that thing which is made or proceedeth from it Now of these elements which are the vsuall first mouers or beginners of all mouing things there are onely foure in number that is to say Fire Aire Water and Earth meaning not that fire aire water and earth which is visible here with vs beneath and which through the grossenes thereof is both palpable and to be discerned but those which are mounted aloft and through their purity inuisible and concealed from vs for the other are compounded bodies and not simple And of these perfect and distinct elements you shall know that the fire is the highest as being fixed or ioyned next vnto the Moone being hot and drye yet naturally exceeding or being most predominant or ruling in heate The aire is placed next vnto the fire and is naturally light and hot yet his predominant or chiefe quality is moist The water is adioyned vnto the ayre the disposition thereof being heauy and moist but his predominant or chiefe quality onely cold Lastly the earth adioyned to the water is the lowest and it is most heauy and cold but the predominant or chiefe quality thereof is onely drinesse Now for the vertues properties and operations of these foure elements you shall vnderstand that first the fire by meanes of his heate moueth matter to generation and stirreth vp warmth in all liuing things it is that which the Philosophers call Heterogenia which is in mixt bodies to separate things of diuers kindes one from another and also to ioyne things of like kindes together which they likewise call Homogenia For by vertue of the fire the bones of horses are separated from the flesh the flesh from the sinewes the sinewes from the veines the veines from the arteries the heart from the liuer the liuer from the spleene and so forth in such sort as we see the diuers parts of the fuell we burne by the vertue of the fire and heate to be separated and deuided one from another as the vapour from the smoake the smoake from the flame and the flame from the ashes And as in these things so in many other things as in the tryall of mettals and such like where the fire by vertue of his heate separateth body from body that is mettall from mettall and corruption from incorruption gathering and knitting together euery thing of one and the selfe same kinde Besides the vertue of the fire is to ripen order and digest things raw and vndigested mingling the dry with the moist and opening the powers that the aire being somewhat more solide and grosse may enter into the body and lastly it breatheth and moderateth the coldnesse of the water and the earth so that it may not distemper or confound the body Touching the vertue and operation of the aire you shall vnderstand that by the moistnesse thereof it maketh the matter apt to receiue shape either naturall or accidentall and by the helpe and assistance of the fire bringeth the powers and influences of the heauens and starres into the inferour bodies making the mixt bodies not onely subtile and penetrable but also light and mounting to the end they may neither be too grosse nor too heauy Secondly the ayre through his moistnesse cooleth the burning heate of the heart liuer and intrails as we dayly see by the office of the lights and lungs which like a paire of bellowes draweth vncessantly fresh ayre vnto the heart and inward members And albeit the ayre doth not seeme to the sence of our outward eyes to bee any thing neare so moist as the water yet according to the opinions both of our bookes and best Physitions it it is by much the moister which is well proued say they by the abundant fluxe it containeth which fluxe spreadeth it selfe so farre abroad in the body that it filleth euery empty part and corner thereof with the speciall properties and characters of moistnesse and by that reason is much harder to be kept within his owne bounds then the water is Lastly as the water was altered by God from his first naturall place for the better profite both of man and beast euen so the ayre according to Schoole-mens opinions was not left altogether in his first naturall disposition lest being ouermoist it should so confound and suffocate all sence that neither man nor beast should be able to breathe or liue Now for the vertue and operation of the water it is to be noted that through the coldnesse thereof it conglutinateth and bindeth in mixt bodies both parts members together which be of diuers kinds as bones with flesh and sinewes flesh with sinewes bones and sinewes with bones and flesh Euen as for a familiar example we see in the time of any great frost the strength of the cold how it bindeth things of diuers kinds together bringing into one masse or substance both water dirt stones strawes stickes and leaues the water also with its coldnesse doth temper and coole the inflammation and heate of the fire gathering together those thinges which otherwise the violent heate would disperse and scatter abroad Lastly for the vertue and operation of the earth it is through his drinesse in mixt bodies so to harden and fixe them together that they may retaine their shapes which otherwise by the power of the ayre and water would be so soluble and loose that they could not hold together as we may see in paste waxe and such like which whilest it is moist will receiue no print but being once hardened it retaineth any forme that is prest into it And here to be noted that according to the opinion of Hippocrates when any sensible body dyeth not onely euery quality but euery substance and part makes his returne to the element from whence it came as heate to the fire moistnesse to the ayre coldnesse to the water drinesse to the earth And thus briefly you see that of these foure common elements or common beginners of things the fire being hot separateth the aire being moist shapeth the water being cold bindeth and the earth being dry hardeneth and retaineth The vse that you are to make of this knowledge ouer and beside the composition of a naturall body is that when you find any sicknesse or infirmity which proceedeth from the fire as inflammations of the body or such like that then you apply simples of the nature of the aire or water which may moisten and coole the violence of that heate If the infirmity proceede from the aire as fluxe of blood or too much moisture then you shall apply simples of the nature of the fire or earth whose heate and drinesse may disperse and harden such moisture If the disease spring from the water as colds rheumes apoplexies and such like then you shall seeke simples of the nature of the fire and aire that through the heate of the one and the moist lightnesse of the other all such cold grosse and solide humors may be dispersed But if the disease proceed from the
earth as manginesse and leprosie or their like that are dry hardened infections then you shal seeke simples of the nature of the fire onely whose heate may dissolue loosen those ill knit dry and hard humors Thus you see too much heate is abated by coldnesse and moistnesse too much moistnesse by heate and drinesse too much coldnesse by heate and moistnesse too much drinesse by heate onely Thus much of these foure common elements which begin all things liuing and vnliuing sensible and vnsensible yet of sensible things which liue and haue bloud there be other more neare elements or beginnings which are called proper elements or generation as the ingendring seede and menstruall bloud from whence euery beast taketh his first shape and beginning and yet these proper beginnings haue their whole dependancy and hanging vpon the qualities of the first common beginnings already spoken of which is moist dry hot and cold for without them they are nothing nor can do any thing CHAP. 3. Of Temperaments and their seuerall kindes and how farre euery way they extend in horses THese Temperaments or Temperatures which are the second things in a horses composition do spring from the commixture of the foure elements and are nine in number whereof eight are vnequall and the ninth is equall Of the eight vnequall foure are â—imple and those be hot cold moist and dry which Physitions call the first qualities and of these the first two be actiue and the other two passiue the other foure are compound and they be hot moist hot dry cold and moist cold and dry Now the equall temperament is diuided into two an vniuersall and a speciall The equall Temperament vniuersall is when the foure elements are in an equall proportion genenerally diuided through the whole body nature enioyning no more from the one then from the other The equall Temperament special is when the elements are proportioned according as euery kind doth most properly require be it either plant or beast in plants when euery plant hath that commixture of elements which are proper to its kinde the hot plant being hot the cold being cold and so forth whereas contrariwise to haue a hot plant cold or a cold hot to haue rue cold or sorrell hot were a false and vnequal commixture of elements So likewise of beasts that horse that dogge that swine is said to haue his due Temperament when hee is of such temperature as is most proper vnto his kinde which onely is best discerned by his actions or motions As thus the horse is known to be hot and mâ—â—st by his lâ—gâ—tnesse swiftnesse valiantnesse and long life and also to be of a temperate nature in that he is easily tamed docible obedient and familiar with the man And so long as either horse or any other thing continueth in the mediocrity and excellencie of his proper Temperament so long we may truly iudge him of a good temper disposition but if there be any ouerflow of qualities or excesse in his humors as either in heate coldnesse moistnesse or drinesse then we say he is either a hot cholericke horse a cold dull horse a dry mischieuous horse or a moyst cowardly horse according to the ouerflow of that quality which raigneth in him Againe euery horse is sayd to haue his due Temperament according to his age and the country wherein he is bred and sometimes according to the time of the yeare wherein he liueth And thus a horse in his foalâ—-age which is till he be sixe yeares old is naturally hot and moist In his middle age which is till twelue more hot and dry then moist and in his old age which is past eighteene more cold and dry then either hot or moist So likewise the horses which are bred in southerne parts as either in Spaine Barbary or Greece are naturally more hot then those which are bred either in the seuenteene lands Germany or England either is there any horse which is in good state of body that is so hot in the spring time of the yeare as in the summer nor so cold in the summer as in the winter All which obseruations are with most curious diligence to be obserued of euery horse-leach when he goeth about to cure any sicknes for vnlesse he consider their natures temperatures and euery other circumstance already declared he shall right soone be deceiued in the administration of his physicke Therfore I earnestly aduise euery Farrier before he giue any drench or potion first to enquire the kinde race and disposition of the horse next his age then the country and lastly the time of the yeare and so according to the truth thereof to mixe his receipts It is most expedient also for euery horse-leach to consider the second qualities which are so called because they take their beginnings from the first qualities already declared of which second qualities some be called palpable or to be touched as these softnesse hardnesse smoothnesse roughnesse toughnesse brickelnesse lightnesse heauinesse thinnesse thicknesse smalnesse grosnesse and such other like Some againe are not palpable as those which appertaine to hearing seeing and smelling as noysses colours odours and such like and by obseruing well these second qualities he shall with much ease know whether the horse be disposed to any sicknes or not as shall be more largely declared hereafter in euery particular chapter CHAP. 4. Of humours and to what end they serue NOw concerning Humours which are the third composers of a horses body and so likewise of euery other beast also you shall vnderstand that they are foure in number that is to say Bloud Fleame Choler and Melancholy As touching bloud it is in it owne nature vncorrupted and therefore hot and moyst and sweet in taste as participating of the elements Fire and Aire Fleame is cold and moist and either sweet or wallowish without any taste at all as participating of the elements water and aire Choler is hot and dry and bitter in taste as participating of the elements fire and earth Melancholy is cold and dry and in taste â—ower and heauy as participating of the elements water and earth so that these foure humours by their qualities are euery way allied vnto the elements For to speake briefly and according to the manner of Physitions Bloud is of the nature of aire it being most predominant therein Fleame of the nature of water Choler of the nature of fire and Melancholy of the nature of the earth And albeit these humours are simbolized or mixt through euery part of the body yet euery one of them aboundeth more in one part then in another and haue their places of residence absolute and peculiar to themselues as Bloud about the heart Fleame in the braine Choler in the liuer and Melancholy in the spleene Now as these humors do more or lesse abound or haue greater or lesser soueraignty in the body of the horse so is the beast naturally better or worse coloured qualified or
