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
of sugarcandy and two ounces of licoras two ounces of anise seedes beaten all into fine powder and then the horse hauing fasted all the night early in the morning as about seuen or eyght a clocke open the horses mouth with a drench staffe and a cord and first cast downe his throate one of the egges and then presently powre after it a horn-full of the aforesayd drinke being made luke warme then cast in another egge and an other horn-full and thus do till he haue swallowed vp all the egges or three at the least then bridle him and couer him warmer then he was before and set him vp in the stable tying him to the bare racke for the space of two howres then vnbridle him and giue him either some oates hay or grasse yet in any case giue him no hay vntill it haue bene somewhat sprinkled with water for there is no greater enemy to a dry cough then dry hay dry straw or chaffe let him haue no cold water the space of 9. daies Now if you chance the first morning to leaue an egge vntaken you shall not faile to giue it him and the remainder of the drinke the morning following If you find by this practise that the cough weareth not away you shal then purge his head with pils of which you shall reade in the chapter of purgations after his pils receiued you shall let him fast 3. howres standing warme clothed littered in the stable you shall also now and then giue him a warme mash and once a day trot him moderatly abroad There be other Farriers which for this dry cough take onely the hearbe called lions foot or Ladies mantle spurge smallage of each like quantity seeth them either in a quart of old wine or a quart of running water till some part be consumed and giue it the horse to drinke if in stead of the hearbs themselues you giue the iuice of the hearbs in wine it is good There be others which take a good quantity of white currants as much hony two ounces of Marioram one ounce of peniriall with 5. pounds of fresh grease and nine heades of garlicke beate that which is to be beaten melt the rest giue this in 4. or 5. dayes like pils dipt in hony Others vse to take Myrre Opoponax Iris Illyrica Galbanum of each two ounces of red Storax three ounces of turpentine foure ounces of henbane halfe an ounce of opium halfe an ounce beate them to a fine powder and giue two or three spoonfull with a pint of old wine or a quart of ale Others vse to take forty graines of pepper foure or fiue rootes of radddish foure heades of garlicke and sixe ounces of sweet butter stampe them all well together and giue euery day a ball of it to the horse for a weeke together making him fast two howres after his taking it and surely it is a most excellent approued medicine for any old grown cold or cough Other Farriers vse to take of oyle de bay and of sweete butter of each halfe a pound of garlicke one pound beate it together vnpild and being well beaten with a pestill of wood adde your oyle and butter vnto it then hauing made it into balles with a little wheat flowre giue your horse euery morning for a weeke or more three or foure balles as bigge as walnuts keeping him fasting after from meate three howres and from drinke till it be night prouided that still his drinke be warme and his meate if it possible may be grasse or hay sprinkled with water as for his prouender it would be oates and Fenugreeke sprinkled amongst it Now if you perceiue that at a fortnights end his cough doth nothing at all abate you shall then for another weeke giue him againe the same physicke and dyet but truly for mine owne part I haue neuer found it to faile in any horse whatsoeuer yet I would wish all Farriers not to be too busie with these inward medicines except they be well assured that the cold hath bene long and that the cough is dangerous CHAP. 45. Of the frettized broken and rotten Lungs COughes do many times proceede from the corruption and putrifaction of the lungs gotten either by some extreme cold running or leaping or by ouer-greedy drinking after great thirst because the lungs being inclosed in a very thinne filme they are therefore the much sooner broken and if such breach be made without instant cure they beginne to inflame and apostume oppressing and sickning the whole lungs Now the signes to know this disease is the horses flankes will beate when he cougheth and the slower they beate the more old and dangerous is the disease he will also draw his winde short and by little at once he will groane much be fearefull and loath to cough and often turne his head to the place grieued to conclude he will neuer cough but he will bring vp something which he will champ in his mouth after The cure is giue him two or three ounces of hogges grease and two or three spoonfull of Diapente brewd in a quart of barley water wherein currants hath bene sodden Other Farriers vse to take a pound of licoras and being scrapt and flist to steep it in a quart of water foure and twenty houres then to straine it then to boyle three or foure ounces of currants in it and so giue it the horse to drinke keep him fasting 3. or 4. howres after There be other Farriers which vse to take of Fenugreeke and of linseed of each halfe a pound of gum dragant of masticke of myrre of sugar of fitch flowre of each one ounce let all these be beaten into fine powder and then infused one whole night in a good quantity of warme water and the next day giue him a quart of this luke warme putting thereunto two ounces of the oyle of roses and this you must do many dayes together and if the disease be new it will certainly heale if it be neuer so old it will assuredly ease him but in any case let him drinke no cold water and for his food grasse is the most excellent Others vse to take of malmsey a pint of hony three spoonful mixe them together then take of Myrre of Saffron of Cassia Cynamon of each like quantity beate them to a fine powder and giue two spoonfull thereof in the wine to drinke do this at least a fortnight together and it is certaine it will helpe these frettyzed and broken lungs but for the putryfied and rotten lungs we will speake more in this next chapter CHAP. 46. Of putrified and rotten Lungs THis disease of rotten and exulcerated lungs you shall know by these signes he will cough oft vehemently and euer in his coughing he will cast little reddish lumps out of his mouth he will decay much of his flesh and yet eate his meate with more gredinesse then when he was sound and when he cougheth he will cough with more
of Licoras of Fenugreeke of Basnis of each halfe an ounce of Cardanum of pepper of bitter almonds of Baurach of each two ounces of nettle seed and of Aristolochia of each two ounces boile them altogether in a sufficient quantity of water and in that decoction dissolue halfe an ounce of Agaricke 2. ounces of Coloquintida together with 2. pound of hony giue him a pint a halfe of this at a time for at least a week together and if the medicine chance at any time to proue too thicke you shall make it thin with water wherein licoras hath bene sodden and some Farriers also besides this medicine will with a hot yron draw the flanks of the horse to restraine their beating and slit the horses nosthrels to giue the wind more liberty but I do not affect either the one or the other the best diet for a horse in this case is grasse in Summer hay sprinkled with water in Winter There be other Farriers which for this infirmity hold that to giue the horse 3. or 4. daies together sodden wheat and now then a quart of new sweet wine or other good wine mixt with licoras water is a certaine remedy There be other Farriers which for this disease take the guts of a hedgehogge and hang them in a warme ouen till they be dry so that a may may make powder of them then giue your horse 2. or 3. spoonfull thereof with a pint of wine or strong ale then the rest mixe with anise seeds licoras sweet butter make round balles or pils thereof giue the horse 2. or 3. after his drink and so let him fast at least 2 howres after Now when at any time you giue him any prouender be sure to wash it in ale or beere then take Comin Anise seeds Licoras and Sentuarie of each like quantity make them being mixed together into fine powder strew two spoonful therof vpon the prouender being being wet This physicke must be vsed for a fortnight at the least Others vse to take of cloues nutmegs 3. drams of galingale Cardomonum 3. drams of foot of bay seeds comin of each 3. drams make them into fine powder put it into white wine being tempered with a little saffron then put to so many yolkes of egges as may couÌ„teruaile the other quantity then mixe them with water wherin licoras hath bene sodden making it so thin that the horse may drink it and after he hath drunk the quantity of a pint halfe of this drinke tye vp his head to the racke let him so stand at least an howre after that the drinke may descend into his guts then walke him gently abroad that the medicine may worke and in any case giue him no water for foure and twenty houres after the next morning giue him some grasse to eate and the branches of willow or sallow which will coole the heate of the potion Now there bee other Farriers which take of Paunces Longwort Mayden-haire the crops of nettles Carduus benedictus hearbe Fluettin the rootes of dragons bruised the roots of Elecampana bruised of water hempe of peniriall of light wort of Angelica of each of these a good handfull or so many of these as you can conueniently get bruise them and lay them all night in two or three gallons of water and giue it a boyle in the morning and let the horse drinke thereof as much luke warme as hee will then after this drink giue him a pretty quantity of sodden wheat vse this dyet for a weeke or more at the least and then if the season be fit put him to grasse This cure is of great reputation and thought to helpe when all other faileth for mine owne part I wish euery man to iudge it by the practise There be others which onely for nine or ten dayes together will giue their horse water wherein licoras hath bene sodden mixt with wine and hold it a most soueraigne helpe There be others which will onely giue new milke from the cow but I despaire in that cure because milke being onely flegmatike flegme is the onely substance of this disease Other Farriers vse to keep the horse fasting foure twenty howres then take a quart of ale a quarter of an ounce of Fenugreeke halfe a quarter of bayes of the greene barke of Elder trees of sugarcandy of water cresses of redde mints of redde fennell of haw-tree leaues and of prim-rose leaues of each halfe an ounce the whites of sixe egges beate these in a mortar and seeth them in the ale giue it him to drinke then let him fast after twelue howres then giue him meate and prouender inough yet but little drinke Others vse to giue him wet â—ay and moderate trauell then take twenty egges and steepe them in vinegar foure and twenty howres giuing the horse two euery morning and after the egges are spent a pottell of new milke from the cow Now there be other Farriers which onely will dissolue in vinegar fifteene egges and giue the horse the first day three the second day fiue and the third seuen and hold it a good helpe Others will take an ounce of frankinsence two ounces of brimstone mixe it with a pint of wine and halfe a pint of hony Others will take Sal-niter burnt with the powder of pitch and giue it with the same quantity of wine and hony Others will onely giue Sal-niter mingled with his meate prouided alwayes that in euery cure you keepe your horse from cold and labour and dayly chafe his head with oyle and wine CHAP. 49. Of the dry Malady or Consumption THis disease of the dry malady or as the ancient Farriers terme it a generall consumption is nothing but a meere exulceration of the lungs proceeding from a cankerous fretting and gnawing humour ingendred by cold and surfaite which descending from the head sickneth corrodeth the lungs Some of our ignorant Farriers will call it the mourning of the chine but they are thus farre forth deceiued that the mourning of the chine doth euer cast some filthy matter at the nose and the dry malady neuer casteth forth any thing The signes to know this dry malady or consumption are these his flesh and strong estate of body will consume and waste away his belly will be gaunt his backe bone hidde and his skin so stretched or shrunke vp that if you strike on him with your hand it will sound hollow like a tabor his haire will hardly shed and either he will vtterly forsake his meate or the meate he eateth will not disgest prosper or breede any flesh on his backe he will offer to cough but cannot except in a weake maner as though he had eaten small bones truly according to the opinion of others so I find by practise that it is incurable yet that a horse may be long preserued to do much seruice I haue found it by these helpes First to purge his head with
and for the most part it followeth some extreme great emptinesse or want of foode the beast being euen at the pinch and ready to bee chappe-falne There bee some Farriers which suppose that it proceedeth from some extreame cold outwardly taken by trauelling in cold and barraine places as in the frost and snow where the outward cold maketh the stomacke cold whereby all the inward powers are weakned The signes are onely an alteration or change in the horses feeding hauing lost all temperance and snatching and chopping at his meate as if he would deuoure the manger The cure according to the opinion of some Farriers is first to comfort his stomacke by giuing him great slices of white bread toasted at the fire and steeped in muskadine or else bread vntoasted steeped in wine then to let him drink wheat flowre and wine brewed together There be others which vse to knead stiffe cakes of wheate flowre and wine and to feede the horse therewith Others vse to make him bread of pine-tree nuts and wine knoden together or else common earth and wine mingled together but for mine owne part I hold nothing better then moderately feeding the horse many times in the day with wholesome beane bread well baked or oates well dryed and sifted CHAP. 60. Of the diseases of the Liuer in generall and first of the inflammation thereof THere is no question but the liuer of a horse is subiect to as many diseases as either the liuer of a man or any other creature onely through the ignorance of our common Farriers who make all inward diseases one sicknesse the true ground and causes not being looked into the infirmity is let passe and many times poysoned with false potions but truth it is that the liuer sometimes by the intemperatenesse thereof as being either too hot or too cold too moist or too dry or sometimes by meanes of euill humors as choler or fleame ouerflowing in the same heate ingendring choler and coldnesse fleame the liuer is subiect to many sicknesses and is diuersly payned as by inflammation apostumation or vlcer or by obstructions stoppings or hard knobs or lastly by the consumption of the whole substance thereof The signes to know if the disease proceede from hot causes is leannesse of body the loathing of meate voyding dung of a strong sent great thirst and loosnesse of belly The signes to know if the disease proceed from cold causes is good state of body appetite to meate dung not stincking no thirst and the belly neither loose nor costiue Now to proceede to the particular diseases of the liuer and first of the inflammation you shall vnderstand that it cometh by meanes that the bloud through the abundance thinnesse boyling heate of sharpnesse thereof or through the violence of some outward cause breaketh out of the veines floweth into the body or substance of the liuer and so being dispossest of his proper vessels doth immediately putrifie is inflamed corrupting so much of the fleshly substance of the liuer as is either touched or imbrewed with the same whence it cometh that for the most part the hollow side of the liuer is first consumed yet sometimes the full side also this inflammation by a naturall heate is sometimes turned to putrifaction then it is called an apostumation which when either by the strength of nature or art it doth breake and runne then it is called an vlcer or filthy sore Now the signes of an inflammation on the hollow side of the liuer which is least hurtfull is loathing of meate great thirst loosnesse of belly and a continuall vnwillingnesse to lye on the left side but if the inflammation be on the full side of the liuer then the signes be short breathing a dry cough much paine when you handle the horse about the wind-pipe and an vnwillingnesse to lye on the right side The signes of apostumation is great heate long fetching of breath and a continuall looking to his side The signes of vlceration is continuall coldnesse staring vp of the haire and much feeblenesse faintting because the filthy matter casting euill vapours abroad doth many times corrupt the heart and occasion death Now for the cure of these inflammations some Farriers vse to take a quart of ale an ounce of myrre and an ounce of Frankinsence and brewing them well together giue it the horse diuers mornings to drinke Others vse to take three ounces of the seedes of smallage and three ounces of Hysop and as much Sutherwort and boyle them wel in oyle and wine mingled together and giue it the horse to drinke keepe the horse warme and let him neither drinke cold water nor eate dry dusty hay CHAP. 61. Of Obstructions stoppings or hard knobs on the Liuer THese obstructions or stoppings of a horses liuer do come most commonly by trauelling or labouring on a full stomacke whereby the meate not being perfectly disgested breedeth grosse and tough humours which humours by the extremity of trauell are violently driuen into the small veines through which the liuer ought to receiue good nutriment and so by that meanes breedeth obstructions stoppings Now from these obstructions when they haue continued any long time especially if the humours be cholericke breedeth many times hard knobs on the liuer which knobbes maketh the horse continually lye on his right side and neuer on the left because if he should lye on the left side the waight of the knob would oppresse the stomacke and euen sicken all the vitall parts in him The signes of these obstructions or stoppings are heauinesse of countenance distention or swelling great dulnesse and sloth in the horse when he beginneth his trauell and a continuall looking backe to his short ribbes where remaineth his greatest paine and torment Now the cure thereof is to seeth continually in the water which hee drinketh Agrimony Fumitory Camomill VVormewood Licoras Anise seedes Smallage Persley Spickenard Gentian Succory Endyue and Lupyns the vertues whereof are most comfortable to the liuer But for as much as the most part of our English Farriers are very simple Smithes whose capacities are vnable to diue into these seuerall distinctions and that this worke or maister peece is intended for the weakest braine whatsoeuer you shall vnderstand that there bee certaine generall signes to know when the liuer of a horse is grieued with any griefe of what nature or condition soeuer it be and so likewise generall receipts to cure all the grieues without distinguishing or knowing their natures you shall know then if a horse haue any griefe or paine in his liuer by these signes First by a loathing of his meate next by the wasting of his flesh drynesse of his mouth and roughnesse of his tongue and great swelling thereof and refusing to lye on the side grieued and lastly a continuall looking backeward Now the generall cures for the sicknesse of the liuer is according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers to giue the horse aloes dissolued in sweet
wine for it both purgeth and comforteth the liuer Others vse to giue him to drink Ireos stampt and mixt with wine and water together or in stead of Ireos to giue him Calamint called of the Latines Pollimonia Others giue Sauery with oyle wine mixt together Others vse liuer-wort and agrimony with wine and oyle Others vse comfortable frictions and to steepe his prouender in warme water and to mixe with his prouender a little Nitrum not forgetting to let him stand warme and lye soft but that which is generally praised aboue all medicines is to giue the horse a Wolfes liuer beaten to powder and mixt either with wine water oyle or any other medicine Now for a conclusion of this chapter if the Farriers skill be so good that he can distinguish the nature of each seueral infirmity about the liuer then I would haue him to vnderstand that for inflammations which are the first beginners of all diseases would be vsed simples that mollifie and disperse humors as be these Linseed Fenegreeke Camomil Anise seeds Mellilot and such like to which mollifying simples would be euer added some simples that are astringent or binding as are these red Rose leaues Bramble leaues Wormewod Plantaine Myrre Masticke Storax and such like Now for apostumes they are to be ripened and voyded vlcers must be cleansed and scoured downeward either by excrement or vrine and therefore the vse of such simples as prouoke either the one or the other of which you shall find plenty in other chapters is most necessary CHAP. 62. Of the Consumption of the Liuer OF this consumption of the liuer I haue spoken something in the chapter of the mourning of the chine yet because amongst our best Farriers it is diuersly taken I will shew you their diuers opinions First some hold it cometh onely from sudden cold after heate taken either by drinking or standing still Others hold it cometh of any humour especially of cholericke matter shead throughout the whole substance of the liuer which rotting by leasurable degrees doth in the end corrupt and confound all the substance of the liuer proceeding as they thinke from corrupt meates and sweet drinkes and the last thinketh it cometh by extreme heate gotten in trauell which inflaming the bloud doth afterward putrifie corrupt and exulcerate the whole substance of the liuer because the liuer is spongious like the lungs therefore the cure of this disease is held desperate yet it bringeth no speedy or suddaine death but a wasting and lingring infirmity for the liuer being corrupted disgestion is taken away and so the body for want of good nutriment doth in time consume The signes of this disease is a loathing of meate and a stretching forth of the horses body at length as he standeth hee will seldome or neuer lye downe his breath will stink maruellously and he will continually cast exceeding foule matter either at one nosthrell or at both according as one side or both sides of the liuer is consumed and on that side which hee casteth hee will euer haue betwixt his nether iawes about the midst of them a hard knobbe or kirnell about the bignesse of a wal-nut Now the preseruatiue for this disease for in truth it is incurable is according to the opinion of some Farriers to take halfe a pint of malmsey and as much of the bloud of a young pigge and to giue it the horse luke warme to drinke Other Farriers vse to giue the horse no other food for the space of three dayes then warme wort and oates baked in an ouen being sure that the horse be kept fasting the first night before he receiue his medicine Others suppose that if into the wort which he drinketh you do put euery morning two or three spoonfull of the powder made of Agrimony red rose leaues Sacâ—harum Rosacâ—um Diarchadon Abbatis Disantalon Licoras and of the liuer of a Wolfe that is more excellent Others hold that this powder giuen with goates milke luke warme is very good Others hold that malmsey and the iuyce of featherâ— few giuen to drinke is also good Others vse and I hold it equall with the best to take an ounce of Sulphur viâ—e beaten into fine powder and a peny waight of Myrre beaten to very fine powder mixe them together with a new layed egge and giue them to drinke with halfe a pint of Malmsey vse this diuers times and keep the horse warme yet separate him from other horses for this disease is infectious CHAP. 63. Of the diseases in the Gall. AS is the liuer euen so the gall of a horse is subiect to diuers and many infirmities as to obstructions from whence floweth the fulnesse and emptinesse of the bladder and stone in the gall and these obstructions do chance two seuerall waies first when the passage by which choler should passe from the liuer vnto the bladder of the gall as vnto his proper receptacle is stopped and so the bladder of the gall remaineth empty for you are to vnderstand that the gall is none other thing then a long slender little greenish bladder fixed vnderneath the liuer which doth receiue all the cholericke bitter moysture which would otherwise offend not onely the liuer but the whole body also Now if the passage vnto this necessary vessell be stopped there cannot chuse but follow many infirmities as either vomiting the laxe or the bloudy flixe Secondly when the way whereby such choler should issue forth of the bladder of the gall downe into the guts and excrements is closed vp and so superaboundeth with too much choler from whence springeth dulnesse of spirit suffocating belching heate thirst and disposition to rage and fury and truly to any beast there is not a more dangerous disease then the ouerflowing of the gall The signes of both these kindes of euils or obstructions are yellownesse of the skinne infected with yellow iaundise and a continuall costiuenesse of the body and the cure of them are according to the most ancient Farriers to giue the horse milke and great store of saffron boyled together or in stead of milke to giue ale saffron and anise seedes mixed together But there be other Farriers with whom I much more do agree which hold that selladine roots and leaues chopt and bruised boiled in beere or for want of selladine rue or hearbe of grace and giuen the horse luke warme to drinke is most soueraigne Now for the stone in the gall which is of a blackish color it cometh from the obstruction of the conduits of the bladder whereby the choler being too long kept in becommeth dry and so conuerteth first into grauell and after into a sollide and hard stone of which both the signes and the cure are those last before rehearsed CHAP. 64. Of all such diseases as are incident to the Spleene THe Spleene is a long narrow flat spongy substance of a pale fleshy colour ioyning with the liuer the gall it is the receptacle of melancholy and the dregges
