Tractus de Hermaphrodites Part 2

The Bride and Bridegroom, and all the Company, were as merry as was possible, and after Supper, Directions were given by the Parson for preparing the Beds; but before the usual Time of retiring to Rest, his Brother coming accidentally from _Bonona_, there arose some Difficulty with the Parson in the disposal of his Guests, he having no more Beds than two at liberty: At last they agreed that _Diana_ should lye with the Parson's Wife, who was a very handsom Woman, and the Parson and his Brother were to pig together, whereby there would be a Bed at the Service of the Bride and Bridegroom. Several Bottles of _Champaign_ and _Burgundy_, and of fine _Italian_ Wines being drank, the Bride and Bridegroom were put to Bed with a great deal of Solemnity; afterwards _Diana_ and the Parson's Wife were lighted to their Apartment, and he and his Brother repair'd to theirs.

_Diana_ observing the Parson's Wife to be a beautiful Woman, particularly as she undress'd her self, had a very strong Inclination for her usual Sportings; and in order to carry on an Intrigue with safety, she softly bolted the Chamber Door, which being done, they both went to Bed, the Parson's Wife putting out the Candle. They had not been long in Bed before _Diana_ began to kiss the Parson's Wife with Freedom, but she not suspecting any thing farther, and supposing it might proceed more from Wine than any thing else was pretty easy, 'till at last _Diana_ threw her self upon her, and began an Adventure, very displeasing, which surpriz'd her to that degree, that she cried out vehemently.

The Family, which had not been long at rest, alarm'd at this unseasonable Noise, arose; the Parson came to his Wife's Chamber Door, and finding it bolted within, he call'd to her to know the occasion of this Disturbance; she answer'd, "That she had a Man or a Monster in Bed with her, one that was then violating her Person." The Parson supposing this to be a Design to Cuckold him, order'd his Servants to break open the Chamber Door, which being instantly effected, he rescu'd his Wife from the Power of _Diana_. After this he seiz'd _Diana_, and upon Examination, finding her to be an Hermaphrodite, having the Members of both s.e.xes, he order'd his Servants to carry her to the Garret, and tye her hands and Legs together, and then to put her into the Bed of the Maid-Servant. This being done, the Parson went to Bed again, as did likewise his Wife, and the Family was at rest the whole Night; and the Noise, though it was great, did not disturb the Bride and Bridegroom after their Enjoyments of Wine and Love.

The next Morning the Parson arose early, and going to the Bride and Bridegroom, acquainted them with what had happen'd relating to his Wife and _Diana_, who expressing a very great Concern, and withal protesting, that the Injury was offer'd without the least Design on their Parts, the Parson was reconcil'd to them, but turn'd _Diana_ out of Door with the Indignity she deserv'd. _Diana_ immediately return'd to _Urbino_, as did likewise the Bride and Bridegroom some Hours after, having first made the Parson a Present of a Purse of Gold for his Service and very great Civility.

It was not long after this, that _Isabella_ walking in the Streets of _Urbino_, in the close of the Evening, a Foreign Count, of luscious Inclinations pa.s.sing by her, gave her an amorous Look, and addressing her with a great deal of Complaisance, she seem'd for his Purpose, and indeed she long'd for a pleasing Variety, having met with no uncommon Adventure for a considerable Time.

The Count observing her inclin'd to Pleasure, invited her to his House, which she at first rejected, but after a great deal of Intreaty and Persuasion she condescended, not rightly apprehending the Consequence, with a Gentleman that was a perfect Stranger to her. When they were arriv'd at the House of the Count _Isabella_ was handed through several Rooms of State to an Anti-Chamber, where he was desir'd to sit down, the Count calling for his Servants to prepare a costly Supper; while the Supper was dressing, he kiss'd and dally'd with _Isabella_, but she was unexpectedly shy, behaving her self with a great deal of gravity; at length the Supper was brought, consisting of Fish, Fowl, Ragooes, Soops, &c. dress'd to the heighth of the Mode; they both eat heartily and drank very freely of n.o.ble Wines. After the Supper was over, the Count renew'd his Addresses to _Isabella_, who seem'd a little more compliable, but would not allow him the Fredom he desir'd, which had the usual Consequences of encreasing his Inclinations: It growing late, he carry'd her, to his Chamber, where after some Time, she, was oblig'd to go to Bed with him.