it with gumdragant anise seedes and damaske rose leaues beaten to powder then put them into a quart of strong ale made sweete either with sugarcandy or hony and faile not to giue him this drinke three mornings together keeping the horse warme during his sicknesse CHAP. 23. Of the Feuer taken in the winter season A Feuer taken in the winter is not so dangerous touching the life of a horse as the feuer before mentioned yet is it a feuer which will continue long and aske great circumspection in the cure the causes thereof are the same which are formerly described and the signes are no other then hath bene already declared Touching the cure it is thus you shall first purge his head by making him neese that done you shall let him bloud both in the necke and the palate of the mouth and then two howres and a halfe after giue him this drinke Take of treus three ounces of round pepper halfe an ounce of bay berries and the seede of smallage of each halfe an ounce boyle these in white wine and giue it him to drinke luke warme Other Farriers vse to take a pint of new milke and to put therein two ounces of sallet oyle of saffron one scruple of mirre two scruples of the seede of smallage a spoonefull and to make him drinke it luke warme but the horse which taketh this drinke must be in good strength for it he be brought low it is somewhat too strong The ancient Italians did vse for this feuer to giue this drinke Take of Aristolochia halfe an ounce of Gentian of Hysop of wormwood of Southerwoort of each halfe an ounce of dry fat figges three ounces of the seede of smallage an ounce and an halfe of rue halfe an handfull boyle them all with running water in a cleane vessel vntil almost halfe be consumed then when it beginnes to thicken take it from the fire straine it and giue it the horse luke warme Now there are not any of these drinkes but are sufficient for the cure but the first is best Now for his dyet be sure to keepe him fasting long before his fits come and let his drinke be onely warme mashes of malt and water Now if you perceiue that his fits continue and bring the horse to any weaknesse you shall then to comfort and quicken the natural heate of the horse rubbe and chafe all his body ouer either in the Sunne or by some softe fire with some wholsome friction of which frictions you shall finde choyce in a particular chapter hereafter following together with their seuerall natures and vses CHAP. 24. Of the Feuer which cometh by surfaite of meate onely THe Feuer which cometh by surfaite of meate onely without either disorder in trauell of corruption of bloud is knowne by these signes The horse will heaue and beate vpon his backe his breath will be short hot and dry and his winde he will draw only at his nose with great violence The cure therefore is you shall let him bloud in his necke vnder his eyes and in the â—â—late of his mouth you shall also purge his head by making him neeâ—e then keepe him with very thin dyet that is let him fast for more then halfe of the day and let him not drinke aboue once 〈◊〉 foure and twenty houres and that drinke to 〈◊〉 â—arme water you shal also once or twice chafe his body with wholesome friction and if during his cure he chance to grow costiue you shall cause him to be raked and afterward giue him either a suppositary or a glister of both which and of their seuerall natures you shall reade sufficiently in a chapter following CHAP. 25. Of Feuers extraordinary and first of Pestilent Feuers WE find by many ancient Italian Writers that both the Romans and others their countrymen haue by experience found many horses subiect to this pestilent feuer which is a most contagious and pestiferous disease almost incurable for mine own part I haue seene it in many colts and young horses Surely it proceedeth as I iudge either from great corruption of bloud or from infection of the aire The signes thereof is the horse will hold downe his head forsake his meate shed much water at his eyes and many times haue swellings or vlcers rising a little below his eare rootes The cure is first you shall not faile to let him bloud in the necke veine then two or three howres after you shall giue him a glister then make this plaister Take of squilla fiue ounces of elder of castoreum of mustard-seed and of euforbium of each two ounces dissolue the same in the iuice of daffadill and sage and lay it all about the temples of his head and betweene his eares then giue him to drinke for three or foure dayes together euery morning two ounces of the best treacle dissolued in a pint of good muskadine The Italians vse to giue him diuers mornings a pound of the iuice of elder roots or in stead of his hay a good quantity of that hearbe which is called Venus haire but if the time of the yeare be such that they cannot haue it greene then they boyle it in water and straine it and giue it him to drinke but I hold the first drinke to be most sufficient his dyet being thin and his keeping warme CHAP. 26. Of the Plague or pestilence in Horses of some called the gargill or murraine THis pestilence murraine or gargill in horses is a contagious and most infectious disease proceeding either from surfaite of heate cold labour or hunger or any other thing breeding corrupt humours in a horses body as the holding too long of his vrine drinking when he is hot or feeding vpon grosse foule corrupt foods as in low grounds after flouds when the grasse is vnpurged such like Somtimes it springs from som euil influence of the planets corrupting the plants and fruites of the earth and cattell too somtimes also from diuers other such like causes but howsoeuer when the disease beginneth certaine it is that it is most infectious and if there be not care and preuention vsed of multitudes it will not leaue one Not any of the ancient Italian Farriers nor any of our English Farriers that I haue met with do or can yeeld me any signe or token to know this disease more then that one or two must first dye then by their deaths I must adiudge preuent what wil follow but they are mistaken for this disease is as easily known by outward â—ignes as any disease whatsoeuer as namely the horse will first begin to lowre and hang downe his head within two or three dayes after such lowring you shal see him begin to swell vnder his eare rootes or vnder the rootes of his tongue and that swelling will run vniuersally ouer all one side of his face being very extreme hard and great Moreouer all his lips mouth whites of his eyes will be exceeding yellow and his breath
giue the horse to drinke fasting euery morning for a fortnight together a pint of strong ale and fiue spoonefull of the oyle of oates the making of which oyle you shall reade in a particular chapter following but if the disease be of the third sort which is most desperate you shall then take of Tanners ouse a pint and of new milke a pint and of oyle oliue halfe a pint and the quantity of a head of garlicke bruised and a little turmericke mixe these well together and giue it the horse to drinke do this thrice in one fortnight and it will helpe if any helpe be to be had CHAP. 41. Of the mourning of the Chine THis disease which we call the mourning of the chine or as some Farriers terme it the moist malady is that fourth sort of corrupt distillation from the braine of which we haue spoken in the chapter before shewing from whence it proceedes and the signes thereof to wit that the corrupt matter which issueth from his nosthrels will be darke thinne and reddish with little streakes of bloud in it It is supposed by some Farriers that this disease is a foule consumption of the liuer and I do not dissent from that opinion for I haue found the liuer wasted in those horses which I haue opened vpon this disease and this consumption proceedes from a cold which after growes to a poze then to a glaunders and lastly to this mourning of the chine The cure whereof according to the opinion of the oldest Farriers is to take cleare water and that hony which is called Hydromel a quart and put thereunto three ounces of sallet oyle and powre it into his nostrels each morning the space of three dayes if that helpe not then giue him to drinke euery day or once in two dayes at the least a quart of old wine mingled with some of the soueraigne medicine called Tetrapharmacum which is to be had almost of euery Apothecary Others vse to take garlicke houslicke cheruill and stamping them together to thrust it vp into the horses nostrels Others vse to let the horse fast all night then take a pint and a halfe of milke three heads of garlicke pild stamped boyle them to the halfe and giue it to the horse some at the mouth and some at the nose then gallop him a quarter of a mile then rest him then gallop him halfe a mile and rest him againe thus do twice or thrice together then set him vp warme and giue him no water till it be high noone then giue him a sweete mash vse this cure at least three dayes together Others vse to take halfe a pecke of oates boyle them in running water till halfe be consumed then put them into a bagge and lay them very hot vpon the nauell place of his backe and there let it lye thirty howres vsing thus to do three or foure times at the least Others vse to take wormewood Peusedanum and Centorie of each like quantity boyle them in wine then straine them and powre thereof many times into his nosthrels especially into that which most runneth Others vse to take harehound licoras anise seeds beaten to powder then with sweete butter to make pils thereof and to giue them fasting to the horse Others vse to take wheate flower anise seedes and licoras stamped in a mortar fiue or sixe cloues of garlike bruised mixe all these together make a paste of them then make it into pils as big as walnuts taking out the horses tongue cast the balles downe the horses throate three or foure at a time then giue him two new layed egges shelles and all after them Now after all these the best and most approuedst medicine is to take as much of the middle greene barke of an Elder tree growing on the water side as will fill a reasonable vessell putting thereunto as much running water as the vessell will hold and let it boyle till halfe be consumed and then fill vp the vessell againe with water continuing so to do three times one after another and at the last time when the one halfe is consumed take it from the fire and straine it exceedingly through a linnen cloath then to that decoction adde at least a full third part of the oyle of oates or for want of that of oyle oliue or of hogges grease or sweete butter and being warmed againe take a quart thereof and giue it the horse to drinke one horne-ful at his mouth and another at his nosthrels especially that which casteth out the matter And in any case let the horse be fasting when he taketh this medicine for it not onely cureth this but any sicknesse proceeding from cold whatsoeuer it shall be also good to vse to his body some wholesome friction to his head some wholesome bathe of which bathes you shall reade more hereafter in a chapter following For his dyet his food would be sodden barley and sweete hay and his drinke warme water or mashes but if it be in the Summer season then it is best to let him runne at grasse onely CHAP. 42. Of the Cough COughing is a motion of the lungs raised naturally from his expulsiue power to cast out the hurtfull cause as neesing is the motion of the braine Now of coughes there be some outward and some inward those are sayd to be outward which proceed of outward causes as when a horse doth eate or drinke too greedily so that his meat goeth the wrong way or when he licketh vp a feather or eateth dusty or sharpe bearded straw and such like which tickling his throat causeth him to cough those which are sayd to be inward are either wet or dry of which we shall speake more hereafter Now of these outward coughes they may proceede from the corruption of the ayre which if it do you shall boyle in running water figges and currants together then straining the water adde to a quart thereof three spoonfull of Diapente and it will helpe It may also proceed from dust and then you must wash it downe by powring into his nosthrels ale and oyle mingled together It may come by eating sharpe and sowre things and then you must put downe his throat pils of sweete butter whose softnesse will helpe him It may proceede from some little or sleight taken cold and then you shall take the whites yolkes of two egges three ounces of sallet oyle two handfull of beane flowre one ounce of Fenugreeke mixe them with a pint of old malmsey and giue it the horse to drinke three daies together or else take tarre and fresh butter mixe them together and giue pils thereof to the horse foure times in seuen dayes that is the first the third the fift and the seuenth day There be others which vse to take a gallon of faire water and make it ready to seeth then put thereto a pecke of ground malt with two handfuls of boxe leaues chopt small and a little groundsel mixe them
