V IT***-/ ^ \j i to v^ is ^ NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Bethesda, Maryland / WM: ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE, COMPLETED. IN TWO PARTS. The Fi»st containing the Secrets of G*n*kation, in all the Parts thereof. Treating of the benefit of Marriage, and the pre- judice of unequal matches. Signs of insuffici- ency in men or women. Of the infusion of the soul. Of the Likeness of children to parents. Of Monstrous Births. The cause and cure of the Green Sickness. A discourse of Virginity. Direptions and cautions for Midwives. Of the Organs of Generation in women and the fabric of the Womb. The use and action of the Gen- itals. Signs of Conception, and whether a male or female; with a Word of Advice to loth sexes in the act of Copulation. And the 1 Pictures of several Monstrous Births, &c. The second Part being a Private Looking Glass for the Female Six. Treating of vaiiovis Maladies of the Womb, and of all other distempers incident to women of all ages, with proper remedies for the cure of eatrh. Tie v/hole being more correct than any thing of the kind hitherto published. NEWYORK : Printed for the Company of Flying Stationers- INTRODUCTION. IF one of the meanest capacity were aske^ ' What was the wonder of the world ?' 1 mink the most proper answer would be, Man:) he being the little world, to whom all things are subordinate ; agreeing in the genius with sensi- tive things; all being animals, but difFering in the species. -For man alone is endowed with reason, And therefore the Deity, at man's creation (as the inspired penman tells us), said, " Let us make " man in our own image, that he may be (as a '; creature may be) like Us, and ihe same in his u likeness, may be our image," Some of the fathers do distinguish as if by ihe image, the Lor£ r'jth plant ihe reasonable powers of the soul, rea- son, will and memory, and by likeness the quali- ties of the mind, charity, jusiice, patience, isc- But ?vloses confounded this distinction (if you : iJiisiMiv these texts of scripture) Gen. i- 17. and v. 1 Coloss. x. Eph. v. 14. And the apostle* where he saith, " lie was created after the image ofGid, knowledge, and the same in righteouij ncss and holiness." The Greeks therefore repre- sented him as one turning his eves upwards ti »vards him whose image Ec superscription he be See hiv the hrav'n's high ^rcl.itect Hatlxftbtndhitn in this vise, Ta stand to go. to iock erect. With body, face and eyes. And Cicero says, like Moses, all creaturi_ were made to rot on tUe earth, except man, to whom uas given an upright frame, to contem- plate his Maker, and behold the mansion preparei ior him above. 73-K+2L INTRODUCTION.* iti Now, to the end, that so noble and glorious a creature might not quite perish, it pleased God to .give unto woman the field of generation for a re- , ceptacle of human seed, where by that natural k i vegetable soui, which lies potentially in the seed, may, by the plastic power, be reduced into act; that man, who is a iportal creature, by leaving "his offspring behind him, may become immortal, ^ and Burvive in his posterity. And because this field of generation, the womb 1 is the place where tin? excellent creature is form- led, and that in so wonderful a manner, that the . Royal Psalmist (having meditated thereon) cries , out as one in extacy,' 1 am fearfully 8c wonderfully made.' It will be necessary to treat largely therc- °T)n in this book, whieh, to that end, is divided into ' two parts—the first whereof treats of the manner and parts of generation in both sexes; for, from the mutual desire they have to e«ch other, which ■ nature has implanted into them to that end, that 1 delight which they take in the act of copulation, \ does the whole race of mankind proceed ; and a : particular account of what things are p evious to ; that act, and also what are consequential of it, and ' how each member concerned in it is adapted and b fitted to that work, to which nature has designed ' it. And though in uttering of rhose things, some- thing may be said whtch those that are unclean may make bad use of, and use it as a motive to stir up their beastial appetites; yet, such may know, that this was never intended for them, nor 1 do I know any reason that those sober persons for whose use this was meant, should want ihe hejp 11 hereby designed them, because vain, loose per c sons will be ready to abuse it. \Y INTRODUCTION. The second part of this treatise is wholly design- ed for the female sex. and does largely, not only treat of the distempers ©f the womb, and the va- rious causes, but also gives you proper remedies for the cure of them ; for such is the ignorance. of most women, that when, by any distemper,^ those parts are afflicted they neither know from whence it proceeds, nor hew to apply a remedy ; and such is their modesty, also , that they are un- willing to ask, that they may be informed ; and for the help of such this is designed : for having my , being from a woman, 1 thought none had more right to the grapes than she that planted the vine. And therefore, observing that among all dU> ! eases incident to the body, there are none moreJ frequent and perilous than those that do arise from the ill state of the wombj for, through the evil quality tnereof, the heart, the liver and the brain are affected, from whence the actions, vital, natural and animal, are hurt, and the virtues cm- coctive, sanguinificative, distributive, attractive^ expulsive, retentive, with the rest, are all weaken- ed ; so that from the womb come convulsions, epi- lepsies, apoplexies, palsies and fevers, dropsiev mali-nant ulcers Sec. And there is no disease so < bad. but may grow worse from the evil quality of it. How necessary, therefore, is ibe knowledge of these things, le every unprejudiced render judge; for, that many women labour under them, throf their ignorarce and modesty (as 1 said before), wotul experience makes manifest : here, there- fore (as in a mirror), tney may be acquainted with their own distempers, 8c have suitable rem- edies, without applying theuihtlves to phyMcians, against which they have bo great reluctance ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE, COMPLETED. FART FIRST- . —=- % CHAP. I. Of Marriage, and at v»hqt age young me» and virgins ate capable of it; andvihy they so much desire it : Also, hove long men and women are capable of having children. THLRE are very few except some professed debauchees, bui what willreadily agree, that marriage is honorable to all, being ordained by heaven in Paradise, and without which no man A)i woman can be in a capacity honestly t« yield obedience to the first law of the creation—in- crease and multiply, and since it is natural in young people to desire these mutual embraces, proper to the marriage bed, it behoves parents to look after theii children, and when they find them inclinable to marriage, not violently to restrain their affections, and oppose their inclinations (which, instead of allaying them, makes them but ihe more impetuous), but rather provide such suitable matches for them, as may make their lives, cornfortable, lest the crossing ol their incli- nations should precipitate them tocomruit those follies that may bring an indelible siam upon their families. The inclinations of maids to marriage, is to be known by many symptoms ; for when they arrive at puberty, which is about the fourteenth or fif- teenth year of their jage, then the natural purga- tions begin to flow, and the bloed, which is n« 6 Aristotle's Master-Piece. longer taken to augment their bodies, abounding, stirs up their minds to venery : External causes also may incite them to it. for their spirits being brisk Ad enflamed when they arrive at this age, if they eat hard salt things, and spices, the body be^Anes more and more heated, whereby the de- sire to venereal embraces is very great, some* limes almost insuperable. And the use of this so much desired employment-being denied to virgins, many times is followed by dismal conse- quences, as a green wesel colour,short breathings, trembling of the heart, kc. But when thay are married, and their-venereal desires satisfied by^ the enjoyment of their husbands, those distemp-. ers vanish, and they become more gay and lively than before ; also their eager staring at men,. antf< affecting their company, shews that nature pushes j them upon coition, and their parents neglecting to get them husbands, they break thro' modesty to satisfy themselves in unlawful embraces ; it is the same in brisk widows* who cannot be satisfied without the benevolence which their husbands used to give them. Ai the age of fourteen, the menses in girls be- gin to flow, when they are capable of conceiving, and continue generally to forty-four, wiien they' cease bearing, unless their bodies are strong and healthful, which sometimes enables them to bear at fifty-five. But many times the menses proceed from some violence offered to nature, or some morbific mauir, which often proves fatal to the patty, and therefore those men that are desirous of issue, must marry^a woman within the age aforesaid, or blame themsehes if they meet with disappointments : Tho* if an old man, not worn out by diseases and incontinency, marry a brisk Aristotle's Master-Piece. 7 lively lass, there is hopes of his having children to three score and ten, nay, sometimes till near four score. / Hippocrates holds, that a youth of fifteen years or between that and seventeen, having much vital strength, is capable of getting children; and, also, that the force of procreating matter increas- es till forty-five, fifty, and fifty-five, and then be- gins to flu^, tlif seeds by degrees becoming un- fruitful, the natural spirits being extinguished, and the humours dried up. Thus, in general; but, as to particulars, it often falls out otherwise ; nay, it is reported by a credible author,, that in Sweden, a man was married at one hundred years, to a bride of thirty, and had many children by her, but his countenance was so fresh, that those that knew him not, took him not to exceed fifty. And in Campania, where the air is cleat and temperate, men of 80 years old married young virgins, and had children by them ; shew- ing that age in them hinders not procreation, un- less they be exhausted.in their youth, and their yards shrivelled up. If any would know why a woman is sooner barren than a man, they may be assured, that the natural heat, which is the cause of generation, is more predominant In the latter than in the for- mer : for, since a woman is trulv moie moist than a man, as her monthly purgations demon- strate, as alse the softness of her body^ it is also apparent, that he doth not exceed her in natural heat, which is the chief thing that coi-xocts the humours into proper aliment, which the woman wanting, grows fat; when a man, through his na- tive heat, melts his fat by degrees, and his hu- A 4 8 Aristotle's Master-Piece. mours are dissolved, and by the benefit thereof are elaborated into seed. And this may also be ad- ded, that wo.nan generally are not so strong as men, nor so wise nor prudent, nor have so much reason and ingenuety in ordering affairs, which shews that thereby their faculties are hindered operations. CHAP. II. ffeir tn get a male or female child, and of the embryo and perfect birth, and the fittest time for copulation. \X7HEN a young couple is married, they natu- * rally desire children, and therefore use those means that nature has appointed to that end ; but, notwithstanding their endeavours, they must know that the success of all depends on a bles- sing of the Lord ; not only so, but the sex, whe- ther male or female, is from his disposal also ; though it cannot be denied, but secondary causes have influence therein, especially two—First the genieial humor, which is brought by the arteria prae paraentes to the testes in form of blood, and there elaborated into seed by the seminificjl fac- ulty residing in them ; to which may be added, the desire of coition, which fires the imagination with unusual fancies, and, by the sight of bris"k charming beauty, may so** inflame th" appetite; but if nature be enfeebled, such meats must be eaten as will conduce to the aflbuling such ali- ment as makes the seed abound, and restores the decays of nature, that the faculties may freely o- perate, and remove impediments obstructing the procreation of children. Then since diet alters the evil state of the body to a better, those who are subject to barrenness must eat such meats as are of good juice that Aristotle's Master-Piece. 9 nourish well, making the body lively and full of sap, of which faculty are all hot moist meats:— For, according to Galen,'seed is made ef pure concocted and windy superfluity of blood, whence we may conclude there is a power in many things . to accumulate seed, also to augment it, and other things of force to cause erection, as hen-eggs, pheasants, woodcocks, gnatsnappers, thrushes, blackbirds, young pigeons, sparrows, partridges, capoons, almonds, pine-nuts, raisans, currants, all strong wines taken sparingly especially those made of the gr when the menses are spent, and the womb * cleansed, which is commonly in five or seven ' days at most, if a man lie with his wife from; s the first day she* is purged to the fcfth, she will * conceive a male ; but from the fifth to the eighth * a female ; and from the eighth to the twelfth a. ' male again ; but after that perhaps neither dis- ' tinctly but both in a heiamaphrodite.' In a word they that would be happy in the fruits of their labor, must observe to use copulation in due dis- tance of time, not too often nor too seldom, for both are alike hurtful ; and to u*c it immediately weakens and wasts their spirits, and spoils the seed; and thus much for the particular. The se- cond is to let the reader know, how the child is formed in the womb, what accidents it is liable to there, and how uourished and brought forth. There are various opinions concerning this matter, therefore I will shew what the learned say ' about it. Man consists of an egg, which is im- pregnated into the testicles of the woman by the more subtle : part of the man's seed ; but the forming faculty and virtue in the seed is a divine gilt, it being abundantly endued with a vital spirit which gives sap and forms to the embryo* so that all parts and bulk of the body, which i3 riiade url u, a lew months, and gradually formed into th ' lovely figure of a man, tie consist in, and are • '*" umbrated thereby, which is incomparably - Aristotle's Master-Piece. i I pressed in the cxxxviii psalm, ' I will praise thee ' O.Lord, because I am wonderfully made and, * &c' And the physicians have slighted four dif- ferent times wherein a man is framed and per- fected in the womb, the first moon after coition being perfect in the first week, if no flux happens which someiimes falls out, through the slipperi- ness of the matrix of the head thereof, that shifts over like a rose-bud, and opens on a sudden by means of forming, is assigned to be when nature makes manifest mutation in the conception, so that all the substance seems congealed flesh and blood, which happens twelve or fourteen days after copulation. And though, this fleshy mass abounds with fleshy blood, yet it remains undis- tinguishable, without form or figure and may be called an embrvo, and compared to, seed sown in the ground, which, through heat and moisture, grows, by degrees, into a perfect form, either in plant or grain. The third time assigned to make up this fabric, is when the principal parts shew themselves as plain, as the heart, whence pioceed the arteries. The brain from which the nerves, like small threads, run through the whole body ; and' the liver that divides the chyle from the blood brought to it by the veny ports, the two first are fountains of life, that nourish every part of the body, in framing which the faculty of the womb is buried from the time of conception to the eighth day of the fiist month. Lastly, about the thirtieth day, the outward parts are seen finely wrought and distinguished by joints, when the child bdgins to grow, from which time, by reason the limbs are divided and the whole frame is perfect, it is no longer an embryo, but a perfect child. Most males are per- 12 Aristotle's Master-Piece. feet by the thirtieth day, but females seldom lo the forty-second or forty-fifth day, because the heat of the womb is greater in producing the inale1- than the female ; and for ihe same reason, a wo- man going wiih a male child quickens in three months, but going with a female, rarely "under four, at which time also its hair and nails come forth, and the child begins to stir, kick and move in the womb, and then women are troubled with loathing of their meat, and greedy longing for things contrary to nutriment, as coals, rubbish, chalk, &c. which desire often occasions abortion and miscarriage. Some women have been so ex- travagant as to long for bob-nails leather, men's flesh, horse flesh, and other unnatural as well as unwholesome food, for want of which things they have either miscarried or the child has continued dead in the womb for several days, to the im- minent hazard of their lives. But I shall now proceed to shew by what real means the infant is sustained in the womb, and what posture it there* remains in. Various are the opinions about nourishing the foetus in the womb: Some s»y by blood only, from the umbilical vetn; others by.the circle, taken in by the mouth ; but it is nourished divers- ly according to the several degrees of perfijetion that an egg passes from a conception to foetus ready for birth. But, first let us exph.in the meaning of ovum or the egg : In the generation of the foetus there are two principals, active and passive—the active is the man's seed elabai atcd in the testicles, out of arterial blood and animal spirits—the passive is an egg impregnated by the man's seed. And the nature of conception is thus : the most spiritous part of the man's seed Aristotle's Master-Piece. 13 in the act of generation, reaching up to the testi- cles of woman, which contain diverse eggs, im- prignates one of them, which being conveyed by the oviducts to the bottom of the womb, presently begins to swell bigger and bigger, and drinks in the moisture that is plentifully sent thither, as .seeds suck moisture in the ground, to make them sprout out, when the parts of ihe embryo begins to be a little more perfect, and that at the same time the chorin is very thick, that the liquor can- not soak through it the umbilical vessels begin to be formed and to extend the side of the amnion which they pass through, and all through the ali- antreides and chorin, and are implanted in the 'placenta, which gathering upon the chorin, joins to the uterus. And now the arteries that before sent out the nourishment into the cavity of the womb, opened by the orifice into the placenta, where they deposit the said juice, wjiich is drank up by the umbilical vein, and conveyed by it, first to the liver of the foetus, and then to the heart, * £ where its more thin and spiritous part is turned into blood, while the grosser part descending by e:he aorta, enters the umbilical arteries, and is discharged into its cavily by those branches that c' un through the amiiion. s' As soon as the mouth, stomach, gullet, Sec, ai e ,R ormed so perfectly, that the foetus can swallow, 14; sucks in some of the'-grosser nutricious juice ie hat is deposited in the amnion by the umbilical 1,1 rteties, which descending into the stomach, and d itestines, is received by the lecteal veins, as in d iult persons. The foetus being perfected, at the l' me before specified, in all its parts, it lies equal- e balanced in the womb, as the centre on his s *d, and being long turned oval, so that the head U Aristotle's Master-Piece. a little inclines, and it lays its chin upon its breast, its heels and ancles upon its buttocks, its hand on its cheeks, & its thumbs to its eys ; but its legi: and thighs are carried upwards, with its hams • bending, so that they touch the bottom of its belly, t the former and that part of the body which is; over against us, as the forehead, nose and face,> are towards the another's back, and the head in-: dining downwards, towards the rump-bone that joins to the os sacrum, which bone, together with t the os pubis, in the time of bi th, part is loosed, i whence it is, that the male children commonly come with their faces downwaids, or with their head turned somewhat oblique, that their facel 1 may be seen, but the female children with their* faces upv>ards ; though sometimes it happens' that births do not follow according 10 nature's orij der, bui cliildren come forth with their feet standr ing, their ne ks bovved, and their heads lringobii lique, with their hands stretched oui, which* greaUy endangers themselves and the mother! giving the midwife great trouble to bring thenu into the world ; but *uen all things proceed w nature's order, the child when the time of birth iy. accomplished, is desirous to come forth of the. womb, and by inclining himself, he rolls dowit] wards, for he can no more be obscured in thosd hidden places, and the heat of the heart cannot subsist without external respiration, whertol being grown great more and moic desirous of nutriment and light, when covering the aHherial air, "by struggling to obtain it, breaks the mem- branes and coverings, whereby he was restraint and fenced against attrition, and for the mos part, with bitter pangs of the mother, issuetk lorth into the world eommontym the ninth momh Aristotle's Master-Piece. 15 For the matrix being divided and the os pubis loosened, the woman strives to cast out her bur- then, and tho child does the like to get forth, by the help of its imbred strength, and so the birth comes to be perfect; but if the child be dead, the more dangerous the delivery, though nature often helps the woman's weakness herein ; but the child that is quick and lively, labours no less than the woman. Now, there are births at seven or eighth months; but of tbese & the reason of them I shall speak mere largely in another place. CHAP. III. The reason why children are like their parents, and that the mother's imagination contributes thereto, £r vihetker the man or woman is the cause of the male or female child. T AC lANTIUS is of opinion, that when a '■"'man's seed fall's on the left side of the womb, it may procure a male child * but, because it it the proper place for a female, there will be some- thing in it that resembles a woman ; that is, twill be fairer, whiter and smoother, not very subject to have hair on the body or chin; it will have lank hair on the head, the voice small and sharp, and the carriage feeble and, on the contrary,.that a fe- male may chance to be gotten if the seed fall on the right side; but then through the abundance of the heat, she snail be big-boned, full of courage, having a masculine voice, & her chin and bosom hairy, not being so clear as, others of the sex, and subject toquarrel with her husband for superiority. In case ui similitude, nothing is more powerful than the* imagination of the mother; lor if she fasten her eyes upon any object, and imprint it on her mind- it oftentimes so hasnen. that the child, in son as a re- 16 Auistotle's Masw.r-Piece. presentation thereof, and if in the act of copula-, tion, the woman earnestly look upon the man, and fix her mind upon him, the child will resemble its father. Nay, tho' a woman in unlawful copu- » lation, yet if she fix her mind upon her husband, ' the child will resemble him though he ne/er got; it. The*same effect of imagination causes warts, ■ stains, molth-spots, dastes, tho'indeed they some-: times happen through frights or extiavagant longing ; many women being with cnild, seeing a hare cross them, will, through the force of im agination, bring foth a. child with a hare-lip.