else take of the Waters of Buglosse Pimpinell Fumitary Mugwoort Harts-tong of each three ounces Vinegar one ounce white Sugar foure ounces When these are made odoriferous with Cinamome let them be made a Iuleb Let the Dose or quantity at a time be foure ounces Or otherwise Take Calaminth Origanum Staechados Liver-woort Borrage-flowers Mugwoort Buglosse Germander of each halfe a handfull Harts-tong halfe a handfull the barks of the Broome and Ash-tree of each halfe a handfull Raisins one ounce Mixe them and let a decoction be made with one ounce of Epithymie Sugar one pound clarified Hony halfe a pound Vinegar two ounces Let this decoction be spiced with Cinamome let the quantity of an ounce and a halfe be taken with the aforesaid waters The matter being prepared and made solutive for purgation it followeth that it be purged and expelled with medicine Take Cassia newly extracted Manna of each halfe an ounce Let them be dissolved in this decoction following Take Venus-haire flowers of Buglosse Borrage Violets Germander Harts-tong of each halfe a handfull Raisins halfe an ounce Mixe them and make a decoction in water to which adde Cinamome a dram Cassia extracted Manna confection of Hamech of each two drams syrup of Violets one ounce Let all things be tempered together and let a purging medicine be made of them let the quantity of an ounce and a halfe be taken at a time Or else take of the confection of Hamech three drams and a halfe Sugar a sufficient quantity and let a gilded morsell be made devided into three parts Also the pills named Pilulae Lazuli may be used a dram taken at a time The superfluous matter expelled and voyded the next thing to be performed is to use convenient and fit bathes for this purpose which shall be prepared in this manner Take Camomel Melilot Germander Chamaepithys Hyssop Bay-leaves Lavander of each two handfulls Mugwoort foure handfulls Marish-Mallowes with the rootes five handfulls Line-seed Fenegrec of each one pound roots of Valerian halfe a pound Let them all be cut in pieces and being inclosed in a bagge let them boile in bathe let the woman sit afterward But after the Bathe let her eate every day morning and evening a certaine little portion of this confection following Take of the Species of precious Stones two drams seed of Mercury scrapings of Ivorie of each two drams the Pissle of a Bull the Runnet of a Hare with the Matrix of each two scruples white Sugar halfe a pound Dissolve them with water of Buglosse and put to it conserves of Buglosse halfe an ounce of Borrage three drams Cinamome one dram Let those things be powdred which are to be powdred and let the confection be made in Morsells But if the use of the bathe prescribed shall not be convenient yet Fomentations may be made of the aforesaid recited Simples this Electuary going before being alwaies used Further after the bathe or fomentations it shall not be unprofitable to use these Pessaries also in the night and at any other convenient time Take Costus powdered and with oile of Roses and Silke make a Pessary Or with Fenegrec and the Grease of a Ducke or with Sperage-seedes and fat of a Goose Or with oile of Violets Muske and the aforesaid seeds CHAP. VI. Of the Cure and Remedy of sterility proceeding of over-much heate drinesse moisture and coldnesse AMong other impediments and hinderances of conceiving and ingendring immoderate siccity and drinesse of the Matrix is not the least cause And that cause being found out the use of all things is to be directed to a moist temperature yet so as the body be not weakened by these things but strengthened Therefore it shall be very profitable to use these little Cakes often Take white Sugar one pound and a halfe Amylum three ounces Let the Sugar be dissolved with Rose-water and the Amylum mingled with it let a decoction be made with three ounces of sweet Almonds and a little oile of sweete Almonds and little Morsells It is also exceeding profitable to drinke Goats-milke newly milked with Hony or Sugar mixed with it Likewise this bathe is wonderfull convenient Take Heads of Weathers and let them be sodden in a Kettle full of water so long till the flesh be loosed and part quite from the bones which being done Take moreover the leaves of Vine named Vitis Muscatella of the Willow tree Violet-leaves Camomel Melilot of each two handfuls Marish Mallowes with the roots six handfuls Fenegrec Line-seed of each two pound roots of Valerian one pound and a halfe let all things be mingled together and let a bathe be made of them being sufficiently boiled And it may be prepared so that either the woman may sit in it or make Fomentations of it But after the bathe or Fomentations she may take a little morsell of this confection the next houres after meate Take of the Species of Diarhodon Abbatis two drams seede of Mercury scrapings of Ivorie of each two scruples the Matrix of a Hare two drams Cotton-seed Tragacantha Gumme Arabicke of each halfe a dram white Sugar halfe a pound dissolved in water of Buglosse conserve of Buglosse Borrage of each one ounce mixe them and let a gilded confection be made But especially it shall be needfull to moisten the Matrix which shall partly be done by Fomentations used underneath in a chaire inclosed and covered round about and partly by Pessaries being thus prepared Take Marrow of the leg of a Cow Grease of a Henne of each halfe an ounce Styrax liquida two drams Also foure ounces of oile of sweete Almonds may be added to them and let Pessaries be made with cleane wooll But if conception be hindered through intemperate hear that either the body is of an over-hot complexion or the secret parts are molested with intemperate heat First of all this heat shall be diminished by a convenient launcing and opening of the veines the Ankle-veines in the left foot and the Liver-veines in the right foot Afterward purgations must be used so much as reason shall require but before them this Potion shall be taken for a preparative of the hot humours Take herbes of Plantane the greater Endive Venus-haire Polipodie Fumirary of each halfe a handfull red Roses Violet-flowers Buglosse Water-Lillies Borrage of each a little quantity named a Pugil Raisins halfe an ounce Let all of them mixed together be boiled in running-running-water let one halfe be consumed and wasted let them be strained and to the straining let there be added a sufficient quantity of white Sugar and let it be made aromaticall with Cinamome scrapings of Ivory red Corall prepared red Sanders of each halfe a dram Take three ounces of the aforesaid decoction and let them be tempered with two scruples of Choyse Rhubarb powdred with syrup of Epithymie halfe an ounce Cassia newly drawne one dram and a halfe or Manna one dram Or otherwise Take of the Electuary de Succo Rosarum three drams Cassia newly extracted Diasena
be prepared for her drinke Compound Medicines But because the ancient Physicians have many times beene accustomed to use compound medicines not without praise in restraining and stopping this unnaturall Flux wee will hereafter also bring forth some of them An Electuary First of all you shall prepare an Electuary of which you shall give halfe a dram every day in the morning when the stomacke is empty to the woman which is grieved with this Flux dissolved in red Wine wherein Steele hath been quench'd Take roots of Comfrey Plantane as much as sufficeth Let them being boiled well be brayed in a Mortar and let them be straind a thorow strainer made of horse-haires Take of the Paste of Comfrey two drams of the roots of Plantane one dram and a halfe Sugar one pound dissolve the Sugar in raine-water or water wherin Iron red-hot hath been quenched or temper them together in plantan-Plantan-water in which Lapis Haematites hath beene dissolved untill it be red and boile all being mixed together with a little and easie fire and when they are are boiled and cooled a little put to them these simples following Take Sanguis Draconis Succus Acaciae seed of Sumach Terra Sigillata Amber Harts-horne burned and washed of each one dram Pearles prepared foure scruples red Corall prepared one dram and a halfe Spodium Lapis Haematites Parsley-seed of each two scruples mixe them being beaten to powder and make an Electuary in a dry Forme to be divided into Morsells Another Electuary Or prepare another Electuary in this manner Take old conserve of Roses one ounce Diacydonion cum saccharo sine speciebus three ounces Diarrhodon specierum Abbatis Coralls red prepared and powdred foure scruples Pearles prepared one dram Trochiskes de Carabe de Terra Sigillata of each two scruples Spodium Lapis Haematites Mumia of each of them halfe a dram Temper them with syrup of Pomegranates and make a gilded Electuary of which let the quantity of a Chesse-nut be taken every day morning and evening and let it be drunke being dissolved in red-Wine wherein Steele red-hot hath been quenched Also the Party may take these Pills following seven of them taken every morning when the stomake is empty as yet fasting Take Mumia Frankincense Masticke Harts-horne burned and washed of each halfe a dram the Runnet of a Hare or Kid foure scruples Temper them with Plantane-water in which Gum Arabick may be dissolved and let Pills be formed of it Also Mesue doth commend in this case Pilulae de Bdellio Majores and Minores to be taken one dram at a time Notwithstanding also these Pills following do profit Take Terra Sigillata Bole-Armeniacke prepared Galls Sanguis Draconis Runner of a Kid of each one dram Camphire two scruples mixe them and let Pills be made with syrup of Myrtles a dram to be taken at a time There is also no lesse consideration and respect to be had of the cure to to be used outwardly than of the inward hitherto handled and intreated of for there are many things which applyed outwardly doe wonderfully profit for the curing of these Fluxes But first of all such a bath or fomentation is to be prepared A Bathe or Fomentation Take Cauda Equina or Horse-taile leaves of the Mulberry-tree of the Peare-tree of Sloes of Services of the Medler-tree the inward barkes of the Oke red Roses Virga Pastoris or Fullers Teasell of each two handfulls Galls Myrtles of each one pound Medlers Services Acorne-cups of each two pound mixe them together and let a bathe or fomentation be made of all of them in water wherein Iron red-hot hath beene quenched If it be not convenient to use this bathe or fomentation you shall prepare such a Fume to be received by a Tunnell A Fume Take Colophonie halfe an ounce Spodium Bole-Armeniacke Blatta Byzantina blacke Poppie Henbane of each two drams mixe them and make a grosse powder Or else you must use this experiment very well approved Take the barks of the Pitch-tree used of the Curriers already in their worke one pound the inward parts or inward kernells of Galls bunches of Grapes dried let these being mixed together boile in water wherein red-hot Steele hath beene quenched and let the woman convey that fomentation into the Matrix by a Tunnel and that being done let her eat a Morsell for to comfort her of the Electuary before prescribed Also Vnguentum Comitissae is approved the which because it is knowne unto the Apothecaries It was not needfull to set it downe But if that cannot be gotten you may profitably use this Vnguent following prepared in this manner Take oile of Myrtles foure ounces juyce of the greater Plantane two ounces powder of Masticke two drams Sumach-seed Succus Acaciae Hypocistidos Myrtles Terra Sigillata Bole-Armeniack of each two ounces and a halfe Spodium Barley burned red Roses of each one dram Mingle them with Waxe so much as sufficeth and let an Vnguent be made of it A soft oynment Also such a soft ointment very profitable may be made Take the juyce of Comfrey of both the kindes of Plantane Cinquefolie or five-finger-grasse of each a like a little Vinegar mixe all things together and lay Linnen-clothes moistned in them upon the belly and loynes Or you shall prepare another in this forme Take Succus Acaciae Hypocistidos Psidia Another soft oynment Terra Sigillata Trochiskes de Carabe Colophonie of each halfe an ounce mingle them together and let a powder be made of them which you shall use in manner of a Cataplasme tempered with the juyce of Plantane applyed to the fore-parts and hinder-parts Also such a Plaister not unprofitable may be made Take the powder of Harts-horne burnt A Plaister Paper burned the drosse of Iron of each one ounce Acorne-cups two ounces mixe them make a powder with which tempered with the white of an Egge a little Vinegar and Plantane-water let a plaister be made A certain other plaister shall be prepared in this manner Take Masticke Olibanum Mumia Sanguis Draconis of each one ounce Flea-beane burnt Allome roots of Wal-woort or Asse-eare Psidia Pomegranate-flowers of each equall parts of all of them being beaten to powder halfe an ounce Earth-wormes pounded Frankincense of each two drams Mixe them together and make a Plaister of them with the white of an Egge a little Vinegar and Plantane-water Againe let another Plaister be thus made to be used after the manner of a soft ointment Take the juyce of Plantane mixed with Vinegar steepe leather of a Cowes hide in that Mâ—â—ture Afterward boile it and dip a cloth sometimes folded together in that decoction and apply it in manner of a soft ointment But if you shall use all these things in vaine at last you shall use these Pessaries Pessaries having wonderfull power to bind Take Triphera Magna Micleta Athanasia of each one dram Hypocisthidos Succus Acaciae Bole Armeny Sanguis Draconis roots of Comfrey
