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
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
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
conuenient to be broken for the performing of the same take the skinne of a baked or roasted Pomgranate and spread it vpon the aforesaid red pimples as whot as possible may be suffered for some small time and it will cause the vlcers to breake and all the corruption to yssue forth If it grow vnto an Impostume Auicenna take the little berries or pellets which are within the Pomgranate being very well baked and apply them vnto the sore some short time Aeginetta and they will very easily cure the same Mustard-seede being mingled with Vineger annointed vpon the bites of a Shew doth very effectually heale them A Moule being bruised into small pieces and applyed vnto the bites of a Shrew in the forme of a plaister is a very excellent remedy for the curing of them Pitch and trifoly being baked and rubbed verye whotte vppon the bites of a Shrewe is accounted a very medicinable cure but it is requisite that this fomentation be giuen vnto none but such as are of a stronge and powerfull body and are also able to endure paine The liquor of the Herb called Southernwood being giuen in Wine to drinke doth very much profit those which are troubled Dioscorides and pained in their limbs with the bites of Shrewes Wormwood being vsed in the like manner will cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The genitall of a Lambe or Kidde being mingled with foure drams of the Hearbe called Aristologia or Hart-wort and sixe drams of the sweetest Myrth is very good and medicinable for curing of those which are bitten or stung with Shrewes Scorpions and such like vnemous Beastes The leaues of Coleworts being dryed mingled with flower and tempered together vntill they come into the form of a plaister will very much help against the venemous bites of the Shrew The seede of Colewortes and the leaues of the same Hearbe being mingled with Vineger and the Hearbe called Assa foetida beate or pounded together do very well and speedily cure the bites of the Shrewes Ruellius as also of a rauenous Dogge if the same in due time be applyed thereunto The liquor also of the leaues of Coleworts being giuen in any kind of drinke is good and wholsome for the curing of the aforesaid bites or woundes Dioscorides The Nuts of a young Cypres Tree being mixed with a certaine sirrep or potion made of Hony Water and Vineger and afterwardes drunke doth very speedily procure ease and help for those which are bitten by a Shrew The roote of a white or blacke Thistle being beaten or bruised and giuen in drinke doth very effectually help or cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The like vertue hath the Hearbe called Rocket in it and also the seede thereof being giuen in any kinde of drinke Aegenetta The gum or liquor which proceedeth from a kinde of Ferula being giuen in wine to drink doth very much helpe and cure those which are bitten by a Shrew The same vertue also in it hath the roote of the hearbe called Gentian or bitterwort being giuen in wine to drink One or two drams of the yoongest or tendrest leaues of the Laurell tree being beaten small and giuen in wine to drinke doth speedily cure the sores or woundes which are bitten by a Shrew Aeâ—ius the same being also vsed in the said manner and giuen in some certaine potion vnto horses to drinke doth quickly help and heale them But there are some which before all other medicines doe commend this for the best and chiefest that is Auicenna to take the iuice which proceedeth from the leaues of the laurell tree the leaues themselues being moist and new growing and to boyle them in wine and being once cooled to giue it to any which is bitten by a Shrew and this will in very short space altogether helpe them A yoonge Weasell being giuen in wine to drinke is accounted very medicinable for those which are bitten by a Shrew Pliny or stung by a Scorpion or any other venemous creature The hearbe called Baltsamint or Costmary the hearbe called Bartram Aegmetta or wilde Pellito the hearbe called Betonie the hearbe called water-minte or water Cresses the sweete and delicious gum called Storax as also the hearbe called Veruin being each of them seuerally by themselues either giuen in wine to drinke or applyed in the manner of a plaister or annointed vpon the bits or wounds which come by the venemous teeth of a Shrew Auicenna will very effectually cure the paine thereof The biting of a field mouse or Shrew is very troublesome and grieuous to all labouring beastes for instantly after her bitinges there doe little red pimples arise and there is most daunger of death in those beastes which she biteth when she is great with yonog for the aforesaid pimples will then presently breake after which the beast so bitten will instantly die The Shrew doth also kill some laboring beasts with poyson Albertus as chiefly horses mules but especially for the most part mares which are great with yong There are some which do affirme that if horses or any other laboring creature do feede in that pasture or grasse in which a Shrew shall put forth her venome or poyson in Absyrtus they will presently die In what place soeuer a Shrew shall bite in any creature it will be compassed with an exceeding hard swelling the beast also being so bitten doth expresse his griefe or sorrow with much paine straining his body doth likewise swell all ouer his eyes doe in a manner weepe the swelling in his body doth squize out matter Hierocles or filthy putrefaction he voydeth poyson out of his belly and doth vomite all sustenance vp as soone as euer he receaueth it If an Asse being great with yoong be bitten by this beast it is a very great chaunce if she scape death But if the Shrew doe bite any beast when she is great with yong it is knowen by these signes or marks there will certaine red pimples compasse the sore round about and also spread themselues ouer all the body of the bitten beast and will in short space destroy him except there be procured some present remedy The Normans in Fraunce do suppose the Shrew to be a beast so full of venome and poyson that if he shall but passe ouer either an Oxe Vâ—getius or a horse lying downe along vpon the ground it will bring such a dangerous disease vpon them that the beast ouer which she shall passe shall be lame about the loines or shall seeme as if he were immoueable and that he can be cured by no other meanes but by the same Shrew who either of his owne accord or by compulsion must passe ouer the contrary side of the beast and that then he will be cured which thing I doe hold to be very vaine and not to be beleeued For the curing of beastes which are bitten by a Srew thou shalt
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
she was afterward deliuered married to Osiris the king of Egipt and after her death was worshipped by the Egyptians for a god and called Isis vnto whoÌ„ they sacrificed Geese which wer called Sacra Isiaca In the choise of kie you must obserue this direction you must buy them in the month of March 〈◊〉 the chois 〈…〉 let them be young not past their first or second calfe their colour black or red sildom brown or white bright coloured specialy red brown legs blackish horns smooth and beautifull high foreheades great eies and blacke hairy and grisle eares flat Nostrils like an Apes but open and wide their backebone bending somewhat backewarde blacke lips long and thicke neckes most broad faire crests discending from the necke wel ribbed a great belly the backe and shoulders verie broad the Buttockes broad with a long taile hanging downe to their heels and theyr neather part in many places crisped or curled wel set and compacted legs rough and short straight knees and their bunches hanging ouer their small feet not broad but round standing in good distance one from other not growing crooked or splay-footed and their hoofes smooth and like one another euery way Finally â—â—ere a profitable thing to prosecute natures perfection in euery one of their seuerall parts but I spare to speake any more of the females and returning again to the story of oxen from which we haue digressed leauing the readers who desire to hear more of this discourse of kie to other authors whoe purposely describe euery part more particularly The description of Oxen 〈◊〉 common To begin therefore with their description because among folded beastes they are of most dignity and worth especially in Italy where the bounds of their best priuiledged flourishing citties were first of all declared and layed out by the plowing togither of an Oxe and a Cow in one yoake Mago Carthaginensis teacheth that the time to prouide or buy oxen is best in the time of March because then in their leane bodies they which sell them cannot couer their faults so well as if they were fatter and also if they should be vnruly and stubborne 〈◊〉 best to prouide OxeÌ„ they may be the more easily tamed before their flesh increase their strength Theyr notes or markes must be these let them be young hauing square and great lims a sounde body thicke and short hauing his muscles standing vp red and rounde and all his body smooth Outwarde markes of good Oxen. his hornes blacke strong and large without crooking or winding after the fashion of a halfe moone great and rough eares their eies and lips blacke broad Nostrils and flat vpward a long thicke and soft necke his crest discending downe to the knee a great breast large shoulders big belly long straight sides broad loynes a straite backe discending a little and a round paire of buttockes straight sounde and sinnewy short legs good knees great hoofs and long tayles rough and grisly And it is to be noted that the oxen of a mans owne countrey breed are better and to be preferred before strangers because he is alredy naturaly fitted to the aire food water and temper of the soile for it is not good to bring them from the Mountaines to the valleyes because then they will grow lazie and fat and so into diseases neither from the valleyes to the mountaines because they will quickly grow out of hart through want of their first deep and fat pastur and aboue all haue regard to match them equally in yoak so as one may not over-beare the other Oxen loose their teeth at 2. or 3. year old but not al as a horse doth their nerues are harder but not so hard as a bulles their flesh is dry and melancholike their horns are greater larger then are a buls for the same reason that Eunuchs and gelded persons can neuer be bald Their seurall parts for copulation weakeneth the braine only a Bul hath a stronger forehead then an oxe because the humour that should grow forth into hornes is hardned vnder the bone and the horns of kie which are also bigger then a Buls may thorough heat be made flexible with wax or water and bend euery way and if when they are thus made soft you doe slit or cut them into foure that is euery horne in twoe they will so growe afterwarde as if euery beast had foure hornes and sometime thorough the thicknes of their scull closing vp the part where the horne should grow The reason why some Oxen are polled and the smalnes of their vaines in that place to feede the hornes there come no hornes at al but remaine pouled And it is reported that they haue a little stone in their head which in the feare of death they breath out Their teeth do al touch one another and are changed twice Aelianus they chew the cud like sheepe wanting a rowe of their vpper teeth that is foure of them Aristotle their eies are blacke and broade and their heart full of sinnewes yet without any bony substance although Pliny affirmeth that sometimes in the harts of oxen and horses are found bones Their crest called Palea commeth of Pilus their haire and it is nothing else but longe strakes in their haire whereby the generosity and stomacke of the beast is apparant Pliny The parts of a Cow different from Oxen. A cow hath two vdders vnder her loines with fower speans like a goat and a sheep because the concoction and iuice of their meat may better discend to the lower parts then to the vpper their nauell is filled with many vaines their haire short and soft their taile long with harder haire then in the other parts of the body their melt is long and not rounde their rains are like the raines of a sea-calfe and by reason of their dry bodies they growe very fat and this fat will not easily be dissolued Galen but their manner of feeding maintaineth their strength for they which eat much are slowe in the chewing and speedie in the concoction for they do better preserue their fat which eate slowly then those that eat hastily and with more greedinesse It hath bene already shewed The manner how Oxen feed fat that some oxen will eat flesh and teare wild beasts in pieces and the people of Prasias giue to their yoaked or working oxen fish Herodotus and also in the prouince of Aden where their horsses sheepe and oxen eat dried fish by reason that the abundance of heat doth drie vp their pasture Paul venet neither is any thing so plentiful among them as fish the like is reported of the people Horotae and Gedrusii and of Mosynum a citty of Thracia and in Frisland in the prouince of Narbon there is an herbe growing in waters which is so much desired of their cattell that they will thrust their heads into the water aboue their eares to bite that to the roots and the
