can  present itself in for the  birth,, may be
reduced; and therefore I shall confine myself only to  treat  of these
four more general wrong ways.
                          Section  I.
How. to deliver a Woman of a dead child by natural operation.
   The last section of the last  chapter treated of die delivering of
a woman of a dead cliild, and several  things were  directed to  be
applied in order to facilitate the delivery;  but when all these  fail,
a manual operation is absolutely necessary.   In order  thereto,  let
the operator acquaint the woman with the absolute necessity there
is of such an operation; and that as tlie child has  already  lost  its
life, there is no  other way left for die saving of hers.   I*et him  also
tell her, for her encouragement, that he doubts not, by the  blessing
of God, to deliver her safely,  and that  the  pain  arising thereby
will not be so great as she fears.   And then let  him   endeavor to
stir up the  woman's pains  by  giving her some  sharp clyster to
excite her throes to bear  down and  bring  forth the child, and  if
this prevail not, let him proceed with his manual operation.
   First, let her  lie placed cross ihe bed,thnt he may operate the
easier;  and let her lie on her back with her hips little higher than
lier head, or at least the body equally placed,  when it is  necessary
to put back or turn the infant to  give it a better po.-ture;  being
thus situated, she must fold her legs so as her heels be towards   her
buttocks; and her thighs spread, and held  by a couple  of strong
persons; there must be others also to  support he» under  her arms
that the body may not slide down when the child is drawn  forth,
for which sometimes a great strength  is  required;  let the  sheets
and blankets cover her thighs for decency's sake, and also to prevent
her catching cold.  Then let him anoint  the  entrance of the womb
with oil or fresh butter, if necessary, that so he  may  with  more
ease  introduce his hand which  must also  be anointed;  and  having
by signs before mentioned, received  satisfaction  that it  is a dead 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
129
 child he must do his endeavor to fetch it away a? soon as  possible
 and if the child offers the head  first, he  must gently put it  back
 until he hath liberty to  introduce his  hand quite  into  die  womb
 then sliding it  along under the belly to find die feet,  let liim  draw
 it  fortii  by them,  being  very careful to  keep the  head  from
 being locked in the  passage, "that  it be  not separated  from the
 body ; which may be effected the more easily, because the child lieing
 very rotten and putrified, the operator  is not so  mindful to keep
 the breast and  face downwards  as he is  in living  births.   But  if
 notwithstanding all diese precautions, by reason of the child's putre-
 faction, the head should be separated, and left behind in the womb
 it must l>e drawn  forth according to  the directions,  which shall
 be given  in section third of this chapter for that puspose.   But
 when the head  coming first, is so far advanced that it cannot well
 be put back  it is better to draw it forth so, than to  torment  the wo-
 man too  much by p ittiug it back to turn and bring it by the feet; but
 tile head being a part round  and slippery,  it may so happen diat tlie
 operator cannot hold it with  his fingers by reason of its moisture, nor
 put them  up to  die side of it, because the passage is filled w idi its big-
 ness, lie must take a proper instrument and put it up as far as he can
 widiout violence between the womb and the child's head, observing to
 keep die point of it towards die head, and let him fasten it there, giv
 ing it a good hold upon one of die bones of die skull, that it may not
 slide; and after it is well fixed he may therewith draw it forth keep-
 ing the ends of die fingers flat upon the opposite side, the better to help
 disengage it, and by shaking it n little to conduct it directly out of
 the passage, until the head be quite born, and  dien taking hold of it
 with the hand under the armpits, the child may  be quite delivered.
 And dien the after burden fetched, being careful not to pluck the navel
 string too hard, lest  it  break as often happens when it is corrup-
 ted.
   If tbe dead child come with tlie arm up to die  shoulders so ex-
 tremely swelled that the woman must suffer  too  great a  violence
 to have it put back 'tis dien the best to take it offal the shoulder joints
 by twisting it diree or four times about, which  is very easily done by
 reason of die softness and tenderness of the body.  After the arm  is
 so separated and no longer possessing the passage,  the operator will
have more room to put up his hand into die womb to fetch the  child
by the feet and bring it away.
   Butfaldiougb  the operator be sure the child  is dead in the  womb,
yet he must not  tiierefore presently use instruments,* because they are
never to be used but when handsK.-e not sufficient, and there is no
other remedy to  prevent die woman's danger, or to bring fortii the
 child any other  way.—And the judicious operator will  choose that
 wav which is least hazardous and most safe. 
130
EXPERIENCED MIDWIffE.
                        SECTION II.
  How a  Woman must  be. delivered when the Chid's  feet
                          come first.
  There is nothing more obvious to  those whose business  it n to
assist laboring  women than that the  several unnatural postures in
which children present themselves at their births are the occasion
of the most bad labors and  ill accidents that happen unto women
in such  a condition.
  And since midwives are very often obliged, because of die  un-
natural  situations, to draw the children fortii by tlie feet,  I conceive
it to be most  proper  to  show  first, how a cliild must  be brought
fortii that presents itself in that posture,  because it will  be a guide
to several of the rest.
  I know indeed that in this case 'tis the advice of several- authors
to change the figure, and place the head so that it  may present the
birth, and.this  council  I should lie very inclinable to follow, could
they but aiso shew  how  it must be done.   But k will appear  very
difficult, if not impossible to be performed, if we will avoid  the
dangers that  by such  violent  agitations both the mo'her  and  the
child must be put into, and therefore  my opinion  is,  that it is better
to draw it fortii by the  feet, when it presents itself m that posture
tVau  to venture a worse accident by turning it.
  As soon dierefore as the waters are broke, and it. is  known that
tlie child comes  thus, and the  womb ijopen enough to admit the
midwife's hand into it, or else by anointing the passage with  oil or
hog's grease, to endeavor to dilate by degrees, using her fingers to
this purpose, spreading one from the other, after  they are together
entered and continued to do  so till it be sufficiently dilated, then ta-
king care that her nails  are  well pared and no rings on her fingers,
and her hands wejl anointed  with oil or  fresh butter, and the wo-
man  placed  in the manner  directed  in the former  section, let her
gently introduce her  hand into the en^ry of  the womb, where fin-
ding the  child's feet, let her draw it forth in tile manner  I  shall
presently direct;  only let her first see whether it  presents one foot,
or both and if  it be but one foot, she ought to consider whether it
 is the  right foot or the left,  and also in what fashion it  comes; for
 by that means she will sooner come to know where to find the oth-
 er  which as soon as she knows and finds,  let her gently  draw forth
 with the other ;  but of this she must be especially careful, viz.  that
 this second  lie not the foot of another child, for if so it may be of
 the most fetal consequence,  for she may  sooner split both  mother
 and child than draw  them  fo.Ji; but this may  lie easily prevented
 if she  does  but slide her hand up the first leg and thigh to the twist,
 and  there find both thighs joined together and descending from one
 body.   And ihis is also the best means to  find the other foot when it
 comes with but one.
    As soon as the midwife hath found both tlie child's feet, she may 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            131

draw them forth and holding them together may bring them by  lit-
tle and little iu this  manner,  taking  afterwards hold of the legs
and th.ghs as soon as she can come at them,  drawing them so till
the hips be come foi th.  Whilst this  is doing let her observe to wrap
the parts in a single,  cloth, that so her hands being  already greasy,
slide not on the -infant's body  which is slippery, because of die vi-
cious humors which are all over it, and prevent one's fakin<f hold of
it, which being done, she may take hold mider the hips su to draw
it fortli  to the  beginning of the  breast; and let her on both  sides
with her hand bring down  the arms along the child's body,  which
she may then easily find;  and then  let her take care that the  belly
and face of the cliild be  downwards, for if it  should be upwards.
there would be some danger of its being stopped by tlie chin ovei
the share bone ; and tiierefore, if it be not so,  must turn it to that
posture; which may be  easily done, if she take hold on the  body
when the breast and  arms are forth in the manner we  have said,
and draws it  willi turning it  in proportion on  that side  .which it
most inclines to, till  it be turned with the face downwards and so
having brought it to  the shoulders let  her  lose no time, desire the
woman at  the same  time to  bear down,  that so at drawing  the
head at  that  instant  may take its place, and not to be stopt  in the
passage.   Some children there are wliose heads are  so big, that
when the whole body is born yet that stops in the passage diough the
midwife takes all possible care to prevent it.   And when  this hap-
pens she must not  endeavor  only to draw fortii the child by  the
shoulders lest  she sometimes separate the  body from the head as I
have known it done by the midwife;  but  she  must discharge it by
little and little  from the  bones in tlie passages  widi the fingers of
each hand sliding diem on each  side  opposite the one to the other,
sometimes above and sometimes under, until the .work be ended, en-
deavoring to despatch it as soon as  possible lest the child be suffoca-
ted as it w ill  unavoidably  be  if  it should  remain long in that pos-
ture ; and this being well and  carefully effected, she may soon after
fetch awav the after birtll as I have before directed.
                        SECTION  III,
How to bring away the Head  of the  Child,  when  separated
         from the body and left behind in the Womb.
  Though the utmost care be taken in bringing  away the child by
the feet, yet if tlie child happens to lie dead,  it is sometimes so  pu-
trified  and corrupted, that with the least pull  the body separates
from the head, and remains alone in  the womb, and cannot be brought
away but with a manual operation and difficulty,  it lieing  slippery
by reason of  the place where it is, and from  the roundness  of its
figure on  which no hold can  be  well taken.   And so  very great is
die difficulty  in this  case that sometimes two  or three able practi-
tioners in the art of  midwifery one  after the other, left the  operation
ii'itinishco: us not able to effect it,  after the utmost efforts of their 
132
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
industi-y skill and strength, so that die woman  not lieing, able to lie
deli\ered |ieri»heth.   'lo prevent which fatal accidents for die time
to come let the- follow ing «|ieration lie  observed.
   When the infant's head separates from  the body,  and is left  lie-
bind whedier through  putreliicliun  or otherwise,  let  the  o|ierator
immetliately whilst the womb is yet o|ien direct up his right hand to die
mouth Ibi no udiir hold can there be had; and  having found it let
him put one or two  fingers  into it by little and   little holding it by
the jaw; but if that fail* as  sometimes it will  when putrined then
let him pull fortii his right hand and slide  up  his left with vhich he
must support the head and with the right let him take a harrow  in-
strument called  a crotchet;  but  let it be  strong and with a single
biam.li which  he must guide along the inside of Iris hand with tlie
point towards it, for fear of hurting tlu womb;  and having lhaa  in-
troduced it, let him turn it towards the head, for to strike either  in-
to an eye-hole, or the hole of an car or behind the head or else be-
tween the stature as he finds it most convenient and easy; and dien
draw fortii the head so fastened with die said instrument  still help-
ing to conduct it with his  left hand; but when  he hath brought it
near  the  passage'being strongly  fastened  to the   instrument let
him  remember to draw fortii his hand that the passage not being fil-
led with it may lie the larger and  easier keeping still a finger or
two on the side  of the head the better to disengage it.
   There is also another way to do diis with more ease and less hard-
ship than the former;  which is this, let the operator take a soft lin-
en or fillet slip, of above four fingers breadth  and the length of three
quarters of an ell, or thereabouts, taking the two ends with  the left
hand, and the middle with the right, and let  them so put it up with
bis right as that it may be beyond the head to embrace it as a sling
doth a stone;  and afterwards draw  fortli the fillet by the two ends
together;  it will be easily  drawn forth the fillet not  hindering the
least passage, because  it takes up little or no place.
   When the head  is thus fetched out of the womb care must he  ta-
ken that not the least part  of it be  left  behind  and likewise to
oleanse the woman well of  her after burden if yet remaining. Some
have  questioned  whether  the child's head remaining yet  in the
womb, or  the after  birth ought to be brought  away first;  the an-
swer to which question may be by way of distinction; that is to say
if the burden  be wholly separated from the sides of the wfflnb that
ought to be first brought away because it may   also hinder the  ta-
king hold of the head;  but  if it still adheres  to the womb, it  must
not be meddled with  till die head  be brought away;  for if one
should then go about to separate it from  the womb, it might then
cause a flowing which would be augmented by  the violence of the
operation;  the vessels to which it is joined remaining for  the most
part open as long as me womb isdistetiued, which the head ciiusclh
while it is  retained in it, avid cajmut  vlnsa till alliw strong* Isody \m 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.             133
voided, and thou  it doth by contracting and compressing itself to-
 etber, as has been more fullv before explained.   Besides  die after
 irth remaining  thus  cleaving to  the*womb during the operation,
prevents it from receiving easily either bruise or hurt.
                        SECTION  IV.
How to deliver a Woman when  the side of the Child's Head is
                    presented to the Birth.
  Though  some  may tliuik it a natural  labor  when the  child's
head may come  first, but yet" if the child's head presents  not  the
right way, even that is an unnatural labor and therefore though the
head comes  first, yet  if it be the side of the head instead of  die
crown, it is very dangerous both to  the modier and child, for  the
child may sooner break its neck than  be born in that manner; and
by how much the mother's pain continue to bear the child,  which it
is impossible, unless the head be rigidly placed, the more the  passages
are stopt; tiierefore as soon as the position of the child is  known,
the woman must  lie laid  with all  speed, lest the cliild  should  ad-
vance further in this vicious posture,  and tiierefore render  it more
difficult to thrust  it back, which  must be done in order to place the
head in the passage right as it ought to be.
  To this purpose therefore place the  woman so  that her hips may
be a little higher than her head and shoulders, causing her to lean a
little upon the opposite side to die child's  ill posture;  then let the
operator slide up his hand well anointed with oil, by die side of the
child's head, to bring it right, gently with  his fingers between  the
head and die womb: but if the head be so engaged that it cannot be
done that way, he must then put  his hand to the  shoulders, that so
by thrusting them  back a little into the womb, sometimes on  the
one side and sometimes on the other; he  may by little and little
give it u natural position.   I confess it would be better if the  oper-
ator could put back the  child by its shoulders with both his hands;
but the head takes up so much room, that he will find much ado to
put up  one, with which he  must perforin  his operation,  widi the
help of the finger  ends of the other hand put forwards  die  child's
birtll as when the labor is natural.
  Some children present their face first, having their  heads turned
back, in which posture it is extremely difficult that the child should
be born; and if it  continue so  long, the face wiH be swelled, and
withal black and blue, that it will at first seem  monstrous, which
is  occasioned as  well by die compression of it in that place, as by
the midwife's fingers handling it too rapidly, in order to place it
in a beltei posture.   But this blackness will wear away in three or
four days, often anointing it with oil of sweet almonds.  To deliver
the birtll, the same operation must  lie  used as iu the former,  when
a child comes with  the side of the head: only  let  the  miduite or
 
134
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
operator work very gently to avoid as much as possible the bruising
of the face.
                        SECTION V.
How to deliver  a woman  when a child presents one or  both
                Hands together with the Head.
  Sometimes ihe infant will present nome other part  together with
its head;  which if it does, it is usually one or both its hands, and
this hinders die birth because die handsjuke up part of that passage
whicli is  little  enough for tlie head  alone; besides that  happens,
they generally cause  the bead to lean on one side: and therefore
this position  may be very  well styled unnatural.  When die child
presents itself thus, the first tiling to  be  done after  it  is perceived,
must lie to prevent it from  coming down more, or engaging  furthei
in the passage; and therefore the operator having placed the  wo-
man on  die bed  a little lower than  her hips, must put and guide
back the infants hand widi his own as much as may be or both of
them,' if they both come  down,  to give  way to the child's head;
and this being done  if the head be on  one side, it  must be  broughi
into its natural  posture in the middle of the  passage,  that it  may
come in a straight line, and then proceed as  directed in the forego-
ing section.
                       SECTION  VI.
Hoio a woman is to be delivered when the Hands or  Feet of the
                    Infant come together.
  There is  none but will  readily grant, that when the hands and
feet of an infant present together, tlie labor must be unnatural, be-
cause it is  impossible a child  should be born in that manner.  In
this, therefore when tlie midwife guides her hand towards  the  ori-
fice of the womb, she will  perceive only many fingers close togeth-
er:  and if it be not sufficiently dilated, it will be a good while be-
fore die hands and feet will  be exactly distinguished;  for  they are
sometimes so shut and piessed together, that diey seem to be all of one
and the same shape; but where the womb is open enough   to intro-
duce the  hand into it, she  will easily  know which are the hands and
which are the feel;  and  having well taken  notice thereof, let her
slide her hand  and presently  direct   it towards the infant's breast
which she will find very near, and . then let her very  gently thrust
back the body towards the bottom of the womb, leaying the feet in
the same place where she  found them; and then having placed the
woman in a convenient posture, that is to say, her  hips a little rai-
sed above her breast and head, (which situation ought always to bo
observed when the  child is to be put back into die womb) let the
midwife  afterwards take hold of die cliild by the feet and draw
it fortii as is directed in tlie second section.
  This lalior, though  somewhat troublesome,  yet  is  much better
when the child presents only its hands ;  for die child must be quite
turned about before it can  be drawn forth ;-but ia tliis, lliey are tea- 
               EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.              135

dy presenting themselves, and in this, diere is not so much to do,
but to lift and thrust back a little tlie upper part of the body, which
is almost done of itself by drawing it along by die feet.
  I confess there are many authors diat have written of labors who
would have all wrong births reduced to  a natural figure :  which is
to turn it, that it may come with the head first; but those that have
thus  written are such as never understood the practical part; for if
diey had the least experience herein, diey would know that it is very
often Impossible,  at least if it were to be  done, that  violence must
necessarily lie  used  in doing it,  that  would  very probably be the
death of mother and  child in the operation;  I would dierefore  lay
down as  a general rule, that whensoever an  infant presents itself
wrong to the  birth in what posture soever from the shoulders to the
feet, it is tlie best way and soonest done, to draw it out by  the feet,
and that it is better searching for diem if they do not present them-
selves, rather than try to  put it  in die natural  posture, and place
the head foremost; for die great endeavors necessaiy to • be used in
turning  die infant in the womb do so much weaken both mother and
child, that  diere remains not afterwards strength enough  to commit
die operation to die work of nature, for  usually the woman has no
more throes or pains fit for labor, after she has been so wrought upon;
for which reason it would be very difficult and tedious, at least; and
die cliild by such an  operation, made very weak, would  be in  ex-
treme danger of perishing before it could be  born.  It is  therefore
much better  in these cases to bring it away immediately by  the
feet searching for them  as I have already directed, when they do
not present themselves; by which the mother  will be prevented of a
tedious labor, and die child be  often brought  alive into the  world,
who otherwise would hardly escape death.  And thus much shall suf-
fice to be said of unnatural  labors;  for by die rule already given a
skilful artist will know how to proceed in any posture in which the
child presents itself.
                       SECTION VII.
How a woman shall be delivered that has 2 wins, which present
               themselves in different postures.
  We have already spoken sometiiing of  die  birth of twins iu the
chapter of unnatural  labor ; for it is not  an unnatural labor barely to
have twins, provided they  come in a right  position (that  is as in
single birdi.)  But  when they shall present themselves  in divers
postures, they come  properly under the  denomination of  unnatural
labors;  and if when  one cliild presents itself in a wrong figure it
makes it much more so when there are several, and renders  it not on-
ly more painful to the mother and children, but to the operator also
for they often trouble each other, and hinder both their births, be-
sides which, the womb  is  then  so  filled with them, that die opera-
tor can hardly introduce his hand  without much violence,  which he 
136
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
 ainst do, if they be to be turned to thrust back, to give them a bet-
 ter position.
    When a woman is pregnant with two children, they rarely  pre-
 sent to  the birdi together, the  one being generally more forward
 than the other, and diat is tlie reason that but one is felt; that muny
 times the  midwife kno\v-3 not that there are twins till the first is
 born, and that she is going to fetch away tlie after birtll.   In the
 5th cliapter,  wherein I treated of natural labor I  showed  how a
 woman should be delivered of twins, presenting themselves bodi right
 and therefore before I close this chapter  of unnatural labor, it  only
 remains that I shew what  ought to be done,  when diey either both
 come wrong or one of them only, as for the most part   it happens
 the first generally coming right,,  and die second'with  the  feet for-
 ward, or in some worse  posture.   In such a case,  the birtll of the
 first,must be hastened as much as  possible, to make way for the se-
 cond, which is best brought away by the feet, without  endeavoring
 to place it right, even though it was somewhat inclining towards it,
 it has been already tired and weakened by the  birth of the first as
 well as its mother, that there would be greater danger  of its death
 than likelihood of its coming out of the womb that way.
   But if, when the  first born is born naturally, the second should
 likewise offer its head  to the birth, it would then  be best leaving
 nature to finish what she  has  so  well begun; and if nature should
 be too slow in her work, some of these  tilings  mentioned in  the
 4th chapter to accelerate the birth may be properly enough applied;
 and if after that, the second birth should be yet delayed, let a manu-
 al operation be deferred no longer : but the  woman being properly
 placed, as has been before directed, let the operator direct his hand
 gently into the womb to find die feet, and so draw forth  the second,
 which will be the more easily effected, because there is way made
 sufficient by the birth of the  first; and if the  waters of the second
 child be not broke, as it often happens, yet intending to   bring it by
 the feet, he need not scruple to  break tlie  membranes with his  fin-
 gers; for though when the birth of a child is left to the  operation
 of nature, it is necessary tbat die waters should break of themselves;
 yet when die child is brought out of the  womb by art,  there is uo
 clanger in breaking of them; nay on the contrary, it becomes neces-
 sary, for without the waters are broke, it  would be almost impossi-
 ble to turn the child.
   But herein principally lies the care of the operator, that he is  not
 deceived when eidier the hands or the feet of both children  offer
 themselves togedier to the birth;  in this  case  he ought well to con-
sider the operation, whether they be not joined together or any way
monstrous : and which part belongs to one  child and which to  the
other, that so they may be fetched one after the other, and not boil
together, which might be if it were not. duly considered, Diking  the
right foot of the one and tha left of die other,  and so drawing them 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            137
 togedier, as if they belonged to one  body, because there is a left and
 a right,  by whicli means it would be impossible ever to^detiver them.
 But a skilful operator will easily prevent this, if having two or tliree
 feet of several children, presenting together in a passage, and  taking
 two of tlie forwardest, a right and a left, and sliding his hands along
 die legs and thighs up to  the twist, if for war \  or the buttocks, if
 backwards, be finds they bodi belong to the body;  of which being
 thus assured, he may begin to draw fortii the nearest,  without re-
 garding  which is strongest or weakest, bigger or less, living or dead
 having put first a little aside that part of the other child which of-
 fers, to have the  more way and so dispatch tlie first,  wherever it
 is. as soon as may  be, observing  the same  rules, as if  there were
 but oik, keepiug the face downwards, with every circumstance direc-
 ted in the section where the child comes with its feet first, and not
 fetch die burden till the second child is born.  And therefore when
 the operator has drawn forth one cliild, he must separate it from the
 burden having tied and cut the  navel string, and then fetch die oth-
 er by the feet in  the same manaer, and afterwards  bring away die
after burden with die two strings, as has been before shown.  If ihe
children present any other part than the feet, the operator may fol-
low the same method as is directed in the foregoing section, where
the several unnatural positions are carefully treated of.
                      SECriON  VIII.
    Directions for child bearing  Women in their lying in.
  In the fourth, fifth, and sixth chapters, we have treated  at large
of women's labor, and how they  may be safely  delivered both in
na! oral and unnatural  labors.  Having therefore thus  brought the
good woman to bed, I will in this  chapter direct how she  ought to
be ordered in her lying in.
                        SECTION  I.
    How a Woman newly delivered ought to be ordered.
  As soon as  she is laid  in bed, let her be be placed in it  conven-
 iently for ease and rest, which she stands in great need of, to recov-
er herself of the great fetigue she underwent  during her  travail;
and, that she may lie tile"more easily, let  her head and body be a
little raised, that she may breathe  the more  freely, and  cleanse the
better, especially of that blood  which dien comes  away that so it
may not clot, which being retained causedi very great pain.
  Having thus placed her  in bed,  let her  drink  a  draught of
burnt white wine, when you have first melted therein a drafclim of
 spermaceti.  The herb vervian is also a most singular herb for a
 woman in this condition, boiling it in what she either eats o. drinks
 fortifying the womb so exceediugly, that it will do it  more  good in
 two (lays, having no offensive  taste, diough  very pleasant  virtues.
 And this is no more dian what she stands in need of, for her  lower
 parts being so gre»''v distended to the birth of die infant, it is good 
138
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE
 to endeavor the prevention of an inflamation there.  Let tiierefore
 be outwardly applied all over the bottom of the belly and privities,
 the following anodyne or cataplasm.  Take two  ounces of oil of
 sweet almonds, and two or  three new laid eggs, yolks  and whites,
 stirring them together in an earthen pipkin  over  hot  embers,  till
 it comes to the consistence of  a   poultice ; whicli  being spread
 upon  a cloth must be applied to those parts indifferently warm, hav-
 ing first taken  away the closures (which were put to tier presently
 after her delivery)  and likewise such  clots of blood  as were then
 left.  Let  this lie on fire or six hours, and then renew  it again as
 you see cause.
   Great care ought to be taken at first,  that if her body be  ve»-y
 weak, she be not kept too hot, for extremity of heat weak ns na-
 ture and dissolves the strength; and whether she be weak or strong,
 be sure that no cold air come near her at  first; for cold is an ene-
 my to the spermatic parts, and if it gets into tbe womb, it increases
 the after paius, causes swellings in the womb, and hurts the nerves.
 As to  her diet, let it be not, and let her  eat but a  little  at a time.
 Let her avoid the light for tinea or four  days, and longer  If slie  be
 weak, for labour weakens her eyes exceeding/y, by a harmony be-
 tween die womb and them.   Let her avoid great noises, sadness
 and troubles of mind.
   If the womb be foul, which may be  easily perceived by the impu-
 rity of the  blood (which will then cither come  away in clots  or
 stinking, or if you suspect any of the after burden  to be  left behind,
 which may sometimes happen) make her drink  of feverfew, mug-
 wort, pennyroyal, and mother of thyme,  boiled  in white  wine,
 sweetened  with sugar.
   Pananda and new laid eggs is die best meat for her  at first, of
 which she may eat often, but not teo much at a  time.   And1 let her
 use cinnamon in all her meat and drink  for it is a great  strengthen-
 er to tlie womb.
   Let  her stir as little as may be, till after the fifth, sixth, or  sev-
 enth days of her delivery, if she be  weak.  And  let her talk as
 little as may be, for that weakens her.
   If she goes not well to stool, give her a clyster made   only  with
 the  decoction  of mallows  and  a   little brown sugar.—-When she
 hath lain in a week or more, let her use such  things as  close tlie
 womb, of  which, knot grass and  comfrey are very  good; and to
 them you may add a little polipodium, for  it will do her good, both
 leaves  and  roots being bruised.
                        SECTION  II.
 Hoxo  to remedy those accidents which a lying in woman is sub-
                           ject to.
   I.  The  first common and usual accident that troubles women in
their lying in, is after pains ; the causes  whereof some affirm to be
one dung, some another;  but it is most certain  that  diey proceed 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE
139
 from cold  and wind contained in the bowels with which diey are
 filled after labor, because then they have more room to dilate, than
 when the child was in the womb, by which they were compressed
 and also because the nourishment and matter contnined in them and
 the stomach, has been confusedly agitated from side to side during
 the pains of labor, arid could not be well digested,  whence  this
 wind is afterwards generated, and by consequence the gripes which
 the woman feels running into lier belly from side to side, according
 as die wind moves, and sometimes from the womb  because of tlie
 compression and commotion which the bowels make.   These being
 generally die cause, let us now apply a suitable remedy.
  1. Boil an egg soft and pour out tlie yolk of it, with which mix
 a spoonful of cinnamon water and let her drink it;  and if you mix
 in it two grains of ambergrease, it will be the better; and yet ver-
 vian taken  in any thing she drinks, will be effectual as the other.
  2. Give  the  lying  in woman, immediately after delivery oil of
 sweet almond and syrup of maidenhair,  mixed  together.   Some
 prefer oil of  walnuts, provided it be made of nuts  that  are very
 good, but it tastes worse than die other.   This  wHl lenity  the in-
 sides of the  intestines  by  its unataousness, and  by  that  means
 bring away that which  is contained in them more easdy.
  3. Take and boil onions very well in  water,  then stamp them
 with oil and cinnamon and seed  in powder, spread them upon a
 cloth and apply diem to the region of the womb.
  4. Let her be careful to keep her belly very hot,  and not drink
 what is too cold; and if they prove  very violent, ho.' cloths, from
 time to  time, must be laid on her belly, or a pancake fried in  wal-
 nut oil may be applied to it without  swathiug her  belly so  strait;
 and for the better evacuating die wind out of the intestines, give lier
 a clyster, repeating it as often as necessity requires.
  5. Take baybcrries, beat them to a powder, |«it  die powder up-
 on a chaffing dish of coals, and  let her  receive the  smoke of them
 up lier privities.
  6. Take tar and barrows grease,  of each an equal quantity, boil
them together, and whilst it is boiling add a little pidgeon's dung to
 it.  Spread some of this upon a linen cloth, and apply  it  to  die
reins of ber back;  and it will give her speedy ease.
  Lastly, let her  take half a dram of bayberries beaten into a
powder  in a draught of mustard or  tent.
  II. Another accident in which women in child bed are  subject,
 is the hemorrhoides, or piles, occasioned through their straining in
bringing the child into tlie world.  To cure this,
  1. Let her be let blood in the vein saphtena.
  2. Let her use po'.lypodium in her meat and  drink, bruised and
 boiled. 
140            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
   3. Take an onion, and, having made a hole in the middle of it,
fill it full of oil, toast it and having bruised it all together, apply it
to the fundament.
   4. Take as many wood lice as vou can get, and bruise them, and
having mixed them with a little oil, apply them warm as before.
   5. If she go well to stool, let lier take an ounce of cassia fistula
drawn at night going to bed; she need no change of diet after.
   III. Retention of the menstrues is another accident happening
to vyomen in child bed;  and,  which is of so dangerous consequence,
diat, if not timely remedied it proves mortal.   Where this happens,
   1. Let the woman take such medicines as  strongly provoke the
terms, such as dittany, betony, savory, featherfew, centaury, juni-
per berries, peony roots.
   2.  Let her take two or three spoonfuls  of briony  water  each
morning.
   3.  Gentian roots beaten into a powder, and  a drachm of it. ta-
den every morning in wine, is an extraordinary remedy.
   4.  The root of birthwort, either long or round, so used and ta-
ken as the former is very good.
   5. Take twelve poiny seeds, and beat diem into a very fine pow-
der, and let 1 er dunk thei*. in a draught of hot carduus posset, and
let her sweat  after. And if this  last  medicine dont  bring them
down the first time she takes it, let  her take aa much mure three
hours after, and it seldom foils.
   IV. Overflowing of the menses  is another accident incidental te
cliild bed women.
   1.  Take shepherd's purse either boiled in any convenient liquor
or dried  and beaten into a  powder, and it  will be an  admirable
remedy to stop them, this being especially appropriated to the priv-
ties.
   2.  The flowers and leaves of brambles, or either of them, being
dried and beaten  into powder, and a drachm of them  taken every
morning  in a spoonful  of red wine, or in die decoction of the leaves
of the same, (which perhaps is much better;) is an admirable  rem-
edy for the immoderate flowing  of the terms in women.
   V.  Excoriations, bruises  and  rents, of the lower part of die
womb, are often  occasioned by tlie violent  distension and separa-
tion of the four  caruncles in  woman's labor.  For  the healing
whereof,
   As soon as the woman is laid, if there be only simple contusions
and excoriations, let the anodyne  cataplasm, formerly  directed, be
applied to the lower parts to  ease the pain, made of the yolks and
whites of new laid eggs, and oil of roses  boiled a little over warm
embers,  continually stirring it till it be  equally  mixed, and  then
spread upon a fine clolh, it must be applied very warm to the bear-
ing place for  five  ~>r  six hours,  and when it  is taken  away, lay
some fine rags dipped in oil of St. John's wort  twice  or thrice  a 
                                                  MP

                EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.            141

day, also, some foment the parts  with barley water  and honey of
roses, to cleanse them from die excrements which pass.   When the
woman makes water, let them be defended with fine rigs, and there-
by hinder the urine from causing smart aid pain.
  VI. The  curdling and  clotting of the  milk is  another accident
that  often happens to women in  child  bed; for, in the beginning
of child  bed the woman's  milk is  not  purified because  of  those
great commotions her body suffered during her labor, which affec-
ted all  the  parts, and it is  then mixed with many other humors.
Now this clotting of milk does, for the most part, proceed from  the
breasts not being fully drawn, and dial either  because she hath too
much milk, and that the  infant is too small and weak  to suck all,
oi because she doth not desire to be a nurse, for the milk  in those
cases remaining in die breast after concoction without being drawn
looseth the sweetness and the balsamic quality it had  and by rea-
son of the heat it acquires and die too Song stay it  makes there,  it
boui-s, curdles, and clots as  we see runnet put into ordinary milk
turns it into curds.  This curdling of tlie milk may be also  caused
by having taken a great cold,  and not keeping the breasts  cover-
ed.
  But from what cause soever  this curdling of the milk proceeds
the  most certain remedy is, speedily to draw the breasts until they
ire emitted and dried.   Brt in regard to  the infant, by reason of
its weakness cannot draw  strong enough, it will  be  proper to get
another woman to draw her breasts until the milk come freely, and
then she  may give  her child suck.  And that sue may not after-
wards be troubled with a surplusage of milk, she must eat such diet
as gives but little nourishment, and keep her body open.
  But if the case  be such that  the woman neither can nor will be a
nurse, it is then necessary to empty the body by bleeding in the arm;
besides drawing down the humors, by strong clysters and  bleeding
in the foot, nor will it be amiss to purge gently;  and to  digest, dis-
solve and dissipate the curdled  milk, apply the cataplasm of pure
honey, or use the following liniment.
         A Liniment to scatter and dissipate the milk.
  That the milk flowing  back to  tbe breasts may without offence
be dissipated, use this ointment: "Take pure wax two ounces, lin-
seed oil half  a pound,  when the wax is melted, let die liniment be
made wherein linen cloths must be dipped and laid upon the breast;
and when it shall be ° dispersed, and pains no more, let other linen
cloths be  dipped iB the  distilled  water  of  acorns, and  put upon
them."
  Note, That the  cloths dipped in the  distilled water of acorns,
must be used only by those  who  cannot nurse their own  children;
but if a swelling in the breast6 of tiiose who give suck, arises from
abundance of milk, and threatens  an  iuflamation, use   the  former
ointment, but abstain from  using the distilled water of  acorns. 
142
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
                         CHAP. VIII.
      Directions for nurses in ordering new born  children.
   Havin^ in the for .ner  chapter  shown how the lyin" in woman
 should be ordered, it is now high time to  take care of the infant,
 to whom  the first service that  should be performed for it,  is tlie cut-
 tin" of the  navel string of which I have spoken at large before.
                         SECTION I.
  What is to be done to the new born infant, after cutting the
                          navel string.
   When the child's navel string has been cut according to die rules
 before prescribed, let the midwife cleanse it from the excrements and
 lihh it brings into the  world with  it, of which  some are within the
 body as the urine in the bladder,  and the excrement found  in the
 guts ;  and  others without, which are thick, whitish and clammy,
 proceeding from the slimeness of the  waters;  there are  children
 sometimes  so covered over  with  this, that one would say they are
 rubbed over with soft cheese, and some women are of so easy a be-
 lief, that  they really think it so, because they had eaten some while
 they were with child.  From  these  excrements let  the  child be
 cleansed  with wine and water a little warmed, washing every  part
 therewith, but chiefly the head because  of the hair, also the folds of
 the groins,  armpits, and the cods or privities; which parts must be
 gently cleansed with a linen rag or soft  sponge  dipped in  tins luke-
 warm wine.  If this clammy or vicious  excrement stick so  close
 that it will not be easily washed off from these places  it may be
 fetched off with the  oil of sweet almonds, or a little fresh  butter
 melted with wine, and  afterwards well dried off.  She  must also
'make tents of fine rags, and wetting them in this liquor, clear the
 ears and nostrils ;  but for the  eyes wipe them only  with a dry soft
 ra", n at  dipping it in the wine, lest it should make them smart.
   The child being thus  washed and  cleaned from its native blood
 and impurities which attended it into the world, it must in the next
 place be  searched to see  whether all things be right about it, and
 that there  is n-> fault or dislocation ; whether its nose  be straight
 oi its ton-me tied, whether there be any  bruise or tumor on the head,
 whether  the mould be not overshotten ; also whether the scrotum,
 if a boy, be not blown  up and swelled ;  and  in short whether  it
 has suffered any violence in any part of its body, and whether all
 its  parts be well and duly shaped, that suitable remedies may be ap-
 plied, if any thing be found not right.   Nor is it enough  that all be
 right without, and the outside of the body cleansed, but  she urns
 chiefly observe whether it dischargeth  the excrements retained
 within, and whether the passages be open, for some have been born
  without having them perforated,- therefore let her examine wheth-
 er the conduit of the urine and the stool be clear, for want of which
 some have died, not  being  able to void tiuir excrements, because
 liim-lv circ was not  taken  at  first.  As to  the urine all clulsfren, 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            143

 males and females, do make water as soon as they are born, if they
 can, especially when they  feel the heat of the fire, and  sometimes
 also flic excrements, but not so soon  as the urine.   If the  infant
 does not ordure the first day, then put up into its fundament a small
 suppository, to stir it up to be discharged,  that it may not cause
 painful gripes by remaining so long in its belly.  A sugar almond may
 be proper for this purpose  anointed over widi a little  boiled  honey
 or else a small piece of castile  soap rubbed over  with fresh butter;
 she may also give tbe child to this pnrpose, a little syrup of roses
 or violets at the mouth, mixed with some oil of sweet almonds drawn
 without a fire, anointing the  belly also with die same oil or a  little
 fresh butter.
   The midwife having thus washed and cleansed  the child,  accor-
 ding to the  before mentioned directions,  let her begin to swaddle in
 swathing cloths, and when she  dresses the head,  let her put small
 rags behind the ears to dry up the filth that engenders there, and al-
 so in the  folds of tile armpits and groins, and to swathe it, having
 wrapped it up warm in bed  blankets ; only take care that they swathe
 not the child too straight, especially about the breast and stomach,
 that it may  breadi more freely, and not be  forced  to vomit up the
 milk it sucks, because the stomach cannot be sufficiently extended
 to contain it; therefore, let  its arms and legs be wrapped in its bed,
 stretched  and straight, and swathed to keep diem so, viz.  the  arms
 along its sides, and its legs equally both togedier, with a little of the
 bed between them, that diey may not be galled by rubbing each oth-
 er; let the head be kept steady and strait, widi a  stay  fastened on
 each side of the blankets and then wrap die child up in  mantles and
 blankets to keep it warm.   This swathing of the infant  is  very
 necessary, to give its body a straight figure whicli is most decent and
 proper for a man, and to accustom him to keep upon his feet, and
 not walk upon all four as most other animals do.
                          CHAP.  IX.
   New born children are subject to so many distempers, that  daily
 experience sliews us diere are not above half die  children that are
 born who  lit 3 till they are three years old; which is  occasioned  by
 the tenderness of their bodies, and feebleness of tiieir age which bin-
ders them from expressing the  incommodities they labor under, any
otherways than by dieir cries.  The business of this chapter there-
fore will be  to discover die indispositions to which they are  subject
with the remedies proper for them.
                          Section  I.
   Of gripes and Pains in the bellies of young  Children.
   This I  mention first, as it is often  the first and most common
distemper, which happens to little infanta after their  birth,  many
children being so troubled ana  pained therewith that  they cry night
and day, and at  las. die of  it.  This comes, for the most part, from
die sudden change  of tiieir nourishment, for having  always received 
144
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
it from the umbilical vessels whilst in  their  mother's womb, they
come to change, on a  sudden, not  only the manner of receiving
it but the nature and quality of it, as soon as they are born, for  in-
stead of purified blood only, conveyed to them by means of the um-
bilical vein, they are jiow obliged to be nourished with their  moth-
er's breastmilk, which they suck with their mouths, and from which
are engendered many excrements  causing gripes and pains, and that
not only because it is so pure as the blood with which it was nourisk-
cu in the womb, but because the stomach and intestines  cannot  yet
make a digestion.   It is also caused sometimes by a lough phlegm,
and sometimes by worms; for physicians affirm, that worms  have
been bred in children even in their mother's belly.
  The remedy therefore must be suited  to the cause ;  if  it proceed
from the too s'xlden changes of nourishment, the remedy  must be to
forbear giving the child suck for some time, lest die milk be  mixed
with phlegm; and at first it must suck but little until it be accustom
ed to digestif.   Ifit be the excrements inthe intestines which by
their long stay increase these pains, give them at the mouth  a  lit-
tle oil of sweet almonds, and  syrup of roses.   If it be worms,  lay
a cloth dipped in oil of wormwood, mixed with ox gall  upon  the
belly for a small cataplasm,  the powder of rue and  wormwood, col-
oquintida,  aloes, the  seeds of citron incorporated with ox gall, and
the powder of lupines.   Or give it oil of sweet almonds, with sugai
candy, and a scruple of annisseed ; it  purges new born babes from
green cholor and stinking phlegm, and ifit be given widi sugar pap
it always the griping  pains of the belly; also  annoint the belly with
oil of dill, or plitory stamped  with  oil  of camomile to the belly.
                         Sf,ctio«   II.
               Of Weakness in new born Infants.
   Weakness is an  accident that many children bring  into the world
along with them, and is often  occasioned by the labor of the mother;
by the violence and length whereof they suffer so much, that diey  are
born with great weakness, and many times it is difficult to  know
whether  they are alive or  dead their body appearing so senseless,
and  their face so blue and livid, that they seem to be  quite  choak
ed;  and, even after  some hours, their shewing signs of lite  is atten-
ded with so much weakness, that it looks like a return from  death
and  that they are still upon the' borders of that kingdom.
   In diis case the best way to help the infant is to  lay him speedi-
ly in a warm bed and blankets, and carry  him to the  fire, and then
let the  midwife sup up  a  little wine, and spout it  into his mouth,
repeating it often if there be occasion.  Let her apply linen to the
breast and belly, dipped in wine, and then let the face be uncover-
ed, that he may breath more  freely: also let the midwife  keep its
mouth a little open, cleanse the  nostrils with small Ijnen tents dipped
in white w ine, that so  he  may receive the smell of it, and let  her
thafe every part  of his body well with warm clothes, to bring back 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWTFE.            145

the blood and spirits, which  being retired inward through a weak-
ness, often puts him in danger of being choaked.  By the  applica-
tion  of these means, the infant will insensibly recover strength, and
begin to stir his limbs by degrees, and at length to cry, which though
it be but weakly at first, yet afterwards as he breathes more freely,
he will cry stronger and stronger.
                       SECTION III.
   Of the fundament being closed up in anew born infant.
  Another effect that  new born infante are  liable  to, is to  have
tiieir fundament  closed up,   by  means whereof they  can neither
evacuate the new excrements engendered by the milk  they suck, nor
that which was  amassed in their intestines, whilst in tiieir mother's
belly, which is certainly mortal without a speedy remedy. There
have been some female children who have had their fundament quite
closed and yet have voided the excrements of the  guts by means of
an orifice which nature,  to supply that defect, had  made within the
ueck of the womb.
  For the cure or remedy of this, we must notice that the funda-
ment is closed two ways;  eidier by a single  skin, thro' which one
may discover some black and blue marks, proceeding from the ex-
crements retained,  which one of one touch with the finger, there ia
a softness  felt within, and  thereabouts  it ought to be pierced; or
else it is  quite  stopped by  a thick fleshy  substance,  in such sort
that there appears nothing without by which its true  situation may
be known.   When there is nothing but the single skin which makes
the closure, the operation is  very easy, and the child may do very
well; for then an apertion or opening may be  made with a small
incision knife, cross ways, that it may  the better receive  a round
form, and that the  place afterwards may not grow  together, taking
great care not to prejudice the sphincter or  muscle at  the rectum.
The  incision being thus  made, die excrements  wiU  certainly have
issue.  But if, by reason of their long stay in the belly, they are be-
come so dry, that the infant cannot void them, then let a small clys-
ter be given to  moisten and bring  them away;  afterwards  put a
linen tent into the new made fundament, which at first had best be
anointed with  honey of  roses, and towards the end with  a  drying
cicatrizing ointment, such as Unguentum, Album, or  Pomphelix ob-
serving to cleanse  the infant of his excrements and dry  it again as
soon and as often as he evacuates them that so the apertion may be
prevented from turning it to a malignant ulcer.
  But now if the  fundament be stopped up in such a  manner that
neither mark nor appearance can be either seen  or felt, then the op-
eration is so much the more difficult; and when it is  done, the dan-
ger is much more of the infant's escaping it.  And then if it be a fe-
male and that sends  forth its excremente. by the way I have men-
tioned before it  is better not to meddle than by  endeavoring to rem- 
146
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
  edy an inconvenience to run an extreme hazard of the infant's death.
  But when there is no vent to  the excrements without whicli death
  is unavoidable there the operation is justifiable.
    The operation  in this case  must be thus;  let the operator with a
  small incision  knife that hath  but one edge, enter into  the void
  place, and turning  the back  of it upwards  within  half a finger's
  breadth of the child's rump  which is the place where he will  cer-
  tainly find the intestine, let him thrust it forwards, diat it may be
  open enough to give  free vent  to the matters there contained, being
  especially careful  of the sphincter;  after which, let the wound be
  dressed according to the method  directed.
                        SECTION IV.
       Of the Thrush or Ulcer in  the mouth of an infant.
   The Thrush is  a  distemper that  children are very often subject
 to, and it arises from bad milk, or from foul humors in tbe stomach;
 for sometimes though there be no ill quality  in the milk  itself, yet
 it may corrupt in  the  child's stomach because of its weakness or
 some other indisposition, in which, acquiring an acrimony instead
 of being  well digested, there arise  from thence  biting vapours,
 wbich form a thick viscosity, do thereby produce this distemper.
   It is often difficult, as  physiciaos tell us, because it  is  sea-
 ted in not and moist places, where the putrefaction is easily aug-
 mented, and  for that, the remedies applied cannot  lodge there being
 soon waohod  away by spittle.  Bat if they arise from too hot a qual-
 ity in the nurse's milk, care must be taken to temper and cool, pre-
 scribing her cool  diet bleeding and purging  her  also if diere  be
 occasion.
   Take lentilies husked, powder them and lay them upon the childs
 gums; or take mellidium in flower, half an ounce, and with oil of
 roses make a liniment.   Also wash the child's  mouth with barley
 and plaintain water, and honey of roses, or syrup of dry roses, mix-
 ing them with a little verjuice  or juice of feinona, as  well to loosen
 and cleanse the vicious humors which cleave  to the  inside  of the
 child's mouth, as to cool those  parts whicli are already over  heated.
 This may be  done  by the means of a small fine rag fastened   to  the
 end of a little stick, and dipped therein, wherewith tlie ulcers  may
 be gently nibbed, being careful not to put the child to too much pain
 lest an inflamation make the distemper worse.   The child' s body
 must be also  kept  open, that the humors being carried to the lower
 parts,  the vapors may not ascend as it is usual for them to do, when
 the body  is costive, and the  excrements  too long retained.   If die
 ulcers appear malignant, let such remedies be used as do dieir work
speedily, that the evil qualities that cause  them being  tltereby  cor-
rected, their malignity may be prevented; and in mis case touch
the ulcers  with plaintain  waters sharpened  with   the spirits  of
vitriol, for the remedy must be made  sharp, according  to  the  ma-
lignity  of the distemper.  It  will  be unnecessary  to purge  these 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             147

 ill humors out of die whole habit of the cliild,  by  giving  half an
 ounce succory with rheubarb.
                          Section V.
          Of pain in the ears, inflammation, moisture, «$-c.
   The brain in infante is very moist and lias many excrements which
 nature cannot  send out at its proper  passages;  they get often
 to the ears, and there cause pains, flux of blood, with  inflamation,
 and matter with pain; and in children it is hard to be known,  hav-
 ing no other way to make it known than by constant crying;  you
 will also perceive them ready to feel of their  ears themselves,  but
 will not let others touch them if diey can help it; and sometimes you
 may perceive the parts about the ears to be very red.  These pains,
 if let alone are of dangerous consequence, because they bring fortii
 watching and epilepsy, for the moisture breeds  worms there, and
 fouls the spongy bones, and by degrees incurable deafness.
   To prevent  all those ill consequences,allay tbe pains with all con-
 venient speed, but have a care of using strong remedies.   There-
 fore only use warm milk about the ears, with  the decoction of poppy
 tops, or oil of voilets; to takeaway the moisture, use honey of roses
 and let aquamell is  be dropped into the ears; or take virgin honey
 half an ounce, red wine two ounces, alluin,  saffron, saltpetre, each
 a drachm;  mix them  at the fire; or drop in hempseed oil with a
 little wine.
                        SECTION  VI.
 Of redness undinflamation  of the  buttocks, groin and thighs
                         of an Infant.
   If there be not great care taken to change and wash the child's
 beds as soon as they are fouied with  the excrements, and  to keep
 the cliild very clean, their  acrimony will be sure to cause redness,
 and beget a  smarting in the buttocks, groin and thighs of the child,
 which by reason of tbe pain, will afterwards be  subject to inflama-
 tion, which follow the sooner through the delicacy and  tenderness
oPtheir skin from which the outward skin of die body Is in a short
time separated  and worn away.
  The remedy of diis is two  fold; that is  to say, first,  to keep
the child cleanly, and in the second place, to take off the sharpness
of its urine.  As to keeping it cleanly,  she must be a sorry nui-se
that needs to be taught  how to do it, for if she lets it  have dry,
clean and warm beds and clouts, as often and  soon as  it has fouled
and  wet them, either by its urine or excrements, it will be sufficient,
and  astcthe second the taking off the sharpness of the child's urine
that must be done by the nurse's keeping up a cooling diet, that her
milk may have  the same quality;  and  therefore she ought to abstain
from all  things that may beat  it.  But besides  these,  cooling  and
(Irving remedies are requisite  to  be applied to  the inllaincd pans;
lliL-refore let the parts be l-alhed with plantain watei,  wuh a fointh
part of bine water a Id .• 1 to it, each tunc  the child.-  lmi. u.,..i!l a:i 
148
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
wiped off;  and if the pain be very great, let it only be fomented with
lukewarm milk.  The powder of a post to dry it, or a  little mill
dust strewed upon the parts affected, may be pro|>er enough, and it
is used by several women.  Also Unguentum, Album, or  Diapum-
pholigos, spread  upon a  small piece of leather in form of  a plaster,
will not be amiss.
  But the chief thing must be tlie  nurse's taking great care to wrap
the inflamed parts  with  fine  rags when  she opens the  child, that
those parts  may  not be  gathered and pained by rubbing  them  to-
gether.
                       SECTION VII
              Of vomitings in young Children.
  Vomiting in children  proceeds  sometimes from too much milk,
and sometimes  from  bad milk, and  is  often from a moist loose
stomach; for as  dryness retains, so looseness lets  go.  This is for
the most part, without danger in children : for the  stomach,  not
used to meat and milk being taken too much,  crudities  are easily
bred, or the milk is corrupted;  and it  is better  to  vomit these
up than  to  keep  them in;  but if vomiting  last long,  it will
cause annatrophy or consumption for want of nourishment.
  To remedy this,  if from too much milk that which is emitted  is
yellow and green, or otherwise ill coloured and stinking;  in this
case mend  the milk, as  has been shown before; cleanse  the child
widi honey of roses, and strengthen its stomach with syrup of milk
and quinces made into  an  electuary.   If tlie humor be hot and
sharp, give the syrup of pomegranates, currants and coral;  and  ap-
ply to the belly the  plaster of bread, the stomach cernte,  or bread
dipped in hot wine  : or take oil of mastic, quinces, mint,  worm-
wood, each half an  ounce; of nutmegs by expressions, half a drachm,
chemical oil of mint three drops.   Coral hath an  occult  principle
to prevent vomiting, and is therefore hung about their necks.
                       SECTION VIII.
            Of breeding Teeth in young Children.
  This is a very  great and yet necessary evil in  all children  ha\ ing
variety of symptoms joined with  it; they begin to  come forth,  not
all at a  time, but  one  after anodier,  about the sixth or seventh
month;  the fore  teeth coming first, then  the eye teeth,   at last the
grinders; the eye teeth  cause more pain to the child than any of
the rest,  because they  have a very deep root and a small nerve,
which hath communication  with that which makes the eye move.
In the breeding of  their  teeth first they feel an itching in  their gums
when they are pierced as with a needle, and pricked  by  the sharp
bones,  whence proceed  great pains, watching, and inflamation of
the gums, fever,  looseness, and  convulsions, especially  when they
breed their eye teeth.
  The signs when  children breed  their teeth are these.   1. It ii
known bv their  time, whicli is usually  about  the  seventh  month. 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             149

2. Their gums are swelled, and they feel a  great heat diere, with
an itching which makes them put their fingers in their  mouth to
rub them, from  whence a moisture  distils  down  the mouth, be-
cause of tlie  pain they feel there.   3. They  hold the nipple  faster
than before.  4.  The gum is white where the tooth begins to come;
and the nurse in giving  them suck finds the mouth much hotter, and
that they  are much changed, crying every  moment,  and cannot
sleep, or but very little at a time,  the fever that follows, breeding
of teeth comes from choleric humors,  inflamed by watching, pain
and heat.   And  the longer teeth are breeding, the more dangerous it
is, so that many  in the  breeding of them die of fevers  and convul-
sions.
  For remedy, two things are to  be  regarded;  one is, to preserve
the child from the evil accidents  that may  happen to it by  rea-
son of the great pain; the other to assist as much  as may be  the
cutting of tiie teeth,  when they can hardly cut the gums themselves.
   For the first of  these, i. e. the preventing of these accidents to
the cliild, the nurse ought to take great  care to keep a good diet,
and to use all things that may cool  and temper her milk; that  so
a fever may not  follow  the pain of the teeth.   And to prevent  the
humor from falling loo much upon the inflamed gums, let the child's
belly be kept always loose by gentle clysters, if it be bound : diough
often times there is no need of them, because they are at those times
usually troubled  with a looseness, and yet for all that, clysters  may
not be improper.
   As to the other, which is »o assist in cutting of the  teeth, that the
nurse must do from time to time, mollifying  and loosening them, by
robbing them with  her finger dipped in  butter or honey, to let the
child have a virgin wax candle to chew upon; or anoint  the gums
with the mucilage of quince made  with mallows water, orwidi the
brains of a hare; also  foment the cheeks  with  the decoction of Al-
thea, and  cammomile flower and dill, or with the juice of mallows
and fresh butter.  If the gums are  inflamed, add juice  of  night-
shade and lettuce.  I have aheady said  the nurse ought to  keep a
temperate diet.  I will  now  add, that barley  broth,  water  gruel,
raw eggs, prunes, lettuce, and endive, are good for her: but  let her
avoid salt sharp, biting and peppered meats, and wine.
                        SECTION IX.
        Of the flux of the  belly, or looseness in infants.
   It is very common  for .infante to have the flux of die  belly, or
  looseness,  especially upon the least indisposition ;  nor is it to be
  wondered at,-seeing  their natural  moistncss  contributes so  much
  thereto • and if it be not extraordinary violent,  such are in a bet-
  ter state of health than those that are bound.  This flux, if  violent,
  proceeds from divers causes; as 1st. From breeding teeth,  and is
  then commonly attended with  a fever, in  which the  concoction is
  hiiidereu  and  tlie nourishment  corrupted.  2.  From  watching.
                       13* 
150
EXPERIENCED  Mil>WIFE.
 3.   From pain.   4.   Prom  stirring  of llie  humors by a fever.
 5.   When they  suck or  drink  too much in a fever.   Sometimes
 diey have a flux without bleeding of teeth from outward cold in  die
 guts or stomach, that  obstructs concoction.   If it be from teeth it is
 easily known, for the signs in breeding of  teeth will discover
 it.   If it be from external cold, diere are signs of other causes.  If
 from a humor  lowing from the head, there are signs of a catarrh,
 and the  excrements are frothy.  If crude and raw humors  are  voi-
 ded, there is wind, belching, and phlegmatic excrements.  If they
 be yellow, green and stink, the flux is from a  hot and sharp humor.
 It is best in breeding  of teeth when the  belly is loose, as I have said
 before; but if iibe too violent, and  you are afraid it may end in a
 consumption, it must  be  stopped; and if the excrements that are
 voided be black, attended with a fever, it is very bad.
  The remedy in this case has a principal respect to the nurse, and
 the condition of the.nilk,must chiefly be observed; the  nurse must
 be  cautioned  that she eat no green  fruit, nor things of a hard  con-
 coction.   If the child  suck not, remove the flux with purges, such
 as leave a blooding quality behind them; as syrup of honey, of ro-
 sos, or a clyster.  Take the decoction of millium, myrobolans, each
 two or three ounces,  with an ounce or two of  syrup of roses, and
 make  a  clyster.   After   cleansing,  if it   proceed  from a  hot
 cause, give syrup  of dried roses quinces, myrtles, coral, mastic,
 hart's horn, red roses, or powder of myrtles,  with a  little Sanguis
 Draconis.  Also  anoint  with oil of roses,  myrtles,  mastic, each
 two drachms, with oil of myrtles and wax, make  an  oinmeW.
 Or take  red   rose, moule,   each  a handful,  cypress  roots two
 drachms; make a bag, boil  in red wine and apply it  to the belly.
 Or use the p'aster of bread or stomach ointment.   If the cause be
 cold, and the excrements wliite, give syrup of mastic, and the quin-
 ces, with mint water.   Use outwardly, mint,  mastic cummin ;  or,
 take rose seeds an ounce, cummin and annisseed, each two drachms;
 with oil of mastic, wormwood, and wax, make an ointment.
                         Section X.
          Of the Epilepsy and Convulsions in Children.
  This is a distemper that is  the death  of many  young  children,
 and proceeds from the brain first, as when the  humors are bred in
 the brain that cause it, either from tlie parents, or from  vapors oi
 bad humors, that twitch the membranes of die  brain; it is also some-
 times caused from other distempers, and from  bad diet; likewise
 the tooth ache, when the brain consents,  causes it and  so does a
 sudden fright.   As to  the distemper itself, it is manifest, and  well
enough known where it is; and as to die cause whence it comes you
may know  by the signs of the   disease whether it  comes from
 bad milk, worms, or teeth: if these are all absent, it is certain   ilut
the  brain is first affected;  if it comes with the .small pox  or mea-
sle.-, it cua»etli when they come foi ill, if nature  be  strotig enough. 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            151

   For die remedy of this grievous and often mortal distemper, give
the following  powder  to  prevent it, to  a cliild as  soon  as it is
born.  Take  male poiny  roots, gathered in  the decrease  of the
moon, a scruple, with leaf gold make  a  powder; or take  poiny
roots a dram,  piony seeds, misieote, of the oak, elk's  hoofs, mans
skull, amber, each a scruple,  musk two  grains;  make a  powder.
The best part of the cure is taking care of the nurses diet, which must,
not be disorderly by any means.  Ifit be from corrupt milk, provokers
vomit, to do which hold down the  tongue,  and  put a  quill  dipped
in sweet almonds down  the throat.   If it comes from  worms, give
such things as  will kill  the  worms.  If there be a  fever, respect that
also, and give coral smaragged, and elks hoof.   In the five  epilep-
tic water, as lavender water and rub with oil  of amber,  or bang a
piony root, elks hoof smaraged coral, about the neck.
   As to a convulsion, it is when the brain labours to  cast out that
which troubles it.  The matter is in the marrow of the back,  and
fountain of the nerves;  it is a stubborn disease  and often kills.
   For the remedy whereof, in the- fit vnuah tho body, especially the
back bone, with the decoction of Althea, liily  root poiny and cam-
omile flowers, and  anoint it with man's and  goose grease,  oil of
worms, oris, lilies, turpentine, mastic, storax, and calamint.  The
sunflower is also very good boiled in water to wash a  child.



        EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE!

                       PART  II.

   Containing proper and safe Remedies for curing of all those
distempers that are peculiar to the Female  sex, and especially
those that have obstructions to the bearing of children.

   Having finished the first part of this book, and I hope therein am-
ply made good my promise to the reader, I am now come to treat
of the distempers peculiar to the female sex; in which it is not my
design to enlarge, or to  treat of all the distempers they are incident
to, but tiiose only to which they are most subject, whenjin  a bree-
ding condition, and that keep them from  being so.    For  each of
which distempers I have laid down such safe and proper remedies
as widi the divine blessing, may be sufficient to repel diem; and since
as amongst all the diseases to which human nature is  subject there
is none more diametrically opposed to the very end of our creation
and the design of nature  in the formation of different sexes.and the pow-
er thereby given us forthe work of generation, than that of sterility or
barrenness, whicli  where it prevails, renders the most  accomplished
midwife, but an useless person, and destroys the design of our boon; 
152            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
I think therefore barrenness  is an effect that  deset res our first con-
sideration.
                          CHAP.  I.
   Of  barrenness;  its several kinds,  with proper  remedies
against it; and the signs of insufficiency both in men and  wo-
men.
                         Section  1.
                  Of barrenness in general.
   As there is no general  rule  but will  admit of some exception,
against this second part:  for though I have promised to treat here-
in only of diseases peculiar to the female sex, yet this chapter  will
engage me to speak of a  defect  in men  barrenness being an effect
incident to diem also ;  and dierefore it is necessary  to  be handled
with respect to men as well as women, diat  without treating of it
so, I shall not be able to make good the old proverb,  of setting  tbe
saddle on the right horse.
   Having promised  this, and thereby anticipated an objection I shall
now proceed to tho eubjoct of this chapter, which is barrenness.
   Barrenness is either natural or accidental.
   Natuual barrenness is  when a woman is barren, though the  in-
struments of generation are perfect both in herself and husband, and
no preposterous or diabolical course used to cause it;  and  neidier
age orjdwease, or any natural defect  hindering,  and yet the wo-
 man"^sjphins  naturally barren and conceives not.
   Now  this may proceed from  a natural cause; for if the man  and
 woman be of one complexion, they seldom have children; and  the
 reason is clear, for tlie universal  course of nature  being formed  by
 the Almighty, of a composition  of contraries, cannot be  increased
 by a composition of likes; and therefore, if the constituiton of the
 woman be hot and dry, as well as the man,  there can be no  concep-
 tion ; and if, on the contrary, the man should be of a cold  and moist
 constitution, as well as the woman, the effect  would  be  the same:
 and this barrecness is purely  natural.  JThe only  way to help it is
 for people before they marry to observe each  other's constitution
 and complexion, if they design to have children.   If their complex-
 ions, and constitutions be alike, they are not fit to  come together,
 for  the discordant nature makes the only harmony  in  the work of
 generation.
   AnothaaViatural cause of barreness is tbe want of love between the
 man and wife.   Love is that vital principle  that  ought  to  inspire
 each organ in  the act of generation, pr "else it  will be  but spiritless
 and dull; for if their hearts be not urflted in  love, how  should  their
 seed unite to  cause conception; and  this is evidently  evinced  in
 that there never follows conception on a rape; therefore if men and
 w omen design to have children, let them live so that  their hearts as
 well as their bodies may be united, or else they may mis-s of their ex-
 pectation. 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            153

   A tnird cause of natural barrenness ia virgins letting blood in the
 arm before their  natural courses come  down, which is  usually  in
 tho  fourteenth or fifteenth year of their age;  sometimes  perhaps be-
 fore the thirteenth, but never before the twelfth.  And because usu-
 ally they  are out of order and indisposed before the purgation come
 down, their parents  run to the  doctor to know what is die matter,
 and he straightway  opens a vein in the arm, as ifit was fulness of
 blood was the cause of offending, and this makes her well at present;
 and when the young virgin happens to  be  in the  same disorder a-
 gain, the  mother straight runs to the surgeon,  and he directly uses
 the same  remedy;  and  by these  means the blood is diverted  from
 its proper channel  that it comes not down the womb as in another
 woman;  and so the womb dries up, and the woman is  forever bar-
 ren.  The way to  prevent this is to let no  virgin blood in the arms
 before her courses  come  down well; but if there be  occasion, let
 her blood  in the foot: for that will  bring  the blood downwards, and
 by that means provoke the menstraes to  come down.
   Another cause of natural barrenness is the debility in copulation,
 if persons perform not  that act with all the heat  and ardor  that
 nature  requires, they may as well let it alone, and  expect to  have
 children without it, for frigidity and boldness never produce concep-
 tion.  Of the cure of this, we will speak by and by, after I have
 spoken of accidental barrenness,  which  is  what  is occasioned by-
 some morbific matter or infirmity upon die body, either of the  man
 or woman which being removed,  diey become fruitful.  And  since
 (as I have before noted) the first and great law of the creation was
 to increase and multiply, and barrenness is the direct opposition  to
 the law, and frustrates  the end of our  creation ;  and that it is  a
great affliction to divers persons to  be without  children,  and  often
causes man and wife  to have hard  thoughts  of one  another,  each
party thinking the cause not in them.  I shall here, for the satisfac-
 tion of well meaning people, set down the signs and causes of insuffi-
ciency both in men  and women, premising this first, that  when
people have no children, diey must not presently blame  either par-
ty, for neither  may be in tlie fault, but perhaps God sees it not good
(for reasons best known unto himself) to give them any ;  of whicli
we have divers instances in history.   And though  the Ahnighty in
die productions  of  nature, works by natural means, yet where he
withholds  his blessing, natural means are  ineffectual; for  it is die
blessings,  which is the power and energy by which nature brings
 forth her production.
                         Section II.
           Causes and s.gns of insufficiency in men.
  One cause may be  in some viciousness  in the  yard, as  if the same
be crooked, or any  ligaments thereof distorted or broken,  whereby
the ways  and passages through which the seed should  flow, come
to lie stopped or vitiated. 
154
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
  Another cause may be too much weakness of the yard, and tender-
ness thereof, so that it is not strong enough erected to inject seed into
the womb; or the strength and stiffness of the yard very much  con-
duce to conception, by reason of the forcible injection of the seed.
  Also,if the stones have received any hurt, so that they cannot oa>
ercise the proper gift in producing seed, or if they be oppressed with
any inflamation or tumour wound or  ulcer or drawn  up within tlie
belly, and not appearing outwardly, these are  signs of insufficiency,
and cause of barrenness.
  Also, a man may be barren by reason of the defect of seed; as first,
if he cast forth no seed at all, or less in substance than is needful.   Or,
secondly, if the seed be vicious, or unfit for generation, as on the one
side, it happens in bodies that are gross and fat, the matter being de-
fective, and on the other side too much leanness, or continual wasting
of-consuraption of body destroys the seed; nature  turning all the mat-
and substance thereof into nutriment of the body.
  Too frequent copulation is also one great cause of barrenness in men;
for it attracteth the seminal  moisture from die stones before it is  suffi-
ciently prepared and concocted; so if any one by daily copulation ,do
exhaust and draw out  all the  moisture of the seed,then do the stones
draw the moist humors  from the superior veins into themselves: and
bo having but  little blood in  them,  they are forced of necessity to
cast it out raw and unconcocted, and thus the stones are  violently de-
prived of the moisture of their veins and the superior veins from all
other parts of the body for their proper nourishment thereby depriv-
ing the body of its vital spirits.  And therefore no wonder that those
who use immoderate copulation are very  weak in  their bodies; see-
ing their whole body is thereby deprived of the best and purest  blood,
and of the spirit,insomuch that many who have been too much addic-
ted to that pleasure, have killed themselves in the very act, and there-
fore it is not wonder if such unconcocted and  undigested seed be un-
fit for generation.
   Gluttony drunkness and the other excesses do  also much binder
men from fruitfolness and make them unfit for generation.
   But among other causes cf barrenness in men this  also is one
that makes them barren and almost the nature of eunuchs  and that
is the incision or the cutting of their veins behind  their ears whicli in
case of distempers is often  times done; for according to the opinion
of most physicians ond anatomists the seed flows  from the brain by
tiiose veins behind the  ears more than  from  any other  part  of die
body.   From whence it is  very probable that  the  transmission of
the seed is hindered by the cutting of the veins behind the ears so that it
cannot descend at all to the testicles or come thither very crude and
raw.   And thus much  for the signs  ami causes of  barrenness in
men. 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            155

