rust or vennome of some bit or snaffell vndiscretly lookt vnto the cure is thus Wash the sore place with strong vineger made thick with the powder of Allum two or three daies together euery time vntil it bleede which will kill the poyson and vigor of the exulcerated matter then make this water take of running water a quart of Allum foure ounces of Hony foure or fiue spoonefuls of Wood-bineleaues of Sage-leaues and of Collombine-leaues of each halfe a handful boile al these together til one halfe be consumed then take it off and euery day with the water warmed wash the sore vntil it be whole Of the heat in the mouth and lips SOmetime the heat that commeth out of the stomach breedeth no Canker but maketh the mouth hot and causeth the horse to forsake his meat The cure wherof Blundevile as Martin saith is in this sort First turne vp his vpperlip and iagge it lightly with a launcet so as it may bleede and then wash both that and al his mouth and tongue with Vineger and salt Of the tongue being hurt with the bit or otherwise IF the tongue be cut or hurt any manner of way Martin saith it is good first to wash it with Allum water and then to take the leaues of black Bramble and to chop them togither small with a little lard that done to binde it vp in a little clout making it round like a ball then hauing dipt the round end in hony rub the tongue therewith continuing so to do once a day vntil it be whole Of the Barbles or Paps vnderneath the tongue THese be two little paps called of the Italians Barbole growing naturally as I thinke in euery Horsses mouth vnderneath the tongue in the neather iawes which if they shoot of any length Russius saith that they wil hinder the Horsses feeding and therefore he and Martin also would haue them to be clipt away with a paire of sheeres and that don the Horsses mouth to be washed with vineger and salt Of the paine in the teeth and gums of the Wolfes teeth and Iaw-teeth A Horse may haue paine in his teeth partly by discent of humors from his head down into his teeth and gums which is to be perceiued by the ranknesse and swelling of the gums and partly hauing two extraordinary teeth called the wolfes teeth which be two little teeth growing in the vpper iawes next vnto the great grinding teeth which are so paineful to the Horse as he cannot endure to chaw his meat but is forced either to let it fal out of his mouth or else to keepe it stil halfe chawed whereby the Horse prospereth not but waxerh leane and poore and he wil do the like also when his vpper Iaw-teeth be so far growne as they ouerhang the neather Iaw-teeth and therewith be so sharp as in mouing his iawes they cut and race the insides of his cheeks euen as they were raced with a knife And first as touching the cure of the paine in the teeth that commeth by meanes of some distillation Vegetius saith it is good to rub al the outside of his gums with fine chalke and strong vineger mingled together or else after that you haue washed the gums with vineger to strew on them of Pomegranate piles But methinkes that besides this it were not amisse to stop the temple vains with the plaister before mentioned in the chapter of weeping and waterish eies The cure of the Wolfes teeth and of the iaw-teeth according to Martin is in this sort First cause the horsse head to be tyed vp to some rafter or post and his mouth to be opened with a cord so wide as you may easily see euery part thereof Then take a round strong iron toole half a yard long and made at the one end in al points like vnto the Carpenters gouge wherewith he maketh his holes to be bored with a wimble or augor with your left hand set the edge of your toole at the foot of the wolfs teeth on the outside of the iaw turning the hollow side of the toole downward holding your hand steadily so as the toole may not slip from the foresaid tooth then hauing a mallet in your right hand strike vpon the head of the toole one pretty blow and therwith you shal loosen the tooth and cause it to bend inward then staying the midst of your toole vpon the horses neather iaw wrinch the tooth outward with the inside or hollow side of the toole and thrust it clean out of his head Blundevile that done serue the other Wolfes tooth on the other side in like manner and fill vp the empty places with salt finely braied But if the vpper iawe-teeth do also ouerhang the neather teeth so cut the inside of his mouth as is aforesaid then keeping his mouth stil open take your toole and mallet and pare al those teeth shorter running alongst them euen from the first vnto the last turning the hollow side of your toole towards the teeth so shal not the toole cut the inside of his cheekes and the backe or round side being turned toward the foresaid checkes and that doone wash all his mouth with vineger and salt and let him go Why the diseases in the necke withers and backe be declared heere before the diseases in the throate HAuing hitherto spoken of the diseases incident to a horsses head and to al the parts thereof natural order requireth that we shold now discend into the throat as a part next adiacent to the mouth But forasmuch as the diseases in the throate haue not onely afinity with the head but also with the lungs and other inward parts which are many times grieued by meanes of distillation comming from the head and through the throat I wil speake of the diseases incident to the necke withers and backe of a Horsse to the intent that when I come to talke of such diseases as rheumes and distillations doe cause I may discourse of them orderly without interruption Of the Cricke in the necke BEcause a Cricke is no other thing but a kind of conuulsion and for that we haue spoken sufficiently bofore of al kinds thereof in the chapter of conuulsion I purpose not heere therefore to trouble you with many wordes but onely shewe you Russius opinion and also Martins experience therein The cricke then called of the Italians Scima or Luterdo according to Russius and according to Martin is when the Horsse cannot turne his neck any maner of way but hold it stil right forth insomuch as he cannot take his meate from the ground but by times and that very slowly Russius saith it commeth by meanes of some great weight laid on the horsses shoulders or else by ouermuch drying vp of the sinnewes of the necke The cure whereof according to Martin is in his sort Draw him with a hot iron from the root of the eare on both sides of the necke through the midst of the same euen down to the breast
it is good against al venim of Serpents and against the chamelaeon but with this difference against the scorpion with wine against spiders with sweet water against the Lizzards with Mirtire against Dipsas and cerastes with Opponax or wine made of Rew and against other serpentes with wine simply Take of euery one two drams for a cold take it a scruple and a halfe in foure cups of wine vsed with Ladanum it cureth the Fistula and vlcers Castoreoque graui mulier sopita recum bit prouoketh neezing by smelling to it procureth sleepe they being annointed with it maiden-weed conserue of Roses and being drunke in Water helpeth Phrensie and with the roses and Maiden-weed aforesaid easeth head-ache Being layd to the head like a plaster it cureth all colde and windy affections therein or if one drawe in the smoake of it perfumed though the paine be from the mothers wombe and giuen in three cups of sweete vineger fasting it helpeth the falling sicknes but if the person haue often fits the same giuen in a glister giueth great ease Then must the quantity be two drams of castoreum one sextary of honey and oyle and the like quantity of water but in the fit it helpeth with vineger by smelling to it It helpeth the palsie taken with Rew or wine sod in Rew so also all heart trembling ache in the stomack and quaking of the sinewes It being infused into them that lie in Lethargies with vineger and conserue of roses doth presently awake them for it strengthneth the braine and mooueth sternutation It helpeth obliuion comming by reason of sicknes the party being first purgd with Hiera Ruffi castoreum with oyle bound to the hinder part of the head and afterward a dram drunke with Mellicrate also taken with oyle cureth all conuulsion proceeding of cold humors if the conuulsion be full and perfect not temporall or in some particular member which may come to passe in any sicknes The same mixed with hony helpeth the clearnes of the eies and their inflamations likewise vsed with the iuyce of Popie and infused to the eares or mixed with honey helpeth all paines in them With the seed of hemlockes beaten in vineger it sharpneth the sence of hearing if the cause be colde and it cureth tooth-ach infused into that eare with oyle on which side the paine resteth for Hippocrates sent vnto the wife of Aspasius complayning of the paine in her cheeke and teeth a little castoreum with pepper aduising her to hold it in her mouth betwixt her teeth A perfume of it drawne vp into the head stomacke easeth the paines of the lights and intrals and giuen to them that sigh much with sweet vineger fasting it recouereth them It easeth the cough and distillations of rhewme from the head to the stomacke taken with the iuyce of blacke Popye It is preseruative against inflamations pains in the guts or belly although the belly be swolne with colde windy humors being drunke with vineger or Oxycrate it easeth the colicke giuen vvith annisse beaten smal and two spoonfuls of sweet water and it is found by experiment that vvhen a horsse cannot make vvater let him be couered ouer vvith his cloath Vegetins and then put vnderneath him a fire of coles vvherein make a perfume vvith that castoreum till the horses belly and cods smell thereof then taking avvay the coles vvalk the horsse vp dovvn couered and he vvill presently stale To soften the belly they vse Castoreum with sweet water two drams and if it be not forcible enough they take of the root of a set cucumber one dram and the some of salt Peter two drams It is also vsed with the iuice of Withy and decoction of Vineger applied to the rains and genitall parts like a plaster against the Gonorrhaean passion It will stir vp a womans monethly courses and cause an easie trauaile two drammes being drunke in water with Penny-Royall And if a Woman with childe goe ouer a Beauer she will suffer abortment A secret and Hypocrates affirmeth that a perfume made with Castoreum Asses dunge and swines greace openeth a closed wombe There is an Antidot called Diacostu made of this castoreum good against the Megrim falling sicknesse apoplexies palsies and weakenesse of limmes as may be seene in Myrepsus against the impotency of the tongue trembling of the members and other such infirmities These vertues of a Beauer thus described I will conclude this discourse with a History of a strange beast like vnto this related by Dunranus campus-bellus a noble kni who affirmed A miraculus history of a Monster that there are in Arcadia seuen great Lakes some 30. miles compasse and some lesse whereof one is called Garloil out of which in Anno 15.0 about the midst of Summer in a morning came a Beast about the bignes of a water dog hauing feet like a Goose who with his taile easily threw downe small trees and presently with a swift pace he made after some men that he saw and with three strokes he likewise ouerthrew three of them the residue climbing vp into trees escaped and the beast without any long tarrying returned backe againe into the water which beast hath at other times bene seene and it is obserued that this appearance of the monster did giue warning of some strange euils vpon the Land which story is recorded by Hector Boethius OF THE BISON. Of the name A Bison called of some Latines though corruptly Vrson and Veson of the Graecians Bisoon of the Lituanians Suber of the Polonians Zuber from whence some Latines deriued Zubro for a Byson Of the Germanes Visent and Vaesent Wisent a beast very strange as may appear by his figure prefixed which by many authors is taken for Vr. â—â— some for a Bugle or wild Oxe other for Rangifer and many for the beast Tarandus a Buffe By reason whereof there are not many things which can by infallible collection be learned of this beast among the writers yet is it truely and generally held for a kind of wild Oxe Places of their breed bred in the Northern parts of the world for the most part and neuer tamed as in Scythia Moscouia Hercynia Thracia and Brussia But those tall wilde Oxen which are said to be in Lapponia Philostephan The reason of their nam and the Dukedome of Angermannia are more truely saide to be Vrt as in their story shall be afterward declared Their name is taken from Thracia Varinus Stephanus a secret in the laâ—e Dicaea which was once called Bistonia and the people thereof Bistones from Bisto the sonne of Cicas and Terpsicores and thereof came Bistonia Grues cranes of Thracia and Bistonia Lâ—eus for the lake or sea of Dicaea neere Abdera where neuer liuing thinge or other of lesse weight was cast in but it presently sunke and was drowned This Bison is called Taurus Paeonicus the Paeonian-Bull whereof I find two kinds one of greater Seural kinds
the Horsse bee so sore pained as he cannot swallow downe his meate it shall bee good to giue him lukewarme water mingled with Barly meale or wheat meale and besides that to make him swallow downe seuen sops sopped in wine one after another at one time some vse at the second time to dip such sops in sweet sallet oile Thus far Vegetius Of the Pestilent Ague IT seemeth by Laurentius Russius that Horsses be also subiect to a pestilent feuer which almost incureable Blundevile is called of him Infirmitas Epidimialis that is to say a contagious and pestiferous disease whereof there dyed in one yeare in Rome aboue a thousand Horses which as I take it came by some corruption of the aire whereunto Rome in the chiefe of Summer is much subiect or else corrupt humors in the body ingendered by vnkinde food by reason perhaps that the City was then pestered with more horse-men then there could be conueniently harbored or fed Laurentius himselfe rendereth no cause therof but onely sheweth signes how to know it which be these The Horsse holdeth down his head eateth little or nothing his eyes waterish and his flanks doe continually beat The cure First giue him this glister Take of the pulpe of Coloquintida one ounce of Dragantum one ounce and a halfe of Centuary and Wormwood of each one handfull of Castoreum halfe an ounce boile them in water then being strained dissolue therein of Gerologundinum sixe ounces of salt an ounce and a halfe and halfe a pound of Oyle oliue and minister it lukewarme with a horne or pipe made of purpose Make also this plaister for his head take of Squilla fiue ounces of Elder of Castoreum of Mustard seed and of Euforbium of each two ounces dissolue the same in the iuyce of Daffodill and of Sage and laie it to the Temples of his head next vnto his eares or else giue him any of these three drinks heere following take of the best Triacle two or three ounces and distemper it in good wine and giue it him with a horne or else let him drinke euery morning the space of three daies one pound or two of the iuyce of Elder rootes or else giue him euery morning to eate a good quantity of Venus haire called of the Latines Capillus Veneris newly and fresh gathered but if it be old then boile it in water and giue him the decoction thereof to drink with a horne Martins opinion and experience touching a Horsses Feuer THough Martin haue not seene so many seuerall kindes of feuers to chance to Horsses Blundevile yet he confesseth that a Horsse will haue a feauer and saith that you shal know it by these signes For after the Horsse hath beene sicke two or three daies if you looke on his tongue you shall see it almost raw and scalt with the heate that coms out of his body and he wil shake and tremble reele and stagger when his fit commeth which fit wil keepe his due howers both of comming and also of continuance vnlesse you preuent it by putting the horsse into a heat which would be done so soone as you see him begin to tremble either by riding him or tying vp his Legs and by chasing him vp and downe in the stable vntil he leaue shaking and then let him be kept warm and stand on the bit the space of two houres that done you may giue him some hay by a little at once and giue him warme water with a litle ground mault twice a day the space of three or foure daies and once a day wash his tongue with Alom water vineger and Sage But if you see that all this preuailes not then purge him with this drinke after that he hath fasted al one night Take of Aloes one ounce of Agaricke halfe an ounce of Lycoras and Annis seedes of each a dram beaten to powder and let him drinke it with a quart of white wine lukewarme and made sweet with a little Hony in the morning fasting and let him be chafed a little after it and be kept warme and suffered to stand on the bit meatlesse two or three houres after and he shall recouer his health againe quickly Of sicknesse in generall and the Feuer IN general sicknes is an opposit foe to nature warring against the agents of the body and minde seeking to confound those actions which vphold and maintaine the bodies strength and liuely-hood Markham Who coueteth to haue larger definition of sicknesse let him reade Vegesius Rusius or excellent Maister Blundiuile who in that hath bin admirably well-deseruing plainefull For mine owne part my intent is to write nothing more then mine own experience and what I haue approued in Horsses diseases most auaileable and first of the Feuer or Ague in a Horsse though it bee a disease seldome or not at all noted by our Mechannicall Horsse Farriors who cure many times what they know noâ— and kill wher they might cure knew they the cause yet I haue my selfe seene of late both by the demonstrate opinions of others better learned and by the effects of the disease some two Horses which I dare auouch were mightily tormented with a Feauer though diuers Leeches had thereof giuen diuers opinions one saying it was the bots by reason of his immoderate languishment another affirmed him to be bewitcht by reason of his great shaking heauinesse and sweating but I haue found it and approued it to be a Feuer both in effect nature and quality the cure whereof is thus for the originall cause of a Feuer is surfet breeding putrifaction in the blood then when his shaking beginneth take three new laide Egges breake them in a dish and beate them together then mixe thereto fiue or sixe spoonefuls of excellent good Aqua vitae and giue it him in a horne then bridle him and in some Close or Court chafe him til his shaking cease and he beginne to sweat then set him vp and cloath him warme And during the time of his sicknesse giue him no water to drinke but before he drinke it boile therein Mallowes Sorrell Purslaine of each two or three handfuls As for his foode let it bee sodden Barly and now and then a little Rye in the sheafe to clense and purge him chiefely if he be drye inwardly and grow costiue This I haue proued vneffectlesse for this disease and also much auaileable for any other inward sicknesse proceeding either of raw digestion too extreame riding or other surfet Diuers haue written diuersly of diuers Agues and I coulde prescribe receiptes for them but since I haue not been experimented in them al I meane to omit them intending not to exceede mine owne knowledge in any thing Of the Pestilence THe Pestilence is a contagious disease proceeding as Pelagonius saith somtime of ouermuch labour heate colde hunger aad sometime of sudden running after long rest or of the retention or holding of stale or vrine Blundevile or of drinking colde water whiles the Horsse
his head with such perfumes as haue beene shewed you before in the Chapter of the Glanders and also to giue him alwaies Coleworts chopt small with his prouender Some would haue him to drinke the warme blood of sucking pigs new slaine and some the iuyce of Leekes with oile and wine mingling together Others praise wine and Frankincense some oyle and Rue some would haue his body to be purged and set to grasse Of the consumption of the flesh and how to make a leane Horse fat MArtin saith that if a Horse take a great cold after a heat it wil cause his flesh to wast and his skin to wax hard and dry and to cleaue fast to his sides and hee shall haue no appetite vnto his meat and the fillets of his backe wil fal away and all the flesh of his buttocks and of his shoulders will be consumed The cure whereof is thus Take two sheepes heads vnflead boile them in three gallons of Ale or faire running water vntill the flesh be consumed from the bones that done strain it through a fine cloth and then put thereunto of Sugar one pound of Cinamon two ounces of conserue of Roses of Barberries of Cherries of each two ounces and mingle them together and giue the Horsse euery day in the morning a quart thereof lukewarme vntil all be spent and after euery time he drinketh let him be walked vp and downe in the stable or else abroade if the weather be warme and not windy and let him neither eate nor drinke in two houres after and let him drinke no cold water but lukewarme the space of fifteene daies and let him be fed by little and little with such meate as the Horse hath most appetite vnto But if the horse be nesh and tender so wax lean without any apparant griefe or disease then the old writers would haue him to be fed now and then with partched Wheat and also to drinke Wine with his water and eate continually wheate bran mingled with his prouender vntill hee waxe stronge and hee must be often dressed and trimmed and lye softe without the which things his meat will do him but little good And his meat must be fine and cleane and giuen him often and by litttle at once Russius saith that if a Horsse eating his meat with good appetite doth not for al that prosper but is stil leane then it is good to giue him Sage Sauin Bay berries Earth-nuttes and Boares greace to drinke with wine or to giue him the intrals of a Barbell or Tench with white Wine He saith also that sodden Beanes mingled with Branne and Salt will make a leane Horsse fat in very short space Of griefe in the breast Blundevile LAurentius Russius writeth of a disease called in Italian Grauezza di petto which hath not beene in experience amongst our Ferrers that I can learn It coms as Russius saith of the superfluity of blood or other humors dissolued by some extreame heat and resorting down the breast paining the Horsse so as he cannot well go The cure whereof according to Russius is thus Let him bloode on both sides of the breast in the accostomed vaines and rowell him vnder the breast and twice a daye turne the rowells with your hand to mooue the humours that they may yssue forth and let him goe so roweled the space of fifteene daies Of the paine of the heart called Anticor that is to say Contrary to the heart THis proceedeth of aboundance of ranke blood bred with good feeding ouermuch rest which blood resorting to the inward parts doth suffocate the heart and many times causeth swellinges to appeare before the breast which will grow vpwarde to the necke and then it killeth the Horsse The signes The Horse will hang downe his head in the manger forsaking his meate and is not able to lift vp his head The cure according to Martin is thus Let him blood on both sides aboundantly in the plat vaines and then giue him this drinke take a quart of malmesie and put thereunto halfe a quarterne of Sugar and two ounces of Cinamon and giue it him lukewarme then keepe him warme in the stable stuffing him well about the stomach that the wind offend him no manner of way and giue him warme water with mault alawies to drinke and giue him such meate as he will eate And if the swelling do appeare then besides letting him blood strike the swelling in diuers places with your fleame that the corruption may goe forth and annoint the place with warme Hogs greace and that wil either make it to weare away or else to grow to a head if it be couered and kept warme Of tired Horsses BIcause we are in hand heere with the vitall partes and that when the Horsses be tyred with ouermuch labour their vitall spirits wax feeble I thinke it best to speak of them euen heere not with long discoursing as Vegetius vseth but briefely to shew you how to refresh the poore Horsse hauing neede thereof which is doone chiefely by giuing him rest warmth and good feeding as with warme mashes and plenty of prouender And to quicken his spirits it shall be good to poure a little oyle and vineger into his Nostrils and to giue him the drinke of sheeps heads recited before in the Chapter of consumption of the flesh yea and also to bath his Legges with this bath take of Mallowes of Sage of each two or three handfuls and a Rose-cake boile these things together and being boyled then put vnto it a good quantity of butter or of Sallet-oyle Or else make him this charge take of Bole Armony and of Wheat-flower of each halfe a pound and a little Rozen beaten into powder and a quart of strong vineger and mingle them together and couer all his Legs therewith and if it be summer turne him to grasse Of the diseased parts vnder the midriffe and first of the stomacke THe old Authors make mention of many diseases incident to a horses stomacke as loathing of meat spewing vp his drinke surfetting of prouender the hungry euil and such like which few of our Ferrers haue obserued and therefore I wil breefely speake of as many as I thinke necessary to bee knowne and first of the loathing of meate Blundevile Of the loathing of meat A Horsse may loath his meat through the imtemperature of his stomack as for that it is too hot or too cold If his stomacke be too hot then most commonly it will either inflame his mouth and make it to breake out in blisters yea and perhaps cause some cancker to breed there The cure of all which things hath beene taught before But if he forsake his meat onely for very heat which you shall perceiue by the hotnesse of his breath and mouth then coole his stomack by giuing him cold water mingled with a little Vineger and oile to drinke or else giue him this drinke Take of milke and of wine of each one pinte and put
ointment made of old Lard Sope and gray Salt for that will eat out the coare and cause it to rot and so fall out of the one accord Of the Canker called of the Italian Il Canero A Canker is a filthy creeping vlcer fretting and gnawing the flesh in gret breadth In the beginning it is knotty much like a Farcine Blundevile and spreadeth it selfe into diuers places and being exulcerated gathereth togither in length into a wound or sore This proceedeth of a melancholy and filthy blood ingendered in the body which if it be mixt with Salt humors it causeth the more painefull and greeuous exulceration and sometime it commeth of some filthy wound that is not cleanly kept the corrupt matter whereof cankereth other clean parts of the body It is easie to be knowne by the description before The cure whereof according to Martin is thus Frst let him blood in those vaines that be next the sore and take inough of him Then take of Alum halfe a pound of greene Coporas and of white Coporas of each one quarterne and a good handfull of Salt boile all these things togither in faire running water from a pottle to a quart And this water being warme wash the sore with a cloath and then sprinkle thereon the powder of vnslecked lime continuing so to do euery day once the space of fifteen daies and if you see that the lime do not mortifie the ranke flesh and keepe it from spreading any further then take of blacke Sope halfe a pounde of Quicke-siluer halfe an ounce and beate them together in a pot vntill the Quicke-siluer be so well mingled with the Sope as you can perceiue none of the Quicke-siluer in it And with an yron slice after that you haue washed the sore with the stronge water aforesaide couer the wound with this ointment continuing thus to do euery day once vntill the Canker leaue spreading abroad And if it leaue spreading and that you see the ranke flesh is mortified and that the edges begin to gather a skin then after the washing dresse it with the lime as before continuing so to vntil it be whole And in the dressing suffer no filth that commeth out of the sore to remaine vppon any whole place about but wipe it cleane away or else wash it away with warme water And let the horse during this cure be as thinly dieted as may be and thoroughly exercised Of the Fistula called of the Italians Fistula A Fistula is a deepe hollowe crooking vlcer and for the most part springes of maligne humors ingendered in some wound sore or canker not throughly healed It is easie to know by the description before The cure according to Martin is thus Firste search the depth of it with a quill or with some other instrument of lead that may be bowed euery way meet for the purpose For vnlesse you find the bottome of it it wil be very hard to cure And hauing found the bottome if it be in such a place as you may boldely cut and make the way open with a launcet or rasor then make a slit right against the bottome so as you may thruste in your finger to feele whether there be any bone or gristle perished or spungy or loose flesh which must be gotten out and then taint it with a taint of flaxe dipt in this ointment Take of hony a quarterne and of Verdigrease one ounce beaten into powder Boile them together vntill it looke redde stirring it continually least it runne ouer and being luke warme dresse the taint wherewith and bolster the taint with a bolster of flax And if it be in such a place as the taint cannot conueniently be kept in with a band then fasten on each side of the hole two ends of Shoomakers thread right ouer the bolster to keepe in the taint which ends may hang there as two laces to tye and vntie at your pleasure renewing the taint euery day once vntill the sore leaue mattering And then make the taint euery day lesser and lesser vntill it be whole And close it vp in the end by sprinckling thereon a little slect lime But if the Fistula be in such a place as a man can neither cut right against the bottome or nigh the same then there is no remedy but to poure in some strong water through some quill or such like thing so as it may goe to the very bottome and dry vp all the filthy matter dressing him so twice a day vntill the horse be whole Of an Aubury THis is a great spungy Wart full of blood called of the Italians Moro or Selfo which may grow in any place of the body and it hath a root like a Cocks stone The cure according to Martin is thus Tie it with a thred so hard as you can pull it the thred will eate by little and little in such sort as within seauen or eight daies it will fall away by it selfe And if it be so flat as you can binde nothing about it then take it away with a sharpe hotte yron cutting it round about and so deepe as you may leaue none of the root behind and dry it with Verdigreace Russius saith that if it grow in a place full of sinnewes so as it cannot be conueniently cut away with a hot yron then it is good to eat out the core with the powder of Resalgar and then to stop the hole with flax dipt in the white of an Egge for a day or two and lastly to drie it vp with the powder of vnslect lime and hony as before is taught Of Wounds VVOunds commeth by meanes of some stripe or pricke and they are properly called wounds when some whole part is cut or broken For a wound according to the Phisitians is defined to be a solution diuision or parting of the whole For if there be no solution or parting then methinkes it ought rather to be called a bruse then a wound And therfore wounds are most commonly made with sharpe or piercing weapons and bruses with blunt weapons Notwithstanding if by such blunt weapons anie part of the whole be euidently broken then it ought to be called a wound as wel as the other Of wounds some be shallow and some be deepe and hollow Againe some chance in the fleshy partes and some in the bonye and sinnewie places And those that chaunce in the fleshy parts though they be verie deepe yet they be not so dangerous as the other and therefore we will speak first of the most dangerous If a horse haue a wound newly made either in his heade or in any other place that is full of sinnewes bones or gristles first Martin would haue you to wash the wounde well with white wine warmed That done to search the bottome of the wound with some instrument meete for the purpose suffering it to take as little winde in the meane while as may be Then hauing found the depth stop the hole close with a clout vntill your salue be