— Som» children are born with flat noses, wry" mouths, great blubber lips, and ill-shaped bodiesf and must ascribe the reason to the imagination of the mother, who hath est her eyes and mindJ upon some ill shaped creature—Therefore, it be-T hoves all women with child, if possible, to avoid such sights, or at least, not regard them. But tho' the mother s imagination may contribute much to the features of the child, yet in manners, wit and propension of the mind experience tells us, that children are commonly of the condition with the parents, and same tempers. But the vigour I or disability of persons in the act of copulation, many times causes it to be otherwise—For chil- dren got through the heat and strength of desire, must needs partake more of the nature and incli-1 nation of their parents, than those that are begot- ten with desires more weak: and therefore, the children begotten by men in their old age, arei generally weaker than those begotten by them in their youth. As to the share which each of the parents has in begetting the child, we will give the opinion of • the ancients about it. Aristotle's Master-Pi ecu. 17 Though it is apparent (say they) that the . man's seed is the chief efficient beginning of ac- tion, motion and generation : yet, that the woman affords seed, and effectually contributes in that point to the procreation of the child is evinced by strong reasons. In the first place, seminary ves- sels have been given her in vain, and genial testi- cles invented, if the woman wanted seminal exs- cresccnce ; for nature doth nothing in vain; there- : fore, we must grant they were made for the use ; of seed, and procreation, and fixed in their proper . place both the testicles and receptacles of seed, whose nature is to operate and afford virtue to the :; seed. And to prove this, their needs no stronger argument (say they) than, that if a woman do not use copulation, to eject her seed, she often falls into strange diseases, as appear by young women and virgins. A second reason they urge, is, that although the society of a lawful bed consist not al- together in these things, yet it is apparent, the female sex are never better pleased, nor appear more blith and jocund than when they are satis- fied this way; which is an inducement to believe, they have more pleasure and titillation therein than men ; for, since nature causes much delight to company ejection, by the breaking forth of the swelling spirits and the sweetness of the nerves, in which case the operation on the woman's part is double, she having an enjoyment both by ejec- tion and reception, by which she is more delight- ed in the act Hence it is (say they) that the child more fre- quently resembles the mother than the father, because the mother contributes i*jst towards it. And they think it may be further instanced, from the endeared affection they bare to them; for thaj lg Aristotle's Master-Piece. besides contributing seminal matter, they feed and nourish the child with the purest fountain of blood, until its bi.th. Which opinion Galen afr firms, by allowing children to partisipate most on the mother, and ascribes the differance ef sex tot the operation of the menstrual blood ; but the rea- son of the likeness, he refers to the power of the seed ; for as plants receive more nourishment from fruitful ground than from the industry of the husbandman, so the infant receives in more abundance from the mother than the father. Fori first, the seed of both is cherished in the womb, and there grows to perfection, being nourished with blood : and for this reason it is (say theu. that children for the most part, love their motbefl" best, because they receive most of their sub- fetance from their mother: For about nine month!] she nourishes her child in her womb, with her purest blood ; then her love towards it, newly,. born, and its likeness do clearly shew, that the woman affordeth seed and contributes more to- wards making the child than the man. But, in all this the ancients are very erronious, for the testicles (so called in woman) afford not any seed, but are two eggs, like those of fowls, and other creatures ; neither have thev anv office as those of men but are indeed ovaria, wherein the eggs are nourished by the sanguinary vessels dispersed thro' them ; and fom hence" one o more (as they are fecundated by the man's seed is separated, and conveyed into the womb by the "" oviducts. The truth of this is my plan, for, if yoi boil them, their liquor will be the same colour taste and con - ilency with the taste of birds eggs : If any object, they have no taste that signifies no " thing ; for the eggs of fowls while they are in tb ' Aristotle's Master-Piece. 19 jj£ %va"y, nay, after they are fas-ened to the Uterus, 1 have no shell: and though, when they ave laid, they have one, yet that is no more than a defence Svhich nature has puovided. iheni against any out-' ward injury, while they are hatched without the body ; whereas those, of the woman being hatch- ed withijuhe boJy,need rio other defence than the womb, by which ihey are sufficiently secured. . * And (his is eho<-gh,- I hope for the cleaving of this point- As to the third thing proposed, as whence jyows the kind and whether the nun or woman is the cause of the male or fernale infant. The primary cause we may ascribe to God, as is, most justly his due who is the ruler and dis- poser of all things, yet he suffers many things to pioceed according to the rules of nature, which proceed by their imbred motion, according tp Visual and natural courses wiho'.i't variation.—: Though, indeed by favour from on high, Sarah conceived Isaac—Hannah, Samuel—and Eliea- beth, John the Baptist:—But "these are all very extraordinary things, brought to pass-by a Divine Power, above, the course of nature; nor have such instances been Wanting in later days, there- fore I shall wave them and proceed to speak of things natural. The ancient physicians and phi- losophers say, that since that there are two prin- cipals out of which the b*dy of man is made, and which re fide rs the child like h>£ parents, and by- one or the' other sex, viz. seed, common to both " sexes, and menstrual blood, proper to the woman only, the similitude 'say they) must needs consist in the force of virtue of the male or female, sp ihat it proves 1'ke the on? or the bther according *•> the plentv ^nw*..)K<. ,^i1ipv • }*-,* *k*^ tne $£. 20 Aristotle's Master-Piece. 'erence of tho sex is not refined to the seed, but •' to the mcnsiru.il blood, wiiicli is proper 19 the woman, is apparent. For were, that force alto- gether retained in the s.ed, the male seed being of the hottest quality male children would abound and a few of ihe females be propagated ; where- fore, the sex is.atribu.e;! to the temperament of the active qualities, which consist in the heat Sc colcrand the nature of the matter under ifiem j that is the flowing of the menstrous blood ; but now ihe seed (say they) affords both force to pro- create and form the child, and mutter for its gen- eratjon, and in, the menstrual blood there, is both • matter and force ; for, as the seed most helps the ' material principal, so also does the menstrual bloQd the potential seed ; which is (says (i.den) blood well concocted* by the vesseJs that contain it. So that blood is, not only the matter for gene- rating the child, but all seed in possibility that mens rind blood hath both principals. The ancients further say,"that the seed is the r,iom;est efficient ; the matter of it being \c:y lit- tle in quality but the potential quality of it is very •strong; whereof, if .these.principals of generation, according to whicj^i the sex is made, 'where on'y * (say they), in the menstrual blood then would the t children be all mostly females ; as, where the ef- ficient force i,n,the »eed, they wcmld be ail.males ; but mticc both haveoppcration in menstrual blood, matter predominates in quantity ; and in the seed, . | force and virtue, and thurefore Galen thinks the child receives Its sex rather from the mother than from the father ; for, tho' his seed contributes a Utile to the material principal yet it is more weak-; ly But for likeness, it is refated rather to the fath- " er than to the mother; Yet the womb's seed re- AnisroTLE's Master-Piece. *; ceiving strength from the menstrual blood, for the space of nine months, overpowers the man's as to that particular; for, the menstrual bleed flowing in the vessels rather cherishes the one than the other; from which it is plain, the woman affords both matter to make, and force and virtu© to perfect the conception ; tho' the female's seed be fit nutriment for the male's, by reason of the thinness of it, being more adapted to make up conception thereby. For as of soft wax and moist clay, the artificer can frame what he intends, so (say they) the man's seed mixing with the wo- man's, i.nd also .with the menstrual blood, helps to form and peifect part'of man. But with all Imaginable deference to the wis- • dom of our fathers, give me leave to say, that their ignorartce in the anatomy of man's body, has led them into the paths of error, and tun them into greai mistakes ; for their hjpo'ihesia of the for- mation of the embryo from the coto-mixturc of seed, and the nourishment of it, too,,in the men- struous blood, being wholly false, their opinion, in this case, must, of necessity, be so also. I shall, therefore, conclude this chapter, and only say, that, altho' a strong imagination of the mother may often determine the sex, yet the main agent in this case is the plastic r.nd formative principal, which is the efficient in giving form to- the child, which gives this or that sex, according to those l:.ws and rules given to us by the' wise creator of all things, who both makes and fash- ions it,-and therein determines the sex, accord- ing to the counsel of his own wilh, B2 *I Aristotle's M.\hTi:n~Vint>- CHAP. IV. J(Tsc.ancl had life,but the creature God hc.d appointed tq set over his works, was the peculiar- workmanship of the Almighty,forming him cut of the dust of the eai>h,and coudescendingto breatne into his nostrils the breathe of life, which seems to denote more care and (if we may so term it)labcur used abe-ut riran, than about all other cieatmes, he only partaking and participating of the blessed di- vine nature, bearing God's irtiage in innocence k purity, whilst he stood firm ; and when, by his fall,, that lively* image was defaced, yet such was the love of his Cret^r towards him, that he fom>! cut a way to restore him; the only-begoitcn Sen of the Eternal Father coming into ihe world to desi oy the works of the devil, and to iaise up man from that low condition to which his sin add fall had reduced him, to a state above that of angels If, therefore, man would understand the excel- lency of his soul, let him turn 4 is eyes inwardly and loo"k into himselfandsearch diligently hisovta mind,and there hr si,..l! see many admirable gifts i>nd excellent ornamems that must needs posst*© Aristotle's M aster-Piece. %g Wm with wonder and amazement, as reason, un- dei standing freedom of will, See. that plainly shew tie soul to be descended from a heavenly original, and that, theiefore, it is of infinite duration, Scnot subject to annihilation. Yet, for its many offices and operations whilst in the body, it goes under several denominations : For, when it enlivens the body, it is called the soul; when it gives know- ledge, the judgment or mind ; and when it recate things pasi, the memory, whilst it discourses and discerns, reason,- whilst it contemplatesrfhe spirit; whilst it is the sensitive parts, the senses. And these are the principal offices, whereby the soul declares its power, and performs its action ; for being seated in the highest parts of the body, it difluseth its force into every member ; not pro- pagated from the parents, nor mixed with gross matter, but the infused breath of god immediately p;oceeciing from him, not passing from one to a- nother, as was tb opinion of Pythogora"s who held a transmigration of the soul, but that the soul is given to every infant by infusion, is the most received and orthodox opinion ; and the learned do likewise agree, that this is done when the infant is pcfocted in the womb, which happens about the f,v*.*niy-fcurth day after conception, especially for males', who are generally born at the end of nine months; but in females, who are not so soon form- ed and perfected, thro' defect of heat not till the fiftieth day. And tho' this day, in all cases, can- not be truly set down, yet Hipocrates has given h;s opinion, jvhen the child has its perfect form, when it bvgihs to move, and when born, if in due season. In his book of the nature of infants he says, ii it be a n.alr-. and he be perfect on the thirtieth -B 3 24 AmisTOTLis's Master-Piece: day, and move on the ninetieth day,he will be born on the seventh month; but if he be perfectly form- ed on the thirty-fifth day, he will move on the se- ventieth and be born on the eighth month j again if he be perfectly formed on the fifty-fifth day, he will move on the ninetieth, and be born on the ninth month. Now from those passing of days and months it plainly appears, that the day of forming being doubled, makes up the day of moving, and that day three times reckoned, makes up the day of birth. As thus, when thirty-five perfects the form, if you double it, makes seventy, the day of motion, and three times seventy makes two hundred and ten days, which, allowing thirty days to a mouth, makes seven months ; and so you must conshTer the rest. But, as to a female, the case is different; for, it is longer perfecting in the womb, the mo- ther ever goin.; longer with a boy than a girl, which makes the account differ ; for, a female formed in thirty days, moves not till the seventieth day, and is born in the eighth month ; when she is formed on the fortieth, she moves not till the eightieth, and is born on the tighth month ; but, if she be perfectly formed on the fifty-fifth day, she moves on the ninetieth, and is born on the ! ninth month ; but, if »he that is formed on the sixtieth day, moves the hundred-and-tenth, and will be born on the tenth month. I treat the more largely hereof, that the ready may know, the rea- sonable soul is not propagated by the parents; but is infused by the Almighty, when the child hath 1 its perfect form, and is exactly distinguished in its lineaments. Now, as the life of cveiy other creature, as Moses shews, is in the bloody •so the life of nrrn Aristotle's MASTEa-PiEtE. 5§£ oonslsteth in the'soul, which, although subject X.& passisn, by reason of the gross composures of the body, in which it has a temporary confinement, yet it is immortal and cannot in itself corrupt <"r- suffer change,if being a spark of the divine mind; and that every man has a peculiar soul, plainly appears by the difference between ihe will, judge- ment, opinion* manners and affec;ions*n men.— And this David observes, saying, 'God hath form- ed the hearts and minds of all men and hath giv- en to every o-ie his own being and a soul of its own nature.' Hence,.Solomon rejoiced that God had given him a happy soul and a body agreeable to it. It has been disputed among the learned in what part of the body the soul resides ; and some are of opinion, its residence is in the middle of the heart, and from thence communicates itself to every part, which Solomon, in Proverbs iv. seems to affirm, when he say.>," Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' But many curious physicians, searching the works of nature in man's anatomy, do affirm that its chief seat is in the brain, from whence pro- ceeds the senses, faculties and actions, diffusing the operation of the soulthro' all the parts of the body whereby it is enlightened with heat & force to the heart, by the arteries, coi ditcs, or sleepy ar- teries, which part upon the throat, the which, if they happen to be broken or cut, they cause bar- renness ; and if stopped, aa appoplexy ; for there must necessarily be ways thro' which the spirits, animal and vital, may have intercourse, and con- vey native heat from the soul. For, tho* the soul bath its chief seat in one place, it operates in every part, exercising every member which are the B4 26 Aristotu.-'s Ma*t£R-Pi*cs. souls instruments by which she discovers her power. But if it happens ihat any of the organical p;'-s me out of tune, its whole work is confused, as appears in ideots md madmen, tho' in some of them kl*e boul, by vigorous exerting its power re- eovcrs its innate strength, and they become right , after a long despondency in mind : bu;. in others it is not recovered again in this life- For as a fire under ashes, or the sun obscured from our sight • oy thick clouds, affbrd not their full lustre, so the soul overwhelmed in moist or morbic matter, is darkened, and reason overclouded ; and tho' rea- son shines less in children than such as are arriv- ed to maturity, yet no man must imagine that the soul of an infant grows up with the child, for then would it again decay; but it suits itself to nature's weakness, and the imbecility of the body wherein it is placed that it may operate the better. And as the body is more and more capable of receiving its influence, so the soul does more and more ex- ert its faculties; having force and endowments at the time it enters the form of a child in the womb, for its substance can receive nothing less. And thus much to prove the soul comes not fom the parents, but is infused by God. I shall next prove j its immortality, and so demonstrate the certainty •f our resurrection. That th'e soul of man is a divine ray, infused by the sovereign creator, I have already proved ; and now come to shew that whatever immediate- ly proceeds from him, and participates of his na- ture, must be as immortal as its origin ; for, tho' all other creatures are endowed with life and mo- tion, yet they want a reasonable soul ; and from ' the:,ce it is concluded, that their life is in their | Wood, and that being corruptible they perish an'« / , ^Aristotle's Master-Piece. 27 are uomore ; but man being endowed with a rea- sonable *oul, and stamped>with the divine image, is of a different nature ; and tho' his body be cor- ruptible, yet his soul being of an immortal na- ture, cannot perish, but must, at the dissolution of his body, return to God who gave it, either to receive reward, or punishment.' Now, that the body can sin of itself is impossible ; because want- ing the soul, which is the principal of life, it can- not acti nor proceed to any thing either gr «d or evil ; for, could it do so, it might sin even in the grave ;"but it is plain, that after death there is a cessation ; for, as death leaves us, so judgement wiH find us. Now,reason having evidently demonstrated the sbul's immortality, the hoiy*%criptures do abund- antly give testimony to the truth of the resurrec- tion, as*the reader may see by perusing the 9th and 14th chap, of Job, and the 5th of St. John, I - shall, therefore, leave tho further discouising of this matter to divines, whose proper province h £>•, and return to treat of the works of rfature. CHAP V. Of Monsters, and Monstrous B rths. "J\^"ONSTERS are pcoperly depraved roncep- r tions, and are deemed by the ancients 10 be excursions of nature, and are always vicious, ei- ther in figure, situation, magnitude or number. They are vicious in figure, when a man bears the character of a borst; they are vicious in mag- nitude, when the parts are not equal, =6r that one part is bigger than the other ; and this is a tiling \e;y common, by reason of some excrescence. They are vicious in situation many wars, as if tfm B5 23 Aristotle's Master-Piece. ; ears were on the face, or the eyes on the breasts or on the legs, as was seen in a monster born at Ravenna in Italy, in the year 1570. And, lastly, they are vicious in number, when a rrran hath two heads, four hands, 8c two boc'ies joined, which was the case of the monsier born at Zazara 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- ing, suffering parents to bring forth such deprav- ed monsters, as a punishment for their filthy and corrupt affections, which are let loose unto wick- edness like brute beasts that have no understand- ing ; for which reason the ancient Romans enact- ed, that those who were deformed should not be put into religious houses. And St. Jerome, in his time, grieved to see the deformed and lame of- fered up to God in religious houses ; and Kech- erman, by way of inference, excluded all that were mishapen, because outward deformity of body is often a sign of the polution of the heart, being a curse laid upon the child for the inconti- nence of the parents. Yet there are many born deformed, which deformed ought not to be ascri- bed to the parents. Let us therefore search out the natural cause of their generation, which, ac- cording to the ancients, who have dived into tho secrets pf nature, is either in the matter of the agent, in the seed, or in the womb. The matter may be in fault two ways, either by defect or ex- cess ; by defect, when ihe child hath but one arm or one leg, Sec. by excess, when it has three hands" ©r two heads. Some monsters arc also begotten by woman's bistial and unnit'iiial coition, &c.__ The agent «r womb may be • 'v-i!. c!i»ec w,iv.s ; Aristotle's Master-Piece. 