rightly then wee must know that the port-passage or outward gate that is to say the secrets may be more extended dilated enlarged and that they may better endure all the difficulties of the birth than the inward receptacle or vault and therefore let the midwife also amplifie open that gate or entrance againe according to the quality of the matter that the whole Infant may come forth to the birth And if these aforesaid things shall afford no succour so that the Infant remaineth as yet fixed and unmovable and all the paines and pangs of the birth shall cease then the labouring-woman shall be brought to her bed againe and be holpen with these medicines following which are such Medicines able to expell dead children the Secundines abortives the false conceptions Molae that they are able to expell and drive forth both dead children the Secundines retained behind and also abortives and the false conceptions named Molae First of all as soone as she shall be brought to her bed let her take this potion warme and that being taken let her abstaine from all other meat and let her rest quietly the space of one or two houres untill she thoroughly feele the force and efficacy of it Take figs sliced seven Fenegreke A Potion Mugwoort-seed Rue-seed of each two drams the water of Peniroyall and Mugwoort of each sixe ounces Make a decoction of them and seethe them till the halfe part be wasted and consumed let the residue be strained and put to that which is strained of the Trochiskes of Myrrhe one dram of Saffron three graines of Sugar a sufficient quantity make one draught of it and let it be spiced with Cinamome so much as sufficeth After the aforesaid time of rest she may be brought againe to the travell and labour of the birth Suffumigations where suffumigations and perfumes shal be made underneath with Trochiskes composed of these kindes cast by little and little upon the coales so that all the fume and vapour may attaine onely to the Matrix Take Castoreum Brimstone Galbanum Opoponacum Culver-dung Assa Foetida of each halfe a dram temper them with the juyce of Rue or Herbe-grace and make Trochiskes like unto a Filbert-nut It will profit much to make fumes and vapours with them But if she finde no helpe by them she may use this Emplaister laid upon her belly An Emplaister Take Galbanum one ounce and a halfe Colocynthis without the seeds two drams the juyces of Rue Mugwoort new waxe so much as fufficeth make a Plaister of them Let a Linnen-cloth be spread with this being decocted made according to the breadth of the belly that it may reach from the Navell to the privie parts and to both the sides which thee may retaine and keepe on the place the space of one or two houres if there shall be need A Pessary Or a Pessary made of Wooll the bignesse and length of a finger and covered with Silke dipped and moistened in the decoction follollowing is to be conveyed into the necke or privie passage of the Matrix and to remaine there two houres Take Aristolochia rotunda brought out of France Savine Colocynthis without seeds Stavesacre Elleborus niger of each halfe a dram With these beaten to powder with the juyce of Rue as much as sufficeth make a Pessary But after all these things being used When how we must use Instruments but especially if the Midwife shall not be able to make way and passage for the Infant the parts of the Matrix being enlarged and amplified as they should Instruments wholly fit and profitable for those uses shall be used And when as necessity shall require the use of them the poore and distressed labouring-woman must be encouraged before hand with comfortable and cheerefull words then the Instruments are to be prepared and devout prayer to be poured forth to God and that done let her so sit upon the Stoole that shee may turne her Fundament as much as shee can to the backe of the Stoole and draw her legges to her as shee may and spread and separate them as wide as shee can the other women standing by helping and furthering her that the Midwife may conveniently performe and execute that which is to be done with the Instruments But if another way shall please and seeme more commodious to the Midwife let her bring the woman to her bed in which let her lie her head declining and bending backeward a little but her buttockes lifted somewhat higher than all the rest and her legges drawne unto her so much as may be Then with either of these Instruments which shall please best being annointed let the Midwife begin to worke and to proceed forward For both these hereafter described and set forth are prepared to open enlarge and bring forth Speculum Matricis Apertorium Rostrum anatis Forceps langa tersa Therefore with one of these Instruments I meane that which is named in Latine Rostrum anatis the Ducke or Drakes bill Rostrum anatis the Ducke or Drakes-bil let her take hold of the dead child and let her draw him out with her right hand having taken hold of him but with her left hand let her drive forward both the ports or gates lest the Ligaments or holders be broken and the falling downe of the Matrix doe insue In this case if necessity shall require you may adde to this instrument the paire of Pinsers with which teeth are pulled out or else this Instrument here pictured out Forceps longa tersa the long and smooth Pinsers or tongs named in Latin Forceps longa tersa the long and smooth Pinsers or Tongs the which let her use so convenient that if it be possible she may easily pull out that which is to be drawne forth But if it shall happen that some swelling or congealed blood doe appeare in the fore-skins of the Matrix under the skinne arising from the paines and difficulty of the birth the Veines or Fibraes being broken because of overmuch dilatation opening and enlargement as it falleth out or some inward swelling or tumour of blood shall be bred by which both the childe and Secundines or after-birth are wont to be hindred very much before the birth let the Midwife make incision of that tumour and open it with a cleane knife Incision to be made of such swelling or tumour which hindreth the birth when the matter shall be perceived to be digested and ripe whether it shall appeare before or after the birth let her squeise out the clotted blood and let her presse downe the swelling wipe and cleanse those things which are defiled and let her bring forth the childe as she may if it shall be unborne as yet After let her convey a Pessary into the place oftentimes let her annoint it with the oile of Roses and bind it up daily untill she shall be whole For after the same manner we our selves have also
swellings and tumors In the Hydropsie the legs do swel but in the false conception Mola they waxe lesse and feeble In the disease named a Tympany the belly is hard sounding like a tabor or drum but in the conception Mola it is not so And by this meanes the differences of these like tumors may be observed noted and understood how hardly they may be cured CHAP. II. Of the cure of the false conception Mola and other false tumours and swellings of the wombe IN the cure of the false conception Mola The dyet inclining to heat and moisture such a Diet before all things is to bee appointed as may incline to heate and moisture Also where there shal be need of blood letting let the veine of the anckle be opened named Saphena The veyne of the ancle to be opened thereby the matter shall be purged and voyded in that manner as you shall see delivered in the Retention and stopping of the Termes in the sequel of the discourse hereafter following These things going before those things which purge and cure inwardly A Bathe also outward remedies may be used First of al we must use a Bath in which she which is conceived with the false conception Mola must sit every day morning and evening her stomach being empty the water reaching up so high as her navell And the bathe shall be prepared in this manner Take of Marish Mallowes with the roots sixe handfuls of other Mallowes Branca Vrsina or beares foot or if it bee not to bee had Violet leaves Pellitory of the wall Camomile Melilot of of each two handfuls Fenegreke Lin-seed of each two pound Those things being beaten to powder which are to be powdred let them be put in a bag and let them boyle in the water in which the sicke woman shall sit Also it will be very profitable to lay that bagge very hot upon the secret parts and the loynes An Vnguent After this bathe let her bee cherrished with warme clothes and lying downe in her bed let her be annointed with this unguent about the secret parts and loynes Take of the oyle of sweet almonds one ounce and an halfe of oyle of Lillies Hens-grease Muscilage of Lin-seed Fenegreke of each halfe an ounce White waxe so much as sufficeth temper them together An Electuary and make an oyntment Also let her use this Electuary following the quantity of a Filbert nut every day morning and evening Take of Cinamome two drams the rind or outside of Aristolochia longa Cassia Fistulae or in stead thereof let the quantity of the Cinamome be augmented of each one Dram Assarra Baccha Lacca seed of Rue the fruite of wilde Savine Saffron of each halfe an ounce Sugar halfe a pound Let the Sugar bee dissolved in the iuyce or water of Rosemary let the confection be made in morsels Also this Electuary may bee given her another way that is to say in broth decocted with old wine the yolkes of two egges and Sugar a reasonable quantity of this Electuary being put into it Also these Pilles following are wonderfull forcible of which let her take halfe a dram Pilles or a whole Dram. Take Nigella Romana Aristolochia rotunda Dictamum Creticum seed of Garden-cresses the fruit of wilde Savine Serapinum seede of Rue Amoniacum Thymiama Madder of the dyers Myrrhe Castoreum of each one dram make Pilles of them with the iuyce of the wilde Reddisk and Hony so much as sufficeth let her take the waight of one or two drams These things being done Suppositories suppositories also are to be conveyed into the Matrix which may driue forth the false conception Mola and remove it from the inward receptacle and cave of the Matrix into the outward part take Asphaltum Borace Castoreum great Centaurie Ditany Elleborus albus Galbanum Gentian Opoponax Savine Serapinum Scamonie of each halfe a dram Saffron one scruple temper and incorporate them with the iuyce of a Leek and make a suppository Sometime shee may use trochiskes of Myrrhe of which wee have spoken in the third chapter of the third booke for they both drive forth the false conception Mola and cause an easie passage But in tumours or swellings How tumours proceeding from a Tympany and Hydropsie are to be cured which happen of inclosed aire reteined humours the diet is so to be prescribed and ordered that it incline wholly to heate and drinesse Purgations also Phlebotomies or bloud-lettings may bee used according to the abundance of the qualities Which things being performed in the first place a bathe or Fomentation shall be prepared in the forme before prescribed A Bathe these things following being added unto it besides take Wilde Penny-royall Rue Penny-royall Bay-leaves drie Wormewood Anise Fennel Cumine of each an equall portion More things also like unto these of the same Nature may bee taken for mitigation and repressing tumours And Part also of the Herbes now spoken of shall bee put into a bag and applyed to her loynes while shee sitteth in the bathe After the bathe A Confection let her take of this confection the bignesse of a Filbert-nut in old white wine in which Alsara Bacca is before infused Which confection is made thus Take of the Species or kindes of Diacurcuma Diacyminum of each three Drammes white Sugar halfe a pounde let the Sugar be dissolved in the water of Herbe-grace and make a confection in little cakes or Morsels Or if you please you may give her this Potion warme A Potion after her bathing made in this manner Take twenty Peach-kernels the skinne newly pulled off to which being pounded with the yolkes of two egges and mixed together you shall adde the powder following Take Galanga Cinamome Long-peper Ginger Cloves Saffron Nutmeg of each halfe a Dram make a powder of them Let a Decoction be made of all these with the best wine Let them bee strayned and when it is strayned put sugar to it and make a very cleare potion of it Or which liketh us better let the matter of the simples still remaine in the Decoction and let them be taken altogether in the warme drinke The Species also of the confection named Hiera Picra doth much availe in this case taken in some drinke or Pilles But when the Tumour or swelling shall bee caused by the retention of divers humours then the matter shall bee purged out and voided by such remedies as wee have beene accustomed to use in the stopping of the Termes and to provoke urine such as this is Take the seeds of Parsley aniseed Fennel Stone parsley Cardamomus and the leaves of Rue Let all of them being beaten to powder with equall waight be drunke with sweet wine Also in this case the confection of Diagalanga is approved to bee good and the Electuary de Baccis lauri also the oyle of Rue of Henbane and of White Lillies A Plaster and the Trochiskes of Agaricke A plaster also of this sort may