spring time of the yeare when bloud begins to encrease and most commonly to colts and yong horses it proceeds of the same causes that the Quotidian doth and sometimes of ranknesse and ill bloud The signes to know it are all the signes formerly spoken of and this as the chiefest that the horse will be apparantly sicke as it were on the Munday then apparantly well on the Tuesday and sicke on the Wednesday following This feuer is neuer seene but it beginneth with shaking The cure therefore is assoone as you perceiue the horse to begin to shake you shall take a certaine hearbe or rather weede called stone-croppe and bruising it in a stone morter take some foure spoonefull of the iuice thereof and infuse it in a quart of strong alè and giue it the horse to drinke then walke him gently vp and downe in some temperate aire for an howre then set him vp with the helpe of clothes put him into a sweate for an other howre then coole him and in any wise till his fits leaue him let him drinke no cold water and let his prouender be the oldest and dryest oates you can get onely vpon his good dayes before his fits come keepe him very long fasting and empty CHAP. 18. Of the Quartane Feuer THe Quartane feuer is that which some Farriers call a third daies sicknesse as thus If his fit begin on the Munday he will be well on the Tuesday and Wednesday and sicke againe one the Thursday It proceedeth from the same causes that the Tertian feuer doth yet in his working is not so apparantly violent but of much longer continuance for if great care helpe be not these feuers will last some a quarter of a yeare some halfe a yeare and some a whole yeare There needes no other signe to know it then the coming and going of the fits as hath bene declared already And for the cure it is the selfe same which is described in the former chapter for the Tertian feuer onely if his fits do not leaue him at the first taking of the medicine you shall then giue it him againe the second time but not aboue thrice at the most in any wise CHAP. 19. Of the Feuer Continuall THe feuer continuall is that which continueth without any intermission and it is most dangerous and violent for there is in it the effects of all the former feuers euer one taking place as the other endeth as a Quotidian beginning is pursued by a Tertian and a Tertian by a Quartane and those two supply so many howers till the Quotidian doth begin againe This kind of continuall feuer most often springeth from some inflammation or violent heate ingendred in the pricipall members about the heart and the signes thereof are want of rest and falling away of the flesh besides certaine inflammations or swellings which will appeare about his withers and flanks The cure is first to purge his head by neesing the manner whereof you shall finde in a particular chapter hereafter which done you shall giue him this drinke Take of Iermander two ounces of gumme dragant and dryed roses of each halfe an ounce beate them into fine powder and put them into a quart of ale adding thereunto of oyle Oliue two ounces and as much hony and when it is luke warme giue it the horse to drinke then walke him a little space and after set him vp close and warme keepe him from cold water and let his prouender be dry oates CHAP. 20 Of the Hectique Feuer THe Hectique feuer in horses is a dangerous and mortall feuer being in a horse the first originall breeder of a consumption it is a certaine hot and dry humour which runneth betweene the skinne and the flesh proceeding from a sicke stomacke which hauing bene scalded with hot drinks as those ill dyeted running horses be which feede vpon much spice or those which take hot drenches vpon euery foolish and sleight occasion hath almost cleane lost the power of disgestion it sometimes happens to those horses which men too carefully teaching to drinke beere and wine do so contiâ—ually apply them thereunto that in the end they become subiect to this sicknesse The signes to know it is the horse will neuer eate with any appetite and when you draw out his tongue you shall finde it rawe and almost scalded his flesh wil be loose and flaggy and his body will be subiect to a continual trembling The cure is first wash his tongue either with the sirrop of mulberries or with allome running water sage and woodbinde leaues boiled together then giue him fasting in a morning this drink Take of aloes one ounce of agarike halfe an ounce of licoras and aniseseeds of each a dram beaten to powder let him drinke it with a quart of white wine luke warme made sweet with sugarcandy or hony let him drinke no drinke but warme mashes of malt water and let his meate be sweete bay or greene corne blades and euer after his medicine lâ—t him be chafed a little kept fasting two or three howres and stand warme and well clothed CHAP. 21. Of the Feuer taken in Autumne or the fall of the leafe ALl these feuers before spoken of do for the most part commonly happen to horses in the spring time of the yeare by reason that the new bloud is euer aptest to be inflamed yet notwithstanding we finde by experience that feuers will somtimes come at the fall of the leafe which we call Autumne and they are of longer continuance then the other The signes are none other but such as I haue already declared for they are the same feuers onely altering in the time of the yeare If therefore your horse do chance to catch a feuer at the fall of the leafe you shall let him bloud on his necke veine and in the palate of his mouth and you shall giue him to drinke the same drinke which is formerly set downe for the feuer continuall and there is no doubt of his recouery CHAP. 22. Of the Feuer taken in the Summer season A Feuer taken in the Summer season is the worst of al ordinary feuers whatsoeuer especially all such as are taken in the Dog daies because according to the opinion of Farriers al accidents are then most furious the especial signes of this feuer are that his arteries wil beate most palpably wheresoeuer he staleth there you shall perceiue he sheddeth his seed also The cure according to the ancients is to let him bloud on the great veine which he hath on his hinder haunch almost foure inches beneath his fundament but for mine own part because that vein is not so easily found of euery ignorant Smith that many times by mistaking they may cut the artery in stead of the veine I hold it fully as good to let him bloud vpon the necke veine which done giue him to drinke two howres and a halfe after this drinke Take the iuice of a handful of purslaine and mixe
his backe with oyle wine and Nitre made warme and mingled together But the best cure according to our English practise is first to wash all the yard with white wine warmed and then annoynt it with oyle of roses and hony mixt together and so put it vp into the sheath with a little bolster of canuase keep it from falling downe and dresse him thus once in foure and twenty howres vntill he be recouered and in any case let his backe be kept as warme as is possible both with cloth and a charge or plaister made of Bolearmonicke egges wheat-flower Sanguis Draconis Turpentine and vinegar or else lay next his backe a wet sacke or wet hay and a dry cloth ouer it and that will keepe his backe exceeding warme CHAP. 83. Of diseases incident to Mares and first of the barrennesse of the wombe THe onely disease incident to the wombe of a Mare as farre fourth as our Farriers are experienced is barrennesse which may proceed from diuers causes as through the vntemperatnesse of the matrix being either two hot and fierie or two cold and moist or too dry or else too shorte or too narrow or hauing the necke thereof turned awry or by meanes of some obstruction or stopping in the matrixe or in that the Mare is too fat or too leane and diuers other such like causes Now the cure thereof according to the old Farriers is to take a good handfull of leeks and stampe them in a morter with foure or fiue spoâ—nefull of wine then put thereunto twelue flies called Cantharides then straine them altogether with a sufficient quantity of water to serue the Mare therewith two daies together by powring the same into her nature with a glister-pipe made for the purpose and at the end of three daies next following offer the horse vnto her that should couer her and after she is couered wash her nature twice together with cold water There be others which vse to take of Nitrum of sparrowes dung and of Turpentine of each like quantity well wrought together and made like a suppositary and put that into her nature and it will cause her both to desire the horse and also to conceiue There be some of opinion that it is good to put a nettle into the horses mouth that should couer her Of all which let onely experience be your warrantise CHAP. 84. Of the pestilent Consumption in Mares THere is a certaine pestilent consumption incident to mares when they are with foale proceeding from cold fleame gathered by raw foggy food in the winter season which descending from the kidneyes doth oppresse the matrixe and makes the mare consume pine away so that if she be not holpen she will want strength to foale her foale The signes are a sudden leannesse and a drooping of spirit with much dislike of meate and a continuall desire to be layed The cure is to powre into her nosthrels three pints of fish brine called Garume three or foure mornings together and if the griefe be very great then to take fiue pints and it will make her vent all fleame at her nosthrels CHAP. 85. Of the rage of Loue in Mares IT is reported by some of our English Farriers that mares being proudly high kept will at the spring of the yeare when their bloud begins to waxe warme if they chance when they go to the water to see their own shadowes therin that presently they will fall into an extreme loue therewith and from that loue into such a hot rage that they will forget either to eate or drinke and neuer cease running about the pasture gazing strangely and looking oft both about and behinde them The cure of this folly is presently to leade the mare to the water againe and there to let her see herselfe as before and that second sight will vtrerly extinguish the memory of the first and to take away her folly CHAP. 86. Of Mares which cast their Foales THe occasions why Mares cast their Foales that is to foale them either before their times or dead are very many as straines stroakes intemperate ridings rushings hard wintring or too great fatnesse and such like Now you shall vnderstand that this aborsment or vntimely casting of a foale is most dangerous to the life of the mare for nature being as it were detained from her true and perfect custome which is the preseruation of health cannot chuse but giue way to the contrary which is death and mortality and the body and pores being set open to the aire before it be able to defend the cold cannot chuse but be suffocated with vnwholesome vapours If therefore you haue a mare at any time which doth cast her foale and withall falleth sicke vpon the same you shall presently take her into the house and set her vp very warme then giue her two spoonful of the powder Dyapente well brewd in a pint of strong sacke and feede her with sweete hay and warme mashes for at least a weeke after CHAP. 87. Of Mares that are hard of foaling If it happen by any mischance or otherwise that the passages or other conduites which leade from the matrix be so straitned that the mare cannot foale and so be in danger of her life then it shall be good that you helpe her by holding and stopping her nosthrels with your hand in a gentle manner that her breath may not haue passage and she will foale with a great deale more ease and much sooner and sure the paine is nothing because a mare alwaies foaleth standing Now if at any time when your mare hath foaled she cannot auoyd her secundine which is the skinne wherein the foale is wrapped in that naturall maner as she ought you shall then take a good handfull or two of fennell and boyle it in water then take halfe a pint of that and another halfe pint of old wine and put thereto a fourth part of oyle and mingle them altogether ouer the fire and being but luke-warme powre it into the mares nosthrels and hold her nosthrels close with your hand to keep it in a prety while after and no question but she will voyd her secundine presently CHAP. 88. Of making a Mare to cast her Foale IF at any time you would haue your mare to cast her foale as hauing present occasion to vse her or in that the foale is not worthily inought begot you shall take a pottle of new milke and two handfuls of sauin chopt and bruised and putting them together boyle them till one halfe bee consumed then straine it very hard and giue it the mare luke warme to drinke then presently gallop her a good pace then set her vp do thus two mornings and before the third she will haue cast her foale Other vse with their hand to kill the foale in the mares belly but it is dangerous and the former medicine is more sufficient And thus much of the infirmities of mares Now let vs returne againe to horses and
