the Horsse bee so sore pained as he cannot swallow downe his meate it shall bee good to giue him lukewarme water mingled with Barly meale or wheat meale and besides that to make him swallow downe seuen sops sopped in wine one after another at one time some vse at the second time to dip such sops in sweet sallet oile Thus far Vegetius Of the Pestilent Ague IT seemeth by Laurentius Russius that Horsses be also subiect to a pestilent feuer which almost incureable Blundevile is called of him Infirmitas Epidimialis that is to say a contagious and pestiferous disease whereof there dyed in one yeare in Rome aboue a thousand Horses which as I take it came by some corruption of the aire whereunto Rome in the chiefe of Summer is much subiect or else corrupt humors in the body ingendered by vnkinde food by reason perhaps that the City was then pestered with more horse-men then there could be conueniently harbored or fed Laurentius himselfe rendereth no cause therof but onely sheweth signes how to know it which be these The Horsse holdeth down his head eateth little or nothing his eyes waterish and his flanks doe continually beat The cure First giue him this glister Take of the pulpe of Coloquintida one ounce of Dragantum one ounce and a halfe of Centuary and Wormwood of each one handfull of Castoreum halfe an ounce boile them in water then being strained dissolue therein of Gerologundinum sixe ounces of salt an ounce and a halfe and halfe a pound of Oyle oliue and minister it lukewarme with a horne or pipe made of purpose Make also this plaister for his head take of Squilla fiue ounces of Elder of Castoreum of Mustard seed and of Euforbium of each two ounces dissolue the same in the iuyce of Daffodill and of Sage and laie it to the Temples of his head next vnto his eares or else giue him any of these three drinks heere following take of the best Triacle two or three ounces and distemper it in good wine and giue it him with a horne or else let him drinke euery morning the space of three daies one pound or two of the iuyce of Elder rootes or else giue him euery morning to eate a good quantity of Venus haire called of the Latines Capillus Veneris newly and fresh gathered but if it be old then boile it in water and giue him the decoction thereof to drink with a horne Martins opinion and experience touching a Horsses Feuer THough Martin haue not seene so many seuerall kindes of feuers to chance to Horsses Blundevile yet he confesseth that a Horsse will haue a feauer and saith that you shal know it by these signes For after the Horsse hath beene sicke two or three daies if you looke on his tongue you shall see it almost raw and scalt with the heate that coms out of his body and he wil shake and tremble reele and stagger when his fit commeth which fit wil keepe his due howers both of comming and also of continuance vnlesse you preuent it by putting the horsse into a heat which would be done so soone as you see him begin to tremble either by riding him or tying vp his Legs and by chasing him vp and downe in the stable vntil he leaue shaking and then let him be kept warm and stand on the bit the space of two houres that done you may giue him some hay by a little at once and giue him warme water with a litle ground mault twice a day the space of three or foure daies and once a day wash his tongue with Alom water vineger and Sage But if you see that all this preuailes not then purge him with this drinke after that he hath fasted al one night Take of Aloes one ounce of Agaricke halfe an ounce of Lycoras and Annis seedes of each a dram beaten to powder and let him drinke it with a quart of white wine lukewarme and made sweet with a little Hony in the morning fasting and let him be chafed a little after it and be kept warme and suffered to stand on the bit meatlesse two or three houres after and he shall recouer his health againe quickly Of sicknesse in generall and the Feuer IN general sicknes is an opposit foe to nature warring against the agents of the body and minde seeking to confound those actions which vphold and maintaine the bodies strength and liuely-hood Markham Who coueteth to haue larger definition of sicknesse let him reade Vegesius Rusius or excellent Maister Blundiuile who in that hath bin admirably well-deseruing plainefull For mine owne part my intent is to write nothing more then mine own experience and what I haue approued in Horsses diseases most auaileable and first of the Feuer or Ague in a Horsse though it bee a disease seldome or not at all noted by our Mechannicall Horsse Farriors who cure many times what they know noâ— and kill wher they might cure knew they the cause yet I haue my selfe seene of late both by the demonstrate opinions of others better learned and by the effects of the disease some two Horses which I dare auouch were mightily tormented with a Feauer though diuers Leeches had thereof giuen diuers opinions one saying it was the bots by reason of his immoderate languishment another affirmed him to be bewitcht by reason of his great shaking heauinesse and sweating but I haue found it and approued it to be a Feuer both in effect nature and quality the cure whereof is thus for the originall cause of a Feuer is surfet breeding putrifaction in the blood then when his shaking beginneth take three new laide Egges breake them in a dish and beate them together then mixe thereto fiue or sixe spoonefuls of excellent good Aqua vitae and giue it him in a horne then bridle him and in some Close or Court chafe him til his shaking cease and he beginne to sweat then set him vp and cloath him warme And during the time of his sicknesse giue him no water to drinke but before he drinke it boile therein Mallowes Sorrell Purslaine of each two or three handfuls As for his foode let it bee sodden Barly and now and then a little Rye in the sheafe to clense and purge him chiefely if he be drye inwardly and grow costiue This I haue proued vneffectlesse for this disease and also much auaileable for any other inward sicknesse proceeding either of raw digestion too extreame riding or other surfet Diuers haue written diuersly of diuers Agues and I coulde prescribe receiptes for them but since I haue not been experimented in them al I meane to omit them intending not to exceede mine owne knowledge in any thing Of the Pestilence THe Pestilence is a contagious disease proceeding as Pelagonius saith somtime of ouermuch labour heate colde hunger aad sometime of sudden running after long rest or of the retention or holding of stale or vrine Blundevile or of drinking colde water whiles the Horsse
that ther wer Buls in Colchis which did breth out fire except by that fiction the poets vnderstood the beastly rage of the rich inhabitants The sacrificing of Buls Touching the sacrificing of buls it vvas also the custome of the old Egyptians to sacrifice a Bull vnto Epaphus and their manner was first of all to try him whether it were fit for sacrifice by laying meale before them whereof if they refused to tast they were adiudged not apt for the Temple The Druidae call a generall sacrifice Viscum whereby they affirme all greeuances may be cured Caelius Gâ—raldus Pliny First they prepared a banquet with sacrifice vnder some tree then broght they two white buls fastened togither by the horns and then they gaue a drinke to any barren creature Woman or bruit beast holding religiously that by that drinke they shoulde be made fruitfull and free from al poison Vnto so great a height did the folly of blinde people arise to put religion in euery vnreasonable inuention vnder pretence of any good intention deuised by idolatrous priests As often as they slew and offered a Bul and poured Frankincense and wine vppon the hoast they said The bul is increased with Frankincense and wine but the Ionians did best comfort themselues in their sacrifices where the Bul before his death did lough at the Altar Pausanias and the Messenians did bind their bul which was to be sacrificed to the Ghosts of Aristomene vnto certaine Pillars in his sepulchre if therefore the Bul did shake the pillar while he leaped to and fro to get liberty they took it for a good signe or Omen but if it stood imouable they held it a mournful and lamentable thing It is likewise reported by Varinus that when Agamemnon ignorantly kild one of the harts of Diana in Aulis she was so wroth that she stayed the winds from blowing vpon his nauy so as they could not stirre out of harbour hereupon they went to the Oracle where answere was giuen that the goddesse was to bee pacified with some one of Agamemnons blood therfore Vlisses vvas sent avvay to fetch Iphigenia the dau of Agam from her mother clitemnaestra vnder pretence to be maried to achilles but when she was ready to bee sacrificed the goddesse took pittie on her and accepted a bul in her steede which ought not to bee thought incredible seeing that in holy scripture a Ram was substituted in the place of Isaac They were wont also to sacrifice a bul to Neptune and to al the riuers because of that affinity which they held a bul hath with al Waters and to apollo according to this virgilian verse Taurus Neptuno Taurum tibi pulcher apollo But vnto Iupiter it was vnaccustomed to be offered perhaps because he had often shevved himselfe in that likenesse to rauish and defloure Women Prouerbs of a Buli There be certaine prouerbes of a bul which are not altogither impertinent in this place First it is commonly saide that hee may beare a bul that hath born a calfe wherby is meant that he may be more subiect to filthines in age which was so in youth Quartilla was a woman of most vilde reputation for vncleannes because she said that when she was little she lay with little ones like her selfe and when she grevv bigger Like the Englâ—â—â—â—râ—uerb 〈◊〉 sky fall we shal haue 〈…〉 she applied her selfe to the pleasure of elder men grovving in filthines as she had increased in yeares Likevvise they vvere vvont to say of an absurde or impossible thinge that if a bul could reach his head ouer taygetus hee might drinke of the riuer Eurota and the beginning of this prouerbe was taken of an apothegme of Geradas when his hoast vpon a time did ask him vvhat punishment the Lacedemonians had appointed for adulterers he aunsvvered there vvere no adulterers in Lacedemon and therefore the punishment question vvere friâ—olous his hoast replyed but if there shoulde bee an adulterer there vvhat punishment vvould they appoint for him Marry said Geradus he shold pay such a bul as would reach ouer taygetus to drinke of the Water Eurota whereat the host laughed demaunding where such a bul could be found then said Geradas and vvhere can you find an adulterer in Lacede non so putting off one absurdity vvith another And thus much of the natures and properties of a bul in general In the nexte place before this beast be turned into the Woods vve vvil describe his medicinal vertues and so let him loose The pouder of a buls horn drunk in vvater stayeth a flux of blood and the loosnes of the bellâ— Sextus and Eseulapius say The medicins oâ— Buls that if a buls horne be burned in a place where serpents abide iâ— driueth the navvay The blood of buls mingled vvith barley flovver driueth avvay hardnes in the flesh being dryed cureth apostems in euery part of the body It taketh away spots in the face kileth serpeÌ„ts It is coÌ„mended warm against the gouâ— especially in horses It is not good for to drinke beause it is easily congealed except the little vaynes bee taken out It is accounted among the chiefest poysons and therefore it is thought by Plutarch that Anniball poysoned himselfe by drinking Buls blood being thereunto perswaded by his Seruant for so dyed Themistocles and Psammenitus King of Egypt taken by Cambises was constrained to drinke the blood of a Bull wherevpon immediately he gaue vp the ghost For remedy heereof it is good to beware of vomitting bycause the blood congealed in the stomach into lumps stoppeth the throate wherefore all those things which dissolue Milke in the stomach are also medicinable against the blood of Buls In these cases let the party be first of all purged by glister or otherwise and then annoynt the stomache and belly with barly meale and sweete Water laying it vnto them like a plaister likewise Lupines Oxymell and nitre are Soueraigne in this as all Physitions know The dry leaues of Neppe or Calamach is profitable against this Malady so also are ashes made of the lees of wine burned The fat of a Bull is profitable to many thinges First therefore it must be plucked out warme from the raynes of a Bull and washed in a Ryuer or brooke of running Water Dioscorides pulling out the skinnes and tunicles then melt it in a newe earthen pot hauing cast among it a little salt then set in faire cold Water and when it beginneth to congeale rubbe it vp and downe in the hands wringing out the water and letting it soke in againe vntill it appeare well washed then boyle it in a pot with a little sweet wine and being sodden let it stand all night if in the morning it sauour strong then poure in more Wyne seeth it againe vntill that sauour cease and so all the poyson be remoued and beware of salt in it especially if it be to bee vsed in diseases whereunto salt is an enemy but being
betwixt the going of the Hare and the hunting time you cannot hunt till the water be dryed vp for the drops disperse the scent of the Hare and the drye weather recollecteth it againe The Summer time also is not for hunting by reason the heate of the earth consumeth the sauour and the night being then but short the Hare trauaileth but little feeding onely in the euening and morning Likewise the fragrancy of euery greene herbe yeeldeth such a sauour as doth not a little obliterate and ouersway the sauour of the beast and therefore Aristotle in his wonders sheweth that in Aetna in the summer time there are such plenty of sweete smelling flowers especially of violets which ouercome the Nostrils of the houndes so as in vaine they follow the Hare The best time therefore for hunâ—ing with these hounds is the Autumne or fall of the leafe bycause that then the odours of herbs are weakned and the earth barer then at other times The best manner to teach these hounds The first training of hounds is to take a liue Hare and trayle her after you vpon the earth now one way now another and so hauing drawen it a conuenient space hide it in the earth afterward set forth your hound neere the traile who taking the winde runneth to and froâ— through Woods fields pastures path-wayes and hedges vntill he finde which way the Hare is gon but with a soft and gentle pace vntill at length comming neer the lodged Hare he mendeth his pace and bestirreth himselfe more speedily leaping vpon his prey like some serpent or as an arrow shot out of a bow and so tearing it in peices or killing it with ioy loadeth himselfe with his conquest and bringeth it to his maister with triumph who must receiue both dog and it with all tokens of loue into his owne bosome which thing caused Nemesian to write thus Quia freta si Morinum dubio refluentia ponto O quanta est merces quantum impendia supra Protinus haec vna est catulis iactura Britannis Veloces nostrique orbis venatibus aptos There are diuers Country Dogges like vnto these as the Geloni and Gnosij Of the houÌ„ds of sundry countries which caused Ouid to reckon and cal Ichnobates one of Actaeons Dogs Gnosius whom Oppianus compareth to the Polipus fish which smelling in the waters the leaues of Oliues by the sent is drawne to the land to eate them The Spanish Dogs whome the French call Espagneulx haue long eares but not like a Braches and by their noses hunt both Hares and Conies they are not rough but smooth haired The Tuscan Dogs are commended by Nemesian notwithstanding they are not beautifull to looke vpon hauing a deepe shaggy haire yet is their game not vnpleasant Soepe Canum forma est illis licet obsita villo Haud tamen in iucunda dabunt tibi munera praeda Atque etiam leporum secreta cubilia monstrant Quin et Tuscorum non est extrema voluptas The Vmbrian Dogge is sharpe nosed but fearefull of his sporte as Gratius expresseth Aut exigit Vmber nare sagax e calle feras At fugit aduersus idem quos efferent hostes Tanta foret virtus tantum vellet in armis The Aetolian Dogs haue also excellent smelling Noses and are not slow or fearefull whom Gratius expresseth as followeth Aetola quaecunque canis de stirpe malignum Seu frustra ruinis properat furor et tamen illud Mirum quam celeres quantum nare merentur Et clangore citat quos nondum conspicit apros officium c. The French Dogges are deriued or propagated of the Dogges of great Brittaine and are swift and quike sented but not all for they haue of diuers kindes as Gratius expresseth in these words Magnaque diuersos extollit gloria celtas They are very swift and not sharp nosed wherefore they are mingled in generation with the Vmbrian Dogges and therefore he celebrateth in many verses the praise of the first Hunter as he taketh him Hagno Baeonius and his Dog Metagon and afterward the Dog Petronius but it may be that by Metagon he meaneth the dogs of Lybia because there is a Citty of that name and by Petronius