to drynke / for this drynke wyl engendre lubrycyte and slypperynesse in the nether partes / and vse also some of those thynges whiche haue vertue to prouoke the byrth / wherof we entreated before ¶ Item certayn pessaries or suppositaries concernynge the same take gumme armoniacke / oppoponacum / helleborus niger / staphisagre / aristolochia longa / colocynthis without his kernelles beate all these thynges to gether / temperyng them with oxe gall and also with the iuyce of fresshe rue / then make a pessarie of wollen / and annoynt and wet the pessarie with the same / conueynge it into the secreate places ¶ Item another make a pessarie of wolleÌ„ of the lengthe thyckenesse of a fynger / and do it in the iuyce of rue in the which is dissolued a quantitie of scammome / and do with that pessarie / as before ¶ Item take aristolochia rotunda / sauyne / garde cresses / of eche lyke muche / beate them to powder / and temper them with oxe gall with this annoynt a pessarie made and ordered as before is spoken of Item yf the woman drynke the mylke of another woman / it wyll steare and expell the byrth ¶ Item take of the iuyce of dyttayne or of the powder of the roote of the same herbe .ij. dramÌ„s / and geue the same to drynke to the woman with wyne / excepte she be in greate heate / for then shall ye geue it her with luke warme water / and this shall expell the dead byrth without any parell of the mother ¶ Item take of myrrhe .iiij. drammes / of cinamome / galbanum / castoriuÌ„ / of eche two drammes of oppoponacum one dramÌ„ all those beaten / and tempered to gether with oxe gall / make pylles of them / wayenge eche of them a dramÌ„ / and with the fume of those perfume the nether partes / by this vapoure the deade byrthe is broughte forthe / inflamation and suffocation of bloude is expelled ¶ Item take of water mynte / sothernwood / muggewort / of eche a handefull / of asphaltum halfe an ounce / of madder two ounces and an halfe / of camomell / barotum / fenegreke / of eche two ounces sethe all these thynges to gether in rayne water in the whyche lette the woman bathe her selfe / then take of hensgrece and duckes grece / of eche .iiij. dramÌ„s to the which adde two ounces of oyle of anues sede / with this oyntmeÌ„t annoynt the womaÌ„s head comminge out of the bath then take datestones beate them to powder a dramÌ„ and a halfe / with a scruple of safrane tempered to gether with whyt wyne the which let her immediatlye drynke after she come forthe of the bathe ¶ Item take oppoponacum / make there of a pessarye the quantitie of a fynger / conueye it into the priuities / this expelieth the dead byrth ¶ Item take of galbanum a dramÌ„ or some what lesse of gotes mylke an ounce and a halfe or two ounces in the which the galbanum beynge dissolued / geue it to the woman to drynke ¶ Item a plaster for the same take galbanum beaten and tempered with the iuyce of motherworte / and of this make a plaster by puttyng to of wexe a certayne quaÌ„tite / than take a lynnen cloth of suche length bredth that it maye couer all the belly vnder the nauel to the priuities froÌ„ one syde to the other / on this cloth spred this plaster of the thyckenesse of a strawe / and laye it to the bellye Item take the tryacle which is called diatessaron and geue of it to the woman for to drynke / and it wyll expell this dead byrth ¶ But yf all these medicines profette not / then muste be vsed more seuere and harde remedyes / with instrumentes / as hokes / tonges / and suche other thynges made for the nonce And fyrst the woman must be layde a longe vpryght / the myddell parte of her bodye lyeng hyer then all the reste / companyed of women assistynge her aboute to comforte her / and to keape her downe / that when the byrthe is plucked oute she ryse not withall Then let the mydwyfe annoynt her left haÌ„d with the oyle of whyte lyllyes or other that may make it sople and smouth and holding out her fyngers shytting to gether her hand let her put it to the matrice to feale and perceaue after what fasshion the dead byrth lyeth in the mothers wombe so that she maye the better putte in hokes and suche other instrumentes to plucke it out with all ¶ Yf it be so that it lye the head forewarde / then fasten a hoke other vpoÌ„ one of the eyes of it / or the rofe of the mouthe / or vnder the chyn / on one of the sholders / whiche of these partes shall seme moste commodious and handsome to take it oute bye / and the hoke fastened to drawe it oute verye tenderlye for