¶ Remedies for diseases in Horses. Approved and allowed by divers very ancient learned Mareschalles. ¶ Imprinted at London in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Lucrece, by Tho. Purfoote. 1576. To the right Honourable, and his singular good Lord, the Lord Robert Dudley, knight of the honourable order of the Garter, Majesty of the Worst, and one of the Queen's majesties most honourable privy Counsel. YOur large renown and well deserved praise (Most noble Lord) in prudent shall profound, In martial feats, whose like in these our days By just account scarce any where is found, joined with th'zeal borne to your country ground, Hath pricked me forth, and much hath moved me, My poor good will to show in some degree. And for because your Lordship's office is Most worthily assigned by our Queen, To view and see that nothing be amiss About her horse and stable as I ween●, But that the same in time may be foreseen, Unto your Honour humbly I present This Treatise small, to further that intent: Beseeching you to take this in good part, Even as the same with single mind is meant: Way not the gift, regard the givers heart, My travail shall happily be spent, And you also resemble verament That worthy ●ing, that took with thankful mind A draft of water of a simple hind. Although this volume small do seem in sight, No little foulte yet therein shall you find, A Lark in worth doth far surmomit a Kite: A grain of gold by doom of each man's mind, A pound of lead to pass is ay assigned: The Diadem in value far exceeds Great massy rocks: fine flowers large stinking weeds. This little book shall teach you soon to know Th'original cause of each infirmity, That in an horse by any means may grow, The name, the place of every malady, And how you shall the cure thereto apply: So as you may by remedies found, Preserve his health, and keep him safe and sounds. For though you have a comely Courser great, And Pegasus unto his sire he have, Though passing trim the trodden ways he beat, With lofty look that trotteth fine and brave, With rain as round as hare can wish or crave As trimly tread, can yark above the ground, And seemly sault and turn both light and round. Although he can the Galliard gallop to, Pass the Carrier, the Cornettie can dance, Can fetch the Capriol, and other tricks can do, As brave and fine as any hence to France: What doth avail these virtues to advance, By diligence thus brought to perfect frame, If afterward he fall diseased or lame? Which to prevent this little Treatise use, That shall (I trust) in danger him defend. As time doth serve vouchsafe it to peruse: And so most humbly here I do intend My leave to take, beseeching in the end Almighty jove, whom you both love and serve, Your Lordship long in honour to preserve. Your L. most humble T. Purfoote. Remedies for diseases in Horses. 1 Stuffing or cold in the head. Keep his head and body warm, let his drink be warm water mingled with wheat meal, and fennel seed bruised. Blow up into his nostrils by some small cane or reed, the powder of Ellebor, commonly called Sneesyng powder, and Pepper mixed together. Take also a pint of good Malmsey, the whites and yolks of five new laid eggs, one head of Garlic bruised small, Pepper, Cynamone, and nutmegs beaten into fine powder, a preaty quantity of sweet butter: mingle them all together, and give it him warm to drink three days together: and let him not drink in three hours after every time he receiveth it. 2 The Pose. TAke Orpiment and Sulphur, burn them on the coals, and by some pretty tonnell 'cause the horse to receive the fume thereof into his nose. Or blow up into his head the powder of Ellebor and Pepper, as is aforesaid. 2 The Pose. TAke the oil of Bays and Butter mingled together, and squyrt it warm into is nostrils, and hold his head high, that it may the better run into his head: keep his head and body warm, and let him drink nothing but warm water, mixed with fennel seed, and wheat meal as is aforesaid. 3 Dimness of sight. TAke a sharp hot iron, and make there with an hole under the dim eye, distant the space of one inch: and thrust the said iron unto the bone, that the humour may issue out. 3 The watery eye. LEt him blood on the veins under the eye, then wash the eye twice or thrice in the day, with good clear white wine, after that blow into the same eye the powder of Tartar, Salgem, and Cuttle bone of like quantity. Or, Take the yolk of an egg roasted hard, mix therewith the powder of Cummyn, and bind them hot to the eye and let them so rest a night or more. 3 The Hawe. CVte out the Hawe, and anoint the eye vi days together with Salade oil, the marrow of sheeps shanks, and salt mixed together. 