dooth signifie the knowledge of the minde which Cicero calleth ianuam mentis the dore of the minde others doe say that the eye is the image of the countenance quasilumine scintillans In facie legitâ—r homo vim speculi habeÌ„s adeo vt intuentibus referat totum huminis fere specieÌ„ is as a sparkling light hath power of beholding so as to the beholder it doth almost declare the whole quality of maÌ„ wherby apeareth that nature hath made ordained probable coniectures of the vnsensible parts as appeareth in the 1. K. Ca. 3. when the compassion of the naturall mother was mooued by which commotion of nature the king gaue true iudgement and therefore it is truely saide ex his quae extrinsecus adparent coÌ„ijoiuntur ea quae non adparent from those outward appearing thinges those things which doe not appeare are coniectured from whence also may be truly collected that vultus est animi index the countenance sheweth what the minde is O quam difficile est crimeÌ„ non prodere vultu how hard is it a fault by face not to bewray in facit prudentis lucet sapientia in the face of a wiseman wisdome shineth Pro. 17. Cor hominis mutat faciem siue in bonosiue in malo the heart of a man changeth his countenance whether it be in good or euil An euill eye the windowe of death Eccl. 13.26 So as the eye and countenance of man being the messenger of the minde the window of the heart the inward secrets of man are disclosed If then the minde and secrets of the hart of man may bee and are knowne by outward signes hauing wisdome to conceale how shall or may a creature not endowed with reason and vnderstanding Impudicus oculus impudici cordis est nuncius Chry. auoid the discouerie of the secrets of his owne nature Moreouer that the countenance is a discouerie of the inward minde appeareth in the 4. of Gen. When Caine was wroth his countenance feldowne wherupon the Lord saide Why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance caste downe And Salomon 27. prou 18. saith Quomodo in aquis resplendent vultus prospâ—cientum siccorda hominum manifesta sunt prudeÌ„tibus as the faces of those which look into waters shine vnto them so the hearts of men are manifested to the wise and no doubt the obseruation of the countenance of the Horse The outward Phisiognomie doth not falsifie and betray that good promise that Nature hath plaÌ„ted in the froÌ„t doth more certainly discouer his inward quallitie as an Image of his affection but if man would knowe the secrets of mans heart he must leaue it to the creator for solus Deus est scrutator cordis Onely God is the searcher of mans heart and the knowledge of maÌ„ touching mâ— is but coÌ„iectura qualitatis for as he which beholdeth his face in the water doth not discerne it exactly but rather a shadow then a face euen so he that by external Physiognomy and operations wil deuine what lyeth hid in the heart of man may conceiue an Image of that affection that dooth raign in the mind of man rather then a resolute knowledge But the Physiognomy of a horse is much more certain for he can not keep secret or conceale as man can There is nothing that hath a truer resemblance then the conformitie and relatioÌ„ of the body to the spirit but being in perfect health remaineth euer one the same in countenance Therfore to conclude and to make the truth hereof appeare chuse a horse with a broad forehead a great black full eie standing out like an hares eye and a high reared forepart and bee assured that by nature he is bolde and to giue you a further assurance marke a Horse with a narrow forehead little eies a low fore part which is meere contrary and assure your selfe that by nature he is starting and fearefull and to seale vp the truth heerein the triall wil confirme you So as the obseruation of his naturall shape in that part telleth you that the same is so sure as when you see smoak there hath bin a fyer CHAP. 21. How to know a horse that is louing by nature THat euerie good horse is by nature louing to man To confirme this proposition I thinke the examples before remembred are sufficient besides euery man his dayly experience that Iades are naturally mischeuous dangerous to man wherof I will giue some examples as Fulko the fift king of Ierusalem after he had raigned eleuen yeares was by a mischeuous Iade strooken in the hinder part of the head whereof he presently dyed Bellat the King of the Pauuonians Phillip sonne of Lodowick Crassus Seleucus Calinisius and many others by euill natured horses were slaine It is truely said an Ape will be an Ape the Leopard wil not change his spots nor the Moore his skin that is perpetual which nature bringeth forth I haue tolde you that the countenance is a representatiue of conditions amongst which this is one when you see a horse with a plaine smoothe eye so as the more you beholde his eyes and countenance in beauty and seemely proportion the more hee seemeth as Plato saith the obiect of your loue whereby you doe not onely grow in loue of him but conceiue that he hath as it were prepared a cherful countenance to entertaine your loue which naturally created with him cannot otherwise appeare But if he bee beetell browed that is great liddes or lumpes of flesh couering little eyes that are inward in his head Lacâ—rt is like a Newight vvhereof in Italy are many and hollow aboue or looking as the Lacert which euerie way it looketh leareth awry and neuer direct vppon you you may assure your selfe his naturall desire euer trauaileth to effect mischiefe in all his actions for distortuÌ„ vâ—ltuÌ„ sequitur distortio morum A deformed countenance hath deformed conditions being by the God of nature extraordinarilie marked for a discouerie of their hatefull affections But the conttarie which is a great smoothe ful blacke eye without hollownesse either aboue or within or lumpes of flesh ouer-hanging his eyes with a sweete smile inherent in nature and expressed in countenance you may assure your selfe of his good temperature manifesting it selfe in his ioyfull and merry countenance so as hee seemeth naturally to fawne on you to gaine your loue if your intemperance hinder not his naturall affection the truth of things are neuer better manifested then by obseruation of the contrarie CHAP. 22. How to knowe a horse that is sure going THat euery good horse is by Nature Plura simul collat a â—â—uant que singula non prosunt sure going I must intreat you to remember that my 6. rules for the knowledge of a good Horse are relatiues and so lincked each in the other as you cannot throghly apprehend the one without the other so inseperable are they as the one cannot be approoued
