Cause.

The cause of this suppres­sion is either externall or in­ternall. [Page 15] The externall cause may bee heat or drinesse of the aire, immoderate watch­ing, great labour, vehement motion, and the like, where­by the matter is so consu­med, and the body so ex­haust, that there is not a su­perplus remaining to be ex­pelled; as is recorded of the Varande­us lib. 1. de morbis mvli. cap. 2. Amozonites, who be­ing active, and alwayes in motion, had their fluxions very little, or not at all. Or it may bee caused by cold, which is most frequent, ma­king the bloud viscuous and grosse, condensing and bin­ding up the passages, that it cannot flow forth.

The internall cause is ei­ther instrumentall or mate­riall, in the wombe or in the bloud.

[Page 17]In the wombe it may bee divers wayes; by Apostoms, Tumors, Ulcers, by the nar­rownesse of the veines and passages; or by the H [...]urnius de morbis mulierum. cap. 1. Omen­tum or kell in fat bodies, pressing the necke of the matrice: but then they must have Hernia Zirbalis: for in mankinde the kell rea­cheth not so low. By over­much cold or heat, the one vitiating the action, and the other consuming the mat­ter. By an evill composition of the uterine parts; by the Galennu [...] 5 Aphor. 28. necke of the wombe being turned aside; and some­times, though rarely, by a Paraeus de hominis generatione cap. 51. & 43. membrane or excrescence of fl [...]sh growing about the mouth or necke of the wombe. The bloud may bee in fault two wayes, in quan­tity [Page 17] or in quality. In quanti­tity, when it is so consumed, that there is not a superplus left, as in Viragoes and virill women, Erotis de passioni­bus mulier. cap. 23. who through their heat and strength of nature, digest and consume all their last nourishment; as Hippo­crates writes of Phaetusa, Hippoc. Epidem. 6 who being exiled by her husband Pythea, her termes were sup­prest, her voyce changed, and had a beard, with a coun­tenance like a man. But these I judge rather to be Anthro­pophagae, women-eaters, than women-breeders, because they consume one of the principles of generation, which gives a being to the world, viz. the menstru­ous bloud. The bloud like­wise may be consumed, and consequently, the termes [Page 18] stayed by bleeding of the nose; by a flux of the Em­roides; by a Dysenteria, commonly called the bloudy flux, by many other evacu­ations, and continuall and chronicall diseases. Second­ly, the matter may bee viti­ous in quality; as suppose it bee sanguineons, flegmati­call; bilious, or melancho­lious, every one of these, if they offend in grosnesse, will cause an obstruction in the veynes.

Signes.

Signes manifesting the dis­ease, are paines in the head, necke, backe, and loynes; wearinesse of the whole bo­dy, but especially of the hips and legges, by reason of a confinity which the ma­trix [Page 19] hath with these parts: trembling of the heart. Par­ticular signes are these; if the suppression proceeds of cold, she is heavie, sluggish, of a pale colour, and hath a slow pulse, Venus combates are neglected, the urine is crude, watrish, and much in quantity; the excrements of the guts usually are retained. If of heat, the signes are contrary to those even now recited. If the retention be naturall, and come of con­ception; this may be known by drinking of Hydromell, Hyppoc. lib. 5 Aph [...]. 41. that is water and honey, af­ter supper going to bed, and by the effect which it work­eth; for, after the taking of it, if shee feeles a beating paine about the navell and lower parts of the belly, it [Page 20] is asigne she hath conceived, and that the suppression is naturall: If not, that is it viti­ous, and ought medicinally to be taken away.

Prognosticks.

With the evill quality of the wombe the whole body stands charged; but especi­ally the Heart, the Liver, and the Braine; and be­twixt the wombe and these three principall parts, there is a singular consent.

First, the wombe commu­nicates to the heart by the mediation of those Arteries which come from Aorta; hence the termes being sup­prest, will ensue faintings, swoonings, intermission of pulse, cessation of breath.

Secondly, it communi­cates [Page 21] to the Liver by the veines derived from the hollow veine; hence will follow obstructions, cache­xies, jaundise, dropsies, hard­nesse of the spleene.

Thirdly, it communicates unto the braine, by the nerves and membranes of the backe; hence will arise Epilepsies, Apoplexies, Frensies, melancholy passi­ons, paine in the after parts of the head, fearfulnesse in­ability of speaking. Well therefore may I conclude with Hyppocrates, Lib. 5. Apho. 57. if the mo­neths be supprest, many dangerons diseases will fol­low.

Cure.

In the cure of this, and of all the other following effects, [Page 22] I will observe this order. The cure shall bee taken from Chirurgicall, Phar­maceuticall, and Diaeteticall meanes.

This suppression is a ple­thoricke affect, and must be taken away by evacuati­on: and therefore first we will beginne with Phlebo­tomie.

In the middest of the menstruall period open the Liver veine; and for the re­version of the humour, two dayes before the wonted evacution, open the Saphe­na on both feet. If the reple­tion be not great, apply cup­ping glasses to the legges and thighs. And although there be no hope to remove the suppression (as in some the Cotyledones are so clo­sed [Page 23] up, that nothing but co­pulation will open them) yet it will be convenient, as much as may be, to ease na­ture of her burden, by ope­ning the Hemerhoid veines with a Leech.

After Phlebotomie, let the humours bee prepared and made fluxile with syr­rupe of Staechas, Calamint, Be­tonie, Hysop, Mugwort, Hore­hound, Fumeterre, Maiden-haire. Bathe with Camomill, Penny-royall, Savine, Bay­leaves, Iuniper berries, Rue, Marjoram, Feverfew. ℞ of the leaves of Nep, Maiden-haire, Succory, Betony, ana. m.j. make a decoction; take thereof ℥iij. syrrupe of Maiden-haire, Mug­wort, Succory, ana. ℥s. Misce: After she comes out of the Bath, let her drinke it off. [Page 24] Purge with Pil. de Agarico, Elephang. Coch. Foetid. Galen in this cause commends pil. de Hiera cum Colocyutide, for as they bee proper to purge the humour offending; so also they doe open the pas­sages of the wombe, and strengthen the faculty by their Aromaticall quality.

If the stomacke be over­charged, let her take a vo­mit; yet such a one as may worke both wayes, lest wor­king onely upward, it should too much turne backe the humour. ℞ Trochisks of Agrick ʒij. infuse them i [...] ℥iij. of Oxi­mel, in which dissolve of the E­lectuary Diasarum ℈is. Ben [...] ­dic. La [...]t. ℥s: Take this af­ter the manner of a purge.

After the humour hath beene purged, proceed to [Page 25] more proper and forceable remedies. ℞. trochiscks of myrrhe ʒis: persly-seed, ca­stor, rindes of cassia ana ℈i. of the extract of mugwort ℈is. muske gr.x. with the juce of smallage make 12 pils, tak 2 every morning or after supper going to bed. ℞. of cinnamō, ℥s. roots of smir­nium, valerian, aristolochia, ana ʒii. roots of Asrum ʒi. castor, saffron, ana ℈ii. spec­diambrae. ʒii. trochisks of myrrhe, ℈iiii, tartari vitrio­lati, ℈ii. make all into a pow­der; with mugwort water and suger qs make lozenges, take ʒi of them every morn­ing: or mingle ʒi of the powder with ʒi of sugar and take it in white wine. ℞ of prepared steele, specie­rum hierae ana ʒii. borace, [Page 26] species of myrrhe, ana ℈i. with the juce of savine make 38. take three every other day immediatly before din­ner. ℞. of castor ℈i. wilde carret seed ʒs. with syrrupe of mugwort make 4 pils take them in the morning fasting, and so for three dayes toge­ther before the wonted time of the purgations. ℞. of A­garicke, aristolochia, juce of horehound, ana ʒv. rhubarb, spicknard, anice-seed, gal­banum, assafaetida, smallage roots, gentiane, of the three peppers, laccae, ana ʒvi. with honie make an electuarie: take of it ʒiii for a dosis. In flegmaticall bodies nothing better can bee given then the decoction of the wood guaiacum with a little Di­ctam taken in the morning [Page 27] fasting, and so for 12 dayes together without provoke­ing of sweate.

Administer to the lower parts by suffumigations, pes­saries, unctions, injections, insessions.

Make suffumigations of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, bayberries, mugwort, gal­banum, melanthium, Amber &c. Make pessaryes of figgs, and the leaves of mercury brused and rowled up with lint. If you desire a stron­ger; make one of myrrhe▪ bdelium, opopanax, Am­moniacum, galbanum, saga­penum, mithridate, agarick, coloquintida &c. Make in­jections of the decoction of origane, mugwort, mercu­rie, betonie and figgs pow­ring the same into the [Page 28] wombe by a metrenchyta. ℞. oyle of sweet and bitter almonds, lillies, capers, chammomill ana ℥s. ladani, oyle of myrrhe, ana ʒii, with wax make an unguent▪ with which let the places bee a­nointed. Make insessions of faengreeke, chammomill, melilote, dill, marjerom, pennyroyall, feverfew, juni­per berries, and calamynt. But if the suppression comes by a defect of matter, then ought not the cources to be provoked, untill the spirits bee animated and the blood againe encreased. Or if by proper affects of the wombe, as dropsies, inflammations, and the like; then must a particular cure bee used, the which I will not insist upon here, but of them as they lie in order.

[Page 29]If the retention comes from repletion or fulnesse; let the aire bee hote and drie; use moderate exercise before meales; Let your sleep bee shorter then ordi­nary; and your meat and drinke attenuating. Seeth with your meat garden sa­vorie, time, origan and Cicer. A­riel: num. ciche peason. If of empti­nesse or defect of matter; let the ayre bee moyst and mo­derately hote. Shun excer­cise and watchings, let your meate bee nourishing, and of a light digestion; as reare eggs, lambe, chickens, al­mond milke and the like.

Cause.

