Foure bookes of husbandry, collected by M. Conradus Heresbachius, counseller to the hygh and mighty prince, the Duke of Cleue: conteyning the whole arte and trade of husbandry, vvith the antiquitie, and commendation thereof. Nevvely Englished, and increased, by Barnabe Googe, Esquire

¶ The third Booke, of feeding, breeding, and curing of Cattell. (Book 3)

Hippoconus, Euphorbus, Hedio, Eumaeus.

THAT the breeding and feeding of Cattell is a part of husbandry, and neare ioyned in kinrede to the tylture of the ground, not onely appea∣reth by Virgil, the prince of Poets, who hath in his Georgicks throughly set foorth the order thereof, but also by the witnesse of the more aun∣cient Philosophers Xenophon, & Aristotle. The like dooth our common experience at home dayly teache vs: for albeit y^t trade of tyllage & keeping of cattel is diuers, and the maner of occu∣pying many times contrary the one to the other: as where the grasyer and breeder, requireth a ground full of grasse and pa∣sture, the husbandman on the other side, a ground without grasse, and well tytled: yet in these theyr diuers desyres, there appeareth a certayne felowship and mutuall commoditie re∣dounding in their occupying of one the other, which Fundanius in Varro dooth seeme by an apt comparison to prooue: as in a couple of Shalmes, or Recorders, sayth he, the one differeth in sound from the other, though the musicke and song be al one (the one sounding the Treble, the other the Base) in like maner may we terme the grasyers trade the Treble, and the tyl••ers occu∣pation the Base, folowing Dicaearchus, who reporteth, that at the beginning, men liued onely by breeding and feeding of cat∣tell, not hauing as yet the skil of plowing and tylling y^• ground, nor planting of trees. Afterwardes in a lower degree, was found out the maner of tylling of the ground, and therefore bea∣reth the Base to the feeder, in that it is lower, as in a couple of Recorders the Base to the Treble. So this vsing to keepe cat∣tell for plowing, caryage, dounging of our ground, and other commodities, and on the o••her side, to tyll the ground for fee∣ding and mayntenance of our cattell, it comes to passe, that though the maner of occupying in tyllage, and keeping of cat∣tell be diuers, yet one of them so serueth the turne of the other, that (as it seemeth) they can not well be a sunder: for without

the seruice of Horse and Oxen, we can neyther plow, nor doung our ground: and Chaffe, Straw, and other offal of Corne, is meete to be spent vpon the ground, then to be solde, both for the Farmers behoofe, and the lordes, and better bestowed vpon the houshold cattell, then vpon the forreyners. Besides, the doung of the cattel enricheth the ground, and bringeth great encrease: and whereas there is no place (as Columella sayth) but in the tyllage of their ground, they haue as muche neede of cattell, as men: the cattell serue not onely for the tylling of the grounde, but also to bring in Corne, to beare burdens, carry doung for the grounde, and also for breede, and encrease of the stocke: whereby they haue their name iumenta, of helping, because they helpe and further vs eyther in our labours by plowing, or bea∣ring. Neyther is it onely sufficient to nourishe and bring vp this kinde of great cattell called iumenta, but also the other les∣ser sort of beastes, as Sheepe, Swyne, Goates: and of foules, Geese, Peacocks, Duckes, Pigeons, Hennes, Chickinnes, and other poultry, and thinges belonging to husbandry, where∣with the good husband, beside his owne sustenance, maketh great gayne: and yf the ground be for it, and Pales fauoura∣ble, there aryseth oftentimes as great profyte, as in sowing of Corne, and that with smaller charges. For a proofe that fee∣ding is gainefull, the woordes pecunia money, and peculium sub∣stance, or richesse, being both deriued from the Latine name of cattels, may very well serue: for in the olde time they vsed their cattell in steade of money, and theyr common penalties & fines, taken in cattell, the greatest, was thyrtie Oxen, & two Sheepe, euery Oxe valued at .v. s. & vi. d. and euery Sheepe at .vi. d. the smalest was a Sheepe: the very like is yet obserued with the noblest and warlikest people, whose substance lyeth altogeather in cattell. Cato being once asked by what part of husbandry a man might soonest be made riche, made aunswere, by great grasing: and being asked agayne, whiche way he might geat sufficient liuelihood,* 1.1 he aunswered, by meane grasyng. Moreo∣uer, that the woorthynesse and first originall of keeping of cat∣tell is of greatest antiquitie, and that the trade thereof hath al∣wayes, from the time of the Patriarkes hitherto, been counted

most honest, as well the scriptures, as prophane histories doe witnes,* 1.2 which kinde of life, how acceptable it hath, alwayes beene to God, by those that liued in the first worlde doth, plainly appere. The scripture sheweth how graciously the Lorde ac∣cepted the sacrifice of Abel, a keeper & feeder of sheepe, besides Seth, Noe, Abraham, Loth, Iacob, Iob, Amos. Holly and blessed men are commended for keeping, and feeding of Cattell, where∣by atteyning to greate wealth, they sustayned them selues, their wiues, their Children, and their huge families. The Sonnes of Iacob, when as they were demaunded by the kynge of Egipt what maner of life they ledde: made aunswere, that they were feeders and keepers of Cattell, from which trade Lot, Morses, Saule and Dauid, were by the will of God, aduaunced to the Crowne. As amonge the Gentiles the most auncient, and fa∣mous Princes were, some of them brought vp by Sheaperds, & som sheaperds them selues. Romulus & Cyrus being mighty Em∣perours, were brought vp amonge sheaperdes. Besides Galerius Maximinus, Constantine, Probus, & Aurelianus, came all from the Oxstall, to the Imperiall Seate. Homer commendeth ••l••s∣ses his swinherd, for his greate valiance and noblenes. That the valyant and noblest people haue professed this trade, the Itali∣ans, Germanes, and Swytzers can testifie, whose Countryes being now growne to more delica••ye, then they were wont to be, were wonted alwayes, when their doinges were most fa∣mous, to glory and vaunt them selues of this life, as at this day the Goodlyest and wysest dooe. And therefore the auncient wri∣ters, as wel Greekes, as Latyns, doo count the chefest wealth to bee in the numbers of sheepe, Cattell, and Fruite: for which es∣timacion the Cattell were supposed to bee cladde in Golden Coates: whence sprange first the fable of the Golden fleese of Colchos, which Iason, and his companions attempted to fetch, & of the Golden apples, kept by y^e daughters of Atlas. Besides the signes of Heauen the seas, Mountaines, & Countreyes doo beare their names of Beastes: among the 〈…〉〈…〉 the Bull: the mountayne, Taurus: and the 〈…〉〈…〉 tooke his name of Calues. Moreouer the 〈…〉〈…〉 the worthier, in that it hath some resemblance of the 〈…〉〈…〉

gouernour: and therefore the Prophets in their Oracles, and Poetes in their verses, doo often times call kinges and prin∣ces by the names of shepheardes, and feeders of the peo∣ple. Yea the LORD of the whole world dooth call him selfe a shephearde. Since it appeareth by these examples, of what worthynesse keeping of cattell is, and how neare it is linked with tillage, I haue here thought good, after the entreating of tillage, Gardning, and Orchardes, to describe as breefely as I can, the order and maner of keeping of cattell: which skill though Varro deuideth only into three partes, I haue deuided into foure. In the first part I put the greate cattell for burden, as Horses, Asses, Mules, Camelles: in the second part the les∣ser sorte, as Sheepe, Goates, and Swyne: in the thyrd, such thinges as are belonging to the keeping and safegarde of Cattell, not for the proffit they yeelde of them selues, but for their necessary vse, as shepheardes dogges, and cattes: of these three partes in this third booke I entreate, of: the fourth I re∣ferre to the fourth booke. Hauing thus declared the conten∣tion betwixt keeping of cattell, and tillage, with the worthy∣nes and antiquitie thereof, I meane now to prosecute such thinges as are belonging to the same. I haue brought in the masters and keepers of euery kinde of Cattell, resting them selues vpon the hollyday in the greene grasse, & the Sommers shadowe, euery one declaring his skill and knowledge, accor∣ding to his profession. The parties are EVPHORBVS the Netheard: HIPPOCOMVS the Horsekeeper: HEDIO the shepheard, and EVMAEVS the swineheard.

EVPH.

How sirra HIPPOCOMVS, whither wan∣der you? doo you not know that it is hollyday, a day to daunce in, and make mery at the ale house?

HIPPO.

Eueryday is hollyday with lazy and slouthfull merchants: it lyeth me vppon to looke to my profit, to see whe∣ther my Horses feede well, and that they take no harme. The pastures are so burnt with y^e heate of sommer, that I am affraid for w••••t of meate, they will seeke to breake into other grounds, and so hurt them selues.

EVPH.

Why bring you not them into this feelde, where

there is both a good grotten, and prety store of grasse among the headgroues.

HIPPO.

You perswade me not the worst.

EVPH.

Come on then, byd Mastix your boy bring hither your Horses, and you your self, sit you downe vnder this Hasel, that will yeelde vs both shaddow and nuttes, and wee will send for EVMAEVS, and HEDIO, if you thinke good, and we will passe away the time with such talke as we shall finde.

HIPPO.

Agreed. Go Mastix, Fetch hyther the Horses, with the Coults and the Asses.

EVPH.

And you EVMAEVS, and HEDIO, bring your Heardes togeather, and come hither, euery man shall lay downe his shot, as they vse in the Tauerne, but without mony or any charges, declaring at large what belongeth to the Cattell he kepeth. Your Horses HIPPOCOMVS are yet in good plight, I saw the Horses of our neyghbour Agrius of late, which are leaner and barer a great way.

HIPPO.

Peraduenture they haue not so good loking vn∣to, though they neyther want pasture, nor are much laboured: but mine on the other side, are continually laboured, and are not so well fed, but are better looked vnto then my neyghbours.

EVPH.

Wel, since both tyme and place requireth it, I pray you let vs heare what you can say, touching the charge and loo∣king to of Horses.

HIPPO.

Surely I haue not so much money to tell, but I may well be at leysure, and therefore since you are so earnest with me, I will not deny your request: although that of this matter, an honest and learned Gentleman of England, maister Thomas Blunduile hath so throughly written to his commēda∣cion and benefite of his country, as there can not be more sayd: I referr you therfore wholy to him: notwithstāding, breefely I wil shew you my fansy. Among all other creatures that wee vse in our labour,* 1.3 the Horse may worthiest challenge the chiefest place, as the noblest, the goodliest, the necessariest, and the trus∣tiest beast that wee vse in our seruice: and since he serueth to so many vses, I should here bestow some time in his prayse, and in declaring his seruice, but for this, an other time shall better serue.

EVPHOR.

Wee onely here desire to know the signes of a good, and an excellent Horse, and the ryght maner of ordring him.

HIPPO.

First you shall knowe that Horses serue for sundry purposes. Some, for the Plowe, the Carte, & the packe∣saddle, others, for light Horses, Coursers, & Horses of seruice, others agayne, for Stallions, and breeders: and therefore they must be chosen according to their seruice. Souldiers, and men of warr, desire a sierse Horse, couragious, swift, and wel colored. The husbandman would haue his horse gentill, large bodyed, and meete for trauaile and burden. Notwithstanding, the bree∣ding, and bringing vp of them, is almost one: for in their bree∣ding, wee hope to bring them all to the saddle.

EVPHOR.

What thinges are most to bee considered in their breedinge?

HIPPO.

Hee that hath a fansey too breede Horse, must first prouide himselfe of a good race, and then of good ground, and plenty of pasture, which in other Cattell, ought not to bee so greatly obserued, but in Horses there must be special care therof. And therefore, you must first see that your Stallion bee of a good race, well proporcioned, and framed in euery poynt, and in the like sorte, the Mare. Some reckon their goodnes by theyr Countryes, wherin they take for chie••e, the Genet of Spaine, the Courser of Naples, the Sarmacian Horse, the Pe∣lo••on••han, the Turkey, and the Thessalian: but these serue chief∣ly for running, and swift••nesse. For largenesse of body, enduring of laboure, and fitnesse for breede, the best are to be had out of Freeseland, Holland, and Artoy••. The shape and proporcion of the Horse, ought heedily to be considered, for the very looke and countenaunce oftentyme, declareth the goodnesse of his na∣ture. Therefore, you must diligently consider his makinge, from the heele to the hedde, and first you must cheefely regarde his feete: for as in viewing of a house, it is in vaine to regarde the beawty of the vpper roomes, if the foundacion bee ruy∣nous: so the Horse that is not sounde of his feete, will ney∣ther serue the Souldiour, the Husband, nor the Trauayler.

