§. 1. Of the Instruments of Generation in Man, with a particular Description thereof.

THOUGH the instruments, or parts of genera­tion in all creatures, with respect to their out­ward form, are not, perhaps, the more comely, yet, in compensation of that, nature has put upon them a more abundant and far greater honour than on other parts, in that it has ordained them to be the means by which every species of being is continued from one generation to another; and therefore, though a man or woman were through the bounty of nature, endowed with the most angelick counte­nance and the most exact symmetry and proportion of parts, that concurred together to the making up of a most perfect beauty; yet, if they were defec­tive in the instruments of generation, they would not, for all their beauty, be acceptable, either to the other sex; because they would be thereby ren­dered [Page 12] incapable of satisfying the natural propen­sions which every one finds in themselves; and this methinks should be sufficient to shew the great hon­our nature has put upon them. And therefore since it is our duty to be acquainted with ourselves, and to search out the wonders of God in nature, I need not make any apology for anatomizing the secret parts of generation.

The organ of generation in man, nature has placed obvious to the sight, and is called the Yard, and because hanging without the belly is called Penis a Pendendo: It is in form long, round, and on the upper side flattish, and consists of skin, tendons, veins, arteries and sinews, being seated un­der the Os [...]a Pubis, and ordained by nature for a two fold work, viz. For the evacuating of urine, and conveying the seed into the matrix. The urine which it evacuates, is brought to it through the neck of the Vesica Urinaria, and the seed which it con­veys into the matrix, is brought into it from the Vesiculae Seminales. But to be more particular.

Besides the common parts, as the cuticle, the skin, and the membrana Carnosa, it hath several internal parts proper to it, of which there are seven, viz.

The two nervous bodies: The septum; the ureth­ra; the glands; the muscles; and the vessels. Of these distinctly in the order I have placed them, and first, of

The two nervous bodies: These are called so from their being surrounded with a thick, white, nervous membrane, though their inward substance is spun­gy, as consisting principally of veins, arteries, and nervous fibres, interwoven together like a net. And nature has so ordered it, that when the nerves are filled with animal spirits, and the arteries with hot and spirituous blood then the yard is distended▪ and becomes erect; but when the flux of the spirits [...]se, then the blood, and the remaining spirits are [Page 13] absorbed or sucked up by the veins and so the penis becomes limber and flaggy.

2. The second internal part is the septum lucid­um, and this is in substance white and nervous, or sinewy, and its office is to uphold the two lateral or side ligaments, and the Urethra.

3. The third is the Urethra, which is only the channel by which both the seed and the urine are conveyed out; it is in substance soft and loose, thick and sinewy, like that of the side ligaments. It begins at the neck of the bladder, but springs not from thence, only is joined to it, and so proceeds to the glands: It has three holes in the beginning, the largest whereof is in the midst, for that receives the urine into it; the other two are smaller, receiving the seed from each seminal vessel.

4. The fourth is the glands, which are at the end of the penis covered with a very thin membrane, by reason of which it is of a most exquisite feeling. It is covered with a preputium or foreskin, which in some covers the top of the yard quite close, in oth­ers not; and by its moving up and down in the act of copulation brings pleasure both to the man and woman. The extreme part of this cover, which I call preputium, and which is so Called a preputanla from cutting off, is that the Jews were commanded to cut ost it on the eighth day. The ligament by which it is fastened to the glands is called fraenum or the bridle.

5. The fifth thing is the muscles, and these are four in number, two being placed on each side. These muscles (which are instruments of voluntary motions, and without which no part of the body can move itself) consist of fibrous flesh to make up their body; of nerves for the senses; of veins for the vital heat; and of a membrane or skin to kn [...]t them to­gether, and to distinguish one muscle from another, and all of them from the flesh. I have already said, that there are two of them on each side▪ [Page 14] and I will now add, that one on each side is shorter and thicker; and that their use is to erect the yard from whence they have obtained the name of erec­tors. And having told you, two of them are thick­er and shorter than the other, I need not tell you that the other two are longer and thinner, only I take notice, that the office of the two last is to dilate, or if you will, open the lower part of the Ureth­ra, both for making water and voiding the seed, and therefore are called accelerators.

6. The sixth and last things are the vessels which consist of veins, nerves, and arteries; of which, some pass by the skin, and are visible to the eye, and others pass more inwardly; for indeed the ar­teries are dispersed through the body of the yard, much more than the veins, and this dispersion is contrarywise, the right artery being dispersed to the left side, and the left to the right; as for the two nerves, the greater is bestowed upon the two muscles and the body of the yard, and the lesser upon the skin.

What I have hitherto said, relates to the yard, properly so called; but because there are some ap­pendices belonging thereto, which when wanting, render the yard of no use in the act of generation, it will also be necessary, before I conclude this section to say something of them; I mean the stones or tes­ticles so called, because they testify the person to be a man: Their number and place are obvious; as to their use, in them the blood brought thither by the spermatick arteries, is elaborated into the seed. They have coats or coverings of two sorts, proper and common; the common are two and in­vest both the Testicles; the outermost of the com­mon coats consists of the Cuticula, or true skin, called Scorum, hanging out of the Abdomen like a purse; the Membrana Carnosa is the innermost. The proper coats are likewise two; the outer called Eli­ [...]hroidis, or Vaginalis, the inner Albugenia; into the outer are inserted the Cremasters; to the upper [Page 15] side of the testicles are fixed the Epidymaides, or Parastata, from whence arise the Vasa Deferentiae, or Ejaculatoria; which when they approach near the neck of the bladder, deposit the seed into the Vesi­culae Seminales, which are each (for there are two of them) like a bunch of grapes, and emit the seed into the Urethra, in the act of copulation. Near these are the Parastatae, which are about the bigness of a walnut, and join to the neck of the bladder; these afford an oily, sl [...]ppe [...]y, and salt humour to besmear the Urethra, and thereby defend it from the acrimony of the seed and urine. But the ves­sels by which the blood is conveyed to the Testes, out of which the seed is made, are the Arteriae Sper­maticae, and these are also two; and so likewise are the veins, which carry on the remaining blood which are called Venae Spermaticae.

§ 2. Of the secret parts in Women appropriated to th [...] work of generation.

Woman, next to man the noblest piece of the creation, is bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh▪ a sort of second self; and in a married state are ac­counted but one; for as the poet says,

It is therefore the secret parts of that curious piece of nature that we are to lay open, which we shall do [Page 16] with as much modesty and sobriety as will consist with our speaking intelligibly; for it is better to say nothing than to speak so as not to be under­stood.

The external parts, commonly called Pudenda (from the shamefacedness that is in women to have them seen) are the lips of the great orifice, which are visible to the eye, and in those that are grown, are covered with hair, and have pretty store of spungy fat; their use being to keep the internal parts from all annoyance by outward accidents.

Within these are the Nymphae, or wings, which present themselves to the eye when the lips are sev­ered, and consist of soft and spungy flesh, and the doubling of the skin placed at the sides of the neck; they compass the Clytoris, and both in form and colour resemble the comb of a cock, looking fresh and red, and in act of coition receive the Penis or Yard between them; besides which, they g [...]ve passage both to the birth and urine. The use of the wings and knobs like myrtle berries shutting the orifice and neck of the bladder, and by the swelling up, cause titillation and delight in those parts, and also obstruct the involuntary passage of the urine.

The next thing is the Clytoris, which is a sinewy and hard part of the womb, replete with spungy and black ma [...]t [...]r within, in the same manner as the side ligaments of the yard; and indeed resemble it in form, suffers erection and falling in the same man­ner, and it both stirs up lust and gives delight in copulation; for without this, the fair sex neither desire mutual embraces, nor have pleasure in them, nor conceive by them: And according to the great­ness or smallness of this part, they are more or less fond of men's embraces; so that it may be properly stiled the seat of lust.

And well may it be stiled so; for it is like a yard in situation, substance, composit [...]on and erection, grow­ing [Page 17] sometimes out of the body two inches, but that happens not but upon some extraordinary accident. It consists, as I have said, of two spungy and skinny bodies, which being a distinct original from the Os Pubis; the head of it being covered with a tender skin, having a hole like the yard of a man, but not through, in which, and the bigness of it, it only differs from it.

The next thing is the passage of the urine which is under the Clytoris, and above the neck of the womb, so that the urine of a woman comes not through the neck of the womb, neither is the passage com­mon, as in men, but particular and by itself. This passage opens itself into the fissares to evacuate the urine; for the securing of which from cold or any other inconveniency, there is one of the four car­buncles, or fleshy knobs placed before it, which shut up the passage; for these knobs which are in num­ber four, and in resemblance like myrtle berries, and placed behind the wings before spoken of, quad­rangularly one against the other. These are round in virgins, but hang flagging when virginity is lost; it is the uppermost of those that nature has placed for the securing of the urinary passage from cold, and which is therefore largest, and for that end.

The lips of the womb that next appear, cover the neck thereof, but be [...]ng separated d [...]sclose it, and then two things are to be observed, and these are the neck itself and the hymen, more properly called the Claustrum Virginale; of which I shall have more occasion to spea [...], when I come to shew what virginity is. The neck of the womb I shall ca [...] the channel, which is between the aforementioned knobs, and the inner bone of the womb, which re­ceives the man's yard l [...]ke a sheath; and that it might be dilated with the more ease and pleasure in the act of coition, it is sinewy and a little spungy▪ and there being in this concavity diverse folds, o [...] orbicular plates, made by tunicles, which are wrink­led, it form▪ an expanded [...]ose which may be seen [...] [Page 18] virgins, but in those that have often used copula­tion, it comes by degrees to be extinguished; so that the inner side of the neck of the womb appears smooth and in old women it becomes hard and gris­ly. But though this channel be sinking down, writh­ed and crooked, yet it is otherwise in the time of copulation, as also when women are under their monthly purgation, or in labour, being then very much extended, which is a great cause of their pains.

The Claustrum Virginale, commonly called the hymen, is that which closes the neck of the womb; for between the duplicity of the two tunicles, which constitutes the neck of the womb, there are many veins and arteries running along, that arise from the vessels of both sides of the thighs, and pass into the neck of the womb, being very large; and the reason thereof is, because the neck of the womb re­quires to be filled with abundance of spirits, to be dilated thereby that it may better take hold of the Penis, such motions requiring great heat, which be­ing made more intense by the act of frication, con­sumes a great deal of moisture; in the supplying whereof large vessels are very necessary. Hence it is, that the neck of the womb in women of reason­able stature, in eight inches in lenghth. But there is also another cause for the largeness of these vessels, (i. e.) because their monthly purgations make their way through them, and for this reason women, though with child, often continue them; for though the womb be shut up, yet the passage in the neck of the womb, through which these vessels pass, is open. And therefore as soon as you penetrate the Puden­dum, there may be seen two little pits or holes, and in which are contained a humour, and which being prest out in the time of coition, does greatly delight the fair sex.

Though these we have already mentioned, are prop­erly the parts appropriated for the work of gener­ation, yet there are other parts, without which gen­eration work cannot be accomplished, of which [Page 19] we must also give a description, and the principal of these is the womb, which is the field of genera­tion, without which nothing can be done. The parts we have been already speaking of, being or­dained by nature only, as it were so many vehicles to convey the seed into the womb, which being preg­nated therewith, by virtue of the plastick power of nature, produceth its own likeness.

The womb is situated in the lower parts of the Hypogastrion, being joined to its neck, and placed between the bladder and the straight gut, so that it is kept from swaying or rolling, yet hath it liberty to stretch and dilate itself, and also to contract itself, according as nature in that case discloses it. It is of a round figure, something like a gourd; lessening and growing more acute towards one end, being knit together by its proper ligaments, and its neck joined by its own substance, and certain membranes that fasten it to the Os Sacrum and the mare bone. It is very different with respect to its largeness in women, especially between such as have had chil­dren, and those that have had none. It is so thick in substance, that it exceeds a thumb's breadth, and after conception augments to a greater proportion, and to strengthen it yet more, it is interwoven with fibres, overthwart, but straight and winding; and its proper vessels are veins, arteries and nerves; a­mong which there are two little veins, which pass from the spermatic vessels to the bottom of the womb; and two bigger than the hypogastricks, touching both the bottom and the neck, the mouth of these veins piercing as far as the inward concavity.

The womb, besides what I have already mention­ed, has two arteries on both sides the spermatic ves­sels, and the hypogastricks, which still accompany the veins with sundry little nerves, knit and inter­woven in the form of a net, which are also extended throughout, even from the bottom to the pudenda themselves, being so placed chiefly for the sense of [Page 20] pleasure, sympathetically moving from the head of the womb.

Here the reader ought to observe, that the two lig­aments hanging on either side of the womb from the share bone, piercing through the Peritonoeum, and joined to the bone itself, causes the womb to be moveable, which upon sundry occasions, either fall low or rise high. The neck of the womb is of a most exquisite sense, so that if it be at any time dis­ordered, either with a schirrosity, too much flat mois­ture, or relaxation, the womb is much subject to barrenness. In those that are near their delivery, there usually stays a most glutinous matter in the en­trance, to facilitate the birth, for at that time the mouth of the womb is opened to such a wideness, a is in proportion to the largeness of the child, suffer­ing an equal dilation from the bottom to the top.