better horses But to return to my purpose the Farrier who goeth about to purge a horse by purgation must consider the nature of the horses disease and the strength of the horse and with them ioyne the nature strength and quantity of the medicine he must also consider the climate vnder which the horse is bred the time of the disease the time of the yeare and the time of the day for as the diseases and the humours which cause the diseases are sundry so they must be auoyded by sundry medicines sundry wayes compounded according as experience from a continuall practise shall instruct you wherein you are to obserue that weake delicate and tender horses are not to be purged with that violence which strong stubborne and sturdy horses are and therefore in such cases the quality and quantity is to be looked into of euery simple The climate is to be respected as whether it be hot or cold and the time of the disease for some diseases must be purged at the beginning as feuers pestilence yellowes staggers all violent inward diseases and some not till the matter be throughly disgested as colds strangles and apostumations Now albeit the sicknesse proceed from cold humours yet you must not administer as hot simples in summer as in winter nor in the contrary case so cold things in winter as in the summer whereby you see the season of the yeare is to be respected Then touching respect of the day you are to obserue that day to be best which is most temperate sith too much heate maketh a horse faint and too much cold doth hinder the medicine from working A little regard is to be had to the wind weather for a moyst day with a South winde is to be preferred before a North winde with a dry day Now the best howre of receiuing any potion is euer in the morning after he hath fasted from meate and drinke all the night before As soone as your horse hath receiued any pill or potion let him be walked or gently ridden vp and downe one howre at the least and then set vp and suffered to stand on the bit two howres after wel littered cloathed and stopped but if you perceiue that he beginneth to grow sicke as most commonly horses will then you shall suffer him to lye downe assoone as his sicknesse is past you shall offer him a mashe of malt and water luke warme for any other meate keep him fasting till his medicine haue done working Now to come to particular receipts and medicines themselues you shall vnderstand that although the ancient Farriers do make but two kindes that is to say pils and purgations yet I diuide them into three that is to say scourings pils and purgations Scourings are those wholesome naturall and gentle purging medicines which stirring vp no great fluxe of humours do onely keepe the body cleane from such euils as would grow being euery way as wholesome in health as in sicknesse and may most properly be termed preparatiues or preparers of the body to entertaine more stronger medicines To speake then first of the most gentlest and naturall scouring it is only grasse being giuen to a horse only fifteene dayes together and no more for after that it fatteth and not scoureth Next vnto grasse is forrage which is onely the blades of greene corne as wheat rye barley and such like being giuen seuen dayes and no more Next is greene thistles being cut vp and giuen the horse to eate the space of fiue daies and no more and the last of this nature is the mash made in this manner take a pecke of ground malt and put it into a peale then take a gallon and a halfe of water boyling hot from the fire and put it to the malt then with a staffe mash and stirre them together at least halfe an howre till tasting the water you feele it as sweete as hony then being luke warme giue it the horse to drinke All these scourings do onely but cleanse the guts and coole the body adding comfort to the spirits and ingendring strength onely the mash is to be vsed after labour or in stead of drinke in the time of any great sicknesse Scourings of a little stronger nature are these first when you giue your horse any prouender to mixe with halfe a pecke of oates a handfull or two of cleane drest hemp seede or else to take a good quantity of boxe leaues and put them into a pewter dish then set them before the fire and let them dry leasurely till they be so hard that you may crush them to powder then take as much of the powder of brimstone as there is powder of boxe and mixe them together and amongst halfe a pecke of oates mixe a handfull of this powder and giue it the horse to eate both these scourings are to be vsed after labour especially when the horse hath sweat much These two scourings worke vpon no matter but what nature is willing to expell they purge the stomacke head and intrailes they kill all manner of wormes and dry vp fleame Scourings of the strongest nature are to take of sallet oyle halfe a pint and of new milke from the cow a pint brew it together and giue it the horse luke warme or else take a pint of muskadine and halfe a pint of sallet oyle and being mixed together giue it the horse to drinke or else halfe a pint of oyle and a pint of sacke mixt together and giuen the horse to drinke luke warme These scourings cleanse the head body and guts of all fleame or molten grease which any violent labour hath dissolued they are exceeding good for any manner of cold or stoppings in the winde-pipes Now for pils you shall vnderstand that the first and easiest are these either to take twenty cloues of garlike cleane pild and bruised then a quarter of a pound of sweete butter and so rolle vp the garlicke in foure or fiue balles or pellets as big as two wal-nuts a peece and so taking out the horses tongue thrust them downe his throate one after another or else to take a quarter of a pound of butter and as much red saunders beat them well together in a morter then make it into foure or fiue balles and put them downe the horses throat Pils of a somewhat stronger nature are to take a handfull of rosemary leaues and chopping them small mixe them with a quarter of a pound of sweet butter and then making it into round bals giue them vnto the horse or else take round peeces of raw mellons and thrust them downe the horses throate or else to take fiue greene figges and put them downe the horses throate The strongest pill is this take of lard two pound layd in water 2 howres then take nothing but a quarter of a pound of the cleane fat thereof and stampe it in a mortar thereto put of licoras of anise seedes and of fenugreeke of each beaten into powder one
ounce and a halfe of aloes likewise in powder one ounce of Agaricke halfe an ounce knead all these together like paste and make thereof foure or fiue balles and giue it to the horse This last recited pill is singular good for the dry cough and all the other pils are most soueraigne for all infirmities of the head which grow either from fleame melancholy or any other cold or moist cause whatsoever Now for purgations which are the strongest cleansers of the body they be these Take two ounces of Myrre and mixe it with a pint of wine and it wil purge all sicknesse which proceedeth of choler the signes whereof are his belly will swell be very hot and he can neither dung nor breake winde Take a pint of wine and beate a raw egge therein and adde to it a quarter of an ounce of brimstone halfe an ounce of Myrre beaten to powder and giue it the horse luke warme and it will purge all inward diseases proceeding of melancholy Two spoonefull of the powder Diapente giuen with halfe a pint of swines grease purgeth all diseases proceeding of fleame Take as much blacke sope as a wal-nut a quart of new milke and a quarter of a pint of sallet oyle and giue it the horse luke warme and it purgeth all cold infirmities Take the guts of a Tench or Barbell being cut into little small peeces and giue it the horse in a quart of white wine and it will purge the horse from all costiuenesse or paine in the guts Rye being boyled so that it burst not then dryed againe and giuen the horse in stead of prouender purgeth and killeth all manner of wormes Take of radish rootes one ounce of the roote called Panax and of Scamony of each halfe an ounce beate all these together and boyle them in a quart of hony then giue the horse two spoonefull of this in a quart of ale luke warme to drinke and it will purge all grosse humours from whence proceedeth either the falling euill or any disease of the braine Take and boyle Elicampanam roots in milke till they be so soft that you may bruise them to pappe and then adding thereto halfe a pint of sallet oyle giue it the horse to drinke luke warme and this will purge and cleanse any glaunders Take of sweete sope a quarter of a pound and make it into three balles and giue them to the horse it wil purge all euill humors whatsoeuer both violently and most aboundantly CHAP. 94. Of Neesing or Fumigation and the vse thereof THere is also another maner of purging of a horse and especially his head and that is by forcing him to neese or snurt violently at his nose casting forth all filthy and grosse matter which otherwise would offend and oppresse the braine and this neesing is wrought sometimes by fumes or smoakes sometimes by powders and sometimes by oyles the sharpnesse of which tickling the tender and quicke parts of the head do compell this snurting and neesing surely there is no purgation more wholesome for as it cleanseth and separateth grosse matter so it comforteth and maketh strong the braine Now to come vnto the particular medicines which do procure this neesing they be these Squirt into an horses nosthrels either mans vrine which is old or the vrine of an oxe which hath had much rest and it will force a horse to neese and is most wholesome for any quotidian feuer Take the powder of gumdragant Ensens and damaske roses well mixt together and blow it with a quill into the horses nosthrels and it is good either against the feuer in sommer or winter Take warme vinegar and squirt it into his nosthrels it is comfortable against the feuer which cometh by raw disgestion Take of garlick stalkes a handfull being broke into little peeces and a good quantity of frankinsence and being put vpon a chasing dish and coles hold the chasing dish vnder the horses nosthrels so that the fume may ascend vp into his head and this is most excellent against the head-ache Take feathers and brimstone burne them on a chafing dish and coales vnder the horses nose or blow pepper and Perithre beaten to powder vp into his nosthrels either of both these are most excellent against the sleeping euill Take the powder of motherwort and blow it vp into a horses nostrels and it is good against the falling euill Take two goose feathers annoynted ouer with oyle de bay and thrust them vp and downe in the horses nosthrels or else to take sage penyriall and wheate long sodden together and put into a bagge as hot as may be which bagge would be so close fastned to the horses head that all the smoake and sauour thereof may ascend vp into his nosthrels or take a clout annoynted with sope or oyle de bay and rub it vp and downe his nosthrels as high as may be Any of all these or all these together are most excellent against any cold poze or other obstruction in the head Take orpiment and sulphure and burn them on the coales and hold it vnder the horses nose or take oyle de bay Euforbium and white Ellebore and annointing two feathers therewith thrust them vp into the horses nosthrels both these are good against the glaunders Take of the stalkes of bryony or wilde vine two handfuls and bruise them betwixt two stones and being so bruised put them into a linnen bagge and fasten the bagge so to the horses head that the sent may go vp into his nosthrels without touching the hearbe with his mouth and this is excellent against the mourning of the chine or any inward cough Take of rosemary of narde and of sage dryed and beaten into fine powder or each like waight and with a quill blow them vp into the horses nosthrels or take the powder of white pepper or of Sal-niter or of Iris Ilirica or blacke Eleboris and blow them with a quill vp into the horses nosthrels or take linnen cloth dipt in the dregs of oyle setting it on fire then suddenly put it out againe and let the smoake ascend vp into the horses nosthrels or squirt into his nosthrels Aristolochia mixt with wine or Salâ—niter mixt with water or salt and roâ—he allum mixt with wine or take ground Iuy beaten small and thrust vp into his nose or bay-berry beaten small and burnt on the coales vnder the horses nose or a coale of fire put into a lump of wet hay making a smoothering smoke and held vnder the horses nose Any of all these are most excellent against any disease of the head especially staggers colds glaunders strangle and such like CHAP. 95. Of Frictions or Bathes and of their seuerall vses FRictions or Bathes are a certaine rubbing annointing or bathing of a horses body all ouer especially against the haire because the medicine may sinke in so much the better with comfortable and soueraigne vnguents whose vertues do loosen the skinne cheare vp the inward spirits and
