earth as manginesse and leprosie or their like that are dry hardened infections then you shal seeke simples of the nature of the fire onely whose heate may dissolue loosen those ill knit dry and hard humors Thus you see too much heate is abated by coldnesse and moistnesse too much moistnesse by heate and drinesse too much coldnesse by heate and moistnesse too much drinesse by heate onely Thus much of these foure common elements which begin all things liuing and vnliuing sensible and vnsensible yet of sensible things which liue and haue bloud there be other more neare elements or beginnings which are called proper elements or generation as the ingendring seede and menstruall bloud from whence euery beast taketh his first shape and beginning and yet these proper beginnings haue their whole dependancy and hanging vpon the qualities of the first common beginnings already spoken of which is moist dry hot and cold for without them they are nothing nor can do any thing CHAP. 3. Of Temperaments and their seuerall kindes and how farre euery way they extend in horses THese Temperaments or Temperatures which are the second things in a horses composition do spring from the commixture of the foure elements and are nine in number whereof eight are vnequall and the ninth is equall Of the eight vnequall foure are â—imple and those be hot cold moist and dry which Physitions call the first qualities and of these the first two be actiue and the other two passiue the other foure are compound and they be hot moist hot dry cold and moist cold and dry Now the equall temperament is diuided into two an vniuersall and a speciall The equall Temperament vniuersall is when the foure elements are in an equall proportion genenerally diuided through the whole body nature enioyning no more from the one then from the other The equall Temperament special is when the elements are proportioned according as euery kind doth most properly require be it either plant or beast in plants when euery plant hath that commixture of elements which are proper to its kinde the hot plant being hot the cold being cold and so forth whereas contrariwise to haue a hot plant cold or a cold hot to haue rue cold or sorrell hot were a false and vnequal commixture of elements So likewise of beasts that horse that dogge that swine is said to haue his due Temperament when hee is of such temperature as is most proper vnto his kinde which onely is best discerned by his actions or motions As thus the horse is known to be hot and mâ—â—st by his lâ—gâ—tnesse swiftnesse valiantnesse and long life and also to be of a temperate nature in that he is easily tamed docible obedient and familiar with the man And so long as either horse or any other thing continueth in the mediocrity and excellencie of his proper Temperament so long we may truly iudge him of a good temper disposition but if there be any ouerflow of qualities or excesse in his humors as either in heate coldnesse moistnesse or drinesse then we say he is either a hot cholericke horse a cold dull horse a dry mischieuous horse or a moyst cowardly horse according to the ouerflow of that quality which raigneth in him Againe euery horse is sayd to haue his due Temperament according to his age and the country wherein he is bred and sometimes according to the time of the yeare wherein he liueth And thus a horse in his foalâ—-age which is till he be sixe yeares old is naturally hot and moist In his middle age which is till twelue more hot and dry then moist and in his old age which is past eighteene more cold and dry then either hot or moist So likewise the horses which are bred in southerne parts as either in Spaine Barbary or Greece are naturally more hot then those which are bred either in the seuenteene lands Germany or England either is there any horse which is in good state of body that is so hot in the spring time of the yeare as in the summer nor so cold in the summer as in the winter All which obseruations are with most curious diligence to be obserued of euery horse-leach when he goeth about to cure any sicknes for vnlesse he consider their natures temperatures and euery other circumstance already declared he shall right soone be deceiued in the administration of his physicke Therfore I earnestly aduise euery Farrier before he giue any drench or potion first to enquire the kinde race and disposition of the horse next his age then the country and lastly the time of the yeare and so according to the truth thereof to mixe his receipts It is most expedient also for euery horse-leach to consider the second qualities which are so called because they take their beginnings from the first qualities already declared of which second qualities some be called palpable or to be touched as these softnesse hardnesse smoothnesse roughnesse toughnesse brickelnesse lightnesse heauinesse thinnesse thicknesse smalnesse grosnesse and such other like Some againe are not palpable as those which appertaine to hearing seeing and smelling as noysses colours odours and such like and by obseruing well these second qualities he shall with much ease know whether the horse be disposed to any sicknes or not as shall be more largely declared hereafter in euery particular chapter CHAP. 4. Of humours and to what end they serue NOw concerning Humours which are the third composers of a horses body and so likewise of euery other beast also you shall vnderstand that they are foure in number that is to say Bloud Fleame Choler and Melancholy As touching bloud it is in it owne nature vncorrupted and therefore hot and moyst and sweet in taste as participating of the elements Fire and Aire Fleame is cold and moist and either sweet or wallowish without any taste at all as participating of the elements water and aire Choler is hot and dry and bitter in taste as