The Whole of 
ARISTOTLE's 
COMPLEAT 
MASTER-PIECE, 
IN THREE PARTS:
Displaying the Secrets of Nature in the 
Generation of Man. 
Regularly digested into CHAPTERS and SEC- 
TIONS, rendering it far more easy than any 
yet extant. 
TO WHICH IS ADDED A 
TREASURE of HEALTH: 
OR THE 
FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 
Being choice and approved REMEDIES for all the 
several DISTEMPERS incident to human Bodies, 
and containing many new RECIPES, not inserted 
in any other Edition of this Book. 
The FIFTY-THIRD EDITION. 
LONDON: 
Printed in the Year MDCCLXXX. 




TO THE 
READER. 
TO tell thee, that AristotJe, the learned author 
of this book, was generally reported to be the 
most knowing philosopher in the world, is no more 
than what every intelligent person always knows, nor 
can any think otherways, who will give themselves 
the leisure to consider, that he was the scholar of 
Plato, (who was in his time, the only reputed philo- 
sopher for wisdom) and under him Aristotle profited 
so much, that he was chosen by King Philip of Mace- 
don, as the most worthy and proper person, in his 
dominions, to be tutor to his son Alexander, by 
whose wise precepts and instructions, Alexander be- 
came master of so great wisdom, judgment, prowess, 
and magnanimity, that he justly obtained the title of 
the Great: and Alexander himself was so sensible of 
the advantage he received by the instructions of so
great a Stagyrite, (for so Aristotle was called from the 
country of Stagyra, where he was born,) that he af- 
firmed that he was more beholden to his tutor Aristotle 
for the cultivation of his mind, than to Philip his fa- 
ther for the kingdom of Macedon. 
Now, though Aristotle applied himself universally 
to the investigation of all the secrets of nature, and 
for that obtained an universal fame, yet that which 
he was pleased, in a more special and peculiar manner, 
to bring into a fuller and more true light, was the 
unfolding of the secrets of nature, with respect to the 
generation of Man. This is stiled his MASTER- 
PIECE; and in this he has made so thorough a search, 
that he has, as it were turned nature inside outward. 
Nor let any think these things to be below the 
study of so great a philosopher, since the divine re- 
cords assure us, that it has been the study of divers 
illustrious persons, equally renowned for wisdom and 
goodness. Among whom, I may well reckon Job, 

(iv)
the greatest man of all secrets of nature, has made it 
sufficiently evident, by that excellent philosophical 
account he gives of the generation of man, in the 
tenth chapter of that book, which bears his name, 
where he says, “ Thine hands have made me and fa- 
“ shioned me together round about: Thou hast 
“ poured me out as milk, and crudled me like cheese: 
“ Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast 
“ fenced me with bones and sinews.” Another in- 
stance of illustrious persons that have studied the 
secrets of nature, in the generation of man, is that of 
one of the greatest, as well as the best kings of Israel: I 
mean King David, so great a prince that he maybe said 
to have laid not only the foundation, but also to have 
settled the Hebrew monarchy; and his piety was supe- 
rior to his power, being peculiarly styled, A man 
after God's own heart. Let us hear what this man 
faith of the secrets of nature, in his divine soliloquies to 
his Creator, Psal. cxxxix. 13, 14, &c. “ Thou 
“ hast covered me in my mother’s womb; I will 
“ praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully 
“ made; marvellous are thy works, and that my 
“ soul knoweth right well. My substance was not 
“ hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and 
“ curiously wrought in the lowermost parts of the 
“ earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being 
“ imperfect, and in thy book all my members were 
“ written, which in continuance were fashioned, when 
“ as yet there was none of them.” 
Now, let the fore quoted words of holy Job, and 
those last of King David be put together, and I will 
make no scruple to affirm, that they make up the most 
accurate system of Philosophy, respecting the genera- 
tion of man, that has ever yet been written. 
And why should not the mysteries of nature, in the 
generation of man, be, without blame, enquired in- 
to, since so great a tribute of praise redounds from 
hence unto the God of nature? The more we know 

(v)
of those works, the more our hearts will be engaged 
to praise him, as we see in the instance of David before
us, “ I will praise thee (says he,) for I am fearfully 
“ and wonderfully made.” And then he breaks out 
into this exclamation, “ Marvellous are thy works, 
“ and that my soul knoweth right well.” 
If any should object that this knowledge is too often 
abused by vain and light persons, who instead of ad- 
miring the wisdom of God in the secrets of generation, 
not only make it their business to ridicule and set them 
at nought, I readily grant it, and think it a very 
great unhappiness that there should be a generation of 
such profligate persons in the world; but, at the same 
time do aver, that this is no objection to this book; 
for, shall the fun be taken out of the firmament, be- 
cause its generating and life-giving virtue makes 
noxious weeds and poisonous plants grow and flou- 
rish, as well as the more sanative and medicine herbs, 
and odoriferous and refreshing flowers? It is not from 
the nature of the things themselves, but from the vi- 
cious nature of corrupted men, that these things come 
to be abused. A harmless bee will flee into a garden, 
and there suck honey from a flower, when a spider, 
from the venomous malignity of its nature, shall 
extract poison from thence; so that it is not to be at- 
tributed to the book, that is abused by vain and lewd 
persons, but to the vicious nature of those vain and 
lewd persons that do abuse it. 
But, perhaps, since Aristotle’s Master-piece has 
already obtained repute, why, at this time of day, we 
come to obtrude it as a new book upon the world, 
will be the most material objection. 
To this I answer, 1st, That translations are alike 
free to every one to make. But, 2dly, Having 
perused those several books that go by that name. I 
have seen none hitherto extant, exactly agreeing with 
the original, neither for matter nor method, which 
was a principal motive for me to attempt this work:

(vi)
in which, if those who have had the perusing of it, be 
not very partial in what they have said, I may venture 
to affirm, that the accuracy and care that there has 
been taken of the translation, and the method in which 
it is now presented to the world, has not only made it 
wholly new, but calculated it more for the reader’s 
advantage, than any thing that has hitherto been pub- 
lished of this nature to the world. So that, in this 
book alone, the reader may satisfy himself, that he has 
the great Aristotle’s Compleat Master-Piece. 
I have one thing more to acquaint the reader with 
before I have done, that is, having met with a choice 
piece of that prince of physicians Hippocrates, I could 
not forbear adding it by way of supplement to Aristo- 
tle’s Master-piece, as being both men highly eminent 
in their generation: for, as Aristotle was highly 
esteemed by Alexander the Great, so that great prince 
Artaxerxes had so high a value for Hippocrates, upon 
the account of his singular skill in physic, that he 
proffered to honour him with the greatest dignities of 
the Persian court, if he would have vouchsafed to have 
lived there. Hippocrates chose rather to confine 
himself to a solitary life, where he might pursue the 
various sympathies of nature, than to enjoy all the ho- 
nours of the Persian court. 
In this treatise, which we call his Family Physician, 
written, most probably, for the use of his own, the 
reader will find an invaluable treasure; by which 
choice and approved receipts, for the several distem- 
pers incident to human bodies, he needs never be at a 
loss what to do in any sudden emergency, but as soon 
as he knows his distemper, he may be acquainted 
with a suitable remedy. 
I have been civil to the reader, in acquainting him 
with what he shall find in this treatise; and I have 
no need nor no inclination to court him any farther; 
for, if men won’t know when they are well offered, 
let their own necessities instruct them better. Farewel. 


ARISTOTLE’S 
FULL 
MASTER-PIECE. 
PART. I. 
Displaylng the Secrets of Nature. 
INTRODUCTION. 
IT is strange to see how things that are common are 
slighted for that very reason, though in themselves 
worthy of the most serious consideration; and this is 
the very case as to the subject we are now to treat of. 
What is there more common than the begetting of 
children! and yet, what is more wonderful and my- 
sterious than the plastic power of nature, by which 
they are formed! For though there be radicated in 
the very nature of all creatures, a propension, which 
leads them to produce the image of themselves ; yet, 
how these images are produced, after those propen- 
sions are satisfied, is only known to those who trace 
the meanders of nature in their private chambers, those 
dark recesses of the womb, where this embrio receives 
formation. The original of all which proceed from 
the first command of the great Lord of the creation, 
“ Increase and multiply." The natural inclination 
and propension of both sexes to each other, with the 
plastic power of nature, is only the energy of the first
blessing, which to this day upholds the species of 
mankind in the world. 
Now, since philosophy informs us that (know 
thyself) is one of the first lessons a man ought to 
B learn

(2)
learn, it cannot surely be accounted an 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 congulated milk (as a divine author calls 
it) came to be transubstantiated into a human body. 
The explanation of this mystery, and the unfolding 
the plastic power of nature in the secret workings of 
generation, and the formation of the seed in the womb, 
is the subject of the following treatise; a subject so 
necessary to be known by all the female sex, the con- 
ception and bearing of children being what nature has 
ordained their province, that many for want of this 
knowledge have perished, with the fruit of their 
womb also: who, had they but understood the se- 
crets of generation, which are displayed in this book, 
might have been still in the land of the living. For 
the sake of such, therefore, I have compiled this 
treatise; which I shall divide into parts, in each of 
which I shall observe this method. In the first part 
I shall. 
First, Shew, that nature has no need to be asha- 
med of any of her works; and give a particular de- 
scription of the parts or organs of generation in men, 
and afterwards in women; and then shew the use of 
their parts in the act of coition, and how appositely 
nature has adapted them to the end for which she has 
ordained them. 
2dly, I shall shew the prohibition or restriction that 
the Creator of all things, and the Lord of nature has 
put upon man by the institution of marriage, with 
the advantage it brings to mankind. 
3dly, I shall shew when either sex may enter into a 
married state, and be fit to answer the ends of their 
creation, &c. 
4thly, I shall discourse of virginity, and therein 
shew what it is, how it is known, by what means it 
may

(3)
may be lost, and how a person may know that it is 
so, &c. 
In the Second Part, which chiefly relates to mar- 
ried women, and the preservation of the fruit of their 
womb, for the propagation of mankind in the world, 
I shall shew, 
First, What conception is; what is pre-requisite 
thereunto; how a woman may know when she hath 
conceived, and whether a boy or a girl. 
2dly, Shew how a woman that has conceived ought 
to order herself. 
3dly, Shew what a woman ought to do that is near 
the time of her delivery, and how she ought to be then 
assisted. 
4thly, I shall shew what are the obstruction of con- 
ception, and therein discourse largely about barrenness, 
and shew what are the causes and cure thereof, both 
in men and women. 
5thly, Direct midwives how they shall assist women 
in the time of their lying in, bringing in several other 
material matters, proper to be spoken of under each 
of those several heads, which will sufficiently render 
this book what Aristotle design'd it, his compleat 
Master-piece. 
CHAP. I. 
A particular Description of the Parts or In- 
struments of Generation, both in Man and 
Woman. 
THough the instruments or parts of generation 
in all creatures, with respect to their outward 
form, are not perhaps the more comely; yet 
in compensation of that, Nature has put upon them a 
B2 more

(4) 
more abundant, and far greater honour, than on 
other parts, in that she has ordain- 
ed them to be the mean, by which 
every species of being is continued 
from one generation to another; 
and therefore, though a man or wo- 
man, through the bounty of nature, are endowed 
with most angelic countenances, and the most exact 
symmetry and proportion of parts, that concur toge- 
ther to the making up of a most perfect beauty; yet if 
they were defective in the instruments of generation, 
they would not, for all their beauty, be acceptable at 
all to the other sex; because they would thereby 
be rendered incapable of satisfying the natural propen- 
sions which every one finds in themselves; and this, 
methinks, should be sufficient to shew the great ho- 
nour nature has put upon them. And, therefore, 
since it is our duty to be acquainted with ourselves, and 
to search out the wonders of God in nature, I need not 
make any apology for anatomizing the secret parts of 
generation. 
Sect. I. Of the in-
struments of genera-
tion in man, with a 
particular description 
thereof.
The organ of generation in man, nature has placed 
obvious to the sight, and is called the Yard; and 
because hanging without the belly, is called the Penis 
a pudendo. It is in form, long, round, and on the 
upper side flattish, and consists of skin, tendons, veins, 
arteries, and sinews, being seated under the Ossa 
Pubis, and ordained by nature for a twofold work, 
viz. For the evacuating of urine, and conveying the 
seed unto the matrix; the urine which it evacuates, 
is brought to it through the neck of the Visica Urina- 
rio; and the seed which it conveys unto the matrix, is 
brought into it from the Vesicalœ Seminales. But to 
be more particular. 
Besides the common parts, as the cuticle, the skin,
and

(5) 
and the membrana carnosa, it hath several internal 
parts proper to it, of which there are seven, viz. 
The two nervous bodies, the septum, the urethra, 
the glans, the muscles, and the vessels. Of each of 
these distinctly in the order I have placed them. And 
first, of 
The two nervous bodies: These are called so from 
their being surrounded with a thick white nervous 
membrane, though their inward substance is spungy, 
as consisting principally of veins, arteries, and ner- 
vous fibres, interwoven together like a knit; and 
nature so ordered it, that when the nerves are filled 
with animal spirits, and the arteries with hot and 
spiritous blood, then the Yard is distended, and be- 
comes erect; but when the flux of the spirits cease, 
then the blood, and the remaining spirits are absorb’d 
or suck’d up by the veins, and so the penis becomes 
limber and flaggy. 
2. The second internal part, is the septum lucidum, 
and this is in substance white and nervous, or sinewy, 
and its office is to uphold the two lateral or side liga- 
ments, and the urethra. 
3. The third is the urethra, which is only the 
channel by which both the seed and urine are convey- 
ed out: It is in substance lost and loose, thick, and 
sinewy, like that of the side ligaments. It begins at 
the neck of the bladder, but springs not from thence, 
only is joined to it, and so proceeds to the glans: It 
has three holes at the beginning, the largest whereof 
is in the midst, for that receives the urine into it; the 
other two are smaller, receiving the seed from each 
feminal vessel. 
4. The fourth is the glans, which is at the end of 
the penis, covered with a very thin membrane, by 
reason of which it is of a most exquisite feeling, it is 
covered with a preputium, or foreskin, which in some 
B3 covers

(6) 
covers the top of the Yard quite close, in others not; 
and, by its moving up and down in the act of co- 
pulation, brings pleasure both to the man and woman. 
The extreme parts of this cover, which I call pre- 
putium, and which is so called a preputenda, from 
cutting off, is that which the Jews were com- 
manded to cut off on the eighth day. The ligament 
by which it is fastened to the glans, is called the frae- 
num or the bridle. 
5. The fifth thing is the muscles; and these are 
four in number, two being placed on each side. 
These muscles (which are instruments of voluntary 
motion; and without which no part of the body can 
move itself) consists of fibrous flesh to make up their 
body; of nerves for the sense; of veins for the vital 
heat, and of a membrane or skin to knit them toge- 
ther, and to distinguish one muscle from another, and 
all of them from the flesh I have already said, that 
there is two of them on each side; and I will now 
add, that one on each side is shorter and thicker, and 
their use is to erect the Yard, from whence they have 
obtained the name of Erectors: And having told you 
two of them are thicker and shorter than the other, 
I need not tell you that the other two are longer and 
thiner, only I take notice, that the office of the two 
last is to dilate, or if you will, open the lower part of 
the urethra, both for making water, and voiding the 
seed, and therefore are called acceleratores. 
6, The sixth, and last things, are the vessels, 
which consist of veins, nerves, and arteries, of which 
some pass by the skin, and are visible to the eye, 
and others pass more inwardly; for indeed, the arte- 
ries are dispersed through the body of the Yard, much 
more than the veins; and this dispersion is contrary 
wise, the right artery being dispersed to the left side,
and 

(7)
and the left to the right; as for the two nerves, the 
greater is bestowed upon the muscles, and the body of 
the Yard, and the lesser upon the skin. 
What I have hitherto said, relates to the Yard, 
properly so called; but because there are some ap- 
pendages belonging thereto, which, when wanting, 
render the Yard of no use in the act of generation: it 
will also be necessary, before I conclude this section, 
to say something of them; I mean the stones or testi- 
cles, so called, because they testify the person to be a 
man; their number and place is obvious; and as to 
their use, in them the blood brought thither by sper- 
matic arteries, is elaborate into seed. They have 
coats or coverings of two sorts, proper and common, 
the common are two and invest both the testes; the 
outermost of the common coats consists of the cuti- 
cula or true skin, called scrotum, hanging out of the 
Abdomen like a purse, the membrana carnosa is the 
innermost. The proper coats are always two, the 
outer called elithroidis or vaginals, the inner albugi- 
nea; into the outer are inserted in the cremasters; to 
the upper side of the testes are fixed the epidymai- 
des, or parastata, from whence arise the vasa defe- 
rentia, or ejaculatorie; which, when they approach 
near the neck of the bladder, deposite the seed into 
the urethra, in the act of copulation. Near these are 
the prostatæ, which are about the bigness of a walnut 
and join to the neck of the bladder, these afford an 
oily slippery, and salt humour to besmear the urethra, 
and thereby defend it from the acrimony of the seed
and urine. But the vessels, by which the blood 
is conveyed to the testes, out of which the seed is 
made, are the arteriæ spermatecæ, and these are also 
two; and so likewise are the veins, which carry 
on the remaining blood, which are called venae sper- 
maticae. 
And


(8) 
And thus man’s noble parts describ’d we see,
For such the parts of generation be: 
And they that carefully survey, will find, 
Each part is fitted for the use design’d; 
The purest blood, we find, if well we keep,
Is in the testicles turn’d into seed, 
Which by most proper channels is transmitted,
Into the place by nature for it fitted, 
With highest sense of pleasure, to excite,
In am’rous combatants the more delight. 
For nature does in this great work design, 
Profit and pleasure in one act to join. 
Sect. 2. Of the se- 
cret parts in women 
appropriated to the 
work of generation.
WOMAN, next to man, the 
noblest piece of the crea- 
tion, is bone of his bone, and flesh 
of his flesh, a sort of second self, 
and in a married state, are counted but one; for as 
the poet says, 
Man and his 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 shall do 
with as much modesty and sobriety as will consist with 
our speaking intelligibly, for its better to say nothing, 
than to speak so as not to be understood. 
The external parts, commonly called Pudenda 
(from the shamefacedness that is in women to have 
them seen) are the lips of the great orifice, which are 
visible to the eye, and in those that are grown, are co- 
vered with hair, and have great store of spungy fat: 
their use being to keep the internal parts from all 
annoyance by outward accidents. 
Within these are the nympha, or wings, which pre- 
sent


(9) 
sent themselves to the eye, when the lips are severed, 
and consist of soft and spungy flesh, and the doubling 
of the skin placed at the sides of the neck: they com- 
pass the clytoris, and both in form and colour, resemble 
the comb of a cock, looking fresh and red, and in the 
act of coition receives the Penis or Yard between 
them; besides which, they give passage both to the 
birth and urine. The use of the wings and knobs like 
myrtle-berries, shutting the orifice and neck of the 
bladder, and by the swelling up, cause titillation and 
delight in those parts, and also obstruct the involun- 
tary passage of the urine. 
The next thing is the clytoris, which is a sinewy 
and hard part of the womb, repleat with spungy and 
black matter within, in the same manner as the side 
ligaments of the Yard; and indeed resemble it in 
form, suffer erection and falling in the same manner, 
and it both stirs up lust, and gives delight in copula- 
tion; for without this the fair sex neither desire mu- 
tual embraces, nor have pleasure in them, nor conceive 
by them; and according to the greatness or smallness 
of this part, they are more or less fond of men’s em- 
braces; so that it may properly be stiled, The seat 
of lust. 
Blowing the coals out of those am’rous fires, 
Which youth and beauty, to be quench’d, desires. 
And well it may be stiled so; for it is like a Yard in 
situation, substance, composition, and erection, grow- 
ing sometimes out of the body two inches, but that 
happens not, but upon some extraordinary accidents.
It consists, as I have said, of two spungy and skinny 
bodies, which being a distinct original from the os 
pubis; the head of it being covered with a tender skin, 
having a hole like the Yard of a man, but not through; 
in which, and the bigness of it, only differs from it.
The 


(10) 
The next thing is the passage of the urine, which 
is under the clytoris, and above the neck of the womb, 
so that the urine of a woman comes not thro’ the neck 
of the womb, neither is the passage common as in 
men, but particular, and by itself. This passage 
opens itself into the fissures to evacuate urine, for the 
securing of which from cold or any other inconveni- 
ency, there is one of the four carbuncles or fleshy 
knobs, placed before it, which shut up the passage; 
for these knobs which are in number four, and in 
resemblance like myrtle-berries are placed behind the 
wings before spoken of, quadrangularly, one against 
the other. These are round in virgins, but hang 
flagging when virginity is lost; its the uppermost of 
those that nature has placed for the securing the or- 
dinary passage from cold, and which is therefore lar-
gest for that end. 
The lips of the womb that next appear, cover the 
neck thereof, but being separated, disclose it, and 
then two things are to be observed, and these are the 
neck itself, and the hymen, more properly called, 
The claustrum virginale; of which I shall have more 
occasion to speak, when I come to shew what virginity 
is. The neck of the womb I call the channel, which 
is between the forementioned knobs, and the inner 
bone of the womb, which receives the man’s Yard like 
a sheath; and that it may be dilated with the more 
ease and pleasure in the act of coition, it is sinewy 
and a little spungy, and there being in this concavity, 
divers folds or orbicular forms made by tunicles, which 
are wrinkled, it forms an expanded rose, which may 
be seen in virgins; but in those that have often used 
copulation, it comes by degrees to be extinguished; 
so that the inner side of the neck of the womb appears 
smooth, and in old women it becomes more hard 
and grisly. But though this channel be sinking 
down

(11) 
down wreathed and crooked, yet it is otherwise in the 
act of copulation, as also when women are under their 
monthly purgation, or in labour, being then very much 
extended, which is a great cause of their pains. 
The claustrum virginals, commonly called the hy- 
men, is that which closes the neck of the womb; for 
between the duplicity of the two tunicles, which con- 
stitute the neck of the womb, there are many veins 
and arteries running along, that arise from the vessels 
of both sides of the thighs, and to pass into the neck 
of the womb, being very large; and the reason there- 
of is, because the neck of the womb requires to be 
filled with abundance of spirits, to be dilated thereby, 
that it may the better take hold of the Penis, such 
motions requiring great heat which being made more 
intense by the act of frication, consumes a great deal 
of moisture; in the supplying whereof, large vessels 
are very necessary. Hence it is, that the neck of the 
womb in the Woman of reasonable stature, is eight 
inches in length. But there is also another cause of 
the intenseness of their vessels, i. e. because their 
monthly purgations make their way thro’ them; and 
for this reason, women, tho’ with child continue them; 
for tho’ the womb be shut up, yet the passage in the 
neck of the womb thro’ which these vessels pass is 
open; and therefore, as soon as you penetrate the 
pudendum there may be seen two little pits or holes, 
and in which are contained an humour, which by 
being prest out in the time of coition, does greatly de- 
light the fair sex. 
Tho’ these we have already mentioned, are pro- 
perly the parts appropriated to the work of generation;
yet there are other parts, without which generation 
work cannot be accomplished; of which, we must also 
give a description: and the principal of these is the 
womb, which is the field of generation, without 
which

(12) 
which nothing can be done. The parts we have been 
already speaking of, being ordained by nature only, 
as it were so many vehicles, to convey the seed into 
the womb, which being impregnated therewith, by 
virtue of the plastic power of nature, produceth its 
own likeness. 
The womb is situate in the lower part of the hy- 
pogastrion, being joined to its neck, and is placed be- 
tween the bladder and the straight gut, so that it is 
kept from swaying or rowling, yet hath it liberty to 
stretch and dilate itself, and also to contract itself ac- 
cording as nature in that case discloses it. It is of a 
round figure, something like a gourd, and growing 
more accute towards one end, being knit together 
by its proper ligaments, and its neck joined by its own 
substance, and certain membranes that fasten it to the 
os sacrum, and the share bone. It is very different 
with respect to its largeness in women, especially be- 
tween such as have had children and those that have 
had none. It is so thick in substance, that it exceeds 
a thumbs breadth, and, after conception, augments 
to a greater proportion; and to strengthen it yet 
more, it is interwoven with fibres overthwart, both 
straight and winding; and its proper vessels, are veins, 
arteries, and nerves; amongst which, there are two 
little veins which pass from the spermatic vessels, to 
the bottom of the womb; and two bigger, from the 
hypogastrics, touching both the bottom and the neck, 
the mouth of these veins piercing as far as the inward 
concavity. 
The womb besides that I have already mentioned, 
have two arteries on both sides, the spermatic vessels, 
and the hypograstics, which still accompany the veins, 
with sundry little nerves, knit and interwoven in the 
form of a net, which are also extended throughout, 
even from the bottom to the Pudenda themselves, be- 
ing

(13)
ing so placed, chiefly for the sense of pleasure, sympa- 
thetically moving from the head and womb. 
Here the reader ought to observe, that the two 
ligaments hanging on either side of the womb, from 
the share-bone, piercing thro’ the Peritonaeum, and 
joined to the bone itself, causes the womb to be move- 
able, which upon sundry occasions, either falls low, 
or rises high. The neck of the womb is of a most 
exquisite sense; so that, if it be at any time disorder- 
ed, either with a schirrosity, too much fat, moisture
or relaxation, the womb is much subject to barrenness. 
In those that are near their delivery, there usually 
stays a most glutinous matter in the entrance to 
facilitate the birth; for at that time the mouth of the 
womb is open to such a wideness as is in proportion 
to the largeness of the child, suffering an equal dilata- 
tion from the bottom to the top. 
Under the parts belonging to generation in women, 
are also comprehended the preparatory or spermatic 
vessels. The preparatory vessels differ not in number 
from those in men, for they are likewise four, two 
veins and two arteries; their rise and original is the 
same as in men; differing only in their largeness, and 
manner of insertion, their right vein issuing from the 
emulgent vein; and on the sides of them are two 
arteries which shorten the passage, the stones of the 
woman lying within the belly, but those of men with- 
out; but, to make amends for their shortness, they 
have far more wreathings to and fro, in and out, than 
they have in men, so that 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 the stones, the lesser to the 
secundated egg, and this is properly called conception. 
And then, secondly, to cherish and nourish it, till 
C nature

(14)
nature has framed the child, and brought it to per- 
fection. Thirdly, it strongly operates in sending 
forth the birth, when its appointed time is accom- 
plished, there dilating itself in an extraordinary man- 
ner, and so aptly from the senses, that it retains in 
itself a strength and power to operate, and cast forth 
the birth. 
The use of the preparing vessels is to convey the 
blood to the testicles, of which a part is spent to the 
nourishment of them, and the production of those 
little bladders in all things resemble eggs, thro’ which 
the vasa præparantia run, and are obliterated in them. 
This conveyance of blood is by the arteries; but as 
for the veins, their office is to bring back what blood 
remains from the forementioned use. 
The vessels of this kind are much shorter in women 
than men, by reason of their nearness to the testicles; 
and yet that defect is more than made good by the 
many intricate windings to which they are subject; for 
in the middle way they divide themselves into two 
branches of different magnitude; for one of them 
being bigger than the other, passes to the testicles. 
The testicles in women are very useful; for where 
they are defective, generation work is quite spoil’d: 
for tho’ these little bladders, which are on their out- 
ward superficies, contain nothing of seed, as the fol- 
lowers of Galen, &c. erroneously imagine, yet they 
contain several eggs, (about the number of 20 in each 
testicle) one of which being impregnated by the most 
spiritous part of the man’s seed in the act of coition, 
descends in thro’ the oviducts into the womb where it 
is cherished, till it becomes a living child. The 
figure of these ova or eggs, is not altogether round, 
but a little flat, and depressed on the sides; and in 
their lower part are oval; but where the blood vessels 
enter them, that is in their upper part, they are more 
plain