his worke and panteth then let him be sprinkled ouer with wine and put peeces of fatte into his mouth if then you perceiue no amendment then seeth some Laurell and therewith heat his backe and afterward with oyle and wine scarifie him all ouer plucking his skin vp from the ribbes and this must be done in the sunshine or else in a very warme place For the scabs take the iuice of Garlicke and rub the beast all ouer and with this medicine may the biting of a Wolfe or a mad dogge be cured although other affirme that the hoofe of any beast with Brimstone oyle Water and Vineger is a more present remedy but there is no better thinge then butter and stale Vrine When they are vexed with wormes poure cold water vpon them afterward annoint them with the iuice of onions mingled with salt If an oxe be wrinched and strayned in his sinnewes in trauell or labour by stumping on any roote or hard sharpe thing then let the contrary foot or legge be let blood if the sinnews swel If his necke svvell let him blood or if his necke be vvinding and vveake as if it were broken then let him blood in that eare to which side the head bendeth When their neckes be bald grind two tiles togither a nevv one and a olde and vvhen the yoake is taken off cast the pouder vpon their neckes and afterwarde oyle and so with a little rest the haire vvill come againe When an oxe hangeth dovvne his eares and eateth not his meat he is troubled vvith a Cephalalgie that is a paine in his head for vvhich seeth Thyme in vvine vvith salt and Garlicke and therevvith rub his tongue a good space also ravv barly steeped in Wine helpeth this disease Sometime an oxe is troubled vvith madnesse for vvhich men burne them betvvixt the hornes in the forehead till they bleed sometime there is a Fly vvhich biting them continually driueth them into madnesse for vvhich they are vvoont to cast brimstone and bay sprigs sod in water in the pastures where they feede but I knovv not vvhat good can come thereby When oxen are troubled vvith fleam put à sprig of black Hellebore throgh their ears wherein let it remain til the next day at the same houre Al the euils of the eyes are for the most part cured by infusion of hony and some mingle therevvith Ammoniacke Salt and Boeticke When the pallat or roofe of their mouth is so swelled that the beast forsaketh meat and bendeth one the one side let his mouth be pared with a sharpe instrument or else burned or abated some other way giuing them greene and soft meat til the tender sore be cured but vvhen the cheekes svvell for remedy thereof they sell them avvay to the butcher for slaughter it falleth out very often that there grow certaine bunches on their tongues vvhich make them forsake their meate and for this thing they cut the toong and aftervvard rub the wound vvith garlicke and salt till al the fleamy matter yssue forth VVhen their vaines in their cheeks and chaps swell out into vlcers they soften and wash them with vineger and lees till they be cured When they are liuer-sicke they giue them Rubarbe Mishroms and Gentian mingled togither For the cough and short breath they giue them twigs of vines or Iuniper mingled with salt and some vse Betony There is a certaine hearbe called Asplenon or Citterach which consumeth the Melts of Oxen found by this occasion in creete there is a Ryuer called Protereus running betwixt the two citties Gnoson and Gortina on both sides thereof there were heards of cattell but those which fed neere to Gortina had no Spleene and the other which fed neer to Gnoson were full of Spleene when the Physitians endeuored to finde out the true cause heereof they found an hearbe growing on the coast of Gortina which diminished their Spleene and for that cause called it Asplenon But now to come to the diseases of their brest and stomack and first of al to begine with the cough which if it be new may be cured by a pint of Barly Meale with a raw Egge and halfe a pint of sod wine and if the cough be old take two pounds of beaten Hysop sod in 3. pints of water beatē Lentils or the roots of onyons washed and baked with Wheate meale giuen fasting do driue away the oldest cough For shortnesse of breath their Neat-heardes hang about their Necke deathes-hearb and harts-wort but if their Liuers or lungs be corupted which appeareth by along cough and leannes take the root of hasell and put it through the Oxes eare then a like or equall quantity of the iuyce of Onyons and oyle mingled and put into a pint of Wine let it be giuen to the beast many daies together If the Oxe be troubled with crudity or a raw euill stomach you shall know by these signes he wil often belch his belly will rumble he will forbeare his meate hanging down his eies and neither chew the cud or licke himselfe with his tongue for remedy whereof take two quarts of warme Water thirty stalkes of Bole-worts seeth them together till they be soft and then giue them to the beast with vineger But if the crudity cause his belly to stand out and swell then pull his tayle downewarde with all the force that you can and binde thereunto Mother-wort mingled with salt or else giue them a glister or anoint a Womans hand with oyle and let hir draw out the dung from his fundament and afterward cut a vaine in his tayle vvith a sharp knife When they be distempered with choler burne their Legs to the hoofes vvith a vvhot Iron and aftervvard let them rest vpon cleane and soft stravv vvhen their guts and intrals are payned they are eased vvith the sight of a Duck or a Drake But vvhen the small guts are infected take fifteene cypres aples and so many gaules mingle and beate them vvith their vvaight of old cheese in foure pints of the sharpest Wine you can get and so diuide it into foure parts giuing to the beast euery day one quantity The excrements of the belly doe depriue the body of all strength and power to labour wherefore vvhen they are troubled vvith it they must rest and drinke nothing for three dayes together and the first day let them forbeare meate the second day giue them the toppes of wilde Olyues or in defect thereof canes or reedes the stalkes of Lantiske and Myrtill and the thirde day a little Water and vnto this some adde dryed Grapes in sixe pintes of sharpe Wine giuen euery day in like quantity When their hinder parts are lame through congealed blood in them whereof there is no outward appearance take a bunch of Nettles with their rootes and put it into their mouthes by rubbing whereof the condersate blood will remoue away When Oxen come first of all after Winter to grasse they fall grasse-sicke and pisse blood for which they seeth together
Rasis which was called Ceroma wherewithall Wrastlers and Prize-players were anointed but when a foolish and heauy man was annoynted they said ironically Bos ad ceroma Againe the folly of this beast appearerh by another Greeke prouerbe which saith that An Oxe raiseth dust which blindeth his owne eyes to signifie that foolish and indiscrete men stirre vp the occasion of their owne harmes The manifold Epithets giuen this beast in Greeke and Latine by sundry authors doe demonstratiuely shew the manifold conditions of this beast as that it is called a Plower Wilde an earth tiller brazen footed by reason of his hard hoofes Cerebrons more brayne then wit horned stubborne horne-striking hard rough vntamed deuourer of grasse yoake-bearer fearefull ouertamed drudges vvry-faced slovv and ill fauored vvith many other such notes of their nature ordination and condition There remaine yet of this discourse of Oxen tvvo other necessary Tractats The naturall vses of the seueral parts of Oxen. the one naturall the other morral That vvhich is natural contayns the seueral vses of their particular parts first for their flesh which is held singular for norishment for which cause after their labour which bringeth leannesse they vse to put them by for sagination or as it is sayd in English for feeding which in all countries hath a seuerall manner or custom How to fattē cattaile Sotion affirmeth that if you giue your cattell when they come fresh from their pasture Cabbage leaues beaten small with some sharpe vineger poured among them and afterward chaffe winowed in a siefe and mingled with branne for fiue daies together it will much fatten and encrease their flesh and the sixth day ground barley encreasing the quantity by little and little for sixe dayes together Now the best time to feede them in the Winter is about the cock-crowing and afterward in the morning twy-light and soone after that let them drinke in the Summer let them haue their first meate in the morning and their second seruice at noone and then drinke after that second meate or eating and their third meate before euening againe and so let them drinke the second time It is also to be obserued that their water in winter time be warmed and in the Summer time colder And while they feede you must often wash the roofe and sides of their mouth for therein will grow certaine Wormes which will annoy the beast and hinder his eating and after the washing rubbe his tongue wel with salt If therefore they be carefully regarded they wil grow very fat especially if they be not ouer aged or very young at the time of their feeding for by reason of age their teeth grow loose and fall out and in youth they cannot exceede in fatnesse bycause of their groweth aboue all heighfers and barren Kye will exceed in fatnesse for Varro affirmeth that he saw a field Mouse bring forth young ones in the fat of a cowe hauing eaten into her body she being aliue the selfe same thing is reported of a Sow in Arcadia A strange report of a fat Cow if true Kye will also grow fat when they are with calfe especially in the middest of that time The Turks vse in their greatest feastes and Marriages to rost or seeth an Oxe whole putting in the oxes belly a whole Sovv and in the Sowes belly a Goose and in the Gooses belly an Egge to note forth their plenty in great and small things but the best flesh is of a young oxe and the worst of an olde one for it begetteth an ill iuyce or concoction especially if they which eate it be troubled vvith a cough or reumy fleame or if the party be in a consumption or for a woman that hath vlcers in her belly the tongue of an oxe or cow salted and slit asunder is accompted a very delicate dishe vvhich the priestes of Mercury sayd did belong to them bycause they vvere the seruants of speech and hovvsoeuer in al sacrifices the beasts tongue vvas refused as a prophane member yet these priests made choise thereof vnder colour of sacrifice to feede their dainty stomacks The hornes of oxen by art of man are made very flexible and straight whereof are made combes hasts for kniues and the ancients haue vsed them for cups to drinke in and for this cause was Bacchus painted with hornes and Crater was taken for a cup which is deriued of Kera a horne In like manner the first Trumpets were made of hornes as Virgill alludeth vnto this sentence Rauco strepuerunt cornua cantu and now a daies it is become familier for the carriage of Gun-pouder in warre It is reported by some husbandmen that if seede be cast into the earth out of an Oxes horne called in old time cerasbola by reason of a certaine coldnesse it well neuer spring vp well out of the earth at the least not so well as when it is sowed with the hand of man Their skinne is vsed for shooes Garments and Gumme because of a spongy matter therein contayned also to make Gun-pouder and it is vsed in nauigation when a shot hath pierced the sides of the ship presently they clap a raw Oxe hyde to the mouth of the breach which instantly keepeth the Water from entring in likewise they were wont to make Bucklers or shieldes of the hides of Oxen and Bugils and the seuen-folded or doubled shield of Aiax was nothing else but a shield made of an Oxe hyde so many times layed one piece vpon another which caused Homer to call it Sacos heptaboeion Of the teeth of Oxen I know no other vse but scraping and making Paper smooth with them their gall being sprinkled among seede which is to be sowen maketh it come vppe quickly and killeth field-mise that tast of it and it is the bayne or poyson of those creatures so that they will not come neere to it no not in bread if they discerne it and birds if they eate corne touched with an Oxes gall put into hot water first of all and the lees of Wyne they wax thereby astonished likewise Emmets will not come vppon those places where there remaineth any sauour of this gall and for this cause they anoynt heerewith the rootes of trees The dung of Oxen is beneficiall to Bees if the Hyue bee annoynted therewith for it killeth Spiders Gnats and drone-bees and if good heede be not taken it will worke the like effect vpon the Bees themselues for this cause they vse to smother or burne this kinde of dung vnder the mouthes of the Hiues in the spring time which so displayeth and disperseth all the little enemy-bees in Bee-hiues that they neuer breed againe There is a prouerbe of the stable of Angia which Angia was so rich in cattell that he defiled the countrey with their dung whereupon that prouerbe grew when Hercules came vnto him he promised him a part of his countrey to purge that stable which was not clensed by the yearely labour of 3000.
