Next to Marriage it will be expedient to treat of their Child-bearing, and their Children. Where we may note first, that they wish for nothing more, and that they take no greater plesure in any thing then fruitfull Matrimony. And hence it is, I suppose, they are so prone to lust, as is elsewhere shown: but altho they desire this so ardently, yet they are very seldome fruitfull in Children, for they can scarce beget more then eight, which number is the greatest, and usually they beget but one, two, or three. An occasion of this their barreness, _Sam. Rheen_ imagines their bad diet, as likewise the extreme coldness of the Country, which I think may be very true. He moreover adds Gods anger, which he collects from this, because tho they are not worn away with War or Plague, yet notwithstanding their Country is never the more populous, and their Nation wasts rather daily. The motive of this anger he supposes to be their obstinateness in maintaining their ancient impieties. They use indeed at this very day, not only in Child-bearing, but other affairs too, to be solicitous concerning the events, and to search after them by their superstitious rites. Their first care is concerning the sex, for as soon as they perceive the wife to be big with child, they have an opinion that they can inform themselves whether it will prove a Boy or a Girl, after this manner: they forthwith view the Moon (for they imagine that a Child-bearing woman bears some resemblance to the Moon, as we shall hear) if there be a Star just above the Moon, they thence collect that the burden will prove of the male sex, if below, of the female. But I wonder they make a comparison between the Moon and a woman with child. For can there be any account given of their resemblance? is it, that like the Moon, she grows big with her burden, and when that is laid, lessens again? I rather suppose that these are the reliques of their Pagan superstition, which made the Moon the tutelar Goddess to women with child. For so most of the Pagans did account other, which opinion being outdated, they yet pretend some resemblance between them. Their second care is touching the health or sickness of the child, which thing also they suppose the Moon will inform them in. For if a Star be just before the Moon, they take it for a sign that the child will prove healthfull, and grow up to be a man. But if it comes just after her, they thence presage that the child will be a very sickly one, and not long lived.