of the bloud and is as subiect to infirmity as any inward member whatsoeuer as to inflammations obstructions knobbes and swellings it through the sponginesse is apt to sucke in all manner of filth and to dilate and spread the same ouer the whole body the appearance thereof is on the left side vnder the short ribs where you shall perceiue some small swelling which swelling giues great griefe to the midriffe especially after a full stomacke taking away much more of the horses disgestion then his appetite and being suffered to continue it makes faint the heart and growes in the end to a hard knob or stony substance This disease or diseases of the spleene are incident to horses most in the Summer proceeding from the surfaite or greedy eating of greene meates The signe of which diseases are these heauinesse dulnesse paine on the left side and hard swellings short breath much groaning and an ouer hasty desire to his meate The cure according to the opinion of our best Farriers is to make the horse sweate either by labour or cloathes then to giue him to drinke a quart of white wine wherein hath bene boyled the leaues of Tamariske bruised and a good quantity of comin seede beaten to powder and giue it luke warme Others vse after the horse hath sweat to powre into his left nosthrell euery day the iuyce of Mirobalans mixt with wine and water to the quantity of a pint Others take of comin seede and hony of each sixe ounces of Lacerpitium as much as a beane of vinegar a pint put all these into three quarts of water and let it stand so all night and giue the horse a quart thereof next morning hauing fasted all night Others make the horse a drinke of garlicke nitrum hore-hound and wormewood sodden in sharpe wine and to bathe all the horses leftside with warme water and to rubbe it hard There be others which vse to cauterize or scarifie the horses left side with a hot yron but it is barbarous and vile and carrieth no iudgement in the practise CHAP. 65. Of the Yellowes or Iaundise AS before I sayd from the obstructions or ouerflowings of the gall and spleene doth spring this disease which our common Smiths call the yellowes and our better Farriers the iaundise and you shall vnderstand that of this yellowes or iaundise there are two kinds the first an ouerflowing of choler proceeding from the sicknesse of the gall and it is called simply the yellowes or yellow iaundise because the outward parts of the body as eyes skinne mouth inside of the lips and such like are dryed and coloured yellow the other an ouerflowing of melancholy proceeding from the sicknesse of the spleene is called the blacke yellows or blacke iaundise because all the outward parts are blacke Now both these iaundises or yellowes haue their beginnings from the euils of the liuer the yellow iaundise when the liuer by inflammation hath all his bloud conuerted into choler and so ouerwhelmes the body and the blacke iaundise when some obstruction in the liuer veine which goeth to the spleene hindreth the spleene from doing his office and receiuing the dregges of bloud from the liuer or else when the spleene is surcharged with such dregges of the bloud and so sheddeth them back againe into the veines Now although this distinction of the blacke iaundise or blacke yellowes will appeare strange vnto our common Farriers yet it is most certaine that whensoeuer a horse dyeth of the yellowes he dyeth onely of the blacke yellowes for when it cometh vnto the case of mortality then are al the inward powers conuerted to blacknesse and the yellow substance is cleane mastered but whilest the matter is yellow so long the horses body is in good state of recouery Besides these yellowes do euer follow one the other and the lesser hath no sooner got preheminence but the greater pursues him of all the inward diseases in a horse body this is most common oftest in practise and yet most mortal if it be not early preuented The signes of this disease of yellow iaundise are yellownesse of eyes nosthrels inside of lippes the skinne the yard and the vrine his eares and his flankes will sweate and he will groane when he lyeth downe and he will not onely be faint but vtterly forsake his meate also The cures which are at this day in practise for this disease are infinite and a world of them corrupt and poysonous euery Smith almost making a medicine of his owne inuention God knowes weake and to little purpose but for the best receipts which at this day are vsed by any good Farrier whatsoeuer I will deliuer you the whole catologue First for the ancient Farriers both Italian French they did vse to take of tyme and comin of each like quantity and stamping them together to mingle it with wine hony and water and then to let him bloud in the pasternes But now the Farriers of latter dayes vse first to let the horse bloud in the necke veine suffering him to bleede till you perceiue the bloud to grow pure then to giue him this drinke Take of white wine or ale a quart and put thereunto of saffron of turmericke of each halfe an ounce and the iuyce that is wrong out of a great handfull of selladine and being luke warme giue it the horse to drinke then keepe him warme the space of three or foure dayes giuing him warme water with a little branne in it Others vse after the horse is let bloud in the necke veine First to rake him then to gim him a suppositary made of Salt Hony and Marioram and then giue him to drinke halfe an ounce of myrre dissolued in a quart of wine or ale Others vse to giue after bloud letting onely cold water and nitrum mixt together There be others which after bloud letting will onely stoppe his eares with felladine and then bind them fast vp and let him haue no exercise for twelue howres after Others vse after the letting him bloud to giue him a glister then to take saffron and turmericke and mixing them with a quart of milke to giue it him to drinke luke warme Others vse to let the horse bloud in the third barre of the roofe of his mouth with a sharpe knife and after he hath bled well to take a halfe peny worth of English saffron and a peny worth of turmericke and a new layed egge with the shell and all small broken and mixe it in a quart of stale ale or beere and so set him vp warme Others vse to take after bloud letting of turmericke and of saffron a like quantity and two or three cloues and sixe spoonefull of vinegar or verdges and to put into each eare of the horse three spoonefull thereof and then stoppe his eares with black wolle so tye them vp for seuen or eight dayes after Others take long pepper graines turmericke and licoras all beaten into fine powder then brew them with a quart
of strong beere or ale and giue it the horse to drinke Others vse after raking bloud letting to take the iuyce of Iuy leaues mingling it with wine to squirt it into the horses nosthrels and to let him drinke only cold water mixt with vitrum and let his foode be grasse or new hay sprinkled with water Thus you haue seene I dare well affirme all the best practises which are at this day knowne for this disease where they all faile there is no hope of cure yet let me thus farre further informe you This disease of the yellowes or iaundise if the keeper or maister be not a great deale the more skilfull and carefull will steale vpon you vnawares and as I haue often seene when you are in the middest of your iourney remote and distant farre from any towne that can giue you succour it may be your horse will fall downe vnder you and if you should let him rest till you fetch him succour questionlesse hee will bee dead In this extremity you haue no helpe but to draw out a sharpe poynted knife dagger or rapier for a neede and as neare as you can opening the horses mouth strike him bloud about the third barre of the roofe of his mouth and so letting him eate and swallow his owne blood a good while then raise him vp and be sure he will go as fresh as euer he did but after you come to place of rest then bee sure to bloud him and drench him as aforesayd or else there will a worse fit come vpon him Now to conclude for the blacke iaundise which of some Farriers is called the dry yellow though for mine owne part I hold it to be incurable yet there be other Farriers which are of a contrary humour and prescribe this physicke for the cure thereof first to giue the horse a glister made of oyle water and nitrum after his fundament is raked then to powre the decoction of mallowes mingled with sweete wine into his nosthrels and let his meate be grasse or hay sprinkled with water and a little nitre and his prouender dryed oates hee must rest from labour and be often rubbed Now there be other Farriers which for this disease would onely haue the horse drinke the decoction of wilde cole-worts sodden in wine the effects of all which I onely referre to experience CHAP. 66. Of the Dropsie or euill habit of the body WHereas we haue spoken before of the consumption of the flesh which proceedeth from surfaits ill lodging labour colds heates and such like you shall also now vnderstand that there is another drinesse or consumption of the flesh which hath no apparant cause or ground and is called of Farriers a dropsie or euill habite of the body which is most apparantly seene when the horse by dislike doth leese his true naturall colour as when baynesse turnes to dunnesse blackes to duskishnes whites to ashinesse and when he leeseth his spirit strength and alacrity Now this cometh not from the want of nutriment but from the want of good nutriment in that the bloud is corrupted either with fleame choler or melancholy coming according to the opinion of the best Farriers either from the spleene or the weaknes of the stomacke or liuer causing naughty disgestion Others thinke it cometh from fowle feeding or much idlenesse but for mine owne part albeit I haue had as much tryall of this disease as any one man and that it becometh not me to controll men of approued iudgements yet this I dare auerre that I neuer saw this disease of the euill habite or euill colour of the body spring from any other groundes then either disorderly and wilde riding or from hunger or barraine woody keeping Betwixt it and the dropsie there is small or no difference for the dropsie being diuided into three kindes this is the first thereof as namely an vniuersall swelling of the body but especially the legges through the aboundance of water lying betweene the skinne and the flesh The second a swelling in the couering or bottome of the belly as if the horse were with foale which is onely a whayish humour abiding betwixt the skinne and the rimme and the third a swelling in the same place by the like humour abiding betwixt the great bagge and the kell The signes of this disease are shortnesse of breath swelling of the body or legges losse of the horses naturall colour no appetite vnto meate and a continuall thirst his backe buttockes and flankes will be dry and shrunke vp to their bones his veines will be hidde that you cannot see them and wheresoeuer you shall presse your finger hard against his body there you shall leaue the print thereof behind you and the flesh will not rise of a good space after when he lyeth downe he will spreade out his limbes and not draw them round together and his haire will shedde with the smallest rubbing There be other Farriers which make but onely two dropsies that is a wet dropsie and a windy dropsie but being examined they are all one with those recited haue all the same signes and the same cure which according to the ancient Farriers is in this sort First to let him be warme couered with many cloathes and either by exercise or otherwise driue him into a sweate then let his backe and body be rubbed against the haire and let his foode be for the most part cole-worts smallage and Elming bowes or what else will keepe his body soluble or prouoke vrine when you want this foode let him eate grasse or hay sprinckled with water and sometimes you may giue him a kinde of pulse called Ciche steeped a day and a night in water and then taken out and layed so as the water may drop away There be other Farriers which only would haue the horse to drinke parsley stampt and mixt with wine or else the roote of the hearbe called Panax stampt and mixt with wine Now whereas some Farriers aduise to slit the belly a handfull behinde the nauell that the winde and water may leasurely issue forth of mine owne knowledge I know the cure to be most vile nor can it be done but to the vtter spoyle and killing of the horse for a horse is a beast wanting knowledge of his owne good will neuer be drest but by violence and that violence will bring downe his kell so as it will neuer be recouered Now for these dropsies in the belly although I haue shewed you the signes and the cures yet are they rare to be found and more rare to be cured but for the other dropsie which is the swelling of the legges and the losse of the colour of the haire it is very ordinary and in howrely practise the best cure wherof that euer I found is this Take of strong ale a gallon set it on the fire skum off the white frothwhich riseth then take a handfull of wormwood without stalke and as much rue in like manner
without stalkes and put them into the ale and let them boyle till it be come almost to a quart then take it off and straine it exceedingly then dissolue into it three ounces of the best treacle and put in also an ounce and a halfe of long pepper and graines beaten to very fine powder then brew them all together till it be no more but luke warme and so giue it the horse to drinke the next day let him bloud on the necke veine and annoynt his forelegges with traine ovle and so turne him into good grasse and feare not his recouery CHAP. 67. Of the diseases in the Guts of a horse and first of the Cholicke THe guts of a horse are subiect to many and sundry infirmities as namely to the winde cholike fretting of the belly costiuenesse laxe bloudy flixe and wormes of diuers kinds Now for the cholicke it is a grieuous and tormenting paine in the great gut or bagge which because it is very large and spacious and full of empty places it is the more apt to receiue diuers offencied matters which do breede diuers infirmities especially winde which finding no ready passage out maketh the body as it were swell and offendeth both the stomacke other inward members This disease doth not so much appeare in the stable as abroad in trauell and the signes are these the horse will often offer to stale but cannot he will strike at his belly with his hinder foote and many times stampe he will forsake his meate and towards his flanke you shall see his belly appeare more ful then ordinary and he will desire to lye downe and wallow The cure thereof according to the most ancient Farriers is onely to giue him a glister made either of wild cowcumbers or else of hens dung nitrum and strong vinegar the manner whereof you shall see in the chapter of glisters and after the glister labour him Others vse to giue the horse the vrine of a child to drinke or a glister of sope and salt water Others vse to giue him fiue drams of myrre in good wine and then gallop him gently thereupon Others vse to giue him smallage and parsley with his prouender then to trauell him till he sweate but for mine owne part I hold it best to take a quart of malmsey of cloues pepper cinamon of each halfe an ounce of sugar halfe a quarterne giue the horse luke warm then ride him at least an houre after but before you ride him annoynt all his flankes with oyle de bay or oyle of Spike Now if whilest you ride him he will not dung you shal then take him and if neede be enforce him to dung by thrusting into his fundament a pild onion iagged crosse-wayes that the tickling of the iuice may enforce ordure and by no meanes for foure of fiue dayes let him drinke no cold water nor eate any grasse or greene corne but keepe him vpon wholesome dry meate in a warme stable CHAP. 68. Of Belly-ake or fretting in the Belly Besides the cholike there is also another grieuous paine in the belly which Farriers cal the belly-ake or fretting in the belly and it proceedeth either from eating of greene pulse when it growes on the ground or raw vndryed pease beanes or oates or else when sharpe fretting humours inflammations or aboundance of grosse matter is gotten betweene the great gut and the panicle The signes are much wallowing great groaning and often striking at his belly and gnawing vpon the manger The cure according to the opinion of some Farriers is first to anoynt your hand with sallet oile or butter or grease then thrusting it in at the horses fundament pull out as much dung as you can reach which is called raking a horse then giue him a glister of water and salt mixt together or in stead thereof giue him a suppositary of hony and salt and then giue him to drinke the powder of centuary and wormwood brewd with a quart of malmsey Others vse onely to giue the horse a suppositary of New-castle sope and for mine owne part I hold it onely the best CHAP. 69. Of Costiuenesse or Belly-bound COstiuenesse or belly-bound is when a horse is so bound in his belly that he cannot dung it is a disease of all other most incident to running horses which are kept in a dry and hot dyet Now my maisters the great Farriers affirme that it proceedeth from glut of prouender or ouer much feeding and rest or from winde grosse humours or cold causing obstructions and stoppings in the guts but I suppose imagine that all the best keepers of hunting or running horses will consent with me that it rather proceedeth from much fasting whereby the gut wanting fresh substance to fill it doth out of it owne great heate bake and dry vp that little which it containeth for it is a certaine rule that nothing can ouerflow before it be full Or else it may proceede from eating too much hot and dry foode which sucking vp the fleame and moysture of the body leaues not sufficient whereby it may be disgested howeuer it is a dangerous infirmity and is the beginning of many other euils The signes are onely abstinence from the office of nature I mean dunging which is most vsuall in all beasts The cure whereof according to the opinion of the ancientest Farrier is to take the water wherein mallowes haue bene long boyled to the quantity of a quart and put thereto halfe a pint of oyle or in stead thereof halfe a pint of butter very sweete and one ounce of Benedicte Laxatiue and powre that into his fundament glister-wise then with a string fasten his tayle hard to histuel and then trot the horse vp and downe a pretty while that the medicine may worke so much the better then let his tayle loose and suffer him to voyd all that is in his belly then bring him into the stable and hauing stood a while giue him a little well clarified hony to drinke then couer him and keepe him warme and let his drinke for three or foure dayes be nothing but sweete mashes of malt and water Other Farriers vse to take eleuen leaues of Lorell and stamping them in a morter giue it the horse to drinke with one quart of strong ale Others vse to take an ounce of brimstone finely beaten to powder and mixing it with spurge to giue it the horse in a mash to drinke Now for mine owne part I would wish you if the disease he not very extremely violent onely but to rake the horses fundament and then to gallop him in his cloathes till he sweate and then giue him a handfull or two of cleane rye and a little brimstone mixt with it for brimstone being giuen with prouender at any time will scoure but if the disease be raging and violent take a quarter of a pound of white sope and a handfull of spurge bray them very well together and giue it the horse to drinke
with a quart of ale luke warme then let him fast and exercise him more then halfe an howre after and be sure to keepe him very warme and let his drinke be onely warme mashes A world of other scouring receipts there be but you shall finde them more at large in the chapter of purgations glisters and suppositaries CHAP. 70. Of the Laxe or too much scouring of Horses THe laxe or open fluxe of a horses body is a dangerous disease and quickly bringeth a horse to great weaknes and faintnes it proceedeth sometimes from the aboundance of cholericke humors descending from the liuer or gall down into the guts sometimes by drinking ouermuch cold water immediately after prouender sometimes by sodaine trauelling vpon a full stomacke before his meate be digested somtimes by hasty running or galloping presently after water sometimes by licking vp a feather or eating hens dung there is no disease that taketh more sore vpon a horse in short time then this and yet sith nature her selfe in this disease seemeth to be a Physition to the horses body I would not wish any Farrier to go about too suddenly to stop it but if you finde that by the continuance nature both leeseth her owne strength and the horse the good estate of his body then you shall seeke remedy and the cure thereof according to the opinion of ancient Farriers is this Take of beane flowre and Bolarmony of each a quarterne mixe them together in a quart of redde wine and giue it the horse luke warme to drinke let him be kept very warme and haue much rest also let the water that he drinketh be luke warme and mixt with beane flowre yet by no meanes let him drinke aboue once in foure and twenty howres and then not to his full satisfaction Others take a pint of redde wine the powder of one nutmegge halfe an ounce of cinamon and as much of the rinde of a pomegranat and mixing them together giue it the horse luke warme to drinke and let him not drinke any other drinke except it be once in foure and twenty howres halfe a horses draught of warme water mixt with beane flowre Others take a halfe peny worth of alume beaten into fine powder and Bole-armony beaten small and a quart of good milke mingle them together till the milke be all on a curd and then giue it the horse to drinke obseruing the dyet before rehearsed but if this disease shall happen to a sucking foale as commonly it will and I my selfe haue seene many that for want of experience haue perished thereby you shall then onely giue it a pint of strong verdges to drinke and it is a present remedy for the foale feeding only vpon milke and that milke auoyding in as liquid forme as it was receiued the verdges will curdell it so make it auoyd in a grosser and more tougher substance CHAP. 71. Of the Bloudy flixe in Horses IT is not to be doubted but that a horse may haue the bloudy flixe for in my experience I haue seene it besides the confirmation of all my maisters the old Farriers Now of the bloudy flixe they make diuers kindes for somtimes the fat of the slimyfilth which is voyded is sprinkled with a little bloud sometimes the excrement is a watrish bloud like the water wherein bloudy flesh hath bene washed sometimes bloud mixed with melancholy and sometimes pure bloud but all these proceeding from one head which is the exulceration of the gut they may all very well be helped one cure Yet that you may know whether the exulceration bee in the inward small guts or in the outward great guts you shall obserue iâ— the matter and bloud be perfectly mixt together then it is in the inner small guts but if they be not mixed but come out seuerally the bloud most commonly following the matter then it is in the thicke outward guts Now this bloudy flixe cometh most commonly of some sharp humors ingendred either by naughty raw food or vnreasonable trauell which humours being violently driuen and hauing to passe through many crooked narrow wayes do cleaue to the guts and with their heate and sharpnesse fret them cause exulceration grieuous paine Sometimes this bloudy flixe may come from extreme cold extreme heate or extreme moistnesse or through the violence of some extreme scouring formerly giuen wherein some poysonous simple as Scamony Stibium or such like might be applyed in too great a quantity or it may come from the weaknesse of the liuer or the other members which serue for disgestion The signes of this disease is onely the auoyding bloud with his excrements or bloud in stead of excrements and the cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is to take saffron one ounce of Myrre 2 ounces of southernwood 3 ounces of parsley 1 ounce of rue 3 ounces of spittlewort hyssop of each 2 ounces of cassia which is like cinamon one ounce let all these be beaten into fine powder mingled with chalk strong vinegar wrought into paste of which paste make little cakes and dry them in the shadow and being dryed dissolue some of them in a pint and a halfe of barley milke or for want thereof in that iuyce which is called Cremor ptisanae and giue it the horse to drinke for it not onely cureth the bloudy flixe but being giuen with a quart of warme water it healeth all griefe and paine either in the belly or bladder which cometh for want of staling Now for mine owne part I haue euer vsed for the bloudy flixe but this medicine only Take of red wine 3 pints halfe a handful of the hearbe called Bursa Pastoris or shepheards purse and as much Tanners barke taken out of the fat and dryed boyle them in the wine till somewhat more then a pint be consumed and then straining it very hard giue it the horse luke warme to drinke if you do adde vnto it a little cinamon it is not amisse There be other Farriers which vse to dissolue in a pint of red wine foure ounces of the sirrop of slowes and giue it the horse to drinke but either of the other medicines are fully sufficient CHAP. 72. Of the falling downe of a horses Fundament HOrses sometimes by meanes of the disease formerly spoken of which is the bloudy flixe and sometimes by a naturall weaknesse in the inward bowels coming through the resolution of the muscles seruing to draw vp the fundament will many times haue their fundaments fall downe in great length both to the much paine of the horse and great loathsomenesse to the beholders Now the resolution or falling downe may come partly by ouermuch straining to dung when a horse is costiue and partly by ouer great moysture as it happens in young children for then a horse no creature hath a moyster body Now the signe is the apparant hanging downe of the fundament and the cure is this First you shall looke whether the fundament
