little over warm
embers, continually stirring it until it be mixed, and then spread on a
fine cloth; it must be applied very warm to the bearing place for five
or six hours, and when it is taken away, lay some fine rags, dipped in
oil of St. John's wort twice or thrice a day; also foment the parts with
barley water and honey of roses, to cleanse them from the excrements
which pass. When the woman makes water, let them be defended with fine
rags, and thereby hinder the urine from causing smart or pain.

VI. The curding and clotting of the milk is another accident that
happens to women in child-bed, for in the beginning of child-bed, the
woman's milk is not purified because of the great commotions her body
suffered during her labour, which affected all the parts, and it is then
affected with many humours. Now this clotting of the milk does, for the
most part, proceed from the breasts not being fully drawn, and that,
either because she has too much milk, and that the infant is too small
and weak to suck it all, or because she doth not desire to be a nurse,
for the milk in those cases remaining in the breasts after concoction,
without being drawn, loses its sweetness and the balsamic qualities it
had, and by reason of the heat it requires, and the too long stay it
makes there, is sours, curds and clots, in like manner as we see rennet
put into ordinary milk to turn it into curds. The curding of the milk
may also be caused by having taken a great cold, and not keeping the
breasts well covered.

But from what cause so ever this curding of the milk proceeds, the most
certain remedy is, to draw the breasts until it is emitted and dried.
But in regard that the infant by reason of weakness, cannot draw
strength enough, the woman being hard marked when her milk is curded, it
will be most proper to get another woman to draw her breasts until the
milk comes freely, and then she may give her child suck. And that she
may not afterwards be troubled with a surplus of milk, she must eat such
diet as give but little nourishment, and keep her body open.

But if the case be such that the woman neither can nor will be a nurse,
it is necessary to apply other remedies for the curing of this
distemper; for then it will be best not to draw the breasts, for that
will be the way to bring more milk into them. For which purpose it will
be necessary to empty the body by bleeding the arms, besides which, let
the humours be drawn down by strong clys