The Count, after he was in Bed, being inspir'd with Love, began the amorous Adventure with _Isabella_, before he had thoroughly examin'd the Secrets of Nature; and after a short s.p.a.ce, finding an Uneasiness in his amorous Struggles, he put down his Hand to discover what it was, and feeling something like the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es of a Man, he rose from her in the greatest Confusion, and calling to his Servant for a Candle, in his pa.s.sion he pull'd out a sharp Pen-knife and cut off the external Members of _Isabella_, highly resenting the Affront, and very much displeas'd with himself, that he should embrace a Monster. _Isabella_ made a hideous Outcry, which disturb'd the whole Neighbourhood, but the Count sending for an experienc'd Surgeon, to prevent the Effusion of too great a Quant.i.ty of Blood, it issuing out with great violence, kept her at his House all Night, and sent her the next Morning in a Chair to her Companion.

_Isabella_ was a considerable Time before she recover'd of this great Wound, but at length growing well, and _Diana_ having very much suffer'd by her extravagant Frolicks, they liv'd together as Man and Wife (being now better qualified for it) a considerable s.p.a.ce, 'till on a Time they had a very great Quarrel, which occasion'd a Separation; and _Diana_ reviving her former Diversions, met at last with the same Fate as _Isabella_, her masculine Instrument being likewise sever'd from her Privities, after which, both of them liv'd to be harmless old Women.

These Intrigues being very remarkable, I thought fit to insert them for the Entertainment of the curious Reader; I now proceed to the Nature and Generation of Hermaphrodites.

_Of the material Cause and Generation of_ Hermaphrodites

There are several Reasons a.s.sign'd by Naturalists for the Cause and Production of Hermaphrodites. Some are of Opinion that Hermaphrodites are form'd whilst the Terms are upon Women, which being always impure, they can produce nothing but Monsters; but to this it may be answer'd, that when Children are conceived during the Sowing of the Terms, there is a greater probability of their being born with the Itch, or other s...o...b..tick Distempers, than of their being Hermaphrodites.

Others believe, that the Man and the Woman having equally contributed to Generation, the forming Power which endeavours to render the Matter whereon it works like unto those it came from, imprints the Characters of Man and Woman upon it: And that some have been able to engender in a double Capacity, as to have a Child with one Breast resembling that of a Woman, and the other that of a Man; but this Opinion is very fabulous, for the uniting Faculty, which is the Effect of the Soul, is not capable of making such very great Differences; and Generation being accomplish'd, thro' the Fermentation of the Seed only, it cannot separate their Actions after they are mix'd.

Some Naturalists tell us, that where Nature design'd Seed in the Womb for a Male only, (as working up for the best, and aiming at the highest Perfection of its Workmanship) too much Cold and Moisture accidentally falling into the Work, before it is perfected in the Womb, at the same time there being too great a quant.i.ty of Seed and menstrous Blood, what was intended for Man in part degenerates, and renders the Infant of a double s.e.x or Nature, placing it in the middle of both s.e.xes, as seeming to partic.i.p.ate of Male and Female.

Others say. That Nature having always a particular care of the Propagation of Mankind, endeavours for the most part to produce Females: And thus we may observe, the Number of Men Hermaphrodites to exceed the Women ones, Nature having chalk'd out to the first the Lines of a Woman's privy Parts. To this Opinion it is objected, that Nature being nothing but the Power of G.o.d in the production of Creatures, it never works but according to his Orders upon the Matter that is given the Female; and of consequence Hermaphrodites depend more upon the Disposition of the Matter for Generation, than upon any previous Design of Nature.

Some are of Opinion, that G.o.d having created Man and Woman, we have essentially within us a Faculty to become either the one s.e.x or the other; for which Reason it is no wonder if an Hermaphrodite is sometimes produc'd, since we are potentially so. This Notion is drawn from _Plato_; and though some part of the Scripture may at first seem to favour it, yet, strictly consider'd, one may find a quite different Sense; and this Opinion was condemn'd by Pope _Innocent_ III.

The Ancients were of Opinion, that there is a certain Cell in the Womb of some Women, into which the Seed falling, when _Mercury_ and _Venus_, or _Mercury_ and _Luna_ are in Conjunction, an Hermaphrodite is engender'd; or that the Conjunction of _Mars_ and _Venus_ disposes the Matter that serves for the forming of the Child so confusedly in the Mother's Womb, that it becomes the Cause of the Birth of an Hermaphrodite. In answer to this, those Planets are too remote from us to be the proximate Causes, and to have an absolute Influence on the Body of the Child that is forming in its Mother's Womb; and admitting such a Conjunction might cause a Deformity, it would not appear however in two Hermaphrodites born at different Seasons: But in _Turkey_, and other Eastern Countries, where these Planets have the greatest Influence, Hermaphrodites are more numerous than in the Western Parts of the World, and they are oblig'd to go in different Habits from other People (_viz_. with Cloaths partly belonging to Men and partly Women) to prevent their lying with any; and if they go without these Habits they are punish'd severely.

