ip^ The Statural Hijlory 
that therefore a mman muft needs be firft afFeded with her owil 
noxious humors) that he looktupon it as no better than a ridicu- 
lous error, as indeed I think I (liould have done my felf, but that 
I am otherwife perfwaded by fiber mm^ who well know how to 
diftinguifli the manner of the /^^w^^, and the circumftances of 
them ; Nor Hiould I have ventured to have made this relation, 
but that the j«>er/o;25 are living, and ready to juftiiie what 1 have, 
written to any ferfon fit to be difcours'd with about fuch matters \ 
but how they (liould come to pafs, is fo hard to determin, that 
I dare not yet attempt it, it being difficult not to err concerning 
fuch myfteries of Nature. 
5 . That vpomen may bring forth three at a birth appears evident- 
ly by the example of the Horatii, and Curiatii ; to whom may be 
added, though of unequal rank, the three children of a Taykr 
here in Oxford^ which he had all at a birth. But to go above 
that number fays Pliny is reputed and comm.oniy fpoken ofF as 
monfirou6^zn& to portend fome mif-hap : for confirmation where- ' 
of, he inftances in a Commoners wife of Ofiia^ who was delivered 
at one birth of two boys and two girls ; but this, fays he, was a 
moft prodigious token, and portended no doubt the famine that 
enfued foon after : /. e. It pleafed God to vilit thofe parts with 
famin about that time, there being no more dependence between 
the famimnd the preceding birth^ than there is between the ^r<7r5. 
Plagues^ and Famins^ that fomtimes follow Comets ; there ha- 
ving been (no queftion) as many of them^ to which nothing extra- 
ordinary has been fubfequent, as to which there has ; and fo of 
Births. 
6. Witnefs the four children brought all at a time by Elenor the 
wife of Henry Deven of Watlington^ An. 1675. fince which time 
we have yet lived (thanks be to God) in as great healthy peace and 
plenty^ under our good and gracious King^ as ever People did, 
which God of his mercy continue to us ; whom if we ferve infin- 
cerity, performing unto Him an honeft, faithful, and uniform o- 
bedience (though 'tis true our befl performances will be mixed 
with much of weaknefs, ignorance, frailties, and recidivations) 
we need never to fear the influence of any fuch accidents^ though 
they much exceed the ordinary courfe of nature. 
7. The Czme Pliny ^ informs us, that many men indeed have 
8 Nat. Hifi' lib. T-cap.-^. * mt. Bfi. Ub. 7. cap. 14. 
begotten 
