Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel, eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined, and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.
Chap. VIII.
A new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of Cattels diseases.
The reason for this Chapter.
Of this Theame I haue written a whole (or as some will suppose many) Histories, yet doubtlesse nothing too much, the cause is so necessary and commodious: yet this I must let euery Reader vnderstand, that what I haue herein formerly done, I did for a general and vncontrollable satisfaction to the whole Kingdome, both the learned and vnlearned, and as well to satisfie the nicest and most curious opinion, as the simple and playne dealing creature: whence it came that I waded Artfully and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge, leauing nothing vnsearcht, or vnset downe, that might any way tend to the satisfaction of any iudiciall Reader, and therefore tooke liberty to make a large progresse, without sparing any paynes, to make my worke absolutely most perfect. But now, hauing onely to doe with our honest playne English Husbandman, who eyther cannot much read, or else hath little leasure to read, at most but a little memorie to bestow vpon his readings; I haue here for his ease both of memory, readings, and other verations, drawne him such a method for the curing of all the diseases in cattell, as was neuer yet found out by any man or Authour whatsoeuer: and is worthy to be preserued to all posterities for euer and euer.
Horses diseases to be cured with twelue Medicines.
To beginne then first with the Horse, which is the Husbandmans principallest creature, you shal vnderstand that he hath, of my knowledge, one hundred and odde diseases or infirmities, besides other hurts and blemishes, for all which, I haue seuerally shewed seuerall cures, as may appeare by the volumes which are much too great for any Husbandman to carry in his braynes, and therefore for his ease I haue drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances, into twelue, and will assure euery Husbandman that with these twelue medicines following, hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.
Of inward sicknesse.
To procéede then in an orderly manner to the cures: Euery husbandman must know that all diseases in a horse are inward or outward: inward as offending the vitall parts, or outward as troubling the members: to speake then first of inward sicknesse, I will diuide so into two branches, that is, eyther it offends the heart, or the brayne: If it offend the heart, we call them, Feauers, Yellowes, Anticor, consumption of lungs, Liuer, Splene, Gall or other intrals, Wormes, Fluxes, Belly-bound, and diuers other of like nature: The first Medicine. For any or all which, you shall first let your Horse bloud in the neck-veine, and then giue him, during his sicknesse, to drinke, eyther in swéete Wine or strong Ale or Béere, if Wine a pinte, if Ale or Béere a quart, two spoonefull of the powder called Diapente, made of Aristolochia root, Gentiana, Myrrhe, Eboni and Bachi lauri, of each equall quantitie, and let it be well brewed together, and doe thus euery Morning fasting, and let the Horse fast two houres after it.