the Iade wanting perfection of shape his colt cannot haue perfection of action And againe I haue found that perfect Horse and perfect Mare may haue a colte that is a Iade if my former rules be not obserued And moreouer if a present good order should make a present depriuation of a corrupted nature or a present euill order bring a totall depriuation of that is naturally good then nature should be inconstant to become euill or good vppon a suddain sed nemo fit repente malus no man becommeth euill vpon a suddaine neither can nature which is perpetuall presently passe from one euill vnto another but by the meane 7. Seauenthly the Horse and Mare must be sparingly and moderately fed that they may well disgest and ouercome that they eate for although the meat in qualitie be hot and dry yet if the quantitie thereof be such as their naturall heat cannot disgest the same becommeth rawe colde and moist And also if after full feeding the Horse and Mare be trauailed it procureth vntimely disgestion the wheyish blood thereof comming to the seede vessels is ouer-rawe and falsely prouoketh before it be disgested and seasoned otherwise it increaseth perfect seede fit for generation and both hauing perfect seede one must be agent and former and the other serue for nourishment as in the forming of chickens and birds in which are two substances one of the yolke another of the white the chick being made of the yolke is maintained by the white whiles the forme indureth and which of their seedes is of the greatest efficacie of the same is the generation and whether of the seedes the generation is of that the colte retaineth the condition and qualitie but if the Horse and Mare be kept with ease and rest it engendereth coldenes and moisture and thereby quencheth the naturall heat and desire of generation and corrupteth the seede and maketh the same vnperfect CHAP. 39 Now followeth the fourth rule that is when how and where to doe the action in perfection THe time when the action is to be performed must be after the Horse and Mare haue bene dieted and are most lustie in the perfection of the bodie hauing plentie of seede well concocted fit for generation for dooth not the gardiner with the seede that he preserueth attend both the perfection of the growth of the hearb and vntill the seede be ripe and waxe dry for if they pull them from the stalke before they will neuer growe to any vse of perfection for the seede must haue time to settle concocte and ripen and be duely seasoned to become hot and dry and of sufficient substance then the time of the moone beeing obserued which is two or three daies before the full or new moone when the Mare hath greatest substance of menstruall or flegmaticke blood for composition of the colte the which the colte through his greate heat in the time of increasing and growing in the wombe will consume that is the reason why some coltes are much bigger then others Now before the time of action or begetting viz. when the horse and Mare are both lustie and proude let some little stoned Iade often wooe the Mare vntill you see her verie willing to receiue the horse so as she will seeme to burne in desire alwaies readie and yeelding to the horse as the hen to the cock but take great care that the Iade doe not leape her vnlesse hee haue such trusses that he cannot serue her and thereby you shall be assured to know her desire then let the horse that shall couer her see him busie with her which will greatlie stir his desire and natural heate and so inflame his vitall spirits as will raise greate quantitie of seede for the action both in himselfe and the Mare the action must be done in the morning earely when the stomacke hath perfectly disgested and is emptie and not vpon a full stomacke Also when the winde is in the North or west and not when the winde is in the south because all heate maketh the seede thin and the south winde is grosse and moist and that the ayre is of such force appeareth in the winter when it dooth harden water wood stones and other creatures and all heat as the Summer time witnesseth openeth dissolueth maketh the same feeble Also the horse must couer a Mare sildome otherwise hee cannot haue plentie of temperate seede therefore once in three weekes or a moneth is enough and not to spend his seed but when hee doth abound in fulnesse and perfection of seed without any respect of the time of the yeare and the place where it is to bee done would be in some house or yarde where no hurt can come vnto them or bee troubled with the sight of other horses and there let the mare be led to some slope or falling ground made of purpose where the hinder part of her body may stand highest then bring the horse in your hand at whose sight she will pisse or at the least offer to doe it which she must be suffered to do before he leape her leaste by strayning of her body after the act she loose the seede then so soone as hee commeth off from her let the keeper cast a paleful of the coldest water strongly at her shape the coldnes strength and suddennesse whereof will cause her to trusse and shrinke vp her bodie and thereby a great meanes to stay the seede and cause it to conioyne and close themselues in the matrix for the wombe dooth not presently embrace and inclose the seed but some houre after yet the wombe doth very suddenly draw together then haue the horse away and set the mare in some close place without giuing her meate for two or three houres after and no water vntill night and then not much And if you doe perceiue that the horse did closely and courageouslie serue her and she receiue it with all willingnesse then haue him from her and let them not come no more together for if the womb hath once drawne together and maketh as it were a pursse to drawe the seede vnto it it will not suffer it to get out so as if the first time of seruing take effect all the rest are in vaine doe great hurt and the first dooing is euer best and most effectuall because the seede of both parts commeth from the veine of the right side and is moste hot plentifull and aptest to conceiue consisting of greatest substance in qualitie moste hot and dry whereby it cannot bee easilie lost like that which is thin liquid and colde and if it should bee oftner admitted then the second seede proceedeth from the left side which naturally is not so hot but more liquid and moist whereby the conception is most commonly a mare foale in respect of the moistnes and coldnesse but if it happen a horse Colt yet not of that goodnesse wanting perfection of heate for heate is the cause of hardynes and courage because
