you call your Arman What other vertues hath it more than what you have already delivered Hippos Truely Sir I have shewed you before in a manner all its vertues and to recite them again I say it is most soveraign for Horses that have taken a cold or have inflamations or Pustils under their Chaule or thereby are troubled with the Quinsye or Squinansye These maladies this Confection will help if it be given good and thick with a horne for having the Quinsye in the throat if in giving this Arman it provoketh him not to cough then take some of the confection upon the end of a Buls-Pizell and put it a pretty way down his throat by which meanes he strayning to cough may breake the impost humation in his throat whereby the Horse may be in the lesse danger of his life and causing the Matterative stuffe to vent out the Horse will be in short time perfectly cured Hippoph Are there any other kindes of Arman besides this Hippos Onely one more Sir which also the French have brought amongst us which is not altogether so operative as the former and this it is Arman 2 viz. Take hony one pound and warm it a little upon the fire then take half a pinte of Vineger a little Wheate flower and one penny-worth of Pepper in fine powder mixe all these and administer it bloud warme as aforesaid Hippophil With what manner of vineger doe you usually make up your medicines Hippos When we speake in generall termes of vineger to be put into any medicines to be given either for inward or outward diseases we alwayes intend it must the strongest and best white wine vineger Vineger but if it be of any other kinde of vineger or verjuyce we then do give it in the Receit its proper name Hippophyl As touching hony wherewith you make up your medicines what manner of honey must it be Hippos That should be made of life-honey onely Honey and of none other unlesse common honey or course-honey be in the Receit particularly named as it many times is Hippophyl Let us now goe on to somewhat else what hold you good for the head-ach in a horse § 3. A. Hippos VVE administer according to the nature of the Disease for that the pains in the head are severall and distinct diseases and therefore have severall cures Hippoph Which be those severall maladies and how may a man know and distinguish them each from other Hippos A judicious and cautelous observation is it whereby we doe know and distinguish all sorts of maladies for the Horse being a dumb creature without reason and speech Ach in th◠head is not able like as man can to tell you where his paine lyeth and therefore it must be the eye and judgement of the Ferrier to be able to observe his true symptomes whereby he may goe right to accomplish the cure otherwise he must of necessity faile Wherefore as the diseases of the head are of severall natures every of which doe beget his paine even so are the medicines which we apply as different Now these paines in the head doe proceed from the braine or from the panicles by which meanes they doe properly breed Megrims the Night-Mare Glanders Rhumes Cathars Apoplexies Convulsions Palsies Frenzies the Takings Sleeping-evill Madnesse and the like all which commonly doe proceed from the substance of the braine or from the panicles for that from the cels and ventricles through which the spirits animall doe give feeling and moving to all the parts and members of the body the diseases before mentioned doe engender Hippophyl From what grounds hath this head-ach its source or Organ Hippos The grounds and causes are many Sir some being inward and some outward as by meanes of some cholericke humour which may be predominant by which meanes it doth oft times breed in the panicles or else of some heat taken through violent labour and sometimes by some blow given him in the Poule or other place of the head and some doe hold it cometh of some evill savour which I also doe allow of sometimes it cometh of Crudityes and raw digestions from the Stomack by reason there is so great a sympathy betwixt the Stomack and the Braine whereby they doe continually participate as well of their good dispositions in health as of their domages in the least of their infirmities and sufferings Hippoph But many there be who do hold stifly that a Horse hath no Braines at all but only a kind of windy liquid substance not unlike unto a kind of jelly Hippos That opinion is most erronious for a horse hath a most perfect brain Braines like as hath any other living Creature albeit indeede not in so great a proportion as other Animals have For naturall reason doth dictate that if a Horse had not his Braine it were impossible for him to have semblable diseases in the Head which both Man and all other living things have who are I say likewise subject to such Maladies which could not proceed from any other Causes but only from those before premised Neither were it possible for a Horse to endure so great labour and toyle or to undergoe so great and so many waies such extreame violences as daily he doth if Nature had not