om of the cavity; from thence
proceed the terms in ripe virgins, and the blood which nourisheth the
embryo in breeding women. The branches which issue from the spermatic
vessels, are inserted on each side of the bottom of the womb, and are
much less than those which proceed from the hypogastrics, those being
greater and bedewing the whole substance of it. There are some other
small vessels, which arising the one from the other are conducted to the
internal orifice, and by these, those that are pregnant purge away the
superfluity of the terms when they happen to have more than is used in
the nourishment of the infant: by which means nature has taken so much
care of the womb, that during pregnancy it shall not be obliged to open
itself for passing away those excrementitious humours, which, should it
be forced to do, might often endanger abortion.

As touching the nerves, they proceed from the brain, which furnishes all
the inner parts of the lower belly in them, which is the true reason it
hath so great a sympathy with the stomach, which is likewise very
considerably furnished from the same part; so that the womb cannot be
afflicted with any pain, but that the stomach is immediately sensible
thereof, which is the cause of those loathings or frequent vomitings
which happen to it.

But beside all these parts which compose the womb, it has yet four
ligaments, whose office it is, to keep it firm in its place, and prevent
its constant agitation, by the continual motion of the intestines which
surround it, two of which are above and two below. Those above are
called the broad ligaments, because of their broad and membranous
figure, and are nothing else but the production of the peritoneum which
growing out of the sides of the loins towards the veins come to be
inserted in the sides of the bottom of the womb, to hinder the body from
bearing too much on the neck, and so from suffering a precipitation as
will sometimes happen when the ligaments are too much relaxed; and do
also contain the testicles, and as well, safely conduct the different
vessels, as the ejaculatories, to the womb. The lowermost are called
round ligaments, taking their origin from the side of the womb near the
horn, from whence they pass the groin, together with the production of
the peritoneum, which accompanies them through the rings of the oblique
and transverse muscles of the belly, by which they divide themselves
into many little branches resembling the f