Magiae Naturalis by John Baptista Porta.pdf - Gnomicon

have one and the same space to bring forth in. For if one of them bring forth in twelve months, and the other in six,
then the young will be ripe by one side, when it is but half ripe by the other. A Dog must have two months, and a Horse
must have twelve. And the philosopher says, no creature can be born, except he have his full time. So then a Dog
cannot be born of a man, nor a Horse of an Elephant, because they differ in the time of their bearing. Again, the
creatures which we would thus couple, must be one as lustful as the other. For a chaste creature, that uses coition but
once a year, if he have not his female at that time, he loses his appetite before he can fancy any other mate. But those
which are full of lust, will eagerly couple with another kind as well as their own. Among four-footed beasts, a Dog, a
Goat, a Swine, an Ass, be most lascivious, among birds, Partridge, Quails, Dove, Sparrows. Moreover, they must be
coupled at such a time as it fit for generation. For nature has prescribed certain times and ages fit for that work. The
common time, is the Spring, then almost all creatures are prone to lust. The ages of them must likewise be fit. For the
generative power comes to creatures, at a set age. Neither of them must be barren, not weak, nor too young, for then
their seed is unfit for generation. But both of them, if it may be, in the prime of their best age and strength. If any
creatures want appetite thereunto, there be many slights, whereby we may;
"Make them eager in lust."
And if the female do cast out the seed, there be means to make her hold in it. Encouragements to lust there are many
set down by writers, and some usual with us. Aelianus writes, that the keeper of Sheep, and Goats, and Mares, do
besmear their hands with Salt and Nitre, and then rub the generative parts of them in the time of their coition, for
their more lustful and eager performance of that action. Others besmear them with Pepper, otherwise with Nettle
seed, others with Myrrh and Nitre, all of them kindle the appetite of the female, being well rubbed therewith, and make
her stand to her male. The He-goat, if you besmear their chin, and their nostrils with sweet ointment, are thereby much
inclined to lust, and contrariwise, if you tie a thread about the middle of their tail, they are nothing so eager of
copulation. Absyrtus shows, that if you wipe off some Nature or Seed of a Mare, and therewith besmear the nostrils
of a Stallion Horse, it will make him very lustful. Dydimus says, that if a Ram, or any other beast, feed up the herb
Milk-wort, they will become both eager to lust, and stronger for the act of copulation. Pliny shows, that Onions
increase desire of copulation in beasts, as the herb Rotchet does in men. The She-ass, holds the seed within her the
better, if presently after copulation she be well beaten, and her genitories besprinkled with cold water, to make her run
after it. Many such helps are recorded by those who have written the histories of living creatures.
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