operation of the stones whose qualities are hot dry thereby doe make a perfect seed requisite for such a creature the which two veines nature planted one in the reines in the right side which endeth in the right cod and another in the left both which take their issue from either of the cods accordingly Moreouer nature hath giuen to the right cod much heat and drines to the left cod much colde and moisture so that the right side of the reines yeeld matter hot dry to the right cod for the generation of the male the contrary for the female in the like maner it is with the female as with the male but much more colder moister the liuer in which the naturall lust of the beast resideth hath for his naturall temperature heat and moisture to predominate from these it neuer altereth if the creature be in perfection of health and temperature The heart And as touching the hart being formed with the liuer brain maintained with the purest bloud hauing greate quantitie therof from the liuer still to preserue the same then is the heart so hot as that while the creture liueth if you put your finger into his hollownes therof it is vnpossible to hold the same there without burning hereupon it followeth that the liuer beeing the fountaine of all blood haue greate store of pure and perfect blood to maintain the whole body What is a vital spirit And the vitall spirit of the Colt is no other then a bodily fume or vapor verie pure and subtil begun in the heart by the operation of the naturall heate spred by the Arteries and veines to recreate and comfort the whole body which stirring cōfortable spirit proceeding from the heart vittal spirits being a perpetuall agent and euermore in action because motion agitation is the true life therof and so euermore remaineth in all liuing creatures but not in plants or trees where only the vegetatiue soule that is his naturall vertue hath his working and the vitall spirit onely in the Arteries and Veines as they are seuerally dispersed in the whole parts of the body For as in the middest of heauen there is scituated the Sun that enlightneth all thinges with his rayes and cherisheth the world the things therin cōtained with his life keeping heate so the heart the fountaine of life heate hath affigned to it by nature the middle part of the body for his habitation from whence proceedeth life heat vnto all the parts of the body as it were vnto riuers wherby they be preserued enabled to performe their naturall and proper function Furthermore if the liuer be not ful of pure blood it cānot perfectly disgest the meat neither can the Cods bee hot wherin if there be defect of heat Cods the seede of the horse cannot be perfectly concocted and so the horse is impotent without power of begetting for when God said increase and multiplye Note you must vnderstand that he gaue them an able power for procreation which could not bee accomplished without aboundance of heate and no lesse heate did he bestow vpon the facultie nutritiue with which he is to restore his consumed substance and to renew another in lew thereof so as no one thing can bee more apparant then that pure and cleane blood giueth greate heate and that heate is the cause of ioy mirth which giueth viuacitie courage boldnes and fulnesse of spirit to euerie action CHAP. 33. Of what age the Horse and Mare ought to be that beget and bring foorth HAuing shewed the principall rules of nature touching the beginning of creation Obserue this discourse and the naturall meanes of their bodily composition it resteth to shewe what Horses and Mares are to be chosen to beget and bring forth but because I haue largely spoken of the most excellent and perfect shape and of the perfections of their qualities actions which I onely admit and no other it now resteth to begin and to expresse the onely fit age when such beautifull Horses and Mares are to beget and bring foorth and thereof to come to a plaine and true vnderstanding I thinke fit first to looke backe vnto the time they were created of God in their primary creation and to follow his example therein which was when they were in all perfection and not in their imperfection for when he created them they were in all parts most absolute and perfect and then God blessed them saying bring foorth and multiply by which example man being a reasonable creature hauing committed vnto him from God the rule and gouernment of all his creatures for his onely vse and comfort cannot now in the naturall generation without the neglect of his example hauing reason for his rule and prescript but consider nature in the greatest and moste perfection of strength and to aproach nearest to the intire and perfectest constitution when he enioyeth al his forces of youth neither in the corruption or depriuation thereof and therfore without all doubting the same is in the middle age beeing the center of all vertue and perfection for farther demonstration to confirme in you this proposition I pray you obserue that euery horse vntil he be 5. yeres old is a Colt but neuer after that is his first age if after that time he lose any of his teeth it commeth not againe because the excesse of his moisture doth then begin to abate being vntill then predominate in moisture from 5. yeres of age vntil he be 10. is counted his middle youthfull perfect age both in vigor spirit action because hee is then more hot lesse moist frō ten yeares of age vnto 15. yeres is his declyning age because then heate moisture doe much decay frō 15. yeres of age vnto 20. his old age because that then he is cold drie if he do continue aboue those yeres yet is the same with great imperfection Now for asmuch as all works of generation do only appertaine to the natural power vertue of his body which is tearmed his vegetatiue soule whose faculty is to nourish for the conseruation of his body wherunto doe also serue the attractiue of the meat the cōcoctiue the disgestiue seperating the good from the bad the retentiue the expulsiue of superfluities The second is the increasing growing facultie for the perfection and due quantitie of the body and the third is the generatiue for the conseruation and preseruation of the kinde whereby wee see the Wisdome of the God of nature where the two first are for the body or indiuiduum and worke within the body and the third for the kinde and that hath it effect and oparation in another body and therfore more worthy then the other hath in it a greate height of perfection to make another like it selfe but not vntill there bee a perfect and able body and in
Horse that shee giueth them not onely a feeling but also a power to declare the same to others whereof may arise this question For asmuch as it hath bene saide that God is the author and giuer of nature and according to his creation all perfectly good and that all creatures aswell men as beastes worke according to nature and haue no naturall desire or inclination of corruption because euery creature naturally desireth his owne preseruation and perfection what needeth either Arte or practise to helpe or alter the same nature I answere that it is most true that Arte and practise were needles if man his disobedience had not depriued him of all obedience that by creation was subiect vnto him and the same his disobedience did not only bring a curse vpon the Earth but also the disobedience of all creatures to man and corruption to all euery their actions so there is not now any obedience or perfection in the dooing of action but that which is gotten by arte and preserued in vigor by vse and practise so that all thinges which now are vnto corrupted man most combersome as punishments of his disloyaltie were by original creatioÌ„n ordained for his furtherance Note this and therefore nature in Horses is not neither can be any other then an inclination and forwardnes knowledge a quickner vp of nature and arte a guide to keepe it in order by generall precepts vniuersall grounds and experience with imitation conferring both by the continuall holding on of many particular actions so as nature of it selfe is now insufficient knowledge and arte without nature fondnes and without experience vnprofitable As in chirurgerie although the bare practitioner do by his experience sometime hit well vpon the healing of some disease yet it is euident that hauing arte and knowledge matched with his experience so as he discerne the nature and cause of his disease marking the complexion age and manner of liuing of his patient and considering the equalitie and quantitie of his medicine and applying them in due time shall the better performe the duty of his science and the better attain the desired end but it is againe obiected that if the creation and creature were from God perfectly good notwithstanding his disobedience to man his owne corruption yet being created and preserued by God for the only vse of man how commeth it to passe that where there is one Horse by creation good in action there are a thousand Iades according to creation and in action I answere first that the creation and generation of these times are not immediatly created by God as in the first creation without meanes but by naturall meanes whereunto his grace is annexed Crescite et multiplicamini growe and increase vnto which meanes being his owne ordinance he giueth his blessing for the increase preseruation therof 2. it may be answerd out of the 4. of Esdras 9. verse that the world hath lost his youth and the times begin to waxe olde and also in the 2. of Esdras chap. 5. the question being demanded why the latter age should not be as perfect in creation as the first it was answered aske a woman wherfore are not they whom thou hast now brought forth like those that were before thee but lesse of stature she shall answere thee the same were borne in the flower of youth the others were borne in the time of age when the wombe failed consider now thy selfe how that ye are lesse of stature then those that were before you and so are they that come after you lesse then they as the creatures which now begin