short space be cured of the same The laps or fillets of a VVolues Liuer being applyed vnto the side doth perfectly heale any sticth or pricking ach therein The Liuer of a Wolfe being taken in sweete Wine doth heale those which are troubled with a ptisicke The Lyuer of a VVolfe being first boyled in Water afterwardes dryed beaten and mingled with some certaine potion doth instantly heale the griefe and inflammation of the stomacke The powder of a Wolues Lyuer mingled with white Wine and drunke in the morning for some certaine daies together doth cure the Dropsie The Liuer of a VVolfe taken either in meat or drinke doth asswage the paines of the secret parts Two spoonefuls of the powder of a Wolues Lyuer being giuen in drinke doeth cure all paines or sores of the mouth The Gall of a VVolfe being bound vnto the Nauell of any man doeth loosen the belly The Gall of a VVolfe taken in wine doth heale all paines in the fundament The entrals of a VVolfe being washed in the best white VVine blowen vpon dryed in an Ouen Syluius Albertus pounded into dust afterwardes rowled in VVormewood is a good and effectuall remedy against the Collicke and stone If some part of the yard of a VVolfe being baked in an Ouen be eaten by any either Man or VVoman it instantly stirreth them vp to lust Concerning the genitall of a VVolfe I haue spoken before in the Medicines of the Foxe but antiquity as Pliny saith doth teach that the genitall of Beasts which are bony as wolues Foxes Ferrets and VVeasels are brought to an especiall remedye for many diseases Rasis If any man take the right stone of a VVolfe being bloody steepe it in Oyle and giue it vnto any woman to apply it vnto their secret partes being wrapped in VVooll it instantly causeth her to forsake all carnall copulation yea although she bee a common Strumpet The same being taken in some certaine perfume Marcellus doth help those which are troubled with the foule euill The eyes being annointed with the excrementes of a wolfe are instantly freed from all couers or spreadiâ—g skinne therein The powder of the same wolf being mingled with the sweetest Hony as can possible be had and in the like manner rubbed or spread vpon the eyes doth expell all dazeling from them The fime of a Wolfe long rubbed vntill it be very light being mingled with Honny by the vnction thereof Galenus causeth the filth or scurfe growing about the eyes to auoyd away and restoreth them to an exceeding clearnesse The powder of a Wolues head being rubbed vpon the teeth doth make fast and confirme the loosenesse thereof and it is most certaine that in the excrementes of the same Beastes there are certaine bones found which being bound vnto the teeth haue the same force and efficacy The dung of a Wolfe or Dogge being beaten into small powder mingled with Hony and annointed vpon the throate doth cure the Quinsie or Squirisie as also al other sores in the throat whatsoeuer The fime of a Wolfe being giuen to those which are troubled with the Collicke to drinke doth easily cure them but this dung is more effectuall if it haue neuer touched ground which is very hard to come by but it is found by this means The nature of the wolfe both in making his water as also in voyding his excrements is like vnto a Dogs for while he voydeth his Water he holdeth vp his hinder Leg and voydeth his excrementes in some high or steepy place far from the earth by which meanes it falleth downe vpon bushes thornes fruites Elder-trees or some other Hearbes growing in those places by which meanes it is found neuer touching the earth There is furthermore found in the fime of Wolues certaine bones of Beasts which they haue deuoured which for as much as they could not bee grinded or chawed so also can they not be concocted which being beaten and bruised small are by some commended to be excellent giuen in drinke for the ease of the Collicke but if the grieued party shall be some fine or delicate person which cannot endure so grosse a Medicine then mingle it with Salt Pepper or some such like thing but it is most often giuen in sweet wine so there be but a smal quantity thereof drunke at one time But this dung which the Graecians cal Lagonas and is to be applyed to the groin of the diseased person ought to bee hanged in a band made of wooll but not of any wooll But it would be more effectuall if it were made of the Wool of that Sheepe which was slaine by a Wolfe But if the same cannot be got then is it fit that there be two bands one which may be bound about the groine and another which may bee bound vppon the dung to keepe it from falling There are also some which cast a small quantity of the same dung to the bignesse of a Beane in a little pot fastening the same to any one which is troubled with the saide disease and it healeth them which in a manner seemeth incredible in very short time The dung of a Wolfe boyled in small white Wine and afterwardes taken in drinke is very profitable for those which are troubled with the collick and it is also reported that if the same dung be couered with the skin of the same Beast and hung vpon the thigh of any one which hath the collick being bound with a thread made of the wool of a sheep slaine by a wolfe it will instantly cure the said disease The fime of a Wolfe so that it be not found vppon the earth but vppon some trees Brambles or Bul-rushes being kept and when there shall bee neede bound vnto the arme of him that shall be troubled with the Collick or to his Necke being included in a bone or in Copper and hung with the thread wherewith silke-women weaue doth wonderfully and most speedily cure him so there be great care had that in the meane time there be a little of the same dung giuen to the grieued party to drinke not knowing what it is The dung of a Wolfe being taken and the bones therein beaten into powder mingle therewith cold water giuing it to any one to drinke which is troubled with the stone and it will instantly cure him The Dung of a Wolfe beaten into the smallest powder then strained and giuen vnto any in his fit which is troubled therewith to the quantity of halfe a spoonefull in hot water is a very effectuall and approued cure for the stone The bones which are found in Wolues being bound vnto the arme of any one which is troubled with the Collike hauing neuer touched the ground do with great speed and celerity cure him The pasterne bone of a Hare found in the dung of a Wolfe being bound vnto any part of the body of him which is troubled with the Collicke doth very effectually cure him The dung of a Wolfe with the Haires of a white
the vertues medicinall are very many Arnoldus Virtues medicinall and first of all the blood cureth all manner of bunches and apostems in the flesh and bringeth haire vpon the eye-lids if the bare place be annointed therewith The fat of a Lyon is most hot and dry and next to a Lyons a Leopards next to a Leopards a Beares and next to a Beares a buls The later Physitians vse it to cure conuulsed and distracted parts spots and tumors in the body It also helpeth the paine of the loins if the sicke part be annointed therewith and all vlcers in the legges or shinnes when a plaister is made thereof with bole-armoricke Also the vlcers of the feet mingled with allome It is soueraigne against the falling of the haire compounded with wilde roses â—he Spaniards burne the braines of beares when they die in any publicke sports holding them venemous because being drunke they driue a man to be as mad as a beare and the like is reported of the heart of a Lyon and the braine of a cat The right eie of a beare dried to pouder and hung about childrens neckes in a little bag driueth away the terrour of dreames and both the eyes whole bound to a mans left arme easetha quartanague The liuer of a sow a lamb and a bear put togither and trod to pouder vnder ones shoos easeth and defendeth cripples from imflamation the gall being preserued and warmed in water deliuereth the bodie from colde when all other medicine faileth Some giue it mixt with Water to them that are bitten with a mad Dogge holding it for a singular remedie if the party can fast three daies before It is also giuen against the palsie the Kings euill the falling sickenesse an old cough the inflamation of the eies the running of the eares the difficultie of vrine and deliuery in child-birth the Haemorrhods the weaknes of the backe The stones in a perfume are good against the falling euill and the palsie and that women may go their full time they make ammulets of Bears nails and cause them to weare them all the time they are vvith child OF THE BEAVER Male and Female Their quantitie is not much bigger then a countrey Dog their head short their ears very small and round their teeth very long Their seueral partes Siluius Bellouius the vnder teethe standing out beyond their lips three fingers breadth and the vpper about halfe a finger being very broade crooked strong and sharpe standing or growing double verie deep in their mouth bending compasse like the edge of an Axe and their colour yellowish red wherwith they defend themselues against beasts take fishes as it were vpon hooks and will gnaw insunder trees as big as a mans thigh they haue also grinding teeth very sharpe wherein are certaine wrinckles or foldes so that they seeme to be made for grinding some hard substance for with them they eate the rindes or barke of trees wherefore the bitinge of this beast is very deepe being able to crash asunder the hardest bones and commonly he neuer loseth his holde vntill he feeleth his teeth gnash one against another Pliny and Solinus affirme that the person so bitten cannot be cured except he hear the crashing of the teeth which I take to be an opinion without truth They haue certaine haires about their mouth which seeme in their quantity or bignesse to be rather horne they are so hard but their bones are most harde of all and without marrow Their forefeet are like a Dogs and their hinder like a Gooses made as it were of purpose to go on the land swim in the water but the taile of this beast is most strange of all in that it commeth nearest to the nature of fishes being without hayre and couered ouer with a skin like the scales of fish it being like a soale and for the most part six fingers broade and halfe a foot long which some haue affirmed the beast neuer pulleth out of the water whereas it is manifest that when it is very colde or the water frozen he pulleth it vp to his body although Agricola affirme that his hinder legs and taile freeze with the water and no lesse vntrue is the assertion that they compell the Otter in time of colde and frost to wait vpon their taile and to trouble the water so that it may not freeze round about them but yet the Beuer holdeth the Otter in subiection and eyther ouercommeth it in fight or killeth it with his teeth This taile he vseth for a sterne when he swimmeth after fishe to catch them There hath beene taken of them whose tayles haue waied foure pound waight and they are accounted a very delicate dish for being dressed they eate like Barbles they are vsed by the Lotharingians and Sauoyens for meat allowed to be eaten on fish-daies although the body that beareth them be flesh and vncleane for food Bellonius The manner of their dressing is first roasting and afterward seething in an open pot that so the euill vapour may go away and some in pottage made with Saffron other with Ginger and many with Brine it is certaine that the tayle and forefeet tast very sweet from whence came the Prouerbe That sweet is that fish which is not fishe at all These Beastes vse to builde them Caues or Dens neere the Waters so as the Water may come into them Their building of Dens or else they may quickly leape into the water and their wit or naturall inuention in building of their caues is most wonderfull for you must vnderstand that in the night time they go to land and there with their teeth gnaw down boughes trees which they likewise bite verie short fitting their purpose and so being busied about this worke they will often looke vp to the tree when they perceiue it almost asunder thereby to discerne when it is ready to fall least it might light vpon their owne pates the tree being down and prepared they take one of the oldest of their company whose teeth could not be vsed for the cutting or as others say they constraine some strange Beauer whom they meet withall to fall flat on his backe as before you haue heard the Badgers doe and vpon his belly lade they all their timber which they so ingeniously worke and fasten into the compasse of his legs that it may not fall and so the residue by the taile drawe him to the water side where these buildings are to be framed and this the rather seemeth to be true Albertus Olaus mag because there haue bene some such taken that had no haire on their backes but were pilled which being espied by the hunters in pitty of their slauery or bondage they haue let them go away free These beasts are so constant in their purpose that they will neuer change the tree that they haue once chosen to build withall how long time so euer they spend in biting downe the same it is likewise to
which hath ceased to be a calfe There are oxen in most part of the world which differ in quantity nature and manner The diuersity of Oxen in al cuÌ„tries one from another and therefore doe require a seuerall tractat And first their oxen of Italy are most famous for as much as some learned men haue aâ—firmed that the name Italia Varro was first of all deriued of the Greeke word Italous signifieng oxen because of the aboundance bred and nourished in those parts and the great account which the auncient Romanes made heereof OxeÌ„ of Italy appeareth by notable example of punishment who banished a certaine countrey man for killing an oxe in his rage and denying that he eate thereof as if he had killed a man likewise in Italy theyr oxen are not all alike for they of campania are for the most part white and slender yet able to manure the countrey wherein they are bred they of Vmbria are of great bodies yet white red coloured In hetruria and Latinui they are very compact and wel set or made strong for labour but the most stronge are those of Apennine although they appeare not to the eie very beautifull The Egyptians which dwell about Nilus haue oxen as vvhite as snovv and of exceeding high and great stature greater then the Oxen of Graecia yet so meeke and gentle Aristotle Oppianus Aonia Aelianus Leo Affric that they are easily ruled and gouerned by men The Aonian Oxen are of diuers colours intermingled one within another hauing a whole round hoofe like a horse and but one horne growing out of the middle of their forehead The domesticall or tame Oxen of Affrique are so small that one would take them for calues of two yeares olde AffricaÌ„ oxen the Affricans saith Strabo which dwell betwixt Getulia and our coast or countrey haue Oxen and horses which haue longer lips and hoofes then other and by the Graecians are tearmed Mecrokeilateroi The Armenian Oxen haue two hornes Armenian Oxen. Aeliantus but vvinding and crooking to and fro like Iuye which cleaueth to okes which are of such exceeding hardnesse that they wil blunt any sworde that is stroke vppon them without receiuing any impression or cut thereby Some are of opinion that the onely excellent breede of cattell is in Boeotia neere the citty Tanagra called once Poemandra by reason of their famous cattel Varinus BaeotiaÌ„ oxen the which Oxen are called coprophaga by reason that they will eate the dung of man so also doe the Oxen of ciprus to ease the paines of their smal guts The caricians in a part of Asia are not pleasant to behold hauing shaggye haire and bounches on either shoulders CariciaÌ„ oxeÌ„ reaching or swelling to their Neckes but those vvhich are either white or blacke are refused for labour Epirus yeeldeth also very great and large oxen vvhich the inhabitants cal Pyrhicae Epirus because that their first stocke or seminary were kept by King Pirrhus hovvsoeuer other say that they haue their name of their fiery flaming colour they are called also Larini of a village Larinum or of Larinus a chiefe Neat-heard of whom Ahaeneus maketh mention who receiued this greate breede of cartel of Hercules when he returned from the slaughter of Gerion vvho raigned about Ambracia and Ampholochi vvhere through the fatnesse of the earth and goodnesse of the pasture they grovv to so great a stature other call them cestrini I know not for vvhat cause yet it may be probable that they are called Larini Pliny Aristotle Theodoreâ— by reason of their broad Nostriles for Rines in Greeke signifieth Nostrils but the true cause of their great bone and stature is bycause that neither sexe were suffered to couple one vvith another vntil they vvere foure yeares old at the least and therefore they vvere called Atauri and Setaeuri and they vvere the proper goods of the King neither could they liue in any other place but in Epirus by reason that the whole country is ful of sweete and deepe pastures Al the oxen in Eubaea are white at the time of their caluing Eubaea Aelianus and for this cause the poets cal that countrey Argiboeon If that oxen or swine be transported or brought into Hispaniola Hispaniola Oxen. Pet Martyr they grow so great that the oxen haue beene taken for Elephantes and their swine for Mules but I take this relation to be hyperbolical There are Oxen in India which wil eate flesh like Wolues and haue but one horne and whole hoofes some also haue three hornes there be other as high as Cammels Rasis Indian oxen C. Tesias Solinus Pliny Aelianus and their hornes foure foote broad There was a horne brought out of India to Ptolmy the second which receiued three Amphoraes of water amounting the least too thirty english gallons of Wine measure whereby it may bee coniectured of how great quantity is the beast that bare it The Indians both Kings and people make no small reckoning of these beastes I meane their vulgar Oxen for they are most swift in course and wil runne a race as fast as any horse so that in their course you cannot know an Oxe from a horse waging both Gold and Siluer vpon their heads and the Kings themselues are so much delighted with this pastime that they follow in their Wagons and will with their owne mouthes and handes prouoke the beastes to runne more speedily and heerein the Oxe exceedeth a horse bycause he wil not accomplish his race with sufficient celerity except his rider draw blood from his sides with the spur but the oxes rider neede not to lay any hands or pricks at al vpon him his onely ambitious nature of ouercomming carrying him more swiftly then all the rods or spurs of the world could preuaile on him And of this game the lowest of the people are also very greedy laying many Wagers making many matches and aduenturing much time and price to see their euent Among the Indians there are also other oxen which are not much greater then great Goates who likewise in their yoaks are accustomed to runne many races which they performe with as great speede as a Getican horse Aâ—â—â—anus and all these running Oxen must be vnderstood to be wild Oxen. LeuctriaÌ„ oxeÌ„ Garamantae There bee Oxen in Leuctria which Aristotle affirmeth haue their eates and hornes growing both together forth of one stemme The Oxen of the Garamants and all other Neate among them feede with their necks doubled backward for by reason of their long and hanging hornes they cannot eate their meate holding their heads directly straight The selfe same is reported of the beastes of Trogloditae Solinus Herodotus in other things they differ not from other oxen saue onely in the hardnesse of their skinne and these oxen are called Opisthonomi Bangala Aristotle In the prouince of Bangala are oxen saith Paulus Venetus which equall the Elephant in hight The oxen in Mysia haue no hornes which other
no man vse to eate much of them for it will breede palsies and trembling in mans body begetting grosse humors which stop the Melt and Lyuer and Auicenne proueth that by eating heereof men incur the quartane Ague wherefore it is good to pouder them with salt before the dressing and then seasoned with pepper other things knowne to euery ordinary cooke and woman they make of them pasties in most nations The Hart and braine of a hare or Cony haue the power of triacle for expelling of euill humors but the liuer is intollerable in foode the hornes being young are meate for Princes especially because they auoide poyson It was a cruell thing of King Ferdinand that caused the young ones to be cut out of the Dams belly and baked in pastils for his Liquorous Epicureall appetite The whole nature and disposition of euery part of this beast is against poison and venemous things as before recited The medicines of a Hart and his seueral parts Pliny Dioscorides Solinus His blood stayeth the loosenesse of the belly and all fluxes especially fryed with oyle and the inferior parts annoynted therewith and being drunke in Wine it is good against poysoned woundes and all intoxications The marrow of this beast is most approueable aboue other and is vsed for sweete odour against the gout and heate of men in consumptions and all outward paines and weakenesse as Serenus comprised in one sentence saying Et ceruina potest mulcere medulla rigorem frigoris Likewise the fat and marrowe mollifieth or disperseth all bunches in the flesh and olde swellings all vlcers except in the shinnes and legges and with Venus-nauill the Fistula mattery vlcers in the eares with Rozen Pitch Goose-greace and Goat-sewet the cleauing of the lips and with Calues sewet the heate and paine in the mouth and iawes It hath also vertue being drunke in warme water to aswage the paine in the bowels and small guts or bloody flixe Sextus The gall of a Bull Oyle of bayes Butter and this marrow by annoynting cureth paine in the knees and loynes and other euils in the seate of a man in the hipps and in the belly when it is costiue It procureth flowers of Women cureth the goute pimples in ones face and ringwormes Absyrtus prescribeth it to be giuen in sweete Wine with waxe vnto a horse for an old cough proceeding of cold after purging and heating by holding the Horsses tounge in ones hand while the medicine is thrust downe his throat The same in sheeps Milke with rubricke and soft Pitch drunke euery day or eaten to your meate helpeth the ptisicke and obstructions Anatolius approued beane meale sifted and sod with Harts marrow to be giuen to a horse which stalleth blood Marcellus for three daies together Also mingled with the poulder of Oyster-shels it cureth kibes and chilblanes A woman perfumed with the haires of this beast is preserued from abortements and the same perfume helpeth the difficulty of vrine and little pieces cut off from the hide with a pummise put in wine and rubbing the body helpeth the holy-fire The pouder of the bones burned is an antidote against the falling euill and the dispersing of the melt and the bones beaten to poulder stayeth the fluxe of the belly It were endlesse to describe al the vertues ascribed to the horne and therefore I will content my selfe with the recital of few Pliny and Solinus preferre the right horne Aristotle the left and the spires or tops are more medicinable then the hard and solide stemme but the hornes found in the Woodes lost by the beastes and growne light are good for nothing The other haue their vses both raw and burned which may be these that follow Take the horne and cut it into smal pieces then put it into an earthen pot annoynted within with durt and so set it in a furnace vntill it become White then wash it like a minerall and it will helpe the runnings and vlcers in the eies and the same also keepeth the teeth white and the gums sound The young hornes while they be soft being eaten are an antidote against henbane and other poysonfull herbes The right horne hid by the Hart in the earth is good against the poyson of Toades Pliny The Harts horne hath power to dry vp all humors Sextus and therefore it is vsed in eie salues and Orpheus promiseth to a bald man haire on his head againe if he annoynt it with oyle and poulder of this horne likewise the same with the seede of blacke mirtle Marcellus Butter and Oyle restraineth the falling away of the haire being annoynted vpon the head after it is newly shauen with vineger it killeth ringwormes Sextus The same burned in the sunne and afterward the face being rubbed and washed therwith thrice together taketh away pimples-spots out of the face the poulder drunke in wine or annoynted on the head killeth lice and nits the same with vineger Marcellus wine or oyle of roses annoynted vpon the forehead easeth the head-ache if it proceede of cold Galenus A perfume made of this horne with Castoreum and lime or Brimstone causeth a dead child strangled in his mothers wombe to come forth If the horne be taken raw and rubbed vpon the gums keepeth the cheekes from all annoyance of the tooth-ache and fasteneth the loose teeth as Sereneus said Quod vero assumpsit nomen de dente fricando Ceruino ex cornu cinis est Galen prescribeth the poulder of this horne for the Iaundise and for him that spitteth bloody matter and to stay vomit being taken in a reere Egge It comforteth also a rheumatike stomach and it is tryed to cure the Kinges euill it pacifieth the melt dryeth the Spleene driueth all kind of Wormes out of the belly being drunke with Hony and easeth the chollyck expelleth away mothes helpeth the strangury the paine in the bladder staieth fluxes in women both whit and red being mingled with barly meale water twigs of Cedar beside many other such properties The teares of this beast after she hath beene hunted with a Serpent are turned into a a stone called Belzahard or Bezahar of which we haue spoken before and being thus transubstantiated doe cure all manner of venom as Auenzoar and Cardinall Ponzetti affirme after many trials and Serenus also expresseth in this distichon Seminecis cerut lachryman miscere liquori Conuenit atque artus illine miscere calentes The liuer of this beast helpeth all sores in the feete being worne in the shooes the same dried to pouder with the throat or wind-pipe of the beast and mingled with Hony and so eaten helpeth the Cough Ptisicke sighing and short breathing Pliny and Sextus affirme that when a Hind perceiueth her selfe to be with young she deuoureth or eateth vp a certaine stone which is afterward found either in her excrements or ventricle and is profitable for all Women with childe and in trauell for by that onely fact the Hinde is most
kniues and also the best combs and Salomon as appeareth 3. Reg. 10 had a throne of yuory couered all ouer with gold for the costs and charge wherof he could not expend lesse then thirty thousand talents The greatnes of these appeareth by their vse for Polybius reporteth by the relation of Galussa a Noble-man and a great traueller in Affrica that with them they made posts for houses 〈◊〉 Cenalis and racks to lay their cattels meat vpon and likewise folds to enclose them Apelles made an inke of Iuory which was called Elephantes inke and he painted therewith It hath bin affirmed by Aelianus some writers following Pliny that these teeth are Horns and that Elephants are hornd beasts which errour rose vpon the occasion of these words of Pliny Plinâ—us Whâ—ther Elephants haue hornes Elephantos arietes candore tantum cornibus assinulatis in Santonum littore reciprocaos destituit Oceanus where Aelianus finding a resemblance betwixt Rams and Elephants in their white hornes was contented to apply that name to them both which appertaineth onely to one for Pliny himselfe Lib. 18. sheweth his meaning by another like speech of the whetting their hornes vpon trees and Rhinocerotes vpon stones for except he had named hornes in the first place it might haue beene questioned whether Rhinocerotes had any hornes but rather teeth in the second place But whatsoeuer were the wordes or opinion of Pliny it is most certaine that after Herodotus and other auncient writers it is safer to call these teeth then hornes and I will breefely set downe the reasons of Philostratus that will haue them to be teeth and afterward of Grapaldus Aelianus and Pausanias that would make them horns and so leaue the reader to consider whether opinion he thinketh most agreeable to truth First that they are not hornes it is alledged that hornes fall off and grow euery yeare againe especially of Harts and grow forth of their heads but teeth which are called Fannae or Gang-teeth standing out of the mouth fal off together are giuen for weapon and defence to beasts and such are an Elephants Againe a horne hath a certaine line or circle neere the roote which is couered euery yeare but this commeth vp like a stony substance without all circle or couer and therfore it cannot be a horn Moreouer those creatures are said to haue hornes that haue clouen hooues this hath no clouen hoofe but onely fiue distinct fingers vpon a foot Lastly all horned beasts haue an empty hollownes in their hornes except Harts but this is sound and full thoroughout except a little passage in the middle like a hole into a tooth and thus say they which will haue them called teeth Now on the contrary those which will haue them Hornes make these argumentes First as the Elks haue their hornes grow out of their eye-lids the Rhinocerotes or Ethyopian Buls out of their nose so as it is not vnnaturall for the Elephant to haue his hornes grow out of his mouth Againe hornes fall off and come againe in old beasts but teeth do not so and therefore these are hornes and not teeth the power of fire cannot alter teeth but these teeth breake if you go about to change their proportion or figure but hornes of Oxen and Elephants may be stretched bended altered straightned and applied to what fashion so euer you will Againe teeth grow out of the gummes and cheeke-bone as it is apparant but hornes growe out of the scull and Temples and so do the Elephants as by obseruation euery man may discern Lastly as nature hath giuen another shape and greater proportion of body to Elephants then to any other beasts so also it is not vnreasonable that it vary in the placing of his horns for they grow downeward and the very mole and quantity of his body is sufficient to arme him against the feare of death Thus they argument for the horns of Elephants The Poets haue a prety resemblance of dreames comparing true dreames to hornes and false dreames to Iuory because falshoode is euer more burnished then naked and ragged trueth And besides the eie of man is translucent and containeth in it a horny substance and by the eie we alway receiue the best assurance but by the mouth signified by teeth are many falshoods vented and for that hornes turne vpwarde to heauen the fountaine of trueth but the teeth of an Elephant growe downward towardes the earth the mother of error And for this cause Aeneas by Virgil and Homer is said to come in at the horny gate of Somnus and to go forth at the Iuory Virgils verses are these Sunt geminae Somni portae quarum altera fertur Altera candenti praefecta nitens Elephanto His vbi dum natum Anchises vnaque Sibillam Cornea Qua veris facilis datur exitus vmbris Sed falsa ad coelum mittunt in somnia manes Poesequitur dictis portaque emittit eburna And here we will leaue and prosecute no further this discourse of their hornes and teeth but proceede to the other outward parts of this beast The toung is very small though broad his truncke called Proboscis and Promuscis Aelianus is a large hollow thing hanging from his nose like skinne to the groundward Aristotle and when he feedeth it lyeth open like the skin vpon the bill of a Turkey-cock to draw in both his meate and drinke vsing it for a hand and therefore improperly it is called a hand For by it he receiueth of his keeper whatsoeuer he giueth him with it he ouerthroweth trees and where soeuer he swimmeth through it he draweth breath It is crooked gristly and inflexible at the roote nexte to the nose within it hath two passages one into the heade and bodie by which he breatheth and the other into his mouth whereby he receiueth his meate Gillius and herein is the woorke of God most woonderfull not onely in giuing vnto it such a diuerse proportion and anatomie but also giuing him reason to knowe this benifite of it that so long as he is in the water and holdeth vp that trunck he can not perish With this hee fighteth in warre and is able to take vp a small piece of money from the earth with it he hath beene seene to pull downe the toppe of a tree Vartomannus which twenty foure men with a rope could not make to bend With it he driueth away his hunters when he is chased for he can drawe vp therein a great quantity of water and shoote it forth againe to the amazement and the ouerthrow of them that persecute him The Moores say that he hath twoe heartes one where withall he is incensed and another whereby hee is pacified But the trueth is as Aristotle in the dissection of the hearte obserued there is a double ventrickle and bone in the heart of an Elephant He hath a Liuer without any apparant gall but that side of the liuer being cut whereon the gall shoulde
