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
better horses But to return to my purpose the Farrier who goeth about to purge a horse by purgation must consider the nature of the horses disease and the strength of the horse and with them ioyne the nature strength and quantity of the medicine he must also consider the climate vnder which the horse is bred the time of the disease the time of the yeare and the time of the day for as the diseases and the humours which cause the diseases are sundry so they must be auoyded by sundry medicines sundry wayes compounded according as experience from a continuall practise shall instruct you wherein you are to obserue that weake delicate and tender horses are not to be purged with that violence which strong stubborne and sturdy horses are and therefore in such cases the quality and quantity is to be looked into of euery simple The climate is to be respected as whether it be hot or cold and the time of the disease for some diseases must be purged at the beginning as feuers pestilence yellowes staggers all violent inward diseases and some not till the matter be throughly disgested as colds strangles and apostumations Now albeit the sicknesse proceed from cold humours yet you must not administer as hot simples in summer as in winter nor in the contrary case so cold things in winter as in the summer whereby you see the season of the yeare is to be respected Then touching respect of the day you are to obserue that day to be best which is most temperate sith too much heate maketh a horse faint and too much cold doth hinder the medicine from working A little regard is to be had to the wind weather for a moyst day with a South winde is to be preferred before a North winde with a dry day Now the best howre of receiuing any potion is euer in the morning after he hath fasted from meate and drinke all the night before As soone as your horse hath receiued any pill or potion let him be walked or gently ridden vp and downe one howre at the least and then set vp and suffered to stand on the bit two howres after wel littered cloathed and stopped but if you perceiue that he beginneth to grow sicke as most commonly horses will then you shall suffer him to lye downe assoone as his sicknesse is past you shall offer him a mashe of malt and water luke warme for any other meate keep him fasting till his medicine haue done working Now to come to particular receipts and medicines themselues you shall vnderstand that although the ancient Farriers do make but two kindes that is to say pils and purgations yet I diuide them into three that is to say scourings pils and purgations Scourings are those wholesome naturall and gentle purging medicines which stirring vp no great fluxe of humours do onely keepe the body cleane from such euils as would grow being euery way as wholesome in health as in sicknesse and may most properly be termed preparatiues or preparers of the body to entertaine more stronger medicines To speake then first of the most gentlest and naturall scouring it is only grasse being giuen to a horse only fifteene dayes together and no more for after that it fatteth and not scoureth Next vnto grasse is forrage which is onely the blades of greene corne as wheat rye barley and such like being giuen seuen dayes and no more Next is greene thistles being cut vp and giuen the horse to eate the space of fiue daies and no more and the last of this nature is the mash made in this manner take a pecke of ground malt and put it into a peale then take a gallon and a halfe of water boyling hot from the fire and put it to the malt then with a staffe mash and stirre them together at least halfe an howre till tasting the water you feele it as sweete as hony then being luke warme giue it the horse to drinke All these scourings do onely but cleanse the guts and coole the body adding comfort to the spirits and ingendring strength onely the mash is to be vsed after labour or in stead of drinke in the time of any great sicknesse Scourings of a little stronger nature are these first when you giue your horse any prouender to mixe with halfe a pecke of oates a handfull or two of cleane drest hemp seede or else to take a good quantity of boxe leaues and put them into a pewter dish then set them before the fire and let them dry leasurely till they be so hard that you may crush them to powder then take as much of the powder of brimstone as there is powder of boxe and mixe them together and amongst halfe a pecke of oates mixe a handfull of this powder and giue it the horse to eate both these scourings are to be vsed after labour especially when the horse hath sweat much These two scourings worke vpon no matter but what nature is willing to expell they purge the stomacke head and intrailes they kill all manner of wormes and dry vp fleame Scourings of the strongest nature are to take of sallet oyle halfe a pint and of new milke from the cow a pint brew it together and giue it the horse luke warme or else take a pint of muskadine and halfe a pint of sallet oyle and being mixed together giue it the horse to drinke or else halfe a pint of oyle and a pint of sacke mixt together and giuen the horse to drinke luke warme These scourings cleanse the head body and guts of all fleame or molten grease which any violent labour hath dissolued they are exceeding good for any manner of cold or stoppings in the winde-pipes Now for pils you shall vnderstand that the first and easiest are these either to take twenty cloues of garlike cleane pild and bruised then a quarter of a pound of sweete butter and so rolle vp the garlicke in foure or fiue balles or pellets as big as two wal-nuts a peece and so taking out the horses