Under the parts belonging to generation in wo­men, are also comprehended the preparatory or sper­matick vessels. The preparatory vessels differ no [...] in number from those in men, for they are likewis [...] four, two veins and two arteries: their rise and ori­ginal is the same as in men, differing only in their largeness and manner of insertion; the right vein issueth from the trunk of the hollow vein descending and the left from the emulgent vein; and on the side of them are two arteries which grow from the Arcata. These preparatory vessels are shorter in women than in men, because they have a shorter pas­sage, the stones of the women lying within the belly but those of a man without: But to make amend [...] for their shortness, they have far more wreathings to and fro, in and out, than they have in men, that fo [...] the substance they carry may be the better prepared. Neither are they united as they are in men, before they come to the stones, but are divided into two branches, whereof the greater only passeth to the stones, the lesser to the fecundated egg, and this is properly called conception. And then secondly, to cherish and nourish it till nature has framed the [Page 21] child and brought it to perfection. Thirdly, it strongly operates in sending forth the birth when its appointed time is accomplished; there dilating it­self in an extraordinary manner, and so aptly re­moved from the senses, that no injury can accrue to it from thence retaining in itself a strength and power to operate, and cast forth the birth.

The use of the preparing vessels is to convey the blood to the testicles, of which a part is spent to the nourishment of them, and the production of those lit­tle bladders which in all things resemble eggs, through which the Vasa Preparantia run, and are obliterated in them. This conveyance of blood is by arteries, but as for the veins, their office is to bring back what blood remains from the aforementioned use.

The vessels of this kind are much shorter in wo­men than men, by reason of their nearness to the testicles; and yet that defect is more than made good by the many intricate windings to which they are subject; for in the middle way they divide themselves into two branches of different magni­tude: for one of them being bigger than the other, passes to the testicles.

The testicles in women are very useful; for where they are defective, generation work is quite spoil­ed; for though these little bladders, which are on their outward superficies, contain nothing of seed, as the followers of Galen, &c. erroneously imagine, yet they contain several eggs, (about the number of twenty in each testicle) one of which being impreg­nated by the most spirituous part of the man's seed in the act of coition, descends through the oviducts in­to the womb where it is cherished, till it becomes a living child. The figure of these ova or eggs is not altogether round, but a little flat, and depressed on the sides, and in their lower parts are oval; but where the blood v [...]sels enter them, that is, in their upper part the [...] [...] plain having but one membrace about them, that the heat may have ea [...] [...].

§. 1. THOUGH the great architect of the world has been pleased to frame us of different sex­es, and for the propagation and continuation of man­kind has indulged us to the mutual embraces of each other, the desire whereof, by a secret and powerful in­stinct is become natural to us; yet he would leave them to the law of their Creator, who has ordained that every man shall have his own wife: And though since man by sinning against his Creator, hath fallen from his primitive purity, and has multiplied wives and concubines, by which the first institution is violated, and the grossest affront to the divine Lawgiver; for as the holy Jesus has told us, That in the beginning it was so, the marriage of one man to one woman; so that [...] the [...] conj [...]gal delights cannot be enjoyed but in a married state, so neither in that state can they lawfully be participa [...]ed of with more than one wife. And it is the breaking of this order that has filled the world with confusion and debauchery, has brought diseases on the body, consumption on estates and eternal ruin to the soul if not repented of. Let therefore either sex that have a desire to enjoy the delights of mutual embraces, take care that they do it in a married state with their own wives or husbands or else it will become a curse to them instead of a blessing: And to that end let them consider what [Page 23] is due to the transgressors of his law, who hath said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. Whatever is spok­en of the venereal pleasures, is spoken to those who have or may have, a right thereunto, by being in a married state. For,

§. 2. Of the happiness of the married state.

I have spoken in the last section of the restriction [...]hat our great Lawgiver has been pleased to lay up­on us, that we should not presume upon mutual em­braces without qualifying ourselves for it, by enter­ing into a married state. But that, in the age we live in, is looked upon as a most unsupportable yoke nothing now being more ridiculed than matrimony; both wives and husbands being counted the greatest [...]log; and burdens to those who give up the reins to their unbridled appetites. But with these gentle­men's leave, I will make it appear, notwithstanding all their banter, that a married state is the most hap­py condition (where persons are equally yoked) that is to be enjoyed this side of heaven.

And who, that is not out of his wits, will question the pleasure and advantages of a married state, that will but give himself leave to reflect upon the author [...]hereof, or the time and place of its institution? The author and institutor of marriage, and that first brought man and woman together, was no other than [...]e that made them, even the great LORD of the universe, whose wisdom being infinite, could not but know what condition was best for us, and his good­ness being equal to his wisdom, sufficiently shews the end of this institution was the happiness of the creatures he had made; and that indeed man could not be happy without it, for he saw that it was not good that man should be alone; and therefore made a woman to complete his happiness, which was not perfect, whilst he wanted such a meet help for him.

The time of the institution is also [...] [...]emark­able; [Page 24] for it was when Adam and his new made Bride were clothed with all that virgin purity and innocence with which they were created, before they had [...] the least converse with the tempter, or had given way to one disordered thought; and yet could curiously survey the several incomparable beauties and perfections of each other, without sin, and knew not what it was to lust: It was at this happy time the Creator divided Adam from him­self and of a crooked rib made a beautiful and meet help for him; and then by instituting marriage, united him unto himself in holy wedlock's happy bands.

It was in paradise where the first match was made, and which scarcely could have been paradise without it: For paradise all know to be a place of pleasure, wherein they are surrounded with the quintessence of all delight, where there was nothing wanting that might please the eye, charm the ear or gratify the taste, or might delight the smell with odoriferous and agreeable perfumes; and yet even in paradise where Adam was possest of all those ravishing and pleasing sweets, and enjoyed all the pleasures of par­adise, he enjoyed no [...] happiness till he enjoyed hi [...] Eve, for until then, there was no meet help for him. So that it seems in paradise Adam remained un­happy, whilst in a single state; so would Eve like­wise have been, had she been there alone. So that it was a married state that was the completing their mutual happiness, and was even the paradise of par­adise itself.

Neither will those admire, that man at first was not completely happy without marrying, that will but give themselves the leisure to consider what an addition to our happiness a good wife makes; for such a one is the best companion in prosperity, and in adversity the surest friend; the greatest assistant in business, the only lawful and comfortable mea [...] by which we can have issue, and the great remedy against incontinenc [...]; and if we believe king Solo­mon; [Page 25] an author of an undoubted credit, the greatest honour unto him that has her; for he it is that tells us, she is a crown to her husband: And sure these are no small advantages of marriage. Besides that nat­ural propension there is in man and woman to each other, seeking this nuptial conjunction, looking as if the man missing his rib, is restless till he has re­covered it again: And on the other hand, as if the woman (knowing from whence she came) remained unsatisfied till she had got again her old place, un­der the arm, the wing of her beloved husband.

And therefore those who do complain of marriage if they would but examine their own carriage and behaviour in it better, would find it is themselves who make marriage so uneasy; for as once Cicero said of old age, it was not old age, but the folly of old men, that made it so burdensome; so I may say of marriage, it is not marriage, but the folly of persons married that makes it so uneasy. If married per­sons would but each take care to do their several and respective duties, there would be no complain­ing, nor would they find any condition more pleasant or more profitable than a married life; there being more satisfaction to be taken in the em­braces of a loving and chaste wife, than in the wan­ton dalliances of all the strumpets in the world; be­sides the blessings that attend the one, and that ruin, misery, and heavy curse that always waits on the other. And thus I hope I have sufficiently shewed the pleasure and advantage of a married state.

§ 3. At what age young men and virgins are capable of carnal copulation, and why they so much desire it.

Having shewn the restriction laid upon men and women, with respect to promiscuous coition, and al­so the pleasure and advantage of a married life, I now proceed to shew at what age young men and virgins are capable of the marriage bed; which because so many desire before they attain to it, it will be necessary to shew the cause of those impetu­ous desires.

The inclinations of virgins to marriage, are to be known by divers symptoms; for when they arrive to ripe age, which is about fourteen or fifteen, then natural purgations begin to flow, and then the blood which no longer serves for the increase of their bod­ies, does, by its abundance, stir up their minds to venery, to which also external causes may excite them; for their spirits are brisk and inflamed when they arrive at this age, and their bodies are often more heated by their eating sharp and salt things, and by spices, by which their desire of venereal em­braces become very great, at some critical junctures almost insuperable. And the use of those so much desired enjoyments being denied to virgins, is often followed by very dangerous, and sometimes dismal consequences, precipitating them into those follies that may bring an indelible stain upon their fami­lies, or else it brings upon them the green sickness or other diseases. But when they are married, and those desires satisfied by their husbands, those dis­tempers vanish, and their beauty returns more gay and lively than before. And this strong inclination of theirs may be known by their eager gazing at men, and affecting their company, which sufficient­ly demonstrates that nature prompts them to desire coition. Nor is this the case of virgins only, but the same may be observed in young brisk widows, who cannot be satisfied without that due benevolence [Page 27] paid them which they were wont to have from their husbands.

At fourteen years of age, commonly the menses begin to flow in virgins; at which time they are capable of conceiving, and therefore fit for marriage though it would be much better, both for themselves and their children if they married not till eighteen or twenty; and if they be very healthy and strong of body, and always addict themselves to temperance they may continue bearing till upwards of fifty, though generally they leave off about forty five: For the menses flow a longer time in some than in others; but when they cease, they cease bearing. And therefore the bearing of Isaac unto Sarah at that age, may well be termed miraculous, because it had ceased to be with her according to the custom of women.

As for male youth, when they arrive at 16, or between that and 17, having much vital strength, they may be capable of getting children; which ability, by the force and heat of procreating matter, constantly increase till 45, 59, 65, and then begins to flag, the seed by degrees becoming unfruitful, the natural spirits being extinguished, and the heat dried up. Thus it is with them for the most part. But many times it falls out otherwise in particular instances; as once in Sweedland, a man who was married at a hundred years old to a bride of 30, had many children by her; but he was a man of so hale a constitution, and carried his age so well, that strangers would not have guessed him above sixty. And in Champania, where the air is clear and temperate, it is usual for men of eighty years old to marry young virgins, and have children by them; which shews, that age in men hinders not procreation, unless they be exhausted in their youth and their yard shrivelled up.

If any ask why a woman is sooner barren than a man? let such know, that the natural heat, which is the cause of generation, is more predominant in [Page 28] men than women, for the monthly purgations of wom­en, shew them to be more moist than men, and so does also the softness of their bodies. And the man exceeding her in native hea [...] [...]oncocts the humour into proper aliment, by the benefit whereof they are elaborated into seed; but women though of a finer make, yet not being so strong as men, their facul­ties are thereby hindered in their operation.

§ 1. Of virginity, and wherein it consists.

IN the last chapter I treated of the desire that young men and virgins have to mutual embraces, and at what age they are fit for them, have also shewed that those pleasures are only to be enjoyed in a mar­ried state, and have also acquainted my reader with the advantage of such a condition, but since the desires of many, after mutual embraces, are so im­petuous, that not having an opportunity to enter in­to a married state, they have anticipated the pleas­ures of matrimony, and lost their virginity before­hand, and yet perhaps, have afterwards pretended to bring their virginity to a marriage bed, by which means many an honest man has been deceived, and meretricious women escaped with impunity; and, on the other hand, some virtuous young virgins, that have indeed come such into their husband's beds, have been accused by the ignorance and incredulity of their husbands to have lost their virginity before­hand when there has been no such matter. There­fore to do right in this case, to both parties, my de­ [...]n in this chapter is to shew, what virginity is, [Page 29] and wherein it consists: How many ways it may be lost; and how a man may know whether it be lost or not, that so women may not be wrongfully censured, or men imposed upon.

Virginity untouched and taintless, is the boast and pride of the fair sex, but they generally com­mend it to put it off: For as good as it is, they care not how soon they are honestly rid of it. And I think they are in the right, for if they keep it too long it grows useless, or at least loses much of its value, a stale virgin (if such a thing there be) be­ing looked upon like an old almanack out of date. But to speak to the purpose; virginity is the chief, the best, the first, the prime of any thing, and is properly the integrity of a woman's privities, not violated by man, or not known by him; it being the distinguishing characteristick of a virgin, that she has not known man.

To make this more plain, I must here observe, that there is in maids, in the neck of the womb, a membranous production called the Hymen, which is like the bud of a rose half blown, and this is broken in the first act of copulation with man; and hence came the word Defloro, to deslower; whence the taking away of virginity is called the deflowering of a virgin; for when the rose bud is expanded, virginity is wholly lost. Certain it is, there is in the first act of copulation something which causes pain and bleeding, which is an evident sign of vir­ginity. But what this is, authors agree not. Some say it is a nervous membrane, or thin skin, with small veins, which bleed at the first penetration of the yard. Others say, it is the four carbuncles, knobs, or little buds, like myrtle berries, which are plump and full in virgins, but hang loose and flag­gy in those that have used copulation, being pressed by the yard. Some have observed a fleshy circle about the nymphae or neck of the womb, with little obscure veins which make the membrane not to be nervous, but fleshy. But setting aside conjecture, [Page 30] the hymen or claustrum virginale, is a thin mem­brane interwoven with fleshy fibres and endowed with many little arteries and veins, spread across the passage of the bladder, with a hole in the midst for the menses to flow, so big that it will admit of the top of one's little finger; this is that which is called the zone or girdle of chastity; and where it is found in this form described it is a certain note of virginity; but in the first act of copulation, it is necessarily violated; and then it is usually accom­panied with an effusion of blood; which blood is called the flower of virginity; and when once it is broken, it never closes again.

§. 2. How virginity may be lost. &c.