the dogs of Italy for Petronia is a riuer that falleth into Tiber. The Gramarians cal a Dog engendered of a hound and an ordinary French Dog Vertagus a tumbler bycause he setteth himselfe to hunting and bringeth his pray to his maister whereupon Martiall made this Distichon Non sibi sed domino venatur vertagus acer Illaesum leporem qui tibi dente feret Such be also other smelling Dogges called in the German tongue Lochhundle that is Terriors or Beagles these will set vpon Foxes and Badgers in the earth and by biting expell them out of their Denns whereof Aristotle reporteth a wonder that one of them followed a Foxe vnder the ground in Boeotia and there made so great anoyse by barking that the hunters went also into the caue where they saw many strange things which they related to the chiefe magistrate The water Spagnell Vnto all these smelling Dogs I may also adde the water Spagnell called in French Barbeti and in Germany Wasserhund who is taught by his maister to seeke for thinges that are lost by words and tokens and if he meet any person that hath taken them vp he ceaseth not to bay at him and follow him til he appeare in his maisters presence These also will take water-foule and hunt Otters and Beauers although houndes also will doe the same and watch the stroke of a gunn when the fouler shooteth and instantly run into the water for the dead fowle which they bring to their Maister They vse to sneare their hinder parts that so they may be the lesse annoyed in swimming whose figure is in the bottome of the former page described Of the mixt kind of Dogs called in English Mangrels or Mongrels THose we call Mangrels which though they be on both sides propagated by Dogges yet are they not of one kind for as once doggs coupled with Asses Leopards Lyons Tigres Apes or any such beasts according to the old verse Cani congeneres lupus vulpes Hyaena Tygris So now it is ordinary for the greyhound to couple with the mastiue the hound with the Grey-hound the mastiue with the Shepherds dog and the shepherds dog with anie other cur or Beagle of these kinds we will now speak in order And it is not to be omitted that this comixtion of kinds haue bin inuented by hunters for the amendment of some natural fault or defect they found in the Monophyli that is one single kind and so heereby they added some qualities to their kind which they wanted before either in strength of body or craft of wit for they deriue both of these from their sires CommixtioÌ„ of kinds in procreation Pliny wherfore Oppianus declareth that in the Commixtion of dogs the ancients coupled together these kinds the Arcadians with
faire water vntil the barly begin to burst and boile therewith of bruised Licoras of Annis-seedes or Raisins of each one pound then straine it and to that liquor put of hony a pinte and a quarterne of Sugar candy and keepe it close in a pot to serue the horse therwith foure seuerall mornings and cast not away the sodden barly with the rest of the strainings but make it hot euery day to perfume the horse withal being put in a bag and tyed to his hed and if the horse will eat of it it shal do him the more good And this perfuming in winter season would be vsed about ten of the clocke in the morning when the Sun is of some height to the intent the horse may be walked abroad if the Sun shine to exercise him moderatly And vntill his cough weare away faile not to giue him warm water with a little ground mault And as his cough breaketh more and more so let his water euery be lesse warmed then other Of the dry cough THis seemeth to come of some grosse and tough humor cleauing hard to the hollow places of the lungs which stoppeth the wind-pips so as the horse cannot easily draw his breath and if it continue it wil either grow to the pursick or else breake his wind altogether The signs be these He wil cough both often drily and also vehemently without voiding at the nose or mouth The cure according to Martin is in this sort Take a close earthen pot and put therein three pints of strong vineger and foure egs shels and all vnbroken and foure Garlike heads cleane pilled and bruised and set the pot being very close couered in some warme dunghill and there let it stand a whole night and the next morning with your hand take out the egges which will be so soft as silke and lay them by vntill you haue strained the Garlike and Vineger through a faire cloath then put to that liquor a quarterne of hony and halfe a quarterne of Sugarcandy and two ounces of Lycoras and two ounces of Annis-seedes beaten al into fine powder And then the Horsse hauing fasted al the night before in the morning betwixt seuen and eight of the clocke open his mouth with a cord and whorle therein one of the egges so as he may swallow it downe and then immediately poure in after it a horneful of the aforesaide drinke being first made lukewarme and cast in another egge with another horne full af drinke and so continue to do vntill he hath swallowed vp all the egges and drunke vp all the drinke and then bridle him and couer him with warmer cloathes then he had before and bring him into the stable and ther let him stand on the bit at the bare rack wel littered vp to the belly the space of two houres Then vnbit him and if it be in winter offer him a handfull of wheaten straw if in summer giue him grasse and let him eat no hay Blundevilâ— vnlesse it be very wel dusted and sprinkled with water and giue him not much thereof And therefore you shal need to giue him the more prouender which also most be wel clensed of al filth and dust and giue him no water the space of 9. daies And if you perceiue that the cough doth not weare away then if it be in winter purge him with these pilles Take of lard two pound laid in water two houres then take nothing but the cleane fat thereof and stamp it in a morter and thereto put of Licoras of Annis-seeds of Fenegreeke of each beaten into powder three ounces of Aloes in powder two ounces of Agerick one ounce Knead these together like paast and make thereof six bals as big as an egge Then the horse hauing fasted ouer night giue him the next morning these pilles one after another anointed with hony and oile mingled together in a platter and to the intent he may swallow them down whether he wil or not when you haue opened his mouth catch hold of his tong and hold it fast while you whirle in one of the pilâ— that done thrust it into his throat with a roling-pin then let his tongue go vntill he hath swallowed it downe then giue him in like manner all the rest of the pilles and let him stand on the bit warme cloathed and littered the space of three houres at the least and after that giue him a little wet hay and warme water with a little ground mault in it to drinke and let him drinke no other but warme water the space of a weeke And now and then in a faire sunny day it shall be good to trot him one houre abroad to breath him Of the fretized broken and rotten lungs THis proceedeth as Absirtus and Theomnestus saith either of an extreame cough or of vehement running or leaping or of ouer greedy drinking after great thirst for the lungs be inclosed in a very thin filme or skin and therefore easie to be broken which if it be not cured in time doth grow to apostumation and to corruption oppressing all the lungs which of old Authors is called Vomica and Suppâ—ratio But Theomnestus saith that broken lungs and rotten lungs be two diuers diseases and haue diuers signes and diuers cures The signes of broken lungs be these The Horse draweth his wind short and by little at once he will turne his head often toward the place grieued and groneth in his breathing he is afraid to cough and yet cougheth as though he had eaten small bones The same Theomnestus healed a friends horse of his whose lunges were fretized or rather broken as he saith by continual eating salt with this manner of cure here following Let the Horsse haue quiet and rest and then let him blood in the hanches where the vaines appeare most and giue him to drinke the space of seuen daies barly or rather Otes sodden in Goates milke or if you can get no milke boile it in water and put therein some thicke collops of larde and of Deeres sewet and let him drinke that and let his common drinke in winter season be the decoction of wheat meale and in summer time the decoction of barly and this as he sayth wil binde his lungs againe together Vegetius vtterly disalloweth letting of blood in any such disease as this is all maner of sharp medicynes for feare of prouoking the cough by means wherof the broken places can neuer heale perfectly And therfore neither his medicines nor meat would be harsh but smooth gentle and cooling The best medicine that may be giuen him at all times is this take of Fenegreeke and of Linceede of each halfe a pound of Gum dragagant of Mastick of Myrrhe of Sugar of Fitch flower of each one ounce Let all these things be beaten into fine powder and then infused one whole night in a sufficient quantity of warme Water and the next day giue him a quarte of this lukewarme putting thereunto two or three ounces of
thereunto three ounces of Meâ— Rosatum and wash al his mouth with Vineger and salt If his stomacke be too colde then his haire wil stare and stand right vp which Absirtus and others were wont to cure by giuing the horse good wine and oile to drinke and some would seeth in wine Rew or Sage some would adde thereunto white Pepper and Mirre some woulde giue him Onions and Rocket seed to drinke with wine Againe there be other somewhich prescribe the blood of a young Sow with old wine Absirtus would haue the horse to eat the green blades of wheat if the time of the yeare wil serue for it Columella saith that if a horsse or anie other beaste do loath his meate it is good to giue him wine and the seede of Gith or else Wine and stampt garlicke Of casting out his drinke VEgetius saith that the horse may haue such a Palsie proceeding of cold in his stomack as he is notable to keepe his drinke but many times to cast it out again at his mouth The remedy whereof is to let him blood in the necke and to giue him cordiall drinkes that is to say made of hotte and comfortable spices and also to annoint al his breast and vnder his shoulders with hot oyles and to purge his head by blowing vp into his Nostrils pouders that prouoke neezing such as haue beene taught you before Of surfetting with glut of prouender THe glut of prouender or other meat not digested doth cause a horse to haue great paine in his body so as hee is not able to stande on his feete but lyeth downe and waltereth as though he had the Bots. The cure whereof according to Martins experience is in this sort Let him blood in the necke then trot him vppe and downe for the space of an houre and if he cannot stale draw out his yard and wash it with a little white wine luke warme and thrust into his yard either a brused cloue of Garlicke or else a little oile of Cammomile with a wax candle If he cannot dung then rake his fundament and giue him this glister Take of Mallows two or three handfuls and boile them in a pottle of faire running water and when the mallows be sodden then straine it and put therevnto a quart of fresh Butter and halfe a pinte of oile Oliue and hauing receiued this glister lead him vp and downe vntill he hath emptied his belly then set him vp and keepe him hungry the space of three or foure daies and the hay that he eateth let it be sprinkeled with water and let him drinke water wherein should be put a little bran and when he hath drunke giue him the bran to eate and giue him little or no prouender at al for the space of eight or ten daies Of another kind of surfetting with meat or drinke called of vs foundering in the body THis disease is called of the old writers in Greeke Crithiasis in Latine Hordiatio it commeth as they say by eating of much prouender suddainely after labour whilst the horse is hot and panting Blundevile whereby his meate not being digested breedeth euill humors which by little and little do spread thoroughout his members and at length do oppresse all his body and doe cleane take away his strength and make him in such a case as he can neither goe nor bow his ioyntes nor being laide he is not able to rise againe neither can he stale but with great paine It may come also as they saie of drinking too much in trauelling by the waie when the horse is hot but then it is not so dangerous as when it commeth of eating too much But howsoeuer it commeth they saie all that the humours will immediatelie resorte downe into the horses legges and feet and make him to cast his hooues and therfore I must needs iudge it to be no other thing but a plaine foundering which word foundering is borrowed as I take it of the French word Fundu that is to say molten For foundering is a melting or dissolution of humors which the Italians cal Infusione Martin maketh diuers kindes of foundering as the foundering of the bodie which the French men call most commonly Morfundu and foundering in the legs and feet also foundering before and behind which some Authors doe denie as Magister Maurus and Laurentius Russius affirming that there are fewer humors behind than before and that they cannot easily be dissolued or molten being so far distant from the hart the other vital parts Whereunto a man might answere that the natural heat of the hart doth not cause dissolution of humors but some vnnaturall and accidentall heate spred throughout all the members which is daily proued by good experience For we see horses foundered not only before or behind but also of al foure legs at once which most commonly chanceth either by taking cold sodenly after a great heate as by standing stil vpon some cold pauement or abroad in the cold wind or els perhaps the horse trauelling by the way and being in a sweat was suffred to stand in some cold water whilst he did drinke which was worse then his drinking for in the mean time the cold entering at his feet ascended vpward and congealed the humors which the heat before had dissolued and thereby when he commeth once to rest he waxeth stiffe and lame of his legs But leauing to speak of foundering in the legs as wel before as behind vntil we come to the griefs in the legs feet we intend to talk here only of foundring in the body according to Martins experience The signes to know if a horse be foundered in the body be these His haire wil stare and he wil be chil and shrug for cold and forsake his meat hanging down his head and quiuer after cold water and after 2. or 3. daies he wil begin to cough The cure according to Martin is thus First scour his belly with the glister last mentioned and then giue him a comfortable drink made in this sort Take of Malmsie a quart of Sugar halfe a quartern of hony halfe a quarterne of Sinamon halfe an ounce of Licoras and Annis seedes of each two spoonfuls beaten into fine powder which being put into the Malmsie warme them togither at the fire so as the hony may be molten and then giue it him luke warm that done walke him vp and down in the warme stable the space of halfe an houre and then let him stand on the bit 2. or 3. houres without meat but let him be warme couered and wel littered and giue him hay sprinkled with a little water and clean sifted prouender by a little at once and let his water be warmed with a little ground Malt therein And if you see him somewhat cheered then let him blood in the neck and also perfume him once a day with a little Frankincense and vse to walke him abroad when the weather is faire and not windy or els in the house