tongue thrust them downe his throate one after another or else to take a quarter of a pound of butter and as much red saunders beat them well together in a morter then make it into foure or fiue balles and put them downe the horses throat Pils of a somewhat stronger nature are to take a handfull of rosemary leaues and chopping them small mixe them with a quarter of a pound of sweet butter and then making it into round bals giue them vnto the horse or else take round peeces of raw mellons and thrust them downe the horses throate or else to take fiue greene figges and put them downe the horses throate The strongest pill is this take of lard two pound layd in water 2 howres then take nothing but a quarter of a pound of the cleane fat thereof and stampe it in a mortar thereto put of licoras of anise seedes and of fenugreeke of each beaten into powder one
from a fistula and is of all impostumes except the fistula it selfe the most hardest to cure therefore I would wish euery carâ—full Farrier to take this cure in hand so soone as is possible that is to say before it breake if it may be Now for the general cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers it is thus Fiâ—st if it be not broken ripe it with a plaist rof hogs grease layd vnto it so hot as may be and make a biggen for the powle of his head to keep it from cold which biggen would haue two holes open so as his eares may stand ouâ— and renew the plaister euery day once vntill that it breake keâ—ping the soare place as warme as may be and if that you see it will not breake so soone as you would haue it then looke where it is softâ—st and most meetest to be opened take a round hot Iron or a copper Iron for that is the better as bigge as a mans little finger and sharpe at the point made in this figure and then about twâ— inches beneath the soft place thrust it in a good deepnesse vpward so as the point of your cauterizing Iron may come out at the ripest place to the intent that the matter may descend downeward and come out at the neather hole which would alwaies be kept open and therefore taint it with a taint of flaxe dipt in hogs grease warm and lay also a plaister of hogges grease vpon the same renewing it euery day once for the space of foure dayes which is done chiefly to kill the heate of the fire then at the foure dayes end take of Tuâ—pâ—ntine halfe a pound cleane washed in nine sundâ—y wâ—ters and after that throughly dryed by thrusting out the water with a slice on the dishes side then put thereunto two yolkes of egges and a little saffron and mingle them well together that done search the depth of the hole either with a quill or a probe and make a taint of a peece of dry sponge neuer wet so long as it may reach neare the bottome and so bigge as it may fill the wound and annoint the taint with the foresaid oyntment thrust it into the wound either with that quill or else by winding it vp with your finger and thumbe by little and little vntill you haue thrust it home and then lay on the plaister of hogges grease made luke warme renewing it euery day once or twise vntill it be whole but if the swelling ceasse then you neede not to vse the plaister but onely to taint it and as the matter decreaseth so make your taint euery day lesser and lesser vntill the wound be perfectly whole Now if this disease of the polle-euill haue broken of it selfe and by negligent looking vnto haue continued so long that it is turned to a fistula which you shall know both by the great and crooked hollownesse inwardly and by a sharpe thin water which will issue out thereof outwardly then you shall take according to the opinion of other Farriers of vnsleckt lime and of Arsnicke of each like quantity beate them together into very fine powder put thereto of the iuice of garlicke of onions and of wal-wooâ—t of each like quantity of holly as much as all the rest boile them vpon a soft fire stirre them al well together vntill they be as thicke as an ointment then wash the soare with very strong vinegar fil the hole full of the aforesaid ointment by dipping a taint therein twice a day then lay a plaister of hogs greaâ—e vpon the tent to make it keep in and vse this vntil the hoâ—se be whole Other Farriers vse to take orpiment vnleackt lime and verdigrease of each like quantity temper them with the iuice of pellitorie blacke inke hony and strong vinigar of each like quantity boile them and stirre them well â—ogether vntil they be very thicke then make thereof smals rolles and put them into the hollow place of the same sorance now you are to note that both this and the last recited salue before this are onely to kill the ranckerous and sharpe humor which brings the sore vnto a fistula which so soone as you haue killed which you shal know by the matter which will be white and thick then you shall heale vp the sore either with the pouder of Sauin or the pouder of hony and lime backed together or else by annointing it with tarre and sallet oyle or fresh hogges grease mixt together There be other Farriers which for this sorance doe first open the sore with a hot yron and then take redde lead or blacke sope and mixing them very well with water till it be good and thicke taint the horse therewith till he be whole Others vse to tâ—ke a quart of water halfe a pound of roach allome foure peny worth of Mercury a quarter of a pound of verdigrease and mixing them well together wash the horses soare with this water till it begin to dry vp and then heale it with the pouders before named CHAP. 19. Of a Horse that is laue ear'd and how to helpe him For a horse to be laue ear'd is as foule a disgrace and as much deformity to his beauty as to want the true proportion and vse of any outward