participating of the elements fire and earth Melancholy is cold and dry and in taste â—ower and heauy as participating of the elements water and earth so that these foure humours by their qualities are euery way allied vnto the elements For to speake briefly and according to the manner of Physitions Bloud is of the nature of aire it being most predominant therein Fleame of the nature of water Choler of the nature of fire and Melancholy of the nature of the earth And albeit these humours are simbolized or mixt through euery part of the body yet euery one of them aboundeth more in one part then in another and haue their places of residence absolute and peculiar to themselues as Bloud about the heart Fleame in the braine Choler in the liuer and Melancholy in the spleene Now as these humors do more or lesse abound or haue greater or lesser soueraignty in the body of the horse so is the beast naturally better or worse coloured qualified or
that thing which is made or proceedeth from it Now of these elements which are the vsuall first mouers or beginners of all mouing things there are onely foure in number that is to say Fire Aire Water and Earth meaning not that fire aire water and earth which is visible here with vs beneath and which through the grossenes thereof is both palpable and to be discerned but those which are mounted aloft and through their purity inuisible and concealed from vs for the other are compounded bodies and not simple And of these perfect and distinct elements you shall know that the fire is the highest as being fixed or ioyned next vnto the Moone being hot and drye yet naturally exceeding or being most predominant or ruling in heate The aire is placed next vnto the fire and is naturally light and hot yet his predominant or chiefe quality is moist The water is adioyned vnto the ayre the disposition thereof being heauy and moist but his predominant or chiefe quality onely cold Lastly the earth adioyned to the water is the lowest and it is most heauy and cold but the predominant or chiefe quality thereof is onely drinesse Now for the vertues properties and operations of these foure elements you shall vnderstand that first the fire by meanes of his heate moueth matter to generation and stirreth vp warmth in all liuing things it is that which the Philosophers call Heterogenia which is in mixt bodies to separate things of diuers kindes one from another and also to ioyne things of like kindes together which they likewise call Homogenia For by vertue of the fire the bones of horses are separated from the flesh the flesh from the sinewes the sinewes from the veines the veines from the arteries the heart from the liuer the liuer from the spleene and so forth in such sort as we see the diuers parts of the fuell we burne by the vertue of the fire and heate to be separated and deuided one from another as the vapour from the smoake the smoake from the flame and the flame from the ashes And as in these things so in many other things as in the tryall of mettals and such like where the fire by vertue of his heate separateth body from body that is mettall from mettall and corruption from incorruption gathering and knitting together euery thing of one and the selfe same kinde Besides the vertue of the fire is to ripen order and digest things raw and vndigested mingling the dry with the moist and opening the powers that the aire being somewhat more solide and grosse may enter into the body and lastly it breatheth and moderateth the coldnesse of the water and the earth so that it may not distemper or confound the body Touching the vertue and operation of the aire you shall vnderstand that by the moistnesse thereof it maketh the matter apt to receiue shape either naturall or accidentall and by the helpe and assistance of the fire bringeth the powers and influences of the heauens and starres into the inferour bodies making the mixt bodies not onely subtile and penetrable but also light and mounting to the end they may neither be too grosse nor too heauy Secondly the ayre through his moistnesse cooleth the burning heate of the heart liuer and intrails as we dayly see by the office of the lights and lungs which like a paire of bellowes draweth vncessantly fresh ayre vnto the heart and inward members And albeit the ayre doth not seeme to the sence of our outward eyes to bee any thing neare so moist as the water yet according to the opinions both of our bookes and best Physitions it it is by much the moister which is well proued say they by the abundant fluxe it containeth which fluxe spreadeth it selfe so farre abroad in the body that it filleth euery empty part and corner thereof with the speciall properties and characters of moistnesse and by that reason is much harder to be kept within his owne bounds then the water is Lastly as the water was altered by God from his first naturall place for the better profite both of man and beast euen so the ayre according to Schoole-mens opinions was not left altogether in his first naturall disposition lest being ouermoist it should so confound and suffocate all sence that neither man nor beast should be able to breathe or liue Now for the vertue and operation of the water it is to be noted that through the coldnesse thereof it conglutinateth and bindeth in mixt bodies both parts members together which be of diuers kinds as bones with flesh and sinewes flesh with sinewes bones and sinewes with bones and flesh Euen as for a familiar example we see in the time of any great frost the strength of the cold how it bindeth things of diuers kinds together bringing into one masse or substance both water dirt stones strawes stickes and leaues the water also with its coldnesse doth temper and coole the inflammation and heate of the fire gathering together those thinges which otherwise