In your looking vpon him therefore you must first consider his hoofes that they bee not tender and soft, but hard and sound, round and hollowe,* 1.4 that the hollownesse may keepe his foote from the ground, and sounding like a Cimball as (Xenephon sayth) may declare the soundnes of the foote, for the hoofe that is full and fleshy, is not to be lyked, & y^• Horses that haue suche hoo••es doo easely halt, wherefore diuers commend a Horse like the hoo••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 asse, the pastors next to the hoofe not to longe as the gote hath, for shaking of his rider, and breeding of wind∣gall, nor to short, for beeing hurt in stony ground. The legges & the thyes sith they are the standardes of the body, they ought to be euen, straight, and sound, not gouty, with much fleshe and vaynes. for such as haue their legges clad with muche flesh and vaynes,* 1.5 they with greate Iourneis growe full of windgalls and swellinges which will cause them to halt, which Legges at the first foling, are as long as euer they wilbee, by reason whereof you may gesse what heygth y^e Horse wilbe of, being yet a coult. The knees must be round,* 1.6 flexible, and small, and not bowing inwarde nor stiffe, the Thies large and well brawned,* 1.7 his brest greate and brode,* 1.8 his necke soft and broade,* 1.9 not hanginge like a Goates, but vpright like a Cockes, and well reyning, his mane thicke,* 1.10 fauling on the right side, some like it better on the left, his hed small and leane,* 1.11 for a greate and heauy head, is a signe of a dull Iade, his moussell short, his mouth wide with large wrincles, still playing with the bytte and foming: as Virg. There stamping standes the steed, and fomy bridell fyerce hee champes. The Horse that hath a dry mouth is nought,* 1.12 his cheekebones would bee euen and small, for if they stand to farre a sunder, he will bee ill to bee brydled, and the vneuennes of the Cheekes, will make him hedstrong, and neuer to reyne well, but to thrust out his head ilfauoredly, his eyes great, bluddy, and fi∣ery & standing out of his head, which is a signe of quicknes and liuelynes: hollowe and littell eyes are nought,* 1.13 and blacke or pale starres in the eyes are to be dispraysed: these faults are best spied in the nyght bye Candell light. Columella commen∣deth black eyes. A wall eye is very good, such as they say Alex∣anders Bucephalus had. The eares must bee shorte,* 1.14 standinge

vpright, and stirring, for the eares, bee the tokens of a Hor∣ses stomake, which if they be greate and hanging, are signes of a Iade. The nostrells must bee wyde,* 1.15 the better to receaue ayre, which also declareth a liuely currage, his shoulders large and straight, the sides turning inwarde, the ridgebone ouer the shoulders being something hie,* 1.16 geeues the horseman a better seate, and the shoulders, and the rest of the body, is stronger knitte together, if it bee double, his sides deepe, well knitt be∣hinde, and somthing bowed vp,* 1.17 which both is better for the horseman, and a signe of greate strength: his Loynes, the broder they be,* 1.18 the better he lifteth his forefeete, and followeth with the hinder, and his paunche shall the lesse apeere, which both disgraceth him and burdneth him, his belly must be gaunt, his buttockes large,* 1.19 and ful of fleshe, answerable to his brestes, and his sides, for if he be brode hanched, & well spred behind, and goeth wide, his pace wilbe the surer, which wee may per∣ceaue in our selues, if wee assaye to take vp a thing from the ground, stryding, and not with our legges together, wee take it vp with more case and strength. His tayle would be longe, bristly,* 1.20 and curled, the length whereof, is not only a bew••y, but also a greate cōmodity to him to beate away flyes: yet some de∣light to haue them curtailed, specially if they be brode buttockt. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fine, the hole body would be so framed, as it be large, hye, liuely sp••••ed, & wel trussed. Some horsemen would haue their Horse to be limmed after the proporcion of diuers Beastes, as to haue the head and legges, of a Stagg, the eares and tayle, of a Fox, the necke of a Sw••nne, the brest, of a Lion, the but∣to••kes, of a Woman, and the feete of an Asse. Virgill in his Ge∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 both very clarkely describe the tokens of a good Horse.

〈…〉〈…〉 aduaunced ••ie at the first the kindly colt doth pace. 〈…〉〈…〉, as wel beseemes his race•• And form••••st stil ••e go••th, and through the ••treame he makes his way And ventures first the bridge•• no suddain sound doth him affray. 〈…〉〈…〉 is his necke, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his hed is framed small. 〈…〉〈…〉, his backe is brode, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 big withall,

The ••ay is alwayes counted good, so likewise is the gray. The white, and yellow worst of all, besides, if farr away There happen any noyse, he stampes, and quiet cannot rest. But praunceth here and there, as if some sprite were in his brest. His eares be sets vpright, and from his nose the fiery flame Doth seeme to come, while as he sauffes, & snorthes at the same. Thicke is his mane, and on the right side downe doth hanging ••al. And double chinde vpon his loynes, a gu••ter runnes withall, He scraping standes, and making deepe a hole, he pawes the groūd Whiles as aloud his horned house, al hollowed seemes to sound.

You see in how fewe verses the Poet hath expressed the pro∣perties of a good Horse: other condicions there be for which they be liked, when they be pleasant, first liuely, gentle, and tractable: For such as Columella saith, will both better be tought, and better away with trauaile. Xenophon accounteth it a signe of a good Horse, if after the werines of his iourny he seeme to labour lustely: againe, we finde also by experience, the better the Horse is, the deeper he thrustes his hed into the water when he drinketh, and that (being a colt) striueth to out••••me his fellowes in the pasture, and as Virgil saith, leape first into the water, and passeth bridges, not tarriing for an vsher, nor ••ea∣ring the Ise.

EVPHOR.

What colour in Horses count you the best. The Poet seemeth to mislike the white, which others againe, as I haue sundry times heard, commende, speci••l∣ly in England, where they are wel accounted of, and most esteemed.

HIPPO.

Touching the colours, there are diuers opini∣ons, and of all colours, lightly you shall ••inde both good & bad: so that the colour is not so greatly to be regarded, if he haue other tokens of a good Horse, yet for bew••y, and many times for goodnes, we make choyse of colour. The best colou••s as diuers suppose are these, the rone, the white wa••d, the bay, the sorell, the dunne, the daple gray, the ashy white, the flebitten, the milke white, the blacke, and the iron gray,

The Bay is most of pryce as farre as I see at this day, and preferred by the Poet aboue the rest. The Frenchmen call the bay Horse Le Bayart loyal, trusty bayard: they are the better that haue a starr in y^e forhed, & y^e foote spotted a littel, with white, aforetime the dapple gray, the flebitten, the mousedun, and the grisel weare most esteemed, & such as came nearest to them, as the Iron gray, the bryght sorell, the browne bay. Onely Plato commendeth the milke white, that Virgil, dispayseth. Others commend the blacke, specially if he haue eyther white starre in his forhed, or strake downe his face, or hath any white vpon his foote, the Cole blake without any white, is altogether misliked, the fleabitten Horse proueth alwayes good and notable in tra∣uayle: the yelowish and the skued or pyed Horses are discom∣mended almost of all men, notwithstanding eyther of them (if they bee well marked) proue often tymes well inough, specially the yellowish, if he haue a blacke list downe his backe from the necke to the tayle. The Stallion therefore would bee of one co∣lour,* 1.21 strong bodyed, well limmed, according to the proporcion afore.* 1.22 The Mares woulde likewise haue the saide proporcion of the stallion, specially to haue large bodyes, fayre and bewtifull, of one colour, greate bellyed, with large and square brest and buttockes.

EVP.

* 1.23What age count you best for breede?

HIP.

The Stallion may go with the Mares when his iointes & limmes bee well knitte and come to their groweth, for if they be to yong, they get but weake and wearishe Coltes: some vse to let them go together at two yeeres olde, but three yeere old is the better: the Stalliō will serue you from that time till xx yeere, it hath beene seene that they haue gotten Coltes till forty, being helped a littell in theyr busines, for it is not yeeres but skill that abateth lust, as Aristotle afore Plini wrote. Yet some thinke them not meete for breede before the fourth or fifth yeere, in which space they feede them lustely, to make them more coragious, for the lustier they bee, the better Coultes they bring, neyther would they haue vnder xvi. mares, nor aboue xx. for one Stallion. Herodotus writeth that one Horse will wel suf∣••••se xx. Mares, but y^e number ought not alwayes to be obserued,

but sometimes more, sometimes lesse, according to the state of the Horse, that hee may the longer endure: a younge Horse should not haue aboue fifteene or sixteene Mares with him: the Horses must bee sometime seuered, for danger and hurting of them selues, hauing in the meane time good regarde to the state of his body, for some bee weaker and fainter then others.

EVP.

what age dooe you thinke best for the mare to go to the Horse?

HIP.

The Mares will conceaue at two yeeres olde, but I take it the better not to suffer them till they be three yeere olde, as likewise I thinke them not meete for colts after ten, for an old Mare will alwayes bring a dull and a heauy hedded Iade: they go with foale aleuen monthes, and fole in the twelfth.

EVP.

How can you knowe their age when you be doubtfull of it?

HIP.

That may you knowe diuers wayes, but specially by the teeth, and those teeth that declare the age, the grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whiche teeth when he loseth, he loseth both esti∣macion and sale. Aristotel affirmeth that a Horse hath 40. teeth, of which hee casteth the thirtieth month after his foling foure, two aboue, and two beneth, againe in the beginning of his fourth yeere hee casteth likewise foure, two aboue & two be∣neath, being full foure, and going vppon his fift, hee casteth the rest both aboue and beneathe: such teeth as come vp agayne be hollowe: when hee beginneth to bee six yeere olde the hollo∣nes of his first teeth is fild vp: in the seuenth yeere all his teethe are filled vp, and no hollownes any longer to bee seene: after which time, no iudgement of his age by his teeth is any more to be had: there are some y^t take vppon them to tell his age bye the Ioyntes of his tayle, after the marke is out of his mouth. Palladius shewes, that a Horse when hee beginnes too bee ould, his temples wax hollowe, his eye bryes gray, and his teeth longe. Aristotle saith, that the age of all fourfooted beastes may be knowne by the skinne of their Iawes: for if it bee pulde vp and presently let fall againe, if it fall smoothe, it declares a yonge beaste, if it lye in wrinkles, it sheweth hee is olde. A Horse liueth comonly xx. yeres, some thirty, or forty, and also to

fifty, as Aristotel saith, if he be of a good disposition and well dye••ed, it is sayd there haue beene Horses that haue lyued 75. yeeres, the Mare liueth not so long as the Horse, nor the Stal∣lion, so longe as the Horse that is not suffered to runne a∣mongest Mares: the Mare leaueth growing at fiue yeere old, and the Horse at six or seuen.

EVPHOR.

What time thinke you best for couering of Mares.

HIPPO.

In the spring, after the twelfth of Marche, I take to be the best, after the spring in the rest of the yeere they are to be kept from the Horse, for hurting of the Horse: for the Mare, after she hath conceyued, suffers the Horse no more, but beates and strikes him with her heeles, yet in moste places, they suffer their Stallions to runne with their Mares all the frowner longe, and take it to be the best way, for answe∣ring the Mares desire, for many times the Mare wil not abide the Horse till somer time, or August, and the August Colt proues comonly very fayre. Although the Colts that are foled in the spring, are not to be desired, because they runne all the yeere with their dammes in good pasture, and therfore it is best at that time to put the Mare to the Horse, for these crea∣tures specially, if you restraine thē, are most enraged with lust, whereas came at the first the name of that dedly poyson Hip∣pomanes, because it stirred vp a fleshly affectiō, acording to the burning desire of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which groweth in the forhed of the Colte, of ••he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a sigge, and blacke, which the damme doth 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as soone as shee hath foled, byte of: and if shee be preuented, shee neyther loues the Colt, nor suffers him to sucke, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is to be doubted, but that the Mares in some country••s so burne with lust, as though they haue not the Hor••e, with their owne feruent desire they con∣ceaue and bring forth after the maner of Byrdes, as the Poet noteth.

In fu••iu•• lust the Ma••e exceeles all other beastes that be.

It hath bene said, that in Spain•• Mares haue conceaued with the winde, and brought vp their Colts, but the Colts haue not

liued aboue three yeeres. Aristotle writeth, that a Mares desire is quenched by shearing of her mane.

EVPHOR.

What if the Mare will not take the Horse, is there no meanes to make him?

HIPPO.

There are that rub her tayle with sea onyons, nettles, or madder, and so prouoke her to lust, some time a skuruy Iade is put to her, who when he hath got∣ten her good will, is straight remoued, and a better Horse, put in place. If the Horse be to slouthfull, his currage is stirred vp by wyping her tayle with a spunge, and rubbing it about his nose. If wee woulde haue a Horse Coult, wee knitte the left stone of the Horse with a corde, and for a Mare the right. The like is to be obserued almost in all other beastes.

EVPHOR.

How often must shee be Horsed after shee take.

HIPPO.

They take not all alike, some are sped at once, some twise, some more. It is laide, a Mare will not suffer a∣boue fifteene times in the yeere: being often times satisfied with fewer. They must be put to the Horse at times twise a day, in the morning, and at night, when they are sped, it appeareth by refusing & striking at the Horse. They say, there is amongest these beastes a great regard of kinred, and that you can hardly force the Colt to Horse the damme: for proofe whereof they reporte, that where as a certaine horsekeeper did make his Horse, by couering his eyes, to couer his damme, the cloth being puld away, when he saw what he had doone, he ran vpon his keeper and slew him: as soone as shee is couered, the Mare must out of hand be beaten, and forced to runne, least shee loose that shee hath receaued. Surely a Mare of all other beastes, after her couering, doth runne eyther south∣ward, or northwarde, according as shee hath conceaued eyther Horse Coult or Mare Coul••: her couler also dooth chaunge & become brighter, which when they perceaue, they oste••her the Horse no more. Some after a few dayes if they douther, offer y^e Horse againe, & if she refuse & strik (as I said before) they iudge

shee hath conceaued.