(15)
plain, having but one membrane about them, that the 
heat may have easier access. 
Thus nature does nothing in vain produce, 
But fits each part for what’s its proper use; 
And tho’ of different sexes form’d we be, 
Yet is there betwixt these that unity, 
That we in nothing can a greater find, 
Unless the soul, that’s to the 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 car- 
nal copulation, by the institution of marriage; 
with the advantage that it brings to man- 
kind; and the proper time for it. 
THO’ the great Architect of the world has been 
pleased to frame us of different sexes, and for 
the propagation and continuation of mankind, has 
indulged us with the matual embraces of each other, 
the desire whereof, by a powerful and secret instinct 
is become natural to us; yet he would leave them to 
the law of their Creator, who has ordain’d, That 
every man shall have his own wife: and tho’ since 
man by sinning against his Creator has fallen from his 
primitive purity, and has multiplied wives and con- 
cubines, by which the first institution is violated and 
the grossest affront to the divine Lawgiver; for as the 
holy Jesus has told us, That in the beginning it was 
not so; the marriage of Adam being to one woman. 
So that as these conjugal delights cannot be enjoyed 
but in a married state, so neither in that state can they 
C2 lawfully

(16)
lawfully be participated of more than one wife. 
And it is the breaking of this order, that has fill’d the 
world with confusion, and debauchery, has brought 
diseases on the body, consumptions on 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 care that 
they do it in a married state with their own wives or 
husbands, or else it will become a curse to them instead 
of a blessing: and to that end, let them consider 
what is due to the transgressors of his law, who hath 
said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Whatever is 
spoken of the venerial pleasures, is spoken to those who 
have, or may have a right thereunto, by being in a 
married state. For, 
Who to forbidden pleasures are inclin’d, 
Will find at last they leave a sting behind. 
I have spoken in the last section 
of the restriction that our great 
Lawgiver has been pleased to lay 
upon us, that we should not pre- 
sume upon mutual embraces, without qualifying our- 
selves for it, by entering into a married state. But 
that, in the age we live in, is look’d upon, as a most
insupportable yoke, nothing being now more ridicul’d 
than matrimony: both wives and husbands being 
counted the greatest clogs and burthens to those that 
give up their reins to their unbridled appetites. But 
with these gentlemen’s good leave, I will now make 
it appear, notwithstanding all their banter, that a 
married state is the most happy condition (where per- 
sons are equally yok’d) that is to be enjoy’d this side 
heaven. 
S. 2: Of the hap-
piness of a married 
state.
And who, that is not out of their wits, will questi- 
on the pleasure and advantage of a married state that 
will

(17) 
will but give himself leave to reflect upon the author 
thereof, or the time and place of its institution? The 
authority and institutor of marriage that first brought 
man and woman together, was no other than he that 
made them; even the great LORD of the universe, 
whole wisdom being infinite, could not but know what 
condition was best for us, and his goodness being 
equal to his wisdom, sufficiently shews the end of 
this institution was the happiness of the creature he had 
made; and that indeed man could not be happy with- 
out it, for he saw that it was not good that a man 
should be alone; and therefore made a woman to 
compleat his happiness, which was not perfect, whilst 
he wanted such a meet help for him. 
The time of the institution is also very remarkable; 
for it was whilst Adam and his new made bride were 
cloath’d with all that virgin purity and innocence with 
which they were created, before they had entertain’d 
the least converse with the tempter, or had given way 
to one disorder’d thought; and yet could curiously 
survey the several incomparable beauties and perfec- 
tions of each other, without sin, and knew not what 
it was to lust: ’twas at this happy time that the Crea- 
tor divided Adam from himself, and of a crooked rib 
made him a beautiful and meet help for him; and then 
by instituting marriage, united him unto himself again 
in holy wedlock’s happy bands. 
It was in paradise where the first match was made, 
and which scarcely could have been paradise without 
it: for paradise all know to be a place of pleasure, 
wherein they are surrounded with the quintessence of 
all delight, where there was nothing wanting that 
might please the eye, charm the ear, or gratify the taste, 
or might delight the smell with odoriferous and agree- 
able perfumes; and yet, even in paradise, where 
Adam was possest of all those ravishing and pleasing
C3 sweets, 

(18) 
sweets, and enjoy’d all the pleasures of paradise, he 
enjoy’d not happiness till he enjoyed his Eve; for 
untill then, there was no meet help for him. So that 
it seems in paradise, Adam remained unhappy, whilst 
in a single state; so would Eve likewise have been, 
had she been there alone. So that it was a married 
state that was the compleating their mutual happiness, 
and was even the paradise of paradise itself. 
Neither will those admire, that man at first was 
not compleatly happy without marrying, that will 
but give themselves the leasure to consider what an 
addition to our happiness a good wife makes; for 
such a one is the best companion in prosperity, and 
in adversity the surest friend; the greatest assistance 
in business, the only lawful and comfortable means 
by which we can have issue, and the great remedy 
against incontinence; and if we believe king Solo- 
mon, an author of an undoubted credit, the greatest 
honour unto him that has her; for he it is that tells 
us, She is a crown to her husband: And sure these 
are no small advantages of marriage. Besides that 
natural propension there is in man and woman to each 
other, seeking his nuptial conjunction, looks as if 
the man missing his rib, is restless till he hath reco- 
ver’d it again; and on the other hand, as if the 
woman (knowing from whence she came) remained 
unsatisfied, till she had got again her old place, under 
the arm, the wing of her beloved husband. 
And therefore those that do complain of marriage, 
if they would but examine their own carriage and 
behaviour in it better, would find it is themselves 
make marriage so uneasy; for, as one Cicero said of 
age, it was not old age, but the folly of old men, 
that made old age so burthensome; so I may say of 
marriage, it is the folly of persons married, that 
makes it so uneasy. If married persons would but 
each

(19) 
each take care to do their several and respective duties, 
there would be no complaining; nor would they find 
any condition more pleasant or more profitable than a
married life; there being more satisfaction to be taken 
in the embraces of a loving and chaste wife, than in 
the wanton dalliances of all the strumpets in the world; 
besides the blessing that always wait on the former. 
And thus I hope I have sufficiently shewen the pleasure 
and advantage of a married state. 
Thus does the section unto all relate 
The pleasures that attend a married state. 
And shews, it doth with innocence consist, 
That so many have those pleasures mist. 
’Tis their own faults, that will no wiser be, 
As in this mirror they may plainly see. 
Having shewn the restriction laid
upon men and women, with re- 
spect to promiscuous coition, and 
also the pleasure and advantage of 
a married life, I now proceed to 
shew at what age young men and 
virgins are capable of the marriage 
bed; which because so many desire 
before they attain to it, it will be necessary to shew 
the cause of their impetuous desires. 
S. 3. At what age 
young men and vir- 
gins are capable of 
carnal copulation, 
and why they so much 
desire it. 
The inclinations of virgins to marriage, is to be 
known by divers symptoms; for when they arrive 
to ripe age, which is about fourteen or fifteen, their 
natural purgations begin to flow, and then the blood, 
which no longer serves for the increase of their bodies, 
does, by its abundance, stir up their minds to vene- 
ry; to which also external causes may incite them: for 
their spirits are brisk and enflam’d when they arrive at 
this age, and their bodies are often more heated by 
their

(20) 
their eating sharp and salt things, and by spices, by 
which their desire of veneral embraces becomes very 
great, at some critical junctures almost insuperable. 
And the use of those so much desir’d enjoyments being 
deny’d to virgins, is often follow’d by very dange- 
rous and sometimes dismal consequences, precipitating 
them into these follies that may bring an indelible 
stain upon their families, or else it brings upon them 
the Green-sickness or other diseases. But when they 
are married, and those desires satisfy’d by their hus- 
bands, those distempers vanish, and their beauty 
returns more gay and lively than before. And this 
strong inclination of theirs may be known by their 
eager gazing at men, and affecting their company; 
which sufficiently demonstrates that nature prompts 
them to desire coition. Nor is this the case of virgins 
only, but the same may be observed in young brisk 
widows, who cannot be satisfy’d without that due 
benevolence, which they were wont to have from their 
husbands. 
At fourteen years of age, commonly, the menses 
begin to flow in virgins; which time they are capable 
of conceiving, and therefore fit for marriage; tho’ it 
would be much better, both for themselves and their 
children, if they marry not till eighteen or twenty; 
and if they be very healthful and strong of body, and 
always addict themselves to temperance, they may 
continue bearing till upwards of 50, tho’ generally 
they leave off upon 45; for the menses flow a longer 
time in some than in others; but then they cease 
bearing. And therefore the bearing of Isaac by 
Sarah at that age, may well be term’d miraculous, 
because it had ceas’d to be with her according to the 
custom of women. 
As for male youth, when they arrive at 16, or be- 
tween that and 17, having much vital strength, they 
may

(21) 
may be capable of getting children; which ability, 
by the force and heat of procreating matter, constant- 
ly increases till 45, 59, and 65; and then begins to 
flag, the seed by degrees becoming unfruitful; the 
natural spirits being extinguish’d, and the heat dried up. 
Thus it is with them for the most part. But many 
times it falls 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, that strangers would not have guess’d 
him at about 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, that age in men hinders not procrea- 
tion, unless they be exhausted in their youth, and 
their yard shrivel’d up. 
If any ask why a woman is sooner barren than a 
man? Let such know, that the natural heat, which is 
the cause of generation, is more predominant in men 
than women; for the monthly purgations of women 
shew them to be more moist than men, and so does 
also the softness of their bodies. And the man ex- 
ceeding her in native heat, concocts the humours into 
proper aliment, by the benefit whereof they are 
elaborated into seed; but women tho’ of a finer 
make, yet not being so strong as men, their faculties 
are thereby hinder’d in their operation. 
Thus nature to her children is so kind,  
That early they those inclinations find,  
Which prompt them on to propagate mankind.  
Hence ’tis a virgin her desires can’t smother, 
But restless is, till she be made a mother. 
CHAP.

(22) 
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. 
IN the last Chapter I treated of the desire that young 
men and virgins have to mutual embraces, and at 
what age they are fit for them, I 
have also shewn that those plea- 
sures are only lawful, to be enjoy- 
ed, in a married state, and have 
also acquainted my reader with the advantage of such 
a condition. But since the desires of many after mu- 
tual embraces are so impetuous, that not having an 
opportunity to enter into a married state, they have 
anticipated the pleasures of matrimony, and lost their 
virginity before hand, and yet, perhaps, have after- 
wards pretended to bring their virginity to a marriage- 
bed, by which means many an honest man has been 
deceived, and meritricious women escaped with impu- 
nity; and on the other hand, some virtuous young 
virgins, that have indeed come such into their hus- 
bands beds, have been accus’d by the ignorance and 
incredulity of their husbands to have lost their virgi- 
nity before hand, when there has been no such matter. 
Therefore to do right in this case to both parties, my 
design in this chapter is to shew what virginity is, and 
wherein it consists; how many ways it may be lost; 
and how a man may know whether it be lost or not, 
that so no woman may be wrongfully censur’d by men. 
Sect. I. Of virgi 
nity, and wherein it 
consists. 
Virginity untouch’d and taintless, is the boast and 
pride of the fair sex; but they generally commend 
it to be put off; for as good as it is, they care not 
how soon they are honestly rid of it. And I think 
they


(23) 
they are in the right on’t, for if they keep it too long, 
it grows useless, or at least looses much of its value; 
a stale virgin (if such a thing there be) being look’d 
upon like an old almanac out of date.—But to 
speak to the purpose, virginity is the chief, the best, 
the first, the prime of any thing, and is properly the 
intregrity of a woman’s privities, not violated by 
man, or not known by him; it being the distinguish- 
ing characteristic of a virgin, that she hath not known 
man. 
To make this more plain, I must observe, that 
there is in maids, in the neck of the womb, a mem- 
branous production called the hymen, which is like 
the bud of a rose until broken by the yard; and 
hence came the word Defloro, to deflower; whence 
the taking away of virginity is called the deflowering 
of a virgin; for when the role bud is expanded, vir- 
ginity is wholly lost. Certain it is in the first of 
copulation something which causes pain and bleed- 
ing which is an evident sign of virginity. But what 
this is authors agree not. Some say it is a nervous 
membrane, or thin skin with small veins which bleed 
at the first penetration of the yard. Others say, it 
is the four carbuncles, knobs, or little buds, like 
myrtle berries, which are plump and full in virgins, 
but hang loose or flaggy in those that have us’d copu- 
lation, being prest by the yard. Some have observ’d
a fleshy circle about the nymphæ, or neck of the 
womb with little obscure veins, which make the 
membrane, not to be nervous but fleshy. But letting 
aside conjecture, the hymen, or claustrum virginale, 
is a thin membrane interwoven with fleshy fibres, and 
endow’d with many little arteries and veins, spread 
across the passage of the bladder, with a hole in the 
midst for the menses to flow, so big that it will admit 
of the top of one’s little fingers; this is that which 
is

(24)
is called the zone or girdle of chastity, an effusion 
of blood usually ensues the first copulation; which 
blood is call’d the flower of virginity; and when 
once it is broke, it never closes again. 
S. 2. How virginity 
may be lost. 
In the former section I have 
shewn, (I hope to the satisfaction 
of all modest enquirers) in what 
virginity consists, and that it is lost by the first pene- 
tration of the yard: which may be easily known by 
its being attended with an effussion of blood upon the 
rupture of the hymenean membrane, or claustrum 
virginale. But I must do the fair sex this justice, to 
let the world know, that altho’, wherever this is found, 
it is an undoubted token of virginity, yet it will not 
follow that where this token is wanting, virginity is 
deflowered and lost; for the hymen may be corroded 
by acrimonious and fretting humours flowing thro’ 
it with the menses; or it may be violated by the 
inversion, or falling out of the uterus, or of the 
virgina, or sheath, which sometimes happens even to 
virgins; or (which I would have all virgins to beware 
of, for the preservation of their credit, and preventing 
of all causes of suspicion) perhaps the indiscreet or 
unwary bride had her menses but a day or two be- 
fore; in which case, both the hymen and the inner 
wrinkled membranes of the virgina, are flaggy and 
relaxed, so that no such rupture, and by consequence, 
no such effusion may happen. It were better there- 
fore upon this account, that when virgins are about 
to marry, they would fix their wedding day, at least, 
six or seven days after their menses have done flowing. 
But farther, to some nature hath given greater de- 
sires after enjoyment, than to others; and to such 
tho’ they abstain from enjoyment, yet so great is 
their lost, and desire after it, that it may break the 
hymen and claustrum virginale, and sometimes it 
itcheth

(25)
itcheth to that degree, that they put in their finger 
and so break it. Sometimes the midwives break it 
in the birth: and sometimes it is done by stopping the 
urine, coughing, violent straining, or sneezing: so 
tho’ there be no bleeding at the first prenetration of 
the husband, it is not always a sign of unchastity, or 
that another has been there before him; seeing that 
the hymenean membrane may be broke so many 
othen ways; but where bleeding does follow, it is an 
evident and undeniable token that the person was a 
virgin, and had never known man before. And in- 
deed, tho’ the hymen (or membrane so called) may 
be broke all those ways I have mentioned, yet if it so 
happens to be broke any other way as that Leo
Africanus makes mention of, it being a general 
custom of the Africans at their wedding, after the 
marriage ceremonies are over, the bride and bride- 
goom are shut up in a chamber, while the wedding 
dinner is preparing, and an antient woman stands at 
the door to receive from the bridegroom a sheet having 
the bloody tokens of the wife’s virginity, which she 
shews in triumph to all the guests; and then they 
may feast with joy; but if there is no blood seen, the 
bride is to be sent home again to her friends with 
disgrace and the disappointed guests go sadly home 
without their dinner. 
There are others that make the straitness of their 
privities a sign of virginity, but this is a very uncer- 
tain rule; for this depends much upon the age, ha- 
bit of body, and other circumstances. But tho’ it 
must indeed be granted, that women, who have used 
carnal copulation are not so straight as virgins, yet 
this cannot be a certain argument of virginity; because 
after often repeated acts of venery, the privities may 
be made so straight by the use of astringent medicines, 
that those who trust to this sign, may sometimes take 
D a

(26)
a whore instead of a virgin. And I have heard of a 
courtezan, who tho’ she had been married, gave 
herself out to be a virgin, and by the help of a bath of 
comfry roots, deceiv’d those with whom she had to do. 
Others take upon them to be judges of lost vir- 
ginity by milk in the breasts; but such perhaps are 
ignorant that there is a two-fold milk, the one of 
virgins, the other of such as have conceived or 
brought forth children; that of virgins is a malady 
contrary to nature, but the other is natural. The 
first is made of blood that cannot get out of the 
womb, and so goes up to the breasts, being nothing 
but a superfluous nourishment that is turned into milk 
by the frealty of the breasts, without the knowledge 
of a man; the other is only where there is a child 
either in the womb, or born. Yet the milk differs 
very much, both in respect to the blood, and diversity 
of veins that bring it to the breast; and tho’ both are 
white, yet that of virgins is thinner, and less in 
quantity, neither is it so sweet. Therefore if virgins 
happen to have such milk, they are not for that reason 
to be censured as unchaste. 
Upon the whole matter, the sum of what I have 
said upon this head of virginity, terminates in this. 
That when a man is married, and finds the tokens 
of his wife’s virginity upon the first act of copulation, 
he has all the reason in the world to believe her such, 
and to rest satisfy’d that he has married a virgin; but 
if on the contrary, he finds them not, yet he hath no 
reason to think her devirginated, if he finds her 
otherwise sober and modest; seeing the hymen, or 
claustrum virginala may be broken so many other 
ways, and yet the woman both chaste and virtuous. 
Only let me caution virgins to take all imaginable care 
to keep their virgin zone entire, that so when they 
marry they may be such as the great Cæsar view’d his 
wife

(27) 
wife to be; that is, not only without fault, but with- 
out suspicion also. 
Thus I have virgin innocence survey’d, 
And shew’d the difference between wife and maid; 
And their chastity they need not fear, 
Whose virgins tokens plainly do appear; 
Nor censure those in whom they do not so, 
Unless the contrary they do plainly know. 
For they yet unspotted virgins be, 
Altho* their virgin tokens none can see. 
The End of the First Part. 
ARISTOTLE’S Master-Piece. 
PART II. 
Displaying the secrets of nature in the production 
of Man. 
CHAP. I. 
What conception is; what is prerequisite thereto; 
how a woman may know whether she has con- 
ceived, and whether a boy or girl.
THE first part of this book
does most properly contain 
the foundation and ground work 
of the secrets of nature in the generation of man; the 
instruments of generation in both sexes having been 
describ’d; and the use of those instruments, and the 
aptness of them to the use for which nature intended 
them, shew’d: I have also shewed what must be done 
by both sexes, in order to their having a lawful use of 
Sect 1. Of concep- 
tion, what it is, &c.
D2 each

(28)
each other: and then having shewn when they are fit to 
enter into a married state, and are capable of perform- 
ing the work of generation; I have treated of virginity, 
and shewn what it is, and wherein it consists, as also 
bow it may be known; and the several ways it may 
be lost: but still all these are but the preœmiums of 
generation work, or the begetting or procreating of 
children. We must therefore in this Second Part pro- 
ceed on, and shew what conception is, and the signs 
and tokens thereof, and what are the prerequisites 
whereof generation is begun, and time, with nature’s 
help, will perfect the work. And what at first is but 
conception, will issue in a perfect birth. 
Now in conception that which is first to be regar- 
ded, and without which it cannot be, is the seed of 
the man, that being the active principle, or efficient 
cause of the fœtus, the matter of which is arterial 
blood, and animal spirits, which are elaborated 
into seed in the testicles, and from thence by proper 
vessels convey’d into the Yard; and from whence 
in the act of copulation, it is injected or emitted in- 
to the womb. The next thing is the passive princi- 
ple of the fœtus (for there must be both in order to 
conception) and there is an ovum or egg, impregna- 
ted by the man’s seed, and endow’d with a plastic or 
vegitive virtue; and upon the ovum being thus 
impregnated by the man’s seed, or being convey’d to 
it, the womb closes up, that no air may enter therein, 
so that the impregnated ovum may swell into a fœtus. 
This is that which is truly and really conception; 
and the prerequisites thereunto shall make the subject 
of the next section. 
S. 2. Of the pre- 
requisites of concep- 
tion. 
I have shewn in the former sec- 
tion, that there are two things to be 
regarded chiefly in conception, to 
wit, the active and passive principles. 
This


(29) 
This in part shews, that difference of sexes, is a pre- 
requisite to conception. So nature has ordain’d there 
must be a proper vehicle for the active principle to be 
injected thereunto, and there must also be a passive 
principle to be impregnated thereby; therefore, as the 
man has no passive principle to be impregnated, so 
the woman has no active principle to impregnate; and 
therefore, without  different sexes, there can be no 
conception. 
But this is not all; for it is not enough that there 
be different sexes, but these different sexes must unite, 
and there must be coition, in order to conception; and 
it is coition, or the mutual embraces of both sexes, 
which nature hath made so desireable to each other; 
which when authoriz’d in the way that heaven has 
ordain’d, there is no need of ravishing; for the fair 
bride will quickly meet her bridegroom with equal 
vigour. But since that there may be an over-doing, 
and such errors committed, by their giving way to the 
impetuosity of their desires, as may be prejudicial to 
conception, it will not be amiss to give some directions 
to make this operation the more effectual. 
Tho’ there are some that desire 
not to have-children and yet are 
very fond of nocturnal embraces, 
to these, directions will be no way 
acceptable, because it may proba- 
bly produce those effects which they had rather be 
without; yet I doubt not that the generality of both 
sexes, when in a married state, have such a desire to 
produce the fair image of themselves, that nothing 
can be more welcome to them, than those directions 
that may make their mutual embraces most effectual 
to that end: and therefore let none think it strange 
that we pretend to give directions for the promoting 
that which nature itself teacheth to perform: since 
S. 3. A word of ad- 
vice to both sexes, or 
directions reflecting 
the act of coition, or 
carnal copulation. 
D3 ’tis

(30) 
’tis no solecism for art to be a handmaid to nature, 
and to assist her, in her noblest operations. Neither 
is it the bare performing of the art which we there 
direct to, but the so performing it as to make it con- 
ducive unto the work of generation, and since this 
action is the foundation of generation, and without 
which it cannot be, some care ought to be taken, and 
consequently some advice given, how to perform it 
well: and therein I am sure the proverb 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 that caution, so as not 
to give offence to the chastest ear, nor put the fair sex 
to the trouble of blushing. What I shall offer, will 
consist of two parts; first, something previous to it, 
and, secondly, something consequential of it. 
For the first, when married persons design to fol- 
low the propensions of nature for the production of 
the fair images of themselves, let every thing that looks 
like care and business be banish’d from their thoughts, 
for all such things are enemies to Venus; and let their 
animal and vital spirits be powerfully exhilirated by 
some brisk and generous restoratives; and let them to 
invigorate their fancies, survey the lovely beauties of 
each other, and bear the bright ideas of them in their 
minds ; and if it happen, that instead of beauty, their 
is any thing that looks like imperfection or deformity, 
let him cover her face with a veil of darkness and 
oblivion. And since the utmost intention of desire is 
required in this act, it may not be amiss for the 
bridegroom, for the more eager height’ning of this 
joy, to delineate the scene of their approaching hap- 
piness to his fair languishing bride, in some such 
amorous raptures as this, 
Now my fair bride, now will I storm thy mint 
Of love and joy and rifle all that’s in’t. 
Now


(31) 
Now my infranchis’d hand on every side, 
Shall o’er thy naked polish’d ivr’y slide; 
Freely shall now my longing eyes see bare 
Thy bared snow, and thy upbraided hair, 
Nor curtains now, tho’ of transparent lawn, 
Shall be before thy virgin treasure drawn; 
I will enjoy thee now, my fairest; come, 
And fly with me to love’s Elizium. 
My rudder, with thy bold hand, like a try’d 
And skilful pilot, thou shalt steer; and guide 
My bark in love’s dark channel, where it shall 
Dance, as the bounding waves do rise and fall, 
Whilst my tall pinnace in the Cyprian strait 
Rides safe at anchor, and unlades the freight. 
Having by these and other amorous acts (which 
love can better dictate than my pen) wound up your 
fancies to the highest ardour and desires. 
Perform these rites nature and love requires, 
Till you have quench’d each others am’rous fires. 
And now for the second thing propos’d: When 
the act of coition is over, and the bridegroom has 
done what nature has prompted him to, he ought 
to take heed of withdrawing too suddenly out of 
the field of love, lest he should, by so doing, make 
way for cold to strike into the womb, which might 
be of dangerous consequence, but when he hath 
given time for the matrix to close up, which it na- 
turally does soon after it has receiv’d the active 
principle, in order to make a conception; he may 
safely withdraw, and leave the bride upon her soft re- 
pose, which ought to be with all the calmness that 
the silent night, and a mind free from all disturbing 
care can give; betaking herself to rest on the right 
side, and not removing without great occasion, till she 
has

(32) 
has taken her first sleep. She ought also to have a 
care of sneezing, and if possible, to avoid both that 
and coughing; or any thing that causes violent mo- 
tion of the body; neither should they too often 
reiterate those amorous engagements, till the concep- 
tion be confirmed; and even then, the bridegroom 
should remember, that it is a market that lasts all the 
year, and to be careful that he does not spend his store 
too lavishly; for generally women rather choose to 
have a thing done well, then have it often; and in 
this case to do it well and often too, is inconsistent. 
But so much shall suffice for this. 
After the means made use of in 
order to conception, according to 
the directions before given, there 
is reason to expect that conception 
should follow; but because the 
success of all our actions depends upon the divine 
blessing, and other things do not always succeed ac- 
cording to our desires, therefore conception does not 
always follow upon coition; for which reason it is 
that many women especially those that are but newly 
married, know not whether they have conceiv’d or 
not after coition; which if they were assur’d of they 
might and would avoid several inconveniences which 
they run upon through ignorance thereof. For, 
when after conception a woman finds an alteration in 
herself, and yet knows not from whence it arises, she 
is apt to run to a doctor, and enquire of him what 
the matter is, who, not knowing that she is with child, 
gives her contrary to conception. There are others, 
that out of a foolish bashful coyness, tho’ they do know 
they have conceived, yet will not confess in proper 
time. Those that are coy may in time learn to be 
wiser, and, for the sake of those that are ignorant, 
I shall see them down the signs of conception, that 
S. 4 How a woman
may know whether 
she has conceiv’d. 
women


