The first Chapter. Of the consent between the Diseases of the Matrix, and those of the other parts.

WOMEN were made to stay at home, and to looke after Houshold employments, and because such business is ac­companied with much ease, without any vehement stir­rings of the body, therefore hath provident Nature assigned them their monethly Courses, that by the benefit of those evacuations, the feculent and corrupt bloud might be purified, which otherwise, [Page 2] as being the purest part of the bloud, would turne to ranke poyson, should it remaine in the body and putrifie; like the seed eja­culated out of its proper vessells. Hippo­crates had a perfect understanding of these things, as may appeare by those words, in his booke de locis in homine, where he saith, that the Matrix is the cause of all those dis­eases which happen to women; and it is no strange thing which he speaketh; for the Matrix hath a Sympathie with all the parts of the body; as with the Braine by the Nerves and Membranes of the parts about the spine, from whence sometimes ariseth the paines, in the fore part, and the hinder part of the head, with Heart also, both by the Spermatick, and the Epigastrick arteries, or those that lie about the Abdo­men at the bottome of the bellie, from hence cometh the paine of the heart, fainting, and swounding fits, the passion of the Heart, anxietie of minde, dissolution of the spi­rits, insomuch as you cannot discerne, whither a woman breaths or not, or that she hath any pulse; it hath likewise a consent with the breasts; and from hence pro­ceed those swellings, that hardness, and those terrible Cancers that afflict those tender parts, that a humour doth flow [Page 3] upwards, from the Matrix to the Breasts, and downwards again, from the Breasts to the Matrix, is the unanimous assertion of Galen, Hippocrates, Laurentius, Duretus, and others; moreover it hath a sympathie with the Liver; and thus the sanguification is per­verted, and the body inclines to a Dropsie, and with the stomach and the Kidneys also, as those paines which great bellied women doe feele, and the torments which some Virgins undergoe, when they have their Courses, sufficiently witnesse. And lastly, Hippocrates hath taught us, that this consent holdeth with the bladder, and the straight [...]; for, saith he, when that part is in­flamed, then the urine commeth away by drops, and the Patient hath frequent de­sires, and solicitations to goe to stoole, but but without any performance.

Womens diseases are divided into foure Classes, whereof the first containeth the dis­eases that are common to all women: the second comprehendeth such as are peculiar to Widowes, and Virgins; The third spe­cifieth those Affects that concern barren women, and such as are fruitfull; And the fourth treateth of such diseases, as befall Women with Childe, and Nurses; of all which we shall now speak, one after ano­ther, in their order.

Those diseases that are common, both to widowes and wives, both to barren wo­men, and women that are fruitfull, as also to young Maids, and Virgins, proceed from the retention, or stoppage of their Courses, as the most universall, and most usuall cause; when these come from them, in a duc and regular manner, their bodies are preserved from most terrible diseases; but otherwise, they are immediately sub­ject to the falling Sickness, the Palfie, the Consumption, the Whites, the Mother, Melancholy, Burning Fevers, the Dropsey inward inflammations of all the principall parts, the suppression of the urine, n [...]e eating, vomiting, loathing of meat, yex­ing, and a continuall paine in the Head, arising from ill vapours, communicated from the Matrix to the Braine.

Wives are more healthfull then Widowes, or Virgins, because they are refreshed with the mans seed, and ejaculate their own, which being excluded, the cause of the evill is taken away. This is evident from the words of Hippocrates, who adviseth young Maids to marrie, when they are thus trou­bled; that women have stones and seed, no true Anatomist will denie; the wo­mans seed, I confess, in regard of the small [Page 5] quantity of heat, is more imperfect then the seed of the mans, yet is it most abso­lute in it selfe, and sit for Generation. An­other cause also may be added, besides that which is alledged from Hippocrates, namely, that married women by lying with their husbands, doc loosen the pas­sages of the seed, and so the Courses come down more easily thorow them; Now in Virgins it falls out otherwise, because the bloud is stopped by the constipation and obstruction of the veines, and being stopped putrifies, from which putrifaction grosse vapours doe arise, and from thence he [...]vinesse of minde, and dulnesse of spirit, a benummednesse of the parts, tim orous­nesse, and an aptness to be frighted, with a sudden propensitie to fall into fits of the Mother, by reason of much bloud, oppres­sing and burthening the heart, also con­tinuall anxiety, sadness, and want of sleep, with idle talking, and an alienation of the minde, but that which most com­monly afflicts them, is a difficulty, and paine to fetch their breath, for the chest by a continuall dialatation and compressi­on, draweth the bloud from the Matrix to it selfe, in a large proportion, and some­times produceth asthmaticall effects. But [Page 6] what shall we say concerning Widowes, who lye fallow, and live sequestred from these Venereous Conjunctions? we must con­clude, that if they be young, of a black complexion, and hairie, and are likewise somewhat discoloured in their cheeks, that they have a spirit of salacity, and feele within themselves a frequent titillation, their seed being hot and prurient, doth ir­ritate and inflame them to Venery, neither is this concupiscence allaid and qualified, but by provoking the ejaculation of the seed, as Galen propounds the advice in the example of a widow, who was afflicted with intolerable symptomes, till the abun­dance of the spermatick humour was [...]i­minished by the hand of a skilfull Midwife, and a convenient oyntment, which pas­sage will also furnish us with this argument that the use of Venery is exceeding whol some, if the woman will confine her self to the Lawes of moderation, so that sh [...] feele no wearisomnesse, nor weaknesse i [...] her body, after those pleasing conflicts.

Most certaine it is, that barren wome [...] are more tormented with sicknesse, the [...] those that are fruitfull, because, they wh [...] have children, live in a more healthful [...] condition, by reason of the opening of th [...] [Page 7] veines, and the comming away of the superfluous bloud; which being of an earthy, and feculent substance, must needs introduce prodigious symptom [...]s in the bodies of other women, who have no seaso­nable meanes to vent and purge it out, and daily experience doth witnesse it to the pri­vate consideration of such women, that very many obstructions breed in their Li­ver, Mesenteries, and Matrices. That wo­men in Child-bed also, and such as nurse their owne children, are subject to most bit­ter, and vehement affects, Galen doth dai­ly teach us by an undeniable reason; for whereas the childe in the wombe is nou­rished by the sweetest, fattest, and most ela­borate part of the menstruous Bloud, in its own nature filthy, and dreggish, when the woman is delivered, that bloud is forci­bly evacuated by a criticall kinde of moti­on, and violent ebullition, whereupon the spi­rits are exhausted, and the feeble creature is precipitated into mortall infirmities, as fainting fits, incredible torments, and fre­quent soundings.

Many times also, besides that perticular fulnesse of the womb through the swelling, and strutting of the veines; such women all the time that they be great with childe, [Page 8] are oppressed with an abundance of ill hu­mours, contracted, and heaped up toge­ther by a bad diet, after which the upper parts of their bodies are many times most wofully inflamed.

After the same manner also Nurses are tormented with sore breasts, painfull swellings, Ulcers, and Cancers, and the like crueii diseases, by reason that the Menstruum floweth in an unmeasurable quantitie to the breasts, and there settles. But now, by the permission of Heaven, we shall set down a particular Explanation of these Diseases.

CHAP. II. The suppression of the Courses.

THe suppression of the Courses, is an in­terception, or stoppage of that usuall evacuation of bloud, which is wont to flow from the Matrix every month.

There is a twofold cause hereof; one inward, the other outward [...]; the in­ward cause is also manifold; for some­times it is one kinde of distemper, sometimes another; and sometimes againe, a hu­mour is the cause thereof, the distemper is [Page 9] either hot, or cold, and concerning the for­mer, this is controverted among the Do­ctors, how a hot distemper can stay the Courses: for if we will credit the b [...]st Au­thors, or submit our judgements to the ge­nerall Vote of Philosophy; it is the pro­perty of heat to open, to rarifie, to make thin, and to dilate: as on the contrary, it is the property of cold to obstruct, to thick­en, to binde, and to condensate, the an­swer is easie and obvious; wherefore we say that heat properly doth not stay the Courses, but onely by accident, as namely by atte­nuation, dissipating, and consuming the thinner parts of the Menstruum, for any hu­mour is reasonably conceived to become more drie and thick, when the thinner part thereof is wasted away; and againe, the thicker and dryer it is, it must needs be so much the more unapt to be expelled: and this is the reason that sturdie women in the Country, who are accustomed to labour, and take much paines, and such Virgins, as are of a hot constitution, have ver [...] littl [...], or no evacuation this way, because the M [...]n­struum is wasted, and vanisheth by their con­tinuall exercise, and paines taking. Second­ly, when the moisture is consumed away the vessels are so much the more narrow [Page 10] and bound up, so that there is almost no passage left for the exclusion of the Courses.

A cold Distemper stayeth the Courses, because it weakneth and colleth the parts, breeds bad humors and obstructions, straightens the passages, obstructs the conduits, infirmes, and overcooleth the Matrix, and so retaines, sup­presseth, and stoppeth the Courses.

Swellings, Imposthnmes, scars, and the like, are all reducible to the inward causes; but the most u [...]uall inward cause is a slow, tough and slimy humour, which glewing up, as it were, the vessells of the Matrix, and thickning the bloud, retaineth the Menstru­um, according to the opinion of Galen, de­livered in severall places of his works.

The outward Causes are all those things, which any way increase a cold juice in the body, as a cold and moist Ayre, gluttony, crudities, cold [...]aths, and an unseasonable use of them, meats that yield a grosse nourish­ment, and are hard to digest, and such as con­stipate the humours, and thicken the bloud; in which number are thick and sweet wines, pulse of all sorts, white meats made with milke, hard fish, and salt flesh, pothearbs, Vine­ger, Olives, Rice, and the like; also an unseaso­nable use of Venery, a disorderly motion of the body, presently after meates, cold drink, [Page 11] ale, and other Pourtents, or liquors which breed slow, and thick juices.

You may know when the Menstruum is, or will soon be suppressed by the relation of the sick woman, who commonly will make these discoveries; that she hath no stomack to her meat, that for a long time together she hath felt a heavinesse over all her body, with a paine in her back, her privities, and her Matrix: besides, you your self may discern agreenish paleness in her face; Sometimes she is troubled with loud belchings, and cruell paines in her belly; but frequently with the head-ach, especially in the forepart of her head, and when the bloud is stopped, & putri­fies in her body, presently there ariseth a Fe­ver, by reason of that Sympathy, Communion, or consent between the Matrix & the other parts.

Many, and irreparable are the inconve­niences, and evills, which happen by this stoppage of the Courses, if we may beleeve the great Hippocrates, who in one of his Aphorismes saith, if the Menstruum comes away without moderation, diseases fol­low; but if it comes not away at all, yet then diseases happen also from the Matrix: but if it comes away in a due, and naturall manner, it preserves the woman from all gowtie torments, from paines in her joints, [Page 12] from the Pleurisie, and all other inflamma­tions in her sides, from the Apoplexy, from the difficulty to fetch her breath, and from loosing her voyce; Women that have not their Courses, must seeke for remedies with spe [...]d and prudence; let them betake them­selves to a temperate and movst Ayre, for if the Ayre be too hot, it waste [...]h the bloud, and drawes it upwards from the Matrix; it likewise exhausts the Spirits, and is thought to be a weakner of the body: on the con­trary, when the Ayre is too cold, it com­pels the bloud to retire, it weakens the Matrix, breeds grosse and thick humours, and locks up the passages, so that the Men­struum cannot descend, the most conveni­ent drinke in this case is small Rhenish wine, if there be a Fever, or, which will be lesse dangerous, small beere boiled with a lit­tle Cinamon, Anise, Maydenhaire, or Birthwort.

Her diet should be such as will bee soon concocted, and easily distributed to all the parts; boiled meats are more wholesome for her then ros [...]ed, because these dry up the bloud, but they soften the body, and keep it moist: let her also choose to feed upon tame creatures rather then wilde, because these are more hot and dry, but those are more moist and temperate; boyle them [Page 13] with red fitches, for the broth that is thus made doth most powerfully bring down the Courses. What meats must be avoided hath been said above; but above all things, let her refraine the use of sowre things, because, as Hippocrates hath warned us, they bring paine to the Matrix; it will be good to rub the lower parts of her legs very often, and to tie straight ligatures about them, till they make her complaine of much paine.

Having thus prescribed her Diet, the next designe must be to evacuate the Cause; this may be done severall wayes, but especially by letting bloud, and sometimes by purg­ing her body; the Physitians have long contended, but very foolishly, which vein should be cut: but we omitting the frivou­lous alterations on both sides, conclude with Galen, that when the Courses are stop't, if the strength of the woman will beare it, and the nature of the Disease require it, the vein in the Ankle must alwayes be opened; not in the Arme as Aetius commands; who also is backt in that opinion by Gradus, Mercurialis, and Amatus Lusitanus, who was taught by Ruffus to open a vein in a wo­mans arme, to advance the cure; but I can­not approve of that course, because recti­tude [Page 14] must ever be observed. Galen in his book de Curandi ratione per sang. miss. chapt. 11. instead of opening a vein, useth Scari­fication to the domesticall part, as having the greatest resemblance with Phlebotomy, and if these things doe not overcome the Disease, apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoids, to take away the accumulation of melancholy bloud; for they suck out the feculent, and dreggish humours, impacted in the Matrix, by reason that those parts are so neere the one to the other.

Zacutus Lusitanus applieth them to the inner part of the Matrix, and boasteth him­selfe the Author of this kinde of remedy; but whether it be consonant to reason, I leave to considering persons to judge.

There is no doubt but the application of Leeches may be usefull, because the hu­mour is slow, thick and earthy: but in regard that no part is evacuated, till the whole body be first purged, therefore I shall advise you to give her this Purge follow­ing, which will worke very gently.

Take three drams of Sena.

Three scruples of Agarick.

A dram of Annise-seeds.

Macerate them together, in a suffici­ent quantity of Penniroyall water, for the [Page 15] space of a night, to three ounces, in the morning allow them one or two bublings, and to the liquor which you presse out, add

Foure drams of Diaphenicon.

Mingle them, and give it her to drinke.

Or of the Electuary make a Bolus.

When the body is purged, and a vein hath been opened, let your Judgement keep company with Galens directions, and prepare the thick humour with this Decocti­on following.

Take Smallage, Fennell, and Sparagus roots, of each halfe an ounce, the leaves of Hy­sope, Pennyroyall, and Birthwort, of each a handfull.

Two drams of Carrotts seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Bar­ley water, to a quart; to the strained li­quor add Syr. de 5. radicibus, and Syr. lu­pulorum, of each an ounce, mingle them, and make an Apozem. Or

Take the roots of Acorns, and Elecampane, of each two drams.

The leaves of

• Pennyroyall,
• Motherwort,
• Balme,
• Betony, of each a handfull.

Two ounces of white Agarick.

An ounce and a halfe of Anise seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Fu­mitary water to a pint: to the liquor which you presse out, add

• Syrupe of Motherwort,
• Syrupe of Maydenhaire, of each an ounce.
• Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

Note that Agarick hath respect unto the nervous parts, and that the Syrup of the five roots with vinegar doth hurt the Nerves, because all sharp things are hurt­full to the Matrix, according to Hippocra­tes, whose Judgement winneth reverence with the best Physitians.

Fomentations must be applyed to the small guts, to the privie parts, and you must make them of opening simples, and such as will cut into, and make thin the grosse and thick humours.

Baths and halfetubs prepared of the like simples will be very usefull; and the best liniments you can choose are made of oyle of Lillies, castor, dill, and capers, and the most profitable oyntments are unguent. Agrippe, and de Althea, with gums.

After you have gone thus far, you must evacuate the bloud, and provoke urine: to which purposes prescribe this Decoction following.

Take the roots of Butchers broome▪

• [Page 17] Sparagus,
• Smallage,
• Fennill, of each an ounce.

The roots of Aristolochy the round.

Birthwort of each two drams.

The leaves of Penniroyall,

• Snakeweed,
• Motherwort, of each a handfull.

Foure drams of Sena.

Two ounces of white agarick.

Foure ounces of Hermodactyls.

An ounce and a halfe of Epithymum.

Anise and fennill seeds, of each an ounce.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water, to a pint and a halfe, to the strained liquor being hard prest, add two ounces of the best honey, mingle them, and make an Apozem.

Every other morning let her drink foure ounces of this fasting, and in the meane time strengthen her belly, and her Matrix, with fomentations that are good to expell winde: you may make them of the Sim­ples aforesaid, with the powders Dianis, Diacumin, Diagalang. and the like.

You must provoke the Menstruum with Pessaries, made of the juyce of Mercury, Cu­cumbers, Restharrow, unsalted butter, Hogs­grease, the gall of an Oxe, Sagapenum, Am­moniacum, [Page 18] Castor, Assa-fetida, and the like. Perfumes made with spices bring down the Courses, if the steame or vapour of them be conveighed into the Matrix; or you may appoin [...] little Trochishs to be made with rue, aristolochy, Castor, assa fetida, Sagapenum, and turpentine, which being cast upon hot burning coles they will smoke, and that smoke will speedily bring down her Courses, if it be received up thorow a tunnell.

You must make an issue in her leg, that the Matrix may exhale, and the thick hu­mours may be purged out.

Such Compositions as have steele in them will be most effectuall, for it is ma­nifest by experience, that steele is good to cut into, and make thin the thick and slow humours, to open obstructions, to bring down the Courses, to provoke urine, and to free the vessels from all matter that stop them: and all these things it performes by manfest qualities inherent in it, and not by the ponderosity, or heavinesse thereof▪ as some have conjectured.

Severall Authors have devised severall preparations of it; but we alwayes used to prepare it after this manner following.

Take a pound of Steele filed into a mos [...] fine dust, wash it in Pennyroyall water distil­led, [Page 19] till the water look pure and cleare, then put it into a glasse Viol, pouring up­on it a sufficient quantity of Vinegar, made with Penniroyall: set it in the Sun thirty dayes, stirring it about every seventh day, afterwards dry it, weare it to a most subtle powder in a Marble morter, sift it, and keep it for your use; the Dose, or quantity here­of to be taken, is a dram with wormewood wine, or Rhenish wine, or with Hydro­mel.

Note, that we advisedly make use of the vinegar aforenamed, because the use and vertue of Steele is to unlock obstructions; and Vinegar hath a faculty to penetrate, make thin, and cut asunder the thickest hu­mours, and therefore by the help there­of the Steele is with the more expedition transmitted to the remotest parts of the body.

Yet if the patient be troubled with a hot distemper in her Liver, stomack, or spleen, or if you discerne any weaknesse in her in­ward parts, then prepare the steele with Rose­water, or whey of Goats milke.

When she hath taken the steele, let her walke an houre after it; for exercise opens the pores, and thereby the Medicine is the more easily distributed: when she hath ob­served [Page 20] this injunction, let her lie down till she begin to sweat, or if she finde in her selfe a disposednesse, let her sleep: after­wards give her to eat, but her meat should rather be rosted, then boyl'd, and for her drink, allow her small wine, or wine pre­pared with steele.

I doe not judge it meet to determine any time for the continuance of these Rules, and precepts, onely in generall, I hold it convenient to use them, till the Pa­tient be more apt, and disposed for exer­cise, till she can walke without any lazy complaint of wearinesse, till her lips be­gin to look of a more lively colour, till no obstruction be perceiveable by the touch, and in a word, till the urine, which was thin, pale, and discoloured, appeare red­dishlike unto the urine of a healthfull wo­man.

The Spring time is the most convenient to undertake this Cure; for then the hu­mours are most apt to flow, which in the Winter are congealed, and impacted in the severall parts; and in the Summer time it will not be altogether so proper to begin the Cure, for then thorough the immode­rate heat o [...] the season, the humours doe daily threaten to precipitate the sick woman into a fever.

If the woman be weake in her body, let her refraine from exercise, and rest her selfe upon her bed, and after the space of a full houre, let her body be diligently rubbed, till it looke red, that the faculties of the steele may be actuated, and assisted in their operation; for Galen in his book de Puero Epileptico and the fourth Chapter saith, that the rubbing of the body supplies the want of exercise, because it attenuateth and cut­eth the humours, unlocks the obstructions, quickens, and kindles the naturall heat, and dissolves the peccant matter.

Many mingle steele prepared with Con­serves, and Syrups; Some make Lozenges thereof, and so doe we also; especially when the Patient refuseth Wine, or Con­serves, and the like: for in some cases we must allow pardon to the queazinesse of the sick, and humour the Palate with a safe indulgence.

The powders Diarhod. Abbat, Dialacca, and Diacucurma, are very good to open the passages which are stop't, and therefore you may prudently mingle them among the in­gredients for the Lozenges aforesaid.

Here perhaps you will start this questi­on; if heat provokes to stoole, and brings down the urine, if it attenuates, cuts in­to [Page 22] the humours, and open the obstructions; why doe Physitians unanimously com­mand the staying of a loosenesse, or an Issue of bloud, in what part of the body soever it happen, and to that intent pre­scribe water, or wine, or beer, wherein steele hath been quenched, thereby to make it more binding, and more apt to stay any flux? I answer, that steele is indued with those qualities I readily grant; but the Method which is observed in the use of steele doth cleerely demonstrate a diversity of faculties to be in it: wherefore if your aime and intention be to open the obstru­ctions, drinke the wine when the steele hath been once, twice, or thrice quenched in it; but if you desire it should binde, then prescribe it to be taken after the sixth, or seventh quenching; for the first water or wine openeth, because in that lieth the fiery quality; but the other bindeth, because in that consists the earthy part: neither shall you need to wonder, that se­verall and contrary qualities should lie concealed in one, and the same minerall, mettall, or simple, seeing that by daily experience we have a demonstrative certain­ty of the truth thereof; for thus Aloe [...] hath an Emplastick and an opening quali­ty: [Page 23] thus Rubarb both binds and purgeth.

Now you must note that these Simples are called hot and cold, as they have hot or cold parts predominant in them: thus we conclude endive to be cold, because the parts thereof are more moist then bitter, and we say Rubarb is hot, because it hath a nitrous, fiery, purging quality predomi­nant in it, above the earthy, binding, and cold parts.

Christopherus a Vega, a man otherwise ve­ry learned, seemes to my understanding to forsake the offers of reason, in saying that steele is unprofitable, because he never saw any woman, who had not her Courses, or who was troubled with obstructions, cured by the meanes of this Remedy; but truly, if it doth not sometimes totally' subdue the evill, yet the fault must not therefore con­sequently be charged upon the Medicine, because the Matrix is sometimes vitiated by an habituall distemper, or else the ob­structions thereof are so many, or so stub­borne, that sometimes they d [...]stroy the sick woman; and if it doe not fall out so, yet is it an undeniable truth which the Poet tells us,

Non est in Medico semper relevetur ut Aeger, Interdum docta plus valet arte malum.

That is,

The Doctour cannot still successefull be, Sometimes the evill gets the victory.

CHAP. III. The immoderate flowing of the Courses.

THis disease is contrary to the former; for as in that the Menstruum is too long retained, so in this they run too long.

There is also this difference between them: the one proceedeth from a hot dis­temper, the other from a cold one.

This we now treat on, is produced by twofold cause, the one inward, and th [...] other outward.

The inward Cause is a hot distemper o [...] the Liver, whereby the bloud growes hot thin, boyling in the vessells, and opening them, so that the Menstruum is purged out, before the usuall and due time.

The outward Cause is that which heateth and inflames the bloud, and withal makes it thin, as vehement and sturdy exercises, pensivenesse, and immoderate care of the minde, excessive anger, and thought busied upon revenge: a custome of eatin [...] [Page 25] meats that are hot in their quality, name­ly, such as are full of pepper, and salt, bib­ing of wine, and strong drinks, too much bathing of the body, long watchings, fit­ing in the Sun overmuch, or by the fire side, &c.

You may easily make your selfe acquaint­ed with the signes by conversing with, and questioning the sick woman, besides, you may of your selfe observe, that the Patient is much weakned, in regard that the parts are deprived of the purest portion, and the most laudable substance of the bloud, by which the life of a Creature is pro­longed; women thus affected are very sad, and melancholy, by reason that the bloud faileth, which otherwise containes a spi­rit in it, that makes them cheerefull and lively, they grow leane and feeble, scarceable to stand upon their legs, they are apt to Nauseate, and forsake their meat, they are bound in their bodies, and grow puft, and swel'd up; they are troubled with weaknesse in their stomacks, they cannot digest their meat, their eye-lids sink in­wards, the calfes of their legs swell, and their outward parts look pale, and disco­loured: yea, by degrees the whole radicall moisture, and inborne preservative de­cayeth [Page 26] and the Patient perisheth.

Wherefore make no delay, but immedi­ately oppose all your helps of Art to the subduing of the Disease; let her be lodged in an ayre that is cold and dry, and let her not be exposed to any ayre by night: strew coole hearbs about her chamber, and let her avoid the ayre which is hot, because it rarifies the bloud, makes it thin and waterish, and also inflames, and over­heats it.

She must forbear the use of hot meats, as Leeks, Onyons, Watercresses, Origanum, and the like; let her likewise refraine from feeding upon spiced meats, and such as breed a thin juyce; Rice boyled with sheeps­feet is good for her: and so are rosted Quinces, Medlars, and Services.

Three houres after Supper, let her take fine flower, or pure Bisket dissolved in Plan­tane, or Rosewater, and sweetned with Sugar.

Give her no wine, unlesse it be sowre, and binding red wine; but it will be more profitable to give her water, wherein gun tragacanth hath been boiled, and perfume [...] with Mastick, beere in which steele hath been infused will be profitable for her about the third, or fourth day, for this drin [...] [Page 27] hath a binding faculty without heating.

But the opening of a vein twice, or thrice in a day, obtaines the preheminence from all other remedies, according to the judg­ment of Galen, because it drawes back the humour more forcibly to the upper parts when it is often repeated, then when it is done all at once; heare him in his own words. Quantò majorem in numerum particu­lares auxeris detractiones, tantò efficaciorem revulsionem efficies, that is, the oftner you open a vein, taking away a small quantity of bloud at a time, so much more effectu­all will the Revulsion be; for when the bloud is allured to the contrary part by these frequent iterations; Nature is accu­stomed to summon the bloud to the upper parts: and thus that ordinary saying among the Doctors may properly be understood, that one flux cureth another.

Hippocrates commendeth a large Cuppin­glass applied to the breasts; and very deserv­edly, because there is a great consent and Simpathy between the veins of the Matrix, and those of the Breasts.

Moreover, you must prescribe such things as are of tried, and known vertue, to thicken the bloud, syrup of Poppy, Quinces, dried Roses, Myrtles, and the like.

We usually prescribe this Draught fol­lowing for the sick, and we must add this to its commendation, that it seldome fail­eth in its operation.

Two scruples of boiled Rubarb.

A scruple of Citron myrobalans.

Halfe an ounce of syrup of Quinces.

Two ounces, and a halfe of Plant ane water.

Mingle them, and let her drink it.

Divers Authors, as Rondeletius, Hollerius, Amatus Lusitanus, and others condemn th [...] boiling of Rubarb; and the reason is this▪ as things say they, become more milde▪ and weake in their operations, when they have past the fire; so those things which ar [...] gentle, become more vehement, having acquired a new kinde of faculty by the forc [...] of the fire: this I grant most willingly, bu [...] in the meane time they purge lesse, an [...] binde more, which we desire, and as fo [...] any corrupt quality, which the power o [...] the fire may have contributed to it, that i [...] easily washt away by the help of Plantan [...] water, or the juice of Quinces, if you demand whither this humour should be pre­pared? I answer, evacuate it without any delay, for you must not expect, or wai [...] the concoction thereof.

Binding Glysters will be very usefull; you may make them after this manner.

Take foure drams of the roots of Conso­lida major.

The leaves of plantane and horsetayle, of each a handfull.

Halfe a handfull of red Roses.

Two drams of shaled Pease.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plan­tane water, to nine ounces; to the strained liquor add a dram of the Trochischs de Ca­rabe, two ounces of syrup of Roses made with dried Roses.

The whites of two Eggs.

Mingle them, and make a glyster. Or

Take foure drams of the greater Comphrey roots.

The leaves of knotgrasss, and plantane, of each a handfull.

As many red Roses as your thumb, and two fingers can take up.

Sumach and Quince seeds, of each two drams.

Three drams of barley parched, and beaten to a grosse powder.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of plantane water to nine ounces.

To the strained liquor add two ounces of syrup of Myrtles.

A dram of terra sigillata.

Mingle them, and make a glyster.

After these glysters are injected, anoint the Matrix with astringent oyntments; Take as many plantane leaves as you can grasp between your thumb and two fingers at twice.

Red Roses.

Mulberry leaves.

Oake leaves, of each halfe the quantity aforesaid.

A dram of Sumach seeds.

Boile them gently in foure pints of oyle of Quinces.

Straine and presse the liquor hard, and then put in

True Bolearmanick,

Trochischs de Carabe, of each a dram.

With a sufficient quantity of white wax, make a soft oyntment, according to art, or

Take two ounces of unguentum Comitisse.

Oyle of myrtles, and oyle of quinces, of each two drams.

Mingle them, and make a liniment.

You must likewise bath the Matrix with fomentations made after this manner.

Take the leaves of plantane,

Knotgrasse,

Oake leaves.