the vertues medicinall are very many Arnoldus Virtues medicinall and first of all the blood cureth all manner of bunches and apostems in the flesh and bringeth haire vpon the eye-lids if the bare place be annointed therewith The fat of a Lyon is most hot and dry and next to a Lyons a Leopards next to a Leopards a Beares and next to a Beares a buls The later Physitians vse it to cure conuulsed and distracted parts spots and tumors in the body It also helpeth the paine of the loins if the sicke part be annointed therewith and all vlcers in the legges or shinnes when a plaister is made thereof with bole-armoricke Also the vlcers of the feet mingled with allome It is soueraigne against the falling of the haire compounded with wilde roses â—he Spaniards burne the braines of beares when they die in any publicke sports holding them venemous because being drunke they driue a man to be as mad as a beare and the like is reported of the heart of a Lyon and the braine of a cat The right eie of a beare dried to pouder and hung about childrens neckes in a little bag driueth away the terrour of dreames and both the eyes whole bound to a mans left arme easetha quartanague The liuer of a sow a lamb and a bear put togither and trod to pouder vnder ones shoos easeth and defendeth cripples from imflamation the gall being preserued and warmed in water deliuereth the bodie from colde when all other medicine faileth Some giue it mixt with Water to them that are bitten with a mad Dogge holding it for a singular remedie if the party can fast three daies before It is also giuen against the palsie the Kings euill the falling sickenesse an old cough the inflamation of the eies the running of the eares the difficultie of vrine and deliuery in child-birth the Haemorrhods the weaknes of the backe The stones in a perfume are good against the falling euill and the palsie and that women may go their full time they make ammulets of Bears nails and cause them to weare them all the time they are vvith child OF THE BEAVER Male and Female Their quantitie is not much bigger then a countrey Dog their head short their ears very small and round their teeth very long Their seueral partes Siluius Bellouius the vnder teethe standing out beyond their lips three fingers breadth and the vpper about halfe a finger being very broade crooked strong and sharpe standing or growing double verie deep in their mouth bending compasse like the edge of an Axe and their colour yellowish red wherwith they defend themselues against beasts take fishes as it were vpon hooks and will gnaw insunder trees as big as a mans thigh they haue also grinding teeth very sharpe wherein are certaine wrinckles or foldes so that they seeme to be made for grinding some hard substance for with them they eate the rindes or barke of trees wherefore the bitinge of this beast is very deepe being able to crash asunder the hardest bones and commonly he neuer loseth his holde vntill he feeleth his teeth gnash one against another Pliny and Solinus affirme that the person so bitten cannot be cured except he hear the crashing of the teeth which I take to be an opinion without truth They haue certaine haires about their mouth which seeme in their quantity or bignesse to be rather horne they are so hard but their bones are most harde of all and without marrow Their forefeet are like a Dogs and their hinder like a Gooses made as it were of purpose to go on the land swim in the water but the taile of this beast is most strange of all in that it commeth nearest to the nature of fishes being without hayre and couered ouer with a skin like the scales of fish it being like a soale and for the most part six fingers broade and halfe a foot long which some haue affirmed the beast neuer pulleth out of the water whereas it is manifest that when it is very colde or the water frozen he pulleth it vp to his body although Agricola affirme that his hinder legs and taile freeze with the water and no lesse vntrue is the assertion that they compell the Otter in time of colde and frost to wait vpon their taile and to trouble the water so that it may not freeze round about them but yet the Beuer holdeth the Otter in subiection and eyther ouercommeth it in fight or killeth it with his teeth This taile he vseth for a sterne when he swimmeth after fishe to catch them There hath beene taken of them whose tayles haue waied foure pound waight and they are accounted a very delicate dish for being dressed they eate like Barbles they are vsed by the Lotharingians and Sauoyens for meat allowed to be eaten on fish-daies although the body that beareth them be flesh and vncleane for food Bellonius The manner of their dressing is first roasting and afterward seething in an open pot that so the euill vapour may go away and some in pottage made with Saffron other with Ginger and many with Brine it is certaine that the tayle and forefeet tast very sweet from whence came the Prouerbe That sweet is that fish which is not fishe at all These Beastes vse to builde them Caues or Dens neere the Waters so as the Water may come into them Their building of Dens or else they may quickly leape into the water and their wit or naturall inuention in building of their caues is most wonderfull for you must vnderstand that in the night time they go to land and there with their teeth gnaw down boughes trees which they likewise bite verie short fitting their purpose and so being busied about this worke they will often looke vp to the tree when they perceiue it almost asunder thereby to discerne when it is ready to fall least it might light vpon their owne pates the tree being down and prepared they take one of the oldest of their company whose teeth could not be vsed for the cutting or as others say they constraine some strange Beauer whom they meet withall to fall flat on his backe as before you haue heard the Badgers doe and vpon his belly lade they all their timber which they so ingeniously worke and fasten into the compasse of his legs that it may not fall and so the residue by the taile drawe him to the water side where these buildings are to be framed and this the rather seemeth to be true Albertus Olaus mag because there haue bene some such taken that had no haire on their backes but were pilled which being espied by the hunters in pitty of their slauery or bondage they haue let them go away free These beasts are so constant in their purpose that they will neuer change the tree that they haue once chosen to build withall how long time so euer they spend in biting downe the same it is likewise to
it is good against al venim of Serpents and against the chamelaeon but with this difference against the scorpion with wine against spiders with sweet water against the Lizzards with Mirtire against Dipsas and cerastes with Opponax or wine made of Rew and against other serpentes with wine simply Take of euery one two drams for a cold take it a scruple and a halfe in foure cups of wine vsed with Ladanum it cureth the Fistula and vlcers Castoreoque graui mulier sopita recum bit prouoketh neezing by smelling to it procureth sleepe they being annointed with it maiden-weed conserue of Roses and being drunke in Water helpeth Phrensie and with the roses and Maiden-weed aforesaid easeth head-ache Being layd to the head like a plaster it cureth all colde and windy affections therein or if one drawe in the smoake of it perfumed though the paine be from the mothers wombe and giuen in three cups of sweete vineger fasting it helpeth the falling sicknes but if the person haue often fits the same giuen in a glister giueth great ease Then must the quantity be two drams of castoreum one sextary of honey and oyle and the like quantity of water but in the fit it helpeth with vineger by smelling to it It helpeth the palsie taken with Rew or wine sod in Rew so also all heart trembling ache in the stomack and quaking of the sinewes It being infused into them that lie in Lethargies with vineger and conserue of roses doth presently awake them for it strengthneth the braine and mooueth sternutation It helpeth obliuion comming by reason of sicknes the party being first purgd with Hiera Ruffi castoreum with oyle bound to the hinder part of the head and afterward a dram drunke with Mellicrate also taken with oyle cureth all conuulsion proceeding of cold humors if the conuulsion be full and perfect not temporall or in some particular member which may come to passe in any sicknes The same mixed with hony helpeth the clearnes of the eies and their inflamations likewise vsed with the iuyce of Popie and infused to the eares or mixed with honey helpeth all paines in them With the seed of hemlockes beaten in vineger it sharpneth the sence of hearing if the cause be colde and it cureth tooth-ach infused into that eare with oyle on which side the paine resteth for Hippocrates sent vnto the wife of Aspasius complayning of the paine in her cheeke and teeth a little castoreum with pepper aduising her to hold it in her mouth betwixt her teeth A perfume of it drawne vp into the head stomacke easeth the paines of the lights and intrals and giuen to them that sigh much with sweet vineger fasting it recouereth them It easeth the cough and distillations of rhewme from the head to the stomacke taken with the iuyce of blacke Popye It is preseruative against inflamations pains in the guts or belly although the belly be swolne with colde windy humors being drunke with vineger or Oxycrate it easeth the colicke giuen vvith annisse beaten smal and two spoonfuls of sweet water and it is found by experiment that vvhen a horsse cannot make vvater let him be couered ouer vvith his cloath Vegetins and then put vnderneath him a fire of coles vvherein make a perfume vvith that castoreum till the horses belly and cods smell thereof then taking avvay the coles vvalk the horsse vp dovvn couered and he vvill presently stale To soften the belly they vse Castoreum with sweet water two drams and if it be not forcible enough they take of the root of a set cucumber one dram and the some of salt Peter two drams It is also vsed with the iuice of Withy and decoction of Vineger applied to the rains and genitall parts like a plaster against the Gonorrhaean passion It will stir vp a womans monethly courses and cause an easie trauaile two drammes being drunke in water with Penny-Royall And if a Woman with childe goe ouer a Beauer she will suffer abortment A secret and Hypocrates affirmeth that a perfume made with Castoreum Asses dunge and swines greace openeth a closed wombe There is an Antidot called Diacostu made of this castoreum good against the Megrim falling sicknesse apoplexies palsies and weakenesse of limmes as may be seene in Myrepsus against the impotency of the tongue trembling of the members and other such infirmities These vertues of a Beauer thus described I will conclude this discourse with a History of a strange beast like vnto this related by Dunranus campus-bellus a noble kni who affirmed A miraculus history of a Monster that there are in Arcadia seuen great Lakes some 30. miles compasse and some lesse whereof one is called Garloil out of which in Anno 15.0 about the midst of Summer in a morning came a Beast about the bignes of a water dog hauing feet like a Goose who with his taile easily threw downe small trees and presently with a swift pace he made after some men that he saw and with three strokes he likewise ouerthrew three of them the residue climbing vp into trees escaped and the beast without any long tarrying returned backe againe into the water which beast hath at other times bene seene and it is obserued that this appearance of the monster did giue warning of some strange euils vpon the Land which story is recorded by Hector Boethius OF THE BISON. Of the name A Bison called of some Latines though corruptly Vrson and Veson of the Graecians Bisoon of the Lituanians Suber of the Polonians Zuber from whence some Latines deriued Zubro for a Byson Of the Germanes Visent and Vaesent Wisent a beast very strange as may appear by his figure prefixed which by many authors is taken for Vr. â—â— some for a Bugle or wild Oxe other for Rangifer and many for the beast Tarandus a Buffe By reason whereof there are not many things which can by infallible collection be learned of this beast among the writers yet is it truely and generally held for a kind of wild Oxe Places of their breed bred in the Northern parts of the world for the most part and neuer tamed as in Scythia Moscouia Hercynia Thracia and Brussia But those tall wilde Oxen which are said to be in Lapponia Philostephan The reason of their nam and the Dukedome of Angermannia are more truely saide to be Vrt as in their story shall be afterward declared Their name is taken from Thracia Varinus Stephanus a secret in the laâ—e Dicaea which was once called Bistonia and the people thereof Bistones from Bisto the sonne of Cicas and Terpsicores and thereof came Bistonia Grues cranes of Thracia and Bistonia Lâ—eus for the lake or sea of Dicaea neere Abdera where neuer liuing thinge or other of lesse weight was cast in but it presently sunke and was drowned This Bison is called Taurus Paeonicus the Paeonian-Bull whereof I find two kinds one of greater Seural kinds
Oxen of the Northerne Ocean Islands of Germany do grow so fat that they are indangered to die thereby The most common foode for oxen is the same that is already specified in the former discourse of kie namely three leaued grasse clauer grasse all greene herbs Hay beans Vetches Chaffe and in some places Barley and Straw There is also a monethly dyet or food giuen to oxen for in Ianuary and February they giue them vetches and Lupines bruised in water among chaffe or pease so bruised and mingled and where is want of such pulse they may giue them pressinges of Grapes dryed and clensed which is not turned into wine and mingle them with chaffe for the cattell to eate but the Grapes themselues are much better before the pressing with their small twigges or leaues because they are both meat and drinke and will fat an oxe very speedily The like may be added of Boughes of Laurell helme and other leaues and also nuts and Acornes but if they be not wearied and fed with Acornes till they loath them they will fall into scabs In March and Aprill giue them hay and from April vnto Iune giue them grasse and such greene meat as may be found abroad Afterward all the Summer and Autumne they may be satisfied with the leaues of Elme bay holme and especially that kinde of oake which is without prickles and therefore they cannot abide Iuniper In Nouember and December while the seede time lasteth they must haue as much giuen them as they can desire either of the forenamed food or else of some better if neede require for it must be principally regarded that the cartell fal not into leannesse in the winter time for leanes is the mother of many sicknesses in cattel and their vtter ouerthrow and therefore the benefits by their full feeding are many as may appeare by that coÌ„mon prouerbe Bos ad acervum that is an oxe to a whole heape to signifie such men as liue in all plenty and aboundance The like care must bee had of their drinke for the Neat-heard must diligently looke vnto their drinke that it may be alway cleare and it is reported of the riuers Crathis and Sibaris that the cattell which drinke of their water doe turne white whatsoeuer colour they had in former times The time of Oxens age They will liue in strength and perfection twelue yeares and their whole life is for the most part but twenty Kie liue not so long the meanes to know their age is by their teeth and their horn for it is obserued that their teeth grow black in their age and their horns waxe more circled as they grow in yeares although I dare not affirme that euery circle betokeneth a yeares groweth as some haue written yet I am assured the smooth horne sheweth a young beast Moreouer although kie will endure much cold and heat both in Winter and Summer yet must you haue more regard to your Oxen and therefore it is required that they in the Winter cold weather be kept dry and housed in stals which must be of conuenient quantity so as euery oxe may be lodged vppon straw the flooer made higher vnder their forefeete then their hinder so as their vrine may passe away and not stand to hurt their hoofes and there be also allowed for the standing and lodging of euery Oxe eight foot in bredth and a length answerable The like regard must be had to theyr maunger and rack whereof the staues must not stand aboue one foot or rather lesse from one another that so they may not draw out their meat and stampe it vnderfoot But all the diet and foode that the wit of man can ordaine will do them no manner of good if regard be not had to their bodily health the medâ—ins to preserue an Oxe in strength and preseruation of strength for which cause they must receiue an ordinary medicine euery quarter of the yeare that is in the end of the spring Summer Autumne and Winter which in some places is thus made and giuen in potion they take oâ— Cypres and Lupine-leaues an equal quantity beat them small then set them in water in the open ayre a day and a night and afterward giue vnto euery one for three dayes togither warmed as much as a wine pint Paxamus In other places they giue them to prevent sicknes a raw Egge a handfull of salte in a pint of wine and other put into the meat of oxen the foame of newe oyle mingled with water first a little at once vntill they be accustomed vnto it and afterward more and this they do euery fourth or fift day Cato reciteth a certaine vowe or prayer which the olde idolatrous Romanes were woont to make for the health of their cattell Vowes and superstitious medicins for the cure of Cattel to Siluanus Mars which was on this manner First they take three pound of greene wheat and of Larde 4. poundes and foure pound and a halfe of fleshy sinnewes and three pintes and a halfe of wine then put them into earthen pots with hony put in the wine by it self and this they did yearely but no woman might knowe how it is made or be present at the time of the preparation and it being made must be presently consumed by fire Vnto this ridiculous and superstitious ydle inuention seruing more to expresse the folly of man then to benefit either man or beast I may adde that kind of sacrifice made for beasts which Pliny calleth Daps that was made in the spring time when the peare-tree did blossome the maner whereof was thus They did offer to Iupiter Dapalis a bowle of wine on the same daye the heard-men and heards make their sacrifice saying in this manner O Iupiter Dapales I offer vnto thee this cup of wine in the behalfe of my selfe family and cattell if thou wilt perform that vnto them which belongeth to thee be good to this wine beneath be good to this my sacrifice Afterward the party washed his handes and then dranke the wine saying O Iupiter Dapales be good to this my sacrifice be good to this inferiour wine and if thou wilt giue part therof to Vesta the sacrifice being ended he took Millet-seed Lentils oxipanum and garlick Thus farre Cato wherewith if any reader be offended let him remember to pitty such poore remedies and commend his cattell to the true God that saueth man and beast The Druides of the Gauls called a certain hearb growing in moyst places Samolum which being gathered by the left hand of them that were fastinge they gaue it for an Antidot to oxen and swine And Galen telleth of another superstitious cure for oxen when a man tooke the horne of a Hart and layed it vppon the chappell of Pan and set vpon it a burning candle which must not be forgotten but alway thought vppon in the day time The discouery of â—he sicknes of Cattel and the perticuâ—â—r cure thereof calling vppon holy Demusaris