EVP.

Must they be couered euery yeere?

HIPPO.

Such is our couetousnes, as wee seeke to haue them beare euery yeare: but if you will haue good Coltes, let your Mares go to Horse but euery other yeere, so shall they well answer your desire, howebeit the common vse is euery yeere.

EVP.

Wee see asses sometimes to couer mares comonly, and thereof is engendred the moyle, and foled in the xii. moneth, as shall be said hereafter. Some say it is best to cutt the mane of the mare that shalbe couered of the Asse, though others holde opinion that it shall abate her lust. The mares that bee with foale, must bee well looked vnto, and put in good pasture. And if thorow the colde of winter, pasture bee wanting, they must bee kept in the house, and neyther labored nor ias••ed vp and downe, nor suffered to take colde, nor to bee kept to many in a straight rome, for casting of their foales, for all these inconueniences wil hasard their foales, yet too trauaile them moderatly, will dooe them rather good then harme, for to longe rest wyll cause them to bee restife, and to tyer sooner. Aristotle writeth, that the Sithi∣ans did vse to trauaile their Mares greate with fole after the time they began to stirre, supposing their foling should bee the easier, but good heede must bee taken, that their bellies bee not hurt with any thing while they are with fole, but if so bee the mare be indanger, eyther in casting her fole, or in foling, the re∣medy is, Poilipo••y stamped, mingled with warme water, and giuen with a horne: it is sayde that the smell of a Candell snuffe causeth them to cast their foles: you must euery yeere o∣uersee your Mares, and such as bee vnprofitable or barrayne, must bee put awaye, for from theyr first foling, they are not too bee kepte aboue ten yeeres, at which tyme they are lustly ey∣nough, and may bee well solde, but so will they not be after: The yonge foales are not to bee handled with the hand, for they are hurt with the lyghtest touche that may bee. It must bee seene vnto, that if the Mare bee horsed, there bee roome enough for her and her fole, and that the place be warme enough, that ney∣ther the coulde harme it, nor the damme ouerlye it, and there∣fore the place must bee well chosen, that is, neyther to hotte, nor

to cold, and afterwardes by little, you must bring vp the Colte: when it groweth to be something strong, it must be put to pas∣ture with the Mare, least the Mare receaue hurt, by the ab∣sence of it: for chiefly this beast of all others, most estemeth her yong, and if shee be kept from it, taketh harme: the fole that lackes his damme, is often brought vp, of other Mares that haue Coltes: the Mare must go in very good pasture, that the Colte may haue store of milke. Being fiue moneths olde, when you bring them into howse, you must seede them with barley flowre and branne: at a tweluemoneth old, you must eyther put them into good pasture, or feede them with branne, chaffe, and hay. Varro will not haue you to weane them, till they be two yeeres old: and though I like not too soone weaning, yet wee vse comonly to weane them at fiue or six monethes old, and to let them runne in good pasture, which custome proueth not a∣misse. Moreouer as long as they runne with the damme, you shall doo well to handell them now and then, least, when they be put from the damme, they waxe wild: they must be tought to be gentill, and not only to abyde a man, but to couet his compa∣ny, and not to be affraid at euery strange sight, nor at euery noyse but to come to it. Xenophon saith, we must (as men) pro∣uide skoolmasters for our chi••dren, so likewise teachers for our Horses, and appoint how we will haue them broken: for as their seruice is diuers, so must be their breaking. But hereof we shall speake more hereafter, when we entreate of horsmanship, and breaking of Horses: onely now we will deale with those that sucke, and serue for the Plow. To make them gentler, the bridles, and other horse harneyes, must be hanged by them, that they may the better be acquainted with them, bothe with the sight, and the gingling. Now when they be well tamed, and will suffer to be handled, Varro would haue you lay a boy groueling vpon them twise, or thrise, and after to bestride them, and this he would haue doone, when they be three yeere olde, for then they grow most, and begin to be great brawned. There be that thinke a Horse may begin to be handled at a yeere and a halfe olde, and Varro, at three yeere old, when theyr prouender is gy∣uen them: but we vse commonly after two yeeres to labour them

gently, first in harrowing of new plowed land, which is good both for their foote, and their pace, and also with Plowing, and such like exercise, whereby we vse to acquaint thē with cold and heate, in drawing together. It must be sene to, that they be euen matched, least the stronger spoyle the weaker, while he dreadeth the rating, and whipping. Horses take lesse harme with draw∣ing, then with bearing. Thus must they be vsed to reasonable trauaile, by reason wherof, they will be the harder, and not so lightly take harme: but herein must be great discresion.

EVPH.

What say you to Geldings? for in these partes we vse Geldings most.

HIPPO.

They serue for some purpose, but he that will haue a good g••lding, must g••ld (as they say) a good Horse, they are cut at a yere old and elder: I my selfe haue cut them at fiue yeere old, and six yeere olde: in cutting they loose their stomack, you must looke that they be in good plight when you cut them, for as they are at their cutting, they commonly continue. The Mares also vse to be spayed, but not often, and with greate danger.

EVPH.

What maner of stable would you haue, for I haue somtimes hearde, that the stable is of greate importance?

HIPPO.

* 1.24Your stable must be buylt in a dry place, for wet∣ting the Horses hoofe, which you shall auoide, if you planke it with good oken plankes, or (which Xenophon would rather haue you doo) with round pauing stone, keeping it alwayes cleane from doung, and straw, and after laying fresh litter, so as they stand harde, and ly softe. Xenophon would haue the stable so pla∣ced, as it may alwayes be in y^e masters eye, and to be lightsome, least the Horse being vsed to the dark, his eye dasel at the light. Some thinke they will be the gentler, if they be vsed to the light, and the fayrer, if they haue y^e sunne at his rysing in somer time: let as mutch ayre come to them both day and night as you can. In winter, your stable should rather be warme, then hot, and therfore your stable must stand toward the south, but so as the windowes may open toward the North, which being kept shut in winter, may be warme, & opened in somer, you may let in the coole ayre.

EVPH.

The like we vse in our oxe stalles.

HIPPO.

Besides, whereas the bodies of Cattell, haue nede of rubbing as well as mens bodyes, for many times it doth the Horse as much good to be stroked downe the backe with your hand, as to feede him.* 1.25 The Horse is to be continually curryed in the morning, at night, and after his labour. In currying of them we must begin at the head, and the necke: for it is a vaine thing to make cleane the lower partes, and leaue the other foule. It is good also to obserue due times for his feeding, his watering, & his trauayle. Thus much of his exercise. Now followeth to speake of his dyet: and because we haue spoken before of his pasture,* 1.26 we must also say sumwhat of his other feding. The bet∣ter a man would haue his Horse to proue, the better must he looke to his meate, for the good feeding (the country people say) is a great helpe to the goodnesse of the Horse. If the Horse be young (as I said before of Coltes) he must be fed with grasse, chaffe, and hay: if he be elder and mete to trauaile, his foode must be the dryer, as Chaffe, Barley, Oates, and Hay. Chaffe doth not so well nourish, by reason of y^• drynesse, but it keepes the bo∣dy in good plight: and because hard meate is hardest of digestiō, it is therefore to be geuen to those that labour. The stocke or studde, must be pastured in large pastures and marshes, as also vpon mountaines and hilly groundes, but euer well watred, not dry, rather champion then woddy, and rather soft sweete grasse, then hye and flaggy: if y^• pasture be too short, they sooner weare their foreteeth, & are toothlesse before their full age. And where as euery kind of Creature is naturally moyst, a Horse ought cheefely (whether he be young, or old) to be fed with moist pa∣sture, for y^• better conseruatiō of his natural temprature. Some would haue you in no wise to geue your Horse grasse in the spring time, but in Iune, or the fall of the leafe: they would haue you geue them grasse with the deaw vppon it, and in the night season Oates, Barly, & Hay. Howbeit, in y^• colder coūtreys in Germany, France, & England, where the pasture is very good, they doubt not to skowre their Horses with greene grasse,* 1.27 and weedes of the meddowes: and in the chotter countryes, they doo the like w^t greene blades of wheate, or barly. S••me vse to geue thē Aples shared in peeces, to skoure thē withal: & thus much of

skouring of Horses. Generally who so euer will haue his Horse helthy, and a••le to endure trauaile, let him feede his Horse with Oates, mingled with chaffe or strawe, so shall he be temperatly & well fed, and yf so he labour much, geue him the more Oats. His meate must be geuen him as some thinke best, in a lowe manger, set so lowe, as they are forced to eate their meate with some difficultie or trauaile, which they say is to make them bend their neckes: by which excercise both the head, and the neck groweth bigger, and they wyll be the easier to be bridled: be∣sides, they wyll be the stronger, by reason of the hard setting of the forefeete. Howbeit, in some places, they vse hie standing mangers: after what sort so euer they be, they must alwayes be kept clene, and well swept before you cast in their meate. Their prouender though diuers Horscorsers,* 1.28 y^t liue by sale of Horse, do feede them with sodden Rie, or beanemeale sodde, pamper∣ing them vp, that they may be the fayrer to the eye: yet is it not good ••oode to labour with. The best prouender that is, is Oates, and for def••w••e of them, Barly: you must beware you geue them neyther Wheate, Ric, or any dry pulse: their prouen∣der must be geuen them rather often, & lit••ell, then once or twyse a day in greate porc••ons, least you glu••te them therewith: they are vsed to be fed comonly ••iue times a day, when they stand in the stable, keeping an equall number of houres betwene y^• times: when they trauaile you may geue them meate seldomer, but in greater quantitie, & yf their iournies be, long they must haue pro∣uender besides in the night, alwayes remembryng (as I said) that you gl••••••e them not. The better a Horse feedeth, the better wyll he labour: you must also beware that you geue him no prouender, neyther Oates nor Barly, after any great labour, till he be thorowe colde: notwithstanding you may geue him a little hay to coole his mouth. The hay must be sweete and wel made, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shaken, before it be cast in the racke: and specially seene too, that there be no feathers of any fowle a∣mongest it. If the 〈…〉〈…〉 very hotte after his labour, let him be well couered, and softly walked tyll he be colde, before you set him vp: when he is s•••• vp, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him well, le••••t the coldnesse of the ground st••••ke into him: in any wyse washe him not when he

is hot, but when he is through colde, water him, and washe him, wiping him dry when you bring him in. If the Horse forsake his meate, some vse to stampe Garlike and Pepper, and to geue it him, rubbing his teeth well, till his stomacke come to him: some would haue a cloute wette in salt water tyed vpon a sticke, and thrust into his Iawes. In watring, you must looke well vnto him, for (as Aristotle saith) beastes doo feede, and are nourished the bet••e••, yf they be well watred. Horses and Camels, do loue best to drinke a thicke troubled water, in so much as yf y^• water be cleare, they wyl trouble it with their ••ecte: For the most Bul∣lockes againe desire a fayre cleare water, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The same Aristotle also affirmeth, that a Horse may suffer thyrst•• 4. dayes without drinke. Varro wylles you to water your Horses twyse a day, which order we obserue, that is, once in the morning, and againe in the afternone: but in winter, yf they drinke but once a day, it suffiseth: before you water him, he must be well rubbed, and then ledde into the water vp to the knees, specially yf he be leane, yf he be fatte, he may goe the de••per. Notwithstanding, there are some that holde opinnion, they ought not to goe so deepe, as their stones touche the water, specially if the Horse be young. After Marche, & the spring, it is very good to ryde them vp and downe in some Riuer, which wyll exercise their legges, for the water dryeth the legges, and restraineth the humors from falling downe, and kepeth them from windgalles: as soone as they come from the water, you must with a little strawe wipe them cleane, for the dampe of y^• stable causeth inflamation in the Horses legges that be wette. The water (acording to Vegetius his minde) would be cleare, and springing, other like it a little running and troubled in a clay ground: for this water, by reason of the thicknesse and fatnesse, doth better nourishe and feede the Horse, then the swyft running streame: yet those Horses that are vsed to the swyft and cleare Riuers, are comonly the strong∣gest and best trauaylers, and therefore it would be well consi∣dered how the Horse hath ben accustomed: the colder y^e waters are, the lesse they nourish, the deeper a Horse drinkes, the fatter he proues: and therefore some Horscoursers vse to washe their Horses mouthes, first with water, and after to rubbe them with

salt, to geue them an appetite to their meate and their drinke.

EVPHOR.

I pray you let vs here some remedies for Horsses diseases, for (as Aristotle saith) a Horse hath as many diseases as a man.

HIPPO.