Valerian Stone-parsley of each one pound Brimstone one ounce and a halfe Salt two ounces Allome one ounce Let all of them being mingled together be put in a bag and let them boile in water And alwaies every fourth day this bathe must be renewed againe As often as shee shall leave bathing let her take of comon Triacle or Mithridate as is spoken before let her lie downe in her bed and let her provoke sweating if she can by any meanes Or let her use the confection before described morning and evening in the same manner But when it shall not seeme commodious to use this bathe some of the aforesaid herbes may be gathered and fomentations may be made of them But when all these things shall not sufficiently purge the Phlegmaticke humour it shall be profitable to minister a pessarie to her every night prepared in this manner and let her use it untill she shall feele her selfe freed from those superfluous Phlegmatick humours Take Mugwoort Savine Marjoram Dittany Wormewood of each halfe a dram Anise Rue the rind or outside of Frankincense of each one scruple the pulpe of Colocynthis two scruples Make a powder of them and let it be tempered and incorporated with the juyce of the herbe Mercurie or Germander and make a Pessarie Further among all the medicines which bind the Matrix wee thinke that nothing can be better approved than this following Take Acacia Balaustium or the flowers of Pomgranates Akorne cups the drosse or scales of Iron Mints Lillies barke of the Mastick-tree or Lentiscus the outside of Olibanum Anthera Sumach Tartar Spike of each halfe a dram mingle them and make a powder of them of which with the juyce of Sorrell or Fullers teasell named in latine Virga Pastoris or with the juyce of Milfoile or Yarrow let Pessaries be made But because sometimes it commeth to passe that by reason of cold and moist Phlegme How the ill-savour of the Matrix is to be cured the Matrix cannot onely retaine and hold the seed but also doth offend with a noisome stinch and savour therefore when this chanceth we must use this medicine following Take Galls Nutmegs of each three drams Cloves one dram Muske halfe a scruple let them be beaten to powder and dissolved with one pound of red Wine When the woman will use these things let her wash her secrets well with them and lay clothes being dipped therein upon them but let her doe it especially when she goeth to bed But if it pleaseth to use a more forcible medicine to restraine and binde the Matrix you may then use this following Take the root of Comfrey Allome Balaustium Myrrhe Olibanum Mastick Colophony Bole-Armeny Cypresse-nuts Harts-horne burnt of each one dram and a halfe Let all things be pounded and reduced into a powder and let the halfe part of it or all boile in sower red Wine a little Vinegar being mixed with it Let the woman wash and bathe her secrets with that decoction being very warme Likewise shee may sprinckle the dry powder upon them and also lay a cloth doubled once or twice upon being dipped and moistned before in that decoction But if this shall profit nothing or little you must use also this Pessarie besides prepared after this manner Take Allom named in latin Allumen Scissile Myrrh Lignum Aloes the haires of a Hare cut into small pieces Rue or Herb-grace Bayberries Doronicum Cypresse-nuts of each halfe a dram Storax Calamita two drams Amber one scruple and a halfe Muske Allome called Allumen Saccharinum of each two drams Let them be mingled together and brought to a powder and make a Pessery of it with Oyle of Myrtles CHAP. III. Of the Cure of sterility arising from cholericke humidities and moistures of the Matrix WHen choler shall be an impediment to conception before all things a good diet must be appointed and a moderate use of all those things which doe necessarily belong to the life of man and woman to wit sleepe watching moving resting meate drinke and the like things and that all decline from that humour to that which is cold and moist Next after the convenient use of these things proved a little time the anckle-veines of both the feete shall be opened but specially when the woman shall abound with blood But let her not have overmuch blood taken from her because blood as they say is the bridle of choler After the opening of a veine the cholericke humours shall be prepared with this syrup following Take of the syrups of Acetosae simplicis Oxysaccharum simplex syrup of Endive of each one ounce waters of Succory Hops Buglosse of each two ounces Temper them with yellow Sanders Cinamome and Mace so much as sufficeth that the drinke may be odoriferous You shall give a certaine quantity of this drinke to her in the morning every day when her stomacke is empty and three houres before supper or so often as it shall seeme necessary Or if it please you for this drinke you may give her this decoction reasonable warme Take the flowers of Buglosse Borrage red Roses of each halfe a handfull Violets Lettuce the flowers of white Poppy Endive broad-leaved or garden Endive of each one handfull Endive and Lettuce-seed of each halfe an ounce the Foure Cold-seeds six drams Mingle them together and let a decoction be made of them in Fountaine-water so much as may suffice or with an ounce and a halfe of the wine of Pomgranates and foure ounces of Vinegar and let two pound of Suger be added to them and let it be made aromaticall with yellow Sanders Cinamome and Amber of each one scruple Let her use this syrup morning and evening the quantity of three ounces Now the superfluous matter of cholericke humours being prepared for purgation it shall be purged with the draught following Take of Cassia newly extracted or the best Manna one ounce Let it be tempered with this decoction following Take Venus-haire flowers of Buglosse Violets Prunes Tamarindae Electuary de succo Rosarum of each two drams make a decoction and mingle the Cassia or Manna with three ounces of this aforesaid decoction and let one draught be made of it Or take of choice Rheubarb two drammes Spick-Nard six graines let them be infused in Goats milke with a little white Wine and the infusion being made ten houres let them be strained and take three ounces of that which is strained and one ounce and a halfe of the syrup of Peach-flowers and of them mixed together let one draught be made If this potion doe not like her you shall give her this morsell following confected in this manner Take of the Electuary de Succo Rosarum Diamanna of each three drams white Sugar so much as sufficeth let the Bolus or Morsell being gilded be divided into three parts How Citrine or yellow choler is to be purged But if Citrine or yellow Choler shall breed this difficulty of conceiving to the Matrix wee must use these solutive
medicines mixed together a certaine waight taken of them as the counsell of a skilful Physician shall direct you Namely the Electuary Diaphaenicon Electuarium Indum Pillulae de Rhahabarbaro and Pillulae Agregativae Afterward superfluous humours being sufficiently purged the nature and habite of the Matrix shall be strengthened with this medicine following Take of the Species or Simples of the confection of Diatriasandalon two drams the scrapings of Ivorie Viscus Quercinus the powder of a Bulls Pissle of the Matrix of a Hare of each two drams white Sugar halfe apound Let it be dissolved with Rose-water and let the confection or receit be made in morsells Or otherwise Take conserve of Roses halfe an ounce of Borrage of the flowers of the water-Lilly of Buglosse of each three drams the Species of Diarrhodon Abbatis Diatriasandalon Aromaticum Rosatum of each one scruple Pearles Powder of precious Stones scrapings of Ivorie Viscus Quercinus of each halfe a scruple Let all these kindes be dissolved with a sufficient quantity of syrup of Roses and make a mixture of them and an Electuary gilded All these things orderly performed let her wash in the bathe following which may be prepared in this manner Take of the both kindes of Mallowes Mater violarum or Violet plants red Roses water-Lilly Quince-leaves of each one handfull Fenegrek common Salt Roach-Allome of each two drammes Let all the herbes be shred in pieces very small and being inclosed in a bag let them boile in the water in which the woman must sit This bathe may be used every yeere for there are foure weeks together But so often as shee shall come forth out of the bath shee must take the waight of a Filberd-nut of the cordiall Electuary before prescribed Also let her make this Fume underneath for her wombe after her bathe Take of all the Sanders of each one dram and a halfe Styrax Calamita two scruples Amber sixe graines red Roses Water-lilly-flowers Violets of each one dram Let them all be beaten together with Rose-water and let Trochiskes be made with them Also it shall not be unprofitable to annoynt the loynes and Matrix sometime with the oyntment of Gallen or with the oyntment named Vnguentum Sandalinum Likewise shee may use Pessaries in the night in this sort prepared Take Marrow of the legge of a Calfe Braine of a Hart Butter made of Cowes milke the Fat of a shee Goate seede of the herbe Mercury of each halfe an ounce Acacia Hypoquistidos red Sanders Styrax liquida Horne of a Hart burned of each halfe a dram Let them be incorporated with oyle of Roses and cleane wooll and let Pessaries be made with them CHAP. IV. Of the cure of barrennesse if it proceed from superfluous bloody humours of the Matrix BVt because sterility and barrennesse is not only ingendered of Phlegme and Choler abounding but is also bred of overmuch blood and sometimes also other superfluous or corrupt humours are mixed with the same we must first see by the signes of Vrine which of those humours doe abound If you shall finde that blood alone is abounding then such a diet shall be appointed which may diminish blood and minister small nourishment unto to it If you shall perceive cholericke humour to be in it you shall order your diet to a cold temperature If Phlegme shall abound in it you shall direct the temperature of your diet to drinesse For it shall come to passe that that superfluitie of what humour soever it shall be may by little and little be prepared for a convenient purgation But because the meanes is not commonly knowne to purge blood from those aforesaid humours when it is mixed with them it is to be inquired for of skilfull Physicians we will only prosecute that in this place which pertaineth to the diminishing of the abundance and superfluity of bloody humours Therefore when it is knowne and evident that abundance of blood doth hinder conception in women let first the veines of the Anckle be opened in both the feete and let a just quantity of blood be taken away Which done a bathe shall be prepared of such herbs as doe incline to cooling and refrigeration After the bath the woman ought to use these Lozenges or little Cakes Take Cinamome seede of Mercury red Roses Scrapings Pearles prepared of each one dram red Corrall prepared powder of precious Stones of each two scruples all the sorts of Sanders halfe a dram Sugar halfe a pound Let the Sugar be dissolved in rose-Rose-water and let all things be decocted and boiled untill the rose-Rose-water be wasted away which being done let one ounce of conserve of Roses be added to it and all things being mixed together let gilded Lozenges or little Roundells be made in such sort as they ought to be Likewise an Electuary very commodious profitable for this use may be prepared in this manner of which let her take the quantity of a Filberd-nut alwaies before meat Take of conserve of Roses one ounce of Buglosse Borrage of each two drams of the species or simples of Diatriasandali of Diarhodon Abbatis of each three drams Let these Ingredients be tempered together with syrup of Roses and let them all be incorporated together and let them be gilded with the leaves of Gold so much as may suffice and let an Electuarie be made of them Also it shall be a profitable thing that shee should be bathed with a decoction made with these Simples following made in raine-water or in water wherein steele hath beene often quenched Take red Roses Galls Sumach the seed of the greater Plantane with the leaves Comfrey of each halfe a handfull Terra Sigillata Bole Armeniacke Roch Allome of each halfe an ounce Also a powder may be made of the Simples before prescribed and may be boiled in the aforesaid water in which a cloth sometimes doubled together being dipped and moistened may be laid very warme upon the loynes and privie parts Also this Plaister following being warme in the same manner may likewise be laid upon them Take Muske sixe graines Citrine Sanders red Roses of each halfe a dram oyle of Roses one ounce and a halfe Mingle them and make a plaister of them CHAP. V. Of the Cure of sterility proceeding from a melancholy humour IF a melancholike humour abounding shall be the cause of sterility and barrennesse First of all a diet must be appointed declining from the qualities of this humor to that which is hot and dry Care and sadnesse must be banished away and mirth joy must be procured as much as may be but sorrowes and pensivenesse are to be omitted so much as is possible Then the superfluous humor shall be prepared and mollified for purgation with this syrup following Take syrup of Acetosa de radicibus two ounces syrup of Fumitary one ounce of the waters of Harts-tongue and Mugwoort of each two ounces Let these be mingled and made Aromaticall with Cinamome and let there be made a cleare syrup of them Or