3 The Web. Anoint the eye with the marrow of goats shanks, or Dear shanks, and Rose water mixed together. Or squirt into the eye the juice of the berries or leaves of ground ivy, or of other ivy, mingled and strained with good and clear white wine. Or, Blow into the eye, the powder of black flint but see that the same powder be exceeding fine, and so fine as is possible to be made. 3 Blood shotten: TAke one dram of Synoper, one dram of pure honey, and so much of wheat flower, mingle them with fair water, so that they may be liquid and thin, then seethe them with a very soft fire, until that they be thick, like unto an oynctement, and there with anoint the eye. The white of an egg laid upon the eye: or the juice of Chelydyn dropped into the eye: or the crops of briars sodden in good white wine, and the eye washed therewith be very good, 4 The Lampas. TAke an yronne crooked like unto a bugle, heat it in the fire, and let him blood on the sore part of the roof of the mouth, where it is most swollen, rub the place after that, with salt and sharp vinegar. 4 The swelling of the palate. Prick the roof of the mouth with an hot iron, that the humour may issue out abundantly: then anoint the place with honey and onions boiled together: or wash it with vinegar and salt as is aforesaid. 4 The barbs. CVt out the paps or bigges clean by the roots, with some sharp instrument: after that, wash the place with salt, Tartar, and sharp vinegar, mixed together. 4 The Tongue wounded. IF the tongue be wounded, either with the bit or by any other hap. Take English honey, salt lard of like quantity, unsleked lime a little quantity, and a little quantity of the powder of Pepper, boil them on a soft fire, and stir them well together, until that they be thick like unto an ointment: then wash the wound with white wine warmed: after that anoint the wound with the said ointment twice in the day. Put no bit in his mouth until he be perfectly whole. 5 The wines. When they be full rip, slit the skin, and take them out clean by the roots: And to heal them, strow on the place, the powder of honey and unsleked lime burnt together. 6 The Strangles. Use the foresaid practice as before for the Vines: if the wound bleed over much, take sharp vinegar and salt, and deep therein the flocks of woollen cloth, and put them into the wound, and let them so rest three days: than wash the wound with white wine warmed: after that anoint it with Oil and Tar mixed together. 7 Starkenes of the neck. Thrust through the flesh of the neck with a sharp hot iron, in five several places, every one distant from the other three inches: (but beware of hurting the sinews) than rowel the foresaid places, either with horse hear flax, or hemp xu days. 8 Wrounge on the wethers. IF the place be much swollen and festered, them pierce it with a sharp hot iron in many parts on both sides of the neck, and put into the same tents of linen cloth dipped in warm Salade oil. And to heal it strow thereon the powder of honey and lime burnt together. 9 Swollen back. Clip of the hear on the swollen, place then take a good handful of the blades of leeks beat them in a mortar together with Barrowes grease, them heat them in some vessel, and lay them hot on the swelling, and clap thereon the saddle, but ride him not until he be perfitly whole. 10 Nave gall. IF the skin be broken, wash the place first with warm vinegar, then strow thereon the powder of honey and unsleked lime burnt together. 11 spur gall. Wash the place with water and salt, or with warm vinegar, and bind on the place, the crops or leaves of nettles stamped. 12 Hide bound. FIrst bath his body with warm water, wherein bay leaves be sodden, then anoint him all over with oil of Rue or Camomile, and rub his skin well, that the foresaid oil may sink in, and that his skin may be supple and lymbre: after that give him this drink. Take Carrots. gum Tracacanth, Rue, wild mint, of every of them one ounce and an half, parsley, Sec●ula Campana, wormwood, of every of them like quantity, beat them, and seethe them in water, and give it him to drink warm with some Malmsey. 13 The Spavan. clip of the hear: them take Mustard seed, the great Mallow root, Ox dung, so much as thou shalt think necessary, and so much strong vinegar as shall suffice, mingle them and beat them well together, and make thereof a soft plaster or oynctement lay it upon the spavin, change it evening and morning, and bind it in such sort to the sorance with some piece of cloth, that it may not fall of, or be removed: and when the spavin is clean gone, lay upon the place a plaster of Pitch, and take it not of, until it falleth of by itself. 14 The Splent. Use the same practice as is showed before for the Spauan. Or, Burn the sorance in the mids and overthwart, after this form following. Four hours after take cows dung new made, and Salade oil mixed and well beaten together: and there with annnoynte the foresaid places. But note this, that you shall hardly cure the Spavan or Splent, but at their beginning. Or, slit the sorance all the length of it and let it bleed: and when it hath left bleeding, cast the horse, and keep him down in such sort that he may not stir, and power into the place that is slit Boars grease made scalding hot. But first make about the slit a coffin with clay, to keep in the said grease upon the said slit, and so let it rest, until it be cold, then let the horse rise and with one dressing it will rid the sorance clean away, without any eye sore or blemish. 