the violent heate would disperse and scatter abroad Lastly for the vertue and operation of the earth it is through his drinesse in mixt bodies so to harden and fixe them together that they may retaine their shapes which otherwise by the power of the ayre and water would be so soluble and loose that they could not hold together as we may see in paste waxe and such like which whilest it is moist will receiue no print but being once hardened it retaineth any forme that is prest into it And here to be noted that according to the opinion of Hippocrates when any sensible body dyeth not onely euery quality but euery substance and part makes his returne to the element from whence it came as heate to the fire moistnesse to the ayre coldnesse to the water drinesse to the earth And thus briefly you see that of these foure common elements or common beginners of things the fire being hot separateth the aire being moist shapeth the water being cold bindeth and the earth being dry hardeneth and retaineth The vse that you are to make of this knowledge ouer and beside the composition of a naturall body is that when you find any sicknesse or infirmity which proceedeth from the fire as inflammations of the body or such like that then you apply simples of the nature of the aire or water which may moisten and coole the violence of that heate If the infirmity proceede from the aire as fluxe of blood or too much moisture then you shall apply simples of the nature of the fire or earth whose heate and drinesse may disperse and harden such moisture If the disease spring from the water as colds rheumes apoplexies and such like then you shall seeke simples of the nature of the fire and aire that through the heate of the one and the moist lightnesse of the other all such cold grosse and solide humors may be dispersed But if the disease proceed from the
or pillar which doth vphold this naturall body of which we treate they are not onely belonging but euen deriued from the three powers immediatly spoken of in the former chapter as thus The action and operation of the Power animall is to discerne to moue and to feele Horses discerne by meanes of the vertue Imaginatiue Discoursatiue and Memoratiue whereof the first is placed in the forehead the second in the middle of the braine and the third in the hinder part of the head All which are cōprehended vnder the Power animall Horses moue by meanes of the vertue Motiue whose action operation is to straine or let slacke the sinewes whereby euery member hath his mouing And horses feeling is by meanes of the vertue Sensitiue whose action or operation is busied in the fiue sences as to See Heare Smell Tast and Touch and all these actions spring from the Power animall The action or operation of the Power vitall is to restraine and loosen the heart and the arteries which proceede from the heart which action whether it be hurt or disturbed in a horses body is easily knowne of euery good Farrier or horse Marshall by the vnequall beating of his pulse that is to say of the arteries which cometh downe from the heart to the insides of both his fore legges a little below the knuckles of his shoulders and likewise crosse both the temples of his head a little higher then his eyes And if any man be so simple to imagine that the thicknesse of the horses skinne shall be any impediment to the feeling of this motion let him remember that as a horses skin is thicker then a mans so also are his arteries greater and beate with more violence and so consequently to be felt without any great difficulty The actions or operations of the Power naturall are to ingender to increase to nourish to desire with appetite to attract to change to disgest to retaine and to expell and many others of like kinde These actions therefore are carefully to be looked vnto by euery Farrier to the intent that he may learne by them not only the whole state of a horses body but also what particular member thereof is euill affected as thus If either in your horse you finde much forgetfulnesse vnnimblenesse of his limbes or dulnesse vpon correction it is a signe of sicknesse in the braine and that the Power animal is euillaffected If you find that his pulses do beate extraordinarily flow or much to fast it is a signe that his heart is grieued and his Power vitall euill affected but if you finde that he doth consume pine away loseth his stomacke it is a signe that his liuer is perplexed all his inward parts out of frame and his Power naturall euill affected Now you shall againe vnderstand that of actions some be voluntary some not voluntary The voluntary actions be those which a horse may either further or hinder stay or let when themselues pleaseth as the mouing of the legges for they may go stand or lye downe at their owne pleasure The actions not voluntary are those which depend not vpon the will of any beast but be done of their owne accord and naturally as the mouing of the heart and of the arteries and the passage of the bloud the first whereof beateth sleeping and waking and the other hath his course euery minute And thus much of actions and operations CHAP. 8. Of Spirits and in what parts of the horses body they remaine SPirits which is the seuenth naturall builder of this naturall worke are to be vnderstood to be that fine pure cleare and ayrie substance which is ingendred of the finest part of the bloud whereby the vertue of euery principall member may visite all the other parts of the body making them to do their duties according to the rules of nature Now of spirits according to the opinion of some Physitians there are but two kinds that is the Spirit animall and the Spirit vitall The Spirit animall is that which giueth power of feeling and mouing to a horse and hath his resting place in the braine from whence through the sinewes it is