member whatsoeuer It proceedeth from a naturall infirmity and is ingendred euen from the first conception and although few of our Farriers either haue endeuored themselues or know how to helpe it yet there is nothing more certaine then that in this sort it may be cured First take your horses eares and place them in such manner as you would haue them stand and then with two little boords or peeces of trenchers three fingers broad hauing long strings knit vnto them bind the eares so fast in the places where they stand that by no meanes or motion they may stirre then betwixt the head and the root of the eare you shall see a great deale of empty wrinkled skinne which with your finger and your thumbe you shall pull vp and then with a very sharpe paire of sizers you shall clip away all the empty skin close by the head then with a needle and redde silke you shall stitch the two sides of the skinne close together and then with a salue made of turpentine Deeres suet and hony of each like quantity melted together and made into an oyntment heale vp the sore which done take away the splents which held vp his eares and you shall see his eares will keepe the same place still as you set them without any alteration and this you shall euer find as certaine as the healing of a cut finger CHAP. 20. Of the Viues or harâ— Kirnel betweene the chappes and the necke THe viues are certaine great kirnels which grow fâ—om the roote of the horses eare downe to the lower part of his neather iaw betweene the chappe and the necke they are in proportion long narrow and round and are naturall things
chafe it well in But if it proceed from a cold cause then let him bleed a little and with figs soaked a day in warme water as much mustard seed make a plaister and lay to the griefe If it come either by any rush or stripe let the horse bloud and with that bloud mingle strong vinegar egges shels and all three ounces of Sanguis draconis foure of bolearmony and fiue of wheate meale and daube it all ouer the soare place If the griefe be in the shoulder and the skinne broken take galles of Soria pund and mingle them with hony and lay it to the soare If his paine come from the stiffenesse of his ioynts take a pound of blacke sope and boyle it in a quart of ale till it be thicke and it will comfort the ioynts If the ioynts be sweld take rosen pitch turpentine and Sanguis draconis molten together and lay it to the swelling something warme and it will either take away the swelling or else ripen it make it runne If you take of the oyle of Camomile oyle of Dill butter and Agripa of each a like quantity or else make a plaister of an ounce of turpentine halfe an ounce of verdigrease and the marrow of a Stagge or bathe the horse with warme water wherein Rosemary hath bene sod and it will ease any paine whatsoever If the horses paine be in his shoulder first with a launcet pricke the skinne through betweene the spade bone and the marrow bone then putting in a quill blow the skinne from the flesh euen all about then thrusting out the winde with your hand put in a rowel then take a pottle of stale vrine seeth it with a pound of butter as much swines grease a handfull of mallows a handful of tansey a handfull of veruine a handful of red nettles a handful of southernwood and a handfull of balme leaues then beate them all well together and so annoynt his shoulder therwith and let him not go forth of the stable for seuen daies If his griefe bee in any neather ioynt then take a handfull of laurell leaues and of prim-rose leaues of ground Iuy of crowfoot of mallowes of red fennel and of fine hay of each of them seuerally as much seeth them well together and then let them stand foureteene dayes then bathe the ioynt once a day binde of the hearbes vnto it for foure dayes together then after chafe into the ioynt fresh grease and oyle mixt together and it will ease all his paine Now to conclude if any ioynt or member about a horse be by the fluxe of humors sweld and growne out of shape whereby the horse goeth stiffe and halteth then to dissolue those humors take wormewood sage rosemary the barke of the Elme tree and of a Pine together with lin-seed and boyling these together make a bathe or pultus thereof and lay it to the sicke member and it will dissolue the humours and so likewise will figs being stampt with salt and applyed to the soare CHAP. 83. Of Enterfearing ENterfearing is either when a horse through a naturall straitnesse in his pace or through euill and too broad shooing goeth so narrow behinde with his hinder feete that he heweth the one against the other vpon the in-side of his legges euen with the pastorne ioynt and by meanes of this hewing there groweth hard mattery scabbes which are so soare that they many times make the horse to halt much The signes are the straitnesse of his going and the apparantnesse of the scabbes Now the cure consisteth as much in preuention as in salue for the preuention which is to keepe a horse from hewing one legge vpon another it consisteth onely in the office of the Smith and the making of his hinder shooes whereby he may goe wider and not touch of which wee shall speake more at large when wee intreate of paring and shooing of each seuerall foote For the salue which is to cure the hurt being once receiued it is thus You shall take of May butter if you can get it or else fresh grease or fresh butter with a quantity of rosen and as much nerue-oyle then fry them all together in a pan and then let it stand till it be cold and put it in a pot and put to it a little cow dung and then plaisterâ—wise apply this vnto the soare renewing it once a day and it will not onely heale this soare but also any pricke by a naile whatsoeuer