T H E 
 
 WORKS 
 
 0 F 
 
 'ARISTOTLE, 
 
 THE 
 
 FAMOUS PHILOSOPHER. 
 
 IN FOUR PARTS. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 I. His Complete Master-Piece ; 
 difplaying the fecrets of Nature 
 in the Generation of Man. To 
 which is added, The Family 
 Physician ; being approved 
 remedies for the feveral dif- 
 tempers incident to the human 
 body. 
 
 II. His Experienced Midwife ; 
 abfolutely neceflary for Sur- 
 
 geons, Midwives, Nurfes, and 
 Child-bearing Women. 
 
 III. His Book of Problems, 
 containing various Queftions 
 and Aniwers, relative to the 
 ftate of Man's body. 
 
 IV. His Last Legacy ; unfold- 
 ing the Secrets of Nature re- 
 fpe&ing the Generation of 
 Man. 
 
 A NEW EDITION 
 
 LONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS, 
 
T O THE READER. 
 
 T 
 
 0 f'*y ^ at shiflotlc, the teamed author Of the following fvsets, 
 was reported to ie the mojt learned philofophcr in the IVorldy is no mute than 
 what every intelligent per fen already knows : nor can any think otherw'Je, 
 r U)ho will give tbemfelves time to confdtr that he was the fchtllar of Plato ( the 
 wifef philofopher of his time) and under wbem Arifloth profited fo much, that 
 he was chofen by king Philip of Macedon as the mojt worthy and proper perfen 
 in his dominions to be tutor of his fori Alexander, by whofe wife precepts and 
 erfo. ructions Alexander became majltr offo greet wifdom, judgment , prowefs, 
 and rvavr.aniwity , thai he jujhty obtained the title if the Great, Alexander 
 i.iprfelf was fo je>fb!e of the advantage he received from the inflruclions of fo 
 great a Stagitiit (for fo Arifotlc was called from the country of StagirOy 
 where he was born ) that he often declared, he was more beholden to his tutor 
 Arijhttp for the cultivation of his mind, than to his father Philip for the 
 kingdom of J\ lace don. 
 
 Though Arifotle applied himfelf to the in*efigaticn of the fecrets of nature^ 
 yet he was pleafed to Irivg into a fuller and more true light thofe fecrets with 
 refpetttothe generation of man. This hefyled bh Mafter-Picce ; and in this 
 he has made fo thorough a fearch, that he has as it we> c turned nature inftde out. 
 
 The divine -records afjure us, that the fecrets of nature have been the fludy 
 of divers illufrious pcrfons, equally renowned for wifdom and goodnefs ; the 
 Jirf of whom, fob, has made: it- fuffclently evident by that excellent philofo- 
 ph'mal accovnt he gives of the generation of man, in the tenth chapter of the 
 look which bears his name, where he fays^ ' Thine hands have made me, and 
 Jfafbicned me together round about : Thou haft povredme cut as milk and curdled 
 me lite iheefe : Thou hafl clothed me with fkin and f'fh y and hafl fenced me with 
 
 hones and f mews' David, one of the greabefl kings of Ifrael, whofe pie4y 
 
 wasfupcrior to his power, being peculiarly fyled a man after God's own heart, 
 foyt) in his divine foliloquHs to his Creator, * Thou hafl covered me in my 
 mother s tvemb / I will praije thee*, for I ctm fearfully and 'wonderfully made : 
 JUarvellous are thy works, and that my foul knowcth right well. Liy fub- 
 fa nee was Hot hid from thee when I was in fetret, and curicujly wrought in 
 the lotvefr parts of the earth : Thine eye did fee my fubfanee, yet being vnper- 
 feci; and in thy Lock all my members we'te written, which in continuance 
 were fifbicned, when as ftf there was none of 7 him* 
 
 Let the words of bcty Job and thofe of David $e put together, and I will 
 ffol fert/ple to affpm, that they make the mof accurate fyP em of phylofophy re- 
 jp'Ciing the generation of man tfjat has ever yet been penned ; therefore m^y 
 jl: : i4d net the :?iyft cries of nah fe be inquired into without cenfure, fnce y from 
 this inquiry ft much praije r (founds to the God of nature ! For, the more we 
 know of his a crks the more our hearts witl be inclined to praife him, as we 
 fee in the infance of l)avid trf'ove mentioned. 
 
 Hat the knowledge of the fecrets ef nature Ja too often abuftd by maiy per- 
 fonf, I readily grant; and think it very unfortunate that there Jhould be a 
 generation (f fuh piofigate perfons in the world ; hut at the famo time do 
 aver that this is no objecllon to the work. 
 
 Having faid thus much of the wonderful works of nature in the generation 
 of man, I (hall next proceed to give the reader the beft tranfatton pofftble of 
 th^t excellent trtatift of the rentrtvned Arilhtle, which he was filtafcd ' to (Ixlt 
 his MASTER-PIE OE. J 
 
 I cannot help ohfervittg, that baling met with a collection of approved re- 
 ceipts by the great Hipper rates, and thinking they would be very acceptable t§ 
 my readers, I have added the fame by way of jupplement, at the end of the 
 A J after- Piece, 
 
Ariftotle s Mafter-Piece. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 THE SECRETS OF NATURE DISPLAYED. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IT is ftrange to fee how things are flighted only becaofe they are 
 common, though in themfelves worthy of the mott ferious confed- 
 eration, this is the very Cafe of the fubje& I am now treating of. 
 What is more common than the begetting of children ? And what is 
 more wonderful than the plaftic power of nature, by which children 
 are formed. For tho' there is radicated in the very nature of all crea- 
 tures, a propenfion which leads them to produce the image of them* 
 ftlves, yet how thefe images are produced after thefe propenfions are 
 fatisfied, »* only known to thole who trace the feeret meanders 
 of nature in their private chambers, to thofe dark recefles of thi; 
 womb, where this embryo receives formation. The original of which 
 proceeds from the divine Command, increafc and multiply. The natural 
 inclination and propenfity of both fexes to each other, with the plait c; 
 power of nature, is only the energy of the firft blefiing, which to this, 
 (lav upholds the fpecies of mankind in the world. 
 
 Now fince phylofophy informs us, that N r fic teigfum, is one of the 
 firft leflbns a man ought to learn ; it cannot iurely be accounted an 
 ufelcfs piece of knowledge for a man to be acquainted with the caufe 
 of own being, or by what fecret power of nature it was, that co- 
 agulated milk (as a divine author calls it) came fo be fubftantiattd 
 into a human body. The explanation of this niyftery, and the uri- 
 folding the plaftic power of nature, in the fecrtt workings of genera- 
 tion and the formation of the feed of the womb, is the fubject. of the 
 following treadle; a fubject fo neceiTary to be known to the female 
 fex, that many for want of this knowledge have periflied with the 
 fruit of their womb alfo ; who, had they but underftood the lecrtts 
 o| generation, which are difpiayed in this t/eatife might have been 
 Ail! living. For the fake of fu ch. I have compiled this work, which 
 I have divided into two parts in the following manner. 
 
 lit, I will fliew that nature need not be afharned of her work ; 
 and give a particular description of the patfis or organs of generation 
 *n man, and afterwards ih v; oman j and then fnew the uie of thefe 
 parts m the act of coition ; and how positively nature has adapted 
 !hei» to the end for which ilie ordained them, 
 
 ^diy, I will point oat the prohibition or reftriction, that the Creator 
 of all things and Lord of nature has put upon man by the intUtution 
 of marriage, with the advantage it br ings to mankind. 
 
 ^dly, I Jhall fliew when either fex may enter into a married itatr, 
 and b^ fit to anfwer the end of die creation,. &c. 
 
4 
 
 ARiSTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 4 thly, 1 {half difcourfe of virginity, and therein {hew. what it is* 
 how it is known, by what means it may be loft, and how a perfon 
 may know that it is fo. 
 
 In the fecond part, which ehiefly relates to married women, and 
 the prefervation of the fruit of the Womb, for the propagation of 
 mankind to the world, I fliallihew, 
 
 ift, What conception is : what is pre-requifite thereunto : how a 
 woman may know when ihe hath conceived, and whether a boy or 
 
 sdiy, Shew how a woman that has conceived ougfct to order hcrfelf. 
 
 3<l!y, Shew what a woman ought to do that is near the time of her. 
 {U livery, and how fhe ought to be amfted. 
 
 4thly, I fliall fhew what are the obftrurftions of conception, and 
 therein difcourfe largely about bar i reun.ef&, and fhew what are the 
 caufes, and cure thereof, both in men and women. 
 
 jthly, Dirc(5l midwives how they could aflift women in the time 
 of their lying in, bringing feveral other material matters proper to be 
 fpoken of under each of thefe feveral heads ; which will fufficientljt 
 render this book what Ariftotle deGgned it, his Complete Master- 
 piece. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 A Particular Defcript ion of the Parts and Infrruments of Generation 
 both in Men and Women. 
 
 Section I. 
 
 Of the inftt vments of generation in men, %vitb a particular defcription thereof, 
 
 THOUGH the inftruments or parts of generation in all creatures, 
 with refpedt to their outward' form, are not perhaps the moft 
 comely ; yet, in compenfation of that, nature ha« put upon them a 
 more abundant and far greater honour than on other parts, in ordain- 
 ing them to be the means by which every fpeci«s of being is continued 
 from one generation to another. And therefore though a man or 
 woman were through the bouncy of nature, endowed with angelic, 
 countenances, and the moft exact fymmetry and proportion of parts 
 that concurred together to the making up of the moft perfect beauty, 
 yet, if they were defective, in the inftruroents of generation, they 
 would not for all their beauty, be acceptable to either of the other fex ; 
 becaufe they would be thereby rendered incapable of fatisfying the 
 natural propenfions which everyone finds in himfelf. And, therefore, 
 fwiceit is our duty to be acquainted with ourfelves, and to fearch out 
 th« wonders of God in nature, I need not make any apology for anaN 
 omizing thefeciet parts of generation. 
 
 The organ of generation in man, nature has placed obvious to the 
 fight, and is called the yard ; and becaufe hanging without the belly, 
 is C3lled thc penis, a pendente. It is in form long, round, and on the *" 
 upper fide flattifli, and confifts of fkin, tendons, veins, arteries, and 
 fwews, being feated under the OlTa Pubis, and ordained by nature for 
 a two fold work, viz. for the evacuating of urine, and conveying the 
 feed into the matrix. The urine which it evacuates is brought to it 
 through the neck of the Vcfica Urinaria?, and the feed which it con- 
 veys into the matrix, Is brought into it from the Vefictilae Semi nates, 
 put to be more particular, ■ * 
 
ARISTOTLE s MASTER- PIECE , 
 
 r Scfides the common parts, as the cuticle, the ikin and the Membra- 
 na Carnofa, it has feveral internal parts proper to it, of which num- 
 ber there are feven, viz. 
 
 The two nervous bodies ; the Sttptun ; the Urethra ; the Glands ; 
 the Mufcles ; and the Veilels : of each of thefe diftincxly, in the order 
 I have placed them : and, nrft, of 
 
 The two nervous bodies. Thefe are called To from their being fur- 
 rounded with a thick, white, nervous membrane, though their in- 
 ward fubftance is fpongy, as confiding principally of veins, arteries, 
 and nervous fibres, interwoven like a net. And nature has fo ordered 
 it, that when the nerves are filled with animal fpirits, and the arteriea 
 with hot and fpirituous blood, then the yard is diitended, and becomes 
 erect ; when the flux of the fpirit ceafes, when the blood and the 
 remaining fpirits are abforbed, or fucked up by the veins, and fo the 
 Penis becomes bmker and flaggy. 
 
 a. The Second internal part is the Steptun Lucidum, and this is m 
 Subftance white and nervous, or finewy ; and its office is to uphold 
 the two lateral or fide ligaments and tfie Urethra. 
 
 3. The third is the Urethra, which is only the channel by which 
 both the feed and urine are conveyed out; it is m fubftance foft and 
 loofe, thick and iinewy, like that of the fide ligaments. It begins at 
 the neck of the bladder, but fprings not from thence, only is joined 
 to it, and fo proceeds to the glands. It has three holes in the begin- 
 ning, the largeft whereof is in the midft, which receives the urine into 
 it: The other two are fmailer, receiving the feed from each feminal 
 veftU 
 
 4. The fourth is the Glands, which is at the end of tlie Penis, cover- 
 ed with a very thin membrane, by reafon of a Prxputium, or Forelkin, 
 which in fome covers the top of the yard quite clofe, in others not 5 
 an4 by its moving up and down in the ae~t of copulation brings 
 pleafureboth to the m»n and woman. The extreme part of this cover, 
 which I call Praeputium, and which is fo called a PvcLfutando, from 
 cutting ofT, as the Jews were commanded to cut it oft on the eighth 
 day. The ligament, by which it is. fattened to. the glands is called 
 Frcenum, or the bridle. . , 
 
 5. The fifth thing is the Mufclcs, and thefe are four in number, 
 two being placed on each fide. Thefe mufcies (which are inftru • 
 iRents of voluntary motion, and without which no part of the body 
 can move itfelf) confifts of .fibrous ftelh to make up their body ; of 
 nerves for the fenfe ; of veins for their vital heat ; and of a membrane 
 <>r ikin to knit them together, and to diftinguifh one mufcle from 
 the other, and all of them from the flefli. I have already faid there 
 are two of them on each rule ; and i now will add, that one on each 
 fide is fltorter and thicker, and that their ufe is to erect the yard, from 
 whence they have obtained the name of erectors. And having told 
 you that two of them are thicker and fhorter than the other, 1 need 
 not tell you that the other two are longer and thiner ; only I take 
 notice, that the office of the two iafl is to dilate (if you will) open the 
 lower part of the Urethra, both for making water, and voiding the 
 feed, and therefore are called Accelerators. 
 
 6. The lixth and }aft things are the veiTels, which confift of 
 Veins*, Nerves and Arteries ; of which Ibme pafs by the fkin ? and 
 Vtvifible to the eye, and others pafs more inwardly. For indeed the 
 
 &% 
 
6 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 Arteries are clifperfed through the body of the yard, much more thafi 
 the veins, and the difperfion is contrariwife, the tight artery being; 
 clifperfed to the left lide, and the left to the right : as for the two 
 nerves, the greater is bcftow#4 upon the mufcles and the body of the 
 yard, and the lefs upon the fkin. 
 
 What I have hitherto faid relates to the yard, properly fo called ; 
 but, becaufe there are feme appendices belonging thereto, which, 
 when wanted, render the yard of no ufe in the act of generation, it 
 will alfo be necefiary before I conclude the fection, to fay fomething 
 of them, I mean the ftones, or tefticles, fo called becaufe they tcftify 
 the perfon to be a man ; their number and place is obvious ; and as 
 to their ufe, in them the blood brought thither by the fpermatic arte- 
 ries is elaborated into feed. They have coats or coverings of two forts, 
 proper and common ; the common are two, and invert both the 
 teftes : the outermoft of the common coats, conlifts of the cuticula, 
 or true flcin, called Scrotum, hanging out of the abdomen, like a purfe: 
 the Membrana Carnofa is in the innermoft. The proper coats are 
 alfo two : the outer called Elithroidis or Vaginalis, the inner Albu- 
 giena ; into the outer are inferted the Cremafters : to the upper part 
 of the teftus are fixed the Epidermis, gr Paraftatae, from whence arife 
 the Vafa Deferentia, or Ejaculatoria : which when they approach 
 near the neck of the bladder, depolit the feed into the Siculse Semina- 
 ks, which are each or two or three of them, lik* a bunch of grapes, 
 and emit the feed into the urethra, in the act of copulation. Near 
 thofc are the Para flat a?, which are about the bignefs of a walnut, and 
 join to the neck of the bladder. Thefe afford an oily,fHppery and fait 
 humour, to bcfmeai the urethra, and thereby defend it from the ac- 
 rimony of the feed and urine. Bcfides thefe vefiels, by which the, 
 blood is conveyed to the teftes, or of which the feed is made, and the 
 arterial fpermatica^, there are alfo two; and fo likewife are the veins, 
 which carry out the remaining blood,which are called vens fpermaticar* 
 
 And thus thofe nobler parts we fee, 
 
 For futh the parts of generation be ; 
 
 And they that carefully furvey, will find 
 
 Each part is fitted for the ijfe defign'd ; 
 
 The pureft blood we find, if well we heed, 
 
 Is in the tefpelesturn'd into- feed ; 
 
 Which by mod proper channels is transmitted 
 
 Into the place by nature for it fitfled ; 
 
 With higheft fenfe of pleafure- to excite 
 
 In amorous combatants the more delight; 
 
 For in tliis work nature doth defign 
 
 Profit and pleafure in one act to ]o'm* 
 Section II. 
 Of the fccrtl parts in Women. 
 
 WOMAN, next toman, the nobleft piece of this creation is bone 
 of his bone, and flefli of his flefli, a fort of fecond fclf ; and, in 
 a married ftate, are accounted but one, as the poet fays, 
 Man and wife are but one right 
 Canonical hermaphrodite. 
 It is therefore thef .cret parts of that curious piece of nature that we 
 are to lay open, which we will do with; as much modefty as \\\& 
 conftft v/itb fpcaking in^iligibiy. - 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 The external parts commonly called Pudenda (from the {name- 
 facednefs that is in women to have them feen) are the lips of the 
 great orifice, which are vifible to the eye - r and in thofe that are grown, 
 are covered withhair, and have pretty ftoreof fpongy fat «. their ufe be- 
 ing to keep the internal parts from all annoyance by outward accidents. 
 
 Within thefe are the Nymphse, or wings, which prefent themfelves 
 to the eye when the lips are fevered, and eonlifts of foft and fpongy 
 flelli, and the doubling of the ikin placed at the fidgs of the neck, 
 they compafs the clitoris, and both in form and colour referable the 
 comb of a cock, looking frefli and red, and in the act of coition 
 receive the penis or yard betwixt them ; befides which they give paf- 
 fage both to the birth and urine. The ufe of the wings and knobs 
 like myrtle berries, (hutting the orifice and neck of the bladder, and 
 fey the fwelling up, caufe titilation and delight in thofe parts, and alfo 
 to ohftrtidfc the voluntary paffage of the urine. 
 
 The next thing is the ciitoris, which is a finewy and hard part of 
 the womb, replete with fpongy and black matter within, in the fame 
 manner, as the fide ligaments of the yard ; fufFers erection and falling; 
 in the fame manner, and both ftirs up luft and gives delight in copu- 
 lation, for without this, the fair fex neither delire nuptial embraces, 
 nor have pleafure in them, nor conceive by them ; and according to 
 the greatnefs or fmallnefs of this part, they are more or lefs fond of 
 men's embraces ; fo that it may properly be ftyled the feat of lufc. 
 Blowing the coals of thofe amorous fires, 
 Which youth and beauty to be cmench'd requires. 
 And it may well be filled fo,for it is like a yard in fituation, fubftance, 
 competition, and ereCtisn, growing fometimes out of the body two 
 inches, but that happens not bnt upon fo me extraordinary accident, 
 It confifts,as I have faid, of two fpongy and fkinny bodies, which 
 being a diftiacT: original, form theOs Pubis, the head of it being cover- 
 ed with a tender fkin, having a hole like the yard of a man, but not 
 thro', in which, and the bignefs of it, it only differs. 
 
 The next thing is the paffage of the urine,, which is under the 
 clitoris, and above, the neck of the womb, fo that the urine of a wo* 
 man conies not through the neck of the womb, neither is the paffage 
 common as in men, but particular, and by itfelf. This paffage opens it- 
 felf into the fiflure to evacuate the urine; for the fecuringof which 
 from ccld, or any other incoavenieney, there is one of the four ca- 
 runcles, or fkfhy knobs, placed befere «h, which fhuts up the palTage. 
 -^For thefe knobs, which are ii? number four, and in refemblance 
 like myrtle berries, are placed behind the wings before fpoken of, 
 quadr angularly, one againft the other. Thefe are round in virgins, 
 but hang flagging when virginity is loft. — 'Tis the uppermoO: of thefe 
 that nature has placed for the fecuring the urinary paffage from cold; 
 and which is therefore largeft and forked for that end. 
 
 The lips of the womb that next appear, cover the neck thereof, but 
 being feparated difclofe it ; and then two tilings are to be obferved, 
 and thefe are the neck itfelf, and the hymen, more properly caMed 
 the Clauftrum Virginale, which I fhall treat .more at large when I 
 come to (hew what virginity is. The neck of the womb, I call the 
 channel, is between the fore-mentioned knobs and the inner bone erf 
 the womb, which receives the man's yard like a fneatb ; and that it 
 snay be diiated with the more cafe and pleMuie ia.tlieac^ of coition, 
 
8 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 it isiincwy and a little fpongy ; and there being in this concavity di- 
 vers folds, or orbicular plates made by tunicles, which are wrinkled* 
 it forms an expanded rofb. that may be fecn in virgin*; but in thofe 
 that have ufed copulation, it comes by degrees to be extinguiihed 
 ib that the inner fide of the neck of the womb appears Imooth, and in 
 old women it becomes more hard and grilly. But though this chan- 
 nel be linking down, wreathed and crooked, yet it is otherwife in 
 the time of copulation ; as alio when women are under the monthly 
 purgation, or in labour, being then very much extended, which 'n 
 great caufe of their pains. 
 
 The Claufbum Virginal e, commonly called the Hymen* is that 
 which ciofeo the neck of the womb ; for between the duplicity of the 
 two tunicles which coniHtute the neck of the womb, there are many 
 veins and arteries running along that arife from the veffels of hotk 
 fides of the thighs, and fo pais into the neck of the womb, being very 
 large ; and the reafon thereof is, becaufe the neck of' the womb re- 
 quires to be filled with, abundance of fpirits to be diluted thereby, 
 that it may the better take hold of the_nenis,fuch emotions requiring 
 great heal, which being more intent by the ad: of fricYton, conlumes a 
 great deal of moifturc, in the fupplying of which targe vciTels are very 
 neceibtry : hence it is that the neck of the womb id women of reafoa- 
 able ftature, is eight inches in length. But there is alfo another caufc 
 of the largeneis of thefe veiTcis, becaufe tlieir monthly purgations 
 make their way through them : and though the womb be fhut up, 
 yet the paiTage in the neck of the womb, through which thefe veffels 
 pafs, is open. And therefore, as foon as you penetrate the pudendum, 
 there may be feen two little pits or hoies, and in which are contain-, 
 ed an humour, which, by l?emg preiTed out in the time of coition* 
 does greatly delight the fair fex. 
 
 I ihall, in the nest place, proceed to a description of the womb v 
 svfcichis the field of generation, without which nothing can be done. 
 The parts we have been fpeaking of being ordained by nature to con- 
 vey the feed to the womb, which being impregnated therewith, by 
 virtue of that plaftic power of nature, produces its own likenels. 
 
 The womb is ntuated in the lower parts of the hypegaftrion, being 
 joined to its ncc-k,and is placed between the bladder and tiise ftraight gut, 
 lb that it is kept from fwaying or rolling ; yet hath it* liberty to ftretch 
 and dilate itftlf, and alfo to contract itfe^f, according as nature in that 
 cafe difpofes it. It is of a round figure, fo mew hat Like a gourd ; lei-, 
 iening and growing more acute towards one end, being knit together 
 by its proper ligaments, and its neck joined by its own fuhftance, and. 
 certain membranes that fatten it to the Os Sacrum and the (hare bone. 
 It is very different, with refpect to its iargenefs in women, efpecially 
 between fuch as have had children, and thofe tbat have had none. It 
 is fo thick in fubflance that it exceeds a thumb's breadth ; and after 
 conception, augments to a greater proportion, and to ftrengtben it yet 
 more, it is interwoven with fibres ove* thwart, both ftraight and wind- 
 ing; and its proper ve fie U are veins, arteries and nerves; amongft 
 which are the two little veins which pafs from the fpermatic yefTels 
 to the bottom of the womb, and two bigger from tbe kypogaftrics, 
 touching both the bottom and neck, tbe mouth of thefie vein* piercuag 
 fo far as the inward concavity. 
 
 The won*b, befides what I have already mentioned* bath two w;er 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTEk-PIECB. 
 
 9 
 
 rics on bath fides the fpermatic veffels and the hypogaftxics, whipH' 
 •ftill accompany the veins, with fundry little nerves, knit and inter- 
 woven in the form of a net, which are alfo extended throughout, even 
 front the bottom to the pudenda themfelves, being lb placed chiefly for 
 the fenfe of pleafure, fympathetically moving from the head and 
 womb. 
 
 Here the reader ought to obferve, that two ligaments hanging on 
 either fide of the wofnb, from the fhare-bone, piercing through the 
 Peritonaeum 'and joining to the bone itfeif caufes che womb to be 
 moveable, whicn upon divers occafions either falls low or rifes ; the 
 neck of the womb is of a mod exquifite fenfe, fo that if it be at anf 
 time difordered, either with a fchirrofitv, too much hot moifturc, or 
 relaxation, the womb is fubject to barrennefs. In thofe that are near 
 their delivery, there ufuaily (lays a mod glutinous matter in the en- 
 trance, to facilitate the birth; for at that time the mouth of the womb' 
 is opened to a widenefs in proportion to* the bign:fs of the child. 
 
 Under the parts belonging to generation in women, are alfo cornpre* 
 hended the preparatory or fpermatic veffels-; the preparatory veffels 
 differ not in number from thofe in man, for they are Jikewife four, 
 two veffels and two arteries ; their rife and original k the fame as in 
 man, on the fide of them are two arteries which grow from them, dif- 
 fering only in their fize anel manner of infertioh, the right vein iffuing 
 from the trunk of the hollow vein, and the left from the emulgeot 
 vein ; and on the fids cf them are two arteries which grow from the 
 areata. Thefe preparatory veffels are fhorter in women than in naen, • 
 becaufe they have a ihortcr paffage, the ftones of a woman lying within 
 the belly, but thofe of a man without ; but to make amends for their 
 fhortnefs, they have far more Avrithings to and fro, in and 'out, than 
 they have in men, that fo the fubftance they carry may be the better 
 
 prepared ; neither arc they united as they are in men, before they 
 
 ccme to the ftones, but are divided into two branches, whereof the 
 greater only paffeth to the ftones, but. the leffcr to the fecundated egg, 
 and this is properly called conception. And then, fecondly, to cherifh 
 and nourifh it, fill nature has framed the child and brought it to per- 
 fection. Thirdly, It ftrongly operates in fending forth the birth, when 
 its appointed time is accomplished, there dilating itfclf in an extraor- 
 dinary manner ; and fo aptly removed from the fenfes, that no injury 
 accrues to it from thence, retaining in itfeif a ftrengtK and power to; 
 operate and caft forth the birth. 
 
 The ufe of the preparatory veffels is to convey the blood to the 
 tefticles, of which a part is fpent in the nourishment of them, and the s 
 production of thefe little bladders in all things refembling eg^,through - 
 which thevafa Praeparanta run, 3nd are obliterated; in them. This 
 conveyance of blood is by the arteries, but as for the veins, their office 
 is to bring back what blood remains from the fore-mentioned ufe." 
 
 The veffels of this kind are much fhorter in women than- men, by 
 reafon of their nearnefs to the tefticles ; and yet that defect: is more 
 than made good by the many intricate windings to which they are 
 fubject ; for in the middle way they divide themfelvcsSnto two branch- 
 es «f different magnitude ; for, one of them being bigger than the'otb* 
 £r, panes to the tefticles. 
 
 The tefticles in women are very ufeful ; for where they are defec-* 
 live, generation work is quite fp piled ; for though thefe littfe bladders * 
 
.1 6 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S MASTJE&-PIECE. 
 
 which are on their outward fuperflccs contain nothing of feed, as the 
 followers of Galen, &c. erroncoufly imagine, yet they contain fevcral 
 eggs (about the number of 20 in each tefbele) one of which being im- 
 pregnated by the mole i'prrituems part of the man's feed in the aCvf. of 
 coition, defcends through the oviducts into the womb, where it is 
 cherilhed till it becomes a live child. The figure of thefe Ovse or tsg$' 9 
 is not altogether round, but a little flat and deprefTed on the fides, 
 and in their lower part oval ; but where the blood vcflels enter them, 
 that is in the upper part, they are more plain, having but one mem- 
 brane about them that the heat may have more eafy accefs to the 
 womb, both to the nouriihment of itfelf and of the infant therein. 
 Let me further add, thefe fpermatic veins receive the arteri-es as they 
 pafs by the fide of the womb, and thereby make a mixture of the vital 
 and natural blood, that their work be more perfect. The deferen- 
 tia, or carrying veiTeis fpring from the lower part of the (tones, and 
 are in colour white, fubltance finewy, and pais not to the womb 
 ftraight, but wreathed ; they proceed from the womb in two part*, 
 refembling horns^ whence they are called the horns of the womb. 
 
 The flones of women are another part belonging to the inftruments 
 of generation ; for fuch things they alfo have as wtll as man, but 
 they are alfo differently placed : neither is their bignefs, temperament** 
 fubfiance, form, tvr covering the fame. As to their place, it is the 
 hollownefs of the abdomen, refting upon the mnfcles of the loins and 
 fo r,ot pendulous, as in man. And that they are fo placed is, that by 
 contracting the heat,, they may he the more fruitful, their ofhee be- 
 ing to contain the ovem, or e^g, which being impregnated by the feed 
 of the mac, is that from which the emhiyo is engendered. Thefe 
 flones differ alfo from men's in form ; for, though they arc 
 taiooth ifl men, they are uneven in women ; being alfo depreffed gr 
 fiattifh in them, though in men their form is w&>& fouo/l aad ovah 
 They have-aifo in women but uae fkin, m hereas in men they liave 
 •our, Nature living wifely contrived to fortify thofe moft againft the 
 injuries of the air, that are mofi expo-fed to it; the ftono of women 
 fX'ing wi.hin, hut thofe of men wlihout the belly- They differ alfo 
 in their ftbftance, being m.uch mere fan than thofe of men, and not 
 fo w-cli comjiacltd :. their bignefs and temperature differ, in thai they 
 are ieis and colder than thole of men. Some indeed will have their 
 Vie to be live fame as in men, hut that is for want of judgment ; for 
 Aristotle and Jrcotus bo*h affirm, that the women have no feed, and 
 that their ftone-r differ -alio in their ufe from thole of men ; their life 
 Wivtg as I have i»i ' eady fa^d, to contain chat egg which is iv be impreg- 
 nated by the feed of a man. 
 
 . U now remain?, that L fry fom-ethmg of the ejaculatory. ve.Tels 
 which have; two obfeure p oFagcs, one on either fcde, which m fub- 
 ftance differ nothing Uovz the fpermarie veins- They rh*; in one 
 fXWt from the bottom of the vomb, but not reaching frum the other 
 extremity, eitijjcT to the fioiies, or any other part are ihut up, and in- 
 capable, adhering to the womb, a:-, the colon doth to the blind- guf, 
 and winding haJf-wyy about . though the ftoncs are remote from them, 
 and touch the a* not., yet they are tied to them by certain membranes 
 iclembling the wings of a bat, through which certain veins and arte- 
 tie*, pafling from the end of the Clone*, may be fa-id he?e to have their 
 jpuCages, proceeding froa* i^hc cpn,icrs oi the- womb to the fce$9 
 
ARISTOTLE's MAStER-PIECE. 
 
 ■0 
 
 cles, and arc accounted the proper ligaments by which the tcfticles 
 and the v/omb are united and ftrongly knit together, 
 
 *77 i/j f&$ iv omen s fccreis J have furvcy'if, 
 And L't them fee huiv cu.r'ionjly they re made 9 
 And that, though tbety of JlJfitftJtt fixes be, 
 Yd on the ivholc they are the fame as rue, 
 Ft r thofe that have the fr'Uhfi fiarchers been., 
 Find ivomen arc but men turnd outftde in : 
 And men, if they but cajl their eye about, 
 May find they'' re ivomen %ulth their infide out. 
 
 Section III. 
 
 tjft/jj Ufiatid Aft ion of the. fiver, al Parts in Women appropriated to C*n* 
 
 trvtbon^ 
 
 I SHALL next take a furvey of the parts ®f * generation both in 
 men and in women, ami fliew the ufe and action of thefe parts in 
 the work of generation, which will excellently inform us that nature 
 has made nothing in vain. 
 
 The external parts in women Yprivities, or that which is moft obvi- 
 ous to the eye at firft, commonly called Pudendum, are dttigned by 
 nature to cover the great orifice, nature intending that oriiice to re- 
 ceive the Penis or yard in the a£fc of coition, and alfo to give paiTage 
 to the fcri-ne, and at the time of birth to the child. The ufe of the 
 wings or knobs, like myrtle berries, are for the fecurity of the inter- 
 nal part, by fhutting up the orifice ?wid neck of the bladder, alfo for* 
 delight and pleafure ; for by their fwelling up, they canfe titration 
 and delight in thofe parts, being prefTed by the man's yard. Theit 
 ufe is likewile to obftruct the involuntary paiThge of the urine. 
 
 The ufe and action of the clitoris in women is like that of the pen-is 
 or yard in men, that is, erecting its extreme end, being like that of 
 the glands in men, the feat of the greateft uleafere in the ad: of cop- 
 ulation,, fo is this of the clitoris in women, and therefore called the 
 fweetnefs of love awd the fury of vcriery. 
 
 The action and ufe of the netk of the womb, is the fame with that 
 of the Penis, that is, erection which is oceafioned fundry ways ; for, 
 Firft, in copulation it is erected and made ftraight for the pallage of 
 the Penis to the womK iSecondly, while the pafFage is replete with 
 the fpiiits and vital blood, it becomes more ftraight for embracing the 
 penis. And for the neceility of erection there is a two fold reafon ; 
 one is, that if the neck of the womb wa3 not erecled^he yard could 
 have no convenient paiTage to the womb. The other is, that it hin~ 
 cfcrs any hurt or damage that might enfue through the violent con- 
 cuilion of the yard, during the time of copulation. 
 
 Then, as to the veflels thzt pafs through the neck of the womb, 
 their office U to replcnifh it with blood and fpirits, that, fo as the 
 moifture eonfumfcs through the heat contracted in copulation, it may 
 ftill by thefe vefTete be renewed. But their chief buiiacfs is to con- 
 vey nutriment to the womb. 
 
 *Thws Nature nothing does in lain produce^ 
 JButfts each part for what's ks proper ufe i 
 And though of different fixes form d me be, 
 Tet htiuiat ihfi ihers is that unit v. 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 'Thai ive in nothing can a greater fnd, 
 Unlefs the foulihai V to the body join d ; 
 Andfure in this Dame Nature's in the right, 
 Ihe jlriclrji union yields the moft ddight. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the JRefriclion laid upon Men in the vfe of Carnal Copulation, by the in* 
 flitution a j Marriage, ivith the Advantage that it brings to Mankind and 
 the proper time for it. 
 
 THOUGH the great Architect of the world has been pleafed to 
 frame us of different fexes, and, for the propagation and con- 
 tinuation of mankind, has indulged us the mutual embraces of each 
 other, the defire whereof, by a powerful and fecret inftindt, is become 
 natural to us, yet he would leave them to the law of the Creator, who 
 has ordained that every man fhall have his own wife ; and, though, 
 fl.nce man, by finning again A- his Creator, hath fallen from his primi- 
 tive parity, and has multiplied wives and concubines, by which the 
 firft inftitution's violated, and the groffeft affront given to the Divine 
 Law-giver ; for the holy Jefus hath told us, That in the beginning 
 marriage was of one man to one woman : £o that as thefe conjugal 
 delights cannot be enjoyed but in a married ftate, fg neither, in that 
 ftate, can they lawfully be participated of with more than one wife. 
 And it is the breaking of this order that has filled the w r orld with 
 confufion and debauchery; has brought difeafes on the body, con- 
 fumption on cftates, and eternal ruin to the foul, if not repented of. 
 Let all. thofe, therefore," of either fex, that have a defire to enjoy the 
 delights of mutual embraces, take care that they do it in a married 
 ftate, with their own wives or hufbands, or elfe it will become a curfe 
 to them inftead of a blerling : And, to that end let them confider 
 what is due to the tranfgreffors of his law, who hath faid, Thou Jbalt 
 not iommit Adultery. Whatever is fpoken of the venereal pleafures, is 
 fpoken to thofe who have, or may have, a right thereunto, by being in 
 a married ftate. For, 
 
 Who to forbidden pleafures are inclined. 
 Will find at lafl they leave a fling behind* 
 Section II. 
 Of the Happinefs of the Married State. 
 Matrimony, in the prefent age, is looked upon as a moft infupport- 
 able yoke : Wives and hufbands are accounted the greateft clogs and 
 burthens to thofe who give up the reins to their unbridled appetites. 
 Notwithftanding the prefent mode of thinking is againft me, I doubt 
 not of making it appear that a married ftate is the moft happy condi- 
 tion, (where perfons are equally yoked) that is to be enjoyed on this 
 fide Heaven. 
 
 The author and inftitutor of marriage, and who firft brought man 
 and woman together, was no other than he that made them, even the 
 Great Lord of the univerfe, whofe wifdom being infinite, could not 
 but know what condition was good for us; and his goodnefs being 
 equal to his wifdom, fufficiently fliews the end of this inftitution was 
 the happinefs of the creature he had made ; and indeed man could not 
 be happy without it ; for he faw that it was not good that man ftiould 
 be alone, and therefore made a woman to complete his happinefs, 
 which was not perfect whilft he wanted fuch a help mate for him. 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 The time of the institution is alfo very'remarkaklc : for it was 
 whilft Adam £nd his new-made bride were elothed with all that vir- 
 gin purity and innocence with which they were created, before they 
 had entertained the leaft converfe with the temper, or had given way 
 to one difordered thought ; and yet could curioufly furvey the fever- 
 al incomparable beauties and perfections of each other without fin, 
 and knew not what it was to luft. It was at this time that the Cre- 
 ator united Adam in the holy bands of wedlock. 
 
 'Twas in paradife where the firfl match was made; and which 
 could fcarcely have been paradife without it ; for paradife is known 
 to be a place of pleafure, wherein they were furrounded %vith the 
 quintefTence of all delights; where there was nothing wanting that 
 might pleafe the eye, charm the ear, or gratify the tafte ; and yet Ad- 
 am was not happy with thefe pleafing fweets till he enjoyed his eve; 
 fo that it was a married ftate which completed his happinefs, and 
 which was a paradife of pleafure itfelf. 
 
 What an addition to happinefs a good wife makes ! fuch a one is 
 the beft companion in prafperity, and in adverftty the furefl: friend ; 
 liie greateft afftftance in hufinefs, the only lawful and comfortable 
 means by which he can have ifiue, and the great remedy againft in- 
 continence ; and if we believe king Solomon, The greateft honour 
 unto him that has her. For he tells us She is a croivn to her hvJbanU 
 Surely thefe are not finall advantages ! 
 
 If married perfons would be careful to do their refpeclive duties, 
 there would be but little complaining; nor would any condition in 
 life be fo agreeable as the married ftate. How much more fatisfac- 
 tion a man receives in the embraces of a loving wife, than in the 
 wanton dalliances of a deceitful harlot. 
 
 'Thus does this feci ion unto all relate 
 The plea fares that attend the married (late : 
 And foeivs it does Tv'rth innocence conjifl ; 
 And that fo many have thoft pleafures m?fs\l, 
 "Tis their own faulty they ivill no tvifcr kc y 
 As in this mirror they may plainly fee, 
 
 S E C T I 0 N III. 
 
 At *whai age yeung Men and Virgins are capable of carnal copulation ; and 
 ivhy they fo much dejire it. 
 
 I fliall in the prefent fettion, make it my bufmefs to fliew at whaf 
 age young men and virgins are capable of the marriage bed, which 
 becaufe fo many dehre before they attain to it, it will likewife be nee- 
 chary to fhew the caufe of their impetuous defires. 
 
 The inclination of virgins to marriage is to be known by many 
 fymptoms : for when they arrive at ripe age, which is about four- 
 teen or fifteen, their natural purgations begin to flow ; and then the 
 blood wh.ch no longer ferves for the increafe of their bodies, does, by 
 its abounding, ftir up their minds to venery : to which alfo exter- 
 ft cau , fes ma y incIte tnem. ^r their fpirits are brifk and inflamed 
 when they arrive at this age, and their bodies are often more heated 
 by the,r eating (harp .and fait things; and by fpices, by which their 
 dehre of venereal embraces becomes very great, and, at forme critical 
 inures alttofi importable. The ufc o£ thofe fo much defired 
 B 
 
•J4 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 enjoyments being denied to virgins, is often followed by very danger- : 
 ous, aucl ibmetimes difmal.confequences, precipitating them into thole 
 follies that may bring an indelible ftain on their families, or bring on 
 • themfelves the Green Sicknefs, or other difeafes. .But when they are . 
 married and thole defires fatislied by their huibanciF, thefe diitempersj 
 vanilh, and their beauty returns more gay and lively than before. 
 And this ftrong inclination of theirs may be known by their eager 
 gazing at men, and afleeling their company, which furncitntly demon- 
 Urates that nature excites them to delire coition. Nor is this the 
 cafe with virgins ^nly, but the fame may be obferved in young wid- 
 ows, who cannot ht Satisfied without that due benevolence which they 
 were wont to receive from their hufbands. 
 
 At fourteen years of age, commonly, the menfes begin to flow in 
 virgin? ; at which time they arc capable of conceiving, and therefore 
 nt for marriage : though it would be much better both for themfelves 
 and their children, if they would not marry till eighteen or twenty; 
 if they are healthy, of ftrong body, and life themfelves to temperance., 
 they may continue bearing till upwards of 50 though generally they 
 leave o\f between 4c and 50 ; for the menfes flow longer in fome 
 than in others : but when they ceafe, they ccafe bear ing. And there- 
 fore Sarah bearing Ifsac after it had ceafed to be with her according 
 to the cuftom of women, may be well termed miraculous. 
 
 As for male youth, when they arrive at r 6, or between that and 17 ; 
 having much vital ftrength, they may be capable of getting children ; 
 which ability, by the force and heat of procreating matter, conilantly 
 increafes till 45, 56, 65, and then begins to flag, the feed by degrees 
 •becoming unfruitful, the nature fpirits being extinguiihed, and the 
 heat dried up. Thus it is with them for the moil: part, but many 
 •times it falls out otherwise in particular inftances; as once in Sweden 
 a man was married at ico yeats old to a bride of 30, and had many 
 children by her ; but he was a man of fo hale a conftitution, and car- 
 ried his age fo well, that Grangers would not have guefled him at above 
 60. And in Campania, where the air is clear and temperate, it is u- 
 fual for men of 80 years .old to marry young virgins, and have chil- 
 dren by them : which (hews that age in man hinders not. procreation 
 ..unlefs they be exhausted in" their youth, and their yards fhrivelled up. 
 
 If any afk, why a woman is fooner barren than a man ? — let fuch 
 know that the natural heat, which is the caufe of generation, is more 
 predominant in men than women ; for the monthly purgations of 
 women fhew them to be more moid: than men, and fo does alfo the 
 foftnefs of their bodies. And the man exceeding her in native heat, 
 concocts the humours into proper aliment, by the benefit whereof 
 dthey are elaborated into feed : but woman though of a finer make, 
 jet not being fo ftrong as men, their faculties are thereby hindered ia 
 their operation. 
 
 T/jvs nature to her children is fo kind, 
 That early they thofe inclinations jind, 
 Which prompts them on to propagate the hind. 
 Hence "'tis a virgin her defires cant fmothtr t 
 But reftjllcfs is till Jhc be made a mother, 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER PIECE. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Virginity , what it is, how it may be known, by what means it may be 
 Uf, and how a per/on may Inoxu that it is fo. 
 Section I. 
 * Of Virginity, and wherein it cenffs. 
 
 HAVING treated of the defire young men and virgins have to- 
 mutual-embraces, and at what age they are fit for them; I have 
 alfo fiievvn that thofe pleafures are only lawful to be enjoyed in a* 
 married ftate ; and have alfo acquainted the reader with the advan- 
 tage of fuch a condition; But fincethe defires of many after mutual 
 embraces are fo impetuous that not having an opportunity to enter 
 iitto a married ftate, they have anticipated the pleafures of matrimo- 
 ny, and loft their virginity beforehand ; and yet, perhaps, have after- 
 wards pretended to bring their virginity to a marriage bed, by which 5 
 means many an honed man has been deceived, and meretricious 
 woman efcaped with impunity : and, on the other hand, fome virtuous - 
 young virgins, that have come fuch to their hufbands' beds, have been 
 accufed by the ignorance and credulity of their hufbatids, to have loft 
 their virginity before hand, when there has been no fuch matter ; 
 therefore to do right in this cafe to borji parties, my de%n in this 
 chapter is to mew what virginity is, and wherein it coafifts : how ma- 
 ny ways it may be loft, and how a man may know that it is fo or not : 
 that fo women may not be v\rongfully cenfured, or men irhpofed* 
 upon. 
 
 Virginity untouched and taintlefs, is the boaft and pride of the fair 
 * fex ; but they generally commend it to put it off; For, as good as it is, 
 jkthey care not how foon they arc honeftly rid of it. And I think 
 <Athey are in the right of it, for if kept it grows ufclefs. or at leaft lofes 
 fo much of its value ; a ftalt virgin (if fuch a thing the*e be) being 
 looked upon like an old almana.k, out of date. Bat to fpeak to 
 the purpofe, virginity is the chief, the prime, the beft of any thing, 
 and is properly the integrity of a -woman's privities, not violated by 
 man, cr not known by him : it bSmg the diftinguiilied chai acteriftic 
 of a virgin, that fhe has not known man. 
 
 To make this more plain, I muft here obferve, that there is in 
 maids, in the neck of the womb, a membraneous production called the. 
 Hymen, which is like the bud of a rofe half blown, and this is broken 
 in the firft act' of copulation with man: and hence comes the word 
 Dcforo, to deflower ; whence the taking of virgimty, is called deflow-" 
 ering of a virgin : for when the rofe bud is expanded, virginity is loft. 
 Certain it is, there is in the firft act of copulation fomething that causes 
 pain and bleeding ; which is an evident fign of virginity. But what 
 this is authors are not agreed on. Some fay it is a nervous membrane, 
 or thin fkin with fmalJ veins, that bleeds at the firft penetration of 
 the yard. Others fay it is the four caruncles, knobs, or little buds like 
 myrtle berries, which are plump and full in virgins, but hang loofe or 
 fiaggy in thofe who have ufed copulation, being preffed by the yard. 
 Some hive obferved the fleflvy circle about the Nymphs/or neck of 
 the womb, with little obfeure veins, which make the membrane not 
 " to be nervous but fleflvy. But fetting afide conjectures, the Hymen, 
 or Clauftrum Virginale, is a thin membrane interwoven with flefhy 
 fibres, and endowed with many little arteries and veins, fpread acrofs . 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER- flfiCE. 
 
 the paflage of the vagina, behind the infertion of the bladder, with * 
 hole in the midft for the menfes to flow, fo big that it will admit of 
 the top of one's little finger. This is that which is called the Zone, 
 or girdle of chaftity ; and where it is found in the form defcrihed, it 
 is a certain note of virginity ; but in the fhft a<5i of copulation it h 
 i;ccef?arily violated, and then it is generally accompanied with an ef- 
 fufion of blood, which blood is called the flower of virginity; and 
 v hen it is once broke it never clofes again. 
 
 Section II. 
 
 |n the former feci ion I have (hewn in what virginity cqnRfts, and 
 that it is Ic.T by the f rft penetration of the yard, which may be eafily 
 known by its being attended with an efluhon of blood upon the rup- 
 ture of the Hymenial membrane, or CUuftrum Virginale ; but I muft 
 do the fair lex this jufh'ce, to let the world know, that although where- 
 evcr this is found, it is an undoubted token of virginity, yet it will 
 net follow, that where this token is wanting, virginity is deflowered ; 
 lor the Hymen may be corroded by acrimonious and fretting humours 
 flowing through it with the menfes, or it may be. violated by the in- 
 vti lion or faking out of the uterus, or of the vagina or fheath, which 
 fometimes happens even to virgins ; or (which all virgins inould beware 
 of, for the prtfervation of their credit, and preventing of fufpicion) 
 pel haps the unwary bride has had her menfes but a day or two be- 
 fore, in which cafe both the Kymen and inner wrinkled membranes 
 of the vagina are flaggy, weak and relaxed, fo that no fuch rupture 
 or efTufion may happen. It were better therefore, that when virgins 
 are about to marry, they would fix their wedding-day at lcaft hx or 
 ftven days after the menfes have done flowing. 
 
 Eut further, nature hath given greater delires after enjoyment t® 
 fome than to others, and fuch, though they abftain from enjoyment, 
 yet fo great is their defire after it, that they may break the Hymen or 
 Glaufbum Virginale ; and fometimes it itches to that degree, that 
 they put in their finger, and fo break it. Sometimes the midwives 
 break it in the birth ; and fometimes it is done by floppage of urine, 
 coughing, violent (training, or fneezing ; fo that no bleeding at the 
 fir ft ptnetration of the hufband, is not always a fign of unchaftity, or 
 that another has been there before him, feeing that the Hymenial 
 membrane may be broke fo many other ways ; but where bleeding 
 does flow, it is an undeniable token that the perfnn was a virgin* and 
 never knew man before. And indeed, though the Hymen may be broke 
 all thefe ways mentioned, yet it fo rarely happens to be broke any oth- 
 cr way, that Leo Africanus makes mention of it as a general cuflonf 
 of the Africans at their weddings, that, the marriage ceremony being 
 over, the bride and bridegroom are fliut up in a chamber, while the 
 wedding dinner is preparing; an ancient woman frauds at the door to 
 receive from the bridegroom a flieet, having the bloody token of the 
 wife's virginity, which fhe fhews in triumph to all the guefls, and then 
 they feaft with joy ; but if there is no bloo4 feen, the bride is to be 
 fent home again to her friends with difgrace, and the difappointed 
 gueits go home without their dinner. 
 
 There are others that make the ftraightnefs of the privities a fign 
 of virginity, but this it a very uncertain rule ; for this depends much 
 
AfclSTO'TLE's MASTER PIECE. 
 
 l?pon the ags, habit of the body, and other circumftanccs. Bat, though 
 -women who have ufed carnal copulation, are not fo ftraight as vir- 
 gins, yet this cannot be a certain argument of virginity befcaufe the 
 privities may be made ftraight by the ufc of afltringent medicines. I 
 have heard of a courtezan, who though fhe had been married, gave 
 herfelf out to be a virgin, and by the help of a bath of comfry roots, 
 deceived thofe with whom fhe had to do. 
 
 Others judge of loft virginity, by milk in the breaft ; but fuch, per- 
 haps are ignorant that there is a twofold milk ; the one of virgins, 
 the other of fuch as have conceived cr brought forth children : that 
 cf virgins is a malady contrary to nature, made of blood from the 
 ivomb ; turned into milk by the faculty' of the breafts ; the other is'- 
 natural, where there is a child either in the woml>or born ; yet the 
 milk, though both are white, differs very much, both in refpect to the 
 blood, and diverfity of veins that bring it to the breads : and that of 
 virgins is thinner, lefs in quantity and not fo fweet : theref jre if vir- 
 gins happen to have fuch milk, they are not for that reafjn to be 
 reckoned unchafte. 
 
 Upon the whole, the fum of what I have faid upon this head of vir- 
 ginity terminates in this ; that when a man is married, and rinds the 
 tokens of his wife's virginity, upon thefirft act of copulation, he has 
 all the reafon in the world to believe her fuch : but if he finds them 
 not, he has not reafon to think her devirginated, if he finds her oth- 
 erwife fober and modeft ; feeing the Hymen may be broken fo many- 
 other ways, and yet the woman both chafle and virtuous. Only let 
 me caution virgins to take all imaginable care to keep their virgin 
 zone entire, that fo when they marry, they may be fuch as the great- 
 ~Ca;far wifhed his wife to be, not only without fault, but without fuf*- 
 picion alfo. 
 
 Thus have I virgin innocence furvey^d, 
 And Jheivd the difference betivixl ivife and maid 
 A *d that their chajlity they need net fear, 
 Whofe virgin token plainly doth appear. 
 Nor cevf ire thefe in whom they do not fo, 
 Unlefs the confrJry they plainly knoiv y 
 For they may yet unf "potted virgins lc y 
 Although their virgin tQle?u none cart fee, 
 
Ariftotle s Mafter-Piecc. 
 
 PART it 
 
 Thefccrcts of nature difplayedin the Production of Man, 
 CHAP, t 
 
 What conception is ; ivhat is pre-requifite thereunto ; honv a woman may hew. 
 whether Jhe hath conceived) and ivhether a boy or a girl. 
 Section I. 
 Of Conception , what it is, &c. 
 
 HAVING, in the fir ft part of this work, defcribed the inftruments 
 of generation in both fexes, and the ufe for which thoi'e inftru- 
 ments were intended by nature, I fliall, in the part before me pro- 
 ceed to {hew what conception is ; the figns and tokens thereof, and 
 what are the pre-requifites thereunto : for when once a woman has 
 conceived the work of generation is begun, time, with nature's help, 
 will perfect the work. 
 
 Now in conception, that which is fir fl: to be regarded, and without 
 which it cannot bej is the feed of the man, that being the active prin- 
 ciple, or efficient caufe of the fcetus, the matter of which is arterial 
 blood, and animal fpirits, which are elaborated into feed in the tefti- 
 cles, and from thence by proper veffels conveyed into the yard, and in 
 the act """bf copulation, it is injected or emitted into the womb. The 
 next thing is the paflive principle of the fcetus (for there muft be-both 
 in order to conception) and this is an ovum, or egg, impregnated by 
 the man's feed, or being conveyed to it, the womb clofes up, that no 
 air may enter therein, but the impregnated ovum may fwell into a foe- 
 tus. This is that which is truly and properly conception, and the pre- 
 requifites thereunto I fhall make the fubject of the next fection. 
 Section II. 
 Of the Pre-requifttes to Conception, 
 I have fliewn in the former fection, that there are two things to be 
 regarded chiefly in conception, to wit, the active and paflive principle. 
 This in part fhews, that difference of fexes is a pre-requifite to concep- 
 tion. So nature has ordained, there muft be a proper vehicle for the 
 active principle to be injected thereinto, and there muft alfo be a paf- 
 five principle to be impregnated thereby, fo the woman has no active 
 principle to impregnate, and therefore, without different fexes, there 
 can be no conception. 
 
 But th's is not all : for it is not enough that there be different fexes> 
 but thefe different fexes muft unite, and there muft be coition in order 
 to conception ; and it is coition, or the mutual embraces of both fex- 
 es, which nature has made fo defirabJe to each other ; which when 
 authorifed in the way that heaven has ordained, there is no need of 
 ravifhirg ; for the fair bride will quickly meet her bridegroom with 
 equal vigour. But fince in that there may be overdoing, and fuch er- 
 fors committed by their giving way to the impttuofity of their defires, 
 *s may be prejudicial to conception, it will not be amifs to give feme 
 directions to make xhh operation the more effectual 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 Section ITT, 
 
 A Word of Advise to both Sexes : or, Directions refpecling the Acl of Coition 
 or carnal Copulation, 
 
 Though there are fome that dclire not to have children, and yet arc- 
 hery fond of nocturnal embraces, to whom thefe directions will be no 
 way acceptable, becaufe it may probably produce thofe effects which 
 they had rather be without ; yet I doubt not but the generality of 
 both fexes, when in a married ftate have fuch a defire to produce the 
 fair image of themfelves, that nothing can be more welcome to their* 
 ■than thofe directions that may make their mutual embraces mod ef- 
 fectual to that end : and therefore let none think it ftrange that we 
 pretend to give directions for the promoting that which nature itfelf 
 teacheth all to perform; iince 'tis no folecifm for art to be a handmaid 
 to nature, and to aflift: her in her noblelt operations. Neither is it the 
 hare performing of that act which we here direct to, but the perform- 
 ing it fo as to make it conducive unto the work of generation. And 
 lince this act is the foundation of generation, and without which it 
 cannot be, fome care ought to be taken, and consequently, fome ad- 
 vice given how to perform it well : and therein I am fure the prov- 
 erb is on our fide, which tells us, that what is once well done, is twice 
 done. But yet what we fliall advance on this nice fubject, fhall be 
 offered with fuch caution, as not to give ofFence to the chafteft ear, nor 
 put the fair fex to the trouble of blulTiing. What I fliall offer will 
 confift of two parts. Firit, fomet^ing previous to it ; and fecondly, 
 fomething confequential to it. 
 
 For the firfl, when married perfons defign to follow the propenfions 
 of nature for the production of the fair image of themfelves, let every 
 thing that locks like care and bulinefs be baniihed from their thoughts, 
 for ail fuch things are enemies to Venus ; and let their animal and vi- 
 tal fpirits be powerfully exhilerated by fome brink and generous res- 
 toratives ; and let them, to invigorate their fancies, furvey the lovely 
 beauties of each other, and bear the bright ideas of them in their 
 minds : and if it happens, that inflead of beauty there is any thing tl>at 
 looks like imperfection or deformity (for nature is not alike bountiful 
 to all) let them be" covered over with a veil of darknefs,and oblivion. 
 And fmce the utmoft intention of defire is required in this act, it may 
 not be amifs for the bridegroom for the more eager heightening of this 
 joy, to delineate the fcene of their approaching happiaefs to his fail* 
 languifbing bride, in fome fuch amorous rapture as this. 
 
 Ifovy my fair bride, nn*w ivill I form the mint 
 Of love and joy, and rife all that's int. 
 JN'on) my infranchis'd hand on etfry fide. 
 Shall otr thy naked polijh'd ittory fidf. 
 Freely fall now my longing eyes behold, 
 Thy bared fnoiv, and thy undra* ned gold : 
 JVor curtain noiv, thovgh of tranfparent lawn, 
 Shall be before thy 'virgin treafure draivn* 
 I ivill enjoy thee noiv, my fairy? ; come t 
 
 And fy with me to love's elyftunr, , 
 Xtty / udder ivitb thy hold hand, like a trycl 
 And jkilful pil. t, ihw-jbalt feer and guidc^ 
 
AWSTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 T'/Ty lar& in love's d^rl channel, inhere ttjha.ll 
 Dance, as the hounding naves do rife and Jail ; 
 Wh'tlJl my tall pinnace in the Cyprian Jit eighty 
 PJdss fafe Mt anchor, and unlades the freight. 
 
 Having by thefe, and other amorous acts (.which love can better dic- 
 tate than my pen) wound up your fancies to the higheft ardour and 
 delires, Perform thofe rites nature atd love rsqulr s, 
 
 Till y ov have quencVd each others am*rous fr?s. 
 
 When the act of coition is over, and the- bridegroom has done what 
 nature prompted him to do, he ought to take care not to withdraw 
 too precipitately from the field* of love, left he fhould, by fo doing, let 
 the cold into the womb, which might be of dangerous confequence. 
 But when be has given time for the matrix to clofe up, he may with- 
 draw, and leave the bride to her repofe, which ought to be with all 
 the calmnefs poflible, betaking herfclf to reft on the right Cde, and not 
 removing without great cccafion, till fhc has taken her firft fieep.' 
 Coughing and fneezing, if poffible lliculd be avoided, or any thing that 
 agitates or caufes a motion of the body. Thefe amorous engagements 
 fhculd not be often repeated till the conception is confirmed. And it 
 nay not be amils to remind the bridegroom, that the fair lafts all the 
 year, and that he fhould be careful not to fpend his flock Iavifhly, as 
 women, in general, are better pleafed in* having a thing once well done, 
 than often ill done. 
 
 Section IV. Hoiv a Won: an may hnoiv ivhen Jhe has conceived. 
 
 After the means made ufe of in order to conception, according to the 
 directions given before, there is reafon to expect that conception 
 fboiild follow : but as things do not always fucceed according to defire, 
 f:> therefore conception does not always follow upon coition. For there 
 are many women, efpecially thofe newly married, who know not 
 whether they have conceived or not, after coition ; which, if they 
 were aMured of, they might and would avoid feveral inconveniencies 
 which they n@w run upon. For, when after conception a woman 
 f nds an alteration in herfelf, and yet knows not from whence it arifes, 
 fhe is apt to run to the doctor, and inquire of him what is the matter, 
 who not knowing that Hie is with child, gives her a ftrong potion, 
 which certainly deftroys the conception. There are others, who out 
 of foolifii bafliful coynefs, though they know that they have c mceived, 
 yet will not confefs it, that they may be inftructed how to order them- 
 felves accordingly. Thofe that are coy may team in time to be wife ; 
 and for the fake of thofe that are ignorant, I jfhall fet down the figns 
 of conception that women may know thereby, whether they have con- 
 ceived or not. 
 
 If a woman hath conceived, the vein under her eye will be fwelled, 
 f e* under the lower eyelid, the vein in the eyes appearing cle rly, and 
 the eyes fomething difcoloured ; if the woman hath not her terms up- 
 on her, nor hath watched the night before, there is a certain fign of 
 1 er having conceived ; and this appears- moil plainly juft upon the 
 conception, and holds for the firft two months after. 
 
 Stop the urine of the woman clofe in a glafs or bottle three days, at. 
 the expiration of which time ftrain it through a linen rag ; if you per- 
 ceive finall living creatures in it, you may inftantly conclude that (he 
 hath conceived ; for the urine, v. hich was before part ©f her cwd- 
 fiibfbmce, will be generative as well as its miftre/s, . 
 
ARtSTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 at 
 
 A coldnefs rind chilnefs of the outward parts after copulation, (hews 
 a woman to have conceived, the heat being retired to make the con- 
 ception ; and then the veins of the breads are more clearly feen than 
 they were before. The tops of the nipples look redder than formerly •. 
 the body is weakened, and che face difcoloured, the belly waxeth very 
 fat, becaufa the w«mb clofeth itfelf together tonouriih and cherifli the 
 feed. If ihe drinks cold water a coldnefs is felt in the breaft; {lie has 
 alfo lofs of appetite, four bclchings, and exceeding weaknefs of the 
 ftomach ; the breads begin to fwell,and wax bard, not without pain 
 or fcrentfs ; wringing or griping pains iikcthe cramp, happens in the 
 belly above the navel ; alio divers appetites and longings are engen- 
 dered. The veins of the eves are alfo clearly fcen, and the eyes feem 
 fomcthing difcoloured, as a looking glafs will fhew. The excrements 
 of the guts are voided painfully, becaufe the womb fvyelling, thrufteth 
 the right gut together: likewife let her take' a green nettle a.nd put it 
 into her . urine, cover it clofely, and let it remain ail night : if flic is 
 wich child it will be full of red fpots on the next morning, if ihe is 
 not with child it will be blackiih. 
 
 By thefe experiments, fome of which never fail, a woman may know 
 •whether fhe hath conceived or not, and to -regulate hcriclf according- 
 ly. For, 
 
 When ivimen once ivhh child 'conceived are, 
 Tbey of tbetnf elves JbouU take efpaial care, 
 
 Section V. 
 
 How to knew whether a Woman be conceived of a male or female child. 
 
 In the prefent feet ion I (liall endeavour to gratify the curiofity of 
 many perfons who arc very defirous to know whetner they are con- 
 ceived of a male or female. For the fatUfa&ion of fuch, I fliaU give 
 the lign of a male child being conceived, and the reverfe thereof that 
 of a female. 
 
 It is then a fign of a male child, when the woman feels It flrfl on the 
 right iide ; for male children lie always on that fide of the womb, the 
 woman alfo when riling from her chair, doth foone.r day herfelf upon 1 
 the right hand than on the left. Alfo the belly lies rounder and high- 
 er than when it is a female. The colour of the woman it not fo lwar» 
 thy, but more clear than when it is a girl. The right lide is likewife 
 more plump and harder than the left, the right nipple redder. She • 
 likewife breeds a boy eafier and with lefs pain than a girl, and car- 
 ries her burthen not fo heavily, but is more nimble and fUrring. 
 
 I will only, as to this, add the following experiments, which I nevei* 
 knew fad. If the circle under the woman's eyes, which is of a warv 
 blue colour, be more apparent under the right eye, and that mofr. dif- 
 coloured, flie is with chiid of a boy ; if the mark be moft apparent in 
 her left eye, ilie is with child of a girl. The other is, let her drop a 
 drop of her milk in a bafon of fair water, if it finks to the bottom as it 
 drops in, round in a drop, it is a girl fhe is w ith child of ; lot if it be 
 a boy it will fpread and fwim at top. This I have often tried, and k 
 never failed. 
 
 For whether male, cr female child it be 
 Xou have conceived) by thefe rules you 11 fie* 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 C H A p. n. 
 
 Sec. I. Hciv a Woman Jhould order her f elf in order to conception. 
 
 I AM very well fatisfied that many women defired copulation, not 
 from any delight or fatisfartion they take therein, more than as it 
 is the means sppointed by Kim, that bids us increafe and multiply, 
 for the obtaining of children, and the propagation of mankind. And 
 t hough feveral make ufe of coition to obtain that end, yet we find by 
 experience, that in many, it does not fucceed, beeaufe they order not 
 thcmfelvcc as they ought to do ; for, though it mu ft be granted, that 
 rill our endeavours depend upon the divine blelTmg, yet if we are 
 wanting in my thing to ourfelves, how can we expert that bleffing to 
 fuccecd our endeavours ? My bufir.efs therefore in this fertion fliall 
 be to {hew how women that defire to have children fhould order 
 themfelves. 
 
 JFirfr, women that are dedrous to have children^ mull; in order there- 
 unto, give themfelves to moderate exercife : for want of exercife', and' 
 idlenefs, are very great enemies to the work of generation, and in- 
 deed are enemies both to foul and body. "Thole that fhall give them- 
 felves the trouble to obferre it, will find thofe city dames that live 
 high, and do nothing, ft Mom have children, or if they have, they fei- 
 dom live ; whereas, thofe poor women that accuftom themfelves to la- 
 bour, have many children, and thofe ftrong and lufty. Nor need we 
 wonder at it, if we conilder the benefit that comes by a moderate ex- 
 ercife and labour ; for it opens the pores, quickens the fpirits, ftira up 
 the natural heat, ftrengthens the body, fenfes, and fpirits, comforts the 
 limbs, and helps nature in all her exercifes, of which procreation-of 
 children is none of the leauY 
 
 Secondly, women in order to conception, fhould avoid all manner 
 cf difcontent, and the occafion of it ; for difconfent is a great enemy 
 to conception, and it fo difpirits either man or woman, that it hinders 
 them from putting forth that vigour, which ought to be exerted in 
 the art of coitrom When on the contrary, content and fatisfartion 
 of mind dilate the heart and arteries, whereby the vital blood and 
 fpirits are freely difrributed throughout the body ; and thence arife 
 fuch atTertions as pleafe, recreate and refrefb the nature of man, as 
 hope, joy, love, gladnefs, and mirth Nor does it only comfort ?nd 
 ft'rengthen the body, but alfo the operation and imagination of the 
 mind : which is fo much the more neceilary : in fo much the imagin- 
 ation of the mother' works forcibly upon the conception of the child. 
 Women therefore, ought to take great care that their imagination be 
 pure and clear, that their child may be well formed. 
 
 Thirdly, women ought to take care to keep the womb in good or- 
 cler : and to fee that the menfes come down as they ought to do, for 
 if they are difcoloured, they are out of order. But if the blood comes 
 down pure, then the- woman will be very prone to conceive with 
 child, cfpecially if they ufe copulation in two or three days after the 
 monthly terms arj flayed. 
 
 Fourthly, a Woman that would conceive fhould obferve that fhe 
 does not ufe the art of coition too often ; for fatiety gluts the womb, 
 and renders it unfit for its ofKce. There are two things demonftrate 
 this ; /. e. that common whores (who often ufe copulation) have 
 a$vcr, or very rarely any children : for the grafs fcldom grows in a 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 path that is commonly trodden in. The other is, that women, whole 
 liufbands have been long abfent do, after copulation with them again 
 conceive very quickly. 
 
 Fifthly, care fhould be taken that the time of copulation be con- 
 venient, that there may be no fear of furprizc for fear hinders con- 
 ception. And then it were the belt alio that the deftre of copulation 
 be natural, and not ftirred up by provocation ; and if it be natural, 
 the greater the woman's defire of copulation is, the more likely fhe is 
 to conceive. 
 
 I will ad4.no more, but what fome authors report, that a loadftone 
 carried about a woman, not only caufeth conception, but concord be- 
 tween man and wife ; if it be true, I would have no married woman go 
 without one, both for her own and hufband's quiet. 
 
 Let all the fair, ioho would have children from 
 
 'Their foft embraces, read what's here laid down ; 
 
 Thofe that to exercife the?nfelves incline, 
 
 And in their love to be content defgn, 
 
 Who have their monthly terms in order jfew ; 
 
 And regulate them if they do not fo ; 
 
 That love's embraces moderately ufe, 
 
 And to enjoy them a ft feafon chufe ; 
 
 Thcfe may, content ivith what they've done remain^ 
 
 And need not fear their nvifbes to obtain. 
 
 Sect. II. What a woman ovght to obfrve after conception. 
 
 After a woman has conceived, or has reafon to think fo, fhe ought 
 •to be very careful of herfelf left fhe fhould do any thing that might 
 hinder nature in her conception. For in the firfr. two months after 
 conception women are very fubjecl: to mifcarriages, becaufe then the 
 ligaments are weak and foon broken. . To prevent this, let the woman 
 every morning drink a draught of fage ale, and it will do her abun- 
 dance of good. And if figns of abortion or mifcarriage appear, let 
 her lay atoaft dipped in tent (in cafe mufcadel cannot be gotten) to 
 the navel, for this is very good. Or, let her take a little green tanfy, 
 and having bruifed it, fprinkle it with mufcadel, and apply to the na- 
 vel, and flie will find it much better. Alfo tea infufed in ale, like 
 fage ale, and a draught drank every morning, is mod; excellent for 
 fuch women as are fubjeel; to mifcarriages. Alfo take juice of tanfy, 
 clarify it, and boil it up into a fyrup, with twice its weight in fugar, 
 and let a woman take a fpoonful or two of it in fuch cafes, and it 
 will be an excellent prefervative againft mifcarriages. Alfo, if fhe 
 can, let her be where the air is temperate. Let her ileep be mode- 
 rate ; let her r alfo avoid all watching and immoderate exercife, as alfo 
 difturbing paflions, loud clamours, and filthy fmells ; and let her ab- 
 ftain from all things which may provoke either urine or the courfes, 
 and alfo from all fliarp and windy meats ; and let a moderate diet be 
 obferved. If the excrements of the guts be retained, lenify the belly 
 with clyfters made of the deco&ion of mallows and violets, with fugar 
 and common oil ; or make broth of borage, burglofs, beets, mallows, 
 and take therein a little manna ; but on the contrary, if fhe be troub- 
 led with a loofenefs of the belly, l^t it not be flopped without the judg- 
 ment of a phyfician ; for that matter all uterine fluxes have a malignant 
 quality, and muft be evacuated and removed before the (lux Ue ftayed. 
 
24 
 
 .ARISTOT\LE-s MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 JIoiv the Child licthy and hoiv it groivcth up in the nwmb of the JMother after 
 
 conception. 
 
 Section I. 
 
 Ho'iV the Child is formed in the Womb after Conception, 
 
 AS to the formation of the child, it is to he noted ; that after coi- 
 tion, the feed lies warm in the womb for fix days -without any 
 vifihle alteration, only the womb clofes up itfelf to prevent its iffuing 
 forth again, and for the fecuring jt from any cold : and all this time 
 it looks like butter, or coagulated milk. And it would be necerTary 
 for her who has conceived, to forbear the embraces of her hufband all 
 this time, left the conception fhculd be fpoiled. In three days after, 
 it is altered from the quality of thick milk or butter, and becomes 
 blood, or at lead refembles it in colour; nature having now begun to 
 work upon it ; in the next fix days following, that blood begins to be 
 united into one body, grows hard and becomes a little quantity, and 
 to appear a round lump. And, as in the firft creation the earth was 
 void, and without form, fo in this creating work of divine power in 
 the womb ; in this fhapelefs embryo lies the firft mafs. Eut in two 
 days after the principal members are formed by the plaftic power of 
 nature, and thefe principal members are four in number, viz. The 
 heart, the brain, the liver, and the tefticles, or floncs. Three days 
 after the other members are formed, and are diftinguiihed from the 
 fhoulders to theknecF,and the heart, liver and flones, with their ap- 
 purtenances, do grow bigger and bigger. Four days after that, the 
 fcveral members of the whole body appear, and as nature requires, 
 they conjunctly and feve rally do receive their perfection. And fo in 
 the appointed time, the whole creation hath that elTence which it 
 cught to have in the perfection of it, receiving from God a living foul, 
 therewith putting in its noflxils the breath of life. Thus I have fhewn 
 ihe whole operation of nature in the formation of the child in the 
 womb, according to the energy given it by the Divine Creator, Maker, 
 and upholder of all things both in heaven and earth. 
 
 Ey feme others more briefly, but to the fame purpofe, the forming 
 r.f the child in the womb of its mother is thus defcribed : three days 
 in the milk, three in the blood, twelve days from the flelh, and eigh- 
 teen the members, and forty days afterwards the child is infpired 
 with life, being endowed with an immortal living foul. 
 
 Section II. 
 
 Of the mannA nf the Child's lying in the Womb from the Conception to ihe 
 
 Birth. 
 
 ^ome now to fliew in what manner the child lieth in the womb of 
 its mother, whilft it is confined in the dark recefies ; firft giving the 
 reader the teftimony of two or three of the moft learned on this head. 
 
 The learned Hippocrates affirms, that the child, as he is placed in 
 the womb, hath his hands upon his knees, and his head bent to his 
 feet ; fo that he lies round together, his hands upon his knees, and his 
 face between them ; fo that each eye touches each thumb, and his nofe 
 betwixt his knees. And of the fame opinion in this matter was Bar- 
 tholonius the younger. Columbus is of opinion that the figure of the 
 ci^ild in the woipb is round, the right arm l>ov ed, the fingers thereof 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 ^5 
 
 tinder the ear above the neck, and the head bowed, fo that the chin 
 toucheth the hrcaft, the left arm bowed above both breafi: and face, 
 and propped up by the bending of the right elbow : the legs are lift- 
 ed upwards, the right of which is fo lifted up, that the thigh toucheth 
 the belly, the knees the navel ; the heel toucheth the left buttock, 
 and the foot is turned back, and covereth the fecrets ; the left thigh 
 toucheth the belly, the knees the navel, the heel toucheth the left but- 
 tock, and the foot is turned back, and covereth the fecrets; the left thigh 
 toucheth the belly, and the leg lifted up to the breaft, the back lying 
 outwards. 
 
 Thus the reader may fee how authors differ herein : but this ought 
 to be noted, that the different pofitions which the child hath been feen 
 in, hath given occafion to the different opinions of authors. For 
 when the woman is young with child, the embryo is always found of 
 a round figure, a little oblong, having the fpine moderately turned in- 
 wards, the thighs folded, and a little raifed, to which the legs are join- 
 ed, that the heels touch the buttocks, the arms bending, and the 
 hands pliced upon the knees, towards which the head is inclining 
 forwards fo that the chin touches the breafi ; the fpine of the back is 
 at that time placed towards the mother's, the head uppermoft, the 
 hands forwards, and the feet downwards, and proportionable to its 
 growth it extends its members by little and little, which were exactly 
 formed in the firffc month. In this pofture it ufually keeps till the 
 feventh or eighth month, and then by a natural propenfity anddifpo- 
 fition of the upper parts of the body the head is turned downward* 
 toward the inward orifice of the womb, tumbling as it were over its 
 head ; fo that the feet are uppermoft, and the face towards the moth- 
 er's great gut. And this turning of the infant in this manner with hi* 
 head downwards towards the latter end of a woman's reckoning is fo 
 ordered of nature, that it may be the better difpofed for the birth, 
 ^he knowledge of thefe things being fo effentiai to the practice of a 
 m idwife, I could not omit them. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the Olftuttiont of Conception; ivith the Caufe and Cure of Barrennefs, 
 and the Signs of Infufficiency loth in Men and Women. 
 
 BEFORE I proceed any further, it is highly neceflary that I treat 
 of the obftruclions of conception, which naturally leads me to 
 treat of barrennefs, the great obftruetion of conception/ 
 
 Section I. Of barrennefs. 
 ^ Barrennefs is a natural and accidental defecx, which hinders concep- 
 tion : for that which hinders conception caufeth barrennefs. There 
 sre feveral caufes why conception may be hindered; as too much heat 
 or cold dries up the feed, and makes it corrupt ; this extinguifhing the 
 life of the feed, and that making it waterifh, and unfit for generation. 
 It may be caufed alfo by the ftoppage or overflowing of the courfes' 
 and by f welling ulcers, or inflammations of the womb, or by an excref- 
 cence of flefh growing about the mouth of the matrix, whereby the 
 feed is hindered from being injected into the womb ; and want of love 
 <n the perfons copulating may alfo hinder conception, as is apparent 
 from thofe women that are deflowered againft their will : no concep- 
 tion following any forced copulation. 
 And here let me caution parents againft one tiling that often cauf- 
 C 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 €th harrennefs, which might eafdy be prevented ; and thai is, againft 
 letting virgins blood in their arm before their courfes come down ; 
 thefe come down in virgins ufually in the 14th year of their age, fel- 
 dom before the 13th, but never before the 12th. Now, becaufe ufual-. 
 ij a young virgin is out of crder before they firft break down, the 
 mother goes with her to the doctor, who finding that fulnefs of blood 
 is the occalion of her illnefs, orders her .to be let blood in the arm ; 
 upon which me becomes well for a time, the fuperfluous blood being 
 taken away; and this remedy which is worfe than thedifeafe, being 
 repeated four or five times, the blood comes not down at all to the 
 •womb, as it doth in other women, but dries up, and is for ever bar- 
 ren ; whereas, had Hie been let blood in the foot, it would have 
 brought the blood downwards, and £0 have provoked the terms, and 
 prevented mifchief. 
 
 Another caufe of barrennefs is, for want of convenient moderate 
 quality, which the woman ought to have with the man ; as, if he he 
 hot, me muff, be cold ; if he be dry, me moid : but if they both are 
 dry, or both of a moiffc conftitution, they cannot propagate, though in 
 this cafe neither of them may be barren, fmgly confidercd ; for he or 
 fire though now as barren as the barren fig tree, yet joined, with an 
 apt conftitution, may become a?, fruitful as the vine. 
 
 Another caufe of barrennefs may be the difufe of copulation ; for 
 fome there are of that frigid coni'lit ution, that they either ufe not the 
 means at all, or elfe perform it with fo much languor and coldncfs 
 that it is not likely it jfhould prove efficacious ; for the act of coition 
 £hould be performed with the grcateft ardour and intenfenefs of defire 
 imaginable, or elfe they may as well let it alone; a frigid difpofition 
 being the effect, of a cold diitemper, and miift be cured by fuch things 
 as heat and nourifh. For, 
 
 Without g^od d ink and feeding high 
 Vcfires of Vsm's fofln iviildie. 
 
 Such therefore ought to feed Upon cock ftonea and .Iamb- ftones, 
 fparrows, partridges, quails, and pheafant's eggs, for 'tis an infallible 
 aphorifm in phyfick, that whatfecver anv creature is extremely addict- 
 ed to, they operate to the fame end by their mutual virtue in the man 
 that eats them. Therefore partridges, quails, fparrows, &c. being ex- 
 tremely addicted to venery, they work the fame effect in thofe who 
 eat them : and this likewiie is worthy to be noted, that in what part 
 of the body the faculty is ftrong, as a medicine: as for inftance, the 
 virtus procreativus lies in the tefticles ; therefore cock ftorcs, &c. are 
 medicinal in this difkniper. Let fuch perfons alfo eat fuch food as is 
 very nourifliing, as parfnips, alifanders, fkirfts, and pine nuts ; and let 
 them take a dram of diafatryon in an electuary every morning. The 
 ftones of a fox dried to powder, a dram taken every morning in tent, 
 is alfo very g<x>d in this cafe ; and fo alfo is a drjan of falyrion root 
 taken in like manner. 
 
 Section II. 
 
 Of the Signs of Tnfnjfcicncy in 2[<fen ; and Bcrrcnvcf in IVomcn. 
 After married people have lived long together, and both fecm like- 
 ly, and yet neither of them have children, there oftt-i arifes difcontent 
 between them, and both are troubled hecaufe they know not en what 
 fide the fault is. And though authors -have left feveral ways to know 
 tarhtther the man or vvonun be defective, yet becaufd cannot coiu- 
 
ARISTOTLE s MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 cide in their judgments, I flsall pafs them by in filence, and rather lay 
 down a few rules that may he depended upon, than many that are 
 uncertain. But I muft firft premife, that women are fubjedtto many 
 infirmities more than men, that the caufe of barrennefs is oftener on 
 their fide than the man's, For, if the man has the infhument of gen- 
 eration perfect, being in health, and keeping a regular and tempe*aPe 
 diet and exercife, I know no accidental caufe of barrennefs in him : 
 whereas the caufe of barrennefs in a woman lies in her womb, and the 
 infirmities incident thereunto; fome of which are flopping of the 
 menftrua, or their overflowing ; as alfo the falling out thereof, and the 
 inflammation, windinefs, heat, and drynefs thereof, for each of which 
 we will prefcribe proper cures. 
 But to be more particular. 
 
 If a man or woman, in whom the inflruments of generation appear 
 no ways defective, would know whether the caufe of barrennefs be in 
 themfelves or their bed-fellow, let them take a handful of barley, or 
 any other corn that will grow quickly, and fteep half of it in the urine 
 of a man and the other half in the urine of a woman, during the fpace 
 of 24 hours. Then take it out, and fet it, the man's by itfelf, and th^ 
 woman's by itfelf in a flower pot, or fomething elfe, where you may 
 keep them dry. Then water the man's every morning with his own 
 urine, and the woman's with hers; and that which grows is molt 
 fruitful, and that which does not grow denotes the perfon to be bar- 
 ren. Nor let any defpifc this- trial; for feeing phyficUns will by urine 
 undertake to tell a perfon of his or her difeafes, why fhould not urin? 
 alfo fliew whether a perfon be fruitful or not ? But if in a man the \n i 
 firument of generation is not perfect, it will be obvious to the fight, 
 and if the yard be fo feeble, that it will not admit of erection, it can 
 never convey feed into the womb, nor can there be in fuch a cafe any 
 conception. But this is fo plain and eafily difcerned, that it nefcajv 
 muft be obvious to both parties, and the man who finds himfelf debil- 
 itated ought not to marry. 
 
 The cafe can't be fo bad with the woman, though fhe be barren, 
 but what her hufband may make ufe of her, iraiefs fhe be impenetra- 
 ble, which (though it fometimes does) yet but rarely happens ; and 
 therefore the man is the moft inexcufab!e if he tran r grefs. 
 
 Befides what I have already mentioned, figns of barrennefs in wo- 
 men are ; if (lie be of an over hot conftitution, of a dry body, fubjedt 
 to anger, hath black hair, a thick pulfe, her purgations How little,and 
 that with pain, and yet hath a violent defire to coition ; but if fne be 
 «>f a cold conftitution, then are the figns contrary to thofe recited. 
 If tbarrennefs be caufed through an evil quality of the womb, it may 
 be known by making a fumigation of red ftorax, myrrh, eafTia-wood, 
 nutmeg, cinnamon, and letting her receive the fume of it in. her womb, 
 covering her very clofe. If the odour pafTeth through the body up 
 into the mouth and noftrils, fhe is fruitful. But if ihe feel not the 
 fame in her mouth and nofe, it denotes barrennefs one of thefe wavs, 
 viz. That the feed is either through cold extinguished, or through 
 heat diflipated. And if a woman be fufpe&ed to be unfruitful, cafe, 
 natural brimftone, fuch as is digged out of the mine, into her^&rine, 
 and if worms breed therein fhe is fruitful. But this fhall fuffice to b 
 faid of the caufes and ti^ns of barrennefs, and 'tis, now time to oroceei 
 to the cure, 
 
a* 
 
 ARISTOTLE s MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 Section III Of 'the Cure of Batrenncfs. 
 In the cure of Barrennefs refpeet muft be had to the caufe ; for the 
 caufe muft he fir ft removed, and then the womb ftrengthened, and the 
 fpirits of the feed enlivened by corroborating applications. 
 
 If barrenuefs proceeds from over much heat, let her ufe inwardly, 
 fuccory, endive, violets, water- lillies, forel and lettuce, white fyrups 
 and cenferves made thereof thus. 
 
 Take conferve of borage, violets, fuccory, water-lillles, of each one 
 ounce, half an ounce of conferve of rofes : diamagarition frigid, dia- 
 trion, fancalon, of each half a dram ; with fyrup of violets, or juice of 
 citr ion/ make an clecftuary. 
 
 Let her alfo take of endive, water-l'tllies, borage flowers, of each a. 
 .handful, rhubarb, my rohalans, of each three drams ; with water make 
 a decoction; add to the (training, the fyrup relaxative of violets, one 
 ounce, fyrup of cafiia half an ounce, manna three drams : make alL 
 into a portion. Take of the fyrup of mugwort 0£ie ounce, fyrup of 
 maidenhair > twQ ounces, pulv. elecX trionfat, make all up into a julep. 
 Apply to the reins and privities fomentations of the juice of lettuce,, 
 violets, rofes, mallows, vine~leaves, and knight-fliade ; let her alfo. 
 anoint her fecret parts with the cooling ointment ofgalta. Baths are 
 good for her to lit in. Let the air be clear, her garments thin, her 
 food, lettuce, endive, fuccory and barley; but let her have no hot 
 meats, or ftroiig wines, except it be waterifh and thin. Reft is good 
 for her both in body and mind : but ihe muft ufe little copulation,, 
 but may fleep as much as fhe will. 
 
 If barrennefs be occasioned by the predominancy of cold extinguifh- 
 ing the power of the feed, which may be known by her defiring ven- 
 rry, and receiving no pleafure in the act: of copulation, even while 
 th? man is fpendinghis feed ; her terms are phlegmatic, thick, flimy,, 
 and flow not rightly : in this cafe let her take fyrup of calamint mug- 
 wort, betony, of each one ounce ; water of pennyroyal, feverfew ; 
 hyffop, fage, of each two ounces; and make a julep. Let her take 
 every morning two fpoonfuls of cinnamon water, with one fcruple of 
 mithridate. Alfo let her take the oil of annifced, one fcruple and a 
 half, jefTemine, diachylon both, dinofch diaglang, of each one dram j 
 fugar four ounces : with water of cinnamon make lozenges, and take 
 of them a dram and a half twice a day two hours before meals. Let 
 her alfo faften cupping glaffes to her hips and belly ; and let her take 
 ftorax ealamita one ounce ; maftic, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, lignum 
 aloes, frankincenfe, of each half an ounce, mune ten grains, ember- 
 ^reafc half a fcruple, with rcfe water make a confection ; divide it 
 into four parts, of one make a pomum odoratum to fmell to, if flu be 
 »ot hyfterical : of the fecond make a mafs of pills, and let her take 
 three every night, of the third make a peiTary, and put it up ; of the 
 fourth make a fumigation for the womb. 
 
 If barrennefs arifes from the faculties of the womb being weakened* 
 and the life of the feed fufFocated by overmuch humidity flowing on 
 thofe parts, let her take of betony, marjorum, mugwort, pennyroyal, 
 balm, of each one handful ; root of onrum, fennel, elecampane, of each 
 two drams ; annifced, cummin feed, of each a dram, with fUgar and 
 water a fufficient quantity, of which make a fyrup, and take three 
 ounces every morning. Then purge with thefe pills following, take 
 of pit. ext. two fcruples : diagridion two grains, fpecies decafto otc 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 feruple; make them up into nine pills with fyrup of mugwort. AKo 
 take fpec. dsiagmitfte, diamofchi, diambrre, of each one dram ; cinna- 
 mon one dram and a half: mace, cloves, nutmeg of each half a dram; 
 iugar fix ounces, wifh water of feverfew ; make lozenge* to he taken 
 every morning. Likewifj let her take of the decoction of farfaparil- 
 la, and viga aurea, with a good quantity of fegc, which is an herb of 
 that virtue, that Cornelius Agrippa honoured it with the title of facra 
 herha, a holy herb « and Dodenaeus in his hutory of plants, reports 
 that after a great plague had happened in Egypt, which had almoft de- 
 populated the country, the furviving women were commanded to 
 drink the juice of fage", that they might multiply the fatter. Let her 
 anoint her genitals with the oil of annifeed and fpikenard. Trochiks 
 to fmooth the womb are alfo very good. To make which, let her 
 take mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, ftorax, amber, of each one dram ; cloves, 
 ladtn of each half a dram : turpentine a fufiicient quantity, laftly, 
 take the roots of valerian and elecampagne, of each one pound ; of 
 galangal three ounces ; origan, marjorum, betony, mugwort, bay 
 leaves, calamint, of each three handfuls ; with water make an infu- 
 fion, in which let her fit after flie has had her courfes. But to pro- 
 ceed. 
 
 If barrennefs be caufed by the drynefs of the womb confuming the 
 matter of the feed, let her take every day almond milk and goat'* 
 milk, extracted with honey; eat often of the root of Satyrion candied, 
 and of the electuary of diafatryon. Let her alfo take three fheep's 
 heads, and boil them till the rlefb comes from the bones ; then take 
 of meliot violets, camomile, mercury, orchies, with the roots of each, 
 one pound : fenugreek, hntfeed, valerian roots, of each a handful; 
 let all thefe be decocted in the aforefaid broth, and let the woman he 
 in the decoction up to the navel. Alfo, take of deer's fuet half an 
 ounce ; cow's marrow, ftyracis liquids, of each a dram : or of fweet 
 almonds two ounces; with filk or cotton make a peflary, and make 
 injections, only of frelh butter and oil' of fweet almonds. 
 
 It fometimes happens that barrennefs is caufed by remilTnefs in the 
 manner of the act of coition ; and though there be no impediment on 
 either lide, yet if both fexes meet not in that act with equal vigour,, 
 no conception- follows*, for many times the man is too quick for the 
 woman, or rather the women is too flow for the man, and is not pre- 
 pared to receive the feed with that delight which fhe ought, when it 13 
 emitted by the man ; and thofe who follow the opinion of the ancients, 
 that the woman contributes feed in the formation of the child as well 
 as the man, are of opinion that there ought to be a joint emiffion both, 
 of the man and woman at the fame inftant, which, adminiftcring to 
 both a very great delight, perfects the work of conception. But if in 
 this cafe the woman be flack, it will be proper for the man to follow 
 the advice given in chap. III. feet. 2,.whcre both fexes are (hewn how 
 to manage themfelves in the act of coition, that fo by flirring up in the 
 woman a defireto ventry, fhe may meet his embraces with the great- 
 eft ardour. If this fhould prove ineffectual, let her before the act of 
 coition foment the privities with the decoction of betony, fage, hy flop 
 and caliment, anoint the mouth and head of the womb with mullcs 
 and civet ; and the caufe of barrennefs being removed, let the womb 
 be corroborated by the following applications. 
 
 Make of bay berries, maffick, nutmeg, ;£rankincenfe, cypref? QiiC^ 
 C % 
 
3° 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER -PIECE. 
 
 zadani, galbani, of each one dram : ftyracis liquids, two fcrup!e& ; 
 cloves, half a fcruple ; ambergreafe, two grains; mufk, fix grains, 
 then with oil of fpikenard make a pefTary. Alfo take red rofes, with 
 frankincenfe, lapidis hsematitis, of each half an ounce ; fanguis draco- 
 nis, fine bole makick, of each two drams; nutmeg, cloves^ of each one 
 dram ; fpikenard half a fcruple, and with oil of wormwood make a 
 plaifter for the lower part of the belly. And let her eat of erringo 
 roots candied, and make an injection of the juice of the roots of ftaty- 
 rion ; and then let her ufe copulation foon after the menfes are ceafed, 
 conception being moft apt to follow ; for then the womb is thirfly 
 and dry, and apteft: both to draw the feed and to retain it by the r»ugh- 
 nefs of the inward fuperficies. A woman fhould be careful to avoid 
 txccfs in all things, as being the greateft enemy to conception. For, 
 fhould a woman conceive under care, ftudy, &c. the child would 
 probably be foolifh, becaufe the animal faculties of the parents were 
 confufed. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Section I, How Women ought to govern themjelvcs during their Pregnancy^ 
 
 FIRST, let a woman that is with child chufe a temperate air, not 
 infected with fogs, and for that reafon, not near any marfhy 
 ground, rivers, &c. But this cannot be avoided by fome, their habi- 
 tation falling out to be in fuch places. But thofe who can live where 
 they pleafe ought to avoid fuch places i as likewife the going abroad 
 in too hot or cold weather : alfo when the fouth wind blows hard, 
 for that often proves hurtful to women with child, and fometimes- 
 caufes abortion. 
 
 Secondly, ihe ought alfo to be very cautious in the matter of her 
 diet, chufing only thofe meats that create wholefome nourifhment, and 
 fuch as are immoderately dry; and let her take care to prevent and 
 avoid immoderate fatting for that will weaken the infant, and render 
 it of a fickly conftitution, and fometimes caufe abortion. And as all 
 exceiTes are to be avoided ; fo fhe xnuft take care not only of avoiding 
 immoderate fafting, but likewife immoderate eating too, which will 
 not only be apt to fluff up the child, but to f weft it up to that degree, 
 that will endanger the life of itfelf and the mother in its birth. Let 
 it fufnee, thit in general fhe avoids all meats which are too hot, or 
 too cold and moift ; fuch as fallads, fp';ces and hot meats, \«hich often 
 caufe the child to be born before its time ; and fometimes without 
 nails, which forefhews a fhort life. And therefore in this cafe the 
 moft wholefome meats are pigeons, partridges, pheafants, larks, veat 
 mutton, or any meat that yields good juice, and contributes kindly 
 nourifhment ; as alfo fuch fruits as are fvveet and of cafy digeftion, as 
 cherries, pears, damfons, and the like. But let her avoid, as pernicious, 
 all fuch things as caufe 3nd create wind. 
 
 Care ought alfo to be taken with refpecl: to her exercife ; which/ 
 ought to be moderate ; for violent motion, either in walking or work- 
 ing, is hurtful and diflurbing to the womb, efpecially riding upon the 
 ftones in a coach, or any other uneven place ; and in like manner, all* 
 extraordinary founds and noifes fhould be avoided, efpecially the ring- 
 ing of bells, and the difcharging of great guns; neither ought Are to 
 give way to cither immoderate laughing or weeping, or to anger, or 
 any other p rions, fpr th&t may be prejudicial to her, 
 
ARIfiTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 3W 
 
 SECTION II. Further Rules for JVowen to olfirve duyirg their Pregnancy, 
 
 Though the act of coition is that without which conception cannot 
 be, yet the immoderate ufe of it hinders the brief end for which it was 
 deftgned. In the lirft four months after conception, £he ought not to 
 lie with her hufband, at lean: fparingly, left, by fhaking the womb in 
 that action, the courfes fliould again be forced down. In the fifth and 
 futh month fhe ought alfo to abftain ; but in the leventh, eighth and 
 ninth, it may freely be permitted, by reafon it opens the pafTage, and 
 facilitates the birth. To contribute the better towards which, the 
 woman fliould be careful to keep her body foluble ; fyrups, and other 
 opening things, being very helpful to nature in thofe operations. Let 
 her not lace too clofe, left the child be thereby hindered from coming 
 to its full growth. 
 
 To prevent any diforder that may happen to her breads by too 
 much blood, which will caufe curdled milk, let her wear a necklace of 
 gold about ner neck, or rather a fmall ingot of fteel between her breafts, 
 fomenting them a quarter of an hour every morning, with water dif- 
 tilled from ground-ivy, periwinkle and fage, being blood warm. 
 
 When her belly is fwelling, and the motion is great, which will be 
 about the fourth month, fhe may fwathe it with a fwathe-band anoint- 
 ed with pomatum, or any ether thing of that kind, to keep it fmooth,. 
 and free from wrinkles. For which end it will be heft to take of the 
 caul of a kid, and of a fow, of each three ounces ; capon-greafe and 
 goofe-greafe, of each one ounce and a half; and, having melted them 
 all together, put thereto a quarter of a pint of water ; after which 
 flrain them through a linen cloth into fair water, calling it to and fro 
 therein till it be white ; at which time add to it of marrow of a red 
 deer, one ounce, and lay it in red rofe water, twelve hours. After the 
 expiration of which you may ufe it, anointing the fwathe and belly. 
 
 But if thefe ingredients are not eafy to be had, you may make ufe 
 of the following liniment, which will do almon* as well as the other ; 
 take of mutton fuet (that which grows about the kidnies is heft) and 
 of dog'o greafe, of each two ounces, whale oil one ounce, and oil of* 
 fweet almonds the fame quantity ; wafli them well, after they are 
 melted together in the water of germander, or new white wine, an- 
 oint the belly and fwathe therewith. Thofe that care not to anoint 
 their bellies may make ufe of the following bath or decoction : take 
 of all forte of mallow, and mother-wort, each two handfuls ; white 
 lily roots three ounces , meltlot and camomile, of each two handfuls ; 
 lime feeds, quince feeds and fenugreek feeds, three ounces, boil them 
 well in fpring water, and bathe therewith. If the woman, after her 
 quickening, finds but little motion of the infant in her womb, let h*r 
 make a quilt in the manner following, and bind it up the navel, and 
 it will much frrengthen- and comfort the infant ; take the powder of 
 rofes, red coral, and jelly-flowers, of each two ounces ; mafrich a 
 dram, angelica feeds two drams, amber-grcafe two grains, and mufk 
 two grains ; all which being well beaten, put them into a linen bag, 
 fpread them abroad and quilt it, that they may be in every part of it, 
 placing it upon the navel, and it will have the deiircd effect:. Thefe 
 thngs are luffieient to obferve during the time of their pregnancy, 
 that neither child nor mother may mifcarry„ but be brought to the 
 birth at the appointed time, 
 
3* 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 CHAP. VT. 
 
 Dire&ions fir Midivimes hozv to ajjlft Women in the Time of ihe'r Labour ; 
 and hoiv Child-bcoringWomen Jhouldbe ordered in Time of their Lying in. 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Hotv a Midlife ought to he qualiftd. v 
 
 A MIDWIFE ought to be of a middle age, neither too old nor too 
 young, and of a good habit of body, not fubjecl to difeafes, fears, 
 or fudden frights ; nor are the qualifications affigned to a good furgeon 
 improper for a midwife, viz. a lady's hand, a hawke's eye, and a lion's 
 heart : to which may be added, activity of body, and a convenient 
 ftrength, with caution and diligence, not fubjecl to drowfmefs nor 
 3pt to be impatient. She ought to be fober and aiTable, not fubjecl to 
 paflion, but bountiful and companionate, and her temper cheerful and 
 pleafant, that flie may the better comfort her patients in their forrow. 
 Nor mud fhe be very hafty, though her bufinefs may perhaps require 
 her in another place, left fhe iliould make more hafle than good fpeed. 
 But above all {he ought to be qualified with the fear of God, which is. 
 the principal thing in every ftate and condition, and will furnifh her 
 on all occasions, both with knowledge and difcretion. But now I pro- 
 ceed to more particular directions. 
 