Albertus and so oftentimes put it vpon the maime or if neither of these can be performed by the beast himselfe then cure it by casting vpon it the ashes of a dogs heade or burned salte mingled with liquid pitch powred therupon When a dog returning from hunting is hurt about the snowt Blondus by the venemous teeth of some wilde beast I haue seene it cured by making incision about the wound whereby the poysoned blood is euacuated and afterward the sore was annointed with oile of Saint Iohns wort Wood-worms cureth a dog bitten by serpents Plinyus When he is troubled with vlcers or rindes in his skin pieces of Pot-sheardes beaten to powder and mingled with vineger and Turpentine with the fat of a Goose or else waterwort with new Lard applyed to the sore easeth the same and if it swel anoint it with Butter For the drawing forth a thorne or splinter out of a Dogs foote take coltes-foote and Lard or the pouder there of burned in a new earthen pot and either of these applyed to the foot draweth forth the thorne and cureth the sore for by Dioscorides it is said to haue force to extract any point of a Speare out of the body of a man For the wormes which breede in the vlcers of their heeles take Vnguentum Egiptiacum and the iuice of peach leaues There are some very skilfull hunters which affirme that if you hang about the Dogs necke sticks of Citrine as the wood drieth so will the wormes come forth and dy Again for thâ—s euil they wash the wounds with water then rub it with pitch time and the dung of an Oxe in Vineger Tardinus afterward they apply vnto it the powder of Ellebor When a dog is troubled with the maungie itch or Ring-wormes first let him blood in his fore legs in the greatest veyne afterward make an ointment of Quick siluer Brimstone nettle-seed Albertus Rasis and twice so much olde sewet or Butter and therewithal all anoint him putting thereunto if you please decoction of Hops and salt water Some do wash maungy Dogs in the Sea-water and there is a caue in Sicily saith Gratius that hath this force against the scabs of Dogs if they be brought thither and set in the running water which seemeth to be as thicke as oyle Flegme or melancholly doth often engender these euils and so after one Dog is infected all the residue that accompany or lodge with him are likewise poisoned for the auoyding thereof you must giue them Fumitory Sorrel and whay sod together it is good also to wash them in the sea or in Smiths-water or in the decoction aforesaid For the taking awaie of warts from the feet of Dogs or other members first rub and friccase the wart violently and afterward anoint it with salt Oyle Vineger and the powder of the rind of a Gourd or else lay vnto it Alloes beaten with mustard-seed to eat it off and afterward lay vnto it the little scories or iron chips which flie off from the Smithes hotte iron while he beateth it mingled with Vineger and it shall perfectly remooue them Against Tikes Lyce and Fleas annoint the Dogs with bitter Almonds Staues acre or Roots of Maple or Cipers or froth of Oile and if it be old and annoint also their ears with Salt-water and bitter Almondes then shall not the flies in the Summer time enter into them If Bees or Waspes or such Beasts sting a Dogge lay to the sore burned Rue with Water and if a greater Fly as the Hornet let the Water be warmed A Dog shall be neuer infected with the Plague if you put into his mouth in the time of any common pestilence Blondus the powder of a Storks craw or Ventrickle or any part thereof with Water which thing ought to be regarded for no creature is so soone infected with the plague as is a Dogge and a Mule and therefore they must either at the beginning receiue medicine or else bee remooued out of the ayre according to the aduise of Gratius Sed varij mitus nec in omnibus vna potestes Disce vices quae tutela est proxima tenta Woolfe-wort Pliny and Apocynon whose leaues are like the leaues of Iuye and smell strongly will kill all Beasts which are littered blind as Wolues Foxes Beares and Dogs if they eat thereof So likewise will the root of Chamaeleon and Mezereon in water and oyle it killeth Mice Discorides Swine and Dogs Ellebor and Squilla and Faba Lupina haue the same operation There is a Gourd called Zinziber of the Water because the tast thereof is like to Ginger the Flower Fruite and Leafe thereof killeth Asses Mules Dogs and manie other Foure-footed beastes The nuts Vomicae are poison to Dogges except their care be cut presently and made to bleed It will cause them to leape strangely vp and downe and kill him within two houres after the tasting if it be not preuented by the former remedy Theophrastus Chrysippus affirmeth that the water wherein Sperrage beene sodde giuen to Dogges killeth them the fume of Siluer or Leade hath the same opperation If a Dog grow lean and not through want of meat Albertus it is good to fill him twice or thrice with Butter and if that doe not recouer him then it is a signe that the worme vnder his tongue annoieth him which must be presently pulled out by some Naule or Needle if that satisfie not he cannot liue but will in short time perish And it is to be noted that Oaten bread leauened will make a sluggish dog to become lusty agile and full of spirit Blondus Dogs are also many times bewitched by the onely sight of inchaunters euen as infants Lambes and other creatures according to Virgils verse Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos For bewitching spirit entereth by the eie into the hart of the party bewitched for remedy whereof they hang about the necke a chaine of Corrall as for holy hearbs I hold them vnprofitable To cure the watry eyes of Dogs take warme water and first wash them therewith and then make a plaister of meale and the white of an Egge and so lay it thereunto By reason of that saying Eccles 20. cap. Bribes and gifts blind the eies of Iudges Vnicentius euen as a dumbe dog turneth away Correction Some haue deliuered that greene Crow-foote forced into the mouth of a Dog maketh him dumbe and not able to barke When a Dog becommeth deafe the oile of Roses with new pressed wine infused into his eares cureth him and for the wormes in the eares make a plaister of a beaten spunge and the white of an Egge Tardinus and that shall cure it The third kind of Quinancy called Synanche killeth Dogs Pollux Niphus because it bloweth vppe their chaps and includeth their breath The cough is very noisome to Dogs wherefore their keepers must infuse into their Nostrils two cuppes of wine with brused sweete Almonds
foure daies together being well beaten and stirred so as the Wine be as thicke as a Cawdell and there is nothing more forcible then Sea-crabs Hiera Diascincum poulder of Walnuts in warme raine Water Triacle Castoreum pilles spurge-seede and a decoction of Indian thorne with veruine giuen in water These may serue for seuerall compound inward remedies against these poysons and now follow the simple First eating of garlike in our meate drinking of wormwood rams flesh burned and put into wine and so drunk There is an hearb called Alysson by reason of the power it hath against this euill which being bruised and drunke cureth it The liuer of a Boare dried and drunk in wine hath the same operation Iewes lime drunk in water leeks onions in meat dogs blood the head the vaine vnder the tongue commonly supposed to be a worme and the liuer of the dog which hath don the hurt are also prescribed for a remedy of this euill but especially the liuer or rennet of a young puppy the rinde of a Wilde figtree a dâ—am of Castoreum with oyle of roses Centaury or Chamaeleon the roote of a wild rose called Cynorrhodon and Cynosbaton Ellebor the braine of a hen drunke in some liquor sorrel Hony mints and plantine but Pimpinella Germanica is giuen to all cattell which are bitten by a mad Dog Besides many other such like which for breuity sake I omit concluding against all superstitious curing by inchantments or supposed miracles such as is in a certaine church of S. Lambert in a citty of Picardye where the masse priestes when a man is brought vnto them hauing this euill they cut a crosse in his forehead and lay vpon the wound a piece of S. Lamberts stole burning which they say though falesely is reserued to this day without diminution then do they sow vp the wound again lay another plaister vpon it prescribing him a diet which is to drink water and to eat hard Egs but if the party amend not within forty daies they binde him hand and foote in his bed and laying another bed vpon him there strangle him as they thinke without all sinne and for preuentings of much harme that may come by his life if â—ee should bite another This story is related by Alysius and it is worth the noting how murther accompanieth superstitious humane inuentions and the vaine presumptuous confidence of crosse-worshippers and thus much of the madnesse of dogs and the cure thereof in men and beasts In the next place the conclusion of this tedious discourse followeth which is the naturall medicines arising out of the bodyes of dogs and so wee will tye them vp for this time The naturall medicines Whereas the inward partes of men are troubled with many euils it is deliuered for truth that if little Melitaean Dogs or young sucking puppies be layed to the brest of a child or man that hath infectious passions or pains in his entrals the paine wil depart from the man into the beast for which cause they burned them when they were dead Serenus doth expresse this very elegantly saying Qâ—in etiam catulum lactentem apponere membris Conuenit omne malum transcurrere fertur in illum Cui tamen extincto munus debetur humandi Humanos quia contactus mala tanta sequntur Et iunctus vitium ducit de coniuge coniux Amatus If a Whelpe be cut asunder aliue and layed vpon the head of a mad melancholike Woman it shall help her and it hath the same power against the spleene If a woman growe barren after she hath borne children Hippocrates let her eate young Whelp-flesh and Polypus fishe sod in Wine and drinke the broath and she shall haue ease of all infirmities in her stomach and wombe Furnerius Water destilled out of Whelpes causeth that pieled or shauen places shall neuer more haue haire grow vpon them With the fat of whelps bowelled and sod til the flesh come from the bones then taken and put into another vessell and the weake resolute or paralitike members being therewith anoynted they are much eased if not recouered Alysius saith he made experience of puppies sod aliue in oyle whereby he cured his gouty legd horses and therefore it cannot chuse but be much more profitable for a man The skin of a dog held with the fiue fingers stayeth distillations it hath the same operation in gloues and stockins and it will also ease both Ache in the belly head and feet and therefore it is vsed to be worne in the shooes against the gout Pliny The flesh of madde Dogges is salted and giuen in meate to them which are bitten by mad Dogs for a singular remedy The blood is commended against all intoxicating poysons and paines in the small guts and it cureth scabs The fat is vsed against deafenesse of the eares the gout nits in the head and incontinency of vrine giuen with Alumme A plaister made of the marrow of a Dog and old wine is good against the falling of the fundament The haire of a blacke Dog easeth the falling sicknesse the braines of a Dog in linte and Wooll layed to a mans broken bones for foureteene dayes together doeth consolidate and ioyne them together again which thing caused Serenus to make these excellent verses Infandum dictu cunctis procull absit amicis Sed fortuna potens omen conuertat in hostes Vis indigna noue si sparserit ossa fragore Conuentet cerebrum blandi canis addere fractis Lintea deinde superque inductu nectere lauas Saepius succos conspergere pinguis oliui Bis septem credunt reuatescere cuncta diebus The braine-pan or scul of a Dog cloue asunder is aplied to heale the paine in the eies that is if the right eie bee grieued thereunto apply the right side of the scull if the left eie the left side The vertues of a Dogs head made into poulder are both many and vnspeakeable by it is the biting of mad Dogs cured it cureth spots and bunches in the head and a plaister thereof made with Oyle of Roses healeth the running in the head it cureth also tumours in the priuy parts and in the seate the chippings in the fingers and many other diseases The poulder of the teeth of Dogges maketh Childrens teeth to come forth with speed and easie and if their gums be rubd with a dogs tooth it maketh them to haue the sharper teeth and the poulder of these Dogs teeth rubbed vpon the Gummes of young or olde caseth tootache and abateth swelling in the gummes The tongue of a Dogge is most wholesome both for the curing of his owne woundes by licking as also of any other creatures The rennet of a Puppy drunke with Wine dissolueth the Collicke in the same houre wherein it is drunke Rasis Sextus and the vomit of a Dog layed vpon the belly of a hydropick man causeth Water to come forth at his stoole The gall healeth all wheales and blisters after