deepe chest and body with vpright pasternes and narrowe hoofe to giue testimony of his great strength and abilitie of body to indure and continue long great trauel And euery vntrue vnperfect shaped horse hauing in euerye part the contrary shape viz. A narrow fore-head litle eyes fleshy head thick fleshy Iawes short neck set on like a Hog or Goate a narrow shallow brest body weak bending pasterns fleshye broad club-footed is a moste vile royle and a Iade in all and euerie his actions so as all the Artistes and moste excellent horsemen in the vniuersall world can neuer endowe him with the least perfection of action continuāce therin wherby you may as truely infalliblie iudge the difference betwixt good bad as the difference betwixt fire water as also the perfection imper fectiō of the cōposition temperature of his elemēts in the time of his creation for whē you see a horse or colt that is naturaly lean dry wil hardly be made fat continne fat yet digesteth speedily of a slener substance of bodye short hayred and the same hard and full of stirring it is plaine that he was composed of the predominate humor of red choler and that the blood wherof the seede was made was of a darke and thicke spirit and had much of the Gall for if the blood had bene perfect it would haue bene hot and moist of an oilie substance for want of which radical moisture he doth too speedily disgest neuer fat of slender substance his hayre short dry and hard for want of that moisture to passe thorough the pores of the skin to make the same soft of length and substance and that hayre if it bee eaten will neuer bee digested by reason of his drynes when as his bones being eaten will be digested besides he cannot be long liued wanting sufficient radicall humors to feede his great heat for the lack whereof hee is like to a lamp that hath a great flame little oyle therfore speedily consuming the Oyle it extinguisheth his owne light and this horse is tearmed cholericke and his shape must of necessitie bee defectiue in substance because largenes and great proportion of shape proceedeth principally from moisture so as wanting substance and fulnes of proportion as I haue formerlye saide he cannot be of continuance but quickly spent like vnto small dry wood which speedily flameth and therefore is speedily consumed soone hot soone colde a great bragger but no performer a fiery looke and countenance in whome at the first entring into action there is no temperance seeming rather to flye then to be content to stand quiet and yet the trauell of a few myles through his violent heate and drynesse speedily spendeth his vital spirit so that his hart which is the chariot of his life and the fountaine of those vitall spirits and the hottest of all other his spirituall members for want of sufficient radical oyled moisture to coole the same is so smothered and choaked that of necessitie it yeeldeth Againe when you see a horse that is long large loose and weake ioynted hollowe eyed not well compacted although by hye and proud keeping he may make shew of spirit and vigor yet not withstanding assuer your selfe that he is cōpounded of the element of Water which is altogether flegmaticke which in predominate qualitie is heauie moiste and colde and therefore a lubber and a Iade beeing weake and loose in all the parts of his body by reason he wanteth the chiefe element of Fyer which is hot dry to exhaust and drie vp his predominate quality of moisture to purge and refine the moisture to become full of vigor spirit and courage to the performance of his actions Also when you see a horse that hath a great fleshy head thick boned and fleshie iawes a great fleshy vpright ioynt a great thicke short necke and a full proportioned body whereby hee seemeth a puissant strong horse assure your selfe the chiefe and predominate Element in his composition was of the earth which is melancholly or black choler which in qualitie is colde and drie and of the element of Water which is heauy and moist so as by the moisture of water which is fleame it groweth great so by the cold nes and drynes of the earth which is melancholly hee is framed a great heauie lumpe or masse without true proportion of shape and his actions in qualitie are heauie sad and fearefull and vnapt for action other then as a great topp which neuer goeth well but by strong lashing neither can he bee of other qualitie then according to the qualitie of the Elements wherof he is composed wanting the two most excellent elements which are Fyer and Ayre that is heate and oylie moisture to raise his spirit to the liuely and couragious performance of his actions so as after hee hath come to bee ten yeares olde hee will exceede in stumbling and falling flat downe neither can bee of long life wanting a iust and true proportion of temperature of the foure elements neither can the best keeping in the world or the moste skilfull horseman of the world bring him to performe any action contrarie to his nature according whereunto euerie creature worketh the which nature is no other then the temperature of the Elements when hee was composed and framed in the wombe according whereunto his shape was framed which beeing naturall will bee perpetuall and vnchangeable in him vnto his death And therefore there is not any truth can bee more apparant then that a iust and true proportion of the temperature of the Elements maketh a Horse of perfect shape and excellent qualitie and hauing largely shewed you his vertues I speake not for them if your sight cannot commaund affection let them loose it they shall please much better after you haue troubled your eyes with the view of the iades deformities and then how much more they please so much more odious and like themselues shall the Iades deformities appeare for this true light contraries giue each to the other that in the midst of their enmitie the one maketh the other seeme more good or euill Now it resteth to consider how possible it can bee that a Colte can be compounded of a true proportion of temperature if you suffer Horse and Mare goe to grasse when they beget and were all learning and reason banished from this my assertion the onely infinite number of iades being a thousand to one of good Horses would condemne the generall practise of all Nations and their errors heerein not to be defended But if you obserue the naturall quality of euery Element if the instinct of originall nature be not annihilated you will reforme your iudgement and consequently your practise in breeding for the nature of the Element of fire whereunto the humour of perfect blood is likened dooth seuer the pure from the vnpure rust and drosse from the Iron the copper and vnperfect mettel from