Red Roses, of each a handfull.

The seeds of plantane, Sumach.

Quinces, of each three drams.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine, or water wherein steele hath been quenched to three pints: use the strained liquor as was said above.

That which remaines after the straining may be kept for a Poultis, unto which you may add oyle of quinces, and unguentum Co­mitisse, of each two ounces, and mingling them together, you have an excellent Poultis.

But if the disease yield not to these Re­medies, you may exhibit half a dram of new Treacle, or Philonium Persicum, or a scruple of the masse of Pils de Cynoglossa; if the Pa­tient incline to a Consumption, give her Cowes milk prepared rightly with steele, to drink in a morning fasting; if the evill still persevere, and you suspect the heat of the Liver to be the Cause of the disease, make an issue in her leg, that the Liver may ex­hale at that vent, and the other bowells may evaporate, or else let her goe into a Bath, the waters whereof run from an iron Mine; for these naturally binde and thicken.

CHAP. IV. Of the coming away of the Courses by Drops, of the vehement Symptomes thereof, and of the Whites.

AS the urine irritates the expulsive fa­culty, so many times doth the Men­struum, for as that, when it is too hot, doth prick, burn, and is frequently pist out, so the Menstruum being vehemently hot, doth cause an itch, and an irritation, and pro­duceth a Disease, which the Doctours call Stillicidium Ʋterinum, which we may en­glish, to be a coming away of the Courses by drops.

The Disease proceeds from the same Causes, as doth the immoderate▪ flowing of the Courses: therefore the same Remedies will be also proper to overcome them; yet in this present cure you need not prescribe so many Remedies, nor so often.

When any notable Symptomes accom­panie this Disease, as a vehement burning, torments in the Matrix, a paine about the secret parts, it is called the Stillicide, or Dropping of the Matrix, from a sharp hu­mour, [Page 33] arising through the hot distemper of the Liver, and the Kidneys; and whereas it takes beginning from a hot distemper, from whence sharpe, hot, and fiery humours are generated, your Method must be first to root out the Cause, and then to cure the distemper; wherefore her body must be cooled, her bloud must be thickned, and the Flux must be drawn back to the upper parts; this is done by a coole Ayre, by gi­ving her whey to drinke, wherein steele hath been often quenched; and lastly, you may prescribe for her the cold thickning Dyet, which we have set down above.

You may let her bloud in both armes, and appoint the opening of the veine cal­led Salvatella; Leeches must be applied to the Hemorrhoids, that the adust and melan­cholly bloud may be drawn out. Purge her often with Rubarb and Cassia, Syrupe of Vio­lets, Citron Myrobalaus, Manna, Tamarinds, Dia­prun sumpl. and the like Simples which gently bring away choler. Cooling and thickning Juleps will be very necessary, which you may make after this manner.

Take twelve ounces of plantane water.

Foure ounces of Rose water.

Two ounces of Syrupe of the juice of Quinces.

Mingle them, and make a Julep, or

Take the waters of Plantane,

Purselane, of each eight ounces,

Syrup of Poppy,

Syrupe of restharrow, of each an ounce and a half.

Mingle them, and make a Julep.

If the chiefest fault lie in the Kidneys,

Take ten ounces of Bean water distilled.

The waters of Plantane.

Mallowes, of each two ounces.

Syrupe of Myrtles.

Syrupe of Poppy, of each an ounce.

A scruple and a halfe of Lapis Prunelle.

Mingle them, and make a Julep.

But note, if the Patient have a hot Li­ver, and a cold stomack, it will be conve­nient to lessen the quantity of the distilled mallow water, or to prescribe an equall part of Rose water, the vertue whereof strengthens the inward parts.

Baths made with binding Simples, are highly profitable in this Disease; for they doe not onely attemper the sharpnesse of the humours, but they drive the humours to the outward parts, and so defend and for­tifie the Matrix from that annoyance, which they threatned unto it, and in a while the Flux is stayed.

Whey, although it be Diureticall, and provoke urine, yet when steele is quenched in it, it is wonderfull wholsome for her: as Hippocrates affi [...]meth concerning the Son of Erotelaus, lying sick of a bloudy Flux, for when he had drunk whey, in which red hot flints were quenched, his evacuations were more moderate, although they were bloudy, and in a short time they ended; here is to be noted, that whey although upon a slight consideration, it may seeme to be Diureti­call, and [...]o to provoke rather then to stay the flux, yet if steele be frequently quenched in it, till the thin and fiery parts thereof be wasted away, it stayeth the Flux.

If these Remedies prevaile not to per­fect the Cure, I shall counsell you to make an Issue upon the knee, for this being kept open, the corrupt humours are evacuated, without any decay of the spirits, which otherwise doe many times produce grie­vous and vehement Symptomes; we have spoken of the coming away of the Menstru­um by Drops, with the terrible Symptome which accompanies it, namely, a vehement and insupportable paine, but because this paine proceeds from divers causes, the Cure must be also diversified.

Women therefore which are of a cold [Page 36] Constitution, especially if they be young, prone to Venery, Black, and Hairy, must be purged, that the Cause may be taken away, and therefore their bodies must be first pre­pared before you can hope to appease the paine.

You may evacuate the humour with Di­aphenicon, Benedicta laxativa, or with Pills of Hiera: and you may prepare the humour with smallage, and fennill roots, with agri­mony and Motherwort leaves, boiled in wa­ter wherein steele hath been quenched with Rhodomel.

The paine must be appeased with unguent. Populeum, unto which you may add a few graines of opium; or else you may apply fomentations to the head.

A vein also must be opened, as we have shewed you above.

If a woman or Virgin have the whites, which come away of a thick and fattish substance, you must proceede as in the for­mer Cure; but you must be exceeding cau­tious how you let bloud, for such bodies are full of raw humours, by reason where­of the spirits are much exhausted, and her body is weake and infirme, according to the Judgement of Galen, in his book de San­guin. missione. chap. 11. wherefore in such [Page 37] cases, I counsell the Patient to goe to the Spaw waters, or some other of the like Na­ture; for they purge away the thick hu­mour both by siege and by urine, but espe­cially the melancholy juice, which is the cause of this disease.

A Decoction of China and Sa [...]zapavilla can­not be improper, nor Leeches applied to the Hemorrhoids. Note that the Caul of a Ram or Weather newly killed, must be laid to the affected part, being first anointed with oyle of Castor; for as the skull of a man is good against the Falling Sicknesse, and the Lungs of a Fox against the stoppage of the pipes, by a specificall vertue, or hid­den similitude, so is this good for the sto­mack, and the Loynes.

The Whites are defined to be a lasting di­stillation from the Matrix, however it be affected; for Nature indevoureth to expell that superfluous, moist, and excrementi­ [...]ious bloud thorough the Matrix, and even at the same time disburtheneth the body from this unprofitable and offensive hu­mour.

This evill is reckoned among the Symp­tomes of those things, which are immode­rately expelled out of the body, the Causes whereof are divers; for sometimes a pre­dominancy [Page 38] of choler, sometimes a phlegma­tick juice; many times melancholy, and ve­ry often bloud is evacuated; this is easily known, because a snottie kinde of humour drops, and distills continually from the Matrix, which if it be red, it proceeds from bloud; if white, from phlegme, if yellow, it takes beginning from choler.

The sick woman complaines of a general weaknesse over all the parts of the body, her legs and eyelids are swelled, she cannot digest her meat, her stomack failes her, she is lazie, and loves no exercise, and cares not to stir up and down; so that at length her strength decayeth, and her spirits faile, through the abundance of bloud which hath come from her: wherefore this disease calls for early help, least it degenerate, as not seldome it doth, into a Dropsey, or a Consumption, or the like terrible Diseases.

If the body therefore abound with much bloud, let a veine be opened in the arme, to draw back the course of the humour, which is hastening from all parts of the body to the Matrix. Thus we read that Ga­len cured the wife of Boetius, unto whom [...] other Physitians had preposterously pre­scribed Medicines without opening a [...] veine.

Afterwards you must prepare the phleg­matick humour with a decoction of worme­wood, unto which add Syr. of Roses, or Syr. de artemisia, the cholerick humour must be prepared with a decoction of endive, sorrell, unto which may be added Oxysaccarum, or Syrup. de succo Cichorii; if it be a Melancho­ly humour, prepare it with a decoction of Fumitary, Buglos, unto which add Syr. of Fumitary, and Syr. Lupuli.

Then expell the humour with some gen­tle purge; if it be phlegmatick,

Take three scruples of white agarick Tro­chischt.

Two scruples of the root of Mechoacha.

A dram of Annise seeds.

Macerate them the space of a night, in a sufficient quantitie of fennill water; in the morning to two ounces and a halfe of the liquor which you presse out, add

Three drams of Diacarthamum.

Halfe an ounce of Diacnicum.

Mingle them together for a Potion.

If Cholerick humours abound in the body, Take two drams and a halfe of the best Rubarb.

Citron myrobalans.

Cinamon, of each a scruple.

Macerate them a whole night in a suffici­ent [Page 40] quantity of endive water, presse them with all your might, and add

An ounce and a halfe of Syrupe of roses laxative.

Mingle them, and give it her to drinke in the morning.

If Melancholy humours be predominant.

Take two drams and a halfe of Sena.

A dram of Annise seeds.

Macerate them over night, in a sufficient quantity of fumitary water, in the morn­ing presse out the liquor, and add

To two ounces and a halfe of the liquor strained and prest,

Two drams of Confectio Hamech.

Halse an ounce of Syrup of fumitary.

Mingle them for a Potion.

If the Disease yield not to these Medi­cines, expell the humour by an Epicrasis, that is, by some Decoction, that by degrees will digest, open, and eva [...]uate the humour, and also mightily provoke urine; this Apozem following hath all these vertues.

• Take the roots of Parsly,
• Fennell,
• Buglos,
• Polypody of the Oake, of each halfe an ounce.
• The leaves of Maidenhaire.
• Agrimony,
• [Page 41] Motherwort, of each a handfull.
• Six drams of Sena.
• Two drams of rubarb.
• One dram of agarick.

As much Epithymum as you can graspe between your thumb and two fingers.

Two drams of Annise seed.

Macerate them together a whole night, in two pints of barley water, upon hot em­bers, in the morning allow them one or two gentle bublings, and when you have strained them, add

Syrupe of fumitary.

Syrupe of roses laxative, of each an ounce.

Mingle them for an Apozem.

Every other morning let her have foure ounces of it fasting.

If all these things prove ineffectuall, in­fuse a whole night six graines of Antimony in wine, and let her drinke it, if her body be strong enough to abide the conflict of the medicine: for besides that, it draws back the humours from the Matrix, by provoking to Vomit, it likewise purgeth away by stool that tenacious, phlegmatick, and thick humour which is the cause of the Disease.

Wormewood beere is not unwholsome for her, or instead thereof, prescribe to her, beer wherein China roots have been infused, [Page 42] for this disperseth the humour to the skin, and dries up the superfluous moisture; for the same purpose, we advise, with Galen, that a Bath of hot sand be prepared; that after the use thereof the body be well rubbed, and anointed with honey heated by the fire; then, as we prescribed above, make an Is­sue in her knee.

CHAP. V. Of the Complication of the Menstrunm, with other Diseases.

THe Complication of the Menstruum with other Diseases is hard to be known, and not easie to be cured; for if any woman be sick of any Disease, and if her Courses be supprest, or appeare not, the Physitians are at a stand, what is most fit, during this Judication, to be done, for if we fol­low the motions of Nature, who worketh rightly, and open a vein in the ankle, this will not cure the Disease, which is rooted in the upper parts.

And if you draw bloud from the arme, you pervert the course and order of Na­ture, to the great disadvantage of the sick [Page 43] woman. But you will say, in such a case as this, what is to be done? I shall tell you in few words.

The Disease is either vehement, or mo­derate, and of long continuance; if the Courses appeare, or come down, in a disease of long continuance, you may defer the opening of a vein till a more convenient season, be it either a vein in the arme, or in the ankle, which you intended to cut, for you can doe no hurt by omitting, or at least suspending this remedy.

But if the Disease be acute, and require a speedy evacuation; you must observe whi­ther the Menstruum be answerable to the plentie of bloud which abounds in the bo­dy; if her Courses come down, according to the prescription of Hippocrates, you must not be busie, but leave the whole matter to Nature; of the same opinion is Galen also, for, saith he, if at that time when you are letting bloud, it should so fall out, that her Courses come down, or that she should on a sudden have the Piles, you must desist from phlebotomy, and commit the whole businesse to Nature, if you are satisfied that the Menstruum commeth away in a sufficient quantity; but otherwise take from her so much bloud, as may make [Page 44] good the deficiency of her Courses.

But if a burning Fever be upon her, if she have not her Courses according to cu­stome, and to the satisfaction of her own desires, then this defect must be supplied with medicines, by opening a veine in her ankle, applying Cuppinglasses with scarifi­cation to the calfes of her legs, or Leeches to the Hemorrhoids, to take away the super­fluity of the bloud.

One thing must be considered, namely, if a woman after her delivery have a burning Fe­ver upon her, her Courses actually flowing, whither it be lawfull, in regard of the ve­hemence of the Fever, to open the upper veines? Fernelius, Valeriola, Amatus Lusita­nus, and divers others of good account, as­sent the lawfulnesse and expediency there­of; for although some have imagined, that if the upper veines be opened, the bloud will ascend to the upper parts; yet if it be true which they imagine, more profit and advantage will accrew thereby to the sick woman, then hurt or danger; for when a veine in the ankle is cut, although it bring down the Courses, and supply the defective motion of Nature, in respect of the part particularly affected; yet is it not equally prevalent against a most vehement infl [...]m­mation, [Page 45] nor altogether so profitable in a most acute disease; because the bloud must be drawn out from some vessell, that is nearer to the part affected, that the con­junctive cause may be taken away, and al­though by cutting a vein in the ankle, we can draw the whole masse of bloud out of the body, yet the bloud is not so fitly ta­ken from one part, as from another; for in a Quinsey, or a Pleurisey, 'tis more com­modious to open the Basilick veine to tem­per the heat, then any other veine in the whole body.

CHAP. VI. Of hard swellings in the Breasts.

THe Breasts are naturally thin, spongy, or fungous, and loose; for this rea­son they are apt to entertaine any crude, and melancholy humours, flowing to them either from the Matrix, or from any other parts; these, if they are not rightly, and duly expelled, they breed painefull, yea malignant and cankerd Ʋlcers: wherefore you must addresse your selfe to the Cure, without any truce or delay; and this con­sists [Page 46] in three things; in prescribing a Diet, in the manuall operations of Surgery, and in outward and inward Medicines.

Let her therefore make choise of a pure ayre, let her drink be small beer boiled with annise and snakeweed; let her meat be of good concoction, and easie distributi­on, as Mutton broth, Cock broth, and rosted Chickens; let her avoid meats that thicken the bloud, as milke, cheese, bacon, fish, and the like; open a veine, if she have not her Courses, in her ankle, or cut the Basilic [...] veine twice or thrice, to ease the Liver, the Spleen, and the Kidneys, as the multitude o [...] bloud shall require it.

Note that the humour must be prepared and attempted with this Apozem.

Take the roots of Succhory,

Polipody, of each an ounce.

The barke of the root of the Caper, an [...]

Tamarisk tree, of each halfe an ounce.

The leaves of Buglos,

• Fumitary,
• Balme, of each a handfull.

Two drams of Fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantitie o [...] barley water to two pints, and to the strained liquor add

Syrupe of Borage,

Syrupe of [...]umitary, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Ten graines of Spirit of Vitriol.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

Because the humour is thick and dreggish, you must purge her body severall times, till it be perfectly cleansed, this may be done with this decoction following.

Take an ounce of Polypody of the oake.

The leaves Fumitary,

• Hops,
• Borage,
• Endive, of each a handfull.
• Epithymum,
• Century the less, of each halfe a handfull.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Bar­ley water, to two pints, and in the strained liquor infuse a whole night,

An ounce of Sena.

Foure drams of Rubarb.

Agarick Troch.

Creame of Tartar, of each two drams.

Epithymum, and

The flowers of borage, buglos, and rosema­ry, of each as many as you can grasp be­tween your thumb and two fingers at twice▪

Two drams of annise seeds.

In the morning give it one or two bub­lings, [Page 48] straine and presse it, and to the liquor, add

• Syrupe of violets.
• Syrupe of fumitary, of each an ounce.
• Make an Apozem, or
• Take the leaves of buglos,

• Fumitary, of each a handfull.
• Balme,

Germander, of each halfe a handfull.

As much Epithymum, as you can contain [...] between your thumb and two fingers.

Boile them in a sufficient quantitie o [...] whey, to a pint, and a halfe, infuse for [...] night in the strained liquor

Six drams of Sena.

Two drams of white Agarick.

A dram and a half of annise seeds.

In the morning presse out the liquo [...] hard, and add

• Syrupe of Violets,
• Syrupe of fumitary, of each an ounce an [...] a halfe.
• Mingle them for an Apozem.

Confectio Hamech and Diacricu will b [...] highly profitable; so also are Pils de Lapi [...] Lazuli.

Sometimes you may prescribe glysters, t [...] temper the melancholy humour; as for example.

• [Page 49]Take the leaves of Mallowes,
• Marishmallowes,
• Violets, of each a handfull.
• Halfe a handfull of bran.
• Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of barley water to nine ounces: in the strained liquor put in

• Confectio Hamech,
• Diacatholicon, of each an ounce.
• An ounce and a halfe of oyle of violets.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster, or
• Take half an ounce of Polypody roots.
• The leaves of buglos,
• Fumitary,
• Violets, of each a handfull.
• Foure ounces of sena.

As much Epithymum as you can take up, between your thumb and two fingers.

Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of Cock broth to nine ounces, to the strained [...]quor add

• Diaprun. Laxativum,
• Confectio Hamech, of each an ounce.
• Half an ounce of Syrup of Violets.
• A dram of Sal gemme.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster.

Leeches applied to the Fundament may much promote the Cure.

The event may likewise gratifie your [...]riall, if you prescribe Cordials, Treacle, Mi­ [...]hridate, Lozenges of Pearle, Alkermes, and the like: which with their coldnesse, drynesse, and cordiall vertue, retaine the spirits, cor­rect the bloud, even when it is putrifying, and preserve the bowells in their due Sym­metry, and naturall constitution; Note, that you may not forget to wash her legs, with a decoction of Hops, Violets, Fumitary, Roses, Mallowes, and Vine leaves.

If by the advantage of time it prove a [...] cankerd, and a creeping Ʋlcer, you must not vex, and discompose the Patient with many, or strong Medicines, but you mus [...] institute a palliative Cure; for Gale [...] boasteth that he thus cured a woman who had a Cancer in her breast, for whe [...] the thinner part was brought away, i [...] became thicker, more full of putrefacti­on, and subject to exulcerate; for it i [...] undenyable, as the same Author affirmeth [...] that the vehemence of the remedies inflam [...] the humor, and set it on fire, by that acrimo [...] nius quality, which is naturally in them.

Almost all Authors agree that Issues an [...] convenient, for they supply the stead o [...] Purges, and Phlebotomy, as Guido a good write [...] witnesseth in his book de Cauteriis.

The first Chapter. OF the Mother.

THat Disease which we com­monly call the Mother, the Physitians terme the Strangu­lation, or Suffocation of the Matrix, and sometimes the Ascent of the Matrix. Ga­ [...] took it to be a drawing back of the Ma­ [...]ix, to the upper parts. Hereupon some of [Page 52] the Ancients conceived the Matrix, to b [...] some stragling Creature, wandring too and fro thorough severall parts, to which phantasticall conceit, Fernelius, Eugenius, and Laurentius, contributed a credulou [...] Assent; for though a woman be dead, yet can you not with an ordinary strength remove the Matrix from the naturall place; neither is that reason, which Fernelius al­ledgeth, of any moment, who saith, that in these diseases he hath toucht it upwards, seeing that this is not the true Matrix, but a grosse, windie swelling, of a roundish figure, and somewhat resembling the Ma­trix; you will say the Matrix doth remove, and slip from its proper place; I grant it, for by reason of the moisture, wherewith those parts abound, the Matrix is loosened, and exceedingly stretched: and this is the truth of the whole matter.

The Cause of this Disease is twofold: the Retention of the Seed, and the Men­struum, which are the materiall cause: and a cold and moist distemper of the Matrix, breeding phlegmatick and thick juices, which is the efficient cause: for when the Seed is retained, and the Menstruum hath not the customary, and usuall vent, they bur­then the Matrix, and choak, and extinguish [Page 53] the heat thereof: then upon the diminish­ing of the naturall heat, windy humours are bred, especially in the Matrix, which by nature is a cold, nervous, and bloud­lesse part; after the same manner, if the seed be kept too long, it disturbeth the Function of the spiritous parts, and the Midriffe, it oppresseth the heart, causeth fainting and sounding fits, bindeth as it were, and girteth about the parts, and seemes in such a manner to stop the breath, that the sick woman is in danger to be strangled: her puls is sometimes weake, various, and obscure: she hath inward discontents and anxieties, and is most com­monly invaded by, at least very subject unto Convulsion fits: she lies, as if she were astonished and void of sense: and from her belly you may heare rumbling, and mur­muring noises; she breatheth so weakly, that it is scarce discernable, and indeed she is so sad an object, that the by-standers may ea­ [...]ily mistake her to be dead. The drowsie and sleepy disease called Carus differs from this, because they who are affected with it, have the use of their breath free, without any molestation: and it differs from a Cata­ [...]psy (another drowsie disease, casting the [...]ck into a profound and dead sleep) be­cause [Page 45] they who are taken with that, li [...] without any motion, but they who hav [...] the mother, are tormented with Convulsio [...] fits, their legs and their hands are stretche [...] and wrythed into unusuall figures, an [...] strange postures; and by this it is distinguish­ed from an Apoplexy, unto which it is ex­ceeding like.

Galen wondreth how these women ca [...] live, who are [...]roubled with these crue [...] fits of the Mother, without any puls, o [...] breathing, in as much as it is impossible fo [...] one that liveth not to breath, or for on [...] that breatheth not, to live; for so long [...] we live, so long we breath. To this I answe [...] that although these women live withou [...] respiration, yet doe they not live with­out transpiration; for this being perform­ed thorough the pores of the skin, by th [...] motion of the arteries, conserves the sym [...] metry of the vitall heat; for then tha [...] small heat retiring to the heart, as to Castle, may bepreserved by this benefit o [...] transpiration alone.

Now to procure an assurance, whith [...] the woman be living or dead, hold a fea­ther, or a lo [...]king-glasse to her mouth, the former stir, or the latter be spotted it is an undoubted signe that she liveth.

This is a most acute Disease, and soone dispatcheth the sick woman, especially if it took beginning from somevery contagious, and poisonous vapours; lecherous wo­men, and lusty widowes that are prone, and apt to Venery, are most subject to it: but married women that injoy the com­pany of their husbands, and such as are with childe, are seldome invaded by it.

You must apply your Remedies in the [...]t, and after the fit: in the fit, the humour [...]ust be drawn back with rubbing the parts, [...]ying painfull Ligatures about them, and [...]pplying Cuppinglasses, with scariffication to [...]he calfes of her legs: have such Glysters in [...]eadinesse, as will take away the paine, dis­ [...]olve, draw back, and purge out the thick [...]umours: you may compound them by [...]hese formes following.

Take halfe an ounce of Elecampane roots.

The leaves of rue, penniroyall, Motherwort, [...]nd pellitory of the wall, of each a hand­ [...]ull.

Three drams of sena.

Bran, Camomile flowers, and the tops of Dill, of each halfe a handfull.

Bastard Saffron, and Annise seeds, of each [...]wo drams.

Boile them in a sufficient quantitie of [Page 56] birthwort water to nine ounces, to the strained liquor being squeezed, and pres [...] very hard, add

Diaphenicon, and benedicta laxativa, of each an ounce.

Oyle of dill, and oyle of rue, of each s [...] drams.

Halfe an ounce of butter.

A dram and a halfe of salt.

Mingle them, and make a Glyster.

Carminative medicines must be laid upo [...] the whole inward region, as fomentatio [...] made of the leaves of Rue, Motherwort, Penniroyall, the flowers of Melilot, and Cam [...] mile, or unguent. de Althea, with the oyl [...] of Camomile, Dill, and Rue; for this looseneth the passages by opening the pores, an expelling the winde; pessaries may be p [...] up, made with Civet, Musk, and Amber but you must affront her nose with stinking odours, as the steame of brimstone, th [...] smoke ascending from old shoes burn [...] Partridge feathers, sagapenum galbanum, as [...] fetida, and the like, cast into the fire; be­cause the Matrix doth, as it were abhor, r [...] treat, and flie from these things, wherea [...] sweet things doe allure to them.

But some curious braine may here d [...] mand, why sweet things held to the nos [...] [Page 57] doe breed the fits of the Mother, and on the contrary, stinking things appease those fits? I answer; sweet things applyed to the Matrix, in regard that they are hot, doe expell the winde, cut into the slow and tenacious phlegm, and afterwards purge it out: but stinking things applied to the Nose, consume the ascending vapours with their heat; but you may still demand, if hot stinking things be good to break the winde, why may they not be laid to the Matrix, as well as sweet things? I answer? the Matrix embraceth, and meeteth sweet odours and perfumes, but unsavory and stinking sents it abhors, and flies from; for 'tis a most certaine truth, that every crea­ture, even by naturall instinct, shunneth in­conveniences, and affecteth things conve­nient.

If the evill still increase, and if the Vir­gin be of a good habit, fleshie, and for a long time hath not had her Courses, or for too long a time hath had them: the safest course, although upon the approach of the Fit, will be to open a veine in the ankle, without delay, especially, if any excre­tion of bloud appear, either at the nose, or at the mouth; for as Hippocrates hath ex­cellently taught us; as the coming down [Page 58] of the Courses, is a present Remedie for those who vomit bloud; so in a body that is plethorick, by reason that the Menstruum hath been long suppressed; you may help a woman who vomits bloud, if you cut one of her lower veines; the same opinion i [...] favoured by Galen in his Commentry, saying in this case we ought to endeavour ar [...] evacuation, namely, such an one as is correspondent to nature, when she is obedient to her own lawes.

After the Phlebotomy, if her body b [...] strong, and the Disease continue, apply Cuppinglasses, with scarification to her thighes Leeches to the Hemorrboids, and with iterated Glysters, and medicines given agai [...] and again into the body, purge out th [...] Melancholy juices.

Many, who are more rash then learned more bold, then skilfull, because of th [...] cold and the winde, which are the cause [...] of this Disease, at the beginning will unadvisedly be offering wine to the sick, which being odoriferous, is apt to allure the Matri [...] to the upper parts; therefore I counsel all those that value the health of thei [...] friends, to forbeare this temerity: yet if sh [...] faint, and her spirits be so far spent, tha [...] she swounds, or is ready to swound, in such [Page 59] an exigence you may allow her wine, yet in a small quantity.

When the Fit is over, let her live sober­ly, and feed upon hot meats. that yield a thin, and subtle nourishment, and be very carefull to preserve her self, least she fall into a Relaps; hearbs, and roots, and such thinge as thicken the bloud, or are hard to digest, must be no part of her diet, Worme­wood beer may be allowed her, or in her beer mingle Cinamon water, or boile Annise seeds, or China roots in it.

The humour must be prepared with cut­ting Sy [...]ups, as Rhodomell, Syrupe of Wormewood, Syrupe of Mint, or Syrupe of the five roots.

You may prescribe the Purge of Mecho­aca, Hiera Picra, pills of agarick, of Hiera, with Confectio Hamech, or Sena.

You must open a veine in the ankle again, and because this thick and stubborne hu­mour will not obey a single evacution, you must also purge her body againe with agarick, hellebore, Pills of Mastick, or of Rubarb.

Steele taken in powder, or mingled among the other medicines, will much ad­vance the Cure; so will an Issue, and an artificiall Bath made with Sulphur, or a de­coction [Page 60] of Salsa parilla, Guaiacum, and China.

Lastly, if the Disease take beginning from the seed, because in Physick, no peculiar, or elective purging medicine is consecrated to it, you must lessen her diet, enjoyne her an abstinence from hot wine, and let her continually weare plates of lead upon he [...] back; for it is most certaine, that these do [...] diminish the seed; if the Patient for twelv [...] mornings together upon an empty stomack drink three ounces of a decoction of ag­nus castus seeds, boiled with six graines o [...] Camphire.

CHAP. II. Of the Epilepsy in the Matrix, And th [...] severall kindes thereof.

PHysitians reckon up a twofold Epileps in the Matrix; one by Consent, th [...] other by Propriety; the Cause of this is thick, viscous, and slow humour, obstruct­ing the hollow parts of the Nerves: th [...] cause of that is a cold distemper of the Ma­trix, and a contagious vapour assaulting and shaking the Braine, and the nervou [...] [Page 61] parts: for when the animall faculty strives to expell that humour, or vapour from it selfe, the hollow parts of the Nerves are crusht together, and the passages are stopt, and thus there happens a constipation, or an obstruction, the insides of the Nerves being, as it were straightned, bound, and closed up together.