                        Section III.
  Causes and  signs of insufficiency or barrenness in  women.
  Although there are many causes of barrenness  of women yet the
chief and principal  are internal respecting  either the  privy" parts,
the womb or monstrous blood.
  Therefore Hipocrates saith  (speaking of either easy or difficult
conception of women) the first consideration is to be had of tiieir spe-
cies for little women are  more apt  to  conceive than great; slender
than gross ; white and fair, than ruddy and high  colored ;  black
and wane; those that have their veins conspicuous are  more apt to
conceive than others; but to the very flesh is evil; to  have great
swelled breasts is good.
  The next thing to be considered is the monthly purgations  whether-
they have been duly every month and whether they flow  plentifully
and are of good  color and whether they  have  been equai every
month.
   Then the womb  or place of conception  is to  be considered ;  it
ought to be clean sound  dry »nd soft,  not  retracted or drawn  up;
not proud nor  descending downwards nor  the  mouth thereof tur-
ned awry nor too  close shut.   But to speak more particularly.
   Tho first parts to be spoken of are the  pudenda privities and the
womb; whicli parts are shut  and  enclosed either  by nature or
against nature; and from hence such women are called imperfores;
and in some the moudi of tiieir womb  continues  compressed or clo-
sed up from the time  of their birth until the coming down of their
courses and then on a sudden  when their terms press forward to pur-
gation, they are molested with great and unusual  pains ; some of
these  break of their own  accord, others are dissected and opened
b£ physicians, others never break at all, and it brings death.
   And all these ^Etius particularly handles shewing that the womb
is shut three manner of ways, which hinders conception.  And the
first is when the lips of the pudenda grow  or cleave together ; the
Becond is when there are certain membranes growing in the middle
  Cart of the matrix  within ; the third is when (though the  lips and
  osom of the pudenda may appear fair and open) the mouth of the
womb may be quite shut up ;  all which are occasions of  barreness
in that they hinder both the use of man the monthly courses and con-
ception.
   But among  all the causes of barrenness in women the greatest is
in  the womb,  which is die  field of generation  ; and if tiiisfield be
corrupt, it is in vain to expect any fruit,  let it be ever so well sown :
for it may be unfit for generation by reason of  many distempers to
which it is subject, as for instance  over  much heat and over much
cold ; for women whose wombs tire too  tiiick and cold  cannot con-
ceive because cold extinguishes the heat of the human seed.  Im-
 moderate moisture of the womb also destroys the seed of man  and
 makes it ineffectual as cern sown  in ponds and  marshes;  and  so 
156              EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

does over much dryness in the wmi^'i so the seed perisheth for want
of nourishment.  Immoderate he.il of the  womb is also a cause of
barreiicss for it schorcheth up the s-eed as corn sown  in drought of
summer;  for immoderate heat hurts all the parts of the body so as
no conception can live in the woman.  And when unnatural labors
are engendered as too much phleghm tympanies wind water worms
or any such evil humors abounding contraiy to nature  it causes bar-
renness; as does all the terms coming down in  due older  as I have
already said.
  A woman  may have other accidental  causes of barrenness (at
least such as may hinder her conception)  as sudden frights, anger
grief, perturbation of the  mind; too  violent  exercise as leaping
dancing running after copulation and the like.  But I  will now add
some signs by which these things may be known.
  If die cause of barrennes be in the man  through overmuch heat in
his seed the woman may easily feel that in receiving it.
  If the nature of die womb be too hot and so  unfit for conception,
it will appeal-by her having her terms very  little  and  the color incli-
ning to yellowness; she is also very hasty choleric and crafty her pulse
beats very swift and she is very desirous of copulation.
  If you would know whether the defect is in the man  or in the wo-
man, sprinkle the man's urine upon a lettuce  leaf, and the woman's
upon another, and that which dries  away first  is unfruitful.   Also
take five wheaten corns, and seven beans,  put them into an earthern
pot,  and let tlie party make water therein, if these begin to sprout,
after standing seven days, then the  party  is fruitful, if not, they are
barren whedier it be man or woman.  This  is a certain sign.
  Some make this experiment of a woman's  fruitfulness;  they take
myrrh, red storax, and some odoriferous things and make a perfume,
which the woman is to receive into the neck of  the womb dirough  a
funnel;  and if the woman feels the smoke  ascend, through her body
to theYiose, then she is fruitful otherwise not.  Some also take gar-
lic and beat it, and cause the  woman to  lie  on her back  upon it,
and  if she feels the scent thereof to her nose,  it is a sign of fruitful-
ness.
  Culpepper and others also give a  great deal  of credit to tlie fol-
lowing experiment.
  Take a handful of  barley, and steep half of it in the urine of tlie
man, and the other half in the urine of the woman, for the space of
twenty four hours, and then take it out, and  set each  by itself, in a
flower pot or  some other  thing: water tlie  man's  every  morning
with his own urine, and the woman's with  hers, and  that  which
grows first, is the most  fruitful; and  if one grow not at all, that
party is naturally barren.
  But, now,  having  spoken enough of  the dise.se, it is  high time
to assign the cure. 
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
157
  If barrenness proceeds from stoppage of the menses, let the woman
 sweat, for that opens the parts; and the best way to sweat it is in a
 hot  house.  Then let die womb be strengthened by  drinking a
 draught of white wine, wherein a handful of stinking arrack, first
 braised, has been boiled.  For by a secret magnetic virtue it strength-
 ens the womb, and by a sympathetic quality removes  any disease
 therein.   To which add  also a handful of vervian, which  is very
 good to strengthen both the womb and head, which  ere commonly
 afflicted together by sympathy.  Having used these two or three
 days, if they come not  down; take  of calac mint,  pennyroyal,
 thyme, betony, dittany, feverfew, burner., mugwort, sage, piony roots
juniper berries, half a handful of each, or so many as can be got,
 let all these be boiled in beer,  and drank for her ordinary drink.
  Take one part of the gentia  root, two parts of centory,  distil
 them with ale in an alembic, after you have bruised  the gentian roots
 and infused them well.   This water is an admirable remedy to pro-
 voke the terms.  But if you have not this water in  readiness, take
 a drachm  of  centory, and half a drachm of gentian roots bruised,
 boiled  in posset  drink, and  drink  a draught  of  it  at night
going to bed.  Seed of wild navew beaten to powder, and a drachm
of it taken in die morning in white wine, also is  very good; but if
it does not do, you must be let blood, in the legs.  And be sure you
administer your medicines a little before the fun of the moon, or be-
tween a new and foil moon, by mi means in the wane of the moon;
if you do  you will find them ineffectual.
  If barrenness proceed from the overflowing of the menstrues, then
strengthen the womb,  as you were  taught, and  afterwards anoint
the reins of the back with oil of roses, oil of myrtle, oil of quinces
every night, and then wrap a piece of  white baize about your reins
the cotton side next the skin, and keep the same  always to it.  But
above all I recommend this medicine to you.  Take comfrey leaves
or roots, and blown wound wort, of each a handful;  bruise them
well, and  boil them in ale, and drink a good draught of it now and
then.   Or take cinnamon, cassia lignea, opium of each two drachms
myrrh, white pepper, galbanum, of each one drafcbm;   dissolve the
gum and opium in white wine and beat the rest  into powder; then
make it into pills, by mixing them together exactly, and let die pa-
tient take  two pills every night going to bed, but  let not the pills ex-
ceed fifteen grains.
  If barrennes proceed from a flux of the womb, the cure  must be
according to the cause producing it, which may be known by its signs;
for a flux of the womb being a continual distillation from  it for  a
long time together, the color of what is voided shews what humor it is
that offends;  in some it is red, and that proceeds from blood putre-
fied; in some it is yellow, and  that denotes choler: in others white
^nd pale and that denotes  phlegm.   If pure blood  comes out,  and 
168            EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

if a vein were opened, some corrosion or gnawing of tbe womb is to
be feared.  All these are known by these signs.
  The place of conception is continually moist  with tlie  humors,
tbe face  is ill  colored, the  party loathes meat, and  breathes
with difficulty, the eyes are much swollen, which is sometimes with-
out pain.  If the offending humor  be pure blood then  you must let
blood in the arm, and the cephalic  vein is the fittest to draw back
the blood, and then let juice of plaintain and comfrey be injected in-
to the womb.   If phlegm be the cause, let cinnamon  be used in all
her meats and  drinks, and let her take a Hide Venice treacle or
mithridate every morning.  Let her boil  mugwort, featherfew, and
vervian iu all her broths.  Also half a drachm of myrrh taken every
morning is an  excellent remedy against this malady.  If choler be
the cause, let her take burage, buglass and roses, endive and succo-
ry roots, lettuce and white poppy seed,  each a handful; boil these
in white wine till one half be wasted;  let her drink half a pint every
morning, to which add syrup of peach flowers, and syrup of chicony,
of each an ounce with a litde rheubarb,  and this will gently  purge
ber.  Ifit proceed from putrefied  blood,  let her be blooded in  the
foot, and then strengthen the  womb as I have directed in stopping
of the menses.
   IT barreness be occasioned by the falling out of the womb as some-
times happens, let her apply sweet scents to her nose, such as civit,
galbum, storax calamitis, wood of aloes and other things of that na-
ture ;  and lot lie loj oiiiikhie tilings \o  ate  womb, sucn as ussafcet-
 ida, oil of amber, or the smoke of her own hair burnt; for this is a
 certain truth,  that the womb  flies from all stinking, and  cleaves to
 all sweet things. But the most infallible Cure is tins, take common
 burdock  leaves (which you may keep dry all the year) apply  these
 leaves to her head, and it will draw the womb upwards.  In fits of
 the mother apply it to  the soles of* her feet, and  it will  draw the
 womb downwards.   But the seed beaten  into powder draws the
 womb which way you please according as it is applied.
   If barrenness proceed from a hot cause, let the party take  whey
 and clarify it,  then boil plaintain leaves and roots in it and drink  it
 in ber ordinary, drink.  - Let her also inject the juice of plaintain
 into the womb  with a syringe; if it be in winter, when you cannot
 get the juice, make a strong decoction of the leaves and roots in wa-
 ter, and inject that up with a syringe; but let it be but blood warm,
 and you will find this medicine of great efficacy.  And further take
 often  conserve of roses, cold lozenges made tragacanth, the confec-
 tions of traisantali, frequently smell camphor, rose water  and saun-
 ders.   It is aUogood to bleed the  basilica or liver vein, and  lake
 four or five ouiu.es of blood,  and then use this purge.  Take electu-
 arum de epithimo de  succo rosarum, of  eich   two drachms  and a
 half, clarified whey four ounces, mix them well together,  and take
  it in the morning fasting; sleep  after  it about an hoar and  a half, 
EXPERIENCEDJMIDWIFE.
159
and fast four hours after it.   Anef about an hour  before  you eat
any thing,  drink  a good  draught of whey   Also take  lilly wa-
ter four ounces, mandrogory water one ounce, saffron half a scruple;
beat the saffron to powder, and  mix it with tbe waters, and  drink
them warm  in the  morning.   Use this eight days together.
Excellent  remedies against  Barrenness,  and  to  cause fruit-
                          fulness.
  Take broom flowers, parsley seed, cummin, mugwort, featherfew,
of each half a scruple; aloes half an ounce;  India  salt, saffron, of
each half a  dram ; beat and mix them well together, and  put it to
five ounces of featherfew water, warm, stop it up close, and let it
stand and dry in a warm place, and thus do two or three times one
after another;  dien make each dram into six pills and  take one of
them eveiy other day before supper.
  For  purging medicine against barrenness; take  conserve  of be*
nedicta lax,  one quarter of an ounce; dibsiHo- three drams,  electu-
ary de  suco rosatum, one dram; mix them  together widi featherfew
water, and drink it in the morning.  About three days after the pa-
tient hath taken a  purge, let her blood four or five ounces in tite me-
dian or common black vein in the  right foot; and then take, for five
days one after another filed  ivory, a dram and a half  in feadierfew
water; and during  the tmie, let her sit  in tbe following bath an hour
together, morning and night.  Take wild yellow rapes, daucas, bal-
sam wood and fruit, ashleys, of each two handfuls; red and  white
bhen, broom flowers, of each a handful; musk three grains,  amber
saffron, each one scruple; bpil all in water sufficiently; but tiiemusk
saffron amber,  and broom flowere must  be put  Into  die  decoction
after it is boiled and strained.
  A confection very  good against barrenness.   Take pistachi, piu-
gles, eringos, of each half an ounce, saffron one dram,  lignum  aloes,
galsingade, mace balm flowers, red and wliite bhen, each four scru-
ples, shaven ivory, cassia bark each to scruples; syrup of confected
ginger  twelve ounces, white sugar  two  ounces;  decoct all of these
well together, in twelve ounces of balm water, and stir it well togeth-
er; then  put to it musk and amber, each a scruple.   Take  diereof
the quantity of a nutmeg three times a  day, in die morning, an hour
before  noon, and an hour after supper.
   But if the cause of barrenness either in man or woman, be through
scarcity  or diminution, of the natural seed then such things are to be
taken as do increase the seed  and incite or stir up to venery,and fur-
ther conception, which I shall here set down, and conclude the chap-
ter of barrenness,         ......    ,-         ,   ,
   For diis yellow  rape seed baked in bread is very good; also young
fat flesh, not too much salted: also saffron, die sails stincus, and long
pepper prepared in wine.  But avoid sour, sharp, doughy  and sli-
my meats, long sleep after meat with surfeiting and drunkness, and
as much as they can keep themselves from sorrow. 
160
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
  These things following increase the natural seed and stu up venery
and recovers the seed again when ilis lost, viz. eggs, milk, rice boiled
in milk, sparrow brains, flesh, bones and all; die bones and pizzles of
bulls, bucks, rams and bears: also cock stones, lamb stones, patridg-
es, quails and pheasants eggs, for this is an undeniable aphorism,that
whatever any creature is addicted unto, they move or .excite the  wo-
man or man that eats them to the like: and therefore partriges quails,
sparrows, &c. being addicted to venery, they work die same effect
in those men and women that eat them.  Also take  notice that in
what part of the body the  faculty which you would strengthen  lies
take the same part of the body of another creature, in whom the
faculty is strong, as a medicine.  As for instance,  thet procreativo
faculty lies in the testicles, therefore cock stones,  lamb  stones, &c.
are proper to stir up venery.  I will also give  you  another general
rule: all creatures that are fruitful, being eaten make them fruitful
that  eat them; as crabs, lobsters, prawnes pigeons &c.   'i he  stones
of a  fox dried and beaten to a  powder and  a  dram taken in tho
morning in sheeps milk; and the stones of a  boar taken inthe  like
manner are very good.  The heart of a male  quail carried  about
the man, and the heart of a female quail carried about  the  woman,
causeth natural love and  fhiitfolness.   Let them  also  that  would
increase  their seed eat and drink of die best as near as they can: for
sine cerere el libero frigit venus an old proverb which is, without
good meat  and good drink, Venus will  be frozen to death.
   Pottages are good to  increase the  seed, such  as are  made of
beans, peas and lupines, and mix die rest with sugar, French  beans
wheat sodden in broth, annis seeds, also onions  stewed,  garlicks,
leeks yellow rapes  fresh bugwort roots oringo roots ginger  confected
&c.   Of fruits ; hazle  nuts cypres* rmtn pistarhi almonds and m;ir-
umpana made thereof.  Spices good to  increase seed,  arc cinna-
mon  cardanum galengal long pepper cloves ginger saffron assafietida
take a dram and a half in good wine  is very  good for this  pur-
pose.
  The weakness and debility of a man's yard being  a great hin-
derance to procreation, let him to  strengthen  it use the following
ointments.  Take wax oil of bevercod marjoram gentle add oil of
coflus of each a like quantity mix it into an ointment,  and  put to
it a little musk and with it  anoint  the  yards  cods, &c.   Take of
house emmets three drams oil of white  sesanum oil of lilies of each
an ounce: pound and  bruise the ants and put them  to the  oil  and
let them stand in the sun six days, then  strain  out  the  oil  and  add
to it uphorbiuoi one scruple pepper and rue of each one dram; mus-
tard  seed half drachm.  Set this again all together in the sun two or
three days  then anoint the  instruments of generation therewith.
So much for this chapter. 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             161

                        CHAP.  II.
                   The diseases of the womb
  I have already said that  the womb  is the  field of generation;
and if this field be corrupted, it is in vain to expect any fruit though
it be ever so well sown; it is therefore not  widiout reason that I
intend in this chapter to  set die several  distempers  to which the
womb is obnoxious, and proper and safe remedies against them.
                         Section  I.
              Of the hot distempers of the tmnmb.
  This  distemper consists in the excess of heat; for the heat of the
womb is necessary for conception, but ifit be too much it nourished!
not the  seed, but disperseth its heat, and htnders conception;  this
preternatural heat is, sometimes from the birth, and makes  them
barren; but if it be accidental  it  is from  hot causes  that  bring
the heat and the blood to the  womb it arises from  medicines,
and from too much hot meat drinks and exercise.  Those  that are
troubled with this distemper, have but few courses, and  those yel-
low black burnt or sharp, have hair at times in their privities;  they
are very prone to lusts and are subject to die headache, and abound
with choter.  And when the distemper is strong  upon   diem  they
have but few terms and out of order, being  bad  and hard  to flow,
and in time they become hypochondriacs,  and for die most  part bar-
ren having sometimes a  frenzy of tbe womb.
  The remedy is to use  coolers, so that they offend not the  vessels
that must be opened for  the flux of die terms.   Therefore  inwardly
use coolers, such  as succory, endive,^violets,  water  lilies  sorrel,
lettuce, sanders, and syrups, conserves made  diereof.   Also  take
conserve of succory, violets, water lilies,  burrage each an  ounce:
conserves of roses half an ounce, diamargation  frigid, diafriasontal,
each half a dram;  and  with syrup of  violets, or  juice  of citrons,
make an electuary. For outward applications make use of ointment
of roses, violets, water lilies, gourd of venus narvel applied  to the
back and loins.
   Let the air be cool her garments thin and her  meat  endive, let-
uce  succory and barley.  Give her no hot meats, nor strong  wiue
unless mixed with water.   Rest is good for her but she must  abstain
from copulation though she may sleep as long as she will.
                         Section II.
                Of cold distempers of the womb.
   This distemper is the reverse of the foregoing, and equally  an en-
emy to generation, bein" caused by cold quality abounding to excess
and proceed from too cold air, rest idleness and cooling medicines.  It
may be known by an aversion to lechery;  and taking no pleasure in
the act of copulation when they spend their seed.  Their terms are
 phlegmatic thick and slimy and do not flow as they should.  The 
162             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE

womb is windy  and the seed crude and waterish.   It is the cause
of obstructions and barrenness, and hard to be cured.
  For die cure  of  this distemper use diis water;  Take  galangal
cinnamon, nutmegs, mace, cloves each two drachms ; ginger cubebe
zedory  cardanum, each an ounce; grains of   Paradise long pepper
each half an ounce; beat them and set them  into six quarts of wine
for eight days ;  then add sage mint balm motherwort  each three
handfuls.  Let them stand eight days more then pour off tbe wine
and distil them.  Or you may use this; Take cinnamon,  nutmegs,
cloves, mace, ginger, cubebs, cardamunu, grains of Paradise, each
an ounce and a half, galengal six drachms of long pepper, half an
ounce zedony five drachms bruise them, and add six (marts of wine
put them into a cellar nine days daily stirring them ; then add of
mint two handfuls and then let them stand fourteen days  pour off
the wine and bruise them and then  pour on the wine  again and
distil them.  Also anoint with oil of lillies rue angelica, bays cinna-
mon  cloves,  mace,  and  nutmeg.  Let her  diet and air be warm,
her meat of easy  concoction seasoned with annisseed  fennel and
thyme and let her avoid raw fruits and milk diets.
                        Section HI.
               Of the inflammation of the  Womb.
  The inflamation of the womb is the stretching of it be wind cal-
led by some the wind mole the wind proceeding  from a cold matter
whether thick or thin contained in the veins of the  womb by which
the weak heat thereof is overcome and it either  flows thither from
other parts  or is gathered there by cold meats or drinks.  Cold air
may  be a procuring cause of h also as lying in women  are  exposed
to it.   The wind is contained either in the cavity of the vessels of
the womb or between  thetunicles and it may be known by the swel-
ling  in the region of the womb which sometimes reaches  to  die na-
vel loins and diaphragma ; and it rjses and abates as the wind  in-
creasedi or decreased].   It differs from the dropsy,  in that  it never
swells  so high ; and that neidier the  physician nor midwife may
take it for conception, let them observe the  signs of  women  with
child laid down  in the  first part of the book ; and  if one  sign be
wanting, that may suspect it to be an inflamation, of which this is a
farther sign, that in conception the swelling still increased! al.-o, if
you strike upon the belly in an inflation, there will be a noise, but not
so in the case there be conception.   It also differs from a mole, be-
cause in  that there is a  weight and hardness in the belly ; and when
they move from one side to another, they feel a  weight moving, but
not so in this.   If the inflation be without the cavity of  die  womb,
tlie pain is greater and more extensive nor is there any noise, because
tlie womb is more pent up.
  This distemper is neither of any long continuance, nor dangerous,
if looked after in time, and if it be in the cavity of the womb, is
more easily exjielled.  To which  pit-pose,   give her  diaphonicon 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.             163
with a little castor and sharp clysters  that  expel  wind.  If this
distemper happens to a woman in travail, let her  not  purge  after
delivery, nor bleed, because it is from  a cold  matter; bitf if  it
come after  the child bearing and her terms come  down sufficiently,
and that she has fulness of blood, let the sephaena  vein  be  opened;
after which let her lake me following  electuary ;  take conserve of
betony, rosemary, of each an ounce and a  half, candied  eringoes,
citron  peels candied, each half an ounce, diachulum, galgenal, each
a dram, oil of anniseed six  drops, and with syrnp of citrons make an
electuary.  For outward application make a bataplasm  of rue, mug-
wort,  camomile, dill, calimints, new pennyroyal; thyme,  with  oil
of  rue, kier, and camomile ; and let the following clysters to ex-
pel wind be put into the womb :   Take agnus, castus, rue calamint
each an handful ; anniseed,  castus, cinnamon  each  two  drams,
boil them in wine to half a pint.   She may  likewise  use sulphur,
baths and spawn water,  both inward and outward, because they ex-
pel wind.
 ^l                    Sbction IV.
 ^^            Of the dropsy of the Womb.
  This is another morbific effect of the  womb, proceeding from water
as before mentioned did from wind, by  which tile belly is  so swelled,
that it deceives many,  causing them to think themselves with child,
when  indeed they are not.   This is an unnatural swelling raised  by
the gathering together of waters, from moistire   mixed  with  the
terms, and an evil sanguification from the liver and spleen ;  also by
immoderate drinking, or eating of crude meats; all  which causing
a repletion, do suffocate the native heat. The signs of this distemper
are the lower part of the belly, with the  privities,  puffed  up  and
pained; the feet swell ; the natural color of  the  face decays ; the
appetite is disparted ;  die terms also  are fewer  and  cease  before
their time ; her breasts are also soft but without milk.   This is dis-
 tinguished from a general dropsy in that the lower part of  the  bel-
 ly are most swelled ; neither does the sanguificative faculty appear
 so hurtful, nor the urine so pale, nor the  countenance so soon chan-
 ged, neither are the superior parts so extenuated, as in a  genera
 dropsy.  But yet this distemper foretel.s the total ruin of tlie natural
 functions, by that singular consent the womb hath  with  the liver,
 and  therefore  an  evil habit of body or a  general  dropsy will
 follow.               ,.      „     . .     , -   .     ■ ,   /•
   For the cure  of tins disease, first mitigate the  pam  with  fomen-
 tations of mellilot, mallows, linseed,  camomile and althw, then  let
 the humour be prepared with syrup of stoeslius, calameat, mugwort,
 both sorts, with the distilled waters, or decoction of  nodder,  mar-
 joram, sage, orange, spcerage pennyroyal and betony ;  and let   her
 uur.'c'witi sennaargaric, rhubarb and cliterian.  Take  cilamiuts,
 mugwort  lovage roots, penny royal each an  handful; savilia pugil ;
 mud ler roo -3, angelica, of each an ouuoa ;  boil thcai   in water,  mid 
164
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
sweeten with sugar.   Or  if she like  it better make broth of the
same.  Also take specirsm, diambee,  diamescidulcis diacalumenti
diacinnimoni diacimini, troce de myrrh of each  two drams, sugar
one pound; with betony water make lozenges, and  let her take of
them two hours  before meals.   Apply  also to  live  bottom of the
belly as hot as can be endured, a little bag of camomile, cummin,
and mellilot boiled in oil of rue;  and anoint the belly and  privities
with Unguentum, Agrippse mingling there with oil  of  Iroos.   Let
the lower parts of the belly be covered with a plaister  of bayber-
ries or with a cataplasm made of cummin, camomile  and briony
roots, adding thereto cow's  and goats  dung.  For injection into
die womb take  abarum roots three drams, pennyroyal calamint
each half a handful savin a pugil, machoacan a dram ; annisseed,
cummin each half a dram.   Boil and take six ounces  strained
with oil of edder and orris, each an ounce;  and inject it  into the
 womb by a metrenchita; and let the air be hot and dry.  Moderate
exercise may be allowed,  but much sleep is forbidden.  She may
eat the flesh of patridges,  larks, chickens, mountain birds,  hasas,
comes, &c. and drink wine  mixed with a little water.
                         Section  V.'
              Of the inflammation of the womb.
   This is a tumor possessing the womb, accompanied  with unnat-
ural heat by obstruction, ana gathering together of corrupt blood;
 for the blood that comes to the  womb, gets out of the  vessels  into
 its substance  and grows hot, purifies and  causes an  inflammation,
either all over or in part,  before or behind,  above or below.  This
 happens also by suppression  of the  menstrues, repletion of  the
 whole body,  immoderate copulation, often handling of the genitals,
 difficult  child birth, vehement agitation of the body or by falls or
 blows.  The signs of this inflammation  are tumors with heat and
 pain in the  regions  of the womb, stretching and heaviness in  the
 privities, also a pain in the head and  stomach widi vomiting, cold-
 ness of the knees, convulsions of the neck, doting, trembling of the
 heart and sometimes straitness  of breath  by reison  of heat which
 is communicated to thu diaphragma, or midriff, and  the breasts
 sympathizing with the womb, are pained  and swelled;  but more
 particularly, if the fore part of  the matrix be inflamed the privities
 are grieved and the urine is suppressed, or flows forth  with diffi-
 culty; if it be behind  the  loins and  back  suffer, and the belly is
 bound ;if the inflammation be in the bottom of the womb,the pain is
 towards the  navel, if die  neck of the womb lie  affected,  the  mid-
 wife putting up her finger, may feel the mouth of it retracted,  and
 closed up, with a hardness about it.   As  to die prognostics of  it,
 all inflammations of the womb are dangerous and sometimes deadly,
 especially if it be all over the womb ;  if the woman he with cliild
 she rarely  escapes, an abortion follows, and the mother dies.
   As to the cure; first,   let the  humors flowing to  the womb  be 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.    •       163

 repelled ; for{ the effecting of which after the belly hath been open-
 ed by the cooling clysters,  letting of blood will  be  needful; open
 therefore  a vein in the arm, but have a care of bleeding in the  foot
 lest thereby you draw more blood to the womb, but if it be from die
 terms stopt, you may.   Tlie opinion of  Galen is that  the blood
 may be diverted by bleeding  in the arm or cupping tlie breasts  and
 that it  may be by the opening an ancle vein and cupping upon  die
 hips.   Then purge gently with cassia rhubarb senna and mirobolans
 half an ounce, barley water a  sufficient quantity; make a  decoc-
 tion, dissolve it in syrup of  succory,  with  rheubarb   two ounces,
 pulp of cassia half an ounce oil of anniseed two drops   and make
 a potion.  At the begininng of the disease annoint the privities and
 reins with oil of roses and quinces.   Make  plaisters  of plantain
 linseed barley meal mellilot fenugreek  and white  of eggs ;  and  if
 the pain be vehement add a  little opium.  For repellers and auo-
 dynes take Venus navel purslain lettuce houseleek  vine leaves each a
 handful boil them in wine; barley meal  two  ounces  pomegranate
 flowers two drains boil a dram with oil of roses and  make a poul-
 tice.   Or take diacibilon simple  two  ounces juice of Venus navel
 and plantain, each half an ounce ; lake of fenugreek mallow  roots
 decocted figs linseed barley meal dove's dung turpentine  each diree
 drams ; deer's suet half a  dram opium half a scruple and widi wax
 make a plaster.  After it is ripe break it by the motion of the body
 coughing sueczing or else by cupping and pessaries ;  as  take  rue,
 half an  handful figs an ounce  pigeons dung, orris root, each half  a
 dram;  with wool make  a  pessary.  After it  is  broken and  the
 pains abate then cleanse  and heal the ulcer with such  cleansers  as
 these, viz.  whey, barley water, honey, wormwood,  smallage, orris,
 birthwort, myrrh, turpentine  and alum, take new  milk boiled   a
 pint, honey half a pint, orris powder half an  ounce,  and use   it
 Tery often every day.   If it break about  the bladder,  use an emul-
 sion of cold seeds, whey and syrup of violets.  Let her  drink  bar-
 ley water, or clarified  whey,  and her  meat be chickens and chick-
en bread,  boiled with endive, succory  sorrel burgloss and  mal-
 lows.
                         Section VI.
         Of schiroaity and Hardness of the Womb.
   A swelling in  the womb  neglected, or not perfectly  cured often
produces a schirosity in the matrix, which is a hard insensible,  un-
 natural  swelling causing barrenness, and begetting an indisposition
of the whole  body.   The immediate  cause  is a diick  earllily  hu-
 mour, (as  unnatural  melancholy,  for instance)  gathered  in  tlie
 womb, and causing a schirrous widiout inflammation.   It is u prop-
er schirrous when there is neither sense  nor pain and it is an improp-
er schirrous when there is  some  little sense of pain.   This  distem-
 per is most usual in women of a melancholy  constitution, and  also
 gucli as  have been cleansed  from tiieir meases,  or from  the  reien- 
166            EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.

tion of the lochia, or after purging ;  it is likewise sometimes caused
by eating corrupt  meat ;  or those inordinate kngings cal'cd  pi
ca, to which breeding women are often subject;  and lastly, it  ma
also proceed  from obstruction and ulcers in the womb, or some evi
effects in the liver and  spleen.   It may be  known by these signs ;
if the effect be in the  bottom of the womb she   feels  as it  were  ;
heavy burden representing a mole, yet differing in that the breasts
are attenuated, and the whole body also.   If the neck of  the womb
be hardened, no  outwat-d  humours  will appear, the  mouth of it  is
retracted, and touched with  the finger, feels hard;   nor  can  she
have the company of a man without great   pains  and prickings.
This schirosity or hardness  is,  (when continued)  incurable, and
will turn into a cancer, or dropsy ; and ending in a cancer, proves
deadly; the reason of which is because the native heat in tiiose parts
being almost smothered, it is hard tube restored again.
   For the cure of this, first prepare the humor with  syrup of bur-
rage, succory, epicymum, arm  clarified whey;  whicli being done,
take of these pills following, according to die strength of the patient:
take hicra, pica   six drachms and a half, agaric;  lapislazuli, ablu-
ti salis Indoe coloquintida, of  each one drachm  and aha); mix
them and make pills.   The body being  purged, proceed to mollify
the hardness as  followeth;  anoint the privities  and the neck of the
womb with  die  following ointment; take  oil of  capers,  lillies,
sweet almonds jessamin,  each an  ounce; mucilage  fenugreek, al-
thae, ointment of althae, of  each six  drachms: amoniacuin dissol-
ved in wine an  ounce, which  with wax make into an  ointment.
Then apply below the navel diochylon fernelli;  and make emulsions
of figs, mugwort, mallows,  pennyroyal, altlue,  fennel roots,  melli-
lot, fenugreek, and linseed boiled in water;  but for  injection, take
bdellium dissolved  in wine, oil of sweet  almonds, lillies, caimno-
mileeach two ounces marrow of veval bones and hen's grease each an
ounce, with the yolk of an egg.   The air m ust be temperate; and
as for her diet, let her abstain from all gross  vicious anil salt  meats,
such as oil fish cheese &c.
                       SECIION VII.
        Of the straightness of the  Womb and its Vessels.
   This being seated  inthe vesssls of tfie womb ancl neck thereof,
is an obstruction  to the bearing of children, as it hinders both   the
flowing of the menses and conception.   The cause of this  straight-
ness is thick and touogh humors, that stop the mouth of the veins and
arteries;  these humours are bred of gross or too much nourishment;
 when the heat of Hie womb is so weak that it cannot  attenuate  the
 humor which by reason thereof either flow  from the  whole body, or
 are gathered  into the womb.   Now, the vessels are made closer or
 strait several ways;  sometimes  by inflamation, schirrous or other
 tumors;  sometimes by compressions or by a scar or flesh, or mem-
 brane that grows  after the wound.  The  signs  by  which this is 
'.XPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             167
known, are stoppage of the  terms not conceiving, crudities aboun-
ding in the body, which are known by particular signs; for if there
was a  wound,  or the secundine was  pulled out by force, phlegm
comes  from the wound.   If stoppage of the terms be from an old ob-
struction by humor*, it is  hard to be cured;  ifit is only from die
disorderly use  of astringents, it is more cm-able;  if it be from a
schirrous, or other tumors  that compress or  close the  vessels  the
disease is incurable.
  For the cure  of that which is curable, obstructions must be taken
away,  phlegm must be  purged, and she must  be let  blood as will
be  hereafter directed in the stoppage  of the terms.   Then  use
the  following  medicines; take  of annisseed and   fennel seed
each  a  drachm; rosemary pennyroyal  calamint  betony  flow-
ers  each  an  ounce;  cestus cinnamon galergal  each  half  an
ounce ; saffron half a drachm, with wine.   Or take asparagus roots
parsley roots each an ounce; pennyroyal calamints each a handful;
wall flowers dill flowers each two pugils; boil strain and add syrup
of mugwort an ounce and a half.  For a  fomentation take penny-
royal mercury  calamint  marjoram mugwort each two handfuls;
sage rosemary bays cammomile flowers each an handful;  boil them
in water  and foment  the groin  and the bottom of tbe  belly, or let
her sit up to the navel in  a bath, and then anoint about the  groin
with oil of rue lillies, dill &c.
                      SECTION VIII.
                 Of the falling of the  Womb.
  This is another evil effect of the womb, which is both very  troub-
lesome and also a hindrance to conception.  Sometimes the  womb
felleth to the middle of  the  thighs nay almost to  the knees,  and it
may be known  then by its Longing out.   Now that which causeth
the  womb to change its place is when the ligaments by which it is
bound to the other parts are not in  order for there are four  liga-
ments, two above broad and membraneous, that come  from the per-
itoneum  and two  below that are nervous round and  hollow  : it is
also bound by the great vessels by veins and arteries and  to the
back by nerves.  Now the place is changed when it is drawn away
or when the ligaments are loose and it falls down by its own weight.
It is drawn on one side when the menses are hindered  from flowing
and the veins and  arteries are full namely those which go  to the
womb.   If it be a mole on  one side  and the spleen cause it ;  by
the liver  veins on the right side, and the spleen on the left, as they
are more or  less filled.  Others  are of  opinion it comes from the
solution  or connection of the fibrous neck and the parts adjacent
and that from the weight of the  womb  descending.  This  we deny
not; but the ligaments must oe loose or broken.   But women in a
dropsy could not  be said to have the womb fallen down if it came
only from looseness; but in them it is caused by the saltness of the
water  which dries more than it moistens.   Now if there be a  little 
  1C-3             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.

