The Female Physician / Containing all the diseases incident to that sex, in virgins, wives, and widows; together with their causes and symptoms, their degrees of danger, and respective methods of prevention and cure: to which is added, the whole art of new improv'd midwifery; comprehending the necessary qualifications of a midwife, and particular directions for laying women, in all cases of difficult and preternatural births; together with the diet and regimen of both the mother and child.

by John Maubray

I know that they deny, with the Peripatetick Aristotle[^[255]], the Existence of the Muliebrian SEED. Nay, I farther know, that, this is not all, which they will object against; for the Four Galenick HUMOURS will be as hard to digest. But as I leave all Men to think and judge for themselves, without differing with any for dissenting from me in Opinion, so I know that Men of Probity and Ingenuity will allow me the same Privilege and act in a suitable Manner: Whereas I doubt not but some Momus, or Zoilus, or some Member of the Body of the Sophistical Sciolists will rise up, and pronounce me either altogether Ignorant, or an unjust Vilifier of the reigning Modern Opinions, by laying down some Authentick Positions of the Antients,

THIS cannot more certainly befall me, than I expect it; wherefore, I am not only in some measure upon my Guard; but also otherways resolved to hear, and even bear such Controversial Wranglings with Patience: Which I need think the less of doing, or suffering with Pleasure, considering the many Glorious Examples already set before my Eyes of Those who have deserved the greatest Applause, and the Best of Mankind in all Ages. To pass by some living MONUMENTS of Detraction, who are at this Day universally acknowledged to be Eminent and Excellent Men; have not some of the best Authors that ever wrote been unjustly scourged by the black Tongues, and even scandaliz’d by the Satyrick Pens, of their Cotemporaries? And are not the same Sufferers, I mean their Names and Memories immortaliz’d at this Time, through all Nations? Besides, in short, will they not continue to be so through out all succeeding Generations for their essential Helps and ingenious Discoveries in the Noble and Heavenly Art of Physick? Moreover, have we not too many Instances of This, to go no farther, in England, even too well known to require a Repetition?

HOW vain then would it be in me to hope to escape the Common Fate of all Writers in general? No, before ever I put Pen to Paper, I plainly foresaw, that, in this degenerate Age, no honest Man could safely subscribe to the genuine truth of Things, without suffering by publick Malice, under the Character of being reckon’d either an Ignorant or an obsolete Singularist.

HOWEVER, yet, as I would willingly avoid being ranked among litigious Disputants, so I have taken Care (if it be possible) to mitigate the Censure, by not insisting too stiffly upon any Topick, which may be suppos’d to tend more to curious Speculation, than to real Practice in our Art: Neither have I set off any Hypothesis with recommendatory Glosses, nor other fine Embellishments, serving more for Ornament than Use.

BUT that I may not seem at last altogether to give up, what I have been advancing, however in modest Terms and upon authentick Authorities, I ingenuously answer and confess, that, I have in diverse respects and in sundry places in this Book, spoke my Mind freely, and impartially, however without Prejudice, and that sometimes also contrary to the Opinions of many famous Writers in Vogue, as well Ancient as Modern; by which means, I may perhaps have disgusted some, otherways, most Judicious Readers: However, considering the different Grounds upon which Men commonly form their Judgment of Authors, if I have but the Happiness to please in some Things, I have all that I am ambitious of.

WHEREFORE, as it was neither for Applause nor Reputation-sake, but merely for the Common Good of Mankind, that I undertook to write modestly, so I resolved at the Beginning, that, neither Malice nor Envy should deter me from publishing what is True, and, to my certain Knowledge, confirmed by Experience. I have carefully perus’d other Men’s Works, Moderns as well as Ancients, to gain the Knowledge and discover the Truth of Things, and I gratefully acknowledge what Benefit soever I have reaped from them, whose Names I am not asham’d to affix to this Book, by the Help of their elaborate and ingenious Writings: Desiring thereby to convince the Revolver, that I neither reject the hard Labours of the Ancients, nor despise the laudable Endeavours of the Moderns, much less would I be thought to decry or find Fault with any particular Performance; especially considering that I meet with none so empty, but that I get something by, which I emprove to my own Advantage.

BUT as far as I have found them mistaken, since Mortal Eyes cannot see beyond their Horizon, nor the best of Men exceed the natural Limits of human Frailty, I have thought it my Duty to forewarn Posterity of their Mistakes, not only according to the laudable Custom of the Ancients, but also according to my plain Notion of the genuine Nature or true Charity; which I think consists not in contemning, detracting and calumniating one another, but rather in cleansing Sciences from the Dross of Errors, that so the Right Way may be pav’d to our Successors by a continued Series of Time, which may be effectually done by Many, that cannot possibly be accomplished by One; because of the Brevity of Life.

UPON the whole, it is most certain that Truth is known but of a few; whereas false Opinions go current in the Stream with the rest of the World: Nay, Truth scarce yet ever carried it by Vote in any respect, insomuch, that the most evident Testimonies of Sense, too often yield place to imbib’d Opinions, and Men blindly reject the manifest Evidence of their own Faculties, by which Truth in many Cases is only to be discover’d: And indeed I know how hard it is otherways to enquire exactly into the common Truth of Things, so as to give a Satisfactory Demonstration, or a general Satisfaction to All: Which notwithstanding, I verily believe that the Sons of Art, who know the Principles and Power of Nature, and understand her various Operations upon all Bodies, by the means of her inferiour Agents, the four ELEMENTS; and such as have attain’d any competent Knowledge in the SPAGYRICK ANATOMY of Things, especially of Fluids, Water, Wine, &c. will be at no great Loss to conceive the Probability of both the one and the other above-mentioned Hypothesis.

ACCEPT then, in fine, Benevolent Reader, This short and plain Performance of Physick and Midwifery; which, if it should not happily answer to your Expectation, I would fain have you believe, that it will far less correspond with my Wish. If then any Thing be found useful or acceptable in it, you are to ascribe that to God, the Author of all Wisdom; you may impute what is otherways perform’d, to Man’s Understanding and Practice blessed by God: Therefore being every where mindful of Humanity, read, revolve, enjoy, and correct; reflecting in the Interim, not so much upon the little that I have done, as upon that which others have not hitherto perform’d concerning the same Subject.

I could with Pleasure have continued The Performance, and, according to my Design at the Beginning, have added two SECTIONS more, viz. One upon the Symptoms and Diseases of the Womb and the Passages; the other upon the various Symptoms or Accidents, relating to the MENSTRUOUS and other Uterine Fluxes: But as the Work has already by far exceeded the Limits, which I design’d it at first, I shall here for the present Time fix my Pen.