nature originally had affoorded for the Horse which remaineth neerest his originall creation goeth foorth as Iob in his 29. Chapter affirmeth to meet the harnest man mocketh at feare and is not afraid and turneth not backe from the sworde And as Virgil saith Nec vanos horret strepitus neither doth suddaine noise feare him and therevpon the learned say Quod alios territ is non curabit that which dooth astonish make other creatures affraid he regardeth not CHAP. 14 Of Louingnes to man SEcondly I affirm that euery good horse is and ought to be by Nature louing to man free from al hurt mischiefe and although loue be such a thing as cannot exactly perfectly bee definde as also vnpossible to comprehend all things which do appertain to the nature disposition and efficacie therof yet who doth not see the vertue whereby the louer is knit vnto him whome he loueth and yet none able so much to knowe what as of what quallitie it is but by actions and obseruations and therefore when man shall put a louing Horse to any action he shal see in him euermore a following will to obay and as thunder pierceth the clowds so violently for the loue he beareth his Maister doth he force himselfe against his Maisters enemie and if ineuitable danger ensue he either carrieth his maister from the same or powring out teares of his maisters ruine entertaineth present death whereby the learned haue truely noted their originall nature saying Victores exultant sed victi dolent when they are victors ouercommers then they reioyce but being ouercome they are sorrowfull and mourning otherwise they could not be approoued sensible creatures wherof I haue giuen you examples not vnlike the true loue that was betwixt Nisus the son of Hictaci Eurialus that when Eurialus his deere beloued friend was slaine Nisus hauing taken reuenge of his death afterwards digged him selfe into Eurialus graue so rested with pleasing death whereof Virgil in his 9. book saith his amor vnus erat pariterq in bella ruebāt to these was one loue by fight perished together such is the loue of the louing horse to man euermore entombeth his maisters loue in the graue of destruction iealious of his masters safety vvhen as the frovvard dogged-natured horse keepeth mischiefe and malice inseperable to vvaite vpon his actions to giue freedom to himselfe nam contra eorū eadem est disciplina for of contraries is like learning vvherefore as loue tovvards man man is a vertue commended so loue and obedience of beastes vvith perfection of action to man is originally the ordinance of God in his first creation and therefore as euerie thing ordayned by God is in his ordinance most excellent so all frovvard and dogged lades resisting and opposite to their originall creation vvith a naturall inclination and perseuerance therein to man is a manifestation of their corruption CHAP. 15. Of sure going THirdly I affirme that euerie good horse by nature is sure going and by al practise appeareth so to be for as continually hee is sure from stumbling so if any accident tendeth to his dovvnefall he striueth so long as breath or life lasteth to recouer and keepe himselfe vp if it bee possible vvith his maisters safetie vsing his ioyntes and limbes with such spirit and nimblenesse that hee seemeth to swallowe the ground by his agilitie betokening rather flying then strugling euermore aduenturing his owne perill to keepe his maister from perill whereas the roile and Iade that will not aduenture the leaping of a blocke yet will not faile to stumble nay to make a downefall at a strawe euermore endangering his maisters safety by his sluggish and fearefull seruice so as his Maister neuer so much attendeth his owne preseruation as when he trusteth to a Iades securitie Againe if the good horse were not by nature sure going no art beeing able to helpe how should the first creation of horses bee perfectlye good the same being euermore a principall good action for the vse and safetie of man for whose onely seruice he was created and still preserued CHAP. 16. Of easie going FOurthly I affirme that euerie good horse by his originall nature is easie going as a principall qualitie of his first creation and therefore so stedily iustly and duely he lifteth and setteth fearing to shake his maister expressing thereby the effect of his strength the vertue of his loue still striuing to bee delightfull without danger or meanes of discontent the contrary wherof euermore hapneth by the vse of Iades racking euerie part of mans body so as hee rather desireth a footeboies place then a Horsemans seat not onely to the ouerthrowe of mens lawful labours and endeuors but the whole vse of their perfection of action whervnto they were onely created CHAP. 17 Of long continuance in trauell FIftly I affirme that euery good Horse is by his originall nature durable and of great continuance in his labour the same being a principall qualitie of his first creation for that to enable his seruice to the vse of man in the 39. of Iob. it is saide that his strength is giuen him of God and that he reioyceth therein as purposely ordeyned by God for the seruice of man without which man is depriued of his best and hopefull issues of his labours by his debilitie and lacke of strength CHAP. 18. Of free going SIxtly I affirm that euery good Horse is free and full of desire to performe as a most principall quallitie of his first creation in perfection of all action befitting the vse of man without which hee doth bring much more tedious and grieuous labour then profitable vse and therefore to manifest the ordinance of God in their creation for the comfort of man it appeareth how he thrusteth himselfe with ioy to run headlong into the battaile and as Virgil saith Loco stare nescit micat auribus et tremit artus cauatque tellurem et solido grauiter sonat vngula cornu hee cannot quiet rest but setteth his eares vpright and being full of spirit hee holloweth the ground and with the hollownes of his horned hooues maketh great sound wherein the great goodnes of God to man is to be noted that so strong warlike a beast is so willing to obey and desirous to performe when Assensus sequitur authoritatem dicentis with his whole assent he followeth the authoritie of the speaker whereby al their works might carry admiration if man were not made tame with their continuall actions of admiration CHAP. 19. To prooue those sixe qualities in their originall nature and what they are NOw it remaineth that wee prooue That these sixe quallities are alwaies inseperable that these sixe quallities of a good Horse their coherens indiuiduall connexion as linkes in one chaine and so fastened coupled together What is a Relative as the lacke of the one shall be a true relatiue the losse and destruction of the other for relatiues are alwaies
