Until now, this important text has been unavailable except for a microfilm of the 1654 edition. For this new annotated edition of the 1560 version,Elaine Hobby has modernized the spelling and included informative notes. In her critical introduction, she not only traces the development of the book from its German origins, but also shows how early-modern ideas about the reproductive process combined ancient,medieval, and contemporary conceptions.

Between 1540 and 1654, The Byrth of Mankynde was a huge commercial success.Offering information on fertility, pregnancy,birth, and infant care, and written in a chatty,colloquial style, it influenced most other literary works of the period bearing on sex,reproduction, and childcare. Until now, this important text has been unavailable except for a microfilm of the 1654 edition. For this new annotated edition of the 1560 version,Elaine Hobby has modernized the spelling and included informative notes. In her critical introduction, she not only traces the development of the book from its German origins, but also shows how early-modern ideas about the reproductive process combined ancient,medieval, and contemporary conceptions. Combining editorial rigour with a concern for the needs of the informed non-specialist, Hobby has made available a text that will be useful to scholars and students in a range of academic disciplines, including literature, history, and women's studies.

List of lllustrations

Acknowledgments"

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

 The History of The Birth of Mankind

 Humoral Theory

 Other Common Medical Beliefs in the Early-Modern Period

 New Anatomy in The Birth of Mankind

 Illustrations in The Birth of Mankind

 The 'Authors" of The Birth of Mankind

 Note on Textual History

The Birth of Mankind: Otherwise Named, the Woman's Book

 Preface (Albeit some Aristarchus may perhaps find some lack)

 Here Beginneth the Table of the Present Book

 A Prologue to the Women Readers

 1 The First Book

 2 The Second Book

 3 The Third Book

 4 The Fourth Book

Appendices

 1 Richard Jonas's Titlepage, 1540

 2 Richard Jonas's Preface to his 1540 Edition

 3 Richard Jonas's Dedication of the 1540 Edition to

 Queen Katherine Howard

 Richard Jonas's Table of Weights" and Measures, 1540

 Richard Jonas's Chapter 1, 1540

 Richard Jonas's Infant Remedies, 1540

 Richard Jonas's Fertility Remedies, 1540

The Birth of Mankind

 8 Thomas Raynalde's Latin Preface, 1545, 1552

 9 Thomas Raynalde's Anatomical Table, 1545

 10 Titlepage, 1654

 11 Chapter Added 1654

 12 Changes Introduced into The Birth of Mankind between 1540 and 1560

 13 Changes Introduced into the Anatomical Table of The Birth of Mankind between 1545 and 1552

 14 Changes Introduced into The Birth of Mankind after 1560

Medical Glossary

Bibliography

Index