the sprightes animall doe gyue feelyng and mouyng to the bodye doe breede the turnesicke or staggers the falling euill the night mare the Appoplexye the Palsie and the convulsion or crampe the Catharr or Rheume which in a horse is called the Glaunders but firste of headeache Of Headeache The .xvij. Chapter ▪ THe headeache eyther commeth of some inward cause as of some cholericke humor bred in the panicles of the braine or els of some outward cause as of extreme heate or colde of some blow or of some vyolent sauour Eumelus sayth that it cōmeth of rawe disgestion but Martin sayth moste commonly of colde The sygnes be these The horse will hang downe his heade and also hang downe his eares his sight wil be dimme his eyes swollen and waterish and he will forsake his meate The cure Let him bloude in the palat of his mouth Also pourge his heade with this perfume Take of Garlicke stalkes a handefull all to broken in short peces and a good quantitye of Franconcense and being put into a Chaufingdish of fresh coales hold the Chaufingdishe vnder the horses nosetrilles so as the fume may ascende vp into his heade and in vsing him thus once or twice it will make him to cast at the nose and so purge his heade of all filthe Pelagonius sayth that it is good to poure into his nosetrilles wyne wherein hath bene sodden Euforbium Centuarye and Franconcense Of the Frenzy and Madnesse of a horse The .xviij. Chapter THe learned Phisitians do make dyuers kindes as well of Frenzye as of Madnesse whiche are not nedefull here to be recyted sythe I coulde neuer read in any Authour nor learne of any Ferrer that a horse were subiect to the one halfe of them Absirtus Hierocles Eumelius Pelagonius Hipocrates doe wryte simply de furore rabie that is to say of the madnesse of a horse But in dede Vegetius in his seconde booke of horseleach crafte semeth to make foure mad passions belonging to a horse intituling his Chapters in this sorte de Appioso de Frenitico de Cardiacis de Rabioso the effectes whereof thoughe I feare me it will be to no greate purpose yet to contente suche as perhaps haue reade the Authour as wel as I my selfe I will here briefely rehearse the same When some naughty bloude sayth he doth strike the fylme or pannicle of the brayne in one part onely and maketh the same grieuously to ake then the beast becommeth Appiosum that is to saye as it semeth by his owne wordes nexte following both dul of minde and of syght This worde Appiosum is a straunge word and not to be found againe in any other Authour and bycause in this passion the one syde of the heade is onely grieued the horse turneth rounde as thoughe he wente in a Myll But when the poyson of suche corrupt bloude doth infecte the mid brayne then the horse becommeth Frentike and will leape and flyng and runne against the walles And if such bloud filleth the vaynes of the stomacke or breast then it infecteth as well the heart as the brayne causeth alienation of mind the body to sweat and this disease is called of Vegetius Passio cardiaca whiche if Equus Appiosus chaūce to haue ▪ thē he becōmeth Rabiosus that is to say starke madde For sayth he by ouer much heate of the Lyuer and of bloude the vaynes and artiers of the heart are choked vp for griefe and payne wherof the horse byteth him self and gnaweth his owne flesh thus farre Vegetius Of two sortes of mad horses I beleue I haue seene my selfe here in this Realme For I saw once a blacke Sweathlande horse as I toke him to be in my Lorde of Hunnisdons Stable at Hunnisdon comming thither by chaunce with my lord Morlay which horse would stand all day long bytyng of the Maunger eate little meate or none suffring no man to approche vnto hym by which his doynges and partly by his colour and complexion I iudged him to be vexed with a melancholy Madnesse called of the Phisitians Mauia or rather Melancholia which commeth of a corrupt Melancholy and fylthy bloud or humor sometyme spread throughout all the vaynes of the body sometyme perhaps remayning only in the heade or else in the splen or places next thervnto adioyning The other mad horse was a Roane of Mayster Asheleys Mayster of the Iewell house which with his teeth crushed his Maysters ryghte forefinger in peces whylest he offered him a little hay to eat wherby he lost in a maner the vse of hys whole hande to the great griefe of all his frendes and also of all the Muses whiche were wonte to be much delighted with such passing sweete Musicke as that his fine quauering hande coulde sometime make vpon dyuerse Instrumentes but speciallye vpon the Virginalles This horse I say thoughe he coulde eate his meate drinke his drinke slepe yet if he were neuer so litle offended he would take on lyke a spright and both byte and stryke at anye man that came nygh hym ▪ yea and would byte him selfe by the shoulders moste tirribly pulling away lumpes of fleshe so brode as a mannes hande and when so euer he was rydden he was fayne to bee musled with a mussell of Iron made of purpose to kepe him from byting eyther his Ryder or him self whiche no doubt proceded of some kynde of frenzye or madnesse wherevnto the horse was subiecte by meanes that hote bloude as I take it abounded ouer much in him But now as touching the causes sygnes and cure of a horses madnesse you shall heare the opinion of olde wryters for Martin neuer toke such cure in hande Abfirtus and the other Authors before mētioned say that the madnesse of a horse cōmeth eyther by meanes of some extreme heate taken by trauelyng or long standing in hote sunne or else by eating ouer manye Fitches or by some hote bloude resorting to the pannycles of the braine or thorow aboundaunce of Choler remayning in the vaynes or else by drynking of some vnholsome water The sygnes be these he will byte the Maunger and hys owne body and runne vpō euery man that commes nygh hym he wyll continuallye shake hys eares and stare with his eyes and fome at the mouth and also as Hypocrates sayth he will forsake his meate and pyne him selfe wyth hunger The cure Cause him to be let bloude in his legges aboundantly which is done as I take it to conuert the bloude from his heade Notwithstanding it were not amisse to lette him bloude in the necke breast vaynes Then giue him this drinke Take the roote of wylde Coucumber and boyle it in harse redde wyne and put therevnto a little Nitre and giue it him with a horne luke warme or if you can get no Coucumber then take Rewe and Mynts and boyle that in the wyne It were not amisse also to adde therevnto a handefull of blacke Elleborus for that is a verye good hearbe agaynst madnesse Eumelius
the horse a drinke made of Tyme Comin of ech lyke quantity stampt together mingled with wyne hony and water and also by letting him bloude in the pastornes This last disease seemeth to differ nothing at all from that which our Ferrers call the yeallows The signes wherof according to Martin be these The horse will be faint and sweat as he standeth in the stable and forsake his meate and his eyes and the inside of his lippes and all his mouth within wil be yeallow The cure whereof according to him is in this sorte Let him bloud in the necke vayne a good quantity and thē giue him this drinke Take of white wyne or of Ale a quart put thervnto of Saffron of Turmerike of eche halfe an ounce and the iuyce that is wrōg out of a great handefull of Selondine and being luke warme giue it the horse to drinke and kepe him warme the space of thre or foure dayes giuing him warme water with a little branne in it Of the euill habit of the body and of the Dropsie The .xci. Chapter AS touching the drynesse and consumption of the fleshe without any apparant cause why called of the Phisitians as I sayd before Atrophia I know not what to say more than I haue done already before in the Chapter of Consumption of the flesh and therefore resorte thyther and as for the euill habitte of the body which is to be euill coloured heauy dull and of no force strength nor lyuelinesse commeth not for lacke of nutryment but for lacke of good nutriment for that the bloud is corrupted with Flegme Cholor or Melancholy proceding eyther from the splene or else through weakenesse of the stomacke or Lyuer causing euill digestion or it may come by fowle feding yea and also for lacke of moderate exercyse The euill habit of the body is nexte cosyn to the Dropsye wherof though our Ferrers haue had no experience yet bycause mine olde Authors wryting of horse leache craft do speake much therof I thinke it good here briefly to shewe you their experience therein that is to say howe to knowe it and also howe to cure it But sith none of them do shew the cause wherof it procedes I thinke it mete firste therefore to declare vnto you the causes thereof according to the doctrine of the learned Phisitians which in mans body do make thre kinds of Dropsyes calling the first Anasarca the second Ascites and the thirde Timpanias Anasarca is an vniuersall swelling of the body throughe the aboundaunce of water lying betwixt the skin and the fleshe and differeth not from the disease last mentioned called Cachexia that is to say euyll habit of the body sauing that the bodye is more swollen in this than in the Cachexia albeit they procede both of like causes as of coldenesse weakenesse of the Lyuer or by meanes that the heart splen stomacke and other mēbers seruing to digestiō be grieued or diseased Ascites is a swelling in the couering of the belly called of the Phisitians Abdomen cōprehending both the skin the fat eyght Muscles and the fylme or panicle called Peretoneum throughe the aboundaunce of some wayish humor entred into the same which be sydes the causes before alleaged proceedeth moste chieflye by meanes that some of the vessels within be brokē or rather cracked out of the which though the bloud being somwhat grosse can not issue forth yet the wayish