it, make it into a syrup with double its weight of sugar, and keep it all the year, to use when occasion calls for it; mugwort used in the same manner is also good in this case; also a drachm of cinnamon powder given inwardly profits much in this case; and so does tansey broiled and applied to the privities; or an oil of it, so, made and used, as you were taught before.  The stone aetites held to the privities, is of extraordinary virtue, and instantly draws away, both child and after-burden; but great care must be taken to remove it presently, or it will draw forth womb and all; for such is the magnetic virtue of this stone that both child and womb follow it as readily as iron doth the load-stone or the load-stone the north star.

There are many things that physicians affirm are good in this case; among which are an ass’s or horse’s hoof, hung near the privities; a piece of red coral hung near the said place.  A load-stone helps very much, held in the woman’s left hand; or the skin cut off a snake, girt about the middle, next to the skin.  These things are mentioned by Mizaldus, but setting those things aside, as not so certain, notwithstanding Mizaldus quotes them, the following prescriptions are very good to speedy deliverance to women in travail.

(1) A decoction of white wine made in savory, and drank.

(2) Take wild tansey, or silver weed, bruise it, and apply to the woman’s nostrils.

(3) Take date stones, and beat them to powder, and let her take half a drachm of them in white wine at a time.

(4) Take parsley and bruise it and press out the juice, and dip a linen cloth in it, and put it so dipped into the mouth of the womb; it will presently cause the child to come away, though it be dead, and it will bring away the after-burden.  Also the juice of the parsley is a thing of so great virtue (especially stone parsley) that being drank by a woman with child, it cleanseth not only the womb, but also the child in the womb, of all gross humours.

(5) A scruple of castorum in powder, in any convenient liquor, is very good to be taken in such a case, and so also is two or three drops of castorum in any convenient liquor; or eight or nine drops of spirits of myrrh given in any convenient liquor, gives speedy deliverance.

(6) Give a woman in such a case another woman’s milk to drink; it will cause speedy delivery, and almost without pain.

(7) The juice of leeks, being drunk with warm water, highly operates to cause speedy delivery.

(8) Take peony seeds and beat them into a powder, and mix the powder with oil, with which oil anoint the privities of the woman and child; it will give her deliverance speedily, and with less pain than can be imagined.

(9) Take a swallow’s nest and dissolve it in water, strain it, and drink it warm, it gives delivery with great speed and much ease.