These are the various Opinions of curious Naturalists; but to proceed to other Particulars which are more probable, we must more nicely examine the Nature of the Seed to find out the cause of the Confusion of s.e.xes.

The Seed is for the most part indifferent as to the two s.e.xes, and if it happens to meet with a Ball or Egg in the Horns of the Womb that is full of Spirits, and includes a hot, dry, and close Matter, it will impregnate so as to produce a Boy; but if the Seed meets with a Ball or Egg, not hot nor dry or fill'd with Spirits, tho' it will animate it, yet 'tis with less strength, so as a Girl will be produc'd. And if the Matter contain'd in another Ball, is exactly temper'd in its Quant.i.ties, and equal in its parts, so as there is no Predominancy, the Seed of the Man by its superior Power will determine this matter for a Boy or a Girl: But if a Man's Seed dispos'd to determine the temperate Seed of a Woman to one of the two s.e.xes has not a sufficient quant.i.ty of Spirits to effect it, and the Seed of the Woman prevails for the contrary s.e.x, then an Hermaphrodite is form'd, who has relation to one and the other according to the different Endeavours of the animated Seed of the Man or Woman.

The Intelligence whose Business it is to compose the little Body of Hermaphrodites, is very much disturb'd to meet with a Matter that is intractable for the regular forming of the Genital Parts. On one side the Matter is moist and loose, on the other close and dry; here 'tis hot and there 'tis cold. This Matter is so different and consists of such rebellious Particles, that 'tis impossible to manage it, and the quant.i.ty of Matter is so small that it is dest.i.tute of Heat, without which the Intelligence cannot perfectly form all parts of the Body. If the Matter turns to a Male, he will be too dull and too cold to Engender, and will be imperfect in his privy Parts; if it proves a Female, she will in time be of too hot and dry a Nature, and will be Deficient of Organs for the Seed and menstruous Blood, in order to Form and Nourish a Child.

This Intelligence, or the immortal Soul that works from the Beginning, in all probability about the thirty fifth Day begins to be employ'd in making the privy Parts of a Boy, for which purpose it lays hold on the Matter at first Elected for that end, and which it put in the first place, where the privy Parts ought to be. This being done, it works continually, but wanting Matter to perfect the privy Parts, it borrows of the Neighbouring Parts, chusing rather to render others Disfigur'd, than to be wanting in the compleat Forming of the Parts that must serve for Generation.

But when there is not Matter enough to Form the genital Parts of a Boy, the oeconomy of the Intelligence Husbands it and places and disposes all things so well for the perfect forming of the Parts that 'tis not to be express'd, but the situation is inward, as wanting Heat and Strength of Matter to push them out, after this the Intelligence proceeds in the Forming of the privy Parts of those Hermaphrodites who are counted Girls, but are really Boys. These seem to Change s.e.xes, and in time come to be Men, and Marry, and get Children. The natural and genital Heat increasing daily, pushes out the privy Parts about the Age of fifteen, twenty, or twenty five, 'till which time they lie hidden. These must be at full Age before they are able to Caress a Woman; and where after the coming out or the privy Parts they Copulate, it will be a hard matter for them to Engender, being in their Nature Cold.

As the Intelligence wants Matter for the Forming of the privy Parts of the three first sorts of Hermaphrodites, so there is more than there is occasion for in the fourth. About the forty fifth Day, the Intelligence being at a loss how to place the Matter it has receiv'd for the Amorous Parts, determines at last to make the _Clotoris_ bigger and longer than ordinary, and to leave to the inward genital Parts of a Girl a natural Figure, that they may one Day serve for Generation. These sorts of Hermaphrodites as I have already observ'd, have frequently pa.s.s'd for Men, being in reality nothing but Women.

But in short, the Intelligence must accomplish its Work, of what Matter soever it be; it begins to work, and will without doubt make Parts in some measure determin'd to either s.e.x, provided the matter be not so unequal, and of such a different Complexion as to make it impossible to effect it, when it Forms an Hermaphrodite, and sometimes a Monster that is neither Man nor Woman, as having no privy Parts, either of the one or the other.