humor being subtill may run out into the belly lyke water distilling through a cracked potte Timpanias called of vs moste commonly the Timpany is a swelling of the foresayde couering of the belly through the aboundance of winde entred into the same whiche winde is ingendred of crudity and euill digestion and whylest it aboundeth in the stomacke or other intrayles finding no issue out it breaketh in violently through the small conduits amongst the pannicles of the sayd couering not without great paine to the pacient so by tossing to and fro windeth at length into the space of the couering it selfe But surely such winde can not be altogether voyd of moysture Notwithstanding the body swelleth not so muche with this kinde of Dropsye as in the other kinde called Ascites The sygnes of the Dropsye is shortnesse of breath swelling of the body euill Colour lothing of meate and great desire to drinke and specially in the Dropsye called Ascites in which also the belly will sound like a Bottle halfe full of water but in the Timpany it will sounde lyke a Tabor But nowe though mine Authours make not so many kindes of Dropsyes yet they say all generally that a horse is much subiect to the Dropsye The sygnes according to Absirtus and Hierocles be these His belly legges and stones will be swollen but his backe buttockes and flankes will be dryed and shronke vp to the verye bones Moreouer the vaynes of his face and temples and also the vaynes vnder his tongue will be so hidden as you can not see them and if you thrust your finger harde against his body you shall leaue the printe therof behinde for the fleshe lacking naturall heate will not returne againe to his place and when the horse lyeth downe he spreadeth him selfe abrode not being able to lye rounde togyther on his belly and the haire of his backe by rubbing will fall away Pelagonius in shewing the signes of the Dropsye not much differing from the sygnes of the Phisitians firste recited seemeth to make two kindes therof calling the one the Timpany whiche for difference sake may be called in Englishe the winde Dropsye and the other the water Dropsye Notwithstanding both haue one cure so farre as I can perceyue whiche is in this sorte Let him be warme couered and walked a good while together in the sunne to prouoke sweate and let all his body be well and often rubbed alongst the haire and let him fede often on Colewortes Smallage and Elming bowes and of all other things that may loosen the belly or prouoke vrine and let his common meate be grasse if it may be gotten if not then hay sprinckled with water and Nitrum It is good also to giue him a kinde of pulse called Cyche steeped a day and a night in water and then takē out and layde so as the water may drop away from it Pelagonius woulde haue him to drinke Parslye stampte with wine or the roote of the hearb called in Latin Panax with wine But if the swelling of the belly wil not decrease for all this then slitte a little hole vnder his belly a handfull behind the Nauill and put into that hole a hollow Reede or some other Pype that the water or wind may go out not all at once but by little and little and at dyuers times and beware that you make not the hole ouerwide least the Caule of the belly fall downe therevnto and when all the water is cleane runne out then heale vp the wounde as you doe all other woundes and let the Horse
lay the whyte of an Egge or to washe them with the iuyce of Selidony Of dimnesse of syght and also for the Pynne and webbe or any other spot in the eye The .xxx. Chapter IF the Horse be dimme of sight or hath any pearle growing in his eie or thin fylme couering the ball of hys eye then Russius woulde haue you take of Pommis stone of Tartarum and of Sal Gemma of eche lyke wayght and being beaten into very fyne powder to blowe a lyttle of that into his eye continuing so to do euery day once or twice vntil he be whole Martin sayth that he always vsed to blow a little Sandyuoire into the eye once a day which simple he affirmeth to be of such force as it wil breake any pearle or webbe in short space and make the eye very cleare and fayre Russius amongest a number of other medicins prayseth most of all the powder of a blacke Flynte stone Of the Haw called of the Italians l'vnghia de gli occhi The .xxxi. Chapter THis is a gristle couering sometime more than the one halfe of the eye It proceedes of grosse and toughe humors discending out of the head which Haw as Martin sayth woulde be cut awaye in this sorte Fyrst pull both the eye lyddes open with two seuerall threedes stitched with a nedle to eyther of the lyddes Then catch holde of the Hawe with the stych of another nedle threde and pul it out so farre as you may stay it vpon your fynger to the intente that you may cutte it rounde the bredth of a penny and leaue the black behinde For by cutting away to much of the fatte blacke of the eye the horse many tymes becommeth bleare eyed And the Haw being clene taken away squirt a little whyte wyne or beere into his eye Of Lunatike eyes The .xxxii. Chapter VEgetius Wryteth de Oculo Lunatico but he sheweth neyther cause nor sygnes thereof but onelye sayth that the old men termed it so bycause it maketh the eye sometyme to loke as thoughe it were couered with white and sometyme cleare Martin sayth that the horse that hath this disease is blinde at certaine tymes of the Moone in so much as he seeth almost nothing at all during that time and then his eyes will looke yealowishe yea and somewhat reddyshe whiche disease according to Martin is to be cured in this sorte First vse the playster mentioned before in the Chapter of wateryshe or weping eies in such order as is there prescribed and then with a sharpe knyfe make two slittes on both sydes of hys heade an ynche long somewhat towardes the nose a handful beneath the eyes not touching the vayne and with a cornet loosen the skinne vpwarde the bredth of a grote and thruste therein a rounde peece of Leather as brode as a twopenny peece with a hole in the middest to kepe the hole open loke to it once a day that the matter may not be stopped but continuallye runne the space of ten dayes then take the Leather out and heale the wounde with a little Flaxe dypte in the salue here following Take of Turpentyne of Hony of Waxe of ech like quantity and boyle them together whiche being a lyttle warmed will be lyquid to serue your purpose and take not away the playsters from the temples vntill they fall away of them selues which being fallen then with a small hote drawing yron make a Starre in the middest of eche temple vayne where the playster dyd lye Which Starre woulde haue a hole in the middest made with the button ende of your drawing yron in this sorte Of the Cancer in the eye The .xxxiii. Chapter THis commeth of a ranke and corrupt bloud discēding from the head into the eye The sygnes You shall see redde pymples some small and some greate both within and without vpon the eye lyddes and all the eye wyll loke redde and be full of corrupte matter The cure according to Martin is thus First let him bloude on that syde the necke that the eye is grieued to the quantity of a Pottell Then take of roche Alum of greene Corporas of eche halfe a pounde of whyte Corporas one ounce and boyle them in three pyntes of running water vntill the halfe be consumed then take it from the fire and once a day washe his eye with this water being made luke warme with a fyne linnen cloth and clense the eye therewith so as it may loke rawe contynuing thus to doe euery day once vntill it be whole Of diseases incident to the eares and powle of the heade and first of an Impostume in the eare The .xxxiiii. Chapter IMpostumes breede eyther by reason of some blowe or brousing or else of euyll humors congealed in the eare by some extreme colde The sygnes be apparant by the burning painfull swelling of the eare and parts therabout The cure according to Martin is in this sort First ripe the Impostume with this playster Take of Lynesede beaten into powder of wheate flower of eche halfe a pynte of Hony a pinte of Hogges greace or Barrows greace one pounde Warme all these thinges together in an earthen potte and sturre them continually with a flatte stycke or sclyce vntill they be thorowly myngled and incorporated together and then spreade some of this plaister being warme vpon a peece of linnen cloth or soft whyte Leather so broade as the swelling and no more lay it warm vnto it and so lette it remayne one whole day and then renewe it with freshe oyntment continuing so to doe vntill it breake then launce the sore so as the matter may haue passage downewarde and taynt it to the bottom with a taynt of Flaxe dipt in this oyntment Take of Metrosatū of oyle Oliue Turpentine of ech two oūces and mingle them together and make hym a Byggen of Canuas to close in the sore so as the taynte wyth the oyntement may abyde within renuing the taynt once a day vntill it be whole But if the horse haue payne in his eares without any great swelling or Impostumation then thrust in a little blacke woll dipte in oyle of Camamyll and that will heale it Of the Powle euill The .xxxv. Chapter THys is a disease lyke a Fistula growing betwixte the eares and the Powle or nape of the necke and proceedeth of euill humors gathered together in that place or else of some blowe or brouse for that is the weakest and tenderest parte of all the heade and therefore sonest offended whiche rude Carters doe little consyder whylest in their fury they beat their horses vpon that place of the head with their whipstockes and therefore no horses be more subiecte to this disease than Carte horses And this disease commeth most in Winter season The sygnes You shal perceyue it by the swelling of the place which by continuance of tyme will breake of it selfe rotting more inward than outward and therefore is more perillous if it be not cured in tyme and
