Of Conceptions: and signes distinguishing the sex in great bellied women, before they are delivered.

Pregnancy, according to Pliny: will we have a boy or a girl? Sounds like a boy...

IF tenne daies after that a woman hath had the companie of a man, she feele an extraordinarie ach in the head, and perceive giddinesse in the braine, seeming that all things went round; find a dazeling and mistinesse in the eies, abhorring and lothing of meat, and withall, a turning and wambling of the stomacke: it is a signe that she is conceived, and beginneth to breed. If she goe with a boy, better coloured will she be all the time, and delivered with more ease: and by the fortieth day she shall feele a kind of motion and stirring in her wombe. But contrariwise it falleth out in the breeding of a girle: shee goeth more heavily with it, and findeth the burden heavier, her legs and thighes about the share will swell a little. And ninetie daies it will be before she perceive any moving of the infant. But bee it male or female that shee breeds, they put her to much paine and greevance when their haire beginneth to bud forth, and ever at the full of the moone: and even the very infants after they are borne, are most amisse and farthest out of frame about that time. And verily, great regard must be had of a woman with child all the while that shee goeth therewith, both in her gate, and in every thing els that can be named. For if women feed usually upon over-salt and powdered meat, they will bring forth a child without nailes: and if they hold not their wind in their labour, longer it will be ere they be delivered, and with more difficultie. Much yawning in the time of travell is a deadly signe: like as to sneese presently upon conception, threateneth abortion, or a slip.