29 First, in -the forming faculty, which may be too strong or too weak ; by which a deprived 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 b stamps a cnaracter of the thing imagined upon the child : so that the child or the children of an adulteress, by the mother's imaginative power, may have the nearest resemblance to her own husband, tho'begotten by any other man And tho' this power or imaginative faculty it was, that a woman, at the time of conception, behold- ing the piciure of'a blackamoor, conceived and brought forth a child, resembling an Ethiopian. And that this power of imagination was well en- ough know to the ancients, is evident by the ex- ample of Jacob, the father of the twelve t ibes of Israel, who having agreed with his father-in-law to have all the spotted sheep for the keeping of his dock, to increase his wages, took "hazel-rods, pealing them with white streaks in them, and laid them before the sheep when they came to drink, and they coupled together, whilst they be- held the rods, conceived and brought forth spot- ted young. Nor does the imagination work on the child at the time of conception only, but after- wards also ; as was seen in the example of a worthy gentlewoman, who being big with child, and passing by a butcher killing meat, a drop of blood sprinkled on her face ,- whereupon she pre- sently said that the child would have some blem- ish on its face, which proved true, for at the birth it was found marked with a red spot. SO Aristotle's Master-Pirce; But besides the way already meniioi- c!, monst- ers are • ?meiime* produced l>y othei me^ns: to wit, by the undue coition of a man and his wilt when her monthly courses 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 ever so great for.coiltori, (as sometime* it is after long absence.) yet if a womarl knows that the custom of women is upon4ier, shi ought noi to admit of any embraces, which at that time are both unclean*and unatural. The issue of these uuclean embraces proving often mon- strous, as a just auntshment for such a turpidin- ous'action. Or if they should not always produce monstrous births, yet are the children thus begot- ten for the most part dull, heavy, sluggish, and defective in the understanding, wanting the viva- city and liveliness which those children who are begotten when"woman are free fiorn their cour- ses are endued -with. There has been some contending among au- thors, to know whether those who are born mon- sters have reasonable souls, some affirming, and others denying it, the result of both at last com- ing to this, that those who, according to the order of nature, are descended from our first parents by the coition of a man and a woman, tho' there out- < Ward shape be deformed and monstrious, have aotwithstanding reasonable souls; but those mon- sters that are not begotten by a man, but are the product of a woman's unnatural lust, and cbpulaf-i in-, with other creatures, shall perish as the brute beasts by whom they were begotten, not Having a reasonable soul. The same being aUo Hue 01 imperfect and abortive births. - Aristotle's Master-,Piec*e. 31 There are some of opinion that monsters may be engendered by infernal spirits; but notwithstand- ing Jvridius Facious pretended to believe it with respect to a deformed monster born at Gracovia ; and Hieronimus writeth of a maid that was got with child by the devil : but he being a wicked snirit, and not capable of having human seed, how is it possible he should beget a human creature ? ^f they say the devil may assume to himself n ^ead 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 the de- vil ; and it borders^on blasphemy to think, that the all-wise and good Being would so far give wav to the r.-orst of spirits, us to suffer him to raise up his diabolieal offspring ; for in the school, of nature wc are taught the contrary, vi2. that like begets like, whence it flows, that a man eanno' be beget of a ck vil. The first I shall present is a mos.t frightful monster indeed, representing an hairy child. It was covered over with hair like a beast. But what rendered it yet more frighful was, that its ». navel was in the place where Ms nose should stand,and hiseyes placed where his mouth should have been, and its mouth was in the chin. It wa: of the male kind, and born in France, in the vex; 1597 ; of which the following is a figure. 35 Aristotle's Master-Piecb. A boy was born in Germany with one head and one body, but havi-ig four ears, four arms, four thighs, four le^s, and four feet. This birth the learned, who b'-held it, judged to proceed from the redundance of the seed : but there not bein^ enough for twins, nature formed what she could, and so made the most <>f it. This child lived some years, and tho' he had four feet, he knew not how to go;—by which we may see the wis- dom of nature, or rather the goodness of nature, and of nature's God, in the formation of the kody of roan, bee the annexed figure.. Aristotle's Master-Piece. §3" ffeas in- most secrets, especially where^ reciprocal love Sc involate faith is settled, for there no care, feaf jealousy, mistrust on hatred can ever interpose. For what man ever hated hi-s own flesh, and truly a wife, if rightly considered, as our grandfather observed, is or ought to be esteemed of every tionest man, bone of his bone, and flesh of hisflcsn Bcc. Nor was it the least care of the Almighty tt ordain so near an union, and that for two causes, the first for increase of posterity, tRe second to bridle and bind'swandering desires and affections \ nay, that they might be yet happier when God had joined them together, he blessed them as it is in the ii. of Genesis. Calumly contemplating this happy state, tells out gf the Econimy of Xeno- pjfrn, that to-i marriage bed is not only the most pleasant, but profitable course of life, tha^ r.*'.y bfc entered on for the "preservation and increase of posterity,- wherefore since marrsage is the most safe, sure, and delightful statiori of mankind, wfio is exceeding prone, by the dictates of nature, \» propogate his like, he does in no ways providf amiss for his own tranquility who enters into it, especially when he-comes to maturaty of years, for there are many abuses in marriage, contrary to what is ordained, which in the ensuing chapt* erj. shall expose to view. Aristotle's Master-Piece. 37 But to proceed, seeing our blessed Saviour and his holy apostles d-nested unlawful lust and pro- nounced those to be excluded the kingdom of hea- ven, that poluted themselves with adult ry and whoring. 1 cannot concaive what face persons can have to colour their impieties, who, hating matri- mony, make it their study how they may live li- centiously ; but in so doing^ they rather seek to themselves torment, anxiety and disquietudes, than certain pleasure, besides the hazard of their immortal soul ; for certain it is, mercenary love, or (as the wise man calls them) harlots smiles, cannot be true and sincere, and therefore not pleasant, but rather a net laid to betray such as \\ trust in them into all mischief as Solomon ob- serves, by the young men void of understanding, who turned aside to the harlot's house. As a bird to the snare of the fowler, or an ox to the slaugh- ter, till the dart be struck thro' the liver. Nor in mis case can they have children, those endearing pledges of conjugal affection ; or if they have, they will ratber redound to their shame than com- fort, bearinr the odious brand of bastards : Hay* «lots, likewise, are like swallows flying in the sum-" iner seasan of prosperity, but the black stormy weather of adversity coming, they take wings and fiy into Other regions ; that is, seek themselves other lovers, but a virtuous chaste wife, fixing her entire love upon her husband, and submitting to him as her head and king, by whose directions she ought to steer in all lawful courses, will, liko a faithful companion, share patiently with him in adversities, run with cheerfulness thro' all diffi- culties and dangers, tho' ever so hazardous, to T>receryc or assist him in novcrtv, sickness, 01 c 58 Aristotle's Master-Fiesb. Whatever other misfortune maybefal him ; attkg according to her duty in all things; but a proud, imperious harlot will do more than she lists in the sun-shine of prosperity ; and, like a horse-leech, ever craving and never satisfied, still seeming dis- pleased if all her extravagant cravings be not an- swered, not regarding the ruin and misery she brings upon him by those means, the' she seems to dote upon him, using to confirm her hy|K>crisy wifth crocodile's tears, vows and swoonings, when her cully is to depart awhile, or seems but to deny her immoderate desires ; yet this lasts no longer than she can gratify her appetite and prey upon his fortune. Remarkable is the story that Cor- nadus Gosmer tells us of a young man travelling I from Athens, to Thebes who met by the way a beautiful lady ; as to appearance she seemed a- domed with all perfection of beauty, glittering with gouid and precious stones. This seemed fair one saluted him, and invited him to her house, not far off, pretending to be exceedingly enamoured with him, and declared she had a long J me waited for an opportunity to find him alone, that she might reveal her passion to him. The young spark went with her, and wken he came to her house, he found it, to appearance, built very statly, and very well furnished ; which so far wrought upon his covetous inclination, that he re- solved to put off his intended journey, and yield to her enticements ; but whilst she was leading him to seo the pleasant places adjoining to the house, came up a holy pilgrim, who seeing in v/hat danger the youth was, resolved to set him in his right senses and shew him what he imagined real, was quite otherways j so that by powerful prayer the mist was taken from before his oyti, Aristotle's Mastert-Piece! ^9 who then beheld his lady ugly, deformed, and monstrous, and that whatever had appeared glo- rious aud beautiful, was only trash. Then he made her confess what she was, and her design upon the young man, which she said, saying, She was one of the Lamice or Farres, and that she had thus enchanted him on purpose to get him info her power, that she might devour him. This pas- sage may be fully alluded to harlots, who draw those that follow their misguiding lights into the place of danger, till they have caused them to shipwreck their fortune, and then leave them to struggle with the storms of adversity which they have raised. Now on the contrary, a loving, chaste and even-tempered wife, seeks what she xnay to prevent such dangers, and in every condi- tion does all to make him easy. And, in a word, as there is no content in the embraces of a har- lot, so there is no greater joy than in the recipro- cal affection and endearing embraces of a loving, obedient and chaste wife. Nor is that the princi- pal end for which matrimony was ordained, but that the man might follow the law of his creation, by the increasing of his kind, and replenish the earth, for this was the injunction laid upon him in Paradise before his fall. To conclude, a vir- tuous wife is a crown and ornament to her hus- banA, and her price is above rubies, but the ways of a harlot are deceitful. CHAP. VII. JErrorstin marriage why they are, & the prejudices of them. TJ Y errois in marriage, I mean the unfitness of -*-' .lie persons marrying to enter into this state, and that both with respeot to age and the const!- C2 4* .Aristotle's Master-Th-:ci- tation of their bodies ; and therefore those Hut design to enter into that condition ought to ob- serve their ability, and not run themselves upon inconvsniencies ; for those that mai: y loo young, may be said to marry unseasonably, not consider- ing their inability, nor examining th» force of na- ture ; for though some, before they are ripe for consummation of so weighty a matter, who either rashly of their own accord, or by the instigation of procurers of marriage-brokers, or else forced thereto by their parents, who covet a large dowry, take upon them this yoke to their prejudice, by which some, before the expiration of a year, have been so enfeebled, that all their vital moisture has been exhausted, which hath not been restored again without great trouble and tho use of medi- cines. Wherefore my advice is, that it is nn ways convenient to suffer children, or such as are not of age, to marry or get children ; but he that proposes to marry, must observe to chu.;e a wife of an honest stock, descended of temperate pa- rents, being chaste, « ell bred 8c of good manners. For, if a woman have good conditions, she hath portion enough. TJiat °f Almenian in Plutus, is much to the purpose, where l.o brings in a voting womaii speaking ; " I take nnt that to ke my dowry, which The vu gar.sort do wealth and honor call. But all my wishes terminate in this, To obe1 my husband and be chaste withal ; To hare God's fear and beauty on my mintl, To dq those good who're virtuously ina'in'd-" And I think she was in the right of it, for such u wife is more precious than rubies. It is certainly the duty of parents -to be careful jn bringing up their children hi the ways <4 virtue, Aristotle s ai*.a*»«-Px.Eci», 41 and to have regard to their honor and reputation, ami especially of virgins, when grown to be mar- riageable. For, as he has been before noted, if through the too much severity of parents, they may be crossed in their love, many of them throw themselves into the unchaste arms of the next alluring tempter that comes ui the way, being, through the softness and flexibility of their na- ture, and the strong desire they have after what nature strongly incites them 10, easily induced ta believe man's fidse vows of promised marriage, to cover their shame, and then too late their pa- rents repent of their severity, which has brought an undeliable stain upon their families. Another error in marriage is, the inequality of years in the patties married ; such as for a young man, who, to advance his fortune, marries a woman old enough to be his grandmother, be- tween whom, for the most part, strife, jealousies, and discontent, are all the blessings which crown the genial bed, it being impossible for snch to have any children. The like may be said, tho' with less excuse, when an old cloating fellow marries a virgin in the prime of youth and vigor, who, while he strives to please her, is thereby wedded to his grave. For, as in green youth it is unfit and unseasonable to think of marriage, so to marry in old age is altogether the same ; for they that enter upon it too soon are *oon exhausted, and fall into consumptions and divers other dis- eases, and those that procrastinate and marry un- seemly, fall-into the like inconveniencies ; on the other side, having only this honor, of an old man they become young cuckolds, especially if their wives have not been Tained up in the paths of C 3 42 Aristotle's Master-S^ece. virtue, and lie too much open to the importunity , and temptation of lude and debauched men- And thus for the errors of rash, inconsiderate and in-V considerable marriages. CHAP VIII. The Opinion of the Learned concerning children, conceived • and born within Seven months, with arguments upon the Subject, to prevent suspicion of Incontinency, and bitter contests on that account: To whieh are added. Rules to- know the disposition of Man's Body by the Genital parts ! "JV/TaNY bitter quarrels happen batween men "*■*-*■ and their wives, upon the man's supposition that his child came too soon, and by consequence that he should not be the father ; where as it was thro' want of understanding the secrets of nature, that brought the man into that error ; and which ha J he known, might have cured him of him sus- picion and jealousy ; to remove which, I shall endeavor to prove that it is possible, and has been frequently known, that children have been born at seven months. The cases of this nature that have happened, have made work for lawyers,, who have left it to physicians to judge by view- ing the child, whether it be a child in seven, eight, or ten months. Paul, the counsellor, has this passage, in the 19th book of pleading, viz— It ia now a received truth, that a perfect child *iay be born in the seventh month, by the autho- rity of the learned Hypocrates, and therefore we must believe that a child born at the end of the seventh month in lawful matrimony, may be law- fully begotten. Galen is of opinion, that there is no certain time set for bearing of children ; and that from Pliny's authority, who makes men- tion of a woman that went thirteen months vyUh Aristotle's Master-Piece, 4j> child, but as to what concerns the seventh month, a learned author said—1 know several married people in floiund, that had twins born in the seventh month, who lived to old age, having lusty bodies, and iiveiy minds. Wherefore their opi- nion is absu cl, who asseVt, that a child at seven months cannot be perfect and long lived ; and that he cannot, in all parts be perfect till the ninth month, thereupon this author proceeds to tell a passage from his own knowledge, viz. Of late, says he, there happened a great disturbance among us, which ended not without bloodshed, and was occasioned by a virgin wnose chastity had been violated, descended of a noted family, of unspotted fame. Now several charged the fact upon the judge, who was president of a city in Flanders, who briny denied it, saying, he was rea- dy to take his oath that he never had any carnal copulauon with her, that he would not father that which was none of his. And farther argued; that he verily believed that it was a child born in seven months, himself being many miles distant from the mo her of ic when it was conceived, whereupon the judges decreed, that the child should be viewed by able physicians, and experi- enced women, and that they should make their report; who having made diligent enquiry, all of them of one mind, concluded the child (without respecting-who was the father) was born wit tin the space of seven months, and that it was cai tied in the mother's womb but twenty-seven weeks and odd days ; but if she should have gone furtl nine months, the child's parts and limbs would have been more firm and strong,find the structure of the body more compact, for the skin Wi-.s very C 4 principal seat '.'life. (' 5 4$ Ari»totle's Master-Piece. CHAP. IX. Of the Green Sickness in Virgins, with ks Causes, Sig>utf and Cures / together with tJie thief occasion of Barren- ness of Woman, and the means to remove the Cause, and render them Fruitful .• THE Green Sickness is so common a distem- per in Virgins especially those of phlegmat- ic complexion, that it is easily discerned shewing itself by discoulering the face, making it look green, pale and of a dusty couler : preceding from raw and indigested humours ; nor doth it only ap- pear to the eye, but sensibly afflicts the person, with difficulties of breathings, pains in the head, palpitations of the heart, with unusual breathings, and small throbbings of the arteries in the tem- ples, nec'<. and back, which often casts them into fevers, whenithe humour is over vicious ; also loathing of meat and the disttnson of the hypoc- hondican part, by reason oYtlle inordinant effluc- tion of the menstrous blood to the greater vessels; and, from the abundance of humours, the whole body is often troubled with swelling, or .at least the thighs, legs, and ancles, all above the heels. There is also a great weariness of the body, with-' out any reason for it. The Galenical physicians affirm, that this dis- temper proceeds from the womb, occasioned by' the abundance of gross vicious and rude humours arising from several inwai d causes ; but there are, also, outward causes, which have a shire in the production of it, as taken cold in the feet, drinking of water, intemperance of diu, eating of things V contrary to nature, viz. raw or bm ned -flesh, ashes K coles, old shoes, chalk, wax, nut-shells, mortar, Y tyme, «j:.t-meal, tobacc.-pipos, kc which occasion \ bo'h a ■•'iippicrsion *»f ,'>•': mes^s,«i. I ob^t: i;ct-iyi:s Aristotle's Master-Piece. 4" thro' the whole body ; therefore, the first thing necessary to vindicate the cause is matrimonial conjunction, and such copulation as nv y prove sa- tisfactory to her that is afflicted ; for then the menses will begin to flow, according to their na- tural and due course, and the humours being dis- persed, wiii soon waste themselves ; and then no more matter being admited to increase them, they will vanish, and a good temperament of body will return ; but in case this best remedy^annot be had soon enough, then blood her in the ancles ; and if she be about the age of sixteen, you may likewise. do it'in the arm, but let her blood but sparingly especially if the b!ood be good. If the disease be of any continuance, then it is to be eradicated by pur- ging, preparation of the humour first considered, which may be done by the virgin's drinking decoct of guiacam, with dittany of Creete : but the best purge in this case ought to be made of aloes, agric senna, rhubarb; Sc for strengthening the bowels 8c opening obstructions, chaylbeat medicines are chiefly to be used The diet must be moderate, fc sharp things by all means avoided. And for find- • ing the humours, take prepared steel,bezoar stone the root of conzonera, oil of chrystal in small wine, and let the diet be moderated but in no wise let viniger be used therewith not upon any occasion. And in so observing, the humours will be dilated and dispersed, whereby the complexion will re- turn, and the body be lively and full of vigour. And now, since barrenness daily creates discon- tented that discontent breeds difference betweea man and wife, or, by immediate grief, frequent- ly casts the woman into one or other distemper, I shall in the next place treat thereof. -i8 Aristotle's Master-Piece. OF BARRENNESS- Formerly, before woman came to the marnagi- bed, they were first searched by the midwife,and those only which she allowed of a fruitful were admitted. I hope, therefore, it will not be amiss to shew you how they may prove themselves, and turn the barren ground into a fruitful soil. Bar- ronness is a deprivation of life and power, which ought to be in seed, to procreate and propagate—-, fbr which end men and women were made- " Cannes of Barrenness.——It is caused by over- much cold or heat, driving up the seed, and cor- rupting it, which extinguishes the life of the seed, making it waterish, and unfit tor generation —It may be caused also by not flowing, or overflowing of the cout sees, by swelling, ulcers, and inflamma- tions of the womb, by an excrescence of flesh growing about the matrix, by the mouth of the womb being turned to the back or side, by fames* of the body, whereby the mouth of the matrix ib closed up, being pressed with the omentum or oawl, and the matter of the seed is turned too fat; or, if she be of a lean and dry body to the world, she proves barren ; because, though she doth conceive, yet the fruit of her body will wither before it comes to perfection, for want of nour- ishmeut.—bilvious ascribes one cause of barren- ness to compelled copulation .• as when parents force their daughters to have husbands contraty to their liking, therein marrying their bodies and not their hearts, and where there is a want of love, there, for the most part, is no conception, as very often appears in women which are deflowered a- gainst their wills. Another main-cause of this barrenness is attributed to wantof convenient mo- derating quality which the woman oi^ht to have Aristotle's Master-Piece. 