to a mare great with foale but if I finde her to be troubled with wormes as is easie to be done by the stinking of her breath by the sliminesse of her mouth and by the greatnesse of the worme veines vnder her lips then presently I do nothing but let her bloud in the roofe or palat of her mouth and make her eate her owne bloud for that I know will both kill worms and help most inward maladyes But leauing mares with foale let vs returne againe vnto horses There be other Farriers which vse to take a handfull of new hens dung a quart of stale ale and braying them well together then take a handfull of bay-salt and put two egges to it and hauing mixt them all well together giue it the horse to drinke Others vse to take a halfe peny worth of saffron and as much allum and mixe them with a pint of milke and giue it the horse to drinke or else giue him greene willow and greene reede to eate Others vse and thinke it the best of all other medicines to take the guttes of a young hen or pidgeon and rolle it first in a little blacke sope then in baysaylt and so force it downe the horses throate Others vse especially for the Truncheons to let the horse drinke hennes dung mints sage and rue with beere or ale and to let him bloud in the nosthrels To conclude except you see the horse very much pained you shall need to giue him nothing but rosen and brimstone mixt together and blended with his prouender hauing care that euer you giue it fasting and long before the horse do drinke CHAP. 74. Of paine in the horses Kiddneyes There is no question but the same infirmities which do belong vnto the liuer or spleene of a horse do also belong vnto the kidneyes as inflammations obstructions apostumes and vlcers and truly in opening of horses I haue found the kidney sometimes wasted which I imputed to some matter of inflammation I haue likewise found much grauell which was onely through obstructions and I haue seene the kidneyes as blacke as inke which could not come without an vlcerous apostumation But forasmuch as a horse is a beast who cannot tell the manner of his paine nor we so heedfull as we might haue bene to obserue the Symptome of euery griefe we are enforst to conclude all vnder one name which is paine in the kidneyes gotten either by some great straine in leading or by some great burthen bearing The signes are the horse will go rolling and staggering behind his vrine will bee blackish and thicke and his stones if he haue any will be shrunke vp into his body if he haue none you shall perceiue the sheath of his yard to be drawne backeward and the great veine which runneth vp the inside of his thigh called the kidney veine will flacke and beate continually The cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is first to bathe his backe and loynes with oyle wine and Nitrum warmed together and after he is bathed couer him with warme clothes and let him stand in litter vp to the belly then giue him to drinke water wherein hath ben sodden dill fennell anise seedes smallage parsley spicknard myrre and cassia or as many as you can conueniently get of these simples The next morning fasting giue him to drinke a quart of ewes milke or for want thereof halfe so much sallet oyle and Deeres suet molten together or if you can get it the roote of daffadill boyled in wine and let his prouender bee dryed oates and in this dyet keepe him about tenne dayes and he will recouer CHAP. 75. Of the diseases belonging to the Bladder or Vrine and first of the Strangury ACcording to the determinate opinion of all the best ancientest Horse-leaches the bladder of a horse is subiect to three dangerous diseases as first the Strangury or Strangullion the second the Paine-pisse the third the Stone or Pissupprest Now for the first which is the strangury or strangullion it is when the horse is prouoked to stale often and auoydeth nothing but a few droppes it commeth questionlesse either by the heate sharpnesse of vrine caused either by great traueil or by sharpe and hot meates and drinkes or else by the exulceration of the bladder or by meanes of some appostume in the liuer and kidneyes which apostume being broken the matter resorteth downe into the bladder with the sharpnes thereof causeth a continuall prouocation of pissing The signes are as I sayd before a continuall desire to pisse yet auoiding nothing but a few drops those with such pain that he will whiske wry and beate his taile as he pisseth The cure whereof is to bathe the horses hinder loines with warme water and then take bread and bayes of Laurell and temper them together with May butter and giue him two or three balles thereof downe his throate three dayes together Others vse and I haue euer found it the best to take a quart of new milke a quarterne of sugar and brewing them well together giue it the horse to drinke sixe mornings together obseruing to keepe the horse from all sharpe meates as mow-burnt hay bran and such like CHAP. 76. Of the Paine-pisse or pissing with paine THis disease of Paine-pisse is when a horse cannot pisse but with great paine and labour and doth proceede sometimes from the weaknesse of the bladder and the cold intemperature thereof and sometimes through the aboundance of fleame and grosse humors stopping the necke of the bladder the signes whereof are the horse will stretch himselfe out as though he would stale and thrust out his yard a little and with the paine clap his taile betwixt his thighes to his belly and hauing stood so a good while in the end stale a good quantity The cure whereof according to the opinion of some Farriers is to take the iuyce of leekes sweete wine and oyle and mingling them together to powre it into his right nosthrel and walke him a little vp and downe vpon it or else to giue him to drinke smallage seede or else the roote of wilde fennell sodden with wine Others vse to put fine sharpe onions cleane pild and a little bruised into his fundament and then to chafe him immediatly vpon it either by riding him or running him in a mans hand or else to take the scraping of the inward parts of the horses owne houes beaten into powder and mingled with wine and powre it into his right nosthrell and then ride him vpon it Others vse to leade the horse to a sheepe-coate or sheepe-pen where great store of sheepe are wonted and making the horse to smell of the dung and pisse of the sheepe it will prouoke him to stale presently Others vse to giue the horse white dogges-dung dryed and mingled with Amoniacum salt and wine to drinke or else hogges dung onely with wine or the dregges of horse-pisse and wine CHAP. 77. Of the Stone
or Pissupprest in a Horse THe stone or pissupprest in a horse is when a horse would faine stale but cannot at all and therefore may well be called the suppression of of the vrine it proceedeth according to the opinions of my masters the old Farriers sometimes from the weaknesse of the bladder when the water conduit is stopped with grosse humours or with matter descending from the liuer or from some inflammation or hard knobs growing at the mouth of the conduit or for that the sinewes of the bladder are numbed so as the bladder is without feeling or it may come by keeping a horse in long trauell and not suffering him to stale but most commonly and oftest it cometh from obstructions in the kidneyes where by the causes aforesayd a certaine redde grauell being bred and falling downe into the conduits by the mixture of fleame and other grosse humours is there brought to be a hard stone and so stoppeth the passage of the vrine for the signes there needeth no more but this that he would faine pisse but cannot The cure according to the opinion of the most ancientest Farriers is first to draw out his yard and bethe it well with white wine and pricke it and scoure it well lest it be stopped with durt and filthinesse then put a little oile of camomill into his yard with a waxe candle and a bruised cloue of garlike but if that will not force him to stale then take of parsley two handfuls of coriander one handful stamp them and straine them with a quart of white wine dissolue therein one ounce of cake sope and giue it luke warme vnto the horse to drinke and see that you keepe him as warme as may be and let him drinke no cold water for the space of fiue or sixe dayes and when you would haue him to stale let it either bee vpon good plenty of straw or vpon the grasse or in a sheep-coate Others those of the best esteeme for Horse-leach-craft at this day vse onely to giue white wine cake sope and butter very well mixt together and let the horse drinke it warme Others vse to annoynt the horses belly first with warme water then when it is dryed to annoynt it againe with sallet oyle horse-grease and tarre mixt together and made warme and to hold a hot yron against his belly whilest it is in annoynting that the oyntment may the better enter the skin but I hold this medicine to be much better for the strangury or any other paine in the belly then for the stone yet it is approued good for all Others vse to take a pint of white wine or ale mixe with it a little garlicke and the whites of ten egges giue it the horse to drinke or else giue him the iuice of red cole-worts mixt with white wine or the roote of Alexanders bruised sodden in wine to drinke wash his yard with vinegar Others vse to take either wormewood southernewood or galingale or mallowes or pimpernell some of these or any one of these stampt and strained and giue it the horse with ale to drinke Others vse to take a pint of white wine halfe a pint of burre seede beaten very small two ounces of parsley seede halfe a handfull of hyssop halfe an ounce of blacke sope mixe them all well together and warme it and giue it the horse to drinke or else take vnset leekes and stampe them small and sope milke and butter and being mixt together giue it the horse to drinke Others vse to take a nutmegge and a handfull of parsley seed beate them to powder then take as much butter and mixe them altogether in a quart of strong ale and giue it the horse luke warme to drinke or else take the seede of smallage parsley Saxefrace the roots of Philupendula cherry-stone kirnels grummell seeds and broome seedes of each a like quantity beat them into fine powder and giue it the horse with a pint or a quart of white wine Now albeit all these medicines before rehearsed are in dayly practise and approued very soueraigne yet for mine owne part I haue found none more soueraigne then this Take a quart of strong ale and put it into a pottle pot then take as many keene radish rootes cleane washed being slit through and bruised as will fill vp the pot then stopping the pot very close that no ayre may come in let it so stand foure and twenty howres then straine the ale and the rootes very hard into a cleane vessell and giue it the horse fasting in the morning to drinke then ride him a little vp and downe and so set him vp warme and watch him and you shall see him stale This you must do diuers mornings together CHAP. 78. Of a Horse that pisseth bloud THere is nothing more certaine then that a horse many times will pisse bloud in stead of vrine the cause as the most ancient Farriers suppose proceeding from some one of these grounds either ouermuch labour or too heauy a burthen especially when the horse is fat for by either of them the horse may come to breake some veine in his body and then you shall see cleare bloud come out no vrine at all but if the bloud be mixt with vrine then they suppose it cometh from the kidneyes hauing some ragged stone therein which through great trauell doth fret the veines of the kidneyes and makes them bleed through which as the vrine passeth it taketh the bloud away with it also but for mine owne part I haue not found any greater cause for the pissing of bloud then the taking vp of a horse from grasse in the strength of winter as about Christmas and presently without a dayes rest in the stable to thrust him vnto a long and weary iourney from this cause I haue seene many horses after two or three daies iourney to pisse bloud in most grieuous manner The signes are needlesse The cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is this First let the horse bloud in the palate of the mouth to conuert the bloud the contrary way then take of Tragagant which hath bene steeped in wine halfe an ounce of poppy seed one dramme and one scruple and of Storax as much and twelue pine-apple kirnels let all these things be beaten and mingled well together and giue the horse thereof euery morning the space of seuen dayes the quantity of a wal-nut infused in a quart of sweete wine Other latter Farriers vse to let the horse bloud in the necke and boyle that bloud with wheate and with the powder of dryed pomegranate pils then straine it and giue it him three or foure mornings together to drinke and let him by no meanes trauell thereupon or else giue him of husked beanes boyled with the huskes of acornes beaten smal and mixt together Others vse to make him a drinke with the rootes of Daffadill mingled with wheate flowre and Sumach sodden long in water and so
the oldest oyle oliue one pound and a halfe pitch a quarter of a pound and two ounces Turpentine a quarter of a pound melt euery one of these that will melt seuerally by themselues and then mingle them together with the rest of the simples beaten to fine powder and after that they haue bene a little boyled on the fire take it off and straine it into a faire vessell and whensoeuer you will giue your horse any thereof giue it him with wine or foure or fiue spoonefull with a pint of sacke or muskadine and if with long keeping it waxeth hard then soften it with the oyle of Cypresse so that it may bee good and thicke This confection is both a medicine and an oyntment if you put it in the horses nostrels it will draw out all noysome humours and discharge his head of all griefe if you annoynt his body therewith it healeth all convultions colds and drynesse or withering of the body and if you bathe his limbes therewith it driueth away all wearinesse and tyring and if you giue it him with wine to drinke it cureth all kinde of inward maladies CHAP. 99. How to make the oyle of Oates TAke of milke two gallons and warming it on the fire put thereto a quarter of a pound of burnt allum which will make it runne of curds then take out the curd and cast it away then straine the whay through a course cloath into a cleane vessell then take a quarter of a pecke of cleane husked oates that were neuer dryed and put them into the whay and set them on the fire till the oates burst and be soft then take them off and powre them into a collander that is full of holes so that the whay may goe gently from them without any pressing for you must keepe the oats as moist as may be this done put the oats into a frying pan and set them ouer the fire stirring them continually till you see the vapour or smoake of them not ascend vpwards but as it were runne about the pan then suddenly take them off and putting them into a presse presse them most exceedingly and looke what cometh frō them is only the oile of them which you must saue in a close glasse Now there are other more artificiall and curious waies to distill and extract this oyle but this of all is the most easiest and surest for euery meane capacity This oyle of oates is of all medicins simples whatsoeuer the most excellent and soueraigne for a horses bodie as being extracted from the most naturall wholsome and best food which doth belong vnto a horses body This oyle being giuen by foure or fiue spoonefull in a pinte of sweete wine or a quarte of strong ale and some of the whay powred into the horses nosthrels doth cure the glaunders before all other medicines It is also giuen in the same manner the best of all purgations for it purgeth away all those venemous and filthy humors which seedeth the most incurable farcy whatsoeuer And for mine own part as long as I can conueniently come by this oyle of oates so long I will neuer in any medicine whatsoeuer vse any oyle or vnctious matter then it onely I hauing found by experience that it is the soueraigne of al simples of that kind whatsoeuer they be CHAP. 100. Certaine briefe Obseruations to be obserued at home and abroad whilst the horse is in health THese obseruations following are gathered from the most exact principles and vnfallible grounds of all the best and surest approued horsemen either of this kingdome or of any other nation within Christendome First then for the generall feeding of your horse when he is in health you shall feed him with straw hay oates fine little wheat beanes barly bread made of beanes pease or fitches or any other meate that swels not in the horses body It is the opinion of Camerarius first to giue prouender then hay and lastly water but our English custome is first hay then water and lastly prouender In your trauell feed your horse betimes for all night that thereby the horse may sooner take his rest The quantity of prouender which you shall giue your horse at one time shall be as much as you can hold in the palmes of both your hands at sixe times Horsebread which is made of cleane beanes cleane pease or cleane fitches feedeth exceedingly Let your horses meate and drinke be exceeding sweete and cleane yet his water by no meanes extreme cold running water from the rocke for it pearceth to much To rubbe your horses mouth with salte and wine will make him both eate and drinke with a much better appetite Let your horse neither eate when he is hot nor drinke when he is hot neither presently after his trauell Labour your horse moderately when the weather is either extreme hot or extreme cold that so you may auoide extreme heats or suddaine colds Trauell not your horse too late that your owne eye may see him well dried and well fed before you take your owne rest Neuer take the saddle from your horses backe suddenly Lend not your horse least your selfe walke on foot Let your horse lye cleane and dry keepe your stable sweete let no swine lye neere it nor let any pullen come whithin it Let your horse euer be tyed with two reines Let the light of your stable be euer towards South and North yet so as the North windowes may in the winter be shut vp close at pleasure and opened in the sommer to giue fresh aire Ride your horse oft a little on stony waies that he may the better feele his feete and harden his houes Haue euer neere your stable some close plaine greene that your horse being let loose he may oft tumble himselfe thereon Let your horses bed be of soft sweete straw somewhat aboue his knees of which rie straw is the best for though barley straw be the softest yet a horse wil couet to eate it and it is vnwholesome and wheat straw though it be not vnwholsome to eate yet it is hard to lye vpon as for oate straw it is the best in the superlatiue for it is both wholsome to eate and soft to lye vpon Curry or dresse your horse twise a day before water and when he is curried rubbe him with your hand and with a rubber his head would be rubbed with a wet cloth and his coddes made cleane with a dry cloth his foretop his maine and his taile would be oft wet with a wet maine combe and euer where the horses haire is thinnest there curry the gentlest Let the plaunchers of your stable lye euen and leuell that your horse may stand at his ease and not proue lame by too much oppressing his hinder partes Let not any mud wal be within your horses reach for he will naturally couet to eate of it and nothing is more vnwholesome Giue your horse plenty of garbadge which is chopt wheat straw both with his prouender and
hony or else with hony and hogges dung mixt together Other Farriers vse to rowell the horse vnder the throat and to draw the rowell twice or thrice a day annointing it with fresh butter and keeping his head warme Other of our latter and better experienced Farriers vse first if his yeares will permit it to let the horse bloud in the necke veine then to lay to the soare this ripening plaister take of mallowes linseed rue smallage and ground Iuy of each like quantity boyle all these together in the grounds of beere then put to a pretty quantity of oyle de bay with a little Dia Althea then take it from the fire and therewith make your plaister and lay it to the soare suffering the horse by no means to drink any cold water after the soare is broken lay bran steept in wine vnto it till it be whole Others vse to cut the kirnels out betweene the iawes then to wash the soare with butter beere giuing the horse to drinke new milke garlike and iuyce of the leaues of birch or in winter the barke of birch or else to annoint it with tarre and oyle till it be whole Now for mine owne part the best cure that euer I found for the strangle was this As soone as I found the swelling to arise betweene his chappes to take a waxe candle and holding it vnder the the horses chappes close to the swelling burne it so long till you see the skinne be burnt through so that you may as it were raise it from the flesh that done you shall lay vnto it either wet hay or wet horse litter and that will ripen it and make it breake then lay a plaister vnto it only of Shooe-makers waxe and that will both draw and heale it Now if it breake inward and will not breake outward and so auoydeth onely at his nose then you shall twice or thrice euery day perfume his head by burning vnder his nosthrels either Frankinsence or masticke or else by putting a hote coale into wet hay and so making the smoake thereof to ascend vp into the horses head CHAP. 22. Of the Cankerous Vlcer in the Nose THat which we cal the cankerous vlcer in the nose is onely a fretting humor eating and consuming the flesh and making it all raw within and not being holpen in time will eate through the gristell of the nose It cometh of corrupt bloud or else of a sharpe hunger ingendred by meanes of some extreme cold The signes are the horse will oft bleede at the nose and all the flesh within his nose will be raw and filthy stinking sauours and matter will come out at his nose The cure thereof according to the ancient Farriers is take of greene copporas and of allome of each one pound of white copporas one quarterne and boile these in a pottell of running water vntill a pinte be consumed then take it off and put thereunto halfe a pint of hony then cause his head to be holden vp with a drenching staffe and squirt into his nosthrels with a squint of brasse or pewter some of this water being luke warme three or foure times one after another but betwixt euery squirting giue him liberty to hold downe his head and to snurt out the filthy matter for otherwise perhaps you might choake him and after this it shall be good also without holding vp his head any more to wash and rubbe his nosthrels with a fine clowt bound to a stickes end and dipt in the aforesaid water and do thus once a day vntill the horse be whole Other Farriers vse if they see this canker to be of great heate and burning in the soare with exceeding great paine then you shall take the iuice of purslaine lettice and night-shade of each like quantity and mixe them together and wash the soare with a fine cloath dipt therein or else squirt it vp into his nosthrels and it will allâ—y the heate Others take of hyssope sage and rue of each a good handfull and seeth them in vrine and water to the third part of them then straine them out and put in a little white copporas and hony and aqua-vitae and so either wash or squirt the soare place with it then when the canker is kild make this water to heale it Take of rib-woort bettony and daysies of each a handfull then seeth them well in wine and water wash the soare three or foure times a day therewith vntill it be whole Others vse to take Chrystall and beating it into fine powder to strow it vpon the canker and it will kill it CHAP. 23. Of bleeding at the Nose MAny horses especially yong horses are oft subiect to this bleeding at the nose which I imagine proceedeth either from the great aboundance of bloud or that the veine which endeth in that place is either broken fretted or opened It is opened many times by meanes that bloud aboundeth too much or for that it is too fine or too subtile and so pierceth through the veine Againe it may be broken by some violent straine cut or blow And lastly it may be fretted or gnawne through by the sharpnesse of the bloud or else by some other euill humour contained therein The cure is according to the ancient Farriers to take the iuice of the rootes of nettles and squirt it vp into the horses nosthrels and lay vpon the nape of the horses necke a wadde of hay dipt in cold water and when it waxeth warme take it off and lay on a cold one Other Farriers vse to take a pint of redde wine and to put therein a quarterne of Bole-armoniacke beaten into fine powder and being made luke warme to powre the one halfe thereof the first day into his nosthrell that bleedeth causing his head to be holden vp so as the wine may not fall out and the next day to giue him the other halfe Others vse to let the horse bloud on the breast veine on the same side that he bleedeth at seuerall times then take of frankinsence one ounce of aloes halfe an ounce and beate them into fine powder and mingle them throughly with the whites of egges vntill it be as thicke as hony and with soft Hares haire thrust it vp into his nosthrell filling the hole so full that it cannot fall out or else fill his nosthrels full of ashes dung or hogges dung or horses dung mixt with chalke and vinegar Now for mine owne part when none of these will helpe as all haue failed me at some times then I take two small cords and with them garter him exceeding hard some ten inches aboue his knees of his forelegges and iust beneath his elbowes and then keepe the nape of his necke as cold as may be with wet clothes or wet hay and it will staunch him presently CHAP. 24. Of the boody rifts or choppes in the palate of the horses mouth THese choppes clefts or rifts in the palate of a horses mouth doe proceede as some Farriers suppose
firme parts of the body and are euer hot as Pestilent Feuers and the Plague which euer are accompanied with vlcers and the feuer accidentall which proceedeth from the anguish and paine of some mortall wound Now for the causes from whence these feuers do proceede you shall vnderstand that all these which I call ordinary feuers do generally spring either from surfaite by extreme labour or from surfaite by naughty meate as raw pease rawfitches raw oates mouldy and vnwholesome bread and such like sometimes they do proceede from the extreme violence and heate of the Sunnes beames when trauelling with disorderly haste in the extremest heate of the day those two heates mixing together labor the Sunne there cannot chuse but be bredde in the horse some mortall inflammation and for mine owne part I haue seene horses fall downe dead in the high way for whose deaths I could find no reason more then their labour and the heate of the Sunne Feuers sometimes spring from a contrary cause as from extreme cold in this maner when a horse in the Winter time hath bene trauelled sore all the day and is brought into the house hot if after his bloud and inward powers are setled and cooled you then presently or the same night giue him cold water as much as he will drinke you shall see him out of hand fall into an extreme quaking and from that quaking into a violent burning with all other distemperatures of a Feuer Now for extraordinary feuers they euer proceede either from corruption of bloud or from infection of the aire and albeit these feuers are not vsually knowne vnto our Farriers yet they are as common as the former onely the violence of them is so great and the poison so strong that they euer carry with them some other mortall sicknes as namely Staggers Yellowes Anticor and such like which neuer are but a pestilent feuer euer goeth before them And they like the markes of the plague are seldome seene till the cure be desperate and then the vnskilfull Farrier neither noting nor knowing if he did note the effects of the feuer doth euer mis-baptise the name of the horses infirmity and taking the lesser for the greater failes many times to do the good office cure which he intendeth Now the signes to know a feuer be these first he will euer hold downe his head he will quake and tremble but when his trembling is past then will his body burne and his breath be hot he wil breathe fast and his flanke will beate he will reele he will forsake his meate his eyes will be swolne and closed vp yet therewithall much watring his flesh will as it were fall from his bones and his stones will hang downe low he will oft lye downe and oft rise vp againe all his desire will be to drinke yet at no time drinke much neither will he at any time sleep Now for the generall cure of these generall feuers you shall vnderstand that some Farriers vse to let the horse bloud in the face temples and palate of the mouth and the first day to giue him no meate but warme drinke onely by a little at a time and after the finest grasse or finest hay wet in water keeping him warme and often walking him vp and downe in a temperate aire and giuing him good store of litter then when he begins to mend to feede him with barley sodden huskt and beaten as you do wheate before you make furmity And this cure is not amisse for it agreeth with the ancient experience of the Italians but in our English horses through the clyme as I suppose it often faileth The best cure therfore that I haue found is as soone as you perceiue him to begin to shake to giue him the yolkes of three or foure egges beaten with seuen or eight spoonefull of aqua-vitae to drinke and then chase him vp and downe till his shaking be past and then set him vp close and warme and with many clothes make him sweate an howre let his foode be oates very well dryed and sifted and one day some washt in ale If his shaking fit be past before you perceiue his sicknesse you shall onely giue him a pint of Muskadine and an ounce of sugar-candy beaten to powder and brewd together to drinke and so let him rest feeding him by little and little as aforesaid and giuing him no water but such as is warme and this order you shall obserue at the beginning of euery fit if you can note them or else euery morning if his sicknesse haue no ceassing CHAP. 16. Of the Quotidian or one dayes feuer and the cure THe Quotidian or one dayes feuer is that which taketh a horse and holdeth him with one fit once euery day it will at first appeare somewat violent but seldome or neuer endureth long if the Farrier haue any discretion It proceedeth most commonly from extreme riding either after water or a full stomacke and then suddenly after his heate being thrust into a stable neither stopt nor rubbed a suddaine coldnes to that suddaine heate begers a shaking and so consequently the effects of a feuer The signes to know it are watrish and bloud-shotten eyes short and hot breathing panting loathing of his meate and stiffnesse in his limbes but aboue these to know it is a Quotidian you shall obserue that these signes together with the sicknesse will not last aboue sixe or eight howres in one day and then he will be cheerefull and in health againe till very neare the same howre of the next day at what time his fit will begin againe And here is to be noted that the more it altereth the howres the more hope there is of his health as if it take him at seuen of the clocke of the one day and at three of the clocke of the other and so forth The cure is You shall only during his fit giue him nothing but a sweet mash made of malt and water being luke warme and walke him gently vp and downe in a temperate aire then as soone as his fit is past you shall set him vp and rub his body legs exceedingly then foure howres after you shall giue him this drinke Take of strong ale a quart and boyle therin halfe a handfull of wormwood of long pepper and graines two ounces of the best treacle two ounces and of the powder of dryed rue one ounce now when a third part of the ale is consumed take it from the fire and straine it then put therein three ounces of sugar-candy beaten to powder then when it is luke warme giue it him with a horne to drinke Do this twice at the least or thrice if his fits continue and there is no doubt but he will recouer CHAP. 17. Of the Tertian Feuer THe Tertian feuer is that which cometh euery other day holding the horse with one sicke day and one sound it is not so violent as the Quotidian but much longer lasting it happeneth oftest in the