endowed him with his organal parts correspōdent to his strength ablenesse and activity of body neyther could he have any memory at all but appeare a Lump of flesh and bones without motion But not to verberate the Ayre I affirme that a Horse hath his Braines in as compleate measure albeit as I have but now touched not in so great a quantity as other beasts have but in as ample solid and sufficient manner as any other living creature together with the skinne which Artists doe call Pannicles which doth adhere to the bones conducted by the Cells or Conducts by which the Vitall Spirits doe give some feeling sense motion to the body from whence proceeds the causes of diseases and sicknesse And for your better satisfaction if you please I may be present when at any time your Huntsman is to cut up a horse for your Hounds I will let you see most plainely both the Braine and the Pannicles Hippoph How shall a man come to know when a Horse hath any pain in his Head Hippos The Symtomes are most evident if you eye him well for his eyes will swell and become watry and ofttimes Matterative he will hang downe his head as if he were sleepy he will pricke his eares upright forsake his meate and his sight will be dim Hippoph What cure have you for the Head-ach Hippos Some use to perfume his head with the stalkes of Garlick and Frankinsence two or three severall times which will bring much liquid stuffe forth of his Nose which indeed is very good and I doe practise it sometimes as occasion is offred but then withall after I have perfumed him I use to let him bloud in the Palate vein
or with some sword hatchet Bill or other edge-toole or that you should enforce him to doe more than what nature or strength were well able to compasse or leading him upon plaine ground he might wrinch any member or sway his back or breake his leg either by the stroke or stripe of some other horse or otherwise accidentally or should by misfortune fall downe some steepe precipice whereby he may breake or dislocate some limb or member all these disasters we usually doe call Accidentall and all such things of this nature Hippiat Which be the elements which doe give life and nutriment unto man and all other living creatures Hippos They are foure in number that is to say Fire Ayre Water and Earth whose natures if you shall please I will discusse elsewhere Hippiat No I pray let us have them both now and elsewhere their natures conditions and qualities Hippos The nature of Fire is to be hot and dry Ayre to be hot and moyst Water to be cold and moyst and Earth to be cold and dry Hippiat Doe you know the twelve Signes of the Zodiacke and how they doe govern the body of man and of all creatures Hippos Yes I doe know them all perfectly and thus are they called Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Vrgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricornus Aquarius Pisces These doe all governe the twelve Months of the yeare and are placed above the Zodiack Hippiat Doe you know the names of the Planets and their numbers Hippos That I doe very well and they bee seven in number to wit Saturne Iupiter Mars Sol Venus Mercury and Luna Hippiat What parts doe the twelve Signes before mentioned governe Hâ—ppos Aries governeth the Head Taurus the Neck Gemini the Shoulders and Armes Cancer the Stomack and Breast Leo the Heart Virgo the Belly anâ— Guts Libra the Reines and Buttocks Scorpio the Privy parts Sagittarius the Thighs Capricornus the Knees Aquarius the Legs and Pisces the Feete Hippiat In what dayes is it best for a horse to be let bloud Hippos If there be no extraordinary cause as in case of desperate sicknes or so then Ianuary the third and the fifteene Februâ—ry the fourth and nineth March the seventeene and eighteene Aprill the tenth and sixteene May the first thirteene Iune fifteene and twenty But for Iuly and August by reason that the Canicular-dayes be then predominate bloud-letting is not so good but only in urgent case of necessity In September the eleventh and twenty eight October the eight and twenty three November the fift and sixteene December the fourteene and twenty six And these daies doe wee hold to be the very best unlesse dangerous or sudaine sicknesse doe cause us to alter the same for in cases of necessity no daies are to be regarded or observed For Qui retinente vita et non sit mortis imago Si semper fuerit vivens morietur et infra Hippiat What medicine would you apply to a Horse who may have any of the foure Maladyes Hippos I would give him of the foure Cordiall waters which I would make of Buglas Savin Succary Aquavitae Endife and the like Hippiat How would you make a comfortable drinke Hippos I would make it of certaine Cordialls to wit of Sugar Cinamon Cloves Nutmegs Saffron Licoris Annyseeds all these in fine powder adding thereto white wine and all these infused in a cleane earthen pot and hereof would I make a drinke Hippiat Whereof would you make an operative drinke Hippos I would take white Wine Sallet-oyle Aloes Rubarb