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
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
in maner colde as yise / or to fluye or thynne c. dyuers other other wayes also it maye be letted / whyche shall not nede here to be rehersed ¶ Nowe yf the woman can not conceaue / the cause commynge of ouer muche frigidite and coldenesse in the matrice / that shall she knowe by these tokens she shal feale greate cold about the sydes / the raynes of the backe and the matrice / her vryne shall appeare whyte and thynnysshe / and sometymes also somewhat spysse and thycke / and all maner of colde thynges shall noye her / hote thynges shall greately comfort her ¶ But yf it come by ouer muche humidite of the matrice / that shall she knowe by these sygnes Yf the bodye of her be of a fatte and grosse disposition / yf with her flowres yssue forth at the begynnynge and the latterende of them certayne vyscous and waterye substaunce / and that her vrine be whyte / thycke / and sometyme as it were mylke Alsoo that she feale greate colde and payne aboute the matrice pryuie partes / muche dolour in her sydes and in the raynes of her backe ¶ And when ouer much heate or dryeth in the matrice / is cause of the hynderaunce of conception / then is the vryne hye coldred / red or yelowe / beynge thynne with certayne motes appearyng in the water / the womā hath greate thyrste / and bytter rysynge or belking oute of the stomacke in to the mouthe And manye tymes they that are in this case / are verye spare and leane in all theyr bodye / hauyng also but small quantite of flowres / the whiche thynge maye happen other by ouer muche watche / or ouer much fastynge / labor / trauell / sorowe / syckenesse c. But suche women which naturally are thus spare lene / maye verye hardely be brought to a temperancye agayne be made apte to conceaue And this shal be sufficiente for this tyme to knowe whiche qualite by his excesse causeth sterilite / nowe wyll we shewe howe it shal be knowen whether lacke of conception be in the woman or elles in the man / and howe to knowe whether the woman be conceaued or no / accordynge to the mynde of ryght expert doctors of physycke ¶ Howe to knowe whether lacke of conception be of the woman or of the man and howe it maye be perceaued whether she be conceaued or no. ¶ Cap .iiii. IF ye be desyrous to know whether the man or the woman be hynderance in conception lette eche of them take of whete and barlye cornes / and of beenes of eche .vii. the which they shall suffer to be steped in theyr seueral vryne / the space of .xxiiij. houres / then take .ij. pottes / suche as they set gylyflowres in / fyll them with good earth / in the one let be set the whete / barlye / beanes / styped in the mans water / in the other the whete / barlye / and beanes / styped in the womans water / and euerye mornynge the space of eight or ten dayes / lette eche of them with theyr proper vryne / water the sayd seades sowen in the forenamed pottes / marke whose potte dothe proue / the seades therin contained dothe growe / in that partie is not the lacke of conception / but see that there come no other water or rayne on the pottes ¶ Itē accordynge to Hypocrates wrytyng yf ye wyl knowe whether the faute be in the woman or no / then lette the woman receaue in to her body vndernethe / beynge well and closely closed round about the fume of some odoriferous perfume / as laudanum / storax / calamyte / lignum aloes / muske / ambre / and suche other / and yf the odour and sauour of suche thynges assende thorowe her body vp vnto her nose / ye shall vnderstande / that sterilite commeth not of the womans parte / yf not then is the defecte in her ¶ Item yf she take garlycke beynge pylled out of the huskes / and conueye of it into the pryuie partes / and yf the sente of it assende vp through the bodye vnto the nose / the woman is fautelesse / yf not then is there lacke in her These are sygnes to knowe whether the lacke be in the man or the woman ¶ Whether she be conceaued alreadye or no / ye shall knowe by these sygnes Fyrste the flowres yssue not in so great quantite as they are wōt / but wexe lesse and lesse / and in maner nothinge at all commeth from them Also the brestes begyn to waxe rounder / harder / and styffar then they were wonte to be / the woman shall longe after certayne thynges otherwyse thē she was vsed to do before that tyme. Also her vryne waxeth spysse and thyckysshe / by retension of the superfluyties Also the woman fealeth her matrice verye fastelye enclosed and shytte / in so muche that as Hypocrates saythe / the poynte of a nedle maye scace enter ¶ Item