Now as we must acknowledge this Androgynal condition in Man [SN: _Consisting of man and woman._], so can we not deny the like doth happen in beasts. Thus do we read in _Pliny_, that _Neroes_ Chariot was drawn by four Hermaphroditical Mares, and _Cardan_ affirms he also beheld one at _Antwerp_. And thus may we also concede, that Hares have been of both sexes, and some have ocularly confirmed it; but that the whole species or kind should be bisexous or double-sexed, we cannot affirm, who have found the parts of male and female respectively distinct and single in any wherein we have enquired: And the like success had _Bacchinus_[SN: Bacch. De Hermaphroditis.] in such as he dissected. And whereas it is conceived, that being an harmless Animal and delectable food unto man, nature hath made them with double sexes, that actively and passively performing they might more numerously increase; we forget an higher providence of nature whereby she especially promotes the multiplication of Hares, which is by superfetation; that is, a conception upon a conception, or an improvement of a second fruit before the first be excluded; preventing hereby the usual intermission and vacant time of generation; which is very common and frequently observable in Hares, mentioned long ago by _Aristotle_, _Herodotus_, and _Pliny_; and we have often observed, that after the first cast, there remain successive conceptions, and other younglings very immature, and far from their term of exclusion.
[Sidenote: _Superfetation possible in women, and that unto a perfect birth._]
Nor need any man to question this in Hares, for the same we observe doth sometime happen in Women; for although it be true, that upon conception the inward orifice of the matrix exactly closeth, so that it commonly admitteth nothing after; yet falleth it out sometime, that in the act of coition, the avidity of that part dilateth it self, and receiveth a second burden; which if it happen to be near in time unto the first, they do commonly both proceed unto perfection, and have legitimate exclusions, periodically succeeding each other. But if the superfetation be made with considerable intermission, the latter most commonly proves abortive; for the first being confirmed, engrosseth the aliment from the other. However therefore the project of _Julia_ seem very plausible, and that way infallible, when she received not her passengers, before she had taken in her lading, yet was there a fallibility therein: nor indeed any absolute security in the policy of adultery after conception. For the Matrix (which some have called another Animal within us, and which is not subjected unto the law of our will) after reception of its proper Tenant, may yet receive a strange and spurious inmate. As is confirmable by many examples in _Pliny_; by _Larissæa_ in _Hippocrates_ and that merry one in _Plautus_ urged also by _Aristotle_: that is, of _Iphicles_ and _Hercules_, the one begat by _Jupiter_, the other by _Amphitryon_ upon _Alemæna_ as also in those super-conceptions, where one child was like the father, the other like the adulterer, the one favoured the servant, the other resembled the master.