Agarick Duke or Duck-powder Hony Cordial-powder and of all these things would I put such a quantity as I should thinke requisite and according to the strength and corpulency of the Horse Hippiat Whereof would you make a laxative Clister Hippos Into a laxative Clister I will put either of Pellitory Melelote or Cammamile but Pellitory is the best and of this would I make a Decoction and to this Decoction would I put Sallet Oyle Hony Aloes and Verjuice of the Crab. Hippiat What be the natures of your principall Drugs Hippiat Agarick purgeth the Braine Allos the Breast and body Rubarb purgeth the evill water and it openeth the Liver and helpeth obstructions and oppilations Aristolochia-Rotunda mollifieth the Breast Liver and Lungs and Bacchalauri or Bay-berries doe mortifie the peccant Humours which doe ingender in the Breast or Entrayles nere about the Heart and Saffron if it be discreetly given doth marveylously comfort and enlighten the Heart CHAP. II. Of the causes of Sicknesse in generall and the causes of Health and long Life Hippiat NOw that we have proceeded thus farre in a discussion of the Office of the Ferrier Let us approach yet nearer to intreate of the Cures and that we may goe on Pedetentim and Gradatim Let us first discusse the causes of Maladies and therefore I demand of you What are the true Causes of the sicknesse of the Horse Hippos Sir that man which hath a desire to become an Expert Ferrier must apply himselfe to understand the true nature of two things viz. of Generation and of Corruption in which I could never find the least discord in the Primary nature of Horses albeit compounded of the contrary nature of the foure Elements But I will proceed in Anatomizing unto you the verity hereof more particularly whereby you may the better understand my meaning Hippophyl But friend Hipposerus in my judgement you begin to assume too high a pitch for ordinary Feâ—riers who are in a manner all or the greater number un-lettered persons and therefore will never be able to understand what Generation and Corruption meaneth for these are termes taken from the grounds of Philosophy and therefore above their Genius or Sphere Hippos Sir there be many things necessary to bee duly knowne and as diligently to be observed in him that desireth to be a perfect and able Ferrier which whosoever shall be defective in he may well be an Empyreticall-Hors-Leach but skilfull Ferrier or Marshall he shall never be And for that you please to say that I sore too high because I began my discourse with the termes of Generation and Corruption if you had not interrupted me I should have explicated my selfe so cleerely as that a very reasonable judgement might easily have apprehended me for I hold it not a thing fitting to pussell mens Braines either with Chimeras which they are not able to understand or with over-long and tedious discourses of things meerly impertinent but if you shall be pleased to heare me with patience I will touch upon this subject to wit What are the causes of Sicknesse in generall as also of Health and long Life and that Laconica brevitate and so leave the rest to your judgement and practise especially considering what other Authours my Masters have so learnedly and no lesse sufficiently intreated in this very Art To begin therefore and but to say what I said before with the causes of sicknesse and death of Horses in generall in
them in particular Hyppos I will Sir These twelve causes of long life doe come to a horse either inwardly or outwardly which howsoever they must be holpen either by Art by Industry or else by judgement and discretion Wherefore you must know that whatsoever is naturall must necessarily proceed from good temperature 1 What thâ— do hinder nature dâ—gestion aâ— nutrimenâ— and proportionate mixture of the foure qualities of the body so as the just and adequate proportions of temperate mixture are the true causes of long life by reason that all mixtures of superfluities are against these three things viz. Nature good digestion and sound Nutriment For heat and nutriment are then well proportioned when neither the moisture with its too great quantity is predominant whereby it devoureth the heat nor when over-much heat too suddenly consumeth and destroyeth the moysture howbeit there must be a necessity that the heat must have a kinde of regality and dominion over the moisture otherwise it will never be able to nourish the body as it ought The second cause of long life 2 Moderatâ—on in eatiâ—â— is the moderation of their naturall appetite of eating it being availeable either in excesse to kill and destroy or in moderation to save whereby the horse shall daily repaire the decay of his humidity by supply of moderate nourishment and never over-whelme or suppresse his heat with too great abundance of moisture nor mixe his Humidum Radicale with too much superfluous impurities for extreames are evermore perilous and ill as well in excesse as in defect For as too much eating bee the meate never so good