to knowe whether she be conceaned or no / accordynge to Hypocrates mynde / in the .v. of his Ampho geue vnto the woman when she is goyng to bedde a quantite of mellicratum to drynke / and yf after that drynke she feale greate payne / gnawing / and tumblynge in her belly / then be ye sure / that she is conceaued yf not / she is not cōceaued / this mellicratum is a drynke made of one parte wyne / an other parte water soden together / with a quantite of hony ¶ But if ye be desyrous to knowe whether the conception be man or woman then lette a droppe of her mylke or twayne be mylked on a smothe glasse / or a bryght knyfe / other elles on the nayle of one of her fyngers / and yf the mylke flewe and spredde abrode vpon it / by and by then is it a woman chylde but yf the droppe of mylke contynue and stande styll vppon that / the whiche it is mylked on / then is it sygne of a man chylde Item yf it be a male / then shall the woman with childe be well coloured / and lyghte in goynge / her belly rounde / bygger towarde the right syde then the lefte / for alwayes the man chylde lyeth in the ryghte syde / the woman in the lefte syde ¶ Of certayne remedyes and medycynes which shall cause the woman to conceaue ¶ Cap .v. ALl sterilite then for the moste parte ensueth and commeth of the dystemperancye of one of these .iiij. forenamed qualities / wherfore the remedye and cure of the same when it chaunseth / must be done by such thynges / the whiche haue contracye power operation to the excessyue qualities for by that shall it be reduced to his temperancye agayne ¶ As yf that coldenesse and moystenesse exceadynge temperancye in the matrice be occasion of sterilite / then muste she applie such thynges to that place / the whiche be of nature hote drye / the whiche maye calify and
warme the place / and alsoo drye vp the yll moystenes and humoures contayned in the same / hynderynge conception ¶ Wherfore take of sauyne / baytreleues / the flowres of camomell / melylote / maioraÌ„ / caprifolium / herba paralysis / cytron leues / and such other thynges of aromatycall and hote nature and sethe these in water to gether / and let the woman receaue the vapour and fume hereof vndernethe in to her bodye through some coÌ„duite or pype made for that purpose her clothes beynge close about her / that none of the vapour or ayre yssue oute / ouer this let her syt all a nyght / yf she may / receauyng euer the fume hereof in to her bodye / and in the mornynge let her accompany with her husbande / and she shall conceaue ¶ A bathe also for the same purpose when the tyme of her flowres aboute the ende of the laste quartar of the moone is almoste fynyshed let her bathe herself in a bathe / wher in is decocte soden caprifolium / malowes / frenche malowes / holyoke / rooses / iunyper beryes / parytarye / wylde myntes / bay leues / myrtylles / sauyne / camomell / pynpernell / myntes / maioram / cytron leues / basyll / penyryall / and suche other But before that she bathe her in this water / it shal be best for her to be purged and clensed from the colde humours with theodoricon / or with benedicta / or with the pylles which be called sinequibê° esse nolo / to be had at the apothecaryes / and then let her enter in to this foresayde bathe / and when she commeth forthe of the bathe agayne / then let her take of diamargariton / or of muscata / to the quaÌ„tite of a nutte / drynkynge it with good and odoriferous or well sinellynge wyne / other elles let her take of this electuarye folowynge / whiche is verye excellent for that purpose ¶ Take of spyke / nuttemegges / cloues / zedoarium / galyngale / longe peper / drye rosesstorax / alipta muscata / of eche of these lyke muche / then take of the roote of tormentyll as muche as of all the other forenamed thinges to gether / and beate all these to pouder / temperynge them with a sufficiente quaÌ„tite of clarifyed honye / to the whiche also adde a lyttell of pure muske Of this electuarium bothe euenynge and mornynge the space of ten dayes let the woman take to the mountenaunce of a nutte with good odoryferous wyne bathynge her selfe also euery daye the space of the sayde ten dayes at her comynge forthe of the bathe / receauyng of the foresaid electuarye / then also let her perfume her pryuities with the sauoure and fume of laudanum / frankencense / xiloaloes / storax / ambre / alipta / xilobalsamum / and suche other thinges And after this let her make a supposytarye annoynted with magna trifera / or esdra / with the pouder of olibanum / and the dyle of bays myxte and tempered to gether / and let her retayne this supposytarye in her pryuities