and wash all his mouth with Uineger and salte If his stomacke be to colde chen his haire will stare and stande right vp which Absirtus others were wonte to cure by giuing the horse good wyne and oyle to drynke and some woulde seeth in the wyne Rhew or Sage some would adde thervnto white Pepper and Myrre some woulde giue him Onyons and Roket seede to drinke with wyne some the bloude of a yong Sowe with wyne Absirtus would haue the horse to eate the greene blades of wheate if the tyme of the yeare will serue for it Columella sayth that if a horse or any other beast doe loth his meat it is good to giue hym wyne and the seede of Gith or else wyne and stampt Garlicke Of casting out his drinke The .lxxxii. Chapter VEgetius sayth that the Horse may haue such a Pawlsy proceeding of colde in his stomacke as he is not able to kepe his drinke but many tymes do cast it out again at his mouth The remedye whereof is to lette him bloud in the necke and to giue him cordiall drinks that is to say made of hote and comfortable spyces and also to annoynte all his breast and vnder hys shoulders with hote oyles to purge his heade by blowyng vp into his nosetrils powders that prouoke nesing such as haue bene taught you before Of surfetting with glut of Prouender The .lxxxiii. Chapter THe Glut of Prouender or other meate not digested doth cause a Horse to haue great payne in his body so as he is not able to stande on his fete but lyeth downe waltereth as thoughe he had the Bottes The cure whereof according to Martins experience is in this sorte Let him bloude in the necke then trotte him vp and downe for the space of an houre and if he can not stale drawe out his yarde and washe it with a little white Wine luke warme and thrust into his yard eyther a broosed Cloue of Garlicke or else a little oyle of Camamill with a wax Candle If he can not doung then rake his fundament giue him this glistre Take of Mallowes two or three handful and boyle them in a pottell of fayre running water and when the Mallowes be soden then straine it and put therevnto a quarte of freshe Butter and halfe a pinte of oyle Oliue and hauing receyued this glister leade him vp and downe vntill he hath emptyed his bellye Then set him vp and kepe him hūgry the space of three or foure dayes and the Hay that he eateth let it be sprinckeled with water and let him drinke warme water wherein would be put a lyttle bran and whē he hath dronke giue him the bran to eat and giue him little or no prouender at all for the space of eight or tenne dayes Of an other kinde of surfetting with meate or drinke called of vs foundering in the body The .lxxxiiij. Chapter THis disease is called of the olde writers in Greeke Crithiasis in Latine Hordiatio it cōmeth as they say by eating of much Prouender sodenlye after labour whylest the Horse is hote and panting whereby his meate not being digested bredeth euill humors which by little and little do spreade throughe his members and at length do oppresse all his body and doe cleane take away his strength make him in such case as he can neyther go nor bow his ioynts nor being layde is able to rise againe neyther can he stale but with great pain It may come also as they say of drinking to much in trauelling by the way when the horse is hote but then it is not so daungerous as when it commeth of eating to much But how so euer it commeth they say all that the humors will immediatelye resort downe into the horses legs feete will make him to cast his houes and therfore I must nedes iudgeit to be no other thing but a plaine foūdering which word foūdering is borowed as I take it of the Frēch word Fundu that is to say moltē For foūdering is a melting or dissolutiō of humors which the Italians cal infusione Martin maketh diuers kinds of foundering as foundering in the body which the Frenche men call most commonlye morfundu and foundering in the legges and feete also foundering before and foundering behinde which some Autours do deny as Magister Maurus and Laurentius Russius affirming that there are fewer humors behinde than before and that they can not easelye be dissolued or molten being so farre distante from the hearte and the other vital partes Whervnto a man might aunswere that the naturall heate of the heart doth not cause dissolution of humors but some vnnaturall and accidentall heate spred throughout all the members whiche is dayly proued by good experience For we see horses to be foundered not only before or behinde but also of all foure legges at once which most commonly chaunceth either by taking colde sodenlye after a great heate as by standyng still vpon some colde pauemente or abrode in the colde winde or else for that perhaps the horse traueling by the way and being in a sweate was suffered to stande in some showld water whilest he did drinke which was worse than his drinking for in the meane time the colde entring at his fete ascended vpward and congealed the humors which the heate before had dissolued and therby when he cōmeth once to rest he waxeth stiffe and lame of all his legges But leauing to speake of foundering in the legges as well before as behind vntil we come to the griefes in the legges and feete we intende to talke here onely of foundering in the body according to Martins experience The signes to knowe if a horse be foundered in his body bee these Hys haire will stare he will be chill and shrugge for colde and forsake his meate hanging downe the heade and quiuer after colde water and after two or three dayes he will begin to coughe The cure according to Martin is thus First scoure his bellye with the glistre last mentioned and then gyue him a comfortable drinke made in this sorte Take of Malmesey a quarte of Suger halfe a quartern of hony half a quartern of Cynamom halfe an ounce of Lyckoras and Annis seedes of ech two sponeful beaten into fine powder which being put into the Malmesey warme them togither at the fire so as the hony may be molten and then giue it him luke warme That done walke him vp and downe in the warme stable the space of halfe an houre and then let him stand on the bitte two or three houres without meate but let him be warme couered wel littered and giue him hay sprinckeled with a little water and cleane sifted prouender by little at once and let his water be warmed with a little grounde Mault therin And if you se him somewhat chered then let him bloude in the necke and also perfume him once a day with a little Frankencense and vse to walk him abrode when the weather is fayre and not
you to learne at the Phisitians handes whiche I am sure first as touching the weakenesse of the Lyuer proceding of the vntemperatenesse therof wyll bid you to heale euery suche vntemperatenesse by his contrary that is to say heate by colde and drynesse by moysture and so contrary And therefore it shall be very necessarye for you to learne the qualities natures and vertues of hearbes drugs and all other simples and howe to applye them in time And for to heale the obstruction of the Lyuer they will councel you perhaps to make to the horse drinkes of such simples as these be Agrimony Fumitory Camamill Wormewoode Lycoras Annis seedes Smallage Perslye Spicknard Gentian Succory Endiue Sperage Lupius the vertues wherof you shal learne in the Herbals but amōgst all simples there is none more praysed than the Lyuer of a Wolfe beaten into pouder mingled in any medicine that is made for any disease in the Lyuer The cure of an inflamation consisteth in letting bloude and in bathing or fomenting the sore place with such hearbes oyles as may mollifie disperse humors abrode wherewith some simples that be astringent would be alwayes mingled yea and in all other medicins that be applyed to the Lyuer for any maner of disease Simples that mollify and disperse be these Linesede Fengreke Camamill Annis seedes Melilot such like things Simples astringent be these Redde Rose leaues Brimble leaues Wormewode Plantayne Myrrh Masticke Styrax and suche like Appostumes are to be ryped and voyded Ulcers must be clensed scowred downewarde eyther by the belly or by vrine and therefore the vse of suche simples as prouoke vrine in such cases is necessary The old wryters of Horseleach crafte do saye that when a horse is grieued in his lyuer he will forsake his meate his body will wast his mouth will be dry his tong rough and harshe yea and it wyll swell and he wil refuse to lye on that side where his griefe is The cure whereof according to Absirtus is in this sorte Let him drinke stampt Ireos with wine allayed with water He prayseth also an hearbe much like vnto Calamynt called of Plinie Polimonia or let him drinke Sauery with wine and oyle I thinke that Agrimony or Lyuer wort is as good as the best of them Absirtus woulde haue his body to be chaufed with wine and oyle mixte together and to be well littered that he may lye softe and his prouender that should be giuen him to be styped first in warm water and nowe and then some Nytrum to be put in his drinke Of the consumption of the Lyuer The .lxxxvij. Chapter I Beleue that no inward member of a Horse doth suffer so muche as the Lungs and Lyuer and that not so much by continuall as by vnordinate and vntimely trauell labor and exercise whereby eyther the Horses Lungs or his Lyuer doe moste commonly perishe and is consumed yea and sometyme both Of the consumption of the Lungs we haue talked sufficientlye before Therefore let vs shewe you here the causes wherof the consumption of the Lyuer procedeth The Phisitians say that it maye come of anye humor but chiefly and most commonlye of Choloricke matter shead thorowout the substance of the Liuer which putrifying by little and little and laysurely doth at length corrupt and perishe all the substance of the Lyuer which thing in mannes body doth first proceede as the Phisitians