are either hard or soft the hard commonly will corrode the soft will continue long Item If you thrust your finger vpon any swelling vpon a horses legges then if it presently rise againe and fill then is the hurt new and recouerable but if the dent do remaine and continue still behind then is the hurt old and cometh of cold humors and askes great art in the healing Item When soares begin to matter then they heale but if the putrifaction be great then beware they rot not inwardly Item All cauterizing or burning with hot Irons straineth things enlarged dryeth vp what is too much moistned dissolueth things gathered together or hardened draweth backe things which are dispersed helpeth old griefes for it ripeneth dissolueth and maketh them to runne and issue forth matter Item You must sometimes burn vnder the soare to diuert humors and somtimes aboue to defend and withhold humors Item It is euer better to burne with copper then with yron because yron is of a malignant nature steele is of an indifferent vertue betwixt both Item All actual burning is to burn with instrument and potentiall burning is to burne with medicines as are caustiks and corrosiues Item If you vse oft to blow pouders into a horse eies it will make him blind Item By no meanes take vp any veines in the forelegges vnlesse great extremity compell you for there is nothing that will sooner make a horse stiffe and lame Many other obseruations there are which because they are not so generall as these be and that I shall haue occasion to speake of them in other particular chapters I thinke it here meete to omit them and the rather because I will not be tedious CHAP. 7. Of the diseases in the Eyes and first of the weeping and watering Eye THe eies of a horse are subiect to many infirmities as first to bee rheumatike or watry then to be bloud-shâ—tten to be dimme of sight to haue the pinne and webbe the haw the wart in the eye the inflammation of the eies the canker in the eye or a stroake in the eye of all which some come of inward causes as of humours resorting to the eyes and some of outward causes as heate cold or else by some stripe or blow And first to begin with the rheumaticke or watry eye you shall vnderstand that according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers it doth proceed many times from the fluxe of humours distilling from the braine and sometimes from the anguish of some blow or stripe receiued The signes are a continuall watering of the eye and a close holding of the liddes together accompanied sometimes with a little swelling The cure according to the opinion of some Farriers is to take of Bole-armonicke of Terra-sigillata and of Sanguis Draconis of each a like quantity make them into powder and then adde vnto them as much of the white of an egge and viniger as will make them moist and then spread it plaister-wise vppon a cloth and lay it to the horses temples of his head aboue his eyes and do this three daies together Others vse to let the horse bloud in the veines vnder his eyes then to wash the eye twice or thrice in the day with white wine then to blow into the soare eye with a quill the powder of Tartaz Salgam and cuâ—tell bone of each like quantity or else take the yolke of an egge roasted hard and mixe therewith the powder of comen and binde it hot to the eye and so let it rest a night or more Other Farriers vse to take of pitch and rosen and of masticke a like quantity melt them together then with a little sticke hauing a clout bound to the end thereof and dipt therein annoynt the temple veines on both sides a handfull aboue the eyes as broade as a twelue pence and then clappe vnto it immediatly a few flockes of like colour to the horse holding them close to his head with your hand vntill they sticke fast to his head then let him bloud on both his eye veines if both eies be sore and then wash his eies with white wine Others vse onely to take a pretty quantity of life hony and to dissolue it in white wine and to wash the horses eies therewith and sure if it proceede from any blow it is a medicine sufficient inough but if it proceede from any rheume or inward causes then you shall take ground Iuy beaten in a mortar and mixt with waxe and so laied to the eyes like a plaster or else boyle wormewood in white wine and wash the horses eyes therewith also to spurt beere orale now and then into the horses eyes will cleare the sight passing well CHAP. 8. Of the Bloud shotten eye proceeding from any cause whatsoeuer FOr any bloud-shotten eye proceeding from any cause whatsoeuer either outward or inward you shall take according to the opinion of the most ancient Farrierss of rose water of Malmsey and of fennell water of each three spoonefull of Tutie as much as you may easily take vp betweene your thumbe and your finger of cloues a dozen beaten into fine powder mingle them well together and being luke warme or cold if you please wash the inward puts of the eye with a feather dipt therein twise a day vntill the eye be well or in stead hereof to wash the eye either with the white of an egge or with the iuyce of Selladine Others vse to take the toppes of hawthornes and boyling them in white wine wash the eye therewith Other Farriers take a dramme of Synoper and as much of life hony and as much of wheate flowre mixe them with faire running water so that they may be liquid and thinne then seeth them with a very soft fire vntill they be thicke like an oyntment and therewithall annoynt the eye But the best receipt that euer I found for this griefe is to take take the whites of two egges and beate it till it come to an oyle then put to it two spoonefull of rose water and three spoonefull of the iuice of housleeke mixe them well together then dippe therein little round plegants of flat cakes of soft towe as bigge as a horses eye and lay them vpon the horses eyes renuing them as oft as they grow hard and in a day or two it will make the horses eyes sound againe CHAP. 9. Of Dimnesse of sight or Blindnesse DImnesse of sight or blindnesse may happen to a horse diuers wayes as by some straine when the inward strings of the eyes are stretched beyond their powers or by the violence of great labour or by the supporting of a great burthen beyond the horses ability or by some blow or wound any of these are mortall enemies to the eyes and sight The signe is the apparant want of sight and an euill affected colour of the eye Now for the cure it is thus If the sight be gone and yet the ball of the eye be sound then you shall take according
with your thumbe put downe the neather lidde and you shall plainly see the haw then thrust your needle through the edge of the haw and with the threed draw it out so as you may lay it vpon your finger then fasten the threed about your little finger to hold it constantly and then with a very sharp knife cut crosse the gristle of the inside next the horses eye and so separating the skin the fat from the gristle cut the gristle quite out then cutting your threedes draw them cleane out both of his eye liddes and out of the haw then wash all the horses eye either with ale beere or white wine and plucke away all the long haires from about the horses eyes being sure to leaue no bloud within the horses eye And in this maner of cure you must obserue that by no meanes you cut away too much of the wash or fat about the haw nor any part of the blâ—cke that groweth by the end of the haw for that will make the horse bleare eyed There be other Farriers which vse after they haue cut out the haw to annoint the eye sixe dayes after with sallet oyle the marrow of sheeps shanks salt mixt together Others vse to take of the iuice of ground Iuy stampt in a mortar with the iuice of Iuy berries and mixe them either with water or white wine and so plaister-wise lay it to the horses eye renuing it morning and euening and it will eate away the haw Others vse after the haw is cut away to lay to the eye a plaister of camomill and of hony beaten together any of all which is sufficient enough Now you are to note by the way that the horse which hath one haw commonly hath two for they continually go together CHAP. 12. Of Moone eyes or Lunaticke eyes THe moone eyes or lunaticke eyes are of all soare eyes the most dangerous and noysome and do proceede from hot humours descending from the head and stirred vp by the extremity of ouer-riding or compelling a horse to do more then nature will giue him leaue as I haue seene a slothfull and heauy horse brought to be moone eyed by the folly of his rider who would force him to stand and trot contrary to the vigor of his spirit so likewise I haue seene delicate mettald horses brought to be moone eyed when their riders would not temper the freenesse of their natures but haue giuen them leaue to runne into all violence Now they be called moone eyes because if the Farrier do obserue them he shall perceiue that at some times of the moone the horse will see very prettily and at some times of the moone he will see nothing at all Now the signes hereof are when the horses eyes are at the best they will looke yellowish and dimme and when they are at the worst they will looke redde fiery and angry The cure is to lay all ouer the temples of the horses head the plaister of pitch rosen and masticke mentioned in the chapter of watery eyes then vnder each of his eyes with a sharp knife make a slit of an inch long about foure fingers beneath his eyes and at least an inch wide of the eye veines then with a cornet loosen the skin about the breadth of a groat and thrust therein a round peece of leather as broad as a two-pence with a hole in the midst to keepe the hole open and looke to it once a day that the matter may not be stopped but continually runne the space of ten dayes then take the leather out and heale the wound with a little flaxe dipt in this salue Take of Turpentine of hony and of waxe of each like quantity and boyle them together which being a little warmed will be liquid to serue your purpose and take not away the plaisters which are vpon his temples vntill of themselues they fall away which being falne then with a small hot drawing Iron make a starre in the midst of each temple veine where the plaisters did lye which starre would haue a hole in the midst made with the butten end of your drawing Iron in this sort Now there be other Farriers which in stead of the slits vnder the eye and the peece of leather which is a plaine rowell onely do take a small blunt hot Iron and about an inch and an halfe beneath the neather lidde to burne some 5 holes all of a row according to the compasse of the horses eye and to burne those holes euen into the bone and then once a day to annoynt them with fresh grease or sweet butter CHAP. 13. Of the Canker in the eye A Canker in the eye commeth of a ranke and corrupt bloud descending from the head into the eye where it congealeth a little worme in manner as it were the head of a pismyre which groweth in the neather end of the horses eye next to his noseward It proceedeth many times in the gristle of the nose which if it chance to eate through it will then passe into the head and so kill the horse The signes thereof are you shall see redde pimples some great some small both within and without the eie vpon the eye lids and all the eye it selfe will looke redde and be full of very corrupt matter The cure according to the ancient Farriers is to take as much burnt allome as an hazell nut and as much of greene copporas and bake them bâ—th together vpon a tile-stone and then grinde them into powder and put thereto a quarter of a spoonfull of hony mixe them all together and then with a clout dipt therein rubbe the sore till it bleede and dâ— thus seuen daies together and it will cure the canker There be other Farriers which for this canker in a horses eye will first let the horse bloud in the necke veine of the same side that the soare eye is and take away to the quantity of a pottell of bloud then take of roach allome and of greene copporas of each halfe a pound of white copporas one ounce and boyle them in three pints of running water vntill the halfe be consumed then take it from the fire and once a day wash his eye with this water being made luke warme with a fine linnen cloth and clense the eye therewith so as it may looke raw and do this till the eye be whole CHAP. 14. For a Stripe or Blow vpon a Horses eye IF a horse shall catch any stripe or blow vpon his eye either with whippe rodde cudgel or any such like mischance or by one horses biting of another when they either play or fight then for the cure thereof if you take it when it is new done you shall onely blow into his eye either the powder of Sandeuoire or the fine powder of white salt after the eye hath bene washt with a little beere but if the eye be more soare and haue continued longer then you shall take a small loafe of bread and pull