Horse that shee giueth them not onely a feeling but also a power to declare the same to others whereof may arise this question For asmuch as it hath bene saide that God is the author and giuer of nature and according to his creation all perfectly good and that all creatures aswell men as beastes worke according to nature and haue no naturall desire or inclination of corruption because euery creature naturally desireth his owne preseruation and perfection what needeth either Arte or practise to helpe or alter the same nature I answere that it is most true that Arte and practise were needles if man his disobedience had not depriued him of all obedience that by creation was subiect vnto him and the same his disobedience did not only bring a curse vpon the Earth but also the disobedience of all creatures to man and corruption to all euery their actions so there is not now any obedience or perfection in the dooing of action but that which is gotten by arte and preserued in vigor by vse and practise so that all thinges which now are vnto corrupted man most combersome as punishments of his disloyaltie were by original creatioÌ„n ordained for his furtherance Note this and therefore nature in Horses is not neither can be any other then an inclination and forwardnes knowledge a quickner vp of nature and arte a guide to keepe it in order by generall precepts vniuersall grounds and experience with imitation conferring both by the continuall holding on of many particular actions so as nature of it selfe is now insufficient knowledge and arte without nature fondnes and without experience vnprofitable As in chirurgerie although the bare practitioner do by his experience sometime hit well vpon the healing of some disease yet it is euident that hauing arte and knowledge matched with his experience so as he discerne the nature and cause of his disease marking the complexion age and manner of liuing of his patient and considering the equalitie and quantitie of his medicine and applying them in due time shall the better performe the duty of his science and the better attain the desired end but it is againe obiected that if the creation and creature were from God perfectly good notwithstanding his disobedience to man his owne corruption yet being created and preserued by God for the only vse of man how commeth it to passe that where there is one Horse by creation good in action there are a thousand Iades according to creation and in action I answere first that the creation and generation of these times are not immediatly created by God as in the first creation without meanes but by naturall meanes whereunto his grace is annexed Crescite et multiplicamini growe and increase vnto which meanes being his owne ordinance he giueth his blessing for the increase preseruation therof 2. it may be answerd out of the 4. of Esdras 9. verse that the world hath lost his youth and the times begin to waxe olde and also in the 2. of Esdras chap. 5. the question being demanded why the latter age should not be as perfect in creation as the first it was answered aske a woman wherfore are not they whom thou hast now brought forth like those that were before thee but lesse of stature she shall answere thee the same were borne in the flower of youth the others were borne in the time of age when the wombe failed consider now thy selfe how that ye are lesse of stature then those that were before you and so are they that come after you lesse then they as the creatures which now begin to be old and haue passed ouer the strength of youth So as the farther generation is from the first creation the more neerer to corruption Thirdly it may be answerd that euery Horse is created as man is of soule and bodie and is compounded of the foure elements as man and hee that doubteth thereof may aswel doubt whether himselfe be or no but the one which is in man celestial neuer dying the other terrestial dieth with the bodie and yet a most excellent pure liuing spirit hauing the faculties nutritiue vegetatiue motiue and sensitiue so doth it by his temperature of the elements righty rule as mans doth gouerne the bodie of euery Horse which naturally obeieth to euery action and that is truely called Nature wherof onely God is the Author so as the goodnes or badnes of the temperature of the elemeÌ„ts is the cause The cause why one horse doth better performe his kinde then another why one beast doeth better performe the workes of his kinde then another the temperature being the schoolemaister to direct the sensitiue soule to euery action and such is the force of natures custome to haue dominion ouer all creatures therefore the learned terme nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicta ab eo quod aliquid nasci faciat named from that which maketh something to be created whose propertie cause we cannot without obseruation finde other then that God the author of nature hath ordeined it Nam obscurata est ratio naturalis per in obedientiam primi pareÌ„tis our naturall reason is obscured by the disobedience of our first parents and yet nature may not be saide to be vnperfect or faultie for it hath put into all thinges possibility and aptnes and also acte and perfection and thereupon Cicero saith who hath reason from nature to the same is right reason giuen and then comming from nature is also perpetuall for perpetuum est quod natura frequens quod vsus introducit what nature bringeth is perpetuall and what vse bringeth is often so as nature whether it be armed with vertue or vice it is perpetual and the faculties causeth the perfection thereof acordingly for nature is knowne by his work and nature causeth the bodie to worke therefore such as the nature is such is the worke and such as the worke is such is the qualitie of the nature Now the seate or place of those faculties of this nature is principally the braine and the heart The braine is the â—eâ—t of the sencible soule the sence of sence and motion of the moste noble animal spurits composed of the vitall and raised from the hart by the Arteries vnto the braine as the regall and principall seates of the creature the heart beeing the place where the vitall and Arteriall spirrits are bred and doe equally participate the temperature thereof from whence they had theyr being and are dispersed ouer the whole bodie and then it may be truly saide Cuius effectus omnthus prodest eius et partes ad omnes pertinent where the effect of any thing is profitable to all there the partes thereof appertaine to all and as the power of that vitall spirit is great or small which is euermore according to the temperature of the elements such and the same it causeth and enforceth the bodie and euery parte thereof to worke and