all the day tyme the foresayd space of ten dayes / and then at the ten dayes ende the man and woman accompanynge together god wyllynge / she shal be conceaued / these be the remedyes yf the defecte lacke of conception come by reason of coldenesse and moystenesse ¶ But yf it come by distemperaunce of the matrice in hote and drye / fyrste lette the humour which is cause of it / be purged by conneniente medycynes / then euery nyght the space of ten dayes let her bathe herselfe in warme water / nothing elles beyng put vnto it / in this batthe let her remayne not long / and at her coÌ„minge forth geue her to drynke of trifera magna / with watered wyne / and after this receaue she the vapoure fume of the decoction of these herbes vnderneth into her priuy partes take violettes / beerefote / parytarye / and penyryall / sethe them in water and then conuaye in to the same place a supposytary of trifera magna with the pouder of olibanum ¶ Item a suppositarye whiche is wonderfull good in expellynge and dowyng awaye suche thynges whiche let conception take of siler montanum beaten to pouder .ij. dramÌ„s / of the renatte of an hare the .iiij. parte of a dramÌ„ / and temper these to gether with clarifyed honye and the oyle of bayes / annoynt here with a supposytarye / the whiche let the woman retayne in her secreates the space of a daye and a nyght ¶ IteÌ„ a supposytary made of hares dunge and hony tempered to gether / is verye excellent for the same purpose / but let the womaÌ„ abstayne from all maner of salte and sharpe meates / and vse to drynke good odoriferous and pleasaunt wynes alayd with water ¶ Also to drynke of the wyne in whiche is dissolued muske / or elles viscus quercinus / is good to helpe to conception / also the herte bone of an herte / and the scrapynge of yuery is very good for the same ¶ Item a supposytary for the same / which hathe ben many tymes well proued for that purpose Take garlycke pylled and clensed frome the huskes / and sethe it in the oyle of rooses / or elles the oyle of maioram vnto the tyme that it be dyssolued / and that all the moystenes be departed from it / then take it out of the oyle agayne / and stampe it / then wrappe it in wooll / and conuaye it supposytarywyse in to the pryuie partes / and there keape it the space of a daye this thynge is maruelous good for conception / and hathe ben well proued ¶ Dyuers other lettes of conception and remedyes for the same myght here haue ben declared / whiche for breuite and shortenesse we for this tyme do let passe / makynge here an ende of this treatyse / the whiche we haue composed and translated oute of Laten / to the honour of God / the vtilite and profette of all honeste matrones Deo gratias ¶ Imprynted at London / by T. R. Anno Domini M. CCCCC.XL
shal be short wynded / faynt harted / often soundynge lyenge without any maner of mouynge or stearing in the pulces yee and many tymes is playnly suffocated / strangled / and dead of it wherfore that none of these thinges happen / with all diligens and payne it muste be prouyded that the secondyne be expelled ¶ Yf retention of it come by weakenesse of the laborer throughe long trauell / then must she be recomforted and strēgthed with good cōfortable meates drynkes which may enharte her / as brothe made of the yolke of egges / or with good olde wyne good fat and tydy flesshe / or byrdes / hennes flesshe / capon / partrige / pyginnes / and suche lyke ¶ And yf retentiō of this secondine come / because the place is cōtract to gether agayn / otherelles that the matrice is swollen for longe payne / then must be vsed such thinges to prouoke it oute / the whiche do make the way slypper / sople / and easy for it to procede / with the oyles or oyntementes spoken of before / as oyle of whyte lyllies / of maiorā / and of blewe lyllies Item the beryes of iumper or galbanum beaten to powder and dronke with luke warmed wyne / wyll cause the same to yssue out Itē sothernwood / or elles penyryall soden in wyne / and the decoction dronken / is of the same vertue ¶ Item to suffume the secreates with the perfumes wrytten of before / is good for this purpose / the fume of the water / in whiche mallous holyoke / and berefutte vt soden in / receaued beneth / is lyke good Also to washe that partes ī water in which is sodē branne / or to holde a lyttell bagfull of soden branne to the place / and therewythall to sooke the place / is very profytable ¶ But yf the retention of the secondyne come by reason that it is entanglyd or fastened in some place of the matrice / so that it wyl not resolue ne lose then make a fume vnderneth of brymstone / yuie