say eyther by eating corrupt meates or else by continual drinking of swete wynes But me thinkes that the consumption of a horses Lyuer shoulde come by some extreme heate inflaming the bloud which afterwarde being putrifyed doth corrupte and exulcerate the substance of the Lyuer For after inflamation as I sayde before commeth appostumation and then exulceration which is very hard to cure bycause the substāce of the Lyuer is spongious lyke vnto the Lungs whylest the Lyuer is so corrupted there can be no good digestion for lacke whereof the body receyueth no good nutriment and therefore must nedes also languish and consume The sygnes according to Martin be these The horse wil forsake his meate and will stande stretching him selfe in length and neuer couet to lye downe and his breath wyll be so strong as no man can abide it and he will continually cast yealowishe matter at the one nosetrill or else at both according as one or both sides of the Lyuer is corrputed and on that syde that he casteth he will haue vnder hys iawe euen about the midst thereof a knob or kirnell as muche as a Walnut which when Martin findeth he committeth his carcasse to the Crowes taking him to be past cure But if he were let bloude in time and had such drinkes giuen him as are good to comfort and strengthen the Lyuer he thinketh that the horse might be recouered I neuer red any medicine for the wasting of the Lyuer as I remember but this onelye dyet which I founde in an olde English booke Let him drinke for the space of three dayes no other thing but warme wort and let him eate no other meate but Otes baked in an Ouen and let him stande meatelesse the firste night before you giue him the wort But I thinke it were not amisse to put into the worte that he drinketh euery morning some good confection or pouder made of Agrimony red Rose leaues Saccharū Rosaceum Diarchadon Abbatis Diasantalon Lycoras and of the Lyuer of a Woulfe and such other simples as doe comfort strengthen the Lyuer or else to giue him the same things with Goates milke luke warme Of the diseases in the Gall. The .lxxxviij. Chapter IN my opinion the Gall of a Horse is subiect to dyuers diseases as well as the Gall of a man as to obstruction whereof commeth fulnesse and emptynesse of the Bladder therof and also the stone in the Gal. But obstruction may chaunce two maner of wayes First when the way wherby the Cholor should proceede from the Lyuer vnto the Bladder of the Gall as vnto his proper receptacle is stopped thereby the Bladder remayneth empty whereof may spring dyuers euill accidents as vomiting the laxe or bloudy Flyx Secondlye when the way wherby such Cholor should issu forth of the Bladder of the Gall downe into the Guttes is shutte vp whereby the Bladder is ouer full and aboundeth with to muche Cholor whiche causeth heauinesse suffocatiō belking heate thirst and disposition to angrynesse The signes of both kindes of obstruction in the Gall is costluenesse and yealowishnesse of the skinne infected with the yeallow Iaundis The stone in the gal which is somewhat blackishe proceedeth of the obstruction of the cunduyts of the Bladder whereby the Cholor being long kept in waxeth dry and turneth at length to harde grauell or stones whereof bycause there is neyther sygnes nor any grieuous accident knowē to the Phisitians I leaue to talk any further therof and the rather for that none of my Authours do make any mention of the Gall at all
Notwithstāding to giue some lighte vnto the vnlearned Ferrers and that they may the better vnderstande the inwarde parts of a horse I thought good to write thus much thinking it no tyme loste whyle I may profite them any way Of the diseases in the Splene The .lxxxix. Chapter THe splene as I said before in the kepers office is the receptacle of Melācholy and of the dregges of the bloude and is subiecte to the like diseases that the Lyuer is that is to say to swelling obstruction harde knob and inflamation for the substaunce of the splene is spongious and therfore apt to sucke in all filth and to delate it selfe wherefore being full it must nedes swell which will appeare in the left syde vnder the short rybbes such swelling causeth also shortnesse of breath and specially when the body doth labour or trauayle It is painefull also to lye on the ryghte syde bycause the splen being so swollen oppresseth the midriffe and speciallye when the stomacke is full of meate and the Pacient hath worse digestion than appetyte is troubled with muche winde both vpwarde and downewarde Moreouer the vapour of the humor doth offende the harte making it faint and causeth all the body to be heauy and dull and if such swelling be suffered to go vncured then if it be a Melācholy humor and abounding ouermuche it waxeth euery day thicker and thicker causing obstruction not onely in the vaynes and artires which is to be perceyued by heauinesse and griefe on the left syde but also in the splen it selfe whereas by vertue of the heate it is hardned euery day more and more and so by little and little waxeth to a harde knob which doth not onely occupye all the substance of the splen but also many tymes all the lefte syde of the wombe and thereby maketh all the euill accydentes or griefes before recited muche worse than they were Now as touching the inflamatiō of the splen whith chaunceth very seldom for so much as euery inflamation procedeth of pure bloude which seldome entreth into the splen I shall not nede to make many words but refer you ouer to the Chapter of the Lyuer for in suche case they differ not but proceeding of like cause haue also lyke sygnes and do requyre lyke cure The olde wryters say that horses be often grieued with griefe in the splen and specially in Sommer season wyth gredy eatyng of sweete greene meates and they call those horses Lienosos that is to say splenticke The signes wherof say they are these hard swelling on the left side short breath often groning and gredy appetite to meate The remedy whereof according to Absirtus is to make the horse to sweate once a day during a certaine tyme by ryding him or otherwyse traueling hym and to poure into his lefte nosetrill euery day the iuyce of Mirabolaus mingled with wyne and water amounting in all to the quantitye of a pynte But me thinkes it would do him more good if he dranke it as Hierocles would haue him to do Eumelius prayseth this drinke Take of Cumyn seede and of hony of ech sixe ounces and of Lacerpitium as much as a beane of Uineger a pinte and put al these into three quartes of water and let it stande so all night and the next morning giue the horse to drinke thereof being kept ouernight fasting Theomnestus prayseth the decoction of Capers specially if the barke of the roote thereof may be gotten sodē in water to a Syrop or else make him a drinke of Garlycke Nytrum Horehounde and wormewode soden in harshe wine and he would haue the lefte syde to be bathed with warme water to be harde rubbed And if all this will not helpe then to giue hym the fyre which Absirtus doth not allowe saying that the splen lyeth so as it can not be easly fyered to doe him any good But for so much as the Lyuer and splen are members much occupyed in the ingēdring and seperating of humors many euill accydents and griefes doe take their first beginning of them as the Iaūdis called in a horse the yealows drynesse of body and consumption of the flesh with out any apparaunt cause why whiche the Phisitians call Atrophia also euill habit of the body called of them Cachexia and the Dropsy But first we wyll speake of the Iaundis or yealows Of the yealows The .xc. Chapter THe Phisitians in mans body do make two kinds of Iaundis that is to say the yeallow proceeding of Cholor dispersed thorowe out the whole body and dying the skin yeallow and the blacke proceding of Melancholy dispersed like wise thorowout the whole bodye and making all the skinne blacke And as the yeallow Iaundis commeth for the most parte eyther by obstruction or stopping of the conduits belonging to the bladder of the Gall which as I sayde before is the receptacle of Cholour or by some inflamation of the Lyuer whereby the bloude is conuerted into Cholour and so spreadeth thorowout the body euen so the blacke Iaundis commeth by meanes of some obstruction in the Lyuer vayne that goeth to the splene not suffering the splene to do his office in receyuing the dregges of the bloude from the Lyuer wherein they abounde to much or else for that the splen is already to full of suche dregs and so sheadeth them backe agaime into the vaynes But as for the blacke Iaundis they haue not bene obserued to be in horses as in men by any of our Ferrers in these dayes that I can learne And yet the olde writers of horseleach crafte doe seme to make two kindes of Iaundis called of them Cholera that is to say the dry Cholor and also moyst Cholor The signes of the dry Cholor as Absirtus sayth is great heat in the body and costiuenesse of the belly whereof it is sayde to be dry Moreouer the horse will not couet to lye downe bycause he is so payned in his body and his mouth will be hote and dry It commeth as he sayth by obstruction of the conduit wherby the Cholor should resorte into the bladder of the Gall and by obstruction also of the vrine vessels so as he can not stale The cure according to his experience is to giue him a glister made of Oyle water and Nytrum and to giue him no prouender before that you haue raked his fundament and to poure the decoction of Mallowes mingled with sweete wyne into his nosetrels let hys meate be grasse or else sweete hay sprinckled with Nytre and water and he must rest from labor be often rubbed Hierocles would haue him to drinke the decoction of wilde Coleworts sodden in wine Againe of the moist Cholor or Iaundis these are the signes The horses eyes will looke yeallow and his nosetrilles wil open wyde his eares and his flanks wil sweat and his stale will be yeallow and Choloricke and he will grone when he lyeth downe which disease the sayde Absirtus was wonte to heale as he sayth by giuing