That there is such a Disease, as an Epi­lpsy by Consent, we are warranted by Ga­len to beleeve, who in his book de Locis, propounds the example of a boy, who be­ing lame in his legs, fell afterwards into an Epilepsy, and after the same manner Vir­gins, who are troubled with obstructions, winde, or a malignant vapour in their Matrices, doe frequently fall into the Fal­ling Sicknesse.

This is easily known; for imminent win­die humours, and rumblings in her belly doe presage it, her stomack swells, her mind is confused, her eyes are dim, and when she is ready to fall into a fit of the Epilepsie, or Falling Sicknesse, she may perceive a ting­ling noyse in her eares, a giddinesse, cir­cumagitation, or turning round in her head: she is sad in her minde, disquieted in her body, troubled with the passion of the heart, and not seldome with sounding [Page 62] fits; 'tis a sad spectacle to behold her in this condition, from which if she be not seasonably delivered, she is very likely to fall into an Apoplexy; this we have learn't from Galen, who in his third book de Locis, and 5. chapt. saith, Epilepticks doe often degenerate into a melancholy madnesse, and so on the contrary; for this melancholy mood turnes to the Falling Sicknesse, when the humour invades either the body, or the minde; or if that darke vapour becloud the minde, inducing a dimnesse, or gloomi­nesse in the thoughts, with sadnesse, de­spaire, and deep melancholy; if the spirits, which are bright and cleare in their own nature, be obscured with the foggy com­merce of black vapours, the very presence of them dismayeth, terrifies, and discom­poseth the minde: or if a confluence of those vapours assault the body, that is, the braine and the nerves, they produce the Fal­ling Sicknesse.

This requires a twofold cure: one in the Fit, the other after the Fit. In the Fit you must quicken and excite the animall fa­culty, and force back those poisonous va­pours, that are stealing from the Matrix to invade the upper parts: then the winde must be expelled, the wayes kept open, and [Page 63] the thick humour must be got out of the body, by rubbing the parts, by tying straight ligatures about her legs, by fomenta­tions, and baths, made with the leaves of penniroyall, motherwort, thyme, nip, camomile, salt, vinegar, and water; softning Glysters are so usefull, that you must not forget to inject them; you may make them thus.

• Take the leaves of motherwort,
• Penniroyall,
• Birthwort, of each a handfull.
• Rosemary,
• Mint, of each a handfull.
• Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of wa­ter, to nine ounces, straine and presse out the liquor, and then add

• Hiera picra Galeni,
• Diaphenicon, of each an ounce.
• A dram of sal gemme.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster, or
• Take the roots of Elecampane,
• Restharrow, of each foure drams.
• The leaves of Marjoram,
• Motherwort,
• Birthwort, of each a handfull.
• The tops of Dill,

Camomile Flowers, of each halfe a hand­full.

Two drams of Annise seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity o [...] Barley water, to nine ounces, to the liquo [...] which you presse out, add

An ounce and a halfe of Diaphenicon.

Mass. pill. fetidar.

De hiera cum Agarico, of each two scru­ples.

• Oyle of Dill,
• Camamile,
• Butter, of each halfe an ounce.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster.

If necessitie urge you, and the strength o [...] the Patient will beare it, you may prescrib [...] a sharper glyster, to draw the humours from the farthest distant parts, and to imitate th [...] nature and effects of a Purge; be this for a [...] example to you.

• Take half an ounce of Polypody roots.
• Two drams of Mechoaca.
• The leaves of Sage,
• Rosemary,
• Betony, of each a handfull.
• Halfe an ounce of bastard Saffron seeds.
• Two drams of Agarick.

As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb, and two fingers.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of honied water to ten ounces, straine, and [Page 65] presse out the liquor, and add

• An ounce of Hiera Logodii.
• A dram of the Masse of Pills of Cochia.
• Ten graines of Troch. Alhandal.
• Half a dram of sal gemme.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster.

For this being a most acute Disease, re­quires the utmost tryalls of art, that it may not degenerate (as it is very prone to doe) into a true Apoplexy.

To the Matrix (to make a sudden di­spatch of the Cure) apply Carminitive fo­mentations, and [...]ath the privie parts, to break, and expell the winde.

After the use of the Fomentation, apply oyle of Castor, oyle of wormewood, and in­ject odoriferous Pessaries of musk, amber, Ci­vet, made up with gallia Moschat, and a piece of Cotton, according to the secret rules of Art; to the nose you must hold stinking things, as sagapenum, galbanum, assa fetida, Castor, rue, and the like.

When the Fit is approaching, Hippocrates adviseth to open a veine in the Ankle, and this advice is magnified, and applauded by Galen in his book de Rigore Chapt. 8. nei­ther may you forget to apply Leeches to the Hemorrhoids, or the calfes of her legs; for they will suck out the feculent and [Page 66] dreggish humour, that is impacted in the Matrix.

Cordialls must be administred, as Treacle, Mithridate, Alkermes, Confection de Hyacyn­tha, and the like: or if you please com­pound them after this manner.

Take the hoofe of an Elk.

The wood of Misletoe of the Oake, of each two drams.

The skull of a man newly dead of some violent death.

• Hartshorne, of each two drams.
• Pearle prepared,
• Burnt Ivory,
• Mastick, of each a dram and a half.
• The powder of Rosemary,
• Stechas,
• Sage, of each a scruple.
• The species Diacastor.
• Diaccumin. of each a scruple.

With a sufficient quantitie of honey, of roses, and Syrupe of Stechas, make a mix­ture.

If the Disease become againe indigested and crude, prescribe another Purge, of Aloes, Hiera Picra, Benedicta Laxativa, or Turbith; but that the ignorant may not be rashly precipitated into some erroneous composition, we shall limit him to this prescription.

Take two scruples of the masse of Pills de Hiera cum agarico.

Ten graines of pill. faetidae.

Troch. Alhandal,

Diagrydium, of each five graines.

With a sufficient quantity of Syrupe of Stechas make nine Pills.

Sometimes the retention of the Seed is the Cause of these Symptomes, which if they be so vehement, that the former reme­dies cannot tame them, proceed as fol­loweth.

• Take Storax in powder,
• Aloes in powder,
• White agarick, of each two drams.
• The juice of the hearb Mercury,
• The juice of the wild Cucumber, of each three drams.
• A sufficient quantity of Turpentine.

With a piece of Cotton make a pessary, ac­cording to art, put it up, and move it up and down, till the superfluous seed be eja­culated.

If the sick woman have many Fits in a day, certaine it is, that the disease is fixt, and rooted in the Head: wherefore in such cases I have known no better remedy, then an actuall cauterizing in the hinder part of the head, from whence as from an [Page 68] Issue, that virulent and luxuriant humour which is the cause of this most dangerou [...] disease, may at last have a vent.

In the intermission of the Fits, you mu [...] open a vein in her Ankle; this is not my counsell onely, but Galen enjoynes the sam [...] remedy; for in his book de Cur. ration. pe [...] sang. missionem, he saith; if you will pre­vent the Falling Sicknesse, [...]ut the Scyrhena [...] that is the veine in the Ankle; afterward [...] he commands the preparation of that cold [...] and thick humour, which may be effected by this Apozem following.

• Take the roots of fennill,
• Small Aristolochy,
• Elecampane, of each foure drams.
• The roots of Dittany,
• Piony, of each two drams.
• The leaves of Nip,
• Penniroyall,
• Calamint,
• Sage, of each a handfull,
• The flowers of Stechas,

Rosemary, of each as much as you can graspe between your thumb, and two fin­gers at twice.

A dram of annise seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water, wherein steele hath been infused, to two pints.

To the strained liquor add

• An ounce and a half of Syrupe of St [...]has.
• An ounce of oxymell Scilliticum.
• Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

After you have prepared the humour, purge the body with this composition fol­lowing.

Take two drams and a halfe of Sena.

Three scrup [...]e [...] of white agarick.

A dram of annise seeds.

A scruple of Ginger,

Macerate them for a [...]ight in a sufficient quantity of parsley water; in the morning give them one or two bublings; and to the [...]iquor which you presse ou [...] (I meane [...]hree ounces of it)

Add two scruples of Mas [...] ▪ [...]il [...]. [...].

Mingle them for a Potion▪ or

You may prescribe some other mi [...]ture [...]o [...] purge phl [...]g [...] ▪ and more [...] to [...]reak and expell winde, or make ready [...]his plaister following, to be applied to [...]e [...] [...]vell, and her secret par [...]

• Take three ounces of [...]stort [...]
• Lign. Aloes.
• Sautali moschatel [...] ▪
• Nutmegs.
• Barbaries.
• Dill, of each two dram [...] ▪
• [Page 70] Cinamon,
• Cloves,
• Scevanth,
• Camamile flowers, of each a dram.
• Male frankincense, or Olibanum,
• Mastick,
• Trochischs de Gallia Moschata,
• Storax calimata,
• Red storax, of each a scruple.
• Seven graines and a halfe of musk.
• Three ounces and a halfe of yellow wa [...]
• An ounce and an halfe of turpentine.
• A pound of pure ladanum.
• Nine ounces of ship Pitch.

Mingle them, and according to Art mak [...] a Plaister.

If the contumacity of the evill be such, [...] not to yield to all these remedies, make I [...] sues in the legs, and if those also prove in effectuall, my last recourse is to a decocti­on of Guaiacum wood, wherewith the learn­ed Jachinus, as he averreth in his Commentaries upon Almansor, hath cured many o [...] this Disease.

CHAP. III. [...]f M [...]lancholy proceeding from the Ma­trix.

THis hath one and the same Cause with the Epilepsy, namely the retention of [...]e Seed, and the suppression of the Men­ [...]m, which being earthy, and not ob­ [...]ning a vent, they putrifie, beget vapours, [...]hich doe not onely assault the braine, but [...]ey oppresse the heart also, and the Mid­ [...]e; for when a gloomy and black vapour [...]ends to the braine, the principall parts, [...]d their instruments are depraved, and [...]e animall spirit, which is the chiefest in­ [...]ment of the soule, and in its own nature [...]are and perspicuous, is rendred darke, [...]d obscure.

The true signes of this disease are sad­ [...]se, fearfulnesse, anxiety of minde, and seve­ [...]l figures or postures of unquietnesse ap­ [...]ring in the body.

They despaire, they doate, they talke [...]ly, especially at that time when they [...]pect their Courses; in these you may ob­ [...]ve a depraved motion of the principall [Page 72] Members, because the temperament of t [...] braine is perverted by that cold and d [...] humour; moreover they are unwilling dye, they cannot sleep, they have no st [...] ­mack to their meat, and being taken wi [...] a strange loathing of aliment, their bod [...] waste and consume; sometimes they im [...] gine that they undergoe the torments damned soules in Hell; they weep wit [...] out any cause, they groan, they lame [...] anon againe they laugh, desire to goe to some by corners, and according the inward discomposure of their mind they turne, vary, and alter their gestu [...] and countenances into severall figur [...] sometimes they have a conceit that they talking with Angels, sometimes they m [...] ­mur, sometimes they sing; certainly th [...] is not a more strange and wonderfull d [...] ease, for in severall persons it bewray [...] a thousand, severall, ridiculous, and ant [...] behaviours.

He sees the difficulty of this Cure, b [...] in regard of the Symptomes, and the stu [...] bornesse of the disease, who understands to be a cold and dry affect (for there is [...] doubt, but the braine labours under cold, and dry distemper) and how mu [...] drienesse resisteth the best medicines, is n [...] [Page 73] unknown to Philosophers; for as it is of a dull, and sluggish action, so are there many resistances: and from thence comes the dan­ger, because it easily degenerates into rave­ [...]ng, and raging madnesse, or into the Fal­ling Sicknesse, or into an Apoplexy, and it is held incurable, if the braine be primarily affected, because in continuance of time, [...]t takes so deep a root, that no Magazine of Remedies, no stratagems of Art can re­move it.

Wherefore you must be very carefull, when you undertake the Cure; as for her Diet, let it incline to hot and moist, assigne [...]er a gently breathing ayre; boile her drink with the roots of buglos, angelica, and snake­ [...]eed; with the leaves of hops, buglos, balme, [...]nd fumitary; allow her white Wine that is [...]mall, and well sented, let her be indul­gent to her sleeps, avoiding cares, pensive­nesse, and troublesome thoughts; if her body be costive, make it, and keep it solu­ble. Venery is wholsome for melancholy per­sons, provided that it be acted seasonably, and with moderation. Hippocrates placed the whole hope of the Cure in the evacua­tion of that excrement, commanding, as we have said above, such Virgins to marry.

To facilitate the Revulsion, and the evacu­ation of the humour, loosen the belly with moistning Suppositories, and Glyster [...] observe their composition.

Take two scruples of the species Hiera picr [...]

Ten graines of Troch. Alhandal.

Halfe a dram of common Salt.

With a sufficient quantity of honey boi [...] ­ed to a due thicknesse, make a Suppository, [...]

Take a scruple and a halfe of Hiera Pi [...] in the species.

Trochishs of agarick.

Troch. Alhandall, of each a scruple.

Halfe a dram of Sal gemme.

With a sufficient quantity of honey, ac­cording to art make a Suppository.

• Take the roots of Elecampane,
• Polypody, of each foure drams.
• The leaves of mallowes,
• Violets,
• Balme,
• Pellitory on the wall.
• Mercury, of each a handfull.
• Ten good prunes.
• Five drams of Sena.

As much Epithymum as your thumb, an [...] two fingers can grasp.

Two drams of annise seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity [...] [Page 75] fumitary water to nine ounces, when you have strained and prest out the liquor, add,

• Diaprun. Laxat.
• Diaphenicon, of each an ounce.
• An ounce and a halfe of oyle of Violets.
• A dram of Sal gemme.
• Mingle them, and make a glyster. Or,
• Take the leaves of Buglos.
• Borage,
• Balme, of each a handfull.
• Halfe a handfull of Violets.
• Foure drams of Sena.

Halfe an ounce of the roots of black Hellebore.

As much Epithymum as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers.

A dram of fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of [...]roth, made of a sheepshead and guts, sound­ [...]y wash't before you put them into the pot, [...]nd to ten ounces of the liquor which you press out, add

An ounce of Diaprun. Laxat.

Halfe an ounce of Confectio Hamech.

An ounce and a halfe of oyle of Violets.

Two drams of common salt.

Mingle them, and make a glyster.

But if the Disease arise from a suppression of the Courses, thinke upon that Oracle of [Page 76] Hippocrates, and obey his words as a sacred Law, when he saith, the true way to pro­voke them, is by drawing bloud from the ankle; provided that there be no reason to oppose this injunction; having so done and laying Leeches to the Hemorrhoids, th [...] use whereof is exceeding profitable in thi [...] disease; if the body be full, and the diseas [...] be found to be common to the whole bo­dy, open the Basilick veine on the righ [...] side: from whence, if an earthy and blac [...] bloud flow away, Galen adviseth you t [...] take out a large quantity.

If the Patient be young, leane, black an [...] hairy, adventure upon deep scarification made in her back, and fasten great Cuppi [...] glasses to her arteries.

These universall administrations bein [...] premised, and the humour being rightl [...] prepared, it will be convenient to pre­scribe a Purge to cleanse her body fro [...] melancholy: to this purpose

Take three drams of Sena.

A dram of the roots of black Hellebore.

Two scruples of agarick Trochisht.

Halfe a dram of fennill seeds.

Macerate them in a sufficient quantit [...] of fumitary water for a night, and when i [...] the morning you have prest out the liquor [Page 77] take three ounces of it, and add

Three drams of Diacatholicon.

Two drams of Confectio Hame [...]h.

Halfe an ounce of Syrup of Violets,

Mingle them, and make a Potion.

She must not take any Pills, for they are too great driers, both in respect of their forme, and also in regard of the ingredients whereof they are compounded.

But by all meanes, let her have somewhat to dispose her to sleep; as this, or the like emulsion.

• Take the seeds of Gourds,
• Melons,
• Citruls,
• Cucumbers of each an ounce.
• Six sweet Almonds blanched.
• Two drams of white Poppy seeds.

With ten ounces of a decoction of Lettuce, and Poppy heads, and an ounce of Syrupe of Poppy, make an Emulsion, to be taken about nine a clock at night, and at two a clock in the morning.

Embrochations also may be prepared for the head; you may make them of a decocti­on of poppy heads, barley, roses, violets, wa­terlilles, nightshade, lettuce, coriander, and mandrake roots.

Anoynt her nose and her Temples with this oyntment following.

Take halfe an ounce of unguent. Populeum.

Two drams of unguent. rosarum.

Half a dram of Opium, dissolved in vine­gar of roses.

Mingle them for the use aforesaid.

Let her have cooling Lotions, to bath the palmes of her hands, and the soles of her feet; if the cruelty of the disease be such, as to deprive her of all sleep, prescribe this draught following; yet suspend the use thereof till you have tried other meanes, to procure rest for the sick Creature.

Take a scruple of Philonium Romanum.

Three ounces of Lettuce water.

Mingle them, and let her drink it when she goeth to bed, or

• Take Philonium Persicum,
• Requies Nicholai, of each a scruple.
• Two ounces of a decoction of poppy.
• Mingle them for a Draught.

Sometimes we use to exhibit two or three graines of laudanum opiatum: yet for­bear this remedy, unlesse an urgent occa­sion prompt you to it.

Baths are most wholsome, if they be made of the decoction before prescribed; or else you may follow this example.

• Take two ounces of Barley,
• The leaves of Violets,
• [Page 79] Vine leaves,
• Lettuce,
• Willow leaves.
• Mallowes, of each two handfulls.

The leaves of red rose, water lillies, of each a handfull.

Boile them altogether, in a sufficient quantity of broth made with a sheeps-head, and let her bath her selfe in the strained liquor.

A Bath prepared of oyles, and sweet wa­ters is very effectuall; so also is a Bath of Asses milke; for these things temper the earthy humour, mitigate the acrimony thereof, correct the drynesse, and parched­nesse of the skin, render the bloud more apt to descend, provoke sleep, qualifie the furious motions of the spirits, and nou­rish and fatten such bodies as are dryed up, and consumed. You must also comfort the heart with Cordialls, and to the same purose

• Take the waters of Borage,
• Balme, of each six ounces.
• Syrupe of the juice of Borage.
• Syrupe Regis saboris, of each an ounce.
• Two drams of Cinamon water.
• Mingle them, and make a Julep, or
• Take Conserve of rhe flowers of Violets,
• [Page 80] Borage,
• Oringes, of each an ounce.
• Confectio Alkermes,
• Confectio de Hyacy [...]tha, of each a dram and a halfe.
• Species Diamargarit. frigid.
• Species Diambrae, of each a dram.

With a sufficient quantitie of Syrupe de pomis Regis saboris, adding two leaves of gold, make a mixture, or

Take the species Letificant. Galeni,

The species Diambra, of each halfe a dram.

Pearle prepared.

Bezoar stone, of each a scruple.

Two ounces of Sugar dissolved in Rose­water.

Make them into Lozenges according to Art.

If these remedies get not the victory, we counsell you to make deep issues upon the knee; and if the disease be inveterate, pre­scribe an extract of black Hellebore, and apply Causticks to the region of the spleen, by the force and strength whereof, the black and cloudy humour, which sticks so close to the bowell, may by degrees be brought away.

CHAP. IV. Of a cold Distemper, or a swelling in the Matrix.

THe Matrix is sometimes swelled, either because the Courses are stopped, or else in regard of a continuall suppeditation of cold aliment, which generates a cold di­stemper in those parts: which because it cannot be simple, or solitary, therefore it presently consociates it selfe with moisture, and from thence arise thick, slow, and clou­dy windes, in the very cavernes, or hollow parts of the Matrix, tormenting the woman with unspeakable paines.

The signes are a swelling below the Navell, neare the privie parts, slow windes, with rumbling, and murmuring of the guts, for­saking of meat, sadnesse, slothfulnesse, hea­vinesse in the head, and about her secret parts.

This is a grievous disease, because many times it turnes to a Dropsey in the Matrix: for, in regard that those windie humours are bread, and increased by the diminuti­on of the naturall heat, as Galen hath ob­served [Page 82] in his book de Sump [...]om. Causis, it comes to passe, that the feeble heat, now ge­nerating winde, proceeding from a cold distemper in the Matrix, doth so weaken it, that instead of winde, water, or a waterish humour is produced.

This disease is cured by an extreame thin, and drying diet: wherefore let the ayre incline to hot and dry: but if the place be such as doth not naturally afford such an ayre, prepare it by art, sprinkling aromaticall things about her chamber, as sage, nip, betony, rosemary, [...]echas, thyme, origanum, and lavender.

Let her choise be of those dishes, which will be of good nourishment to the body, [...]asie to digest, and soon distributed to all the parts, as thrushes, young sparrowes, par­tridges, pheasants, and pigeons: she may not eat the flesh, of goats, Kids, hares, cowes, sheep, nor Deer: meats made with milke are unwholsome for her: so are roots, sal­lads, and pothearbs: new laid egs, raisins, and figs may be allowed her: but command a forbearace of chesnuts and almonds; for they are thick and windy; let her eat the whitest bread baked with annise, or fennill seeds, or a little honey; course barley bread, and the like, is not good for her, but nothing is [Page 83] more unwholsome for her then fruit; you may grant her the use of some few hearbs, as sparagus, parsley, alexanders, water pepper, [...]orage, and buglos.

For her drinke, give her Fountaine water, wherein annise seeds, or cinanon, or china [...]oots, or the like have been boiled; but [...]he most wholsome drink for her is worme­ [...]ood [...]eer.

If she drink wine, let it be sparkling and [...]leasant, claret wine mingled with water, [...]ther artificiall drinks, as [...]ider, perry, me­ [...]eglin, steepona, Nectarella, Medea, and the [...]ike are hur [...]full for her.

The humour must be prepared with Rho­ [...]omel, Syrupe of wormewood, Syrupe of mint, and the like.

Her body must be purged by fits, for the [...]rude, thick, and windie humour, will not [...]e got out with one medicine; this is [...]aught us by our great Master Hippocrates, who in his fourth book de Acutis, saith, whosoever indeavours at the beginning of a disease to dissolve, or take away an inflam­mation by a purging medicine, he will finde himselfe much mistaken; for whilest [...]he part is intensively inflamed, and the affect yet crude, and unconcocted, the phy­ [...]ick gets no victory, hath no laudable ope­ration [Page 84] at all: but rather it brings away such things, as would have made resistan [...] against the disease, and so by this rashnesse, the body is weakned, and the disease g [...]t [...] strength: which when it hath once over­come the body, becomes uncurable: there­fore whensoever you undertake to purge [...] body, you must not onely make the hu­mours fluid, but you must also stay till they are co [...]cocted, especially in chronicall, and long lasting diseases; this may be done b [...] the help of this Ap [...]ze [...] following.

• Take the roots▪ of fennill,
• Elecampane, of each halfe an ounce.
• The leaves of pe [...]iroyall,
• Worm [...]wood,
• Hops,
• Motherwort, of each a handfull.

As many Camamile flowers, as you ca [...] take up, between your thumb and two fin­gers at twice.

• Two drams of agarick Trochischated.
• Half an ounce of Mechoca roots.
• The seeds of fennill,
• Annise, of each two drams.

Boile them according to art, in a suffi­cient quantitie of barley water, to tw [...] pints; when you have prest out the liquor with all your strength, add

Two ounces of Diacnycum.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem, or

Take the roots of Polipody.

• Angelica.
• Hermodactyls.
• Of each halfe an ounce.
• The leaves of Hops,
• Motherwort,
• Fumitary,
• Balme,
• Betony, of each a handfull.
• Six drams of sena.
• Agarick Trochischated.

The roots of Mechoaca, of each two [...]rams.

Halfe an ounce of Bastard Saffron, seeds.

Epithymum,

Camomile, of each as much as you can [...]ke up between your thumb and two fin­ [...]ers.

Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them according to art, in a suffici­ [...]nt quantity of Cock broth, to two pints, [...]resse out the liquor with your utmost [...]rength, and add

Two ounces of Syrupe of the juice of fu­ [...]itary.

An ounce of Diacnycum.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

Let her every day drink three ounces of i [...]

For nothing cleanseth the Matrix fro [...] tenacious, and slimy humours, so effectually as Agarick; or which is a surer, an [...] more infallible remedy against the Mother [...] if we may credit Galen, and Mesur. Mona [...] dus, Costa, Clusius, Lobel, and Weckerus, ascrib [...] the same vertues to Mechoaca, which is ho [...] and dry.

Turpentine, although Galen in his boo [...] de sanitate tuenda, saith, that it serves on [...] to loosen the belly, yet it purgeth, a [...] cleanseth all the bowells, as the Liver, t [...] Spleen, the Kidneys, the Lungs, and the M [...] trix, from those tough and slimy humour which are strongly impacted in them.

There are severall wayes to prepare i [...] sometimes it is most easily taken with t [...] yelk of an Egg, sometimes in powder, a [...] sometimes being reduced into an oyle, t [...] admirable efficacy hereof frequent exper [...] ence doth more and more discover to m [...] so that I have often adventured to give (and with blessed success) in many di [...] eases, both of the Chest, the Kidneys, an [...] the bladder; for this cleanseth the stomac [...] from thick, and tough humours, fro [...] which part floweth the whole streame [...] phlegmatick humours, it wonderfully warm­eth [Page 87] the Matrix, wipeth away the clammy filth which sticks about the walls of it, ex­pelleth winde, provokes the Courses, and brings down urine.

You may make an excellent Fomentation after this manner.

• Take the leaves of Motherwort,
• Penniroyall,
• Birthwort,
• Rue, of each a handfull and a halfe.
• Rosemary,
• Sage,
• Betony, of each a handfull.
• The flowers, of Camomile,
• Stechas, of each halfe a handfull.
• The tops of Dill,
• Wormewood,

Of each as much as you can take up be­tween your thumb and two fingers.

Boile them in white wine to foure pints; use the strained liquor for a Fomentation, and with sponges dipt in it, bath all about the bottome of her belly, her groiny and her privie parts.

After the Fomentation, apply this admi­rable oyntment.

• Take oyle of laurel,
• Wormewood, of each an ounce, and a half.
• Oyle of Castor,
• [Page 88] Earthwormes, of each an ounce.
• In these oyles boyle gently
• The powder of aromaticum rosatum,
• Wormewood,
• Sage,
• Lignum aloes, of each a dram and a halfe.
• A dram of red Corall.

Straine, and presse out the unctious sub­stance, and add

Three drams of yellow wax.

Mingle them, and make an oyntment.

If you augment the severall doses of the aforesaid hearbs prescribed, for the Fomen­tation, you may make a halfe Tub: or you may lay on the plaister pro Matrice ('tis sold in the shops) aromatized with Diarrhodon Abbat. and Diamoschus dulcis, or instead there­of apply the plaister Tachamacha, or Catanua. Antidotes may not be omitted, as Treacle, and Mithridate. Excellent Lozenges may be made for her of sugar, with the species Diamos­chus, Diagalanga, Diaeinnamomum, or Diacumi­um, or if you please, prescribe this mix­tue following.

• Take the roots of Elecampane candied,
• Ginger candied, of each an ounce.
• Conserve of the Flowers, of Sage,
• Rosemary,
• Orenges, of each six drams.
• [Page 89]Halfe an ounce of conserve of horage.
• The species aromaticum rosatum,
• Diamoschus, of each a dram, and a halfe.

With a [...]ufficient quantity of Syrupe of Wormewood [...] them for your use.

If these medicines doe not overcome the disease, let her u [...]e minerall, sulphureous baths, or the like.

Zacutus Lusitanus saith, if you take the durt in the bot [...]ome of one of these baths, and lay it up [...]n the Matrix, it is as divine a medicine again [...]t the cold affects of the Ma­trix; but in these words of his, I conceave there is more of ostentation, then of truth.

If the evill yet persevere, we used in the next place to prescribe sweating remedies, of guaiacum, china and sassaphraz roots to be administred, as we have already shewed in the for [...]going cures; and after­wards we make issues that the Matrix may exhale.

Now let us consider what must be de­termined in this case concerning Phlebotomy; some will say that in a bad habit of the body, in a Dropsey, in the trembling palsie, and the like, where there is a deficiencie of naturall heat, no man will adventure to let bloud: seeing that when the bloud is diminished, the heat is also lessened, and [Page 90] [...] [Page 91] [...] [Page 90] the crude humours become so much the more crude: this was Avicens feare, as is manifest by these words of his: beware least you precipitate your Patient into one of these extreams, either into an ebullition of chollerick, or an indigested abundance of cold humours; this we confesse to be true; yet not so, but that sometimes (all other administrations being rightly and duely premised) with Galen we may take away bloud by fits, then exhibit Mellicratum. Then againe open a vein, either the same day, or the day following, as the dispositi­on of the matter shall dictate to your rea­son; we leave much also to nature her selfe who many times concocts the thick hu­mours; the veine in the ankle must be open­ed, if women are thus affected; but whe [...] men are troubled with these windy hu­mours, the Basilick vein is the most prope [...] to be opened.

CHAP. V. A Schirrhus in the Matrix.

A Schirrhus in the Matrix is a hard, and stony swelling, bread of earthie hu­mours, [Page 91] and of a thick and melancholy bloud retained in the body.

This is either produced by a cold di­stemper in the Matrix, or else it proceeds from a weaknesse in the upper parts from whence thick humours doe arise.