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
Now for the cure you shall cause him to be let bloud in all the lower parts of his body to draw the bloud from his head as namely on the shackell veines the spurre veines the plat veines and the thigh veines and you shall let him bloud aboundantly then giue him this drinke Take the roote of wild cowcumber or where that cannot be gotten take a handfull of rue and mints and a handfull of blacke elleborus and boyle them in strong red wine and giue it luke warme to the horse in a horne Some vse to giue mans dung with wine three mornings together and also to rubbe his body ouer with a friction at least twice a day and not to faile to giue him moderate exercise Other vse to pierce the skinne of his head with a hot yron to let out the ill humours Others as the most certaine of all medicines vse to geld him of both or one stone at the least but I like it not for mine owne part the cure I haue euer vsed for this griefe was either to make him swallow down hard hens dung or else to giue him to drinke the root of Virgapastoris stâ—mpt in water and for his ordering during the cure I would haue his stable quyet but not close and his foode onely warme mashes of malt and water yet but a very little at one time for the thinnest dyet is best CHAP. 31. Of the Sleeping euill or Lethargie in horses THe sleeping euill is an infirmity which maketh a horse to sleepe continually depriuing him thereby both of memory appetite and all alacrity of spirit It is most incident to white and dunne horse because it proceedeth only from flegme cold grosse which moysturing the braine too much causeth heauinesse and sleepe There needes no other signe more then his sleeping onely The cure is to keepe him waking whether he will or no with great noises and affrights then let him bloud in the necke and the palate of the mouth and giue him to drinke water luke warme wherein hath bene boyled camomill mother woort wheate branne salt and vinegar you shall also persume his head and make him neese and annoynt the palate of his mouth with hony and mustard mixt together it shall not be amisse if with the ordinary water which he drinketh you mixe either parsley seede or fennell seede for that will prouoke vrine you shall also bath his legges and stop his houes with bran salt and vinegar boyled together and applyed as hot as may be and his stable would be lightsome and full of noyse CHAP. 32. Of a Horse that is taken or of shrow running THose horses are supposed by Farriers to be taken or as some call it planet strooke which are depriued of feeling or of mouing not being able to stirre any member but remaineth in the same forme as he was at his time of taking Some hold it proceedeth from choler and fleame when they are superaboundantly mixt together or of melancholy bloud which being a cold dry humour doth oppresse and sicken the hinder part of the braine Other ancient Farriers hold it cometh of some extreme cold or extreme heate or raw disgestion striking into the empty veins suddainly or else of extreme hunger caused by long fasting The signes thereof are numbnesse and want of motion before spoken of as for the cure it is diuers for first you must note whether it come of cold or heate if it come of cold you shall know it by the stuffing and poze in the head which euer is ioyned with the disease if of heate by the hotnesse of his breath and cleare fetching of his winde Now if it proceed from cold you shall giue him to drinke one ounce of Lacerpitium mixt with sallet oyle and muskadine luke warme if it proceede of heate you shall giue one ounce of Lacerpitium with water and hony luke warme but if it proceede of crudity or raw disgestion then you shall helpe him by fasting and if it proceede of fasting then you shall heale him by feeding him often with good meate as with wholesome bread and dry oates yet but a little at a time that he may euer eate with a good stomacke Now for the French Farriers as Monsieur Horace and the rest who call this disease Surprius they hold it cometh onely from cold causes following hot accidents and they vse for their cure to let him bloud on the breast veines and then put him into a sweate either by exercise or multiplicity of clothes but many clothes is better because the horse is not capable of labour and sometimes they will bury him all saue the head in an old dunghill till throuh the heate thereof his limbs receiue such feeling that he begins to struggle out of the same All which cures are not much amisse yet in mine opinion this is the best easiest and surest way First to let him bloud in the necke and breast then to annoynt all his body with oyle Petrolium then giue him this drinke Take of malmsey three pints and mixe it with a quarterne of sugar cynamon and cloues and let him drinke it luke warme then take old rotten wet litter and for want thereof wet hay and with clothes sursingles and cords swaddle al his whole body ouer with the same of a good thicknesse and renew it once in three daies till he be whole let his stable be warme his exercise moderate and if he grow costiue let him first be raked and after giue him either a glister or a suppositary according to his strength There is also another kinde of taking and that is when a horse is planet strooke or stricken with thunder but it is vtterly vncurable and therefore I will omit to speake further of it The last kinde of taking is when a horse is shrow runne that when a horse lieth sleeping there is a certain venemous field mouse called a shrow whose head is extraordinary long like a swines head and her feete shorter of the one side then the other This mouse if she happen to runne ouer any of the limbes of the horse presently the horse leeseth the vse of that limbe she ranne ouer and if she runne ouer his body he commonly leeseth the vse of his hinder loynes and these accidents hauing bene often found vnexpected common Farriers haue held the horse to be taken or planet strooke As for the cure thereof the best is to seeke out a bryer which groweth at both ends and take the horse or beast that is thus vexed and draw him vnder the same and it is a present remedy For mine owne part I haue heard much both of the infirmity and of the cure but I haue had no experience of it but only in one yong foale which being suddainly lame was as suddainly helped to my much contentment CHAP. 33. Of the Staggers THe staggers is a dizzy madnesse of the braine proceeding from corrupt bloud or grosse tough and heauy humours which oppresse and make sicke the
coniealed causing humors something thin and slimy of the colour of marrow or the white of an egge this descendeth to the throate and lyeth there till it be discharged through the nosthrels The third is by long continuance thicker and therfore harder to be cured if the colour thereof be yellow like a beane then is the glaunders most desperate and lyeth also in his throate but if it be a browne or darkish yellow then commonly a feuer will accompany the disease To these three distillations there is commonly added a fourth which is when the matter which comes from his nose is darke thinne and reddish like little sparkes of bloud but then is it not said to be the glaunders but the mourning of the chine which is a disease for the most part held incurable It is therefore most necessary for euery good Farrier when he shall take this cure in hand to consider well the matter which issueth from the horses nose for if the humour be cleare and transparent so that it may be seene through then it is not greatly hurtfull or of much moment If it be white it is worse yet with much ease cured If it be yellow separate him from the sound horses for he is infectious yet to be cured if that yellow be mixt with bloud it is with much difficulty helped or if the matter be like vnto saffron the horse is as hardly to be saued he must also consider whether the matter stinke or haue lost the smell the first is a signe of an vlcer the latter of death also whether he cougheth with straightnesse in his chest or no for that also is a signe of an inward vlcer and that the disease is past cure Now for the cure of these three distillations which are all that make vp a complete glaunders you shall vnderstand that when the glaunders is of the first sort it is easily helped by moderate exercise and by warme keeping but if it be of the second sort you shall giue him warme mashes of malt water and perfume his head well and purge it by neesing and into his mashes you shall put fennell seedes bruised Others wil take a pint of white wine a handfull of soote a quart of milke and two heads of garlike bruised brew them together and giue it the horse to drinke Others will take a pottell of vrine a handfull of baysalt and a good quantity of browne sugarcandy boyle it to a quart then adde licoras and anise seedes beaten to fine powder and giue it luke warme to drinke Others will take larde or swines grease and boyle it in water then take the fatte from the water and mingle it with a little oile oliue a good quantity of vrine halfe as much white wine giue a quart of this luke warme to drinke Others vse to giue of ale a quart of grated bread an ounce and a halfe the yolkes of two egges of ginger saffron cloues cynamon nutmegs cardimonium spicknard or lauender galingale and hony of each a pretty quantity mixe these together and giue it to drinke Now if the distillation be of the third sort which is the worst of the three you shall take halfe a pound of swines bloud and melt it at the fire adde to it a pound of the iuice of beets with three ounces of Euforbium finely beaten and when it hath boyled a little take it from the fire and adde an another ounce of Euforbium to it keepe this oyntment and annoynt therewith two very long feathers or little roddes lapt with linnen about and so annoynted put them into his nostrhrels and after rubbing them vp and downe tye them to the nose-band of the bridle and walke him abroad do thus three dayes together and it will either absolutely cure him or at least take away the eye sore Others vse to take a quart of ale an halfe peny worth of long pepper a little brimstone and a penny worth of Galingal two peniworth of spygnal of Spaine two peny waight of saffron brayed with two ounces of butter boyled in the ale when it is luke warme cast the horse and holding vp his head powre it equally into his nosthrels then hold his nosthrels close till his eyes stare and that he sweate which done giue him bayes and ale to drinke then let him rise and set him vp warme feeding him with warme graines and salt or with sweet mashes but the best is if the weather be warme to let him runne abroad at grasse Other Farriers vse to dissolue in vinegar three drams of mustard-seede and as much Euforbium then to giue him one dram at his nosthrell euery day before he drinke Others vse to take of Mirre Iris Illyrica seedes of smallage Aristolochia of each three ounces Sal-niter Brimston of each fiue ounces bayes two ounces saffron one ounce make this into powder and when you giue it giue part in pils made with paste and wine and part by the nosthrels with strong ale do this for the space of three dayes at the least Others vse to take of malmsey a pint of strong ale a pint of aqua-vitae foure spoonefull and brew them together with a prety quantity of anise seeds licoras ellocampane roots long pepper garlicke and three or foure new layed egges and a little buter giue this luke warme to drink then walke him abroad and set him vp warme do thus euery other day for a weeke together Others vse to take stale vrine that hath stood three or foure daies and ten garlicke heades and seething them together giue it the horse to drinke Others vse to take swines grease well clarified and as much oyle de bay as a walnut and giue it the horse to drinke with faire water luke warme Others vse to take of ellocampane anise seeds and licoras of each one peny worth boyle them in three pints of ale or beere til one pint be consumed then adde vnto it a quarter of a pint of sallet oyle and giue it him to drinke luke warme then with a quill blow Euforbium vp into his nosthrels and within three dayes after take mustard foure spoonefull vinegar a pint and an halfe butter three ounces boyle them together then adde thereto halfe an ounce of pepper and giue it the horse luke warme to drinke vse this medicine a fortnight Others vse to take a handfull of pild garlicke and boyle it in a quart of milke till a pint be consumed then adde thereto two ounces of sweet butter and a pint of strong ale stirre them well together and giue it the horse fasting to drinke luke warme which done ride him a little vp and downe and vse this the space of nine dayes Thus I haue shewed you the opinions practise of all the best Farriers both of this kingdome and of others they be all very good effectual yet for mine own part that which I haue found euer the best in my practise is if the disease be of the first or second sort to
altogether and giue him euery morning and euening a pint for a weeke together If to the boxe leaues you adde oates and bettony it is not amisse so you keep the horse warme Others vse to giue a horse a pint of swines bloud warme Others vse to boyle in a gallon of water one pound of Fenugreeke then straining it giue the water morning and euening by a pint at a time to drinke then drying the Fenugreeke giue it the horse with his prouender Others vse for all maner of coughes to take a quarterne of white currants and as much clarified hony two ounces of sweet marioram with old fresh grease and a head of garlicke melt that which is to be molten and punne that which is to be beaten mixe them together and giue the horse better then a pint thereof three mornings together Others vse to giue a horse the guts of a young pullet dipt in hony and being warme and certainly there is not any of these medicines but are most soueraigne and well approued Now whereas some Farriers vse to thrust downe the throat of the horse a willow wand rolled about with a linnen cloath and annoynted all ouer with hony I for my part do not like it for it both torments the horse more then there is occasion and doth but onely go about to take away that which is gone in the struggling before the medicine can be vsed for it is onely for a cough which cometh by a feather or some such like matter CHAP. 43. Of the inward and wet Cough TOuching all inward coughs which are gotten and ingendred by colds and rheumes of long continuance being not onely dangerous but sometimes mortall you shall vnderstand that they are diuided into two kindes the one wet the other dry the wet cough proceedeth from cold causes taken after great heats which heat dissoluing humours those humors being againe congealed do presently cause obstructions and stoppings of the lungs Now the signes to know this wet cough is the horse will euer after his coughing cast out either water or matter out of his nosthrels or champe and chaw with his teeth the thicke matter which he casteth out of his throate as you shall easily perceiue if you heedfully note him he will also cough often without intermission and when he cougheth he will not much bow downe his head nor abstaine from his meate and when he drinketh you shall see some of his water to issue out of his nosthrels The cure is first to keepe him exceeding warme then for as much as it proceedeth of cold causes you shall giue him hot drinkes and spices as sacke or strong ale brewd with cinamon ginger cloues treacle Long pepper and either swines grease sallet oyle or sweete butter for you shall know that all cold causes are cured with medicines that open and warme and the hot with such as cleanse and coole Some vse to take a pretty quantity of Beniamine and the yolke of an egge which being well mixt together and put into an egge shell cast all downe into the horses throat and then moderatly ride him vp and downe for more then a quarter of an howre and do this three or foure mornings together Others vse to keepe him warme and then to giue him this drinke Take of barley one pecke and boyle it in two or three gallons of running water till the barley burst together with bruised licoras anise seeds and of raisins of each a pound then straine it and to that liquor put of hony a pint and a quarterne of sugarcandy and keepe it close in a pot to serue the horse therewith foure seuerall mornings and cast not away the barley nor the rest of the strainings but make it hot euery day to perfume the horse withall in a close bagge if he eate of it it is so much the better and after this you shall giue the horse some moderate exercise and for his dyet let him drinke no cold water till his cough abate and as it lessoneth so let his water be the lesse warmed Now for mine own part though all these receits be exceeding good and very well approued yet for mine owne part in this case thus hath bene my practise If I found either by the heauinesse of the horses head or by the ratling of his nosthrels that the cough proceeded most from the stopping of his head I would only giue him foure or fiue mornings together three or foure good round pils of butter and garlicke well knoden together in the morning fasting and then ride him moderately an howre after but if I found that the sicknesse remained in the chest or brest of the horse then I would giue him twice in foure dayes a pint of sacke halfe a pint of sallet oyle and two ounces of sugarcandy wel brewd together and made luke warme and then ride him halfe an howre after and set him vp warme suffering him to drinke no cold water till his cough began to abate or leaue him CHAP. 44. Of the dry Cough THis disease which we cal the dry cough is a grosse and tough humour cleauing hard to the hollow places of the lungs which stoppeth the winde-pipes so that the horse can hardly draw his breath It doth proceede by ill gouernment from the rheume which distilling from the head falleth downe to the breast and there inforceth the horse to striue to cast it out The especiall signes to know it is by eating hot meates as bread that is spiced straw dry hay or such like his extremity of coughing will encrease by eating cold and moyst meates as grasse forrage graines and such like it will abate and be the lesse he cougheth seldome yet when he cougheth he cougheth violently long time together and dryly with a hollow sound from his chest he also boweth his head downe to the ground and forsaketh his meate whilest he cougheth yet neuer casteth forth any thing either at his mouth or nosthrels This cough is most dangerous and not being taken in time is incurable for it will grow to the pursicke or broken winded altogether The cure according to the opinion of the ancientest Farriers is that for as much as it proceedeth from hot humours therefore you shall perfume his head with cold simples as Camomill Mellilot Licoras dryed red Roses and Camphire boyled in water and the fume made to passe vp into his mouth and nosthrels Others vse to take a close earthen pot to put therin three pints of the strongest vinegar and foure egges shels all vnbroken and 4. heades of garlicke cleane pild bruised set the pot-being very close couered in a warme dunghill or a horse mixion there let it stand foure and twenty howres then take it forth and open it and take out the egges which will be as soft as silke and lay them by vntill you haue strained the vinegar and garlicke through a linnen cloath then put to that liquor a quarterne of hony and halfe a quarterne
such fumes and pils as are good for the glaunders which you may finde in the chapter of purgations then to giue him cole-worts small chopt with his prouender now then the bloud of a sucking pigge warme There be others that in stead of the bloud will giue either the iuyce of leekes mixt with oyle and wine or else wine and frankinsence or sallet oyle and the iuice of rue mixt togegether but in my conceit the best cure is to purge his body cleane with comfortable and gentle scourings and then to be suffred to runne to grasse both for a Winter and a Summer and there is no question but he must necessarily end or mend for languish long he cannot CHAP. 50. Of the Consumption of the flesh THis disease which we cal the Consumption of the flesh is an vnnaturall or generall dislike or falling away of the whole body or as we terme it the wasting of the flesh which proceedeth from diuers grounds as namely from inward surfaits either by naughty foode or ill dyet or from vncleane moist and stinking lodging but especially from disorderly labour as by taking great and sudden colds after violent heate or such like all which procure the wasting or falling away of the flesh The signes whereof are these first an vnnaturall and causlesse leannesse a dry and hard skinne cleauing fast to his sides want of stomacke or appetite to his meate a falling away of his fillets and a generall consumption both of his buttockes and shoulders The cure whereof according to the ancients is to take a sheeps head vnfleayed and boyle it in a gallon and a halfe of ale or running water vntill the flesh be consumed from the bones then straine it through a cloath and put thereto of sugar halfe a pound of cinamon one ounce of conserue of roses or barberies of cherries of each one ounce mingle them together and giue the horse euery morning a quart thereof luke warme till two sheeps heades bee spent and after euery time he drinketh let him be gently walked or ridden vp and downe according to his strength that is if the weather be warme abroad if it be cold and windy then in the stable or some close house suffring him neither to eate nor drinke for two howres after his medicine and from cold water you shall keepe him the space of fifteene dayes Now for his ordinary foode or prouender you shall repute that best which he eateth best whatsoever it be and that you shall giue by little and little and not any grosse or great quantity at once because the abundance and glut of food taketh away both the appetite and nutriment which should proceede from wholesome feeding CHAP. 51. How to make a leane Horse fat BEsides this generall consumption of a horses flesh which for the most part or altogether proceedeth from sicknesse there is also another consumption or want of flesh which proceedeth from neshnesse tendernesse freenesse of spirit and the clymate vnder which the horse is bred as namely when a horse that is bred in a warme clymate comes to liue in a cold or when a horse that is bred vpon a fruitfull rich soile comes to liue in a barren and dry place In any of these cases the horse will be leane without any apparant signe of griefe or disease which to recouer there be many receits and medicines as namely the ancient Farriers did vse when a horse either grew leane without sicknesse or wound or any knowne distemperature to take a quarter of a pecke of beanes and boyle them in two gallons of water till they swell or burst then to mixe with them a pecke of wheate branne and so to giue it the horse in maner of a mash or in stead of prouender for it will fat suddenly Others and especially the Italians will take cole-worts and hauing sodden them mixe them with wheat bran and salt and giue them in stead of prouender There be others which take the fatty decoction of three Tortoyse being well sodden their heades tayles bones and feete being reiected and giuing it the horse suppose it fatteth suddenly or if you mixe the flesh of the Tortoyse so sodden with your horses prouender that is good also But as the simples are Italian and not English so for mine owne part I referre the vse rather to them then to my country men There be others which vse to fat vp their horses by giuing them a certaine graine which we call bucke in the same manner as we giue oates or pease There be others which to fat a horse will giue him onely parched wheat and a little wine mixed with his water and amongst his ordinary prouender alwayes some wheate branne and be exceeding carefull that the horse be cleane drest well rubbed soft littered for without such cleanly keeping there is no meate will enioy or do good vpon him and also when he is fed it must be by little at once and not surfaited There be other Farriers which to feede vp a leane horse will take Sage Sauin Bay-berries Earth-nuts Beares grease to drinke with a quart of wine Others will giue the entrailes of a Barbel or a Tench with white wine Others will giue new hot draffe and new branne and twenty hard roasted egges the shels being pulled off then bruise them and then put thereto a pretty quantity of salt then mixe all together and giue a good quantity thereof to the horse at morne noone and euening for his prouender and once a day which would be at high noone giue him a quart or three pints of strong ale and when the horse beginneth to be glutted vpon this meat then giue him dryed oates if he be glutted vpon that then giue him bread if he leaue his bread giue him malt or any graine that he will eate with a good appetite obseruing euer to keepe the horse very warme and with this dyet in foureteene dayes the leanest horse will be made exceeding fat There be other Farriers which to make a horse fat wil take a quart of wine and halfe an ounce of brimstone finely beaten with a raw egge and a peny waight of the powder of Myrre mixe all together and giue it the horse to drinke many mornings together Others will take three-leaued grasse halfe greene and halfe dry and giue it to the horse in stead of hay by little at once and it will fat suddenly onely it will breed much ranke bloud Other Farriers vse to take two peny worth of pepper and as much saffron anise seeds and turmericke a peny worth of long pepper two peny worth of treacle a peny worth of licoras a good quantity of peniryall and archangell giue the horse these with the yolks of egges in milke to drinke Others take wheat made cleane and sod with salt and lard dryed in the sunne giue it twice a day before each watering Others giue a pint of good wine with a raw egge beaten a quantity of brimstone