In the former section I have shewn (I hope to the satisfaction of all modest enquirers) in what vir­ginity consists, and that it is lost by the first pene­tration of the yard; which may be easily known by its being attended with an effusion of blood upon the rupture of the hymeneal membrane, or Claus­trum Virginale. But I must do the fair sex this piece of justice, to let the world know that although, wherever this is found, it be an undoubted token of virginity, yet it will not follow, that where this is wanting, virginity is deflowered and lost; for the hymen may be corroded by acrimonious and fretting humours, flowing through it with the menses; or it may be violated by the inversion, or falling out of the uterus, or of the vagina, or sheath, which sometimes happens even to virgins; or (which I would have all virgins beware of, for the preserva­tion of their credit, and preventing all causes of suspicion) perhaps the indiscreet or unwary bride had her menses but a day or two before: In which case both the hymen and the inner wrinkled mem­branes of the vagina are flaggy and relaxed, so that no such rupture, and by consequence, no such effu­sion may happen. It were better therefore upon this account, that when virgins are about to marry, [Page 31] they would fix the wedding day, at least six or seven days after their menses have done flowing.

But farther, to some nature hath given greater desires after enjoyment, than others; and to such, though they abstain from enjoyment, yet so great is their lust and desire after it, that it may break the hymen and Claustrum Virginale, and some­times it itcheth to that degree that they put in their finger, and so break it. Sometimes the midwives break it in the birth; and sometimes it is done by stopping the urine, coughing, violent straining, or sneezing: So though there be no bleeding at the first penetration of the husband, it is not always a sign of unchastity, or that another has been there before him, seeing that the hymeneal membrane may be broken so many ways; but where bleeding does follow, it is an evident and undeniable token that the person was a virgin, and had never known man before. And indeed though the hymen (or mem­brane so called) may be broken all those ways I have mentioned, yet it so rarely happens to be broken any other way, that Leo Africanus makes mention of it as a general custom of the Africans at their wed­ding that after the marriage ceremonies are over, the bride and bridegroom are shut up in a chamber, while the wedding dinner is preparing, and an an­cient woman stands at the door to receive from the bridegroom a sheet having the bloody tokens of his wife's virginity, which she shews in triumph to all the guests; and then they may feast with joy: But if there is no blood seen, the bride is to be sent home again to her friends with disgrace, and the disap­pointed guests go sadly home without their dinner.

There are others that make the straitness of their privities a sign of virginity; but this is very un­certain: For this depends much upon the age, hab­it of body, and other circumstances. But though it must indeed be granted, that women who have used carnal copulation are not so strait as virgins yet this cannot be a certain argument of virginity; [Page 32] because after often repeated acts of venery, the priv­ities may be made so strait by the use of astrin­gent medicines, that those who trust to this sign, may sometimes take a whore instead of a virgin. And I have heard of a courtezan, who, though she had been married, gave herself out to be a virgin, and by the help of a bath of comfrey roots, deceived those with whom she had to do.

Others take upon them to be judges of lost vir­ginity, by milk in their breasts; but such perhaps are ignorant that there is a twofold milk, the one of virgins, the other of such as have conceived or brought forth children; that of virgins, is a mala­dy contrary to nature, but the other is natural The first is made of blood that cannot get out of th [...] womb, and so goes to the breast, being nothing b [...] a superfluous nourishment that is turned into mil [...] by the faculty of the breasts, without the knowledg [...] of a man; the other is only where there is a chil [...] either in the womb or born. Yet the milk diffe [...] very much, both in respect to the blood, and dive [...] sity of veins that bring it to the breasts; and thoug [...] both are white, yet that of virgins is thinner, an [...] less in quantity, neither is it so sweet. Therefor [...] if virgins happen to have such milk, they are n [...] for that reason to be censured as unchaste,

Upon the whole matter, the sum of what I ha [...] said upon this head of virginity, terminates in thi [...] That when a man is married; and finds the toke [...] of his wife's virginity upon the first act of [...]opul­tion he has all reason in the world to believe h [...] such, and to rest satisfied that he has married a v [...] gin; but if on the contrary he finds them not, [...] he has no reason to think her devirginated, if finds her otherwise sober and modest; seeing t [...] hymen or claustrum virginale may be broken [...] many other ways, and yet the woman both cha [...] and virtuous. Only let me caution virgins to ta [...] all imaginable care to keep their virgin zone enti [...] that so when they marry they may be such as t [...] [Page 33] great Caesar wished his wife to be; that is, not on­ly without fault, but without suspicion also.

§. 1. Of conception, what it is, &c.

THE first part of this book does most properly contain the foundation and groundwork of the secrets of nature in the generation of man; the instruments of generation in both sexes having been described; and the use of those instruments, and their aptness to the uses for which nature intended them, shewed. I have also shewed what must be done by both sexes, in order to their hav [...]ng a lawful use of each other: And then having shewn when they are fit to enter into a married state, and are capa­ble of performing the work of generation; I have treated of virginity, and shewn what it is, and wherein it consists, as also how it may be known; and the several ways of its being lost; but still all these are but the premiums of generation work, or the begetting or procreating of children. We must therefore in this second part proceed on, and shew [Page 34] what conception is, and the signs and tokens there­of, and what are the prerequisites thereunto; for when once a woman has conceived, the work of gen­eration is begun, and time, with nature's help, will perfect the work. And what at first is but concep­tion will issue in a perfect birth.

Now in conception that which is first to be re­garded, and without which it cannot [...]e, is the seed of the man that being the active principle, or effi­cient cause of the foetus, the matter of which is ar­terial blood, and animal spirits, which are elabo­rated into seed into the testicles, and from thence by proper vessels conveyed into the yard; and from whence, in the act of copulation, it is injected or emitted into the womb. The next thing is the passive principle of the foetus (for there must be both in order to conception) and there is an ovum or egg impregnated by the man's seed, endowed with a plastic or vegetative virtue; and upon the ovum being thus impregnated by the man's seed, or being conveyed to it, the womb closes up, that no air may enter therein, but that the impregnated ovum may swell into a foetus. This is that which is truly and properly called conception; and the prerequisites thereunto I shall make the subject of the next section,

§. 2. Of the prerequisites of conception.

I have shewn in the former section, that there are two things to be regarded chiefly in conception, to wit, the active and passive principle. This in part shews, that difference of sexes is a prerequisite to conception. So nature has ordained there must be a proper vehicle for the active principle to be in­jected thereunto, and there must also be a passive principle to be impregnated thereby: Therefore as the man has no passive principle to be impregnated so the woman has no active principle to impregnate, and therefore, without different sexes, there can be no conception.

But this is not all; for it is not enough that there [Page 35] be different sexes, but these different sexes must unite, and there must be coition, in order to con­ception; and it is coition, or the natural embraces of both sexes, which nature hath made so desirable to each other; which, when authorised in the way that heaven has ordained, there is no need of ravish­ing; for the fair bride will quickly meet her bride­groom with equal vigour. But since in that there may be overdoing, and such errors committed, by their giving way to the impetuosity of their desires, as may be prejudicial to conception, it will not be amiss to give some directions to make this operation the more effectual.

§ 3 A word of advice to both sexes; or directions respect­ing the act of coition, or carnal copulation.

Though there are some that desire not to have chil­dren, and yet are very fond of nocturnal embraces, to those, directions will be no way acceptable, be­cause it may probably produce those effects which they had rather be without; yet I doubt not, but the generality of both sexes, when in a married state hath such a desire to produce the fair image of them­selves, that nothing can be more welcome to them, than those directions that may make their embraces more effectual for that end; and, therefore let none think it strange that we pretend to give directions for the promoting of that which nature itself teacheth to perform; since it is no solecism for art to be a handmaid to nature and to assist her in her noblest operations. Neither is it the bare performing of the art which we are direct to, but the so perform­ing it as to make it conducive unto the work of gen­eration, and since this action is the foundation of generation, and without which it cannot be, some care ought to be taken, and consequently some ad­vice given, how to perform it well; and therein I am sure the proverb is on our side, which tells us, that what is once done well, is twice done. But yet what we shall advance on this nice subject, shall [Page 36] be offered with caution so as not to give offence to the chastest ear, nor put the fair sex to the troub of blushing. What I shall offer, will consist of two parts, First, something previous to it, and, Second­ly, something consequential of it.

For the First, when married persons design to follow the propensions of nature for the production of the fair images of themselves, let every thing that looks like care and business be banished from their thoughts, for all such things are enemies to Venus; and let their animal and vital spirits be powerfully exhilerated by some brisk and generous restoratives; and let them, to invigorate their fan­cies, survey the lovely beauties of each other, and bear the bright ideas of them in their minds: And if it happens, that instead of beauty, there is any thing that looks like imperfection or deformity for nature is not alike bountiful to all) let them b [...] covered over with a veil of oblivion. And since th [...] utmost intensity of desire is required in this act, I may not be amiss for the bridegroom, for the mo [...] eager heightening of his joy, to delineate the sce [...] of their approaching happiness, to his fair languis [...] ing bride, in some such amorous raptures as this:

[Page 37] Having by these and other amorous acts (which love can better dictate than my pen) wound up your fancies to the highest ardour and desires,

And now for the second thing proposed: When the act of coition is over, and the bridegroom has done what nature has prompted him to, he ought to take heed of withdrawing too suddenly out of the field of love, lest he should, by so doing, make way for cold to strike into the womb, which might be of dangerous consequence; but when he hath given time for the matrix to close up, which it naturally does soon after it has received the active principle, in order to make a conception, he may safely with­draw, and leave the bride upon her soft repose, which ought to be with all the calmness that the silent night, and a mind free from all disturbing care can give; betaking herself to rest on the right side and not removing without great occasion, till she has taken her first sleep. She ought also to have a care of sneezing, and if possible, to avoid both that and coughing, or any thing that causes too violent a motion of the body: Neither should they too often reiterate those amorous engagements, till the conception be confirmed; and even then the bridegroom should remember, that it is a market that lasts all the year, and to be careful that he does not spend his store too lavishly; nor will his wife like him at all the worse for it; for generally wom­en rather choose to have a thing done well, than have it often: And in this case to do it well and of­ten is inconsistent. But so much shall suffice for this.

§ 4. How a woman may know whether she has con­ceived.

After the means made use of in order to concep­ [...]on▪ according to the directions before given, there is reason to expect that conception should follow [Page 38] but because the success of all our actions depends upon the divine blessing, and other things do not always succeed according to our desires, therefore conception does not always follow upon coition; for which reason it is that many women, especially those that are but newly married, know not whether they have conceived or not, after coition; which if they were assured of, they might and would avoid sever­al inconveniences, which they run upon through ignorance thereof, for when after conception a wom­an finds an alteration in herself, and yet knows not from whence it proceeds, she is apt to run to a doctor, and enquireth of him what the matter is, who not knowing that she is with child, perhaps gives her a strong cathartical potion, which cer­tainly destroys the conception. There are others, that out of a foolish bashful coyness, though they do not know that they have conceived, yet will not confess, that they may be instructed how to order themselves accordingly. Those that are coy may in time learn to be wiser, and for the sake of those that are ignorant, I shall set them down the signs of conception, that women may thereby know whether they have conceived or not.

If a woman hath conceived, the vein under the eye will be swelled, that is under the lower eyelid, the veins in the eyes appearing clearly, and the eye somewhat discoloured; if the woman hath not her terms upon her, nor hath watched the night before, this is a certain sign she hath conceived; this ap­pears most plainly just upon the conception, and holds for the first two months.

Again, stop the urine of a woman close in a glass three days, and then strain it through a fine linen cloth; if you find small living creatures in it, she is most assuredly conceived with child. For the urine, which was before part of her own substance, will be [...] mistress.

[...] [...]ness and chillness of the outward parts after [...], shews a woman to have conceived, [Page 39] the heat being retired to make the conception; and then the veins of the breast are more clearly seen than they are wont to be. The tops of the nipples look redder than formerly▪ the body is weakened, and the face discoloured: the belly waxen very fat because the womb close [...]h itself together to nour [...]sh and cherish the seed. If she drinks cold water, [...] coldness is felt in the breasts; she hath also loss of appetite, sour belchings, and exceeding weakness of stomach; the breasts begin to swell, and wax hard, not without pain or soreness, wringing or grinding pain like the cramp, happens in the belly above the navel; also, divers appetites and longings are engendered. The veins of the eyes are also clearly seen, and the eyes seem something discoloured, as a looking glass will shew, The excrements of the guts are voided painfully, because the womb swelling, thrusteth the right gut together; likewise, let her take a green nettle, and put it into her u­rine, cover it close, and let it remain all night; if she be with child, it will be full of red spots next day; if she be not it will be blackish.

By these marks, some whereof seldom fail, a wom­an may know whether she hath conceived or not and so order herself accordingly. For,

§ 5. How to know whether a Woman be conceived of a male or female child.

In this section I shall endeavour to gratify the cu­riosity of many persons, who not being contented to know that they have conceived, are very desirous to know whether they are conceived of a male or female; for the satisfaction of such, I will give you the tokens of a male child's being conceived; by the reverse whereof, you may judge of a female.

It is then a sign of a male child, when the w [...] an feels it first on her right side; for male chil­dren lie always on that side of the womb; the [...] [Page 40] an also, when she rises up from her chair, doth sooner stay herself upon the right hand than on her left; also the belly lies rounder and higher than when it is a female. The colour of the woman is not so swarthy, but more clear than when it is a girl. The right side is likewise more plump and harder than the left; the right nipple redder. She like­wise breeds a boy easier and with less pain than a girl, and carries her burden not so heavily, but is more nimble and stirring.