oile of Roses continuing so to do many dayes together and if the disease be new this wil heal him yea and it will ease him very much although the disease be old which is thought vncurable And in winter season so long as he standeth in the stable let him drink no cold water and let his meat be cleane without dust but in summer season it were best to let him runne to grasse for so long as he eateth grasse a man shalscantly perceiue this disease Thus much of broken lungs Of putrified and rotten lungs THe signes to know whether a Horsses lungs be putrified or rotten according to Theomnestus are these The Horsse will eat and drinke greedilyer then he was wont to do he shal be oftner vexed with a cough and in coughing he will cast little lumps of matter out at his mouth The cure whereof according to Theomnestus is thus Giue him to drinke euery morning the space of seuen daies the iuyce of Purslain mingled with Oyle of Roses and ad thereunto a little tragagantum that hath been layed before in steep in Goates milke or else in Barly or Oten milke strained out of the corne When the Apostume is broken then a very strong vile and euill sauour will come out of his Nostrils for remedy whereof it shall be good to giue him the space of seuen daies this drink here following take of the roote called Costus two ounces and of Casia or else of Cinamon three ounces beaten into fine powder and a fewe Raisins and giue it him to drinke with wine But Vegetius would haue him to be cured in this sort and with lesse cost I assure you Take of Frankincense and Aristoloch of each two ounces beaten into fine powder and giue him that with wine or else take of vnburnt Brimstone two ounces and of Aristoloch one ounce and a halfe beaten into powder and giue him that with wine And hee would haue you also to draw his breast with a hot iron to the intent the humors may issue forth outwardly Of shortnesse of breath A Horsse may haue shortnesse of breath by hasty running after drinking or vpon a full stomach or by the discending of humors vnto his throat or lungs after som extreame heate dissoluing the said humors which so long as there is nothing broken may in the beginning be easily holpen The signes bee these The Horsse will continually pant and fetch his breath short which wil come very hot out at his nose and in his breathing he will squise in the nose and his flanks will beate thicke yea and some cannot fetch their breath vnlesse they hold their neckes right out and straight which disease is called of the old writers by the Greeke name Orthopnoea The cure Let him blood in the neck and giue him this drinke take of wine and oile of each a pint of Frankincense halfe an ounce and of the iuyce of Horehound halfe a pinte It is good also to poure into his throate hony butter and Hogs-greace moulten together and made lukewarme Tiberius saith it is good to giue him whole egges shels and all steeped and made soft in vineger that is to say the first day three the second day fiue and the third day seuen and to power wine and and oile into his nostrils I for my part would take nothing but Annis-seedes Licoras and Sugarcandy beaten all into fine powder giue him that to drinke with wine and oile mingled together Of the Pursicke THis is a shortnes of breath and the horse that is so diseased is called of the Italians Cauallo pulsiuo or Bolse which I thinke is deriued of the Latin word Vulsus by changing V. into B. and I think differeth not much from him that hath broken lungs called of vegetius and other old writers vulsus for such shortnesse of breath coms either of the same causes or else much like as aboundance of grosse humors cleauing harde to the hollow places of the lungs and stopping the wind-pips And the wind being kept in doth resort downeward as Russius saith into the Horsses guts and so causeth his flanks to beat continually without order that is to say more swiftly and hier vp to the backe then the flankes of any Horsse that is sound of wind And if the disease be old it is seldome or neuer cured and though I finde many medicines prescrided by diuers Authors fewe or none do content me vnlesse it be that of Vegetius recited before in the Chapter of broken lungs And if that preuaileth not then I thinke it were not amisse according to Russius to purge him with this drinke heere following take of Maiden haire of Ireos of Ash of Licoras of Fenegreeke of Raisins of each halfe an ounce of Cardanum of pepper Blundevile of bitter Almonds of Baurach of each two ounces of nettle seede and of Aristoloch of each three ounces boile them al together in a sufficient quantity of water and in that decoction dissolue halfe an ounce of Agarike and two oun of Coloquintida together with two pound of Hony and giue him of this a pinte or a quarte at diuers times and if it be too thick make it thinner by putting therunto water wherin Licoras hath beene sodden and if neede be you may also draw both his flankes crosse-wise with a hot iron to restraine the beating of them and also slit his Nostrils to giue him more aire And if it bee in summer turne him to grasse if in winter let him be kept warme and giue him now and then a little sodden wheat Russius would haue it to bee giuen him three daies together and also newe sweet wine to drinke or else other good wine mingled with Licoras water Of a Consumption A Consumption is none other thing but an exulceration of the lunges proceeding of some fretting or gnawing humor descending out of the head into the lungs And I take it to be that disease which the old writers are wont to cal the dry Malady which perhaps some wold rather interpret to be the mourning of the chine with whom I intend not to striue But thus much I must needes say that euery Horsse hauing the mourning of the Chine doth continually cast at the nose but in the dry Malady it is contrary For all the Authors that write thereof affirme that the Horsse auoideth nothing at the Nose And the signs be to know the dry Malady according to their doctrin be these His flesh doth cleane consume away his belly is gaunt and the skinne thereof so harde stretched or rather shrunke vp as if you strike on him with your hand it will sound like a Tabar and he will be hollow backt and forsake his meat and though he eateth it as Absirtus saith yet he doth not digest it nor prospereth not withall he would cough and cannot but hickingly as though he had eaten small bones And this disease is iudged of all the Authors to be incurable Notwithstanding they say that it is good to purge
thought it came of weakenes as is aforesaide which I would iudge by the waterishnesse of the seed and vnlustines of the horse would giue him red wine to drinke and put therein a little Acatium the iuyce of Plantaine and a little Masticke and bath his backe with redde Wine and oyle of Roses mingled togither Of the falling of the yard IT commeth as I take it through the weakenes of the member by meanes of some resolution in the muscles and sinnewes seruing the same caused at the first perhaps by some great straine or stripe on the backe It may come also by wearines and tiring For remedy whereof Absirtus was wont to wash the yard with salt water from the sea if it may be gotten and if not with water and salt and if that preuailed not he would al to pricke the outmost skinne of the yard with a sharpe needle but not deepe and then wash all the prickes with strong Vineger and that did make the horse as he saith to draw vp his yarde againe immediately yea and this also will remedy the falling out of the fundament Pelagonius would haue you to put into the pipe of his yard hony and salt boiled togither and made liquid or else a quicke fly or a graine of Frankencense or a cloue of Garlicke clean pilled and somewhat brused and also to powre on his back oile wine Nitre made warm and mingled togither But Martins experience is in this sort First wash the yarde with warm white wine and then anoint it with oyl of Roses and hony mingled togither and put it vp into the sheath and make him a cod-peece of Canvas to keepe it still vp and dresse him thus euery day once vntil it be whole And in any case let his backe be kept warme either with a dubble cloath or else with a charge made of bole Armonie Egges wheate-flower Sanguis Draconis Turpentine and Vineger or els lay on a wet sacke which being couered with another dry cloath wil keepe his backe very warme Of the swelling of the Cod and stones ABsirtus saith that the inflammation and swelling of the cod and stones commeth by meanes of some wound or by the stinging of some Serpent or by fighting one horse with another For remedy whereof hee was woont to bath the cod with water wherein hath beene sodden the roots of wilde Cucumber and salt and then to annoint it with an ointment made of Cerusa oile Goates greace and the white of an Egge Some againe would haue the cod to be bathed in warme Water Nitrum and Vineger togither and also to be annointed with an ointment made of chalke or of potters earth Oxe dung cumin Water and Vineger or else to be annointed with the iuice of the herb Solanum called of some night-shade or with the iuyce of Hemblocke growing on dunghils yea and also to be let bloud in the flankes But Martin saith that the swelling of the cods commeth for the most part after some sicknesse or surfetting with colde and then it is a signe of amendment The cure according to his experience is in this sort First let him blood on both sides the flanke veines Then take of oile of Roses of Vineger of each halfe a pinte and halfe a quarterne of Bole Armony beaten to powder Mingle them togither in a cruse and being luke-warme annoint the cods therewith with two or three feaâ—hers bound togither and the next day ride him into the water so as his coddes may be within the water giuing him two or three turnes therein and so returne faire and softly to the stable and when he is dry annoint him againe as before continuing thus to do euery day once vntil they be whole The said Martin saith also the cods may be swollen by meanes of some hurt or euil humors resorting into the Cod and then he would haue you couer the cods with a charge made of Bole Armony and Vineger wrought togither renewing it euery day once vntil the swelling go away or that it breake of it selfe and if it breake then taint it with Mel Rosatum and make him a breech of Canuas to keepe it in renewing the taint euery day once vntil it be whole Of incording and brusing THis terme incording is borrowed of the Italian word Incordato which in plain English is as much to say as bursten Blundevile and might be more rightly tearmed of vs vncodded For when a horse is bursten his guts falleth downe into the cod making it to swell The Italians as I take it did cal it Incordato because the gut followes the string of the stone called of them Ilcordone or Lachorda whereof Incordato seemes to be deriued with some reason According to which reason we should cal it rather instringhed than inchorded for Chorda doth signifie a string or chord Notwithstanding sith that incording is already receiued in the stable I for my part am very well content therewith minding not to contend against it But now you haue to note that either man or beast may be bursten diuersly and according to the names of the partes greeued the Physitians doe giue it diuers names for you shall vnderstande that next vnto the thicke outward skinne of the belly there is also another inward thin skin couering al the muscles the Caule and the guts of the belly called of the Anatomists Peritoneum which skin commeth from both partes and sides of the backe and is fastened to the midriffe aboue and also to the bottome of the belly beneath to keepe in al the contents of the neather belly And therefore if the skin be broken or ouer sore strained or stretched then either some part of the caule or guts slippeth downe sometime into the cod sometime not so farre If the gut slip downe into the cod then it is called of the Physitians by the Greek name Enterocele that is to say gut-bursten But if the caule fall downe into the cod then it is called of the Physitians Epiplocele that is to say Caule-bursten But either of the diseases is most properlie incident to the male kind for the femal kind hath no cod Notwithstanding they may be so bursten as either gut or caule may fal downe into their natures hanging there like a bag But if it fal not downe so lowe but remaineth aboue nigh vnto the priuy members or flankes which place is called of the Latines Inguen then of that place the bursting is called of the physitians Bubonocele whereunto I knowe not what English name to giue vnlesse I should cal it flanke-bursten Moreouer the cod or flanke may bee sometime swollen by meanes of some waterish humour gathered together in the same which is called of the physitians Hydrocele that is to say water-bursten and sometime the cod may be swollen by meanes of some hard peece of flesh cleauing to the thin skins or panicles of the stones and then it is called of the physitians Sarcocele that is to say flesh-bursten But forasmuch as
Then the cornet standing so still slit the vaine longst wise that it may bleede and hauing bled somewhat from aboue then knit it vp with a sure knot somewhat aboue the slit suffering it to bleed onely from beneath and hauing bled sufficiently then knit vp the veine also beneath the slit with a sure knot and fill the hole of the vein with Salt and then heale vp the wound of the skinne with Turpentine and Hogs-grease molten together and laid on with a little Flax. The taking vp of veines is very necessary and doth ease many griefes in the Legges for the taking vp of the forethigh veines easeth Farcins and swellinges of the Legges the taking vp of the shakell veines before easeth the Quitter-bone and swelling of the ioynts scabs and cratches The taking vp of the hinder veines helpeth the Farcin swellings and both the spauens the taking vp of the shakel veines behind helpeth swelling of the ioynts the paines and kibed heeles and such like diseases Of purging with Purgation or Glister PVrgations is defined by the Physitians to be the emptiyng or voiding of superfluous humors annoying the body with their euill quality For such humors bring euill iuyce and nutriment called of the Physitians Cacochimia which when it will not be corrected or holpen with good dyet alteration nor by the benefit of nature and kindly heat then it must needes be taken away by purgation vomit or Glister But forasmuch as Horsses are not wont to be purged by Vomit as men be I will speake heere onely of Glisters and purgations And first because a Horse is grieued with many diseases in his guts and that nothing can purge the guts so well as a Glyster and especially the thicke guts I wish that our Ferrers would learne to knowe the diuersity of Glysters to what end they serue and with what drugs or simples they should bee made for as the disease requireth so must the Glister bee made some to allay griefes and sharpnesse of humors some to binde some to loosen some to purge euill humors some to clense Vlcers but our Ferrers vse Glisters only to loosen the belly and for no other purpose yea few or none do that vnlesse it be Martin and such as he hath taught who is not ignorant that a Glister is the beginning of purgation For a Glister by clensing the guts refresheth the vital parts and prepareth the way before And therefore whensoeuer a Horse is surfeted and full of euill humors needing to be purged and specially being pained in the guts I would wish you to begin first with a Glister least by