leues / and cresses or elles of cresses and fygges ¶ Also of all odoriferous and swete smellynge thynges as ambre / muske / frankencense / gallia muscata and confection nere / the whiche sauoures and perfumes put on the emberres must be so closely receaued vndernethe / that no part of the smell do ascend to the nose of the woman For to the nose sholde the sauour of nothynge come / but onlye of suche thynges / the whyche stynke or haue abhominable smell as asa fetida / casto rium / mans here or womans here burnt / pecockes fethers burnt Item in this case it shal be very good to make a perfume vnderneth of the houe of an asse / which thinges althoughe they be of yll sauoure / yet they be of such nature efficacie / that they occasionat not onely the secōdine / but also dead byrthes to procede come forth out of the matrice ¶ And in this case also let the womā with holde her brethe in warde in so muche as she can / for that shall dryue downewarde suche thynges as be in the bodyr to be expelled Item let her be prouoked to sneese with the pouder of eleborus or pepper put in the nose holdynge her mouthe and nose soo cloose as maye be ¶ Also the oyntment / whiche is called vnguentum Basilicon / conueyed into the matrice / is very good / for it mollifyeth the place and draweth out the secondine parforce / the whiche so soone as it is expelled / infude the oyle of rooses in to the same matrice Item roosewater tempered with a quantite of the pouder of holyoke / and dronke / is good to expell the secondine ¶ And yf it be so that any parte of the secondine do appeare / let the mydwyfe receaue it tenderlye / loosynge it oute fayre and softely leste it breake / and yf ye doubte that it wyll breake / then let the mydwyfe tye that parte of the whiche she hathe handfast to the womans legge or fote / not very strayght / leste it breake / nether very lax / lest it slyp in agayne / and then cause her to snese Then yf the secondine tarye or stycke / so that it come not quyckly forewarde / then loose it a lyttell a lyttell very tenderlye wrething it frome one syde to another / tyll such tyme as it be gottē oute / but euer beware of violent and hastye mouyng of it / lest that with the second byrth ye remoue the matrice also ¶ And yf in this meane whyle the women faynt or sowne by reasone of great payne ensuynge of the takynge a waye of this secondine / then muste ye minister such thinges to her the which comfort the head and the hart as be electuaries whiche are conficte with muske / ambre / and the confectiō of precious stones / as Diamargariton / and suche other Also suche thynges the whiche comforte the stomacke / as Diagalanga / Dia cinamomū / and such other which are alwaye in a readinesse at the apothecaries / the which thinges she shall receaue with wyne ¶ Item to remoue the secondine and to expel it take rue / horehownd / Sothernewood / and motherwort / of ethe lyke quantite / and then take so muche of the oyle of lyshes / as maye be sufficient to stype / moysten and soke the foresayd herbes in / put all this to gether into a glased potte couered with suche a couer that it haue a lyttell hole or vent aboue in the toppe of it / then set this pot ouer the fyre of coles / so that it boyle a whyle / then take it frome the fyre / and sette it vnder the stole where the woman sytteth made for the nonce hauyng a pype made for that purpose of the whiche the one ende ye shall put into the vent or hole of the couer to the pot the other ende must the partie receaue in to her bodye And so to syt cloosed rounde aboute with clothes / that no vapoure or ayre go forth of the potte hauing a fewe coles vnder it / to kepe it hote / and thus sytte the space of an houre or two / tyll such tyme as the secondyne moue and begynne to procede of his owne kynde And yf it be so that ye profette not this wayes / yet then laye this plaster on the bellye betwene the nauell and the secreates / of the whiche we shall speake hereafter / the whiche is of suche operation and efficacite that it expelleth deade byrthes yf for all this the secondyne come not forewarde / then leaue it / and vse no more medicines ne remedies to that purpose but let it alone / for with in fewe dayes it wyll putrifye and corrupte / and dyssolue into a watery substance / thycke lyke bryne / or other fex myxed with water / so yssue forthe Howheit in the meane whyle it wyll put the woman to great payne in