The cause of this affect is internall or externall. The internall cause is threefold; in the matter, instrument, or faculty. The matter, which is the blood, may be vitious two wayes. First, in quantity, it being so great that the veynes are not able to contayne it. Hippoc. l. 2. de morbis mulierum. Secondly, in quality, it being adust, sharp, watrish or unconcocted. [Page 33] The instrument viz: the veynes are faulty by the dilatation of the orifice; which may bee caused two wayes: Per [...]. first, by the heate of the constitution, climate or season, heating the blood whereby the passages are di­lated, and the faculty weak­ned that it cannot retaine the blood. Per [...]. Secondly, by fals, blowes, violent motion, breaking of a veyne, &c.

The externall cause may be calidity of the aire, lift­ing, carrying of heavy bur­dens, unnaturall child birth, falls, &c.

Signes.

In this inordinate flux the appetite is decayed, the con­coctions depraved, and all the actions weakened, the [Page 34] feet are swelled, the colour of the face is changed, and a generall feeblenes posses­seth the whole body. If the flux comes by the breaking of a veine, the body is some­thing cold, the blood flowes forth on heapes and that suddenly with great payne. If it comes through heate, the orifice of the veynes be­ing dilated, then is there little or no payne, yet the blood flowes faster then it doth in an Erosion, and not so fast as it doth in a Rup­ture. If by Erosion or sharp­nesse of blood; shee feeles a great heate scalding the pas­sage; It differs from the o­ther two, in that it flowes not so suddenly nor so copi­ously as they doe. If by weaknesse of the wombe, [Page 35] shee abhorreth the use of Venus. Lastly if it proceeds from an evill quality in the blood; droppe some of it on a cloth and when it is drie, Hippoc. lib. 1. de morbis mulierum. you may judge of the quality by the colour. If it bee cholericke it will bee yellow; If melancholie, blacke; If flegmaticall, wa­trish and whitish.

Prognosticks.

If with the flux be joyned a convulsion; it is Hippoc. lib. 5▪ Aphor. 56. dan­gerous, because it inti­mates the more noble parts are vitiated; and a convul­sion caused by emptinesse is deadly. If it continues long it will bee cured with great difficulty: for it was one of the miracles which our Savi­our Christ wrought to cure S. Math. 9.20▪ [Page 36] this disease when it had continued 12 yeares. To conclude, if the flux bee inordinate Hi [...]poc. l. 5.57. many diseases will ensue; and without re­medy, the blood together with the native heare being consumed, either chacheri­all, hydropicall, or paraly­ticall diseases will follow.

Cure.

The cure consisteth in three particulars. First, in repelling and carrying back of the blood. Secondly, in correcting and taking away the fluxibility of the mat­ter. Thirdly, in corrobora­ting the veynes and faculty. For the first; To cause a re­gression of the blood, open a veyne in the arme, and draw out so much blood as [Page 37] the strength of the patient will permit; Non confer­tim sed per intervalla. and that not together, but at severall times; for hereby the spirits are the lesse weakened, and the retraction so much the greater.

Apply cupping-glasses to the Hyppoc. lib. 5. Aphor. 50. brests; and also to Riolanus sect. 4. tract. 2. de morbis uteri. the liver that the reversion may be in the fountaine.

To correct the fluxibility of the matter, catharticall meanes moderated with a­strictories must be used.

If it be caused by erosion or sharpnesse of blood; con­sider whether the Erosion bee by salt flegme, or adust choller. If by salt flegme; Prepare with sirupe of vio­lets, wormewood, roses, citron-pills, succorie, &c. then take this purgation fol­lowing. [Page 38] ℞. myrobolan. che­bul. ℥s. trochiscks of aga­ricke ʒi. with plantaine wa­ter make a decoction: adde thereunto sir. rosat. lax. ℥iii. make a potion.

If by adust choller pre­pare the body with sirrupe of roses, myrtles, sorrell, purcelaine, commixt with water of plantaine, knot-grasse, and endive; Then purge with this potion. ℞. rindes of myrobolanes, rhu­barbe, ana ʒi. cinnamon gr. xv. infuse them one night in endive water: Adde to the straining pulpe of tamarind, cassia, ana ℥s. sirupe of roses ℥i. make a potion.

If the blood bee watrish and uncencoct as it is in hy­dropicall bodies and flowes forth by reason of the tenui­tie [Page 39] and thinnesse, the use of of hydragoga will bee pro­fitable. Purge with agarick, elaterium, and coloquintida. Sweating is proper in this cause, for by it the matter offending is taken away, and the motion of the blood is carried to the outward parts. To procure sweate she may take cardvus water with mi­thridate: or the decoction of guajacum, fassafras, and sarsa-parilla, the gumme of guajacum also doth greatly provoke sweate. Pills of Sar­sa-parilla taken every night going to bed are worthily commended. If the blood flowes forth from the open­ing or breaking of a veyne, without any evill quality in its selfe, then ought onely corroboratives to bee ap­plied; [Page 40] which is the last thing to bee done in the cure of this inordinate flux.

℞. Of bole-armonie ℈i; London treacle ʒi. old con­serve of roses ℥s. with sirupe of myrtles make an electua­rie. Or if the flux hath con­tinued long ℞. Of masticke ʒii. olibani, troch. de ca­rabe ana ʒi. balaustiorum, ℈i. make a powder; with sirupe of quinces make it in­to pills; take one alwayes before meales. ℞. Lapidis haematitis triti ana ℈ii. spe­cierum triasani ali ʒi. troch. de carabe, de scoria ferri, corall, frankincence, ana ℈i. fine bole ℈i. beate these to a fine powder; and with su­gar and plantaine water q.s. make lozenges. Asses dung is well approoved of whe­ther [Page 41] taken inwardly with si­rupe of quinces, or applied outwardly with steeled wa­ter. Galen by conveighing the juce of it through a me­trenchita into the wombe 4. dayes together, cured this immoderate flux which no wayes else could bee restrai­ned. Going to bed let her take ℈is. Philonii Romani in a wafer, make suffumigations for the matrice of masticke, franckincence, burnt froggs, not forgetting the hoofe of a mule. ℞. Of the juce of knotgrasse, comferie, quinces, ana ℥i. campher, ʒi. dippe silke cotton there­in and apply it to the places. ℞. Oyle of mastick, myrtles, quinces, ana ℥s. fine bole, troch. de carabe, sanguinis draconis, ana ʒi. wax and vi­niger [Page 42] q.s. make an unguent, apply it both before and be­hinde. ℞. Of plantaine, shepheards purse, red rose leaves ana M. iii. of goates and asses dung dried ana ℥is. acatiae, hypocistidos ana ℥is dried mint ℥i. bean meale ℥iii. boyle all these in plan­taine water, and make of it two plasters: applie one be­fore and the other behinde. If the blood flowes from those veynes which are ter­minated in the necke of the matrice, then it is not cal­led the overflowing of the termes but the hemorrhods of the wombe: yet the same cure will serve them both; only the instrumentall cure will a little differ; for in the esterine hemorrhods, the ends of the veynes hang [Page 43] over like little teates or pushes which must be taken away by Paulum lib. 6. c. 7 [...]. incision, Lege apud and then the veynes closed up with Aloes, fine bole, burnt a­lum, troch. de terra sigil. myrrh, masticke, with the juce of comfery and knot­grasse laid plasterwise there­to.

The aire must be cold and drie: all motion of the body is forbidden. Let her meat bee Pheasant, Partridge, mountaine birds, Cunnies, Calfes feet, &c. and let her beere bee mixt with the juce of quinces and pomgra­nuts.

Cause.

The cause is in the facul­tie, instrument or matter. In the facultie, by being en­feebled, that it cannot ex­pell the blood: and the blood resting there, makes the parts of the wombe grow hard and stretcheth the ves­sells, from whence proceeds the Dolor ten­sivus uteri. paine in the wombe. In the instrument, by the narrownesse of the passages. Lastly, it may be in the mat­ter of the blood, which may offend in too great a quan­tity, or in an evill quality, it being grosse and thicke that it cannot flow forth as it ought to doe, but by drops.

Signes.

The signes will best ap­peare by the relation of the patient.

Prognosticks.

Hereupon will ensue paines in the head, stomacke and backe, with inflamma­tions suffocations, and exco­riations of the matrice.

Cure.

If the strength of the pa­tient will permit, first open a veine in the arme, rubbe the upper parts, and let her armes bee corded, that the force of the blood may bee carried backward.

Then apply such things as may laxate and mollifie the stretching of the wombe [Page 47] and asswage the sharpnesse of the blood; as cataplasmes made of bran, lineseed, faen­grecke, melilote, mallows, mercurie and atriplex: If the blood bee viscuous and grosse adde thereto mug­wort, calamint, dictam, and betonie: And let her take of Venice treakle the quantity of a nutmeg with sirrup of mugwort e­very morning. Anoint the places with oyle of lillies roses, lineseed, sweete al­monds, and calfes marrow. Make injections of the de­coction of mallows, mercu­rie, lineseed, groundfuell, mugwort, faengrecke, with oyle of sweet almonds.

Sometimes it is caused by a winde, and then phle­botonie is to bee omitted; [Page 48] and in the stead thereof ℞. Sirupe of feverfew ℥i. honie of roses, sirupe of staechas, ana ℥s. water of calamint, mugwort, betonie, hysope ana ℥i. make a julep. If the paine continues, take this purgation. ℞. Specierum hie­rae ʒi. diachatholicon ℥s. Si­rupe of roses laxative ℥i. with the decoction of mug­wort, and the 4. cordiall flowers make a potion. If it comes through weaknesse of the facultie, let that bee corroborated. If through grossenesse or sharpnesse of the blood, let the quality of it bee altered as I have shewne in the foregoing chapter. Lastly if the excre­ments of the gutte be retai­ned, provoke them by a cly­ster, of the decoction of [Page 49] chammomill, betony, fever­few, mallowes, lineseed, juniper—berries, cummin­seed, aniceseed, melilo [...]e: adding thereto of diacatho­licon, ℥s. hierae picrae ʒii. hony, oyle, ana ℥i. Sal [...]iter ℥is. The patient must abstaine from salt, sharp, and windy meats.