purging him by medicine vppon the sudden you stir vp a multitude of euill humors which finding no passage downeward because the guts be stopt with wind and dregges do strike vpwardes and so perhaps put the horse in great danger But now you shall vnderstand that Glisters be made of foure things that is to say of decoctions of Drugges of Oyles or such like vnctious matters as butter and soft grease and fourthly of diuers kindes of salt to prouoke the vertue expulsiue A decoction is as much to say as the broath of certaine hearbes or simples boiled together in water till the third part be consumed And sometime instead of such decoction it shal be needfull parhaps to vse some fat broth as the broth of Beefe or of Sheeps heads or Milke or Whay or some other such like liquor and that perhaps mingled with Hony or Sugar according as the disease shall require the Glister to be either Lenitiue that is to say easing paine or Glutinatiue that is ioyning together or else Abstersiue that is to say cleansing or wiping away filthy matter of which decoction of broath being strained you shall need to take three pintes or a quart at the least And then into that you may put such drugges as shall bee needefull to the weight of three or foure ounces according as the simples shall bee more or lesse violent Of Oyle at the least halfe a pinte and of Salt two or three drammes and then to bee ministred Luke-warme with a horne or pipe made of purpose when the horse is not altogether full panched but rather empty be it either in forenoone or after-noone And as touching the time of keeping glisters in the body you shal vnderstand that to glisters abstersiue halfe an houre or lesse may suffice to glisters Lenitiue a longer time if it may be and to glisters Glutinatiue the longest time of all is most needfull Of Purgations PVrgations for men may be made in diuers sorts and formes but horses are wont to be purged onely with pilles or els with purging powders put into Ale Blundevile wine or some other liquor But the simples whereof such pils or powders be made would be chosen with iudgement and aptly applyed so as you may purge away the hurtfull humours and not the good Learne first therefore to know with what humour or humours the horse is greeued be it Choler Flegme or Melancholy and in what part of the body such humors do abound then what simples are best to purge such humors with what property quality and temperament they be indued For some be violent and next cousins to poison as Scamony or Coloquintida Some againe are gentle and rather meat than medicines as Manna Cassia Whay Prunes and such like And some againe be neither too violent nor too gentle but in a meane as Rhewbarbe Agaricke Sene Aloes The olde men did vse much to purge horses with the pulpe of Coloquintida and sometime with the rootes of wilde Cowcumber and sometime with the broathe of a sodden Whelpe mingled with Nitrum and diuers other thinges whereof I am sure I haue made mention before in the curing of horses diseases Notwithstanding I would not wish you to be rash in purging a horse after the old mens example For as their simples many times bee very violent so the quantities thereof by them prescribed are verie much and dangerous for any horse to take in these daies in the which neither man nor beast as it seemeth is of such force or strength as they were in times past And therefore whensoeuer you would purge him with such like kindes of Purgations as Martin vseth wherof you haue example before in diuers places and whensoeuer you list for knowledge sake to deale with other simples to proue them first vpon such Iades as may well be spared For whosoeuer mindeth to purge a horse well that is to do him good and no hurt had neede to consider manie things as the nature of the horses disease and the horses strength also the nature strength and quantity of the medicine that he ministreth the Region or Countrey the time of the disease the time of the yeere and daie For as the diseases and euill humors causing such diseases are diuers so doe they require to be purged with diuers medicines diuerslie compounded wherein consisteth a point of Art to be learned at
to make little round bals of muske and other confections Platearius and afterwardes to draw a thread through the middle of them and so weare them about ones necke Some put it into silken wooll through which they first draw a thread and so dissolue it in rose water afterwards make it vp in medicines and vse it as aforesaid It may be preserued in a vessell of Lead close stopped along time for the lead which is cold and moist The preseruing of musk agreeth well with the nature of the muske therfore if a leaden vessell be wanting so as ye be forced to vse glasse and siluer then must you put two or three pieces of lead into it for the better preseruation and couering the passage all ouer with wax and aboue all things you must auoid al kind of spices taking heede that no graine thereof come into it If while it is in the vessell it lose the sauor and be dead then it is to bee recouered by opening the mouth of the viall and hanging it ouer a priuy For when the stinke and euill sauer commeth vnto it Contra foetorem eluctatur quasi luctando reuiuisset it striueth against the filthy stinke and as it were reuiueth in that contention saith Isidorus Albertus and Platearius But concerning the adulterating of muske I will say more in this place Benedictus The adulterating of muske the meanes to descry it First of all the mountibanks do corrupt it by mingling with it the liuer of a calfe Also by a roote called Makir and an hearb Salich Many times the dung of Mice is sold for musk and so great is the deceit herein that a man may not trust the outward shape of an intire codd for there be imposters which can counterfeit them and make them in all parts for the outward appearance and fill them with certaine stuffe interposing some little true muske among it vntill it haue a reasonable sauor and therewithall deceiue simple people It is also adulterated by mingling with it a litle Goates bloud fryed or browne bread fryed so that three or foure partes of these will receiue seasonable tast from one part of the muske It is also adulterated in the skin by putting peeces of the skin into it and it may be knowne from the true muske because it will waigh twice so heauy The Sarazens vse this shift aboue all others and there is one principall way of making counterfet muske which is this they take Nutmegs Mace Cinamon Cloues Gilliflowers and Spikenard of euery one a handfull all these being beate diligently together and dryed and sifted they are mingled with the warme bloud of a Doue and afterwards dried in the Sunne then are they seauen times sprinkled ouer or moystened with the Water of muske-Roases and betwixt euery sprinkling they are dryed At length they mingle therewithall a third or fourth part of true musk and then sprinkle it ouer againe with Muske-rose-water so deuide it into three or foure lumps and take the white haires from vnder the taile of a Roe or Kid and so put it in a vessell of glasse Benyuine white-waxe taken out of a new Hiue of Bees the rotten part of Eue-tree and a little Muske are mingled altogether to make a counterfeit Amber for it will smell like ciuet or muske or else Stirax and the powder of Lygnum-aloes with Ciuet and Rose water but the fraud in one other is easily deprehended for both the odor and the colour are different from the true Amber and also it will sooner wax soft in water then that which is naturall Some do corrupt their Muske with the seede of Angelica or rather with the roote of it because the roote smelleth sweete like Musk but the cosinage may be easily discouered by putting it into water For the Angelica will sinke and â—he Muske will swimme The true Muske is sold for forty shillings an ounce at the least It is also obserued by Arnoldus Villanouanus that in the presence of Assafoetida or Castoreum the best muske will haue a horrible and intollerable sauour although they touch not one another which cannot be ascribed to any knowne reason but to some secret in nature The sweetenesse of the Arabian muske is described by Aâ—ciatus in this verse Et celebris suaui est vnguine muscus Arabs There be diuers Hearbs which smell sweete like muske as Angelica Dorsis Muske-Giliflowers Herbes reseÌ„bling muske Muske-Grapes the leaues of a winter Cherry and an Hearbe growing neare Basill without a name like wilde Parsley the Damasine-rose and many other Wilde cats and Martins do also render an excrement much like muske and there are Hares called Moschiae which leaue such an intolerable smell in the impression of their footesteppes that the Dogges by touching them growe madde as wee haue shewed in the story of the Hare And thus much for the description of this beast now followeth the medicines The medicines of the Muske-cat A very little part or quantity of a Muske-cat is of great vertue and efficacy wherefore it is very sparingly vsed in medicines or potions neither is there any part thereof beaten or bruised as it is of all other beasts but it is melted and dissolued in water which proceedeth from the sweetest Roses It is also a beast which is very hot and dry but rather mord dry then hot yet notwithstanding the same his heate is asswaged and allayed by no other thing but onely the Gum called Camphire and his drinesse is onely moystned or mollified with Oyles and very sweet as oile of violets and oile of Roses Amongst sweete smels and sauours the principallest and chiefest laude and commendation is attributed vnto the smell which proceedeth from the muske cat For he doth not onely with his odoriferous and delightfull sauour please and content the scent of men but also doth strengthen the spirits and all the partes of mans body yea and that in a moment for the slendernesse of his partes which although it doth forthwith penetrate or enter into the scent of man yet doth it endure longer and is not so speedily or quicklie dissolued as the scent or sauour of any other sweete smell whatsoeuer A musk-cat and the hearb called Mercuries-fingers or Dogges-bane being giuen in purging medicines to drinke do greatly renew and refresh the decayed strength or force of those which haue beene before times weakened with diuers and continual medicines in their mâ—bers The same is also very profitable for those which are effeminate or defectiue and ecclipsed in their mind or courage as also for those which are weak and feeble in their ioynts not by any hurt or any other casuallity being enfeebled Symeon but being alwaies so euen from their childhood A musk-cat is an excelleÌ„t remedy for those which are troubled with feare in their hart and also for those which do quiuer or shake either for fear or any other thing throughout all the parts of their body The same is a
ipsius Leonis vehementem rugitum horret neque item hominum robore mouetur ac saepe robustum venatorem occidit That is to say He feareth not the barking of the Dogge nor the foaming wrath of the wilde Boare he flyeth not the terrible voyce of the Bull nor yet the mournefull cry of the Panthers no nor the vehement roaring of the Lyon himselfe and to conclude he is not moued for all the strength of man but many times killeth the valiantest hunter that pursueth him When he seeth a Boare a Lyon or a Beare presently he bendeth his hornes downe to the earth whereby he conformeth and establisheth his head to receiue the brunt standing in that manner till the assault be made at which time hee easily killeth his aduersary for by bending downe his head and setting his hornes to receiue the beast he behaueth himselfe as skilfully as the hunter that receiueth a Lion vpon his speare For his hornes do easily runne into the brests of any wilde beast so piercing them causeth the blood to issue whereat the beast being moued forgetteth his combate and falleth to licking vp his owne blood and so he is easily ouerthrowne When the fight is once begunne there is none of both that may runne awaie but standeth it out vntil one or both of them bee to the ground and so their dead bodies are many times found by wilde and sauage men They fight with all and kil one another also they are annoyed with LYNCES I meane the greater LYNCES of the cruelty of this beast Martiall made this distichon Matutinarum non vltima praeda ferarum Saevus Oryx constat qui mihi morte canum It is reported of this beast Oppianus Pliny Albertus that it liueth in perpetual thirst neuer drinking by reason that there is no water in those places where it is bred and that there is in it a certaine bladder of lickor whereof whosoeuer tasteth shall neuer neede to drinke This beast liueth in the wildernesse and notwithstanding his magnanimious and vnresistable strength wrath and cruelty yet is hee easily taken by snares and deuices of men for God which hath armed to take Elephants and tame Lyons hath likewise iudewed them with knowledge from aboue to tame and destroy al other noisome beast Concerning the picture of this beast and the liuely vissage of his exterior or outward parts I cannot expresse it because neither my owne sight nor the the writinges of anye credible Author doth giue me sufficient direction to deliuer the shape thereof vnto the world and succeeding Ages vppon my credit and therefore the Reader muste pardon me heerein I do not also read of the vse of the flesh or any other partes of this beast but onely of the hornes as is already expressed whereunto I may adde the relation of Strabo who affirmeth the Aethiopians Silli do vse the hornes of these beastes in warres insteed of swords and speares for incredible is the hardnes and sharpenes of them which caused Iuvenall to write thus Et Getulus Oryx hebeti lautissima ferro Coeditur For althogh of the owne length they are not able to match a pike yet are they fit to be put vpon the tops of pikes as well as any other artifical thing made of steel or yron and thus I will conclude the story of this beast OF THE OTTER THere is no doubt but this beast is of the kind of Beuers because it liueth both on the Water and on the land and the outward form of the parts beareth a similitude of that beast The Italians doe vulgarly call this beast Lodra of the naâ—es 〈…〉 thereof and the Latines besides Lutra Fluuiatulis Canicula A Dogg of the Waters and