 Sect. II. What mujl he done 1 ivhen the ivomans time of labour is ccme* 
 When the time of birth draws near, and the good woman finds her 
 travailing pains to come upon her, let her fend for a midwife in time;, 
 better too foon than too late, and get thofe things ready which 
 are proper upon fuch occaficjns. When the midwife is come, let the 
 firitthing flic does be to find whether the true time of the birth be come. 
 The want of obferving this hath fpoiled many a child, and endanger- 
 ed the life of the mother; or at leaft put her to twice as much pain 
 as flie needed : for unfkiifut midwives, not minding this have given 
 things to force down the child, and thereby disturbed the natural courfe 
 of her labours ; whereas nature works beft in her own time and way. 
 I do confefs it is fomewhat difficult to know the true time of fome wo- 
 men's labour, they being troubled with pains fo long before tWeir true 
 labour comes : in £ome, weeks before : the reafon of which is the 
 heat of the reins, which is manifeft by the fwelling of the legs. And 
 therefore when women with child find their legs to fwell m^ch, they 
 may be afTured their veins are too hot. Wherefore my advice to fuch 
 women is, to cool their reins before the time of labour, which may be 
 effectually done by anointing the reins of the back with oil of poppies 
 and violets, or water lilies, and thus they may avoid that hard labour 
 which they ufually undergo whofe reins are hot, which, that they may 
 the better prevent, let me recommend to you the decoction of plan- 
 tain leaves and roots, which is thus made; Make a ftrong decoction, 
 of them in water, and then having (trained and clarified it with the 
 white of an egg, boil it into a fyrup with its equal weight of fugar, 
 and keep it for ufe. But fmce it is fo necellary for midwives to know 
 the time of a woman's labour, the following fection will rightly inform 
 them. 
 
 Section HI. 
 
 Signs ly tvhich the true Time of W omen.s lalour tnay be Inaum. 
 
 When women draw near the time of their reckoning, efpecialJy 
 
Aristotle's master- piece. 
 
 33 
 
 with their firft child, and perceive any extraordinary pains in their- 
 belly, they immediately lend for their midwife, as taking it for their la- 
 bour, though perhaps thofe pains which are fo often miftaken for la- 
 bour arc only caufed by the cholic, and proceed from the wind ; which 
 pains though they come and go, griping the whole belly, are yet with- 
 out any forcing downward into th. womb, as is done by thofe that go 
 before labour. But thtfe cholic pains may be removed by warm 
 cloths laid upon the belly ; and the application .of a clyfter or two, 
 by which thofe pains that precede a true labour, are rather furthered 
 than hindered. There are alfo other pAins incident to women in that 
 condition from the flux of the belly, which are eaiily known by the 
 frequent (tools that follow them. 
 
 But to fpeak more directly of the matter ; the figns of labour fome 
 few days before are, that the woman's belly, which before lay high, 
 I finks down, and hinders her from walking fo tafily as fhe ufed to do : 
 alfo their flows from the womb flimy humours, which nature has ap- 
 pointed to moiflen and make fmooth the pafTage, that its inward ori- 
 fice may be the more eafily dilated when there is oceafion, which be- 
 ginning to open at that time, fufFers that flime to flow away, which 
 proceeds from the glands, called preftatas. Thefe are ligns preceding 
 labour. 
 
 But when {he is prefently falling into labour, the figns are great 
 pains about the reins and loins, which coming and retreating by in- 
 tervals, anfwer in the bottom of the betlv by congruous throes : and 
 fometimes the face is red and inflamed, the blood being much heated 
 by the endeavours a woman makes to bring forth the child : and like- 
 wife becaufe during the ftrong throes her perfpiration is intercept- 
 ed, which caufes the blood to have recourfe to her face : her privy* 
 parts are fo fwellcd by the infant's head lying in the birth, which, by 
 often thrufting, caufes thofe parts to diftend outwarda. She is like.vife 
 much fubjed: to vomiting, which is alfo a fign of good labour, and 
 fpeedy delivery, though by a great many ignorant women thought 
 otherwife ; for good pains are thereby excited and redoubled : which 
 vomiting is occaiioned by the fympathy there is between the womb 
 and the ftomach ; Alfo, when the birth is near, mod women are troub- 
 led with a trembling of the thighs and legs : not with cold, like the 
 beginning of an ague fit, but with the heat of the whole body : though 
 this indeed does not happen always, Alfo if the humours which then 
 flow from the womb, are difcoloured with blood (which is what the 
 midwife calls ^mr^ it is an infallibU mark of the birth's being near ; 
 and then if the midwife put her finger up the neck of the womb, lite 
 will find the inner orifice dilated ; at the opening of which the mem- 
 branes of the infant, containing the waters, prefent themfelves, and 
 are ftrongly forced downwards with each pain llie hath ; at which 
 time one may perceive them fometimes to refiif the finger : And then 
 again to prefs forwards, being more or lefs hard or extended, accord- 
 ing as the pains are ftronger or weaker. Thefe membranes with the 
 water in them, when they are before the head of the child, which the 
 mid wives call the gathering of the womb, to the touch of the fingers 
 refembles thofe eggs which yet have no fliell, but are covered only by 
 a ample membrane. After this, pains ftill redoubling, the membranes, 
 are broken by the flrong imprelXion of the waters, which prcfently 
 flow away, t and then the head of the infant is prefently felt nakt J 3 
 
34 
 
 ARISTOTLE^ MASTER-PIECE'. 
 
 and prcfcnts itfelf at the inward orifice of the womb. When rhofc 
 waters come thus away, then the midwife may be allured the birth 13 
 very near ; this being the moft certain lign that can be ; for the am- 
 nion and aliantois being broken which contained thofe waters by the 
 prefling forward of the birth, the child is no more able to fubfUt long 
 in the womb afterwards, than a naked man in a heap of fnow. Now, 
 thefe waters, if the child come prefentiy after them, facilitate the la- 
 bour, by making, the pafTage flippery j and therefore let no midwife 
 ufe means to force away the water : for nature knows beft when the 
 true time of trie birth is and therefore retains the water till that time % 
 but if by accident the water breaks a Way too long before the birtbj. 
 then fuch things as will h&ften it may be fafely aciminidered. 
 
 Section IV. 
 
 What Is to he dotic at the r fi/xe of Labour. 
 
 When the midwife is fatisfied that it is the true time of labour, fhe 
 mud take care to get al! things ready that are neceflary to comfort the 
 tr availing woman in that time ; and the better to do it, let her fee 
 that Hie be not (trait laced. She may alfo give her a pretty ftrong 
 clyfler, if fhe finds there is occafion for it ; but with this provifo, that 
 it be done at the begir ■ ing, and before the child be too forward ; for 
 otherwise it will be difficult for her to receive it. The advantage of 
 which clyfter is, that the gut thereby will be excited to difcharge it- 
 f elf of its excrement", and the rectum being emptied, thtre will be 
 more fpaee for the dilating of the pafTage ; likewife to caufe the pains 
 to bear more downwards, through the endeavours fhe makes when 
 other neceflary things for her labour are, put in order, both for the 
 mDther and the child. 
 
 As to the manner of the delivery, various midwives ule different 
 ways : feme are delivered fitting on a midwife's ftocl ; but, for my 
 own part, I think that a pallet-bed girded and placed near the fire, 
 th it the good woman may come on each fide, and be the more readily 
 aUifbd, is much the beft way. 
 
 And if the labouring woman abounds with blood it may not be im- 
 proper to let her bleed a little, for by that means fhe will both 
 breathe the better,, and have her breath more at liberty, and likewife 
 more flrengrh to be^ir down her pain r and this may be done with- 
 out danger, beeaufe the child being now ready to be born, needs not 
 the mother's blood for its aourifhment any longer ; and not only fo, 
 but this evacuation dots many times prevent her haying a fever after 
 delivery. Likewife if her ftrcngth will per mit, let her walk up and 
 down her chamber ; and the better to enable her thereto, let her take 
 fome good ftrengthentfig things, fuch as new-laid eggs, jelly broth, 
 fome fpdoafals of burnt wine; and encourage her to hold off her 
 pains, bearing them down when they take her, all that fhe can. And 
 let the midwife often touch the inward orifice with her finger, that 
 fhe may better know whether the waters are going to break, and 
 whether the birth will follow foon after ; for generally the birth fol- 
 lows in two hours after the efjlux of the water. And to help it after- 
 wards, let her anoint the woman's privities wkh emolient oil, hog- 
 greafe, and frefh butter ; efpecially if fke finds them too hard to be 
 fiilated. 
 
 JL,v j t the midwife alfo be near the labouring woman all the whil> 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 55 
 
 and diligently obferve her geftures, pains and complaints, for by this 
 ihe may guefs pretty well how her labour goes forward ; for when 
 Hie changes her groans into loud cries itisa great fign the birth is 
 near ; at which time her pains are greater and more frequent. Let 
 her alfo fomctimes reft herfelf on her bed to renew her ftrength, but 
 not too long at a time, for to lie too long at a time will retard her la- 
 bour, and therefore 'tis better for her to walk about her chamber as 
 much as ihe can ; which, that flic may the better do, let the good 
 woman fupport her under her arms, if it be neceffary ; for by walk- 
 ing, the weight of the child caufes the inward orifice of the womb to 
 dilate much fooner tnan it would do if fhe lay upon her bed ; befides 
 her pains, by walking will be ftronger and more frequent and by con- 
 fequence her labour will not be near fo long. If Die finds any fick 
 qualms let her not be difcouraged ; and if (lie finds any motions to 
 vomit, let her not fupprefs them, but rather give way to them ; for it 
 will (however uneafy and irkfome they be for the prefent) be much 
 for her benefit, becaufe they further the pains and provoke downward. 
 
 Section V. 
 
 Hczv io provide the ■Birth atiffcaufi fpeedy Delivery. 
 
 When the birth is long deferred after the coming down of the wa- 
 ters, let her haften the birth by drinking a good draught of wine* 
 wherein dittanv, red coral, juniper berries, betony, pennyroyal, and 
 feverfew have been boiled, or the juice of feverfew taken in its prime 
 (whic)i is in May) and clariiied and fo boiled in a fyrup, and twice 
 its weight of fugar is very good upon this occaiioh. Alfo hiugwort 
 ufed in the fame manner works the fame efFecl. And fo alfo does a 
 •dram of cinnamon in powder, given inwardly, or tanfy bruifed and 
 applied to the privities. Like wife the (tone iEtites held to the privi- 
 ties does in a very little time draw forth the child and the after bur> 
 then ; but great care muft be taken to remove it gently, or elfe it will 
 draw forth the womb and all, fo great is its magnetic virtue. Alfo 
 a deco&ion of favory made with white wine, and drank, gives a wo- 
 man fpeedy delivery. Alfo wild tanfy or filver weed bruifed and 
 applied to the woman's nofh ils, is very good. So alio are date (tones 
 beaten to powder, and half a dram of them taken in white wine: 
 parfly is of excellent ufe on this occafion ; for if you bruife it andprefs 
 out the juice, and then dip a linen cloth in it, and put it up, bting fo 
 dipped, in the mouth of the womb, it will prefently caufe the child to 
 come away, though it be dead, and will bring away the after burden 
 alfo. The juice of par/ley being of great virtue efpeeially the flone 
 parfley, being drank by a woman with child it cleareth not only the 
 womb, but alfo the child in the womb, of all grefs humours. A fcru- 
 pie of caflorum in powder, in any convenient liquor, is very good to 
 be taken in fuch a cafe, and fo alfo are two or three drops of fpirit of 
 cafcorum in a convenient liquor. Eight or nine drops of the fpirit of 
 myrrh, given in a convenient liquor, have the fame effect, Or, give 
 a woman in travail another woman's milk to drink, it will caufe fpee- 
 dy delivery. Alfo the juice of leeks being drank with warm water 
 hath a mighty operation cauhng fpeedy delivery. Take • piony feed % 
 beat them to powder, and mix the powder with oil ; with, which o*l 
 anoint the loins and privities of thc& woman with child ; it gives her 
 dfijiverance very ipeedily, and with lefs pain than can be imagined* 
 
c6 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 And this may be noted for a general rule, that all thofe things that 
 move the terms are good for making the delivery eafy. There are 
 feveral other things efficacious in this cafe ; but I need not heap med- 
 icines unnecefTarily, thofe I have already named being fufticient. 
 
 When any of the forenamed medicines have haftened the birth, let 
 the midwife lay the woman in a pofture for delivery. And flrft let 
 the woman be conducted to the pallet-bed placed at a convenient dif- 
 tance from the fire, according, to the ftalbn of the year ; and let there 
 be a quilt laid upon the pallet-bedftead, which is better than a feather 
 bed, and let it have thereon a linen cloth in many folds, with fuch 
 other things as are neceflary, which may be changed according as the 
 occafion requires it, that fo the woman may not be incommoded with 
 blood, waters and other filth, which are voided in labour. Then let 
 her lay the woman upon her back, having her head a little raifed by 
 the help of a pillow, having the like help to fupport her reins and 
 buttocks, thai her rump may lit high ; for if fhe lie low, fhe cannot 
 very well be delivered. Then let her keep her knees and thighs as 
 far afunder as five can, her legs hcing bowed towards her buttocks, 
 and let her feet be flayed agaihft a log, or fome other firm thing. And 
 let two women held her two fhouldtfs that {he may (train out the 
 birth with the more advantage, holding in her breath, and forcing 
 herfelf as much as poflible in like manner as when (lie goes to (tool : 
 for by fuch draining, the diaphragm or midriff, being fhongly thruft 
 downwards, neceilarily forces down the womb, ana the child in it. 
 In the mean time, let the midwife encpuruge her all (lie can, and take 
 care that ibe have no lings on her hands when (be anoints the part : 
 then with her finger let her gently dilate the inward orifice of the 
 womb, and putting her fingers in the entry thereof, ftretch them from 
 one another v hen her pairs take her, by this means endeavour to help 
 forward the child, and. thr lifting by little and little the fides of the ori- 
 fice towards the- hinder part of the child's head, anointing thofe parts 
 with frefh butter, in cafe it be necefTary. And when the head of the 
 infant is fomewhat advanced into the inward orifice, it is ufual among 
 midwives to fay it is crowned, becaufe it both girds and furrounds it 
 like a crown ; but when it is gone- fo far, and the extremity begins to 
 appear without the privy parts, they then fay, the child is in the paf- 
 fage ; and at this time the woman feels herfelf as if (lie wasfcratched 
 or prickled with pins, and is ready to think that the midwife hurts 
 her ; whereas in truth it is only occafioned by the violent diftenfion 
 of thofe parts, which fometimes even fufFer a laceration through the 
 fcignefs cf the child's head. When things are come to this pofture, 
 let the midwife feat herfelf conveniently to receive the child, which 
 will not come very quickly ; and with her fingers'end which fhe ought 
 alio to be fure to keep pared, let her endeavour to thruft the crown- 
 ing of the womb back over the head cf the child. And as foon as 
 it is advanced as far as the ears or thereabout, let her take hold of 
 the two fides with her two hands, and wait till the good pain comes, 
 and then quickly draw forth the child, taking care that the navel- 
 firing, be not entangled about the child 's neck, or any other part, as 
 foe e times it is,' left thereby the after-burden be pulled with violence, 
 and perhaps the womb, alfo, to which it is faftencd,fo either caufe her 
 to flood or clfe hresk the firing, both which are of bad confequence to 
 the woman, and render her delivery the more difficult. Great care 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 37 
 
 mull be taken that the head be not drawn forth flraight, but fhake it 
 a little from one fide to the other, that the fhoulders may the fooner 
 and eafier take its place immediately after it is paft ; which mud be 
 done without lofing any time left the head being palled, the child flop 
 there by the largenefs of the fhoulders, and fo be in danger of being 
 fuffbeated in the paffage, as it has fometimes happened for want of care 
 therein. When the head is born, fhe may fiide in her fingers under 
 the armpits, and the reft of the body will follow without difficulty. 
 As foon as the midwife hath in this manner drawn forth the child, let 
 her lay it on one fide, left the blood and water which follow too im- 
 mediately fbould do it an injury, by running into its mouth and nofe, 
 as it would do if it lay on its back, and fo endanger the choking of 
 it. The child being thus drawn forth, the next thing recuifite is to 
 bring away the after-burden ; but before that, let the midwife be very 
 careful to examine whether there be any more children in the womb ; 
 for fometimes a woman may have twins ; of which; the midwife may 
 futisfy herfelf both by the continuance of the woman's throes and the 
 bignefs of her belly. But this is not fo certain as to put her hand up 
 the entry of the womb, and there feel whether another child is not 
 prefentijog to the paiiage: and if fo, fhe mud have a care how fhe goes 
 about the after-birth rill the woman be delivered. The flrft firing 
 mnft be cut and tied with a thread three or four double, and the ends 
 faftened with aftring to the woman's thigh, to prevent the inconven- 
 ience it may caufe by hanging between the thighs. 
 
 Section VII. Of the After-burden. 
 
 Until the after-burden is brought away, which fometimes is more 
 difficult to do than the child, and altogether as dangerous, if it be not 
 fpeedily done, the woman cannot properly befaid to be fafely deliver- 
 ed, though the child be born. 
 
 < Therefore as foon as the child is born, before the midwife either 
 ties or cuts the navel firing left the womb fliould ciofe, let her, having 
 taken the firing, wind it once or twice about one or two of the fingers 
 of the left hand, joined together, the better to hold it, with which fhe 
 may only take Tingle hold of it above the left, near the privities, draw- 
 ing likewife with that very gently, refting a while, with the fore fin- 
 ger of the fame hand extending and ftretching along the firing towards 
 the entry of the Vagina, always obferving, for the more facility, to 
 draw it from the fide to which the burden leaft inclines, for in fo do- 
 ing the reft will feparate the better. And extraordinary care muft be 
 taken that it be not drawn forth with too much violence, left by break- 
 ing the firing near the burden, the mid wife be obliged to put her whole 
 hand into the womb to deliver the woman ; and fhe had need to take 
 care in this matter, that fo the womb itfelf, to which fometimes this 
 burden is faftened very ftrongly, be not drawn awav with it, which 
 has fometimes happened. It is therefore neceuary,' to aflift nature 
 with proper remedies, which are in general, whatever has been before 
 mentioned, to caufe a fpeedy delivery ; for whatever has magnetic 
 virtue to bring away the birth, has the fame to bring awav the after- 
 birth. Befides which, the midwife ought to confider that' the woman 
 cannot but be much fpent by the fatigue fhe has already undergone in 
 bringing forth the infant, and therefore fliould be fure to take care 
 to give her foinething to comfort her. To which purpofe fomc <mod 
 
ARTSTOTLFs MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 jelly-broths, and a little wine, with a toad in it, and other comforting 
 tilings, will be necefTary. Sneezing being conducive to bring away 
 the after-birth, let her take a little white hellebore in powder to 
 caufe her to fneeze. Tanfy, and the ftone iEtites, applied as before 
 directed, is very efficacious in this. The fmoke of marygold flowers, 
 received up the woman's privities by a funnel, will bring away the af- 
 rei-birth, though the midwife has loft her hold. Or, if you boil mug- 
 wcrt in water till it be very foft, and then take it out and apply it 
 like a poultice to , the navel of the woman in travail, conftantly brings 
 away both the birth and the after-birth .; but as foon as they are come 
 forth, it mufl be inftantly taken away ; left it fhould bring away the 
 v ,y.o.n\b alfo. 
 
 SECTION VIIT. Hqiv to cut the Chilas Navel firing. 
 
 After the birth and after -birth are fafely brought away, the mid- 
 wife ought to take care to cut the navel-ftring ; which, though it be 
 by fome efleemed a thing of fmall matter, yet it requires none of the 
 leaft fkill of a midwife to do it with that care and prudence which it 
 ought, and therefore to inftr.net the induftrious midwife a little here- 
 in : As foon as the child is come into the world, let her cenfider 
 whether it be weak or fuong ; if it be weak, let«her gently put back 
 part of the vital and natural blood m the body of the child by the 
 navel, for that recruits a weak child, the vital and natural fpirits be- 
 ing communicated by the mother to the child by its navel-firing. Cut 
 if the child be ftrong there is no need of it. Only it will not be amifs 
 to let the midwife know, that many children that are born feemingly 
 idead, may be brought to life ag^.in if die fqueeze fix or feven drops of 
 blood out of that part of the nave I- firing which is cut off, and give it 
 to the child inwardly. 
 
 As to the cutting it fhort or Iong r authots can fcarce agree about it,nor 
 midwives neither ; fome nrefcribe it to be cut at four fingers breadth, 
 which is at the heft "but an uncertain rule, unlefs all lingers were of an 
 equal iize. 'Tis a received opinion, that the parts adapted to genera- 
 tion are either contracted or dilated according to the cutting of tl^e 
 navel-firing, which is the reafon that midwives are generally fo kind 
 .to their own fex. that they leave a longer part of the navel-firing of 
 « male than a female, becaufe they would have the male well provid- 
 ed for the encounters of Venus. And the reafon they give why they 
 cut thofe more fhort is. becaufe they believe it makes them modeft, 
 and their parts narrower, which makes them more acceptable to their 
 hufbands. But whether this be fo or not (which yet fome of the 
 greateft fearchers into the fecrets of nature affirm for a truth)yet cer- 
 tain it is that great care ought to be ufed about cutting the navel- 
 ftring : and especially, that after it is cut, it be not fullered to touch 
 the ground, for if it be, the child will never be able to hold its water, 
 but be fubjecl all its life 'time to diabetes, as experience often con- 
 firms ; but as to the manner of cutting the navel-ftring, let the mid- 
 wife take a brown thread, three or four times double, of an ell long, 
 cr thereabouts, tied with a fmgle knot at each of the ends, to prevent 
 their entangling; and with this thread fo accommodated (which the 
 jnidwife ought to have in readinefs oefore the woman's labour, as alio 
 a good pair of fciiTors, that fo no time may be loft) let her tie the 
 ftnn£ wjtlfcfo an inch of the belly with a double knot, jtfcd turning 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 39 
 
 .about the ends of the thread, let her tie two or more on the fide of 
 the ftring, reiterating it again, if it be neceiTary ; then let her cut off" 
 the navel-ftring, another inch below the ligator towards the after- 
 birth ; fo that there only remains but two inches of the ftring in the 
 midft of which will be the knot fpoken of, which muft be fo ftraic knit,, 
 as not to fuflfer a drop of blood to fqueezc out of the vefftls : but yet 
 care muft be taken not to knit It fo ftrait as to cut it in two ; and 
 therefore the thread mail be pretty thick, and pretty (trait knit, it be- 
 ing better too ftrait than too loofe. Some children have miferably 
 loft their lives, before it hath been discovered that the navebftring 
 was not well tied. Therefore great care muft be taken that no blood 
 fquecze through, for if there do, new knots muft be made with the 
 red of the firing. You need not fear to bind the navel-ftring very 
 hard, becaufc it is void of fenfe ; and that part of it which you leave 
 on falls off of its own accord in a few days, ordinarily fix or feven, 
 and fometimes in lefs time , but it very rarely tarries lunger than the 
 eighth or ninth day. 
 
 As foon as the navel-firing is cut off, apply a little cotton or lint in 
 the place to keep it warm, left the cold enter into the body of the 
 child, which it will unavoidably do, in cafe it be not bound hard 
 enough : and if the lint or cotton you apply to it be dipped in the 
 oil of rofes, it will be the better : then having put another fmall rag, 
 three or four times double, uixm the body-of the child, above the na- 
 vel, lay the firing fo wrapped upon it that it may touch the naked 
 belly. Upon the top of all put another fmall bolter ; and then 
 fwatheit in a linen fwathe, four fingers broad, to keep it fteadv. left 
 by rolling too much, or being continually ftirred from tide to Tide, it 
 come to fall off before the navel-ftring which you left remaining is 
 fallen off*. 'Tis the ufual cuftom of the midwivesto put a piece° of 
 burnt rag to it ; but I would advife them to put a fmall quantity of 
 bole ammoniac, becaufe of its drying quality. Thus much nuy fuf- 
 fice as to cutting the navel-ftring and delivery of a woman in labour, 
 where the labour is natural, and no ill accident happens. But it 
 'fometimes falls out, that the labour is not only hard and difficult, but 
 unnatural alfo, in which the midwife mu ft take other m:afurts. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 What unnatural Labour is, and whence it. proceeds ; and ivhat ili Htjjiuife 
 ought to do in fueh Cafes, 
 
 Section I. What unnatural Labour /,-. 
 
 IT will be neccfTary to acquaint my reader, that there are three forts 
 of bad labour, ail painful and difficult, but not ail properly un- 
 natural, which are as follows : 
 
 The firft, properly ftiled hard labour,, is that wherein the mother and 
 chad doluffcr very much by extreme pain. 
 
 The fecond is difficult labour, different from the former, in that h>- 
 fides thefe extreme pains, it is generally attended with fome unhappy 
 accident, which, by retarding the birth, makes it very difficult : 
 Nether of thofe, though hard and difficult, cm be called unnatural; 
 for women to bring forth children in pain and forrow is natural. 
 
 It is therefore the third fort of labour which I call unnatural ; and 
 that is, when the child euays to come into the world in. & contrary 
 
40 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 ■pcfition to that which nature ordained. To explain this, the reader 
 inuft knew that there is but one right and natural pofture in which 
 children come to the birth, and that is when the head comes firft, and 
 the body follows after in a ftraight line. If, inftead of this, the child 
 conies with its feet foremoft, or with the fide acrofs, it is contrary to 
 nature, or, to fpeak more plainly unnatural. 
 
 Section II. 
 
 Whence hard-, difficult, and unnatural Lalour proceeds. 
 
 The true phyficai reafon why women in general bring forth their 
 children with fo much pain, is that- the lenfe of feeling being diftrib- 
 uted to the whole body by the nerves, and the mouth of the womb 
 being fo (trait, that it mufr. of ncceftity be dilated at tke time of her 
 delivery ; the dilating thereof ftretcheth the nerves, and from thence 
 cometh the pain : fome women having more pain in their labour than 
 ethers proceeds from their having the mouth of the matrix more full 
 of nerves than others. 
 
 Hard and difficult labour may proceed either from the mother, or 
 child, or from both : it may proceed from the mother, by reafon of a 
 general icdifpyfitietn of her body, or from the indifpofition of fome 
 particular part, and tJhat principally of the womb, which may be af- 
 feeled withfuxh a weakx-i- .~ renders the mother unable to expel 
 her burden. It may be alio becaufe ftie Is too young, or flie may tc 
 too old, and fo may have the paftage too ftrait, and then if it be her 
 iuft child, the parts may be too dry and hard, and cannot eafHy be di- 
 lated. The chciic docs alfo caufe labour to be hard and difRcuIt, be- 
 caufe it hinders the true pain which fhould accelerate it ; for which 
 leafon, all great anel acute pains render a woman's labour very diffi- 
 cult. As when the w orab is taken wkh a violent fever, frequent con- 
 vuIGofls, a great flooding, or any other violent difcemper, efpecially 
 when the membranes are thick, or the orifice is too ftrait, or the neck 
 of the womb not fufficiently opened. 
 
 Hard labour may alfo proceed from the child, and this is, either 
 when it happens to ftick to a mole, or is fo w*eak that it cannot break 
 the membrane ; alfo when it is too big, either all over, or its head 
 only ; or the navel velTels fhould be twifled about its neck, as when 
 it proves monftrous, or comes into the birth in an unnatural pofture. 
 Sometimes it proceeds from the ignorance of the midwife, who may 
 hinder nature in her work. 
 
 9 Section III. 
 
 Hotv the Itfidzvifc muft proceed In order to the Delivery of a Woman y In cafe 
 of bard Labour and great Extremity. 
 In cafe the midwife finds a woman in difficult labour, {he muft en- 
 deavour to know the particular obftruction or caufe thereof, that fo 
 flie may apply a fuitable remedy. When hard labour is caufed by a 
 woman's being too young and too ftrait, the palTages mult be anointed 
 with oil, hog's lard' or frefh butter, to relax and dilate them the eafier. 
 But if a woman be in years, and has hard labour from her firft child, 
 let her lower parts be anointed to molify the inward orifice, which in 
 fuch cafe (being more hard and callous) does not eafdy yield to the 
 diftenfion of labour ; and indeed this is the true caufe why fuch wo- 
 men are longer in labour, and vrty ihfpt children in their birth are 
 
ARISTOTL^s WASTER. PIECE. 
 
 41 
 
 more fubjeet to bruifes than others. Thofe who are \ r ery lean, and 
 nave hard labour from that caufe, let them moiften their parts with 
 oil, and ointments, to make them more fmooth and flippery, that the 
 head of the infant in the womb may not be cornpreffed and bruifed 
 by the hardntfs of the mother's bones in its pafTage. But if the caufe 
 be weaknefs, fhe ought to be ftrengthened. the better to enable her to 
 fupport her pain. Since difficult labour proceeds from divers caufes, 
 the midwife muft make ufe of feveral remedies to women in hard, dif- 
 ficult labour, which muft be adapted to- the caufe from whence it^ 
 proceeds. 
 
 I need not tell the judicious midwife, that in cafe of extremity, 
 when the labour'is not only hard, but difficult' labour dangerous, a far 
 greater care muft be had than at other times. In fuch cafes the fitua- 
 tion of the womb muft be minded, and accordingly her pofture of ly- 
 ing will be regulated ; which will be beft acrofs the bed, being held 
 by thofe that are of a good ftrength to prevent her flipping down, or 
 moving herfelf during the time of the operation; Then let her thighs 
 be put afunder as far as may be, and held fo, while her legs are 
 bent backwards towards her hips, her head leaning upon a bolfttr, and 
 the reins of her ^back fuppqrted in like manner, her rump and but- 
 tocks being lifted up : observing to cover her ftomach, belly, and 
 thighs, with warm linen, as well for decency's fake as- to ■ keep thera 
 from the cold. 
 
 The woman being in this pofture, let the midwife, or other operator, 
 put up her hand, and try if the neck of the womb be dilated, and 
 then remove the contracted blood that obftructs the pafTage of the 
 birth, and having gently made way, let the operator tenderly move 
 the infant, having the hand anointed with fweet butter, or an harmlefs 
 pomatum, and if the waters are not come down they may be let forth 
 without any difficulty. And if the infant fhould attempt to break 
 forth, not with the head foremoft or acrofs, he ought gently to turn it, 
 that he may find the feet ; which having done, let him draw forth 
 one and having faftened it to a ribbon, put it up again, and finding 
 the other, bring them as clofe as may be : let the woman breathe be-- 
 tween whiles, aftifting nature what fhe can by ftraining in bringing 
 forward the birth, that fo he may more eafily draw it forth ; and that 
 the operator may do it the better, and his hold may be the furer, he 
 muft faften or wrap a linen cloth about the child's thighs, obferving 
 to bring it into the world with its feet downwards-. 
 
 But in cafe there be a flux of blood, let the operator be well fatis- 
 fied whether the child or the fecundine come firft ; for fometimes 
 when the fecundine has come firft, the mouth of the womb has been 
 thereby flopped, and the birth hindered, to the hazard both of the 
 woman and child ; and ; therefore in this cafe the fecundine muft be 
 removed by a fwift turn> and the child fought for, and. drawn forth,, 
 as has been directed; 
 
 If upon inquiry, it appears that the fecundine comes firft, let the 
 woman be delivered with all convenient fpeed> becaufe a great flux of 
 blood will follow ; for then the veins are opened. And on this ac- 
 count two things are to be niiuded : firft, whether the fecundine ad- 
 vances forward much or little : if the former, and the head of the 
 child firft appears, it muft be directed to the neck of the womb, as iti» 
 the cafe of natural births ; but if there appears any ditliculty in the- 
 
Aristotle's master-piece. 
 
 delivery, the bell way is to fearch for the feet, and by them it may be 
 put by with a gentle hand, and the child taken out nrfl: : but if the 
 fccundine is advanced, fo that it cannot be put back, and the child 
 follow it clofe, then the fecundine is to be taken out firft with much 
 care, and as fwift as may be, and laid afide without cutting the cntraii 
 that is fattened to them ; for by that you may be guided to the in- 
 fant, which, whether it be alive or dead, mutt be drawn forth by the 
 feet as foon as poffible ; though this is not to be dene but in cafe of 
 great necelTity, for the order of nature is for the fecundine to come 
 hft. 
 
 Section IV. Of the Delivery of a Dead Child. 
 In delivering a woman of a dead child, the operator ought to be cer- 
 tain the child is dead, which might be known by the falling of the 
 mother's breafts, the coldnefs of her belly, the thicknefs of her urine, 
 which is attended with a (linking fediment at bottom ; and no motion 
 to be perceived in the child : Alfo, when fhe turns herfelf in her bed, 
 the child fways like a lump of lead, and her breath ftinks, though not 
 nfed to do fo. When the operator is certain that the child is dead, let 
 him or her apply themfelves to the faving of the mother, by giving her 
 thofc things that are moft powerful in ferving nature in her operations. 
 But, if through weaknefs, the womb is not able toco-operate with na- 
 ture, fo that a manual operation is abfolutely neceflary, let the operat- 
 or carefully obferve the following directions, viz. If the child be 
 found dead with his head foremoft, he mud take notice that the deliv- 
 ery will be the more difficult, becaufe in this cafe it is not only impof- 
 fible that the child ihould any ways affift: in its delivery, hut the 
 flrength of the mother does alfo very much fail her, wherefore the rnoft 
 lure and fafe way for him is to put up his left hand, Hiding it, as hol- 
 low in the palm as he can, into the neck of the womb, into the lower 
 part thereof towards the feet, and then between the infant and the 
 neck of the matrix ; and having 2 hook in the right hand, couch it 
 clofe, and flip it above the left hand, between the head of the child 
 and the fiat of the hand, fixing it in.to the bone of the temple towards' 
 the eye ; or, for want of convenient coming at that, obferve to keep 
 the left hand in its place, gently moving and ftirring the head with it, 
 and fo with the right hand hook draw the child forward, encouraging 
 the woman to put forth her utmoft ftrength,and always drawing when 
 the woman's pangs are upon her. The head. being thus drawn forth, 
 the operator mull, with all fpeed, flip his hand under the arm holes of 
 the child, and take it quite forth, giving immediately to the woman a 
 toatl of line wlveaten bread in a quarter of a pint of tent, to revive and 
 cherifh her fpirits. By what I have already (hewn, the midwife will 
 know what to do in any other cafe that may fail out, remembering, 
 that far a child to come head foremofc, and the body to follow in a 
 flraight line, is the right pofture for the child when it comes to the 
 birth; and if it comes ?ny other way, it will be the wiidom of the 
 midwife, if poffible to bring it to its pofture ; but if that cannot be 
 done without very great danger, then put it in a pofture that it may 
 be brought forth by -the feet. And the midwife perceiving in what 
 pofture the child «prefents, or that the woman floods, or any oiher ac- 
 cident happens, by which fhe finds it is not in her power to deliver it, 
 it will be bal for her to fend for a manrmidwife in time, rather than 
 put things to the utmofl extremity. 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 43 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 SECTION I. Direftions for child-bed Women after Delivery, 
 
 AFTER the birth and after-birth are brought away, if the woman's 
 body be very weak, keep her not too hot, the extremity of heat 
 weakens nature, and diffolves the ftrength : but whether fhe be weak 
 or ftrong, let no cold air come near her, for cold is an enemy to the 
 fpermatic parts ; and if cold gets into the womb, it increafe* the af- 
 ter pains, caufes fwellings in the womb, and hurts the nerves. There- 
 fore if a woman has had very hard labour 'tis proper, after delivery 
 to wrap her in the fkin of a fbeep, taken as warm as poflible, and 
 putting the fletliy fide to her reins and belly : if a (beep's ikin cannot 
 well be had, the fkin of a hare or rabbit, taken off as foon as it is kil- 
 led, may be applied to the fame parts, and by fo dwing the dilation 
 made in the birth will be clofed Up, and the melancholy blood expel- 
 led from thofe parts : and thefemay be continued during the fpace of 
 an hour or two. After which let the woman be fwathed with- a fine 
 linen cloth, about a quarter of a yard in length, chafing her belly, be- 
 fore it be fwathed, with the oil of St. John's wort : afterwards raife 
 up the matrix with a linen cloth, many times folded, then with a little 
 pillow or quilt cover her flank, place the fwathe fomewhat above the 
 haunches, winding it indifferently ftifF, applying, at the fame time, a 
 warm cloth to the nipples. Care fhould be taken not to apply any 
 remedy to keep back the milk, bec2ufe thofe remedies which drive 
 back the milk, being of a diflblvina nature, it is improper to apply 
 them to the bread during fuch a diforder, left evil humours fhould be 
 contracted in the bread thereby ; and therefore twelve hours at lea£s: 
 ought to be allowed for the circulation and fettlement of the blood. 
 
 After the woman has been delivered forne time, you may make a 
 redrictive of the yolk of two eggs, a quarter of a pint of white wine, 
 oil of St. John's wort, oil of rofes, plantain, and rofe water, of each an 
 ounce, mix them together, fold a linen cloth, and dip therein, warm it 
 before a gentle fire, apply it to the breads, and tht pain of thofe parts 
 will be greatly eafed. 
 
 But be fure not to let her fieep foon after her delivery, but let her 
 take fome broth, or caudle, or any other liquid matter that is nourifh- 
 ing, about four hours after her delivery, and then fhe may be fafely 
 permitted to fleep, if fhe is difpofed, as it is probable {he will be, being 
 tired with the fatigue of her labsur. But before this, as foon as fhe 
 is laid in her bed let her drink a draught of burnt white wine, in 
 which melt a dram of fperm>ceti. Let her alfo avoid the light for the 
 fir ft three days ; for labour weakens the eye fight. The herb vervain 
 is of a Angular fervice to the fight, and may be ufed any way, either 
 boiled in meats or drink, not having the lead offenfive tafte, but many 
 plea fan t virtues. If fhe fliould be feverifh,*add the' leaves or roots of 
 plantain to it ; but if her courfes come not away as they ought, let the 
 plantain alone, and inftead thereof put mother @f thyme. If the womb 
 is foul, which may be known by the impurity of the blood, and its 
 itinking and coming away in clotted lumps: or if you fufpect any of 
 the after- birth be left behind, which may fometimes happen, though 
 the midwife be ever fo careful and fkilful, then make her a drink of fe- 
 verfew, pennyroyal, mother of thyme, boiled in white wine, and 
 fweetened with fugar : panada and new laid eggs are the bed meat 
 
14 
 
 ARlSTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 for her at firft; of which let her eat often, and but a little at a time. 
 htt her life cinnamon in all her meats and drinks, for it mightily 
 ftrengthens the womb; let her ftir very little for fix or feven days 
 after her delivery; and talk little, for that weakens her. If fhe goes 
 not well to ftool Vj give her a clyfter made with the decoction of mal- 
 lows, and a little brown fugar. After fhe has lain-in a week or more, 
 give her fuch things as clofe the womb ; to which you may add a lit- 
 tle polypodium, both leaves and roots bruifed, which will purge 
 gently : This is as much in cafe of natural birth as needs at firft be 
 done. 
 
 Section II. 
 
 In cxirsmity of unnatural Labour . 
 
 Let the woman be fure to keep a temperate diet ; and take care 
 thatfhe does by no means overcharge herfelf, after fuch an excellive 
 evacuation, not being ruled by or giving credit to unfkilful nurfes, 
 who are apt to admonifli them to feed heartily, the better to repair 
 the lofs of blood : for the blood is not for the moil part pure, but 
 •fuch as has been detained in the veilels or membranes, and it is better 
 voided for the health of the woman than kept, unlefs there happens 
 an extraordinary flux of blood ; for if her nourishment be too much, 
 it may make her liable to a fever, and increafe the milk to a fuperrlu- 
 •ity, which may be of dangerous confequence. It is therefor* requifite 
 for the fir ft five days efpecially, that fhe take moderately panada, broth, 
 poach'd eggs, jelly of chickens and calves feet, and French barley 
 broth, each fomewhat increafing the quantity. And, if fhe intend to 
 be nurfe to her child, fhe may take a little more than ordinary to in- 
 creafe the milk by degrees ; which mult be of no continuance, but 
 drawn off either by the child, or otherwife. In that cafe likewife, let 
 her have coriander or fennel feed boiled in barley broth : and by that 
 means, for the time before-mentioned, let her abftain from meat. If 
 no fever trouble her, the may drink now and then a fmall quantity 
 of white wine or claret, as alfo fyrup of maiden-hair, or any other fyr- 
 up that is of an aftringent quality, taking it in a little water well boil- 
 ed. And after the fear of a fever, or contraction of humours to the 
 bread is over, {lie may then be nourished more plentifully with the 
 broth of pullets, capons, pigeons, partridges, mutton, veal, &c. which 
 mult not be till after eight days at leafi: from the time of the delivery ; 
 for by that time the womb will have purged itfelf, unlefs fome in- 
 tervening accident fhould hinder. It will then be expedient to give 
 her cool meats, fo it be done fparingly, the better to gather ftrength ; 
 and let her during the time reft quietly, and free from any difturb- 
 ance, not fleeping in the day time, if flie can avoid it. If there hap- 
 pens any obftrudtions in the evacuation of excrements, the following 
 clyfters may be adminillered : Take pellitory of the wall, and of both 
 the mallows, of each a handful; fennel and annifeed of each two 
 ounces ; boil them in the decoction of a fheep's head, and take of this 
 three quarters, dilTolving it in the common honey and coarfe fugar, 
 and of new frefli butter two ounces ; (train it well, and adminifter it 
 elyfter-wife. But if this does not operate to youi mind, then you 
 may take an ounce of catholicon. 
 
ARISTOTLS's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 45 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Of a malt: orfalfe Conception : and of Menfiers and Mmfi ous Births, tulth 
 tbs reafon thereof 
 SECTION I. Of a Mole orfalfe Conception* 
 
 A MOLE or falfe conception is nothing elfe but a mafs or great 
 lump of flefh, burdening the womb. It is an inarticulate piece 
 of flcfh without any form, and therefore differs from monfters, which 
 are both frmata and artieuiata ; and then it is faid to be a conception* 
 but a falfe one which puts a difference between a true conception and 
 a mole; and the difference holds good three different ways : Firft- in 
 the genus, beca ufe a mole cannot be faid to be an animal. Secondly, 
 it differs in fpecies, becaufe it hath no human figure, and bears not the 
 character of a man. Thirdly, it differs in the indrvidium, for it hath 
 no affinity with the parts of that in the whole body, or any particles 
 of the fame. There are variety of judgments among authors about 
 the producing caufe of this effect, fome afrtrrhiog that it is produced 
 by the woman's feed going into the womb without the nun's : but 
 becaufe we have before proved that women have properly no feed at 
 all, but only an ovalium, which is fecundated by the active principle 
 of the man's feed, this opinion needs no confutation. Others fay, it h 
 engendered of the menftruous blood : bi:£ were this granted, it would 
 follow that maids by having their courfes flopped might be fubjecl: ra- 
 the fame, which never any yet were. The true caufe of this earnou* 
 conception, which we call a mole proceeds both from the man and 
 the woman, from corrupt and barren feed in the man, and from the 
 menftruous blood in the woman, both mixed together in the cavity of 
 the womb ; and nature finding herfeif weak (yet d jUrous of maintain- 
 ing the perpetuity of her fpecies) labours to bring forth a vicious con- 
 ception rather than none : and not being able to bring forth a liviug 
 creature generates a piece of flefh. 
 
 This imperfect conception may be known to be fuch by the follow-* 
 ing ilgns. The monthly courfes are fuppreffed, the belly is puffed up, 
 and waxed hard, the breath fmclls and the appetite is depraved. But 
 you will fay. thefe are figns of a breeding woman in true conception, 
 and therefore thefe cannot diftinguifh a mole. To this I anfwer, Though 
 thus they agree, yet they are different in feveral refpects ; for a mole 
 may be felt in the womb before the third month, which an infant can- 
 not ; the motion of the mole being only caufed by the faculty of the 
 womb and of the feminal fpirit diffufed through its fubftance ; for 
 though this his no animal, yet it has a vegetative life ; and then the 
 belly is fuddenly fwelled where there 13 a mole ; but in true conception 
 the belly is firft contracted, and then rifeth gradually. Another dif- 
 ference is, the belly being preffed with the hand, the mole gives way, 
 and the hand being taken away, it returns to the place again ; but a 
 child in the womb though preffed with the hand, moves not prefently, 
 and being removed returns not at all, or at leafl: very (lowly. But, ta 
 name no more, another very material difference is, that a child con- 
 tinues not in the womb above eleven months at moil ; but a mole 
 jfometimes continues fnnr or five years, fometimcs more or lefs, accord- 
 ing to its being fattened to the matrix ; for fometimes a mole hath fall- 
 en away ia four or five monfc s ; and if it remains until the nth 
 month, the legs are feeble, and the whole body appears in a wafting 
 
46 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 condition, or the belly fwells bigger and bigger, which is the reafon 
 that fome who are thus afllieted, think they are hydropical, though it 
 be no fuch thing ; which a woman eafily knows, if (he will but confid- 
 er that in a dropfy the legs will fwell and grow big ; in cafe of a mole 
 they confume and wither. This difternper.is an enemy to true con- 
 ception, and of dangerous confequence ; for a woman that breeds a 
 mole is every way more inconvenienced than a woman that is with 
 child, and all the while fhe keeps it, fhe lives in danger of her life. 
 
 The cure of this di (temper eonhfb chiefly in expelling it as foon as 
 may be ; for the longer it is kept the worfe it is ; and this many 
 times cannot be efleclied without manual operation ; but that being the 
 laft remedy, all other means ought to be fir fc ufed. Amongft which 
 phlebotomy ought not to be omitted ; for feeing letting of blood cauf- 
 cth abortion, by reafen it takes away that nourishment that fhould 
 fuftain the life of the child,. why may not this vicious conception be 
 by the fame means deprived of that vegetative fap by which it lives ? 
 to which end open the liver vein, and the faphana in both feet ; fallen 
 the cupping glaiTes to the loins and fides of the belly ; which done, 
 let the urinary part be firft mplxfied, and the expulfive faculty be pro- 
 voked to expel the burden. And to loofen the ligatures of the mole, 
 take mallows w r ith roots, three handfuls ; pellitory, camomile, violet 
 leaves, meUlot, roots of fcnuel, pariley, mercury, of each two hand- 
 
 - fuls ; fenugreek and lintfeed, of each one pound ; boil them in water, 
 and make a bath thereof, and let her fit therein up to her navel. At 
 her. going out of the bath, let her reins aud privities be anointed with 
 this unguent : Take .^mmoniati,' landani, freih butter, of each an 
 
 "ounce ; and with the oil of lintfeed make ah ointment ; or, inftead of 
 this, may be ufed unguentum agrippse or dialthxe. Alfo take aq. bry- 
 once compofito roots of althce and mercury, of each a handful ; lint- 
 feed and barley meal, of each fix ounces ; boil all thefe with water 
 and honey, and make a plaifter, and the ligaments of the mole being 
 thus loofened, let the- expulfive faculty be ftirred up to expel the mole ; 
 for the effecting of which all thofc medicines are very proper which 
 bring down the courfes. Therefore take favine, madder, valerian, 
 horehound, fage, hyiTop, betony, pennyroyal, calamint, hypericon, and 
 with water -make a decoction, and give three ounces of it, with an 
 ounce and a half of fyrup of feverfew. Bat if thefe remedies prove 
 not available, then mufi the mole be drawn away by manual opera- 
 tion, in the manner following : Let the operator (having placed the 
 woman in a proper .pofhire, as has been directed in cafes of unnatural 
 labour) Hide his hands into the womb, and with it draw forth tlie 
 mole ; but if it be grown fo big that it cannot be drawn away whole 
 (which is very r^re, becaufe it is a foft tender body, and much more 
 pliable than a child) let the operator bring it away by parts, by tiling 
 a crochet or knife, if it cannot be done otherwife. And if the opera- 
 tor finds it is joined and fattened to the womb, he muft gently feparate 
 it with his fingers' ends, his nails being pared, putting them by little 
 arad little between the mole and the womb, beginning on the fide 
 where it does ftick fait, and fo purfue it till it be quite loofened, tak- 
 ing great care if it grows too faft not to rend or hurt the proper fub- 
 ftance of the womb, proceeding as in the cafe of an after-burden, that 
 ftays behind in the womb when the firing is broken off ; but a mole 
 Jjas never any firing fattened to it, or any burden whence it fhouUl 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 47 
 
 receive any nourilTiment,but does of itfelf immediately draw It from 
 the veiTels'of the womb. And thus much fhall fuffice to be faid con- 
 cerning a mole ; of which I have fhewn the caufe, the figns, and the 
 cure. ' 
 
 Section II. Of Monjlers and monflrous Births, 
 
 Monfters are properly depraved conceptions, and are deemed by 
 the ancients to be excurfions of nature, and are always vicious either 
 by figure, fituation, magnitude, or number. 
 
 They are vicious m figure, when a man bears the character of a 
 beaft; vicious in magnitude, when the parts are not equal, or one part 
 is bigger than another ; and this is a thing very common, by reafon 
 of fome excrefcence. They are vicious in fituation many ways ; as if 
 the ears Averc on the face or the eyes on the breafts, or cgi the legs, as 
 were feen in a monfter born at Ravenna in Italy, in the year 1570 : 
 And laftly, vicious in number, when a man hath two heads, four hands, 
 and two bodies joined, which was the cafe of the monfter born at Za- 
 zara in the year 1550. 
 
 As to the caufe of their generation, it is either divine or natural, 
 The divine caufe proceeds from the permiflive will of the great Au- 
 thor of our being, futTeririg parents to Ibring forth fuch deformed 
 monfters, as a pimifhment for their filthy and corrupt affection, let 
 loofe unto wickednefs, like brute beafts that ha\ T e no undet (binding : 
 for which reafon the ancient Romans enacted, that thofe who were 
 deformed fliould not be put into religious houfes. And St. Jerome, in 
 his time grieved to fee the deformed and lame offered up to God in 
 religious houfes ; and Kecherman, by way of inference, excluded all 
 that were naifhapen, becaufe outward deformity of body is often a 
 fign of the pollution of the heart, as a curie laid upon the child for the 
 incontinency of the parents : Yet there are many born depraved, 
 which ought not to be afcribed to the infirmity of the parents. Let 
 us therefore fearch out the natural caufe of their generation, which 
 according to thofe who have dived into the fecrets of nature, is either 
 in the matter or the agent, in the feed, or in the womb. The matter 
 may be in fault two ways, by defeat or accefs. By defect, when the 
 child hath but one arm or leg, &c. by accefs, when it has three hands 
 or two heads. Some monfters are aifo begotten by women's beftial 
 and unnatural coition, &c. The agent or womb may be in fault three 
 ways : firft, in the forming faculty, which may be too ftrong or too 
 weak, which fometimes produces a depraved figure, idly. The evil 
 difpoiition of the inftrument or place of conception, will caufe a mon- 
 ftrous birth. And 2dly, the imaginative power at the time of con- 
 ception, is of fuch a force as to flamp a character of the thing imagin- 
 ed upon the child ; thus a woman at the time of conception, beholding 
 the picture of a Blackamoor, conceived and brought forth a child re- 
 fembling an Ethiopian; and by this the children of an adultrefs, 
 though begotten by another man, may have the neareft refemblance to 
 her own hufband. This power of. imagination was well enough known 
 to the ancients, as is evident by the example of Jacob, the father of 
 the twelve tribes of Ifrael, who having agreed with his father in-law 
 to have ail the fpotted flieep for the keeping of his flock to increafe 
 his wages, took hazel rods, peeling them with white ftreaks in them, 
 and laid them before the fheep when they came to drink, and they 
 coupling together whilft they beheld the rods : conceived and brought 
 
4* 
 
 Aristotle's master piece. 
 
 forth fpotted young, Nor does the imagination work in the child at 
 the time of conception only, but afterwards alfo ; as was feen in the 
 example of a worthy gentlewoman, who being big with child, and parT- 
 ing by a butcher killing meat, a drop of blood fpirted on her face ; 
 whereupon fhe prefently faid that the child would have fome blemifh 
 on his face, which proved true, for at the birth it was found marked 
 with a red fpot. 
 
 But befides the way already mentioned, Monftcrs are fometimes 
 produced by other means, to wit, by the undue coition of a man and 
 his wife* when her monthly flowings are upon her ; which being a 
 thing againft nature, no wonder that it fhould produce an unnatural 
 i/Tue. If therefore a man's delire be ever fo great for coition (as fome- 
 times it is after long abfence) yet if a woman knOwe that the cuftom 
 of women is upon her, fire ought not to admit of any embraces, which 
 at that time are both unclean and unnatural. The iffue of thefe un- 
 clean embraces proving often monftrous, as a^ juft punishment for fuch 
 a turpidinous action. Or, if they fhcmld«riot always produce mon- 
 (trous births, yet are the children thus begotten, for the moft part, dull, 
 heavy, iiuggifh, and defective in underftanding, wanting the vivacity 
 and livelinefs which thofe children are endued with who are begotten 
 when women are free from their courfes. 
 
 There hps been fome contending among authors, whether tbcfe 
 who are born monftcrs have reafonable fouls, the refult of both fides, 
 at laft coming to this, that thofe who, according to the order of nature, 
 are defcended from our fir ft parents, by the coition of a man and v o- 
 man, though their outward fhape be deformed and naonftrous, have 
 notwithftanding reafonable fouls: but thofe mon iters that are not be- 
 gotten by man, but are the product of a woman's unnatural luft, cop- 
 ulating with other creatures, fhall periih as the brute beads by whom 
 they were begotten, nor have they a reafonable foul. The fame being 
 alfo true of imperfect and abortive births. 
 
 Some are of opinion, that monfters may be engendered by infernal 
 fpirits ; but notwithftanding iEgidius Facias pretended to believe it 
 with refpect to a deformed menfter. born at Cracovia : and Hieroni- 
 mus Carcumus writeth cf a maid that was got with child by the devil ; 
 yet, as a wicked fpirtt is not capable of having human feed, how is it 
 pcillble he fhould beget a human creature ? It they fay, that the devil 
 may aiunre to himfelf a dead body, and enliven the faculties of it, and 
 thereby make it able to generate, I anfwer, that though we fuppofc 
 this could be done, which I believe not, yet that body muft bear the 
 image of the devil ; and it borders upon blafphemy, to think that the 
 all-wife and good Being v ould fo far give way to the worft of fpirits 
 as to fufTer him to raife up his diabolical offspring : for, in the fchool 
 of nature, we are taught the contrary, viz. that like begets like; 
 whence it follows, that a man cannot be born of a devil. 
 
 The fhft that I iliall prefent is a moft frightful monfter indeed, repre- 
 fentingan hairy child. It was covered over with hair like a bcaft. 
 That which rendered it yet more frightful was, that its navel was in 
 the place where his nofe Ihould ftand, and his eyes placed where his 
 mouth fhould fr&ve been, and his mouth was in the chin. It was of 
 the male kind, and bom in France in the year 1597. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 49 
 
 A boy was born in Germany , with one head and one body, but 
 having four ears, four arms* four thighs, four legs, and four feet.' 
 
 This birth, the learned, who beheld it, judged to proceed from the 
 redundance of the feed; but there not being enough for Twins, nature 
 formed what fhe could, and fo made the mod of it. 
 E 
 
JO 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 This child lived fome years, and though he had four feet, he knew 
 not how to go ; by which we may fee the wifdom of nature, or rath- 
 er the God of nature, in the formation of the body of man. 
 
 Heavn in our frji formation did provide 
 Yiuo arms and legs ; but ivhat ive have befide 
 Renders us monjlrous and unjhapcn too, 
 f Nor have ive any ivork for them t§ do, 
 
 Tivo arms, tivo /<?g\r, are all that ive can ufe, 
 And to have more there's no iv'fe man ivill chvfe. 
 
 In the time of Henry III. a woman was delivered of a child, having 
 two heads and four arms, and the reft was a twin under the navel ; 
 and then beneath, all the reft was fingle, as appears in the figure. The 
 heads were fo placed that they looked contrary ways, and each had 
 two diflindr, arms and hands. They would both laugh, fpeak, cry, and 
 both eat and be hungry together. Sometimes the one would fpeak, 
 and the other would keep filence, and fometimes both would fpeak to- 
 gether. It was of the female fex; and though it had two mouths, 
 and did eat with both, yet there was but one fundament to difburden 
 nature. It lived feveral years, but the one outlived the other three 
 years, carrying the dead one (for there was no parting them) till the 
 other fainted with the burden, and more with the Clink of the dead 
 carcafs. 
 
ARISTOTLE s MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 5* 
 
 A child was born in Flanders which had two heads and four arms, 
 feeming like two girls joined together, having two of their arms lifted 
 up between and above their heads ; the thighs being placed as it were 
 acrofs one another according to the figure. How long they lived I 
 had no account of. 
 
 Nature to us fometimcs does Monjlers fooio^ 
 That iv e by them may our own mercies knozv ; 
 And thereby fins deformity may fee 
 Than which there s nothing can more menfrou: ts. 
 
Ariftotle's Mafter-Piece. 
 
 PART in. 
 
 Displaying the Secrets of Nature- relating to 
 PHYSIOGNOMY. 
 C H A P. I. 
 Section I. 
 
 Of Pbyjiognomy, Jkeioing n bat it is, and from whence U is derived, 
 
 PHYSIOGNOMY is an ingenious feiitnee, or knowledge ©f nature, 
 by which the inclination and difpofitions of every creature are 
 underftood : and beeairfe fome of the members are uncompounded 
 and entire of themfeives, as the tongue, the heart, Sic. and fome of a 
 mixed nature, as-the eyes, the nofe, and others, we therefore fay, that 
 there are many figns which agree and live together, ; which inform a 
 wife man hew to make his judgment, before he be too'rafh to deliver 
 it to the world. Nor is it to be efteemed n fooUilvcr idle art, feeing 
 it is derived from the fuperior bodies ; for there is no 'part of the face 
 of a man, but what is under the peculiar influence or government, not 
 only of the feven planets, but alfo of the twelve figns of the zodiac ; 
 and the difpofition, vices, virtues, and fatality either of a manor 
 woman, are plainly foretold, if the perfon pretending to the knowl- 
 edge thereof be an art i ft, which, that my reader may attain to, I iliall 
 fet thefe things in a clear light. 
 
 The reader lliould remember that the forehead is governed by Mars; 
 the right eye is under the dominion of Sol ; the left is ruled by Luna 
 or the Moon ; the right ear is the care of Jupiter ; the left of Saturn ; 
 t'ie rule of the nofe is claimed by Venus, which by the way is one rea- 
 fon that, in all unlawful venereal encounters, the nofe is too fubjecr to 
 bear the fears which are gotten in thofe wars : and the nimble Mer- 
 cury, the fignification of eloquence, claims the dominions of the mouth, 
 and that very juftly. 
 
 Thus have the feven planets divided the face among them but not 
 f > abfolutely, but that the twelve figns of the zodiac do alfo come in 
 for a part : and therefore the fign Cancer prefides in the uppermoft 
 part of the forehead ; Leo attends upon the right eye brow, as Sagita- 
 rius does upon the right eye, and Libra upon the right ear; upon the 
 left eye and eye brow Aquarius and Gemini, and Aries the left ear ; 
 Tarrus rules in the middle of the forehead, and Capricorn the chin : 
 Scorpio takes upon him the protection of the n<£e ; Virgo claims the 
 precedence of the right cheek, and Pifces of the left. And thus the 
 face of man is canton'd out among the Signs and Planets ; which being 
 carefully attended to, will fufficiently inform the artifts how to pafs a 
 judgment ; For, according to the Sign or Planet ruling, fo alfo is the 
 judgment to be of the part ruled, which all thofe that have under- 
 standing know eafily how to apply. 
 
 In the judgment that is to be made from phyflognomy, there is a 
 great difference betwixt a man and a woman, becaufe in refpect of 
 
ARISTOTLE'* MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 n 
 
 the whole compofition, men mpre fully comprehend it than women 
 do, as will appear in the following fe&ion : Therefore the judgments 
 we pafs properly concern a man, as comprehending the whole fpecies* 
 and but improperly the woman, as a part thereof, and derived from 
 the man ; and therefore in the judgment about the lines and marks of 
 a face, refpe& fhould be had to the fex ; for when we behold a man 
 whofe face is like unto a woman's ; or the face of a woman, who m 
 refpe<& to her flefti and blood is like unto a man, the fame judgment 
 is not paiTed on her, as on a man that is like unto her, in regard that 
 the complexion of the woman is much different from that of a man, 
 even in thofe refpe&s which are faid to be common ; therefore refpecSt 
 fhould be had to other parts of the body, as the hands, &c. Now in 
 thefe common refpetts, two parts are attributed to a man, and a third 
 part to a woman. 
 
 Wherefore, it being our intention to give you an exact account, ac- 
 cording to the rules of phyfiognomy, of all and every part of the mem- 
 bers of the body we will begin with the head, as it hath relation only 
 to a man and woman, and not any other creature that the work may 
 be more obvious to every reader. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 Of the Judgment of Phyfiognomy, 
 
 HAIR that hangs down without curling, if it be of a fair complex- 
 ion, thin and foft, fignifies a man to be naturally faint-hearted, 
 and of a weak body, but of a quiet and harmlefs difpofition. Hair 
 that is big and thick and fhort denotes a man to be of a ftrong consti- 
 tution, bold, fecret, deceitful, and, for the molt part unquiet, and vain, 
 hiding after beauty, and more foolifh than wife, though fortune may 
 favour him. He whofe hair is partly curled and partly hanging down, 
 is commonly a wife man or a very great fool, or elfe a knave. He 
 whofe hair growetk thick on his temples and his brow, one may at nrft 
 fight certainly conclude that fuch a man is by nature fimple, vain, lux- 
 urious, luftful, credulous, clownifli in his fpeech and converfation, and 
 dull in his apprehenfion. He whofe hair not only curls very much, 
 but bufheth out, and (lands on end, if the hair be white, or yellow ifh, 
 he is by nature proud and bold, dull of apprehenfion, foon angry, a 
 lover of venery, given to lying, malicious, and ready to do any mifchief. 
 He whofe hair rifes in the corners of his temples, and is alfo grofs and 
 rough, is a man highly conceited of himfelf, inclined to malice, but 
 cunningly concealsit, is very courtly, and a lover of new fafhion?. He 
 who hath much hair, that is, whofe hair is thick all over his head, is 
 naturally vain and very luxurious, of a good digeftion, eafy of belief 
 and flow of performance, of a weak memory, and for the mod part un- 
 fortunate. He whofe hair is of a reddifh complexion, is for the moft 
 part, if not always, proud deceitful, detracting, veneriousf and full of 
 envy. He whofe hair is extraordinary fair, is, for the mod- part, a 
 man fit for all praife-worthy enterprifes, a lover of honours, and much 
 more inclined to do good than evil ; laborious and careful to perform 
 whatever is committed to his care; fecret in carrying on any buhnefs, 
 and fortunate. Hair of a yellowifh colour fhews a man to be good- 
 conditioned, and willing to do anything, fearful, fbame faced, and 
 weak of body, but ftrong in the abilities of his mind, -and more apt 
 to remember than revenge an injury, He whofe hair is of a browaiftn 
 E % 
 
J4 ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 ' '"'*' * r 5 ff . ';jfis | jj- ■>/ , . ■ f ; - ^ v ';. : ! ■ ' 
 
 colour, and curled a little, is a wdll difpofed man, inclined to that 
 which is good, a lover of peace, cleanlinefs and good manners. He 
 whofe hair turns gray or hoary, in the time of 'his youth, is generally 
 given to women, vain, falfe, unliable and talkative. 
 
 Note, That whatfoever iignificatrbh the hair has in men, it hath 
 the fame in women alfo. 
 
 Thus does ndife 'Mature male our <very hair 
 
 Shc*zv all the paffions that within us. are ; 
 
 If to the ' bottle ive are mojl i-nclin V, 
 
 Or, if we fancy mcfl the female kind ; 
 
 If into virtue's paths our minds we bend, 
 
 0r y if to vicious -ways our footftps tend t 
 
 A Jkilful artijl can unfold the fame, 
 
 And from our hair, a certain judgment frame : 
 
 But fznee our periwigs are come in fafhicm, 
 
 JVo room is left for fuch an obfervation. 
 The forehead that rifcth in a round, figinfies a man liberally merry, 
 of a good underftanding, and generally inclined to virtue. He whofe 
 forehead is flefliy, and the bone of the brow jutting out, and without 
 wrinkles, is a man inclined to fuits of law, contentious, vain, deceitful, 
 and addicted to follow ill eourfes. He whofe forehead is very low and 
 little, is of a good underftanding, magnanimous, but extremely bold and 
 confident, and a great pretender to love and honour. He whofc fore- 
 head feems fliarp, and pointing up in the corners of his temples, fo 
 that the bone feems to jut forth a little, is a man naturally weak and 
 fickle, and weak in his intellectuals. He whofe brow upon the tem- 
 ple is full of flefh is a man of great fpir.it, proud, watchful, and of grofs 
 underftanding. He whofe brow is full of wrinkles, and hath as it 
 •were a fcam coming dawn the middle of the forehead, is ; one that is of 
 a great fpiiit, a great wit, void of deceit, and yet of hard fortune. He 
 who has a full large forehead, and a little round, deftitute of hair, or-at 
 leaf!: has little hair on it, is bold, malicious, high fpirited, full of chcler, 
 and apt to tranfgrtfs beyond all bounds, and yet of a good wit. He 
 whofe forehead is long and high, jutting forth, and whofe face is figur- 
 ed almoft fliarp and picked towards the chin, is one reafoaably honeft 
 but weak and limpie, and of hard fortune. 
 
 Who. view men ivell may on their vices hit. 
 
 For fome men s crimes are on their foreheads ti-r.it ; 
 
 Bvt the refolded man outbraves his fate, 
 
 And ivill be good y although unfortunate. 
 The eye*brows that are much arched, whether in man or woman, 
 and which, by frequent motion, elevate themfelves,.£hew the perfon 
 to be proud, high fpirited, vain- glorious, bold and threatening, a lover 
 of beauty, and indifferently inclined either to good or. evil, He whofe 
 eye-lids bend downward when he fpeaks to another man, or looks up- 
 on him, and who has a kind of a fkulking look, is by nature a penuri- 
 ous wretch, cloie in all his actions, of fe\v words, but full of malice, 
 He whofe eye brows are thick; and have but little hair upon them, is 
 weak and credulous, very fincere, fociable, and defirous of good com- 
 pany. He whefe brows are folded and the hair thick, and bending 
 downwards, is one that is ciownifh, heavy, fufpicipus, miferable, en- 
 vious, and will cheat and cozen you if he can. He whofe eye-,prow 
 hath but ihQU hair, and of a whkifli colour, is fearful, eafy of belief 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 55 
 
 and apt to undertake any thing. Thofe whofc eye-brows are black, 
 and the hair of them.th.in, will do nothing without great confideration, 
 is bold and confident of the performance of what he undertakes, and 
 is not apt to believe any thing without reafon for fo doing. 
 
 ¥hus by the eye-lrQivs ivomens minds ive Jsnoiv, 
 Whethrr they re ivhiie or black, or quick, or Jloiu : 
 And whether iheyll be cur fed or be kind, 
 By locking in their e.yt-brvxvs ive may Jind. 
 
 If the -Space between the eye-brows be of more than ordinary dis- 
 tance, itfhews the perfon to be hard hearted, envious, clofe and cun- 
 ning, apprehenfive, greedy of novelties, addicted to cruelty more than 
 love. But thofe men whofe. eye-brows are at a lefier di fiance, are for 
 the moll: part of a dull understanding, yet fubtle enough in their deal- 
 ings, and of an uncommon boldnefs, which is often attended with great 
 felicity ; but above all, they are mod fur e and conftant in their friend- 
 ship. 
 
 Great and full, eyes either in men or women,' fliew the perfon to be 
 for the moft part (lothful, bold, envious, a bad concealer of Secrets, 
 miferable, vain, given to lying, and yet of a bad memory, flow in in- 
 vention, weak in his intellectuals, and yet very conceited of his abili- 
 ties. He whofe eyes are hollow in his head, and therefore difcerns ex- 
 cellently well at a great diflance, is one that is fufpicions, malicious, fu- 
 rious, perverfe in his converfation, of an extraordinary memory, bold, 
 cruel, and falfe, both in words and deeds, proud, threatening, vicious, 
 ■envious, and treacherous : But he whofe eyes are as it were ftarting 
 out of his head, is a fimpie foolifh perfon, fhamelefc, very Servile, and 
 eafy to be per fuaded either ,to vice or virtue. He who looks iludiouf- 
 ly with his eyes downwards, is of a malicious nature, very treacherous, 
 unfaithful, envious, miserable, impious towards God, and diShoned 
 towards men. 4ie whoSe eyes are Small, and conveniently round is 
 bafliful and weak, very credulous, liberal to others, and even in his 
 conversation. He whofe .eyes look on a Squint, is deceitful, unjufr, 
 envious, furious, a great liar, and as the effect: of all this, miferable. 
 A wandering eye rolling up and down, denotes a vain firnple man, 
 luftful, treacherous. He or fhe whofe eyes are twinkling, and which 
 move forward or backward, fbew the perfon to be luxurious, unfaith- 
 ful,. presumptuous, treacherous, and hard to believe any thing that is 
 fpoken. If a perfon has any greennefs mingled in the white of his 
 eyes, fuchis commonly Silly and often very falSe and deceitful, unkind 
 to his friends, a great concealer of his own Secrets, and very choleric. 
 Thofe whofe eyes roll up and down, or thofe who feldom move their 
 eyes, but when they do draw them inwardly, and fatten them upon 
 Some object, Such are by their inclinations very malicious, vain-glori- 
 ..ous, flothful,,unfaithfuI, envious, falfe and contentious. They whofe 
 eyes are addicted to blood iliot, are naturally cholerick, proud dif- 
 dainful, cruel, tliameful, perfidious, and much inclined to fu perflation. 
 They. who have eyes like oxen, are.ptrfons of good nutriment, but of 
 a weak memory, dull understanding, and Silly in their converfation : 
 But they whofe eyes are neither too little nor too big, and inclined to 
 a black, do fignify.a man mild, peaceable, honeft, witty, and of a good 
 .underftandirig • and one that when need requires will be ftrviceabk 
 to his friends, 
 
56 
 
 ARlSTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE, 
 
 Thus ft om the eyes tve federal thing* may fa, 
 
 By nature's art of phyftognomy, 
 
 That no man farce can make a look aivry y 
 
 But nve thereby fame fecret fymptoms may 
 
 Dtfcern of his intention, and fotefce 
 
 Unto ichat paths his feps direcled le ; 
 
 And this may teaeh us goodnefs more to piize. 
 
 For where one's good, there's twenty otherivife. 
 A long and thin nofc denotes a man bold, curious, angry, weak and 
 credulous ; eafy to be perfuaded either to good or evil. A long nofe and 
 extended, its tip bending downwards fhevvs the perfon to be wife, dif- 
 creet, officious, honeft and faithful, and who will not be eafily over- 
 reached. A bottle nofe denotes a man to be impetuous in the obtain- 
 ing his defires, vain, falfe, luxurious, weak, credulous. A nofe broad- 
 er in the middle, and lefs towards the end, denotes a vain talkative 
 perfon, a liar and one of hard fortune. He who hath a long and great 
 nofe, is an admirer of the fair fex, well accomplifhed for the wars of 
 Venus, but ignorant of any thing that is good ; affiduous in obtaining 
 what he dehres ; and though very ignorant, would fain be thought 
 very knowing. A nofe fharp on the tip of it, and neither too long 
 nor too lTiort, too thick nor too thin denotes the perfon, if a man, to 
 be of a fretful difpofition, always pining and peevifli ; and if a woman, 
 a fcold, contentious, wedded to her own humour ; and if married a 
 plague to her hufband. A nofe very round at the end of it, and hav- 
 ing but little, noftrils, {hews a perfon to be munificent and liberal, 
 true to his truft, but credulous, proud and vain. A nofe very long 
 and thin at the end of it, and fomething round, fignifies one bold in 
 his difcourfe, honeft in his dealings, patient in receiving, and flow in 
 offering injuries, but yet privately malicious. He whofe nofe is natu- 
 rally more red than any other part of his face, is denoted to be covet- 
 ous, luxurious, and an enemy to goodnefs. A nofe that turns up again, 
 and is long and full on the tip of it, fliews the perfon to be bold, proud, 
 covetous, envious, a liar and deceiver, vain-glorious, contentious, and 
 unfortunate. He whofe nofe rifeth high in the middle, is prudent,, 
 politic, courageous, honourable in his aclions and true to his word. 
 A nofe big at the end fliews a perfon to be of a peaceful difpofition, 
 induftrious, faithful, and of a good underftanding. A very wide nofe* 
 with wide noftrils, denotes a man full of apprehenfion, and inclined: 
 more to fimplicity than wifdom, and withal contentious, vain-glorious 
 and a liar. 
 
 Thus from the nofe our phyfiognomif 
 
 Can fmcll men's inclinations if lue lif : 
 
 And from its colour and its mate, 
 
 Of v'ce and virtue a furvey can take. 
 When the nostrils are clofe and thin, they denote a man to have but 
 little tefticles, and to be very dcfirous of the enjoyment of women, but 
 modeft in his converfaticn. But he whofe noftrils are great and wide, 
 is ufually well hung, and luftful ; but of an envious, bold, and treacher- 
 ous difpofition; and though dull of underftanding, yet confident. 
 
 Thus thofe ivho chief y mind the brutal part, 
 
 May learn to chufe a hufband by this art. 
 A great wide mouth fliews a man to be bold, warlike, fhamelefs, 
 ftout, a great liar, talkative, and a great eater, but dull as to his intcl- 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIE CE. 
 
 57 
 
 ietb. A little mouth {hews the perfon to he cf a quick and pacific 
 temper, fomewhat fearful, but faithful, fecret, modcft, bountiful, and 
 a little eater. He whole mouth finells of a bad breath, is one of ;a 
 corrupted liver or lungs is fometimes vain, wanton, deceitful, of indif- 
 ferent intellects, envious, covetous and a prbmife breaker. He that 
 has a fwett breath, is the contrary. 
 
 >r Thus ft on the mouth itfdf, ive lihiv'/fe fee 
 
 What jigns of good avd bdd may gather d be ; 
 JFor, let the iviad hloiv eajl y li ft, north orfoittb, 
 Both good and *^.d 'proceed out of the mouth. 
 The lips when they are very big and blubbering, fhewa perfon to 
 be credulous, foolilh, dull and ftupid, and apt to be enticed to any 
 thing. Lips of a different lize, denote a perfon to be difcreet, fecret, 
 judicious, of a good wit but fomewhat hafiy. To have lips well col- 
 oured, and more thin than thick, (hews a perfon to be good humoured, 
 and more ealily perfuaded ta good than evil. To have one lip bigger 
 than the other, fhews variety of fortunes , denotes a dull fluggifh tem- 
 per, and an indifferent underfkanding. 
 
 The lips they fo much dote on for a lifs 9 
 Oft tell fond lovers rvhen they do amifs. 
 When the teeth are ■ fmall, and but weak in performing their office, 
 and efpecially if they be fhort and few, though the party be of a weak 
 conftitution, yet they denote him to be of a meek difpohtion, honeft, 
 | faithful, and fecret in whatfoever he is entrufted with. To ha \ c fome 
 teeth longer, and fcj me fhorter than others, denotes a perfon to be of 
 a good jpprehenfion, Out bold, tiifdainful, envious and proud. To 
 have teeth very ftrong, and growing fharp towards the end, if they are 
 long in chewing, and thin, denotes the perfon to be envious, glutton- 
 ous, bold, fliamelefs, unfaithful and fufpicious. When the teeth look 
 very brown or yeilowiih, whether they be long or fliort, it fhews the 
 perfon to be of a fufpi#ious temper, envious, deceitful and turbulent, 
 To have teeth ftrong and c'ofe together, fhews the perfon to be of a 
 long life, a dehrer of novelties, and things that are fair and beautiful, 
 but of an high fplrit, and one that will have his humour in all things ; 
 he loves to hear news, and afterwards to repeat it, and is apt to en- 
 tertain any thing in his own behalf. To have teeth thin and weak, 
 fhews a weak, feeble man, and one of fhort life, and of a weak apprc- 
 henlion ; but chafte, lliamefaced, tradibleand hone ft. 
 
 'Thus from the teeth the learned can portend 
 Whether mans flefis to •vice or virtue bend, 
 A tongue too fwift in fpeech, fhews a man to be downright foolifli, 
 jor at befl but a very vain wit. A ftammexing tongue, or one that 
 Humbles in the mouth, lignifles a man of a weak ; under (binding, of a 
 wavering mind, quickly in a rage, and foon pacified. A thick and 
 -rough tongue denotes a man to be apprehenhve, fubtle and full of 
 compliments, yet vain and deceitful, treacherous and prone to impiety, 
 A thin tongue fhews a man of wifdom and found judgment, very in- 
 genious, and of an affable difpofition, yet fometimes timorous, and too 
 credulous, 
 
 Jtfo nfondcr 'tis that from mens fpeech zve fee 
 Whether they re ivife, or whether foelijh be .* 
 Jdut from a flent tongue our authors tell 
 The feet ti pafpon; ivithln men that divsiL 
 
aristotle's master-piece. 
 
 A great and full voice in either fex, fhew them to be of a great fpir- 
 it, confident, proud and wilful. A faint or weak voice, fhew* a per- 
 son of a good understanding, nimble fancy, a little eater, but weak of 
 body and timorous. A loud and fhrill voice, denotes one fagacious 
 and ingenious, but capricious, vain-glorious, and too credulous. A 
 ftrong voice when a man lings, denotes a ftrong confutation, a good 
 underflanding. ingenious, amorous. A weak and trembling voice, de- 
 notes one to be envious, fufpicions, flow in bufinefs, and fearful. A 
 loud, fhrill and unpleafant voice, fignifies one bold and valiant, but 
 quarreifome, injurious, and wedded to his own humour. A rough and 
 hoarfe voice, declares one to be a dull and heavy perfon, of much futs 
 and little brains. A full and yet mild voice, and pleafing to the hear- 
 er, fhews a perfon to be quiet and peaceable, thrifty and fecret, not 
 prone to anger. A voice beginning low or in the bafs, and ending 
 high in the treble, denotes a perfon to be violent, angry, bold, fecure* 
 
 Ybus by our voice 'tis to an artiji known 
 
 Unto what virtue or to what vice we're prone ; 
 
 And be that of a good wife will make choice, 
 
 May chufe bet by obferving of her voice. 
 A thick and full chin, abounding with flefh, fhews a man inclined 
 to peace, honeft, but flow in invention, and eafy to be drawn to good 
 or evil. A picked chin, reafonably full of flefh, fhews a good under- 
 ftanding, a high fpirit, and laudable converfation. A double chin, 
 fhews a peaceable difpofition, but dull apprehenfion, vain, credulous, 
 and fecret in his adtions. A crooked chin, bending upwards, and 
 picked for want of flefh, is, according to nature, a very bad man, proud, 
 impudent, envious, threatening, deceitful, prone to anger and treache* 
 ry, and a great thief. 
 
 s Thus,from the forehead to the chin, we've Jhoivn 
 
 How mankind's inclinations may he Inoivn ; 
 
 From which th* obferving rsader fill muf find 
 
 We're more to evil, ihan to good inclind. 
 Young men ufually have hair to begin to grow upon their chins at 
 15 years of age, and fometimes fooner. Thcfe hairs proceed from the 
 fuper/Iuity of heat, the fumes whereof afceud to their chins, like fmoke 
 to the funnel of a chimney; becaufe it can find no open paiTage by 
 which it may afcend higher, it vents itfelf in hairs which are called 
 the beard. There are few women that have hair on their cheeks, 
 and the reafon is, thofe humours which caufe hair to grow on the 
 cheeks of a man, are evacuated by women in their monthly courfes, 
 which they have more or lefs, according to the heat or coldnefs of the 
 conftitution : Yet fometimes women of a hot confritution have hair 
 on their cheeks, but more commonly on their lips, or near their 
 mouths where the heat mod aboundeth : And fuch women are much 
 addicted to the company of men, and of a ftrongly and manly confti- 
 tution. A woman who hath little hair on her cheeks, or about her 
 mouth and lips, is of good complexion, weak conftir ution, fhame-faced, 
 mild and obedient ; whereas a woman of a more hot confUtution is 
 otherwife. But in a man, a beard well compofed and thick of hair, 
 fignifies him good-natured, honeft, loving, fociable and full of human- 
 ity ; on the contrary, he that hath little beard, is, for the mod part, 
 proud, pining, pecvifli and unfociable. They who have no beards, 
 have always flirill and flrange fcjueaking voices, are of a weak con- 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 59 
 
 ftitution, as is apparent in the cafe of eunuchs, who, after they are de- 
 prived of their virility, are transformed from the nature of men into 
 the condition of women. 
 
 Of men and women's beards I might fay more, 
 But prudence bids me this difcourfe give o'er. 
 Great and thick ears are certain figns of a fooliili perfon, of a bad 
 memory, and worfe underftanding ; but fmall and thin ears fliew a 
 perfon to be of good wit, grave, fecret, thrifty, modeft, of good mem- 
 ory, and willing to fervehis friend. Ears longer than ordinary figni- 
 fy' a bold man, uncivil, vain, foolifh, of fmall induftry, but a great 
 ftomach. 
 
 Who his jufl praife unwillingly does hear, 
 SBcivs a good life, as zvcll as a good ear. 
 
 A face apt to fweat on every motion fhews the perfon to be of a 
 hot conftitution, vain, luxurious, of a good ftomaeh, but bad under- 
 ftanding, and a worfe converfation. A very flefhy face, denotes a fear- 
 ful difpoution, a merry heart, bountiful and difcreet, eafy to be en- 
 treated, and apt to believe every thing. A lean face denotes a good 
 underftanding, but fomewhat capricious and difdainful in his conver- 
 fation. A little round face fhews a perfon to be fimple, fearful, of a 
 bad memory, and a clownifh difpofition. A plump face and full of 
 carbuncles, fli ews a man to be a great drinker, vain and daring. A 
 face red and bigh coloured, fhews a man to be choleric, and not eafily 
 pacified. A long and lean face, fhews one to be bold in fpeech and 
 action, but foplim, qiiarrelfome, proud and injurious. A face every 
 way of a due proportion, denotes an ingenious perfon, fit for any thing, 
 and well inclined. A broad full fat face, fhews a dull heavy c< 
 tion, and that for one virtue has three vices. A plain .flat face, 
 without any rifmg, fhews a perfon to be very wife, loving, and court- 
 ly, faithful to his friend, and patient in adverfity. A face finking 
 down a little, with creafes in it, inclining to leannefs denotes r per- 
 fon to be laborious, but envious, deceitful, falfe, quarrejfome, vain, (il- 
 ly and clownifh. A face of a handfome proportion, and mo; e inclin- 
 ing to fa,t than lean, fhews a perfon juft in his actions, true to his 
 word, civil and refpectful, and of an extraordinary memory. A crook- 
 ed face, long and lean denotes a man endued with as bad qualities as 
 the face is with ill features. A face broad about the brows, and fharp.- 
 er and lefs towards the chin, fhews a man ample and foolifii, vain, en- 
 vious, deceitful and quarrelfome. A face well coloured, full of good 
 features, of an exact fymmetry andjuft proportion, is commonly the 
 index of a fairer mind, and fhews the perfon to be well difpofed ; but 
 yet virtue is not fo impregnahly feated there, but that by ftrong temp- 
 tation, efpecially of the fairfex, it may be fuppianted and overcome 
 by vice. A pale complexion, fhews the perfon not only to be fickle, 
 but malicious, treacherous, proud, and extremely unfaithful. A face 
 well coloured fhews the perfon to be of a praife-worthy difpofition, 
 found complexion, eafy of belief, refpectful to his friends, ready to do 
 a courtefy, and very eafy to be drawn to any thing. 
 
 Thus phyfiognomy readeth in eacb face 
 
 What vice or virtue ivere mojl prone t* emir. ice ; 
 
 For in mans face there hardly is a line 
 
 But offline inward poffion 'tis a ftgn ; 
 
6o 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 And he that reads this feftiort o*er way fnd 
 Tbefiitef face las Jlill the clearefi ndnd. 
 
 A great head, and round withal, denotes a- perfon to be fecret, in- 
 genious, laborious, constant and honeft. The head whofe gullet (lands 
 forth, and inclines towards the. earth, fignifies a per fon thrifty, wife, 
 peaceable, fecret, of a retired temper, and conftant in the management 
 of his affairs. Along head and face, and great withal, denotes a vain, 
 foolifh and idle perfon, credulous and envious. To have one's head 
 always {baking and moving from fide to fide, denotes a ihallow, weak, 
 ullsbible perfon, given to. lying, a great talker, and prodigal in all his 
 fortunes. A big and broad face, mews a man. to be courageous, a 
 great hunter after women, fufpicious, bold, and fhamelefs. A very 
 big head, but not fo proportionate to the body, and a fhort neck and 
 gullet, denotes a man of ..apprehenfion, wife,. ingenious, of found judg- 
 ment, faithful, true, and courteous to all. He is weak, vet apt to Jear.n, 
 but unfortunate in his aelions. And fo much fliall fufhee with rcfpecl 
 to judgment from the head and face. 
 
 C H A P. III. 
 
 Of Judgment J) aivn f cm fever al parts of ]\lan s JBody r Iffc. 
 
 JN the body, of a man, the head and face arc the principal parts, be- 
 ting the index which heaven has laid open to every one's view, to 
 make a judgment therefrom, therefore I have been the larger in my 
 judgment from the fcveral parts thereof. But as to the other parts net 
 fo obvious to the eyes, I fliall be much more brief; yet I would pro- 
 ceed in order. 
 
 The throat, if it be white, whether it be fat or lean, (hews a man 
 to be vain-glorious, timorous, wanton, and much fubjetfl to chol- 
 er. If the throat be fo thin and lean that the veins appear, it lliews 
 a man to be weak, (low, and of a dull and heavy conftitutlon. 
 
 A long neck flxews one to have a long and llender foot,, and that 
 he is ftifTand inflexible. A fhort neck fhews one to be witty and in- 
 genious, but deceitful and inconflant, and a great lover of peace and 
 quietnefs. 
 
 A lean fhoulder-bone fignifles a man to be weak, .timorous, peaceful, 
 not laborious, and yet lit for' any employment. Large, ihouleier-bones 
 denote a prong man, faithful, but unfortunate ; fomcv/hat dull of un- 
 der Handing, laborious, contented, a great eater and drinker He 
 whofe fhoulder-hone f erns to be fmooth,is mode ft and temperate. He 
 whofe fhoulder-bone bends and is, crooked inwardly, is commonly a 
 dull perfon and, deceitful. 
 
 Long arms hanging down, and touching the knees, denote a man 
 liberal, but vain-glorious, proud and inconftant. He whofe, arms 
 are very fhort in refpeci to his body is a man of high and gal- 
 lant fpirit, and of a graceful temper. He whofe arms are full 
 of bones, fmews and fkfh, is a great clearer of novelties, credulous 
 and apt to believe every tiling. He whole arms are very hairy, 
 whether they be lean or fat, is for the moll: part a luxurious perfon, 
 weak in body and mind, very fufpicious and malicious.' He whofe 
 arms have no hair on them at all, is of a weak judgment, ari^ry, vaiti, 
 wanton, credulous, a deceiver, and very apt to betray his dearefc 
 friends. 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER- PIECE. 
 
 6i 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of Palmiftry, Jheimng the various Judgments drawn from tbt hand. 
 
 BEING engaged, in this third part, to fhew what judgments may be 
 drawn, according to phyfiognomy, from the feveral parts of the 
 body, and coming in order to fpeak of the hands, it has put me under 
 the neceffity of faying fomething about palmiftry, which is a judgment 
 made of the conditions, inclinations and fortunes of men and women, 
 from the various lines and characters nature has imprinted in their 
 hands, which are almoft as various as the hands thathave them. 
 
 The reader fliould remember that one of thefc lines of the hand, 
 and which indeed is reckoned the principal is called the line of life : 
 this line inclofes the thumb, feparating it from the hollow of the hand. 
 The next to it, called the natural line, takes its beginning from the 
 riling of the fore finger, near the line of life, and reaches to the table 
 Ime,°and generally makes a triangle. The table line, commonly called 
 the line of fortune, begins under the little finger, and ends near the 
 middle finger. The girdle of Venus, which is another line fo called, 
 begins near the firft joint of the little finger, and ends between the 
 fore ringer, and the middle finger. The line of death is that which 
 plainly appears in a counter line to that of life, and is called the filter 
 line, ending ufually as the other ends ; for when the line of life is end- 
 ed, death comes, and it can go no farther. There are lines in the 
 flefhy part, as in the ball of the thumb, called the Mount of Venus : 
 wnder each of the fingers are alfo mounts, each governed by feveral 
 planets ; and the hollow of the hand is called the Plain of Mars : Thus^ 
 
 The thumb tve to Dame Venus* rule commit^ 
 Jove the fere finger fivays as he thin%s fit »• 
 Old Saturn does the middle finger guide ; 
 O'er the ring finger Sol does fill prefidt ; 
 The ouffide draivn^pale Cynthia does direSf $ 
 And unto tF holloiv Mars dees much infpe6l : 
 The little finger does to Jlferc'ry fall, 
 ■■ Which is the nimbi fi planet <f them all. 
 
 T proceed to give judgment from the feveral lines. In Palmiftry the 
 left hand is chiefly to be regarded, becaufe therein the lines are moft 
 vifible, and have the ftri&eft communication with the heart and brain. 
 In the next place, 1 obferve the line of life, and if it be fair, extending to 
 its full length, and not broken with an intermixture of crofs lines, it 
 fliews long life and health ; and it is the fame if a double line of life 
 appear, as there fometimes does. When fhrs appear in this line, it 
 fignifies great lofTes and calamities; if on it there be the figures of twr> 
 G's or a Y, it threatens the perfon with biindnefs ; if it wraps itfelf 
 about the table line, it promifes wealth and honour to be attained by 
 prudence and induftry. If the line be cut, jagged at the upper end, it 
 denotes much Mcknefs ; if this line be cut by any lines coming frortv 
 the Mount of Venus, it declares the perfon to be unfortunate in love 
 and bufinefs alfo, and threatens him with fudden death. A crofs be- 
 tween the line of life and the table line, thews the perfon to be very 
 liberal and charitable, and of a noble fpirit. 
 
 The table line, when broad and of a lively colour, fliews a healthful 
 conPtitution a quiet contented mind, and a courageous fpirit; but i£ 
 it have crofles towards the little finger, it threatens the party with 
 
ARISTOTLE'* MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 much affliction by fickncf^ If the line be double, or divided into 
 three parts at any of the extremities, it fhews the perfon to be of a gen- 
 trous temper, and a good fortune to fupport it; but if this line be 
 forked at the end, it threatens the perfon fhall fuller l ; jea Unifies, and 
 lols of riches gotten by deceit. If three points fueh as thefe %• are 
 found in it, they denote the perfon prudent and liberal, a lover of 
 karning, and of a good temper. If it fpreads towards the fore and 
 noddle finger, and ends blunt, it denotes preferment. 
 
 The middle line has in it often very jlgnificant characters. Many 
 fmall lines between this and the table-line threaten the party with 
 ficknefs, but alfo give him hopes of recovery. A half crofs branching 
 into this line, fliews honour, riches and good fuccefs in ah undertak- 
 ings. A haif moon denotes cold and watery diftempers : but a fun or' 
 fears promifes profperity and riches : This line double, in a woman, 
 fliews flifi will have feveral hufbands, but no children. 
 
 If the line of Venus happens to be cut or divided near the fore fin- 
 ger, it threatens ruin to the party, and that it fhall befal him by means 
 *it lafcivious women and bad company. Two croffes on this line, one 
 near the fore finger, and the other bending towards the little linger, 
 fhew the party to be weak, inclined to modefty and virtue ; and in 
 women generally denotes modefty. 
 
 The liver line, if it be flraight, and crofTed by other lines, denotes a 
 found judgment, and a piercing undcrftanding; but if it be winding, 
 crooked and bending outwards, it fhews deceit and flattery. If it 
 makes a triangle or quadrangle, it fliews one to be of a noble defcent, 
 •ambitious of honour and promotion. If this line and the middle line 
 begin near each other, it denotes a man to be weak in judgment, but 
 if a woman, danger by hard labour. 
 
 The plane of Mars being the hollow of the hand, mod of the lines 
 palling through it, are very lignificant. Being hollow, and the lines 
 crooked and diftortcd, it threatens the party to fall by his enemies. 
 When the lines. beginning at the wriftare long within the plane, reach- 
 ing to the brawn of the hand, it fliews the perfon to be of a hot and 
 liery fpirit, given to quarreling. If deep large crollcs be in the mid- 
 dle plane, it £he\* s the party fhall obtain honour by martial exploits : 
 but if a wo;p.an that fhe fl\all have feveral hufbands, and eafy labour 
 %vith her children. 
 
 The line of death is fatal, and threatens with ficknefs and fhort life, 
 when croffes appear in jt. A clouded moon therein threatens a child- 
 bed woman with death. A ltar like a comet, threatens ruin by war, 
 or death by pcftilence : But if a bright fun appear therein,.it promilcs 
 long life and profperity. 
 
 The lines of the wrifl being fair, denotes good fortune,but if broken 
 and croifed the contrary. 
 
 Thus he that Nature richly utidcr$ands % 
 JMUty from each line imprinted in his beadt t 
 His future fate and fortune c me to l-nciv. 
 And tn tvhat fatb it is his feet fhall go i 
 His fecret inclinations he may fee % 
 And to ivhat vice be fsall addicted be .*• 
 To t)j end that, tvhtn hi loch into his bnnd 
 He may pp'n his guard the hciterfand^ 
 And turn his ivar,{'\ in^f^ps another 100%, 
 IVhtnfer be finds he dies from virtuejiray.. 
 
ARISTOTLE's MASTER PIECE. 
 
 C H A 1\ V. 
 Judgments irdtvn from thc fiveral paits of the BuJy. 
 
 A LARGS and full breaft, fhews a mati valiant, but proud, fooa 
 angry, and hard to deal with, He whofe breaft is narrow rifing 
 a little in the middle, is, by the beft rules of phyfiognomy of a clear 
 fpirit, great underftanding, very faithful, clean both m mind and 
 body, yet foon angry, and inclined long to keep it. He whofe breaft 
 is fomewhat hairy, is very luxurious, and fcrviceable to another. Ha 
 who hath no hair? upon his breafl, is a man weak by nature, of a (len- 
 der capacity, timorous, but of a- laudable life and convcrfation, much 
 retired and inclined to peace. 
 
 The back of the chine bone, if the ileili is hairy and lean, and high- 
 er than any other part behind, iignifies a man mameteft, btaftly, and 
 jnalicious. Ho whofe back is large and fat, is thereby denoted to Jje 
 ftrong and (lout, but of a. heavy difpofitioii, vain, flow and full of de- 
 ceit. 
 
 He or (he whofe belly is foft all over, is weak, luftful, and fearful, 
 of good underftanding, 'an excellent invention, a little eater, of vari- 
 ous fortune. He whofe flefli ii rough and hard, is of a ftrong c<HS($- 
 tution, very bold, but proud, vain, and of a cruel temper, fcie whofe 
 fkin is fmooth, fat and white, is curious, vain-glorious, timorout, ma- 
 licious. 
 
 A thigh full of ftrong brifly hair inclined to curl, ftgniJfes one ItjuJ- 
 ful, and fit for copulation ; thighs with little hair, and that foft, ilu v s 
 the perfon to be chafte, having no great defire to venereal 'plcafure*, 
 and will have nut few children. 
 
 The legs of both men and women have n ile'lTiy fubftaiiee bdvin-l, 
 called calves ; now a great calf, and large bone, and hairy, denote 
 the perfon to be ftrong, bold, dull in under (landing, flow in but in* 
 inclined to procreation, and for the mod part fortunate. Little legs? 
 and little hair on them, fhew the perfon to be weak, fearful, of a quick 
 underftanding; and neither luxurious at bed or board. He whofe legs 
 do much abound with hair, is luftful, luxurious, ftrong but fickle, and 
 abounding with ill humours. 
 
 The feet of either men or women, if broad and thick with flc'fli 
 and long in figure, efpeciaily if the Ikin feels hard, of a ftrong confti- 
 tution, but of weak intellects. But feet that are thin and lean, and 
 Toff, fhew a weak body, but a ftrcng underftanding and excellent wit. 
 
 The foles of the feet do adminifter as plain and evident figns, to 
 know th* difpofition and conftitution by, as the palms of the hands, 
 being as full of lines, by which all the fortunes or misfoi tunes of man 
 cr woman may be known, and their inclinations appear. But this hi 
 general we may take notice, that many long lines and ftrokes do pre- 
 fage many afili&ions, and a very troublefome life, attended with 
 much grief, care and poverty : But fliort lines; if they are thick and 
 full' of crofs lines, are yet worfe in every degree. Thofe the ikin ct 
 whofe foles are very thick, are generally ftrong and venturous ; where- 
 as, thofe the ikin of whofe foles are thin, are generally weak and tim- 
 orous. 
 
 I iTiall now, having given an account of what judgments maybe 
 formed from the feveral parts of the body, before I conclude, give an 
 account of what may be drawn by the rules of Phyfiognomy, from 
 things extra0Leou3, which are found upon many, and which indeed to 
 
64 
 
 ARISTOTLE's MASTER-PIECE. 
 
 them arc parts of the body, but are fo far from being neccflary parts 
 that they are the deformity and burden of it, and f'peak of the habits 
 of the body as they are diftinguiflied perfons. 
 
 I. Of crooked and deformed P erf ens. 
 
 A CROOKED breaft or llioulder, or the exuberance of ftefli in the 
 body either of man or woman, fignifies the perfon to be extreme- 
 Jy partocmious and ingenious, and of great underftanding, but very 
 covetous, deceitful, malicious, and of a bad memory ; either extremely 
 virtuous or vicious, feldom in a medium. But if the perfon deformed 
 hath an excrefence on his breaft, inftead of the back, he is for the nio& 
 part of a double heart, and very mifchievous. 
 
 II. Of the divers Manners of goings and particular poflures both of Men and 
 Women, 
 
 HE or flie that goes flowly, making great Heps as they go, are gen- 
 erally perfons of bad memory, dull of apprehenfion, given to loi- 
 tering, and flow of belief. He who goes apace, and makes fliort Heps, 
 is moft fuccefsful in all his undertakings, fwift in his imaginations, and 
 humble in the difpofition of his affairs. He who makes wide and un- 
 even fUps, and fide-long is one of a greedy fordid nature, fubtle, malic-, 
 ious, and wills to do evil. 
 