the sauor whereof will greatly prouoke hym to stale as hath bene aforesayde Of pissing bloude The .xcix. Chapter PElagonius sayth that if a horse be ouer much laboured or ouer charged with heauy burthen or ouer fat he will many tymes pisse bloude and the rather as I thinke for that some vayne is broken within the horses body and then clere bloude will come forth many tymes as the Phisitians say without any pisse at all But if the bloud be perfectly mingled together with his stale then it is a sygne that it commeth from the kidneys hauing some stone therin which through vehement labour doth fret the kydneys vaynes thereof so causeth them to blede through which whylest the vrine passeth muste nedes be infected dyed with the bloud It may come also by some strype or from the muscle that incloseth the necke of the bladder The cure according to Pelagonius Absirtus Hierocles and the rest is thus Let the horse bloud in the Palat of the mouth to conuert the bloud the cōtrary way Then take of Tragagāt that haue bene steeped in wyne halfe an ounce and of Popy seede one dram and one scruple and of Styrax as muche and .xij. Pyneaple kyrnels Let all these things be beaten and mingled well together and giue the horse therof euery morning the space of seuen dayes the quantity of a Hasell nut distempered in a quart of wyne me thinks that the quantitye of a Walnut were to little for so muche wine Some write that it is good to make him a drinke with the roote of the hearbe Asphodelus which some call Daffadyll mingled with wheat flower Sumach sodden long in water and so to be giuen the horse with some wyne added therevnto or make him a drinke of Goates milke and Oyle strayning therevnto a little Fromenty Anatolius sayth that it is good to giue the Horse three dayes together sodden Beanes cleane pilled wherevnto would be added some Deres sewet and a little wyne Of the Colt euill The C. Chapter THis name Colt euill in my iudgement doth properly sygnifye that disease which the Phisitians call Priapismus which is a continuall standing together with an vnnaturall swelling of the yard proceeding of some winde filling the artiers and hollow synewe or pype of the yarde or else through the abūdance of sede which do chaūce oft tymes to man and I thinke sometime to stoned horses Notwithstāding Martin sayth that the Colt euill is a swelling of the sheathe of the yarde and the part of the belly there about caused of corrupte seede comming oute of the yarde and remayning within the sheath where it putrifyeth And Geldings moste commonly are subiect to this disease not being able for lacke of naturall heate to expell their seede any further For horses as Martin sayth are seldome troubled with this disease bycause of their heate vnlesse it be when they haue bene ouer trauayled or otherwise weakened The cure according to him is thus Washe the sheath cleane within with luke warme Uineger then drawe out his yarde and washe that also That done ryde him into some running streame vppe to the belly tossing him therein to and fro to allay the heate of the mēbers and vse him thus two or three dayes and he shal be whole Of the mattering of the yarde The Ci. Chapter IT commethe at couering tyme when the Horse Mare both are ouer hote and so perhaps burn them selues The cure according to Martin is thus Take a pinte of whyte wyne and boyle therein a a quarterne of roche Alome and squirt thereof into his yearde three or foure squirtfull one after an other and thrust the squyrt so farre in as the lyquor may perce to the bottom to scoure away the bloudy matter continuing thus to doe once a day vntyll he be whole Of the sheading of séede The Cij Chapter THis disease is called of the Phisitians Gonorrhea which may come some tyme through abundaunce and rancknesse of seede sometyme by the weaknesse of the stones and seede vessels not able to retayne the seede vntill it be digested and thickned Vegetius sayth that this disease wil make the horse very faint and weake specially in sommer season for cure wherof the sayd Vegetius would haue the horse to be ridden into some colde water euen vp to the belly so as his stones may be couered with water and then his fundament being first bathed with warme water or oyle he woulde haue you to thruste in your hande and arme euen to the very bladder and softly to rubbe and clawe the same and the partes there aboutes whiche be the seede Uessels That done to couer him warme that he take no colde and euery day he woulde haue you to giue the horse Hogges dong to drinke with red wyne vntil he be whole I for my part if I thought that it came of weakenesse as is afore sayde which I would iudge by the waterishnesse of the seede vnlustinesse of the horse would giue him red wine to drinke and put therein a little Acatium the iuyce of Plantain and a little Mastick bath his backe with red wine oyle of Roses mingled together Of the falling of the Yarde The Ciij Chapter IT commeth as I take it thorow the weakenesse of the member by meanes of some resolution in the muscles synewes seruing the same caused at the first perhaps by some great strayne or strype on the backe It may come also by wearynesse and tyering For remedy whereof Absirtus was wonte to washe the yarde with salte water from the Sea if it might be gotten if not wyth water and salt and if that preuayled not he would all to pricke the outmost skinne of the yarde wyth a sharpe nedle but not deepe and then washe all the prickes with strong Uineger and that did make the horse as he sayeth to draw vp his yarde againe immediately yea and this also will remedy the falling out of the fundament Pelagonius would haue you to put into the pype of his yarde hony and salte boyled together and made lyquid or else a quicke Flye or a graine of Franconsence or else a cloue of Garlicke clene pilled and somewhat broused and also to poure on his backe Oyle Wyne and Nytre made warme mingled together But Martins experience is in this sort First wash the yarde with warme whyte wyne then annoynt it with oyle of Roses hony mingled together and put it vp into the sheath and make him a Codpiece of Canuas to kepe it still vp and dresse him thus euery day once vntill he be whole And in any case let his backe be kept warm eyther wyth a double cloth or else with a charge made of bole Armeny Egges wheate flower Sanguis Draconis Turpentyne and Uineger or else lay on a wet sack which being couered with an other dry cloth wil kepe his backe very warme Of the swelling of the Codde and stones The Ciiij Chapter ABsirtus sayth that the
clapp one a whole shoe and stoppe the foote with nettles and Salte brayed together renuing it once a day but not ouer harde to the intent the sole may haue liberty to rise and being growen agayne let him be shodde with the lunettes and so sent to grasse Of the running Frushe The Cliij Chapter THe Frushe is the tenderest parte of the houe towards the heele called of the Ilians Fettone and bicause it is fashyoned lyke a forked head the French men cal it Furchette which worde our ferrers eyther for not knowing rightly howe to pronounce it or else perhaps for easinesse sake of pronuntiatiō do make it a monasillable and doe shortly pronounce it the frushe in which frush breedeth many tymes a rottennesse or corruption proceding of humors that cōmeth out of the legge wherby the legge is kept cleane from wynegalles and all other tumors and swellings by meanes that the humors haue passage that way Notwithstanding the discomoditie of this soraunce is greater then the commodytie bicause it maketh the horses foote so weake and tender as he is not able to treade vpon any hard ground The signes be these The horse wil halt and specially when the passage of the humor is stopt with any grauel gathered into the Frushe and not being stopt it will continually runne the sauoure whereof will be so strong as a man is not able to abide it and in some places it will looke rawe The cure according to Martin is thus First take off the shoe and pare awaye all the corrupt places and make them rawe so as you may see the water issue out of the raw places Then tack on the shoe agayne being first made wyde large ynoughe That done take of soote one handefull of salte as muche Broose them well together in a dishe and put thereunto the whyte of three egges and temper them altogither and with a litle toaw dipt therin stoppe all the foote and speciallye the frushe and splent it so as it maye not fall out renuing it once a daye the space of seuen dayes and then he will be whole During which tyme let the horse reast and come in no wette at the .vij. dayes ende leaue stopping him and ryde him abroade and alwayes when he cōmeth in let his sore foote be cleane washed that no grauel remayne therin without doing any more vnto him Of diseases or griefes indifferently incident to any part of the body but first of the Leprosie or vniuersall maunginesse called of the olde wryters Elephantia The Cliiij Chapter THis is a cankred maunginesse spreding ouer all the body which commeth of abundance of Melancholye corrupt and filthy bloude The sygnes be these The horse will be all maungye and scuruye full of scabbes and rawe plots about the necke euill fauoured to loke on alwayes rubbing scratching The cure according to Martin is thus Let him bloude the first day in the one side of the necke within two dayes after on the other side of the neck wtin two dayes after that in the flank vaynes last of al in the vain vnder the taile Then wash al the sore places with salt brine rubbing them hard with a wispe of strawe hard twysted so as they may blede well and be all raw That done annoynt the places with this