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women may thereby know whether they have con- 
ceived or not: 
If a woman hath conceived, the vein under the eye 
will be swell’d, that is, under the lower eye lid, the 
veins in the eyes appearing clearly, and the eye some- 
thing discolour’d ; if the woman hath not her terms 
upon her is a certain sign she hath conceived; and this 
appears most plainly just upon the conception, and 
holds for the first two months. 
Also a coldness and chilness of the outward parts 
after copulation, shews a woman to have conceiv’d, 
the heat being retir’d to make the conception; and 
then the veins of the breast are more clearly seen 
than they were wont to be. The tops of the nip- 
ples look redder than formerly; the body is wea- 
ken’d, and the face discolour’d, the belly waxeth 
very fat, because the womb closeth itself together to 
nourish and cherish the seed. If she has also loss of 
appetite, four belchings, and exceeding weakness of 
stomach: the breasts begin to smell, and wax hard, 
not without pain or soreness; wringing or grinding 
pain like the cramp happens in the belly above the 
navel: also divers appetites and longings are engen- 
dered. The veins of the eyes are also clearly seen, 
and the eyes seem something discolour’d, as a looking 
glass will shew. The excrements of the guts are 
voided painfully, because the womb swelling, thrusteth 
the right gut together; likewise, let her take a green 
nettle, and put it into her urine, cover it close, and 
let it remain all night; if she be with child, it will be 
full of red spots on the morrow; if she be not, it will 
be blackish. 
By these marks, some whereof seldom fail, a wo- 
man may know whether she has conceived or not, and 
so order herself accordingly. For, 
When


(34) 
When women once with child conceived are, 
They of themselves should take a special care. 
For, whether male or female child it be, 
You are conceiv’d with, by these rules you'll see. 
CHAP. II. 
How a woman should order herself that desires 
to conceive, and what she ought to do after 
conception. 
I AM very well satisfy’d that many women desire 
copulation not from any delight or satisfaction 
they take therein, more than as 
it is the means appointed by him 
that bids us increase and multi- 
ply, for the obtaining of children, 
and the propagation of mankind; And tho’ several
make use of coition to obtain this end, yet we find 
by experience, that in many it does not succeed 
because they order not themselves as they ought to 
do; For tho’ it must be granted, that all our endea- 
vours depend upon the divine blessing; yet if we are 
wanting in any thing to ourselves, how can we 
expect that blessing to succeed our endeavours? My 
business therefore in this section, shall be to show 
how women that desire to have children, should order 
themselves. 
S. 1. How a woman 
should order herself 
in order to concep-
tion. 
First then, Women that are desirous to have chil- 
dren must, in order thereunto, give themselves to 
moderate exercise; for want of exercise and idleness, 
are very great enemies to the soul and body. And 
those that shall give themselves the trouble 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 the poor women that accustom
them-

(35)
themselves to labour, have many children, and those 
strong and lusty. Nor need we wonder at it, if we 
consider the benefit that comes by moderate exercise 
and labour; for it opens the pores, quickens the spi- 
rits, stirs up the natural heat, strengthens the body, 
senses and spirits, comforts the limbs, and helps nature 
in all her exercises, of which procreation of children 
is none of the least.  
A second thing be to observ’d by women in order 
to conception, is, that they avoid all manner of dis- 
content, 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 their vigour, which ought to be exert- 
ed in the act of coition; when, on the contrary, 
content and satisfaction of mind dilate the heart and 
arteries, whereby the vital blood and spirits are freely 
distributed through the body; and thence arise such 
affections as please, recreate and refresh the nature of 
man; as hope, joy, love, gladness and mirth. Nor 
does it only comfort and strengthen the body, but 
also the operation and imagination of the mind, 
which is so much the more necessary, insomuch as 
the imagination of the mother works forcibly upon 
the conception of the child; women, therefore, ought 
to take great care, that their imaginations be pure and 
dear, that their children may be well form’d. 
A third thing that women ought to take care of 
to further conception, is to keep the womb in good 
order; and to that end, to see that the menses come 
down as they ought to do; for if they are disco- 
lour’d, they are out of order; but if the blood come 
down pure, then the woman will be very prone to 
conceive with child, especially if they use copulation 
in two or three days after the monthly terms are 
slay’d. 
A

(36)
A fourth thing a woman that would conceive 
should observe is, that she use not the act of coition 
too often; for satiety gluts the womb, and renders 
it unfit for its office. There are two things demon- 
strate this; that is, that common whores (who of- 
ten use copulation) have never, or very rarely, any 
children; for the grass seldom grows in a path that 
is commonly trodden in. The other is, that those 
women, whose husbands have been long absent, do, 
after copulation with them again, conceive very 
quickly. 
A fifth rule is, that they take care that the time 
of copulation be convenient, that there be no fear or 
surprize, for fear hinders conception, and then it were 
best also that the desire of copulation be natural, and 
not stirred up by provocation; and if it be natural, 
the greater the woman’s desire of copulation is, the 
more likely she is to conceive. 
I will add no more, but what some authors report, 
that a Loadstone carried about the woman, not only 
causeth conception, but concord between man and 
wife, which if it be true, I would have no married 
woman go without one, both for her own and hus- 
band’s quiet. 
Let all the fair who would have children from 
Their soft embraces, read what’s here laid down; 
Those that to exercise themselves incline, 
And in their love to be content design; 
Who have their monthly terms in order flow, 
And regulate them if they do not so; 
That love’s embraces moderately use, 
And to enjoy them a fit season chuse, 
These may content with that they’ve done remain, 
And need not fear their wishes to obtain. 
After

(37) 
S. 2. What a woman 
ought to observe after 
conception. 
After a woman has conceived, 
or has any reason to think so, she 
ought to be very careful of her- 
self, lest she should do any thing 
that might hinder nature in her operation. For in 
the first two months after conception, women are ve- 
ry subject to miscarriages; in order to prevent which 
let the woman every morning drink a draught of sage 
ale, and it will do her abundance of good; but it 
notwithstanding, signs of abortion or miscarriage 
appear, let her lay a toast dipt in tent (in case mus- 
kadel cannot be gotten) to the navel, for this is very 
good; or let her take a little garden-tansey, and 
having bruis’d it sprinkle it with muskadel, and 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 wo- 
men as are subject to miscarriages. Also take the 
juice of tansey, clarify it, and boil it up into a syrup 
with twice its weight in sugar, and let a woman take 
a spoonful or two of it in such cases, and it will be an 
excellent preservative against miscarriage. Also, if 
she can, let her be where the air is temperate; and 
let her also avoid all watching and immoderate exercise, 
as also disturbing passions, loud clamours, and filthy 
smells; and let her abstain from all things which 
may provoke either urine or the courses; and also 
from all sharp and windy meats, and let a moderate 
diet be observ’d. If the excrement of the guts be 
retain’d, lenify the belly with glysters made of the 
decoction of mallows, and violets, with sugar and 
common oil; or make a broth of burrage, buglose, 
beets, mallows, and take herein a little manna; but 
on the contrary, if she be troubled with a looseness of 
the belly, let it not be stopped without the judgment 
of a physician; for the matter of all uterine fluxes 

E hath


(38) 
hath a malignant quality, and must be evacuated and 
removed, before the flux be slayed. 
CHAP. III. 
How the child lieth, and how it groweth up in 
the womb of the mother, after conception. 
HAving shewn how a woman ought to order her- 
self after conception, it will now be necessary 
to shew how the fœtus is produc’d thereby: and 
then how the embryo, when form’d, lies in the its 
mother. 
S. 1. How the child 
is form’d in the womb 
after conception. 
As to the formation of the child 
It is to be noted, that after the 
act of coition, the seed lies warm 
in the womb for six days without 
any visible alteration, only the 
womb closes up itself, to prevent 
its issuing forth again, and for the securing it from 
any cold; and all this time it looks like butter, or 
coagulated milk: and it would be very necessary for 
her who has reason to believe she has conceiv’d, to 
forbear the embraces of her husband all that time, lest 
the conception should be spoil’d, but in three days 
after it, it is altered from the quality of thick milk or 
butter, and it becomes blood, or at least resembles it 
in colour, nature having now begun to work upon 
it. In the next six days following, that blood begins 
to be united into one body, and to grow hard, and 
becomes a little quantity, and to appear a round lump; 
and is the first creating work of divine power in the 
womb: this shapeless embryo lies like the first mass. 
But in two days after, the principal members are 
formed by the plastic power of nature, and these 
principal

Place p. 38.
This Figure represents the Uterus in the eighth or ninth
month of pregnancy. 
The Explanation of the Figure.
A The Uterus as stretched to near its full 
extent, with the waters, and containing 
the Fœtus entangled in the Funis, the 
head presenting at the upper part of the 
Pelvis. 
B B The superior part of the Ossa Ilium. 
C C The Acetabula. 
D D The remaining posterior parts of the 
Ossa Ischium. 
E The Coccyx. 
F The inferior part of the Rectum. 
G G The Vagina stretched on each side. 
H The Os Uteri, the neck being stretched 
to its full extent, or entirely obliterated. 
I I Part of the Vesica Urinaria. 
K K The Placenta, at the superior and 
posterior part of the Uterus. 
L L The Membranes. 
M The Funis Umbilicalis, 
Psal. CXXXIX 13, 14, 15, 16. 
To thee, O blessed Lord, my voice I’ll raise, 
And to thy glorious name ascribe the praise. 
That thou has me so wonderfully made, 
And in my mother’s womb in darkness laid; 
And there those wonders wrought no tongue can 
tell, 
Thy works are marvellous I know right well. 
My substance was not hid from thee, when I 
Within the womb was wrought so curiously: 
And my unfinish’d parts were all survey’d, 
And by thee were so fashioned or made. 



(39)
principal members are four in number, viz. the heart, 
the brain, the liver and the testicles or stones. Three 
days after, the other members are form’d; and are 
distinguished from the shoulders, by the forming 
faculty, to the knees; and the heart, liver and stones, 
with their appurtenances, do grow bigger. Four 
days after that, the several members of the whole bo- 
dy do appear; and as nature requires, they conjunctly 
and separately do receive their perfection. And so in 
the appointed time, the whole creation hath that 
essence, which it ought to have to the perfection of it, 
receiving from God a living soul, therewith putting 
into his nostrels the breath of life. Thus I have shew- 
ed the whole operation of nature in the formation of 
the child in the womb, according to the energy given 
it by the divine Creator, maker and upholder of all 
things, both in heaven and earth. 
By some authors, more briefly, but to the same 
purpose, the forming of the child in the womb of its 
mother, is thus describ’d. Three days in the milk, 
three in the blood, twelve days form the flesh, and 
eighteen the members, and forty days after the child 
is inspired with life, being induced with an immortal 
living soul. 
Thus purest blood’s to seed first turn’d, and then 
Nature converts it into blood again, 
Of which a harmless mass soon after’s made, 
Such power by nature is therein convey’d; 
And by degrees it into form does grow, 
And all its parts distinguish’d are, and so 
It may t’ a living soul united be, 
And lay a claim to immortality. 
Whilst mean time the anxious mother’s cares 
Increase, as does the burden which she bears; 
For as it grows it wants a larger room,
And is uneasy in the too strait womb;
E2 At

(40)
At last, to quit its dark recess, it ventures,
And into an unknown light world it enters.
S. 2. Of the matter 
and form 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 lies in the womb 
of its mother, whilst it is confin’d in 
those dark recesses; and, omitting 
what many say of the matter, I shall 
only give you the testimony of two or three of the 
most learned, and then present a figure resembling what 
I myself have seen. 
The learned Hypocrates, in his treatise De Ma- 
ture Paveri, affirms, that the child, as he is placed 
in the womb, hath his hands upon his knees, and 
his head bent down towards his feet; so that he 
lies round together, his hands upon his knees, and 
his face between them; so that each eye toucheth 
each thumb, and his nose betwixt his knees, and of 
the same opinion, in this matter was Bartholinus the 
younger. Columbus is of opinion that the figure 
of the child in the womb is round, the right arm 
bowed, the fingers thereof under the ear, and above 
the neck, the head bowed down so that the chin touch- 
eth the breast, the left arm bowed above both breast 
and face, propped up by the bending of the right elbow; 
the legs are lifted upwards, the right of which is so 
lifted up that the thigh toucheth the belly, the knee 
the navel, the heel toucheth the right buttock, and 
the foot is turned back and covereth the secrets, the 
left thigh toucheth the belly, and the leg lifted up to 
the breast, the back lying outwards. 
Thus the reader may see how authors differ here- 
in: but this ought to be noted, that the different 
positions which the child hath been seen in, have 
given occasion to the different opinions of authors:
for 


(41) 
for when a woman is young with child the embryo is 
always found of a round figure, a little oblong, having 
the spine moderately turned inwards, the thighs fold- 
ing, and a little raised, to which the legs are joined, 
that the heel toucheth the buttocks, the arms bending, 
and the hands placed upon the knees, towards which 
the head is inclining forwards, so that the chin touch- 
eth the breast; the spine of the back is at that time 
placed towards the mother’s, the head uppermost, the 
hands forwards, and the feet downwards, and propor- 
tionable to its growth, it extends its members by little 
and little, which were exactly formed in the first month. 
In this posture it usually keeps to seventh or 
eight month, and then by a natural propensity and 
disposition of the upper parts of the body, the head is 
turned downwards towards the inward orifice of the 
woman; being so order’d by nature, that it may be 
the better disposed for the birth. The knowledge of 
these things being so essential to the practice of a mid- 
wife, I could not omit them; I shall now conclude 
what I have to say farther as to this, with the figure 
of a child prepared for the birth, resembling what 
I myself have seen, taken ought of the learned Spige- 
lius. 
CHAP. IV. 
Of the obstructions of conception, with the cause 
and cure of barrenness, and the signs of insuf- 
ficiency in both men and women. 
WE have already enquired into many secrets be- 
longing to the generation of men, and have 
treated largely about conception, which is one of the 
chief mysteries of nature; but before I proceed any
E3 further, 


(42) 
further, it is highly necessary that I treat of the ob- 
structions of conception; which naturally leads me to 
treat of barrenness, which is the grand obstruction of 
conception; and herein, for the sake of all those that 
desire children, I shall shew how it is caused, and 
then how to be cured. 
Sect. 1. Of barren- 
ness. 
Seeing all grant, that the hav- 
ing of children is a blessing, it will 
easily be granted that barrenness 
is a curse. And since it is mani- 
fested that it occasions discontent between man and 
wife, and every woman looks upon it as a reproach to 
be barren, it will need no apology to enquire into the 
cause of it. 
In some countries, before women were admitted 
to the marriage bed, they were first search’d by the 
midwife; and those only which she allowed of as 
fruitful, were permitted to marry. It must needs 
therefore be a grateful piece of service to the fair sex, 
to shew them how to turn the stony ground into a 
fruitful soil, that instead of being reproach’d with a 
barren womb, they may become the joyful mother of 
many children. 
Barrenness is a natural and accidental imperfec- 
tion which hinders conception; for that which hinders 
conception causes barrenness. Now there may be 
several causes why conception may be hinder’d; as 
over much heat or cold drying up the seed, and 
making it to corrupt; this extinguishing the life of 
the seed, and that making it waterish and unfit for 
generation. It may be caus’d also by the not flowing, 
or by the overflowing of the womb, or by an ex- 
crescense of flesh growing about the mouth of the ma- 
trix, thereby the seed is hindered from being injected 
into the womb; and want of love in the person’s co- 
pulating, may also hinder conception; as is apparent 
from

(43) 
from those women that are deflowered against their 
will; no conception following any forced copulation. 
And here let me caution parents against one thing 
that often causes barrenness, which might be easily 
prevented, and that is, against letting virgins blood 
in the arm before the courses come down, which 
is usually in the 14th year of their age, seldom be- 
fore the 13th, but never before the 12th. Now 
because usually young virgins are out of order before 
they first break down, the mother goes with her to 
the doctor, who finding the fulness of blood is the 
occasion of her illness, orders her to be let blood in the 
arm; upon which she becomes well for a time, the 
superfluous blood being taken away; and this reme- 
dy, which is worse than the disease, being repeated 
four or five times, the blood comes not down at all to 
the womb, as it doth in other women, but the womb 
dries up, and is for ever barren; whereas had she 
been let blood in the foot, it would have brought the 
blood downwards, and so have provoked the termes, 
and have prevented mischief. 
Another cause of barrenness, is, for want of con- 
venient moderate quality, which the woman ought 
to have with the man; as if he be hot, she must be 
cold; if he be dry, she must be moist, but if they 
be both dry, or both of a moist constitution, they 
cannot propagate; though in this case neither of 
them be barren, singly considered; for he or she, 
tho’ now as barren as the barren fig-tree; yet joined 
with an apt constitution, may become as fruitful as 
the vine. 
Another cause of barrenness may be the disuse of 
copulation; for some there are of that friged consti- 
tution, that they either use not the means at all, or 
else perform it with so much langour and coldness, 
that it is not likely it should prove efficacious; where- 
as


(44) 
as, as I have already said, the act of coition should 
be performed with the greatest ardour and intenseness 
of desire imaginable, or else they may as well let it 
alone, for as good never a whit, as never the better. 
But since nature teacheth to do what they do in this 
kind vigorously, this friged disposition is the effect of 
a cold distemper, and must be cured by such things 
as heat and nourish; and therefore such ought to eat 
and drink of the best, since the latin proverb tells us, 
Sine cerere & liber friget Venus. 
Without good drink and feeding high, 
Desire of Venus soon will die. 
Such therefore ought to feed upon cock’s stones and 
lamb’s stones, partridges, quails, and pheasant’s eggs; 
for ’tis an infallible aphorism in physick, that whatso- 
ever any creature is extremely addicted to, they 
operate to the same end by their sperminal virtue in 
the man that eats them. Therefore partridges, quails, 
and sparrows, &c. being extremely addicted to vene- 
ry, they work the same effect in those who eat them. 
And this likewise is worthy to be noted, that in what 
part of the body the faculty that you would strength- 
en lies, take the same part of another creature, in 
whom that faculty is strong, for a medicine; as for 
instance, the virtues procreatively lies in the testicles, 
there cock’s stones also, &c. are medicinal in this 
distemper. Let such persons also eat such food as 
is very nourishing, as parsnips, alisanders, skirrets, 
and pine nuts; and let them take a dram of diasaty- 
rion in an electuary every morning. The stones of a 
fox dried to powder, and a dram taken every morn- 
ing in tent, is also very good in this case. And so also 
is a dram of satyrion-roots, taken in like manner.
After 

(45) 
After married persons have lived 
long together and both seem like- 
ly, and yet neither of them have 
had children, there often arise 
discontent between them; and 
both are troubled because they know not on whose 
side the fault is; and tho’ authors have left several 
ways to know whether the man or the woman be 
defective, yet because I cannot confide in their judg- 
ments, I shall pass them by in silence, and rather lay 
down a few rules that may be depended upon, than 
many that are uncertain. But I must first premise, 
that women are subject to so many infirmities more 
than men, that the cause of barrenness is oftner on 
their side than the man’s; for if the man has the in- 
strument of generation perfect, being in health, and 
keeping a regular and temperate diet and exercise, I 
know no accidental cause of barrenness in him; where- 
as the chief cause of barrenness in a woman lies in her 
womb, and the infirmities incident thereunto, some of 
which are the stopping of the menstrua, or their 
overflowing; as also the flux of the womb with the 
falling out thereof, and the inflammation, windiness, 
heat and driness thereof; for each of which we pre- 
scribe cures. But to be a little more particular. 
S. 3. Of the signs &c 
insufficiency of man 
and barrenness in 
woman. 
If a man or woman, in whom the instruments of 
generation appear no way defective, would know in 
which side the cause of barrenness lies, let than steep 
a handful of corn in the man’s urine, and another 
handful in the woman’s, the space of 24 hours; then 
take it out and set the man’s by itself, and the wo- 
man’s by itself in a flower pot, or something else where 
you may keep them dry; then water the man’s every 
morning with his own urine, and the woman’s with 
hers; and that which grows not at all, denotes the per- 
son to be naturally barren. Nor let any despise this 
trial;

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trial; for seeing physicians will by urine undertake to 
tell a person of his or her diseases, why should not 
urine also shew whether a person be fruitful or no? 
But if in a man the instrument of generation is not per- 
fect, it will be obvious to the fight; and if the yard 
be so feeble that it will not admit of erection, it can 
never convey the seed into the womb; nor can there 
be in such a case any conception. But this is plain and 
easily discern’d, that man that finds himself debilitated, 
ought not to marry; or if he does, he must be con- 
tented if he finds his wife seeking for that satisfaction 
which he is incapable of giving. ’Tis true, for a 
woman to supply her husbands defects, is contrary 
both to honour and virtue; but where a woman doth 
break these bounds, on such occasions the fault will be 
in a great measure at the husband’s door, tho’ other- 
wise she cannot be held innocent. 
The case can’t be so bad with the woman, tho’ she 
be barren, but that her husband may use her, unless 
she be impenetrable, which (tho’ it some time does) 
yet but very rarely happen; and therefore the man is 
more inexcusable if he transgress. 
Besides what I have already mention’d, signs of 
barrenness in women are; if she be of an over hot 
constitution, of a dry body, subject to anger, hath 
black hair, a quick pulse, her purgations flow but 
little, and that with pain, and yet has a violent desire 
to coition; but if she be of a cold constitution, they 
are the signs contrary to those recited. If barrenness 
be caus’d through an evil quality in the womb, it may 
be known by making a suffumigation of red storax, 
myrrh, cassia wood, nutmeg, cinnamon, and letting 
her receive the fume of it into her womb, covering 
her very close; and if the odour so received, passeth 
through the body up into the mouth and nostrils of 
herself she is fruitful; but if she feel not the fume in her
mouth

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mouth and nose, it denotes barrenness one of these ways, 
viz. that the seed is either thro’ cold extinguish’d, or 
thro' heat dissipated. And if a woman be suspected to 
be unfruitful; cast natural brimstone, such as is digg’d 
out of the mine, into her urine, and if worms breed 
therein she is fruitful. But this shall suffice to be said 
of the causes and signs of barrenness; it is now high 
time to the cure. 
In the cure of barrenness, respect 
must be had to the cause; which 
must be first removed and then the 
womb strengthened, and the spirits of the seed enli- 
liven’d by corroborating applications.
S. 3. Of the cure of 
barrenness.  
If barrenness proceeds from over much heat, let 
her use inwardly succory, endive, violets, waterlilies, 
sorrel and lettuce, with syrups and conserves made 
thereof; thus, 
Take conserve of burrage, violets, succory, water- 
lilies, of each one ounce; half an ounce of conserve of 
roses, diamargariton frigid, diatrion, santalon, of each 
half a dram; with syrup of violets, or juice of citron, 
make an electuary. 
Let her also take of endive, water-liles, burrage- 
flowers, of each a handful; rhubarb, mirobalans, of 
each 3 drams; with water make a decoction; add to 
to the straining, the syrup or laxative violets, 1 ounce, 
syrup of cassia half an ounce; manna 3 drams, make 
all unto a potion. Take of the syrup of mugwort 
one ounce, syrup of maiden hair two ounces, Pulv 
elect, trionsant, made all up into a juice. Apply to 
the reins and privities, fomentations of the juice of let- 
tuce, violets, rose, mallows, vine leaves and night 
shade; let her, also anoint her secret parts with the 
cooling ointment of galls. Baths are good for her to 
sit in. Let the air be clear, her garments thin, her 
food lettuce, endive, succory, and barley; but let her 
have

(48)
have no hot meats, nor strong wine, except it be wa- 
terish and thin. Rest is good for her both in body 
and mind; she must use but little copulation, but may 
sleep as much as she will. 
If barrenness be occasioncd by the predominancy of 
cold, extinguishing the power of the seed, which may 
be known by her desiring venery, and receiving no 
pleasure in the act of copulation, even while the man 
is spending his seed; her terms are plegmatick, thick, 
and slimy, and flowing not rightly. In this case let 
her take syrup of calamint, mugwort, betony, of each 
an ounce; water of pennyroyal, feverfew, hysop, 
sage, of each two ounces, and make a julep. Also 
let her take every morning two spoonfuls of cinna- 
mon water, with one scruple of mithridate. Also let 
her take oil of anniseed, one scruple and a half; jas- 
mini, dialcam, both diascimo, diagalang, of each 
one dram; sugar four ounces, with water of cinna- 
mon make lozenges; and take of them a dram and 
half twice a day, two hours before meals. Let her 
also fasten cupping glasses to her hips and belly; and 
let her take storax alamita one ounce; mustick, cloves, 
cinnamon, nutmeg, lignum; aloes, frankincense, of 
each half an ounce; musk ten grains, ambergrease, 
half a scruple, with rose-water make a confection; 
divide it into four parts; of one part make a pomum 
odoratum to smell to, if she be not hysterical; of 
the second make a mass of pills, and let her take 
three every night; of the third make a pessary, and 
put it up; and of the fourth make a suffumigation of 
the womb. 
If barrenness arise from the faculties of the womb 
being weakened, and the life of the seed suffocated 
by over much humidity flowing on those parts, let 
her take of betony, marjoram, mugwort, penny- 
royal, balm, of each one handful; root of asarum, 
fennel,

(49)
fennel, elecampane, of each two drams, with sugar 
and water a sufficient quantity, of each make a syrup, 
and take three ounces every other morning. Then 
purge with these pills following, take of pil. extid. 
two scruples; diagridon two grains, Specie de castore, 
one scruple; make them up into nine pills with syrup 
of mugwort. Also take spec. diagemmae, diamosci, 
diambre, of each one dram; cinnamon, one dram and 
a half; mace, cloves, nutmegs, of each half a dram; 
sugar six ounces; with water of feverfew make lo- 
zenges, to be taken every morning. Likewise let her 
take of the decoction of sarsaparilla and virga anred, 
with a good quantity of sage, which is an herb of 
that virtue, that Cornelius Agrippa honoured it with 
the title of sacra herba, a holy herb; and Lodenacus 
in his history of plants, reports, That after a depo- 
pulated country, the women drank of sage in order 
to multiply the faster; let her also anoint her genitals 
with the oil of anniseed and spikenard. Treehisks to 
smother the womb, are also very good. To make 
which, let her take mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, storax, 
amber, of each one dram; cloves, labdani, of each 
half a dram; turpentine a sufficient quantity. Lastly, 
Take the roots of valerian and elecampane, of each 
one pound; of galingal three ounces; origan, laven- 
der, marjoram, betony, mugwort, bay-leaves, clamint; 
of each three handfuls; with water make an infusion, 
in which let her sit after she hath had her courses. 
But to proceed: 
If barrenness be caused by the dryness of the 
womb consuming the matter of the seed, let her 
take every day, almond milk, and goats milk, ex- 
tracted with honey. Eat often of the root satyrion 
condited, and of the electuary of diasatyrion. Let 
her also take three weather heads, and boil them 
in six pints of spring water, till the flesh comes from 
F the

(50)
the bones; then take of melliat, violets, cammomile, 
the roots of mercury, of each one pound; let all 
these be dococted in the aforesaid broth, and let the 
woman sit in the decoction up to the navel. Also 
take of deer’s suet half an ounce, cow’s marrow, sly- 
racis liquidae, of each a dram, oil 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 
remissness in the manner of the act of coition, and 
though there be no impediment on either side, yet 
if both sexes meet not in that act with equal vigour, 
no conception follows: for many times the man is 
too quick for the woman, or rather the woman 
too slow for the man; and therefore the opinion of 
the ancients is, That the woman contributes seed to 
the formation of the child as well as the man, and are of 
opinion that there ought to be joint emission both 
of the man and woman at the same instant; which 
administrating to both a very great delight, perfects 
the work of conception. But if in this case the 
woman be slack, the man should follow the advice 
given in Chap. iii. Sect. 2. where both sexes are 
shewen how to manage themselves in the act of 
coition, that so by stirring up in the woman a desire 
to venery, she may meet his embraces with the greatest 
ardour. But if this should prove ineffectual, let her, 
before the act of coition, foment the privities with 
the decoction of betony, sage, hysop and calymint, 
and anoint the mouth of the neck of the womb with 
musk and civet; and the cause of barrenness will 
be removed, let the womb be corroborated by the fol- 
lowing applications. 
Take of the bay-berries, mastic, nutmeg, frank- 
incense, cypress nuts, labbani, of each one dram;
Syracis