As touching diseases in a Horse, it is better to preuent them by good heede taking, and (as Vegetius saith) to be more careful in keeping a Horse helthy, then when he is sicke to cure him: which health you shall continue with ease, yf you wyll obserue those thinges, touching his diet, his stable, and his labour, that I haue told you of before. Who so euer wyll haue a good Horse, and keepe him in good estate, must often times see him, come to him, handel him, and stroke him: for that both makes him gentill, and geues him a fayre coate: and be still mindfull of the olde prouerbe, the Maisters eye maketh a fatte Horse, and to be short, to haue him so still in his sight, as he ra∣ther want his owne meate, then his Horse should: for he that neclecteth his Horse, neclecteth him selfe. To let him haue mo∣derate exercise, and to ryde him nowe and then (yf the weather be fayre) into the Feelde, wyl doo him great good: the morning is better to labour him in then the euenyng, neyther must you in Winter, or in Sommer ouerlabour him, for being in a sweat, and after taking colde, he falleth into daungerous diseases. And therefore remember what I sayde, that where so euer you haue laboured him, or rydden him, be sure you couer him with some cloth, and walke him softly, that he may be cold, before he eyther be suffered to eate, or drinke: when he is colde, he may be led to the water, and washed: so as when you bring him into the sta∣ble, you lytter him well, and throwly rubbe him, and so geue him meate. If he be ouer trauayled, the only remedy is rest, and af∣ter his sweating, to washe his mouth in Sommer with water and vineger, in Winter with brine: for the neclecting of these thinges, hath been the destruction of many a good Horse. Also, to powre into his mouth wine and oyle, in Sommer colde, in Winter warme (as Vegetius teacheth) and as we finde by expe∣rience, is very good: for it is commonly seene, that a tyred Horse (yf necessitie forceth a further iourney) with powring in a quart of good wine, wyll trauayle lustyly. You must not suffer

your Horse to drinke after his iourney, tyll he be colde: howbe∣it, yf he sweate not to extreamely, and be rydden soone after, it is not so daungerous: it is farre better to let him thyrst, then to geue him colde water yf he be hotte. If a Horse haue long re∣sted, he is not to be trauayled vpon the sudden, eyther in gallo∣ping, or long iourney, but to be laboured faire and softly at the fyrst. A Horse that is weery, or tyred, wylbe woonderfully re∣freasshed, so as it woulde seeme he had neuer been trauayled, yf he may wallow him selfe eyther in the stable, or other dry place out of the wynde and rayne, and therefore Xenophon would haue neare vnto euery stable, a place meete for their wallowing, wherein after their iourneyes, they may tumble them selues: for in so dooing, they shewe they are in health, and refreashe them selues. You must looke diligently that they be well looked to at night, and that after their sweat, they be wel rubbed and curried, and that they be not disquieted when they should rest. In Win∣ter, they would be clothed with Wollen for taking of cold, and in Sommer with Camias, to keepe them from flyes. You must beware, that you iourney them not long without staling, but af∣ter you haue trauayled an houre, or such a thing, prouoke them to stale (by ryding them out of the way) into some place where sheepe haue dounged, or into some hie Grasse, Ferne, or Stub∣ble, which order was continually obserued, by the best dyeter of Horses that euer I knewe in England, one Henry King, who hauyng charge of that most woorthy Gentlemans Horses, syr Thomas Chalenour, caryed a fayre company of Geldinges from London, to the Court of Spayne, who notwithstandyng their long iourney through Fraunce, and the painefull passage of the Piremies, by y^e skilfull diligence of their keeper, came thy∣ther in as good plight, as they came out of England. And yf so be you see he can not stale, or staleth with paine, you must bathe hym with bath appoynted for colde, that is, oyle mingled with wine powred vpon his loynes: also a Louse put into his yarde, or Sope put into his fundament, hath been seene to helpe him. If this doo not helpe, you must squirt in Hony boyled thinne with Salt into his yarde. Some woulde haue the licour of the lyme Bitumen squirted in: Aeliomus wryteth, that the Horse that

can not stale, is presently remedied, yf so be a mayde strike him vpon the face with her gyrdell, the feete (which is the cheefest matter in a Horse) you shall alwayes keepe sound: yf as I tould you afore, your stable be well paued with round stone, or well plancherd and kept cleane: which done, you must stop his hoofes with Cowe doung, or for want therof with Horse doung watred, and the legges must be often rubbed with a strawen wispe. To cause the hoofe to growe, or to repaire the broken hoofe, take of Garlicke heades seuen ounces, of Hearbegrace three hand∣fulles, of Allome beaten and sifted, seuen ownces, of Barrowes grease very olde two powndes, mingle all these with a handfull of Asses doung, boyle them, and annoynt the hoofes therewith. After their iourney, see you searche their feete well, suffering no grauel, nor filth to remayne therein, you shal well refreashe their hoofes with the oyntment aforesayde. The ioyntes, or the pa∣sternes, woulde be well bathed after their trauaile with warme wine, or an egge or two would be thrust into their howfes, the legges them selues would be washed, with warme beere, or some like bath. If the Horse thrust out one of his feete, and stand not euen, it is a signe of some fault in the foote: the Horse halteth, eyther by reason of the spoyling of his hoofe in iourney, or by yll showing, or by vnholsome humours fallen downe, by long standing in y^e stable, or by windgalles. If the fault be in the showing, strike vpon the head of euery nayle with the hammer, and when you perceiue him to shrinke, plucke out that nayle, or powre vpon the hoofe colde water, and that nayle that is fyrst dry, plucke out: yf it matter, squeese it out, and powre in Pitch well sodden with olde Swynes grease: you must also speedely open his hoofe belowe, that the matter (yf it be full of corrup∣tion) may descend, least it breake out aboue the hoofe, and so cause a longer time of healing. The signes of it be, yf he holde vp his foote, which yf you doo pare him to the quicke, and where you perceiue it to looke blacke, open it, and let out the matter: if he be hurt inward, and standeth but on his toe, it sheweth the fault to be in his hoofe: but yf he treade equally with his foote, it declares the greefe to be some other where, then in his hoofe: yf in his haulting he bowe not his ioyntes, it is a signe the sore

is in the ioyntes. For al halting generally, mingle Hemp with the white of an egge, and stop the foote withall, and after clap on the showe: yf it be a wound, put herein the pouder of Oyster∣shelles, and Uerdegrease to drye it vp, or the white of an egge, with Soote and Uineger. The Cratches (as they commonly call them) is a malady that happeneth betwixt the Pastornes and the Hoofe, in the manner of a skabbe, and is ingendred of the dampes of the stable, whyle he standeth wette legged: the remedy whereof, is all one with the paines, which is likewyse a s••raunce breeding about the ioyntes, breaking the skinne, and m••ttring: taking away the heare, washe the sore with warme B••ece, or with the broth wherein is sodden Mallowes, Brim∣stone, and Sheepes suet, which must be bounde about the sore place morning and euening, or else Sheepe suet, Goates suet, Swines grease, Uerdegrease, and quicke Brimstone, Bolear∣meniacke, and Sope, boyled and made in oyntment, wherewith you shal anoynt y^• sore twyse a day, washing it first with warme wine, & after it is dried annoynt it, in the meane time kepe him out of the water: the lees of wine is also sometime vsed in the curing of the Cratches. Windgalles, which are swellinges, and risinges in the legges, are cured with cutting, and burning: some thinke they may be restrayned and cured by rideing the Horse oftentimes vp and downe in some colde and swyft streame, also by washing his legges with Salt, Uineger, Swynes grease, and Oyle, wrapping them vp certayne dayes, or by launcing, or skarrifiyng they are cured: the outward sores are healed by burning. If the backe be wrong with the saddell, or otherwise hurt that it swell, Vegetius would haue you to seeth Onyons in water, and when they be so hotte as the Horse may suffer, to lay them vppon the sore, and binde them fast, which wyll asswage the swelling in one night. Item salt beaten and medled with Uineger, putting to it the yoke of an Egge, layed vppon the swelling, wyll heale it: besides, Arssmart stamped and layd to, dooth presently asswage the swelling. If the backe be galled, washe it with Beere and Butter, or cast vpon it the pouder of a Lome wall. There is a dis••ase that is common in Horses, called the Uynes, which yf he haue, turne downe his

eare, and launce the sore at the roote of the eare, & take out the matter: but take good heede you cut not the vaine that lieth a lit∣tle aboue. If a Horse haue been set vp hot after his iourney, and in his heate hath been watred, or taken colde, whiche the Ger∣manes call Verfaugen, in Englishe foundred, or in some places fraide: the remedie, is the skinne of a Weesel cut in smal pee∣ces, fresh butter, a rotten egge and vineger mingled together, and powred into the Horse with a horne: after whiche, let him stand couered with a wet cloth, tyll he waxe hot. A present, and assured cure for this disease, I learned not long agone, of that honest, wyse, and valiaunt Gentleman, captaine Nicholas Malbee, in whom there wanteth nothing belonging to a woor∣thi souldier, his medecine was this: Garter each legge immedi∣atly one handfull aboue the knee with a liste, good and hard, and then walke him, to chafe him, and put him in a heate, and being somewhat warmed, let him blood in both the brest vaines, and in the vaines of the hinder legges, betwene the hoofe, and the Pa∣storne, reseruing the blood to make a charge withal in this ma∣ner. Take of that blood two quartes, and of Wheate meale, as it commeth from the Myll, halfe a pecke, and sixe egges, shelles and all, of Bolearmeniacke halfe a pound, of Sanguis Draconis halfe a quarterne, and a quarte of strong vineger: mingle them all tog••••••her, and charge all his shoulders, brest, backe, loynes, and forelegges therwith, & walke him vpon some hard ground: three houres after, leade him into the stable, and let him stande tyed two houres to the racke, without meate or drinke, & walke him then two or three houres more, and then geue him a little warme water, with ground Malt in it, and after, a little Hay, and prouender, then walke him againe vpon the hardest ground you can geat: you shal ryde him the next day a myle, or two soft∣ly, and so from day to day, vntyll he be wel, which wyl be within three or foure dayes. Rememember to let him stand y^• first day after his first walking, two houres in water vp to the belly: this medecine is infallible. The collicke, or paine in the belly, is thought wyl be eased in a Horse, or Mule, onely with the syght of a Ducke, or any water foule. To keepe your Horse frō flyes, it is good to washe him ouer with the iuyce of the leaues of the

Gourde in the middes of Sommer. Many times Horses are troubled with wormes, or bots, which you shal perceiue, yf they cast their looke vpon their belly, yf they wallow oftentimes, and strike their belly with their foote: the remedy, is Harts horne, Sauine beaten, and geuen him with a little vineger in a horne. Columella would haue you rake the Horse with your hand, and after that you haue plucked out the doung, to washe his funda∣ment with sea water, or brine. B••asanolus in his Commentary vpon Hippocrates, declareth howe he cured the Duke of Ferars Horse, being in great daunger with woormes, by geuing them quicke siluer, and Scordium, or water Germander, when no other med••ines would helpe. The Rhewine, or distillation, maketh a Horse slothful, dull, and faint, yet wyl he be ledde, & rydden, and moderate labour is not amisse for him, let him drinke warme water with Wheate branne: the mo••e fylth he voydes at the mouth, the better wyll it be for him. There are some diseases thought to be vncurable, which yf the Horse had, and was sold, by the old lawes he was to be turned backe agayne, except the bargaine were otherwyse: of which number are y^e broken wine∣ded, the lunaticke, and the manginesse, called the farcine, which disease yf it come once to y^• stones, is thought vncurable, to this they adde the through Splen••: some thinke y^t broken winded is not to be cured, because it is like to the consumption of the longs in a man, yet some hope of recouery there is, if it be taken in time: for letting of blood in dry diseases, is against reason. But you may annoynt the hole body with Wine & Oyle, mingled to∣geather & warmed, and curry him against y^e heare till he sweate, and geue him this drinke inward from the first day: the iu••ce of Pisan, Swines grease clarified, & Amylum, in new sweete wine, which being boyled together, you may geue it him with a horne, to open his pipes, & set him so as he stand warme. The lunaticke eyes, are cured by letting him blood in the temple vaines, ba∣thing the eyes on y^e outside with some warme bath, & putting in∣to them some strong water certaine dayes, till they be hole. For the manginesse, take the woormes called Cantharides, bea••ing them, & mingle with them a little Uerdegrease, and so annoynt them with it, warming the body of the Horse with a fyrepan.

Others vse to washe him with warme water twyse a day, and after, to rubbe him with Salt sodden in water, tyll the matter come out. Aboue al other they say it excelleth, in the beginning to anoynt him with the fat of a Seale: yf it haue runne long, you must vse stronger medicines, as Lime, Brimstone, Tarre, olde Swynes grease, of eache a like quantitie, boyled togeather, and with a little oyle made in an oyntment: they vse to rubbe it also with the Soote of a Caldron. Against many diseases both of Horses, and Bullockes, they vse the roote of the hearbe called black Ellebor, of some Bearfoote, of others Setterwort, which they thrust in the brest of the beast, betwixt the fleshe and the skinne, making a hole before with a Bookine. Against all di∣seases of Horses, Vegetius commendeth this medecine as the cheefest, Centory, Woormewood, Dogge Fenell, wyld Time, Sa••apen, Betony, Saxifrage, Aristolochia Rotunda, take of eache alike, beate them small, and sift them, and yf the Horse haue an ache, geue it him with water, yf he be ferme, with good strong, Wine. The olde husbands would not suffer their Horses to be let blood, but vpon great necessitie, least being vsed to it, yf it should at any time be omitted, it should breede some disease: and therefore in very young Horses, and suche as be healthy, it is best not to let them blood but in the roofe of the mouth. For those that be come to their full age, you may let them blood be∣fore you put them to pasture, but beware you beare a steddy hand, and strike them not too deepe: Geldinges you shall not neede to let blood, the Horses of Barbary (as they say) neuer neede any medecine.