_Of unnatural Births; Monsters, and extraordinary Conceptions._

Hermaphrodites being Monsters in Nature, it is no more than what may be reasonably expected that my Account of their Generation, should be follow'd with some very extraordinary unnatural Births, monstrous Productions of another Kind, and wonderful Conceptions.

The Heathen Philosophers, were so prejudic'd to the Opinion of Woman's being an imperfect Animal, (alledging that Nature always propos'd to herself the Generation of Males as being the most accomplish'd piece of Workmanship;) that they look'd upon Woman as a Monster in Nature; but the Scriptures teach us, that Man and Woman are equally perfect in their Kind, and Nature cannot be suppos'd to produce more Monsters than perfect Beings, which must be the Case, if this Opinion were allow'd, Women being more numerous than the Men.

Monsters are deprav'd Conceptions, defin'd by the Ancients to be excursions of Nature, and are always Vicious, either in Figure, Situation, Magnitude, or Number. When they bear the resemblance of a Beast, they are said to be vicious in Figure; when the Parts are disproportion'd, as that one Part is too big for the other; (which is a thing very common by reason of some Excrescence) they are vicious in Magnitude; if the Ears were on the Face, or the Eyes on the Breast, &c.

as was seen in a Monster born at _Revanna_ in _Italy_, in the Year 1570, They are vicious in Situation, and when having two Heads or four Hands, and two Bodies join'd, as had a Monster born at _Zarzara_ in the Year 1540, they are vicious in Number.

In the Reign of _Henry_ the 3d, there was a Woman deliver'd of a Child, having two Heads, four Arms, and two Bodies which were join'd down to the Navel. The Heads were so plac'd that they look'd contrary ways. It was the Female s.e.x, and both Heads would speak, laugh and cry; and both Eat and be Hungry together, but there was but one Fundament to disburden Nature; sometimes one would Speak, and the other would keep silence, and sometimes both speak at the same time. It liv'd several Years, but one of them surviving the other, it carried the Dead one so long, that at last it fainted with the Burden. And at a Village call'd _Ubaten_ in _Flanders_, a Child was Born which had two Heads and four Arms, appearing like two Maids joyn'd together, having two Arms lifted up between and above the Heads, the Thighs being plac'd as it were cross one another.

In the Year 1579, A Monster was Born in _France_, cover'd all over with Hair like a Beast, its Navel being in the place where his Nose should have been, his Eyes plac'd in the Situation of the Mouth; and its Mouth was in the Chin. It was of the Male-kind, and liv'd but a few Days, affrighting all that beheld it. And near _Elselling_ in _Germany_, in the Year 1529, there was a Boy Born with one Head and one Body, having four Ears, four Arms, and four Feet, and but two Thighs, and two Legs: This Birth, in the Opinion of the Learned, proceeded from a Redundancy of Seed beyond what was sufficient for one Child, but not enough for Twins, wherefore Nature Form'd what she could. There might be many other particular Instances given of Monstrous Births, as some sticking together by the Bellies, others by the Breech; some Born without Arms or Legs others without Heads, yet have they liv'd for some time, till want of Sustenance made them pine away and Die, as having no place to receive it, and others with Heads like Dogs, Wolves, Bears, and other Beasts.

But I shall proceed to the cause of their Generation.

The Natural Cause of Generation of Monsters, according to the Ancients, is either in the Matter, or in the Agent; in the Seed or in the Womb: The Matter may be unable to perform its Office two ways; by Defect, or by Excess: By Defect, when a Child hath but one Arm, or one Leg, &c.

and by Excess, when it hath three Hands or two Heads. The Agent or Womb may be in Fault several ways, as in the forming Faculty, which may be too strong or too weak, by which a deprav'd Figure is oftentimes produc'd, the ill Conformation of the place of Conception will cause a Monstrous Birth; and the imaginative Power at the time of Conception, is so forcible, that it stamps a Character of the thing upon the Child; so that the Child of an Adulteress, by the strength of Imagination may have a nearer resemblance of her Husband, than of the Person who begat it.

And some Histories mention, that through this Imaginative Faculty, a Woman at the time of Conception, beholding the Picture of a Blackamoor, produc'd a Child resembling an aethiopian.

Monsters are sometimes Engender'd by unseasonable amorous Embraces, as when a Man enters on the Pleasures of Venus at a time as the monthly Flowings are upon his Wife; For this being against Nature, it is no wonder that it should produce an unnatural Offspring. If therefore a Man's desire be never so great for Copulation at such a time, yet the Woman ought not to admit of his Embraces; the issue of those unclean Embraces proving often Monstrous, or dull and heavy, and Defective in their Understandings.