and wholesome hindreth good digestion and ingendreth Crudities together with an evill habit of the Stomack so likewise too spare a diet doth as much weaken and decay nature by reason that the heat which thereby will arise in the stomacke will first over-charge and afterward conquer the Radicall moysture both which are friends to sicknesse and death 3 Moderate labour The third cause of long life is moderate labour a matter very much effectuall to digestion and therfore to long life dilating and spreading nutriment into every member of the body for over-much rest breedeth in the body superabundance of bad humours which cooleth the body for want of which moderate exercise it is as it were cast into a sleep and in a manner through lumpishnesse besotted and benummed from whence doth spring another mischiefe equivalent to the former to wit a collection of excrementall superfluities occasioned through lazinesse and idlenesse by reason that the horse for want of moderate Exercise is not able to digest his received nutriment by which meanes many maladies are ingendred in his body proceeding from corruption in the bloud crudities in the stomack and the like because he hath in his body as a man may properly say a very sink or standing-pool of unnaturall humours And therfore I give all men this caveat viz. to be very carefull they do not put their horses to over-much labour and travell untill such time as they have well digested their meat for that by their immoderate exercise they over-clog their stomack and so they cannot have a true concoction their stomacks being full and their bodies cloyed and over-much stuffed with raw and cruded humours which through violent exercise are dispersed first into all the Veins corrupting the bloud and from thence into al the parts of the body which ingendreth so many noysome infirmities within the bodie and so many lothsome sorances without the body as will not easily be cured and therfore it doth greatly behove a man that his horse if hee love him and desire to keep him long his exercise be neither too intemperate nor too little but ordred with judgment and discretion 4 Moderate sleepe The fourth cause of long life is moderate use of sleeping waking for these are the mayntenance of health and long life if they be had with moderation and both are very noxius otherwise beyond measure For inordinate watching is a mayn enemy to health for it wasteth and consumeth the vitall spirits and it decayeth the Humidum Radicale causeth maceration and sterility it is an impediment to the operation of the Brain and sense it begetteth siccitie in the Brain and aridity in the Marrow and worketh the like evill effects in the Liver and Lungs On the otherside immoderate sleepe hindreth health quencheth the natural heat and consumeth the moysture in the Body for sleep is but a vapour ascending from the Stomacke to the Braine What mâ—ner of thâ— sleepe is which stupifieth the Brain for a season and during that time it maketh the body senslesse and the sooner it being provoked by over-much feeding stuffing and filling of the belly and therfore it greatly standeth a man upon that he hath a vigilant care to his horse his sleep that it be moderately taken for as I said out now as too much sleepe is noxious so also too little is as prejudiciall The fifth cause of health 5 Moderaâ— in spendâ— upon Mâ— and health and long life is that great care be had in keeping your horse from excesse in spending himself upon Mares for that is Death's Harbinger by reason it doth after a most violent manner consume the spirits debilitateth the stomack dryeth up the brain and Marrow and therfore the reason why a Gelding if he be kept free from surfets is longer lived than the Stoned-horse so likewise the reason why a Mule being a mixed creature howbeit a Monster in nature is longer lived than either of them for that his justing howsoever without fruit in that kind is but once only in the whole course of his life and therfore I could wish that one Horse be not suffred to cover above three Mares at the most through out the whole yâ—er and that from the yeers of his comming to sixe untill he hath attained twelve and no longer for when a horse hath once seene twelve yeers of his age nature will then begin to decay wherby he shall not be able to beget Colts which can prove so good and serviceable as those hee begat in his yong yeeres For besides hard and toylsome labour this act of coity with Mares doth more weaken and dull him for you cannot be ignorant of the old Proverb which saith Omne animal post coitum triste The sixt cause of long life is moderate riding in long journies 6 Moderaâ— journey 〈◊〉 for by intemperate driving his heat from the inward into the outward parts of the body is the cause that the fire of choler will be enkindled which will be so vehement as that it must needs prove an infinite horrour unto nature so inflaming the bloud that if the Horse at the same instant be not very empty and clean in his body the bloud and humours being mixed together will be through the violence therof dispersed into all and every part and member of the body and then a sudden cold taken