This disease is very easie to be known, because in those who languish under it, the Matrix appeareth hard in the circumference, like unto some great bowle, or a round Spheare▪

It differs from a swelling which is caused by winde; because in this winde is heard within, which yieldeth to the touch, and is moved from place to place: but a Schirrus is a hard unmoveable swelling, of a black colour, and sometimes of a palish, wan colour, if any phlegmatick humour be mixed with it.

It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix, because in this there is a burning Fever conjoyned, and other signes which manifest an inward fiery Disposition.

This is a Chronicall Disease, continuing many times beyond the space of a yeare; for the Matrix, not being numbred among the more noble parts, doth better endure these molestations; it is also a contumaci­ous affect, despising ordinarie remedies, and [Page 92] if you oppose such as are vehement, it de­generates into a Cancer.

After this sometimes followes a Dropsey in the Matrix, which when it is much hard­ned, becomes void of sense, incurable, drawing the neighbouring parts into con­sent with it, and so weakning them, that many times the Creature perisheth for lack of wamrth and cherishing heat.

She must forbeare all those things, that yield a thick juice, and what these things be we have already in good part told you; for her drink, allow her a mixture of wine and water, in which tamarisk roots, or the barke of the Caper tree have been boiled.

The first regions of the body must be gent­ly cleansed, and then that humour which nourisheth the swelling, must be rooted out with some peculiar and elective medicine; if it proceed from a suppression of the Courses, or Hemorrhoids, open a veine in her ankle, or open the hemorrhoidall veines with leeches: but if it arise from some fault in the Liver, or the Spleen, cut the basalick veine.

Having thus shewed your selfe carefull of the whole body, you must in the next place be solicitous of the affected part; first by applying such things as will gently mollifie it, as the fat of a hen, the marrow [Page 93] of a deare, or of a calfe, with ammoniack, Sto­rax, or bdellium: or with discutient fomen­tations after this manner.

Take an ounce of the roots of Polypody of the Oake.

The barke of the root of the Caper tree.

The barke of the tamarisk tree, of each halfe an ounce.

• The leaves of wormewood,
• Sage,
• Savine,
• Penniroyall, of each two handfulls.
• Balme,
• Motherwort,
• Hops, of each a handfull.
• The seeds of broome,
• Fennill, of each halfe an ounce.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water wherein steele hath been quenched, to six pints and bath the affected part with the strained liquor; This oyntment fol­lowing hath a like efficacy.

• Take unguent. Agrippe.
• Ʋnguent. Martiatum, of each an ounce.
• Halfe an ounce of unguent. de althea.
• Oyle of wormewood,
• Capers,
• Dill, of each three drams.
• Mingle them, and make an Oyntment.
• [Page 94]Plaisters also are very profitable.
• Take Diachylon cum gummis,
• Emplastrum de meliloto, of each an ounce.
• Mingle them for the use aforesaid, or
• You may make ready this plaister fol­lowing.
• Take ammoniack,
• Sagapenum, of each an ounce.
• Opoponex,
• Bdellium, of each halfe an ounce.

Dissolve them in strong wine vinegar, thicken them to the forme of a hard oynt­ment, and then add

• The powder of ireos.
• Ceterach,
• Auripiguentum, of each a dram.

With oyle of Capers make a masse of plai­stering stuffe, and spread it upon a piece of leather, cut into a convenient forme.

If these medicines availe not, prescribe sweating drinks for her, made with Guai­acum, China, and Salsa parilla; for as Fallo­pius, an Author of good account, saith, Salsa parilla hath a soveraine faculty to dissolve a skirrhus, or any hard knotty swelling.

Sulphureous Baths are also most excellent in their operations.

Some commend a poultis made of Goats du [...]: for this draweth away the winde, [Page 95] strengthens, and mollifies the part afflicted, and consumes the thick matter, whereof the schirrus is bred. I usully made it after this manner.

• Take three ounces of Goats dung.
• Meale of Lupines,
• Fitches, or Vetches, of each two ounces.
• An ounce of Bran.
• Half an ounce of Sulphur in powder.

With the sharpest and strongest vinegar, wherein steele hath been ten times infused, make a Poultis.

Steele is commended by all Authors, it mollifies and opens the Matrix; quickens the naturall heat of the upper parts, and brings down the Courses, the stoppage where­of is the undoubted cause of this disease; this, as hath already been declared at large, is taken many wayes, either in water, or in the forme of a Bolus, or in Lozenges, or in powder, or in some conserve, as it shall seeme good to the Physitian, and most ac­ceptable to the sick womans palate.

Issues will be profitable; for whatsoever slimy, or clammy humour doth daily fall downe, more and more from the upper parts into the Matrix, findes a passage out of the body againe, so long as these are kept open.

CHAP. VI. Of the Dropsey in the Matrix.

VVE affirme with Galen, that an uni­versall Drosey can by no meanes be generated without the fault of the Liver, seeing that the first instrument of sanguifica­tion is the author of the bloud, which if it faile in its action, 'tis no wonder if water and winde be generated in the body, instead of laudable and pure bloud.

But we confesse with Hippocrates, that a particular Dropsey may be produced with­out any fault in the Liv [...]r; thus there is a Dropsey of the Chest, in the Foot, the Finger, the Arme, the Matrix, which we our selves have often seen; the Cause thereof is a waterish swelling, rising in the hollow parts of the Matrix, partly by reason of the sup­pressed Menstruum, and partly by some vio­lent labour, or some vehement Abortive­nesse, or by some cold distemper, and winde [...]n the Matrix.

The swelling is discernable by the touch: and if you lay your fingers upon her Ma­trix, the print of them remaines: if the Pa­tient [Page 97] turne her selfe from one side to ano­ther, the waterish humour immediately falls down on that side; within you may perceive a rumbling noise of waters, her Courses are stopped; she falsly surmiseth that she is with Childe: the breasts grow lank, and there is no appearance of milke.

She feeles some difficulty to fetch her breath; she is troubled with passions of the minde, she is tormented with thirst, com­plaines of heat in all the parts of the body, is apt to nauseate, subject to a paine in her heart, and all other things molest her, that usually accompany a true Dropsey, and that in regard of a salt and waterish phlegme, retained in the hollow parts of the Matrix, and communicated thorough the common wayes to the upper provinces of the body.

It differs from an inflammation in the Matrix; because this is consociated with a Fever, continually burning all the parts of the body: but in a Dropsey of the Ma­trix, the heat is more gentle and temperate; all things are lockt up in the Matrix, that is, nothing worth the mentioning comes from thence in an inflammation: but in a Dropsey a waterish, slimy and stinking ex­crement floweth away.

This is a Chronicall Disease, and doth not [Page 98] quickly either destroy, or take leave of the Patient.

It differs also from the windinesse which swells the Matrix, for in that the swelling is not so great, the flesh is not so pale and shining, neither is there so much winde, and it is easily differenced from a Schirrus, for in this you may feele a great hardnesse, but in the Dropsey, the slesh is soft and lanke.

The Dropsey in the Matrix is a direfull disease, whereby the upper parts being viti­ated, sometimes the whole body is drawn into consent, and then the naturall heat of the Matrix is diminished, and indeed the oeconomy of this part onely is not disturbed, but the universall strength of the influent heat is by degrees extinguisht.

Wherefore you must begin the Cure with­out any procrastination, or carelesse de­layes, by a heating and drying diet; the forme, quantity, quality, and manner whereof, we have set down already at large, in the Chapter of a swelling in the Ma­trix.

Allow her pure wine for her drinke; that is sincere wine; or else wormewood wine; or if it seeme pleasant to her, boile china roots, with Annise seeds, Cinamon, and [Page 99] Agrimony in water, for her to drink; or al­ter her beer with China, or wormewood, or Century.

All moist things must be avoided: and the ayre must be artificially heated, unlesse you can settle her in an ayre, which is na­turally hot.

Among the universall remedies you must Ornit Phlebotomy, for this exhausts the hot substance, and weakens the naturall heat, cooleth the body, extinguisheth the inborne preservative; yet this rule is not so strict, or so generall, but that sometimes it may be lawfull, yea necessary to cut a veine, when her Courses are supprest, or when the Piles are stopt: yea, if she be young, and in the flower of her youth, it may be requisite to let her bloud in the spring of the yeare, especially if the con­stitution of the weather be agreeable, and the constitution of her body temperate, and sanguine, but otherwise never, or at least very sparingly, and that in the Ankle.

Purge the first regions of her body with Diasenua, Mechoaca, or Diaphenicon, the thick, viscous, and waterish humours, neverthelesse being first prepared, specially with such reme­dies as we have commended unto you above, and although the waterish humours may [Page 98] [...] [Page 99] [...] [Page 100] be purged out, without staying for their concoction, because water neither concocts, nor waxeth thick, according to Galen, in his book de purgand. Med. Facult. yet to expell the winde, and to open the obstructi­ons, wherewith the upper parts are infe­sted, I praise those things which are good to break winde, to unlock the passages, and to purge out the humours; this is com­modiously performed with wormewood, agri­mony, fennill, Maidenhaire, the juice of the Florentine Flowerdeluce, Sena, the roots of Parsly, Fennill, Sparagus, Butchersbroom, and Alexander, boiled after this manner.

Take the last named five roots, of each half anounce.

• Three drams of danewort roots.
• The leaves of wormewood,
• Water agrimony,
• Maidenhaire, of each a handfull.
• Six drams of Sena.
• An onnce of the juice of Ireos roots.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water, to two pints, unto the strain­ed liquor clarified with the white of an Egg, add

Two ounces, of Syrupe Byzant. simpl.

An ounce of Syrupe of wormewood.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

When the humor is prepared, exhibit pills de Hiera cum agarico to the quantity of a dram. Antimony warily administred, is a divine medicine, and so are the Trochischs Alhandal; for these irresistably bring away those thick and clammy humours, which stick so fast to the Matrix; afterwards the Matrix must be strengthned, and the windy humours must be expelled, with Lozenges made according to this manner.

• Take the Electuary Diacinnamomum,
• Diagalanga,
• Dialacca, of each halfe a dram.

Two ounces of sugar dissolved in Cina­ [...]on-water.

According to Art, make them into Lo­zenges, or

• Take an ounce of old Treacle.
• Two drams of aromaticum rosatum.

With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of wormewood make a mixture.

The Oyntments, Plaisters, and Poultisses, which are mentioned above, must be apply­ed to the secret parts: issues also and sca­ [...]ifications will be convenient, as we have already taught; Pessaries likewise may bee made after this forme following.

• Take Troch. Alhandal,
• Troch. de agarico,
• [Page 102]The best Aloes of each two drams.

A dram of Elaterium, which is the juice of the wilde Cucumber inspissated.

The yelke of an Egg,

Unsalted Butter,

The juice of Mercury, of each three drams.

With a sufficient quantity of wax, a piece of Cotton, and a piece of taffata make a pes­sary.

This being administred, apply the Fomen­tation following to her privie parts.

Take danewort roots newly gathered.

The roots of the Florentine Flowerdeluce,

The roots Cucumer. asi [...]rin. of each six drams.

The flowers of Camomile,

Melilot, of each two handfulls.

A handfull of the tops of Dill,

Juniper berries,

Laurell berries, of each halfe an ounce.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of wormewood water distilled, to foure pints, to the strained liquor add

Oyle of Lillies,

Laurell berries, of each three ounces.

Use it as was said above.

CHAP. VII. Of the falling down of the Matrix.

THe Matrix sometimes falleth down up­on the lower parts, and this disease the Physitians call the Descent of the Ma­trix; this is resembled to a pare, or a goose­egg, as it is small or great; as there are many Causes of this disease, namely a hard labour, and a frequent bringing forth of children, miscarrying, a bringing away of the dead child, some fall from on high, hard riding, or immoderate dancing, yet there is one, in my judgement, more com­mon then any of the rest, namely too much moisture in that part, whereby the Matrix becomes soft, and loose; 'tis needlesse to set down any signes whereby to know this disease: for of it selfe it is conspicuous.

Yet in the meane time you must not let passe any opportunity of help, because it is accompanied with a diuturnall Fever, many times with Convulsion Fits, and a trembling of the parts.

Wherefore if the disease proceed from an excesse of moisture, prescribe a drying diet [...] [Page 104] and open the basalick veine for Revulsion sake.

A purge must by no meanes be granted her, for 'tis exceeding hurtfull, because it precipitates the humours to the part affect­ed, and there breeds an inflammation; but a Vomit is very proper in this case; because by drawing the humours to some other part, it doth derive them from the Matrix.

When you have done these things, labour to settle the Matrix in its former place, and to this purpose the woman must be laid upon her bed, with her legs stretched out, then the Matrix must be gently bathed with mollifying fomentations, afterwards to the end it may not fall down againe, rub the parts well, tye ligatures upon her armes: yea, apply stinking things to her Matrix, as assa faetida, galbanum, Castor, and stinking pisse: but to the nose hold sweet things, as musk, civet, and amber.

When you have thus done, dry up the moisture, digest the slimy humour, and ex­pell the winde with this Fomentation.

Take half an ounce of tormentill.

The leaves of wormewood,

Mint,

Sage,

Penniroyall, of each two handfulls.

The flowers of Camomile,

Red roses, of each a handfull.

Burnt alum,

Live Sulphur, of each three drams.

Boile them in sowre red wine to three pints, and with the strained liquor bath her secret parts.

After the fomentation, lay on this plaister.

Take two ounces of Emplastrum pro ma­trice.

Pitch,

Gummi laranne, of each a dram.

Two drams of the Trochischs de Gallia Moschata.

The powder of red roses,

Red Corall,

Acornes, of each a dram and a halfe.

With a sufficient quantity of wax make a Masse and spread it upon a piece of lea­ther cut into a convenient forme.

If it cannot be reduced to its naturall site and position, by the dexterity of the hand, but begins to mortifie by the incle­mency of the ayre, cut it off, and after­wards fasten it by actuall Cauterizing, onely be carefull of some ligaments, and feare not the incision, because it is none of those principall parts, without which we can live no longer, but it is a part intended by [Page 106] Nature for Conception onely and genera­tion. Avicen reports of some women, who lived eighteen yeares without a Matrix; and the possibility hereof we affirme to be true upon our owne experience.

CHAP. VIII. Of an Itch, Clefts, Chaps, and an Inflam­mation in the Matrix.

AN Inflammation in the Matrix is a preternaturall swelling, arising from a hot bloud, or from the suppression of the Menstruum, in the hollow parts thereof.

The Causes of this swelling are either in­ward or outward; the inward Causes are a great plenitude or fulnesse of the whole body, begot by a hot distemper of the Li­ver and the veines.

By the vehemence of this distemper, the bloud it selfe is compelled in a large pro­portion to the Matrix: and thus the re­tained bloud, being no wayes able to get out, either putrifies, or else without pu­trifying, produceth an inflammation: sometimes also an Ʋlcer in the Matrix, or clefts, or chaps, or the Piles, doe most spee­dily [Page 107] draw the bloud unto them by reason of the paine and heat.

The outward Causes are a fall, a blow, a stroke, a hard labour, immoderate coition, and the like, which weakning the Matrix, the bloud flowes unto it, and settles there without resistance; after this inflammation in the Matrix, there followes an acute Fever, bred of the putrifaction of the bloud, which Fever, Galen saith, must be numbred among the continuall Fevers.

She complaines of a great paine in her head, by reason of vapours ascending from her Matrix: also her eyes ake, and her neck is drawn to one side, her stomack is affe­cted by consent with nauseating, vomit­ing, and a griping paine; and from hence many times proceeds a paine in her back, and idle talking; the excrements are sup­pressed by the compression of the straight gut, and from hence comes a difficulty to make water, or a pissing by drops.

Every one knoweth how dangerous, and mortall this disease is, by reason of the consent, which it hath with the parts afore­said: wherefore you must presently ad­dresse your selfe to the Cure; first prescri­bing a thin and cold Diet, which Hippo­crates enjoynes to be observed in all Fevers, [Page 108] and inflammations, and afterwards open­ing a veine.

Many Physitians have been puzled to finde out Galens meaning, who first com­mands the Basilick veine to be cut; Second­ly, the Saphena, or veine in the ankle, but the reason is obvious; for whereas in the beginning of the disease the body is full, he prescribed the opening of the basilick veine to expedite the Revulsion: otherwise he had drawn the humours by a precipi­tate motion, to the part affected, and so superinduced an inflammation.

When this is done, he proceeds to lessen the predominancy of the bloud, by cutting a veine in the ankle, and not without sound reason: for by the proximity, or nearnesse of that part, the labouring parts are soonest disburthened.

A Purge is in this case inconvenient, by reason of the inflammation of the part, and the drawing faculty of the purging simples. Glysters may be profitable, both to bring away the antecedent cause, and also to free the afflicted part from the peccant matter; Make them by this example.

Take the leaves of Violets,

Mallowes,

Beet, of each a handfull.

The flowers of dwarfelder,

Violets, of each a handfull.

Roses,

Prunes, ten in number.

The seeds of Melons,

Cucumbers,

Citrons,

Gourds, of each two drams.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water, to nine ounces, to the strained liquor, add

Two ounces of Electuarium lenitivum.

Oyle of Roses,

Oyle of Violets, of each an ounce.

Mingle them, and make a glyster.

To appease the paine, you may mingle Topicall remedies with the Anodynall, and apply them.

Take the leaves of Mallowes,

Violets, of each a handfull.

Boile them to softnesse, then set them in­to an oven, and dry them, beat them to powder, sift them, and to the sifted matter add

The whites of two eggs beaten together.

The meale of marish mallowes,

Unsalted butter,

Oyle of Violets, of each an ounce.

Two drams of Opium dissolved in wine vinegar.

Mingle them, and make a Poultis, or Take foure ounces of the crums of whit [...] bread.

The whites of two egs.

Oyntment of Roses,

Oyntment of Poplars, of each an ounce.

Two scruples of Saffron.

Mingle them, and make a Poultis.

This Inflammation will either be dis­solved, or hasten to suppuration; you may guesse by the vehemence of the fever, when it will dissolve; for seeing that the great­nesse of the fever doth accompany the great­nesse of the inflammation; if the fever re­mit, which depends upon the inflammati­on, 'tis a certaine signe, that the inflamma­tion shortly will be dissolved; but if after the universall administrations, the fever still continue vehement, it is a true signe of suppuration, and the rather if the paine be increased, according to that Oracle of Hippocrates, whilest Matter or Corruption is ripening, the paines and the Fevers are more importunate then when it is full ripe.

The proper signe of suppuration is a most vehement paine upon the privie parts; and therefore to humour the evill, and to hasten the suppuration, prescribe this Poultis following.

Take the heads of white Lillies.

The roots of marish mallowes, of each two [...]unces.

The leaves of mallowes,

Marish mallowes, of each a handfull.

Bran,

Camomile flowers, of each half a handfull.

Twelve fat figs.

Boile them all to softnesse, pulp them thorough a haire sieve, and add to the pulp

Two ounces of the meale of line seed.

Unsalted butter,

The oyle of sweet almonds, of each halfe an ounce.

Hogsgrease,

The fat of a hen, of each half an ounce.

A dram of Saffron.

Mingle them, and make a Cataplasme.

A Fomentation made of these things, and with sponges applied to the secret parts, are of knowne vertue; but then note, that when you use it, it must be hot or luke­warme; for the Matrix being a part full of Nerves is easily offended with cold things.

When there is an itching in the Matrix, by reason of an influx of some cholerick, and biting humour, usually there follow chinks, chaps, and clefts, all which require one and the same manner of cure, with an inflammation.

If the Itching continue long, give whey, or an infusion of Ruharb to dri [...] lay cooling Epithems upon her Liver, [...] then wash her Matrix with this Injectio [...]

Take a dram of Trochisch. All. Rhasis.

Mallow water.

Breast milk of each three ounces.

Mingle them together for an injection.

From hence, if there be occasion proce [...] to issues.

CHAP. IX. Of a Cancer, and an Ʋlcer in the Matrix

A Cancer is an uneven, blewish swellin [...] with paine, and filthy to behold, th [...] is twofold, either with, or without an Ʋ [...] ­cer; the one hath [...]ordid lips, from whence issueth a black corruption, unsavory an [...] stinking; but the other, namely, that with­out an Ʋlcer, is called almost by all Anti­quity a hidden Ʋlcer.

The cause of this is the menstruous bloud detained in great abundance, and afterwards dried, and burnt up to adustion: sometimes it is produced by a dry humour falling down from the upper parts upon the Ma­trix, [Page 113] from whence that accumulation of [...]did, and blackish bloud floweth away. You may discerne the signes by a paine [...]ut the groine, the abdomen, the bottome the belly, and in the loines of her back: is a stubborne disease: both in respect of [...]e incommodiousnesse of the place, which the sinke of all the humours, and also in [...]gard of her frequent desire, and indea­ [...]ur to make water, which render the me­ [...]cines so moist, that they cannot stick to [...]e part; moreover light remedies it con­ [...]mnes, and vehement medicines make it [...]orse: wherefore Hippocrates in one of his [...]horismes most wisely adviseth us, not to [...]re a hidden Cancer; because they who [...]e cured quickly perish, they who are not red live so much the longer; and we say [...]e same of a Cancer, which is exulcerated, [...]e paines whereof are greater, and doe [...]ore torment the woman, when the Cure [...]f the Ʋlcer is attempted.

We must therefore content our selves with palliative Cure, that the Patient may live [...]e longer (for in the midst of misery life sweet) this may be done by appointing good Diet, and forbidding the use of Me­ [...]ncholy meats.

Upon the approach of the Spring, and [Page 114] about the end of Autumne, let her bl [...] from the basilick veine; but if she have n [...] her Courses open a veine in the ankle.

Prescribe such simples as are good [...] purge Melancholy, as Sena, Hellebore, my [...] balans, epithymum, and annise seeds; So [...] of these must be infused a whole night [...] whey, and so strained and dranke, but [...] hibit not stronger Physick, because the h [...] mour is so apt to be outragious.

Locall remedies which are moderately cold and binding, may be applyed to [...] privie parts, as roses, myrrhe, the juice of u [...] ripe grapes mingled with rosewater, bred milke, and the white of an egg, or

Take Cerus wash't,

Tutia, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Burnt Lead,

Frankincense, of each two drams.

With foure ounces of oleum Omphaci [...] stirred much, and long in a marble morter▪ and

Three drams of white wax, make an oynt­ment, or

Take foure ounces of Litarge of silver wash't in the juice of Pomegranets, and for two whole dayes worne to dust in a marble morter.

Frankincense,

Burnt Lead,

Auripigment, of each two drams.

Hogsgrease,

The grease that is gathered from sheeps wool,

New butter, of each halfe an ounce.

Foure ounces of oyle of roses.

Foure drams of wax.

According to the rules of Art make an oyntment.

If any filthy matter, or bloudy corrup­tion run from the Ʋlcer, beat the shells of Crab fishes to ashes (having first dried them in an oven) and strow the ashes upon the Ʋlcer, and anoynt it twice a day with oyle.

If the paine increase, and grow insuffer­able, inject this decoction into her Matrix with a Syringe.

Take an ounce of the sperme of Frogs.

The leaves of mallowes.

Marish mallowes,

Violets,

Mercury, of each a handfull.

Coriander seeds,

Poppy seeds, of each two drams.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water, to eighteen ounces; to three ounces of the strained liquor add

Syrup of the juice of Pomegranets,

Hony of roses strained, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Mingle them together, and make an in­jection for six times, to be injected twice every day.

Purge her body once a moneth with this Medicine following.

Take three drams of Sena.

A dram of Agarick Trochischated.

Halfe a dram of black hellebore.

A dram of annise seeds.

Macerate them a whole night in a suffici­ent quantity of fumitary water, to three ounces; in the morning set them upon the fire, and after one or two bublings, add to the liquor which you presse out, halfe an ounce of Syrup of the juice of fumitary.

Two drams of Confectio Hamech.

Mingle them for a draught.

If her body be sufficiently strong, open a veine, yet be sparing of her bloud; the Surgeons worke, which may be profitable, when the breasts, or the other parts are in­fested with a Cancer, must in this case be omitted: first, because he cannot have a full view of it, and secondly, being irritated by his administrations, it would cast the Patient into Convulsion Fits, in regard of [Page 117] the consent which it hath with the braine, which by this meanes would presently perish.

Ʋlcers happen in the Matrix severall wayes, either upon the coming down of the whites, proceeding from an acrimonious and sharp humour, or else from clefts and chaps, which are not easily curable, be­cause of the humour which insinuating it selfe, corrodes, and exulcerates the part.

The signes of an Ʋlcer in the Matrix are, a pricking paine about the privie parts, fluxes of a virulent and corrupt humour, a gentle Fever, idle talking, and sometimes sounding Fits.

These Vlcers are very hard to cure, part­ly because of the distance of the place, the virulency and malignity of them, and partly also, because it is so full of Nerves, that they hinder the coalescence, and healing of it.

The most proper and convenient diet which in this case you can prescribe, is that which is moderate and temperate: let her surren­der her whole desires to sleepe, not fearing any excesse; hot meats must be avoided, and exercise must be forborne; but above all things, let her refuse her husband in his loving offers of Benevolence; for by heat [Page 118] and motion the humours melt, and falling down upon the Matrix, they exasperate the Vlcers.

When you let bloud open the black vein; a Vomit may be given with security, and safety, but the event of a Purge is doubt­full: yet if you prescribe one, let it be ve­ry gentle for the reasons aforesaid.

Locall remedies are very proper and pro­fitable: so are Baths, and the Injections which we have already commended to you; provided, that you add a dram and a hall of the Trochisch. alb. Rhasis, with two ounces of Hydromel, and the whey of Goa [...] milke.

If you can gather from the confession of the sick woman, that these Vlcers owe their beginning to the French Pox, having first made triall of all these remedies aforesaid, as well universall, as particular, prescribe compositions which receive Mercury, the severall formes whereof, if God permit, when we describe the Cure of the French Pox, we shall set down at large.

CHAP. X. Of Wormes, the Stone in the Matrix, and the Hemorrhoids.

THat wormes breed in all the parts of our bodies is a truth not to be denyed. The Cause of these wormes is a viscous, phlegmatick, raw, and cold humour, stick­ing by its clamminesse to the very Matrix, or to the neck thereof, and by degrees pu­trifying.

The signes of them are a dew, or moisture upon the lips of the Matrix, slendernesse, troublesome sleeps, an itching in the belly, and a slow Fever.

This is a disease full of molestation, in regard of the Fever, and the want of sleep, which waste and consume the sick Crea­ture.

To facilitate the Cure, a dry regiment is necessary; meats that yield a thick, cold, and moist juice must be avoided; her beer should be boiled with rubarbe, purselane, or sorrell, and you may purge her body with pills of mastick, or de Hiera, cum agaries, or

Take an ounce of grasse roots.

The leaves of plan [...]ane.

Tansie, of each a handfull.

Two drams of ci [...]n seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of balme water to a pint, in the strained liquor infuse for the space of a night

Three drams of the choisest Rubarb,

A dram and a halfe of agarick Troch.

Coralline,

Hartshorne prepared, of each a dram.

In the moring set them upon a gentle fire, allow them one or two bublings, straine them, and presse out the liquor, and then add

Foure ounces of Diacni [...]u.

Mingle them for an Apozem.

Every other day let her drinke three ounces of it.

You may make your injections after this manner.

Take halfe an ounce of Dittany roots.

The leaves of Tansie,

Calamint, of each a handfull.

Halfe a handfull of Century the lesse.

Two drams of citron seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of ho­nied water to nine ounces, add

An ounce and a halfe of Syrup of Worme­wood.

Two drams of aloes in powder.

Meale of Lupines.

Rubarb in powder, of each a dram.

Mingle them, and make an Injection to serve three times, or

Take the roots of Costmary,

Aristolochy, the long, of each two drams,

Coloquintida,

Aloes,

The gall of an Ox, of each three drams.

Two drams of hartshorne prepared.

Boil them in a sufficient quantity of worm­wood water to nine ounces, every morning inject three ounces of the strained liquor.

Or make a plaister of the things afore­said, according to art, and lay it to the privie parts.

The same administrations will serve against the stone in the Matrix; provided that you are sure, that that is the Materi­all and efficient Cause; that is a thick, slow and visco [...] humour, the other, name­ly the efficient, is an immoderate heat.

Stones many times also are generated of a corruption, or matter congealed in the Matrix, and grown dry; the Cause is two­fold; one inward, the other outward; the inward hath already been declared; the outward is a thick, cold, and waterish meat, suppeditating matter to the Concre­tion [Page 122] of the stone: as milke, fish, pulse, and other grosse aliments, as cheese and muddy ale.

The Stone in the Matrix is known by the paine in the part, and if you presse down the Matrix the paine is exasperated.

The woman conceives not, her Courses come down immoderately, and if she put her finger up her fundament, she may feele the Stone. Use your utmost speed and di­ligence to cure it; for whereas the Matrix is as the sinke, or common shore, into which Nature empties out all the grosse and superfluous bloud, it may be feared that that corrupt matter will turne to a Stone, which in continuance of time growes sometimes to such a bignesse (as we of our own knowledge can testifie) that it fills the whole capacity of the Matrix, and totally suppresseth the Courses, breeding Vlcers full of corruption and purulency.