Cause.

The cause, is either pro­miscuously in the whole bo­die, by a cachochymia or weaknesse of the same; or in some of the parts: as in the liver, which by the inabilitie of the sanguifficative facul­ty, causeth a generation of corrupt blood; and then the matter is ruddish; sometimes in the gall, being sluggish in its office, not drawing away those chole­ricke superfluities, which are ingendred in the liver; and the matter is yellowish. Sometimes in the Spleene, [Page 51] not defecating and clensing the blood of the dregges and excrementitious parts; and then the matter flowing forth, is blackish. It may also come from catarrhes in the head; or from any other pu­trified or corrupted mem­ber. But if the matter of the flux bee white, The cause of the whites. the cause is either in the stomacke, or reynes. In the stomacke by a flegmaticall and crude mat­ter there contracted, and vi­tiated through Ex maero­re tristitia & animi affe­ctionibus, vi­res deiiciun­tur & vitia­tur prima concocti [...]: Gal. arte medicina li. griefe, me­lancholie, and other distem­pers: for otherwise, if the matter were onely Pituita, crude flegme, and no wayes corrupt or vitiated, being taken unto the liver it might bee converted into blood, for flegme in the ventricle, is called Pituita e [...] succus ali­mentarius, & sanguis ex dimidio c [...]ctus. Fer­nel. de fun­ctionibus & humoribus lib. 6. cap. 9. Dimidio co­ctum alimē ­ [...]um; quòd in jecore concoctum, sanguis ti [...]. Fuc [...]s [...]us in­stitut. med. lib. 1. Sect. 4 [...]. [...]. 3. Secunda concoctio non potest co [...]rigere primam vi­tiatam. nourishment halfe [Page 52] digested: But being cor­rupt though sent unto the liver, yet it cannot bee tur­ned into nutriment; for the second concoction cannot correct that which the first hath corrupted; and there­fore the liver sends it to the wombe which can neither disgest it nor repell it and so it is voided out, still keeping the colour which it had in the ventricle. The cause al­so may be in the reynes be­ing over heat, whereby the spermaticall matter by rea­son of its thinnesse flowes forth. The externall cause may bee moystnesse of the aire, eating of corrupt meats, anger, griefe, slothfulnesse, immoderate sleeping, costi­venesse of body.

Signes.

The signes are extenua­tion of the body, shortnesse and stinking of breath, loa­thing of meate, paine in the [...], swelling of the eyes and feet, melancholie, hu­midity flowes from the wombe of divers colours, as reddish, blacke, greene, yel­low, white. It differs from the flowing and overflow­ing of the cources, in that it keepes no certaine peri­ods, and is of many colours, all which doe degenerate from blood.

Prognosticks.

If the flux be flegmaticall it will continue long and be difficult to cure yet if vomi­ting or the flux Diarrhaea [Page 54] hapeneth, diverting the hu­mour it cures the disease. If it bee cholericke, it is not so permanent, yet more pe­rilous, for it will cause ( Rha­gadia) clifts in the necke of the wombe, and sometimes make an excoriation in the matrix. If melancholius, it is most dangerous and contu­macious: yet the Hippoc. 6. Apho [...]. 11. flux of the Hemorrhodes admini­sters cure.

Cure.

If the matter flowing forth, bee reddish, open a veine on the arme; if not, apply ligatures to the armes and shoulders. Galen. lib. de praenot. ad posthum. c. 8. Galen glories of himselfe how hee cured the wife of Boetus labouring of this disease, by rubbing the upper parts with crude hony.

[Page 55] If it be caused by a distil­lation from the braine, take sirrup of betonie, staechas, and marjerom. Purge with pil. coch. sine quibus, de Aga­rico: Make nasalia of the juce of sage, hysope, betonie, nigella, with one drop of oyle of cloves and a little silke cotton. ℞. elect. dianth. aromat. rosat. diamb [...]e, diamos­ci dulcis, ana ʒ i. nutmeg ʒ s. with sugar and betonte water, make lozenges, to be taken every morning and evening. Take Au­reae Alexandrinae ʒ s. at night going to bed. If these things help not, use the suffumigation, and plaster as they are prescribed pag. 203.

If it proceeds from crudi­ties in the stomacke, or from a cold distempered liver, take every morning of the [Page 56] decoction of lignum sanctum. Purge with pil. de agarico, de hermodact. de hiera diacolo­cynthil. fae [...]idae, agrigativae. ℞. elect. aromat. ros.ʒ ii. cy­tron-pills dried, nutmeg, long pepper, ana ℈ i. diagalangae ʒ i. santali albi, lignialoes ana ℈ s. sugar ℥ vi. with mint water make lozenges. Take of them be­fore meales. If with frigility of the liver, there be joyn la reple­tion of the stomacke, purging by vomit is commendable: for which take ʒ iii. of the Electua­ry diasaru. Galen allowes of dureticall meanes; as of Apium, petroselinum &c.

If the matter of the flux bee cholerick [...], prepare the humour with sirrup of roses, violets, en­dive, succorie. Purge with my­robolanes, manna, rhubarbe, cassia. ℞. Of rhubarbe ʒ ii. [Page 57] anice-seed ʒ i. cinnamon ℈ is. infuse them in ℥ vi. of prune broth. Adde to the strayning of manna ℥ i; and take it in the morning according to art. ℞. Specierum diatrionsantalon, diatragacant. frig. diarrhod. abbatis, diacydonit. ana ʒ i. su­gar ℥ iiii. with plantaine water make lozenges. If the clyster of the gall bee sluggish and doe not stirre up the facultie of the guts, give hot glisters of the decoction of the foure mollifying hearbes with hony of roses and Aloes.

If the flux be melancholious, prepare with sirrup of mayden­haire, epithimum, polipodie, borrage, buglosse, fumeterre, harts-tongue, and sirrupus by­santinus, which must bee made without vineger: otherwise it will rather animate the disease then nature; for melancholie by [Page 58] the use of vineger is increased; and both by Hippocrates, Syl­vius, and Avenzoar it is dis­allowed of, as an enemie Hippoc. [...] lib. 3. de ra­tione victus in morbis a­cutis. to the wombe, and therefore not to bee used inwardly in uterine dis­eases.

Purgers of melancholie are pilulae fumariae, Iacobus Syl­vius com­ment. de mensibus mulierum. Avenzoar lib. 2. tract. 5. c. 1. pilulae Indae, pil de lapide lazuli, diasena and confectio hamech. ℞. Of stam­ped prunes ℥ ii. sene ʒ i. epithi­mum, polipodie, fumeterre, ana ʒ is. sowre dates ℥ i. with endive water make a decoction: Take here of ℥ iiii, adde unto it con­fectionis hamech ʒ iii. manna ʒ iii. Or ℞. pil. Indarum pil. faetidarum, agarici trochiscati ana ℈ i. pills of rhubarbe ℈ s. la­pidis lazuli gr. vi. with sirrup of epithimum make pills, take them once every weeke. ℞. Elect. laetificantis Galeni ʒiii. dia­margariti [Page 59] calidi ʒ i. diamosci dulcis, conserves of borrage vio­lets, buglosse, ana ʒ s. citron pills condited ʒ i. sugar ℥ vii. with rose water make lozenges.

Lastly let the wombe be clen­ [...]ed, from the corrupt matter, and then corroborated: for the puri­fying thereof, make injections of the decoction of betony, fever­few, mugwort, spikenard, bi­stow, mercury, sage, adding thereto sugar, oyle of sweet Al­monds ana ℥ ii. pessaries also may bee made of silke cotton, ma­dified in the juce of the forena­med hearbs. To corroborate the wombe, you may thus prepare tro­chiskes. ℞. Of mugwort, fe­verfew, myrrhis, amber, mace, nutmeg, stirax, ligni aloes, red roses ana ℥ i. with the muci­lage of tragacanth make tro­chisks: cast some of them on the [Page 60] coles, and smother the wombe therewith. Make fomentations for the wombe, of red wine, in which hath beene decocted ma­sticke, fine bole balaustia, and red roses: An oint the matrix with oyle of quinces and myrtles▪ and apply thereto Emplastrum pro matrice; and let her take of diamoscum dulce and elect. Aro­maticum, every morning.

A drying Galen. lib. devictu at­ten [...]ante. diet is commended to bee best, because in this affect the body most commonly abounds with flegmati [...]all and crude hu­mours. For this cause Hippo­crates councells the patient to goe to bed supperlesse. Hippoc. l. 2. [...]. Let her meat bee Partridge, Phesant, mountaine birds rather rosted then boyled. Immoderate sleep is forbidden moderate exercise is commanded.

Cause.

The part affected is the wombe; of which there is a twofold motion, naturall and Symptomaticall. The naturall motion, is when the wombe attracteth the hu­mane seed, or excludeth the infant or secundine. The Symptomaticall motion, of which we are here to speak, is a convulsive drawing up­ward of the wombe.

The cause usually is in the retention of the seed, or in the suppression of the monthes, causing a repleti­on of corrupt humours in the wombe; from whence proceeds a flatulent refrige­ration, causing a convulsion of the ligaments of the wombe. And as it may [Page 67] come from humidity or re­pletion, being a convulsion, it may bee caused by empti­nesse or Arist. 1. de generatione animali. drinesse: and last­ly, by Abortion or difficult childe-birth.

Signes.