lye a certaine humour commeth foorth like a gall Wherefore Aelianus sayth he hath his gall in his maw-gutte which is so full of sinewes that one would thinke he had foure bellies in this receiueth he his meate hauing no other receptacle for it his intralles are like vnto a Swines but much greater His Liuer foure times so greate as an Oxes and so all the residue excepte the Melte he hath two pappes a little beside his breast vnder his shoulders and not betweene his hinder legges or loynes they are very small and cannot be seene on the side Aristotle The reasons hereof are giuen first that he hath but two pappes because he bringeth forth but one at a time and they stand vnder his shoulders like an Apes because hee hath no hoofes but distinct feet like a mannes and also bicause from the breaste floweth more aboundance of milke The genitall parte is like a Horses but lesser then the proportion of his bodie affoordeth the stones are not outwardly seene because they cleaue to his raines But the Female hath her genitall betwixte her thighes the forlegges are much longer then the hinder legges and the feet be greater His legges are of equall quantity both aboue and beneathe the knees and it hath anckle bones verie lowe The articles doe not ascende so high as in other creatures but kept low neere the earth He bendeth his hinder legs like a mans when he sitteth but by reason of his great waight hee is not able to bend on both sides together 〈◊〉 Gillâ—â—s but either leaneth to the right hand or to the left and so sleepeth It is false that they haue no ioynts or articles in their legs for when they please they can vse bend and moue them but after they grow old they vse not to lie downe or straine them by reason of their great weight but take their rest leaning to a tree and if they did not bend their legs they could neuer go any ordinary and stayed pace Their feet are round like a horsses but so as they reach from the middle euery way two spans length and are as broad as a bushell hauing fiue distinct toes vpon each foot the which toes are very little clouen to the intent that the foot may be stronger and yet parted that when he treadeth vppon soft grounde the weyght of his body presse not downe the legge to deepe Hee hath no nailes vpon his toes his taile is like an Oxes taile hauing a little haire at the end and the residue thereof peeled and without haire He hath not any bristly hairs to couer his back and thus much for their seuerall parts and their vses their inward natural parts There is not any creature so capable of vnderstanding as an Elephant and therefore it is requisite to tarry somewhat the longer in expressing the seuerall properties and naturall qualities thereof which sundry and variable inclinations cannot choose but bring great delight to the reader They haue a wonderfull loue to their owne Countrey so as although they be neuer so well delighted with diuers meats and ioyes in other places yet in memory thereof they send forth teares Aelianus Tzetzes The Places of their abod and they loue also the waters riuers and marishes so as they are not vnfitly called Riparij such as liue by the riuers sides although they cannot swim by reason of their great and heauy bodies vntill they be taught Also they neuer liue solitary but in great flocks except they be sicke or watch their yong ones and for either of these they remaine aduenturous vnto death Pliny the eldest leadeth the herd and the second driueth them forward if they meet any man they giue him way and goe out of his sight Leo Afer Their voice is called by the word Barrire that is to bray and thereupon the Elephants themselus are called Barri Festus Philomelae avthor for his voice commeth out of his mouth and nostrils togither like as when a man speaketh breathing wherefore Aristotle calleth it rawcity or hoarsnes like the low sound of a Trumpet this sound is verie terrible in battailes as shall be afterward declared They liue vpon the fruits of plants and rootes and with their truncks and heads ouerthrow the tops of trees The meat of wilde Eleph Pliny Solinus and eat the boughes and bodies of them and many times vpon the leaues of trees he deuoureth Chamaeleons whereby he is poisoned and dieth if hee eat not immediately a wilde Oliue They eat earth often without harme but if they eat it sildome it is hurtfull and procureth paine in their bâ—lâ—ies so also they eat stones They are so louing to their fellowes that they will not eat their meat alone but hauing found a prey they go and inuite the residue to their feastes and cheere more like to reasonable ciuill men Aelianus Hermolaus then vnreasonable brute beasts There are certaine noble melons in Aethiopia which the Elephants being sharpe-smelling-beastes do winde a great way off and by the conduct of their noses come to those Gardens of Melons and there eat and deuour them When they are tamed they will eate Barlie either whole or grounde of whole at one time is giuen them nine Macedonian Bushels but of meale six and of drinke eyther wine or water thirty Macedonian pintes at a time that is fourteen gallons but this is obserued that they drinke not wine except in warre when they are to fight but water at all times whereof they will not tast except it be muddy and not cleare for they auoid cleare water Aelianus Simocratus A secret Pliny loathing to see their owne shaddow therein and therefore when the Indians are to passe the water with their Elephants they choose darke and cloudy nightes wherein the moone affordeth no light If they perceiue but a mouse run ouer their meat they will not eat thereof for there is in them a great hatred of this creature Also they wil eat dryed Figges Grapes Onions Bulrushes Palmes and Iuy leaues There is a Region in India called Phalacrus A secret in a countrey of India which signifieth Balde because of an herbe growing therein which causeth euery liuing thing that eateth therof to loose both horn and haire and therefore no man can be more industrious or warie to auoide those places then is an Elephant and to beare euery greene thing growing in that place when he passeth thorough it Aelianus It will forbeare drinke eight daies together and drinke wine to drunkennesse like an Ape It is delighted aboue measure with sweet sauours oyntments and smelling flowers for which cause their keepes will in the Summer time lead them into the medowes of flowers where they of themselues will by the quicknes of their smelling Their loue to sweet flowers Aelianus chuse out and gather the sweetest flowers and put them into a basket if their keeper haue any which being filled like daintie and neat men they
thinner and better blood and therefore it is to be preferred only the measure of the prouender is lefte to the discretion of the horsse-keeper and there is no meate more wholsome for a horsse than barly and chaffe because it wil make him ful of life and also able to indure labor yet not ouer fat In England in many placeâ— they giue their horsses bread made of Fitches beans and pease When one is to make a iourney on horsse-back let him not giue his horse to much prouinder the noone before but somewhat the more hay and bread steeped in wine and also let him serue him sooner at night than ordinary that so the beast may take the more rest There be which refuse to giue horsses wet prouender or steeped bread because they conceiue that it will breed in them loathsomnesse of meat but the truth is a reasonable horsse-keeper preuenteth that mischeefe and besides the meat of a horsse is altogither so drie that the beast himselfe is indangered to be sicke of that disease and therefore it is as safe to giue him moistened foode sometimes as well as to giue him bread mingled with salt Camerarius When a horsse is weary or sweateth let him not drinke nor eat prouender but after he is walked a litle while giue him hay first of al couering him with a large cloath and remember that hay is not to be cast before a horsse as it is out of the reeke but first of all it must be pulled and shaken betwixt the handes for the auoiding of dust and other filth Restrain the horsse as much as you may from eating the litter vnder his feet for euen the best meat so defiled is vnholsome It is also good sometimes to suffer him to picke vp his meat on the ground betwixt his forelegs that will make his necke to grow thinner leanner and more comely Let his necke be fast bound in the stable with a Letherne collar and bind with a manicle his fore-legge to the hinder leg on the contrary side and so shal his legs be preserued in more health because they cannot mooue out of their place but with difficulty Concerning the drinke of horsses something more is to be added in this place and namely brackysh and troubled water such as runneth softly as in great pondes is fittest for horsse because that water being hot and thicke nourisheth better but the swift Water is colder Râ—sâ—ius and therefore more vnholsome but yet in hot times as in Summer the sweet and clearer water is more conuenient if custome bee not against it And because a horsse except he drinke freely can neuer be fat let his mouth oftentimes be washed within with salt and wine and that will make him eat and drinke more liberally and yet the running water is more wholsome for horsses because whatsoeuer is moueably fluent is lesse subiect to poyson then that which standeth still but if a horsse sweat or be weary it is not safe to let him drinke any thing except he first stale for in such cases followeth distention And it is better to turne or lead forth your horsse to water then to bring it vnto them And if at any time necessity cause this to be done then let the Water be very cleare and fresh His stable or lodging ought to be ordered as neither it offend him by cold in winter nor yet thorough heat in Summer for both these extremeties are pernicious and therfore when the weather is extreame colde then must the horsses backe and belly be couered with a cloath and when on the contrary it exceedeth in heat then must his litter be taken away Also in heate he must bee couered with linnen to auiode flies and in cold with woollen to helpe nature likewise it is good toward night to picke cleanse and open his hooues with some artificiall instrument and to thrust into the hollow cow-dung or in defect thereof horse-dung with a little strawe that so he may not shake it out againe but this is not good to be done euerie daye but rather euery second day and it is good to mingle therewith sewet or greace or els a new laide Egge with warme â—shes In auncient time they vsed not to shoo their horsses with yron vntill the daies of Catullus who remembreth this custome saying Ferream vt soleam tenaci in voragine mula So that it seemeth that this deuise was first of al inuented for mules These horsse-shooes ought to be round like his feet and not heauy least the horsses nimblenes be thereby hindered great care must be had in nailing or seting theÌ„ on least the tender and fleshy part of the foot be thereby pierced Pollux Another charge of a horsse-keeper is to keepe his horsses lippes soft tender and gentle so as he may more sencibly feele his bit and for this cause let him often rub them with his hands and warme Water and if neede require with oyle also and in handling of a horsse this must be obserued for a generall rule that neither he come to the horsse right before his face nor behind his taile because both these are dangerous to the rider least by his heeles or mouth hee harme him but on his side he may safely set vpon him or handle his horsse and when he leadeth him he must likewise goe on his side Likewise good and painefull dressing of a horsse is no small meanes to retaine him in in sound and perfect health and therfore he must often be touched with the curry-comb and afterward with a handfull of strawe so as the hand may follow the stroke to lay the haire smooth and their fashion was in old time to brush ouer their horsses with a little tone linnen instrument made like a sword whereby they excusse all dust from the beast and heerein it is wisedome to beginne at the head and mane and so to descende to other parts and to touch the horsses backe gently he may wash the head and mane because it being so bony it is daungerous least the combe offend and greeue the beast except it be layed on very tenderly but it is not good to wash the legges because daily washing softneth the hoofe by sliding downe of the Water and therefore it is sufficient onely to stroke them downe with his hands The neather part also of the belly is not to be kept ouer clean for the more it is clensed with water the more is the horsse pained therein Camerarius when a horsse is dressed it is good to bring him out of the stable that so in the open ayre hee may be tyed in a longer halter and seeme to be at liberty whereby he shall be brought to more cleannesse and tractable gentlenesse standing vppon some smooth stones till all the dust and loofe haires both by the combe and brush be driuen away and in the meane time the stable be emptied and this is to be performed before the horsses watering You must also
rust or vennome of some bit or snaffell vndiscretly lookt vnto the cure is thus Wash the sore place with strong vineger made thick with the powder of Allum two or three daies together euery time vntil it bleede which will kill the poyson and vigor of the exulcerated matter then make this water take of running water a quart of Allum foure ounces of Hony foure or fiue spoonefuls of Wood-bineleaues of Sage-leaues and of Collombine-leaues of each halfe a handful boile al these together til one halfe be consumed then take it off and euery day with the water warmed wash the sore vntil it be whole Of the heat in the mouth and lips SOmetime the heat that commeth out of the stomach breedeth no Canker but maketh the mouth hot and causeth the horse to forsake his meat The cure wherof Blundevile as Martin saith is in this sort First turne vp his vpperlip and iagge it lightly with a launcet so as it may bleede and then wash both that and al his mouth and tongue with Vineger and salt Of the tongue being hurt with the bit or otherwise IF the tongue be cut or hurt any manner of way Martin saith it is good first to wash it with Allum water and then to take the leaues of black Bramble and to chop them togither small with a little lard that done to binde it vp in a little clout making it round like a ball then hauing dipt the round end in hony rub the tongue therewith continuing so to do once a day vntil it be whole Of the Barbles or Paps vnderneath the tongue THese be two little paps called of the Italians Barbole growing naturally as I thinke in euery Horsses mouth vnderneath the tongue in the neather iawes which if they shoot of any length Russius saith that they wil hinder the Horsses feeding and therefore he and Martin also would haue them to be clipt away with a paire of sheeres and that don the Horsses mouth to be washed with vineger and salt Of the paine in the teeth and gums of the Wolfes teeth and Iaw-teeth A Horse may haue paine in his teeth partly by discent of humors from his head down into his teeth and gums which is to be perceiued by the ranknesse and swelling of the gums and partly hauing two extraordinary teeth called the wolfes teeth which be two little teeth growing in the vpper iawes next vnto the great grinding teeth which are so paineful to the Horse as he cannot endure to chaw his meat but is forced either to let it fal out of his mouth or else to keepe it stil halfe chawed whereby the Horse prospereth not but waxerh leane and poore and he wil do the like also when his vpper Iaw-teeth be so far growne as they ouerhang the neather Iaw-teeth and therewith be so sharp as in mouing his iawes they cut and race the insides of his cheeks euen as they were raced with a knife And first as touching the cure of the paine in the teeth that commeth by meanes of some distillation Vegetius saith it is good to rub al the outside of his gums with fine chalke and strong vineger mingled together or else after that you haue washed the gums with vineger to strew on them of Pomegranate piles But methinkes that besides this it were not amisse to stop the temple vains with