to be old and haue passed ouer the strength of youth So as the farther generation is from the first creation the more neerer to corruption Thirdly it may be answerd that euery Horse is created as man is of soule and bodie and is compounded of the foure elements as man and hee that doubteth thereof may aswel doubt whether himselfe be or no but the one which is in man celestial neuer dying the other terrestial dieth with the bodie and yet a most excellent pure liuing spirit hauing the faculties nutritiue vegetatiue motiue and sensitiue so doth it by his temperature of the elements righty rule as mans doth gouerne the bodie of euery Horse which naturally obeieth to euery action and that is truely called Nature wherof onely God is the Author so as the goodnes or badnes of the temperature of the elemeÌ„ts is the cause The cause why one horse doth better performe his kinde then another why one beast doeth better performe the workes of his kinde then another the temperature being the schoolemaister to direct the sensitiue soule to euery action and such is the force of natures custome to haue dominion ouer all creatures therefore the learned terme nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicta ab eo quod aliquid nasci faciat named from that which maketh something to be created whose propertie cause we cannot without obseruation finde other then that God the author of nature hath ordeined it Nam obscurata est ratio naturalis per in obedientiam primi pareÌ„tis our naturall reason is obscured by the disobedience of our first parents and yet nature may not be saide to be vnperfect or faultie for it hath put into all thinges possibility and aptnes and also acte and perfection and thereupon Cicero saith who hath reason from nature to the same is right reason giuen and then comming from nature is also perpetuall for perpetuum est quod natura frequens quod vsus introducit what nature bringeth is perpetuall and what vse bringeth is often so as nature whether it be armed with vertue or vice it is perpetual and the faculties causeth the perfection thereof acordingly for nature is knowne by his work and nature causeth the bodie to worke therefore such as the nature is such is the worke and such as the worke is such is the qualitie of the nature Now the seate or place of those faculties of this nature is principally the braine and the heart The braine is the â—eâ—t of the sencible soule the sence of sence and motion of the moste noble animal spurits composed of the vitall and raised from the hart by the Arteries vnto the braine as the regall and principall seates of the creature the heart beeing the place where the vitall and Arteriall spirrits are bred and doe equally participate the temperature thereof from whence they had theyr being and are dispersed ouer the whole bodie and then it may be truly saide Cuius effectus omnthus prodest eius et partes ad omnes pertinent where the effect of any thing is profitable to all there the partes thereof appertaine to all and as the power of that vitall spirit is great or small which is euermore according to the temperature of the elements such and the same it causeth and enforceth the bodie and euery parte thereof to worke and
dooth signifie the knowledge of the minde which Cicero calleth ianuam mentis the dore of the minde others doe say that the eye is the image of the countenance quasilumine scintillans In facie legitâ—r homo vim speculi habeÌ„s adeo vt intuentibus referat totum huminis fere specieÌ„ is as a sparkling light hath power of beholding so as to the beholder it doth almost declare the whole quality of maÌ„ wherby apeareth that nature hath made ordained probable coniectures of the vnsensible parts as appeareth in the 1. K. Ca. 3. when the compassion of the naturall mother was mooued by which commotion of nature the king gaue true iudgement and therefore it is truely saide ex his quae extrinsecus adparent coÌ„ijoiuntur ea quae non adparent from those outward appearing thinges those things which doe not appeare are coniectured from whence also may be truly collected that vultus est animi index the countenance sheweth what the minde is O quam difficile est crimeÌ„ non prodere vultu how hard is it a fault by face not to bewray in facit prudentis lucet sapientia in the face of a wiseman wisdome shineth Pro. 17. Cor hominis mutat faciem siue in bonosiue in malo the heart of a man changeth his countenance whether it be in good or euil An euill eye the windowe of death Eccl. 13.26 So as the eye and countenance of man being the messenger of the minde the window of the heart the inward secrets of man are disclosed If then the minde and secrets of the hart of man may bee and are knowne by outward signes hauing wisdome to conceale how shall or may a creature not endowed with reason and vnderstanding Impudicus oculus impudici cordis est nuncius Chry. auoid the discouerie of the secrets of his owne nature Moreouer that the countenance is a discouerie of the inward minde appeareth in the 4. of Gen. When Caine was wroth his countenance feldowne wherupon the Lord saide Why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance caste downe And Salomon 27. prou 18. saith Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospâ—cientum siccorda hominum manifesta sunt prudeÌ„tibus as the faces of those which look into waters shine vnto them so the hearts of men are manifested to the wise and no doubt the obseruation of the countenance of the Horse The outward Phisiognomie doth not falsifie and betray that good promise that Nature hath plaÌ„ted in the froÌ„t doth more certainly discouer his inward quallitie as an Image of his affection but if man would knowe the secrets of mans heart he must leaue it to the creator for solus Deus est scrutator cordis Onely God is the searcher of mans heart and the knowledge of maÌ„ touching mâ— is but coÌ„iectura qualitatis for as he which beholdeth his face in the water doth not discerne it exactly but rather a shadow then a face euen so he that by external Physiognomy and operations wil deuine what lyeth hid in the heart of man may conceiue an Image of that affection that dooth raign in the mind of man rather then a resolute knowledge But the Physiognomy of a horse is much more certain for he can not keep secret or conceale as man can There is nothing that hath a truer resemblance then the conformitie and relatioÌ„ of the body to the spirit but being in perfect health remaineth euer one the same in countenance Therfore to conclude and to make the truth hereof appeare chuse a horse with a broad forehead a great black full eie standing out like an hares eye and a high reared forepart and bee assured that by nature he is bolde and to giue you a further assurance marke a Horse with a narrow forehead little eies a low fore part which is meere contrary and assure your selfe that by nature he is starting and fearefull and to seale vp the truth heerein the triall wil confirme you So as the obseruation of his naturall shape in that part telleth you that the same is so sure as when you see smoak there hath bin a fyer CHAP. 21. How to know a horse that is louing by nature THat euerie good horse is by nature louing to man To confirme this proposition I thinke the examples before remembred are sufficient besides euery man his dayly experience that Iades are naturally mischeuous dangerous to man wherof I will giue some examples as Fulko the fift king of Ierusalem after he had raigned eleuen yeares was by a mischeuous Iade strooken in the hinder part of the head whereof he presently dyed Bellat the King of the Pauuonians Phillip sonne of Lodowick Crassus Seleucus Calinisius and many others by euill natured horses were slaine It is truely said an Ape will be an Ape the Leopard wil not change his spots nor the Moore his skin that is perpetual which nature bringeth forth I haue tolde you that the countenance is a representatiue of conditions amongst which this is one when you see a horse with a plaine smoothe eye so as the more you beholde his eyes and countenance in beauty and seemely proportion the more hee seemeth as Plato saith the obiect of your loue whereby you doe not onely grow in loue of him but conceiue that he hath as it were prepared a cherful countenance to entertaine your loue which naturally created with him cannot otherwise appeare But if he bee beetell browed that is great liddes or lumpes of flesh couering little eyes that are inward in his head Lacâ—rt is like a Newight vvhereof in Italy are many and hollow aboue or looking as the Lacert which euerie way it looketh leareth awry and neuer direct vppon you you may assure your selfe his naturall desire euer trauaileth to effect mischiefe in all his actions for distortuÌ„ vâ—ltuÌ„ sequitur distortio morum A deformed countenance hath deformed conditions being by the God of nature extraordinarilie marked for a discouerie of their hatefull affections But the conttarie which is a great smoothe ful blacke eye without hollownesse either aboue or within or lumpes of flesh ouer-hanging his eyes with a sweete smile inherent in nature and expressed in countenance you may assure your selfe of his good temperature manifesting it selfe in his ioyfull and merry countenance so as hee seemeth naturally to fawne on you to gaine your loue if your intemperance hinder not his naturall affection the truth of things are neuer better manifested then by obseruation of the contrarie CHAP. 22. How to knowe a horse that is sure going THat euery good horse is by Nature Plura simul collat a â—â—uant que singula non prosunt sure going I must intreat you to remember that my 6. rules for the knowledge of a good Horse are relatiues and so lincked each in the other as you cannot throghly apprehend the one without the other so inseperable are they as the one cannot be approoued