hurtynge of the woman ¶ But yf it lye the fete forewarde / then fasten the hoke on the bone aboue the priuye partes / or by some ribbe / or some of the backe bones / or of the breste bones / and when this hoke is thus fastened / the midwyfe may not by and by drawe and plucke at it / but holdynge it in her lefte hande / lette her with her ryghte hande fasten another in some other parte of the byrthe ryght agaynste the fyrste / and then tenderlye let her drawe both to gether / so that the byrth may procede and come forthe on bothe sydes equallye / mouynge it from one syde to another / tyll ye haue gotteÌ„ out alto gether / and nowe and then to helpe it in the comming forth with the fore fynger well annoynted / if it chanse to stycke or to be let any where and as it commeth forthe / alwaye to remoue the hokes farther and farther on the dead byrthe ¶ Agayne yf it chanse that one of the handes onely of the byrth do appeare / that it can not conuenientlye be reduced returned vpwarde agayne / by reason of the narownesse of the place / then byndt it with a lynneÌ„ cloth / that it slyp not vp agayne / and then to plucke it outwarde / vntyll suche tyme that the hole arme be out and then with a sharpe knyfe cut it of from the body / and euen so do yf both handes appeare fyrste at once / or one legge or bothe / yf they can not be returned backe / to be otherwyse taken out conuenient lye / as ye cutte the arme frome the sholders / soo lykewyse cuttinge the legges frome the thyghes / for the which purpose the surgeoÌ„s haue meâ—e instrumentes made for the nonce with the which such legges and armes may sone be cut frome the bodye / these partes beynge once reseâ—te and cutte frome the bodye / then turne the teste / so that it maye easylye procede with as lyttell payne to the mother / as maye be ¶
the which is decoct and soden myntes / roses / violettes / and xiloaloes Also to eate of the brothe in the which is soden a henne / with cynamome / maces / and cardamomum / and also the yowlke of an egge Item it is good for her to eate fresshe chese and mylke / and to refrayne frome all maner of greate labor and harde workes Also potage made of beane meale / ryse / and breade made of fyne flowre / tempered with mylke and sugre / putting to it also a quantite of fenell sede or of the â—eues / is very good for her ¶ Item take of anys sede / of syler montanum / of eche .iii. dramÌ„s / of christall beten to powder u. dramÌ„s / as muche of sugre / geue her this to drynke aboute .x. dayes at morning / euening / myddaye IteÌ„ take of fenell sede or the leues / of horehownde of eche .ij. haÌ„ofulles / of ams sede iiij dramÌ„s / of safrane beaten one scruple also of fresshe butter .iij. ounces / sethe all these in sufficient water / makynge hereof a plaster / the same plaster whylst it is hote / laye it to the nourses brest ¶ Item take of comyn sede an ounce an halfe / of clarifyed hony .iij. ounces sethe it in .vi. li. wayght of water alto gether beynge put into a newe pot let it sethe to the thyrd parte / of this decoction geue the nourse theÌ„ ofteÌ„tymes to drynke IteÌ„ take of beetes well wasshed one ounce of coÌ„myn halfe an ounce of hony .vi. ounces of these myngled tempered to gether / make an electuarie / of the which let her take both in the morninge and eueninge at eche tyme a sponefull IteÌ„ take two dramÌ„s of crystal beateÌ„ into fyne pouder deuyde that in foure equall partes / one of these partes geue vnto the nourse the space of .iiij. dayes to drynke / with brothe made other of cicer / or els of peason also all those thinges folowing encrease augmeÌ„t mylke in the brestes annes annes sede / dyll the sede / horehownde / cardomome / fresshe chese / wortes made of olde ehece / cicer / crislal beateÌ„ to powder takeÌ„ with hony lettuse / fenell / wyne in which rosemary or serpilluÌ„ be sodeÌ„ IteÌ„ to abstayne froÌ„ venery or mans coÌ„pany / for yf she vse that / it shall spende consume the mylke make it vnsauery vnholsome nether can the chylde well broke it / but most coÌ„menly shall cast it vp again / because it can not digest it Also it shal be best that the child sucke not of the mothers breste by and by as sone as it is borne but rather of some other womans for a daye or two / for because that the creme as they cal it streit after the byrth the fyrst daye in all women doth thyckeÌ„ and congeyle ¶ Item yf it chaunse that the nourse be ouer sore laxed / or that she be ouer bounde / so that she take anye medycynes to