I will only, as to this, add the following experi­ments, which I never knew to fail: If the circle of the woman's eyes, which is of a wan, blue colour, be more apparent under the right eye, and that most discoloured, she is with child of a boy; if the mark be most apparent in her left eye, she is with child of a girl. The other is, let her drop a drop of her milk in a bason of fair water, if it sinks to the bottom as it drops in, round in a drop, it is a girl she is with child of; for, if it be a boy, it will shred and swim a top; this I have often tried, and it never failed. This is enough to satisfy the curious; for others let them stay till the birth decide it.

1. How a Woman should order herself in order to Conception.

I AM very well satisfied that many women desire copulation, not from any delight or satisfaction they take therein, more than as it is the means ap­pointed by him that bids us increase and multiply, for the obtaining of children, and the propagation [Page 41] of mankind: And though several make use of coition to obtain this end, yet we find by experience, that in many it does not succeed, because they order not themselves as they ought to do: For though it must be granted, that all our endeavours depend upon the divine blessing; yet if we are wanting in any thing to ourselves, how can we expect that blessing to succeed our endeavours? My business therefore in this section, shall be to show how women, that desire to have children should order themselves.

First then, women that are desirous to have chil­dren, must in order thereunto, give themselves to moderate exercise? for want of exercise and idle­ness, are very great enemies to the work of gen­eration; and indeed are enemies both to the soul and to the body. And those that shall give them­selves the trouble to observe it, will find those city dames that live high, and do nothing, seldom have children, or if they have, they seldom live; whereas the poor women that accustom themselves to labour, have many children and those strong and lusty. Nor need we wonder at it, if we consider the benefit that comes by moderate exercise and labour; for it opens the pores, quickens the spirits, stirs up the nat­ural heat, strengthens the body, senses and spirits, comforts the limbs, and helps nature in all her ex­ercises, of which procreation of children is none of the least.

A second thing to be observed by women in order to conception is that they avoid all manner of dis­content, and the occasion of it; for discontent is a great enemy to conception, and it so dispirit [...] either man or woman that it hinders them from putting forth their vigour, which ought to be exerted in the act of coition, when, on the contrary, content and satisfaction of mind dilate the heart and arteries, whereby the vital blood and spirits are freely dis­tributed through the body; and thence arise such affections as please, recreate and refresh the nature of man, as hope, joy, love, gladness and mirth. Nor [Page 42] do [...] it only comfort and strengthen the body, but also the operation and imagination of the mind which is so much the more necessary, insomuch as the imagination of the mother works forcibly upon the conception of the child; women therefore ought to take great care that their imagination be pure and clear, that their children may be well formed.

A third thing that women ought to take care of, to further conception, is to keep the womb in good order; and to that end, to see that the menses come down as they ought to do; for if they are discol­oured they are out of order: But if the blood come down pure, then the woman will be very prone to conceive with child, especially if they use copula­tion in two or three days after the monthly terms are stayed.

A fourth thing a woman that would conceive should observe, is, that she use not the act of coition too often, for fatiety gluts the womb, and renders it unfit for its office. There are two things demon­strates this; that is, that common whores (who of­ten use copulation) have never, or very rarely, any children; for the grass seldom grows in a path that is commonly trodden in. The other is, that those women, whose husbands have been long absent, do, after copulation with them again, conceive very quickly.

A fifth rule is, that they take care the time of copulation be convenient, that there be no fear of surprise, for fear hinders conception. And then it were best also that the desire of copulation be natur­al, and not stirred up by provocation: And if it be natural, she greater the womans's desire after copu­lation, is, the more likely she is to conceive.

I will add no more; but what some authors re­port, that a loadstone carried about with the wom­an, not only causeth conception, but concord be­tween man and wife, which if it be true, I would have no married woman go without one, both for her own and husband's quiet.

§ 2. What a Woman ought to observe after conception.

After a woman has conceived, or has any reason to think so, she ought to be very careful of herself, lest she should do any thing that might hinder na­ture in her operation. For in the first two months after conception, women are very subject to mis­carriages; because then the ligaments are weck and soon broken. To prevent this, let the woman every morning take a draught of sage ale, and it will do her abundance of good; but if notwith­standing, signs of abortion or miscarriage appear, let her lay a toast dipped in tent (in case muskadel can­not be gotten) to the navel, for this is very good▪ [...]r let her take a little garden tansy, and having bruised it sprinkle it with muskadel, and apply it to the navel, and she will find it much better. Also tea infused in ale, like sage ale, and a draught drank every morning, is most excellent for such women as are subject to miscarriages. Also, take the juice of tansy, clarify it, and boil it up in a syrup with twice its weight in sugar, and let a woman take a spoonful or two of it in such cases, and it will be an excellent preservative against miscarriage. Also, if she can, let her be where the air is temperate, and let her sleep be moderate; let her, also, avoid all watching and immoderate exercise, as likewise disturbing passions, l [...]ud clamours, and silthy smells; and [...] [Page 44] her abstain from all things which may provoke eith­er urine or the menses; and also from all sharp and windy meats, and let a moderate diet be ob­served. If the excrements of the guts be retained, lenify the belly with clysters made of the decoction of mallows and violets, with sugar and common oil; or make a broth of borrage, bugloss, beets, mallows, and take therein a little manna; but on the con­trary, if she be troubled with a looseness of the belly, let it not be stopt without the judgment of a physi­cian, for the matter of all u [...]erine fluxes hath a malignant quality, and must be evacuated and re­moved, before the flux be stayed.

§ 1. How the Child is formed in the womb after concep­tion.

As to the formation of the child, it is to be noted that after the act of coition, the seed lies warm in the womb for six days without any visible alteration, only the womb closes up itself to prevent its issuing forth again, and for securing it from any cold; and all this time it looks like butter, or coagulated milk; and it would be very necessary for her, who has reason to believe she has conceived, to forbear the embraces of her husband all that time, lest the conception should be spoiled; but in three days af­ter it is altered from the quality of thick milk or but­ter, and it becomes blood, or at least resembles it [Page 45] in colour, nature having now begun to work upon it, so they may begin to renew their mutual endear­ments, but with a great deal of caution. In the next six days following, that blood begins now to be united into one body, and to grow hard, and be­comes a little quantity, and to appeal a round lump and as the first creation of the earth was void and without form, so is the creating work of divine power in the womb, this shameless embryo lies like the first mass. But in two days after, the principal members are formed by the plastick power of nature and these principal members, viz. the heart, the brain, the liver, and the testicles or stones. Three days after the other members are formed, and are distinguished from the shoulders by the forming fac­ulty, the knees, and the heart, liver, and stones, with their appurtenances, do grow bigger and big­ger. Four days after that, the several members of the whole body do appear, and, as nature requires they conjunctly and separately do receive their per­fection. And so in the appointed time, the whole creation hath that essence, which it ought to have to the perfection of it receiving from God a living soul, therewith putting into his nostrils the breath of life. Thus I have shewed the whole operation of nature in the formation of the child in the womb according to the energy given it by the divine Crea­tor, Maker and Upholder of all things both in heav­en and in earth.

By some others, more briefly, but to the same purpose, the forming of the child in the womb of its mother is thus described. Three days in the milk, three in the blood, twelve days from the flesh, and eighteen the members, and forty days after, the child is inspired with life, being endued with an im­mortal living soul.

§ 2. Of the Manner and Form of the Child's lying in the Womb, from the Conception to the Birth.

I come now to show in what manner the child lies in the womb of its mother, whilst it is confined in those dark recesses, and omitting what many say [...] the matter, I shall only give you the testimony of two or three of the most learned, and then present [...] figure resembling what myself have seen.

The learned Hippocrates in his treatise, De M [...] ture Paveri, affirms, that the child, as he is placed in the womb, hath his hands upon his knees, and hi [...] face between them, so that each eye toucheth each thumb, and his nose betwixt his knees; and of the same opinion in this matter, was Bartholinus th [...] younger, Columbus is of opinion, that the figure of the child in the womb is round, the right arm bow­ed, the fingers thereof under the ear, and above the neck, the head bowed down, so that the chin touch­eth the breast, the left arm bowed above both breast and face, propped up by the bending of the right elbow; the legs are lifted upwards, the right of which is so lifted up that the thigh toucheth the bel­ly, the knee the navel, the heal toucheth the left but­tock, and the foot is turned back and covereth the secrets, and the left thigh toucheth the belly, the knee the navel, the heel toucheth the right but­tock, and the foot is turned back and covereth the secrets; the left thigh toucheth the belly, and the leg lifted [...] the breast, the back lying outwards.

[Page 47] The Form of a Child in the Womb, disrobed of its Tunicles proper and common.

• A The portion of the Chorion dissected and removed from its proper place.
• B A Portion of the Amnois.
• C The membrane of the Womb dissected.
• D The Placenta, being a fleshy substance endued with many small vessels, by which the infant re­ceives its nourishment.
• E The varication of the vessels which makes up the navel string.
• [Page 48]F The navel string, by which the umbilical vessels are carried from the Placenta to the navel.
• G The infant as it lieth perfect in the womb near the time of delivery.
• H The insertion of the umbilical vessels into the navel of the infant.

Thus the reader may see how authors differ herein, but this ought to be noted, that the different posi­tions which the child hath been seen in, hath given occasion to the different opinions of authors; for when a woman is young with child, the embryo i [...] always found of a round figure, a little oblong, hav­ing the spine moderately turned inwards, the thigh [...] folding, and a little raised, to which the legs are joined, that the heels touch the buttocks, the arms bending, and the hands placed upon the knees, to­wards which, the head is inclined forwards, so that the chin toucheth the break; the spine of the back is at the same time placed towards the mother's and the head uppermost, 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 first month. In this posture it usually keeps to the seventh or eighth month, and then by a natural propensity and disposition of the upper part of the body, the head is turned down­wards, the inward orifice of the womb, tumbling as [Page 49] it were, over its head: So that the feet are uppermost and the face towards the mother's great gut. And this turning of the infant in this manner with its head downwards towards the latter end of the wom­an's reckoning, is so ordered of nature that it may be the better disposed for the birth. The knowl­edge of these things being so essential to the practice of a midwife I could not omit them; I shall now conclude what I have to say any farther as to this, referring the above figure of a child prepared for the birth, resembling what I myself have seen, taken out of the learned Spidgelius.

§ 1. Of Barrenness.

Seeing all grant, that the having of children is a blessing, it will be easily granted that bartenness is a curse. And since it is manifested that it occasions discontent between man and wife, and every woman looks upon it as a reproach to be barren, it will need no apology to enquire into the cause of it.

In some countries, before women were admitted to the marriage bed, they were searched by the midwife; and those only which she allowed of as [Page 50] fruitful, were permitted to marry. It must needs therefore be a grateful piece of service to the fair sex, to shew them how to turn the stony ground un­to a fruitful soil, that instead of being reproached with a barren womb, they may become the joyful mother of many children.

Barrenness is a natural and accidental defect which hinders conception; for that which hinders conception causes barrenness. Now, there may be several causes why conception may be hindered; as over much heat or cold drying up the seed, and making it to corrupt; this extinguishing the life of the seed, and that making it waterish and unfit for generation. It may be caused also by the not flow­ing, or by the overflowing of the courses, and by swelling ulcers, or inflammations of the womb, or by an excrescence of flesh growing about the mouth of the matrix, whereby the seed is hindered from being injected into the womb; and want of love in the persons copulating, may also hinder conception, as is apparent from those women that are deflowered against their will: No conception following any forced copulation.

And here let me caution parents against one thing that often causes barrenness, which might be easily prevented; and that is, against letting virgins blood in the arm before their courses come down; these come down in virgins usually in the fourteenth year of their age, seldom before the thirteenth, but never before the twelfth. Now because usually young virgins are out of order before they first break down the mother goes with her to the doctor, who finding that fullness of blood is the occasion of her illness, orders her to let blood in the arm; upon which she becomes well for a time, the superfluous blood being taken away; and this remedy, which is still worse than the disease, being repeated four or five times, the blood comes not down at all to the womb, as it does in other women, but the womb dries up, and is forever barren: Whereas, had she been let blood [Page 51] in the foot, it would have brought the blood down­wards, and so have provoked the terms, and have prevented mischief.

Another cause of barrenness is for want of con­venient moderate quality, which the woman ought to have with the man; as if he be hot, she must be cold; if he be dry, she must be moist; but if they both be of a dry or both of a moist constitution, they cannot propagate; though in this case neither of them be barren, singly considered; for he or she, though now as barren as the barren fig tree, yet joined to an apt constitution, may become as fruitful as the vine.

Another case in barrenness may be the disuse of copulation; for some there are of that frigid consti­tution, that they either use not the means at all, or else, perform it with so much languor and coldness, that it is not likely it should prove efficacious; where­as as I have already said, the act of coition should be performed with the greatest ardour and intenseness of desire imaginable, or else they may as well let it alone, for as good never a whit, as never the better. But since nature teaches to do what they do in this kind vigorously, this frigid disposition is the effect of a cold distemper, and must be cured by such things as heat and nourish; and therefore such ought to eat and drink of the best, since the latin proverb tells us, Sine Cerere et Lib [...]ro friget Venus.

Such therefore ought to feed on cock stones and lamb stones, sparrows, partridges, quails, and pheas­ant eggs; for it is an infallible aphorism in physic, that whatsoever any creature is extremely addicted to, they operate to the same end by their seminal virtue in the man that eats them. Therefore part­ridges, quails and sparrows, &c. being extemely addicted to venery, they work the same effect in those that eat them. And this likewise is worthy to be noted, that in what part of the body the faculty [Page 52] that you would strengthen lies, take the same part of another creature, in whom that faculty is strong, for a medicine; as for instance, the virtus procrea­tiva lies in the testicles, therefore cock stones &c, are medical in this distemper. Let such persons also eat such food as is very nourishing, as parsnips, disanders, skirrits, and pine nuts: and let them take a dram of diasatyron in an electuary every morning. The stones of a sox dried to powder, and a dram of it taken every morning in tent is also very good in this case and so also is a dram of saty­rion roots, taken in like manner.