some cal them cats of the waters The Italians besides Lodra call it also Lodria and Lontra The French Vne Loutre or Vnge Loutre The Sauoyans Vne Leure the Spaniards Nutria and the Ilyrians Widra the Graecians Lytra because it shereth assunder the roots of the trees in the bankes of the riuers Some of the Graecians cal it enhydris although properly that bee a snake liuing in the Waters called by Theodorus and Hermolaus Lutris Albertus calleth it Luter and Anadrz for Enydris Also Boatus by Syluacicus and the Graecians cal filthy and thicke waters Lutrai for which cause when their Noble ancient Women went to bathe themselues in water Stephanus they were bound about with skinnes called Oan Loutrida that is a sheepes skin vsed to the water The French men call the dung of an OTTER Espranite de loutres Pliny the steppes of an OTTER Leise Marches the whelpes of an OTTER Cheaux by which word they call also the whelpes of Wolues Foxes and Badgers Although it liue in the waters yet it doth no sucke in water but aire that is The framing of their den it doth not breath like fishes through the benefit of water and therefore it maketh his dens neer the water wherein also they are wont to bring forth their young ones They make their dens so artificially euen as the Beuer with bowes and sprigs or sticks couching together in excellent order wherein he sitteth to keepe him from wetnesse It hunteth fishes and although it breatheth like another foure-footed-beast yet will it remain a great while vnder the water without respiration for the greedinesse of fishes it runneth many time into nets which are set by men in waters to take fish whereinto being entered His prey and foode it is suffocated for want of breath before it can sheare asunder the nets and make way for himselfe to come out For in the hunting of fish it must often put his nose aboue the water to take breath it is of a wonderfull swiftnesse and nimblenesse in taking his prey and filleth his den so full of fishes that he corrupteth the aire or men that take him in his den and likewise infecteth himselfe with a pestilent and noysome sauour whereupon as the Latins say of a stinking fellow he smels like a Goat so the Germans say of the same He smels like an Otter Agricola In the winter time he comes out of the caues and waters to hunt vpon the land wher finding no other foode he eateth fruits and the barke of trees Bellonius writeth thus of him Albertus he keepeth in pooles and quiet waters and riuers terrifieng the flockes of fish and driuing them to the bank-sides in great number to the holes and creekes of the earth where hee taketh them more copiously and more easie but if he want prey in the waters then doth he leape vpon the land and eate vpon greene hearbs he will swim two miles together against the streame putting himselfe to great labor in his hunger that so when his belly is full the currant of streame may carry him downe againe to his designed lodging The females nourish many whelps together at their vdders vntill they be almost as big as themselues for whom the hunters search as for the
then by shearing as Varro writeth and furthermore to wash sheep oftentimes with this medicine doth preserue them from scabs before they be infected and others adde vnto this medicine little stickes of Cypresse wood soked in water and so wash them therewith some again make another medicine of Sulphur or Brimstone Cypresse white lead and Butter mingled altogether and so annoint their sheep therewith Some again take earth which is as soft as durt being so softned with the stale of an Asse but euermore they shaue the scabbed place first of all and wash it with cold or stale vrin and generally in Arabia they were neuer wont to vse other medicine then the gum of Cedar wherwithall they purged away by ointment all scabs from sheep Camels and Elephants but to conclude there is no better medicine for this euill then vrin Brimstone and oyle as Diophones writeth Another medicine for the Scabs TAke the leeze of wine the froath of Oyle white Hellibor mingled with the liquor of sod hops also the iuyce of greene Hemlock which is expressed out of the stalke before it hath seede after it is cut downe and put into an earthen vessell with any other liquor mingled with scorched salt so the mouth of the vessel being made vp close set it in a dunghill a whole year together that so it may be concocted with the vapor of the dung then take it forth and when you will vse it warme it first of al scraping the vlcerous or scabbed part with an Oyster shell or else with a sharp pumise stone vntill it be ready to bleed and so annoint it therewith Another medicine for the same TAke the froath of oile sod away to two parts I mean 3. parts into two put therinto the stale vrin of a man which hath bin heated by casting into it hot burning Oyster-shels and mingle a like quantity of the iuyce of Hemlock then beat an earthen pot to powder and infuse a pinte of liquid Pitch and a pinte of fryed or scorched salt al which being preserued together do cure the scabs of sheep so often as they are vsed Another medicine A Drinke being made of the iuyce of hops and the hearb Camaelion and giuen vnto them cureth them Likewise the same being sod with the roots of black Camaelion annointed warm vpon the place according to Dioscorides haue the same operation Likewise Pliny writeth that the scabs of sheepe may be cured by salt water alone either taken out of the sea or made by art forasmvch as there is great danger in the decoction thereof least that the water ouercome the salt of the salt ouercome the water he prescribeth a mean how to know it namely the equall and iust temperament thereof for saith he if it will beare vp an Egge then is it well tempered so that the Egge will swim and net sinke which you shall find by addition of aequall and iust quantity of water and salt that is two pints of water a pinte of salt and so lesse to lesse and more to more But if there be any bunch or great scab which couereth any part of the skinne then open the scab and bunch and poure into it liquid pitch and scortched salt and thus much for the disease of the scabs Of the holy fire which the Sheapheards call the Pox or the Blisters or Saint Anthonies fire THis euill is vncurable for it neither admitteth medicine nor resication by knife and therefore whensoeuer a beast is infected therewith it ought presently to be seperated from the residue of the flocke for there is nothing that spreadeth it selfe more speedily whensoeuer you aduenture to apply any thing vnto it it presently waxeth angry and perplexeth the whole body except it bee the milke of Goates and yet my Author speaketh thus of it Quod infusum tantum velet vt blandiatur igneam saeuitiam differens magis occisionem gregis quam prohibens That is It seemeth to close with raging fire as it were to flatter it a little rarher deferring the death of the beast then doing away the disease It is therefore prescribed by the most memorable Author of al the Egyptians that men doe oftentimes looke vpon the backes of their sheep to see the beginning of this sicknesse and when they find a sheep affected herewith they dig a ditch or hole fit for him at the entering in of the sheepe-coate or stable wherin they put the sheep aliue with his face vpward and backe downeward and cause all the residue of the flocke to come and pisse vpon him by which action it hath bin often found as Columella writeth that this euill hath bin driuen away and by no other meanes Of the warts and cratches of Sheepe THis disease is called by the vulgar sheapheardes the Hedghog and it doth anoye the sheep two manner of waies first when some gauling or matter ariseth vppon the paring of the hoofe or else a bunch arise in the same place hauing a hayre-growing in the middle like the haire of a dog and vnder that a little worme the worme is best drawne out with a knife by cutting the top of the wound wherein must bee vsed great warinesse and circumspection because if the worme bee cut asunder in the wound there issueth out of her such a venemous pustulate matter that poysoneth the wound and then there is no remedy but the foot must be cut off But the wound being opened and the worme taken out aliue presently with a wax-candle you must melt into it hot burning sewet and if there be no bunch but onely scabs take Allum liquid Pitch Brimstone and Vineger mingled all together and apply it vnto the wound or else take a young Pomgranate before the graines grow in it and bake it with Allum casting vppon it vineger sharp wine and the rust of yron fryed altogether Of the falling sicknesse IT commeth to passe sometimes that sheepe are infected with the falling sicknesse but the cure hereof can neuer be knowne nor yet the sicknesse well til the beast be dead and then as Hippocratus writeth by opening of the braine it wil euidently appeare by the ouer great moystnesse thereof Of the paines in the eies IT is reported by Theophrastus and Pliny that for cloudes and other paines in the eie of a sheepe horned-poppy and Chamaelia are very wholsome Of phlegme in Sheepe FOr the remedy of this disease take Peniroial or Margerum or wild Nep made vp togither in wooll and thrust into the nose of the sheepe there turned round vntill the beast begin to neeze also a stalk of blacke Hellibor boared through the eare of the sheepe and there tyed fast for the space of foure and twenty hours and then taken out at the same time of the day that it was put in by Pliny and Collumella is affirmd to be an excelent remedy against the Phlegme Of the swelling in the iawes THere is sometimes an inflammation or swelling in the iawes of sheepe which the Latins
two or three together for the disease is not so powerfull in a few as in a multitude and be well assured that this remouing of the aire and feeding is the best phisicke Some do prescribe three-leaued-grasse the hardest roots of reeds Sand of the Mountaine and such other Hearbs for the remedy of this but herein I can promise nothing certain only the sheapheard ought oftentimes to giue this vnto his sheepe when they are sound I wil conclude therefore this discourse of the pestilence with the description of Virgil Balatu pecorum crebris mugitibus amnes Arentesque sonant ripae collesque supini Iamque cateruatim dat stragem atque aggerat ipsis In stabulis turpi dilapsa cadauera tabo Donec humo tegere ac foueis abscondere discunt Nam neque erat corijs vsus nec viscera quisquam Aut vndis abolere potest aut vincere stamma Nec tondere quidem morbo illuvieque peresa Vellera nectelas possunt attingere putres Verum etiam inuisos si quis tentarat amictus Ardentes papulae atque immundus olentia sudor Membra sequebatur nec longo deinde moranti Tempore contactos artus sacer ignis edebat It is reported by Iohn Stowe that in the third yeare of Edward the first and in Anno 1275. there was a rich man of Fraunce that brought a sheepe out of Spaine that was as great as a calfe of two yeare olde into Northumberland and that the same sheepe fell rotten or to be infected with the Pestilence which afterward infected almost all the sheepe of England and before that time the pestilence or rottennesse was not knowne in England but then it tooke such hold and wrought such effects as it neuer was cleare since and that first Pestilence gaue good occasion to be remembred for it continued for twentie and sixe yeares together And thus much for this disease of the Pestilence caused in England for the most part in moist and wet yeares Of Lice and Tikes IF either Lice or Tikes doe molest sheepe take the roote of a Maple tree beate the same into powder and seeth it in water afterwards clip off the wooll from the backe of the sheepe and poure the said water vpon the backe vntill it hath compassed the whole body some vse for this purpose the roote of Mandragora and some the rootes of Cypresse and I find by good Authors that all of them are equiuolent to rid the sheep from these anoyances to conclude therfore the discourse of sheeps diseases it is good to plant neare the sheepe-coates and pastures of sheepe the hearbe Alysson or wilde gallow-grasse for it is very wholesome for Goates and sheepe likewise the flowers of worme-wood dryed and beaten to powder giuen vnto sheep with salt doth asswage all inward diseases and paines and also purge them throughly The Iuice of Centorie is very profitable for the inward diseases of sheepe likewise the flowers of Iuey the hoome tree hath foure kinds of fruite two proper the nut and the grraine two improper the line and hiphear this hipheare is very profiâ—able for sheep and it is nothing else but a confection made out of the barks of the hoome-tree the word itselfe is an Arcadian word signifying no other thing then viscus and stelis Sheep also delight in the braunches of maiden-haire and generally the wooll of sheepe burned to powder and giuen them to drinke is very profitable for al their inward diseâ—ses And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the seuerall infirmities and sicknesses of sheepe which I desire the English Reader to take in good part wondering very much at the many fold wits and stirring pens of these daies wherein I thinke our times may be compared to the most flourishing times that euer were since the worlds beginning yet none haue aduentured to apply their times and wits for the explication of the seuerall sickenesses of sheepe and cattell I know there are many Noble men Knights and Gentlemen of the land and those also which are very learned that are great masters of sheepe and cattell and I may say of them as the Prophet Dauid saith Their Oxen are strong to labor and their sheepe bringeth forth thousands and ten thousands in their fieldes Whereby they are greatly inritched and yet not one of them haue had so much commisseration either towards the poore cattell in whose garments they are warmed or charitie to the world For the better direction to maintaine the health of these creatures as to publish any thing in writing for the benefite of Adams children but such knowledge must rest in the brests of siâ—ly Shepheards and for the masters either they know nothing or els in strange visitation and mortalitie of their cattell they ascribe that to witchcraft and the diuell which is peculiar to the worke of nature Horses Dogs and almost euery creature haue gotten fauour in Gentlemens wits to haue their natures described but the silly sheepe better euery way then they and more necessary for life could neuer attaine such kindnesse as once to get one page written or indighted for the safegard of their natures I do therfore by these presence from my soule and spirit inuite all Gentlmen and men of learning not onely to giue their mindes to know the defects of this beast but also to inuent the best remedies that nature can afford for it is a token of highest mercy vnto bruite beasts to feede them when they are hungry and to recouer them when they are sicke Columella and Varro two great Romanes and such as had attained to some of the greatest place of the Common-wealth being men of excellent wits and capacitie yet had their names been forgotten they neuer remembred if they had not written of rustick and countrey matters and it is no little honor vnto them to haue left that behind them in Print or writing which themselues had obserued from following the plough Therefore it shal be no disgrace for any man of what worth soeuer to bestow his wits vpon the sheep for certainely it is no lesse worthy of his wit then it is of his teeth and how necessarie it is for the nourishment of man we all know to this daye and besides there is nothing that so magnifyeth our English Nation as the price of our Wooll in all the kingdomes of the World But what account the auncients made of Sheepe I will now tell you for their greatest men both Kings and Lordes were Sheapheardes and therefore you which succeede in their places shall bestow much lesse labour in writing of sheepe then they did in keeping with the picture of a Sheepe they stamped their auncient mony and it is reported of Mandrabulus that hauing found a great treasure in the earth in token of his blind thankefulnesse to God did dedicate three pictures of Sheepe to Iuno one of Gold another of Syluer and a third of Brasse and besides the ancient Romans made the penalties of the lawes