apeareth by the office of the lungs which as a paire of bellowes doth drawe fresh ayre vnto the same and also gladde the spirrits and disburdeneth it selfe of those fumes and excrementes which oppresse it filling all emptie corners with moistnes and howsoeuer the ayre seeme to our sences yet doth it yeeld more moisture then the water The third element is Water which though heauy and moist Water yet most colde 1. First by meanes of his coldenes for colde is not actiue it doth conglutinate and ioyne his bones with flesh and sinewes The vertues and his flesh with sinewes and bones for the nature of colde is to binde durt wood stickes strawes and such like in one masse 2. Secondly with his coldenes it doth temper the feruent heat of the fire 3. Thirdly it doth gather that together which the fire would disperse asunder for the nature of heate is to open and disperse that which colde hath conioyned and of colde to binde that which heat hath dissolued The fourth element is the Earth which though it be heauie and colde yet most chiefiy drie Earth The Colt being a mixt body the earth doth harden and retaine his shape which the Ayre and water would make fluxible The vertues as is to be seene in waxe and other things newly wrought which before it be hard and dry will not holde and when the body dieth those elements both in quallitie and substance returne from whence they came as that which is hot to the fire that which is moist to the ayre that which is colde to the water and that which is dry to the earth CHAP. 30. Of the humors THe humor from whence the seed and menstruall blood are taken for the framing of the Colte are 1. Blood 2. Fleame 3. Choler 4. Melancholly 1. The blood which is perfect is hot and moist and yet his predominate quallitie heate and therefore ful of ioy and pleasure 2. The Fleame is colde and moist but the predominate quallitie thereof coldenes and therefore full of waterish blood with little heat of spirit 3. The choler is hot and dry but the pedorminate qualitie therof is heat and therfore full of anger when the blood is ouer hot not cleere but of thick spirit 4. The melancholly which is blacke choler is colde and dry but the predominate quallitie drines therfore heauy sad and fearefull for the blood is thicke and colde and the spirit full of darkenes CHAP. 31. The vses to be gathered from the humors Humor FIrst that the cause of the good or bad temperature of the Colte which is his good or bad qualitie proceedeth from the goodnes or badnes of the blood the blood in nature though not in predominate qualitie is like vnto the ayre light hot and moist fleame to the water which is heauie and moist choller which is red like vnto blood hot and drye melancholly which is blacke choller heauy colde dry like vnto the earth But the fleame sweetneth the force of the two choller 's and the melancholly moderateth the suddaine motions Blood The Fountaine of the blood is the liuer and the vse of this fountaine is to keep it pure from which the veines issuing are as channells of the first and naturall blood and the Arteries comming from the heart as conduits of the second blood more subtill and vitall from whence it is apparant that the purity thereof dwelleth in the heart yet the liuer is the storehouse of blood fountaine of the veines the seat of the naturall nourishing facultie or vegatiue soule made ingendred of the Chyle that is to saya kinde of white suck or whey fit for the nourishment of the bodie which by veines passe vnto the liuer Fleame Fleame in the braine which is colde and spungeous and the seat of the sensible soule Vbi sedet pro tribunali the braine and not the hart for the heart hauing feeling and motion is not capeable of sence Choler Choler in the liuer Melancholly Melancholly in the spleene which is the receit and discharge of the excrements of the liuer 1. From hence it may be truely collected that euerie humor hath his proper end and vse Blood chiefly nourisheth the body Fleame helpeth to mooue the Ioints choler to prouoke the body to anoid excrements and melancholly to prouoke the horse to appetite 2 Secondly it may be collected that such as the temperature of the elements are in these humors whereof the Colt is framed in the wombe such will bee his qualities and dispositions in his actions and if any of these humors are predominate in qualitie when the Colt is framed of them then he is to bee tearmed according to the predominate qualitie thereof Now there are in euerie Colt aswell Male as female foure chiefe or principall instrumentall members viz. the braine the heart the liuer and the stones otherwise the Female could not haue seede to mooue her to lust whereof the first three are onely to preserue the body wherein they bee and the fourth to preserue the whole kinde from which doe spring other officiall members which doe serue and doe office to the principall members as the sinewes from the braine which are animall spirits the Arteries from the heart which are vitall spirits the veines from the liuer which are the naturall parts and the seede vessels from the stones as place of generation CHAP. 32 From whence these humors proceede and haue their being THere cannot bee any thing more true or agreeable to reason The foure faculties viz. Eating Retaining Concoction Expulsion then to affirme that nature hath prouided for euerie beaste foure Naturall faculties viz. to eate to retaine to concoct to expel of which concoction altering the foode there are residing in their bodies the saide foure humors blood Fleame Choler and Melancholly whereof nature vseth onely the seruice of one to worke the creature which is an excrement that may fitly be tearmed whey or wheish blood whose engendering is wrought in the liuer and in the veines at such time as these foure humors doe take from the beast the forme substance they ought to haue and of such licour as this dooth nature serue her selfe to resolue the meate to work that the same may passe thorough the veines thorough the straite passages carrying nourishment to all the partes of the body What is a Veine The veines being a conceptacle or emptie place of receite for the blood mixed cōfused with the vitall spirit the which veines haue their beginning from the liuer their office is to draw from the liuer vnto them this whey to send part of the same thorough the passages into the bladder from thence out of the body to free the creature from offence wherof two of the veines cary part of the said whey frō the liuer to the cods vessels of seede there residing with some smal quantity of the purest blood wherby the
deepe chest and body with vpright pasternes and narrowe hoofe to giue testimony of his great strength and abilitie of body to indure and continue long great trauel And euery vntrue vnperfect shaped horse hauing in euerye part the contrary shape viz. A narrow fore-head litle eyes fleshy head thick fleshy Iawes short neck set on like a Hog or Goate a narrow shallow brest body weak bending pasterns fleshye broad club-footed is a moste vile royle and a Iade in all and euerie his actions so as all the Artistes and moste excellent horsemen in the vniuersall world can neuer endowe him with the least perfection of action continuāce therin wherby you may as truely infalliblie iudge the difference betwixt good bad as the difference betwixt fire water as also the perfection imper fectiō of the cōposition temperature of his elemēts in the time of his creation for whē you see a horse or colt that is naturaly lean dry wil hardly be made fat continne fat yet digesteth speedily of a slener substance of bodye short hayred and the same hard and full of stirring it is plaine that he was composed of the predominate humor of red choler and that the blood wherof the seede was made was of a darke and thicke spirit and had much of the Gall for if the blood had bene perfect it would haue bene hot and moist of an oilie substance for want of which radical moisture he doth too speedily disgest neuer fat of slender substance his hayre short dry and hard for want of that moisture to passe thorough the pores of the skin to make the same soft of length and substance and that hayre if it bee eaten will neuer bee digested by reason of his drynes when as his bones being eaten will be digested besides he cannot be long liued wanting sufficient radicall humors to feede his great heat for the lack whereof hee is like to a lamp that hath a great flame little oyle therfore speedily consuming the Oyle it extinguisheth his owne light and this horse is tearmed cholericke and his shape must of necessitie bee defectiue in substance because largenes and great proportion of shape proceedeth principally from moisture so as wanting substance and fulnes of proportion as I haue formerlye saide he cannot be of continuance but quickly spent like vnto small dry wood which speedily flameth and therefore is speedily consumed soone hot soone colde a great bragger but no performer a fiery looke and countenance in whome at the first entring into action there is no temperance seeming rather to flye then to be content to stand quiet and yet the trauell of a few myles through his violent heate and drynesse speedily spendeth his vital spirit so that his hart which is the chariot of his life and the fountaine of those vitall spirits and the hottest of all other his spirituall members for want of sufficient radical oyled moisture to coole the same is so smothered and choaked that of necessitie it yeeldeth Againe when you see a horse that is long large loose and weake ioynted hollowe eyed not well compacted although by hye and proud keeping he may make shew of spirit and vigor yet not withstanding assuer your selfe that he is cōpounded of the element of Water which is altogether flegmaticke which in predominate qualitie is heauie moiste and colde and therefore a lubber and a Iade beeing weake and loose in all the parts of his body by reason he wanteth the chiefe element of Fyer which is hot dry to exhaust and drie vp his predominate quality of moisture to purge and refine the moisture to become full of vigor spirit and courage to the performance of his actions Also when you see a horse that hath a great fleshy head thick boned and fleshie iawes