remedye it / then let another geue the chylde sucke / whylst she be recouered agayne And when the chylde is layde in cradell to be rocked rocke not to fast / lest through ouer much rockyng and stearyng the chyldes stomacke torne and the mylke there corrupte for lacke of rest ¶ Auicen auyseth to geue the chyld sucke two yeres / howe be it amonge vs most commenlye they sucke but one yeare And when ye wyll wene them / then not to do it sodenly / but a lyttell and lyttell / and to make for it lyttell pylles of breade sugre to eate accustome it so / tyll it be able to eate all maner of meate this shall suffyce for the education and bryngynge vp of infantes at this tyme / notwithstandinge dyuers other thynges here are lefte vnspoken of / another tyme god willyng we shall declare them at large ¶ Thus endeth the fyrste boke THE SECONDE BOKE ¶ Of dyuers deceases and infirmities whiche chaunse to chyldren lately borne and the remedyes therefore AL thoughe there be in manner infinite deceases which happeÌ„ to infantes / as wryteth Hypocrates / Galenus / Rasis / AmceÌ„na / and diuers other yet for breuite and shortnesse we wyll reherse here only such of them / which moste commenly happen to the same / and that be those Exulceration of the gummes / flyx of the belly or ouer much loosenesse of the same / the belly hardbownd / the crampe / the cough / distillation of the heade / short wynded / bladders on the tounge / exulceration or chyppynge of the mouthe / apostume in the eares / apostume in the brayne / swellynge and bolnynge of the eyes / skum or creme of the eyes / the feuer / knawynge in the bellye / the body swellynge and puffed vp / often sneesynge / whelkes or bladders on the bodye / swellynge of the coddes / swelling of the nauell / vnslepynesse / yexynge / appetyte to perbrake / fearefulnes in the dreames / the mother / yssuyng out of the fondament gut / wormes in the belly / chawfynge / the fallynge syckenesse / the consumsyon / the palsye / trymblynge of the partes of the bodye / the stone / gogell eyes ¶ Howe to cure and to remedye all these / nowe wyll I shewe in order Fyrst in exulceration of the gummes are wonte certayne pusshes and as it were wheles grow on the gummes or in the corners of the iawes / the which put the place to muche greuance and to remedie this it shall be good that ye with your fynger rubbe the infaÌ„tes gummes and the pusshes or whelkes with all and then to annoynt the same gummes with oyntment made of hennes grese / hares brayne / oyle of camomell mixt with honye / other els turpen tyne tempered with hony / then take water / and in it sethe camomell and dyll / the which water beynge hote powre it on the chyldes heade / holdynge it a fote aboue the heade ¶ Of the flyx or ouer muche loosenesse of the bellye For this take the sede of roses / cuÌ„myn / anyse and the sede of smalege beate all those together and make them plaster wyse / and laye it to the chyldes bellye yf it stynte not by this remedye / then take of the coaguluÌ„ of a kyd a halfe peny wayght or a lyttell more / geue it to the chylde to drynke with colde water / and all the same daye let the chylde be kepte frome suckynge / leste the mylke shulde curde in the stomacke of it / but in the meane whyle let it eate of the yowlke of poched egges / or of whyte breade soden in water ¶ And farther yf that it whiche the infant voydeth be of / redde or yelowe colour / then lette drynke of the syrupe of roses / or of crabbes / other elles of pome granates / tempered with a lyttell mynte water ¶ Item another medycyne take leuen and in water breake it
on hote coles / and let the woman receaue the fume and sauoure of it vndernethe ¶ Another perfume Take yelowe brymstone / myrrhe / mader / galbanum / oppoponacum / of eche lyke much / and temper all these to gether / makynge of them pylles / and with those also ye may make fume to be receaued vnderneth Itē the fume of culuer dunge or of hawkes dunge by puttyng to of oppoponacum / is souerayne for the same All these fumes open the poores benethe / and causeth nature to be the frear in delyueraunce ¶ Also it is very good to dyp wooll in the iuyce of rue / and the same to conuey into the secreates Also the pouder of aristolochia rotūda / or the rote called bothor martis / or malum terre / or the sede of staphisagre any of these wrapped in wooll and conueyed inwarde prouoketh calleth forthe the byrth ¶ Item take heleborus / oppoponacū / and wrap them to gether in wooll / and ministre them