dispersed into all other parts of the body and as it is ingendred of the vitall spirit being more vehemently wrought and laboured and partly of continuall breathing euen so it is partly preserued by the Chaule of the braine which doth howrely water and nourish it The Spirit vitall is contained in the heart from whence it floweth into euery part of the body being the chiefe cause of all naturall heate and it is preserued and nourished both by breathing and bloud To these two spirits there be some Farriers both Italians and French which adde a third spirit and call it the Spirit naturall saying it hath its residence in the liuer the veines but the two former are of such power and haue such superiority that the body cannot liue without them nor haue any being at all wherefore it is the office of the Farrier continually in all his medicines to haue euer some comfortable simple which may maintaine and keepe these spirits in their full strength liuelyhood and vertue And thus much touching spirits those seuen naturall things which compact a naturall body Chap. 9. Of the sixe thing not naturall how they profit and how they hurt HAuing spoken of the naturall things whereof a horses body is compounded it is needfull now that we speake something of the other sixe which be not naturall so farre forth as they concerne the office of the Farrier and no further for with other matters we haue not to do The first thing then which is not naturall yet preserueth a horses body in good state is the aire which being pure sharp cleare and piercing giueth great life and nourishment to a horse but being contrary that is grosse thicke and full of putrifaction it cannot chuse but alter the good habit of his body and breede in him many infirmities Therefore euery Farrier shall haue great respect to the aire wherein a horse either liueth or was bred in as if a horse that was bred in a hot aire come to liue in a cold and through that exchange grow sicke the Farrier shall by warme dyet close house and moderate cloathing bring his nature to a stronger acquaintance also when a horse exceedeth in any of the foure qualities that is in heate moystnesse coldnesse or drinesse it is best for him to liue in that aire which is contrary to that quality wherein hee exceedeth Lastly in many diseases the change of the aire is most wholesome as shall be shewed at large in the particular diseases For the meate and drinke of a horse which is the second thing not naturall in a horses composition it is not to be doubted but whilest it is sweete cleane good as bread well made and baked dry oates dry beanes dry pease sweet hay sweet straw or short grasse so long it nourisheth and preserueth the horses body
to be giuen to the horse with sweet wine or else to make him a drink of goates milke and sallet oyle straining thereunto a little frumenty or else to giue him sodden beanes Deeres suet in wine each of these are of like force goodnesse Now there be others which for this disease do take barley and seeth it in the iuyce of Gumfolly and giue him the barley to eate and the iuyce to drinke or else take the powder of licoras and anise seeds rold vp in hony and make round balles thereof and cast downe the horses throat two or three of them or else licoras anise seeds and garlicke bruised together with a little sallet oyle and hony and giuen in a quart of new milke to the horse to drinke is very soueraigne also and these two medicines last rehearsed are exceeding good also for any cold or glanders CHAP. 79. Of the Colt euill THe colt euill by the most ancient Farriers especially the Italians whose hot country affoordeth the beasts of more hot and strong natures then ours doth is thought to be a continuall standing together with an vnnaturall swelling of the yard proceeding either from some winde filling the arteries and hollow sinew or pipe of the yard or else through the aboundance of seede prouoked by the naturall heate of the horse but our Farriers who haue not seene that experience because our horses are of colder temper say it is onely a swelling of the sheath of the yard and of that part of the belly about the yard together with the codde also proceeding from corrupt seede which commeth out of the yard and remaining within the sheath there putrifieth and this iudgement we finde by experience to be most true Now you shall vnderstand that Geldings as well as horses are subiect thereunto because they want naturall heat to expell their seed any further The signes are onely the outward swelling of the sheath and codde and none other and the best cure is first to wash the sheath cleane with luke warme vinegar then draw out the yard and wash that also which done ride the horse twice euery day that is morning and euening into some deepe running water vp to the belly tossing him to and fro to allay the heate of members till the swelling be vanished and if you swim him now then it will not do amisse Others vse to bath his cods and yard with the iuice of houslicke or with the water wherein kinholme hath beene sod Now this colt euill will sometimes stoppe the horses vrine that he cannot pisse then you shall take new ale and a little blacke sope and giue it the horse to drinke Others vse to wash the horses coddes and sheath with butter and vinegar made warme Others vse to wash his yard and coddes with the iuyce of hemlocke or else take beane flowre vinegar and Bolearmonicke and mixing them together lay it plaister-wise to his sheath and coddes Others make him a plaister of wine-lees houslicke and branne mixt together and layd to his sheath and coddes but if the first receipt will serue I would not wish you to vse any other medicine CHAP. 80. Of the Mattering of the Yard THis disease of the mattering of the yard is seldome seene but amongst the hot races or breedes of horses