a great fleshy vpright ioynt a great thicke short necke and a full proportioned body whereby hee seemeth a puissant strong horse assure your selfe the chiefe and predominate Element in his composition was of the earth which is melancholly or black choler which in qualitie is colde and drie and of the element of Water which is heauy and moist so as by the moisture of water which is fleame it groweth great so by the cold nes and drynes of the earth which is melancholly hee is framed a great heauie lumpe or masse without true proportion of shape and his actions in qualitie are heauie sad and fearefull and vnapt for action other then as a great topp which neuer goeth well but by strong lashing neither can he bee of other qualitie then according to the qualitie of the Elements wherof he is composed wanting the two most excellent elements which are Fyer and Ayre that is heate and oylie moisture to raise his spirit to the liuely and couragious performance of his actions so as after hee hath come to bee ten yeares olde hee will exceede in stumbling and falling flat downe neither can bee of long life wanting a iust and true proportion of temperature of the foure elements neither can the best keeping in the world or the moste skilfull horseman of the world bring him to performe any action contrarie to his nature according whereunto euerie creature worketh the which nature is no other then the temperature of the Elements when hee was composed and framed in the wombe according whereunto his shape was framed which beeing naturall will bee perpetuall and vnchangeable in him vnto his death And therefore there is not any truth can bee more apparant then that a iust and true proportion of the temperature of the Elements maketh a Horse of perfect shape and excellent qualitie and hauing largely shewed you his vertues I speake not for them if your sight cannot commaund affection let them loose it they shall please much better after you haue troubled your eyes with the view of the iades deformities and then how much more they please so much more odious and like themselues shall the Iades deformities appeare for this true light contraries giue each to the other that in the midst of their enmitie the one maketh the other seeme more good or euill Now it resteth to consider how possible it can bee that a Colte can be compounded of a true proportion of temperature if you suffer Horse and Mare goe to grasse when they beget and were all learning and reason banished from this my assertion the onely infinite number of iades being a thousand to one of good Horses would condemne the generall practise of all Nations and their errors heerein not to be defended But if you obserue the naturall quality of euery Element if the instinct of originall nature be not annihilated you will reforme your iudgement and consequently your practise in breeding for the nature of the Element of fire whereunto the humour of perfect blood is likened dooth seuer the pure from the vnpure rust and drosse from the Iron the copper and vnperfect mettel from
together in nature beginning to be and finishing their being in one and the same moment First therefore you see that if he be not bold although he be louing sure going easie going durable and free yet they all are nothing to assure the rider from danger Likewise if he be not louing vppon many occasions and times vnexpected he may often spoile his maister keeper or rider also if he be not sure in going what imminent danger is euermore to be expected in all dangerous places the experience too often approued Also if he go not easie how can man be free from bruises and sorenes in all parts of his bodie so as he shall not be able to make vse of himselfe for preseruation of himselfe Also if he be not durable and of strength and force to continue his trauell or the action vndertaken being fit and reasonable for a Horse to performe how can he satisfie mans vse the end of his creation Sixtly and lastly if he be not free and of good courage euermore of himselfe forward free and of good mettle without compulsion or stripes what vexation or losse yea many times of life by a crauing dull Iade who wil not acknowledge But when all these good quallities are inseperably conioyned in Nature as they are in euery perfect Horse what can the heart of man more desire if vnderstanding guyde his affection to declare vnto him what is to be desired with what facility of arte and practise will such horses be broken and brought to perfection what assurance of their voluntarie and durable seruice in all perfection how delightfull to the owners how profitable to their purses how ioyfull and comfortable to all that vse them how seruiceable and honourable to King and Countrie what soule liueth that will not acknowledge And because there is not any other or more excellent qualities to bee desired in horses for the vse of man then the perfection of those sixe qualities it consequently followeth that all horses in their first and primarie creation were absolutely endowed with them in all perfection for the increase preseruation and continuance whereof I purposely composed this labour all which I doubt not will be hereafter performed by all breeders of horses if they shall obserue make practise of those rules and precepts that are herein set foorth so plaine and euident as will giue full contentment to all that shall desire the knowledge thereof First therfore intending institution of a good thing I thinke moste fit to obserue Cicero his rule and to begin with true diffinition Difinition of nature and leauing diuersities of opinions I define Nature thus nature is not the thing it selfe but the proper and peculiar strength of the thing naturally giuen vnto the Creature in the creation at the time of the framing not at the birth where it receiueth that quallity which it hath not only of being and working but also of begetting c. and as it is a strength bred and grafted in the creature at his framing it therefore commeth not by chance or accidentally neither is it mutable but naturall peculiar and vnchangeable but because Nature may bee two waies vnderstood viz a particuler a generall I will first shew that diuersitie The particuler nature is that which in euerie single substāce ministreth essence to the whole compound with all is mother to such action motion as is agreeable to the subiect wherin it is as the nature of fire causeth fyers ascention the nature of earth the earthes going downward The vniuersall nature is the author and maintainer of all actions and bodies to which the seuerall single bodies are in subiectiō by their obedience acknowledging a kinde of superioritie in that vniuersall nature therefore it is said quod vniuersalis natura falli out errare non potest quia contingenter agit in indiuidius sed indiuidua sunt remotu abarte so there are sundry diuersities of natures as the things be sundrie wherof they be which beeing moste wisely and many waies deuided by the creator cannot bee knit vp to one selfe same thing Againe and as the learned haue obserued nature is of that excellency quod nihil habet vitij Nature hath no defect because God is the author thereof and his prouidence hath so prouided that euerie nature by working doth declare of what qualitie it is so that his workes are moste assured testimonies what his nature is and therefore verie fit to put difference betwixt the things that be wrought naturally that be wrought accidentally for all naturall things are done often continually and those which be done accidentally be not so The sun giueth light to the world because it is his nature but when it dazeleth weake eies it is not naturall but accidentall and also those things that bee naturally done be not done with euil will or by motion of others but easily and voluntarily so whatsoeuer is naturall is accustomable perpetuall voluntarie and ready and as it is created made with the creature it is reason that it should beare the nature of his beginning and that which is of a Horse to bee the nature of a Horse and of no other Creature For if a man should call a naughtie Natured Horse the nature of a Dogge wee may not thereupon gather that a horse and a Dogge bee both of one Nature for as each creature is such is the nature thereof and so it worketh according to that Nature whereby it is euident and with truth not to bee opposed that nature is nothing else but the temperature of heat coldnes moisture drynes the which is a schoole-maister to direct the sence of the horse which hee hath from his braine to cause the natural body to worke wherein if heate be predominate then dooth the sence direct the body to worke according to the qualitie of heate which is with freenesse vigor spirit courage and so and not otherwise is it truely said that euery creature worketh according to his nature and as of heat so doth it worke accordingly in each temperature and thereby wee may certainely determine the horses disposition habit naturall power lacke of power affection and such like as hereafter shall most plainely be demonstrated which the Logicians doe consider in qualitie and so seeke the nature of his qualitie in his works so that of what qualitie his work is of such quality we may truly say his nature is for he is such in the qualitie of his nature as he is tried found to be after this maner euery simple mā may learne to know the nature of euerie horse but my purpose is to teach you most assuredly to know his quality without any worke or tryall onely vpon the view as hereafter wil appeare the which naturall qualities are not gotten by teaching or instructing by customes or Arte but naturally and so to euerie man an assurance of what qualitie his nature is for nature proceedeth so farre in euerie