then hauing a mallet in your right hand strike vpon the head of the toole a good stroake wherewith you may loosen the tooth and make it bend inward then straining the midst of your toole vppon the horses neather iaw wrinch the tooth outward with the inside or hollow side of the toole and thrust it cleane out of his head which done serue the other woolfes tooth on the other side in like manner and then fill vp the empty holes with salt finely brayed Other Farriers vse and I haue in mine experience found it the better practise only when the horse is eirher tyed vp or cast and his mouth opened to take a very sharp file and to file the woolfes teeth so smooth as is possible and then wash his mouth with a little allome water Now if the vpper iaw teeth ouerhang the neather iaw teeth so cut the inside of the mouth as is aforesaid then you shall take your former toole or gouge and with your mallet strike and pare all those teeth shorter by little and little degrees running alongst them euen from the first vnto the last turning the hollow side of your toole towards the teeth by which meanes you shall not cut the insides of the horses cheekes then with your file file them all smooth without any raggednes and then wash the horses mouth with vinegar salt Lastly if the paine do proceede from the loosnesse of his teeth then the cure is according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers first to cast the horse and pricke all his gummes ouer with a lancet making them bleede well then rubbe them all ouer with sage and salt and it will fasten them againe Others vse to let the horse bloud in the veine vnder his taile next the rumpe and then to rubbe all his gums with sage and to giue him in his prouender the tender croppes of blacke bryars or else wash all his mouth with hony sage and salt beaten together and by no meanes let the horse eate any moist meate for cold moist and marrish feeding in the winter onely breedeth this disease of loosnesse in the teeth and it is of all other most proper to the Sorrell horses CHAP. 33. Of diseases in the Necke and VVithers and first of the Cricke in the necke THe Cricke in the necke of a horse is when he cannot turne his necke any way but holdes it still right forth in so much that he cannot bow downe his head to take vp his meate from the ground but with exceeding great paine and surely it is a kinde of convultion of sinewes which proceedeth from cold causes of which we haue spoken very sufficiently before it also proceedeth sometimes from ouerheauy burthens that be laid vpon a horses shoulders or by ouer-much drying vp of the sinewes of the necke The cure whereof according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is first to thrust a sharp hot Iron through the flesh of the necke in fiue seueral places euery one distant from the otther three inches but in any case beware of touching any sinew then rowell all the aforesaid places either with horse haire flaxe or hempe for the space of fifteene daies and annoint the rowels with hogs grease and the necke will soone be restored Others vse if the cricke causeth the horse to hold his head straight forward which sheweth that both sides are equally perplexed to take a hot drawing Iron draw the horse from the root of the eare on both sides the necke through the midst of the same euen downe the breast a straw deepe so as both ends may meete on the breast then make a hole through the skin of the forehead hard vnder the foretop thrust in a cornet vpward betwixt the skin and the flesh a handfull deepe then either put in a goose feather doubled in the midst and annointed with hogs grease or else a rowell of either horne or leather with a hole in the midst any of which will keep the hole open to the intent the matter may issue forth and this you shall keepe open the space of ten daies but euery day during that time the hole must be◠cleansed once and the feather or rowell also cleansed and fresh annointed and put in againe and once a day let him stand vpon the bit an houre or two or else be ridden abroade two or three miles by such an one as will beare the horses head and make him bring it in but if the cricke be such that it maketh the horse to hold his head awry vpon the one side which sheweth that but one side of the neeke is troubled then you shall not drawe the horse with an hote Iron on both the sides of the necke but onely on the contrary side as thus If hee bend his head towardes the right side then to drawe him as is aforesaid onely on the left side and to vse the rest of the cure as is abouesaid and if necessity do require you may splent the horses necke also straight strong with splents of wood I haue cured this cricke in the neck only by bathing the horses neck in the oile of peeter very hot and then rolling it all vp in wet hay or rotten litter and keeping the horse exceeding warme without vsing any burning wounding or other violence CHAP. 34. Of Wennes in the necke A Wenne is a certaine bunch or kirnell vpon the skinne like a tumor or swelling the inside whereof is sometimes hard like a gristell and spongious like a skinne full of soft warts and sometimes yellow like vnto rusted bacon with some white graines among Now of wennes some are great and some be small also some are very painfull and some not painfull at all They proceede as some imagine of naughty grosse flegmaticke humours binding together in some sicke part of the body And others say they proceed from taking of cold or from drinking of waters that be most extreme cold but I say that albeit they may proceed from these causes yet most generally they proceed frō some pinching bruising biting ripping or galling either of girthes halter coller or any other thing whatsoeuer The cure thereof is this take of mallowes sage and redde nettles of each one handfull boile them in running water and put thereunto a little butter and hony and when the hearbes be soft take them out and all to bruise them and put thereunto of oyle de bay two ounces and of hogges grease two ounces and warme them together ouer the fire mixing them well together that done plaister it vpon a peece of leather so bigge as the wenne and lay it to so hot as the horse can endure it renewing it euery day in such sort the space of eight dayes and if you perceiue it will come to no head then lance it from the midst of the wenne downeward so deep that the matter in the bottome may be discouered let out which done heale it vp with this salue Take of Turpentine a quarterne
intent hee shake not off the oyntment then carry him faire softly into the stable tye him so as he may not reach with his head beneath the manger for otherwise he will couet to bite away the smarting pricking medicine which if it shold touch his lips would quickly fetch off the skin also let him stand without litter al that day night the next day anoint the soare place with fresh butter continuing so to do euery day once for the space of 9. daies for this will allay the heate of the medicine cause both that the crust of the splent to fall away of it selfe There be other Farriers which vse with a fine hot drawing Iron to burne the sorrance downe in the midst the full length of the splent then ouerthwart like this figure then 4. houres after such burning take cows dung new made sallet oile mixt wel beaten together therwith anoint al the soare places and this must be done when the splent is very yong Others vse to slit the sorrance with a knife the whole length of the splent and then with a cornet to open the slit lay the splent bare then to make about the wound a coffin of clay all open at the toppe then take boares grease made scalding hot and powre it into the wound vntill the clay coffin be full then let it rest vntill the grease be cold after that let the horse rise and this with once dressing will take the splent cleane away without any blemish or eye sore Others vse to beate the splent with a sticke and to bruise it well then pricke it with an awle and thrust out the bloud then lay on whitleather and with a hot Iron make the grease scald it or else melt into it pitch and verdygrease and then lay a plaister of pitch ouer it not remouing it vntill it fall off by it selfe or else after you haue beat and prickt the splent take out the chore of an onyon and fill it with baysalt then roast it soft and lay it hot to the splent and in steed of the onyon you may if you will binde to a hard roasted egge being fire hot Other Farriers vse to slit the skinne the length of the splent then to dippe a little peece of linnen in warme wine and sprinkle verdygrease thereon and so lay it to the slit renewing it once a day vntill the splent bee gone Others vse to shaue off the haire and to rubbe the splent twice a day with tarre very hard till the splent be gone but this splent must be very yong and tender for fasting spettle is as good as tarre Other Farriers vse to take a blacke snaile and slit her and put in bay salt and lay it to the splent being opened renewing it once a day vntill the splent be gone then let the veine aboue the knee be taken vp and let it bleede from below lest it feede the splent againe Others vse if the splent bee vpon the knee to burne it as is before said then take wormewood smallage pellitory of the wall and branke vrsine stampt with swines grease and lay it to the burnings prouided that first the haire bee shaued off and if the splent be below the knee this cure is good also and much the safer Now after all these former recited practises you shall vnderstand that the most cleanelyest way to take away a splent is first after you haue cast your horse with a hazell sticke of a pretty poyse and bignesse gently to beate the splent at the first and then by degrees a little harder and harder till the splent grow soft in euery part then with the poynt of your lancet let out all the bloud and water then take a brick-bat and hauing laid it in the fire when it is exceeding hot fold it vp in a red cloath and therewith rubbe the splent and smooth it vpon the top till you haue dryed away the bloud that no more moysture commeth out then take of pitch of rosen and masticke of each a like quantity melt them well together and being very hot lay it ouer and all about the splent then clappe floxe of the colour of the horses legge vpon it and so let it rest vpon the splent vntill it fall away of it selfe and if when it is fallen away you perceiue that any part of the splent remaine behinde which hardly will be if it be orderly beaten then you shall dresse that remainder as you did the other before and the splent will be perfectly cured Now for the surest and most certainest way to take off a splent it is thus with the poynt of a sharpe knife make a slit of more then a barley corne length iust vpon the top in the midst of the splent and let it be so deep that you may be sure that the bone of the splent is bare then put into that slit with the point of your knife as much arsnicke as the quarter of an hazell nut and within 3. or 4 daies it wil so haue eaten the splent that it will fall out of it selfe then you shall heale vp the sore either with fresh butter molten or with a plaister of hogs grease and turpentine mingled melted together onely in this cure you must beware that you tye the horse so as for 24. houres he may not touch the soare place with his mouth Now in conclusion I am to giue you this smal precept to beare euer in your minde that is both for the healing of this of al other tumors whatsoever You must first stay the falling downe of new humors to the place troubled as by binding plaisters as pitch rosen masticke red-lead oyle bole-armony and such like then to draw out the matter which is there gathered with drawing simples as waxe turpentine such like and lastly to dry vp the relicks with drying pouders as hony lime oister shels soot such like and also you must know that all splents spauens or rubs must either be taken way at the beginning or after the full of the moone Câ—AP 64. Of the Serew or therrow Splent ALthough diuers of our Farriers do distinguish make a difference betwixt a serew a splent saying that the serew is euer of the out-side of the leg as the splent is of the inside yet it is most certaine that the disease infirmity is all one may as wel be cald a splent on the outside of the leg as a splent of the inside of the leg and this splent on the outside is euer least dangerous Now a horse many times will haue both these splents at one time vpon one legge nay I haue seene them so iust opposite one to the other that one would haue thought they had gone through the horses leg whence it hath come to passe that many foolish Farriers being of that minde haue entituled them a therrow splent and I haue seene my selfe some well reputed