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Syracis liquidæ two scruples, cloves half a scruple; 
ambergrease two grains, musk six grains, then with 
oil of spikenard make a pessary. Also take red roses, 
with frankincense, lapidis aematitis of each half an 
ounce. Sanguis draconis, fine bole, mastic, of each 
two drams; nutmeg, cloves, of each one dram, spike- 
nard half a scruple, and with oil of worm-wood make 
a plaister for the lower part of the belly. And let her 
eat of the Eringo roots condited, and make and injec- 
tion of the juice of the roots of satyrion. And then 
let her use copulation soon after the menses are ceased, 
conception being then most apt to follow ; for then 
the womb is thirsty and dry, being aptest both to draw 
the seed and to retain it, by the roughness of the in- 
ward superficies, and let her take great care to avoid 
excess of all things. And to lay aside all passions of 
the mind, shunning study and care, as things ene- 
mies to conception, or if a woman conceive under such 
circumstances, how wise and prudent soever the 
parents are, the children at the best will be but fool- 
ish; because the animal faculties of the parents, viz. 
the understanding and judgment, from whence the 
children derive their reason, are confused thro’ the 
multitude of cares and cogitations; of which we see 
divers examples in learned men, who after great study 
and care, having performed their conjugal rites with 
their wives, have often begot children, which have 
indeed been the fruits of their bodies, but not the issue 
of their brains. But thus much shall suffice for the 
chapter of barrenness. 
Which to both sexes clearly doth relate 
How nature sometimes doth debilitate; 
And likewise shews, how those who love to pry 
Into the cause of things may soon espy 
On which side insufficiency doth lie;
F2 And 

(52)
And ’tis a maxim ’mong physicians known, 
The cure’s half wrought when once the cause is 
shown. 
Here the fair sex those remedies may see, 
Which will, if barren, make them fruitful be. 
CHAP. V. 
How child-bearing women ought to govern them- 
selves during the time of their pregnancy. 
I Have already shewn how a young woman ought 
to order herself, and what she ought to do, 
presently after conception, in or- 
der to prevent miscarriage; and 
therefore shall say no more as to 
that; my design in this Chapter, is to shew how she 
ought to govern herself during the whole time of the 
pregnancy. 
S. 1. Of Air, diet, 
exercise, &c. 
First then, let a woman that is with child (if she 
can) choose a temperate air, not infected with fogs, 
and for that reason not near any marshy grounds, 
rivers, lakes, or ponds; but this by some cannot be 
avoided, their habitation falling out to be in such pla- 
ces; but those who can live where they please, ought 
to avoid such places, and so they should likewise 
the going abroad in too hot or too cold weather; as 
also when the south wind blows hard, for that often 
proves hurtful to women with child; and sometimes 
causes abortion. Nor is the north wind much less 
hurtful, or less to be avoided, as causing rheums, 
coughs, and catarrhs, which opening the body, often 
cause miscarriages. 
Secondly, She ought to be very cautious in the 
matter of her diet, choosing only those meats that 
create


(53)
create wholesome nourishment, and such as are mo- 
derately dry; and let her take care to prevent and 
avoid immoderate fasting, for that will weaken the 
infant, and render it of a sickly constitution, and 
sometimes cause abortion. And as all these cxcesses 
are to be avoided, so she must take care not only of 
avoiding immoderate fasting but 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 endanger 
the 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 
foreshews a short life. And therefore in this case the 
most wholesome meats are pigeons, partridges, phea- 
sants, larks, veil, mutton, or any meat that yields a 
good juice, and contributes kindly nourishment; as 
also such fruits as are 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 to be taken with respect to her 
exercise, which ought to be moderate; for violent 
motion, either in walking or working, is hurtful and 
disturbing to the womb; especially riding upon the 
stones in a coach, or any other uneven place; and in 
like manner should all extraordinary sounds and noises 
be avoided, especially the ring of the bells, and the 
discharging of great guns, neither ought she to give 
way to either immoderate laughing or weeping or to 
anger, or any other passion, for that may be prejudi- 
cial to her. 
Tho’ the act of coition is that without which con- 
ception cannot be, yet the immoderate use of it 
hinders the chief end for which it was design’d; in
F3 the 


(54) 
S. 2. Further rules 
for women to observe 
during pregnancy. 
the first four months after concep- 
tion she ought not to lie with 
her husband, at least sparingly, 
lest by shaking the womb in that 
action, the courses would again be forced down. In 
the 6th and 8th month she ought also to abstain: but 
in the 5th, 7th and 9th, it may freely be permitted 
by reason it opens the passage, and facilitates the 
birth; to contribute the better towards which, the 
woman should be careful to keep her body solvable, 
syrups and other opening things being very helpful 
to nature in those operations. Let her before she 
grows too big, lay aside her busk, and not lace too 
close, lest the child be thereby hinder’d from coming 
to its full growth. 
To prevent the disorder that 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 rather a small ingot of steel between her breasts, 
fomenting them a quarter of an hour every morning 
with water distill’d from ground ivy, periwinkle, and 
sage being blood warm. 
When her belly is swelling and the motion is great, 
which will be about the fourth month, she may 
swathe it with a swath band, anointed with pomatum, 
or any other thing of that kind to keep it smooth and 
free from wrinkles, for which end it will be best to 
take of the gaul of a kid, and of a sow, of each three 
ounces; capon grease, and goose grease, of each one 
ounce and an half, and having melted them all together, 
put thereto a quarter of a pint of water; after which 
strain them thro’ a linen cloth into fair water, calling 
it to and fro therein till it be white; at which time 
add to it of the marrow of a red deer one ounce, and 
lay in the red rose water twelve hours, after the 
expiration



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expiration of which you may use it, anointing all the 
swathe and belly. 
But if these ingredients are not easy to be had you 
may make use of the following liniment, which will 
do almost as well as the other; take of mutton suet, 
that which grows about the kidneys is best, and of 
hogs-grease, of each two ounces, whale-oil one ounce, 
and oil of sweet almonds the same quantity ; wash 
them well, after they are melted together in the water 
of germander, or new white wine: anoint the belly 
and swathe therewith. Those that care not to anoint 
their bellies, may make use of the following bathe, 
or decoction; take all sorts of mallows, and of mo- 
therwort, of each two handfuls; white-lilly roots, 
three ounces; melilot and cammomile, of each two 
handfuls; lime seed, quince-seed, and fenugreek-seed, 
three ounces, boil them well in spring water, and 
bathe therewith. If the woman after her quickening, 
finds but little motion of the infant in her womb, let 
her make a quilt in the manner following, and bind 
it upon the navel, and it will much strengthen the 
infant. Take the powder of roses, red coral and 
gilliflowers of each two ounces; mastick a dram, an- 
gelica seed two drams, ambergrease two grains, which 
put in a linen bag, spread them abroad and quilt 
it, that they may be in every part of it, placing it 
upon the navel, and it will have the desired effect. 
These things are sufficient to observe during the time 
of their pregnancy, so that neither child nor mother 
may miscarry, but be brought to the birth in the 
appointed time. It remains now, that when the ap- 
pointed time is come, the good woman that is to be 
deliver’d, and the midwife that is to deliver her, be 
instructed in their duties; but that shall be the busi- 
ness of the next chapter.
CHAP. 


(56) 
CHAP. VI. 
Directions for midwives how to assist women in 
the time of their labour; and how child-bear- 
ing women should be order’d in time of their 
lying in. 
S. 1. How a mid-
wife ought to be qua- 
lified.
THE office of a midwife is 
not to be undertaken by 
any without due consideration, 
first, whether they are sufficiently 
qualified for it; or die they make themselves guilty 
of the death of all those that shall miscarry under their 
hands for want of ability to perform their office: and 
tho’ they may escape with impunity before men, they 
will assuredly be call’d to account for it before a high- 
er tribunal. And therefore a midwife should take 
care to fit herself for that employment with the know- 
ledge of things necessary for the faithful discharge 
thereof; and that I may contribute thereto, is one 
principal end of this book. In order to which, I first 
briefly shew how a midwife ought to be qualified. 
A midwife ought to be of a middle age, neither 
too old nor too young, and of a good habit of body, 
not subject to diseases, fears or sudden frights; nor 
are the qualifications assign’d to a good surgeon im- 
proper for a midwife, viz. a lady’s hand, a hawk’s 
eye, and a lion’s heart: to which may be added, acti- 
vity of body, and a convenient strength, with caution 
and deligence, not subject to drowsiness, nor apt to 
be impatient. She ought also to be sober, affable, 
courteous, and chaste, not covetous, nor subject to 
passion, and her temper cheerful and pleasant, that 
she may the better comfort her patients in their sor- 
rows;

(57) 
rows; nor must she be over hasty, tho’ her business 
may perhaps require her in another place; but above 
all she ought to be qualified with the fear of God 
which is the principal thing in every state and condition, 
and will furnish her on all occasions both with 
knowledge and discretion. But I now proceed to more 
particular directions. 
When the time of birth draws 
near and the good woman finds  
her travelling 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 upon such occasions; 
when the midwife is come, let the first thing she does 
be to find whether the true time of the birth be come: 
the want of observing this, hath spoiled many a child, 
and endangered the life of the mother, or at least 
put her to twice as much pain as needed; for unskil- 
ful midwives, not minding this, have given things 
to force down the child, and thereby disturb’d the 
natural course of her labours; 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 labour: they begin troubled with pains so 
long before their true labour 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 women with child find their 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 their labour: which 
may be effectually done by anointing the reins of their 
back with the oil of poppies and violets, or water 
lilies, and thus they may avoid that hard labour which 
they usually undergo whose reins are hot; which that 
they may the better prevent, let me recommend to 
S. 2. What must be 
done when the wo-
man’s time of labour 
is come.
you

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you the decoction of plantane leaves and roots, 
which is thus made: make a strong decoction of 
them in water, and then having strain’d and clarify’d 
it with the white of an egg, boil it into a syrup with 
its weight of sugar, and keep it for use. But since it 
is so necessary for midwives to know the true time of 
a woman’s labour, the following section will rightly 
inform them. 
Sect. 3. Signs by 
which the true time 
of a woman’s labour 
may be known. 
When women draw near the 
time of their reckoning especially 
with the first child, and perceive 
any extraordinary pain in their 
belly, they immediately send for 
their midwife, as taking it for labour, tho’ perhaps 
those pains, which are so often mistaken for labour, 
are only caus’d by the cholick, and proceed from 
wind; which pains, tho’ they come and go, grip- 
ing the whole belly, yet are without any forcing 
downward into the womb, as is done by those who 
go before labour. But these cholick pains may be 
removed by warm cloths laid upon the belly, and the 
application of a clyster or two, by which these pains 
that precede a true labour, are rather furthered than 
hindered. There are also other pains incident to 
women in that condition, from the flux of their belly, 
which are easily known by the frequent stools that 
follow them. 
But to speak more directly to the matter; the signs 
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 she used to do; also there 
flows from the womb slimy humours, which nature 
has appointed to moisten and make smooth the pas- 
sage that its inward orifice may be the more easiiy 
dilated when there is occasion; which beginning to 
open at that time, suffers that slime to flow away,
which

(59) 
which proceeds from the glandules called Prostatæ.
These are signs preceding labour. 
But when she is presently fallen into labour, the 
signs are great pains about the region of the reins 
and loins, which coming and retreating by intervals, 
answer in the bottom of the belly, by congruous 
throws: and sometimes the face is red and enflamed, 
the blood being much heated by the endeavours a 
woman makes to bring forth the child; and likewise 
because during the strong throws her perspiration is 
intercepted, which causes the blood to have recourse 
to her face; her privy parts are also swell'd by the 
infant’s head lying in the birth which by often thrust- 
ing, causes those parts to distend outwards. She 
is likewise much subject to vomiting, which is also a 
sign of good labour, and speedy delivery, though 
by ignorant women thought otherwise; for good 
pains are thereby excited and redoubled: which vo- 
miting, is occasioned by the sympathy there is be- 
tween the womb and the stomach. Also when the 
birth is near, most women are troubled with the 
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 humours which then flow from 
the womb, are discoloured with blood (which is 
what the midwives calls shows) it is an infallible mark 
the birth is near; and if then the midwife puts 
her finger up the neck of the womb, she will find 
the inner orifice dilated; at the opening of which, 
the membrances of the infant containing the waters 
present themselves, and are strongly forced down- 
wards with each pain sometimes to resist the finger, 
and then again to press forwards, being more or less 
hard and extended, according as the pains are strong 
or weak. These membrances with the water in them, 
when

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when they are before the head of the child, which the 
midwives call the gathering of the water, resemble, 
to the touch of the finger, these eggs which have yet 
no shell but are covered with a simple membrane. 
After this, pains still redoubling, the membrances are 
broken by the impression of the waters, which pre- 
sently flow away, the head is felt naked, and the 
birth must be very near; this being the most certain 
sign that can be; for the amnion and allantois being 
broken (which contain those waters) by the pressing 
forward of the birth, the child is no more able to 
subsist long in the womb afterwards, than a naked man 
in a heap of snow. Now these waters, if the child 
come presently after them, facilitate the labour, by 
making the passage slippery; and therefore let no mid- 
wife use means to force away the water, for nature 
knows best when the true time of the birth is, and 
therefore retains the waters till that time: but if by 
accident the water breaks away too long before the 
birth, then such things as will hasten it may be safely 
administred; and what is to be done in that case I 
shall shew in another section by and by. 
Sect. 4. What to be 
done at the time of 
labour. 
When, by the foregoing signs 
concurring, the midwife is satis- 
fied that it is the true time of her 
labour, she must take care to get 
all things ready that are necessary to comfort the tra- 
velling woman in that time; and the better to that, 
let her see that she be not straight lac’d. She may 
also give her a pretty strong glyster, if she finds there 
be occasion for it; but with this proviso, that it be 
done at the beginning, and before the child be too 
forward; for otherwise it will be difficult for her to 
receive it; the advantage of which glyster is, that the 
guts thereby will be excited to discharge itself of its 
excrements, and the rectum being emptied, there will 
be

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be more space for the dilating of the passage; likewise 
to cause the pains to bear more downward through 
the endeavours she makes; other necessary things for 
her labour will put in order, both for the mother and 
the child. 
As to the manner of the delivery, various midwives 
use different ways; some are delivered sitting on a 
midwife’s stool; but, for my part, I think that a pal- 
let bed girded, and plac’d near the fire, that the 
good woman may come on each side, that she may 
more readily be assisted, is much the better way. 
And if the labouring woman abounds with blood, 
it may not be improper to let her bleed a little, for 
by that means she will both breathe the better, and 
have her breath more at liberty; and likewise more 
strength to bear down her pain. And this may be 
done without 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 
this evacuation does many times prevent her having a 
fever after delivery. Likewise, if her strength will 
permit, let her walk up and down her chamber; and 
the better to enable her thereto, let her prudently 
consider, and take some good strengthening things, 
such as new laid eggs, jelly-broth, or some spoonfuls 
of burnt wine; and encourage her to hold off her 
pains, bearing them down when they take her all that 
she can. And let the midwife often touch the inward 
orifice with her finger, that she may the better know 
whether the waters are ready to break, and whether 
the birth will follow soon after; for generally the 
birth follows in two hours after the efflux of the wa- 
ter; and to help it afterwards, let her anoint the 
woman’s privities with emolient oil, hog-grease, and 
fresh butter; especially if she finds them too hard to 
be dilated. 
G Let

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Let the midwife also be near the labouring woman 
all the while, and diligently observe her gestures, 
pains and complaints, for by this she may guess pretty 
well how her labour goes forward; for when she 
changes her groans into cries, it is a great sign the 
birth is near; at which time her pains are greater and 
more frequent. Let her also sometimes rest herself on 
her bed to renew her strength; but not too long at a 
time; for to lie long at a time will retard her labour, 
and therefore it is better for her to walk about the 
chamber as much as she can; which, that she may 
the better do, let the good woman support her under 
her arm if it be necessary; for by walking, the 
weight of the child causes the inward orifice of the 
womb to dilate much sooner than it would do, if she 
lay upon her bed: besides, her pains, when walking, 
will be stronger and frequenter, and by consequence 
her labour will not be near so long. If she finds any 
sick qualms, let her not be discouraged, and if she 
finds any motions to vomit, let her not repress them, 
but rather give way to them; for it will (however 
uneasy and irksom they be for the present) be much 
for her benefit; because they further the pains and 
provoke downward. 
S. 5. How to pro- 
voke the birth, and 
cause speedy delivery. 
In the 3d Sect. of this Chap. 1 
told you that sometime it happens 
that the water breaks away too 
long before the birth, and that in such cases those things 
that hasten it, may be safely administred ; and I there 
promised to let the midwife know what things are 
most effectual in some cases: And I now intend to make 
good my word. 
When the birth is long deferr’d, after the coming 
down of the waters, let her hasten the birth by drink- 
ing of a good draught of wine, where dittany, red 
coral, juniper-berries, betony, penny-royal, and 
feverfew

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feverfew have been boiled; or the juice of feverfew 
taken in its prime (which is in May) and clarify’d, 
and so boil’d up in a syrup, and twice its weight of 
sugar, is very good upon this occasion. And mug- 
wort used in the same manner worketh the same 
effect. And so also does a dram of cinnamon in pow- 
der, given inwardly, or tansey bruis’d, and applied 
to the privities. Likewise the stone etities held to the 
privities, does in a very little draw forth the child, 
and the after-burthen; but care must be taken to 
remove it presently, or else it will draw forth the 
womb and all, so great is its magnetic virtue. Also 
a decoction of savoury made with white wine, and 
drank, gives a woman speedy delivery; also wild tansey, 
or silver weed bruised. So also is date-stones beaten to 
powder, and half a dram of them taken in white 
wine; parsley is of excellent use on this occasion; for 
if yon bruise it, and press out the juice, and then dip 
a linen cloth in it, and put it up, being so dipped, 
into the mouth of the womb, it will presently cause 
the child to come away, tho’ it be dead, and will 
bring away the after-burthen also. The juice of par- 
sley being of great virtue especially the stone parsley, 
being drank by a woman with child, it clears not 
only the womb, but also the child in the womb of 
all gross humours. A scruple of Castoreum in pow- 
der in any convenient liquor is very good to be taken 
in such a case; and so also is two or three drops of 
spirit of castoreum in convenient liquor. Eight or 
nine drops of the spirit of myrrh, given in a con- 
venient liquor hath the lame effect. Or give a 
woman in travel another woman’s milk to drink, it 
will cause speedy delivery. Also the juice of leeks 
being drank with warm water, hath a mighty ope- 
ration, causing speedy delivery. Take piony seeds,
G2 beat

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beat them to powder, and mix the powder with oil, 
with which oil anoint the loins and privities of the 
woman with child, it gives her deliverance very 
speedily, and with less pain than can be imagin’d. 
And this may be noted for a general rule, that all 
those things that move the terms, are good for mak- 
ing the delivery easy. There are several other things 
efficacious in this case; but I need not heap up medi- 
cines unnecessarily, those I have already nam’d being 
sufficient. 
S. 6. How a woman 
should be plac’d, in 
order to her delivery; 
with directions to the 
midwife how to deli- 
ver the labouring wo- 
man.
Having shewn how the birth 
may be facilitated, in case it come 
not soon after breaking away of 
the waters. I come now soon to 
shew the manner of her delivery;
when any of the forenam’d me- 
dicines have hasten’d the birth, let 
the midwife place the woman in a proper posture for 
delivery. And first let the woman be conducted to 
the pallet-bed, plac’d at a convenient distance from 
the fire according to the season of the year, and let 
there be a quilt laid upon the pallet bed stead, which 
is better than a feather-bed, and let it have thereon 
linen cloths in many folds, with such other things as 
are necessary, which may be chang’d according as the 
occasion may require it, that so the woman may not 
be incommoded with blood, waters and other filth, 
which is voided in labour. Then let her lay the 
woman upon her back, having her head a little rais’d 
by the help of a pillow, having the like help to 
support her reins and buttocks that her reins may lie 
high, for if she lie low she cannot well be delivered. 
Then let her keep her knees and thighs as far asun- 
der as she can, her legs being bow’d towards her 
buttocks, and let her feet be slaid upon a log, or some 
other firm thing. And let two women hold her 
shoulders,

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shoulders, that she may strain out the birth with her- 
self as much as possible, in like manner as when she 
goes to stool: for by much draining, the diaphrag- 
ma, or midriff being strongly thrust downwards, 
necessarily forces down the womb, and child in it. 
In the mean time, let the midwife encourage her all 
she can, and take care that she have no rings on her 
hands when she anoints the parts; then with her 
finger let her gently dilate the inward orifice of the 
womb, and putting her fingers in the entry thereof, 
stretch them one from another when her pains take 
her, by this means endeavouring to help forward the 
child, and thrusting by little and little the sides of 
the orifice towards the hinder part of the child’s 
head, anointing those parts also with fresh butter, in 
case it be necessary. And when the head of the in- 
fant is somewhat advanced in the inward orifice, it 
is usual among midwives to say, it is crowned; be- 
cause it both girds and surrounds it like a crown ; but 
when it is gone so far, and the extremity begins to 
appear without the privy parts, they then say, the 
child is in the passage; and at this time the woman 
feels herself as if it were scratched or pricked with 
pins, and is ready to think that the midwife hurts 
her; whereas, in truth, it is only occasioned by the 
violent distention of those parts, which sometimes 
even suffers a laceration through the bigness of the 
child’s head which will now come very quickly, and 
with her finger ends which she ought also to be sure 
to keep pared, let her endeavour to thrust the crown- 
ing of the womb back over the head of the child. 
And as soon as it is advanced as far as the ears, or 
thereabouts, let her take hold of the two sides with 
her two hands and wait till the good pain comes, and 
then quickly draw forth the child, taking care that 
the navel-string be not then entangled about the child's 
G3 neck


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neck or any other part, as sometimes it is, lest there- 
by the after-burden be pulled with violence and 
perhaps the womb also, to which it is fastened, and 
so either cause her to flood or else break the string, 
both which are of bad consequence to the woman, 
and render her delivery the more difficult. Great 
care must be taken that the head be not drawn forth 
straight, but shaking it a little from one side to the 
other, that 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 past, the child be stopt there by the largeness 
of the sboulders, and so be in danger of being suf- 
focated in the passage, as it has sometimes happened, 
for want of care therein. But as soon as the head 
is born, she may slide in her fingers under the arm- 
pits, and the rest of the body will follow without 
difficulty. As soon as the midwife hath in this man- 
ner drawn forth the child, let her lay it on one side, lest 
the blood and water which follow immediately should 
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, the next thing requisite is to bring away the 
after-burthen; but before that, let the midwife be 
very careful to examine whether there be any more 
children in the womb; for sometimes a woman may 
have twins : of which the midwife may satisfy herself, 
both by the continuance of the woman’s throws, and 
the bigness of her belly. But this is not so certain, as 
it is to put her hand up the entry of the womb, and 
there feel whether another child is not presenting to 
the passage: And if so, she must have a care how she 
goes about the after-birth, till the woman be-deliver’d. 
The first string must be cut and tied with a thread 3 
or 4 double, and the end fasten’d with a string to the
woman’s

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woman’s thigh to prevent the inconvenience it may 
cause by hanging between the thighs. 
Until the after-burden is brought 
away, (which sometimes is more 
difficult to do than the child, and 
altogether as dangerous, if it be 
not speedily done) the woman cannot properly be 
said to be safely delivered tho’ the child be born. 
And therefore how the midwife may do it safely 
without prejudice to the woman, is the business of 
this section. 
S. 7. Of the after- 
burden. 
Therefore as soon as the child is born, before the 
midwife either 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 fin- 
gers of the left hand, joined together the better to 
hold it, with which she may only take single hold 
of it about the left, near the privities, drawing it 
likewise very gently, resting a while, with the 
fore-finger of the same hand, extending and stretch- 
ing along the strings towards the entry of the va- 
gina, always observing for the more facility, to draw 
it from the side to which the burthen 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 burthen, the midwife 
be obliged to put up the 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 away with it, which has sometimes hap- 
pened. It is therefore very necessary to assist na- 
ture with proper remedies, which are general, 
whatever has a magnetic virtue to bring away the 
birth, has the same to bring away the after-birth; 
besides

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besides which, the midwife ought to consider that 
the good woman cannot but be much spent by the 
fatigue she had already undergone, in bringing forth 
the infant, and therefore should be sure to take care 
to give her something to comfort her. To which 
purpose some good jelly-broth, and a little wine with 
a toast in it, and other comforting things will be 
necessary. Sneezing being very conducive to bring 
away the after-birth, let her also take a little white 
helle-bore in powder, to cause her to sneeze. Tansey 
and the stone ætites, applied as before directed, is very 
efficacious in this case. The smoke of mary-gold 
flower received up by the woman’s privities by a fun-
nel, will bring away the after-birth though the mid- 
wife has lost her hold. Or if you will boil mugwort 
in water till it be very soft, and then take it out, and 
apply it like a poultis to the navel of the woman in 
travel, it instantly brings away both the birth and 
the after-birth ; but as soon as they come forth, must 
be instantly taken away, lest it should bring away the 
womb also. 
S. 8. 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 the 
navel-string; and to do it with that care and pru- 
dence that it ought, I shall therefore instruct the 
industrious midwife a little therein. As soon as the 
child is come into the world, let her consider whe- 
ther it be weak or strong, and if it be weak let her 
gently put back part of the vital and natural blood 
in the body of the child by the navel, for that re- 
cruits a weak child, the vital and natural spirit 
being communicated by the mother to the child by 
its navel-string. But if the child be strong, there 
is no need of it. Only it will not be amiss to let the 
midwife know that male children that are born seem- 
ingly

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ingly dead, may soon be brought to life again, if she 
squeezes six or seven drops of blood out of that part of 
the navel-string which is cut off, and give it the child 
inwardly. 
As to the cutting it short or long, authors can 
scarce agree about it, nor midwives either; some 
prescribing it to be cut at four fingers breadth, which 
is at the best but an uncertain rule, unless all fingers 
were of one size. It is a received opinion, that 
the parts adapted to generation, are either contract- 
ed or dilated, according to the cutting of the navel- 
string, which is the reason the midwives are gene- 
rally so kind to their own sex, that they leave a lon- 
ger part of the navel-string of a male than a female; 
because they would have the males well provided 
for the encounters of Venus And the reason they 
give why they cut those of a female more short, 
is, because they believe it makes them modest, 
and their privities narrower, which make them more 
acceptable to their husbands. But whether this be 
so or not, (which yet some of the greatest searchers 
into the secrets of nature affirm for a truth) yet cer- 
tain it is that great care ought to be used about the 
method of cutting oF the navel-string and especially 
that after it is cut, it be not suffered to touch the 
ground, for if it be, the child will never be able to 
hold its water, but be subject all his life-time to a 
diabetes, as experience has often confirmed: but 
as to the manner of cutting the navel-string, let the 
midwife take a brown thread, three or four times 
double, of an ell long, or thereabouts tied with a 
final knot at each of the ends, to prevent their in- 
tangling; and with this thread so accommodated, 
(which the midwife ought to have in readiness be- 
fore the woman’s labour, as also a good pair of 
scissars, that so no time may be lost) let her tie the
string