The Cure consists in a good regiment, in the preparation of the humours, and in the evacuation and expurgation of them, to prepare the humours, give her this Apo­zem following.

Take the roots of parsly.

Eryngos,

Fennill,

Alexander, of each halfe an ounce.

The leaves of Germander,

Violets, of each a handfull.

White Maidenhaire,

Century the lesse, of each halfe a handfull.

The seeds of grummell,

Nettles, of each two drams.

Six drams of raisins pickt and stoned.

Foure drams of licoras,

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water, to two pints, to the strained liquor add

Syrupe of the five roots.

Syrup of Lemons, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem.

When she hath drunk the Apozem, make ready this Potion.

Take the roots of Polypody,

Marish mallowes,

The leaves of Violets,

Mallowes, of each a handfull.

The leaves of Sena,

Bastard saffron seeds, of each halfe an ounce.

Agarick Trochischated,

Mechoacha, of each two drams.

Macerate them a whole night in a suffici­ent quantity of Rhenish wine to eight ounces, and boyle them gently in the morning, straine and presse out the liquor with a [Page 124] strong hand, and add to it

Halfe an ounce of Electuary Diacarthamum.

Mingle them together, and make a Poti­on for two doses to be taken every other day.

We have already furnisht you with Fo­mentations, Poultisses, Oyntments, Plaisters, and halfe tubs to bath in, which are very serviceable in this cure; but above all things inject these glysters following very often, throughout the whole progresse of the Cure.

Take nine ounces of some emollient de­coction.

Diacatholicon,

Benedicta Laxativa, of each an ounce.

Oyle of Dill.

Oyle of bitter Almonds, of each six drams.

A dram of Sal gemme.

Mingle them, and make your glyster, or

Take the roots of restharrow,

Marish mallowes, of each halfe an ounce.

The leaves of mallowes.

Violets,

Pellitory of the wall,

Mercury, of each a handfull.

The tops of Dill,

Camomile flowers, of each half a handfull.

Line seed.

Fenugreek, of each three drams.

Two drams of nettle seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces, to the strained liquor add

Diaphenicon.

Benedicta laxàtiva, of each an ounce.

Oyle of Lillies,

Unsalted butter, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Mingle them and make a glyster.

When these things are done, let the Mid­wife put her finger up into the Patients Fundament, and artificially presse downe the belly upon the bones, that joyne neer the privie parts, that the place where the stone lies, may be raised up: this being dry­ed, put in a hooked instrument, and draw it out, as we have sometimes seen it done, but afterwards let issues made in her bo­dy be kept open.

The first Chapter. OF Barrennesse, both Absolute and Re­spective.

PRovident Nature that she might contrive the continuation of Mankinde for a long time, if not in the Individuall, yet at least in the Species, hath im­printed in those parts dedicated to genera­tion, a vehement, continuall, and inex­pressible [Page 128] appetite to propagation: and thus by a due commixture of the womans bloud with the seed of the man, she formeth and fashioneth a Creature in the Matrix, which at a certaine, and appointed time, she sends forth into the world compleat, and perfect in its Conformation.

Wherefore in my Judgement, Concep­tion is nothing else then a receiving of the mans seed in the Matrix, being exquisitely and proportionably intermingled, aptly retained, and fully perfected, and therefore by the rule of Contraries, we may affirme Barrennesse to be a Depravation, or defect of these operations.

Barrennesse is either naturall, and ac­quired from the first Elements of the Con­formation, or introduced by sicknesse; or lastly Respective, namely in reference to the Man, or the Woman, the first is incu­rable; for no Physitian can correct those errours, which Nature commits in the my­sterious purpose of our generation; one of these errours is the straightnesse of those passages which lead to the Matrix, being sometimes so narrow that they hinder the right transmission of the seed into the vessells of Generation, or if it be injected, yet is it received with so much paine and [Page 129] labour, that the Matrix doth neither concoct nor perfect it, another errour is the wide­nesse of those parts, into which although the seed be duely ejaculated, yet it present­ly slips out againe, because the capacity of the Matrix is too wide; the crookednesse of the vessells also may be another impedi­ment; for we may many times meet with jesting errours, as I may call them, in the workmanships of Nature; thus in one bo­dy a double Matrix hath been seen, in an­other two hearts, in a third, the Spleen placed where the Liver should stand, and ma­ny other such like recreations of Nature, as Realdus Columbus hath discoursed of the [...] at large in his Anatomy.

The second kinde of barrennesse is that which is contracted by some disease; for whereas the seed is a certaine spirituall substance, generated of the purest part of the bloud, it is necessary that it should be concocted in a temperate wombe; but if the Matrix be too hot, it consumes the seed, as a little water thrown into a fire, is pre­sently dryed up, and on the contrary, if it bee too moist and cold, the actions that are ordained for conception are weakned, and disabled, because cold is unprofitable, and uselesse for any function: it shuts up [Page 130] the mouthes of the veines in the Matrix: it renders a woman averse from, and indi­sposed to the pleasure of the Lawfull sheets; for a waterish seed cooles the Testicles, and makes them unapt to elaborate the seed, and make it fit to unite and mix with the mans seed; unto these impediments Hippocrates hath also added another which in his Apho­risms he calls a thick Matrix.

From all which it is manifest, that the temperate Matrix is most fruitfull, namely that which obtaines a mediocrity, ap­proaching to no excesse, either of an active or passive quality; by the universall Con­stitution of the whole body, you may best discerne the temperature of the wombe, which is most fit for conception; for such women are fresh coloured, and of a rosie complexion, gentle of behaviour, affable in their cariage, merry and pleasant in their conversation, not dull and drowsie, and full of pensivenesse.

The third cause of barrennesse proceeds neither from the Nativity of the Patient, nor from any sicknes, but relates to the man, as for example; one and the same woman may have had Children by a former hus­band, and yet no children by a second hus­band, not because she is now barren, or un­fruitfull, [Page 131] but she is so called because of her husband, by whom she hath now no chil­dren, the case is likewise the same on the mans part, respectively to the woman; but perhaps you will demand a reason hereof, I answer; because the proportion and tem­perature of both the seeds, which ought to concur to generation, are contrary the one to the other; for the seed both of the man and the woman, if it be prolificall and fruitfull, will be of a white, and shine­ing colour, not thin and waterish, but of a thick, and compacted substance, in sent, like unto the flowers of the Dwarfelder tree, and being put into water, it will sinke to the bottome; but that which is unfit for generation will swim upon the top of the water, and is in all respects con­trary to the former; the man ought to be of a strong constitution, well set, full of museles, and neither too slender, nor too thick; for those that are slender, are usual­ly too weak to get children, at least such is are healthfull, strong, and lively, and those who are to grosse, are commonly of a cold temper, have a thin and slippery seed, and are more desirous of Venery, then able to performe it.

Barren men are commonly beardless, slow [Page 132] in imagination, and dull in practise, be­cause their seed is cold, and containes not any spirit to tickle, and warme their Phantasies, but they sit like images, and are sad, and insociable; on the contrary, hairy men, that have Testicles of an indiffe­rent size, and a well concocted seed, are cheerefull, affable, ever frequenting the young company of Maids, and Virgin [...], be­ing excited by the flagrancy of their eyes to Venereous dalliances, and lustfull specu­lations.

After the same manner we must give judgement concerning women, which be­sides the signes aforesaide, if they be bald▪ and harelesse in the privie parts, they are suspected to be barren; but if they be rough, and full of haire, it is a signe that they are fruitfull; the wiser sort of Physitians know, that much haire is an undeniable ar­gument of much heat, and of the strength of that heat, which driveth out those fu­liginous humours, whereof those haires are generated.

Those women that have black haire, are more apt for Venery, then any other com­plexion, because they are hotter, and have their Courses in a more plentifull manner: which Courses, how conducible they are to [Page 133] make her fruitfull, is manifest to any ordi­nary capacity, because the menstruous blood is one of the Principles of our generation.

Other sorts of barren women must be re­ferred to this Catalogue, as those that are luxuriant, and the whorish crew; the former, because by frequent coition their bodies become empty of seed, and if any at that time be ejaculated, it is not fit for generation, because Nature is not allowed time enough to elaborate and concoct it: and the latter sort conceive not, partly by reason that many, and various seeds are mingled together, and partly also by rea­son of their frequent cohabitation with men, whereby the neck of the Matrix is made so slippery, that it cannot retaine the mans seed.

It will not be impertinent to enquire at what time women begin to have their Courses? I answer, that for the most part, they begin when the Virgin is twelve years of age, and end when she hath attained to [...]orty five: and in all that intercourse of [...]ime women are held capable of children; [...]ut if any Auhors will affirme that women [...]ay conceive, before and after those fore­ [...]med periods of time; we also affirme, [...]at this is not ordinary, but very rare; [Page 134] let the learned Reader consult Marcell [...]s Do­natus, and S [...]kenchius de menstruo sangui [...], in the chapter de cita & sera Conceptione ad­miranda, and he will straight demand, whither a woman can conceive without the Menstruum? I answer negatively; for when either Principle of Generation i [...] defective, there can be no conception; if you still obtrude upon me, that many women have conceived without the Men­struum, I grant it to be true; if you spea [...] of the outward Menstruum, namely that, which we call their monethly Courses: but if you meane it of the inward, that is of that, which runnet [...] out of the vessells into the Matrix for conception sake, you are deceived; for no woman can conceive without this inward menstruum; you will ask againe peradventure, can a woman conceive without pleasure? and whither i [...] [...]e absolutely necessary that the seeds should be intermingled, and that the man and the woman should both spend at one, and the same point of time? to the first I an­swer, that they enjoy an unspeakable pleasure, although tha [...] conduceth littl [...] or nothing to conception; and to the second I affirme, that it is not necessar [...] that they both spend at one time, althoug [...] [Page 135] I confesse that may facilitate, and much help conception, but that it is sufficient, if the seed be received into the Matrix, and rightly concocted; for there is in the wo­mans seed, such an earnest, covetous, and greedie desire, to embrace, and be united with the seed of the man, that although the man spend after the woman, yet she sucks it in, and the conception is never­thelesse perfect.

Thus we have declared unto you (with all possible observation of modest expressi­ons) the Causes of barrennesse in gene­rall; and the signes of such men and wo­men that are unfruitfull, by which notes you may discerne the particular constitu­tion of either Sex.

It would be needlesse to set down any prognostick signes, because from a true consideration of the precedent notes, you may raise an unerring determination, whi­ther the fault be in the man, or the wo­man.

Let us now advance to the cure; we have said that there is a threefold kinde of barrennesse, Naturall, Respective, and that which is contracted by some disease; that which comes from the Nativity of the Patient is incurable; but that which [Page 136] is comparative in relation to the woman, or the man, may have help from artifici­all administrations; for if the man or the woman be unfruitfull through an excesse of the first qualities, that intemperance must be corrected; how to bring this to passe, now heare and understand; if any man thoroughly knoweth how to cure that barrennesse, which comes by sick­nesse, the same man will be able to particu­larize every cause that introduceth un­fruitfulnesse.

Now this barrennesse that happens by reason of some disease, must be cured by a distinct observation of the cause, where­upon it hath dependance; if it proceed from an Ʋlcer, that Ʋlcer must be cured; if it arise from frequent coition, the in­continent person must curb her, or his appetite; if the Ayre be a suspected cause, remove to another place; if any poyson hath got into the body, by the power and malignity whereof, the spirit which is in the seed is weakned, and dulled, you must prescribe remedies of Bezar stone, and ap­ply such medicines to the privities, as have a faculty to resist poyson.

If the party be bewitched, as it often comes to passe, even by the malicious art [Page 137] of the Devill, or his instruments, besides the ordinary helps, you must indeavour to subdue the evill with other meanes, as the learned Fernelius hath taught us in his booke de abdit is rerum causis; for some diseases and remedies exceed the limits and boundaries of Nature.

If slendernesse be the cause of unfruit­fullnesse; you must nourish and fatten the body with meats that yeild good juyce, and with moistning baths: and you must be carefull to avoid evacuations, and all other things, which weaken the strength, and exhaust the spirits.

If fatnesse hinder fruitfulnesse; the body must be extenuated, made lean, dried, and rub'd, and all other meanes must be used to dissolve and evacuate the thick juyces; the Patient must accustome her selfe to much exercise, refraine from anger, and all passions of the minde, and content her selfe with little spleen; for these things introduce leannesse, bring down the bo­dy, and take away all grossenesse, and corpulency; for the same purpose also you may frequent the Bath, and hot houses, for sweating doth much extenuate a fat body. If the Affect be produced by an ex­cesse of the first foure qualities, as we have [Page 138] already intima [...]d, that hot distemper must be corrected by a various administration of remedies, in contrariety to that ex­cesse; first with a cold, and moist ayre, for in such cases, a hot ayre weakens our strength, and drawes out the naturall heat to the circumference, inflames, dissolves, and enervates the faculties of the Matrix, and because a hot distemper cannot long continue simple, and uncompounded, but in a short space associates to it selfe a dry distemper, therefore the aliments must be moyst to resist the increase of that drought, which is not cured without much trouble and difficulty, if it be once intro­duced into the Matrix, which by Nature is a dry and nervous part; wherefore let her drinke be potentially moist, as small beer, or a decoction of barley, but enjoyn her an abstinence from wine, and all such meats as are spiced with cinamon, and Ginger.

Let her meat be of easie concoction and distribution, potentially cold, and moist, that is, cold and moist in their qualities, and operation, though they be actually hot when she eats them, it would be su­perfluous to name them, having already sufficiently spoken of them in the prece­dent [Page 139] chapters of a hot dihemper in the Matrix, and an inflammation in the Ma­trix.

It will be convenient to draw bloud from the basilick vein, in the right arme, and if the hot dishemper be the cause, that the Patient hath not her Courses, cut a veine in her ankle.

Moreover you may prepare cooling, and moistning Juleps after this manner.

Take Syrup of Violets and water lillies, of each two ounces.

Twelve ounces of Endine water.

Six drops of Spirit of [...], mingle them, or

Take Syrup of horage, and Syrupe of purselane, of each an ounce and a hals [...]

A decoction of let [...]uce, wash [...]cumber ci­trull, gourd, and melon feeds, of [...] a diam and a halfe, take a pint and alhalfe of the decoction mingled with the Syrups, and [...] her drink it at three doses.

Prescribe a Purge also to evacuate [...]holer.

Take three drams of the best rubarb.

A scuple and a halfe of citron seeds.

Macerate them a night in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of tama [...]inds, to two ounces and a halfe, in the morning straine and presse them, and to the liquor [Page 140] add three drams of the Electuary Diaprun. laxative. Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Vio­lets by infusion, mingle them, and give it in the morning.

Whey of it selfe is exceeding wholsome, or else you may thus compound it for your Patient.

Take an ounce of borage roots.

Two handfulls of sorrell leaves with the roots.

Endive and borage leaves, of each a handfull.

Six drams of tamarinds.

Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of whey to a quart, and in the strained liquor infuse for a whole night

Halfe an ounce of choise rubarb.

Two scruples of Cinamon.

In the morning let them bubble a little over a gentle fire, and when you have prest them hard, add

Three ounces of Syrupe of roses laxative.

Mingle them together for an Apozem.

Which is of most excellent vertue to cor­rect the heat, and distemper of all the veynes, and principall parts; this Bath al­so will be very effectuall to coole the body.

Take foure handfulls of vine leaves.

The leaves of mallowes, violets, and en­dive, [Page 141] of each two handfulls.

A handfull and a halfe of bran.

A handfull of salt.

Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water to eight quarts, let her hold her feet in the strained water, two or three houres together.

You may likewise prepare fomentations of the hearbe aforesaid, and bath the pri­vities, the Liver and the Reynes of the back; and afterwards you may make use of this oyntment.

Take two ounces of unguent. infrigidan­tis Galeni.

An ounce of Cerat. Sautalin.

Oyle of roses, and oyle of violets, of each halfe an ounce.

Two drams of the powder of red corall.

Halfe an ounce of vinegar of roses.

With a sufficient quantity of white wax, make an oyntment according to Art.

Take the liquor which is distilled out of Cockles, Snailes, or Frogs, mingle it with Saccharum perlatum, and give it her to drink, as a most effectuall remedy against this Disease.

A decoction of young Chickens boiled with prunes, and borage leaves, and taken every morning upon an empty stomack, [Page 142] doth refresh the body, strengthen the spi­rits, moisten the Matrix, cleanseth away the foulnesse that groweth in those parts, and very powerfully resists the causes of barrennesse.

When unfruitfulnesse proceedoth from a cold distemper, you must observe a con­trary method of cure; as for example.

The ayre must incline to hot and dry, the meat must be also potentially hot and dry: and because this cold distemper in perpetually consociated with moistu [...], whereby cloudy and grosse v [...]pours get into the Matrix, which is cold and ne [...] ­vous, therefore it will be requisite to cor­rect this coldnesse, to take away the moi­sture, and to consume, and dissipate those windy vapours; from hence you may ga­ther, that this is a very frequent cause of barrennesse, and abortivenesse; and so likewise are flatulent and windy humours; for they extreamely swell the Matrix, so that the seed cannot be perfectly retained, neither can the child be held fast by the Cotyledous.

When you attempt the Cure, abstaine from Phlebotomy, unlesse it be preparative onely, to disburthen the oppressed vessells; when the Patient is in the spring of her [Page 143] yeares, and at the Spring of the yeare, least by taking away the bloud, the spirits should be wasted, the humours should be­come more cold, and indigested, which otherwise, were not the bloud prodigally let out, might be seasonably concocted, and this you may observe with the learned Fernelius, to prescribe a Purge, before you open a veine in crude bodies, that the first region may be cleansed; if any man shall rashly proceed to a contrary course, doubtlesse with great disadvantange to the Patient, he shall pervert the right order of Nature: for when as he hath emptied the veines by Phlebotomy, he will fill them again with that filthy accumulation of corrupt humours, which they suck in with gree­dinesse from the first places, and so he shall not lessen, but double the disease; the Purge may be made as followeth.

Take a dram and a halfe of the whitest agarick.

Two drams of bastard Saffron seeds.

A scruple of Ginger.

Halfe a dram of Anniseeds.

Macerate them a whole night in a suffi­cient quantity of marjoram water, to three ounces; in the morning presse them hard, and add

Diaphenicon and Diacuicum, of each halfe an ounce.

Mingle them, and let her drink it in the morning.

If her body be not sufficiently open, give the same potion every third day, or else prescribe this Glyster following.

Take nine ounces of a mollifying deco­ction made with marjoram and groundpine, or germander, of each a handfull.

Diacarthamum and Diaphenicon, of each an ounce.

An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained.

Mingle them, and make a Glyster.

When you have thoroughly purged the body, and taken away the cause, the parts must be strengthned, and the distemper must be corrected with these pills.

Take a dram of right lign. aloes beaten to powder.

Two scruples of aloes ro sat.

Musk and amber, of each a scruple.

With a sufficient quantity of alkermes, make thirty five pills.

Let her swallow five of them, or fewer, every morning; they are exceedingly pro­vocative, and withall they strengthen the braine, the heart, the liver, and the Matrix; [Page 145] when the man and the woman intend con­junction, let him anoint his yard with oyle of mastick, and wormewood mingled with a few graines of musk and civet; and let the woman also anoynt her privie parts therewith, as well within as without; for by this meanes there is raised a mutuall inclination to Venery, and the seed is re­ceived with a greater pleasure, and is more duely retained and elaborated; rea­son it selfe will convince us, that sweat­ing remedies made of ebony, and Salsapa­ [...]illa will mightily help, and prepare the Matrix; for they expell the windy hu­mours, strengthen the Matrix, and dissi­pate the fuliginous and grosse vapours; naturall Baths are excellent for the same purposes, and so are Treacle, Mithridate, Alkermes, Aromaticum rosatum, Diarrhodon Abbatis, Diamargarit. calidum, and Diacin­namomum; and lastly if you desire any sa­tisfaction from our opinion concerning Issues, we answer, that they evacuate those cold and thick juyces which daily flow un­to, and settle in the Matrix, and therefore, as we said almost every where, we affirme the use of them to be very expedient, and conducible.

CHAP. II. Of the shapeless lump of Flesh called Mola.

A Mola is an unprofitable and shape [...] lump of flesh, bred in the Matrix of the menstruous bloud, as the Materiall cause thereof, according to the opinion of Ga­len, in sundry places of his works.

He saith of the menstruous bloud, that it, such as is very thick and much hardned in the Matrix; but note, that he doth not here exclude the seed of the man, for eve­ry Physitian knowes that a Mola proceeds from a mixture of the menstruum, and [...] corrupted seed, which indeed doth some­what indeavour Conception, but cannot perfect it: neither is there any cause of wonder that such a lump of deformity should be fashioned in the wombe, seeing that severall kindes of monsters are bred there, according to the variety of th [...] hu­mour, which floweth into the Matrix; h [...] that would acquaint himselfe with th [...] knowledge of these things, may rea [...] [Page 147] Skenkius his Observations, and the won­derfull stories related by Marcellus Donatus; if also he would search into, and examine the true cause of these things, let him read Laurentius his book of Anatomy.

But why doth this breed in the Matrix onely of a woman, and not in some other part? I answer, because, although the bloud may congeale, and become clotted in the other parts of the body, yet it happens so more frequently in the Matrix of a woman, then in any other part of her body, because the Matrix is as the common shoore of the body, where most of the excrements are exonerated.

But why doth a Mola breed in women onely? I answer, because women onely have an abundance of this menstruum, more then other Creatures, and that their bo­dies are full of grosse, thick, and tenaci­ous humours, by reason that for the most part they use a moist diet, and abandon themselves to a reproveable, and disor­derly course of life. This Mola is of se­verall kindes; for sometimes it is waterish, sometimes windy and humorall, and sometimes againe 'tis skinnie and bloudy; this last is the most ordinary, and all Phy­sitians have granted it, this is that which [Page 148] is most usually presented to our obser­vation; and lastly, this is that which so often hath deceived women, who boasted themselves to be with childe, and were not, and their Physitians also who told them they were with child, when they were not.

Wherefore to avoid these common cou­zenages, let us be circumspect in the knowledge, and right understanding of the signes, which are a swelling, with a drawing back of the Hypochondriacall parts, the women grow leane, are full of paine, and very apt to long; the belly is bur­thened, her back aketh, her breasts swell, and her Courses are stopped, and that at the beginning of her conception: but af­terwards in processe of time, she seemes to have the Dropsey, her belly is so immode­rately swelled; but you may know this from a Dropsey; for in that the belly sounds like a Drum: the woman feeles within a kinde of fluctuation, or waving motion, and if a finger be laid hard upon her belly, the print of it remaines.

A Mola is distinguished from a perfect conception, by three most certain signes, that is, by the motion, by the milk, and by the time that a woman beareth her [Page 149] childe; in the motion, because there is a great difference between the motion of a childe, and the motion or stirring of a Mola, because the childe kicks, and turn­eth about to all the parts of the bottome of the belly, but a Mola moveth like a Globe, now on the right side, and anon on the left; this also, if you presse down the womans belly with a gentle hand, re­moveth from the place, and returnes not suddenly into it againe; and from the milke you may gather a never-failing signe, because the breasts swell all the time a woman is with childe; but in the other it happeneth otherwise; the time likewise affords a never-failing signe; for if the swelling of the belly continue beyond the eleventh moneth (which is the most con­stant and certaine period of a womans Reckoning) and no signes of a Dropsie at that time appeare, you may warrant your owne confidence that she hath a Mola, but no childe in her belly.

This is a most dangerous disease; for many times a woman carries it in her wombe, the space of two or three yeares, and sometimes longer, insomuch that the naturall heat is suffocated therewith, moreover, in the expulsion of it, there is [Page 150] no small danger, for many times it grow­eth to such a bignesse, that it comes not away without extreame hazard of the wo­mans life: for a great Issue of bloud en­sueth, whereby the spirits being spent and exhausted, she waxeth feeble, wan and pale, and many times perisheth in the ve­ry act of expelling it.

This evill hath a twofold manner of Cure; one Preservative, to prevent the Ge­neration or breeding of the Mola, and the other curative, to destroy and bring it away, when it is bred; and this last is also two­fold; for the first designe must be to ex­clude it; and the second to save the wo­man in the very act of excluding it.

The Preservation consists in a due ob­servation of these things following; the ayre she lives in must be hot and dry, and the place healthfull, being scituate towards the East: let her keep a good diet, feeding upon meats that yield a whol­some nourishment to the body, and such as are soone concocted, and distributed to all the parts: let her choice also be ra­ther of hot, then cold meats, avoiding such as are fat, salt, and hardned with smoak, fish which breed thick, windy, and viscous juyces, are unwholsome for [Page 151] her; she cannot desire a more wholesome drink then Wormewood wine, or excellent generous French wine: her belly must be kept open and soluble; exercise must be used, and sleep refrained: angry chidings and cares of the minde must be moderated, and all such things for borne, as dry the bloud, and diminish the naturall heat.

In the next place prepare the thick, and grosse humours with Rhodomel, Syrupe of wormewood, Syrupe of mint, and the like, mingled with some convenient water, af­terwards prescribe this Purge.

Take three drams of Sena,

A scruple of Agarick Trochischt.

A dram of the root Mechoaca.

A dram and a halfe of anniseeds.

Boile them a short space in a sufficient quantity of pure water to three ounces: then straine and presse them, and to the remaining liquor add three drams of Dia­phenicon. Mingle them, and let her drink it in the morning early.

If her Courses be stopped, cut a veine in her ankle; Leeches also may be applyed to the Hemorrhoids, but with caution and warinesse, least thereby you more and more weaken such women, whose bodies are full of raw and indigested humours, [Page 152] afterwards you must purge her body again, with a scruple of extract. Catholic. and as much of mass. pillul. faetidar. and lastly, pre­scribe an Apozem, or Decoction to cut asun­der, and evacuate the grosse and tough humours▪ to provoke urine, to open the obstructions of the Matrix, and to bring down the Courses: all which vertues meet together in this Composition following.

Take the roots of smallage,

Eryngos,

And Fennill, of each halfe an ounce.

The barke of the root of the Caper,

And Tamarisk tree, of each two drams.

The leaves of penniroyall, and birthwort, of each a handfull.

Germander, Maidenhaire, Balm, of each halfe a handfull.

Ten drams of Sena.

Three drams of agarick trochischt.

A dram and a halfe, or two drams of Epythymum.

Boile them all according to art, in a suf­ficient quantity of water, wherein steele hath been infused to a quart: when you have strained, and with a strong hand pres [...] out the liquor, add

Three ounees of Syrup of roses.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem, or

Take the roots of Butchers broome,

Asparagus,

Polypody of the oak,

And fennill, of each halfe an ounce.

The leaves of Penniroyall,

And motherwort, of each a handfull.

A dram and a halfe of annise seeds.

The flowers of Violets, Rosemary, and Borage, of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers.

An ounce of raisins of the Sun.

Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to a quart. In the strained li­quor infuse for a night

Ten ounces of Sena.

Three drams of the whitest agarick.

Two drams of the best rubarb.

A dram of Epithymum.

In the morning let them buble once, or twice, and then to the liquor which you presse out, add

Syr. Byzantin.

And Syr. de eupatorio, of each an ounce.

Mingle them and make an Apozem.

Of this, or of the former let her take twice in a day the quantity of three ounces for a week together, once in the morn­ing, and the second time at foure a clock [...]n the afternoon.

Excellent Lozenges may be made of the species Diamosch. and Diacinnamomum, or you may compound them with Treacle, Mi­thridate, and Bezoar stone.

When the Mola hath obtained some growth, if it be waterish, it must be brought away with such simples, as have a facul­ty to purge out waterish humours; or i [...] it be windy, you must prescribe such me­dicines, as are of a known, and approved vertue to strengthen the Matrix, and to expell winde; and Carminative glysters in such cases will be very convenient; so al­so will plaisters and fomentations applyed to her privie parts: but that which is humorall, skinny and bloudy may be overcome with the same remedies as are set down at the beginning, against the stoppage of the Courses.

When Nature indeavours to expell this unprofitable burthen, and an issue of bloud ensueth thereupon, with fainting and swounding fits, then you must be di­ligent to strengthen the Patient with broths made of the flesh of Capons, and Partridges, and with such things as will stay the bloud, and refresh the exhausted spirits; such as are Chalybeated wine, Su­gar of Pearle, Corall, &c.

You will object that wine cannot be seasonable, because by the heat thereof it makes the bloud thin, and makes it more apt to flow away in greater measure by opening the passages, rather then it can any way help to stay it. I answer, it is not guilty of this mischiefe, if it hath a reddish Tincture; for if good Claret wine be chalybeated, as hath bin said, besides that it nourisheth the b [...]dy, it is also a binder; for it comforteth the spirits, and refresheth the whole body, which ver­mes must needs be profitable for, and wel­come unto a Creature, who is hourely subject to faint and swound, and although it might provoke the bloud to flow, yet a greater good must be preferred before a small inconvenience, and therefore give her wine to refresh her spirits, which will be more to her advantage, then the issue of bloud can be to her prejudice, for she may perish suddenly in one of those fits, but the flux of bloud may be restrained by degrees.