upon it which rarely faileth doth instantly putrifie and corrupt the bloud and congealeth it to the unavoydable perill of the life of the Horse especially if after this intemperate riding he be either suffered to drinke or ridden into the water as many of your surly and lazy Grooms are accustomed to do My counsell therfore is that when you have any long journey in hand let his travell be moderate inhibit walking washing or giving him cold water but so soon as you shall dismount him let his Keeper have him into the Stable well littered and throughly rubbed through all the pâ—rts of his body till hee be thorow dry let him be clothed and stopped up warm and at a reasonable time let him have white water 7 Wholesoâ— ayre The seventh cause of health and long life is wholsome ayre and soyle clean keeping painfull and good dressing the Stable kept neat sweet and warm his food old sweet clean and dry well fifted and shaken and freed from dust and filth his litter sweet and dry and all wet and old litter removed from under his feet and manger and let all evill savours be removed from about the Stable 8 Not to travell too soone after grasse The eight cause of health and long life is not to suffer your Horse to be travelled or exercised too soon after you have taken him from grasse untill such time as he be thorowly purged and cleansed from his superfluous and bad humours which hee gat by being at grasse in time of his rest and full feeding which certainly are not a few but hereof I have sufficiently spoken before in this very Chapter and therfore I passe it over 9 Not to eate raw or green meate The ninth cause of health and long life is not to suffer him to eate any raw or green meate whilst he shall be kept in the Stable for that such diet doth beget many bad and humours oppugnant to nature as Feavers Surfets Yellowes Stavers Anticors Morfounding and the like all which will debilitate Nature and endanger the breeding of many desperate diseases to the perill as well of the Horses life as health if extraordinary care be not had by way of prevention in very good time by the diligence of an Expert Ferrier 10 Not to eate whilst he is heat The tenth cause of health and long life is by keeping your Horse from meate and drinke whilst hee is hot for that doth weaken the heart and spirits it is an enemy to the Appetite and digestion engendreth Oppilations and Obstructions corrupteth and putrifieth the bloud breedeth Feavers and many other maladies and is very often the occasion of suddaine death 11 Not to bee walked or washed The eleventh cause of health and long life is to bee very precise that you doe not permit your Horse to be walked or washed after labour or travell if in his travell he hath been heat but presently after you dismount him let him be led into the Stable well littered warm clothed painefully rubbed and dried but hereof I have spoken sufficiently in the sixt cause and else where 12 To mix certain powders with his provender The twelfth and last cause of health and long life is to use sometimes to put and mix with his provender certaine powders viz. the powder of Anniseeds and of Licoris or of Fenugrick Tumerick Bay-berries or Brimstone white-Lilly roots small chopped Enula-campane roots if green and newly gathered otherwise dried and beaten to fine powder or the roots of Polipodium of the Oke or its powder Savin Marsh-Mallowes Rue Isope Hore-hound or Colts-foote these either small chopped if you give them green or else dried and given in powder which Simples will keepe him sound and in perfect health for their vertues are to purifie the bloud prevent Obstructions open and resolve the Liver coole the Bloud and perserve the whole structure of the Body in excellent health Thus have I as succinctly as I have beene able declared the reasons of sicknesse in general together with the true causes of health long life the contrarietyes whereof will engender in your Horse infirmities and death for the sensitive Bodies as well of all other creatures as of Horses are often upon the least cause given disgusted brought out of ioynt and temper by reason of the assidual warfare of the never-ceasing-iarring Elements that it not a little importeth a Masters care to looke very narrowly into the state of his body For put case that time and experience doe approve the contrariety of the before named inherent qualityes of Heat Cold Drynes and Moisture the formall causes of all intrinsecall diseases the continuance and unperceivable lingring in them together with the true cause of their suddaine and untimely death Yet is there meanes as easily to be found as well for the prevention of all ensuing sicknesse if we will but apply our care and diligence before it approacheth as for the able curing of them when they are come and palpably perceived according to the opinion of famous Galen who saith