oyntmēt Take of quicke siluer one ounce of Hogges grease one pounde of brimstone beaten into powder a quarterne of Rape oyle a pinte Mingle these things well together vntil the quicke siluer be throughlye incorporated with the rest and hauing annoynted all the rawe places with this oyntment make it to sinke into the flesh by holding and weauing vp downe ouer it a hote brode bar of yron then touch him no more againe the space of two or thre dayes during which tyme if you se that he rubbeth still in any place then rub that place againe with an olde horsecombe to make it rawe and annoint it with freshe oyntment But if all this will not helpe then with a hote yron rounde and blunt at the poynt so bigge as a mans little finger Burne all the maūgye places making rounde holes passing onelye through the skin and no further For which intent it shall be nedefull to pull the skinne first from the fleshe with your left hande holding it stil vntil you haue thrust the hote yron throughe it and let euery hole be a span one from an other and if nede be you may annoynt those holes with a little Sope and let the horse be thinne dyeted during this curing tyme. Of the Farcyn called in Italian of some il verme and of some Farcina The Clv. Chapter THis is a kind of creping vlcer growing in knots folowing alongst some vaine and it procedeth of corrupt bloud ingendred in the bodye or else of some outwarde hurte as of spurgallyng or of the byting of some other horse or of the biting of tickes or of Hogges lice or such like casualtyes Or if it be in the legge it may come by enterfering It is easely knowen partly by the former discription and also it is apparant to the eye The cure according to Martin is thus Lette him bloud in that vayne where it commeth as nigh the sore place as may be let him bleede well Then fyre euery knot one by one taking the knot in your left hande and pulling it so harde as you can from his body to the intent you may the better pearce the knot with a round blunt hote yron of the bignesse of a mans fore finger without doing the body any hurt and let the matter out leauing none vnburned be it little or much That done annoynt euery knot so burned with Hogges grease warmed euery day once vntill the cores be redy to fal away and in the meane tyme prepare a good quantity of olde vrine and when you see that the cores are redy to fall boyle the vrine and put therin a little Corporas and salt and a few strong Nettles and with that water being warme washe out all the cores and all the corruption That done fil euery hole immediately with the powder of sleict Lyme continuing thus to do euery day once vntil the holes be closed vp and if any be more ranker then others fill those with Uerdygrease and during this cure lette the horse be thinlye dyeted that is to say with straw and water onely vnlesse it be now and then to giue him a lofe of bread For the lower he be kept the soner he will be whole And in any wyse let his necke be yoked in an olde bottomlesse payle or else with shorte staues to kepe him from licking the sores and the lesse rest he hath the better Of the Canker called of the Italians il Cancro The Clvi Chapter A Canker is a filthy creping Ulcer fretting and gnawing the fleshe in great breadth In the beginning it is knotty much lyke a Farcyne and spredeth it selfe into dyuers places and being exulcerated gathereth
together at length into one wounde or sore This proceedes of a Melancholy and filthy bloud ingendred in the body which if it be mixte with sharpe and salte humors it causeth the more painefull and grieuous exulceration and sometyme it commeth of some filthy wounde that is not clenly kept the corrupt matter whereof cankreth other cleane partes of the body It is easy to be knowen by the discription before writtē The cure whereof according to Martin is thus First lette him bloude in those vaynes that be nexte vnto the sore and take inough of him Then take of Alom halfe a pound of grene Corporas as much of white Corporas one quarterne and a good handefull of salte Boyle all these things together in fayre running water from a pottell to a quart and thys water being warme washe the sore therwith with a clout then sprincle theron the powder of sleyked Lyme continuing so to do euery day once the space of .xv. dayes and if you see that the Lyme doe not mortify the ranke flesh and kepe it from spreading any further then take of Sope halfe a pounde of quick siluer half an ounce and beate them together in a pot vntill the quick siluer be so well mingled with the Sope as you can perceyue none of the quick siluer in it And with an yron sclyce after that you haue washed the sore with the strong water aforesayde couer the wound with this oyntment cōtinuing thus to do euery day once vntill the canker leaue spreading abrode And if it leaue spreading and that you see the ranke fleshe is mortifyed and that the edges beginne to gather a skin Then after the washing dresse it with the Lyme as before continuing so to do vntill he be whole And in the dressing suffer no filthe that cōmeth out of the sore to remaine vpon any whole place about but wype it cleane away or else washe it away with warme water And let the Horse during this cure be as thinly dieted as may be and throughly exercised Of the Fistula called of the Italians Fistula The Clvij Chapter A Fistula is a deepe hollowe crooking Ulcer for the most parte springs of maligne humors ingendred in some wound sore or canker not throughly healed It is easy to know by the discriptiō before made The cure according to Martin is thus First search the depth of it with a quil or with some other instrumēt of Leade that may be bowed euery way meete for the purpose For vnlesse you finde the bottom of it it wil be very hard to cure And hauing found the bottom if it be in such place as you may boldely cut and make the way open with a Launcet or Rasor then make a slit right against the bottom so wide as you may thruste in your finger to feele whether there be any bone or gristle perished or spongye or loose fleshe which must be gotten out then taynt it with a taint of flaxe dipt in this oyntment Take of hony a quarterne and of Uerdigrease one ounce beaten in powder Boyle them together vntill it looke-redde sturring it continually least it runne ouer and being luke warme dresse the taynt therewith and bolster the taynt with a bolster of flaxe And if it be in such a place as the taynt can not cōueniently be kepte in with a bande then fasten on eche syde of the hole two endes of a shoemakers threde right ouer the bolster to kepe in the taynte whiche endes may hang there as two laces to tye and vntye at your pleasure renuing the taynt euery day once vntill the sore leaue mattering And then make the taynt euery day lesser and lesser vntill it be whole And close it vp in the end by sprincling thereon a little sleict Lyme But if the Fistula be in suche a place as a man can neyther cut ryght against the bottome nor nyghe the same then there is no remedy but to poure in some strong water throughe some quil or suche like thing so as it may goe to the bottome and drye vp the filthy matter dressing him so twise a day vntil the horse be whole Of an Anburye The Clviij Chapter THis is a great spongy wert full of bloud called of the Italians Moro or Selso which may growe in any place of the body and it hath a roote like a Cockes stone The cure according to Martin is thus Tye it about with a threde so harde as you can pull it and the threde will eate in by little and little in suche sorte as within seuen or eyght dayes it will fall away by it selfe And if it be so flat as you can binde nothing about it then take it away with a sharp hote yron cutting it round about and so depe as you leaue none of the roote behinde and dry it vp with Uerdygrease Russius sayth that if it growe in a place full of sinewes so as it can not be conueniently cut away with a hote yron then it is good to eate out the core with the powder of Resalgar and then to stoppe the hole with flaxe dipt in the white of an egge for a day or two and lastly to dry it vp with the powder of vnsleict Lyme and honye as before is taught Of woundes The Clix Chapter WOunds commeth by meanes of some strype or pricke and they are properly called wounds when some whole parte is cutte or broken For a wounde according to the Phisitians is defyned to be a solution dyuision or parting of the hole For if there be no such solution or parting then me thinks it ought rather to be called a brouse then a wounde And therfore wounds are most commonly made with sharp or pearcing weapons and brouses with blount weapons Notwithstanding if by such blount weapons any parte of the hole be euidently broken then it ought to be called a wounde as well as the other Of wounds some be shallow and some be deepe hollow Againe some chaunce in the fleshye partes and some in the bonye and sinewe places And those that chaunce in the fleshy partes though they be very deepe yet they be not so daungerous as the others and therfore we will speake fyrst of the moste daungerous If a horse haue a wounde newely made eyther in his heade or in any other place that is full of sinews bones or gristles First Martin would haue you to washe the wound wel with whyte wine warmed That done to search the bottome of the wounde with some instrument meete for the purpose suffering it to take as little wynd in the meane while as may be Thē hauing founde the depth stop the hole close with a clout vntill your saluebe readye Then take of Turpētine of Mel Rosatum of Oyle of Roses of ech a quarterne and a little vnwrought waxe and melt them together stirring them continually that they maye be well mingled together and if it be a cutte make a handesome roule of cleane picked toaw so long and so bigge as