Sometimes by a corruption of Seed, Monstrous Shapes are form'd, which by some is ascrib'd to the bad Influence of the Planets, that were predominant at the time of Conception; and sometimes the straightness of the Womb is attended with many Inconveniencies, for Nature not having sufficient room to frame her Work in, the Child is rumpled up, which occasions some to have hump'd Backs, crooked Arms, and Legs, round Shoulders, Wry Necks, and the like.

The divine Cause of these Monstrous Generations, proceeds from the permissive Will of our Great Creator, who many times suffers Parents to bring forth such Deform'd Creatures as a Punishment for their l.u.s.t: And some Authors are of Opinion, that outward deformity of Body is generally a Sign of the Pollution of the Heart, as a Curse upon the Child for the Incontinency of the Parents.

In the Writings of some Authors mention is made of Monsters engender'd by infernal Spirits; and as the Scriptures give us to understand that the Angels being taken with the Beauty of the Daughters of Men, went in unto them, and that from such a Conjunction, Giants were Born, so we may infer that if Angels can mix Amorously with Women, and engender Children, the Devils who only differ from Angels by their Fall, may also draw Women into immodest Pleasures, and Defile them with their Embraces: But it is highly inconsistent to suppose that our Creator who is all Purity, would permit the worst of Spirits to propogate his diabolical Offspring.

Devils a.s.suming to themselves Human Shapes, in the opinion of Ancient Writers, may abuse both Men and Women, and with wicked People use carnal Copulation. St. _Austin_ yields to this Notion, and that Generation may thereby be effected; but his Opinion was grounded more upon the depositions of Melancholly superst.i.tious Persons, than from any demonstrable Proofs; and 'tis impossible that such an unnatural Conjunction can produce a humane Creature, though some will have it that it may, and that his Malice shall be a Sign of his Extraction.

The _Rabbins_ beleived that the _Silvani_, _Pans_ and _Fauni_, call'd _Incubus's_ and the _Tutelar_ G.o.ds, were Creatures left imperfect the first _Friday_ Evening, and not finish'd by G.o.d, as being prevented by the ensuing Sabbath; for this reason they alledg'd, these Spirits love Mountains and dark Places only, and never appear but in the Night time: And the _Incubus's_ not only Court and desire to Caress Women, but have actually Caress'd them.

_Hierenimus Carda.n.u.s_ writes of a Maid which was got with Child by a Devil, she thinking it had been a fair young Man who had Enjoy'd her; and some Witches fancy they have been at the Sabbath, and Caress'd by the Devil, whose Privy Parts were full of Bristles, Scaly, and the Seed cold as Ice; but this has proceeded only from a distracted Brain: Besides we learn from Scripture that Devils being pure Spirits, are quite different Substances from those of Men. That they have neither Flesh nor Blood, nor Privities, and consequently no Seed for Generation.

That though they sometimes a.s.sume Bodies, these Bodies are only form'd of Air, and do not Live, neither can they exercise the Operations of Life: That having no occasion to hope for Posterity, as being Eternal and Unhappy, they cannot be suppos'd to be desirous of perpetuating their Species or to take pleasure in the Embraces of Women.

The Stories of Women having Commerce with Devils, are very Fabulous, and proceed chiefly from Dreams and Nocturnal Illusions; a Lecherous and Melancholly Woman seiz'd with the Night Mare, may verily beleive that the Devil Caresses her; especially if her Fancy is taken up with Tales of Witches. _Leo Africa.n.u.s_ tells us, That what is attributed to Devils, is committed by Lascivious Men, and Lecherous Women, who perswade others, that they are Caress'd by Devils. The Witches of the Kingdom of _Fez_, according to History, are very desirous that People should beleive them to be familiar with Devils, and for that Reason endeavour to tell surprizing Stories to those that consult them; they do not require any Fees from handsome Women that come to see them, but only intimate the Desire their Master has to Caress them for a Night. The Husbands take these Impostures for Truth, and surrender their Wives to the G.o.ds and the Winds. Night being come, the brawny Sorcerer (who Employs the Persons abovemention'd, to ensnare fine Women to his Caresses) Embraces the fair one closely, and Enjoys her instead of the Devil. If this Ignorance and Superst.i.tion prevail'd in this Kingdom, I doubt not but it would very much Pleasure the frolicking Libertines.

_Extraordinary Conceptions_.