At the approaching of the suffocation there is a pale­nesse of the face, Galenus 6. de locis af­fectis cap. 5. weaknesse of the legges, shortnesse of breath, frigidity of the whole body with a working up in­to the throat, and then shee falls down as one voyd both of sence and motion. The mouth of the wombe is clo­sed up, and being touched with the finger feels hard. The paroxisme of the fit once past, shee openeth her eyes, and feeling her sto­macke opprest, shee offers [Page 68] to vomit. And least that a­ny should bee deceived in taking one disease for ano­ther, I will shew how it may bee distinguisht from those diseases which have the neerest affinity with its selfe. It differs from the Apople­xie, being it comes without shreeking out also in the hy­stericall passion, the sence of feeling is not altogether so destroyed and lost, as it is in the Apoplecticall disease. It differs from the Epilepsie in that the eyes are not wrested, neither doe any spumy froth come from the mouth; and that convulsive motion which sometime is joyned to the suffocation, is not so universall, as it is in the epilepsie, onely this or that member is convulst, and [Page 69] that without any vehement agitation. In the Sincope both respiration and pulse is taken away; the countinance waxeth pale, & she swounds away suddainly; but in the histericall passion, common­ly there is both respiration and pulse though it cannot well bee perceived, her face looks red, and shee hath a forewarning of her fit. Yet it is not denied but that a Sincope may be joyned with this suffocation. Lastly, it is distinguisht from the Le­thargie by the pulse which in the one is great in the o­ther little.

Prognosticks.

If disease hath its being from the corruption of the seed, it foretells Maguinus Mediola­nensis, de regimine sa­nitatis. cap. de coi [...]u. more dan­ger [Page 70] then if it proceeded frō the suppression of the cour­ces; because the seed is con­cocted, and of a purer qua­lity, than the menstruous blood; and the more pure being corrupted, becomes the more foule and filthie; as appeares in egges the pur­rest nourishment, which vi­tiated yeeld the noysomest savour. If it be accompained with a Sincope, it shewes nature is but weake, and that the spirits are almost ex­haust. But if Hippoc. lib. 5. Aphor. 35. neezing fol­lowes, it shewes that the heat which was almost ex­tinct doth now begin to re­turne, and that nature will subdue the disease.

Cure.

In the cure of this affect two [Page 71] things must bee observed: first, that during the time of the pararoxisme, nature be provoked to expel those ma­lignant vapours which binds up the sences, that shee may be recalled out of that slee­pie extasie. Secondly, that in the intermission of the fit, propper medicines bee ap­plied to take away the cause.

To stirre up nature, fasten cupping-glasses, to the hipps and navell: Apply ligatures to the thighs. Rubbe the ex­treame parts with salt vine­ger & musturd. Cause lowd clamours and thundrings in her eares. Apply to the nose Assa faetida, castor and saga pe­num steeped in vineger. Pro­voke her to neeze, by blow­ing up into her nose the powder of castor, white pepper, [Page 72] pellitory, of Spaine, and white Hellebore. Hold under her nose Partridge feathers, haire and old shoes burnt and all other stinking things: for evill odours are an enemie to nature, hence the Ani­mall spirits doe so contest and strive against them, that the naturall heate is thereby restored. The braine is so opprest sometimes that wee are compeld to burne the outward skin of the head, with hot oyle, or with a hot iron. Sharp clysters and sup­positories are available. ℞ Of sage, calamint, horehound, feverfew, marierom betonie, hy­sope, ana m.i. anice seed ℥s. co­loquintida, white hellebore, salis gemmae ana ʒii. boyle these in lib. ii. of water to the halfe: adde to the straining oyle of ca­stor [Page 73] ℥ii. heirae picrae ʒii. make a clyster. Or ℞. of hony boyled ℥ii. euphorbii ℈s. Coloqnintida. gr. iiii, white hellebore gr. ii. salt ʒi. make a suppositorie. Hippocrates writeth of a hy­stericall woman which could not bee freed from the paro­xisme, Hippoc. 5. Epid. but by powring cold water on her: yet this cure is particular, and ought to be administred, in the [...]. Hippoc. lib. 5. Aphor. 24.middest of summer when the Sun is in the Tropicke of Cancer.

If it bee caused by the re­tention and corruption of the seed; at the instant of the paroxisme, let the Midwife tak oyle of lillies, marjerom, and bayes, dissolving in the same of Civet and Muske ana gr. ii. Let her dippe her finger therein and put it up into the neck of the wombe [Page 74] tickling and rubbing the same.

The fit being over, pro­ceed to the curing of the cause. If it ariseth from the suppression of the months looke the cure, page 25 If from the retention of the seed; a good husband will administer cure: But those which cannot honestly pur­chase that cure, must use such things as will drie up and diminish the seed, as Diacyminum, diacalaminthes, &c. Amongst Botanicks, the seed of Agnus Castus is well esteemed of whether taken inwardly, applied outward­ly, or received as a suffumi­gation: It was held in great Libra de ortu sanita­tis. cap. 11. honour amongst the Athe­nians, for by it they did re­maine as pure Vestales, and [Page 75] preserved their chastity, on­ly by strowing it in the b [...]d whereon they lay; hence the name Agnus Castus, is taken from the effect. Make an issue on the inside of each legge, a handfull bredth be­low the knee. ℞. Trochisks of agaricke ℈ii. wilde carrot­seed, ligni aloes ana ℈s. w [...]sht turpentine ʒiii. with conserve of Anthos make a bolus. The use of castor is worthily com­mended, ʒi. of it being taken in white wine. Or you may make pills of it with mithri­date and take them going to bed. ℞. Of white brionie root dried and cut after the manner of carrots ℥i. Put it into a draught of wine placing it by the fire, Pharm. Dogmat. re [...]titu [...]a cap. 25 and when it is warme drinke it of. Quercitane draweth a fae­cula out of the root, the sub­stance [Page 76] of which is to be taken in white wine or peonie water. ℞. Of myrrhe, castor, Assafaetida ana ℈i. saffron, rue seed, ana gr. iiii. make 8 pills, take eve­ry night 2. at your entrance into bed. Galen by his owne example commends unto us Agaricke pulveriz'd, of which he gave frequently ℈i. in white wine. ℞. Of the seeds of rue, Agnus castus, anice, feuell ana ʒs. ligni aloes, citron pills dried ana ℈i. sugar ℥iii. with feverfew water make lozenges. ℞. Of tryphera mag­na Nic. ʒi. mugwort water ℥iiii. Take this every other day for the space of 12 dayes. Hang about her necke little tabulets of Vngula Alces. ℞. Of bdellium, ammoniacum, and ℥ii. Agnus castus, Centorie, Cassia-wood, feverfew, marje­rom [Page 77] ana ʒis. turpentine q. s. make two plasters applie one be­fore and the other behind. Lay to the navill at bed-time, a head of garlicke brused, fa­stening it with a sweathing bande. Make a girdle of gal­banum for the wast, and also a plaster for the belly, place­ing in one part of it, both ci­vet and muske, which must be layd upon the navill. ℞. Pulveris benedict. Trochiscks of a garicke, ana ʒii. mithri­date q. s. make a pessarie: It purgeth the matrice of winde and flegme: foment the naturall parts with sal­lade oyle, in which hath beene boyled rue, feverfew and chammomill. ℞. Of rose leaves m.i. cloves ℈ii. twilt them up in a little cloth and boyle them in malmsie, the [Page 78] eight part of an houre; and then applie them close to the mouth of the wombe as hote as may bee indured: Let her be covered well that the smell passeth not to the nose.

A drieing diet must bee observed, the moderate use of Venus is commended. Let her bread bee Anice seed bis­ket; and her flesh meate, ra­ther rosted then boyled.

Cause.

The cause is externall, or internall. The externall cause is difficult child birth, violent pulling away of the secondine, rashnesse and in­experience in drawing away [Page 80] of the child, violent cough­ing, neezing, falls, blowes, carrying of heavie burdens. The internall cause in gene­rall is overmuch humiditie flowing unto those parts, hindring the operations of the wombe, whereby the ligaments by which the wombe is supported are re­laxt. The cause in particu­lar, is refer'd to bee in the retention of the seed; Hippoc. 2. Epidem. Arist. 7. de historia ani­mali. or in the suppressions of the courses.

Signes.

The Arsgut and the blad­der oftentimes are so crush­ed, that the passage of both the excrements is hindered. If the urine doth flow forth, it is white and thick: the proecordia are molested, [Page 81] the loynes be grieved; the privities payned; the womb sinkes down to the entrance of the private parts, or else comes cleane out.

Prognosticks.

This griefe possessing an old woman, is cured with great difficultie, because it weakens the faculties of the wombe, and therefore though it bee reduced into his propper place, yet up­pon every occurrance it is subject to the like danger it was in before. So is it with the younger sort, if the dis­ease be inveterate. If it bee caused by putrifaction, in the nerves it is incurable.

Cure.

The wombe naturally [Page 82] being placed betweene the streight gut and the bladder, and now fallen down, ought not to be put up againe un­till the facultie both of the guts and bladder bee stirred up.

Nature being unloded of her burden, let the woman be placed on her Hippoc. l. 2. de morbis mulierum. backe, in such sort that her legs may be higher then her head; let her feet be drawne up to her hinder parts, with her knees spread abroad. Then mol­lifie the swelling with oyle of Lillies and sweet Al­monds; or with the decoc­tion of m [...]llows, beetes, faen­greck, and lineseed. When the inflation is dissiputed; let the midwife annoint her hand with oyle of Mastick, and reduce the wombe into [Page 83] its place. The matrice be­ing put up, the situation of the patient must bee chan­ged. Let her legs bee out at length and layd together. Set cuppingglasses to the brests and navill. Boyle Mugwort, Feverfew, red Roses, and Comferie in red Wine, and foment the pla­ces therewith. Make a suf­fumigation for the matrice of Castor assa faetida, Fran­kincence and Mastick; ℞. Sandarachae Olibani▪ Ci­pres Nuts, ana ʒiii, Masticke, Styrax, Franck in [...]ence, ana ℥i. fine bole ʒi. with oyle of myrtles and wax make two plasters apply one before and the other behinde. ℞. Of red roses, Pomgranate pills, Accorne cups, Myrtle ber­ries, ana ℥ii. Medler leaues, Sage, Rue, Origan, Comferie, [Page 84] wormewood ana mis. boyle all these in water and make an insessiō. Move sweet odours. to the nose: And at the com­ming out of the Bath, give her of sirrup of Feverfew ℥i. with ʒi. of Mithridate. ℞. Ladani, Masticke, ana ʒiii. Galbani ℥s. Styracis ʒ;ii. make a plaster for the navill. Make pessaries of Assafaetida, Saf­fron, Comfery, masticke, adding there to a little Castor. The practice of Paraeus, Paraeus de generatione hominis cap. 41. in this cause, was to make them on­ly of corke, in figure like a little egge, covering them over with wax and masticke dissolved together, fastning to it a thred, and so to put it up into the wombe. The present danger being new taken away, and the matrice seared in its naturall abode, [Page 85] the remote cause must bee remooved. If the body bee plethoricke open a veyne; Prepare with sirrup of beto­nie, calamint, hysope, and fever­few. Purge with pil. de hier a cum agarico, pil. de colocyn­thide. If the stomacke bee opprest by crudities, unbur­den it by vomiting. Sudo­rifficall decoctiōs of Lignum sanctum and sassifras taken twenty daies together dries, up the superfluous moister and consequently suppres­seth the cause of the disease.