 Ill; Of the Gait or Motion in Men er Women 
 
 EVERY man and woman hath a certain gait or motion. For a man 
 i to be Hiaking his head, or ufing any light motion with his hands 
 or feet, whether he Hands or fits, or fpeaks, is fupertfuous, unnccefTary, 
 and unhandfome :• and Such, by the rules of phyfiognoniy, are vain, 
 unwife, unchalle, detractors, unliable and unfaithful. He or fhe who 
 have little motion when difcourfing with any one, is for the moft part, 
 wife, well-bred, frugal, faithful, induftrious and tit for any employ- 
 ment. He whofe pofture is forwards and backwards, mimical, is 
 thereby denoted to be a vain, filly perfon, dull of wit, and very ma- 
 licious. He whofe motion is lame and limping, or otherwife imperfect, 
 or that counterfeits an imperfection, is denoted to be envious, malic- 
 i'dus^ falfe and detra<5ting. 
 
 IV judgments draivn from the Stature of a Man. 
 
 PHYSIOGNOMY draws alfo feveral judgments from the ftature of 
 a man ; fuch as, If a man be ftraight and upright, inclined rather 
 to leannefs than fat, it (hews him to be bold, cruel, proud clamorous, 
 hard to pleafe and harder to be reconciled when difpleafed, very fru- 
 gal, deceitful and malicious. To be of a tall ftature and corpulent 
 with it, denotes him to be not only li3ndfome, but valiant alfo ; al- 
 rho' of no extraordinary underftanding, and, which is world of all, un- 
 grateful. He who is extremely tall, and very lean and thin, is a pro- 
 jecting man, that defigns no good to himfelf, and fufpects every one to 
 be as bad as himfelf, importunate to obtain what he defires, and ex- 
 tremely wedded to his own humours. He who is thick and fliort, is 
 vain, envious, fufpicious, fliatlow of apprehenfion, eafy of belief, an 4 
 long before he forgets an injury. He who is lean and fhort,but up- 
 right, is, by the rules of phyfiognomy, wife and ingenious, bold and 
 confident of a good underftanding, but of a deceitful heart. He who. 
 ftoops as be goes not by age but cuftonyifc laborious, a retainer of ft>. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S MASTER-BIECE. 
 
 crets, but very incredulous. He that goes with his belly flretching 
 forth, is fociable, merry, and eafy to be purfuadcd. 
 
 V. General Ghfervations worthy of Note. 
 
 WHEN you iind a red man to be faithful, a tall man to be wife, 
 a fat man to be fwift on foot, a lean man to be a fool, a hand- 
 fomc man not pr®ud, a poor man not envious, a whitely man not 
 wife, one that talks through the nofe to fpeak without fnuflling, a knave 
 no liar, an upright man not to walk ftraight, one that drawls when 
 he fpeaks not crafty and circumventing ; a man of a hot conflitution 
 not luftful, one that wink, on another with his eyes not falfe and de- 
 ceitful, one that knows how to fhufHe his cards, ignorant how to deal 
 them ; a rich man prodigal, a failor and hangman pitiful, a poor man 
 to build churches, a higler not to be a liar and a praifer of his ware, a. 
 buyer not to find fault with and undervalue that which he would wil- 
 lingly buy, a quack doctor to have a good conscience, a bailiff or catch* 
 pole not to - be a mercilefs viiian, an hoftes not to over- reckon you, 
 and an ufurer to be charitable ; then fay you have found a prodigy r 
 or men acting contrary to the couife of their nature. 
 
 7*he end of the Mafer-piece, 
 
 THE 
 
 Family Phyiician. 
 
 Jctnr choice and approved Remedies for the fcvtral diflcmpers incident to tht 
 hu?nan body. 
 
 A powder for th: Zpilepfy or falling ftchnefs. 
 
 TAKE of opponax, crude antimony, dragon's-blood, caftor, peony- 
 feeds, of each an equal quantity, make them into a fubtile pow- 
 der, the dofe of half a dram., in black eherry water. Before you take 
 k, the flomach mud be cleanfed with fome proper vomit, as that ot 
 MynfmeTs emetic Tartar, from four grains to iix. For children* fait 
 ot vitriol, from a fcrupJc to half a dram. 
 
 A V omit for a fivimhg in the Head. 
 Take cream of tartar half a fcrupie, caftor two grains, mix all toge- 
 ther for a vomit, to be taken at four o'clock in the afternoon. At 
 night, going to bed, it will be very proper* to take a dofe of the apo- 
 kctic powder. 
 
 F$r Spiiti'nr of Bloody 
 Take conferve of comfrcy, ami of hips, of each an ounce and an half, 
 conferve of red roles 3 ounces, dragon's blood a dram, fpecics of hya- 
 cinth 2 fcruples, red coral a dram ; mix with the fyrup of red pop- 
 pies, and make a foft electuary ; take the quantity of a walnut night 
 and morning. 
 
 A ponder a gainfl Vomiting. 
 Take crabs eyes, red coral, ivory, of eaeh 2. drams ; burnt hartf- 
 fcorn 1 dram, cinnamon and red faunders of each half a dram : Make 
 •dXl for a fubtile n$*vder, and take half a dram, 
 
(>6 
 
 THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 
 
 For the Bloody Flux. 
 Take a dram of powder of rhubarb in a fufficient quantity of con- 
 ferve of red rofcs,.early in the morning, and at night take of torrefied 
 or roafted rhubarb half a dram, diafcordium a dram and an half, li- 
 quid laudanum cydoniated a foruple. Mix them and make a bolus. 
 For an Infamation of the Lungs. 
 Take curious water 10 ounces, water of red poppies 3 ounces, fyrup- 
 of poppies 1 ounce, pearl prepared a dram ; Make a julep, and take 
 lix fpoonful every four hours. 
 
 For Weaknefs in Women. 
 After a gentle purge or two, take the following decoction, viz. a 
 quarter of a pound lignum vatas, faffafras 2 ounces ; boil the whole in 
 fix quarts of water to a gallon : (train and keep it for ufe : Take half 
 a point firft in the morning, fatting for two hours after ; another at 
 four of the clock in the afternoon : and a third at going to bed. 
 An Ointment for the Itch. 
 Take Sulphur vive, in powder, half an ounce ; oil of tarter per 
 deliquium a fufficient quantity ; ointment of rofes 4 oz. make a lini- 
 ment, to which add a fcruple of oil of rhodium to aromatife it, and rub 
 the parts effiectcd with it. 
 
 For Worms in Children. 
 Take wormfeed half a dram, flower of fulphur a dram, fal prun- 
 Bella half a dram : Mix and make a powder ; give as much as will lie 
 upon a fiJver threepence night and morning, in treacle or honey. For 
 grown perfons add a fmall quantity of aloe rofatum, and fo make them 
 up into pills, 3 or 4 of which may be taken every morning. 
 
 A Diet Drink fsr the fertigo, or fwiming of the Head. 
 TfUte fmall ale, and boil it in the leaves of mifletoe of the apple 
 tree, roots of male peony and peony flowers ; then put it into a vefTel 
 of four gallons, in which hang a bag of half a pound of peacock's dung* 
 and 2 drams or cloves bruifed ; drink it as a common drink. 
 
 For a Loofnefs. 
 
 Take of Venice treacle and diafcordium, of each half a dram, ia 
 warm ale, water gruel, &c. at night going to bed. 
 
 For Fevers in Children, 
 Take of crabs* eyes I dram, cream of tartar half a dram, white fu- 
 gar candy finely powdered, the weight of both : Mix as well together, 
 and give' as much as will lie upon a ulver 3d in a fpoonful of barley- 
 water or fack whey. 
 
 For an Headach of a long Jlanding. 
 Take the juice of powder of diftilled water of hog-lice, and contin- 
 ue the Hfe of it. For the Gtipes in Children. 
 
 Give a drop or two of the oil of annifeed in a fpoonful of penada, 
 milk, or any thing you fhall think proper. 
 
 For an Ague. 
 
 Take the common bitter drink, without the purgative 2 quarts, 
 fait of wormwood a oz. faffiron a dram. After a vomit or convent* 
 ent purge, take half a point of this three times a day, in the morning 
 fading, mid-day, and at night. 
 
 For the Cholic. 
 
 Take annifeed, fweet fennel, coriander, caraway feeds, 2 drams 
 each, cuawnm feed a dram, rafied ginger a fmall quantity ; bruife all 
 fa a mortar, and put them into a quart of Nantte brandy to infufc 3 
 
THE FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 
 
 day*, fliaking the bottle 3 or 4 times a day, then (train it ; take % or 3 
 fpoonfuls in the fit. 
 
 For the Palpitation or Beating of the heart. 
 Take powder of crabs' eyes, burnt hartfhorn, red coral, of each a 
 dram, Englifh fafTron a fcruple ; mix and make a powder. Take a 
 fcruple of it night and morning in a fpoonful of barley water, drink- 
 ing a draught after it. 
 
 For a pain in the Jlomach proceeding from Wind, 
 Take Venice treacle 4 drams, dittany, feeds of ambos ducas, each 
 fix grains gallangal, cloves, coral, wood of aloes, each a fcruple, con- 
 ferve of rofes 1 oz. concerve of mint half an onuce, with fyrup of 
 mint make an eluctary, Dofe ; the quantity of a nutmeg in the 
 IttOrning rafting. Lozenges rejlorat'ive in a Confumption 
 
 Take pine nuts prepared % drams and an half, green fuftic 2 drams, 
 Species diambrse 2 fcruples, cinnamon and cloves half a dram each, 
 galangal a fcruple, nutmeg two fcruples, white ginger, half a dram. 
 Xilo aloes half a fcruple, with 4 ounces and a half of fugar' dilfolved 
 in rofe water, and of the fpices make a confection in lozenges. 
 Againjl Aches and Fains in the Joints. 
 Take powder of camopetys and gentian of each 5 drams, dried 
 leaves of rue 3 ounces : make all into a fine powder, after due purging, 
 give a dram of this, night and morning, in a fpoonful of white wine. . 
 For Spots and Pimples, in the Skin. 
 Take black foap 2 ounces, fulphur vive in powder I oz. tie them . 
 in a rag, and hang them in a point of vinegar for the fpace of nine 
 days j then rub and wafli the part gently twice a day, that is night 
 aad morning. Purging Pills fr the Seurvcy. 
 
 Take rolin of julep 20 grains, aromatic pills with gum 2 grains, 
 vitriolated tar 26 grains, oil of juniper 10 grains, with a fufficient 
 quantity of gum armonic diilblved in vinegar of fquills. Take 4 at 
 a time early in the morning fafting two hours after. You may take; 
 them once a week. 
 
 A difiilled Water for a confirmed Phihifc. 
 Take leaves of ground ivy 5 handfuls, 6 nutmegs fliced, 2 lb. of the 
 crumbs of wheat bread, 3 lb. of fnails half boiled and fliced into milk, 
 and take of it 3 or 4 times a day, fwe^tened with fugar and pearl of 
 rofes. - A quieting Night-draught tvhen the Cough is violent. 
 
 Take of water of green wheat 6 oz. fyrup or diafcordium 3 oz. Mix 
 them, and take two or three fpoonfuls at going to bed. 
 
 For Vomiting or Loofnefs. 
 Take of Venice treacle 1 ounce, powder of tormentile roots, eon- 
 trayerva, pearl and prepared coral, of each a fufficient quantity, with 
 the fyrup of dried rofes make an electuary : Take the quantity of a 
 walnut every 4th or 5th hour ; drink after it a draught of ale or beer, 
 with a cruft of bread, mace, or cinnamon, boiled in it, 
 A dijlilled Water for the Jaundice. 
 Take 1 lb. of the roots of Englifh rhubarb meed,, the rhines of 4 
 oranges iliced, filings of fleet 1 lb. frefh ftrawberries 6 lbs. 3 quarts of 
 white vine ; let them ftand in infuGon for fome time, and diftill all 
 according to art. Take 4 ounces twice a day, with 20 drops of the 
 fpirit of falFron. For the Rhumatifm. 
 
 Take volatile fait of hartfhorn, volatile fait of amber, 2 drams each, 
 crabs' eyes 1 oz. cochineal a fcruple 5 mix and make a powder. Take 
 
THE FAMILY PHYilClAN. 
 
 haif a dram three times a clay, or every four hours keeping your bed 
 and fveating upon it. For a violent T ooihach. 
 
 If the teeth he hollow, nothing cures but drawing, but if ©ccafibn- 
 ed through a deiluxion of humours, fir ft take a gentle purge, and at 
 night when von go to bed take a grain or two of London laudanum, 
 w Bleb will thicken the humour, flop the delluxions, and consequently 
 remove the pain. For St. Anthony's Fire. 
 
 Bleeding pfemifed, take frog fpawri water, plantain water, half a 
 pint each, fugar of lead a drams ; mil and ihakc the bottle till the. 
 £i!t is dirToIved. Dip a linen cloth in this water, and bathe the part 
 atVe&ed ; it cools wonderfully. 
 
 For the Black Jaundice. 
 
 Take flowers of fal armoniac, diauueum, and extract of gentian, of 
 each a drain ; fait amber a fcruple ; gum aromatic diffolved in vine- 
 gar of fquills what fuffiees ; make a mafs of fmall pills, take it 3 or 4 
 mornings and evenings. 
 
 For Jlinhing Gums without Rottennefs. 
 
 Take powder of bed myrrh 1 oz. claret wine a pint ; after two or 
 three days infufion, wath your gums and mouth with it. 
 
 For the RhuTnatifm proceeding from the fcurvy. 
 
 Take (tone horfe dung a pound, white wine 3 or 4 qts. diftil accord- 
 ing to art ; take 5 or 6 ounces twice or thrice a day. Some take the 
 infufion. only, but this exceed* it. 
 
 For a convu[fi<ve Cough in Children, 
 
 After a gentle vomit and purge, apply a blifter to the nape of the 
 reck ; but if the diftemper be obftinate, cut an irTue in the neck or 
 arm : Keep them clofe to a diet drink ef ihavings of ivory, faundcrs, 
 and fome diuretic ingredients. But if a fpecific, you may have cup- 
 inofs in powder every day in boiled milk, and the deco&ion of hyiTop, 
 with a little caflor and fafFroa. 
 
 Fey an inivard Bleeding. 
 
 Take leaves of plantain and nettles, of each three handfuls, bruife 
 them well, and pour on them 6 ounces of plainuin water : Make a 
 ftrong emulhon, and drink the whole 01T. 
 
 For a Bleeding at the N~oJe. 
 
 Take a dried toad, fe\$ it up in a filk bag, and hang it at the pit of 
 the ftomach a considerable time. This hath performed the cure when 
 other medicines have failed. 
 
 For the fame, Take ealeanthum rubefacium, or the caput mortuum 
 «f vitrol half an ounce, boil it in a quart of quick lime water to a pint, 
 when cold and fettled, ftrain ii. Dip a tent in it, and tfcruft it up the 
 Fioflril, or yon may fnulT it up. 
 
 Foivder agdinji Poifon and Pejlilence, 
 
 Take zeodary, etiphorbium, eorailina, tormentrl, gentian, common 
 dittany, fealed earth, armenian hole, red and white coral, fpikenard, 
 maftich, clove jelly-flowers, lelTer centuary, red faunders, bone of a 
 flag's heart, camphire, of each equal parts. Make ail into an impalpa- 
 ble powder ; give one dram with lbrrel water, or widv wine and ibr~ 
 xel boiled together. 
 
■ 
 
 The Experienced Midwife, 
 
 PART I. 
 
 A GUIDE FOR CHILD-BEARING WOMEN. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I HAVE given this book the title of The Complete and Expert- 
 enced Midwife, both becaufe it is chiefly defigned for thofe that 
 profefs midwifery, and contains whatever is neceffary for them to 
 know in the practice thereof, and alfo becaufe it is the refuft of many 
 years experience, and that in the moft difficult cafes, and is therefore 
 the more to be depended upon. A midwife is the moft neceffary and 
 honourable office, being indeed a helper of nature : which therefore 
 makes it neceffary for hor to be well acquainted with all the opera- 
 tions of nature in the work of generation, and inftrumenrs with which 
 (lie works : For fhe that knows not the operations of nature, nor with 
 what tools lhe works, Hie raw ft needs be at a iofs how to alTift therein. 
 And feeing the inftruments of operation both in men and women are 
 thofe things by which mankind is produced, it is very neceHary that 
 all midwiyes fhould be well acquainted with them, that they may the 
 better underfhnd their bufinefs, and arlift nature as there fhall be oc- 
 cafion. The firft thing then neceiTary, as introductorv to this treat'.fe, 
 is an ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION of the feveraf parts of genera- 
 tion both in men and women : and having defigned throughout to 
 comprehend much in a little room, I fhall avoid all unnecefTary and 
 impertinent matters with which books of this nature are for the moft 
 part too much clogged, and which . are more curious than needful. 
 And though I.fliould be neceftitated to fpeak plainly, that fo I may be 
 underftood, yet I fbaU do it with that modefty that none fhall have 
 need to blufh, unlefs it be from fomething in themfelves, rather than 
 from what theyfhall find here, having the motto of the royal garter 
 for my defence, which is, " Homi fait qui ma ? y penje or, Evil to him 
 that evil thinks. 
 
 C H A P. I. 
 
 A* Anatomical Q.'fctiptlon of the inHrunitnts of Generation in Man and 
 
 Woman. 
 
 Section I. Of ihs parts of Generation in Man. 
 
 AS the generation of mankind is produced by the coition of both 
 fexes, it neceflarily follows that the inftrumtnts of generation 
 are of two forts, to wit, male and female ; the operation of which are 
 by action and paflion, and herein the agent is the feed, and the pa- 
 tient blood ; whence we may eafily collect:, that the body of man be- 
 ing generated by action and paffion, he muft needs be fubjed: there- 
 unto during his life. N)w, hnce tffe inftruments of generation ar<* 
 male and female, it will be neceiTary to treat of them both diftinetly, 
 that thedifcreet midwife may be well acquainted with their feveraf 
 parts, and their various operations, as they contribute to the work 
 of generation. And, in doing this, I fliall give the honour *of p'rece-? 
 dence to my own fex, and fpeal? iirft of the parts of generation \\\ 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFfc. 
 
 mail; which (hall be comprehended under fix particulars, viz. The 
 preparing vefTcls, the corpus varicofum, the tefticles or (tones, the 
 vafa deferentia, the feminal veffels, and the yard, of each -which in 
 their order. 
 
 i. The rlrft are the vafa preparentia, or preparing veiTcls, which 
 are in number four, two veins, and as many arteries ; and they are 
 called preparing veffels from their office, which is to prepare that 
 matter or fubftance which the (tones turn into feed to fit it for the 
 work. Whence you may note, that the liver is the original of blood, 
 and diftributes it through the body by the veins, and not the heart, as 
 fame have taught. As to the original of thefe veins, the right vein 
 proceedeth from the vena cava, or great vein, which receives the 
 blood from the liver, and diftributes it by its branches to afl the body ; 
 the left is from the emulgent vein, which is one of the two main 
 branches of the hollow vein pafling to the reins. As to the artc-rle?, 
 they both arife from the great artery, which the Greeks call that 
 "whuh is indeed the great trunk and original of all the arteries* Bat 
 1 will not trouble you with Greek derivations of words aiTe&ing 
 more to teach you the knowledge of things than words. 
 
 1. The next thing to be fpoken of is the corpus variorum, and this 
 is an interweaving of the veins and arteries wnich carry the vital and 
 natural blood to the (tones to make feed of. Thefe, though at their 
 in ft defcenfien they keep at a fmall diftance the one from the other, 
 yet Ixfore they enter the (tones they make an admirable intermix- 
 ture of twitting the one from the other, fo that fometimes the vein* 
 go jnto the .arteries, and fometimes the arteries into the veins ; the 
 fubftance of which Is very hard and long, not much unlike a pyra- 
 mid in form, without any fenlible hollownefs : The ufe is to make 
 ©lie body of -the blood andvital fpir'its, which they both mix and 
 change the colour of, From red to white, fo that the (tones may both 
 have a (it matter to w oik upon, and do their work more eafily ; for 
 which' reafoo the - interweaving reacheth down to the very (tones-, and 
 pit reft h in their fubftance. 
 
 3; The (tones are the third thing to be fpoken of, called alfo tef- 
 ticles : in Latin, Ttfks, that is, witnelfcs, becaufe they witnefs one to 
 be a man. As to thefe I need not tcU you their number, nor where 
 nature has placed them, fo that is obvious to the eye. Their fubftance 
 is f( ft, wh te and fpungy, full of final! Veins and arteries, which is the 
 reafon thev fwtll to fucn a bignefs upon the flowing down of the hu- 
 mour in them. Their -form- is oval ; but moil authors are of opinion 
 that their Kigncfs is not ecus], but that the right is the biggtft, the hot- 
 t-ctt, and breeds the beft and ftungeft feed. Each of thefe (tones hath 
 a mufclc, catted, crcmeftar, wfiich fignines to hold up, becaufe 'hey pull 
 up the (tones in the act: < f coithm, that fo the veffels being fiacj^enedt, 
 Ti)'<.y the better void the feed. Thefe mu felts are weakened both vy 
 .age and ficknefs : and the 1 tones then hang down lower than in youth 
 anu health. 1 hefe (tones are of great ufe, for they convert the blood 
 ana vital fpirits into .feed for the procreation of man : But this mult 
 not be understood as if they converted al) the blood that comes into 
 them into feed, fcr they keep Tome for their own nourifhment. But 
 betides this, they add ftrcrgth and courage to the body; which is evi- 
 dent from thi*, that eunuchs are neither fo hot, (trong, nor valiant, *s 
 other men, nor is in ox fo hot cr valiant as a bull. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 71 
 
 4. The next in order arc the vafa deftrentia, which are the vef- 
 fels that carry the feed from the (tones to the feminal veffels, which 
 is kept there till its expulfion. Thefe are in numSer twe, in colour 
 %vhite, and in fubftance nervous or ftnewy ; and fiom a certain hol- 
 lownefs which they have in them are alfo called fpermatic pores, 
 •they rife not far from the preparing veffels ; and when they come in- 
 • to the cavity of the belly, they turn back again and pal's into the 
 ) backfide of the bladder, between it and the right gut ; and when 
 
 they cciTie near the neck of the bladder they are joined to the femi- 
 Inal gal s, which fomewhat refemble the cells of an honeycomb ; 
 jhvhich ceUs contain an oily fubftance, for they draw the fatty fub- 
 f ftaace from the feed which they empty into the urial paffage, which 
 fjs done for the mod part in the act of copulation, that fo the thru 
 ■internal ikin of the yard fuffers not through the acrimony or fliarp- 
 Inefs t)f the feed. And when the vafa defcrentia has paffed as before 
 [ declared, they fail into the gland-Aa poflrata, which are the veffels or- 
 II dained to keep the feed, and which are the next to be fpoken of. 
 
 5. The feminal veffels, called glandulmn fit&mah, are certain kernels 
 ■placed between the neck of the bladder, and the right gut, compalling 
 J about the vafi dtferentia, the urethra, or common paffage for feed and 
 
 I urine, paffing through the midft of it, aud may properly enough be 
 called the conduit of the yard. At the mouth of the urethra, where 
 it meets with the wjfa drftrentia, there is a thick flcin, whofe office is to 
 
 II hinder the feminal veffels, which are of a fpongy nature, from fhed- 
 I* ding their feed againft their will ; the fkin is very full of pores, and 
 I through the heat of the act of copulation the pores open, and fo give 
 
 paffage to the feed, which being of a very fubtle fpirit, and efpecially 
 being moved %vill pafs through the caruncle or ikin as quicklilver 
 through leather ; and yet the pores of this fkin are not difcernable un- 
 lefs in the anatomy of a man, who had fome violent running in the 
 ' reins when he died, and then they are confpicuous, thofe veffels be* 
 ing the proper feat of that difeafe/ 
 
 6. The lalt of the p-»rts of generation in man to be fpoken of, is the 
 yard, which has a principal lliare in the work of generation ; and fa 
 called Penk x from its hanging without the belly; and it confifts of 
 ikin, tendons, veins, arteries, finews and great ligaments, and is long 
 and round, being ordained by nature both for the paffage for the 
 
 f urine, and for th- conveyance of feed into the matrix. It hath fome 
 [parts common with it to the reft of the body, as the fkin, or the 
 \\Mcmhraua Ca -tufi and fom : parts it ha pecu'iar to itfelf, as the two 
 j nervous bodies, the Septum, the Urerhra, the Glans, the four mufcles, 
 land the veffels. The fkin 'which the Latins called Cutis, is full of 
 J pores, through which the fweat and fuliginous or footy black vapours 
 : of the third concoction (which concocts the b?ood into flefh) paf* 
 out ; thefe pores are very many 2nd thick b it hardly vifible to the 
 eye ; and when the yard ftands not, it is flaggy ; out when it ftands, it 
 is {tiff; The fkin is very fenfible, beeaufe the nerves concur to make 
 up its being; for the brain gives fctife to the body by the nerves. As 
 to the Camus Mtmbrona, or tlcfby ikin, it is fo called, not becaufe its 
 body is flcfliy ikin, but b^ciufe it lids between the flefh, and paffeth 
 : into other parts of the body underneath the fat, and fticks clofe tc» the 
 mufoles .; but in the yard tnerc is no fat at all, only a few fuperficiai 
 veins and arteries pafs between the former ikin and this, which whea 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE* 
 
 the yard (lands are vifible to the eye : Thcfe are the parts common 
 both to the yard and the reft of the body. I will now fpeak of thofe 
 parts of the yard which are peculiar to itfelf, and to no other parts of 
 the body: and thofe are likewife fix, as has been already faid of which 
 it will alfo be necelTary to fpeak particularly. And 
 
 l. Of the Nervous Bodies : Thefe are two, though joined together, 
 and are hard, long and finewy, they are fpongy within and full of 
 black blood ; the fpongy fubftance of the inward part of it feems to 
 be woven together like a net, confuting of innumerable twigs of veins 
 and arteries. The black blood contained therein is very full of fpir- 
 its, and the delights or defire of Venus add heat to thefe, which cauf- 
 cth the yard to ftand ; and that is the reafon that both venereal fights 
 and tales will do it. Nor need it be flrange to any, that Venus, being 
 a planet cold and moift, fhould add heat to thofe parts, fince by night, 
 as the Pfaimift teftifies, Pfal. exxi. 6. Now this hollow, fpungy inter- 
 mixture or weaving was fo ordered by nature, on purpofe to contain 
 the fpirit of venereal heat,that the yard may not fall-before it has done 
 its work. Thefe two fide ligaments of the yard, where they are thick 
 and round, arife fiom the lower part of the fliare-bone, and at the be- 
 ginning are feparated the one from the other, refembling a pair of 
 horns, or the letter Y. where the Urethra, or common paflage of urine 
 and feed, patTeth between them. 
 
 a. Thofe nervous bodies of which I have fpoken, fo foon as they 
 come to the joining of the fhare-bone, are joined by the Senium Luchtm % 
 which is the fecond internal part to be defcribed, which in fubftaace 
 is white and aervous,or finewy, and its ufe is to uphold the two fide 
 ligaments and the Urethra. 
 
 3. The third thing in the internal part of the yard is the Urethsa, 
 which is the pafiage or channel .by which both the feed and urine is 
 conveyed out through the yard. The fubftance of it is finewy, thick, 
 foft and loofe, as the fide-ligaments are ; it begins at the neck of the 
 bladder, and, being joined to it, pafTeth to the glans. It has in the be- 
 ginning of it three holes, of which the largcfl: of them is in the midft, 
 which receives the urine into it, the other two are fmaller, by which 
 it receives the feed from each feminal vefTel. 
 
 4. The yard has four mutdes ; on each fide two ; Thefe mufcles 
 are inftruments of voluntary motion, : without which no part of the 
 body can move itfelf. It confifts of fibrous ilefh to make its body, of 
 nerves for its fenfe, of veins for its nourilliment, of arteries for its vital 
 heat, of a membrane or ikin to knit it together, and to diftinguifh one 
 mufcle from another, and all of them from the flefh ; Of thefe muf- 
 cles, as I faid before, the yard has two of each fidC, and the ufe of 
 them is to ereel: the yard, and make it Hand, and therefore they are 
 alfo called Ereclors : But here you muft note, that of two on 
 each fide the one is fhorter and thicker than the other ; and thefe 
 are they that do erec~l the yard, and fo are called Eredtors : But the 
 two other being longer and fmaller. their office is to dilate the lower 
 part of the Urethra, both for making water, and emitting the feed ; 
 upon which account they are called Accelerators. 
 
 5. That which is caAIed the Gians, is the extreme part of the yardj 
 which is very foft, and of a moft exquifite feeling by reafon of the 
 thinners of the ikin wherewith it is covered : this is covered with the 
 Picepttiwrii or fore ikin, which in fome me« covers the top of the yard 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 73 
 
 ^;uite clofe, but in others it doth not ; which fkin moving up and down 
 in the act of copulation, brings pleafure both in man and woman : this 
 cuter fkin is that which the Jews were commanded to cut oiTon the 
 eighth day : this Freefutium, or fore-fkin, is tied to the glans by a liga- 
 ment or bridle, which is called Franum* 
 
 6. The laft internal part of the yard are the vefFels thereof, veins, 
 nerves and arteries. Of thefe fome pafs by the fkin, and are vifible 
 to the eye when the yard ftands ; others pafs by the inward part of 
 the yard.; the arteries are wonderfully difperfed thro' the body of 
 the yard, much exceeding the difperfion of the veins ; for the right 
 artery is difperfed to the left fide, and the left to the right fide. It 
 hath two nerves, the lefl'er whereof is beftowed upon the fkin, the 
 greater upon the mufcles and the body of the yard. But thus mucrj. 
 ihail fufhee to be faid in defcribing the parts of generation in men : 
 and fhall therefore in the next place, proceed to defcribe thofe of 
 women, that fo the induftrious midwife may know how to help them 
 in their extremities. 
 
 Sec II. Defcribing the Parts of Generation in Women. 
 
 WHATEVER ignorant pe/fons may imagine, or fome good women 
 think they are unwilling thofe private parts which nature lia* 
 given them, fhould be expofed, yet it is in this cafe absolutely necef- 
 fary ; for I do positively affirm, that it is impoflible truly to appre- 
 hend what a midwife ought to do, if thefe parts are not perfectly un- 
 derftcod by them, nor do I know any reafon they have to be afham- 
 ed to fee or hear a particular defcription of what God and nature 
 hath given them, fince it is not the having thefe parts, but the unlaw- 
 ful ufe of them that caufes fhame. 
 
 To proceed then, in this defcription more regularly, I fhall fpeak 
 in order of thefe following principal parts ; ift. Of the Privy Paf- 
 lagc : 2<lly. Of the Womb : 3d(y. Of the Tcfticles, or ftones : 4thly. 
 Of the Spermatic VelTels, 
 
 ill. Of the Privy Pafiage. Under this head I ihall confider the 
 fix following parts. 
 
 i. The lips which are vifible to the eye, and are dellgned by na- 
 ture as a cover to the Fiffura Magna, or great orifice ; Thefe are fram- 
 ed of the body, and have pretty (lore of fpungy fat : and their ufe is 
 to keep the internal parts from cold and duU. Thefe are the only 
 thiags that are obvious co the light ; the reft are concealed, aud can* 
 not be feen, unlcfs the two lips are ftretched aflinder, and the entry 
 of the privities opened. 
 
 a. When the lips are fevered, the next thing that appears is t]ie 
 Nymphae or wings ; they are formed of foft and fpungy flefli, and arc 
 in form and colour like the comb of a cock. 
 
 3. In the uppermoft part, juft above the urinary palTage, may be 
 obfei ved the Clitoris, which is a finewy and hard bo.ly full of fpuagf 
 and black matter within, like the fide ligament of the yard : repre- 
 fenting in form the yard of a man, and fuffers erection and falling a* 
 t&at doth : and it grows hard, and becomes erecled as a man's yard, 
 in proportion to the defire a woman hath in copulation ; and this alfo 
 it, that which gives a woman delight in copulation ; for without this a 
 woman hath neither a defire to copulation, and delight in it, nor can 
 conceive by it. And I have heard that fome women have had their 
 Clitoris fa long that they have abufed other women therewith ; Nay* 
 
74 . 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 fome have gone fo far as to fay, that thofe perfons that have been re- 
 ported to be Hermaphrodites, as having the gentials both of men and 
 •women, are only fuch women in whom the Clitoris hangs out exter- 
 nally, refembling the form of a yard. But though I will not be poll- 
 tive in that, yet it is certain, that the larger the Clitoris is in any wom- 
 an the more luflful fhe is. 
 
 4. Under the Clitoris, and above the neck, appears the Orifice, or 
 urinary palfage, which is much larger in women than men, and caufes 
 their water to come from them in a great ftreamu On both fides the 
 urinary palTage may be feen two fmall membraneous appendices, a 
 little broader above than below, iffuing forth of the inward parts of 
 the great lips, immediately under the Clitoris ; the ufe whereof is to 
 cover the orifice of the urine, and defend the bladder from the cold 
 air : So that when a woman pifTeth, ine ccntracTts herfelf, fo that fne 
 conducts out the urine without fullering it to fpread along the privi- 
 ties, and often without fo much a? wetting the lips ; and therefore 
 the l'e fmall membraneous wins are called the Nympha* becaufe they 
 govern the woman's water. Some women have them fo great and 
 long, that they have been neceffiated to cut offfo much as has exceed- 
 ed and grew without the lipr. 
 
 5. 'Near this are four Caruncles, or ilefiiy knobs, commonly called 
 Caruncles Myrtiformes ; thefe arc placed, on each fide two, and a 
 fmall one above, juft under the urinary paiTagt, and in virgins are red- 
 dilli, plump and round, but hang flaggiag when virginity is loft % In 
 virgins they are joined together by a thin and finewy {kin or mem- 
 brane, which is called the Hymen, and keeps them in fubjection, and 
 makes them refemble a kind of rofe bud ha if blown. This difpofition 
 of the Caruncles is the only certain mark of virginity, it being in vain 
 to fearch for it elfcw-bcrc, or hope to be informed of it any other 
 way : And 'tis from the prefSng and bruiting thefe Caruncles, and forc- 
 ing and breaking the little membranes (which is done by the yard in 
 the firft a6t of copulation) that there happens an cflunon of blood ; 
 after which they remain feparted, and never recover their firft: figure, 
 but become more and more flat as the acls of copulation arein^reafed ; 
 and in thofe that have children they are almoft totally defaced, by rea- 
 lon of the great diftm&ion thefe parts fuller in the time of their labour. 
 Their ufe is to ftraighten the neck of the womb , to hinder the cold air 
 from incommoding it, and Ifkewife to increafe mutual pleafure in the 
 act of coition : for the Caruncles being then extremely fwelled, and 
 filled with blood and jfpirits, they clofe with more pleafure upon the 
 yard of the man, whereby the woman is much more delighted. What 
 1 have faid of the ciTnfion of blood which happens in the firft act of 
 copulation, tho' when it happens it is an undoubted figft of virginity, 
 ihewing the Caruncles Myrtiformes have never been prelled till then : 
 yet when there happens no blood, it is not always a fign that virginity 
 is loft before ; for the Hymen may be broken without copulation by 
 thedefluxion of (harp humours, which fometimes happen to- young 
 virgins, becaufe in them it h thinned: : It is alfo done by the unlkillul 
 applying of bcftarics to provoke the terms, &c. But thefe things hap- 
 pen fo rarely, that thofe virgins do thereby bring themfelves under a 
 juft fufpiciou. 
 
 6. There is next to be fpoken of, the neck of the womb, which is 
 Hup eJfe but the diflance between the privy paifage and the mouth, 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 ©F the womb, into which the man's yard enters in the act of copula- 
 tion ; and in women of reafonahle flattire is about eight inches in 
 length. 'Tin of a membraneous fubftance, flefhy without fkinny, and 
 very much wrinkled within ; and that it may both retain the feed 
 caftinto it in the act of copulation, and alfo that it may dilate and 
 extend itfelf to give fuiiieient pafTage to the infant at its birth. It is 
 compofed of two membranes, the innermofi: of them being white, 
 nervous and circularly wrinkled much like the palate of an ox, that 
 fo it might either contract or diiiate itfelf according to the bignefs or 
 length of the man's yard : and to the end, that by the collifion, fqueez- 
 ing, or preiling made by the yard in copulation, the pleafure may be 
 mutually augmented. The external or outmoft; membrane is red and 
 flefhy like the mufcie of the Fundament, furrounding the flrft, to the 
 end the yard may be the better clofed within it ; and it is by means 
 of this membrane that the neck adheres the flrouger to both the blad- 
 der and the right guts. The internal membrane in young girls is very 
 foft and delicate, but in women much addicted to copulation it grows 
 harder ; and in thofe that are grown aged, if they have be*en given 
 much tovenery, it is almoft become grifly. 
 
 2d. Having fpoken of the privy palTage, I come now to fpeak of the 
 womb or matrix, its parts are two ; the mouth of the womb, and 
 the bottom of it. The mouth is an orilice at the entrance into in 
 which may be dilated and fhut together like a purfe ; for though in 
 the act of copulation it be big enough to receive the glans of the yard, 
 yet after conception it is fo clofe lliut, that it will not admit the 
 point of a bodkin to enter ; and yet again at the time of the woman's 
 delivery, it is opened fo extraordinary, that the infant paiTeth thro' it 
 into the world ; at which time this orifice wholly difappears, and the 
 womb feems to have but one great cavity from its bottom to the very 
 entrance of the neck. When a woman is not with ehild it is a little 
 oblong and of a fubftance very thick and clofe ; but when ilie is with 
 child, it is fhortened, and its thicknefs diminitheth proportionahly to 
 its difiention : And therefore it is a miftake of fome anatomists to af- 
 iirm, that its fubftance waxeth thicker a little before a woman's la- 
 bour ; for any one's reafon will inform them, that the more di (tended 
 it is, the thinner it mud be, and the nearer a woman is to the time of 
 her delivery, the lherter her womb mult be extended. As to the ac- 
 tion by which this inward orifice of the womb is opened and fhut, 
 it is purely natural ; for where it is othervvife, there would not be fo 
 many baftards gotten as there are ; nor would fome married women 
 have fo many children were it at their own choice, but they would 
 hinder conception, though they would be witling enough to ufe copu- 
 lation ; for nature has attended that action with fomething fo pleafm;/ 
 and delightful, that they are willing to indulge themfelves in the ufe 
 thereof, notwithstanding the pains that they afterwards endure, and 
 the hazard of their lives, which often follow it : And this comes to pais 
 not fo much from any inordinate lufl: in women, as for that the great 
 Director of nature, for the increafe and multiplication of mankind, 
 and even for all other fpecies in the elementary world, hath placed 
 fuch a magnetic virtue in the womb, that it draws the feed to it as the 
 loadftone draws iron. 
 
 The Author of nature has placed the womb in the belly, that the 
 heat might always be maintained by the warmth of the parts fur- 
 
THE EXPERIENCED Ml£)WIFS. 
 
 rounding it ; it is therefore feated in the middle of the Hypsgajtrum 
 (or the lower part of the belly) between the bladder and the re&ura 
 (or right gat) by which alio it is defended from any hurt through the 
 I^ardnefs of the bones ; and it is placed in the lower part of the belly 
 tor the conveniency of copulation, and of a birth's being thruft out at 
 the full time. 
 
 It is of figure almoft round, inclining fomewhat to an oblong, ia 
 ; part referabling a pear, for, from being broad at the bottom, it grad- 
 ually terminates in the point of the orifice which is narrow. 
 
 The length, breadth and thicknefs of the womb differ according to- 
 fche age and dJfpofition of the body ; for, in virgins not ripe it is very 
 froall in all its dimeimons, but in Tromen whofe terms flow in great 
 quantities, and fuch as frequently ufe copulation, it is much larger ; 
 and if they have had children, it is larger in them than in fuch as have 
 sione ,but in 'women of a g®od itaturt, and well fhaped (it is as I have 
 faid before) from the entry of the privy parts to the bottom of the 
 womb, ufuaily about eight, but the length of the body of the womb 
 alone does net exceed three inches, and breadth thereof is nearly about 
 the fame, and of a thicknefs of the little finger, when the woman is. 
 not pregnant ; but when the woman is with child, it becomes of a 
 prodigious greatnefs, and the nearer {he is to her delivery the mora 
 is the womb extended. 
 
 It is not without reafon then that nature (or the God of nature ra- 
 ther) has made the worn!) of a membraneous fubflance ; for thereby 
 it does the eaficr open to conceive, and is gradually dilated from the 
 growth of the Fatus or young one, and is ftfterwards contracted and 
 clofed again, to thruft forth both it and the after-burden, and then to 
 retire to its primitive feat. Hence a Mb it is enabled to expel any nox- 
 ious humours which may fometimes happen to be contained within it. 
 
 Before I have done with the womb, winch is the field of generation, 
 and ought therefore to be the more particularly taken care of (for at- 
 thefeedof plants can produce no fruits, nor fpring unlefs fown ia 
 ground proper to waken and excite their vegetative virtue, fo likevvife- 
 the feed of a man,though potentially containing all theparts of a child, 
 would never produce fo an admirable an effect, if it were not caft into 
 the fruitful field of nature, the womb) I fhall proceed to a more par- 
 ticular defcripti&n of the parts thereof, and the ufes to which nature 
 has defigned them. 
 
 The worth then is compofed of various flmilary parts, that is, of 
 membranes, veins, arteries and nerves. Its membranes are two, and 
 they compofe the principal part of its body : the outmoft of which ari- 
 i'eth from the Peritanium, or caw], and is very thin, without fmooth-, 
 but within equal, that it may the better cleave to the womb, as it were 
 Hefliy and thicker than any elfe we meet within the body when a 
 woman is not pregnant, and is interwoven with all forts of fibres or 
 fmall firings, that it may the better fuffer the extenlion of the child, 
 and the waters caufed during the pregnancy, and alio that it may the 
 aalier clefe again after delivery. 
 
 The veins and arteries proceed both from the Hypoga (Tricks and the 
 Spermatic VefTels, of which I fhall fpeak by and by ; all thefe are in- 
 ferted and terminated in the proper membrane of the womb. The ar- 
 teries fupply it with blood for its nourilhment, which, being brought 
 tiiithsr in too great a quantity, fweats thro' tfce fubflance of it. a»4 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 77 
 
 diftils as It were clue into the bottom of its cavity ; from whence do 
 proceed both the terms in ripe virgins, and the blood which nourifli- 
 eth the embryo in breeding women. The branches which ifiue from 
 the Spermatic Veflfels are in each fide of the bottom of the womb, and 
 are much lefs than thofe which proceed from the Hypogaftricks, thofe 
 being greater, and bedewing the whole fubftance of it. There are yet 
 fome other fmall velTels, which, arifing the one from the other, are 
 conducted to the internal orifice, and by thefe, thofe that are pregnant 
 do purge away the fuperfiuity of their terms when they happen to 
 have more than is ufed in the nourishment of the infant ; by which 
 means nature has taken fuchcare of the womb, that, during its preg- 
 nancy, it fhall not be obliged to open itfelf for the paffingaway thofe 
 excrementitious humours, which,, lbould it be forced to do, might of- 
 ten endanger abortion. 
 
 As touching the nerves, they proceed from the brain, which furniflies 
 all the inner parts of the lower belly with them, which is the true rca- 
 fon it hath fo great a fympathy with the Piomach, which is likewife 
 very confiderably furnifiied from the fame part : fo that the womb 
 cannot be afflicted with any pain, but the ftomach is immediately fen- 
 fible thereof, which is the caufe of thofe loathings or frequent vomit- 
 ings which happen to it. 
 
 But, befides ail thefe parts which compofe the womb, it hath four 
 ligaments, whofe office is to keep it firm in its place, and prevent its 
 conftant agitation, by the continual motion of the intefHnes which 
 furround it, two of which are above and two below : Thofe above are 
 called the broad ligaments, becaufe of their broad and membraneous 
 figure, and are nothing elfe but the production of the Pcritonmim % 
 which growing out of the fide of the loins towards the reins come to 
 be inferted in the fides of the bottom of the womb, to hinder the body 
 from bearing too much on the neck., and fo from fullering a precipi- 
 tation, as will fometimes happen when the ligaments are too much re- 
 laxed ; and do a lib contain the tefticles, and as well conduct; the dif- 
 ferent vefTeis as the ejacalatories to the womb. The lowermoft are 
 called round ligaments, taking their original from the fide of the 
 womb near the horn, from v.' hence they pafs the groin, together with, 
 the production of the Peritorueum which accompanies them through 
 the rings and holes of the oblique and traverfe mufcles of the belly, 
 where they divide themfelves into many little branches refembling 
 the foot of a goofe, of which fome are inferted into the os pubis, and 
 the reft are loft and confounded with the membranes that cover the 
 upper and interior parts of the thigh ; and it is that which caufes that 
 numbnefs which women with child feel in their thighs. Thefe two 
 ligaments are long, round and nervous, and pretty big in their begin- 
 ning near the matrix, hollow in their rife, and all along to the os pubis* 
 where they are a (title fmaller, and become flat, the abetter to be in- 
 ferted in the manner aforefaid : it is by their means the womb is hin- 
 dered from rifmg too high. Now, although the womb is held in its 
 natural fituation by means of thefe four ligament?, yet it has liberty 
 enough to extend itfelf when pregnant, becaufe they ^re very loofe, 
 and fo eafily yield to its diftention. But befides thefe ligaments, which 
 keep the womb as it were in a poife, yet it is faftened, for greater fe- 
 curity, by its neck, both to the bladder and rectum, between which it 
 is fiturtcd. Whence it comes to pais, that if at any time the womb b* 
 
»7* 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 inflamed it communicates the inflamation to the neighbouring parts* 
 Its ufe, or proper action in the work of generation, is to receive and 
 retain the feed, and to reduce it from powder to action by its heat, for* 
 the generation of the infant, and is therefore abfolutely necelTary for 
 the conservation of the fpecies. It alfo feems by accident to receiver 
 and expel the impurities of the whole body, as when women have a- 
 bundances of whites and to purge away from time to time the fuper- 
 fluity of the blood, as it dotk every month by the evacuation of blood, 
 as when a woman is not with child. And thus much (hall fuliice for 
 the defcription of the womb, in which I have been the larger, be- 
 caufe as I have faid before, it is the Held of generation. 
 
 3d. The next thing to be defcribed in the gentials of women is the 
 tefticles or ftones, for fuch women have as well as men, but are not 
 for the fame ufe, and indeed are different from thofe in men in feve- 
 ral particulars; as ift, in place being within the belly, whereas iir 
 men they are without. 2dly, In figure, being uneven in women, but 
 fmooth in men. 3dly, In magnitude, being lefler in women than in men. 
 4thly, They are not fixed in women by mufcles,but by ligatures. 5thly, 
 They have no proftrates or kernels as men have. 6thly, They differ iii. 
 form, being deprefTed or flattifh in women, but oval in men. 7thly, 
 Thev have but one fkin, whereas men have four ; for the (tones of 
 men being more expofed, nature has provided for them accordingly^ 
 SJthly, Their fubftance is more foft than in men. And, Qthly, Their 
 temperature is colder than men. And as they differ in all thefe ref- 
 lects, lo do they alio in their ufe, for they perform not the fame ac- 
 tions as men's, as I lTiaH fhew prefently. A6 for their feat, it is in the 
 hollownefs of the Abdomen, and therefore not extremely pendulous, 
 fcut reft upon the ova or egg. 'Tis true Galen and Hippocrates did 
 erroneoufly imagine that the flones in women did both contain and 
 elaborate the feed as thefe do in men, but it is a great miftake : For 
 the tefticles of a woman are as it were no more than two clutters of 
 eggs, which lie there to be impregnated by the mod fpirituous parti- 
 cles, or animating effluvia conveyed out of the womb through the two 
 .^tubes, or different vefTels : But however, the (tones in women are ve~ 
 ry ufeful ; for where they are defective, generation work is at an end. 
 $br though thefe little bladders, which are on their firperfices, con- 
 Jain nothing of feed, yet they contain feveral eggs (commonly to the 
 number of twenty in each tefKcle) one of which being impregnated 
 in the act of coition, by the mojt fpirituous part of the feed of the 
 man, defcends through the oviducts into the womb, and there in pro* 
 ©efs of time, becomes a living child. 
 
 4th. I am now to fpeak of the fpermatic vefTels in women, which* 
 are two, and are fattened in their whole extent by a membraneous ap- 
 pendix to the broad ligament of the womb : Thefe do not proceed 
 from the teftkles as in men, but are diftant from them a finger's 
 breadth atleaft; and being difpofed after the manner of the miferaic 
 veins, are trained along the membraneous diftance between the dif- 
 ferent velTels and the tefticles. Their fubftance is, as it were net vous 
 and moderately hard ; they are round, hollow, big, and broad enough 
 at their end, joining to the horn of the womb. Some authors affirm, 
 that by thefe, women difcharge their feed into the bottom of the 
 womb'; but the whole current of our modern authors run quite ano- 
 ther way, and are pofttivc that \h*re is no feed at all in their vefTels £ 
 
THE EXPERIENCED j\irDWIF& 
 
 79 
 
 but that after the egg or eggs in the ovarie or tefticles are impregnat- 
 ed by the Teed of the man, they Uefcend through thefe two veffels into 
 the womb, where being placed, the embryo is nourished.' Thefe vef- 
 fels are fhorter in women than they are in men : for the ftones of a 
 woman lying within the belly, their parage muft needs be fhorter ; 
 but their various wreathings and winding* in and out, make amends 
 for the fhortnefs of their pa-Tage. Thefe veffels are not united before 
 they come to the ftones, but divide themfelves into two branches, the 
 largeft whereof only paiTes through the teflicies, the lefler to the 
 womb, both for the nourifhment of itfelf and the infant in it. I further 
 obferve, That thefe fpermatic veins receives the arteries as they pafa 
 by the womb, and fo there is a mixture between natural and vita! 
 blood, that fothe work might be the better wrought, and that it is-fo, 
 appears by this, That if you blow up the fpermatic vein, you may 
 perceive the right and left velfel of the womb blown up ; from whence 
 alfo the communication of all the vefTels of the womb may be eafily 
 perceived. 
 
 The deferentia or carrying veffels fpring from the lower part of 
 the teflicies, and are in colour white, and in fubftance ilnewy, and 
 pafsnot the womb ftraight, but wreathed with feveral turnings and 
 windings, as was faid or the fpermatic vefiels, that fo the fhortnefs o£* 
 the way may be likewife recompensed by their winding meanders ; 
 yet near the womb they become broad again. They proceed in two 
 parts from the womb, which refemble horns, and are therefore call- 
 ed the horns of the womb. And this is all that is needful to be known 
 or treated of concerning the parts of generation both in men ancl 
 women. 
 
 Only flnce our modern anatoroifb and phyflcians are of difFererjfc 
 fenriments from the ancients, touching the woman's contributing of 
 feed for the formation of the child as well as the man ; the ancients 
 ftrongly affirming it, but our modern authors being generally of ano- 
 ther judgment ; I will here declare the feveral reafons for their differ- 
 ent opinions, and fo pafs on. 
 
 SECTION III. Of ths differences betiueen the modern Phyfc'ians? touching tbs 
 Woman s contributing Seed to the farm at ion of the CbilJ. 
 
 I WILL not make myfelf a party in this controverfy, but let dows 
 impartially, yet briefly, the arguments on each fide, leaving the; 
 judicious reader to judge for himfelf. 
 
 Though it is apparent, fay the ancients, that the feed of man is the 
 principal efficient and beginning of action, motion and generation* 
 yet it is evident that the woman doth affbrd feed, becaufc ihe hatk 
 feminal veffels, which elfe had been given her in vain ; but Cnce na- 
 ture forms nothing in vain, it muft be granted they were made for 
 the ufe of feed and procreation, and fixed in their proper places to 
 contribute virtue and efficacy to the feed : And this, fay they, is- 
 further proved from hence. That if women at years of maturity ufe 
 not copulation to object: their feed, they often faU into ftrange difeafes, 
 and it is apparent, that women are never better pleafed than when 
 they are often fatisfied this way, which argues the pleafure and delight 
 they take therein ; which pleafure, fay they, is double in women to 
 what it is in men : for, as the delight of men in copulation confiffc 
 chiefly in the emiflion of the feed, fo women are delighted both in tkts 
 smijipn of tkek own, a#d the reception. j naa&V 
 
8o 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE* 
 
 But again ft: all this, our modern authors affirm, That the ancients 
 were very erroneous : forafmuch as the tefticlcs in women do not af- 
 ford feed, but are two eggs, like thofe of fowls and other creatures^ 
 neither have they any fuel* offices as men, but indeed are an Ovarium, 
 or receptiele for eggs, wherein thefe eggs are nourifhed by the fan- 
 guinary vefTels difperfed through them; and fiom thence, one or 
 more as they are fcecundated by the man's feed, are conveyed into the 
 womb by the oviducts. And the truth of this, fay they, is plain, that 
 if you boil them, their liquor will have the fame tafte, colour and con- 
 fiftency, with the tafte of birds' eggs. And if it be objected, that they 
 have no (hells, theanfwer is eafy ; for the eggs of fowls, while they 
 are in the ovary, nay, after they are fallen into the uterus, have no 
 fheli ; and though they have one when they are laid, yet it is no more 
 than a fence which nature has provided for them againft outward in- 
 juries, they being hatched without the body ; but thofe of women be- 
 ing hatched within the body, have no need of any other fence than 
 the womb to fecure them. 
 
 They alfo further fay, there are in the generation of the fcetus, or 
 young ones, two principles, active andpafiive : the active is the man** 
 Seed, elaborated in the tefHcies, out of the arterial blood and animal 
 fplrits ; the pal'ilve principle is the ovum or egg impregnated by the 
 man's feed ; for to fay that women have true feed (fay they) is erro- 
 neous. But the manner of conception is this : The moil fpiritous 
 part of man's feed, in the act of copulation, reaching up to the ova- 
 rium or tefticles of the woman (which contains divers eggs, fometimes 
 more, fometimes fewer) impregnates of them, which being conveyed by 
 the oviducts to the bottom of the womb, prefcntly begins to fwell big- 
 ger and bigger, and drinks in the moifture that is fent thither, after 
 the fame manner that the feeds in the ground fuck the fertile moif- 
 ture thereof to make them fprout. 
 
 But, notwithstanding what is here urged by our modern anatomifts* 
 there are fome late writers of the opinion of the ancients, viz. that 
 women have both, and emit feed in the act of copulation ; and the 
 good women themfelves take it ill to be thought merely paffive in 
 thofe wars wherein they make fuch vigorous encounters, and poll- 
 tively affirm they are fenflble of the emiffion of their feed in thofe en- 
 gagements, and that a great part of the delight they take in that act 
 con lifts in it. I will not therefore go about to take any of their hap- 
 pinefs away from them, but leave them in poffeffion of their imagin- 
 ed felicity. 
 
 Having thus laid the foundation of this work, in the defer iption I 
 have given for the parts dedicated to the work of generation both in 
 man and woman, I will now proceed to fpeak of conception, and of 
 thofe things that are neceiTary to be obferved by women from the 
 time of their conception to the time of their delivery, 
 C H A P. nr. 
 
 Of Conception ; ivhat it is : the Signs thereof whether conceived of a Mole cr 
 Female ; how women are to order themfelves after Concepti n. 
 SECTION I. What Conception is, and the Qualifications requifits thereto. 
 
 CONCEPTION is nothing elfe hut an action of the womb, by 
 which the prolific feed is received and retained, that an infant 
 may be engendered and formed out of it. There are two forts of con- 
 ception ; the one according fo nature, which is followed by the genu* 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 ation of the infant in the womb ; the other is falfe, and wholly again& 
 nature, in which the feed changes into water, and produces only falfe 
 conception, moles or other ftrange matter. Now there are three 
 things principally neceflary in order to a true conception, fo that gen- 
 eration may follow ; to wit, diverfky of fex,,eongreiIkm, and emiilion 
 of feed. Without diveriity of fexes thee can be no conception ; For, 
 though fome will have a woman to be an animal that can engender of 
 kerfelf, it is a great miftake ; there can be no conception without a 
 man to discharge his feed into her womb. What they alledge of pullets 
 laying eggs without a cock's treading them is notning to the purpofe ; 
 for thofe eggs, iliould they be fet under a hen, will never become chick- 
 ens, becaufe they never received any prolific virtue from the male % 
 which is abfolutely neceffary to this purpofe, and is fufBcient to con r 
 vince us that diverlity of fex is neceffary even to thofe animals as well 
 as to the generation of man. But diverlity of fex., though it be neceffary 
 to conception, yet it will not do alone ; there rauft alfo be a eongref- 
 fion of thofe different fexes : for diveruty of fex would profit iittie, if 
 copulation did not follow. I confefs 1 have heard of fome fubtle wom- 
 en, who, to cover their fin and fiiame, have endeavoured to perfuade 
 fome perfons that they were never touched by men, to get them with 
 child ; and that one in particular pretended to conceive, by going intt> 
 a bath where a man had waflied him fe if a little before, and fpent bis 
 feed in it, which was drawn and fucked into her womb, as (lie pre- 
 tended : But fuch fcories as thofe are only fit to amufe them that kno\^ 
 no better — Now tiiat thefe different fexes fliould be obliged to come to 
 the touch, which we call copulation or coition, befides the natural de- 
 fire of begetting their like, which ftirs up men and women to it, the 
 parts appointed for generation are endowed by nature with a delight- 
 ful and mutual itch, which begets in them defire to the action ; with- 
 out which it would not be very eafy for a man born for the contem- 
 plation of divine myfteries to join himfelf by the way of coition to a 
 woman, in regard of the uncleannefs of the parf and of the action ; 
 and on the other fide, if women did- but think of thofe pains and in- 
 conveniences to which they are fub-jecT by ' their great bellies, and 
 thofe hazards even of life itfelf, befides the unavoidable pains that at- 
 tend their dilivery,it is reafonable to believe they would be affrighted 
 from it. But neither fex make thefe reflections till after the action is 
 over, conildering nothing before hand but the pleafure of enjoyment. 
 So that it is from this voluptuous itch that nature obligeth both fexes 
 to this congrelTlon. Upon which the third thing followeth of courfe, 
 to wit, the emiffion of feed into the womb in the ad: of copulation. 
 For the woman having received thi? prolific feed into her womb, and 
 retained it there, the womb thereupon becomes compreffed, and em- 
 braces the feed fo ciofely, that being clofed, the point of a needle, as 
 faith Hippocrates, cannot enter it without violence; and now the 
 woman may be laid to have conceived ; the feveral faculties whicb 
 are in the feed it contains, being reduced by its heat from power into 
 action, making ufe of the fpirits with which the feed abounds, and 
 which are the mfiruments by which it begins to trace out the firft 
 lineaments of all the parts ; to which afterwards, of making ufe of the 
 menfrruous blood flowing to it, it gives in time growth and final per- 
 fection. And thus much fiiall fiufice to ftvew what. conception k» \ 
 fiiall now proceed to lhew, 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 Section II. The Signs of Conception* 
 /'HERE are many prognofticks or figns, of conception : I will 
 /JL name fome of the chief, which are the moft certain, and let a- 
 lone the reft. 
 
 i. If a woman has been more than ordinary defirous of copulation, 
 and hath taken more plea fu re than ufual therein (which upon recol- 
 lection fhe may eafily know) it is a fign of conception. 
 
 a. If fhe retain the feed in her womb after copulation, which fhe 
 may know if fhe perceives not to flow down from the womb as it ufed 
 to do before, for that is a fare fign the womb has received it into the 
 inward orifice, and there retains it. 
 
 3. if fiie finds a coldnefs and chilnefs after copulation, it (hews the 
 heat is retired to make conception. 
 
 4. If after this fhe begins to have loathings to thofe things which 
 fhe loved before, and this attended with a lofsof appetite, and a de- 
 fire after meats, to which fhe was not affected before, and hath often 
 naufeatings and vomitings, with four belchings, and exceeding weak- 
 nel's of ftomach. 
 
 5. After conception the belly waxeth very flat, becaufe the womb 
 clofeth itfelf together, to nourilli and cherifh the feed, contracting 
 itfelf fo as to leave no empty fpace. 
 
 6. If the veins of the breaft are more clearly feen than they were 
 wont to be, it is a fign of conception. 
 
 7. So it is, if the tops on the nipples look redder than formerly, and 
 the breads begin to fwell, and grow harder than ufual, efpecially if 
 this be attended with pain and forenefs. 
 
 8. If a woman hath twitting and griping pains, much like thofe 
 of the cramp in the belly, and about the navel it is a fign fhe has 
 conceived. 
 
 9. If under the lower eye lid the veins be fwelled, and appear 
 clearly, and the eye be fomething difcoloured, it is a certain fign (he 
 is with child, unl'efs fhe have her menfes at the fame time upon her, 
 or tnat flie has fat up the :%ht before. This fign has never failed. 
 
 10. Some alfo make fthis ; tpjsi of conception ; they flop the wo- 
 man's urine in a glafs e>' phial for three days, and then ftrain it 
 through a fine linen clotfc and if they find fmall living creatures in it, 
 they conclude that the woman has certainly conceived. 
 
 11. There alfo is another eafy trial : let the woman that fuppof- 
 es The has conceived take a green nettle, and put it into her urine, 
 cover it clofe, and let it remain therein a whole night : if the woman 
 be with child it will be full of red foots on the morrow ; but if fhe 
 be not with child it will be blackifh, 
 
 12. The lafr, fign I {hall mention is that which is moft obvious to 
 every woman, which is the fuppreifien of the terms : For, after con- 
 ception, nature makes ufe of that blood for the nourishment of the 
 embryo which before Was caft out by nature, becaufe it was too great 
 in quantity. For it is an error to think that the menftrual blood, lim- 
 ply in itfelf confidered is bad ; becaufe if a woman? body be in good 
 temper, the blood maft needs be good : and that it is voided month- 
 ly becaufe it offends in quantity, but not in quality. But though the 
 fupprefiion of the terms is generally a lure fign of conception to fuch 
 perfons as have had them orderly before, yet is not the having them 
 always a iign there is no conception ; Forafmueh as many that have 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 I*een wiih child have had their terms, and fome even till the fifth or 
 itxth month, which happens according to the woman's being more or 
 lefs fanguine ; for if a woman has more blood than will fuffice for 
 the nourifhment of the embryo, nature continues to void it in the ri- 
 tual way. Whence the experienced m^Awiifc '::^;; learn there are few 
 general rules which do not fometimts admit of an exception. But this 
 tiiall fuffice to be fpoken of the hgns and prognoftick? of conception. 
 -Section III. Whether Conception tie of a Male cr Female. 
 
 AUTHORS give us feverat prognofticks of ..mhisix. Though they ar € 
 not all to be trufted, yet there is fome truth" among them : Th c 
 figns of a male child conceived are. 
 
 1. When a woman at her riling up is more apt to flay herfelf upon 
 her right hand than her left. 
 
 2. Her belly lies rounder and higher than when (lie has conceived 
 ef a female. 
 
 3. She firft feels the child to beat on her right fide. 
 
 4. She carries her burden more light, and with lefs pain than when 
 it is a female. 
 
 5. Her right nipple is redder than the left, and her right breaft 
 harder and mere plump. 
 
 6. Her colour is more clear, nor is Hie fo fwathy as when flic has 
 conceived a female. 
 
 -7, Obferve a circle under her eye, which is a pa'e and bluifh col- 
 our ; and if that under her right eye be moll apparent, and mod uif- 
 coloured {he hath conceived a fon. 
 
 8. Jffhe would know whether fhe hath conceived a fon or a 
 daughter, let her railk a drop of her milk into a bafon of fair water ; 
 if it fprcads and lwims at top, it certainly is a boy ; but if it is round 
 as it drops in, and finks to the bottom, it is a girl. This lafl is an in- 
 fallible rule. And in all it is to be noted, that what is a lign of a male 
 conception, the contrary holds good of a female. 
 
 Sec. t V. Ho IV a 'woman ought to order herfelf of tsr conception. 
 
 fk^Ydefign in this treatife "being brevity, I fbail pretermit all that 
 1YJ» others fay of the caufes of twins ; and whether there be any 
 fuch thing as fuperfcetations, or afecond conception in woman, which 
 is yet common enough, when I come to fhew you how the midwife 
 ought to proceed in the delivery of thefe women that are pregnant 
 with them. But having already fpoken of conception, I think it now 
 neeertary to (hew how fuch as have conceived ought to order them- 
 felves during their pregnancy, that they may avoid thofe incenven- 
 iencies which often endanger the life of the child, and many times 
 their own. 
 
 A woman after her conception, during the time of her being with 
 child, ought to be looked on as indifpofed or fick, though in good 
 health ; for child-bearing is a kind of nine month's licknels, being all 
 that time in expectation of many inconveniences, which fuch a con- 
 dition ufually caufes to thofe that are not well governed during that 
 time ; and therefore ought to refemble a good pilot, who, w hen fail- 
 ing in a rough fea and full of rocks; avoids and fnuns the danger, if 
 he fleers with prudence ; but if not it is a thoufand to one but he firf- 
 f-;rs ihipwreck. In like manner, a woman with child is often in dan- 
 
m 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 4fcrof mifcarryiirg and lofmg her life, if £he is not very careful tft pre- 
 vent thofe accidents to which ihe is fubjecSl all the time cf her preg- 
 nancy : all which time her care muft: bt double, firft of herfelf, and 
 fecondly of the child fhe goes with, for otherwife a lingle erro? may 
 produce a double mifr* ti for if flie receives any prejudice, her 
 child alfo fu tiers with her. 
 
 Let a woman therefore, after conception, obferve a good diet, fui- 
 table to her temperament, cuftom, condition and quality : and if flic 
 can, let the air where /he' ordinarily dwells be char and v,ell tem- 
 pered free from extremes either of heat or cold; for being too hot, 
 it diffipatheth the fpirits too much, and caufeth many weaknefles, 
 and by being too cold and foggy, it may bring down rheums and dif- 
 tillations on the lungs, and fo caufe her to cough, which by its im- 
 petuous motions forcing downwards, ma) make her miscarry ; She- 
 ought alfo to avoid all naufeous and ill fmells, for fometimes tl*c 
 ftiiik of a candle not well put out may caufe her to come before her 
 time; audi have known the fmell of charcoal to have the fame 
 effect Let her alfo avoid fmelling of rue, mint, pennyroyal, c*ftor, 
 forimftone, &c. 
 
 But with refpedfc to her diet, women with child have generally fo 
 
 great loathings, and fo many different longings, that it is very diffi- 
 cult to prefciibe an exa-cl diet for them. Only this I think advifea- 
 ble, that they may ufe of thofe meats and drinks uhich are to thera 
 moft defirable, though perhaps not in themfelves fo wholcfome as 
 lbme others, and it m*y not be fo pleafant ; but this liberty muft be 
 made ufe of with this caution, that what flie fo ck fires be not in itfelf 
 absolutely unwholefome ; snd alfo that in every thing they tak» care 
 ofexcefs. But if a child-bearing woman finds I erfelf ni»t troubled 
 with luch longings as we have fpoken of, ar.d in fuch quantity as may 
 be fufficient for herfelf and the child which her appetite may in a 
 great meafure regulate ; for it is alike huftfui for her to faft .too long 
 as to eat too much, and therefore rather let her cat a little and often, 
 efpecially let her avoid eating too much at night ; becaufe the flomach, 
 being too much filled, compreiTeth the diaphragm and thereby caufes 
 difficulty of breathings. Let her meat be eafy of concoclion, fuch at 
 the tenders fr parts of beef, mutton, veaj, fows, pullets, capons, pid- 
 geons and parrrides, either boiled or roafled, as fhe likes befl: ; new 
 laid eggs are alfo very good for her ; and Jet her put into her broths 
 thofe herbs that purify it, is forrel, lettuce, fuccory and burrage ; for 
 they will purge and purify the blood ; Let her avoid whatfoevcr is 
 hot feafened, efpecially pics and baked meets, which, being of hot di- 
 geftion, overcharge the ftomach. If flie defire fifh, let it be frefh, and 
 iuch as is taken out of rivers and running ftreams. Let her eat quin- 
 ces, or marmalade, to ftrengthen her child ; for which purpofe fweet 
 almpris, honey, fvveet apples^ and full ripe grapes, are alfo good. Let 
 her abiiain from all fliarp, four, bitter, and fait things, and all things 
 that tend to provoke the terms, fuch as gai lick, onions, olives, miifbrd, 
 fennel, with pepper and all fpicc.*, except cinnamon, which in the laft 
 three months is good for her. if at firft her diet be fparing as fhe in- 
 crcafes in bignels let her diet be increafed for fhe ought to confder 
 flie has a child as well berfell to nourifli. Leuher be moderate in her 
 drinking ; and if (tit drinks wine, let it be rather claret than white 
 (which wiU breed ^ood blood, help the digefhon, and comfort the 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 £omach, which is always but weakly during her pregnancy) but white 
 wine being diuretic, or that which provokes urine ought to be avoided. 
 Let her have a care of too much exercife, and let her avoid dancing, riding 
 in a coach, or whatever elfe puts the body into violent motion, efpecially in 
 her firft month. But to be more particular I mail here fet down rules 
 proper for every month for the child bearing woman to order herfeif, from 
 the time ihe has firft conceived to the time of her delivery. 
 
 Rules for the firft two Months. 
 
 AS foon as a woman knows or has reafon to believe, fhe hath conceiv- 
 ed, (he ought to abftain from all violent motion or exercife, wheth- 
 er in walking, riding on horfeback, or in a coach. Let her alfo abftain 
 from venery, to which, after conception, ihe has ufuaily no great inclina- 
 tion, left there be a mole or fuperfcetation ; which is the adding of one 
 embryo to another. Let her beware Ihe lift not her arms too high, nor 
 carry great burdens, nor repofe herfeif on hard and uneafy feats. Let her 
 ufe moderately meat of good juice and eafy concoclion, and let wine be 
 neither too ftreng nor too fbarp, but a little mingled with water ; or, if 
 ihe be very abftemious, Ihe may ufe water wherein cinnamon is boiled. 
 Let her avoid failings, thirft, watching, mourning, fadnefs, anger and all 
 other perturbations of the mind. Let none prefent any ftrange or un- 
 wholefome things to her, not fo much as name it, left Ihe mould defire it, 
 and not be able to get it, and fo either caufe her to mifcarry, or the child 
 have fonie deformity on that account. Keep her belly loofe with prunes, 
 raifins or manna, in her broth ; and let her ufe the following electuary "to 
 ilrengthen the womb and the child. 
 
 '* Take conferve of burrage, buglofs, and red rofes, two ounces each • 
 balm, citron peel, and mirobalans, candied, each an ounce ; extract, of 
 wood aloes a fcruple ; pearl prepared half a dram ; red coral, ivory each a 
 dram ; precious ftones each a fcruple, candied nutmegs two drams ; and 
 with fyrup of apples and quinces make an electuary. 
 
 Let her ufe the following Rules. 
 
 " Take pearls prepared a dram ; red coral prepared and ivory, each 
 half a dram, precious ftones each a fcruple ; yellow citron peels, mace, 
 cinnamon, cleves, each half a dram, faffron a fcruple, wood aloes half a 
 fcruple ; ambergreafe fix drams, and with fix ounces of fugar, diffolved in 
 rofe water, make rouls." Let her alio apply flrengtheners to the naval, 
 of nutmegs, mace, mafuc, made up in bags, or a toaft dipped in mamfey, 
 fprinkled in powder of mint, If fne happens to defire clay, chalk, or coal 
 (as many women with child do) give her beans boiled with fugar ; and if 
 fhe long for any thing which fhe oannot obtain, let her prefently drink a 
 large draught of pure cold water. 
 
 Rules for the Third Month. 
 
 In this month and the next, be fure to keep from bleeding ; tor though 
 it may be fafe at other times, it will not be &> until the end of the fourth 
 month : and yet if too much blood abound, or feme incident difeafe hap- 
 pen, which requires evacuation, you may ufe a cupping glafs, with fcarifi- 
 cation, and a little blood may be drawn from the moulders and arms, ef- 
 pecially if ihe has been accuftomed to bleed. Let her alfo take care of lac- 
 ing herfeif too ftraightly, but give herfeif more liberty than (he ufed to 
 do ; for, inclofihg her belly in too ftraight a mould, me hinders the infant 
 £rom taking its free growth, and often makes it cowte before ite ti«tt& 
 
%6 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 Rules for the Fourth Month. 
 Tri this month you ought alfo to keep the child hearing woman fro&i 
 bleeding, vmlefs in extraordinary eafes ; but when this month ii paft, 
 bloed-lettmg and phyfic may be permitted, if it be gentle and mild ; and 
 perhaps it may be neceffary to prevent abortion. In this month me may 
 purge in acute difeafes ; but purging may be only ufed from the begin- 
 ninig of t his month to the end of the fixth : N but let her take care that in 
 purging me ufes no vehement medicine, nor very bitter, as aloes, which is 
 an enemy to the child, and opens the mouth of the veflels ; neither let her 
 tile coloquiutida, fcammony, nor turbith ; {he may ufe cafiia, manna, rhu- 
 barb, agaric, and fenna, but diacidonium purgans is heft with a little of the 
 electuary of the juice of rofes. 
 
 Rules for the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Months. 
 
 i j In thofe months child bearing - women are often troubled with coughs, 
 heart beating, fainting, watching, pains in the loins and hips, and bleeding. 
 The cough is from a fharp vapour that comes to the jaws and rough ar- 
 tery from the terms, or from the thin part of that biocd gotten into the 
 veins of the LreafF, or fallen from the head to the breaft : 'I^his endangers 
 abortion, and ftrength fails from watching ; therefore purge the humours 
 that fall from the breaft with rhubarb and agaric, and ftrengthefting the 
 head as in a catarrh, and give fweet lenitives as in a cough. Palpitation 
 and fainting arile from a Vapour that go to it by the arteries or from blood 
 that aboundethj iiiid cannot 'gejt out at the womb, but afcends and opprcf- 
 *.erh the heart; ; and, in this cafe, cordials fhouid- be ufed both inwardly 
 "and outwardly. Watching is from fiiarp, dry Vapours that trouble the ar. 
 mud fptsttij ; in this cafe ufe frictions, and let the -woman wafn her feet : 
 bed fm&', arid let her take fyrup of poppies, dried rofes, emulfions of fwet 
 : Imoud •> and white poppy feede. If Ike be troubled with pains in her loii 
 slnd drips, as in thefe months me is fubjedl to be from the weight of h 
 child, w ho is now grown big and heavy, and fo ftretcheth the ligaments < 
 the womb, and parts adjacent, let her hold it up with fwathing bands i 
 bcut her neck. About this time alio the woman often happens to have 
 flux of blood, either at the nofe, wornH, or hemorrhoids, from plenty 
 blood or from the weaknefs of the child that takes it not in, or eBb fro- ' 
 evil humours in the blood, that ftirs up nature to fend it forth. And fonu 
 times it happens that the velfels of the womb may he broken, either b 
 ibme -violent motion, fall, cough or trouble of mind ; (for any of thefe w: I 
 wor-t that edvect) and this is fo dangerous, that in Inch a cafe the cbn ! 
 ckatrot be well ; but if it be from blood only, the danger is no lefs, Jiro\ i 
 tied it- flows by the veins of the neck of the womb, for then it prevents pl-3 
 tilery, and takes away the nouriihment of the child; but if it proceeds from, 
 the weaknefs of the child that draws it not, abortion of the child often 
 follows, or hard travail,, or elf? Ihe goes beyond her time : But if it flows 
 by the inward veins of her womb, there is more danger by the opennefs of 
 the worJib, if "il tomes from evil blood ; the danger is alike from cacochi- 
 my, % hich is like to fall upon both. If it arife's from pkihory, open a vein, 
 bat- "With' very great caution', and give her afcringbnts', inch as the follow- 
 ing ; * fe 'Fa&e pearl prepared a fcruple ; red ccr'al two fcruplei, ma.: .', tiut* 
 megs, ec-.ch a dram ; cinnamon, half a clrari ; mike a po wder, or with iu- 
 gar,roifs." Or, give this powder in broth : ' " 'l ake red coral a dram ; 
 precious ilones half a fcrrrple : red faundeH half a dram ; fealed earth, and 
 tormentil roots, each two fchrples, withlugax oxrofer, and niaau$ Chrki;, 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 97 
 
 with pearl five drams, make a powder." You may alfb ftrcngthen tlifc' 1 
 child at the naval ; and if there be a cacohimy, alter the humours, and e>V 
 vacuate, if you may do it fafely : You may likewife ufe amulets on her 
 hands, and about her neck. In a flux of Hemorrhoids, let her drink hot 
 wine with a toafted nutmeg. In thefe months the belly is alfo fubject to 
 be bound ; but if it be without any apparent difeafe, the broth of a chick- 
 en, or of veal fodden with oil, or with the decoction of mallows, mercury, 
 and lintfeed put up in a clyfter, will not be amifs, but in leis quantity than 
 is given in other cafes ; to wit, of the decoction five ounces, of common oil 
 three ounces, of fugar two ounces, of caflia fiftula one ounce. But if ihe 
 will not take a clyfter, one or two yolks of new laid eggs ; or a few peafe, 
 pottage warm, with a little fait and fugar, fuppedup a little before meat, 
 will be very convenient : But if her belly ffi'afl be diftended, and flretchcd 
 out with wind, a little fennel-feed and annifeed reduced into powder, and 
 mingled with honey and fugar, made after the manner of an. electuary, 
 will do very well. Alfo, if the thighs and feet fwell,let them be anointed 
 with oxphr odium (which is a liquid medicine made with vinegar and rofe 
 Water) mingled with a little fait. 
 
 Rules for the Eighth Month, 
 
 The eighth is commonly the moft dangerous, and therefore the great e& 
 care and caution ought to be ufed ; and her diet ought to be better in 
 quality, but not more, nor indeed fo much in quantity as before : but as fhe 
 muft abate her diet, fo (he mud increafe her exercife : And bebaufe tk*?i 
 women with child, by reafon of the fharp humours, alter the k «:_• ire &ch 
 cuftomed to weaken their fpirits and ftrength, they may well tak : b (ore 
 meat and electuary of diarrhodon or aromaticum rofatum, or diaraargao- 
 ton ; and as they will loath and nauieate their meat they may take green 
 ginger condited with fugar, or the rinds of citrons and oranges cendited ; 
 and often ufe honey for the ftrengthening of the infant. Wiien fhe is net 
 far from her labour, let her ufe every day feven roafted figs before meat and 
 fometimes lick a little honey ; but let her beware of fait and powder mea*, 
 for it is neither good for her nor the child. 
 
 Rules for the Ninth ^ Month. 
 
 In the ninth month, let her have a care of lifting any great weight ; but 
 let her move a little more to dilate the parts and ftir up natural heat. Let 
 her take heed of ftooping, and neither lit too much nor lie on her fides ; 
 neither ought me to bendherfelf much, left the child be unfolded in the 
 umbilical ligaments, by which means it often p crimes. Let her walk and 
 ftir often, and let her exercife be rather to go upwards than downwards : 
 let her diet now efpecially be light and eafy of dig eft ion ; as damalk 
 prunes, with fugar, or figs andraifins, before her meat ; as alto the yolk of 
 eggs, flefh and broth of cnickens, birds, partridges, and pheafants ; aftrmg- 
 ent and roafted meats, with rice, and hard eggs, millet, and fucli like other 
 things are proper ; baths of fweet water, with emollient herbs, ought to be 
 ufed by her this month without intermiiTion. And after the bath, let her 
 belly be annointed with oil of rofes and violets ; but for her privy parts, it 
 is fi:ter to anoint them with the fat of hens, geefe, or ducks, or with oil of 
 lillies, and the decoction of lintfeed and fenugreek, boiled with oil of 
 iintfeed and marfhmallows, or with the following liniment. 
 
 " Take 01 mallows and marihmaliows, cut and fhred, of each an ounce ; 
 of lintfeed one ounce ; let them be boiled from twenty ounces of water to 
 ten ; then let her take three ounces of boiled broth; of oil of almonds, and 
 
88 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 oil of ftour-de-luce, of each one ounce ; of deer's fuet three ounces ; let 
 hot bathe with this, and anoint herfelf with it warm." 
 
 If for fourteen days before the birth fhe do every morning and evening 
 hath and .mofion her belly with mufcadine and lavender water, the child 
 v> iil be much {strengthened thereby. And if ever} r day fhe eat roafted bread, 
 it Vv ill hinder any thing from growing to the child. Her privy parts may 
 bt alio gently flroaked down with this fomentation. 
 
 " Take three ounces oflintfeed ; of mallows and marfhmallows Hiced, 
 of each one handful ; let them be put into a bag, and boiled immediately ; 
 and let thf woman with child every morning and evening take the vapour 
 of this decoction in a hollow {tool taking great heed that no wind or air 
 come to her in any part, and then let her wipe the part fo anointed with a 
 linen cloth, that Ihe may anoint the belly and groins as at firft. When fne 
 is come fo near her time as to be within ten or fourteen days thereof, if fhe 
 begins to feel any more than ordinary pain, let her uie every day the foi- 
 lawing : 
 
 ?* T ake mallows, and marfhmallows, of each one handful : camomile, 
 hc d mercury, smiden hair, of each half a handful : of lintfced four ounces ; 
 kt them be boiled in fuch a fufhcient quantity of water as may malfc a 
 broth therewith." But let her not fit too hot upon the feat, nor higher 
 than a little above her naval ; nor let her fit on it longer than about half 
 an hour, let her ftrength languifh and decay, for it is bettet to ufe it often, 
 fehan to ftay too long in it. And thus 1 have fhewn how a child bearing 
 woman ought to govern herfelf in each month during her pregnancy, How 
 me muft order herfelf at her delivery, fhall be fhewn In another chapter, 
 after I have firft fhewn the induftrious Midwife how th^ child is formed 
 in the womb, and the manner of its decumbiture there. 
 
 C H,A P. L 
 
 Of the Putts proper io a Child in the Womb ; lozv ii is formed there, and the 
 manner of its ftuation therein. 
 
 IN the lad chapter I fhewed what conception was, bow accomplifhed, its 
 figns and how five who hath conceived ought to order herfelf during 
 the time of her pregnancy. Now, before I fpeak of her delivery, it is ne- 
 ceffary that the midwife be firft acquainted with the parts proper to a child 
 in the womb, and alfo how it is formed and the manner of its fituation and 
 decumbiture there ; without the knowledge of which, no one can tell how 
 to deliver a woman as Ihe ought. This therefore fhall be the work of this 
 chapter. I fhall begin with the firft of thefe. 
 
 Section I. Of the parts proper to a Child in the Womb. 
 
 IN this fection I muft firft tell you what I mean by the parts proper to a 
 child in the womb, and they are only thofe that either help or nourifh 
 it, whilft it is lodged in that dark repohtory of nature, and that help to 
 clothe and defend it there, and are call away, as of no ufe, after it is born, 
 and thefe 2 re two, viz. the umbilicum, or naval veffelsj and the fecundium, 
 by the firft it is nourifhed, and by the fecond clothed and defended from 
 wrong. Of each of thefe I mail fpeak diftmctly, and, firft. 
 
 Of tht Umbilicufo or Naval Vejfels. 
 Thefe are four in number, viz, one vein, two arteries, and the veffel 
 which is called urachos : 1. The vein is that by which the infant is nour- 
 ilhed, from the time of its conception, to the time of its delivery ; till being 
 brought into the light of this world, it has the fame way of concocting ita 
 
JTHE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 food that we have. This vein arifeth from the liver of the child, and is di- 
 vided "into two parts when it hath patted the navel ; and thefe two are a- 
 gain divided and fubdivided, the branches being upheld by the fkin called 
 chorion (of which I fbailfpeakby and by) and are joined to the veins of 
 the mother's womb, from thence they have their blood for the ncurifhment 
 of the child. 2. The arteries are two on each fide, which proceed from 
 the back branches of the great artery of the mother ; and the vital blood is 
 carried by thefe to the child, being ready concocied by the mother. 3. A 
 nervous or finewy production is led from the bottom of the bladder - of the 
 infant to the navel, and this is called urachos ; and its ufe is to convey the 
 urine of the infant from the bladder to the alantois. Anatomiita do very 
 much vary in their opinions concerning this ; fome denying any fuch thing 
 to be in the delivery of women, and others affirming it : but experience tes- 
 tifies there is fuch a thing : For Bartholomew Cabrclius, the ordinary doc- 
 tor of anatomy to the college of phyficiansat Montpeiier in France, records 
 the hiftory of a maid, whole water being a long time flopped, at laft iffued 
 out through her navel ; And Johannes Fernneiius fpeaks of the fame thing* 
 that happened to a man of thirty years of age, who .having a lloppage in 
 the neck of the badder, his urine iffued out of his navel many months, to- 
 gether, without any prejudice at all to his health, which he afcribes to the 
 Hi lying of his navel, whereby the urachos was not well dried. And Vol- 
 chier Coitas quotes fuch another isftance in a maid of thirty-four years, at 
 Nuremberg in Germany. Thefe infrances, though they happen but fel- 
 dom, are fijflxcieat to prove that there is fuch a thing as an urachos in men. 
 Thefe four veffeis before mentioned, viz. one vein, two arteries, and the 
 urachos, do join near to the navel, and are united by a Ikin which they have 
 from the chorion, and fo become like a gut or rope, and a*e altogether void 
 of fenfe ; and this is that which the good women call the navel fixing. The 
 . veiTels are thus joined together, that fo they may neither be broken, fevered, 
 ncr entangled 3 and when the infant is born are of no ufe, only lave to make 
 up the ligament, which Hoes the whole of the navel and fome other phyfi- 
 cal ufe, &c. 
 
 Of the Sa undine or After Birth. 
 
 Setting afide the name given to this day by the Greeks and Latins, it is 
 called in Engliih by the name of Secundine, After-birth, and After-burden, 
 •which are held to be four in number. ' 
 
 1. The firfl is called Placenta, becaufe it refembles the form of a cake, 
 and is knit both to the navel and chorion, and makes up the greateft part of 
 the fecundine or after-birth. The fleih of it is like that of the milt, or 
 fpleen, fbft, red, and tending fomething to blacknefs, and hath many fin ail 
 veins and arteries in it ; and certainly the chief ufe of it is for containing the 
 child in the womb. 
 
 2. The fecend is the Chorion. This hkin, and that called the Amnios, 
 involve the child round, both above and underneath, and on both fides, 
 which the. Alantois doth not : This Ikin is that which is molt commonly 
 called the fecundine, as it is thick and white, garnifhed with many fmall 
 veins and arteries, ending in the Placenta before named, being very light 
 andflippery. Its ufe is not only to cover the child round about, but alio 
 to receive and fafely bind up the roots and the veins and arteries, or navel 
 veffels before defcribed. 
 
 3; The third thing which makes up the fecundine, is the Alantois, of 
 which there is a great difpute among anatomifts ; fome faying there is fuch 
 a thing; and others that there is not i Thofe that will have it to be a mem- 
 
70 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 brane, fay, it is white, foft, and exceeding thin, and juft under the Placenta, 
 where it is knit to the Urachos, from whence it receives the urine ; and its 
 office is to keep it feparate from the iw<iat, that the faltnefs of it may not of- 
 fend the tender ikin of the child. 
 
 4 V The fourth and laft covering of the child is called Amnois, and 
 it is white, foft, and tranfparent, being nourifhed by fome very fmall 
 vens and arteries. Its ufe is not only to enwarp the child round, but 
 alfo to retain the fweat of the child. 
 
 Having thus defcribed the parts proper to the child in the wcmb, I 
 will next proceed to fpeak of the formation of the child therein, as 
 foon as I have explained the hard terms in this feetion, that thofe for 
 whofe help this is defigned, may underftand what they read. There 
 is none fo ignorant as not to know that a vein is that which receives 
 blood from the iiver, and diftributes it in feveral branches to all parts 
 of the body. Arteries proceed from the heart, are in continual motion, 
 and by that motion quicken the body. Nerve is the fame with finew, 
 and is that which the brain adds fenfe and motion to the body. Pla- 
 centa properly fignifies a fugar cake ; but in this fe&ion it is ufed to> 
 ftgnify a fpungy piece of flefh, refembling a cake, full of veins and ar- 
 teries, and is made to receive the mother's blood, appointed for the 
 infant's nourifhment in the womb. Chorion is the outward fkin 
 which compaffeth the child in the womb. The Amnois is the inner 
 fkin which compaffeth the child in the womb. The Alantois is the 
 fkin that holds the urine of the child during the time that it abides in 
 the womb. The Urachos is the veflel that conveys the urine from the 
 child in the womb to the Alantois, I now proceed to. 
 
 Section II. Of the Formation of the Child in the Womb. 
 
 TO fpeak of the formation of the child in the womb, we mud be* 
 gin where nature begins ; and that is, at the acl: of coition, in 
 which tiie womb having received the generative feed, without which 
 there can be no conception, the womb immediately fhuts up itfelf fo 
 elofe that net the point of a needle can enter the inward orifice; and 
 this it does partly to hinder the nTumg out of the feed again, and part- 
 ly to cheriih it by an inbred heat, the better to provoke it to adtion ; 
 which is one reafon why women's bellies are fo lank at their firft con- 
 ception. The woman having thus conceived, the fir fl: thing which is 
 operative in the conception, is the fpirit, whereof the feed is full, 
 which nature, quickening by the beat of the womb, flirs it up to ac- 
 tion. This feed conMfts of very different parts, of which fome are 
 more, and fome are lefs pure. The internal fpirit therefore feparateth 
 thofe parts that are lefs pure, which are thick, cold, and clammy, 
 from them that are more pure and noble. The lefs pure are caft to 
 the outfitles, and with them the feed is circled round, and of them the 
 membranes are made, in which that feed which is the mofl pure is 
 wrapped round, and kept clofe together, that it may be defended 
 from cold and other accidents, and operate the better. 
 
 The firfl that is formed is the amnois., the next the chorion ; and 
 they enwrap the feed round as it were a curtain. Soon after this (for 
 the feed thus fhvit up in the woman lies n>ot idle) the navel vein is bred, 
 which pierceth thole fk ins, being yet very tender, and carries a drop 
 of blood from the veins of the mother's womb to the feed ; from which 
 drop is formed the liver, frojn which liver there is qnickly bred the 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE, 
 
 9r 
 
 vena cava, or chief vein, from which all the reft of the veins that 
 nourifh the body fpring ; and now the feed hath fomcthing to nourifli 
 it, whilft it performs the reft of nature's work, and alfo blood admin- 
 iftered to every part of it to form flefh. 
 
 This vein being formed, the naval arteries are foon after formed* 
 then the great artery, of which all others are but branches, and then 
 the heart ; for the liver furnifheth the arteries with blood to form the 
 heart,the arteries being made of feed,but the heart and the flefh of blood. 
 After this the brain is formed, and then the nerves, to give fenfe and 
 motion to the infant. Afterwards the bones and flefh are formed, and 
 of the bones, nrft the vertebrae or chine bones, and then the fkull, &c. 
 As to the time in which this curious part of nature's workmaniliij* 
 is formed, phyficians aiTign four different feafons wherein this mtero- 
 cofm is formed, and its formation perfected in the womb: Thefirft is 
 immediately after coition ; the fecond time of forming, fay they, is 
 when the womb by the force of its own innate power and virtue 
 makes a manifeft mutation or coagulation in the feed, fo that all the 
 fubftance thereof feems coagulated flefli and blood, which happens 
 about the twelfth or fourteenth day after copulation : and though this 
 concretion of fleihy mafs abounds with fpirits, yet it remains undif- 
 tinguiihable without any form, and may be called a rough draught of 
 the fcetus or embryo. The third time in which this fabric is come to 
 fome further maturity is, when the principal parts may be in fome 
 mcafure diftinguiihed, and one may difcern the liver, umbellical veins, 
 arteries, nerves, brain, and heart : and this is about eighteen days af- 
 ter conception. The fourth and iafl time affigned by phylicians for 
 the formation of the chiFd, is about the thirtieth day after conception 
 for a male, but, for a female, they tell us forty two or forty-five days 
 are required, though for what reafon I know not, nor does it appear 
 by the birth ; for if the male receives its formation fifteen days foontr 
 than the female, why Should it not be born fo much fboner too. But 
 as to that, every day's experience (hews us the contrary ; for women 
 go the full time of nine months both with male and female. But at 
 this time of thirty days (or fome will have it forty-five) the outward 
 parts may be alfo feen exquifitely elaborate, and diftinguifhed by 
 joints ; and from this time the child begins to be animated, though as 
 yet there is no fenlible motion ; and has all the parts of the body, 
 though fmall and very tender, yet intirely formed and figured, altho' 
 not longer in the whole than one's middle finger : and from thence 
 forward the blood flowing every day more and more to the womb, 
 not by Intervals like their courfes, but continually, it grows bigger 
 and ftronger to the end of nine months, being the full time of a wom- 
 an's ordinary labour. 
 
 Very great have been the difputes among both philofophers and 
 phyficians about the nourishment of the child in the womb, both as to 
 what it is, and which way it receives it. Almxon was of opinion 
 that the infant drew in its nourishment by its whole body, becaufe it 
 is rare and fpungy, as a fpunge fucks in water on every fide ; and fo 
 he thought the infant fucked blood, not only from its mother's veins, 
 but alio from the womb. Democritus held* that the child fucked in 
 the nourifhment at its mouth. Hippocrates affirms that the child 
 fucks in both nourishment and breath by its mouth from the mother, 
 for which he gives two reafons ; x, That it w ill fuck as focn as it is 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE, 
 
 born, and there muft have learnt to fuck before, a. Bccaufe theft 
 are excrements found in the guts as foon as it is born. But neither of 
 fchefe reafons are fuffieient to prove his alTcrtion ; For, as to the firft, 
 « That the child will fuck as foon asit is born," it is from a natural 
 mfcintSl ; for take a young cat that never faw her dam catch a.mcufe, 
 and yet ihe will catch mice herfelf as foon as Hie is able. And as to 
 his fecond reafon,it is a fuffieient anfwer to fay, that the excrement 5 
 found in the guts of an infant new born are not excrements of themft 
 concociion, ay Inch is evident, becaufe they don't (link, but are the 
 thickeft part of the blood, which is conveyed from the veflels of the 
 ipieen to the guts. Having therefore faid enough to confute the 
 opinion of the child's receiving the nourifhment by the mouth, I do af- 
 firm that the child receives its nourifhment in the womb by the navel ; 
 and, that it fhouid be fo, is much more confonant to truth and reafon ; 
 •which, being granted, it will eaiily follow that the nourifhment the 
 child receives is the pure blood conveyed into the liver by the naval- 
 vein, which is a branch of the vena porta, or great vein, and pafles to 
 the fmall veins of the liver. Here this blood is made moft pure, and 
 the thicker and rawer part of it is conveyed to the fpleen and kidneys, 
 and the thick excrement of it to the guts, which is that excrement found 
 there fo foon as they are born. The pure part is conveyed to the vena 
 cava, and by it distributed throughout the body by the fmall veins, 
 which like fo many fmall rivulets, pafs to every part of it. This blood 
 is accompanied (as all blood is) with a certain watery fubftance, the 
 better to convey it through the pafTage it is to run in, which as in 
 men, is breathed out by f wearing, and contained in the amnois, as I 
 have already faid. 
 
 Section III. Of tic ]\{Eanricr of the Child' / lying in tit Womb, 
 
 I COME now to (hew after what manner the child lies in the womb, 
 a thing fo eilential for a midwife to know that fhe can be no mid- 
 wife who is ignorant of it ; and yet, even about this authors extreme- 
 ly di fie r : For there is not two in ten that agree what is the form 
 that the child lies in the womb, or in what fafhion it lies there ; and 
 yet this may arife in a great meafure from the different figures that the 
 child is found in, according to the different times of the woman's 
 pregnancy: for near the time of its deliverance out of thofe winding 
 chambers of nature, it oftentimes changes the form in which it lay be- 
 fore, for another. Hippocrates affirms the child is fo placed in the 
 womb as to .have its hands, its knees, and its head bent down towards 
 its feet, fo that it lies round together, its hands upon both its knees, 
 and its face between them ; fo that each eye toucheth each thumb, 
 and its nofe betwixt its knees : And Bartholinus was alfo of the fame 
 opinion. Columbus defcribes the pofture of the child thus ; " The 
 right arm bowed, the fingers whereof under the ear and above the 
 neck ; the head bowed down, fo that the chin toucheth the breaft, the 
 left arm bowed above both breaft and face, and the left arm is prop- 
 ped up by the bending of the right elbow ; the legs are lifted upwards, 
 the right of which is fo lifted up that the thigh toucheth the belly, the 
 knees the navel, the heel the left buttock, and the foot is turned back 
 and covereth the fecrcts ; the left thigh toucheth the belly, and the 
 leg is lifted up to the breaft, the back lying outward, .And thus much 
 fliajl fuSke concerning *i>e opinion of authors* 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE, 
 
 T will now flicw the feveral fituations of the child in the womb, ac- 
 cording to the different times of pregnancy, by which thofe that are 
 contrary to nature, and are the chief canfe of ail labours, will be the 
 more eafily conceived by the understanding midwife : It ought there- 
 fore, in the firft place, to be obferved, that the infants, as well male as 
 female, are generally fttuated in the midft of the womb ; for though 
 fometimee to appearance a woman's belly feems higher on one tide 
 than the other, yet it is fo with refpect to her belly only, and not of 
 her womb, in the midft of which it is always placed. 
 
 But in the fecond place, a woman's great belly makes different fig- 
 ures, according to the different times of pregnancy ; for when the is 
 young with child, the embryo is always found of a round figure, a little 
 oblong, having the fpinc moderately turned inwards, the thighs folded 
 and a little railed, to which the legs are fo joined that the heels touch 
 the buttock ; the arms are bending, and the hands placed upon the 
 knees ; towards which the head is inclining forwards, fq that the chin 
 toucheth the breaft ; in which poflure it refembles one's fitting to 
 eafe nature and, Hooping down with the head to fee what comes from 
 him. The fpine of its back is at that time placed towards the mother's 
 and the head uppermost, the face forwards, and the feet downwards ; 
 proportionally to its growth, it extends its members by little and 
 little, which were exactly folded the firft month. In this pofture it 
 ufually keeps till the feventh or eight months, and then by a natural 
 propenfity and difpoiltion of the upper part of the body, the head is 
 turned downwards towards the inward orifice of the womb, tumbling 
 as if it were over its head, fo that then the feet are uppermoft, and 
 the face towards the mother's great gut ; and this turning of the infant 
 in this manner, with his head downwards, towards the latter end of a 
 woman's reckoning is fo ordered by nature, that it may thereby be 
 the better difpofed Cor its paffage into the world at the time of its 
 mother's labour which is then not far off; (and indeed feveral chil- 
 dren turn not at all until the very time ®f birth) for in this pofture 
 all its joints are molt eafily extended in coming forth ; for by this 
 means the arms and legs cannot hinder its birth, becaufe they cannot 
 be bended againft the inward orifice of the womb ; ar\d the reft of 
 the body, being very fupple, paffeth without any difficulty after the 
 head, which is hard and big, being paft the birth. It is true, there 
 are divers children that lie in the womb in another pofture, and 
 come to the birth with their feet downwards, efpeciaily if there be 
 twins ; for then by their different motions they fo difturb one anoth- 
 er, that they feldom come both in the fame pofture at the time of 
 labour, but one will come with the head, and another with the feet, 
 or perhaps lie crofs, and fometimes one of them will come right. Bat 
 however the child may be fituated in the womb, or to whatever pof- 
 ture it prefents itfelf at the time of birth, if it be not with its head 
 forwards, as 1 have before defcribed, it is always againft nature ; and 
 the d^Jivery will occafion the mother more pain and danger, and re- 
 quire greater care and fkill from the midwife than when the labour is 
 more natural. CHAP. IV. 
 