49 W|t,h tho man ; as, if he be hot, she must be cold i if he be dry, she must be moist; but if they be both dry, or both moist of constitution, they can- not, propagate ; and yet, simply considered of themselves, they are not barren fig-tree, being joined to apt constitution, become as the fruitful vine. And tlu t a man and woman being every way of like constitution cannot procreate, 1 will bring nature itself for a testimony, who had made man of the better constitution than woman, that the quality of the one May moderate the quality of the other. SIGNS OF BARRENNESS. If barrennes doth precede from over-much heat, she is of a dry body, subject to an^cr, hath black hair, quick pulse, her purgations flow but little and that with pain, she loves to play in the courts of Venus. But if it comes by cold, then are the signs contrary to those even now racked. If through the evil quality of the womb, make a suffumigation of red stoi ax, myrrh, cassia wood, nut-meg, and cinnamond, and leather receive the fume of it into the whomb, 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 feals not the fnme in her mouth and nose, it argues barrenness one of these ways, that the spirit of the seed is either thro' cold extinguished, or thro' heat disipated ; If any woman be suspected to be unfruitful, cast natural brimstone, such as are digged out of the mine, in her urin and if worms breed therein, of herself she is not barren. prognostics/ Barrenness makes woman look young, because they arc free iY»m those pains and sorrows which 50 Amistoti.es master-Piece. otfner woman are accustomed 10 bring forth with" - all—Yet they have not ihe full perfection of health which fruitful woman do enjoy ; because they arc not rightly pu>y,ed of the menstrous blood and , superflous seed which too arc. the principal caus- '. es of most uterine diseases. CURE. First the cause must be renin red, and the womb : strengthened and the spirits of the seed enlivened. If the womb be over-hot, take surrop of sue- > cory with rhubarb, syrup of violets endive, roses, cassia, and purslain. Take of endive, water-lillies, borage flowers, of each a handful ; rhubarb, mito- bai n. ol each thiee drams ; with water make a :. decocMon, and to the straining of the syrup, elec- ' tuury of violets one* ounce, syrup of cassia half an ounce, manna three drams ; make a potioii. Take • ji of syrup of mugwart one ounce, syrup of maicU-n- : hare two ounces ,♦ puly elect, trainsand one dram , make a julep. Take^pru. salut, elect, ros. mea- sure ofr each three drams, rhubarb one scruple., and make a bolus, apply to the reins and privities fomentations of the juice of lettice, violet roses, mallows, vine-leaves and nightshade ; anoint the • secret parts with the cooling unguem*of Galen. If the power of the seed be extinguished by cold take overy morning two spoonfuls of cinna- mond water, with one scruple of myrthridate: Take syrup of calamint, mugwort betony, of each one ounce,- water of penny-royal, feverfew, hysop sage, of each two ounces, make a julep : Take oil of aniseed two scrupels and a half, diaciminia, diacliathi, diamosci, diagloongae, of each one ounce, sugar four ounces of water of cinnamond, make lozenges, and take of them a dram and a half twice a day, two hours before meals ; platen Aristotle's Master-Piece,. ~>h Tupping glasses to the hips and belly. Take of siyrax of calimcnt, one ounce » mastic cinna- mon, light, aloes, and frankincense, of each half an ounce, musk ten grains, ambergrease half a scruple, with rose water make a confection, di- vided it into fcur equal parts, of one part make a pomum oderatum to smell on, if she be not hys- terical ; of the second make a. mass of pills and let her take three every night; of the third make a pessary dip it in the oil of spikenard, and put it up? of the fourth make a suffumigation for the womb- If the faculties of the womb bo weakened, and the life of the seed suffocated by over much hu- midity flowing to tr.ese parts, take of betony,mar- joram, mugwort penny-royal, balm of ei.ch a handful, roots of allum, fennel of each two drams, aniseed, cumming of each one dram, with sugw and water*, sufficient quantity, make a syrup, and take three ounces every morning. If barrennes proced from dryness, consuming .the matter of the seed—take every day almond. milk, and goat's milk extracted with'honey. But often of the root satyran candied, and of the elec- tuary of diasyron. Take three wedders' heads boil them until the flesh comes from the bones, then take melios, violets, camomile mercury, orchis with their roots, of each a handful feerrigreek, lint seed vale rian roois, of each one pound lev those be decocted in the aforesaid broth, and let the woman sit in the decoction, up to the navel. If barrenness be caused by any proper effect of the womb, the cure is set down in the second part; sometimes the womb proves barrow when there is no impediment on either side except only jthe manner of the act as when in the enutfion of the seed, the man is quick and the w«man too 52 Aristotle's Master-iPiccji, *4pw, whereby there is not any emision of both seeds at the same instant as the rules of concep- tion requires before the acts of coilion, foment the private parts with the decoction of betony sage hysop, and calamint; and anoint the mouth and <■ neck of the womb with musk and oivet. The cauae of barrenness being removed, let the womb be corroborated as follows : . Take of bay-berries, mastic nutmeg, frankin- sance, nuts laudanum, gaipunum, of each one • dram, syrasis liquid two scrupels, cloves half a scruple ambervrcse two grains, then with oil of spikenard make a pessary. The aptest rime for conception is instanly after the mensis are ceased, because then the womb is — thursty and dry, apt to draw the seed and return it by tho roughtness of the inward superficies. And beside in some the mouth of the womb is turned into the back or side, and is not* placed right until the day of the courses. Excess in all things is to be avoided ; lay aside all passion of the mind, shun study and care, as things that are enemies to conception s for if a woman conceives under such circumstances how w wise soever the parents are, the children, at best, will be but foolish, because the animal faculties of the parents, viz. the understanding and the rest (from whence the child derives its reason)are, as it were confused, through the multiplicity of cares and cogitations; examples hereof we have ifl learned men, who after great study and care, in- stantly accompany with their wives, often beget » very foolish children. A hot and moist air is con- venient, as appears by the woman of egypt, who usually bring forth 3 or 4 children at one time. ArisTotlje's MAST£n-Pl£C.£. 5,3 CHAP. X. Tirginity, what it is, in what it consists, and how violated} together xvith the Opinim of the Learned about the Mu. tation of the Sex in the Womb, during the Operation of Nature in forming the Body. INHERE are many ignorant people that boastof *■ their skill in their knowledge of virginity, a»d some virgins have undergone hard censures through their ignorant determinations; and there- fore, I thought it highly necessary to clear this point, that the towering imaginations of conceit- ed ignorance may be brought ddwn, and the fair sex(whose virtues are so illustriously bright, that they both excite our wonder ; and command our imitation)may be freed from the calumnies and detractions of ignorance and envy ; and so their honours may continue as unspotted as they have kept their persons uncontaminated, and free from defilement. Virginity, in a strict sense, does signify the prime, the chief, the best of any thing, which make men so desirous of marrying, virgins, ima- gining some secret pleasure to be enjoyed in their embraces, more than in those of widows, or such as before hath been laid withal, though not many years ago, a very great person was of an other mind, and to use his own expressions, **that the getting of a maiden head was such a piece of drudgery, as was more proper for a porter than a prince." But this was only his opinion, for mosit men, I am sure, have other sentiments. But t« •ur purpose. » The curious inquirer's into nature's secrets have observed, that in young maids, in the sin» pudoris, or in that place which is called the neck of the womhy is that potidous production vulgarly 54 Aristotle's I.Ixsteh-Viece. called the hymen, cut more rightly the claustrum Tjtginale, and in the French, '-button derose,' or rose bud, because it resembles the bud of a rose expounded, of a co'ave gilly.flower. From hence is derived the word desioro, or deflower. And hence taking away viginity is called doflowcring a virgin. Most being of opinion, that the virginity is altogether lost when this duplication is fractur- ed and dissipated by violence ; and when it is found perfect and entire, no penetration has been made, and it is the opinion of some learned phy- sicians, that thefelsTiot either hymen or skin ex- panded, containing blood, in it, which divers thrnk in the first copulation flows from the fractured j expanse. Now, this claustrum virginale, or flower, is composed of four carb Aides or little buds, like myrtle-berries, which in virgins are full and plump, but in women flag and hang loose ; and these are placed in the four angles of the sinu* pudoris joined together by little membranes and ligatures like fibres, each of them situated in the testicles, or spaces between each carbuncle, with which, in a manner, they are proportionably dis- ; tended, which membranes beingoncedelacerated, . denote devirginarion i and many inquisitive, and yet ignorant persons, finding their wives defective ! therein the first night of their marriage, have thereupon suspected their chastity, and conclud- ed another had been there before them. Now to undeceive such, I do affirm, that such fractures happen divers accidental ways, as well &s by co- pulation with men, viz. by violent straining,cough- ing, sneezing, stopping of urine, and violent mo- tion of the vessels forcibly sending down the hu- mours, which pre.ssing for passage, break the Aristeotle's Master-Piece. 55 ligatures or membrane ; 20 that the intireness of fracture of that which is commonly taken for their virginity or maiden-head, is not an absolute sign of dishonesty ; tho' certain it is,,that it more fre- quently brake in copulation than by any other means. I have heard, that at an assize held at Rutland, a young man was tried-for a rape, in forcing a vir- gin ; when, after divers questions asked, and the maid swearing positively to the matter, naming the time, place, and manner of the action ,• it. was upon mature deliberation, resolved, that she should be searched by a skilful surgeon and two " midwifes, who were to make their repor^upon f. their oath.: which, after due examination, they accordingly did, affirming, ,that the membrane were entire, and not elacerated ; and that jt was their opinion, for that reason, that her body had not beer>penetrated. Which so far wrought with the jury, that the prisoner was acquitted ; and the maid afterwards confessed, she swo; e agains him out of revenge, he having promised to marry her, and afterwards declined it. And this much shall suffice to be spoken concerning virginity. J I shall now proceed to something of nature's operation in mutation of sexes in the womb. * This point is of much necessity, by reason of the different" opinions of men relating to it, there- fore, before any thing positively can be.asserted, 4 it will be altogether convenient to recite what has been delivered,"as well in the negative asaffirm?.-( tive. Ana', first, Severus Plinus, who argues for the negative, writes thus :—The genital parts of both sexes are so unlike others in substance, composition, situatiop, figure, action and usk, 56 ARISTOTLE MAITfiB^-PtCCf. that nothing is more unlike ; and by how much all parts of the body(the breasts excepted, which in: all women swell more, because nature ordain- ed them,for suckling the infant) have exact re- semblance : so much more dp the genital parts of the one sex compared with the other differ— and if their figure be thus different, much more in their use. The venerial appetite also proceeds from different causes: for in man it proceeds from a desire of emission, and in woman from a desire of reception : in women, also, the chief of those parts are concave, and apt lo receive : but in men they are more porous. These things considered, I cannot but wonder (added he) how any one can imagine that the ge- nital members of *he female births should be changed unto those that belong to males, since by those parts oidy the distinction of sexes is made ; nor can 1 well impute the reason of this vulgar error to any thing, but the mistake of im- expert midwives, who have been deceived by the evil conformation of the parts, which in some I liiale births may have happened to have some small protrusions, not to have been discerned : as appears by the example of a child christened at Paris by tire name of Joal'as a girl, which after- wards proved a boy; and, on the contrary, the over-far extension of the clytoris in female births, may have occasioned the like mistakes.. Thus far Pliny proceeds in the negative : and yet not- withstanding what he has said, there are divers learned physicians that have asserted the affirma- tive, of which number Galen is one. A man (saith he) is different from a woman in nothing else but having his genital members without the body ; but a woman hath the m wifhin. It is cer- ] ____________:____________________\________L_________________'"1_______________ Aristotle's Master-Piece-. 5 7 tain, that if nature having formed, should convert him into a woman ; she hath no other task to per- form, but tp turn his genital members inward, and so turn a woman into A man by the contrary operation, but this is to be understood of the child when it is in the womb, and not perfectly formed; for, divers times nature hath made a female, arid it hath so remained in the womb of the mother for near a month or two, and afterwards, plenty of heat increasing in the genital members, they have issued forth, and the child has become a male, yet retaining somo eortain gestures unbe- fitting the masculine sex ; as female actions, a shrill voice, and a more effeminate temper than ordinary; contrarywise^ nature having often made a male, and cold humours flowing to it,.the geni- tals being inverted, yet still retaining a masculine air both in voice and gestures. Now, tho' both these opinions are supported by several reasons, yet I esteem tho latter more agreeable to truth , for, there is not that vast difference between thp genitals of the two sexes, as Pliny would have us to believe there is; for, a woman has, in a man- ,ner, the same members with the man, tho' they ' appear not outward, but are inverted, for the con- veniency of generation; the chief difference being that the one is selid, and the other porous,' and the principal reason for changing sexes is, and must be attributed to heat or cold, suddenly and •lowly contracted, which opetates according tqiu greater or lesser force. D a 58 Aristotle's Mast£r-Piec«*. CHAP. XI. Directions and Cautions for Midwives. and how fit"J a Midwife ought to be Qualified. A MIDWIFE tnat would acquit herself/well "^ m her employment, ought by no means to en- ter upon it rashly or unadvisedly, but witn great cauiion, considering that she is accountable for all the mischief that befalls t to' her wilful igno- rance or neglect; therefore let none take upon them the office barely upon pretence of maturity of years and child bearing.for in such, for the most part, there are divers things wanting that ought to be observed, which is the occasion so many women and children are lost. Now, for a vridwife, in relation to her person, these things ought to be observed, viz. She n:*ist neither be too young nor too old, neither extraordinary fat, nor weak- ened by leanness ; but in a good habit of body » not subject >o diseases, fears nor sudden frights ; her body well shaped, and neat in her attire ; her hands smooth and small; her nails ever pared short, not suffering any rings to be upon her fin- ger during the time she is. doing her office, nor any thing upon her wrists that may obstruct. And to these ought to be added activity, arid a conve- nient strength, with much cautiousness and dili- gence ; not subject to drowsiness, nor apt to be impatient. As for ker manners, she ought to be courteous, affable, sober, chaste, and not subject to passion, bountiful and compassionate to the poor, and not covetous when s':;e attends upon the rich. Her temper chearful and plessant, that she may the better comfort het patient in the dolo- rous Labours ; nor must she at any time make too, much haste,: ho' her business should require her Aristotle's Master-Piecje. 59 in anothe'r case, lest she thereby endanger the mother of the child. Of spirit, she ought to be wary, prudent, and cunning ; but above all, the fear of God ought to have the ascendant in her soul, which will give her both knowledge and discretion, as the wise man tells us. CHAP. XII. Further Directions for Midwives, teaching tJiem what they ought to do, and what to avoid. SINCE the office of a midwife has so great an influence on the well or ill-doing of women and children—in the first place, let her be advan- tageous to her practice, never thinking herself so perfect but that she may add to her knowledge by study and experience ; yet, never let her make an experiment at her patient's cost, nor apply any experiment in that case, unless she has tried them or knpws they will do no harm ; practising nei- ther upon poor nor rich, but speaking freely what she knows, and by no means prescribing such medicines as will cause abortion, tho' desired ; which is a high degree of wickedness, and may - be termed murder. If she be.sent for to them 6he knows not, let her be very cautious ere she goes, lest by laying an infectious woman, she endanger the spoiling of others, as sometimes it happens ; neither must she make her house a receptacle for great bellied women to discharge their bur- dens in, lest her house get an ill name, and she thereby lose her practice. * In laying of women, if the birth happen to be large and difficult, she must not seem to be con- cerned, but must cheer up the woman, and do D3 60 Aristotle's Master-Piece. what she can to make her labour easy. For which she may find directions in the second part of this book. She must never think of any thing but doing well, causing all things to-bje in readiness that are proper for the" work, and the strengthening of the woman, and receiving the child; and above all let her take care to keep the woman from being un- ;'uly when her throes are coming upon her, lest She thereby endanger her own life and the child's. She must also take care sho be not too hasty in her business but wait God's leisure for the birth ; and by no means let her suffer herself to be dis- ordered by fear, tho' things should not go- well, lest it should make her incapable of giving that assistance which the labouring woman stands in need of; for, when we are most at a loss, then there is most need of prudence to set things right. And now, because she can never be a skilful midlife that knows nothing but what is to be seen outwardly, I shall not think it amiss, but, on the contrary, highly necessary, with modesty to des- cribe the generative parts of women, as they have been anatomized by the learned, and shew the use of such vessels as contribute to generation- CHAP XIII. Of the Genitals of Worsen, external and internal, to t^e Vessels of the Womb. TF it were not for public benefit, especially df £ the practitioners and professors of the art of Tnidwifery, I would forbear to treat of the secrets of nature, because they may be turned, by some lascivious, and lewd persons into ridicule.. But they being absolutely necessary to be known in order to public good, I will not omjt thern; be- Aristotle's Master-Piece. 61 cause some may make a wrong use of them.—- Th /se parts that offer themselves to view at the bottom of the belly, are the fLsura magnaor, great chink, with its labia or lips, the mons vene- ;. ris, and the hair; these are called by the general name pudenda, from shame-facednefes, because when they aie.bare, they bring pudor or shame upon a woman. The fissura magna reaches from J the lower part of the os pubis to within an inch * of the anus, but it is lesser and closer in maids than in those that have borne children ; and has two lips, which, towards the pupis, grow thicker and more full ; anil meeting upon the middle of the os pupis, makes that rising hill that'is called j mons veneris, or the hill of Venus. The next thing that offers are, the nympha 8c clytoris, the former of which is of a membrany and flam my substance, spungy, soft, and partly fleshy, and of a red colour, in the shape of wings, two in number, tho', from their rise, they are placed in an acute angle, producing there a fleshy substance, which clothe the clytoris ; and some- times they spread so far, that incision is required to make way for the man's instrument of gene- ration. The clytoris is a substance in the upper part of the division where the two wings concur, and is the seat of venereal pleasure, being like a yard in situation, substance, composition and erection ; growing sometimes out of the body two inches, bat that never happens unless thro' extreme lust, or extiaordinary accidents. This clytoris consists of two spungy and skinsy bodies, containing a distinct original from the os pubis, the head of it being covered with a tender skin, having a hole G2 Aristotle's Master-Piece. or passage like the penis or yard of a man ; tho* not quite thro', in which, and ihe bigness, it only differs from it. The next things are flet,hy knobs, and the great neck of the womb ; and these knobs arc behind the wings, being four in number, and resemble myrtle-berries, being placed quadrangular, one against the other ; and in this place inserted to the orifice of the bladder, which opens itself into the fissures, to evacuate the urine ; for securing of which from the cold, or the like inconveniency, one of these knobs is placed before it, and shuts Up the passage. * » The lips of the womb, that next appear, being: separated, disclo-e the neck thereof, and in the two things are to be observed, which is the neck < itself, and the byrnen, but more properly the claus- Irum virginale, of which before I have discours- ed. By the neck of the womb is to be understood the channel that is between the aforesaid knobs and the inner bone of the womb,, which receives the penis like a sheath ; and that it may the bet- ter be dilated for the pleasure of procreation, the substance of it is sinewy, and a little spongy; and in this concavity are divers folds, or obicular plaits made up tunicles, wrinkled like an expand- ed rose. In virgins they plainly appear, but in women that have often used copulation, they are extinguished; so that the inner side of the womb's neck appears smooth, and in old women it ap- pears more hard and gristled. But tho' this chan- nel be at sometimes wreathed and crooked, sink- ing down, yet, in the time of copulation, labon •, or the monthly purgations, it is erected and ex- tended, whichoveT-cxtcnsions ©ccakiory. ihe pain* of child-birth. Aristotle's Master-Piece. 