Mirre beaten to powder Others strong ale Myrre â—allet oyle and twenty graines of white pepper and in stead of the ale you may take the decoction that is the water wherein sage rue hath bene sodden it will soone make the horse fat Others take sodden beanes well bruised and sprinkled with salt adding to the water foure times so much beane flowre or wheat bran and giue that to the horse and it will fat him suddenly Wine mixt with the bloud of a sucking pigge made luke warme or wine with the iuyce of featherfeaw or an ounce of sulphur and a peny waight of Myrre well made into powder together with a new layed egge will raise vp a horse that languisheth Barley dryed or barley boyled till it burst either will fat a horse But the best way of faâ—ting a horse for most of the wayes before prescribed are not to breede fat that will continue is first to giue your horse three mornings together a pint of sweete wine and two spoonefull of Diapente brewed together for that drinke will take away all infection and sicknesse from the inward parts then to feed him well with prouender at least foure times a day that is after his water in the morning after his water at noone after his water in the euening and after his water at nine of the clocke at night Now you shall not let his prouender be all of one sort but euery meale if it may be change as thus if in the morning you giue him oates at noone you shall giue him bread at euening beanes or pease mixt with wheat branne and at night sodden barley and so forth and euer obserue of what food he eateth best of that let him haue the greatest plenty and there is no question but he will in very short space grow fat sound and full of spirit without either mislike or sicknesse CHAP. 52. Of the Breast-paine or griefe in the breast THough most of our Farriers are not curious to vnderstand of this disease because it is not so common as others yet both my selfe and others find it is a disease very apt to breed and to indanger the horse with death The Italians call it Granezza di petto and it proceedeth from the superfluity of bloud and other grosse humors which being dissolued by some extreme and disorderly heate resorteth downeward to the breast and paineth the horse extremely that he can hardly go The signes are a stiffe staggering and weake going with his forelegges and he can very hardly or not at al bow down his head to the ground either to eate or to drink and will groane much when he doth either the one or the other The cure is first to bathe all his breast and foreboothes with the oyle of Peter and if that do not help him within three or foure dayes then to let him bloud on both his breast veines in the ordinary place and then put in a rowell either of haire corke horne or leather of all which and the maner of rowelling you shall reade in a more particular chapter hereafter in the booke of Surgery Now there be other Farriers which for this sicknesse will first giue the horse an inward drench as namely a pint of sweet wine and two spoonfull of diapente then bathe all his breast and legges with wine and oyle mingled together and in some tenne or twelue dayes it will take away the griefe CHAP. 53. Of the sicknesse of the heart called the Anticor THis sicknesse of the heart which by the ancient Farriers is called Anticor as much as to say against or contrary to the heart is a dangerous mortall sicknesse proceeding from the great abundance of bloud which is bredde by too curious and proud keeping where the horse hath much meate and little or no labor as for the most part your geldings of price haue which running all the Summer at grasse do nothing but gather their own food and such like where the maisters too much loue and tendernesse is the meanes to bring the horse to his death as we find dayly in our practise for when such naughty and corrupt bloud is gathered it resorteth to the inward parts and so suffocateth the heart The signes whereof are the horse will many times haue a small swelling rise at the bottome of the breast which swelling will encrease and rise vpward euen to the top of the necke of the horse and then most assuredly it kils the horse he will also hang his head either downe to the manger or downe to the ground forsaking his food and groaning with much painfulnnesse This disease is of many ignorant Smiths taken somtimes for the yellowes and sometimes for the staggers but you shall know that it is not so by these obseruations First neither about the whites of his eyes not the inside of his lips shall you perceiue any apparant yellowes and so then it cannot be the yellowes nor will he haue any great swelling about his eyes nor dizzinesse in his head before he be at the poynt of death and so consequently it cannot be the staggers The cure thereof is two-fold the first a preuention or preseruatiue before the disease come the second a remedy after the disease is apparant For the preuention or preseruatiue you shall obserue that if your horse liue idly either at grasse or in the stable and withall grow very fat which fatnesse is neuer vnaccompanied with corruptnesse that then you fayle not to let him bloud in the necke veine before you turn him to grasse or before you put him to feede in the stable and likewise let him bloud two or three moneths after when you see he is fedde and at each time of letting bloud you must make your quantity according to the goodnesse of the bloud for if the bloud be blacke and thicke which is a signe of inflammation and corruption you shal take the more if it be pure red and thin which is a signe of strength and healthfulnesse you shall take little or none at all There be others which vse for this preuention to giue the horse a scouring or purgation of malmsey oyle and sugarcandy the making and vse whereof you shal reade in the chapter of purgation this would be giuen immediatly when you put your horse to feede and as soone as you see his skin full swolne with fatnesse Now for the remedy when this disease shall be apparant you shall let him bloud on both his plat veines or if the Smiths skill will not extend so farre then you shall let the horse bloud on the necke veine and that he bleede abundantly then you shall giue him this drinke Take a quart of malmsey and put thereunto halfe a quarterne of sugar and two ounces of cinamon beaten to powder and being made luke warme giue it the horse to drinke then keepe him very warme in the stable stuffing him round about with soft wisps very close especially about the stomacke least
mashes and store of prouender or else he will be the worse whilest he liueth Now if it be so that your horse tire in such a place as the necessity of your occasions are to be preferred before the value of your horse and that you must seeke vnnaturall meanes to controlle nature In this case you shall take where the powder of glasse before spoken of cannot be had three or foure round pibble stones and put them into one of his eares and then knit the eare that the stones fall not out and the noyse of those stones will make the horse go after he is vtterly tyred but if that faile you shal with a knife make a hole in the flappe of the horses eare and thrust a long rough sticke full of nickes through the same and euer as the horse slackes his pace so saw and fret the sticke vp and downe in the hole and be sure whilest he hath any liâ—e he will not leaue going Many other torments there are which be needlesse to rehearse onely this is my most generall aduice if at any time you tire your horse to take of old vrine a quart of salt peter three ounces boile them well together and bathe all the horses foure legges in the same and without question it will bring to the sinewes their naturall strength and nimblenesse and for other defects warme and good keeping will cure them And although some of our Northerne Farriers do hold that oaten dough will preuent tiring yet I haue not approued it so because I neuer could gâ—t any horse that would eate it the dough would so sticke and clambe in the horses mouth therefore I hold the cures already recited to be fully sufficient CHAP. 55. Of the diseases of the stomacke and first of the loathing of meate THis disease of the loathing of meate is taken two wayes the one a forsaking of meate as when a horses mouth either through the inflammation of his stomacke doth break out into blisters or such like venemous sores or when he hath the lampas gigges woolfes teeth and such like The cure of all which you shall readily find in the second part of this booke which treateth of surgery the other a dislike of his meate through the intemperature of his stomacke being either too hot as proceeding either from ranknesse of bloud or extremity of trauell as you may perceiue by dayly experience when a horse is set vp in the stable very hot and meate instantly giuen him it is all thing to nothing but he wil loath and refuse it Hence it comes that I did euer hate the noone-tide bayting of horses because mens iourneys commonly crauing haste the horse cannot take such an naturall cooling as he ought before his meate and thereby breeds much sicknesse disease for meate giuen presently after trauell when a horse is hot is the mother of all infirmity or else it proceedeth from the intemperature of the stomacke being too cold as being caused by some naturall defect Now if it proceede from heate onely which you shall know either by his sudden loathing of his meate or the extreme heate of his mouth and breath then to coole his stomacke againe you shall either wash his tongue with vinegar or giue him to drinke cold water mingled with oyle and vinegar There be other Farriers which vse to giue this drinke take of milke and wine of each one pint put therunto of Mel Rosatum 3. ounces and hauing washed his mouth with vinegar salt giue him the drink luke warme with a horne But if the loathing of his meate proceede from the coldnesse of his stomacke which onely is knowne by the standing vp and staring of his haire then by the opinion of the ancient Farriers you shall giue him wine oyle mixt together diuers mornings to drinke but others of our late Farriers giue wine oyle rue and sage boyled together by a quart at a time to drinke Others to the former compounds will adde white pepper Myrre Others vse to giue the horse onions pild and chopt and Rocket seede bruised and boyled in wine Others vse to mixe wine with the bloud of a sow pigge Now to conclude for the generall forsaking or loathing of meate proceeding either from hot or cold causes in the stomacke there is nothing better then the greene blades of corne especially wheate being giuen in a good quantity and that the time of the yeare serue for the gathering thereof Others in stead thereof will giue the horse sweet wine and the seedes of Gith mixt together or else sweet wine and garlike well pild and stampt being a long time brewd together CHAP. 56. Of the casting out of a Horses drinke THe ancient Farriers especially the Italians constantly do affirme that a horse may haue such a paulsey proceeding from the coldnesse of his stomacke and may make him vnable to retaine and keepe his drinke but that many times he will vomit and cast it vp againe for mine owne part from those causes I haue not seene such effects yet from other causes as from cold in the head where the rheume binding about the roots and kirnels of the tongue hath as it were strangled and made straight the passages to the stomacke there I haue many times seene a horse cast his water that he drunke in very abundant sort backe againe through his nosthrels sometimes striue with great earnestnesse to drinke but could not at all The signes of both from which cause foeuer it proceede is onely the casting vp of his drinke or water and the cure thereof is onely to giue him cordiall and warme drinkes as is malmsey cinamon anise seedes and cloues well brewd and mixt together and to annoynt his breast and vnder his shoulders with either the oyle of Cypresse oyle of Spike or the oyle of pepper and to purge his head with fumes or pilles such as will force him to neese of which you may see store in a chapter following for such fumigation ioyning with these hot oyles will soone dissolue the tumors CHAP. 57. Of surfaiting with glut of prouender THere is not any disease more easily procured nor more dangerous to the life of a horse then this surfaite which is taken by the glut of prouender it cometh most commonly by keeping the horse extreme sharpe or hungry as either by long trauell or long standing empty then in his height of greedinesse giuing him such superabundance of meate that his stomacke wanting strength to disgest it all the whole body is driuen into an infinite great paine and extremity The signes are great weaknesse and feeblenesse in the horses limbes so that he can hardly stand but lyeth downe oft and being downe walloweth and tumbleth vp and downe as if he had the bots The cure thereof according to the ordinary practise of our common Farriers is to take a halfe peny worth of blacke sope and a quart of new milke and as much sweete butter as sope and hauing on
a chafing dish and coales mixt them together giue it the horse to drinke this will cleanse the horses stomacke and bring it to its strength againe But the ancient Farriers did vse first to let the horse bloud in the necke veine because euery surfait breedes distemperature in the bloud then trot the horse vp and downe an howre or more and if he cannot stale draw out his yard and wash it with white wine made luke warme and thrust into his yard either a cloue of garlicke or a little oyle of camomill with a peece of small waxe candle If he cannot dung first with your hand rake his fundament and then giue him a glister of which you shall read hereafter when his glister is receiued you shall walke him vp and downe till hee haue emptyed his belly then set him vp and keepe him hungry the space of two or three dayes obseruing euer to sprinkle the hay hee eateth with a little water and let his drinke be warme water and branne made mash-wise after he hath drunke the drinke let him eate the branne if he please but from other prouender keep him fasting at least tenne dayes There be other Farriers that in this case vse onely to take a quart of beere or ale and two peny worth of sallet oyle and as much dragon water a peny worth of treacle make all these warme vpon the coales then put in an ounce of cinamon anise seedes and cloues all beaten together and so giue it the horse luke warme to drinke All these receipts are exceeding good yet for mine owne part and many of the best Farriers confirme the same there is nothing better for this disease then moderate exercise much fasting and once in foure or fiue dayes a pint of sweete wine with two spoonefull of the powder Diapente CHAP. 58. Of foundring in the body being a surfaite got either by Meate Drinke or Labour THis disease of foundring in the body is of all surfaits the most vile most dangerous and most incident vnto horses that are dayly trauelled it proceedeth according to the opinion of some Farriers from eating of much prouender suddenly after labour the horse being then as it were panting hot as we may dayly see vnskilfull horsemen do at this day whereby the meate which the horse eateth not being disgâ—sted breedeth euill and grosse humours which by little little spreading themselues through the members do at the length oppresse almost confound the whole body absolutely taking away from him al his strength insomuch that he can neither go nor bow his ioynts nor being layd is able to rise againe besides it taketh away from him his instrumentall powers as the office both of vrine and excrements which cannot be performed but with extreme paine There be other Farriers and to their opinion I rather leane that suppose it proceedeth from suffering the horse to drinke too much in his trauell being very hot whereby the grease being suddenly cooled it doth clappe about and suffocate the inward parts with such a loathsome fulnesse that without speedy euacuation there can be no hope but of death onely Now whereas some Farriers do hold that this foundring in the body should be no other then the foundring in the legges because it is say they a melting and dissolution of humours which resort downeward they are much deceiued for it is not as they hold a dissolution of humours but rather a binding together of corporall and substantiall euils which by an vnnaturall accident doth torment the heart Now for the hold which they take of the name Foundring as if it were drawne from the French word Fundu signifying melting truly I thinke it was rather the ignorance of our old Farriers which knew not how to entitle the disease then any coherence it hath with the name it beareth For mine owne part I am of opinion that this disease which we cal foundring in the body doth not onely proceede from the causes aforesayd but also and most oftest by sudden washing horses in the winter season when they are extreme fat and hot with instant trauell where the cold vapour of the water striking into the body doth not onely astonish the inward and vitall parts but also freezeth vp the skin and maketh the bloud to leese his office Now the signes to know this disease are holding downe of his head staring vp of his haire coughing staggering behinde trembling after water dislike of his meate leannesse stiffe going disability to rise when he is downe and to conclude which is the chiefest signe of all other his belly will be clung vp to his backe and his backe rising vp like a Camell The cure according to the opinion of the Farriers is first to rake his fundament and then to giue him a glister which done and that the horses belly is emptyed then take of malmsey a quart of sugar halfe a quarterne of cinamon halfe an ounce of licoras and anise seedes of each two spoonefull beaten into fine powder which being put into the malmsey warme them together at the fire so that the hony may be molten then giue it the horse luke warme to drinke which done walke him vp and downe either in the warme stable or some warme roade the space of an howre then let him stand on the bit fasting two howres more onely let him be warme clothed stopt and littered when you giue him hay let it be sprinkled with water and let his prouender be very cleane sifted from dust and giuen by a little at once and let his drinke be warme mashes of malt and water Now when you see him recouer and get a little strength you shall then let him bloud in the necke veine and once a day perfume him with Frankinsence to make him neese and vse to giue him exercise abroad when the wether is warme and in the house when the weather is stormy Now there be other Farriers which vse for this disease to take a halfe peny worth of garlicke two peny worth of the powder of pepper two peny worth of the powder of ginger two peny worth of graines bruised and put all these into a pottell of strong ale and giue it the horse to drinke by a quart at a time dyetting and ordering him as is aforesayd and when he gâ—tteth strength either let him bloud in the necke veine or the spurre veines or on both to conclude there is no drinke nor dyet which is comfortable but is most soueraigne and good for this infirmity CHAP. 59. Of the greedy Worme or hungry Euill in Horses THIS hungry Euill is a disease more common then found out by our Farriers because the most of our horse-maisters out of great ignorance hold it a speciall vertue to see a horse eatâ— eagerly whereas indeeede this ouer-hasty and greedy eating is more rather an infirmity and sicknesse of the inward parts and this disease is none other then an insatiate and greedy eating contrary to nature and old custome
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
spread a liuely heate and feeling ouer the whole body and of frictions both according to the opinion of the old Farriers also all the best of this present age these are the most soueraigne Take of damaske roses one pound of old oyle a pint of strong vinegar a pint and an halfe of mints and rew beaten into powder of each one ounce and a halfe together with one old dry nut beate them and mingle them well together then being strained and made luke warme if it be in the sommertime and that the Sunne shine hot take the horse abroad but if otherwise keepe him in the stable and heating a barre of yron exceeding hot hold it ouer and on each side the horse and with the oyntment rubbe and chafe the horse all ouer against the haire vntill the horse beginne to sweate then cloathe the horse very warme and let him stand This friction is excellent against all winter feuers or any inward sicknesse that cometh of cold Take of blacke Elleborus two or three handfuls and boyle it in a sufficient quantity of strong vinegar and with that rubbe and chafe all the horses head and body quite ouer once or twice a day and it is most excellent against frenzy madnesse or any drynesse or scallynesse of the skinne Take oyle de bay or Dialthea and annoynt all the horses body all ouer therewith holding a panne of coales or a hot panne of coales neare the oyntment to make it sinke in or else make him a bathe of running water wherein is boyled rew wormewood sage Iuniper bay leaues and hyssope and bathe all his body therewith either of these are most soueraigne for the mourning of the chine or any disease of the liuer lungs or spleene Take wine and oyle and hauing mixt them together chafe and rubbe the horses body therewith and it is most soueraigne for any inward sicknesse especially of the liuer To bathe a horse in salt water is very wholesome both for the horses skinne and also for any disease of the stomacke Lastly take of mallowes of sage of each two or three handfuls and a rose cake boyle them together in water then being boyled till the water be all consumed then adde a good quantity of butter or â—allet oyle and mixing them together bathe all the horses foure legges therewith and all the parts of his body also and there is nothing more soueraigne for a horse that hath bene tyred or ouer-trauelled To let bloud and with that bloud and oyle and vinegar presently to annoynt his body helpeth most sorts of infirmities CHAP. 96. Generall Drenches or Medicines for all the inward diseases or surfaits in Horses THere is no medicine more soueraigne for all diseases which breede in a horses body then to take two spoonefull of the powder called Diapente and brew it with a pint either of sacke or muskadine and so giue it the horse to drinke fasting in a morning and do this at least three mornings together especially when the horse beginneth first to droope The next to this is to take of selladine two handfuls both root and leaues choppe them and bruise them then take of rew as much of redde sage and of mints as much and of aloes halfe an ounce boyle these in a pottle of beare or ale till the one halfe be consumed and then giue it the horse luke warme to drinke 〈◊〉 foure ounces of Diapente and mixe it with foure ounces of clarified hony and keepe it in a close glasse and giue halfe an ounce thereof with a pint of sweete wine to the horse to drinke and it is an excellent drench Take of licoras an ounce of anise seedes of comin seedes of each halfe an ounce of Elicampanam rootes as much of turmericke and bayes of each a quarter of an ounce of long pepper and fenugreeke of each two drammes beate these small and searse them and put fiue spoonefull thereof into a quart of ale warmed with a little butter or oyle it is very soueraigne for any disease coming of cold causes Take a quart of good ale or wine a raw egge beaten mingled with twelue scruples of quicke sulphure and foure scruples of Myrre made into powder and giue it the horse to drinke it is a good drench The powder of brimstome mixt with sweete wine is a good drench also The roote of the sea onion the rootes of popler called in Greeke Rhammos mingled with common salt giuen in water keepeth the horse long in health Take fiue pound of fenegreeke and bruise it seeth it in water till it waxe thicke adde a pound of sweete butter an ounce of linseede oyle and as much of the oyle of nuts mingle them well together and giue it the horse in three or foure dayes to drinke by a pretty quantity at a time Selladine simply of it selfe or rew simply of it selfe boyled in beere or ale and as much brimstone as a wal-nut is an excellent drench for any long taken surfaite Garlicke and housleeke beaten together in a mortar and then boyled in beere or ale from a pottle to a quart then mixt with licoras anise seedes and sugarcandy and a pretty quantity of oyle is an excellent drench for any inward sicknesse which doth proceede from hot causes as is the Frenzy the Anticor and such like And thus much of generall drenches and their vses CHAP. 97. How to make the powder called Diapente THis word Diapente is as much as to say a composition of fiue simples for the receipt is thus compounded Take of Genâ—ian of Aristolochia of Bay berries of Myrre and of the shauings of Iuory of each like quantity beate them into very fine powder and then searce it This powder is praised to be a soueraigne preseruatiue or medicine against all inward diseases and therefore I would wish euery Farrier and all such as are the maisters of good horses neuer to be without it CHAP. 98. A most famous Receipt which is both a singular Drench and a singular Oyntment TAke of Euforbium halfe an ounce of Castoreum one ounce of Adarces halfe a quarter of a pound of Bdelium halfe an ounce and halfe a quarter of pepper a quarter of a pound Foxe-greace halfe an ounce Opoponax one ounce Lacerpitium three quarters of an ounce Amoniacum halfe a quarter of a pound pidgions dung as much Galbanum halfe an ounce Nitrum one ounce one quarter Spuma nitri three quarters of an ounce Ladanum a quarter of a pound Perethrum bay berries of each three quarters of an ounce Cardanun two ounces seede of rew halfe a quarter of a pound seede of Agnus Castus one ounce parsley halfe an ounce dryed rootes of Trees or flower-deluce one ounce one quarter hyssop Carpobalsamum a quarter of a pound oyle of flower-deluce a quarter of a pound and halfe a quarter oyle de bay as much oyle of Spikenard three quarters of a pound Oleum Cyprinum three quarters of a pound and halfe a quarter