CHAP. 84. Of the Shackell-gall or gall in the Pastorne either by shackel or locke IF a horse be galled in the pastorne on the heele or vpon the cronet either with shackell or locke as it many times happens in the Champion countries where the Farmers vse much to teather their horses then for such a soare you shall take hony and verdigrease and boyle them together till the one halfe be consumed and that it looke red then after it is a little cooled you shall annoynt the soare place therewith twice a day and then strew vpon it a little chopt floxe to keepe on the salue This is excellent for any gall whatsoeuer and chiefly for the Scratches CHAP. 85. Of hurts in the legges which commeth by casting in the halter THe hurts which a horse getteth by being cast in the halter are many and proceed from diuers accidents as when the reines of the coller are so long will not run to and fro that the horse getteth one or both his forelegs ouer them then with struggling woundeth galleth them much or else when a horse hauing desire to scratch his eare with his hinder foote rubbing it to and fro in the end fasteneth his foote either in the coller or the reines and then the more he striueth to loosen it the more he galleth woundeth it euen somtimes to the very bone Now for the cure according to the opinion of the old Farriers it is thus Take of oyle oliue one ounce of turpentine two or three ounces melt them together ouer the fire and then put thereunto a little waxe and working them all well together lay it plaister-wise vnto the soare renewing it once a day vntill it be whole Now there be other â—arriers which only annoynt the soare with the whites of egges sallet oyle mixt together and then when the soare cometh to a scab annoint it with butter being molten vntill it looke browne Now for mine owne part the cure which I principally vse for this sorrance is to take of waxe of turpentine and of hogges grease of each an ounce and hauing mingled molten them well together put them into a pot then take an ounce of verdigrease beaten to powder and an ounce of hogges grease and mixe them very wel together put that into another pot then when you dresse the soare take of the first salue two parts and of the later a third part and mixing them well together in the palme of your hand annoynt all the soare
shall reape these knowledges First if the vrine of a horse be of a pale whitish yellow colour like vnto amber therewithall somewhat strong smelling and not very cleare then you shall be assured that the horse is in good state of body strong and healthful but if it be extraordinary white and as it were creamy then it is a signe the horse hath weake reines and is subiect to the stone and the stopping in the kidneyes If the vrine of a horse be somewhat high coloured bright and cleare like lamber and not like amber or like a cup of strong march beere then it sheweth the horse hath inflammation in his bloud and that he hath either a feuer or else some great surfaite but if it be red like bloud then is his inflammation more geat and his surfaite is onely an ouer heate taken by ouer-riding insomuch that if present remedy be not applyed either by scouring or other healthfull physicke the horse cannot chuse but fall into some mortal sicknesse If the vrine of a horse be of a pale greenish colour thicke and slimy it is a signe of a weake backe and consumption of the seede Lastly if the horses vrine be high colored yet therewithall cloudy and full of blacknesse then it is a signe that the horses sicknesse is mortall and hardly to be preserued by any physicke but if the blacknesse and cloudinesse of the vrine do not remaine as it were bound vp together in one body but is broken dispersed shewing many cloudes in one water then it is a signe that the violence of the sicknesse departeth away and there is great hope by good gouernement that the horse will recouer his health as at the begining Now for the excrements or dung of a horse which is no lesse worthy of note then the vrine You shall first vnderstand that if his dung be euer of alliance with his foode I meane either in part or whole coloured like vnto that he eateth as thus for example If your horse go at grasse his dung wil euer be greene and the brighter such greennesse is and being in a meane betweene hardnesse and softnsse the sounder and in more perfect estate the horse standeth but if the greennesse be bright yet the ordure so soluble and loose that it cometh from the horse like water then you shall vnderstand that either the horse hath eaten vp some feather or else that he hath an inward coldnesse both in his stomacke and bowels If a horses dung be of a reasonable thicknesse neither too costiue nor too soluble yet the greennesse inclined to some blacknesse it is a signe that the horse hath a hot stomacke and is easile subiect either to the yellowes or staggers If the horses dunge be in round hard pellets and of a blackish greene colour like the dung of a sheepe or a Deere then it is without faile that the horse hath had some great surfait either by ouer-riding or by ill food or else is certainly possest either of the yellowes or feuer or foundred in the body Now if your horse be fed onely vpon straw then his colour will be of a high coloured yellow rather costiue then soluble and the graine thereof long and not well coutched together and all these be good signes of great healthfulnesse but if the colour be inclined to rednesse or if it be exceeding dry without moisture or if it be thinne like the dung of an Oxe or a cow they be all apparant signes of inward sicknesse but if the rednesse turne to blacknesse and that his ordure doth leese the strength of its smelling then it is a great