crement only with respect to its quantity; for as to its
quality, it is as pure and incorrupt as any blood in the veins; and this
appears from the final cause of it, which is the propagation and
conservation of mankind, and also from the generation of it, being
superfluity of the last aliment of the fleshy parts. If any ask, if the
menses be not of hurtful quality, how can they cause such venomous
effects; if they fall upon trees and herbs, they make the one barren
and mortify the other: I answer, this malignity is contracted in the
womb, for the woman, wanting native heat to digest the superfluity,
sends it to the matrix, where seating itself till the mouth of the womb
be dilated, it becomes corrupt and mortified; which may easily be,
considering the heat and moistness of the place; and so this blood being
out of its proper vessels, offends in quality.

SECT. II.--_Of the Terms coming out of order, either before or after the
usual Time._

Having, in the former part of this work, treated, of the suppression and
overflowing of the monthly terms, I shall content myself with referring
the reader thereto, and proceed to speak of their coming out of order,
either before or after the usual time.

Both these proceed from an ill constitution of body. Everything is
beautiful in its order, in nature as well as in morality; and if the
order of nature be broken, it shows the body to be out of order. Of each
of these effects briefly.

When the monthly courses come before their time, showing a depraved
excretion, and flowing sometimes twice a month, the cause is in the
blood, which stirs up the expulsive faculty of the womb, or else in the
whole body, and is frequently occasioned by the person's diet, which
increases the blood too much, making it too sharp or too hot. If the
retentive faculty of the womb be weak, and the expulsive faculty strong,
and of a quick sense, it brings them forth the sooner. Sometimes they
flow sooner by reason of a fall, stroke or some violent passion, which
the parties themselves can best relate. If it be from heat, thin and
sharp humours, it is known by the distemper of the whole body. The
looseness of the vessels and the weakness of the retentive faculty, is
known from a moist and loose habit of the body. It is more troublesome
than dangerous, but hinders conception, and therefore the cure is
necessary for all, but especially such as desire children. If it
proceeds from a sharp blood, let her tem