Note that foure things require an absti­nence from wine. First, an inflammation of the bowells. Secondly, a vehement paine in the head. Thirdly, a Phrensie. And fourthly, a burning Fever in a crude [Page 156] disease; and of this opinion was Galen, as appeares in his first book ad Glauconem, and the 14. chapter. Moreover the Patient should be refreshed with the choicest meats, and then the Mola should be disposed to come forth by softning and loosening fomenta­tions, made of a decoction of marishmallowes, mallowes, motherwort, Mercury, Birthwort, Sage, Hyssope, Calamint, the seeds of line, marishmallowes, fenugreek, camomile, melilot, and rosemary; in this you may dip a clout, and bath her privie parts.

But if the bloud come not away, rub her legs, and apply drie Cuppinglasses to the calfes of her legs, and binde most pain­full ligatures about them; and in a word make tryall of all such remedies, as will draw down Nature, the humours, and the Mola to the lower parts.

CHAP. III. Of Womens Longings.

WOmen are sometimes so extrava­gant and preposterous in their ap­petite, that they refuse wholsome meat, and long after colaes, chalke, a piece of [Page 157] an old wall, starch, earth, and the like trash, which they devoure as ravenously, as a hungry Plowman will winde downe a good bag-pudding.

Now perhaps you may also long to know the cause hereof, which is no other then the menstruous bloud, especially if it be retained about the middle of their time, and grow corrupt; for the child in the wombe is nourished with the sweetest part of the bloud, and the other part re­maining which is vitious, filthy, and dreggish, noisome exhalations, especially in the middle moneths arise from it, and in such a manner contaminate all the up­per partts, that the worst things are ve­hemently desired, and the most wholsome refused; the signes are apparent from the depravation and irregular temper of their stomack.

This Disease is hard to cure; yet not so much in respect of the disease it selfe, as of the subject wherein it is generated, which is a woman with childe; now we know that such women must be warily, [...]nd religiously dealt withall, and unlesse it be in extreame necessity, their bodies ought not to be purged. By this una­voidable abstinence the disease is increased, [Page 158] and the bad humour, being long retained in the body, becomes daily more and more corrupt, by the tetrous exhalations which ascend up from the pollutions of the Matrix: therefore having first appointed a strengthning, and drying dyet, you must indeavour to rid away that humour, with Syrup of roses solutive, and afterwards when the body is cleansed, and free from the humour you may prescribe a gentle Purge of Rubarb, which hath both a purg­ing and a strengthning faculty; for if we may adventure our beliefe to the asserti­ons of the best Physitians, Rubarb may be safely given to old men, infants, and women with childe; and Fallopius in his booke of purging Simples, and in the chapter where he speaketh of Rubarb, saith, it dries up all superfluous moisture con­tained in the vessells of the Matrix, it is a gentle cleanser, it strengthneth the Heart, and the stomack by its astringent faculty, neither need you to entertaine the vaine feares of some, who suspect that the bit­ternesse thereof may destroy the childe, for the taste of it is not horrible to na­ture, and besides the bitternesse quickly vanisheth.

There remaines another doubt to be an­swered; [Page 159] namely, whether it be more pro­per and advantagious to prescribe an in­fusion of Rubarb, or to give it in the sub­stance? I answer, that it purgeth most in the substance, or body of it, expelling the humours by siege, which it doth not in an infusion, at least not so powerfully, because then it evacuates onely by the purgative vertue which is in it, and of the same opinion is the Author before named.

CHAP. IV. Of a bad stomach, proceeding from Vo­miting.

IT is a known truth, that most dange­rous, direfull, and pernicious Symp­tomes invade women with childe, from which also forsaking of meat, and Vo­miting doe afterwards follow, all which things proceed from those noysome and soggy exhalations, which are distributed into the severall parts, from the corrup­tion of the bloud; for whereas there is a sympathy, and consent between the sto­mack and the Matrix, when any poyso­nous, or malignant vapour ascendeth from [Page 160] the latter, it immediately invades, and overcomes the stomack, which being weak­ned in the conflict, or indeavour to re­sist, and keep out those vapours, the fun­ctions of it are depraved, it refuseth all comfort or nourishment, or if at any time it admit any, 'tis no sooner swallowed, but vomited up againe; these are the signes of this disease, and to cure it, pro­ceed according to the Method following. In the first place prescribe a cleansing po­tion.

Take three drams of Elecampane roots

The leaves of wormewood, and

Century the lesse, of each halfe a hand­full.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of whole barley water to a pint, and a halfe, to the strained liquor add three ounces of honey of roses strained, mingle them for a Potion; against the next morning prepare this purge following.

Take three drams of rubarb.

Two scruples of agarick Trochischt.

A dram of annise seeds.

Macerate them a whole night in a suffi­cient' quantity of mint water, to two ounces and a halfe; in the morning presse them hard with all your strength, and add [Page 161] three drams of the Electuary Diaphenicon; if she cannot take down a Purge, let her swallow these Pills following.

Take a dram of the mass. of Pills de Hi­era cum agarico.

Make nine pill [...], and guild them.

The next day following, give her this strengthning mixture, which doth not purge at all, and every morning let her eat the quantity of a Nutmeg.

Take Elecampane roots candied,

Marmalade of Quinces, of each an ounce.

Halfe an ounce of Conserve of red Roses.

Foure scruples of aromat. rosat. in powder.

Two scruples of mastick in powder.

With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of [...]int make a Confection.

After the use of these things, make this plaister following, and lay it to her sto­mack.

Take lignum aloes,

Yellow Sanders,

And the round Cyperus, of each two drams.

Galangale, mace, cloves,

And calam. aromat. of each a dram.

Common wormewood, roman wormewood,

Spikenard, dried mint,

Of each as much as you can take up be­tween your thumb and two fingers.

Mastick,

Storax calamitu.

Red Corall, of each two scruples.

Amber,

Musk, of each a scruple.

Pure ladanum,

Turpentine, of each an ounce.

Foure ounces of white wax.

Make a Masse; whereof let him take a sufficient quantity, and spread it upon lea­ther, and lay it to her stomack.

Bisket steeped in muskadine is excellent good for her: because it refresheth the spirits, and mightily strengthneth the sto­mack.

CHAP. V. Of a Pain in the Belly, the Passion of the Heart, and of sounding Fits.

VVOmen with Childe doe often feele a pain in their bellies, and this also proceeds from winde, and the malignant vapours aforesaid: neither are the swound­ing Fits, or the Passion of the heart pro­duced [Page 163] by any other causes, because the heart when it is shaken with this fuligi­nous, and grosse spirit, doth frequently stretch, and contract it selfe, and endea­vouring to expell the evill which annoyes it, it falls into an inordinate and strange motion, like unto trembling.

Under these diseases the woman lan­guisheth, is full of feares and frights, prone to despaire, subject to faint, can obtaine no sleep, but wasteth away daily, and waxeth leane and meager.

To take away her paine, you may ad­minister such remedies, as will expell the winde, and strengthen the bowell; of which sort you may furnish your selfe with plenty above, in the chapter of a cold distemper, and windy humours in the Matrix▪

You may likewise anoynt the stomack with this oyntment following.

Take an ounce of unguent. Altheae.

Oyle of wormewood,

Oyle of Camomile,

And oyle of rue, of each three drams.

The power of lignum aloes,

Mastick,

Wormewood,

And both sorts of Corall, of each a dram.

Halfe a dram of aromat. rosat. in powder.

Six drops of oyle of annise seeds.

With a sufficient quantity of yellow wax, according to art make an oyntment.

This, or the like fomentation may like­wise be very usefull.

Take halfe a dram of elecampane roots.

Two drams of lignum aloes.

The leaves of Rue,

Motherwort,

Sage,

Wormewood,

Mint, of each a handfull.

Mastick,

Cloves, of each two drams.

Boile these Simples in a sufficient quan­tity of water to three pints, and prescribe the strained liquor for a fomentation.

After the use of the fomentation, clap to the stomack the caul of a sheep newly kil­led. In Spaine the greatest persons, and those the wisest also, take hot bread from the oven, afterwards they soake it in Muskadine, and having sprinkled upon it the powders of red and white corall, and aromat. rosatum, they lay it to the heart: others instead thereof use Treacle, Alkermes, and Confect. Hiachytorum, to all which may be added, if the evill yield not [Page 165] to the remedies aforesaid, a little bag to be worne upon the left pap, and made after this manner following.

Take two drams of lignum aloes.

Bezoar stone,

Muske,

Red corall, of each a dram.

Red and yellow Sanders, of each two scuples.

The Specie Diamosch.

And Diambr. of each a scruple and a half.

With a piece of red taffata and cotton make [...] quilted bombast for the use aforesaid.

Mingle cordialls with her drinke; and cordiall conserves, as for example.

Take two ounces of conserve of red roses.

Two drams of alkermes.

Macerate them a night in two pints of [...]antane water, and red wine, in the morn­ing straine it thorough Hippocrates his sleeve, that is a woolen bag, and give her now [...]nd then the quantity of a small wine [...]lasse.

If these remedies overcome not the dis­ [...]se, apply an exceeding great Cuppinglasse [...]o the heart; by the force whereof the win­ [...]y vapour will evaporate; for although [...]lysters doe draw back the humour from [...] affected part, yet in reference to great [Page 166] bellied woman you ought to suspect the event of them, because they raise too great a disturbance by provoking nature down▪ wards, and many times cause abortive­nesse; yet if the paine be insupportable, then inject carminative glysters, and omit all bitter ingredients, as Hie [...]a, benedicta Laxa­tiva, or Scammoniata; but to prevent all errour, prescribe this following.

Take a handfull of mallow leaves.

The flowers of melilot,

The tops of Dill, of each halfe a handfull.

Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine pints, to the strained liquor add two ounces of Syrup of [...]se [...] Laxative.

An ounce of red Sugar.

Mingle them, and make a glyster. Or

Take the flowers of melilot.

And mallowes, of each a handfull.

Annise and Fennill seeds,

Of each two drams.

Boyle [...]them in a sufficient quantity [...] broth, made with an old Cock to ni [...] ounces, to the inward liquor add

Calabrian Manna:

And red Roses, of each an cunce and halfe.

An ounce of oyle of rue.

Mingle them, and make a glyster.

It might doe much good, if you gave her a draught of balme water in the morning, in which water you may s [...]eep lignum aloes the space of a night, and afterwards put to the strained liquor a sufficient quantity of Syrup of mint; for this expells the winde▪ cleanseth away the phlegme, and powerfully strenghthens the stomack.

You must frequently and laboriously rub her lower par [...]s, tye ligatures about them, and apply Cuppinglasses to them, if there be no imaginable cause to feare abortivenesse, but if there be the least suspicion of that, omit all such applications as may procure a revulsion of the bloud, nay, let me give you this caution absolutely to forbeare them, unlesse she be taken with desperate trembling and fainting fits, or swounding, in the spring time too, when her spirits re­quire them.

You must cause her Basilick veine to be opened, if she be young, fleshy, and strong, for this Remedy, besides that it letteth out the thick, dreggish, and black blood, it refresh­eth the childe also, and the heart is sweetly, easily, and safely delivered from that bur­thensome humour, which [...] presse and almost overwhelme it.

CHAP. VI. Of a Cough in Women with Childe.

MOst certaine it is, that great-bellied Women, by reason of their being with childe, have not sometimes a free vent for their crude and indigested aliments, ei­ther by Stoole, or by Urine, or by any other E [...]unctories of the body; these be­ing unduly kept in the body putrifie, wax hot, and communicate noysome fumes, and vapours to the spiritous parts, which by their clamminesse, thicknesse and sharpnesse, together with the bad quality that is in them, gripe, and twitch the Wo­man, and force her to cough.

Some perhaps may demand, why doth this Coughing happen in the last months? the answer is obvious; namely, because in those moneths a greater plenty of excre­ments are lodged in the body, then were ac­cumulated at the first.

The cause of the Cough, according to Hippocrates, i [...] a viscous, thick, and tough homour, imp [...]cted in the Pipes of the Lungs; which humour sometimes also, thorough [Page 169] that consent which is between the Matrix, and the Chest, invadeth that part, and raiseth a Coughing: and these are these are set down as the true signes of this evill.

As for the Prognostick's, you must know that a Cough befalling a woman with childe is a bad Symptome: seeing that by the least stretching, and shrinking the Co­tyledons or vessells of the wombe, are many times loosned, yea sometimes burst asun­der, and from thence comes abortivenesse.

The Cure is perfected with sweet wine, mild beere, and the frequent use of a Ptisa [...] ▪ sharp, sowre, and cold things must be avoid­ed; meats also must be forborne which breed a thick nourishment, and are hard to digest; vehement evacuations likewise are not good; wherefore having given or­der for the observation of a good Diet, pre­scribe some gentle, lenifying medicines to provoke her to spit, as manna, Syrup of roses laxative, Diacnicu, and the like.

These things being administred, proceed to Electuaries, and expectorating medicines, and especially to this Apozem following.

Take an ounce of cleansed Barley.

The roots of Aristolochy,

Licoras scraped, of each two drams.

The leaves of Asarabacca.

Nettles,

White Maidenhaire, of each a handfull.

Two drams of raisins pickt.

The flesh of Dates.

Fat Figs, of each three drams.

Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of water, to two pints, and to the strained [...] ­quor, add

Two ounces of Diacodium.

Mingle them, and make an Apozem, or

You may prescribe Lozenges after this manner.

Take a dram of the species Diatragac [...]n [...]. frigid.

Diaire [...],

Poppy seeds, of each a scruple.

Two ounces and a halfe of Sugar dissolved in rose water, according to ar [...] make them into Lozenges.

Then prescribe this Conserve.

Take Conserve of red Roses,

Elecampane candied, of each an ounce.

Conserve of Violet flowers,

Rosemary flowers, of each halfe an oun [...].

Two drams of meale of beanes.

A dram of Diaireos.

Ten graines of S [...]lphur.

With Syrup of Colt's foot make a Conserve.

Meale of [...]eanes, according to Galen, doth [Page 171] cleanse and mundifie the Chest, digests the crude spittle contained in the pipes, and makes it easie to be excerned; bean ­flower water is exceeding good for the Lung [...], especially if she drinke it with Sy­rupe of Maydenhaire, or Oxymel S [...]i [...]iticum; the same faculties hath the distilled waters of red Poppies.

The yolke of an egg taken in the morn­ing with Sugar, and the oyle of sweet Al­monds is a most incomparable remedy, and hath done good to thousands.

Anoynt her Breast with this Oyntment, which is good to prepare the crude, and thick matter which stops her pipes.

Taken an ounce of the oyntment of marish mallowes.

The axungia of a hen

Of a Duck, of each halfe an ounce.

Oyle of sweet Almonds,

Oyle of Violets, of each▪ two drams.

Ten graines of Saffron.

Mingle them, and according to art make an oyntment; heat it when you use it, and anoynt the whole region of her Chest therewith.

CHAP. VII. Of the swelling of the Legs in Women with Childe.

FRom the same cause, namely from abun­dance of phlegme, and crude humo [...]rs, especially in the last moneths, proceed the swelling of the legs, face, and eye-browes▪ and when I have told you that the flesh of the whole body groweth soft, and that she looketh white and wan in the face, I have discovered unto your consideration the fignes of this disease.

Women in this condition cannot be re­stored to perfect health till she be delivered: yet may we not delay our helps, least a worse evill happen unto her; for whereas the legs and feet are outward parts, and at a great distance from the fountaine of heat, they are quickly affected with cold, and mortified through the abundance of crude humours, which many times settle in them.

You may securely, speedily, and gently ac­complish the cure by strengthning and dis­solving remedies.

In the first place therefore provide a bath with chalybeated water, Saltpeter, Sulphur, Wormewood, Stechaz, Rosemary, and Camo­mile: in this liquor let her wash her lips, her thighes, her legs, and her feet, and when she washeth them, let her also rub them soundly.

If her flesh grow very soft and lank, so that you feare a mortification, apply this Poultis following, which will exceedingly comfort her.

Take two handfulls of Wormewood,

Meale of Vetches,

Meale of beanes,

Meale of barley of each an ounce and a halfe.

An ounce of Bran.

With a sufficient quantity of oxymel, and a brine made with lemon pills, according to art make your Poultis.

If the coldnesse of the part be such, that you feare a gangreen, there is nothing will more certainly prevent it then Scarifi­cation: for by this meanes the part is ven­tilated, and preserved from putrifaction.

Strengthning remedies must sometimes be exhibited to expell the winde, yet you must administer them with a good diet, consisting of drying, and corroborating [Page 174] things, as Treacle, Mithridate, and other drying confections and powders, Diacinna­ [...]om [...]m, arom [...]tic [...]m ros [...]tum, Diarrhodon Abba, tis, unto which we may well adjoyne a de­coction of China and Salsaparilla with a lit­tle stick of cinamon, and a few annise seeds.

Note that these remedies may properly be accommodated to the cure of the disease, called the Ʋterine Flux, which happens sometimes to women when they are ready to lye down, by reason that there is an excessive abundance of humour in their bo­dies, or else because the childe in their bel­lies is very large and great.

CHAP. VIII. Of Costiveness in Women with Childe.

THe inner part of the humour being spent upon the nourishment of the childe in the womans belly, the dregs grow hard, and when Nature striveth to cast them out by a strong and vehement in­deavour, the▪ Matrix suffers a compression, by which▪ compression the childe is offend­ed, the C [...]tyledons are loosened, and many times the woman miscarrieth, and the child proves abortive.

The belly must be sollicited, but not with glysters, because they hurt the childe, especially if it be grown to some bignesse, but with Suppositaries made with hogsgrease, and five or sixgraines of Diagrydium; for these will irritate.

Her meat should be of a moistening and mollifying quality, as mallow, and borage [...]eaves eaten with butter and Sugar; fat pot­t [...]ge also is good for her, in which, if she complaine of no torments, you may boyle polypoda, sena and pr [...]nes.

Manna above all other things is in pre­sent case to be preferred: and next to it we commend Syrup of roses laxative, and Sy­rupe of Violets made with a frequently ite­rated infusion.

Sometimes you may prescribe this Julep.

Take the waters of borage,

Fumitary, of each eight ounces.

Three ounces of Syrup of Violets.

Mingle them, and make a Julep.

Forberare the use of sharp medicines, for they worke with an unnecessary vehemence, and not seldome cause Abortivenesse.

Unto this disease we adjoyne a loosenes, which hapneth, when women are of a cold constitution, and full of crudities, or when they have a weake belly: Some­times [Page 176] also it happens by their inordinate Longings, when they wish for a greater va­riety of dishes then they are able to con­coct; for then many times what they have so greedily devoured passeth down into the guts without digestion, and causeth a loos­nesse through the weaknesse of the retentive facultie.

We have learnt from Hippocrates to ac­cou [...]t this among the dangerous diseases; for in the fifth brok of his Aphorismes he hath these words: If a woman with childe be troubled with a great loosnesse, 'tis to be feared that she will miscarry, and note well the reason hereof: for when she is thus afflicted, the good and the bad goe away together, the childe is defrauded of its due nourishment, and so perisheth.

You must presently strive to stay the loos­nesse with binding and thickning meats, as quinces, rubarb, beer wherein steele hath been often infused; or else you may pre­scribe this Potion following.

Take a handfull of plantane leaves.

The seeds of flux wort.

The seeds of Sumach, of each a dram.

Boyle them in a sufficient quantity of red wine, to a pint and a halfe, to the strained liquor add

Srrupe of Comphrey.

Syrupe of Quinces, of each an ounce.

Make a Potion.

Boile, or steep annise seeds in her drinke [...] and apply the same fomentations, oyntments, and plaisters, as we have already commend­ed unto against Vomiting.

But if the excrements be slimy, putrified, and stinke, you must not neglect the use of Rubarb gently rosted, and of myrobalans slightly rosted; for these doe not onely purge, but they binde withall, and strengthen the parts. Sometimes you may exhibit Philonium Persicum, Requiem Nicholai, or Pill. de Cynoglossa, but with a sober caution; the quantity is a scruple, or at the most but two scruples, and that when the other things have proved unsuccessefull, and also when the strength of the Patient will a [...] ­low the taking of them.

CHAP. IX. Of the flowing away of Bloud from the Matrices of women with Childe.

ALthough we made mention of this dis­ease in the first booke, where we treated [Page 178] of the immoderate flowing of the Courses; yet we conceive it may be worth our la­bour, and the Readers thanks to add a few things, which in the Chapter aforesaid, were purposely omitted by us.

Bloud then floweth immoderately from the Matrix, either when the lips thereof an unlockt, or when the vessells are open, or lastly, by transcolation.

The inward cause of these symptomes is an extreame heat, or thinnesse in the bloud; which either eats asunder the ves­sells, or rarefies the tunicles thereof; the outward causes are all those things which have a power to make thin, to heat, to open, to rarefie, and to subtilize the bloud; as immoderate cares of the minde, long watch­ings, a continuall use of hot meats, as dishes pepperd and spiced: also drinking too much wine; yet you may exhibit a glasse of Claret wine in a moderate quantity, to refresh her spirits, provided that no Fever be suspected, and that her Matrix be not inflamed.

The signes of this evill are manifest; for the spirits are deficient, the heat is dimi­nished, the face groweth pale, the feet swell, the strength decayes, the meat is forsaken and no sleep can be obtained.

The danger of this Flux is unknown, I suppose, to few women; for seeing that our naturall heat hath its chiefe, and sole perseverance in the bloud, the losse of that bloud in an immoderate quantity, must needs exhaust the spirits, weaken the body, and at length when the naturall heat is almost extinguisht, and the sanguificati­on is depraved, there will undoubtedly su­pervene either a Dropsey, or a Consumption.

When you begin the Cure, keep the Pa­tient in a darke roome, and let the ayre be cold and dry; or if naturally it be not so, make it so by art; her meat should be po­tentially cold, thick, and binding: as the flesh of Partridges, and sheeps▪ feet, or sheeps-heads, or broths made of them; pease beanes, quinces, Services, and the like, are not unwholsome for her, and for her drinke, let it bee beere, or water wherein steele hath often been quenched.

Let her bloud immediately to divert the humour, but in what part, there is indeed a great controversie among the Physitians about it; but to promote the Revulsion of the humour, if the Patient be strong enough, we tye ligatures about her legs, and boldly open a vein in her arme; or if she be very strong, we apply Cuppinglasse [...] [Page 180] with scarification to her shoulders.

When the veine is opened, give her thick­ning Syrups, as Syrup of poppies, Myrtles, quinces, or Syrupe of restharrow; Juleps al­so made with the distilled waters of plan­tane and roses, and mixt with the Syrups aforesaid, will be convenient for her, or you may mingle Conserve of roses, or Con­serve of acacia with Bolearmenick, and the Trochisch. de Carabe, which will be an ex­cellent mixture to thicken, and stay the bloud; but however forget not to prescribe this Purge.

Take two scruples of Rubarb gently boyled.

Ten grains of the myrabolans called chebule. Syrup of dried roses, or

Syrupe of sowre Pomegranets, halfe an ounce.

Three ounces of plantane water, or a de­coction of tormentill roots.

Mingle them, and make a Potion.

Procure some sleepe for her with Opiates, as Athenasia, Requies, Nichola [...], Philonium Persi [...]um, new Treacle, or Philonium Roma­num; yea with pills de Cynoglossa, or foure or five graines of Opium: all these things doe wonderfully thicken the bloud, straighten the passages, fatten the body, [Page 181] concoct the bloud, provoke sleep, and therefore are very proper for women thus affected. Note that the Opium restraines, and stops all superfluous evacuations, sweat excepted, which it provokes; besides, by inviting sleepe it refresheth the body; for by sleep the aliment is soonest concocted, the naturall heat retiring to the inward parts, whereas when the Patient waketh, the heat is distributed and diffused all over the outward parts.

Lay this plaister which followes the oyntment to the reines of her back, and with the oyntment anoynt her privie parts, and the region of her Kidnies.

Take the powder of Gyprus Nuts.

The roots of Comphrey,

Bistort, of each two drams.

Red Sanders,

Red Corall,

Bolearmenick,

Mastick, of each a dram.

With foure ounces of Ʋnguentum Comitis­s [...] make an oyntment.

After the oyntment apply this Plaister, as was said above.

Take a pound of loom, and beat it to pow­der, with ten drams of gum-arabick tosted by the fire, and the whites of foure Egs, [Page 182] incorporate them, and make a plaister.

CHAP. X. Of water flowing away from the Ma­trices of women with Childe.

MOst certaine it is, that Women with Childe by reason of their depraved appetites, and continuall intemperance in their diet, abound with crude and uncon­cocted juices, which nature not knowing how to digest, nor being able to expell them by her monethly Courses, are accu­mulated in a large measure, pollute the bo­dy, and introduce a cold distemper, from whence that water comes, which is the in­tended subject of our present discourse; they who live a sedentary and an idle life, are very obnoxious to this disease; in such women this waterish humour comes away at the Matrix, cold to the touch, slow in motion, slimy in substance, and white to the eye, and voide of all manner of sharp­nesse; these women look pale, their skin is lanke or loose, they are lazy, and loath to use any exercise, they are troubled with winde, and loud rumblings in their bel­lies.

Account this a difficult Cure: especially when it happens in the last moneths, when we dare not administer convenient reme­dies, fearing to destroy, or hurt the childe; because such kinde of remedies dissolv [...], and exhaust the spirits, and when the body is extreamely weakned, they precipitate the Patient into a Dropsey, which is scarce cu­rable; or else she miscarries by reason that the retentive faculty is too much weak­ned by excesse of moysture.

You must therefore indeavour the cure by a drying Diet, as Bisket made with annise seeds, and with flesh meat rather rosted then boiled; forbid windy meats, salt meats, such as breed a thick juice, and yield too much moisture; almonds, chesnuts, pine ker­nells, and boyled rise are very wholsome, all hearbs and fruit, beside quinces and medlars, are unwholsome.

For her drinke, give her binding red wine, or wine wherein steele hath been quenched: for this comforts the spirits; a decoction of china and Salsaparilla may be profitable, because it dries up the descend­ing moisture, and cleanseth the body from it, this potion following will doe her much good.

Take two drams of Cyprus nut [...].

The leaves of wormewood,

Mint,

Red roses, of each halfe a handfull.

The seeds of quinces,

Services, of each two drams.

Parcht rise,

Mastick, of each a dram.

Halfe a dram of gum dragon.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water, wherein steele hath been quenched, to two pints; to the strained liquor add

Syrup of dried roses,

Syrup of the juyce of quinces, of each an ounce.

Halfe an ounce of honey of roses.

Mingle them, and make a Potion.

Let her take three ounces of it early in the morning; it evacuates the waterish hu­mour, and not onely strengthens, but also bindes the parts, dryeth the Cotyledons, and retaineth the childe in the Matrix, that it come not into the world before its due time; after the Potion, the next day lay this Plaister to her privie parts.

Take two drams of Loadstone beaten to powder.

Spikenard,

Mastick,

Red corall, of each a dram.

Two ounces of oyle of quinces.

Six drams of white wax.

Mingle them and make a Pla [...]ster.

A gentle laxative Decoction cannot be inconvenient, and therefore we shall here set down that which hath often purchased sweet ease to the Patient, and credit to our selves.

Take a handfull of plantane leaves.

A pugill of red roses.

Foure drams of rubarb.

Two drams of agarick trochischated.

Mastick,

Spikenard, of each a scruple.

Macerate them together in two pints of water, wherein steele hath been infused up­on hot coales, the space of six houres; af­terwards set them upon the fire, and when they begin to bubble, presse out the liquor with a strong hand, and add to it

Two ounces of Syrup of Fumitary.

Mingle them according to Art.

Give her every other morning fasting three ounces of this decoction; for it gent­ly strengthens the parts, diverts the wate­rish humour from the Matrix, and with much benignity evacuates it.

When the woman is almost ready to be in labour, a wheyish or waterish humour [Page 186] floweth leasurely, and by degrees from the Matrix, either because of some dilatation of the Membranes, in which the childe is enwrapped, or else because those membranes are burst asunder; and although it de­scend leasurely, yet a large quantity comes from her; if this happen when she is in la­bour, suspend all helps of art, for it is a good omen that she will be safely deli­vered; but if it should fall out in the fifth, sixth, seventh, or eigth moneth, in which there is, or may be a feare of miscarrying, then may you properly and securely ad­administer those things, which we even now prescribed.

If you demand from whence that abun­dance of waterish humours doth come, which floweth before she is in Labour? I an­swer from the Membrane, or skin called Ammion, which is fastned to the Childe, and from the other called Chorion, in which two skins, the urine of the Childe is so long reserved, till the fulnesse of time be accomplished, in which it should be borne; at which time seeking by instinct of nature, for a greater proportion of nourishment, it kicks, and teares these membranes, out of which when a large plenty of waters have run, it comes forth into the world.

CHAP. XI. Of Acute Diseases, befalling Women with Childe.

WOmen are preserved both from the threatnings, and also from the In­vasions of those Diseases whereunto they are subject by a threefold kinde of Reme­dies: by Diet, by Phlebotomy, and by Purg­ing, or to speake more properly, by being purged.