also desire to wash and so will go and seeke out water to wash themselues and of their owne accord returne backe againe to the basket of flowers which if they find not they will bray and call for them Afterward being led into their stable they will not eat meat vntill they take of their flowers and dresse the brimmes of their maungers therewith and likewise strew their roome or standing place pleasing themselues with their meat because of the sauor of the Flowers stucke about their cratch like dainty fed persons which set their dishes with greene hearbs and put them into their cups of wine Their pace is very slow for a child may ouertake them by reason of their high and larg bodies except in their feare and for that cause they cannot swim as also Gillius The shiping of Elephants by reason that the toes of their feet are very short and finally diuided When they are brought into a ship they haue a bridge made of wood and couered with earth and greene boughes are set on either side so that they immagine they go vpon the land vntill they enter into the ship because the boughes keepe them from sight of the Sea They are most chast Aelianus and keepe true vnto their males without all inconstant loue or seperation admitting no adulteries amongest them and like men which tast of Venus not for any corporall lust but for desire of heires and successors in their families so do Elephants without all vnchast and vnlawfull lust take their veneriall complements for the continuation of their kind and neuer aboue thrice in all their daies either male or female suffer carnall copulation but the female onely twice Yet is their rage great when the female prouoketh them and although they fight not among themselues for their females except very sildome yet do they so burne in this fury that many times they ouerthrow trees and houses in India by their tuskes and running their head like a Ram against them wherefore then they keepe them low down by subtraction of their meat also bring some stranger to beat them There was a certaine cunning hunter sent into Mauritania by the Roman Emp to hunt and take Elephants on a day he saw a goodly young Elephant in copulation with another instantly a third aproched with a direfull braying as if he would haue eaten vp al the company and as it afterward appeared he was an arriuall to the female Aelianus which we saw in copulation with the other male when he approched neere both of them set themselues to combat which they performd like some vnresistable waues of the Sea or as the hils which are shaken together by an earthquake wherein each one charged the other most furiously for their loue to the terror and admiration of all the beholders and so at last becam both disarmed of their teeth and hornes by their often blowes before one had ouercome the other and so at last by the hunters were parted asunder being euer afterward quiet from such contentions about their females for copulation The Indians separate the stables of the females far asunder from the males because at that time they ouerthrowe their houses They are modest and shamefast in this action The place manner of their copulation Plinyus for they seeke the Desarts woodes and secret places for procreation and somtimes the waters because the waters doe support the Male in that action whereby hee ascendeth and descendeth from the backe of the female with more ease and once it was seene that in Virgea a Countrey of the Corascens two Elephants did engender out of India otherwise they couple not out of their owne countreys When they goe to copulation they turne their heads towards the east but whether in remembrance of Paradise or for the Mandragoras or for any other cause I cannot tell the female sitteth while she is couerd Albertus They begin to ingender the male at sixe ten twelue fifteene or twenty yeare olde the female not before ten yeares old They couple but fiue daies in two yeares and neuer after the female is filled till she haue beene cleare one whole yeare Solinus The time of copulation Arrianus and after the second copulation he neuer more toucheth his female At that time the male breatheth foorth at his nose a certaine fat humor like a menstruous thing but the female hath them not til hir place of conception be opened and alway the day after her filling she washeth her selfe before she returne to the flocke Aristotle The time of their goâ—og with young The time of their going with yong is according to some two years and according to other three the occasion of this diuersity is because their time of copulation cannot certainely be knowne because of their secrecy for the greater bodies that beasts haue they are the lesse fruitfull She is deliuered in great paine leaning vpon her hinder Legges They neuer bring forth but one at a time and that is not much greater then a great cowcalfe of three monthes old which she nourisheth sixe or eight yeare As soone as it is Calued Diodonus Pogius Aelianus it seeth and goeth and sucketh with the mouth not with the trunke and so groweth to a great stature The females when they haue calued are most fierce for feare of their young ones but if a man come and touch them they are not angry for it seemeth they vnderstand that he toucheth them not for any desire to take or harme them but rather to stroke and admire them The loue of the male to the female of both to the Calfe Sometimes they goe into the Water to the belly and there calue for feare of the Dragon the male neuer forsaketh her but keepeth with her for the like feare of the Dragon and feede and defend their young ones with singular loue and constancye vnto death as appeareth by the example of one that heard the braying of her calfe fallen into a ditch and not able to arise the female ranne vnto it and for hast fell downe vppon it so crushing it to death Tzetzes and breaking her owne Necke with one and the same violente loue As they liue in heards so when they are to passe ouer a ryuer or Water they send ouer the least or youngest first because their great bodies together should not cause the deepe water to swell or rise aboue their heigth the other stand on the bancke and obserue howe deepe he wadeth and so make account that the greater may with more assurance follow after the younger and smaller Plutarch Aelianus Philostratus then they the elder and taller and the females carry ouer their Calues vpon their snowts long eminent teeth binding them fast with their trunks like as with ropes or male girts that they may not fall being sometime holpen by the male wherein appeareth an admirable point of naturall wisedome both in the carriage of their
Warme al these thinges togither in an earthen pot and stir them continuallie with a flat stick or slice vntill they be thoroughly mingled and incorporated togither and then spreade some of this plaister being warme vpon a peece of linnen cloath or soft white leather so broad as the swelling and no more and lay it warme vnto it and so let it remaine one wholeday and then renewe it with fresh ointment continuing so to doe vntill it breake then lance the sore so that it may haue passage downeward and taint it to the bottome with a taint of flax dipt in this ointment take of Mel Rosatum of oyle oliue and turpentine of each two ounces and mingle them togither and make him a biggen of Canuas to close in the sore so as the taint with the ointment may abide within renewing the taint once a day vntill it be whole But if the horsse haue paine in his eares without any great swelling or impostumation then thrust in a litle blacke wooll dipt in oile of Camomile and that will heale it Of the Poll euill THis is a disease like a Fistula growing betwixt the eares and the poll or nape of the necke and proceedeth of euill humors gathered togither in that place or els of some blow or bruse for that is the weakest and tenderest part of all the head and therefore soonest offended which rude Carters do little consider whilst in their fury they beat their horsses vpon that place of the head with their whippestocks and therefore no horsse is more subiect to this disease then the cart horsse and this disease commeth most in winter season The signes You shall perceiue it by the swelling of the place which by continuance of time will breake it selfe rotting more inward then outward and therefore is more perilous if it be not cured in time and the sooner it be taken in hand the bâ—â—ter The cure according to Martin is thus If it be not broken ripe it with a plaister of hogges greace laid vnto it so hot as may bee and make a biggen for the Poll of his head to keepe it from colde which biggen would haue two holes open so as his eares may stande out and renew the plaister euery day once vntill it breake keeping the sore place as warme as may be And if you see that it will not breake so soone as you woulde haue it then there as it is softest and most meetest to be opened take a round hot yron as big as your little finger and sharpe at the point and two inches beneath that soft place thrust it in a good deepenesse vpwarde so as the point of the yron may come out at the ripest place to the intent that the matter may discend downeward and come out at the neather hole which would be alwaies kept open and therefore taint it with a taint of Rax dipt in hogs greace and lay a plaister of hogges greace also vpon the same renewing it euery day once the space of foure daies which is done cheefely to kill the heat of the fire Then at the foure daies end take of Turpentine halfe a pound cleane washed in nine sundry waters and after that throughly dried 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 with a whole quil and make a taint of a peece of spunge so long as it may reach the bottome and so bigge as it may fill the wound and annoint the taint with the aforesaide ointment and thrust it into the wound either with that quill or else by winding it vp with your finger and thumbe by litle and little vntill you haue thrust it home and then lay on the plaister of hogges greace made luke warme renuing it euery day once or twice vntil it be whole But if the swelling cease then you need not to vse the plaister but onely to taint it and as the matter decreaseth so make your taint euerie daye lesser and lesser vntill the wounde bee perfectly whole Of the Viues Blundevile THe Viues be certaine kirnels growing vnder the horsses eare proceeding of some rancke or corrupt bloode resorting to the place which within are ful of little white grains like white salt kirnels The Italians cal them Viuole which if they bee suffered to grow Laurentius Russius saith that they will greeuously paine the horsse in his throat so as he shal not be able to swallow his meat nor to breth They be easie to know for they may be felt and also seene The cure according vnto Martin is in this sort First drawe them right down in the midst with a hot yron from the root of the ear so far as the tip of the eare wil reach being puld down and vnder the root againe draw two strikes on each side like a broad arrow head then in the midst of the first line launce them with a launcet and taking hold of the kirnels with a paire of pinsons pul them so far forward as you may cut the kirnels out without hurting the vaine that done fil the hole with white salte But Hierocles would haue them to bee cured in this sort take a peece of spunge sowsed wel in strong Vineger and bind that to the sore renewing it twice a day vntil it hath rotted the kirnels that done lance the neathermost part where the matter lieth and let it out and then fill it vp with salt finely braied and the next day wash al the filth away with warm water and annoint the place with honie and fitch-flower mingled togither But beware you touch none of the kirnels with your bare finger for feare of venoming the place which is verie apt for a Fistula to breed in Another of the Viues THe Viues be certaine kirnels growing vnder the horsses eare which come of corrupt blood Markham the cure is diuersly spoke and written of but this is the best mean which I haue tried that if you finde the kernels to enflame and greeue the horsse take a handful of Sorrel and lap it in a Bur-docke leafe and roast it in the hot embers like a warden then being taken out of the fire apply it so hot as may be to the fore-part suffering it to lie thereunto the space of a day and a night and then renew it till such time that it ripen and break the sore which it wil in short space do When it is broken and the vilde matter taken away you shal heale vp the sore place with the yolk of an Egge halfe a spooneful of hony and as much wheat-flower as wil serue to make it thicke plaister-wise which being bound thereunto wil in three or foure daies heale the same Of the Cankerous Vlcer in the nose THis disease is a fretting humor eating and consuming the flesh Blundevile and making it al raw within and not being holpen in time
wil eat through the gristle of the nose It commeth of corrupt blood or else of sharp humors ingendered by meanes of some extreame cold The signes be these He wil bleede at the nose and al the flesh within wil be raw and filthy stinking sauours and matter wil come out at the nose The cure according to Martin is thus Take of green Coporas of Allum of each one pound of white Coporas one quarterne and boile these in a pottle of running water vntil a pint be consumed then take it off and put thereunto halfe a pinte of hony then cause his head to be holden vp with a drinking staffe squirt into his nostrils with a squirt of brasse or rather of Elder some of this water being lukewarme three or foure times one after another but betwixt euery squirting giue him liberty to hold downe his head and to blow out the filthy matter for otherwise perhaps you may choke him And after this it shal be good also without holding vp his head any more to wash and rub his Nostrils with a fine cloute bound to a white sticks end and wet in the water aforesaid and serue him thus once a day vntill he be whole Of bleeding at the nose I Haue seen Horsses my selfe that haue bled at the nose which haue had neither sore nor vlcer in their Nose and therefore I cannot choose but say with the Physitians that it commeth by means that the vaine which endeth in that place is either opened broken or settered It is opened many times by meanes that blood aboundeth too much or for thaâ— it is too fine or too subtill and so pierceth through the vaine Againe it may be broâ—â—â— by some violent strain cut or blow And finally it may bee fretted or gnawn through by the sharpnesse of the blood or else of some other humor contained therein As touching the cure Martin saith it is good to take a pinte of red Wine and to put therein a quartern of Bole Armeny beaten into fine powder and being made lukewarm to poure the one halfe therof the first day into his nostril that bleedeth causing his head to bee holden vp so as the liquor may not fal out and the next day to giue him the other halfe But 〈◊〉 â—his preuaileth not then I for my part would cause him to be let blood in the brest vaine 〈…〉 same side that he bleedeth at seueral times then take of Frankencense one ounce of Aloes halfe an ounce and beate them into powder and mingle them throughly with the whites of egges vntil it be so thick as hony and with soft Hares haire thrust it vp into his nostrill filling the hole so full as it cannot fall out or else fil his Nostrils ful of Asses dung or Hogs dung for either of them is excellent good to restraine any fluxe of blood Of the bleeding at the nose or to staunch Fluxe of blood in any sort I Haue knowne many Horsses in great danger by bleeding Markham and I haue tryed diuers remedies for the fame yet haue I not found any more certaine then this take a spooneful or two of his blood and put it in a Sawcer and set it vpon a chafingdish of coles â—et it boile til it be al dryed vp into powder then take that powder and if hee bleede at the â—e with a Cane or quil blow the same vp into his Nostrils if his bleeding come of any 〈◊〉 or other accident then into the wounde put the same powder which is a present â—â—edy New Horse-dung or earth is a present remedy applyed to the bleeding place 〈◊〉 are Sage leaues bruised and put into the wound Blundevile Of the diseases in the mouth and first of the bloudy rifts or chops in the palat of the mouth THis disease is called of the Italians Palatina which as Laurentius Russius saith commeth by eating hay or prouender that is full of pricking seedes which by continual pricking fretting the furrowes of the mouth do cause them to rankle and to bleed corrupt and stinking matter which you shal quickly remedy as Martin saith by washing first the sore places with vineger and salt and then by annointing the same with hony Of the bladders in a Horsses mouth which our old Ferrers were wont to cal the Gigs The Italians call them Froncelle THese be litle soft swellings or rather pustuls with blacke heads growing in the inside of his lips next vnto the great iaw-teeth which are so painful vnto the horse as they make him to let his meat fal out of his mouth or at the least to keepe it in his mouth vnchawed whereby the horsse prospereth not Russius saith that they come either by eating too much cold grasse or else pricking dusty and filthy prouender The cure wherof according to Martin is in this sort Slit them with a launcet and thrust out all the corruption and then wash the sore places with a little vineger and salt or els with Alum water Of the bladders in a Horse mouth Markham SOme Horsses will haue bladders like paps growing in the inside of their lips next to their great teeth which are much painful the cure whereof is thus Take a sharp paire of shears and clip them away close to the gum and then wash the sore place with running water Allum and hony boiled together til it he whole Of the Lampasse THe Lampasse called of the Italians Lampascus proceedeth of the aboundance of blood resorting to the first furrow of the mouth I meane that which is next vnto the vpper foreteeth causing the said furrow to swell so high as the Horsses teeth so as he cannot chew his meate but is forced to let it fall out of his mouth The remedy is to cut al the superfluous flesh away with a crooked hot iron made of purpose which euery Smith can do Another of the Lampasse THe Lampasse is a thick spungy flesh growing ouer a horsses vpper teeth hindering the coniunction of his chaps â—arkham in such sort that hee can hardly eat the cure is as followeth Cut all that naughty flesh away with a hot yron and then rub the sore well with salt which the most ignorant Smith can do sufficiently Of the Canker in the mouth THis disease as Martin saith is a rawnesse of the mouth and tongue which is full of blisters â—lundevile so as he cannot eat his meate Which proceedes of some vnnaturall heate comming from the stomach For the cure whereof take of Allum halfe a pound of Hony a quarter of a pinte of columbine leaues of Sage leaues of each a handfull boile al these together in three pints of water vntill a pinte be consumed and wash the sore places therewith so as it may bleede continuing so to do euery day once vntill it be whole Another of the Canker in the mouth THis disease proceedeth of diuers causes as of vnnaturall heat of the stomach of foule feeding Markham or of the
and to cling to his ribs It is knowne by the leannesse of the horsse and gantnes of his bely and by fast sticking of the skin vnto the ribs when you pul at it with your hand The cure according to Martin is thus Let him blood on both sides the bellie in the flanke vaines betwixt the flanke and the girding place that done giue him this drinke Take a quart of white Wine or els of good Ale and put thereunto three ounces of good sallet oyle of Cummin one ounce of Annis seedes two ounces of Licoras two ounces beaten al into fine powder and giue it him luke warme with a horne And when he hath drunk let one standing at his huckle-bone rub him hard with his hand along the back and ouerthwart the ribbes the space of halfe an houre that done set him in a warme stable and let him stand in litter vp to the belly and couer all his backe and ribs with a sacke first thoroughly soked in a tub of cold water and then well and hard wroung and ouer that caste another cloath and girde it fast with a surcingle stuffing him well about the backe with fresh straw continuing thus to doe euery day once the space of a weeke during which time giue him no cold water but luke warme and put therein a little ground mault The wet sacke wil cause the backe to gather heat it selfe and the skin to loosen from the flesh and if you will bestow more cost you may annoint all his body with wine and oile mingled togither according to the opinion of the old writers which no doubt is a very comfortable thing and must needs supple the skinne and loosen it from the flesh Of the diseases in the throat and lungs and why the griefes of the shoulders and hippes be not mentioned before amongst the griefes of the withers and backe Blundevile SOme perhaps would looke heere that for so much as I haue declared the diseases of the necke withers and backe that I should also follow on now with the griefes of the shoulders and hips But sith that svch griefes for the most part doth cause a horse to halt and that it requireth some skill to know when a horse halteth whether the fault be in his shoulder hip legge ioynt or foot I thinke it is not good to seperate those parts assunder specially sith nature hath ioyned them togither that is to say the shoulders to the forelegs and the hips to the hinder legges And therefore according to natures order I will treate of them in their proper place that is to say after that I haue shewed al the diseases that be in the inward horses body not onely aboue the midriffe as the diseases of the throat lungs breast and hart but also vnder the midriffe as those of the stomacke liuer guts and of all the rest And first as touching the diseases of the throat the Glaunders and Strangullion to al horses is most common Of the Glanders and Strangulion so called according to the Italian name Stranguiâ—lion MOst Ferrers do take the Glanders and Strangullion to bee all one disease but it is not so for the glanders is that which the Physitians call Tronsillae and the Strangullion is that which they call in Latine Angina in Greeke Synanchi and we commonly call it in English the squinnancy or Qunzie Tronsillae is interpreted by them to be inflammations of the kirnels called in Latine Glandes the Italian Glandulae which lie on both sides of the throat vnderneath the roote of the toongue nigh vnto the swallowing place of which word Glandâ—â— or Glâ—ndulae I thinke we borrow this name glanders For when the horse is troubled with this disease hee hath great kirnels vnderneath his iawes easie to be seene or felt paining him so as he can not easily swallow down his meat which commeth first of cold distilation out of the head But if such kirnels be not inflamed they will perhaps goe away of themselues or else by laying a little hot horse-dung and strawe vnto them the warmth thereof wil dissolue them and make them to vanish away But if they be inflamed they will not go away but encrease and wax greater and greater and be more painful euery daie then other and cause the horsse to cast continually filthie matter at his nose The cure whereof according to Martin is thus First ripe the kirnels with this plaister Take of bran two handfuls or as much as will thicken a quart of wine or Ale then put thereunto halfe a pounde of hogges greace and boile them togither and lay it hot to the sore with a cloath renewing it euery day vntil it be ready to breake then lance it and let out al the matter and taint it with a taint of flax dipt in this salue Take of Turpentine of hogs greace of each like quantity and a little waxe and melt them togither and renew the taint euerie daie vntil it be whole Laurentius Russius saith that this disease is verie common to colts because in them doth abound flexible moisture apt to be dissolued with euerie little heat and to turne to putrifaction and therefore if the horse be not ouer young he would haue you first to let him bloode in the necke vaine and then to lay vnto the same sore a ripening playster made of Mallowes Linseeds Rew Wormwood ground Iuy Oile of Baies add Dialthea and to annoint his throat also and all the sore place with fresh butter and the sore being ripe to lance it or els to rowel it that the matter may come forth But the kernels wil not decrease then pul them away by the rootes and to dry vp the vlcerous place with an ointment made of vnslect lime Pepper Brimstone Nitrum and oile Oliue It shall be also good to purge his head by perfuming him euery day once in such sort as hath beene before declared And let the horsse be kept warm about the head and stand in a warme stable and let him drinke no cold water but if you see that after you haue taken away the kirnels the horsse doth not for all that leaue casting filthy matter at the nose then it is to be feared that hee hath some spice of the mourning of the Chine for both diseases proceed of one cause and therefore I thinke good to speake of it heere presently But first I will set downe a drinke which I haue seene prooued vppon a horse that I thought could neuer haue bin recouered of the same disease and yet it did recouer him in very short space so as he trauelled immediately after many miles without the helpe of any other medicine A drinke for the Strangullion or Glaunders TAke of warm milk as it commeth from the Cow a quart or instead thereof a quart of new Beere or Ale warmed and put thereunto of moulten Butter the quantity of an Egge and then take one head of Garlicke Blundevile first clean pilled and then stamped smal which you
must put into the milke or drinke being made luke warme and giue it the horse with a horne and immediately after the drinke be giuen catch hold of his tongue with your hand and hauing broken two raw Egges either vpon his foreteeth or against the staffe wherewith his head is holden vp cast those broken Egges shels and all into his throat making him to swallow downe the same that doone ride him vp and downe till he beginne to sweate then set him vp couered warme with an old couerlet and straw not suffering him to eate nor drinke for the space of two or three houres after and let his drinke for the space of two or three daies bee somewhat warme whereinto it is good to put a handfull or two of bran or ground malt and in giuing the said drinke it shall not be amisse to poure some thereof into either nostrill Of the mourning of the Chine THis word mourning of the Chine is a corrupt name borrowed of the French toong wherein it is cald Mote deschien that is to say the death of the backe Because many do hold this opinion that this disease doth consume the marrow of the backe for remedy whereof they vse strange kinds of cures For some taking it to be a rheume go about to stop it by laying a strictiue or binding charges to the nape of the necke Some againe do twine out the pith of the backe with a long wire thrust vp into the horsses head and so into his necke and backe with what reason I know not Well I know that few horsses do recouer that haue this disease Some againe thinke that the lungs of the horse be rotten and that the horse doth cast them out at his nose But Martin saith that he hath cut vp diuers horsses which haue been iudged to haue dyed of the mourning of the chine but he could find neuer either back or lungs to be perished but onely the liuer and most commonly that side of the liuer which answeareth the nostrill whereat he casteth whereof we will talke in his proper place when we come to speake of the diseases in the Liuer The Italians do call this disease Ciamorro the olde Authors do cal it the moist malady whereof Theomnestus maketh two differences For in the one the matter which he doth cast at the nose is white and doeth not smell at all and in the other that which he casteth is filthy and sticking corruption They proceed both of cold humors congealed in the head but more abounding in the one then in the other by reason perhaps that the horsse was not cured in time for of colde first commeth the Pose and the cough then the Glanders and last of all the mourning of the chine When the horse casteth matter at the nose that is not stinking he may easily be cured by such remedyes as haue beene before declared in the chapter of the Pose but if the matter be very filthy and stincking then it is very harde to cure Notwithstanding it shall not grieue me to write vnto you heere the experience of Theomnestus and of Laurentius Russius Theomnestus cure is thus Take of Water and hony called of the Physitians Hydromel a quart and put thereunto three ounces of oyle and powre that into his nostrill euerye morning the space of three daies and if that do not profit him then let him drinke euery day or once in two daies a quart of olde wine mingled with some of the medicine or rather the precious meate called of the olde writers Tetraphramacum and that will restore him to his former estate Laurentius Russius saith that of al diseases ther is non more perillous nor more to be suspected thâ—n the rheume which commeth of cold for horses haue large Conduites and are full of moisture and therefore if colde once enter it findeth matter inough to worke on to breede continuall distillation as well outwardly at the nose as inwardly descending downe to the vitall part in such sort as it doth not suffocat the same The signes according to the said Russius be these the horse doth cast matter continually at the nosâ— sometime thinne and sometime thicke his nostrils eares and al his outward parts wil be cold to the feeling his eyes head and all his body heauy and he will cough and haue smal appetite to his meat and lesse to his drinke and sometime he will tremble and shake his cure is in this sort Purge his head partly by perfuming him and partly by making him to neeze in such sort as hath beene before taught in the chapter of the pose which waies of perfuming and purging his head as they bee good so doeth Russius praise these two heere following to be most excellent the first is this Take of the stalkes of Vitis alba otherwise called Brioni or wilde Vine two or three good handfuls and being brused put them into a linnen bagge and fasten the bagge to the horses head so as he may receiue the scent vp into his nostrils without touching the hearb wiâ—h his mouth and this will cause the humors to run downe aboundantly The second medicine Take of Euforbium beaten into fine powder three ounces of the iuice of Betes one pound of Swines blood halfe a pound boile al these togither vntil they bee thrâ—ughly mingled togither and liquide like an ointment and then take it from the fire and put thereunto one ounce more of Euforbium and mingle them againe thoroughly togither and preserue the same in a box to vse at needefull times in this sort Make two stiffe long rowles or tampins of linnen clowtes or such like stuffe sharpe pointed like suger-loues which tampins are called of the physitians in Latine Pessi and being annointed with the ointment aforesaid thrust them vp into the horsses nostrils and let them abide therein a pretty whilk then pul them out and you shal see such abundance of matter â—â—me forth at his nose as is marueilous to behold Russius also praiseth verye much this medicine heere following Take as much of the middle barke of an Elder tree growing on the water side as will fil a new earthen pot of a meane size putting thereunto as much cleere water as a pot wll hold and let it boile vntil one halfe be consumed and then to be filled vppe againe with fresh water continuing so to doe three times one after another and at the last time that the one halfe is consumed take it from the fire and straine it throgh a linnen cloth Then take two partes of that decoction and one part of hogges greace or Butter and being warmed againe togither giue the horsse to drinke thereof one horneful and poure another hornefull into his nostril that casteth and whensoeuer you giue him this medicine let the horse bee empty and fasting and keepe him without meat also two or three hours after for this is a very good drinke for anye sicknesse that commeth of cold Moreouer open the skinne of his