the plaister before mentioned in the chapter of weeping and waterish eies The cure of the Wolfes teeth and of the iaw-teeth according to Martin is in this sort First cause the horsse head to be tyed vp to some rafter or post and his mouth to be opened with a cord so wide as you may easily see euery part thereof Then take a round strong iron toole half a yard long and made at the one end in al points like vnto the Carpenters gouge wherewith he maketh his holes to be bored with a wimble or augor with your left hand set the edge of your toole at the foot of the wolfs teeth on the outside of the iaw turning the hollow side of the toole downward holding your hand steadily so as the toole may not slip from the foresaid tooth then hauing a mallet in your right hand strike vpon the head of the toole one pretty blow and therwith you shal loosen the tooth and cause it to bend inward then staying the midst of your toole vpon the horses neather iaw wrinch the tooth outward with the inside or hollow side of the toole and thrust it clean out of his head Blundevile that done serue the other Wolfes tooth on the other side in like manner and fill vp the empty places with salt finely braied But if the vpper iawe-teeth do also ouerhang the neather teeth so cut the inside of his mouth as is aforesaid then keeping his mouth stil open take your toole and mallet and pare al those teeth shorter running alongst them euen from the first vnto the last turning the hollow side of your toole towards the teeth so shal not the toole cut the inside of his cheekes and the backe or round side being turned toward the foresaid checkes and that doone wash all his mouth with vineger and salt and let him go Why the diseases in the necke withers and backe be declared heere before the diseases in the throate HAuing hitherto spoken of the diseases incident to a horsses head and to al the parts thereof natural order requireth that we shold now discend into the throat as a part next adiacent to the mouth But forasmuch as the diseases in the throate haue not onely afinity with the head but also with the lungs and other inward parts which are many times grieued by meanes of distillation comming from the head and through the throat I wil speake of the diseases incident to the necke withers and backe of a Horsse to the intent that when I come to talke of such diseases as rheumes and distillations doe cause I may discourse of them orderly without interruption Of the Cricke in the necke BEcause a Cricke is no other thing but a kind of conuulsion and for that we haue spoken sufficiently bofore of al kinds thereof in the chapter of conuulsion I purpose not heere therefore to trouble you with many wordes but onely shewe you Russius opinion and also Martins experience therein The cricke then called of the Italians Scima or Luterdo according to Russius and according to Martin is when the Horsse cannot turne his neck any maner of way but hold it stil right forth insomuch as he cannot take his meate from the ground but by times and that very slowly Russius saith it commeth by meanes of some great weight laid on the horsses shoulders or else by ouermuch drying vp of the sinnewes of the necke The cure whereof according to Martin is in his sort Draw him with a hot iron from the root of the eare on both sides of the necke through the midst of the same euen down to the breast
good to write thus much thinking it no time lost while I may profit them anie way Of the diseases in the Spleene THe Splene as I haue said before in many places is the receptacle of melancholy and of the dregs of blood and is subiect to the like diseases that the liuer is that is to say to swelling obstruction hard knobs and inflamation for the substance of the splene is spongeous and there sort apt to sucke in al filth and to dilate it selfe wherefore being ful it must needs swel which wil appeare in the left side vnder the short ribs and such swelling causeth also shortnesse of breath and especially when the body doth labour or trauel It is painful also to lie on the right side because the splene being swollen so oppresseth the midriffe and especially when the stomacke is ful of meat and the patient hath worse disgestion than appetite and is troubled with much winde both vpwarde and downeward Moreouer the vapor of the humor doth offend the hart making it faint and causeth al the body to be heauy and dul and if such swelling be suffered to go vncured then if it be a melancholy humor and abounding ouer-much it waxeth euery day thicker and thicker causing obstruction not onely in the vaines and artires which is to be perceiued by heauinesse and greefe on the left side but also in the splene it self whereas by vertue of the heat it is hardned euery day more and more and so by little and little waxeth to a hard knob which doth not only occupy al the substance of the splene but also many times al the left side of the wombe and thereby maketh the euil accidents or griefes before recited much more than they were Now as touching the inflammation of the splene which chaunceth very sildome for so much as euery inflammation proceedeth of pure blood which sildome entereth into the splene I shal not need to make many words but refer you ouer to the chapter of the Liuer for in such case they differ not but proceeding of like cause haue also like signes and do require like cure The old writers say that horses be often greeued with griefe in the splene and specially in Summer season with greedy eating of sweet green meats and they cal those horses Lienosos that is to say splenetike The signes whereof say they are these hard swelling on the left side short breath often groning and greedy appetite to meat The remedie whereof according to Absirtus is to make a horse to sweat once a day during a certaine time by riding him or otherwise trauelling him and to poure into his left nostril euery day the iuyce of mirabolans mingled with wine and water amounting in alto the quantity of a pint But methinks it would do him more good if he drank it as Hierocles would haue him to do Eumelius praiseth this drinke take of Cummin seed and of hony of each six ounces and of Lacerpitium as much as a beane of Vineger a pint and put al these into three quartes of water and let it stand so al night and the next morning giue the horse thereof to drinke being kept ouer night fasting Theomnestus praiseth the decoction of Capers especially if the barke of the root thereof may be gotten sodden in water to a sirrop Or else make him a drinke of Garlick Nitrum Hore-hound and worm-wood sodden in harsh wine and he would haue the left side to be bathed in warme water and to be hard rubbed And if al this wil not helpe then to giue him the fire which Absirtus doth not allow saying the splene lyeth so as it cannot easily bee fired to do him anye good But for so much as the liuer and splene are members much occupied in the ingendring and seperating of humors many euil accidents and griefes doe take their first beginning of them as the Iandis called in a horse the yellowes drinesse of body and consumption of the flesh without any apparant cause why which the Phisitians call Atrophis also euill habite of the bodie called of them Chachexia and the Dropsie But first wee will speake of the Iaundis or Yellowes Of the Yellowes THe Physitians in a mans body do make two kinds of Iandis that is to say the Yellow proceeding of choler dispersed throughout the whole body and dieng the skin yellow and the blacke proceeding of melancholie dispersed likewise throughout the whole bodie and making al the skin blacke And as the yellow Iaundis commeth for the most part either by obstruction or stopping of the cundits belonging to the bladder of the gall which as I said before is the receptable of Choler or by some inflamation of the liuer wherby the blood is conuerted into choler so spreadeth throughout the body euen so the black Iandis cōmeth by meane of some obstruction in the liuer-vain that goeth to the splene not suffering the spleene to do his office in receiuing the dregs of the blood from the liuer wherin they abound too much or else for that the spleene is already too ful of dregs and so sheddeth them backe againe into the vaines But as for the blacke Iandis they haue not bin obserued to be in horses as in mē by any of our Ferrers in these daies that I can learn And yet the old writers of horseleach-craft do seeme to make two kindes of Iandis called of them Cholera that is to say the dry Choler and also the moist choler The signs of the dry choler as Absirtus saith is great heat in the body and costiuenesse of the belly wherof it is said to be dry Moreouer the horse wil not couet to lie down because he is so pained in his body and his mouth will be hot and dry It commeth as he saith by obstruction of the cundit wherby the choler should resort into the bladder of the gal and by obstruction also of the vrin vessels so as he cannot stale The cure according to his experience is to giue him a glister made of oile water and Nitrum to giue him no prouender before that you haue raked his fundament and to power the decoction of Mallowes mingled with sweet wine into his nostrils and let his meate be grasse or else sweet hay sprinkled with Nitre and water and he must rest from labor be often rubbed Hierocles would haue him to drinke the decoction of wild coleworts sodden in wine Again of the moist choler of Iandis these are the signes The horses eies will looke yellow and his nostrils will open wide his eares and his flanks wil sweat and his stale will be yellow and cholerick and he wil grone when he lieth downe which disease the said Absirtus was wont to heale as he saith by giuing the Horsse a drinke made of Time and Cumin of each like quantity stampt together and mingled with wine hony and water and also by letting him blood in the pasterns This last disease seemeth to differ nothing at all from
that which our Ferrers cal the yellowes The signs wherof according to Martin be these The Horse will bee faint and sweat as hee standeth in the stable and forsake his meat and his eies and the inside of his lips and all his mouth within will be yellow The cure whereof according to him is in this sort Let him bloode in the Necke vaine a good quantity and then giue him this drinke take of white wine of Ale a quart and put thereunto of Saffron turmericke of each halfe an ounce and the iuyce that is wroong out of a handfull of Celendine and being lukewarme giue it the Horse to drinke and keepe him warme the space of three or foure daies giuing him warme water with a little bran in it Of the Yellowes THe yellowes is a general disease in horsses and differ nothing from the yellow-iandise in men it is mortall and many horses die thereof the signes to know it is thus Markham pull downe the lids of the horsses eies and the white of the eie will bee yellow the inside of his lips wil be yellow and gums the cure followeth First let him bloode in the palat of the mouth that he may suck vp the same then giue him this drink take of strong Ale a quart of the greene ordure of Geese strained three or foure spoonefuls of the iuyce of Salendine as much of saffron halfe an ounce mix these together and being warme giue it the horse to drinke Of the euill habit of the body and of the dropsie AS touching the drines and consumption of the flesh without any apparant cause why Blundevile called of the Physitians as I said before Atrophia I know not what to say more then I haue already before in the chap. of consumption of the flesh and therefore resort thither And as for the euil habit of the body which is to be euil colored heauy dul of no force strength nor liuelines commeth not for lack of nutriment but for lack of good nutriment for that the blood is corrupted with flegme choler or melancholy proceeding either fro the spleene or else through weakenesse of the stomach or Liuer causing euill digestion or it may come by foule feeding yea also for lacke of moderate exercise The euill habit of the body is next cosin to the dropsie whereof though our Ferrers haue had no experience yet because mine old Authors writing of horselcach-craft do speak much thereof I thinke it good heere briefely to shew you their experience therein that is to say how to know it and also how to cure it But sith none of them do shew the cause whereof it proceedes I thinke it meete first therefore to declare vnto you the causes therof according to the doctrin of the learned Physitians which in mans body do make three kinds of dropsies calling the first Anasarca the second Ascites and the third Timpanias Anasarca is an vniuersall swelling of the body through the aboundance of water lying betwixt the skin and the flesh and differeth not from the disease last mentioned called Cachexia that is to say euill habit of the bloode sauing that the body is more swoln in this then in Cachexia albeit they proceede both of like causes as of coldnesse and weakenesse of the liuer or by meanes that the hart spleene stomack and other members seruing to digestion by grieued or diseased Ascites is a swelling in the couering of the belly called of the Physitians Abdomen comprehending both the skin the fat eight muscles and the filme or panicle called Peritoneum through the aboundance of some whayish humor entred into the same which besides the causes before alledged proceedeth most chiefely by means that some of the vessels within be broken or rather cracked out of the which though the blood being somewhat grosse cannot yssue forth yet the whayish humor being subtil may run out into the belly like water distilling through a cracked pot Timpanias called of vs commonly the Timpany is a swelling of the aforesaid couering of the belly through the aboundance of wind entred into the same which wind is ingendered of crudity and euill digestion and whilest it aboundeth in the stomach or other intrals finding no yssue out it breaketh in violently through the smal cundits among the panicles of the aforesaid couering not without great paine to the patient and so by tossing to and fro windeth at length into the space of the couering it selfe But surely such wind cannot be altogether void of moisture Notwithstanding the body swelleth not so much with this kinde of dropsie as with the other kind called Ascites The signs of the dropsie is shortnes of breath swelling of the body euil colour lothing of meat and great desire to drinke especially in the dropsie called Ascites in which also the belly wil sound like a bottle halfe ful of water but in the Timpanie it wil sound like a Tabar But now though mine authors make not so many kinds of dropsies yet they say al generally that a horse is much subiect to the dropsie The signs according to Absirtus and Hierocles be these His belly legs and stones wil be swollen but his back buttocks and flanks wil be dryed and shrunke vp to the very bones Moreouer the vaines of his face and temples and also the vaines vnder his tong wil be so hidden as you cannot see them and if you thrust your finger hard against his body you shal leaue the print therof behind for the flesh lacking natural heat wil not returne again to his place and when the horselyeth down he spreadeth himselfe abroad not being able to he round together on his belly and the haire of his back by rubbing wil fal away Pelagonius in shewing the signs of the dropsie not much differing from the Physitians first recited seemeth to make two kinds therof calling the one the Timpany which for difference sake may be called in English the wind dropsie and the other the water dropsie Notwithstanding both haue one cure so farre as I can perceiue which is in this sort Let him bee warme couered and walked a good while together in the sun to prouoke sweat and let all his body be wel and often rubbed alongst the haire let him seed vpon Colworts smallâ—ge and Elming boughs and of al other thinges that may loosen the belly or prouoke vrin and let his common meat be grasse if it may be gotten if not then hay sprinkled with water and Nytrum It is good also to giue him a kinde of pulse called Cich steeped a day and a night in water and then taken out and laid so as the water may drop away from it Pelagonius would haue him to drink Parsly stampt with wine or the root of the herb called 〈◊〉 Latin Panax with wine But if the swelling of the belly wil not decrease for al this then slit a litle hole vnder his belly a handful behind the nauil put into that hole a hollow reed