lumpe is felt in the necke of the Matrix with which the Bladder and Intestinum rectum or the Fundament gut are so pressed together that it is a hard and difficult thing for her to void her urine and other excrements her urine also will be white and thick blewish or blacke dregs gathered together in the bottome almost no pulse at all soft slender thicke and disordered But if by intemperate moisture of the Matrix the ligaments and stay-bands of it are putrefied and rotted so that for that cause it falleth downe to issue forth we must understand that this is caused without any paine and when the case standeth so stinking and filthy corrupt matter doth issue out of the Matrix continually If it happen by difficultie and hardnesse of the birth it will at all times appeare out of the privities but it will come forth being forced and constrained by great labours and exercises and will stirre up great paines betweene the lips or brimes of the same being pressed together Therefore all the qualities and conditions of this sickenesse and malady are diligently to be marked and observed that all things may goe forward the better in the administration of the cure The cure of the suffocation of the Matrix It remaineth now to give diligent admonion and counsell also concerning the cure so much as we have beene able to know and profitably to gather out of others Wherefore if the Matrix shall be removed upward without any suffocation it shall be able easily to be reduced and brought into her place againe with Fumes Fomentations or other things which have force to repell and drive backe as it hath been made evident and manifest in the Tractat of the former Chapter concerning the suffocation of the Matrix But if it shall remove toward the right side Cupping-glasses are to be fixed on the contrary side without Scarification Also let there be binding-bands made of cloth folded together a little bundle compounded by the advice of some Physician of such things as have force to move the Matrix being put betweene those bands When those things are inclosed with the binding-bands let them be tyed to that side into which the Matrix is removed and let the woman that suffereth this infirmity lye downe upon them and let her make a tryall to repell it backe And those things bundled together shall be Bawme Camomile Mugwoort Melilot Rue or herbe-Grace and such like things Moreover A Powder shee must take one spoonfull of this powder following with wine very hot her stomacke being as yet empty every day in the morning Take Flowers and Berries of the Bay-tree Harts-horne burnt of each two drams Myrtles two scruples Aristolochia rotunda one dram Mingle them and make a powder Or otherwise take Peach-kernells in number twelve Dissolve them with the yolkes of three Egs. Afterward take Cinamome Bay-berries Aristolochia rotunda of each one dram Dittany halfe a dram Nutmegge one scruple Saffron halfe a scruple mingle them with Wine and Sugar so much as sufficeth let a broth or meate be decocted of this and let the woman eate it very hot next her heart having eaten nothing before in the morning For it serveth wonderfully for restoring the Matrix into her place and doth mitigate the paines of the same But if it fall downeward and appeare outwardly by the secrets first the excrements of the belly are to be moved to issue forth with a Clyster conveniently and likewise the Bladder is to be dis-burdened also the wombe is to be mollified with this bathe following A Bathe that the Matrix may have the more easie regresse and returne into her place Take Mugwoort Camomile both kindes of Mallowes with the roots Fenegrec Bay-berries of each one handfull mingle them together and let a bathe be made of them So often as she shall come forth of the bathe let the Matrix be cherrished with warme cloths and let it be annoynted with the Muscilage made of the Kernells of Quinces mollified with the water of Acacia that it may be slippery in her returne back Afterward this powder following being sprinckled on it being cherrished with a warme cloth let it be put againe into the wombe Take of the juyce of Acacia Myrtles Pomegranat-flowers red Roses of each one dram and a halfe mixe them and make a powder And in the cure of this disease let the woman lie in her bed upon her backe her middle part or hips lifted up in a reasonable manner higher than the rest of her body that the Matrix fallen downe may be repelled and sent backe into the wombe And when it is reduced into her proper place let her lie with her legs stretched out abroad and let a large glasse or more glasses be fastened to her belly as shee lyeth and let such things as are of good and pleasant smell and savour be applied unto her nostrills as Amber and such like things that the Matrix may be drawne upward by the sweetnesse of the savour which it feeleth A Fume Also you shall make a Fume for her as shee lieth which may onely attaine to her Matrix but may in no wise come unto her nostrills Take of the juyce of Acacia the bone of the Cuttle-fish Pomegranat-flowers roots of Bistort Galls Cypresse-nuts myrtles or the leaves of each halfe an ounce Masticke Olibanum of each three drams Assa Foetida one ounce mingle them and make a powder of them After this Suffumigation or Fume let the Matrix be Fomented and comforted with hot Spunges dipped in this decoction following and applied one after another Take Myrtles one handfull red Roses Acornes Pomgranat-flowers Acacia of each halfe a handfull mingle them together and make a decoction of them with red Wine untill the halfe part be consumed and wasted away A Pessary Afterward it will be profitable to use this Pessarie Take Assa Foetida one dram Mastick two drams Myrtles Frankincense Galls Cypresse-nuts of each one dram and a halfe temper them with oile of Myrtles and let a Pessary be made of them the length and thicknesse of one finger covered over with silke Also this experiment is proved to be very profitable Dissolve Garlick bruised in a Mortar so in water that it have no thicknesse left in it let the Matrix be washed with that water and being sprinckled with this powder following let it be put into the wombe againe Take Pine-apple-kernels burn'd Harts-horne burn'd Frankincense Masticke of each one dramme mixe them and make a powder How the Matrix is to be retained being brought into the wombe Now the Matrix being reduced into the wombe and settled againe into her proper place we must use Ventoses or Cupping-glasses and what things soever have retentive force to draw the same Some doe acknowledge this thing for a certaine experiment to lay Nettles being well bruised upon the belly like a plaster and not to be removed from thence for a good while for by
with the best wine and let her receive the Fume of them underneathe thorow a Tunnell And if shee shall also be unable to endure this notwithstanding let her have a Fumigation with this fume following Take Amomum Galbanum of each three drams Assa Foetida Castoreum Spodium of each one dram mixe them and and let a powder be made of them of which one dram at a time cast upon the coales let a Fume be made to be received onely into the Matrix After the Fume being done let her use these Pills seven of them taken at a time Pills Take the fruit of Savine two drams Rue dryed one dram seed of wild Rue halfe a dram Assa Foetida Lachryma Ammoniaca Diers Madder of each one scruple Myrrh Castoreum of each two scruples Cinamome black Peper of each halfe a dram let all things be mix'd together and let them be made a powder and tempered with water of Mugwoort and let pills be formed as big as Pease all these things being finished both the veines named Saphenae shall be opened in both feete the Moone going downe Afterward she may use these Pessaries Take Triacle Mithridate Pessaries of each halfe a dram Castoreum Lachryma Ammoniaca of each one dram mixe them with Cotton dipped in the juyce of the herbe Mercury and make a Pessary Or otherwise Take of the juyce of Rue Wormewood of each equall parts Myrrh Euphorbium seed of Savine of each one dram and a halfe mixe them and let a Pessary be made Another may be made in this manner for women which are stronger by Nature Take Elleborus albus Pyretrum of each three drams Nigella Diagridium of each one dram mingle them with the juyce of Mercury and let a Pessarie be made Let such another be made which is of more efficacie and force Take Nigella Staves-acre Centaury the lesse of each two drams Elleborus albus Vitrum Sal gemma blacke Peper Diagridium of each two scruples Aloes Ladanum cleare Turpentine Styrax Calamita of each three drams Amber one scruple let all things be mixed together and incorporated with a hot Pessell because of the Gummes and being inclosed in a cloth moistned in the juyce of Mercury let Pessaries be made of them Or otherwise Take Gentian Savine Staves-acre Colocynthis Nigella or Gith of each one dram and a halfe let all these things be incorporated with the juyce of the wild Cowcumber named Elaterium or with the juyce of Mercury and let Pessaries be made of it If these former seeme to profit little other Pessaries shall be prepared in this manner Take juyce of Mercury Wormewood Feverfew Mugwoort of each three ounces Myrrhe Euphorbium Castoreum of each two drams Savine-seede Gith-seed of each one dram Ladanum Galbanum of each one dram and a halfe those things which are to be beaten to powder let them be powdered but let the juyces be decocted to a thicknesse let Pessaries be made of them the length and thickenesse of a finger If retention of the Termes be from Choler how it is to be Cured But if retention and straining of the Termes doe proceed from Choler heat shall be felt in the sound and botome of the Matrix drinesse coarctation and streightnesse and a certaine hardnesse not without paines and prickings desire of Venus a yellow colour of the eye-lids the urine red small store of Termes alwaies of a Citrine or yellow colour doth follow and accompany these signes and tokens of Choler And that cause being known the universall diet shall decline to a cold and dry temperature Afterward the supefluous matter shall be prepared for to be purged with this decoction following take leaves of Sena one ounce Mugwoort two handfuls Venus-haire Sorrell Endive Harts-tong Betony Liverwoort Bawme Mercury of each one handfull the foure cold seeds Agnus Castus Daucus or wild Carrot Pyonie Sperage Sothernwood Basil Milium Solis or Gromell of each halfe an ounce red Roses Borrage-flowers Violets of each a small quantity calld a Pugil roots of the best Rheubarb one dram Valerian Butchers-broome stone Parsly Smallage of each an ounce Cyperus Spike of each one dram and a halfe Cicers red Beanes Iuniper-berries Fenegrek of each one Pugil Let all these things be mingled together and beaten and boiled in three pound of running-running-water untill halfe be wasted let them be strained and to the straining let Sugar be added so much as sufficeth let it be spiced with a dram and a halfe of Cinamome You shal give 3 ounces of this decoction foure daies together in the morning when the stomack is empty or in the evening three houres before supper very warme to be drunk of the Patient But if she shal loath this decoction let her use this syrup following A Syrup Take syrup Acetosae simplicis one ounce Oximel simple half an ounce mingle them with the water of Succory and Endive of each one ounce and let a draught be made of it Or else take one ounce of the syrup of Peach-Roses syrup of Endive half an ounce commixe them with two ounces of the afore-spoken decoction or water of Endive and let a draught be made Or you may prepare such solutive medicines Take Manna halfe an ounce Electuarium de Succo Rosarum confection of Hamech Diacassia of each one dram syrup of Violets halfe an ounce waters of Succory and Endive of each one ounce mixe them and let one draught be made or otherwise take of the best Rheubarbe two drams Spike Nard six graines sprinckled with the best Wine infuse them in Whey twelve houres then straine them and to the straining adde Manna Cassia newly drawne of each one ounce and a halfe syrup of Violets one ounce let it be spiced with Cinamome as much as sufficeth and let a potion be made to the quantity of three ounces The superfluous matter being sufficiently purged voided by these solutive medicines such a bathe is to be decocted in which the woman may sit Bathe Take Marish-Mallowes with the rootes three handfulls Motherwoort or Mugwoort two handfulls Elder-flowers Willow-flowers Violet-Plants or Mater violarum Maiden-haire of each one handfulll Valerian halfe a pound Fenegrek Line-seed of each three ounces common Salt two drams Roche Allome halfe an ounce Brimstone one dram let all things be beaten together mingled and put in a bagge and let a bathe be made by boiling of them in which the woman may sit In this case all temperate waters with Allome and Copper doe profit and doe good when shee commeth out of the bathe let her be annointed with this ointment about the Loines and under the Navell Take oile of Roses of sweet Almonds of Violets of each one ounce Marrow of the leg of a calfe halfe an ounce two drams fresh Butter Hens-grease Muscilage of Fenegrek Muscilage of Line-seed of each halfe an ounce Waxe so much as sufficeth and let an Vnguent be made of them in a liquid forme After the Vnction being performed A