§ 2. Of the Signs of insufficiency of Men and barrenness in Women.

After married persons have lived long together, and both seem likely, and yet neither of them have had children, there often arises discontent between them; and both are troubled because they know not on whose side the fault is; and though authors have left several ways to know whether the man or the woman be defective, yet because I cannot confide in their judgments, I shall pass them by in silence, and rather lay down a few rules that may be depended on, than many that are uncertain. But I must first premise that the women are subject to so many infirmities more than men, that the cause of barren­ness is oftener on their side than the men's; for if the man has the instrument of generation perfect, being in health, and keeping a regular and temperate diet and exercise, I know no accidental cause of barren­ness in him; whereas the chief cause of barrenness in a woman lies in her womb, and the infirmities incident thereunto, some of which are the stopping of the menstrua, or their overflowing: As also the flux in the womb with the [...]alling out thereof, and the inflammation, windiness, heat and dryness thereof; for each of which we prescribe proper cures. But to be a little more particular.

If a man or a woman, in whom the instruments of [Page 53] generation appear no way defective, would know whether the cause of barrenness be in themselves, or their bedfellows, let them take a handful of bar­ley, or any other corn that will grow quickly and steep half of it in the urine of a man, and the other half in the urine of the woman, the space of 24 hours, then take it out and set it, the man's by itself, and the woman's by itself, in a flower pot, or something else, then water the man's every morning with his own urine, and the woman's with hers; and that which grows not at all, denotes the person to be nat­urally barren. Nor let any despise this trial; for if seeing physicians will by urine undertake to tell a person of his or her diseases, why should not urine also show whether a person be fruitful or not? But if in a man the instrument of generation is not perfect it will be obvious to the fight; and if the yard be so feeble that it will not admit of erect [...]on, it can nev­er convey the seed into the womb; nor can there be in such case any conception. But this is plain and so easily discerned, that it must needs be obvious to both parties; and that man that finds himself de­bilitated, ought not to marry; or if he does, he must be contented if he finds his wife seeking for that sat­isfaction which he is incapable of giving. It is true, that for a woman to supply her husband's defects is contrary both to honour and virtue; but where a woman doth break those bounds, on such occasions, the fault will lie in a great measure, at the husband's door, though the wife cannot be held innocent.

The case cannot be so bad with the woman, though she be barren, but that her husband may make use of her unless she be impenetrable, which, though it some­times does, yet but very rarely happens: Therefore the man is more inexcusable if he transgress.

Besides what I have already mentioned, signs of barrenness in women are. If she be of an over hot constitution, of a dry body, subject to anger, hath black hair, a quick pulse, her purgations flow but little, and that with pain, and yet has a violent de­sire [Page 54] to [...]oition; but if she be of a cold constitution, then are the signs contrary to those recited.

§ 5. Of the Cure of Barrenness.

In the cure of Barrenness, respect must be had to the cause; for the cause must be first removed, and then the womb strengthened, and the spirits of the seed enlivened by corroborating applications.

If barrenness proceeds from over much heat, let her use inwardly, succory, endive, violets, water lilies, sorrel and lettuce, with syrup, and conserves made thereof; thus,

Take conserve of borage, violets, succory water-lilies, of each one ounce; half an ounce of conserve of roses, diamargariton frigid, diatrion, santulon, of each half a dram; with syrup of violets, or juice of citron, make an electuary.

Let her also take of endive, water lilies, borrage flowers of each, a handful: Rheubarb, mirolalans, of each 3 drams; with water make a decoction; add to the straining the syrup of laxative violets, an ounce, syrup of cassia, half an ounce; manna, three drams, make all in a potion. Take of the syrup of mugwort one ounce, syrup of maiden hair two ounces pulv. elect. trionsant. make all up into a julep. Apply to the reins and privities fomentations of the juice of lettuce, violets, roses, mallows, vine leaves and night shade; let her also anoint her secret parts with the cooling ointment of galls. Baths are good for her to sit in. Let the air be clear, her garments thin, her food lettuce, endive, succory, and barley; but let her have no hot meats, nor strong wine, ex­cept it be waterish and thin. Rest is good for her both in body and mind; she must use little copula­tion, but may sleep as much as she will.

If barrenness [...]e occasioned by the predominance of cold, extinguishing the power of the seed, which may be known by her desiring venery, and receiv­ing no pleasure in the act of copulation, even while the man is spending his seed; her terms are phleg­matick, [Page 55] thick and slimy, and flowing not rightly. In this case let her take syrup of calamint, mugwort, betony, of each an ounce; water of pennyroyal, fe­verfew, hysop, sage, of each two ounces, and make a julep. Also, let her take every morning two spoonfuls of cinnamon water, with one scruple of mithridate. Also let her take oil of anniseed, one scruple and a half; jasmini, diaclam, both diasci­mo, diagalang, of each one dram; sugar 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 also fasten cupping glasses to her lips and belly: And let her take storax calamintis one ounce; mastich, cloves, cinnamon nutmeg, lignom, aloes, frankincense, of each half an ounce: Musk ten grains, ambergrease half a scruple with rose water, make a confection; divide it into four parts; of one part make a pomum odo­ratum to smell to if she be not hysterical; of the second make a mass of pills, and let her take three every night, of the third make a pessary, and put it up; and of a fourth make a suffumigation for the womb.

If barrenness arises from the faculties of the womb being weakened, and the life of the seed suffocated by over much humidity flowing on those parts, let her take of betony, marjorum, mugwort, pennyroyal, balm, of each one handful; root of asarum fen­nel, elechampane, of each two drams, anniseed and cumminseed, of each a dram, with sugar and water a sufficient quantity, of each make a syrup and take three ounces every other morning. Then purge with these following pills, take of pil. extid. two scruples, diagridian, two grains, Specie de Castore one scruple, make them up in nine pills with syrup of mugwort. Also take spec. Diagemmae, Diam­bre of each one dram; cinnamon one dram and a half; mace, cloves, nutmegs, of each half a dram, sugar six ounces, with water of feverfew make lo­ [...]ges, to be taken every morning. Likewise let [Page 56] her take of the decoction of sarsaparilla and virga anted. with a good quantity of sage, which is an herb of that virtue, that Cornelius Agrippa honour­ed it with the title of Sacra Herba a holy herb; and Ladenacus, in his history of the plants, reports, That after a great plague had happened in Egypt which had almost depopulated the country, the sur­viving women were commanded to drink the juice of sage, that they might multiply the faster. Let her also anoint her genitals with the oil of anniseed, and spikenard. Trochises to smother the womb are also very good. To make which, let her take mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, storax, amber, of each one dram, cloves, labdani, of each half a dram; turpentine a sufficient quantity. Lastly, take the roots of vale­rian and elechampane, of each one pound; of galin­gal three ounces; origan, lavender, marjoram, betony, mugwort, bay leaves, calamint, of each three handfuls; with water make an infusion, in which let her set after she hath had her courses. But to proceed.

If barrenness be caused by the dryness of the womb consuming the matter of the feed; let her take every day almonds and goat's milk, extracted with honey. Eat often of the root of satyrion, con­dited, and of the electuary of diasatyrion. Let her also take three weather's heads, and boil them till the flesh comes from the bones; then take of meli­lot, violets, camomile, mercury, with the roots of each a handful; or this, senugreek, linseed, vale­rian roots, of each one pound, let all these be de­cocted in the aforesaid broth, and let the woman sit in the decoction up to the navel. Also take of deer's suet half an ounce, cow's marrow, styracis, liqui­didae, of each a dram, oil of sweet almonds, two ounces with silk or cotton make a pessary, and make injections of fresh butter and oil of sweet almonds.

It sometimes happens that barrenness is caused by remissness in the manner of the act of coition, and though there be no impediment on either side, yet [Page 57] if both sexes meet not in that act with equal vigour, no conception follows; for many times the man is too quick for the woman, or rather the woman too slow for the man: And those that follow the opinion of the ancients, that the woman contributes seed to the formation of the child as well as the man, are of opinion that there ought to be a joint emission both of the man and woman at the same instant; which administering to both a very great delight, perfects the work of conception. But if in this case the wo­man be slack the man should follow the advice given in chap. iii. § 2. where both sexes are shewed how to manage themselves in the act of coition; that so by stirring up in the woman a desire of venery, she may meet his embraces with the greatest ardour. But if this should prove ineffectual, let her, before the act of coition, foment the privities with the de­coction of betony, sage, hyssop and calamint, and anoint the mouth of the neck of the womb with musk and civet; and the cause of barrenness removed, let the womb be corroborated by the following appli­cations.

Take of the bay berries, mastich, nutmeg, frank­incense, cypress nuts, labdani, galbani, of each one dram; styracis liquidae, two scruples; cloves, half a scruple; ambergrease, two grains; musk, six grains; then with oil of spikenard make a pessary. Also, take red roses, with frankincense, lapidis hae­matis, of each half an ounce; sanguis draconis, sine bole, mastich, of each two drams; nutmeg, cloves, of each one dram, spikenard, half a scruple, and with oil of wormwood make a plaister for the lower part of the belly. And let her eat of the eringo roots con [...]ited, and make an injection of the juice of the roots of satyrion. And then let her use cop­ulation soon after the menses are ceased, concep­tion then being most apt to follow; for then the womb is thirsty and dry, and aptest both to draw the seed, and to retain it, by the roughness of the inward superficies, and let her take great care to [Page 58] avoid excess of all things. And to lay aside all pas­sions of the mind, shunning study and care, as things that are enemies to co [...]ption, for if a woman con­ceive under such circumstances, how wise and pru­dent soever the parents are, the children at the best will be but foolish, because the animal faculties of the parents, viz. the understanding and judgment, from whence the children derive their reason, are confused through the multitudes of cares and cogi­tations, of which we see divers examples in learned men, who after great study and care have performed their conjugal rites with their wives, have often be­gotten children which indeed have been the fruits of their bodies, but not the issue of their brains. But this much shall suffice for the chapter of barrenness.

§ 1. Of Air, Diet, Exercise, &c.

I HAVE already shewn how a young woman ought to order herself, and what she ought to do pre­sently after conception, in order to prevent miscar­riage; and therefore shall say no more as to that; my design in this chapter, is to shew how she ought to govern herself during the whole time of her preg­nancy.

First then, let a woman, that is with child (if she can) choose a temperate air, not infected with frogs▪ [Page 59] and for that reason, not near any marshy grounds, rivers, lakes, or ponds; but this in some cannot be avoided, their habitation falling out to be in such places; but those that can live where they please, ought to avoid such places, and so they should like­wise the going abroad in too hot or too cold weather; as also when the south wind blows hard for that of­ten proves hurtful to a woman with child; and sometimes causes abortion. Nor is the north wind much less hurtful, or less to be avoided, as causing rheums, coughs, and catarrhs, which opening the body, often cause miscarriages.

Secondly, She ought to be very cautious in the matter of her diet, choosing only those meats that create wholesome nourishment, and such as are mod­erately dry; and let her take care to prevent and avoid immoderate fasting, for that will weaken the infant, and render it of a sickly constitution, and sometimes causes abortion. And as all these ex­cesses are to be avoided, so she must take care not only of avoiding immoderate fasting but immoderate eating too, which will not only be apt to stuff up the child, but to swell it up to that degree, that it will endanger the life of itself and the mother in its birth. Let it suffice that in general, she avoids all meats which are too hot or too cold and moist; such as sallads, spices and hot meats, which often cause the child to be born before its time, and sometimes without nails which foreshews a short life. And therefore in this case the most wholesome meats are pigeons, partridges, pheasants, larks, veal, mutton, or any meat that yields a good juice, and contri­butes kindly nourishment: as also such fruits as are sweet, and of easy digestion, as cherries, pears, dam­sons and the like. But let her avoid, as pernicious, all such things as cause and create wind.

Care also ought to be taken with respect to her exercise, which ought to be moderate; for violent motion, either in walking or working, is hurtful and disturbing to the womb: especially riding up­on [Page 60] stones in a coach, or any other uneven place and in like manner should all extraordinary sounds and noises be avoided, especially the ringing of bells, and the discharging of great guns; neither ought she to give way to immoderate laughing or weeping, or to anger, or any other passion; for that may be prejudicial to her.

§ 2. Farther rules for Women to observe during Preg­nancy.

Though the act of coition is that without which conception cannot be, yet the immoderate use of it hinders the chief end for which it was designed: In the first four months after conception she ought not to lie with her husband, or at least sparingly, lest by shaking the womb in that action, the course would again be forced down. In the sixth and eighth month she ought also to abstain; but in the fifth, seventh and ninth, it may freely be permitted by reason it opens the passage, and facilitates the birth; to contribute the better towards which the woman should be careful to keep her body soluble; syrups and other opening things being very helpful to na­ture in those operations. Let her before she grows too big lay aside her busk▪ and not lacing too close, lest the child be therefore hindered from coming to its full growth.

To prevent any disorder that may happen to her breasts by too much blood, which will cause curdled milk, let her wear a necklace of gold about her neck or father a small ingot of steel between her breasts, fomenting them a quarter of an hour every morning with water distilled from ground ivy and sage, be­ing blood warm.