Let the aire bee hote and drie, and your diet hote and attenuating. Abstaine from dancing, leaping, neezing, and from all motion both of body and minde. Eate spa­ringly; drinke not much: sleepe moderately.

Cause.

The cause of this affect is suppression of the months, repletion of the whole bo­dy, immoderate use of Venus, often handling of the geni­talls, difficult childe-birth, vehement agitation of the body, falls, blowes; to which also may bee added the use [Page 87] of sharp pessaries, whereby not seldome the wombe is inflamed. Cupping-glasses also fastened to the pubes and hypogastrium draw the hu­mours to the wombe.

Signes.

The signes are aguish hor­rours, paines in the head and stomacke, vomitting, cold­nesse of the knees, convulsi­ons of the necke, doting, trembling of the heart; sometimes there is a Dysp­naea or streightnes of breath, by reason of the heat which is communicated to the dia­phragme. The brests sympha­thizing with the wombe are payned and swelled. Parti­cular signes. If the forepart of the matrice be inflamed, the privities are grieved, the [Page 88] urine is supprest, or flowes forth with difficutie. If the after part; the loynes and backe suffer, the excrements are retained. If the right side; the right hip suffers, the right legge is heavy slow to to motion, in so much that sometimes shee seemes to hault. And so if the left side of the wombe be inflamed, the left hip is payned, and the left legge is weaker then the right. If the necke of the wombe bee affected; the midwife, putting up her fin­ger, shall feele the mouth of it retracted and closed up, with a hardnesse about it.

Prognosticks.

All inflammations of the wombe are Hippoc. l. 2. de marbis mulierum. 5 Aphor. 43. dangerous, if not deadly; and especially [Page 89] if the totall substance of the matrice bee inflamed. Yet lesse perilous are they if they bee in the necke of the wombe. A flux of the belly foretells health if it bee na­turall; for nature works best by the use of her owne in­struments.

Cure.

In the cure, first, let the humours flowing to the wombe be repell'd; for ef­fecting of which, after the bellie hath beene loosened by cooling clysters, phle­botomie will bee needfull. Open therefore a veine on the arme; and if shee be not with childe, the day after strike the Saphena on both feet. Fasten ligatures and Cupping—glasses to the [Page 90] armes; rubbe the upper parts.

Purge lightly with Cassia, Rhubarbe, Sene, Myrobolanes, &c. as, ℞. Of Sene ʒii. Anice seed ℈i. myrobolanes ℥s. Barly water. s.q. make a decocti­on: dissolve in it sirrup of Succorie with Rhubarbe ℥ii. pulp of Cassia ℥s. oyle of Anice seed gut. ii. make a potion. At the beginning of the disease anoint the privities and reynes, with oyle of roses and quinces. Make pla­sters of Plantaine, Lineseed, Barley meale, Melilote, Fen­grecke, whites of egges, and if the paine be vehement, adde a little opium. Foment the genitalls with the decocti­on of Poppieheads, purcelaine, knotgrasse, and water-lillies. Make injections of Goates-milke, [Page 91] rose water, clarified whey, with hony of roses. In the declining of the disease, use insessions of Sage, Line­seed, Mugwort, Penny-royall, horehound, faengrecke. Anoint the lower parts of the belly with oyle of chammomill, and violets. ℞. Of lilly roots, mal­low roots ana ℥iiii. mercurie m.i. Mugwort, feverfew ana m.s. Chammomill flowers, me­lilote, ana. p.i. bruse the hearbes and the rootes and boyle them in a sufficient quantity of milke: then adde of fresh butter, oyle of chammomill, lillies, ana ℥ii. bean meale s.q. make two pla­sters apply one before and the other behinde.

If the tumour cannot bee removed but tends to sup­puration ℞. Of faengrecke, [Page 92] mallow roots, decocted figgs, line seed, barley meale, doves dung, turpentine ana ʒiii. deers suet ʒs. opium ℈s. with wax make a plaster. ℞. Of bay leaves, sage, hysope, chammomill, mug­wort with water make an inses­sion. ℞. Of wormewood, be­tonie ana ms. white wine, milke ana lib. s. boyle them untill one part bee consumed; then take of this decoction ℥iiii. hony of roses ℥ii, make an injection. Yet beware the humours bee not brought downe unto the wombe. ℞. Of rosted figgs, mercurie brused. ana ʒiii. tur­pentine, ducks grease, ana ʒi, opium gr. ii. with wax make a pessarie.

The aire must bee cold: All motion of the body, es­pecially of the lower parts is forbidden Vigilancie is com­mended, [Page 93] for by sleepe the humours are carried in­ward, whereby the inflam­mation is increased, eate sparingly. Let your drinke bee barley water or clarified whey; and your meate chic­kens and chicken broth boyled with endive, succhorie, sorrell, buglosse and mallowes.

Cause.

One cause of this disease may bee as [...]i [...]ed to want of judgement in the Physitian; as many Empirickes, admi­nistring to an inflammation of the wombe, doe over much refrigerate & astring the humour, that it can nei­ther passe forward no back­ward; hence the matter be­ing condenst degenerates as it were into lapidious or hard substance. Other causes may bee suppression of the menstrualls; retention of the Lochia, commonly called the after-purgings; eating of corrupt meates, as in the dis­ordinate longing called Pica, unto which breeding wo­men are often subject. It may proceed also from ob­structions [Page 95] and ulcers in the Matrix; or from evill affects in the Liver and Spleene.

Signes.

If the bottome of the wombe bee affected, shee feeles, as it were, a heavy burden representing a mole; yet differing in that the brests are attenuated, and the whole body waxeth lesse. If the necke of the wombe bee hardned, no outward humour will ap­peare; the mouth of it is retracted, and being toucht with the finger feeles hard, that shee cannot have the company of a man without great payne and prickings.

Prognosticks.

A Schirrus confirmed, is Riolanus de morbis uteri sect 4. tract. 2. incurable, and will turne [Page 96] into a Canker or a Dropsie, and ending in a Canker proves Hippoc. libro. 6. Aphor. 38. deadly; because the native heat in those parts, being almost smo­thred, can hardly againe be restored.

Cure.

Where there is a reple­ction, phlebotomy by our master Galen is both com­mended and commanded. Wherefore open the medi­ana on both armes, and then the Saphena on both feet, especially if the termes bee supprest.

Prepare the humour with Sirrup of Borage, Succho­ry, Epithimum, and clari­fied Whey. Then take of these Pills following, ac­cording to the strength of [Page 97] the patient. ℞. Hierae pi­crae ʒvj. blacke Hellebor, Po­lipodie ana ʒiis. Agaricke la­pidis lazuli abluti, salis indi, coloquintida ana ʒis. misce make Pills. The body be­ing purged, proceed to mo­lifie the hardnesse, as fol­loweth. Anoynt the privities and the necke of the wombe with Vnguentum di­altheae and agrippae. Or ℞ of Opopanax, Bdellium, ammoni­acum, Myrrhae ʒij. Saffron ʒ9. Dissolve the gumms in Oyle of Lillies and sweet Al­monds; with Wax and Tur­pentine make an Vnguent. Apply below the navill the playster of Melilot and Dia­chylon Fernelij. Make inses­sions of Figges, Mugwort, Mallowes, Pennyroyall, Al­thea, Fenell roots, Meliote, [Page 98] Foengrecke, Line seed boy­led in water. Make injecti­ons of Calamint, Line seed, Melilote, Foengrecke, and the foure mollifying hearbs, with oyle of Dill, Chammo­mile, and Lillies, dissol­ving the same ʒiij. of the gumme Bdellium. Cast the stone Pyrites on the coales, and let her receive the fume of it into her wombe. Foment the secret parts with the decoction of the leaves and roots of Dane­wort. ℞. of the gumme Gal­banum, Opopanax ana ʒi. Iu [...]e of Danewort, Mucilage of Fengrecke, anna ℥s. Calves marrow ℥i. Wax q.s. make a pessary. Or make a pessary onely of Lead, dipping it in the aforesayd things, and so put it up.

[Page 99]The aire must be tempe­rate. Grosse, viscuous, and salt meats are forbidden; as Porke, Bulls-beefe, Fish, old cheese, &c.

Cause.

The causes, are over [Page 100] much cold and moystnesse of the Milt and Liver, im­moderate drinking, eating of crude meats; all which causing a repletion doe suf­focate the native heate. It may bee caused likewise by the overoflowing of the courses, or by any other immoderate evacuation. To these may bee added abor­tion, ulcers, phlegmons, and schirrosities of the wombe.

Signes.

The signes of this af­fect are these. The lower parts of the belly with the genitals are puffed up and payned, the feete swell; the natu [...]all colour of the face decaies, the appetite is depraved, and the heavi­nesse [Page 101] of the whole body concurres: If she turnes her selfe in the bed from one side to the other, a noyse like the flowing of water is heard. Water sometimes comes from the matrice. If the swelling bee caused by winde, the belly being hit with the hand, sounds like a drum; the guts rum­ble, and the winde breakes thorough the necke of the wombe with a murmuring noyse. This affect may be distinguisht from a true conception many waies, as will appeare by comparing this chapter with the 14. It is distinguisht from the generall dropsie in that the lower parts of the belly are most sweld. Againe, in this the s [...]nguificative fa­culty [Page 102] doth not apppeare so hurt, nor the urine so pale, nor the countenance so soone changed; neyther are the superiour parts so extenuated as in the general dropsie.