signe of death and mortality If your horse be fed with hay and prouender then your perfect and sound dung will be of a browne yellow colour the graine somewhat long yet moist and well fixt together but if the brownnesse turne to rednesse it is a signe of distemperature and if it turne to blacknesse then of death Now for the smell of this dung you must vndestand that the more prouender you giue the greater will be the smell and the lesse prouender the lesse smell Lastly if you feede your horse onely vpon prouender as bread oates and such like then the dung which shewes a perfect and a sound body will be of a pale yellow colour like course hony firme like a thicke salue hauing within it when you tread vpon it or break it little white graines like those which are in sope or if the dung be harder like the ordinary ordure of a man it is not amisse for both be signes of health and strength but if the dung looke redde then it is a signe that the horse hath taken some inward heate and his stomacke and bowels do rest still inflamed If his dung be browne and slimy or if it shine and looke greasie it is a signe that he hath had some of his inward grease molten and that it resteth and putrifieth in his body but if with his dung you see him void great clods and lumps of grease then you may be assured that his grease was molten but nature hath ouercome infirmity and the worst danger is past already but if his dung be matter vndigested so that you may either perceiue therin whole corns or whole bits of bread it is a signe the horse hath either taken a late surfaite or is entring into a mortall consumption Lastly if his dung be blacke or haue lost the smell it is an apparant signe of death And thus much for vrine and excrements and the seueral knowâ—ledges are attained by them CHAP. 15. Of Feuers in generall and the diuers kindes thereof THat horses haue feuers and those feuers of diuers and sundry natures there is nothing more certaine as by strict obseruation may daily be perceiued especially when either we vse much trauell or disorderly diet for questionlesse from these two and none other heads do spring most feuers whatsoeuer But first that I may giue you an account what a horses feuer is you shall know that it is an vnnaturall and immoderate heate which proceeding first from the heart disperseth it selfe not onely through all the arteries but euen the veines of a horses body thereby hindereth all the actions and wholesome mouings of the same Now of feuers some Farriers make three forts the first those which breede in the spirits being inflamed and set on fire beyond the ordinary course of nature the second those which breede in the humours being likewise distempered by heate and the third those which breed in the firme parts of the body and are continually hot Now I for your better memory will diuide them onely into two parts that is to say Ordinary and extraordinary The ordinary feuers are all those which are bred either in the spirits or in the humours as namely Quotidians Tertians Quartans Feuers continuall Feuers Hectique Feuers in Autumne Sommer or Winter And the feuers extraordinary are all those which are bred 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
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
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
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
Scab or Manginesse in the taile or generall falling of the haire Horses through the corruption of bloud or the fulnesse of rancke feeding or through ouer heating and labouring or by the infection of other horses do many times get the generall scab itch or manginesse in the taile and sometimes in the spring time horses are troubled with the truncheon wormes in their fundament which will make them rub their tailes fret the haire yet are free both from mange and scurfe wherfore if then you only rake the horse with your hand annointed with sope and pull out the wormes you shall cause the horse to leaue his rubbing but if you perceiue the haire to shed and fall from the taile through some small wormes that growes at the rootes of the haire or through some little fretting scurfe then you shall annoint all the taile with sope euen to the ground and then wash it with very strong lye after and that will both kill the wormes and scoure out the scurfe but if much of the taile be fallen away then you shall keepe the taile continually wet with a sponge dipt in faire water and that wil make the haire to grow very fast Now if in the horses taile shall grow any canker which will consume both the flesh and bone and make the ioints to fall away one by one then you shall wash all his taile with Aqua fortis or strong water made in this sort Take of greene copporas and of allome of each one pound of white copporas a quarterne boile all these together in three quarts of running water in a very strong earthen pot vntill the one halfe be consumed and then with a little of this water being made luke warme wash his taile with a little clout or flaxe bound to the end of a sticke continuing so to do euery day once vntill it be whole But if as I said before through the corruption of bloud foode or labour this scabbe itch or manginesse spread vniuersally into many parts of the taile you shall then likewise wash it with the same strong water vntill it be whole CHAP. 52. Of the generall Scab Mainginesse or Leprosie ouer the whole body THe generall manginesse or leprosie which runneth all ouer the horses body is a cankred filthy scurfe which couereth the same proceeding from abundance of melancholy corrupt bloud ingendred by infection or vnwholsome food or else by indiscreet labour The signes whereof are the horse will bee