inwarde for that wyll brynge forthe prouoke the byrthe / whether it be alyue or dead Also the rynde and barke of cassia fistula beaten to pouder / and tempered with wyne and dronkē / prouoketh well the byrth ¶ Item asa fetida of the bygnes waight of a pese myngled to gether with castorium of the wayght of a dram̄ beaten to gether tempered with wyne myxt with water and so dronkē / is very good to prouoke the byrth Also canell dronke with wine is very good ¶ Item take a scruple of roses / with the water of the sede of fenegreke / cicercula / may denhere / all beaten to gether and soden / and the oyle of blewe flowre de luce a smal quantite tempered there with all and then geue it to the woman that laboreth / and it shall prouoke the byrthe greately Also cassia lignea and asa fetida dronke with wyne / be very good for the same Also holyoke soden in water and dronkē / is souerayn for the same purpose / it is verye good for her to washe her in the water / in the whiche this holyoke is decocte and soden in ¶ Certayne pylles the whiche make the labor easye and withoute payne TAke canell or cinamome and of sauyne of eche a dram̄ / of cassia lignea a dram̄ and a halfe / of myrrhe / aristolochia rotunda / costemary of eche a dram̄ / of storax liquida halfe a dram̄ / and of oppium the wayght of .xij. graynes / bete these all to gether / and forme them into pylles / and geue vnto the woman two dram̄s of these pylles with .ij. ounces of good olde wyne ¶ Item Safrane and Syler Montanum prouoketh the byrth of any lyuynge thynge / yf it be dronckē howe be it to a woman geue neuer passynge a drame at once of Safrane / for greater quantite sholde greately hurte ¶ Item take .v. drames of Sauyne / of rue or herbe grace one dragm̄ an halfe / of iuniper byryes .ij. dram̄s / of asa fetida / amoniacum / madder / of ech .ij. dram̄s of these make pylles / geuen to the womā in labor with water in the whiche is soden sauyne and penyryall / or els with the brothe of cicercula / and the iuyce of rue shall helpe very greately ¶ Item take .ij. dram̄s of sauyne / of asa fetida / armoniacum / madder / of eche halfe a dram̄ / these temper to gether in pilles / and geue her with wyne .ij. dram̄s of the same ¶ Item take of aristolochia longa / pepper and myrrhe / of eche lyke much / confict them to gether with wyne make pylles of them / minister them with an ounce of water of the decoction of lupynes / these pylles be of such efficacy and strength that it alleuiateth and vnpayneth the byrthe / it delyuereth the matrice or mother from all maner of byrth / be it alyue or dead ¶ Item take of whyte bedellium / myrrhe / and sauyne / of eche lyke much temper these with cassia lignea and hony / and make pylles of them of the byggenesse of pesen / of these pylles geue at eche tyme .v. to the laborer / whiche be of the same myght strength with the other pylles spoken of here nexte before ¶ Item take of myrrhe / castorium / and storax / of eche one dram̄ / temper them with hony / and make pylles of it / these for this purpose excell and passe al other / they be of such vertue and strength in operation ¶ A plaster to prouoke the byrthe Take wyld goward / seth it in water / in the same water temper myrrhe / the iuyce of rue / and barlye meale / so muche as shal be sufficient / stampe these thynges to gether / and make it plasterwyse / then laye it to the womans belly betwene the nauel and the nether part this plaster shall helpe meruelouslye ¶ And although many other thinges ther be the which haue vertue and power to prouoke byrth and to help it / yet leuyng all such thynges for breuite and shortenesse we haue set here suche thynges / which are chiefe and most principally conducent for the same purpose ¶ Howe the Secondyne or seconde byrth shall be sorsed to yssue forth yf it come not frelye of his owne kynde ¶ Cap .vi. HEre also somtyme it cometh to passe / that the Secondine / whiche is wonte to come to gether with the byrth / remayne tary behynde and folowe not And that for dyuers causes / one is For because peraduenture the woman hathe ben so sore weakened and feblysshed with trauell / dolour / and payne / of that fyrst byrth / that she hathe no strength remaynynge to helpe herselfe to the expellynge of this seconde byrth / another maye be / that it be entangled / tyed / or let within the matrice / which chāseth many tymes / or that it be destitute of humours / so that the water be flowen frō it soner then it sholde / which shold make the places more