63 The hymen, or clanstrum virginale, is that / which closes the neck of the womb, being, as I have fore-cited in the chap er relating to virgini- ty, broken in the first copulation, its use being rather to stay the untimely courses in virgins, than to any other end •• and commonly, when broken in copula.ion, or by any other accident, a small quantity of blood flows from it, attended with some little pain. From whence some ob- se. ve, that between the duplicity of the two tuni- cles, which constitute the neck of the womb, there are many veins anci arteries running along and arising from the vessels on both sides of the thigh, and so passing into the neck of ihe womb, feeing very large, and the reason thereof is,.for th:it the neck of the bladder inquires to be.fitled with abundance of spirits,': hereby to be dilated for its betier takint, hoiu of ttie penis, there being great heat required in such motions, which be- come more intense by the act of fricauon, and consumes a considerable quantity of moisture, in the supply of which large vessels are altogether necessary. Another cause of the longness of these vessels is, by reason the menses make their way thro' them^ which often occasions women with child to continue their purgation, for tho' the womb be shut up, yet the passage in the neck of the womb thro' which the vessels pass, are open : In this c->se there,is further to' be observed, that as soon as you penetrate the pedendum, there appear two little pits or holes wherein is contained an hu- mour, which being expunged in the time of co- pulation, greatly delights the woman. r>5 64 Aristotle's Master-Piece. CHAP. XIV. i Description of the Womb's Fabric, the preparing Ves- sels, and Testicles in W%men ; as also of the Difference and ejaculatory Vessels. I3K the lower part of the hypogastrium, where the lips arc widest and broadest they being greater and broadcrlhereaboutthan those of men, for which reason they have likewise broader but- tocks than men, tt.e womb is joined 10 its neck and is plac d between the bladder and strait gut, which keeps it from swaying or rowling, yet gives it liberty lo stretch and dilate itself again to con* tract, nature in that case disposing it. Its figure is in a manner round, and not unlike a gourd, les- sening a little and growing more acute towaids one end, being knit together by its proper liga- ments ; its neck likewise is joiner! by its m«n substance and certain membranes that fasten unto thct,os sacrum, and the share bone. As to its largeness that much difters in women, especially the difference is great between buch as have borne children, and those that have borne none. In sub- stance it is so thick that it exceeds a thimble breadth, which after copulation is so far from de- creasing, that it augments to a greater propor- tion, and the more lo strengthen it, it is interwov- en with fibres overthwart, which are both straight and winding, and its pi ©per vessels are veins, ar. teries and nerves, and among these there are two little veins which pass from the spermatick ves- sels to the bouom of the womb, and two larger from the hypostratic, which touch both the bottom of the neck, the mouth of these veins, piercing as far as the inward concavity; The womb hath two arteries on both sides the* &pcrmatick vessets and the hypostratic, which Aristotle's Master-Pieoe.* 65 will accompany the veins; and besides there: are divers little nerves, that are knit and twined in , the form of- net, which are also ex ended thro'- out, even from the bo'tom of the pudenda, them- selves being placed chiefly for sense and pleasure, moving in sympathy between the head and the womb. Now it is to be further noted, that by reason of the two ligaments that hang on either side the, womb from the share bone, piercing through the piitoneum,and joined to the bone itself, the womb is moveable upon sundry occasions, often falling low or raising high. As for the neck of the womb, it is of an exquisite feeling, so that if it be at any time out of order, being troubled at any time with a schirrosity, ever-fatness, moisture, or re- laxation, the womb is subjected thereby to bar- renness ; in those that are with child there fre- quently stays a glutinous matter in the entrance to facilitate the birth ; for at the rime of delivery, the mouth of the womb is opened to such a wide- ned as is conformable to the bigness of the child, suffering an equal dilation from the bottom to the top. As for the preparatory or spermatic vessels in women, they consist in two veins and two arteries not differing from those of men, but only of their largeness and manner of insertion, for the number of veins and arteries is the same as in men, the right vein issuing from the trunk of the hollow vein descending, and on the side of them are two arteries, which grow from the aorta.. As to the length and breadth of these vessels they are narrower and shorter in women than in men ; only observe, they are more wreathed and comforted tk^n in men, as shrinking together bv 66 Aristotle's Master-Piece. reason of their shortness, that they may, by their looseness, be better stretched out when occasion requires it ; and those vessels in w6mtn are car- ried with an indirect course thro4 the lesser guts, the testicles, but are in midway divided into two branches, the greater goes to the stones, consti- tuting a various or winding body, and wonderfully inosculating, the lesser branch ending in the womb, in the inside of which it disperseth itself, and especially at the higher part of the bottom of the womb for its nourishment, and that part of the courses may purge thro' the vessels ; and seeing the testicles of women are seated near the womb, for that causexhese vessels fall not from the peritonaeum, neither make they much pas- sage as in men, nor extending themselves in the share bone The stones in women commonly called testi- cles, perform not the same action as in men, they are also different in their location, bigness, tem- perature, substance, form and covering. As for the place of their seat, it is in the hollowness of the abdomen s neither are they pendulous, but rest upon the muscles of the loins, so that they may, by contracting the greater heat, be more fruitful, their office being to contain the ova or eggs, one of which being impregnated by the man's seed engenders man, yet they differ fiom those of men in figure, by reason of their lessness or flatness at each end, not being so round or oval. The external superfices being likewise more un- equal, appearing like the composition of a great many knobs and kernels mixt together There is a difference also in their substance, they being much more soft and pliable, loos.e and not so well compacted. Aristotle's Master-Piece.' &1 Their bigness and temperament being likewise different, for they are much colder and lesser than those in men. As for their covering and in-} closure, it differs extremely j for as men's are wrapped in divers tunicles, by reason they artll extremely pendulous, and subject to divors inrjttj- ries, unless so fenced by nature ; so tfomen s ^ones being internal, and less subject to casualty*! are covered with one tunicle or membrane, which tho' it closely cleave to them, yet they are like- wise hidf covered with peiitoneeum. The ejaculaiory vessels arc too obscure paSljjfe' ges one on each side, nothing differing from thi spermatick veins in substance l They do vise or* one part from the bottom of the womb, nc. reaching from the other extremity, eiiher to th& sio les, or to any other part, but shut up and uu- passuble> adhering to the womb as the eolon docrS to the blind gu*, and winding half way aboot*' tho' the testicles a*e remote to them, and'"'uuclt them not yet they are tied to them by tertaui membranes, resembling the wing of a bat thro' which certain veins imd arteries passing thro' the end of the testicles, may be turned here to have their pji» sages proceeding from the corner of the Womb to the testicles, andv are accounted proper ligaments, by which the testicles and the Womb are united, and strongly knit together ; and thote ligaments in women are the crcmusters in men: of which I shall speak more'largely, when I come to desoribe the masculine parts conducing to. generation.. Aristotle's Master-Piece. CHAP. XV. A description of the use and action of several parts in* Women, appointed in Generation HPHE externals, commonly called the penden*, * da, are designed to cover the great orifice, a»d that are to receive tl e penis or yard, in ihe act of coition, and give passage to the birth and urine. The use of the wings and knobs like myr- tle berries, are for the security of the internal parts, shutting the orifice and neck of the bladder, and by their swelling up, cause timlation and de- light in those parts, and ajso to obstruct the vo- luntaiy passage of the urine. The action of the clytoris in women, is like that of a penis in man, viz. the erection, and its outer •f end like that of the glans of the penis, and has the , same namo* And as the glans of man is the seat ^of the greatest pifiasure in conception, so is this in women. Oe action and use of the neck of the womb is cquai *vith tint of the penis, viz. erection, occa- sioned diver.s ways, first in copulation it is erercd' and made stia-it for the passage of the penis in the womb—secondly, whilst the passage is reple- ted with spirit and vital blood, it bccoines more strait for embracing the penis J and as for the conveniency of erection, it is two-fold—First, because if the neck of the womb was not erected, the yard could have no convenient passage /o the womb : Secondly, itf hinders any hurt or damage that might ensue thro' the violent concussion of the yard, during the rime of copulation. As for the veins that pass thro* the neck of the womb, their voice is to replenish it with blood and spirit, that still as the moisture con- suntes by the heat contracted in copulation, it Arlsto/tle's Master-Piece. 69 may by these vessels, be renewed; but their chief .business is to convey nutriment to the womb. The womb has many properties attributed to it. At first, rentention.of the fcecundated egg, , and this is properly calied conception. Secondly to cherish and nourish it till nature has" framed the child, and brought it to perfection, and then it strongly operates in sending forth the birth, when the rime of its remaining there is expired, jdilating itself in a wonderful manner,™und so apt- ly removed from the senses, that nothing of in- jury can proceed from thence ; letaining toilseif a power and strength to operate and cast forth the birth, tir.ess by accident it be rendered defi- cient ; and then to strengthen and enable it, re- medies must be applied by skilful hands, direc- tions for the applying of which shall be given in the second part. The use of the preparing vessel is this, the ar- teries convey the blood of the testicles; part whereof is put in nourishment of them, and tne ^ production of those little bladders (in all things resembling eggs) thro' which the vasa preparen- tia i'uns,jtnd are obliterated in them ; and as for the veins their office is to bring back what blood remains from the use aforesaid. The vessels of thii kind are much shorter in women than in men, by reason of their nearness to the stones, which defects is yet made good by the many intricate windings to^ which those ves- sels are subject ; for in the middle way they di- vide themselves into two branches, tho' different in magnitude, for one being greater than the '©the;1 passes to the stones. The stones in women are very useful, for where they are defective, generation work is at an end; 70 Aristotle's Mastxr-Pi e&e. j, for altho' these bladders which are on ihcir out- is ward superfices contain nothing of seed,, as the T. followers of Galen and Hippocrates did erroni- Id ously imagine yet they contain several eggs, ge- ' nerally twenty (in which testicle)' one of each ( » being impregnated by the spiritous part of the' man's seed in the act of coition, descends through >, tfie oviducts in the womb, and from hence in the ; process of time becomes a living child. 1 ---- CHAP XVI. i Of the. Organs of Generation of Man- i T-I4VING given you a description of the or- .» gans of generation in womau, with the ane- * tony of the fabric of the womb ; I shall now (to v; compleat the first part of this treatise) describe J the organs of generation in man, and how they arc fitted lo the use for which nature designed them. , The instrument of generation in man (com- monly called the yard ; and in latin, penis a ped- endo, because it hangs without the belly) is an organical part, which consists of skin, tendons, J veins, ariei ies, sinews and great ligaments, and is long and round, and' on the upper side flatish, \ seated under the ossa pubis, and ordained by na- ture p-irtly by evacuation of urine, and partly for conveying the seed into the matrix ; for which end it is full of smali pores thro' which the seed passes into it, thro' the vesicula seminalis, and also the neck of the vesicula. urinalis which pours out the urine when they make water ; besides the common parts as caticuia, the skin and the inembrana carnos it hath these proper internal parts, viz. The two nervous bodies, the septum, ihe urethsra, the glans, four muscles. »nd tfie Aristotle's MastkiuPiece. vessels. Tho nervous bodies (so called) are sur- rounded witfi a thick whice previous membrane, but their inmost suHstance is spungy, consisting chiefly of veins, arteries and nervous fibre* inter- woven together like a net; and when the nerves are filled with animal spirits, and the arteries with hot and spiritous blood, then the penis is distend- ed and become erect; but when the influx of dead 'spirits cease, then the blood and remaining spirits limber and grow flaggy ; below these nervous t bodies is the ulhera, and whenever the nervous bodies swell, it swells a'.so. The muscles of the penis are four, two shorter rising from the cox- endix, and serving its erection, and for that rea- J sen are called erectors ; two large proceeding from the spinter of the anus and serve to dilate the uretra ejaculation of seed ; and are called di- latantes, or winding. At the end of the penis is the glands cover«ed with a very thin membrane ; •by means of which and its nervous substance, it besomes more exquisitely sensible, and is the .principal seat of pleasure in copulation. The ut- most covering of the glans is called proeputium •a perputondo from being cut off, being that which » the Jews cutoff in circumcision, and it is tied by the lower part of it to the glands of the foetus.— The perils is also stocked with veins, arteries, and nerves. „ The testiculi or stones (so called) because tes- tifying one to be a man ; elaborate the blood brought to them by the spermatic arteries into seed. TJiey have coats of two sorts, proper and common ; the common are two and invest both the testes. The outermost of the common coats consists of the caticula, or true skin ; and is cal- led the scrotum, hanging out of the abdomen like 7.2 Aristotle's Master-Piece. a purse, the inermost is the memb. ana carriosa ,- '• the proper coats are also two, the outer called eliotrodes or virginals ,• the inner albugidia, into~ the outer is inserted the cremaster ; the uppei parts of the. testes is fixed ,• epidimydes, or pasta- ta, from whence arise the vassa differentia, or ejaculatory which when they come near the Heck • of the bladder, deposit the seed into the vesicule feminiales, these vesicule feminiales, are two, each like a bunch of grapes, arid emit the seed into the urefhera, is the act of copulations Near them are the prostrate, about the bigness of a walnut and join to the neck of the bladder. Authors cannot agvee about the use Of them ; but most are of opinion, that they afford an oily, " .sloppy, and fat humour tobesmere the uretheia, ' whereby to defend the same from the acrimony of the seed and urine. But the vessels which convey the blood cb the testes out of which, the 1 seed is made arartriae spermaticae, and are also. \ two. The veins which carry out the remaining blood are two, and have the name of venae sper- matcae. ■ CHAP. XVII. A Word cf Advice to both Sexes ; being several Directions -1 respecting Copulation. ' i OlNCEmature has implanted in every creature a mutual desire of copulation, for the encrease and propagation of its kind; and more especially in man, the lord of the creation, and master- piece of nature ; that so noble a piece of divine workmanship might not perish, something ought to be said concerning that, it being the founda- tion of all that i~e have beerf hitherto treating of. since without copulation there can be no genera-* Aristotle's Master-Piece. 73 tion. Seeing therefore it depends so much upon it, I thought it necessary, before I conclude the first part, to give such directions to both sexes, for the performing of that act, as may appear effic tedious to the end of which nature designed it. 'But it will be done with that caution, as not to offend the chastest ear, nor.put the fair sex to the trouble of a blush in reading it. Therefore, when a married couple, from a desire of having child- ren, are about to make use of those means that nature ordained to that purpose, it would be very proper to cherish the body with generous lestqr- atives, so that it may be brisk and vigorous : and if their imaginations were charmed with sweet and melodious airs, and cares and thoughts of business drowned in a glass of racy wine, that their spirits may be raised to the highest pitch of ardor and joy, it Would not be amiss. For any 'thing of sadness, trouble and sorrow, are enemies to delights of Venus. And if at such times of co- ition, there should be conception, it would have a malevolent effect upon children. But though generous restoratives may be used for invigorat- ing nature, yet all excess is carefully to be avoid- ed, for it will allay the briskness of the spirits, and render them dull and languid, and also hind- ers digestion, and so must needs be an enemy to copulation. For if food moderately taken that is well digested, creates good spirits, and enables a man with vigour and activity Jo perform the dic- tates of nature. It is also highly accessary, that in their natural embraces, they meet each other with an equal ardor. For if the spirits flag on each other, they will fall short of what nature re- quires : and wpmen either miss of conception, or 74 Aristotle's Master-Piece. else the childien p^ove weak in then bodicf, or defective in then unde siai oing : and theiefore I do advise them before they ■ egin their conjugal embraces, to invigorate ihcii mutual desires, and make their flame burn with a fierce ardor, by those endearing ways, that »ove can better teach than I can write. When they have done what nature requires, a man must have a care he does net part too soon from the embraces of his wife, lest some sudden interposing cold should strike into the womb, and occasion miscarriage and thereby deprive ihemof the fruit of their labour. And when after some small convenient time the man hath withdrawn himseit. let the weman gently betake herself to rest with all imaginable ferenity and composure of mind, from all anxious and distuibing thoughts, or any other kind of per- tubation : And let her, as mucr* as she can for- bear turning hcrseif from thai side on which she first reposed ; and by all means let her avoid cou hing or sneezing, which by its violent con- cussion of the body, is a great enemy to concep- tion, if it happen scon af:er the actol coition. End of the Fit sf.^- A pnbate £00kfa^Clas0y FOR THE FEMALE SEX. P~RT SECOND. Treating of several maladies incident to the nvomb faith fircher remedies for the cure of each. CHAP I. Of the Womb in general- A LTHOUGH in tie fit st part I have spoketi ** *■ something of the fabric of the womb, yet be- in;: j the second part to treat more particularly h • eof, imi of the various distempers and mala- dies i1 is subject to ; I sliall not think it tautolo- gy, to' rive you, by way of instruction, a general description botlxof its situation and parts, but ra- ther think tuis second part would be imperfect without it, can by .jo me-ms be omitted, especially since in it I am ;o speak of the menstruous blood. First—Touching the Womb : Of the Grecian it is called Mj:^ the mother ; Adelphos saith Priscian, because it makes us all brothers. It is placed in hypogastrum, or lower part of the body, in the caviiy called pelvis, having the strait gut on one side, to keep it from the other side of the back bone, and the bladder on the other side to defend it from blows. The form or figure of it is like a viri e member, only this excepted ; the manhood is ..jfrward, and womanhood within. It is divided intd the neck and the body—The neck consists of a hard fteshy substance, much like a cartilage, at the end thereof there is a mem- E2 76 Ari$totlevs Master-Piese* brane traversely placed, ca'ueo :;ymen, or engion; near unto the n^ck there is a prominant pinraclc, which is called of Montanus, the door of the womb, because it preserveth the matrix f om the cold au.i dutt. Of the Grecians it is called clyto- ris, of the latins peiputium muliebre, because the Jewish women did abuse those parts to their own mutual lusls, as St. Paul speaks, Rom. i. 26. The body of the womb is that wherein the child is conceived. And this is not altogether round, but dilates itself into two angles i the out- ward part of it is nervous and full of sinews, which ar-: the cause of its motion, but inwardly it is fleshy. It is fabulously reported, that in the cavity of the womb there are seven divided cells, or receptacles for human seed. But those that have seen anatomies, do know there are but two ; and likewise, that these two are not divided by a partition, but only by a line, rurming through the midst of it. In the right side of the cavity, by reason of the left side, by the coldness of the spleen females are begotten. And this do most of our -moderns hold for an infallible truth, yet Hippocrates holds it but in the general : For in whom saith he, the spermatic vessels on the right side come from the reins, and the spermatic vessels on the left side from the njdow veins, in them males are conceived fn the if' side, and the females in the right.—- \V *', \ e-efore, may i co: the mediation of Aristotle's Master-Piece. 81 those arteries which come from aorta. Hence, the terms being supprest, will ensue huntings, swoonings, intermission of pulse, and cessation of breath.—Secondly, it communicates to the liver, by the veins derived from the hollow vein. Then will follow obstructions, cahexies, jaundice, dropsies, hardness of spleen.— thirdly, it com- municates to the brain, by the nerves and mem- brane of the back ; hunce will §rise epilepsies, frenzies, melancholy, passion, pain in the alter- part of the head, fearfulness, inability of speak- ing. Well, therefore, may I conclude with Hi- pocrates—if the months be supprest, many dan- gerous diseases will follow. Cure.]