the Amoniacum dissolued first in vineger after that al the reast of the foresayd drugs and after they haue boyled all together be vnited in one straine it and make it playster wyse this is called Emplastrū slauū that is to say the yealow plaister ▪ An oyntment for broken bones The Clxxviij Chapter TAke of olde sallet oyle a quart and put thervnto of Hogs grease of Spuma nitri of eche one pound and let them boile together vntill it begin to bubble aboue and let this oyntement be very warme when you vse it HItherto of al the diseases belonging to a horse Nowe therefore my promise made vnto you in the beginning of this boke to speak of those things wherein the cure of all diseases do consist that is to say in letting bloude in taking vppe of vaynes in purging and in giuing the fyre yea and also order it selfe bindeth me to treate of the sayde things presently and first of letting bloud In howe many vaynes a Horse may be let bloude in and to what ende The Clxxix Chapter AS touching the order time of the yere Moone day and other circumstaunces belonging to letting of bloud we haue sufficiently spoken alredy in the kepers office in the xxij Chapter It resteth therfore here to shewe you what vaynes should be opened whē the horse is sick of any disease according to Vegetius opinion But first I will rehearse vnto you once agayne in howe many vaynes a horse maye be let bloude in and the rather for that in following Vegetius I lefte out in the .vij. Chapter of the kepers office the two temple vaynes which be the two first and principal vaines of the head A horse then may be let bloud in the two temple vaynes Item in the two eye vaynes which are easie to finde in the face of the horse somewhat beneath the eyes Item in the two pallat vaynes of the mouthe Item in the two necke vaynes Item in the two platte vaynes which be in the breast Item in the two forthyghe vaynes Item in the foure shakle vaynes before Item in the two toe vaynes before Item in the two side vaynes which maye be otherwise called flanck vaynes Item in the taile vayn Item in the two haunch vaynes Item in the two hough vaines Item in the foure shakle vaynes behinde Item in the two toe vaynes behind so that by this accompt a horse may be let bloude in .xxxi. vaynes Al which vaynes are easie ynough to knowe bicause that euerye one lyeth in a little gutter which by feeling softly with your finger you shall finde immediatly And Vegetius sayth that if a horse be payned with any griefe in his heade ache heauinesse frensie falling euill or suche lyke then it is good to lette him bloude in the temple vaynes with a fleame If his eyes be waterishe bloude shotten or grieued with pinne webbe or hawe then it is good to strike the eye vayne with a fleame If he haue any heauinesse or wearinesse of bodye or be diseased in the throte with the stranguillon quynzy or swelling of the arters eyther within or without then it is good to let him bloude in the mouthe in the palat vaynes with a cornette If he be vexed with an ague or with any other disease vniuersally hurting his body then let him bloude in the necke vaynes If his griefe be in the lungs liuer or in anye other inwarde member then let him bloude in the breast vaynes which we called before the platte vaynes If he be grieued in the shoulder then let him bloud in the forethighe vaynes aboue the knee with a launcet and that very warely bicause that place is ful of sinewes and if he be grieued in his ioints thē let him bloude in the shakle vaynes and that warely bicause that place is also full of sinewes And if he be foyled on his forefeete by foundering or otherwise then let him bloud in the toe vaynes making waye first with your drawer or ronet in the houe to come to the vayne If he be diseased in the kydneys raynes backe or belly then let him bloud in the flanke vaynes and in his tayle if he hath any griefe in his hippes or houghes then let hym bloude in the hippe or houghe vaynes and if his hynder legges ioynts or feete be grieued then let him bloude in the shakle vaynes and toe vaynes as is before sayde The order of taking vp vaynes and wherefore it is good The Clxxx. Chapter THe order obserued by Martin is in this sort First if the horse be very curst and shrewd then cast him vpon a dounghill or some strawe then hauing found the vayne that you woulde take vp marke well that parte of the skinne which couereth the vayne pull that somewhat aside from the vayne with your leaft them be to the intent you may slitte it with a rasor without touching the vayne And cut no deeper then onely through the skinne and that longstwise as the vayne goeth and not aboue an ynche long That done take away your thombe and the skinne will returne agayne into his place right ouer the vaine as it was before Then with a cornet vncouer the vayne and make it bare and being bare thrust the cornet vnderneath it and rayse it vp so as you may put a shoemakers threede vnderneath somewhat higher then the coronet to knitte the vayne when tyme is and if your cornet had a hole in the small ende thereof to put in the threade it shoulde be the easelier done Then the cornet standing so stil slitte the vayne longstwayes that it may bleede and hauing bled somewhat from aboue then knitte it vp with a sure knot somewhat aboue the slitte suffering it to bleede onely from beneath and hauing bled sufficiently then knitte vp the vayne also beneath the slitte with a sure knot and fill the hole of the vayne with salt and then heale vp the wounde of the skinne with Turpentine and Hogs grease molten together and layd on with a little flax The taking vp of vaynes is verye necessary and doth ease manye griefes in the legges for the taking vp of the forethighe vaynes easeth Farcyns and swellings of the legges the taking vp of the shakel vaynes before easeth the quitterbone and swelling of the ioyntes scabbes cratches The taking vp of the hinder vaynes helpeth the farcyn swellings both the spauens The taking vp of the shakle vaynes behinde helpeth swelling of the ioints the paines and kibed heeles and such like diseases Of purging with purgation or Glyster The Clxxxiij Chapter PUrgation is defyned by the Phisians to be the emptying or voyding of superfluous humors annoying the bodye with their euill qualitie For suche humors breede euill iuyce and nutrimēt called of the Phisitians Cachochimia which when it wil not be corrected or holpen with good dyet alteration nor by the benefite of nature and kindly heate then it must nedes be taken away by purgation vomit or glister But for so
drinke as little as is possible Of the diseases in the guttes of a Horse and first of the Cholycke The .xcij. Chapter THe Guts of a horse may be diseased with dyuers griefes as with the Cholicke with Costiuenesse with the Laxe with the bloudy Flixe and wormes The Cholick is a grieuous paine in the great Gutte called of the Physitians Colon whereof this disease taketh his name which gut bicause it is very large and ample and ful of corners it is apt to receyue dyuers matters and so becommeth subiect to dyuers griefes For sometime it is tormented with the abundance of grosse humors gotten betwixt the panycle of the sayde Gutte and sometime with winde hauing no issue oute sometime with inflamation and sometime with sharpe fretting humors But so farre as I can learne a horse is most commonly troubled with the Cholick that commeth of winde and therof oure ferrers doe terme it the winde Cholyck The sygnes wherof be these The horse wil forsake his meate lye downe and wallow and walter vpon the groūd and standing on his fete he will stampe for very payne with his forefete and strike at his belly with his hinder foote and looke often towardes his belly which also towards the flankes will swell and seeme greater to the eie than it is wont to be The cure wherof according to Martin is in this sorte Take a quart of Malmesye of Cloues Pepper Cynamom of eche halfe an ounce of Suger halfe a quarter and giue it the horse luke warme and annoynt his flankes with oyle of Bay and then brydle him and trotte him immediately vppe and downe the space of an houre vntill he dong and if he will not dong then rake him and if nede be prouoke him to dong by putting into his fundament an Onyon pilled and iagged with a knife crossewise so as the iuyce therof maye tickle his fundament and for the space of three or foure dayes let him drinke no colde water and let him be kepte warme Russius was wonte to vse this kinde of cure Take a good bygge Reede a spanne long or more and being annointed with Oyle thrust it into the horses fundament fastning the outwarde ende thereof vnto his tayle so as it can not slippe out and then hauing first annointed and chaufed all the horses belly with some hote oyle cause him to be ridden somewhat hastely vppe and downe some hilly ground and that will make him to void the wind out of his belly through the Rede which done let hym be kepte warme and fed with good prouender warme mashes made of wheat meale and Fenell sede and let him drinke no colde water vntill he be whole Absirtus would haue you to giue him a glister made of wilde Coucumber or or else of hennes dong Nytrum and strong wyne Of Costiuenesse or belly bounde The .xciij. Chapter COstiuenesse is when a horse is bounde in the belly and cannot dong which may come by glut of prouender or ouer much feeding and rest wherof we haue talked sufficiently before also by winde grosse humors or colde causyng obstruction and stopping in the Guttes The cure wherof according to Martin is in this sorte Take of the decoction of Mallowes a quarte and put therevnto halfe a pinte of oyle or in stede thereof halfe a pint of freshe Butter and one ounce of Benedicte laxatuae and poure that into his fundamente with a little horne mete for the purpose that done clap his taile to his fundament holding it so stil with your hand whylest an other doth leade him in his