cure a disease that nature hath bred and brought forth because it onely appertaineth to the Creator If a man will bend a streight Tree crooked or a crooked Tree streight so soone as it is at libertie will it not return to his naturall grouth can the taming of a Lyon make him leaue his naturall roaring will Art make a Foxe faithfull harmeles or make a birde not to delight in the woods wherefore then do men seeke to haue breed and keep crauing dull Iades and vnperfect shaped Horses and perswade themselues that good feeding good keeping and artificiall riding and practise will make them absolute and perfect Horses and heere of publishe and set foorth great volumes do they thinke that art can bring an ape to beget an ape with a long taile If this be not error ignorance and senceles practise my desire is of those that better vnderstand to defend the contrary and to manifest the same by reason how shameles a thing then were it for me to admit more grosse imperfection when mans corruption transporteth him so far beyond the degrees of reason to allow and maintaine all seeing imperfection Againe some will and do obiect that Horses of such excellent shape spirrit and life as I haue described will be dangerous to those that are not expert in the art and that such will speedely spend themselues and not continue in flesh or good liking and are very chargeable to keepe and besides so vnruly and intemperate as thereby great danger will ensue to the most people that are vnskilfull of Horsemanship and such like childish and ignorant conceits wherein the multitude do excell it might aswell be obiected that fire and water wine and weapon and many such like are dangerous and that many haue perrished therewith therefore very vnfit to haue them or vse them the which proceedeth from their debilitie of iudgement not able to apprehend that such Horses are the most excellent that euer haue bene or shal be created being compounded of the most iust and true proportion of mixture of the temperature of the elements which giueth them that fulnesse of spirit vigor and courage neither that the temperature of an excellent Horseman which compriseth all perfection wherewith naturall man can bee endued with if he haue the managing of such Horses will not Animum volentem accendere blow the fire when it burneth cleere knowing that such natures are to be vsed according to the temperature of their owne nature without iarre or violence but the ignorant rider not able to iudge of his nature doth so far distemper nature in the beginning as afterwards not knowing how to restore him to his former obedience is astonished with the admiration of his wonder holdeth Omne ignotum pro magnifico All vnknowne things beyond the degrees of admiration The Hebrues doe deriue the name of Time of a verbe which signifieth to corrupt because it doth corrupt all and as the times are so are men that liue in them whereby the best horsemen that euer haue bin do not only carry the note of the errors of the times wherin they liue but the ful streame of the corruption thereof which maketh me to become like vnto the Marriner who ordereth his sailes acording to the times and the winde and doth of necessitie turne and wind to arriue to that place obliquely by fetching a compasse when he cannot do it directly and by a straight line Non semper et vnogradu saith Seneca sed vna via non se mutat sed aptat he saileth not alwaies with one and the same pace although he follow the same way he changeth not but accomodateth himselfe whose example I haue followed heerein but with the glew of mutuall concord yet adhering to that memorable sentence of Tertullian That is true whatsoeuer is first Contra pra◠and that is false whatsoeuer is latter and therefore the forsaking or not knowing the knowledg of these that liued nearest the first creation who did see best and the adhering to the knowledg of those that haue liued furthest from those times who did see more dimly and their knowledge more corrupt hath bene the cause of their manifolde errors in Horsemanship in these latter ages and the principall cause of my long discourse in this tractat wherein I haue often deliberated to thinke rethink redoubting what may happen yet knowing when to feare I did thereby knowe safely to go forward Nam animus vereri qui scit scit tutô aggredi so as I doubt not to affirm the Athenians prouerbe after victory Noctua volavit the bird of darkenes is put to flight comforting my selfe with that saying of Aug. Qui se dicit scire quod nescit temerarius est qui se negat scire quod scit ingratus est he is rash that speaketh that hee dooth not know And he is vnthankfull that denieth to knowe that he doth knowe Paruus error in principio Maximus est in fine CHAP. 27. Of perfect breeding WHen I remembred that Salomon proclaimeth mans wisdome vnperfect and his knowledge in each science vncertain Eccle. 8. perceiued neuer man to haue attained such degrees of learning as to finde himselfe ignorant how time the beginner increaser and subuerter of all humane knowledge hath wrought defects and difficulties in vnderstanding I could not but admire the breeders of Horses within this kingdome seeing them in this moste decayed time of knowledge to cast their anchor into the deepe and deceaueable sands of the practise of these times wherin vnlimited tirrannicall custome which neuer admitteth either dispensation or quallification without notorious affront ruleth and raigneth in the superlatiue supremacie of error and onely by referring the effects of al good breed to the immediate work of god as though the effect of all such causes were supernatural to be reduced to God immediately as a miracle receauing them from nature and abhorring the naturall meanes not considering that there are effects onely naturall and only to be referred to nature not that nature is an vniuersal cause endowed with a iurisdiction seuered from God but that she is a name of order which God hath bestowed in the frame of the worlde to the end that the necessarie effectes might follow the preseruation thereof thorough which their vnanimous consent in practise they haue long sucked a strong opinion of the possibility of good breed whereby there is growne a broad sea of difference in your point of true knowledge of breeding and their acustomed practise so as notwithstanding the great and inuincible power of nature in all creatures whereof God being the Author and whereunto as vnto a naturall meanes he hath applyed himself for preseruation there is not one Horse of a thousand bred in the perfection of nature whereby all and euery of them cannot but acknowledge his own thoughts and forseeing doubtfull which maketh me crye with Paul Nihil mihi conscius sum I know not how far I shal offend but