When her belly is swelling and the motion is [...] which will be about the fourth month, she may swath it with a swath band, anointed with pomatum, or any other thing of that kind to keep it smooth and free from wrinkles, for which end it will be best to take of the caul of a kid, and [...] a sow, of each three [Page 61] ounces; capon grease, and goose grease, of each one ounce and a half, and having melted them alto­gether, put thereto a jill of water; after which strain it through a linen cloth into fair water casting it to and fro therein, till it be white, at which time add to it of the marrow of a red deer one ounce, and lay it in red rose water twelve hours after the expiration of which, you may use it, anointing all the swath and belly.

§ 1. How a midwife ought to be qualified.

THE office of a midwife is not to be undertaken by any without due consideration, first, wheth­er they are sufficiently qualified for it; or else they make themselves guilty of the death of all those that miscarry under their hands, for want of ability to perform their office; and though they may escape with impunity before men, they will assuredly be called to account for it before a higher tribunal. And, therfore a midwife should take care to fit herself for that employment, with the knowledge of things necessary for the faithful discharge thereof: And that I may contribute thereto, is one principal end of this book. In order to which, I shall briefly shew how a midw [...]fe ought to be qualified.

A midwife ought to be of a midling age, neither too old nor too young, of a good habit of body, not subject to diseases, fears or sudden frights; nor ate the qualifications assigned to a good surgeon im­proper for a midwife, viz. a lady's hand, a hawk's eye, and a lion's h [...]art: To which may be added, activity of body, not subject to drowsiness; nor must [Page 62] she be over hasty, but above all, she ought to be qualified with the fear of God.

§ 2. What must be done when the Woman's time of Labour is come.

When the time of birth day draws near, and the good woman finds her travail p [...] begin to come upon her let her send for a midwife in time, better too soon than too late, and get those things ready which are proper upon such occasions: When the midwife is come, let the first thing she does, be to find whether the true time of the birth be come; the want of observing this hath spoiled many a child and endangered the life of the mother, or at least put her to twice as much pain as needed, for unskilful midwives not minding this, have given things to force down the child, and thereby disturbed the nat­ural course of her labours; whereas nature works best in her own time and way. I do confess it some­what difficult to know the time of some women's la­bour, they being troubled with pains so long before their true labour comes, by reason of heat in the reins, is known by the swelling of the legs. My advice to such women is to cool their reins before the time of their labour; which may be effectually done, by anointing the reins of their back with the oil of poppies, and violets, or water lilies, and thus they may avoid hard labour.

§ 3. Signs by which the true Time of a Woman's Labour may be known.

When women draw near the time of their reckon­ing, especially with the first child, and perceive any extraordinary pain in their belly, they immediately send for their midwife, taking it their labour, which is only caused by the cholick, and proceed from wind; which pains, though they come and go, griping the whole belly, are without any forcing downward into the womb, as it is done by those who go before labour.

[Page 63]The signs of labour some days before, are, that the woman's belly which before lay high, sinks down and hinders her from walking so easily as she used to do; also there flows from the womb slimy humours, which nature hath appointed to moisten and make smooth the passage.

But when she is presently fallen into labour, the signs are great pains about the region of the reins and loins, which coming and retreating by inter­vals, answer in the bottom of the belly by congru­ous throws; and sometimes the face is red and in­flamed, the blood being much heated by the endeav­ours she makes to bring forth the child. She is likewise much subject to vomiting, which is a sign of good labour, and speedy delivery, though by ig­norant women thought otherwise.

§ 4. What is to be done at the time of Labour.

When by the foregoing signs concurring, the midwife is satisfied that it is the true time of her la­bour; she must take care to get all things ready that are necessary to comfort the travailling woman in that time; and the better to do that, let her see that she be not strait laced. She may also give her a pretty strong clyster, if she finds there be occasion for it; but with this proviso, that it be done at the beginning, and before the child be too forward, for otherwise it would be difficult for her to receive it; the advantage of which clyster is, that the guts thereby will be excited to discharge itself of its ex­crements, and the rectum being emptied, there will be more space for the dilating of the passage; like­wise to cause the pains to bear more downwards, through the endeavours she makes; other necessary things for her labour will be put in order, both for mother and the child.

As to the manner of the delivery, various mid­wives use different ways; some are delivered sitting on a midwife's stool; but, for my part, I think that a pallet bed, girded, and placed near the fire, that [Page 64] the good women may come on each side, that she may more readily be assisted, is much the better way.

And if the labouring woman abounds with blood, it may not be improper to let her bleed a little, for by that means she will both breathe the better, and have her breath more at liberty: And likewise more strength to bear down her pain. And this may be done without danger, because the child being now ready to be born, needs not the mother's blood for its nourishment any longer. And not only so, but this evacuation does many times prevent her having a fever after delivery. Likewise if her strength will permit, let her walk up and down her chamber; and the better to enable her thereto, let her take some good strengthening things such as new laid eggs, jelly broth, or some spoonfuls of burnt wine; and encourage her to hold off her pains, bearing them down when they take her all that she can. And let the midwife often touch the inward orifice with her finger, that she may the better know whether the waters are ready to break, and whether the birth will follow soon after, for generally the birth fol­lows in two hours after the afflux of the water; and to help it after, let her anoint the woman's privi­ties with emollient oil, hog grease and fresh butter; especially if she find them too hard to be dilated.

Let the midwife also be near the labouring all the while, and diligently observe her gestures, pains, and complaints, for by this she may guess pretty well how her labour goes forward: For when she changes her groans into loud cries it is a great sign the birth is near; at which time her pains are greater and more frequent. Let her also sometimes rest herself on her bed to renew her strength, but not too long at a time, for to lie too long at a time will retard her labour, and therefore it is better for her to walk about the chamber as much as she can. If she finds any sick qualms, let her not be discour­ged; and if she finds any motions to vomit, let [Page 65] her not repress them, but rather give way to them; for it will, (however uneasy and irksome they be for the present) be much for her benefit; because they further the pains and provoke downwards.

§ 4. How to provoke the Birth, and cause speedy Deliv­ery.

When the birth is long deferred after the coming down of the waters, let her hasten the birth by drink­ing a good draught of wine, where dittany, red coral, juniper berries, pennyroyal, and feverfew have been boiled. Take a dram of cinnamon in powder, inwardly, or tansy bruised and applied to the privities. The stone etites held to the privities doth in a very little time draw forth the child and after burthen; but care must be taken to remove it presently, or else it will draw forth the womb and all, so great is its magnetic virtue. The juice of parsley being of great virtue, especially the stone parsley, being drank by a woman with child, it clears not only the womb, but also the child in the womb of all gross humours. Take piony seeds, beat them to powder and mix it with oil, with which oil anoint the loins and privities of the woman with child, it gives deliverance very speedily.

§ 6. How a Woman should be placed in order to her Delivery; with directions to the Midwife how to deliver the labouring woman.

At first let the woman be conducted to the pallet bed, placed at a convenient distance from the fire ac­cording to the season of the year, and let there be a quilt laid upon the pallet bedstead, which is better than a feather bed, and let it have thereon linen clothes in many folds, with such other things as are neces­sary, which may be changed according as the occa­sion requires it, that so the woman may not be in­commoded with blood, water, and other filth, which is voided in labour. Then let her lay the woman upon her back having her head raised by the help of [Page 66] a pillow, having the like help to support her reins and buttocks, that her rump may be high, for if she lie low she cannot well be delivered. Then let her keep her knees and thighs as far asunder as she can her legs being bowed towards her buttocks, and let her feet be staid upon a log, or some other firm thing. And let two women hold her shoulders, that she may strain out the birth with the more ad­vantage holding in her breath, and forcing herself as much as possible, in like manner as when she goes to stool. In the mean time, let the midwife encour­age her all she can, and take care that she have no rings on her hands when she anoints the parts; then with her finger let her gently dilate the inward orifice of the womb, and putting her fingers into the entry thereof, stretch them one from another when it pains her, by this means endeavouring to help forward the child, and thrusting by little and little the sides of the orifice towards the hinder part of the child's head, anointing those parts also with fresh butter, in case it be necessary. And when the head of the infant is somewhat advanced in this in­ward orifice, it is usual among midwives to say, it is crowned; because it both girds and surrounds it like a crown: But when it is gone so far, and the extremity begins to appear without the privy parts then they say, the child is in the passage: And at this time the woman feels herself as if she were scratched or pricked with pins, and is ready to think that the midwife hurts her; whereas in truth it is only occasioned by the violent distention of those parts, which sometimes even suffers alucration through the bigness of the child's head. When things are come to this posture let the wife seat herself con­veniently to receive the child, which will now come very quickly, and with her finger ends, which she ought also to be sure to keep pared, let her endeav­our to thrust the crowning of the womb back over the head of the child. And as soon as it is advanced a [...] far as the ears, or thereabouts▪ let her take hold [Page 67] of the two sides with her two hands, and wait till the good pain come, and then quickly draw forth the child taking care that the navel string be not then entangled about the child's neck, or any other part as sometimes it is, lest thereby the afterbur­den be pulled with violence, and perhaps the womb also to which it is fastened, and so either cause her to flood or else break the string, both which are of bad consequence to the woman, and render her de­livery the more difficult. Great care must be taken that the head be not drawn forth straight, but shak­ing it a little from one side to the other that the shoulders may the sooner and easier take its place immediately after it is past; which must be done without losing any time, lest the head being past, the child be stopt thereby the largeness of the shoul­ders, and so be in danger of being suffocated in the passage, as it has sometimes happened for want of care therein. But as soon as the head is born, she may slide in her fingers under the arm pits, and the rest of the body follows with ease. As soon as the midwife hath in this manner drawn forth the child, let her lay it on one side, lest the blood and water which follow immediately, should do it an injury, by running into its mouth and nose, as it would do if it lay on its back, and so endanger the choaking of it. The child being thus drawn forth, the next thing required 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 sometimes a woman may have twins; of which the midwife may satisfy herself, both by the woman's throws and the bigness of her belly.

§ 7. Of the Afterburden.

As soon as the child is born, before the midwife either ties or cuts the navel string, lest the womb should close let her, having taken the string, wind it once or twice about one or two of the fingers of the left hand, joining together the better to hold it [Page 68] about the left, near the privities, drawing likewise with that very gently, resting awhile, with the fore­finger of the same hand, extending and stretching along the strings towards the entry of the Vagina always observing for the more facility, to draw it from the side to which the burden least inclines, for in so doing the rest will separate the better. And extraordinary care must be taken that it be not drawn forth with too much violence, lest by break­ing the string near the burden, the midwife be o­bliged to put up the whole hand in the womb to de­liver the woman, and she had need take great care in this matter, that so the womb itself, to which sometimes this burden is fastened very strongly, be not drawn away with it, which has sometimes hap­pened. Sneezing being very conducive to bring away the afterbirth; let her take a little white hellibore in powder to cause her to sneeze. Tansy, and stone etites applied as before directed, are very efficacious in this case. The smoke of marygold flowers received up by the woman's privities, by a funnel, will bring away the after birth, though the midwife has lost her hold. Or you will boil mug­wort in water till it be very soft, and then take it out, and apply it like a poultice to the navel of the woman in travail, it instantly brings away both the birth and the afterbirth; but as soon as they come forth, it must be instantly taken away, lest it should bring away the womb also.

§ 8. How to cut the Child's Navelstrings.

As soon as the child is come into the world, let the midwife consider whether it be weak or strong, and if it be weak, let her gently put back part of the vital and natural blood, in the body of the child by the navel, for that recruits a weak child, the vi­tal and natural spirit being communicated by the mother to the child by its navel string. But if the child be strong, there is no need of it. Only it will not be amiss to let the midwife know that many chil­dren [Page 69] that are born seeming dead, may be brought to life again, if she squeezes six or seven drops of blood out of that part of the navelstring which is cut off, and give it the child inwardly.

As to the cutting it short or long, authors can scarce agree about it nor midwives neither; some prescribing it to be cut at four finger's breadth, which is at the best but an uncertain rule, unless all fingers were of one size. Let the midwife take a brown thread, three or four times double, of an ell long, or thereabout, tied with a single knot at each of the ends, to prevent their entangling; and with this thread so accommodated let her tie the string within an inch of the belly, with a double knot, and turning about the ends of the thread, let her tie two more on the other side of the string, reiterating it again, if it be necessary; then let her cut off the navel string another inch below the ligature, towards the after­birth, so that there only remains but two inches of the string, in the midst of which will be the knot we speak of. Care must be taken not to knit it so strait as to cut it in two; therefore the thread must be pretty thick, and pretty strait knit, it being bet­ter too strait than too loose. Some children have miserably lost their lives, before it hath been discov­ered that the navel string was not well tied. Great care must be taken that no blood squeeze through, for if there do, new knots must be made with the rest of the string.

As soon as the navelstring is cut off, apply a lit­tle cotton or lint to the place, to keep it warm, lest the cold enter into the body of the child, which it will unavoidably do in case it be not hard enough; and if you grate nutmeg over it, it will be the bet­ter; then put another small rag three or four times double upon the belly of the child.

§ 1. What unnatural labour is.

Unnatural Labour is, when any unhappy acci­dent attends the birth, and when the child comes into the world in a contrary position to that which nature hath ordained. When the child comes with its feet foremost, or with the side across, it is quite contrary to nature, or to speak more plainly, it is unnatural.

§ 2. Whence hard, difficult and unnatural labour proceeds.

The first answer to the question that some put, why women bring forth their children with so much pain? is, that it is the effect of the curse pronounced against woman, for her transgressing the law of the Creator; for upon her sinning, it was pro­nounced as a curse against her, that in sorrow should she bring forth her children.