 A Guide fot IVomcn in TV avail jheiving ivhat is to be dont ivhen thsy fall 
 in Labour^ in order for their Delivery. 
 
 THE end of all what we have been treating of, is the bringing forth 
 oi a child into the world with fafety both to the mother aiivl to 
 
/ THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 |i £ / 
 
 it. The whole time of a woman's pregnancy may very well 
 ed a kind of hbour ; for, from the time of her conception, to 
 t of her delivery, fhe labours under many difficulties, is fubjecl: 
 Jy diftempers, and in continual danger, from one caufe or anoth- 
 till the time of birth comes, and, when that comes, the greateft la- 
 bour and travail comes along with it, infomuch, that then ail her oth- 
 er, labours are forgotten, and that only is called the time of her la- 
 bour ; and to deliver her fafcly is the principal bufinefeof the midwife. 
 To affifl: her herein is the chief defign of this chapter. The time of 
 the child's being ready for its birth, when nature endeavours to caft 
 it forth, is that which is properly the time of a woman's labour. And, 
 fmce many women, especially of their full child, are often niiftaken in 
 their reckoning, and fo, when they draw near their time, take every 
 pain they meet with for their labour, when it is not fo, which often 
 proves prejudicial and troublefome to them, I will in the firft feclion 
 of this chapter, ft t down fome figns, by which a woman may know 
 when the true time of her labour is come. 
 
 Section I. Signs of the trve Time of a ivpmans Labour. 
 
 WHEN women with their . fir/l child, perceive any extraordinary 
 pains in their belly, they immediately fend for their midwife, 
 taking it for their labour ; and, then if the midwife be not a fkilf.ul and 
 judicious woman, flic will, w itheut further enquiry, take it for grant- 
 ed, ancVfo go about to put her into labour before nature is prepared 
 for it : which mav endanger the life both of mother and child, by 
 breaking the amnios and chorion. Thele pains, which arc often mil- 
 taken fer labour, are removed by warm clothes laid to the beily, and 
 the application of a clyfter or two, by which thofe pains which pre- 
 cede a true labour are rather furthered than hindeied. There are alio 
 other pains incident to women in that condition from a flux in the bel- 
 ly, which are eafiiy known by the frequent fbols that follow them. 
 
 The figns therefore of hbour fume few days before are, that the 
 woman's belly, which before lay high, finks down, and hinders her 
 from walking ib eaiily as fhe med to do ; alio, there flows from the 
 womb flimy humours, which nature has appointed to moiften and 
 fmooth the pafiage, tjiat its inward orifice may be the mere eafiiy 
 dilated when there is occafion ; which beginning to open at that time, 
 fufters that flime to flow away, which proceeds from the glandules 
 called Prcfirata;. Thefe are figns preceding labour ; but w hen fhe is 
 prefently failing into labour, the figns are great pains about the region 
 of the reins aud loins, .which, coming and reiterating by intervals, anf- 
 wer to the bottom of the belly by congruous throes, and fomeLirncs 
 the face is red and inflamed, the blood being much heated by the en- 
 deavours of a woman makes to bring forth h'er child ; and likew-ie, 
 becaufe during thefe firong throes her refpiration is intercepted, vh;e.ii 
 caufes the blood to have rccourfe to her face : alfo her pi ivy parts are 
 iweiled by the infant's head lying in the birth, which by often thr lift- 
 ing, caufes thofe pains, to defcend outwards. She is much fitbitct to 
 vomiting which is a fign of good labour and fpeedy delivery, though 
 by ignorant women thought otherwise, for good pains are thereby ex- 
 cited and redoubled ; which vomiting is occafioned by the fy-mpnthy 
 there is between the womb and the ftomach. Alfo, when the L-jrtii 
 is near, women are troubled with a trembling in the thighs and legs, 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 not with cold, like the beginning of an ague fit, but with the heat of 
 the whole body, though this does not always happen. When the hu- 
 mours which flow from the womb are difcoloured with blood, the 
 midwives call it Shows, and it is an infallible mark of the birth's be- 
 ing near : and if then the midwife put up her fingers into the neck of 
 the womb file will find the inner orifice dilated : at the opening of 
 which, the membranes of the infant containing the waters prefeht 
 therafelves, and are fcrong'y forced downwards with each pain fbe 
 hath ; at which time one may perceive them fometimes to refift, and 
 then again prefs forward the finger, being more or Icfs hard and ex- 
 tended, according as the pains are fironger or weaker. Thefe mem- 
 branes, with the waters in them, when they are before the head of the 
 child, which the midwives call the Gathering of the Waters, refemble, 
 to the touch of the finger, thofe leggs which have no fheJl, but are 
 covered only with a fiaigle membrane. After this the pains fbll re- 
 doubling, the membranes are broken by a ftroo-g impuUion of the wa- 
 ters, which prefently flow away, and then the head of the infant is 
 prefently felt naked, and prefents itfe'f at the inward orifice of the 
 womb : when thefe water:- come thus away, then the midwife may be 
 affined the birth is very near, this h ting the molt certain fign that can 
 be ; for the Amnios and lantois being broken, which contain thofe 
 waters, by preihng forward of the birth ; the child is no better able 
 to fuhfift long in t he -w^mb' afterwards, than a naked man in a heap of 
 fnow. Now, thefe waters, if the child comes prefently after them, 
 facilitate the labour, by making the paffa-ge ilippery ; and therefore let 
 no midwife (as fome have foolifhly done) endeavour to force away 
 the. water, for nature knows beft when the true time of the birth is, 
 and therefore retains the water ti!l that time. But if by accident the 
 water breaks away too long before the birth, theti fuch things as will 
 haft en it, may be fafely admitted ; and what thofe are I ihali ihew in 
 another lection. 
 
 Sec. LU. £&iv a Woman ought to bs Ordered when the Time of her Lubouy 
 
 is com?. 
 
 WHEN it is known that the true time of a woman's labour is 
 come, by tke hgns laid down in the foregoing feefcion, of which 
 thofe that are moft to be relied on are pains and (irphg throes in the 
 belly, forcing downwards towards the womb, and a dilation of the 
 inward orifice, which may be perceived by touching it with the lin- 
 ger, and the gathering of the waters before the head of the child, and 
 thrusting down of the membranes which contain them . through which 
 between the p uns, one may with the finger difcover cue part which 
 rrefents, as faid before, efpeciaily if it be th<: head of the child, by its 
 .roimdnefs and hardnefs. If thefe things concur, and are evident, the 
 midwife mav be lure it is the time of her Labour *, and care itttffc be 
 taken to get all things ready that are neceiTary to comfort the woman 
 in that time. And the better to help- her, be fure to fee flie be not 
 ftrait-laccd : You may alfo give her a pretty ftxong clyfter, or more, 
 if there be occalion, provided it be done at the beginning, and before 
 the child be too forward. The bene'it accruing hereby will be, to 
 excite the gut to discharge itfelf of its excrement, that fo the rectum 
 being emptied, there may be more fpace for the filiation of the .pair * 
 fage j iiktwuc. to came the jxvius to bear the mo.ie downward j through 
 
96 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 the endeavours fhe makes when (lie is at ftool : and, in the meaii 
 time, all other neceiTary things for her labour fhouM he put in order, 
 both for the midwife and the child. To this end fome get a midwife's 
 (tool, hut a pallet bed girted is much the heft way, placed near the fire, 
 if the feafon fo require : which pallet ought to be fo placed, tiat there 
 may be eafy accels to it on every fide, that the woman may be the 
 more readily aflifted, as there is occafion. 
 
 If the woman abounds with blood, to bleed her a little ma}" not be 
 improper, for hereby flie will both breathe the better, and have her 
 breads more at liberty, and likewife more ftrength to bear down the 
 pain ; and this flie may do without danger, becaufe the child being 
 about that time ready to be born, has no more need of the mother's 
 blood for its nourifhment : Bcfides, this evacuation does many times 
 prevent her having a fever after her delivery. Alfo, before her de- 
 livery, if her ftrength will permit, Jet her walk up and down her cham- 
 ber ; and that flie may have ftrength fo to do, it will be neceiTary to 
 give her fome good ftrengthening things, fuch as jelly broth, new-laid 
 eggs, or fome fpoonfuls of burnt wine. And let her, by all means, 
 bold OHt her pains, bearing them down as much as flie can at the time 
 when they take her ; and let the midwife from time to time touch the 
 inward orifice with the finger, to know whether the wattrs are rea- 
 dy to break, and whether the birth will follow foon after; let her al- 
 fo anoint the woman's privities with emollient oil, hog's greafe, and 
 frefli butter, if flie finds they are hard to be dilated. Let the mid- 
 wife be all tke while near the labouring woman, and diligently obferve 
 her geftures, complaints, and pains, for by this ihe may guefs pretty 
 well how hti labour advanceth ; becaufe when file changeth her or- 
 dinary groans* into long cries, it is a fign the child is very near the 
 birth ; for at that time the pains are greater and more frequent. Let 
 the woman iikewife by intervals reft herfelf on the bed to regain her 
 ftrength, but not too long, efpeeially if fhe be little, fhort and thick, 
 for fuen women have always worfe labour, if they lit long on their 
 beds in their travail ; it is better, therefore that they walk, as much 
 as they can, about the chamber, the women fupporting her under their 
 arms, if it be neceiTary, for by this means the weight of the child 
 caufeth the inward orifice of the womb to dilate fooner than in bed ; 
 and if her pains be ftrorger and more frequent, her labour will not 
 be near fo long. 
 
 Let not the labouring woman be concerned at thofe qualms and 
 vomitings which perhaps flie may find come upon her, for they will 
 be much for her advantage in the ifiue, however uneafy flie may be 
 for the time, as they further the throes and pains, provoking down- 
 wards. But to proceed : 
 
 When the waters of the children are ready and gathered, which 
 may be perceived through the membranes to prefent themfclves to 
 the inward orilice of the bignefs of the whole dilation, the midwife 
 ought to let them break of themfelvts, and not, like fome hafty mid- 
 wives, who being impatient of the woman's long labour, break them, 
 intending thereby to haften their bufmeis, when inftead thereof, they 
 retard it ; for, by the too hafty breaking of thefe waters (which Na- 
 ture d< figned to caufe the infant to Hide forth the more eafily) the 
 paiT^ge remains dry, by which means the pairs and throes of the la- 
 bouring woman arc ixfs efficacious to bring foi th the infant than they 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 91 
 
 wcfcild otherwife have been. It is therefore much the better way to 
 let the waters break of themfelves ; after which the midwife may 
 with eale feel the child bare by that which flrft prefents, and thereby 
 difcern whether it comes right, that is, with the head foremoft, for 
 that is the moft proper and natural way of its birth ; if the head 
 comes right, flie will find it round, big, hard, and equal ; but if it be 
 in any other part, flie will feel it unequal, rugged, and foft or hard, 
 according to the nature of the part it is. And this being the true 
 time when the woman ought to deliver, if nature be not wanting to 
 perform its office, therefore when the midwife finds the birth thus 
 coming forward, let her haflen to affift; and deliver it, for it ordinari- 
 ly happens foon after, if it be natural. 
 
 But if it happens as fometimes it may, that the waters break awny 
 too long before the birth, in fuch a cafe thofe things that haflen na- 
 ture may be fafely admitted ; to which purpofe, let her make life of 
 pennyroyal, dittany, juniper berries, red coral, betony, and feverfew 
 boiled in white wine, and a draught of it drank; or it would be much 
 better to take the juice of it when it is in its prime, which is in May, 
 and having clarified it, let them make it into a fyrup, with double its 
 weight of lu gar, and keep it by them all the year, to ufe when occa- 
 fion calls for it. Mugwort, ufed in the f4me manner, is alfo good in 
 this cafe. Alfo a dram of cinnamon powder given inwardly profits 
 much in this cafe ; and fo does tanfy bruifed and applied to the priv- 
 ities, or an oil of it fo made and ufed as you were taught before. The 
 ftone iEtites held to the privities is of extraordinary virtae, and in- 
 flantly draws away both child and after-burden, but great care muft 
 be taken to remove it prefently, or it will draw forth the womb and 
 -ail ; for fuch is the magnetic virtue of this ftone, that both child and 
 womb follow it as readily as iron doth the load- (tone, or as the load- 
 ftone the North-ftar. 
 
 There are many other things that phyficians affirm are good in this 
 cafe ; among which are, an afs J s or an liorfe's hoof hung near the 
 privities ; a piece of red coral hung near the faid place ; a load-ftonc 
 helps much held in the woman's left hand, or the fkin which a faake 
 hath cut off, girt about the m : dd!e next the fkin. Thefe things are 
 mentioned by Mizaldus ; but fettmg thofe things afide, as not fo cer- 
 tain, notwithstanding Mizaldus quotes them, the following prefer ip- 
 tions are very good to give fpeedy deliverance to women in travail. 
 
 1. A decoction of white wine made in favory, aud drank. 
 
 2. Take wild tanfy, or filver weed, bruife it, and apply it to the 
 woman's noftriis. 
 
 3. Take date (tones, and beat them to powdet,and let her take half 
 a dram of them in white Wine at a time. 
 
 4. Take parfley, and bruife it, and prefs out the juice, and dip a linen 
 cloth in it, and put it up fo dipped into the mouth of the womb, it will 
 prefently caufe the child to come away though it be dead, and will 
 bring away the after-burden. Alfo the juice of parfley is a thing of 
 fo great virtue (especially ftone parfley) that being drank by a wo- 
 man with child, it cleanfeth not only the womb, but alfo the child in 
 the womb, of all grofs humours. 
 
 5. A fcruple of caftorum in powder, in any convenient liquor, is 
 very good to be taken in fuch cafe ; and fo alfo is two or three drops 
 of fpirit^ of caftorum in any convenient liquor : alfo eight or niue 
 
98 THE EXPERIENCED -MIDWIFE. 
 
 drops of fpirits of myrrh, given in any convenient liquors gives fpeedy 
 deliverance. 
 
 6. Give a woman in fuch a cafe another woman's milk to drink, it 
 will caufe fpeedy delivery, and almofl without any pain. 
 
 7. The juice of leeks, being drank with warm water, hath a mighty 
 operation to caufe fpeedy delivery. 
 
 8. Take piony feeds, and beat them into powder, and mix the pow- 
 der with oil, with which oil anoint the loins and privities of the wo- 
 man with child ; it gives her deliverance very fpeedily, and with Ids 
 pain than can be imagined. 
 
 9. Take a fwallow's net!, anddiffolve it in water, fhain it, and drink 
 it warm ; it gives delivery with great fpeed and much cafe. 
 
 Note this alfo is general, That all things that move the terms are 
 good for making the delivery eafy ; fuch as myrrh, white amber in 
 white wine, or lily water, two icrnples or a dram ; or c;:iTia lignca, 
 dittany, each a dram, cinnamon half a dram, falTron a fe» uple, give a 
 dram ; or take borax mineral a dram, caffia lignea a Temple, fafTron 
 fix grains, and give it in fack ; or take caffia lignea a dram, dittany, 
 nmber, of each half a dram, cinnamon, borax, of each a dram and a 
 half, fafTron a fcruple, and give her half a dram ; or give her fome 
 drops of oil of hazel in a convenient liquor ; or two or three drops, of 
 oil of cinnamon in vervain water. Some prepare the fecundine thus : 
 Take the naval firing aud dry ii: in an oven ; take two drams of the 
 powder> cinnamon a dram, fafTron half a fcruple, with juice of favin 
 make troches: give two- drams ; or wafh the fecundine in wine and 
 bake it ifi a pot ; then wafli it in endive water and wine ; take half a 
 dram of it ; long pepper, galangal, of each half a dram : plantain and 
 endivc-feed, of each a drain and a half, lavender feed four fcruples ; 
 make a powder ; ov take laudanum two drams, ftorax, calamine, ben- 
 zoin, of each half a dram ; miifk, ambergrcafe, each fix grains ; make 
 'a powder, or troches for a fume. Or ufe pelTaries to provoke the 
 birth : take galbanum, diffolved in vinegar, an ounce ; myrrh two 
 ciranis ; falTron a dram ; with oil of orts make a penary. 
 
 An Ointment for the Navel. 
 
 Take oil of kier two ounces, juice of favin an ounce, of leeks and 
 rnercurv, each half an ounce : boil them to the confumption of the 
 juice; and galbanum diffolved in vinegar half an ounce, myrrh two 
 drams, ilcrax liquid a cram ; round birthwort, fowhread, cinnamon, 
 falTron, a dram ; with wax mike an ointment and apply it. 
 
 If the birth be retarded through the weaknefs of the mother, ref rcfli 
 her with applying wine and foap to the nofe, Confecl Aikermas, Dia- 
 xnarg. 
 
 Thefe things may be applied to help nature in the delivery when the 
 child comes to the birth the right way, and yet the birth is retarded ; 
 but it fhe finds the child comes the wrong way, and fhe is not able to 
 deliver the woman as fhe ought to be, by helping nature and taring 
 both mother and child (for it is not enough to lay a woman, if it might 
 he done bv another with more fafety and eafe, and Iefs hazard both to 
 woman and cnild) then let her fene! fpeedily for better and more able 
 help ; and not as I once knew a midwifes when a woman (he was to 
 deliver had hard labour, rather than a man-midwife fhould be fent for, 
 would undertake to deliver 'the woman herfelf (though told by others 
 that it was a man's bufinefs) and in her attempting it, brought away 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIF2. 
 
 the child, but left the head of the infant behind in the mother's womb ; 
 and, had not a man-midwife been prefently fent for, the mother had 
 loft her life as well as the child ; fuch ;>erfons nny rather be termed 
 butchers than midwives. But fVppoftftg the woman's labour to be tiat* 
 ural, I will next fliew what the midwtfe ought to do in order to her 
 delivery. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of natural Labour ; what it is, and tvbat the Midtvrfi is to do in fuch a 
 
 Labour. 
 
 Section T. What natural Labour is. 
 
 THERE are four things to denominate a woman's labour natural ; 
 the firft is, that it be at the mil time ; for if a woman conies be- 
 fore her time it cannot properly be termed natural labour, neither will 
 it be fo eafy as if flie had completed her nine months. The fecoml 
 thing is, that it be fpeedy and without any ill accident ; for when 
 the time of the birth is come, nature is not dilatory in the bringing of 
 it forth, without fome ill accident intervene, which renders it unnatu- 
 ral. The third is, that the child be alive ; for all will grant, that the 
 being delivered of a dead child is very unnatural. The fourth thing re- 
 quifiee to a natural birth is, that the child come right ; for if the po- 
 rtion of the child in the womb be contrary to what is natural, and the 
 event proves it fo too often, making that which fhould be a time of 
 life the death both of the mother and the child. 
 
 Hiving thus told you what I mean by natural labour, I fliall next 
 {liewTiow the midwife is to proceed here, in order to the worn in's de- 
 livery. When all the foregoing requiiites concur, and after the waters 
 are broke of themfclves, let the labouring woman be conducled to a. 
 p illet-bed, provided near the fire for that purpofe, as has already been 
 faid, and let there rather be a quilt laid upon the pallet bedftcad than 
 a feather bed. having f hereon linen clothes in many folds, with fuch 
 t>ther things as are neceflary, and may be changed r.?~'>»'« J»n« *.> ».h.: 
 exigence requiring it, that To the woman may not be incommoded 
 with the blood, waters, and other filth which is voided in labour. The 
 bed ought to beib ordered, that the woman, being ready to be deliv- 
 ered, fhould He on her back upon it, having her body in a convenient: 
 pofture ; that is, her head and breaft a little raifed, fo that fhe is be- 
 tween lying and fitting, for being fo placed* fhe is heft capable of 
 breithing, and like wife will have more ftrength to bear her pains, 
 than if fhe lay otherwife, or funk down in her bed. Being fo placed 
 fhe mud fpread her thighs abroad, folding her legs a little towards her 
 buttocks, fomewhat railed by a frnail pillow underneath, to the end 
 her rump fhould have more liberty to retire back; and let her feet 
 be ftaid agahift fome firm things : Belldes this, let her take hold oi 
 fome of the good women attending her with her hands, that fhe may 
 the better fray herfelf during her pains. She being thus placed near 
 the lide of her bed, having her midwife by, the better to ahafc. upon 
 occafion, let her take courage, and help her pains the beft me can, 
 bearing them down when they take her, which ibe muft do by hold- 
 ing in her breath, and forcing herfelf as much as poflible, in like man- 
 ner as when Hie goes to (tool ; for by fuch draining, the diaphragm.^ 
 or midriff, being flrongly thrufl downwards, necelfarily forces down 
 the womb, and the child in it. In the mean time, let the midwife en - 
 deavour to comfort her all fhe can, exhorting her to bear her labour 
 
J 09 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 courageoufly, telling her it will be quickly over, and that there is n& 
 fear but fhe will have a fpeedy delivery. Let the midwife alfo, hav- 
 ing no rings on her hand, anoint it with oil or frefli butter, and there- 
 with dilate gently tke inward orifice of the womb, putting her finger- 
 ends into the entry thereof, and then ftrctch them one from the other, 
 when her pains take her ; by this means endeavouring to help forward 
 the child, and thrufting, by little and little, the fides of the orifice to- 
 wards the hinder part of the child's head, anointing the parts alfo with 
 frefh butter, if it be necefTary. 
 
 When the head of the infant is fomewhat advanced into this inward 
 crifice, the midwife's phrafe is, It is crowned, becaufe it girds and 
 farrounds it ju ft as a crown ; but when it is fo far that the extremeties 
 begin to appear without the privy parts, then fay they, 1 The frhild is 
 in the paflage ; ' and at this time the woman feels herfelf as it were 
 fcratched, or prickled with pins, and is ready to imagine that the 
 midwife hurts her, when it is occaiioned by the violent diftention of 
 thofe parts, aud the laceration which, at fome times, the bignefs of the 
 child's head caufeth there. When things are in this podure, let the 
 midwife feat herfelf conveniently to receive the child, which will now- 
 come quickly, and with her finger-ends (which fhe nmft be fare to 
 keep clofe pared) let her endeavour to thrufl the crowning of the 
 womb (of which I have fpoken before) back over the head of the 
 child. And as foon as it is advanced as far as the ears, or thereabouts, 
 Jet htv take hold of the two fides with her two hands, that when a 
 good pain comes fhe may quickly draw forth the child, taking care 
 that the navel firing be not tken entangled about the neck, or any 
 other part, as fomethnes it is, left thereby the after-burden be pulled 
 with violence, and perhaps tbe womb alfo, to which it is f aliened, 
 and fo either caufe her to flood, or elfe break the firing, both which 
 are of bad confequence to the woman, whofe delivery may thereby 
 be rendered the more dli&cqit. It muft alfo be carefully heeded thae 
 the head be not drawn out ftraight, bat fhaking it a little from the one. 
 iide to the other, that the fhou'ders may fooner and eafier take their 
 place immediately after it be paft, without looting any time, left the 
 head being paft, the child be ftopt there by the largenefs of the flioul- 
 ders, and fo come in danger of being fuffbeated and ftrangled in the 
 paflage, as it fometimes happens for the want of care therein. But as 
 foon as the head h bora, if there be need, fhe may Aide in her fingers 
 under th#arm pits, and the reft of the body will follow without diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 As foon as the midwife hath in this manner drawn forth the child, 
 let her put it on one fide, left the blood and water which follow im- 
 mediately, fiiould do it an injury, by running into its mouth and nofe^ 
 as it would do if it lay on its back, and fo endanger the choaking it. 
 The child being thus born, the next thing requihte is to bring away 
 the after burden ; but before that, let the midwife be very careful to 
 examine whether there be more children in the womb , for fometimes 
 a woman may have twins that expecled it not : which the midwife 
 may eafily know by the continuance of the pains after the child is 
 horn, and the bignefs of the mother's belly. But the midwife may be 
 nidre fure of it if fhe puts her hand up the entry of the womb, and 
 £nds there another water gathering, and a child in it prefenting to the 
 paffage j and if ilie finds lb, llie muft have a care of g<>ing about to. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIEE. 
 
 161 
 
 fetch away the after-birth, till the woman be delivered of all the chil- 
 dren five is pregnant with. Wherefore the firft ftring muft be cut, 
 being firft tied with a thread three or four times doubled and the other 
 end fattened with a ftring to the woman's thigh, to prevent the in- 
 convenience it may r/aufe by hanging between her thighs; and then 
 removing the child already uorn, flie muft take care to deliver her of 
 the reft, whether mure or Jefs, observing all the fame circumftances 
 as the llrft ; after which it will be neceftary to fetch away the after- 
 birth or births. But of that in another faction ; after fn ft fhewing 
 what is to be done to the new born infant. 
 
 Section ll Of the Cutting off the Child's Navel firing. 
 
 THOUGH this is by many accounted but a trifle, yet great care is 
 to be taken about it ; and it fhews none of the Ieaft art and fkilt 
 of a midwife to do it as it fhould be : In doing this the midwife ought 
 to obferve, I. The time ; a. the place ; 3. the manner ; 4. the event* 
 The time is, as foon as ever the infant comes out of the womb, whe- 
 ther it brings part of the after birth with it or not ; for fometimes thee 
 child brings into the world a piece of the am hois upon its head, and b 
 what the good woman calls the caul, and ignorant ly attributes fome 
 extraordinary virtue to the child that is fo born; but this opinion is 
 only the effect: of their ignorance ; for when a child is born with i\\c\* 
 a crown (as fame call it) upon its brows it generally betokens weak- 
 licis, and denotes a ihert life. But to the matter in hand. As foon as 
 the child is come into the world, contider whether it be weak or 
 ftrong ; and if it "be weak, let the midwife gently put back part of the 
 Vital and natural blood into the body of the child by its navel ; for 
 that, recruits a weak child ; but if the child he ftrong, the operation 
 is nceellefs. Only let me advife you that many children that are born 
 feemingly dead, may foon be brought to life again if you fqueeze iix or 
 feven drops of blood out of that part of the navel firing which is cue 
 ©IF, and give it to the child inwardly. 
 
 Authors can fcarce agree whether the navel firing fhouM be cu-i 
 long or ihort ; fome preforming it to be cut oiTat four finger's breadth, 
 winch is at heft but an uncertain rule, uniefs all fingers were of one 
 iize. It is a received opinion that the parts adapted to generation are- 
 either contracted or dilated according £0 the cutting of the navel 
 ftring ; and therefore midwifes generally leave a longer part of it to 
 a male than to a female, becaufe they woulel have the males well pro- 
 vided for the encounters of Venus ; and the reafon they give why 
 they cut that of the females fhcrter, is, becaufe they believe it makes- 
 them modeft, and their privities narrower, which makes them more 
 acceptable to their hulbands. Mizaldus was not of this opinion, and 
 therefore he ordered the navel ftring to be cut long both in male and 
 female children ; becaufe, fa id he, the inftrument of generation fol- 
 lows the proportion of it, and therefore, if it 1 e cut too £hort in a fe- 
 male, it will be a hindrance to her having children. I will not con- 
 tradict thefe opinioiTS of Mizaldus, that experience has made good, 
 The one is ; that if the navel firing of a child, after it is cut, be fufFet- 
 fd to touch the ground, the child will never hold its water, neither 
 keeping or waking, but will be fubjedfc to an involuntary making of 
 /-water all its lifetime. The other is, that a piece of the child's navel 
 firing carried about one, fo that it touch his fldn, defends him tha* 
 ^'ears it from the falling frcknefs and convuliions, 
 
 I % 
 
102 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 As to the manner how it muft be cut : Let the midwife take a brown 
 tkread four or five times double, of an ell long, or thereabouts, tied 
 with a fingle knot at each of the ends, to prevent their entangling j 
 and with this thread fo accommodated (which the midwife muft have 
 in readinefs before the woman's labour, as alfoa good pair offcilTors, 
 that fo no time may be loft) let her tie the firing within an inch of the 
 belly with a double knot, and turning about the ends of the thread let 
 her tie two more on the other fide of the firing, reiterating it again, 
 if it be neceifary ; then let her cut off the navel another inch below 
 the ligature, towards the after-birth, fo that there only remains but 
 two inches of the ftring, in the midft of which will be the knot we 
 fpeak. of, which muft be fo ftrait knit as not to fufFer a drop of blood 
 to fquecze out of the velTels : but care muft be taken not to knit it fo 
 ftrait as to cut it in two, and therefore the thread muft be pretty thick, 
 and pretty ftrait knit, it being better too ftrait than too loofe ; for 
 lb me children have miferably loft their lives, with all their blood be- 
 fore it was diUpovered, becaufe the navel ftring was not well tied. 
 Therefore great care muft be taken that no blood fqueeze through,, 
 for if there does, a new knot muft be made with the reft of the ftring. 
 You need not fear to bind the navel ftring very hard, becaufe they are 
 void of fenfe, and that part of it which you leave on falls off of its own- 
 accord, in a v«wy few dejys, fometimes fix or feven, and fometimes 
 fooner ; but rarely tarries longer than the eighth or ninth. When 
 you have thus cut the navel ftring, then take care the piece that falls 
 ©ft' touch not the ground, for the reafon I told you Mizaldus- gave,, 
 which experience has juftined. 
 
 As to the laft thing I mentioned, which is the erent or confequence r 
 of what follows cutting of the navel ftring: As foon as the navel 
 ftring is cut off, apply a little cotton or Ihat to the place to keep it 
 warm, left the cold enter into the body of the child, which it will 
 moft certainly do if you have not bound it hard enough. If the lint 
 ©r cotton you apply to it be dipt in oil of rofes, it will be the better ; 
 and then put another finall rag three or four times double upon the 
 belly. Upon the top of all put another fmall bolfter, and then fwathe 
 it with a linen fwathe four fingers broad, to keep it fteady, left by 
 rolling too much, or by being continually ftirred from fide to fide, it 
 comes to fall off before the navel ftring, which you left remaining, is 
 fallen off. It is the ufual cuftom of midwifes to put a piece of burnt 
 r?g to it, which we commonly call tinder : but I would rather advife 
 them to put a little of armoniac to it, becaufe of its drying quality,, 
 £*t this fhall fuftice to be fpoken as to the cutting of the navel ftring. 
 Section III. Hoiv to bring aivay the After-burden. 
 
 A WOMAN cannot be faid fairly to be delivered though the child 
 be born, till the after-burden be alfo taken from her : herein 
 differing from moft animals, who, when they have brought forth their 
 ■ young, caft forth nothing elfe but fome waters, and the membranes 
 which contained them. But women have an after-labour which 
 fometimes proves more dangerous than the firft < and how to bringit 
 fafely away, without prejudice to her, fhall be my buiinefs to fhew i* 
 this feAion. 
 
 As foon as the child is born, before the midwife either ties or cuts 
 the have! firing, left the womb jfaould dote, let her lake the ftrteg 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE, 
 
 and wind it once or twice about one or two of the fingers of her left 
 hand joined together, the better to hold it, with which fhe may draw 
 it moderately, and with the right hand fhe may only take a (ingle hold 
 of it above the left near the privities, drawing likewife with that very 
 gently, refting the' while the fore finger of the fame hand, extended 
 and ftretched forth along the firing towards the entry of the vagina ; 
 always obferving, for the moft facility, to draw it, from the fide where 
 the burden cleaves leaf!:, for in fo doing the reft will feparate the bet- 
 ter: and especially care muft be taken that it be not drawn forth with 
 too much violence, left by breaking the ftring near the burden, the 
 midwife will be obliged to put the whole hand into the womb to de- 
 liver the woman ; and fhe had need be a very fkilful perfon that un- 
 dertakes it, left the womb to which this burden is fometimes very 
 ftrongly faftened, be not drawn with it, as it has fometimes happened. 
 It is therefore beft to ufe fuch remedies as may aflift nature. And 
 here take notice, that what brings away the birth willalfo bring away 
 the after birth. And therefore, for^the effecting this work, I will lay 
 down the following rules : 
 
 1. Ufe the fame means in bringing away the after-birth that you 
 make ufe of to bring away the birth ; for the fame care and circum- 
 fpection is needful now that was then. 
 
 2. Confider the labouring woman cannot but be much fpent by what 
 fhe has already undergone in bringing forth the infant ; and therefore 
 be fure to take care to give her fomething to comfort her. And in this, 
 cafe good jelly broth#, alfo a little wine and tcaftin it, and other com- 
 forting things will be neceflary. 
 
 3. A little white hellebore in powder, to make her fneeze, in this 
 cafe is very proper. 
 
 4. Tanfy and the ftone iEtites, applied as before directed, is alfo of 
 good ufe in this cafe. > 
 
 5. If .you take the herb vervain, and either boil it in wine or make 
 a fyrup with the juiae of it, which you may do, by adding to it double 
 its weight of fugar (having clarified the juice before you boil it) and a 
 fpoonful or two of that given to the woman is very efficacious to bring 
 away the fecundine ; and feveifew and mugwert, have the fame op- 
 eration taken as the former. 
 
 6. Alexander boiled in wine, and the wine drank ; alfo fweet fer- 
 vile, fweet cicely, angelica roots, and mafterwort, are excellent reme- 
 dies in this cafe. 
 
 7 . Or if thefe fail, the fmoke of marigolds received up a woman'3 
 privities by a funnel have been known to bring away the after-birth* 
 even when the midwife let go her hold. 
 
 8. Which is all I fhouid a*ld in this cafe. Boil mugwort in water 
 till it be very foft ; then take it out, and apply it in manner of a poul- 
 tice to the navel of the labouring woman, and it mftantly brings aw ay 
 the birth and after-birth : But fpecial care muft be taken to remove 
 it as foon as they come away left, by its long tarrying, it fhouid draw 
 away the womb alfo. But this much fhall fufTice to be fpoken of in 
 bringing away the after-burden in all natural labours. 
 
 Section IV. Of laborious and difficult. Labours^ and boiv the midivife is 
 to proceed therein. 
 
 TO proceed in this fe&ion the more regularly, it will be neceflary 
 to acquaint the reader thai there are three forts of bad labours, 
 
104 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWI*. 
 
 ail painful and didicult, but not all properly unnatural. It will be 
 necefTary therefore to diftinguifh riteie. 
 
 The fiflt of thefe bad labours is that wherein the mother and child 
 fuffer very much by extreme pain and difficulty, even though the 
 child come right ; and this is difti-nguifhably called laborious labour. 
 
 The fecond is that which is difficult, and differs not much from the 
 former, except that betides thofc extraordinary pains, it is generally 
 attended with fome unhappy accident, which, by retarding the birth, 
 caufes the difficulty ; and thefe difficulties being removed, accelerates 
 the birth, and haftens the delivery. 
 
 Some have afked what the reafon is that women bring forth their 
 children with fo much pain ? I aufwer, the fenfe of feeling is diftri- 
 buted to the whole body by the nerves, and the mouth of the womb 
 being fo ftrait that h muft of neceffity be dilated at the time of the 
 woman's delivery, the dilating thereof flretches the nerves, and from 
 thence coincs the pain. And therefore the reafon why fome women 
 have more pain in their labour than others, proceeds from their having 
 the mouth of the matrix mote full of nerves than others, as fkilful 
 anatomifb do eahly difcovcr. 
 
 But to proceed, the betl way to remove thefe difficulties that occa- 
 sion fuch hard pains and labour as I am here to treat of, is, to {hew 
 from whence they proceed for the caufe of any diftemper being known, 
 h as much as half the cure. Now the difficulty of labour proceeds 
 either from the mother or child, of both. 
 
 From the mother, by reafon of the indifpofition of her body, or may 
 be from fome particular pait only, and chiefly the womb, as when thef 
 woman is weak, and the womb is not active to expel its burden, or 
 from weaknefs or difeafe, or want of fpirits ; or it may be from fume 
 ftrong pafHon of the mind with which ffit was before polFeffed ; it 
 may be alio becaufe the hath been too young, and fo may have the paf- 
 fage too flrait ; or too eld, and then, if it be her firft child, becaufe her 
 parts are too dry and too hard, and cannot be fo eafily dilated, as hap- 
 pens alfo to them who are too lean. Likewife thofe who are either 
 fmall, or lhort, cr deformed, as crooked women, who have not a 
 breath ftrong enough to help therr pains, and to bear them down ; 
 and perfons that are crooked having fometimes the bones of .the paf- 
 fage not well fhaped ; the cholie alfo hinders labour, by preventing the 
 true pains, and ail great and acute pains, as when the woman is tak- 
 en with a violent fever, great flooding, frequent convuHions, bloody 
 flux, or any Other great diftemper. 
 
 Affo excrements retained caufed much difficulty, and fo does a /tone in' 
 the bladder ; cr when the bladder is full of urine, without being able to 
 void it ; or when the woman is troubled with great and painful brles. It 
 may alfo be from the pafTages, when the membranes are thick, the ori- 
 fice too ftrait, and the neck of the womb is not fufficiently open, the paf- 
 fages are preffed and {trained by tumours in the adjacent parts, or when 
 the bones are too firm, and will net open, which very much endangers 
 mother and child ; or when the pafTages are net flippery, by reafon of 
 the waters having broke too foon,or the membranes being too thin. The 
 womb may alfo be out of order with refpxft to its bad fituation, or con- 
 formation, having its neck' too- ftrait, hard or callous ; which may eafily 
 be fo naturally, or may come by accident, being many tifties caufed by a? 
 tumour, a pofthume, ulcer, or fuperfluous flchV 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 As to hard labour occafioned by the child, it is when the child happens 
 to Hack to a mole, or when it is fo weak that it cannot break the mem- 
 branes, of if it be too big all over, or in the head only, or if the navel vef- 
 fels are twilled about its neck, when the belly is hydropical, or when it is 
 monftrous, having twd heads, or being joined to another child : alio 
 when the child is dead, or fo weak that it can contribute nothing to its 
 birth, likewife when it comes wrong, or when there are one or two more, 
 And in all thefe various difficulties there is oftentimes one more, and that 
 is the ignorance of the midwife ; for want of underflanding her bufihefs 
 hinders nature in her work, inftead of helping her. 
 
 Having thus looked into the caufe of hard labour, I will now fhew tha 
 mduftrious midwife how me may niinifter fome relief to the labouring 
 woman under thefe ciFCurafhances. But it will require under {landing and 
 judgment in the midwife, when fhe finds a woman in difficult labour, to 
 know tlie particular obftruefcion, or caufe thereof, and fo a fuitable reme- 
 dy may be applied ; as for in&ance, when it happens by the mother's be- 
 ing too young and too (trait, fhe mult be gently treated, arid the parages 
 anointed with oil, hogs lard, or frefh butter, to relax and dilate them the 
 cafier, left there mould happen a rupture, of any part when the child is 
 born ; for fometimes the peritonaeum breaks with the (kin from the priv- 
 ities to the fundament. But if a woman .be in years with her iirft child, 
 let her lower parts be anointed to molify tire inward orifice, which in 
 inch a cafe being more hard and callous, doth not eafily yield to the dis- 
 tention of labour, which is the true caufe why inch women are longer in 
 labour, and alfo why their children, feeing forced agamfl the inward ori- 
 fice of the womb (which as I have laid, is a little callous) are born with 
 great humps and bruifes on their heads. Thofe women that are very 
 lmall and misfliapen mould not be put to bed, at lead till their wat ers are 
 broke, but rather keep upright, and affiled to walk about the chamber,, 
 by being fupported under their arms : for by that means they will breathe 
 more freely, and bear their pains better than on the bed, becaufe there 
 they lie all on a heap. As for thofe that are very lean, and have hard la- 
 bour, from that caufe, let them moiflen the parts with oils and ointments, 
 to make them more fmooth and ilippery, that the head of the infant and 
 the womb be not fo compared and bririfed by the hardnefs of the moth- 
 er's bones which form the pafTage. If the caufe be weaknefs, fhe ought 
 to be flrengthened, the better to fupport her pains j to which end give 
 her good jelly broths, and a little wine with a toaft in It. If fhe fears her 
 pains, let her be comforted, alluring h«r that fhe will not bear many more, 
 but be delivered in a little time. But if her pains be flow and fmall, or 
 none at all, they muft be provoked by frequent and pretty flrong cl/ilers, 
 that fo they may be excited thereby ; after which, let her walk about the 
 chamber, that fo the weight of the child may help them forward. But if 
 Hie flood or have convulfions ; fhe muft then be helped by a fpeedy deliv- 
 ery ; the operation whereof I lnall relate in the fe&ion of unnatural la- 
 bours. If fhe be coflive, let her ufe clyflers, which may alfo help to difpel 
 thecholic, at thofe times very injurious becaufe attended with ufelefs 
 pains, and becaufe fuch bear not downwards, and fo help not to forward 
 the birth. If fhe finds an obflru<5Mon or floppage on the urine, by reafon 
 the womb bears too much on the bladder, let her lift up her belly a little 
 with her hand, and try if by that fhe receives any benefit ; if fhe finds fhe 
 does not, it will be neceilary to introduce a catheter in the bladder, and 
 thereby draw forth her urine. If the difficulty be from the ill pofture o£ 
 
xc6 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 a woman, let her be placed othcrwife, in a pofture more fuitable and con- 
 venient for her ; aifo if it proceed from the indifpofitions of the womb, as 
 from its oblique fituation, &c. it muft be remedied, as well as can be, by 
 the placing of her body accordingly; or if it be a vicious conformation, 
 having the neck too hard, too callous, and too ftrait, it muft be anointed 
 with oils and ointments, as before directed. If the membranes *be fo ftrong 
 as that the waters don't break in due time, they may be broken with the 
 fingers if the midwife be firft well allured that the child come forward in- 
 to the paiTage, and ready to follow after, or elfe by the breaking of tha 
 waters too foon, the child may be in danger of remaining dry a long time ; 
 to fupply which defect you may moiften the parts with fomentations, de- 
 coctions, and emollient oils ; which yet is not half fo well as when nature 
 does the work in her own time, with the ordinary llime and waters, which 
 do beft when they come in their own proper time and place. But thefe 
 membranes do fometimes prefs forth with the waters three or 4 fingers 
 breadth out of the body before the child refemblyig a bladder full of wa- 
 ter ; but there is then no great danger to break them, if they be not al- 
 ready broken, for when the cafe is fo, the child is always in readinefs to 
 follow, being in the paflage ; but let the midwife be very careful not to 
 pull it with her hand, left the after-burden be thereby loofened before its 
 time, for it adheres thereto very ftrongly. If the navel ftring happens to 
 come firft, it muft prefentjy be put up again, and kept too, if pcfiible, or 
 Other Wife the woman muft immediately be delivered. But if the after- 
 burden fhould come firft it muft not be put up again by no means : for trm 
 infant having no further occafion fcr it it would be but an obftacle if it were 
 put up ; in this cafe it_muft be cut off having tied the navel ftring, and 
 afterwards drawn forth the child with all the fpeed that may be,, left it bs 
 fuffocated. 
 
 SECTION V. 0/ Women Labouring 10'ith a d:ad Chi' J, 
 
 WHEN tine difficulty of labour arifes from a dead child, it is 3 
 cafe of great danger to the mother, and great care ought to 
 he taken therein ; but before any thing be done, the midwife • # ©ught 
 to be well af?ured the ehikl is dead nuked, which may be known by 
 thefe figas. 
 
 1. The breaft fuddenly Hacks, or falls flat, or bags down, 
 % A great coldnafs tittle jfcs the belly of the mother, efpecially about 
 the navel. 
 
 3. Her urine is thick, a filthy (linking fettling at the bottom. 
 
 4. No motion of the ehikl can be perceived ; tor the trial whereof, 
 let the midwife put her hand in warm water, and lay it upon her bel- 
 ly ; for that, if it be alive, will make it ftir. 
 
 5. She is very fubjedt to dream 01 dead men and be affrighted there- 
 wirh. 
 
 6. She has extravagant longings to eat fuch things as are againfc 
 nature. 
 
 7. Her breath (links though not ufe fo to do. 
 
 8. When ihe turns htrfeif in her bed, or rife? up the child fwaya 
 that way like a lump of lead. 
 
 But thefe things carefully obferved, the midwife may make a judg- 
 ment whether the child be alive or dead ; efpeeially if the woman 
 takes the following prescription : 
 
 " Take half a pint of white wine, and burn it 5 and add thereto half 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 107 
 
 an ounce of cinnamon, but no other fpice whatever;" and when flie 
 has drank it, if her travailing pains come upon her, the child is cer- 
 tainly dead ; but if not, the child may pollibly be either weak or fiek, 
 but not dead ; and in this cafe, it will refrefh the child, and give 
 her cafe : for cinnamon refreftieth and ftrengtheneth the child in the 
 womb. 
 
 Now, if, upon trial, it be found the child is dead, let the mother do 
 ail the can to forward her delivery, becaufe a dead child can be no 
 wavs helpful therein. It will be necelfary therefore that fhe take 
 fome comfortable things to prevent her fainting, by reafon of thofe 
 utrid vapours afcending from the dead child. And in order to her 
 elivery, let her take the following herbs boilded in white wine, (or as 
 iany of them as you can get) viz. Dittany, betony, pennyroyal, fage, 
 eatherfew, century* ivy leaves and berries. i>et her alfo take fweet 
 afil in powder, half a dram at a time, in white wine - and her privi- 
 ties be anointed with the juice of garden t &nfy ; or, if you take tanfy 
 in the fummer, when it may be mofl: plentifully had, and before it 
 runs up to the flower, and having hruifed it Well, boil it in oil till the 
 juice of it be confuted. If you let it in the fun, after you have fhix- 
 d it with oil, it will be more efTeelual. This a careful midwife ought 
 to have always by her. As to the manner of her delivery, the fame 
 methods mulYbe ufed as are mentioned in the fcClion of natural lab- 
 our. And here I cannot but again commend the (tone TStites, held 
 near the privities, whofe magnetic virtue draws: the child any way, 
 with the lame facility as the ioadftonc draws iron- 
 Let the midwife alfo make a flrong decoction of hyiTop with water, 
 and give the woman to drink it very hot, and it will, in a little time, 
 bring away the dead child. A decocftion of the herb maftcrwort ufed 
 a* the above. Works the fame chairs. The roots of poh'podiurn it imp- 
 ed well, warmed a little, and bound on the fides of her feet, will foon 
 bring away the child cither alive or dead, 
 
 If, as Toon as Che is delivered of the dead child, ycfu are in doubt 
 part of the after-birth is left behind, for in fuch cafes, being rotten, 
 it may come away piece meal, let her continue drinking the fame de- 
 coction till her body is cleanfed. 
 
 The following medicines flir alfaup the cxpulfive faculty ; but in 
 this cafe they mufi be made ftronger, !>ecaufe the motion of the child 
 eeafeth. 
 
 Take fay in, round birthwort, troches of myrrh, afaram root?, cin- 
 namon half an ounce, faffron a fcruple, give a dram with favin wat- 
 er. Or, Take borax, favin, dittany, each an ounce ; myrrh, afaram 
 roots, cinnamon, falrron, each half a dram ; make a powder, give a 
 dram. 
 
 But ilie may purge firft, and put her in an emollient bath, anoint- 
 ing her round about the womb with oil of lilies, fweet almonds, camo- 
 mile, hen and goofe greafe. Alfo, foment to get out the child with, 
 adecoc~tion of mercury, orris, wild cucumbers, faechus, broom flow- 
 ers. Then anoint the privities and loins with ointment of fowbread, 
 Or, 
 
 Take coloquintida-, agaric, birthwort, each a 3f*am, make a powder, 
 addarmoniac difibived in wine, ox gaH-, each two drams, with oil of 
 ke : r make an ointment. Or, make a fume with aides' hoofs butnt, or 
 ga-Hiprcuai, or cr.dor, and let it be taken in with a funnel. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 To take away pains and ftrengthcn the parts, foment with the de-» 
 cccftion of mugwort, mallows, rofemary, woodmyrtle, St. John's wort, 
 each half an ounce ; fpermaceti two drams, deer's fuet an ounce, with 
 wax make an ointment. Or, take wax four ounces,fpermaceti an ounce, 
 inelt them, dip flax therein, and lay it all over her belly. 
 
 If ncne of thefe thing^vill do, the lafl remedy is to ufe furgery, and 
 then the midwife ought, without delay, to fend for an expert and able 
 man midwife, to deliver her by manual operation ; of which I {hall 
 treat more at large in the next chapter. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 IN (hewing the duty of a midwife, when the woman's labour is un- 
 natural, it will be requifite to fhew in the firft place, what I mean 
 by unnatural labour : for, it is natural to a woman to bring forth 
 children in pain and foirow. That which I call unnatural, is when 
 the child come to the birth in a contrary pofture to that which nature 
 ordained, and in which the generality of children come into the world. 
 Now, as truth is but one, but error dilates itfelf into infinite varity; 
 fo there is but one proper, right and natural pofture in which child- 
 ren come to the birth ; but there are as many wrong and unnatural 
 ways, as there are different poflures of children when they are come 
 to be bern. The right and natural birth is when the child comes 
 with its head fir ft, and yet even this is two fhort a definition of a na- 
 tural birth ; for if any part of the head but the crown comes firft, fo 
 that the body follow not in a ftraight line it is a wrong and difficult 
 birth. Now there are four general ways a child may come wrong ; 
 I (I, When any of the fore parts of the body firfl prefent themfelves. 
 sdly, When by an unhappy tranfpohtion, any of the hinder parts firft 
 preient themfelves. 3dly, When either of the fides. Or, 4thly, When 
 the feet prefent themfelves firft. To thefe four, all the particular and 
 different wrong poflures that a child can prefent itfelf in for the birth 
 may be reduced 1 ; and therefore 1 ihall confine myfelf only to treat of 
 thefe four more general wrong ways. 
 
 Section I. Ho<w io delfoer a Woman cf a dead Child by unnatural 
 Operation. 
 
 THE laft fc&ion of the la ft chapter treated cf the delivering of a 
 woman of a dead child, and feveral things were dire&ed to be 
 applied in order to facilitate the delivery ; but when all thefe fail, a 
 manual operation is absolutely neceffary : In order thereto, let # the 
 operator acquaint the woman with the abfolute neceffity there is of 
 fuch an operation ; and that as the child has already loft its life, there 
 is no other way left for the faving of hers : Let him alfo tell her, for 
 her encouragement that he doubts not, with the divine bleiling, to de- 
 liver her fafely, and that the pains arifing thereby vvill not be fo great 
 as fhe fears. And then let him endeavour to ftir up the woman's pains, 
 by Jiving he-rfome fharp clyfter, to excite her throes to bear down 
 aud L bring forth the child; and if this prevail not, let him proceed 
 with his marual opcraih n. 
 
 Firft Let her he placed crofs the bed, that he may f^erate the eah- 
 er ; and let her Ke on her hack, with her hips a little higher than her 
 herd., or at leaft the body equally placed, when it is neccllary to put 
 back or turn the infant to give it a better pofture: Being thus fituat- 
 td, fiie muft fold her legs fo as her heels be towards her buttocks, and 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 109 
 
 lier thighs fpread, and held by a couple of ftrong perfons; there muft: 
 be others alfo to fupport her under her arms, that the body may not 
 Aide down when the child is drawn forth, for which fometimes a 'great 
 ftrength is required : let the flieets and blankets cover her thighs for 
 decency's fake, and alfo to prevent her catching cold. Then let him 
 anoint the entrance of the womb with oil or frefh butter, if iieceiTary, 
 that fo he may with more eafe introduce his hand, which muft alio 
 be anointed ; and having by figns before mentioned, received fatisfac- 
 tion that it is a dead child, he muft: do his endeavour to fetch it away 
 as Toon as poffible ; and if the child offers the head f)r(r,he muft: gently 
 put k back, until he hath liberty to introduce his hand quite into the 
 womb : then Aiding it along under the belly to find the feet let him 
 draw it forth by them, being very careful to keep the head from being 
 locked in the puifage, that it be not feparated from the body ; which 
 may be effected the more eafiiy, becaufe the child being very rotten 
 and putrified the operator is not fo mindful to keep the bread and 
 face downwards as he is in living births. But if, notwithstanding all 
 thefe precautions, by reafon of the child's putrefaction, the head 
 ihould, be left behind in the womb, it muft be drawn forth accord- 
 ing to the directions which fhall be given in fection 3. of this chapter, 
 for that purpofe. But when the head, coming firft, is fo far advanced 
 that it cannot well be put back, it is better to draw it forth fo, 
 than to torment the woman too much by putting it back to turn it, 
 and bringing it by the feet ; but the head being a part round and 
 ftippery, it may fo happen that the operator cannot take hold of it 
 with his fingers, by reafon of its moifture, nor put them up to the fide 
 of it, becaufe the pafTage is filled with its bignefs, he muft: take a prop- 
 er inftrument, and put it up as far as he can without violence, be- 
 tween the womb and the child's head, obferving to keep the point of 
 it towards the head, and let him fatten it there, giving it a good hold 
 upon one of the bones of the Hcull, that it may not Hide ; and after 
 it is well fixed he may therewith draw it forth, keeping the ends of 
 the finders of his left hand flat upon tke oppolite fide the better to help 
 to difengage it, and by fliaking it a little to conduct it directly out 
 of the paflage, utltil the head be quite born, and then taking hold of 
 it with the hands only, the thoulders may be drawn into the palTage, 
 and fo Hiding the fingers of both hands under the armpits, the child 
 may be quite delivered : and then the after-burden fetched, being 
 careful not to pluck the navel firing too hard, left it break, as oftea 
 happens, when it is corrupted. 
 
 If the dead child come with the arm up to the fhculders fo extreme- 
 ly f. veiled that the woman muft fufFer too great a violence to have it 
 put back, 'tis then the beft to take it off at the fhoulder joints, by twitt- 
 ing three or four times about, which is very eafiiy done, by reafon of 
 the foftnefs and tendernefs of the body: After the arm isfo feparated, 
 and no longer poflefting the paffa^e, the operator will have more room 
 to pur up his hand into the womb, to fetch the child by the feet and 
 bring it away. 
 
 But although the operator befure the child is dead in the womb, 
 yet he muft not therefore prefently ufe inftruments, becaufe they are 
 never to be ufed but when hands are not fufficient ; and there is no 
 ctfher remedy to prevent the woman's danger, or to bring forth the 
 
 K 
 
2 J J 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 child any ether way : and the judicious operator will chufe that way 
 which id the leaft hazardous and mod fafe. 
 
 £ec. II. IIozu a Woman mujl be delivered ivhen the Child's Feet come Jirjl. 
 
 r THHERE is nothing more obvious to thofe whofebullnefs it is to af- 
 _L lift labouring women, than that the feveral unnatural po&urcs 
 in which children prefent themfelves at their births are the occafion 
 of the moft bad labours and ill accidents that happen unto women in 
 fuch a condition. 
 
 And fmce midwives are very often obliged, becaufe cf the unnatural 
 ittuatfonsi to draw the children forth by the feet, I conceive it to be 
 moft proper to H ew flrft, how a child muft be brought forth that pre- 
 fentc itfeif in tkat poflure, becaufe it will be a guide to feveral of the 
 reft. 
 
 I knew indeed that in this cafe 'tis the advice cf feveral authors to 
 ■change the figure, and place the head fo, mat it may prefer, t the birth ; 
 and this council I fhould be very inclinable to follow, could they but 
 alio fhew how it muft be done : But it will appear very difficult, if not 
 impolTible to be performed, if we will avoid the dangers that by fuch 
 violent agitations both the mother and the child mutt be put into, 
 and therefore my opinion is, That it is better to draw it forth by the 
 feet, when it reprefents itfeif in that pollute, than to venture a woife 
 accident by turning it. 
 
 As loon therefore a? the waters are broke, and it is known that the 
 child comes thus, and that the womb is open enough to admit the mid- 
 wife's or operator's hand into it, or elfe by anointing the pafTages with 
 oil or hog's greafe, to endeavour to dilate by degrees,uftng her fingers 
 to this purpofe, fpreading them one from the other, after they are to- 
 gether entered, and continuing to do fo till it be iufficiently dilated, 
 then taking care that ner nails are well pared, and no rings on her 
 lingers, and her hand well anointed with oil or frefli butter, and the 
 woman placed in the manner directed in the former feclion, let her 
 gently introduce her hand into the entry of the womb, where finding 
 the child's feet. Jet her draw it forth in the manner I will prefently 
 direct ; only let her flrft fee whether it prefents one foot, or both, 
 and if it be but one foot, fhe ought to con fider whether it is the right 
 foot or left, and alfo in what falhion it comes : for by that means 
 fhe will foon eft come to know where to find the other, which as foon 
 as fhe knows and finds, let her gently draw it forth with the other ; 
 but of this {he muft be especially careful, viz. that this fecond be not 
 the foot of another child ; for if fo, it may be of the moft fatal confe- 
 quence, for fhe may f'ooner fplit both mother and child than draw 
 them forth; but this may be eafdy prevented, if fhe does but Hide 
 her hand up the fir ft leg and thigh to the twift, and there find both 
 thighs joined together, and descending from one and the fame body. 
 And this is «dfo the beft means to find the other foot when it comes 
 with but one. 
 
 As foon as the midwife has found both the child's feet, flic may 
 draw them forth, and holding them together^ may bring them by lit- 
 tle and little in this manner, taking afterwards hold of the legs and 
 thighs as foon as fhe can come at them, drawing thtm fo till the hips 
 be come forth. WhilfUhis is doing, let her obfeive to wrap the parts 
 to a fingle cloth th^.t fo her hands being already gteafy, jfcde not on 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 the infant's body, which is flippery, becaufe of the vilcious humours 
 which are all over it, and prevent one's talcing good hold of it, which 
 being done, {he may take hold under the hips, fo to draw it forth to 
 the beginning of the breaft ; and let her on both fides with her hand 
 bring down the arms along the child's body, which the may then eafi- 
 ly mid ; and then let her take care that the belly and face of the child 
 be downwards, for if it tliould be upwards, there would be fome dan- 
 ger of its being ftopt by the chin over the lliare bone ; and therefore, 
 if it be not fo, muft turn it to that pofture j which may be eafily done 
 if me take hold on the body when the breaft and arms are forth in the 
 manner we have faid, and draws it with turning it in proportion on 
 that fide which it mod inclines to, till it be turned with the face down- 
 wards, and fo having brought it to the ihouldcrs, let her lofe no time, 
 dehre the woman at the fametime to bear down, that-ib at drawing, 
 the head at that inftant, may take its place, and not to be ftopt in the 
 pauage. Some children there are whofe heads are fo big, that when 
 the whole body is born, yet that (lops in the pafTage, though the mid- 
 wife takes all poflible care to prevent it. And when this happens ihe 
 mufl not endeavour only to draw forth the child by the fhoulders, left 
 fhe fometimes feparate the body from the head, as I have known it done 
 by the midwife, but fhc mufl dilcharge it by little and little from the 
 bones in the pafiages with the fingers of each hand, Hiding them on 
 each fide oppofite the one to the other, fometimes above and fome* 
 times under, until the work be ended, endeavouring to difpatch it as 
 foon as pofnblc, left the child be fuuoeated, as it will unavoidably be, 
 if it fhould remain long in that posture : and this being well and care- 
 fully effected, the may fuon after fetch away the after-birth, as I have 
 
 Section III. Hoiv te Iring aivay the Head of the Chill tohen ft par died 
 from the hody> and Irft behind in the Womb. 
 
 r Tp , HO' the utmoft care be taken in bringing away the child by the 
 X feet, yet if the child happens to be dead, it is fometimes fo putre- 
 fied and corrupted, that with the Ieaft pull the body Separates from 
 the head, and 'remains alone in the womb, and cannot be brought a- 
 way but with a manual operation and difficulty. It being extremely 
 flippery, by reafon of the place where it is, and from the round nefs of 
 its figure, on which no hold can be well taken : And fo very great is 
 the difficulty in this cafe, that fometimes two or three able practition- 
 ers in the art of midwifery, have one after the ether left the opera- 
 tion unfmillied, as not able to effect it, after theurraoft efforts of their 
 induftry,fkill and ftrength : fo that the woman not being able to be 
 delivered, periiheth. To prevent which fatal accidents for the time 
 to come, let the following operation be obferveel. 
 
 When the infant's head feparate from the body, and is left behind, 
 whether through putrefaction, or otherwife, let the operator immedi- 
 ately, whilft the womb is yet open, direct up his fight hand to the 
 ♦mouth, for no other hold can there be had ; and having found it let 
 him put one or two of his ringers into it, and his thumb under the 
 chin, and then let him draw it by little and little, holding it fo by the 
 j lw ; but if that fails, as fometimes it will, when putrifitd, then let 
 him pull forth his right hand, and ilide up his left, with which he 
 mud fipport rhe head, and with the right let him take a harrow in- 
 
Ha 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 ftrumcnt calltd a crotchet; but let it be ttrong and with tingle branch'' 
 which he mutt guide along the infide of his hand, with the point of it 
 towards it, for fear of hurting the womb, and having thus introduced 
 it, let him turn it towards the head, for to ttrike either into an eye 
 hole, or the hole of an ear, or behind the head, or elfe between the 
 ftaiure as be finds it mott convenient and cafy : and then draw fortli 
 the head fo fattened with the faid internment, full helping to conduct 
 it with his left hand ; but when- he hath brought it near the pattagc,- 
 being ttrongly fattened to the inftrument, let him remember to draw 
 forth his hand, that the paffage not being fdled with it may be tile 
 larger and eaiicr, keeping ttill a linger er two on the lide of the head ; 
 the better to difengage it. 
 
 There is alfo another way to this, with mors cafe and lefs hardship 
 thaii the former ; which is this, let the operator take a foft linen or 
 Xiiict Jlip of above four fingers breadth, and the length of three quar- 
 ters of an ell or thereabouts, raking the two ends with the left hand, 
 and the middle with the right, and let them fo put it up with his right 
 as that it may be beyond the head, to embrace it as a fling doth a fione ; 
 and afterwards draw forth the fillet by the two en ds together, it will 
 be eafiiy drawn forth, the filler not hindering the Icatt. paiTage, be- 
 eaiife it takes up little or no place. 
 
 When the head is thus fetched out of the wombj care mutt be taken 
 that not the leatt part of it be left behind, and Hkewife toeleanfc the 
 woman well of her after-burden, if yet remaining. Some have ques- 
 tioned whether the child's head remaining yet in the womb, or the af- 
 ter-birth ought to be brought away fir ft r" The anfwer to which quef- 
 tion may be by way of difh notion ; that is to fay, if rhe burden be 
 wholly leparated from the fides of the womb, that ought to be firtt 
 brought away, b'ecaufc it may alfo hinder the taking hold of the head'; 
 but if it ttiil adheres to the womb, it mutt not be meddled with till the 
 head be brought away ; for if one fhculd then go about tofeparate it 
 i'rom the womb, it might then caufe a flooding which would be augr 
 ment^d bv the violence of the operation ; the veflels to which it is 
 joining remaining for the moft part open as long as the womb is dis- 
 tended, which the bead caufeth while it is retained in it, and cannot 
 clofe tiH this ftrange body be voided, and then it doth by contraction 
 and comprciling itfelf together, as has been more fully before explain- 
 ed. B*f:des the after-birth remaining thus cleaving to the womb dur- 
 ing the operation prevents it from receiving eafdy either bruife or 
 hurt. 
 
 Section IV. How to deliver a Woman \vhen the fide r,f the Child's He*td 
 is prefented to the Birth, 
 
 THOUGH foirte may think it a natural labour when the child's head 
 may come firtt, hnt yet if the child's head prefents not the right way, 
 even that is an unnatural labour, and therefore though the. head comes 
 fu-ft, yet if it be the fide of the head inftead of the crown, it is very dan- 
 gerous both to the mother and child, for the child may fooner break its. 
 neck than be born in that manner ; and by how much the mother's pains 
 continue to bear the child, which it is impoflible, unlefs the head be right- 
 ly placed, the more the paffages are ttopt ; therefore as foon as the por- 
 tion of the child is known, the woman mutt be laid with all fpeed,left the 
 child Ihould advance further in this vicious pofture, and therefore render 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDV/IFE. 
 
 it more difficult to thruft it back, which muft be done in order to place the 
 head in the paiTage right as it ought to be. 
 
 To this purpofe therefore place the woman fo that her hips may be a 
 little higher than her head and moulders, caufing her to lean a little, upon 
 the oppofite fide to the child's ill pofture ; then let the operator flidfr up 
 his hand, well anointed with oil, by the fide of the child's head, to bring it 
 right, gently with his fingers between the head and the womb ; but if the 
 head be fo engaged that it cannot be done that way, he muft then put up 
 his hand to the moulders, that fo by thrufHng them back a little into tha 
 womb, fometimes on the one fide and fometimes on the other ; he may by 
 little and little give it a natural pofition. I confefs it would be better if 
 the operator could put back the child by its Ihoulders with both his hands ; 
 but the head takes up fo much room, that he will find much ado to put 
 up one, with which he mull: perform his operation, witH the help of the 
 linger ends of the other hand, put forwards cue child's birth, as when thi 
 labour is natural. 
 
 Some children prefent their face firft, having their heads turned back, 
 i*i which pofture it is extremely difficult that a child fhouid be born ; and 
 if it continue fo long, the face will be fwelled, and withal black and blue y 
 that it will at fLrft feem monftrous, which is occafioned as well by the com- 
 prefllon of it in that place, as by the midwife's fingers handling it too read- 
 ily, in order to place it in a better pofture. But this blacknefs will wear 
 -away in three or four days time, anointing it often with the oil of fwcet 
 almonds. To deliver the birth, the fame operation muft be ufed as in the 
 former, when a child comes with the fide of the head ; only let the mid- 
 wife or operator work very gently to avoid as much as pofiTole the bruii* 
 ing of the face. 
 
 Section V. How to deliver a Woman ivh en a Child prefents am or both 
 Hands tog.tUr uutih the Head. 
 
 SOMETIMES the infant will prefent fome other part together with 
 its head, which if it does, it is ufually one or both its hands, and this 
 hinders the birth, becauie the hands take up part of that pa.fi.age which is 
 little enough for the head alone > befides, that when this happens, they 
 generally caufe the head to lean on one fide ; and therefore this pofition 
 may be very well ftiled unnatural. When the child prefents thus, the firft 
 thing to be done, after it is perceived, muft be to prevent it from coming 
 down more, or engaging further in the paiTage, and therefore the opera- 
 tor, having placed the woman on the bed a little lower than her nip$ a 
 muft put and guide back the infant's hand with his- own as much as may 
 be, or both of them, if they both- come down, to give way to the child's 
 head ; and this being done, if the head be on one fide, it muft be brought 
 into its natural pofture in the middle of the paftage, that it may come in a 
 ftrait line, and then proceed as directed in the foregoing fe&ion. 
 
 SECTION VL Hqzv a Woman is to be delivered "when the Hands or feet of 
 the Infant come together. 
 
 THERE is ncne but will readily grant, that when the hands and feet 
 of an infant prefent together, the labour muft be unnatural, becaufo 
 it is impofTible a child fhoujd be born in that manner. In this therefore, 
 when the midwife guides her hand towards the crirtce of the womb,.fhe 
 will perceive only many fingers cloie together ; and if it be not fufficiently 
 dilated, it will be a good while before the hands and feet will be exactly 
 diftinguiftied \ for they are fometimes fo ihut and preiTed together,, that 
 
114 
 
 TBE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 they feem to be all of one and the fame fhape ; hut where the womb is op-* 
 en enough to introduce the hand into it, £he will eafily know which are the 
 hands and which are the feet ; and having well taken notice thereof, let 
 her Aide her hand, and prefently direct it towards the infant's breaft, which 
 flie will find very near, and then let her very gently thruft back the body 
 towards the bottom oithe womb, leaving the feet in the fame place where 
 fhe found them ; and then having placed the woman in a convenient pof- 
 ture, that is, to fay her hips a little raifed above her breaft and head (which 
 fituation ought always to be obferved when the child is to be put back in- 
 to the womb) let the midwife afterwards take hold of the child by the feetj 
 and draw it forth, as is directed in the fecond fedtion. 
 
 This labour, though fomewhat troublefome, yet is much better than 
 when the childprefents only its hands ; for the child muft be quite turn- 
 ed about beforerft can be drawn forth ; but in this, they are ready, prefent- 
 ing themfelves, and in this u.ere is not fo much to do, but to lift and thruft 
 back a little the upper part of the body, which is almoft done of itfelf by 
 drawing it ajong by the feet. 
 
 I confefs there are many authors that have written of labours , wha 
 would have all wrong births reduced to a natural figure ; which is to turn 
 it, that it may come with the head firft ; but thofe that have thus written 
 are fuch as never underftood the practical part ; for if they had the lean: 
 experience herein, they would know that it is very often impoflible, at 
 kail if it were to be done, that violence muft neceflarily be ufed in doing 
 it, that -would very probably be the death of mother and child in the oper- 
 ation. I would therefore lay down as a general rule, that whenfoever an 
 infant prefents itfelf wrong to the birth, in what peftuxe foever from the 
 moulders to the feet, it is the beft way, and fooneft done, to<draw it out by 
 the feet : and that it is better fearching for them if they do not prefent 
 themfelves, rather than try to put it in the natural pofture, and place the 
 head foremoft ; for the great endeavours necefTary to be ufed in turning the 
 infant in the womb do lb much weaken both mother and child, that there 
 remains not afterwards ftrength enough to commit the operation to the 
 work of nature for ufually the woman hath no more throes or pains fit for 
 labour, after {he has been fo wrought upon ; for which reafon it would be 
 very difficult and tedious at beft : and the child, by fuch an operation, 
 made very weak, would be in extreme danger of perifhing before it could 
 be bcrn. It is therefore much better in thefe cafes to bring it away im- 
 mediately by the feet, fearching for them, as I have already directed, when 
 they do not prefent themfelves : by which the mother will be prevented 
 of a tedious labour, and the child be often brought alive into the world, 
 who otherwife would hardly eicape death. And thus much (hall fufHce to 
 be fUid of unnatural labours : for by the rule already given, a fkilful artift 
 will know how to proceed in any pofture in which the child prefents itfelf. 
 SLCTION VII. Ilonv a Woman Jhall be dtli'vered ilsat bus 'Tzvins ivbicb 
 prefent ihemfel'vei in different poftures. 
 
 WE have already" fpoken fomething of the birth of twins in the chap- 
 ter of unnatural labour ; for it is not an unnatural labour barely 
 to have twins, provided they come in a right pefition to the birth. But 
 when they fhall prefent themfelves in divers poftures, they come properly 
 under the denomination of unnatural labours ; and if when one child pre- 
 sents itfelf in a wrong figure, it makes it much more fo when there are fev- 
 eral, and renders it not only more painful to the mother and children, but 
 the operator alio, for they ,«fle» trouble each other, aad hinder bcth 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 their births, befides which, the womb is then fo filled with them, that the 
 operator can hardly introduce his hand without much violence, which he 
 muft do, if they be to be turned to thruft back, to give them a better pofiV 
 tion. 
 
 When a woman is pregnant with two children, they rarely prefent to 
 the birth together, the one being generally more forward than the other, 
 and that is the reafon that but one is felt ; that many times the midwife 
 knows not that there are twins till the firft is born, and that Ihe is going to 
 fetch away the after-birth. In the 5 th chapter, wherein I treated of nat- 
 ural labour, I mewed how a woman mould be delivered of twins, prefent- 
 ing themfelves both right : and therefore, before I clofe this chapter of un- 
 natural labour, it only remains that I fhew what ought to be done, when 
 they either both come wrong, or one of them only, as for the moft part it 
 happens ; the firft generally coming right, and the fecond with the feet 
 forward, or in fome worfe pofture. In fuch a cafe, the birth of the firft 
 muft be haftened as much aspoflible to make way for the fecond, which is 
 heft brought away by the feet, without endeavouring to place it right, even 
 though it was fomewhat inclining towards it, hecaufe it has been already 
 tired and weakened by the birth of the firft as well as it& mother, that there 
 would be greater danger of its death than likelihood of its coming out of 
 the womb that way.. 
 
 But if, when the firft is born naturally, the fecond ? mould likewife offer 
 its head to the birth,, it would be then beft leaving nature to fiuifhwhat 
 Ihe has fo well begun ; and if nature fhould be too flow in her work, fome 
 of thofe things mentioned in the forth chapter to accelerate the birth.may 
 be properly enough applied ; and if, after that, the fecond birth fhould be 
 yet delayed, let a manual operation be deferred no longer : but the wom- 
 an being properly placed, as has been before direcled^ let the operator dif 
 red his hand gently into, the womb to find the feet, and fo draw forth tie 
 fecond child, which will be true more eafily effected, hecaufe there is way 
 made fufhcicnt by the birth of the firft ; and if the waters of the fecond 
 child be not broke, as it often happens, yet intending to bring it by the 
 feet, he need not fcruple to break the membranes with his fingers : for 
 though when the birth of a child is left to the operation of nature* it is 
 neceffary that the waters mould break of themfelves ;• yet when the child 
 is brought out of the womb by art, there is no danger in breaking of them; 
 nay, on the contrary, it becomes necefiary ; for without the waters- are 
 broke it would be almoft impoftible to turn the chikL 
 
 But herein principally lies the care of the operator that he is not de- 
 ceived, when either the hands or the feet of both children offer them- 
 felves together to the birth in this cafe he ought well to confider the 
 operation, as whether they be not joined together, or any way mon- 
 ftrous ; and which part belongs to one child, and which to the other, 
 that fo they may be- fetched one after the other, and not both together, 
 as might be, if it were not duly confidered, taking the right foot of 
 the one and the left of the other, and fo drawing them together, as-if 
 they belonged to one body, hecaufe there is-aleft and a right, by which 
 means it would be impoikbe ever to deliver them ; But a ikilful op- 
 erator will eaiily prevent this, if having- found two or three feet of 
 feveral children presenting together in a paflage, and taking afkie twp 
 of the forwardeft, a right and a left, and Hiding his hands along the 
 legs and thighs up to the twift, if forwards, or the buttocks, if back- 
 wards, he finds they both belong to one body 1 of which being thus 
 
!t6 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDV/IFE. 
 
 allured, he may begin to draw forth the neareft, without regarding 
 which is ftrongeft: or weakeft. bigger or lefs, living or dead, having 
 put firft a little alide that part of the other child which offers to have 
 the more way, and fo difpatch the firft, wherever it is, as foori as may 
 be, obferving the fame rules, as if there were but one, that is, keep- 
 ing the breaftand face downwards, with every circumftance directed 
 in that fe&ion where the child comes with its feet fir ft : And not 
 fetch the burthen till the fecond child is born. And therefore when 
 the operator hath drawn forth one child, he muft feparate it from the 
 burden, having tied and cut the navel firing, and then fetch the 
 other by the feet in the fame manner, and afterwards, bring away the 
 after-burden with the two firings, as have been before fhewed. If 
 the children nrefent any other part than the feet, the operator may 
 follow the fan?e method as is directed in the foregoing fection, where 
 the feveral unnatural portions are carefully treated of. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 B'iriZllons foir Chill-bearing Women An their lyhg-in, 
 
 IN the fourth, fifth, and fiksh chapters, we have treated at large cf 
 women's labour, and how they rnay be fafely delivered both in 
 natural and unnatural labours, Having therefore thus brought the 
 good woman to bed, I will in this chapter dire-it how llie ought to be 
 ordered in her lying-in. 
 
 Section I. Hono a Woman neivly deii'vered ''ought to be ordered. 
 
 AS foon as ihe is laid in bed, let her be placed in i; conveniently 
 for eafe and reft, which fhc ftands' in great need of, to recover 
 herfclf of the great fatigue flie underwent during her travail ; and, 
 that ihe may lie the more eafily, let her head and body be a little raif- 
 ed, that ihe may breathe more freely, and cleanfe the better, efpecially 
 of that blood which then comes away, that fo it may not clot, which 
 being retained caufeth very great pain. 
 
 Having thus placed her in bed, let her drink a draught of burnt white 
 wine, when you have firft melted therein a dram of fpcrmaceti. The 
 herb vervain is alfo a moft lingular herb for a woman in this condition, 
 boiling it in what fhe either eats or drinks, fortifying the womb fo exceed- 
 ingly, that it will do it more good in two days, having no offenfive tafte, 
 tho' very pleafant virtues. And this is no more than what me ftands in 
 need of, for her lower parts being fo greatly diftended to the birth of the 
 infant, it is good to endeavour the prevention of an iuflamation there. Let 
 therefore be outwardly applied all over the bottom of the belly and privi?- 
 ities the following anodyne or cataplafm. Take two ounces of oil offweet 
 almor.ds, and two or three new kid eggs, yolks and whites, ftirring therii 
 together in an earthern pipkin over the hot embers, till it comes to the 
 confidence of a poultice ; which being fpread upon a cloth, mult be ap- 
 plied to thofe parts indifferently warm, having firft taken away the clo- 
 sures (which were put to her prefently after her delivery) and likewiie 
 fuch clots of blood as were then left. Let this lie on five or fix hours, and 
 then renew it again as you fee caufe. 
 
 Great care ought to be taken at firft, that if her body be very weak, 
 {he be not kept too hot, for extremity of heat weakens nature and diflblves 
 the ftrength ; and whether fhe be weak or ftrong, be fure that no cold 
 air comes near her at firft ; for cold is an enemy to the fpermatic parts, 
 and if it gets into the womb, it increafes the after-pains, eaufes fwellings 
 in the womb, and hurts the nerves* As to her diet, let it be hot, and let 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDLIFE. 
 
 her eat but a little at- a time. Let her avoid the light for three or f'oar 
 days, and longer if me be weak, for her labour weakens hji- eyes exceed- 
 ingly,- by a harmony between the womb and them. Let her avoid great 
 noifes, fadnefs and troubles pi mind. 
 
 If the womb be foul, which may be eafily perceived by the impurity of 
 the blood (which will then either come away in clots or ftinking, or if you 
 fufpedt any of the after-burden to be left behind, which may fometitrtes 
 happen) make her drink of featherfew, mugwort, pennyroyal, and mother 
 of thyme, boiled in white wine, fweetened with fugar. 
 
 Panada and new laid tggs. is the beft meat for her at firlt, of which 
 (he may eat often, but not too much at a time. And let her ufe cinna- 
 mon in all her meat and drink, for it is a great flrjiigthener to the womb. 
 
 Let her ftir as little as may be till after the fifth, fixth, or feventh days 
 of her delivery, if me be weak. And let her talk as little as may be, for 
 that weakens her. 
 
 If fhe goes not well to ftrtoJ, give a clytter made only with the decodtion 
 of mallows and a little browii fugar. 
 
 When fhe hath lain-in a week or more, let her ufe fuch things as clofe 
 the womb, of which not grafs and comfrey are very good : and to them 
 you may add a little polypodium, for it will do her good, both leaves and 
 roots being bruifed. 
 
 Sect. II. Hoiv to remedy tbajb Accidents ivhlch a lyin^-ln Woman is fub- 
 
 jctt to. ■ 
 I. r T~ ,, HE ilrft common and ufual accident that troubles women in their 
 X lying-in, is after-pains; the caufe whereof fome affirm to be one 
 thing, fome another ; but it is moft certain that they proceed from cokl 
 and wind contained in the bowels with which they are filled after labour, 
 becavife when they have more room to dilate, than when the child was in 
 the womb, by which they were compreffed, and alfo becaufe the nourilh- 
 ment and matter contained in them and the ftonxich, has been confufedly 
 agitated from lide to fide during the pains of labour, and could not be well 
 digefted, whence this wind i6 afterwards generated, and by confequence, 
 the gripes which the woman feels running into her belly from fide to fide, 
 according as the wind moves, and fometimes from the womb, becaufe of 
 the compreflion and commotion which the bowels make. Thefe being 
 generally the caufe, let us now apply a fuitable remedy. 
 
 2. Boil an egg foft, and pour out the yolk of it, with which mix a fpoon- 
 ful of cinnamon water and let her drink it ; and if you mix in it two grains 
 of ambergreafe it will be the better ; and yet vervain taken in any thing 
 fhe drinks, will be as effectual as the other. 
 
 3. Give the lying-in woman, immediately after delivery, oil of fweet 
 almonds, arid fyrup of maidenhair mixed together ; fome prefer oil of wal- 
 nuts, provided it be made of nuts that are very good, but it taftes worf'e 
 than the other. This will lenify the infide of the inteitines by its une^h- 
 uoufnefs, and by that means bring away that which is contained in them 
 more eafily. 
 
 4. Take and boil onions very well in water, then ftamp them with oil 
 and cinnamon and feed in powder and fpread them upon a cloth, and ap- 
 ply them to the region of the womb. 
 
 5. Let her be careful to keep her belly very hot, and not to drink what 
 is too cold : and if they prove very violent, hot cloths, from time to timo, 
 mult be laid to her belly, or a pancake fried in walnut oil may be applied 
 te it without iwuthing h;r belly fo {trait ; and, for the better evacuating 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 the wind out of the inteftines, give her a clyfter, repeating it as often as 
 neceflity requires. 
 
 6. Take bayberrics, beat them to powder, put the powder, upon a 
 chaffing dim of coals, and let her receive the fmoke of them up her priv-^ 
 ities. 
 
 7. Take tar and barrows greafe, of each an equal quantity, boil them 
 together, and, whilft it. is boiling, add a little pigeon's dung to it. Spread 
 fome of this upon a linen cloth, and apply it to the reins of her back, and 
 it will givjg her ipeedy eafe. 
 
 Laftiy let her take half a dram of bay berries beaten into a powder in a 
 draught of muftard or tent. 
 
 II. Another accident to which women in child-bed are fubjecl:, is the 
 hemorrhoides; or piles, occafioned through their {training in bringing the 
 child into the world. To cure this, 
 
 1. Let her be let blood in the vein faphaena. 
 
 2. Let her ufe polypodium in her meat and drink, bruifed and boiled. 
 
 3. Take an onion, and having made a hole in the middle of it, iill it 
 full of oil, toaft it, and having bruifed it all together, apply it to the fun- 
 dament. 
 
 4. Take as many woedlice as yon can get, and bruife them, Having 
 mixed them with a little oil, apply them warm as before. 
 
 5. Iffhe go well to ftool,!et her take an ounce of caffia fiflula drawn at 
 night going to bed ; me need no change of diet after. 
 
 HI. Retention of the menftrues is another accident happening to wom- 
 en in child-bed ; and, which is cf fo dangerous confequence, that, if not 
 timely remedied it proves mortal. Where this happens, 
 
 1. Let the woman take fuch medicines as ftrongly provoke the terms, 
 fuch as dittany, betony, pennyroyal, favory, feaiherfrrw, centaury, juniper 
 . berries, piony roots. 
 
 2. Let her take two or three fpoonfuls of briony water each morning. 
 
 3. Gentian roots beaten into a powder, and a dram of it taken evtry merii- 
 ing in wine. is an extraordinary remedy. 
 
 . 4. The root of birthwoi t, either long or round, fo ufed and taken as the 
 former, is very good. 
 
 5. Takctwelve piony feeds, and beat them into very -fine powder, and 
 let her drink them in a draught of hot cardims poffct, arid let her fvveat af- 
 ter - . And if this lafc medicine don't bring them down the firft time me 
 taftesit, let iier take as. much more thee hours after, and it feldom fails. 
 
 IV. Overflowing of the menfes is another accident incidental to child-bed 
 women. 
 
 1. Take ihepiierds' purfe, either boiled in any convenient liquor, or dri- 
 ed and .beaten into powder, and it will be an admirable remedy to ftop 
 them, this being efpecially appropriated to the privities. 
 
 2. The flo.vers and leaves of brambles, or either of them, being dried 
 and. beaten into powder, and a dram of them taken every morning in a 
 fpoonful of red wine, or in the decoction of the leaves cf the fame (which 
 perhaps is much better ;) is an admirable remedy for the immoderate He w- 
 ing of the terms in women. 
 
 V. Excoriations bruifts and rents of the lower part of the womb, 
 ar« often occafioned by the violent diftentkm and feparation of the 
 four caruncles in a woman's labour. For the healing whereof, 
 
 Asfoon as the woman is laid, if there be only fimple contuficns and 
 excoriations, let the anodyne cataplafm, formerly directed, be applied 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 119 
 
 to the lower parts to eafe th - pain, made of the yolks and whites of 
 new laid eggs, and oil of rofes boiled a little over warm embers, con- 
 tinually ftirrttitg it till it be equally mixed, and then fpread upon a fine 
 clotii, it muft be applied very warm to the bearing place for five or 
 fix hours, and when it is taken away, lay fome fine rags, dipped in oil 
 of St. John's wort twice or thrice a day, a lib fomc foment the parts with 
 ba< ley-water and honey of rofes to cleanfe them from the excrements 
 phi ell pafs. When the woman makes water, let them be defended 
 with fine rags, any thereby hinder the urine from cauflng fmart and 
 pain. • . . 
 
 VI. The curdling and clotting of the milk is another accident that 
 ften happens to women in child bed ; for, in the beginning of child 
 ed the woman's milk is not purified, becaufe of thofe great commo- 
 ions her body fuiTe red during her labour, which afFe&ed all the parts, 
 audit is then mixed with many other humours'. Now this clotting of 
 milk does, for the mod part, proceed from the breafts not being fully 
 own, aud that either becaufe foe hath too much milk, and that the 
 nfant is too fmall and weak to fuck all, or becaufe fhe doth not de- 
 iire to be a nurfe, for the milk in 'thofe cafes remaining in the bread' 
 after concoction without being drawn, loofeth the fweetnefs and the* 
 halfamic quality it had, and, by reafon of the heat it acquires and the 
 too long iUyit makes there, it fours, curdles, and clots as we fee run- 
 net put into ordinary milk turns it into curds. This curdling of the 
 milk may be alio caufed by having taken a great coid> and not keep- 
 ing the breafts well covered. 
 
 But from what caufes foever this curdling of the milk proceeds, the 
 moll certain remedy is, fpeedily to draw the breafts until they are 
 emitted and dried. But in regard the infant, by reafon of its weaknefs 
 cannot draw ftrong enough, it will be proper to get another woman to 
 v draw her breafts until the milk come freely, and then flie may give 
 her child fuck. And that fhe may not afterwards be troubled with 
 a furplufage of milk, fhe mufl eat fuch diet as give but little nourifh- 
 ment, and keep her body open. 
 
 But if the cafe be fuch that the woman neither can nor will be a 
 nurfe, it is then neCeflary to empty the body by bleeding in the arm ; 
 befides drawing down the humours, by ftrong clyfeers and bleeding 
 iin the foot, nor will it be amifs to purge gently ; and to digeft dif- 
 folve and dillipate the curdled milk, apply the cataplalm of pure 
 lioney, or life the following liniment. 
 
 A Liniment to fcattcr and diffipate the milk. 
 
 That the milk flowing back to the breath may without offence be 
 dillipated, ufe this ointment : "Take pare wax two ounces, lintfeed 
 oil half a pound ; when the wax is melted, let the liniment be 
 made, wherein linen cloths mufl: be dipped, and laid upon tire breaft ; 
 and when it mall be difcuffed, and pains no more, let other linea 
 cloths be dipped in the diftilied water of acrens, and put upon 
 them." 
 
 Note. That the cloths dipped in the diftilied wa'er of acorns, 
 mufl be ufed only by thofe who cannot nurfe their own children ; 
 but if a fwelling in the breafts of thofe who give fuck : arifes from a- 
 bundanceof milk, and threatens an inflamation, ufe the former oint- 
 ments, but abftaiu from tiling the diftilled water of acorns. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWITfc. 
 
 CHAP. vin. 
 
 Fir.ftlons for Nufcs in ordering navborn Clildt etu 
 
 HAVING in the former chapter fliewn how the lying-in woman 
 fhould be ordered, it is now high time to take care of the infant 
 to whom the firft fervice that fhould be performed for it, is the cut- 
 ting of the raavel firing, of which I have fpoken at large before. 
 Section I. What is to be done to the nciv-born Infant after cutting 
 the Navel firing. 
 
 WHEN the child's navel firing has been cut, according to the 
 rules before prefcribed, let the midwife prcfently cleanfe it 
 from the excrements and filth it brings into the world with it ; of 
 which fume are within the body, as the urine in the bladder, and the 
 excrement found in the guts; and ethers without, which are thick, 
 whitifh 2nd clammy, proceeding from the fliminefs of the waters : 
 There are children fometimes fo covered over with this, that one 
 would fay they are rubbed over with foft cheefe and fome women 
 are of fo eafy a belief, that really think it fo, becaufe they had eaten 
 fome while they were with child. From thefe excrements let the child 
 be cleanfed with wine and water a little warmed, wafhing every part 
 therewith but chiefly the head, becaufe of the hair, alfo the folds of 
 the groins, armpits, and the cods or privities ; which parts mull be 
 gently cleanfe d with a linen rag, or a foft fpunge dipped in this luke- 
 warm vine. If this clammy or vifeious excrement flick fo clofe that it 
 will not be eafil.y v allied off from thofe places, it may be fetched off 
 with the oil of fweet almonds, or a little frefli butter melted with wine, 
 and afterwards well dried off. She muft alfo make tents of fine rags, 
 and, wetting them in this liquor, clear the ears aud noftrils ; but for 
 the eyes, wipe them only with a dry foft rag, not dipping it in the 
 wine, left it fhould make them fmart. 
 
 The chilel being thus wafhed and cleanfed from its native blood 
 and impurities which attended it into the world, it mutt, in the next 
 place be fcarched to fee whether all things be right about it, and that 
 there is no fault or difiocation ; whether its nofe be ftraight, or its 
 tongue tied, whether there be any bruife or tumour on the head, or 
 whether the mould be not overfhotten ; alfo \vhether the fcrotum, if a 
 boy, be not blown up and fweilcd ; and in fliort, whether it has fuffered 
 any violence in arty part of its body, and whether all the parts be well 
 and duly fhaped, thatfuitable remedies may be applied, if any thing 
 be found not right. Nor is it enough that all be right without, and 
 the outfide of the body cleanfed, but fhe mult chiefly obferve wheth- 
 er it difchargeth the excrements retained within, and whether the paf- 
 fage be open, for fome have been born w ithout having them perfora- 
 ted ; therefore let her examine whether the conduits of the urine and 
 ftool be clear, for want of which fome have died, not being able to 
 void their excrements, becaufe timely care was not taken at iiift. As 
 to the urine, all children, males *md females, do make water as foon 
 as they are born, if they can, especially when they feel the heat of the 
 fire, and fometimes alfo the excrements, but not fo foon as the urine. 
 If the infant does not ordure the firft: day, then put up into its funda- 
 ment a fmall fuppofitory, to ftir it up to be difcharged, that it may 
 »ot catile painful gripes by remaining fo long in it? belly. A fugar 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 121 
 
 almond may be proper for this purpofe anointed over with a little 
 boiled honey, or elfe a fmall piece of caftile foap rubbed over with 
 frefli butter ; ilie may alfo give the child, to this purpofe, a little fyr- 
 tip of rofes or violets at the mouth, mixed with fome oil of fweet al- 
 monds drawn without afire, anointing the belly alfo with the fame 
 oil or a little frefh butter. 
 
 The midwife having thus wafhed and cleanfed the child, according 
 to the before mentioned directions, let her begin to fwaddle in fwath- 
 ing clothes, and when {he drelTes the head, let her put fmall rags be- 
 hind the ears to dry up the filth which ufually engenders there, and 
 alfo in the folds of the armpits and groins, and fo fwathe it, having 
 wrapped it up warm in bed and blankets.; only take care that they 
 fwathe not the child too ftrait, efpecially about the bread: and ftomach, 
 that it may breathe the more freely, and not be forced to vomit up the 
 milk it fucks, becaufe the flomach cannot be fufficiently extended to 
 contain it ; therefore let its arms and legs be wrapped in its bed 
 ftretched and ftraight, and fwathed to keep them fo, viz. the arms 
 along its fides, and its legs equally both together, with a little of the 
 bed between them, that they may not be galled by rubbing each other; 
 let the head be kept fleady and flraight, with a flay fattened on each 
 fide the blanket, and then wrap the child up in mantles and blankets 
 to keep it warm. This fwathing of the infant is very neceflary, to 
 give its body a ftraight figure which is moft decent and proper for a 
 man, and to accuftom him to keep upon his feet, and not w*dk upon 
 all-four, as moll other animals do. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 NEW-BORN children are fubjeCt to fo many difrenrpers that daily- 
 experience fhews us, there and not above'half the* children that 
 are born who live till they are three years old; which is occafioned 
 by the tendernefs of their bodies and feeblenefs of their age, which hin- 
 ders them from exprefling the incommodities they labour under, anv 
 otherwife than by their cries. The bufmefs of this chapter therefore 
 will be to difcover the indifpofitions to which they are fubjec\ with 
 the remedies proper for them. 
 
 Section 1. Of Gripes and Paitrs in the Bellies rf young Chufccn. 
 
 THIS I mention firft, as it is often the firft and moft" common dif- 
 tem per which happens te little infants after their birth, many 
 children being fo troubled and pained therewith, that they cry niehjfc 
 and day, and at laft die of it. This comes, for the mofr part, from the- 
 fudaen ch-mge of their nouritTiment, for having alwavs- received it from 
 the umbilical veffels whilft in their mother's womb they come to 
 change, on a fudden, not only the manner of receiving it but the na- 
 ture and quality of what they receive, as foon, as they are born : for 
 inftead of purified blood only, conveyed to them by means of the um- 
 bilical vein, they are now obliged to be nourillied with their mothesV 
 breaft mil*, whrcJi they fuck with their mouths, and from which are 
 engendered i many excrements, caufing gripes andp?ins, and that not 
 »-y becaufe it is not fo pure as the biood with which it was nourished 
 
 out 
 
9AI 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE, 
 
 The remedy therefore mufc he fuited to the eaufe ; if it .proceed 
 from the too fudden changes of nourifhment, the remedy muft he to 
 forbear giving the child fuck for Tome days, left the milk he mixed 
 with phlegm ; and at firft it mult fuck hut little, until it be accuftom- 
 ed to digeft it. If it he the excrements in the intcftines, which by their 
 long ftay increafe thefe pains, give them at the mouth a little oil of 
 fweet almonds, and fyrup of rofes. If it be worms lay a cloth dipped 
 in oil of wormwood, mixed with ox-gall, upon the belly ; for a fmall 
 cataplafm, the powder of rue, wormwood, coloquintida, aloes, the 
 feeds of citron, incorporated with ox-gall, and the powder of lupines. 
 Or, give it oil of fweet almonds, with fugar candy, and a fcruple of 
 annifleed ; it purges new-born babes from green choler and ftinking 
 phlegm, and if it be given with fugar-pap it allays the griping pains 
 of the belly. Alfo anoint the belly with oil of dill, or pellitory (lamp- 
 ed with oil of camomile, to the belly 
 
 Section II. Of *rvsaknefs in rctv-btrn infants. 
 
 WEAKNESS is an accident that many children bring into the 
 world along with them, and is often cccafioned by the labour 
 of the mother: by the violence and length whereof they luffer fo 
 much, that they are born, with great weaknefs, and many times it is 
 difficult to know whether they are alive or dead, their body appearing 
 fo fenfelefs, and their facefo blue and livid, that they feenl to be quite 
 choaked ; and, even after fome hours, their fhewing iigns or life is at- 
 tended with fo much weaknefs, rhat it looks like a return from death, 
 and that they are (till upon the borders of that kingdom. 
 
 In this cafe, the heft way to help the infant is to lay him fpeedily in 
 a warm bed and blankets, and carry him to the fire, and then let the 
 midwife fup a little wine, and fpout it into his mouth, repeating it cf- 
 tt -n, if there be occafion. Let her apply linen to the brcaft and belly 
 dipped in wine,and then let the face be uncovered that he may breathe 
 the more freely; alfo let the midwife keep its mouth a little open, 
 cleanfe the noftrils with fmall linen tents dipped in white wine, that fo 
 he may receive thefmell of it and let her chafe every part of his body 
 well with warm cloths, to bring back the blood and fpirits, which 
 being retired inward through weaknefs often puts him in danger of 
 being choaked. By the application of thefe means the infant will in- 
 fenfiMy recover ftrength, and begin to ftir his limbs by degrees, and 
 at length to cry, which though it be but weakly at firft, yet afterwards 
 as he breathes more freely, he will cry ftronger and ftronger. ' 
 SECTION III; Of ihc FunJamdnt h/nig clofed up in a nciv-born infant. 
 
 ANOTHER effect that new-born infants are liable to, is to have 
 their fundaments clofed up, by means whereof they can neither 
 evacuate the new excrements engendered by the milk they fuck, nor 
 that which was amalTcd in their intcftines whilft in their mother's bel- 
 ly, which is certainly mortal without a fpeedy remedy. There have 
 hVen fome female children who have had their fundament quite clof- 
 ed, and yet have voided the excrements of the guts by an orifice, which 
 nature, to fupply that defect, had made within the neck of the womb. 
 
 For the cure or remedy of this, we muft notice that the fundament 
 is ciofe two ways ; either by a Tingle fkin, through which one may dif- 
 cover fome black and blue marks, proceeding from the excrements 
 retained, which of one touch with the finger, there is a foftnefs felt 
 within, and thereabouts it ought to be pierced ; or elfe it is quite ftop- 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 123 
 
 ped by a thick fieflly fubftance, ill fuch fort that there appears nothing 
 without by which its true iituation may be known. When there is 
 nothing but the fingle fkin which makes the clofure, the operation is 
 very eafy, and the child may do very well : for then an apertion or 
 opening may be made with a fmali incifion knife, crofs ways, that it 
 may the better receive a round form, and that the place afterwards 
 may not grow together, taking great car* not to prejudice the fphinc- 
 ter or mufcle of the Rectum. The incifion being thus made, the ex- 
 crements will certainly have ifiue. But if, by reafon of their long ftay 
 in the belly, they are become fodry that the infant cannot void them, 
 then let a fmall clyfter be given to moiften and bring them away ; af- 
 terwards put a linen tent into the new-made fundament, which at firfl: 
 had beft be anointed with honey of rofes, and towards the end with a 
 drying cicatrizing ointment, fuch as Unguentum, Album, or Pomphe- 
 lix, obferving to deanfe the infant of his excrement?, and dry it again 
 \ as foon and as often as he evacuates them, that fo the apertion may be 
 prevented from turning into a malignant ulcer. 
 