Galbanum to it likewise twice a day till it rot and that the matter doth issue forth then wash it with vrine and lastly heale it vp with hony and oyle boyled together renewing the same twice a day till the Curbe be gone and in any case let all your salues bee applyed warme and new made and if you make an issue with a hot Iron in the bottome of the Curbe it will not do amisse Others vse to take a very hot Iron and hold it as nigh the soare as may be but not touching it then when it is warme vent it in sixe or seuen places then take a spoonefull of salt halfe a spoonefull of nerue-oyle and a peny waight of verdigrease the white of an egge mixe these well together dipping flaxe in the same lay it to the Curbe and this in few dressings will take it away Other Farriers vse to chafe and rub the Curbe well with their hands then take redde wall-wort leaues and borage and braying them well together lay it to the Curbe renewing it once a day for a seuen night together Others vse to slit the Curbe all the length then take a peece of linnen cloath and wet it in wine made warme then strow verdigrease therupon bind it to the soare renewing it once a day vntill the curbe be gone Others of the ancient Farriers take of wine lees a pint of comin halfe an ounce and as much wheate flowre as will thicken it and stirre them well together and being made warme charge the soare place therewith renewing it euery day once the space of 2. or 4. daies and when the swelling is almost gone then draw it with a hot Iron made very thin in this sort and couer the burning with pitch and rosen molten together and laid on good and warme and clappe thereon some floxe of the horses colour or so nigh as may be gotten and remoue them not vntill they fall away of themselues and for the space of nine dayes let the horse rest and come in no wet Now there be other Farriers which to this last recited salue will adde tarre and it is not amisse onely it will not sticke so well Now for mine owne part I haue euer found this practise the best First with a broad inckle to binde the hough strait a little aboue the cod then with a smooth hazell stick to beate rubbe and chafe the curbe then with a fleame strike it as deepe as you can in two or three places of the curbe then thrust out the corrupt bloud and after vpon the poynt of your knife put into euery hole as deep as you can thrust it the quantity of two barly cornes of white arsnicke and so let the horse rest foure and twenty howres after then after onely annoynt the soare place with hot molten butter till it be whole once a day at the least CHAP. 78. Of the Paines THe paines is a certaine vlcerous scabbe growing in the pastornes of a horse betwixt the fetlocke and the heele full of fretting matterish water and cometh onely for want of good rubbing and cleane dressing after the horse hath bene iourneyed in the winter wayes by meanes whereof the sand and durt remaining in the haire fretteth the skinne and flesh and so breedeth to a scabbe and therefore your Frisonds and Flaunders horses and mares which now are so much in vse with vs for the coatch are the soonest troubled with this disease if the keeper bee not much the more carefull The signes hereof are his legges will be swolne and hot the scabbe will be palpable to be felt and the water will issue out of the scabbe which water is so hot and fretting that it will scald off the haire and breede scabbes where it goeth The cure according to the ancient Farriers is Take of turpentine hogs grease hony and blacke sope of each a like quantity and hauing molten them vpon a soft fire take it off put in a little bole-armony finely beaten into powder then worke all these things well together with a sticke in your right hand a dish of wheat floure by you that with your left hand you may put it in by a little at once till you haue made it thicke like an oyntment or soft salue then spreade it vpon a linnen cloath as bigge as the soare hauing first cut away the haire and made the soare raw apply to the salue and dresse him thus once a day vntill it be whole This medicine is well approued to cure all sorts of Paine Scratches Moully heeles or any other sciruy scalls whatsoeuer that may breede in a horses leg or heeles whether they come by meanes of euill humors or for lacke of good dressing or cleane keeping whether they be mattery and filthy running soares or else drye scabbes Others of the old Farriers vse for this sorrance to take a pint of red wine lees and a handfull of wheate branne a saucerfull of hony and halfe a pound of the powder of powdred beefe burnt and as much of barke dust and halfe a pound of allome and a quarter of a pound of swines grease and halfe a handfull of veruine beate all these together in a mortar and then fry them ouer the fire and make a hote plaister thereof and lay it to the soare as hot as the horse may suffer it letting it abide there the space of three dayes and in once or twice thus dressing him it will make him sound yet some hold if you doe with a hot drawing Iron seare the great veine ouerthwart a handfull aboue the fetlocke and then take a spoonefull of tarre a spoonefull of butter and a spoonefull of hony and warming them well together anoynt the veine therwith euery day til the cure be perfected and it is much availeable Other Farriers vse first to wash all the horses pastornes with butter beere wel warmed together and then his legge being somewhat dryed clip away all the haire that doth annoy the soare then take of turpentine of hogs grease and of hony of each like quantity mingle them together in a pot and put thereunto a little bole-armony the yolkes of two egges and as much wheat flowre as will thicken the thinges aforesaid and so by long working it make it like a plaister then spreade it vpon a linnen cloath and lay it round about the horses pastorne and binde it fast on with a roller renewing it once a day till the horse be whole and in no wise let the horse come in any wet during the cure Others vse first to chafe the soare place with a hay-rope or with a haire-cloth till it either bleed or be raw then take a little strong mustard beane flowre and fresh grease with a little fenugreeke then mixe all together in a dish and make thereof a salue and therwith annoynt the soare vntill it leaue mattering then take hony the white of an egge and fresh butter mixe them together and annoynt the soare place
fall away and in the meane time prepare a good quantity of old vrine when you see the coares ready to fall then boyle the vrine and put therein a little copporas and salt and a fewe strong nettles and with that water being warme wash out all the coares and all the corruption that done fill euery hole immediatly with the powder of sleckt lime continuing thus to do euery day once vntill the holes bee closed vp and if any bee more ranker then others fill those with verdigrease and during this cure let the horse bee thinly dyetted that is to say with straw and water onely vnlesse it be now and then to giue him a loafe of bread or a little other prouender for the lower hee is kept in flesh the sooner hee will heale and in any wise let his necke either bee yoaked in an old bottomlesse paile or else splented with the staues in such sort that hee may not come to licke any of his soares and the lesse rest hee hath the better will bee his amendment Now there bee other later Farriers which for this sorrance take a good quantity of mistellthoe hony and blacke sope and boyle them very well in old vrine and being very warme wash your horse all ouer therewith euery day once for the space of fiue or sixe dayes and it will helpe it Others vse to cut the horse two inches long downe the forehead and open it in the midst thereof on both sides two inches and put therto a tampin made of the inner rinde of Elder barke which is greene and looke that it lye crosse the cut for so it will destroy all the venemous humour in his body and it will heale him very perfectly hauing bene very oft approued Others vse to take a very sharpe bodkin and to thrust it crosse-wise through the neather part of the horses nose euen through the small gristle so that he may bleed well or else to let him bloud in the necke veine then feele the knots and as many as are sort lance them and let them run then take strong lye lime and allom and mixing them well together bathe all the soare â—herewith and it will cure him Others take a sharpe launce knife and in the toppe of the horses forehead somewhat aboue his eyes make a long slit euen vnto the skull then with a blunt instrument for the purpose loose the flesh from the scalpe a good compasse then take carret rootes cut into little thinne round peeces and put them betweene the skinne and the skull or for wante of carret rootes you may take redde dock rootes and see that they be a little beâ—ten or bruised before you put them in and once a day see that you thrust out the matter but by no meanes thrust out the rootes but if the rootes will not stay in then with a needle and a silke stitch the wound together that it may hold in the medicin then once a day annoint the wound with fresh butter this is held a very certaine cure for the farcy for looke how this wound thus made shall rot wast and grow sound so shall the sorrance breake dry vp and be healed onely the fault of this cure is that it will bee somewhat long in healing and is a foule eyesoare vntill it bee whole Now there be other Farriers which after the putting in of the rootes as is aforesaid vse to burne all the soare places round about with a hote yron and then with another blunt hote yron as bigge as a mans fingar to burne the soares in the midst till the white matter come foorth then with a paire of pinsons plucke out the knots this done annoynt all the soare places with sope and then dresse him no more the space of foure or fiue daies in which time you must prepare a good quantity of strong pisse with the which you must wash him euery day the pisse being first made scalding hote and rubbe the soares well vntill they begin to bleed then hauing dryed all the soare places throwe â—n the powder of vnsleckt lime or of burnt allome which will heale better then lime Now if you see that in any of the soares through negligent dressing there riseth proud flesh so high that you cannot câ—rrect it sufficiently with the aforesaid powder then may you burne any such place so soare or soarer as you did at the first and drâ—sle it as before Now there bee other Farriers which when they see the farcy to haue beene old and long gone and that it is so farre entred into one member or other that the member is disfigured they will then first â—urge the horse with some strong purgation of which you may find choice in a chapter before written and then vnder hiâ— belly put in one rowell either of haire or leather and on the pitch of his shoulder of his grieued legge if it bee before or else on the stifling place if his griefe be behind put in another rowell and so keepe those two places together with the issue in his forehead open vntill the cure bee finished then with an other hote yron burne all his legge downe with long strikes euen from the body to the hoofe not aboue an inch one strike from another the edge of the yron being not aboue a strawes breadth and draw your stroake euer downeward with the haire and burne him no deeper then that the skinne may looke browne Now when by this practise you haue cured the disease if then the member bee vnfashionable or by swellings out of all forme then you shall lay vnto the member a plaister made of wine lees and wheate flower rolle it with a wollen roller renewing it once in twenty toure howres till the member bee asswaged and this practise will heale any greate sweld legge if it be applied and continued with patience but if by former dressings burnings manglings or cuttings of some ignorant Farriers there be any extraordinary hard or horny substance growne about the member which the plaister aforesaid will not resolue then you shall take of virgine waxe halfe a pound of mirrhe one pound of raysins a pound of Galbanum halfe a pound of Costus sixe ounces of armoniarcke sixe ounces of swines grease two pounds put your swines grease first into an earthen pot and hauing placed it in a broad cauldron full of water then make a soft fire vnder it to the end that your water may boyle and when you do perceiue your swines grease is almost melted then shall you put in all your other simples except the Costus and when they are all molten which will aske fiue or sixe howres boyling at the least then your Costus which is a white roote being beaten into fine powder you shall adde to the aforesaid things after it is taken from the fire and incorporate them all very well together then make a plaister thereof vpon a peece of sheepes leather somewhat bigger then the soare and this plaister without renewing