—In the cure of this, and of all other following effects, 1 will observe this order. The cure must be taken from chinigical, pharmacu- tical and diuretical means. This suppression is a phletoric effect, and must be taken away by evacuation. And therefore we will first begin with phlebotomy. In the midst of the menstrual ' period, open the liver vein, and for the reveision t)f the humour, two days before the wonted evac- uation, open the saphena on both feet ; if the re- pletion be not great} apply cupping-glasses t» the ' Iegs\and thighs, although there be no hope to re- i move the suppression, I After the humour hath been purged, proceed L to ma&e proper and forcible remedies. Take of ■ trochisk of myrh one dram and a half, parsley- seed, castor rhinds, or cassia, of each one scruple, w and of the extract of mugwort one scruple and an M half, musk len grains, with the juice of smallage, M make twelve pills, take six every morning, or M after supper, going to bet'.. M *^BP*^^^ristotlk's Master-Piece; If the retention comes from repletion or ful- ness, let the air be hot and dry, use modcalc ex- ercise before meals, and your intra and drink at- tenuating ; seethe, with your meat, garden savo- ry, thyme, origane, and cyche peason ; if of ( emptiness, or defect of matter, let the air be moist and moderate hot, shun exercise Sc watch- ings, let your ment be nourishing and of a light digestion, as rare eggs, Iamb, chickens, almonds, milk, and the like. CHAP. III. Of the Overflowing of the Cuursa.. \ THE leavned say, by comparing of contra- ries truth is made manifest. Having, there- fore spoken of the suppression of terms, order requires, now that I should insist on the over- flowing of them, an effect no less dangerous than the former and this immoderate flux if the month is defined to be a sanguinout, excrement proceed- ing from the womb, exceeding in both quantity and time—First, it is said to be ;; mgui,nous, the matter of the flux b<-;ug only blood wherein it differs from that which U commonly cailed ihe false courses or whites, of which 1 shall speak hereafter—Secondly, it is said lo^utoceed from I ' the worn!), for lhe:c are two ways by which the I blood llovs forth* t.ic one wsy is by the internal [ veins in the body ol the womo. and this is pr<>- [ perly called the monthly flux- The other is l;v \ uiose veins which eSz terminated in the neck of I ih<- womb—Laylj. it \-, said to < y.crc(\ both ii I . .mnit} and time. In qumii'v, saith Hi;...crates, I v hen they flew about eighteen ourkees ; in lime, : riitn they flow abov* three days; but ve tak-; Ml'is {>>•:?, certain c^ract.-r of their inordinate » Aristotle's Masteu-PiecE. 83 flowing, when the faculties of the body thereby are weakened ; in bodies abounding with gross humours, this immoderate flux sometimes un- burthens nature of her load, and ought not be f stayed without the conseaf of a physician. Cause]—The cause ofthis affair is internal or external; the internal cause is threefold, in the matter, instrument, or facm:y : The matter, which is in the blood, may be vicious two ways— First, by the heat of constitution, climate or sea- son heating the blood, whereby the passages are dilated, and the faculty weakened, that it cannot V contain the blood—Secondly, by falls, blows, vio- lent motion, breaking of the veins, &c. The external cause may be cafidity of the air, lifting, carrying of heavy burdens, unnatural child-birth, &c. Signs.]—In this inordinate flux, the appetite is decayed, the conception deprived, and ad the ac- tions weakened, the feet are swelled, the colour of the face is changed, and a general feebleness possesseth the whole body. If the flux comes by the breaking of a vein, the body is sometimes cold, the blood flows forth on heaps, and ihat sud- denly, with great pains. If it comes thro' heat, the orifice of ihe vein being dilated, then thtre is little or no pain ; yet the blood flows faster than it doth in an erosion, and not so fast as it doth in a ruptuie. If by erosion or shaipnessof blood, •she feels a great heat scalding the passage, it differs from the other two, in that it flows not so suddenly, nor so copiously as they do: If by weakness of the womb, she abhorreth the use of Venus—Lastly, if it proceecffrom an evil quality of the blood, drop some of it on a cloth, and when .his dry, you may judge of the quality of the eo- 8t Aristotle's Master-Piece. f four. If it be choleric, it will be yellow ; if melan- choly, black ; if plegroatic, watcrish 8c whitish- Prognostics.]—If with the flux be joined a j convulsion, it is dangerous, because it imitates the more noble parts are vitiated, and a convul- sion caused by emptirress is deadly ; If it conti- nues long, it will be cured with great difficulty! for it was one of the miracles that our Saviour Christ wrought, to cure this disease, when it had continued twelve years. To conclude—if the flux be inordinate, many diseases will ensue, & with- out remedy, the blood, together with the native heat, being consumed, either cachectical, hydro- pical, or pareletical diseases will follow. Cure ]— The cure consisteth in three particu- lars—First, in repelling and carrying away the bfood—Secondly, in correcting and taking away ', the fluxability of the matter—Thirdly, in corro- I borating the veins and faculties: For the first, to cause a regression of the blood, opeh a vein in the »«n, and draw out so much blood as the strength of the paJent will permit, and that not together, but at several times, for thereby the spirits are less weakened, and the refraction so much the greater. Apply cupping-glasses to the breasts, and also the liver, that the reversion may be in the fountain. To correct the fluxability of the matter, ca- thartical means, moderated with the astrictories, may be used. If it be caused by erosion, or sharpness of blood, consBbr whether the erosion be by salt phlegm, or adust choler ; it with salt phlegm, prep ire with syrup of violets, wormwood, roses, citron-peel, succory, 8tc. Then take this purga- Aristotle's Master-Piece. 85 Uon following:: Mirobulana Chebol half an ounce, trochilks of agaric one dram, with plaintain water make a decoction, add thereunto fir, roseat, lax three ounces, and make a potion. If by adust choler, prepare the body with sy- rup of roses, myrtles, sorrel, purslain, mix with water of plaintain, knot-grass and endive ; then purge with this potion—Take rhind of mirobu- lana, rliiibarb, of each one dram, cinnamon fifteen grains, infuse them one night in endive water; and 10 the straining pulp of a tamarind, cassia, of each half an ounce, syrup of roses an ounce, make a portion. If the blood be'waterish or.un- conoocl, as ii is in the hydropical bodies, and flow forth by reason of the tenuity or thinness to draw off the water, it will be profitable to purge with agaric elaterium, coloquintida. Sweating is pro- pe in this case, for thereby the matter offending is l*ken away, and the motion of the blood car- ried 10 the outward parts. To procure sweat, use carduus wator, with mythridate, or the decoction* of sarsapariilu. The gum ofguaiacum also great- ly provokes sweat ; pill of sarsaparilla, taken every night go"mi; to bed, are worthily commenc- ed. If the blood flows forth th>o' the opening or breaking of a vein, without any evil quality of it- self, then ought only corroboratives to be applied, which is the last thing to be done in this inordi- nate flux The air must be cold and dry ; all motion of the body is forbidden ; let her meat be pheasant, partridge, mountain-birds, coneys, calves feet^, &e. And let her beer be mixt with the juice o£ pemegranat.es and quinces.. 86 Aristotle's Mastbr-Piecs. CHAP IV. Of the Weeping of the Womb. THE weeping of the womb is a flux of blood, unnatural, coming from thence in drops, after the manner of tears, causing violent pains in the same, keeping neither period nor time- By some it is referred unto the immoderate e* vacuation of the courae, yet they are distinguish* cd in the quantity and manner of overflowing, in that they flow copiously and free in this continu- ally, tho' by little and little, and that with great pain and difficulty, wherefore, it is likened unto the stranguary. The cause is in the faculty, iastrument or mat- ter. In the faculty, by being enfeebled, that it cannot expel the blood, and the blood resting there, makes the pai t of the womb grow hard & stretchei.li the veyels frcrn whence proceed- eth the pain of the womb. In the instrument, by the narrowness of the passages. Lastly, it may be the matter of the blood, which may offend in too great a quantity, or in an evil quality, it being gross and thick, that it cannot flow forth as it pught to do. but by drops. The si ;iis will best appear by the relation of ihe patient: Hereupon will issue pains in the head, stomach, and back, with inflammations in the head, stomach, and back ; with inflammation, suffocations and exco- riations of the matrix ; If the strength of the pa- tient will permit, first open a vein in the arm, rub the upper parts, and let her arm be corded, that the force of ihe blood may be carried backwards ; then apply such things as may laxate and mollify the stren,;i r.ening the womb, and assuage the sharpness 6\ th- blood, as cataplasms made of brand, lintseed, senugreek> meliot, mailows, msr- Aristotle's Master-Piece. 87 curyand artiplex; if the blood be vicious and gross, add thereto mugwort, calamint, dictain & betony; and let her take of Venice treacle the quantity of a nutmeg, the syrup of mugwort every morning, make injections of the decoctions of mallows, mercury, lintseed, grounsel, mugworth, fenugreek, wiih oil of sweet almonds. Sometimes it is caused by wind, and then phle- botome is to be omitted, and in the stead thereof take syrup of feverfew an ounce, honey, roses, sy- rup of roses, syrup of flaechus, of each .,alf an ounce. Water of calamint, mugwort, betony, hy- sop, of each an ounce, make a julep; if the pain continues, take this purgation—take spechieiac one dram, diacathohcon half an ouwce, syrup of roses, laxaivets one ounce, with the decoction pf mugworth, and the four cordial flowers, make a potion. If it comes thro' the weakness of the faculty, let that be corroborated ; If through the grossness and sharpness of the bjood, let the quality of it be altered, as I have shewn in the foregoing chapter. Lastly, if the excrements of the guts be retained, provoke them by glyster of ihe decoction of camomile, betony, feverfew, mallo vs. lintseed, juniper-berries, comrfon seed, anniseed, meliote, adding thereto diacathohcan half an ounce, salt nitre a dram and a half. The patient must abstain from salt, sharp and windy ' meat. i _______________ CHAP. V. The false. Courses, or Whites. IF ROM the womb proceeds not only menstrous x blood, but, accidentally, many other excre- ments, which, by the ancients, are comprehend- ed under the title of robus, gunakois, which is a 33 Aristotle's Master-Pi^cE. j distillation of a variety of corrupt humours thro' f the womb, flowing from the whole body, or part of the same, keeping neither course nor colour, •' but varying in both. Course.]—The cause is either promiscuously in the whole body, by a cacochymia, or weaknesi of the same, or in some of the parts, as in the live , which by the inability of the sanguifacative faculty, causeth a generation of corrupt blood; and the matter is reddish, sometimes the gall be- ing sluggish in its office, not drawing away those eholeric s iperfluities engendered in the liver; & | the matter is yellowish sometimes in the spleen, not descending and clea.'isiog .he blood of tie f dregs of excrementious parts. Arid fie' i, .he matter flowing form is blackish; It may a'.»o come ,- from the catiarnis in the head, or from aiv o:her J putrified or corrupted memoo--,,- but if the mat- ' ter of the flux be white, the c.ose is either in ihe stomach or reins. In tne stomach, by a plegmat- 1 ical and crude matter tiere contracted and vari- ated, thro' grief, melancholy, and other distem- pers ; for, otherwise, if the matter were o dy per- nical, crude, phlegm> and no ways to1 rupi, being taken into the liver, it might be eonverted into blood : for, phlegm in the ventricle is called nou- rishments ialf digested: but being corrupt, tho' sent into the liver, yet it ©annot be turned into nut iment; for the second decoction cannot cor- rect that which the first hath corrupted ; and therefore the liver sends it to the womb, which can neither digest nor repel it, and so it is voided out with the same colour it had in the ventricle. The cause also may be in the reins being over- heated, whereby the spermatical matter, by rea- son of its thinness flows forth. The external^ Aristotle's Master-Piece. 89 anuses may be moistness of the air, eating of cor- rupt meats, anger, grief, slothfulness, immoderate sleeping, ccstiveness in the body. The signs are exlurbation of the body, shortness and stinking of the breath, loathing of meat, pain in the head, swelling in the eyes and feet, melan- cholly ; humidity flows from the womb of divers "colours, as red, bkck, green, yellow, and white. It differs from the flowing and overflowing of the . courses, in that it keeps no certain period, and is of many colours, all which do generate from blood. Prognostics.]—If the flux be phlegmarical, it irili continue long, and be difficult to cure ,• yet, if admitting, for diarhae happer.eth, diverts the humour, it cures the disease, If it be choleric, it is not so permanent, yet more perilous, for it will cause a cliff in the neck of the womb, and some- times make an excoriation of the matrix ; in me- lancholic it must be dangerous contamaciotts; yet the flux of the hemerhoids administers cure. If the matter flowing foith be reddish, open a vein in the arm ; if not apply litaguies to the arms and shoulders ; Galen glories of himself, how he cured the wife of Brutus labouring of this dis- "ease, by rubbing to upper part wiih crud honey. If it is causedby distillation from the brain take syiupof betony. stochas and marjoram, purge with pilloch, fine qiiibus de agarico; make nasa- lia of the juice of sage, hj sop betony, nigella, with one diop of the oil of elect, ctia*nth, aromat, rofat, diambrae, diomeseth, tiulcis. of each one dram ; nuimeg, half o dram ,• with sugar and betony water, make lozenges, to be taken every morning and evening. Huri Alexandrina half a dram, at night going to bed. If these things help not. use the suffumigation and plainer, as they are prescribed* &0 Aristotle's Master-Piece. If it proceeds from crudities in the stomach,or from a cold distempered liver, take every morn- ing of the decoction of liguum sancium; purge with pill de agarico de hei modact, de hiera, dia- eolinthid, foetid, agrigatio, take elect, aromat, roses, two drams; citron pill dried, nutmeg, long peper, of each one scruple, with mint water, and make lozenges of it. Take of them befbre meals ; if the frigidity of the liver there be join- ed a repletion of the stomach, purging by vomit is commendable ; for which take three drams of the electuary diasara Galen allows diuretical means as absum, ptroso linan. If the matter of the flux be choleric, prepare the humour with syrup of roses, violets, endive, succory; purge with mirobolans, manna, rhubarb, cassia. Take of rhubarb two drams, anniseed one dram, cinnamon a scruple and an half; infuse them in six ounces prune broth; add to the straining of manna an ounce, and take in the mcning according to art. Take spicerum, dia- lanlanion, diocorant, prig diarthod, abbaris, diacy- domes, of each one dram, sugar four ounces, with plaintain water, make lozenges, If the slyster of the gall be sluggish, and do not stir up the facul- ty of the gut, give glysters, with the decoction of four molifying herbs, with honey of roses and aloes. If the flux be melancholous, prepare with syrup of maiden hair, epithymium, polipody, borrage buglos, fumitary, harts tongue, and syrupus bisatius, which must be made without vinegar, otherwise it will rather animate the disease than nature ; foe melancholy, by the use of vinegar, is encreased and both by Hippocrates, Sylvius, and Avenzoar, it is disullowed of as nn Aristotle's Master-Piece. 91 enemy to the womb, and therefore not to be used inwardly in all uterine diseases. Lastly—Let the womb be cleansed from the corrupt ma'ter, and then corroborated ; for the purifying thereof make injections of the decoction of betony, feverfew, spikenard, bistrop, mercury, sage, adding thereto sugar, oil of sweet almonds, of each two ounces; pessaries also may be made of silk, cotton, modified in the juice of the afore- mentioned herbs CHAP. VI. „. Of the Suffocation of the Mother. THE effect (which if simply considered) is none but the'cause of an eff ct, is called in English the suffocation of the mother ; not be- cause the womb is strangled, but for that it causeth the womb to be choaked. It is a retraction of the womb towards the midriff and stomach, which 'presseth and crusheth up the same, that the in- strumental cause of respiration, the midriff is suf- focated—-and consenting with the brain, causing the animating faculty, the efficient cause of respi- ration, also to be intercepted, where the body be- ing refrigerated and the action depraved, she falls to the ground as one being dead. In these hysterical passions some continue lon- ger some shorter : Rabbi Moses writes of some who lay in the paroxysy of the fit for two days.— Rufus makes mention of one who continued in the same passion three days and three nights, and at the third days end she revived.^ That we may learn by other men's harms to beware, I will tell you an example, Parceus writeth of a woman in Spain who suddenly fell into «n uterine suffoca- 92 Arjstotle's Master-Piece. tion and appeared to men's judgment as dead ; her friends wondering at this her sudden change, for their better satisfaction sent for a surgeon ro have her dissected, who beginning to make an in- cision, the woman began to move, and wilh great clamour returned to hwself again, to the horror and admiration of all the spectators. That you may distinguish the living from the dead, the ancients prescribe three experiments : The first is to lay a light feather to the mouth, and by its motion you may judge whether the patient be living or dead. 1 he second is—to place a glass of watei on the breast, and if yeu perceive it to move, it be'okeneth life The third is—to hole! a pure looking glass lo the mouth and nose, and if me glass, appears thick with a little dew u>;>on it, ii beiokeneth life. And these three ex- pe! imen»s are good, yet with thiscaution, that you ou»ht not to depend on them no much, for tho' the foat'ier and t-be water do not move, and the glass co ltinue pure ami clear,.yet it is not a neces- sary consequence that sue. is ckstitue of life ; for the motion of the lun^s- by whic the respiration i? mace, may be taken away that she c&nnot breathe, yet the interna, transportation of theheat may :eruaif). which is not manifest by the motion < f the breast or lttn,gs, but lies occult in the heart and inward arteries ; examples tncreof we have in the fly and swallow, which in the cold of win- ter Seem (if id, and breath not at all; yet they live by the transpiration of that heat which is re- served in the heart and inward arteries ; tlverefore ' vheii the summer approacheth, the internal heat h. ing revocated to the inward pavts, they are then again revived out of their sleepy exstacy. Those women therefore that seem to die sud- Aristotle's Master-Piece. 93 den, and upon no evident eause, let them not bc committed to the earth unto the end of three days lest the living be buried for the dead. Cause.]—The part affected in the womb, of which there are a twofold motion, natural and symptomatical. The natural morion is, when the womb attracteth the human seed, or exctudeth the infant or secundine. The symptomatical motion of which we are to speak, is a convulsive drawing of the womb. Signs]—At the approaching of the suffocation, there is a paleness of the face, weakness of the legs, shortness of breath, frigidity < f the whole body, with a working up into the throat, and then she falls down at •nee void both of sence and mo- tion ; the mouth of the womb is closed up, and being touched with the finger it feels hard, the paroxism of the fit one past, sue openelh her eyes, and feeling her stomach opprest, she offers lo vomit. Prognostics']—If the disease hath its being from the corruption ol the seed, it foretells more danger than if it proceeded from 'he suppression of the courses, because the seed js concocted and of £ purer quality than the mensiiuous blood: and the more pure being corrupted, becomes the more foul and filthy, as appears in eggs the pur- est nourishment which vitiated, will yield the noisomest favour. If it be accompanied with a syffcope, it shews nature is but weak, and that the spirits are almost exhausted ; but if sneezing fol- lows, it shews the heat that was almost extinct, doth now begin to return, and nature will subdue the disease. Cure ]—In the cure of this effect, two things F 2 94. Arjstotle's Master-Piece, must be observed : First, That during the time of the paroxism, nature be provoked to expel those malignant vapours which bi.id up the sen- ses, that she may be recalled out of the sleepy ex- stacy. Secondly, That in the intermission of the fi\ ptoper medicines be applied to take away tiic cause. Fo stir up nature, fasten cupping-glasses to the hips a.id navel, applying'ligatuies unto the thighs; Tub the extreme parts with salt, vinegar, and mus- tard ; cause loud clamouis and thunderiDgs in the «.ars. App'y to the nose assafcetidn castor, and sagapanuem steeped in vinegar, provoke her to sneeze by blowing up into her ^nostrils the powder of castor, while pepper, pollitory of Spain, and hellebore. Hold under her nose partridge ferthers, hair and old shoes burnt, and all other stinking things, for evil odours are an enemy to nature ; hence the animal spirits do so contest and strive against them that the natural heat is thereby resiored. The brain is so oppressed sometimes, that we are compelled to bum the outward skin of the head with hot oil, or with a hot iion. Sharp clysters and suppositories are available. Take of sage, calamint, harehpiind, feverfew, marjoram, beiyon, hyssop, of each one handful; anniseed half an ounce ; coloquoiinda, white hellebore, sal gem. of each two dt ams ; boil. these in two pounds of waer to the half j add to the straining oil of castor two ounces ; hieratic- ra two drams, and make a glyster ef it. If it be caused by the retention and corruption of the seed, dt the instant of the paroxism, let the midwife take oil of lilies, maragoram and bays, dissolving in the same two grains of cYvct ; add as much musk ; let her dip her finger therein, Aristotle's Master-Piece. 