had hard labour, rather than a man-midwife should be sent
for, undertook to deliver the woman herself (though told it was a man's
business), and in her attempting it, brought away the child, but left
the head in the mother's womb; and had not a man midwife been presently
sent for, the mother had lost her life as well as the child; such
persons may rather be termed butchers than midwives. But supposing the
woman's labour to be natural, I will next show what the midwife ought to
do, in order of her delivery.

* * * * *

CHAPTER V

_Of Natural Labour; What it is and what the Midwife is to do in
such Labour._

SECTION I.--_What Natural Labour is._

There are four things which denominate a woman's natural labour; the
first is, that it be at the full time, for if a woman comes before her
time, it cannot be termed natural labour, neither will it be so easy as
though she had completed her nine months. The second thing is, that it
be speedy, and without any ill accident; for when the time of her birth
come, nature is not dilatory in the bringing it forth, without some ill
accident intervene, which renders it unnatural.

The third is, that the child be alive; for all will grant, that the
being delivered of a dead child is very unnatural. The fourth is, that
the child come right, for if the position of the child in the womb be
contrary to that which is natural, the event will prove it so, by making
that which should be a time of life, the death both of the mother and
the child.

Having thus told you what I mean by natural labour, I shall next show
how the midwife is to proceed therein, in order to the woman's
delivery. When all the foregoing requisites concur, and after the
waters be broken of themselves, let there rather a quilt be laid upon
the pallet bedstead than a feather bed, having there-on linen and cloths
in many folds, with such other things as are necessary, and that may be
changed according to the exigency requiring it, so that the woman may
not be incommoded with the blood, waters and other filth which are
voided in labour. The bed ought to be ordered, that the woman being
ready to be delivered, should lie on her back upon it, having her body
in a convenient posture; this is, her head and breast a little raised,
so that she may be between lying and sitting, for being so placed, she
is best capable of breathing, and, likewise, will have more strength to
bear he