Prognostickes.

This affect foretels the totall ruine of the naturall functions, by that singular consent the wombe hath with the liver, and there­fore that a cachexia or a generall dropsie will fol­low.

Cure.

In the cure of this di­sease, imitate the practice of Hypocrates. Hippoc. lib. de morb mulierum. First, mitti­gate the payne with fomen­tations of Melilote, Mercu­ry, [Page 103] Mallows, Line seed, Chammomile, Althea. Then let the humour be prepared with syrrupe of Staechas, Hysope, Calamint, Mug­wort, de bisant. With the distilled waters or decocti­ons, of Dodder, Marjorum, Sage, Origan, Sperage, Penny-royall, Betony. Purge with sene Agaricke, Rhu­barb, Elaterium. ℞. Specierum hierae, Rhubarb, trochisckes of Agaricke ana ℈i. with the juce of Ireos make pills. Or ℞. pill de Rhubarbaro ℥s. pill de mezereo ℈i. with Mugwort water make pills. In diseases which have their being from moystnesse, purge with pills: and in those affects which are caused by emp­tinesse or drynesse, purge with potions. Fasten cup­ping [Page 104] glasse to the belly with a great flame, and also to the navill, especially if the swelling be flatulent. Make an issue on the inside of each leg a handfull bredth below the knee. ℞. Specierum di­ambrae, diamosci dulcis, diaca­lamenti, diacinnam omi, diacy­mini troch. de Myrrha ana ʒij. Sugar lb. i. with Betony water m [...]ke Lozenges: take of them two houres before meales. Ap­ply to the bottome of the belly, as hot as may bee indured, a little bagge of Chammomill, Cummin, and Melilot, boyled in Oyle of rue. Anoynt the belly and secret parts with Vnguentum Agrippae, and Vnguentum [...], mingling therewith Oyle of Ireos. Cover the lower parts of the belly [Page 105] with the playster of bay berries; or with a cataplasme made of Cummin, Chāmo­mill, Briony rootes, adding thereto Cows and Goats dung. Our Moderns ascribe a great vertue to Tobacco water, distilled and poured into the wombe by a met­renchyta. ℞. of Baume Sothern wood, Organ, Wormewood, Cala­mint, Bayleaues, Marjorom, ana m i. Iuniper berries ℥iiij. with water make a decoction: of this may be made fomen­tations, injections and in­sessions. Make pessaries of S [...]yrax, Alloes, with the roots of Dictam, Aristolochia, and Gentiane. Instead of this you may use the pessary prescribed pag. 77. Let her take of Electuarinus aroma­ticum, diasat [...]rion, and E­ringo [Page 106] [...] [Page 107] [...] [Page 108] [...] [Page 109] [...] [Page 110] [...] [Page 111] [...] [Page 110] [...] [Page 111] [...] [Page 112] [...] [Page 113] [...] [Page 114] [...] [Page 115] [...] [Page 116] [...] [Page 117] [...] [Page 118] [...] [Page 119] [...] [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 124] [...] [Page 125] [...] [Page 126] [...] [Page 127] [...] [Page 128] [...] [Page 129] [...] [Page 130] [...] [Page 131] [...] [Page 132] [...] [Page 133] [...] [Page 134] [...] [Page 135] [...] [Page 136] [...] [Page 137] [...] [Page 138] [...] [Page 139] [...] [Page 140] [...] [Page 141] [...] [Page 106] roots, condited every morning.

The are must be hot and dry: moderate exercise is allowed. Much sleepe is forbidden. She may oate the flesh of Patridges, Larks, Chickens, mountaine birds, Hares, Conies, &c. Let her drinke be thin Wine.

Cause.

It is caused by overmuch heat or cold; Hippoc. 6. Epiden. 5. Aphor. 62. that drying up the seed, and making it cor­rupt; this, extinguishing the life of the seed making it watrish and unfit for gene­ration. It may be caused also by the not flowing or over­flowing of the cources, by swellings, ulcers and inflam­mations of the wombe; by an Mauricius Cordo [...] in Hippoc. lib. 1. de mulie­r [...]bus, com­m [...]ni. 2. excrescence of flesh growing about the mouth [Page 108] of the matrice: by the mouth of the wombe being turned unto to the backe, or side: by the grossenesse and fatnesse of the body, where­by the mouth of the matrice is closed up, by being prest with the Hippoc. 5. Aphor. 46. Omentum or caule; and the Arist. 2. de partibus animal. matter of the seed is converted into fatnesse. Or if shee bee of a leane and exhaust body, to the world shee proves barren, because though shee doth conceive yet the fruit Hippoc. 5. Aphor. 44. of the wombe will wither before it comes to perfection for want of nourishment. Actius libro ultimo cap. 26. Sylvius li­bell [...] de ge­neratione b [...]mi [...]s commeat. Aetius and Syl­vius, ascribe one maine cause of barrennesse to compeld copulation; as when parents enforce their daughters to have busbands contrary to their liking, therein marry­ing [Page 109] their bodies but not their hearts, Coitus co [...] ­ctus, est coi­tus inanis. and where there is a want of love, there for the most part is no conception; as appeares in women which are Non con­cipitur saet [...]s abs (que) mutu [...] voluptate. Columbia de Anatom. l. 11. cap. 16. Cuj [...]s (que) omplexionis excessus mu­tuâ qualita­tum contra­riarum re­pugn [...]nti [...] coerceretur. deflowred against their will. Another maine cause of barrennesse, is attributed to the want of a convenient moderating quality, which the woman ought to have with the man, as if hee bee hot, shee must be cold; If hee bee drie, she must bee moist: But if they bee both drie or both moyst of con­stitution, they cannot pro­pagate, Sape ta­men usu ve­nit, ut [...] ­ter coen [...] ­um sit steri­lis s [...]d quia eorum int [...]r se s [...]nt ab­horrentes naturae, nihilidcircò exs [...]s [...], es al is verò ge [...] ­n rare p [...]ss [...]nt. Fernelius de pariium morbit & Symptom. lib. 6. cap. 7. and yet simply con­sidered of themselves they are not barren; for he or she which before was as the bar­ren [Page 110] fig-tree, being now joyned with an apt consti­tution becomes as the fruit­full Vine. And that man and women being every way of a like constitution cannot procreate, I will bring na­ture it selfe for a testimonie, who hath made man of a hotter constitution, Cum ita (que) calidum fri­gide, com­mixtum fue­rit, ex his­jusmodi c [...]mmixti [...] ­ [...]e aliquid generari po­test. Hortensius Baptista lib. [...]1. divin. instit de a­minia vegiti­va cap. 19. then woman, that the quality of the one may moderate the quality of the other.

Signes.

If barrennesse proceeds from the overmuch heat, shee is of a drie body, sub­ject to anger, she hath blacke haire, quicke purfe; her pur­gations flow but little, and that with paine; shee loves to play in the courts of Ve­nus. But if it comes by cold, [Page 111] then are the signes contrary to those even now recited. If through an evill quality in the wombe: Make a suf­fumigation of red storax, Hippoc. lib. 5. Aphor. 59. myrrhe, cassia wood, nutmeg, cinnamon, and let her receive the sume of it into the wombe, covering her very close; and if the odour so re­ceived passeth through the body up into the mouth and nostrills; Lege apud Moschionem cap. 161. of herselfe shee is fruitfull: but if shee feeles not the fume in her mouth and nose, it argues barren­nesse one of these wayes; that the spirit of the seed is either through cold extin­guisht, or through heat dis­sipated. If any woman bee suspected to bee unfruitfull, cast naturall brimstone such as is digged out of the mine, in­to [Page 112] her urine and if wormes breed therein, of herselfe she is not barren.

Prognosticks.

Barrennesse maketh wo­men looke young, because they are free from those paynes and sorrowes, which other women are accusto­med to bring forth withall. Yet they have not that full perfection of health which fruitfull women doe injoy, because they are not rightly purged of the menstruous blood and superfluous seed, the retayning of which two, are the principall cause of most uterine diseases.

Cure.

First the cause shall be re­moved, and then the wombe [Page 113] strengthened, and the spi­rits of the seed enlived.

If the wombe bee over­hot; take sirrup of succhorie with rhubarbe, sirrup of violets, endive, roses, cassia, purselaine. ℞. Ofendive, water lillies, bo­rage flowers, ana m. rhubarbe, myrobolaneus ana ʒiii. with wa­ter make a decoction, adde to the strayning of the sirrup laxa­tive of violets ℥i. sirrup of cassia ℥s. manna ʒiii, make a potion. ℞. Of the sirrup of mugwort ℥i. sirrup of maiden haire ℥ii. water of succhorie, borage, fe­uell, ana ℥iii. pul [...]. elect. tri [...] ­sand. ʒi. make a julep. ℞. dia­pru. solut. elect. ros. Mesuae ana ʒiii. rhubarbe ℈i. make a bolus. Apply to the reynes and pri­vities, fomentations of the juce of lettice, violets, roses, mallowes, vine leaves and night­shade. [Page 114] Anoint the secret parts with the cooling un­guent of Galen.