15 The Curb. YOu may use the practise before for the spavin or splent. Or slit the Curb all the length, then take a piece of linen cloth, and wet it in wine made hot, and strow thereupon Verddegrise hot upon the said slit, and bind it so that it fall not away. 16 The Crepanchies. TAke a quantity of unsleked lime, half so much of black soap, and so much of strong vinegar as shall suffice, make thereof an oynctment, and anoint the place withal, and let not the said ointment be rubbed of, until a day or two be passed, and it will destroy and kill the sorance: them wash the place once or twice with warm wine, after that heal it as you do other wounds. Keep the place clean from filth and mire. 17 The Paennes or Pains. Use the foresaid practice showed for the Crepanchies. Or, Take Pepper, Garlic, Colewoortes, and old Barrowes grease, make a plaster thereof, and lay it to the sorance, and within a few days, it will heal it. 18 The swelling of the cods. TAke bean flower, wheat meal, cumin, and Barrowes grease make a plaster thereof and spread it all over the rods. 19 Cloyed or pricked. PAre the hoof to the quick where the hurt is, and lay to that place flare or hurds dipped in the white of an egg: after that stuff the hole with salt beaten small, mingled with Vervin and strong vinegar, and cover it with flax or hurds diped in very strong vinegar. If a stub, nail, or any other such like thing be run into the foot, pull it out: then hold up his foot, and power into the wound hot scalding oil olive, and when that is cold, power into it hot Terebentyne, and that being cold, strow upon it the powder of Sulphur, lay thereupon a bolster of flax, than shoe him, and keep his foot from mire and water. And for all hurts of the foot. Take tallow, the powder of Sulphur, Mallows, and very strong vinegar, boil them together until they be thick, like unto an oynctment: lay the same to the foot, as hot as he can endure it, and so let it rest xii. hours. If the foot festureth by evil curing, or for want of looking to it in due time, then pare the hoof under the foot unto the quick, and use the practice before prescribed. 25 Enterfering, hewing, or breaking. Sometime it cometh of weakness, the remedy thereof is, to feed thy horse well: if it cometh of any other cause, the round paring of his hoof, and the well shooing shall help that fault much. 21 Shouldered. IF thy horse by any hap be wrinched on the shoulder, rowel him on the place that is grieved cross wise, the one overthwart the other walk him evening and moringe softly, that the humours may flow thither and issue forth, and thrust out the same humours often times in the day with thy hands or skotch the place with an hot iron all the length of the shoulder, and overthwart in such sort that the scotches may be comely, and no disfyguringe to the place: use the same practice for every wrinche or swelling. * Broken leg. 22. FIrst bring the bones into their right places: then wrap them about with unwashed wool pulled from the sheeps back, and roll it with rolls of linen colth dipped in oil and vinegar, them splente it with splentes on three of the sides, and bind them handsomely, and let them stand still so xl days, unless by occasion thou shalt be enforced to change the rollers, to new bind the foresaid splints: but always keep the place moist with vinegar & salet oil: after xl days (if the bones be grown well together) remove all the foresaid things, and anoint daily the place with some suet. And note this, that all bones broken above the kenee, be for the most part uncurable. * The Scab, or Mange. 23 IF it cometh of abundance of blood or humours, then let him blood on the neck vein, and cowell him under the neck that the humurs may issue forth: then rub his body all over with an hard hear cloth, or corrie comb, until it bleedeth, after that anoint his body with this oinctement. Take Sulphur, salt, and Tartar, of every one of them like quantity, beat them and temper them with very strong vinegar, and the like quantity of oil, and therewith anoint him. Or take very strong vinegar, the urine of a bore under xii years of age, and the juice of Humlocks mix them together and wash thy horse therewith 24 The Fistula, or the Pole evil. TAke unsleked lime, and Arsenike of each like quantity, beat them together into very fine powder, put thereto the juice of garlic, onions, and walwoorte, or Dane woorte, of like quantity, and honey, so much as the juice of the foresaid three, boil them on a soft fire, and stir them well together until they be as thick as an ointment: then wash the sorance with very strong vinegar, and fill the hole full of the fore said ointment twice in the day, and bind something about the mouth of it, that the said ointment may not run out. Or, Take Orpiment, unsleked lime, Verdegryse, of each like quantity tpener them with the juice of Paretarie, black ink, honey, and strong vinegar, of like quantity, boil them, and stir them well together until they be very thick: them make thereof rolls (as it were suppositories) and put them into the hollow place of the said sorance. Note that thou shalt never heal a Fistula or Canker, until thou shalt have killed it at the bottom: when it is killed, healle it, strow on it or put into it the powder of Savyn, or the powder of honey and unsleked lime burnt together, or Tar and oil mixed together. 