thereunto three ounces of Meâ— Rosatum and wash al his mouth with Vineger and salt If his stomacke be too colde then his haire wil stare and stand right vp which Absirtus and others were wont to cure by giuing the horse good wine and oile to drinke and some would seeth in wine Rew or Sage some would adde thereunto white Pepper and Mirre some woulde giue him Onions and Rocket seed to drinke with wine Againe there be other somewhich prescribe the blood of a young Sow with old wine Absirtus would haue the horse to eat the green blades of wheat if the time of the yeare wil serue for it Columella saith that if a horsse or anie other beaste do loath his meate it is good to giue him wine and the seede of Gith or else Wine and stampt garlicke Of casting out his drinke VEgetius saith that the horse may haue such a Palsie proceeding of cold in his stomack as he is notable to keepe his drinke but many times to cast it out again at his mouth The remedy whereof is to let him blood in the necke and to giue him cordiall drinkes that is to say made of hotte and comfortable spices and also to annoint al his breast and vnder his shoulders with hot oyles and to purge his head by blowing vp into his Nostrils pouders that prouoke neezing such as haue beene taught you before Of surfetting with glut of prouender THe glut of prouender or other meat not digested doth cause a horse to haue great paine in his body so as hee is not able to stande on his feete but lyeth downe and waltereth as though he had the Bots. The cure whereof according to Martins experience is in this sort Let him blood in the necke then trot him vppe and downe for the space of an houre and if he cannot stale draw out his yard and wash it with a little white wine luke warme and thrust into his yard either a brused cloue of Garlicke or else a little oile of Cammomile with a wax candle If he cannot dung then rake his fundament and giue him this glister Take of Mallows two or three handfuls and boile them in a pottle of faire running water and when the mallows be sodden then straine it and put therevnto a quart of fresh Butter and halfe a pinte of oile Oliue and hauing receiued this glister lead him vp and downe vntill he hath emptied his belly then set him vp and keepe him hungry the space of three or foure daies and the hay that he eateth let it be sprinkeled with water and let him drinke water wherein should be put a little bran and when he hath drunke giue him the bran to eate and giue him little or no prouender at al for the space of eight or ten daies Of another kind of surfetting with meat or drinke called of vs foundering in the body THis disease is called of the old writers in Greeke Crithiasis in Latine Hordiatio it commeth as they say by eating of much prouender suddainely after labour whilst the horse is hot and panting Blundevile whereby his meate not being digested breedeth euill humors which by little and little do spread thoroughout his members and at length do oppresse all his body and doe cleane take away his strength and make him in such a case as he can neither goe nor bow his ioyntes nor being laide he is not able to rise againe neither can he stale but with great paine It may come also as they saie of drinking too much in trauelling by the waie when the horse is hot but then it is not so dangerous as when it commeth of eating too much But howsoeuer it commeth they saie all that the humours will immediatelie resorte downe into the horses legges and feet and make him to cast his hooues and therfore I must needs iudge it to be no other thing but a plaine foundering which word foundering is borrowed as I take it of the French word Fundu that is to say molten For foundering is a melting or dissolution of humors which the Italians cal Infusione Martin maketh diuers kindes of foundering as the foundering of the bodie which the French men call most commonly Morfundu and foundering in the legs and feet also foundering before and behind which some Authors doe denie as Magister Maurus and Laurentius Russius affirming that there are fewer humors behind than before and that they cannot easily be dissolued or molten being so far distant from the hart the other vital parts Whereunto a man might answere that the natural heat of the hart doth not cause dissolution of humors but some vnnaturall and accidentall heate spred throughout all the members which is daily proued by good experience For we see horses foundered not only before or behind but also of al foure legs at once which most commonly chanceth either by taking cold sodenly after a great heate as by standing stil vpon some cold pauement or abroad in the cold wind or els perhaps the horse trauelling by the way and being in a sweat was suffred to stand in some cold water whilst he did drinke which was worse then his drinking for in the mean time the cold entering at his feet ascended vpward and congealed the humors which the heat before had dissolued and thereby when he commeth once to rest he waxeth stiffe and lame of his legs But leauing to speak of foundering in the legs as wel before as behind vntil we come to the griefs in the legs feet we intend to talk here only of foundring in the body according to Martins experience The signes to know if a horse be foundered in the body be these His haire wil stare and he wil be chil and shrug for cold and forsake his meat hanging down his head and quiuer after cold water and after 2. or 3. daies he wil begin to cough The cure according to Martin is thus First scour his belly with the glister last mentioned and then giue him a comfortable drink made in this sort Take of Malmsie a quart of Sugar halfe a quartern of hony halfe a quarterne of Sinamon halfe an ounce of Licoras and Annis seedes of each two spoonfuls beaten into fine powder which being put into the Malmsie warme them togither at the fire so as the hony may be molten and then giue it him luke warm that done walke him vp and down in the warme stable the space of halfe an houre and then let him stand on the bit 2. or 3. houres without meat but let him be warme couered and wel littered and giue him hay sprinkled with a little water and clean sifted prouender by a little at once and let his water be warmed with a little ground Malt therein And if you see him somewhat cheered then let him blood in the neck and also perfume him once a day with a little Frankincense and vse to walke him abroad when the weather is faire and not windy or els in the house
dung often and to do but little and that with great paine And also another disease called Procidentia ani that is to say the falling out of the fundament which the Physitians do account as seueral diseases Notwithstanding for somuch as Dysenteria and Tenasmus do spring both of like causes yea and also for that the falling out of the fundament hath some affinity with them I wil follow mine Authors in ioyning them altogether in this one chapter The Physitians make diuers kindes of bloody-flixe for sometime the fat of the slimy filth which is voided is sprinkled with a little blood sometime the matter that voydeth is mixt with the scraping of the guts and sometime it is waterish bloode like water wherein flesh hath beene washed and sometime blood mixt with melancholy and sometime pure blood and by the mixture of the matter you shall know in mans body whether the vlceration be in the inner smal guts or no if it bee the matter and blood wil be perfectly mixt togither but if it be in the outward guts then they be not mingled together but come out seuerall the blood most commonly following the matter Of this kind is that disease called before Tenasmus for that is an vlcer in the right gut seruing the fundament and doth proceede euen as the Flixe doth of some sharpe humors which being violently driuen and hauing to passe through many crooked and narrow waies do cleaue to the guts and with their sharpenesse fret them causing exulceration and grieuous paine The flixe also may come of some extreame cold heat or moistnesse or by meane of receiuing some violent purgation hauing therein ouer much Scamony or such like violent simple or through weakenesse of the Liuer or other members seruing to digestion Now as touching the falling out of the fundament the Physitians say that it commeth through the resolution or weakenesse of the muscles seruing to draw vp the fundament which resolution may come partly by ouer-much straining and partly they may be loosened by ouermuch moisture for which cause children being ful of moisture are more subiect to this disease then men And for the selfe same cause I thinke that Horsses hauing very moyst bodyes be subiect thereunto Thus hauing shewed you the causes of the diseases before recited I wil shew you the cure prescribed by the old writers Absirtus would haue the fundament on the outside to be cut round about but so as the inward ringe thereof be not touched for that were dangerous and would kil the horse for so much as his fundament would neuer abide within his body and that done he would haue you to giue him to drinke the powder of vnripe Pomgranat shels called in Latine Malicorium together with wine and water which indeede because it is astringent is not to be misliked but as for cutting of the fundament I assure you I cannot iudge what he should meane thereby vnlesse it be to widen the fundament by giuing it long slits or cuts on the outside but well I know that it may cause more paine and greater inflamation And therefore methinkes it were better in this case to follow the Physitians precepts which is first to consider whether the fundament being fallen out bee inflamed or not for if it bee not inflamed then it shall bee good to annoynt it first with Oyle of Roses somewhat warmed or else to wash it with warme red wine But if it be inflamed then to bath it wel first with a spunge dipt in the decoction of Mallowes Camomile Lineseede and Fenegreek and also to annoint it wel with oyle of Camomile and Dill mingled together to asswage the swelling and then to thrust it in againe faire and softly with a soft linnen cloth That done it shall be good to bathe all the place about with red wine wherein hath beene sodden Acatium Galles A corne cups parings of Quinces and such like simples as be astringent and then to throw on some astringent powder made of bole Armony Frankincens Sanguis Draconis Myrrh Acatium and such like yea and also to giue the Horsse this drinke much praised of all the old writers Take of Saffron one ounce of Myrrh two ounces of the hearb called in Latine Abrotonum named in some of our English herbals Sothernwood three ounces of Parsly one ounce of garden Rue otherwise called herb Grace three ounces of Piritheum otherwise called of some people spittlewort and of Isope of each two ounces of Cassia which is like Cynamon one ounce Let al these things be beaten in fine powder then mingled with chalk and strong vineger wrought into paast of which paast make little cakes and dry them in the shadow and being dryed dissolue some of them in a sufficient quantity of barly milk or iuyce called of the old writers and also of the Physitians Cremor Ptisane and giue to the Horse to drinke thereof with a horne for the medicine as the Authors write doth not onely heale the bloody-flixe and the other two diseases before recited but also if it be giuen with a quart of warme water it will heale al griefe and pain in the belly and also of the bladder that commeth for lacke of staling And being giuen with sweete wine it will heale the biting of any Serpent or mad dog Of the Wormes IN a Horsses guts do breed three kindes of wormes euen as there doth in mans body Blundevile though they be not altogether like in shape The first long and round euen like to those that children do most commonly voyde and are called by the generall name wormes The second little worms hauing great heads and small long tailes like a needle and be called Bots. The 3. be short and thick like the end of a mans little finger and therefore be cald Troncheons and though they haue diuers shapes according to the diuersity of the place perhaps where they breed or else according to the figure of the putrified matter whereby they breede yet no doubt they proceede all of one cause that is to say of a raw grosse and flegmatike matter apt to putryfaction ingendred most commonly by foule feeding and as they proceede of one selfe cause so also haue they like signes and like cure The usignes be these The Horse wil forsake his meate for the Troncheons and the Bots wil couet alwaies to the maw and paine him sore He will also lye downe and wallow and standing he will stamp and strike at his belly with his hinder foote and looke often toward his belly The cure according to Martin is thus take of sweet milke a quart of hony a quarterne and giue it him lukewarme and walke him vppe and downe for the space of an houre and so let him rest for that day with as little meate or drinke as may bee and suffer him not to lye downe Then the next day giue him this drinke take of berbe Grace a handful of Sauin as much and being wel stampt put therunto a little
none of mine Authors Martin nor anie other Ferrer in these daies that I knowe haue intermedled with anie kind of bursting but onely with that wherein the gut falleth downe into the cod leauing all the rest apart I wil onely talke of this and that according to Martins experience which I assure you differeth not much from the precepts of the old writers But first you shal vnderstand that the gut bursten and flanke bursten doth proceed both of one cause that is to say by meanes that the skinne called before Peritoneum is either sore strained or else broken either by some stripe of another horse or els by some strain in leaping ouer an hedge ditch or pale or otherwise yea and many times in passing a carier through the carelesnes of the rider stoping the horse sodenly without giuing warning wherby the horse is forced to cast his hinder legs abroad so straineth or bursteth the skin aforesaid by meanes whereof the gut falleth downe into the cod The signes be these The horse will forsake his meat and stand shoring and leanning alwaies on that side that he is hurt and on that side if you search with your hande betwixt the stone and the thigh vpward to the body and somewhat aboue the stone you shall find the gut it selfe big and hard in the feeling whereas on the other side you shal find no such thing The cure according to Martin is thus Bring the horse into some house or place that hath ouer head a strong balk or beame going ouerthwart and strew that place thicke with strawe then put on foure pasternes with foure ringes on his feete and then fasten the one end of a long rope to one of those Ringes then thread all the other rings with the loose end of the Rope and so drawe all his foure feete togither and cast him on the straw That done cast the rope ouer the baulke and hoise the horse so as he may lye flatte on his backe with his legs vpward without struggling Then bath his stones well with warme Water and Butter molten togither and the stones being somewhat warme and wel mollified raise them vp from the body with both your hands being closed by the fingers fast togither and holding the stones in your hands in such manner worke downe the gut into the body of the horse by striking it downward continually with your two thumbs one labouring immediately after another vntill you perceiue that side of the stone to bee so so smal as the other and hauing so discorded that is to say returnd the gut into his right place take a list of two fingers broad throughly annointed with fresh butter and tie his stones both togither with the same so nigh as may bee not ouer hard but so as you may put your finger betwixt That done take the horse quietly down and lead him faire and softly into the stable whereas he must stand warme and not be stirred for the space of 3. weekes But forget not the next day after his discording to vnloosen the list and to take it away and as wel at that time as euery day once or twice after to cast a dish or two of cold water vp into his cods and that wil cause him to shrinke vppe his stones and thereby restraine the gut from falling downe and at the three weekes end be sure it were not amisse to geld the stone on that side away so shall he neuer be encorded againe on that side But let him not eat much nor drinke much and let his drinke be alwayes warme Of the botch in the graines of a horse IF a horse be full of humours and then suddenly laboured the humours will resort into the weakest parts and there gather together and breede a botch and especially in the hinder parts betwixt the thighes not farre from the cods The signes be these The hinder legges wil be al swollen and especially from the houghes vpwarde and if you feele with your hand you shal find a great kind of swelling and if it be round and hard it wil gather to a head The cure according to Martin is thus First ripe it with a plaister take of Wheat-flower of Turpentine and of hony of each like quantity stirring it together to make a stiffe plaister and with a cloth lay it vnto the sore renewing it euery day once vntil it breake or waxe soft and then launce it as the matter may runne downeward Then taint it with Turpentine and Hogges greace moulten togither renewing it euery daye once vntil it be whole Of the diseases incident to the wombe of a Mare and specially of barrennesse IT seemeth by some writers that the wombe of a Mare is subiect to certaine diseases though not so many as the wombe of a Woman as to ascent descent falling out convulsion barrennesse aborsment yea Aristotle and others do not let to write that menstrual blood doth naturally void from the Mare as from the Woman though it bee so little in quantity as it cannot be well perceiued But sith none of mine Authors haue written thereof to any purpose nor any Ferrer of this time that I knowe haue had any experience in such matters I wil passe them all ouer with silence sauing barrennes whereof I promised before in his due place to declare vnto you the causes and such kind of cure for the same as the old writers haue taught A Mare then may be barren through the vntemperatenesse of the wombe or matrix aswell for that it is too hot and fiery or else to cold and moist or too dry or else too short or too narrow or hauing the necke thereof turned awry or by meanes of some obstruction or stopping in the matrix or for that the mare is too fat or too leane and many times mares goe barren for that they be not well horsed Wel the cure of barrennesse that commeth through the fault of the matrixe or wombe according to the old writers is thus Take a good handful of Leekes stamp them in a morter with halfe a glasseful of wine then put thereunto twelue Flies called of the Apothecaries Cantharides of diuers colours if they may be gotten then straine altogether with a sufficient quantity of water to serue the mare therewith two daies together by powring the same into her nature with a horn or glister-pipe made of purpose and at the end of three daies next following offer the horse vnto her that should couer her and immediately after that she is couered wash her nature twice together with cold water Another receipt for the same purpose TAke of Nitrum of sparrowes dung and Turpentine of each a like quantitye well wrought together and made like a suppository and put that into her nature and it wil cause her to desire the horse and also to conceiue Hippocrates saith that it is good also to put a nettle into the horses mouth that should couer her Of the Itch Scabbe and manginesse in the taile and falling
of the taile Blundevile IN springtime horses many times are trobled with the troncheons in their fundament and then they wil rubbe their taile and breake the haire thereof and yet in his taile perhaps shal be neither itch scurffe nor scabbe wherefore if you rake the horse wel with your hand annointed with Sope and search for those tronchens and pul them cleane out you shal cause him to leaue rubbing and if you see that the haire doe fal awaie it felfe then it is a signe that it is either eaten with wormes or that there is some scurffe or scab fretting the hair and causing such an itch in his taile as the horse is alwaies rubbing the same As touching the wormes scurffe or scab it shal be good to annoint all the taile with sope and then to wash it cleane euen to the ground with stronge lie and that wil kil the wormes and make the haire to growe againe And if much of the taile be worne awaie it shall bee needefull to keepe the taile continually wet with a spunge dipt in faire water and that will make the haire to growe very fast But if the horses taile be maungy then heale that like as you do the manginesse of the maine before rehearsed Againe if there breed any Canker in the taile which wil consume both flesh and bone and as Laurentius Russius saith make the ioyntes to fall away one by one it shall be good as Martin saith to wash all his taile with Aquafortis or strong water made in this sort take of greene Coporas of Alum of each one pounde of white coporas a quarterne Boile al these things togither in three quartes of runninge water in a strong earthen pot vntil one halfe be consumed and then with a little of this water being made luke-warme wash his taile with a little clout or Flax bound to the end of a sticke continuing so to do euery day once vntil it be whole Of the Scabbe THe Scab is a foule scurffe in diuers parts of a horses body commeth of pouerty or il keeping or many times by going amongst woodes wherein they are infected with water boughes it is most incident to olde horses which wil die thereof and chiefely in the spring time when the newe blood appeares the cure whereof I haue spoken before How to know when a horse halteth before in what part his griefe is Being now come to talke of the griefes in the shoulders legs hips houghes ioyntes and hooues causing the horse most commonly to halt I thinke it good first to shew you the way how to find in what part of his legs the horse is grieued when he halteth either before or behind And first you haue to consider that if a horse halteth before it must be eyther in his shoulders in his legs or in his feet If it be in his shoulders and new hurt the horse wil not lift that leg but traile it nigh the ground If it be old hurt he wil cast that Leg further from him in his going then the other and if he be turned on the foreside then he wil halt so much the more If a horse halteth in the leg it is either in the knee in the shank or els in the pastern ioynt if it be either in the knee or pastern ioynt he will not bow that leg in his going like the other but go very stifly vpon it If he halteth in the shank then it is by means of some splent wind-gal or such apparant griefe apt to be seen or felt If he halt in the foot it is either in the cronet heele in the toe in the quarters or sole of the foot If it be in the cronet the griefe wil be apparant the skin being broken or swolen some manner of way if in the heele as by ouerreach or otherwise then he wil tread most on the toe if vpon any of the quarters then going on the edge of a bank or hilly ground he will halt more then on the plain ground and by the horses comming toward you and going from you vpon such edge or banck you shall easily perceiue whether his griefe be in the inward quarter or in the outward quarter the quarter is to be vnderstood from the mid-hooue to the heele If he halt in the toe which is not commonly seen then he wil tred more vpon the heele If the griefe be in the sole of his foot then he wil halt al after one sort vpon any ground vnlesse it be vpon the stones And to be sure in what part of the foote the griefe is it shall be good first to make him go vpon the plain ground and then vpon a hard stony ground yea and also a banky ground Thus hauing declared vnto you in generall how to know in what part a horse is grieued when he halteth before I thinke it meete first to shew you orderly all the particular griefes and sorances whereunto the fore-parts of a horse is subiect together with the causes signs and cure thereof That done I will speak of halting behind and shew you first generally where the griefe is and then particulary declare vnto you euery griefe incident to the hinder parts of a horse And lastly I will speake of such griefes and sorances as are commonly in both parts that is to say as wel to the forelegs and fore-feet as to the hinder legs and hinder feet Of the griefe and pinching in the shoulder THis commeth either by laboring and straining the Horse too young or else by some great burthen you shal perceiue it by the narrownes of the brest and by consuming flesh of the shoulders insomuch as the forepart of the shoulder bone wil sticke out and be a great deal higher then the flesh And if it be of long continuance he wil be very hollow in the brisket towards the armeholes and he wil go wider beneath at the feet then aboue at the knees The cure according to Martin is thus Giue him a slit of an inch long with a sharp knife or rasor vpon both sides an inch vnder the shoulder bones then with a Swans quil put into the slit blow vp first the one shoulder and then the other as big as can possible euen vp to the withers with your hand strike the winde equally into euery place of the shoulders And when they be both ful then beat al the windy places with a good hasel wand or with both your hands clapping vpon the places puffed vp with wind so fast as they can walke one after another ouer al the shoulder then with a flat slice of iron loosen the skin within from the flesh that done rowel the two slits or cuts with two round rowels made of the vpper leather of an old shoo with a hole in the middest that the matter may yssue forth and let such rowles be 3. inches broad and so put in as they may lie plain and flat within the cut then make a charge to lay vpon
then the cat but is more terrible also vnto them Pliny for if the braines of a Weasell the haire or rennet be sprinkled vppon Cheese or any other meate whereto Mice resort they not onely forbeare to eate thereof but also to come in that place They are also driuen away by the sprinkling of the ashes of Weasels and as all noises make them afraid so none so much as the skreetching or crying of a weasell for at the hearing thereof they fall astonished And besides they haue more opportunity to follow and take them then cats because their bodies are lesser and their noses and snouts longer and therefore they follow them many times into their holes and very nimbly pul them forth when they thinke they are most secure Foxes also kill Mice and in Italy there is a blacke Snake called Carbonario from his colour resembling coales which I thinke to be the same that the Gretians call Myagros from his hunting of Mice This snake doth also eat and deuoure Mice Haukes eate Mice and all the night-birds especially the night-crowes and Owles How hatefull a Mouse is to the Elephant wee haue shewed already in that story how in the presence thereof he will not touch his meate nor eate any thing ouer which a Mouse doth run Nor yet eate in the cratch or manger wherein a Mouse hath bin Ponzettus affirmeth that there is great loue betweene Mice and Serpentes for sometimes they play together Their is a hatred betwixt Bats Frogs and Mice as may appeare by Anthologius Museus and others It is said also that they are hatefull to Oysters whereof I know no reason except it be because they loue their fish And Alciatus hath a pretty embleme which he entituleth Captinus ob gulam wherein he sheweth that a Mouse watcheth an Oyster when he gapeth and seeing it open thrust in his head to eate the fish assoone as euer the Oyster felt his teeth presently he closeth his shell again and so crusheth the mouses head in pieces whereby hee disciphereth the condition of those men which destroy themselues to serue their belies And thus much for the loue and enmity betwixt Mice and other beasts Now concerning the actions of men they hunt Mice to be rid from their anoyances because they do not onely destroy the things they eate and liue vpon other mens cost and therefore Parasites are compared vnto them whom the Germans call Schmorotzer and Tellerlecker that is smell-feasts and lick-spickets are compared to Mice because they liue at other mens tables But also Mice do defile corrupt and make vnprofitable whatsoeuer they tast and therefore the Egyptians when they would describe corruption do picture a Mouse For these causes haue men inuented many deuises snars and gins the generall wherof is called by the Latines Muscipula and by the Gretians Muspala and Miagra the diuers and seuerall formes whereof I will not disdaine to set down For the wise reader must consider that it is as necessary or rather more necessary for most men to know how to take mice then how to take Elephants And although every woman and silly Rat-ketcher can giue instruction enough therin yet their knowledge cannot excuse my negligence if I should omit the inuentions and deuises of the auncient whereby they deliuerd themselues from the annoiances of these beasts And therefore first of al to declare the manner of ketching them in places where corne is kept Let your moustrap bee placed to ketch mice right against the door but let them haue roome to come in and in short time it will so feare them that they wil trouble you no more But if mice breed in the ground vnder creaueses except you fill al the creauises with moustraps you wil neuer ketch them which the inhabitants of the Iland Pandatharia are faine to do There are other kind of moustraps which do ketch mice aliue Varrus and othersome which do kil them either being pressed downe with the waight of it or stifeld with water or otherwise as with a stronge piece of yron being smal and hung right against the butten of the trap on the which piece of iron they hang meate and so by that meanes the mouse is ketched by putting her head through the hole to snatch at the meate for she by stirring the iron doth losen the butten and so her heade is shut fast in the hole And there are other kind of moustraps which are couered al ouer into the which the mouse may run if you haue put any water therein they are presently stifeled Of al which kind of traps shall be seuerally tracted And first of all of those which do ketch mice aliue The common kind of this moustrap is made of wood long and foure cornerwise and is framed of foure boards but the hinder part is strengthned with strong wiers of iron that she may without any danger looke in to see what shee may get there and that the smell of the which she findeth ther may alure hir to come to it And the former part hath a hole in the top through which there is put a small peece of yron and also there is made a trap-door in form of a percullis to the which the iron is very slightly hung that when the mous commeth to ketch at the meat she is suddenly taken by falling of the same but the meat which you fasten to the neather end of this iron hook must be fat or the crust of cheese or bread which if it be a little toasted at the fire it wil not be amisse that the mouse may smell it far off Some do make these kind of traps doble with one doore at one end and another doore at another end These kind of moustraps Peterus Crescent doth cal traps belonging to houses which shal be spoken of hereafter The other kind of moustrap is made with iron hookes hung in the round circle In the middest of the which brim is put a great many of the same wiers which being made sharp at euery end are after the forme of the top of a crest or helmet or as it is made in a bow-net to ketch fishes and vpon the hooke let their be hung meate by the which meanes the mouse comming to the meat sticketh her selfe vpon the hookes The manner of making lesser moustraps is with Walnut tree and that the middle part of it bee not couered and that there be put to the mouth or brim thereof some kind of mettle so that the open part may bend inward and that the mouse may not gnaw that which is within except she creepeth vnder which if shee shall do she shall presently be shut in by stirring the trap Also there is another kind of moustrap which is couered with the barke of a tree which is cut into equall pieces and laid crosse one ouer another Crescentient but there is tied a swines skinne in the middle and also an earthen pot couered with the same barke being