He that preventeth the cause of sicknesse preventeth the sicknesse it selfe for Take away the cause and the effect followeth not Hippoph You have spoken well Hipposerus upon this subject but yet your last Article is not without difficulty in that you do advise to administer certaine powders and other simples unto a horse in his provender which should conserve him in health and prevent all inward diseases in him I cannot certainly but approve very much hereof in that they be most soveraigne in such cases you speake of but the manner of administring them is the thing I much stand upon knowing right well that these simples or the greater part of them are of strong and offensive scents and smels and others are as farre disgustfull and unpleasant to his taste whereby he may very easily be induced by disliking those powders and simples to loath and utterly forsake his provender Hyppos Sir you object well neverthelesse give me leave to tell you that in cases of this nature Vse we say makes perfectnesse True it is that horses will have an aversion from these kinde of drugs and simples but what then have you no feare for rather than he will not eate his Provender at all hunger will in time bring him to it yea as well those powders as his provender provided you doe not offend him by putting in too great a quantity at once but by degrees and that by a little at a time till custome hath made him perfect and most certaine it is that some horses are so coy dainty and choice feeders as that you can hardly provoke them to eate any provender at all whereas others there be who are so great feeders as that they will make no bones to devoure what meat soever you shall lay before them for it is very homely viands which a good stomacke will refuse neverthelesse if you shal finde that your horse cannot be brought to
and Siccity in mixt Bodyes so to harden and fasten them together as that having once assumed their Shaps it causeth them to retein and keep them which otherwise by the force of the other Elements would be so lax and loose as not to be able to hold together wherein I could produce many familiar instances which for brevities sake I am enforced to omit But the opinion of the best Physitians is that when any naturall Body dyeth the substance thereof returneth back againe to those Elements from whence they came Thus you may plainely see that Fire is naturally hot and therefore separateth Ayre moyst and therefore giveth Shape Water cold and therefore bindeth and Earth dry and therefore naturally hardneth and keepeth its impression Wherefore in any Malady in a Horse observe but this one Rule viz. that when at any time an Inflamation shall arise in the Body be you confident it proceeds of Fire and therefore you must administer if you will performe a right Cure things contrary to that Element to wit what may be agreeable to Ayre and Water whereby to moysten coole and allay the rage of the heat If it be a Flux of Bloud or the like proceeding from the abundance of moysture which takes its origin from the Element of Ayre then must you apply Medicines which may connive with the Eâ—rth whose drynesse may harden such moysture If it proceed of Cold Rhumes or the like whereby the infirmity hath its source from the Element of Water you must then administer Medicines cohering with the Element of Fire and Ayre which may be able through its heat and moysture to expell all cold and grosse humours And lastly if the griefe be Maingenesse or the like which cometh from the Earth which be dry and arid infectious diseases then must your applications be had from the Element of Fire whose nature is to dissolve all siccative humours Wherefore I say againe that heat being too predominant is asswaged by the meanes of moystnesse and coldnesse too great moystnesse by heat and drynesse over-much coldnesse by heat and drynes and too great a proportion of drynesse by heat alone Hippophyl But then tell me I pray you bee there no other Elements or beginnings in Living Bodies more then these foure before named Hippos No Sir not any other which have their beginnings but there are two other which the Learned doe terme proper Elements viz. the Ingendring of Seed and Menstruall Bloud but these I say doe assume their essence from the other foure Elements whereby they become a Body wâ—ich otherwise they could not and therefore are subordinate to them and they take their place after them Hippophil Having spoken sufficiently of the Natures and Qualities of these foure Elements What say you to the Humours Hippos I say that the Humours are also foure in number The 4. first Qualities which Physitians doe stile the first Qualities according as I have formerly intimated and these foure are Bloud Phlegme Choler and Melancholy Bloud being sweet in tast Phlegme neither sweet bitter nor sowre and therefore of no tast or if of any like to that of good Oyle rather sweet then otherwise Choler is bitter in tast and Melancholy is sowre in tast So as by these tasts you may distinguish