  tumor within the privities it is nothing else  but a descent of ihe
  womb:  but if there be a tumor  like a goose egg  and a hole at tho
  bottom there is first a great pain in the parts to which  die  womb is
  fastened us the loins the bottom of the belly and the ossacruin which
  proceeds from tlie breaking or stretching of the ligaments but a lit-
  tle after the  pain  abates; and here is an impediment in walking;
  and sometimes blood comes  from  the breach of the  vessels and the
  sxcrements and  urine are stopt and then  a fever and convulsion
 ensueth which often times proves mortal, especially if it hapoens to
 women widi child.
   For the cure of this distemper first put it up before the air  alter
 it or if it be swollen or inflamed;  and  thereby first of all give a
 clyster to remove the excrements;  then lay  her on her  back  with
 her  legs  abroad and thighs lifted up -»nd head down; then take the
 tumor in  your  hand and  thrust  it in widiout violence.  If  it be
 swelled by alteration and cold foment it with the decoction of  mal-
 lows althae fenugreek cammomile flowers bayberries and anoint it
 wkh oil of lillies, and lien's  grease.  If there be an  inflamation,
 do not put it up but fright it in by putting red hot iron before it  and
 making a show as if you intended to burn it; but first sprinkle upon
 it the powder of mastic frankincense and the like.  Take frankin-
 cense mastic two drachms; sarcocol steeped  in  milk a drachm;
 mummy pomegranate flower sanguis draconis each  half  a drachm;
 when it is  put up let her lie with her legs stretched and one upon
 the other for eight or ten days, and  make a pessary in  the form of
 a pear with cork or sponge  and put it  into the womb  dipped in
 sharp wine or the juice of ascacia, with  powder of fanguitts  gal-
 banum bdellium.  Also apply a cupping glass with great flame un-
 der the navel  or paps or to both kidneys and apply this plaster to
 the back.   Take opponix two ounces  storax liquid half an ounce,
mastich frankincense pitch bole each two draclims then with wax
make a plaster; or laudunum a drachm  wood aloes, cloves spikes
each a drachm; ash colored ambergrease four grains musk  half a
scruple;  make two round  plaisters to be  laid on each  side of the
navel ; make a fume of snail  skin salted or of  garlic and  let it l«
taken in the funnel.  Use also astringent fomentations of bramble
leaves plaintain hosetail myrtle each two handfuls wormseed two pu-
gils pomegranate flowars half an ounce, boil them in wine and  wa-
ter.  For an  injection  take comfrey roots an  ounce rupture wort
two drachms, yarrow, mugwort, each half an ounce,  boil them in
red wine, and inject it with a syringe.   To strengthen  the womb
lake  hartshorn bays of each a drachm  myrrh  half a drachm : make
a powder for  two doses and give  it with sharp  wine.  Or take zc-
doary parsnip seed crab eyes prepared each  a drachm ;  nutmeg
half a drachm and give  a drachm in powder; but .astringents must
be used with great caution lest by  stopping the courses a worse mis-
r.'uef follow.  To keep it in its pfece make rollors and  ligatures as 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             168

  for  the rapture ; and put pessaries into the lioltom of ilia A-oinb lint
  may force  it to remain.  I  know some physicians object against
  this that they  hinder  conception:  but others in my  opinion much
  more justly affirm that they neither hinder conception nor bri-.g any
  inconvenience; nay 30 far  from diat they help conception and re-
  tain it and cure the disease perfectly.   Let the diet be such ai ara
  of drying astringent and glewing qualities  such  as  rice  starch
  quinces pears and green cheese; but let summer fruits be  avoided,
  and let her wine be astringent and red.
                         CHAPTER  HI.
        Of diseases relating to women's monthly courses.
                           Section  I.
             Ofwomcmi's monthly courses in general.
    Divine providence which with a wisdom worthy of itself has ap-
 pointed woman to conceive by coition with  the  man,  and  to  bear
 and bring forth children has provided for the  nourishment  of chil-
 dren during their recess in the womb of  their mother,  by  that  re-
 dundancy of blood which  is natural to all women,  an  which flow-
 ing out at certain periods of time when they are not pregnant are
 from thence called terms and menses from their monthly flux of ex-
 erementious and  unprofisuble  blood:  which is only to  be under-
 stood with respect to the  redundancy thereof being an  excrement
 only with respect to its quantity, for as to its  quality it  is  as pure
 and incorrupt as any blood in the veins;  and this  appears from the
 cause of k, which is the propagation and conservation  of mankind
 and also from the generation of it, it being the superfluity of the  last
 ailment of the fleshy parts.   If any  ask  if the menses  be  not of a
 hurtful quality how can it have such  veuomous effects, as if it fall
 upon trees and herbs, it makes one barren, and mortifies the otherl
 I answer, this malignity is contracted in the  womb;  for the' woman
 wanting native heat to digest this superfluity, sends it to the matrix,
 where seating itself till the  mouth of the womb  be dilated, it  be-
 comes corrupt and mortified, which  may easily be, considering the
 heat and moistness of t'le place; and so this blood being out of its
 proper vessels and too long retained offends  in  quality.   But if the
 rigidity be the cause why women cannot digest all their last  nourish-
 ment, and by consequence have those monthly purgations how comes
 it to pass may some say, diat they are of so cold a constitution more
 than menl Of this I have aheady spoken in the chapter of barren-
 ness; it is chiefly thus.   The author of our being  has laid an in-
junction npon men and women  to propagate their kind, and hath
 also so wisely fitted them for that work; and seeing that in the act of
 coition there must be an agent and a patient, (for if they be of one
 constitution, there can be  no propagation,) therefore the man is hot
 and dry and the  woman cold  and moist.  It is therefore necessaiv
 that the woman should be of a  cold constitution because in her isie-
                                 15 
170            EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE.
quired a redundancy of matter for the nourishment of the infant de-
pending on her.  And this is wisely ordained by  nature, for other-
wise the cliild would detract from,  and weaken the principal parts
of the mother;  which would most unnaturally render die  provision
of the  infant to be  the  destruction  of  die  parent.   Now these
monthly purgations usually begin about the 14th year,  and continue
till the 45th or 50th year; yet not so constantly,  but that oftentimes
there happens a suppression, whicli is sometimes natural and some-
times inorbifical.   When they are  naturally  Supprest,  it  is either
in breeding Women, or such as give  suck;  but that which is morbi-
fical must be the subject of the following section.
                        Section. II.
          Of the suppression of the Monthly  Courses.
  The suppression of the terms which is morbific, is an  interception
of that accustomary evacuation of blood which   should come  from
the matrix every month, and which  proceeds  from the matter vi-
tiated.  The cause of this suppression is either internal  or exter-
nal;  the  internal cause  is either instrumental, or material, in  the
blood or in die womb.  The blood  may be faulty two ways, in quan-
tity,  or in quality; in quantity,  when it is so consumed that tiiere is
no overplus left, as in viragoes, and all virile  women, who,  thro'
their heat and strength of nature digest and consume all their  best
nourishment;  but women of  this constitution arc rather to be ac-
counted anthropophagea;, that is women eaters, than women breeders
because they consume one of the principles of generation whioh gives
a being to the world, i.  e.  the menstruous blood.  The blood may
also be consumed, and the  terms   stayed, by too much bleeding at
the nose, and likewise by a flux of the hemorrhoids, or by a dysen-
teria, evacuations; chronicle and continued diseases.   But secondly
the matter may be vicious in quality, as if it be sanguineous, phlegm-
atical, melancholic;  each of these if they offend in grossness,   will
cause an obstruction in the  veins.
   The womb may also be in fault  divers ways:  as by  tlie narrow-
ness of the veins and passages, by a posthumous, tumors, ulcers, and
by overmuch cold or heat, the one vitiating the aotion,  and the oth-
er consuming tlie matter;  also by an evil composition of the  uter-
 ine parts by the neck of  the womb being turned aside; and some-
 times,  though but  rarely,  by a membrane  or   excrcsence of  flesh
 growing about the womb.
   The extei nal cause may be heat or dryness of  the air, immoderate
 watching, great labor, violent motion, whereby the matter is so con-
 sumed.and the body is so exhausted, that there is no redundant blood
 remaining to be expelled;  whence  it is recorded of the  amazons,
 that, being active,  and always in motion, they had little or no month-
 ly fluxes; it may also lie caused  from cold and most frequently  it is
 bo making the blood vicious and  gross, condensing  and binding up
 tiia passages, that it cannot flew forth.  The signs af the diauase are 
^>ERIENCED MIDWIFE.
171
pains in the head, neck, back, and loins, with  weariness  of the
whole liody, but especially of the hips, and legs, by reason of  a con-
finity which the womb hath in thoae parts;  if the suppression proceeds
from cold, it causeth  a heavy sluggish disposition,  a  pale color, a
slow pulse, the urine crude, waterish, and much in quantity and  no
desire to copulation, die excrements of the guts  being usually  re-
tained, but ifit prcoeeds from heat, the signs sire contrary.  Ifit be
natural,or caused by conception, it may be known by drinking wa-
ter and honey after supper, going to bed; for if  after  taking it, it
causeth the woman to feel a bearing pain in tbe navel and lower parts
of the belly  it is a sign she hath conceived, and that the suppression
is natural, if not, then it is vicious,  and ought medicinally to be ta-
ken away, otherwise many dangerous diseases will  follow; such as
swoonings, faintings, intermission of pulse, obsructions, epilepsies,
apoplexies,  frenzies, melancholy, passions, &c. which makes it highly
necessary to say something now of tbe cure.
   The cure of  this distemper must  be by evacuation, for this sup-
pression is phlethropic effect,  it will therefore be best  in the  midst
of the humor, two days before the  wonted evacuation, to open the
sapluena veins of both feet;  and if the repletion be not great, apply
cupping glasses to the legs and thighs after letting blood, the humor
must be prepared and made flexible with syrup  of stcechus, bore-
hound hyssop, betony, maidenhair, of each one handful, make a de-
coction and take thereof three ounces, of syrup of mugwort succory
maiden hair, mix each half an ounce, and after she comes out of the
bath, let her drink it off.  Then purge pilld Agaric, Elephang, Coch;
Foedit Galen in this case commends Pilula de  Aiera cum coloquin-
tida; for  as they are  proper to purge the  humor offending, so diey
open the passage of the womb.  If the stomach be  overcharged  let
her take a vomit, but let it be so prepared as  to act both ways,  lest
the humors should be too much turned  back, by  working only  up-
wards; to which and, take trochisk of agaria, two drachms, infuse
them in three ounces of oximel, in which  dissolve benedict,  laxat,
half an ounce, and of the electuary diasarum one scruple;  and let
her take it after the manner of a purge.  When  the humor has been
fhus purged, you may proceed to more proper and forcible remedies.
Take extract of mugwort,  one scruple and a half, rinds of cassia
parsley seed, castor of each a scruple;  and with  juice of smallage,
after supper going  to bed.  Also,  administer to  the lower parts
suffumugat ions of amber unctions  injections and incisions; make  suf-
fumigations of amber, galbanum, melanthum, bavberries mugwort,
cinnamon nutmegs cloves, &c.  Make pessaries of figs  and the leaves
of mercury bruised, and rolled up in lint.  Make  injections of die de-
coction of mercury; betony origin, mugwort and  figs and inject it
into the womb by an instrument tor that purpose.  For unction, take
ladant, oil of myrrh, of each two drachms;  oil  of lillies, almonds
capers cammomile, of ea«h half an  otm«e, and with wax make an 
172
EXI'ERIENCED MIDWIFE.
urgent with which let the place be anointed.   Let the  air  lie hot
and dry, her sleep shorter than ordinary let lier use  moderate  exer-
cise before meals and let her meat and drink be attenuating.
                         Section III.
         Of the overflowing of the Monthly Courses.
  This distemper is directly contrary to that of which I have spo-
ken in the foregoing section and is no less dangerous tium the other
and therefore requires to be spoken  of next in order.   This dis-
temper is a sanguineous excrement proceeding from the womb and
exceeding in time and quality.  I call it sanguineous because  thera
are two ways by which the blood flows forth, one is by  the internal
veins  in die body of the  womb whicli is properly called the month-
ly flux; the other is by tiiose veins  which  are terminated in the
neck of the matrix which some physicians call the hemorrhoides of
the womb; and that it exceeds in quantity, when  they flow  about
three days;  but this is the most certain sign of their excess in flowing
when  they flow so  long  that the  faculties of tile body are thereby
weakened: for in bodies abounding with gross humors  this  immod-
erate  flux  does sometimes unburden  nature of her  load and is not
to be  stopped widiout advice from a physician.
  The cause of this immoderate flowing is either external or inter-
nal.   The external cause may be the heat of the air; lifting and ear-
ning  heavy burdens, unnatural child births, falls, &c.   The inter-
nal cause  may tie three  fold, in the matter,  instrument, or faculty;
the matter,  which is the blood, may  be vicious two ways; first in
quantity being so  much that tbe veins are  not  able to contain  it;
secondly,  in quality being adust sharp walerish, or  unconcocted.
The instruments, viz. the veins are faulty by the dilation of the orifice
which may  be caused two ways; first by the heat of the constitu-
tion, climate, or season, heating the  blood,  whereby  the passes
are dilated, and the faculty weakened, that it cannot retain the
blood; secondly by falls, blows, violent motions, breaking of a vein,
&c.
  This inordinate flux may be known by the  appetite  being decay-
ed, the decoction depraved, and all the actions of the lwdy  weaken-
ed; the feet swelled, die color of the  face  changed, and a general
feebleness  possessed! the whole body.   If it comes by  the  breaking
of a vein in the  body, is sometimes cold, the blood flows forth on
heaps and that suddenly,  with great pain;  if it come through heat,
die orifice of the veins being dilated, then there is litde or no pain,
yet the blood flows fester than it doth in an  erosion, and not so fast
as in a rupture.  If by erosion, or sharpness of the blood she  feels a
great  heat scalding the passage it differs from the other two in that
it flows not so suddenly, nor so copiously as  they do.  If it be weak-
ness of the womb,  she has an aversion to copulation;  if it proceeds
from the blood, drop some of it on a cloth, and  when it is dry, you
may judge of the quality by the  color;  if  it  be choleric, it will 
                EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.             173
                           •
be yellow, if melancholy  black, if phlegmatic, waterish and whi-
tish.
  The cure of this consists in diree particulars.  1st.  In  repelling
and carrying back the blood.  2dly. In correcting and taking away
tlie flexibility of the matter; and thirdly corroborating the vein or
faculties.   For the first, to cause a regression of the blood  open a
rein in her arm, and draw out so much blood as the strength of tlie
patient will permit, and that not at once, but at several times, for
thereby tlie spirits are less weakened, and the retraction  so much
greater.   Apply the cupping glasses to the liver that the  reversion
may be in tlie fountain.   To correct  the flexibility of the matter,
cathartics moderated with  astrictories may  be  used.   If  it be
sharpness of blood, consider whether the corrosion be by salt phlegm,
or adus clioler;  If by salt phlegm prepare with syrup  of violets,
wormwood, roses, citron peels, succory, &c. and then take this pur-
gation ; Mlrobolans, chervel, half an ounce trochisks of agaric one
dram with plantain water make a decoction, add thereto syr. rosar-
dux three ounces aud make a portion.  If by a dust choler prepare
the body with syrup of roses,  myrtles, sorrel purslain  mixed with
water of plaintain, knotgrass and endive then purge with  this  por-
tion: Take rinds of mirobolans,  rhubarb of each one dram, cinna-
mon fifteen grains, infuse them one night in endive water add to  it
the strained pulp of tamarinds, cassia of each half an ounce, syrup
of roses one ounce and make a potion.   If the blood be  waterish
and unconcocted, as it is hydropical bodies, and flows fortii by reason
of the tenury to draw off the water  will be profitable,  to which
end purge with agaric elaterium and coloquintida.   Sweating is al-
so very proper in this case for by  it the matter offending it is taken
away, and tbe motion of tbe blood is carried to the outward parts.
—To procure sweai, use cardanum water with  mithridate or the
decoction of gacium does also greatly provoke to sweat j   and pills
of sassaparilla, taken every night at  going  to bed,  are worthily
recommended.   If the blood flows from the opening or breaking of
a vein, without any evil quality of itself, then  ought corroboratives
to be applied, which is the thing to be done in this inordinate flux;
bole armoniac one scruple.  London treacle one dram, old conserve
of roses half an ounce, with syrup of myrtles, make an electuary.
Or if die flux has continued long, take of mastick two drams oliba-
ni tinct. de careble, of each  one dram, balanstium one  scruple,
make a powder; with syrup of quinces make it into pills, and take
always before meats-
                          Section  IV.
 Of Terms coming out of Order either before or after the usu-
                            al Time.
   Both these shew an ill constitution of body.  Every thing is beau-
 tiful in its order, in nature  as well as  in morality,  and  if the or-
                        15* 
171             EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.
 derof nature be broke,  it sliews die body to be out  of order.  Of
 each of these effects briefly.
   When the monthly courses come before tiieir  time it shews a de-
 praved excretion that comes for tlie time often  flowing sometimes
 twice a month.  The cause why diey come sooner is in the  blood
 which stirs up die expulsive faculty in the womb, or sometimes  in
 the whole body,  caused oftentimes by the  person's diet, which in-
 creased! tlie blood too much, makes it too sharp or too hot, and  if
 die retentive feculty of tbe womb be weak, and the  expulsive fac-
 ulty strong and of a quick sense, it brings them fortii and flow soon-
 er by reason of a fall or stroke, or some violent  passion which the
 parties themselves can best relate.  If it  be from  heat,  thin and
 sharp humors,  it  is known by the distemper of the whole body.
 The looseness of the vessels, and weakness of the retentive faculty, is
 known  from a moist and loose  habit of tbe  body.  It is  more
 troublesomethan dangerous but hinders  conception and the cure  is
 necesary  for all,  but especially  such  as desire  children.  If  it
 proceeds from  a sharp blood let her temper it by  a good  diet aad
medicines, for  which purpose let her use baths of iron water  that
correct the distemper of the bowels, and then evacuate.  If it  pro-
ceeds from the retentive  faculty, ai.d looseness  of the vessels, it is
to be corrected with gentle astringents.
  As to the courses flowing after  the usual time, the  causes are
thickness  of the blood and the  smallness of its  quantity  with the
straitness of the passage  and weakness of the faculty either of  these
single, may stop the courses, but if they all concur they render the
distemper the worse.  If the blood abounds not in such a  quantity
as .nay stir nature  to expel it, its purging must  necessarily  be de-
 defered  till there be enough.  And if the blood be thick, the  pas-
sage stopped and the faculty weak, die menses must  needs be out of
older, and the purging of them retarded.
  For the cure of this,  if the quantity of  blood be  small  let her
use larger diet and very  little exercise.  If the  blood be thick and
 foul, let it be made thin  and the humors mixed therewith be evacu-
ated.  It is good to purge after tbe courses have done flowing and
to use calamints; and indeed the oftener she purge tlie better.   She
may also use feme  and pessaries, applying cupping glasses   without
scarification to the inside of die thighs and rub the legs and scarify the
ancles, and hold tbe feet  in warm water four or five days  before the
 courses come down.  Let her also  anoint the bottom of her  belly
 with tilings proper  to provoke the terms.
                           Section V.
                 Of the false courses or whites.
   Tlie whites or false courses are a foul excretion from the womb
 for from the womb proceeds not only the  inenstrous blood but  acci-
dentally many other excrements, whicli is a dilation  of a variety of
corrupt hiunors through  the womb, flowing from die  whole hotly, or 
                 EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE.            175

part of the same; which diough called the whites, are sometimes blue
or green, or reddish, not flowing at  a set time, or every month, but
in  a disorderly  manner,  sometimes longer and sometimes shorter.
It is different from die running of the reins, both  less in  quantity
and whiter and thicker in  quality, and coming   at  a great dis-
tance; it is different also from those night pollutions, which are  only
in sleep and do proceed from the imagination of venery. The cause
of this distemper is either promiscuously in the whole body, by a ca-
cochymia, or weakness of tlie same; or in some of the parts as In the
liver,which by tile inability of the sanguificative faculty, causeth a gen-
eration of coiTupt blood, and then the matter is  reddish.    Some-
times in die gall being remiss in  its office, not  drawing diose chol-
eric superfluities which are engendered in the  liver,  and then the
matter is  yellow;  sometimes  in the  spleen, not  defeating and
cleansing the blood  of the excrementitious parts, and dien the mat-
ter flowing forth is  blackish.   It may also come from catarrhs in
the head, or from any other putrefied or corrupt member.   But if
die matter of die flux be white, the cane is either in tlie stomach or
reins.  In the stomach by a phlegmatical and  crude matter  tiiere
contracted and vitiated through grief, melancholy, and other  dis-
tempers; for otherwise, if the matter were only pituitous, and no
ways corrupt or vitiated, being taken into die liver, it might be con-
verted into blood, for phlegm, in the ventricle is called nourishment
half digested;  being corrupted, although it be  sent into the  liver,
it cannot correct that which the first hath corrupted, and tiierefore
the liver sends it to  the womb, which can neither  digest it nor re-
pel it and so it is voided out still keeping die color which it  had in
the ventricle.  The cause also may be in the veins, being overheated
whereby the sperraatical  matter by reason of  its  tenuity,  flows
forth.  The external cause  may be the moistnessof the air,  eating
corrapt meats, anger grief, slothfulness  immoderate  sleeping,, and
costiveness.
   The signs,are extenuation of body shortness  and stinking breath
loathing of meat, pain in the head, swelling of the eyes, melancholy
humidity, flowings from the  womb, of  divers colors  as redish,
black, green yellow  white, it is known from the overflowing of the
courses, in that it keeps no  certain period and is of so many  colors,
all which do generate from blood.
   For the cure of this, it must be by method adapted to die  case;
and as die  causes  are  various so must   be the cures.
   If it be caused by the distillation from the brain, take syrup of
betony, stechas and marjoram, purge with piloch;  make napalieof
the juice of sage hysop, betony, negella  with one  drop of oil pf
cloves, and a Tittle silk cotton.  Take elect, dinatli aromaut  rosar,
diambre, diamngchi, dulcisof each one dram, nutmegs half a  dram
at night going to bed. 
176
EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE
  if the matter flowing forth be redish open a vein in  the  arm  if
not apply ligatures to the arms and  shoulders.   Some have cured
this distemjier by rubbing the tipper parts with  crude honey ; and
so Galen says lie  cured the wife of Boetius.
  If it proceeds from crudities in the stomach,  or from a cold dis-
tempered liver, take every morning of the decoction of lignum sanc-
tum ;  purge with pill deagaric, de  harmodac, de hiera dyacolcoc-
yntiiid  foetida.  Takeofelect.  aromot  ros two   drams, citron
peels dried, nutmeg, long pepper  ol  each  one  scruple, diagalinga
one dram, fantah albiu, ling aloes, of each  half a scruple, sugar six
ounces, with mint water make lozenges of it, and then take it  after
meals..
   f with frigidity of the liver be joined a repression  of the stomach
purging by vomiting is commendable ; for which take 3 drams of
die electuary of diaru.   Some physicians also allow of the diur-
etical means, of opium, petroeiolum, fkc
  If the matter of the  disease be melancholius prepare with syrup
of maiden hair, ephithimum,  polipody,  burage  bugloss, fumentory
heart's, and syrup by santium, which  must be made widiout  vine-
gar, odierwise  it will rather animate the disease,  than strengthen
nature, for melancholy is increased by the use of vinegar ;  and by
Hipocrates, silvius and Aventinus, it is disallowed of  as an  enemy
to the womb and therefore not to be used in uterin  diseases.
  Purges of melancholy are  Piluloe  eumartae piluce Indioe piluae
de lap.  Lazuli  diosena,  and confection  fiamech.   Take stampt
prunes two ounces senna one dram, epithimum   pollypody;  fumet-
ory of each a drain and a half sour dates  one ounce with endine
water make a decoction, take of it four ounces, add unto it confec-
tions hamech  three drams, manna three  drams,  or pilldke  indatum,
phil, saetidarum agarici trochiscati  of   each one scruple,  lapidiz,
lazuti five grains, with syrup of erinthimum make pills and  take
one every week.
  If the matter of the flux be choleric, prepare with syrup  of  en-
dive violets of succory, roses and purge with miarbolaus manna rheu-
barb cassia ; take of rheubarb two drams, anniseed one  dram,  cin-
namon a scruple and a half, infuse them in six ounces of prune broth;
add to the straining of manna an ounce, and  take it  according  to
art.  Take  spicerium discriontasod diatragacant frig diarhod.  Ab-
batis diaconh of each one dram, sugar four ounces   with  plantain
water make lozenges.
  Lastly let  the womb  be cleansed from the corrupt matter, and
then corroborated, and for tlie cleansing thereof,  make injections of
the. decoction of betony, featherfew, mugwort spikenard bistort  met
cury sage  adding thereto sugar oil of sweet  almonds, of uach? two
ounces ; then to corroborate the womb,  pr%are  trochisks in this
manner; Take die  myrrh  of featherfew  mugwort nutmegs  mace
amber ligni  alaes storax red roses  of each  an  ounce  with muii- 
EXPERIENCED  MIDWIFE
177
lage of tragaranth make  trochisks cast  them on the coals  and
smother the womb therewith.   Fomentation  may be also made for
the womb of red wine, in which  has  been  decocted  mastic, fine
bol balutia red roses.  Drying diet is best  because this  distemper
usually abounds, with phlegmatic and crude humours.   Immoder-
ate sleep is hurtful, bul moderate exercise will do well.
   Thus I have gone through the principle diseases peculiar to die fe-
male sex, and pirecribed for each of them such remedies as  with
the divineblessing will cure their distempers, confirm their health,
and remove  all  diose obstructions, which might  otiierwise  prevent
their  bearing  children.  And I "liave brought it into so  narrow  a
compass diat it might be of more general use, being wiVling to put
into every one's power, that has occasion for it, to  purchase this
rich treasure at an easy rate. 
 
                ARISTOTLE'S

 BOOK OF PROBLEMS,

                   WITH OTHER

ASTRONOMERS,      I    PHILOSOPHERS,
ASTROLOGERS           PHYSICIANS, &c
tfherein are contained divers Questions  and Answers  touching the state  of
  man's Body, together with the reason of divers  wonders in the creation: the
  generation  of  Birds,  Beasts, Fishes,  and  Insects; and many  otha
  problems on the most weighty  matters, by way of Question and Antmtt
                  TO  THE  READER.

 READER,

  THESE PROBLEMS having been printed very often, and finding  so gener-
 al an acceptance, divers books have been hoisted into the worl J under the name of
 Aristotle, so thai many people have bought them, Ihinking they had the right sort,
 ty which the public has been injured, as well as the proprietors.
  The matter it contains, is necessary for all  people  to  know, and,  as  man a
 .aid to be a microcosm, or little world, and in  him  the Alinichty hath imprinted
 his own image so lively, that no power whatsoever is able lo blot it out; so his
 image and similitude is the soul and understanding.  And notwithstanding, all Ihe
 perlVcUons which man halh in himself, few or none take delight in such studies,
 or is  careful to  know the stubstance, state, condition, quality, or use oT the parts
 of his own body, although he be the honor of nature, and more  to he admired
than  the rarest  wonder that e»er happened.  I have therefore published this
 little book written by Aristotle, the deepest philosopher  of his age who  taught
the use of all parts of  the body, their nature, quality, property, and  substance,
and quesUon not but it will afford both innocent, nectssar* and useful knowledge
and profitable to both  sexes. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
  Among all living creatures, why  hath man only his countenance
lifted up towards  heaven!
  Unto this question there are divers answers.
  1st.   It proceeds from tile  will  of the Creator.  And although
the answer be true, yet it seemeth not to be of force,  because  that
so all questions might be easily resolved.
  2dly.  I answer, that for the  most  part,  every  workman  doth
make his first work worse, and then his second better so  God  cre-
ated all beasts before man, gave them their face  looking down on
the earth, & then he created man as it doth appear in Genesis,  un-
to whom  he  gave an upright  shape lifted  into heaven  because
it is  drawn  from divinity but this  derogates from the goodness of
God who  maketh all his works perfect and good.
  3dly.  It is answered that man  only  among  all living creatures
is ordained to heaven and therefore hadi his face elevated and lif-
ted up to heaven because that despising worldly and  earthly things
he ought to contemplate on heavenly things.
  4thly.  That the reasonable soul is like unto angels and finally
ordained to enjoy God as appears by Averro's de amma and there-
fore  he hath a figure looking upwards.
  'Sthlv.  That man is a microcosm that is a little world as Aris-
totle saith and therefore he doth command all other living creatures
and  diey obey him.
 . 6thly.  It is answered that naturally  there is given  unto every
thing and every work that form and figure which  is fit and  proper
for its  motion.   As unto heaven roundness to the  fire a pyramidi-
cal form that is broad beneath and sharp towards the top  which
form is most apt to ascend.   And  so man has his face up to heaven
to behold the wonder of God's works.
   Why is the head of beasts hairy 1          .
   The answer according to the opinion of Const, is that the nairs
are  the ornament of the head and of the brain and the brain is pur-
 ged and evacuated of gross humours by the  hair from  the highest
 unto tbe lowest parts which pass through the pores of the  exterior
 flesh and do become dry and are  converted  into hairs.  This ap-
 pears-to be true, because that in all the  body of man there  is  noth-
 ing  drier than the hairs;  for thev are drier than  bones as  Albetus
 magnus doth affirm because that some beasts  are nourished  with
 bones but no beast can digest feathers or hair but  do  void  them
                       16 
182
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
undigested v. they being too hot for nutriment.
  2dly.   It is answered that the brain  is purged four manner of
ways; of superfluous watery humours by the eyes from nicluiit'holy by
ears of choler by the nose and of phlegm by the  hair  and that  is
the intent of the physician.
  Why hatii men  longer hair on their heads dian other living  crea-
tures.
  Arist.  degenerat anim. say men have the moistest brain  of all
living creatures  from which the seed proceedeth which is converted
into the long hair of the head.
  2dly.   It is answered, that the humours of man are fat do not be-
come easily dry and therefore the hair groweth longer in  man  than
in beasts whose  humours easily dry.
  Why doth the hair take deeper root in man's skin  than in  any
other living creaturel
  Because they have greater store of nourishment  in man, and
therefore grow more into the inward parts of man.—And this  is al-
so the reason why in other creatures the hair doth alter and change
with the skin and not in  man  unless  it be sometimes a scar or
wound.
  Why have women longer hair than men ?
  1st.  Because women are moister than men and phlegmatic,  and
therefore tiiere is more matter of hair in  them ; and furthermore
this matter is more increased iu women  than  in  men from  their
interior parts and  especially  in the time of their monthly tenns be-
came the matter dotii not  ascend whereby the humour which breed-
oth the hair doth increase.  And Albertus says that if the hair  of
a woman in  the time of tiieir flowers be put into dung  a venomous
serpent is engendered of it.
  2dly.   Because women want beards and the matter of the  beard
doth go into  the matter of the hair.
  Why have some men soft hair and some hard.
  We answer with Aristotle that the hair hath proportion with the
skin, of which some is hard, some thick and  gross, some  subtil  and
soft; dierefore the hah which groweth out of a thick and gross skin
is tiiick  and gross,  and  that which  groweth  out of  a  subtil
and soft skin is  fine and soft.  When the  pores are open  much hu-
mour Cometh forth  which  engenders  hard  hair;  but  when the
pores are strait dien here groweth soft and fine hair. Aristotle shews
that women have softer hair than men because their pores are  more
shut and straight by reason of their coldness.
                        Of the Head.
  Why is man's head round?
  Because it is most fit to recieve any  thing into  it  as Aristotle
doth affirm Lib. de cos and the head doth contain in  it five senses.
This is also seen in a material sphere.
  Why is the head round ? 
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.             ISi
  Aristotle  saith because it doth contain in it the moistest part  ol
the living creatures and also because the brain  may  be  defended
thereby as with a shield.
  Why is die. head absoltuely long but somewhat round ?
  To the end the three creeks and cells of die brain might the bet-
ter be distinguished;  that is the fancy in the forehead the discours-
ing or reasonable part in die middle and memory in the  hindermost
part.
  Why doth a man lift up his head towards the heavens  when  he
doth imagine ?
  Because the imagination is in the fore part of the head  or brain
and therefore it lifeth up itself that the creeks or cells of the  imag-
ination may be opened and that tlie spirits whicli help the  imagina-
tion, are fit  for that purpose having  tiieir  concourse thither may
help the imagination.
  Why doth a man when he mttseth or  tliinketli  on  things past
look down towards die earth.
  Because the cell or creek which is behind is the creek or chamber
of memory and therefore that looketh towards heaven  when  the
head is bowed down;  and so that the cell is  open to the end that
the spirits which perfect the memory should enter in.
  Why is not  the head fleshy,  like unto tlie other  parts  of the
body?
  Because that according to Aristotle the head would be too heavy
and would not stand steadfastly; and therefore it  is without  flesh.
Also a  head loaded  with  flesh  doth  betoken  an  evil  complex-
ion.
  Why is the head subject to aches and griefs ?
  According to Constant, by reason of evil humours whicli proceed
from the stomach, ascend up to  the head and disturb the brain and
so cause the  pain in die head.  And sometimes  it proceeds  from
overmuch filling the stomach because according to the  opinion  of
Galen two great sinews pass from die brain to the mouth  of the
stomach and therefore these two parts do suffer grief always togedi-
er.   Sometimes the ache doth proceed from  drinking strong  wine
of fuming meats as garlic or onions and sometimes of phlegm in the
stomach vv hereof  spring quotidian fevera.
  Why have women tlie headache more than men 1
  Albertus saith  it is by reason of  their monthly terms which men
are not troubled witb and so a moist  unclean and  venomous fume is
dissolved  the which seeking passage upward doth cause the  head-
ache.
  Why is die brain white ?
  There are two answers,  die first because it. is cold and coldness
is the mother of white;  the philosophers do  teach the  second  lie-
cause it may rerieve the similitude and likeness of all colors  which
the wliite eoler can best do because it  is moat simple. 
184             ARISTOTLES PROBLEMS
  Why are all the senses in the liead ?
  Because as Albertus saith the brain is there on which all the sen-
ses do depend and are directed by it and by consequence it  maketh
all the spirits to feel  and by it all the membranes are governed.
  Why cannot a man escape death if the brane or heart  be hurt?
  Because the heart and  brain are two of the most principal  parts
which concern life; therefore if they be hurt  tiiere  is no  remedy
left for die cure.
  Why is the brain moist?
  Because it may easily receive an impression  which moisture can
best do, as it appearcth in wax, which doth easily receive the  print
of the seal when it is soft.
  Why is die brain cold?
  This is answered two ways;  first because that by this coldness it
may clear the understanding of a  man, and make it subtil.   Se-
condly, that by the coldness of the bruin, tlie heat of ihe heart mav
be tempered.
                         O/tAe Eyes.
  Why have you but one nose and two eyes ?
  Because our light is  more  necessary for us  than  the  smelling.
And  therefore   it  doth   proceed  from the goodness  of nature
that if we receive any hurt or loss of one eye, that yet  there should
one remain;  into which the spirit with  which we see,  called  Spir-
itus V-isus is directed when the other is out.
  Why have children in their youth great eyes, and  why do they
become smaller and lesser in  their age?
  According to Aristotle de general.   It proccdeth from the  waui
of fire and from the assembling and  meeting together of light  and
humor ;  the eyes are lightened by reason  of the  sun, which  doth
lighten  the easy humor of die eye, and  purge it, and in the  absence
of the sun those humors become dark and black, and therefore  the
sight is not  so good.
  Why doth the bluish grey eye see badly in the day time  and well
in the night?
   Because saith Aristotle, greyness is  light and shining of itself,
and the spirits with which  we see are weakened  in  the  day  time,
and strengthen in the  night.
   Why are  men who have  but one eye  good archers;  and. why  do
good archers commonly shut one eye ;  and why do such  as  behold
stars look through a trunk  with one eye.   This matter is handled m
the perspective arts and the reason is as doth appear in the book of
Causes, because that every  virtue and strength  united  knit together,
is stronger than itself dispersed and scattered.  Therefore all   the
force of seeing dispersed in two eyes, the one being shut is gadiered
into the other, and so the light is fortified  in  him,   and by  conse-
quence he doth see better and  more certainly  with one eye  being
 shut than bodi open. 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
185
  Why is  the sight recreated and refreshed by a green color aa
this verse sheweth.
         Fens speculum gramen oculis sunt aleviamen.
  Because  the green color  doth meanly move the Instrument of
sight, and  therefore doth comfort the sight; but this doth not black
nor white colors, because the colors do vehemently stir and alter the
organ and instrument of the light, and thereforemake the greater vio-
lence but byhow much more violent the thing is which is felt or seen,
the more it doth destroy and weaken the  sense, as Aristotle  doth
teach.  Lib 2  de  animal.
                         Of the Nose.
  Why doth the nose stand out further than other  parts  of the