haue shewed before that a Lyon in his hunger will endure nothing but fearcely falleth vpon euery prey according to these verses of Mannilius Quis dubitet vasti quae sit natura leonis Quasque suo dietet signo nassentibus artes Ille nouas semper pugnas noua bella ferarum Apparat pecorum viuit spolio atque rapinis Hoc habet hoc studium postes ornare superbos Pellibus captas domibus configere predas Atque parare metum syluis viuere rapto Concerning the hunting and taking of lions The hunting and taking of Lyons the Indian dogs and some other strong hunters do set vpon Buls Bores and Lions as we haue said before in the History of dogs but dogs which are begotten of Tygers amongst the Indians and those of Hyrcania especially doe this thing as it is noted by Mantuan concerning the fortitude and courage of a dog saying Et truculentus Helor certare leonibus audens In the prouince of Ginezui which is subiect to the great Cham king of Tartaria there are very many lions which are very great and cruell and in that region the dogs are accounted so bould and stronge as they will not feare to inuade or set vpon those lions And it oftentimes commeth to passe that two dogs and a hunting Archer sitting on horse-back do kill and destroy a lion for when the Dogs perceiue the lion to bee neare them they set vpon him with great barking but especialy when they know themselues backed with the help of a man they do not cease to bite the lyon in his hinder parts and taile and although the lion doth oftentimes threaten them with his frouning and terrible countinance turning himselfe this way and that way that he might teare them in pieces notwithstanding the dogs looking warilie vnto themselues are not easily hurt by him especially when the hunting Horse-man following them doth seeke the best meanes to fasten his Dart in the lion when hee is bitten of the Dogges for they are wise enough to consider their owne help But the Lyon then flyeth away fearing leaste the barking and howling of the dogs may bring more company both of men and dogs vnto him And if he can he betaketh himselfe rightly vnto some tree that he may enioy the same for a place of defence for his backe then turning himselfe with a scornfull grinning hee fighteth withall his force against the Dogges Paulus Venetus But the Hunter comming nearer vppon his Horsse ceaseth not to throw Dartes at the lyon vntill he kill him neither doth the lyon feele the force of the Dartes vntill he bee slaine the Dogges doe vnto him so great hurte and trouble If a lion be seene in the time of hunting being ashamed to turne his backe he doth a little turne away himselfe if be oppressed with a multitude being remoued from the sight of the Hunters he doth hastily prepare for flight thinking that his shame is cleared by concealing himselfe and therefore knoweth that the woods cannot giue testimony of this feare He doth want in his flight the leaping which he vseth in pursuing other beastes He doth craftily dissemble and abolish his footesteps to deceiue the Hunters Pollux affirmeth that if a Hunter do fight against any wilde Beasts as a Bore he must not straddle with his Legges wide abroad but keepe them together within the compasse of a foote that hee may keepe his ground stedfast and sure euen as the manner is in Wrestling for there are some wild Beasts as Panthers and Lyons when they are hunted and are hindred in their course by their Hunters if they be any thing neare them doe presently leape vppon them But the stroke which is giuen ought to be directed or leauelled right against the breast and the hart for that being once striken is incurable Xenophon saith in his book concerning Hunting that Lyons Leopards Beares Pardals Lynxes and all other wilde Beasts of this sort which inhabite desert places without Greece are taken about the Pangaean Mountaine and the Mountaine called Cyrtus aboue Macedony some in Olympus Mysius and Pindus some in Mysa aboue Syria and in other Mountaines which are fit for the breeding and nourishing Beastes of this kind But they are taken partly in the Mountaines by poyson of Wolfe-bane for the sharpnesse of the Region because that can admit no other kind of hunting as by Nets and Dogges but mingling this with that thing in which euery wilde beast delighteth the Hunters doe cast it vnto them neare the Waters There are some also which do discende downe in the night time who are taken in regard that all the waies by which they should ascend vnto the Mountaines are stopped with Hunts-men and weapons neither being so excluded are they taken without great perill vnto the Hunts-men There are some also which make pitfals or great ditches in the ground to catch Lyons in the middest whereof they leaue a profound stony pillar vpon which in the night time they tye a Goat and do hedge the pitfals round about with boughes least that it might be seen leauing no entrance into the same The lyons hearing the voice of the goat in the night doe come vnto the place and walke round about the hedge but finding no place where they may enter they leape ouer and are taken Oppianus doth describe three manner of waies of hunting Lyons which also Bellasarius doeth but he doeth describe them in my mind very vnskilfully The first of them is rehearsed out of Xenophon Three waies to take Lyons we will notwithstanding also adde thereunto Oppianus for he doth vary in both of them The second is made by fire the third by Whips or scourges The first manner of way is therefore as Gillius for the most part translateth out of Oppianus in this sort Where the Hunters of Lybia doe obserue the beaten path or way of the Lyon going out of his den vnto the Water they make a broade and round ditch neare vnto it in the midest wherof they raise vp a great pillar vpon this they hang a sucking Lambe they compasse the Ditch round about with a Wall of stones heaped together least that when the wilde beast commeth neare hee perceiueth the deceite The Lambe being fastened vppon the top of the pillar doth incitate the hunger-staruen hart of the Lyon by his bleating therefore comming neare and not being able to stay longer about the Wall he doth presently leap ouer and is receiued into the vnlooked for ditch in which being now included he vexeth himselfe in all the partes of his body lifting himselfe vp rather at the lambe then to go forth and being againe ouerthrowen he maketh force again These things Gillius affirmeth The second The other manner of hunting by fire is the deuise of the people which inhabite about the Ryuer Euphrates who hunt lyons after this manner The Hunters some vpon stronge Horsses and some vpon gray Horsses with glasen eies which are more swift
first sprinkled with corne that the Mice may custome to come to it and being dryed with lying they breake in pieces but you must lay them together againe and fill your pot with Water by the which meanes assoone as euer they are vppon the same they fall into the pyt and so are stifeled And also it is reported of those which haue tryed the same that if Mice fall into a vessell without water and remaine there a long time without meate that then they deuoure one another but if they remaine there so long vntill one among them all be left alone that is to say the strongest of them all and that he be suffered to go out wheresoeuer hee shall finde any mice hee will eate them vp and they shall haue much adoe to escape him because he hath been so long accustomed vnto them I was told also of a certaine friend of mine that a man of Senensis did set a purse in a hollow place and made it to open and shut by some deuise so that at length he tooke a mouse which mouse hee fed onely with the flesh of Mice and after he had fed it so a long time he let it go who killed all the Mice that he did meete and was not satisfied with them but went into euery hole that he could find and eat them vp also Also Mice are taken in vessels from whence they canot escape vpon the which vessell let there be put a small staffe which is so cut in the middle that she may onely hold her selfe by the meate and when you haue so doone put the kernell of a Nut vpon the middle of the staffe to the which the Mouse comming doth fall into the vessell with the staffe Crescentien and they will be stifeled if their be any Water but if there be none she will be killed And againe he telleth of another manner of ketching of mice which is as great as the first and it is after this manner Take two smooth boardes about the length of thy arme and in breadth halfe thy Arme but ioyne it so together that they may be distant from the lower part in length some foure fingers or little lesse with two small spindles or clefts which must be at euery end one and fasten Paper vnder them and put a peece of paast therin being cut ouerthwart in the middle but you must not fasten it nigh the middle let it be so bound that it may easily be lifted vp betwixt the spindles that if by slipping it should be altered it migh be brought againe to the same forme But the two spindles spoken of before ought to be ioyned together in the ends aboue beyond them another smal spindle to be made which may hold in the middle a crooked wedge or butten vpon the which may be hanged a piece of Hogges skinne so that one of them may easily be turned vpsided downe with the skinne and put thereunto a little peece of earth or sticke that the mice may easily come to it So that how many myce soeuer shall come thereto and to the meate shall be taken alwayes by rowling the Paper into his wonted place There is another manner also which is to make a round peece of Woode fastened on both sides with Needles and made so that the hinder part of it way heauier then the former and that it stand an inch hyer then the other and then when you haue so placed it throw some corne thereon that the mice may be alluted thereto and tie also a peece of flesh vpon the former end of it and so the Mouse going into the middle by the rouling off the same slippeth into the kettle which standeth vnder it which must bee halfe full of Water the circle presently being as it was before that very often many mice are ketched in one night by this worke Crescentien all falling into the kettle Also there are many kinds of mice-traps where mice do perish by the waight thereof and they are made of a smal-piece of wood made hollow into the which shall fal down another smal piece of Wood but it must be made so that it may fall waighty to presse downe the mice going to the meat and let the meat be tyed to another little small peece of wood which being touched the heauy peece doth presently fall downe and so by that meanes the mouse is taken Our country men do make a trap which is somewhat like to this let two peeces of boords be ioyned together one foot broad and two foot long and afterwards let there be put in them a wooden pin which you must fasten to the lower boord so that it may not touche the vppermost and you must set it so that the former part may easily moue backewarde and forward but moreouer the former boord must be fastened to the hinder like the fashion of a Gibbet or Gallowes with two peeces of wood standing vpright one being put ouerthwart or after the fashion of the Greek letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it must stand some nine ynches high as broad as the boord wil suffer you let the meat be hung in the middle of it but that boord which is vppermost must touch both the ends of the other and notched according to the bredth the notch being made after the forme of a wedge deuided into two parts and an other small peece of wood must be put to that which is vpermost almost two fingers long and one finger broad and let there bee put into the lower notch a peece of wood with meat at it so that it may be slightly fastened to the brimme of the vppermost that the meate being presently touched the other may the easiler fall And you may lay a stone vpon the vppermost bord that it may fall the heauier And there are some also which to the lower board doe fasten iron pinnes made very sharp against the which the Mice are driuen by the waight of the fall Furthermore there is another kinde of trap made to couer them aliue one part of it cut out of a small peece of woode the length of the palme of thy hand and the breadth of one finger and let the other part of it be cut after the forme of a wedge and let this peece of wood be erected like a little piller and let the wedge be put into the notch of an other peece of wood which must be made equall with the other or very little shorter and this piller must bee so made that the mouse may not perish before she come to the meate The wood where the meat must stand ought to be a span long and you must fasten the meate about the middle of it but the former part of it must haue a cleft which must begin a little from the brim and shall be made almost the length of two fingers and you must make it with two straight corners and take away halfe the breadth of the wood These
three peeces of woode being thus made ready thou shalt erect a little piller so that the wedge may be downeward whereby the mouse may see the meate euery where and let the meate be hung in the former corner of the piller so if the mouse shall touch the meate he shall bee pressed downe with the fall of the board Mice also by the fall of a cleft board are taken which is held vp with a piller and hauing a little spattular of wood whereon the meate shall lye so made that the piller doth not open being parted except when the mouse commeth to touch the meate and so by that meanes she is taken There is also another manner of mouse-trap vsed among vs which is let there bee a hole made and compassed about with a boord of a foot long and fiue or six fingers broad the compasse whereof must be foure fingers into this hole let there be put a vessell made of wood the length of ones fist but round and very deepe and in the middle of each side of this vessell let there be made a hole wherein there is put in a thread made of yron with meat and let it be compassed about with a small thread which must be fastned ouerthwart the hole and the part of the thread which hangeth downe must be crooked that the meat may be fastned thereto and there must bee a peece of the thread without to the which may be tyed a stronger peece of wood which is the thread whereon the meat is hanged by the which the mouse is taken by putting her head into the vessel to ketch at the meat And also mice are taken otherwise with a great Cane wherein there is a knot and in the top of it let there be made a little bow with a lute string and there sticke a great needle in the middle of the pole of the Cane and let the pole be made iust in the middle and let there be bound a peece of flesh beneath so prepared that when the mouse shall bite and mooue the skin that then the string slippeth downe and so the needle pearceth through his head and holdeth him that he cannot run away But among all the rest there is an excellent peece of workmanship to ketch mice which I will heer set down Take a peece of wood the length of both thy fists one fistbroad and two fingers thicke and let there be cut off about some two fingers a little beyond the middle of halfe the breadth And that breadth where it was cut ought to be more declining and lower after the manner of this letter A. And you must put to the side of this a peece of wood halfe a circle long bending and in the middle part of each side holes pearced through so that the halfe circle may be streight and plainely placed to the foundation of the woode that the trap being made it may rest vpon the same halfe circle and vpon this halfe circle let there be placed iron nailes very sharp so that the instrument by falling downe may couer the irons of the halfe circle as soone as euer they touch the same Furthermore there is another manner of trap when a vessell out of which they cannot escape is filled halfe vp with water and vpon the top thereof Otmell is put which will swim and not sinke making the vppermost face of the water to seeme white and solid whereunto when the mouse commeth she leapeth into the oate-mell and so is drowned And the like may be done with chaffe mingled with oat-mell and this in all traps must be obserued wherein mice are taken aliue that they be presently taken forth for if they make water in the place their fellowes will for euer suspect the trap and neuer come neareâ—t till the sauour of the vrine be aholished Palladius saith that the thicke froth of oyle being infused into a dish or brasen caldron and set in the middle of the house in the night time will draw all the mice vnto it wherein they shall sticke fast and not be able to escape Anatolius Pliny saith that if a mouse be gelded aliue and so let go she will driue away all the residue but this is to be vnderstoode of the Sorex If the head of a mouse be flaied or if a male mouse be flaied all ouer or her taile cut off or if her legge be bound to a post in the house or a bell be hung about her necke and so turned going she will driue away all her fellowes And Pliny saith that the smoke of the leaues of the Ewe-tree because they are poyson will kill mice so also will libbards-baine and henbaine-seede and Wolfe baine for which cause they are seuerally called Myoctonos and the rootes of Wolfe bane are commonly sold in Sauoy vnto the Country people for that purpose In Germany they mingle it with oat-mell and so lay it in bals to kill mice The fume of wall-wort calcauth parcely origanum and deaths-hearb doe also kill mice you may also driue them away with the fume of the stone Haematites and with greene tamarisk with the hoofe of a mule or of nitre or the ashes of a Weasell or a cat in water or the gall of an Oxe put into bread The seede of Cowcumbers being sod and sprinckled vpon any thing mice will neuer touch it likewise wilde coucumber and coloquintida kill mice To keepe mice from corne make morter of the froth of oyle mingled together with chaffe and let them well dry and afterwards be wrought throughly then plaster the wals of your garnery therewith and when they are dry cast more froth of oyle vpon them and afterwards carry in your corne and the mice will neuer annoy it Cato Wormewood laid among cloathes and skinnes defend them from mice And also the water of wormewood sod sprinckled vpon cloathes hath the same operation Tragus Inke tempered with water wherein Wormewood hath beene washed or sod causeth that the Parchment and Paper written therewith shall neuer be eaten or touched with mice Auicen Anatolius and Tarentinus in the discourse of the grauery or barm do write that milk-thistle mingled with hony water and fine flower or mil-dust made into little balles and laied where mice my eat of it doth make them blind if they taste thereof White Hellebore mixed with pottage Paxausus or the seedes of wilde Cowcumber Coloquintida and meale mingled with blacke Hellebore and put into Cheese or bread or any kind of fat meat killeth both Rats and mice So likewise a white camelion sod in broth mingled with water and oyle killeth Dogges swine and mice The iuyce of the roote of the hearbe Camelion mixed with water and oyle draweth mice vnto it and killeth them by tasting thereof if they drinke not presently so also doth Henbane The roots of the bramble Tree mingled with Butter Breade or Honey Elecampaine and sea Onions Scamoney wild Sparradge Arsenicke Mug-wort otherwise cald mouse-wort mingled