them and these Humours have reference or neere affinity unto the foure Elements for like as I have before agnized Bloud is of the nature of the Ayre Phlegme of the Water Choler of the Fire and Melancholy of the Earth and these Humours have their particular abode and residence in the body absolute and peculiar to themselves as Bloud hath his abiding in and about the Heart Phlegme in the Braine Choler in the Liver and Melancholy in the Spleene whereby we may the better come to know what Complexion raigneth in every Horse as also how he is naturally qualified and disposed for the Horse that is of a Sanguine Complexion is commonly a Bright Bay who is of disposition joviall wanton or merry agile and of motion temperate neither too fiery nor too dull or melancholy Your Milke-white is of Complexion Phlegmatique whose property commonly is to bee lunt heavy and slow your Bright-Sorrell hath commonly reference to Choler and he is naturally for the most part fiery hot and ever-free-mettled but yet of no great strength Your Mouse-Dunne and such like rusty and sut-colours are commonly of a Melancholy Complexion and they be ordinarily cowardly faint-hearted subject to starting flothfull restife stubborne disobedient revengefull c. but if these Complexions be rightly symbolized and doe all meete in one and the same Horse according to each ones proper nature they doe performe their functions as they ought in a perfect harmony whereby the Horse remaineth sound and healthy but if there be discord or disagreement in the Elements and Humours there must bee the like in the Complexions and then doth the poore horse suffer for it to the danger both of Life and Health Hyppophyl I ever understood that there are certaine Spirits which doe remaine in the body of every Horse doe you know them Hipposerus Hippos Yes I doe and they be said to bee two in number viz. The Spirit Animal Spirit Animal and the Spirit Vitall the Spirit Animal hath its residence in the Braine by which meanes it giveth motion feeling and power to the Horse through the ayd of the Sinewes and the Spirit Vitall Spirit Vitall makes abode in the Heart which is the only cause of the excessive heat thereof which disperseth the Bloud into every part and member of the Body For the Heart and the Braine are in equality absolutely different the Heart being most violently hot as I have before shewed and the Braine is as extreamely cold and so hereof needs not any more be spoken in this place Hippophyl But may not a man conjecture to what infirmities or diseases Horses may probably be subject by their Complections Hyppos Yis Sir very easily yea and that with so great advantage and profit to the Cure if the Ferrier be expert and skilfull in the making and applying of his Medicines The disease known by the Complexion as that nothing can be more For example the horse that is of colour either bright-Bay or dark Bay with a pleasant and cheerfull countenance or if he bee a white Flea-bitten white-Lyard or Black with a white-starre or race downe the face or white-foot if he be of eyther of these colours we hold him to bee of a Sanguine Complection and in Horses of this Complecâ—â—on the Element of Aire is most predominant Of the Sanguine Complexion and they be commonly of nature affable well-metled active and of good strength but the Maladies whereunto they are most usually incident are Leaprosies glanders Consumptions and the like yet these Horses are frequently of so able Constitutions as that they have vigour enough to endure good and strong Medicines provided these Medicines be not too hot but cooling The Horse
taken in the foot as by being hot foundred prickt stubd graveld or the like or by some sinew spraine or some hurt or wrench in the shoulder or by some pinch in the withers and it commeth also by over-riding and then negligently set up which causeth him to goe stiffe and then the cure must be done with bathes and unguents wherby to stretch supple mollifie and to comfort the stiffe members for remedy and ease whereof I have given you very many good receits before prescribed you as well of bathes as of unguents But yet I will give you one more which I have often made use of and have done much good therewith for stiffe legges Stiffe legge viz. Take of Hogs grease one pound of fresh Butter Altheae and of oyle de Bay of each halfe a pound mixe and incorporate all these well together and therewith anoynt rub and chafe the legges and sinewes of the horse every third day three times a day and let his shooes be made wide enough especially at the heeles and let him be pared thin the sinewes being well suppled it is needfull he be also cut of the cords which will prevent his stumbling the better Stumbling commeth also by meanes of carrying heavy burthens and when the rider is a man of an extraordinary weight especially if the Horse be young ✚ This is a very good cure §. 