  There are two answers;  the  first, because the nose  is as it were
the sink of the brain, by  which the phlegm of the brain is purged,
and dierefore it doth stand forth, lest the other parts should be de-
filed ;  the second (according to Constant. )  it is because the nose is
the beauty of the face, and therefore it  doth shew itself and shine.
It doth smell also and adorn the  face, as Boetus  saith, de descnp
schol.                                                   .  ,  ,
   Why hath a man the worst smell of all living creatures as, it doth
appear, Lib. de animal.
   Because the man, as the  commentator saith,  in respect  to this
quality, hath the most brain of  all creatures; and therefore by that
exceeding  coldness and moistness the brain wantedi a good dispo-
sition, and by consequence the smelling   instrument is not good,  as
Aristotle and Themistocles do teach: yea some  men  there be, who
 do not smell at  all.
   Why do men sneeze.
   Because that the expulsive virtue of power, and the  sight should
 thereby be purged, and  the brain also  from  superfluities,  because
 diat as tbe lungs are  purged by coughing, so is the sight and  brain
 by sneezing.  And those who sneeze often are said to have a strong
 brain; and  therefore the  physicians give  sneezing  mendicants  to
 purge the brain, and such sick persons as cannot sneeze  die quickly,
 because it is a sign their brain is  wholly  stuffed with evil humors,
 which cannot be purged.
    Why do  such as are apoplectic not sneeze; that  is, such as are
 subject to bleed.                                .
    Because the  passages or ventricles  of the brain  are stopped in
 them, and  if  they  could sneeze,  their apoplexy  would be  loos-
 ed.
    Why dodi the heat of the sun provoke sneezing and not the heat
 of the mo.                    ..,.,.                 j
    Because the heat of the sun doth dissolve and  not consume; ana
 therefore  the vapour  dissolved is expelled by sneezing; but  the heat
                                    16* 
1S6             ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS

of the fire doth dissolve and consume, and therefore rather doth hin-
der sneezing dian provoke.
                        Of the Mouth.
  Why hath the mouth lip* to compasi it.
  According to  Const,  because  the  lips do cover and defond  the
teeth, it were unseemingly that the teeth  should  always b-_- seen.
Another answer is, that  the  teeth are of a  cold nature, and  would
tlierr-fiAc soon be hurt, if they were not covered with  lips.   Another
moral reason is, because a man should not  be too hasty i>f speech.
  Why hath a man two  eyes, two ears, And but one  mouth.
  Because a man should speak but little,  and hear anil sen  much.
And withal, Aristotle doth  say that the hearing and  the sight doth
shew uS the difference of many things;  and Seneca dolh ngitv i-u-
to this, affirming that nature  environed the tongue with a  double
cioister, and teeth and lips, and has made  the pars open ami  wile,
and lias  given us but one mouth to speak but little thon^h we hear
much.
  Why hath a man a  mouth?
  For  many commodities;  1.   Because the mouth is the gate and
door of the  stomach.   2.   Because  the meat is chewed  in  the
mouth, and prepared and made ready for tile first digestion, nllliiugh
Avicendoth hold that digestion is made in the mouth.   3.   15"(miim!
that the air drawn into  the hollow of  the month  t..r the refreshing
of the heart is  made  more pure anil  more  subtle.   An'!  formany
other causes which shall hereafter appear.
  Why are the lips moveable.
  Because of forming the voice and words, whicli canni.-t be perfect-
ly done without them.   For as without a,  b,  C, there is no writing
so without the lips no voice can be well  formed.
   Why do men gape?
   The gloss  upon the last part of Hippocrates' Aphorisms  sniih,
that it proceeds of  wearisomness, as  when a man  sitting  among
such as he doth not know whose company he would willingly  be rid
of.   Besides gaping is caused  of the thick fume and  vapors .which
fill the jaws, by the expulsion of  which is caused  the stretching out
and expulsion of the jaws, and  opening of the mouth, which  is cal-
led gaping.
   Why doth a man gape%hen he reeth another gape.
   This proceeded! of imagination.  And this  is proved by a simil-
itude, for an ass is an animal .void of sense, by reason of his  melan-
choly,  liecause he doth retain his superfluity a longtime, and would
neither eat nor piss,  unless he  should hear another;  and so  a man
gapes dirough imagination when another man doth gape.
                         Of the  Teeth.
   Why have they only, among all other bones, the sense of feeling?
   Because as Avicen and Galen say, they discern  heat  and  cold
which hurt them, which other  bones  need not. 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
1S7
  Why have men more teeth than women?
  By* reason  of the abundance  of heat and blood, which is more
in men than in women.
  Why doth the teeth grow to the end of our life, and not the other
bones?
  Because otherwise they would be consumed with chewing and
grinding.
  W hy do the teeth only come  again when they fall, or be taken
out, and other bones taken away grow no more.
  Because that according to  Aristotle,  all other bones  are  engen-
dered of the humidity which is called radical, and so they breed in
the womb of the  mother, but the teeth are engendered of nutritive
humidity, which is renewed and increased from day to day.
  Why are  die fore teeth sharp, and tlie cheek  teeth broad!
  This proceedeth of the defect of matter, and of the  figure, because
the fore  teeth are sharp, and the odiers broad.  But according to
Aristotle, there is another °nswer;  that  is that i'is the office of
the fore teeth to cut  the  meat, and therefore  they are  sharp; and
the office of die other to chew the meat, and therefore they are broad
in fashion, which is fit for that purpose.
  Why do the fore teeth grow soonest?
  Because we want them sooner in cutting than the  other in chew-
ing.
   Why do teeth of human creatures grow black  in old age?
  This proceeded! of die  corruption of meat, and  die corruption
of phlegm  and a  naughty  choleric humor.
   Why are colt's teeth yellow and of the color of saffron when they
are young and grow white when they are old?
   Aristotle saith that a horse hath abundance of watery humors  in
him,  which in his youth are digested and converted into grossness;
but in old age heat is diminished and the watery  humors  remain,
whose proper color is white.
   Why did nature give living creatures teeth?
   Aristotle saiih (Lib. de general. Animal) to some to fight with
for the defence of their lives as unto wolves and bears unto some to
eat with, as unto horses;  uoto some for the forming  of  their  voice,
as  unto men, as it appeareth  by the commentary in   die  book de
Animal.
                        Of the Tongue.
   Why  is the tongue full of pores.
   According to Aristotle  de Animal.   Because tlie tongue is  the
 means whereby we taste; and through the mouth in the pores of the
 fongue the taste doth come into the sense of  tasting.  Otherwise
 it is  answered,  that frothy  spittle  is  sent into  the  mouth  by the
 tongue from the lungs, moistening the meat, and making  it  ready
 for the first  digestion; and therefore the tongue is full of pores, l.«-
 ciuse many have passage through it. 
198
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
  Why doth  the tongue of such  as are sick of agues, judge all
things bitter.
  Because the stomach of such persons are filled with cholic humors
and  clioler is   very  bitter,  as  it  appeareth  by the  gall, and
therefore this bitter fume doth  infect their tongue; and so the  tongue
being full of these tastes, doth judge them bitter, although the  fruit
be not in the meat.
  Why doth the tongue water when we hear sour and sharp  things
named.
  Because the imaginative virtue  or power is of greater force  than
the power and faculty of tasting; and when we imagine a taste, we
conceive it by the power of tasting as by a mean, became  there is
nothing fell by the taste; but by means of that spittle the tongue doth
water.
  Why doth some stammer and lisp.
  This  happeneth from many causes, sometimes through the  moist-
ness  ofthe tongue and brain, as in children which  cannot speak
rplainly, nor pronounce many  letters.   Sometimes it  happeneth by
reason of the shrinking of certain sinues, which are corrupted with
phlegm; for such sinews there be which go to tbe tongue.
  Why are tongues of serpents and mad dogs venomous.
  Because of the malignity and  tumosity of the venomous humor
which doth predominate in them.
  Why is a dog's tongue fit  and apt for medicine and  contrary wise
an horses tongue pestiferous.
  It is by reacon of some secret properly, or else it may be said the
tongue of a dog is full of pores, and so doth  draw and take  away
the vicosity of the wound.  Some say that a dog  hath by  nature
some tumour in his tongue, with the which by licking he doth heal
the contrary is in a horse.
  Why is  the spittle white.
  By reason of the continual moving of the tongue, whereof heat is
egendered, which makes  this superfluity white as is  seen in the
froth of water.
  Why is the spittle unsavory and without taste.
   If it bad  a  certain  determinate  taste,  then  the   tongue
would not  taste at all, but would have only the taste  of spittle, and
so could not receive other tastes.
  Why doth  tbe spittle of one that is fasting heal  an  imposthume.
  Because, according to Alvicin, it is  well  digested  and  made
subtile.
  Why do some abound in spittle more than others.
  This  procedeth of a phlegmatic complexion which doth predom-
inate in them, and therefore  the  physicians say that such  should
take care of a quotidian  ague, which ariseth from the predominan-
cy of phlegm.   The contrary is in those that  spit because heat a- 
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
189
bounds in them, whicli consumes the humidity of  the  spitde; and
so die defect of spittle is a  sign of a fever.
  Why is the spittle of a man that is fasting  more subtle than one
who is  full.                              .    ,        , ■ .  •
   Because the spittle is  without  the  viscosity  of meat wnicn. is
wont to make the spittle of oue who is full gross and thick.
   From whence proceedeth the spittle of a man.
   From the froth of the lungs, which according to physicians are
the seat of phlegm.                           ,         ..   „_.
   Why  are such beasts as  often  go  together for generation very
full of foam and froth.                         .         m .-
   Because that then the lights and the heart are in  great  motion
of lust,  therefore there is engendered in them much  frothy matter.
   Why have not birds spittle?                     .         .
   Because they have  very dry  lungs, according to Aristode  in  his
 fifth book de  Animal.                     .
   Why do such as are called Epileptic, that  is  such as are over-
 whelmed and as it  were  drowned in their own  blood and are dis-
 eased savor badly and corruptly.  .               .    nanant mat.
   The answer according to physicians  is, because theJ^. ™£
 terl.eth in the head ; but if he vomit,  then  die  matter  is  in the
 stomach:  but if he piss much, then the matter is m the  passage of
 £1 urine;  but if lAegin to have seed, then it is inthe vessels of
 the seed, and according to physicians do purge them.
   Whv doth the tongue lose sometimes die  use ot speaKing.
   The  answeris out of Hippocrates.  That this  doth  happen
  through ,  Key or apoplexy,  that  is a sudden effusion  of blood
  andola gSTumor^and sometimes also by an infection of spirt-
  tosanimllis inthe middle of  the brain, which  hinders  the spirits
  SnWn- carried to the  tongue.  And so is Galen's meaning  for
  by tlielxpression of the tongue, many actions of divers persons  are
  made manifest.      ^       ^  ^

    Why are fruits before they are ripe, of a naughty relish or bitter

  "ItugluTreiish in taste  proceedeth of coldness  and want  of
   heat in Iroi and thick  •nudity; but a sweet taste proceedeth of
   sufficienU.eat,andther   re  in the ripe  fruit humidity  is subtle
   ti^Si heat of the sun,  -d such fruits are commonly  sweet  but
   before the7 be ripe, and humidity is gross  or subde for  want of
   hoit  the fruit is  bitter and sour.                      .
     Why are we better delighted with sweet tastes than  w-th bitter

   °rBecautenature is delighted with sweetness ;  the reason   because
   a sweetThing is hot and moist; and through the heat doth  dissolve

   dicitH  w^sluTaway,  but a sharn^ager  taste, by reason of the 
100             ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS

cold which predominates in it doth bind overmuch, and prick and
offend the parts of the body in purging, and therefore we do not  de-
light in that taste because die physicians counsel us to  eat  nothing
that is bitter in the summer nor  in a great heat; and tlie reason  is,
because bitterness doth breed heat;  but we should eat bitter things in
winter only; and therefore Aristotle doth say  that sweet things are
grateful unto nature and do gently nourish.
 Why doth a slnirp taste as of vinegar provoke appetite, rather than
any other.
  Beeause it is cold and doth cool.   Now it is the nature of, cold
to desire and draw, and therefore is cause of appetite.   Mark, that
there are nine kinds of tastes, three  of which proceed from heat,
three from  cold, and three from a temperate mean .
  Why do we draw  in more air than  we breathe out.
  Aristotle and Albertus in his book De Molu Cordis,  do answer
that much air is drawn in, and so converted  into  nutriment,  which
togedier with the vital spirits is contained in  the lungs.   Where-
fore a beast jsj not suffocated so long as he  recieves  air with  the
lungs, in whicli some part of die air remaineth also.
  Why doth die  air seem to be  expelled  and  put forth  seeing
that the air is invisible, by reason of its variety and thinness
  Because the air which'is received in us is mingled with  vapours
and  fumosity of the heart by reason whereof it is  made thick and
is seen and this is proved by experience because that in winter, we
see our breath for coldness of air doth bind the breath mixed with
fumosities, and so it is thickened and made  gross,  and by  conse-
quence is seen.
  Why have some stink ing breath.
  The reason is according to the physicians, because tiiere rise evil
fumes from the stomach ; and sometines it  doth proceed  from  the
corruption  of the airy parte of the body, as of the  lungs.  And  the
breath of the lepers is  so infected, that it doth poison the birds that
are very near them, because the  inward parts are very corrupt, as ap-
pears by Const de sin.  Now tbe leprosy is a  nourishment  of all
the  parts of the body, together with a corrupting of them;  and  it
doth begin in the blood and exterior members of die  body.
  Why are lepers hoarse.
  Because that in them the instruments vocal are corrupted, that is
the  lights.
  Why do men become hoarse.
  Because of the rheum descending from the brain filling  the con-
duit of  die lights, or sometimes through some imposthumus  of  the
throat, or rheum gathering in the neck.
  Why have females ofall living creatures,  the  shrillest voice, a
crow only excepted, and a woman shriller than a man and a  smal-
ler.
  According to Aristotle,  by   reason of the composition  of  the 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
191
veins, the vocal arteries of voice is formed, as appears by a simil-
itude, because a small pipe sounds  shriller than a great.  And aho
in women because the passage where the voice  is formed, is made
narrow  and straight, by reason of cold, it being die  nature of cold
to bind;  but in men the passage is open and  wider  through  heat,
because it is the property of heat  to open and  dissolve.   It pro-
ceedeth  in women through the moistne^s of the lungs and weakness
of the heat.  Young men and diseased have sharp and shrill voices
for the same cause.   And  this is the natural  cause  why  a man
child at  his birtll doth cry a, t, which is a bigger sound, and the  fe-
male e,  which is a slender sound.
   Why  doth the voice change in men and women;  in  men at  14,
in women at 12, in men when they begin to yield their seed; in wo-
men when their breasts begin to grow.
   Because then saith Aristotle, the beginning of the voice is slack-
ened and loosened; and he proves this by a similitude of a string  of
an instrument let down and loosed which gives a  great  sound,
He proves it another way, because  creatures that are gelded, as eu-
nuchs, caprons &c. have faster and more slender voices than others
by reason they want stones.
   Why  do small birds sing  more and louder than great ones, as ap-
pears  in the lark and nightingale.
   Because the  spirits of small birds are subtle and  soft, and  the
organ conduit, straight, as appeareth in a pipe, and therefore follow
easily any note, and sing very soft.
   Why  doth the ma le sing  more than the female,  as  appeareth in
all living creatures.
   It proceedeth from the desire of  carnal  copulation because that
the spirits ure moved throughout all the   body with the aforesaid
appetites and  desires.  And generally speaking,  the  females  are
colder than the males.
   Why  do bees, wasps, flies, locusts, and many other such  like  in-
sects,  make a noise,  seeing they have no lungs, nor  instruments of
the voice.
   According  to Aristotle, there is  in  them  a certain  small skin,
which,  when the air doth strike, it causeth the sound.
   Why do not  fish make  a sound.
   Because they have no  lungs,  but only gills, nor yet a heart;
herefore they need not the drawing in of the  air,  and  by conse-
quence they make no noise, because that a vocal is a percussion  of
the air which is drawn.
                         Of the Neck.
   Why hath a living creature a neck.
   Because the  neck is the supporter of  the head, and  dierefore the
neck  is the middle between  the head and  the  body to  the  intent
that by  it, and  by its sinews, as by certain means and ways,  motion
and sense of  the body might be conveyed throughout  all  the  body; 
192             ARISTOTLES  PROBLEMS.
 and that by «ieans of the neck, as it were by a distair-c, the heart,
 which is very hot, might be seperated from the brain.
   Why do some beasts want necks as serpents anil fishes.
   Because such beasts want a  heart, and  therefore they want that
 distance which we have spoken of, or else  we answer, they  have a
 neck in some inward part of them, but it is not distinguished  out-
 wardly from the heart to the head.
   Why  is the neck foil of bones and joints.
   Because it may bear and sustain the head die stronger,  also bo-
 fore die backbone is joined to the brain iu  the  neck,  and  from
 thence it receives  marrow,  which is  of the  substance  of  the
 brain.
   Why  have  some  beasts lon<r necks, as  cranes, storks, and such
 like.
   Because such beasts do seek their living  in the bottom of the wa-
 ter :  and some beasts have short necks, as  sparrows,  hawks,  &c.
 because such are ravenous beasts, and therefore for strength  have
 short necks  as appeareth iu the ox, which  hath a short neck, and is
 tiierefore strong.
   Why  is  tlie neck hollow,  and especially  before and about the
 tongue.
   Because there is two passages, whereof  the one doth carry the
 meat into the  nutritive instrument as to the stomach and liver,  and
 is called of the Greek Oesuphagus.
   Why is the artery  made of rings and circles.
   The  better to bow and give a sounding again.
   Why doth a chicken move a good space  after his head is cut off
 and a man beheadeth  never stirred].
   Because a chicken and such like, have straight sinews  and  arte-
 ries the spirit of moving continued! long after the  head is cut  off;
 but men and many beasts have long and  large sinews aud  arteries,
and dierefore tlie motive spirits do quickly  depart from them,  and
so by consequence cannot move their bodies.
                 Of the shoulders and arms.
   Why hath a man shoulders and arms.
   To give and carry burdens, and do  any manner of  work.
   Why are his arms round.
   For the swifter and speedier work, because that figure is fittest to
move.
   Why are his arms  thick.
   Because  they should be strong to lift and bear burdens, or thr'tsl
aud give a strong blow ;  so their bones are  thick, because  they con-
tain much marrow, for else they would be easily corrupted and  mar-
red; but marrow cannot so well be contained  in small  bones  as in
great.
   Why  do such a--ire diseased  and in grief uncover and cover
their arms, and such also as are in agony. 
                ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.            193

   Because such  are  near umo death; and it is a sign of death by
 reason of great grief, which causeth that uncovering, as Hippocrates
 doth leach lib. Prognost.
   Why do tiie arras become small  and slender  in some sickness,
 as in madmen and such as are sick of the dropsy.
   Because all the parts of the body do suffer the one with  the odier,
 and therefore one member being in grief all the humors do concur and
 run th illier 10 give succor and help  to  the aforesaid grief.   For
 when the head dodi ache, all the humors of the arm doth  run  into
 the head, and therefore the arms become small and slender, because
 they want their proper nutriment.
  Why have brute beasts no arms.
  The fore feet are instead of arms, and in their place, or else we may
 answer more fitly, because all beasts have some parts for their defence
 and to fight with as the wolf his teeth, the cow her horns, the horse
 his hinder feet, birds their beak and wings, but only man hath his
 armj.
                        Of the Hands.
  For what use hath a man his hands, and an ape also which is like
 unto a man.
  The hand is an instrument which a man doth  especially make
 use of, because many things are done by the hands, and not by any
 other part.
  Why are some men ambo dexter, i. e. using the left hand as the
 right.                                                ,
  By  reason of the great heat of the heart;  for that makes a man
 as nimble of the left hand as of the right; and without doubt are
 of good complexions.
  Why are not women ambo dexter as well as men.
  Because as Galen saith, a  woman in health that  is most  hot^ is
 colder than the coldest man in health.  I say, in health, for if she
 have an ague she is accidentally hotter than a man.
  Why are the fingers foil of joints.
  To be more fit and apt to receive and keep  the things received.
  Why have every finger three joints  and the thumb but two.
  The thumb hath three, but the third is joined unto the arm, there-
fore it is  stronger than the other fingers.
  Why are tiie fingers of tiie right hand nimbler than  the fingers
of the left, as Agideus saith.
  It proceedeth from the heat which doth  predominate in those
parts, whicli causeth great agility.
  Why are the fingers thicker before meat than after, as Albertus
saith.
  Because a man who is fasting, is foil of bad humors, which  puff
up the parts of die body, and fingers also;  but when tiie  humoi-s
are expelled through meat, the fingers become  more slender.  And
for  the same reason, a man who is fasting, is heavier  than when
                               17 
194
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
he hatii meat in his belly, as is most plain  in festers.  Another
reason may be given, because that after the meat the heat is depart-
ed from the outward parts  of  the body into the inward to help di-
gestion, and die  outward  and the external parts  become slender;
but after digestion is made, tiie  blood turueth again to the exterior
parts, and then they become great again.
  Why are some great again.
  Because the heart sendeth out heat into the  right side  but more
into the left, and doth also work a slenderness and  subtility on the
left s ide.
                        Of the Nails.
  From whence do nails proceed.
  Of the fumostiy  and hiunors < which are resolved and go into the
excrements of die fingers and they are dried through the power of
the external ah, and brought to the hardness of a horn.
  Why do the nails of old men grow black and pale.
  Because  the heat of the  heart decayeth,  which decaying theii
beauty decayeth also.
  Why are men judged to be  of good  or evil complexion by tho
color of the nails.
  Because they  give witness  of the goodness or badness  of the
heart,  and therefore of the  complexion; for, if they  be  somewhat
red, they  betoken clioler well  tempered;  but  if they  be  yellowish
or black they signify melancholy.
   Why«do white spots appear in the nails.
   Through mixture of a phlegm with tiie nutriment.
                         Of the  Breast.
  For what reason is tiie breast hollow.
   Because there is  the seat  of the spirital  and serial members
which are most noble, as  the  heart and lights; and  therefore be-
cause these might be kept  from hurt,  it was necessary that the
breasts should  be hollow.
   Why hath man  the broadest breast of  all living  creatures.
  Because the spirits in  men are weak and subtle, and therefore do
require a  spaciousjAce  wherein-they are contained as the breast  is.
   Why are die breaWB of beasts round.
   Because they are in continual motion.
   Why have women narrower breasts than men.
   Because tiiere is more heat in men, which doth naturally move
to the uppermost part of them, making those parts great and hrse,
and therefore a great breast is a token of courage, as in the lion
and bull, but in women  cold predominates,  which naturally tends
downwards, and  therefore women often fall  on their  backside,
because tbe hinder parts are gross and heavy, by reason of cold as-
cending thither;  but a man commonly falls on his breast, by reason
of its greatness and thickness. 
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
195
                   Of the Paps and Dugs.
  Why are paps placed upon the breast.
  Because the breast is the seat of the heart, which ii most hot, and
therefore tiie paps grow there, to the end  that the menses being con-
veyed thither, as being  near to the heat  of the heart,  should the
sooner be digested, and converted into the matter and  substance of
milk.
  Why are the paps below the breasts in beasts and above the  breast
in women.
  Because  a woman goeth upright, and has two legs only, and
tiierefore if her paps should be  below her breasts, they would hin-
der her going, but beasts have four feet, and therefore they are not
hindered in their going.^
  Why have not men as great breasts and paps as women.
  Because  a man hath no monthly terms, and therefore hath no ves-
sel deputed for them.
  Which paps are best for children to suck, great  or little ones, oi
toe mean between them both.
  In great ones the heat is dispersed, and there is no  good  diges-
tion of milk; but in  small ones the power and  force is strong, be-
cause a virtue united is strongest, and by consequence there is good
working and digestion of the milk,  and  therefore,  the  small  are
better than the great ones, but yet the mean ones are best of all, be-
cause every mean is best.
  Why do the  paps of young  women begin  to grow  about  13 or
15 years of age as Albertus saith.
  Because  the  flowers have no course   to the teats by which the
young one  is nourished, but follow their   ordinary course and there-
fore wax soft.
   Why hath a woman who is with cliild of a boy, the right  pap
harder than the left.
   Because the male child is conceived in the right side of the moth-
er and therefore the flowers do run  to the right  pap  and make  it

   Why  doth it shew weakness of the child when the milk dodi drop
out of the paps before the woman be delivered.
   Because the milk is the proper nutriment of the child in the womb
 of the mother, and therefore if the milk  run  out, it is a  token that
 the child is not nourished, and is therefore weak.
   Why doth the hardness of the paps betoken the health of the child
 in the womb.
   Because the flowers are converted into milk, and  that milk doth
 sufficiently nourish  the  child, and  thereby  the strength is signi-
 fied-
   Why hath a woman but two paps and some brute beasts  ten or
 more.                                                    .,
   Because for the  most part a woman  hath but one  child,  either 
196
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS
Loy or girl, and therefore one pap is sufficient, or two; but  beasts
have many young ones and therefore so many teats.
  Why are women's paps hard when diey be widi child, and soft
at other times.
  They swell then and  are puffed up  because the  much  moisture
which proceeds from the floweas doth run into the paps  which  at
other seasons remaineth in the womb, and  is expelled by tho place
deputed for that  end.
  By what means doth the milk of the paps come to the matrix  or
womb.
  According to Hipocrates, because there is a certain knitting and
coupling of the pap  with die  wonb, and there  are  certain  veins
which the  midwives do cut in the time of  the birth of the  child,
and by those veins die milk doth flow in at the navel of  the  child,
and so it receives nutriment by the jiavel.   Some say the child  in
tbe  womb is nourished at the mouth, b.ut it is false, because that so
it should void excrements also.
  Why  is it a sign of a male child  in the womb when the milk
that runneth out of the woman's breast is thick and not much, and
a female when it is  diin.
  Because a woman that goeth with  a boy hath great heat in  her,
which doth perfect die milk, and make thicker, but such as go with
a girl hath not so much, and therefore the milk is undigested,  wa-
tery, and thin, and it will swim above the water ifit be put into it.
  Why is the milk white, seeing the flowers are  red which it  is
engendered of.
  Because blood which is well  purged  and   concocted  becometh
white as appeareth in flesh, whose proper color is red, and  being
boiled is white.  Another, answer is, every humour which  is en-
gendered of such parts of the body, is made like unto that  part in
color where  it is engendered, as near as it can be, but because  tbe
flesh of the  paps is  white,  therefore the  color  of the  milk  is
white.
  Why doth a  cow  give  milk  more  abundantly than   other
beasts.
  Because she is a great eating  beast; and  where much monthly
superfluity is engendered, there is much milk, because it  is  noth-
ing else but  that blood purged and tried; and because a  cow has
much of this monthly blood site has much milk.
  Why is not milk wholesome.
  According to the opinion  of Galen it  is for divers reasons; 1st.
Because it doth curdle in die stomach, wherefore an evil breach is
bred.  But to this  Hipocrates  gives this  remedy,  saying if  tbe
third part of it be mingled with running water,  then it is not hurt-
ful.   2dly, Because tlie milk doth sour in  the stomach, and breeds
evil humours which infect the breath.
  Why is milk bad for such  as liave the headache. 
              ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.             197

  Because  it is  easily turned into  great fumosities, and hath much
terestrial substance in it which ascending doth cuuse the headache.
  Why is milk fit nutriment for infants.
  Because it is a natural and  usual food, and they  were nourish-
ed by the same in the womb.
  For what reason, are the white meats  made of a'new milked
cow good.
  Because milk  at that time is very spongy, and does as it were,
purge.
  Why is the milk nought for the child, if the  woman  use carnal
copulation.
  Because in times of carnal copulation the best part of the milk
goes to the seed vessels, and to the womb, and the worst remains in
the paps, which  doth do hurt to the child.
  Why is the  milk of brown  women better than that  of white.
  Because brown women are hotter than others, and heat purges
the milk.
  Why do physicians forbid the eating fish and  milk at  the  same
time.
  Because they are phlegmatick and apt to  produce a leprosy.
  Why have not birds and fish milk and paps.
  Because paps  would hinder the flight of birds:  fish also nave nei-
ther paps nor milk, but the females cast much spawn on which  the
male touches with a small gut;  which causes their kind to be  infi-
nite in succession.
                        Of the Heart
  Why are  the  heart and  lungs called lively parts of the body.
  From the word Spiritus, which signifies breath, life,  soul,  and
because the vital spirits are engendered in the heart.   Yet that's no
good answer, for the liver and brain might be so called because the
liver   giveth nutriment, and  the brain  sense and life; the con-
sequence is clear, for the vital spirits are engendered in  tbe liver,
and the sensible  and animal spirits in the brain.
  Why are the lungs light,  spongy and foil of holes.
  That the air may die better  be received in them for cooling the
heart, and expelling humours because  the lungs are the fen of the
heart; and as a pair of bellows is raised up by  taking  in die air,
and srunk by  blowing it out, so likewise the lungs draw in the air
to cool the heart and to cast it out lest through too much of the air
drawn in the heart should be suffocated.
   Why is the flesh of the lungs white.
   Because they are in eontinual  motion.
   Why have those beasts only lungs  that liave hearts.
   Because the lungs are no part for diemselves, but for the heart ;
 and therefore it were superfluous for  tiiose creatures to have lungs
 who have no hearts;  but nature is never wanting in things necessa-
 ry nor abounds in superfluities. 
198             ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
  Wvy do such creatures as have no lungs want a bladoer.
  Because such drink no water to make their meat digest, but  only
for tempering their food, and therefore they want  a bladder and ur-
ine,  as appears  in such birds as  do not drink at all, viz.  falcons
and  sparrow-hawks.
  Why is die heart  in the midst of the body.
  Because it should i-npart life  to all the  parts of tne  oody  aud
therefore it is compared uato tha sun, which is placed in  the midst
of the planets, to pour light upon them all;  therefore the Pythago-
reans styling the heavons a living creature, say, the sun is the heart
thereof.
  Why only in men  is the heart on the left side.
  To the end that the heart should  mitigate  the coldness of the
spleen, for the spleen is the seat of melancholy,  which  is  on the
left side also.
  Why is the  heart  first engendered, for according to  Aristotle, the
heart doth live first  and die last.
  Because as Aristotle saith, dejuvent et senect, the heart is the or-
igin of life, and widiout it no part can live.   According to the phi-
losopher, of the seed  retained in the matrix there is first engendered
a small skin which   compasseth  the seed, whereof first to the heart
is made of the  purest blood;  then of  blood not so  pure, the liver;
and of thick and cold blood the marrow and brain.
  Why are beasts bold that have little  hearts.
  Because in a little heart the beat is well united, and vehement,
aud the blood touching it doth  quickly heat it, and is  speedily car-
ried into other parts of  the  body, which  gives courage  and bold-
ness.
  Why are creatures with a small  heart timorous as tiie hare.
  The heart is dispersed in such and  not  able to heat the blood
that cometh to it, and so fear is bred.
  How comes it that tbe flesh  of tho heart  is so compact and knit
together.
  It is because in a thick  compact substance  heat is strongly re-
ceived and united,  as appears in other  things;  and because  the
heart with its heat should moderate the  coldness of the brain, it is
made of that hard flesh which is apt to keep a strong heat.
  How comes the heart to be the hottest part of all living creatures.
  It is so compacted as to receive heat best, because it should mit-
igate the  colUness of the brain.
  Why is the heart the beginning  of life.
  Because in it the  vital spark is  bred, which is the heat of  life,
and  tiierefore according to  tbe opinion  of Augustine the heart hath
two  receptacles, the right and  left;  the right hath more  blood than
spirits, which spirits are engendered to give life,  aud vivify  die
body.
  Why is the  heart long and sharp like a pyramid. 
ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
199
  A round figure had. no angles,  therefore the ^J" "»"*/«
fear any poison or  hurtful  matter should be retained in it,  and as
Aristotle affirms, because that figure is fittest for motion.
  How comes the blood to be chiefly in the heart.
  The blood is in the heart, as in its proper or efficient  place which
some attribute to the liver, and therefore  the heat doth  not receive
blood of any other par', but till other parts of it.
  How happens it that some creatures want a aeart.
  Although they have no heart, yet they have somewhat which an-
swers it,°os it appears in eels and fish which have the back bone
instead of a heart.                                       .
  Why doth  the heart beat in some creatures  when the head is cut
off, as "appears in birds and hens.
  Because the heart  is what lives first and dies last; and therefore
beats more than any other parts.
  Why doth  the heat of the heart sometimes fall of a sudden, as in
those who have falling sickness.                     ,   ,     .
  This  proceeds from a defect of the  heart  rtwlf and  of certain
small  skins with which it is covered, which being infected and cor-
ruDted, the heart fallethon a sudden; and sometimes it happens by
reason of the parte adjoining; and  therefore when any venomous
humors go out of the stomach that hurts tiie heart and  parts adjoin-
in-  it causes this fainting. Tlie lisposition of the heart is known by
the pulse, for, a swift beating pulse shews the heat of the heart and
a slow beating one denotes coldness; therefore a woman  that is in
health, has a slower and weaker  pulse than a man as  shall  appear
 hereafter.                 ,           ,
                        Of the Stomach.
   For what reason is the stomach large and round.
   Because in it die food is first concocted or digested, as it  were
 in a pot, that what is pure, may be separated from that which is not
 and therefore according to the quantity of the food die stomach is
 enlarged.
   Why is the stomach  round.
   Because ifit had angles and coruers, food would remain in it, and
 breedtaSnors, so a man  would never want agues; which humors
 nWthXs are evacuated, lifted up, and consumed, arid no  hid in
 any such corners, by reason of the roundness of the  stomach.
   How comes the stomach to be full of sinews.    ....
   Because the sinews can be extended and enlarged, and so is the
 stomach when it is full, but when empty, it is drawn together, and
 therefore'nature provides those smews.
   How comes the stomach to digest.
   Because of the heat  which  is in it, which comes from the  liver
    1 the hear'    For  we see in  metals the  heat of  the fire  takes
  awav the rust  and dross  from iron, the silver from  tin, and gold 
200             ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
from copper;  so that by digestion the pure  is separated from the
impure.
  For what reason does the stomach join the liver
  Because the liver is very hot, and with  its heat helps digestion,
and provokes an appetite.
  Why are we cold commonly after dinner.
  Because then the heat  goes to the stomach to  further digestion,
and so other parts become cold.
  Why is it hurtful to study soon after dinner.
  Because when the heat labors to help the imagination,  it ceaseth
from digesting the food; so that people should  walk some time af-
ter meals.
  How come women with child to have an inordinate desire of eat-
ing coals, ashes, and such like.
  It flows  from the humors of the stomach; and because women
with child  have  corrupt humors, tiierefore they  desire  die  like
diings.
  How comelh die stomach slowly to digest fet meat.
  Because it swims in the stomach.  Now, the best digestion is at
the bottom of the stomach, where the fat descends not; such as  eat
fet meat are very sleepy, by reason digestion is hindered.
  Why is all the body worse when the stomach is uneasy.
  Because the stomach is knit with the brain,  heart,  and liver,
which are the principal parts in man;  and  therefore when it is uot
well the  others  are evil disposed.   Another answer  is that if  the
first digestion be hindered, the others are also hindered;  for in the
first digestion, is the beginning of the  infirmity that is in the stom-
ach.
  Why are young men sooner hungry than old men.
  Young men do digest for three causes, first growing, then for the
restoring of life;  and lastly,  for conversation of life, as  Hippocra-
tes and Galen do say; else we  answer that  young men are hot and
dry, and therefore, heat doth digest  more, and of consequence they
desire more.
  Which is the best for the stomach meat or drink.
  Drink  is sooner digested  than meat, because meat  is of greater
substance, and more material dian drink, and therefore meat Is har-
der to digest.    »
  Why is it good to drink after dinner.
  Because the drink should make the meat readier to digest.  For,
if a pot be filled with fish or flesh without liquor, then both the  pot
and the meat is marred.  The stomach is  like unto  a pot  which
tloth boil  meat,  and therefore physicians  do  counsel to drink at
meals.
  Why is it good to forbear a late supper.
  Because there is no  moving or stirring  after supper  and,  so
the meat  is not sent  down to the bottom of the stomach, but remain- 
                ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.             £01