all his actions hee followeth the motions of the temperature of the body so as both nature reason and practise doe approoue both horses and all other creatures of good composition and temperature to bee in their middle age moste strong and perfect and fullest of vigor spirit and courage and therefore the onelie fit time to beget and bring foorth and thereby the contrarie reason the time both before and after vnfit and moste vnperfect Nam natura cum ad summam peruenerit descendit idq non aequo gressu ascensus enim lentior descensus praeceps Nature is long before it come to perfection but when it is come to the highest it suddenly decayeth wherfore for a full more plaine demonstration of truth and of the errors of all ages obserue If two Colts viz. horse mare vnder fiue yeres of age not hauing obtained perfection of strength neither refyned nature frō the excessiue moisture of youth being but few yeres since they were created that of their seede a Colt should be formed being a matter endowed with excessiue moisture their seed cannot possibly be of a perfect temperature neither is or can bee perfect for generation because all perfect seede for procreation must be hot dry for that otherwise it neither will or can incite to copulation with perfectiō of generation wherof also must be plenty the same throughly concocted for that the seed of the mare beeing in comparison with the horse is much more colder and moister therefore the Horse must haue a great quantity of seed both hot and dry equally to temper the coldenes and moisture of the seede of the Mare from which equallity of temperature the goodnes of the colte begotten proceedeth for euery qualitie in reason must be abated by his contrarie and then their seede being equally temperate and seasoned without excesse of predominate qualitie it alwaies formeth the best in his kinde and the stature of the Colte conformable to the quantitie of the temperate seede and menstruall blood which it had at the time when it was framed add shaped and according to the qualitie of temperature al creatures take cary the conditions and properties of their Sires at the time of their framing and not at their bringing foorth Againe if a colte should be begotten of a seede cold and moist it wil be great softe of flesh great limmed goutye ioynted thick boned heauy and dull according to the natutall operation and qualitie of colde and moistnes which conioyneth all in a lumpe without good proportion Againe if the olde Horse and olde Mare should beget and bring foorth after ten yeares of age wanting the power and efficacie of their naturall heat vigor and spirit then will the colte be formed of a seed ouer colde and ouer dry hauing outrun two parts of their age whereof if a colte be begotten for want of heat to make an equalitie of temperature by reason of the coldenes and drynes that is predominate the colte wil be soone ripe soone rotten of small strength short liued little spirit or courage with continuance faint hearted and euill shaped for that it wanteth heate and good moisture I meane a moisture of oylie substance the two principall elements for preseruation of life and good spirit Againe if an old horse and a young Mare should beget and bring foorth then would the Colt be framed of a seede from the Mare cold and moiste which is Flegmaticke without any taste as water of a seede from the horse cold and drie which is sower and heauie for as Galen saith the Fleame being a cold waterish humor is of no force for ornament of good conditions Lastly if an olde Mare and a young horse should beget and bring forth then would the Colt be framed of a seed of the horse little hot but ouer moist and of a seede of the mare cold and ouer dry wherein cannot be any perfection of equal temperature so as it appeareth an approoued consequent in Reason that the middle age of the horse hauing a seede hot drie and the mare a seede cold and moist with great plenty of fulnesse on both parts in the greatest perfection of heate and natural strength of body doe make equality of temperature compound themselues in such high degree of perfection that they bring forth a Colt full of vitall spirit great courage boldnes and pride thin and dry bones great sinewes and Arteries of great strength louing of long continuance of such beautifull and perfect shape thorough the naturall qualitie of heate purifying the whole body from all manner of drosse in such resined manner as though nature had assembled all her forces for the preseruation of her selfe and expulsion of her enemies for such is the nature of good or bad seede when it receiueth any well or il rooted quality euermore to communicate to the discendents accordingly CHAP. 34. Of the Elements of generation NOw I thinke fit to speake of the proper Elements of generation that is to saye of the engendering seede and menstruall blood from whence euery colte taketh his first being of shape and heerein I obserue a difference betwixt nature and seede for that which is truly called seede is like the seede of Rise when it is sodden which though wettish yet thick for otherwise it cannot effect procreation for the heat hath tried it and made it fit to incorporate it selfe with the waterish seede of the Mare and that which is and may be termed nature is thin and not thicke as seed is so as all seede may be termed nature but all nature cannot properly be termed seed and vnderstand that these proper beginnings depend vppon the qualities of the first beginnings before rehearsed that is to saye of moist dry hot and cold without which they could doe nothing nor yet be any thing of themselues Againe obserue that the matter and qualitie wherof euery colte is compounded is so subiect to corruption that at the instant when and where it beginneth to be shaped it beginneth likewise to be vntwined so as if nature had not prouided the naturall faculites of attraction retention concoction and expulsion for the preseruation and increase of matter for continual supplie the creation thereof beeing finished and not any parte of that substance remayning whereof it was first composed as in truth there dooth not then had the same presently perished and because nature is truly saide to be the temperature of these qualities of heat colde moistnes and drynes and that the same temperature is the schoolemaister which teacheth the sensitiue soules of the creatures in what sort they are to worke and to performe the workes proper to their kinde without any teacher it is now most fit to consider and to set foorth from whence the goodnes or badnes of this temperature dooth proceede wherein the perfection of creation consisteth so as all imperfection and hinderance to originall nature beeing remooued the same may be restored to