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string within an inch of the belly, with a double 
knot and turning about the ends of the thread let 
her tie two more on the other side of the string, 
reiterating it again, if it be necessary, then let her cut 
off the navel string another inch below the ligature,  
towards the after-birth; so that there only remains 
but two inches of the string, in the midst of which 
will be the knot we speak of; which must be straight 
knit as not to suffer a drop of blood to squeeze out of 
the vessels, but yet care must be taken not to knit it 
so straight as to cut it in two; and therefore the thread 
must be pretty thick, and pretty straight knit, it be- 
ing better too straight than too loose, some children 
having miserably lost their lives, before it hath been 
discovered, that the navel-string was not well tied: 
Therefore, great care must be taken that no blood 
squeeze thro’, for if there do, new knots must be made 
with the rest of the string. You need not fear to 
bind the navel-string very hard, because it is void 
of sense; and that part of it which you leave on, falls 
off of its own accord in a very few days, ordinarily 
six or seven, and sometimes in less time; but ’tis 
very rare that it tarries longer then the eighth or ninth 
day. 
As soon as the navel string is cut off, apply a 
little linen-cloth to the place, to the end, to keep 
it warm, lest the cold enter into the body of the 
child, which it will unavoidably do, in case it be not 
hard enough ; and if the linen-cloth you apply to 
it be dipt in oil of roses, it will be the better; then 
having put another small rag three or four times 
double upon the belly of the child, about the navel, 
let the string be so wrapped upon it, that it may not 
touch the naked belly. Upon the top of all, put 
another small bolster, and then swathe it with a 
linen swathe, four fingers broad, to keep it steady,
lest

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lest by rolling too much or being continually stirred 
from side to side, it comes to fall off, before the 
navel-string, which you left remaining, is fallen off. 
It is the usual custom of midwives to put a piece of 
burning rag to it; but I would advise them to put a 
small quantity of bole-armoniac, because of its dry- 
ing quality. But this much may suffice as to cutting 
the navel-string and delivery of a woman in labour, 
where the labour is unnatural, and no ill accident 
happens. But sometimes it fails out, that the labour is 
not only hard and difficult, but unnatural also, in which 
the midwife must take other measures : and what is to 
be done in such cases, shall be the subject of the fol- 
lowing Chapter. 
CHAP. VII. 
What unnatural labour is, and whence it pro- 
ceeds, and what the midwife ought to do in 
such cases. 
IT is an old approved axiom in the school that 
he who distinguishes well, argues well; and this 
rule holds good in our present 
subject of unnatural labour. It  
will be necessary, for the infor-  
mation of the midwife, to ac- 
quaint the reader, that there are three sorts of 
bad labours, all painful and difficult, but not all pro- 
perly unnatural, which therefore I shall thus distin- 
guish. 
S. 1. What unna-
tural labour is.
The first may properly be stiled hard labour, and 
it is that wherein the mother and child do suffer very 
much by extreme pain. 
The

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The second may well enough be stiled difficult hard 
labour, which is thus differenc’d from the former, 
that besides these extreme pains, it is generally attend- 
ed with some unhappy accident, which by retarding 
the birth, makes it very difficult. Now neither of 
these, tho’ hard and difficult can be called unnatural: 
for women to bring forth children in pain and sorrow, 
is natural. 
It is therefore the third sort of labour which I 
call unnatural; and that is when the child essays to 
come into the world in a contrary position to that 
which nature has ordain’d. To explain this, the 
reader must know that there is but one right and 
natural way of posture, in which children come to the 
birth ; and that is, when the head comes first, and 
the body follows after it in a straight line. If instead 
of this the child comes with its feet foremost, or with 
the side across, it is quite contrary to nature, or to 
speak more plainly unnatural. 
Having thus shewed the several sorts of hard labour, 
and distinguish’d those that are hard and difficult from 
that which is natural, it remains I shew from whence 
such labours proceed. 
S. 2. Whence hard, 
difficult and unnatural 
labour proceeds. 
The first answer to the ques- 
tion that some put, why wo- 
men bring forth their children 
with so much pain? Is, that it is 
the effect of the curse pronounc’d against woman 
for her sinning, it was pronounc’d as a curse against 
her: That in sorrow she should bring forth her chil- 
dren. 
But the natural and physical reason hereof is, That 
the sense of feeling being distributed 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 dilating thereof
stretcheth

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stretcheth the nerves, and from thence comes the pain:
and therefore the reason why some women have more 
pain in their labour than others, proceeds from their 
having the month of the matrix more full of nerves 
than others. 
Hard and difficult labour may proceed either from 
the mother or child, or from both; it may proceed 
from the mother, by reason of a general indisposi- 
tion of her body; or from the indisposition of some
particular part only, and that principally of the 
womb, which may be affected with such weakness, 
as renders her unable to expel her burden. It may 
be also because she is too young, or it may be, too 
old, and so may have the passages too straight; and 
then, if it be her first child, the parts may be too 
dry and hard, and cannot easily be dilated. The 
cholic does also cause labour to be hard and diffi- 
cult, because it hinders the true pains which should 
accelerate it. By which means, or which reason ra- 
ther, all great and acute pain renders a woman’s la- 
bour very difficult. As when the woman is taken 
with a violent fever, frequent convulsions, or a great 
flooding, or any other violent distemper, especially 
when the membranes are thick, and the orifice is 
too strait, or the neck of the womb not sufficiently 
open’d. 
Hard labour may also proceed from the child, and 
this is, either when it happens to stick to a mole, or 
is so weak it cannot break the membrane; also when 
it is too big, either all over, or in its head or when 
it proves monstrous, or comes into the birth in an 
unnatural posture. Sometimes it proceeds from the 
ignorance of the midwife, who may hinder nature in 
her work.
H In 

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S. 3. How the mid- 
wife must proceed in 
order to the delivery 
of a woman, in case 
of hard labour, and 
great extremity.
In case the midwife finds a 
woman in difficult labour, she 
must endeavour to know the par- 
ticular obstruction or cause there- 
of, that so she may apply a suita- 
ble remedy. When hard labour 
is caus’d by a woman’s being too 
young and too strait, 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 labour from her first child, let her low- 
er part be anointed to molify the inward orifice, which 
in such a case (being more hard and callous) does 
not easily yield to the distention of labour. And 
indeed this is the true cause why such women are 
longer in labour, and why their children in their 
birth are more subject to bruises than others. 
Those that are very lean, and have hard labour from 
that cause, let them moisten their parts with oil and 
ointments, to make them smooth and slippery, so that 
the head of the infant in the womb, may not be 
compressed and bruis’d by the hardness of the mother’s 
bones in its passage. But if the cause be weakness, 
she ought to be strengthen’d, the better to enable 
her to support her pain. Since difficult labour pro- 
ceeds from divers causes, the midwife must make use
of several remedies to women in hard difficult labour, 
which must be adapted to the causes from whence it 
proceeds. 
I need not tell the judicious midwife, that in case 
of extremity, when the labour is not only hard, 
but difficult and dangerous, a far greater care must 
be had than at other times. In such cases the situa- 
tion of the womb must be minded, and according- 
ly her posture of lying must be regulated; which 
will be best to be cross the bed, being held by those
that

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that are of a good strength to prevent her slipping 
down, or moving herself, during the time of the 
operation. Then let her thighs be put asunder as 
far as may be, and held so, while her legs are bent 
backwards towards her hips, her head leaning upon 
a bolster, and the reins of her back supported in the 
like manner; her rump and buttocks being lifted up ; 
observing to cover her stomach, belly, and thighs with 
warm linen, as well for decency’s sake as to keep them 
from the cold. 
The woman being in this posture, let the mid- 
wife, or rather operator, put up her hand, and try 
whether the neck of the womb be dilated, and then 
remove the contracted blood that obstructs the pas- 
sage of the birth; and having gently made way, let 
the operator tenderly move the child, having his hand 
anointed with sweet butter, or an harmless poma- 
tum, and if the waters are not come down, they 
may be set forth without any difficulty: and if the 
infant should attempt not to break forth with the 
head foremost, or across, he ought gently to turn it 
that he may find the feet, which having done, let 
him draw forth one, and having fasten'd it to a rib- 
bon, put it up again, and find out the other, and 
then bring them as close as may be; let the woman 
breathe a little while, assisting nature what she can 
by straining, in bringing forward the birth, that so 
she may the more easily draw it forth, and that the 
operator may do it better, and his hold may be the
surer, he must fasten or wrap a linen cloth about the 
child’s thighs, observing to bring it into the world 
with its feet downward. 
But in case their be a flux of blood, let the ope- 
rator be well satisfied whether the child or the se- 
cundine come first, for when sometimes the secun- 
dine has come first, the mouth of the womb has
H2 been 

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been thereby stopped and the birth hindered, to the 
hazard both of the woman and the child; therefore 
in this case the secundine must be removed by a swift 
turn, and the child sought for and drawn forth, as 
has been directed. 
If upon enquiry it appears that the secundine 
comes first, let the woman be deliver’d with all 
convenient speed, because then a great flux of blood 
will follow; the veins being then opened. And 
whether the secundine advances forward much or 
little; if the former, and the head of the child first
appears, it must be directed to the neck of the 
womb, as in the case of natural births; but if there 
appears any difficulty in the delivery, the best way 
is to search for the feet, and by them it may be put 
back with a gentle hand, and the child taken out 
first; but if the secundine advance, so that it can- 
not be put back, and the child follow it close, then 
the secundine is to be taken forth with much care 
and as swift as may be, and laid aside without cut- 
ting the intrail that is fastened to them, for by that 
you may be guided to the infant, which whether it 
be alive or dead, must be drawn forth by the feet as 
soon as possible; tho’ this is not to be done but in cases 
of great necessity; for the order of nature is for the 
secundine to come last. 
S. 4. Of the delivery 
of a dead child.
In delivering a woman of a dead 
child, before any thing be attempt- 
ed, the operator ought first to 
be very certain that the child is dead indeed ; which 
may be known by the falling of the mother’s breasts, 
the coldness of her belly, the thickness of her urine, 
which is attended with a stinking sediment at bot- 
tom, and no motion to be perceived in the child; 
also, when she turns herself in her bed, the child 
sways that way like a lump of lead, and her breath
stinks

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stinks tho’ not used to do so. When by these 
and the like signs, the operator is come to a settled 
judgment that the child is dead, let her apply her- 
self to the saving of the mother, by giving her 
those things that are the most powerful in the sav- 
ing nature in her operations; and which she has 
been before directed to. But if through weakness 
the woman be not able to operate with nature, so 
that a manual operation is absolutely necessary, let 
the operator carefully observe the following direc- 
tions, viz. If the child be found dead with its head 
foremost, he must take notice that the delivery will 
be the more difficult, because it is not only impossi- 
ble that the child should any way assist in its deli- 
very, but the strengrh of the mother doth also very 
much fail her, and therefore the most sure and safe 
way for him is to pat up his left hand, sliding it 
as hollow, in the palm, as he can, into the neck of 
the womb in the lower part thereof, towards the 
feet, and that between the infant and the neck of 
the matrix; and then 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 in the bone of the temple, towards 
the eye; or for want of convenient coming at these, 
in the occipital bone, observing still to keep the 
left hand in its place, and with it gently moving 
and stirring the head, and so with the right hand 
hook, draw the child forward, encouraging the 
woman to put forth her utmost strengih, and always 
drawing when the woman’s pangs are upon her. 
The head being thus drawn forth, the operator must, 
wuh all speed, slip his hand under the arm holes of 
the child, and take it quite forth, giving presently to 
the woman a toast of fine wheaten bread, in a quarter 
of a pint of tent to revive and cherish her spirits. 
H3 Thus

(78) 
Thus much shall suffice to shew the industrious mid- 
wife what is to be done for the delivery of women, in 
case of extremity. By what has been already shewed, 
she may know what to do in any other case that may 
fall out, remembering still, that for a child to come 
with his head foremost, and the body to follow in a 
straight line, is the right posture for the child, when 
it comes to the birth: and if it presents 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 put it into a posture 
that it may be brought forth by the feet. And if 
the midwife perceiving in what posture the child 
presents, or that the woman floods, or any other 
accident happens, by which she finds it is not in her 
power to deliver her, it will be her wisdom to send 
for a man-midwife betimes, rather than put things to 
the utmost extremity. 
CHAP. VIII. 
How the child-bed woman ought to be ordered 
after delivery. 
S. 1. Directions for 
child-bed women, af- 
ter delivery. 
after
AFTER the birth and after-birth are brought 
away, if the woman's body be very weak, keep 
not too hot; for extremity of 
heat weakens nature, and dissol- 
ves the strength; but whether she 
be weak or strong let no cold 
air come near her at first; for cold is an enemy to 
the spermatick parts; and if cold gets into the 
woman, it increases the after-pains, causes swellings 
in the womb, and hurts the nerves; therefore if a 
woman has had very hard labour, it is convenient 


(79) 
after delivery, to wrap her in the skin of a sheep 
taken off whilst it is warm, and putting the fleshy 
side to her reins and belly; or if this cannot be so 
well had, the skin of a hair or rabbet, taken off as 
soon as it is killed, may be applied to the same parts; 
and by so doing, the dilatation made in the birth 
will be closed up and the melancholy blood expel- 
led from those parts. And these may be continued 
the space of an hour or two. After which let the 
woman be swathed with a fine linen cloth, about a 
quarter of a yard in length, chassing the belly before 
it be swathed with the oil of St John’s wort; after 
that, raise up the matrix with a linen cloth many times 
folded; then with a little pillow or quilt cover her 
flanks; then place the swathe somewhat above the 
haunches, winding it indifferently stiff, applying at 
the same time a warm cloth to her nipples and not 
presently applying the remedies to keep back the milk 
by reason her body at such a time is out of frame, for 
there is neither vein nor artery which doth not strongly 
beat, and those remedies that drive back the milk, 
being of a dissolving nature, it is improper to apply 
them to the breast during such a disorder of the body, 
lest evil humours should be contracted in the breast 
thereby: and therefore twelve hours at least ought to 
be allowed for the circulation and settlement of the 
blood, and that what was cast upon the lungs by 
the violent agitation of the body during the time 
of her labour, may again return to its proper recep- 
ticles. 
After she has been delivered a while, you may 
make a restrictive of the yoke of two eggs, a quar- 
ter of a pint of white wine, oil of St John’s wort, oil 
of roses, plantane and rose water, of each an ounce, 
mix them together, fold a linen cloth and dip it 
therein, warm it before a gentle fire, and apply it 
o


(80) 
to the breasts, and the pains of those parts will be 
gently eased. 
But be sure let her not sleep soon after her deli- 
very; but let her take some broth, caudle, or any 
other liquid matter that is nourishing, about four 
hours after delivery, and then she may be safely per- 
mitted to sleep, if she be so disposed, as ’tis probable 
she will be, being tired by the fatigue of her labour. 
But before this, as soon as she is laid in her bed, 
let her drink a draught of burnt white wine, in 
which you may have melted a dram of Spermacetæ. 
Let her also avoid the light for the first three days; 
for her labour weakens her eye sight exceedingly, 
there being a sympathy between them and the 
womb. The herb Vervain is a most singular herb 
for her, and you may use it any way; for you may 
boil it in her meats and drinks; it has no offensive 
taste, but many pleasant virtues. If she happens 
to be feverish, add the leaves or roots of plantain 
to it; and though she be not feverish, yet it may 
be better, and add much strength to her; but if her 
courses come not away as they ought let the plantain 
alone, insteed thereof put mother of thyme. If 
the womb be foul, which may be known by the im- 
purity of the 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 some times happen, 
though the midwife be never so careful and skill’d) 
then make her drink of feverfew, pennyroyal, mother 
of thyme, boiled in white wine and sweetened with 
sugar. Panada, and new laid eggs, are the best meat 
for her at first, of which let her eat often, and little 
at a time. And let her use cinnamon in all her meats 
and drinks, for it mightily strengthens the womb; 
let her stir as little as may be for six or seven days 
after delivery, and let her talk as little as may be, for 
that

(81) 
that weakens her. If she goes not well to stools, 
give her a glyster with the decoction of mallows, and 
a little brown sugar. After she hath laid in a week or 
something more, give her such things as close the 
womb: to which you may add a little polipodium, 
both leaves and roots bruis’d, with which purge gent- 
ly. This is as much, in case of a natural birth, as 
needs at first be done. 
S. 2. In extremity 
of unnatural labour.
Besides what has been said in 
the foregoing Sect. in cases of ex- 
tremity or unnatural labour, these rules ought to be 
observ’d. 
In the first place, 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, or giving credit to 
unskilful nurses 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 have been detained in the vessels or membranes, 
and it is better voided, for the health of the woman, 
than kept, unless there happen an extraordinary flux 
of blood: for if her nourishment be too much, it 
may make her liable to a fever, and increase the milk 
to superfluity, which may be of dangerous conse- 
quence. It is therefore requisite, for the first five days 
especially, that she take moderate panada, broth, 
poach’d eggs, jelly of chickens, and of calves feet, 
and French barley broth, each day increasing the quan- 
tity: and if she intends to nurse she may take a little 
more than ordinary, to encrease the milk by degrees; 
which must be of no continuance, but drawn off 
either by the child, or otherwise let her have corian- 
der or fennel-feed boiled in her barley broth; and 
by that means, for the time before mentioned, let her 
abstain from meat; if no fever trouble her, she may 
drink


(82)
drink now and then a small quantity of white-wine,
or claret, as also syrup of maiden-hair, or any other 
syrup that is of an astringent quality, taking it in a 
little water well boil’d. And after the fear of a fever, 
or contraction of humours to the breast is over, she 
may then be nourished more plentifully with the 
broths of pullets, capons, pidgeons, mutton, veal, 
&c. which must not be till after eight days, at least, 
from the time of her delivery; for by that time the 
womb will have purg’d itself, unless some intervening 
accident should hinder. It will thereby be expedient 
to give her cold meats, so it be done sparingly to 
gather strength, and let her, during the time, rest
quietly, and free from any disturbance, not sleeping 
in the day-time, if she can avoid it. If there happen 
any obstruction in the evacuation of her excrements, 
the following clyster may be administered; take pilli- 
tory of the wall, and of both the mallows, of each a 
handful; fennel and anniseed of each two ounces; boil 
them in the decoction of the sheep’s-head, and take 
of this three quarters, dissolving them in the common 
honey, and coarse sugar, and of new fresh butter two 
ounces; strain it well, and administer it glyster-wise. 
But if it does not operate to your mind, then you may 
take an ounce of catholicon. 
These things being carefully observed, there is no 
question but the lying-in woman will do very well, 
tho’ her labour has been never so extreme. If an ac- 
cident should happen, not here so fully provided 
against, they may find those things more fully discours’d 
in my Experienced Midwife, to which I refer the 
reader.
CHAP.

(83) 
CHAP. IX. 
Of a mole, or false conception; and of monsters 
and monstrous births, with the reason thereof. 
Sect. 1. Of a mole, or false conception. 
WE have hitherto been treating of the secrets of 
nature in the generation of man, and of issue 
in a true conception; it will now be convenient, before 
we conclude this discourse, to say something of a mole 
or falae conception, and of the generation of monsters: 
both of which I shall do very briefly. 
As to a mole, or false conception, it is call’d by 
the Greeks mole, from the load or heavy weight 
thereof; it being nothing else but a mass or great 
lump of flesh burdening the womb. And it is de- 
signed to be an inarticulate piece of flesh, without 
any form; and therefore differs from monsters, which 
are both formata and articulata. And then it is said 
to be a conception, but a false one; which puts a 
difference between a true conception and a mole, and 
the difference holds good three ways. First the genus; 
because a mole cannot be an animal. Secondly, It 
differs in the species, because a mole hath no human 
figure, and bears not the character of a man. Third- 
ly, It differs in the individuum; for it hath no affinity 
with the parts either in the whole body, or any parti- 
cles of the same. 
There is a variety of judgments among authors, 
about the producing cause of this effect; some af- 
firming, that it is produced by the woman’s seed go- 
ing into the womb without the man’s; but because 
we have before proved that women have properly 
no seed at all, but only an ovarium, which is fœcun- 
dated

(84)
dated by the active principle of the man’s seed; this 
opinion needs no confutation. Others say, it is en- 
gendered of the menstruous blood; but should this be 
granted, it would follow that maids by having their 
courses stopt, might be subject to the same, which 
never yet any were. The true cause of this carnous 
conception, which we call a mole, proceeds both from 
the man and woman; from corrupt and barren seed 
in the man, and from the menstruous blood in the 
woman both mix’d together in the cavity of the womb; 
and nature finding herself weak, (yet desirous of 
maintaining the perpetuity of her species) labours to 
bring forth a vicious conception rather than none, and 
not being able to bring forth a living creature, gene- 
rates a piece of flesh. 
Now that this imperfect conception may be known 
to be such, it is discerned by these signs; the monthly 
courses are suppressed, the belly is puffed up, and also 
waxed hard, the breasts swell, and the appetite is 
depraved. But you will say, these signs are of a 
breeding woman in a true conception; and there- 
fore these cannot distinguish a mole. To this I an- 
swer, though thus they agree, yet they are different 
in several respects; for a mole may be felt to move 
in the womb before the third month, which an in- 
fant cannot, nor is this motion of the mole the 
effect of sensitive power therein, but only caused by 
the faculty of the womb, and of the feminal spirits 
diffus’d thro’ the substance of the mole: for tho’ 
it is no animal, yet it has a vegetative life. But then 
the belly is suddenly swelled where there is a mole: 
but in a true conception the belly is first contracted, 
and then riseth gradually. Another difference is, the 
belly being pressed with the hand, the mole gives 
way, the hand being taken away, it returns to the 
place again: But a child in the womb, tho’ pressed 
with

(85) 
with the hand moves not presently, and being re- 
moved returns not at all, or at least very slowly: But 
(to name no more) another very material difference is, 
that the child continues not in the womb above eleven 
months at most; but a mole continues sometimes four 
or five years, sometimes more and sometimes less, 
according to its being fastened in the matrix; for 
sometimes it has fallen out, that the mole fell away in
four or five months; and if it remains until the 
eleventh month, the legs are feeble, and the whole 
body appears in a wasting condition; or the belly 
swells bigger and bigger; which is the reason that 
some who are thus afflicted think they are hydropi- 
cal, tho’ it be no such thing, which a woman may 
easily know, if she will but consider, that in a dropsy 
the legs swell and grow big; but in the case of a 
mole they consume and wither. This distemper is an 
enemy to true conception, and of dangerous, conse- 
quence; for a woman that breeds a mole is every way 
more inconvenienced than a woman that is with child, 
and all the while she keeps it she lives in danger o£ 
her life. 
The cure of this distemper, consists chiefly in ex- 
pelling it as soon as may be; for the longer it is 
kept, the worse it is, and this many times cannot 
be affected 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, for seeing letting of blood causeth 
abortion, by reason it takes away that nourishment 
which should sustain the life of the child, why may 
not this vicious conception be by the same means 
deprived of that vegetative sap, by which it lives? 
To which end, open the liver vein; and then the 
saphæma in both feet, fasten cupping glasses to the 
loins and sides of the belly; which done, let the 
I urinary

(86)
urinary parts first be molified, and the expulsive 
faculty be provoked to expel the burden. And to 
loosen the ligatures of the mole, take mallows with 
roots three handfuls; pellitory, cammomile, violet 
leaves, melilot, root of fennel, parsley, mercury, 
of each two handfuls; fenugreek and linseed, of 
each one pound, boil them in water, and make a 
bath thereof, and let her sit therein up to the navel; 
and at her going out of the bath, let her reins and 
privities be anointed with this unguent; take am- 
moniaci labdani, fresh butter, of each an ounce, 
and with oil of linseed make an ointment. Or, in- 
stead of this may be used Unguentum agrippæ or 
dialtheæ: also take ad brerchœ wasiaæ roots, or al- 
thæ-mercury, of each a handful, linseed and barley 
meal, of each six ounces; boil all these with water 
and honey, and make a plaister. And the liga- 
ments of the mole being thus loosened, let the ex- 
pulsive faculty be stirred up to expel the mole; for 
the effecting of which, all these medicaments are 
very proper, which bring down the courses. There- 
fore take savine, madder, valerian, horehound, 
sage, hyssop, betony, penny-royal, calamint, hyperi- 
on, and with 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 opera- 
tion, in the manner following: let the operator (hav- 
ing placed the woman in a proper posture, as has 
been directed in the cases of unnatural labour) slide his 
hand into the womb, and with 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 of a soft tender body, and much more pliable 
than a child, let the operator bring it away by parts, 
by using a crotchet knife, if it cannot be done 
other-

(87) 
otherwise. And if the operator finds it to be joined 
and fastened to the womb, he must gently separate 
it with his finger ends, his nails being pared, putting 
them by little and little between the mole and the 
womb, beginning on the side where it does stick so 
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 
the case of an after-burden, that stays behind in the 
womb, when the string is broken off. But a mole 
has never any string fastened to it, nor any burden 
from whence it should receive its nourishment; but 
does of itself immediately draw it from the vessels of 
the womb. And thus much shall suffice to be said 
concerning a mole; of which I have shewed the cause, 
the signs, and the cure. 
S. 2. Of monsters, 
and monstrous births. 
Monsters are properly depraved 
conceptions, and are deemed by 
the ancients to be excursions of 
nature, and are always vicious either by figure, situa- 
tion, magnitude, or number. 
They are vicious in figure, when a man bears the 
character of a beast. They are vicious in magnitude, 
when the parts are not equal; or that one part is too 
big for the other. And this is a thing very common, 
by reason of some excrescence. They are vicious in 
situation, the eyes on the breasts, or on the legs, as 
was seen in a monster born at Ravanna in Italy, in the 
year 1510. And lastly, they are vicious in number, 
when a man hath two heads, or four hands, and two 
bodies join’d, which was the case of the monster born
at Zarzarn, in the year 1550. 
As to the cause of their generation, it is either 
divine or natural. The divine cause proceeds from 
the permissive will of the great Author of our be- 
ings, suffering parents to bring forth such defor- 
I2 med


(88) 
med monsters, as a punishment for their filthy and 
corrupt affections, which they let loose into wick- 
edness, like brute beasts that have no understanding. 
For which reason the ancient Romans enacted, That 
those that were deformed, should not be put into 
religious houses. And St Jerom, in his time, was 
grieved to see the deformed and lame offered up to 
God in religious houses. And Kecherman, by way 
of inference, excluded all that are mis-shapen; 
because outward deformity of body is often a sign of 
the pollution of the heart, as a curse laid upon the 
child born depraved, which ought not be ascribed to 
the iniquity of the parents. Let us therefore search 
out the natural cause of their generation, which ac- 
cording to the ancients, who have dived into the 
secrets of nature, is either in the matter or in the 
agent, in the seed or in the womb; the matter may 
be in the fault two ways, by defect, or by excess. 
By defect, when the child hath but one arm, or one 
leg, &c. By excess when it hath three hands, or 
two heads. Some monsters are also begotten by wo- 
men’s bestial and unnatural coition, &c. The agent 
or womb may be too strong, or too weak, by which 
a depraved figure is sometimes produced. Secondly, 
The instrument or place of conception, the evil 
conformation, or evil disposition whereof will cause a 
monstrous birth. And, Thirdly, The imaginative 
power, at the time of conception, which is of such 
force, that it damps a character of the thing imma- 
gined upon the child; so that the children of an adul- 
tress, by the mother’s imaginative power, may have 
the nearest resemblance to her own husband, tho' 
begotten by another man. And through this power 
of the imaginative faculty, it was, that a woman in 
the time of conception, beholding the picture of a 
blackamoor, conceiv’d and brought forth a child re- 
sembling