But the natural and physical reason hereof are that the sense of feeling being distributed to the whole body by the nerves; and the mouth of the womb being so strait, that it must of necessity be dilated at the time of her delivery; the dilating thereof stretcheth the nerves, and from thence comes the pain: And therefore the reason why some women have more pain in labour than others 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 reason of a general indisposition of her body; or from the indisposition of some par­ticular part only, and that principally of the womb, which may be effected with such weakness, as ren­ders her unable to expel her burden. It may be also [Page 71] [...]ecause she is too young, or it may be too old, and [...] may have the passages too strait; and then if it [...] her first child, the parts may be too dry and hard, [...]nd cannot easily be dilated. The cholic does also [...]ause labour to be hard and difficult, because it hin­ [...]ers the true pains which should accelerate it.

§ 3. How the midwife must proceed in order to the delivery of a woman, in case of hard labour, and great extremity.

In case the midwife finds a woman in difficult la­ [...]our, she must endeavour to know the particular ob­struction, or cause thereof, that so she may apply a suitable remedy. When hard labour is caused by a woman's being too young and too strait, the passage must be anointed with oil, hog's lard or fresh but­ter, to relax and dilate them the easier. But if a woman be in years, and has hard labour from her first child, let her lower parts be anointed to mollify the inward orifice, which in such a case (being more [...]hard and callous) does not easily yield to the desti­nation of labour. And indeed this is the true cause why such women are longer in labour, and why their children in their birth are more subject to bruises than others. Those that are very lean, and have hard labour from that cause, let them moisten their private parts with oil and ointments, to make them more smooth and slippery, so that the head of the infant in the womb may not be compressed and bruis­ed by the hardness of its mother's bones in its pas­sage. But if the cause be weakness, she ought to be strengthened, the better to enable her to support her pain.

If upon enquiry it appears that the secundine comes first, let the woman be delivered with all con­venient speed, because then a great flux of blood will follow; for then the veins are opened. And on this account two things are to be minded▪ First, whether the secundine advance forwards [...]uch or [...]ittle; if the former, and the head of the child first [Page 72] appears, it must be directed to the neck of the womb as in the case of natural births; but if there appear any difficulty in the delivery, the best way is to search for the feet, and by them it may be put by with a gentle hand, and the child taken out first; but if the secundine advance, so that it cannot be put back and the child follow it close, then the se­cundine is to be taken forth with much care, and as swift as may be, and laid aside without cutting the entrail that is fastened to them, for by that you may be guided to the infant, which whether it be alive or dead, must be drawn forth by the feet as soon as possible; though this is not to be done by any means but in cases of great necessity; for the order of na­ture is for the secundine to come last.

§ 4. Of the Delivery of a dead Child.

In delivering a woman of a dead child, before any thing be attempted, the operator ought first to be very certain that the child is dead indeed; which may be known by the falling of the mother's breasts, the coldness of her belly, the thickness of her urine, which is attended with a striking sediment at bot­tom, and no motion to be perceived in the child; also, when she turns herself in her bed, the child sways that way like a lump of lead, and her breath stinks, though not used to do so. When by these and the like signs, the operator is come to a settled judg­ment that the child is dead, let him apply himself to the saving of the mother, by giving her those things that are the most powerful in the saving na­ture in her operations; and which he has been be­fore directed to. But if through weakness the woman be not able to operate with nature, so that a manual operation is absolutely necessary, let the operator carefully observe the following directions, viz. If the child be found dead, with its head foremost, he must take notice that the delivery will be the more difficult because in this case it is not only impossible that the child should any way assist in its delivery, [Page 73] but the strength of the mother doth also very much fail her; and thereupon the most sure and safe way for him, is to put up his left hand, sliding it as hollow in the palm as he can, into the neck of the womb, into the lower part thereof towards the feet, and that between the infant and the neck of the ma­trix; and then having a hook in the right hand, couch it close, and slip it above the left hand, be­tween the head of the child and the flat of the hand, fixing it in the bone of the temple, towards the eye, or for want of convenient coming at these, in the oc­cipal bone, observing still to keep the left hand in its place, and with it gently moving or stirring the head, and so with the right hand draw the child for­ward, encouraging the woman to put her utmost strength, and always drawing when the woman's pangs are upon her. The head being thus drawn forth, the operator must, with all speed slip his hand under the arm holes of the child, and take it quite forth, giving presently to the woman a toast of fine wheaten bread, in a quarter of a pint of tent, to re­vive and cherish her spirits.

§ 1. Directions for Childbed women after Deliv­ery.

AFTER the birth and the afterburden are brought away, if the woman's body be very weak, keep her not too hot, for extremity of heat weakens nature, and dissolves the strength; whether she be weak or strong, let no cold air come near her at first, for cold is an enemy to the spermatick parts; and if cold gets into the woman, it increases [Page 74] the after pain, causes swelling in the womb, and hurts the nerves; therefore if a woman has had very hard labour, it is convenient after delivery, to wrap her in the skin of a sheep, taken off whilst it is warm and putting the flesh side to her reins and belly: Or if this cannot be so well had, the skin of a hare or rabbit, taken off as soon as it is [...]illed, may be ap­plied to the same parts; and by so doing the dila­tion made in the birth will be closed and the melan­choly blood expelled from those parts.

After she has been delivered a while, you may make a restrictive of the yolk of two eggs; a quar­ter of a pint of white wine, oil of St. John's wort, oil of roses, plantain and rose water, of each an ounce, mix them together, fold a linen cloth and dip it therein, warm it before a gentle fire, and then apply it to the breasts, and the pains of those parts will be gently eased.

But be sure let her not sleep soon after her deliv­ery, but let her take some broth, cordial, or any other liquid matter that is nourishing, about four hours after delivery, and then she may safely be permitted to sleep if she be so disposed, as it is prob­able she will be, being tired with the fatigue of her labour. But before this, as soon as she is laid in her bed, let her drink a draught of burnt white wine, in which you have melted a dram of spermaceti. Let her also avoid the light for the first three days; for her labour weakens her eye sight exceedingly, there being a sympathy between them and the womb. If the womb be foul, which may be known by the impurity of the blood, and its stinking and coming away in clotted lumps; or if you suspect any of the after birth to be left behind, (which may sometimes happen, though the midwife be never so careful and skilled) then make her drink of feverfew, pennyroy­al, mother of thyme, boiled in white wine, and sweetened with sugar. New laid eggs are the best meat for he [...] at first, of which let her eat often, but [Page 75] little at a time. And let her use cinnamon in all her meats and drinks, for it mightily strengthens the womb. Let her stir as little as may be for six or seven days after delivery, and let her talk as little as may be, for that weakens her. If she goes not well to stool, give her a clyster of the decoction of mallows and a little brown sugar.

Let the woman be sure to keep a temperate diet; and take care she does by no means overcharge herself, after such an excessive evacuation; not be­ing ruled by, or giving credit to unskilful nurses who are apt to admonish them to feed heartily, the bet­ter to repair the loss of blood, for the blood is not for the most part pure, but such as has been retained in the vessels or membranes, and is better voided, for the health of the woman, than kept, unless there happen an extraordinary flux of blood; for if her nourishment be too much, it may make her liable to a fever, and increase the milk to superfluity, which may be of dangerous consequence. In this case let her have coriander or fennel seed, boiled in her barley broth; and by that mean for the time before mentioned, let her abstain from meat; if no fever trouble her, she may drink now and then a small quantity of white wine or claret, as also syrup of maidenhair, or any other syrup that is of an astrin­gent quality, taking it in a little water and boiled.

§ 1. Of a Mole, or false Conception.

AS to a mole, or false conception, it is called by Greeks Mole, from the load of heavy weight thereof; it being nothing else b [...] mass, or great lump of flesh burdening the womb. And it is defin­ed to be an inarticulate piece of flesh, without any form; and therefore differs from monsters, wh [...]ch are [Page 76] both Formata and Articulate. And then it is said to be a conception, but a false one; which puts a difference between a true conception and a mole, and the difference holds good three ways. First, in the Genus; because the mole cannot be an animal. Secondly, it differs in species; because it hath no human figure, and bears not the character of a man, And thirdly, it differs in the Dividuum; for it hath no affinity with any of the parts, either in the whole body, or any particles of the same.

This imperfect conception may be known to be such, it is discerned by these signs. The monthly courses are suppressed, the belly is puffed up, and also waxed hard, the breasts swell, and the appetite is depraved.

A mole may be felt to move in the womb before the third month, which an infant cannot; nor is this motion of the mole the effect of sensitive power therein, but only caused by the faculties of the womb and of the seminal spirits, diffused through the sub­stance of the mole; for though it is no animal, yet it has a vegetative life. But then the belly is sud­denly swelled where there is a mole; but in a true conception the belly is first contracted, and then riseth gradually.

The cure of the distemper consists chiefly in expel­ling it as soon as may be; for the longer it is kept the worse it is; and this many times cannot be ef­fected without manual operation, but that being the last remedy, all other means ought to be first used. Amongst which phlebotomy ought not to be omitted; for seeing letting of blood causeth abortion, by rea­son of its taking away that nourishment which should sustain the life of the child, why may not this vicious coption be by the same means deprived of that vegetative sap, by which it lives? To which end, upon the liver vein, and then the saphaena in both feet, fasten cupping glasses to the loins of the belly, which done, let the urinary parts be much mollified, and the expulsive faculty be provoked to [Page 77] the burden. And to loosen the ligaments of the mole, take mallows with the roots, three handfuls; pelitory, camomile, violet leaves, meliiot, roots of fennel, parsley, mercury, of each two handfuls; fenugreek and linseed, of each one pound; boil them in water and make a bath thereof, and let her sit therein up to the navel; and at her going out of the bath, let her reins and privities be anoint­ed with this ungent. Take ammoniac, labdani, fresh butter, of each an ounce, and with oil of lin­seed make an ointment.

§ 2. Of monsters, and of monstrous Births.

Monsters are properly depraved Conceptions and are deemed by the ancients to be excursions of na­ture, and are alway vicious, either by figure, situa­tion, magnitude, or number.

They are vicious in figure, when a man bears the character of a beast. They are vicious in magni­tude, when the parts are not equal; or that one part is too big for the other. And this is a thing very common, by reason of some excrescence. They are vicious in situation, the eyes on the breasts, or on the legs, as was seen in a monster born at Ravenna in Italy, in the year 1570. And lastly, they are vicious in numbers, as when a human person hath two heads, or four hands, and two bodies joined, which was the case of the monster that was born at Zarzan, in the year 1750.

Monsters are sometimes produced by the undue coition of a man and his wife when her monthly flowings are upon her; which being a thing against nature, no wonder that it would produce an unnat­ural issue. If therefore a man's desire be never so great for coition, as it sometimes is after long ab­sence, yet if the woman knows that the custom of women are upon her, she ought not to admit of any embraces, which at that time are both unclean and unnatural.

There has been something to do among authors, to know whether those that are born monsters have [Page 78] reasonable souls; some affirming, and others deny­ing it; the result of both sides at last, coming to this, that those who according to the order of nature are descended from our first parents, by the coition of man and woman, though their outward shape be deformed and monstrous, have notwithstanding reas­onable souls. But those monsters that are not be­gotten of men, but are the products of women's un­natural [...]ust, and copulating with other creatures, shall perish at the brute beasts by whom they are be­gotten, not having reasonable souls. The same be­ing true of imperfect and abortive births.

Some are of opinion that monsters may be engen­dered by some infernal spirits; but notwithstanding Egidius Facius pretended to believe it with respect to a deformed monster born at Cracovia; and Hie­ronymus Cardanus writeth of a maid that was got with child by the devil: Being a wicked spirit, and not capable of having human seed, how is it possible he could beget a human creature? If they say, that the devil may assume to himself, a dead body, and enliven the faculties of it, and thereby make it able to generate; I answer, that though we suppose this could be done, which I believe not, yet that body must bear the image of the devil: And it borders upon blasphemy to think the all wise and good Being would so far give way to the worst spirits, as to suffer him to raise up his diabolical offspring.

[Page 79]The first I shall present is a most strange, hideous and frightful monster indeed, representing a hairy child. It was covered all over with hair like a beast. That which rendered it yet more frightful,

was, that its navel was in the place where its nose should stand, and its eyes placed where its mouth should have been, and its mouth was placed in the chin. It was of the male kind, and was born in France in the year 1597, in a town called Arles in Provence. It lived but a few days affrighting all that beheld it. It was looked upon as the forerunner of those desolations and tumults which soon after happened in that kingdom, where men behaved to each other more like beasts than human creatures, every one cutting his neighbour's throat; some be­ing impaled alive, others slowly roasted on a grid iron till they expired.

[Page 80]Near Eiseling in Germany, in 1520, a boy was born with one head, and one body, but having four ears, four arms, four thighs, four legs and four feet.

This birth the learned who beheld it, judged it to proceed from the redundance of the seed, but there not being enough for twins, nature formed what she could, and so made the most of it. This child lived for some years; and it is surprising that though he had four feet, he knew not how to walk: By which we may see the wisdom of nature, or rather the God of nature, in the formation of the body of man.

[Page 81]In the time of Henry the III. there was a woman delivered of a child having two heads, and four arms, and the rest was a twin unto the navel; and then beneath all the rest was single, as appears in the figure. The heads were so placed, that they

looked contrary ways, and each had two distinct arms and hands; they would both laugh, both speak and both cry, and eat and be hungry together: sometimes the one would speak, and the other would keep silence, and sometimes both speak together.—

It was of the female sex; and though it had two mouths, and did eat with them both, yet there was only one fundament to disburden nature. It liv­ed a good many years, but one outlived the other three years, carrying the dead one (for there was no pa [...]ting of them) till the other fainted away with the burden of the dead carcase, and with the stink that issued from it.