the heade / in the harte / the stomacke / as we touthed before ¶ Howe that many thynges chaunse to the women after theyr labor and howe to auoyde defende or to remedye the same ¶ Cap .vii. IT is also to be vnderstanded / that many tymes after the delyueraunce happeneth to women other the feuer or ague / or swellyng or inflation of the bodye / other tumblynge in the belly / or els commotion or settelynge out of order of the mother or matrice Cause of the which thynges is somtymes lacke of due and sufficient purgation and clensyng of the flowres after the byrthe / or elles contrarye wyse ouer muche flowinge of the same / whiche sore doth weaken the woman Also the greate labor and stearynge of the matrice in the byrth ¶ Then as ofte as it commeth for lacke of due purgation of the flowres / then muste be ministred such thinges / the which maye prouoke the same / whether it be by medicines taken at the mouth / or by lotyon washyng of the fete / or by fumes or odours or emplastration / or by decoction of herbes seruynge to that purpose / other els by oyntmentes / suche other thynges / accordynge as the persone or the parell doth requyre / of the which thynges fewe or no wemen be ignoraunt And ye muste take diligent hede that she be exactly and vtterly purged to this be agreable all suche thynges / the whyche prouoke vryne open the vaynes / making free waye for the bloude to passe / sende the humours and matter downewarde / as motherworte / azure / sauyne / penyryall / parcelye / cheruyll / anyse sede / fenel sede / iumper byries / rue / baybyries / germaunder / valeriane / tyme / cinomome / spykenarde / suche other All those thynges as they do prouoke and cause vrine so do they also prouoke and cause the flowres to depart Howbeit as nere as ye can vse none of these thynges without the counsell of an expert physisyon / leste whylest ye helpe one place ye hurt another / also to sneese helpeth muche in this matter / to holde in the brethe enclosynge the noose and the mouth Also fumigation made of the yes of salt fysshes / or of the houe of a horse vnderneth / prouoketh the flowres Yf ye profet not by this meanes then yf she be able to bare it / let her bloude in the vayne / called Saphena / vnder the ancles of the fete / for this ê“uoketh flowres chieflye of all other thynges ¶ Lykewyse doo / yf the woman haue the ague after her labor / for that coÌ„meth of lyke cause by retention of the flowres / and in the feuer let her vse to drynke water / in the whiche is decocte barlye beaten / or cicer and barlye to gether / or water in whiche be soden Tamaryndi / or waye of mylke / and lette her eate cullys made of a cocke / and swete pome Granates for these thynges do prouoke the flowres / mitigateth the immoderat heate / refresshynge greatelye the bodye / loosynge and openynge suche thinges / the whiche before ware constricte and cluddered to gether ¶ Yf the body after labor do swel inflate then let her drynke water in the which is soden cicer and cummyn beaten to gether Item good olde wyne with the electuarium called diamarte / or the whiche is called alcakengi of the whiche Auicenna speaketh in his .v. boke Item gumme serapine / organnie / and masticke Also in this case a glyster made of suche thynges / the which do vaynqueshe and expelle ventositees and wyndenesse / also a pessarie or suppositar made for that parte of Aristolochia rotunda / squinan tum / storax liquida / doronicum / zeduaria ¶ Agayne yf the woman after her labor haue frettynge and knawyng of the guttes / and payne of the matrice and other secreate partes there aboute / then let her vse the vapour and fume of suche thynges the whiche haue vertue to mitigate swage and alay the payn / as mallowes / holyoke / fenegreke / cummyn / camomell / sauyne / and hemlocke ¶ Also to annoynt the places with oleum sesaminum / or with oyle of swete almondes And yf no greate heate do abouÌ„de in the woman / she maye drynke tryacle or trifera magna with wyne in whiche is decoct motherwort or muggeworke ¶ Also agaynste paynes in the preuy partes / take penyriall / policaria / syx leues of bay tree sethe them to gether / and receaue the vapour vndernethe closely Item take rue / red motherworte / sothernwood / bete them to gether / and temper them with the oyle of peny ryall / and put all to gether into a pot / and set it ouer the fyre a whyle / tyll it be somewhat soden to gether / and then take it of agayne / put it all in to a lyttell rounde lynnen bagge made for the purpose / the whiche with this herbes in it ye shall coÌ„uaye into the secretes ¶ Item take camomell lyne of eche lyke much .iiij. handefulles braye them to gether sethe them with whyte wyne / then put it in a rounde bagge of lynnen / as before was done / conuey it into the womaÌ„s preuy partes IteÌ„ let her drynke for the same purpose ij graynes