dams among the leaues boughes which the ouerflowings of waters in the winter time haue gathered together and laide on heapes It is a sharp-biting-beast hurtfull both to men and dogs neuer ceasing or loosing hold after he hath laid his mouth vpon them vntill he make the bones to cracke betwixt his teeth whereupon it was well said by Olaus Mag. Lutrae mordaces quadrato ore Otters are most accomplished biters Thereof also in Germany they make caps or else line other caps with them and also make stocking-soles affirming that they bee good and wholsome against the Palsie Vse of their Skins the megrim and other paines of the head The bloud of an OTTER is prescribed against the swelling of the Nerues The Liuer dryed in an Ouen against the bloody-flixe and against the collick being drunke in wine The stones are also prescribed to be giuen against the falling sicknesse and all paines in the belly And thus much for the OTTER There be certaine beastes which are kindes of OTTERS which because they liue in the Waters and yet being vnknowne to vs in England I haue thought good to expresse them in this place by their Greeke and Latine names In the first place that which the Graecians call Latax broader and thicker then an Otter and yet liueth in the Waters or else goeth to the waters for his food yet breatheth aire and not water like Otters The haire of this beast is very harsh betwixt the similitude of a Sea-Calfe and a Hart and it hath also strong and sharp teeth wherewithal in the night season they shere asunder smal boughes and twigs It is called also Fastoz Lamyakyz and Noertza There is another called Satyrium and Fassuron and Chebalus whose skin is black and very pretious and very much vsed for the edging of the best garments these liue also in ponds lakes and still waters There is a third kinde called Satherium Kacheobeon and Kachyneen and Martarus hauing a white throate and being as bigge as a Cat and finally vnto these may be added Porcos a foure-footed-beaste liuing in the Waters in the Riuer Isther And Maesolus another foure-footed-beast liuing in some Ryuers of INDIA being as big as a Calfe Of the Panther commonly called a Pardall a Leopard and a Libbard THere haue beene so many names deuised for this one beast that it is growen a difficult thing either to make a good reconciliation of the authors which are wed to their seueral opinions or else to define it perfectly and make of him a good methodicall History yet seeing the greatest variance hath arisen from wordes The seuerall names of Panthers and that which was deuised at the first for the better explication and discription of it hath turned to the obscuration and shaddowing of the truth I trust it shall be a good labour to collect out of euery writer that which is most probable concerning this Beast and in the end to expresse the best definition thereof wee can learne out of all In this controuersie the Hebrew and Arabian names which are generally indifferently translated Panthers or Libbards doe take vp the strife and almost end the controuersie for Namer in Hebrew and Alphec or Alfhed in Arabique are so translated both in holy scripture and also in Auicen as may appeare by these places following Esa 11. Habitabit Lupus cum agno Namer Pardus cum hedo aâ—cubabit That is to say The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Pardall Libbard and Panther shall lye with the Kid. So in the vision of Daniel chap. 7. among the foure beastes comming out of the Sea the prophet seeth Namer a Leopard In the 13. Reuela of S. Iohn he seeth another beast rising out of the sea hauing ten hornes and hee saith it was like Pardalet which Erasmus translateth Pardo a Leopard Ieremy 5. Pardus Namer vigelat super ciuitatem corum vt omnen inde egredientem discrepat That is a panther or Pardal watcheth at the gates of the Citty that he may teare in pieces euery one that commeth forth Factus sum eis sicut Leo sicut Pardus sicut Namer directus ad viam suam For Namer in that place the Graecians translate Pardalis a Pardall In the 13. Ieremy Si mutare potest Aethiops pellem suam aut Pardus maculas suas vos poteritis bene facere cum didiceritis malum If the Blackamoore can change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may you do wel which haue learned to do it Canticles 4. Coronaberis de vetrice saner hermon de cubilibus Leonem de montibus Pardorum That is Thou shalt be crownd froÌ„ the top of Siner and Hermon from the dens of the Lyons and the Mountains of the Leopards Now according to Brocardus the Mountaine of the Leopards is distant from Tripolis in the holy land two leagues Rasis Auicen two Arabians do cal the Panther and Leopard by one name Alpheth or Alphil so that by comparing all these together the Panther Pardall Libbard and Leopard are but one beast called by diuers names A more exaâ—t definition of Paâ—dâ—lâ— and Leopardâ— For the farther manifesting heerof it is good to examine what is said of the Pardal and Leopard in particular that so hauing expressed that it may be cleare by the discourse succeeding that there is no difference betwixt them and the Panther or very small First of all therefore it said of the Pardus that it differeth not from the Panther but onely in sexe and that the skin hath receiued a naturall tincture of diuers spots Aristotle writeth thus of it Cutis chamaeliontis distincta maculis vt Pardalia The skin of the Chamaelion is spotted like a Pardals and in the relation of Lampridius where hee sheweth how Heliogabalus was wont to shut vp his drunken friendes Cum Leonibus Leopardus vrsis ita vt experge facti in cubiculo eodem Leones vrsos Pardos cum luce vel quod est grauius nocte inuenierent ex quo plerique ex animati sunt and so forth By which words it is apparant that those which in the first place he calleth Leopards in the last place he calleth Pardals and the onely difference betwixt the Leopard Pardall and Lyon is that the Leoparde or Pardal haue no manes and therefore they are called Ignobiles leones Isidorus and Solinus write in this maner Pardus secundum post Pantheraâ—est genus varium ac velocissimum praceps ad sanguinem saltu enim ad mortem ruit ex ad vlterio Pardi Leenis Leu pardus nascitur tertiam originem efficit That is to say the Pardal is the next kind to a Panther being diuers coloured very swift greedy after blood and ketcheth his prey by leaping the Leopard is bred betwixt the Pardal and the Lionesse and so that maketh a third kind by which testimony it apeareth that these names make three seuerall kinds of beastes not distinct in nature but in quantity through commixture of
very sharpe and yet is it iustly condemned by Columella for no vse no not to fatten the earth and Vines also are burned therewithal except they be diligently watred or rest fiue yeares without stirring In Plinies time they studied to enlarge and make their Luttuce grow broad Theophrast and not close together which they did by slitting a little the stalke and thrusting gently into it some Hogs dung But for trees there is more especial vse of it for it is vsed to ripen fruit and make the trees more plentifull The Pomegranats and Almondes are sweetned herâ—by and the Nuts easily caused to fall out of the shell Likewise if Fennel be vnsauourie by laying to the root thereof eyther Hogs-dung or Pigeons dung it may be cured and when any Apple tree is affected and razed with wormes by taking of Swines dung mixed and made soft like morter with the vrine of a man layed vnto the root it is recouered and the wormes driuen away and if there bee any rentes or stripes visible vppon trees so as they are endangered to be lost thereby they are cured by applying vnto the stripes and wounds this dung of Swine When the Apple trees are loose poure vpon their roots the stale of Swine and it shall establish and settle them and wheresoeuer there are swine kept there it is not good to keepe or lodge horses for their smell breath and voice is hatefull to all magnanimious and perfect spirited horsses And thus much in this place concerning the vse of the seuerall parts of swine whereunto I may adde our English experiments that if swine be suffered to come into Orchards and digge vp and about the roots of the Apple trees keeping the ground bare vnder them and open with their noses the benefit that will arise thereby to your increase of frute will be verie inestimable And heere to saue my selfe of a labor about our English Hogges I will describe their vsage out of Maister Tussers husbandry Tus. husb in his own words as followeth and first of al for their breeding in the spring of the yeare he writeth in generall Let Lent well kept offend not thee For March and Aprill breeders be And of September he writeth thus To gather some mast it shall stand thee vpon With seruant and children yer mast be all gone Some left among bushes shall pleasure thy Swine For feare of a mischiefe keepe Acornes fro kine For rooting of pasture ring hog ye haue neede Which being well ringled the better doth feed Though young with their elders will lightly keepe best Yet spare not to ringle both great and the rest Yoke sildome thy swine while shacke time doth last For diuers misfortunes that happen too fast Or if you do fancy whole eare of the Hogge Giue eare to ill neighbor and eare to his Dogge Keepe hog I aduise thee from meddow and Corne For out alowd crying that ere he was borne Such lawlesse so haunting both often and long If Dog set him chaunting he doth thee no wrong And againe in Octobers husbandry he writeth Though plenty of Acornes the Porkelings to fat Not taken in season may perish by that If ratling or swelling get once in the throat Thou loosest thy porkling a Crowne to a groat What euer thing fat is againe if it fall Thou venterest the thing and the fatnesse withall The fatter the better to sell or to kill But not to continue make proofe if you wil. In Nouem he writeth again Let hog once fat loose none of that When mast is gone Hogge falleth anon Still fat vp some till Shroue-tide come Now Porke and sowce beares taske in a house Thus farre of our English husbandry about swine Now followeth their diseases in particular Of the diseases of swine HEmlocke is the bane of Panthers Swine wolues and all other beasts that liue vpon deuouring of flesh for the hunters mix it with flesh and so spreading or casting the flesh so poysoned abroad in bits or morsels to be deuoured by them The root of the white Chamaelion mixed with fryed Barly-floure Water and oyle is also poison to swine Pliny Aelianus The blacke Ellebor worketh the same effect vppon horses Oxen and swine and therefore when the beasts do eat the white they forbeare the blacke with all wearisomenesse Likewise Hen-bane worketh many strange and painfull conuulsions in their bellies therefore when they perceiue that they haue eaten thereof they run to the waters gather snailes or sea-crabs by vertue whereof they escape death and are againe restored to their health The hearb Goose foot is venemous to swine and also to Bees and therefore they will neuer light vpon it or touch it The blacke night-shade is present destruction vnto them and they abstaine from Harts tongue and the great bur by some certaine instinct of nature if they be bitten by any Serpents Sea-crabs or Snailes the most present remedy that nature hath taught them The swine of Scythia by the relation of Pliny Aristotle are not hurt with any poison except Scorpions and therefore so soone as euer they are stung by a scorpion they die if they drink and thus much for the poison of swine Against the cold of which these beastes are most impatient the best remedy is to make them warm sties for if it be once taken it will cleane faster to them then any good thing and the nature of this beast is neuer to eate if once he feele himselfe sicke and therefore the diligent maister or keeper of swine must vigilantly regard the beginnings of their diseases which cannot be more euidently demonstrated then by forbearing of their meat Of the Measils The Measilles are called in Greeke Chalaza in Latine Grandines for that they are like haile-stones spred in the flesh and especialy in the leaner part of the hog and this disease as Aristotle writeth is proper to this beast for no other in the world is troubled herwith for this cause the Graecians call a Measily hog Chaluros and it maketh theyr flesh verye loose and soft The Germaines call this disease Finnen and Pfinnen the Italians Gremme the French â—ursume because the spots appeare at the root of the tongue like white seeds and therefore it is vsuall in the buying of hogges in all Nations to pull out their tongue and looke for the Measils for if there appeare but one vpon his tongue it is certaine that all the whole body is infected And yet the Butchers do all affirme that the cleanest hog of al hath three of these but they neuer hurt the swine or his flesh and the swine may be full of them and yet none appeare vpon his tongue but then his voice will be altered and not be as it was wont These abound most of all in such Hogs as haue fleshy legs and shoulders very moyst and they be not ouer plentifull they make the flesh the sweeter but if they abound it tasteth like stocke-fish or meat ouer watered If there