hath the vpper hand no thicke matter will issue out but onely a thinne yellowish water neither will the swelling asswage and then take of turpentine washed in nine seuerall waters halfe a pound and put thereunto three yelkes of egges and a little saffron and taint it with this oyntment renewing it euery day once vntill the wound bee whole But if the shotte haue gone quite through the wound then you shall take a few weauers linnen thrummes made very knotty and dipping them first in varnish draw them cleane through the wound turning them vp and downe in the wound at least twice or thrice a day and charging the wound on either side vpon the swolne places with the charge aforesaid vntill you perceiue that the fire be kild then clappe onely a comfortable plaister vpon one of the hoales and taint the other with a taint in the salue made of washt turpentine egges and saffron as is before said Other Farriers vse onely to kill the fire with the oyle of creame and after to heale the wound vp with turpentine waxe and hogges grease molten together Other Farriers kill the fire with snow water and charge the sweld place with creame and barme beaten together and then heale vp the wound by dipping the taint in the yolke of an egge hony and saffron well beaten and mixt together CHAP. 133. Of burning with lime or any other fiery thing ACcording to the opinion of the ancient Farriers you shall first wash the soare round about and in euery part very cleane with warme water then kill the fire by annoynting the place with oyle and water beaten together dressing him so euery day vntill the soare bee all raw and then annoynt it with hogges grease and strew thereupon the powder of slecked lime dressing him thus euery day once vntill hee bee whole Other Farriers vse first to wash and cleanse the soare with sallet oyle onely warmed then to kill the fire with creame and oyle beaten together and when it is raw then to spread vpon it creame and soote mixt together and lastly to strewe vpon it the powder of hony and lime vntill it bee perfectly skinned CHAP. 134. Of the biting with a madde dogge IF your horse at any time bee bitten with a madde dogge the venome of whose teeth will not onely driue him into an extreame torment but it will also infect and inflame his blood in such sort that the horse will bee indangered to dye madde The cure therefore according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is to take of goats dung of flesh that hath laine long in salt and of the hearbe Ebulus called generally dan-worte of each halfe a pound and fourty walnuts stampe all these together and lay part thereof to the soare and it will sucke out the venome and heale vp the wound but vpon the first dressing you shall giue the horse wine and treackle mixt together to drinke There be other Farriers which first giue the horse sacke and sallet oyle to drinke then with a hote yron cauterize and burne the soare and lastly heale vp the wound with the salue first recited Other Farriers first giue the horse two or three spoonefuls of the powder of Diapente to drinke in a pint of muskadine then take a liue pidgeon and cleauing her in the midst lay it hote vnto the wound and it will draw out the venome then heale the soare with turpentine and hogges grease well molten together CHAP. 135. Of hurtes by the tuskes of a boare IF a horse bee striken by the tuskes of a boare you shall take copporas and vitrioll and the powder of 2 dogges head being burned after the tong hath ben pulled out and cast away and mixing them together apply it once a day to the soare and it will cure it yet yet before you dresse it first wash the soare very well either with vinegar or with white wine CAAP. 136. To heale the biting or stinging of Serpents or any venomous beasts whatsoeuer IF your horse be either bitten or stung either with serpent or any other venomous beast which you shall easily know by the sodaine swelling either of the body or member then you shall first chafe him vp and downe till the sweate and then let him blood in the roofe of the mouth and lastly take a young cocke or a pidgeon and cleauing it in the midst clap it hote to the wound and then giue the horse white wine salt to drink Other Farriers take a good quantity of the hearb called Sanicula stampe it and distemper it with the milke of a cow that is al of one colour and giue it the horse to drink and it will heale him Other Farriers clappe to the soare hogges dung or oxe dung or henbane bruised or else the ashes of reedes then giue him to drinke mugworte or great tansey with wine and camomill stampt together or else giue him wine and Oleum Rosatum mixt together Other Farriers make a plaister of onions hony and salt stampt and mingled together and lay that to the soare place and giue the horse wine and treackle to drinke or else white pepper rew and Time mixt with wine Other Farriers take Alphodillus Hastula regia stampt with old wine and laid to the â—oare for it is most soueraigne good CHAP. 137. Of lice or vermine and how to kill them THe lice or vermine which breed vpon a horse bee like vnto geese lice but somewhat bigger and do breed most commonly about the eares necke maine taile and generally ouer the whole body they doe proceede from poueâ—ty or feeding in woodes where trees are continually dropping vpon them the signes are the horse will bee alwaies rubbing and scratching and all be he eate much meate yet hee will not prosper and with his continuall rubbing hee will fret and weare away all his maine and taile and you shall also perceiue the lice when the Sun doth shine running on the tops of the haires The cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is to take of sope one pound and of quick-siluer halfe an ounce mixe and beate them together well vntill the quick-siluer bee killed and then annoynt the horse all ouer therewith and it will consume the lice sodainely Other Farriers take stauesaker and sope mixing them together annoynt the horse all ouer therewith Other Farriers take vnripe Mulberries and their rootes or stalks and seeth them in strong vrine then wash the horse therwith after that annoynt all his body ouer with Sanguis draconis the iuice of 〈◊〉 salt pitch oyle and swines grease very well mixt together Others vse to chafe all his body ouer with quicke-siluer and soft grease mixt together till the quick-siluer be kild and in two or three dressings the lice will be consumed CHAP. 138. How to saue Horses from the stinging of Flyes in Sommer IF you will saue your horse in the Sommer time from the stinging or biting of flyes which is very troublesome vnto them then
vnto the setting on of the stone and presse them so hard that there may be no fluxe of bloud then with a thin drawing cauterizing Iron made red hot seare away the stone then take a hard plaister made of rosen waxe and turpentine wel molten together and with your hot Iron melt it vpon the head of the strings then seare the strings and then melt more of the salue till such time as you haue layd a good thicknesse of the salue vpon the strings then loose the nippers and as you did with that stone so do with the other also then fill the two slits of the codde with white salt and annoynt all the out-side of the codde and all the horses belly and thighes with hogges grease cleane rendred and so let him rise and keepe him either in some very warme stable or in some very warme pasture where he may walke vp and downe for there is nothing better for a horse in this case then moderate exercise Now if after his gelding you doe perceiue that his codde and sheath doth swell in any extraordinary fashion then you shall chafe him vp and downe and make him trotte an howre in a day and it will soone recouer him and make him sound without any impediment CHAP. 159. Of the making of Curtals or cutting off of the tailes of Horses THe curtalling of Horses is vsed in no nation whatsoeuer so much as in this kingdome of ours by reason of much carriage and heauy burthens which our horses continually are excercised and imployed withall and the rather sith wee are strongly opinated that the taking away of those ioynts doth make the horses chine or backe a great deale the stronger and more able to supporte burthen as in truth it doth and we daily finde it by continuall experience Now for the manner of curtalling of horses it is in this sort First your shall with your fingar and your thumbe grope till you find the third ioint from the setting on of the horses taile and hauing found it raise vp all the haire and turne it backeward then taking a very small strong corde wrappe it about that ioynt and pull it both with your owne strength and an other mans so straite as you can possible pull it then wrappe it about againe and draw it as straite or straiter againe and thus doe three or foure times about his taile with all the possible straitnesse that may be and then make fast the ends of the cord then take a peece of wood whose end is smooth and euen of iust height with the strunt of the horses taile setting it betweene the horses hinder legges after you haue tramelled all his foure legges in such sort that he can no waies stirre then lay his taile thereupon and taking a maine strong sharpe knife made for the purpose set the edge thereof so neare as you can gesse it betweene the fourth and fift ioynt and then with a great smithy hammer striking vpon the backe of the knife cut the taile asunder then if you see any blood to issue foorth you shall know that the corde is not straite inough and therefore you must draw it straiter but if no blood follow then it is well bound this done you shall take a redde hote burning yron of the full compasse of the flesh of the horses taile made round after this fashion that the bone of the taile may goe through the hole and with it you shall seare the flesh till you haue mortified it and in the searing you shall see the ends of the veines start out like pape heads but you shall stil continue searing them vntill you see all to bee most smooth plaine and hard so that the blood cannot breake through the burning then may you boldly vnloose the cord and after two or three daies that you see the soare beginne to rot you shall annoynt it with fresh butter or else with hogges grease and turpentine vntill it bee whole CHAP. 160. To make a white starre in any part of a horse IF you will at any time make a white starre either in your horses fore-head or in any other part of his body you shall according to the opinion of the most ancient Farriers take a tile stone and after you haue burned it beate it into fine powder then take lilie rootes dasie rootes white bryer rootes of each a like quantity and hauing dryed them beate them also into fine powder and mixe them with the first then with a razor shaue that part of your horse where you would haue your starre and then with this powder rubbe it so vehemently that you scarce leaue any skinne on then take a good quantity of hony-suckle flowres and a like quantity of hony the water wherein a moule hath bene sodden then distill them into a water and with that water wash the soare place the space of three daies together and keepe the winde from it and you shall presently see the white haires to grow for this receipt hath bene often very well approued There bee other Farriers which take a crabbe and roast it and being fire hote bind it to that part which you would haue white and it will scald away the old haire the next haire that groweth wil be white Other Farriers vse after they haue shaued the place to take the iuice of sharpe onions or leeks and to bathe the place very much therewith then to take barley bread as fire hot as it commeth from the ouen and clap it to the shauen place suffring it to lye so till it be cold and then after annoynt it with hony and the white haire will come Other Farriers vse to annoynt the shauen place with the grease of a moldy-warpe sodde and that will bring white haires Other Farriers vse after they haue shaued it to rub the place well with salte and then twice euery day for a fortnight to wash it with the broth wherein a mouldy-warpe and some swines grease hath bene sodden Other Farriers vse to boyle a mouldy-warpe in salt water for three daies together or else in strong lye and euer as one liquor consumeth to supply it with an other then with this decoction being warme annoynt the shaued place and it will bring white haires sodainely Other Farriers take the gall of a goate and rubbe the shaued place therewith and it will bring white haires also Other Farriers take sheepes milke and boyle it and in that wet a linnen cloth and being very hote lay it to renewing it till you may rubbe off the the haire with your fingar this done apply the milke to twice a day luke warme till the haire doe come againe which without all question will be white Other Farriers take the rootes of wilde cowcumbers and twice so much Nitrum mingled with oyle and hony or else adde to your cowcumbers Sal nitrum beaten and hony and annoynt the shauen place therewith and it will bring white haire Other Farriers vse to take a