EVPHOR.

You haue spoken yenough of Horses, it is time you say something of Asses.

HIPPO.

* 1.29It is greatly out of order, but since you wyll needes haue me so to doo, I wil not sticke with you to say what I can therin, that eache of you may doo the like in his charge. Asses are commonly kept, yet not to be little set by, because of their sundry commodities, and the hardnesse of their feedyng, for this poore beast contentes him self with what meate so euer you geue him, Thystels, Bryers, Stalkes, Chaffe, wherefore euery countrey hath store, is good meate with him: besides, he

may best abide the yll looking to of a necligent keeper, & able to susteyne blowes, labour, hunger, and thyrst, being seldome, or neuer sicke, and therefore of al other cattel longest endureth: for being a beast nothing chargeable, he serueth for a number of ne∣cessary vses: in carrying of burdens, he is comparable to the Horse, he draweth the Cart (so the lode be not vnreasonable:) for grinding in the Mill he passeth all others, therefore in the countrey the Asse is most needeful for carrying of things to the market, and Corne to the Myll. In Egypt and Barbary (where the ground is very light) they haue also their vse in plowing: and the fine Ladyes of the countrey doo ryde vpon Asses riche∣ly furnished: yea, they be very apt to be taught, so as at this day in Alcayre you shall haue them daunce very manerly, and keepe measure with their Musitian. Varro maketh mention of two sortes, one wylde, whereof in Phrigia and Lycaonia there are great store: the wylde Asses that are tamed, are passing good, specially for breede, & they are easely broken: the other is tame, of which I meane to speake. The best are brought out of Arca∣dia (although Varro seemes to commend the breede of Italy for goodnesse.) He that wyll haue a breede of Asses, must haue the male & the female both of reasonable age, large bodyed, sounde, and of a good kind: the male must be at the least three yere old, for from three, tyll they be tenne, they be fyt for breeding: they bring foorth their Coltes sometimes at two yeeres and a halfe, but three yeeres is the best age: the female goeth as long with her burden as the Mare, and dischargeth in all respectes as she dooth: but she wyll not very well reteyne, except she be forced immediatly after the horsyng to runne about, she seldome brin∣geth forth two. When she foaleth, she gets her into some darke place, and keepes her selfe from being seene. They wyll beare all their life time, whiche (as Aristotle sayth) is thirtie yeeres: they are put to the Horse a little before the tenth of Iune, and beare euery other yeere: they bring foorth their Fole at the twelfth moneth. Whyle they be with Fole, they must not be greatly laboured, for hazarding their Fole: the male must ne∣uer be idle, for he is as lecherous as the deuyll, and by rest wyl waxe nought. The Colt is suffered to run with the damme the

first yere, & the next is gently tyed vp with her, only in the night times: the third yeere they are broken, according to their vse. The damme doth woonderfully loue her young so much, as she wil not sticke to come through the fire to it: but the water shee dare in no wise come neare, no not to touche it with her foote, neyther wil she drinke in any strange water, but where she is vsed to be watred, & so as she may goe & stand dry foote. They delight to be lodged in wyde roomes, & are troubled with fear∣full dreames in their sleepes, whereat they so pawe with their legges, y^t yf they lye neare any hard thing, they hurt their feete: in drinking, they scarsely touche the water with their lippes (as it is thought) for feare of wetting their goodly eares, whose sha∣dowes they see in their drinking: no beast can worse away with colde then this. If your Asses halt at any time, you shal thus re∣medy thē, wash al the foote w^t warme water, & afterward make them cleane with a sharp knife, which when you haue done, take old chamber lye, as hot as may be, & melt therin Goates suet: or if you haue not y^•, Oxe tallow, & anoint al y^e feete til they be hole.

EVPH.

They say, that betwixt an Asse, & a Mare, is gotten the Moyle, as a third kinde, of two sundry kinde, neyther resem∣bling the father, nor the mother.

HIPPO.

It is very true: as of the shee Asse, & the Horse, is engendred the shee Moyle,* 1.30 but altogeather stubborne, & vnrea∣sonable dul. Also of the Mare, & the wyld Asse, being broken, are bredde Moyles that runne passing swy••tly, & are wonderful hard hoofed, but rugged of their body, & mischeuous stomaked, yet ea∣sie to be handled: the Mares for breede, must not be vnder foure yeeres, nor aboue ten: they are faied in the twelfth moneth, as Horses and Asses are (as Aristotle saith): but Columella sayth, their foling time is not before the .13. moneth. The female con∣ceaueth (as experience teacheth) assuredly after the seuenth day: the male doth neuer better horse, thē whē he is most tired. She y^t conceaueth not before she hath cast her coltes teeth, is taken to be barraine, as she likwise y^t takes not at the first horsing. Those that are gotten betwixt a Horse & an Asse in olde time, were called Neyars, & such as were brought forth betwixt an Asse & a Mare, they called Moyles. The Moyles them selues (they

say) doo neuer ingender: & yf at any time they did, it was taken for monstrous, accounting the cause of their barr••nnesse, y^• con∣trarietie of their kinds: which matter a long time troubled both Aristotle, & the rest of the Philosophers. Though Aristotle hath other where written, that Moyles doo both ingender, & bring forth: and with him agreeth Theophrastus, affirming, y^• in Ca∣padocia, they do cōmonly bring forth, & ingender of themselues. The like doth Varro, & before him Dionysius, and Mago affirme, that the breeding of Moyles in the countreys of A••fryk, is ney∣ther monstrous, nor geason, but as common as our breede of Horses: but the Moyle is both fayrer and better stomaked, that is begotten of an Asse, and a Mare. The Stallion that you meane to haue for your race of Moyles, must be as fayre as you can geat, hauing onely this regarde, that he be large of body, bigge necked, broade, and strong ribbed, large, and braw∣••y brested, his thyghes full of synowes, and his legges well knitte, of colour blacke, and spotted: for Asses (though they be commonly dunne) yet that colour agreeth not well with a Moyle: some say, that what colour you would haue your Moyle to be, with that coloured cloke you must couer your Asse. The Asse so proportioned (as I haue declared) that you meane to appoynt for your Stallion, you must strayghtwayes take from his damme, & put him to some Mare that hath a Colt sucking of her: you shall easely deceiue the Mare, by setting her in a darke place, remouing her owne Colt from her, and putting to her in steede therof the Asses Colt, which she wyll nurse as her owne. Afterwards, when the Mare hath been vsed to it a tenne dayes, she wyl continually after y^• time geue it sucke. The Asse being in this order brought vp, wyll better acquaint him selfe with the Mares, sometimes though he be sucked only with his owne damme, being brought vp when he is young amongst Mares, wyl wel yenough keepe company with them (as Colu∣mella sayth:) but our Asses are of themselues desyrous yenough of the Mares, that they neede not to be trayned to the matter: for it is a woonderful Coltishe beast, & vnreasonably weapned. He must not be lesse thē three yeeres olde whē he couereth your Mares, which must be in the spring time, when you may well

feede him with grasse, & good store of Oates, & Barly: neyther must you put him to a young Mare, for if shee haue not been horsed before, she wil so beate her woer, y^• she wil make him like the worse as long as he liueth: for remedy wherof, you must at y^• first put to the Mare a vilder Asse, y^• may woe her before, but not suffered to Horse her, & when you perceaue y^• shee is Horsing, a∣way with y^• raskall, & put to your Stalion. A place fitte for this purpose, y^e countrey people (as Columella saith) were woont to haue, which they called a frame, or a brake, with two rayles on both sides, & a little distance betwene, y^• the Mare can not striue nor turne from y^• Horse: the lower part inclosed, and the Mare standing lowe, so the Asse may the better leape her, hauing the vpper ground for his helpe, which when shee hath conceaued, & at the twelue months end brought forth, the yeere after she must be suffered to run emptie, that she may the better bring vp her Colte. The she Moyle (being a tweluemonth old) must be taken from the dam, & let run vpon mountaynes, or wylde places, for the hardning of his hoofes, & the better enduring of labour, for the Male is y^• better for burden, & the Female the quicker and liuelier: both the kindes doth trauayle wel, & tyll the ground, if the plowman be not vnreasonable, or the grounde so stiffe, as it requireth a drawght of Oxen, or Horse. They wil leaue striking and kicking, if you vse to geue them wine (as Plinie reporteth) who likewyse writeth, that a Moyle wil liue fourescore yeeres.

EVPH.

Since you haue begunne with trauayling beastes, what can you say of the Cammell.

HIP.

* 1.31The Camell is cheefely vsed in y^e East partes, which some suppose to be the seruisablest cattel for man that is, & as it were therevnto only framed: for he is bumbast vpon y^• backe for bearing of burdens. Also, he hath foure knees, where as y^e Horse, the Asse, & such others haue but two: for his hinder legges bowe forward as a mans knees doth, wherwith he kneeleth to receiue his burden. There are two kindes of them, y^• Bactrian, and the Arabian, the Bactrian haue two bunches vpō their backes, and the Arabian but one, & the other on their brest to leane vpō, both sortes of them lacke their teeth aboue, as y^• Bullocke doth: they al serue in those countries for burden, & to carry men in y^• wars:

they are as swyft as Horses, but some a greate deale more then others: neyther wyll they breake their pace, nor carry more bur∣dens then they are vsed to: they beare a naturall hatred to the Horse, and can forbeare drinke for foure dayes: he drinkes when he may, both for that is past, and to come, troubling the water before with his foote, otherwyse he delighteth not in it: he is fed beside his pasture, and such thinges as he gettes in the woodde, with Oates, or Barly, & Salt: he engendreth backward, as the Elephantes, Tygers, Lions, Connies, and such other, whose instrumentes grow backward, when they meane to goe to rutte, they seeke the secretest and desartest places that may be: neyther may a man at any time come neare them, without greate dan∣ger. They goe with young a tweluemonth, and are meete for breede at three yeeres olde, and after a yeere they conceaue a∣gaine: they beare but one at once, as Elephants, and other great beastes doo: they geue milke, tyll they be greate. Againe, (as Aristotle saith) Didymus in his bookes of husbandry writeth, that the Camell hath a regarde to his blood, as the Horse hath, and lieth neyther with mother, nor sister. And the female Camell of Bactria, feeding vpon the mountaynes amongest the wylde Boares, is often times breamed of the Boare, and con∣ceaueth. Of the Boare and the shee Camell, is ingendered the Camell with two iompes vpon the backe, as the Moyle is of the Asse, and the Mare, and in diuers thinges resembleth his sire, as in bristled heares, strength, and not fainting in the myre, but going lustely through, and in carrying double so much as o∣ther Cammelles, as the same aucthour sayth. The females of them are spayde, to serue the better for the warres: they liue (as Aristotle sayth) fyftie yeeres, others say a hundred yeeres, and are subiect to madnesse (as Plinie sayth) there are a kinde of them called Camelleopards, that haue the resemblance of two diuers beastes, the hoofes and hynder legges like an Oxe, his forelegges & his head like the Cammell, the necke like a Horse, being flecked white and redde. Strabo sayth, he is coloured lyke a fallowe Deare, straight necked, and hye, like an Ostryge, his head something higher then a Cammels.

EVPHOR.

I remember I haue seene the like beast for al

the world in a peece of tapestry with blacke Moores, with their wyues and baggage vpon their backes, saue that they had there little hornes vppon their heades, like as some sheepe haue. I thinke Heliodorus in his Aethiopian story, did first describe this beast, but these outlandishe beastes we meddle not muche with.

HIPPO.

Goe to EVPHORBVS, let vs nowe see you discharge your part, according to your promise, and tell vs some part of your cunnyng in keeping your cattell: for next to the Horse in woorthynesse, commeth the Oxe.

EVPHOR.

