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whose statements are generally worthy of credence； which； however incredible； are of sufficient interest at least to find a place in this chapter。 Albucasis affirms that he knew of the birth of seven children at one time； and d'Alechampius reports that Bonaventura； the slave of one Savelli； a gentleman of Siena； gave birth to 7 children； 4 of whom were baptized。 At the Parish of San Ildefonso； Valladolid； Julianna； wife of Benito Quesada； gave birth to 3 children in one day； and during the following night to 4 more。 Sigebert； in his Chronicles； says that the mother of the King of Lombardy had borne 7 children at a birth。 Borellus says that in 1650 the lady of the then present Lord Darre gave birth to eight perfect children at one parturition and that it was the unusual event of the country。
Mrs。 Timothy Bradlee of Trumbull County； Ohio； in 1872 is reported to have given birth to 8 children at one time。 They were healthy and living； but quite small。 The mother was married six years previously and then weighed 273 pounds。 She had given birth to 2 pairs of twins； and； with these 3 boys and 5 girls； she had borne 12 children in six years。 She herself was a triplet and her father and her mother were of twin births and one of her grandmothers was the mother of 5 pairs of twins。 This case was most celebrated and was much quoted； several British journals extracting it。
Watering of Maregnac speaks of the simultaneous birth of 8 children at one time。 When several months pregnant the woman was seized with colicky pains and thought them a call of nature。 She went into a vineyard to answer it； and there； to her great astonishment； gave birth to 8 fetuses。 Watering found them enclosed in a sac； and thought they probably had died from mutual pressure during growth。 The mother made a good recovery。
In 1755 Seignette of Dijon reports the simultaneous birth of nine children。 Franciscus Picus Mirandulae； quoted by Pare； says that one Dorothea； an Italian； bore 20 children at 2 confinements； the first time bearing 9 and the second time eleven。 He gives a picture of this marvel of prolificity； in which her belly is represented as hanging down to her knees； and supported by a girdle from the neck。 In the Annals； History； and Guide to Leeds and York； according to Walford； there is mention of Ann Birch； who in 1781 was delivered of 10 children。 One daughter； the sole survivor of the 10； married a market gardener named Platt； who was well known in Leeds。 Jonston quotes Baytraff as saying that he knew of a case in which 9 children were born simultaneously； and also says that the Countess of Altdorf gave birth to twelve at one birth。 Albucasis mentions a case of fifteen well…formed children at a birth。 According to Le Brun； Gilles de Trazegines； who accompanied Saint Louis to Palestine； and who was made Constable of France； was one of thirteen infants at a simultaneous accouchement。 The Marquise； his mother； was impregnated by her husband before his departure； and during his absence had 13 living children。 She was suspected by the native people and thought to be an adulteress； and some of the children were supposed to be the result of superfetation。 They condemned them all to be drowned； but the Marquis appeared upon the scene about this time and； moved by compassion； acknowledged all 13。 They grew up and thrived； and took the name of Trazegines； meaning； in the old language； 13 drowned； although many commentaries say that 〃gines〃 was supposed to mean in the twelfth century 〃nes；〃 or； in full； the interpretation would be 〃13 born。〃
Cases in which there is a repetition of multiple births are quite numerous； and sometimes so often repeated as to produce a family the size of which is almost incredible。 Aristotle is credited with saying that he knew the history of a woman who had quintuplets four times。 Pliny's case of quintuplets four times repeated has been mentioned； and Pare； who may be believed when he quotes from his own experience； says that the wife of the last Lord de Maldemeure； who lived in the Parish of Seaux； was a marvel of prolificity。 Within a year after her marriage she gave birth to twins； in the next year to triplets； in the third year to quadruplets； in the fourth year to quintuplets； and in the fifth year bore sextuplets； in this last labor she died。 The then present Lord de Maldemeure； he says； was one of the final sextuplets。 This case attracted great notice at the time； as the family was quite noble and very well known。 Seaux； their home； was near Chambellay。 Picus Mirandulae gathered from the ancient Egyptian inscriptions that the women of Egypt brought forth sometimes 8 children at a birth； and that one woman bore 30 children in 4 confinements。 He also cites； from the history of a certain Bishop of Necomus； that a woman named Antonia； in the Territory of Mutina； Italy； now called Modena； had brought forth 40 sons before she was forty years of age； and that she had had 3 and 4 at a birth。 At the auction of the San Donato collection of pictures a portrait of Dianora Frescobaldi； by one of the Bronzinos in the sixteenth century； sold for about 3000。 At the bottom of this portrait was an inscription stating that she was the mother of 52 children。 This remarkable woman never had less than 3 at a birth； and tradition gives her as many as 6。
Merriman quotes a case of a woman； a shopkeeper named Blunet； who had 21 children in 7 successive births。 They were all born alive； and 12 still survived and were healthy。 As though to settle the question as to whom should be given the credit in this case； the father or the mother； the father experimented upon a female servant； who； notwithstanding her youth and delicateness； gave birth to 3 male children that lived three weeks。 According to despatches from Lafayette； Indiana； investigation following the murder； on December 22； 1895； of Hester Curtis； an aged woman of that city； developed the rather remarkable fact that she had been the mother of 25 children； including 7 pairs of twins。
According to a French authority the wife of a medical man at Fuentemajor； in Spain； forty…three years of age； was delivered of triplets 13 times。 Puech read a paper before the French Academy in which he reports 1262 twin births in Nimes from 1790 to 1875； and states that of the whole number in 48 cases the twins were duplicated； and in 2 cases thrice repeated； and in one case 4 times repeated。
Warren gives an instance of a lady； Mrs。 M； thirty…two years of age； married at fourteen； who； after the death of her first child； bore twins； one living a month and the other six weeks。 Later she again bore twins； both of whom died。 She then miscarried with triplets； and afterward gave birth to 12 living children； as follows： July 24； 1858； 1 child； June 30； 1859； 2 children； March 24； 1860； 2 children； March 1； 1861； 3 children； February 13； 1862； 4 children； making a total of 21 children in eighteen years； with remarkable prolificity in the later pregnancies。 She was never confined to her bed more than three days； and the children were all healthy。
A woman in Schlossberg； Germany； gave birth to twins； after a year； to triplets； and again； in another year； to 3 fairly strong boys。 In the State Papers； Domes