But the two latter are the more difficult, according to the opinion of Galen, who in this hath the concurrence of Avicens judge­ment also; you must know, saith he, that [...]very disease of repletion, or the malice of a complexion is not cured by his contra­ [...]y, but sometimes by a good regiment of [...]ealth; wherefore if it be a slight disease, [...]t will be cured of its own accord; for [...]he [...]e is no kinde of disease so fierce, saith Galen in his book of Diet, which is not ta­ [...]ed by it; but yet a moderation must be observed; for they who are neere their [...]ime, and looke every day to be in labour, [...]ant a larger proportion of nourishment, [Page 188] because the childe is big, and should they be defrauded of this mediocrity, they would perish by the cruelty of an acute disease; wherefore here lies all the diffi­culty to prescribe a convenient and fit Diet for such women; for should you allow them meat and drinke suitable to the con­dition of women who are not with childe, you should destroy the childe: and should you, out of a regard to the preservation of the childe, be more liberall and indul­gent to their appetites, this condescension would espouse you to another errour, for hereby you might cherish the cause of the disease; let her therefore be fed with meats that are of easie concoction and distributi­on, and prohibit her the use of thick, sharp, sowre, bitter, and windy meats, that are hard to digest.

Having prescribed a good Diet, you must consider whether it be expedient she should be let bloud. Valesius sets down the reasons on both sides, and for the Negative he alleadgeth an Aphorisme in Hippocrates, running to this sense; if a woman with childe be let bloud, she miscarries, and the rather, if the childe in her wombe be big; because the childe is thereby defrauded of its aliment. Secondly Galen saith, Physiti­ans [Page 189] ought not to be busie in offering helps, or strong remedies to women with childe, nor any exquisite manner of Diet; here you must understand Phlebotomy say they; therefore it must from Galens words be con­cluded inexpedient. Thirdly, if any eva­cuation be a cause of abortivenesse, as a flux of the belly, or a loosenesse, as Hippo­crates in another Aphorisme affirmeth, how much more will the opening of a veine be a cause, by meanes whereof the aliment is taken away from the childe. Fourthly, a Fever kills the childe, by wasting the spi­rits, and drying up the bloud with the ve­hement heat thereof; therefore so also will phlebotomy kill the childe by exhausting the spirits, and consuming the bloud.

But all these reasons to my understand­ing are of no weight▪ no moment, no va­lidity, seeing that it is most certaine, that the very impregnation, or being with child doth forbid phlebotomy, in respect of it self, yet not as one of those principall scopes which withstand it, but of those which in­dicate and advise to a sober and due celebra­tion of it; wherefore when a woman sick of an acute disease must be let bloud, yet must she bleed lesse then the affect and the plenitude require, because of that indica­tion, [Page 190] which is taken from the childe in her wombe; for her gravidation, or being with childe ought to be reputed as a Symp­tome which wasts the spirits, because her bringing forth the childe is a kinde of eva­cuation.

To the second I answer, that Galen in that place meanes nothing else, but that Physitians should counsell their Patients to avoid intemperance, because women with childe admit not of the least degree beyond a medioicity.

To the third I answer, that it is not al­wayes true that abortivenesse followeth up­on any large evacuation; and therefore it should not onely have beene said, but prov­ed by the Interpreters of Hippocrates; for wee see that it followes not upon hunger, or emptinesse, unlesse it be diuturnall, nor from a loosenesse, unlesse it be immoderate, nor lastly, from phlebotomy, if a veine be opened in the arme, wherefore, that I may con­clude, I conceive Hippocrates did intend on­ly to prohibit the cutting of a veine in the ankle, but not in the arme: for I confesse, if a veine in the ankle be cut, the bloud is drawn in abundance to the Matrix, and so may strangle, or choake the childe, and cause abortivenesse: the like also doth any [Page 191] vehement and exorbitant Purge.

Wherefore if an inflammation be pre­sent, we affirme that a woman with childe may be let bloud without▪ any danger of abortion: yet with this condition, that she be first well nourished with meats of good concoction and quick distribution, and that a small quantity onely be taken away, least the spirits should be empaired either for the present, or the future. More­over I like not the cutting of the Basilick veine, because it much exhausts the bloud, and may cheat the childe of his nourish­ment. Lastly, I counsell you to apply strengthning, and nourishing things to the navell before you cut the veine, as unguen­tum Comitissae, or Emplastrum stomachichum, or fomentations made of wormewood, roses, mastick, lignum aloes, quince seeds, and Claret wine: and whilest she is bleeding, let her hold cold water in her mouth, or cold beer, that if perhaps she begin to faint, she may swallow it, and preserve her selfe from swounding.

But what shall be said concerning Purges, which consist of hot ingredients, and as Galen and Averroes contend, disturb and hurt the childe. I answer, all purging me­dicines are not of that quality; wherefore [Page 192] we may safely prescribe manna, sena, tama­rinds, rubarb, and cassia, omitting such simples as have any participation of vehe­mence; and we confidently aver, that Hippocrates must be understood in this sense, where he saith, women with childe must be physickt or purged, if the matter be turgid, in the fourth moneth unto the seventh; because the childe in the wombe is likened to the fruit upon a tree, which as at first they fall down by any slight mo­tion, and afterwards stick faster to the tree, but when they are full ripe fall of their own accord; so the childe; wherefore if you will prescribe any physick, follow the dire­ctions of Hippocrates, and exhibit it between the fourth and the seventh moneth, be­cause then there is a firme connexion be­tween the Membranes, and the Cotyledons.

If you desire exactly to know these middle moneths? I answer, they are the fifth, the sixth, and part of the seventh.

If you object the words of Galen, who saith that a child three months old is strong, and able to resist the injuries of physick. I answer, that he reckons the end of the third to be compleat, not till the fourth moneth be begun, concerning which argument the learned may consult the Epistles of Mainendus.

The first Chapter. OF a Naturall Birth, and of Abortion.

PRovident Nature at all times hath not a greater care of any thing, then of the propaga­tion of mankinde, and this although it appeare not so much in the species, yet it is cleare and manifest in the individuall, and thus she hath framed women to a delight in Venereous conjunctions, that they might with greedinesse suck in the mans seed, and [Page 194] dispose and cherish it to Generation. So soone as the woman hath conceived, Na­ture hath an especiall care to fashion, aug­ment, nourish, adorne, and perfect the childe, and at determined time to send it out into the world, in all respects com­pleat and absolute.

This sending forth of the childe is two­fold; either naturall, or preternaturall; the first is when Nature at a time prefixed, sends out into the Province of the world a perfect Citizen, with an exact dearticu­lation of all the parts, with a little paine, without any fever, or passions of the minde: this sometimes comes forth before its time, with great paine to the woman in her back and belly, as in the fifth, seventh, or eighth moneth: or else it stayes beyond the ordinary date of time.

There are severall opinions among the Physitians, why a childe that is borne in the eighth moneth should be weake, and not healthfull, whereas a childe borne in the seventh moneth is held to be both strong, and healthfull. Laurentius in his book de re Anatom. handles these things with much elegance, and thither we refer the Reader, and for our own opinion, we shall most readily declare it to be this; that I [Page 195] hold it impossible, that the childe should be able to undergoe two afflictions, the one immediately following the other; namely, one in the seventh, and the other in the eighth moneth, in which it is very obnoxious to sufferance and danger, and therefore most commonly perisheth in the eighth moneth, for it comes to passe that the childe is doubly, or consequently af­flicted; first with that affliction which be­falls it in the wombe, and afterwards with that which happeneth in the birth; but this b [...]alleth not the childe, which comes forth in the seventh moneth, because it comes into the world perfect, strong, and with­out the labour of the seventh and eighth moneth.

Galen describes▪ Abortion to be an imper­fect Emission of the Childe, or a violent Excretion of the Childe.

The Causes hereof are many and vari­ous; some inward, some outward; the outward cause, which for the most part is subjected to the arbitrement of sense, is a vehement fever, which kills the childe, especially if it continue long; for it is de­structive, both to the Mother and the Childe; the fiery heat thereof devoures the whole substance of the moisture, wastes the [Page 196] spirits, consumes the flesh, and so weakens the body, and destroyes the childe by ex­hausting the spirits, and dissipating the aliment; to this we have already adjoyned an excessive, or lasting loosenesse, because as we have said, it looseneth the Cotyledons, and by the sharpnesse of the humours irri­tates the Matrix, shaking, agitating, and assaulting it, till provoked Nature excern the Childe: dancing, leaping, loud crying, long fasting, doe all presage that the wo­man will miscarry; so also are the relati­ons of some unexpected events, anger, chid­ing, thunder, the sudden noise of some pistoll or musket, a fall, the denyall of some ardent request, and an innumerable company of other such things.

The inward are reduced to three Causes namely, to the weight or heavinesse of the humour, whereby the suffocated childe is overwhelmed and perisheth; the second is the great bulke of the Matrix, by reason whereof the childe is scarce held fast, but slides away, and slips out; or the small and narrow capacity of the Matrix, wherein it neither groweth to any bignesse, or per­fection, but perisheth for want of roome; the third is a skirrosity or hard swelling, which is an impediment to the childe, that [Page 197] it cannot lye stretcht out to its full dimen­sions, but endures a compression, and dieth.

Galen reckons up those signes which goe before abortion; the first whereof is an ex­tenuation of the nipples, the second a dimi­nution of the milke; the third when the child is not perceived to stir in the belly; the fourth the slendernesse of the woman; the fifth, the loosenesse or lanknesse of the whole belly; the sixth, the depravation of the appetite: the seventh, which is a true signe that she is now ready to miscarry, is a paine in her back, in her privie parts, and torments all over her belly, with a thin humour distilling from her Matrix.

This is far more dangerous, then a law­full and naturall birth, in regard of the perturbations and violence which is offered to nature.

As for the Cure, the woman having alrea­dy miscarried, that consists in the point of preservation, namely, to prevent the su­pervening of a Fever, or the Whites; this may be done by the help of those things which we have noted above; sleep must be [...]rocured; then the belly and the Matrix must be strengthned with fomentations, lit­ [...]e bags, such like administrations as are [...]ood to expell winde.

To prevent obortion, and to preserve the woman from miscarrying, we approve (if the danger be threatned from an ex­treame fulnesse of humours, the cutting of the Basilick or the middle veine; for this counsell we have the Authority of Fernelius, who in his second book de Meth. Med. saith, unlesse many veines be unlockt about the mouth, in which the woman looketh, she will miscarry; for the childe is overwhelmed, and choak't with too much bloud; but if it proceed from the amplitude and large capacity of the Matrix, apply astringent decoctions; if from the narrownesse of the part, mollifying medi­cines will be most proper, yea, and such as resolve and consume away hard swellings, may be convenient for this cure.

CHAP. II. Of a hard Labour.

VVE call a womans Labour hard, and difficult for five conditions, or five reasons: the first whereof is an Antici­pation of, or as we use to say, when she comes before her due time, in the fourth, [Page 199] fifth, or sixth moneth, which because it is excerned by nature before the naturall time, it is imperfect, precipitating the woman into many straights and bitter pangs: the second is a transversall, or preposterous Egresse, as when one foot onely, or an arme appeareth, or when the breech com­eth before the head, or when both the feet joyned together come out first, and after­wards the head; the third is, when the childe which comes forth of the wombe is mishapen, nature having erred in the conformation; the fourth is intolerable paine, fainting, swounding fits, and bit­ter torments about the bottome of her belly, and the secret parts; the fifth is, an effusion or running out of water many dayes before the birth: which being run out, the passages which before were slip­pery to assist the emission of the childe, now remaine hard and dry, and become an im­pediment to the birth; this humour is of no small advantage, nay, it is of admirall concernment to facifitate the birth, if we may without procuring envie to the man; beleeve Galen, who saith in his book de usu partium that that humour serves not onely to moisten the childe, and to make the wayes slippery, but it likewise [...] [Page 200] the callosity and hardnesse of the matrix, almost to an incredible dilatation; to these we may adjoyne the weaknesse of the mother, and the imbecillity of the expulsive faculty, as also the strength of the Reten­tive.

The signes of an illegitimate birth suc­ceeding, are vehement, but vaine indea­vours and strivings, seeing that the childe for the reasons aforesaid is hindred from coming forth.

No man of understanding can deny, but this must be terrible to behold, and paine­full to endure; for if the childe chance to dye, and lye dead in the Matrix some dayes, it is most certaine, that it will putrifie, in­fest the principall parts with noysome va­pours, and poysonous exhalations, weaken their strength, and bring an unavoided death upon the woman.

We have often, and with the saddest ap­prehensions, beheld, how much diligence was necessary both to the reliefe of the Mo­ther, and the preservation of the childe: wherefore having provided a skilfull Mid­wife, you must lay the woman in a darke place, least her minde should be distracted with too much light; all passions of the minde must be diverted by a pleasant, and [Page 201] cheerefull conversation, and provide such meat for her as is easie of concoction. Let her drinke be small beere, or barley water boiled with Mdidenhaire, and cinamon, unto which add a small quantity of Rhe [...]ish wine; for this brings down the urine, moves the Courses, and facilitates the birth; boiled meats are most wholsome for her, as mutton boiled with Rosemary; chicken broth also is good for her, and so are the chickens. Binding, and sharp things must be avoided; gentle, and moderate exercise is commendable; and afterwards the Midwife may rub her legs and her feet.

We have acquai [...]t [...]d you with the Con­ditions of an ill birth; and now we shall furnish you with remedies to prevent, or op­pose those conditions.

When the childe goeth out in a depraved figure, the Midwife must gently dilate the parts with her hand, or with some conve­nient instrument; certaine it is that this happens very often, if a monster be borne, in regard of the [...]ad conformation of the body; if a foot, or an arme, or the shoul­ders, or the bu [...]tocks come out first, then the Midwife by the activity of her hand, anoynted with oyle of sweet [...]imonds, must thrust back the childe, and dispose it to a [Page 202] more regular egresse: but if this cannot be done, the childs life is in danger; and if the child perish, it must either be expelled with medicines, or drawn out with an [...]ooked instrument, as we shall shew you in the chapter next following.

If vehement Symptomes arise from hence, all which are wont to proceed from the weaknesse of the Mother, or else from clot­ted bloud destilling from the Matrix before the birth, and that you feare a greater i [...] ­quination in regard of that putrified bloud, then comfort the f [...]eble and deca [...]ed spirits of the woman with the Rhenish wine and broths aforesaid; whe [...] this is done, pro­voke the clotted bloud▪ and f [...]culent hu­mour by strong ligatures, by rubbing her body with a course cloath, and applying Cuppinglasses to her leg [...]; and if the woman be fallen into an agony [...] ▪ if [...] be young▪ of a good [...]abit, full of bloud, or of a sanguine complexion, and if it be also the Spring time (if those about her have strong fea [...]es that she will dye [...]) open a veine in her ankle; for thus Nature is disburthe [...]ed, and the womb which was opprest with the weight of the bloud feel [...] ease, and many times the woman recovers who was at deaths doore.

To witnesse the truth hereof, we have an authentick warrant from the writings of Hippocrates, who in his booke de morbis mulier. hath these words; if a woman with childe be a long time restrained, and can­not bring forth; if she be likewise in the vigour of her age, and full of bloud, you must open a veine in her ankles, and draw away the bloud, respect being had to the strength of her body. Note that he saith out of her ankles, that is, at one time from both ankles, as Cordaeus his Commentatour hath observed unto us; but yet in our Cli­mates, we conceive it sufficient to cut a veine in the left ankle onely; because our opinion is, that somewhat must be left to Nature, who is somewhat wearied, but yet able to make a further resistance.

After the phlebotomy, curb the malice of the humours with Bezoar stone, Tre [...]cle, Mithridate, Alkermes, Hy [...]ynth [...], with Lo­zenges made of Manus Christi, Diamargariton frigidum, Aromaticum rosatum, and the like.

If great plenty of waters come away be­fore the birth, if the Matrix and the Sca­bard thereof remaine dry, if the Cotyledo [...]s be contracted and straightned, so that no roome is left for the egresse of the childe; then must it be your indeavour to soften, [Page 204] to moisten, and make wide the passages, with oyle of sweet almonds, or with a warm cloath dipped in the oyle, or else fill a blad­der full of this oyle, and lay it upon her privities; or lastly, you may mingle it with a decoction of onyons, garlick, rue, and birth­wort.

Half Tubs are in this case very profitable, being made after this manner following.

Take the leaves of mallowes,

Marish mallowes, of each foure handfulls.

Motherwort,

Rue,

Birthwort,

Penniroyall, of each three handfulls.

Camomile,

Melilot flowers,

The tops of Dill, of each two handfulls and a halfe.

The seeds of Fenugreek,

Marish mallowes,

Line, of each an ounce and a halfe.

An ounce and a halfe of Laurell berries.

Boyle them all in thirty pints of water, put them into a tub, and let the woman fit covered in it, till all things correspond with her expectations.

You cannot scandalize your judgement by an errour, if you present her with an [Page 205] opening, dilating, and provoking draught, as she is seated in the Tub; the forme whereof may be this.

Take two scruples of the Trochischs of Myrrhe.

Ten graines of Borace.

Eight graines of Saffron.

Halfe an ounce of Syrup of Motherwort.

Three ounces of a decoction of madde [...] roots and rosemary.

Mingle them for a draught.

Many commend this oyntment follow­ing, which they apply to the privie parts.

Take unguentum de Althaea,

Ʋnguentum Resumptivum, of each an ounce.

Oyle of white lillies,

Oyle of Dill,

Hensgrease, of each halfe an ounce.

Saffron,

Dittany beaten to powder, of each two drams.

With a sufficient quanty of wax make an oyntment.

But if nature be culpable in both, name­ly in the weaknesse of the Mother, and the expulsive faculty, and also in the strength of the retentive; then against one you must administer corroborating medi­cines, as hath already been said, and to [Page 206] rectifie the other fault, you must adhibit loosening remedies, such namely as are recited above.

CHAP. III. Of the Retained Secundine.

GAlen in his book de usu partium hath rekoned up three membranes, which en­wrap the childe in the wombe; the first whereof is called Ammios, this on every side is spread over the whole childe, and receiveth the childs sweat, that it may swim in it; The second is named Allantoei­des, or Intestinalis, or as others name it bet­ter, Ʋrinaculum, whose use is, to receive the urine; the third is called Chorion, our Midwives call it the Secundine, which is nothing else but a multitude and connexi­on of vessells and membranes, thorough which as by little springs or rivolets, the child draweth bloud and ayre; these mem­branes are burst when the childe begins to [...]ick his way out into the world, from whence that liquor distilleth, as we have noted above, which makes the passages slippery; after the nativity of the childe [Page 207] these membranes are excerned, but if they chance to be retained, they introduce most outragious Symptomes, and a disease of number, in the excesse.

The Causes of the retention are diverse, for many times the Matrix is confirmed af­ter the childe is borne; many times the immoderate passions of the minde make na­ture forget her selfe in his duty; sometimes odoriferous things draw the Matrix up­wards, and so nature is disturbed in her purposes of exclusion; an unseasonable drinking of cold water is a very frequent cause of it; and so are grosse meats that stuffe the body and thicken the bloud.

You may know by the Midwives relation, that the Secundine is retained, unto whom (if she be skillfull) you ought at the com­mand of Hippocrates yield up your beliefe, or you may conjecture it; if the woman be sad in minde, subject to faint and swound, full of tossing, and unquietnesse, if she feele a heavinesse in her wombe, or a round substance, like unto a fixt and immoveable ball.

This is a most lamentable disease; for if he Secundine be retained for any considera­ [...]le time it putrifies, and communicates poi­ [...]sonous exhalations to the principall parts, [Page 208] as the heart, the brain, the liver; from whence arise swounding fits, anxiety of minde, giddinesse in the head, and direfull tor­ments.

Wherefore let it be the Midwives care with all speed to attempt the cure, bring­ing down the Secundine with her fingers besmeared with oyle, and let her hold fast the umbilicall vessells, till the Secundine follow; but what if it remaine behinde? then according to the Oracle of Hippocra­tes delivered in the fortieth Aphorisme of his fifth book; you may exhibit sneezing me­dicines to the nostrills; for these by that motion compresse the upper parts, and the expulsive faculty being irritated, out comes the Secundine.

Take black pepper,

Mustard seed,

Sagapenum of each a dram and a halfe.

Tobacco,

Castor,

White hellebore, of each a dram.

A scruple of Euphorbium.

Make a fine powder of them, and upon the point of a knife, or thorow a quill let her sniffe up a little of it at a time; or you may prescribe this Potion for two Doses; it hath often done the Cure.

Take eight ounces of penniroyall water.

An ounce and a halfe of aqua Hysterica.

Two scruples of Castor in powder.

Mingle them for a Potion, to be taken at twice, or

Take two scruples of the Trochischs de Ca­rabre.

A scruple of Borace.

Halfe an ounce of the Syrup of juice of betony.

Three ounces of a decoction of Savine.

Mingle them for a Draught.

Suffumigations are also very profitable to bring away the Secundine.

Take Storax,

Benjamin,

Lign. aloes, of each two ounces.

Musk,

Civet, of each a scruple.

Make a pessarie of them, adding Ʋnguen­tum Agrippe and the juice of Mercuty. Lini­ments must not be omitted, made with un­guentum de Althaea, de Agrippa, oyle of Al­monds, and oyle of Dill; fomentations and halfe tubs are equally necessary, made of a decoction of camomile, pellitory of the wall, Motherwort, Birthwort, Origanum, Sage Sa­vine, annise, fennill, and Line seeds, unto all which may be added oyle of Almonds, [Page 210] and oyle of Dill; Glysters must also be in­jected, and with good successe you may continually rub her hips and her thighes, tye ligatures about her legs, apply Cuppin­glasses, and cut a veine in her ankle.

When the Secundine is ejected or drawn out, give the woman Cordialls, as Bezoar stone, Treacle, Confect. de hyacintha, or Alkermes: all which things are of undoubt­ed vertue to restraine the malignity of the vapours; sometimes a Mole remaineth in the Matrix after the birth, which by rea­son of the congealed bloud, and the fleshie substance, whereof it is compounded, is as difficult to cure, as the recention of the Secundine: wherefore you must indeavour to expell that by the help of those reme­dies, which we have prescribed above in the chapter of a Mola, and here also a little above.

Note the difference betweene the Secun­dine and a Mole: this is fixt and unmove­able, but that is moveable from one place to another in a Mole, or when a woman is troubled with that halfe conception, so cal­led, a black and clotted bloud drops from the Matrix, which upon the retention of the Secundine appeares not.

CHAP. IV. Of the Dead Childe.

CErtaine it is, that the Childe dyes in the Mothers wombe for many causes; the first of these is an inward cause, as a defect of aliment, or the corruption of it; the second is a most vehement burning Fe­ver, which by the excessive heat thereof wastes the spirits, and destroyes the natu­rall heat; The third cause is an unseaso­nable evacuation of bloud at the nose, the mouth, the Matrix, or by phlebotomy; The fourth is an exuperance, or an immoderate predominancy of humours in the body; The fifth is a great quantity of moysture loosening the vessells; The sixth is some vehement medicine. The first outward cause is some blow; the second a Cough: the third vociferations, or loud and clamo­rous yawlings: the fourth sneezing; the fifth, sad tydings; the sixth, some horrible and dreadfull sights.

The Childe may be known to be dead by a coldnesse about the Mothers navell, and by a kinde of sixt and immoveable weight [Page 212] in her belly: by a bad taste in her mouth, and by her stinking breath.

Use your utmost activity and cunning, to bring away the dead childe, both by in­ward administrations, and by outward ap­plications, inwardly let her take this Potion.

Take a a dram of the Trochishs of myrrhe.

Castor,

Storax,

Borace, of each ten graines.

Foure ounces of a decoction of Savine.

Mingle them for a draught, or

Take the powder of assa faetida.

Trochishs of myrrhe, of each a scruple.

Troch. Alhandal.

Borace of each ten graines.

Nutmog,

Saffron, of each five graines.

Two ounces of a decoction of Savine,

Two ounces of muscadine,

Mingle them for a Draught, or

Take the powder of Euphorbium,

Dittany of Creet, of each a scruple.

Ten graines of borace.

Five graines of Cantharides prepared.

Three ounces of a decoction of Savine.

Mingle them for a Draught.

Glystars and Suppositaries are of great con­cernment, [Page 213] and thus make you them.

Take a dram of rest-harrow roots.

The leaves of Savine,

Pennyroyall,

Birthwort,

Motherwort, of each a handfull.

Origanum,

Sage,

Dittany of Creet, of each halfe a handfull.

Fennill seeds,

Nettle seeds,

The pulp of Coloquintida, of each two drams.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to nine ounces, to the strained li­quor add

Two ounces of benedict a laxativa.

Halfe an ounce of hiera picra.

Mingle them, and make a Glyster, or

Take Troch. Allhandall.

Scammony, of each a scruple.

A dram of common salt.

With a sufficient quantity of white honey boiled according to Art, make your Sup­pository.

Outwardly you may apply oyntments made of oyle of Castor, oyle of Foxes, oyle of Euphorbium, with unguentum Agrippe, un­ [...]o which may be added a little coloquintida, [Page 214] powder of dittany, scammony, the gall of an One.

Take two ounces of Ʋnguentum Agripp [...].

Oyle of Castor,

Foxes,

Euphorbium, of each halfe an ounce.

The pulp of coloquintida,

Dittany of Creet,

Scammony, of each two drams.

The gall of an Oxe,

Euphorbium, of each a dram.

Mingle them, and make an oyntment.

Suffumigations may be prepared by this forme following.

Take halfe an ounce of live Sulphur.

Opoponax,

Galbanum,

Assa faetida, of each two drams.

The powder of rue,

Savine, of each a dram and a halfe.

The gall of an Oxe,

The juice of an onyon, of each a sufficient quantity.

Make them into Trochischs for your use.

Pessaries must not be forgotten; therefore

Take three drams of Hiera piera in the species.

A dram and a halfe of myrrhe,

A sufficient quantity of unguentum Agripp [...].

With a piece of cotton according to Art, make a Pessary. Or

Take Ammoniack,

Assa faetida,

Black hellebore, of each two drams.

Troch. Alhandall,

Scammony, of each a dram.

The juice of rue,

Soldanella,

The gall of an Oxe, of each halfe a dram.

Two dram [...] of Turpentine.

With wooll and cotton (according to Art) make a long Pessary.

If these things will not bring away the childe, and if the Mother be sadly fallen into an agony, the safest method will be, to draw out the childe with instruments, if no contraindications appeare, as a bad pulse, and a difficulty of breathing, with anxiety and unchearfulnesse of disposition in the woman.

CHAP. V. Of the Torments, and the suppression of the Courses after the Birth.

WOmen in labour must be gently handled, and carefully lookt unto, both in respect of the roome where she is [Page 216] laid, and also in regard of the Diet which is most proper for her in that condition.

As for the place, it must be darke, far and free from noise, or any other distur­bance that way; least she should be offended by any accidents of feare, or sadnesse, or by any sudden surprizalls of anger or griefe.

The Diet consists in meats of good juice, and easie concoction, and such as are not slow in their distribution to the severall parts, because they thicken the bloud, and obstruct the passages.

Let her drinke be small beer, cleare, and well setled from dregs. Barley water in which birthwort and borage leaves have been boiled, is incomparably the best drinke you can device for her: and next to it we pre­fer Rhenish wine, conditionally, that the presence of a Fever doth not forbid it.

The whole hope of preserving the Wo­man, yea, of curing the Diseases which happen after the birth, is placed in the eva­cuation of the feculent menstruous bloud, and therefore 'tis the duty of our skill to pro­voke, and urge down that bloud, least that evill be fall her, which Physitians call Torment.

This is a paine in the whole lower regi­on of the belly, felt upon the privie parts, [Page 217] neere the small guts; the inward cause thereof is a multitude of thick menstruous bloud retained in the body.

The outward cause, is the inclemency of the outward ayre, in regard of the cold­nesse, and the passions of the minde: thick meats, as creame, custards, and the like, coarse bread, salt flesh, hard fish, and many other things which are hard to digest, and not kindely distributed to all the regions of the body.

You may most easily discover this affect by the signes; for the Courses are retained, at least they come downe not so freely, nor in such plenty as at other times they were wont; a wandring and unquiet paine is perceived beneath the navell, with gurgu­lations and rumbling in the guts; the wo­man breaks winde, both upwards, and downwards; and this winde is bread of a thick and feculent bloud.

This affect must not be despised by neg­lect; for the matter making way by degrees to the affected part, augmenteth the paine, yea, and introduceth inflammations with a Fever; wherefore, when you have duely considered the age of the woman, the Cli­mate in which she liveth, the time of the yeare, and the menstruum, you must with­out [Page 218] delay open a veine in the ankle, and not once onely, but twice or thrice, as it shall seeme expedient; for by this admini­stration the thick and feculent bloud is drawn out; rub her legs, till by her com­plaints you know she feeles paine, and ap­ply Cuppinglasses to the inward part; nei­ther may you forget to lay Leeches to the Fundament, by reason of its neernesse to the Matrix and the spleen.

A Purge be it strong, or be it gentle, must be exhibited the first dayes, because the belly is not sufficiently open, and inclined to evacuate the menstruum; for should you afterwards purge her body, it would take off Nature, and interrupt her in her du­ty, as Avicen sheweth in his fourth Fen. and and first chapter.