etii unaigested, and 30 breeds hurt;  and therefore a light and short
supper is best.
   How comes some men to evacuate  clear meat.
   By reason of the weakness of nature and expulsion;  which dis-
ease is called Lienteria.
                         Of the Blood.
   Why is it necessary- that  every living thing that hath  blood hath
also a liver.
   According to Aristotle, because the blood is first made in the liv-
er, its seat, and is drawn from die stomach by certain principal veins
and so engendered.
   For what reason is the blood red.
   First, it is like the part in which it is made i. e.  the  iver~which
is red, then it is likewise sweet, because it is well digested and con-
cocted ;  but if  it have a little  earthy  matter mixed with it, drat
makes it somewhat salt as appears in Aristotle, Lib. Meteor.
   How  comes women's blood to be thicker than men's.
   Their coldness thickens,  binds, congeals, and joints  it  togeth-
er.
   How  comes the blood in all  parts of the body through the liver
and by what means.
   Through the principal  veins,  as  the  veins of the head, liver,
&c. to nourish all tbe body.
                        Of the  Urine.
   How  doth the urine come into the  bladder, seeing the  bladder is
shut.
   Some say by  sweating, and it seems to be tnn.   Others say it
comes by a small skin in the bladder, which opens and lets in the ur-
ine.   Urine is a  certain and not  deceitful messenger of the health
or infirmity of man.   Hippocrates says, that men make white ur-
ine in the morning, and before dinner red,  but after dinner pale,
a;-sd likewise after supper ; for there  is divers colors.
   How  doth the leprosy proceed from the liver.
   Because it doth greatly engender  the brains, and  breeds the fal-
ling sickness and apoplexy.
   Why  is it hurtful to drink much water.
   Because one  contrary doth hinder and expel another;  for <vater
is very cold, and lying so on the stomach, hinders digestion.
   Why  is it unwholesome to drink  new wine; and why  doth it
very much hurt the stomach.
   One reason is, it cannot be digested, therefore it causeth the bel-
ly to swell, and in  some sort the  bloody flux; secondly it hinders
making water, but to drink good wine is wholesome.
   Why do physicians forbid us to labor presently after dinner.
   For three reasons; first, because motion  hinders  the virtue and
pov/er of digestion; secondly  because stirring immediately  after
dinner causeth the parts of the body to draw  the meat raw to them 
202             ARISTOTLE'S  PROBLEMS.
 which often breeds sickness; and thirdly, because motion makes tha
 food descend before it is digested :  but after supper it is good to stir
 by reason we soon after go to sleep,  therefore  should walk  a little
 that the food may go to the bottom of-thc stomach.
   Why is it good to stir after dinner.
   It makes a man well disposed,  fortifies and strengthens the nat-
 ural heat, causing the superfluity in the stomach to descend;  where-
 fore Avicen says, such as neglect this exercise, fall into inflamation
 of the heart.
   Why is it wholesome to vomit as  some say.
   Because it purges  the  stomach of all  uaughty humors, expelling
 them, which would breed  agues if they  should remain in it.   Avi-
 cen says, a vomit purges the eyes and head clearing  the brain.
   How comes sleep to strengthen the stomach and the digestive fac-
 ulty.
   Because  in sleep  the heat draws  inwards,  and helps digestion;
 but when we awake, the heat remains, and is dispersed through the
 body.
                    Of the  Gall and Spleen.
   How come living creatures to have a gall,
   Because choleric humors are received into it which, through their
 acidity, help the  guts to expel  superfluities, also  it helps  diges-
 tion.
   How comes the jaundice to proceed from the gall.
   The humor of  the  gall is bluish  and yellow, therefore when its
 pores are stopt, the humors cannit go into the sack thereof, but is
 mingled with the blood, wandering  throughout all the body and in-
 fecting the skin.
   Why hath not a horse, mule, ass, or cow, a gall.
   Though these creatures have no gall in one place, as in a purse
 or vessel, yet they have one dispersed in small veins.
   How comes the spleen to be black.
   It is occasioned by a terrestial and earthy matter of black color,
 as Aristotle says.   Another reason is, according  to physicians, the
 spleen is the receptacle of melancholy, and that it is black.
   Why is he lean diat hath a  large spleen.
   Because the spleen draws much  water  to itself,  which  would
 kirn to fat;  therefore contrarywise, men that have but a small spleen
 are fat.
   Why does the spleen cause men to laugh.
   Isodorus says, we  laugh with the spleen, we  are angry with the
 gall, we are wise  with die heart, we  love with the  liver, we feel
 with the brain, and speak with the lungs, that is, the cause of laugh-
 ing, anger love,  wisdom  speech, and feeling,  proceeds  from the
spleen, gall, liver, lungs  and brain.
  The reason  is  the  spleen  draws  much melancholy    it,  being 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS.
203
 its i>roper seat,  which  melancholy proceeds from sadness, and  is
 there consumed, and the cause failing, the effect doth so likewise.
                     Of Carnal Copulation.
   Why do living creatures use carnal copulation.
   Because it is most  natural to beget their  like;  for  if copulation
 were not, all procreation had sunk ere now.
   What is this carnal copulation.
   It is a mutual action of male  and female, widi instruments or-
 dained for that purpose, to propagate their  kind aud therefore di-
 vines say, it is a sin to use that act for any other end.
   Why is this action good in those who use it lawfully and mod
 erately.
   Because,  say Avicen and Const, it eases and lightens die body,
 clears the mind, comforts the head  and  senses,  and expels  melan-
 choly.   Therefore sometimes through the omission of this act, dim-
 ness of sight doth ensue, and giddiness;  besides the seed of a man
 retained above its due time, is converted into some infectious humor.
   Why is immoderate carnal  copulation hurtful.
   Because it destroys  tbe sight, dries the body, and impairs tli9
 brain;   often causes  fevers,  as Avicen and experience shew;  it
 shortens life too, as is evident in the sparrow, which by reason  of
 its often coupling, lives but three years.
   Why doth carnal copulation injure  melancholy or choleric men,
 especially thin men.
   Because it dries the bones much which are naturally so.   On  the
 contrary it is good   for die phlegmatic snd sanguine, as  Avicen
 says, because they  abound with fet substance which  by nature  is
 necessarily expelled.   Though Aristotle affirms, that every fat crea-
 ture has but little seed, because the  substance turns to fat.
   Why do not female brute beasts covet carnal copulation after they
 are great with young.
   Because then  die womb or matrix is shut and desire  doth cease.
   Why should not the act be used when the body is foil.
   Because it  hinders digestion, and it is not good for a hungry belly
because it weakens  him.
   Why is it not good after birth.
   Because then  tiie pores are open, and the heal disperses  through
the body, yet after bathing it cools the body very much.
   Why is it not proper after  vomiting or looseness.
   Because it is dangerous to purge  twice in one  day, but 60 it is in
this act  the reins are purged,  and die guts by the vomit.
   Why are wild beasts furious when they couple, as appears in as-
ses whicli bray;  and harte who are mad  almost as  Hippocrates
says.
   Their blood is kindled with desiie and nature labors also to ex-
pel superfluities in them, which dispose them to anger and  madness
therefore the act done diey  -ire tamo and gentle. 
PROBLEMS OF ZIMARAS

          Saucttjierttas.
   Why is it esteemed in the judgement of the most wise the nardest
 thing to know a man's self.
   It is because nothing can lie known;  its form and perfection can-
 not be found; to know the form and perfection  of a  man's self, as
 it cometh unto the philosopher, is a matter hard enough and a man
 by the authority of  Plato, eidier is nothing, or  if  he be any thing
 he is nothing but bis soul, or is it  because it cannot be done by a
 reflected action, and to reflect and look  unto himself as a token that
 he is seperated by the flesh  : for he who would know himself should
 be drawn from sensible affections ;& how hard this is no man is ig-
 norant of.  Or is it because  a man  liveth by  understanding; but
 the understanding a man cannot conceive of himself,  but  after  the
 understanding of senses, which is very hard.
   Why was Socrates esteemed the wisest of all Greece by Apollo,
 seeing that by the opinion of  Aristotle,  he was conversant and bu-
 sied only about morality and nothing about nature.
   Whether it is because it is  more expedient for  die  commodity
 and use of men to live well and contemplate; or because it seemeth
 to Plato that he was usually professed of him every  where, I know
 one thing that I know nothing.
   Why do men especially  strive and  contend in  things of wit.—
   It is because they think that other things which are called goods
 are the power of another; as the gifts of the body are nature's and
 external, and worldly goods are  subject unto the rule of fortune
 whereof it cometh to pass, that every man may easily suffer him-
self to be overcome in such things, as things  not happening through
 his fault or occasion, but they dunk wit to be in their own power.
 Or, is it because  they think that the goods of the mind do excel all
 other goods, and therefore do think it a thing most natural to  con-
 tend for that which  is most excellent.—Or is it because it is a com-
mon disease of all men, as it seemeth unto a certain wise man, that
 every  man doth think himself more learned than he is,  and there
fore doth desire to perform that which  he believetli  without study
and labor.
   Whv do men say philosophy is naked. 
ZIMARAS'  PROBLEMS.
">05
   It is because truth  is  naked, and  that  there needs" no color of
 w-ji-ds when we  handle a  matter  of  truth; for, it belongetii to
 soplnsicrs to dispute of terms when the sincere truth is sought.  Or,
 it is because they do not play the philosopher well, who seek philo-
 sophy for gain and ambition and not for herself.   Or, it is because
 he should be void from worldly affections,  who desires to endear
 himself in the study of philosophy;  for Aristotle doth say  the  soul
 is made wise by rest and quietness.   And it were easy for  philoso-
 phers to become rich, if they would, as it appeareth by the  example
 of Thales.
   Why do men desire to be had in memory  after death,  aud  there-
 fore some make  pyramids,  statues, images and  divers other to-
 kens and monuments which they build and leave behind them.
   It is because all  things, as seems  unto  Aristotle, to   desire to
 paaticipate of seme perpetuity  and  divine  being  as much as  they
 can;  and therefore, if they  cannot  remain in nature  and  being,
 yet they endeavour at least to continue in the  opinion and conceit
 of men.   Or else custom hath brought it in so, to stir up  such as
 comes after, to the  end they should not degenerate,  from their  pa-
 rents.
   What's the cause why men's desires grow widiout measure  about
 fortune's  goods.
   It is because natural desires, as Seneca saith,  have an end,  and
 such desires, as proceed of false opinion have no where to  end.
   Why do poets always assign and appoint some wise  men  to be
 familiar with princess; as, Homer doth Nestor, with Agamemnon;
 Euripides, Tiresius widi Creon; Hesiodus, Promotheus with  Ju-
 piter;  and Maro, Achates and ^Eneas.
   It is because that by the law of nature, as Plato doth say wisdom
 and power to direct our actions to one end, and to effect the same
 tiling, love it and seek it.
   Why doth Homer when he makes mention of Ambassadors  talk
always of the embassy of a commander in bare words.
   It is because it is the duty of ambassadors, to declare the  bare
will of the commander, and  put his  sentence  in  execution;  and
therefore it is certain, he should  add nothing; or else, it is because
tlie commandment of him who doth rule  that is of a  wise  man, is
put into good order  and is presumed to be most perfect.  And there-
fore there should be  nothing changed; but his decrees and constitution
are to be judged absolute and perfect.
   Why does Aristotle use exceeding brevity in most hard  matters.
   Whether because it is the  custom of wise men to load their words
with sentences, or else to the end that he would be obscure,  to  fear
and keep off rude wits from  reading of his works,  as  it  seemeth in
the expositors; or whether it is because that in a  hard matter 01
 truth, many  words are suspected, because that truth dodi  consist in 
206               ZIMARAS' PROBLEMS.

few words; or it is because it seemeth to wise men,  m many words
tiiere is error often committed.
  Why do famous men, in any science, when  they  do en-  in any
matters, err more dangerously than those who are less famous.
  It is because that such trusting to the heat of tiieir own wit, are
drawn far from their own senses, and therefore, must needs be de-
ceived.  Avicen  may serve  for a proof of this, who, for all his
feme in philosophy, said that a man  might naturally be brought
forth of the earth.  And that great famous Averrois, thought that a
maid might conceive a child  in a bath without the knowledge of a
man. 
PROBLEIfco  >r  ALEXANDER
   Why doth the sun matte men black; and make dirt white; and
make wax soft and dirt hard.
   By reason of the disposition of the substance  that  doth  suffer.
All humours phlegm excepted, when they are heated  above meas-
ures, do seem  black about the skin, but dirt being either full of salt-
petre or salt liquor, when the sun hath consumed its dregs, and filth
doth become white again;  when the sun hath drawn and stirred up
the humidity of the wax, it is  softened;  but in dirt the sun doth
consume tbe humidity,  which is very much, and so doth dry  it and
make it hard.
   Why doth black choler coming into the paps, cause a corrosion
or gnawing; and in those who are melancholy,  it doth not, but flies
into the brain.
   Because there are many  great veins in the paps by reason of the
engendering milk,  and therefor? store of that humour doth run
thither.  But in the brain because it is above and also  because  it
hath very small veins and store of choler  doth ascend, and which
hath only power and force to prick and not to gnaw and eat.  More-
over, the brain is hard and moist, whereby it is after a sort contrary
to the  disposition  of black choler,  which doth mortify  it;  that
therefore which is properly called black choler doth breed an eating
and gnawing canker  in the paps.   In the brain it doth breed a
man fierce and melancholy, but that which   is  not  properly black
choler but  melancholy humour, causeth swelling  only,  which is like
a cancer but doth not gnaw and eat, and doth also breed a  quiet
and peaceable  melancholy.
   For what reason will not the water run out of the bottom  of a
wateringpot, when we  put our finger on  the mouth of it, and the
finder being taken away the water runneth presently.
  Because when the finger is taken away from tlie mouth of the pot
the air entering in doth thrust down the water,  which  of  its own
nature  doth go downwards, and so goeth out at  the bottom.  And 
208           APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS.

this is the reason ofall  mechanical engines and instruments made tc
go by air, as clocks and hour glasses, made by water.  '*' ••
  Why doth wine and  water given out of season,  to the sick of an
ague, cause a distemper of the brain, when the water  is  cold  and
the wine is hot.
  The wine being apt  to ascend, loth burn the brain at  the time
it is disturbed and distempered with  the ague.  And we  see  also
many who are in health, if they use much  wine to be scarce well in
tiieir wits.   But water  doth stop the passages of the body, by which
the spirits are dissolved, and so causes them to become thick  and
gross, and more corrupted and putrefied, by the ague,  becometh its
nourishment,  as  we see in a smith's forge, where a little water doth
kindle the fire and make it burn fiercer.
  Why have women,  children,  and gelded  men shrill  and loud
voices.
  Because that through the abundance of  humidity  their artery is
not stretched wide; and there fore, as a small  flute or pipe  giveth
a small slender sound so does the artery in them that is straight and
narrow ; for it is the property of heat to  make wide and loosen,
but eunuchs and women are cold.
  Why are children stricken  widi the planet in the summer time.
  They are sick of a weak and lingering ague, and  their eyes sink
hollow in their head, and they become weak and  feeble, and sleep
very little;  and some of them have a flux  because children are  ten-
der and so easily suffer; and having great store of  phlegm in  the
head, and that phlegm being overmuch  heated, and also  putrefied,
doth inflame the ague, whereupon the gristles of the  brain are   set
on fire,  and therefore they sleep little; and  that fire descending
by the arteries of die heart, and setting on  fire   the lively  spirits
doth kindle an ague; and seeing that much choler arises of an ague
thereby  it falleth out that the clioler gnaweth and  eateth the belly.
It is plain tliat the cause of that alteration is in the brain, because
that cooling medicines are applied unto the head, and such as  are
good to quench that fire.   Some of  riper years  are sick  of the
same disease, i. e. such as have phlegm  and choler lieaped up in
their head, which putrefies by the very breathing thereof, and  after
a manner, the spirits are set on fire by a fiery air.
  Why are round ulcers hard to be cured.
  Because they are bred of sharp choler,   which  eats and gnaws,
and because it doth run, for when it doth run, for  which  reason  it
requires drying medicines as physicians assert.   Natural philoso-
phers say it comes to pass because diere is beginning where die  mis-
chievous imposthume doth begin, for in a circle there is  neither be-
ginning nor end.  When they are burned  by physicians they  doth
assume another kind of shape.
  Why is honey sweet to  all men, and yet seemeth  bitter to  such
as have the jaundice. 
APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS.
209
   Because they liave much bitter choler all over their bodies, but
it  abounds with  the  tongue,  whence it happens when diey eat
honey the humors are stirred, and the taste itself, when it hath found
the bitterness of the clioler, causes an imagination diat the honey  is
bitter.
   Why have angry men fieiy eyes.
   Because die blood about the heart is fervent, and  the spirit hot
and so being very subtle and pure, and carried  upwards, and  by
the eyes, which are clear  they do  shine, and have bloody  vapors
that ascend with them, which makes the face red, which Homer not
being ignorant  of says,  And his eyes were  like a burning flame.
   Why doth water cast  upon serpents cause them to fly from us.
  Because they are cold and dry by nature, having but  little  blood,
and therefore fly from excessive coldness.   And that they be of this
quality is plain, because they seek for dens and secret places in die
earth, as being warm.   At sunset they shun the ah, as being  cold:
and again in summer, because die bowels of the earth are cold, they
find out the warmest places.
   Why doth an egg break ifit be  roasted, and  not  if  boiled.
   The reason is, when moisture  comes near the fire, it heats  it too
much and so breeds much  wind, which being  pent  up  in a  little,
forceth its way out, and so breaks the shell.  The  like happens  in
tubs or earthern vessels, when new wine is  put into them.   Much
phlegm breaks the shell of an egg in roasting the which doth happen
in earthan pots too much heated:  wherefore the common  people wet
an egg when they intend to roast it.   Hot water, though it softens,
doth separate its humidity by little and  little,  and so dissolve it
through  the passage that are in the shell.
   Why do men in tiie act of carnal copulation, in a  manner  wink,
and find a like alteration- in all senses.
   Because that being overcome  with the effect of that pleasure,
they do comprehend it better, winking as  it were with their  eyes.
They are not lifted up, nor do carry the wind abroad  into the air
with the senses, whereby they would discern those corporeal affec-
tions.
   Why have some medicines of one kind, contrary force as experi-
ence doth  teach, mastic doth expel, dissolve, and so  knit vinegar
both cools and heats.
   Because there are some small invisible bodies  of  them, not  by
confusion but by interposition; as sand moistened doth  clog together
and seem to be but one body though indeed  there  are  many  small
bodies in sand.   Since this is so  it is not absurd that contrary  qual-
ities and virtues should  be hidden  in  mastic, and  nature hath
given the law to these bodies.
   Why do our privities swell when we hurt  one of our toes.
Nature caring for those things which belong to the body,  hastens to as-
sist the part grieved,and because she hath the most profitable and nour-
                          18* 
 210           APHROD1SEUS* PROBLEMS.

 ishingof all the humors, it is requisite when she doth descend to the
 toe with the blood, that those veins be tilled which  are  about the
 privy members.
   Why doth nature give birds a bladder, or receptacle for urine.
   Because they do want much maisture  to give the matter for feath-
 ers to grow, and that they do consume with the "xercise of  flying ;
 neither do they piss at all, and  when they drink  they void  very
 •nuch dung.
   Why have children gravel  breeding in their bladder, and old men
 A\ their kidneys and reins of the kidneys.
   Because children have straight passages  in tbe kidneys,  and  an
 earthly thick humor is tiiurst with violence by the  urine from the
 fashion ofsdie moon, even to the bladder, whic.l kath wide conduits
 or passages that give room for the urine and humor, whereof gravel
 is engendered, to wax thick and seat itself, as the custom of  it is.
 In old men  it  is  the reverse, for they have wide  passages of the
 reins, back and  kidneys that the urine  may  pass  away and the
 earthly humor congeal and sink down; the color of the gravel shews
 the humor whereof the stones come.
   Why, if the stone do congeal and wax hard through heat, chil-
 dren are hot, and by the same reason  it  is done  in old  men, for
 there is not so  much cold to be granted  as  there  is  in ice or  snow,
 through which extreme cold the kidneys  would  perish, yet  we use
 not contrary things to dissolve coldness, but  light things as parsley
 fennel  and such  like.
   They say it falleth out that the excessive heat and scorching, the
 stones do crumble into sand,  as  in  earthen  vessels, which  when
. they are overheat or roasted, become sand.  And by this means  it
 happens that small 'stones  are voided together with sand  in  making
 water.  Sometimes cold drinks thrust  out the stones, the  kidneys
 being stretched, and casting out by a greater lask, and easing the bel-
 ly of its burden.   Besides it often happens that an immoderate heat
 of the kidneys, or of the reins of the back (through  which the stone
 doth grow) is quenched with coldness.
   Why is the curing an ulcer or bile in kidneys or bladder very
 hard.
   Because the urine being very  sharp, doth exulcerate the wound
 while good and fit medicaments would cover the skin.  Ulcere are
 harder to cure in the bladder than in the  kidneys, because  urine
 stays in the former, but runs away from the latter.
   What is the reason that in bathing vessels, the hot water  when
 it is stirred, seems hotter  to us, almost burning our bodies.
   Because when we enter these sorts of bath, the water itself doth
 suffer diat is, when the water heats our  bodies, it  is made colder
 by us.  We have learned dial whatever works in generation of cor-
 ruption, the same, without all  doth suffer; the  water  then  lieing
 in some sort cooled, doth not beat alike, and  we being  accustomed 
APHRODISELS' PROBLEMS.            211
to it, do not feel the heat as we did in thebegining, because it is di-
minished.  If by stirring the water, more heat is added, which nei-
ther hath yet wrought or suffered any tiling of the body which  is in
it, that will seem very hot and scalding, in  regard that it suffers by
something and so by degrees loses its heat, as the  first  did.
   How is it  that whatsoever is moved, is hotter  for  it, especially
in summer, when the  heat of the sun is most violent.
   This seems a contradiction to the other:  for water did not seem
hotter  to us by moving.  Therefore, it is a common thing for what
is most and principal  in any thing either in  quantity or  duality, to
overcome and change that which is less and  weaker, and that which
is strong doth somewhat suffer again in doing.   Wherefore the hot
water, when  it  is very  hot, sticking  to the hot  body cools, and
does not retain the same quality.  The air  then  which  doth com-
pass us about, being hot in summer, like the water compassing our
bodies, is  somewhat  heated by us, who  are hot  through  the
season it heats us as linen garments  do which being  first cold,  and
then stirred, that air which was before  heated by  us, is driven
away,  and another not heated, succeeds and seems cold  to  us.
   Why do those sores which  breed in  die  ball  of the  eyes seem
white,  when  they have iess gnawing, and are cold, and others  do
not sceem so  that grow out of the ball.
   Because  through the ball of the eye, die sight  proceedeth,  which
is bright and clear, therefore  in the white of the eye when the
wound doth make thick that part of the covering which is like  a
horn, the spirit of tlie sight cannot  issue out;  hence it comes to
pass, much of it being got together,  it makes the  wound light  and
clear, shewing it white; and because of die quietness  of the sight,
die spirit cannot  go out, it causes blindness.
   Why doth chaff and straw  keep water hot, and snow cold, which
are seemingly contraries.
   Because  the nature of chaff wants  a  manifest  quality;  seeing
tiierefore, that of tiieir nature,  they can easily be  mingled,  and
consumed with that which they are annexed unto, thi.»  easily also
take the same nature  unto them; and  therefore being  put  in hot
things, they are easily hot  and do beat  again, and  keep  hot,
and on  the contrary being made cold of the snow,and making the snow
cold do keep  iu its coldness.  So wax and  oil wiH easily  be con-
sumed  and  made one with  another thing, and do  help  the  quality
which  is mingled with them as being made one  with  them.
 Why  do the stars and heaven seem  clearest in the bright wintertime.
  Because the air eidier which doth  compass us   or that whicli is
the  highest  is  made  thin  and purged with  winds  and  show-
ers of "rain  and  by this  means our sight doth see both  further
and clearer.  The like is  manifestly seen  in running  rivers; for
such things as are in  them are far better seen than thick standing
puddles of  water, where either nothing is seen or confusedl-'.
*-' 
212            APHRODISEUS'  PROBLEMS.

  Why have we oftentimes a pain in making water.
  Because that sharp choler issuing out and pricking tbe  bladder
of the urine doth provoke and stir up  the whole to ease tlie part of-
fended  and  to  expel the humor moderately.  This doth happen
mostly to children because they have  most excrements by reason of
tiieir often filling.
  Why do nurses  rock and  move their children when they  would
have them sleep.
  To the end the humors being  scattered by moving, may move
the brains;  but those of more years cannot endure this.—
  Why do some drunkards see double.
  Because the muscles of the sight being  more or less filled and by
the self same means weak and feeble  do draw one eye upward and
the other downward and by that  means the beams do not look  that
way at once  but towards divers places and bodies, and there each of
the eyes using a private office and duty of seeing dodi cause a doub-
le sight.
.  Why are  boys  apt to  change-their voices  about  fourteen years
of age.
  Because that then nature doth cause  a great and sudden change
of age;  experience proveth this to be true for at that time we  may
see that women's paps do grow great to hold and  gather milk, and
also those places that are above the  hips in which the young fruit
should remain.  Likewise men's breasts and shoulders, which bear
them great  and heavy burdens.   Also  their  stones  in which their
seed may increase and abide, and their  privy members, to  let out
the seed with ease.   Further, all the whole body is made  larger
and dilated, as the alteration and change of  every part of  the body
do  testify, and the harshness and  hoarsness;  for the  rough artery,
the windpipe being made wide in the beginning,  and the  exterior
and outward part within equal to the throat, the air going out at
the rough unequal and uneven pipe, doth become unequal and sharp
and after a sort hoarse like unto the voice of a goat wherefore it
has its  name  Brenchus.   The  same  doth hap|>en  to them  unto
whose rough artery distillation doth flow.  It happens by reason of
the drooping humidity, that a light small filled  unequally causes the
uneven going forth of the spirit and  air.   Understand  that  the
windpipe of goats is such by reason of the abundance of humility.
The like doth happen unto all such, as nature has given a rough  ar-
tery, as nnto Cranes.  After the years of fourteen, they leave off
that voice, because the artery is made wider, and reacheth its nat-
ural evenessand quality.
   Why is fortune painted with  a  double forehead, one side  bald
and the other hairy.
   The baldness signifies adversity, and  hairiness prosperity, which
we enjoy when it pleases her.
   Why have some commended flattery. 
APHRODISEUS'  PROBLEMS.           213
  Because flattery setteth fortii before our eyes what we ought to be
though not what we are.
  Wherefore should virtue be painted girded.
  To that virtuous men sliould not  be slothful, but diligent and al-
ways in action.
  Why did the ancients say it was better to fall into the  hands of a
raven, than a flatterer.
  Because the ravens don't eat us till we are dead, but flatterers de-
vaur us alive.
  Why have choleric men beards before others.
  Because they are hot, and the pores large and wide.
  How comes it that such as have the hiccup, do ease themselves by
holding their breath.
  The breath retained doth heat the interior parts of the body, and
the hiccup proceeds from nothing but cold.
  How comes it that old men remember well that which they  have
seen and done in tiieir youdi and forget things as they see and do
in their age.
  Things learned in youth have taken root and habituate in the per-
son, but these   learnt in  age  are forgotten, because  the senses  are
weakened in them.
  What kind  of covetousness is best.
  That of time, when it is employed as it ought to be.
  Why is our life compared to a stage play.
  Because the dishonest do occupy the place of die honest,  and
tbe worst sort tbe room of the good.
   Why do  dolphins, when  they appear  above the  water denote
some storm or tempest approaching.
   Because that, at the beginning of the tempest, there do arise troin
the bottom of  the sea certain hot exhalations and  vapors  which
heat the dolphins, causing them to rise up and seek  for cold.
   Why are things more quiet in the night than in the day.
   The motion of the air, and the celdness of the night, is the  cause
 thereof, which coldness continues and hinders the motions.
   How comes the Romans to call Fabius  Meximus tiie target of
 the people, and Marccllus the sword.
   Because the one adapted  himself to  the service of die common-
 wealth, and tbe other was very eager to revenge the injuries of his
 country; and yet they  were  in the senate joined  together,  because
 the gravity of the one would  moderate the courage and brevity of the

    Why does the shining of the moon hurt the head.
    Because it moves.the humors  of the brain, and cannot  afterwards
 resolve them.                              .
    If water do nourish, why do  not men drink it.
    Water causes the merriment to spread through the body.
     Why is sneezing good. 
214            APIIROD1SEUS'  PROBLEMS.

   It purgetn the brain, as milk is purged by the cough.
   Where is the seat of die affections of the body.
   Joy dwelleth in the spleen, anger in  die gall,  fear in tlie heart,
lechery in tiie liver.
   Why is hot water lighter than cold.
   Because the boiling water has  less  ventosity, and is  more light
and  subtle, the earthy and heavy substance being  separated from
it.
   How comes marsh and pond water  to be evil.
   By reason they are  phlegmatic, and do corrupt  in summer  time,
the fineness of the water is turned into vapours, and the eartiiiness
doth remain.
   Why are studious and learned men soonest bald.
   It proceeds from a weakness of the spirits, or because  warmth of
digestion causes the phlegm to  abound  in them.
   Why doth much watching make the brain feeble.
   Because it increases  choler, which dries and extenuates the
body.
   Why are steel glasses better  for the sight than others.
   Steel is hard and doth  present unto us more substantially the air
which receiveth the light.
   How doth love show its greatest force, by  making the fool to be-
come wise, or the wise become a fool.
   It attributes wisdom to him that hath it not; for  it is harder to
build than to pull down, and ordinary love and folly are but an  al-
teration of the mind.
   How comes too much labor  to be bad for the sight.
   Because it dries the blood too much.
   Why is goat's milk accounted best  for the stomach.
   Because it is thick, not slimy,  and they   feed upon boughs and
wood rather than grass.
   Why do grief and vexation bring grey hairs.
   Because it dries, and age  is nothing else.
   How is he the most merry that hath the thickest blood.
   The blood when is is fat and thick makes die spirit firm and con-
stant, wherein consists the force of all creatures.
   In your opinion which is tlie hardest, to obtain the love of a per-
son, or to keep it when obtained.
   To keep it by reason of the inconstancy  of man, who is qnickly
angry, and soon weary of a thing; hard to be got,  and  slippery to
keep.
   Why do serpents shun  the herb rue.
  Because they are cold,  dry  and full of sinews, but  tne nerb rue
is of a contrary nature.
  How  comes a capon better to eat than a cock.
  The capon loses not his moisture, because he docs  not tread the
hens,  and dierefore is  lietter. 
             APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS.           215

  Why do we smell a thing less in winter than ia suoniier.
  Because the air is thick and less.moveable.
  How comes hair to burn so quick as it does.
  Because the hair is dry and cold.
  Why is love compared to a  labyrinth.
 .Because the entry and coming iu is  easy, and the going out UB-
possible or very hard.
THE END. 
 
                     ARISTOTLE'S


                LAST  LEGACY


      UNFOLDING THE MYSTERIES OF  NATURE


           Xtt tt)t <&$ ntvatUm ot ' JKan.

                           TREATING,





  L  Of Virginity, its Signs and tokens, and how t Han may know whether he
ha* Married a Virgin or not


  IL  Of the organ of Generation in Women, with a UescripUou  ef the wemh.


  HX  Of the use and Action of the Genitalis in the work Generation.


  IV. Of Conception;  and how to know  whether a waraaa has Canceled,
and whethar of a Male or female.
  V.  Of the Pleasure and Adrantace of Marriage; with the unhappy Cooaa
quences of unequal Matches and Mtatini of Patawfui tore.


  VL Of BsTTanaeaa. wslhPsssssdsaiayBSststt aad UM sigas of the  IbjnsbV
cieocy both in Men and Women.