three peeces of woode being thus made ready thou shalt erect a little piller so that the wedge may be downeward whereby the mouse may see the meate euery where and let the meate be hung in the former corner of the piller so if the mouse shall touch the meate he shall bee pressed downe with the fall of the board Mice also by the fall of a cleft board are taken which is held vp with a piller and hauing a little spattular of wood whereon the meate shall lye so made that the piller doth not open being parted except when the mouse commeth to touch the meate and so by that meanes she is taken There is also another manner of mouse-trap vsed among vs which is let there bee a hole made and compassed about with a boord of a foot long and fiue or six fingers broad the compasse whereof must be foure fingers into this hole let there be put a vessell made of wood the length of ones fist but round and very deepe and in the middle of each side of this vessell let there be made a hole wherein there is put in a thread made of yron with meat and let it be compassed about with a small thread which must be fastned ouerthwart the hole and the part of the thread which hangeth downe must be crooked that the meat may be fastned thereto and there must bee a peece of the thread without to the which may be tyed a stronger peece of wood which is the thread whereon the meat is hanged by the which the mouse is taken by putting her head into the vessel to ketch at the meat And also mice are taken otherwise with a great Cane wherein there is a knot and in the top of it let there be made a little bow with a lute string and there sticke a great needle in the middle of the pole of the Cane and let the pole be made iust in the middle and let there be bound a peece of flesh beneath so prepared that when the mouse shall bite and mooue the skin that then the string slippeth downe and so the needle pearceth through his head and holdeth him that he cannot run away But among all the rest there is an excellent peece of workmanship to ketch mice which I will heer set down Take a peece of wood the length of both thy fists one fistbroad and two fingers thicke and let there be cut off about some two fingers a little beyond the middle of halfe the breadth And that breadth where it was cut ought to be more declining and lower after the manner of this letter A. And you must put to the side of this a peece of wood halfe a circle long bending and in the middle part of each side holes pearced through so that the halfe circle may be streight and plainely placed to the foundation of the woode that the trap being made it may rest vpon the same halfe circle and vpon this halfe circle let there be placed iron nailes very sharp so that the instrument by falling downe may couer the irons of the halfe circle as soone as euer they touch the same Furthermore there is another manner of trap when a vessell out of which they cannot escape is filled halfe vp with water and vpon the top thereof Otmell is put which will swim and not sinke making the vppermost face of the water to seeme white and solid whereunto when the mouse commeth she leapeth into the oate-mell and so is drowned And the like may be done with chaffe mingled with oat-mell and this in all traps must be obserued wherein mice are taken aliue that they be presently taken forth for if they make water in the place their fellowes will for euer suspect the trap and neuer come neareâ—t till the sauour of the vrine be aholished Palladius saith that the thicke froth of oyle being infused into a dish or brasen caldron and set in the middle of the house in the night time will draw all the mice vnto it wherein they shall sticke fast and not be able to escape Anatolius Pliny saith that if a mouse be gelded aliue and so let go she will driue away all the residue but this is to be vnderstoode of the Sorex If the head of a mouse be flaied or if a male mouse be flaied all ouer or her taile cut off or if her legge be bound to a post in the house or a bell be hung about her necke and so turned going she will driue away all her fellowes And Pliny saith that the smoke of the leaues of the Ewe-tree because they are poyson will kill mice so also will libbards-baine and henbaine-seede and Wolfe baine for which cause they are seuerally called Myoctonos and the rootes of Wolfe bane are commonly sold in Sauoy vnto the Country people for that purpose In Germany they mingle it with oat-mell and so lay it in bals to kill mice The fume of wall-wort calcauth parcely origanum and deaths-hearb doe also kill mice you may also driue them away with the fume of the stone Haematites and with greene tamarisk with the hoofe of a mule or of nitre or the ashes of a Weasell or a cat in water or the gall of an Oxe put into bread The seede of Cowcumbers being sod and sprinckled vpon any thing mice will neuer touch it likewise wilde coucumber and coloquintida kill mice To keepe mice from corne make morter of the froth of oyle mingled together with chaffe and let them well dry and afterwards be wrought throughly then plaster the wals of your garnery therewith and when they are dry cast more froth of oyle vpon them and afterwards carry in your corne and the mice will neuer annoy it Cato Wormewood laid among cloathes and skinnes defend them from mice And also the water of wormewood sod sprinckled vpon cloathes hath the same operation Tragus Inke tempered with water wherein Wormewood hath beene washed or sod causeth that the Parchment and Paper written therewith shall neuer be eaten or touched with mice Auicen Anatolius and Tarentinus in the discourse of the grauery or barm do write that milk-thistle mingled with hony water and fine flower or mil-dust made into little balles and laied where mice my eat of it doth make them blind if they taste thereof White Hellebore mixed with pottage Paxausus or the seedes of wilde Cowcumber Coloquintida and meale mingled with blacke Hellebore and put into Cheese or bread or any kind of fat meat killeth both Rats and mice So likewise a white camelion sod in broth mingled with water and oyle killeth Dogges swine and mice The iuyce of the roote of the hearbe Camelion mixed with water and oyle draweth mice vnto it and killeth them by tasting thereof if they drinke not presently so also doth Henbane The roots of the bramble Tree mingled with Butter Breade or Honey Elecampaine and sea Onions Scamoney wild Sparradge Arsenicke Mug-wort otherwise cald mouse-wort mingled
say that among the Aeolians at Troas Hamaxitus they worshiped mice and Apollo both together and that vnder his Altar they had meate and nourishment and also holes to liue in safely and the reason was because once many thousands of mice inuaded the corne fieldes of Aeolia and Troy cutting downe the same before it was ripe and also frustrating the husbandman of fruite and hope this euill caused them to goe to Delphos to aske counsell at the Oracle what they should doe to be deliuered from that extremitie where the Oracle gaue answere that they should goe sacrifice to Apollo Smyntheus and afterward they had sacrificed they were deliuered from the mice and that therefore they placed a statue or figure of a mouse in the Temple of Apollo When the Troyans came out of Creete to seeke a habitation for themselues they receaued an Oracle that they should there dwell where the inhabitants that were borne of the earth should set vpon them the accomplishing whereof fell out about Hamaxitus for in the night time a great company of wilde mice set vpon their bowes quiuers and strings leathers of their bucklers and all such soft instruments whereby the people knew that that was the place wherein the Oracle had assigned them to build the Citty therefore there they builded Ida so called after the name of Ida in Creete and to conclude we doe reade that mice haue beene sacrificed Sacrificing of Mice Scoliastâ—â—yco for the Arcadians are said first of all to haue sacrificed to their Gods a mouse and secondly a white horse and lastly the leaues of an Oake And to conclude Aelianus telleth one strange storye of mice in Heraclea that there is not one of them which toucheth any thing that is consecrated to Religion or to the seruice of their Goddes Insomuch that they touch not their vines which are sacred to religious vses but suffer them to come to their naturall maturitye but depart out of theysland to the entent that neither hunger nor folly cause them to touch that which is dedicated to deuine vses And thus much for the naturall and morall story of the mice now followeth the medicinall The medicines of the Mouse Albertus The flesh of a mouse is hot and and soft and very little or nothing fat and doth expell blacke and melancholy choler A mouse being flead or hauing his skin pulled off and afterwards cut through the middle and put vnto a wound or sore wherein there is the head of a Dart or arrow Marcellus or any other thing whatsoeuer within the wound wil presently and very easily exhale and draw them out of the same Mice being cut and placed vnto woundes which haue beene bitten by Serpents or put to places which are stinged by them do very effectually and in short space of time cure and perfectly heale them Mice which do lurke and enhabite in houses being cut in twaine and put vnto the wounds which are new made by Scorpions Dioscorides doth very speedily heale them A yoong mouse being mingled with salt is an excellent remedy against the byting of the mouse called a shrew which biting horses and labouring cattell it doth venome vntill it come vnto the hart and then they die except the aforesaid remedie be vsed Pliny The shrew also himselfe being bruised and laid vnto the place which was bitten is an excellent and very profitable remedy against the same A mouse being deuided and put or laid vpon warts will heale them and quite abolish them of what kinde soeuer they shall be The fatte which is distilled from mice Marcellus being mixed with a little goose-greace and boyled together is an excellent and medicinable cure for the asswaging and mollifying of swellings and hard lumps or knots which doe vsually arise in the flesh Yoong mice being beaten into small bits or peeces Pliny and mixed with olde wine and so boyled or baked vntill they come vnto a temperate and mollifying medicine if it be annointed vppon the eye lids it will very easily procure haire to grow thereon The same being vnbeaten and roasted and so giuen to little children to eate will quickly dry vp the froath or spetle which aboundeth in their mouth Dioscorides There are certaine of the wise men or Magi who thinke it good that a mouse should bee flead and giuen to those which are troubled with the tooth-ache twise in a moneth to be eaten The water wherein a mouse hath beene sod or boyled is very wholesome and profitable for those to drinke who aâ—e troubled with the inflammation of the iawes or the disease called the Squincie Mice but especially those of Affricke hauing their skinne puld off and well steeped in oyle and rubbed with salt and so boyled and afterwards taken in drinke are very medicinable for those which haue any paine or trouble in their lightes lungs The same medicine vsed in the aforesaid manner is very profitable for those which are troubled with a filthy mattery and blooddy spetting out with retching Pliny Sodden mice are exceeding good to restraine and hold in the vrine of infants or children being too aboundant if they be giuen in some pleasant or delightsome drinke Mice being also cut in twaine and laid vnto the feete or legs of those which are gowtie is an excellent remedie and cure for them Mice being dryed and beaten to powder doth very effectually heale and cure those which are scalded or burned with hote water or fire Cypres nuts being burned and pounded or beaten into dust Marcellus and mixed with the dust of the hoofe of a male or female mule being dryed or stamped small and the oyle of mirtle added vnto the same with the dirt or dung of mice being also beaten and with the dung of a hedge-hogge new made and with red arsenicke and all mingled together with vinegar and moist or liquid pitch and put vnto the heade of any one who is troubled with the aboundance and loose hanging downe or ouergrowing of his haire it will very speedily and without any difficultie ease him of the same The dust of a mouse pounded and beaten to powder and mingled with a certaine oile is very good and wholesome for those which are grieued with a Tettor or scabbe which may ouerrunne their whole body Pliny The braines or taile of a mouse being dried and beaten to powder is very medicinable for those which are troubled with the casting and shedding of their haire as also for the disease called the Foxes euill but this operation will worke more effectually if the shedding of the haire doth happen by any venom or poyson The same in operation hath the whole body of the mouse being vsed in the aforesaide manner There is also another excellent remedy to cure and heale the aforesaid disease which is this to take mice which inhabite in houses and to burne or dry them in a pot Galen and then beat them and being
those whose eye-lids are pilled and bald Auicen to make haire to grow again vpon them being spreade or annointed thereuppon The dunge of mice being dryed and beaten into small dust or pouder and put into the teeth of any one which are hollow will presently expell away all paine from them Marcellus and also confirme and make the teeth strong The dust or pouder which proceedeth from mouse-dung is also very good to cure any disease in the fundament of either man or woman The vrine of a mouse is of such strong force that if it shal but touch any part of a mans body it will eate vnto the very bones The bitings of mice are healed by no other means but by greene figes and Garlike being mixed or mingled together and so annoynted thereupon OF THE RAT THere is no doubt that this beast belongeth also to the rank of mice The vulgar Rat or great domesticall Mouse the name thereof we haue shewed already is commoÌ„ both to the French Spanish Italian and English it may seeme to be deriued from the Greeke word Rastes or Heurex or Riscos for the Gretians vse al those words And this beast is 4. times so big as the commoÌ„ Mouse The quantity of Rats their parts being of a blackish dusky colour more whit on the belly hauing along head not much vnlike the head of the Martin short and round eares a resonable rough skin short legs and long clawes exceeding great eies such as caÌ„ see very perfectly in the darke night and more perfectly then by candle light with their nails they climbe vp steepe and hard wals their taile is very long almost naked void of haire by reason whereof it is not vnworthily counted venomous for it seemeth to partake with the nature of Serpents The quantity of their body is much like a weasels sometimes you shall see a Rat exceeding the common stature which the Germans cal Ratzen Kunig the king of Rats because of his larger greater body and they say that the lesser bring him meat and helieth idle But my opinion is that as we read of the Dormous she nourisheth hir parent when she is old so likewile the younger Rats bring food vnto the elder because through their age they are not able to hunt for themselues are also growne to a great and vnweeldy stature of body Sometimes you shal see white Rats as was once seene in Germany taken in the middle of Aprill hauing very red eyes standing forth of their head and a rough and long beard And at Auspurg in Germany about the Temple called the Church of S. Hulduic they abound in greater number then in other places They do not lye in the earth like Mice except in the vally of Ioachim where for the summer time they forsake houses and go into cony holes but in the winter time they returne to the houses againe They are more noysome then the little Mouse for they liue by stelth and feed vpon the same meat that they feede vpon and therefore as they exceede in quantity so they deuoure more and doe farre more harme They are killed by the same poysons and meates that the common Mice are killed except wolfe-baine for if they eate thereof they vomit it vp againe and are safe They are also taken in the same traps but 3. or foure times so big Their flesh is farre more hot and sharp then the flesh of the vulgar Mouse as we haue gathered by the dissection of it and therefore in operation it is very like that it expelleth and dryeth more then the other Medicins by Rats Poyson of Rats The excrements are also of the same vertue and with the dung of Rats the Physitians cure the falling off of the haire And it is saide also that when they rage in lust and follow their copulation they are more venemous and dangerous then at other times For if the vrine do fall vpon the bare place of a man it maketh the flesh rot vnto the bones neither will it suffer any scar to bee made vppon the vlcer and thus much of the vulgar Rat. OF THE WATER RAT SEeing there are two kinds of Rats one of the earth called Rattus terrestris Names of Water-Rats and the other of the water called Rattus Fluuiatilis of which we are now to entreat being also called of the Latins Mus aquaticus by the Germans Twassermaus and Wafferrat by the Italians Sorgomogange Meate of Water-Rats by the French Rat d eau This beast hunteth fishes in the winter and haue certaine caues in the water sides and bankes of the riuers or ponds For which occasion it being seene in the waters deceiueth their expectation which looke for the returne of it to the land And this beast hath beene forgotten by the ancients for they haue left of it no discription nor story because it liueth partly in the water and partly on the land and therfore he said true that spake of the habitation and place of aboade of this beast in this sort Ego non in fluuijs Places of water rats abod nec alijs aquis magnis sed paruis tantum riuis atque herbosis omnium â—ipis hoc animal frequentissimum versari audio That is to say That this beast doth not keepe in great waters or riuers but in small and little currents and pondes where aboundance of grasse and other weedes doe grow on the sides and bankes Pliny attributeth that to the warer-rat A wonder in the parts of a female Rat which is proper to the Tortise for indeed there is some similitude of natures betwixt these beasts with this exception that the females in this kind haue three visible passages for their excrements one for their vrine another for the dung and the third for the young ones that is a peculiare place for the littering of their young ones and this water-rat ouer and beside her common nature with other Rats doth swim ouer riuers and feed vpon herbs and if at any time she be hunted from her natiue biding accustomed lodging then also she goeth among vulgar common Rats and mice and feedeth vpon such as they eate and Bellonius saith that there are great store of these in Nilus and Strymâ—n and that in calme nights when there are no winds they walke to the shores get vp vpon the bankes eating and gnawing such plants as grow neare the waters and if they heare any noise they suddenly leape into the Waters againe He expresseth also the figure of this Rat which we haue omitted because it resembleth in all partes the common Rat excepting the snout or beake which is rounder blunter Among some of the ancients also there is mention made of this beast and no more Therfore Aristotle saith in the Arcadian Lusae which is a city so called as Stephanus writeth where Malampus did wash the daughters of Proetus and deliuered them from their madnesse There is
neither is it otherwise amongst meÌ„ for that which they canot do by equity they perform by fraud This also commeth in the speech of the common people against one that wil thriue The yong country wenches concerning this matter do chaunt out a verse not vnpleasant which I am contented to expresse in Iambickes consisting of foure feet Hamester ipse cum sua Prudens catusque coniuge Stipat profundum pluribus Per tempus antrum frugibus Possitque solus vt frui Lectis aceruis hordei Auarus antro credulam Extrudit arte comugem Serua inquit exiens foras Coeli serena pluuias Sed foeminis quis insitam Vincant dolis astutiam Nouum parans cuniculum Furatur omne triticum Egens maritus perfidam Quaerit per antra coniugem Nec se repellat blandulis Demulcit inuentam sunis Ille esse iam communiae Seruata dum sinit bona At perfidus multiplices Opponit intus obices Rursus fruuntur mutuis Antris cibis amplexibus This beast doth deuoure all kinde of fruite His meate and foode and if he be nourished in a house he eateth bread and flesh he also hunteth the fielde mice When he taketh his meate he raiseth himselfe vpon his fore feete he is also wont with his forefeete to stroake his head eares and mouth which thing the Squirrell and the Cat doe also and as the Beauer amongest those creatures which liue as well by water as by land but although in his bodie he seemeth but small notwithstanding he is by nature apt to fight and very furious being prouoked with his carriage in his mouth he beateth away with both his feete that which resisteth him directly inuading his enemie The anger furie oâ— this beast In the spirite and assaulting of his mouth he is wayward and threatning from whence our countreymen were accustomed to say of any one which was angry he breatheth his wrath out of his mouth like a Hamster Dis spruest vuie ein hamster neither is he easily affrighted although he be far vnequall vnto those in strength with whom he is in combate Wherefore some doe giue it in the place of a Prouerbe that our Countreymen doe call a man which is madly rash Ein tollen hamster as foolehardy as a hamster He flieth from any one that doth sharply resist him and doth greedily follow after them that flie from him I my selfe saw one of these who by assaulting a horse gat him by the nose and would neuer leaue his holde vntill he was killed with a sword He is taken by diuers meanes Of the taking of this beast for he is expelled either by hot water powred into his den or is choaked within or being diged vp with a mattocke or spade he is killed or by dogges He is sometimes pulled out by the Foxe or hurt or oppressed by some snare a great waight being put about it or to conclude he is taken by Art aliue and that in the night time when he goeth to seeke his prey for in the day time for the most part he lyeth hid Before his vsuall caue as I haue said he is taken by the path which is worne by a pot which is put into the earth and afterward made plaine about it like other places of the fielde there is earth cast into the bottome of the pot to the deepenesse of two fingers aboue euery where couering the pot there is placed a stone which is helde vp by a peece of wood to which there is bound below a fragment of bread In the space betweene the caue and the pot there are crumes of bread scattered which he following and leaping into the pot the wood falling he is taken Being taken after the manner of other beastes he toucheth no foode If a broad stone such an one with which they couer pauementes or of which they make roofe-tiles shall be ioyned vnto the pot and the beast be taken he will be very hardly knowne in the morning for the spirit of the beast being shut in and waxing wroth pearcing for thinesse doth moisten the stone The skins of Hamsters are very durable of which there are certaine long coates which come downe vnto the heeles and diuers coulored cloakes made which the woman of Misena and Silesia doe vse The vse of their skins and account them very honorable of a blacke and red coulour with broad gards or edges of the skinnes of Otters the same coates are for the most part vallued at the price of fifteene or twentie Renensian crownes for it doth out-weare in length three or foure garments made either of linnen or wollen cloath In Turingia and Misena this beast is frequent notwithstanding not in all places for in Turingia his chiefest abode is about Efurdanus and Salcensis in Misena about Lipsia and the field Pegensis the plentifullest and most fertilest places of both those regions In Lusatia about Radeburge he is diged out of the places where painick groweth At Mulberge and Albis he is found in the Vine-yardes for he is also fed with ripe grapes Our countrey-men are wont to burne a liuing Hamster in a pot being shut for the medicines of horses It hath beene seene that one of these hath leaped vp and caught a horse by the nose neuer letting goe his hold vntill she was cut off with a sword The skin is of three or foure different colours besides the spotted sides and therefore the skinne is very pretious They abound in Turingia where the soile is good and there is also great store of graine OF THE NORICIAN MOVSE THe Morician mouse is called in Latine Citellus and it keepeth like the wilde mice in the caues and dens of the earth The name description and diâ—position The body is like to a Domestical Weasils long slender the taile very short the coulour of the haire like to a gray Conies Agricola but more bright It wanteth eares like a mole but it hath open passages insteade of eares wherewithall it heareth the sound as you shal see in many birds The teeth are like the teeth of mice and of their skinnes although they be not very precious they vse to make garments In Germany they cal it Pile and Zisel and of this Germaine word was the Latine Citellus feigned and it appeareth by Agricola that there are two kindes of these one greater which are cald Zysell and Zeiseile and another lesser called Pile which may be the same that is also called Bilchmuss Genelius and differeth from other because it is vsed for meat These are bred in Croatia and in the countrey about Vennice They haue a strange smel or savour which is said to be hurtful to the head They eat both salted and hung in the smoke and also fresh and new killed With their skins they edge the skirts of garmentes for it is as soft as the skin of a Hare and beside the common nature of mice they are tamed They also haue very large cheekes whereinto