slyppery and more easye to passe thorowe / or els that the places ouer weryed with longe sore labor / for payne cōtract or gather together / enclose themselfe agayne / or that the places be swollen for anguysshe and payne / and so let the comminge forth of the seconde byrthe ¶ But to be shorte of what so euer cause it be thus stopped / the mydwyfe in anye wyse must fynde such meanes that it maye be vnloosed and expulsed For otherwyse greate inconuemency sholde chaunse to the partie / and speciallye suffocation chokynge of the matrice / whiche also must so much the more be takē hede to / for because the seconde byrth retayned kept within / wyll sone putrifye rot whereof wyll ensue yll noysom and pestiferous vapours / ascendynge to the harte / the braynes / and the mydryffe / throughe the which meanes the womā
rote of the tunge nexte to the throte / to prouoke the chylde to vomyte / and to voyde the grosse and viscous humours which be cause of this yll ¶ Item take gumme arabicke / gumme dragagant / the sede of quynces / the iuyce of lycoryse / and sugre penedium all this beaten together / geue euery daye to the chylde a quantite of it with mylke newe mylked Item take swete almons and blanch them / then beate them in a morter / and then sethe them with the iuyce of fenell / or els the water therof of this decoction geue to the chylde at euenynge and mornynge Item the water of fenell tempered with mylke / and so dronken / is very good ¶ And yf it so be that the coughe haue exasperat and made roughe the tounge the rofe of the mouthe / then take of the sedes of rydonium .ij. sponefulles bruse them a lyttel and stype them in warme water the space of two or thre houres then strayne the vyscose and grosse water frō them throughe a strayner / and that remayneth / frye it to gether in a fryenge panne with sugre penidium the oyle of swete almons therof makyng an electuarium the which geue vnto the chylde to receaue yf the chylde haue great heate with the coughe / then adde vnto the same electuarie the iuyce of a swete pome granate ¶ Item agaynst the coughe ouer muche heate take of whyte popye / and dragagant two dram̄s / of the granes of Gowards .iiij. dram̄s / and beate all these to gether / geue of it to the chylde with the water in whiche reasons haue ben soden ¶ Item take reasons / and takynge out the sede or graynes of it sethe them to gether with water in a fryenge panne / so that they burne not to the botom of the pan / then take it from the fyre / and beate it well in a morter temperynge there with all sugre penidium / and geue of this in the mornynge euenyng to the chylde ¶ Agayne yf the coughe come of a colde cause / then take a lyttell myrrhe beaten to powder / and temper it with a quantite of warmed hony and the oyle of swete almondes / and of this geue vnto the chylde ¶ Farthermore the nourse muste auoyde all such thynges the whiche maye engender coughe as vynegre / ouer muche salted meates / nuttes / and all sharpe thynges Also she muste annoynt the chyldes brest with butter and with dialtheas ¶ Item for the coughe take reasons / and frye them in a fryenge panne / then stampe them in a mortar / and to that adde as much of sugre penidium / with a lyttell oyle of violettes / and make an electuarye of these / and geue to the chyld the mountenaunce of a hasell nutte ¶ Remedye for shorte wynde Manye tymes chaunseth also to infantes difficultie of brethynge or shorte wyndenesse / the which to remedye take lyne sede / beate it / and geue it on the childe with hony but yf the desease encrease on the chylde / that the wyne pipes in maner seme stopped / then annoynte well the eares / and all the places about the eares with oyle olyfe / and also the tounge for to prouoke vomyte / and then powere a lyttell warme water in to the chyldes mouthe / and geue to it a lyttell lynesede tempered with hony and beaten / made after the fashyon of an electuarye ¶ Item yf the chylde haue besydes this also the flyx then geue vnto it the syrupe of myrche decocte with hony / other elles dates soden with mylke / and the meale of wheate ¶ Agaynst wheles or bladders on the tounge Item sometymes happeneth to chyldren wheles and blysters on theyr tounges and mouth / whiche thinge cometh of the sharpenesse and egrenesse of the nources mylke / the mouthe tounge of the infant beynge so tender that the lest thing that toucheth it / shall offende it / wherefore besydes that it is great payne to the chylde thus to be blystered by the egrenesse