all mangie and couered ouer with a white filthy scurfe full of scabs and raw plots about the necke flankes and euill fauored to looke on and rubbing scratching and biting of all diseases there is none more infectious nor will more certainely kil a horse if it be not preuented Now the cure according to the opinion of the ancientest Farriers is first to let the horse bloud in the one side of the necke veine and within two daies after on the other side of the necke and within two daies after that in the flancke veines and last of all in the veine vnder the taile then wash all the sore places with salt brine rubbing them hard with a wispe of straw hard twisted so as they may bleed well and be all raw that done annoint the places with this ointment take of quicksiluer one ounce of hogs grease one pound of brimstone beaten into powder a quarterne of rape oile a pint mingle these things wel together vntill the quicksiluer be throughly incorporated with the rest and hauing annointed all the raw places with this ointment make it to sincke into the flesh by holding and weauing vp and downe ouer it a hot broad barre of yron and then touch him no more againe the space of two or three daies during which time if you see that he rubbeth stil in any place then rubbe that place againe with an old horse comb to make it raw and annoint it with fresh ointment But if all this will not helpe then with a hot yron round and blunt at the point so bigge as a mans little finger burne all the mangy places making round holes passing only through the skinne and no further for which intent it shall be needfull to pull the skinne first from the flesh with your left hand holding it still vntill you haue thrust the hot yron through it and let euery hole be a spanne one from another and if need be you may annoint those holes with a little sope and let the horse be very thinne diâ—â—ted during this curing time Now for mine owne part I doe vtterly dislike this burning for it is a foule manner of cure and breedeth much eie-sore in the horse and therefore other of our latter Farriers vse for this disease after they haue let the horse bloud in the necke veine to take a good quantity of fresh grease and mixe it well with the powder of chalke then put thereto a good quantity of the powders of brimstone and ellecampany roots and stirre them all well together then take a pretty quantity of quicksiluer and kill it with your fasting spittle or sallet oile mixe it with all the rest very well together and so annoint all the sore places about the horse with this ointment Others vse to take of lampe oile the fine powder of brimston of black sope of tarre of hogs grease and the soote of a chimney of each a like quantity then mixe them all well together by boiling them on the fire and then annoint all the sore places therewith as hot as the horse can suffer it alwaies prouided that the horse be let bloud before you vse the ointment Others vse after the horse is let bloud to take of oile de bay a pound and of quicksiluer one ounce and mixing them together neuer leaue stirring thereof till the quicksiluer be kild incorporated with the oile then annoint all the sore places therewith after you haue made them raw by rubbing them Other Farriers vse first to let the horse bloud then to wash all the sore places within two daies after with water wherein yong broome or the hearb of arsmanarck hath bin well sod in and smally chopt and mixâ— with a little soote and rubbe him well vntill the sore places bleed then take a pound of blacke sope a pottle of keene mustard foure peniworth of brimstone made into powder three peniworth of quicksiluer well killed with fresh grease two peniworth of verdigrease a quarter of a pint of grease stirre all these together in a vessell till the grease and other things be molten with labour and without fire and therewithall annoint all the sore places and with once annointing and twise washing this will cure him Others vse if the horse be young to let him bloud on both sides the necke and then to cut the skin downe the middest of his forehead two fingars in length then with a cornet open the skin an inch wide on both sides the slit and put therein thinne slices
therewith vntill it be whole Others vse only to bathe the soare with beefe broth and then for foure or fiue dayes after to annoynt it with sope or else first to plunge his feete in scalding water twice or thrice bathe the soare in scalding water then haue ready a hard roasted egge cleaue it in the midst and clappe it to as hot as you can and let it lye bound all night vse this once or twice and you may aduenture to ride him Others vse to take pepper garlicke stampt coleworts and old hogges grease of each like quantity then beate them in a mortar till they come to a salue and so lay it to the soare renewing it once a day till it bee whole Others vse first to take vp the shackle veines on both sides then take the soft roe of a red herring mustard blacke sope and when they are well beat together boyle them in vinegar til they come to a salue apply it to the soare this will cure the Pains albe you do not take vp the shackle veines If you cannot readily get this salue you may take butter hony molten together it wil helpe them or else take a pound of hogs grease a peny worth of verdigrease 2. ounces of mustard halfe a pound of oyle de-bay a quarter of a pound of nerue-oyle halfe a pound of hony halfe a pound of English waxe one ounce of arsnicke 2. ounces of red lead halfe a pint of vinegar boyle all these together and make an oyntment of it then hauing clipt and made the soare all bare apply the medicine thereunto very hot and renew it once a day vntill it be whole Others vse to take 