* 1.32Since it is so appoynted, I am contended to shewe you what I can say touching my poore skill: and fyrst, I may not suffer the Horse to chalenge the cheefe place, when the old wryters and auncient people dyd alwayes geue the garland and cheefe prayse to the Oxe, as to a good plowman & faythfull seruant: for Hesiodus, a most auncient wryter, & the grauest auc∣thour of our profession affyrmeth, that the famely dooth consyst of the husband, the wyfe, and the Oxe. The selfe same by his aucthoritie dooth Aristotle seeme to alleage in his Pollytickes, and in his Economickes, which beast was alwayes of that ho∣nour and estimation, that he was condemned in a great penaltie, who so euer dyd kil him, being a fellow, and cheefe helper in our husbandry. By the worthinesse of this beast, many great things receiued their names of them: for of the number, beauty, and fertilitie of Heyfars, dyd Italy (as they say) fyrst take his name, because Hercules pursued the noble Bull called Italus. This is the cheefe companion of man in his labours, and the trusty seruant of the Goddesse Ceres: in many great thinges for the royaltie of the Oxe, they deriued their names from the Oxe, as in calling also the Grape Bumammam: in fyne, Iupiter him selfe thought good to conuert into this shape his sweete darling Europa. Moreouer, of a rotten Steere are engendred the sweete Bees, the mothers of H••ny, wherefore they were called of the Greekes (as Varro sayth) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The same Varro makes foure degrees in their age: the fyrst of Calues, the seconde two Yeerynges, the third Steeres, the fourth Oxen, the Sexes: in the first, the Bulcalfe, & the Cowecalfe: in the second, the Hey∣far,

and the Steere: in the third and fourth, the Bull, and the Cowe: the barraine Cowe he calleth Tauram, the milch Cow•• Hordam, from whence came the feasts called Hordica festa, be∣cause the milchkine were then sacrifised. The goodnesse of this beast is diuers, according to the diuersitie of the country: the best were counted in the olde time to be of the breede of Alba∣nia, Campania, and Toscam: at this day we take the best kinde to be in Hungary, Burgundy, Frisland, Denmarke, and in Eng∣land. Of Bullockes, some are for y^e drawght, some for the staull, and some for the payle: to what purpose so euer they serue, whe∣ther it be for labour, for milcking, or for feeding, it is best al∣wayes to chose such as are young, of lusty age, rather then those that are olde and barraine, the woordes of couenant in the olde time (as Varro saith) in selling of Bullocks, were these: doo you warrant these Bullockes, or Steeres, that you sell to be sound, of a sound heard, and without fault? The Butchers that bye for slaughter, and such as by for sacryfises, vse no worde of war∣rantise: and though some Bullocks are chosen by their strength, some by the greatnesse of their body, yet the best commonly haue these properties: large, well knit, and sounde lyms, a long, a large, and deepe sided body, blacke horned, though in the colour there be no greate matter, yet some mislike the white for their tendernesse, which when Varro consenteth, who woulde haue them broade forheaded, great eyed and blacke, his eares rough and heary, his chawes to be large and wide, his lippes blackish, his necke well brawned, and thicke, his dewlappes large, hang∣ing downe from his necke to his knees, his showlders broade, his hyde not hard, or stubborne in feeling, his belly deape, his legges wel sette, full of synowes, and straight, rather short then long, the better to sustaine the weight of his body, his knees streight and great, his feete one farre from the other, not broade, nor turning in, but easely spreading, the heare of all his body thicke and short, his tayle long, and bigge heared. Palladius thincketh, the best time for bying of drawght Oxen, to be in March, when being bare, they can not easely hide their faultes, by the fraude of the seller, nor by reason of their weakenesse be to stubborne to be handled. It is best to bye them of your

neighbour, least the change of ayre and soyle hurt them: for the Bullocke that is brought vp nere home, is better then the stran∣ger, because he is neyther troubled with change of ayre, water, nor pasture: yf you can not haue them neare you, bye them from some like country, or rather from a harder, and be well assured that you bye them euen matched, lest in their labour, the strong∣ger spoyle the weaker. Looke besides that they be gentell, skill∣full in their labour, fearfull of the goade, and the driuer, not dreading any water, or bridge: great feeders, but softly, and not ouerhastyly: for such doo best digest their meate. In choosing of Bulle, or Kine, the very like signes are to be required, that the Bull differeth from the Oxe, in that he hath a more frow∣ning and fierce looke, shorter hornes, greater, and thicker neck so bigge, as it seemes the greatest parte of his body, his belly something gaunter, and meeter for Bulling of Kine. The Bull before he be suffered to goe with the Kine, must be well fedde with grasse, chaffe, or hay, and kept seuerally by him selfe, ney∣ther must he goe to the Cowe, till the tenth of Iune. Varro woulde not suffer him before the rising of the Lira: but Aristotle woulde haue him all the reddring time to goe in pasture with the Kine. The Cowe likewyse would be hie of stature, and long bodied, hauing greate vdders, broade forheade, fayre hornes, and smoothe, and all other tokens almost that is required in the Bull, specially to be young: for when they passe twelue yeeres olde, they are not good for breede, but they liue many times farre longer if their pasture be good, & they kept from diseases. The olde Cowe geueth more milke then the young, according to the country peoples prouerbs, olde Kine more milke, young Hennes more egges. Againe, vnder three yeeres olde, you may not suffer them to goe to Bull: yf they chaunce to be with Calfe before, you must put the Calfe from them, and milke them for three dayes after, least their vdders be sore, afterwardes for∣beare milking. Plinie writeth, that at a yeere olde they be fruitefull, but the breede wyll be little, as it happeneth in al too timely ingendringes. You must euery yeere in these beastes (as in all other) sort your stocke, that the olde that be barraine, or vnmeete for breeding, may be put away, solde, or remoued to

the Plowe: for when they be barraine (as Columella sayth) they wyll labour as well as Oxen, by reason they are dryed vp, but we vse commonly to fatte them: their age is knowen by the knottes and circles of their hornes, which Plinie marketh like∣wyse in Goates. The time for going to Bull, some take to be best in the midst of the spring: Palladius would haue it in Iuly, for so in the twelfth moneth she shal Calue, for so long she goeth with Calfe (as the common people say) a Cowe and a Quene haue both one time. In many places they desire to haue their Cowes goe to Bull a thirtie or fourtie dayes after the tenth of Iune, that they may Calue in March, or Aprill: they that would haue muche milke, so order the matter, as their Kine goe to Bull from the spring, to winter, whereby they alwayes milke some: at once bulling she conceaueth, yf the chaunce to fayle, she goeth to Bull againe within twentie dayes after: some say, yf so be the Bull come downe on the left side of y^e Cowe, it wyll be a Cowe Calfe, yf on the right side, a Bull Calfe. The Greekes affirme, that yf you wyll haue a Bull Calfe, you must knitte the right stone of the Bull, and for a Cowe Calfe, the left: Varro saith, that yf you put the Cowe to the Bull immediatly after gelding, she conceaueth: Columella affirmeth fiftene Kine to be yenough for one Bull. I thinke he wyll well yenough serue twentie Kine, yf he be such a Bull as I described: yf you haue good store of pasture, you may let them goe to Bull euery yeere, but you must beware your Kine be not too fatte, for that wyll hinder their being with Calfe. The Cowe should when she is reddring, haue but short pasture, and the Bull his belly full: so shall neyther she be too fat, nor he vnlusty. If the Cowe wyl not take the Bull, you must stampe sea Onyons in water, and rubbe her vnder the tayle with it: yf the Bull be not lusty yenough about his businesse, take y^e peezell of a Stagge, burne it, and make it in pouder, and with a little wine and the pouder, bathe his stones, and his pezell withall, which wyll serue for the like purpose in all other beastes (as Quintillian sayth) his cou∣rage is also stirred vp by the like odours that you speake of for your Horse. A Bul ought not to leape the Cowe aboue twyse in a day as some thinke, but we finde by experience, that he may

oftner. In some places they haue common Bulles, and common Boares to euery towne: a Bull wyll waxe furious at the sight of any redde thing, as the Elephant, and the Lion, whiche can not in no wyse abide the syght of any white thing. A Cowe wyll geue sucke to a straunge Calfe, but let not the Calues lye with them in the night, for feare of ouerlaying them. Some weane them at the first, and suckleth them with Milke, or Whaye, hauing a little Branne in it, or Flowre, wherewith they bring them vp, till they be able to feede. Whether you meane to reare them for breede, labour, or fee∣ding, you must let them want no store of good pasture: for though they be of neuer so great a breede, yet yf their pasture be scantie, they wyll neuer come to their full growth: for pasture makes the beast (as the countrey people say.) Mago, and the olde husbandes, woulde haue you to gelde them whyle they be very young, whiche order we likewyse obserue in cutting of them: and in the Spring, or at the fall of the leafe, when they be three monethes olde, or there about, we vse to gelde the Bull Calues, and spay the Cowe Calues, sowing vp the wounde, and annoyting it with freshe Batter. Columella woulde not haue them cutte, but their stones broken by little and little with an instrument, whiche kinde of gelding he best liketh, because in the little young ones, it is donne with∣out bleeding: for when they be something growen vp, it is bet∣ter to cut them at two yeere olde, then at a yeere olde, which must be donne in the spring, or at the fall of the leafe, the Moone being in the wane: you must tye vp the Calfe to a frame, and before you cut him, you must fasten about the synowes, whereby the stones hang, a coople of smal stickes like a payne of tonges, and taking holde therewith, cut away the stones, so as a little of the vpper parts of them may remayne with y^e foresaid synows: for by this meanes you shal: not haz••rd the beast by ouermuch bleeding, neyther is his stomacke quite taken away, but hath something of the f••••her remayning, and yet looseth his abilitie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rendring. Notwithstanding, yf you suffer him imme••diatly vppon this newe cutting to goe to the Cowe, it is certaine he may geat a Calfe, but let him not so doo, for

feare of bleeding to death. The wounde must be annoynted with the Asshes of Uines, and Lytharge, and he must not be suffered the first day to drinke, but nourished with a little meate: three dayes after he must be d••eted, according to his seeblenes, with greene bowes, and sweete grasse cut for him, and looked to, that he drinke not too much: and yf you wyll, you may an∣noynt the sore for three dayes with Tarre, and a little Asshes, and Oyle, to heale him the sooner, and to keepe the place from flyes. You must vse them whyle they be yet young, to suffer to be handled, and stroked, and tyed vp to the Manger, that when they should come to be broken, they may be handled with more ease, and lesse daunger: but Columella forbiddes you to meddle with the breaking, or labouring of them, before three yeere old, and after fiue: for the one is too soone, the other too late. Those that you haue taken vp wylde, and be well framed, and propor∣cioned, accordyng to my paterne, you shall handle and breake in this sort. Fyrst of all, see that you haue a large roome, where the breaker may easily goe vp and downe, and out at his plea∣sure, without any daunger. Before the stable, you must haue a fayre feelde, that the Steeres may haue libertie yenough, and not be feard, or haltred, with trees, or busshes. In the stable, you must haue certayne stalles, or boordes, yokewyse set vp, a seuen foote from the ground, to which the Steeres may be tyed: this done, choose you a fayre day for the purpose, and taking them vp, bring them into the stable: and yf they be vnreasonable wylde and curst, let them stand tyed a day and a night without any meate, to tame them withall: afterwardes let him that keepes them, offer them a little meate, not sidewayes, or be∣hinde, but before, coyng them all the whyle, and speaking gent∣ly to them, stroking their backes, and their moosels, sprinckling them with a little sweete wine, taking good heede, that they strike him neyther with head, nor with heele: for yf he once get that tricke, he wyll neuer leaue it. Thus being a little ac∣quainted with him, you shall rubbe his mouth with Salt, and let downe into his throte certayne lumpes of salt tallowe, and powring after a quart of good wine, whiche wyll make him in three dayes, as good a fellowe as you woulde wishe him to be.

Some vse to yoke them togeather, & let them drawe some light thing, or plowe in a light plowed ground, that their labour hurt not their neckes. The redyer way of breaking them, is to yoke them with an olde Oxe, that may easely in••truct them: yf he happen to lye downe in the furrowe, doo neyther beate him, nor feare him, but binde his feete togeather, and let him lye, that he may neyther sturre, nor feede: which being well punished with hunger, and thyrst, wyll teache him to leaue that sullen tricke. The feeding of this kind of cattel is diuers, according to the di∣uersitie of Countreys: yf there be store of good pasture in the countrey, there is no foode to that: in countreys where wan∣teth pasture, and specially in Winter, he must be kept in the Stal, and fed with such fodder as the countrey yeeldes. Where there are Tares to be had, it is the best feeding for them: and Hay is very good, Chaffe, and Coolestalkes with Chaffe and Hay, and chopt strawe sodde togeather in water, is very good feeding for Winter. In some places, they feede altogeather with newe threasshed strawe: in many places they geue them Lupines steeped in water, or Chiches, or Peson, mingled with Chaffe: besides, the branches, and leaues of Uines, the greene branches of Elme, Ashe, Poplar, and Holme: in Winter, when other greene bowes fayle, the Figge tree wyll serue, or the brousing of Okes, and Holly. Oxen are soone fatte in good pa∣sture, and with Wheate, Rapes, Apples, and Radishe: Oxen, or Kine, wyll be passing fatte where there wanteth pasture, by geuing them Meale mixt with Wheate, Chaffe, and Rapes, or Graynes. They wyll waxe the sooner fatte, in wasshing them with warme water, or (as Plinie sayth) by cutting their skinnes, and blowing in winde to their bellies with a Reede. Sotion tea∣cheth, that they wyll be fatte, yf when they are taken from pa∣sture, you geue them the fyrst day Colwoortes chopt and stee∣ped in sharpe Uinegar, and afterwardes Chaffe, being well cleaned, and mingled with Wheate branne, for the space of fiue or sixe dayes, feeding them after with good store of fodder: in Winter you must feede them at the first Cockcrowing, and a∣gayne when the day begins to breake: in Sommer first at the breaking of the day, then at noone, and at night: in Sommer

you must water them twyse a day, three houres afore noone, and three houres after: in winter, once aday with warme water, which is also thought to be good for fruitefulnesse: and there∣fore the Lakes that are filled with Rayne water, are good for them. This kind of cattell desireth not cleane, or fayre water, but foule and pudled: yet it were better to geue them fayre wa∣ter. Also, you must prouide them of warme pasturs for the win∣ter, and in sommer, very coole: chiefely Mountaines where they may browse vpon the bushes, and picke vp a good liuing a∣mong the Woods: but in lowe groundes and neare the Riuer, Oxen are sooner fatted, and Kine geue a greater quantitie of Milke. In Sommer, they lye abroade all the nightes in many places: yea, in England you shall haue them fodred abrode all the Winter. Though they be able to abide cold, yet must you prouide them of large stalles, for the succouring of such as be great with Calfe. Your stables, or Oxstals, must stand dry, and be well floored, eyther with stone, grauaile, or sand: the stone will suffer no water to abide vpon it, the other will soone drinke it vp and dry it: both sortes must be layed slope, that the water may runne away, for rotting the groundsels, and marring their houses. Let them open toward the South, so shall they be the dryer, and the warmer: notwithstanding, let your windowes o∣pen North and East, which being shutte in Winter, and open in Sommer, may geue a healthful ayre. In fine, as neare as can be, let the houses be neyther to hotte, nor to colde, and as dry as may be: Columella would haue two Oxhouses, one for the win∣ter, the other for the sommer both vncouered, but well and high walled, for keeping out of wyld beastes. The stalls would be eyght foote wyde, that they may haue roome yenough to lye in, that the Kine great with Calfe hurt not one the other, nor the stronger Oxe wrong the weaker: and that there may be roome for theyr keepers to come about them, and for yoking them. Vitrunius would haue the Oxehouse open towardes the East, and to be neare the fyre: for fyre is naturally beneficiall to cat∣tell, both for the drying vp of the infectiue dampes, and the kee∣ping of the cattel warme. Besides, by seeing of the fire, they are made gentler, and by the heate thereof, what cold they haue ta∣ken in the pastures, is expelled, and diuers inward diseases cu∣red.