hande and trotte him vppe and downe that the medicine may worke the better and hauing voyded all that in his belly bring him into the Stable and there let him stande a while on the bitte well couered warme littered and then giue him a little hay and let his drinke be warmed it shal not be amisse also to giue him that night a warme mashe Of the Laxe The .xciiij. Chapter THe Italians cal this disease Ragiatura and the horse that hath this disease Cauallo arragiato or Sforato It may come through the abūdaunce of Choloricke humors discending from the Lyuer or Gall downe to the Guttes But Russius sayth that it commeth most commonly by drinking ouer muche colde water immediatelye after prouender or by sodayne traueling vpon a full stomacke before his meat be digested or by hasty running or gallopping immediatly after water If this disease continue long it wil make the horse very weake feble so as he shall not be able to stande on his legges Notwithstanding sith nature feling hir self oppressed endeuoureth thus to ease hir selfe by expelling those humors that grieue hir I would not wishe you sodaynely to stop it least some worse inconuenience grow thereof But if you see that the horse loseth his fleshe and waxeth more dull and feble than he was wonte to be then giue him this drinke often experimented by Martin and that shall stoppe hym Take of Bene flower and of bole Armeny or eche a quarterne mingle these things togither in a quart of red wine and giue it him luke warme and let the horse rest and be kept warme and let him drink no colde drinke but luke warme and put therein a little Beane flower and let him not drinke but once a daye and then not ouer much for the space of three or foure dayes Of the bloudy Flixe The .xcv. Chapter IT seemeth by the olde wryters that a horse is also subiecte to the bloudy Flixe For Absirtus Hierocles and Democritus say al with one voyce that the Guttes of a horse may be so exulcerated that he will voyde bloudy matter at his fundament yea and that his fundament therewith will fall out whiche disease they call Disenteria which is as much to say as a painefull exulceration of the Guttes vnder the which the olde men as it seemeth by the wordes of Hierocles and Absirtus woulde comprehende the disease called of the Phisitians Tenesmus that is to say a desire to dong often and can doe but little and that with great paine And also an other disease called Procidentia ani that is to say the falling out of the fundament which the Phisitians do accoumpt as seuerall diseases Notwithstanding for somuch as Disenteria and Tenasmus doth spring both of lyke causes yea and also for that the falling out of the fundament hath some affinity with them I wil folowe myne Authours in ioyning them all together in this one Chapter The Phisitians make diuers kinds of bloudy flix For sometime the fat of the slimy filthe whiche is voyded is sprinkled with a little bloude sometyme the matter tha voydeth is mixte with the scrapings of the guts and sometime it is waterishe bloude like water wherein bloudy fleshe hath bene washed and sometime bloud myxt with Melancholy and sometime pure bloud and by the mixture of the matter you shall knowe in mans body whether the vlceratiō be in the inner small guttes or in the
thicke outwarde guttes for if it be in the inner guttes then the matter and bloude wyll be perfectly mixt together But if it be in the outwarde guttes then they be not mingled together but come out seuerally the bloude most commonly following the matter Of this kinde is that disease called before Tenasmus for that is an vlcer in the right gutte seruing the fundament and doth procede euen as the Flix doth of some sharpe humors which being violently driuen and hauing to passe thorow many croked and narrow wayes doe cleaue to the guttes and with their sharpenesse frette them causing exulceration and grieuous paine The Flyxe may come also of some extreme colde heate or moystnesse or by meane of receyuing some violent purgation hauing therin ouer much Scamonie or such like vyolent simple or through weakenesse of the Lyuer or other members seruing to digestion Nowe as touching the falling out of the fundament the Phisitians say that it commeth through the resolution or weakenesse of the Muskles seruing to drawe vp the fundament which resolution may come partly by ouer much straining and partly they may be losened by ouer much moysture for whiche cause children being full of moysture are more subiect to this disease than men And for the selfe same cause I thinke that horses hauing verye moyst bodyes be subiect therevnto Thus hauing shewed you the causes of the diseases before recited I wil shewe you the cure prescribed by the old writers Absirtus would haue the fundament on the out side to be cutte rounde about but so as the inwarde ring thereof be not touched for that were daungerous and would kill the horse for so muche as his fundament woulde neuer abide within his body that done he would haue you to giue him to drinke the pouder of vnripe Pomgranet shelles called in Latine Malicorium together with wine and water whiche in dede bycause it is astringent is not to be mislyked but as for cutting of the fundament I assure you I can not iudge what he shoulde meane thereby vnlesse it be to wyden the fundament by giuing it long slittes or cuttes on the out side but wel I know that it may cause more payne greater inflamation And therefore me thinkes it were better in this case to follow the Phisitians preceptes which is first to consider whither the fundamēt being fallen out be inflamed or not for if it be not inflamed then it shall be good to annoint it firste with oyle of Roses somewhat warmed or else to washe it with warme redde wyne But if it be inflamed then to bath it well first with a sponge dipt in the decoctiō of Mallowes Camamil Linescede and Fengreke and also to annoint it wel with oile of Camomill Dill mingled together to asswage the swelling and then to thrust it in againe faire and softly with a softe linnen cloth That done it shall bee good to bath all the place about with red wine wherin hath bene sodden Acatiū Galles Accorne cuppes parings of Quinces and suche lyke simples as be astringent then to throw on some astringent powder made of bole Armenye Frankencense Sanguis Draconis Myrrh Acatium and such like Yea and also to giue the horse this drink much praysed of all the olde wryters Take of Saffran one ounce of Myrrh two ounces of the hearbe called in Latin Abrotanum named in some of our English Herbals Sothernwod thre ounces of Parslie one ounce of Garden Rhew otherwise called herbe grace thre ounces of Pirethum otherwise called of some spittlewort and of Isop of eche two ounces of Cassia which is like Cinamom one ounce Let all these things be beaten into fine powder then mingled with Chaulk strong Uineger wrought into a paste of which paste make little Cakes and dry them in the shadow and being dryed dissolue some of thē in a sufficient quantity of Barly milke or iuyce called of the olde wryters and also of the Phisitians Cremor Ptisanae giue the horse to drinke thereof with a horne for this medicine as the Authours write doth not onely heale the bloudy Flix ▪ and the other two diseases before recited but also if it be giuen with a quarte of warme water it will heale all griefe and payne in the belly and also of the Bladder that cōmeth for lacke of staling And being giuen with sweete wine it will heale the byting of any Serpent or mad dogge Of the Wormes The .xcvi. Chapter IN a Horses guttes doe breede thre kinds of Wormes euen as there doth in mans body though they be not altogether lyke in shape The first are long and rounde euen lyke to those that children do most commonly voyde and are called by the generall name wormes The seconde are lyttle wormes hauing great heades and small long tayles lyke an Edle and be called Bottes The third be shorte thicke lyke the ende of a mans little finger and therefore be called Troncheons And though they haue dyuers shapes according to the diuersity of the place perhappes wher they brede or else according to the figure of the putrifyed matter whereof they brede yet no doubt they procede all of one cause that is to say of a rawe grosse and flegmatike matter apt to putrification ingendred most commonly by fowle feeding and as they proceede of one selfe cause so also haue they like signes like cure The signes be these The horse will forsake his meate for the Tronchons and the Boltes will couet alwayes to the Maw payne him sore He will also lye downe and wallow and standing he will stampe strike at his belly with his hinder foote and loke often towarde his belly The cure according to Martin is thus Take of swete milke a quarte of hony a quarterne and giue it him luke warme and walke him vp and downe for the space of an houre and so lette him rest for that day with as little meate or drinke as may be and suffer him not to lye downe Then the next day giue him this drinke Take of herbe grace a handefull of Sauine as muche and being well stampt put therevnto a little Brimstone and a little soote of a Chimney beatē into fyne powder and put all these things together in a quarte of worte or newe Ale and there lette them lye in steepe the space of an houre or twoo then strayne it well through a fayre cloth and giue it the horse to drinke luke warme then brydle him and walke him vp and downe the space of an houre that done bryng him into the Stable and let him stande on the bitte two or three houres and then giue him a little hay Laurentius Russius sayth that it is good to giue the horse the warme guttes of a yong Henne with a little salte three dayes together in the morning and not to let him drinke vntill it be Noone Some say that it is good to ryde him hauing hys byt first annointed with dong comming hote from the man