Therefore let the bloud be made fluid, and the passages kept open: and then mi­tigate the paines with mollifying fomen­tations mixt with Anodynalls.

Take the Caul of a weather newly killed, and clap it upon the part; for by the actu­all and asswaging heat thereof, it takes away the paine: and the same vertue hath the bladder of an Oxe, if it be filled halfe full of this decoction following.

Take the leaves of mallowes,

Vialets,

Pellitory of the wall,

Pennyroyall, of each a handfull and a half.

The flowers of Camomile,

The flowers of melilot, of each a hand­full.

Line feeds,

Fennill seeds, of each halfe an ounce.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of water to three pints, unto which add

Three ounces of oyle of sweet almonds.

Oyle of Dill,

Oyle of poppies, of each an ounce and a halfe; use it as was said above.

Anoynt her belly with this oyntment following.

Take unguentum de Alth [...]a,

Ʋnguentum Agrippe, of each an ounce.

Oyle of Lillies,

Oyle of camomile, of each two drams.

A dram of Opium dissolved in burnt [...]ine.

Mingle them for a Liniment.

Between the suppression of the Courses, and the staying of the menstruum, after a wo­mans delivery, there is little or no diffe­rence; for there is one cause of both, and that accompanied with the same signes, and there [...]ore we shall not diversifie the Cure, but direct the Reader to the second chap­ter [Page 220] of our first book, where she may fur­nish her selfe with convenient remedies.

CHAP. VI. Of the immoderate coming down of the Courses after the birth.

VVE have sufficiently handled the Causes of the immoderate flowing of the Courses in our first book; we have also related unto the signes; wherefore now we shall tell you further from an Apho­rism in Hippocrates, that if Fainting and Convulsion fits befall a woman in Child­bed, 'tis a bad signe, because they argue a great weaknesse, after which follow inex­pressible tortures, with paine in the Hypo­chondriacall parts, by reason of the clotted bloud, a small, frequent, and swift pulse, yea, and death it selfe; sometimes the wo­man is surprized with dotage, a quinsey, or a Lethargie; wherefore you must labour to stop the Courses with all your best pre­meditation, and caution: and the most ex­pedite meanes you can use, are a thick­ning, bindiug, and cold diet, as broth made with trotters, in which you may also [Page 221] boile rise, quinces, or pease: but abstaine from wine; for it opens the parts, thins the humours, and provokes the Courses, as on the contrary cold things, bind, thicken, and stop up.

Rub her hands, and tie Ligatures about her upper parts: and according to the in­junction of Hippocrates, in his Aphorismes, lay Cuppinglasses to her Breasts.

Finally, if the womans strength will bear it, there is not a surer remedie then letting bloud; and you must open the Basi­lick vein twice, or thrice.

Thickning things are very necessary, and of great moment in this cure.

Take true bolearmenick,

The species Diatragacanth. frig. 1. of each a scruple.

Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of Quinces.

Halfe an ounce of plantane water.

Mingle them for a Draught, or

Take terra sigillata,

Red corall prepared,

Troch. de carabe, of each a scruple.

Halfe an ounce of Syrup of pomegranets.

Three ounces of a decoction of red rose leaves.

Mingle them for a Draught, or

Take the leaves of plantane,

Knotgrasse, of each a handfull.

Red roses,

Pomegranet flowers, of each half a handfull.

Myrtle seeds,

Sumach seeds, of each two drams.

A dram of the juice of hypocystis.

Boile them to six pints in a sufficient quantity of water, wherein steele hath been quenched, give the strained liquor for a fo­mentation, or

Take the powder of Cyprus nuts.

The roots of Tormentill,

Dragons bloud, of each a dram and a half.

A dram of mastick,

Halfe a dram of right bolearmenick.

Two ounces of unguentum Comitissae,

Oyle of mastick,

Oyle of myrtles, of each two drams.

With a sufficient quantity of wax make an oyntment.

If these get not the victory; a scruple of the masse of pills de Cynoglossa.

Make five pills, and guild them, or

Take halfe a dram of new Treacle.

Halfe a scruple of Requies Nicholai.

Two drams of Syrup of poppy.

Three ounces of plantane water.

Mingle them for a Draught.

If any fault in the Liver, as sometimes it hapneth, is the cause of this evill; apply cooling Epithems unto it, or instead there­of you may adhibit Ceratum Santalinum mixt with the powders of Corall, Roses, and Camphire.

CHAP. VII. Cures of such Diseases as usually befall a woman, after she is delivered.

VVe are taught by Hippocrates, that those Diseases which happen af­ter the Birth, are more dangerous and ve­nomous then the rest, because they are produced by agrosse, impure, thick, and feculent bloud; for the Childe in the wombe sucketh away the sweetest part of the bloud for its own nourishment, which it purifies, and reserves, the melaneholy, and thicker portion thereof being sepa­rated, and forsaken, which if the provi­dence of Nature doe not duly evacuate, and purge away, the woman in Childe­bed will without all doubt be invaded by strong and vehement Fevers, by reason of the boyling and putrifying of the bloud in the veines of the Matrix, which, ac­cording [Page 224] to Galen, are very large; in the first place therefore, let the Patient be care­fully attended, and begin the Cure by opening a veine, by Cuppinglasses applyed to the calfes of her legs, with Scarificati­on, and laying Leeches to the Hemor­rhoids.

But the Controversie will be what vein must be cut; for if she bleed from the arme, you draw the bloud upwards; if from the ancle, you weaken the body, and contribute no ease; but if you will follow my direction, tie strong Ligatures about her thighes and legs, having first well rubbed them, and then open the Cu­bit veine without any discouragement; for this cleanseth the very Minerall, sinke, and puddle of the putrified Humours. Ga­len indeed affirmeth, that if a veine be ope­ned in any part of the body, it will ex­haust and emptie all the Vessells; but not equally, and in all respects alike: for we deliver it for an undoubted truth, that the whole masse of bloud will soonest flow away, if the Basilick veine be opened, which is greater then any of the rest; and of the same Judgement is Fernelius, who saith; if the menstruum flow away from women in Childe-bed, thorough the ve­hemence [Page 225] of a Fever, you must cut the Cu­bit veine.

At the beginning you must refraine the use of purging medicines; for although you should make choice of such as are most gentle in their operation, yet they stir the humours, and doe not expell them from convenient places. Againe, should you prescribe strong purges, they would draw back the menstruum from the Matrix to the stomack, and disturb Nature, when she is labouring to expell it; and that this were no rationall, and well-grounded meanes of Cure, but rather a rash and preposte­rous adventure, any sober judgement will acknowledge, because the expedition, the Art, and the Mystery of the whole Cure consisteth in the provocation of the Men­struum.

If it be a violent burning Fever, pre­scribe such things as will qualifie and tem­per the heat of the bloud; but avoide cold Simples, because they keep in the men­struum by binding up the parts; neither may you be too bold with hot things, for they inflame the bloud.

These Glysters following will be of ex­cellent use for the purpose aforesaid.

Take nine ounces of some softning De­coction.

An ounce and a halfe of the Electuary called Diacatholicon.

An ounce of hony of roses.

Butter, and oyle of sweet Almonds, of each halfe an ounce.

A dram of salt, mingle them, and make a Glyster, or

Take nine ounces of mutton broth well boiled.

The leaves of Motherwort, Violets, and Pellitory of the wall, of each a hand­full.

Pellitory of the wall, of each a hand­full.

Two ounces of honey of roses.

The yolkes of two eggs.

An ounce of oyle of Violets, mingle them, and make a Glyster.

You may make a Ptisan of Raisins, Bar­ley, and Licorish, which will be very profi­table for the sick; and of no lesse efficaci [...] is this Julep following.

Take Endive and Borage water, of each six ounces.

Syrup of Betony, and Pomegranets, of each an ounce.

Mingle them together for a Jule [...], or

Take twenty graines of Mithridate.

Ten graines of Alkermes without Musk, or Amber.

Three ounces of Buglos water,

Mingle them, and let her drinke it at one draught.

If the Disease yield not to these reme­dies, wee judge it expedient to let her bloud againe, but in the Ankle; if you suspect that Obstructions occasion the dis­ [...]ase, as commonly indeed they are to be suspected, you may observe the same way of Cure, as is approved in a Fever, arising from Obstructions, and

Take halfe an ounce of parsley roots.

The leaves of betony, and carduus Bene­dictus, of each a handfull.

Halfe a handfull of white Maidenhaire.

The flowers of B [...]rage, Buglos, Violets, or Roses, of each as many as you can take up between your thumb and two fingers at twice.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of Barley water, to a pint and a halfe; in the strained liquor infuse foure drams of the choicest Rubarb, the space of a night set­ting the vessell upon hot ashes, with foure scruples of agarick Trochiscated, and a scru­ple of cinamon, all put in together.

In the morning boile them a little, and when you have strongly prest out the li­quor, add three ounces of Syrup of roses laxative, and make an Apozem, or a Deco­ction.

Let her drinke three ounces of this Deco­ction every other morning.

Hereupon ensueth a Lask, or Loosenesse in the belly, but without any paine, acri­mony, or griping: and so long as it con­tinueth free from any of those bad quali­ties, you may by no meanes stay it; but if it last longer with the Fever, the most prudent course will be to open a veine in her Ankle, having alwayes a diligent re­gard to the strength of her body: for this evacuation is Symptomaticall (as Physitians speake) and according to the Prognosti­cations of Galen, it is either mortall, or very difficult to be judged: his words are these; when any disease beginneth, if any thing be evacuated, it is not evacuated by any help or curtesie of Nature; but all such things happen by chance in regard of those dispositions, which are in the body besides nature; for it is impossible that any thing should be well purged out when Nature is oppressed (as then she is with the crudenesse of the humours) with those causes which did produce the disease; for that the Crisis and Judgement upon this disease may be sound and good, it is requisite that those crudities must first be concocted, and afterwards duly [Page 229] purged out; wherefore if the Loosenesse happen at the beginning, you must neg­lect that, and be intentive to cure the Fe­ver, yet with an eye to the loosenesse by letting her bloud; but very sparingly, least the spirits should be wasted; if the loose­nesse continue so long, as to weaken the body, and bring the sick creature very low, then stay it, but with caution, and tender warinesse; but above all things, avoid the use of such things, as will thicken the humours, for thus indeed you might stop the Loosenesse, but then withall you should stay the menstruum, which inconve­nience you ought chiefly to feare.

Your safest way therefore will be to ap­ply strengthning Fomentations and Plaisters, that will moderately binde; and with such you may furnish your selves above.

It would not be unprofitable to purge away the cause of the Loosenesse, that so one Flux might be cured by another, there­fore

Take halfe a dram of tosted Rubarb.

Ten graines of that sort of Myrobala [...] called Chebule.

Halfe an ounce of Syrupe of dried roses.

Three ounces of plantane water.

Mingle them, and make a Potion.

Many times this Loosenesse turnes to the Bloudy-Flux, with cruell paines, want of sleep, a continuall Fever, and frequent going to stoole.

This must be helped with Glysters of a binding, qualifying, and cleansing faculty, as for example.

Take the roots of Comphrey, and marsh­mallowes of each three drams.

A handfull of plantane leaves.

Halfe a handfull of red roses.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of barley water to nine ounces; and to the strained liquor put in

Two ounces of honey of roses strained,

An ounce of red Sugar.

The yolke of an egg.

Mingle them, and make a Glyster. Or

Take violet leaves, plantane, and pellitory, of the wall, of each a handfull.

Halfe a handfull of red roses.

Halfe an ounce of whole barley.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of broth made with sheeps feet, to nine ounces; to the strained liquor add

Two ounces of honey of roses strained.

The yolke of an egg.

Mingle them, and make a Glyster.

You must not neglect to open the Basilick [Page 231] veine, and the Salvatella; a veine which brancheth out of the [...]ephalick veine, on the outside of the elbow, for these admi­nistrations will be wonderfully helpfull to cure a flux of bloud, arising from a di­stemper in the Liver; those astringent fo­mentations also, with the oyntments, and Epithems, whereof we have spoken at large in the precedent chapters, will be of sin­gular use.

The next Disease, unto which women are subject after their delivery, is a Liente­ry, so called, because the meat passeth tho­rough the body, as it was chewed in the mouth, without any change or alteration; this is a most dangerous disease, and there­fore all diligence imaginable must con­spire to stop it: no lesse terrible, and pe­rillous is that other, named by the Do­ctors Iliaca Passio, when the guts are so bound up, or inflamed, or enwrapped one about another, that whatsoever is swallowed down, is presently cast up againe by vomit, this also requires a sea­sonable and prudent use of remedies, least the Patient should pine away, and perish for want of sustenance: besides, it is so much the more dangerous, because by those frequent Vomitings Nature is inter­rupted, [Page 232] and distracted, and that menstru­ous matter is driven upwards, which should have been purged out from beneath.

But note that these Vomitings pro­ceed from severall causes. First from a cer­taine contagious vapour, ascending from the Matrix, and with the noysome odour thereof, irritating and pricking the sto­mack, so that it suddenly parts with all the aliment that was contained in it.

You must be exceeding industrious with all convenient speed, to free the woman from this infirmity; the vapours must be opposed, and forced downwards, that so by the discreet helps of art, Nature may be assisted to expell those faulty, and of­fensive humours by the Matrix.

This may be accomplish't by tying Liga­tures about the lower parts, and by rub­bing of them till she complaines you hurt her, by putting Pessaries up into the Matrix, and applying Cuppinglasses to her thighes, also by holding things of a strong, and un­pleas [...]nt odour to her nose, and by ope­ning a vein in her Ankle.

When her body is duely nourished, and well refresh't, give her this Glyster.

Take the leaves of violets, pellitory of the wall, and beares-breech, of each a hand­full

Halfe a handfull of red rose leaves.

Two drams of fennill seeds.

Boile them to nine ounces in a sufficient quantity of a decoction of an old hen, and to the strained liquor add

Two ounces of honey of roses strained.

An ounce of new butter.

Make a Glyster.

This being given; you must strengthen the stomack with the stomachicall Plaister already prescribed, and with these Lo­zenges.

Take a dram of aromaticum rosatum in the species.

Red corall and pearl prepared, of each half a dram.

With two ounces and a halfe of white Sugar dissolved in a sufficient quantity of rose water, make little Lozenges according to Art, or

Take old Conserve of red roses.

Roman wormewood.

The Conserve of Quinces, of each an ounce.

Halfe an ounce of the Conserve of Acacia.

A dram and a halfe of aromaticum rosa­tum in the species.

A dram of the Trochichs de carabe.

Two scruples of red corall prepared.

With a sufficient quantity of Syrup of Pomegranets make a mixture.

Sometimes the Vomiting is accompa­nied with yexing, and they both proceed from the same causes, and therefore may both be cured with the same remedies: but if it be of long continuance, the most ra­tionall and best grounded proceeding, is to apply a Cuppinglasse to the mouth of the stomack with a mighty flame.

After all these follow two more, namely spitting of Bloud, and a Cough: the for­mer whereof is cured by cutting a veine in the Ankle; which kinde of remedy is approved by Hippocrates, in the thirty two Aphorisme of his fifth book, saying, a wo­man is freed from spitting or vomiting bloud, if the menstruum breake forth, and frequent experience justifies this truth; for divers women, by the omission hereof, as Galen hath observed in his booke of Let­ting Bloud, fell into the Tissick, and other most lamentable diseases.

But the Cough is twofold, either dry, or moist; the cause of the former is a cer­taine, contagious vapour communicated to the spiritous parts, provoking the Mid­riffe, the Lungs, and the other instruments of breathing, to expell whatsoever is faul­tie, [Page 235] and offensive; the cause of the latter is a crude, and raw humour, ascending up from the Matrix to the Chest, and stick­ing fast unto it.

This is cured by rubbing the parts, and tying straight Ligatures about them, by Pessaries, Glysters, Cuppinglasses, opening a veine in her ankle, by Electuaries, Ptisans, expectorating Potions to cleanse away the bad humour, by laying on Empl [...]strum Resumptivum Pectorale, or Ʋnguentum de Al­thaea, among which you must mingle Cum­min seeds and Saffron.

After the same manner Women in Child­bed are troubled to fetch their breath, be­cause by a mutuall, and frequent stretch­ing, and compression of the Chest the va­pours are transmitted to the Lungs, and they who feele themselves molested with such vapours do seldome escape that Cough we last mentioned.

Moreover to this Catalogue belongeth the Pleurisie, which is a most acute, and therefore a most dangerous disease; this you may discerne by these signes following, an acute and burning Fever, a Cough, dif­ficultie to fetch breath, a pricking paine, and a hard pulse.

Open a veine, and you overcome this [Page 236] without any further remedy; but the question will be, in what part of the bo­dy? I answer, if it be a most violent Pleu­risie, that torments the sick, if her Courses come down after a right manner, and yet the evill abates not, then cut a veine in her ankle; but if this availe not, so as the Pa­tients life is now in danger, then open a veine in her arme, especially, if she be full of bloud, that the vitious humour may be drawn away from the inflamed place, and seasonably evacuated; this advice of mine is justified by the approbation of Mer­curialis Mercatus, Alphonsus a Castro, Meschius, Valeriola, and the leared Zacutus Lusitanus; neither will it be incovenient; if you interchange this administration of phleboto­my, namely, first to draw bloud from the ankle, then from the arme, then from the ankle againe, and so keeping turnes, as need shall require; for thus you will give ease, both to the part inflamed, and like­wise to the Matrix, which is the part man­dant, or that from whence the evill is com­municated and distributed to the other regions.

This being carefully performed, your next designe must be to mitigate, and take away the paine with fomentations, liniments Electuaries, and Ptisans.

Take an ounce of the roots of marish mallowes.

The leaves of mallowes, marish mallows, and white Maidenhaire, of each a hand­full.

Halfe a hundfull of the flowers of dwarf­elder.

Annise and Line seeds, of each halfe an ounce.

Boyle them in water to a quart, and give her the strained liquor to drinke at severall times, then

Take a dram of unguentum de Althaea.

The Axungia of a hen, and new butter, of each halfe an ounce.

Two ounces of oyle of sweet Almonds.

Mingle them, and make an oyntment, then

Take Syrup of Violets compound, and Syrup of Maidenhaire, of each an ounce and a halfe.

Mingle them, and make a mixture to be licked from the point of a knife.

Afterwards.

Take two ounces of cleansed barley.

An ounce of raisins pickt, stoned and washt.

Two drams of the best Licoras.

Boile them in raine water to a quart, and [Page 238] give her the strained liquor to drinke.

Note that in all diseases of the Membranes, the upper part of the throate, and the Jawes, yea, and in the Falling-Sicknesse, the Apoplexy, the Palsie, and the Convulsions, you must begin the Cure by letting bloud, if plentie of bloud give occasion to the Disease.

The swelling of the feet is the last of all those Symptomes, which invade a woman after her Delivery; and this proceeds from a disorderly, and negligent Diet, during the time of her being with Childe; for by that meanes raw humours are bread in her body, which after her Delivery settle in her legs; as being cold parts, full of nerves, and far distant from the Liver, which is the fountaine of bloud, in which places you shall perceive soft kinde of swellings, which being crusht down, retaine the print of your fingers.

This must be cured with strengthning ad­ministrations, and such medicines as are good to expell the raw humours, and like­wise with such as will moderately binde; for should you give her strong binders, you would thereby allure the humours towards the upper parts; therefore to avoide that errour, prepare this Bath following.

Take two ounces of marish mallow roots.

The leaves of mallowes,

Mint,

Wormewood,

Sage,

Rosemary, of each two handfulls.

The leaves of red roses and camomile,

Of each a handfull.

An ounce of Laurell Berries.

Saltpeter,

Sulphur, of each half an ounce.

Boile them to eight pints in a sufficient quantity of water, wherein steele hath been often quenched, and let her put her feet in­to the strained liquor.

Then take the dreggish substance which remaines, after the straining of the said li­quor, and add to it

The meale of Orobus,

And Lupines, of each three ounces.

Foure ounces of Oxymel.

With a sufficient quantity of brine, made with the juice of Lemmons, reduce them in­to the forme of a Poultis, and lay it to the swelled feet.

But if the humour fall down againe into the legs, by reason of an habituall distem­per in the upper parts, you must either make an issue upon the knee, or else pro­voke [Page 240] her to sweat, with a decoction of Sal­saparilla, and China roots; for by the vertue of these Simples the humour is made thin, and more apt for expulsion, and the lower parts wax more firme and strong.

CHAP. VIII. Of an inflammation in the Matrix af­ter a womans Delivery.

THe Cause of an Inflammation in the Matrix is a hot and boiling bloud re­tained in the vessells, and putrifying.

The signes are a paine in her secret Parts, a vehement Fever, much heat, swel­ling, and a great itching about all the parts of the Matrix; hereupon the woman becomes very prone to fainting fits, to lye as if she were stupified, to talke idely, and the like, by reason of the consent be­tween the Matrix, and the other parts, as we have already shewed. Lastly, she can nei­ther goe to stoole, nor make water, with­out great difficulty, because the parts are so exceedingly swelled.

This is a most terrible disease, as well in [Page 241] regard of the Symptomes, as of the Impo­sthume, which, if it be broken, leaves be­hinde it an incurable Ʋlcer, from whence filthy and noysome exhalations are com­municated to the principall parts, which is an unerring signe of Death.

The Cure is Universall, and Particular: the universall is the opening of a veine in the ankle, regard being had onely to the part inflamed, and the motion of nature; but afterwards, we deny not, but it may be expedient, and efficacious to draw bloud from the arme, in respect of the Fever.

The Particular is accomplisht by lenify­ing medicines, and by washing the part, the one is done by a Cataplasm made after this manner.

Take two ounces of the crums of white Bread.

The Pap of rosted apples.

The Pulp of cassia newly drawn out, of each an ounce.

Half an ounce of the mucilage of Fleabane ­seeds.

Ten graines of Saffron.

Make a Cataplasme according to Art.

But if the Inflammation seeme to hasten to suppuration, which you may perceive by the Fever, and the vehemence of the paine, [Page 242] then you must discreetly assist Nature, by an application of suppurating medicines, but by no meanes adventure to give her a purge: remedies of the former sort are as follow.

Take an ounce of marish mallow roots.

The leaves of mallowes.

And marish mallowes, of each a handfull and a halfe.

Line seed,

Fenugreek, of each halfe an ounce.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of breast-milke unto softnesse; pulp them tho­rough a Sieve, and add to the pulp

Two ounces of Hogs-grease.

An ounce of oyle of roses.

Make your Cataplasm.

When you have overcome the Impo­sthume, use this Injection with a Syringe.

Take six ounces of a decoction made with wole barley, and rose leaves.

An ounce and a halfe of honey of roses strained.

Make an Injection, and wash the ulce­rated part very often every day, till the paine cease, and the Ʋlcer be healed, though she continue the use thereof for weeks, months, and yeares.

CHAP. IX. Of too little, and too much Milke.

WAnt of milk ariseth from these three severall Causes. First, from the fault of the milk. Secondly, from some impedi­ment which hinders the transmission of the milke to the breasts; or if it be transmit­ed, it is not retained. Thirdly, a penury, or lack of bloud, either for want of necessary food, or by reason of some immoderate issue of bloud from the Matrix, or from some other part.

The Signes of these things are the slen­dernesse of the breast, a sharp taste in the milke, and a bad smell; other signes you need none, because the disease is manifest of it selfe; in the meane time you must take heed, that this corrupt milke doe not settle in the Breasts, and exulcerate them; wherefore beginning with the first cause, you must correct and amend the faults of the milke by purging out the bad juice: if phlegme abound, give her hot things, not onely to purge her, but also to nourish her [Page 244] body; if choler be predominant, prescribe cooling and moistning things.

But when the Breasts doe neither draw the bloud nor retaine it, you must be so­licitous to strengthen the Breasts by draw­ing bloud unto them; to this purpose you must rub her body, apply fomentations, and Cataplasmes, that will moderately heat, and expell, made of marish mallow roots, the leaves of Violets, mallowes, melilot, fenugreek, the crum of white breead and the yolks of Eggs.

Moreover, if the parts want nourish­ment, then let her seed upon the choicest dishes, or at least appoint such things for her, as are good to increase bloud, and milke, as eggs, butter, milke boiled with fennill, par snips, and the like.

Rock her to sleep, by peaceable and sweet admonitions, and exercise your wits to keep her from anger, melancholy, and all other perturbations of the minde.

It will not be hurtfull, but rather expe­dient to allow her the use of good wine, but then remember to put into it the pow­der of earth wormes.

Contrary to this is the immoderate plenty, and superfluitie of the milke, which you may easily discerne by that which [Page 245] comes away, therefore if you suspect that the bloud will congeale and grow clot­ted, then lessen the abundance of the mike, with a thin and spare diet; enjoyne her to be very abstemious and moderate in her drinke, and if her Courses be stopped, open a veine in her ankle; but otherwise in her arme, rub her legs, and use all other meanes to divert the bloud from the Breasts; but above all things, let her use Exercise, which is the best remedie in this case.

Yet if the bloud be congealed, and if by the exhalation of the thinner part, the rest wax thick, then you must administer attenuating and drying medicines to cut, make thin, and dissolve the clotted bloud; of this sort are Emplastrum de muciloginibus, and emplastrum de Meliloto, among which you may mingle the juice of Smallage, and Frankincense.

CHAP. X. Of the Inflammations of the Breasts.

VVOmens Breasts, those delicate and tender parts, are not only frequent­ly [Page 246] afflicted with the congealing of the bloud, but they are likewise very apt to be in­flamed, by reason of a mixt plenty of bloud and milke, whereby they swell ex­ceedingly, looke of a high, red colour, and are full of paine and sorenesse; This Inflammation is accompanied with a Fe­ver, which the Physitians call Lactaria, that is by Interpretation, the Fever of the milke, or the milky Fever; and the learned Midwives call it Pila, because pre­sently, unlesse the Breasts be well chafed and rubbed, there appeareth to the touch an exact resemblance of a Ball; This taketh not beginning from any venomou [...] humour contained in the Breasts, but is ra­ther to be accounted a Symptome, driver to the Breasts by the motion of Nature, and the bloud; it is likewise very hardly distinguishable from a true Fever, in which all the signes are conspicuous and mani­fest, as appeare in this, the swelling in the Breasts onely being excepted, which is not some Ball accidently swallowed with the drinke, as many learned men have vainely, and irrationally surmised; for how is it possible, that a Ball should slip from the stomack thorough those slender passages of the Messentery, and the Liver [Page 247] the hollow veine, and the Axillary veines, to the region of the Breasts; therefore in my Judgment, it is a phlegmatick matter, ravelled as it were by the burning heat of the part into long threads, as it happeneth to the slow matter contained in the Kidneys, and the Bladder.

If the Fever and the Inflammation be urgent, you must immediately command a veine in her ankle to be opened, if it happen presently after her delivery: but if a moneth be overpast, let the Basilick vein on the same side be opened.

You must prescribe medicines to repell the humour, but be carefull that they be not extreame cold, least the humour should retire back to the principall parts; a Glyster also must be first injected; and you may afterwards prescribe this Poul­tis following, which will mollifie and dissolve the humour, and be very profi­table.

Take an ounce of marish mallow roots.

The leaves of mallowes,

Violets,

Plantane, of each a handfull and a halfe.

Boile them altogether in milke to soft­nesse, and pulp them thorough a Sieve, and to the pulp add

Foure ounces of the crum of white Bread.

A scruple of Saffron.

Mingle them, and make a Poultis.

Many times the Breasts and the Nipples are full of chaps, which exceedingly tor­ment and paine a woman: these are caused by a sharp waterish humour falling down upon them, and may be cured with mal­lowes boiled in breast-milke, or with the white of an egg, or with Lilly leaves moistned in oyle, or with Ʋnguentum Pom­pholygos, or which will exceed all the former with oyle of Nutmegs; among which you may mingle bolearmenick with Cerus, and some drops of oyle of Lead, or some other oyle by it self.

CHAP. XI. Of wrinckles remaining in the Matrix after a Womans Delivery, and of the meanes to contract the Matrix.

VVHen a woman is delivered, there appeare Chaps, or Wrinckles, by reason of the coming forth of the Childe, and the flux of the Menstrunm: these we have often cured with gentle, astringent medicines, having first administred this In­jection thorough a Syringe.

Take halfe an ounce of Comphrey roots.

Two drams of Cyprus nuts.

Pomegranet flowers,

Red roses, of each as many as you can containe between your thumb and two fin­gers at twice.

Myrtle seeds,

Shumach seeds, of each a dram.

Boile them in a sufficient quantity of red wine, to sixteen ounces, and reserve the strained liquor for an Injection; or

Take a dram of Comphrey roots.

Cyprus nuts, and the seeds of rhois,

Of each halfe a dram.

As many red roses as your thumb and two fingerscan grasp.

Beat them to a grosse powder, and with an ounce of unguent. Pompholygos, and a piece of Cotton, make a Pessary.

With the same medicines, intermingling some other things that are greater binders, you may help the loosenesse, and wide­nesse of the secret parts; which if they be not seasonably and prudently contracted, may possibly be a cause that the woman will have no more Children. Some Mid­wives use water wherein sheele hath been infused, which we dislike not, provided that when you boile the water, you put in a quantity of Sumach seeds, Medlar seeds, and red Roses.