The houses must be seuered with diuers roomes, enclosed and racked, the racke must stand no higher then the Oxe may easely reach, and must haue such particions, as one beast begile not the other, whereto they must be well haltred and tyed, for hurting one the other: Cato would haue the particions lettised. Moreouer, it is to no purpose to feede them wel, except you also looke to the keeping of them in health, and sound, and therefore whether they be in house, or abroade, you must alwayes haue a speciall regard vnto them, and to ouerlooke them in the night, specially, yf there be any Kine amongest them with Calfe. And though it be needefull at all times to ouersee them, both mor∣ning and euening, yet most needefull is it of all other times, to see to them in the spring, when you first put them to pasture: for at that time, by reason of their change of diet, both Oxen, Kine, and Hayfarres, are most in danger of sicknesse: in Winter a∣gaine to looke to them, that they be not, for sparing of charges, kept so poore, as they be vtterly spoyled. And therefore you must spare no litter, specially when they come from labour, to rubbe them, and drye them, stroking them with your handes, and raysing the hyde from the fleshe, which wyll do them great good. In comming from worke, or out of the pasture, you must wash their feete wel with water, before you bring them into the house, that the durt and filth cleaning to them, breede no disea∣ses, nor soften their hoofes. Beware of too much cold, or heate, for too much of either, filleth them with diseases. You must take heede they be not chaste, nor chafed vp and downe, specially in hotte weather, for that bringeth them to a Feauer, or causeth them to haue a Flixe. Take heede also, that there come ney∣ther Swyne, nor Poultry neare their stalles, for both of them with theyr dounging poysoneth the beast. The dounging of a sicke Swine doth breede the Pestilence, or Murraine amongest cattell. You must away with all manner of carryons, and bury them wel for infecting your cattell. If so be y^e Murraine chance to come amongst them, you must presently change the ayre, and seuer your cattell farre a sunder in diuers pastures, kee∣ping the sound from the sicke, that they be not infected, not suf∣fering them eyther to feede togeather,* 1.33 or drinke togeather. The Pestilence, or Murraine, is a common name, but there are

diuers kindes of it: in some Murraines, the cattell driuell and runne both at the nose and mouth, in others againe they be dry, and fall away more & more: sometimes it comes in the ioyntes, and causeth them to halt before, or behind, sometime in theyr kidnes, and appeareth by the weakenesse of their hinder parts, wherein they seeme to haue great paine in theyr loynes. An o∣ther kind there is, that ryseth like a Farcine, with Pimples o∣uer all the body, now appearing, and presently vanishing, and comming out in a newe place. An other sort, betwyxt the hyde and the fleshe, wherein the humor sweateth out in diuers parts of the body. Sometime it is like a Leprosie, when al the skinne is full of little pimples, and sometime a kind of madnesse, wherein they neyther heare, nor see so well as they were woont, though they looke fayre and fatte and lusty yenough. Euery one of these kindes, are contagious and infectiue, and therefore as soone as you perceaue them infected, you must presently put them a sunder for infecting the whole stocke, least you impute that to the wrath of GOD (as many fooles doo) which hap∣peneth through your owne beastlynesse, and necligence. The common remedy (as Columella saith) is the rootes of Angellica, and sea Thistell mingled with Fenel seede, and with newe boy∣led Wine, Wheate flowre, and hotte water to be sprinckled vp∣on them. The common people, when they perceane eyther their Horse, or Bullocke sick, or any other cattell els, they vse to take the roote of blacke Ellebor,* 1.34 called of some Consiligo, of others Bearefoote, and for a Bullocke, to thrust it in the Dewlappe, for a Horse, in the brest, for Swyne, or Sheepe, through the eare, making a hole with a bodkin, and thrusting the roote pre∣sently through, which the newe wound holdeth fast that it can not fall out, whereunto all the whole force of the poyson dooth strayghtwayes geather, and runneth out in filthy water. Per∣fumes in this case (as Vegetius teacheth) doo much good, as Brymstone, vnslecked Lime, Garlicke, wyld Mariorum, and Coryander seede, layed vpon the coles, and the Oxen so held, as they may receaue the smoke by theyr mouth and nose, that i•• may fil their braine, and theyr whole body with a healthful ayre. It is good also thus to perfume y^e whole body, both for y^e health of the sicke, and preseruing of the whole. Before I proceede any farther, I wyll set you downe what kind of Spices, and what

quantitie you ought alwayes to haue in a redinesse for your cattel. You must haue one pound of Fenicricke, halfe a pound of Liquerisse, one pound of Graynes, Turmericke, halfe a pound, or a quarterne of Bay berries, one pound of long Pepper, halfe a pound of Treacle of Gean, a pound of Amsseede, half a pound of Comin, half a pound of Madder, Ortment, half a poun. The hearbe, whose roote you must vse (as I said before) groweth in many places in the woods:

[illustration]

it was once brought vnto me by chaunce from Darn∣dal in Sussex, by one Ri∣chard Androwes, a good painful searcher out of such things: the picture wherof, I haue here set before you, for your better knowledge. For beside his present re∣medying of cattell, he ser∣ueth agaynst diuers disea∣ses in man, specially for the Quartane, as the learned Mathiolus hath in his de∣scription of plantes menci∣oned. To returne to my cat∣tell:* 1.35 yf they want their di∣gestion, or chawe not Cud, which diseases is perceiued by often belching, and noyse in the belly, with forbearing of their meate, dulnesse of their eyes, and not licking of them selues. Take a handful of Pelito∣rie of Spaine, as much of Hearbgrase, as much of Fetherfew, Sage, Horehound, and Baysalt, three pintes of very strong newe drinke: seethe them togeather three or foure wallops, and geue it him bludwarme in the mornyng, not suffering him to drinke, till the afternoone: yf you neglect this disease, so that he be pa••ned in the belly, and full of greefe, he wyll grone and neuer stand still in one place. For remedy wherof, you shal bind his tayle close by the Rumpe, as str••yte as may be, and geue hym a quarte of Wine, with a pinte of the purest Oyle:

and after driue him a pace for the space of a myle and a halfe: annoynt your hand with grease, and rake him, afterwardes, make him runne againe: some vse to let him blood in the tayle, within a handfull of the rumpe. There is a disease which they call the Woolfe, others, the Tayle,* 1.36 which is perceaued by the loosenesse or softnesse betwyxt the ioyntes: take the Tayle, and feele betwyxt euery ioynt, and where the ioynt seemeth to be a sunder, or is soft and not close as the other ioyntes, there take and slytte him the longest way vnder the Tayle, about two in∣ches long, and lay in the wound Salt, Soole, and Garlike, and bind it fast with a cloute about it. The Collick, or paine in the belly, is put away in the beholding of Geese in the water, speci∣ally Duckes (as you said before) of Horses: for the sight of the Ducke, as Vegetius and Columella say, is a present remedy to this beast. For the Flix,* 1.37 or the Laske, which in some places they call the Ray, take Sloes and dry them in powder, and geue it them to drinke: yf it be the blooddy Flixe, the old fellowes were wont to cure it in this sort. They suffred not the beast to drinke in three dayes, and kept him fasting the first day, and gaue him the stoanes of Reazins or Grapes, dryed and made in powder two poundes, with a quart of sharpe tarte Wine, and suffered them to drinke no other drinke, and made them eate the brow∣sing of wyld Olyue trees, and Mastyxe trees: and yf they men∣ded not with this, they burnt them in the forehead to the very brayne pan, and cut of theyr eares. The woundes, tyll they were whole,* 1.38 they washed with Oxpisse: but the cut partes were to be healed with Oyle and Pytch. If your Calues haue the Ray or Laske, take sweete Milke, and put therein the Rennet of a Calfe, make it no thicker but as the Calfe may well drinke it, and geue it him luke warme. If your Bullocke haue the Cough,* 1.39 and yf it be but beginning, geue him a pint of Barly∣meal with the yolke of an Egge, the Reazins boyled in sweete Wine and strained, a pint: mingle them togeather and geue it him fasting. Also Graines beaten and mingled with Floure, fryed Beanes, and meale of Lentylls, all stirred togeather, and geuen him in a mash. Columella would haue you geue them Grasse chopt, and mingled with Beanes that are but a little broken in the Myll, and Lentylls small ground, and mingled with water. The old Cough they cured with two pound of Hy∣sope,

steeped in three pintes of water, and mingled with Floure, which they made him to swallowe, and afterwardes powred into him the water wherein Hysope had been sodden, also Peason, with Barly water and sodden Hony, when they had the Cough, and Consumption of the Loonges. To keepe them aliue, they vsed to burne the roote of a Hasell, and to thrust it through their ••ares, geuing them to drinke, a pint of the iuyce of Leekes, with the like measure of Oyle and Wine. For the Cough of the Loonges, I vse to geue them long Pepper, Graines, Fenegreke, Bays, Anysseede, Ortment balles, Tur∣mericke, and Madder, beating them all togeather, and seething them in good Ale grounes. If your Calues haue the Cough, take Sentury, and beate it to powder, and geue it them. If they haue the Feauer,* 1.40 or Ague, you shall perceaue it by the watring of theyr eyes, the heauinesse of their head, the driueling at the mouth, beating of the vaines, and heate of the whole body: let them fast one day, the next day let them blood a little betimes in the morning in the tayle, after an houre geue them a thirtie little stalkes of Colwoortes sodde in Oyle, Water, and Salt, which must be powred fasting into them, fiue dayes togeather. Beside, you may geue them the toppes of Olyue trees, Len∣tylls, or any tender brutinges, or branches of Uines, and wype theyr mouthes with a Spunge, geuing them cold water thrise a day. The blood faling downe into the legges, causeth them (as Vegetius sayth) to halt,* 1.41 which as soone as you perceaue, you must straightwayes looke vpon his hoofes, the heate whereof wyll declare his greefe, beside, he wyl scarse suffer you to touch it. But yf so be the blood be yet aboue the hoofe in the legges, you shall dissolue it with good rubbing, or yf not with that, with Scarif••••ng, or Pouncing the skinne. If it be in the foote, open it a little with a knife betwene the two clawes, and laye to the sore, cloutes dipped in Uineger and Salt, making him a shooe of Broome, and be well ware he come not into any water, but stand dry. This blood, yf it be not let out, wyll breede to matter, which wil be long eare it heale: yf it be opened at the first with a knife, and made cleane, and after cloutes dipped in Water, Salt, and Oyle layd to it, and at the last annoynted with olde Swynes grease, and Goates suet boyled togeather, it wyll quickly be whole. This disease, as I take it, the countrey people

call the Fowle, or the Wyspe, which they sometime cure with drawing a rope of strawe, or heare, through the Cleese, tyll it bleede, or by searing of it with a hotte iron. If the blood be in the lower part of the Hoofe, the vttermost part of the Clee is pared to the quicke, and so the blood let out, and after, the foote wrapped with clowtes and shooed with Brome, you must open the Hoofe in the middest, except the matter be ripe. If he halte by reason of the Crampe, or payne of the sinowes, you shal rub his knees, thighes, and legges, with Salt and Oyle, till he be whole. If his knees, or ioyntes be swolen, they must be bathed with warme Uineger and Linseede, or Mylet beaten and layd to it, with water and Hony. Also Spunges wette in hotte wa∣ter, and dryed againe, and annoynted with Hony, are very good to be layd to the knees: yf vnder the swelling there be any hu∣mor, Leauen, or Barly meale sodde in water and Hony, or sweete Wine, must be layd to it: and when it is ripe, it must be opened with a knife, and healed as before. All greefes general∣ly, yf they be not broken, must be dissolued whylst they are new, with bathes and fomentations: and yf they be old, they must be burned, and the burning annoynted with Butter, or Goates suet. If he haue hurt his heele, or his Hoofe, stone Pitch, Brim∣stone, and greasie Wooll, must be burnt vpon the sore with a hot iron. The like must be done when he is hurt with a Stub, a Thorne, or a Nayle, being first plucked out, or yf it be very deepe, it must be opened wyde with a knife, and so handled: for ki••ed heeles, take and cast him, and bind his legges fast togea∣ther, then take your knife, and cut it out as nie as you can, and let him bleede well: then take a peniworth of Uerdegrease, and the yolke of an Egge, and temper them well togeather, and bind them close to the place, and he shall heale. If the Udder of your Kine do swell, you shall bathe them with Iuie sodden in stale Beere, or Ale, and smoke them with Hony Coames, and Camomell. If the Bullockes feete be neare worne, and surba∣ted, washe them in Oxe pysse warmed, and kindling a fewe twygges or spraps, when y^e flame is doone, cause him to stand vpon the hotte imbers, and annoynt his hornes with Tarre, and Oyle, or Hogges grease. They wyll neuer lightly halt, yf after they haue ben laboured, their feete be washed wel with cold wa∣ter, and afterwards their Pastorns, and the places betwene the