of the mylke it is also verye perellous dangerous / for such wheles which be not rype and seme blacke / betoken death / whiche yf they be whyte or yelowyshe / then they be of lesse parell Agaynst this yll take violettes / roses / and xylocaracta / and temper all these beatynge them to gether / laye of it vpon the blysters ¶ Itē take the iuyce of letuse / the iuyce of solatrum / and the iuyce of purcelayne / whiche when they be well commyxte and tempered to gether / annoynt there with the whelkes And yf the foresayde blysterres or whelkes be blackysshe / then adde to the foresayde myces lycoryse beaten to pouder ¶ Item yf the same be very moyst / then take myrrhe / galles / the ryne of frākencense bete them well to gether / and temper them with hony / and annoynte the chyldes tonge there with ¶ Item take the iuyce of sharpe mulberies other els of vnrype grapes / which is called vergeus / with that annoynt the tonge Itē it is verye good to wasshe the tunge with wyne / then to strewe vpon it the pouder of galles / or elles of the barke or rynde of frankencense ¶ Yf ye wyll haue a quyckar medicine in operation a sharper / then take bole armenye / psida and sumach of eche .iij. dram̄s / also of galles .ij. drin̄s of alome one dram̄ all these beate to gether serche them throught a serchar / strewe that pouder on the blysterres Itē yf this wheles be reddyshe cause muche spettyll to gather to gyther in that place / then lette the nourse vse suche thinges which are moyst colde / and let her chawe in her mouthe verye small a fewe fatches / of the which laye on the infātes mouth tūge ¶ Itē amidum tēpered to gether with rose water / put on the chyldes tunge / is good Itē take the iuyce of pome granates / the iuyce of quynces / or the iuyce of orynges / do of this on the chyldes tunge in lyke maner / but yf the wheles or blysters be somewhat yelowysh then to these iuyces spoken of before adde the iuyce of lettuce of purcelayne ¶ But yf the wheles seme whytyshe / then take of myrre / of safrane / of eche one dram̄ / of sugre candy .ij. dram̄s / and beate these to pouder and laye of it on the wheles and the tunge ¶ Of exulceration or clefture chappynge or chynynge of the mouthe Sometymes by reason of the hardenesse of the nources pappes the chyldes lyppes mouthe be exulcerat hauynge in manner of cleftes and chynnes in them and in this case take tozed wooll / and dyppe it in the iuyce of plantayne / or elles in butter molten / or in fresshe hens grese euery of thē beyng warme and with this annoynte the mouth and lyppes of the chylde ¶ Of Apostumation and runnyng
also after theyr labor / and farther of such infirmities and deseases / which are wont to vexe the infant after it is delyuered into this wordle / with competent remedyes for the same ¶ And here in this thyrde boke by the leaue of god shall brefelye be declared suche thynges whiche maye farther or hynder the conception of man / whiche as it maye be by dyuers meanes letted and hyndered / so also by many other wayes it maye be farthered and amended Also to knowe by certayne sygnes and tokens whether the woman be conceaued or no / whether the conception be male or female / and finally certayne remedies and medycynes to farther and helpe conceptiō / so to conclude this small tracte or treatyce ¶ Of conception howe many wayes it maye be hyndered or letted ¶ Cap .ii. THere is nothyng vnder heauen which so manifestly playnlye doth declare shewe the magnificēt myghtynesse of that omnipotēt lyuing god / as doth the perpetuall and continuall generation conception of lyuynge thynges here in earth / by the whiche is saued / proroged / augmented the kynd of al thinges And where that this almyghty lorde creator hath so institute ordeyned / that no syngular thynge in it selfe here vpon the earth sholde contynually remayne abyde / yet hath he geuen from the begynnyng and instincted such a power and vertue vnto these mortall creatures / that they maye engender and produce other lyke thinges vnto them selfe / vnto theyr owne sunilitude / in the which alway is saued the sede of posterite / were not this prouisiō had by almyghtye god / the nature kynde of all maner of thinges wold sone perysh com to an ende / the which vertue power of generatiō many times doth halt misse / by defect the cōtrary dispositiō in the partes generāt As ye maye euidentlye see in the sowynge of corne and all other maner of seade / so that there be in all maner of generation thre principal partes cōcurrēt