Decoction let her take one sponefull of this powder following in a little potion of the decoction hereunto adjoyned and lying downe in her bed let her take rest Take of the Herbes of Sorrell Bawme Mercury Motherwoort red Cicers red Beanes Fenegrek roots of Imperatoria Valerian of each halfe a handfull mingle them with wine so much as sufficeth and let a decoction be made let it be strained and let there be added to the straining two ounces of the powder following and let them be drunke together very hot A powder Take of the rindes or barkes of Cassia Fistula Cyperus of each one dram rootes of Tormentill of Pionie cleared from uttermost rinde Cinamome of each two drams Saffron seed of Daucus graines of Pionie of each one dram and a halfe seedes of Agnus castus of Parsley Basill Stone-Persley Mercury Sperage Milum solis or Gramill Venus-haire Maiden-haire Camomile Betony Liverwoort Spike-Nard Squinanthum Hops Endive of each one scruple Sugar so much mixe them and let a powder be made If she will not use this powder in the aforesaid manner let a confection be made in little rundells or cakes which shee may eate alone comming out of the bathe or may take them dissolved in the afore prescribed decoction And let the confection be such Cakes â—sells Take one ounce of the prescribed powder without Sugar white Sugar halfe a pound let the Sugar be dissolved in Rose-water let the powder be tempered together with it and let little cakes be made in morsels If it doe not please her to use this bathe yet let her use this Fomentation Take Sothernwood â—entaâ— Dill Motherwoort Camomile Clarie Bawme Mercury Elder-flowers red Roses of each one handfull Fenegrek Line-seed of each halfe a pound mingle all things together and make a decoction with Wine so much as sufficeth with which let the woman be fomented Or let her receive this fume following underneath by a Tunnell or Pipe for the purpose Take seed of Agnus castus one ounce Dill one handfull Carui Costus of each one ounce commixe them and let a decoction be made with wine so much as sufficeth All these things being performed the veines of the Ancle or Saphenae shall be opened after the fift or sixt day in both feeet or in one day one only and in another day the other It will also be profitable to sweate in a bathe also to scarifie the skinne with cupping-glasses about the hips Afterward shee may use these Pessaries Take Borace Amomum Myrrhe Aristolochia rotunda Calamus Aromaticus Cloves Pessaries Majorame of each one dram and a halfe Diagridium tenne graines temper them with the juyces of Motherwoort Wormewood and wild Mint and let a Pessery be made which she shall use continually Or else take Triphera magna sine Opio halfe an ounce Myrrhe Mountaine calamint of each two drams fresh Rue three drams Savine rootes of Sothernwood of each foure drams Ladanum Galbanum Serapinum Assa Foetida of each one dram and a halfe roots of Madder the greater of Cyperus of each one dram mix them and let a powder be made of them but let the Pessary be made with the Gall of a Bull and Oile of Lillies Or she must use the Pessary following Take juyce of Mercury Wormewood Majoram Mugwoort Clary wild Mint of each halfe an ounce mingle the aforesaid prescribed powders with these juyces and make a Pessary of such forme and quantity as it ought to be 〈◊〉 the reâ—â—n shall â—ed of meâ—â—â—â—â—oly how 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 But when retention of the Termes shall proceed from melancholy there are found paines and a sound or noise in the bottome of the Matrix by reason of vapours and winds mixed and shut up together in the same the Vrine will be thin blacke and blewish and loose a cloth stained with that flux will appeare with a black colour Moreover this cause being knowne before all things the diet must be directed to a hot and moist temperature afterward the superfluous matter shall be mollified with this decoction or digestive following and prepared for to be purged Take leaves of Sena one ounce herbs of Calamint Origanum Motherwoort Staechados Harts-tong Liverwoort of each half a handful Borrage-flowers Buglosse-flowers Violets Venus-haire Germander of each one Pugil Parsley-roots roots of Sperage Fennel rindes of Cappar-roots of each two drams Liquorice Raisins of each halfe an ounce the best Rheubarb Agarick of each one dram mingle them with running-water and let it be boiled untill one halfe be consumed afterward straine and to the straining adde so much white Sugar as sufficeth and let it be aromatized and spiced with one dram of Cinamome You must give so often of this decoction to the sicke woman untill the superfluous matter shall seem to be sufficiently prepared Or you shall prepare another digestive in this manner Take Oximel simplex one ounce Syrup de radicibus halfe an ounce waters of Sperage and Elder of each one ounce Let it be spiced with Cinamome so much as sufficeth and let one draught be made of it but the matter being sufficiently prepared shall be expelled and purged with this potion following Take Maiden-haire flowers of Borrage Buglosse Violets Hops Staechados Germander of each halfe a handfull Polypodie three drams Liquorice Raisins of each one ounce let all things be mingled and stamped together and let a decoction be made with running-running-water so much as sufficeth till halfe of it be wasted afterward straine it and to the straining put syrup de Epithymo of Violets Cassia newly extracted Manna of each three drams Electuary Hamech Diaphaenicon of each one dram and a halfe commixe them and let a minorative or purging medicine be made of it Or if it please you let it be made in this manner Take Myrobalani Indi halfe an ounce Citrini two drams let them be infused in Whey the space of eleven houres afterward let them be strained out and let there be added to the straining Cassia extracted Manna of each halfe an ounce powder of Epithymie two scruples Ginger six graines Sugar so much as sufficeth temper them and let a potion be made of it In this case also Pilulae Indae are most specially allowed Moreover the superfluous matter being sufficiently purged bathes also fomentations suffumigations unguents powders pessaries may be prepared in the same manner as we have spoken of late concerning Phlegme and choler but not without the counsell of skilfull Physicians For now wee will make an end to say any more concerning the retention and stopping of the Termes by some certaine and manifest cause These are those things courteous Reader which that most learned and expert Chirurgion Iames Rueff compiled in Latine concerning the Originall of Humane-seed and Generation c. FINIS
make us acknowledge the profound wisedome of God wee are put in mind to acknowledge and learne from such a cunning and artificiall frame of our body the most profound and deep wisdome of God and his admirable goodnesse also the end of our state and condition that is to say his glory and our salvation and alwaies to utter and expresse our greatest gratuity and thankefulnesse to so great and wonderfull a Work-master and Creator CHAP. IIII. Of the Condition of the Infant in the wombe also of the care and duty belonging to women conceived with childe THe seede conceived even unto the forty and fift day is changed into the due and perfect forme and shape of the Infant and then by the judgement of some learned men is receiveth life and therefore afterward ought not to be called a Feature but an Infant although as yet When the conception is called an Infant by reason of his tender and feeble condition and state he wanteth motion For then hee is most like to a tender flower and blossome of trees which is easily cast downe and dejected with any blast of wind and raine Great heed to be taken by women with child of affrightments immoderate joy sorrow c. and for that cause there is neede of very great caution and heed to be taken that no perill and danger may happen to them which are with childe by any manner of meanes either by sudden feare affrightments by fire lightening thunder with monstrous and hideous aspects and sights of men and beasts by immoderate joy sorrow and lamentation or by untemperate exercise and motion of running leaping riding or by surfeit or repletion by meate and drinke or that they being taken with any disease doe not use sharpe and violent medicines using the counsell of unskilfull Physicians Againe The wicked Art of old witches and harlots not to be used that they use not the wicked Arts and policies of old Witches and Harlots for removing and punishing of whom the care and charge ought most specially to belong unto the Magistrates to wit being the fathers of the people For how many Virgins how many Widdowe 's also ensnared and intangled with these Arts and divellish practices Cruell murders cōmitted by the divellish arts of witches have committed cruell and more than brutish murders of their tender Babes and Infants But of many I will declare a few which those pestilent and damnable wretches have used most freely thorow the whole world the rest I will leave to the consideration of others at least the mischievous practices of these being somewhat discovered The arts and acts of Harlots and Witches When first being deflowred and robbed of their best Iewell they have perceived some alteration to be caused in them as variable appetites a loathing of their accustomed meate and drinke continuall vomiting dispositions to parbrake in the morning passions and paines of the heart swoonings paines of the teeth by and by instructed with evill Arts they make the first experiments by lacing in themselves strait and hard that they may extinguish and destroy the Feature conceived in the wombe They lace themselves very strait But when they perceive no helpe thereby they assay and attempt greater matters going by the instinct of the Divell to some old Witch very skilfull in curing these diseases They goe to some old Witch and famous by long experience asking and questioning with them about the cure and remedie of the stopping of their Termes desiring a medicine and counsell to procure them to issue For they say that they being stopped doe breed and bring those paines about the Midriffe and thighes and also to procure many vomits The old witch adviseth them of meanes The old Witch not ignorant of the matter willeth them to enquire for medicines of Apothecaries also to gather some herbes in a certaine place willing and advising them that they use them in Wine that they take the vapour of some that they put some of them in their shooes that with some boiled in water they wash their feete and legges morning and evening also that they drinke of the docoction of some of them morning and evening But when this cure and remedy doth not profit she willeth them to open the veines in the feet The opening of the veines in the feet destroyeth that which is conceived in the wombe which being done that perisheth by and by which was conceived in the womb Sometime Fathers Masters and Mistresses of the house observing and marking this thing and also some other besides and conjecturing as the matter is indeed Their precences streight-way they pretend and make a shew that they are troubled with wringings and gripings in the belly with paines of the brest and head and do shadow and dissemble the truth of the matter But the issue of their termes returning when they know they are free and delivered from the Feature These murthering arts imparted to others they impart and communicate likewise those murthering arts and cruell practices to others that thereby many murthers of sillie Infants are committed Besides also many Midwives and also Chirurgions and unskilfull Physicians sometimes over-credulous doe counsell advise such things to great evill and mischiefe But it is the part and office of a godly and religious Magistrate both to observe prevent all these things Now let us returne to the matter The motion of the Infant in the wombe After the third and fourth moneth from the conception the Infant doth begin to move and stirre himselfe in the wombe and somewhat to display and stretch out himselfe and also to enlarge and amplifie his narrow little Cottage whereby it commeth to passe that the wombe beginneth to swell and to be amplified and extended into length How the Infant about the time of the birth is disposed breadth and profundity But about or towards the time of the birth the Infant inclineth and boweth downward with the face toward the knees draweth both his legges to him casteth and throweth both his hands above his knees his nostrils being placed in the midst being rolled and wrapped together on a heap in manner of a Globe with his former part looking on the backe of his mother but turning his hinder part to the belly of his mother And although some Anatomists doe thinke otherwise notwithstanding wee finde it so by often experience and set it forth to be viewed in this annexed Figure CHAP. V. How the Infant is conditioned and in what state he is the fift sixt seventh and eight Moneth and also the difference of the Sex and formes AFter the third and fourth Moneth the Infant useth more plentifull and copious nourishment and doth prosper 〈◊〉 and increase more and more with it untill 〈◊〉 time of birth and deliverance shall come 〈◊〉 we must know The Infant home the sixt moneth cannot live when he shall be born 〈…〉 not able to retaine life 〈…〉 although