of muske with wyne ¶ IteÌ„ take white onyons couer theÌ„ vnder the hote asshes the which wheÌ„ they be wel rosted / beate theÌ„ to gether with freshe butter vnsalted / make it in maner of a plaster / then put it in a lynneÌ„ bag / coÌ„uey itin to the places / as before / in the meane whyle perfumyng the preuy partes with whyte fraÌ„kencense storax ¶ Yf it be so that the womaÌ„ be vexed about the backe and loynes after her labor / take camomell / and muggewoort / of eche .ij. handfulles of woorwode / sothernewood of eche one handefull / of motherwort .iij. handefulles / of cinamome and nutmegges beteÌ„ small halfe an ounce / decocte all these thynges together / and in the water of this decoction beynge warme / dyp a spunge or other lynnen clothes fomentynge / sokynge / and strekynge the backe with the same / and so do often tymes / or els put all these foresayde herbes to gether soden in a bagge / and laye it plasterwyse to the backe ¶ Yf this profette not take oyle nardine / oyle of whyte lyllies / of ech an ounce and an halfe / to the whiche put a dramÌ„ of nutmegges beaten to small powder / with this annoynte the backe Item take oyle of anys / oyle of camomell / of eche an ounce / oyle of whyte lyllies .ij. ounces / of waxe .ij. dramÌ„s dissolue all these to gether ouer the fyre / and there with annoynt the backe ¶ But yf after the labor the flowres yssue more vehementlye in greater aboundance then they sholde / to the great effeablysshyng of the woman and inducynge of
Yf it be so that the chyldes head be soo swollen by inflation / swellynge / or resorte of humours that it wyl not conueniently yssue oute that narowe places / then let the mydwyfe with a sharpe penknyfe cutte open the heade / that the humours contayned in it maye yssue and runne forth / and so the head to waxe lesse able to be plucked out but yf it so be that not by any suche casualte the head be bygge / but onely of a naturall groweth / then muste the head be broken in peces / and the partes euermore taken forth with suche instrumentes / as the surgeons haue readye and necessarye for suche purposes ¶ Agayn yf that after the head were come forthe / yet the breste parte wolde not folowe for greatenesse / then muste ye breake and cut lykewyse that parte / vnto suche tyme that it maye be had forth And euen so lykewyse / yf all the rest of the bodye sholde be so swollen that it wolde not procede ne come forth / then muste it lykewyse be broken in peces / so had forthe ¶ Farthermore if by chanse or bysease it come to passe that the mouth of the matrice be exulcerat or apostumat / so that the passage be made the narower by that meanes / the dryer and the more contracte / then muste ye fyrste studye and endeuour you to sople and ease the places by oyles other greces / suche as I spake of sufficientlye before in the fyfth chapter with bathes and fumigations ¶ Also yf the dead byrth come sydelonge / then muste ye do what maye be doue to conuerte torne it to such fashion / that it maye moste easyly be brought forth the matrice other secreates muste be annoynted / perfumed / and vapored with suche thinges / the which maye make it more ample large / yf it can not be thus had forthe hole then let it be cut out by pese mele / as is before spoken of And yf after this delyueraunce the flowres yssue ouer vehementlye / then vse suche thynges as haue vertue to restrayne them / of the which I haue spoken in the .vij. chapter before But cōtrary to all this / yf it chāse that the woman in her labor dye / the chyld hauyng lyfe in it / thē shall it be mete to kepe open the womās mouth / and also the nether places / so that the chylde maye by that meanes bothe receaue also expell ayre brethe which otherwyse myght be stopped / and thē to turne her on the left syde / there to cutte her open / so to take out the chylde / they that are borne after this fashion be called cesares / for because they be cut out of theyr mothers belly / whervpon also the noble Romane cesar the .j. of that name ī Rome toke his name ¶ Howe the infante newlye borne muste be handled nouryshed and loked to ¶ Cap .x. AFter that the infant is once borne / by by the nauel must be cutte thre fyngers bredthe from the belly / so knyt vp then as Auicēna wryteth / let be strued on the head of that that remayneth / of the powder of bole arme nyacke / sanguis draconis / sarcocolla / myrrha and comyne / of eche lyke much beaten to powder / strewe on the cut of that pece that remayneth / then vppon that bynde a pece of wooll dypped in oyle olyfe that the powder fall not of some vse fyrst to knyt the nauell / and after to cutte it so