(89) 
sembling an Ethiopian. And that this power of the 
imagination was well enough known to the ancients,
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 
rods, peeling ’em with white streaks in them, and laid 
them before the sheep when they came to drink, and 
they coupling there together, whilst they beheld the 
rods, conceived and brought forth spotted young. Nor 
does the imagination work in the child at the time of 
conception only, but afterwards also; as was seen in 
the example of a worthy gentlewoman, who being 
big with child, and passing by a butcher killing of meat, 
a drop of blood spurted on her face, whereupon she 
presently said, that the child would have some blemish 
on his face; which proved true, for at the birth it was 
found marked with a red spot. 
But besides the ways already mentioned, monsters 
are sometimes produced by other means; to wit, by 
the undue coition of a man and his wife, when her 
monthly flowings are upon her; which being a thing 
against nature, no wonder that it should produce an 
unnatural issue. If therefore a man’s desire be never 
so great for coition, as sometimes it is after long ab- 
sence, yet if a woman knows that the custom of women 
is upon her, she ought not to admit of any embraces, 
which at that time are both unclean and unnatural; 
the issue of those unclean embraces proving often mon- 
strous, as a just punishment for such a turpidinous 
action. Or if they should not always produce mon- 
strous births, yet the children thus begotten, for 
the most part are heavy, and sluggish, and defective 
in their understanding, wanting the vivacity and live- 
liness in those children, who are begotten when women 
are free from their courses, are endued withal. 
I3 There


(90) 
There have been something to do among authors, 
to know whether those that are born monsters have 
reasonable souls; some affirming and others denying 
it; the result of both sides, at last coming to this, that 
those who according to the order of nature are des- 
cended from our first parents, by the coition of man and 
woman, tho’ their outward shape be deformed and 
monstrous have notwithstanding reasonable souls. But 
those monsters that are not begotten by men, but the 
product of a woman’s unnatural lust, and copulating 
with the other creatures, shall perish as the brute 
beasts by whom they are begotten, not having a rea- 
sonable soul. 
The same being also true of imperfect and abortive 
births. There are some of opinion that monsters may 
be engendered by some infernal spirits, but notwith- 
standing Egidius Facius pretended to believe it with 
respect to a deformed monster born at Cracovia; and 
Hieronymus Cardanus writeth of a maid that was 
got with child by a devil; being a wicked spirit, and 
capable of having human seed. How is it possible he 
should beget a human creature? 
If they say, that the devil may assume to himself a 
dead body, and enliven the faculties of it, and there- 
by make it able to generate; I answer, that tho' we 
suppose this could be done, which I believe not, yet 
that body must bear the image of a devil: and it bor- 
ders upon blasphemy, to think the Allwise and good 
being would so far give way to the worst of spirits as 
to suffer him to raise up his diabolical offspring: for 
in the school of nature we are taught the contrary, viz. 
That like begets like; whence it follows that men 
cannot be born of a devil. Yet it cannot be denied 
but that devils transforming themselves into human 
shape, may abuse both men, women, and with wicked 
people use copulation. But that any such unatural
con- 


(91) 
conjunction can bring forth a human creature is con- 
trary to both nature and religion. 
Of monstrous births some instances I’ll shew, 
Which tho’ they frightful seem unto our view, 
Yet they by their mishapen forms may preach, 
And unto all may this found doctrine teach, 
That those who all their members do enjoy, 
And no affrighting monstrous Souls annoy, 
May to their great Creator’s laud declare, 
He, not themselves, has made them what they are; 
And therefore unto him belongs the praise, 
Whose works are wonderful, and all his ways, 
Will just and righteous in the end appear, 
Whate’er short sighted mortals censure here. 
The first I shall present is a most strange, hideous and 
frightful monster indeed, representing an hairy child.
It was all covered over with hair like a beast. That 
which


(92) 
which rendered it yet more frightful was that its navel 
was in the place where its nose should stand, and its 
eyes placed where his mouth should have been, and 
its mouth was in the chin. It was of the male kind; 
and was born in France in the year 1597, at a town 
called Arles in Provence, and lived but a few days, 
affrighting all that beheld it. It was looked upon as a 
forerunner of those desolations which soon after hap- 
pened in that kingdom, where men towards each other, 
were more like beasts than human creatures. 
Where children thus are born with hairy coats, 
Heaven’s wrath unto the kingdom it denotes. 
Near Elseiling in Germany, 1529, a boy was born 
with one head, and one body, but having four ears, 
four arms, four thighs, four legs and four feet. This 
birth caused much disputes amongst the learned who 
beheld

(93) 
beheld it, judged to proceed from the redundance of 
the seed, by there not being enough for twins, nature 
formed what she could, and so made the most of it. 
This child lived some years, and though he had four 
feet, he knew not how to go; by which we may see 
the wisdom of nature, or rather the God of nature, in
the formation of the body of man. 
Heaven in our first formation did provide, 
Two arms and legs, and what we have beside, 
Renders us monstrous and mishapen 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 chuse. 
In the time of Henry the III. there was a woman 
deliver’d of a child, having two heads and four arms, 
and the rest was a twin unto the navel; all the rest
was

(94) 
was single, as appears in the figure. The heads were 
so placed that they looked contrary ways, and each had 
two distinct arms and hands; they would both laugh, 
both speak, and both cry, eat and be hungry together; 
sometimes the one would speak and the other would 
keep silent; and sometimes both speak together. It 
was of the female sex; and tho’ it had two mouths and 
eat with both, yet there was but one fundament to 
disburden nature. 
It lived several years, but one outlived the other 
three years, carrying the dead one (for there was no 
parting them) till the other fainted with the burden, 
and more with the stink of the dead carcase. 
In Flanders between Antwerp and Mechlin, in a 
village called Uthaton, a child was born which had 
two heads and four arms, seeming like two girls joined 
together, from the breasts down to the belly, having
two

(95) 
two of their arms lifted up between, and above their 
heads; the thighs being placed as it were cross one 
another, according to the figure. How long they lived 
I had no account of. 
Nature doth us sometimes monsters show, 
That we by them may our own mercies know; 
And thereby sin’s deformity may see, 
Than which there’s nothing can more monstrous be. 
The End of the Second Part. 
ARISTOTLE’s 
FULL MASTER-PIECE. 
PART III. 
Displaying the secrets of nature, relating to phy- 
siognomy, either in man or woman, not only 
by inspection into their faces and hands, but 
by observation of all other parts of the body. 
WHEN I first began this treatise, I intended to 
have gone no farther with Aristole’s Master 
Piece, than what related to the generation of 
man, but since recollecting how useful, and withal how 
scarce this treatise of physiognomy and palmistry was, 
I thought it worth my while to communicate it to the 
public, for the benefit and advantage of those who are 
curious enquirers into the secrets of nature; and this I 
have the rather done, as that which will afford both 
much pleasure and more profit, and therefore it cannot 
fail but please; for, according to the poet; 
He only ’tis that hits the white 
Who mixes profit with delight. 
CHAP.

CHAP. I. 
Sect. 1. Of Physiognomy, shewing what it is, and from 
whence derived. 
PHysiognomy is an ingenious science, in the know- 
ledge of nature, by which the inclinations and 
dispositions of every creature are understood; 
and because some of the members are incompounded 
and intire of themselves, as the tongue, the heart, 
&c. And some are of a mixt nature, as the eyes, the 
nose, and others. We therefore say, that there are 
many signs which agree and live together, which in- 
form a wise man how to make his judgment before he 
be 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 
fear of man’s face, but what is under the peculiar in- 
fluence or government, not only of the seven planets, 
but also of the twelve signs of the Zodiack; and the 
disposition, vices, virtues and fatality, either of a man 
or a woman may be plainly foretold, if the person pre- 
tended to the knowledge therefore be an artist; which 
that my reader may hereby attain to, I shall set these 
things in a clearer light. 
Section 2. Of the 
government of the 
face by the signs and 
planets, shewing un- 
der which of them 
each part of it is.
That this government of the 
face, in its several parts, by the 
signs of the planets, may be more 
obvious to the reader, I have here 
inserted the following figure. By 
this the reader may see at the first 
glance, that the forehead is governed by Mars, the 
right eye is under the dominion of Sol, the left eye is ru- 
led by the Moon or Luna; the right ear is 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

(97) 
that all unlawful veneral encounters, the nose is sub- 
ject to bear the scars which are gotten in those wars: 
and the nimble Mercury, the significator of eloquence, 
claims the dominion of the mouth, and that very 
justly. 
Thus have the seven planets divided the face among 
them, but not with so absolute a sway, but that the 
twelve signs of the Zodiack do also come in for a part; 
and therefore the sign Cancer presides in the upper- 
most part of the forehead, Leo attends upon the right 
eye-brow, as Sagittary does upon the right eye, and 
Libra upon the right ear; upon the left eye and eye- 
brow, you will find Aquarius and Gemini, and Aries 
taking care of the left ear; Taurus rules in the middle 
of the forehead, and Capricorn the chin; Scorpio 
takes upon him the production 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 
amongst the signs and planets; which being care- 
fully attended to, will sufficiently inform the artist how 
K to


(98)
to pass a judgment. For according to the sign or 
planet ruling, so also is the judgment to be of the 
part ruled; which all those that have understanding 
know easily how to apply. 
In the judgment that is to be 
made from physiognomy, there is 
a great difference betwixt a man 
and a woman, the reason is be- 
cause in respect of the whole com- 
position, men do more fully comprehend it than 
women do, as may evidently appear by the manner 
and method we shall give in the following Sections. 
Wherefore the judgments which we shall pass in every 
chapter, does properly concern a man, as comprehend- 
ing the whole spirit, and but improperly the woman, 
as being but a part thereof and declined to the man; 
and therefore whoever is called to give judgment on 
such and such a face, ought to be wary and very 
careful that he observes not only one or two, but all 
the lines and the marks that belong to it; respect 
being also had unto the sex; for when we behold a 
man whose face is like unto a woman, and we pass a 
judgment upon it, having diligently observed it; and 
not on the face only, but on other parts of the body, 
and his hand, &c. in like manner we also behold the 
face of a woman, who, in respect of her flesh and 
blood, is like unto a man, and in the disposure also 
of the greatest parts of her body. But does physiog- 
nomy give the same judgment on her, as it does of 
a man that is like unto her? By no means, but far 
otherwise in regard that the conception of the woman, 
is much different from that of a man, even in those res- 
pects, which are said to be common. Now in those 
common respects, two parts are attributed to a man, 
and a third part to a woman. 
S. 3. Of the differ- 
ence to be made in 
the judgment of phy- 
siognomy between 
man and woman. 
Where-

(90)
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 relation only to a 
man and woman, and not any other creature, that 
the work may be more obvious to the reader. 
CHAP. II. 
Of the judgment of physiognomy, drawn from all 
parts of the head and face. 
HAIR, that hangs down without curling, if it be 
a fair complexion, and thin, and soft withal, 
signifies a man to be naturally faint-hearted, 
and of a weak body, but of a quiet 
and harmless disposition.
S. 1. Of the hair of 
the head either in 
man or woman.
Hair that is big and thick, and short 
withal, denotes a man to be of a 
strong constitution, secure, bold, deceitful, and for 
the most part unquiet and vain, lusting after beauty, 
and more foolish than wise, though fortune may fa- 
vour him. He whose hair is partly curl’d and partly 
hanging down, is commonly a wise man, or a fool, 
or else a great knave or a fool. He whose hair grow- 
eth 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 dull in 
his apprehension. He whose hair not only curls very 
much, but busheth out and stands an end, if the hair 
be white or yellowish colour, he is by nature proud 
and bold, dull of apprehension, soon angry, a lover 
of venery, and given to lying, malicious, and ready 
to do any mischief. He whose hair rises in the cor- 
ners 

(100)
ners of his temples, and is gross and rough withal, is a 
man highly conceited of himself, inclin’d to malice, 
but cunningly conceals it, is very courtly, and a lo- 
ver of new fashions. He that hath much hair, that 
is to say, whose hair is very thick all over his head, 
is naturally vain and very luxurious, of a good diges- 
tion, easy of belief, and slow in performance, of 
a weak memory, and for the most part fortunate. 
He whose hair is of a reddish complexion, is for the 
most part, if not always proud, deceitful, detracting, 
venereous, and full of envy. He whose hair is ex- 
traordinary fair, is for the most part a man fit for all 
praise worthy enterprizes, a lover of honours, and 
much more inclined to do good than evil, laborious 
and careful to perform whatsoever is committed to 
his care, secret in carrying on any business, and fortu- 
nate. Hair of yellowish colour, shews a man to be 
good conditioned, and willing to do any thing, fear- 
ful, shamefaced, and weak of body, but strong in
the abilities of the mind and more apt to remember 
than revenge injuries. He whose hair is of a brownish
complexion, and curleth not too much nor too little, 
is a well disposed man, inclined to that which is good, 
a lover of peace, cleanliness, and good manners. He 
whose hair turns grey, or hoary, in the time of his 
youth, is generally given to women, vain, false, unsta- 
ble, and talkative. Note, That whatsoever significa- 
tion the hair has in men, it has the same in women 
also. 
Thus does wise nature make our very hair 
Shew all the passions that within us are; 
If to the bottle we are most inclin’d, 
Or if we fancy most the female kind; 
If unto virtue’s paths our minds we bend, 
Or if to vicious ways our footsteps tend; 
A

(101) 
A skilful artist can unfold the same, 
And from our hair a certain judgment frame: 
But since our perriwigs are come in fashion, 
No room is made for such an observation. 
Sect. 2. Of judg- 
ment of Phisiognomy 
drawn from the fore- 
head. 
The forehead that riseth in a 
round, signifies a man liberally 
merry, of a good understanding, 
generally inclined to virtue. He 
whose forehead is fleshy, and the 
bone of the brow jutting, and without wrinkles, is a 
man much inclined to suits at law, contentious, vain, 
deceitful, and addicted to follow ill courses. He 
whose forehead is very low and little, is of a good 
understanding, magnanimous, but extreamly bold and 
confident, and a great pretender to love and honour. 
He whose forehead seems sharp and pointing up in 
the corner of his temples, so that the bone seems to 
jutt forth a little, is a man naturally vain and sickle, 
and weak in his intellectuals. He whose brow upon 
the temple is full of flesh, is a man of great spirit, 
proud, wrathful, and of a gross understanding. He 
whose brow is full of wrinkles, and hath as it were 
a seam coming down the middle of his forehead, so 
that a man may think he hath two foreheads, is 
one that is of a great spirit, a great wit void of deceit, 
and yet is of a hard fortune. He who is destitute 
of hair, or at least, that has little on it, is bold, 
malicious, high spirited, full of choler, and apt to 
transgress beyond all bounds, and yet of a good wit 
and very apprehensive. He whose forehead is long 
and high and jutting forth, and whose face is figured 
almost sharp, and picked towards the chin, is also 
reasonably honest, but weak and simple, and of a 
hard fortune. 
Who views man well, may on their vices hit. 
For some mens crimes are on their foreheads writ; 
K3 But

(102) 
But the resolved man out-braves his fate, 
And will be good altho’ unfortunate. 
S. 3. Of what judg- 
ment may be given by 
physiognomy from the 
eye-brows of man or 
woman. 
Those eye-brows that are much 
arched whether in man or woman 
and which by a frequent motion 
elevate themselves, shew the per- 
son to be proud, high spirited, 
vain-glorious, bold and threatning; a lover of beauty 
and indifferently inclined to either good or evil. He 
whose eyelids bend downwards when he speaks to ano- 
ther man, or when he looks upon him, and who has 
a kind of a skulking look, is by nature a penurious 
wretch, close in all his actions, of very few words, 
but full of malice in his heart. He whose eye-brows 
are thick, and have but little hair upon them, is but 
weak in his intellectuals, and too credulous, very 
sincere, sociable, and desirous of good company. He 
whose eye-brows are folded, and the hair thick, and 
bending downwards, is one that’s clownish and un- 
learned, heavy, suspicious, miserable, envious, and 
one that will cheat, and cousen you if he can, and is 
only to be kept honest by good looking to. He whose 
eye-brows hath a short hair, and of a whitish colour, 
is fearful, and very easy of belief, and apt to under- 
take any thing. Those on the other side, whose eye- 
brows are black, great, and the hair of them but thin, 
will do nothing without great consideration, and are 
bold and confident in the performance of what they 
undertake; neither are they apt to believe any thing 
without reason for so doing. 
Thus by the eye-brows womens minds we know, 
Whether they’re white, or black, or quick or slow; 
And whether they’ll be cruel, or be kind, 
By looking in their eye-brows, we may find.
If

(103) 
If the space between the eye- 
brows be of more than ordinary 
distance, it shews the person to be 
hard hearted, envious, close and cunning, apprehen- 
sive, greedy of novelties, of vain fortune, addicted to 
cruelty more than love. But those whose eye-brows 
are at great distance from each other, are for the most 
part of a dull understanding; yet subtile enough in 
their dealings, and of an uncommon boldness, which 
is often attended with a great felecity, but that which 
is most commendable in them is that they are most 
secure and constant in their friendships. 
S. 4. How to judge 
from the space be- 
tween the eye-brows. 
Great and full eyes, either in 
man or woman, 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 
bad memory, slow in invention, weak of his intellec- 
tuals, and very much conceited of that little knack of 
wisdom he thinks himself master of. He whose eyes 
are hollow in his head, and therefore discerns excel- 
lently well at a great distance is one that is suspicious, 
malicious, furious, preverse in his conversation, of an 
extraordinary memory, bold, cruel, and false, both 
in words and deeds, threatning, vicious, luxurious, 
proud, envious, and treacherous. But he whose eyes 
are, as it were starting out of his head, is a simple 
foolish person, shameless, very servile, and easily to be 
persuaded either to vice or virtue. He whose eyes, 
and eye lids look downwards, it denotes him to be 
of a malicious nature, very treacherous, unfaithful, 
envious, miserable, impious towards God, and dis- 
honest towards men. He whose eyes are small, and 
convenient, is bashful and weak, very credulous, 
liberal to others, and evil in his conversation. He 
whose eyes look a-squint, is denoted to be a deceitful 
Sect. 5. Judgment 
to be made from the 
eyes of man or wo- 
man. 
person,

(104) 
person, unjust, envious, furious, a great lyar, and 
as the effect of all this, miserable. He who hath a 
wandring eye, and which is rolling up and down, is 
for the most part a vain, simple deceitful man, lustful, 
treacherous and high minded, an admirer of the fair 
sex, and one easy to be persuaded to vice or virtue. 
He or she whose eyes are often twinkling forward, and 
backward, shews the person to be luxurious, un- 
faithful and treacherous, presumptuous, and hard to 
believe any thing that is spoken. If a person has 
any greenness mingled in the white of his eyes, such 
is commonly silly, often very false, vain and deceit- 
ful, unkind to his friends, a great concealer of his 
own secrets, and very cholerick. Those who seldom 
move their eyes, and when they do, do, as it were 
draw their eyes inwardly, and accurately fasten upon 
some object, such as are by their inclinations, false 
and contentious. They whose eyes are addicted to 
the blood-shot, are naturally cholerick, proud, dis- 
dainful, cruel, without shame, prefidious, and inclin- 
ed to superstition. They who have eyes like eyes of 
oxen, are persons of good nutriment, but of a weak 
memory, and dull of understanding, and silly in their 
conversation. But those whose eyes are neither too 
little nor too big, and incline to a black, do signify a 
man mild, peaceable, honest, witty, and good under- 
standing, and one that when need requires it, will be 
serviceable to his friend. 
That from the eyes we several things may see, 
By nature’s art of physiognomy, 
That no man scarce can make to look astray, 
But we thereby some secret symptoms, may 
Discern of their intentions, and forsee, 
Unto which paths their steps directed be, 
And

(105) 
And this may teach us goodness more to prize, 
For where one’s good there’s twenty otherwise. 
Sect. 6. Of Judg- 
ment drawn from the
nose. 
A long and thin nose denotes 
a man bold, curious, angry, vain, 
easy to be persuaded either to good 
or evil, weak and credulous. A long nose, and ex- 
tended, the tip of it bending downwards, shews the 
person to be wise, discreet, secret, officious, honest
and faithful, and one that will not be over-reach- 
ed in bargaining. A bottle nose is what denotes a 
man to be impetuous in obtaining his desires, also 
vain, false, luxurious, weak, and an uncertain man, 
apt to believe, easy to be persuaded. A nose broad 
in the middle, and less towards the end, denotes a 
vain and talkative person, a lyar, and one of a hard 
fortune. He who hath a long and great nose, is an 
admirer of the fair sex, and well accomplished for 
the wars of Venus, but ignorant in the knowledge 
of any thing that is good, extremely addicted to 
vice, assiduous in the obtaining what he desires, and 
very secret in the prosecution of it, and tho’ igno- 
rant, would fain be thought very knowing. A nose 
very sharp on the tip of it, and neither too long 
nor too short, too thick nor too thin, denotes the 
person, if a man, to be of a fruitful disposition, al- 
ways pining and pevish; and if a woman, a scold, 
contentious, wedded to her own humours, of a mo- 
rose and dogged carriage, and if married, a plague to 
her husband. A nose very round in the end of it, 
and having but little nostrils, shews the person to be 
munificent and liberal, true to his truth, but withal 
very proud, credulous and vain. A nose very long 
and thin at the end of it, and something round 
withal, signifies one bold in his discourse honest in 
his dealing, patient in receiving, and slow in offering 
injuries,

(106) 
injuries, but yet privately malicious. He whose 
nose is naturally more red than any other part of his 
face, is thereby denoted to be covetous, impious, 
luxurious, and an enemy to goodness. A nose that 
turns up again, and long and full on the tip of it, 
shews the person to be bold, proud, covetous, envi- 
ous, luxurious, a liar and deceiver, vain glorious, 
unfortunate, contentious. He whose nose riseth high 
in the middle, is prudent and politic and of great 
courage, honourable in his actions, and true to his 
word. A nose big at the end, shews a peaceable dis- 
position, industrious and faithful, of a good under- 
standing. A very thick nose with wide nostrils, de- 
notes a man dull of apprehension, and more inclined 
to simplicity than wisdom, and withal contentious, en- 
vious, vain glorious, and a liar. 
Thus from the nose our physiognomist, 
Can spell man’s inclinations if he list; 
And from its colour, and its various make, 
Of vice and virtue can a survey take. 
Sect. 7. Of Judg- 
ment to be made from 
the nostrils. 
When the nostrils are close and 
thin, they denote a man to have 
but little testicles, and to be very 
desirous of the enjoyments of wo- 
men, but modest in his conversation. But he whose 
nostrils are great and wide, is usually well served and 
lustful; but withal of an envious, bold and treacherous 
disposition, and tho’ dull of understanding yet confi- 
dent enough. 
Thus those who chiefly mind the brutal part, 
May learn to chuse a husband by this art. 
The End of the Third Part. 

ARISTOTLE’S 
FULL MASTER-PIECE. 
PART IV. 
Of Judgment to be made from the mouth. 
A Great and wide mouth shews a man to be bold, 
warlike, shameless and stout, a great liar, and 
a great talker, and a carrier of news, and also a great 
eater; but as to his intellectuals, he is very dull, 
being for art very simple. A little mouth shews the 
person to be of a quiet, pacifick temper, somewhat 
fearful, but faithful, secret, modest, bountiful, and 
but a little eater. He whose mouth smells of bad 
breath, is one of a corrupted liver, or lungs, is 
oftentimes vain, wanton, deceitful, of indifferent in- 
tellects, envious, covetous and a promise breaker. He 
that hath a sweet breath is the contrary. 
Thus from the mouth itself we likewise see, 
What signs of good or bad may gather’d be; 
For let the wind blow east, west, north, or south, 
Both good and bad proceed out of the mouth. 
Sect. 1. Of Judg- 
ment drawn from the 
lips of a man or wo- 
man. 
The lips when they are very big and blabbering 
show a person to be credulous, 
foolish, dull, stupid, and apt to 
be inticed to any thing. Lips of a 
different size, denote a person to 
be discreet, secret in all things, judicious, and of a 
good wit, but somewhat hasty. To have lips well 
coloured, and more thin than thick, shews a person 
to be good conditioned and well humoured in all 
things


(108) 
things, and more easily to be persuaded to good than 
evil. To have one lip bigger than another, shews 
variety of fortunes, and shews the party to be of a 
dull, sluggish temper, and but of a very different un- 
derstanding, as being much addicted to folly. 
The lips they so much dote on for a kiss 
Oft tell fond lovers when they do amiss. 
S. 2. Judgments 
drawn from the teeth.
When the teeth are small, and 
but weak in performing the office, 
and especially if they are short and 
few, though they shew the party to of be a weak 
constitution, yet they denote him an extraordinary 
understanding, and not only so, but also of a meek 
disposition, honest, faithful, and secret in whatsoever 
he is trusted with. To have some teeth longer and 
shorter than others, denotes a person of a good appre- 
hension, but bold, disdainful, envious, and proud. 
To have the teeth very long, and growing sharp 
towards the end, if they are long in chawing, and 
thin withal, denotes the person to be envious, glutto- 
nous, bold, shameless, unfaithful, and suspicious. 
When the teeth look very brown and yellowish, 
whether they be long or short it shews the person to 
be of a suspicious temper, envious, turbulent. To 
have teeth strong and close together, shews the party 
to be of a long life, a desirer of novelties, and things 
that are fair and beautiful, but of a high spirit, and 
one that will have his humour in all things; he loves 
to hear news, and afterwards to repeat them; and is 
apt to entertain any thing into his belief. To have 
teeth thin and weak, shews a weak feeble man, and 
one of a short life, and of a weak apprehension; but 
chaste, shame faced, tractable, and honest.
Thus 


(109)
Thus from the teeth the learn’d can portend,
When men’s steps to vice or virtue bend. 
A tongue too swift to speech 
shews a man to be downright 
foolish, or at best but a very vain 
wit. A stammering tongue, or 
one that stumbles in the mouth, signifies a man of a 
weak understanding, and of a wavering mind, 
quickly in rage and soon pacified. A very thick and 
rough tongue, denotes a man to be apprehensive, sub- 
tile and full of compliments, yet vain and deceitful, 
treacherous, and prone to impiety. A thin tongue 
shews a man of wisdom and found judgment, very 
ingenious, and of an affable disposition, yet sometimes 
timorous, and too credulous. 
S. 3. Judgment 
drawn from the 
tongue. 
No wonder ’tis that from men’s speech we see, 
Whether they wise or foolish be, 
But from a silent tongue our authors tell, 
The secret passions that within men dwell. 
A great and full voice in either 
sex, shews them to be of a great 
spirit, confident, proud and wilful. 
A faint and a weak voice, attended 
with but little breath, shews a person to be of a good 
understanding, a nimble fancy, a little eater, but 
weak of body, and a timorous disposition. A loud and 
shrill voice, which sounds clearly, denotes a person 
provident, sagacious, true and ingenious, but withal 
capricious, vain glorious, and credulous. A strong 
voice, when a man sings, denotes him to be of a 
strong constitution, and of a good understanding, 
neither too penurious, nor too prodigal; also ingeni-
ous, and an admirer of the fair sex. A weak and
S. 4. Judgment to 
be drawn from the 
voice of men and 
women. 
L trembling 