If the power of the seed bee extinguisht by cold▪ Take every morning two spoonfulls of cinnamon water with ℈i. of mithridate. ℞. Sirrup of calamint, mugwort, beto [...]y ana ℥i. water of penny royall, feverfew, hysope, sage ana ℥ii. make a julep. ℞. Oyle of anice seed ℈is. diacymini, di [...]c [...]l [...]minthe, diamosci, dia­galangae ana ʒi. sugar ℥iiii. with water of cinnamon make lozenge [...]: take of them ʒis. twice a day two houres before meales. East [...]n cupping-glasses to the hipps and bellie. ℞. of stira [...], calamint, ana ℥i. ma­sticke, cloves, cinnamon, nut­ [...]g, lig. aloes, frankincen [...] ana ℥s. muske gr. 10. amber­grise [Page 115] ℈s. with rose-water make a confection: divide it into foure equall parts; Of one part make a pomum odoratum to smell on, if shee bee not hystericall. Of the second, make a masse of pills, and let her take three every night. Of the third, make a pessa­rie, dippe it in oyle of spike­nard and put it up. Of the fourth make a suffumigation for the wombe. If the facul­ties of the wombe be weake­ned, and the life of the seed suffocated by over much hu­midity, flowing to those parts; ℞. Of betonie, marie­rom, mugwort, penny royall, bawme ana m.i. roots of asrum, fenell, ellecampane ana ʒii. anice seed cummin ana ʒi. with sugar and water. s. q. make a sirrup, take of ℥iii. every other [Page 116] morning. Purge with these pills following; ℞. Of digridion gr.ii. specierum dacastorei, ℈i. pil. faetid. ℈ii. with sirrup of mugwort make vi. pills ℞. spec. diagemmae, diamosci, diambrae, ana ʒi. cinnamon ʒis. mac [...], cloves, nutweg ana ʒs. sugar ℥vi. with water of feverfew make lozenges, to bee taken of e­very morning▪ Take of the deco­ction of sarsaparilla, and virga aurea, not forgetting sage; which Agrippa wondering at the operation of, hath ho­nour'd it with the name of a holy hearbe. Sacra ber­ba. And it is re­corded, that after so many of the Egiptians were dead, Heurnius methodus ad praxin. cap. 14. the surviving women that they might multiply the fa­ster, Read D [...] ­d [...]naeus hi­story of plants. lib. 2. cap. 77. were commanded to drinke the juce of sage. An­oynt the genitalls with oyle [Page 117] of aniceseed and spikenard. ℞. Of mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, [...]rax, amber ana ʒi. cloves, [...]dani ana ʒs. turpentine q s. [...]ke trochis [...]ks, to smother the [...]ombe. ℞. Of the roots of Va­ [...]rian, ellecampane, ana lb. i. [...]ulangale ℥ii. origan, laven­ [...]r, marjerom, betonie, mug­ [...]ort bay-leaves, calamint ana [...]. iii. with water make an [...]osession, in which she shall [...] after shee hath had her [...]ources.

If barrennesse proceeds [...]om drynesse consuming [...]e matter of the seed; Take very day of Almond milke, [...]d Goates milke extracted [...]ith hony. Eate often of [...]e roots Satyrion condited, [...]nd of the electuary diasaty­ [...]on. Take three weathers [...]ds, boyle them untill the [Page 118] flesh comes from the bones; then take of melilote, violets, chammomill▪ mercury, orchi [...], with their roots ana m.i. faen­grecke, li [...]es [...]ed, vale [...]an roots ana li.i. Let all these bee de­cocted in the foresaid broth, then let the woman fit in the decoction up to the navill. ℞. Of Decres suet ℥ [...]. Cowes marrom styracis liquid [...], ana ʒii. oyle of sweet almōds ℥ii. with silke cotton make a pessa­rie. Make injections only of fresh butter and oyle of sweet almonds.

If barrennesse bee caused by any proper affect of the wombe, the cure is set down in the foregoing chapters. Sometimes the woman pro­ves barren when there is no impediment of either side; except onely in the manner [Page 119] of the act: as when in the emission of the seed, the man is quicke and the wo­man too slow, whereby there is not a concurse of both seeds at the same in­stant, as the Petrus Bayr [...] prac [...]. lib. 3.15. cap. rules of con­ception require. Wherefore to take away this inconve­nience, Muller praeparari ac disponi debet molli complexu, lascivis verbis osculu lasciviora miscenda. If this doth not suffice; before the act of coi­tion, foment the private parts with the decoction of betony-sage, hysope, and cala­mint. Annoint the mouth and necke of the wombe with Muske and Civet.

The cause of barrennesse being removed, the wombe shall be corroborated as fol­lowes. ℞. Of bay berries, ma­sticke, [Page 120] Nutmegge Frankincense, Cypresse nuts, Ladani, Galbani, ana ʒi. Styracis liquid ℈ii. Cloves ℈s. Amber grise gr. ij. Muske gr. vi. with Oyle of Spiknard, make a pessary. ℞. of red Roses, Lapidis hemati­tis, white Frankincense ana ℥s. sang. draconis, fine bole, Masticke, ana ʒii. Nutmegge, Cloves ana ʒi. Spicknard ℈s. with oyle of Wormewood make a playster for the lower part of the belly. Let her eate often of E­ringo roots condited. Make an injection onely of the juce of the roots of Satyrion.

The aptest time for con­ception is instantly after the monthes be ceast, because then the wombe is thirsty and dry, Post purga­tionem sic­cior est vie­rus et semen avidius [...]abit. apt to draw the seed, and also to retaine it, by the roughnesse of the [Page 121] inward superficies. And besides, in some, the mouth of the wombe is turned unto the backe, Rhoderic. cast de natu­ra muliebri lib. 2. cap. 13. or side, and is not place right untill the last day of the courses.

Excesse in all things is to be avoyded; lay aside all passions of the minde. Shun study and care as adverse to conception; for if a wo­man doth conceive, the wise parents being other­wise addicted, of ten beget but foolish children, be­cause the animall faculties of the parents viz. The understanding and the rest (from whence the childe hath his reason ) are, as it were, confused through the multiplicity of cares and cogitations. Examples here­of we have in learned men, [Page 122] who after great study and care, instantly accompany­ing with their wives, often beget doting children. A hot, and moyst aire is most convenient, as appeares by the women in Aegypt, which usually bring forth three, or foure children at one time.

Cause

About the cause of this affect, amongst learned au­thours I finde variety of judgements. Avicenna 10 de ani­malibus et 21. tertij tract. 2. cap. 19. Some are of opinion, that if the womans seed goes into the wombe and not the mans, there­of is the mole produced. Others there be that affirme it is ingendred of the men­struous blood: Aristol. 4. de generati­one animali. cap. 7. but if these two were granted, Plinius lib. 10. cap. 64. then mayds by having their courses, or thorough no­cturnall polutions might be subject unto the same, Hippoc. 2. Epidem. which never any yet were. The true cause of this fleshy mole proceeds both from the man, Galenus 14. de usu par­tium. 17. and from the wo­man, [Page 125] from corrupt or bar­ren seed in the man, and from the menstruous blood in the woman both mixed together in the cavity of the wombe; where nature finding her selfe weake (yet desiring to maintaine the perpetuity of her species) labours to bring forth a vi­tious conception rather than none. and so instead of a living creature gene­rates a lumpe of flesh.

Signes.

The signes of a mole are these. The months are sup­prest, the appetite is depra­ved, the brests swell, and the belly is puffed up and waxeth hard. Thus farre the signes of a breeding woman, and of one that [Page 126] beareth a mole are all one. I will now shew you how they differ.

The first signe of diffe­rence is taken from the mo­tion of a mole; it may bee felt to move in the wombe before the third moneth, which the infant cannot: yet that motion is not to be understood of any intel­ligent power in the mole, but of the faculty of the wombe, and of the seminall spirits defused through the substance of the mole; for it lives not a life animall, but vegitative in the man­ner of a plant. Secondly, in a mole, the belly is sud­denly puft up; but in a true conception the belly is first retracted and then riseth againe by degrees. Thirdly, [Page 127] the belly being prest with the hand, the mole gives way, and the hand being taken a way it returnes to the place againe: But a child in the wombe, though prest with the hand, moves not presently, and being removed returnes slowly or not at all. Lastly, the childe continues in the wombe not above eleven moneths; but a mole continues some­times foure or five yeeres, more or lesse according as it is fastned in the matrice. I have knowne when a mole hath fallen away in the fourth or fifth moneth.

If it remaines untill the eleventh moneth, the leggs waxe feeble, and the whole body consumes; onely the swelling of the belly still [Page 128] increaseth, which makes some thinke they are hy­dropicall though there be little reason for it; for in the Dropsie the legges swell and grow bigge, but in a mole they consume, and wi­ther.

Prognostickes.

If at the delivery of a mole the Flux of blood bee great, it shewes the more danger; because the parts of nutrition having beene vitiated by the flowing back of the superfluous humors, whereby the naturall heate is consumed: and then par­ting with so much blood, the woeman thereby is so weakened in all her facul­ties, that she can hardly sub­sist.

Cure.

Wee are taught in the schoole of Hippocrates, Libro. 5. Aphorism. 31. that phlegbotomy causeth abor­tion, by taking away that nourishment, which should sustaine the life of the child. Wherefore, that this vitious conception may bee depri­ved of that vegetative sappe by which it lives; open the liver veyne, and then the saphena on both feet. Fa­sten Cupping-glasses to the loynes and sides of the bel­ly: which done, let the uterine parts be first molli­fied, and then expulsive faculty provoked to expell the burden.

To laxate the ligatures of the mole: ℞. Mallowes with the roots m.iij. Chammomile, [Page 130] Melilot, Pellitory of the wall, Violet leaves, Mercury, roots of Fenell, Parsly ana m.ij. Line­seed, Faengrecke, ana lb. i. boyle them in water and let her sit therein up to the navill. At the going out of the bath, annoynt the privities, and reines with this unguent following. ℞. oyle of Cham­momile, Lillie [...], and sweet Al­monds ana ℥i. fresh butter, Lab­dani, Ammoniaci, ana ℥s. with the Oyle of Lineseed, make an unguent. Or instead of this may be used [...]nguentum Agrippa or Dialtheae. ℞. of Mercury, roots of Althea, ana m. s. fol. Branchae Vrsinae m. s. Lineseed, Barley meale, ana ℥vi. boyle all these with water and honey, and make a playster. Make pessaries of the gumme Gal­banum bdellium, Ammoniacum [Page 131] Figgs, Hogges suer, and Honey.