 But now if the fundament be flopped up in fuch a manner, that nei- 
 ther mark nor appearance can be either feen or felt, then the opera- 
 tion is fo much more difficult ; and even when it is done, the danger 
 is much more of the infant's efcaping it. And then if it be a female, 
 and that it fends forth its excrements by the way I have mentioned 
 before, it is better not to meddle, than by endeavouring to remedy an 
 inconvenience, to run an extreme hazard of the infant's death. But 
 when there is no vent for the excrements, without which death is un- 
 avoidable, there the operation is juftifiable. 
 
 The operation in this eafe muft be thus ; let the operator with a 
 fmall incifion knife that hath but one edge, enter into the void place, 
 and turning the back of it upwards within half a finger's breadth of 
 the child's rump, which is the place where he will certainly find the 
 inteftine, let him thruft it forward, that it may be open enough to give 
 free vent to the matters there contained, being efpecially careful of the 
 fphinc5ler ; after which, let the wound be dreffed according to the 
 method directed. 
 
 Section IV. Of the Thrufh, cr Ulcers in the Mouth tf an Infant. 
 
 THE thruib is a diftemper that children are very often fu ? \jecr. to, 
 and it arifes from bad milk, or from foul humours in the fhom- 
 ach ; for fometimes, though there be no ill quality in the milk itfelf, 
 yet it may corrupt in the child's ftomach becaufe of its weaknefs, or 
 forne other indifpotion, in which, acquiring an acrimony inftead of 
 being well digefted, there arifes from thence biting vapours, which 
 forming a thick vifcofity, do thereby produce this diftempcr. 
 
 It is often difficult, as phylicians tell us, becaufe it is feated in hot 
 and moift places, where the putrefaction is eaftly augmented, and for 
 that the remedies applied cannot lodge there, being foon wafhetl away 
 by fpittle. But if they arife from too hot a quality in the nur&'s milk, 
 care muft be taken to temper and cool, prefcribing her copl diet, 
 bleeding and purging her alfo, if there be occafion. 
 
 Take lentiles hulked, powder them and lay it upon the child's 
 gums ; or take melidium in flower, half an ounce, and with oil of rofes 
 make a liniment. Alfo wafh the child's mouth with barley and plan- 
 tain water, and honey of rofes, or fyrup of dry rofes, mixing them 
 with a little verjuice, or juice of lemons as well to loofen and cleanfe 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MlDWlM 
 
 the vicious humours which cleave to the inficte c*f the child's riioiith, 
 as to cool thofe parts which are already over- heated. This may be 
 done by means of a fmall fine rag fattened to the end of a little ftick, 
 and dipped therein, wherewith the ulcers may be gently rubbed, be- 
 ing cartful not to put the child to too much pain, left an inflamation 
 -make the diftemper worfe. The child's body mud be alio kept open, 
 that the humours being carried to the lower parts, the vapours may 
 Dot afcend, as it is ufual for them to do, when the body is coftive, and 
 the excrements too Jong retained, If the ulcers appear malignant, let 
 fuch remedies be ufed as do their work fpeedily, that the evil qualities- 
 that claufe them being thereby inftantly corrected, their malignity 
 may be prevented ; and in this cafe touch the ulcers with- plantain 
 waters tharpened with the fpirits of vitrol, for the remedy mud be 
 made iharp according to the malignity of the diftemper. It will not 
 fee unneceftary to purge thefe ill humours out of the whole habit of 
 the child, by giving half an ounce of fuccory with rhubarb. 
 
 Section V. Of Pain in the Ears, I;famaiion y JlTojjlure, t&c. 
 
 T^HE brain in infants is very mo i ft, and hath many excrements 
 which nature cannot fend out at its proper paflages ; they get 
 often to the ears, and there caufe pains, flux of blood, with inflama- 
 tion, and matter with pain : zr.d in children is hard to be fyiown, hav- 
 ing no other way to make it known but by conftant crying ; you will 
 alio perceive them ready to fell their ears themfelves, but will not let 
 others touch them if they could help it : and fume times you may dif- 
 eern the parts about the ears to be very red. Thefe pains, if let alone, 
 arc of dangerous confequences, becaufe they bring forth watching and 
 epilepfy, for the moifture breeds worms there, and fouls the fpongy 
 bones, and by degrees incurable deafntfs. 
 
 To prevent all thofe ill confequenecs, allay the pain with all conve- 
 nient fpeed, but have a care of uiing ftrong remedies. Therefore on- 
 ly life warm milk about the ears, with the decoction of poppy tops, or 
 oil of violets : to take away the moifture, ufe honey of rofes ; and let 
 spaniel Hs bo dropped into the ears ; or take virgin honey half an 
 ounce, red wine two ounces, alhim, faiTron, i'altpeue, each a dram 5 
 them at the fire ; or drop in hempfeed oil with a little wine. 
 riON VI. Qf R'atiefs and Infiamalion of the Buitocls, Grvi/i f and 
 thighs of an Infant, 
 
 TF there be not great care taken to change and wafli the child's beds 
 1 as foon as they are fouled with the excrement}, and to keep the 
 child very clean, their acrimony will be fure to caufe rednefs, and 
 beget a fmarting in the buttocks', groin and thighs of the child, which 
 by reafon of the pain, will afterwards be fubjecr. to inftamations, which 
 follow the fooner, through the delicacy and tendernefs of their fkin, 
 hich the outward ikin of the body is in a fhort time feparated 
 
 mi 
 
 tr.om wr 
 
 and worn away. . . . 
 
 the remedy of this is twofold ; that is to fay, fir ft, to keep the 
 child cleanly, and in the fecond place, to take otT.the lbarpnefs of its 
 urine As to keeping it cleanly, Hie muft be a forry nurle that needs 
 to be tiMfcht how to do it, for if ihe lets it but have dry, clean and 
 warm beds and clouts, as often and foon as it has fouled and wet them, 
 either by its urine or excrements, it will be fufficient ; and, as to the 
 fecond, the taking oft the fharpnefs of the child's urine, that muft be 
 done by the nurfe's keeping a cooling diet, that her milk may have the 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 125 
 
 fame quality ; and therefore flie ought to abftain from all things that 
 may heat it. But befides thefe eooling and drying remedies are requi- 
 fite to be applied to the inflamed parts ; therefore, let the parts be 
 bathed with plantain water, with a fourth of lime water added to it, 
 each time the child's excrements are wiped off ; and if the pain be 
 very great, let it only be fomented with lukewarm milk. The pow- 
 der of a pofl to dry it, or a little mill duft ftrewed upon the parts af* 
 fected, may be proper enough : and it is ufed by feveral women. Alfo 
 Ungeutum Album, or Diapampholigos, fpread upon a fmall piece of 
 leather in form of a plaifter, will not be amifs. 
 
 But the chief thing muft be the nurfes taking great care to wrap 
 the inflamed parts with fine rags when fhe opens the child, that thofe 
 parts may not be gathered and painted by rubbing them together. 
 Section VII. Of Vomiting in young Children, 
 
 VOMITING in children proceeds Sometimes from too much milk, 
 and fometimes from bad milk, and is often from amoiftloofe 
 ftomach ; for as drynefs retains, fo loofenefs lets go. This is for the 
 mod part, without danger in children ; and they that vomit from their 
 birth are the luftieft ; for the ftomach not being ufed to meat, and 
 milk being taken toe much, crudities are eafily bred, or the milk is 
 corrupted ; and it is better to vomit thefe up than to keep them in ; 
 but if vomiting I aft long, it will caufe an atrophy or confumption for 
 want of nourilTiment. 
 
 To remedy this, if from too much milk, that which is emitted is yel- 
 low and green, or otherwife ill coloured and ftinking ; in this cafe, 
 mend the milk, as has been fliewed before ; cleanfe the child with 
 honey of rofes, and ftrengthen its ftomach with fyrup of milk and 
 quinces made into an electuary. If the humour be hot and fliarp,give 
 the fyrup of pomegranates, currants and coral ; and apply to the bel- 
 ly the plaifter of bread, the ftomach create, or bread dipped in hot 
 wine ; or take oil ofmaftic, quinces, mint, wormwood, each half an 
 ounce ; of nutmegs by expreifton, half a dram, chymiealoil of mint, 
 three drops. Coral hath an occult property to prevent vomiting, and 
 is therefore hung about their necks. 
 
 Section VIII. Of breeding Teeth in young Children. 
 
 TI$IS is a very great, and yet neceflary evil in all children, having 
 variety of fymptoms joined with it ; they begin to come forth, 
 not all at a time, but one after another, about the fixth and feventh 
 month ; the fore teeth coming hrft, then the eye teeth, and at laft of 
 all the grinders : the eye teeth caufe more pain to the child than any 
 of the reft, beeaufe thty have a very deep root, and a fmall nerve, 
 which hath communication to that which makes the eye move. In the 
 breeding of their teeth, lirft they feel an itching in their gums, when 
 they are pierced as with a needle, and pricked by the fliarp bones, 
 whence proceed great pains, watching, and inflam-ation of the gums, 
 fever, ioofnefs, and convullions, efpecially when they breed their eye' 
 teeth. 
 
 The figns when children breed their teeth, are thefe ; 1, It is known 
 by their time, which is ufually about the feventh month. 2. Their 
 gums are fwelled, and they feel a great heat there, with an itching, 
 which makes them put their fingers in their mouth to rub them, from 
 whence a moifture diftils down into the mouth, beeaufe of the pain 
 they feci thsre. 3. They hold the nipple faftcr than before. 4. The 
 
126 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 gam is white where the tooth begins to come ; and the nurfe in giv- 
 ing them fuck finds the mouth hotter, and that they are much changed, 
 crying every moment, and cannot ileep, or but very little at a time. 
 The fever that follows breeding of teeth comes from cholerick hu- 
 mours, inflamed by watching, pain, and heat. And the longer teeth 
 are breeding, the more dangerous it is, fo that many in the breeding 
 cf them die of fevers ynd convulfions. 
 
 For remedy, two things are to be regarded ; one is, to preferve the 
 child from the evil accidents that may happen to ift by reafon of the 
 great pain ; the other, to auTft as much as may be the cutting of the 
 teeth, when they can hardly cut the gums themfelves. 
 
 For the iirft of thefe,i. e. the preventing thefe accidents to the child, 
 the nurfe ought to take great care to keep a good diet, and to ufe alf 
 things that may cool and temper her milk, that fo a fever may not fol- . 
 low the pain of the teeth. And to prevent the humcur from falling 
 too much upon the inflamed gums, let the child's belly be kept always 
 loofe by gentle clyflers, if it be bound ; though oftentimes there is no 
 need of them, becaufe they are at thofe times ufually troubled with a 
 loofnefs, and yet for all that, clyfters may not be improper neither. 
 
 As to the other, which is to affile in cutting of the teeth, that the 
 nurfe muft do from time to time molifying and loofening them, by 
 rubbing them with her finger dipped in butter or honey, to let the 
 child have a virgin wax candle to chew upon ; or anoint the gums 
 with the mucilage of quince made with mallow water, or with the 
 brains of a hare ; alfo foment the cheeks with the decoction of Ah 
 thea, and cammomile flower and dill, or with the juice of mallows and 
 fr efli butter. If the gums are inflamed, add juice of nightfhade and 
 lettuce. I have already faid the nurfe ought to keep a temperate di- 
 et. I will now add, that barley broth, water gruel, raw eggs, prunes, 
 lettuce and endive, are good for her : but let her avoid fait, fharp, 
 biting, and peppered meats, and wine. 
 
 SECTION IX. Of the Flux of the Belly., or loofnefs in Infants. 
 
 IT is very common for infants to have the 'lux of the belly, or loofe- 
 nefs, efpecially upon the leaft indifpofition ; nor is it to be won- 
 dered at, feeing their natural moiftnefs contributes fo much thereto : 
 and if it be not extraordinary violent, frjeh. are in a better ftate of 
 health than thofe that are bound. This flux, if violent proceeds from 
 divers caufes : as, I. From breeding teeth, and is then commonly at- 
 tended with a fever, in which the concoction is hindered and the nour- 
 iihment corrupted. 2. From watching. 3.. From P aIn - 4- From ihr- 
 rm of the rmmours by a fever. 5. When they fuck or drink too 
 much in a fever. Sometimes they have a ilux without breeding of teeth, 
 from outward cold in the guts or ftomach, that oWlrucls concocW 
 If it be from teeth it is eahly known, for the f.gns in breeding of t^th 
 rvill difcover it. If k tve from external cold, there are figns of other 
 caufes. If from a humour flowing from the head, there are figns of a 
 catarrh, and the excrements are frothy. If crude and raw humours 
 are voided, there is wind, belching, and phlegmatic excrements. If 
 they be yellow, green and ftink, the flux is from a hot and fliarp hu- 
 mour It is bed in breeding of teeth when the belly is loofe, as I have 
 faid before ; but if it \p too violent, and you are afraid it may end in a 
 corf.imptionjtmuftbeftopped; and if the excrements that are toid- 
 ed be black, attended with a fever, it i% .very bad. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 Th* remedy in this cafe has a principal refpect to the nurfe, and 
 the condition of the milk, mufl chiefly he obferved ; the nurfe muft 
 be cautioned that flie eat no green fruit, nor things of a hard concoc- 
 tion. If the child fuck not, remove the flux with purges, fuch as leave 
 a blooding quality behind them : As fyrup of honey, of rofes, or a 
 clvfter. Take the decoction of mi Ilium, myrobolans, each two or three 
 ounces, with an ounce or two of fyrup of rofes, and make a clyfter, 
 After cleaniing, if it proceed from a hot caufe, give fyrup of dried ro- 
 fes, quinces, myrtles, coral, maftic, hart's-horn, red rofes, or powder 
 of myrtles, with a little Sanguis Draconis. Alfo anoint with oil of ro- 
 fes, myrtles, maftic, each two drams, with oil of myrtles and wax,, 
 make an ointment. Or, take red rofes, moulin, each a handful, cy- 
 prefs roots, two drams : make a bag, boii it in red wine and apply it 
 to the belly. Or, ufe the plainer of bread or flomach ointment. If the 
 caufe be cold, and the excrements white, give fyrup of maftic, and the 
 quinces, with mint water. Ufe outwardly mint, maftic, cummin ; or, 
 take rofe feeds an ounce, cummin and annis feed, each two drams ; 
 with oil of maftic, wormwood, and wax, make an ointment. 
 
 Section X. OftheMpthpf^andConvulftons h} Children, 
 
 THIS is a diftemper that is the death of many young children, and 
 proceeds from the brain nrft, as when the humours are bred in 
 the brain that caufe it, either from the parents, or from vapours, or 
 bad humours that twitch the membrances of the brain ; it is alfo fome- 
 times caufed from other diftempers, and from bad diet ; iikewife the 
 toothach, when the brain confents, caufes it, and fo does a fudden 
 fright. As to the diftemper itfelf, it is manifeft, and well enough 
 known where it is ; and as to the caufe whence it comes, you may 
 know by the figns of the difeafe whether it comes from bad milk, or 
 worms* or teeth : if thefe are all abfent, it is certain that the brain is- 
 fl r ft affected ; if it comes with the fmall pox, or mealies, it ceafeth 
 when they come forth if nature be ftrong enough. 
 
 For the remedy of this grievous and often mortal diftemper, give 
 t?ie following powder to prevent it, to a child as foon as it is bOrn : 
 Take male piony roots, gathered in the decreafe of the moon, a fcru- 
 ple, with leaf gold make a powder • or, take piony roots a dram, pi- 
 ony feeds, mifletoe of the oak, elks hoof, man's fktill, amber, each a 
 fcruple, mufk two grains ; make a powder. The beft part of the cure 
 is taking care of the nurfe 's diet, which muft! not be diforderly by any 
 means. If it be from corrupt milk, provoke a vomit, to do which, 
 hold down the tongue, and put a quill dipped in fweet almonds down 
 the throat. If it comes from worms give fuch things as will kill the. 
 worms. If there oe a fever refpect that alfo, and give coral fmaraged, 
 and elk's hoof. In the fit give epileptic water, as lavender water, and 
 rub with oil of amber, or hang a piony root, elk's hoof, and fmaraged 
 coral, about the neck. 
 
 As to a convulfion, it is when the brain labours to call: out that 
 which troubles it : the matter is in the marrow of the back, and foun- 
 tain of the nerves ; it ic a ftubborn difeafe and often kills. 
 
 For the remedy whereof, in the fit walh the body, efpecially the 
 back bone, with Decoction of Althaea, lily roots, piony and camomile 
 flowers, and anoint it with man's and goofe greafe, oils of worms, or- 
 ris lillies, turpentine, maftic, ftorax and calamint. The fun flower is 
 alfo very good, boiled ia water, to walli the child. 
 
THE 
 
 Experienced Midwife. 
 
 PART II. 
 
 Containing proper and fafe Remedies for the curing of all thofe diftempers 
 that are peculiar to the Female Sex, and efpecially thofe that have Qb- 
 flrudtion to the Bearing of Children. 
 
 HAVING fmiflied the firfc part of this book, and I hope therein 
 amply made good my promife to the reader. I am now come to 
 treat of the diftempers peculiar to the female fex : in which it is not 
 my defign to enlarge, or to treat of all the diftempers they are incident 
 to, but thofe only to which they are mofl. fubject, when in a breeding 
 condition, and that keep them from being fo : for each of which dif- 
 tempers I have laid down fuch proper and fafe remedies, as, with the 
 divine bleiTing, may be fufficient to repel them ; and fince as amongft 
 all the difeafes to which human nature is fubject,there is none that more 
 diametrically oppofes the very end of our creation, and the d^Cign of 
 nature in the formation of different fexes, and the power thereby giv- 
 en us for the work of generation, than that of fterility or barrennefs, 
 which, where it prevails, renders the moft accompliflied midwife, but 
 an ufelefs perfon, and deltroys the defign of our book ; I think there- 
 fore barrennefs is an effect that deferves our firft conlideration. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Of Barrennefs ; its fever al Minds, ivith proper Remedies againjl. it ; and 
 the Signs of Itifufficiency both in Men and Women, 
 
 Section I. Of Barrennefs in general. 
 
 AS there is no general rule but will admit of fome exception, a- 
 gainft this fecond part ; for though I have promifed to treat 
 herein only of difeafes peculiar to the female fex, yet this chapter will 
 engage me to fpeak of a defect in men, barrennefs being an effect in- 
 cident to them alfo ; and therefore it is neceffary to be handled with 
 refpect to men as well as women, that without treating of it fo, I fliall 
 not be able to make good the old proverb, of letting the faddle on the 
 fight horfe. 
 
 Having premifed this, and thereby anticipated an objection, I fhall 
 now proceed to the fubjeet of this chapter, which is barrennefs. 
 Barrennefs is either natural or accidental. 
 
 Natural barrennefs is, when a woman is barren, though the inftru- 
 ments of generation are perfect both in herfelf and hufband, and no 
 prepofterous or diabolical courfe ufed to caufe it ; and neither age 
 nor difeafe, or any natural defect hindering, and yet the woman re- 
 mains naturally barren, and conceives not. 
 
 Now this may proceed from a natural caufe : for if the man and 
 woman be of one complexion, they feldom have children ; and the 
 reafon is clear, for t»he univerfal courfe of nature being formed by the 
 Almighty of a compofition of contraries, cannot be increafed by a 
 ;compoCition of likes ; and therefore, if the wonftitution of the woman 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 be hot and dry as well as of the man, there can be no conception ; 
 and if, on the contrary, the man ihould be of a cold and moift confti- 
 tution as well as the woman, the effect would be the lame ; and this 
 barrennefs is purely natural. The only way to help it is for people be- 
 fore they marry to obferve each others conftitution and complexion, 
 if they defign to have children. If their complexions and confutations 
 be alike, they are not fit to come together, for the difcordant nature 
 makes the only harmony in the work of generation. 
 
 Another natural caufe of barrennefs is want of love between the 
 man and wife. Love is that vital principle that ought to infpire each 
 origin in the act of generation, or elfe 'twill be but fpiritlefs and dull ; 
 for if their hearts be not united in love, how fhould their feed unito 
 to caufe conception ; and this is evidently evinced in that there never 
 follows conception on a rape ; therefore if men and women delign to 
 have children, let them live fo that their hearts as wcil as their bodies 
 may be united, or elfe they may mifs of their expectations. 
 
 A third caufe of natural barrennefs is virgins letting blood in the 
 arm before their natural courfes are come down, which is ufually in 
 the fourteenth or fifteenth years of their age ; fo me times perhaps be- 
 fore the thirteenth but never before the twelfth. And hecaufe ufual- 
 ly they are out of order and indifpofed before their purgations come 
 down, their parents run to the doctor to know what is the matter, 
 and he ftraight way opens a vein in the arm, as if it was fullnefs of 
 blood which was the caufe of offending, and this makes her well 
 at prefent ; and when the young virgin happens to be in the fame 
 diforder again, the mother ftraight runs to the furgeon, and he direct- 
 ly ufes the fame remedy: and by th'efe means the blood is diverted 
 from its proper channel, that it comes not down the womb as in an- 
 other woman ; and fo the womb dries up, and the woman is forever 
 barren. The way to prevent this is to let no virgin blood in the arm 
 before her courfes comes down well ; but if there be occafion, let her 
 blood in the foot e for that will bring the blood downwards, and by 
 that means provoke the menftrues to come down. 
 
 Another caufe of natural barrennefs is the debility in copulation ; 
 if perfons perform not that act with all the he at and ardour that na- 
 ture requires, they may as well let it alone, and expect to have chil- 
 dren without it, for frigidity and coldnefs never produce conception. 
 Of the cure of this we will fpeak by and by, after I have fpoken of 
 accidental barrennefs, which is what is occafioned by fome morbific 
 muter or infirmity upon the body, either of the man or the woman, 
 which being removed, they become fruitful. ' And hnce fas I have be- 
 fore noted] theh*rft and great law of the creation was to increafe and 
 multiply, and barrennefs is the direct oppofition to the law, and fruf- 
 trates the end of our creation ; and that it is a great affliction to di- 
 vers to be without children, and often caufes man and wife to have 
 hard thoughts of one another, each party thinking the caufe not in 
 them. I (hall here for the fatis faction of well meaning people, fee 
 down the figns and caufes of infuificiency both in men and women, 
 premifmg this fir ft, that when people havemo children, they muft not 
 prefently blame either party, for neither may be in fault, but perhaps, 
 God fees it not good [for reafons beft known unto himfcli] to give 
 them any ; of which we have divers inftances in hiftory. — And though 
 the Alm^Uy in the production of nature,, works by natural mcan* a 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 yet where he withholds his bleffing, natural means are ineffectual : for 
 it is the blefling which " is the power and energy by which nature 
 brings forth her productions. 
 
 Section II. Srgns and caufes of Infaflicicncy in Men. 
 
 ONE caufe may be in fome vicioufnefs in the yard, as if the fame 
 be crooked, or any ligaments thereof diftorted or broken, where- 
 by the ways and paiTages through which the feed lhould flow, come 
 to be flopped or vitiated. 
 
 Another caufe may be too much wcaknefs of the yard, and tender- 
 nefs thereof, fo that it is not ftrongly enough erected to inject feed in* 
 to the womb ; for the ftrength and itiffhefs of the yard very much con- 
 duce to conception, by reafon of the forcible injection of the feed. 
 
 ^ Alfo if the (tones have received any hurt, fo that they cannot exer- 
 cife the proper gift in producing feed, or if they be opprefTcd with a- 
 ny inflamation or tumour, wound or ulcer, or draw up within the 
 belly, and not appearing outwardly thefe are iigns of infufHciency 
 and caufes of barrennefs. 
 
 Alfo a man may be barren by reafon of the defect of feed ; as firft 
 if he cafe forth no feed at all, or lefs in fubftance than is needful. 
 Or, fecondly if the feed be vicious, or unfit for generation, as on the 
 one fide, it happens in bodies that are grofs and fat, the matter of it 
 being defective, and on the other fide too much leannefs, or continual 
 wafting of confumption of body deftroys the feed ; nature turning all 
 the matter and fubftance thereof into nutriment of the body. 
 
 Toe frequent copulation is alfo one great caufe of barrennefs in 
 men ; for it attracteth the femiual moifture from the (tones before it 
 is fufficiently prepared and concocted ; fo, if any one by daily copu- 
 lation do exhauft and draw out all the moifture of the feed, then do 
 the (tones draw the moift humours from the fuperior veins into them- 
 felves ; and fo having but a little blood in them, they are forced of ne- 
 celilty tc caft it out raw and unconcocted, and thus the Hones are vio- 
 lently deprived of the moifture of their veins, and the fuperior veins* 
 from alt the other parts of the body for their proper nourifhment, 
 thereby depriving the body of its vital fpirits. And therefore no 
 wonder that thofe that ufe immoderate copulation are very weak in 
 their bodies ; feeing their whole body is thereby deprived of their beft 
 and purelt blood, and of the fpint, iniomu< h that many who have 
 been too much addicted to that pleafure, have killed ihemfelves in the 
 very act, and therefore it is no wonder if fuch unccncockd and un- 
 gefted feed be unfit for ^eneraton. 
 
 Gluttony, d run kennels, and the other excefTes, do alfo much hinder 
 men from fruitfulnefs, and makes them unfit for geweratfOn. 
 
 But among other caufes of barrernefs in men, this alfo is one that 
 makes them barren, and almoft of the nature of eunuchs, and that is 
 the incifion, or the cutting of ther veins behind their ears, which in 
 cafe of di (tempers is oftentimes done ; for according to the opinion of 
 molt phyflcians and anatomifts, ti e feed flows from the brain by thofe 
 veins behind the ears more than from any other part of the body. 
 From whence it is very probable, that the tranfmiilion of the feed is 
 hindered by the cutting of the veins behind the cars, fo that it can- 
 not defcend at all to the teftielcs,or come thither very crude and raw. 
 And thus much for thefigns and caufes of barrennefs in men. 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 Sec. III. S/'gns and Caufes of Jnftifficicncy^ or Barrennefs In Women. 
 
 ALTHOUGH there are many caufe3 of the barrennefs of women, 
 yet the chief and principal are internal, refpe<5ting either the 
 privy parts, the womb, or menftruous blood. 
 
 Therefore Hippocrates faith (fpeaking of either eafy or difficult 
 conception of women) the fir ft confederation is to be had of their fpc- 
 cies, for little women are more apt to conceive than gr eat ; /lender 
 than grof* ; white and fair, than ruddy and high coloured ; black than 
 wane ; thoie that have their veins confpicuous are more apt to con- 
 ceive than others ; but to the very flefh is evil ; to have great 1 welled 
 breafts is good. 
 
 The next thing to be confidcred, is the monthly purgations, whether 
 they have been duly every month, and whether they flow plentifully, 
 and are of good colour, and whether they have been equal every 
 month. 
 
 Then the womb or place of conception is to be conlidered, it ought 
 to be clean, found,dry and foft : not retracted or drawn up ; not prone$ 
 not defcending downwards, nor the mouth thereof turned awry, not 
 too "clofe fliut. But to fpeak more particularly : 
 
 The firft parts to be fpoken of are the pudenda, or privities, and 
 the womb ; which parts are fhut and inclofed, either by nature or 
 againft nature ; and from hence luch women are called imperfores ; 
 and in fome women the mouth of their womb continues compreflcd, 
 or clofed up from the time of their birth, until the coming down of 
 their courfes, and then on a Hidden when their terms prefs forward 
 to purgation, they are molefted with great and unufual pains ; fome of 
 thefe break of their own accord, others are diifecStcd and opened by 
 phyficians, others never break at all, and it brings death. 
 
 And all thefe Aetiue particularly handles, fhewing that the womb 
 is flint three manner of ways, which hinders conception. And the 
 fir ft is, when the lips of the pudenda grows or cleave together ; the 
 fecond is, when there are certain membranes growing in the middle 
 part of the matrix within ; the third is, when (though the lips. and ho- 
 ibm of the pudenda may appear fair and open) the mouth of the 
 womb m iy be quite Hiut up; all which are occafions of barrennefs, 
 in that they hinder both the ufe of man, the monthly courfes, and con- 
 ception. 
 
 But amou r a !I the caufes of barrennefs in women, the greater is in 
 the womb, which i-. the field of generation ; and if this field be cor- 
 rupt, it is in vain to expect any fruit, let it be ever fo well fown ; for 
 it may be unfit for generation, by reafon of many diftempers to which 
 it is fubjecl : as for inftance over-much heat and over-much cold : for 
 women, whofe wombs are too thick and cold, cannot conceive becaufe 
 cold extinguifhes the heat of the human feed. Immoderate moifture 
 of the womb alfo deftroys the feed of man, and makes it ineffectual, as 
 corn fown in ponds and marthes ; and fo does over much drynefs in the 
 womb, fo the feed perifheth for want of nutriment Immoderate heat of 
 the womb is alfo a caufe of barrennefs, for it fcorcheth up the feed, as 
 corn fown in the drought of furaraer ; for immoderate heat hurts all 
 the parts of the body, fo as no conception can live in the woman And 
 when unnatural labours arc engendered, as too much phlegm, tym- 
 panies, wind, water, worms, or any fuchevil humours abounding con- 
 
t*% *FHE EXPERirKCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 trary to nature, it caufes "barrennefs ; as does all the terms not com- 
 ing down in due order, as I have already faid. 
 
 A woman may alfoiiave other accidental caufes of barrennefs (at- 
 leaft fuch as may hindtr her conception) as fudden frights, anger, grief 
 and perturbation of the mind ; too violent exercifes, as leaping, danc- 
 ing, running after copulation, and the like. But I will now add fome 
 figns by which thefe things may the known. 
 
 If the caufe of barrennefs be in the man through over-much heat 
 in his feed, the woman may eafily feel that in receiving it. 
 
 If the nature cf the womb be too hot, and fo unfit for conception, 
 it will appear by her having her terms very little, and the colour in- 
 clining to yellowntfs ; fhe is alfo very haftv, choleric, and craftv, her 
 pulfe beats very fwift, and fhe is very defirous of copulation. 
 
 If you would know whether the defect is in the man or the woman, 
 fprinkle the man's urine upon a lettice-leaf, and the woman's upon 
 another, and that which dries away fh-ft is unfruitful. Alfo, Take 
 £ve wheaten coins and feven beans, put them into an earthen pot, 
 and let the party make water therein, if thefe begin to fprout, after 
 {landing feven days, then the party is fruitful, if not, they are barren, 
 whether it be man or woman. This is a certain fign. 
 
 Some make this experiment of a woman's fruitfulnefs : They take 
 myrrh, red ftorax, and fome odoriferous things and make a perfume, 
 which the woman is to receive into the neck of the wcrnb through 
 a funnel : and if the woman feels the fmokc afcend through her body 
 to the nofe, then fhe is fruitful, otherwife not. Some alio take gar- 
 lic and beat it, and caufe the woman to lie on her back upon it, and 
 if fhe feel the fcent thereof to her nofe, it is a fign of fruitfulnefs. 
 
 Culpepper and others alio give a great deal of credit to the follow- 
 ing experiment. 
 
 l ake a handful of barley, and fteep half of it in the urine of the 
 man, and the other half in the urine of the woman, for the fpace of 
 twenty four hours, and then take it^ out, and fet the man's by itfclf, 
 and the woman's by itfclf, in a flower pot, or fome other thing ; wa- 
 ter the man's every morning with his own urine, and the woman's 
 with hers, and that which grows firlt, is the molt fruitful ; and if one 
 grow not at all, that party is naturally barren. 
 
 But, now, having fpoken enough of the difeafe, it is high time to 
 afBgn the cure. 
 
 If barrennefs proceeds from floppage of the menfes, let the Woman 
 iweat, for that opens the parts ; and the beft way to fweat is in a hot- 
 houfc. Then let the womb be flrengthened by drinking a draught of 
 white wine, wherein a handful of ftinking arrack, firfl bruifed, has 
 been boiled. For by afecret magnetic virtue it ftrengthens the womb, 
 and by a fympathoiic quality removes any difeafe thereof. To which 
 add alfo a handful of vervain, which is very good to ftrengthen both 
 the womb and head, which are commonly afflicted together by fym- 
 pathy. Having ufed thefe two or three days, if they come not down ; 
 take of calac, nr.im, pennyroyal, thyme, bctony, dittany, feverfew, 
 burnet, mugwort, fr.ge, p ; ony roots, juniper berries,, half a handful of 
 each, or fo many as can be got, let all thefe be boiled in beer, and 
 drank for her ordinary drink*. 
 
 T*ake one part of the gentian root, two parts of centory, diAil them 
 with ale in an alembic,' after you have bruifed the gentian roots, and 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 *33 
 
 irifufed them well. This water is an admirable remedy to provoke the 
 terms. But if you have not this water in rfeadinefs,take a dram of cen* 
 tory, and half a dram of gentian roots bruifed, boiled in poffet drink, 
 and drink a draught of it at night going to bed. Seed of wild navew 
 beaten to powder, and a dram of it taken in the morning in white 
 wine, alfo is very good ; but if it do not do, youmuft be let blood in 
 the legs. And be fure you adminifler your medicines a little before 
 the full of the moon, or between a new and full moon, by no means in 
 the wane of the moon ; if you do, you will find them ineffectual. 
 
 If barrennefs proceeds from the overflowing of the menftrues, then 
 flrengthen the womb, as you were taught, and afterwards anoint the 
 reins of the back with oil of rofes, oil of myrtle, oil of quinces, every 
 night, and theu wrap a piece of white baize about your reins, the cot- 
 ton fide next the fkin* and keep the fame always to it. But above all, 
 I recommend this medicine to you. Take comfrey leaves or roots, and 
 blown woundwort, of each a handful : bruife them well, and boil them 
 in ale, and drink a good draught of it now and then : Or, Take cin- 
 namon, callia lignea, opium, of each two drams ; myrrh, white pep- 
 per galbanum of each one dram : diffolve the gum and opium in white 
 wine and beat the reft into powder ; then make it into pills, by mix- 
 ing them together exactly, and let the patient take two pills every night 
 going to bed, but let not the pills exceed 15 grains. 
 
 If barrennefs proceed from a flux of the womb, the cure mufl he 
 according to the caufe producing it, which may be known by its figns ; 
 for a flux of the womb being a continual diftillation from it for a long 
 time together, the colour of what is voided fhews what humour it is 
 that offends : In fome it is red, and that proceeds from blood putrefi- 
 ed : in fome it is yellow, and that denotes choler ; in others white 
 and pale, and that denotes phlegm. If pure blood comes out, as if a 
 vein were opened, fome corrofionor gnawing of the womb is to be 
 feared. Ail thofe are known by thele ligns : 
 
 The place of conception is continually" moifl with the humours, the face 
 is ill coloured, the party loaths meat, and breathes with difficulty, the eyes 
 are much fwolien, which is fometimes without pain. If the offending hu- 
 mour be pure blood, then you muft let blood in the arm, and the cephalic 
 vein is fittoft to draw back the blood, and then let juice of plantain and 
 comfrey be injected into the womb, if phlegm, be the caufe, let cinna- 
 mon be ufed in all her meats and drinks, and let her take a little Venice 
 treacle or rnithridate every morning. Let her boil burnet, mugwort, 
 featherfew and vervain, in all her broths. Alfo, half a dram of myrrh 
 taken every morning, is an excellent remedy againft this malady. If chol- 
 er be the eaule,Jet her take burrrge, buglofs, and rofes, endive, and fuc- 
 cory roots, lettuce, and white poppy feed, each an handful ; boil thefe in 
 white wine till one half be wafted ; let her drink half a pint every morn- 
 ing, to which add fyrup of peach flowers, and iyrup of chichony, of each 
 an ouice, with a little rhubarb, and this will gently purge her. If it pro- 
 ceeds from putrefied blood, let her be blooded in the foot, and then 
 ftrerigfchen the womb ss I have directed in flopping of the menfes. 
 
 If barrennefs be occafionedby the falling out of the womb, as fometimes 
 happens, let her apply fweet fcents to her nofe, fuch as civit, galbum, flo- 
 ra*, calamitis, wood of aloes and other things of that nature ; and let hear 
 lay {linking things to the womb, fuch as aflafcetida, oil of amber, or of the 
 fmoke of her own hair burnt ; for this is a certain truth, that the worab 
 • M 
 
THE EXPERHLNCIiD MIDWIFE. 
 
 | om all funking, and cleaves fc© ail fwect things. But the moil infal- 
 hble aire in this, Take a common burdock leaf (which you may keep dry 
 all the year) apply this to her head, and it will draw the womb upwards. 
 In fits of the mother, apply it to the foles of her feet, and it will draw the 
 womb downwards. Burleed beaten into powder draws the womb which 
 vvay you pleafe according as it is applied. 
 
 If barrennefs proceed from a hot caufe, let the party take whey, and 
 clarify it : then boil plantain leaves and roots in it, and drink it for her 
 ordinary drink. Let her alio inject the juice of plantain into the womb 
 with aiyringe •. if it be in winter, when you cannot get the jnice, make 
 a flrong decoclion of the leaves and roots in water, and injeel thatt up * 
 with a fyringe ; but let it be but blood warm, and you will find this med- 
 icine of great efficacy. And further. Take often con'ferve of rofes, cold 
 lozenges made of tragacanth, the confection? of traifantali, frequently fmell 
 eamphire, rofe water and faur?d«rs. It is alio good to bleed the bafiiica, 
 or liver vein, and take four or five ounces of blood, and then ufe this purge. 
 Take ekctuarum de epithimo, de fucco rofarum, of each two drams and a 
 half, clarified whey four Gimces c mix them well together, and take it in 
 the morning failing ; fleep after it about an hour and a half, and fail four 
 hours after it. And, about an hour before you eat any thing, drink a 
 good draught of whey : Alio, take lily water four ounces, mandrogory 
 water one ounce, faffron half a fcruple : beat the fefTrcn to powder, and 
 mix it with the waters, and drink them warm in the morning. Ufe this 
 eight days together. 
 
 Seme excellent Remedies ogaihft batrenntfi, and to caufe Fruiifuluefs. 
 
 r pAKE broom flowers, fmallage, parfley feed, cummin, mugwort, fcath- 
 X erfew, of each half a fcruple ; aloes half an ounce ; India fait, faf- 
 fron, of each half a dram ; beat and mix them well together, and put to it 
 five ounces of featherfew water warm, flop it up clofe, and let it ftand and 
 dry in a warm place, and thus do two or three times one after another ; 
 then make each a dram into fix pills, and take one of them every other 
 cay before fupper. 
 
 For a purging medicine againft barrennefs : Take cenferve of benedi&a 
 lax, one quarter of an ounce : dipfiilo, three drams ; ele&uary de fucco 
 rofatum, one dram ; mix them together with featherfew water and drink 
 it in the morning betimes About three days after the patient hath taken 
 the purge, let her be let blood four or five ounces in the median or com- 
 mon black vein in the right foot ; and then take, for five days one after 
 another, filled ivory a dram and a half in featherfew water ; and, during 
 the time, let her fit in the following bath an hour together morning and 
 night : Take wild yellow rapes, caucus, baliam wood and fruit, aihkeys, 
 of each two handfuls • red and white bhen, broom Sowers, of each a hand- 
 ful ; rmilk three grains, amber, faffron, of each one fcruple ; boil all in 
 water fuHieiently ; but the mufk, faffron, amber, and broom-flowers, muft 
 be put info the decocliun after it h boiled and (trained. 
 
 A cc/ie&ion very good againft barrennefs : Take piftachia, pingles, 
 erhigOv'ca of each half an ounce, faffron one dram, lignum aloes, galiingade, 
 mace, balm flower ;, red and white bhen, each four fcruples ; fhaven ivory 
 e-ffid bark, each two fcruples; fyrup ofconfe&ed ginger twelve ounces, 
 white fugar fix ounces ; decoct all thefe well together in twelve ounces of 
 bairn water, aiid ftir it well together ; then put to it mulk and amber, 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIBWIF& 
 
 »35 
 
 each a fcruple : Take thereof the quantity of a nutmeg three times a day, 
 in the morning, an hour before noon, arid an hour after flipper. 
 
 But if the caiife of harrennefs either in man or woman be through fcarc • 
 ity or dimunition of the natural feed, then fuch things are to be taken as 
 do incrcafe the feed, and incite or ftir up to venery, and further concep- 
 tion, which I mall here fet down, and conclude this chapter of harrennefs. 
 
 For this, yellow rape feed baked in bread is very good ; alio young fat: 
 flefli not too much falted ; alfo faffron, the fails ftmcu3, and long pepper 
 prepared in wine. But avoid four, fharp, doughy and flimy meats, long 
 fteep after meat, furfeiting and drunkenneis, and as much as they can, keep 
 themfelves from forrow. 
 
 Thefe things following increafe the natural fepi and ftir up venery, and 
 recover the feed again when it is loft, viz. eggs, milk, rice boiled in milk, 
 fparrow's brains, flefh, bones and all , the bones and pizzles of bulls, buck?, 
 rams, . and tears ; alf» cock ftones, lamb (tones, partridges, quails, and 
 pheafant eggs ; for this is an undeniable aphorifm, that whatever any crea- 
 ture is addicted unto, they move or incite the woman or man that eats- 
 them to me like ; and therefore partridges, quails, fparrows, &c. being ex- 
 tremely addicted to venery, they work the fame eiTeA in thofe men and 
 women that eat them. Alfo take notice that in what parts of the body 
 the faculty which you would ftrengthen lies, take the fame part cf the 
 body of another creature, in whom the faculty is ftrong as a medicine. 
 As for inftance, the procreative faculty lies in. the tefticles, therefore cock 
 ftones, lamb ftones, &c. are proper to ftir up venery. I will alfo give yon 
 another general rule : all creatures that are fruitful being eaten, make 
 them fruitful that eat them : as crabs, lobfters, prawns, pigeons, &c. The 
 it ones of a fox dried and beaten to powder, and a dram taken in the morn- 
 ing in fheep's milk, and the ftones of a boar taken in the like manner, :r:e 
 v / good. The heart of a mall quail carried about the man, and the 
 heart of a female quail carried about the woman, caufc-th natural love anil 
 fhiitfulnefs. Let them alfo that would increafe their feed,-eat and drink 
 oi the beft as near as they can : for fmce cerere et lib.- to frig it K(*u*i & an 
 old proverb, which is, Without good meat and good drink, Venus will be 
 frozen to death. 
 
 Pottages are good to increafe the feed, fuch as are made of beans, peafe 
 and lupines, and mix the reft with fugar. French beans, wheat fodden in 
 broth, annis feeds, alfo onions ftewed, garlicks, leeks, yellow rapes frefti 
 bug wort roots, oringo roots confe&ed, ginger connected, &e. Of fruits ; 
 hazel nuts, cyprefs nuts, piftachia almonds, and nrarmnparie madMiercof. 
 Spices good to increafe feed, are cinnamon, card muni, g dengal, long pep* 
 per, cloves, ginger, faffron, aflafoetida, take a dram and a half in good win % 
 is very good for this pufpofe. 
 
 The weaknefs and debility of a man's yard being a great; hmderance to 
 procreation, let him to flrengfchen it, ufe the following ointments : Take 
 wax, oil of bevercoa, majorum gentle, add oil of c oft us, of ea:h a like quan- 
 tity, mix it into an ointment, and put to it a little malk, and with it an- 
 oint the yard cods, Sec. Take of houfe emmets three drams, oil of white 
 fefanu.n, oil of lilies of each an ounce ; p ou nd and bruife the ants, and pr 
 them to the oil, and let them ftand in the fun fix days, then ft rani out the 
 oil, and add to it euphorbium one fcruple, pepper and rue, of each one 
 dram ; muftard feed half a dram. Set this again all together in the fun 
 two or three days, then anoint the inftrumeats of generation therewith. So 
 much for this chapter. 
 
136 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 CHAP. Ih 
 
 The D/fcafes of the Womb. 
 
 I HAVE already faid, that the womb is the field of generation ; and if 
 this field be corrupted, it is in vain to expect any fruit though it be 
 never fo well fown ; it is therefore not without reafon, that I intend in 
 this chapter to fet down the feveral diftempers to which die womb is ob- 
 noxious, and proper and fafe remedies againft them. 
 
 Section I. Of the hot Diflemper of the Womb 
 
 THIS diftemper confifts in the excefs of heat ; for the heat of the womb 
 is neceflary for conception, but if it be too much, it nourifheth not 
 the feed, but difperfeth its heat, and hinders the conception : this preter- 
 natural heat is fometimes from the birth, and makes them barren ; but if 
 it be accidental it is from hot caufes that bring the heat and the blood to 
 the womb : it arifes alfo from internal and external medicints, and from 
 too much hot meat, drinks and exereife. Thofe that are troubled with this 
 diftemper have but few courfes, and thofe yellow, black, burnt or fharp, 
 have hair betimes on their privities ; they are very prone to lf*ft, and are 
 fubjeel: to the headach, and abound with choler. And when the diftemper 
 is firong upon fhem, they have but few terms, and out of order, being bad 
 and hard to flew, and in time become hypochondriac", and for the moil 
 part barren, having fometimes a frenzy of the womb. 
 
 7'he remedy is to ufe coolers, fo that they offend not the veffels that 
 3nuft be open for the flux of the terms. Therefore inwardly ufe coolers, 
 fiich as fuccory, endive, violets, water lilies, forrel, lettuce, fanders, and 
 syrups, and conferves made thereof. Alfo take conferve of fuccory, vio- 
 lets, water lilies, burrage, each an ounce ; conferve of rofes half an ounce, 
 diamargaton frigid, diatriafcantal, each half a dram; and with fyrup of 
 violets, or juice of citrons, make an ele&uary. For outward applications 
 make ufe of ointment of rofes, violet?, water lilies, gourds, Venus-narvel 
 applied to the back and loins. 
 
 .Let the air be cool, her garment* thin, and her meat endive, Lettuce, 
 fuccory, and barley. 'Give her no hot meats, nor ftrong wine, unlefs mix- 
 ed with water. Reft is good for her, but fhe wufk abftain from copula- 
 tion, though flic may fleep as long as fhe will. 
 
 Sr.CTION U. Of the cold D'iftev; per cf the Womb. 
 
 r lPHIS diftemper is the reverfe of the foregoing, and equally an enemy 
 JL tfggerieration, being caufed by cold quality abounding to excefs, and 
 proceeds from too cold air, reft, idicnefs and ceding, medicines. It may be 
 known by anaverfion to Ictchery, and- taking no pleafure in the ad of 
 copulation when they fpend their feed. 'I heir terms arc phlegmatic, thick, 
 and ftimy, and do not how as they mould. The womb is windy, and the 
 fled crude and waterifh. It is the caufe of obftrudiions and barrenneis, 
 and hard to be cured. 
 
 For the cure of this diftemper ufe this water : Take galengal, cinna- 
 mon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, each two drams ; ginger cubebs, zedory, car- 
 damum, each an ounce ; grains of Paradife, long pepper, each haif ari 
 ounce : beat them and put them into fix quarts of wine for eight days ; 
 then add fage, mint, halm, motherwort, each three ban df u is. Let them, 
 ftand eight "days more, then pour off the wine, and beat the herbs and the 
 Spices, and then pour on the wine and diftil them. Or you may ufe this | # 
 T^sim cinnamon, nutmegs, cloves, mace, ginger, cubebs, cardamums, grainy 
 
rm EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 of Paradife, each an ounce and a half, galengal fix crams, of long pepper 
 half an ounce, zedory five drams, bruife them, and add fix onarts of wine : 
 put them into a cellar nine days, daily ftirring them : then add of mint 
 two handfuls, and then let them ftand fourteen days, pour off the wine anil 
 bruife them, and then pour on the wine again, and diftil them. Alfo an- 
 oint with oil of lilies, rue, angelica, bays cinnamon, cloves, mace, and mit- 
 Kigte Let her diet and air be warm, her meat of eafiy concoction, feafon- 
 ed with annis feed, fennel, and thyme, and let her avoid raw fruits and 
 milk diets, 
 
 Section III. Of the Injhtlon of the JVcmh. 
 
 THE inflation of the womb, is the ftretching of it by wind, called by 
 foine a windymoie, the wind proceeding from a cold matter, wheth - 
 er thick or thin, contained in the veins of the womb, by which the weak 
 heat thereof is overcome, and it either flows thither from other parts, or is 
 gathered there by cold meats or drinks ; cold air may be a procuring caufe 
 of it alfo, as lying-in women are expofed to it. The wind is contained ei- 
 ther in the cavity of the veffels of the womb, or between the tunieks, and 
 it may be known by a iweilingin the region of the womb, which fome- 
 times reaches to the navel, loin?, and diaphragma : and it arifes and abates 
 as the wind increafeth or cecreaiVth. It differs from the dropfy, in that it 
 never fwells fo high ; and that neither the phyfician nor midwife may take 
 it for conception, let them obferve the figns of women with child laid down 
 in the firft part of thd book ; and if one iign be wanting, they may fufpect 
 it to be an inflation, c.f which this is a further fign,that in conception the 
 (welling ftill increafeth ; »lfo, if you ftrike upon the belly in an inflation, 
 there will be a noife, but not fo in cafe there be a conception. It alfo differs 
 from a mole, becaufe in that there is a weight and hardnefs in the belly ; 
 and when they move from one fide to another, they feel a weight which 
 moving ; but net fo in this. If the inflation be without the cavity of the: 
 womb, the pain is greater and more extenfive, nor is there any noife, becaufe 
 the wind is more pent up. 
 
 This diflemper is neither cf any long continuance, nor dangerous, If look- 
 ed after in time, and if it be in the cavity of the womb, is more eafily ex- 
 pelled. To which puroofe give her diaphonicon, with a little caftor and 
 iaarp clyfters that expel wind. If this diitemper happens to a woman in 
 travail, let her not purge after delivery, nor bleed, becaufe It is from a cold 
 matter ; but if it come after child-beiring, and her terms comedown fufH- 
 ciently, and that (he has fulnefs of blood, let the fephxna vein be opened ; af- 
 ter which let her take the following electuary : take conf jrve of betony, 
 rofemary, of each an ounce and a half ; candied eringoes, citron peels can- 
 died, each half an ounce, diacimium, galengal, each a dram, oil of annis feed 
 fix drops, and with fyrup of citrons make an electuary. For outward ap- 
 plications make a cataplafm of rue, mugwoit, camomile, dill, calamints, 
 new pennyroyal ; thyme, with oil of rue, keir, and camomile ; and let the 
 following clyfters, to expel wind, be put into the womb : Take agnus, caf- 
 tus, rue, calamint, each an handful ; annis feed, callus, cinnamon, each two 
 drams, boil them in wine to half a pint. She may hkewi'e ufe fulphur, 
 baths, and fpaw waters, both inward and outward, becaufe they expel wind! 
 
 StC710N IV. Oftb^Dnffy tftbc Womb. 
 
 THIS is aiiothe r mcrbiflck effect of the womb, proceeding from water, 
 as that before mentioned did from wind, by which the belly is fo 
 M 2, 
 
13* 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 f welled, that it deceives many, caufing them to think themfelves with child 
 when indeed they are not. This is an unnatural fwelling raifed by the 
 gathering together of waters, from moifture mixed with the terms, and an 
 evil fanguifi cation from the liver and fpleen ; alfo by immoderate drinking, 
 or eating of crude meats ; all which earning a repletion, do fuiFocate the 
 native ..heat : It may alfo be oaufed by overflowing of the cGurfcs> or by any 
 other immoderate evacuation. -The figns of this diflemper, are the lower 
 parts of the belly, with the privities puffed up and pained : the feet fwell, 
 the natural colour of the face decays : the appetite is departed ; the terms 
 alfo are fewer, and ceafe before their time ; her breafts are alfo foft, but 
 without milk. This is diftinguilhed from a general dr'opfy, in that the 
 .lower parts of the belly aremoft f welled; neither does the fanguifi eative 
 faculty appear fo hurtful, nor the urine fo pale, nor the countenance fo foon 
 changed, 'neither are the fuperior parts fo extenuated, as in a general drop- 
 Jy. But yet this diftemper foretels the total ruin of the natural functions, 
 by that lingular confent the womb hath with the liver, and therefore an. 
 evil habit of body or a general dropfy will follow. 
 
 For the cure of this difeafe, firft mitigate the pain with fomentations, of 
 ttiellilot, mallows, lintfeed, camomile, and althx, then let the humour be 
 prepared with fyrup of ftoefhus, calamint, mugwort, both forts, with the 
 diftilied waters or deco&ions of dodder, marjoram, fage, oringe, fpeerage, 
 pennyroyal, and betony ; and let her purge with fenna, agarick rhubarb, 
 and eliterian. Take calamints, mugwort, lovage roots, pennyroyal, each- 
 an handful ; favil a pugil ; madder roots, angelica, of each an ounce ; boil 
 them in water, and fweeten them with fugar. Or, if fhe likes it better, 
 make broths of the fame. Alfo take fpecirem diambree, diamefcidulcis, di- 
 calamenti, diacinnimoni, diaciroini, troce de myrrh, of each two drams, fu- 
 gar one pound ; with betemy water make lozenges, and let her take of them 
 two hours before meals. Apply alfo to the bottom of the belly, as hot as^ 
 can be endured, a little bag of camomile, cummin, and mellilc* boiled in oil 
 of J*ue \ and anoint the belly and privities wich unguentum Agrippse, ming- 
 ling therewith oil of Iroes. Let the lower part of the belly-fce covered 
 with a planter of bay-berries, or with a cafcaplafm made of cummin, camo- 
 mile briony roots, adding thereto cows and goat's dung. For injection in- 
 to the womb, take afarum roots three drams, pennyroyal, calamint, each 
 half a handful, favin, a pugil, mechoacan a dram : annis feed, cummin, each 
 half a dram. Boil them and take fix ounces drained, with oil of elder and 
 orris, each an ounce ; and inje<5l it into- the womb by a metrenchita ; let the. 
 air be hot and dry. Moderate exercife may be allowed, but much lleep 
 is forbidden. She may eat thefleih of partridges, larks,, chickens, moun«* 
 tain birds, liares, conies, &c» and drink wine mixed with a. littie water. 
 
 Section V. Of the inflammation of the TVo?nb. 
 
 ^^HIS is a tumour poilefiing the womb, accompanied with unnatu- 
 JL ral heat, by obflruclion, and gathering together of corrupt blood ; 
 for the blood that comes to the womb, gets out of the velTcls into its 
 fubftance and grows hot, puttelies, and cauleth an inflammation, either 
 all over, or in part, before or behind, above or below. This happens al- 
 fo by fupprefiion of the menfirues, repletion of the whole b.odv immod- 
 erate copulation, often handling of the gentials, difficult child-birth, 
 vehement agitation of the body, or by falls or blows. The figns of this 
 inflammation are tumours with heat and pain in the region of the 
 w6mb, lb-etching and heavinefs i« the privities, alfo a pain in the 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 139 
 
 head and ftomach, with vomiting, coldnefs of the knees, convulfions 
 of the neck, doting, trembling, of the heart : and fometimes ftraitnefo 
 of breath by reafon of heat which is communicated to the diaphragr 
 ma, or midriff ; and the breafts fympathizing with the womb, are 
 pained and fwelied ; but more particularly, if the fore part of the 
 matrix be inflamed, the privities are grieved, and the urine is fuppreif- 
 ed, or flows forthwith difficulty : if it be behind, the loins and, back 
 fuller, and the belly is bound : if the inflammation be in the bottom 
 of the womb, the pain is toward? the navel ; if the neck of the womb 
 be affected, the midwife, putting up her finger, m3y feel the mouth 
 of it retracted, and clofed up, with a hardnefs about it. As to the 
 prognofticks of it, all inflammations of the womb are dangerous and 
 fometimes deadly, efpecialiy if it be all over the womb ; if the woman 
 be with child ihe rarely efcapes, an abortion follows, and the mother 
 dies. 
 
 As to the cure: firft, Let the humours flowing to the womb lie re- 
 pelled ; for the effecting of which after the belly hath been opened by 
 the cooling clyfters, letting of blood will be needful ; open therefore 
 a vein in the arm, but have care of bleeding in the foot, left thereby 
 you draw more blood to the womb, but if it be from the terms ftopt, 
 you may. The opinion of Galen is, that the blood may be diverted by 
 bleeding in the arm, or cupping of the breafts, and that it may be by 
 opening an ancle vein, and cupping upon the hips. Then purge gent- 
 ly with caflia, rhubarb, fenna, and mirobolans thus, Take fenna two- 
 drams, annisfeed one fcruple, mirobolans half an ounce, barley water 
 a fufficient quantity make a decoction, diffolve it in fyrup of fuccory, 
 withrheubarb two ounces, pulp of caflia half an ounce, oil of annis 
 feed two drops and make a potion. At the beginning of the difeafe 
 anoint the privities and reins with oil of rofes and quinces. Make 
 plaifters of plantain, lint feed, barley meal, meliilot, fenugreek, and 
 white of eggs ; and if the pain be vehement, add a little opium. For 
 repellers and anodynes take Venus navel, purflain, lettuce, houflcek^ 
 vine leaves, each a handful, boil them in wine ; barley meal two oun- 
 ces pomegranate flowers two drams, boil a dram with oil of rofes, and 
 make a poultice. Or take diacibilou fimple two ounces, juice of Ve- 
 nus navel, and plantain each half an ounce ; take of fenugreek, mal- 
 low roots, decocted figs, lint feed, barley meal, dove's dung, turpen- 
 tine, each three drams ; deer's fuet half a dram, opium half a fcruple*. 
 and with wax make a plaifter. After it is ripe break it by motion of 
 the body, coughing, fneezing, or elfe by cupping and peiTaries ; as, 
 Take rue half an handful, rigs an ounce, pigeon's dung, orris roots, 
 each half a dram ; with wool, make peiTary. After it is broken, and 
 the pains abate, then cleanfe and heal the ulcer with fucrv cleanfers as 
 thefe ; viz. Whey, barley water, honey, wormwood, fmallagc, orris, 
 birthwort, myrrh, turpentine, a-llum : Take new milk l>oiled a pint, 
 honey half a pint, orris powder half an ounce, and nfe it very often 
 every day. If it break about the Madder, ufe an.emuiuon of cold feeds, 
 whey, and fyrup of violets. Let her drink barley water, or clarified 
 whey, and her meat be chickens, and chicken broth, boiled wirh en- 
 dive, fuccory, forrel, buglofs and mallows. 
 
 Section VI. Of Schirrofty and Hardnefs of the ivomb. 
 
 A SWELLING in the womb neglected, or nojt perfectly cured-, 
 often product a fchirrofity m the matri$, which is a har&isr* 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 feniible, unnatural fuelling, can fin g barrennefs, and begetting an lit* 
 difpoluicn. of the whole body. The immediate caufe is a thick, earthly 
 humour (as natural melancholly, for inftance) gathered in the womb, 
 and caufing a fchirrous without inflamation. It is a proper fchirrous 
 when there is neither fenfe nor pain, and it is an improper fchirrous 
 when there is fome little fenfe and pain. This diftcmper is moOc ufual 
 in women of a melancholly confutation, and alfo fuch as luve not been 
 cleanfed from their menles, or from the retention of the lochia, or af- 
 ter purgings ; it is likewife fometimes caufed by eating corrupt meat ; 
 or thole inordinate longings called pica, to which breeding women are 
 often fubjeet ; and laftly, it may alfo proceed from obstructions and 
 ulcers in the womb, or fome evil effects in the liver and fpleen. It may 
 be known bf thefe figns ; If the effect be hi the bottom of the womb, 
 live feels as it were a heavy burden rcprefenting a mot, yet differing, 
 in that the breads are attenuated, and the whole body alfo. If the 
 neck of the womb be hardened, no outward humours will appear,- 
 the mouth of it is retracted, and touched with the finger, feels hard : 
 nor can ihe have the company of a man without great pains and 
 prickiings. This -fchirroilty or hardnefs is (when confirmed) incurable, 
 and wiil turn into a cancer, or dropfy : and ending in a cancer, proves 
 deadly ; the reafcn of wriich is, beeaufe the native heat in thole parts 
 being almeft fmothered, it is hardly, to be reflored again. 
 
 For the cure of this, fjrft prepare the humour with fyrup of bnr- 
 Tage, fuccory, epicymum, and clarified whey ; which being done, take 
 of thefe pills following, according to the ftrength of the patient : take 
 Jhicra-picra, fix drams and a half; agarick, lapiflazuli, abluti falis In- 
 dee, coloquintida, of each one dram and a half ; mix them, and make 
 pills. The body being purged, proceed to mollify the hardnefs as 
 followeth ; anoint the privities and the neck of the womb with the 
 following ointment s take oil of capers, lilies, fweet almonds, jciTamin, 
 each an ounce ; mucilage, fenugreek, afthas, ointment of althre, each 
 'fix drams ; amoniacum diffolved in wine, an ounce, which with wax 
 make into an ointment. Then apply below the navel diachylon fci- 
 nelU ; and make emulfions of figs, mugwort, mallows, pennyroyal, al- 
 thse, fennel roots, mellilct, fenugreek, and lint feed boiled in water ; 
 but for injection, take bdellium diffolved in wine, oil of fweet almonds, 
 lilies, camomile, each two ounces, marrow of veal bones, and hen's 
 greafe, each an ounce, with the yolk of an egg. The air mud be tem- 
 perate ; and as for her diet, let her abflain from all grofs, vicious and 
 fait meats, fuch as pork, fifti, old cheefe, &c. 
 
 Section Vil. Of the Jlraltncfs of the Womb and Its VcjJJs. 
 
 THIS be^ng feated in the velTels of the womb, and neck thereof \$ 
 an obftruction to the bearing of children, as it hinders both the 
 flowing of the menfes and conception. The caufe of this flraitnefs is 
 thick and tough humours that flop the mouth of the veins and arte- 
 ries ; thefe humours, are bred of grofs or too much nourishment : 
 when the he?t of the womb is fo weak that it cannot attenuate the 
 humour which, by reafou thereof, either flow from the whole body, 
 or are gathered into the womb. Now, the vefTefs are made defer or 
 ftraightcr feveral ways ; femetimes by inflammations, fchlrrou?, or oth- 
 *r tumours ; fomt times by comprelTions, or by a fear, or fleih, or 
 fciembi'ane, that grows after the wound. The figns by which this h 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 141 
 
 known, are ftoppage of the terms, not conceiving, crudities abound- 
 ing in the body, which arc known by particular figns ; for if there 
 was a wound, or the fecundine was pulled out by force, phlegm comes 
 from the wound. If ftoppage of the terms be from an old obftru€tion 
 by humours, it is hard to be cured ; if it is only from the disorderly 
 ufe of aftringents, it is more curable ; if it be from a fchirrous, or o- 
 ther tumours that comprefs or dole the vcUels the difeaie is incu- 
 rable. 
 
 For the cure of that whit!* is curable, obftruffbions mu^ be taken 
 away, phlegm muft be purged, and fhe muft be let blood, as wili be 
 hereafter directed in the ftoppage of the terms. Then ufe the foii'ow- 
 ing medicines : Take of annis feed and fennel-feed, each a dram ; rofe- 
 mary, pennyroyal, calamint, betony flowers, each an ounce ; cefttts, 
 cinnamon, galengal, each half an ounce ; fa Axon half a dram, with 
 wine. Or, take afparagus roots, pariley roots, each an ounce : pen ay - 
 r'oyal, calamine, each a handful ; wall flowers, dill flowers, each two 
 pugils ; boil, fcraiu, and add fyrup of mugworth, an ounce and a half. 
 For a fomentation, take pennyroyal, mercury, calamint, mariorum, 
 mug wort, each two Jiandfuls ; fage, rofemar'y, bays, ca moinile-flowcn , 
 each an handful 5 boil them in water, and fomsat the groin and bot- 
 tom of the belly, or let her fit up to the navel in a bath, and then a- 
 noint about the groin with oil of rue, lilies, dill, &c. 
 
 Section VIII. Of the falling of the JVowb. 
 
 THIS is another evil cfiaSk of the womb, which is both very troi*- 
 blefome, and alio a hinderance to conception. Sometimes the 
 womb falleth to the middle of the thighs, nay, almoft to the knee ? > 
 and it may be known then by its hanging out. N nv that which cauf- 
 eth the womb to change its place, is when the ligaments by which it 
 is bound to the other parts are not in order : for there are four liga- 
 ments, two above, broad and membraneous, that come from the pe- 
 toneutn, and two below that are nervous, round and hollow 5 it is alio 
 bound by the great vefTds by veins and arteries, and to the bade by 
 nerves Now the place is changed when it is drawn another way, or 
 when the ligaments are ioofe, and it falls down by its own Weight. 
 It is drawn on one fide when the menfes are hindered from flowing, 
 and the veins and arteries are full, namely, thofe which go to t-Ke 
 womb. Jf it be a mole on one £de, and the fpleen caufe it ; by the 
 liver veins on the right fide, and the fpleen on the left, as they are 
 more or lefs filled. Others are of opinion it comes from the foluiion 
 of connection of the fibrous neck, and the parts adjacent, and that 
 from the weight of the womb defcending. This we deny 
 not ; but the Ligaments muft be Ioofe or broken. But women in a 
 dropfy cpuid not be laid to have the womb fallen down, if it came 
 only from loofeuefs : but in them it is eaufed by the faltnefe 
 water, which drys more than it moiftens Now, if there be a 
 -little tumour .within or without the privities, it is nothing elfe but a 
 defcent of the womb ; but if there be a tumour like a goofe-egg* and 
 , :h .: e is at firjft a great pain in the par ts to which 
 the won . ed, as the loins, the bottom of the belly, and the 
 
 h proceeds from the breaking or (tretching of the liga- 
 te after praise abates; and there is an impediment in 
 ipcj fometimc's blood comes. from the breach of the vdicls> 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 and the excrements and urine are ftopt, and then a fever and a con- 
 vulnon enfucth, which oftentimes proves mortal, efpecialiy if it hap- 
 pens to women with child. 
 
 For the cure of this di (temper, firft put it up before the air alter it, 
 or it will be fwoll: n or inflamed ; and therefore firft of all give a clyfter 
 to remove the excrement ; then lay her on her back, with her legs a- 
 broad, and thighs lifted up, and head down ; then take the tumour in 
 your hand and thruft it in without violence ; If it be fwelled by alter- 
 ation and cold, foment it with the decoction of mallows, aHh.T, line, 
 fenugreek, camomile-flowers, bay-berries, and anoint it with oil of 
 lilies and hen's greefe. If there be an inflammation, do not put it up, 
 but fright it in, by putttng red-hot iron before it, and making a {hew 
 as if you intended to burn it ; but firft fnrinkle upon it the powder of 
 maftich, frankincenfe, and the like : Take frankincenfe, maftich each 
 two drams ; farcecol ftecped in milk, half a dram ; mummy, pome- 
 granate flower, fanguis draconis, each half a dram ; when it is put up, 
 let her lie with her legs ftretched, and one upon the other, for eight 
 or ten days, and make a peffary in the form of a pear, with cork or 
 f purge,, and put it into the womb, dipped in {harp wine, or juice of 
 acacia, with powder of fanguis, galbanum, bdellium. Alio apply a 
 cupping glafs with great flame under the navel or paps, or to both kid- 
 neys, and lay this plaifter to the back : Take opponix two ounces, flo- 
 ra* liquid half an ounce, maftich, frankincenfe, pitch, bole, each two 
 drams, then with wax make a plaifter ; cr laudanum a dram and a 
 half, maftich, and frankincenfe, each half a dram, wood aloes, cloves, 
 fpikes, each a dram ; alb coloured amber- greafe four grains, mufk half 
 a fcruple ; make two round plaifters to be laid on each iide of t he na- 
 vel ; make a fume of fnail-fkins faited, or of garliek, and let it be tak- 
 en in the funnel. Ufe alio aftringent fomentations of bramble leaves, 
 plaintain, horfetail, myrtles, each two handfuls, wormfced two pugiis, 
 pomegranate-flowers, half an ounce, boil them in wine and water. For 
 an injection, take comfrey roots an ounce, rupture wort two drams, 
 yarrow, mugwort each half an ounce, boil them in red wine, and inject 
 it with a fyringc. To ftrengthen the womb, take hartfliorn, bays, of 
 each a dram, myrrh half a dram : make a powder for two doles, and 
 give it with fharp wincr. Or, Take zedoary, parfnip feed, crabs-eye?, 
 prepared, each a dram ; nutmeg half a dram, and giyc a dram in pow- 
 der : but aftfingents muft be ufed with great caution, leaft by (top- 
 ping the courfes a worfe mifchicf follow. To keep it in its place, make 
 rollers and ligatures as for the rupture ; and put pciTaries into the bot- 
 tom of the womb, that may force it to remain. I know lbme phyfi- 
 eians object again ft tin's, and fay they hinder conception; but others 
 in my opinion, much more juftly affirm, that they neither hinder con- 
 ception, nor bring any inconvenience ; nay, fo far from that, they help 
 conception, and retain it, and cure the diieafes perfectly. Let the diet 
 be ftich as are of drying aftringent. and glewing quaKtrcs, fuch as rice, 
 ftarch, quinces, pears, and green eheefe : but let fu miner fruits be a 
 voided, and let her wine be aftringent and red. 
 
 C H A P. in. 
 
 Of DifMfs rddtih^ to IVomsns m ntbly courfc. 
 Section I. Of Women s monthly Courfes in generoU 
 
 DIVINE providence whkh, with a wildom worthy of itfclf, has ap- 
 pointed woman to conceive by coition with the man, and Co 
 
'THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 bear and bring forth childrcrt, has provided for the nourishment of 
 children during their recefs in the womb of their mother by that re- 
 dundancy of the blood which is natural to all women, and which flow- 
 ing out at certain periods of time (when they are not pregnant) are 
 from thence called terms and menfes from their monthly flux of ex- 
 crimen tit-ions and unprofitable blood ; which is only to be understood 
 with refpeel to the redundancy thereof, being and excrement only 
 with refpeet to its quantity, for as to its quality it is as pure and in- 
 I : corrupt as any blood in the veins ; and this appears from the final 
 
 * caufe of it, which is the propagation and confervatien of mankind; 
 ft end alfo from the generation of it, it being the fuperfTuity of the tail 
 
 aliment of the flefliy parts. If any afk, If the menfes be not of a hurt- 
 ful quality, how can it havefuch venomous ciTrcts, as if it fall upon 
 trees and herbs, it makes the one barren, and mortifies the other ? I 
 anfwer, this malignity is con tracked in the womb; for the woman 
 wanting native heat to digeft this fupirrluity, lends it to the matrix, 
 where feating itfelf till the mouth of the womb be dilated, it becomes 
 
 • corrupt and mortified, which may cahiy be, conlidering the heat and 
 moiftnefs of the place ; and io this blood being out of its proper vei- 
 i'cls, and too long retained, offends in quality- But if regidity be the 
 caufe why women caunoi digeft all their 1 a ft nourifhmciit, and by 
 
 1 confequence have thefe monthly purgations, how comes it to paf>, 
 may force fay, that they are fo cold a confutation more than men ? 
 Of this I have already ipoken hi the chapter of barren nefs; It is chief- 
 ly thus : The Author of our being has laid an injunction upon men 
 and women to propagate their kind, hath alfo wifely fited them for 
 that work ; and feeing that in the ael of coition there mil ft be an a- 
 gent and patient (for if they be of one corrfticution, there can be no 
 propagation) therefore the man is hot and dry, and the woman colel 
 and moid. It is therefore neceffary that the woman fhould be of a 
 cold conftitution, becaufe in her is required a redundancy of matter 
 for the noarilhment of the infant depending on .her. And this is wife- 
 ly ordained by nature, for otherwife the child would detradt from and 
 weaken the principal parts of the mother ; which would inoft unna- 
 turally render the provifion of the infant to be the deflrueStion of the 
 parent. Now, thefe monthly purgations ufually begin about the 14th 
 year, and continue till the 46th or 50th year : yet not fo conftantly, 
 but that oftentimes there happens a iiipprefTion, which is fometimes 
 natural and fometimes morbifical. When they are naturally fuppreft, 
 it is either in breeding women, or fuch as give fuck ; but that which 
 is nioi bincai, mufi: he the lubjeet of the Following fectlon. 
 
 Se.c. il. Of the fupprcjjioh of the monthly Courf^i* 
 
 THE fupprehaon of the terms, which is morbific, is an intercep- 
 tion of that accuftomary evacution of blood which fhould come 
 from the matrix every month, and which proceeds from the matter 
 vitiated. The caurie of this fuppreffion ia either internal or exter- 
 nal : The internal caufe is either inftrumental or material, in the 
 blood or in the womb. The blood may be faultv two way* in quan- 
 tity or in quality ; in quantity, when it is fo confumcd that there is 
 no overplus left, as in viragoes, and all virile women, who through 
 their heat and ftrength of nature digeft and coniume all their belt 
 nouriihmeat ; but women of this conftitution are rather to be ac- 
 
144 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE; 
 
 counted anthropophageas, that is women taters, than women-breecl* 
 crs; becaufe they confume one the principles of generation, which 
 gives a being to the world, i. s. the menftruous blood. The blood 
 may alfo be confumed, and the terms ftayed by too much bleeding at 
 the nofe and likewife by a flux of the hemorrhoides, or by adyfente- 
 ria, evacuations, chronical and continued difcafes. But fecondly, the. 
 matter may be vicious in quality, as if it be fanguineous phlegmatica!, 
 melancholic ; each of thefe, if they offend in groifnefs, will caufe an 
 ©bftruclion in the vein?. 
 
 The womb alfo may be in fault divers ways, as by the narrownefs 
 of the veins and paffages, by a pofbhumes, tumours, ulcers, and by over, 
 much cold or heat, the one vitiating the action, and the other confum- 
 ing. the matter ; alfo, by an evil compofition of the uterine parts by the 
 neck of the womb being turned a fide ; and fometimes, though but 
 rarely by a membrane or excrelTence of fltfli growing about the womb. 
 
 The external caufe may be heat, or drvnefs of the air, immoderate 
 watching, great labour, violent motion, whereby the matter is fo con- 
 fumed, and the body fo exhaufted, that there is no redundant biood 
 remaining to be expelled ; whence it is recorded of the Amazons, that 
 beingactive, and always in motion, they had little or no monthly fluxes, 
 it may alfo be caufed from cold ; and molt frequently it is fo, making 
 the blood vicious and grofe, condenfing and binding up the parages, 
 that it cannot flow forth. The figns of the difeafe are pains in the 
 head, neck, back, and Joins, with wearinefs of the whole body, but 
 especially of the hips and legs, by reafon of a confmity which the 
 womb hath in thofe parts ; if the fuppreffion proceeds from cold, it 
 caufe s a heavy fluggifli difpofition, a pale colour a fiov pulfe, the urine 
 cruder waterifh, and much in quantity, andrro deiire to copulation, the 
 excrement's of the guts being ufuaily retained : but if it proceeds fre>m 
 heat, the 1>< ns are contrary. If it be natural, or caufed by conception, 
 it may bt known by drinking water anel honey after fupper, going to 
 bed ; for it after the taking it, it caufeth the won* an to feel a bearing 
 pain about the navel and lower part of the belly, it is a fign Hie hath 
 conceived, and that the fuppreffion is natural, if not, then it is vicious, 
 and ought medicinally to be taken away, otherwife many dangerous 
 difeafes will follow, fuch as fwoonings, huntings, intermiifion of pulfe, 
 obfliutSlions, epilepfies, apoplexes, frenzies, mclancl.olly, paifions, &c. 
 which makes it highly neceffary to fay fomething now of the cure. 
 
 The cure e;f this eiiilemper muft: be by evacuation, for this fuppref- 
 fion is a phlethoriek effect,, it will therefore be beft in the midft of the 
 men ftrual period to open the liver vein : and for the reverfion of the 
 humour two days before the wonted evacuation, open the faphana 
 veins of both feet : and if the repletion be not great, apply cupping 
 glaifes to the legs and thighs, after letting hioe>u, the humour muft be 
 prepared and made flexible with fyrup of ftsechus, horehounei, hyfop, 
 befcony, maiden hair, of each one handful, make a decoction, and take 
 theree>f three ounces of fyrup of mugwort, fuccory, maiden hair, mix 
 each half an ounce ; and after flie comes out £>f the bath, let her drink 
 it off. 'I hen purge pit. de .Agalick, Eicphang, Coch ; Fa^dit. Galen 
 in this cafe commends Pilula dt Iliera cum colcquintida ; for as they 
 are proper to purge the humour offending, fo they open the pafTage of- 
 the womb. If the ftomach be overcharged, let her tale a vomit, but 
 kt k befo prefarcd as to act both ways, left tkc humours fhould he 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 145 
 
 too much turned back by working only upwards ; to which end, take 
 trockilk of agaria two drams, iniufe them in three ounces of oximel, 
 in which diffolve benedict. laxat. half an ounce, and cf the electuary 
 diafarum one fcruple ; and let her take it after the manner of a purge. 
 When the humour has been thus purged, you may proceed to more 
 proper and forcible remedies. Take extract of mugwort one fcruple 
 and a half, rinds of caffia, pariley feed, caftor, of each a fcruple ; an4 
 with juice of fmallage, after fupper going to bed. Alfo, adminifter to 
 the lower parts fuffumigations of amber, unctions, injections and in- 
 ceflions ; make fufFumigations c>f amber, galbanum, melanthum, bay- 
 berries, lugwort, cinnamon, nutmegs, cloves, &c. Make peflaries of 
 %s, and the leaves of mercury bruifed, and rolled up with lint. Make 
 injections of the decoction of mercury, betony, origin, mugwort, and 
 figs, and inject it into the womb by an inftrument fit for that purpofe. 
 For unction, take ladant, oil of myrrh, of each two drams : oil of lil- 
 ies, almonds, capers, camomile, of each half an ounce, and with wax 
 make an unguent, with which let the place be anointed. Let the air 
 be hot, and dry, her ileep fhorter than ordinary, let her ufe moderate 
 cxercife before meals, and let her meat and drink be attenuating. 
 
 Section III. Of the Overflowing of the monthly Courfes* 
 
 THIS diftemper is directly contrary to that of which I have fpok- 
 en, in the foregoing feet ion, and is no lefs dangerous than the 
 other, and therefore requires to be fpoken of next in order. This dif- 
 temper is a fanguineous excrement, proceeding from the womb and 
 exceeding in time and quality. I call it fanguineous, becaufe there 
 are two ways by which the blood flows forth, one is by the internal 
 v^ins in the body of the womb, which is properly called the monthly 
 flux ; the other is, by thofe veins which are terminated in the neck 
 of the matrix, which fome phyficians call the hemorrhoides of the 
 womb : and that it exceeds in quantity, when they flow about three 
 days ; but this is the moft certain fign of their excefs in flowing, when 
 they flow fo long that the faculties of the body are thereby weaken- 
 ed ; for in bodies abounding with grofs humours, this .immoderate 
 flux does fometimes unburden nature of her load, and is not to be 
 ftopt without advice from a phyfician. 
 
 The caufc of this immoderate flowing is cither external or internal. 
 The external caufe may be the heat of the air, lifting and carrying 
 heavy burdens, unnatural child-births, falls, &c. The internal caufe 
 may be threefold, in the matter, inftrument, or faculty : the matter, 
 which is the blood, may be vicious two ways ; firft, in quantity being 
 fo muc h that the veins are not able to contain it : Secondly, in quali- 
 ty, being aduft, fharp, waterifli, or unconnected The inltrument, 
 viz. the veins, are faulty by the dilation of the orifice, which may be 
 caufed two ways : firft, by the heat of the conftitution, climate, or 
 feafon, heating the blood, whereby the parages are dilated, and the 
 faculty weakened, that it cannot retain the blood : fecondly, by falls, 
 blows, violent motion, breaking of g vein, &c. 
 
 This inordinate flux may be known by the appetite bein? decayed, 
 the concoction depraved, and all the actions of the body weakened ; 
 the feet fwelled, the colour of the face changed, and a g<:ner.;l feeble- 
 nefs poiTcfieth the whole hody. If it comes by the breaking of a vein, 
 the body is fofnu'rttes cold, the blood llows forth 014 heaps, and that 
 
146 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 fudden!y, with great pain : if it «omes through heat the orifice of the 
 veins being dilated, then there is little or no pain, yet the blood flows 
 fatter than it doth in a crofion, and not fo fafc as in a rupture. If by 
 erofion, or {harpnefs of blood, fhe feels a great heat fcalding the paf- 
 £ige it differs from the other two, in that it flows not fo fuddenly, nor 
 fo copionfly as they do. If it be by weaknefs of the womb, {he has 
 an averfion to copulation ; if it proceeds from the blood, drop fome 
 of it on a cloth, and when it i3 dry, you may judge of the quality by 
 the colour ; if it be choleric, it will be yellow, if melancholy, black, if 
 phlegmatic, watetifh and whitifh. 
 
 The cure for this confifts in three particulars. Firfl in repelling and 
 carrying back the blood : fecondly, in correcting and taking away 
 the fluxibility of the matter : and thirdly, in corroborating the vein or 
 faculties. For the firft, to caufe a regrelTion of the blood, open a vein 
 in her arm, and draw cut fo much blood as the ftrength of the pa- 
 tient will permit, and that not an ounce, but at feveral times, for there- 
 by the fpirits are lefs weakened, and the retr action fo much the great- 
 er. Apply the cupping-glafs to the liver, that the revernon may be 
 in the fountain. To correct the fluxibility of the matter, cathartics 
 moderated with aftrictories may be ufed. If it be caufed by lharpnefs 
 of blood, confider whether the corrofion be by fait phlegm, or adult 
 cholar ; if by fait phlegm, prepared with fyrup of violet, wormwood, 
 rofes, citron peels, fuccory, &c.thcn take this purgation : Miroholans, 
 chervil, half an ounce, trochrfks of agaric one dram, with plantain wa- 
 ter make a decoction, add thereto fyr. rofar. lux, three ounces, and 
 make a potion. If by a adult cholar, prepare the body with fyrup of 
 rofes, myrtles, forrel, purflain, mixed with water of plantain, knot- 
 grafs, and endive, then purge with this potion : Take rinds of miro- 
 holans, rhubarb, of each one dram, cinnamon fifteen grains, infufc 
 them one night in endive water, add to it the drained pulp of tama- 
 rinds caiiia, of etch half an ounce, fyrup of rofes one. ounce, and make 
 a potion. If the blood be waterifh and unconnected, as it is in hy- 
 clrodical bodies, and flows forth by reafon of the tenury, to draw olT 
 the xvater will be profitable, to which end purge with agaric, elateri* 
 um, and coloquintida. Sweatings is alfo very proper in this cafe, for 
 by it the matter offending is taken away, and the morion of the blood 
 is carried to the outward parts. To procure fweat,ufe cardanum wa- 
 ter with mithridate, or the decoction of guiacum, faffafras, farfaparil- 
 la : gum of guiacum does alfo greatly provoke fweat ; and pills of 
 farfapariila, taken every n : ght at going to bed, are worthily commend- 
 ed. If the blood flows' forth from the opening or breaking of a vein, 
 without any evil quality of itfelf, then ought corroberatives only to be 
 applied, which is the thing to be clone in this inordinare flux ; bole 
 arrnoniac one fcruple, London treacle one dram, old confer re of rofes, 
 half an ounce, with fyrup of myrtles, make an electuary. Or, if the 
 flux has continued long, take of maftich two drams, olibani. tinct. de 
 careble, of each one dram, balanflium one fcruple, make a powder ; 
 with fyrup of quinces make it into pills, and take one always before 
 meals. 
 
 Section IV. Of Terms com'wg out of Order, either before or after the 
 vfital Time. 
 
 BOTH thefc fliew an ill constitution of body. Every thing is beau- 
 tiful ia its order, in nature as well as in morality, and if the order 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 of nature be broke, it lliews the body to be out of order. Of each of 
 thefc effects briefly. . 
 
 When the monthly eourfes come before their time, it lliews a de- 
 praved excretion thtt comes for the time often flowing fometimes 
 twice a month : The caufe why they come fooner is in the blood, 
 which ftirs up the expulfive faculty in the womb, or fometimes in the 
 whole body, caufed oftentimes by the perfon's diet, which incrcaies 
 the blood too much, makes it too fharp or too hot : and if the reten- 
 tive faculty of the womb be weak, and the expulfive faculty fhong, 
 and of a quick fenfe, it brings them forth the fooner, and fometimes 
 they flow fooner by reafon of a fall, ftroke, or fome violent pafiion, 
 which the parties themfcives can beft relate. If it be from heat, thin 
 and {harp humours, it is known by the diftemper of the whole body. 
 The loofenefs of the vefTels, and weaknefs of the retentive faculty, is 
 known from a moift and loofe habit of body. It is more trouble fome 
 than dangerous, but hinders conception, and therefore the cure is ne- 
 cefiary for all, but especially Inch as defire children. If it proceeds 
 from a fharp blood* let her 'temper it by a good diet and medicines : 
 for which purpofc, let her ufe baths of iron water, that correct the 
 diftemper of the bowels, and then evacuate. If it proceeds from the 
 retentive faculty, and loofciuf, of the veiTels, it is to be corrected with 
 gentle aftringents. 
 
 As to the" coat fes flowing after the ufual time, the caufes are thick- 
 nefs of the blood, and the fmalinefs of its quantity, with the ftralthefs 
 of the paflage and weaknefs of the expulfive faculties, either of thefe 
 fingle, may ftop the eourfes, but if they all concur, they render the 
 diflemper'the worfe. If the blood abounds not in fuch a quantity as 
 may ftir up nature to expel it, its purging mufl necefTarily be deferred 
 till there be enough. And if the blood be thick, the paffage ftopptd, 
 and the expulfive faculty, weak, the menfes muft needs bt out of or- 
 der, and the purging of them retarded. 
 
 For the cure of this) if the quantity of blood be fmall, let her ufc a 
 larger diet and very little exercife. If the blood be thick and foul, let 
 ic be made thin, and the humours mixed therewith be evacuated. It is 
 good to purge after the eourfes have done flowing, and to ufe calamines: 
 and indeed the oftener (lie purge th« better. She may alfo ufe fume 
 and pelfaries, apply cupping-glafies without fcarcitieation to the in fides 
 of the thighs, and rub the legs, and fcarify the ancles, and hold the 
 feet in warm water four or five days before the eourfes come down. 
 Let her alfo anoint the bottom of her belly with things proper to pro- 
 voke the terms. 
 
 Section V. Of the falfe Gourfees or Whites. 
 
 THE whites or falfe eourfes are a foul excretion from the womb, 
 for, from the womb proceeds not only the menfbnious blood, 
 but accidentally many other excrements, which is a diftillation of a va- 
 riety of corrupt humours through the womb, flowing from the whole 
 body, or part of the fame; which though called the whites, are fome* 
 times blue or green, or reddifli, not flowing at a fet time* or every 
 month, but in a diforderly manner* fometimes longer, and fometimes 
 Ihorter. It ib different from the running of the reins* both lefs ir> 
 quantity and whiter and thicker in quality, and coming at a great 
 difUnce ; it is different alfo from thofe night pollutions which is oriTy 
 in lleep, and doth proceed from the imagination of venery. 
 
148 
 
 THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 The caufe of this diftemper is either promifcuouily in the whole b«- 
 dy, by a cackochymia, or weaknefs of the fami ; or in lbme of the 
 parts, as in the liver, which by the inability of the fanguificative fac- 
 ulty, caufeth a generation of corrupt blood, and then the matter is 
 reddifli : fometimes in the gall, being remifs in its office, not drawing 
 away thofe chokric fuperfiuities which are engendered in the liver, 
 and then the matter is yellowifli : fometimes in the fpleen, not defe- 
 cating and cleaniin^ the blood of the excrementitious parts, and then 
 the matter flowing forth is blackifh. It may alfo come from catarrhs 
 m the head, or from any other putrified or comipt member. Bert if 
 the matter of the flux be white, the cafe is either in the ftomach or 
 reins. In the ftomach, by a phlegmatical and crude matter there con- 
 tracted and vitiated through grief, melancholy, and other diftempers ; 
 for othcrwife, if the matter were only pituitous, and no ways corrupt 
 or vitiated, being taken into the liver, it might be converted into 
 blood ; for phlegm in the ventricle is called nourifhment half digtft- 
 ed ; but being corrupt, although it be fent into the liver, it cannot 
 correct that which thefirft hath corrupted, and therefore the liver 
 fends it to the womb, which can neither digeft. it nor repel it, and fo 
 it is voided out, frill keeping the colour which it had in the ventricle. 
 The caufe alfo may be in the veins, being over heated, whereby the 
 fpermatical matter, by reafon of its tenuity, flows forth. The exter- 
 nal caufe may be the moiftnefs of the air, eating corrupt meats, anger, 
 gfcief, flothfulnefs, immoderate lleeping, and coftivenefs. 
 
 The figns are extenuation of body, fhortnefs and (linking breath, 
 loathing of meat, pain in the head, fwelling of the eyes, melancholy, 
 humidity, flowing* from the womb, of divers colours, as reddifli, 
 black, green, yellow, white ; it is known from the overflowing of the 
 courfes, in that it keeps no certain period, and is of fo many colours, 
 all which do degenerate from blood. 
 
 For the cure of this, it mull be by methods adapted to the cafe ; 
 and as the caufes are various, fo muft be the cure. 
 
 If it be caufed by the diftillation from the brain, take fyrup of be- 
 tony, fhechas and majorum, purge with pill loch : make napalla, of 
 the juice of fage, hyfTbp, betony, negella, with one drop of oil of cloves, 
 and a little filk cotton. Take elect, dianth. aromat, rofar, diambre, dai- 
 mofci dulcis, of each one dram, nutmeg half a dram, at night going to 
 bed. 
 
 If the matter flowing forth be reddifli, open a vein in the arm, if 
 not, apply ligatures to the arms and flioulders fome have cured this 
 diftemper by rubbing the upper parts with crude honey ; and fo Ga- 
 len fays he cured the wife of Boetus. 
 
 If it proceeds from crudities in the ftomach, or from a cold diflenir 
 pered liver, take every morning of the decoction of lignum fanctum : 
 purge with pill deagarico, de harmodact, de hiera dyacolocynthid foe- 
 tidatagragrative. Take of elect, aromat. rof. two drams, citron peels 
 dried, nutmeg, long pepper, of each one fcruple, diagalinga one dram, 
 fantali alba, lign aloes, of each half a fcruple fugar fix ounces, with 
 mint water make lozenges of it, and then take it after meals. 
 
 If with frigidity of the liver be joined a repreflion of the ftomach, 
 purging by vomiting is commendable ; for which, take three drams 
 ©f the electuary of diaru. Some phyficians alfo allow of the diureUcal 
 means, as of opium, pctrofolinum* &c» 
 
THE EXPERIENCED MIDWIFE. 
 
 149 
 
 If the matter of the difeafe be melancholious, prepare with fyrup 
 of maiden-h^ir, epithimum, pollipody, burrage, buglofs, fumetory, 
 heart's tongue, and fyrup by fantinum, which mult be made without 
 vinegar, otherwife it will rather animate the difeafe, than ftrengthen. 
 nature ; for melancholy is increafed by the ufe of vinegar ; and by Hip- 
 pocrates Silvius, and Aventinus,it is difallowed of as an enemy to the 
 womb, and therefore not to be ufed in uterine difeafes. 
 
 Purges of melancholy are, Pilulae eumartse, pilule Indise, piluke de 
 lap. Lazuli diofena, and confectio hamech, Take ftampt prunes two 
 ounces, fenna one dram, epithimum, polypody, fumetory, of each a 
 dram and a half, four dates one ounce, with endive water make a de- 
 coction ; take of it four ounces, add unto it confections hamech 
 three drams, manna three drams. Or pilulae indatum, phil, faetidaru- 
 ni, agarici trochifcati, of each one fcruple, lapidus lazuli, five grains,, 
 with fyrup of erithinujm make pills, and take one every week. 
 
 Tf the matter of the flux be choleric, prepare with fyrup of evdive 
 violets, fuccory rofes, and purge with mirobolans> manna, rhubarb^ 
 caflia ; take of rhubarb two drams, annis feed one dram, cinnamon a 
 fcruple and a half: infufe them 'in fix ounces of prune broth ; add to. 
 the (training of manna, an ounce, and take it according to art. Take 
 fpicierum diatrionfontalon, diatragacant. frig, diarrhod. As batis dr- 
 aconit, of each a dram, fugar four ounces, with plantain water make 
 lozenges. 
 
 Laflly, let the womb be cleanfed from the corrupt matter, and then 
 corroborated ; and for the cieanfmg thereof, make injections of the 
 decoction of betony, featherfew, mugwort, fpikenard, biftort, mercu- 
 ry, fage, adding thereto fugar, oil of fweet almonds, of each two oun- 
 ces : then to corroborate the womb, prepare trochifks in this manner i 
 Take of myrrh, featherfew, mugwort, nutmegs, mace, amber, lign, al- 
 oes, ftorax red rofes, of each an ounce, with mucilage of tragacanth 
 make trochifks, caft them on the coals and fmother the womb there— •» 
 with : Fomentations may be alfo made for the womb of red wine, in 
 which has been decocted maftich, fine bole, bahiftia, Fed rofes. Dry- 
 ing diet is beft, becaufe this diftemper ufuaily abounds with phleg-. 
 matic and crude humours. Immoderate fleep is hurtful, but moder- 
 ate exercife will do well. 
 
 Thus I have gone through the principal difeafes peculiar to the fe- 
 male fcx, and prefcribed for each of them fuch remedies, as, with the 
 divine blefling, will cure their diftempers, confirm their health, and 
 remove all thofe obllructions, which might otherwife prevent their 
 bearing children : and I have brought it into fo narrow a compafs, that 
 it might be of the more general ufe, Uetng willing to put it into every 
 cne's power, that has occauon for it, to purchafe this rich treafure at 
 an eafy rate. 
 
 THE END. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S 
 
 BOOK OF 
 
 PROBLEMS, 
 
 WITH OTHER 
 
 ASTRONOMERS, || PHILOSOPHERS, 
 ASTROLOGERS* || PHYSICIANS, 
 
 WHEREIN ARE CONTAINED DIVERS 
 
 QUESTIONS and ANSWERS, 
 
 TOUCHING THE 
 
 STATE of M A N's BODY. 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 
 The Reafon of divers Wonders in the Creation : The Gener- 
 ation of Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects ; and 
 many other Problems on the moil weighty Matters, by way 
 •f Queftion and Anfwer. 
 
 A NSJV EDITION. 
 
 IONDON: 
 PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS, 
 It** 
 
TO THE 
 
 READER. 
 
 READER, 
 
 r T i HESE Problems having been printed very often, and fndtng fo general 
 ■* an acteptance, divers books have been boifed into the world under the 
 name c/'Ariftotle fo that many people have bought them, thinking they had 
 the right fort, by which the public has been injured, as well as the proprie* 
 Urs. 
 
 The matter it contains is neceffary for all people to know, and, as man It 
 faid to be a microcofm, or little world, and in him the Almighty hath im- 
 printed his own image fo lively, that no power whatfoever is able to blot it 
 cut ; fo bis image and fmilitude is the foul and under/landing* And notwith* 
 funding all the perfections which man hath in himfelf, few or none take de- 
 light in the fudy of himfelf, or is careful to know the fubjlance , fate, condition. 9 
 quality, or ufe of the fever al parts of his own body, although he be the hon- 
 our of nature, and more to be admired than the frongejl and rareft wonder that 
 ever happened, I have therefore pubiijhed this little book wrote by Ariftotle, 
 and the deepeji philofophers, who teach the ufe of oil parts of the body, their 
 nature, quality, property, and fubfance, and quefion not but it will afford both 
 innocent ^nKeJptry And ufeful knowledge^ and prove prof table to both faces* 
 
Arifto tie's Problems. 
 
 ^^AfON'G all living creatures , why bath man only his countenance lifted 
 up towards heaven ? 
 Unto this queftion there are divers anfwers. 
 
 ift, it proceeds from the will of the Creator. And although the 
 anfwer he true, yet it feemeth not to be of force, becaufe that fo all 
 queftions might be eafily refolved. 
 
 adly, I anfwer, that, for the mod: part, every workman doth make 
 his fir ft work worfe, and then his fecond better, fo God created all 
 beafts before man, gave them their face looking down on the earth, 
 and then, he created man, as it doth appear in Generis, unto whom he 
 gave an upright ihape, lifted into heaven, becaufe it is drawn from 
 divinity, but this derogates from the goodnefs of God, who maketh all 
 his works perfect and good. 
 
 3d!y, It is anfwered, that man only, among all living creatures, is 
 ordained to the kingdom of heaven, and therefore hath his face elevat- 
 ed arid lifted up to heaven, becaufe that defpiling worldly and earthly 
 things he ought to contemplate on heavenly things. 
 
 4thly, That the reasonable foul is like unto angels, a»d finally or- 
 dained to enjoy God, as appears by Averrois de anima and therefore 
 he hath a figure looking upwards. 
 
 jthly, That man is a microcofm, that it is a little world, as Ariftotle 
 faith, and therefore he doth command all other living creatures and 
 they obey him. 
 
 6thly, It anfwered, that naturally, there is given unto every thing, 
 and every work, that form and figure which is fit and proper for its 
 motion : as, unto the heaven roundnefs, to the fire a pyramidical form 
 that is, broad beneath* and {harp towards the top, which form is moil 
 apt to afcend : and fo man has his face up to heaven, to behold the 
 wonders of God's works. 
 
 Why is the head of be-afPs hairy ? 
 
 The anfwer, according to the opinion of Conft. is, that the hairs 
 are the ornanpient of the head and of the brain, and the brain is purg- 
 ed and evacuated of grofs humours by the growing of the hair, from 
 the highcfl unto the loweft parts, which pafs through the pores of the 
 exterior flefh and do become dry, and are converted into hairs. This 
 appears to be true, becaufe that in all the body of man there is nothing 
 drier than the hairs ; for they are drier than the bones, as Albetus 
 Magnus doth affirm, becaufe that fome beafts are nouriflied with bones, 
 but no beaft can digeft feathers or hair, but do avoid them undigefted ; 
 they being too hot for nutriment. 
 
 adly, It is anfwered, that the brain is purged four manner of ways ; 
 of fuperfluous watery humours by the eyes, from melancholy by the 
 ears, of choler by the nofe, and of phlegm by the hair, and that is the 
 intent of the phylician. 
 
 Why have men longer hair on their heads than other living creatures t 
 Arift. de generate anim. fays Men have the moifteft brain of atl liv- 
 ing creatures, from which the feed proceedeth, which is converted in- 
 to the long hair of the head. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 153 
 
 adly, It is anfwered that the humours of man are fat, and do not be- 
 come eafily dry, and therefore the hair groweth longer in man than in 
 beafts, whofe humours eafily dry. 
 
 W$y doth the hair take deeper root in Mans Jkin than in any other living 
 creatures ? 
 
 Becaufe they have greater ftore of nouriihment in man, and there- 
 fore grow more into the inward parts of man- — And this is alfo the 
 reafon why in other creatures the hair doth alter and change with the 
 Ikin, and not in man, unlefs it be fometimes a fear or wound. 
 