without Let your hay bottles be very little and tyed very hard for so your horse shall eate with the best stomacke and make least waste To sprinkle water vpon your hay is most wholesome and to sprinkle fenugreeke vpon your prouender is as soueraigne the first is good for the winde the latter for wormes Giue your horse dayly exercise for that gets the best stomacke to his meate Purge your horse once a yeare with grasse or with greene blades of corne called forrage for fifteene daies together yet before you so purge him in any case let him bloud and whilest he is in purging by no meanes let him haue any prouender A horse after trauell hath euer more bloud then any beast whatsoeuer Greene grasse or forrage cleanseth the bloud encreaseth strength healeth diseases auoydeth melancholy helpeth the horses growth and maketh the skin smooth whilest the horse is at soile by no meanes let him take cold The Northerne man watereth two howres before he rideth at the least then lets the horse eate a little hay then giues prouender but not much and bridleth the horse vp a quarter of an howre before he rideth at night he watereth two miles before he taketh his lodging then rideth easily he neither walketh his horse nor stuffeth him nor looseth any gyrth but only rubbeth him very cleane so lets him bite vpon his bridle halfe an howre after with good store of litter vnder him then he giues the horse hay and after prouender before he goeth to bed he watereth againe yet but a little then sees the horse throughly well drest and rubbed well littered and most sufficiently meated There be others which walke after labour then rubbes well littereth and vnbridleth both which be good so that the one haue not too much walking nor the other too cold a stable But howsoeuer stuffe not your horse backward but betwixt his forelegges and formost gyrth for backward stuffing is perillous lest drawing his yard when he would stale he draw backe into his sheath any of the litter that stoppes him The Northerne mans vse agreeth with the French principles which saith Vse no other walking then yourselfe on your horses back by riding him gently till you come to your Inne and so make him cold then shake litter vnder him rub his legges his belly and euery parte of his body well till he be dry then vnbridle him rub his head wel and giue him hay slacke no girth till it be night that the windowes be shut suffer the horse to drinke but a little at once to auoyd suddaine cooling of the stomacke or driuing the horse into a shaking feuer at night rub and curry well and feede according to the horses stomacke Other good horsemen ride gently till the horses sinewes be chafed and neuer water in trauell till the horse haue staled and forbeare to trauell him fast before he haue drunke that he may not drinke in his great heat and they hold the standing water the best after water for a mile they ride softly till his water be warmed in his belly and before they come to their Inne they do not water nor of an howre after they haue vnbridled then they clothe well and giue prouender hauing a care that their horses stand not in the wind and that they haue ben rubbed dry and cleane Now all these principles are exceeding good yet I would wish euery traueller to learne how his horse hath beene vsed and that custome if it be not too much against reason still to follow If you come late to your Inne and that your iourney be greate and hasty so that your horse will not eate till he haue drunke and yet is hote notwithstanding then let his drinke be milke giuen in the darke lest the whitenesse make him refuse it this is both cordiall and pleasant if you cannot get milke enough then mingle milke with water luke warme for no drinke would be giuen to a horse hotter If your horse either by labour or surfaits be brought low leane and weake you shall giue him mates milke to drinke many daies together and it will make him strong It is not good to wash your horse if he be either very hot or very fat otherwise you may wash his legges aboue the knees so that in no case you wash his belly and that you ride him a good round pace after his washing then by no meanes walke him but set him vp and dresse him the purer the water is wherein you wash your horse the more wholesome it is so that it be not too extreme cold The best howres to water your horse in when he liues at rest is betwixt seauen and eight in the morning and foure and fiue in the euening When you trauell at euery steepe hill light both to refresh your horse and your selfe Let a fat or hot horse haue his water at foure times and not as much as he will drinke at once giue him prouender twise at night but once in the morning let his cloth neither be too hot nor with straw too much stuffed when he eateh good hay let him haue lesse prouender then when he eateth straw giue his meate by a little at once to auoyd glutting of him and let him stand two howers euery day without meate Rubbing much hard and well doth profite preserue and doth keepe both strength of body and legges for in rubbing and combing a horse doth take much delight and it is better then much meate To feede with barley according to the opinion of the ancient Italians ingendreth good bloud encreaseth strength and courage and maintaineth health but with vs here in England we finde oates to be a much better feeding In the dogge daies it is not wholesome to ride your horse oft into the water to allay his naturall heate The maisters eye to see his horse well curried and with the hand well rubbed and well meated and the stable sweete and cleane kept preserueth health and wonderfully feedeth the horse Cleanse and picke the soales and bottoms of your horses feet oft and stuffe them with Oxe dung and annoynt his houes with fresh grease tarre or Turpentine Much rest is the mother of many diseases When you ride looke often to your saddle your horses shooes and you shall finde much more ease in your iourney CHAP. 101. Certaine speciall Principles in Foales and in Horses THe Foales whose legges be long wil euer be talle for of all beasts their legges in length euer grow the least and by the bignesse of their legges you shall gesse the strength and greatnesse of their bodies Let your colts if you can possible neuer be housed till they be past three yeares old The Greeke horse which we call the Turky horse is a most excellent horse swift bold well headed tall and strong many of them be white some bay some sorrell and some blacke The Arabian horse is most swift and most beautifull The horse of Affrica which we call the Barbary horse is
proper and due to euery horse but when either through rankenesse of bloud or aboundance of corrupt humours resorting to that place they begin to be inflamed then they become very foule sorrances and impostumations most dangerous they are inwardly very full of little white salt kirnels and they breede great paine in the horses throat This disease as farre forth as I can finde by any demonstration is the disease which in men we call the squinansie or quinzy and not as some of the old Farriers suppose the strangle for that hath no coherence with the infirmity For the signes of the disease there needes small repetition insomuch as the griefe is apparant to the eye and the cure according to the opinion of the oldest Farriers is thus If you see the kirnels to ranckle and swell you shall take the horses eare and laying it downe alongst the necke of the horse at the very end or tippe of the eare cut a hole through the skinne of the necke the length of an almonde or better and then with a crooked wire picke out all those kirnels which you finde inflamed which done fill the hole full of salt then about the end of three dayes you shall finde the soare beginne to matter then wash it either with barke water or with the iuice of sage then take of hony of sweet butter and of tarre of each halfe a spoonefull and melte them together and as soone as you haue washt the soare cleane put into it of this oyntment the quantity of a beane and so dresse the horse once a day vntil he be whole There be others of our most ancient English Farriers which for this sorrance vse first to draw the soare right downe in the midst with a hot Iron from the root of the eare so farre as the tip of the eare wil reach being pulled down vnder the root againe draw â— strikes on each side like an arrow head in this forme then in the midst of the first line lance them with a lancet and taking hold of the kirnels with a paire of fine thin pinsons pull them so farre forward as you may cut the kirnels out without hurting the veine that dore fill the hoale with salt and heale it vp as aforesaid Now the most of the Italian Farriers vse this cure First take a sponge steeped well in strong vinegar and binde it vnto the soare place renewing it twice a day vntill the kirnels bee râ—tted that done lance it in the neathermost part where the matter lyeth and let it out and then fill vp the hole with salt finely brayed and the next day wash all the filth away with warme water and a sponge and then annoint the place with hony and fitch flowre mixt together but in any case beware during this cure that you touch not the kirnels with your bare finger for feare of venoming the place which is very apt for a fistula to breede in Now there be other English Farriers which vse either to ripen the soare by laying to a plaister of hot hogges grease or a plaister of barley meale mixt with three ounces of raisins sod well together in strong wine or else they cut out the kirnels Now whether you cut them out burne them out or rot them out of all which I hold rotting the best you shall euer fill the hole with nettles and salt being chopt and mixt together or else taint it with tents dipt in water and mixt with sallet oyle and salt Others vse to burne them downeward with a hot Iron in the midst from the eare to the iaw bone drawing two crosse stroakes and then lance it in the midst and plucke out the kirnels and fill the hole with bay salt and the croppes of nettles well chopt together or else put onely salt into the hole and take the croppes of nettles well chopt and mixt with baysalt and two spoonefull of strong vinegar and straine it put in either eare a spoonefull thereof and put some black wolle after it so bind vp his eares Others vse to ripen them either by laying to the soare wet hay or hot horse litter as soone as they are ripe which you shall know by the softnesse to lance the skinne and take out the kirnels and then fill the hole with the powder of hony and vnsleckt lime mixt together and burnt Others vse after the kirnels are ripened taken out to take of Egrimony hony and violet leaues of each like quantity stamping them well together to plaister the soare therewith till it be whole Others vse after the kirnels are taken out to wash the soare with copporas water and then to tent the hole with flaxe dipt in the white of an egge and after to heale it with waxe Turpentine and hogges grease molten well together CHAP. 21. Of the Strangle THe strangle howsoeuer our old Farriers make a long discourse thereof is not as they suppose a kinde of quinzy but a meane inflammation of the throate proceeding from some cholericke or bloudy fluxion which comes out of the branches of the throat veines into those parts and there breedeth some hot inflammation being stirred vp either by some great cold in winter or cold taken after labour it is a great and a hard swelling betweene the horses neather chappes vpon the roots of the horses tongue and about his throate which swelling if it be not preuented will stoppe the horses wind-pipe so strangle or choake him from which effect and none other the name of the disease tooke his deriuation The signes of this disease besides the apparant sight thereof and the palpable feeling of the same is the horses temples of his head wil be hollow his tongue will hang out of his mouth his head and eyes also will be swolne and the passage of his throat so stopt that he can neither eate nor drinke and his breath will be exceeding short The cure thereof according to the most ancient Farriers is with a round small hot Iron to tâ—rust a hole through the skinne on both sides the wessand and then after it beginneth to matter to mixe butter Tanners water and salt together and euery day annoynt the soare therewith till it be whole Other of the ancient Farriers vse first to bathe the horses mouth and tongue with hot water and then annoint the soare place with the gall of a bull that done giue him this drinke take of old oyle two pounds of old wine a quart nine figges and nine leekes heades well stamped and brayed together and after you haue boiled these a while before you straine them put thereunto a little Nitrum Alexandrinum and giue him a quart of this euery morning and euening also you may if you will let him bloud in the palate of the mouth and powre wine and oyle into his nosthrels also giue him to drinke the decoction of figs Nitrum sodden together or else to annoint his throat within with Nitre oyle
know we can neither well goe nor stand and euen so it fareth with a horse in this case for the course of the bloud being stopped those obstructions causeth this torment It commeth most commonly when a horse is very fat and hath his grease molten within him and then sodainely cooled by taking his saddle off two soone or by standing still in the cold vnstirred or else by letting him stand still in some shallow water little higher then his fetlocks A horse also may be foundred by wearing straight and vneasy shooâ—s especially in the sommer season when a horse trauelleth vpon the hard ground The signes to know it is the horse goeth crouching and drawing all his foure feete within the compasse almost of a pecke and will stand so fearefully as though he stood vpon needles Now you shall vnderstand that a horse will sometimes be only foundred of his forefâ—ete and not of his hinder which you shall know in that the horse will tread onely vpon his hinder feete and not on his forefeete and goe as though his buttockes would touch the ground and sometimes he will be foundred vpon his hinder feete and not vpon his forefeeet and that you shall perceiue by his fearefulnes to set his feet to the ground being also so weake behind that he will stand quiuering and quaking and couet alwaies to lye downe and sometimes he will be foundred of all his forefeete the signes whereof were first declared Now for as much as the cures be all of one and the selfe same nature and what cureth the first cureth also the rest I will ioine them all together with this aduice that if you find the horse to be foundred of the sorefeet only then to apply your medicine to the foreparts only if on the hinder feete then to the hinder parts but if of all foure feete then to lay your medicine to all the seuerall parts of the body as shall be presently declared To come then to the cures according to the opinion of a worthy Knight well experienced in this disease if your horse be foundred of all his foure feet you shall cause him to be let bloud on his two breast veines of his two forelegges somewhat aboue his knees also you shall let him bloud on his two spurre veines and on the veines of his two hinder feete a little aboue the hoofe betweene the hoofe and the pastorne you shall let these veines bleed well to the quantity of a quarte or three pintes which bloud you must saue in some vessell and stirre it with a sticke to keepe it from clearing and when he hath bled as aboue said put it all into one vessell then stoppe the 〈…〉 with some horse dung or some earth and make a charge with the bloud in this sort take as much wheat meale branne and all as will make the bloud somewhat thicke and put it into the bloud take eight or tenne egges and breake them also into this bloud shels and all take a pinte of strong vinegar and a quantity of Bole-armoniacke braid and put them into the bloud also which done you shall stirre them altogether then shall you with your hand lay the said charge all along vpon the reins of the horses backe vpon his buttockes and downe his shoulders when you haue laid on this charge thus you shall take two long linnen ragges dipped in the same charge with which so dipped you shall garter the horse aboue the knees of his forelegges somewhat hard and likewise with two other like ragges so dipped you shall garter him hard aboue both his hinder hoofes also that done cause him to be walked vpon the hardest ground you can find for the space of two or 3 howers if he be loath to go as commonly he will be let one follow him and beate him with a stick or wand to force him to go then after this walking let him be set vp tyed to the racke that he lye not downe and there let him rest two or three howres which done let him be walked againe two or three howers more as aforesaid then set him vp and let him feed and when you giue him drinke which you may doe within two or threee howres after his feeding let it be a warme mash of malte and water and then let him feed a little after it then ride him a little and if you let him stand an howre or two in a poole of standing water vp to the belly and one vpon his backe it is good also and after that ride him againe a little then let him be set vp well dressed and couered and so by little and little ride him a day or two and then may you boldly iourney him for it is riding that bringeth the horse to the perfectnesse of his feete and you shall find your horse as sound as euer he was Now during this cure you are to take these obseruations in your memory First you shall not need to remoue or stirre the horses shoes then you must after twenty foure howres rub off the charge from the horse backe Item you shall take away his garters after twelue howres and rub his knees houghes with your hand and with wispes to take away the numbnesse Item if you cannot get wheat meale you may take oaten meale Item if he will will not bleed in the veines before named then you may take your bloud from the necke veine Lastly if you take the horse in hand to cure within twenty foure howres after he is foundred he will be sound againe within twenty foure howres after if he goe longer the cure will be longer in doing Now the ancient Farriers of this kingdome and amongst the Italians differ not much in their practise from this already rehearsed only into the charge they adde of Sanguis Draconis halfe a quarterne and as much beane flower as wheat flowre and of turpentine halfe a pound then if they â—id see that within foure daies the horse did not recouer then they did know that the hurtfull humâ—rs did only lye in the horses feete and there you must search his feete with your butterysse paring all the soles of his feete so thin that you may see the water issue through the sole that done let him bloud at the toes let him bleed well then stoppe the veine with turpentine hogs grease molten together and laid vpon a little flaxe then tacke on his shoes cram the place where you did let him bloud hard with tow to the entent it may be surely stopt then fill all the soles of his feete with hogges grease and bran boild or fried together so hot as is possible and vpon that stopping clappe a peece of leather and two crosse splents to keepe in the stopping and immediatly after this take two egges and beat them in a dish and put thereunto as much Bole-armoniack and beane flowre as will thicken the same mixe them well together and make thereof two plaisters such
as may close each foote round about somewhat aboue the cronet and bind it fast with a list or roller that it may not fall away nor be remoued for the space of two daies but let the soles of his feete be cleansed and new stopped euery daie once and the cronets to be remoued euery two daies vntill the horse be sound during which time let him rest vnwalked for feare of loosening his houes but if you see that he beginne to amend you may walke him faire and softly once a day vpon some softe ground to exercise his legges and feete and let him not eate much nor drinke cold water but if his foundring breake out aboue the hoofe which you shall perceiue by the loosenesse of the coffin aboue by the cronet then when you pare the sole you must take all the forepart of the sole cleane away leauing the heeles whole to the entent the humors may haue the freer passage downeward and then stoppe him and dresse him about the cronet as is before said Now if the horse during this cure chaunce to fall sicke or grow so dry in his body that he cannot dung then you shall first rake him after giue him a glister of mallowes three handfuls boild in water from a pottle to a quart then after it is strained put to it halfe a pound of butter and a quarter of a pint of sallet oile and so administer it then when the horse hath emptied his belly giue him this comfortable drinke Take of malmsey a quart and put thereunto a little cinnamon mace pepper beaten into fine powder and of oile a quarter of a pint and giue the horse to drinke of that luke-warme that done let him be walked vp and downe a good while together if he be able to goe if not then tye him vp to the racke and let him be hanged with canuas and ropes so as he may stand vpon the ground with his feete for the lesse he lieth downe the better but these extremities do seldome happen Now there be other Farriers which for the foundring of a horse only take verdigrease turpentine and sallet oile and hoâ—ges grease of each like quantity of bees waxe one ounce boile altogether and so dip flaxe or tow in it then hauing pared his feete thinne and let him bloud on the toes stoppe all his feete with that ointment very hot or else they take the rootes of nettles and hemlocke with elder pilles of each a handfull boyle them tender in boares grease or hogges grease so let him bloud in the midst of the foote on the toe veine then bathe and chafe his ioynt and legge therewith all about from his knee vnto the feetlocke and then clappe it to and binde a cloath fast to as hot as you can So vse this once a day till he be well Now for mine owne part although there is not any of these former recited practises but are found perfectly good in their kindes yet I haue not found any so absolute either for old or new founder as this which I will rehearse First you shall with a very sharp drawing knife draw euery part of the soles of the horses feete so thinne as is possible euen till you see the very water and bloud issuing forth and being sure to draw or pare euery part alike which can hardly be done with a butterys then at the very sharpe end of the frush of the horses foote you shall see the veine lye then with your knifes end lift vp the hoofe and let the veine bleede which as long as you hold open the hoofe wil spinne a great way forth when it hath bled better then a pint you shall close the hoofe and so stoppe the veine then tacke on his foote a hollow shooe made for the purpose that done clap a little tow dipt in hogges grease and turpentine vppon the veine very hard then take two or three hard egges roasted and comming burning hot out of the fire and burst them in the sole of the horses foote then powre vpon them hogges grease turpentine and tarre boyling hot and as much flaxe dipt therein as will fill vp the hollow shooe then lay on a peece of leather to keepe all the rest in and splint it sure and in this manner dresse his foure feâ—te if all bee foundred otherwise no more then are foundred and thus you shall dresse the horse three times in one fortnight and without any further trouble you shall bee sure to haue the horse as sound as euer he was Now if the horse be foundred through the straitnesse of a shoo which in truth is not a founder but a frettizing which is a degree lesse then foundring then you shall for that sorrance you shall first take off his shooe and let him bloud on the toes then stopping the place with bruised sage then tack on his shooe againe and stop it with hogs grease and bran boiled together as hot as is possible and do thus twice in one fortnight and it will helpe him CHAP. 63. Of the Splent as well on the inside of the knee as of any other part of the legge A Splent is to the outward feeling a very gristle or rather a hard bone sometimes as big as a hazell nut sometimes as big as a wal-nut according to the age thereof growing vpon the inside of the forelegge betweene the knee and the vpper pasterne ioynt and somtimes iust vnderneath and close vnto the knee which is of all other the most dangerous splent and doth the soonest make a horse lame it cometh by trauelling a horse too yong or by ouerpressing him with heauy burthens wherby the tender sinews of his legs are offended Now for the knowledge thereof it is easy because it is apparant vnto the eie most palpable to be felt The cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers is to take an onyon pricking out the chore put into it halfe a spoonfull of hony a quarter of a spoonfull of vnsleckt lime and 4. penywaight of verdigrease then closing vp the onion roast it in hot embers vntil it be soft then bruise it in a mortar as hot as the horse can suffer it lay it to the splent it will take it away but in any case cut no skin Other of the ancient Farriers vse first to wash the splent with warme water then to shaue off the haire and lightly to scarifie or pricke the skin with the point of a razor so as the bloud may issue forth then take of Cantharides halfe a spoonful of Euforbium as much beaten into fine powder mingle them together with a spoonful of oyle de bay then melt them in a little pan stirring them well together so as they may not boile ouer being so boiling hot take 2. or 3. feathers anoint al the soare places therwith that done let not the horse stir froÌ„ the place where you so dresse him for an houre after to the