19. S. Hippoph VVHat is to be given to a Horse that cannot Stale or Pisse Stale or pisse Hippos This infirmity commeth either of the collicke or by meanes of too much hard riding the cure is Take Grummell seed Saxafrage-seed and the roots of each halfe an ounce make them into fine powder boyle them a walme or two in white Wine one quart and give it him warme ✚ This is very good Another Take the tops of green Broom and burne a good quantity of them so as you may have so many of the ashes as will come to be a pretty handfull searce them and put them into white Wine a pinte and after it hath infused an houre give him the Wine but not the ashes ✚ This is very good Another Take black buds of the Ashen tree and burn them then take the ashes cleansed and as before is shewed you of the Broome ashes and administer it to the Horse just as you did the other X This is a most approved cure § 20. S. Hippoph VVHat good cure have you for the Stavers Hippos This disease is secundum vulgus called the Staggers Of melancholy but the true name thereof is the Stavers it is a dizzinesse in the head neerly allyed unto the frenzy when it seazeth the braine It is ingendred sometimes of corrupt bloud and heavy and bad humours which do intoxicate and oppresse the braine It is a disease incident to almost every horse yea and that most dangerous if it be not soone espied Sometimes it commeth by feeding and grazing at what time the Horse is hard ridden that he be hot and sweateth for by his feeding and holding down his head so low as to graze upon the ground the peccant humours doe fall down to the head and there settle and in short time seazeth the braine which bringeth this mortall disease Sometimes it commeth by what was occasioned by hard and over-violent riding whereby the whole body became distempered and the bloud inflamed and putrified and sometimes it commeth by eating over-much Corrupt bloud for thereby is the stomack so overcharged with meat as not to be able to digest and convert it all as it ought into good bloud and nutriment and therefore must necessarily breed evill humours which attaching the head and braine it is in conclusion the cause of this disease The symptomes whereby to discover it is in that his sight will faile him and he will hardly be able to see a white Wall he will slaver at the mouth and his eyes will be swelled and runne with much water and other filth and his gate will be reeling and staggeâ—ing he will oft lye down and beat his head against the planks floore and walles and when he is laid his body will quiver and shake and he will forsake his meat and these be most certaine signes which I have ever observed to be in horses oppressed and exercised with this infirmity But now to come to the cure I will give you first a cure which a French Marishal taught me which by reason it sounded to be so much improbable I would never make tryall thereof but such as it is you shall have it Fasten unto the end of a stick a linnen ragge and anoint it well with Barbary Sope and put it up into his nose gently and by degrees and so draw it out again as treatably Another If you do perceive your horse in his travell to fall sicke suddenly of the Stavers Stavers and that you be in such a place where for the present you can get no help then thrust up the greater end of your riding rod into either nostrill good and hard causing him thereby to bleed well and this will preserve him for the time till you come where you may meet with better remedy then take a piece of Wheaten leaven bay Salt Rue Aqua vitae and strong white Wine Vineger of each as much as will suffice bray all these in a stone morter very well then put this medicine into two thin fine linnen clothes or rags by equall portions and then moisten it well in the liquor and so convey those clouts into either of his eares one and then stitch them up close that he get not the medicine forth but that the substance thereof may be diffused into his head and let the medicine remaine so foure and twenty hours then take forth the rags and this will make him a sound and whole horse ✚ But before you apply this medicine to his eares run him through the gristle of the nose with a long iron Bodkin and the next day after let him bloud in the neck and mouth and then giue him this drink which will keep off the Yellowes for comming too fast upon him then take Turmerick Mirrha Ivory or Harts-horne of each one ounce of Saffaron one penny worth pound all these by themselves to very fine powder then take Seladine a good handfull stamp it and straine it and put the juyce thereof to the other ingredients then put unto it of Muskadine or sweet Sack one pinte or for want thereof of strong Ale one quart adding unto it of London Treacle one ounce set these upon the fire and let it boyle one walme or two and in the taking off put unto it of sweet Butter the quantity of an Egge and so having well brewed the same give it him bloud warme and for three or foure dayes give him either sweet Mashes or white water ✚ This is very good Another First take bloud from him in the necke and mouth and let him chew and swallow down his own