without the other and therefore Vhi plur a coniunctim exiguntur ibi non sufficit vnum probari where many thinges are ioyntly required for proof there it is not sufficient only to allow one wherfore the rule to know a horse to be sure going is that he be very long foreparted I meane from his withers to his head very long necked and the same broad towards the brest thin and slender neere to the head with a high reare his head naturally hanging to his necke so as his nose beare not further out or more then his forehead but carrying the same as the Ramme dooth when he is fighting and so as his forehead and nose hanging naturally euen his necke long his sight lustie bolde and perfect he euermore seeth his waye without restraint and at pleasure where to tread in all fafety and then hauing a true and iust trot or amble together with the perfection of his raine for that is the onely perfect and true raine which no other shape can affoorde with continuance hee trauaileth with such ease and delight to nature which all Arte is euer to attend beeing bolde louing and thereby proud and stately in going and naturally easie and delightful to man he goeth with great grace surenes of foot ease to the ryder and pleasure to himselfe when as the contrarie shape cannot by any Arte bee reduced to perfection longer then he is moste highlye kept and his pride and heate continueth because nothing is more offensiue to Nature then violence and restraint from his naturall imperfection to perfection by meanes of which discontentment hee will eyther raine and beare his head to Natures shape which is moste and onely pleasing to himselfe or cause the ryder to giue libertie thereunto or else become hard of hand with great paine by meanes whereof it wil be vnpossible for him to bee sure of foote being in Nature euill shaped for nobiles generosi equi facile fraeno reguntur saith Seneca the best horses are moste lightly borne but contrarywise the Iade not hauing delight in himselfe must be permitted to goe like an Asse or a pack-horse whereunto if any shall giue allowance I thinke an Asse better for such a lumpe of flesh and hee a fit couer for such a Pot except old age sicknesse or other infirmitie which is neuer exempted from protection be the cause CHAP. 23. How to know a horse that is easie-going THat euerie good horse is by nature easie going wherin if either the waÌ„t of knowledge or the intemperance of the Rider alter the same it is not within my proposition for I speake not only of nature which obseruation I also gather from the shape and I doe euermore accompt that a good and perfect shape which giueth perfection of action with perfection of comelines grace and continuance thereof vnto the end for otherwise he is not to be named a horse of good shape I am not doubtfull of any thing I affirme hauing had long assurance thereof without being deceiued therefore in your choise of horse retaine it a rule infallible that your horse be high in the withers if you will haue him easie in going which beeing ioyned with the high reared fore-part and other rules before expressed he wil cary your body very vpright with great grace statelines true raine safety and ease otherwise the forward hanging of your body on a horse that is lowe before will halfe perswade you that your backe is cracked if not broken by reason of your leaning forward but the high reared horse whether his pace bee Trot or Amble being orderly ridden will raine easie pleasantly mouthed lift and set iust true steady and easie stil bearing you as if you were caryed in a chaire and when you are to encounter your enemie a safetie to your person and disaduantage to him And if you shall enforce him to a speedy trauell which no doubt through his violentlifting will alter his easinesse yet when you equally coÌ„sider him with a lowe foreparted horse in equalitie of place and perfection of raine you shal be sure th' one wil break you before th' other bruse you besides the comely stately and sure-going of the one and the great danger disgrace of the other because in action he cannot giue grace when you trauell in companye obserue a man shaked or rocked on his horse backe and you shal be sure that the horse is lower before or if he carry his head truely CHAP. 24. How to know a Horse that is durable and of continuance in Iourney THat a good horse is by nature durable is also an obseruation of his shape yet must hee haue all the other rules before mâ—ntioned the which I will euer maintaine as infallible truthe being inseperably linked together to demonstrate a true and exact knowledge of any horse First it is to be considered that strength is the cause of continuance of trauell then in what part of the body the strength principally and naturally resteth in the horse for as the strength of the Bull is naturally in the necke the Lyon and Beare in the paw the Dog in the chap so the horse in the fore-part where nature hath imposed the burthen and there is and must bee his principall force and strength the which fore-part must bee deep and broade from the point or top of his withers to the bottome of his chest or breast his ribbes bearing out as the lidde or couer of a truncke wherby he will appeare broad full round and bearing out in the Chest and brest with an eeuennesse of Chest and belly to the flanke so as his belly hang not deeper then his chest nor his chest deeper then his belly with leane vpright and streight pasternes somewhat narrow hooue towards the toe assure your selfe hee will bee durable and as good in the end of his labour as at the beginning if not better and performe his trauell with great delight but if he be of contrarie shape then wil his actions be coÌ„trary namely the longer he is trauailed the more Iade whatsoeuer shewe he maketh at his setting foorth for if strength and abilitie of bodie fayleth although a good spirit enforceth his labour yet it caÌ„not be of perseuerance Vbivires dificiunt ibi laudanda est voluntas where strength faileth good-will hath all the praise And therefore when you view a colte A â—olâ—ed doth expresse what his proofe will be when he commeth to age how yong soeuer he be when he is foaled his naturall shape will neuer alter but euermore growe and continue in the same shape vntill his death and therefore be well assured that he haue a perfect naturall shape when he is most young such as I doe herein describe so may you be assured not to be deceiued either in the choice of old or youÌ„g what can be strange to the knower Aristotle saith that Cognitiò nostra est cognitio cognoscentiset cogniti our knowledge is the knowledge of the knower
of the thing knowne when nature hath shaped the colte in perfection with what facilitie doth arte perfect the qualitie vse of euery action but if nature hath shaped the same vnperfect there cannot be any hope of perfect action with comlines and continuance for Sordida natura semper sequitur sua iura like nature like worke because euery creature worketh according to his nature and like euermore bringeth forth like beware therfore of euil beginning either in art knowledge or practise least by continuance thereof it carry soueraingtie in you Natura calamitatum mollimentum consuetudinem iuuenit to the ouerthrowe of your hopefull desires for Grauissum est imperimum consuetudinis the soueraingtie of custome is intollerable CHAP. 25. How to know a free and perfect spirited Horse THis being the coÌ„clusion of those sixe qualities which euery good Horse naturally hath and retaineth from his conception vnto his death spare your eares as tunnels to your bodie to let the same fall deepe into your apprehension and consider who is the author of the faculties which are planted in the creature at the time of his creation and you shall finde it the onely worke of the creator by those meanes which his owne ordinaÌ„ce hath established not as a fleshy substance or as an accidentall thing but a powerfull spirit proceeding from the vitall spirit and arteriall blood that goe wandring through the whole bodie to stir vp the power of the beast to giue him force and vigor to worke by which the sencible soule performeth his works which are termed Nature and the same norisheth preserueth increaseth giueth power to the creature to signifie the same to others and the more it doth abound the more powerful it is in the operation and if it cease his power in operation then doth the whole bodie cease his naturall power in working and as this spirit is of substance most pure so when it is plentifully infused it maketh and worketh all the creature and quallitie of the same creature pure so as man not knowing or finding the reason caÌ„not but wonder at the work workmaster and therefore the more excellent perfect and pure the creature is created the greater is his operation and trauell as we the Sun which mooueth continually the moone that is neuer staied the sky euer moouing the fire neuer without working the clowdes neuer cease remoouing c. so when wee see a strange prowde and comely shaped Horse of pure and perfect substaÌ„ce described in euery parte as aforesaide there is presented to our sences coÌ„sideration some excellent deuine work by so pure and refined metall which is specialy performed by the Element of fire so as it seemeth to represent the Image of Venus which Apelles for the space of ten yeres had imploied his wit pollicie to paint being so beautiful that the beholders became amorous as though it had bene some liue Image so as by publike edicte he was charged to keepe it secret for feare to allure youth to corruption Or like that brasen Horse which Pausanias the Greeke historiographer meÌ„tioneth to haue bene found in Heraclia a Prouince of Peloponesus whose beautie was such as other Horses with ardent desire and affection sought to ioyne and couple with him as if they had found a prowde mare wherefore for the satisfaction and confirmation of this proposition how to know a perfect quicke and free spirited Horse you must still retaine all the description of shape before described with this viz. that he haue a slender leane head leane thin slender iawes which is an absolute perfect assurance of quicke free forward spirit to euery action by all which descriptions you shall assuredly knowe his quallities onely vppon the view as if you had made tryall of him many yeares and thereof