may proceed we will now declare First let the Midwife know the time and observe the true paines and dolours also let her comfort and cheare up the labouring woman and let her chearefully exhort her to obey her Precepts and admonitions Likewise let her give good exhortations to other women being present especially to poure forth devout prayers to God afterward to doe their duties at once as well as they are able Which done let her bring the labouring woman to her Stoole which ought to be prepared in this fashion The Navell being cut and the childe washed The Navell to be sprinckled with powder his Navell being dry must be strewed and sprinckled with powder compounded of Bole-Armeniacke Sanguis Draconis and Myrrh and to be pressed downe with a double cloth laid upon it For this doth remedy a Flux of blood and other chances CHAP. III. Of certaine naturall Precepts and Medicines furthering and easing the flownesse and difficultie of the birth BEcause here we will discourse of removing the impediments of the birth wee must consider first of all that the birth is hindred two manner of waies The birth hindred two waies naturally and unnaturally When it shall happen to be hindred unnaturally wee must proceed according to the Precepts and Rules delivered in the fourth Booke following But when it is hindred naturally we must use the Precepts delivered and set downe in this Chapter Before all things let the Midwife be so skilfull of the matter that so much as lieth in her power she may conveniently and readily decline and avoyd all impediments and hindrances of the birth If the birth be hindred by the drinesse or straitnesse of the necke of the Matrix what to doe But if it shall happen that the birth is hindred by siceity drinesse or straitnesse of the necke or privie passages of the Matrix a little quantity of sneesing-powder and Pepper is to be blowne into the nostrills of the labourig-woman with a quill also her mouth is to be kept close and her breath to be kept in and sternutation or sneefing is to be provoked whereby the breath being driven downward may thrust and depresse the Infant to the nether most parts Which effect is also caused by these things following The herbe Bursa pastoris beaten to powder and taken in Wine or broth of Cicers will greatly prevaile Also a spoonfull of Hony taken with twice as much warme water Also the milke of another woman mixed and tempered with the leaves of Mugwoort or Mother woort laid warme upon the Navell Also oile of Bay taken in warme water or broth of Cicers Also two graines of Pepper being taken doe both force and drive forward the birth and also the Secundine Our medicine which we most especially use the birth being hindred and paines of travelling failing and slaking is this Take of the Trochiskes of Myrrh one ounce Saffron ten graines Cinamome one scruple mingle them with two ounces of the water of Mugwoort or Peniroyall and make one draught of it Let the labouring-woman take this draught warme which being taken A Potion let her returne to bed againe about the space of an houre untill feeling the force of this Potion her pangs and paines stirred up againe shee rising up returne to her labour and travell But if this will not profit nor doe any good and the Infant having put forth his head to the birth first doe as yet sticke and doe not proceed forward by and by seven of these Pills are to be given her which being taken let her rest againe a little Take of the Gum Bdellium Myrrh Pills of the seed of Savine Storax liquida that is Stactes Castoreum Agaricum of each halfe a scruple Diagridion sixe graines temper them with the pulpe of Cassia newly extracted as much as may suffice and make Pills of them as big as a Pease Both these medicines procuring a speedy birth are approved almost of all skilfull Physicians and are in use A Pessary Also wee shall use this Pessary which you shall make the length and bredth of a finger of pure wooll and shall cover it over with silke which you shall orderly use dipped in the juyce of Rue or herbe Grace in which Scamonie is dissolved There are some which hang the Iasper-stone or the stone called lapis Aquilinus on the left hip If these things after triall take no effect let the child bearing woman exercise her selfe by going a little afterward let her use this bath or fomentation A Bathe the bath I say reaching up so high that it may come over her belly Take Marish-Mallowes the herbe and root sixe handfulls of other Mallowes Camomile Melilot Parsley of each foure handfulls Lineseed Fenegreke of each two pound Bay-leaves Lavender-leaves of each two handfulls let all these things be boiled in water in which let the labouring woman sit or sometimes apply Sponges dipped in the same warme to her belly and backe The which being done sufficiently let her be cherrished with warme clothes and being brought to her bed let her be annointed with this ointment Take of the oile of sweet Almonds Hens grease An Vnguent oile of Lillies of Muscilage of Marish-Mallowes of each halfe an ounce temper them with a sufficient quantity of wax and make an ointment These things will prevaile to expell and drive forth the Secundines as wee will teach in the Chapter following This being done you shall give her a sop or morsell sodden with the yolke of two Egges in old wine these sorts of things commixed and tempered with them Take Cinamome halfe an ounce the rindes of Cassia or rather so much the more Cinamome in stead of Cassia because the Druggists often sell that which is not good Saffron halfe a scruple Savine Betony Maiden haire Dittany Fenegreke Bay-berries Mints of each one ounce of the bone found in the heart of a Hart Pearles prepared of each halfe a scruple mix them with Sugar If the Secundine come forth first and hinder the passage of the Infant what to doe and make a powder of them somewhat grosse But if the Secundine or after-birth come forth before the child and hinder and let the passage of the Infant that shall be cut off but the Navell must be bound up and this Pessary following must be conveyed into the necke or privie passage of the Matrix Take of Marish-Mallowes with the roots two handfuls of Mother or Mugwoort on handfull of Rue or herb-grace one ounce a halfe Fenegreke Lineseed of each one ounce ten Figs temper them together and make a decoction with a sufficient quantity of water to which being throughly strained adde these things oile of Lillies oile of Lineseede of both two ounces Muske one graine Let the Pessary being moistned in the decoction be conveyed into the necke of the Matrix Let her also by and by use this Electuary An Electuary Take Myrrh Castoreum Calamus aromaticus two ounces Cinamome
prepared of each halfe a scruple the powder of precious stones halfe a dram temper all these together and with Syrup of Roses make an Electuary and let it be gilded with a leave of pure gold Because also the first three moneths Aborcements are caused through ventosities and windinesse 3. How ventosities or winds are to be dispersed and dispelled the meate of the woman with childe shall be continually seasoned with these spices Take Cinamome Nutmeg Cardomomus of each halfe an ounce Ginger six drams long Peper one dram Saffron halfe a scruple of these shall be a powder made which may be used in all meats But when the ventosity and windinesse shall begin to be augmented and increased they must use the confections of Diagalanga Diatrionpipereon Diacyminum and the like And it shall be profitable thorowly to annoint the belly and flanck with oile of Lillies But for the repressing of vapours fuming up into the head Stiptick fruits to be eaten after meats alwaies stiptick and binding fruits are to be taken after meat that is Peares Quinces Medlers Coriandrum Saccharatum or Diacydonion which Avicen approveth before all other things for that purpose Salt meates with vinegar water in which gold hath beene quenched approved Rosted flesh and fish better than boiled Also salt meates with Vinegar and water in which gold heat red-hot is extinguished and quenched taken with meat are very much approved Likewise it shall be more wholesome to eate rosted flesh and fish than boiled very well seasoned with spices Let their wine be cleare wholesome and a little allaied with water After meat it is profitable to take some Filbird-nuts covered over with Sugar How the swelling of the legs is to be taken away but for the taking away of the swelling of their legs let the stalkes of Colewoorts or Camomile-flowers be sodden with wine and vinegar and let a fomentation or bathing be made upon them with these Some doe mingle clay with water wherein red-hot steele hath beene quenched a little Vinegar being sprinckled upon it and doe lay such fomentations upon the legges But if abortion is to be feared by reason of the diseases of the Kidnies and of the Loines a great inflammation accompanying those grievances which may be knowne by the urine or water the loynes are to be annointed with this Vnguent Take oile of Mirtles of Roses of Mastick 4. The cure of the Kidnies and Loines of each one ounce and a halfe the juyce of the greater Plantane Barba Eovis or Housleeke of each halfe an ounce Bole Armenie parched Barley Terra sigillata red Sanders red Roses Succus Acacia Myrobalans Hypocisthis of each halfe a dram Let those things which are to be powdred be beaten to powder and let them be commixed and tempered together with Vinegar white Waxe and Turpentine so much as sufficeth and make an Vnguent of them After this ointment hath beene used a few daies this plaister following shall be laid afterward upon the Kidnies Loines Take Masticke halfe an ounce Ladanum three drams yellow Wax Bistort Cipresse-nuts Myrobalans Hypocisthis How coldnesse is to be driven away Acacia Terra sigillata red Roses Bole Armenie of each one dram and a halfe to these adde a little quantity of oile of Mirtles or Turpentine and make a Cerot or Cere-cloth which may be spread upon a piece of Leather But if it be suspected that abortion will follow by a cold cause we must abstaine from this ointment and we must use the plaister here following Take Masticke six drams Ladanum foure drams and a halfe yellow Wax Colophonia Ship-pitch or Stone-pitch Styrax Calamita of each one dram and a halfe Cypresse-nuts Mints Bistorte Gallia muscata Frankincense Galbanum Gum Arabick Mirth of each one dram and a halfe Make a plaister of them with Turpentine If the woman shall feele an itching under it this must be taken away for a few daies then afterward it must be applied to the place againe neither must it altogether be omitted because the Kidnies and Loines are very much strengthned by this And if the belly of the woman with childe shall be overlaxative and loose it shall be restrained with an Electuary confected in this order Take the confection Diamarinaton that is sower Cherries condite Diacydoniton Electuarium de Cornis conserve of Roses of each one ounce the cups of Akornes Terra sigillata of each one dram Temper them with the syrup of Pomegranates and make an Electuary in a liquid forme this taken morning and evening and before meat is very much approved Also in this case Crab-fishes gathered out of brookes and rivers are commended of Hippocrates Likewise all meats sodden in water wherein iron or steele red hot hath beene quenched or tempered with the juyce of Acacia also wine alaid with that water let not her meat be thin and moist but dry and thicke let Dates that is to say the fruit of the Date-tree be sodden with her pottage If these things shal not bind the belly it shall be convenient to use a strictive Clysters and if shee shall be grieved with the disease Tenasmus and goeth often to the stoole but voideth nothing so aborcement is to be feared all those things are to be used before spoken with which the belly may be unloosed and made slippery and also Clysters and Suppositories Likewise the Diet is to be prescribed and ordered according to the forme and manner before set downe 8. If the child-bearing woman shall abound with noisome humors whereby many diseases may follow as a Tertian Quartane or a continuall Fever the which as Hippocrates telleth us doe easily cause abortion because by them the nutriment of the Feature is diminished or if the fits be great with great paines of the head and immoderate heat then wee must resist the heat in this manner Take water of Roses of Betony of Sage Vinegar of Night-shade of each one ounce Bole-Armeniack one scruple of all the kindes of Sanders of each halfe a dram Terra sigillata Saffron of each one scruple Mixe them together with the white of an Egge and make a soft ointment to be laid upon the Temples of the head shee may use also in stead of a Cordiall medicine the confection Diatriasandalon conserve of Roses Borage and Buglosse But if it shall happen also that the Matrix be inflamed earth-wormes are to be pounded in a mortar of which Vineger the iuyce of Rue and common oyle mixed with them let there be made a soft oyntment or the Emplaster of Sanders or the plaster named Coctum Album shall be layed upon it But if the second or third moneth the Whites shall beginne to issue forth by reason of Phlegmaticke humours abounding whereby the Cotyledons are grieved which are veines to which the Feature is fastned in the wombe and the mouth of the Matrix becommeth slippery and therefore it is to be feared that the woman shall suffer Aborcement we must proceede altogether in