5. ounces of orpiment 5. of tartar once of verdigrease halfe an ounce of Sulphur as much of vitrioll made into powder the iuice of foure Citrions the whites of two egges with three ounces of sallet oyle let all these bee very well beaten together and applyed once a day to the soare and it will not onely heale this disease but any salt humour whatsoeuer Mingle with soft grease vinegar hony orpiment and arsnicke but let arsnicke bee the least and it will cure this disease so will also white waxe turpentine and Camphora mixt together Others vse to take a hundred blacke snailes in the moneth of May slit them and put them into a bagge with a pint of bay-salt then hang them ouer the fire with a vessell set vnder to receiue what drops from them and keep it in a close glasse then annoynt the soare euery day therewith and it will heale this sorrance Others take hony and vinegar of each a like quantity a little oyle and suet of a he goat of each a like also boyle them with a soft fire and stirre it well when it waxeth redde adde of verdigrease and vitriolle of each like quantity made into powder still stirring it till it bee red and thicke then being warme annoynt the soare place therewith once a day after it hath bene washed with warme water and this not onely helpes the paines but also any sorrance whatsoeuer of like nature about the legges Also greene copporas roach allome of each halfe a pound and a handfull of bay-salt boyld in a gallon of running water will heale it or else vnto it adde a pint of hony and boyle it ouer againe and it will bee the better then when you haue annoynted the soare therewith rubbe it after with the powder of glasse mustard and vinegar mixt together and afterward skinne it with creame and the inner rinde of Elder beaten to a salue which must be applyed to the soare twice a day at the least CHAP 79. Of the Mules or Kybe heeles THese Mules or kybed heeles are certaine drye scabbes or chappes breeding behinde vpon the heeles of a horse and so a little inward euen to the fetlocke in long chaps chiâ—ewes it proceedeth either from corruption of bloud or from being bred in wet marrish grounds or else from vncleane and negligent keeping in such manner as the Paines are bred this sorrance will make the horses legge to swell much especially in the winter and about the spring time and he will goe stiffly and halt much Now for the cure you shall vnderstand that whatsoeuer healeth the paines the same will in like sort heale these kybed heeles yet for more particularity you shall know that the old Farriers did vse for this sorrance if they tooke it at the beginning but onely to annoynt it for two or three dayes with sope and then after to wash it with strong vrine or beefe broth till it were whole but if it were of any longer continuance then first to cut away the haire and lay the soare open and plaine then take two ounces of vnslekt lime one ounce of sope and the white of an egge or else an ounce of vnslekt lime and as much salt and 3 ounces of foot and mingling them with strong vinegar annoynt the soare therewith and it will heale and kill them Other Farriers vse to calcinate Tartar and dissolue it in water then congeale it like salt and mingle it with sope like an oyntment and then dresse the soare therewith and this will in 48. howres heale any mules paines or scratches whatsoeuer If you take the iuice of the leaues and roots of elder it is very good to dry vp any of these euill humors CHAP. 80. Of Winde-gales Others vse to open the skin and put out the ielly then take a spoonefull of oyle de bay a spoonefull of turpentine a penyworth of verdigrease the white of an egge and a quarter of an ounce of red lead boyle them together till it come to a salue then lay it to the wind-gall and it will cure it or else after you haue let out the ielly take rosen sheepes suet brimstone of each a like melt them together and lay that vpon the wind-gall so it be not too hot and it will cure it Others take the rootes of comin and beate them well with a little salt and lay that to the wind-gall or else annoynt them with the iuyce of onions or leeke blades and that will allay them or else ground Iuy and wormewood with the rootes sod in wine and layd to the wind-gall will take them away Others of our later experienced Farriers take an ounce of white waxe an ounce of rosen two ounces of raw hony three ounces of swines grease two ounces of oyle of the yelkes of egges fiue ounces of oyle de bay mixe all these well together and straine them then rub them into the wind-gall by holding a hot barre of Iron against the oyntment and it will take the wind-gall away Now for the making of the oyle of yelks of egges it is thus First seeth the egges hard then stampe them and then seeth them in an earthen pot with a soft fire and so straine them Now this medicine will not onely heale the wind-gall but the ring-bone
