As has been said, many women who entered the profession did not even go through a form of apprenticeship, but acquired their experience solely, to use Raynold’s words, “by haunting women in their labours.” In rural England it was customary when travail began, to send for all the neighbours who were responsible women, partly with the object of securing enough witnesses to the child’s birth, partly because it was important to spread the understanding of midwifery as widely as possible, because any woman might be called upon to render assistance in an emergency. Several handbooks on Midwifery were written in response to the demand for opportunities for scientific training by the more intelligent members of the profession. One of the most popular of these books, which passed through many editions, was published in 1671 by Jane Sharp “Practitioner in the art of Midwifery above 30 years.” The preface to the fourth edition says that “the constant and unwearied Industry of this ingenious and well-skill’d midwife, Mrs. Jane Sharp, together with her great Experience of Anatomy & Physick, by the many years of her Practice in the art of Midwifery hath ... made them ... much desired by all that either knew her Person ... or ever read this book, which of late, by its Scarceness hath been so much enquired after ... as to have many after impressions.” The author says that she has “often sate down sad in the Consideration of the many Miseries Women endure in the Hands of unskilful Midwives; many professing the Art (without any skill in anatomy, which is the Principal part effectually necessary for a Midwife) meerly for Lucres sake. I have been at Great Cost in Translations for all Books, either French, Dutch or Italian of this kind. All which I offer with my own Experience.”[625] Footnote 625: Sharp, Mrs. Jane, _The Midwives Book, or the whole Art of Midwifery discovered_.