25 The Farcyn. LEt him blood at the beginning of his disease, but in no wise in the mids thereof: them burn those places where that shalt espy any swelling or Farcyn to appear. (Note: that it is much better to burn an horse with copper than with iron instruments) then heal the foresaid burnings with Tar, Oil, and Honey mixed together: and give him with Malmsey the powder of Diapente hereafter in the end showed. Or, give him four ounces of the powder of Walwoorte or Danewoorte, with a pint & an half of good wine three days together. After that take half an ounce of Aloes, one ounce of Centaur, one ounce of Opoponax, beat them all into fine powder, and give them him to drink in a pint and an half of wine warmed, wherein the roots of the foresaid herb called walwoorte, or Danewoorte have been boiled. Use to ride him oft until he be all on a sweat. And when he is cured put him to pasture, for the running in pasture in the open air is very good. 26 The Canker. TAke Savyn, Bay salt, and Rue, stamp them together with Barrowes grease and lay this ointment to it until it be killed, which thou shalt know by the whiteness: then heal it, as is before prescribed for the Fistula. 27 The Festure or Tetre. TAke a snake, cut of the head and tail, throw them away, the rest cut in to small pieces, roast them on a spit, take the grease that droppeth from them, in still the same hot upon the Soraunce, & it will heal it wonderfully in very short time, but touch none other part with the foresaid oynetment but only the sorance. 28 An Vlcere. TAke Copperas and the leaves of Lilies, beat them well together in a mortar with swines grease, therewith anoint the sore and it will heal it. Oil olive instilled hot upon it, or the powder of Galls strewed upon it, is very good. 29 An inpostume or mattrie sore. FIrst when it is ripe lance it under the sorance after the figure of a new moon, as thus, ● for that manner of incision is best to 'cause the matter to issue forth: then wash it with warm urine, after that anoint it with tar and oil mixed together. Note that the lancing of it with an hot iron, is better, then with a cold knife. * Wounds. 30 TO heal wounds, Take viii drams of Terebentine, four drams of new virgin ware, melt them in anew pewter vessel, stir them well together, and when that they be well melted take them from the fire, and by and by whiles they be hot, power into them half a pint of good white wine, them after they be cold throw away the wine, and anoint thy hands with oil of Roses, and, work the ware and Terebentine well together. After that put them into the pewter vessel again, then put to them half an ounce of the gum of fir tree, and three drams of the juice of betony, seethe them together until the juice of Betonie be wasted, then put to it four drams of woman's milk, or the milk of a red cow, and seethe them once again until the milk be wasted, and so keep it for it is very good. Or, Take Rosemary, and dry it in the shadow, beat it into fine powder, wash the wound with vinegar, or the urine of a child, and strow thereon the foresaid powder: or the powder of honey and unsleked lime burnt together. * Wounds or sore. 30. TAke wormwood, Mayoram, Pimpernel, Calamynt dried, Olibanum, beat them all into finepouldre, then take wax and barrows grease and boil them on a soft fyte until they be as thick as an ointment or salve, make a plaster thereof and say it upon the soraunces. * To draw out a stub, thorn, or iron out of the flesh. 31. TAke reed roots, stamp them with honey, or take snails without shells, commonly called slugges, stamp them together with butter, fry them and lay them to the pla●e, and they will draw out the thorn, stub, or iron. When the thorn, stub, or iron, is come fourth, lay upon the wound the white of an egg, by the space of xii. hours, and after that, heal it as it is showed before for wounds. * Ache, pain, or swelling in the sinews. 32. TAke the flower of linseed, Terebentine, and honey, of each like quantity, boil them with white wine until they be thick like unto an ointment, lay them upon the grief, and spread thereon a piece of cloth. * Short winded. 33. TAke nutmegs, Cloves, Galangale, Cardamomum, or Grains of Paradise, of every of them three drams, caraway seed, and Fenigreke somewhat more in quantity than the four a foresaid, a like quantity of Saffron, and half an ounce of Liquorize, beat them all into very fine powder, put unto them a pint of good white wine, and the yolks of four eggs, beat them all well together, & then give them to thy horse to drink: let him stand with his head hanged up high one whole hour, that he may not cast out the foresaid drink: after that, either walk him, or ride him softly, but let him not eat or drink all that day after, nor the night before, to th'intent that the said drink may the better work on him: and the next day put him to pasture, that the coldness of the grass may somewhat abate the heat of the foresaid drink. Or, Take Capill●s Veneris, Ireos, ash keys, Liquorize, Fenigreke, and Reisons, of every of them one dram and an half: grains of Paradise Pepper sour Almonds, Baurach, Nettle seed, aristol ochia, and Coloquintida, of every one two drams, Algaricum one dram and an half, honi two li dissolve them with water wherein Liquorize is sodden, and give him to drink thereof three or four times, and it will help him, if that the disease hath not long continued upon him. * The Cough. 