make no more doubt then whether the sun hath at any time giuen light to your eyes but if the Horse be defectiue in his shape as I haue before described then assure your selfe he wanteth that natural perfection I haue referred the rule vnto for as it is a naturall course euen in euill by degrees to come vnto perfection of euill so is it also as naturall that where perfection of shape faileth in the whole or in parte there imperfection is present the natural quallities answerable therevnto obserue then I pray you that a perfect Horse by nature is thus shaped viz. a leane slender head broad forehead great blacke eyes The description of the most perfect shape of a Horse full and plaine ouer the lids slender thin and leane iawes broad thin long high reared neck the head set to the necke so naturally as a Rammes head when he fighteth high withers a deepe broad chest and breast his ribbes bearing out as the lid of a trunck with an equall eeuenes from his chest to his flancke leane vpright pastornes with a lean deepe hooue somewhat narrowe towards the toe the most infallible true and approoued description of a most perfect absolute and excellent Horse be he yong or olde without any respect of colour countrie marke or other obseruation whatsoeuer and so sure as thy selfe hath a being he wil be found in all his actions naturally bolde louing easie sure footed durable and free going the onely qualities of his first and primary creation and if he be not the most excellent and perfectest shape that nature euer brought forth and the best in action I shall acknowledge these my labours the recorde of my folly vnperfect iudgement to all succeeding ages But because I know do assure my selfe that Vnius mens non est capax tantae molis that it is vnpossible that one head shold bee sufficiently furnished for so many matters and that to be moste true which Iustinian the Emperor recordeth in his 44. constitution Nihil in rebus humanis sic vsqadeo semotum ab omni contreuersia temetsimaximam cum iustitia contunclionem habeat quod dubitationem controuersiam noÌ„ recipiat si subtâ—liter animi curas inteÌ„das vt nihil prorsus inter homines sicposse desiniri vt non exquisit is subiaceat impugnationibus illorum qui suos adfectus praeferunt veritati There is nothing in humane thinges so remote from controuersie if with subtilty you straine the powers of the minde thereunto and nothing can be so exactly defined amongst men that cannot bee subiected to exquisite cauels of those which doe preferre their affections before truth for who knoweth not but that a playing wit can praise the discretion of an Asse wherefore my selfe knowing that neither my words or pen can carrie with them the life of my inward feeling I haue the more largely discoursed to vnfolde my knowledge by the plainest demonstration for the meanest vnderstanding for as Lucianus saith Prouerbe occultae musices nullum esse respectum and as Salomon saith Sapientiae reconditae thesaurâ— abstrusi nullam esse vtilitatem of wisdome shut vp there is
no pleasure nor profit commeth of hidden treasure I haue therefore herein indeuoured Polipi mentem tenere to frame all my discourse to the true louers of the renowned Art of Horsemanship to obiect against any assertions the moste difficult obiections CHAP. 26. Obiections against the generall propounded rules FIrst it may be demaunded whether these obseruations are both for young coltes when as their bodies are not growne to perfection and for olde Horses which by leannesse seeme to be vnperfect I answere when the Colt falleth from the Dam the naturall body is of that proportion of shape which neither can or will at any time after alter in that shape doth it growe and increase vnto the end not as some doe ignorantly alleadge one yeare to growe in the forepart and another yeare in the hinder part for the facultie of nature cannot be nutritiue in a sound bodye to one part neglect the other part neither can any part continue without nourishment without the destruction of that part neither can the nourishment of the body alter the forme and naturall shape of the bodye and therefore the rules are infallible both for olde and young and to graunt them otherwise were absurd because nulla ratione potest admitti per communem sensum quia non couuenit humanae societati by no reason it can be admitted by common sence the same not being agreeable to humane reason Nulla placidior quies nisi quam ratio composuit Therefore what Nature hath framed is constant and perpetuall without change and the forme of constitution shape such in his age as you see him a Colt 2. Secondly it may be demaunded whether a Horse wanting any of these rules may notwithstanding be a good Hotse The degrees of goodnes what is to bee sud good I answere you must consider that there are degrees in goodnesse as good better and best of al Next you must consider what is good or what may be saide to be good for no one thing can be truly saide to be good that vnderstanding knowledge doth not tell you to be good for ignorance and error do call light-darkenes and darkenes light good euill and euill good so as your direction must not be opinatiue but examined per Norman rationis by the rule of reason if you be a creature reasonable for do you not know the Fly the Dog the Lyon the horse man are al liuing creatures but with difference for only maÌ„ is a liuing creatur reasonable created for the only glory of God so as you must alwaies reason from true definition then if you will demauÌ„d of the most best good Horse I holde and will defend against all contrary opinion that there is not any of the most best Horses that doth or can want any of my sixe rules which I prooue thus When God first created Horse he created them in all perfection of that kinde for nothing issued froÌ„ his hands ill shaped hee made him perfectly good Psal 8.5 and all that good onely for man and to that end were all his creatures made and as he made man their lord and ruler so did he appoint them their preseruer but no destroyer of his creatures Iustissima pana vt quâ—scione rectuÌ„ non sacâ—t et a witâ—at scire quod tectuÌ„ Aug. and all this is inheritable to vs then examine what is that which man can more or lesse require in a horse for perfection then these sixe qualities before described being such as are euer inseperable euermore so to be appreheÌ„ded in iudgement conceit for if he be bold and feareth nothing that true wisedome and discretioÌ„ would haue him to aduenture neither defectiue in his loue to giue his life for your sake so easie going as your selfe can desire and so sure of foote as no perrill or danger is to be feared withsuch perseueraÌ„ce coÌ„tinuance in labour as your body and his life can endure with al forwardnes following will freenes and obedience so as two or three lashes shal be sufficient to enforce his trauell till his vitall spirit life forsake him being such qualities as all the best Artists skilful horsemen of the whole world haue in all ages will laboure and endeauour to bring Horses vnto as to a restitution perfectioÌ„ of their first creation according to the natural disposition originally infused in them by God for the preseruation of their first being how shall graÌ„t the depriuatioÌ„ of any of them or of any parte of any one of them without the publike trespas to man for whose onely vse and comfort they were made as Lord and Emperor of all creatures so consequently to the all-creator but if your meaning be to descend to the comparatiue degree that is to a horse not altogether of such excellâ—cie then in some sort ther may be some tolleratioÌ„ admitted in part of some of my rules namely his boldnes which if by nature hee want yet by art may in some sort be helped by vse of being amongst guns drums trumpets and such like the which I dare not absolutely admit if by any possibilitie those may be that are naturally bold otherwise there must be a coÌ„tinual vse practise to coÌ„tinue preserue whatsoeuer is accidentally gained yet peraduenture at some times faile because it is not naturall Againe Neglectis Grenda filix innas uur agriâ—t Horat. a Horse may be thick chapped or iawed admitted if the whole head be lean al the shape otherwise perfect but yet there wil be a great difference of pleasure in his raine pleasant mouth besides his voluntarie forwardnesse when you shall compare the one with the other Lastly the verie high born proud and stately horse might also in some part be tollerated and admitted to a lower raine and yet a good Horse but when you consider the grace maiestie and high countenance with honor and maiestie to man beeing a part of his primarie creation I cannot admitte the least imputation to man for whose glorie and vse they were in all perfection originally created neither to admitte the consideration of any imperfection but rather by all possible meanes to vphold the perfection of their creation least man should thereby take libertie to neglect his duetie and charge which mans corruption too much of it selfe alloweth and vpholdeth as the practise in all ages and times in all professions doe sufficiently witnesse howsoeuer they pretend the contrarie and thereby allowe to Arte such perfection as to make that perfect which nature hath made vnperfect when as Art is but onely a quickner vp of Nature as to endeuour by Art and practise to make a low fore-parted or short necked Horse to raine well and perfect with continuance which will be performed ad calendas graecas when God hath made another world For there is not any learned phisitian or other learned man that can or will chalenge absolutely to