After the ligaments of the mole are loosed; let the expulsive faculty be stir­red up to expell the mole, for effecting of which all medicaments may bee used which are proper to bring downe the courses. ℞. troch de myrrha ℥i. castor, aristolo­chia, Genti [...], dictam, ana ℥s. make a powder, like ʒi. in ℥iiij. of Mugwort water. ℞. of Hypericon, Calamint, Penny-royall, Betony, Hysope, Sage, Horebound Valerian, Madder, Sabine with water make a de­coction, take ℥iij. of it with ℥is. of Sirrupe of Feverfew. ℞. of Mugwort, Myrrh, Gen­tiane pil. coch. ana ℈iiij▪ Rue, Penny-royall, Saggapenum, O­popanax ana ʒs. assa foetida, [Page 132] Cinnamon, Iuniper berries, Bo­rage, ana ʒi. with the iuce of Sabine make pills to be taken of every morning. Make inses­sions of Hysope, Bay leaves, Assrum, Calamint, Bayber­ries, Chammomile, Mug­wort, Sabine. ℞. of Saga­penum, Marjerom, Gentiane, Sabine, Cloves, Nutmegge, Bay­berries, ana ℈ij. Galbanum ʒi. hierae picrae, blacke Hellebore, ana ℈i. with Turpentine make a pessary. But if these things prove not availeable; then must the mole bee drawne away with an instrument put up into wombe, called a Pes griphius; which may be done with no great danger, if it bee performed by a skilfull Chirurgeon.

After the delivery of the mole (by reason that the [Page 133] woman hath parted with much blood already) let the flux of blood bee stayed as fast as may bee.

Fasten Cupping-glasses to the shoulder, and ligatures to the armes. If these help not; open the liver-veine on the right arme.

The aire shall bee mode­rately hot and drie; and her diet such as doth mollify and attenuate, shee may drinke white wine.

Cause.

Vntimely birth may bee caused by cold; for as it maketh the fruit of the tree [Page 152] to wither and fall downe before it be ripe, so doth it nip the fruit of the wombe before it comes to full per­fection, and make it to be abortive. Sometimes by Hipoc. 5. Aphor. 45. humidity weakening the faculty that the fruit can­not be retain'd untill the due time: by drinesse or 5 Aphor. 44. emptinesse, defrauding the childe of his nourish­ment; by one of the three alvine 5 Aphor. 34. fluxes; by 5 Aphor. 30. phle­botomy and other evacua­tions; by 5 Aphor. 43. inflammations of the wombe, and by other 5 Aphor. 31. sharpe diseases. Some­times it is caused by joy, laughter, anger, and especi­ally by Gulenus 2. in 3. Epid. 8. feare; for in all, but in that especially, the heate forsakes the wombe and runnes to the heart, [Page 153] to helpe there, and so the cold strikes into matrice whereby the ligaments are relaxt, and abortion fol­lows. Wherefore Plato in his time, Libro 5. de legibus. commanded that the woemen should shunne all temptations of great joy and pleasure, and likewise avoyd all occasions of feare and griefe: Abortion also may bee caused by the cor­ruption of the ayre; by filthy odours, and especi­ally by the smell of the Aristot. 8. de historia animali. cap. 24. snuffe of a Candle, also by falls, blowes, violent exercise, leaping, dancing, &c.

Signes.

Signes of future aborti­on, are extenuation of the brests with a flux of watrish [Page 154] milke; payne in the womb; heavinesse in the head; un­accustomed wearinesse in the hippes, and thighes; flowing of the courses: Signes foretelling the fruit to bee dead in the wombe, are hollownesse of the eyes, griefe in the head, aguish horrours, palenesse of the face and lippes; gnawing of the stomacke; no moti­on of the infant; coldnesse and loosenesse of the mouth of the wombe; the thick­nesse of the belly which was above is fallen downe; wa­terish and bloody excre­ments comes from the ma­trice.

A regiment or rule for bree­ding women.

THe prevention of un­timely birth consists in the taking away of the fore­mentioned causes; which must bee effected both be­fore and after concep­tion.

Before conception, if the body bee ever hot, cold, dry or moyst correct it with the contraries; if cacochi­miall, purge it; if pletho­ricall, open the liver veine; if too grosse, extenuate it; if too leane, corroborate and nourish it; all diseases of the wombe must be removed as I have shewed.

After conception, let the ayre bee temperate: sleepe [Page 156] not overmuch: avoid watch­ing, exercise of body, pas­sions of the minde, loude clamours and filthy smells: sweet odours also are to be rejected of those that are histericall. Abstaine from all things which provoke eyther the urine or cour­ses; also from salt, sharpe, and windy meates: a mo­derate diet shall bee obser­ved.

If the excrements of the guts bee retayned, lenifie the belly with Clisters made of the decoction of Mal­lows, Violets with Sugar, and common Oyle; or make broth with Borage, Bug­losse, Beets, Mallows, taking in the same a little Manna. On the contrary; if she be troubled with loosenesse of [Page 157] the belly, let it not be stayed with out the judgment of a Phisitian; for all alvine Fluxes, have a maligne qua­lity in them, which must be evacuated before the Flux be stayed.

The cough is another ac­cident which accompaneth breeding women, and puts them into great danger of miscarrying, by a continu­all distillation falling from the brayne; to prevent which, shave away the haire on the coronall, and sagit­tall commissure, and apply there on this playster. ℞. Resinae, ℥s. Ladani ʒi. Citron pills, Ligni aloes, Olibani ana ℈i. Stiracis liquidae et siccae s.q. dissolve the gumes in Vine­ger, and make a playster. At night going to bed, let her [Page 158] take the fume of these tro­chickes cast upon the coales. ℞. of Frankincense, Stirax, powder of red roses, ana ʒis. Sandarachae ʒiij. Masticke, Benjamen, amber, ana ʒi. with Turpentine make trochis [...]kes. Apply a cautery to the nape of the necke: and every night let her take of these pills following. ℞. Hypoci­stidis, terrae sigillatae fine bole, ana ℥s. Bistort, Acatiae, Sti­racis Calamitae ana ʒij. Cloves ʒi. with sirrupe of Mirtles make pills.

In breeding women there is a corrupted matter gene­rated, which flowing to the ventricle dejecteth the ap­petite and causeth vomit­ting: and the stomacke be­ing weake, not able to di­gest this matter, sometime [Page 159] sends it unto the guts, wher­by is caused a flux of the bel­lie, which greatly stirreth up the faculty of the wombe. For the eschewing therfore of all these dangers, the sto­macke shall bee corrobora­ted as followeth.

℞. Ligni Aloes, Nutmeg ana ʒi. Mace, Cloves, Masticke, Ladanum ana ℈ii. Oyle of Spike ℥i. Muske gr. ii. Oyle of Ma­sticke, Quinces, Wormewood ana ℥s. make an ungvent for the stomacke, to be applied before meales. Insteed here­of may bee used Cerotum sto­mochale Galeni. ℞. of conserve of Borage Buglosse, Anthos ana ℥s. Confect. de Hyacintho, Le­mon pills condited▪ Specierum diamarg. pulv. de gemmis ana ʒii. Nutmeg, Diambrae ana ℈ii. Peonie roots, Diacoralli [Page 160] ana ʒi. with sirrup of roses make an electuarie of which shee shall take twice aday, two houres before meales. Another accident which perplexeth women with child, swelling of the leggs, which happens the first three months, by superflu­ous humours falling downe from the stomacke and li­ver; for the cure whereof. ℞. Of Oyle of roses ʒii. Salt, Vineger ana ʒi. shake them altogether untill the salt bee dissolved, and anoint the leggs hot therewith, chaf­fing it in with the hand. But purging is more proper if it may bee done without dan­ger, as it may in the fourth, fift and sixt month of Hippoc. 4. Aphor. preg­nation: for a child in the wombe is compared to an [Page 161] Apple on the tree. The first three months it is weak and tender, subject with the apple to fall away: but af­terwards the membranes be­ing strengthened, the fruit remaynes firmely fastened in the wombe, not apt to michances; and so it conti­nues, untill the seventh month; then growing neere the time of maturity, the li­gaments are againe relaxt (like unto the apple that is almost ripe) and grow loo­ser every day untill the time of delivery. If therefore her body hath need of purging, shee may purge without dāger in the 4, 5, or 6. month; but not before, nor after, unlesse in some sharp dis­eases in which the mother and child both are like to pe­rish. [Page 125] Apply plasters and un­guents to the reynes, to strengthen the fruit of the wombe. ℞. Of Gum arabeck, galangale, bistort, hypocistid sto­rax. ana ʒi. fine bole, nutmeg, masticke, balaust. sang. draco­nis, myrtle berries ana ʒis. wax and turpentine s.q. Make a plaster: apply it to the reines in the winter time; and remove it every fourteen daies, lest the reynes bee over hot therewith. In the interim anoint the privities and reynes with Vnguentum Comitissae. But if it bee sum­mer time, and the reynes hot, this plaster following is more proper. ℞. Of red roses p.i. Masticke. red sanders, ana ʒii; bole armenie, red co­rall, bistort, ana ʒi. Pomgra­nate pills, prepared coriander [Page 141] ana ʒiis. barberies ℈ii. Oyle of Masticke and quinces ana ℥i. juce of plantaine ʒii. with pitch make a plaster, anoint the reynes also with unguentum sandalinū. Once every week wash the reines with two parts of rose water and one part of white wine, ming­led together and warmed at the fire: this will asswage the heat of the reynes, and disperse the oyle of the pla­ster out of the pores of the skinne, and cause the oynt­ment or plaster the sooner to penetrate and strengthen the wombe. Some are of opinion that as long as the loadstone is layd to the na­vill it keepeth the woman from abortion. The like al­so is recorded of the stone Aetites being hanged about [Page 164] the necke. The same vertue hath the stone, Samius.

Thus briefly (as farre as modestie would give leave) I have runne through all dis­tempers of the matrice: God make my labour profitable; for healing commeth of the most High.