this lie on for five or six hours, and then renew
it again when you see cause.

Great care ought to be taken at first, that if her body be very weak,
she be not kept too hot, for extremity of heat weakens nature and
dissolves the strength; and whether she be weak or strong, be sure that
no cold air comes near her at first; for cold is an enemy to the
spermatic parts; if it get into the womb it increases the after pains,
causes swelling in the womb and hurts the nerves. As to her diet, let it
be hot, and let her eat but little at a time. Let her avoid the light
for the first three days, and longer if she be weak, for her labour
weakens her eyes exceedingly, by a harmony between the womb and them.
Let her also avoid great noise, sadness and trouble of mind.

If the womb be foul, which may easily be perceived by the impurity of
the blood (which will then easily come away in clots or stinking, or if
you suspect any of the after-burden to be left behind, which may
sometimes happen), make her drink a feverfew, mugwort, pennyroyal and
mother of thyme, boiled in white wine and sweetened with sugar.

Panado and new laid eggs are the best meat for her at first, of which
she may eat often, but not too much at a time. And let her nurse use
cinnamon in all her meats and drinks, for it generally strengthens the
womb.

Let her stir as little as may be until after the fifth, sixth, or
seventh day after her delivery, if she be weak; and let her talk as
little as possible, for that weakens her very much.

If she goes not well to stool, give a clyster made only of the
decoction of mallows and a little brown sugar.

When she hath lain in a week or more, let her use such things as close
the womb, of which knot-grass and comfrey are very good, and to them you
may add a little polypodium, for it will do her good, both leaves and
root being bruised.

SECT. II.--_How to remedy those Accidents which a Lying-in Woman is
subject to._

I. The first common and usual accident that troubles women in their
lying-in is after-pains. They proceed from cold and wind contained in
the bowels, with which they are easily filled after labour, because then
they have more room to dilate than when the child was in the womb, by
which they were compressed; and also, because nourishment and matter,
contained as well in them as in the stomach, have been so confusedly
agitated from side to side during the pains of labour, by the throes
which always mu