all his actions hee followeth the motions of the temperature of the body so as both nature reason and practise doe approoue both horses and all other creatures of good composition and temperature to bee in their middle age moste strong and perfect and fullest of vigor spirit and courage and therefore the onelie fit time to beget and bring foorth and thereby the contrarie reason the time both before and after vnfit and moste vnperfect Nam natura cum ad summam peruenerit descendit idq non aequo gressu ascensus enim lentior descensus praeceps Nature is long before it come to perfection but when it is come to the highest it suddenly decayeth wherfore for a full more plaine demonstration of truth and of the errors of all ages obserue If two Colts viz. horse mare vnder fiue yeres of age not hauing obtained perfection of strength neither refyned nature frō the excessiue moisture of youth being but few yeres since they were created that of their seede a Colt should be formed being a matter endowed with excessiue moisture their seed cannot possibly be of a perfect temperature neither is or can bee perfect for generation because all perfect seede for procreation must be hot dry for that otherwise it neither will or can incite to copulation with perfectiō of generation wherof also must be plenty the same throughly concocted for that the seed of the mare beeing in comparison with the horse is much more colder and moister therefore the Horse must haue a great quantity of seed both hot and dry equally to temper the coldenes and moisture of the seede of the Mare from which equallity of temperature the goodnes of the colte begotten proceedeth for euery qualitie in reason must be abated by his contrarie and then their seede being equally temperate and seasoned without excesse of predominate qualitie it alwaies formeth the best in his kinde and the stature of the Colte conformable to the quantitie of the temperate seede and menstruall blood which it had at the time when it was framed add shaped and according to the qualitie of temperature al creatures take cary the conditions and properties of their Sires at the time of their framing and not at their bringing foorth Againe if a colte should be begotten of a seede cold and moist it wil be great softe of flesh great limmed goutye ioynted thick boned heauy and dull according to the natutall operation and qualitie of colde and moistnes which conioyneth all in a lumpe without good proportion Againe if the olde Horse and olde Mare should beget and bring foorth after ten yeares of age wanting the power and efficacie of their naturall heat vigor and spirit then will the colte be formed of a seed ouer colde and ouer dry hauing outrun two parts of their age whereof if a colte be begotten for want of heat to make an equalitie of temperature by reason of the coldenes and drynes that is predominate the colte wil be soone ripe soone rotten of small strength short liued little spirit or courage with continuance faint hearted and euill shaped for that it wanteth heate and good moisture I meane a moisture of oylie substance the two principall elements for preseruation of life and good spirit Againe if an old horse and a young Mare should beget and bring foorth then would the Colt be framed of a seede from the Mare cold and moiste which is Flegmaticke without any taste as water of a seede from the horse cold and drie which is sower and heauie for as Galen saith the Fleame being a cold waterish humor is of no force for ornament of good conditions Lastly if an olde Mare and a young horse should beget and bring forth then would the Colt be framed of a seed of the horse little hot but ouer moist and of a seede of the mare cold and ouer dry wherein cannot be any perfection of equal temperature so as it appeareth an approoued consequent in Reason that the middle age of the horse hauing a seede hot drie and the mare a seede cold and moist with great plenty of fulnesse on both parts in the greatest perfection of heate and natural strength of body doe make equality of temperature compound themselues in such high degree of perfection that they bring forth a Colt full of vitall spirit great courage boldnes and pride thin and dry bones great sinewes and Arteries of great strength louing of long continuance of such beautifull and perfect shape thorough the naturall qualitie of heate purifying the whole body from all manner of drosse in such resined manner as though nature had assembled all her forces for the preseruation of her selfe and expulsion of her enemies for such is the nature of good or bad seede when it receiueth any well or il rooted quality euermore to communicate to the discendents accordingly CHAP. 34. Of the Elements of generation NOw I thinke fit to speake of the proper Elements of generation that is to saye of the engendering seede and menstruall blood from whence euery colte taketh his first being of shape and heerein I obserue a difference betwixt nature and seede for that which is truly called seede is like the seede of Rise when it is sodden which though wettish yet thick for otherwise it cannot effect procreation for the heat hath tried it and made it fit to incorporate it selfe with the waterish seede of the Mare and that which is and may be termed nature is thin and not thicke as seed is so as all seede may be termed nature but all nature cannot properly be termed seed and vnderstand that these proper beginnings depend vppon the qualities of the first beginnings before rehearsed that is to saye of moist dry hot and cold without which they could doe nothing nor yet be any thing of themselues Againe obserue that the matter and qualitie wherof euery colte is compounded is so subiect to corruption that at the instant when and where it beginneth to be shaped it beginneth likewise to be vntwined so as if nature had not prouided the naturall faculites of attraction retention concoction and expulsion for the preseruation and increase of matter for continual supplie the creation thereof beeing finished and not any parte of that substance remayning whereof it was first composed as in truth there dooth not then had the same presently perished and because nature is truly saide to be the temperature of these qualities of heat colde moistnes and drynes and that the same temperature is the schoolemaister which teacheth the sensitiue soules of the creatures in what sort they are to worke and to performe the workes proper to their kinde without any teacher it is now most fit to consider and to set foorth from whence the goodnes or badnes of this temperature dooth proceede wherein the perfection of creation consisteth so as all imperfection and hinderance to originall nature beeing remooued the same may be restored to
First when the Ryder beginneth to teach a young horse or a young Scholler let him follow the order of a discreete Schoole-maister that teacheth Children to write who at the first intreateth and entertaineth the Scholler into his schoole in all louing speeches gentle vsage assuring him that in his schoole is nothing but pastime pleasure and delight and so winning and calling him vnto him causeth the schol let to take pen paper and inke and in a moste milde and gentle manner sheweth him how to carrie his arme and hand and holde his Pâ—â— and then how to make the first letter the which when the Scholler attempteth although it be verie bad don yet in respect of the infancye of his knowledge and willing minde to perform is not onely to be commended but rewarded of his maister wherby the scholler is so farre encouraged and imboldened as hee seemeth ouer ioyed and still desireth and laboureth to goe on to be taught and to maâ—e manye letters but the discreete vnderstanding schoole-maister verie mildelye and comfortablie restraineth his desire to write otherwise or more then he knoweth fit vntil he haue made the first letter moste perfect in all which time the Maister will not suffer his Scholler to vse his owne way or to write fast alwaies directing him vntil he haue made the first letter moste perfect and so teacheth him fom one lesson vnto another vntil he can do euerie one in perfection and then afterwards in a geÌ„tle slow maner teacheth him how to ioine those letters in all perfection and still keepeth the Scholler in the continuall vse and practise of perfection so as oftentimes the Scholler through his aptnesse of nature ioyned with the apprehensiue loue of his discreete and louing Maister commeth oftentimes to greater perfection then his teacher both in faire and swift writing euen so would young Schollers in Riding and yong Horses in their beginning be taught whereby all their actions might bring delight admiratioÌ„ to the beholder For by milde teaching slow teaching not weried with long teaching at one time but giuing often breath high keeping in courage often rewarding great familiaritie no change of ryder til he be perfect no change of bitt no rough bitt no cutting or galling nose or mouth but gentle feeling no beating nor whipping no violence nor passion but with all ymitation of natures delight maketh all the Horses actions more then wonderful because Nature hath a naturall loue to it selfe and an innated hatred of all things that be enemies vnto the same which is plainely testified by that naturall Sympathy and Antipathie which may be obserued in all creatures as the Lambe which neuer had experience of the Wolues crueltie yet at the first sight of him doth tremble and flie for feare CHAP. 51. Correction SEcondly that the Rider neuer correct his horse but when gentle meanes and cherrishing will not preuaile for no doubt hee will willingly yeeld by gentle meanes if it bee made sensible vnto him what how and when to doe but that Horse that will not by gentle meanes be mooued let the rider assure himselfe that hee is of a bad nature but if any thing shall happen wherin of necessitie correction is to bee vsed then let Salomons direction bee followed who as hee was the wisest that euer was or shall bee so did hee keepe more horses then anye King that historie mencioneth who saith that an vntamed Horse becommeth fierce but if he offend correct him saith hee in the instant time that hee erreth wherein how many doe offend all mens eies are witnesses beholding the common horse-breakers ignorant ryders to minister violent and horrible correction when the beholder cannot finde a cause nor himselfe expresse the reason but Salomon saith that correction