 IV by iaje ivomen longer hair than men ? 
 
 i ft, Becaufe women are moifter than men, and phlegmatic, and 
 therefore there is more matter of hair in them ; and furthermore, this 
 matter is more increafed in women than in men from their interior 
 parts, and efpecially in the time of their monthly terms, becaufe the 
 matter doth then afcend, whereby the humour which breedeth the 
 hair doth increafe. And Albertus fays, that if the hair of a woman, 
 in the time of their flowers be put into dung, a venomous ierpent is 
 engendered of it. 
 
 adly, Becaufe women want beards, and fo the matter of the beard 
 doth go into the matter of the hair. 
 
 IV by have '/one men [eft hair andfome hard ? 
 
 We anfwer, with Ariftotle, that the hair hath proportion with the 
 ikin, of which fame is hard, fome thick and grofs, fome fubtle and 
 foft ; therefore the hair which groweth out of a thick and grofs (kin, 
 is thick and grofs, and that, which groweth out of a fubtle and foft 
 fkin, is fine and foft. When the pores are open, much humour com- 
 eth forth,, which engenders hard hair ; but when the pores are (trait, 
 then there groweth foft and fine hair. Ariftotle fhews, that women 
 havefofter hair than men, becaufe their pores are morefliut and ftrait, 
 by reafon of their coldnefs. 
 
 2dly, Becaufe that, for the moft part, choleric men, have harder 
 and thicker hair than others, by reafon of their heat, and their pores 
 being for ever open, and therefore they have beards fooner than oth- 
 ers. Ariftotle giveth example in the bear and boar, which have hard 
 liair, proceeding of heat and choler, which makes them bold ; and 
 contrawifc, thofe beafts that have foft hair, as the hart and hair, are 
 fearful, becaufe they be cold. Another reafon of the foftnefs and 
 hardnefs of the hair, is drawn from the climate where a man is born ; 
 becaufe that in hot regions hard and grofs hair is engendered, as in the 
 Ethiopians ; and the contrary is true in cold countries. 
 
 IVhy have fome men curled hair and fome fmooth ? 
 
 The anfwer is, That the caufe of the curling of the hair is great 
 abundance of heat in a man, then the hair doth curl and grow up- 
 ward. A fign of this is, that fometimes a man doth enter into a batfi 
 fmoot haired and afterwards becometh curled ; and therefore the 
 keepers of baths have often curled hair as alfo the Ethiopians and 
 choleric men : But the caufe of the fmoothnefs is the abundance of 
 moift humours which tend downwards; and a proof of this, they have 
 much humidity in them and fmall heat. 
 
 Why do luomen Jhetv their ripenefs by their hair in their privy parti and 
 net effeiuherCy hut men in their breajl. 
 
 We anfwer, becaufe there is abundance of humidity in that place, 
 but more in women than in men. Men have the mouth of the hUd^ 
 
254 
 
 ARISTOTJLFi PROBLEMS. 
 
 tier in that place where the urine is contained, of which the hair in 
 the breafts, and about the navel, is entangled ; but in women the hu- 
 midity cf the bladder, and of the womb, is joined and.meeteth in that 
 low fecret place, and is diffolved and feparated in that place through 
 much vapours and fumes, which are the caufe of hair. And the like 
 doth happen in other places, where hair is, as under the arms. 
 Why have not Women beards ? 
 
 Bccaufe they want heat as appeareth in fome effeminate men, whry 
 are beardlefs for the fame caufe, becaufe they are of the complexion 
 of a woman. 
 
 Why doth the hair proiv in them that are hanged P 
 
 Becaufe their bodies are expofed to the fun which through its heat 
 difFolves ali the moifture into a fume or vapour, of which the hair 
 doth grow. » t v djtfo. i; • •. sti . ;u > ■ " i; 
 
 Why is the lair of the beard thicker and grcjfir, than clfetvhere, and the 
 mae men are Jhavcn y the harder and thicixr it growcth ? 
 
 Becaufe according to the rule of the phyfician, by how much more 
 the humour or vapour of any liquor is dilTolved and taken away, by 
 fo much more the humour remaining doth draw the fame ; and there- 
 fore by how much the more the hair is (haven fo much the humours 
 gather thichen, and of them hair is engendered, and doth there alfo 
 wax hard. 
 
 Why ars ivomen mere fmooth and fofi than men ? 
 
 The anfwer, according to Ariflotle, is, that in women all humidity 
 and fjuperfluity, is expelled with their monthly terms; which fuper- 
 fluity remaineth in men, and through vapours do pafs into the hair. 
 And a fign of this is, that in women who have running at tke nofe, 
 impofHiumes, or ulcer, no fuch matter is expelled. And forne wo- 
 men begin to have beards in their old age, after forty or fifty years of 
 age, when their flowers are ceafed. 
 
 Why doth man only, above all ether creatures- ^ ivax hoary and grey, as 
 JPhythagoraS and Ariftotle affirm ? 
 
 The anfwer, according unto the philofophers, is, becaufe man hath 
 the hottefl: heart of all living creatures ; and therefore nature, left a 
 man fhould be fuffocated through the heat of his heart, hath placed 
 the heart, which is moll hot, under the brain, which is moll cold ; to 
 the end that the heat of the h^art may be tempered with the coldnefs 
 of the brain, and the coldnefs of the brain may be heated with the 
 heat of the heart, and thereby there might he a temperature in both. 
 A fign to prove this is, becaufe of all living creatures " M man hath the 
 worft breath, if he comes to h'13 full age. Furthermore, man doth con- 
 fume half his time in fleeping, which doth proceed from the great ac- 
 cefsofthe coldnefs and moifture of the brain, and by that mtans doth 
 want natural heat to digefl and confume that moifrnefs ; which heat 
 he hath fufheiently in his youth, and therefore in that age )3 not grey, 
 but in his old age, when heat falieth ; and therefore the vapours af 
 cending from the ftomach remain undigefled and unconfirmed for 
 want of natural heat and then putrifles, of which putrefaction of hu- 
 mours the whitedefs doth follow, which is called greynefs or hoarinefs. 
 Whereby it doth appear, that hoarinefs is nothing elfe but a whitcnefs 
 of the hair, caufed by putrefaction of humours about the roots of 
 the hair, through the natural want of heat in old age. Sometimes 
 alfo greynefs is caufed by the naughtinefs of complexion, which may 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 well happen in youth, and fometimes by reafon of the moifture undi- 
 gefted and fometimes through over great fear and care, as appeareth 
 in merchants, failors, thieves : from whence cometh this verfe. 
 Cur a facit canos, quamvis hcmo non habct annos. 
 Why doth red hair grciv ivhile foonsr than other ? 
 
 According to the opinion of Ariftotle, becaufe rednefs is an infirmi- 
 ty of the hair, for it is engendered of a weak and infirm matter, that 
 N is to fay, of matter corrupted with th« flowers of the woman, and there- 
 fore they wax white fooner than black hair. 
 
 Why dowolnjes grow gr'Jly ? 
 
 The better to underftand this queflion note the difference between 
 greynefs and grifling : becaufe that greynefs is caufed through the de- 
 fect: of natural heat, but griflinefs through devouring and eatinp, as 
 Ariftotle witneffeth, lib. 7. de animal The wolf being a devouring 
 beaft, and an eater, he letteth it down gluttonoufly without chewing, 
 ;md that at once enough for three days, by which means grofs vapours 
 are engendered in the wolf's body, and by confequence griflinefs Sec- 
 ondly, greynefs and griflinefs do differ, becaufe greynefs is only on the 
 head, and griilinefs over all the body. 
 
 Why do horfes grow grijly and grey ? 
 
 According to Ariftotle, becaufe they are foi the mo ft part hi the fun s 
 and in his opinion alfo, heat doth accidentally caufe putfefacTton ; 
 and therefore that kind of heat doth putrefy the matter of hair, and 
 by confequence they are quickly pilled. 
 JVJ>y do men become bald, arid trees fall their halves in the winter* 
 
 Ariftotle doth give the fame reafon for both ; becaufe that the want 
 of moifture in both is the caufe of the want of the hair and of the 
 leaves ; and this is proved becaufe that a man becometh bald, through 
 venery, for that is letting forth of natural humidity and heat. And fo 
 by that excefs in carnal pleafure, moifture ib confumed, which is the 
 nutriment of the hair, and therefore balnefs doth enfue. And this is 
 evidently proved in eunuchs and women who do not growbald,becaufe 
 they do not depart from their moiftnefs ; and therefore eunuchs are of 
 the complexion of women. But if you alk why eunuchs be not bald, 
 nor have the gouf, as Hypocrates faith, the anfwer is according to Ga- 
 len, becaufe the caufe of baldncfs i»dryriefs, the which is not in eumuehs, 
 becaufe they want their ftones, the which do mini (tor heat into all 
 the parts of the body, and the heat does open the pores, which being 
 open, tjie hair doth fall. 
 
 Why are not women bild? 
 
 Becaufe they are cold and moifc, which are the caufes that the hair 
 remaiiieth ; for moiftnefs doth give nutriment to the hair and coldnefs 
 doth bind the pores. 
 
 IV by are ball me'i deceitful, according to theucrfc? 
 Si non <vis fafll, fugias confortia calw. 
 
 Becaufe baldnefs doth withueie a choleric complexion, which is hot 
 and dry : and choleric men are naturally deceitful, according to the 
 verfe. 
 
 HWfuiu^fallaxy irafcens prodigus , aud a x . 
 And therefore it followeth, a primum at uUimum, tfeat bald men are 
 deceitful and crafty. 
 
 Why are not blind men naturally bald ? 
 
 Becaufe that, according to Ariftotle, the eye hath mofc "moifture in it. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 and that moifture which (hould pais through by the fubftance of the 
 eyes, doth become a fufficient nutriment of the hair, and therefore 
 they are feldom bald. 
 
 Why doth hair ft and on end when men are afraid ? 
 
 Becaufe in the time of fear the heat doth go from the outward part 
 of the body into the inward, to the intent to help the heart, and fo the 
 pores in which the hairs are fattened, is fliut up ; after which flopping 
 and fhutting up of the pores, the Handing up of the hair doth follow, 
 as it is fecn in beads, as dogs, wild boars, and peacocks. 
 
 Of the Head. 
 
 Why is a man's head round ? 
 
 Becaufe this is moll fit to receive any thing into it, as Ariftotle doth 
 affirm, Lib. dc Caf. -and the head doth contain in it five fenfes. This is 
 alfo feen in -a material fphere. 
 
 Why is the head round ? 
 
 Ariftotle faith, becaufe it doth contain in it the moiftefr part of the 
 living creatures, and aJfOj becaufe the brain may be defended thereby 
 as with a iliield. 
 
 Why is the head abfolutely long but fvmtwhat round P 
 To the end the three creeks and cei's of the brain might the better 
 be difringuifhed ; that is, the fancy in the forehead, the difcourfing 
 or reafonable part in the middle, and the memory in the hindermcft 
 part. 
 
 Why doth a man lift up his head towards the heavens when he doth 
 imagine. 
 
 Becaufe the imagination is in the fore part of the head or brain, and 
 the refore it Hfteth up itfelf, that the creeks or ceils of the imagination, 
 may be opened, and that the fpirits which help the imagination, 
 and are fit for that pur pole, having their coucourfe thither may help 
 the imagination. 
 
 Why doth a man when he mufetb, or thinketh on things pajl, look 
 down towards the earth ? 
 
 Becaufe the cell or creek which is behind, is the creek or chamber 
 of memory, and therefore thac looketh towards heaven when the head 
 h bowed down ; and fo that cell is open, to the end that the fpirits 
 which perfect the memory lhould enter in. * 
 
 Why is not the head fiejhy, Ike unto the other parts of the body. 
 
 Becaufe that, according to Ariftotle, the head \a,uici lie too heavy, 
 and would not fhnd ftedfaftly ; and therefore it is without flefli. Alio 
 a head loaded with fleili doth betoken an evil complexion. 
 
 Why is the head fuhjeel to aches and griefs. 
 
 According to Conftant, by reafon of evil humours which proceed 
 from the ftomach, attend up to the head and d^fturb the brain, and fo 
 caufe the pain in the head. And fometimes it proceeds from over- 
 much filling the ftomach, becaufe, according to the opinion of Galen, 
 two great finews pafs from the brain to the mouth of the ftomach. and 
 therefore thefe two parts do fuffer grief alway together. Sometimes rhe 
 ach doth proceed of drinking ftrong wine, of fuming meats, ^s garlick 
 or onions, and fometimes of phlegm in the ftomach, whereof fpi ing 
 t-uotidian fevers. 
 
 Why have the women the head ach more than men ? • 
 Aibertus faith, it is by reafon of their monthly terms, which men 
 arc not troubled with, and 16 a moid, unclean and vancmous fume is 
 
Aristotle's problems. 
 
 tftftolved, the which feeking pafiage upward, doth caufe the headach. 
 Why is the brain ivhite f 
 
 There are two anfwers ; the firft oecaufe it is cold, and coldnefs is 
 the mother of white : the philofophers do teach the fecond, becaufe it 
 may receive the iimilitude and Jikcnefs of all colours, which the white 
 colour can beft do, becaufe it is mod fimple. 
 
 Why are all thefenfes in the head ? 
 
 Becaufe, as Albertus faith, the prain is there, on which all the fenfes 
 do depend, and are directed by it, and by confequence it maketh all the 
 fpirits to feel, and by it all the membranes are governed. 
 
 Why cannot a man efape death if the brain or heart be hurt ? 
 
 Becaufe the heart and brain are two of the moft principal parts 
 which concern life : and therefore if they be hurt there is no remedy 
 left for the cure. 
 
 Why is the brain motft? 
 
 Becaufe it may eafily receive an impreflion, which moifture caa 
 befl do, as it appeareth in wax, which doth eafily receive the print 
 of the feal.when it is foft. 
 
 Why is the brain cold? 
 
 This is anfwered two ways ; firft, becaufe that by this coldnefs it 
 may clear the underftanding of a man, and make it fubtile. Second- 
 ly, that by the coldnefs of the brain the heat of the heart may be tem- 
 pered. Of the Eyes. 
 
 Why haueyou but one nofeand tv>o eyes P 
 
 Becaufe our light is more neceflary for u£ than the fmelling. And 
 therefore it doth proceed from the goodnefs of nature/that-if we re- 
 ceive any hurt or lof* of one eye, that yet. there fhould one remain : 
 unto which the fpirit with which we fee, called Spiritus Vifus, is di- 
 rected when the other is out. 
 Why have children in their youth great eyes } and why do they become 
 Jmaller a*id fajfer in thirage? " . 
 
 According to Ariftotle de gentrat. It proceedeth from the want of 
 fire, and from the alTembling and meeting together of light and hu- 
 mour; the eyes are lightened by reafon of the fun, which doth lighten 
 the eafy humour of the eye, and purge it, and in the*" abfence of the 
 fun thofe humours become dark and black, and therefore the fight is 
 not fo good. 
 
 Why doth the bluijh grry eye fee badly in the day time, and well in 
 the night ? 
 
 Becaufe faith Ariftotle, greynefsis light and fhining of itfelf, and 
 the fpirits with which we fee are weakened in the day time, and 
 ftrengthened in the night. 
 
 Why be merts eye* of divers colours ? 
 
 This proceedeth, faith Ariftor.le, by reafon of r%e diverfity of the 
 humours : the eye therefore hath four coverings and three humours : 
 the firft covering is called confolidative, which is the outermoft, and 
 ftrong and fat. The fecond is a horney ikin and covering to the like- 
 nefs of an horn, and that is a clear covering. The third is called Uvea, 
 of the likenefs of a black grape. . The fourth is called a cobweb. But 
 according to the opinion of fome, the eye doth confift of feven cover- 
 ings or ikins, and three humours. The firft: humour is celled abori- 
 gines for the likenefs unto the white of an egg. The fecond glacial, 
 fiiat is clear like unto ice or chriftalline. The third vitreous that is 
 O 
 
*58 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 clear as glafs. And the divcrfity of humour caufeth the diverfity of the. 
 eyes. 
 
 Why are men tvho have bid one eye good archers ? and ivhy do good archers 
 commonly jhut one eye ? and ivhy do fuch as behold the Jlars look through a 
 trunk ivith one eye ? 
 
 This matter is handled in the perfpeclive arts, and the reafon is, as it 
 <£oth appear in the bock of Caufes, becaufe that every virtue and ftrength 
 united knit together, is ftronger than itfelf difperfed and fcattered. There- 
 fore all the force of feeing difperfed in two eyes, the one being ftmt, is 
 gathered into the other, and fo the light is fortified in him, and by cenfe- 
 "«jucnce he doth fee better and more certainly with one eye being fhut, 
 than both open. 
 
 Why do fuch as dtink much, and laugh much,Jhtd much tears ? 
 
 Becaufe that whilft they drink and laugh without meafure, the air 
 which is drawn in, doth not pafs out through the windpipe, and fo with, 
 force is directed and fent to the eyes, and by their pores palling out doth 
 expel the humours of the eyes, the which humours being fo expulfed do 
 bring tears. 
 
 Why do Juch as iveep much, mine but little ? 
 
 Becaufe, faith Ariftotle, the radical humidity of a tear and of urine are 
 one and the fame nature ; and therefore, where weeping doth increafe, u- 
 rine doth diminiih ; and that they be of one nature, is plain to the tafte, 
 becaufe they are both fait. 
 
 Why do fomc that have clear eyes fee nothing at all? 
 
 Ey reafon of the opulation and naughtinefs of the finews that which 
 we fee ; for the temples being defboyej', the ftrength of the light cannot 
 be carried from the brain to the eye, as philofophers teach, lib. de fen. & 
 
 fentio. 
 
 Why is the eye dear and fncoth like unto a glafs ? 
 
 Becaufe the things which nlay be feen are better beaten back from a 
 fmooth thing than othervvife. 
 
 Secondly, I anfwer, it is becaufe the eye is very moift above all parts of 
 the body and of a waterilh nature ; and as the water is clear and fmooth, 
 fo likewife is the eye. 
 
 Why do men ivso have their eyes deep in their head fee ivell afar off and the 
 like in heajls ? 
 
 Becaufe faith Ariftotle (zd. de Gener. Animal.) the force and power by 
 which we fee h difperfed in them, and go directly to the thing which is 
 feen. And this is proved by a fimilitude, becaufe that when a man doth 
 ftand in a deep ditch or well, he doth fee in the day time, ftanding in thofe 
 places, the ftars of the firmament ; as Ariftotle doth teach in his treatife, 
 l)e Foi ma Specula ; becaufe that then the power of the fight and of the 
 beams are not fcattered. 
 
 Wherefore do thofe men tvho have their eyes far out, and not deep in their 
 bead fee but m early and not far diflant ? 
 
 Becaufe, faith Ariftotle, the beams of the fight which pafs from the eye 
 are fcattered on every fide, and go directly unto the thing that is feen, and 
 therefore the fight is weakened. 
 
 Why are many heajls horn bljnd, as lions* ivhelps and dogs* ivhelps ? 
 
 Becaufe fuch beafts are not yet of perfecT: ripenefs and maturity, and the 
 caufe of nutriment doth net work in them. And this is proved by a fim- 
 ilkude of the fwallow, whofe eyes, if they were taken out when they are 
 littl ones hi the neft, would grow again : and this is pla*n in many other 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 159 
 
 beafts, which are brought forth before their time, as it were dead, as bears' 
 whelps. And this reafon doth belong rather to the perfpective than the 
 natural philofopher. 
 
 Why do the eyes of a ivoman that hath her flowers fain a tieiv glafs, as Ar- 
 iflotle faiths de fomno et Virgil, and this is like the problem^ zvhy doth a ba* 
 JUifk kill a man ivith his eyes ? 
 
 To the firft I anfwer, that when the flowers do run from a woman, then 
 a moft venomous air is diflblved in them, which doth afcend unto the wo- 
 man's head ; and me having grief of her head, doth cover it with many- 
 veils and kerchiefs ; and becaufe the eyes are full of fmall infenfible holes, 
 which are called pores, there the air feeketh a paffage, and fo doth infedt 
 the eyes, which are full of blood, and their eyes do appear alfo drooping 
 and full of tears, by reafon of the evil vapours that are in them, and thofe 
 vapours are incorporated ; and multiplied, until they come into the glafs 
 before them, and by reafon that fuch a glafs is found, clear and fmooth it 
 doth eafily receive that which is unclean. 
 
 To the fecond it is anfwered, that the bafililk is a very venomous and 
 infected beaft, and that there^pafs from his eyes venomous vapours, which 
 are multiplied upon the thing which is feen by him, and even unto the eye 
 of man ; the which venomous vapours or humours entering into the body 
 do infect him, and fo in the end the man dieth. And this is alfo the rea- 
 fon why the bafililk looking upon a Ihield perfectly well made with fafc 
 clammy pitch, or hard fmooth thing, doth kill himfelf, becaufe the hu- 
 mours are beaten back from the fmooth, hard thing, unto the bafilHk, by 
 which beating back lie is killed. And the like is faid of a woman when 
 fhe hath her monthly difeafe, whereof it followeth, that fome old women 
 do hurt themfelves when they look upon glalfes, or other firm and folid 
 things, in the time of their terms. 
 
 Why ate not fparkling cats'' eyes and wolves' eyes feen in the light and not 
 in the dark ? 
 
 Becaufe that the greater light doth darken the leffer, and therefore in a 
 greater light the fparkling cannot be feen, but the greater the darknef?, tire 
 eaiier it is feen, and is made more ftrong and mining, becaufe it is not then 
 hindered by a greater external light, which might darken it. 
 
 W by doth a man beholding himfelf in a glafs prefently forget his oivn d'fpo- 
 Jit ion f 
 
 Anfwer is made in Lib- de forma fpeculi, that the image feen by the 
 glafs doth reprefent it weakly and indirectly, to the power of the fight ; 
 and becaufe it is reprefented weakly, it is alfo weakly apprehended, and by 
 conference is no longer retained. 
 
 Why is the fight recreated and refrefhed by a green colour as this <verfe fh^iv- 
 cih ? 
 
 FenSy fpeculum gramcn oculls funt akviamen. 
 Becaufe the green colour doth meanly move the inftrument of fight and 
 therefore doth comfort the fight ; but this doth not black nor white col- 
 ours, becaufe the colours do vehemently ftir and altar the organ and in- 
 flrument of the light, and therefore make the greater violence, but by 
 how much more violent the thing is which is felt or feen the more it doth 
 de,troy and weaken the fenfe, as Ariflotle doth teach, Lib. %. de ani- 
 mal. 
 
 Of the Nose. 
 
 Why doth the nofe ft and out farther than other parts of the body ? 
 
 There are two anfwers : the firft, becaufe the nofe is as it were the fink 
 
i6o 
 
 Aristotle's problems. 
 
 of the brain, by which the phlegm of the brain is purged, and therefore it 
 doth fland forth, left the other partsfhould be defiled : thefecond (accord- 
 ing to Conflant.) is, becaufe the nofe is the beauty of the face, and 
 therefore, it doth fhew itfelf and fhine. It doth fmell alfo and adorn the 
 face, as Boetus faith, de Jefcip. fcbol. 
 
 Why hath man the ivotji fmell of all living creatures, as it doth appear, 
 Lib de Animal ? 
 
 Becaufe the man (as the commentator faith) in refpect of his quality 
 hath the moft brain of all creatures : and therefore by that exceeding cold- 
 s nefs and moiftnefs the brain wanteth a good difpofition, and by confequence 
 the fmelling inflrument is not good, as Ariilotle and Themiftoclts do 
 teach ; yea, fome men there be who do not fmell at all. 
 
 Why doth the vulture or urmorant fmell very uell, as tie commentator doth 
 fay? ' 
 
 Becaufe they have a very dry brain, and therefore the air carrying the 
 fmell, is not hindered by the humidity of the brain, but doth prefently 
 touch its inflrument ; and therefore he faith, that the vultures, tygers, and 
 other beafls, came five hundred miles to the dead bodies after a battle m 
 
 Greece. 
 
 U'hy did nature male nrfrils ? 
 
 For three commodities. Firfl, becaufe that the mouth being (hut, we 
 draw breath in by the noftrils to refrefh the heart with. Thefecond com- 
 modity is, becaufe that the air which proceedeth from the mouth doth fa- 
 vour badly, becaufe of the vapours which rife from the flomach, but that 
 which we breathe from the nofe is not noifome, The third is, becaufe the 
 phlegm which doth proceed from the brain is purged by them. 
 
 Why do men fneeze ? J » 
 
 Becaufe that the expulfive virtue of power and the fight lhould thereby 
 be purged, and the brain alfo from fuperfluities, becaufe that as the lungs 
 are purged by coughing, fo is the fight and brain by fneezing : and thofe 
 who fneeze often are faid to have a ftrong brain ; and therefore the phy- 
 ficians gi ve fneezing medicaments to purge the brain, and fuch fick perfons 
 as cannot fneeze die quickly, becaufe it is a fign their brain is wholly fluff- 
 ed with evil humours, which cannot be purged. 
 
 IVby do fuch as apoleSlic not fneeze ; that is, futh as are fuhjecl to Heed ? 
 
 Becaufe the paffages or ventricles of the brain are flopped in them ; and 
 if they could fneeze, their apoplexy would be loofed. 
 
 Why doth the heat of the fun provoke fneezing, and not the heat of fire ? 
 
 Becaufe the heat of the fun doth difTolve and not confume ; and there- 
 fore the vapour diffclved is expelled by fneezing ; but the heat of the fire 
 doth diffolve and confume, and therefore rather doth hinder fneezing than 
 provoke. 
 
 Of the Ears. 
 Why do beafls move their ears and not men f 
 
 Becaufe there is a certain mufcle near unto the jaw which doth caufe 
 motion in the ear ; and therefore that mufcle being extended and flretch- 
 cd,men do not move their ears, as it hath been feen in divers men, but all 
 beafls do ufe that mufcle or flefhy finew, and therefore do move their 
 ears. 
 
 Why is rain prognofiicated by the pricking up of affes ears ? 
 Becaufe the afs is a very melancholly beail, and it proceedeth from mel~ 
 anchclly that he doth forefee ram to come. In the time of rain, all beaib 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 do ^rick up their ears, and therefore the afs perceiving that it will rain, 
 doth prick up his ears before it come. 
 
 Why have fome beajls no ears ? 
 
 Ariftotle doth anfwer and fay, that nature doth give unto every thing 
 that which is fit for it ; but if fhe mould have given birds ears, their fly- 
 inp- would have been hindered by them : likewife fiih do not want ears, 
 becaufe they would hinder their fwimming, and have only certain little 
 holes through which they hear, as Ariftotle declares by the fea-calf. 
 . Why have bats ears , feeing they feem to be birds ? 
 
 Becaufe they are partly birds in nature, in that they do fly, by reafon 
 whereof they have wings ; and partly they are hairy, becaufe they are 
 mice,t herefore nature has being wife gave them ears. 
 
 Why have men only round ears ? 
 
 Becaufe the fnape of the whole and of 'he parts fliould be proportiona- 
 ble, and efpecially in all things of one nature : for, as a drop of water is 
 round, fo the whole water, John de facro Bofco doth prove ; and fo be- 
 caufe a man's head is round, the ears incline towards the fame figure : 
 but the heads of beafts are fomewhat long, and fo the ears are drawn in- 
 to length alfo. 
 
 Why did nature give living creotures ears ? 
 
 For two caufes : i. Becaufe with them they IhouM hear. i. Becaufe 
 that by the ear choleric fuperfluity is purged ; for, as the head is purged 
 of phlegmatic fuperfluity by the nofe, fo from choleric by the ears. 
 Of the Mouth. 
 
 Why hath the mouth lips to com p afs it ? 
 
 According to the Conft. becaufe the lips do cover and defend the teeth,* 
 it were unfeemly that the teeth ihculd always be fe<?n. Another anfwer is* 
 that the teeth are of a cold nature, and would therefore be foon hurt if they\ 
 were not covered With lips. Another moral reafon is, becaufe a man ihould 
 not be to hafcy of fpeech. 
 
 Why hath a man tivc eyes, trvo ears and but one meuth ? 
 
 Becaufe a man mould fpeak but little, and hear and fee* much. And 
 withal, Ariftotle doth fay, that the hearing and the fight doth fhew us the 
 difference of many things ; and Seneca doth agree unto this, affirming' 
 that nature environed the tongue with a double cloifter, and teeth, and 
 lips, and has made the ears open and wide, and has given us but one mouth, 
 to fpeak but little, though we hear much* 
 
 Why hath a man a mouth? 
 
 For many commodities : I. Becaufe the mouth is the gate and door of 
 the ftomach .2. Becaufe the meat is chewed in the mouth, and prepared 
 and made ready for the fhrft digeftion, although Avicen, doth hold that 
 digeftion is made in the mouth. 3-. Becaufe that the air drawn into the 
 hollow of the mouth for the refrefhing. of the heart, made more pure and 
 fubtile. And for many other caufes which hereafter fhall appear. 
 
 Why aic the tips moveable ? 
 
 Becaufe of forming the voice and words, which cannot be perfectly done 
 
 without them. For as without a, b, c } there is no writing : fo without the 
 
 lips no voice can be well formed. 
 
 Why do men gape ? \ . ; ■ 
 
 The glofs upon the laft part of Hippocrates y Aphorifms faith, that it 
 
 proceeds of wearifomenefs, as when a man fitteth among fuch as he doth. 
 
 not knew, whefe company he would willingly be rid cf. Befides, gaping; 
 
 is ciufedcf the thick fume and vapours which fill the jaws> by the ex^ui- 
 
ARISTOTLE'* PROBLEMS. 
 
 Son of which is caufed the ftretching out and expulfion of the jaws, and o- 
 pening of the mouth, which is called gaping. 
 
 Why doth a man gape ivhen be feeth another gape t 
 
 This proceedeth of imagination. And this is proved by a fimilitude, for 
 an afs is an animal void of fenfe, by reafen of his melancholy, becaufe he 
 doth retain his fuperfluity a long time, and would neither eat nor pifs, un- 
 lets he mould hear another pifs ; and fo a man gapes thro* imagination 
 when another man doth gape. 
 
 Of the Teeth. 
 
 Why have they only, amnnv all other hones, the fenfe of 'feeling f 
 Becaufe, as Avicen, and Galen fay, they difcern heat and cold which 
 hurt them, which other bones need not. 
 Why haVe men more teeth than ivomcn ? 
 
 By reafon of the abundance of heat and blood, which is more in men 
 than in women. 
 
 Why do the teeth groiv totbmmti o f our life, and not the other bones ? 
 Becaufe otherwife they would be confumed with chewing and grind- 
 ing 
 
 Why d<j the teeth only come again when they fall, or be taken out, and other 
 bones taken aivay groiv no more ? 
 
 Becaufe that according to Ariftotle, all other bones are engendered of 
 the humidity which is called radical, and fo they breed in the womb of 
 the mother, but the teeth are engendered of nutritive humidity, which is. 
 renewed and increafed from day to day. 
 
 Why are the fore teeth (harp and the cheek teeth broad ? 
 
 This proceedeth of the defect of matter, and of the figure, becaufe the 
 fore teeth are fharp, and the others broad. But, according to Ariftotle, 
 there is another anfwer ; that is, that it is the office of the fore teeth to 
 cut the meat, and therefore they are lharp ; and the office of the other te~ 
 chew the meat and therefore they are broad in fufhioa, which is fit for that 
 purpofe. 
 
 Why do the fore t:eth groio foonefi ? 
 
 Bfftaufc we want them fooner in cutting than the other in chewing. 
 
 Why do teeth of hu?nan c features gr<*t» black in old age ? 
 
 This proceedeth of the corruption of meat, and the corruption of phlegm, 
 with a naughty ehokric humour. 
 
 IVhy are colts' teeth yelhiv^ and of the colour of fajfron ivhen they are young 
 and gro'iv white ivhen they are old ? 
 
 Ariftotle faith, that a hcrfe hath abundance of watery humours in him, 
 which in His youth are digefted ancj converted into groflhefs ; but in old 
 age heat is dimini&ed, and the watery humours remain, whofe proper 
 colour is white. 
 
 Why did nature give living creatures teeth ? 
 
 Ariftotle faith {Lib, dc General Animal.) to fome to fight with, for the 
 defence of their live?, as unto wolves and bears ; unto fome to eat with, as 
 unto horfes ; unto fome for the forming of their voice, as unto men, as it 
 appeareth by the commentary in the book de Animal. 
 
 Why do ho/ n ben (Is ivant their upper cheekteeth ? 
 
 According to Ariftotle, in his book de Aiimal. horns and teeth are cauf- 
 ed of the felf fame matter, that is cf nutrimental humidity, and therefore 
 the matter which pafieth into horns turneth not into teeth, confequentfy 
 they want the upper teeth. ArA fuch beafts according to Ariftotle, can- 
 not chew well j whereupon for want of teeth, they have two ftomadis 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 by eonfequence, and fo to chew their meat twice :. and they do firft con- 
 vey their meat into the ftomach or belly, and then return it from whence it 
 came, and chew it. 
 
 Why are fame creatures brought forth with teeth , at kids and lambs ; and fome 
 without them, as men ? 
 
 Nature doth not want in things neceflary, nor abound in things fuper* 
 fluous ; and therefore, becaufe thefe beafts not long after they be fallen, do 
 need teeth ; but men are nourifhed with their mother's dugs for a time, 
 and therefore, for a time, do not need teeth. 
 
 Why have not birds teeth F 
 
 Becaufe the matter of teeth paffeth into their beak, and therefore there 
 is their digeftion : or elfe it is anfwered, that although they do not chew 
 with teeth, yet their head in digeftion doth fupply the want of teeth. 
 Of the Tongue. 
 
 Why is the tongue full of pores T 
 
 According to Ariftotle de Animal. Becaufe the tongue is the means 
 whereby we tafte ; and through the mouth in the pores of the tongue, the 
 tafte doth come into the fenfe of tailing. Otherwife, it is anfwered, that 
 frothy fpittle is fent into the mouth by the tongue from the lungs, moift- 
 ening the meat, and making it ready for the firft digeftion ; and there- 
 fore the tongue is full of pores, becaufe many have paffage through it. 
 
 Why doth the tongue of fucb as are fick of agues judge all things bitter ? 
 
 Becaufe the ftomach of fUch perfons is filled with choleric humours, and 
 choler is very bitter, as it appeareth by the gall, and therefore this bitter 
 fume doth infect their tongue, and fo the tongue being fulf of thefe taftes, 
 doth judge them bitter, although the fault be not in the meat. 
 
 W by doth the tongue water ivhen we hear four and Jharp things named ? 
 
 Becaufe the imaginative virtue or power is of greater force than the 
 power and faculty of tailing : and when we imagine a tafte, we conceive 
 it by the power of tailing as by a mean, becaufe there is nothing felt by the 
 tafte ; but by means of that fpittle the tongue doth water. 
 
 W by do fume Jtammer and lifp ? 
 
 This happeneth from many caufes, fometimes through the moiftnefs of 
 the tongue and brain, as in .children, which cannot fpeak plainly nor pro- 
 nounce many letters. Sometimes it happeneth by reafon of the Ihrinking 
 of certain finews, which are corrupted with phlegm ; for fuch finews there 
 he which go to the tongue. 
 
 Why are the tongues of 'fir penis , and mad dogs venomous ? 
 
 Becaufe of the malignity and tumofity of the venomous humour which 
 doth predominate in them. 
 
 Why is a dog's tongue ft and apt for medicine^ and contrary wife an horfes 
 tongue pefifcrous ? 
 
 'Tis by reafon of fome fecret property, or elfe it may be faid the tongue 
 of a dog is full of pores, and ft> doth draw and take away the vifcofity of 
 the wound. Some fay that a dog hath by nature fome humour in his 
 tongue, with the which by licking he doth heal ; the contrary is in a 
 horfe. 
 
 Why is ihe fpittte white ? 
 
 By reafon of the continual moving of the tongue whereof heat is en- 
 gendered, which makes this fuperfluity white, as is feen in the froth of 
 water. • 
 
 Why is the fp'ttle ur.favoury and withoit tape ? 
 
 If it had a certain determinate tafte, then the tongue would not tafte 
 
ARlSTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 at all, but would only have the tafte of fpittie, and fo could not receive 
 other taftes. 
 
 Why doth the fpittie of one thatjs f aping heal an impojlbume ? 
 Becaufe according to Avicen, it is well digefted and made fubtle. 
 
 Why do fome abound rn fpittie more than others ? 
 
 This proceedeth of a phlegmatic complexion, which doth predom- 
 inate in them, and therefore the phylician, fay, that fuch mould take 
 care of a quotidian ague,- which arifeth from the predominacy of 
 phlegm : the contrary is, in thofethat fpit little, becaufe, heat abounds 
 in them, which confumes the humidity of the fpittie ; and fo the de- 
 fect of fpittie is a fign of a fever. 
 
 Why is the fpittie of a man that is J "fling mote fubtle than one ivho is full ? 
 
 Becaufe that the fpittie is without the vifcofity of meat, which is 
 wont to make the fpittie of one who is full, grofs and thick. 
 
 .From ivhence proeeedcth the fpittie of man ? 
 
 From the froth of the lungs, which according to the phyficians are 
 
 the feat of phlegm. 
 
 Why are fuch leafs as often go together for generation 'very full of foam and 
 froth f 
 
 Becaufe that then the lights and the heart are in great motion of 
 luft, therefore there is engendered in them much frothy matter. 
 
 Why have not birds fpittie ? 
 
 Becaufe they have very dry lungSj according to Ariftotle, in his fifth 
 book de Animal. 
 
 Why do fuch as are called Epileptic, that is, fuch as are overwhelmed and 
 as it ivere droivhed in their oxvn bloody and are difcafed, favour badly and cor" 
 
 rtfth ? 
 
 The anfwer, according to the phyficians, is, becaufe the peccant 
 matter lieth in the head ; but if he do vomit, then the matter is in the 
 ftomach ; but if he pifs much, then the matter is in the palfage of true 
 urine; but if he begin to hrave feed, then it is in the verTels of the feed* 
 and according to the phyficians do purge them. 
 
 Why doth the tongue lofefometimes the tfe of f peaking ? 
 
 The anfwer is out of Hippocrates. That this doth happen through 
 a palfy or apoplexy, that is, a fudden efFuQon of blood and of a grofs 
 humour and fometimes alfo by infection otfpiritus animalis in the mid- 
 dle of the brain, which hinders the fpirits from being carried to the 
 tongue ; and fo is Galen's meaning, for, by the expreiTion of the 
 tongue many actions of divers perfons are made manifeft. 
 
 Of the Roof of the Mouth. 
 
 Why are fruits, before they are ripe, of a naughty relifh or bitter, and af- 
 ter fzveet ? 
 
 A naughty refifh in tafte proceedeth of coldnefs, and want of heat 
 in grofs and thick humidity; hut a fweet tafte proceedeth of fufficient 
 beat, and therefore in the ripe fruit the humidity is fubtle through 
 the heat of the fun, and fuch fruits are commonly fweet ; but before 
 they be ripe, and humidity is grofs or fubtle for want of heat, the 
 fruit is bitter and four. 
 
 Why are ive better dcl'rghfed ivrth fxveet tafles than luitb bitttr or any oth- 
 sr t '* '" \ .•••>• 
 
 Becaufe nature is delighted with fweet nefs : the reafon is becaufe a 
 fweet thing is hot and moift ; and though the heat doth difTolve and 
 c<>nfume fuperfluous humidities, and by this humidity, immundicit j 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 its 
 
 is wafted away, but a fiiarp eager tafte, by reafon of the cold which 
 p/edominates in it, doth blind overmuch, and prick and offend the 
 parts of the body in purging and therefore we do not delight in that 
 tafte becatife the phyficians counfel us to eat nothing tfcat is bitter, in 
 the fu miner nor in a great heat ; and the reafon is, becaufe bitternefs 
 doth breed heat, but we fhould eat bitter things in winter only ; and 
 therefore Ariftotle doth fay, that fweet things are grateful unto na- 
 ture, and do greatly nouriih. 
 
 Why doth a fharp t^fie as of vinegar pr ovoke appetite , ratier than any 
 other ? 
 
 Becaufe it is cold, and doth cool. Now it is the nature of cold to 
 defire and draw, and therefore is caufe of appetite, Mark, that there 
 are nine kinds of taftes, three of which proceed from heat, three fron 
 cold, and three from a temperate mean. 
 
 Why do -we draw in more air than ive breathe out ? 
 
 Ariftotle and Albcrtus in his book De Montu Cordis, do anfwer, that 
 much air is drawn in, and fo converted into nutriment, which togeth- 
 er with the vital fpirit is contained in the lungs. Wherefore a beaft 
 is not ftiffocated fo long as he receives air with the lungs, in which 
 fume part of the air remaineth a!fo. 
 
 Why doth the air fiem to be expelled and put forth , fain* i'jut indeed ' the 
 air is i^vfhle y by reafon of its variety and thinnf ? 
 
 Becaufe the air which is received in us is mingled with vapours and 
 fumofity of the heart by reafon whereof it is made thick, and fo i3 
 feen,and this is proved by experience, becaufe that in winter, we fee 
 our breath, for the coldnefs of air doth bind the breath mixed with 
 fumofities, and fo it is thickened and made grofs, and by confequence 
 is feen. 
 
 Why have fame men flinling Ireath ? 
 
 The reafon is, according to the phyficians, becaufe there rife evil 
 fumes from the ftomach ; and fometimcs it doth proceed from the cor- 
 ruption of the airy parts of the body, as of the lungs. And the breath 
 of lepers is fo infected, that it dorh poifon the birds that are near them, 
 becaufe the inwards parts are very corrupt, as appears by Con/}, de Sin. 
 Now the leprofy is a nourifhment of all the parts of the body, togeth- 
 er with a corrupting of them : and it doth begin in the blood, and ex- 
 terior members of the body. 
 
 Why are lepers hoarfe ? 
 
 Becaufe that in them the inftrumen^s vocal are corrupted, that is 
 the lights. 
 
 Why do men become hoarfe ? 
 
 Becaufe of the rheum defcending from the brain filling the conduit 
 of the lights ; or fometimes through fome impofthumes of the throat, 
 or rheum gathering in the neck. 
 
 Why have females of all living creatures the fhrillefl voice^ a eroiv only cx~ 
 cepted y and a woman Jhrllltr than a man y and a /mailer ? 
 
 According to Ariftotle, by reafon of the composition of the veins* 
 the vocal arteries of voice is formed, as appears by a fimilitudc, be- 
 caufe a fmall pipe founds fhriller than a great. And alfo in women, 
 becaufe the paffage where the voice is formed is made narrow and 
 ftraight, by reafon of cold, it being the nature of cold to bind ; but ia 
 men the paffage is open and wider through heat, becaufe it is the 
 property of heat to open and difTolve. It proceedeth ia warned 
 
i66 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 through the moiftnefs of the lungs and vveaknefsof the heat. Young 
 men and difeafed have fharp and fhrill voices for the fanie caufe. Aad 
 this is the natural caufe why a man child at his birth doth cry a. /. 
 which is a bigger fouud, and the female e, which is a flender found. 
 
 Why doth the voice change in tntn and tvomett ; in men at 14, in ivomen at 
 12; in men ivhen they begin to yield their feed ; in ivomen ivhtn their breafis 
 begin to groiv P 
 
 Becaufe then, faith Ariflotle the beginning of the voice is flackened 
 ?nd loofened ; and he proves this by a limilitude of a firing of an in- 
 *.rument let down or loofed, which gives a great found. He proves it 
 another way, becaufe creatures that are gelded, as eunuchs, capos, &c. 
 have fofter and more flender voices than others by reafon they want 
 ftones. 
 
 Why is net a ivolf hoarfe ivhen a man hols on him P 
 Becaufe a man is not fo cold as a wolf, nor of fo malignant a quali- 
 ty- 
 
 Why doth a man ivho is fain bleed *whcn he is feen of him ivho killed him ? 
 
 This proccedeth of divine caufe, and not of natural, becaufe his 
 blOOd callcth for vengeance againft the murderer : but if there be any 
 natural caufe of it, 'tis this : the committer of this wicked fact calling 
 it to mind, is very forry for it, repents him of it, is in anguifh of mind , 
 and in a great heat through the imagination he hath conceived, and by 
 that means all his fpirits do flir and boil, and repair into the inftrti- 
 ments of the fight of the eyes, unto the wounds which are made, which , 
 if they be htfli, do prefentiy fall a bleeding. Befides, this is done by 
 the help of the air then breathed in, which being drawn from the 
 wound catifeth it to bleed. 
 
 Why do fmall birch fing more and louder than great ones, as appeals in the 
 let k and nightingale ? 
 
 Becaufe the fpirits of frhall birds are fubtle and foft, and the organ 
 conduit flxait, as appeareth in a pipe, and therefore follow eahly any' 
 note and fing very foft. 
 
 Why doth the male fing more than the few ale, as appeareth in all living 
 treat arcs ? 
 
 It proceedeth from the deflre of carnal copulation, becaufe that then 
 the fpirits are moved throughout all the body with the aforefaid ap- 
 petites and defire. And generally, fpeaking, the females are colder 
 than the males. 
 
 Why do bees, ivafps, flies, loafs, and many other fuch like infcdls make a 
 noife, feeing they have no lungs, nor isfrumenls of the voice ? 
 
 According to Ariflotle, there is, in them a certain frnail ikin, which, 
 when the air cloth ftrike, it caufeth the found. 
 
 Why do not fifJs make a found ? 
 
 Becaufe they have no lungs, but only gills, nor yet a heart ; and 
 therefore they need not the drawing in of the air, and by coiiftquence 
 they make no noife, becaufe that a voice is a pureuilion of the air w hich 
 is drawn. 
 
 Of the Nkck. 
 Why hath a lining creature a neck ? 
 
 Becaufe the neck is the fupporter of the head, and therefore the 
 neck is the middle between the head and the body, to the intent that 
 by it, and by its finews, as by certain means and ways, motion and 
 fenfe- of the body might be conveyed throughout all the body ; and that 
 
ARISTOTLE'a PROBLEMS. 
 
 i6y 
 
 by means of the neck, as it werehya clifcance, the heart, which is very 
 hot, might be feperated from the brain. . 
 
 Why do fome beafis voant necks, as f'rprnts and fifhes? 
 
 Becaufe fuch beafts want a heart, and therefore they want that dif- 
 tance which we have fpoken of; or elfe we anfwer, they have a neck 
 in feme inward part of them, bat it is not diftinguiiTied outwardly 
 from the heart to the head. 
 
 Why fa tkf r ckfu'l of hones and joints? 
 
 Becaufe it may bear and fuftain the head the ftronger, alfo, befor.c 
 the back' - oe is joined to the brain in the neck and from thence it re- 
 ceive? marrow, which is of the fubfllnce of the brain. 
 
 Why ha i e f r -me beafis long necks, $s cr2n:s, forks, and fuch likt? 
 
 Becaufe fuch beafis do leek their li ving in the bottom of the water ; 
 and fome bcafts have fhort necks : as fparrowhawks, &c. becaufe fuch 
 are ravenous beafte, and therefore for ftrength, hare fhort necks as 
 appeareth in the ox, which has a fliort neck, and is therefore ftrong. 
 
 Why is the neck hollow, and efpeciall? before and about the tongue? 
 
 Becaufe there be two paflhges, whereof the one doth carry the meat 
 into the nutritive inftrument, as to the ftomach and liver, and is called 
 of the Greek Oefepbaaus. 
 
 Why is the artery made tvith tarings., and circles? 
 
 The better to bow, and give a founding again. 
 
 Why doth a ch'cken move a good [pace after his head is cut off, and 
 a man beheadt d never fir rah ? 
 
 Becaufe a chicken, and fuch like, have ftrait (mews and arteries, and 
 therefore the fpirit of moving continueth long after the head is cut 
 otf; but men, and many beafts, have long and large finews and arte- 
 ries, and therefore the motive fpirits do quickly depart from them, 
 and fo by confequence cannot move their bodies. 
 
 Of the ohouldzks and Arms. 
 
 Why hath a man (hnul Urs and, arms ? 
 
 To give and carry burdens, and do any manner of work. 
 
 Why are his .inns round? 
 
 For the fwifter and fpedier work, becaufe that figure is fitted t© 
 move. 
 
 Wny ar? his arms thick? 
 
 Becaufe they fhoutcl be ftrong to lift and bear burdens, or thrufb 
 and give a ftrong blow ; fo their bones are thick, becaufe they contain 
 much marrow, for elfe they would be eafily corrupted and marred; 
 but marrow cannot fo we-'I be contained in fmall bones as in great. 
 
 Why do fuch as are dif afed and in grief uncover and cover their 
 arms, and [rich alfo as :>re in agony ? 
 
 Becauis. fuch are near unto death : and it is a Hgn of death by reafon 
 of great grief, which caufeth. that uncovering, as Hippocrates doth 
 teach, l b. Frcgnojl. 
 
 Why dotne a-'ins become fmall and fieiider in fome ficknefs, as in 
 madim n, and fuch as are Jick of the drtyfy? 
 
 Becaufe all the parts of the body do fuffer the one with the other, 
 and therefore one member being in grief, all the humours do concur 
 and run thither to give faccour and help t«j the aforefaid grief, For, 
 when the head doth ach, all the humours of the arm doth run into 
 the head, and therefore the arms become fmall and fiender, becaufe 
 they want their proper nutriment. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 Why have brute beafis no arms? 
 
 Their fore feet are inftead of arms, and in their place, or elfe wc 
 may anfwer more fitly, becaufe all beafts have fome parts for their de- 
 fence, and to fight with, as the wolf his feet, the cow her horns, the 
 horfe his hinder feet, birds their beak and wings, but only man hath 
 ktg arms. 
 
 Of the Hands. 
 
 For uobat ufe bath a man bands , and an ape alfo, 'which is lihunto a 
 man ? 
 
 The hand is an inflrument which a man ddtjh efpecially make ufe 
 of, becaufe many thingsaredonebythehands,andnotby any other part. 
 
 Why are feme men umbo- dexter, that is, ujing the left hand as the 
 right? 
 
 By reafon of the great heat of the heart : for that makes a man as 
 nimble of the left hand as of the right ; and without doubt, are of 
 good complexions. 
 
 Why are not ivomen ambo dexter as ucellas men ? 
 
 Becaufe, as Galen faith, a woman in health that is mofthot,is colder 
 than the coldeftman in health : I fay, in health for, if flie have an ague, 
 ihe is accidentally hotter than a man. 
 
 Why arc the fingers full <f joints? 
 
 To be more fit and apt to receive, and keep the things received. 
 
 Why hath e ■ ery finger three joints, and the thumb but two? 
 
 The thumb hath three, but the third is joined unto thearm, therefore 
 it is ftronger than the other fingers. 
 
 Why ate the fingers of the right hand nimbler them the fingers of 
 the left, as Agideus faith ? 
 
 It proccedeth from the heat which doth predominate in thofe parts, 
 which cauftth great agility. 
 
 IVhy are the jfngei s thi, ker before meat than after, as Alhertus faith? 
 
 Becaufe a man who is falling, is full of bad humours, which puff up 
 the parts of the body, and ringers alfc ; but when the humours are ex- 
 pelled through meat, the fingers become more fiender. Add for the 
 fame reafen, a man wko is failing, is heavier than when he hath meat 
 in his belly, as is mcfi plain in falters. Another reafon may be given, 
 Btcauft that after meat the heat is departed from the outward parts of 
 the body into the inward, to help uMgeftion, and the outward and ex- 
 ternal parts become fiender; but after the digeftion is made, the blood 
 turneth agdin to the exterior parts, and then they become great again. 
 Why an [owe men left handed? 
 
 Becaufe the heart fendeth out heat into the right fide, but more in- 
 o the left,and dcth alfo work a flendernefsandiubtility on the left fide. 
 Of the Naii s. 
 From uohence do nails proceed ? 
 
 Of the fomolity and humours, which are refolved, srtd go into the 
 extremities, of the fingers and they are dried through the power of the 
 external air, and brought to the hardnefs of a horn. 
 
 Wly do the nails of old men grotv black and pale ? 
 
 Becaufe the heat ci the heart decayeth,which decaying, their beauty 
 decay eth alfo. 
 
 \\ hy 7 re nun judged to he of g'.od or e<vil complexion by the cohur cj 
 the nails ? j 
 
 Ikcauie they give witrfefs 1 of ihc goedr.efs or badnefs of the heart, 
 
ARISTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 169 
 
 and therefore of the complexion ; for, if they be fomewhat red, they 
 betoken choler well tempered ; but if they be yellowifh or black, they 
 fignify melancholy. 
 
 Why do white fpots appear in the nails ? 
 
 Through a mixture of a phlegm with the nutriment. 
 
 Of the Breast. 
 
 For what reafon is the breaft hollow ? t # > 
 
 Becaufe there is the feat of the fpiritualand aeriel members, which 
 are mod noble, as the heart and lights ; and therefore becaufe thefe 
 might be kept from hurt, it was neceiTary that the breaft fhould be 
 hoi low. 
 
 Why hath man the broadi ft hreajl of all living creatures ? 
 
 Becaufe the fpirits of men are weak and fubtle, and therefore do re- 
 quire a fpacious place wherein they are contained, as the breaft is. 
 
 Why are the breafls of beafts round ? 
 
 Becaufe they are in continual motion. 
 
 Why have women narrower breafls than men ? 
 
 Becaufe there is more heat in men, which doth naturally more to 
 the uppermoft part of them, making thofe parts great and large, and 
 therefore a great breaft is a token of courage, as in the lion and ball ; 
 Hut in women cold predominates, which naturally ttrnls downwards., 
 and therefore women often fall on their backfide, becaufe the hinder 
 parts aregrofs and heavy, by reafon of cold afcending thither ; but a 
 man commonly falls on his breaft, by reafon of its greatnefs and 
 tJiicknefs. 
 
 Of the Paps and Dugs. 
 Why a re' paps placed upon the breafls ? 
 
 Becaufe the breaft is the feat of the heart, which is moft hot, and 
 therefore the paps grow there, to the end that the menfes being con- 
 veyed thither, as being near to the heat of the heart, (houid the fooner 
 be digefted, and converted into the matter and fubftance of milk. 
 
 Why are the paps below the breaft in beafts y and above the breafls 
 in women ? 
 
 Beaeafe a woman goes upright and has two legs only, and there- 
 fore, if her paps fhould.be below her breads, they would hinder her 
 going, but hearts have four feet, and therefore they are not hindered 
 in their going. 
 
 Why have net men as great breafls and pahs as women ? 
 
 Becaufe a man hath no monthly terms, and therefore hath no vefTei 
 deputed for them. 
 
 Which paps are bed for children to fuck, great or little ones t or the 
 nnan between th. m both ?' 
 
 In great ones the heat is difperfed, and there is no good digeflion of 
 milk ; but in fmall ones the power and force is ftrong, becaufe a vir- 
 tue united is ftrongeft, and by confequencc there is good working and 
 digeflion of the milk, and therefore, the fmall are better than the 
 great ones, but yet the mean ones are beft of all, becaufe every mean, 
 is beft. 
 
 Why do the paps of young ivomen begin ts grow about 1 3 or 1$ years of 
 a^e, as Alb *rtus faith ? 
 
 Becaufe then the flowers have no courfe to the teats, by which the 
 young one is nourifiied, but follow their ordinary courfe, and there- 
 fore waxhfoft. 
 
 P 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 If hy hail a -woman ivho is ivith child of a boy the right pap larder than, 
 the left ? 
 
 Becaufc the male child is conceived in the right fide of the mother, 
 and therfeore the flowers do run to the right pap, and make it hard. 
 
 Why doth itfieiv ivcalnefs of the child ivhen the milk drop out of the paps 
 before the ivoman he delivered Y 
 
 Becaufc the milk is the proper nutriment of the child in the womb 
 ■uf the mother, and therefore, if the milk run out, it is a token that the 
 child is not nouriibed, and is therefore weak. 
 
 Why doth the hardnefs of the paps betohn the health of the child in the 
 ivomb ? 
 
 Becaufe the flowers are converted into milk, and that milk doth 
 fufrlciently nourifh the child, and thereby the ftrength is fignified. 
 
 Why hath a ivman but two paps, and fome brute beafs ten or mere ? 
 
 Becaufe for the mcft part, a woman hath but one child, either boy 
 or girl, and therefore one pap is fufficient, or two ; but beafts have 
 many young ones, and therefore fo many teats. 
 
 Wtiy are ivomeiu paps hard ivhen they be iviib child, and foft at other 
 limes ? 
 
 They fwell then and are puffed up becaufe the much moifture 
 which proceeds from the flowers doth run into the paps, which at oth- 
 er feafons remaineth in the womb, and is expelled by the place depu- 
 ted for that end. 
 
 By ivhat means doth the mill of the paps come to the matrix or ivomb ? 
 
 According to Hippocrates, becaufe there is a certain knitting and 
 coupling of the pap with the womb, and there are certain veins winch 
 the midwives do cut in the time of the birth of the child, and by 
 thofe veins the milk doth flow in at the navel of the child, and fo it 
 receives nutriment by the navel. Some fay the child in the womb is 
 nourifhtd at the mouth, but it is falfe, becaufe that fo it fhould void 
 excrements a'fo. 
 
 V/hy is it a fgn of a male child in the ivomb ivhen the milk that runneth 
 cut of the ivoman s breajl is thick (ind not much, and a female ivhen it is thin ? 
 
 Becaufe a woman that gceth with a boy hath great heat in her, 
 whxh doth perfect the milk, and makes it thicker, but fuch as go with 
 2 girl hath not fo much heat, and therefore the milk is undigefted 
 watery, and thin, and will fwim above the water if it be put into it. 
 
 Why is the milk ivhi.'e, feeing the jloivirs are red which it is engendered of? 
 
 Becaufe blood which is well purged and concocted becometh white, 
 as appeareth in fiefh, whofe proper colou.r is red, and being boiled is 
 white. Another anfwer is, every humour which is engendered of 
 fuch part of che body, is made like unto that part in colour where h 
 is engendered, as near as it can be, but becaufe the flefh of the paps it 
 v/hite, therefore the colour of the milk is white. 
 
 Why doth a coiv give milk more abundantly than other beafs ? 
 
 Becaufe fhe is a great eating beaft ; and where much monthly fu- 
 perfhiity is engendered, there is much milk, becaufe it is nothing clfe 
 but that blood purged and tried ; and becaufe a cow has much of this 
 nflonthly blood, fhe has much milk. 
 
 Ji%y is not milk ivboltfome ? 
 
 According to the opinion of Galen it is for divers resfons : rft, Be«* 
 eaufe it doth curdle in the ftomach, wherefore an evil breath is bread. 
 But to this Hippocrates gives this remedy, faying; if the third part oJT 
 
ARISTOTLE> PROBLEMS' 
 
 171 
 
 it be mingled with running water, then it is not hurtful, adty, Bc- 
 eaufe the milk doth four in the fbmach, and breeds evil humours 
 which infect the breath. 
 
 Why Js milk bad for fuch as have the heaiach f 
 
 Becaufe it is eafily turned into great fumofities, and hath much - 
 terreflrial fubftmce in it, which afcending doth caufe the headach, 
 Why is milk Jit nutriment for infants ? 
 
 Eecaufe it is a natural and ufual food, and they were nouriilied by 
 the fame in the womb. y 
 
 For what rea/bn are the white meats made of a new mil&sd coiv good f 
 
 Becaufe millc at that time is very fpungy, and does, as it were purge. 
 
 Why is the milk naught for the child, if the woman ufes carnal copulation ? 
 
 Becaufe in time of carnal copulation, the bed part of the milk goes 
 to the feed vefTels, and to the womb, and the word remains in the 
 paps, which doeth hurt to the child. 
 
 Why is the milk of brown women better than that of white ? 
 
 Becaufe brown women are hotter than others, and heat purges the 
 milk. 
 
 Why do phyfuians forbid the eating fjh and milk at the fame time ? 
 Becaufe they are phlegmatic, and are ant to produce a Ieprofy. 
 Why have not birds and Jifb milk and paps P 
 
 Becaufe paps would hinder the flight of birds : full alfo have nei* 
 ther paps nor milk, but the females eaft much fpawn on-whith the 
 male touches with a fmall gut, which caufes their kind to be infinite 
 in fuceefiion. 
 
 Of Backs. 
 
 IFhy have leaf s hacks ? 
 
 For three caufes ; fir ft, Becaufe the back fhould be the way and 
 mem of body, from which all the finews of the back-bone are extended 
 and fpread ; as appears in fuch as are hanged, whrfe fine w 9 hang 
 •whole in the chime or back-bone, when they are in pieces, or without 
 flefti. stdly, Becaufe it lhould be a guard and defence for the foft parts 
 of the body, as of the ftomach, liver, lights, and fuch like. 3diy, Bs- 
 caufe it fhould be the foundation of all the bones, becaufe we fe« 
 other bones, as the ribs, fattened to the back-bone. 
 
 Why hath man above all ether creatures a broad tack which he can lie upoti^ 
 which no beafl can do ? 
 
 Becaufe a broad back doth anfwer a broad breaft ; if therefore a man 
 fhould have a fharp back like unto a beafl, he would be of an uu- 
 feemly fliape, and therefore it is requisite that he have a broad back. 
 
 Why hath a man that lieth bn his back horrible vlfn.ts ? 
 
 Becaufe the paflage or ftgn of the fantafy is open, which is in the 
 fore part of the brain, and fo the fantafy is deftroyed, and then thofe 
 vifijns follow. Another reafon is, becaufe when a man lieth on his 
 back, the humours are dlftributed and moved upward where the fan- 
 tafy is, which by that means is diftribu:cd. To lie on the back difpof- 
 es a man to Ieprofy, madnefs, and to an incubus or night-mare, which 
 is a paflj on of the heart wherein a man thinks himfelf to be ftr ang- 
 led in his lleep, and fomething lying heavy on him, which he would 
 put off. 
 
 Why hath the back bone fo many joints or knots called Spondelia by the 
 phyftcians ? 
 
 Voi the more eafy moving and bending of it ; and therefore they 
 
in 
 
 ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 fay amifs, whe fay, that "elephants have no fuch joints, for without 
 them they could not move. 
 
 Why doffi die after their back bone is burjl ? 
 
 Becaufe in fifli the back bone is inftead of the heart. Now, the 
 heart is the firft thing that lives, and the laft that dies, and therefore, 
 when the bone is broke, fifti can live no longer. 
 
 Why does a man die foon after the marroiv is butt or perifbed? 
 
 Becaufe the marrow proceeds from the brain, which is a principal 
 part of a man : as appears, ift, becaufe the marrow is white like the 
 brain : and 2dly, becaufe it hath a thick ikin or rind, which that call- 
 otl nucha has not, which differs from the marrow, becaufe of two cover- 
 ings like the brain, called pia mater, and dura mater ? 
 
 Why have fme men the piles ? 
 
 Thofe men are cold and melancholy, which melancholy fir ft pafles 
 to the fpleen, its proper feat, but there cannot be retained for the a- 
 bundance of blood ; for which reafon, it is conveyed to the back- 
 bone, where there are certain veins which terminate in the back, and 
 receive the blood ; when thofe veins are full of the melancholy blood, 
 then the conduits of nature are opened, and the blood iffues out once 
 ii month, like wonvens' terms. Thofe men who have this courfe of 
 blood, are kept from many infirmities, as dropfy, plague, &c, 
 
 Why are the f^ivs much fuhjeSi to this difeafe ? 
 
 Divines fay, becaufe they cried at the death of Chi ift, " Let his 
 Mood be upon us and our children." Another reafon is, becaufe the 
 Jews eat much phlegmatic and cold meats, which breed melancholy 
 b'ood, but it is purged with this flux : a third reafon is, motion caufes 
 heat, and heat digeftion, but, Ariel Jews never move, labour, nor con- 
 verfe with men, beiides, they are in continual fear left we ihould re* 
 -nge the death of our Saviour, which breeds a coldnefs in them, and 
 hinders digeftion, caufing melancholy blood, which is by this means 
 purged out. 
 
 Of the Hz art. 
 
 Why are tie heart and lungs called lively parts of the body ? 
 
 From the word Spiritus, which figtiifies breath, life or foul, and be- 
 caufe the vital fpirits are engendered in the heart. Yet that's no good 
 anfwer, for the liver and brain might be fo called, becaufe the liver 
 giveth nutriment, and the brain fenfe and life ; the confequence i* 
 clear, for the vital fpirits are engendered in the liver, and the feniiblc 
 and animal fpirits in the brain. 
 
 Why are the luigs light, fpungy and fall of holes ? 
 
 That the air may the better be received in them for cooling the 
 heart, and expelling humours becaufe the lungs are the fan of the heart; 
 and as a pair of bellows is railed up by taking in the air, and fhrunk by 
 blowing it out, fo likewife the lungs draw the air to cool the heart and 
 caft it out, left through too much heat of the air drawn in, the heart 
 i«iould be fuftbeatcd. 
 
 Why is the fejh of the lungs nvhite P 
 
 Becaufe ttysy arc in continual motion. 
 
 Why have thofe leafs lungs that have hearts f 
 
 JSecaufe the lungs are no part for themfelves, but for the heart ; 
 and therefore it were fuperfluous for thofe creatures to have lungs who 
 have no hearts : but nature is never wanting in things nccefiary, nor 
 abounds in fuperfluitiej, 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 173 
 
 Why Jo fuch ct eaturet as have no lungs want a bladder } 
 Becaufe fuch drink no water to make their meat digeft, but only 
 for the tempering their food, and therefore they want a bladder and 
 urine, as appears in fuch birds as do not drink at all, viz. the falcon 
 and fparrowhawk. 
 
 Why is the heart in the midfl of the body ? 
 
 Becaufe it iliould impart life to all the parts of the body, and there- 
 fore it is compared unto the fun, which is placed in the midft of the 
 planets, to pour light unto them all ; therefore the Pythagoreans ftyl- 
 ing the heavens a great living creature, fay, the fun is the heart there- 
 of. 
 
 Why only in men is the heart on the left fide ? 
 
 To the end the heat of the heart fhould mitigate the coldnefs of the 
 fpleen, for the fpleen is the feat of melancholy, which is on the left 
 tide alfo. 
 
 Why is the heart frfl engendered, for, according to Ariflotlc, the heart doth 
 live frfl and die lafl ? 
 
 Becaufe, as Ariftotle faith, de juvent et fencdl. Phe heart is the begin- 
 ning and the origin of life, and without it no part can live. According 
 to the Philofopher, of the feed retained in the matrix, there is flrft en- 
 gendered a little fmall fkin, which compalTech the feed, whereof flrft 
 the heart is made of the pureft blood ; then of blood not fo pure, the 
 liver ; and of thick and cold blood, the marrow and brain. 
 
 Why are beafts bold that have little hearts ? 
 
 Becaufe in a little heart the heat is well united, and vehement, and 
 the blood touching it doth quickly heat it, and is fpeedily carried into 
 the other parts of the body, which gives courage and boldneff. 
 
 Why are creatures -with a fmall heart timetsus^ as the hare ? 
 
 The heart is difperfed in fuch, and not able to heat the blood that 
 cometh to it, and fo fear is bred. 
 
 Honv comes it that the heart is continually moving ? 
 
 Becaufe in it there is a certain fpirit which is more fubtle than air, 
 which, by reafon fo its thicknefs and rarefaction, feeks a larger fpace, 
 filling the hollow room of the heart, whereof the dilating and opening 
 of the heart doth follow : and becaufe the heart is earthly, the thruft- 
 ing, and ceaung to move, its parts are at reft, tending downwards. 
 Galen gives an experiment cf an acorn, which, if put into the fire, the 
 heat diiTolves its humidity, therefore it doth occupy a greater place, fo 
 that the rind cannot contain it, but puffs up, throws it into the fire ; 
 the like of the heart : Therefore note, that the heart of a living crea- 
 ture is triangular in a manner, having its leaft part towards the left 
 fide, and the greateft towards the right, and doth alfo open and fhut 
 in the leaft part, by which means it is in continual motion : the flrft 
 motion is by the phyficians called Diafole y that is extending the heart ; 
 the other Syfole y that is, (hutting of the heart ; and from thefe two all 
 the motions o* the body proceed, and that of the pulfe which phyfi- 
 cians feel. 
 
 Why arc great bcafs lean ? ^ 
 
 The natural heat proceeding from the heart confumes that, natural 
 humidity which fhould be converted into fat. 
 
 Hoiv comes it that thefifh of the heart is fo compaft and knit too-eiher ? 
 
 It is becaufe in a thick compacted fubftance heat is ftrongly receiv- 
 ed and united, as appears in other things : And becaufe the heart with 
 P % 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 its heat fliould moderate the coldnefs of the brain, it is made of that 
 hard flefh which is apt to keep a ftrong heat. 
 
 Hoio comes the heart to Be the hottejl part of all living creatures ? 
 
 It is fo compacted as to receive heat beft, becaufe it (hould mitigate 
 the coldnefs of the brain. 
 
 Why is the heart the beginning of life ? 
 
 Becaufe in it the vital fpirit is bred, which is the heat of life, and 
 therefore according to the opinion of Augufline, the heart hath two 
 recepticles, the right and the left ; the right hath more blood than 
 fprrits, which fpirits it engendered to give life, and vivify the body. 
 
 Why is the heart long apdfharp like a pyramid ? 
 
 A round figure hath no angles, therefore the heart is round for fear 
 any poifon or hurtful matter fhould be retained in it ; and, as Arifto- 
 tle affirms, becaufe that figure is fltteft for motion. 
 
 Hoiv comes the blood to be chief y in the heart ? 
 
 The blood is in the heart, as in its proper or efficient place which 
 fome attribute to the liver, and therefore, the heart doth not receive 
 blood of any other part, but all other parts of it. 
 
 Hoxu happens it that fonte creatures nvant a heart ? * 
 
 Although they have no heart, yet they have fomewhat which an- 
 swers it, as appears in eeTs and fifli which have the back bone inftead 
 of a heart. 
 
 Why doth the heart beat in fame creatures when the head is cut of] as ap- 
 pears in birds and hens ? 
 
 Becaufe the heart is what lives firft and dies laft,and therefore beats 
 more than other parts. 
 
 Why doth the heat of the- heart fomttimes fall of a fudden y as thofe ivho have 
 the fallingfickncfs f 
 
 This proceeds from a defect of the heart itfelf and of certain fmall 
 ill ins with which it is covered, which being infected and corrupted, 
 the heart falleth on a fudden ; and fometimes it happens by reafon of 
 the parts adjoining, and therefore, when any venomous humour goes 
 out of the ftomach that hurts the heart and parts adjoining, it caufes 
 *his fainting. The difpontion of the heart is known by the pulfe, for, 
 a fwift beating pulfe iTiews the heat of tke heart, and a flow beating 
 one denotes coldnefs ; therefore, a woman that is in health, has a 
 flower and weaker pulfe than a man, as fhall appear hereafter. 
 Of the Stomach. 
 
 For *wba* reafon is the femach la-ge and iviJe ? 
 
 Becaufe in it the food is firft concocted or digefted, as it were in a 
 pot, that what is pure may be fparated from that which is not, and 
 therefore, according to the quantity of the food the ftomach is enlarged. 
 
 Why is the (lomach round ? 
 
 Becaufe, if it had angles and corners, food would remain in it, and 
 forced humours, fo a man would never want agues : which humours 
 nevcrthelefs are evacuated, lifted up, and confumed, and not hid in 
 any fueh corners, by reafon of the roundnefs of the ftomach. 
 
 Hoiv comes the fomacb to be full of ftncivs ? 
 
 Becaufe the finews can be extended and enlarded, and fo is tfce 
 ftomach when it is full, but, when empty, it is drawn together, and 
 therefore nature provides, thofe finews. 
 
 71 civ comes tie fomach to digcf ? 
 
 Jkcaufe of the heat which is in it, which comes from the liver arnJ 
 
ARlSTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 the heart. For we fee in metals the heat of the fire takes away the 
 ruft and drofs from iron, the lllver from tin, and gold from copper : 
 fo that by digeftion the pure is feparated from the impure. 
 For what reafon docs the flomach join the liver ? 
 
 Becaufe the liver is very hot, and with its heat helps digeftion, and 
 provokes an appetite. 
 
 Why are zue cold commonly after dinner I 
 
 Becaufe then the heat goes to the ftomach to further digeftion, and 
 fo other parts become cold. 
 
 Why is it hurtful to Jludy foon after dinner P 
 
 Becaufe when the heat labours to help the imagination, it ceafes 
 from digefting the food ; fo that people fliould walk fome time after 
 meals. 
 
 Hoiv come tvomen iviih child to have an inordinate defire of eating coals y 
 ajhes, and fuch like ? 
 
 It (lows from the humours of the ftomach ; and becaufe women 
 with chiid have corrupt humours, therefore they defire the like things. 
 
 Hon/ cometh the Jlomach Jlozvly to digejl fat meat ? 
 
 Becaufe it fwims in the ftomach. Now, the beft digeftion is at the 
 bottom of the ftomach, where the fat defcends not : Such as cat fat 
 meat are very fleepy, by reafon digeftion is hindered. 
 
 Why is all the body ivotfe ivhen the Jlomach is uneafy ? 
 
 Becaufe the ftomach is knit with the brain, heart, and liver, whick 
 are the principal parts in man ; and therefore, when it is not well, 
 the other are evil difpofed. Another an fwer is, that if the firft digel-^ 
 tion be hindered, the others are alfo hindered ; for, in the firft digef- 
 tion, is the beginning of the infirmity that is in the ftomach. 
 
 Why are young men fooner hungry than old men T 
 
 Young men do digeft for three caufes: firft, growing; then, for the 
 reftoring of fife ; and laftly, for conversation of life, as Hippocrates 
 and Galen do fay ; elfe we anfwer, that young men are hot and dry, 
 and therefore, the heat doth digeft more, and by confequence they de- 
 lire more. 
 
 Why do phyjicians prefcribe that men Jhould eat ivhen they have an appe- 
 tite ? 
 
 Becaufe much hunger and emptinefs will fill the ftomach with 
 naughty rotten humours, which are drawn unto it inftead of meat ; 
 which do eafily appear, becaufe that if we faft overnight, we have an 
 appetite to meat, but in the morning none. That is therefore a token 
 that the ftomach is filled with naughty humours,and efpeciallyits mouth 
 which is no true filling, but a deceitful one. And therefore, after we 
 have eaten a little, our ftomach comes to us again ; and then the pro- 
 verb is, One morfel draweth down another : for the firft morfel having 
 made clean the mouth of the ftomach, doth provoke the appetite. 
 
 Why do phyficians prefcribe that ioe Jhould not eat too much at a time, but 
 by little and little ? 
 
 Becaufe when the ftomach is full, the meat doth fwim in it, which 
 is a dangerous thing. Another reafen is, that as very green would doth 
 put out the fire, fo much meat choaks the natural heat, and puts it 
 out ; and therefore the beft phytic, is, to ufe temperance in eating and 
 drinking. 
 
 Why do ive defire change of meats according to the change of times ; as in 
 winte r, beef pork, mutton , and in fummer light meats ^ as v:al 3 lamb } 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 Becaufe the complexion of the body is altered, and changes accor- 
 ding to the time of the year. Another anfwer is, that this proceed 
 from the quality of the feafon, becaufe the cold winter doth caufe a 
 better digeftion, and the ftomach and the belly is hotter in winter, by 
 reafon of the comparing cold, as Hippocrates and Ariftotle do teach. 
 
 Why Jhould not the meat iv* eat be as hat as pepper and ginger ? 
 
 Becaufe hot meat doth burn the uiood, and difpoie it to a Ieprofy. 
 So contrariwife, meat too cold doth mortify and congeal the blood. 
 And our meat fhould not be over (harp, becaufe it procurcth old age, 
 and too much fauce burn the entrails, aud procureth often drinking, 
 as raw meat doth ; and over fweet meats do conflipate and cling the 
 Veins together. 
 
 Why is it a good cujlom to eat cheefe after dinner \ and peat a after all meat ? 
 
 Becaufe cheefe, by reafon of its earthinefs and thicknefs tendeth 
 down towards the bottom of the ftomach, and fo putteth down the 
 meat, and the like of pears. Note, that new cheefe is better than old, 
 for the old dryfoft cheefe is very naughty, and procureth the headach ; 
 £nd (lopping of the liver ; and the older the worfe. Whereupon it is 
 laid, that the cheefe is naught and digefteth all things but itfelf. 
 
 Why are nuts good after fjh ? The verfe is, 
 
 After fifh nuts ; after flefli cheefe, 
 
 Becaufe ftfh is of a hard digeftion, and doth eaGly putrify and cor- 
 rupt ; and nuts help digeftion, becaufe they are fomewhat hot ; fifh is 
 poifoned fometimes, and nuts are remedy againft a poifon. And note, 
 they fhould be of a clear ftmiy water, and not of a cold {landing mud- 
 dy water, and fhould Be fo in wine and parlley, and fo it hurteth 
 leaft. 
 
 Why is it univholefome to flay long for one dijh after another ^ and to eat of 
 divers kinds of meat P 
 
 Becaufe the firft begins to digeft when the laft is eaten, and fo the 
 digeftion is not equally made, and therefore the meat digefted begin- 
 neth to corrupt. But yet this rule is to be noted, touching the order of 
 meat, that if there be anydifties whereof fome are light of digeftion, 
 as chickens, kid, veal, foft eggs, and fuch like, thefe meats fhould be 
 firft eaten ; but grofs meats, as venifon, bacon, beef, roafted pork, 
 hard eggs* and fried eggs, fhould be eaten laft. And the reafon is, be- 
 caufe that if they fhould be firft ferved and eaten, and were digefted, 
 they would hinder'the digeftion of the others ; and the light meats not 
 digefted would be corrupted in the ftomach, and kept in the ftomach 
 violently* whereof would follow belching, loathing, headach, bellyach, 
 and great thirft. And by confequence, it is very hurtful too at the 
 fame mea4 to fup milk and drink wine, becaufe they difpofe a man to 
 Ieprofy. 
 
 Which is hejlfor titefiomach^ ?ncat or drink ? 
 
 Brink is fooner digefted than meat, becaufe meat is of greater fub- 
 ftance, and more material than drink, and therefore meat is harder to 
 digeft. 
 
 Why is it good to drind after dinner ? 
 
 Becaufe the drink fhould make the meat readier to digeft. For, if 
 a pot be filled with fifh orfleOi without liquor, then both the pot and 
 the meat is marred. The ftomach is like unto a pet which doth boil 
 meat, and therefore phyficians do ccunfel to drink at meals. 
 
 Why is it good to fir hear a late J upper P 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 *77 
 
 Becaufe there is no moving or ftirring after fupper, and fo the 
 meat is not fent down to the bottom of the ftomach, but remaineth 
 undigefkd, and fo breeds hurt ; and therefore alight and thort fupper 
 is beft. 
 
 Hovj comes fame men to evacuate clear m~at ? 
 
 By reafon of the weaknefs of nature and expulfion ; which difcafe 
 is called Lhnteria. Of the Blood. 
 
 Why is it necejfary that every living thing that hath blood, hath 
 alfo a liver ? 
 
 According to Ariftotle, becaufe the blood is firft made in the liver, 
 its feat, and is drawn from the ftomach by certain principal veins, and 
 ib engendered. 
 
 For vohat rea r on is the blood red? 
 
 Firft, it is like the part in which it was made, u e. the liver, which 
 is red, then it is likewife fweet becaufe it is well digefted and concoct- 
 ed ; but if it have a little earthy matter mixed with it, that makes it 
 fomewhat fait, as appears in Arid. lib. Meteor. 
 
 Houu comes moments blood to be thicker than mens'* ? 
 
 Their coldnefs thickens, binds, congeals, and joins it together. 
 
 How comes tbr blood in all parts of the body :hf0u^h the liver, and 
 by unh at means ? 
 
 Through the principal veins, as the veins of the head, liver, &c. to 
 nourifh all the body. Of the Urine. 
 
 Hotu doth the urine come into the bladder, feeing the Mad ler h Jhut ? 
 
 Some fay by f seating, and it feems to be true. Others fay it comes 
 by afmall lkin in the bladder, which opens and lets in the urine. U- 
 rine i3 a certain and not deceitful mellenger of the health, or infirmity 
 of man. Hip*pocrates, fays, that men make white urine in the morn- 
 ing, and before dinner red, but after dinner pale, and likewife after 
 fupper ; for there is diverfe colours. 
 
 Houo doth the leprofy proceed from the liver P 
 
 Becaufe it doth greatly engender the brains, and breed the falling 
 ficknefs and apoplexy. 
 
 Why is it hurtful to drink much vjater ? 
 
 Becaufe one contrary doth hinder and expel another ; ior water is 
 very cold, and lying fo on the ftomach hinders digeftion. 
 
 Wtoyis it unvoholefome to drink nezv vjine ; and 'why doth it very 
 much hurt the ftomach ? 
 
 One reafon is it cannot be digefted, therefore it caufes the belly to 
 fwell, and in fome fort the bloody flux; fecondly, it hinders making 
 water : but to drink good wine is wholefome. 
 
 Why do phyficians for bid us to labour prefently after dinner ? 
 
 Tor three reafons : firft becaufe motion hinders the virtue and pow- 
 er of diaeftiem ; fecondly, becaufe ftirring immediately after dinner 
 caufes the parts of the body to draw the meat raw to them, which of- 
 ten breeds ficknefs : and thirdly, becaufe motion makes the food de- 
 fcend before it is digefted : but after fupper it is good to ftir, by rea- 
 fon we foon after go to fleep, therefore fhould walk' a little, that the 
 food may go to the bottom of the ftomach. 
 
 Why is it good to vualk after dinner ? 
 
 It makes a man well difpofed, fortifies aod ftrengthens the natural 
 heat caufing the fuperftuity in the ftomach to defcend : wherefore Avi- 
 cen fays,fuch as neglect this exercife fall into inflammation of the heart, 
 
 Why is it vjbolefome to vomit as fome fay ? 
 
ARISTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 Beeaufe it purges the ftomach of all naughty humours, expelling 
 them, which would breed agues if they fhould remain in it. Avicen 
 fays, a vomit purges the eyes and head, clearing the brain. 
 
 Haw comes fleep to jlrengthen tb> Jlomacb and the digejlwe faculty f 
 
 Beeaufe in fleep the heat draws inwards, and helps digeftion ; but 
 when we awake, the heat remains, and is difperfed through the body. 
 Of the Gall and Spleen. 
 
 Hdw cnm°$ living creatures to have a gall ? 
 
 Beeaufe choleric humours are received into it, which, through their 
 acidity, help the guts to expel fuperfluities,alfo it helps digeflion. 
 
 How comes the jaundice to proceed f r om the gall ? 
 
 The humour of the gall is bluifli and yellow, therefore when its 
 pores are ftopt, the humours cannot go into the fack thereof, but is 
 mingled with the blood, wandering throughout all the body, and in- 
 fecting the fkin. 
 
 Why hath not a borfe, mule, afs, or cow, a gall ? 
 
 Though thofe creatures have no gall in one place, as a purfe or vef- 
 feh yet they have one difperfed in final I veins. 
 
 Hoivccmrs the fpleen to he black ? 
 
 It is occaiioned oy a terreftrial and earthy matter of a black colour* 
 as Ariftotlc fays. Another reafon is, according to phyficians, the 
 fpleep is the receptacle of melancholy, and that is black. 
 
 frtiy'fs he lean ( w ho hatha large jp'ecn ? 
 
 Beeaufe the fpleen draws much water to itfelf, whicV. would turn to 
 fat ; therefore contrariwife, men that have but a fmail fpleen are fat. 
 Hozu does the ffleen caufe men to laugh ? 
 
 Ifodorus fays, we laugh with the fpleen, we are angry with the gall, 
 \ve arc wife with the heart, we love with the liver, we feel with the 
 brain, and fpeak with the lungs, that is, the caufe of laughing, anger, 
 love, wifdom, fpeech, and feeling proceeds ftom the fpleen, gall, liver 
 lungs and brain. 
 
 The reafon is, the fpleen draws much melancholy to it, being its 
 proper feat, which melancholy proceeds from fadnefs, and is there 
 fumed, and the caufe failing, the effect doth fo likewife. And by t ; ie 
 fame reafon, the gall caufes anger, for choleric men are often ^ngtry, 
 beeaufe they have much gall. For the better underftanding of this,, 
 note, that there are four humours in man, viz. blood, chela;-, phlegm 
 and melancholy ; each has its particular leceptacie. Of a hot and dry 
 fuhftance, cholar is engendered, which goes to the gall ; but of a cold 
 and dry humour, melancholy is engendered, and goes tc the fpleen ; 
 of a cold and moift humour, phlegm is engendered, and goes to the. 
 lungs for its reception, not (as phyficians fay) to the fpleen ; but the 
 blood, which is the moft noble humour, is engendered in the liver, 
 which is its proper place. 
 
 Of Carnal Cotulation. 
 
 iVhy do living creatures ufe carnal copulation ? 
 
 Beeaufe it is moft natural to beget their like ; for, if copulation were 
 not, all procreation had funk ere now. 
 IVhat is Ibis carnal copulation f 
 
 It is a mutual aclion of male and female, with inftruments ordained 
 for that purpofe, to propagate their kind ; and therefore divines fay, 
 it is a ftn to ufe that act for any other end. 
 
 IV by is this aclion giod in thofc %vho vfe it lawfully end moderately t 
 
ARlSTOtLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 -Si 
 
 *79 
 
 Becaufe, fay Avlcen and Conft. it eafes and lightens the body, clears 
 the mind, comforts the head and fenfes, and expels melancholy. 
 Therefore fometimes through the omiiTion of this act dimnefs of fight 
 doth enfue, and giddinefs ; befides the feed of a man retained above 
 its due time is converted into fome infectious humour. 
 
 Why is immoderate carnal copulation hurtful ? 
 
 Becaufe it deftroys the fight, dries the body, and impairs the brain ; 
 often cauies fevers, as Avicen and experience (hew ; it fhortens life 
 too as is evident in the fparrow, which by reafon of its often coupling, 
 lives but three years. 
 
 Why doth carnal copulation injure melancholy or choleric men^ efpe dally thin 
 men f 
 
 I : ^c it dries the bones much which are naturally fo. On the 
 
 contrary, it is good for the phleg:natic and fanguine, as Avicen fays, 
 becaufe they abound with that fubftance which by nature is necelTa- 
 rii} ... spelled. Though Ariftotle a$rms, that every fat creature has 
 but little feed because the fubftance turns to fat. 
 
 Why . t carnal copulation after they are great 
 
 with young ? ' 
 
 Becaufe then rnatrix is fliut, and defire doth ceafe. 
 
 Why fluid ftat the acl be tfsd zvhen ihe body is full ? 
 Becaufe it hinder! ligeftioni and is not good for a hungry belly, 
 becaufe it weakens him. 
 
 Why is it nut good -after hiriy. 
 
 Becaufe then the pores are open, and the heat difperfes through the 
 body, yet after bathing it cools the body very much. 
 Why is it not proper after 'vomiting or loofenefs ? 
 
 Becaufe it Is dangerous to purge twice in one cfciy ; but fo it is in 
 this act the reins are purged, and the guts by the vomit. 
 
 Why arc ivild bcajls furious ivhen they couple ; as appears in ojjes which 
 hray ; and harts, t^ho are mad almoj% as Hippocrates fays ? 
 
 Their blood is kindled with deure, and nature alfo labours to expel 
 fuperfiuities in them, which difpofe to anger and nudnefs therefore 
 the act done, they are tame and gentle. 
 
 Why is there fuch delight in the a£i of venery ? 
 
 Becaufe this act is a bafe and contemptible thing in Itfelf, infomuch 
 that all creatures would naturally abhor it were there no pleafure in 
 it, and therefore nature readily ufes it, that all kinds of living crea- 
 tures fimuld be maintained and kept. 
 
 Why do fkch as rife it ofhn, take Ifs delight in it than ilfe ~vho come to it fddom ? 
 
 For three feafq$g: firit, becaufe the paifeges of the feed, are over- 
 large and wide, therefore it makes no fbiy there, which would caufe 
 the delight. Secondly, becaufe that through often evacuation there is 
 little feed left, therefore no delight. Thirdly, becaufe fuch, inflead of 
 feed, caft out blood undi^efted and raw, or fome other watery fub- 
 Xtance, which is not hot, and therefore affords no delight. 
 
 Can this carnal copulation be done by the mouth % fo thai be.ifs msy conceive 
 thereby^ as fvme fay of p:g;ans> that by kijfmg ihey do it y and conceive. Some 
 fay that it ii true in the weafel or ermine. 
 
 According to Ariftotle it is falfe ; for, though pigeons do kifs by the 
 beak, yet they do not couple this way nor conceive. And, becaufe 
 the weafel carries his young ones from place to place in his mouth, 
 shey are of that opinion; But Ariftotle fays, whatever gocth in at the 
 
/ 
 
 ARISTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 /tfo is confumed by digeftion, and if the feed fhould go in at the 
 /uth, then that would he confumed by digeftion. The major part is 
 /tain, the conelufion doth hold true. 
 
 Of the Seed of Man or Beasts. 
 Hovd or of 'what comcih the feed of max P 
 
 There are divers opinions of philofophers and phyficians in this 
 point. Some fay it is a fuperfluous humour of the fourth digeftion ; 
 others fay, that the feed is pure blood flowing from the brain, concocl> 
 ed and whitened in the tefticles ; and fome fay, h is the fuperfluity of 
 the fecond or third digeftion ; but Ariftotle fays, the feed is always the 
 fuperfluity of the Laft nutriment, that is of blood difperfed throughout 
 the body, and comes chiefly from the heart, liver, and brain : which 
 is argued, becaufe thofe parts are greatly weakened by ejecling feed, 
 and therefore it appears that carnal copulation is not good. But fome 
 think, when moderately ufed, it is very wholefome. 
 
 Why is a maris feed white, and a iveman's red} 
 
 'Tis white in man by reafon of his great heat and quick digeftion, 
 becaufe rarificd in the tefticles ; but a woman's is red, becaufe 'tis the 
 fuperfluity of the fecond digeftion, which is done in the liver. Or elfe 
 we may fay, it is becaufe the terms corrupt undigefted blood, and hath 
 its colour. 
 
 Doth the feed of a 7nan come from the parts of the body or from hu- 
 mours ? 
 
 Some fay from the parts of the body, and that a lame man begets a 
 lame child ; and if the father -hath a fear, the child hath one alfo, 
 which could not be, if the feed did not fall from the parts of the body. 
 Otkers fay, it comes from the humours, by reafon it is made of the lad 
 nutriment, and that is no part but a humour. As for lamenefs or fears, 
 they proceed from imagination of the mother at the time of carnal 
 copulation. 
 
 lio'w comes the hn agination of the moth, r to cauje htrto b\ing forth 
 a klack-mobr, as Alhertus Magnus reports of a queen who, in tbeacl 
 of carnal copulation, imagined a black beingpainted, and in her Jight ? 
 
 As it is faid- the imagination of a fall, makes a man fall, and the 
 imagination of a leprofy makes a man a leper ; fo, in this the imag- 
 ination is above the forming power, and therefore the child born fol- 
 Joweth the imagination, and not the power of forming and fhaping, 
 becaufe 'tis weakeft. 
 
 Doth the maris feed enter into the fubfiarce of the child} 
 
 The feed of both fatlier and mother go into the lubftance cf the child 
 in the womb, as cream goeth to the lubftance of the chectfe : Yet this 
 opinion doth not fetm to be of force, therefore, we fay, the feed doth 
 not go into the fubftanee of the child ; and it is proved thus, becaufe 
 that fo the matter and the efficient caufe fhould be all one, which is 
 againft the philofopher. The confeqnence is good, becaufe thefeed is 
 the efficient caufe of the houfe, rend therefore is net the material caufe 
 of the child. This is proved another way ; as there is the felf fame 
 material caufe of nourifhmtnt and generation ; fo we have our being 
 and nourifhment of the fame matter : But the feed cannot be the ma- 
 terial caufe of nourifhment, according to AverroLs, therefore not of the 
 being : And as both feeds are (hut up in the womb, fo that of the man 
 difpofeth and prepares the woman's to receive the form, perfection, 
 or foul, which being done, it is converted into a humidity that is 
 breathed out by the pores of the matrix. 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 Haiv come females to have monthly courfes ? 
 
 They are cold in refpect of men, and as their nourimment cannot all 
 be converted into blood, a great part thereof turns to menfes, which are 
 monthly expelled. 
 
 For ivhat tea/on do not the courfes come before thirteen ? 
 
 Becaufe young women are hot, and digeft all their nourifiiment, there- 
 fore they have not them before that age. 
 
 For ivhat reafon do they leave them at about ffty f 
 
 Some anfwer that old women are barren, and therefore they ceafe ; but 
 a better anfwer is, that then nature is weak in them, and therefore they 
 cannot expel them; there is great ftore of immundities bred in them, 
 which lies in a lump ; this makes them troubled with coughs and other 
 infirmities. Men mould refrain their ufe at thofe times. 
 
 Why have not breeding ivomen the menfes ? 
 
 Becaufe that then they turn into milk, and into the nourishment of the 
 child : for, if a woman with child have them, it is a lign Ihe will mifcarry. 
 Why are they termed menjlrua ? 
 
 From the word menjh a month, becaufe it is a time which meafnres tite 
 moon, as Ihe ends her courfe in 29 days and 14 hours. The moon hath 
 dominion over moift things, and the menfes are humid, and moift things 
 increafe and decreafe as the moon does. 
 
 W by do they continue longer iviih fome than iviih other ivith fame fix or 
 f even, but commonly ivith all three days ? 
 
 The firlt are colder, therefore they increafe mofl in them, and confe- 
 quently are longer in expelling ; other women are more hot, and therefore 
 they have fewer, and are foon expelled. 
 
 IV by are the terms retained before they are run ? 
 
 Some fay in the matrix or womb : but Averrois fays, the matrix is the 
 place for generation, and that thofe terms further not generation at all ; 
 therefore he afferts that there are certain veins about the backbone which 
 retain them : a fign of which is, thofe women, at that time, have great pain 
 in their backs. 
 
 Are the menfes tvhich are expelled, and thofe of which the child is engender- 
 ed, all one ? 
 
 No ; becaufe the one are unclean, and unfit for that purpofe, but the 
 other very pure and clean, therefore fitteft for generation. 
 
 Why do thofe got ivith child, ivhen they have the terms upon them, bring 
 forth iveak and leprous children ? 
 
 Becaufe they are venomous ; fo the caufe appeareth in the effect. 
 
 Why have ivomen their terms, fome at the neiv moon, fome at the full, and 
 others at the toa'rn ? 
 
 By reafon of their feveral complexions ; and though all women in re- . 
 fpect of men are phlegmatic, yet fome are more fanguine than others ; 
 fome more choleric. As months have their quarters, fo have women their 
 complexions 1 : One of a fanguine complexion hath her terms in the firft 
 quarter, a choleric in the feeond, a melancholic in the third, &c 
 
 Why have the fanguine theirs in the frfi quarter ? 
 
 Becaufe faith. Galen, every fuch thing added to fuch a thing doth make 
 it more fuch ; therefore the firft quarter of the moon increafeth blood iri a 
 fanguine complexion, and then fhe expels it. 
 
 Hoiv do they come in the end of the month ? 
 
 Becaufe moft women then are phlegmatic, and the laft quarter is phlegm: 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 Or elfe it proceeds from defect, and therefore cold \Vorks, then do multi- 
 ply the matter, and fo multiplied, is then expelled. 
 Jdoxv happens the pain and gtief at that time ? 
 
 Becaufe it is like the pain of the ftranguary in making water drop by 
 drop ; for the ftranguary, by reaibn of the drink undigested, offends the 
 luMc palrage of the urine, as happens after bailing- • f 0 the menfes, un- 
 tiigelted and of an earthy fubftance, hurt the paiTage by which they go. 
 
 ffffjy do ivcmen ea/lty conceive af ter their menfes. 
 
 Becaufe the womb being cleanfed> they are better prepared for concep- 
 tion. 
 
 II by do ivomen lock pale n-hcn they are upon ttOZiti ? 
 
 Becaufe theft the heat goes from the outward part of the body to the 
 inward, to help nature and expel their terms, which deprivation of heat 
 cloth eaufe a p-alenefs in the face. Or elfe it is, becaufe that flux is earned 
 cf raw humours, which, when they run, make the face colourlefs. 
 
 tVhy do tfjey at that time abhor their meat f 
 
 Becaufe nature labours more to e^pel their terms, than to dig-eft, and 
 therefore, if they fhculd eat, it would remain raw on their ltomach. 
 IPl.y are fome ivomen barren and cannot conceive t 
 
 I. It proceeds fometimes of the man, who being of a cold nature, his 
 leed is unfit for generation : 2. Becaufe it is waterifh, aud fo doth not fray 
 in the Womb : 3. The feed of both is not proportionate ; as if the man be 
 melancholy and the woman fauguine, or the man choleric and the woman 
 phlegmatic ; for it is evident in philofophy, that the agent and the patient 
 ought to have the fame proportion, elfe the action is hindered. 
 
 iVhy do fat v&nnien feldom conceive ivith child f 
 
 Becaufe they have a flippery womb, and the feed will not ftay hi ; or 
 eife becaufe the mouth of the matrix is very ftrait, and the feed cannot eu- 
 tei; in, or if it do, it is fo very flowly, that it grows cold in the mean time, 
 ib is unfit for generation, and is dlffolved into any flefhy fubflance. 
 
 IV by do ihfe of viry hot cot fli'ut'ioi's fldom conceive t 
 
 Becaufe the feed in them is extinguished or put out as water caft into 
 fire. 
 
 tVhy are ivhores never nvith child ? 
 
 By reaibn of divers feeds, which corrupt and fpoil the inflrument of 
 conception, for it makes them ib flippery that they cannot retain the feed. 
 Or eife it is becaufe one man's feed cleftroys another, foEeithcr is good For 
 generation, Albertus fays, the beft thing to help conception is to take 
 the matrix of a hare beat to poAvder, in drink. 
 
 Why have fome tubmen long and fender children^ a 'd ethers thick and for rt P 
 
 Becauie, as Galen and Averrois fay, the child is formed according to the 
 dimcnfions of the womb : wherefore, becaufe fome women have a long 
 and narrow womb : their children arc long and llender, others, cn the con- 
 trary^ Jhort and large, therefore their children be hhort and thick. 
 
 J\' hy aaih a ivoman conceive tivins f 
 
 According to Galen, becaufe there are feveral ceils or receptacles in the 
 womb, wherefore they may naturally have fo many children at once, as 
 «Kve falL feed m thofe cells : There are three in the right iide ar d three 
 in the left : in the right fide boys are engendered, in the left girls; arid 
 ri the midit of thefe cells or chambers there is another, where the ancients 
 affcrt IiM-maphrcdit es to be engendered. If a woman fhould« have more 
 than feven childmrat once, it would rather 'be miraculous than natural 
 
 Why a;e twins act fo frong a: oil crimen ? 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS- 
 
 'By reafon the feed which fhould have been for on£ is divided into, two, 
 and therefore they are weakly, and in truth do not often live long. 
 Of Hermaphrodites. 
 Hoiv are Hermaphrodites begotten ? 
 