much / as is before rehersed ¶ And farthermore some say that of what length the reste of the nauell is lefte / of the same length shall the chyldes tonge be / yf it be a man chylde Item Auicenna sayth that dyuers thynges maye be knowen by merkynge of the chyldes nauell / for as he sayth / when the woman is delyuered of her fyrste chylde / then beholde the nauell of the childe / which yf in that parte of it which is next vn to the body it haue neuer a wryncle / it proten deth and doth signifye perpetuall frō thensforth sterilite or barennesse / yf it haue any wrynkles in it / then so manye wrynkles / so many chyldren shal the womā haue in tyme to come Also some adde to this saye that yf there be lytteli space betwene these wrynkles in the nauell / then shall there be also lyttell space betwene the barynge of the chyldren / yf muche / it syngnifyeth longe tyme betwene the barynge of them ¶ Nowe to returne to our purpose / when that the nauel is cut of / the reste knytte vp annoynt all the chyldes bodye with the oyle of acornes / for that is syngularly good to cōfirme / stedfast / and to defende the body from noysom thinges / whiche may chaunse from without as smoke / colde / suche other thinges which yf the infant be greaued with all / streate after the byrth / being yet very tender / it sholde hurte it greately ¶ After this annoyntynge wasshe the infant with warme water / and with your fynger the nayle beynge pared open the chyldes nosestrelles / and purge them of the fylthynesse Item it shal be good to put a lyttell oyle into the eyes and also that the mother or nource handle so the childes syttyng place that it maye be prouoked to purge the belly And chieflye it muste be defended from ouer much colde or ouer muche heate ¶ After that that the parte extante or boging forth of the nauell is fallen / the whiche commonlye chanseth after the thyrde or .iiij. daye then on the reste remaynyng strewe the powder or asshes of a calfes houe burnt / or of snayle shelles / or the powder of ledde / called redde ledde / tempered with wyne ¶ Farthermore when the infant is swadeled and layde in cradell / the nource muste geue all diligence and hede that she bynde euerye parte ryght and in his due place and order / and that with all tendernesse and gentell entreatynge / and not crokedlye and confusely / the which also muste be done oftentymes in the daye for in this is it as it is in younge and tender ympes / plantes / twygges / the whiche euen as ye bowe them in theyr youthe / so wyll they euermore remayn vnto aege And euen so the infante yf it be bounde and swadeled / the membres lyenge ryght strayght / then shall it growe streate and vpryght / yf it be crokedlye handled / il wyll growe lykewyse / and to the yll negligence of many nources may be imputed the crokednesse and deformite of manye a man and woman / which otherwyse myght seme well fauered as any other ¶ Item let the chyldes eyes be oftentymes wyped and clensed with a fyne and cleane lynnen clothe or with sylke and let the armes of the infante be verye strayght layde downe by the sydes / that they maye growe ryght / and sometyme
/ let it stype a whyle / then strayne it throughe a lynnen cloth / then take of the syrupe of violettes the wayghte of an halfe peny / of spodium / called burnt yuerye / the wayght of a scruple / of gaules the wayghte a dram̄ and a half temper all these thinges to gether / and geue it to the infante to drynke ¶ Item take the sede of sorrell / and beate it / then temper it to gether with the yowlke of a rosted egge / and geue that to the chylde to eate ¶ Item take a gaulle / beate it to pouder / then sethe it in water with this water / temper barley meale / or the meale of millium / make a plaster of it / the which laye vnto the chyldes belly ¶ Yf this profet not take of acatia seruse of eche a dram̄ / of opium the wayght of an halfe peny / of sugre a dram̄ / of all these tempered to gether / make a suppositary of the length of a fynger an halfe the thyckenesse of two wheten strawys twyned to gether / the same cōueys into the infantes foundament / it shall sease the flyxe ¶ Itē yf that that cometh frō the chyld / be whytysshe / then take of nutte megges the wayght of the .viij. parte of a dram̄ / and of whyte frākencense a scruple / the which temper it with the iuyce of a quynse / and geue it to the chylde to drynke ¶ Item take an ounce of safrane / of myrrhe / a quartar of an ounce and temper them with redde wyne / makyng of it a plaster / the which laye vnto the chyldes bellye Item take the meale of barleye / temper it with the iuyce of plantan and a lyttell vinegre / and make it plasterwyse / and laye it to the chyldes belly ¶ Item take the iuyce of centinodium and the whyte of an egge and temper them together / to the whiche adde the pouder of dryed red roses / the pouder of hematites / mastycke frankencense / bole armenyacke / sanguis draconis and psida of all these myxed to gether make a plaster / and laye it to the infantes bellye ¶ Item to wasshe the chylde with the water in the which be soden leues of red rooses is very good Item take the iuyce of confery and the iuyce of plantayne the more and the lesse / and in this put claye of an olde furnyse or ouen / and make of it a plaster / and laye it to the chyldes bellye ¶ To vnloose the chylde beynge bounden Yf the chylde be so bounde / that it can not sege then make a suppositary of hony soden tyll it be harde and massye / and let the suppositary be of the length of your lyttell fynger / the byggenesse of two whetestrays boūde to gether / then dyppe it into oyle and conuey it into the chyldes foundament ¶ Item lykewyse ye maye make a suppositary of the stalke and rote of betes / or els of the rote called oresse or flowre de luce rote / made of the quantite before spoken of / conueyed into the syttynge place of the chylde ¶ Item to geue to the infant as much hony as a peaze to drynke to rubbe the bellye a lyttell / and to sople it with a pece of wooll dypped in oyle / or dypped in bulles galle / layde to the nauell Item ye maye geue vnto the nource a medycyne whiche hathe vertue to vnbynde and loose / and the next day after let the chylde sucke her / and it wyll loose also the chylde ¶ Item take of mouse dounge half a dram̄ and temper it with the fatte in the kydnees of a goote / make a suppositor of the same Item take of small mallowes / of greate mallowes of eche an handefull of fenegreke and lynsede of eche an handefull / of holycke two ounces / of fygges the nomber of .x. sethe all these to gether in water / then stampe them in a morter / and put vnto it of butter and of hennes grece .ij. ounces / and of safrane one scruple / and make a plaster of it vppon a lynnen clothe of the thyckenesse of a strawe / and laye it to the chyldes bellye a daye and a nyghte ¶ Yf this moue not the belly / then take of aloes one dram̄ / of eleborus bothe niger and albus of eche .xv. graynes / beate these to pouder / then temper them with thre sponefulles of the iuyce of walwort or of oxe gall in this licoure dyppe wooll / and laye it to the nauell the bredthe of a hande / and bynde it to the place ¶ Item take the iuyce of wallwurte and of myll meale and sethe those to gether / tyll they be thycke / then make a plaster thereof / and laye it to the bellye benethe the nauell Item take two handefulles of redde roses and putte them in to a bagge of foure fyngers bredthe / then sethe it in the water wherin smythes quenche theyr hote yron / putting to it a lyttell vynegre / thē take out the bagge agayne / and wrynge it a lyttell / then laye it to the chyldes stomacke Item to annoynte the chyldes bellye with butter / the whiche hath styped and stande longe in the rynde of walnuttes / is very good ¶ Remedye for the crampe or distention of the membres Yf it chaunse that the infant be taken with the desease / called the crampe / the which for the most parte cōmeth of indigestion and of the wekenesse of the powre attractyue specially in such chyldren the which be very fat and moyste / then shall ye annoynte the infant with the oyle of blewe flowre de lyce / or elles whyte lyllyes / other the oyle of rue Yf the crampe take the chylde whylste it stretcheth forth the armes / legges / and other mēbres as we be wont in gapyng or yanynge then let it be bathed and wasshed in water / in the whyche tapsus barbatus is foden in / or elles annoynted with the oyle of violettes / and the oyle of swete almons tempered to gether / and yf the chylde be in great heate annoynte hym with the oyle of violettes / or with oyle olyfe / tēpered with a lyttell whyte wexe / and also powre on the chyldes heade the oyle of violettes ¶ Remedy for the coughe and distillation of the heade Sometymes the chylde is sore encombred with the coughe and with distillatiō or runnynge of humours oute of the heade / to the nose / the mouthe and the brest the which he shall remedye thus Fyrst powre warme water on the chyldes heade holdynge it a fote a halfe from the chyldes heade / and so do cōtynuallye the space of halfe an houre / and in the meane whyle put a lyttell honye on the chyldes tonge to chawe vpon / then put your fynger in to the chyldes mouth / and depresse or holde downe the ynner moste parte or the