Plinies Maturall Hfftorie. 



A iii^>nths afcei" the death of the teftator : the reafon was^ becaule there is no definite time kddwne 

 noriet downs for women to goe with child; 



Chap* vi. 



of Conce^tms i and jigm dlfimguijhingthe fex in great hdliedwo- 

 nn^jbeforeihcy are delivered, 



IF tcnne daies; after that a woman hath had the coiiipahie of a man^ flie feelc an estradrdinarie 

 ach'in the headland perceive giddinefle in thebraine/eeming that all things went roimdvfind 

 adazelingandmiflinefle iii iheeies, abhorring andlothingof meat^ and withall, a turning 

 B and wambling of the ftomacke:it is a iigne thatfhc is conceivedjand beginiieth^o breed. If fhe 

 goe with a boy /better coloured will fhc be all the timCjand delivered with more eafe : and by the 

 fortieth day fhe fliall feele a kind of motion and ftirring in her wombcBut contrariwife it faileth 

 out in the breeding of a girle : fhee goeth more heavily with it, and findeth the burden heavier^ 

 her legs and thighcs about the fhare will fwell a little. And ninctie daies it will be before n:iee per- 

 ceive any moving of the infant. But bee it male orfemale that (bee breeds^they put her to much 

 paineand greevance when their haircbeginncth tobudforth^and ever at the full of the moones 

 and even the very infants afterthcy are bornej are moll amifTc and farthefl out of frame about 

 that time. And verily, great regard mufl be had of a woman with child all the while that (bee go- 

 eth therewith.both in her gate^and i^i every thin g els that can be named. For if women feed ufu- 

 Q ally upon over.faltand powdered meat.they will bring forth a child without nailes : and if they 

 hold not their wind in their labour^Iongcr it will be ere they be dcliveiedjand with more difficul- 

 tie.!Vluch yawningin the time of travell is a deadly fignerlike as to fneefe prefently upon concep- 

 tion^threaceneth abortion.or a flip. 



Chap. yii. 



^ of the concepion Andgener.iUon of wAfii 



I Am abafhed muchjand very forrie to think and confider what a poore and ticklirn beginning 

 iiian hath, theprowdeft creature of allothersi whenthefmeilonelyof thefnuiicof acandle^: 

 D put outjis the caufe oftentimes that a woman fallsth into untimely travell. And yet fee, tliefs 

 great tyrahts,and fuch as delight onely in carnage & bloudilieadjhave no betrer originall.Thon 

 then that prefumcfl upon thy bodily ilrength^thou that ibndeft fo much upon fortunes favors 

 and haft thy hands full of her bountiful gif[s,taking thy felie not to bea fofter child and nource- 

 ling of hers,but her natutall fonne born of her own bodie : thou,! fay,thai bufieil; thy head ever- 

 more, and fetteft thy mind upon conquers and viiflories : thou that art upon every good fuc- 

 cefiTe and pleafant gale of profperitie puffed up with pride, and takeft thy fdfe for a god^ never 

 thinkeft that thy lite, when it was hung upon fo (ingle a thred, with fo fmall a matter niiglit have 

 mifcaried.Nay more than thatjeven at this day in more daunger art thou than fo,if thou chance 

 to be but fiung or bitten with the litde tooth of a ferpent : or if no more but the very kernell of a 

 E raifui goe downe thy throte wrong,asit did with the poet Ancicrcon^whxch. coff him his life. Or, 

 as Fabius a Senatour of Rome,and lord cheefe juftice befides, who in a draught of milke fortu- 

 ned to fwallow a finail haire,and was ft tangled withall.Well thenjthink better of tliis point. For 

 he verily that will evermore let before his eies and remember the' frailetie of mans eftate, iliaM, 

 live in this world uprightly and in even ballancejvsithout enclining more to one fide jthan unto 

 another. 



Chap. VIII, 

 of th&fe that he called Jgrt^ftC 



F I '9 with the feet forward,is unnaturall and unkind. And fuch ascome in that 6xizt 



^ into the worid,the Latines were wont to name AgrippjE,as if a man fhould layjBorn hardly 

 and with much adoe. And in this manner (as they fay) came forth of his mo- 



thers wombe : the only man almoft that is knowne to have brought any good fortune with himj 

 and proipered in the world^of all that ever were ia that fort borne. And yet as happie as bee was, 



P ij and 