boile the seede of Parsly together with Wine and Oyle and thou shalt cut the place which swelleth with a Pen-knife by which the poyson may issue forth and the wound being pointingly pulled or torne may waxe rawe Hippocrates if by these the inflammation doe waxe more feruent and hotte thou shalt eate the sore with iron instruments burning with fier taking away some part of that which is whole and sound then shalt thou renew the wound with the iron instruments being gouerned rightly by which the corruption may issue forth but if that part doe chaunce to swell by the exulceration thou shalt sprinckle Barley beeing burned and dryed therein but before you doe this it is meete to ioyne the olde fatte There is also another excellent medicine for the curing of the Shrew which Startonicus himselfe doth much commend which is this to lance or scarifie the wound assoone as it is bitten but especially if it be compassed with an inflamation afterwardes to sprinkle salt and Vineger vp on it then to encourage or prouoke the beastes the next day following by some sweet water or liquor to run or go some little iourny first hauing anointed the sore with fullers-earth being beaten small and mixed with vineger and then daily to nourish or bath it with water which commeth from bathes where some haue washed themselues Hierocles and this in very short time being so vsed will very wel and altogether cure the beast Against the biting of a Shrew Garlike is accounted for an excellent remedy being mingled with Nitre but if there shal be no Nitre to be had mixe it with salt and Cummin then to dry and beat them altogether into powder with the same to rub the places which are infected with the biting but if the venemous wounds do chance to break then to take barly being scorched or burned and pound it into small powder and steepe it in vineger and afterwardes to sprinkle it into the wound this medicine Pelagon affirmeth will onely heale the bites of a Shrew and that the griefe of the sore by the vse of any other medicines doth rather encrease then decrease The flower which is made of red Weat the Hearbe called Dill Vegetius the liquor or Rozen which runneth out of the great Cedar and two pound of the best Wine being mingled altogether giuen in a potion and poured downe the throate of any laboring beast which is bitten by a Shrew will presently ease and cure him of his paine There is also another potion for the curing of the bites of this beast which is this to take cloues of Garlike being bruised small salt Cummin and Wine of each the like quantity these being giuen to any beast to drinke doth presently cure him as also any man being annointed vpon the wound but not giuen to drink Hippocrates The hearbe called Narde or Pepper-wort being beaten to the quantity of two ounces and a halfe and mingled with some sweete smelling Wine will presently help any beast which is bitten by the Shrewe being poured through his Nose and his sore being at that instant time annointed with Dogs dung the same is also very medicinable or wholesome for men which are troubled with the said biting The bites of a Shrew being pricked with an Aule and annointed with dust which is found in the furrowes of Cartes vnder the markes or signes of the Wheele being mingled with sharpe vineger doth presently asswage the paine and heale the sore The earth-of the tract of a Cart also mingled with stale or vrine being applyed vnto the bites of a Shrew will very speedily cure them either vpon men or beastes A Shrew being new killed and rubbed ouer with salt applyed vnto the wounds which she shal bite in any beasts will instantly cure them this vertue also hath the gall of a rere-mouse or Bat being mixed with vineger Pliny There is a very good remedy against the bitinges of Shrewes or to preserue Cattle from them which is this to compasse the hole wherein she lyeth round about and get hir out a liue and keepe her so till she dye and waxe stiffe then hang her about the necke of the beast which you would preserue and there wil not any Shrew come neare them and this is accounted to bee most certaine And thus much shall suffice concerning the bitings of the Shrewes and of the cures thereof OF WILDE FIELD-MICE The Epithits of wild mice describing their kinds THis wilde Mouse called by the Latines Mus agrestis Mus Syluestris Syluaticus Subteraneus and some say 〈◊〉 althogh I rather take that word to signifie a glare worm It is called also Exignus Mus and Rusticus The Graecians cal it Myss Arourayos the Germans field-mouse and erdmouse that is a mouse of the earth Nualmuss and Nuâ—lmuss Schorrmuss Schoermowss Stossmuss and Lâ—ckmuss by reason of her digging in the earth like a mole The French call it Mullott There is of these mice two kinds a greater and a lesser The picture of the greater we haue described heare forbearing the lesser because in all partes it resembleth this except in the quantity Their seueral parts This greater kind is not much lesser then a Rat hauing a long broad taile like it The eares of it are round The head round and great and the snout or chaps do not stand out long They are of two colours in both kinds some red and some blacke They haue a beard betwixt their mouth and their eies and the lesser mice haue a short taile A Physitian taking occasion of the writinges of Bassianus Landus to disect one of these mice found it to be true which he saith that their maw and guts lye al straight and vpright We haue shewed already Whether Mice engendred of the earth can procreate other Aelianus Pliny that all kind of mice are generated out of the earth although also they suffer copulation And in Egypt it is very common about the Thebaijs and the places where Nylus ouer floweth that in the decrease and falling away of the Waters the sunne engendereth many mice vppon the slime of the earth so that it is ordinary to see one time their forepartes to haue life flesh and motion and the hinder partes deformed and nothing but earth And about this matter there is some disputation among the Authors for there bee Phylosophers which affirme that euery creature as well perfect as vnperfect may bee made both by seede and of putrified matter and from hence came the opinion in the Poets of the sons and daughters of the earth and so they say that things grow by generation in infinitum Some say that perfect creatures cannot be generated in that manner but the imperfect ones such as mice are may bee ingendered by seed and putrifyed matter and afterwards beget more of his owne kind But Aristotle confesseth the first generation and denyeth the second and saith although they do generate by copulation yet it is not
Marble thinking to get as much fauour and libertie as their fellow had gotten but the Emperor seeing them and perceauing their fetches bid them rub one another and thereupon came that prouerbe And thus much for the naturall discourse of Mules now followeth the medicinall The medicines of the Mule The dust wherein a Mule shall turne or rowle himselfe Pliny being gathered vp and spread or sprickled vpon the body of any one who is ardently and feruently in loue will presently asswage and quench his inflaming desire A man or woman being poysoned and put into the belly of a Mule or Cammell which is new killed will presently expell away the force of the venome or poyson and will confirme and make stronge their decayed spirits and all the rest of their members Ponzettus For as much as the very heate of those beastes is an Antidote or preseruatiue against poyson The skinne or hide of a Mule being put vnto places in any ones body which are burned with fire doth presently heale and cure the same it doth also heale sores and grieuous vlcers which are not come vnto impostumes The same is an excellent remedie for those whose feete are worne or wrung together through the pinching of their shoes to helpe themselues withall Auicenna and for those which are lame and those which are troubled with those grieuous sores called Fistulaes If any man shall take either in meate or drinke the marrow of a Mule to the weight or quantitie of three golden crownes he shall presently become blockish and altogether vnexpert of wisedome and vnderstanding and shall be voide of all good nutriment Albertus Aesculapius and maners The eare laps or eare lages of a Mule and the stones of a mulet being borne and caried by any woman are of such great force and efficacie that they will make her not to conceaue The hart of a Mule being dryed and mingled with wine and so giuen to a woman to drinke after that she is purged or clensed thirtie times hath the same force Sextus and power that the aforesaid medicine hath for the making of a woman barren The same effect against conception hath the barke of a white popular tree being beaten together with the reines of a Mule then mingled in wine and afterwards drunke vp If the hearbe called Harts tongue be tyed vpon any part of a woman with the spleene of a mule Auicenna but as some haue affirmed by it selfe onely and that in the day which hath a darke night or without any Moone shine at all it will make her altogether barren and notable to conceaue If the two stones of a mule be bound in a piece of the skinne of the same beast and hanged vpon any woman Albertus they wil make that she shal not conceaue so long as they shal be bound vnto her The left stone of a weasell being bound in the skin or hide of a mule and steeped or soked for a certaine space or time in wine or in any other drinke the drinke in which they are so steeped giuen to a woman to drinke doth surely make that she shall not conceaue The stones of a mulet being burned vpon a barren and vnfruitfull tree Aesculapius and put out or quenched with the stale or vrine of either man or beast which is gelded being bound and tyed in the skin of a Mule hanged vpon the arme of any woman after her menstrual fluxes will altogether resist and hinder her conception The right stone of a Mule being burned and fastened vnto the arme of a woman which is in great paine and trauaile Sextus will make that she shall neuer be deliuered vntill the same be losened and taken away but if it shall happen that a maide or young virgin shall take this in drinke after her first purgation or menses shee shall neuer be able to conceiue but shall bee alwaies barren and vnfruitefull The matrix or wombe of a female Mule taken and boiled with the flesh of an Asse or any other flesh whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 and so eaten by a woman which doth not know what it is will cause her neuer to conceiue after the same The worme which is called a gloworme or a Globird being taken out of the wombe or matrice of a female Mule and bound vnto any part of a womans body Kiramiâ—â—s wil make that she shal neuer be able to conceiue The dust or powder which proceedeth from the hoofes of a male or female Mule being mixed or mingled with oil which commeth from Mirtleberies Plinie doth very much help those which are troubled with the gout in their legs or feet The dust of the hoofes of a Mule being scorched or burned and the Oyle of Mirtle berries being mingled with Vineger and moist or liquid Pitch Marcellus and wrought or tempered in the forme or fashion of a plaister and opposed or put vnto the head of any one whose haires are too fluent and abundant doth very speedily and effectually expell the same The Liuer of a Mule being burned or dryed vnto dust and mixed with the same oile of Mirtle berries and so annointed or spread vpon the head is an excellent and profitable remedy for the curing of the aforsaid enormity The dust or powder of the hoofes of a female Mule is very wholesome and medicinable for the healing and curing of all griefes and paines which do happen or come vnto a mans yard Sextus being sprinkled thereupon The hoofe of a Mule being borne by a woman which is with child doth hinder her conception The filth or vncleanesse which is in the eares of a Mule being bound in the skin or hide of a little or young Hart and bound or hanged vpon the arme of a woman after her purgation doth cause that she may not conceiue The same being in like manner mingled or mixed with oile which is made of Beauers stones doth make any woman to whom it is giuen to drink altogether barren The durt or dung Mule being mixed with a sirup made of hony Marcellus vineger and water and giuen to any one to drinke that is troubled with the heart swelling and it will very speedily and effectually cure the paine thereof The dung of a Mule being burned or dryed and beaten small and afterwardes sifted or seirced and washed or steeped in wine and giuen to any woman to drink whose menstruall fluxes come forth before their time will in very short space cause the same to stay The stale or vrine of a male or female Mule being mingled with their durt or dung â—ippocrates is very good and medicinable for those to vse which are troubled with cornes and hard bunches of flesh which grow in their feete Assafoetida being mingled with the vrine of a Mule to the quantity of a beane and drunke will altogether be an impediment and hinderance to the conception of any woman Râ—sâ—â— The stale or vrine
dams among the leaues boughes which the ouerflowings of waters in the winter time haue gathered together and laide on heapes It is a sharp-biting-beast hurtfull both to men and dogs neuer ceasing or loosing hold after he hath laid his mouth vpon them vntill he make the bones to cracke betwixt his teeth whereupon it was well said by Olaus Mag. Lutrae mordaces quadrato ore Otters are most accomplished biters Thereof also in Germany they make caps or else line other caps with them and also make stocking-soles affirming that they bee good and wholsome against the Palsie Vse of their Skins the megrim and other paines of the head The bloud of an OTTER is prescribed against the swelling of the Nerues The Liuer dryed in an Ouen against the bloody-flixe and against the collick being drunke in wine The stones are also prescribed to be giuen against the falling sicknesse and all paines in the belly And thus much for the OTTER There be certaine beastes which are kindes of OTTERS which because they liue in the Waters and yet being vnknowne to vs in England I haue thought good to expresse them in this place by their Greeke and Latine names In the first place that which the Graecians call Latax broader and thicker then an Otter and yet liueth in the Waters or else goeth to the waters for his food yet breatheth aire and not water like Otters The haire of this beast is very harsh betwixt the similitude of a Sea-Calfe and a Hart and it hath also strong and sharp teeth wherewithal in the night season they shere asunder smal boughes and twigs It is called also Fastoz Lamyakyz and Noertza There is another called Satyrium and Fassuron and Chebalus whose skin is black and very pretious and very much vsed for the edging of the best garments these liue also in ponds lakes and still waters There is a third kinde called Satherium Kacheobeon and Kachyneen and Martarus hauing a white throate and being as bigge as a Cat and finally vnto these may be added Porcos a foure-footed-beaste liuing in the Waters in the Riuer Isther And Maesolus another foure-footed-beast liuing in some Ryuers of INDIA being as big as a Calfe Of the Panther commonly called a Pardall a Leopard and a Libbard THere haue beene so many names deuised for this one beast that it is growen a difficult thing either to make a good reconciliation of the authors which are wed to their seueral opinions or else to define it perfectly and make of him a good methodicall History yet seeing the greatest variance hath arisen from wordes The seuerall names of Panthers and that which was deuised at the first for the better explication and discription of it hath turned to the obscuration and shaddowing of the truth I trust it shall be a good labour to collect out of euery writer that which is most probable concerning this Beast and in the end to expresse the best definition thereof wee can learne out of all In this controuersie the Hebrew and Arabian names which are generally indifferently translated Panthers or Libbards doe take vp the strife and almost end the controuersie for Namer in Hebrew and Alphec or Alfhed in Arabique are so translated both in holy scripture and also in Auicen as may appeare by these places following Esa 11. Habitabit Lupus cum agno Namer Pardus cum hedo aâ—cubabit That is to say The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Pardall Libbard and Panther shall lye with the Kid. So in the vision of Daniel chap. 7. among the foure beastes comming out of the Sea the prophet seeth Namer a Leopard In the 13. Reuela of S. Iohn he seeth another beast rising out of the sea hauing ten hornes and hee saith it was like Pardalet which Erasmus translateth Pardo a Leopard Ieremy 5. Pardus Namer vigelat super ciuitatem corum vt omnen inde egredientem discrepat That is a panther or Pardal watcheth at the gates of the Citty that he may teare in pieces euery one that commeth forth Factus sum eis sicut Leo sicut Pardus sicut Namer directus ad viam suam For Namer in that place the Graecians translate Pardalis a Pardall In the 13. Ieremy Si mutare potest Aethiops pellem suam aut Pardus maculas suas vos poteritis bene facere cum didiceritis malum If the Blackamoore can change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may you do wel which haue learned to do it Canticles 4. Coronaberis de vetrice saner hermon de cubilibus Leonem de montibus Pardorum That is Thou shalt be crownd froÌ„ the top of Siner and Hermon from the dens of the Lyons and the Mountains of the Leopards Now according to Brocardus the Mountaine of the Leopards is distant from Tripolis in the holy land two leagues Rasis Auicen two Arabians do cal the Panther and Leopard by one name Alpheth or Alphil so that by comparing all these together the Panther Pardall Libbard and Leopard are but one beast called by diuers names A more exaâ—t definition of Paâ—dâ—lâ— and Leopardâ— For the farther manifesting heerof it is good to examine what is said of the Pardal and Leopard in particular that so hauing expressed that it may be cleare by the discourse succeeding that there is no difference betwixt them and the Panther or very small First of all therefore it said of the Pardus that it differeth not from the Panther but onely in sexe and that the skin hath receiued a naturall tincture of diuers spots Aristotle writeth thus of it Cutis chamaeliontis distincta maculis vt Pardalia The skin of the Chamaelion is spotted like a Pardals and in the relation of Lampridius where hee sheweth how Heliogabalus was wont to shut vp his drunken friendes Cum Leonibus Leopardus vrsis ita vt experge facti in cubiculo eodem Leones vrsos Pardos cum luce vel quod est grauius nocte inuenierent ex quo plerique ex animati sunt and so forth By which words it is apparant that those which in the first place he calleth Leopards in the last place he calleth Pardals and the onely difference betwixt the Leopard Pardall and Lyon is that the Leoparde or Pardal haue no manes and therefore they are called Ignobiles leones Isidorus and Solinus write in this maner Pardus secundum post Pantheraâ—est genus varium ac velocissimum praceps ad sanguinem saltu enim ad mortem ruit ex ad vlterio Pardi Leenis Leu pardus nascitur tertiam originem efficit That is to say the Pardal is the next kind to a Panther being diuers coloured very swift greedy after blood and ketcheth his prey by leaping the Leopard is bred betwixt the Pardal and the Lionesse and so that maketh a third kind by which testimony it apeareth that these names make three seuerall kinds of beastes not distinct in nature but in quantity through commixture of
generation The greatest therefore they call Panthers as Bellunensis writeth The second they call Pardals and the third least of all they call Leopards which for the same cause in England is called a Cat of the Mountain And truely in my opinion vntill some other can shew me better reason I will subscribe hereunto namely that they are all one kinde of beast and differ in quantitie onely through adulterous generation For in Affrick there is great want of waters and therefore the lyons Panthers and other beasts doe assemble themselues in great numbers together at the running riuers where the Pardals and the lyons doe engender one with another I meane the greater Panthers with the lyonesses Baytius and the greater lyons with the Panthers and so likewise the smaller with the smaller thereby it commeth to passe that some of them are spotted and some of them without spots The Pardal is a fierce and cruell beast very violent Pliny hauing a body and mind like rauening birds and some say they are ingendred now and then betwixt dogs and Panthers or betwixt leopards and dogges euen as the Lycopanthers are ingendred betwixt wolues and panthers It is the nature of these pardals in Affrick to get vp into the rough and thicke trees where they hide themselues amongest the boughes and leaues and doe not onely take birds but also from thence leape downe vpon beasts and men when they espie their aduantage and all these things doe belong vnto the panthers Concerning the Leopard the word it selfe is new and lately inuented Of the Leopard for it is neuer found among any of the auncients before Iulius Capitolinus or Sparsianus Syluaticus maketh no difference betwixt pardalis and Leopardus and the Italians generally call a pardal Leopardo and neuer pardo except some of the Poets for breuitie sake in a verse The leopard is like to a lyon in the head and forme of his members but yet he is lesser and nothing so strong by the sight of a leopards skinne Gesner made this description of the beast The length saith he from the head to the taile was as much as a mans stature and halfe a cubite The taile of it selfe three spans and a halfe the breadth in the middle three spans the colour a bright yellow distinguished into diuers spots the haire short and mossie The price of the skin was about fiue nobles or fortie shillings for they differ in price according to the regions out of which they are brought they which come furthest are sold dearest and they which come lesse way are sold cheapest It is a wrathfull and an angry beast and whensoeuer it is sicke it thirsteth after the blood of a wilde cat and recouereth by sucking that blood or else by eating the dung of a man Aboue all other things it delighteth in the Camphorey tree and therefore lieth vnder neath it to keepe it from spoile and in like sort the panther delighteth in sweet gums and spices and therefore no maruel if they cannot abide garlicke because it annoyeth their sence of smelling And it is reported by S. Ambrose that if the wals of ones howse or sheep-coat be anointed with the iuice of Garlicke both panthers and Leopards will run away from it Albertus but of this matter we shal saie more afterwards The Leopard is sometimes tamed and vsed in stead of a Dog for hunting both among the TARTARIANS and other Princes for they carry them behinde them on Horsebacke and when they see a Deere or Hart or conuenient prey they turne them downe vppon them suddainely who take them and destroy them yet such is the nature of this beast as also of the PARDALL that if hee doe not take his prey at the fourth or fift iump he falleth so angry and fierce that he destroyeth whomsoeuer he meeteth yea many times his hunter Therefore the hunters haue alwaies a regard to carry with them a lambe or a kid or some such liue thing wherewithall they pacifie him after he he hath missed his game for without blood he will neuer be appeased and thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the difference betwixt Panthers Pardals and Leopards and their seuerall names in Greeke and Latine from whom almost all nations doe deriue their denomination The names in other languages for the Italians call it Leonpardo the French Leopard and Lyopard the Germans Leppard and Lefarad and Pantherthier the Spaniards Leonpardal Leopardo The Illyrians Leuhart the Caldeans Nimra and some make no differenc betwixt this and the Arabian Wolfe The reason of the Greeke word Pardalis or Pordalis for they signifie both one seemeth to me in most probabilitie to be deriued from the Hebrew word Pardes signifying a Garden because as colours in a Garden make it spotted and render a fragrant smell so the Panther is diuers coloured like a Garden of sundry flowers and also it is said to carry with him a most sweete sauour whither soeuer he goeth and therfore in auncient time they made their Iuory tables standing vpon pictures of Panthers whereof Iuvenall writeth thus in one of his Satyres Olim ex quauis arbore mensa fiebat At nunc diuitibus caenandi nulla voluptas nisi sustinet orbes Grande ebur magno sublimis Pardus biatu Dentibus ex illis quos mittit porta Hyenes Iam nimios capitique graues c. For the same cause Pardalis was the name of a notable Harlot for as the Panthers by their sweete smels drawe the beastes vnto them and then destroy them so also doe harlots decke and adorne themselues with all alluring prouocations as it were with inchaunted odors to drawe men vnto them of whom they make spoyle and rapine Ther is a pretious stone also called Lapis Pantherus brought out of India Euax. Syluaticus Albertus Vartoman whereupon if a man looke before the Sunne rising he shall see diuers colours namely blacke red greene russet purple and rose colour and they say it hath as many vertues as it hath colours but I list not to follow the name any further Countries of Panthers The Countries breeding Panthers are Abasia in the kingdome of Melacha in the I le Sumatra Likewise in ASIA especially Syria for there are none in Europe all Affricke ouer they are plentiful as in Lybia and Mauritania where abound al store of wilde beasts Likewise beyond Catadupa for Apollonius and his companions saw there many Lyons Panthers In Arabia the furthest part namly the promontory of Dyra towards the south are the strongest Pardals of the world as saith Strabo Likwise in the Mediteranean region beyond Barygaza toward the South vnto Dachinabades and towards the East are al sorts of wilde beasts both Tygres and panthers and Diodorus writeth that in that part of Arabia ioyning vpon Syria there Lyons and pardals are both more in number and greater in quantity then in Lybia Also it is said by Volateranus and Gyllius that the panther of
Gentian but narrower leaues and standing vpright the Nearue whereof in the middle is red and it groweth about the waters and therefore I coniecture it may be Water-Sorrell or Water-planton whereof when Sheep haue eaten they fall into a disease called also Duua for there is bred in their liuer certain litle black Worms or Leeches growing in smal bagges or skinnes being in length halfe a finger and so much in breadth wherewithall when the beast is infected it is vncurable and therefore there is no remedy but to take from it the life and that this is true the Butchers themseles affirme how many times they doe find such little Wormes in the Sheepes Lyuer and they say they come by drinking of Fenny or marshy-water And to conclude there is a kinde of Pannicke also whereof when Sheepe haue eaten it destroyeth them and there be other Hearbes which euery common Sheapheard knoweh are hurtfull vnto Sheepe and the beast it selfe though in nature it bee very simple yet is wise enough to chuse his owne foode except the vehement necessity of famine and hunger causeth him to eate poysoned hearbs In cases when their bellyes swell or when they haue Wormes in their belly which they haue deuoured with the Herbs they eat then they poure into their bellies the Vrin of men and because their bellies presently swell and are puffed out with wind the Sheapheards cut off the tops of their eares and make them bleede and likewise beate their sides with their Staffe and so most commonly they are recouered If Sheep chaunce to drink in their heate so as their greace be cooled in their belly which Butchers do find many times to be true then the Sheaphard must cut off halfe the Sheepes eare and if it bleede the beast shall be well but if it bleed not he must be killed and eaten or else he will starue of his owne accord If at any time a Sheep chance to deuoure a leach by pouring in oyle into his throat he shall be safe from danger Of the colds of Sheepe SHeep are knowne to be subiect to cold not onely by coughing after they haue taken it but also by their strength before they take it for the Sheapheards do diligently obserue that when any frost or yce falleth vppon a Sheepe if hee endure it and not shake it off it is a great hazzard but the same Sheep will die of cold but if he shake it off and not endure it it is a signe of a strong sound and healthy constitution Likewise for to know the health of their Sheep they open their eies and if the vaines appeare red and small they know they are sound but if they appeare white or else red and ful they know they are weake and will hardly liue out Winter or cold weather also when they are taken in their hands they presse their backe bone neare the hips and if it bend not they are sound and strong but if they feele it bend vnder their hand they hold them weake and feeble Likewise if a man take them by the head or by the skinne of the Necke if he follow him easily when he draweth him it is a signe of weakenesse and imbicility but if it doth striue and follow with great difficulty then it is a token of health and soundnesse Of Scabs and the causes of them The original cause of Scabs THe true originall of Scabs is either as we haue said already leanenesse or else cold or wet or wounds in the flesh by clipping or to conclude by the heate of the beast in summer not washed off by thornes and prickings of bushes or by sitting vpon the dung of Mules Horsses or Asses Now when this first of al beginneth it is easie for the sheapheard to obserue by these signes and tokens for the tickling or itching humour lying betwixt the skin and the flesh causeth the poore sheep either to bite the place with his teeth or to scratch it with his horne or to rub it vpon a tree or wall or if he can do none of these stamp hard vppon the ground with his forefeet for which it is good presently to separate the sheepe so affected from the flocke The discription and cure whereof is thus expressed by Virgill Turpis oues tentat scabies vbi frigidus hymber Altius ad vivum persedit horrida cano Bruma gelu vel cum tonsis illotus ad haesit Sudâ—r hir suti secuerunt corpora vepres Dulcibus id circo fluuijs pecus omne magistri Per fundunt vdisque aries in gurgite villis Mersatur missusque secundo defluit amni Aut tonsum tristi contingunt corpus amurca Et spumas miscent argenti viuaque sulphura Idaasque pices pingues vnguine ceras Scillamque helleborosque graues nigrumque bitumen Non tamen vlla magis praesens fortuna laborum est Quam si quiâ— ferro potuit rescindere summum Vlceris os alitur vitium viuitque tegendo Dum medicas adhibere manus ad vulnera pastor Abnegat which may be englished in this maner When the poore sheep throgh wet shewers cold winter summers sweate or prickings of thornes doth incurre the filthy disease of scabs then it concerneth his maister to wash him in sweet riuers ouer head and eares yea to cast him in to swimme for his owne life or else to annoint his body after it is clipped with the spume or froth of oyle and of siluer with Brimstone and soft Idean Pitch with wax Hellibor black-earth or the flesh of shrimps or if it be possible to cut off the top of the wound with a knife Of the Scabs of Sheepe the first remedy THis disease the French-men call Letac and of all other it is one of the most contagious for our english prouerbe iustifieth one scabbed sheepe infecteth a whole flocke and Textor writeth thus of it Oues frequentius quam vllum aliud animal infestantur scabie quam facit macies vt maciem exiguitas cibi huic morbo nisi occurratur vnica totum pecus coinquinabit nam oues contagione vexantur That is to say Sheep are more oftentimes infected with scabs then any other creature whereinto they throgh for leanes as they fall into leanesse through want of food and therefore if a remedy be not prouided for this euill one of them infected will defile all the residue for sheep are subiect to contagion for remedy wherof in France they vse this medicine First of all they sheare the sheep and then they mingle together the pure froath of oyle and water wherein Hops haue bin sod and the leeze of the best wine and so let it soke in two or three daies together afterwardes they wash them in sea-water and for want of sea water in salt water and this medicine is approued wherby both scabs and tikes are remoued from the sheep and also the wooll groweth better afterwards then euer it did before but it is better if a man can cure them without shearing