as is the Ienet the Barbary and such like and it happeneth euer at couering time when the horse and mare both being too hot do burne themselues by which meanes there issueth forth of the horses yard much filthy matter The signes are the falling downe of the matter and a swelling at the end of the yard and the horse can by no meanes draw vp his yard or couer it within his sheath The cure is to take a pint of white wine boyle therein a quarâ—erne of roch allum with a large serring or squirt squirt in three or foure squirtfull into his yard one after another and be sure that your squirt go home vnto the bottome that the liquor or lotion may scoure the bloudy matter away this do fiue or sixe times euery day till the horse be whole CHAP. 81. Of the shedding of the Seede THe shedding of the seed or the falling away of the sperme in horses is none other then that which we call in men the running of the reines it cometh as our old Farriers say either by aboundance ranknesse of seed or by the weaknesse of the stones and seede vessels not able to retaine the seede vntill it be disgested and thickned but truly for mine owne part I thinke it cometh oftner especially amongst our English horses by some great straine in leaping or by teaching a horse to bound and making him bound the compasse of his naturall strength The signes are onely the shedding of his seede which will be white thinne and waterish The cure according to the ancient experiments is first to ride the horse into some cold water vp to the belly insomuch that his stones may be couered with water which done bathe his fundament with water and oyle then couer him exceeding warme and giue him euery day to drinke red wine and hogges dung till the fluxe of his seede stay but latter experience hath found this receipt better Take of red wine a quart and put therein a little Acatium the iuyce of plantan and a little masticke and giue it him to drinke and then bath all his backe with red wine and oyle of roses mixt together but other Farriers take Venice Turpentine and being washt beate it well with halfe so much sugar then make round balles as bigge as wal-nuts and giue the horse fiue euery morning till the fluxe stay CHAP. 82. Of the falling downe of the yard THe falling downe of the yard is when a horse hath not strength to draw vp his yard within the sheath but lets it hang downe betweene his legges ill fauouredly it cometh as our best Farriers suppose either through the weaknesse of the member by meanes of some resolution in the muscles and sinewes seruing the same caused by some great straine or stripe on the backe or else through extreme wearinesse and tiring The signe is only the apparant hanging downe of the member and the cure is according to some opinions to wash the horses yard in salt water from the sea or for want thereof with water and salt but if that do not preuaile then pricke all the outmost skinne of the yard with a sharp needle but yet as sleightly as may be not deep and then wash all the pricks with strong vinegar this will not onely make him draw vp his yard againe but also if at any time his fundament chance to fall this cure will put it vp againe There be other Farriers which for this disease will put into the pipe of the horses yard hony and salt boyled together and made liquid or else a quick flye or a graine of Franckinsence or a cloue of garlicke cleane pilled and bruised and bathe
will be strong and stinke exceedingly The cure of this disease according to the maner of the Italians French men is first to separate the sound from the sicke euen a farre distance from that aire where the sicke breatheth then let them bloud in the necke veines and giue euery one seuerally to drinke two spoonefull of the powder of Diapente brewd in a pint of strong sacke of the composition of which Diapente and of the particular vertues thereof you shall reade in a chapter following If you cannot readily get this Diapente you may then take a pint of Muskadine and dissolue it in two ounces of the best treacle and it will serue the turne Questionlesse these medicines are both exceeding good for they are great preseruatiues against all inward infections yet that which I haue found farre to exceede them and to be most excellent not onely for this plague amongst horses but for the plague or murraine of some called the mountaine euill amongst beasts is this Take a good quantity of old vrine and mixe therewithall a good quantity of hens dung stirre them well together till the dung be dissolued then with a horne giue to euery horse of beast a pint thereof luke warme This haue I seene helpe hundreds CHAP. 27. Of the Feuer accidentall coming by some wound receiued IF a horse shal receiue any grieuous and sore wound either by stroake or thrust by which any of the vitall powers are let or hindred certaine it is that the paine and anguish of such wounds will bring a horse to a hot feuer and then his life is in great danger besides a horse being naturally subiect to moist distillation in his throate there will many times rise therein great swellings and vlcers through the paine whereof a horse will fall into a burning ague The signs whereof are that he will couet much to drinke but cannot drinke and his flesh will fall away in much extraordinary fashion The cure besides the remedies before mentioned is to let him bloud vnder his eares and in the mouth and then to take a fine manchet cutting it in slices steep it in muskadine and compel him to swallow them it shall also be good if once in three â—ayes you steepe your manchet in sallet oyle and make him eate it As for his drinke let it be onely warme mashes of malt and water which if he cannot drinke you shall then giue it him with a horne And thus much touching feuers both ordinary extraordinary CHAP. 28. Of the diseases