to the same the sower / the scade sowen / and the receptacle or place receauynge and contaynynge the seade Yf there be faute in any of these thre / then shall there neuer be due generation / vnto suche tyme as the faute be remoued or amended The earth vnto all seades is as a mother nource contaynynge / clyppynge and enbrasynge them in her wombe / feadynge and fosterynge them as the mother doth the chyld in her belly ormatrice / vntyll suche tyme as they come vnto the growyth / quantite / per fection due vnto theyr nature and kynd but yf this seade cōceaued in the bowelles of the earth do not proue or fructifye / then be thou sure that other there is lette in the sower / in the seade / or elles in the earthe The earthe maye be ouer waterysshe / dankesshe / or ouer hote and drye / or elles full of stones / grauell / or other rubryshe / or ful of yll weedes / which maye strangle and choke the good corne in his growynge / also the sede maye be putrifyed / or otherwyse viciat and corrupted / and so the lyfe sprete of it vanyshed awaye and destroyed The sowar maye vnordynatlye strewe and caste the seade on the earthe c. So that yf there be let in none of these thre partes concurrent to generation / or that the lettes be remoued done away / then doubte lesse will ensue multiplicacion and encreasemēt of that kynde / of the which the seade cōmeth / accordyng to the naturall enclination the whiche almyghtye god hathe enplanted and set in the kynde of all thynges ¶ Howe many wayes conception maye be letted and howe the causes maye be knowen ¶ Cap .iii. EVerye thynge then the whiche doth encrease in his kynd must fyrst be cōceaued in the wombe matrice of the mother / which is apte and conueniente for the receate of such seade And as I sayde before / as there maye be defecte and lacke in the mother receauynge the seade / soo maye there be faute and defecte in the sower / in the seade it selfe also ¶ And in woman there maye be foure generall causes / by the whiche the conception may be impedyte and let ouer much calidite or heate of the matrice / ouer much coldnesse / ouer muche humidite or moystenesse / ouer much dryenesse Any of these foure qualitees exceadynge temperancye / maye be sufficient causes to lette due conception ¶ Wherfore the ryght excellent physitian Hypocrātes in the .v. boke of his Amphorysmes sayth All such women the which haue colde and dense matrices / can not conceaue / nor such as haue moyste and waterysshe matrices can cōceaue / for the powre of the seade is extynguyshed in it Also hauyng drye matryces / conceaue not / for the seade peryssheth for lacke of due nutriment and fode / but that matrice the whiche hath all these qualities in temperancye / that is fruytfull / this is Hypocrates sayenge / the which thing also may be well perceaued by a famylyer example of the sowynge of corne ¶ For yf it be sowen in ouer colde places / such as be in the partes of a countrye / called Sithia / and in certayne places of Almayne / or in such places where is contynuall snowe or froste / or where the sonne doth not shyne / in this places the seade or grayne sowen / wyll neuer come to profe / nor fructyfye / but throughe the vehemente coldenesse of the place in the whiche it is conceaued / the lyfe and quyckenesse of the grayne is vtterlye destroyed and adnyhilat ¶ And farther as concernyng ouer muche humidite Yf ye sowe your grayne in a fen or marysse and watery grounde / the seade wyll perysshe through the ouer much aboundāce of water whiche extynguyssheth the lyuelynesse and the naturall power of the grayne and sede ¶ Lykewyse yf it be sowen in such a countrye or place where is ouer greate heate / not tēpered with water rayne / or yf the yere be so drye / that there cam no rayne at al to alay the extreme faruēt heate of the sonne / then shall the seade sowen whyther drye away / and the power of it be consumed burnt ¶ Also yf it be sowen in drye places / where neuer commeth rayne / or on the sande / and grauelye places / in suche a place the grayne can neuer take / ne proue / ne be conceaued in it to come to any fruyte or profet ¶ Wherefore yf the matrice be distempered by the excesse of any of these foure qualities / then must ye reduce it agayne to temperancie by suche remedyes / as I shall shewe you hereafter Lykewyse maye there be defecte and lacke in the man / as yf the seade be ouer hote / the which the woman shall feale / as it were burning hote / or to cold the which he shall feale / as it were