the equalitie of excesse therefore the heat being the sole actiue of nutrition must haue dominion ouer the moisture the subiect matter of that facultie how then can M. Lopez limit the dominion of blood onely to three moneths 7. Seauenthly it is a generall approoued truth that eury Horse other creature is framd in the womb of the foure humors and that he that hath the one hath the other but not of equall proportion for euery Horse most vsually hath more of the one humor then of the other for it doth not keepe vniformitie but very few sithence their first primary creation from God by whome they were created in true proportion of temperate mixture but sithence the defiled condition of mans nature they haue bene and so wil remain iarring and out of order from the hower of their creation vnto their death but euery slight change of the foure qualities proportion changeth not his temperature who for the short indurance of the distemperatures the bodie returneth to his former constitution but the variation of their originall constitution is the true proper cause of the diuersitie and difference of the worke which proceedeth from that inward ingendred cause of destruction the disagreement of the elements and thereupon I conclude that the goodnes or badnes for begetting of Horses cannot truly be appropriate to any season month or time of the yeare CHAP. 43. How to know vppon view if a Horse be compounded of a true temperature of the elements and when otherwise and thereupon haue a true iudgement of his naturall qualities THe true and iust proportion of the temperature of the elements in the humors when the colt is compounded in the wombe frameth him in a most perfect shape and excellent for action and long life and in reason vnpossible that a Horse of true and perfect shape can be naturally bad but contrarywise most excellent in action for there neuer was or euer shal be a perfect shaped Horse without a true proportion of the temperature of the elements and it apeareth that if the humors at the time of framing the colt in the wombe hath not any iarring or discord of temperature then do the same frame a most absolute perfect shape the truth thereof appeareth in those horses the were immediatly created by god being cōpoūded of the elements as al other creatures were of the most only absolute perfect shape because at that time man had not transgressed and vntil then there was not any iarre or discorde in the elements as all diuine and humane witnesses confesse soas it appeareth without gainesaying that the true and equall proportion of the temperature of the elements in the seede and the humors whereof the colte is cōpounded bringeth forth without some contrary accidentall meanes which is not naturall the most absolute perfect shaped Horse and of the most excellent and temperate action and what a perfect shape is I haue heerin largely set forth so as it onely remaineth to shew how you shall infallibly iudge vppon the view of any Horse whether hee was composed of an equall temperature wherby as also I haue formerly mentioned will appeare his perfection or imperfection of action which canot be truly vnderstood without the true cause therof be vnderstood for Mens Philosophi non acquescit nisi in causa rerum the vnderstanding man euermore laboureth vntill he finde out the true cause of the action he vndergoeth Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers in the first of his Metaphisickes saith that Omne ens naturaliter appetit suam perfectionem All men desire naturally to know the cause is for that all things that haue beeing do naturally desire their owne perfection and asmuch as in them is to be restored to their first perfection to conserue themselues in the excellencye thereof which cannot be attained without the true knowledge of the nature of the thing desired to beknowne how much the more honorable or beneficiall the same is to the King or common weale by so much ought the same to be in the highest superlatiue esteeme the true knowledge thereof first and aboue others to be preferred Now forasmuch as the true knowledge of this subiect euen from the time of mans transgression hath in all succeeding ages bene laboured to a restitution of his primarie perfection and yet not any thing extant to establish mans iudgement heerein let me now in so waightie a matter entreat your fauourable eares and I doubt not to giue good contentment to the iudicious and vnderstanding Reader It cannot be denyed but that the Horse and euerie other creature is compounded of the foure Elements viz. Fire Aire Water and Earth and that the iust and true proportion of the temperature of those Elements was in all those creatures which were first and originally created by God in all perfection without any manner of predominate qualitie or iarring and that the harmony thereof was the true cause of their perfectiō but at the instant of time when man trāsgressed those elements in all creatures did iarre and rebel each against the other for predominate qualitie so will continue vnto the end and consummation of all creatures the which as I haue said are now become hom-bred enemies to all creatures and the onelye cause of sicknesse and death of all creatures yet the Sympathie of nature in all creatures is such as it laboureth and so continueth to bee restored to the first and true temperature and to suppresse the iarring not onelye for their preseruation but also for restitution to their primarie creation from whence there cannot bee any truth more apparant then the nearer the Colt doth attaine the true and iust proportion of the temperature of the elements in the creation the nearer it attaineth to the primarie perfection from whence also it followeth to knowe how to chuse and to gouerne the horse and Mare that shall beget and bring foorth that their seede and substance of humors wherof euerie Colt is compounded may at the time of their action be of a true and iust proportion of temperature and that the Colt begotten may whiles it remaineth in the wombe by the nutriment it taketh be preserved in the same temperature and after the foaling so continually maintained as the true ground of all knowledge in this subiect Wherefore omitting any farther discourse I will proceed to set forth how all men vpon the onely viewe of anye horse be he olde or yong may know whether hee bee compounded of true temperature of the elements viz. Euerie perfect shaped horse hath a broad forehead and great eye to expresse his naturall boldnesse and loue vnto man leane head thinne slender leane Iawes to expresse his refyned mettell courage and quicke spirit long high reared necke to expresse the perfection of his reyne and perfect sight of the way to keepe him sure footed high reared withers to set foorth the easie going by keeping the bodye of his Rider very vpright broade