(110)
trembling voice shews the owner of it to be envious, 
suspicious, slow in business, feeble and fearful. A 
loud shrill and unpleasant voice, signifies one bold 
and valiant, but quarrelsome and injurious, and 
altogether wedded to his own humour, and governed 
by his own councils. A rough and hoarse one to be 
of a dull and heavy person, of much guts and little 
brains. A full, yet mild voice and pleasing to the 
hearer, shews the person to be of a quiet and peaceable 
disposition (which is a great virtue and rare to be 
found in women) and also very thristy, and secret, 
not prone to anger, but of a yielding temper. A 
voice beginning low (or in the base) and entering 
high in the treble, denotes a person to be violent, 
angry, bold, secure in every thing. 
Thus by our voice, is to an artist known 
Unto what virtue or what vice were prone; 
And he that will of a good wife make choice,
May chuse her by observing of her voice. 
S. 13. Judgment 
drawn from the chin.
A thick and full chin, abound- 
ing with two much flesh, shews a 
man inclined to peace, honest and 
true to his trust; but slow in 
invention, and easy to be drawn to good or evil. A 
picked chin and reasonably full of flesh, shews a per- 
son to be of a good understanding, a high spirit, and 
a laudable conversation. A double chin shews a 
peaceable disposition, but dull of apprehension, vain, 
credulous, a great supplanter, and secret in all his 
actions. A crooked chin, bending upwards, and 
picked for want of flesh, is by the rule of physiogno- 
my, according to nature, a very bad man; being 
proud, impudent, envious, threatning, deceitful, 
prone to anger and treachery, and a great thief. 
Thus


(111) 
Thus from the forehead to the chin we’ve shewn, 
How mankind’s inclination may be known; 
From whence th’observing reader needs must find, 
We’re more to evil than to good inclin’d. 
Young men have usually hair 
begin to grow upon their chins at 
fifteen years of age; and sometimes 
sooner. These hairs proceed from 
the superfluity of heat, the fumes whereof ascend to 
their chin and cheeks, like smoke to the funnel of a 
chimney; and because it cannot find an open passage, 
by which it may ascend higher, it vents itself forth io 
the hairs, which are call’d the beard. There are very 
few, or almost no women at all that have hair on their 
cheeks; and the reason, those humours which cause hair
to grow on the cheeks of a man, are by women eva- 
cuated in their monthly courses; which they have 
more or less, according to the heat or coldness of their 
constitutions, and the age and motion of the moon; 
of which we have spoken at large in the first part of 
this book. Yet sometimes women of a hot constitu- 
tion have hair to be seen on their cheeks, but more 
commonly on their lips, or near unto their mouths, 
where the heat most aboundeth. And where this 
happens, such women are much addicted to the com- 
pany of men, and of a strong and manly constitution. 
A woman who hath but little hair on her cheeks, or 
about her mouth and her lips, is of a good com- 
plexion, weak constitution, shame-faced, mild and 
obedient; whereas a women of a hot complexion is 
quite otherwise. But in a man, a beard well compo- 
sed and thick of hair, signifies a man of a good nature, 
honest, loving, sociable, and full of humanity. On 
the contrary, he that hath but little beard, is for the 
S. 14. Judgment 
to be made from the 
beard.
L2 most

(112)
most part naturally proud, pining, peevish, and 
unsociable. They who have no beards, have always 
shrill and strange kind of squeeking voices, and are of 
a weak constitution; which is apparent in the case of 
eunuchs, who, after they are deprived of their 
virility, are transformed from the nature of men into 
the condition of women. 
Of men and women’s beards I might say more, 
But prudence bids me that discourse give o’er. 
S. 15. Judgment 
drawn from the ears. 
Great and thick ears are a certain 
sign of a foolish person, of a bad 
memory, and worse understanding. 
But small and thin ears shews a person to be of a good 
wit and understanding, grave, secret, thristy, modest, 
resolute, of a good memory, and one willing to serve 
his friend. He whose ears are longer and broader than 
ordinary, is thereby signify’d to be a bold man, un- 
civil, vain, foolish, serviceable to another more than 
himself, and a man of small industry, but of a great 
stomach. 
Who his just praise unwillingly does hear, 
Shews a good life as well as a good ear. 
S. 16. Judgments 
drawn from the face 
either of men or wo- 
men.
A face apt to sweat on every 
motion, shews the person to be of 
a hot constitution, vain and luxu- 
rious, of a good stomach, but of a 
bad understanding, and a worse 
conversation: a very fleshy face, shews the person to 
be of a fearful disposition, but a merry heart, and 
withal bountiful and discreet, easy to be intreated, 
and apt to believe every thing. A lean face by the
rules

(113) 
rules of Physiognomy, denotes the person to be of a 
good understanding, but somewhat capricious, and 
disdainful in his conversation. A little and round 
face, shews a person to be simple, very fearful, of a 
bad memory, and a clownish disposition. A plump 
face, and all full of carbuncles, shews a man to be a 
great drinker of wine, vain, daring, and soon intoxi- 
cated. A face red, or high coloured, shews a man to 
be much inclined to choler, and one that will be soon 
angry, and not easily pacified. A long and lean face, 
shews a man to be both bold in speech and action, 
but withal foolish, quarrelsome, proud, injurious, 
and deceitful. A face every way of a due proportion, 
denotes an ingenious person, one fit for any thing, 
and very much inclined to what is good. One of a 
broad, full, fat face, is by the rules of Physiognomy, 
of a dull, lumpish, heavy constitution, and for one 
virtue has three vices. A plain flat face without any 
rising, shews a person to be very wise, loving, and 
courtley in his carriage, faithful to his friend, and 
patient in adversity. A face sinking down a little, 
with creases in it, inclining to leanness, denotes a per- 
son to be very laborious but envious, deceitful, false, 
quarrelsome, vain, and silly, and of a dull and 
clownish behaviour. A face of a handsome propor- 
tion, and more inclined to fat than lean, shews a 
person just in his actions, true to his word, civil and 
respectful in his behaviour, of an indifferent under- 
standing, and of an extraordinary memory. A crook- 
ed face, long and lean, denotes a man endued with 
as bad qualities as the face is with ill features. A 
face broad about the brows, and sharper and less as it 
grows towards the chin, shews a man simple, and 
foolish in managing his affairs, vain in his discourse, 
envious in his nature, deceitful, quarrelsome, and 
rude in his conversation. A face well coloured, full 
L4 of


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of good features, and of an exact symmetry and a just 
proportion in all its parts, and which is delightful to 
look upon, is commonly the index of a fairer mind; 
and shews a person to be well disposed; but withal 
declares that virtue is not so impregnably seated there, 
but that by strong temptations (especially of the fair 
sex) it may be supplanted and overcome by vice. A 
pale complexion shews the person not only to be sickle, 
but very malicious, treacherous, false, proud, pre- 
sumptuous and extreamly unfaithful. A face well 
coloured, shews the person to be of a praise worthy 
disposition, and a sound complexion, easy of belief, 
and respectful to his friend, ready to do any man a 
courtesy, and very easy to be drawn to any thing. 
Thus Physiognomy reads in each face, 
What vice or virtue we’re most prone t’ embrace; 
For in man’s face there hardly is a line, 
But of some inward passion it’s a sign, 
And he that reads this section o’er may find, 
The fairest face has still the clearest mind. 
S. 13. Of Judgment 
drawn from the head 
in general, either of 
men or women. 
A great head and round withal, 
denotes the person to be secret and 
of great application in carrying on 
of business and also ingenious, and 
of a large imaginative faculty and 
invention; and likewise laborious, 
constant and honest. The head whose gullet stands 
forth, and inclines towards the earth, signifies a per- 
son thrifty, wise, peaceable, secret, of a retired tem- 
per, and constant in the management of his affairs. A 
long head and face, and great withal, denotes a vain, 
foolish, and idle person, a news carrier, credulous, 
and very envious. To have one’s head always shulk- 
ing, and moving from side to side, denotes a shallow,
weak

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weak person, unstable in all his actions, given to ly- 
ing, a great deceiver, a great talker, and prodigal in 
all his fortunes. A big head and broad face, shews a 
man to be very courageous, a great hunter after wo- 
men, very suspicious, bold and shameless. He who 
hath a very big head, but not so proportionable as it 
ought to the body, if he hath a short neck, and 
crooked gullet, is generally a man of a shrewd appre- 
hension, faithful, true, and courteous to all. He 
who hath a little head, and a long slender throat, is for 
the most part a man very weak, yet apt to learn, but 
unfortunate in his actions. And so much shall suffice 
with respect to judgment from the head and face. 
CHAP. III. 
Of judgments drawn from several other parts of 
men’s body, &c. 
IN the body of man the head and face are parts, 
even in the index that heaven hath laid open to 
every one’s view to make a judgment therefrom; and 
therefore I have been the larger in my judgments from 
the several parts thereof. But as to other parts, I 
shall be more brief, as not being so obvious to the 
eyes of men; yet I shall proceed in order. 
The throat, if it be white, whether it be fat or 
lean, shews a man to be vain-glorious, timorous, 
and very much subject to choler. If the 
throat be so thin and lean that the veins appear, it 
shews a man to be weak, slow, and of a dull and heavy 
constitution. 
A long neck shews one to have long and slender 
feet, and that the person is stiff and inflexible either 
to good or evil. A short neck shews one to be witty 
and

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and ingenious, but deceitful and inconstant, well 
skill’d in the use of arms; and yet cares not to use 
them, but is a great lover and admirer of peace and 
quietness. 
A lean shoulder bone signifies a man to be weak, 
timorous, peaceful, not laborious, and yet fit for any 
employment. He whose shoulder bones are of a great 
bigness, is commonly by the rules of Physiognomy, 
a strong man, faithful, but unfortunate, somewhat 
dull of understanding, very laborious, a great eater 
and drinker, and one equally contented in all condi- 
tions. He whose shoulder bones seem to be smooth 
is, by the rule of nature, modest in his looks, and 
temperate in all his actions, both at bed and board. 
He whose shoulder-bone bends, and is crooked in- 
wardly, is commonly a dull person, and is withal 
deceitful. 
Long arms hanging down, and touching the knees, 
tho’ such are rarely seen, denotes a man liberal, but 
withal vain-glorious, proud, and confident. He 
whose arms are very short, in respect of the stature of 
his body, is thereby signified to be a man of a high 
and gallant spirit, of a graceful temper, bold and 
warlike. He whose arms are heavy, and full of bones, 
sinews and flesh, is a man of reasonable strength, a 
great desirer of novelties, and beauteous, and one that 
is very credulous, and apt to believe every thing. He 
whose arms are very hairy, whether they be lean or 
fat, is for the most part, a luxurious person, weak in 
body and mind, very suspicious and malicious withal. 
He whose arms have no hair on them at all, is of a 
weak judgment, very angry, vain, wanton, credu- 
lous, easily deceived himself, and yet a great deceiver 
of others, no fighter, and very apt to betray his 
dearest friends. 
CHAP.

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CHAP. IV. 
Of palmistry, shewing the various judgment 
drawn from the hand. 
BEing engaged in this Fourth Part to shew what 
judgments may be drawn according to Physiog- 
nomy, from the several parts of the body, and coming 
in order to speak of hands, it has put me under a 
necessity of saying something about Palmistry, which 
is a judgment made of the conditions, inclinations 
and fortunes of men and women, from the various 
lines and characters which nature has imprinted in the 
hand, which are almost as various as the hands that 
have them. And to render what I shall say the more 
plain, I will in the first place present the scheme or 
figure of a hand and explain the various lines. 
By this figure the reader will see that one of the 
lines, and which indeed is reckoned the principal, is 
called the line of life; this line incloses the thumb, 
separating it from the hollow of the hand. The next 
to it, which is called the natural line, takes its be- 
ginning from the rising of the forefinger near the line 
of

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of life, and reaches the table line, and generally makes 
a triangle thus, A. The table line, commonly called 
the line of fortune, begins under the little finger. 
The girdle of Venus which is another line so called, 
begins near the 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 coun- 
ter line to that of life, and by some called the sister 
line, ending usually as the other ends. For when the 
line of life is ended, death comes, and it can go no 
farther. There are also lines in the fleshy parts, as in 
the ball of the thumb which is called the mount of 
Venus, under each of the fingers are also mounts, 
which are each governed by several planets, and the 
hollow of the hand is called the plain of Mars; thus, 
The thumb we to dame Venus rule commit, 
Jove the fore fingers sways as he thinks fit, 
Old Saturn does the middle finger guide, 
O’er the ring finger So! doth still preside; 
The outward brawn pale Cynthia does direct, 
And into th’ hollow Mars doth most inspect; 
The little finger doth to Merc’ry fall, 
Which is the nimblest planet of them all. 
I now proceed to give judgment from the several 
lines. In the first place take notice that in Palmistry 
the left hand is chiefly to be regarded, because therein 
the lines are most visible and plain. In the next place 
observe the line of life, and if it be fair, extended to 
its full length, and not broken with an intermixture of 
lines, it shews long life and health, and it is the same 
if a double line of life appears, as there sometimes 
does. When the stars appear in this line, it is a sig- 
nificator of great losses and calamities. If on it there 
be the figure of two O’s or a Y, it threatens the person
with 

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with blindness; if it wraps itself about the table line, 
then doth it promise wealth and honour to be attained 
by prudence and industry. If the line be cut or 
jugged at the upper end, it denotes much sickness. 
If this line be cut by any lines coming from the mount 
of 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. Let us now see the signification 
of the table line. 
The table line when broad and of a lovely colour, 
shews a healthful constitution, and a quiet contented 
mind, and a courageous spirit. But if it has cresses 
towards the little finger, it threatens the party with 
much affliction by sickness. If the line be double, or 
divided into three parts at any one of the extremities, 
it shews the person to be of a dangerous temper, and 
of a good fortune to support it; but if this line be 
forked at the end, it threatens the person shall suffer 
by deceit. If three points such as these ... are found 
in it, they denote the person prudent and liberal, a 
lover of learning, and of a good temper. If it spreads 
towards the fore and middle finger, and ends blunt, 
it denotes preferment. Let us now see what is signi- 
fied by 
The middle line. This line has in it oftentimes (for 
there is scarce one hand in which it varies not) divers 
very significant characters. Many small lines between 
this and the table line, threaten the party with sickness, 
but also gives him hopes of recovery. A half cross 
branching into this line, declares the person shall have 
honour, riches, and good success in all his undertak- 
ings. A half moon denotes cold and watry distem- 
pers, but a sun or star upon this line, promises pros- 
perity and riches. The line double in a woman, shews
she 

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she will have several husbands, but without any chil- 
dren by them. 
The line of Venus, if it happens to be cut or divi- 
ded near the fore finger, threatens ruin to the party, 
and that it may befal him by means of lascivious 
women and bad company. Two crosses upon this 
line, one being on the fore finger, and the other 
bending towards the little finger, shew the party to 
be weak and inclined to modesty and virtue; indeed 
it generally denotes modesty in women, and therefore 
those who desire such wives, usually choose them by 
this standard. 
The liver line if it be straight, and crossed by other 
lines, shews the person to be of a good sound judg- 
ment and a flatterer, and that the party is not to be 
trusted. If it makes a triangle, or a quadrangle, it 
shews the person to be of a noble descent, and ambi- 
tious of honour and promotion. If it happens that 
this line and the middle line begin near each other, it 
denotes the person to be weak in his judgment, if a man; 
but if a woman, danger by hard labour 
The Plain of Mars, being in the hollow of the 
hand, most of the lines through it will render it very 
significant. This plain, being hollow, and the lines 
being crooked and distorted, threatens the party to 
fall by his enemies. When the lines beginning at the 
wrist, are long within the plain, reaching the brawn 
of the hand, they shew the person to be one given to 
quarrelling, often in broils, and of a hot and fiery 
spirit, by which he shall suffer much damage. If deep 
large crosses be in the middle of the plain, the person 
shall obtain honour by martial exploits; but if it be 
a woman, that she shall have several husbands, and 
easy labour with her children. 
The line of death is fatal, when any crosses or 
broken lines appear in it; for they threaten the person
with 

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with sickness and a short life. A clouded moon ap- 
pearing therein, threatens a child-bed woman with 
death. A star like a comet threatens ruin by war, 
and death by pestilence. But if a bright sun appears 
therein it promises long life and prosperity. 
As for the lines in the wrist, being fair, they 
denote good fortune; but if crossed and broken the 
contrary. 
Thus much with respect to the several lines in the 
hand. Now as to the judgments to be made from 
the hand itself, if the hand be soft and long, and 
lean withal, it denotes the person of a good under- 
standing, a lover of peace and honesty, discreet, ser- 
viceable, a good neighbour, a lover of learning. He 
whose hands are very thick, and very short, is there- 
by signified to be faithful, strong and laborious, and 
one that cannot long retain his anger. He whose 
hands are full of hairs, and those hairs thick, and 
great ones, if his fingers withal be crooked, is there- 
by denoted to be luxurious, vain, false, of a dull un- 
derstanding, and more foolish than wise. He whose 
hands and fingers bend upwards, is commonly a man 
liberal, serviceable, a keeper of secrets, and apt to 
his power (for he is seldom fortunate) to do any man 
a courtesy. He whose hand is stiff, and will not bend 
at the upper joints near to his finger, is always a 
wretched, miserable person, covetous, obstinate, 
incredulous, and one that will believe nothing that 
contradicts his own private interest. 
And thus much shall suffice to be said of judgments 
in Physiognomy taken from the hands. 
Thus he that nature rightly understands 
May from each line imprinted in his hands, 
His future fate and fortune comes to know, 
And in that path in it his feet shall go:
M His

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His secret inclinations he may see, 
And to what vice he shall addicted be; 
To th’ end that when he looks into his hand 
He may upon his guard the better stand, 
And turn his wand’ring steps another way, 
Whene’er he finds he does from virtue stray. 
CHAP. V. 
Judgments according to Physiognomy drawn from 
the several parts of the body, from the hands 
to the feet. 
A Large and full breast shews a man valiant cou- 
rageous, but withal proud, and hard to deal 
with, quickly angry, and very apprehensive of an 
injury. He whose breast is narrow, and which riseth 
a little in the middle of it, is, by the best rules of Phy- 
siognomy, of clear spirits, of great understanding, 
good in counsel, very faithful, clean both in mind 
and body; yet as an allay to all this, he is soon angry, 
and inclined long to keep it. He whose breast is 
something hairy, is very luxurious, and serviceable to 
another. He who has no hairs upon his breast, is a 
man weak by nature, of a slender capacity and very 
timorous, but of a laudable life and conversation, in- 
clined to peace, and retired to himself. 
The back of the chine bone, if the flesh be any 
thing hairy and lean, and higher than any other part 
that is behind, signifies a man shameless, beastly, and 
withal malicious. He whose back is large, thick and 
fat, is thereby denoted to be a strong and stout man, 
of a heavy disposition, vain, slow and full of deceit.
A

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A man who has a great paunch or belly strutting 
out, is one that by the rules of Physiognomy, is apt 
to have a good opinion of himself, a great eater, and 
a great drinker, slow in undertaking and slower in 
prosecuting what he undertakes; yet very magnani- 
mous, and indifferently honest. He whose belly is but 
little, is for the most part a laborious man, constant 
in his undertakings, sagacious, of a good understand- 
ing, and sound judgment. He whose belly is very 
hairy, that is to say, from the navel downwards, is 
denoted thereby to be very talkative, bold, apprehen- 
sive, witty, a lover of learning and eloquence, and 
speaks well of himself, noble in his resolutions, but not 
very fortunate. 
He or she, whose belly is soft, and over all the body, 
is very lustful, and fearful upon little or no occasion, of 
a good understanding, and an excellent invention, 
but little eaters, faithful, but of a various fortune, 
and meets with more adversity than prosperity. He 
whose flesh is rough and hard, is a man of a strong 
constitution, and very bold, but vain, proud, and of 
a cruel temper. A person whose skin is smooth, fat, 
and white, is a person curious, vain-glorious, timo- 
rous, shame-faced, malicious, false, and too wise to 
believe all he hears. 
Thick ribs, and fleshy, signify one of a strong 
constitution, but dull, slow, heavy, and foolish. 
One whose ribs are thin and hollow, are not made 
to endure hardships, apprehensive, honest, and con- 
sciencious. 
A thigh full of hair, and the hair inclined to curl, 
signifies one lustful, licencious, fit for copulation. 
Thighs with but little hair, and those soft and slender, 
shews a person to be reasonably chaste, and one that 
has no great desire to veneral pleasures, and who will 
have but few children.
M2 Hips 


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Hips that are fleshy, denote the person to be bold, 
strong, and prodigal; and this appears not only in 
human kind, but in several fowls that are fleshy in 
those parts, as the Cock, the Hawk, and others. 
But on the contrary, hips thin and lean, signifies the 
party to be weak, timorous, and unfit for hard labour. 
Knees that are full and fat, do signify a man to be 
liberal, but very fearful, vain, and not able to endure 
any great labour; but he whose feet are lean, and 
the bones thereof do easily appear, is strong, bold, 
industrious, not apt to be tired, a good foot-man, 
and one that delights to travel. 
The legs of both men and women have a fleshy sub- 
stance behind, which are called calves, which nature 
hath given them (as in our book of living creatures 
we have observed) in lieu of those long tails, which 
most other creatures have pendant behind. Now a 
great calf, and he whose legs are of a great bone, and 
hairy withal, denote the person to be strong, bold, 
secure, dull in understanding, and slow in business, 
inclined to procreation, and for the most part fortu- 
nate in his undertakings. Little legs, and but little 
hair on them, shews a person to be weak, fearful, of 
a quick understanding, and neither luxurious at bed 
or board. He whose legs do much abound with hair, 
shews he has great store in another place, and that 
he is lustful and luxurious, strong, but unable in re- 
solutions, and abounding with ill humours. 
The joints of the feet, if they be broad and thick, 
and stand out withal, signifies the person to be shame- 
faced, fearful, weak, and not able to endure hard- 
ship, or much labour, but withal very faithful, appre- 
hensive of any thing, and kind to his friend. He or 
she, the nails of whose feet are crooked like faulcons, 
is a person of a malicious, greedy, and ravenous dis- 
position; but those whose nails of their feet, are of a 
competent


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competent length and thickness, and a little reddish
withal, are by nature bold, strong and high spirited. 
The feet of either man or woman, if broad and 
thick with flesh, and long in figure, especially if the 
skin feels hard, they are by nature of a strong consti- 
tution, and a gross nutriment, but of a weak intellect, 
which renders their understanding vain; but feet 
that are thin and lean, and of a soft skin, shew the 
person to be weak of body, of a strong uuder- 
standing, and of an excellent wit. 
The nails of a foot belong to a man or woman, 
but talons or claws are proper only to birds and 
beasts; and even nails in men and women are not 
without their signification in Physiognomy; for nails 
that are long, thin, and of a good colour, do shew 
either man or woman to be of a good condition, and 
of a good and sound disposition of body; besides, 
where the nails are thus long and thin, it shews that 
the mother of that person fed on things of good nou- 
rishment, and on no meats that were oversalted, or 
unseasoned. Those whose nails are white, with some 
mixture of redness, are healthful persons; and those 
whose nails are gross, and of another colour, are for 
the most part sickly and weak. 
The heels, when little and lean, shew a person 
apt to entertain fear upon any light occasion, and 
also denote weakness and simplicity. When the heels 
are full, that is to say, great and thick, it is a sign 
the person is bold, strong and courageous, and apt to 
endure labour. 
The soles of the feet do administer plain and evi- 
dent signs whereby the dispositions and constitutions of 
men and women may be known, as do the palms of 
their hands; being as full of lines, by which lines 
all the fortunes or misfortunes of man or woman may 
be known, and their manners and inclinations made 
M3 plainly

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plainly to appear. But this in general we may take 
notice of, that many long lines and strokes do presage 
many afflictions, and a very troublesome life, attend- 
ed with much grief and toil, care, poverty and misery ; 
but short lines, if they are thick and full of cross lines, 
are yet worse in every degree. Those, the skin of 
whose soles are very thick and gross, are for the most 
part able, strong, and venturous. Whereas, on the 
contrary, those, the skins of whose soles of their feet is 
thin, are generally weak and timorous. 
I shall now, before I conclude (having given an 
account of what judgment may be made by observing 
the several parts of the body, from the crown of the 
head to the sole of the feet) give an account of what 
judgment may be drawn by the rules of Physiognomy, 
from things extraneous to the body, among which I 
reckon those excrescences which are found upon many; 
and which indeed to them are parts of the body, but 
are so far from being necessary parts, that they are 
the deformity and burthen of it; and speak of the ha- 
bits of the body as they distinguish persons. 
Of crooked and deformed persons. 
A Crooked breast or shoulder, or the exuberance of 
flesh in the body either of man or woman, sig- 
nifies the person to be extreamly parsimonious and 
ingenious, and of great understanding; but very 
covetous, and scraping after things of the world; at- 
tended also with a very bad memory, being also very 
deceitful and malicious: they are seldom in a medi- 
um, but either very virtuous, or extremely vicious. 
But if the person deformed hath any excrescence in 
his breast instead of the back, he is for the most part 
of a double heart, and very mischievous. 
2 Of


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2 Of the divers manners of going, and particular 
posture both of men and women. 
HE or she that goes slowly, making great steps as 
they go, are generally persons of bad memory, 
and dull of apprehension, given to loitering, and not 
apt to believe what is told them. He who goes apace, 
and makes short steps; is for the most part lucky in 
all his undertakings, swift in his imagination, and 
nimble in the disposition of his affairs. He who makes 
wide and uneven steps, and goes side-long withal, is 
one of a greedy sordid nature, subtile, malicious, and 
wise to do evil. 
3. Of the common gate and motion both in men 
and women. 
EVery man hath a certain kind of gate and motion 
to himself, and so in a manner hath every wo- 
man: For a man to be shaking his head, or using any 
light motion with his hands or feet when he should 
be retired; this man, whether he stands or sits, or 
speaks, is always accompanied with an extravagant 
motion, unnecessary, superfluous, unhandsome. Now 
this man by the rules and nature of Physiognomy, is 
a vain man, unwise, unchaste, a detractor, unstable, 
and unfaithful. 
He or she whose motion is not much when discour- 
sing with any one, is for the most part wise and well- 
bred, and fit for any employment, ingenious and 
apprehensive, frugal, faithful, and industrious in 
business. He whose posture is forward and hasty, or 
as it were whisking up and down nimbly, is thereby 
denoted to be a vain silly person, of a heavy and dull 
wit, and very malicious. He whose motion is lame 
and

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and limping, or any otherwise imperfect; or that 
counterfeits an imperfection, is denoted to be envious, 
and malicious, false and detracting. 
4. Judgment drawn from the stature of a man. 
PHysiognomy draws several judgments, also the 
stature of a man, which take as followeth : If a 
man be upright and straight, inclined rather to lean- 
ness than to fat, it shews him to be easy reconcil- 
ed when displeased. To be of a tall stature, and cor- 
pulent with it, denotes him to be not only handsome 
but valiant also, but of no extraordinary understand- 
ing, but which is worst of all, ungrateful, and 
trapanning. He who is extremely tall, and very lean 
and thin, is a projecting man that designs no good to 
himself, and suspects every one to be as bad as him- 
self, importunate to obtain what he desires, and ex- 
treamly wedded to his own humours. He who is 
thick and short, is vain, envious, suspicious, and 
very shallow of apprehension, easy of belief, but long 
before he will forget an injury. He who is lean and 
short, but upright withal, is by the rules of Physiog- 
nomy, wise and ingenious, bold and confident, and 
of a good understanding, but of a deceitful heart. He 
who stoops as he goes not so much by age as custom, 
is very laborious, a retainer of secrets, but reports all 
he hears. He that goes with his belly straight forth, 
is sociable, merry, and easy to be persuaded. 
5. General observations worthy of note. 
WHEN you find a red man to be faithful, a tall 
man to be wise, a fat man to be swift on 
foot, a lean man to be a fool, a handsome man 
not