in the head AS a horses head is composed of many parts so are those many parts subiect to many and sundry grieuances as namely the panicles or thin skins which cleauing to the bones do couer the whole braine are subiect to headache mygram dizinesse and amazes the whole braine it selfe is properly subiect to breede the frenzie madnesse sleeping euill the taking and forgetfulnesse And here is to be noted that many Farriers and those of approued good skils haue strongly held opinions that horses haue very little or no braines at all and my selfe for mine owne part being carried away with their censures did at last vpon good considerations â—ut vp the heades of diuers horses some dead some in dying and I could neuer find any liquid or thin braine as in other beasts but onely a very thicke strong tough and shining substance solid and firme like a tough ielly which I euer held to be onely a panycle and so resolued with others that a horse had no braine but after vpon further discourse with men of better learning I had this solution giuen me That a horse being a beast of extraordinary strength and ability made euen to endure the worst of all extremities either by sore labour or heauy burthen that nature in his creation had endowed him with members answerable to such vigor as namely that his braine was not liquid and moist as subiect to fleet or to be distempered with euery small disorder but tough and hard euen vnpenâ—trable and not to be pierst by any reasonable motion And for the panicles they shewed me those thin skinnes ouer and besides that great substance so that by experience I saw and now know that a horse hath both brain and a panicle and in them two are bred the diseases before mentioned Now in the ventricles or cels of the braine in those conduits by which the liuely spirits giue feeling and motion to the body there do breede the turne-sicke or sturdy the staggers the falling euill the night mare the apoplexie the palsey and conuulsion or crampe the catharre or rheume and lastly the glaunders And thus much of the head in generall CHAP. 29. Of head-ache or paine in the head THe head-ache is a paine that commeth either of some inward cause or of some cholericke humor gathered together in the panicles of the braine or else of some extreame heate or cold or of some suddaine blow or of some noysome sauour The signes are the hanging downe of the horses head eares dropping of his vrine dimnesse of sight swolne and watrish eyes The cure according to the opinion of some of our English Farriers is to let him bloud in the eye veines and to squirt warme water into his nosthrels and for that day giue him no meate the next morning fasting giue him warm water and some grasse at night giue him barley and fitches mixt together and so keepe him warme till he be sound but this cure I do not fancy the best help is first to make him neese by fuming him then let him bloud in the palate of the mouth and keepe him fasting at least twelue howres after then powre into his nosthrels wine wherein hath bene sodden euforbium frankinsence and after feede him and keepe his heade warme CHAP. 30. Of the frenzie and madnesse of a horse THe madnesse of a horse by the most ancient and best approued Farriers is diuided into foure passions the first is when some naughty bloud doth strike the panicle of the braine but in one part onely it presently makes the horse dull both of minde and sight and you shall know it by this signe the horse will turne round like a beast that is troubled with the sturdy the reason being because the outside of the head is grieued onely The second is when the poyson of such bloud doth infect the middle part of the braine then the horse becommeth franticke leaping against walles or any thing The third is when that bloud filleth the veines of the stomacke and infecteth as well the heart as the braine then is he said to be madde But the fourth and last is when that bloud not onely infecteth the braine and heart but euen the panicles also and then he is said to be starke madde which you shall know by his biting at euery man which comes neere him by his gnawing of the manger and walles about him And lastly by tearing of his owne skin in peeces
according to the opinion of ancient Farriers from a continuall crudity oâ— raw disgestion of the stomacke from whence grosse vapours ascending vp into the head doe not onely oppresse the braine but all the sensitiue parts also Now for my part I rather hold it an infirmity of the stomacke and inward bowels which being cloyed with much glut and fat doth in the night season so hinder the spirits and powers from doing their naturall office that the beast hauing as it were his breath strangled doth with an vnnaturall struggling in his sleepe put his body into an extreme sweat and with that passion is brought to much faintnesse of which I haue had much and continuall experiâ—nce onely in horses exceeding fat and newly taken from the grasse but especially from such horses as are either fatted vpon eddish grasse which in some countries is called after-maths or such as are taken vp fat in the winter season The signes to know this disease is that in the morning when you come early to your horse you shall finde him all of a great sweate and his body something panting or perhaps you shall but only find him sweat in his flankes vpon his necke and at the rootes of his eares either of both are signes of this sicknesse especially if at night when you litter him you finde that he is dry of his body and giueth no outward signe of inward sicknesse Now there be some that will obiect against me and say that this infirmity is not the night-mare but an ordinary infirmity ingendred by superfluity of cold grosse and vnwholesome food got in the winter season which nature through the helpe of warme clothes