stones bones iron and innumerable such like things through the Matrix all which things verily the wicked Spirit had subtilly and maliciously conveyed underneath and brought in The same Vincentius citeth some other Histories serving to this matter and question in the twenty sixt and twenty seventh Chapter of his Booke named Naturale Speculum Namely that a certaine young-man caught a woman by the haire of the head bathing her selfe in the Sea about the evening whom he tooke to wife after he had brought her home to his house and begot a sonne by her But she not speaking a word at all hitherto that her husband compelled her to speake moved by instigation of others which said she was a spirit making a shew as if hee would murther the child begotten of her unlesse shee would declare her of-spring But shee having uttered forth sorrowfull things to have vanished away and also to have drowned this childe washing himselfe in the Sea being growne to ripenesse of age and that hee was afterward found in no place cast out to the shore side Therefore that hee was not a true man although he was borne and brought up in shape of a true man Moreover that many did believe that this spirit which by a false apparition did seeme to be a woman The Divell named Succubus to be a divell which is named Succubus It is not unlike to this which hee bringeth forth in the aforesaid place Namely that at Colonia Agrippina many Noble men sate in Councell in a certaine Palace sometime neere the shore of the river Rhenus which while by chance they did looke downe into the water did see a certaine souldier carried in a little boat a Swanne swimming before drawing the little boat with a silver chaine put upon his neck suddenly to leap upon the shore the Swan being sent away with the little boat there to have married a wife and to have begotten many children of her And some yeeres being ended the empty boat swimming backe againe and the Swanne swimming before it as hee did before time that the same souldier did returne againe into the same boat and to have appeared to no man againe and that his children lived there a long time But many have believed that he was a Divel whom they named Incubus who dwelling so long with the woman and so many yeeres in the shape of a man having used such great coozenages and deceits did shew forth counterfeited tumours of her wombe and counterfeited births children conveyed underneath taken by stealth from some other place Whether the Divell may conceive seed of men and by the same seed cast forth into women ingender or not But whereas many doe labour by this perswasion and contend that the Divell named Succubus may be able to conceive seede from man and by and by being changed into a Divell named Incubus to cast forth the same seede into the wombe of a woman and of her to ingender a man as it is most false so it ought to deserve no credit at all For it is most contrary and repugnant both to Religion and also to Nature For if this were possible with how many monsters of wilde beasts had wee seene mankinde so long space of time to have beene tormented and vexed of such a great enemy of mankind by the change and alteration of seeds made in brute beasts men and women Wherefore Conciliator in his Booke de Medicina the twenty and fifth Difference determineth well of these things saying Wee must know that the testicles or stones of man are the principall parts of the generative or begetting vertues but not the sole or onely parts because the beginning of Generation is not caused by them alone neither are they alone able to perfect Generation For the first beginning is from the heart by reason of vitall and lively faculty and vertue reposed and laid up in the same so that no living thing can be ingendered without the helpe and aid of the power and vertue of it For at last the vertue and faculty of the testicles doe consist by vitall vertue and naturall heat Wherefore that the Divell named in Latine Succubus may be able to conceive with men and being changed into the Divell termed Incubus may cast forth the same seede conceived into women and beget a man is not only a fabulous thing to be spoken but also impious wicked and odious to be believed But whether the Divell hath power to steale to carry from one place to another to convey and change children one for another is a matter that needeth no great enquiry For that some such like thing may be brought to passe some time wee must understand but that it is not done by his owne power but by the permission of the most just and omnipotent God for the sinnes of men especially when wicked Parents having no religious care of their children do not strengthen and fortifie them with the blessing of God and overwhelme them with the curse of the Divell Therefore let all because they are the children of God learne to bring them up religiously and to consecrate them to God and not to object them to the maledictions of the Divell The sixth Booke Of the divers causes of Sterility and barrennesse and of the speciall maladies of the Matrix and also of the divers remedies of all of them CHAP. I. Of the Sterilitie of men and women also of the cause and signes of the same WEe say that sterility or barrennesse of which wee have purposed to speak at this present is not onely a disability and unaptnesse of bringing forth children in women contracted and caused by some cause that may be corrected and remedied but in men also of ingendering and sending forth fruitfull seede Aristotle attributeth this disability and impotency principally to fat men and women because of the evill proportion and ill disposition of the generative members that is to say in whom the seed is procured and derived from a more remote place and so vitall spirit inclosed in it doth vanish away sooner by that delay But not onely that habite and disposition of the body is a cause but there are many other causes also besides of this difficulty and infirmitie For when we see oftentimes man and wife joyned together not to ingender and beget children but being separated both of them to procreate children and on the contrary part that those which being coupled together doe beget children are not fruitfull when they are separated it must needes be that without doubt there is some hidden cause Where wee thinke it will not be an unprofitable thing to declare and bring forth those things which are best knowne For there are many outward and inward causes which doe concurre together in this case But as fertility and fruitfulnesse hath his helpes and furtherances by many outward things as in a convenient diet in an accustomed temperature of the aire by bathes warme by nature such as are the Helvetian
Waxe and Hens grease so much as is sufficient and make an ointment of them Let such a water be made for the same purpose A Water Take Anâ—s figges five ounces Indian-nuts the Fishes named Scinci brought from beyond the Seas the taile of the Fish named Lacertus sweet Almonds Pine-apple-kernells Rocket-seed of each one ounce Vrtica the roots of both the kindes of Satyrion Hermodactili Peper long and blacke of each two ounces Muske one scruple the best white Wine wine sublimated of each one equall Measure Let them all be mixed and infused and haxing beene set out to the Sune fouretene daies let them be distilled If you will use this water take halfe an ounce with one ounce of the Electuary Diassatyrion and drinke them mixed together morning and evening very hot Also these Pills are approved taken in the evening Take of the seede of Rocket Radish stone-Parsley Pills Vrtica Satyrion of each one dram stones of a Fox pissle of a Bull of each two drams the taile of the Fishes named Scinci and the Fishe Lacertus of each one dram braines of Cocke Sparrowes Drakes Cocks Pigeons of each halfe an ounce Peper Galangal long-peper of each a dram and a halfe roots of both kinds of Satyrion halfe an ounce Euphorbium Castoreum of each one scruple Let all be beaten to powder let them be incorporated with Hony and let Pillls be made of them Take the quantity of two or one dram Another Electuary for the same purpose to be taken morning evening Another Electuary the quantity of a Chesse-nut shall be prepared in this manner Take Satyrion-rootes halfe a pound Dates foure ounces Mints Ginger candi'd or green-Ginger Iujubae of each three drams Let all things be mingled together and sodden in Sheeps-milke and pounded in a Morter as is accustomed which being done afterward take Cock-stones stones of a Weather or of a Bull or of a Goat Let those things be decocted in Sheeps-milk with a little fresh Butter and the yolkes of two Egges let them be dried in a Pipkin on the fire orderly After which things take clarified Hony two pound and a halfe of the Sugar named Tabarzeth as much as sufficeth Let all these things be decocted in due order and these powders following be mingled with them being boiled take the Pissle of a Bull of a Goat Rocket-seed of each one dram and a halfe Galangal Zedoaria of each one ounce Cinamome Ginger long-peper seed of the Ash-tree of each six drams seed of Mercury seed of Mallowes of each halfe an ounce the pith of the Indian Nut Pine-apple-kernells cleansed sweet Almonds of each one dram Let all these things be brought to a powder and let them be mixed to the decoction before prescribed and let an Electuary be made of them And now also let these things be sufficient to have beene spoken concerning medicines to be received inwardly for the cure of barrennesse sterility CHAP. VIII Of the Suffocation and choking of the Matrix and of the causes and cure of the same IT remaineth also to speak a few things hereafter concerning the most especiall diseases of the Matrix which have greatest force to procure and cause sterility and also to hinder conception and generation such as are principally the Suffocation and Precipitation or falling downe of the Matrix the immoderate issuing of the Termes and the stopping of the same But we will speake first of the first What the suffocation of the Matrix is Wee say that the Suffocation of the Matrix is not naturall but that it is a forced and constrained ascending and rising up of the Matrix or Mother towards Diaphragma or the Midriffe whereby it commeth to passe that the passages of the aire are stopped the Lungs and Arteries of the heart being pressed and thrust together and the Lungs is prohibited and barred from amplifying and inlarging it selfe as it should which passion proceedeth from windy and divers vapors arising from corrupt matter And by this sicknesse the breathing is hindred the braine is molested the Heart is restrained of his free liberty the Lungs is crowded together the senses and motions doe cease the Spirits are intercepted the members of the body doe deny to doe their office whereby it falleth out that faintings of the faculties of life doe happen sudden swoonings doe overwhelme the diseased and sometime doe deprive them of life the Heart being suffocated for which effect it is supposed that it is therefore called in Latine Suffocatio The Causes We cannot say that there are any other causes of this Malady but the stopping of the Termes contrary to the course of Nature or corrupted seede or else other depraved and evill humours inclosed in the Matrix being dissolved into winds vapors and so forcing the Matrix to be heaved and lifted upward The signes of this disease are two-fold The Signes one of the sickenesse present by the fit which is present the other of the disease to come taken from the tokens of the fit to come But the tokens of the present sickenesse taken by the Present fit are these signes The women doe hardly fetch their breath Signes of the present fit the Pulse of the Arteries is seldome their hands are continually laid upon their belly above the Navell for to depresse and keepe downe the Matrix rising upward the habite and forme of the body is bending downward the colour is pale when you speake they make no answer the understanding is quicke and lively without any voyce at all there is no motion of the body and indeed nothing else but a similitude of present death But whether life doth remaine still in the body or not in this extreme passion of the present fit we may finde out by these experiments and trialls Let feathers or cleane wooll be put to the mouth of her which is afflicted with this grievous fit the which if they be blowne away or at least be moved it shall be certaine that there is life remaining in the body Moreover it shall be a more certaine thing to place a glasse full of water upon her breast for life remaining as yet must needs thrust and extend it selfe out and so moving of the water must follow Or else a cleane and smooth looking-glasse is to be put to her mouth and nostrills and if life be not departed you shall see the glasse stained by the hot breath Which experiment seemeth to be most probable of all Some doe declare that a certaine woman was afflicted with this fit three whole daies and nights and at last to have returned to her selfe being supposed to have beene dead Wee have seene the same thing to have happened in some women for one naturall day that is foure and twenty houres together through suffocation of the Matrix Signes of a future fit But these signes goe before a fit which shall follow that is to say paine of the head dimnesse of the eyes a continuall