 There are feven cells in the womb, three on the right fide, and three on 
 the left, and a feventh in the centre, into which the feed falls, an hermaph- 
 rodite is faid to begotten in this manner : Nature tends always to that 
 which is beft, therefore Ihc doth always intend to beget a male ; which 
 male is fometimes begotten in all its principal parts, and yet, through the 
 evil difpofition ofHhe womb and object, and inequality of the feeds, when 
 nature cannot perfect the male, me brings forth the female too : and there- 
 fore an hermaphrodite is impotent in the privy parts of man, as appears by 
 experience. 
 
 Why doth not nature difpofe in him tivo fecrct pat ts of a man, or tivo of a 
 •woman ? but on: of a man and one of a ivoman ? 
 
 Becaufe nature would make one in vain ; but phitofophers fay that 
 God made nothing in vaht. 
 
 Is an hermaphrodite accounted a man or a ivoman ? 
 
 Is to be coniidercd in which member he is fitteft for the act of copula- 
 tion : If fitteft in the woman's then it is a woman ; if in the man's he is a 
 man. 
 
 Should he be baptized in the name rf a man s.r a ivoman ? 
 
 In the name of a man, becaufe names are given ad placitum, and tfee#e- 
 fore he mould be baptized according to the worthieft name. 
 
 Should he jland in judgment in the name of a man ot ivoman ? 
 
 According to the law, he fliould firft fwear before he be admitted to 
 judgment, which fecrct part he can ufc, and fo is to be admitted according 
 to the ufe and power of that part. 
 
 Of Monsters. 
 
 Doth nature male any. mc*tpevs ? 
 
 She doth ; for if me did not, we would foon be deprived of her en*.-. 
 For of things poffible Ihe doth always propefe to bring forth that which n 
 moil perfect ; but in the end, through the evil difpofition of the platter, 
 and influence of fome efpecial conftellation, not being .able to bring forth 
 that which me intended, fhe brings forth that which ihe can. in Alber- 
 tus' time, a cow brought forth a calf half a man, the countrymen fufpecr- 
 ing a ihepherd, would have burnt'him with the cow, but Albcrtus being 
 fkillful in aftronomy, faid that this did proceed from afpecial confhliation, 
 and delivered the mcpherdfrom their hands. 
 
 lie they one cr tivo ? 
 
 Ariflotle faith you. mull look into the heart, and if there be two hearts, 
 there be two men. 
 
 why is a man bcrn fometimes ivith a great head, an dfx fingers on one hand, 
 sr ivith four ? 
 
 Ariftotle faith, it proceeds of fuperfluity and abundance of matter : when 
 there is too much matter, then he is born with a great head, or fa lingers ; 
 but if there be want of matter, then there is fome part wanting, or lei's 
 than it ought to be. Of Infants. 
 
 Why are fome children altogether like the father , fome like the mother, fomg 
 tike both, and fome to neither ? 
 
 If the feed of the father do wholly overcome that of the mother, the 
 child doth wholly referable the father ; but if the mother's predominate, 
 then it is like the mother \ but if he be not like either, that doth happen 
 
184 
 
 ARISTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 for many caufes ; fometimes through the «four qualities, fometimes thro' 
 the influence of fome heavenly ccnftellation. Albertus faith, that there 
 was on a time a good conftellation for begetting of hogs, and a child was 
 then begotten and brought forth, which had a face like a hog : According 
 to this, divers forts of monflers are brought forth. 
 
 Why are hildren oft cner like the father than the mother ? 
 
 That proceeds of imagination of the mother and the acl of copulation, 
 nnd therefore the children get the difpofition of the father. This appears 
 from art Ethiopian queen, who brought forth a white child, becaufe her 
 imagination was upon a white colour : and is feen in Jacob's {kill in call- 
 ing rods of divers colours into the water when his fheep went to ram. 
 
 fyfSy do children fometiptes more referable their gr and fathers and great grand- 
 fathers, than their parents ? 
 
 The virtue aha force of the grandfather is grafted in the heart of the 
 begetter, and it may be faid that fometimes it doth proceed of the fimili- 
 tv.de of the nutriment, and then the child is formed by the iimilitude of 
 the grandfather. 
 
 h by do children, according to the courfg of nature, come out of the moth^s 
 ivomh in the ninth month ? 
 
 Becaufe the child is then fully perfect, or elfe becaufe fome benign plan- 
 et doth reign, as Jupiter, who is a friend of nature ; for, according to the 
 Uh-onomcrs, he is hot and nici|t, and therefore doth temper the malice and 
 naughtinefs cf Saturn, who is cold and cry ; therefore for the moft part* 
 children lorn in the ninth month, are healthful. 
 
 Why do children horn in the eighth mouth, for the mof part, die quickly ; and 
 tvhy are they called the child,- en of the moan f 
 
 W-zczvfe the moon is a cold planet, which has dominion over the child", 
 and therefore doth bind it with its coklnefs which is the caul's, of its death. 
 
 Why doth a child cry as it is horn ? 
 
 xft, becaufe of the fudden change from heat to cold, which cold doth 
 hurt its tendemefs. adly, Becaufe the child's foft and tender body is 
 wringled and put together, coming out of the narrow and ftraight pafTage 
 cf the matrix ; and efpecially the brain being moid, and the head prefTed 
 arid wrinkled together, is the caufe that fome humours do diftil by the 
 eyes, which are the caufe of tears and we eping. 3dly, Divines fay, it is 
 lor the tranfgrefiion of our firft father, and original fin. 
 
 Why doth a child put his finger into his mouth ivhen he comelh frf into the 
 <zcor!d ? 
 
 Becaufe that coming out of the womb, he cometh out of a hot bath, acid 
 entering into the cold, he puts his lingers into his mouth for want of heat. 
 
 Hozu &fb a child con; e into the iv or Id out of the ivomh f 
 
 He cometh forth with the head forward ; for, if he fhould come with 
 the thighs or arms, he would kill himfelf and the mother. 
 
 Of the Young One in the womb. 
 
 Hoiv is the young one engendered in the womb ? 
 
 The firft fix days the feed hath the colour of milk, but in the fix days 
 following a red colour, which is near unto the difpofition of flefh, and then 
 is changed into a thick fubftance of blood, but in twelve days following, 
 this fubftance is made fo thick and found, that it is able to receive lhape 
 and form, becaufe a fluid or running fubftance fteepeth on till its birth ; 
 and it i > governed every month by the planets. 
 
 Doth the child in the ivomh void excrements or make ivater ? 
 
 No : and the reafon is, becaufe he hath the firft digeftion which is in the 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 {lomach ; he receives no food by the mouth, but it comes to him at the 
 navel, he therefore makes no urine, but fweats, which at belt is but little, 
 and is received in a ikin in the matrix, and at his birth is cafl out. 
 
 Why doth the child come eafily out of the matrix-, after feven , eight , er nine 
 months ? 
 
 Becaufe, faith Galen, when the fruit is ripe, then the ligaments are brok- 
 en, and fo it fails out. 
 
 Of Abortion and untimely Birth. 
 
 Why do women that eat univbolefome meets eafily mif carry ? 
 
 Becaufe it breeds putrefied feed in them, which the mind abhorring doth 
 caft out of the womb, as unfit for the moil noble fhape which is adapted 
 to receive the foul. 
 
 Why doth iv rifling or leaping caafe the cafling of the child as fome fublla 
 women ufedto do on pur pole ? 
 
 Becaufe it loofes the ligaments which fhould hold the child. 
 
 Why doth thumhr caufe mifcarriazy ? 
 
 The vapour is burning, and doth eafily hurt the tender fubftance of the 
 child, entering in at the pores of the matrix. Albertus lays, if the child 
 be near delivery, lightning and thunder will kill it. 
 
 Why doth thunder and lightning rather caufe young women than old to mif- 
 catty ? 
 
 Becaufe the bodies of young women are fuller of pores, and more {len- 
 der, and therefore the lightning fooner enters into their body ; hut old 
 ones have a thick fkin, well compacted, therefore the vapours cannot en- 
 ter. 
 
 Why doth ?nuah joy caufs a ivoman to mifcarry ? 
 
 Becaufe in the tune of joy a woman is deftitute of heat, and fo the mif- 
 carriage doth follow. 
 
 Why do women eafily mifcarry when they are ftfl with child y viz. the frf y 
 fecondy or third month '( 
 
 Apples and pears eafily fail at firft, becaufe the knots and ligaments are 
 weak, fo it is of a child in the womb. 
 
 Why is it mote ba< d to mifcarry in the fourth y f fib ^ or fixtb month ? 
 
 Becaufe then the ligaments are ftronger and well fortified.. 
 
 Of divers Ma tters. 
 
 Why have feme women greater grief than others in child bir th ? 
 
 For three reafons, ift, For the largenefs of the child, xdiy, The mid- 
 wife being unlkilful,. And thirdly, becaufe the child is dead. For the con- 
 trary caufes, fome have lefs pain. 
 
 Why hath not a man a tail Hie a be aft* ? 
 
 Becaufe a man is a nobk creature,, whole property is to fit : fo a beaft 
 cannot, that hath a tail. 
 
 Bo thofe who keep hot houfts expel the heat of the furnace better with cold 
 water thai hot ? 
 
 Yes : becaufe they are of contrary qualities, which work ftrongly one 
 againft the other, and therefore, the heat is eafily expelled from the Hone* 
 Why does hot water freeze fooner than cold ? 
 
 Becaufe hot water is thinner, and gives better entrance to the froit. 
 For what reafon is every living thing dull after copidaiion ? 
 Becaufe the act is fikhy and unclean, and fo even/ living creature ab- 
 kors it : When men do think upon it they are aihamed and fad. 
 Cannot drunken men judge oftafles as well as fobcr men ? 
 
 ; becaufe the tongue being full of pores and fpungy, it receives grea* 
 
ARISTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 moifture in it, and more in drunken men than in fober ; therefore the 
 tongue, by often drinking, is full of bad humours and fo the faculty of the 
 tafte is out of order ; therefore through the thickening of the mean, i. e. 
 tafte, drink taken of drunkards is not prefently felt, for, to due feeling there 
 is requifite to have a due proportion of the mean. And by this is alfo un- 
 derftood why drunk perfons have not a perfect fpeech. 
 
 Why have melancholy beajls long ears ; and why are not thofc men Ujife for 
 the mojl part that hoy long ears, but thofe ctherivife thai have Jhort ones ? 
 
 The cars proceed from a cold and dry fubftance called a griftle, which 
 is apt to become a bone ; and becaufe melancholy beafts do abound with 
 this kind of fubftance, they have long ears. 
 
 Hew com:s the other to be half Hjitted ? 
 
 Becaufe the minds and fouls follow the bodies, for, if the fenfes of the 
 body be fubtle, the foul exercifes fubtle operation, as well active as fpecula- 
 tive ; and the contrary is in a grofs body. 
 
 HoZV is the intdleclual foul joined to a child in the uyomb of the mother ; and 
 how does the man njjho b&gcts it, make the matter apt and fit to receive the foul ? 
 
 Divines fay, that into a fubftance fufficiently difpofed and made fit, God - 
 doth infufe the intellectual foul ; and St. Auguftine fays the like : the foul 
 in creating is infufed, and in infufing is created. 
 
 Why do hares fleep ivith their eyes open ? 
 
 Their eyes ftand out, and their eyelids are fhort, therefore never quite 
 fliut. Besides, they are timorous ; and, as a fafeguard to themfelves, fleep 
 with their eyes open. 
 
 Why do not croixis feed their y&ur.g till they he nine days old ? 
 
 Becaufe feeing them of another colour, they think they are of another 
 kind ; meanwhile God feeds them with heavenly dew, as the Pfalmift 
 faith, " Ke giveth beafts their food, and young crows will call upon him." 
 
 Why ore Jheep and pigeens mild creatures ? 
 
 Becaufe they want galls, which ftir anger. 
 
 Why have birds their fanes inivatd ? 
 
 Becaufe if they were outward; they would hinder their flying and' 
 
 light nefs. 
 
 Hoiv comes it that birds do n~t pifs ? 
 
 Becaufe that fupcrfluity w hich would be converted into urine is 
 turned into. feathers, for their is much moifture in the feathers. A- 
 nother reafon is, they are in continual motion, therefore moifture in 
 them is dried up by air or wind. 
 
 IIo'W come long eggs to be a Jign and caufe of the male } and fat Jhort eggs of 
 the female ? 
 
 Hippocrates fays, it is the property of heat to afcend from the cen- 
 tre to the circumference of cold ; therefore long eggs, have great heat 
 and therefore pafs into the fubftance of the male, for, in every kind 
 the male is hotter than the female, as philofophers fay. If the eggs be 
 ihor t and fiat, it is a fign the heat is fmall and undifperfed, and goeth 
 into the fubftance of the female. 
 
 Why do iv e hear better by night than by day F 
 
 Becaufe their is a greater quietnefs in the night than in the day, for 
 the fun doth not exhale the vapours by night, as it doth in the day, 
 there fore, the mean is more fit than ready, and the mean being fit, 
 the motion is better done by it, which, is faid to be done by a found. 
 Another reafen is, there are more motions and founds in the air, in 
 the day, than in the 8>ght, which hinders one another ; in the night 
 
ARlSTOTLE's PROBLEMS. 
 
 there is filence, which is oppofite to found, and oppofites put one a- 
 gainft the other fhew better. 
 
 For what reafon doth a man laugh fooner when touched in the armpits than 
 in other parts of the body ? 
 
 Becaufe there is in that place a meeting of many finews and the 
 mean we touch (which is the flefli) is more fubtle, than in other parts, 
 and therefore a better feeling. When a man is moderately and gently- 
 touched there, the fpirits there difperfed run into the face, and thence 
 caufes laughter ; but if touched too roughly, then there is not that 
 delight. 
 
 How comes burnt ivood to be blacky and a bone burnt to be of a white fubfance ? 
 
 Becaufe the wood, before it was burnt, was moift and the heat is 
 not able to confume all the moifture of the wood, and therefore there 
 remaineth fome after the burning, which is converted into black fub- 
 ftance, becaufe the humidity of the wood was fiimy, and could not al- 
 together be confumed by the fire. But a bone is cold and dry of its 
 own nature, having but fmall moifture in it, which the burning doth 
 wholly confome, and fo the moifture being confumed, the body wax.- 
 eth white. 
 
 Why do fome ivomen love white men^ and fame blacl ? 
 
 There are two anfwers. Sonjjb women have a weak fight, and fuch 
 delight in black, becaufe white doth hurt the fight more than black. 
 The fecond reafon is, becaufe like delights in like ; fome women are 
 of a hot naMre, and fuch are delighted with black, becaufe blackncfs 
 doth follow heat, and others are of a cold nature, and thefe are de- 
 lighted with white, becaufe cold is the mother of whitenefs. 
 
 IV by do men willingly fleep after labour ? 
 
 Becaufe that through continually moving the heat is difperfed to the 
 external parts of the body, which after labour, is gathered together to 
 the internal parts, to help the digeftion : and thence vapours do rife 
 from the heart to the brain, which ftop the paflages by which the nat- 
 ural heat lhould be difperfed to the external parts > and then the ex- 
 ternal parts being cold and thick, by reafon of the coldnefs of the brain, 
 lleep is procured. And by this it appeareth, that fuch as eat and 
 drink much do fleep much and long, becaufe great ftore of humours 
 and vapours are bred in fuch, which cannot be digefted by the nat- 
 ural heat. 
 
 Why are fuch as fleep much evil difpofed and ill coloured ? 
 Becaufe that in fleeping much moifture is gathered together, which 
 cannot be confumed, and is expelled in waking, and fo it doth covet 
 to go out through the fuperficial part of the body, and efpecially it re- 
 forts to the face, and is the caufe of a bad colour, as appeareth in fuch 
 as be phlegmatic, who defire more fleep than others. 
 Why doth it appear unto fome in their feep that they eat and drink fweet thivgs? 
 Becaufe the phlegm drawn up by the jaws doth diftil and drop to 
 the throat, and this phlegm is after a fort fweet, and therefore that 
 feemeth fo to them. 
 
 W by do fome dream in their feep that they are in the -water and drowned^ and 
 fome that they are in the water and not drowned ? 
 
 The reafon is becaufe the phlegmatic fubftance doth run td the high 
 parts of the body, and then they think they are in the water and 
 drowne<J ; aud when that fubftance draweth into the internal parts, 
 then they think they efcape, Another reafon may be, overcome re- 
 
iS8 
 
 ARISTOTLE 5 * PROBLEMS 
 
 plction and dr unkennels: and therefore when a man is overcome* fill* 
 ed with meat, tfce fumes and vapours afcend and gather together, and 
 therefore they think that they are drowned and ftrangled : bat if they 
 cannot afcend fo high, then they feem to efcape. 
 
 Jkfay a man. preevre a. dream by an external caufa ? 
 
 Ariftotle holdeth that it may be done, if a man do fpeak foftly at 
 a man's ear, and awake him, then of this ftirring of the fpirits there 
 arc thunderings and buzzings in the head, and fo they dream of that, 
 And fo fome men have dreams by divine revelation, when it pleafed 
 God to fend any. 
 
 Hotv many humours arc there in a ?7ians body P 
 
 Four : whereof every one hath its proper place in man's body. The 
 firft is choler, which. r*hyncians call fava bilis and is placed in the liver. 
 The fecond is melancholy, called atra bilis, whofe feat is in the fpleen. 
 The third is phlegm, whofe place is in the head. The fourth is blood, 
 whofe place is in the heart. 
 
 What condition and quality haih a man of a J "anguine complexion ? 
 
 He is fair and beautiful i he hath his hair for the moil part fmooth ; 
 lie Is bold, he retaineth that which he hath conceived ; he is fhamo 
 faced, given to muiick, a lever of fciences, liberal, courteous, and de- 
 lires no revenge. 
 
 What properties do follow a phlcg?xalic complexion ? 
 
 They are dull of wit, their hair never curies, they are feldom very 
 thirfty, they are much gi*en to ileep, they dream of things belonging 
 to the water, they are fearful, covetous, given to heap up riches, are 
 weak in the act of venery. 
 
 What properties do follow the choleric man } 
 
 He is furious and angry, quarrelfome, given to war, pale coloured 
 znd unquiet ; drinks much, ilecps little, and delires much the company 
 of women. 
 
 What properties dof allow the melancholy man f 
 
 He is unquiet, brown in complexion, his veins hidden, he eateth- 
 little, and digefteth lefs ; when he dreamcth, it is of dark confufed 
 things; he is fad, fearful, exceeding covetous and incontinent, uulef* 
 he bridle his affection. 
 
 What dreams do follow thefe complexions ? 
 
 Pleafant merry' dreams do follow the fangume complexion : fearful 
 dreams the melancholy ; the choleric dream of children, fighting, 
 and fire ; and the phlegmatic dream of water. And this is the reafon 
 why a man's complexion is faid to he known by his dreams. 
 
 What is the reafon that if you cover an egg otrer with falt y and let it lie in it 
 a few days, all the meat Ujithin is confumcd? 
 
 The great drynefs of the fait doth con fume the fubftance of the egg ; 
 but in fand fome fay they may be deep* as long as you pleafe, as the 
 mariners practice. 
 
 Why is the melancholy complexion the -IVorJr of all ? 
 
 Becaufe it is the dregs of the blood, which is an enemy to mirth, 
 and fartheft from the beginning of a man's life, and bringing old age 
 and death, becaufe it is cold and dry. 
 
 Why is the phlegmatic for the mof part dull of -wit ? 
 
 Becaufe the vivacity of wit proceedeth of heat, fo of cold, the cofir 
 trary, which they are fubjeft unto» 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 Wherefore doth it proceed that fame men die with extreme joy, andfoms with 
 e xtreme grief ? 
 
 Over great ; oy doth overmuch beat the internal parts of the body, 
 and overmuch heat doth drown and fuffocate the body, in which fail- 
 ing a man dieth. 
 HVhy hath a man fo much hair on his head ? 
 
 The hair of the head proceedeth of the vapours which arifeth from 
 the ftomach, andafcend to the head, aiul alfo of the fuperfluities which 
 are in the brain ; and thofe two parting through the pores of the head, 
 are converted into hair, by reafon of the heat and drynefs of the head, 
 And becaufe man's body is full of humours, and hath more brains 
 than other creatures, and alio more fuperfluities in the brains, which 
 the brain expellcth, it followcth that lie hath more hair than other 
 living creatures. 
 
 How many ways is the brain purged, and other hidden places of the 
 body ? 
 
 Four : the watery and grofs humours arc purged by the eyes, mel- 
 ancholy by the ears, choler by thenofe, and phlegm by the hair. 
 
 iVnatis thereafm that fucb as are e ve?y fat in their youth, arc in 
 danger to die on a fudden ? 
 
 Such have very fmaii and clofe veins, by reafon of their fatnefs, fo 
 that the air and the breath can hardly have free courfe in them ; and 
 thereupon the natural heat wanting ibme refreshment of the air, is 
 put out, and as it were quenched. 
 
 Why do garlick and onions grow after they are gathered ? 
 
 They grow in the great humidity which is in them. 
 
 Why do men feel cold fooner th <n women ? 
 
 Becaufe that men being more hot than women, have their pores more 
 open, and therefore the cold doth fooner enter in them than women. 
 
 IV by are not old m:n fo much fubjeclto the plague, as young men and: 
 child r 71? 
 
 They are cold, and therefore the pores are fliut up, and not fo open 
 as in youth ; and therefore the infecting air doth not penetrate fo toon, 
 as when they are open, as in youth, by reafon of heat. 
 
 Why do we cajt wat'r in a ma?i J s face when he fwooneth ? 
 
 Becaufe that through the coldnefs of water, the heat may run to the 
 heart, and fo give ftrength. 
 
 Why are thofe water* beft and mfi delicate which run towards the 
 fun rifing. • ^ 
 
 Becaufe they are foonefl ftriken with the fun beams, and made 
 pure and fubtle, becaufe the fun hath them long under him, and by 
 that means takes off the coldnefs and grofs vapours which they gather 
 from the ground they run through. 
 
 Why haw fome women fuch weak and fmall ^voices ? 
 
 Becaufe their inftruments and organs of fpeaking, by reafon they 
 are cold, are fmall and narrow ; and therefore receiving but little 
 air, caufeth the voice to l>e fmall and effeminate. 
 
 Whereof doth it proceed that want of flee p doth weaken the brain f 
 and the body? 
 
 Much watching doth engender choler, which being hot, doth dry 
 up and leffen the humours which conferve the brain, head and other 
 parts of the body. 
 
 Wnereof doth it proceed that vinegar doth Jlaunch blood? 
 
ARISTOTLE'S PROBLEMS. 
 
 It proceedeth of its. cold virtue, for all cold naturally is binding, and 
 vinegar being cold hath the like property. 
 
 IVhyJs the fea ivater falter in jummer than in ivi titer ? 
 
 It proceedeth from the heat of the fun, feeing by experience that a 
 fait thing being heated becometh more fait. 
 
 Why do men live longer in hot regions than cold? 
 
 liecaufe they may be more dry, and by that means the natural heat 
 is better conferved in them than in cold countries, becaufe the cold 
 d«th extinguiili the heat. 
 
 W/.y hs 'ivcll-'ivater je'd'im or never good P 
 
 Ail water which Itandeth (till in the fpring, and is never heated by 
 the fun beams is very heavy, ^nd hat.h much earthly matter in it ; snd 
 therefore, wanting the heat of the fun, is naught. 
 
 Why do ivejleefi better and more at cafe on the right fide than on the left ? 
 
 B«*caufe, when we lie on the left, the lungs do He upon and cover 
 the heart, which is on that fide under the pap. Now the heart, the 
 fountain of life, being thus occupied and hindered with the lungs, 
 cannot exercife its own proper operation, as being overmuch heated 
 with the lungs lying on it, and therefore wanting the refreshment of 
 the air, which the lungs do give it, like the blowing a pair of bellows, 
 is choaked and iuiTocated; but by lying on the right fide thefe incon- 
 veniences are avoided. 
 
 Whereof doth- proceed that the holding cf the hrtath doth couf yex'uig to ten ft P 
 
 Becaufe the holding the breath doth heat the internal parts cf the 
 body. And this heat chafeth away the yex, being nothing elfe but a 
 cold air within the l>ody. 
 
 JVhat is the reofon that old merrfneeze ivitk difficulty ? 
 
 Becaufe that through their cohlnefs their arteries are very narrow 
 and clofe, and therefore the heat is not of force to expel the cold : for, 
 1 think fneesing is like the combat in the air made by thunder, which, 
 is caufed by heat and cold. 
 
 Why doth a druunken man think irhnt'odl thirgs ab'ovt him do U-.rn rtund P 
 
 Becaufe the fpirits which ferve the fight are mingled with vapoury 
 fumes, and wine; and' then the overmuch heat caufeth the eye to be 
 in a continual moving ; and the eye being round, caufeth all things 
 about it to feem to go round'. 
 
 libber cfore doth it.j>roceed y that hteqfji ivhich is made with fait is lighter iba:i 
 that tvhich is" made ivitbant it, confJering fit very heavy of it f elf I 
 
 Although bread is heavy of. itfelf, yet. the fait dries it, and makes it 
 light by reafon of the heat which it hath, which heat doth dry, and 
 the more heat there is in it the better the bread is, the lighter and 
 more wholefomc for the body. 
 
 Why is not nezo breud goozl for the ftomzch ? 
 
 Becaufe it is full of moiftnefs, and thick, and hot vapours, which do 
 corrupt the blood, and ho.t bread is blacker than cold, becaufe heat is 
 the mother of blacknefs, and becaufe the vapours are not gone out of it . 
 
 Why does let tic e make a man fee p ? 
 
 Becaufe they engender grofs vapours. 
 
 Why do the dregs of ivine and oil go to the hottom y a^dthofeofhonfy 
 fzvim a top P 
 
 Becaufe thedregsof wineand oil are ear thy and not purged before, and 
 therefore being of the nature of earth do go to the bottom ;.but honey 
 u a liquor, which cometh from the fTcmach and belly of the bee, and 
 
ZIMARAS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 is there in fdtffcffort purified and made fubtle ; and by that means, 
 that which remain: is light and hot, and therefore goes upwards. 
 
 Why do cats and 'wolves' eyes (bine at night and not hi day ? 
 
 The eyes of thefe heads are by nature more chriltaline the a the eyes 
 of other heads, and therefore do -Thine as they do : but the 'u-ightnefs 
 of the fun do hinder them to be leen in the day time. 
 
 •W'>-at is the real on that fome men *iohe n they fee-others dance ■ fb the like 
 with their hands and fee; , or by fome other geft tire of the h fy ? 
 
 The anfwer isjbccaufc the light having carried and reprcl nted unto 
 the mind that action, and judging the fame to be pleafant and delight- 
 ful, and therefore (denrhrgtt) the imagination draweth the likenefsof 
 in conceit, and ffirs up the body Hf the gehmrcs. 
 
 Wtfy -dothmuch ffep cavfe fame to grew Pat av.d fwn can ? 
 
 Thofc who are of ill complexion, when they fleer , do confume and 
 di^eft the fuperfluities of that they have eaten, and ?herefore become 
 fat. But fuch as are of good complexion when they ileep are mach 
 more cold, and fo digeft leis. 
 
 How and far what caufe do we fuffer burger better than thirfi ? 
 
 When the fUymach hath nothing to co:iiume,it confumeth the phlegm 
 and humours which it iindeth more ready and frioft at at hand : and 
 therefore we fuller hunger better than thirfi, becaufe the heat hath 
 nothing to refrefh i': withal. 
 
 Why doth t'e hair fall after a great ft chiefs ? 
 
 Where the lickuefs is long, as in agues, the humours of the head are 
 drjcJ up through overmuch heat, and therefore wanting nouriflimeut 
 they fall. 
 
 IV ey do the hair of the eyebrows grow long \n old men ? 
 
 Becaufe that through their age the bones of the eyelids are thin, by 
 reafon of the want of heat, and therefore the hair doth grow there, 
 by reafon of the rheums of the eyes The like doth happen in inch as 
 imagine much, becaufe that with their heat they draw up many hu- 
 mours to the fore part of the head, where the imagination is placed. 
 
 Whereof prticeedeth gaping ? 
 
 Of grofs vapours which occupy the vital fpirits of the head, and the 
 ferifes are cold, making them ready to fleep. 
 
 Why do fomefottii'is open tvith tic fun rtjhtg, and fome tvith the fun fitting f 
 
 Cold doth flint and dole-as hath been laid, bat the heat of the fun 
 4oth open and enlarge : fome do compare the fun to the foul of the 
 body ; for, as the foul giveth life, and when it departeth, death follow- 
 eth ;fo the fun doth give life, and vivifies all things ; the cold bring- 
 eth death, withering ?md decaying of all things. 
 
 JTly doth g> ief caafe men to grow ohl and grey P 
 
 Age is nothing elfe but a drvnefs, and want of humours in the body ; 
 grief then caufeth alteration, and alteration heat, and heat drynefs ; age 
 foiloweth immediately, and grevnefs. 
 
 Why are gelded beaft* <rt\ after than fuch as are not gelded ? 
 Becaufe they have leiTer heac and by that means leher force and itrength, 
 
 M ANTON. ZIMARAS SANCTIPERTIAS's PROBLEMS. 
 
 Why it is efie erne din ibe judgment of the moft wife the hard eft thing 
 to know a man's ft If ? 
 
 It is becaufe nothing can be known ; its form and perfection cannot 
 be found;- to know the form and perfection of a man's fc?f, as it com- 
 etfe unto the -.^ilofopher, is a matter hard enough, and a man, by the 
 
ZIMARAS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 authority of Plato, either is nothing, or if he be any thing, lie is nothing 
 but his foul. Or, is it becaufe it cannot be done by a reflected action, 
 and to reflect and look unto himfelf as a token that he is feparated by 
 the flefli ; for he who would know himfelf fliould be drawn from fen- 
 fible affections ; and how hard this, no man is ignorant of ? Or, is it be- 
 caufe a man liveth by understanding ? But the underftanding, a man 
 cannot conceive of himfelf, but after the underftanding of fenfes, 
 which is very hard. 
 
 Why was Socratees efteemed tbeivifeft of all Greece, by A polio, fee* 
 mg that, by the opinion of A*iftotle, be was con-verfant and bufted 
 only about morality , and nothing about nature? 
 
 Whether it is becaufe it is more expedient for the commodity and 
 ufe of men to live well and contemplate ; or becaufe it feemeth to 
 Plato that he was ufually profeffed of him every where, I know one 
 thing, that I know nothing. 
 Why do men efpe daily ftri<ve and contend In things of fwk ? 
 It is becaufe they think that other things which are called goods 3 
 a>re the power of another, as the gifts of the body are nature's and ex- 
 ternal, and worldly goods are fubject unto the rule of fortune ; where- 
 of it cometh to pafs, that every man can eafily fufTer himfelf to be o- 
 vercome in fuch things, as things not happening through his fault or 
 occafion. but they think wit to be in their own power. Or,it is becairfe 
 they think that the goods of the mind do excel! all other goods, and 
 therefore do think it a thing moft natural to contend for that which is 
 mod excellent. Or, it is becaufe it is a common difeafe of all men, as it 
 feemeth unto a certain wife man, that every man doth think himfelf 
 more learned than he is, and therefore doth defire to perform that 
 which he believeth, without ftudy and labour. 
 Why do men fay that philofophy is naked ? 
 
 It is becaufe truth is naked, and that there needs nc colour of words 
 when we handle a matter of truth ; for, it belcngeth to fophitrs to dif- 
 pute of terms when the fmcere truth is iought. Or, it is becaufe they 
 do not play the philcfopher well, who feek philofophy for gain and 
 ambition and not fbr herfelf. Or, it is becaufe hefhould be void from 
 all worldly affections, who defireth to endear himfelf in the ftudy of 
 philofophy ; for Atifrctle doth fay, the foul is made wife by reft and 
 quietnefs. And it were eafy for piu'ofophers to become rich, if they 
 would, as it appeared* by the example of Thales. 
 
 Why do men delire to be had in memory after their death, and there- 
 fore fome mak? pyi a?nids y ftatuv s, images, and diveis other tokens 
 and monuments which they build and lec*<ve bt hind them ? 
 
 It is becaufe ail things as fecms unto AriftGtle, do defire to partici- 
 pate of fome perpetuity and divine being, as much as they can ; and 
 therefore, if they cannot remain in nature and being yet they endea- 
 vour at leafl to continue in the opinion and conceit of ii.en. Or elfe 
 cuftom hath brought it in fo, to ftir up fuch as comes after, to the end, 
 they fhould not degenerate from their parents. 
 
 What is the cauje why mens* defire grow 'Without meafure about 
 fortune' 's goods ? 
 
 It is becaufe natural detlres, as Seneca faith, have an end, and fuch 
 deilrcs as proceed of falfe opinion have no where to end. 
 
 Whv do poets always afflg n and appoint fome wife men to be familia r 
 with primes : as, Homer doth Nejior with Agamemnon ; Euripidies, 
 Tirefii>s ivith Creon ; Hiftodus ) Prometheus , with Jupiter ,* at d 
 Maro, Achates and /Eneas ? 
 
ZIMARAS* PROBLEMS. 
 
 193 
 
 It is becaufe that, by the law of nature, as Plato doth fay, wifdom 
 and power do direct our actions to one end, and to effect the fame 
 thing, love it and feek it. 
 
 Why doth Homer when he makes mention of Ambajadors, talk al- 
 ways of the ambajjyof a commander in bare words. 
 
 It is becaufe it is the duty of ambaffadors to declare the bare will of 
 the commander, and put his fentence in execution ; and therefore, it 
 is certain, he fhould add nothing ; or elfe, it is becaufe the command- 
 ment of him who doth rule, that is, of a wife man, is put into good or- 
 der, and is prefumed to be mofl perfect. And therefore there fhould 
 be nothing changed ; but his decrees find conftitutions are to be judged 
 abfolute and perfect. 
 
 Why does Ariflotle ufe exceeding brevity in moft hard matters ? 
 
 Whether becaufe it is the cuftom of wife m^i to load their words 
 with fentences, or elfe to the end that he would be obfcure, to fear and 
 keep off rude wits from reading of his works, as it feemeth in the ex- 
 pofitors : or, whether it is becaufe that in a hard matter, and in a 
 matter of truth, many words are fufpe&ed, becaufe that truth doth 
 confift in few words ; or it is becaufe it feemeth to wife men, in many 
 woTds there is error often committed. 
 
 Why do famous men, in any fcience, when they do err in any matters, 
 err more dangcroufly tfiati tkoje who arelefs famous ? 
 
 It is becaufe that fuch,trufting to tht heat of their own wit,are drawn 
 far from their own fenfes, and therefore, muft needs be deceived. A- 
 vicen may ferve for a proof of this, who, for all his fame in philofophy, 
 faid, that a man might naturally be brought forth of the earth.. And, 
 that great famous Averrois, was thought that a maid might conceive a 
 child in a bath without the knowledge of a man. 
 
 Out of ARISTOTLE. 
 
 W hy is a man, being endued with reafonjthe mojl unjufl ef alllhing creatures ? 
 
 It is becaufe men only are delirous of honor, fo it comes to pais that 
 every one covets to feem good and yet naturally fliuns labour, though 
 he attains no virtue by it ; or elfe, it is becaufe the nature of a fophTf- 
 ter is rather to feem, than be and not feem ; but very few do attain to 
 true virtue. 
 
 W by dofome in their youth beget girls, and in their middle age, and 
 when old beget boys} 
 
 It is becaufe the feed waxeth cold in fuch as ufe carnal copulation 
 too often, and therefore in their middle age, when they grow tired, 
 their feed is hotter, and fo produceth males. 
 
 Why have children or boys pie af ufe in the aft ofvenery. feeing thev 
 do not caft funh feed ? f 
 
 It is, as the philofopher faith, becaufe there are certain ticklings in 
 the letting out the fpirit or breath, as it is in fuch as arc of age by 
 carting forth feed. 
 
 Why have thofe the leaf pleafure who ufe the acl of copulation often ? 
 
 By often ufing carnal copulation the fpirit and feed doth increafe 
 and wax cold, therefore not fo itching or tickling, which is of delight. 
 
 Why doth immoderate Population do more hurt than immoderate letting of blood ? 
 
 It is becaufe the feed is fuller of fpirit and nutriment, better difpofed 
 and prepared for the nurture of the body than the blood ; for, fay* 
 Galen the feed is the caufe of the fubftantial parts of the body, and of 
 it the body grows and is nouriflied, And he who. is hungry is hurt 
 R 
 
-94 
 
 21 MAR AS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 more by taking away bread than nour,fo the body is more weakened 
 by taking away feed than by evacuating blood. 
 
 What is the reafon that thofe ivho have a very long yard cannot gel children ? 
 
 Becaufe the feed in going a long diftance the fpirit doth breathe out, 
 and therefore is cold, and unfit for generation. 
 
 )Vby do fuch as are corpulent caft faith little feed in the aft ofccpula- 
 uan t and are often barren ? 
 
 It is becaufe the feed of fuch goca to nourishing the body ; for the 
 fame rcafon corpulent women have but few menfes. 
 
 How come loom en to be prone to -venery in the fummcr, and men 
 in winter ? 
 
 It is becaufe at that time his tefticles hang down and are feebler than 
 in winter : or elfe, becaufe hot natures become lively ; for a man is hot 
 Mid dry, women cold and moift, and therefore in fummer the ftrength 
 of men decays, and that of women increafes, and .fire grows livelier by- 
 the benefit of the contrary quality. And for the fame reafon fome beafts 
 of a cold nature lie in dens and holes,and,thro' the frigidity of the air, 
 receive little or no nourifhmeur, but revive agr>in when heat comes. 
 
 How comes, a man to be the proudefi of all living creatures ? 
 
 Whether it is by reafon of his great knowledge, or that (as the phi- 
 lofophers fay) ail intelligent beings having underftanding, nothing re- 
 mains that efcapes man's knowledge in particular ; or, it is becaufe he 
 hath rule over all earthly creatures, and all things feem to be brought 
 to his arbitrament : Or, I fhall anfwer, that the pride of man proceeds 
 from his not knowing himfelf ; for truly would remember that he is 
 but duff and afhes,came naked into the world,waslH>rn to eat his bread 
 by the fweat of his brow, and after born to die, he would abhor pride. 
 
 How com s a man to underjland one thing ana do another P 
 
 It is becaufe there is in the fame fcience contrary things; or becaufe 
 the office of the mind is to reach at many things,and the appetite tends 
 to one only ; and fo a man chiefly lives by underftanding and reafon, 
 but beafts are governed by appetite, anger, and pleafure. 
 
 Ho vd comes mojl women's wits un^ptin good things \and prompt in 
 7i aught y f 
 
 Becaufe of a privation which fcems to be coupled and joined to her 
 nature ; for as a woman is a man's hurt, fo the faculty of a privation 
 is always to do mifchief. 
 
 Why do men fay, A wematfs fi ft ccunfel fbould be chofenj* 
 Becaufe (as we fee in things that want reafon) their actions and 
 motions are guided to their proper ends by a fuperior power; for I 
 think that is very true which is laid, That their is a Providence which 
 puts into a clifhoneft heart the dehie of honefty, and in a poor man the 
 Genre of wealth, as far as iufiicient. So a woman's underftanding, the' 
 file knows not the reafon of good and evil, is fometimes directed by an 
 infallible truth to take fome things in hand ; but fome things they un- 
 dertake of themfelves are to be let alone, as weak and fubject to many 
 errors. 
 
 How comes it that women defrc to go fine, and de<k tbcmfelies, 
 ratl>er than men ? 
 
 It is becaufe by nature they are imperfect, fo they endeavour to 
 fupply their imperfections by art : or elfe it is becaufe they want the 
 beauty of the mind, fo ftudy to adorn their bodies. 
 
 How comes it that a tall ?nan h Jeldom wife ? 
 
 By reafon the hrgenefe of his body proceeds from excels of heat, 
 
ZIMARAS* PROBLEMS. 
 
 *95 
 
 and abundance of kumidity. Some wife men think the perfection, ac- 
 complishment, and goodnefs of the operation is perfected by dryuels, 
 which does always go and ihcreafetiii it brings US to our end ; for the 
 conftitution of the body originally i'prung from the laft humidity, but 
 the vehemence and excefs of heat overflows the judgment, and hinders 
 quietude. 
 
 Why is a number of princes and niters naughty P 
 
 It is becaufe if the government ihould dwindle into tyrany, it is bet- 
 ter to be under the yoke of one than many ; or, becaufe a multitude 
 of rulers feklom regard the good of the public. Hence it proceeds, that 
 if once they difagree, great evil is like to befall the commonality ; it is 
 eafier for one man to be well difpoied than many ; in the government 
 of many, there want not (trife, debate and envy, for which reafon let 
 there be but one prince at a time. 
 
 Why have beafls their hearts In the middle of their breajl, and man 
 inclining towards the left P 
 
 It is becaufe it fhould moderate the cold on that fide; for Ariftotle 
 fays, man hath only the left fide cold. Or, it is as phyficians fay,becaufc 
 it ihould give place to the liver, which is on the right fide, 
 
 Why doth a woman h>ve that manbefl who had her ma'- den-head P 
 
 It rs becaufe that as matter doth covet a form of perfe&ion,fodoth a 
 woman the male ; Or, it is by reafon of fhamefaccdntfs, for, as Plato 
 faith, ihaniefacednefs doth follow love. ; Or, becaufe the beginning of 
 great pleafure doth bring a great alteration in the whole, whereby the 
 powers of the mind are much delighted, and flick and reft immoveable 
 in the fame Hefmd advifes to marry a maid. 
 
 How comes the night in full of the moon to be fomwhat warm, 
 fince the moon is cold by r.i^ht P 
 
 Whether it is hecauie the opinion of the peripateticks ought to he 
 preferred, which fays, every light heats in that refpec^ it is iefleeltd. 
 
 How is the night colder in autumn than in the fpring P 
 
 Becaufe the air is very thin, and bodies that arc ranflcd arc vcrv 
 apt to receive heat, or cold, as is feen in water \ for water heated doth 
 fooner freeze than cold. 
 
 How are the bodies fooner hurt with cold in autumn than in fpring P 
 
 Becaufe the bodies which are accuftomed to cold,do in fpring receive 
 heat, and therefore the moving or mutation is natural, and not fur- 
 prizing. But in autumn they haften from heat to cold, not being ac- 
 cuftomed. Galen fays, Nature doth not indure fudden things. 
 
 Why ere harry people more luflful than others P 
 
 Becaufe in them is fu^poied great (lore of excrements and feed, ss 
 philofophers aifert. 
 
 Horv comsx it that rr.en vvbo have fmall heads are nztxraUy angry **dttffy ? 
 
 Becaufe when the head is little, the brain isfo of courie, the heat of 
 the heart cannot be moderated with the heat of the brain, as it ought 
 to be, and anger proceeds of the boiling of the blood about the heart 
 through fome vexation. 
 
 H rw co mes the fundament of a man to cloje after he hath made water? 
 Becaufe the air runs prefently to fill that which is empty, and fo the 
 parts of the body are altered by the ccldnefs of the air, which caufes 
 trembling. 
 
 Why have fame men died thro' grief fome thro\ joy 9 hut more thro' an *erT 
 JJccauIc joy cools the very inward guts ; grief doth fuffbcate'and 
 
ZIMARAS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 choake the inward parts, and eool the outward ; but anger eats both, 
 while heat remains : life and nature doth fo too, becaufe the foul is 
 counted the life and natural heat. 
 
 IVhy do the voice change in people *whcn they begin to have feed ? 
 
 Becaufe that heat is the beginning of veins and blood, as Ariflotle 
 fartliagairjfr the phyficians ; and thereupon it raifcththat. becaufe the 
 change of the excrements of feed is made in the highefcpart of the body, 
 the voice being above, makes it manifeft: And thereupon it is the 
 voices bo tii of men and women do change when they begin to have feed 
 
 Koto comes it that <ivhen a pot full of boiling I quo* is feet bin p. vet 
 thebmtom is cold ? '■ J ^ • 
 
 it is becaufe the hot vapours afcend upword, and therefore when 
 J. be upper raofi water is hot, the bottom is cold, by reafon of the cold- 
 nefs of the water adjoining to it, 
 
 $*h 1S : (fin n»hhb. ive find in the ants holes guanoed at one end? 
 
 They *:e directed by nature to gnaw and confume that end where 
 the virtue of feeding is, for fear it fprout again, left by the fprouting 
 and growing, they would be deprived of the nutriment belonging ne- 
 cefTarily imto themfelves. 
 
 Why do children hue their mother more frequently than their father ? 
 
 It is becauie they take great pains with them, or becaufe of the 
 great certainty which they have of thcmfelves. 
 
 Why is net the father as <well beloved of the fon as the fon is of the father I 
 
 It is, becaufe love does not go backward, but always forward ; 
 whence our dtfire neglects things pad, and looks to things to come. 
 Or, it is becaufe the father hath fo me what of his in the fon, the fon 
 nothing of his in the father. 
 Why are affes m:>re nimble -when they areyoung ? than at am other time > 
 
 Whether it is becaufe their nature and constitution being melancho- 
 ly, it is reqittfite there ihould be a temperance with the recompenee of 
 contrary qualities ; for melancholy by nature is cold and dry, but when 
 they are young,they are hot and moid. This alfo we fee in melancholy 
 children ; fome children are of great wit, before it be looked for, info- 
 much that you may hope and promife any thing in time to come,whofe 
 wit nevertheiefs, in progrefs of time, doth decay and fade. Be there- 
 fore, faith the Greeks, naught to the end that thou mayft live, for the 
 nature of fuch is moft fhort. 
 
 IVhy are there no affes in Pontus and Scythia ? 
 It is becaufe their nature ismoft impatient of cold,as philofophers do fay. 
 
 V/hy are clergymen and ivomen mofl covetous ? 
 
 It is becaufe the habit of virtue is bred of many actions, and there- 
 fore feeing that priefts want wives and children, they are forced, on 
 ways to fpend their goods, and yet are accuftomed to take and receive, 
 ?nd fo become covetous : for fuch as every man's actions ar*, fuch 
 doth he become. The nature of women is imperfect:, and therefore 
 they think it impoflible fully tofatisfy themfelves ; they gather togeth- 
 er, and keep that by which they may help their need ; and by induftry 
 and art they covet to obtain that which nature does not give them And 
 for the fame reafon, I fuppofe, old men give themfelves to covetouf- 
 riefs ; for being deftitute of helps by age and nature, they gripe after 
 the goods of fortune, that with them they may provide for themselves 
 againft all wants. 
 
 Why do ivounds grUve hfs in ivar than aut of ivar ? 
 
ZlMARAS* PROBLEMS. 
 
 It is becaufe the powers of the foul bend another way : for, if our 
 mind be ftrongly fixed on other matters, we do not fee thofe things 
 which are before our eyes ; or, whether it is by reafon of anger, 
 which as wife men fay, doth heat the internal and external part , and 
 as Ariftotle atErms, with the heat the foul works all things ; and 
 therefore it happens that the angry man grows but flowly whole after 
 his wound, and therefore alfo doth lefs grieve and heat. 
 
 Why do we Wonder at the eclipfe of the fun and moon, and not at the gencr* 
 ation of plants and beafs ? 
 
 Whether it is becaufe our admiration ceafeth in things that are 
 ufual, and our minds neg'ect to feaTch out the truth in fueh things j, 
 or that which happens feldom, doth ftir us up to wonder, and induc- 
 eth the undefftancimg to fear ch out the caufe. 
 
 Hoiv comes it that the headach, dulncfs of memory, and an evil difpoftiom 
 of imagination, doth folloiu the long detaining of the feed? 
 
 It is becaufe it doth hinder and make heavy the brain by excefs of 
 feed ; or becaufe the feed long kept^gets fome venomous quality, and 
 therefore the fume and vapours of it doth hurt the head ? 
 
 How is it that pricjls and monks J ear and abhor death more than other men P 
 It is becaufe they are by nature cold and melancholy ; becaufe they 
 perceive themfelves to perifh utterly ; for, when they are out of this 
 world, they neither continue in their own nature nor in pofterity. 
 
 Why though tries lofe their leaves , beajls their hair, and birds their feather / t 
 do they receive them again, ivhen if a man becomes bald, his lair groiveth no more ? 
 
 It is becaufe the time of the year doth bring that change of bodies : 
 fo that in the nrft change there floweth an interchangeable courfe one 
 after another, and beafh receive their hair, birds their feathers, and 
 trees their leaves : but baldnefs cometh to a man through age, and 
 nature giveth no coming again to age. 
 IV by doth fumm r end all dif cafes P 
 
 If force and' nature be f bong, it fhall find air mod fit for refolutipn, 
 digeftion, and expulfion of ftiperfluides ; if weak, the heat doth over- 
 throw it more. It doth loofen weak bodies, and therefore there 
 cometh nothing but death unto the ftck. 
 
 Why if a man put his hands into the water in fummcr, is he colder if the 
 'Water be moved, than ivhen it fandeth fill ? 
 
 It is becaufe that part of the water which toucheth his hands is hot 
 by the heat of his hand ; for every agent which doth communicate 
 with the patient in the things whereon he workcth, in doing fo doth 
 tufter again, and the water being moved, it is necelTary that the parts 
 of it which are rariiied be fcattered abroad, and others more cold fuc- 
 Ceed them. 
 
 Why do fome 1x1)0 bvvean evil complex' on atdc'inflitution of body 
 live longtr than fome others^ who are of a fan guitie and 'better nature t 
 
 Whether it is through bad government and order ; or becaufe there 
 is fome hidden caufe in thofe difpolitions ; for,, as Averrois faith, the 
 number of elements is infinite in works of nature, the which none 
 befides the Author of nature doth underflandv 
 
 What is the caufe, that the fujfocation of the matrix, ith'uh happens to ivo.t? ~?t 
 through frife and contention , is more d.ingerovs than the detaining of fto%vcrs i 1 
 
 Whether it is becaufe that by how much the more an excrenv 
 perfect, fo long as it doth continue in its natural difpofuion, by (c 
 much tfae more it is worfe when it is removed from that, and dia"w 
 
198 
 
 Z1MARAS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 to the contrary quality, as is feen in vinegar, which is the fharpell 
 when it is made of the beft wine : And fo it happens, that the more 
 men love one another, the more they hate when they fall to variance 
 and difcord. 
 
 Why, doth the land, uvhich Jlandeth flill,feem to move unto fuch as fail hy fea ? 
 
 It is becaufe the nutriment of the fenfe of feeing is accidentally 
 moved when the fhip is moved, whereby the likenefs and fimilitude 
 of things is perceived and received with the moving. 
 
 Why do we hnje out fight above our fenfe s ? 
 
 It is becaufe it both {hews us the difference of things, and becaufe 
 its knowledge is more drawn from material fubftance : Or, it is becaufe 
 the divine force of love is placed in that fenfe, as Plato faith. 
 
 Why do iv e not judge a flaff to be broken hi the water, feeing it 
 doth fo appear in vur Jight P 
 
 Becaufe we perceive by the fenfe of feeling and touching, that the 
 fight doth err: Or, becaufe we do not judge with the fame power, as 
 we do imagine with. Thus the fun doth ftem to be but a foot round ; 
 and by a trick and moving of the finger, one finger doth feem two, yet 
 we do not yield they be two. 
 Why do we put bur hands over our eyes when We would fee anything afar off\ 
 
 Becaufe the light fliould not be difperfed ; and fo thofe who have 
 their eyes {landing out, cannot fee far ; and contrary, fuch as have 
 them hollow in their head can fee far, becaufe the moving of the fight 
 is not fcattered. 
 
 How do fome people difcern things near them, and not at a diftance f 
 
 It is through the weaknefs of the light, for in fuch the power of fee- 
 ing is very weak ; therefore they do not need a ftrong moving, as it 
 is alfo in fuch as have their eyes Handing out who cannot fee far. 
 
 Why do fuch as would fhoot aright , wink with their one eye? 
 
 Becaufe thereby 'the light is more ftrengthentd and united. 
 
 Why are Juch as have been long in the dark, if on a fudden they 
 come 'into the light, baf blind ? 
 
 Becaufe nature cannot endure thofe fudden mutations, or, becaufe 
 the fpifiit of the fight is fmall and weak, and therefore is glad of the 
 light, and fo duTolves when they come into the light. Or, becaufe of 
 the defire of that light they wanted before, which when they behold- 
 too earneftly, their fight is weakened, as it happens in fome who have 
 a long time endured famine, and then eating greedily, take more than 
 they can digeft, and fo perifli. 
 
 Why can nothing be the cauf of its own generation and corruption ? 
 
 Becaufe the mover muft be before the thing moved, and the engen- 
 .derer before the things engendered ; for it is impoffible for any thing 
 to be before itfelf. 
 
 Ho r w come wawrtr 'bodies io he loafer, ffier^ and their veins lejfr than 
 rxens* f And why do they want hair ? 
 
 By reafon of their menfes ; for with them their fuperfluities, which, 
 would produce hair, go away ; and where the fkfh is filled, confe- 
 cjuently their veins are more hid than mens*. 
 
 What is the reafon that when we think upon an horrible thing we are flrick- 
 cn ivith fear. 
 
 Becaufe the conceit, and thinking of things hath force and virtue : 
 for Plato faith, the reafon of things hath fome affinity witR the things 
 thefnielvcs ; for the image and representation of cold and heat, is fuch 
 
ZIMARAS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 as the nature of the things are : Or, becaufe when we comprehend 
 any dreadful matter, the blood runs to the internal parts, and there- 
 fore the external parts are cold, and fhake with fear. 
 
 Why, doth ar.addijh root help digs/lion and yet it/elf remain undigefed ? 
 
 It is becaufe the fubftance confifteth of divers parts, for there are 
 fome thin parts in it which are fit to digeftmeat, the which being dif- 
 folved, there doth remain fome thick and clofe fubftance in it, which 
 the heart cannot digeft. 
 
 Why do fuch as cleave wood, cleave it eajter In length than athwart P 
 
 Becaufe in wood there is a grain, if it be cut in length, whereby, in 
 the very cutting, one part, draweth another faft by it. 
 
 What is the reafon, that if a /pear be fticken, on the end, the found ccmetb 
 fooner to one Uo'jo fandeth near, than to him ivho ftiketh ? 
 
 Becaufe there is a certain long grain in wood directly foreward fill- 
 ed with air ; but crofs, or on the fide, there is none : And therefore, 
 when a beam or fpear is ftricken on the end, the air which k hidden 
 receiveth a found in the aforefaid grain which ferveth for the paflage 
 of the air, and therefore feeing the found cannot go eafily out, it is car- 
 ried unto the ear of him who is oppofite to him, and thofe parages do 
 not go from fide to fide, and therefore a found cannot be diftinctly heard. 
 
 Why are they not famous men in every faculty in our age ? 
 
 Becaufe the nature of mandecayeth in our age ; and fucceffion be- 
 ing corrupted, the progeny of our age is worfe by birth ; Or, it is be- 
 caufe fuch are not efteemed of princes ; for, take away the reward 
 due unto virtue, and no man will embrace it ; or, it is ordained by 
 nature, that men do always complain of the prcfent time. 
 
 Why are fatterers in great credit 'With princes ? 
 
 Becaufe they love themfelves too much ; immoderate love of them- 
 felves caufeth them to admit flatterers, and to give them credit : Or, 
 it is becaufe they want the light or reafon ; for, among birds, fom« 
 rfrough the corruption of their nature, delight in ftinking meat, and 
 whom the day doth blind, the night doth lighten. 
 
 Why have philofophers,for the mojl part, in thefe days, evil conditions ? 
 
 Becaufe they are efteemed of princes ; Or, becaufe of the phiTofi>- 
 phy itfelf, they are accufed of crimes, and think therefore they are 
 compelled to forfake virtue, and follow vice : or elfe deceived through 
 error, they think they have fnatched to themfelves fome of her rags ; 
 and therefore they are by us rather called fophifters than philofophers* 
 for certainly a philofopher fhould be of a ftout courage in all refpedts, 
 and in all fortunes ; but as they would be honoured of prince*, and 
 their defire is not ruled by nature but by error, they are thirft fore- 
 ward with ftreams of falfe credulity. 
 
 -Why do fuch as are angry, *wax pale in the beginning and afterwards red ? 
 
 It is through the defire of revenge for that which grieveth, that the 
 heat and blood are called unto the heart, and therefore, of neceffity,, 
 the external parts are pale ; when they are determined to put that in 
 execution which they defire, the heat and blood do run into the out- 
 ward parts and then they are greatly to be feared. 
 
 Why do ferpents ivant a yard and fines ? 
 
 Becaufe they want thighs, therefore they want a yard and ftones, 
 and becaufe of the length of the body. 
 Why can ferpents turn their heads baclivards, and the refl of the body f and fill ? 
 
 Becaufe they are made of 'a winding compofiticn, and have their 
 
209 
 
 APHRODISEUS 1 PROBLEMS. 
 
 joints flexible, and made of griflle ; and alfo, that they may avoid all 
 thofe things which hurt them, for having no feet, and being long in 
 body, they cannot eauly turn themfelves, whilft they bow agakift thofe 
 things which axe behind them. It were to no purpofe to iift up their 
 head if they could not exerciie anger. 
 
 JV-hy is a camel'ion changed into many odours ? 
 
 The eaufe is to be referred unto the quality of the mind, for, being 
 the flendereft of all four footed beafts engendered of eggs, he is a ftark. 
 cold for want of blood, and through -overmuch coldnefs, he is of fo 
 many colours, for it is the property of fear to bind faft through want 
 of bfood and heat. 
 
 Why are the thighs and calves of the legs of man fejhy y feeing the legs of 
 beefs are not fo ? 
 
 Becaufe men only go upright, and therefore nature hath given to 
 the lower part corpulency, and hath taken it away from the upper ; 
 and therefore the buttocks, thighs, and calves of the legs are fleihy. 
 
 Why are the fcnfble powers in the hearty yet if the hinder part of the brain 
 he hurt, tie memory payetjh for it : if the fore parts , the imagination : if the 
 middle , thf cogitative pait? 
 
 Becaufe the bram is appointed by nature to cool the heat of the 
 heart, wherefore, in tlivers of its parrs, it urveth thefe powers and in- 
 ih-uments of their heat ; for every action of the foul doth not proceed 
 from one meafure of the heat. 
 
 The PROBLEMS of ALEX. APHRODISEUS. 
 
 Why doth the fun nivie man Uac& t and make dirt nxihiie : and male wax 
 feft, and dirt hard ? 
 
 By reafon of the difpoution of the fubftance that doth fufFer. All 
 humours., phlegm exempted, when they are heated above meafure, do 
 feem black about the ikin, but dirt being either full of faltpetre or fait 
 liquor, when the fun hath confurncd its dregs and filth, doth become 
 white again ; when the fun hath. drawn and ftirred up the humidity of 
 the wax, it is foftened : but in dirt the fun doth confume the humidi- 
 ty which is very muc h, and fo doth try it and make it hard. 
 
 Why doth black tloler y coming into the paps y caufe a corrofion cr gn&iving ^ 
 and in thofe ivho are melancholy, it doth not hut flies into the I rain ? 
 
 Becaufe there are many great veins in the paps by reafon of engen* 
 dering milk, and therefore fjtore of that humour doth run thither. 
 But in the brain, becaufe it is above, and alfo becaufe it hath very 
 fmall veins, fmall ftore of choler doth afcend, and which hath only 
 power and force to prick and not to gnaw and eat. Moreover the 
 brain is hard and motft, whereby it is, after a fort contrary to the dif- 
 pofition of black choler, which doth mortify i: ; that therefore which 
 is properly called black choler both breed an eating and gnawing 
 canker in the paps. In the brain k doth breed a man fierce and 
 melancholy, but that which is net properly black choler, but melan- 
 choly humour, caufeth a fwelling only \v/hiehi3 like a cancer but doth 
 not gnaw and eat, and doth alfo breed a quiet and peaceable melan- 
 choly. ■■ / 
 
 For what reafon tvill not the ivater run out cf the bottom of a watering pot r 
 when ive put our finger the mouth of it y and the flngcr being taken away it 
 runneth prefefttly ? 
 
 Becaufe when the finger is taken a<way from the mouth of the pof, 
 the air cntexin^ ia doth thruft down the water, which of i*s own nature 
 
APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 201 
 
 doth go downward, and fo goeth out at the bottom. And this is the 
 reafon of ali mechanical engines and inftruments made, to go by air 
 and water, as clocks and hourglaiTes made by water. 
 
 Why doth ivine and iv iter given out of feafon, ts the Jick of an ague, caufe a 
 dijlcmper of the brain f ivhen the ivater is cold, and the ivine is hot. 
 
 The wine being apt to afcend, doth burn the brain at the time it is 
 difturbed and diftempered with the ague. And wc fee alfo many who 
 are in health, if they ufe much wine, to be fcarce well in their wits. 
 But water doth ftop the paflages of the body, by which the fpirits are 
 difiblved, and fo caufes them to become thick and grofs, and more cor- 
 rupt and putrefied, which breeds the ague. And oftentimes water be- 
 ing overcome by the ague, becometh its nourishment ; as we fee in a 
 fmith's forge, where a little water doth kindle the fire, and make it 
 burn fiercer. 
 
 Why have women, children, and gelded men, fh rill and loud voices ? 
 
 Becaufe that through the abundance of humidity their artery is not 
 ftretched wide ; and therefore, as a fmall flute or pipe giveth a finall 
 flender found, fo does the aorta in them that is ftrait and narrow; for 
 it is the property of heat to mike wide and loofen, but eunuchs and 
 women are cold. 
 
 Why are children Jlrichen ivith the planet in fummer time ? 
 
 They are fttk of a v.-c^k sua lingering agae, arid their eyes fink hol- 
 low in their head, and they become weak and feeble, and deep very 
 little : and fome of them have a flux, becaufe children are tender, ancl 
 fo eafily fuffer : and having great ftore of phlegm in the head, and 
 that phlegm being overmuch heated, and alfo putrefied, doth in- 
 flame the ague, whereupon the griftles of the brain are fet on fire, and 
 therefore they fleeo little ; and that fire defcending by the 'arteries 
 of the heart, and fetting on fire the lively fpirits, doth kindle an ague ; 
 and feeing that much choler arifes of an ague, thereby it falleth out, 
 that the choler gnaweth and eateth the belly. It is plain, that the 
 caufe of that alteration is in the brain, becaufe that cooling medicines 
 are applied unto the head, and fuch as are good to quench that fire. 
 Some of riper years are lick of the fame difeafe, that is fuch as have 
 phlegm and choler heaped up into their head, which putrefies by the 
 very breathing thereof, and after a manner, the fpirits are fet on fire 
 by a fiery air. 
 
 Why are round ulcers hard to be cuted P 
 
 Becaufe they are bred of fharp choler, which eats and gnaws, and 
 becaufe it doth run, for which reafon it requires drying medicines, as 
 phyficians alTert. Natural philofophers fay, it comes to pafs becaufe 
 there is" beginning where the mifchevious impofthume doth begin, for 
 in a circle there is neither beginning nor end. When they are burn- 
 ed by phyficians, they do affu me another kind of fhape. 
 
 Why is honey fwcet to all men, and yet feemeth hitter to fuch as have the 
 jaundice ? 
 
 Becaufe they have much bitter choler all over their bodies, but it 
 abounds with the tongue, whence it happens when they eat honey the 
 humours are ftirred, and the tafte itfelf, when it hath found the bitter- 
 nefs of choler, caufes an imagination that the honey is bitter. 
 
 Why have very angry men fery eyes ? 
 
 Becaufe the blood about the heart is fervent, and the fpirit hot, and 
 fo, being very fubtle and pure, and carried upwards and by the eye*, 
 
20Z 
 
 AFHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 which are clear, they do lliine, and have bloody vapours that afcend 
 with them, which makes the face red, which Homer not being igno- 
 rant of, fays, And his eyes were like a burning fame. 
 
 Why doth ivater cajl upon ftrpents caufethem to fy from us ? 
 Becaufe they are cold and dry by nature, having but little blood, 
 and therefore fly from excdfive coldnefs. And that they be of this 
 quality is plain, beciufe they feek for dens and fecret places in the 
 earth, as being warm : at fun fet they fhun the air, as being cold; and 
 a^gain in fummer, becaufe the bowels of the earth are cold they find 
 out the warmeft places. 
 
 Why doth an egg break if it ht rcafled, and not if foiled ? 
 The reafon is when moifture comes «car the fire, it heats it too 
 much, and fo breeds much wind, which being pent up in a little, for- 
 ceth its way out, and fo breaks the (hell. The like happens in tubs, or 
 earthen veiVels, when new wine is put m them. Too much phlegm 
 breaks the fhell of an egg in roafting, the which doth happen in earth- 
 en pots too much heated ; wherefore the common people wet an egg 
 when they intend to roaft it. Hot water, through its foftnefs, doth 
 Separate its humidity by little and little, and fo dilfolves it thiough, 
 the pafTages that are in the fheils. 
 
 Why do men, in the ad of car nv I copulatioMy in a manner luink-and fnd a 
 tile afle; Motion in &tt Tenfcs f" 
 
 Becaufe that being overcome with the effect of that pleafirre, they 
 t!o comprehead it better, winking as it were with their eyes- Thty 
 are not lifted up, nor do carry the wind abroad into the air with the 
 fenfes, whereby they would difcern thole corporeal alTeetions. 
 
 Why have fotre medicines of one ibid, contrary f orce, as experience dolh teach, 
 wofic doth expel, diJfol<vc> and fo tsnit ; vinegar both cools and heats £ 
 
 Becaufe there are fomefmall invifible bodies of them, not by confci- 
 fion but by interpofition ; as fand moiftened doth clog together, and 
 feem-s to be but one body, though indeed there are manyfmal! bodies 
 in fand. Since this is fo, it is not abfurd that contrary qualities and 
 virtues ihouid be hidden in maftic, and nature hath given the law to 
 thefe bodies. 
 
 Why do our privities fivtll when IVe hurt one cf our toes P 
 
 Nature caring for thofe tilings which heking to the body, haftcs to 
 afGft the part grieved and becaufe flie hath the rrujlr profitable and 
 nourifhing of all the humours, it isrequliite when (he doth chicend to 
 the toe with the bl*od, that thofe veins be fil ltd which are about the 
 £>riyy members. 
 
 Why doth -not >tuiture ghue birds a bladder, or a reeepitacle for urine ? 
 
 Becaufe they do want much mciXture to give the matter for feathers 
 to grow, and that they do confume with tbeexercife of flying ; neither 
 do they pifs, at all, and when they drink they void very much dung, 
 
 Why have children gravel -Ireeding in their hladdjr, and aid men in their 
 kidneys, and reins of the kidneys. 
 
 Becaufe children have ftraight Paffages in the kidneys, and art 
 earthly thick humour is thirfr. with violence hy the urine from the 
 fafhion of the moon, even te the bladder, which hath wide conduits 
 or palTages that give room for the urine and humour, whereof gravel 
 is engendered, to wax thick and feat itfelf, as the cuftcm of it is. In 
 pld men it is the reverfe, for they have wide paiTages of the reins, back, 
 and kidneys, that the urine may pafs away, and the earthy humour 
 
APHR0DISEU3* PROBLEMS. 
 
 203 
 
 congeal and link down ; the colour of the gravel fhews the humour 
 whereof the flones come. 
 
 Wby, if the Jlone do congeal and ivax Lard throvgh beat* (children ar; hot, 
 and by the fame reafon it is done in old men, for there is not fo much cold to be 
 granted as there is in ice or fnow, throvgh ivhicb extreme cold the I r ys 
 would per'Jh ) yet we ufe not contrary things to diJfoHe coldnefs, biu 
 thing?, as par/ley, fennel, andfuch like ? 
 
 Thev fay it falleth out that by exceflive heat and fchorching, the 
 (tones do crumble intofand, as in earthen veflTels, which when they ajt 
 overheated or roafted.they become fand. And by this means it hap- 
 pens that fmall (bones are voided together with fand in making water. 
 Sometimes cold dr inks thurtt out the Oone, the kidneys being ftretch- 
 ed, and calling out hy a greater lafk, and eafing the belly of its burden. 
 Befides it often happens that an immoderate heat of the kidneys or 
 of the reins of the back (through which the ftone doth grow) is 
 quenched with coldnefs. 
 
 Why is the curing an ulcer or boil in the kidneys or bladder voy lard ? 
 Becaufe the urine being very (harp, doth exulcerate the wound, 
 ^vhile good and fit medicaments would cover the fkin. Ulcers are 
 harder to cure in the bladder than in the kidneys, becaufe urine flays 
 in the former, but runs away from the latter. 
 
 What is the reafon that in laihwg vejfels, the hot -Water, when it isfirred, 
 feems the hotter to us, almcf burr,v>^ our bodies ? 
 
 Becaufe, when we enter thcle fort of baths, the water itfelf doth 
 fufFer, that is, w hen the water heats our bodies it is made colder by; us. 
 We have learned that whatever works in generation of corruption, 
 the fame (without all doubt) doth fufFer ; the water then being hi 
 fome fort cooled, doth not heat alike, and we being accuftomed to it, 
 do not feel the heat as we did in the beginning, becaufe it is dmnnifh- 
 eel If, by birring the water, more hear is added. wliicV, neither hath 
 vet wrought or fufferedanv thin* of the body w hich is m it, that will 
 feem very hot and fcaldinf, in regard that it lufFers by lomethmg, and 
 fo by degt--s loofes its heat, as the firfr did. 
 
 Ho-v is it, that whatfoewr is moved, is hotter for it, efpecially in fummer, 
 when the heat of the fun is mo/2 viclettt ? 
 
 This feems a contradiction to the other ; for hot water did not feem 
 hotter to us by moving. Therefore, it is a common thing for what is 
 moftand principal in any thing, either in quantity or quality, to 
 overcome and change that which is iefs and weaker ; and that which 
 is ftrong doth fomewhat fufFer again in doing. Wherefore the hot wa- 
 ter, when it is very hot, flicking to the hot body, cools, and does not 
 retain the fctfjfe quality. The air then, which doth compafs us about, 
 being hot in fummer like the water compafling our bodies, is fome- 
 what heated by ul, who are hot through the feafon : it heats us as linen 
 garments do, which being firft cold, and then ftirred, that air which 
 was before heated by us is driven away, and another, not heated, 
 fucceeds and feems cold to us. 
 
 Why do tkofe fores which breed in the hall of the eye feem while, tvhen they 
 have lefs growing, and are coldjind others do net feem fo that grow out oj the ball ? 
 
 Becaufe through the ball of the eye the fight proceedeth, which is 
 bright and clear, therefore in the white of the eye, when the wound 
 doth make thick that part of the covering which is like a horn, the 
 fp'uit q£ the fi^bt cannot iiJue out ; hence it comes to pals (much of 
 
AFHRODISEUS* PROBLEMS. 
 
 it being got together) it makes the wound light and clear fliewing it 
 white ; and bccaufe of the quietnefs of the light, the fpirit cannot go 
 out, it caufes blinduefs. 
 
 Why doih chaff and Jra*zo leep water hot , and fnow cold, which are feemingly 
 contraries ? 
 
 Becaufe the nature of chaff wants a manifefl quality ; feeing there- 
 fore, that of their nature, they can eafily be mingled, and confumed 
 with that which they are annexed unto, they eafily alfo take the fame 
 Kature unto them ; and therefore being put into hot things, they are 
 eafily hot, and do heat again, and keep hot; and, on the contrary, 
 being made cold of the fnow, and making the fnow cold, do keep in 
 its coldnefs. So wax and oil will eafily be confumed, and made one 
 with another thing, and do help the quality which is mingled with 
 them, as being made one with them. 
 
 Why do tht Jlars and heaven feem clearfl in the bright 'Winter time ? 
 
 Becaufe the air, either which doth ccmpafs us, or that which is 
 higheft, is made thin and purged with winds and fhowers of rain, and 
 by that means our-fight doth fee both further and clearer. The like 
 is manifeftly feen in running rivers ; for fuch things as are in them 
 are far better feen than in the thick (landing puddle of water, where 
 either nothing is feen, or confufedly. 
 
 Why, have *VJe oftev.ihrtts a pain in waling water ? 
 
 Becaufe that iharp choier ifiuing out and pricking the bladder of 
 the urine, doth provoke and flir up the whole hody to cafe the part 
 offended, and to expel the humour moderately. This doth happen 
 moftly to chik'.ren, becaufe they have moifl excrements, by reafon of 
 their often filling. 
 Why do nvrfes rod and move their children whenthey <lvouldhave thetn to Jleep? 
 
 To the ci;d that the humours, being fcatteredby moving, may 
 move the brains , but thofe of more years cannot endure this. 
 
 Why do fo?ned> ip: karris fee thuSU ? 
 
 Becaule the mufcles of the light being more or lefs filled, and by 
 the felf fame means weak and feeble, do draw one ey*e upward, and 
 the other downward, and by that means the beams do not look that 
 way at once, but toward divers places and bodies ; and therefore, 
 each of the eyes ufmg a private office and duty of feting, doth caufe 
 . a double light. ; . ; . 
 
 Why are boys apt to change their <voh < es about fourteenyears of age? 
 
 Becaufe that then nature doth caufe a great and fudden change of 
 age.; experience proveth this to be true, for at that time we may fee 
 that womens' paps do grow great to hold and gather milk, and alfo 
 thofe places that are above the hips, in which the young fruit iliould 
 remain. Likewife mens' breafts and fhoulders, which bear then 
 great and heavy burdens. Alfo their ftones in which their feed may 
 increafe and abide, and their privy members, to let out the feed and 
 eafe. Further, all the whole body is made larger and dilated, as the 
 alteration and change of every part doth ttftif) , and the harfhnefs of 
 the voice and hoarfenefs ; for the rough artery, the wind pipe, being 
 made wide in the beginning, and the exterior and outward part with- 
 in unequal to the throat, the air going out at the rough, unequal and 
 uneven pipe, doth become unequal and (harp, and after a fort hoarfe 
 like unto the voice of a goat* wherefore it has its name Bronchus, 
 The fame doth ii*ppen to them unto whofe rough artery difUliation 
 
APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 doth flow : It happens by reafon of the drooping humidity that a light 
 fmall fkin filled unequally caufes the uneven going forth of the fpirit 
 and air. Underftand that the wine pipe of goats is fuch by reafon of 
 the abundance of humidity. The like doth happen unto all fuch as 
 nature hath given a rough artery, as unto cranes. After the years of 
 fourteen they leave off that voice, becaufe the artery is made wider, 
 and reacheth its natural evennefs and quality. 
 
 Why doth oil, being drank caufe one to vo?nit y and cfpecially yelloiv cboler 
 Becaufe that feeing it is light, and afcending upwards, it provoketli 
 the nutriment in the (tomach, and lifteth it up, and fo the ftomach 
 being grieved, fummoneth the ejedtive virtue to vomit, and efpecially 
 choler, becaufe that is light, and confifteth of fubtle parts and there- 
 fore it is the fooner carried upward ; for when it is mingled with any 
 moifl: thing, it runneth into the higheft room. 
 Why doth not oil mingle Ujitb moiji things ? 
 
 Becaufe that being pliant, foft, and conftipate in itfelf, it cannot be 
 divided into parts, and fo cannot be mingled ; neither if it be put on 
 earth, cannot it enter into it. 
 
 Why is ivater and oil frozen in cold iveatber, aud ivine and vinegar in hot ? 
 
 Becaufe that oil being without all quality, and lit to be compound- 
 ed with any thing, is cold quickly, and fo extremely, that it is mo ft 
 cold. Water being cold of nature, doth eafily freeze .when it is made 
 colder than its own nature. Wine being hot, and of fubtle parts, is 
 not fo foon cold, but vinegar being of moft fubtle parts, fuffereth nu» 
 freezing. 
 
 Why do contrary things' in quality produce the fame effeB ? 
 
 That which is moifl is hardened, and abounds alike of heat and of 
 cold. Snow and liquids do freeze with cold ; a plaifter and grave! in 
 the bladder, are made hot with heat. The heat doth confume and 
 eat the abundance of moifture ; but the cold flopping and fhutting 
 with its overmuch thicknefs, doth wring out the filthy humidity, like 
 as the fpunge wrung with the hand doth cafl: out the water which it 
 hath in the pores or fmall paffa go,. 
 
 Why doth a fhaking or quiveringfeize us oftentimes ^when any fearful matter d»th 
 hap pen, as a great noife or a crack made ihefuJden doivnfal of ivater or a greaitree? 
 
 Becaufe that oftentimes the- humours being digefted and confumed 
 with time, and made thin and weak, all the heat vehemently, fudden- 
 ly, and fharply flying into the inward part of the body, confumeth 
 the humours which caufed the difcafe. So treacle hath its effecSt, and 
 many fuch like, which are hot and dry, when they are taken after 
 concoction. 
 
 Why do feelglaffcs fhine fo clearly ? 
 
 Becaufe they are lined in the infide with white led, whofe nature is 
 fl^nfng, winch being put to the glafs> which is alfo fhining, doth fhine 
 much more; and cafting its beams through the paflages of the glafs, 
 doth double that which is in the fuperflcial parts of the glafs, and 
 without ihe body of the glafs, and by that means the. glafs is very 
 fhirJng and clear . 
 
 hy do ive fee ourfclwes in gla/Jes and clear ivater ? 
 
 Bec-uife the quality of 7 the fight palling into the bright bodies by re- 
 flexion, doth turn again by the beam of the eyes, as the image of him 
 who looked on it. That qualities do go forth and pafs from the face, 
 as it is not abfurd, they do flicw which remain near unto trees, becaufe 
 
APHROBISBUS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 they are wont to look green, for the green quality of green leaves pat?- 
 Eth to the face of itfelf ; like wife going into the running water doth 
 make it {hew green. 
 
 Why do bard dens, kdlciv and high places* feud back the likenefs and found 
 
 iifi the voles ? 
 
 Becaufe that in ft*c-h places reflection turns back the image of afound ; 
 for the voice doth beat the air, and the air the place, which the more 
 t i6 beaten the more it doth beat, and therefore doth caufe the more 
 vehement [ound of the voice; rnoift places,and as it were foft.yielding to 
 the Irroke and dillblving it, give no found again ; for, according to the 
 quality and quantity of the ftrok^thc quality and quantity of the voice 
 h given, whlefe is called an echo, Some doubly fable, that (he is a god- 
 <;ds ; fame fay that Pan was in love with her, which without doubt i* 
 faiffej He was fome wife man,who did fitil defuc to fcarch out the caufe 
 of that voice; and as they who love, and cannot enjoy their love, are 
 grieved, fo, in like manner, was he very forrv until he found out the 
 fohition of thatcauJ'e; M Jtndymlon alfo, who th-ft found out the courfe 
 of the moon, watching a night, aad observing her courfe, and fenrching 
 her motion, did fiecp in the day time, and therefore they do fable that; 
 he was beloved of her, and tb.it fhe came to him when lie was a llcep, 
 becaufe the did give to the phiiofopher the folution of the courfe of 
 hcrfelf. They fay alfo, th.n he was a tlieoherd, becaufe, that in the 
 defart and high places, he did mark the courfe of the moon And they 
 gisfC him alfo the pipe, becaufe the high places are biown with wind, or 
 c lie, becaufe he fought out the confonancy of figures. Prometheus al- 
 io being a wife man, fought the courfe of the ftar, which is called the 
 cugle in the tirmamuie* hrs nature and place; and when he was, as it 
 were, wafted wuh the deilre of learning, then at the hit he refteci, when 
 i lerculcs did ? cfoive unto him all doubts with his wifdom. 
 
 Vf Lit is the reafon that if you cafi a fonc into a /landing wattr t it maL's 
 fQdky circle:, and not if the water be deep in the eartL f 
 
 Became that the (lone with the vehemence of the call doth purfue 
 and follow the water from every part of it, until the ftone come to the 
 bottom ; for if there be a very great vehemency in the throw, the cir- 
 cle is the greater, the ftone going down unto the earth, caufeth many 
 circles. For ilrft of all, it doth drive the overtno ft and iuperficial parts 
 of the water into many parts, and fo going down always to the bottom, 
 again dividing the water it maketh into another circle, and this is done 
 iucceiTively, until the ftone refteth ; and becaufe the vehemency of the 
 ftone is llackened, ftill as it goes down, of neceiuty the laft circle is leffer 
 than the iirir, becaufe that with the ftone and aifb with the body, the 
 water is divided. 
 
 !t~ly dofqme think that laughter frccecdsfrnm thcfplecn^ affirming that it it 
 net like that they laugh as much^ivlaf' ffAeen is ctrrvptedy as tiny whtfe fplccn 
 is found > hut fay that fui T j ars way fad ? 
 
 Truly, I think that the caufe of laughter is accidental, and not prop- 
 erly the fnleen ; for, if it be found and perfect, it doth draw from the 
 liver melancholy Jiumours, whereof it proceedeth, that when the pure 
 blood, without any dregs, doth go through the whole body, and alio in 
 the brain it doth delight both nature and mind, ami doth make men 
 merry like unto wine, and bring them to a .qui tends a»d tranquil y, 
 and lo that of laughter is moved. 
 
 IVhy dg nti mulzs bring forth yourg ones t 
 
APHUOlMsT US' PROBLEMS, 
 
 ffcfcfcttft! thev proceed of divers kinds of bcafU, and fo then the fKfftt* 
 tti re of feed dilfering in quality and quantity, begets a Certain \-i ber- 
 thing ; befides, that which >s l\r(l doth mar And abohfri the nature of 
 thofc things which were Kffftj as the mingling of white and brack, abol- 
 iflimg the colour of excrements, hrccdeth another colour which is dark 
 and dun, which is none at all of the euretne 5 there-fore, the engen- 
 dering quality is aboUfhed, and the aptnefs of receiving form. 
 
 Why art fuel as arc defif hy todh'Pi dumb f 
 
 Becaufe they earmct fpeak and exprefs that which they never heard % 
 fome phyficians lay, that there is one knitting and uniting of fine ws be- 
 longing to the like difpofuioii. But inch as are dumb by an accident, 
 are not deaf at all> for then there ari-feth a Iota! painon* 
 
 Why- do not fume cry tvbttt they are catrkd wiib their fnmte uhtvttrds $ 
 
 Becaufe that above all other heafts they bend more than others to the 
 earth They delight in fiUh, and that they fttk, and therefore in the 
 fudden change of their face, thev are as It were Grangers ? and beio}* 
 amazed with fo much light, do keep fdenee \ fome fay the wind pine 
 doth tbife together by rtafon of tfce ftri\Uittfs of it, 
 
 Why <h fwht in dirt f 
 
 As the phyikiamfay \ they tire? naturally delighted with it,bccaufc 
 tluv hav* a great liver, in wfiieh i* \ the \vittencf» of their fnout 
 k the caofe, for he hath fmeliing which doth difibive itfeif, and ae if 
 were ftriv? with fteneh. 
 
 Why doth ikhixg m*ift wfak an «lw duh *mk wfo/e, Qmtjr&kgm tmfi f 
 
 Bee.mfr tttc part which h healed and made found doth pi&fiM ths 
 rdick of the humours winch remained! there igalitfi nature, and which 
 was the cauft of the boil, and ib going out through the flan, and clu- 
 folvino itfeif, doth originally caufe the itch. 
 
 Why erv tlefi* dlfitqfi* and a&MeiUt fotgtjl andmoftgrfams wild* mtje «;,# 
 ey*i aid nu fatl> I 
 
 ft» two m:fou« 1 rlrft, becaufe a running fluxion U heaped up at one 
 rye only; for, whatsoever is divided into mawjfi h weaker than when 
 entire, and of a It for force ; feeondly, hecaufe, when the whole eye 
 doth make any motion, k often obliges the ailing eye to move too, and 
 the help for any dlfeafed part, conftOs in quietude. * 
 
 /ft»te tvmt* <f mm to fneeue fiftmer and fltr-pf vehemently ilmtt a haft ? 
 
 Itecaufe he ufc* more meats and drinks, and Oi more different Av. t«, 
 and that more than rcquifite, which when he cannot dweft at he would, 
 be dot)? gather togeiher much air and ipirit, by reaftm of much humid* 
 ^ty, the IflMtd being then very fubtle, afeending into ihe |)^d, oiw> 
 forces a man to void it, and fo provoke fneci'.mg. r J he tv.nix cauA d 
 thereby proceeds from a vehement fpim or breath |3^g^tfeio«j^l the 
 conduits of the noftrjls as bdthing WW by the flomarh, c>r fejm bv the 
 funJamenr, the voice by the throat, and a found by the cars, * ' 
 
 J I'tiK ovw the hair a-id hails of dead p.ople to grow ? 
 
 liecaidt' theflefli rotting, withering, falling away, that ^hicf nas 
 hidden about the root of the hair doth now 'appear/ and caufes Sn im- 
 agination i!i.?t the hair doth grow ; fonrc Cxy it* grows indeed, beoa^fe 
 the desd carcafies aFe diflbived, in the tieginning, to many excrements 
 ru:d f u per Unities, l)y rcafonof the purification which comes tr. thtm. 
 Thefe going out at the uppermoft part of the body by fome paflV.ges do 
 jnrreafe the growth of the hair. 
 
 IFhy doth not the hah of the feet graiv Prcfinily grey ? 
 
APHRODISEUS' PROBLEMS. 
 
 Becaufe that through great motion they difperfe and diflblve the fn- 
 pcrfluous phlegm that breeds greynefs. The hair cf the fecrets doth 
 grow grey very late, becaufe of the heat of that place, and becaufe that 
 in carnal copulation it does diflblve the phlegm alfo. 
 
 Why do many beafs wag their tails whtn they fee their fi tends, and a lion 
 cu4 a hull beat their fides when they are angry ? 
 
 Becaufe they have the marrow of their backs reaching to the tail, 
 which hath the force of motion in it, the imagination acknowledges 
 that which is known to them, doth force them to move their tail, as 
 men do their hands. This doth manifeftly fnew fome fecret force to 
 he within them, which doth acknowledge what they ought. In the an- 
 ;;er of lions and bulls, nature doth confent to the mind, and caufeth it 
 to be greatly moved, as men do fometimes when they are angry beating 
 rheir hands on other parts ; when the mind cannot be revenged on that 
 which doth hurt, it prefently feeks out fome other folace, and cure* 
 the malady with a ftroke or blow. 
 
 W Oy, if you put hot burnt barley upon a hcrfe's fire, is iht hair which grow t 
 upon the fore not white, but like the other hair ? 
 
 Becaufe it hath the force of expelling, and doth wipe away and dif- 
 fjlve the excrements of phlegm, as likewife all unprofitable matter 
 that is gathered together through the weaknefs of the parts, or crudi- 
 ty of the fore. 
 
 Why doth hair never grow on an uhtt or a Boil ? 
 
 The reafon is, a man hath a thick fkin, as is feen by the thicknef3 
 of the hair : and fince the fear is thicker than the fkin itfelf, it flops 
 the paffage from whence the hair fhould grow. Horfes have thinner 
 ikins, as is plain by the thick hair : therefore, all paiTages are not ftopt 
 in their wounds and fores, and after the excrements, which were gath- 
 ered together, have broke a palTage through thofe fmall ports, the hair 
 doth grow. 
 
 What is the reafn that fuch as are bitten with a fnale, if they are thirjly y 
 quench it by drinking of treacle, which is hot and dry ? 
 
 I fay then, it doth not quench thirft folely by its own quality, but 
 by fome mutual fympathy and confent, and natural reafon. It is a kind 
 oi counter-poifon, and a prefervative too, being compofed of divers 
 forts of herbs that have fome kind of agreement with all the parts of the 
 body, as dldtamnum, dittanger,or ginger, hath a proportionable confer- 
 vative of the heart ; agrimony or liver-wort with the liver ; ftone-w ort 
 or finger fern with the fpleen ; perfley with the mouth of the belly ; 
 Lyifop with the lungs ; elicampane with the reins of the back : rue 
 with the neck; bitterworth the brain ; and flier montanum with the 
 ,bladder. Every one of thefe drawn as it were with the fweetiiefs of 
 honey, doth draw that which is beft for his fafety : among all of thefe 
 the bJoodof fome vipers is mingled, which hath a certain natural dif- 
 afredlton, which we call antipharmicum, a contrary of all natural qual- 
 ities agatnit every venomous beaft and corruptible creature. Thefe be- 
 ing distributed into every part they fufFer nothing to work that tfFecl 
 which doth threaten corruption, for they do refift, like the lawful fol- 
 diers who have taken arms for the defence of their country. 
 
 Why is Jortime pa'ntedvoith a double forehead, onefide bald \and the 
 ctber hairy ? 
 
 The baidnefs fignifies adverfity, and hairinefs profperity, which we 
 enjoy when it pleafesjier. 
 
ATORODISEUS' PROBLEMS, 
 Why have jo*ne commended flattery ? 
 
 Becaufe flattery fetteth forth before our eyes what we ought to bt y 
 though not what we are. 
 
 Wherefore fhould virtue be painted g'rded ? 
 
 To {hew that virtuous men fhould not be liothflil, bjt diligent, and 
 always in action. 
 
 Why did the aficients fay it ivas fatter to fail into the hands of a 
 raven i than a fiattereY ? 
 
 Becaufe the ravens don't eat us till we be dead, but flatterers devour 
 lis alive. 
 
 Why have choleric men beards before others ? 
 
 Becaufe they are hot, and t licit pores large and wide. 
 
 Hotv cmes it th a fuch as have the hicfeup cioeofr tbemfelvefbyLofa*- 
 i ng thei r b rea *h ? 
 
 The breath retained doth heat the interior p~iit* of the body, and : 
 the hickttp proceeds from nothing but cold. 
 
 Ho vj comes it that old men r t member iveU that vehich th yfnv and 
 did in their y(.ut ! \and forget fuch things as they fee and do in their age ? 
 
 Things learned ir> youth have taken roo: and habituate in the per km, 
 hut thofc learn? in a ( cje are forgotton, hecaule the fenfes are weakened 
 in them. 
 
 What kind cf covet sfffr.efs is befi ? 
 
 That of time, when it is employed as it ought to'be. 
 
 Why is our life cov.p ired to a ft age play ? 
 
 Becaufe the difhoueft do occupy the place of the honeft, and the 
 worft fort the room of the good; 
 
 Why do dfdpbtns, when tbex appca" above the vjater deno'e fome 
 florin or tempejl approaching P 
 
 Becaufe thnt, at the beginning of thetcmpefi", their doarife from trie 
 t>ottom of the fca certain hot exhalations and vapours which -heat the 
 dolphins cauling them to rife up and feck for cold. 
 
 Woy a r ih:ngs more quiet in the night than itt th* day ? 
 
 The motion of the air, and the colclnefs of the night, h the caufe 
 thereof, which coldnefs continues and hinders the motions. 
 
 Hnvj come the Romans to call Fa bins Maximus the target if the 
 feopl-y and Mircellus the fword f 
 
 Ikcaufe the one adapted hunfeix to the fernce of the commonwealth, 
 and the other was very eager to revenge the injuries of his country ; 
 and yet they were in the fenate joined together, becaufe the gravity of 
 the one would moderate the courage and bravery of the other. 
 
 Woy does the fining of the moon hurt the heni ? 
 
 Becaufe i: moves the humours of the brain and cannot afterward- 1 -; 
 refolve them. 
 
 If vjater do not nm ifh ivhy do men drink it P 
 
 Water caufes the nutriment to fpread through die body. 
 
 Why is jneezzng good ? 
 
 It purgcth the brain, as milk is purged by the cough. 
 Where is the feat of the affeclions of -the body P 
 Joy dwellethin thefpleeu, anger in the gall, fear in the heart, and 
 Jechery in the liver. 
 
 Why is hot voater I'ghter than cJd P 
 
 Becaufe the boilingNvater has lefe ventoflty. and is more light ?.n& 
 fubtle, the earthy and heavy fubftance being feparated from it. 
 Hqvj come m~rjh and pandvoater to beevilf 
 S % 
 
APHRODISEUS* PROBLEMS. 
 
 By reafon they are phlegmatic, and do corrupt infummar time, the 
 iinenefs of the water is turned into vapours, and the earthinefs doth 
 remain. 
 
 Why are ftudious and learned men fooneft bald ? 
 . it proceeds from a weaknefs of the fpirits, or becaufe warmth of 
 digeftion caufes phlegm to abound in them. 
 
 Why doth too much voatchmg mak the brain feeble ? 
 
 Becaufe it increafes choler, which dries and extenuates the body. 
 
 Why are ft eel glajfes better for the fight than others ? 
 
 Steel is hard, aud doth prefent unto us more fubftantially the air 
 that receiveth the light. 
 
 Hotjd doth love Jhevj its greateft force, by making the fool to become 
 wife, or the "wife become a foal ? 
 
 It attributes wifdom to him that hath it not ; for it is harder to build 
 than to pull down, and ordinary love and folly are but an alteration 
 of the mind. 
 
 How comes too much labour to be bad for the fight ? 
 
 Becaufe it dries the blood too much. 
 
 Why is goats milk counted beft for theftomach P 
 
 Becaufe it is thick, not flimy, and they feed upon boughs and wood 
 rather than grafs. 
 
 Why do grief and vexation bring grey hairs ? 
 
 Becaufe it dries, and age is nothing elfe. 
 
 Hovj is he the moft merry that hath the thickeft blood ? 
 
 The blood which is fat and thick makes the fpirits firm and conftant, 
 wherein confifts the force of all creatures. 
 
 In your opinion ivhich is bar deft to obtain the love ofaptrfon, or to 
 keep it vohen obtained ? 
 
 To keep it, by reafon of the incpnftancy of man, who is quickly an* 
 gry, and foon weary of a thing ; hard to be got and flippery to keep* 
 
 Why do ferpents Jlun the herb rue ? 
 
 Becaufe they are cold,, dry, and full of finews, but the herb rue is of 
 a contrary nature. 
 
 Hovj comes a capon better to eat than a cock ? 
 
 The capon lofes not his moifture, becaufc he does not tread the hens 
 and therefore is better. 
 
 Why do voe fmell a thing lefs in the vointer than in the fummer ? 
 
 Becaufe the air is thick, and lefs moveable. 
 
 Hovo comes hair to burn fo quick as it does ? 
 
 Becaufe the hair is dry and cold. 
 
 Why is love compared to lybarinth } 
 
 Becaufe the entry and coming in is eafy, and the going out ii»pof« 
 fible, or very hard. 
 
 THE END. 
 
ARISTOTLE's 
 
 LAST LEGACY, 
 
 UNFOLDING THE 
 
 MYSTERIES of NATURE 
 
 IN THE 
 
 GENERATION oe MAN. 
 
 I. Of Virginity, its Signs and \ 
 Tokens, and how a Man may 
 know whether he hath Marri- 
 ed a Virgin or not. 
 
 II. Of the Organ of Genera- 
 tion in Women, with a de- 
 fcription of the Womb. 
 
 HI. Of the Use and Action of 
 the Genitals in the Work of 
 Generation. 
 
 IV. Of Conception ; and how 
 to know whether a Woman 
 has Conceived, and whether 
 of a Male or Female. 
 
 V. Of the Pleasure and Advan- 
 tage of Marriage ; with the 
 unhappy Consequences of un- 
 equal Matches, and Mise- 
 ries of Unlawful Love. 
 
 \ VI. Of Barrenness, wit*» Rem- 
 edies againfti* j «ndthe Signs 
 of the Inefficiency both hi 
 Men and Women. 
 
 VII. Directions to both Sexes 
 how to manage themfelves in 
 the Act of Coition, or their 
 Venereal Embraces. 
 
 VIII. AVade-Mecum for Mid- 
 wives and Nurses ; Contain- 
 ing particular directions for 
 the faithful Discharge of their 
 fe veral Employments. 1 
 
 IX. Excellent Remedies a- 
 gainfl all Diseases incident to 
 Virgins and Childbearing 
 Women : fitted for the ufe of 
 Mid wive s, &c> 
 
 A NEW EDITION-. 
 
 LONDON. 
 PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS, 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 7K/HEN the AtmrgUy A>ch',ua of the imrldhad finned the heaven in ii e tc> 
 * ' ginning^ and laid ihc foundation of the earth, and by his blefftd Spirit moving 
 upon the ahy/t, ha J wealed a fait and be rueful world, out of a rude tn.fs and un* 
 digefed chaos, and by his porverfil fat had brought into bei/S all the f vet a' /pe- 
 des of vegetables and animals y and giver, even' to the plants and vegetables to haw 
 feed in them/elves for producing their fveral kinds or forms, and to the animals 
 {which be created male, and f en ale) lite power ( f propagating their /pedes, and 
 tad adorned the world with all thc/e beautiful and glorious cmbeHiJhments , that 
 his omnipotent wifdom and goodnef /aw ft and requiflc for that great gu f he 
 (hftgntA Lo bring into li ; he at la/! created man as a microco/m, or leffer world,. 
 t* be krd cf this greater world, not ivith a bare fat only, as he did the rcf of 
 lis creatures ^lui. called fas it were) a council of the fie red Trinity about it \/ay» 
 ing, Let us male tfft>u in our own image, after oar oivn lihene/s r life, as the di- 
 line hifiorlun cxpi ejfes ? f that man, in his original, is a ray cf the divinity 7 . 
 and theve:y Breath of the uTtx^'^hty ; and therefore it is fa'a\ God breathed into 
 his nefnis the breath of life, anJbt became a living /oul. Man being thus crea- 
 ted, and made lord of the world, had ,r? Kssfelf a*frf both fxes, for the text 
 tells us, Male a vi female created he them, a, id coiled their name Adam r hut yet 
 till A am was divided he t. :s fill ahne ; and every creature had a mate, he 
 was lord cf all ; \) that in paradfe iff he fumed to be unhappy, wanting a 
 race 1 , help ; arr^ therefore his munificent J\Iaher rfolving to male bin completely 
 happy, div/iles hi nf elf from H'nfif that, by a mo e agreeable c :n}anclion,be 
 might he united to hirjelf age n • and f, of a pari cf hrmfdf ivae formed Eve, 
 whom. Adam, laving never /en b ft- re, by a fympathy of nature, pre/ntly call- 
 ed, hene of his bone, and fef vj his ff : and Adam having thus found a meet 
 help given him by his Cr eater, he was Koto completely baf.py, and being ble/jed' 
 by the Almighty, had this I aiv ad fo given him, to in or cafe and multiply ± he beir^ 
 endowed ivith a natural prepenfton thereunto, and the women hal ing a plafic 
 p oiv er given her by naia? c for the formation of the embryo, 'ibis natural ineii" 
 nation and p ripe nfeon cf huh fxes to each other, ivith the plaftie poivsr of no* 
 tare, is only the energy of tie fr ft biejfwg and command of the Almighty, whiih 
 to this day upholds the wot Id. 
 