griefe is in his forelegges but if he go onely weake behinde then is the griefe in his hinder legges onely If a horse desire extraordinarily to lye downe on his right side it is a signe of heate in the liuer If on the left side then of a diseased spleene if he be oft vp and downe finding no rest then it is a signe of bottes wormes chollicke or griping in the belly if when he is downe he spreade himselfe abroad it shewes the dropsie if he groane when he is downe it shewes either a sicke spleene moist yellowes chollicke bots or filme broken if he be not able to rise when he is downe then either mortall weaknesse foundring in the body or legges To be troubled with much wind is a signe either of griefe in the spleene or losse of much bloud If a horse forsake his meate it is a signe either of a feuer head-ache strangle staggers consumption or dry malady anticor foundring in the body a hot and consumed liuer moyst yellowes cholicke or the wormes but if when he forsaketh his prouender he doth as it were chauell or chaw a little hay and in his chawing doth make a certaine sharp noyse in his mouth and if his tongue could not well part from the roofe without a kinde of chanking it is then a certaine signe that the horse is troubled with the falling of the palate of the mouth a disease which only commeth by ouer much trauell or too sore a burthen If a horse desire to eate much and drinke little it is a signe of a cold liuer but if he desire to drinke much and eate little it is then a signe either of a feuer rotten lungs heate in the stomacke heate in the liuer or the dry yellowes If a horse both eate and drinke with an extraordinary greedinesse it is a signe of rotten lungs or a diseased spleene Lazie and heauy going contrary to true nature is a signe either of a feuer sicke spleene yellowes or else obstructions of the liuer If a horse strike with his foote at his belly it is a signe of the chollike but if when he striketh he fiske with his taile also then is it either bots or rough wormes If a horse be scabby and vlcerous all ouer his body or but about his necke it is a signe of the mangie if it be an vlcer full of knots creeping alongst a veine it is the farcy if spreading abroad onely in one place it is a canker if the vlcer be hollow and crooked it is a fistula but if it be a spongie wart full of bloud it is then an Anburie If a horses tongue hang out and be swolne it is a signe of the strangle To conclude if a horse in health beate short thicke fast in the flanke it is a signe of sicknesse in the lungs lights which we call broken winded with a world of other such like signes and tokens as shall be more amply declared in euery particular chapter CHAP. 13. Generall obseruations in the Physicking of Horses AFter you can by these signes and characters iudge and approue either the health or sicknesse of a horse it is then necessary that you learne some generall rules and obseruations which belong to the physicking of a horse lest that either by your rashnesse vnskilfulnesse or vncleanlinesse in what you go about to do you commit errours more grosse then the medicine you administer hath power to do good Know then first that whensoeuer you go about to giue your horse any inward potion or drench you must first take very carefull heede that your drinke be no more then milke warme for there is nothing more mortall to a horse then the scalding of his stomacke Next you must be very carefull that you giue the drench easily and gently lest in making too much haste the drinke passe into his weasand or winde-pipe and so force him to an extreme coughing and almost suffocate him which if it do you must then let his head loose and walke him vp and downe till the passion be past Lastly you shall obserue in giuing a drench to draw out the horses tongue before you put in the horne and then presently let it loose againe for that will compell him to swallow whether he will or no. And this is principally to be vsed when you giue your horse pils as butter and garlike bulter and Saunders or butter and sauen Also euery drench will worke the better the longer you keepe the sicke horse fasting both before and after his medicine wherein is likewise to be obserued that moderate exercise as gently walking or trotting vp and downe according to the horses strength after his drench is receiued is most wholesome and maketh the medicine worke a great deale the better You shall likewise obserue if your horses sicknesse be a feuer to mixe alwayes your simples either with warme water with hony or with oyle but if the disease be coughes rheumes or any thing that proceedeth of cold causes then you shall mixe your simples with good ale or wine and if your horse be brought low weake with sicknesse then you shall mixe your simples with milke or egges You shall also obserue that in bloud letting you must take but halfe so much from a yong colt as from an old horse and but the fourth part from a yearling foale also in letting bloud you must carefully regard the age and strength of your horse taking more or lesse according to his ability of body Lastly letting of bloud is either to diuert sicknesse and preserue health or to refresh and coole the spirits or to diminish bloud or else to purge grosse and badde humours Obserue before you let your horse bloud first moderately to chafe or exercise him then let him take rest a day before his letting bloud and three dayes after not forgetting that Aprill and October are the two principall seasons of the yeare for that purpose except vrgent occsion be ministred Obserue whensoeuer you rake your horse with your hand which is to draw his ordure out of his fundament when hee cannot dung that then first you annoynt all your hand with sallet oyle the like you must euer do when you put vp any suppositary but when you administer any glister you shall then but annoynt the glister pipe onely Many other obseruations there are which be more particular and those you shall finde annexed to the seuerall cure of euery disease Thus much then of these generall obseruations CHAP. 14. Of the vrine and excrements of an horse AFter you haue made your memory acquainted with the signes and obseruations before specified and so in the end finde a horse which by the demonstration of some of these signes appeareth most certainly to be sicke and diseased my aduice is then if conueniently you may and that the violence of the sicknesse do not vrge the contrary that before you administer any thing vnto him in any case you see his vrine from which vrine you
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
any winde do annoy him and let his ordinary drinke be warme mashes of malt and water his foode only that whatsoeuer it be which he eateth with the best stomacke Now if you see any swelling to appeare whether it be soft or hard then besides letting him bloud you shall strike the swelling in diuers places with a steame or launcet that the corruption may issue forth and then annoynt it with hogges grease made warme for that will either expell it or bring it to a head especially if the swelling be kept exceeding warme There be other Farriers which for this disease vse first to let the horse bloud as is aforesayd and then to giue him a quart of malmsey well brewed with three spoonfull of the powder called Diapente and if the swelling arise to lay thereunto nothing but hay well sodden in old vrine and then to keepe the same dyet as is aforesayd Others vse after the letting of bloud to giue the horse no drinke but onely tenne or twelue spoonefuls of that water which is called Doctor Stephens water and is not vnknown to any Apothecary and then for the rest of the cure to proceede in all things as is before specified questionlesse I haue seene strange effects of this practise CHAP. 54. Of tired Horses SInce wee are thus farre proceeded into the inward and vitall parts of a horses body it is not amisse to speake something of the tiring of horses and of the remedies for the same because when a horse is truly tyred as by ouer extreme labour it is questionlesse that all his vitall parts are made sicke and feebled For to tell you in more plainesse what trying is it is when a horse by extreme vncessant labour hath all his inward and vitall powers which should accompany reioyce the heart expelled and driuen outward to the outward parts lesse deseruing members leauing the heart forlorne and sicke insomuch that a generall and cold faintnesse spreadeth ouer the whole body and weakneth it in such sort that it can endure no further trauell till those liuely heates faculties and powers be brought vnto their naturall and true places backe againe and made to giue comfort to the heart whom their losse sickned Now for the tiring of horses though in truth it proceedeth from no other cause but this before spoken yet in as much as in our common and vulgar speech we say euery horse that giueth ouer his labour is tyred you shall vnderstand that such giuing ouer may proceede from foure causes the first from inward sicknesse the second from some wound receiued either of body or limbe the third from dulnesse of spirit cowardlinesse or restinesse and the fourth from most extreme labour and trauell which is true tirednesse indeede Now for the first which is inward sicknesse you shall looke into the generall signes of euery disease and if you finde any of those signes to be apparant you shall straight conclude vpon that disease taking away the cause thereof haue no doubt but the effects of his tiring will vanish with the â—ame For the second which is by some wound receiued as by cutting or dismembring the sinewes ligaments or muscles or by straining or stooming any bone or ioynt or by pricking in shooing or striking nayle yron stub or thorne into the sole of the horses foote and such like Sith the first is apparant to the eye by disioyning the skinne the other by halting you shall take a suruey of your horse and finding any of them apparant looke what the griefe is repaire to the latter part of this booke which intreateth of surgery and finding it there vse the meanes prescribed and the tiring will easily be cured Now for the third which is dulnesse of spirit cowardlinesse or restinesse you shall finde them by these signes if he haue no apparant signe either of inward sicknes or outward griefe neither sweateth much nor sheweth any great alteration of countenance yet notwithstanding tireth and refuseth reasonable labour then such tyring proceedeth from dulnesse of spirite but if after indifferent long trauell the horse tire and then the man descending from his backe the horse runne or trot away as though he were not tired the man then mounting againe the horse vtterly refuse to go forward such tyring proceedeth from cowardlinesse but if a horse within one two or three miles riding being temperately vsed and being neither put to any tryall of his strength nor as it were scarcely warmed if he in his best strength refuse labour and tire it proceedeth onely from restinesse and ill conditions Then for the cure of any of all these proceding from dulnesse fearefulnesse and vnwillingnesse you shall take ordinary window glasse and beate it into fine powder then take vp the skinne of each side the spurre veine betweene your finger and your thumbe and with a fine naule or bodkin make diuers small holes through the skinne then rubbe glasse powder very hard into those holes which done mount his backe and do but offer to touch his sides with your heeles and be sure if he haue life in him he will go forward the greatest feare being that he will still but go too fast but after your iourney is ended and your allighted you must not faile because this powder of glasse will corrode and rot his sides to annoynt both the sore places with the powder of Iet and turpentine mixt together for that will draw out the venom and heale his sides againe There be others which vse when a horse tireth thus through dull cowardlinesse or restinesse to thrust a burning brand or yron into his buttockes or to bring bottels of blazing straw about his eares there is neither of the cures but is exceeding good But for the true tired horse which tireth through a naturall faintnesse drawne from exceeding labour the signes to know it being long trauel much sweat and willingnesse of courage during his strength the cure thereof according to the opinion of some Farriers is to powre oyle and vinegar into his nosthrels and to giue him the drinke of â—heâ—pes beades mentioned in the chapter of the consumption of the flesh being the fiftieth chapter of this booke and to bathe his legges with a comfortable bath of which you shal finde choyce in the chapter of bathes or else charge them with this charge Take of bole armony and of wheate flowre of each halfe a pound and a little rosen beaten into fine powder and a quart of strong vinegar mingle them well together and couer all his legs therwith then if it be in Summer turne him to grasse and he will recouer his wearinesse Others vse to take a slice of fresh beefe hauing steeped it in vinegar lappe it about your bit or snafle and hauing made it fast with a threed ride your horse therewith and he will hardly tire yet after your iourney is ended be sure to giue your horse rest much warmth and good feeding that is warme
be inflamed that is whether it be much sweld or no if it be not inflamed then you shall annoynt it with oyle of roses warmed on a chafing dish and coales or for want of such oyle you shall wash it with warme red wine but if it be inflamed then you shall bathe it well with a soft spunge dipt in the decoction of mallowes camomill linseed and fenegreeke and also you shall annoynt it well with oyle of camomill and dill mingled together to asswage the swelling and then with a gentle hand warme linnen cloathes thrust it faire and softly vp into his true place that done bathe all the tuell about with red wine wherein hath beene sodden Acatium galles acorne cuppes and the parings of quinces then throw vpon it either the powder of Bolearmonicke or of frankinsence or Sanguis Draconis Myrre Acatium or such like then giue him to drinke the dry pils of Pomegranats beaten to powder either with wine or warme water and be sure to keepe the horse very warme and in his body neither too soluble or loose nor too costiue or hard bound but of a meane and a soft temper for the extremity of either is most hurtfull CHAP. 73. Of the Bots Truncheons and wormes in a horses body MY Maisters the old Farriers are of opinion that the guts of a horse do breede three sorts of wormes that is to say little short wormes with great red heads and long smal white tayles which we call bots short thick worms all of a bignesse like a mans finger which we call Truncheons and great long wormes as bigge as a mans finger and at least sixe inches in length which we call by the simple name of wormes onely Now for mine part I am of opinion that the first which are bots are not bred in the guts but in the stomacke onely because hauing cut vp many horses I neuer could finde any one bot in the guts yet great store of both the other wormes nor euer cut vp the stomacke of a horse but I found great aboundance of bots and neither of the other wormes whence I am confidently opiniated that bots are euer bred in the stomacke and both the other sorts of wormes in the guts truth it is that all three do proceede from one selfe cause which is a raw grosse flegmatike matter apt to putrifaction and ingendred by foule naughty feeding and as they proceede from one selfe cause so haue they all one signe and one cure The signes then are the horse will forsake his meate and not stand vpon his legges but wallow and tumble and beate his belly with his feete and sometimes the paine will be so extreme that he will beate his head against the ground and truly the violence of these wormes are wonderfull for I haue seene horses whose stomacks haue bene eaten quite through with them so that the meate which they ate could not abide in their stomacke but fell vpon the swallowing into the body making the body swell like a tun and so haue dyed with huge torment Now the cure according to the ancientest Farriers is to take a quart of sweete milke of hony a quarterne and giue it him luke warme then walke him vp and downe for the space of an houre after and so let him rest for that day with as little meate and drinke as may be and by no meanes suffer him to lye downe The next day when the horse is fasting take of rue a handfull of Sauin as much and being well stampt put thereunto a little brimstone and a little foote of a chimney beaten into fine powder put all these things together in a quart of wort or new ale and there let them lye in steepe the space of an howre or two then straine it hard through a faire cloath and giue it the horse to drinke luke warme then bridle him and walke him abroad the space of an howre then set him vp and let him stand on the bit two or three howres after and then giue him a little hay Other Farriers vse only to giue the horse for this disease the warme guts of a new slaine henne or chicken being thrust downe the horses throate and sure it is passing good especially if a little salt be mixed with them and this must be done three mornings together fasting keeping the horse from drinking three or foure howres after Others vse to take three ounces of the rootes of Caphers beaten with halfe so much vinegar and put it downe the horses throate or else a pint of milke a spoonfull of sope giuen the horse to drinke or brimstone and milke giuen to drinke all be very soueraigne Others vse to binde about the snafle or bit mans dung new made and so ride him therewith Others take of Gentian Aloes and Sauin of each halfe an ounce and brew them together with hony and strong ale Others vse to take onely a quart of cold sweete wort Others take Sauin Southerwort or else wormewood and the tops of broome small chopt and mixe it with the horses prouender Others vse to giue the horse to drinke luke warme elder berries sodden in milke Others vse to giue the horse with his prouender his owne haire chopt small and mixt with bay salt Others put hot embers in water and presently straine it and giue it the horse to drinke Others make little round balles of honey and the fine powder of chalke and putting them into ale make the horse swallow them Others vse to take especially for the long wormes a halfe peny worth of Fenegreeke of anise seedes a quarter of a pound a halfepeny worth of bay berries as much licoras and as much turmericke and a little quantity of brimstone beate them into powder put them into a quart of ale and giue it the horse fasting luke warme to drinke then ride him an howre after then set him vp warme foure and twenty howres after Others vse especially for the Truncheons to take two spoonefull of the powder of wormewood finely fearst and put it in a pint of good malmsey and after it is brewd a while let it stand and soake all night then giue it the horse in the morning fasting then keepe him without meate or drinke foure houres after Others vse to giue the horse to drinke two spoonefull of wormeseede as much brimstone or powder of Sauin with a quart of malmsey ale or beere Others vse to take as much blacke sope as a wal nut and as much brimstone beaten to powder and a heade or two of garlicke pild bruised and put into a quart of good ale and giue it the horse luke warme to drinke This medicine also may be administred to a Mare great with foale if she be troubled with the bots or other wormes so that the blacke sope be left out for it is a violent purger and may kill the foale in the mares belly yet for mine owne part I neuer giue any inward physicall medicine
to be giuen to the horse with sweet wine or else to make him a drink of goates milke and sallet oyle straining thereunto a little frumenty or else to giue him sodden beanes Deeres suet in wine each of these are of like force goodnesse Now there be others which for this disease do take barley and seeth it in the iuyce of Gumfolly and giue him the barley to eate and the iuyce to drinke or else take the powder of licoras and anise seeds rold vp in hony and make round balles thereof and cast downe the horses throat two or three of them or else licoras anise seeds and garlicke bruised together with a little sallet oyle and hony and giuen in a quart of new milke to the horse to drinke is very soueraigne also and these two medicines last rehearsed are exceeding good also for any cold or glanders CHAP. 79. Of the Colt euill THe colt euill by the most ancient Farriers especially the Italians whose hot country affoordeth the beasts of more hot and strong natures then ours doth is thought to be a continuall standing together with an vnnaturall swelling of the yard proceeding either from some winde filling the arteries and hollow sinew or pipe of the yard or else through the aboundance of seede prouoked by the naturall heate of the horse but our Farriers who haue not seene that experience because our horses are of colder temper say it is onely a swelling of the sheath of the yard and of that part of the belly about the yard together with the codde also proceeding from corrupt seede which commeth out of the yard and remaining within the sheath there putrifieth and this iudgement we finde by experience to be most true Now you shall vnderstand that Geldings as well as horses are subiect thereunto because they want naturall heat to expell their seed any further The signes are onely the outward swelling of the sheath and codde and none other and the best cure is first to wash the sheath cleane with luke warme vinegar then draw out the yard and wash that also which done ride the horse twice euery day that is morning and euening into some deepe running water vp to the belly tossing him to and fro to allay the heate of members till the swelling be vanished and if you swim him now then it will not do amisse Others vse to bath his cods and yard with the iuice of houslicke or with the water wherein kinholme hath beene sod Now this colt euill will sometimes stoppe the horses vrine that he cannot pisse then you shall take new ale and a little blacke sope and giue it the horse to drinke Others vse to wash the horses coddes and sheath with butter and vinegar made warme Others vse to wash his yard and coddes with the iuyce of hemlocke or else take beane flowre vinegar and Bolearmonicke and mixing them together lay it plaister-wise to his sheath and coddes Others make him a plaister of wine-lees houslicke and branne mixt together and layd to his sheath and coddes but if the first receipt will serue I would not wish you to vse any other medicine CHAP. 80. Of the Mattering of the Yard THis disease of the mattering of the yard is seldome seene but amongst the hot races or breedes of horses as is the Ienet the Barbary and such like and it happeneth euer at couering time when the horse and mare both being too hot do burne themselues by which meanes there issueth forth of the horses yard much filthy matter The signes are the falling downe of the matter and a swelling at the end of the yard and the horse can by no meanes draw vp his yard or couer it within his sheath The cure is to take a pint of white wine boyle therein a quarâ—erne of roch allum with a large serring or squirt squirt in three or foure squirtfull into his yard one after another and be sure that your squirt go home vnto the bottome that the liquor or lotion may scoure the bloudy matter away this do fiue or sixe times euery day till the horse be whole CHAP. 81. Of the shedding of the Seede THe shedding of the seed or the falling away of the sperme in horses is none other then that which we call in men the running of the reines it cometh as our old Farriers say either by aboundance ranknesse of seed or by the weaknesse of the stones and seede vessels not able to retaine the seede vntill it be disgested and thickned but truly for mine owne part I thinke it cometh oftner especially amongst our English horses by some great straine in leaping or by teaching a horse to bound and making him bound the compasse of his naturall strength The signes are onely the shedding of his seede which will be white thinne and waterish The cure according to the ancient experiments is first to ride the horse into some cold water vp to the belly insomuch that his stones may be couered with water which done bathe his fundament with water and oyle then couer him exceeding warme and giue him euery day to drinke red wine and hogges dung till the fluxe of his seede stay but latter experience hath found this receipt better Take of red wine a quart and put therein a little Acatium the iuyce of plantan and a little masticke and giue it him to drinke and then bath all his backe with red wine and oyle of roses mixt together but other Farriers take Venice Turpentine and being washt beate it well with halfe so much sugar then make round balles as bigge as wal-nuts and giue the horse fiue euery morning till the fluxe stay CHAP. 82. Of the falling downe of the yard THe falling downe of the yard is when a horse hath not strength to draw vp his yard within the sheath but lets it hang downe betweene his legges ill fauouredly it cometh as our best Farriers suppose either through the weaknesse of the member by meanes of some resolution in the muscles and sinewes seruing the same caused by some great straine or stripe on the backe or else through extreme wearinesse and tiring The signe is only the apparant hanging downe of the member and the cure is according to some opinions to wash the horses yard in salt water from the sea or for want thereof with water and salt but if that do not preuaile then pricke all the outmost skinne of the yard with a sharp needle but yet as sleightly as may be not deep and then wash all the pricks with strong vinegar this will not onely make him draw vp his yard againe but also if at any time his fundament chance to fall this cure will put it vp againe There be other Farriers which for this disease will put into the pipe of the horses yard hony and salt boyled together and made liquid or else a quick flye or a graine of Franckinsence or a cloue of garlicke cleane pilled and bruised and bathe
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
to the opinion of some Farriers a pretty quantity of May butter with as much rosmary a little yellow rosen with a like quantity of â—â—â—ladine then stamp them all together fry them with the May butter then straine it and keepe it in a close boxe for it is a iewell for sore â—ies and annoint your horses eyes therewith at least twice a day it is also good to heale any wound Other Farriers vse to let the horse bloud in the eye veines and then wash his eyes with red-rose water Others vse to take the gall of a blacke sheepe and beate it and straine it and then to wash the eyes therewith Others vse to burne the horse vnder the eyes that the ill humours may distill forth and then to annoint his eyes either with the marrow of a sheepes shanke and rose water mixt together or else with the iuice of ground Iuy Other Farriers vse to take a Mould-warpe and lapping her all ouer in clay burne her to ashes and then to take of that powder blow it into the horses eyes Other vse to take an empty egge shell and fill it with baysalt then burne it till it be blacke then adde to it of burnt allome the quantity of your thumb beate them together to fine powder then mixe some of this powder with fresh butter and wipe it into the horses eyes with a feather then clappe the white of an egge dipt in flaxe ouer his eyes do this once a day for a seuen night after but once in two dayes this is most excellent for any filme and also for a pearle Others vse to take two dry tile-stones and rubbe them together and blow the powder of it with a quill into the horses eyes three or foure dayes together CHAP. 10. Of the Pearle Pinne Webbe or any spot in the Horses eye THe Pearle the Pinne the Webbe or any vnnaturall spot or thicke filme ouer a horses eye proceedeth for the most part from some stroake receiued yet the pearle which is a little round thicke white spot like a pearle growing on the sight of the horses eye comes many times from naturall causes and euen from dâ—scent of Sire and Damme as I haue oâ—ten found by experience The signe is the apparant sight of the infirmity and the cure according to the opinion of the most ancient Farriers is to take sixe leaues of ground Iuy and a branch of selladine and bray them in a mortar with a spoonefull or two of womans milke and then straine it through a cleane linnen cloth and put it into a close glasse and then droppe of it as much into the horses eye at a time as will fill halfe a hazell nut shell and it is the fittest to be done at night onely do thus thrice at the least and for three daies after keepe the horse as much as may be from any light Other Farriers vse to annoint the horses eyes with the marrow of goates shankes or Deeres shankes and rose water mixt together or else to wash his eyes with the iuice of the berries and leaues of ground Iuy or other Iuy mixt with white wine and to blow into his eyes the powder of blacke flint or of land oysters but that powder must be made so exceeding fine as by art in scarcing can any waies be brought to passe And then for the taking away of any filme or pearle there is no medicine more souereigne There be other Farriers which vse to take the leane of a gammon of bacon dry it therof make a powder blow it into the horses eye Others vse to take white ginger made into very fine powder blow it into the horses eies yet before you so do if the web haue continued any long time it shall not be amisse first to annoint the horses eye with capons grease Others vse to blow into the horses eye the powder of elder leaues dryed or else the powder of mans dung dryed or the powder of a gray whetstone mixt with the oyle of hony and put into the horses eie Others vse to take the yolke of an egge with salt burnt beaten to powder and blow it into the horses eye or else the powder of the cuttell bone Others vse to take either elder leaues dryed or mans dung dryed mixe it with the powder of the shel or bone of the crab-fish and blow it into the horses eye Others take Tutty beaten to powder with a quill blow it iust vpon the pearle Other Farriers vse to take and sure it is not inferior to any medicine whatsoeuer a good quantity of white salt lapping it round vp in a wet cloth put it into the fire and burne it to a red coale then taking it forth and breaking it open you shall finde in the midst thereof a white chore as bigge as a beane or bigger then picke out that chore and beate it to powder and mixe it with a little white wine then after it hath stood a while take the thicke thereof that lyeth in the bottome and put it into the horses eye and with the thin wash his eye do thus once a day till the pearle be consumed Others vse to take the iuice of rue and put it into the horses eye or else to make a hole in an egge put forth all that is within it and fill the shell with pepper and closing it in an earthen pot put it into a hot burning ouen till it be white hot then take it forth and beate the pepper to powder and blow thereof into the horses eye Others vse to take of pommis stone of Tartarum and of Sal gemma of each like weight and being beaten into very fine powder to blow a little of that into the horses eye continuing so to do till the eye be well Others vse onely to blow the powder of Sandeuoire into the horses eye affirming that it alone hath sufficient force and vertue to breake any pearle or webbe in a very short space without any other composition but surely I haue found the powder of flint and the powder of white salt burnt to be much more stronger CHAP. 11. Of the Haw in the Horses eye THe haw is a gristle growing betwixt the neather eye lidde and the eye and it couereth sometimes more then the one halfe of the eye It proceedes of grosse and tough fleamy humours which descending downe from the head and knitting together do in the end grow to a horne or hard gristle The signes thereof are a watering of the eye and an vnwilling opening of the neather lidde besides an apparant shew of the haw it selfe if with your thumb you do but put downe the nether lidde of the horses eye The cure is first take a needle a double threed put it through the tippe of the horses eare which done put the needle likewise through the vpper eye lid of the horse vpwards and so draw vp the eye lidde and fasten it to the eare then