34 TAke the whites and yolks of two eggs, three ounces of oil olive, two spoonful of bean flower, one ounce of Fenigreke, one spoonful of the powder of Enula campana, mingle all these together in a pint of good Malmsey, and give it him to drink three days together. Or, Take Tar, and Barrowes grease, or fresh butter, mingle them together and give thereof to thy horse four times in vii days: that is, the frist day, the third day, the fifth day, and the seventh day. * The bots. 35 TAke the bowels of ayounge pullet, and give them to thy horse to swallow down warm, and let him neither eat nor drink in four hours after. Or, give him the crops of Sothernwood to eat with his provender. Or, give him worm seed, or brimstone, or the powder of Savin to drink with ale, beer, or Malmsey. * The fretting of the beally. 36 Anoint thy hand with Salade oil, butter: or grease, and thrust it in at his fundament, put out the hard dung that letteth the passage of the excrements: after that, with some clyster pipe convey into his entrails water and salt mixed together. Or make a suppository of honey and a quantity of salt, of good length, and as big as an heunes egg, and put it in at his fundament. give him to drink the powder of Centaury or wormwood with malmsey. * The Squynte or Fulre. 37 Keep him from labour: let him drink very seldom, and that very little and warm, mingled with wheat meal: and burn him with an hot iron about the navel: them give him to drink a pint of red wine, with the powder of a Nutmigge, half an ounce of Synamone, and as much of the rind of a Pomegranate. * Lung sick. 38 TAke the blood of a young sucking pig, and give it thy horse to drink whiles it is warm. After that take one head of Garlic, bray it, and mingle it with butter, or Barrowes grease, make balls thereof & give them to thy horse to swallow down: then take half a pint of malmsey, four new laid eggs, and three ounces of honey, mingle them together, and give it him to drink three days together. * The Yalowes. A disease of the heart, and to be discerned by the eyes. 39 first pull out with thy hand the hard clottered dung (as is before prescribed for the fretting of the belly) than give him a suppository, made with salt, honey, and maiorame, as is there also showed. Let him blood in the neck vain, and staunch not the bleeding until thou shalt see the blood pure & good. Then give him to drink three ounces of Myrrh beaten into fine powder, with a pint of good malmsey. Some use to take the juice of ivy leaves mingled with wine, and squirt it warm into his nostrils. Let his drink be cold water mixed with Vitrum, and feed him with grass or new hay, sprinkled with water and Vitrum mingled together. * Languish. TAke half a pint of good malmsey, & as much of the blood of a young sucking pig, give it him warm to drink. Or, give him malmsey with the juice of feverfew. Or, take an ounce of Sulphur vive beaten into fine powder, the weight of one penny of the powder, of Myrrh, beat them well together with a new laid egg, and give them to drink with half a pint of good malmsey: use it for it is very good. * To provoke an horse to stolen. TAke five long onions the sharpest that thou canst get, or garlic: bruise them, and thrust them in at his fundament so far as thou canst, and put some thereof into his yard: after that ride him, or gallop him. Or, take the grounds or the clay of horse urine, mingle it with white wine, and squirt it in at his nostrils. * To make Diapence. 42 TAke Gentum, Aristol●chia, Mirre, bayberries, & the shavings of elephants tooth of every one like quantity, beat all together in fine powder, and give a spoonful of the said powder in a pint and an half of good malmsey. It helpeth and preserveth from all inward maladies and infections. Therefore benever without the foresaid powder, and assoon as thou shalt espy thy horse drooping or droowsy, give him thereof as is aforesaid, and thou shalt find the virtue thereof. * The powder of honey and lime. 43 Take such a quantity of unsleked lime as thou shalt think best, beat it into fine powder, then take so much honey as shall suffice, mingle them together, and make as it were stiff passed of them in the form of a thick cake or loaf, then put the same cake or loaf into a hot burning fire, and burn it there until it be glowing red and through burnt, take it forth, when it is cold beat it into fine powder and use it: it der, healeth, and skynneth marvelously well FINIS. END