be no appearance of these vpon their tongue then the chap-man or buyer pulleth of a bristle from the backe and if blood follow it is certaine that the Beast is infected and also such cannot well stand vppon theyr hinder legs Their taile is very round For remedy hereof diuers daies before their killing they put into their wash or swill some ashes especially of Hasell trees But in France and Germany it is not lawfull to sel such a Hogge and therefore the poore people do onely eat them Howbeit they cannot but engender euill humours and naughty blood in the body The rootes of the bramble called Ramme beaten to powder and cast into the holes where swine vse to bath themselues do keepe them cleare from many of these diseases and for this cause also in ancient time they gaue them Horse-flesh sodden and Toads sodden in water to drinke the broath of them The Burre pulled out of the earth without yron is good also for them if it be stamped and put into milk and so giuen them in their wash They giue their Hogges heere in Englande red-lead red-Oker and in some places red-loame or earth And Pliny saith that he or she which gathereth the aforesaid Burre must say this charme Haec est herba argemon Quam minerua reperit Suibas his remedium Qui de illa gustauerint At this daie there is great-praise of Maiden-haire for the recouery of swine also holy Thistle and the root of Gunhan and Harts tongue Of leannesse or pyning SOmetime the whole heard of swine falleth into leannes and so forsake their meat yea although they be brought forth into the fielde to feede yet as if they were drunke or weary they lie downe and sleepe all the day long For cure whereof they must be closely shutte vp into a warme place and made to fast one whole day from meat and water and then giue them the roots of wilde Cucumber beaten to powder and mixed with Water let them drinke it and afterward giue them beanes pulse or any drie meat to eat and lastlie warme water to procure vomit as in men whereby their stomackes are emptyed of al thinges both good and bad and this remedy is prescribed against all incertaine diseases the cause whereof cannot be discerned and some in such cases doe cut off the tops of the tailes or their eares for there is no other vse of letting these beastes bloode in theyr vaines Of the Pestilence THese beasts are also subiect to the Pestilence by reason of earth-quakes sudden infections in the aire and in such affection the beast hath sometime certaine bunches or swellings about the necke then let them be seperated and giue them to drinke in water the roots of Daffadill Quatit agros tussis anhela sues Ac faucibus angit obesis tempore pestis Some giue them night shade of the wood which hath great stalkes like cherry twiggs the leaues to be eaten by them against all their hot diseases and also burned snailes or Pepper-woort of the Garden or Lactuca foetida cut in peeces sodden in water and put into their meate Of the Ague IN auncient time Varro saith that when a man bought a Hogge he couenaunted with the seller that it was free from sicknes from danger that he might buy it lawfully that it had no maunge or Ague The signes of an Ague in this beast are these WHen they stop suddenly standing stil and turning their heads about fal downe as it were by a Megrim then you must diligently marke their heads which way they turne them that you may let them bloode on the contrary eare and likewise vnder their taile some two fingers from their buttockes where you shall finde a large veine fitted for that purpose which first of all we must beat with a rodde or peece of wood that by the often striking it may be made to swell and afterwardes open the saide veine with a knife the blood being taken away their taile must be bound vp with Osier or Elme twigges and then the swine must be kept in the house a day or two being fed with Barly meale and receiuing warme water to drinke as much as they will Of the Crampe VVHen swine fall from a great heat into a sudden colde which hapneth when in their trauel they suddenly lie downe through wearinesse they fall to haue the Crampe by a painefull convulsion of their members and the best remedye thereof is for to driue them vp and downe till they wax warme againe and as hot as they were before and then let them bee kept warme stil and coole at great leisure as a horsse doth by walking otherwise they perish vnrecouerably like Calues which neuer liue after they once haue the crampe Of Lice THey are many times so infested and annoied with lice that their skinne is eaten and gnawne through thereby for remedy whereof some annoint them with a confection made of Cream Butter and a great deale of salt Others again annoint them after they haue washed them all ouer with the Leeze of wine and in England commonly the country people vse staues-aker red-Oaker and grease Of the Lefragey BY reason that they are giuen much to sleepe in the summer time they fall into Lethargies and die of the same the remedy whereof is to keepe them from sleepe and to Wake them whensoeuer you finde them asleepe Of the head-aches THis disease is cald by the Graecians Scotomia and Kraura and by Albertus Fraretis herewith all swine are many times infected and their eares fall downe their eies are also deiected by reason of many cold humors gathered together in their head whereof they die in multitudes as they do of the pestilence and this sickenesse is fatal vnto them if they be not holpen within three or foure daies The remedie whereof if their be anie at al is to hold Wine to their Nostrils first making them to smel thereof and then rubbing it hard with it and some giue them also the roots of white Thistle cut smal and beaten into their meat but if it fall out that in this paine they loose one of their eies it is a signe that the beast wil die by and by after as Pliny and Aristotle write Of the gargarisme This disease is called by the Latins Raucelo and by the Graecians Brancos which is a swelling about their chaps ioyned with Feauer and Head-ach spredding it selfe all ouer the throat like as the squinancy doth in a man and many times it begetteth that also in the swine which may be knowne by the often moouing of their feet and then they dy with in three daies for the beast cannot eat being so affected and the disease creepeth by little and little to the liuer which when it hath touched it the beast dieth because it putrifieth as it passeth For remedy hereof giue vnto the beast those things which a man receiueth against the squinancy and also let him blood in the root of his tongue I mean in
an equall quantity of Hogs-Greace Goats sewet sod both together it will be cured by laying it vnto it And thus much for the remedies of Swines greace towards beastes The huskes of Beanes being beaten small to powder and mixed with swines greace is very profitable against the paine of the hippes and the Nerues Some Physitians take the greace of Swine the fat of Geese the sewet of Bulles and the Oesypus or sweat of sheepe and annoint therewithall gouty Legges but if the paine remoue not then doe they adde vnto it Waxe Mirtle Gum and Pitch and some vse it mixed with old Oyle with the stone Sarcephagys sinck-foyle beaten in wine with lime or ashes This swines greace beaten in water with cumin is prescribed by Simeon Sethi against the gout It remedieth the falling of the haire and the paine in the heads of women mingled with one forth part of gals and the like vertue it hath with wilde Roses Lingulaca and Hippocampinus with Nitre and vineger When the corners of ones eies are troubled with wormes by annoynting them with the fat of a Sow with pig beating them together both within and without you shall draw all the Wormes out of his eyes When one hath paine in his eares whereby matter yssueth forth let him beate the oldest Lard he can in a Morter and rake the iuyce thereof in fine wooll then let him put that wooll into his eare making it to worke through warme water and then infuse a little more of the iuyce of that Lard and so shall he worke a great cure in short time And generally the fatte of Geese Hennes Swine and Foxes are prepared for all the paynes in the eares If there arise any bunch in the Necke or throate seeth Lard and Wine together and so by gargarising that Lyquor it shall bee dispersed according to the verses of Serenus Inrigore ceruicis geminus mulcebitur vnguine poples Hinc longam paritur neruos medicina sequetur And it is no maruaile that the vertue of this should go from the knees to the Nerues seeing that Pliny affirmeth that from the anointing of the knees the sauour goeth into the stomack ther is so great affinity or operation of Rue vpon the stones that in ancient time they were wont to cure burstnesse by annoynting the cods with wilde Rue and Swynes Greace Also this Greace with rust of Iron is good against all the imperfectious in the seate Butter Goose-greace and Hogges-greace are indifferently vsed for this infirmity Also this is vsed to keepe Women from abortementes that are subiect thereunto being applyed like an eye-salue In the diseases of the matrix especially Vlcers they first of all dip Spuuges or Wooll in warme Water and so clense the places infected and afterwards cure it with Rozen and Swynes Grease mingled together and often vsing it in the day and night by way of an oyntmnet but if the exulceration be vehement after the washing they put Honny vnto the former confection and some make a pâ—â—fume with Goats Horne Galles Swynes Greace and Gumme of Cedars And. Fernerius saith that Lard cut small and beate in a Morter of stone like paast in a Limbecke of Glasse rendereth a white Water which maketh the haire yellow and also the face comely If a man be poysoned with Hemlocke hee cannot auoyde it better then by drinking salt Wine and fresh Greace A decoction heereof is good against the poyson of Beuprestis and against Quickesiluer The sewet of a Sowe fed with greene Hearbes is profitable to them that are sicke of a consumption of the lunges according to this verse of Serenus Porderit veteris saeui pila sumpta suilli This may also be giuen them in Wine either raw or decocted or else in pilles to be swallowed downe whole if it be not salted and the fift day after they prescribe them to drinke out of an Egge-shell Liquid Pitch binding their sides breasts and shoulder bones very hard It is also vsed for an old Cough after it is decocted the waight of a groat being put into three cuppes of Wine with some Hony It is giuen also to them that haue the flixe especially olde Lard Honny Wine being beaten together till they bee all as thicke as Hony whereof the quantity of a Hasell-Nut is to be drunke out of Water Also morsels of Swynes-Grease Butter and Hony being put downe into a Horsse throate cureth him of an old Cough and finally a peece of this Greace being old moystened in olde Wine is profitable to a Horse that hath beene ouerheated in his iourney When Calues bee troubled with belly Wormes take one part of Swynes-Greace and mingle it with three partes of Isope afterwardes thrust it downe into the throates of the Calues and it shall expell the wormes When the tongue and Chappes waxe blacke by a peculiar sicknesse of the mouth which the Physitians call Morbus epidemius it is most wholesome to rub the tongue with the inner side of the rines of Bacon and so draw out an extreame heate and it is said if a man be deepely infected whose tongue is thus rubbed the said Bacon rine being eaten by any Dog will procure his death The fat of Wolues and the marrow of Swyne is good to anoint bleare-eyes withall By swallowing downe the marrow of Svvine the appetite to carnall copulation is encreased The ashes or powder of Hogs bristles vvhich are taken out of plaisterers pensils wherwithall they rub Walles and mixed with Swynes Grease doth ease the paine of burnings and also stayeth the bleeding of vvoundes and the falling dovvne of the seate being first of all vvashed in Wine and dryed Pitch mingled therevvithall The powder of the cheek-bones of Svvyne is a most present remedy for broken bones and also for vlcers in the legges and shinnes The fat of a Boare is commended against Serpentes and so also is the liuer of a Bore pigge when the Fibres are taken from it if the weight of two pence be drunke in wine The braine of a Sow tosted at the fire and laide to a Carbuncle either disperseth or emptieth it Likewise the blood and braines of a Bore or a sow or Bore-pig being mixed with honey doeth cure the Carbuncles in the yard and the braines alone openeth the gums of children to let out their teeth as Serenus writeth Aucteneris cerebris gingivis illine porci There are naturally in the head of a Hogge two little bones that haue holes in them one in the right part and another in the left Now if it happen that a man find these bones by chaunce either one or both of them let him lay them vp safe and whensoeuer he is trobled with the Head-ach let him vse them hanging them about his necke by a silken thrid that is to say if his head ake on the right side let him hange the right bone and if on the left the left bone These things I report vpon the credit of Marcellus Galen also writeth that if the
of the Lyon and it is said that vvolues are most dangerous to be met vvithal tovvards the euening because of their fasting al the day before and for this is alledged the saying of holy scripture vvhere the prophets make mention of Lupi Vespertini but vve haue shevved already in the story of the Hyaena vvhat those signifie It is said that Wolues doe also eate a kind of earth called Argilla which they doe not for hunger but to make their bellies waigh heauy to the intent that when they set vpon a Horsse an Oxe a Hart an Elke or some such strong beast they may waigh the heauier and hang fast at their throates till they haue pulled them downe for by vertue of that tenetious earth their teeth are sharpened and the waight of their bodies encreased but when they haue killed the beast that they set vpon before they touch any part of his flesh by a kind of natural vomit 〈◊〉 they disgorge themselues and empty their bellies of the earth as vnprofitable food The remainder of their meate they alwaies couer in the earth and if there be many of them in hunting together they equally deuide the prey among them all and sometimes it is saide that they howle and call their fellowes to that feast which are absent if their prey be plentifull Now this they haue common with Lyons in their greatest extremity of hunger that when they haue election of a man and a beast they forsake the Man and take the Beast Some are of opinion that when they are olde they grow weary of their liues and that therefore they come vnto Citties and Villages offering themselues to be killed by men but this thing by the relation of Niphus is a very fable for hee professeth that he saw an old Wolfe come into a Village and set vpon a Virgin to destroy and eate her yet he was so old that he had scarse any teeth in his head but by good hap company being at hand the maid was saued and the Wolfe was killed Now those Wolues that are most sluggish and least giuen to hunting are most ready to venture vpon men because they loue not to take much paines in getting their liuing This Wolfe is called Vinipeta but the industrious Hunting Wolfe Kunegeiseia It is reported that a Wolfe will neuer venture vpon a liuing man except he haue formerly tasted of the flesh of a dead man but of these things I haue no certainety but rather doe beleeue the contrary that like as Tyrants in an euill grieued estate do pick quarrels against euery man that is rich for the spoyle of their goods accounting them their enimies how well soeuer they haue deserued at their handes In like manner Wolues in the time of their hunger fall vpon all Creatures that come in the way whether they be Men or Beastes without partiality to fill their bellies and that especially in the winter time wherein they are not afraid to come to houses and citties They deuoure Dogges when they get them alone and Elkes in the kingdome of Norway but for Dogges it hath beene seene that they haue liued in a kind of society and fellowship with Wolues but it was to steale and deuoure in the night time like as Theeues do couer their mallice and secret grudges one to other when they are going about to rob true men Wolues are enimies to Asses Bulles and Foxes for they feede vppon their flesh and there is no Beast that they take more easily then an Asse killing him without all daunger as we haue shewed already in the story of an Asse They also deuoure Goates and Swyne of all sortes except Bores who doe not easily yeald vnto Wolues It is said that a Sow hath resisted a Wolfe and that when he fighteth with her hee is forced to vse his greatest craft and suttelty leaping to and from her with his best actiuity least she should lay her teeth vpon him and so at one time deceiue him of his prey and depriue him of his life It is reported of one that saw a Wolfe in a Wood take in his mouth a peece of Timber of some thirty or forty pound waight and with that he did practise to leape ouer the trunke of a tree that lay vpon the earth at length when he perceiued his own ability and dexterity in leaping with that waight in his mouth he did there make his caue and lodged behinde that tree at last it fortuned there came a wild Sâ—w to seeke for meat along by that tree with diuers of her pigs following her of different age some a yeare old some halfe a yeare and some lesse When he saw them neare him he suddenly set vpon one of them which he coniectured was about the waite of Wood which he carried in his mouth and when he had taken him whilest the old Sow came to deliuer her pig at his first crying he suddenly leaped ouer the tree with the pig in his mouth and so was the poore Sow beguiled of her young one for she could not leape after him and yet might stand and see the Wolfe to eate the pigge which hee had taken from her It is also sayd that when they will deceiue Goates they come vnto them with the greene leaues and small boughes of Osiers in their mouthes wherewithall they know Goats are delighted that so they may draw them therewith as to a baite to deuoure them Their manner is when they fal vpon a Goat or a Hog or some such other beast of smal stature not to kil them but to lead them by the eare withal the speed they can driue them to their fellow Wolues and if the beast be stubborne and wil not runne with him then he beateth his hinder parts with his taile in the mean time holding his ear fast in his mouth whereby he causeth the poore beast to run as fast or faster then himselfe vnto the place of his owne execution where he findeth a crew of rauening Wolues to entertaine him who at his first appearance seize vpon him and like Diuels teare him in peeces in a moment leauing nothing vneaten but onely his bowels But if it be a swine that is so gotten then it is said that they lead him to the waters and there kil him for if they eat him not out of cold water their teeth doth burne with an vntolerable heat The Harts when they haue lost their hornes doelie in secret feeding by night for feare of the Wolues vntil their hornes do grow againe which are their cheefest defence The least kind of VVolues we haue shewed already doe liue vppon the hunting of Hares and generally al of them are enemies to sheepe for the foolish sheep in the day time is easily beguiled by the Wolfe who at the sight of the sheepe maketh an extraordinary noise with his foot whereby he calleth the foolish sheepe vnto him for standing amazed at the noise he falleth into his mouth and is deuoured but when the Wolfe in