and a warme house expels in this manner in the night season To this obiection I answer that if they do disallow this sicknesse to be the night-mare that then without all contradiction there is no such disease as the night-mare at all and that it is but only a name without any substance or consequence but forasmuch as this sicknesse is not onely very vsuall but also carrieth with it all the effects and attributes ascribed vnto the night-mare and that it is as yet a disease vnnamed I do not think I can giue it a more proper terme then to call it the night-mare The cure whereof is euery morning and euening both before and after his water to giue the horse some moderate exercise as to make him go at least a mile and more for his water and after he is watered to gallop him gently on the hand a good space then when he is brought into the house and well rubbed to giue him his prouender being oates and to mixe therewith a handfull or better of hempseede onely in this cure you must be carefull that your exercise do not enforce him to sweate nor shall you haue need to vse it longer then you finde that he sweateth much in the night season This exercise and medicine will not onely cure this infirmity but also any cold that is newly gotten whatsoeuer CHAP. 36. Of the Apoplexie or Palsey THese palseyes or apoplexies which happen vnto horses are of two sorts the one generall the other particular The generall palsey is when a horse is depriued of all sense and mouing generally ouer his whole body which is seldome or neuer found out by our Farriers because the mortality and suddainnesse of death which pursues the disease takes from them all notes obseruations of the infirmity and indeed for the generall palsey there is no cure and therefore there needs no description of signe or cure For the particular palsey that is when a horse is depriued but of some part or member of his body and most commonly it is but the necke onely as both my selfe and others haue found by dayly experience The disease procedeth from foulnesse of foode or from fenne feeding which breedeth grosse cold and tough humours which ioyning with crudities and raw disgestions oppresse the braine violently altogether it also cometh many times by meanes of some blow or wound giuen vpon the temples of the head The signes to know the disease are the gathering together of his body going crookedly and not straight forward but seldome and holding his necke awry without motion yet neuer forsaking his prouender or meate but eating it with greedinesse and much slauering The cure is to let him bloud on his necke veine and temple veine on the contrary side to that way he wryeth then annoynt all his necke ouer with the oyle Petroleum and with wet hay ropes swaddle all his necke ouer euen from his breast to his eares but hauing before splented his necke straight with splents of wood made strong smooth flat for the purpose then for 3 mornings together giue him a pint of old muskadine with two spoonefull of this powder to drinke Take of Opoponax two ounces of Storax three ounces of Gentian three ounces of Manna Suâ—carie three ounces of Mirre one scruple and of long pepper two scruples beate all these into fine powder Now there be some Farriers which for this disease vse to draw the horses necke on the contrary side with a hot yron euen from the necke to the shoulder and on the temple of his head of that side also a long strike and on the other a little starre in this maner and from his reines to his midde backe small lines in this maner But I that know this sicknesse proceedeth from the braine and sinewes cannot conceiue how any helpe should come from burning of the skinne because it is the sinewes themselues and not the skinne that is drawne vp and straightned and therefore I would wish euery Farrier to forbeare this tormenting vnlesse he apparantly see that the skinne it selfe through dislike and weaknesse is shrunke also and then the cure is not amisse CHAP. 37. Of the generall Crampe or conuulsion of sinewes THese generall crampes or conuulsions of sinewes are most forcible contractions or drawings together of the sinewes and muscles and they happen sometimes generally into many parts of the body somtimes particularly as but into one member and no more when they are generally diperst in horses they proceede commonly from some wound wherein a sinew is halfe cut and no more and so there runneth a generall contraction ouer the whole body by degrees When they are particular as but in one member then they proceede either from cold windy causes or from the want of bloud For the generall contraction which cometh by a wound you shall reade the cure thereof in the booke of Surgery following where the sinew being cut in two peeces the contraction ceasseth For the particular where but one member is grieeued you shall know it by these signes the member will be starke and stiffe insomuch that neither the beast nor any man will be able to bow it the sinewes will be hard like stickes and the horse being downe is not able to rise during the time of the contraction he will also halt