95 and put into the neck of the womb, tickling and rubbing the same. The fit being over, proceed to the curing of the cause. If from the retention of the seed, a good husband will administer a cure, but those who cannot honestly purchase that cure, must use such things as will dry up and diminish the seed'; as dicuminua, diacalaminthes, Sec. Amongst ba- nonics, the seed of augus castus is well esteemed of, whether taken inwardly, applied outwardly, or receive a sufTumigation, It was held in great honor amongst the Athenians, for by it they did remain as pure vessels, and preserved their chas- tity by only strowing it on the bed whereon they lay, and hence the name of augus castus given it, as denoting its effects. Make an isuein the in- side of each leg, an hand bredth below the knee. Make trochisks of agric two scrupleds, wild car- rot-seed, ling aloes, of each half a scruple; wash- ed turpentine, three drams, with conserve of an- thos make a boulus'; castor is of excellent use in this case, eight drams of it taken in whi'e wine, or you may make pills of it with mithridite, and take them going to bed. Take of the white prio- ny root dried, and after the manner of carrots, one ounce ; put into a draught of wine, placing it by the fii e, and when it is warm drink it; take myrrh, castor, asofoetida, of each one scruple ; saffron and rue seed, of each four grains ; make eight pilis, and take two every night going to bed. Galen, by his own example, commends unto us ugaric pulverized, of which h,e frequently gave one scruple in white wine : lay to the naval at bed rime a head of garlic bruised, fastening it with a swithing-band .- make a girdle of galbacum for F 3 96 Aristotle's ^Master-Piece. the waist, and also a plaster for the belly, placing in one part of It civet and musk, which must be laid upon the navel. Take pulveris benedict, tfochisk of agaric, of each two drams mithri.dite a sufficient quantity, and so make two passeries, and it will purge the matrix of wind and phlegm, foment the natural part with salad oil, in which has been boiled rue, feverfew and camomile. CHAP. VII. Of descen 'Jng or falling of the Mother. PHE falling down of the womb is relaxation of the ligatui©s, whereby the matrix is carried backward, and in some hangs out in the bigness of an egg. Of these there are two kinds, distin- guished by a descending and precipitation. The descending of the womb is, when it sinks down to the entrance of the privates, and appears fo the eye either not at all or very little. The pre- cipation is, when the womb, like a purse is turned inside outward, and bangs betwixt the thighs in the bignoss of a cupping-glass. Cause-j—The cause is external or internal : The external cause is difficult child-birth, violent pulling away the secundine, rashness and inex- perience in drawing away the child, violent cough- ing, sneezing, falls, blows, and carrying heavy eurrjiens. The internal cause, in general, is overmuch humidity flowing into these parts, hin- dering the operation of the womb,,whereby the liraments by which the womb is supported is re- laxed. The cause, in particular, is referred to be in the retension 0f the seed, or in the suppression of the monthly courses. Signs.]—the a-—e, gut and bladder of erv.irnc? Aristotle's Master-Piece. 07 are so crushed that the passage of both excre- ments are hindered ; if the urine flows forth white and thick, and the midriff is molested, the lions are grieved, the privates pained, and tlie von b sinks down to the private parts, or else comes clean out. Prognostics.]-*-This grief possessing an old woman is cured with great difficulty, because it weakens the faculty of the womb, and therefore though it be reduced into its proper place, yet upon every little illness or indisposition it is sub- ject to return ,• and so it also is with the younger sort, if the disease be inveterate. If it be caused by a putrefaction in the nerves it is incurable. Cure.]—The womb being naturally placed be- tween the strait gut and the bladder, and now fal- , len down ought to be puf up again, until the fac- ulty both of the gut and bladder be stirred up ; nature being unloaded of her burden, let the wo- man be laid on her back in such sort, that her legs may be higher than her head ; let her feet 9 be drawn up to her hinder parts, with her knees spread abroad,- then molify the swelling wilh oil of lillies and sweet alli»ons,or with tte decoction of mallows, beeis, fenugrek, and liniseed : When the inflamation is dissipated, let the midwife an- oint her hand with oil of mastick, and reduce the womb into its place. CHAP VIII. Of the Infiamation of the Womb.. THE phlegmon, or inflamation of the matrix, is an humour possessing the whole womb, accompanied with unnatural heat, by obstruction and garnering together of'corrupt bleod. F .1 98 Aristotle's Master-Pi kce. Cause.] The cause oi this effect is suppression of the menses, repletion of the whole body, im- moderate use ol Venus, open handling genitals, difficult cliild-birth, veehement agitation of the body, falls, blows ; to which also may be ac ded, the use of sharp pessaries whereby not seldom the womb is inflamed ; cupping-gLsses also fas- tened to the pupis and hypogastrium, draw the humours to the womb. Signs.] The signs are anguish, humours, pain in the head and stomach, vomiting, coldness of the knees convulsions of the neck, dealing, trem- bling of the heart; of en there is a straitness of breath, by reason of the heat which is communi- cated to the midriff, the breasts sympathysing with the womb, poined and swelled- Further, if the forepart of the matrix be inflamed, the pri- yilies are g'icved, ehe urine is supprest, or flows forth with difficulty. If th^after-part, the loins and back suffer, the excrements are retained ; if the right side, the right hip suffers, the right legi is heavy, slow to motion, insomuch thai some- times she seems to halt. And so, if the leit side of the womb be inflamed, the left hip is pained, and the left leg is weaker than the right. If the neck of the womb be refreshed, the midwife put- ting up her finger, shall feel the mouth of it re- tracted, and closed up with hardness about it. % Prognostics ]—All inflamalions of the womb are dangerous, if not deadly , and especially if the total substance of the matrix be imflaroed ; yet, they are perilous if in the neck of the womb. A flux of the belly foretells healthy if it be naiu- ral ; for, nature works best by the use of her own instruments. Cure.]—In thr cure fih>t let humours flowing Aristotle's Master-Piec*. 99 ve • .., Jig womb be repelled ; for effecting of which, after the belly has been loosened by cooling clys- ters, phlebotomy will be needful; open therefore, a vain in tkear^, and (if she be not with child) the day after, strike saphena on.both feet, fasten ligatures and cupping glassed to the arm, and n;b the upper part. Purge lightly with cassia, rv.barb, senna, morobolans. Take of senna two «h ams, anniseed one sci uple, morobolans, half an cuoce, barley-water a sujficient quantity, make a decoction : dissolve in it syiupof succory, with ruWarb, two ounces, pulp of cassia half an ounce, on of anniseed two drops, and make a potion. The air must be cold, all motion of the body, especially of the lower parts, is forbidden ; vigi- lance is commended ,- for, by sleep the humours »"? carried inward, by which th« inflamation is increased, eat sparingly, let your drink be barley-* water, elarified whey,- and your meat chickens a»d chicken-broth, boiled with endive, succory^ foirel, Uugloss and mallows. CHAP. IX. Of the Scirrosity or Hardness of the Womb. OF phlegmon neglected, or not perfectly, is generated a schirrus of the matrix; which •v hard unnatural swellingynsensibly hindering u-.: operations of the womb, and disposing the v i ole body to slothfalness. Cause.]—One cause of this disease maybe :i v ribed to want of judgment in the physician, as ».. > y empirics, administering to an inflamation • •f .".e womb, do overmuch refrigerate and af- i"-\y.:y. the humour that it can neither pass back- i iiPM* forward—her.at, the matter being con- 100 Aristotle's Master-Piece. densed, degenerates into a lapidious hard •**'* stance. Other causes may be, suppression of The menstrous retention of ihe lochia commonly cal- led the after-put gings, eating of corrupt meat, as in the disordinate longing called pica, to which breeding women are so often subject. It may proceed also from obstructions and ulcers ia the matrix, or from evil effects of the liver and spleen. Sighs.]—If the bottom of the womb be affec- ted, she feels, as it were, a heavy burden, repre- senting a mole, yet differing, in that the breasts are attenuated, and the whole body waxeth less. If the neck of the womb be affected, no outward humours will appear; the mouih of it is retrac- ted, and being touched with the finger, feels hard, nor can she have the company of a man without great pains and prickings. Prognostics.]—A schirrus confirmed is incu- rable, and will turn into a cancer or incurable dropsy, and ending in a cancer proves deadly, be- cause the native heat in those parts being almost smothered, can hardly, again be restored. Cure]—Where there is a repletion, phleboto- my is advisable ; wherefore, opening the modina on both arms, and the saphena on both feet, more especially if the menses be suppressed. The air must be temperate ,• gross, vicious and salt meats are forbidden, as pork, bull's, beef, fish, old cheese, &c. CHAP. X. Of the Drepsey of the Womb. THE uterine dropsy is an unnatural swelling, elevated by the gathering together of wind or phl«;<.n in the cavity, membranes or substance of the womb, by reason of the dwbilily of the rn- Aristotle's Master-Piece 10) tive heat and ailment received, and so it turns in- to an excrement. The causes are, overmuch cold or meistness of the melt and liver, immoderate dringing, eat- ing of etude meats, all which causing a repletion, do suffocate the natural heat. It may be caused likewise by the overflowing of the courses, or by any other immodirate evacuation. To these may be added, abortives, plegmons and schirrossities of the womb. Signs]—The signs of this effect are those, the lower patts of the belly, with the genitials, are puffed up and pained, the feet swell, the natu- ral colour of the face decays, the appetite is de- praved, and the heaviness of the whole body con- curs. If she turns herself in the bed, from one side to the other, a noise like the overflowing of water is heard, Water sometimes comes from the matrix. If the swelling be caused by wind, the belly being hot, it sounds like a drum ; the guts rumble, and the windbreaks thro* the neck of the womb with a murmuring noise ; this ef- fect may be distinguished from a true conception many ways, as will appear by thechaptei of con- ception. Prognostics.]—This effect foretell tho sad ru- in of the natural functions bv that singular con- sent the womb hath with the*fiver; that, there- fore the chacevy, or general dropsy, will follow. rjure.]—In the cure of this disease, imitate the practice of Hippocrates : First, mitigate the pain with fomentation of melilote, mercury, mal- lows, lintseed, camomile, althea. Then let the womb be prepared with syrup of hyssop, cali- ment and mugwort. In disease* which have their rise from moistness, purge with pills. In effects 10: Aii-si.i.-'. MKi»r£R-Pi£C£. ■which are caused I y en ptiness, or dryr<'sS> PurE* j with a potion.-— Fasten ti cupp'm--gias» »o the belly, wuh a great k me, and als» tie naval cape- /ci^ily If the swelling be flatulewt : Make an issue' \ on the inside of each ic^,, a hand bredih below the knee. The air must be hot and dry, moderate exer- cise is allowed ; much sleep is forbidden ; she may eat ihe flesh of pat ridges, larks, chickens, .mountain birds, hares, conies, Sec. Let her drink be thin wine. CHAP. XI. Of moles and false conceptions. THIS disease is called, by the Greeks, mole, and the cause of this denomination is^ta- ken from the load or heavy weight of it, it being a mole, or great lump of hard flesh buuiei.ing the womb. It is defined to be an inarticulate piece of flesh, without form, begotten in the matrix, as if it were » true conception. In which definition we are to note two things : First, in that a mole is said to be articulate, and without form ; it difleis from monsters, which ar« both formate and arli- Mculate. Secondly, it is said to be, as it were a true conception, which puts a difference between a hue coaceptionjand a mole, which differ»nce holds good three ways : First, in tha genius, in that a mole cannot be said to be an animal Se- condly, in the species, because it hath co human figure, and bears not the character of man.— Thirdly, in the individum, for it hath no affinity with the parent, either i;. J.c whole tody or a: y particular of the same. « ause.1—Ahc.t »he con-e of 'Ms r-F'-ct. a- Aristotle's Master-Piece. 103 TBongst learned authors, I fed variety ef-judg- ments. Some are of opinion, that if the woman's seed goes into the womb, and not the man's, therefore is the mole produced ; others there be that affirm, that it is gendered or the menstruous blood. But if these two were granted, then maids, by having their courses, or chro' Boctumal pollu- tions might be subject to the same, which never yet any were. The true cause of this fleshy mob* proceeds both from the man and from the woman, from Corrupt and baron seed in man, and fiom the menstruous blood in woman, both mixed togeth- er in the cavity Of the womb, where nature find- ing .herself weak, yet desirous of maintaining the perpetuity of her species, labours to bring forth a vicious conception, rather than none ; and so, instead of a living creature, generates a lump of flesh. Signs.]—The signs of a mole are these : The months are suppressed, the appetite depraved, the breasts swell, the belly is suddenly puffed up, and waxeth hard. Thus far the signs of a breeding woman, and one that beareth a mole are all one. I shall show how they differ: the first sign of difference is taken from the motion of the "mole it may be felt to move in the womb before the third mcoth, which the infant cannot ; yet the motion cannot be understood of a intelligent pow- er in the mole, bat the faculty of the womb and the seminal spirits diffused through the substance of the mole, for, it lives not a live animal, but a vegetative, in manner of a plant. And secondly, in a mole, the belly is suddenly puffed up ; but, in a true conception, the belly is first tetractcd, and then raiseth up by degrees. Thirdly the belly being pressed wifh the hand, the mole gives 104 Aristotle's Master-Piece. way ; and the hand being taken away, it reinrns ,, to the place again ; but a child in the womb, tho* , pressed with the hand moves not pre-t nly, and being removed, returns slowly, or noi :»t all— Lastly, the children continue in the womb not a- bove eleven menths; but a mole continues some- times four or five yeasr, more or less, according as it is fastened in the matrix. I have known when a mole hath fallen away in four or five months- . If it remain until the eleventh month, the legs •wax feeble, and the whole body consumes, on- ly the swelling of the belley still increases ; w hich makes some think they are dropsical, tho' there be little reason for it. For, in the dropsy, Jegs swell and grow big, but in the mole they consume and wither. Prognostics.]—If at tn¥ delivery of a mole the flux of the blood be great, it shews the moic dan- ger, because the parts of the nutrition having been violated by the flowing back of the superflu- ous humours, where the natural heat is consum- ed ; and then parting with sb much of blood, the woman thereby is weakened in all her faculties that she cannot subsist without difficulty. ' Cure.]—We are taught in the school of Hip- pocrates, that phlebotomy causeth abortion = by taking all that nourishment which sheuld pre- serve the life of the child. Wherefore, that this vicious conception may be deprived of that ver th- rive sap by which it lives, open the liver vein and the saphena in bolh the fee* ; fasten cupping irlasscs to the loins and sides of the belly, which <.\6\ic let the uterine parts be fir.it molified and then the expulsive quality be provoked to the b-.'.rt'jci). Arlstotle's Master-Piece. 105 To laxate the ligature of the mole, take mal- lows, with the roots three handfuls-^camomi e, mehfoet, pollitoiy of the wall, violet leaves, mer- cury, roots of fennel, paresleysWeach two hand- fuls ; lintseed, fenugreek, each one pound ; boil them in water," and let her sit therein up to the naval. At the going out of the baih, annoint the privates and reins with this unguent follow- .•^B—Take oil of camomile, liilies, sweet almonds each one ounce ; fiesh butter, labdanum, amo- niac, of each one ounce ; with the oil of lintseed make an unguent. The air must be tolerably hof and dry, and dry diet, such as do molify and attenuate, siie rrmy drink white wine. CHAP. XII. I Of the signs of Conception GNORANCE makes women become mur- derers of the fruit of then own bodise, many 'Tiaving conceived, and thereupon finding them- selves out of order and not knowing rightly the \ cause, do either run to the shop of their own con- oeit, and take what they think fit, or else, as the custom is, they send to the physician for a cure ; and he not perceiving the cause of their grief, feeling no certain judgment can be given by the urine, prescribes what he thiuks best, per- hapse some strong dinertic or cathartic potion, ■whereby the conception is destroyed. Where- fore Hippocrates says, there is a .necessity that \ women should be instrueted in the knowledge of conception, that the parents as well as the child might be saved from danger. I will therefore give some instructions by v, hich every one may knew whether she be with child or not. The 106 ' Aristotle's Masthr-Piece. signs of conception shall be taken f om the wo- man, from the urine, from the infant, and from experience. 0 , Signs taken from the woman are these—The ^ first day after conception she feels a light quiver- <• ing or chilness running through the whole boily —a tickling in the womb a little pain in the low- er part of the belly. Ten or twelve days after, the head is affected with giddiness, trie eves wlla dimness of sight • then follows red pimples in the face, with a blue circle about the eyes, the breast swell and grow hard, with some pain and prickling in them, the belly soon sinketh, and ri- seth again by degrees, with a hardness about th*>^ naval. The nipples of the breast grow red, the * heart beats inordinately, the natural apperite is dejected, yet she has a longing desire after meats ; the neck of the womb is iletraoted, that it can hardly be felt with the finger being put up ; and tbis is aa infalible sign. She is suddenly merry and soon melancholy, the monthly courses are stayed without any evident cause ; the ex- crements of the guts are unaccustomedly retar- ded by the womb pressing the great guts, and. 1 her desire to Venus is abated. The surest signis taken from the infant, which begins to move in the womb the thiul or fourth manth ; and that not in the manner of a male, from one side to'another, rustling like a stone, hut so softlj as may be perceived by applying the hand hot upon the belly. Signs taken from the urine—The best writers do affirm that the urine of a womau with child is white, and hath little mites like those in the sun- baams, ascending and descending in it, a cloud swimming, aloft in an opal colobr, the sediments Aristotle's Masjer-Pieoe. 107 being divided by shaking the urine apears like carded wool, the middle of her time the urine lur- neth yellow, next red and lastly blaGk, with a red cloud. Signs taken from experience—At night .going to bed let her drink water and honey after- Jfwards, if she feels a bearing pain in her belly and about her navel, she hath conceived. Or let her take the juice of caidus, and if she vomiieth it up, it is a sign of conception. Cast a clean needle " into the woman's urine, put it into a bason, let it stand all night, and in the morning if it be colour- ed with red spots she hath conceived, but if black or rusty, she hath not. Signs taken from th e sex, to shew whether it be male or female. Being with child of a male .\~the right breast swells first, the right eye is more ■'lively than the left, her face well coloured, be- cause such as the blood is, such is the colour ;— and the male is conceived in purer blood, and more perfect seed than the female ; red moles in the urine settling down the sediments, foretell that a male is conceived, but if they be white a female. Put the woman's urine which is with child into a glass bottle, let it stand close stopped three days, then strain it through fine cloth, and >you will find little living creatures. If they be red it is a male, if white it is a female. To con- clude, the most certain sign to give credit unto, is the motion of the infant, for the male move* in the third month, and females in tho fourth. CHAP XIII. Of untimely births. \XfHEN the fruit of the womb comes forth be- * before the seventh month (that is before it comes to maturity) it is said to Lo ..boirive, ar.d 108 Aristotle's Master-Piece. in effect the children prove abortive (I mean not! alive) if it be born in the eighth month. AndJ why children born in the seventh or ninth month j may live, and not in the eighth month may seem | strange, yet it is true ; the cause tfeieof by some is ascribed unto the planet under which the j child is born ; for every month from the concep- J tion to the birth, is governed by its proper planet. J And in the eighth mo.ith Saturn doth predomi-1 nate, which is cold and dry : Coldness being an utter enemy to life, destroys the naiure of the child. Hippocrates gives a belter reason, viz. The infant being eve y way perfect and complete in the seventh month, desires more air and nutri- ment than it had before ; which, because he can- not obtain, the labours for a passage to get out ; and if his spirits become weak and faint and have no strength sufficient to break the membranes: and come forth as is decreed by nature, that hei should continue in the womb till the ninth months i that in that time his wearied spirits might again be strengthened and refreshed: but if he returns to strive again the eighth month, and be born, he cannot live because the day of his birth is eith-1 er past or to come. For in the iighth month (saith Aven) he is weak and infirm ; and there- j fore being cast into the cold air, his spirits can- not be supported. Cause.] Untimely birth maybe caused by, cold, for as it maketh the fruit of the tree to wi- ther and to fall down before it be ripe, so doth it nip the fruit of the womb, before it comes to full jierfection, and makes it to be abortive , some- times by humidity, weakening the faculty that the* fruit cannot be restrained till the due lime, tjy dryness or empriness, defrauding the child of its Aristotle's Master-Piece. 