is to be ministred in the instant time that he erreth and not when he is ignorant whereof I haue before shewed the difference for error euermore taketh that for true which is false so as it appereth that when a horse hath bene taught and yet notwithstanding erreth in the same he hath beene truely taught Salomon would haue him in that instance of time punished for that error but not to punish him for ignorance CHAP. 52 That teaching is not fit for such Horses as nature hath not framed fit to be taught THirdly that all Ryders lose no time in teaching club-headed distorted hatefull countenance fleshie gourdy lymmed short thicke necked fleshie chopped hauing their heades set to their necks as a Hog lowe fore-parted narrowe shallowe brested and euill shaped Iades and roiles but turne them either to the Carters Carmans or Paris-Garden stable for euerie particuler nature that is the temperature of the elements in euery particular bodie without al coÌ„tradiction causeth maintaineth the particular actions of the bodie wherein it is and as I haue formerly shewed and will defend against al that shall oppose the contrary and that such shaped Horse were neuer compounded or framed of a true temperature of the elements and therefore vnpossible to be reduced to perfection of action other then by great force which nature abhorreth and that is but for a very small time whereby they shadow the glory of the kingdome disparage the iudgment thereof discourage many noble and heroicall gentlemen either to become breeders riders or maintainers of Horses and cast mists ouer the perfection of our English riders when not any nations of the world haue better as euidently appeared in that late renowned and famous rider Sir Robert Alexander knight deceassed I may not compare him with Alexander Magnus but in the true art and knowledge of riding I euer esteemed him Alexander Maximus whose excelling knowledge and practise of himselfe and his worthy schollers of this English nation might and may not onely range themselues in the former rancks of the best Horsemen of the worlde but reach with victorious armes at the golden fleece and meritoriously wrest and wring the victory out of the victors hand although sometimes yet a small time their glories haue bene ecclipsed and their hearts wounded with the strangers good as about the 18. yere of the raigne of that most blessed and euer renowned queene Elizabeth deceassed when Prosper the Italian Horse-courser florished may be remembred sed dies dedit quod dies negabat for within few yeres hee was meritoriouslie with infamy reiected as not worth ye the vnworthiest horsemans place raise therefore your spirits and dayly more more endeuour the true knowledge and practise of Horsemanship which principallye consisteth in the true knowledge of breeding wherein you shall see your vnderstanding inlightned with the beames of diuine Nature and because in euerie part of this tractat I haue desired all and euerie one in his place and calling to put all strength thereunto I heere conclude and heartily entreate all and euerie one Adde manum CHAP. 53 Now of the Bridle Saddle bringing the Horse to the blocke the mounting and seate of the Rider and then to the
qualities moisture and drought for too much moisture oppresseth the naturall heate as wee see greene wood quench an vnequall quantitie of fire so that the good and iust proportion of temperate mixture are true causes of long life for all mixture of superstuities is against these three 1. Nature 2. Enemie to good digestion 3. And found Nutrition The first cause Temperature is a firme and standing habit of the body Now if it be demaunded what this iust proportion is and when they are truelye tempered so as may be best auaileable for long life the answere is that heate and moisture are then well proportioned when neither the moisture with his too greate quantitie deuoureth the heate nor the ouermuch heat too suddenly consumeth and eateth vp the moisture yet must the heate haue a kinde of dominion ouer the moisture else it cannot bee able to nourish the body For in nutrition the thing nourished by reason of the instrument ordained for that purpose must actually work vpon that wherby it is nourished because that euerie agent must be proportioned vnto the patient in the equalitie of excesse therefore must the heate being the vegetatiue soules actiue instrument of Nutrition haue dominion ouer the moisture the subiect matter of that facultie The second cause The second cause of long life is the moderation of their naturall appetite of eating being auaileable either in excesse to kill or in moderation to saue by which moderation the horse shal daily repaire the decay of his humidity by supply of moderate nourishment and neuer ouerwhelme his heat with aboundance of moisture neither mingle his radicall moisture with too much superfluous impurities for the extreames are dangerous both excesse defect to much eating hindering good digestion and ingendering crudities to little eating giuing occasion of the heats too suddaine preuailing ouer the moisture both which are friends to sicknes and death The third cause The third cause of long life is moderate labour a thing very auaileable to digestion dispersing the nourishment into the parts of the bodie and as a bellowes to kindle and reuiue their natural heat for ouerâ—â—â—h rest by excesse of humors cooleth the bodie And as the elementish fires which wee vse vnlesse it be sometime blowne and fed as it were with aire which in naturall qualitie is moist is extinguished so their naturall heat without moderate labour and excercise is after a sort cast a sleepe or rather benummed whence proceedeth that other daughter of dulnes collection of excrementall superfluities their heat not being able to digest their receiued nourishment and thence commeth their many corruptions and sincke of vnnatural humors as we see standing water soonest putrifie and gather filth And therefore beware to trauell Horses before they haue thoroughly digested their meat for thereby they clog their stomackes and make them vnfit after concoction and withall fill their bodies with ouer rawe humors which by excercise are dispersed thorough the veines into all the partes of the bodie And therefore neither too much labour neither to vehement nor yet continual for these by consuming of the spirits are like hurtfull neither too little for continued rest and idlenes engender putrifaction The fourth cause of long life The fourth cause of long life is moderate vse of sleepe and waking for they are the maintenance of life in their mediocritie and both hurtful if beyond measure for the immoderat watching wasteth the spirits and consumeth the vitall iuice causes leannes hindereth the operation of the sence and dryeth the marrowe the braine and the moderate sleepe hindereth health dulleth the naturall heate and consumeth the moisture and sleepe is but a vapour ascending from the stomacke to the braine which benummeth the braine for a time and keepeth the bodie sencelesse and the sooner and more prouoked by full feeding The fift cause The fift cause of long life is to keep a Horse from excessiue spending himselfe vppon Mares for it is deaths best harbinger for it wasteth the spirits weakeneth the stomacke and dryeth vp the braine and marrowe and therefore the reason why a Mule being a mixt creature begotten betwixt a Horse and an Asse is longer liued then either of them is for that his iusting in that kinde is but once onely in the whole course of his life The sixt cause of long life The sixt cause is moderate riding in loÌ„g iournies for by the immoderat emission of heat into the outward parts of the body it kindleth the fire of cholor which being vehement is an horror vnto nature and inflameth the blood so as if the Horse at that instance be not very empty and cleane in the body the blood and humors being mingled together are through the violence thereof dispersed into all the parts of the bodie and then a suden colde taken vppon it which seldome escapeth the same dooth presently putrifie the blood and congealeth it to the inâ—uitable danger of the Horse The seuenth cause The seauenth cause is wholesomnesse of ayre and soile cleane keeping the stable sweete cleane olde and dry meat when he is in the stable dressing him in some shed out of the stable that the filth of his bodie do not come neere his manger neither stinking litter lying vnder the manger continually fuming vp to his head neither euill sauour neere to the stable The eight cause is The eight cause not to trauell or labour a Horse that is taken from grasse vntill he be purged and clensed from his superfluous humors which he hath gathered at grasse in the time of his rest and full feeding the which being many by his trauell and heat will by the veynes be dispersed into all the parts of the bodie which afterwards cannot be taken away without great perrill and when hee is made cleane he will draw his breath long and be cleane and empty betwixt his Iawes without any impostumation The ninth cause knob or kirnell The ninth cause is to keepe the Horse whiles hee feedeth in the stable from all rawe and greene meat the mother of many vnnatural humors and the nurse of many inward diseases proceeding from the aboundance thereof and the corruption of blood The tenth cause is The tenth cause to keeep the Horse from eating and drinking whiles he is hotte for that weakeneth the hearte and spirits hindereth appetite and maketh digestion vnperfect and often times present death The cleuenth cause is neither to wash nor walke him after trauell and labour The eleuenth cause but to set him in the stable warme clothed and painefully rubbed and dryed and if necessitie inforce to wash his legs with beere and butter or dish water or beefe broth made warme and clense cleere and rub them thoroughly both cleane and dry and litter him with plenty of sweete strawe and if he haue not drunke in the time of his trauell then when he is colde and has well eaten giue him warme water to