Also Hippocrates prescribeth this medicine following for a remedy or purgation to the belly Plinie first make a perfume of Barly steeped in oyle vpon some coles and then seeth some mutton or sheeps flesh very much and with decoction of Barley set it abroade all day and night and afterwaâ—d seeth it againe and eat or sup it vp warm and then the next day with hony Frankincense and Parsely all beaaen and mingled togither make a suppository and with wooll â—ut it vp vnder the party and it shall ease the distresse The same flesh burned and mixâ—â— in water by washing cureth all the maladies or diseases arising in the secrets and the â—roath of Mutton Goose or Veale wil help against the poison by biting if it be not drawn â—â—t by cupping glasse nor by horse-leach The sewet of a sheepe melted at the fire and with a linnen cloath annointed vpon a burned place doth greatly ease the paine thereof The liuer with the suet and Nitre causeth the scars of the flesh to become of the same coâ—â—ur that it was before the wound it being mixed with toasted salt scattereth the bunches in the flesh and with the dust of womens haire cureth fellons in the fingers or any parte of the bodies The sewet of sheepe or goats being mingled with the iuice of rennish wine grape and shining horse-flies doeth without all scruple or doubt ease the paine of the 〈…〉 bee annointed theâ—â— upon The fâ—â— of sheepe doeth very easily expel the roughnes of tâ—e â—ailes The â—ewet of sheepe or any other small beast being mixed with the herbe called Melander and pounded with Alum afterward baked together and wrought into the maner of a â—eare-cloath Marcellus doeth verie much ease those which are burned by fire in any parts of their body being wel applied thereto The sewet of a sheepe being also applyed to those which â—â—ancâ—kibes in the heeles or chilbâ—anes in their feet wil presently heale them The sewet of a sheepe mixed with womens haire which is burnt to pouder doeth very effectually cure those which haue their ioynts or articles loose beeing annointed thereupon Pliny The fat of Goats or sheepe moistned with warme water and boiled togither being annointed vppon the eies doth speedily cure all paines spots or blemishes in the same whatsoeuer The fat of a sheepe boiled and drunke with sharpe wine is an excellent remedy against the cough The same medicine is also effectually vsed for the expelling of horses coughes The sewet of a sheep being boiled with sharpe wine doth very speedily cure the obstruction of the small guts bloody flixe and any cough of what continuance soeuer Marcellus The same being in like manner drunke while it is hot is accounted for an excellent remedy against the collicke passion The sewet of a sheepe or of a male-Goat being mingled with the fime or dung of a female goat and Saffron doth very effectually cure those which are troubled with the gowt or swelling of the ioynts being anointed vpon the place so greeued It is alâ—o reported that the outward sewet of sheepe betweene the flesh and the skinne betweene the hinder legges is very wholesome for the curing of sundry paines and diseases dioscorides Sheepes sewet or the fat of any other small beast being gathered from the reynes mixed with salt and the dust of a pumeise stâ—ne being applyed vnto the yard of any man doth very speedily cure all paines Aches or swellings therein The fat of sheepe which is gathered from the caule or cell being mingled with the aforesaid medicines do heale all other paines in the priuy members of man or Woman whatsoeuer The same sewet doeth stay the great excesse of bleeding in the nose being anoynted therevppon Sheepes sewet mixed with Goose greace and certaine other medicines being taken in drinke doth helpe abortments in women The liuer of a Sheepe is accounted an excellent remedy against the shedding of the haire on the eye liddes being rubbed thereuppon The same being also baked or boyled is accounted verye profitable for sheepes eies if it be well rubbed thereon The marrow of sheepe is very good to annoint all aches and swellings whatsoeuer Hippocrates The hornes of sheep or of goats pounded to powder mingled with parched barley which hath bene well shaled and altogither mixed with oile being taken in a certaine perfume doth helpe women of their seconds and restoreth to them their menstruall â—uxes Sheepes hornes burned and beaten in wine vntill they be tempered like a pill the right foot being annointed with the right horne and the left foote with the left will mittigate the sorrow of those which are very sore pained and troubled with the gowt Rasis Rhewmaticke or watry eies being annointed with the braines of sheep are very speedy and effectuaâ—ly cured The braines of the same beast is exceeding profitable for the breeding of young childrens teeth being annointed vppon the gums The lungs or light of small beasts but especiallie of a ram doe restore the true skinne and colour of the flesh in chose whose bodies are full of chops and scarres Plinie The lunges or lights of the same beast concocted vppon the vppermost skinne of anye man and applyed verie hot thereunto doe diminish the blacke or blew places therein which haue bin receeiued by the occasion of any stripes or blowes The lungs of sheepe being new taken out of their bellies and applied while they are hot vnto beaten or bruised places Marcellus doeth quite abolish the signes thereof and in shortspace procure remedy The lungs of sheepe or smal Cattle being roasted and taken by any man before hee drinketh wil resist all kind of drunkennesse The lunges of sheepe taken out of their bellies and bound about the heads of those which are phâ—eâ—sie while they are hot will verie speedily ease them of their trouble The lungs of sheep being hot and bound to the head is acounted very profitable for those which are troubled with the pesteferous disease called the drowsie euill The lungs of sheepe being boild with Hempe seed so that the flesh be eaten and the water wherein it is sod be drunke doth very effectually cure those which are greeued with excoriations in their bellies and the bloody flixe The lunges of sheepe being applyed while they are hot doth heale the gowt The liuer of white sheepe well boiled made moist with water thoroughly beaten and applyed vnto the eye-lids doth purge Rhewmatick eies Hippocrates and cause them to be of a more cleare and ample sight If a woman bearing young shall be puffed vp with winde giue her the liuer of a sheepe or goat beaten into small powder while it is hot being pure and without mixture for foure daies togither to eate and let her drinke onely wine and this will very speedily cure her The gall of a sheepe mingled with hony healeth the Vlcers of the eares and procureth easie hearing The gall of a sheepe mingled with sweet wine
the suffocation of the womb and all other diseases incident vnto the secret parts and also helpeth places in the body being burnt by fire The fat of a ram being mingled with red Arsenicke and annointed vppon any scaull or scab the same being afterward pared or scraped doth perfectly heale it It doth also being mixed with Allum helpe those which are troubled with kibes or chilblanes in their heeles The sewet of a ram mingled with the powder of a pumise stone and salt of each a like quantity Sextus is said to heale fellons and inflammations in the body The lunges of smal cattel but especially of a ram doth restore chaps or scarts in the body to their right collour The same vertue hath the fat of a ram being mingled with Nitre The gal of a ram mingled with his own sewet Marcellus is very good and profitable for those to vse who are troubled with the gout or swelling in the ioynts The horne of a ram being burned and the dust of the same mixed with oyle and so pounded together being often anointed vpon a shauen head doth cause the haire to frisle and curle A comb being made of the left horn of a ram and combed vpon the head doth take away all paine vpon the left part thereof if likewise there be paine in the right side of the head the right horne of a ram doth cure it For the curing of the losse of one wits springing from the imperfection of the braine take the head of a ram neuer giuen to venery being chopped off at one blow the hornes being onely taken away and seeth it whole with the skin and the wooll in water then hauing opened it take out the braines and adde vnto them these kinds of spices Cinamon Ginger Mace and Cloues of each one halfe an ounce these being beaten to powder mingle them with the braines in an earthen platter diligently tempering of them by a burning cole not very big for feare of burning which might easily be done but there must great care be had that it be not too much dryed but that it might be so boyled that it be no more dryed then a calfes braines being prepared for meate It shall be sufficiently boiled when you shall wel mingle them at the fire then keep it hid and for three daies giue it daiely to the sick person fasting so that he may abstain from meat and drinke two houres after It may be taken in bread or in an Egge or in whatsoeuer the sicke party hath a desire vnto but there must be regard that he be not in a cleare place and that hee vse this forty daies space which they are wont to vse whose blould is with drawne or fled away and let him abstaine from wine assayng his head There are those which are holpen in a short space some in sixe or eight weekes by this Medicine being receiued But it is conuenient that it be required for three months Marcellus and then it will haue the more power therein The lunges of a Ramme while they are hot applyed vnto woundes wherein the flesh doeth to much encrease doth both represse and make it equal The lungs of smal cattel but especially of Rams being cut in smal pieces applyed whiles they are hot vnto bruised places do very speedily cure them and reduce them to the right collour The same doth cure the feete of such as are pinched through the straightnesse of their shooes The lunges of a Ram applyed vnto kibed heeles or broken vlcers in the feet doth quite expell away the paine notwithstanding the exceeding a chor pricking thereof One drop of the liquor which is boyled out of a Rams lungs put vpon the small nailes vpon the hand doth quite expell them The like operation hath it to expell Wartes being annointed thereupon The corrupt bloud of the lungs of a Ram vnroasted doth hele all paines in the priuy members of man or woman as also expell warts in any place of the body Sextus The iuyce of the lungs of a ram while they are roasted vpon a Gridiron being receiued doth by the vnction thereof purge and driue away the little blacke warts which are wont to grow in the haire or priuy parts of any man The liquor which distilleth from the lunges of a ram being boiled Aesculapius doth heale Tertian Agues and the disease of the raines which grow therein The lungs of a Lamb or ram being burned and the dust thereof mingled with oile or being applyed raw doe heale the sorenesse of kibes and are accounted very profitable to be bound vnto vlcers The lungs of a ram being pulled forth and bound hot vnto the head of any one that is frenzy wil presently help him Against the pestilent disease of sheepe take the belly of a ram and boile it in wine then being mixed with Water giue it to the sheepe to drinke and it wil bring present remedy The gall of a ram is very good for the healing of those which are troubled with any pains in the eares comming by the casualty of cold The gal of a ram mingled with his owne sewet doth ease those which are troubled with the gout The gall of a Weather mingled with the wool and placed vpon the nauell of young children Marcellus doth make them loose in their bellies The stones of an old ram being beaten in halfe a penny waight of water or in 3. quarters of a pint of Asses milk are reported to be very profitable for those which are troubled with the falling sicknesse The stones of a ram being drunke in water to the waight of three halfe pence cureth the same disease The dust of the inward parts of a rams thighs being lapped in rags or clouts washed very exactly before with womens milk doth heale the vlcers or runnings of old sores Pliny The dust of the hoofe of a ram mingled with hony doth heale the bitings of a Shrew The dung of Weathers mingled with vineger and fashioned in the forme of a plaister doth expel black spots in the body and taketh away al hard bunches arising in the flesh The same being applyed in the like manner cureth S. Anthonies fire and healeth burned places The filâ—h or sweat which groweth between the thighs of a ram being mingled with Mirrhe and the Hearbe called Hart-wort and drunke of each an equal parte is accounted a very excellent remedy for those which are troubled with the Kings euill Sextus But Pliny commendeth the filth of rams eares mingled with Myrrhe to be a more effectuall and speedily remedy against the said disease The medicines of the Lamb. The best remedy for bitings of Serpents is this presently after the wound to applie some little creatures to the same Aetius being cut in small peeces and laid hot vnto it as cocks Goats Lambes and young pigges for they expell the poison and much ease the paines thereof An ounce of Lambes blood being fresh before that it doth
congeale mixed with Vineger and drunke for three daies together is an excellent remedy against the vomitting or spetting of blood The like force in it hath the blood of a Kidde The bloode of a Lambe mingled with wine doth heale those which are troubled with the falling sicknesse as also those which haue the fowle euill For the conception of a Woman take the yarde and gall of a Bucke a Kid and a Hare with the blood and sewet of a Lamb and the marrow of a Hart and mix them altogither with Nard and oyle of Roses and after her purgation Pliny let them be laied vnder her and this without all doubt wil make her apt to conceiue The skins of Serpents being annointed with water in a bath and mingled with lime and Lambes sewet doth heale the disease called S. Anthonies fire The marrow of a Lambe melted by the fire with the oyle of Nuts and white sugar distilled vpon a cleane dish or platter and so drunke doth dissolue the stone in the bladder and is very profitable for any that pisseth blood It also cureth al paines or griefes of the yarde bladder or reynes The skin of a Lambe being dawbed or annointed with liquid-pitch and applyed hot vnto the belly of any one that is troubled with excoriations of the bowels or the bloody flix wil very speedily cure him if he haue any sence or feeling of cold in him If a Virgins menstrual fluxes come not forth at the due time Hippocrates and her belly is moued it is conuenient to apply lambs skins being hot vnto her belly and they will in short space cause them to come forth A garment made of lamb skins is accounted very good for the corroborating and strengthning of yong men The skins of lambes are more hot then kids skins are more profitable for the confirming of the backe and the reines The little bone which is in the right side of a Toad being bound in a young lambes skin being hot doth heal both quartaine and al other feauers being aplied thereunto The dust of lambs bones is very much and rightly vsed for Vlcers which haue no chops or stars in them The dust of smal cattels dung being mingled with Nitre but especially of lambs hath in them great force to heal cankers the dust of lambs bones is very much commended for the healing and making of greene wounds sound and solide which thing by the Saracens is much verified in regard that at al times they go to war Marcellus Pliny they neuer forget to take of the same along with them The lungs of lambs do very effectually cure those whose feete are wrung or pinched by theyr shoo-soles The lungs of lambs or rams being burned and the dust thereof mingled with oile is very profitable for the curing of kibes or vlcers being applied thereunto It hath the same vertue being raw bound vpon the sore Marcellus The runnet of a lambe is of very great force against al other euil medicines The runnets of smal cattel but especially of a lamb is very effectual against al kinds of poyson The runnets of a kid a lambe and a hind-calfe are conueniently taken against Wolfe-bane drunke in wine The runnet of a hare a kid or a lambe taken in wine to the weight of a dram is very effectuall against the forke-fish cureth the bites or strokes of al Sea-fishes The runnet of a lamb drunk in wine is an excellent cure for the bitings of a shrew Pliny The runnet of a lamb drunk in water is accounted for a safegard to young children who are vexed with thicke and concrete milke or if the default shal happen by curded milke it wil be soone remedyed by a lambes runnets giuen in Vineger A Lambs runnet hid or poured into water doth speedily cohibit the bleeding of the nose when nothing else can stay it The gal of smal Cattel but especially of a Lamb being mixed with hony are thoght to be very medicinable for the curing of the falling sicknes The places which are infected by cankers being anointed ouer with the gal of a lamb are very speedily and effectually healed There is also by the Magicians deliuered vnto vs a speedy means for the curing of the melt which is this to take a Lamb new born instantly to pluck him in pieces with ones hands Marcellus and when the melt is pulled out to put it hot vpon the melt of the party so grieued and bind it on fast with swadling cloathes and continually to say I make a remedy for the melt then in the last day the same being taken from his body to put it to the Wall of the beâ— wherein the diseased party is wont to lye it being first daubed with durt that it might the better stick and to signe the durt with seuen and twenty markes saying at euery mark I make a remedy for the melt this remedy being done three times it will heale the diseased party although he be very weake and full of danger But this is the opinion of the Magicians which I here set downe that they should rather see their folly then beleeue knowing them to be meere fopperies For making the wool to grow slower the gelders of cattel anoint the bloud which commeth from the stones of gelded Lambes which being anointed doth profit very much for haires being pulled away as also against poison Pliny The dung of Lambes before they haue tasted of any grasse being dryed in the shaddow and rubbed to powder and applyed in the manner of a plaister doth heale and ease al kindes of paines in the chaps or iawes And thus much for the medicines of the sheepe OF THE STREPSICEROS THere is in Creete neare the Mountaine Ida Bellonius a kind of sheep called by the Sheapheardes Strepsiceros which is not different from the vulgar sheep except onely in the hornes for they bend not like other but stand straight and vpright like the Vnicorne and beside are circled about with certain round speeres like a Goates horne This liueth in flockes and we haue here beside the figure of the beast expressed a double form of their hornes and forepart of their head the figure of a Harpe being fastened to one of them as it was presently drawen The description whereof was taken by Docter Cay of England in these words following The hornes of this Strepsiceros are so liuely expressed by Pliny and so fitly fitted to beare Harpes that they seeme not to aske any further narration of words I will therefore onely adde this they are hollow within and long about two Roman feet and three palmes if you measure them as they are straight but if you take their scantling and length as they crooke a little then are they about three foot long they are in breadth where they ioyne to the head three Roman fingers and a halfe and their whole compasse in that place is about two Roman palmes and a halfe In the
bough with a shot to the ground If they be driuen to the ground from the trees to creepe into hedges it is a token of their wearinesse for such is the stately mind of this little Beast that while her limbes and strength lasteth she tarrieth saueth her self in the tops of tal trees then being discended she falleth into the mouth of euery curre and this is the vse of Dogges in their hunting The admirable witte of this beast appeareth in her swimming or passing ouer the Waters for when hunger or some conuenient prey of meat constraineth her to passe ouer a riuer shee seeketh out some rinde or smal barke of a Tree which shee setteth vppon the Water and then goeth into it and holding vppe her taile like a saile letteth the winde driue her to the other side and this is witnessed by Olaus Magnus in his description of Scandinauia where this is ordinary among Squirrelles by reason of many riuers that otherwise they cannot passeouer also they carry meate in their mouth to preuent famine whatsoeuer befall them and as Peacockes couer themselues with their tailes in hot Summer from the rage of the sunne as vnder a shaddow with the same disposition doth the Squirrell couer her body against heate and cold They growe exceeding tame and familiar to men if they be accustomed and taken when they are young for they runne vp to mens shoulders and they will oftentimes â—it vpon their handes creepe into their pockets for Nuttes goe out of doores and returne home againe but if they be taken aliue being olde when once they get loose they will neuer returne home againe and therefore such may wel bee called Semiferi rather then Cicures They are very harmeful and wll eat al manner of woollen garments and if it were not for that discommodity they were sweete-sportful-beastes and are very pleasant play-fellowes in a house It is saide that if once they tast of Garlicke they wil neuer after bite any thinge and this is prescribd by Cardan to tame them their skins are exceeding warm wel regarded by skinners for their heat is verie agreeable to the bodies of men and therefore they are mixed also with the skins of Foxes Their flesh is sweet but not very wholesome except the Squirrel were a blacke one It is tender and comparable to the flesh of Kids or Conies andl their tailes are profitable to make brushes of The medicins are the same for the most part which are before expressed in the Dormous sauing that I may adde that of Archigenes who writeth that the fat of a Squirrell warmed on a rubbing cloath and so instilled into the eares doeth wonderfully cure the paines in the eares And so I conclude this history of the Squirrell with the Epithets that Martiall maketh of a Peacocke a Phoenix and a Squirrel in a comparison of a bewtifull Virgin Erotion Cui comparatus indecens erat pauo Inamabilis sciurus frequens Phoenix Of the Getulian Squirrell described and figured by Doctor Cay THis Getulian or Barbarian Squirrell is of mixt colour as it were betwixt black and red and from the shoulders all along to the taile by the sides there are white and russet strakes or lines which in a decent and and seemely order stand in ranks or orders and there be some of these Squirrels which haue such lines of white and blacke with correspondent lines in the taile yet they cannot be seene except the taile bee stretched out at length by reason there is not much haire vpon it The belly seemeth to be like a blew colour vpon a white ground It is a little lesse then the vulgar Squirrel and hath not any eares extant or standing vp as that but close pressed to the skin round and arysing a little in length by the vpper face of the skinne The head is like the head of a Frog and in other things it is very like the vulgar Squirrell for both the outward shape the manner and behauiour the meat and means of life agree in both and she also couereth her body like other Squirrels This picture and description was taken by him from one of them aliue which a Marchant of London brought out of Barbary They are very pleasaunt and tame and it is very likely that it is a kind of Egyptian or Affrican mouse whereof there are three sorts described by Herodotus the first called Bipedes the second Zegeries and the third Echines of which we haue already spoken in the story of diuers kinds of mice and therefore I will heere end the discourse of this beast OF A WILDE BEAST IN THE new-found world called Su. THere is a region in the new-found world called Gigantes and the inhabitants thereof are called Pantagones now becaus their countrey is cold being far in the South they cloath themselues with the skins of a beast called in theyr owne toong Su for by reason that this beast liueth for the most part neere the waters therefore they cal it by the name of Su which signifieth water The true image therof as it was taken by Theuetus I haue heere inserted for it is of a very deformed shape and monstrous presence a great rauener and an vntamable wilde beast When the hunters that desire her skinne set vpon her she flyeth very swift carrying her yong ones vpon her back and couering them with her broad taile now forsomuch as no Dogge or man dareth to approach neere vnto her because such is the wrath therof that in the pursuit she killeth all that commeth neare hir the hunters digge seuerall pittes or great holes in the earth which they couer with boughes sticks and earth so wealty that if the beast chance at any time to come vpon it she and her young ones fall down into the pit and are taken This cruell vntamable impatient violent rauening and bloody beast perceiuing that her naturall strength cannot deliuer her from the wit and policy of men her hunters for being inclosed shee can neuer get out againe the hunters being at hande to watch her downfall and worke her ouerthrow first of all to saue her young ones from taking taming she destroyeth them all with her owne teeth for there was neuer any of them taken aliue and when she seeth the hunters come about her she roareth cryeth bowleth brayeth and vttereth such a fearefull noysome and terrible clamor that the men which watch to kill her are not thereby a little amazed but at last being animated because there can be no resistance they approch and with their darts and speares wound her to death and then take off her skin and leaue the carcasse in the earth And this is all that I finde recorded of this most sauage beast Of the Subus a kinde of wilde Water-sheepe THis beast is called by Oppianus Soubos and thereof the Latines call it Subus Bodine in his interpretation of Oppianus doth make it one beast with the Strepsiceros but because he expresseth no reason thereof I take
the veine vnder the tongue bathing his throate with a great deale of hot Water mixed with Brimstone and salt This disease in hogges is not knowne from that which is called Struma or the Kinges euill at the first appearance as Aristotle and Pliny write the beginning of this disease is in the Almonds or kernels of the throate and it is caused through the corruption of water which they drinke for the cure wherof they let them bloud as in the former disease and they giue them the yarrow with the broadest leaues There is a hearbe called Herba impia all hoary and outwardly it looketh like Rosemary some say it is so called because no beast will touch it this being beaten in peeces betwixt two tiles or stones groweth marueilous hot the iuyce thereof being mixed in milke and Wine and so giuen vnto the Swyne to drink cureth them of this disease and if they drinke it before they be affected therewith they neuer fal into it and the like is attributed to the hearb Trimity and Viola Martia likewise the blew flowers of Violets are commended for this purpose by Dioscorides Of the kernels THese are little bunches rising in the throate which are to bee cured by letting bloud in the shoulder and vnto this disease belongeth that which the Germans cal Rangen and the Italians Sidor which is not contagious but very dangerous for within two daies the beast doth dye thereof if it bee not preuented this euill groweth in the lower part or chap of the swines mouth where it doth not swel but waxing white hardeneth like a peece of horne through paine whereof the beast cannot eate for it is in the space betwixt the sore and hinder teeth the remedy is to open the Swines mouth as wide as one can by thrusting into it a round bat then thrust a sharp needle through the same sore and lifting it vp from the gum they cut it off with a sharp knife and this remedy helpeth many if it be taken in time some giue vnto them the roots of a kind of Gention to drinke as a speciall medicine which the Germans for that cause cal Rangen crute but the most sure way is the cutting it off and like vnto this there is such another growing in the vpper chappe of the mouth and to be cured by the same remedy the cause of both doth arise from eating of their meate ouer hot and therefore the good Swineheard must labour to auoid that mischiefe the mischiefe of this is described by Virgill Hinc canibus blandis rabies venit quatit aegros Tussis anhela sues as faucibus angit abesis Of the paine in their lunges FOr all maner of pain in their lungs which come by the most part from want of drink are to haue lung-wort stamped and giuen them to drinke in water or else to haue it tyed vnder their tongues two or three daies together or that which is more probable because it is dangerous to take it inwardly to make a hole in the eare and to thrust it into the same tying it fast for falling out and the same vertue hath the roote of the white Hellibor but the diseases of the lunges are not very dangerous and therefore the Butchers saith that you shall sildome find a Swyne with sound lungs or Liuers sometime it falleth out that in the lightes of this beast there wil be apparant certain white spots as big as halfe a Wallnut but without danger to the beast sometimes the lightes cleaue to the ribs and and sides of the beast for remedy whereof you must giue them the same medicines that you giue vnto Oxen in the same disease Sometimes there appeare certaine blathers in the liuer of water which are called water-gals sometimes this is troubled with vomiting and then it is good to giue them in the morning fryed pease mingled with dust of Iuory and brused salt fasting before they go to their pastures Of the diseases in the Spleene BY reason that this is a deuouring beast and through want of Water it is many times sicke of the Spleene for the cure whereof you must giue them Prewnes of Tameriske pressed into water to be drunke by them when they are a thirst this disease commeth for the most part in the summer when they eat of sweet and greene fruites according to this verse Strata iacent passim seuia quaeque sub arbore porna The vertue of these Prewnes of Tameriske is also very profitable agaynst the diseases of the Melte and therefore it is to be giuen to men as well as to Beastes for if they do but drinke out of pots and cups made out of the wood of the tree Tameriske they are easily cleared from all diseases of the Spleene and therefore in some Countries of this great tree they make hog-troughes and mangers for the safegard of their beastes and where they grow not great they make pots and cups And if a Hog do eat of this Tameriske but nine daies together at his death hee shall be found to bee without a Spleene as Marcellus writeth When they become loose in their bellies which happeneth to them in the spring time by eating of greene Hearbes they either fall to bee leane or else to dye when they cannot easily make water by reason of some stoppage or sharpnesse of Vrin they may be eased by giuing vnto them spurge-seed And thus much for the diseases of Swine For conclusion whereof I will adde heereunto the length of a Swynes life according to Aristotle and Pliny if it be not cut off by sicknesse or violent death for in their daies they obserued that Swyne did liue ordinarily to fifteene yeares and some of them to twenty And thus much for the natvre of Swyne in generall The medicines of the Hogge The best remedy for the bitings of venomous Serpents is certainly beleeued to be this to take some little creatures Aâ—â—us as pigs Cocks Kyds or Lambes and teare them in pieces applying them whiles they are hot to the wound as soone as it is made for they will not only expell away the poyson but also make the wound both whole and sound For the curing of Horsses which are troubled with the inflammation of the lungs Take a sucking pig and kill him neare vnto the sicke horse that you may instantly poure the blood thereof into his iawes and it wil proue a very quick and speedy remedy The panch of a sucking pig being taken out and mingled with the yolke which sticketh to the inner parts of the skin Marcellus and moystned both together doth very much ease the paine of the teeth being poured into that eare â—n which side the griefe shall lye The liquor of swines flesh being boiled doth very much help against the Buprestis The same is also a very good antidote against poyson and very much helpeth those which are troubled with the gout Cheese made of Cowes milke being very old so that it can scarce be eaten