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not to be wise, one that talks in the nose and 
speaks without snuffling, is known to be a liar, 
not an upright man, not too bold and hearty to his 
own loss, does not brawl when he speaks, not to be 
crafty and circumventing; a man of a hot consti- 
tution, and full of hair on his breast and body, not to 
be lustful; one that winks on another with his eyes, 
to be false and deceitful; one that winks not on ano- 
ther with his eyes, not to be false and deceitful; one 
that knows how to shuffle his cards, to be ignorant 
how to deal with them; a rich man to be prodigal, 
a hangman to be pitiful, a poor man to build churches, 
a higlar not to be a liar, and praiser of his ware, a 
buyer not to find fault with and undervalue what he 
would willingly buy; a quack doctor to have a good 
confidence both to God and man, a bailiff, or catch- 
pole not to be a merciless villain; a hostess not to 
over-reckon you, and an usurer to be charitable; 
then say you have found a prodigy, or men acting 
contrary to the common course of their nature. 
CHAP. VI. 
Of the powers of the celestical bodies, over man 
and woman. 
HAVING spoken thus largely of Physiognomy,
and the judgments given thereby concerning 
the dispositions and inclinations of men and women, 
drawn by the said art from every part (yea, even 
from the excrescence) of the bodies of men and 
women, it will be convenient here, to shew how all 
these things come to pass; and how it is that the secret 
inclinations, and further fates of men and women  
may be known from the consideration of the several 
parts

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parts of the body. They arise from the power and 
dominion of superior power over bodies inferior. By 
superior powers I understand the twelve signs of the 
Zodiack, whose signs, characters, and signification, are 
these that follow: 
A Description of the twelve signs in Verse, shew- 
ing what parts of the body each rules. 
MAN’s head and face heaven’s ram obey, 
His neck the strong bull doth sway, 
The arm twining twins guide hands and arms, 
Breast, sides and stomach cancer charms, 
The lion rules his back and heart, 
Bowels and belly’s Virgo's part. 
Reins, haunches, navel, Libra tends, 
Bladders and reins, Scorpio befriends; 
The half hors’d bowman rules the thighs, 
And to the kid our knees suffice; 
Our legs are but the butler’s fees, 
The fish our footsteps oversees, 
1. Aries,

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1. Aries, a ram which governs the head and face.
2. Taurus, a bull which governs the neck. 
3. Gemini, the twine, which govern the hands 
and arms. 
4. Cancer, a crab, which governs the breast and 
stomach. 
The fifth is Leo; this sign governs the heart and 
back, and is hot and dry. 
The sixth is Virgo; this sign governs the bowels 
and belly, and is cold and dry. 
The seventh is Libra; this sign governs the reins 
and loins, and is hot and moist. 
The eight is Scorpio; this sign governs the secret 
members, and is cold and moist. 
The ninth is Sagittary; this sign governs the 
thighs and hips, and is hot and dry. 
The tenth is Capricorn; this governs the knees and 
hams, and is by nature cold and dry. 
The eleventh is Aquarius ; this sign governs the 
legs, and is by nature hot and moist. 
The twelth is Pisces; this sign governs the feet, 
and is cold and moist. 
Besides the names and characters of the twelve signs, 
they have other names and characters also by which 
they are described and called. As Aries is called the 
Ram, Taurus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, Cancer 
the Crab, Leo the Lyon, Virgo the Virgin or Maid, 
Libra the Balance, Scorpio the Scorpion, Sagittary 
the Centaur or half-hors’d bow-man or the archer, 
his character being half-man half-horse, with bow 
and arrows; Capricorn the kid or goat, and Pisces 
the fish. 
Now to sum up all, and shew how this concerns 
Physiognomy; It is thus, as the body of men, as we 
have shewed, is not only governed by the signs and 
planets, but every part is appropriated to one or other
of

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of them, so according to the particular influence of 
each sign and planet so governing to the disposition, 
inclination, and nature of the person governed. For 
such and such tokens and marks do shew a person to 
be born under such a planet, so according to the 
nature, power and influences of the planet, is the 
judgment to be made of that person. By which the 
reader may see that the judgment drawn from Physi 
ognomy is grounded upon a certain verity. 
The

THE
FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 
Being choice and approved remedies for all the 
several distempers incident to human bodies. 
A powder for fits and convulsive disorders in the 
head. 
TAKE of oppoponax, crude antimony, dragon’s 
blood, castor, peony seed, of each an equal 
quantity; make a subtile powder. The dose from 
half a dram in black cherry water. Before you take 
it, the stomach must be cleansed with some proper 
vomit, as that of Maynsinct’s emetic tarter, from four 
grains to six. If for children, salts of vitriol, from a 
scruple to half a dram. 
A vomit for swimming in the head. 
Take cream of tartar half a scruple, 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 proper to make a dose of the apostolick 
powder. 
A diet drink for the vertigo or swimmlng in the head. 
Take small ale, and boil it in the leaves of the 
misleto of the apple tree, roots of the male peony, 
peony flowers; then put it into a vessel of four gallons, 
hang it in a bag with half a pound of peacock’s dung, 
and two drams of cloves bruis’d; drink as common 
drink. 
A medicine to cure a continual head-ach. 
Take betony water; take a cloth of three or four 
doubles, of the breadth of three fingers, wet it well
N in

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In the betony-water, and lay it to your forehead cold. 
Let the cloth (being wet) come round about the 
head, and tie it fast; and in three or four times thus 
doing, it will give great relief: As soon as you find 
the cloth dry’d, wet it, and apply it as before.
To cure the megrim, or head-ach. 
Take four or five nutmegs, pare and slice them, as 
you would pare ginger thin; then make two little 
bags of linen-cloth, of the length of your finger, and 
put in the nutmegs, so slic’d; and then take a quan- 
tity of pure red role water, and lay your bags in the fame 
water in a dish, upon a chaffing-dish of coals, make 
them hot, and lay to your temples. 
To stop bleeding at the nose. 
Take comfrey, and put it to the nose, or else re- 
ceive the smoke of it up your nostrils. 
To cure a sore mouth. 
Take a little bole-armoniac, a little allom, a little 
honey, just simmer them over the fire, then rub you, 
mouth all over with it on a sage leaf, or on a ragr 
which you please
To cure a canker in the mouth. 
Take the juice of plantain, and rose-water mix’d; 
wash your mouth often therewith. 
For spitting of blood. 
Take conserva of comfry, and of hips, of each an 
ounce and a half, conserve of red roses three ounces, 
dragon’s blood a dram, spices of hyacinth two scru- 
ples, red coral a dram; mix, and with syrup of red 
poppies make a soft electuary. Take the quantity of 
a walnut night and morning. 
Another

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Another for spitting of blood. 
Take conserve of hips and comfry, of each an 
ounce and a half, of red roses three ounces, dragon’s 
blood a dram; red choral a dram; species of hyacinct 
two scruples with a sufficient quantity of red poppies, 
make a soft electuary; take a dram and half at night, 
and early in the morning, drink after it the following 
jalep. 
Take frogs spawn water, chain water, of each 
three drams; syrup of red roses and syrup of coral, of 
each an ounce, dragon’s blood two scruples; mix and 
take as before directed. 
To cure a sore throat. 
Take one handful of red sage, one handful of alehoof, 
one handful of plantain leaves, one handful of black- 
berry leaves, boil all these in three pints of running 
water; sweeten it with honey, so gargle it about your 
mouth and throat. 
For an inflamation in the lungs. 
The carious water ten ounces, water of red poppies 
three ounces, syrup of poppies an ounce; pearl pre- 
pared a dram; make a julep and take six spoonfuls every 
fourth hour. 
A direction for an inflamation in the lungs. 
Take shavings of hart’s horn and ivory, of each 
three drams; grass roots three ounces, raisons of the 
sun stoned, add one half; liquorish two drams; boil 
them in three pints of water to two; when strained, 
add syrup of violets an ounce; sal prunela a dram,
take four or five ounces thrice a day. 
N2 The

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The Countess of Kent’s rare receipt for a consumption 
and cough in the lungs. 
Take a pound of the best honey, dissolve it in a 
pipkin on the fire; put in two pennyworth of the 
flower of brimstone, two pennyworth of the pow- 
der of alicompane, two pennyworth of the pow- 
der of liquorish, and two pennyworth of red rose water; 
so stir them together, till they be all compounded, 
then put it into a galley-pot, and when you use it, 
take a liquourish stick beaten at one end, and take as 
much up with it as may be put into half a walnut 
shell; take it when you go to bed, and in the morn- 
ing fasting, or at any time when the cough takes you 
in the night; let it dissolve in the mouth by degrees. 
Probatum est. 
A sovereign medicine for the cough of the lungs, being 
the same that King William used. 
Take three pints of running water, half a pound of 
Portugal sugar, with nine figs, and half a spoonful of 
anniseeds bruised, a handful of raisins of the sun, clean 
wash’d and pick’d, one pennyworth of maidenhair: 
Boil all these together, ’till rather more than one 
half be consumed, then strain it through a fine cloth, 
and drink every morning two spoonfuls of it lukewarm, 
and you shall find present benefit. 
A quietning night-draught where the cough is violent. 
Take of water of green wheat six ounces, syrup of 
diascordium four ounces, mix, take two or three spoon- 
fuls going to bed, every night or every third night. 
An excellent medicine against an extream cough. 
Take fennel-roots, clean wash’d, anniseed, a little 
liquorish, seeth them altogether in white wine: drink 
a good draught of it when you go to bed; and next 
morn-

(137) 
morning, take a fig and a date, roast them, and eat 
them somewhat hot; you must not eat nor drink for 
two or three hours after, and you shall find abundant 
relief. 
A medicine for the chin-cough in children. 
Take boar’s grease, warm the soles of the child’s 
feet at the fire, and chaff them with the said grease: 
Put the child to bed and wrap him up warm. 
A distill'd water for a confirm'd phlegm. 
Take leaves of groundivy five handfuls, a nutmeg 
slic’d, in number six crums of white bread two pounds, 
snails half boil’d and sliced, three pounds, drink of 
this three or four times a day, you may sweeten 
it with sugar of pearl or roses. 
Pills very profitable in an asthma. 
Take gum ammoniac and bdellium, disolved in vine- 
gar of squills, of each half an ounce, powder of leaves of 
hedge mustard and savoury, of each half a dram, 
flower of sulpher, three drams, and with a sufficient 
quantity of syrup of sulpher make a mass of small pills: 
three whereof take every evening.
To cure the phtysick, or shortness of breath.  
Take one gallon of the best brandy, then take a 
quart of poppey-water, one pound of white sugar- 
candy, one pound of dates, ston’d and slic'd, one 
pound and a half of rasins of the sun, slic’d and ston’d 
one ounce of cloves, one ounce of mace, one ounce of 
cinnamon, one ounce of anniseeds, rubb’d clean from 
the dust, one ounce of liquorish, clean scrap'd and 
slic’d; let all these spices be beaten, and let them steep 
in the brandy four or five days, then take a quarter 
of a peck of holly leaves, fresh gathered; cut the 
black part of them off, put them in when it has 
A3 stood

(138) 
stood four or five days; then drain it, and put in your 
sugar-candy well beaten; then put it in your bottles.
For a violent tooth-ach.  
If the tooth be hollow, nothing cures but drawing; 
if occasioned by a defluction of humours upon the 
part, 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 humours, stop the defluction, 
and consequently remove the pain. 
For the trembling of the heart. 
Take white amber a scruble, both bezoars, of each 
half a dram, coral prepared, and pearl of each two 
drams; ambergrease a scruple; make a powder. 
Take half a dram twice a day in the following distil- 
led water: 
Take filings of iron half a pound, the rhinds of 
twelve oranges, fresh strawberries eight pounds; 
bruise them and add to a gallon of white wine. Let 
them digest in a sand heat close covered twenty-four 
hours, afterwards distil in a common still. Take the 
powders in three ounces of this water twice a day, as 
above directed. 
An approved remedy for sore hreasts. 
Seeth a handful of mallows very soft in fair water, 
and then let the water run from the mallows, chop 
them small, and put them in a dish with boars greese; 
heat them very hot, and spread them on a plaister, 
and lay it on the breast as hot as you can suffer it, 
heating it three or four times a day. 
To cure the wind cholic, and open the stomach. 
Take two ounces of anniseed, two ounces of liquo- 
rish, bruise them well; two handfuls of wormwood, 
a handful of pennyroyal seeds, but them into about four 
gallons

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gallons of wort, boil them well together, then drain 
them ; when it is cold, take some yeast, and beat it 
working, then put them into a firking, and drink 
thereof as often as you please. 
To expel the cholic, or griping in the guts. 
Take southernwood, and apply it against the place 
on the contrary side where the torment is, and it will 
drive it out; or, if it be laid to the navel, it will pro- 
duce the same effect. 
An ointment for the itch. 
Take sulphur vive in powder half an ounce, oil of 
tartar, peal deliquium, a sufficient quantity, ointment 
of roses, four ounces, make liniment, to which add a 
scruple of oil of rhodium, to aromatize it, and rub the 
parts affected with it. 
An excellent medicine for an itch. 
Take dock-roots, beat them and bruise them, and 
fry them with fresh butter, and anoint the patient 
with the salve, and in four or five times doing it, will 
perfect the cure. 
For a running scab. 
Take two pounds of tartar, incorporate it into a 
thick mass with good sifted ashes; boil the mass in 
fountain water, adding leaves of ground ivy, white 
hore-hound, sumitory, roots of sharp pointed dock, 
and of elecampane, of each four handfuls; make a 
bath to be used with care of taking cold. 
For


(140) 
For heat of urine. 
Take roots of mallows two handfuls, boil them in 
six quarts of barley water, to a gallon, strain and 
sweeten it with syrup of marsh mallows, and drink it 
as common drink. 
If a woman's courses come too fast. 
Take one handful of broad blackberry leaves, one 
handful of red sage, boil them in a pint of beer, it 
will stay them. 
For the piles external. 
Supple the part very well with pure hog’s lard. 
This has cured several. 
For weakness in women. 
After a gentle purge or two, take the following 
directions, viz. A quarter of a pound of lignutn-vitæ, 
sassafras two ounces, of the raisins of the sun eight 
ounces, liquorish sliced two ounces; boil all in six 
quarts of water to a gallon; strain and keep it for use. 
Take half a pint at four o’clock in the afternoon, the 
third last at night going to bed. 
For the dropsy Anasarca. 
After the purgation, take the following diet drink, 
viz. roots of florentine orris, calamus aromaticus, ele- 
campane, lesser galangal, one ounce and a half; 
shavings of lignum-vitæ, and sassafras, of each four 
ounces, bay-berries, juniperberries of each two ounces; 
seeds of annis, corriander, carroway, sweet-fennel, 
dill, of each an ounce; cubebs and long-pepper, of 
each an ounce and a half; nutmeg, ginger, and 
cloves, of each half an ounce; Jamaica pepper, two
dry

(141) 
dry leaves of agrimony, calamint, wood sage, each a 
handful; liquorish three ounces. After you have 
sliced and bruised them, boil them in four gallons of 
spring water to a half, strain and bottle them for com- 
mon drinking. 
A physical ale for the same. 
Take shavings of sassafras three ounces, roots of the 
lesser galangal one ounce, carrot seed and juniper- 
berries, of each two ounces and a half, white ashes of 
broom cleansed two pounds; put all into a bag, and 
hang it in four gallons of ale wort, let it stand six or 
seven days, then you may begin to drink it. 
For the dropsy Ascites. 
Take the leaves of sea bind weed, and hedge hyssop, 
of each a handful, roots of dwarf-elder and dome- 
stick orris, of each one ounce and half; roots of asa- 
rabecca and wild cucumbers, of each two ounces, 
roots of lesser galangal six drams, jalop half an ounce, 
calatorium three drams, cubebs two drams, slice and 
bruise all, then add to them three pounds of tartari- 
sed spirit of wine, put them into a sand heat two days; 
then strain very clear off, of which you may take the 
quantity of two or three spoonfuls in a proper vehicle. 
For a tympany or dropsy. 
Take roots of chervil, and candied erigo roots, of 
each an ounce; roots of butchers broom two ounces; 
grass roots three ounces, shavings of harts horn, two 
drams and a half; burdock seed three drams; three 
pints of water boil’d to two. While the strain’d 
liquor is hot, pour it upon the leaves of water cresses
and

(142)
and goose-grass bruis’d, of each a handful, adding a 
pint of rhenish wine; make a close infusion for two 
hours ; then drain out the liquor again, and add to it 
three ounces of magistral of earth worms, and an ounce 
and a half of the syrup of the five opening roots; 
make an apozem, and take four ounces every day. 
An electuary for the dropsy. 
Take choice rhubarb one dram, gum lac prepared 
two drams, zyloaloes, cinnamon, long birth wort, of 
each half an ounce; the best English saffron, half a 
scruple; with syrup of cychory and rhubarb make an 
electuary. Take the quantity of a nutmeg, or a 
small walnut every morning fasting. 
A syrup to cure the dropsy effectually. 
Take one handful of maiden parsley, as much sca- 
bious, femaleary, red sage, alehoof, of each the like 
quantity, boil them in two quarts of milk, and one 
quart of ale; so pour off the clear posset drink, and 
drink of it every morning fasting; it purgeth the blood. 
Drink of it in May and June.
To take away corns. 
Cut the corn pretty close, and put to it a drop or 
two of black snail, add a little powder of sandefer, 
and it will extirpate the very root. 
To cure the cramp. 
Take holy-oak, oil of violets, swine’s grease, of 
each an equal quantity; make an ointment, and 
anoint the place. 
A water to cure all manner of wounds and sores, be 
they never so sore and stinking: and all manner of 
Cankers in the nose, mouth, throat, or wheresoever. 
Take a handful of red sage, a handful of salendine, 
the same of woodbine-flowers, with the leaves; take 
a

(143)
a gallon of running water, put the herbs in it, and 
let them boil to a pottle; then strain them, and 
take the liquor, set it over the fire again; then add 
a pint of English honey, a good handful of roach-allom 
finely beaten, a pennyworth of grains grosly bruised; 
let them boil all together three or four warbles, then 
let the scum be taken off with a feather; and when 
it is cold, put it in an earthen-pot, or bottle, such 
as it may be kept close: and for a green wound, take 
of the thinnest of the fame water; and for an old sore 
of the thickest, the water being first shaken together. 
And after you have cleansed the old sore with white 
wine, take a quantity of fine lint, the same being well 
wet in the said water, often bathe your wound, there- 
with; so done, cover the wound with the same lint; 
and if there be any holes in the wound, fill them with 
lint, made tent-wise; when that’s done, cover the 
whole wound with a piece of bladder, the better to 
continue your lint: dress your wound twice a day, 
viz. morning and evening, and you will be pleas’d 
with the healing progress it makes. 
To heal burning or scalding in any part of the body. 
Take the white of an egg, put it in a pewter-dish, 
then stir it with allum, ’till it resembles a posset-curd, 
then take a piece of fine linen, dip it in oil of olives, 
or in some other oil; then lay the cloth upon the sore, 
and above it lay the curd made of white of an egg; 
and it will draw out the fire, and heal the sore. 
An oil for all manner of aches, bruises, and straining of 
the sinews. 
Take a pottle of neats foot oil, and a quart of ox-gall, 
a pint of aqua-vitæ, a pint of rose-water, bay leaves, 
rosemary stript from the stalks, strawberry leaves, 
roots and strings, lavender-cotton, of every one a 
handful, beat them small, and add them to the afore-
said

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said Ingredients; seeth them over a coal fire, in a pan 
that contains about four gallons, and be careful the 
flame touch not the stuff; let it seeth very well, and 
then take it off, let it stand until it is almost cold, then 
strain it through a coarse linen-cloth, but not the be- 
tony liquor; Then put it up in a glass, and so keep 
it; when you feel the pain, anoint the part therewith. 
For Vomiting. 
Take salt of wormwood two drams, compound pow- 
der of aron root, an ounce and a half; sugar of roses 
three drams. Make a powder and take a dram in the 
morning, and at five in the afternoon, in a draught of 
beer boil’d with mace and a crust of bread. 
A powder against vomiting. 
Take crabs eyes, red coral, ivory, of each two 
drams, burnt harts-horn one dram; cinnamon and red 
saunders, of each half a dram; make of all a subtile 
powder, and take half a dram. 
For a looseness. 
Take of venice treacle and discordium, of each half 
a dram in warm ale, water gruel, or what you like, 
at night going to bed. 
To allay a violent looseness. 
Take twenty grains of powder of rubarb, a dram of 
conserve of roses, mix them together, take it in the morn- 
ing fasting, and two hours after, a draught of warm 
posset-drink; and at night, when you go to bed, take 
a dram of diascordium, and ten grains of powder of 
coral, mix’d together, and a little mace ale presently 
after. 
For a vomiting or looseness. 
Take venice treacle an ounce, powder of rotmentile 
roots, contrayerva, pearl and prepared coral, of each
a

(145)
a dram, conserve of red roses violated two ounces, with 
a sufficient quantity of the syrup of dried roses make 
an electuary. Take the quantity of a walnut every 
fourth or fifth hour, drink after a draught of ale or 
beer with a crust of bread, mace or cinnamon boiled in it. 
To cure a convulsion in children. 
Take unslack’d lime one quart, put into it five 
quarts of spring water, let it stand twenty four hours; 
in which time, stir it three times; take the scum off
from it, take the clear water, and let it stand twelve 
hours more: Strain it through a cloth, and let not the 
lime get through, then put it in an earthen vessel, and 
put into it anniseeds and fenilseeds, of each a quarter 
of a pound, liquorish bruis’d as much, sassafras, 
butter-bur-root, of each a handful, mace two drams, 
put them into a vessel for four or five days; and let 
the child drink a quarter of a pint morning and even- 
ing, so long as it lasteth. 
Another for children afflicted with convulsions. 
Take anniseeds one ounce, alecampane one ounce, 
brimstone half an ounce, to be stirr’d in cold water; 
take a quartern of brandy burnt, mix ’em all together, 
and boil them to an electuary. 
For worms in children. 
Take worm-seed half a dram; flower of sulphur a 
dram; sal prunella half a dram: mix and make a 
powder, give as much as will lie upon a silver three- 
pence, night and morning in treacle or honey. Or 
for people grown up, you may add a sufficient quanti- 
ty aloe rosatum, and make them into pills, three or 
four thereof may be taken every morning. 
O For

(146)
For the gripes in children. 
Give a drop or two of the oil of anniseeds, in a 
spoonful of panada, milk, or what else you shall think fit. 
For fevers in children. 
Take crabs eyes a dram, cream of tartar half a 
dram, white sugar-candy finely powdered, mix them 
all very well together, and give as much as will lie 
upon a silver three-pence, in a silver spoonful of bar- 
ley water or sack whey. 
For an ague. 
Take the common bitter drink without the purga- 
tives two quarts, salt of wormwood two ounces, the 
best english saffron a dram. After you have taken a 
vomit, or a convenient purge, take half a pint of this 
three times a day, viz. in the morning fasting, three 
o’clock in the afternoon, and late at night. 
Pills for the same. 
Take extract of gentian an ounce, powder of the 
jesuitbark half an ounce, salt of tartar a dram, with 
syrup of wormwood, a sufficient quantity ; mix and 
make small pills; after a vomit as before, take four or 
five of these pills, every morning fasting. 
To cure an ague. 
Take bur-roots, and red nettle-tops, seeth them in 
stale ale, and clarify it; give the sick thereof to drink, 
about such time as the cold fit begins to come; and 
after the heat is pass’d, when you see the party begin to 
sweat, let him drink ale posset, made with marigold 
and fennil, and see the ale-posset be well clarified:
use this method, and it will not fail to drive away 
the ague in three or four fits at most.
Another

(147)
Another medicine for an ague. 
Take nettles, cobwebs, and salt, pound them in a 
wooden dish, and lay it to the left arm of the sick ; it 
will take away the heat of the ague. For your drink 
in an ague, take ale, but not strong, and drink it 
lukewarm. 
To make drink and pottage, for one that has an ague. 
Make your pottage, ale-posset, and almond-drink, 
with the herbs following, viz. cinquefoil, succory, 
bugloss, endive, burridge, sorrel, lettuce, fennel roots, 
parsley-roots, great raisins, and prunes. 
To quench drought in an ague. 
Take a small quantity of burridge, sorrel, violet- 
leaves, strawberry-leaves, seeth them in a pottle of 
fair running water, till it is consumed to a quart; 
strain the herbs, then take the almonds, and blanch 
them, beat them, and strain them in the said water, 
adding thereto a little sugar, and drink it warm. 
To cure the stone or gravel in the kidneys.
Take figs and raisins of the sun, of each one pound, 
liquorish, anniseed, coriander-seeds, of each one 
ounce, hysop, live-wort, and maidenhair, each two 
handfuls, and four pennyworth of foxfern-roots. Dry 
the said roots and some anniseeds, and then mix three 
parts of the roots, and one of anniseed, and give the 
party as much as will lie on a groat, every morning 
fasting in beer, or any other spoon liquid. Thus 
much for the powder. 
For the drink, stone the raisons, quarter the figs, 
slice the liquorish, then divide three pennyworth of 
foxfern roots, with all the other ingredients, into four 
parts, and boil one part in two quarts of spring water, 
until one quart be consumed; then strain it, and 
O2 sweeten

(148)
sweeten it with sugar candy, and let the party drink 
of it as often as he pleaseth,-
For St Anthony's fire.  
Bleeding premis’d, take frogspawn water, and 
plantane water, of each half a pint, sugar of lead two 
drams; mix and shake the bottle till the salt is dissol- 
ved. Dip a linen cloth in this water, and bathe the 
part afflicted with it. It cools wonderfully. 
For the black jaundice. 
Take flower of fair armoniack a dram, salt of am- 
ber a scruple, species dianeuma a dram, extract of 
gentian a dram, saffron a scruple, gum ammoniac dis- 
solved in vinegar of squills, what suffices ; make a 
mass of small pills; take it in three or four mornings 
and evenings. 
A distilled water for the jaundice. 
Take a pound of the root of english rhubarb sliced, 
the rhinds of four oranges sliced, filings of steel a 
pound, fresh strawberries six pounds, three quarts of 
white wine ; let them stand in infusion some time, and 
distil all according to art. Take of it four ounces 
twice a day, with twenty drops of the spirits of saffron. 
For cold palsy. 
Take species diambræ, powder of viper’s flesh, 
that is best which is prepared at Montpelier, an 
ounce ; hearts and livers of the same, half an ounce ; 
mix, make a powder, take a dram twice a day in six 
ounces of the decototion of erigo roots preserv'd, bur-
dock and seeds, and sage leaves. 
FINIS.


























































































































































































































































































































































































mix, make a powder, take a dram twice a day in six 
ounces of the decoction of erigo roots preserv’d, bur- 
dock and seeds, and sage leaves. 
FINIS.