into sundry branches according as the veine doth diuide you shall take the last knot of euery braunch which for the most part will be hard and not come to rottennesse and then slit them and fill them with your kniues point full of white arsnicke then those which you find to be rotten let the matter forth and annoynt them with blacke sope and arsnicke mixt together then within 2. or 3. dayes you shall see those which you drest with arsnicke simply to haue their coares fall out and the rest which you drest with blacke sope will dry vp then annoynt them all with fresh butter molten till they be whole Now if you do perceiue any new knots to arise then you shall dresse them likewise with arsnicke simply as was said before not leaue any vncured Now if the farcy be not very contagious but as it were newly begun then if you only take blacke sope arsenicke as beforesayd and annoynting your fingar and your thumbe therewith do but nippe and bruise euery knot and within two or three daies after they will dry vp and heale But if the farcy be fowle and desperate that is to say either vniuersally spread ouer the body or so gotten into any limbe or member that the limbe is deformed and hath lost his proportion so that a man can neither iudge which way the veines runne nor in what part the knots are most venemous because that healing one two new ones will arise In this case you shall first giue your horse a strong scouring or purgation according to the strength of his body of all which a pint of muskadine or a quart of strong ale with halfe a pinte of the oyle of oates is the most soueraigne then shall you take a penyworth of tarre and two good handfuls of pidgions dung and twelue penyworth of white mercury mixe all these very well together and make them into a salue then with a slice daube it all ouer the soare place leauing no parte of the member vncouered then heating a barre of Iron red hote hold it so neare that it may drye the salue vpon the soare then lay more fresh salue on and dry it in like maner let it so rest vntill it fall off and it will kill any farcy whatsoeuer at the first or second dressing Now there bee others which will stoppe the knots with the powder of verdigrease and of arsnicke mixt together or else wash the soares with Aqua-fortis but they are neither so good as the other before rehearsed CHAP. 112. Of the Canker in any part of the body A Canker is a poysonous creeping vlcer fretting gnawing the flesh in great breadth whose beginning is knotty not much vnlike vnto the farcy spreadeth it selfe into diuers places and being exulcerated gathereth together at the length into one wound or filthy soare from whence there runneth a thinne sharpe lye which galleth off the skin wheresoeuer it goes and so both increaseth the vlcer and maketh it more incurable It proceedeth from melancholy and filthy bloud ingendred either by rancknesse of keeping or else by too extreme pouerty and if this naughty bloud be mixt with sharpe and salte humors then it causeth more painefull and grieuous exulceration It also may proceede from some loathsome wound which is neither cleane kept nor well drest but in such sorte that the corrupt matter thereof poysoneth the other cleane partes of the body for signes of the sorrance there needeth no more but the description already mentioned And for the cure according to the opinion of ancient Farriers is first to let the horse bloud in those veines which are next the soare and make him bleed well then take of allom halfe a pound of greene copporas as much of white copporas one quarterne and a good handfull of salt boyle all these things together in faire running water from a pottle to a quart and this water being warme wash the soare therewith with a clout and then sprinkle thereon the powder of slecked lime continuing so to doe euery day once the space of fifteene daies and if you see that the lime doe not morâ—ifie the rancke flesh and keepe it from spreading any further then take of sope halfe a pound of quick-siluer halfe an ounce and beate them together in a pot vntil the quicksiluer be so well mingled with the sope as you can perceiue no quicksiluer in it with an yron slice or splatter after that you haue washed the soare with the strong water aforesaid couer the wound with this oyntment continuing thus to doe euery day once vntill the canker leaue spreading abroad And if it leaue spreading and that you see the rancke flesh is well mortified and that the edges beginnes to gather a skinne then after the washing dresse it with lime as before continuing so to doe vntill it be whole and in the dressing suffer no filth that commeth out of the soare to remaine vpon any whole place about but wipe it cleane away or else wash it away with warme water and let the horse during this cure bee as thinly dicted as may bee and throughly exercised now if this cankerous vlcer happen to be in the taile of the horse as it is often seene and which you shall perceiue as well by the falling away of the haire as also by the wound then you shall make a bolster either of soft cloth or spunge and wet it with vinegar both within and without and so bind it fast to the soare alwaies when it waxeth dry you must wet it againe do thus twice or thrice a day if it be done oftener it is better so shal you continue for three or foure daies and then heale it vp as you heale vp any ordinary wound that is with hogges grease and turpentine molten together or such like There be other Farriers which for the canker on the body doe take one ounce of the iuice of the roote of Affedeli three ounces of vnsleckt lime two ounces of orpiment or arsnicke put this in an earthen vessell close stopt and either boyle or bake it in an ouen till it come to a powder then first wash the soare with strong vinegar and after strow this powder thereon Others vse to take garlicke and beate it in a mortar with swines grease till it come to a salue and then hauing washt the soare either with vinegar allome water copporas water or old vrine then annoynt it once or twice a day with it till it bee whole Other Farriers take the hearbe Mullen and bruise it and mix it with salt and verdigrease and then dresse the soare therewith morning and euening for the space of three or foure daies then vse the same salue as long againe without verdigrease then lastly vse the hearbe alone but if at any time you see it doe beginne to waxe raw then beginne againe as is aforesaid and euer before you annoynt it wash it first with vinegar and grease mixt together Others take