the fat of other beastes the cheefe vse of it is to moysten to fasten to purge and to scatter and heerein it is most excellent when it hath beene washed in Wine for the stale salt Grease so mixed with wine is profitable to annoint those that haue the pleurifie and mingled with ashes and Pitch easeth inflammations fistulaies and tumours and the same vertue is ascribed to the fat of Foxes except that their fat is hotter then the Swynes and lesse moyst likewise ashes of Vines mingled with stale grease of Hogs cureth the wounds of Scorpions and Dogs and with the spume of Nitre it hath the same vertue against the biting of Dogges It is vsed also against the French disease called the French Poxe for they say if the kneese of a man bee annointed therewith and he stand gaping ouer it it will draw a filthy matter out of his stomacke and make him vomit By Serenus it is prescribed to be annointed vpon the kneese against the stifnesse of the Necke Mingled with Quick siluer and Brimstone it is sufferant against the itch and scabs This Lard being sod with the fat and applyed to the body doth mightily expell corruptions that cleaue to the skin The fat of Swyne with Butter and Oyle of Roses is instilled into the broken skinnes of the braine for the cure of them Likewise Buglosse plucked vp by the roote and the rootes cut off and curiosly washed beaten and pounded into a ball and mixed with Swynes greace is good to be layed to any incurable wound It is also profitable for the wounded Nerues of the body beaten together with Wormes of the earth according to these verses of Serenus Terrae lumbricos inretritos Queis vetus ranis sociari exungia debet When bones are broken if they be annointed with the sod greace of Swine and so bound vp fast together after they be well set and closed grow wonderfull fast sure and solide againe Serenus writeth thus of it Si cui forte lapis teneros violauerit artus Necte aedipes vetulos tritam chamaecisson By this fat he meaneth the fat of Swyne because presently after he maketh mention of the dung of Swyne to be good for the same cure Being mingled with pitch it scattereth all bunches and fellons The hardnesse of the breasts ruptures conuulsions Cramps and with whit Helsibor it closeth vp clifts and chinks in the flesh maketh the hard skin to be soft againe It is very profitable against inflamations of vlcers especially the fat of the boare pig mixed with liquid gum Women do also vse the fat of a Sow that neuer bore pig to cleare their skinne and to mixe it with pitch and one third part of Asse-grease against the scabs The same mixed with white Lead and the spume of siluer maketh the scares of the body to be of the same colour with the residue and with Sulphur it taketh away the spots in the Nailes mingled with the powder of Acornes if the greace bee salt it softneth the hardnesse of the flesh Rue mixed with Swines sewet or Buls-greace taketh away spottes and freckles out of the face and it is also profitable against the Kings euell being mixed with the powder of a sea Oyster-shell and being annointed in a bath it taketh away the itch and blisters Featherfew and stale swines greace is also prescribed against the Kings euill This same alone or with snow easeth the paine of burnings in the flesh and when there is an vlcer by reason of the burning mixe it with tosted barly and the white of an Egge according to these verses Combustis igni Hordea vel friges atque oui candida iunges Ad sit adeps porcae mira est nam forma medelae Iunge chelidonias ac sic line vulnera succis Quodque recens vssit glacies axungia simplex Mulcet ex facili grata est medicamina cura Fresh grease is very profitable for those members that are surboted or riuen of their skin and likewise to anoint them that are weary with long iournies The ashes of womens haire burned in a shell and mingled with the fat of Swine are said to ease the paine of S. Anthonies fire and to stanch bloud and to cure ring-wormes The gall of a Swine or of a Bore and the lights with the fat filleth vp the â—ibes and the stalkes of Cabiges with the rootes burned and mingled with Swines grease being applyed to the sides doe cure the daily paines thereof And thus far of the vse of this grease for the bodies of men Now also it followeth in a word to touch the vse thereof for the bodies of beasts When the hornes of Oxen or Kine are broken they take a little Lint Salt Vineger and Oyle and lay them vpon the broken horne pouring in the liquid and binding the rest close on the outside and this they renew three daies together The fourth day they take the like quantity of swines grease and liquid pitch and with a smooth rind or barke of pine they binde it too close and so it is fastened againe When the hoofe or ancles of an Oxe are hurt with the plough share then take hard pitch swines grease and Sulphur roul them vp altogether in vnwashed wooll and with a hot burning Iron melt them vpon the wound or horne The eares of Dogges in the summer time are exulcerated by flyes into the which sores it is good to instill liquid pitch sod with swines greace and this medicine also is good to deliuer beastes from the tickes for they fall off as many as touch it When Lambes or Kyds are troubled with the Sheepe pox some vse to annoint them with Swines grease and the rust of Iron that is two partes of Swynes greace and one part of rust and so warme them together Also for the scabs vppon Horsses heeles that are called the scratches which come for the most part in the Winter time they cure them on this manner They take the fat of Swyne and melt it on the fire and poure it into cold Water which afterwardes they take it out and beate it well together at last they mingle it with Brimstone beaten small and so annoint the place therewith three dayes together and the third day they open the scabs and so continue annoynting till it be cured When a Horsse cannot hold his Neck right it is good to anoynt him with Oyle wine Honny and Hogges-greace the manner of some Leeches is when they haue made a suppuration by Oxen in burning they first of all wash it with stale Vrine and afterwardes mingle an equall quantity of pitch and Hogs greace together wherewithall they annoint and cure the sore Sometine the blood of Oxen falleth downe into their feete wherein it congealeth and breaketh forth into scabbes then must the place first of all be scraped with a knife and the scabs cut away afterwardes with cloathes wet in Vineger Salt and Oyle moystened and pressed hard and last of all by
but that part is not of the horn but either the entrance of the pallat or some other things as I coniecture This horne was found vnder the earth not deeper then a foote in a solitary and high place as betweene two hils through which a riuer runneth by Countri'men that were digging to lay the foundation of a house But the horne was smitten with an Axe and seuered into very smal peeces but that Noble and excelent man Ioannes Frikasz in whose field the horne was founde being distaunt from Cracouia two miles by all diligence he could least that the small peeces should be cast abroad tooke deliberate heed that they should be taken out of the earth From the roote to the top it was all round and smooth but touching it with ones toongue it cleaueth fast vnto it the tooth was as big as a man could gripe in his hand being in the vpper or outward part bony or hollow within white in the middle and toward the end somewhat reddish But there was found all the beast as by the greatnesse of his bones might easily be perceived being bigger in quantity then a horse It is most certaine that it was a Foure-footed-beast by the bones of the shoulders thighes and ribs But if this Horne were the tooth of an Elephant as some doe suppose you would maruaile why two which I haue heard were neuer found together But the teeth or rather hornes of Elephants are neither so crooked that they might come almost to halfe a circle as they did The strength of this horne a penny weight thereof being put in wine or water of Borrage healeth old Feuers as also Tertian or quarterne Agues of three yeares continuance and cureth many diseases in mens bodies as asswaging the paine of the belly and making of those to vomit who can by no meanes ease their stomackes Hitherto shal suffice to haue spoken concerning one of those foure hornes which I saw The other was like vnto this but lesse pure for the colour was outwardly most blacke inwardly most white being found in the Riuer The third and fourth most hard so that a man would thinke it were by the touching thereof stone or iron being solide euen vnto the point for I haue not seene them wholly but the part of one to the length of a cubit of the other to the length of halfe a cubit with a darke colour being almost of the same thicknesse as the two former But for as much as the two former haue no riftes or chinkes in them these haue by their longitude being like hearbs bending or wreathing in their stalkes There was another found in a certaine field so much appearing out of the earth that the rude or country sort did thinke it to be some pile or stake Many also are cured and freed from shaking feauers by the medicinall force of these the cause whereof I suppose to be this because the former are softer for as much as one of them will lye in the Water for so long a time but the other vnder the earth being scarce well hid I afterwardes saw a fi lt like vnto the first none of them being straight or direct vppe but also crooked some almost vnto a halfe a circle Hitherto Schnebergerus who also addeth this That there are more of these to be found in Polonia and therefore for the most part to bee contemned There are moreouer found in Heluetia some of these hornes one in the riuer Arula against the Towne of Bruga the other in the last yeare in the riuer of Birsa but it was broken euen as the third with that famous Earle of the Cymbrians William Warner in a tower neare vnto the Citty Rottauit who gaue vnto Gesner a good peece thereof who found another peece as he was a fishing at Birsa in the riuer And it is no great maruaile that they are found there where through length of time they are broken into small pieces and carried by the force of the waters into diuers places But it is most diligently to be obserued whether they are found in the earth as also to be knowne whether that great horne be of this beast which hangs alone in the great temple at Argentaur by the piller for it hath hanged there many yeares before as now it-appeareth for that doth plainely seeme the same magnitude thicknesse and figure which Schnebergerus hath described in his own horne that we haue allowed before for wild oxen The ancients haue attributed singuler hornes to the Vnicorne whom some haue cald by other names as it is said and furthermore to the Orix a wilde beast vnknowne in our age except I be deceiued which Aristotle and Pliny call a Vnicorne Aelianus a Quadrucorne Oppianus doth not expresse it but he seemeth to make it a two horned beast Simeon Sethi doth also write that the Musk-cat or Goat at which bringeth forth Muske hath one horne Certaine later writers as Scaliger reporteth say that there is a certaine Oxe in Ethiopia which hath one Horne comming out in the middest of his forehead greater then the length of a foot bending vpwardes the point being wreathed ouerthwart and they haue red haire whereby we gather that the horne of all Vnicornes is not pure But the reason why these hornes are more found in Polonia then in any other place I cannot well ghesse whether from thence we shall suspect them to be of certaine Vries which at this day abide in the woods of Sarmatia in times past there were many more which haue liued both in greater and larger woods neither were they killed with so often Hunting some whereof it is most like haue come to great age as appeareth by their great stately hornes which things we leaue to be considered of others I suppose that the Apothe caries neuer haue the true horne of a Vnicorne but that some doe sell a kinde of false adulterated Horne other the fragments of this great and vnknowne Horne of which we haue spoken and not onely of the horne but also of the bones of the head some of which are so affected by longanimity of time that you may take a threefold substance in them although it be broken by a certain distance one being for the most part whitish and pale the other whiter and softer the third stony and most white I heare that in the new Ilands there was a Horne bought in the name of a Vnicornes horne being much praised for expelling of poyson which what it is I haue not as yet examited but it is to bee inquired whether it bee a Rhynocerots or not for both the auncient and late Writers doe mingle this with the Vnicorne I doe verily coniecture that the same strength is pertinent to both the Hornes And thus much shall suffice concerning the true Vnicornes horne and the Vertues arising there from In this place now we will proceed to the residue of the history reseruing other vses of this horne to the proper medicines These Beasts are very
haire and not against the haire in what forme and in what manner of lines hath beene taught you before for those must be made either long short deepe shallow right-crooked or ouer-thwart according as the disease doeth require you haue learned also how to alay the heat of the fire after such drawing And therfore I haue no more to say heere but onely to admonish you acccording to Vegetius precepts not to fire anie sinnewie place nor bone that is broken or out of iointe for feare of weakening the whole member nor to bear so heauy or vneuen hand as you should thereby deforme or misfashion any part of the horse nor be too hasty in giuing the fire but to attempt first all other conuenient remedies and when nothing else will helpe to make the fire your last refuge and yet not so much to neglect it and abhorre it like the ignoraunt sort as you will not vse it when need requireth for lack whereof many horses go lame and vncured of diuers diseases Pâ—â—ctise your selus therefore in giuing the fire at needful times with iudgement and discretion so shall you do it to the horses benefit and to your owne great praise and profit Of Cauteries potentiall CAuteries potentiall as Iohannes Vigo saith are medicines Corosiue Putrifactiue and Causticke This word Corosiue is deriued of the Latine word Corrodo which is as much to saie as to gnaw and frette and of such Corosiues some be simple and some compounde The simple as Vigo saith be such as these be Roche Alum as well burnte as not burnt spunge of the Sea somewhat burnt Lime redde corall powder of Mercury Compound corosiues be these Vnguentum Apostolorum Vnguentum aegyptiacum Vnguentum Ceraceum Medicines putrifactiue called of the learned sort Septica according to Auicen be those that haue strength to corrupte the complexion of the member and to induce any scarre like dead flesh causing great pain yea and Feuers therefore ought not to be ministred but to strong bodies and in strong diseases as in Carbuncles Cankers Vlcers and such like and they bee these Arsenicke sublimat resalgar and other medicines compound therwith Siluius also addeth thereunto Sandaraca Chrysocolla and Aconitum but he doth not agree with Auicen in the description of the putrifactiue medicines For he saith that they haue little paine or none neither bee they so hot and drie as those that are called Escharotica that is to say crustiue which be hot in the forth degree and do breed a crust and scarre and cause great paine as vnslect lime and the burned dregges of wine wherefore it seemeth that Auicens description belongeth rather to the crustiue than to the putrifactiue medicines Notwithstanding I must needs say that our Chirurgions and also Ferrers do find both Arsenicke and Resalgar to be so sharpe hotte and burning things as when they minister the same to any part of the body they are forced to alay the sharpenesse thereof the chirurgians with the iuyce of Plantaine or Daffadill or else of House-leeke the Ferrers with Hogges-greace Medicines causticke that is to say burning are those whose operation are most strong and inclineth to the natute of the fire and yet more easily alayed as Vigo writeth than the medicines putrifactiue and therefore may be more safely vsed They bee made as he saith of strong lie called Capitellum or Magistra of Vitriolae Romanae Sal Nitri Aqua fortis of this sort be al those which Vigo calleth the blistering medicines as Apium Cantharides Ciclamine Onions strong Garlicke Melanacardinum the stones or graines of Vitis alba otherwise called Brione Moreouer Vigo maketh euery one of these cauteries potentiall to excel one another as it were by certaine degrees saying that corosiues bee weaker then putrifactiues and putrifactiues be weaker then causticke and therefore corosiues worke in the vpper part and in soft flesh Putrifactiues in hard flesh and deepe But caustickes haue power to breake the skin in hard flesh and do enter most deepely The vse of the moste part of which thinges haue beene taught you before in sundry places according to Martins experience And therefore I leaue to trouble you any further wishing you that are desirous to know any more of those matters to read Taugantius writing De piroticis And Siluius de medicamentorum compositione And Iohn Vigo writing of surgerie Englished but few yeares since But the old writers so farre as I can iudge by the wordes of Absirtus and others that write or horseleachcraft do applie this worde causticke to such medicines as are astrictiue and binding called of Martin and other Ferrers in these daies binding charges as may well appeare by the composition and vse heere following recited by Vegetius in this sort The receipt of a Causticke vsed by Chiron to dry vp the superfluous moisture and to bind parts loosened and to strengthen parts weakened TAke of Bitumen Iudaicum two pounde of Bitumen Apolonij two pounde of the purest part of Frankencense six ounce of Bdellium Arabicum two ounces of Deares sewet 2. pound of Populeum two ounces of Galbanum two ounces of the drops of Storax two ounces of common wax two pound of Resin Gabial one pounde of Viscus Italicus three ounces of Apoxima two ounces of the iuice of hipsop two ounces of the drops of Armoniake two ounces of pitch one pound Another Causticke vsed by Pelagonius to dry vp swellings Bladders Windgals and splents in the Legges and ioynts TAke virgin wax one pound of Rozen two pound and a halfe of Galbanum three ounces of Asphaltum Iudaicum two pound of Mirrhe secondary two pounde of Bitumen one pound of Armoniacke six ounces of Costus six ounces Boile all these things together in an earthen pot sauing the Asphaltum Armoninack Costum which being first ground like fine flower must be added vnto the other thinges and after that they haue been boiled and cooled and then boiled al together againe and well stirred so as they may bee incorporated together and made all one substance These kindes of emplaisters or ointmentes ought in my iudgement to be so called as I said before rather binding charges than causlike medicines because there be no such extreame corosiue or burning simples in these as are before recited Notwithstanding I refer my iudgment to those that be better lerned and so end for being ouer tedious For if I would I could take very good occasion heere to speake of diuers others other medicines whereof some are called Anodina easing paine and griefe Martin calleth them Linoges which are made of Lineseede Cammomile soft greace and such like things as are hot in the first degree some againe are called Narcotica that is to say astonying or bringing to sleepe as those that are made of Opium Mandragoâ—a Popie and such like cold and grosse things And some are called Sarcotica that is breeding flesh as Barly flower and Frankencense And many other kinds of emplaisters ointments waters and salues which would
occupy a booke of no smal volume to bee written hereafter by some other perhaps if not by my selfe And in the meane time let this that I haue already written suffice Of the Anticor AN Anticor commeth of superfluity of euill blood or spirit in the artires and also of inflammation in the liuer which is ingendered by meanes of too choise keeping Markham and ouermuch rest which choaketh the vital power and occasion vnnaturall swellings in the brest which if they ascend vpward and come into the necke they are instantly death the cure thereof is in this sort Let him bleed so as he may bleed abundantly then with a sharp knife in diuers places cut the swelling which done set a cupping-glasse theron and cup it till the glasse filled with foule water fall away it selfe then giue the Horse to drinke three mornings together a pinte of Malmesie well stirred with Sinamon Lycoras and a little Bezar stone and during his sicknes let his drinke bee warmed and mingled with either Bran or Malt. Of the Cords THe Cords is a disease that maketh a horse stumble and many times fall and they apeare in a horses forelegs this is the cure thereof Take a sharpe knife and cut a slitte euen at the tip of his nose iust with the point of the grisle open the slit being made and you shall perceiue a white string take it vp with a Bores tooth or some crooked bodkin and cut it insunder then stitch vppe the slit and annoint it with Butter and the horse doubtlesse shall be recouered Of the Millets THe Millets is a griefe that appeareth in the Fetlockes behinde and causeth the haire to shed three or foure inches long and a quarter of an inch in bredth like as it were bare and ill to cure but thus is the cure First wash it well with strong lye and rub it till it bleede then binde vnto it Hony vnslect lime and Deares sewet boiled and mingled together this do for the space of a weeke and it shall be whole Of the Serew A Serew is a foule soraunce it is like a Splent but it is a little longer and is most commonly on the outside of the fore legge as the splint is on the inside the cure is thus Take two spoonefuls of strong Wine-Vinegar and one spoonefull of good Sallet-oyle mingle them together and euery morning bestow one houre in rubbing the sorance with it altogether downeward til it be gone which will not be long in going The medicines arising out of Horses THe Graecians haue written nothing at all concerning wilde horses Pliny because in their country there was none of them vsually bredde or gotten yet notwithstanding the same wee ought to thinke that all medicines or anye other thinges which do proceed from them are more strong in operation and haue in them greater force and power then anye common horses haue as it falleth out in all sortes of other beasts The blood of a horse as Pliny affirmeth doth gnaw into deade flesh with a putrifactiue force the same vertue hath the blood of Mares which haue bin couered by horses Also the bloode of a horse but especially of one which is a breeder doeth verye much make and helpe againste impostumes and small bunches which do arise in the flesh Moreouer it is said that the bloud of a young Asse is very good against the Iaundice and the ouer-flowing of the gall as also the same force and effect is in the blood of a young horse The horse-leaches do vse the blood of horses for diuers diseases which are incident vnto them both by annointing or rubbing the outward parts as also within their bodies Furthermore if one do cut the vaines of the pallet of a horses mouth and let it runne downe into his belly Theomnestus it will presently destroy and consume the maw or belly-worms which are within him When a horse is sicke of the pestilence they draw blood out of the veines in his spurring place and mingling the same vpon a stone with salt make him to licke it vp The blood of a horse is also mingled with other medicines and being annointed vpon the armes and shoulders of men or beasts Vegâ—tius which are broken or out of ioynt doth very much helpe them But a horse which is weary or tyred you must cure after this manner Firste draw some bloude out of his matrixe or wombe and mingle it with Oyle and Wine and then put it on the fire till it bee luke-warme and then rubbe the horse all ouer againste the haires If the sinnewes of horses do wax stiffe or shrink in together it is very necessary that the sicke parts should be annointed with the hot bloode which doeth proceede from him Pliny for horses also which are fed in the field vse their flesh and dung against the biting and stinging of Serpents We do also find that the flesh of horses being well boiled is very medicinable for diuers diseases Furnerius Moreouer it is very vsuall and common with the women of Occitania to take the fat or greace of horses to annoint their heades to make the haire of their heads multiply and increase and certaine later Phisitians do mingle the marrow of a horse with other ointments for a remedy against the crampe The marrow of a horse is also very good to loosen the sinnewes which are knit and fastned together but first let it be boiled in wine and afterwards made cold and then anointed warmly either by the fire or Sun If a horse do labor in what kind of impostume which they vulgarly call the worme either any where as well as in the nose they do open the skin with a searirg yron and doe sprinkle Verdigreace within the horses mouth being brent there being added thereunto sometimes the seed of Hen-bane The teeth of a male horse not gelded or by any labor made feeble being put vnder the head or ouer the head of him that is troubled or starteth in his dreame doth withstand and resist all vnquietnes which in the time of his rest might happen vnto him Albertus Pliny also doeth assent that flower dooeth heale the sorenes of a horses teeth and gums and the clefts and chinkes of a horses feet The teeth also of a horse is verye profitable for the curing of the Chilblanes which are rotten and full of corruption when they are swollen full ripe Marcellus Marcellus saith that the toothe of a horse being beaten and crushed into very small powder and being sprinkled vppon a mans genitall doth much profit and very effectually helpe him but the teeth which were first ingendered in a horse haue this vertue in them that if they should touch the teethe of man or woman who are molested and grieued with the tooth-ache they shal presently find a finall ende of their paine if in the like manner a childe doe kisse the nose or snowt of a horse he shal neuer feele paine in his teeth
with Lard in small peeces with Auri pigment killeth Wolues and mice Croscentiensis and in some countries for the better dispersing of the poyson set drinke beside the same whereof as soone as they tast they swel and die but I haue seen them die without drinking at all Mice and wolues if they tast of the wilde Rose and drinke after it doe not not onely dye but also fall into madnesse and bite their fellows communicating the quality of the disease to euery one they bite Flesh cut into little peeces fryed with butter in a frying pan Cardon and afterwards when it is colde adde halfe so much soft pitch thereto and mingle t together rowling vp the flesh in the pitch then distribute it vpon little boords and set it in the place and places whereunto the mice do much resort and water beside it and when that they haue tasted of it a little they are so eagerly a thirst that they drinke and dye The like I may say of Rats-bane Quicke-siluer Sublimate and Precipitate and diuers other thinges and thus much may suffice for the ketching taking and killing of myce whereunto I may adde the vse of their members and parts not medicinall but naturall although I haue touched it heeretoforein part The Scythians were woont to be clad with the skinnes of mice and Wolues and it is obserued that when mice cry and screeketh aboue their ordinary custome it presageth an alteration and change of the Weather and thus much shall suffice for their naturall discourse Hauing thus discoursed of the nature of the vulgar mouse The morrall story of mice I may also adde the morral vse thereof as I find it recorded among learned writers deliuered eyther in Historie or in prouerbe It is reported of Glaucus the sonne of Minos and Pasiphae that while he followed a mouse to take her he fel into a vessel of hony but after Polyades the prophet by laying an herb on him raised him againe to life Hatto an Arch Bysh of Metz in the frontiers of Germany was destroyed by mise or as other say by Rats Tzetzes but the words of Textor are Hatto Archiepiscopus Moguntinus à muribus fertur deuoratus And the error may proceed because that Mus is a generall word for the Rat and mouse and therefore they which haue thought it an vnreasonable thinge that so small beastes should destroy so mighty a prince haue rather attributed it to the Rats then to the mice but they ought to haue rememberd that it was an extraordinary iudgement of God to punish a cruell couetous wretch and that therefore it was as easie for him to make the little mouse his instrument as the great Rat for we read that Herod was deuourd by worms and other haue beene eaten vp with lyce Adrian the Pope was strangled by a flye and therefore Hatto an Archbishop might aswel perish through the afflicting hand of God by a multitude of mice Heliogabalus that wretch among other his monstrous desires and Tyrannicall commaundes Lampridius affirmeth that vpon a time he commaunded that there should bee brought vnto him ten thousand mice aliue a thousand weasils and a thousand Sorices or wilde fielde-mice so base were his thoughts that while he should haue attended his Emperiall calling and hearkened to the suits and complaints of poore distressed subiects he was busied in killing of mice and therefore in ancient time a mouse-killer was taken for an opprobrious speech for a base sluggish and idle companion The like is reported of a Moscouian Emperour who to afflict his people and to gather money from them commanded the Cittizens of Musco to bring him a pecke full of fleas whereunto the people answered that if they could take so many yet could not they keepe them together from leaping away And mice haue beene brought into publique spectacle because at Lauinium they gnawed asunder the shields of siluer and it was afterward iudged a prodigie for there followed the Marsicke war When the Scythians vnderstoode that Darius with his great army stoode in neede of vittailes they sent vnto him a Prouant-master with these presents or gifts a birde a mouse a frog and fiue darts At the receipte whereof the Persians wondered what should be meant thereby and demaunded of the messenger the meaning of the mystery But the Ambassador answered he knew not any signification of his presents but onely receiued charge to deliuer them and make hast backe againe and to bid the Persians if they were wise to lay their wits together to know and vnderstand the meaning thereof When the Persians heard him say so they fell to consultation Darius gaue his opinion that the mouse signified the earth Herodotus the frog the waters the bird horses and the darts warlike furniture and strength of forces and that the Scythians by sending all these vnto them yeelded that the Persians should be Lords of their land sea horses and themselues and that therefore they ought to be of good courage But one Gobrias a graue Councellor who was one of the seuen that slew the Magi or Wizards aunswered otherwise for his coniecture was more true for said he O persae nisi effecti vt aues subuoletis in coelum aut vt mures subeatis terram aut vt ranae insiliatis in paludes non remeabitis vnde venistis his sagittis confecti O ye Persians except ye become like birds to flye vp into heauen or like mice to creepe into the earth or like frogs to leap into the waters you shall not returne back againe vnto the place from whence you came and so indeede it came to passe We reade 1. Sam. 5. that when the Arke of God was taken by the Philistimes and they kept it in their Temple at Hazzah the hand of the Lord fell vppon their Princes and hee smote them with Emrods in the bottome of their belly that is God punished them with mice for he afflicted their bodies and the fruites of the earth for which cause Cap. 6. they aduise with themselues to send back againe the Arke of the Lord with a present of Golden Mice Ouid Homer and Orpheus call Apollo Smyntheus for the Cretians in auncient time called Mice Smynthae Now the fained cause thereof is thus related by Aelianus There was one Crinis which was a Priest of Apollo who neglected his dayly sacrifice for the which through aboundance of mice he was depriued of the fruites of the earth for they deuoured all At which losse Apollo himselfe was moued and taking pittie of the miserie appeared to one Horda a Neate-heard commaunding him to tell Crinis that all the cause of that penury was for that he had omitted his accustomed sacrifice and that it was his duetie to offer them againe diligently or else it would be farre worse afterward Crinis vpon the admonition amended the fault and immediatly Apollo killed all the deuouring Mice with his darts whereuppon he was called Smyntheus Other againe