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
out all the crummes then fill the loafe full of burning coalâ—s vntill it be well burned within then take of that crust and put it in white wine and after it is well soaked lay it to the soare eye then take sope water and cold water mixt together and wash all the eye browes therewith and if for all that it go not away then you shal let him bloud on the temple veines and if he do rubbe or chafe his eie you shall let him bloud of the veines vnder his eyes wash his eyes with cold sope water but if his eies do chance to looke redde with the blâ—w then you shall lay vnto them a plaister of redde lead and â—all toyle beaten well together Others vse to take the iuice of plantane stampt and mixt with white wine and so layed to the soare eye Others vse both for this disease or any other soare eye to stampe strong nettles with a little beere and then straining it to squirt thereof into the horses eye twice or thrice together then to put of the fine powder of Sandeuoire a little into his eye and then be carefull to keepe the horses eye from winde or cold but if you must needeâ— râ—de him then put a wollen cloath before the horses eye also it is not amisse to let him bloud on his eye veines and the twice dressing will be sufficient Other Farriers vse first to annoynt the soare eie three daies together with hennes or capons grease to mollifie it then take a little life hony and warming it wipe it into the horses eye with a feather Others take the iuice of plantane mixt with hony or else the iuice of tyme mixt with hony and put it into the horses eye Others vse to take the ashes of an old shooe sâ—le burnt in an ouâ—n put it into the horses eye or else the powder of a gray whetstone blowne into the soâ—re eye both are speedy remedies Others vse to take the iuice of smallage and of fennell and mixing them with the white of an egge put it into the horses eye once a day till the eye be whole CHAP. 15. For a Wart in the Eye A Wart in a horses eye is a fleshy excretion or a fleshy knot growing either vpon the eye or vppon the edge or inside of the eye liddes It proceedeth from a thicke fleame which descendeth to the eye by meanes that the horse is too much kept in a darke stable without light and this infirmity will make a horses eye consume and grow little The cure is to take roach allome and burne it on a tile-stone and then put as much white copporas thereunto not burnt and grinde them to powder then lay some of that powder iust vpon the head of the wart and do thus once a day till the wart be consumed away CHAP. 16. For any Inflammation in a Horses eies HOrses may diuersly haue inflammations in the eyes as by long standing in the stable with fowle feeding and no exercise or by moats falling into his eyes or by ranknesse of bloud and such like any of which will breed an inflammation or sorenesse in the eyes The signes are itching and rubbing of the eies and a little swelling with some loathnesse to open the eye liddes The cure is first to let him bloud vpon the temple veines and vpon the eye veines and then to wash his eyes with milke and hony mixt together Others after bloud letting will wash the horses eyes with hony and Aloes epatica mixt together and others will wash his eyes with Aloes dissolued in white wine any of which is approued to be most excellent for any soare eye CHAP. 17. Of the Impostume in the eare of a Horse IMpostumes which breed in the eare of a horse proceede from diuers causes as from some great blow about the head or from wringings with a hard halter or from some euill humours congâ—aled in the eares by some extreme cold The signes whereof appeare plainly by the burning and painfull swelling of the roots of the eares and the other parts thereabout The cure thereof is first to ripe the impostume with this plaister take of linseed beaten into powder and of wheat flowre of each halfe a pint of hony a pint of hoggesgrease otherwise called barrowes grease one pound warme all these things together in an earthen pot and stirre them continually with a flat sticke or slice vntill they be throughly mingled and incorporated together and then spread some of this plaister being warme vpon a peeee of linnen cloth or soft white leather so broad as the swelling and no more and lay it warme vnto it and so let it remaine one whole day and then renew it againe continuing so to do vntill it either do breake or else grow so ripe that you may lance it downeward so that the matter may haue passage out then taint it with a taint of flax dipped in this salue euen to the bottome that is to say take of Metrosaâ—um of sallet oyle and turpentiue of each two ounces mingle them together make the horse a biggen of canuase to close in the soare so as the taint with the oyntment may abide within the soare renewing the taint once a day vntill it be whâ—lâ— but if the horse haue paine in his eares without any great pain or inflammation then thrust into his eare a little blacke wolle dipt in the oyle of camomile that will ease him but if the impostume be broken before you perceiue it and that you see matter runne from the horses eares then you shall take of oyle of roses of Venice turpentine and of hony of each like quantity and mixing them well together warme it luke warme vpon a few coales and then dipping blacke wolle therein thrust it downe into the horses eare that runneth renewing it once a day vntil the eare leaue running CHAP. 18. Of the Polle euill THE Polle euill is a great swelling inflammation or apostume in the nape of a horses necke iust betweene his eare towards his maine and proceedeth sometimes from the horses struggling or striuing in his halter especially if the halter be of hard new twound hempe sometimes it proceedeth from euill humors gathered together in that place or else from some stripe or blow giuen to the horse by some rude keeper carter or man of little discretion for that part being the weakest and tenderest part about the head is the soonest offended and grieued with sorrance The signes of this disease is an apparant swelling betwâ—ene the horses eares and on each side his necke which in continuance of time will breake of it owne accord yet doth euer rot more inwardiy then outwardly from whence it comes that this disease is more commonly called of our common and ignorant Farriers the fistula in the necke then the polle-euill and iâ— truth it is an vlcer so hollow and so crooked and so full of sharpe matter like vnto lye that it very little differeth
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
ale or beere made scalding hot then dry vp all the moisture from the soare either with a linnen cloath or with a sponge then couer all the soare ouer with burnt allome beaten to powder and thus dresse the horse once a day vntill the flesh be growne vp so high as you would haue it then shal you dresse the soare but once in two or three dayes But if you see it skinneth but slowly then may you annoint the edge of the soare al about after it hath bene washed as aforesaid with Vnguentum Album for that will make the skinne to come fast but if you do perceiue that by dressing it thus seldome there doth beginne any proud flesh to grow then shall you take a dram of Mercury and mingle it with an ounce of Vnguentum album and annoint all the soare place therewith once in two daies this will correct the proud flesh and cause it to skin and heale suddenly Others vse for the abating of these swellings to boile mallows in the grounds of ale to clap it hot to the swelling then if the swelling do breake then wash it with pisse and powre hot molten butter vpon it Others vse to shaue away the haire and then to lay very hot vnto it a handful of leekes stampt mixt with boares grease or else to take a turfe of earth burnt red and layed to as hot as the horse can suffer it Other Farriers vse to take nettles beaten to peeces and mixt with hot vrine and so lay it on hot and then set on the saddle and then if after two or three daies dressing the swelling breake then looke if there be any dead flesh within the soare and either eate or cut it out then take a pound of fresh grease and a pound of sallet oyle three ounces of white waxe one ounce of turpentine and three drams of verdigrease melt all these together and taint the soare therewith till it be whole for this wil both eate away the ill flesh and incarnate good Others take greene cole-worts and stampe them with swines grease and then lay it plaister-wise on the soare and it will asswage it especially if you ride the horse a little to make the medicine enter in Now if there be no great swelling but onely the skinne chafed off then you shall wash the place with water and salt or else with warme wine and sprinkle vpon it the powder of hony and lime or else the powder of Myrre or the powder of burnt silke or felt or cloath or of any old poast Other Farriers vse when onely the skinne is gald off to take a spoonefull of thicke creame and to put as much chimney soote vnto it as will make it like an ointment and then to lay it vpon the sore and questionlesse it will skinne it presently CHAP. 41. Of any gold backe or Withers how great soeuer the swelling or inflammation be IF the swelling pince wringing or gall either vpon the withers or any parte of the backe of a horse be extraordinary great and much inflamed so that there is no apparant hope that it can be got away without much apostumation then the cure according to the opinion of the ancientest Farriers is to take barme and mixe it with so much soote of a chimney and make it so thicke therewith that it shall seeme like tarre and with that make a plaister and lay it to the sore place renewing it twise a day and it will both draw and heale it Otherâ— vse to take a handfull of bay salt a handful of great and small oatemeale and put a quantity of old stale thereto and stirre them altogether and temper it like pappe or past and then make round bals thereof then throw them into a fire and make them red hot then take them forth and beat them to fine powder and then strow of that powder all ouer the sore so oft as you shall see any part thereof bare and it will heale it Other Farriers vse if they see the swelling to be any thing great first to draw round about the swelling with a hot yron and then crosse him with the same yron in manner of this figure then take a round hot yron hauing a sharpe point and thrust it into the swelling place on each side vpward towards the point of the withers or toppe of the backe to the entent that the matter may issue downewards at both the holes that done taint both the holes first with a taint dipt in hogges grease to kill the fire and also annoint all the burnt places therewith continuing so to do vntil the swelling be asswaged renewing the tent euery day once vntill the fiery matter be fallen away then tent him againe with washed turpentine mingled with yelks of egges and saffron renewing the tent euery day once vntill it be whole But if for all this the swelling do not goe away then it is a signe of some inward inpostumation and then it shall be good that you launce it and let out the corruption then take of hony halfe a pint of verdigrease two ounces beaten to powder and mixe it together with the hony then boile them in a pot vntill they looke redde then being luke warme make either a tent or a plaister according as the wound shall require renewing the same euery day once vntill it be whole But the sore may be so vehement that for lacke of looking to in time if it be on the withers it will pierce downewards betwixt both the shoulders euen into the body which is most dangerous and mortall therefore whensoeuer you shall feare any such hollownes you shall tent the hole with the salue last mentioned and thrust after it a good peece of dry sponge as well to keepe the hole open as also to sucke out the corruption and this you shall renew once a day vntill the sore be whole Others of our latter Farriers vse to take butter vinigar and bay salt and melting them together lay it to the sore warme vntill it breake then strow vpon it either soote or the powder of a clay wall but if it be much festered â—â—â—â— weight or knobs lying directly behind the saddle of all bruisings on the backe it is the most vilde and dangerous and you shall perceiue it by puffed vp and spungie flesh looking like old rotten lights about the mouth of the sore The cure therefore is according to some of the ancients Farriers first to cut away all the dead or proud flesh euen to the bone then burne a hole foure inches lower then the nauell gall and put a rowell of horse haire through it then take the powder of oyster shels or of an old shooe sole burnt and strow it on the sore and euer as it waxeth moist put on more powder Others for the nauell gall take the white of an egge wheate flowre hony mustard and sope of each like quantity and mixing them together make a plaister thereof and after the dead flesh is
places or else with a sharp hot iron then annoint it still with the ointement before said but if you see that it will not goe away but swell still and gather to a head then launce it where the swelling doth gather most and is softest vnder the fingar and then taint it with flaxe dipt in turpentine and hogges grease molten together as is before shewed renewing the taint twice a day till the sorrance be whole CHAP. 60. Of the shoulder pighte THe shoulder pighte is when a horse by reason of some great fall rush or straine hath the point of his shoulder thrust out of ioint which is easy to be seen in that the pointe of the sore shoulder will sticke out much farther then the other and the horse will halte downe right The cure whereof as the old Farriers hold it is first to make him swimme in a deepe water vp and downe a dozen turnes for that will make the ioint returne into his true place then make two tough pins of ashen wood as much as your little fingar being sharpe at the points each one fiue inches long that done flit the skinne an inch aboue the point and an inch beneath the point of the shoulder and thurst in one of the pins from aboue downewarde so as both ends may equally sticke without the skinne and if the pinne of wood will not easily passe through you may make it way first with an yron pinne that done make other two holes crosse to the first holes so as the other pinne may crosse the first pin right in the midst with a right crosse and the first pinne would be somewhat flat in the midst to the intent that the other being round may passe the better without stoppe and close he iuster together then take a peece of a little line somewhat bigger then a whippe cord and at one end make a loope which being put ouer one of the pinnes ends winde the rest of the line good and straight about the pinnes ends so as it may lye betwixt the pinnes ends and the skinne and fasten the last end with a packe needle and a packe threed vnto the rest of the cord so as it may not slippe and to doe well both the pinnes and the cord would be first annointed with a little hogs grease then bring him into the stable and let him rest the space of nine daies and let him lye downe as little as may be and put a pastorne on the sore legge so as it may be bound with a cord vnto the foote of the manger to keepe that legge alwaies whilst he standeth in the stable more forward then the other and at the nine daies end take out the pins annoint the sore places with a little Dialthea or with hogges grease and then turne him to grasse Other of our latter Farriers vse first to lay good store of straw vnder the horse then put a paire of strong pastornes on his forelegges and another on his hinder then hauing throwne him vpon his back to hang him vp by the legs from the ground with two ropes drawne ouer some beame or baulke which will put the bone into his true place againe then hauing let him downe againe faire and softly loose the fore pastorne of the sound legge and with a cord before you let him rise tye the lame legge to the foote of the manger so shorte as in his rising he shall be forced to hold his legge before him for feare of putting his shoulder out of ioint and let him stand so tyed for the space of three daies and presently when he is vp burne all the point of his shoulder with a hot drawing yron checkerwise a ful foot square at the least let euery stroke be no more then an inch distant one from another and hauing burned him well charge all these burned places and all the rest of his shoulder with pitch rozen and tarre molten together and laid on something hot with a cloath tyed to a sticks end then clap floxe of the collor of the horse vpon it then charge him againe ouer the floxe and at the three daies end loose his foote and put a paire of pastornes vpon his feete and let him neither lye downe nor stirre out of the stable for the space of sixteene or twenty daies then may you leade him abroad see whether he go well or no and if he be not perfect you may then giue him as much more rest that will recouer him CHAP. 61. Of the swelling of the fore legges after great labour HOrses not much vsed to trauâ—ll will after great labour swell vpon their fore legges because heat and violent exercise will cause humors to resorte downe into the legges especially if such horses shal be inwardly very fat for the indiscreete labour will melt that inwarde grease and make it descend downe into the legges The cure according to the practise of some Farriers is to take a pound of nerue-oile a pound of blacke sope and halfe a pound of boares grease melten and boile them all well together and then straine it and let it coole then annoint your horses legges therewith being made luke warme againe and then keepe his legges cleane from dust Other Farriers vse to bathe his legges in butter and beare or in vinegar butter some with sheeps foot oile some with neates foote oile some with traine oile and some with pisse and salte peeter boild together of all which pisse salt peeter is the best after any such bathing you must roll vp the horses legs with hay ropes wet in cold water euen from the pastorne to the knee but in any wise not too straite for feare of doing hurte so let him stand continually when he resteth Now other Farriers somewhat more curious vse for the swelling of the legges this bathe take of mallowes three handfuls a rose-cake of sage one handfull boile them together in a sufficient quantity of water and when the mallowes be soft put in halfe a pound of butter and halfe a pinte of sallet oile and then being somewhat warme wash the swelling therewith euery daie once the space of three or foure daies and if the swelling wil not go away with this then take wine lees and cummin and boile them together and put thereunto a little wheate flower and charge all the swelling therewith and walke him often and if all will not serue then take vp the great veine aboue the knee on the inside suffring him not to bleed from aboue but all from beneath and it will take away the swelling CHAP. 62. Of a Horse that is foundred in his feete A horse is said to be foundred of his feete when he hath such a numbnesse pricking or tingling within his houes that he hath neither sence nor feeling of his feete but is in all respects like a man that by hard or crooked sitting hath both his feeteâ— asleepe as wee call it duâ—ing which passion we
little Galhanum of Bitumen halfe an ounce of armoniack halfe an ounce mingle them wel together in the boyling for this salue dryeth wonderfully bindeth al loose members and comforteth all parts that are weakened Take of lard two pounds and when it is sodden straine it with three ounces of ceruse and as much allome molten and it both dryeth and bindeth exceedingly Dry figges beaten with allome mustard and vinegar doth dry very aboundantly Oyle or soft grease beaten to a salue with vitrioll Gals and allome and the powder of pomegranetes salt and vinegar both dry and binde sufficiently Sope and vnsleckt lime mixt togetheâ— dryeth perfectly after any incision Verdigrease orpiment Sal-armoniack and the powder of Coloquintida of each a like made into a plaister with milke or waxe drieth and bindeth The grease of snakes roasted the head taile being cut away is a great dryer To conclude the barke of a willow tree burnt to ashes is as great a dryer and binder as any simple whatsoeuer CHAP. 142. A plaister to dry vp superfluous moisture and to bind partes loosened Take of Bitumen one pound of the purest part of Frankensence three ounces of Bdelium Arabicum one ounce of Deares suet one pound of Populeum one ounce of Galbanum ounce of the drops of Storaxe one ounce of common waxe one pound of Resin Cabial halfe a pound of Viscus Italicus one ounce and an halfe of Apoxima one ounce of the iuice of hyssop one ounce of the droppes of armoniack one ounce of pitch halfe a pound let all these bee well and perfectly molten dissolued and incorporated together according to art and then make a plaister thereof CHAP. 143. Another plaister to dry vp any swelling wind gall splent or bladders in or about the ioints TAke of virgin-waxe halfe a pound of rosen one pound and a quarter of Galbanum one ounce and an halfe of Bitumen halfe a pound of Myrrhe secondary one pound of armoniacke three ounces of Costus three ounces boyle all these things together in an earthen pot sauing the armoniacke and Costus which beeing first ground like fine flowre must bee added vnto the other things after that they haue bene boyled and cooled and then boyled altogether againe well stirred so as they may be incorporated together and made alone substance and then applied as occasion shall bee administred CHAP. 144. Receipts to dissolue humors TAke of wormewood sage rosemary and the barke of an elme or of a pine of each a like quantity and boyle them in oyle with a good quantity of lin-seed and making a bathe thereof bathe the grieued part and it will dissolue any humors that are gathered or bound together A pound of figs stampt with salt till it come to a perfect salue dissolueth al manner of humors by opening the poores and giuing a large passage CHAP. 1â—5 How to moâ—lifie any hardnesse TAke of lin-seed pund and of Fenegreeke of each foure ounces of pitch and rosen of each three ounces of the flowres of roses two ounces pitch of Greece sixe ounces boyle them together then adde three ounces of turpentine sixe ounces of hony and a little oyle and then applying this salue it will mollifie any hard substance Maluauisco wel sod and stampt with Oleum Rosatum being laid hote vnto any hardnesse will make it soft Boyle Branck vrsin mallowes together beate them with grease oyle and lard and they will mollifie and heale most exceedingly Maluauisco coleworts Branck vrsin hearbe of the wall and old grease being beaten together mollifie very much The oyle of Cypresse both mollifieth and healeth Wheat meale hony pellitory Branck vrsin and the leaues of wormewood being beaten with swines grease and laid hote vnto any harde tumor doth sodainely mollifie it and is passing good for any stripe also Grease mustardseed and comen boyled together doth mollifie very much Take of sope halfe an ounce of vnsleckt lime an ounce and mixe them well with strong lye and it will mollifie euen the hardest houes The iuice of the leaues and rootes of Elder or a plaister made thereof doth dry vp and mollifie humors maruellously So doth the iuice of the toppes of Cypresse and dry figges macerated in vinegar and strained of each three ounces and if you adde to it of Saâ—â—niter an ounce of armoniack halfe an ounce of alloes opoponaxe a little and make it into an oyntment it wil mollifie any hardnesse very sufficiently Mallowes nettles Mercorella and the rootes of cowcumbers and turpentine being beaten together with old grease wil mollifie any hardnesse speedily CHAP. 146. To harden any softnesse THe soale of an old shooe burnt and sodden in vinegar wil harden houes so will also the powder of gals boyled with bran and salt in strong vinegar The powder of hony lime or the powder of oystershels or the powder of burnt felt or thicke creame soote mixt together wil harden any soare whatsoeuer CHAP. 147. To conglutinate IRis Illiriâ—a beaten and sifted mingled with pepper hony corrants and giuen the horse to drinke with wine and oyle helpeth and conglutinateth any inward rupture or burstnesse whatsoeuer Dragant saffron the fruit of the Pine with the yelkes of egges giuen likewise to drinke with wine and oyle doth also conglutinate any inward member or veine broken Incense masticke and cute doth the like also Poligano sod in wine giuen to drink is good also The roots and seedes of Asparagus sodde in water and giuen to the horse then after for three dayes giue him butter and opoponaxe with hony and myrre and it will conglutinate any inward vlcer or rupture whatsoeuer CHAP. 148. To mundifie or cleanse any soare TAke oyle of oliues swines grease clarified the grease of a yong Fox turpentine allome and white waxe seeth them all together till they be most throughly incorporated together and with this oyntment dresse any foule soare whatsoeuer and it will mundifie and cleanse it most sufficiently CHAP. 149. Of repercussiue medicines or such as driue backe humors REpercussiue medicines or such as driue euill humors backe are commonly called amongst Farriers plaisters or salues defensitiue and are to be vsed about euery great wound and vlcer lest the fluxe of humors flowing to the weake part both confound the medicine and breede more dangerous exulcerations Now of these repercussiue medicines these are the best either vinegar salt and bole-armoniacke beaten together and spread round about the soare or else white lead and sallet oyle beaten also together or red led and sallet oyle or else Vnguentum Album Camphiratum and such like CHAP. 150. Of burning Compositions BVrning Compositions are for the most part corrosiues of which we shall haue occasion to speake more at large in a chapter following yet forasmuch as some are of better temper then others you shall here vnderstand that of all burning compositions the gentlest is Vnguentum Apostolorum next to it is verdigrease and hogges grease beaten together next to it is