venemousnes of spiders And againe it is very effectuall being new come from them and sodden in wine against the stingings of Serpents Sheeps dunge being mixed with honey and applied to horses whose hoofes are broken is verye efectual The dung of Oxen and Sheepe being burned to powder and intermixed therewith is very effectual against Cankers and also the bones of the Lambes thighes being burned into ashes is very profitable to be applied to those vlcers which cannot hee brought to cicatrise Also Sheepes dung being made hotte in a little gally potte and kneaded with thy hands and afterwards applied doth presently cease the swellings of woundes and doeth purge and cure Fistulaies and also diseases in the eyes The oyle of Cypresse and hony is very effectual against Alopecia that is the fauling off of the haire An emplaister made of sheepes dunge and the fat of a Goose and a Hen is very effectuall against haire rysing in the roote of the eare as Rasis and Albertus say Sheepes dung being applyed hot is very effectuall against the swellings of womens paps or dugs Sheepes dung being put into the decoction of Wood-bine or Hony and water Obscurus and so drunke is very profitable against the Yellow-ganders If the Spleen be outwardly annoynted with Sheepes dung and Vineger it doth lessen the rysing of it Rasis The dung of Oxen and Sheepe which is very moyst doth ease all manner of goutes Pliny The thinne or outmost skinne which is taken from the priuy part of Sheepe is very profitable against the disease called the flowers in Women The dung also hath the same operation The Vrine of Sheepe is very profitable against the Hydropsie being mixed with Honny But Rasis saith otherwise which is Albertus that the dung being drunke with Honny is auaileable against the Dropsie To take the weight of a penny of Oxe dung and Sheepes dung and a graine of Myrrh and two ounces and a halfe of Wine doth stay or resist the comming of the Kings euil Pliny The filth which is taken out of the eares of these beastes is said to bee very effectuall against the flowers It doth make a barren woman to conceiue with child also as Serenus saith in these verses Pendentem spumam molli de ducet ab ore Aut ouis in stabulis fract as cum ruminat herbas Atque illam memini misto potare falerno The sweate of a Horse being made warme and mixed with Vineger Syluaticus is very conuenient against the falling sicknesse and is vsed against venemous bitinges And also the sweate of Sheepe is very much profitable vnto it Collumella If the hoofe or Anckle-bone of an Oxe chance to bee cut with a Plough-snare Pitch and fat with Sulphur is very good but you must roule round about the wound Wooll Vnwashed Wooll doth very much profit those that are frenzy being applyed with a fume that stoppeth humors from comming downe from the head Vnwashed Wooll being bound vpon the forehead is very good for the waterish humor that floweth out of the eies Vnwashed Wooll being heated in Vineger and pressed into the eare and afterwards the top of the eare being stopped with that Wooll will by little and little ease the paines in the eares Vnwashed Wooll dipped in Oyle of Roses and put into the Nostrils doth stay bleeding at the Nose Vnwashed Wooll being plucked from the priuy partes of Sheepe and moystned in Oyle of Roses Marcellus is very good to stop the fluxes of blood in any part of mans body Vnwashed Wooll being tyed on the outside of the knuckles or ioynts doth stop the bloud or humors from running too and fro It is also said to be very good being dipped in Honny and so rubbed vppon the teeth or Gummes for to make one breathe or gaspe easier Vnwashed Wooll being smeard ouer with Hony and rubbed vpon the teeth doth make them looke white presently after Vnwashed Wooll with a little Salt put to it and tyed close in a linnen cloath and so scorched and beaten to powder is very good to keepe the teeth from paine being rubbed vpon them Vnwashed Wooll being mixed with Niter Brimstone Oyle Vineger and with Tar Galen being applyed twice a day doth ease all paines of the knuckles and Anckles Sheepes dung and other thinges with vnwashed Wooll is very effectuall against the stone in the bladder as it is spoken aboue in the cure and remedies of Sheeps dung Vnwasht wooll doth cure all the diseases in the priuy parts of men or women being aplyed thereunto The blacke Wooll of Sheepe is very profitable for all swellings in the stones or Cods of men The gall of Buls put vpon vnwashed Wooll is very profitable for the flowers of women Vnwashed wooll being applyed vnto those parts that are dead doth very much good vnto them White fleeces of Wooll being either applyed alone or with Brimstone is very good for hidden paines and griefes Fleeces of Wooll giuen in a fume with Brimstone is very good for the remedy of the Kings euill Wooll being dyed of a purple colour and so applyed is very good against the paines of the eares There are moreouer very many remedies made against diseases by vnshorne Wooll besides the expelling of cold being taken in Oyle Wine or Vineger for as much as the same being applyed to the members which are out of ioynt or to any paines in the Nerues doth very speedily and tenderly heale the same Pliny Sheepes Wooll being mixed with Hearb-Grace and Sheeps-greace is very much applyed vnto those which are bruised or haue hard swellings in any parts of their body Vnwashed Wooll being often put into the sores which are bitten by madde Dogges doth perfectly cure them in seuen daies Sheepes Wooll in cold Water doth bring remedy vnto those whose skinne is loose about the Nailes The same being steeped in hot Oyle may be well applyed vnto moyst or running sores but mingled with Hony is very medicinable for old sores or festers and steeped in Wine Oyle Vineger or cold water doth heale any new wound which seemeth to bring the wounded party in daunger of death Dioscorides doth also affirme that Sheepes Wooll being vnwashed is curable for all kinds of wounds whatsoeuer The same is very much applyed vnto those whose bones are bruised or broken if it bee mixed with the braines of wanton Dogge Serenus and bound hard vpon the grieued place in a linnen cloth The Carthagenian Sheapheards doe vse the vnwashed Wooll of Lambes of the age of foure yeares for the curing of the Temples or the crowne of the head If the plough share chance to hurt the huckle-bone or hoofe of an Oxe take hard Pitch and Bacon-greace mingled with Brimstone and rowled in vnwashed Wool and marke the wounded place withall these together with a fiery hot yron and it will bring present help and remedy Vnwashed Wooll being taken in some certaine perfume doth cure those which are Frantike
there is aboundance of heate which keepeth fast the roots of the haire Their food therfore and nourishment is easily digested in euery part for that which is so strong in the nouriture of the haire must needs be of correspondent power in other parts Some haue thought that Swine care not for Grasse or Hearbes but onely rootes and therefore hath a peculiar snout to attain them but I find by experience that they wil eat grasse aboue the earth aswel as rootes beneath they loue to feede in heardes together They loue aboue measure Acornes and yet being giuen to them alone they are hurtfull and bring no lesse damage to them then to Sheepe though not so often especially to Sowes that be with pigge The best time for gathering of Acorns is in Nouember and it is a worke for Women and Children The Woodes of Italy are so full of Acornes that they nourish aboundance of Swine and that therewith are fed the greatest part of the Romaine people They delight also in Bucke-mast and that meate maketh the Swines flesh light easie of digestion and apt for the stomacke In some Countries Hawes haue the same vertue to fat Hogges 〈◊〉 that is in Acornes for they make them waighty straight neate and sweete The next vnto this Holme Berries do fat Hogges sauing that they procure loosenesse except they be eaten by little and little There is a tree which hath such bitter fruite called Haliphlocus whereof no beast will tast heereof Hogges wil tast but in extreame famine and hunger Plâ—â—ius when they are without all other food and meate The fruite or Apples of Palme-trees especially such as grow in salt grounds neare the Sea sides as in Cyrene of Affrica and Iudea and not in Egypt Cyprus Syria Heluetia and Assiria do fatten and feed Hogges And indeed there is scarce any food whereof they do not eate as also no place wherein they picke not out some liuing both in Mountains and Fens and plaine fieldes but best of all neare waters wherein by the bankes sides they gather many sweete and nourishable morsels There are no better abiding places for Hogs then are the woods wherein abound eyther Oakes Beeches Corke-trees Holme wilde Oliues Tamariske Hasels Apples or Crab-trees white Thorne the Greeke Carobs Pine-trees Corne-trees Lote-trees places of their abode Prune-trees Shrubs Hawes or wilde Peares or Medlers and such like for these frutes grow ripe successiuely one after the other for there is no time of the yeare wherein some of them are not to be gathered soft and norishable whereby the heards of swine may be maintained But if at any time this food cease and not to be found then must ther be some other prouision out of the earth such as is corne or graines and turn your Hogs to moist places where they may picke vp worms and suck vp fat fenny water which thing is aboue al other things gratefull to this beaste for which cause it pleased the Holi-ghost in scripture to compare the pleasure that beastely men take in sinning to the wallowing of swine in the mire The Dogge saith S. Peter is returned to his vomit and the Sow that was washed to wallow in the mire For this cause also you must suffer them to digge in the water and to eat Canes and wilde Bul-rushes likewise the rootes and tops of Water-cresses and you must prouide to lay vp for them in water Acornes and not spare corne to giue it them by hand as Beanes Pease Fitches Barly and such like And Columella from whome I haue taken these instructions addeth moreouer that in the spring time before your Hogs go abroad to bite at the sweet and fresh-growing-hearbes Varro least they prouoke them to loosenesse you must giue them some sodden drinke wash or swill by vertue whereof that mischiefe must be auoided for if it be not such leannesse wil follow that it will ouerthrowe and kil them In some Countries they also giue them the scapes or refuse Grapes of Vintage Aelianus and moreouer the frutes of yew tree which is poison to Dogges Aristomachus the Athenian by many and sundry praises aduanceth three-leaued grasse and among other for that as when it is greene it is commodious for sheepe so being dried it is wholesome to swine They loue greene corn yet it is reported that if swine eat of it in the Isle of Salamine their teeth by the law of the countrey are beaten out of their mouthes It is wholesome to giue them crude or rawe barley especially to a Bore when he is to covple with a sowe but vnto a sow with pigge sod There is in Bauaria a kinde of Scallion which beareth a red-purple-flower like to the flower of the Lilly of the vallies which is greatly sought after and deuoured by swine They also seeke after wilde Vines and the hearbe called Hogs-bread and the roote of wilde rapes which beareth leaues like vnto violets but sharper and a white roote without milke By some it is called Buchspicke bycause it groweth in woodes amonge Beeches They eat also flesh and abstain not from fat Bacon and heerein they differ from most of the rauening creatures for Dogges will not taste of Dogges flesh and Beares of Beares yet will Hogges eat of Swines flesh yea many times the damme eateth hir younge ones And it is found that swine haue not abstaind from the flesh of men and children for when they haue been slaine by theeues before they could be found Albertus Aelianus the greatest part of their body was torne in pieces and eaten by wilde swine And indeed as we see some Hens eat vp the Egges that they themselus haue layd so shal we obserue some sows to deuoure the frutes of their owne wombes whereat we ought not to maruel as at a monstrous or prodigious thing but rather acknowledge a naturall voracity constrained in them thorough famine and impatience They also eat Snailes and Salamanders especially the Bores of the mountaines in Cilicia and although there be in Salamanders a verye deadly poison yet doeth it not hurt them at all but afterward when men or beasts tast of such a swines flesh the operation of the poison worketh vpon them mortally neither is this any maruaile for so it is when a Frog eateth of a Toad and whereas if a man eat Hemlocke presently al his blood congealeth in his body and he dieth but if a Hogge eat thereof hee not onely not dieth but thriueth and groweth fat thereby Aristotle reported one great wonder of a place about Thracia as he saith wherein for the compasse of twenty paces there groweth Barley whereof men eate safely but Oxen and sheep and other creatures auoid it as mortall poyson and swine wil not vouchsafe to tast of mens excrements that haue eaten thereof but auoide them carefully As swine delight in meat so also they delight more in drinke and especially in the Summer time and therefore they which keepe sucking Sowes must regard to
