and smooth the passage
that its inward orifice may be the more easily dilated when there is
occasion; which beginning to open at this time, suffers that slime to
flow away, which proceeds from the Glandules called _prostata_. These
are signs preceding the labour; but when she is presently falling into
labour, the signs are, great pains about the region of the reins and
loins, which coming and retreating by intervals, are answered in the
bottom of the belly by congruous throes, and sometimes the face is red
and inflamed, the blood being much heated by the endeavours a woman
makes to bring forth her child; and likewise, because during these
strong throes her respiration is intercepted, which causes the blood to
have recourse to her face; also her privy parts are swelled by the
infant's head lying in the birth, which, by often thrusting, causes
those parts to descend outwards. She is much subject to vomiting, which
is a good sign of good labour and speedy delivery, though by ignorant
people thought otherwise; for good pains are thereby excited and
redoubled; which vomiting is excited by the sympathy there is between
the womb and the stomach. Also, when the birth is near, women are
troubled with a trembling in the thighs and legs, not with cold, like
the beginning of an ague fit, but with the heat of the whole body,
though it must be granted, this does not happen always. Also, if the
humours which then flow from the womb are discoloured with the blood,
which the midwives call _shows_, it is an infallible mark of the birth
being near. And if then the midwife puts up her fingers into the neck of
the womb, she will find the inner orifice dilated; at the opening of
which the membranes of the infant, containing the waters, present
themselves and are strongly forced down with each pain she hath; at
which time one may perceive them sometimes to resist, and then again
press forward the finger, being more or less hard and extended,
according as the pains are stronger or weaker. These membranes, with the
waters in them, when they are before the head of the child, midwives
call _the gathering of the waters_, resemble to the touch of the fingers
those eggs which have no shell, but are covered only with a simple
membrane. After this, the pains still redoubling the membranes are
broken by a strong impulsation of these waters, which flow away, and
then the head of the infant is presently felt naked, and presents
itself at the inward orifi