blacke neither doth it issue forth copiously although it be constrained If it arise through subtility and thinnesse of the blood then the blood is pure and cleare and the Flux is small If heate be mixed with it it shall easily be discerned in the Matrix and by other tokens and signes If cold be mixed with it it shall in like manner be observed and found out If the blood shall issue forth because it is liquid and thin the cause of this is the evill disposition and state of the body and the debility of the concoctions caused and ingendred by abundance of many moistures and winds or vapors inclosed and imprisoned in the Matrix But if you will have certaine knowledge of the humor constraining this unnaturall issue looke upon a linnen cloth sleightly coloured and dipped in the menstruous blood If the colour of it doth incline to rednesse you may know that the cause of the Fluxe doth proceed from blood If it bend toward Citrine or yellow colour from Choler if it incline to whitenesse from Phlegme But if it incline to a black colour you may know the cause of the Fluxe to arise from Melancholy What Fluxes are to be stopped Further you shall consider when as the Flux shall be tolerable and easie to be indured which doth not make the body leane nor weaken it but doth dis-burden it and make the same more light and nimble that such a Flux is inforced and moved by naturall vertue and power only expelling and voyding that which is superfluous in the blood and therefore such Flux and issue ought not to be restrained or stopped But if the contrary thing happen it is to be restrained and staied altogether lest it bring the Patient to cholerick Fevers because that blood being evacuated and exhausted Choler doth beare the whole sway and play the Tyrant and being freed from his bridle doth furiously vex and torment the Patient For blood as it is commonly said is the bridle of Choler But because also naturall colour is nourished cherrished with blood that flowing away it is necessary that a defect and decay of heat must follow and ensue and by that all the members and parts of the body to waxe cold the whole body to be debilitated and weakened the whole appetite to be taken away the concoctions to be hindred the Consumption and Hydropsie and also other most miserable diseases at the last to hasten after the same But because it is not sufficient to know the diversities of the diseases onely unlesse wee be resolved likewise of the fit and convenient cure of repelling them wee will hereafter also declare a few things of many which shall seeme to be the choisest and most speciall concerning the cure and remedy of these evills And as the Causes of these Fluxes and issues are inward and outward so the cure shall be inward and outward also The inward cure of unnaturall Fluxes And truely first of all if this unmeasurable or unnaturall Fluxe shall happen by some inward cause before all things the diet and use of all outward things shall be ordered and directed to a cold and dry temperature that blood may decrease and be diminished Therefore it will greatly profit to decoct and seethe all convenient and agreeable meats in Milke or Water in which Steele red-hot hath beene quenched and to eate Colewoorts boiled with Lentills or Beanes Or if it please you such a decoction shall first be prepared wherein other meats afterward shall be boiled Take Plantane-leaves flowers of Wool-blade or Lungwoort with the leaves of each one handful the roots of Symphytum or comfrey one ounce mingle them together and boile them with water or Milk in which burning Iron hath beene quenched straine it and squeise it out hard With this decoction all other meates may be prepared as Almonds Lentills Beanes the graine Milium Rice Amylum and the like things rosted flesh is to be preferred before sodden Also sauces may be prepared of the juice of Goose-berries Sorrell and Barberries to be mingled with other meats Let her abstaine from Spices and all things which are of a hot nature but specially from Saffron Let her drinke thicke red Wine allaied with water wherein Steele hath beene quenched It will likewise be profitable that Gold should oftentimes be extinguished and quenched in that Wine after it hath beene made red-hot in the fire Let her use no exercise but as much rest as may be Let her use much sleep let her wholly shake hands with Venus and flie from her as from a deadly poison Her belly being constipated and bound by reason of this continuall Fluxe shall be relaxed and unloosed with a gentle Clyster but thou shalt not by any meanes restraine and stop the Flux unlesse it shall induce and bring debility and feeblenesse lest thou oppose thy selfe against Nature of her owne accord expelling and voiding out superfluous things when thy resistance shall procure great evill When and how Fluxes are to be restrained But when necessity shall require then at last it will be convenient and profitable to binde and stop this Flux And first of all you shall use this powder of which you shall give one dram to be drunke at a time in water in which Gold heat red-hot hath bin quenched And the powder shall be thus prepared Take Terra Sigillata Carabe or Amber Succus Acacia of each halfe an ounce Hypocistis or Hypoquistidos Harts-horne washed and burnt the Runnet of a Kid or Hare of each two drams red Corrall prepared and beaten to powder one dram Gumme Arabicke Costus Sanguis Draconis Bole-Armeniacke prepared of each one dram and a halfe Comfrey flowers of Quinces the pills or rindes of Pomgranates of each one dram Pearles prepared one scruple Mumia halfe a dram Myrtles Olibanum of each one dram Lapis Haematites or the Blood-stone roots of the water-Lilly of each one dram and a halfe Mix them all together and let a powder be made of them Also you shall not unprofitably give this powder following to be eaten in an Egge Take Bole-Armenie prepared Terra Sigillata red Sanders Anthera of each one scruple and a halfe Rindes of Pomegranates Acorne-cups Nut-meg of each halfe a dram Mixe them and make a Powder Or let her use this Electuary morning and evening Take of the Antidote Athanasia Micleta of each one ounce old conserve of Roses one ounce and a halfe Rindes of Pomegranates Acorne-cups Nut-meg Corall prepared of each one scruple and a halfe Pearles prepared halfe a scruple Terra Sigillata halfe a dramme Sanguis Draconis Bole-Armenie prepared Lapis Hematites of each one scruple Temper them with syrup of Pomegranates as much as sufficeth and let an Electuary be made of it Adde to it if neede be Philonium Persicum one dram Moreover against Thirst Water wherein red-hot Steele hath beene quenched mingled with the syrup of Quinces and Pomegranates and with the juyce of Gooseberries and Acetosa simplex shall
observed that the retention of the Termes is caused by the corruption of some humour are these namely most great paines from the Navil even to the privities and about the Kidnies loynes and hips continuall paines but most often paines of the head and also cold sweats many infirmities and griefes of the eyes because of their affinity and fellowship with the Matrix a painfull heavinesse of the eye-lids the colour pale much sadnesse often refusing of meate appetite slow weakenesse of the members and heavinesse of the whole body But here also concerning the quality of the humors very great differences are noted and observed as shall be made manifest in the discourse following If the cause be from Phlegme If the cause of the stopping of the Termes come from phlegme what be the signes and what be the cures the woman waxe pale the eyes doe become blewish the eye-browes doe swell cold is felt in the bottome of the Matrix thick and stinking humors doe issue from it white Termes doe drop from them the vrine is plae like unto Milke thicke and grosse substance is found in the bottome But where this cause shall be observed and found first the diet shall be directed and ordered to a hot and dry temperature Next that cold matter shall be mollified and prepared for purgation with this syrup following Take Chamaepitis Germander Origanum Rosemary Penny-royall Savine water-Mints Calamint wild Mints Thyme of each one handful leaves of Sena one ounce rootes of Ruscus or Butchers Broome Sperage Parsley stone-Parsley wild Radish Madder Valerian of each one ounce a halfe Iuniper-berries foure ounces Agarick two drams seede of the Nettle of the wild Carrot Ameos Anise Fennel Costus of each halfe an ounce and a halfe Let all things be mixed and beaten together and sodden in three pound of running-water to the wasting away of halfe of it let them be strained and to the straining adde Sugar so much as sufficeth let it be spiced with two drams of Cinamome and let a syrup be made and let three ounces be taken at a time Or let another such digestive be made Take Oximel compound three ounces water of Mugwoort and Bawme of each foure ounces and a halfe let it be spiced with one dram of Cinamome let a Potion be made of them to be taken at three draughts Then the matter being prepared for purgation shall be purged with this potion following A Potion Take fat Cassia and extracted with the decoction of Germander one ounce and a halfe Dodder Liquorice Polipodium Raisins Venus Haire of each halfe a handfull Cassia extracted Electuarium Indum of each three drams syrup de radicibus sine Aceto one ounce temper them and with the broth of red Cicers let a potion be made and let the quantity of it to be taken be two ounces If they had rather use Pills than this Potion they shall use these Pills take of Masses or Lumps of Pilulae foetidae Agregativae of each halfe a dram Pills Diagridion three graines mingle them with syrup of Mugwoort and let pills be made of them of which nine shall be taken at a time Or else this Powder to be taken in the broth of Cicers or in Whey shall be prepared in this manner Take of the best Turbit one dram A Powder or foure scruples Ginger halfe a dram Sal gemma six graines Saffron two graines Cinamome three graines Sugar two drams mixe them and let a powder be made of them Or they may use this potion following Take Benedicta Laxativa Electuarium Indum of each two drams Diacassia three drammes temper them with Bawme-water and Mugwoort-water so much as sufficeth Morsells Or let such purging morsells be made Take red Roses Ginger Cinamome of each three drams Sanders white and red of each one dram Hermodactyli Esula of each three drams Turbit foure drams Diagridion two drams Masticke one scruple white Sugar one pound Let all these things be dissolved in water of Mugwoort and let a confection be made in morsells and give foure drams at a time Or they may use this infusion following An Infusion Take Agarick halfe an ounce Ginger two scruples Sal gemma halfe a scruple let them be infused in three ounces Adde to them Oximel Squiliticum one ounce let all these things be infused twelve houres afterward let them be strained and squeised out and also spiced and made sweete with Cinamome and Sugar so much as sufficeth and let a potion be made of it the superfluous matter being sufficiently purged the next thing is that such a bathe be prepar'd in which the woman which is purged may sit A Bath Take Savine Calamint Origanum Bawme Feverfew wild-Mints Penny-royall Melilot Camomile of each two handfulls Celandine Pucedanum Horehound worme-Wood of each one handfull Bay-leaves Lavander Mercury Rosemary Ozymus flowers of the Elder-tree of each three handfulls Marish-Mallowes with the roots foure handfulls Mugwoort six handfulls rootes of Valerian two pound let all these things except the Mugwoort be beaten together and being put in a bagge let them boile in water and let a bathe be made of them And when shee commeth out of the bathe let her be annointed with this oyntment following under the Navell and about the loynes take oile of Lillies of sweet Almonds Marrow of the legge of a Calfe one ounce Muscilage Marish-Mallowes Fenegrek Line-seed of each one ounce Wax so much as is sufficient mingle them being beaten and let an Vnguent be made of them This being done let her drinke one spoonfull of this powder following with a convenient portion of the former decoction and afterward lying downe in her bed let her take her rest Take the best Cinamome rindes of Cassia Fistula of each halfe an ounce Cassia lignea three drams Saffron one dram a halfe Aristolochia rotunda Asarum Calamus Aromaticus rinds of the roots of Capparis Costus Dittany roots Tormentill of Eringus Lacca of each foure scruples Chamaepitis Germander Bay-leaves Origanum Penny-royall Ginger Calamint Thyme seeds of Broome of wild Rue of Daucus wild Cresses Hyssop Nigella or Gith Ameos Anise Fennell Bay-berries Serapinum of each halfe a dram Sugar equall to all in waight mixe them together and let a powder be made of them If shee cannot well away with this powder in this manner then let a confection be made in morsells after this manner following of which let her alwaies eate after the bathe Take of the aforesaid powder without Sugar one ounce and halfe a pound of white Sugar Let the Sugar be dissolved in the former decoction or in Mugwoort-water so much as sufficeth and let a confection be made in morsells In this cause proceeding from Phlegme all hot bathes consisting of much Brimstone are approved such as are bathes of Badina a City in Germany But if the woman shall not be able to use the bathe prescribed let her take foure handfulls of the aforesaid sorts of herbes let her boile them