 The myfery of the generation of that noblefi piece cf creation in an, and ibe r 
 'arfoldivg of the pL/pic power of nature, in. the fecret workings of generati)n % 
 and formation of the fed in the womb, is the fubjrcl oj the following treaiife : * 
 /ubjeil fo neceffary to be Inoiun by all the f male/ex ( the conception and bearing 
 ef children being that whuh nature has ordained their province) that many fur 
 want cf the knowledge hereof per ijb, with the fruit of their womb alfo, ivho-, 
 lad they but and rfood the fecrets cf generation difp'ayedin this hook, might have 
 been fill in the land of the living, 
 
 3 Tis therefore for the uf: of fib. that tbh treat'/e is compiled : wherein the 
 my fiery cf generation is not only unravelled, and the abftu/s fecrete of natvre 
 made known, but the ohfruclhns and hinder antes of generation are declared^ and 
 proper remedies againfl all the defebls cf the womb dlrecled* 
 
 If any fay there are already boobs enough of this nature, and extent ; I an- 
 Jwer, there are indeed mere books of this kind written than can be read by thofe 
 that mofl ivernt them ; fome are /o voluminous, that to read them takes up mors 
 time than moft c«*i /pa; c s and befdes,are written in thef ahfrufe terms, that 
 the female fx ( I mean the generality of them) can hardly under/land; whereas, 
 this is adapted to their capadtief, and /uited to their lei/ r: time, cenffing of 
 plainne/s and brevity. And rfthe lof words of men ought to be rnrf heeded, as 
 being the Irurfi index cf tleeir minds , and their mof correSt thoughts, I reed net 
 doubt but that Arif oile's laf Legacy will find acceptance, his other woris, not 
 fo correal as ibis, having been well received, I have no more to fay, but that I 
 hope the reader will make the good ufe of it t a^d receive that benefit by it which 
 was dfgnedby the writer. 
 
Ariftotle's Laft Legacy. 
 
 Fully unfolding the Mysteries of Nature in the Generation of 
 ■ :f: : v ' Man. : 7 
 
 Of Virginity, what it is, its Signs and Tokens, andhoiv a man may know if 
 be marries a virgin. 
 
 THE great maker of the univerfe, that gives a51 creatures life and be- 
 ing, and a power in themfeives to propagate their kind, even to the 
 end of the world, has to that end created them male and female, and thefe 
 of contrary qualities; for, in this noble pair, man and woman, the man is 
 hot and dry, the woman cold and moid ; and thefe two different qualities 
 uniting, are ordained by nature for the procreation of children, the" feed of 
 the man being the efficient caufe, and the womb of the woman the field of 
 generation, wherein the feed is nouriihed, and the embryo formed, and in 
 due time brought forth. 
 
 Since women then have fo great part in the generation of man, I Ihall 
 endeavour to fhew how nature has fitted them for it ; and, bec.mfe a 
 knowledge of the difeafe is half the cure, I. will give a brief defcription of 
 the feveral part's or members of generation, that ic if, at. any time, any part 
 be affected, or out of order, it may be fooner rectified ; And although £ 
 rnuft ufe plainnnefs, yet I hope to do it fo as not to caufe a guilty biufh on 
 the cheek of the fair iex. • 
 
 And, fmce the firfi ftate of woman is virginity, order and method re- 
 quire that I fpeak fomething of that ; and in fpeaking on it, I will nrft 
 fhew what it is, and then lay down fome figns and tokens of it, how it 
 may be known, and then proceed to what I have before promifed. 
 
 Virginity is the boaft and pride of the fair fex, though they generally 
 commend it to put it off, and that, they may the fooner get a good huiband, 
 and thereby lofe it : And I think they are in the right, for, if they keep it 
 too long, it grows ufelefs, or at lean; abates much of its value ; a ftale vir- 
 gin being looked upon like an old almanack out of date. Virginity is the 
 chief, the belt, the prime of any thing, and is properly the integrity of 
 womens' privities, not violated by man, or known by him, it being the 
 property of a virgin not to have known man. But to come a little more 
 ciote, there is in young : maidens, in the neck of the womb, a pendulous 
 production called the Hymen, which is like the bud of a rofe half blown, 
 and this is broke in the firft act of copulation with a man, and from thence 
 the word dfloro, to deflower, becaufe the taking away of virginity is de- 
 flowering a virgin, for when the rofe bud is expanded, viuginity is wholly 
 loll. Certain \\ i s , there is, in the firfl act of copulation, fomething which 
 caufeth pain and Meeding, which is an evident fign of virginity, but, what 
 this is, authors agr&e not : Some fay it is a nervous membrane, or thin 
 Ikin, with fmall veins, which bleed' at the nrft penetration of the yard : 
 Others fay it is four carries, or bits of flefh, or little buds like myrtle- 
 berries, and thefe are plump and full in virgins, but hang loofe and flag 
 in thofe that have ufed copulation : Some have obferved & flefhy circle a- 
 bout the nymphas or neck of thfe womb, with little obfeure vein;, which 
 make the membrane not to be aer v his, but Hcfny. 
 
 There is no doubt but that the part which receiveth the yard is not in 
 women that have ufed a man, as it h in virgins-, and yet it is not alike in 
 all, which hath caufed diverfity of opinions both in authors and anato- 
 m$s, for this is not found in. all. virgins : Excels of Uul, an4 ckfire of a 
 
AFJSTOTLr.'* LAST LEGACY. 
 
 man, in fome, may break the hymen, or clauftrum virginale ; fdmetinre'* 
 when it itcheth, *hey put in their finger, and fo break it ; fometimes the 
 midwivcsHc*k it in the birth ; and fometimes it is done -by Hopping of 
 the urine, coughing, violent {training, or freezing ; and therefore, if there 
 he no bleeding at the firft penetration, it is not always a fign of unchafti- 
 ty ; but where there is bleeding it is an unqueflkmable fign of virginity. 
 
 Leo Africanus makes mention of a cuflom of the Africans at their wed- 
 dings, which was this : After they were married, the bridegroom and the 
 bride were iliut up in a chamber, whilft the wedding dinner was prepar- 
 ing, and an old w oman ftood at the chamber door to receive from the 
 bridegroom 8 meet, having the bloody tokens of the wife's virginity, which 
 fhc fhewed in triumph to all the guefts, and then they might feaft with 
 joy ; but if there was no blood to be fecn, the bride was lent home with 
 difgrace, and the difappointcd guefts went home fadly without their din- 
 ner. But noiwithftanding the African cuftom, 1 affirm that fome koncft 
 virgins have loft their maidenheads without bleeding and therefore are not 
 to be cenfured for want of this token, as fome ignorant men may do, and 
 caufe their wives to live an uncomfortable life aU their days, fancying 
 therafelves to be cuckolds, when there is no fnch matter. 
 
 Some make the ftraitnefs of the privities to be a iign of ■ virginity, but 
 thi3 is no certain rule, for much depends upon the age, habit of bodv, and 
 other circumftances : Though it cannot but be acknowledged, that worn- 
 en that have ufed carnal copulation are not fo ftrait as virgins, yet this can 
 be no certain argument of virginity, for, after repeated a&s of venery, the 
 privities may be made fo ftrhk by the ufe of aftring rat medicines, that a 
 whore may be fometimes taken for a virgin. Culpepper mentions- a wo- 
 man that defiring to appear a virgin, ufed a bath of com'rey roots, where- 
 by fhe deceived thofe with whom ihe had tc do. 
 
 Some make milk in the breaft a fign of loft virginity, not considering' 
 there is a two-fold milk, the one of virgins ccrrtrary to nature, the other 
 natural : The firft is mads of blood that cannot get out of the womb, and 
 fo goe6 to the breafh, being nothing but a fuperfhious nourimment that is 
 turned into milk by the faculty of the breafts, without the knowledge of a 
 man ; the other is only when there is a chiid either in the womb, or born : 
 And the milk differs very much, both in refpedl of the blood and diverfity 
 of veins that bring it to the breaft 5 and though both are white, yet tba* 
 of virgins is thinner, iefs in quantity, and not lb fweet t and therefore, if 
 virgins happen to have fueh milk, they are not for that region to be deem- 
 ed unchafte. 
 
 Upon the whole, when a man marries, and finds, .upon Lfiisg' 
 wife, the tokens of her virginity, lie has all the reafon in tK' world tfi be 
 fatisfieci he bar named a virgin : but if cn the contrary, he finds them 
 not, lie has no reafon to fufpsei her of unchaftity, m # ihc were not a 
 virgin, fincc the hymen, or ctraffcsom •. vixginale ma/ be broken m nv.ny 
 other wave, and yet the woman be both virtnov.s ^-1 cluv; 
 
 And thus much I thought myfelf bound to Uy in the behalf of the fe- 
 male frt, who if* often accufed and fuipe<5tei of dilhon eft y ? . when tliere is 
 no DCtaiioM for it, 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the Organs of Generation in i/omen, <i':hb c &efcripuon cf the 
 Fabric nf a h'o'ra.'i 
 
 IN dderibmg the organs of generation in women, I (hall life all pofij- 
 t>Je pUinnd's and perfpicuitv, and fh.di net be afraid tofo^ak f«ah 
 
AUlSTOTLE's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 tmay be under flood by the meaneft capacity, (mee I dcfi<n nothing 
 hut the inftruction bf ?he ignorant, for their own fyfcty,am-: : 11 fair 
 with the motto of the ; ;.yal garter, Honi foit tJ ui malty penfe. 
 
 In the genitals of wc-^n there are feveral parts which mus be '- 
 tinclly fpoken of; That «hich appears to view at the bottom tff ilit 
 belly is the fjft<r* magna »r the great eiift or fiffure of an oval ;'',rm, 
 with ill hair a' out St, $U6 the lips, which nature de%rttfd to keep the 
 internrd parts i>cm colo nd duft ; thefe are called by the general 
 same tovf&MJa] from fb it i>.f-acednef$, becaufe a woman is ailiamcd 
 when thofe parts are diho •• <•; red or* made hair. The fjj'^rj :nagna reaches 
 from the lower part of U\ 6s pvbis, near to the anus ; but it is -iofcr jrl 
 virgins than in thofe who ha \ e borne children; and has two lips, which 
 towards the pubis grow •nil and thick, and meeting upen the 
 
 middle of the as pulls, maske that riling hill called mons Wtnyrk) or the 
 mount of Venus. 
 
 The next thing is the *ymfhte y ot wings which appear when the hps 
 are fevered, and are framed of fpnngy or foft flefh, of a red colour, 
 two hi number, joined in ail accute angle producing there a flefhy fub- 
 ftance compoung the -ijtcris, and both in form Aped colour reiembling 
 tlie comb of a cock. 
 
 The dytoris is a f?:iew and hard body, filll^f t'pui^gy and black mat- 
 ter within ; and in form represents the yard of a man, and is fubjece 
 to erection and falling ?s that does. T>& is that w hich is the feat of 
 veneral pleafnre, and gives women de^ght in the act of copulation : 
 for without this, a woman neither cklires coition, nor hath pleafurc, 
 in it, nor conceive ; by it. The clytoris fometimes grows on t of the body 
 two inches, but this very kldom happens. And fome think that her- 
 maphrodites, or thefe that have the genitals, are only fuch women in 
 whom ttl« ch roris hangs out extremely, and lb reftmhlcs tlie form of a 
 yard; and I am' almolt inclined to be of their opinion, especially coiiiief- 
 ering that the hanging out of the clytorisa'sgeneraliycecafioned through 
 extreme In ft ; and both reafon and authority demonftrate that the 
 higher the clytoris, in women, the more vehement their defires are 
 car; ted after coition, and consequently the more luitful. 
 
 In tire fourth place, under the clytoris, and above the neck of the 
 womb, are the flefliy knobs, or caruncles, placed behind the wing.-, 
 and are like myrtle berries placed one againft another, in which place 
 is inferred the oriiiee of the bladder, for the paiTage of the woman's 
 urine -; fp that the urine of the woman comes not through the neck of 
 the womb, neither is the paiTage of the urine common as itt men, but 
 particular by itfelf. 
 
 Near the orifice of the womb, as I faid before, there are the carun- 
 cles, or flefhy knobs, in number four, in form like myrtle berries ; ia 
 virgins thefe are round and plump, but in women that hav? uied cop- 
 ulation, thefe are loofeand flagging, and often quite undiltinguitTed, 
 To that the inlide of the neck of the womb appears fmooth ; the uppcr- 
 moftof them is large and forked, the others are below this on the 
 f:des, but they all ferve to keep back the air, or any oflfcnfive thing, 
 from entering the neck of the womb. Thefe caruncles or knobs are- 
 joined together by a thin or fmewy ikin or membrane, full of fmalt 
 veins; this membrane hath a hole in the midft for the paiTage of the 
 monthly cotirfes, about the bignefs of the top of one's little finger in 
 fsch as are in years fit for marriage ; this is that noted ikin called Hy- 
 
aristotle*s last legacy. 
 
 men, of which I have fpoken in the former chapter, and which is a 
 certain fign of virginity wherever it is found, for the firft act of copu- 
 lation furely breaks it, though it may be broken without the act of 
 copulation, hut it is mod generally broken by it. 
 
 Authors have been of diversopinions concerning this hymen or mark 
 of virginity . fame affirming it to be one thing and iome another; but 
 whatever it be, this is an undoubted truth, that it .'lath certain veins 
 in it which bleed in the breaking, and :hat blood fixews, it to be then 
 firft broke, and confequently the perJon to be a virgin ; and I do be- 
 Keve, that all virgins have it at firft, it being the mark that God gave to 
 the Hebrews to try their virginity by ; and I cannot believe God would 
 give chat for a certain fign of virginity which is net always to be found, 
 and though it may be broke without copulation, yet young maidens 
 ought to be very wary of it, lince their honour does fo much depend 
 upon preferring it. For m«n are not bound to believe it was broken by 
 accident , though perhaps it might be fo ; to which end they ought to 
 correct and eacpfej all fharp and corroding humours which fometimcs 
 gnaw it afunder, and alfo to avoid all violent exercifes which may over- 
 strain them, and by ^11 means touching it with their fingers. Ih ?ve in 
 the former chapter told you, that the caruncles or fiefhy knobs, together 
 with the Hymen, reprefent the form of a half blown role, from whence 
 to deflower a virgin had its original. 
 
 The next thing to be fpoken of is the neck of the womb, which is 
 nothing but the diflance that is between the privypalTageand themomii 
 of the womb, into which the yard gt^es in the act of copulation, which in 
 fome women, is eight inches in length; its fubftance without is fiefhy, 
 but within fkinny, and exceedingly wrinkled, that it may the better re- 
 tain the leed ejecte d in the act of copulation ^and alfo that it may diliate 
 and fit etch in the woman's labour, and the paffagemay be the wider for 
 the birth of the child. The length of the neck of the womb is very 
 ncctflary for two reafons : Firft, that it may be filled with abundance 
 of fpirits y and there be dilated, for its better taking hold of the penis 
 or yard, great heat being required in fuch motion, which becoming 
 more intenfeor exqu.ifite by the act of frication, confumes a great quan- 
 tity of meifture, which there ought to be large vefiels to fupplvi: fec- 
 ondly, Been life the terms or monthly courfes make their way through 
 them ; on which account women with child fometimes continue their 
 purgations ; for, although the womb be ihut, yet the pafiage in the 
 neck of the womb, through which thefe vefTels pafs, is open. 
 
 1 will only further obferve, that as foon as man penetrates the pu- 
 dendum, there appears two little pits or holes, thefe contain an hu 
 B*our which being prefTed out in the time of copulation, gives great 
 delight to a woman. 
 
 Having thus fpoken of the organs of generation in women, I will 
 now defer it >e the fabric of the womb. 
 
 The womb is joined to its neck in the lower part of the hypogaftrion, 
 and is placed between the bladder and the ftrait gut. Its parts are two, 
 the mouth of the womb, and the bottom of the womb : The mouth or 
 entrance may be both dilated and contracted, much like a purfe, for though 
 in the act of copulation it be big enough to receive the glans, nut, or top 
 of the man's yard, yet, after conception, it is fo clofe fhut, that it will nor 
 admit the point of a bodkin to enter ; and after this, at the time of deliv- 
 ery, it dilates itfelf again fo wide, that it makes room enough for the child 
 
ARISTOTLE's LAST LEG AC V. 
 
 to come forth, which is fo wonderful a thing, that all men mud ac- 
 knowledge that the wifdom and goodnefs of our Creator is eminently 
 to be feen in it. 
 
 Its figure is almoft perfectly round, and in virgins doth not exceed 
 the bignefs of a walnut, yet after conception, it dilates itfelf gradually, 
 fo that it is ahle both to contain the child and all its appurtenances. 
 
 It is thick in fubftance, infomuch that it exceeds a thumb's breadth, 
 which after conception, is fo far from decreasing, that it augments very 
 much ; and to ftrengthen it the more, it is interwoven withjiirp over 
 athwart, which are both ftrait and winding, and its proper veflels are 
 veins,arteries, and nerves, among which there are two little veins,which 
 pafs from the fpermatic veflels to the bottom of the womb, and two 
 larger from the hypogaftrics,which touch both the bottom and the neck ; 
 the mouth of the veins piercing as far as the inward cavity. 
 
 Alfo the womb hath two arteries on each fide the fpermatic veilels, 
 and the hypogaftri«*, which ftill accompany the veins, alfo divers little 
 nerves that are knit and entwined in the form of a net, and extended 
 to the pudenda, placed chiefly for fenfe and pleafure, moving by way 
 of fympathy between the head and the womb. 
 
 The ftonesfind tefticles in women differ in fever al refpects from thofe 
 of men, and that in relation to their place, form, figure, &c. A* to the 
 place, in men they are without the belly, in women within; in men 
 they are oval, and' have four fVins, to preferve them from injuries • in 
 women they are deprefled and flattifh, andliave but onefkin : Their 
 fubftance alfo is more foft than thofe of men, and their temperature is 
 colder. Their office is to contain their ovum or egg, according to our 
 modern authors : But the ancients were of opinion, that they ferved to 
 «concodt the woman's feed, and had the fame office in women as the 
 'ftones have in men, but as this of the woman's having feed is ftrongly 
 oppofed by fome and as ftrongly contended for by others, I will there- 
 fore fet down the opinions-of both, having nVft made an end of the def- 
 cription of the feveral parts belonging to thetKganof generation in wo- 
 men, which is -what I am now upon. 
 
 I come now to fpeak of the fpermatic veflels m women, which are 
 divided or diftinguifhed by preparing veflels, and carrying vefTels : the 
 preparing veflels are the fame in nvimber as in men, which are four, 
 two veins and two arteries, not differing from thofe in a man, but only 
 in their largenefs and manner of infertion; the right vein iiYuing from 
 the trunk of the vena cava (which is the great vein that receives the 
 blood from the liver, and dittributes it by brauches to all the body) un- 
 der the einulgent vein which is one of the chief branches of the hollow 
 veins palTing to the reins ; but the left fpringeth from the emulgent, of 
 ■the fame fide. Both the arteries iflue from the great artery called Aorta, 
 becaufc it is the nobleft and mother of ail the reft. Thefe preparing 
 velTels are much fhorter in women than in men, becaufe their paflage is 
 fhorter-: The (Tones of a woman, as I have already noted, lying within 
 the belly, but thofe of men without; but then what they want in length, 
 they have in their various wreathings and contortions, which are more 
 than in men, that the fubftance they carry may be the better prepared, 
 and therefore, their often turning t ) and fro, and winding in and Out, 
 makes amends for the fliortnefs of the pafTage. Obferve alio, that thefe 
 veflels are not united, as they are in men,before they come to the ftones, 
 but are -divided in two branches, whereof the greater only goeth to the 
 
ARISTOTLE's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 ftoncs, and the lefTer endeth in the womb, both for the nourilliment of 
 itfelf arid the infant, and that part of the courfes may pafs through 
 thefe velTds : Thefe fpermatic veins receive the arteries as they pafs 
 by the fide of the worn!), and fo their is a mixture between the vital 
 mid natural blood, that flier c by the work of generation might be better 
 wrought ; and thus much for the preparing veiTels. 
 
 The carrying vefiels, called vafa dffertntia (that is, veiTels which carry 
 the feed from the Prones to the feminal VeiTels) a rife from the lower part 
 -of the tefticles, and are in colour white, but in fu b fiance fine wy ; they 
 pafs not ftraight to the womb, but are wreath en, that the fhortnefs of 
 the way may be compenfaied by their various turnings and windings, 
 <and, as they come next to the womb, they grow broader. 
 
 The ejaculatory veiTels are two paiTages on each fide of the womb 
 .and hardly differ in fubftance from the fpertnatic veins, they rife from 
 the bottom of the womb but reach not cither to the (tones, or any other 
 part, but are fhut up and impaflable adhering to the womb as the collar 
 docs to the hind-gut, winding half way about. Although the (tones are 
 at a diftance from them, and do not fo much as touch them, yet they are 
 fattened to them, by certain membranes, much refembling the wings of 
 :\ bat, through which certain veins and arteries that pafs from the end 
 of the tefticles have their pafFages, proceeding from the corners of the 
 horns of the womb to the tefticles, being the proper ligaments by which 
 the tefticles and the womb are knit together ; and thefe ligaments in 
 men are called the cremalters, which are the mufeies that hold up the 
 (tones, of which I fhall fpeak further, when I treat of the organs of 
 generation in man. 
 
 € H A P. III. 
 
 Of the vfe and Action of the Genitals in the *ivorh of Generation, 
 
 THE ufe of the external parts, commonly called the pudenda, are de- 
 Bgrie^l to cover the great orifice, and the ufe of that is to receive the 
 yard in the act of copulation, and to give palfage to the child at the birth ; 
 and alio a pafTage for the urine. The ufe of the wings and knobs like 
 myrtieberries are for the fecurity of the internal parts, (hutting the orifice 
 and neck of the bladder ; and by their fwelling up do caufe titilation and 
 delight m thofe parts, and alfo to hinder the involuntary paffage of the 
 urine% The action of the clytoris in women is like that of the yard in men, 
 -which is erection, and its outer end is like the glans, or top of the yard, 
 and has the fame name, and as the glans in men is the feat of the greateft 
 pleafure in copulation, fo is this in women. 
 
 The action and ufe of the neck of the womb is equal with that of the 
 yard, and is occafioned fever al ways ; for firft, it is erected and made 
 ltraight for the paffage of the yard to the womb in the act of copulation ; 
 and then v. hilft the pafTage is repleted with fpirit and vital blood, it 
 becomes more ftraight for embracing the yard ; and the convenience of 
 erection is two fold ; firft if the neck of the womb was not erected, the 
 yard could have no convenient pafTage to the womb ; and in the fecond 
 place, it hinders any damage that may happen, through the violent concuf- 
 lidM of the yard in the time of copulation. 
 
 And as for thofe veiTels that make their way through the neck of the 
 womb, their office is to replenifh it with blood and fpirit, that fo as die 
 mcilter cenfumesby the heat contracted in copulation, it may by thofe vef- 
 fel* be renewed ; but their chief bufinefs is to convey nourifhrnefct to the 
 
ARlSTOTLE's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 The Womb has many properties attributed to it ; the firff is the reten^ 
 tron of the feed ; as the ancients fpeak, of the fecundated egg, as others 
 would have it ; and this properly is called conception ; and, zdiy, to cherilh 
 and nourifh it till nature has framed the child, and brought it to perfect ion, 
 and 3dly, it worketh ftrenuoufly in fending forth the birth, when the 
 time of its remaining there is expired, at which time it ftreicheth forth it- 
 felf in a very wonderful manner. 
 
 The ufe of the preparing veiTels is to convey the blood to the telKcles, 
 (part of which is fpeni in the nonrifhment of them, and the production of 
 thofe little bladders, in all things refembling eggs) through which the pre- 
 paring veffels run, and are obliterated in them ; that is done by the arte- 
 ries ; and as for the veins their office is to brmg back what blood remains 
 from the aforefaid ufes. Thefe veiTels are more fhort m women than in 
 men, by reafon of their nearnefsto the ftones ; which defect is fuffieiently 
 repaired by the many windings and turnings to which they are lubjeet, 
 dividing themfelves in the, middle way into two branches,. though nut of an 
 equal bignefs, for one is greater than the other. 
 
 The ftones in women are of that ufe that if they arc defective, the 'work of 
 generation ceafes ; for, though (according to the modern opinion) thole lit- 
 tle bladders which are in their outward fuperficies, contain nothing of feed,, 
 yet they contain feveral- eggs (uncertain as to their number, though gen- 
 erally about twenty) one of which eggs being impregnated by the fpirl- 
 tous part of man's feed in the act of coition, defcends into the womb, and 
 in the time nature has- appointed, becomes a living child. 
 
 Having thus given- an account of the ufe and action of the genitals tn 
 the act of generation, 1 (hall now mew you the opinion of both, the ancient s 
 and moderns touching the woman's contributing feed for the formation of 
 the child, as well as the man's ; which was the opinion of the ancient. 
 but is denied by our modern authors. 
 
 Though it is apparent, fay the ancients,, that the feed of a man is the 
 principal efficient, and beginning of action, motion, and generation, 3 e't 
 that the woman affords feed, and contributes to the procreation of 'the child, 
 is evident, from hence, that the women has feminat veffels, whhh had been 
 given her in vain, had me wanted feminal excreffence : but fmce nature 
 doth nothing in vain, it mud be granted they were made for the ufe of 
 feed and procreation, and fixed in their proper places to operate and con- 
 tribute virtue and efficacy to the feed ; and this, fay they, is farther proved 
 from hence, that if women at the years of maturity ufe not copulation to 
 eject the feed, they often fall into ftrange difeafes, as appears by young wo- 
 men :uad virgins ; and aifo it is apparent, that women are never better } -.leaf- 
 ed than when they are often fatisfied this way ; which pleafure and deii^hc, 
 
 . th double in women to what it is in men, for, as the delight of men' 
 cc • : ly in the ejection of the feed, fo women are delighted both by 
 
 tlic ejection of their own, and the reception of the man's. 
 
 But againft all this, our modern authors affirm, that the ancients were 
 very erroneous ; for as much as tefticles in women do not afford feed, but 
 are two eggs, like thofe of fowds ; neither have they any fuch office as thbfe 
 of men but are indeed an ovarium, a receptacle for egg3 ; wherein thefe 
 eggs are nourifhed by the fanguinary veltels difperfed through them ; and 
 from thence, one or more (as they are fcecundated by the man's feed) are 
 conveyed into the womb by the oviducts : and the truth of this, fay they, 
 k fo plain that if you boil them, they will have the fame tafte, colour and 
 coajiftency with the tafte of birds eggs ; and if any object, they have no 
 
220 
 
 ARISTOTLE's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 fhells, that figniftes nothing, for the eggs of fowls, while in the ovary, flay r . 
 fcftef they have fallen into the uterus, hav.e no fliell ; and though they have* 
 one when they are laid, yet it is no more than a fence which nature hath 
 provided for them againft outward injuries, they being hatched without the 
 body ; but thefe of women being hatched within the Body ; have no need 
 cf any other fence than the womb to fecure them. And they further fay, 
 there are in. the generation of the foetus, two principles, aclive and pamve 
 the active is the man's feed elaborated in the tefticles out of the arterial 
 blood and animal fpirits ; the paftlve principle is the ovum or egg impreg- 
 nated by the man's feed; for to fay a woman has true feed, is, fay they, er- 
 roneous. But the manner of conception is this *, The moil fpirituous part 
 f>{ man's feed, in the act; of copulation, reaches up to the ovarium or tefti- 
 ctcs of the woman (which contain divers eggs, fometimes more, fometimes 
 fewer) impregnates one of them, which being conveyed by the oviducts to 
 the bottom of the womb, prefently begins to fvvell bigger and bigger, and 
 ftrinks in the moifture that is plentifully fent thither after the fame man- 
 rrr that feeds in the ground fuck the fertile moifture thereof to make 
 thtm fprout. 
 
 But rtotwithftanding all this Culpepper, in his directory fb* Midwives,. 
 pofitively affirms, that the tefticles or ftones of a woman are for generation 
 ©7 feed, and for to deny this, is both againft reafon and experience. I will 
 not undertake to determine the controversy, but leave the reader to judge' 
 lor himfelf, and proceed (having according to the cuftom of Britain, given 
 w omen, the preference) to defcribe the organs of generation in man. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the Injlrumtnts cr Organs of Generation in Man. 
 
 F T 1 HE penis or yard of the man (being the principal inftrument of gen- 
 X oration) is called fo, from its hanging without the belly ; and' it con- 
 hfts of ikin, tendons, veins, arteries, finews and great ligaments, and is 
 long and round : it is ordained by nature both for the paffage of the urine, 
 and the conveying of the feed into the matrix. It hath fome parts com- 
 mon with it to the reft of the body, as the Ikin and fiefhy membrane ; 
 and fome parts it has peculiar to itfelf, as the two nervous bodies ; the fep- 
 turn, the urethra, or glans, the four mufcles, and veffels. 
 
 Thefkin which the latins call cutis, is full of pores, through which the 
 fweat and fuliginous or footy black vapours of the third conco&ion (which: 
 concods the blood into flefh) pafs out : The pores are very many and thick, 
 but hardly viiible to the eye, and when the yard ftands not, it is flaggy, 
 tat when it ftands it is ftiif : This Ikin is very fer.uble, becaufe the nerves 
 -concur to make up its being. 
 
 The carnis membrane or fiefhy Ikin, is fo called, becaufe it lietli between 
 the fkib, and paffeth in the other parts of the body, underneath the fat, 
 and flicks clofe to the mufcles, not that there is any fat in the yard, only a 
 few fuperficial veins and arteries pafs between the former {kin and thi.y 
 which, when the yard ftands, are viftble to the eye. . Thefe are the parts 
 common both to the yard and the reft of the body. Now, I will fpeak of 
 the parts peculiar to itfelf, and firft, of the two nervous bodies. 
 
 The two nervous bodies are furrounded with a thick, white nervous 
 membrane but are fpungy within and full of black blood ; the fpungy fub- 
 ftance of the inward part of it feems to be woven together like a net, and. 
 confifts of innumerable veins and arteries; the black blood contained there-, 
 in is full of fpirits, and the defire of copuktion adds heat to them, which 
 
Aristotle's Last legacy. 
 
 22 t 
 
 ca;ifeth the yard to ftand ; and the hollow fpungy intermixture, or weav- 
 ing, was ordained on purpofe to hold the heat or venereal fpirits, that the 
 yard may not fail before it has done its work ; thefe two fide ligaments of 
 the yard, where they are thick and round, fpring from the lower part of the 
 lhare hone, and, at their beginning are feparated the one from the other, 
 and refembie a pair of horns, or the letter Y, where the urethra, that is the 
 common channel of urine and feed, paiteth beween them. 
 
 The feptum is in fubftance white, nervous and finewy, and its office is to 
 uphold the two fide ligaments and the urethra. 
 
 The urethra is finewy, thick, foft, and loofe, like to that of the fide lig- 
 aments, before mentioned. It begiirs at the neck of the bladder, and fo 
 palfeth to the glans ; in the beginning of it are three holes ; one large in 
 the midft, which receives the urine into it, the other two are fmaller, which 
 are fent by each feminal VeiTel into it, by which it receives feed. 
 
 The mufcles of the yard are four, two On each fide A mufcle is an in- 
 ftrument of voluntary motion, without which no part of the body can" 
 move itfelf ; it confifts of fibrous flelh to make up its body of nerves for 
 its fenfe, of veins for its nourishment, of arteries for its vital heat, of a mem- 
 brane or ikin, to knit together, and fo diftinguilh one mufcle from anoth-' 
 er ; one of each fide is fliorter and thicker than the other, and their ufe is 
 to erect the yard and make it ftand, and are called erectors ; the others 
 are longer and fmaller, and their ofnee is to dilate and open the lower part 
 of the urethra, or channel both for making : water and voiding the feed 
 and thefe are called accelerators. § 
 The glans, in the extreme part of the yard, is* foft, and of an exquifite 
 feeling, by reafon of the thinnefs of the fkin, wherewith it is covered. It 
 is covered with the preputium, or forefkin, which the Jews were command*" 
 ed to cut off the eight day. The (kin in feme men covers the top of the yard 
 q^ite clofe, but in others not ; which moving up and down in the act of 
 copulation, brings pleafure both the man and woman. The ligament by 
 which the preputium is tied to the glans is called frct-num or the bridle. 
 
 The velTeis of the yard are veins, nerves, and arteries. Some veins and 
 arteries pafs by the {kin, and are vifible to the eye ; others pafs by the in- 
 ward part of the yard, the arteries being difperfed through the body of the 
 yard exceeding the difperfion of the veins, for the right artery is difperfed 
 to the left fide ; it hath alfo two nerves, the lelTer of which is beftowed on 
 the fkin, the greater upon the mufcles and body of the yard. 
 
 Having thus defcribed the yard, I fhall now fpeak of the ftones or tef- 
 ticles, fo called becaufe they teftify that he is a man. Their number every 
 body knows, is two ; their fubftanee is white, foft, and fpungy ; their form 
 is oval, but in forne they are bigger than others ; each ftone hath a muf- 
 cle, becaufe they pull up the ftones in the act of copulation, that the 
 vefTels being flackened may the better void the feed. 
 
 The ufe of the ftones is to convert blood and fpirit into the feed for the 
 procreation of man, and to add ftrength, heat and courage to man ; as ap- 
 pears from eunuchs, who have loft their ftones, who are neither fo hot, 
 Strong nor valiant as other men. 
 
 To the upper part of the tefticles are fixed the epidimes, from whence a- 
 rifes vafa defer enira, or ■ ejaculatoi w, which, when they come to the neck of 
 the bladder, depofit the feed in vij "cuius ftm'males which are two-, each like a 
 bunch of grapes, which admit the feed into the urethra in the act of copula- 
 tion. As for the preparing veffels, which prepare the blood and vital fpirits, 
 and carry them to the tefticles, where they are elaborated into feed, I havs 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 fpoken of them ih the chapter of the genitals of women; and fince they dflfef 
 io little fro^ri thofe of men, I iliall not need to repeat what I have faid before. 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of Conception : and hoiva Woman may knoiv ivhether jle hath con- 
 ceived or noiy and whether a male or female, 
 
 THE natural inftinct implanted' in men and woman to propagate 
 their own fpecies, puts them upon making ufe of thofe ways na- 
 ture has ordained for that end, which after they have ufed, the wo- 
 men many times, through ignorance of her having conceived, or want 
 of that due care flie ought to take is little better than a murderer of her 
 own child, though (lie intends it not \. for after conception, finding 
 hcrfelf not well, and not knowing what the matter is, flie run-s to a 
 doctor, and inquires of him, and he knowing nothing but what flie tells 
 him, gives her a ftrong cathartical potion, which' deftroys the con- 
 ception. And fome there are, that out of a foolifli bafliful coynefs,. 
 though they know they have conceived, yet will not confefs it, that- 
 fo they might be inftrufted to order themfelves accordingly : Thofe 
 that are fo coy may in time learn to be wifer ; and for the fake of 
 thofe that are ignorant, I fhall fet down the figns of conception, that, 
 women may thereby know whether they have conceived or not.* 
 Signs of Conception* 
 If under the eye the vein be fwelled, that is under the lower. eyelid, - 
 she veins in the eyes appearing clearly, and the eye fomething difcol- 
 cured ; if fhe has not her terms upon her, nor watched the night before 3 . 
 ^ou may certainly conclude her to be with^hild. This appears mo ft 
 plainly juft- upon her conception, and the fir ft* two months I never- 
 knew this iign to fail. 
 
 Keep the urine of the woman clofe in a glafs three days, and theo i 
 flrain it through a fine linen cloth : if you find fmall living creatures 
 in it, flie hath moft ami redly conceived,! for, the urine, which was be- 
 fore part of her own fubftance, will be generative as well as its miftrefs., 
 A coldnefs and chillnefs of the outward parts after copulation, the 
 Jheat being retired to make conception. The tops of the nipples look; 
 redder than formerly. The veins of the breaft- are more clearly feen< 
 than they* were wont to. be. The body is weakened, and the face dif- 
 coloured. The belly waxeth very fat, becaufe the womb clofeth itfelf j 
 together, to nourifh and cheriih the feed. If cold water be drunk, a, 
 coldnefs is felt in the breafts, Lofs of appetite- to victuals, four belch- 
 jngs, and exceeding weaknefs of ftomach. The breafts begin to fwell 
 and wax hard, not without pain and forentfs. Wringing or griping, 
 pains, like the cramp* happen in the belly about the navel. Divers^ 
 appetites and longings art engendered. The veins of the eye6 are 
 clearly feen, and the eyes fcem fomething difcouloured, as a looking, 
 glafs will fhew you. This is an infallible fign. The excrements of 
 the guts are voided painfully, becaufe the womb fwelling thrufteth the 
 r ight gut together. Take a green nettle, and put itinto the urine of the 
 woman : cover it clofe, and let it remain a whole night ; if the woman 
 be with child, it will be full of red fpots on the morrow* if flic be not, 
 it will be blackifli. There are fever al other rules of this nature, but 
 thefe are the beft, and fome of them feldom fail. Now, becaufe many 
 arc mighty defirous to know whether they be with child of a male or 
 female, I will, in the next place lay down forac ruks whereby, they 
 jmy make a judgment in tkat cafe. 
 
ARIST0TLE1 LAST LEGACY; 
 
 Sign* of a Male Child: 
 A woman breeds a boy with lefs pain than a girl, and does not carry" 
 her burden To heavily, but is more nimble in ftirring.The child is fir ft 4 
 felt by her on the right fide, for the ancients are of opinion, that male 
 children lie on the right fide of the womb. The woman when the 
 rifeth up from a chair, doth readier ftay herfelf upon her right hand- 
 than on her left. The belly lies rounder and higher than when it is a 
 female. The right bread is more plump, and harder than the left, and 
 the right nipple. The colour of a woman is more clear, and not fo 
 fwarthy as when fhe conceives a girl. The contrary to thefe are figns 
 of the conception of a female, and therefore it is needfefs to fet them 
 down. But I will add the following; they have been the refult of my 
 own experience, and which I never knew fail. If the circle under the 
 woman's eyes, which is of a wan bl je colour, be more apparent under 
 the righr eye, and the veins moft apparent in her right eye, and then 
 moft diffblved, llie is with child of a boy : if the mark be moft apparent 
 in her left eye, flieis with child of a girl. Again, let her milk a drop of 
 her milkina b a ion of fair water : If it finks to the bottom, as it drops • 
 in, round in a drop, it is a girl fire is with child of, but if it be a boy, it 
 wKl fpread and fwim at the top. This I have often tried, and it never 
 failed. But before I conclude this chapter, I fliall lay down fome rules 
 that women ought to obferve in order to conception: and likewife, ♦ 
 what they fhould do aftet conception, to prevent mifcarriage. 
 
 What Women ought to obferve in order to Conception .' 
 
 Worneirthat are defrrous to have children; in order thereunto, mn(l r 
 give themfelves moderate exercife ; for idicrrefs and want x>f exercife are ♦ 
 very great enemies to generation work ; and thofe that obferve it; fhall ; 
 find that your city dames, who live high, and do nothing, feldom have 
 children, or if they have, they feldom live ; whereas, the poor women 1 
 who accuftom themfelves to labour, have many children, and thofe 
 lufty. Nor need we wonder at it, if we confider the benefit that comes : 
 by moderate exercife and labour, for it opens the pores, quickens the 
 fpirits, ftirsupthe natural heat ftrengthens the body, fenfes, and fpirits, * 
 and comforts the Irmbs, and helps nature in her exercifcs, of which the 
 procreation of children is- none of the leaft; 
 
 Next to moderate exercife, {he muft a^oid all manner of difcontent^ 
 and the occafion of it : for difcontent is a great- erremy to conception,' 
 but contentment and quietntfs of mind are as great friends to it ; for-' 
 content dilates the heart and arteries, whereby the vital blood or fpw 
 rits is fuffieiencly diftributed throughout the body; and thence arife* 
 fuch affections as pleafe, recreate, and refreih the nature of man, a?,i 
 hope, joy, love, gladnefs and mirths Nor does it only comfort and ! 
 ftrengthen the body, but alfo the operations- and imaginations of th^s 
 mind ; for all agree, that the imagination of the mother works forci- 
 bly uponrthe conception of the child '; and therefore women ought ta> 
 take great care that their imagination be pure and clear, that theirr 
 children may be well formed*. 
 
 Another thing that women ought to do in order to conception is, to 
 keep the womb in good order : and to that end, fee that the menftrues- 
 rome down as they ought to do : if they are difcoloured, then they are 
 out of order but if the blood come down pure, then the woman will be 
 very prone to conceive with child, especially if they uf« copulations 
 day or two after their monthly terms arc flayed* 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 Another thing a woman ought to obfcrve that would conceive, is, 
 that iTie ufe not the act of copulation too often, for fatiety gluts the 
 womb, and makes it unfit to do its office. There are two things de- 
 monftrate this : one is, that the common whores (who often ufe copu- 
 lation) have feldom any children,the oth-;:r is, that thofe women whole 
 hulbandshave been long abfent, after .they come again, conceive very 
 quickly. 
 
 And then let the time of copulation be convenient, that there may 
 be no fear of furprize, for fear hinder: conception. 
 
 And let the time of copulation be nacural,a:id not ftirred up by pro- 
 vocatives : and obferve alfo that the greater the woman's defire of co- 
 pulation is, the more fubject flie is to conceive. 
 
 A loadftone carried about a woman caufeth'not only conception,but 
 concord between man and wife. 
 
 Things neceffary for Women to ob feme after Conception. 
 
 Women are very fubject to mifcarriages in the two firft months af- 
 ter conception, becaufe then the ligaments are weak and foon broken. 
 To prevent which, let the woman every morning drink a good draught 
 of fage ale, and it will do her abundance of good. 
 
 But if figns of abortion or mifcarriage appear, let her lay a tosft 
 dipped in tent, in cafe mulkadel cannot be gotton to her navel, for this 
 is very good : or let her take a little garden tanfy, and having bririfed 
 it, fprinkle it with mulkadel, and apply it to the navel, and flie will 
 find it much better. Alfo tanfy in fufed, in ale, like fage ale, and a 
 ftraught drunk every morning is molt excellent for fuch women as 
 are fubject to mifcarriage, alfo take juice of tanfy, clarify it, and boil 
 it up into a fyrup, with twice its weight in fugar, and let a woman take 
 a fpoonful or two of it, in fuch cafes it will be an excellent preferva- 
 tive againft mifcarriages. 
 
 Alfo let the air be temperate,fleep moderate, avoiding watching,and 
 immoderate exercife, with difturbing paflions, loud clamours and filthy 
 fmells : and let her abftain from all things which may provoke either 
 the urine or the courfes, and alfo from all fharpand windy meats, and 
 let a moderate diet be obferved. If the excrements of the guts be re- 
 tained, lenify the belly with clyfters made of the decoction of mallows, 
 violets, with fugar and common oil ; or make broth of burrage,buglofsj 
 beets, mallows, and take therein a little manna : but, on the contrary, 
 if (lie be troubled with a loofnefs of the belly, let it not be flopped 
 without the judgment of a pbyfician, for all uterine fluxes have a ma- 
 lignant quality in them, whichmuft be evacuated and removed before 
 the flux is ftayed. 
 
 G H A P. VL 
 
 Of Barrennefs t with the remedies againft it \ond thffigns of'wjujficien- 
 cy both in Men and Women, 
 
 HAVING, in the foregoing chapter, treated of conception, with 
 the figns, and given directions to the women both before and 
 after conception, I wilt in this chapter treat of the oppofite to concep- 
 tion, to wit, barrennefs. 
 
 If it is a blcfling to have children, then'certainly barrennefs mutt 
 be a great curfe : And indeed in holy writ it is fo accounted. and there- 
 fore, fome are threatened that they fhall die childlefs; and the wife 
 of Jacob, even his beloved Rachel, cried out to him, " Give me chil- 
 dren, or dfe I die." Indeed it was a paflionatc expre&on, and fell out 
 
ARISTOTLE's LAST LEG AG*. 
 
 according to her words, for fhe had children and died in childbeds 
 But to the fubjedl in hand, which is barrennefs. 
 
 Barrennefs is threefold, to wit, either natural, accidental or againfl 
 nature. 
 
 Natural barrennefs is when a woman is barren, though the inftru- 
 ments of generation are perfect both in herfelf ami huiband, and no 
 prepofterous and diabolical ccurfe ufed to caufe it, and neither age nor 
 difeafes, nor any natural defect hindering, and yet the woman remains 
 naturally barren, and conceives not. 
 
 Now this may proceed from a natural caufe ^ for if the man and 
 woman be of one complexion, they feldoai have children, and therea- 
 fon is clear, for, the univerfal courfe of nature being formed by the 
 Almighty of a compoution of contraries, cannot be increafed by a 
 compofition of likes, and therefore, if the conftitution of the woman bg 
 h jt and dry, as well as that of the man, there can be no conception, and 
 if, on the contrary, the man fnould be of a cold and moid conftitution, 
 as well as the woman, the cited: would be the fame, and this barren- 
 nefs is purely natural. The only way to help it is, for the people be- 
 fore they marry to obferve each others conftitutioes and complexions 
 if they defign to have children ; if their complexion or conftitutions be 
 like, they are not fit ro come together ; for difcordant natures make 
 the only harmony in the works of generation. 
 
 Another natural caufe of barrenntfs, is want of love between man- 
 and wife, love is that vital principle that ought to animate each orgarr 
 rnthe a& of generation, or elfe it will be fpiiitlefs and dull, for, if their 
 hearts be not united in love, how ihould their feed unit to caufe con- 
 ception ? And this is fufnciently evidenced, in that there never follows 
 a conception upon a rape, therefore if men and women defign to have 
 children, let them take care to live fb, that their hearts as well as their 
 bodies may be united, or elfe they mifs of their expectations. 
 
 A third caufe of natural barrennefs is the letting of virgins blood in 
 the arm before their natural courfes are come down, which is ufually 
 in the fourteenth and Irxteenth years of their age, fometimes, perhaps, 
 before the thirteenth, but never before the twelfth. And becaufe ufu- 
 ally they are out of order and indifpoied before their purgations come 
 down, their parents run to a doctor to know what's the matter, and he 
 fbraight prefcribes opening a vein in the arm, feeing it was foinefs of 
 blood which was the caufe offending, and this makes her well at pre* 
 fent, and when the young virgin happens to be in the fame diforder 
 again, the mother ftraight runs to the furgeon, ufes the fame remedy, 
 and by thefe means the blood is diverted-from its proper channel, fo 
 that it comes not down to the womb, as in other women, whereby the 
 womb dries up, and the woman is forever barren. The way to prevent 
 t*his, is to let no virgin blood in the arm before her courfes come welt 
 down,bui,if there be occafion, in the foot, for that will bring the blood 
 downward, and by that means provoke the menftrues to come down. 
 
 Another caufe of natural barrennefs is, the debility of perfons in 
 copulation ; if perfons perform not that act with alt the heat and ar- 
 dour that nature requires, they may as well let it alone, and expect, to 
 have children without it ; for frigidity and -coldncfs never produce con- 
 ception. Of the cure of this we will fpeak, after 1 have fpokenof, 
 
 Accidental barrennefs, which is what is occafioned by fome morbific 
 matter or infirmity upon the body, either of the man or woman, w-hfcli* 
 
5U6 
 
 ARlSTOTI.E's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 being removed, they become fruitful. And hence (as 1 have before no 
 ticed) the firft and great law of the creation was to incrcafe and multi- 
 ply, and barrennefs is the direct oppofition of that law, and fruftrater 
 the end of our creation ; and it is fo great an affliction to many to be 
 without children,as to caufe man and wife to have hard thoughts of one 
 another, each party thinking the caufe is not in them ; I fhail here, for 
 the fatisfaction of all well meaning people, fet down the figns and caufes 
 of infuftieiency both in men and women, premifing this firft that when 
 people have no children,they muft not presently blame either party, for 
 neither may be in the fault, but perhaps- God fees it not good (for rea- 
 fons beft known to himfelf) to give them any ; of which we have divers 
 inftanccs both in facred and profane hiftory ; and though the Almighty, 
 in the production of nature,works by natural means,yct where he with- 
 holds his blefTing.natural means are inefFectual,for,it is his blcfling^hat 
 it is the power and' energy by which nature brings her productions forth-. 
 Signs and caufes of infv.fficun:y in Men. 
 One caufe may be fome vicioufnefs in the yard ; as if the fame he 
 crooked, or any ligaments thereof diftorted or broken, whereby the 
 ways and pafTages through which the feed ihouid flow come to be flop- 
 ped or vitiated. 
 
 Another caufe may be too much weaknefs of the yard and tendernefs 
 thereof, fo that it is not ftrongly enough erected to inject the feed into 
 the womb, for, the flrength and fiifTnefs of the yard very much con- 
 duce to conception, by reafon of the forcible injection of the feed. 
 
 Alfo, if the ftoneshave received any hurt, fo that they cannot exer- 
 cife their proper gift in producing feed ; or, if they be opprelTed with; 
 any inflammation or tumour, wound or ulcer, drawn up within the 
 belly, and not appearing outwardly, thefe are figns of infufticiency 
 and caufes of barrennefs 
 
 Alfo, a man may be barren, by reafon of the defect of his feed : as, 
 Firft. If he caft forth no feed at ail, or lefs in iubftance than is needful 
 or, Secondly, if the feed be vicious, or unfit for generation ; as, on the 
 one fide, it happens in bodies that are grofs e»nd fat, the matter of it be- 
 ing defective; and on the other fide, too much leannefs, or continual 
 wafting or confumption of the body deftroys the feed, nature .turning' 
 all the matter and fubftance thereof into nutriment of the body. 
 
 Too frequent copulation is alio one great caufe of barrennefs in 
 men, for it attracteth the femlnal moifture from the ftones before it is 
 fufficieutly prepared and concocted, fo if any one by daily copalation 
 do exhauftand draw out all the moifcureof his feed, then do t lie fumes 
 draw the moift humours from the fuperior veins unto thcmlclvts, and 
 lb having but little blood in them.they are forced of neceffity to caft it 
 out raw and unconcocted ; and thus the ftones, violently deprived of 
 the moifture of their veins, attract the fame from the other fuperior 
 veins, and the fuperior veins, from all the other parts of the body for 
 their proper nourifhment; thereby depriving the body of its vital fpi- 
 rits ; and therefore no wonder that thofe who ufe immoderate copula- 
 tion are very weak in their bodies, feeing their whole body is thereby 
 deprived of its belt and p.ureft blood, and alfo of the vital fpirits, info- 
 much, that many who have been too much addicted to that pleaiVe 
 have killed themfelves in the act ; and therefore, it is no wonder if 
 fuch unconnected and undigefted feed be unlit for generation. 
 
 Gluttony and drunkennefs. and other excefTes, do alfo much hinder 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 mfen from fru!tfulnefs,and make them unfit for generation. Butamongft 
 other caufes of barrennefs in men, this alfo is one that makes them bar- 
 ren, and almoft of the nature of eunuchs, and that is the incilion, or cut- 
 ting of the veins behind the ears, which in cafe of diftempers, is often- 
 times done, for according to the opinion of moft phylicians and anato- 
 mofts,the feed flows from the brain by thofe veins behind the ears more 
 than from any other part of the body: from whence it is very probable, 
 the tranfmiiTion of the feed is hindered by cutting of the veins behind 
 the ears,fo that it cannot defcend at all to the tefticles,or comes thither 
 very crude and raw. And thus much for figns of barrennefs in men. 
 Signs and'Caufes of Infuj^idency^ or Barrennefs in Women. 
 
 Although there are many caufes of barrennefs in women, yet the 
 chief and principal are internal refpecfting either the privy parts of the 
 womb, the feed, or the menftruous b.V i. 
 
 Therefore Hippocrates faith (fpeaking of either the eafy or difficult 
 conception in women) the fi:fl cor.lideration ought to be had of their 
 fpecies, for little women are more apt to conceive than great, (lender 
 than grofs, white and fair than ruddy and high coloured, black than 
 pale and wan ; thofe which have their veins cenfpicuous are more apt 
 than others ; but to be very flefby is evil; to have great fwelling breafb 
 is good. 
 
 The next thing to be confideren is, the monthly purgations, whether 
 they have them every month ; if they flow plentifully, are of a good col- 
 our, whether they have them equally every month ; for fotheyoughttobe. 
 
 Then the womb or place of conception is to be confidered: it ougut 
 to be clean and found, dry and foft, not retracted, nor drawn up, nor 
 prone, nor descending downward, the mouth thereof turned an *y, nor 
 too clofe fhut. Cut to be more particular. 
 
 The fir ft parts to be fpoken of are the Pudenda,or privities, and the 
 womb ; when thefe are fhut and enclofed either by nature or againft 
 iiature,fuch women are called imperforate ; for in fome women the mouth 
 of the womb continues compreiTed,or clofed up, from the time of their 
 birth, until the coming down of their courfes ; and then on a fudden, 
 when their terms prefs forward to purgation, they are molefted with 
 jreat and unufual pains ; fome of thefe break of their own accord, 
 others are difTecled and opened by a phyfician ; others never break at 
 all and then it brings death. 
 
 All thefe Aetius particularly handles,thewing that the womb is fhut 
 three manner of ways, which hinders conception ; firft, when the lips 
 of the Pudenda grow or cleave together ; fecond, when ther e are cer- 
 tain membranes growing in the middle part of the matrix within 
 third, when (though the lips and bofom of the Pudenda may appear 
 |air and open) the mouth of the womb may be quite (hut up ; all which 
 are occafions of barrennefs, in that they hinder both the ufe of man, 
 the monthly courfes and conception. 
 
 But among all the caufes of barrennefs in women, the greateft is in 
 the womb, which is the field of generation ; and, if the field be cor- 
 rupted; it is in vain to expect any fruit let it be never fo well fown ; 
 for it may be unfit for generation, by reafon of the many diftempers to 
 which it is fubject, as, for inftance, overmuch heat and over much cold, 
 for women whofe wombs are too thick artdcold cannot conceive,becaufe 
 coldnefs extir.guifheth the natural heat of the human feed. 
 
 Immoderate moifture of the womb alfo deftroys the feed of maii^and 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 makes it inefTec"h]al,as cornfown in fens and marfhes ; and To doth over* 
 much drynefs of the womb, fo that the feed perifheth for want of nu- 
 triment. 
 
 Immoderate heat of the womb is aSfo a caufe of barrennefs ; for it 
 fcorcheth up the feed, as corn fown in the draught of fummer ; for im- 
 moderate heat hurts all the parts of the body, and no conception can 
 live to be nourifhed in that woman. 
 
 Alfo when unnatural humours are engendered ; as too much phlegm, 
 tympanies, wind, water, worms, or any fuch evil humours abounding, 
 contrary to nature ; it caufes barrennefs, as xioes alfo the terms not 
 coming down in due order, as I have already faid. 
 
 A woman may alfo have other accidental caufes of barrennefs^as fud- 
 ckn fright,anger,fear,gricf 5 and perturbation of the mind ; too violent ex- 
 crcifes, as leaping, dancing, running after copulation : and theiike. But 
 I will now add fomefjgns whereby we may know thofe things. 
 
 If the caufe of barrennefs be in the man through overmuch heat in 
 his feed, the woman may eahly feel that in receiving it. 
 
 If the nature of the wemb be too hot, and fo unfit for conception, it 
 will appear by having her terms very little, and their colour inclining 
 to yellow nefs ; fhe is alfo very hafty, choleric, and crafty, her pulle 
 beats very fwift, and fhe is very dtfirous of copulation. 
 
 If you would know whether the fault lies in the man or woman, 
 fprinkle the man's urine upon one lettuce leaf, and the woman's upon 
 another, and that which dries away .fir ft is unfruitful. Alfo, take five 
 wheat corns, and feven beans, put them into an earthen pot, and let the 
 party make water t herein ; let this ftand feven da ys, and if in that time 
 ihey begin tofprout,thenthe party is fruitful,but if they fprout not,thcn 
 the party is barren, whether it be man or woman. This is a certain fign. 
 
 There are fome that make this experiment of a woman's fruitfulnefs : 
 Take myrrh, red fiorax, and fome fuch odoriferous things, and make a 
 perfume of it, which let the woman receive into the neck of the womb 
 through a funnel ; if fhe feel thefmoke atcend her body to her nofe, 
 then ilie is fruitful, othcrwife barren. 
 
 Some alfo take garlick and beat it, let the woman lie on her !)2ck 
 upon it, and if fhe feels the fcent thereof afcend to ber nofe, it is a fign 
 of fruitfulnefs. 
 
 Culpepper and others, give a great deal of credit to the following 
 ^o.-periment. 
 
 'lake a handful of bailey, and fleep half of it in the urine of the man, 
 and the other half m the urine of the woman, for the fpace oftwenty- 
 iaur hours, and then take it out, and fet the woman's by itfelf.and the 
 man's by itfelf ; fet it in a flower pot, or fome ether thing where you 
 may keep it dry ; then water the man's every morning with his own 
 urine, and the w-( -.man's with hers, and that which grows firft is the 
 moft fruitful, and if one grow not at ail that party is naturally barren. 
 
 But now having fpeke enough of the difeafe, it is high time to aftlgn 
 the cure. 
 
 If barrefcnefe proceeded) from ftoppage of the menfes, let the woman 
 fweat, for that opens the parts, and the heft way to fwcat is in a hot- 
 houle. Then let the womb be ftre-ngthencd by drinking a draught of 
 white w ine, wherein a handful of flinking artack, firft bruifcd.has been 
 boiled, for by a certain magnetic virtue, it ftrengthens the womb, and 
 by a fympathetic quality, removes any difeafe thereof, To w hich add 
 
ARISTOTLFs LAST LEG AC V. 
 
 alfo a handful of vervain, which is very good to ftrengthen both the womb 
 and the head, which are commonly afflicted together by a fympathy. 
 
 Having ufed this two or three days, if they come not down, take of 
 calamint, penny royal, thyme betony, dittany, burnet, feverfew, mug- 
 wort, fage, piony-roots, juniper berries, half a handful of thefe, or lb 
 many of them as can be gotton ; let all thefe be boiled in beer, and 
 drank for her ordinary drink. 
 
 Take one part of gentian, two parts of centaury, diftil them with ale 
 in an alembick, after you have bruifed the gentian-roots, and infufed 
 them well. This water is an admirable remedy to provoke the terms , 
 But if you have not this water in readinefs, take a dram of centaury, 
 and half a dram of gentian-roots, beat them to powder, and take it 
 in the morning in white wine, or elfe take a handful of centaury, and 
 half a handful of gentian-roots bruifed ; boil it in poiTet drink, and 
 drink a draught of it at night going to bed. Seed of wild-navew beat- 
 en to powder, and a dram of it taken in the morning in white wine, is 
 alfo very good. But if this doth not do, you mutt let blood in the legs. 
 And be fure you adminifter your medicine a little before the full of the 
 moon, or between the new and full moon, but by no means in the 
 wane of the moon ; if you do you will find them mafre&uai. 
 
 If barrennefs proceed from the overflowing of the menftrues, then 
 ftrengthen the womb, as you were taught before, and afterwards anoint; 
 the reins of the back with oil of rofes, oil of myrtles, or oil of quinces, 
 every night, and then wrap a piece of white baize about your reins, the 
 cotton-fide next ycur fkin, and keep the fame always to it. But above 
 all, I commend this medicine to you ; take comfrey leaver or roots ; and 
 clowns, wound-wort, of each one handful, bruife them well, and boiL 
 them in ale, and drink a good draught of it every now and then : or 
 take caffia, cinnamon, lignea, opium, of each two drams : myrrh, white- 
 pepper, galbanum, of each one dram ; diffolve the gum and opium in 
 whitewine, beat the reft into powder ; then make them into pills, by 
 mixingthem together exacSbly, and let the patient take two pills every 
 night going to bed but let not both the pills exceed fifteen grains. 
 If Barrennefs proceed from a flux of the womb, the cure mull be ac- 
 cording to the caufe producing it, or which the flux proceeds from 
 which may be known by its figns ; for a flux of the womb being a con- 
 tinual diftillaticn from it for a long time together, the colour or what 
 is voided fhews what humour it is that offends ; in fome it is red, and 
 that procee ds from blood putrified ; and in fome it is yellow, and that 
 denotes choler ; in others white and pale, and that denotes phlegm. If 
 pure blood comes out, as if a vein was opened, fome corrofion or Inlaw- 
 ing of the womb is to be feared. All of them are known by thefe iigns. 
 
 The place of conception is continually moid with the humours, the 
 place is coloured, the party loatbs meats, and breathes with difficulty ; 
 the eyes are much fwolen, which is fometimes with pain. If the of- 
 fending humour be pure blood, then you rnuft let blood in the arm, 
 and the cephalic vein is fittcft to draw back the blood, and then let the 
 juice of plantain and comfrey be injecled into the womb. If phlegm 
 be the caufe, let. cinnamon be the fpice ufed in all her meats and 
 drinks ; and let her take a little Venice treacle or mithridate every 
 morning ; let her boil burnet, mugwort, featherfew and vervain in all 
 broths. Alfo half a dram of myrrh taken every morning is an excellent 
 remedy againft this malady. If cholar be the caufe, let her takebuiragc, 
 
ARISTOTLE's LAST LEGACY. 
 
 buglofs, red rofes, endive, and fuccory roots, lettuce and white poppy, 
 feed, of each a handful ; boilthefe in white wine till one half is wafted* 
 let her drink half a pint every morning-; to which half a pint add 
 fyrup of peach flowers and fyrup of chicory, of each one ounce with 
 a little rhubarb ; and this will gently purge her. If it proceed from pu- 
 t rifled blood, let her blood in the foot, and then ftrengthen the womb, 
 as I have directed, in flopping the menllrues. 
 
 If barrennefs be occafioned by the falling out of the womb, as fome- 
 tirnes happens, let her apply fweet fcents to her nofe, fuch as civit, gal* 
 banum, ftyrax calamitts, wood of aloes, and fuch other things as are of 
 that nature, and let her lay (linking things to the womb, fuch as afla- 
 icetida, oil of amber, or thefmoke of her own hair burnt ; for this is 
 certain that the womb flies from all (linking, and applies to all fweet 
 things. But the moft infallible cure in this cafe is this ;take a common 
 burdock leaf (which you may keep dry if you pleafe all the year) apply 
 this to her head, and it wit] draw the womb downward. Burfeed beat- 
 en into powder, has alfo the like virtue ; for by a magnetic power it 
 ilraws the womb which way you pleafe, according as it is applied. 
 
 If barrennefs proceed from a hot caufe, let the party take whey and 
 clarify it, then boil plant Sin leaves and roots in it, and drink it for her 
 ordinary drink. Let her alfo iujeel the juice of plantain into the womb 
 with a fyringe : If it be in the winter, when you cannot get the juice, 
 make a ftrong decodUon of the roots, and leaves in the water, and inject: 
 that up with a fyringe ; but let it be blood warm, and you will find this 
 medicine Of great efficacy. And further to takeaway barrennefs pro- 
 ceeding from hot caufes, take often conferve of rofes, cold lozenges 
 made of tragscanth, the confection of tricantellia, and ufe tofmeli cam- 
 phire, rofe water, and faunders. It is alfo good to bleed the balilica, 
 or liver vein, and then take this purge ; take clectuarum de epithimo 
 de facco rofarum,of each two drams and a ha1f,clarified whey four oun- 
 ces ; mix them well together, and take it in the morning falling ; fleep 
 after it about an hour and a half, and faft four hours after it ; and about 
 an hour before you eat any thing drink a good draught of whey. Alfo 
 take lily-water four ounces ; mardrogar-water one ounce, faffron half 
 a fcruple; bent the falTron to powder, and mix it with the waters, and 
 drink them warm in the morning; ufe this eight days together. 
 Here fulloiveth fame excellent Rcmediet agahfl Barrennefs and to caufe Fruit- 
 
 fulnefs. 
 
 TAKE broom flowers, fmallage, parfiey feed, cummin, mugwort. 
 featherfew, of eacli half a fcruple ; aloes half an ounce; India 
 fait, faffron, of each half a dram, beat and mix well together, and put it 
 into five ounces of featherfew water warm, flop it clofe and let it ftand 
 and dry in a warm place : and thus do two or three times one after a- 
 nother ; then make each dram into fix pills, and take one of them 
 every other night before fupper. 
 
 A confection very good againft barrennefs. Take pifrachia, pingles, 
 cringoes, of each half an ounce ; faffron one dram, lignum aloes, gal- 
 bngale, mace, caryophilla, balm flowers, red and white behen,of each 
 four fcruples ; fhaven ivory, caifia bar of each two fcruples ; fyrup of 
 confe&ed ginger twelve ounces ; white fugar fix ounces ; decoct ad 
 thefe well together, then put to it of mufk and amber, of each half a 
 fcruple : take thereof the quantity of a nutmeg three times a day ; ia 
 the morning and an hour before noon, ajid an bour after fupper. 
 
ARISTOTLE* s LAST LEGACY. 
 
 »3« 
 
 Bat if thecaufe of barrennefs either in man or worn in, be through 
 the fcarcity or diminution of the natural feed, then fuch tilings are to 
 be taken as do increafe the feed, and incite or ftir up venery and far- 
 ther conception; which 1 fhali here fet down, and fo conclude this 
 chapter of barrennefs. 
 
 For this, yellow rape feed baked in bread is very good ; alfo young 
 fat flefli.not too much falted ; alfo faflFron, the tails of ftincus, and long 
 pepper prepared in wine : let fuch perfons efchew aifo four, iharp, 
 doughyand rtjmy meats, long deep after meat, furfeiting and drunk- 
 ennefs, as much as they can ; keep themfelves from forrow, grief, vex- 
 ation and care. 
 
 Thefe things following, increafe natural feed and ftir up to venery, 
 and recover the feed again when loft, viz. eggs, milk, rice boiled in 
 milk; fparrow's brains, flefh, hones and alt; the Hones and pizzles of 
 bulls, bucks, rams, and boars; alfo cock ftones, lamb (tones, patridges, 
 quails and pheafant's eggs ; and this is an undeniable abhorifm, that 
 whatfoever any creature is addicted unto, they move or incite the man 
 or woman that eats them to the iike r and therefore patridges, quails, 
 fparrows, &c. being extremely addicted to venery, they work the fame 
 effect in thofe men and women that eat them. Alfo to take notice, that 
 in what part of the body the faculty, which you would ftrenglhen lies, 
 take the fame part of the body of another creature in whom the faculty 
 is ftrong for a medicine. As, for inftance, the procreative faculty lies i-\ 
 the tefticles ; therefore cock ftones. Iamb ftones, &c. are proper to ftir 
 up venery. I will alfo give you another general rule ; creatures that 
 are fruitful, being eaten, make them fruitful that eat them; as crabs,, 
 lobftcrs, prawns, pigeons, &c. 
 
 Authors have fet down feveral ways for the prevention of barren- 
 nefs ; to carry the herb St. John's Wort about them ; which for that 
 caufe was called by the ancients Fuga Demonum or the Devil driver. 
 Alfo to carry a loadftone about them, was accounted a great prefers. - 
 tive : as Ukewife a plaifter of St John's Wort laid to the reins. And lafc- 
 ly , the heart of a turtle dove carried about them ; but thefe are only for 
 prevention. But you will fay, how if prevention come too late, and 
 the mifchicf he done already, and the man cannot give his due benev- 
 olence ? muft the poor man remain helplefs, and the good woman go 
 without what the is married for ? No there is help even in this cafe a l - 
 fo : and the cure is eafy, which though the reader miy fcruple to be- 
 lieve, yet it has been tried and found efFectuai ; it is no more than this, 
 let the man only make water through his wife's wedding r inland the 
 enchantment will he broke : and thus one piece of witchcraft is made 
 to drive out another. But I will here put a period to tills chapter. 
 Of the pleafure and advantage of Marti ages ; ivith the unequal Mutches , and 
 the ruinous effect of unlawful Love. 
 
 WE have hitherto been treating of the generation of man, which 
 is effected by man and woman in the action of coition or cop- 
 ulation. But this can be no ways lawfully done but by thofe who are 
 joined together in wedlock, according to the inftitution of the Cre- 
 ator in paradife when he hrft brought man and woman together : Which 
 being fo it neceffarily leads to treat of the pleafee and^advantage of 
 a married life. 
 
 And fure there is none that reasonably queftion the pleafure and ad- 
 vantage of a married life that does but reflect upon its author, or the 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEG AC V. 
 
 time and place of its institution. The author and inftitutor of marriage 
 iv as no other than the great Lord of the whole univerfe, the Creator 
 of heaven and earth, whofe wifdom is infinite, and therefore knew 
 what was beft for us, and whofe goodnefs is equal to his wifdom, and 
 therefore inftituted marriages, as what was beft for the man whom he 
 had but juft created, and whom he looked upon as fliort of that com- 
 plete happinefs which he had defigned him whilfr he was alone and 
 ftad not the help mate provided for him. The time of its inftituticn is 
 »o lefs remarkable ;it was whiift our fi'rfl parents were cloathed with 
 that virgin parity and innocence in which they were created ; it was 
 at a time wherein they had a bieOed and uninterrupted convert and 
 communion with their great Creator f and were complete in all the per- 
 fections both of mind and body, being this lively image of him that creat- 
 ed them ; it was at a time when they could eurioufly fervey the feveral in- 
 <:• om pa r ab • e beauties and perfections of each other, without fin, and knew 
 not what it was to lull ; it was at tins happy time the Almighty divided 
 A ' : :;.;n frcm himfeif, and of a croccked rib made him an help mate for 
 him ; and by inltituting marriage, united him unto himfeif again in Wed- 
 lock's facred bands. And this mull needs fpeak very highly in-conimenda- 
 t ion of a married life. 
 
 But we have' yet considered only the time; now let us confider next 
 what place it was wherein 'at fir II this marriage knot was tied, and we 
 £iall find the place was Paradife, a place formed by the great Creator for 
 delight and pleafure : and in our ufual dialect when we mould Ihow the 
 liigheft fatisfacrioii we t?.ke in, and give the greatefr. commendation to a 
 place, we can afcend no higher than to affirm it was like a Paradife. There 
 are many curious delicacies and delights to pleafe the eye and charm the 
 ear in the gardens of princes and noblemen ; but paradife did certainly 
 outdo them all, the facred Scripture giving of its high encomiums. It was 
 pleafant as the gardens of God. It was in the midft of Paradife, the centre 
 of delight and ha$>pinefs$ that Adam wa* unhappy while in a ingle ftate; 
 and therefore marriage may properly be ftiled the Paradife of Paradife itfelf. 
 
 I will fhew you the lev; of a good wife to her hulband in an illuftri- 
 ous example of a queen of our own nation. 
 
 King Kdward the fuCt making a voyage to Pal frine, for the recov- 
 ery of the Holy Land, in which expedition he was very victorious and 
 iuccefsful, took his queen along with him, who willingly accompanied 
 him in all the dangers he expofed himfeif to. It fo happened that 
 after feveral victories obtained, which made him both beloved with a 
 feared, he was wounded by a Turk, with an impoifoned arrow, which 
 all the king's phyficians, concluded mortal, unlefs fome human creature 
 would fuck away the poifonous blood out of the wound • at the fame 
 time declaring that it would be the death of thofe that did it: upon this 
 the thing was propofed to feveral of the courtiers ; but they all waved 
 this piece of loyalty ; and as well as they pretended to love the king, yet 
 loved their own lives better ; and therefore with a compliment declined 
 it,\vhich,when the noble queen perceived,and that the king muit die for 
 the want of fuch a kind afliftance, the, with a brarenefs worthy of her- 
 felf, declared (lie was refolved herfelf to undertake his cure, and ven- 
 ture her own life to fave the king her hufband ; and fo accordingly 
 fucked the poifonous matter from the wound, and thereby faved the 
 kkig : and, Heaven which did mfpire her with that generous refolution 3 
 preferved her too, as a reward for her great conjugal affection. 
 
Aft!STOTL?. r s LAST L£GACt. 
 
 But that which renders marriage fuch a mormo, and makes it look, 
 like fuch a bugbear to our modern fparks, are thofe unhappy confe- 
 quenees that too often attend it ; for there are few but fee what in- 
 aufpicious torches Hymen lights at every wedding ; what unlucky 
 hands link in the wedding ring, nothing but fears and jars, and difcon- 
 tents or jealoulies, a curfe as cruel or elfe barrennefs, are all the bletT- 
 ings which crown the genial bed. But it is not marriage that is to blame 
 for this, the things are only the effects of forced and unequal matches ; 
 when greedy parents, for the third of gold, will match a daughter that 
 is fearce feventeen to an old mifer that is above threefcore, can any 
 think thev two can ever agree, whole inclinations are as difFerent as 
 the months of June and January ? This makes the woman (who ftilL 
 wants a hufband, for the old mifcr is fearce the fhadow of one) either 
 to with, or may be to contrive his death, to whom her parents thus 
 againft her will, have yoked her ; or elfe to fatisfy her natural inclina- 
 tions fhe throws herfelf into the arms of unlawful love, both of which 
 afe equally deilructive, and which might both have ^een prevented, 
 had her greedy inconfiderate parents provided her fuch a match as had 
 been fuitable and proper. A fad truth of which is an inftance follows. 
 
 There lived in Warwickiliire a gentleman of very good eftate ; who 
 being grown ancient at the death of his fird! wife, thought of marrying, 
 his fon and heir, then at man's effete, to the daughter of a neighbouring 
 gentleman, of an ancient family and a fair eftate, who approved of the 
 motion, and agreed to give joool. with his daughter upon her marriage 
 with the young gentleman. No fooner had the father a fight of the 
 young lady, but forgetting his fon, became a fuitor for himftlf ; and to 
 obtain her, offered as much money for her (befides the fettling a good 
 jointure on her) as her father had promifed to give with her to his fon 
 This liberal offer fo wrought on her lady's father, that what with per- 
 fualions, and with menaces, he forced his daughter unwillingly to con . 
 fent, to be married to the old man. But as the was in a manner com- 
 pelled to this unequal match, fo the never lived contentedly with him ; 
 for her affections wandering after other men, die gave entertainment 
 to a young gentleman of twenty two years of age, whom die liked much 
 better than her hufband, as one more fuitable to her young years ; that 
 flit grew impatient for her hufband's death,therefore fought to cut thctt 
 thread of life die was of opinion nature lengthened out too long; and 
 to that end having corrupted her waiting woman, and a groom belong- 
 ing to the ftable,ihe refolved by their afhltancc,and that of her enamo- 
 rato, to murder him in his bed by ftrangling him ; which refolutiori 
 (although her lover failed her and came not at the time fhe appointed 
 him,recoiling at the difmal apprehenfion of a fact fo horrid) .(Tic -execut- 
 ed only by her fervants. For watching till her hufband Was afleep, fhe 
 let in thofe alialTms, and then calling a long towel about his neck, fhe 
 caufed the groom to He upon him, that he might not ftruggfc* whilft ilie 
 and her maid, by (training the towel, flopped his breath. And now the 
 next thing was how to prevent difcovery ; and to that end they carried 
 him to another room, where a clofe ftoor was placed, oa which they 
 fet hirfi ; and when the maid and groom were both withdrawn and the 
 coafl clear, flie made fuch an hideous outcry in the hoafe, wringing her 
 hanrte, and pulling off her hair, and Weeping fo extremely, that none 
 fufp*itcd her ; for (lie a Hedged that miffing him fometime out of bed, 
 &€ fvent to fee what was the matter he ftaid fo long, found him dead 
 
a 34 ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 htting on his clofe ftool : which feeming very plaufible, prevented all 
 fufpicions or his death. And being thus rid of her hufband, fhe fet a 
 greater value on her beauty, and quite (hook off her former lover (per- 
 haps becaufe he had implicitly refufed to be an actor in her hufband's 
 tragedy) and coining up to London, made the belt market of her beauty 
 that flie could. But murder is a crime that feldom goes unpunifhed to 
 the grave : in two years after, juftice overtook her,and brought to light ' 
 this horrid deed of darknefs. The groom (one of the actors of this fatal 
 tragedy, being retained a fervant with the fon and heir of the old mur- 
 dered Gentleman, for whom the lady was at firft dcfigned) with fome 
 other fervants attending him toCoventry.his guilty confcience(he being 
 in his cups) forced him upon his knees to beg forgivenefs of his mafter 
 for the murder of his father. And taking him alide, acquainted him 
 with all the circumftances of it. 
 
 The gcntleman,th.ough fcruck with horror and amazement at the dif- 
 covery of fo vile a fa<5t,yet gave the groom good words,but ordered his 
 fervants to have an eye upon him, that he might not efcape when fober ; 
 and yet efcape he did, for ail their vigilance, and being got to the fea 
 fide,he attempted three times to put to fea,but was as often forced back 
 by contrary winds; where being purfued and apprehended by his mafter 
 he was brought back a prifoner to Warwick, as was,foon after, the lady 
 and her gentlewoman a Ho, whowere all juftly executed for that horrid 
 murder : The lady was burned on Woiyey- heath, and the two fervants 
 Suffered death at Warwick: leaving the world a fad example of the dif- 
 matconfequences of doting love-forced marriages, and unequal matches* 
 
 And though in many fuch like matches, the mifchief does not run fo 
 high, as to break forth into adultery and murder, but the young lady, from 
 a principle of virtue and the fear of God, curbs her natural inclinations* 
 and preserves her chaftity yet even in this very cafe, her hulband, confeious 
 of the abatement of his youthful vigour, and his own weak imbecile per- 
 formance of the conjugal rites, fufpects his virtuous lady and watches, over 
 her with Argus' eye?, making himfeif and her unhappy by his fenfelefa 
 kaloufy ; and though, he happens to have children by her (which may 
 well be, having fo good ground to improve on) yet can fcarcely think they 
 are his own. His very iieep is dilturbed with the dreams of cuckoldom and 
 hori>~ ; nor dares he keep a pack of hounds for fear A&xon's fate mould 
 follow him, Thefe are a few cf the fad effects of old mens' dotage, and 
 unequal matches. 
 
 . But let us turn the tables now, and fee if it be better on the other fide, 
 when a young fpark about two and twenty marries a granum of three fcore 
 r.;ui ten, with a face more wrinkled than a piece of tripe. This I am fure, 
 is mere umr.tural : I Lre can be no increafe, unlefs of gold, which often* 
 times the eld hag (for one can call her no better) that marries a young boy 
 to fatisfy her letchaous itch, conveys away before her marriage, to her 
 own relations, and leaves the expecting coxcomb nothing but repentance 
 for his portion. Pocket expenfes perhaps the will allow him, and for thofe 
 flender wages he is bound to do the bafeft druggery. But, if he meets with 
 money, vrkilh was the only motive of the match (her gold being the great- 
 eft cordial at the wedding ieaft) he does profufely fquander it away, and 
 riots in exeds amcngft his whores, hoping, ere long, his antiquated wife 
 will take a voyage to another world, and leave him to his liberty ; whilft 
 the old grandanic, finding her money waded, and herfelf defpi&d, is filed 
 ■with thofe refcntmeiits that jealoufy, envy, and neglected love can $*ivc, 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 hoping each day, to fee him in his grave, though me has almoft both feet 
 in her own : thus, they each day wifti for each others death, which if it 
 comes not quickly, they often help to haften. 
 
 But thefe are ftill excreiTences of marriage, and 1 are the errors of the peo- 
 ple marrying, and not the fault of marriage itfelf. For, let that be what 
 God at firft ordained, a nuptial of two hearts, as well as hands, whom equal 
 years and mutual love has firft united, before the perfons join their hands, 
 and fuch will tell you, that mortals can enjoy no greater happinefs on this ? 
 fide of heaven. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 Direclions to both Sixes, hoiu to manage them/elves in the Ail of Coition 
 or Venereal Embraces. 
 
 HAVING Ihewed, in the former chapter, the pleafures and advantages 
 of marriage, I will now give fome directions to the new married 
 perfons, how to manage themfelves in the exercife of one of the greatsft, 
 moft natural and agreeable pleafures thereof, and that is their nocturnal or 
 venereal embraces ;• a pleafure peculiar to a married life, or at leaft it 
 ought to be fo, for it is not permitted to any befides. And let not any think 
 it ftrange that we pretend to give directions to do what nature teacheth 
 every one, fince it is well known, that nature, has been afiifted by art in 
 feme of our moft noble obfervations ; befides, it is not the bare performing o£ 
 that act that they are directed to, but the performing of it fo that it may be 
 efficacious for the production or generation of man, which our great mafter. 
 Ariftotle defigns in this laft legacy to the world. To which purpofe, fome 
 things are to be obferved previous to this act, and fome things confequent 
 upon it. 
 
 Firft, Things previous to it. 
 When married perfons defign to follow the propenfi'ons of nature for the 
 production of the fair images of themfelves, let every thing that looks like 
 care and bufinefs be banifhed from their thoughts, for all fuch things are 
 enemies to Venus ; and let their animal and vital fpirits be powerfully ex- 
 hilerated by fome brilk and generous reftoratives; and let them, to invigo- 
 rate their fancies, furvey the lovely beauties of each other, and bear the 
 bright ideas of them in their minds. And fome have thought it neceffary, 
 for the further hathening of their joys, for the brifk bridegroom to delin- 
 eate the fcene.of their approaching happinefs unto the amorous bride, ir* 
 fome fuch heroical rapture as this, 
 
 I ivill enjoy thee notv, my fair eft ; come, 
 
 And fy with me to- love's elyfutrn ; 
 
 Noiv my enfranchised hand on every fide 
 
 Shall o'er thy naked, polijVd iv'ry fide. 
 
 JSfoiv,free as thi* anbient air, I ivill behold 
 
 Thy braided fnoiu, and thy unbr aided gold. 
 
 2fo curtain noiv, tho of tranfparent laivn, 
 
 Shall be before thy virgin treafure draivn, 
 
 jtfow thy rich mine, to my inquiring eye, 
 
 Expos d,fhal'l ready for my fnintage tie, 
 
 My rudder, ivith thy bold hand, tike a try'dj 
 
 And Jhilful pilbt, thou Jhalt fleer, and guide. 
 
 My bath into Love's channel, ivhere it fl:ail y 
 
 Dance, as the bounding ivaves do rife and falL 
 
 And my tall pinnace in the Ciprian freight, 
 
 Shall ride at anchor, and unhide her freight, 
 
Aristotle's last legacy. 
 
 Having by thefe, and other amorous arts which love can better dictate 
 than my pen, Wound up your fancies to the higheft pitch and defire. 
 Perform tbofe rites ivbieh mighty Love requires^ 
 And ivlih each other quench yoi f ani "roitsjires. 
 
 But then, in the fecond place, when coition is over, fome further direc- 
 tions are nscefiary ; and therefore, let the bridegroom take heed how he 
 retreats too foon out of the field of love, left he {herald thereby leave an en* 
 trance too open, and cold fhould ftrike into the womb; But, after he has 
 given time for the matrix to clofe up, he may withdraw and leave the bride 
 in her foft repofe, which ought to be with all the calmnefs that the filent 
 night, and a mind free from all difturbing care, can give, inclining her to 
 reft on her right fide, and not removing, without great occafion, till fhe has 
 taken her firft flcep. She alfo ought to have a great care of freezing, and 
 avoid coughing, if it is pofiible, or any other thing that caufes a too violent 
 emotion of the body : Neither mould thefe amorous engagements be too 
 often reiterated, till the conception be confirmed ; and even then the bride- 
 groom fhculd remember, that it is a market that lafts all the year, and fa 
 ihould have a care of Spending his ftock tor. ?avifh!y. Nor would the bride 
 like him at all the worfe for it: for women r.vlher chufe to have a thing well 
 done>than to have it often, and well and often too can never hold out. 
 G H A P. IX. 
 
 'The JtfiJiifives* VaJe-Mecum : Containing particular D'rstrhn for Mid" 
 
 tvives, 2\Futf<s, &g. 
 nP'HOSE who take upon them the office of a Midwife, ought to take 
 JL care to fit themfelves for that employment, with the knowledge of 
 thofe things that are neceffary for the faithful discharges thereof. And fuch 
 perfons ought to be of the middle age, neither too young nor too old, and 
 of a good habit of body, nor fubjedt to difeafes, fears or hidden fright? ; 
 nor are the qualifications affigned for a good furgeon improper for a mid- 
 wife, viz. a lady's hand* a hawk's eye, and a lion's heart : to whicli may 
 be added, activity of body, and convenient ftrength, with caution and dili- 
 gence, not fubjeGl to drowfinefs, nor apt to be impatient. She ought alfa 
 to be fober, affable, courteous, chafte ; not covetous nor fubjed to paffion,. 
 but bountiful and companionate. And, above all, fhe ought to be qualified 
 as the Egyptian midwives of oldy that is r to have the fear of God, which? 
 13 the principal thing in every ftate and condition, and will furnifh her, ir* 
 all occafions, both with knowledge and difcretion. 
 
 When the time cf birth draws near r and the good woman, finds her 
 travailing pains begin to come upon her, let her lend for her midwife iof 
 time; better too foon than too late, and get thofe things ready which 
 are proper upon fuch occafions^ When the midwife comes, let her firft 
 find whether the true time of the birth be coir>e, for want of obferving 
 this hath fpoited many a child, and endangered the life of the mother, 
 <or at kaft put her to twice as much pain as fhe needed. For uufkilful 
 midwives not minding this, have given things to force down the child, 
 and thereby difturbing the natural courfe of htr labour : whereas, na-^ 
 ture works be ft in her own time and way.r I do confefs, it is fome what 
 difficult to know the true time of fome women's labour, they being 
 troubled with pains fo long before their true labour comes, in fome,. 
 weeks before, the reafon of which 1 conceive to be the heat of the reins, 
 and this may be known by the fwelling of their legs ; and therefore 
 when women with child find their legs to fwell much, they may be af- 
 fured that their reias are too hot, For the cure whereof let then* cool 
 
Aristotle's last legacy. 
 
 *37 
 
 the reins before the time of th^ir labour, wkh oil of poppies, and oil of 
 violets, or water lilies, by anointing the reins of their back with them ; 
 for fuch women whofe reins are over hot,have ufualry hard labour. But 
 in this cafe, above all the remedies that I know, I prefer the decoction 
 of plantain leaves and njots ; you may make a ftrong decoction of them 
 in water, and then having drained and clarified it with the white of 
 an egg, boil it into a fyrup with its emial weight in fugar, and keep it 
 for your ufe. 
 
 There are two fkins that compafs the child in the womb, the one is 
 the amnois, and this is the inner ikin ; the other is the alantois, and this 
 is the fkin that holds the urine of die child during the time that it abides 
 in the womb : both thefe ileitis, by the violent ftirring of the child near 
 the time of the birth, are broken : and then the 'urine and fweat of the 
 child contained in them fall down to the neck of the womb ; and this 
 is that which the midwives call the water , and is an infallible fign that 
 the birth is near , fo the child is no longer able to fubfift in the womb, 
 when thofe fkins are broken, than a naked man is in the cold air. Thefe 
 waters, if the child comes prefently after them, faciliate the labour, by 
 making the paffage llippery ; arid therefore the midwife muGf have a 
 care that fhe force not the water away,for nature knows better the true 
 time of the birth than fhe, and ufually retains the water til that time. 
 Several JS/Ieaichies to caufe fp&edy Delivery* 
 
 A LOADSTONE held in her left hand, 'fake wild tanfy and bruife 
 it, and apply it to the woman's noftrils. Take date -Acmes and 
 beat them to powder, and let her take half a dram of them in white 
 wine at a time. 
 
 Take parfley, bruife it and prefs out the juice, and put it up, being 
 fo dipped, into the mouth of the womb, and it will prefently caufe the 
 child to come away, though it be dead, and after burden alfo ; behdes,it 
 cleanfeth the womb, and alfo the child in the womb of all grofs humours. 
 
 Let no midwife ever force away a child, unlefs (lie be fure it is deado 
 I once was where a woman was in labour, which being very hard, her 
 midwife fent for another midwife to aflift her* which midwife fending 
 thefirft down f'tairs, and deiignmg to have the honour herfelf, forced a- 
 way the body of the child. and left the head behind,of which the wom- 
 an was forced afterwards to be dilivered by a man midwife. 
 
 After the child is born, great care is to be taken by the midwives ».a 
 cutting the navel firing, which, though by fome is accounted but a trifle, 
 yet it requires none of the lead: lkill of a" midwife to do it with that 
 prudence and judgment that it ought. And that it may be done fo, you 
 muft confider as loon as the child is freed from its mother, whether it 
 be weak or ftrong (for both the vital and n -rural fpirits are communi- 
 cated by the mother of the child by the navel ftring) if the child be 
 weak, put back gently part of the vital and natural blood in the body 
 of the child by its navel, for that recruits a weak child ; but if the child 
 be ftrcng you may forbear. 
 
 As to the manner of cutting the child's navel ftring, let the ligature or 
 binding be ^ r ery ftrong, and be fure do not cut it off very near the 
 binding, left the binding unloofe. You need not fear to bind the navel 
 ftring very hard, becaufe it is void of fenfe and the part of the navel 
 firing which you leave on, falls off in its own accord in, a few days ; the 
 whole courfe of nature being now changed into the child, it having 
 smother wav ordained to nourifh it. It is no. matter with what hiftru^ 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 ment you cut it oiF, fo it be (harp, and you do it cleaverly. The piece 
 of the navel firing that falls be fure you keep from touching the ground ; 
 remember w hat I have before told you. And if you keep it by y ou it 
 may be of ufe. The navel firing being cut off, apply a little cotton or 
 lint to the place to keep it warm, left the^cold enter into the body or 
 the child, which it will be apt to do if it be not bound hard enough. 
 
 The next thing to be done, is to bring away the afterbirth or fecun* 
 dine, elfe it will be very dangerous for the woman. But this mud be 
 done by gentle means, and without any delays for in this cafe efpecially, 
 delays are dangerous : and whatever I have fet down before, as good to 
 caufe fpeedy delivery, and bring away the birth, is goodalfo to bring 
 away the afterbirth. 
 
 And after the birth and after birth are brought away, if the woman's 
 body be very weak, keep her not too hot} for extremity of heat weak- 
 ens nature and diifolvcs the ftrength ; but whether Hie be weak or 
 ffcrong let no cold air come near her at fir ft ; for cold is an enemy to 
 the fpermatic parts. If cold get into the womb, it increafes the after 
 pains, caufes fwellings in the womb, and hurts the nerves. 
 
 If what I have written be carefully obferved among midwives, and 
 fuch nurfes as keep women in their iying-in, by God's blefilng, the 
 child bed women may do very well, and both midwife and nurfe gain? 
 credit and reputation. 
 
 For though thefe directions may in fome things thwart the common 
 practice, yet yet they are grounded upon experience, and will infallibly 
 anfwer the end. 
 
 But there are feveral accidents that lying-in women are fubjedr, unto 
 which mufr be provided againfl, and thefe 1 fliall fpeak of next. 
 
 The lirft I fliall mention are the after pains, about the caufe of whiclv, 
 authors very much differ, fome think they are caufed by thinnefs, fome 
 by the thLknefs, fome by the llimtnefs. and fome by the fliarpriefs of 
 the blood ; but my own opinion is, it proceeds from cold and water. 
 But whatever the caufe may be, the observing of the foregoing direc- 
 tions will very much abate thern, if not quite take them away. But in 
 c*fe ilitry do happen, boil an. egg, and pour out the yolk of it, with 
 which mix a fpoonful of cinnamon water, and let her drink of it ; and 
 if you mix two grains of ambergreafe with it, it will be better. 
 
 The fecond accident lying-in women are fuhje& to, is excoriations in 
 the lower part of the womb. To help this, ufe oil of fweet almonds, op 
 rather oil of St. John's wort, with which anoint the parts. 
 
 Another accident is, that fome times through very hard labour, and 
 great draining to bring the child into the world, the lying in woman* 
 tomes 10 be troubled with the hemorrhoids or piles ; to cure this let her 
 ufe polypodium bruifed and boiled in her meats and drinks. 
 
 A fourth thing that often follows, is the retention of the menfes ; this 
 is very dangerous, and, if not remedied, proves mortal. 
 
 But for this, let her take fuch medicines * as firongly provoke the 
 terms ; and fuch are piony roots, dittany, juniper berries, betony, cen- 
 taury, fa vory, pennyroyal, iage, feverfew. 
 
 The iafc thing I ihall mention, is, the over/lowing of the menfe*. 'j hfa 
 happens not fo often as the foregoing, but yet fometimes it does,and in 
 fuch cafes take the lliepherd's purfe,either boiled m a conveient liquor 
 or dtied and beaten topowder.and you will find it very good to flop them. 
 
 Having th. u$ firuniTied my Vade-Mecumfor mid wives, before I con- 
 
ARISTOLTLE's LAST LEGACY. 239 
 
 dude, I will add fomething of the choice and qualifications of a good 
 nurfe, that thofc who have occaiion for them may know how to order 
 themfelves for the good of their children which they nurfe. 
 
 Firft, then, if you would chufe a good nurfe, chufe one of a fanguine 
 complexion, not only becaufe that complexion is generally accounted 
 belt, but alfo, becaufe all children in their minority have their com- 
 plexion predominant. And that you may know fuch a woman, take 
 the following defer iption of her. 
 
 H?t feature of the middle fize> her body flefliy, but not fat, and of a 
 merry, pleafant and cheerful countenance : a frcfli ruddy colour, and 
 her llcin fo very clear, that you may lee her veins through it. She is 
 one that loves company, and never cares to be al&ne ; never given to 
 anger, but mightily to playing and tinging ; and which makes her the 
 fitted part for a nurfe, file very much delights in children. In chuflng 
 fuch a one ycu can hardly do amifs ; only let me give ycu this caution, 
 if you cannot yet one exactly of this defcription, which you will find 
 very difficult, get one as near as you can to it. And let thefe rules fur- 
 ther guide you in your choice, i. Let her age be between so and 30,for 
 then Hie is in her prime. 2. Let her be in health, for iicknefs infects 
 her milk, and her milk the child. 3. Let her be a prudent woman, for 
 fuch a one will be careful of the child. 4. Let her not be too poor,for,if 
 Hie wants, the child mud want too. 5. Let her be well bred, for ill bred 
 nurfes corrupt good nature. 6. If it be a boy that is to be nurfed,lct the 
 nurfe be fuch an one whofe lad child was a boy, and fo it will be the 
 more agreeable, but if ic be a girl, let the nurfe be one whofe laft child 
 was a girl. 7. If the nurfe has a hulband, fee that he be a good likely 
 man, and not given to debauchery, for that may have an influence upon 
 the child. 8. In the !aft place, let the nurfe take care Hie be not with 
 child herfelf ; for if fo, flie mult of neceflity either fpoii her own child, 
 or yours, or perhaps both. To a nurfe thus qualified you may put your 
 child without danger. And let fuch anurfe obferve the following direc- 
 tions, for the better governing and ordering herfelf \n that ftation, 
 D'irtfiions for Nurfes. 
 
 1. T ET her ufe her body to exereife ; if flie hath nothing elfeto do, 
 X-i let he exereife herfelf by dancing the child ; for moderate ex- 
 ereife caufeth good digeftion ; and I am fure good blood rauft needs 
 make good milk, and good milk cannot fail of making a thriving child. 
 
 2. Let her live in good air ; there is no one thing more material than 
 this. The want of this makes fo many children die in London ; and even 
 thofe few that live,are none of the wifcft ; for grofs and thick air makes 
 unwieldy bodies, and dull wit : and let none wonder at this, for the 
 operation of the air to the body of man is as great as meat and drink, 
 for it helps to engender the vital and animal fpirits ; and this is the 
 eaufe of ficknefs and health, of life and death. 3. Let her be careful of 
 her diet, and avoid all fait meats, gariick, leeks, onions, and muftard, 
 exceffive drinking of wine, ilrong beer or ale, for they trouble the 
 child's body with choler : cheefe, both new and old,aiHicls it with me- 
 lancholy, and all Mi with phlegm. Let her never deny herfelf ileep, 
 when flie is fleepy,for by that means flie will be more wakeful when the 
 child cries. Let her avoid all difquiets of mind, anger, vexation, for~ 
 row and grief. for thefe things very much diforder a woman,and there- 
 fore muft be hurtful to the milk. If the nurfe \s milk happen to be cor- 
 rupted by any accident, as fometimes it may be, by being either too hot 
 
ARISTOTLE'S LAST LEGACY. 
 
 or tco cold, in fuch cafes let her diet be good, and let her obferve the 
 cautions already given her. If her milk be too hot, let her cool it with 
 endive, fuccory, lettuce, forrel purilain,anfel plantain ; if it be too cold, 
 let her ufe beverage,vervain, buglofs, mother of thyme,and cinnamon ; 
 and let her obferve this general rule, whatfoever ffrenghens the child 
 in the womb, the fame attends the milk. If the nurfe wants milk, the 
 thriftle commonly called cur lady thriftle is excellent for her breeding, 
 of milk ; there being few things growing (if any) that breed more and 
 better milk than that doth ; alfo the hoof of the fore feet of a cow,dried 
 and beaten to powder, and a dram of the powder taken every morning 
 in any convenient liquor, increafes the milk. 
 
 Remedi£s for increGjlng Milk, 
 
 IF a nurfe be given to much freeting, it makes her lean, and hinders 
 digeftion, and live can never have (lore of milk,nor what fhe has be 
 good. Bad meats and drinks, alfo hinder the increafe of milk, and 
 therefore ought to be forbone and therefore women that would in- 
 creafe their milk, (hould eat good meat (that is if they can get it) and 
 let her drink milk wherein fennel feed hath been fteeped. Let her drink 
 barley water, burrage and fpinnage ; alfo, goat's milk, cow's milk and 
 lamb fodden with verjuice ; let her alfo comfort the flomach with con- 
 fection of annis-feed, cafraway and cummin feeds, and alfo ufe thofe 
 feeds fodden in water ; alfo take barleywater, and boil therein green 
 fennel and dill, and fweeten it with fugar,and drink it at your pleafure. 
 
 Hot fomentations open the breads, and attack the blood, as the de- 
 tection of fennel, fmellage, or ftampt mint applied. Or, 
 
 Take fennel and par iley green, each a handful, boil and ftamp them, 
 and barky meal half an ounce, with feed a dram, ftorax, calamint two 
 drams, oil of lilies two ounces, and make a poultice. 
 
 LafHy, take half an ounce of deer's fuet and as much parfley roots, 
 with the herbs an ounce and a half of barley meal, three drams of red 
 ftcrax, and three ounces oil of fweet almonds ; boil the root and herbs 
 well, and beat them to pap, and then mingle the other amongft them, 
 and put it warm to the nipples, and it will increafe the milk. 
 
 And thus, courteous Reader, I have at length finifhed what I defigned 
 and promifed, and can truly affirm, that thou haft here thofe Receipts, 
 Remedies and directions given unto thee,with refpect to Child bearing 
 Wcrtnen ,M id wives and Nurfes,that are worth their weight in gold,and 
 will aiTuredly with the blelfing of God,anf\ver the end,whenever thou 
 haft occallon to make ufe of them, they being not things taken on trull: 
 from tradition or hearfay, but the refill; and dictates of found reafon 
 and long experience. 
 
 F I N I & 
 
 #