  V1X Direciioas to both Saxes  bawte manage Ihssssilvai fa tha act est
coition, or the* Veneral ffinlaaiiaj


  vm  AVada maeamfar nssawfim aad Names; Owslaauas; partkakr M-
racOous for the faithful Dmtmrf ot the* anmsnymaats.       ^


  TX. Excellent Remedies against all Datsases  incident to  Virgins sad OMat
Baaris«WomeAnaedfortBauaaofMtdwh^a,lsc.
                      Ml 
 
INTRODUCTION.
 r  WHEN the Almighty Architect of the world had  formed the heaven in the
 beginning, and laid the foundation of the earth, and by his blessed spirit moving
 upon the abyss had created a fair and beautiful  world,  out of a rude  mass ana
 undigested  chaos, and by his powerful fiat had brought into being all the several
 species of vegetables and  animals, and given even to the  plants  and  vegetables
 to have seed of Themselves for producing their several kinds or forms and to the
 animals (which he created male and female) the power of propagating their spe-
 cies, and had adorned  the world with all those beautiful and glorious embellish-
 ments, that his omnipotent wisdom and goodness saw lit and requisite  for  that
 garat guest he designed to bring into it; he at last created man as a microcosm
 or lesser world to be lord of this greater world, not  with  a  bare fiat only, as he
 did the rest of his creatures, but called (as it were) a council of the sacred  Trin-
 ity about it, saying Let us make man in our own image after our own likeness &c.
 as the divine historian expresses; So that uian.in his or jgfnal,is a ray of tbe divin-
 ity and the breath of the Almighty; and therefore it is said God breathed into his
 nostrils the breath of life, and  he became a living soul.  Man being thus created,
 and  made lord of the world, bad in himself at first bolh sexes, for the text  tells
 us, Male and  Female created he them,  and called  their name  Adam; but yet
 till Adam was divided he was still alone  ; and every creature had a male, he was
 lord of all;  so in paradise itself he seemed to be unhappy, wanting a help  meet
 and therefore his munificent Maker resolving to make him  completely happy, d i-
 vided hiirse!f,froui hlmself,that by a more agreeable conjunction,he might he unit-
 ed to himself again ; and so of a part of  himself was formed  Eve, whom Adam.
 having never seen before, by a sympathy  of nature presently  calle i  bone of
 his bone, and flesh of his flesh: Ana Adam having thus fouud a help meet  given
 him by his Creator, he was now completely happy, and being blessed by the Al-
 mighty, had this law also given him, to increase and multiply, he being endowed
 with a natural propension thereunto, and the woman having a plastic  power giv-
 en her by nature for the formation of the embryo.  His  natural inclination and
 propension of both sexes to each other, with  the plastic power of nature, is on-
 ly Uit- energy  of the first blessing and command of the Almighty which to this
 day upholds the world.
  The mystery of the genralion of  that noblest piece of creation man, and the
unfolding  of the plastic power of nature in tbe secret workings  of generation,
and formaUon  of the seed in the womb,  is the  subject of  the  foil wing treatise;
a  sutject  so  necessary  to  be known by  all the   female sex, (Ihe   con-
ception and bearing of children being that which nature has ordained their pro-
vince) that many for want of the knowledge hereof perish, with the fruit of their
 womb also, who had they but understood the secrets of generation displayed in
 this book, might have been still in the land of the living.
  'Tis therefore for tho use of  such  this treatise is compiled; wherein the  mys-
 tery of generation is not only urn avelled, and  the abstruse secrets of nature
 made known  but the obstructions and hinderances of generation  are  declared,
 and proper remedies against all the  defects of tbe womb directed. 
 
ARISTOTXJB'S LAST  LEGACY.

FULLY UNFOLDING  THE MYSTERIES OF  NATURE
            IN THE GENERATION OF MAN.
 »                     --------  f

Of Virginity, what it is, its Signs and Tokens, and how  a
        Man may know if he marries a  Virgin.
   The great maker of the universe, that  gives all creatures life and
being, and a power in themselves to propagate their  kind, even to
the end of the world, has to that end created them male and female
and these of contrary qualities; for, in this noble pair, man  and
woman, the man is hot and dry, the woman cold and  moist;  and
these  two different qualities uniting are ordained by nature for tbe
procreation  of children, tbe  seed of the man  being  the efficient
cause and the womb of tbe woman the field of generation, wherein
the seed is nourished,  and the  embryo  formed, and ia due time
brought forth.
  Since women then have so great part  in the generation of man,
I shall endeavour to shew how nature has fitted  them  for it;  and
because a knowledge of the disease is half the  cure, I  will give a
brief description of the  several  parts or  members of  generation,
that so if at any time, any part be affected, or out of order, it may
be sooner rectified.  Ana although I must use plainness,  yet I
hope to do it so as not to cause a guilty blush on the cheek  of* the
fair sex.
  And since  the first state of woman is virginity, order and method
require that I speak  something  of that; and in speaking of it, I
will first shew what it is and  then lay down some signs and tokens
of it,  how it  may be  known, and then proceed to  what I have before
mentioned. 
222         ARISTOTLE'S  LAST  LEC.ACY.

  Virginity is the boast and pride  of the fair sex  though they
generally commend  it to put it  off, and  that  they  may the sooner
get a good husband  ami thereby  lose it.  And 1 think lliey are in
the right,  for  if they keep  it too long,  it grows useless, or at least
abates much of its  value;  a stale virgin being looked upon  like an
old almanack out of date.   Virginity, the chief the best, the prime
of any  thing, and is  properly  the  integrity of woman's privities,
not violated by man  or known by  him, it  being  the pro|ierty of
a virgin not to have known man.   But to  come a little inorw close,
there is in young maidens, in the neck of die  womb, a jxsnditlous
production called Hymen, which is like  the bud of a rose half
blown, and this is broke in the first act of copulation  with a man,
and  from thence the word deffiora, to deflower, because the  tak-
ing away virginity is deflowering a virgin, for  when tlie rose bud is
expanded, virginity is wholly lost.   Certain it is,  diere is  inthe
first act of copulation something which' causeth pain and  bleeding,
which is an evident sigiWof virginity, but what this  is authors a-
gree not.   Some say it is  a nervous membrane or thin skin  with
small veins  which bleed at die first penetration of the yard.  Oth-
ers say it is four carruncles or bits of flesh or little buds like myr-
tle berries, and these are plump and full in virgins, but hang loose
and flag in such as have used copulation.  Some  have  observed  a
fleshy circle about the nymphs or neck of the  womb with  little ob-
scure veins which  make the membrane not to be nervous but fleshy.
   There is no doubt but that die part which receiveth the  yard is
not in women diat have used a man as in virgins, and yet   it is not
alike in all, which hath caused a diversity of opinions both in au-
thors and anatomists, for this is not found in  all  virgins.   Excess
of lust, and desire of man, in some may break  the Hymen, or claus-
trum virginale;  sometimes  when it itclieth, they put in  dieir finger
and so break it; sometimes tlie  midwives  break  it in the birtll ',
and  sometimes it is done by  stopping of the  urine, coughing,  vio-
lent  straining or sneezing and tiierefore, if there be no bleeding at
tlie first penetration  of the yard, it is not always a  sign of uiichasti-
ty;  but where there is bleeding it is an unquestionable sign of  vir-
ginity.
   Leo Africanus makes mention of tiie custom  of the  African* at
their weddings, which was diis; after diey were married, the bride-
groom and the bride were  shut up in a chamber whilst the  wedding
dinner was preparing, and aji old  woman, stood at  the  chamber
door to receive from the bridebroom a sheet, liaving the bloody  to-
kens of the wife's Virginity, which she shewed  m  triumph to all
the guests, and tlien  they might feast with joy; but  if there was no
blood to lie seen, the bride was sent home  with  disgrace,  and the
 disappointed guests was sent home sadly without their dinner.  But
 notwithstanding the African custom, I affirm  that some honest vir- 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.          B8
gins hare lost their maiden heads without bleeding, and therfore are
not to be censured for want of diis  token,  as some ignorant men
may do and cause their wives to live an uncomfortable life all their
days, fancying themselves to be cuckholds when there ia no  such a
matter.                                          #      ...
   Some  make the straitness of the privities to be a sign of virgini-
ty, but tois is no certain rule, for much depends upon   the age, habit
of body, and other circumstances. Tho' it cannot but be acknowledg-
ed,  that  women that have used carnal copulation, are not so strait
as virgins yet this can  be no certain argument af virginity, for after
repeated  acts of venery the privities may be made so straight by the
use of astringent medicines that a whore may be sometimes taken for
a virgin.   Culpepper mentions a woman  desiring to appear a virgin,
used a bath of  comfrey roots  whereby  she  deceived  those  with
whom she ltad to do.
   Upon the whole when •  man marriea, and finds, upon lying with
 his wife the token of her virginity, he has  all  the  reason  in the
 world to be satisfied he has married a virgin; hut on the contrary
 he finds them not, he has no reason to suspect her of unshastity, as
 if she  were not a virgin, since the  hymen, or clastrum virginated,
 may be broken so many other ways, and yet  the woman be both
 virtuous and chaste.
   And  thus much I thought myself bound to say in behalf of. the fe-
 male sex, who are often accused and suspected of dishonesty, when
 there  is no occasion for it.
                           CHAP. II.
  Of the Organs  of generation in women, with a  description of
                    the  Fabric of a Woman.
    In describing die organs of generation in women,  I  shall  use all
  possible plamoeao *■«! oerspicuity, and shall not be afraid to  speak
  bo as I may be understood by u.« meanest capacity,, since I  design
  nothing but  the instruction of  the ignorant, for  their  own  safety,
  and siiall say with  the motto  of the royal  garter Honi soit  qui
  maly penne.
    In the genitals of women there are several parts  which must  be
  distinctly spoken of;  that which appears to view at the bottom of
  the belly  is the.Rs«ura Magna, or the great clift or fissure   of  an
  oval form, with ite hair about it also the lips, which nature designed
  to keep the internal parts from cold and dust.  These are called by
  the "eneral  name of pudenda, from shamefocedness, because a wo-
  man" is ashamed  when  those parts are discovered  or made  bare.
  The  Fissura Magna, reaches from the lower  part of the os pubis,
   near to the annus;   but  it is closer in virgins than in tiiose who
   have borne children,  and has two lips, which towards thepwWs
   grow more full and thick, and meeting upon  the  os pubis, make
   tiiat rising hill called mans  Veneris or the mount  of Venus.
    The next thing is  the  nympha, or  wings which appears when 
224          ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.
tbe lips are severed and are framed of spongy or soft flesh, of a rod
color, two in number, joined in  an acute angle producing there a
fleshy substance composing the elytoris, and both in form and color
resembling  the comb of a cock.
  The clitoris is a sinewy and hard  body  full of spongy and black
matter within ; aqd in form represents the yard of a  man and  is
subject to erection and falling aa that does.   This is that which
is the seat of veneral pleasure, and gives women delight in the act
of copulation.  For without this a woman neither  desires  coition,
nor hath pleasure in it  nor conceives by it.  The elytoris sometimes
grows  cut of the body two- incites, but this very seldom  happens.
And some think that hermaphrodites, or those that  have the gen-
itals, are only such women istwhom the elytoris  hangs out ex-
tremely, and so resemble the form of a yard.  And I am almost  in-
clined to be of their opinion, especially considering that the hang-
ing out of the elytoris, is generally occasioned dirough extreme hist;
and both reason and authority  demonstrate that the higher  tlie ely-
toris in women the wore vehement their desires are carried after co-
ition and consequently the more  lustful.
  In the fourth place under the elytoris, and above tbe  neck of the
womb are the fleshy knobs  or can-uncles, placed behind the wings,
and are like myrtle berries placed one  against another  in which
place is inserted the orifice of the bladder,  for  the  passage of the
woman's urine; so that the urine of the woman conies  through
the neck of the womb neither  is  the passage of the urine  common
as in men but particular by itself.
  Near the orifice of the womb, as I  have  said before,  there  are
the caruncles, or fleshy knobs, in number four, in form like  myrtle
berries;  in virgins they are round and plump, bat in woman  that
hare used copulation, these  are toons and flaggi nsv <*na often quite
undistinguished, so that the inside of  lhe a*0*1  of the  womb ap-
pears smooth; Uie uppermost ol  them is large and forked, the others
are below this on the sides,  but they ail serve to keep back  the   air
or any offensive thing thorn entering the neck  of the womb.  These
caruncles or knobs are joined together by a thin or sinewy skin or
membrane, fell of small veins ;  this membrane hath  a  hole in the
midst for the passage of the monthly courses, about die bigness of
the top of one's little finger m such as are in years  fit for marriage;
this is that noted skin called Hymen, of which  I have  spoken in
the former chapter, and which is a certain sign of virginity where-
ver it  is found, for  the first aot of imputation surely breaks it,
though it may be broken without tbe aot of copulation, bat is most
generally broken by it.
  The next thing  to be spoken of is the neck of the  womb  which
nothing but the distance that is between tbe privy passage and  the
mouth of the womb, into which  the yard goes in the act of copula-
tion, which in some women is eight inches in length; its substance 
              ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.          225

without is fleshy, but  within  skinny  and exceedingly wrinkled,
that it may the better retain the seed ejected  in the act  of copula-
tion, and also that it may dilate and stretch in woman's labour, and
the passage may be the wider  for tlie birth of the chilri; the length
of the neck of the womb is very necessary  for  two  reasons:  1st.
that it may be filled with abundance of spirits and there be dilated,
for its better taking hold the penis or yard, great heat  being requi-
red in such motion whicli becoming more intense or exquisite by the
act of friction, consumes a great quantity of moisture, which  there
ought to be large vessels to supply : Secondly  because the terms  or
monthly courses make their way through them, on which account
woman  with child sometimes continue their purgations; for although
the womb be  shut, yet the  passage  in  the  neck  of the  womb,
through which  these vessels pass is open.
   I will only  further observe, that as  soon as man  penetrates die
pudendum, there appears two little pits or holes, these contain  an
humor, which being pressed out  in the time  of  copulation,  gives
great delight  to a  woman.
   Having thus spoken of the organs  of generation  in  women,  I
will now describe the fabric of the  womb.
   The womb is joined  to its neck in the  lower  part  of the hypo-
eastrion, and is  placed between the bladder and  the  straight gut.
Its parts are  two, the  mouth  of the  womb and the  bottom of
tbe womb. Tlie mouth or  entrance may be both  dilated and con-
tracted  much like a purse, for tho' in the act of copulation it be big
enough  to receive the glands, nut or top of the man's yard, yet af-
ter conception,  it is so  close shut that it will not admit the point of
a  bodkin to enter; and after this at the time of delivery, it dilates
itself again so wide, that it makes room enough for the child to come
forth  which is so wonderful a thing that all men must acknowledge
that the wisdom and  goodness of  our creator  is  eminently to  be
seen  in it.
   Its figure is almost perfectly round, and  in virgins doth  not ex-
ceed  the bigness of a walnut, yet  after conception, it dilates  itself
gradually, so that it is  able to contain the child and all its  apuiten-
ances.  It is thick in  substance, insomuch that it exceeds a thumb's
breadi, which after conception, is so far  from  decreasing, that it
augments very much: and to strengthen  it more it is  interwoven
with  fibres over  adiwart, which are both  strait and winding, and
its proper vessels are veins arteries and nerves  among which there
are  two little veins which pass  from tiie  spermatic vessels to the
bottom of the womb and two larger from  the hypogastrics,  whicli
touoh tlie bottom and the neck; the mouth of the veins piercing as
far as the inward cavity.
   Alaoihv womb hath two arteries on each side  of the spermatic
 vessels, and the hypogastrics which  still accompany the veins, also
 divers little  nerves that are knit and  entwined  in the  form of  a 
226          ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.
net; and extended to the pudenda, placed chiefly for sense and pleas-
ure moving by way of sympathy between the head and womb.
  The stones and testicles in women differ in several respects from
tiiose of men, and that in relation  to  their place form  figure Sir-
As to the place in men they are without the belly, in women with-
in ;  in men they are oval and  have four skins to preserve  them
from injuries;  in women they are depressed and flattish, and have
but one skin;  their substance is also more «oft  than those of  men,
and their temperature is colder.   Their office  is to  contain their
ovum oregg, according to our modern  authors;  but  the ancients
were of opinion, that they served to connect the woman's seed, and
had the same office in women as  tiie  stones have in  men; but  as
this of the womau's having seed is strongly opposed  by  some  and
as strongly contended for by others, I will therefore set  down  din
opinions of both, having first made an end of tha description of the
several parts belongiug to the organ of generation in women, which
is what I am now upon.
  I come now to  speak of tbe spermatic vessels  in women, whicli
are divided or distinguished by preparing  vessels, and carrying ves-
sels; the preparing vessels are the same in number as in  men, which
are four two veins and two arteries not  differing  from  those in  n
man but only in their largeness and manner of insertion; the right
rem issuing from the. trunk of the vena.cava which is  the great vein
that receives the blood from the liver, and distributes  it  by branches
to all the body, under the emulgent vein, which is one of  the chief
branches of the hollow veins passing to the reins; but the left spring-
ing  from the emulgent of die same side.  Both of the arteries issue
from tbe great artery called the Aorta, because it is the noblest and
mother of all the rest.   These preparing vessels are  much  shorter
in women  than in men, because tber passage is shorter.  The stones
of a woman, as I have  already noted, lying  within  the  belly, but
those of men without; but then what they  want in length they  have
in their various wreathing* and  contortions, which  are more  than
in men that the substance they carry  may be the  better prepared.
And therefore their often turning to and fro, and winding in and
out make amends for the shortness of the passage.
  The carrying vessels  called  vasa de farentia, (this is  vessels
which carry that seed from the stones to  the seraina  vessels,) arise
from the lower part of the testicles, and are in color   white, but  in
substance  sinewy;  they pass not strait to the womb, but are wrea-
then, that the shortness of the way be compensated by their various
turning  and windings and as they come next the womb, they grow
broader.
  The ejaculatory vessels are two on each side of the  womb, and
hardly differ  in  substance  from the spermatic veins, they ri;-.e from
the bottom of the womb but reach not eithe>- to the  stones  or  any 
              ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.           227

 other part but are shut up and are impassable adhering to the womb
 as the collar does to the hind gut winding halfway about.
                           CHAP. IIL
 Of the  use and action of the genitals in the work of gener-
                              ation.
   Tlie use of the external parts commonly called tbe pudenda, are
 designed to cover the great orifice and the use of that is to receive
 the yard in the act of copulation, and to give passage  to the  child
 at the birth; and also  a passage  for  the  urine.
  The use of die wings and knobs like myrtle berries are for the secu-
 rity of the internal parts shutting the orifice and neck of the bladder:
 and by  their swelling updo  cause titilation and delight in those parts
 and also to binder the  involuntary passage of the urine. The action
 of the elytoris in women is like that of the yard in men, which  is
 erection, and its outer end is like the glans or top of the yard, and
 has the same name and as the glans  in men is the greatest  pleartire
 in copulation, so is this in  women.
   The action and use of the neck of the womb is equal with that of
 the yard and is occasioned several ways: for first it is erected and
 made straight for the passage of die yard to the womb in the act of
 copulation; and then whilst the  passage is repleted with spirit  aud
 vital  blood, it becomes more straight for embracing the yard:  and
 the convenience of erection  is two fold: first if the neck of the  womb
 was not  erected  the yard could have no  convenient  passage  to the
 womb;  and in the second place it  hinders  any  damage  that may
 happen through the violent concussion of the yard in time of  copu-
 lation.
   And as for these vessels that make their way through the neck of
 the womb their office is to replenish it with blood and spirit that so
 as the moisture consumes by the  heat contracted in  copulation it
 may by  those vessels be renewed; but their chief buisness is to con-
 vey nourishment to the womb.
   The womb has many properties attributes to it; the first is the re-
 tention of the seed; as the ancients speak of the secuadated egg as
others would have it: and this properly is called conception:  and
2dly to cherish and nourish it till nature has  framed  the child  and
brought it to perfection and 3dly it worketh strenuously in  sending
forth  the birth, when the time of its remaining there  is expired,  at
which time it stretchetii forth  itself  in a   very  wonderful  man-
 ner.
   The use of the preparing  vessels is to  convey the blood to  the
testicles, (part of which is spent in  the  nourishment  of them, and
the production of those little bladders, in  all  things  resembling
eggs) through which the preparing vessels run, and there obliterat-
ed in  them; that is done by  die arteries; and as  for the veins their
office is to bring back what blood  remains  from  the  aforesaid
uses. 
228           ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.

  The stones in women are of that use  that  if they are defective
the work of generation ceases; for diough (according to the  modern
opinion) those little bladders which are  in their outward superflces
contain nothing of seed, yet they  contain several eggs, (uncertain  as
to their number, though generally about twenty) one of whuh being
impregnated by spirituous part of man's seed in the act of copulation
dei-ends to the  womb and to the time nature has appointed, becomes
a living child.
  Having thus given an account of the use and action of the geni-
tals  in  the act of  generation I  shall now  shew you the  opinion
of both the ancients and modems touching  the woman's contribu-
ting  seed for the formation of the  child,  as well as  the  man's;
which  was the opinion of the ancients, but is denied by our  modern
authors.
  Though it is apparent say the  ancients that the  seed of a  man  is
tlie principle efficient and beginning of action  motion and  genera-
tion yet that the woman affords  seed and contributes to the  proc-
reation of the child  is evident from hence that the woman  1ms semi-
nal vessels which had been  given her in  vain, had she wanted sem-
inal excrescence but since nature doth nothing in  vain, it must  be
granted they were made for the use of seed and procreation and fix-
ed in dieir proper places to operate and contribute virtue and efficacy
to the seed;  and this say they is  farther proved from hence, that if
women at the  years of maturity use not copulation to eject the seed
they  often  fall  into strange  diseases, as appears by  young  women
and  virgins; and also it is  apparent, that women  are  never belter
pleased than when they are often  satisfied diis way  which pleasure
and  delight say they, is double in women to what it  is in men,  for
as the delight of men consists chiefly  in the ejection  of the  seed, so
women are delighted both by the ejection of their own, and the re-
ception of the man's.
  But  against  all this, our iiiodern-esuithors affirm, that the ancients
were very  eroneous; for as much as testicles in women do  not  af-
ford  seed,  but are two eggs, like  those  of fowls;  neither  liave they
any such office as those of mem but are indeed an ovarium, a recep-
tacle for eggs; wherein  these are  nourished by the sanguinary vessels
dispersed through them; and from thence, one or more (as they  are
fcecundated  by the  man's seed) are conveyed into the womb by the
oviducts, and the truth of this, say they, is so plain that if you boil
them, I hey will have die same taste color and consistency, with  the
taste of birds eggs.
  But.notwithstanding all diis Culpoper in his directory for midwives
positively affirms, that  tiie  testicles or stones of a woman  are   for
generation of seed, and for to deny this, is both against reasi-.i  and
experience.  I will  not undertake to determine the controversy,  but
leu.- ihe reader to judge for himself, and  proceed  (having accor- 
              ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.           229

ding to the custom of Britain, given women the preference) to  de-
scribe die organs of generation in man.
                          CHAP.  IV.
     Of the Instruments or Organs of Generation in man.
  The |ienis or yard of the man (being the principle instrument of
generation) is called so from  its hanging without the  belly; and  it
consists of  skiu, tendons, leins, arteries,  sinews and great liga-
ments, and is  long and round; it is ordained by nature both for the
passage of  the urine, and ihe  conveying of the seed into  the  ma-
trix:  it hath some parts common with  it to the rest of the body, as
the skin a.id fleshy membrane; and some parts it  has peculiar to
itself as the two nervous  bodies; the septum the urethra,  or glans,
die four muscles, and vessels.
  The skiu which the  Latins call eutis, is full of  pores thro' whicli
the sweat and  fulgiuous or sooty black  vapours of the  third  con-
coction (which concocts the blood into  flesh) pass  out.  The pored
are very many and thick, but hardly visible to  die eye,  and when
the yard stands not, it  is flaggy but when  it stands it is  stiff.  The
skin is very sensible because the  nerves concur to make up its being.
  The earn is membrane or fleshy skin, so called because it  lieth
between  the flesh, and passeth in other parts  of the body,   under-
neath the fat, and  sticks close  to the muscles not diat there is' any
fat  in the yard, only a few superficial veins and arteries  pass  be-
tween the former skin  and  this which when the yard stands  are vi-
sible to the eye.  These are  the parts  common  both to the yard
and the rest of the body.  Now  1 will speak of the part peculiar to
itself, and  first of the nervous bodies.
  The two nervous bodies are surrounded  with  a  thick, white ner-
vous membrane but are spongy within and full of black blood, the
spongy substance of die inward part of it seems to be woven togeth-
er like a net,  and  consists of innumerable  veins and  arteries; the
black blood contained therein is  full  of spirits, and  the  desire of
copulation  adds heat  to them,  which  causeth  the yard  to stand;
and the hollow spongy  intermixturo,  or weaving  was ordained on
purpose to  hold die heat or veneral  spirits, that the  yard may not
fail before  it has done its work; these  two side  ligaments of the
yard, where they are thick and round,  spring  from tiie lower part
of the share bone, and  at their beginning are separated the one  from
tbe other, and resemble a pair of horns, or the letter Y, where the
urethra that is the common channel of urine and seed  passeth be-
tween them.
  The septum is in substance wliite, nervous  and sinewy, and its
office is to uphold the  two side  ligaments and the urethra.
   The urethra is sinewy, thick,  soft, and loose, like  to  that of the
side ligaments before mentioned, ltliegins at the neck of the blad-
der, and so passeth to  die  glands;  inthe  beginning of it are three
boles; one large in the midst, which receives the urine into it, the
                             i.'0 
230
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.
other two are smaller, which are sent by each seminal vessel to it,
by which  it receives seed.
  The muscles of the yard are four, two on  each side.  A muscle
is an instrument of voluntary motion  without which no partof tiie
body can  move  itself; it consists of fibrous flesh to make up  its.
body  of nerves for its sense, of veins for its nourishment, of arteries
for its vital heat, of a  membrane or skin knit together, and so  dis-
tinguish one muscle from  another; one of each  side is  shorter and
thicker than die other and their use is to erect the yard and make it
stand, and are called  erectors; the others are  longer and smaller,
and their office is to dilate and open the lower partof the  urethra,
or channel both for making water and voiding the  seed; and these
are called accelerators.
  The glands  in the extreme part of the yard  are soft, and of an
exquisite feeling by reason of the thinness of the  skin, wherewith
it is  covered.  It is covered with the preptium,  or foreskin,  which
the Jews were commanded to cut off on the eighth day.
  The vessels of the yard are veins, nerves  and  arteries.  Some
veins and arteries pass by the skin, and are visible *.o the eye;  otli-
ers pass by the  inward part of the yard, the arteries being  disper-
sed through  the body of the yard, exceeding  the dispersion  of the
veins, for the right artery  is dispersed to the left  side, it  hath  also
two nerves, the lesser of which is bestowed on the greater upon the
muscles and body of the yard.
  Having thus  descried tlie yard, I shall now  speak of the stones
or testicles, so called, because they testify that he is a man.
  The use of the stones is to convert blood and spirit into seed for the
procreation of man, and to add strength, heat and  courage  to man;
as appears from eunuch's, who have  lost dieir stones, who are nei-
ther so hot, strong nor valiant as other men.
                          CHAP. V.
Of Conception; and how  a Woman may know  whether  she
     hath conceived or not, and whether a  Male or Female.
  The natural instinct implanted in men and women to  propagate
their own species, puts them upon  making use  of those ways na-
ture  has ordained for that end, wbich after they have used, the wo-
man many times, through ignorance  of her having  conceived,  or
want of that due care she ought to take is little better than  the mur-
derer of her own child, though she intends it  not;  for after concep?
tion, finding herself not well, and not knowing what the matter  is,
she runs to a doctor, and inquires of him and he  knowing nothing
but what she tells him gives her a strong cathartical potion, which
destroys the conception.   And some tiiere are out of foolish bash-
ful coyness, though they know they  have conceived, yet  will  not
confess it, that so they might be instructed to order themselvos  ac-
cordingly.—Those that are so Qoy may in time learn to bo wiser ;
and  for the sake of these that are ignorant I shall set  down  the 
               ARISTOTLE'S LAST LSCJACY.          2J1

 signs of conception that women may tllereby know whedier they
 have conceived or not.
   If under the eye the vein be swelled, i. e. under the lower eyelid
 die  veins iu the eyes appearing  clearly,  and the eye something dis-
 coloured ;  if she has not her terms upon her, nor watched the night
 before, you may certainly conclude her to be widi child.   This ap-
 pears most  plainly, just upon her conception, and the first two months
 I never knew this sign to fail.
   A coldness and dullness of die outward parts after copulation, the
 heat being retired to make conception. The tops of the nipples look
 redder  than  formerly.  The veins of die breast  are more  clearly
 seen than they were wont to be.  The body is  weakened aud the
 face discolored.   The belly waxeth very  fat, because  die  womb
 closetlt  itself together, to nourish  and  cherish die seed.   If cold
 water be drank a coldness is felt in the breast.  Loss of appetite to
 victuals, sour belchings and exceeding weakness of stomach.  The
 breasts oegin to swell and wax hard not  without pain and soreness.
 Now  because  many  are  mighty desirous  to  know   whether
 they be with child of a male or female, I will in the next place, lay
 down some rules  whereby  diey may make a  judgment  in that
 case.
                    Signs of a Male Child.
   A woman  breeds a boy with much less pain   than  a girl,  and
 does not carry her burden so heavily, but  is more nimble in stirring.
   The cliild  is first felt by her on the right  side, for the ancients
 are of opinion that male children lie on the right side of the womb.
 The woman  when she riseth up from a chair, doth readier stay her-
 self upon her right hand tiian on her left.   The  belly  lies rounder
 and higher than when it  is a  female.   The right  breast is   more
 plump and harder than the left, and the  right nipple.  The  color
 of a  woman  is more clear, and not so  swarthy as  when  she  con-
ceives a girl.  The canirury to these ure signs of the conception of
a female, and therefore it is  needless to  set  them  down.  But  I
 will add the following;  they  have been the result of my own  expe-
rience,  and which I never  knew fail.  If the circle under the wo-
man's eyes, which is of a wan  blue be most  apparent under  die
right eye and the veins must apparent  in her right eye, and then
most dissolved, she is with child of a boy;  if the  mark  lie  most
uppurcnt in her  left eye, she is with child  of a girl.
   What Women  ought to observe in  order to  conception.
   Women that are  desirous to have children, in order thereunto,
must give themselves moderate  exercise;  for idleness and want  of
exercise are  very  great enemies to generation work; and those that
observe  it shall find that your city  dames  who  live high  and do
nothing  seldom hive children or if they   have they  seldom   live;
 A-hercas the poor women who accustom themselves   to labor  have
u.aii} children and those lusty.   Nor need  we wonder at it, if  ve 
 232           ARISTOTLES  LAST LKUACY.

 consider the benefit that conies by moderate exercise and laoar;  for
 it opens the pores, quickens the spirits, stirs up the  natural  heal,
 strengthens the body senses and spirits and comforts the limbs,  and
 helps nature in  her exercises, of which the procreation of children
 is none of the least.
   Another thing that women ought to do in order  to conception is,
 to keep die  womb in good order; and to that end  see that the men-
 Btrues come down as they  ought  to  do; if they are  discolored,
 then they are out of order, but if the blood come  down pure, then
 die woman will be very prone to conceive with cliild, esjiecially if
 they use copulation a day or two after die monthly terms aio  stay-
 ed.
   Another thing a woman ought  to observe that would  conceive id
 that she use not the act of copulation too often, for satiety gluts  the
 womb and makes it unfit to do its office.
   And then let the lime of copulation be  convenient,  that,  there
 may lie no fear of surprise, for fear hinders conception.
   And let the time of copulation be natural, and  not stirred  up by
 provocatives;  and observe also,  that the greater  the woman's de-
 sire of copulation is the more subject  she is to conceive.
  A loadstone carried about a woman causeth not only conception
 but concord between man and wife.
  Things necessary for women to  observe after Conception.
   Women are very subject  to miscarriages in  the two first months
 after conception, because then the ligaments  are  weak  and soon
 broken.   To prevent whicli let the woman every morning drink
 a good draught of sage ale and it will do her abundance ol gooti.
  But if signs of abortion or miscarriage  apjiear   let  her lay a
 toast dipped in tent, (incase muskadel cannot  be gotten,)  to  lier
 navel,  for this is very good ; or let her take a little garden  tansey,
 and having bruised it.sprinkle it  with a little inuskadel and apply it
 to the navel, and she will find it much better.
  Also let the air be  temperate,  sleep  moderate,  avoid  watching
 and immoderate exercise,  with  disturbing passions,  loud clamors
and filthy smells: and let her abstain  from  all  things  which may
 provoke either the urine or the courses and also from all  sharp and
 windy meats and let a moderate diet be observod.
                         CHAP. VI.
 Of barrenness,  with remedies  against it  and  the  signs  of
            Insufficiency both in men and women.
  Having in the foregoing chapter treated of conception,  with  the
signs, and given directions to the women both before and after con-
ception, I will in this chapter treat of the  opposite to  conception,
 to wit, barrenness.
  Barrenness is threefold to wit, either niiurul accidental  or against
 nature. 
               ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.          233

   Natural barrenness is when a woman is barren  though the  instru-
 ments of generation are perfect both  in herself and her husband, and
 no preposterous and diabolical course used to  cause it, and  neither
 age nrjr disease nor any natural defect hindering, and  yet the wo-
 man remains unnaturally barren, and conceive not.
   Now this may proceed from a natural cause;  for if the man and
 woman be of one complexion,  tliey  seldom have children,  and the
 reacon is clear, for, the universal course of nature being  formed by
 the  almighty of a composition of contraries, cannot  be  increased  by
 a composition of likes, and therefore, if the constitution of the wo-
 man be hot and  d.-y, ,n will  as that of the m.in,  tiiere can  be
 no conception, and  if on the contrary, the man should  be of a  cold
 and moist constitution, as well as the woman, the  effect  would  be
 the same,  and this barrenness is purely natural.
   Another natural cause of barrenness, is want of love between man
 and wife, love is that vital principle that  ought to animate  each
 organ  in the act of generation, or else it will be spiritless and  dull,
 for if tiieir hearts be not united in love, how should  tiieir  seed unite
 to cause conception.
   A third cause, of natural barrenness,  is the letting of virgin bl >od
 in the   arm before  their natural courses are come down, which
 is usually in  the fourteenth and sixteenth years of their age, some-
 times perhaps before the  thirteenth but never before the  twelfth.
   The way to prevent this, is to let no virgin blood in die arm  be-
 fore her courses come well  down; but, if there be occasion,  in  the
 foot, for that will bring the blood downward, and  by  that  means
 provoke the menstrucs to come down.
   Another cause of  natural barrenness is,  the debility of persons
 in copulation; if persons perform not that act with all the heat and
 ardor nature requires, they  may as well let it alone, and expect to
 have children  without it;  for frigidity and coldness never produce
 conception Of the cure of this we will speak  after  I have spoken of
 accidental barrenness, which is occasioned by some injr bific matter
 or infirmity upon the body,  either of the man or woman^ which  be-
 ing removed thev become fruitful.
          Causes and signs  of Insufficiency in Men.
   One cause may be some viciousness  in the  yard;  as if the same
 be crooked, or  any ligaments thereof distorted or broken, whereby
 the ways and passage, through which the seed should flow, come to
 be stopped or vitiated.
   Another cause may be too  much weakness  of the yard and  ten-
derness thereof, so that it is not strongly enough erected to inject the
seed into the womb, for the strength and  stiffness of the yard  very
much conduce to conception by reason  of the forcible  injection of
the seed.
                                  20* 
234         ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.