his backe with oyle wine and Nitre made warme and mingled together But the best cure according to our English practise is first to wash all the yard with white wine warmed and then annoynt it with oyle of roses and hony mixt together and so put it vp into the sheath with a little bolster of canuase keep it from falling downe and dresse him thus once in foure and twenty howres vntill he be recouered and in any case let his backe be kept as warme as is possible both with cloth and a charge or plaister made of Bolearmonicke egges wheat-flower Sanguis Draconis Turpentine and vinegar or else lay next his backe a wet sacke or wet hay and a dry cloth ouer it and that will keepe his backe exceeding warme CHAP. 83. Of diseases incident to Mares and first of the barrennesse of the wombe THe onely disease incident to the wombe of a Mare as farre fourth as our Farriers are experienced is barrennesse which may proceed from diuers causes as through the vntemperatnesse of the matrix being either two hot and fierie or two cold and moist or too dry or else too shorte or too narrow or hauing the necke thereof turned awry or by meanes of some obstruction or stopping in the matrixe or in that the Mare is too fat or too leane and diuers other such like causes Now the cure thereof according to the old Farriers is to take a good handfull of leeks and stampe them in a morter with foure or fiue spoâ—nefull of wine then put thereunto twelue flies called Cantharides then straine them altogether with a sufficient quantity of water to serue the Mare therewith two daies together by powring the same into her nature with a glister-pipe made for the purpose and at the end of three daies next following offer the horse vnto her that should couer her and after she is couered wash her nature twice together with cold water There be others which vse to take of Nitrum of sparrowes dung and of Turpentine of each like quantity well wrought together and made like a suppositary and put that into her nature and it will cause her both to desire the horse and also to conceiue There be some of opinion that it is good to put a nettle into the horses mouth that should couer her Of all which let onely experience be your warrantise CHAP. 84. Of the pestilent Consumption in Mares THere is a certaine pestilent consumption incident to mares when they are with foale proceeding from cold fleame gathered by raw foggy food in the winter season which descending from the kidneyes doth oppresse the matrixe and makes the mare consume pine away so that if she be not holpen she will want strength to foale her foale The signes are a sudden leannesse and a drooping of spirit with much dislike of meate and a continuall desire to be layed The cure is to powre into her nosthrels three pints of fish brine called Garume three or foure mornings together and if the griefe be very great then to take fiue pints and it will make her vent all fleame at her nosthrels CHAP. 85. Of the rage of Loue in Mares IT is reported by some of our English Farriers that mares being proudly high kept will at the spring of the yeare when their bloud begins to waxe warme if they chance when they go to the water to see their own shadowes therin that presently they will fall into an extreme loue therewith and from that loue into such a hot rage that they will forget either to eate or drinke and neuer cease running about the pasture gazing strangely and looking oft both about and behinde them The cure of this folly is presently to leade the mare to the water againe and there to let her see herselfe as before and that second sight will vtrerly extinguish the memory of the first and to take away her folly CHAP. 86. Of Mares which cast their Foales THe occasions why Mares cast their Foales that is to foale them either before their times or dead are very many as straines stroakes intemperate ridings rushings hard wintring or too great fatnesse and such like Now you shall vnderstand that this aborsment or vntimely casting of a foale is most dangerous to the life of the mare for nature being as it were detained from her true and perfect custome which is the preseruation of health cannot chuse but giue way to the contrary which is death and mortality and the body and pores being set open to the aire before it be able to defend the cold cannot chuse but be suffocated with vnwholesome vapours If therefore you haue a mare at any time which doth cast her foale and withall falleth sicke vpon the same you shall presently take her into the house and set her vp very warme then giue her two spoonful of the powder Dyapente well brewd in a pint of strong sacke and feede her with sweete hay and warme mashes for at least a weeke after CHAP. 87. Of Mares that are hard of foaling If it happen by any mischance or otherwise that the passages or other conduites which leade from the matrix be so straitned that the mare cannot foale and so be in danger of her life then it shall be good that you helpe her by holding and stopping her nosthrels with your hand in a gentle manner that her breath may not haue passage and she will foale with a great deale more ease and much sooner and sure the paine is nothing because a mare alwaies foaleth standing Now if at any time when your mare hath foaled she cannot auoyd her secundine which is the skinne wherein the foale is wrapped in that naturall maner as she ought you shall then take a good handfull or two of fennell and boyle it in water then take halfe a pint of that and another halfe pint of old wine and put thereto a fourth part of oyle and mingle them altogether ouer the fire and being but luke-warme powre it into the mares nosthrels and hold her nosthrels close with your hand to keep it in a prety while after and no question but she will voyd her secundine presently CHAP. 88. Of making a Mare to cast her Foale IF at any time you would haue your mare to cast her foale as hauing present occasion to vse her or in that the foale is not worthily inought begot you shall take a pottle of new milke and two handfuls of sauin chopt and bruised and putting them together boyle them till one halfe bee consumed then straine it very hard and giue it the mare luke warme to drinke then presently gallop her a good pace then set her vp do thus two mornings and before the third she will haue cast her foale Other vse with their hand to kill the foale in the mares belly but it is dangerous and the former medicine is more sufficient And thus much of the infirmities of mares Now let vs returne againe to horses and