109 nourishment. By one the alvine fluxes of phie- botomy and other evacuations: by inflamationa of the ivorab and other sharp diseases. Some- times it is caused by joy, laugter, anger, and es- pecially fear; for in that the heal forsakes the womb, and runs to the heart for help there, so the cold strikes in the matrix, whereby the ligaments are relaxed, and 60 abortion .follows ,• wherefore Plato, in bis time, commanded that the women should shun all temptation of immoderate joy and grief. Abevtion also may be caused by the corruption of the air, by filthy odours, and espe- cially by the smell of the snuff of a candle ; also by falls, blows, violent exercise, leaping, dancing, etc. Signs.] Signs of future abortion are extr* ua- tion of the breasts, with a flux or watry milk, pain in the womb, heaviness in the head, unusual weariness in the hips and thys, flowing of the sourses. Signs foretelling me fruit to be dead in the womb, are hallowness of the eyes, pain in the head, anguish, horrors, paleness of the* face and lips, gnawing of the stomach, no motion of the infant, coldness and looseness of the mouth of the womb, and thickness of the belly, which was above is fallen down, watry and bloody excre- ments come from the matrix. CHAP. XIV. Directions for Breeding Women. THE prevention of untimely birth consists in taking away the aforementioned-causes which must be affected before and after the conception. Before the conception, if the body be over hot, c$ki, dry, or moist, correct it with fche conwariea 110 AiirsToTLE*s Master-Piece. cf c-acncktiinical, purge it; if plethriooal, open the liver vein ; it too giuss extenuate it; if too lean, coroborrate .-nd nourishn. All diseases of the Womb must be re.noved as I have shewn. After conception tfie air must he temperate, sleep not over much, avoid wutcning, exercise of body, passions of mind, loud clamouts, and filthy smells i sweet odous are also to be rejected of thuse that are hysterical. Abstain from all things that provoke either the urine or courses, also from salt, sharp and windy meats; a moderate diet should be observed. The cough is another accident which accorm panielh breeding women, and puis them in grtat danger of miscarrying, by a continual distillation falling from the brain. To prevent which, shave away the hair from the cornal and satical cois- sures, and ap,;ly thereon this planter. Take re- siuse half an ounce ; laudanim one dram ; stire- chis liquids and ficcse sufficient quantity ; dis- solve the'gums in vinegar, and make a plaster at night %omg to bed, let her take the sume of these troc risks can upon the coals. In breeding women there is a corrupted mat- ter gene ated, whicn flowing to the ventricle, di jecteah ihe appetite, and causeth vomeiing.— And the somacii brin^ weak not able lo digest this mitt'er, sometimes set dv it to the gms, w!< eby is ca.sed a flux in the belly, which B(>e« y stuneth up the i'acuay of the womb. fo prevent ab. ti.se dangers, ti.e «iomach must be corioboiateda: .ollo^'s: Take iign aloes, nut- meg of.eaci/ o if. dram; m-.ce.c'ove, laudanum, of each iwj scruples, oil of spike ah ou-'ce ; musk 'wo eraiiis ,• oil of mastic, quinces, worm- wood; of each half an ounce ; makp an unguen ; - Aristotle's Master-Piece. Ill for the stomach, to be applied before meals. Ano- ther accident which perplexeth a woman with child is sweling of the legs, which happens the first three months by superflm us humors falling down from the stomach and liver ; for the cure whereof, take oil of rosts two drains ; salt vinegar, ,of each one dram; shake them together until the salt be dissolved, and anoint the legs hot therewith, ohaffing it with the hand: By pursuing it more properly, if it may be done without dan- ger, as it may be k\ the fourth, fifth, or sixth month of purgation, for the child io the womb is compared to an apple on the tree : the fust three months it is weak and tender, subject with the apple, to fall away ; but afterwards the ^mem- branes being strengthened, the fruit remains fast- ened to the womb, not apt to mischances, and so continues all tine seventh month, till growing rearer the time of its mami i.y, tie lagamtnts are again relaxed (like an apple thai i« almost ripe) and gto as looser every day un il the fixed time erf delivery. If, therefore, the body is in leal need of purging, s<">e may do it witueut danger, in t;ie fourth, filth or sixth month, but not beto e nor after, uu ess in some sharp diseases, in which tht moth i and child both are like to perish. App;y it to the terns in the win:er time and remote it every twenty-four hours, lest the reins be ever boi therewith. In the interim anoint the privities and ieins with unguent, consitissse ; but if it be summer rime^and the reins be hot, this piaUiier loilov. ing is mor« propei : Take of red ro-.es o ie lb. mastick* red sanders, of eaeh two diauuB. pomegrant p el, prepared coriander, of each iwo drams & a half; barberies, two ssruples, G2 112 Aristotle's Master-Pieoe. oil of mastiek untl quir.ces, of each one oe. ; juice of plaintain iwo drams; witn pitcn make a plan- ter, anoim the reins also vrfih uuguemum sandal.' CHAP. XV. Directions to be observed by worn on at the time if their faU. u.g m Labour, in order to their soft aeliztty.iiifh airec.- tiomjor ?nidm)ives. • And thus having given necessa'y directions for ■**■ child-bearing woman, how to govern them- selves during the lime of tntii pregnancy, I shall sidd what is necessary for them to observe, in or* der toiheir delivery. The time of birth drawing near let the woman .send for a skillful midwife, and that rather too soon than too late ; and against which time let her pre- pare a pallet, bed, or couch neflr the fire that the midwife and her assistants may pass round and Jielp on every side, as occasion requires, having a change of linen ready, and a small stool to rest her feefagainst, she having more force when they aio bowed, then when they are otherwise. Having thus provided, when the woman feels her pain come, and weather not cold, let her walk about the room, resting herself by turns upon the bed, and so expect the coming down of her water, which is a humour contracted in one of the out- ward membranes and flows thence when it is bro- ken by the struglingof the child, their being no direct time fixed for the efflux, tho' generally it flows not above two hours before the birth; motion ■will likewise cruse the womb to open & dilate it-< belf, when lying long in bed will be uneasy, yet, if she on very weak, she may take some gentle cordial to refresh herself, if her pain willpcimit If her travail be tedious, she mny revive he Aristotle's Master-Pibcjs. U3 spirits with taking chicken or mutton-broth,or she, may take a poached fig, but must take heed ol eating to excess. . As for the postures woman are delivered in, 1 they are many, some lying in their bed, sitting in their bed, or chair, some again, on their knees, being supported upon their arms ; bv> the most^ safe and commodious way is in the bed, and then, the midwife ought to mind the following rules— Let her lay the woman upon her back, her head a little raised.by the help of a pillow, having the like help to support her reins and buttocks, and that her rump may lie high* for if she lies low she canpot be well delh ei ed. Let her keep her knees j and thighs as far, distance as she can, her legs bowed to ;ether Sc her buttocks, the soals of her feet Sc heels being placed on a little log of timber, placed for that purpose, that she may strain the s.longer- And ti;en, to facilitate it let a woman stroke o* press the upper part of the belly gently, ,: and by degrees : Nor must the woman herself i be faint-lu-aried, but of good courage, farcing her- self by straining and holding her breath. in c-jse of delivery, the midwife must wait with ' patience till the child, or other members, burst ' the membrane . for, if, thi o' ignorance, or haste to go to 0.'her women, as seme have done, the midwife teats the membrane with her nails, she endangers boih the woman Sc the child; for, its,. hying dry, & wjnling lhat slipperiness that should make it < .;sy,it comes forth with great pain. Where the head appears, the midwife must p-cmly i:o|d it between her hands, and drrfw tho child at such times as the woman's pains are up- on her,- k at no other/ clipping by degrees he* #** f* lU Aristotle's Mastkr-Pikck. forefingers under his arm pits, not using a rough hand in drawing it forth, lest by mat mewns, the tender intuit receive any deformity of body. As sjoii as the child is taken forth, which is," for the most part, with its face downward, let it be laid on its back, that it may more freely receive exter- nal respiration, then cut the navelstring, about $ inches from the body, tying that enfl which adher- es to the belly with a silken string, as near as you can, then cover the head Sc stomach of the child well, suffering nothing to coma upon the feoe. The child" being thus brought forth, and if, healthy, lay It by, and let the midwife regard the patient in drawing forth the secundines,; and this she may do by wagging an<4 stinng them up and doivn, and afterwards, with agentle hand, drawing them forth ; And, if th- work he difficult, let ihe woman hold salt in her hands, & thereby she will know whether the membranes be broke or not. It may be also known by causing her to strain oft vomit, by puling herfvi ,erdo\vn her. throat, or by straiung or moving her lower parts, but let all be done out of hand. I: this fail, let her fake a draught of raw elder-wa;er, or yolk of a new-laid egrr, and smell to a pitceof ussafcetida, especially if she troubled with a windcy cholic If she hap- pen to take'cold, it is a great obstruction to the coming down of the secundines, and in such ces- es, the women ought te chaff the woman's belly gently, not only to break the wind, but oblige the, secundines to cum down. But these proving inef- fectual, the midwife must bhatter with her hand thecxi,ei« or orlice of the wemb, aud gently draw it-forth. Aristotle's Masxer-Pjege. 115 CHAP. XVI. In Cases ojjextremhy, what ought to be observed, especially to women, who, in thatr truvuil, are attended with ajlux of blood, convulsions, and fits of the, wind. IF the womans labour be hard and difficult, grea- ter regard must then be had thanat other times, and first of all,«the situation of the womb, 8c po'v tore of lying, must be across the bed, being held by strong persons, to prevent her slipping down or moving herself in fh« operation of the surgeon Her thighs must be put asunder, as far distant ss may be, and so heid ; whilst her head must lean upon a bolster, and thci reins of her back; supported after the same manner ; her rump and buttocks being lifted up, observing to cover her stomach, belly and thighs with warm linen, to keep them from the cald. The woman being in this posture, let the ope- rator put up his hand, if he fi»d this neck of the womb dilated,and remove the contracted blood that obstructs^he passage of the birth ; and having, by degrees, gently made way, let him tenderly move the infant, his hand being first anointed with sweet, bir.ter, or a harmless pomatum. And if the waters be not come down, then without dif- ficulty, may they be let forth : when, if the in- fant should attempt to break out with its head foremost, or Gross, he may gently turn wt to find the feetv, which having done, let him draw fonh the one 8c fasten it to a ribbon,then put it up again and by degrees find the other, bringing ihem as close and even as may be, and between whiles, let the woman breathe, urging her to strain to help nature to perfect the birth, that he may draw it forth i and the readier to do it, th?.t his hold ftU Aristotls's Master-Pikcr. may be the surer* he mist wrap a linen c'o'h a- boyt th. cmcl's thighs, oi^siiviuj; to bring u laic* the vorld with its face downwards. In case of a flux of blooJ, if the neck of t'i« womb be open, it must be consi iered *hethrr the infant or secundine comes first, which the ia.ier sometimes happening to do, stops the mou'h of the womb and hinders the birth, enidangeriiv^ both, the woman and the child ; but, in this case, the seenn Jines must be removed by a swiift; torn , fc indeed they have by their so coming <&awst de^- ceived many, who feeling their softness, "suppos-' ed the ou may be guided to the infant, which, whetiie alive or ueud, must be drawn forth by the feet, in all haste, tnough it is not to be acted unless in any great necessity, for in other cases the secundincs ou^ht 10 comedast. And in drawing foitn a dead child, let these directions be carefully observed by the surgeon, viz. if the cirild be found dead, its head foremost ■delivery wiil be the more difficult; for it is an ap- parent sign the soman's strength begins to fail her, and that the coild being dead, and wanting its natural force, can be no ways assisting to its delivery, wherefore the most certain and safe way ( for the surgeon is, to put up his lef. hand, sliding ii as hollow in the palm us he can, into the neck ■of the womb, and into the lower part thereof to- wards the feet, and then between *ie head of the infant and the neck of the matrix? When having a hook in the right hand, coach 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 bars ef the temple towards the eye ; for want of conve- nient coming at these in the occiputal-bone, eb~ serve still to the left hand in its place add with it gently moving and stirring the head; and so, with the right, ha.vl and hook, draw the child forward, admonishing the woman to put forth her utmost strength, still drawing when the waraaa's pansjb are upon her ; the head being drawn out, with all speed, he must 6lip his hand up taider the arm-holes of the child, and take it qttite out, giv- ing these things to the woman—A toast of fine wbeaten bread in a quarter of an onntm of jype- crass wine. ® 5 118 Aristotle's M.YsrKR-FifcF. If it so happen that any inflamation, swelling', or congealed bl«od be contracted in the matrix, •under the film of these tumours, either before or after the birth, where the matter appeal s thinner, then let the midwife, with a pen-knife or an inci- sion instrument, launch it, and press out the cor- ruption, healing it wiih a pessary dipped in oil of red roses. If at any time, through cold, of some .violence,' tbe child happen to be swelled in any part, «r hath contracted a watery humour, if it remain alive, such means must be used as are least injurious to the child and lhe#mo»hcr ; but if it be dead, that humour must be let out by incision,, to facil- tate the birth. If (a% it often happens) that the child comes with its feet foremost and the hands dilating themselves from the hips ; in such oases, the mid- wife must be prepared with necessary ointment, to stroke and anoint the infant with, to help its coming forth, lest it turn again into the womb, 'hokhV , at the same time, bath the arms of ihe infant close to the hips, that so it may issue forth after its manner ; but ifjt proves too big, the womb must be well anointed. The woman may «lso take sneezing-powder, to make her strain : Those who attend may gentjy stroke her belly, to moke the birth descend, and keep % lie birth from retiring back. And sometimes it falls out th~t the child com- in* with the feat foremost, as "its arms extended above its head ; but the midwife must not receive it so, but put it back again into the womb, unless the passage be extraordinary wide, ; d then sha m.-tst anoint the child and the womb; nor is it safe lo dra* it forth, which may be doue in this Aristotle's Mastbr-Piece. 119 manne'r—tie woman must lie on her back, with hei hevi deptesssd, and her buttocks raised ; and the midwife, witn a gentle hand, must compress the beily of the woman towards the midwife, by that means to put back the infant, observing to turn the face of the coild towards the back of its mother, raising up its thighs 8c buttocks towards her navel, that so the birth may be more natural. If a child happens to come forth with one foot, the arm being extended along the side, anJ the otner foot turned backward, then must the woman be instantly brought to he- bed,' anil laid in the posture above mentioned, at which rime the midr wife must carefully put back the foot so appear- ing, and the woman rocking herself from one side to the other, till she find the child is turned, but must not alter her posture, nor turn upon her face. After which she may expect her pains, and mus-t have great assistance and cordials to revive and support her spirits. At other times it happens that the child lies across in the womb, Sc falls upon its side ; in this case the woman must not be urged in her labour, neither can any expect the birth in such a man- ner—therefore the midwife, when she finds it so, must use great diligence to reduce it to its right form, or at least .to such a form in the womb, as may make the delivery possible and more easy, by moving the buttocks, and guiding the head to the passage ; and if she be successful herein, let her again try by rocking herself to and fro, and Wttit with patience till it alters its manner of lying. Sometimes the child hastens the birth, by ex- panding its legs and arms ; in which as in the former tbe woman must rock herself, but not with violence, till she figdjfcjfeose oarts falUo theiv 1^0 AimroTLn's Master*-Piecb» proper siat'Di^, or it may be dotu; by a gcn'fo oompression of the v\omb, but if ..em.er of them prevail, the mid-vife with her hand mu-.t c.o • ibu legs of the inf.ru, and it sre come at tbcm, do the like oth knees foremost and ihe hands hanging down upon the t'u.^.is, then must the midwife put both knees up- ward, till the eel appear; taking hold of-hich with her left hand, ,.*, her keep her righ hand on the side of the child, and in that pcs.ure en- deavour to bring it forth. But if she cannot do this, then also must the woman rook herself till the child is in a ennvenieet posture for delivery Sometimes it happens, that the child passes forward with one arm stretched on its thighs, and the otrher raised over its head, and the fdet stretch- ed out length in the womb; in such a case the mftdwife must not attempt to receive the ul^Id in that posture, but must lay the woman on the bed, in the manner aforesaid, making a soft and gen- tle compression on her belly, to oblige the child to retire, whioh if it does not, then must the mid- wife thrust it back by the shoulder, and bring the arm that was stretched above the head, to its right station ; for their is mare danger in these extremities, eherefore the midwife must anoint her hands first, and the womb of the woman wth sweet butter, or a proper pomatum, thrusting her hand as near as she can, to the arm ef the infant, and brinjf it to the side- But if this cannot be done, let the woman be laid on her bed to rest awhile, in whi-.h vim-.:, pec-' Arktotle's Ma«ter-Fiege 121 I* haps the child my be reduced to a bettei postyrej a which the midwife finding, she must draw tender- I ly the arms elese to tne flips, and so receive it, " If an infant come with its buttocks foremost, and almost double, the* the midwife annoinring her hand must thrust it up, and greatly heaving up the buttocks and back, strive lo turn the head to the passage, but not loo hastily, let the infant's retiring should shape it worse, and therefore it < cannot be turned with the hand, the woman must | rock herself on the bed, taking some comfortable things as may support her spirits, till she per- ceives the child to turn. If the childs neck be bowed, and it comes for- ward with "its shoulders, as some times it dothi j with the hand and feet streched upwards; the midwife must gently move the shoulders, thato she may direct the bead to the passage ; and the better tp effect it, the woman must roik herself ^as afforesaid. These, and other the like methods are to ba observed, in case a woman hath twins, or three children at a birth as sometimes happens. For as the single b rth hath but one natural way, and many unna'tural forms, even so it may be in double or treble births. Wherefore, in all such cases* thefhidwife muse take oare to receive that first which is nearest ihe passage, but not feting the other go, lest by retir- ing it should change the form. And when one is born, she must be speedy in bringing forth the -other—and this birth, if it be in the natural way, is more easy, because the children are common- ly less than those of single birth, and so require a lesser passage. But if this birth come unnati^ raHy, it is far more dangerous than tfoe other. ■1C5 Aristotlt's MAtrt'n-Pii.ce. In the birth of* twins, let the midwife be very careful that the sccundines be naturally brought forth* lest the womb being delivered of its burthen, fall and, so the secU dines continue longer than is consist ant with the woman's safety. Bui it one of the tv» ins -.appen tjo come with the head, Sc ihe other with the feet foremost, then, let the midwife deliver the natural birth first, & if she cannot mm the other out. draw it oiil in the pos are it presseth forward, but if that with its feut do .nwurd be foremost, she may deliver thut fits turning the other side. Bui i: tnis case, the midwife must carefully see that it be not a monstrous birth, rnnead of twins a body with two he ids, or two bodys joined together, which yen may soon i^c ; if both the heads come foremost by putting up hei hand be- tween them as high as she can, and then if she find they are tw;ns, she may gently put que of them aside to make way for tne other, taking lbs first which is most advanced, having the other, that she do not change its situation. And for the safe:yof ihe first child, as soon as it comes forth out of the womb, the midwife inr^t lie the naval-string as has been before directed, and also bind it with a large and long fillet, that part of V,-* navel that is fastened to the sccundies the more ready to find them. - The second infant being born, let the midwife carefully examme weather their be not two sccun- dines, for sometimes it fo'ls ou', that by the short- ness of the ligaments, it retiif s back to the preju- dice of the woman. Wherefore lest the womb should close, it is most expedient to hascn them forth with all convenient speed- If two infanfcs are joined together by the bot bed, it will be very proper to take a dose of opos- « telic powder. 'j For an Head Ach of long Standing. Take the juice of powder, or distiled water or hog-lice, and continue the use of it. For Spitting of Blood. Take conserve qfcomfrey, and of hips, of each an ounce and an half; conserve of red roses three ounces dragon's-blood adram,species of hyscinths two sciuples, red coral adram, mix, and with syrup of ted popies make a soft electuary. Take t the qnantity of a walnut wight and morning. A Powder against Vomitting. Take crabs' eyes, red coral, each ivory, of eaeh . two drams, burnt; hartshorn one dram, cinnamon and red sanders of each one dram make a full subtile powder, and bake half a dram. For the Bloody.Flux. First take a dram of powder of rhubarb in a sufficient quantity ef the conserve of red roses, J early iu the morning ; then at night, take of for-1 tified or roasted rhubarb half a dram, djascordiurn ' a dram and a half, liquid laudanum cydoniated *-\ scruple ; mix and make a bolu3. v For Ifiammation in the Lungs- , Take curious water ten ounces, water of red poppies three ounces, syrup of poppies an ounce pearl prepared a dram, make a julip, and take-sir. spoon'fulls every fourth hour. FINIS. :| «K4i .1 * ft 71$** 1 •'-•:■•<*>.■