[Page 82]In Flanders, between Antwerp and Mechlin, in a village called Uthaton, a child was born which had two heads and four arms, seeming like two girls joined together, having two of their arms lifted up between, and above their heads; their thighs being placed as it were across one another, according to the figure. How long they lived, I had no certain account.

§ 1. Of the Government of the face by the Signs and Planets; shewing under which of them each Part of it is.

THE government of the face, and the several parts of it, by the signs and Planets, may be more obvious to the reader by the following plate. [...] The forehead is governed by Mars, the right eye [...] under the dominion of Sol, the left eye is ruled by [...]e Moon, or Luna, the right ear is the care of Ju­piter, the left that of Saturn; the rule of the nose is

claimed by Venus, which, by the way is one reason, [...]hat in all unlawful venereal encounters▪ the nose is [...]ubject to bear the scars which are gotten in th [...]se [Page 84] wars; and the nimble winged Mercury, the signif­cator of eloquence, claims the dominion of the mouth, and that very justly.

Thus have the seven planets divided the face a­mong them, but not with so absolute a sway, but that the twelve signs of the Zodiack do also come in for a part; and therefore the sign Cancer presides in the uppermost part of the forehead; Leo attends upon the right eyebrow, as Sagittarius does upon the right eye, and Libra upon the right ear; upon the left eye and eyebrow you will find Aquarius and Gemini, and Aries taking care of the left ear; Taurus rules in the middle of the forehead, and Ca­pricorn the chin; Scorpio takes upon him the pro­tection of the nose; Virgo claims the precedence of the right cheek, and Pisces of the left. And thus the face of man is cantoned out amongst the signs and planets; which being carefully attended to, will sufficiently inform the artist how to pass a judg­ment. For according to the sign or planet ruling, so also is the judgment to be of the part ruled.

§ 2. Of the Difference to be made in the Judgment of Physiognomy between Man and Woman.

When we behold a man whose face is like unto a woman, and we pass a judgment upon it, having dil­igently observed it, and not on the face only, but on other parts of the body and his hand, &c. in like manner we also behold the face of a woman, who, in respect to her flesh and blood is like unto a man, and in the disposure also of the greatest part of her body. But does Physiognomy give the same judg­ment on her, as it does of a man that is like her? By no means, but far otherways, in regard that the conception of the woman is much different from that of a man, even in those respects which are said to be common.

According to the rule of Physiognomy of all and every part of the members of the body, we will be­gin with the head.

§ 1. Of the Hair of the Head, either of a Man or Woman.

HAIR that hangs down without curling, if it be of a fair complection, and thin, and soft with­al, signifies a man to be naturally fainthearted, and of a weak body, but of a quiet and harmless dis­position. Hair that is big and thick, and short withal, denotes a man to be of a strong constitution, secure, bold, deceitful, and for the most part un­quiet and vain, lusting after beauty, and more fool­ish than wise. He whose hair grows thick on his temples and his brow, is simple, vain, luxurious and lustful. He whose hair is red, is proud, deceit­ful, detracting, venerous, and full of envy. He whose hair is extraordinarily fair, is, for the most part, a man fit for all praise worthy enterprises, a lover of honours, and inclined to do good.

§ 2. Of judgment of Physiognomy drawn from the Forehead.

The forehead that riseth in a round, signifies a man liberally merry, of a good understanding, gen­erally inclined to virtue. He who has a full large forehead, and a little round withal, destitute of hair or at least that has little on it, is bold, malicious, high spirited and full of choler, and apt to transgress beyond all bounds, and yet of a good wit and very apprehensive. He whose forehead is long and high and jutting forth, and whose face is figured almost sharp and picked downwards to the chin, is also rea­sonably honest, but weak and simple, and of a hard fortune.

§ 3. Of what Judgment may be given by Physiognomy from the Eyebrows of Man or Woman.

Those eyebrows that are much arched, whether in man or woman, and which by frequent motion [Page 86] elevate themselves, shew the person to be proud, high spirited, vainglorious, bold and threatening; a lover of beauty, and indifferently inclined either to good or evil. He whose eyelids bend downwards when he speaks to another man, or when he looks upon him, and who has a kind of a skulking look, is by nature a penurious wretch, close in all his actions, of very few words, but full of malice in his heart.

§ 4. Judgment to be made from the eyes of either Man or Woman.

HE whose eyes are small and conveniently round is bashful and weak, very credulous, liberal to others, and civil in his conversation. He whose eyes look asquint, is thereby denoted to be a deceit­ful person, unjust, envious, furious, a great liar, and as the effect of all this, miserable. But those whose eyes are neither too little nor too big, and in­cline to a black, do signify a man mild, peaceable, honest, witty, and of a good understanding and one that, when need requires it, will be serviceable to his friend.

§ 6. Judgment drawn from the Nose.

A long and thin nose denotes a man bold, curious, angry, vain, easy to be persuaded either to good or evil, weak and credulous. A long nose and extend­ed, the tip of it being bending downwards, shewe the person to be wise, discreet, secret and officious, honest and faithful, and one that will not be over­reached in bargaining. He who hath a long and great nose, it an admirer of the fair sex and well accomplished for the wars of Venus. A nose very [Page 87] sharp denotes a person to be of a fretful disposition, always pining and peevish. A nose that turns up a­gain, and is long and full on the top of it, shews the person that has it to be bold and proud, covetous, envious, luxurious, a liar and deceiver, vain glori­ous, unfortunate, and contentious.

He whose nose riseth high in the middle, is pru­dent and politick, and of great courage, honourable in his actions, and true to his word.

§ 7. Of Judgments to be made from the Mouth.

A great and wide mouth shews a man to be bold, warlike, shameless and stout, a great liar and as great a talker and carrier of news, and also a great eater; but as for his intellectuals, he is very dull, being for art very simple. A little mouth shews the person to be of a quick, pacific temper, some­what fearful, but faithful, secret, modest, and but a little eater.

§ 8. Judgments drawn from the lips of a Man or a Woman.

The lips when they are very big and blabbering, shew a person to be credulous, foolish, dull and stu­pid, and apt to be enticed to any thing. Lips of a different size denote a person to be discreet, secret, in all things, judicious, and of a good wit, but some­what hasty.

§ 9. Judgments drawn from the teeth.

When the teeth are small, and but weak in per­forming their office, and especially if they are short and few, though they shew the party to be of a weak constitution, yet they denote him to be of an extra­ordinary understanding, and not only so, but also of a meek disposition, honest, faithful and secret in whatsoever he is trusted with. To have some teeth longer and shorter than others, denotes a person of a good apprehension, but bold, disdainful, envious and proud.

§ 10. Judgments drawn from the Tongue.

A tongue too swift in speech shews a man to be [Page 88] downright foolish, or at best but a very vain wit. A stammering tongue, or one that stumbles in the mouth signifies a man of weak understanding, and of a wavering mind, quickly in rage and soon pacified.

§ 11. Judgments to be drawn from the voice of Men and Women.

A great and full voice, in either sex, shews them to be of a great spirit, confident, proud and wilful. A faint and weak voice, attended but with little breath shews a person to be of a good understanding, a nimble fancy, a little eater, but weak of body, and of a timo [...]ous disposition. A loud and shrill voice, which sounds clearly, denotes a person provi­dent, sagacious, true and ingenious, but withal ca­pricious, vain glorious, and too credulous. A strong voice when a man sings, denotes a man to be of a strong constitution and of a good understanding, nei­ther too penurious, nor too prodigal; also ingenious and an admirer of the fair sex. A weak and trem­bling voice shows the owner of it to be envious, sus­picious, slow in business, feeble and fearful. And a loud, shrill and unpleasant voice, signifies one bold and valiant.

§ 12. Judgment drawn from the Chin.

A thick and full chin, abounding with too much flesh, shews a man inclined to peace, honest and true to his trust; but slow in invention, and easy to be drawn to good or evil.

§ 13. Judgments known from the Ears.

Great and thick ears are a certain sign of a foolish person, of a bad memory, and worse understanding. But small and thin ears shew a person to be of a good wit and understanding, grave, secret, thrifty, mod­est, resolute, of a good memory, and one willing to serve his friend.

§ 14. Judgments drawn from the Face of either Man or Woman.

A face apt to sweat on every motion, shews the [Page 89] person to be of a hot constitution, vain and luxuri­ous, of good stomach, but of a bad understanding, and a worse conversation. A very fleshy face shews the person to be of a fearful disposition, but a merry heart and withal bountiful and discreet, easy to be intreated and apt to believe every thing. A lean face by the rules of physiognomy denotes the person to be of a good understanding, but somewhat capri­cious, and disdainful in his conversation. A plump face and full of carbuncles, shews a man to be a great drinker of wine, vain, daring, and soon in­toxicated. A face red or high coloured, shews a man much inclined to choler, and one that soon will be angry, and not easily pacified. A long and lean face, shews a man both to be bold in speech, and action, and withal foolish, quarrelsome, proud, in­jurious and deceitful.

§ 15. Of Judgments drawn from the head in general, either of Men or Women.

A great head and round withal, denotes the per­son to be secret and of a great application in carry­ing on business, and also ingenious, and of a large imaginative faculty and invention; and likewise laborious, constant and honest. The head whose gullet stands forth, and inclines towards the earth, signifies a person thrifty, wise, peaceable, secret, of a retired temper, and constant in the management of his affairs. A big head and broad face, shews a man to be very courageous, a great hunter after wom­en, very suspicious, bold and shameless.

I. Of crooked and deformed persons.

A CROOKED breast or shoulder or the exuber­ance of flesh in the body, either of man or wom­ [...], signifies the person to be extremely parsimonious, and ingenious, and of great understanding; but very covetous, and scraping after the things of the world, [...]ttended also with a very bad memory; being also [...]ery deceitful and malicious: They are seldom in a medium, but either very virtuous, or extremely vi­cious. But if the person deformed hath any excres­ [...]ence in his breast, instead of the back, he is for the most part a double heart, and very mischievous.

II. Of the divers Manners of going, and particular Pos­tures of Men and Women.

HE or she that goes slowly, making great steps as they go are generally persons of bad mem­ory and dull of apprehension, given to loitering and [...]ot apt to believe what is told them. He who goes [...]pace, and makes short steps, is for the most part [...]ucky in his undertakings, swift in imagination and [...]mble in the disposition of his affairs. He who makes wide uneven steps, and goes sidelong withal most certainly denotes a person to be of a most gree­ [...]y and sordid nature.

III. Of the common Gait and Motion both in Man and Woman.

EVERY man hath a certain kind of gait and motion to himself, and so in a manner hath every woman: For a man to be shaking his head, or using [...]y light motion with his hands or feet when he [Page 96] should be retired, this man whether he stands, sits, or speaks is always accompanied with an extrava­gant motion, unnecessary, unhandsome; this man is vain, unwise, unchaste and unfaithful. He or she whose motion is not much when discoursing with any one, is for the most part well bred, and fit for any employment, ingenious and apprehensive, frugal, faithful and industrious in business. He whose pos­ture is forward and back, or as it were walking up and down, mimical, is thereby denoted to be a vain silly person, of a heavy and dull wit, and very mali­cious. He whose motion is limping and lame, o [...] any otherwise imperfect, or that counterfeits an im­perfection, is denoted to be envious, false and mali­cious.

IV. Judgment from the Stature of a Man.

PHYSIOGNOMY draws several judgments also from the stature of a man, which take as fol­loweth. If a man be upright and straight, inclined rather to leaness than to fat, it shews him to be bold, cruel, loud, clamorous, hard to please, and harder to be reconciled when displeased; very frugal, de­ceitful, and in many things malicious. To be of a tall stature, and corpulent with it, denotes him to be not only handsome, but valiant also, but of no ex­traordinary understanding, and, which is worst of all, ungrateful and trepanning. He who is extreme­ly tall, and very lean and thin, is a projecting man that designs good to himself, and suspects every on [...] to be as himself, importunate to obtain what h [...] desires and extremely wedded to his own humours. He who is thick and short, is vain, envious, suspicious, and very shallow of apprehension, easy of belief, but long before he will forget an in­jury. He who is lean and short, but upright with­al, is by the rules of physiognomy, wise and in­genious, bold and confident, and of a good under­standing, but of a deceitful heart. He who stoops as he goes, not so much by age as custom, is very la­borious, [Page 97] a retainer of secrets, but very incredulous, and not easy to believe every vain report he hears.

V. General Observations worthy of Note.

WHEN you find a red man to be faithful; a tall man to be wise; a fat man to be swift on foot; a lean man to be a fool; a handsome man not to be proud, and poor not to be envious; a whitely man to be wise; one that talks in his nose to speak without snuffing; a knave to be no liar; an upright man not too bold and hearty, to his own toss; one that drawls when he speaks, not to be crafty and circumventing; a man of a hot constitution and [...]ull of hair on his breast and body, not to be lustful; one that winks on another with his eyes, not to be false, and deceitful; one that knows how to shuffle his cards, to be ignorant how to deal them; a rich man to be prodigal; a sailor and hangman to be pitiful; a poor man to build churches; a higler not to be a liar and praiser of his ware; a buyer not to find fault with, and undervalue that he would willingly buy; a quack doctor to have a good con­science to God and man; a bailiff not to be a mer­ciless villian; a hostess not to over reckon you, and an usurer to be charitable; then say you have found a prodigy, or men acting contrary to the com­mon course of their nature.