for tartnesse being in the liquor or decoction of Swines flesh which is old and salt and afterwardes throughly tempered doth very much mollifie the stifnesse of the ioynts being well applyed thereunto The Indians vse to wash the wounds of the Elephantes which they haue taken first with hot water â—â—â—â—ianus afterwards if they see them to be somewhat deepe they annointed them with butter then do they asswage the inflammation thereof by rubbing of Swynes flesh vpon them being whot and moyst with the fresh blood issuing from the same For the healing of the wounds of Elephants butter is chiefely commended for it doth easily expell the iron lyrage hid therein but for the curing of the vlcers there is nothing comparable to the flesh of swine The blood of swine is moyst and not very hot being in temper most like vnto mans blood therefore whosoeuer saith that the blood of men is profitable for any disease he may first approue the same in swines blood but if it shew not the same it may in a manner shew the like action Galen For although it be somewhat inferior vnto mans blood yet at the least it is like vnto it by knowledge whereof wee hope wee shall bring by the vse thereof more full and ample profit vnto men For although it do not fully answer to our expectation notwithstanding there is no such great neede that we should proue mens blood For the encouraging of a feeble or diminished Horsse Eumelus reporteth the flesh of swine being hot mingled in wine and giuen in drinke to be exceeding good and profitable There also ariseth by Swyne another excellent medicine against diuers perillous diseases which is this to kill a young gelded Boare-pig hauing red haires and being of a very good strength râ—ceiuing the fresh blood in a pot and to stir it vppe and downe a great while together with a sticke made of red Iuniper casting out the clots of the blood being gathered while it is stirring Then to cast in the scrapings of the same Iuniper and stir the berries of the Iuniper in the same to the quantity of seuen and twenty but in the stirring of the same let the clotes be stil cast out Afterwards mingle with the same these hearbs following Agrimony Rue Phu Scabious Betony Pimpernell Succory Parsly of each a handfull But if the measure of the bloud exceed three pintes put vnto it two ounces of Treacle but if it shall be bigger for the quantity of the bloud you shall diminish the measure of the Treacle But all things ought to be so prepared that they may be put to the bloud comming hot from the Bore These being mixed altogether you must draw forth a dropping liquor which you must dry in the sun being diligently kept in a glasse-vessell for eight daies together which you must do once euery yeare for it will last twenty yeares This medicine is manifestly known to be a great preseruatiue against these diseases following namely the plague impostumes in the head sides or ribs as also all diseases whatsoeuer in the lungs the inflammation of the melt corrupt or putrified bloud the ague swellings in the body shaking of the heart the dropsie heate in the body aboue nature euill humors but the principallest and chiefest vertue thereof is in curing all poisons and such as are troubled with a noysome or pestilent feauer Let him therefore who is troubled with any of the aforesaid diseases drinke euery morning a spoonefull or foure or fiue drops of the same liquor and sweate vppon the same and it will in very short time perfectly cure him of his paine Some also do vse Almonds pounded or beaten in the bloud against the plague the liquor being extracted forth by the force of fire A young pig being killed with a knife hauing his bloud put vpon that part of the body of any one which is troubled with warts being as yet hot come from him will presently dry them and being after washed wil quite expel them away Marcellus The blood of a Sow which hath once pigged being annoynted vpon Women cureth many diseases in them The braines of a Boare or Sow being annointed vppon the sores or Carbuncles of the priuy members doth very effectually cure them the same effect also hath the blood of a hog The dugs of of a woman anointed round about with the bloud of a sow Pliny will decrease lesse and lesse A young pig being cut in pieces and the bloud thereof anointed vppon a Womans dugs will make them that they shall not encrease Concerning the grease of swine it is tearmed diuersly of all the Authors for the Graecians call it Stear Coirion and Oxungion for the imitation of the Latine word Axungia but Marcellus also applyeth Axungia to the fat of other creatures which among the auncient Authors I do not find for in our time those which in Latine do call that fat Axungia which encreaseth more solidâ— betweene the skinne and the flesh in a hog a man a Brocke or Badger a Dor-mouse a Mountain-mouse and such like The fat of swine they commonly cal Lard which groweth betwixt the skin and the flesh in expressing the vertues of this we will first of al shew howit is to be applied to cewers outwardly and then how it is to be receiued inwardly next vnto butter it hath the chiefest commendations among the ancients and therefore they inuented to keepe it long which they did by casting some salt among it neither is the reason of the force of it obscure or vncertaine for as it feedeth vpon many wholesome hearbes which are medicinable so doth it yeald from them many vertuous opperations and besides the physick of it it was a custome for new married wiues when they first of all entered into their husbands house to anoint the postes thereof with swines greace in token of their fruitfulnesse while they were aliue and remainder of their good workes when they should be dead The Apothecaries for preparation of certaine ointments do geld a male sucking pig especially such a one as is red and take from his raines or belly certain fat whith the Germans call Schmaer and the French Oing that is Vnguentum the husbandmen vse Swynes grease to annoint the axe trees of their carts and carriages and for want thereof they take putryfied Butter and in some countries the gum that runneth out of pine trees and Fer trees with the scum of Butter mingled together and this composition taketh away scabs and tetters in men but it is to be remembred that this greace must bee fresh and not salted for of salt grease there is no vse but to skovver those thinges that are not exulcerated The auncientes deemed that this is the best Greace vvhich vvas taken from the raines of the Hog washed in raine water the vaines being pulled out of it and afterwards boyled in a new earthen pot and so preserued The fat of Swine is not so hot and dry as
to deface the colour of an adulterated Vnicornes horne being made by some with Iuory either macerated or boyled with certaine medicines by Set-foile as I suppose and other things by which meanes hauing scraped it I found within the true substance to be yuory Antonius Brasauolâ—s writeth that all men for the most part doe sell a certaine stone for Vnicornes horne which truely I deny not to be done who haue no certainty there in my selfe notwithstanding also it may come to passe that a very hard and solid horne about the point of a sword especially which part is preferred to inferior as also in Harts horns to which either stones or yron may yeild such as authors attribut to the Rhinocerot And other Vnicornes may bear the shape of a stone before it selfe For if Orpheus concerning Harts horns rightly doubted whether the same or stones were of greatest strength I think it more to be doubted in the kind of Vnicornes for the hornes of Harts are not onely solide as Aristotle supposed but also the hornes of Vnicornes as heere I haue said The horne of an Vnicorne is at this day vsed although age or longinquity of time bath quite abolished it from the nature of a horne There are some which mingle the Rhinoceros with the Vnicorne for that which is named the Rhinoceros horne is at this day in phisical vse of which notwithstanding the Authours haue declared no effectual force Some say that the Vnicornes horn doth sweat hauing any poison comming ouer it which is false it doth perhaps sometimes sweat euen as some solide hard and light substance as also stones and glasse some external vapor being about them but this doeth nothing appertaine to poison It is in like manner reported that a kind of stone called the serpents toong doth sweat hauing poison come ouer it I haue heard and read in a certaine booke written with ones hands that the true horne of a Vnicorne is to be proued in this maner To giue to two Pigeons poyson red Arsnick or Orpin the one which drinketh a litle of the true Vnicorns horne will be healed the other will die I do leaue this manner of tryall vnto rich men For the price of that which is true is reported â—â— this day to bee of no lesse vallew then Gold Some do sel the waight thereof for a floren or eight pence some for a crowne or twelue pence But the marrow thereof is certainely of a greater price then that which is of harder substance Some likewise do sel a dram thereof for two pence halfe penny so great is the diuersity thereof For experience of the Vnicornes horne to know whether it be right or not put silke vpon a burning cole and vpon the silke the aforsaid horne and if so be that it be true the silke will not be a whit consumed The hornes of Vnicorns especially that which is brought from new Islands being beaten and drunk in water doth wonderfully help against poyson as of late experience doth manifest vnto vs a man who hauing taken poison and beginning to swell was preserued by this remedy I my selfe haue herd of a man worthy to be beleeued that hauing eaten a poisond cherry and perceiuing his belly to swell he cured himself by the marrow of this horne being drunke in wine in very short space The same is also praised at this day for the curing of the falling sicknes and affirmed by Aelianus who called this disease cursed The ancient writers did attribute the force of healing to cups made of this horne wine being drunke out of them but because we cannot haue cups we drinke the substance of the horn either by it selfe or with other medicines I happily sometime made this Sugar of the horne as they call it mingling with the same Amber iuory dust leaues of gold Corall and certaine other things the horne being included in silke and beaten in the decoction of razens and Cinamon I cast them in water the rest of the reason of healing in the mean time not being neglected It is morouer commeÌ„ded of Physitians of our time against the pestilent feauer as Aloisius Mundella writeth against the the bitings of rauenous Dogs and the strokes or poyson some stings of other creatures and priuately in rich mens houses against the belly or mawe wormes to conclude it is giuen against all poyson whatsoeuer as also against many most grieuous diseases The King of the Indians drinking out of a cuppe made of an Indian Vnicorns horne and being asked wherefore he did it whether it were for the loue of drunkennesse made answer that by that drinke drunkennesse was both expelled and resisted and worser things cured meaning that it cleane abolished al poyson whatsoeuer The horne of an Vnicorn doth heale that detestable disease in men called S. Iohns euill otherwise the cursed disease The horne of an Vnicorne being beaten and boyled in wine hath a wonderful effect in making the teeth white or cleare the mouth being well clensed therewith And thus much shall suffice for the medicines and vertues arising from the Vnicorne OF THE VRE-OXE THis Beast is called by the Latins Vrus by the Germans Aurox The seueral names and Vrox and Grosse vesent by the Lituanians Thur the Scythians Bubri and these beastes were not knowne to the Graecians as Pliny writeth of whom Seneca writeth in this manner Tibi dant variae pectora tigres Tibi villosi terga Bisontes Latisque feri cornibus vri In outward proportion of the body it differeth little from the Bull It is very thick and his back somewhat bunched vp and his length from the head to the taile is short no waies answerable to the proportion of his stature and sides the horns as some say are but short yet blacke The seueral partes broad and thicke his eies red a broad mouth and a great broade head his temples hairy a beard vpon his chin but short and the colour thereof blacke his other parts as namely in the face sides legs and taile of a reddish colour These are in the wood Hercynia in the Pyreney Mountaines and in Mazouia neare Lituania Places of their abode They are cald Vri of Oron that is the Mountaines because their sauage wildnes is so great that they sildome discend from those sauegardes They far excell Buls and other wild Oxen comming neerer to the quantity or stature of Elephants then to the Bull. In resemblance a man would thinke them to be compounded of a Mule and a Hart for their outward resemblance so seem It is said they could neuer be tamed by men although they were taken when they were young yet they loue other heardes of cattel and will not forsake them easily after they haue once ioyned themselues vnto them wherby many times they are deceiued and killed 20. 30. or forty at a time Caligula Caesar brought of these aliue to Rome and did shew them in publike spectacle to the people and at that time they were taken for