   Also if the stones have received any hurt, so  that they cannot ex-
ercise  their proper gift in producing seed; or, if they are oppres-
sed widi any inflamation or tumor wound or ulcer, drawn  up  witlj-
in the belly, and not appearing outwardly, these are signs  of insuffi-
ciency, and cause of barrenness.
   Gluttony  and drunkness, and other excesses, do also hinder men
from fruitfulness, and make them unfit for generation.  But amongst
other causes of barrenness  in men this also is one that makes them
barren, and almost eunuchs, and that is the  incision, or cutting of tbe
veins behind the ears, which in case of distemper is oftentimes  done
for according to the opinion of most physicians and anatomists  the
seed flows from the brain by those veins behind the ears more  than
from any other part of  the body;  from  whence it is very probable,
the transmission of the seed is hindered  by cutting off tiie  veins  be-
hind the ears, so that it cannot descend  at all to t he  testicles, or
come thither very crude aud raw.   And Uius much for signs of bar-
renness in men.
 Causes and signs of  Insufficiency, or Barrenness in  Women.
   Although  there are many causes of barreness in  women yet    die
chief and principle are internal respecting either the privy parts  of
the womb, the seed or menstruous blood.
   Tiierefore Hipocrates saim (speaking of either the easy or  diffi-
cult conception in women) the first consideration ought  to be hail
of their species for little women are more apt to conceive than great,
slender than gross, white and fair  than ruddy and  high colored,
black dian pale and wan ; diose  whicli have their veins  conspicu-
ous are more apt than others; but to be very  fleshy is evil, to have
great swelling breasts is good.
   The next tiling to be considered  is, the  monthly  purgations,
whether they have them duly every month; if they  flow  plentiful-
ly  are of a good color, whether they have them equally every month
for so they ought to be.
   Then the womb or place of conception  is to be  considered; it
ought to be clean and sound, dry and soft, not retracted  or drawn
up nor prone nor descending downward, the mouth thereof turned
awry, nor too close shut.
   But to be more particular.
  The first parts to be spoken of are the Pudenda or privities and  the
womb;  when  these are shut and enclosed  either by  nature  or a-
gainst nature, such women are called  imperforate; for  in  some
women the mouth of the womb continues compressed, or closed up,
from the time of their birtll uutill the coining down of their courses;
and then of a sudden, when their terms press forward to  their pur-
gation* they are  molested with  great  unusual  pains.   Some  of
these break of their own accord, others are dissected and opened by
a physician; others never  break at all and  then it brings death. 
               ARISTOTLE'S LAST  LEGACY.         235

   All these Actis particularly handles, shewing that the womb  is
 Bliut up three manner of ways,  which  hinders  conception; first
 when the lips of the  pudenda  grow  or  cleave  together;   second
 when there are certain membranes growing in  the  middle part of
 the  matrix within; third when (through  the  lips and bosom of the
 Pudenda  may appear fa;r an.I open) the mouth of  the  womb  may
 lie ii ute shut up : all wlihh are occasions  of barrenness   in that
 tli.-_> hinder both the use of  man,  the  monthly  courses and  con-
 ception,
   But among all the causes of barrennes in women tHe greatest  is
 in the womb, which  is the  field of generation ;  & if the field  lie
 corrupted it is in vain to expect  any fruit,  let  it  be   ever  so well
 sown ;  for it may be  unfit for generation, by  reason of many  dis-
 tempers to which it is subject, as lor instance  overmuch heat and
 overmuch cold, for women whose wombs  are  too thick and  cold
 cannot conceive, because coldness extiiiguishedi  the natural  heat of
 the human seed.
   Immoderate  moisture of the womb  also destroys the seed  of man
 and makes it ineffectual, as porn sown in  fens and marshes ; and
 so doth overmuch dryness of ihe womb, so that the seed perishelii
 for want of nutriment.
   Immoderate heat of the womb is also a cause of barrenness;  for
 it scorcheth up the seed, as corn sown  in the  drought of summer ;
 for immoderate heat hurts all the parts of the body, and no concep-
 tion can livj to be nourished in that woman.
   Also  when unnatural  humours  are  engendered; as too much
 phlegm, tympanies, wind, water, worms  or any such evil humours
 abounding contrary to nature; it causes  barrenness as does  also
 the terms not coming  down, in due order as  I have already said.
   A  woman may also have other accidental causes of  barrenness,
as sudden  frights, fear grief aud  pertubation  of the  mind ; too
violent exercises as leaping, dancing, running  after copulation, and
the like.
  But I will  now  add some signs  whereby we  miy know those
things.
  If the cause of barrenness be in  man  through  overmuch heat in
his seed the woman may easily feel that in receiving it.
  If the nature of the  womb  be too hot, and so unfit for conception,
it will appear by having her terms very little, antl  their   color incli-
ning to yellowness ; she is also very hasty, choleric, aud crafty, her
pulse beats very swift and she  is very desirous of copulation.
  If you would know whether  the   fault lies in  inao  or  woman,
sprinkle the man's urine  upon one lettuce  leaf  and the woman's
upon another, and that  which dries  away first  is unfruitful.
  There are some that make this experiment of a woman's  frnit-
fulness; take myrrh red storax, and some such odoriferous tilings,
and make a perfume of it  whicli let the woman  receive into  tlie 
2S6          ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.

neck of die womb through a funnel;  if  she feel the smoke  ascend
through the body to her nose then she is fruitful, otherwise barren.
  Some also  take  garlic and  beat it,  let the woman lie on her
back upon  it, and if she feels the scent thereof ascend to  her nose it
is a sign of fruitfulness.
  Culpepper and odiers, give a great deal of credit to the  following
experiment.
  Take a handfhl of barley and steep half of it in the  urine of a man
and the other half in the urine of a woman for the space of twenty four
hours  and then take it out and set the woman's by itself:  set it in
a flower pot or some other  thing where you may keep it dry: then
water  the man's every morning with  his own urine and  the  wo-
man's with hers and that which grows  first is tile most fruitful  and
if one grow not at all that   party  is  naturally barren.
  But now having spoke enough of the disease, it is high time to as-
sign the cure.
 If barrenness proceeds from stoppage of the menses let the woman
sweat for that opens the part and the  best way to sweat is in a hot
house.   Then let die womb be strengthened by drinking a draught
of white wine wherein a handful of stinking arrack first bruised  has
been boiled for by a certain magnetic virtue it  strengthens the womb
and by a sympathetic quality removes any disease thereof.  To which
add a handful of vervain which is very good to strengthen both  the
womb and the head  which are  commonly afflicted   together by a
sympathy.
  Having used this two or three days if they  come  not down  Like
of calamint pennyroyal thyme betony dittany bui net  feverfew mug-
wort sage piony roots juniper berries  half a handful  of these or  so
many of them as can be gotten:  let all  these be boiled in  beer  and
drank for her ordinary drink.
  If barrenness proceeds from the overflowing  of the menstrues then
strengthen  the womb, as you were  taught  before,  and  afterwards
annoint the reins of the back with oil of roses  oil of myrtles, or  oil
of quinces, every night, and then wrap a piece of white baze about
your reins the cotton side next your skin and keep the same  always
to it.   But above all I commend this medicine to you;  take  coin-
rey leaves or roots clowns wound wort of each one'  handful bruise
them well and boil them in ale and drink a good draught of it every
now and then; or take  cassia cinnamon lignea opium of each  two
drams, myrrh white pepper galbanum of each one dram; dissolve the
gum and opium in  white   wine  beat   the  rest into  powder;   then
make them into pills by mixing  them  together exactly and  let  the
patient take two pills every night going to bed; but let not both  the
pills exceed fifteeen grains.
  If barrenness proceeds  from a flux of the womb, the cure must  be
according  to cause producing  it which  tiie  flux  proceeds from,
which may be known  by its signs; for a flux  of the  womb  being a 
              ARISTOTLE'S LAST  LEGACY.           287

continual distilation from it for a longtime  together, the color of
what is voided shews what humor it is that offends; and in  some it
is yellow and that denotes choler; iu others  white and pale, and that
denotes phlegm.   If pure blood comes out, as if a vein was  opened
some corrision or knawing of the  womb is  to be  feared.  All of
them are known by these signs.
  The place of conception is continually  moist  with  the  humors
the face is colored,  the party  loaths meats  and breaths wth  difficul-
ty;  the eyes are much swollen which is sometimes  with pain.   If
the offending humor be  pure blood, then you mast let blood in the arm
and the cephalic vein is fittest to draw back the blood.   And then
let the juice of plantain and comfrey be  injected  into  the  womb.
If phlegm be the cause, let cinnamon be  the spice used  in  all her
meats and drinks;  and let her take a little Venice treacle or mithri-
date every morning, let her boil mugwort, featherfew  and  vervain
in all broths.  Also half a dram of myrrh taken  every  morning  is
an excellent remedy against the  malady.   If cholor be  the  cause,
let her take  burrage, bugloss,   red roses, endive and succory roots,
lettuce and white poppy seed,of each a  handful;  boil these in white
wine till one half pint  every morning; to which half pint tdd syrup
of each flowers and syrup of chickory, of  each one ounce  with  a
little rhubarb; and  this will gently purge her.  Ifit  proceed  from
putrified blood, let her  blood  in the foot, and  then strengthen the
womb, as I  have directed, in  the stopping of the menstrues.
  If barrenness be occasioned  by   the falling  out of the womb as
sometimes happens, let her apply sweet scents to her  nose, such as
civit, galbanum,  styrax calamints, wood of aloes  and   such  other
tilings as are of that nature aud let her  lay stinking  things to the
womb, such as asafntida, oil of amber, or the  smoke  of her own
hair burnt; for this  is certain that the womb flies from all stinking
and applies to all sweet things.  But the most infallible cure in this
case is this; take a common  burdock leaf (which you ma/ keep
dry if you please all the year)  apply this to her head and it will draw
the womb downward.   "Rur seed beaten into powder  has also the
like virtue;  for  by a  magnetic power it draws  the womb whicli
way you please, according as  it is applied.
  If barrenness proceed from a hot cause,  let  the party take  whey
and clarify it, then boil plainvain leaves  and roots in it, and drink it
for her ordinary drink.  Let  her also  inject the juhe of plaintain
into die womb with a   syringe.  If it be in  the  winter, when  you
cannot get the juice, make a strong decoction of the roots and leaves
in water, and  inject that up with a  syringe; but let  it lie blood
warm, and you will find this medicine to lie of great efficacy.  And
further, to take away barrenness proceeding from hot causes, take
often conserve of roses, cold lozenges, made of tragacanth, the con-
fection t;f tricantelia,  and use  to smell camphire,  rose water and
cituiiders.   It is also good to bleed  the basilica, or  liver vein,  and 
 238          ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.

 dien take this purge: take electuarum de epithimo de succo rosarun
 of each two drams and  a half, clarified  whey  four  ounces; mix
 them well together, and take it in the morning fasting,  sleep  after
 italxmt an hour and a half, and fast  after it four hours;  and about
 an hour before you eat anything  drink a  good  draught  of  whey.
 Also take lily water  four ounces;  mardrogar water one ounce,
 saffron half a scruple; beat the saffron to powder and mix it  with
 the water and drink them warm in  the  morning ; use this eight
 days together.
 Here followethsome excellent remedies   against  Barrenness,
                   and to cause Fruitfulness.
  Take broom flowers, stnallage, parsley seed, cummin,  mugwort
 featherfew,  of  each half a scruple;  aloes  half an  ounce ; Indian
 salt  saffron, of each half a dram, beat and mix diem well together:
 and put into five ounces of featlierfew water, warm,  stop  it close,
 and let  it stand and diy in a warm place; and thus  do two or three
 times one after another;  then make each dram into six  pills,  and
 take one every other night before supper.
  But if the cause of barrenness either in man or woman,  be through
 the scarcity or diminution of the natural seed then such  things are
 to be taken as do increase the seed,  and incite or stir up  venery,
 and further conception;  which I shall here set down and  so  con-
 clude this chapter of barrenness.
  For this yellow rape, seed  baked  in  bread is very good;  also
 young fat flesh, not too much salted ;  also saffron the tails of stinc-
 tus, and long pepper prepared  in wine ;  let  such persons eschew
 also sour, sharp doughy, and slimy  meats,  long sleep after meat
 surfeiting and drunkness,  as much as they  can; keep   themselves
 from sorrow, grief, vexation and care.
   These things  following increase  natural seed and stir up to vene-
 ry, and  recover the seed again when lost, mix eggs, milk, rice boil-
 ed in milk;  sparrows brains flesh, bones  and all  the stones and
 pizzles of bulls bucks rams and  'mars; also cock stones lamb stones
 partridges quails  and pheasants eggs;  and  this is an undeniable
 aphorism, that whatsoever any creature is addicted unto,  they move
 or incite the man or  woman that eats them to the  like ; and there-
 fore partridges quads sparrows  &c.  being  extremely  addicted  to
 venery they  work tne same effect in those men and women that  eat
 them.
  Also to take notice that in what  part  of  the body the faculty,
 which you would strengthen  Ihs take the same part of'.he body of
 another  creature in  whom the faculty is  strong for a   medicine.
As for instance the  procreative faculty lies in the testicles ; there-
fore cock stones lamb stones  &c. are proper to stir up venery.   1
will also give you another general rule;  creatures that  are fruitful
being eaten make them fruitful that eat them  .such as lobsters spawn
 pigeons  &c. 
               ARISTOTLE'S LAST  LEGACY           2S9

  Of the pleasures and advantage of Marriages ; with the une-
     qual Mutches, and the' ruinous effect of unlawful Love.
    We have hitherto been treating of the generation of men,  which
  is effected by man and woman in the action of coition or copulation.
  But this can be  no ways lawfully  done, but by those who are joined
  together  in wedlock, according to die institution of the  Creator  in
  paradise, when he first bro't man and woman together.  Which
  being so it necessarily leads to  treat of tbe pleasure  aud advantage
  of a married life.
    And sure there is none  that reasonably  question the  pleasure
  aud advantage of a married life, that does but reflect upon  its au-
  thor, or the  time and place of its  institution.  The author and  in-
  stitutor of marriage, was no other  than the great Lord of the whole
  universe, the Creator of heaven and  earth,  whose wisdom is infi-
  nite, and therefore knew what  was best for  us,  and whose good-
  ness is equal to his wisdom, and therefore instituted marriage, ss
  what was best for the man  whom be  had just created,  and  whom
 he looked upon as short of that complete happiness which  he had
 designed  him while he was alone and  had not the help mate  provi-
 ded for him.  The time of its institution  was no less remarkable;
 it was  while our first parents  were  clothed with  that virgin puri-
 ty and  innocence in which  they were  created ;  it was   at  a time
 wherein they had a blessed and uninterupted converse and commun-
 ion with their Creator;  and were  complete in all the  perfections
 both of body and mind, being the lively image of him that created
 them;  it was at a time when they curiously surveyed die  several
 incomparable beauties and perfections of each  other without sin,
 and knew not what it was to lust ; it was at diis happy  time the
 Almighty divided Adam from himself, and of a crooked rib made  an
 help mate for him; and by instituting marriage, united  him unto
 himself again in wedlock's  sacred bands.  And  this must  needs
 speak very highly in commendation ofa married life.
  But we have yet  considered  only the time;  now let  us consider
 next what place it was  wherein this marriage knot was first tied,
 and we shall find the  place was  Paradise, a place  formed  by the
 great Creator for  delight and pleasure; and in our usual  dialect,
 when we should  show the highest satisfaction we take in, and give
 die greatest commendation to a place,  we can ascend no higher than
 to affirm it was like a Paradise.  There are many curious delica-
 cies and delights to please the eye and charm the ear in the gardens
 of princes and noblemen; but Paradise did certainly outdo them all
 the sacred scriptures speaking of its high encomiums.  It was pleas-
 ant as die gardens of  God.  It was  in the midst of Paradise, the
 centre of delight and happiness,  that Adam was unhappy while in a
single state;  therefore marriage  may properly be  styled the  Par-
adise of Paradise itself. 
240          ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.

  I will shew you the love of a good wife to her husband in an il-
lustrious example of a'queen to our  own nation.
  King Edward I. making a voy?ge to Palestine for the recovery
of the Holy Land in  which expedition he very  victorious  and suc-
cessful  took his queen along with  him who  willingly accompanied
him in all the dangers he exposed himself to.   It so happened that
after several victories obtained, which made  him both beloved and
feared he was wounded by a Turk with a  poisoned  arrow, which
all the king's physicians concluded mortal,  unless some human crea-
ture would suck away the poisonous blood out of the  wound;  at
the same time declaring that  it would be the death of those  that
did it.   Upon this die thing  was proposed  to several of the  cour-
tiers; but  they all waved diis piece of loyalty;   and   as  well  as
tliey pretended to love the king yet  loved their  own  lives better;
and therefore with a compliment declined  it, which, when the no-
ble queen perceived, and  that the  king must  die for want of such
kind assistance, she with a braveness worthy of herself,  declared
she was resolved herself to undertake his cure, and venture her own
life to save the king her husband, and  so  accordingly  sucked the
poisonous matter  from  the  wound, and thereby  saved the king;
and Heaven which did  inspire her  widi that generous resolution,
preserved her  too, as a  reward  for  her  great  conjugal  affec-
tion.
   But diat which renders marriage  such a mormo and makes   it
look like such a bugbeai to our modern sparks, are those  unhappy
consequences that too often attend  it,  for  there  are  few but see
what inauspicious torches, Hymen lights at every  wedding: what
unlucky hands link in the wedding ring, nodiing but fears and jars,
and discontents and jealousies, or else, barrenness are all  the  bles-
sings which crown the  genial bed.   But it is not marriage that   is
to olame for this, the things are only die effects of forced and une-
qual matches;  when greedy parents for the  thirst of gold, will match
a daughter that is scarce seventeen to an old  miser that is above three-
score, can any think they two can ever agree, whose  inclinations
are as different as the  months of June and  January ;  this makes
the woman, (who still  wants a husband, for the old miser is scarce
the shadow of one,) either  to wish or may be to contrive his death
to whom her parents thus against her will, have yoked her ; or else
to satisfy her natural inclinations, she throws herself into  the  arms
of unlawful love both of which arc equally  destructive,  and  which
might both have been  prevented had her  greedy inconsiderate pa-
rents provided her such a match as  had  been suitable  and proper.
A sad truth of which an  insfa—;; foi.ows.
   There lived in Warwickshire, a gentleman of very good estate,
who being grown ancient at the death of his first  wife, thought   of
marrying his son  and heir, then at man's estate, to the daughter   of
a neighboring gentleman  of an ancient family and fair  estate, who 
              ARISTOTLE'S LAST  LEGACY.          241

approved of (he motion and agreed to give 5000/. with his. daugh-
ter upon her marriage with tltc young  gentleman.   No  sooner had
the father a sight of the lady, but forgetting his son became a suitor
for himself;  and to obtain her he offered as much  money  for her
(besides  the settling her a good jointure on her) as her  father had
promised to give with her to  his son.  This lilieral offer  so wrought
on tbe lady's father,  that  with persuaion and with  menances, he
forced his daughter unwillingly to consent to be married to the old
man.  But as she w;ls in a manner compiled to this unequal match
so she never lived contentedly with him;  for her affections wander-
ed after other men, she gave entertainment to a young gentleman  of
twenty two years of age, whom she liked much better than her hus-
band, as one more suitable to her young years; that she  grew im-
patient for her  husband's death, therefore  sought to cut  that thread
of life she was  of opinion   nature lengthened out too long; and  to
that end having corrupted  her waiting woman and a groom  belong-
ing  to tlie stable she resolved by their assistance, and that of her
enamoralo, to murder him in  his bed  by  strangling him; which
resolution (although her lover failed her, and came not al the time
appointed recoiling at the  dismal apprehension of a  fact so horrid)
she executed only by her servants.   For watching till her  husband
was asleep,   she let iu those assassins and then casting a long tow-
el about his neck she caused the groom to  lie  upon him,  that he
might not struggle, whilst  she and her maid by straining the towel
stopped his breath. And now the next thing  was how to prevent dis-
covery, and  to that end they carried him to another  room  where  a
close stool was  placed on  which they set him;  and when the  maid
and groom  were both withdrawn and the   const clear,  she made
such a hideous outcry in the house, wringing  her hands  and  pul-
ling off her hair, and weeping so extremely that none suspected her:
for she alledged that missing him sometime out of bed she  went to see
what was the matter he staid so long, found him dead sitting on his
close stool which seemed very plausible prevented all suspicions of his
death.   And being thus rid of her husband,  she set a great value on
her beauty,  and quite shook off her former lover (perhaps  because
he had implicitly refused to be an actor  in her  husbands  tragedy)
and coining up to London  made the  best market of her beauty that
she could.   But murder is  a crime that seldom goes  unpunished to
the grave ; in two years after, justice overtook  her, and brought to
light this horrid deed of darkness.  The groom (one of  the actors
of this fatal  tragedy, being retained a servant with the son  and
heir of the old  murdered gentleman, for  whom the lady was  first
designed)  with some other  servants attending him to Coventry, his
guilty conscience (he being in his cups ) forced him upon his knees
to beg forgi\eness of his master for the murder of his father.  And
taking him aside acquainted him with all the circumstances of it.
                               21 
242
ARISTOTLES LAST LEGACY.
  The Gentleman though struck with horror and amazement at the
discovery of so vile a fact, yet gave the groom good words but  or-
dered his servants to have an eye upon him, that he might not es-
cape when sober; and yet escape he did  for all their vigilance and
being got to the seaside  he attempted three times to put  to sea,  but
was as often forced back by the contrary  winds; where being pur-
sued and apprehended by his master he was  brought back a pris-
oner to Warwick,  as was soon after, the lady and her gentlewoman
also, who were all executed for that horrid murder.   The  lady was
burned on Wolveyheadi, and the two servants suffered  death  at
Warwick; leaving the world a sad example of the  dismal conse-
quences of doting love, forced marriages and unequal matches.
  And though in many  such like matches,  the mischief does not run
so high, as to break fortii into adultery and murder, but the young
lady from a principle of virtue and the fear of God, curbs   her nat-
ural inclinations, and preserves her chastity yet either in  diis very
case, her husband, conscious of the abatement of his youthful vigor,
and his own weak  imbecile performance of tlie conjugal  rites sus-
pects his virtuous lady and watches over her with Argus' eyes, ma-
king himself and her unhappy by his senseless jealousy;  and though
he happens to have children  by lier (which may well be having so
good ground to improve on)  yet can scarcely think they are his
own.   His very sleep is  disturbed with the dreams of cuckoldom
and horns; nor dares he keep a  pack of  hounds for fear Aacteon's
fate should follow him.   These  are a few of  the  sad effects ofold
men's dotage and unequal matches.
  But let us turn die tables now, and see if it be better on the other
side, when a young spark about two and twenty marries  a granuin
of three score and ten,  with a face more  wrinkled than a   piece of
tripe.  This I am sure  is more unnatural.   Here can be no increase,
unless of gold which oftentimes the old hag, for one   can call her no
better, that marries a young boy to satisfy  her  letcherous itch,  con-
veys away before her marriage, to her own relations, and leaves the
expecting coxcomb nothing but repentance for his  portion.  Pock-
et expenses, perhaps she will allow him, and for  those slender wa-
ges hie is bound to do the basest  drudgery.  But if he  meets with
money, which was  the only motive of the  match, her gold  being die
greatest cordial at the wedding feast, he does profusely squander it
away and riots in excess among his whores, hoping ere long his an-
tiquated  wife will take a voyage to another world, and leave him to
his liberty: whilst the old grandame finding her money  wasted, and
herself despised, is  filled with those resentments that jealousy, envy,
and neglected love can give, hoping each day to  see him in his srrave,
though she h:is almost  both feet  in her own;  thus they each day
wish for  each other's death, which, if it comes not quickly, they of-
ten  help  to hasten.                                «^ 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.          243
   But these are still excresences of marriage, and are the errors the
people marrying, and not the fault of marriage  itself.   For let that
be what God  as first  ordained a nuptial of  two hearts, as well as
hands, whom equal years and mutual love has first united, before the
persons join their hands, and such will tell you that mortals can en-
joy no greater happiness on this side of heaven.
                         CHAP.  III.
Directions to both Sexes, how to manage themselves in the act
              of Coition, or Veneral  Embraces.
   Having shewed in the former chapter the pleasures  and advanta-
ges of marriage, I will now give some directions to the new married
persons, how to manage  themselves in the exercise of one of the
greatest most natural and  agreeable pleasures  thereof,  and that is
their nocturnal or venereal embraces; a pleasure peculiar to a mar-
ried life, or at least it ought to be so, for it  is not permitted to any
besides.   And  let not any think it strange that  we pretend  to give
directions to do what  nature  teaclieth  every one, since it is well
known 'hat nature has been assisted by art in some of our most no-
ble observations;  besides it is not the bare  performing of that act
that they are directed it is, but the performing of it so that  it may
be efficacious for the  production or generation of man, which oui
great  master Aristotle designs in this last legacy to the world.   To
which purpose some things arc to be observed previous to this act and
some  things consequent upon  it.
                         CHAP.  IX.
The Midtoife's Vade  Mecum; Containing  particular  direc-
               tions for  Midwives, Nurses, tyc.
  Those who take upon them the office of a midwife, ought to take
care to fit themselves for thut employment, with the knowledge of
those  things that  are necessary for  the  faithful discharge thereof.
And such persons ought to be of the middle  age,  neither too young
nor too old, and of good habit of body, nor subject to diseases, fears
or sudden fright nor are the qualifications assigned for a good sur-
geon improper for a midwife, viz. a lady's hand, a hawks eye, and
a lion's heart;  to which may be added, activity of body and conven-
ient strength, with caution and diligence, not subject to  drowsiness,
nor apt to  be  impatient.   She ought also to be sober, affable,  cour-
teous, chaste;  not covetous, nor subject to passion, but bountiful and
compassionate.  And  above  all she ought to be qualified  as the
Egyptian  midwives of old, that is,  to  have the fear of God, which
is the principal  thing in every state  and condition, and will  furnish
her in all  occasions both with knowledge and discretion.
   When the time of birtll  draws near, and die  good woman finds
her travailing pains begin to come  upon her, let her send  for  the
midwife in tune;  better too soon than too late,  and get those things
ready which are proper  upon such  occasions.  When the midwife
comes, let her first find whether the true time of the birth be come, 
241
ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.
for want of observing  this has spoiled many a child, and endanger-
ed the life of the mother, or at least put her to twice as much  pain
as she needed.  For unskilful midwive's not minding this, have giv-
en things to force down the child, aud thereby disturbing the  natu-
ral course of  her labor; whereas nature works  best  in her iwn
time and way.  I do confess it is somewhat  difficult to know the
true  time of some women's labor, they being  troubled with pains so
long before their true labor comes, in some  weeks before the rea-
son of which I conceive to be the heat of the reins, and this may be
known by tlie swelling of tiieir legs; and therefore when women wfdi
cliild find their legs swell much, they may be assured that tiieir reins
are too hot.   For the cure thereof, let them cool die reins before the
time of their labor, with oil of poppies, and oil of violets, or water
lillies, by anointing the reins of their back with them;  for such wo-
men whose reins are over hot, have usually hard labor.  But in
this case, above all the remedies diat I know, I prefer the decoction
of plaintain leaves aud roots;  you may make a strong decoction of
diem in water, and then  having strained and  clarified it with the
white of an egg,  boil it into a syrup with equal weight in sugar, and
keep it for your use.
  There are two skins that compass  die child in the womb the one
is the amnois, and this is  the  inner skin;  the  other is  the alantois
and this iu the skin  that  holds the urine  of the  child during the
time that it abides in the womb;  both those skins,  by the violent
stirring of the child  near the time of the  birth, are  broken; and
then the urine and sweat of die child contained in them fall  down
to the neck of the womb;  ana this is that  which midwives  call the
water; and this is an infallible sign  that the birth  is near; so tbe
child is no longer able to subsist in the womb, when those skins are
broken, than a naked man is in the cold air.  These waters,  if  the
child comes presently after them facilitate the labor, by making the
passage slippery; and therefore die midwife must have a care that
she force not her water away, for nature knows better the true time
of tlie  birth than she, and usually  retains the water till  that time.
         Several medicinet to cause speedy  delivery.
  A loadstone held in her left hand,  take wild tansey and  bruise it
and apply it to the woman's nostrils. Take date stones and beat
them to powder, and let her take  half a dram of them in white wine
at a time.
  Takeparsely, bruise it and press out the juice and put it up, being
so dipped, into the mouth of the womb, and it will presently cause the
child to come away,  though  it be dead and  after burden also; besides
it cleanseth the womb, and also the child  in the  womb of all gross
humors.
   Let  no midwife ever force away a child, unless she be sure it is
dead.   I once was where a  woman  was  in labour,  which being
very hard, hor midwife  sent  for another midwife to assist her 
              ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.           245

which midwife sending the first down stairs, and designing to have
the honor herself,  forced away the body  of the child, and left the
head behind, of which the woman was forced afterwards to be  de-
livered by a man midwife.
  The next thing to be done, is to bring away the after birth or se-
cundine, else it will be very  dangerous for the woman.  But  this
must  be  done by gentle means, and without any delays,  for in
this case especially, delays are dangerous; and  whatever I have
set down before, as good to cause speedy  delivery, and bring away
the birth, is good also  to bring  away the after  birth.
  Having thus finished my Vade  Mecum  for midwives, before  I
conclude, I will add something of the choice and  qualifications of
a good nurse, that, those who may want them, may  know how to
order themselves for the good of their children which they  nurse.
  First, then, if you would  choose  a good nurse,  choose one of
a sanguine  complexion, not only because that complexion, is gen-
erally thought best but  also, because all children in their minority
have  their complexion  predominant.  And  that you may know
such a woman, take the following description  of  lier.
  Her stature of the middle size, her body fleshy, but not fat,  and
of a merry pleasant and cheerful countenance; a fresh ruddy color,
and her skin  so very clear, that you may  see  her  veins through it.
She is one that loves company, and never cares to be alone;  never
given to anger, but mightily  to playing  and  singing; and  which
make her the fittest part for a  nurse,  and very much  delights in
children.  In choosing such an one you can hardly do  amiss only
let me give you this caution if you cannot get one exactly of this  des-
cription, which you will find very difficult, get one as near as  you
canto  it.   And let these rules further guide you in your choice, 1.
Let her age be between 20 and 30 for then she is in her prime.   2.
Let her be in health, for sickness infects  her  milk,  and  her milk
the  child. . 3.  Let her be a prudent woman for such a one will be
careful of the child.   4.  Let her not be too poor, for if she  wants
the  child must too.  6.  Let her  be well bred, for ill bred  nurses
corrupt good nature.  8. If it be a boy that is  to  be  nursed,  be
such an one whose last child was a boy,  and  so  it will be more
agreeable, but if it be a girl let the nurse be one whose last child
was a girl.   7. If the nurse have a husband see  that he be a good
likely  man, and not given to debauchery, for  that mav have an in-
fluence upon the child.  8. In die last place, let the nurse take
care she be not with child herself ;  for if so, she must of necessity
either spoil her own child, or yours perhaps.  To  a nurse thus
qualified you may put your child without  danger.   And let  such  a
nurse observe the following directions, for the better governing  and
ordering herself in that  station. 
246          ARISTOTLE'S  LAST LEGACY.
                   Directions for Nurses.
  1.  Let her use her body to exercise;  if she hadi nothing else to
de, let her  exercise  herself by  dancing the  child; for moderate
exercise causeth good digestion ; and I am  sure  good  blood must
needs make good milk, and gooa milk  cannot  fail of making a
thriving  child.  2.   Let her live in good air; there is no one
thing more material than this.  The want of this makes so  many
children die in London; and even these few that live  are  none of
the wisest;  for gross and thick  air makes  tin wieldly bodies, and
dull;  and let none wonder at this, for the operation of the  air to
the body of man is  as great as meat and drink for it helps  to  en-
gender the vital and animal spirits ; and this is the cause  of sick-
ness and  health,  of  life and death.  8.   Let her be  careful  of her
diet, and avoid all salt meats garlic leeks onions and  mustard  ex-
cessive drinking of wine strong beer or ale for they trouble  the
child's body with choler; cheese both new and old,  afflicts  it with
melancholy, and all filth with phlegm.  Let her never deny  herself
sleep  when she is sleepy, for by  that means she will be more wake-
ful when  the child cries. Let her avoid all disquiets of  mind,
anger vexation, sorrow and grief, for these things very much  disor-
der a woman, and therefore must be hurtful  to  the milk.   If  the
nurse's milk happens  to tie corrupted by any accident as sometimes
it may be by being  either too hot or  too cold in such cases let  her
diet be good,  and  let her observe  cautions already given her.  If
her milk be bot let her cool it widi endive, succory, lettuce,  sorrel,
parslain, and  plaintain; if it he too cold,  lot her  use beverage,
vervain bugloss, mother of thyme and cinnamon; and let her observe
this general rule, whatsoever strengthens the  child in tbe  womb,
the same attends the  milk.  If the nurse  wants  milk the  thistle
commonly called our lady thistle is excellent  for her  breeding of
milk; diere  l«ing  few things growing if any that  breed more
and better milk  than  that doth  ;  also, tiie hoof of the fore  feet of
a cow, dried and beaten to powder,  taken  ovary  morning  in  any
convenient  liquor,  increaseth the  milk.
                Remedies, for increasing Milk.
   If a nurse be given to much fretting, makes her lean and hinders
 digestion, and she  can  never have a store  of milk, nor  what she
 has be good.  Bad meats and drinks, also  hinder  die increase of
 milk, and therefore ought to be  foreborn and dierefore women  that
 would increase  their milk, should eat good meat, that is if they can
   C"; it, and let her drink milk wherein fennel seed hath been steeped.
    t her drink barley  water, burrage and spinn-uge ; also,  goats milk
 diid lamb sodden with verjuice: let her  also  comfort  the stomach
 with confection of annis seed, caraway and cummin seeds sodden in
 water; also take barley water and boil therein fennel and dill and
 sweeten it with sugar, and drink it at your pleasure. 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY.           247
  Lastly lake half an ounce of deer's suet and as much parsley roots
with the iierbs an ounce and half of barley meal, throe drams  of
red storax three ounces of oil of sweet plmonds; boil  the root and
herlis well and beat them to a pap and then mingle the other amongst
them  and put it warm to the nipples it will  increase the milk.
  And dius Courteous Reader t have at length finished  what I  de-
signed and promised and can truly affirm that  thou hast here those
Receipts and  Remedies and Directions given unto thee with respect
to cliild bearing women midwives and nurses  that they are worth
their weight in  gold and will  assuredly  with  the blessing of God
answer the end whenever thou  hast  occasion to make use of them
they being diings taken not on trust  from tradition or hearsay  but
the  result and dictates of sound reason and  long experience.
FINIS. 
 
 

r    ■'