Clees be rubbed with old Swynes grease. The skabs or man∣ginesse,* 1.42 is gotten away with rubbing them with stamped Gar∣licke, which also cureth the biting of a madde Dogge: besides, Peniriall and Brimstone, beaten and boyled with Oyle, Uine∣ger, and water, and after whilst it is warme, a little Alom made in powder and cast into it, doth cure the skabbe, being annoyn∣ted in the sunshine. Other vse to annoynt them with Butter and Bullockes pisse: and some againe take Rozen, Tarre, & Wine, and vse it as a Pultesse. Hydebound, is when the skin so stickes to his backe, that you can not take it vp from the ribbes, which happeneth by suffering him to take cold after his swette,* 1.43 or yf after his labour he be wette with rayne, or brought lowe with sicknesse: which, because it is very dangerous, you must looke, that when they come from their labour, and are hot, you sprin∣kle them with Wine, and geue them some peeces of fatte or su∣et. But yf they be alredy Hydebound, it is good you seeth some Bay leaues, and with the warme decoction thereof, to bath his backe, and to rubbe him all ouer with Wine and Oyle ming∣led togeather, and to lyft and plucke vp the skinne round about, and that abroade, while y^e sunne shineth. If his bleeding stench not after the cutting of the vaine, the remedy is to lay his owne doung to the place. A common medecine for all diseases, as Ve∣getius reporteth is this: the roote of a sea Onion, the roote of the Popler, and the common Salte, of eache a sufficient quanti∣tie, lay them in water, and geue it your cattell to drinke tyl they be whole: which also being geuen in the beginning of the spring, for the space of fourteene dayes, preserueth them from all sick∣nesse. Nowe that you haue heard in what sort the old husbands did remedy the diseases in their cattell, I shall breefely declare vnto you the remedies that are obserued in sundry diseases at this day, wherof I haue chopt in some amongst the medecines before. First for y^e Murraine:* 1.44 it beginneth at the first in y^e throte, and swelleth in the head, and rotleth with much noyse in the throte, whereby it is perceaued: take a quart of newe Milke, half a peniworth of Butter, a peniworth of Garlicke, two peni∣worth of English Saffron, two peniworth of Cinamon, two peniworth of Turmericke, a quantitie of Hearbegrace, a quan∣titie of Bittony, mingle them altogether, & geue it him warme:

then take an Alle, and thrust the top of his nose vpwarde, take but the very top to thrust through, and not to the headwarde, then let him blood in the necke almost a pottell, yf he be able: saue the blood and let it stand, yf it change, he may liue, yf not, he dieth. An other for y^e same. Where he swelleth about y^e iawes and vp to the eares, open him vnder the iawes to the roote of the tongue, & get in your finger, and open it a good wydenesse, then take a good peece of ru••tie Bacon, & a handfull of Ragge∣wort, stampe them well togeather, and fyll the hole full with it: then let him blood at the nose, and the tongue. A drinke for the same. Take Tansie, Hearbegrace, Longwort, Hisope, Time, of eache a like quantitie, halfe a handfull, stampe them, and take a quarte of good Alegroundes, and seethe them a wallope, or two: take and straine it, and put the licour into a vessell, put therunto a peniworth of Graines,* 1.45 a peniworth of long Pepper, a peni∣worth of Ortment, & a peniworth of Fenegreke geue it the beast luke warme. The sicknesse of the Loonges is perceiued, yf the Dewlappe be hard closed togeather very farre vp: also in hard feeling the Hyde vpon the backe, it cracketh or snappeth much: also a short husking, and thrusting out the tongue withall: yf it be much perished on the left side, he is vncurable, whiche you shall perceiue by the Hyde, which wyll sticke fast on that side, and likewyse the Dewlappe, yf he be farre gone, he wyll grone much. The remedie for this disease, is to take long Pepper a peniworth, round Pepper asmuch, of Graines two peniworth, of Turmericke two peniworth, of Fenegreke two peniworth, of Mace asmuch, Cloues a peniworth, of Anisseedes a peni∣worth, of Madder two peniworth, of Tryacle of Geane, the vtter rine of Wallnuts dryed, and made in pouder, Iuniper berries poudred, Oxe Loongworth, Fetherfewe, Hearbgrace, Tansie, Horse Mintes, Bay berries poudred, a peniworth of Garlicke, a quarte of Chamberly, a pinte of Salte, a quantitie of Butter: Setter him before, or immediatly after this medcine geuen.* 1.46 The order of Settring a Bullocke is this, take Setter∣wort, otherwyse called Bearfoote, and Garlicke like quantitie, peele and stampe the Garlicke, & pare the Setterwort cleane, and wrappe them wll in Butter, then cut the Dewlappe two

inches behinde the sticking place, to the brestwarde, and cut it alongstwyse about two or three inches, and pull the Dewlappe with thy finger, or with a sticke, rounde about one side from the other, as much as you can possible. Then put the Setterwort, Garlike, and Butter, as much as thou canst well put in, and thus doo on both sides the Dewlappe, then rowle him so that the string may goe through both holes on both sides the Dewlappe, alwayes remembring to cut the Dewlappe a hand∣broade, or aboue the bottome, and in any wyse to rent him to the bottome, before you put in the medecine. The third day after the Settring looke to them, open the wounde, and let out the corrupcion (yf it be come downe) if not, put in more of the medi∣cine, and turne the rowle: and yf it be much swolen and hard, and wyll not rotte, take a hotte iron, and take vp parte of the soare, the skim••••, and the fleshe, in such place as thou seest most conuenient, so as it come not to the bone, and thrust the iron through on the one side, and on the other, or once right vnder, yf the swelling be right beneath, and tarre him well yf the flyes be busie. Which flyes yf they chaunce to get into the soare, take a cloth or towell, and lappe it about a sticke, and put it into skalding hotte Tarre, and so among the Maggottes, searching euery corner wel. After you haue pearsed him with the hot iron, remember to take a little sticke, and Towe, and dipping it in Sallet Oyle, or Wooll Oyle, to rubbe the hole where the iron passed. The sicknesse of the Gall,* 1.47 is knowen by the running eyes, yf he haue much yellowe earewaxe, it is also discerned by the browne yellowes vnder the vpper lippe: the cure is this. Take Chamberly, good Ale groundes, or Beere groundes, hard Soote in pouder, Gallwort, beastes Loongwort, Planten leaues, Hearbgrace, Hempleede, or Hemp toppes, Garlicke stamped, a peniworth of Aqua vite, for a great Bullocke, take almost a quarte of this medecine, for a small Bullocke, lesse: when he hath drunke, take Salt, Lome of the wall, and leaue∣ned bread, and rubbe well his tongue, and all the roofe of his mouth: then washe his backe, and chafe it wel with Chamber∣lye lukewarme: geather all these hearbes in Sommer, and keepe them, and make them in pouder. This medecine serueth

likewyse for the Loonges. If a Bullocke be diseased in the Ly∣uer,* 1.48 he complayneth fyrst in the legges, whiche wyl so greeue him, that he shal not be well able to stand, though he be in good liking: the remedy is this. Take a quart of good Ale (yf it may be gotten) yf not, take Beere put therein Lyuerwort, a good handfull, Woormewood as much, a peniworth of Garlicke, halfe a peniworth of Madder, a peniworth of round Pepper, as much long Pepper, a peniworth of Cloues and Mace, a peni∣worth of Tryacle, mingle them togeather, the hearbes being poudred,* 1.49 and geue the beast a drinke lukewarme. The signes of the Blaine, are these: swelling about the face, and the eye, and somewhat in the body: yf it be in the body, it swelleth muche there, the only remedy is. Take and searche him in the mouth, yf you perceiue blisters vnder the rootes of his tongue, or other place there abouts, then cut them to the bottome, and let them out, and rubbe the place with Salt: searche him also for the bo∣dy at the fundament, by the arme or hand of some young strip∣ling: and when his arme is in as farre as he can, let him turne his hand vpward, and feele for the blaines, or blisters, & breake them with his nayles, pulling them quite out: see that he an∣noynt his hand well with Grease, or Sope. There is a disease called the Sprenges,* 1.50 wherein he wyl smite his head backward to his belly, and stampe with his legges: you must put your hand into his fundament, as farre as you can pul out the doung, then shall you finde blood, pull the blood quite out, and take a good handful of Bay sal••, and put it in at twyse, as farre as you can: yf he haue this disease, he wyl swel in the body, and couete much to doung. If he haue the Staggers,* 1.51 he wyl looke very red about the eyes, & cast his head backward: take the fourth part of an ounce of Pepper, broose it, and take halfe a pint of sharpe Uineger warmed blood warme, and powre it into his Nose∣thrils, and hold his head well vpward, and let him blood at the Nose. If your Bullocke turne round, and haue the Dasye,* 1.52 you shal take him by the head, and feele vpon his forehead, and you shall feele it with your thumbe: cut the skinne crossewyse right in the place, and wype away the blood as it dooth encrease with a cloute, and bind a cloth ouer his head, and keepe it warme.

If your Oxen pisse blood,* 1.53 keepe them foure & twentie houres from water, & then geue to euery one a little dyshefull of rennet curdes in a quarte of milke, let them not drinke in foure houres after. There somtime runneth a blood vpon the backe of a Bul∣locke, which wyll make him drawe his legges after him, & goe as yf he were swayde in the Chyne: cut of a ioynt, or two of his tayle, and let him bleede: yf he bleede too much, knit his tayle, or feare it. If he haue the Panteys,* 1.54 he wyll pant much, and shake in the Flanke, & sometime shake downe: geue him a little Ren∣net with Soo••e and Chamberly. If he swell of the Taint,* 1.55 or S••ingworme geue him Urine, Salt, & Tryacle to drinke: yf he be Hydebound,* 1.56 ••••ampe the leaues of Floredelise, straine them, and geue the beast to drinke: yf he chaunce to haue a stroke in the eye, take the iuyce of Smallege, Fenel, and the white of an Egge. The Gargyse,* 1.57 is a swelling beside the eye vppon the bone, l••ke a botch, or a byle: yf your Bullocke haue it, cut of rounde about it peeces of skinne as broade, then cut also rounde about those pecces, one narrowe lap of the skinne, which wyll keepe the disease from his lippes, for yf it come to his lippes, it is vncurable. Then take Chamberly, and Salte, and seeth them togeather, and washe the places where the skinne is cut of, and washe it therewith euening and morning, tyll the swelling be gone, skraping of the skabbes, and other filth at euery dressing to the quicke, tyll the swelling be gone, not sparing it, so long as it watreth, and runneth: when the swelling is cleane gone, take Nerualle and Hony, boyled togeather blood warme, and annoynt al the sayde places, which wyl both heale it, and cause the heare to come againe. We haue certaine medicines besides, that we vse generally for all diseases,* 1.58 as this, which is very so∣ueraine: take a handfull of beastes Loongwort, a handfull of o∣ther Loongwort that serueth for the pot, a handfull of inwarde ryne of Elder, a handfull of Rewe, choppe them small, and put them into a pottell of good Ale, let them seethe tyll they be soft, then styrre them, and put into the licour a peniworth of long Pepper, a peniworth of Graines, a peniworth of Liqueryse, a peniworth or Anisseede, a halfe peniworth of Comen, a peni∣worth of Turmericke, all well beaten, and put into the licour,

with a quarter of a pound of Madder: and whylst all these doo seeth, take a greate bowledishe, and put therein a handfull of Bay salt, halfe a handfull of Garlicke, foure new layd Egges, shelles and all, two balles of Ortment, grinde all these thinges with a Pestell in the bowle: then take the licour aforesayde from the fyre, tyll it be halfe colde, and put the warme licour in∣to the bowle, with the Garlicke, Salt, Egges, and Ortment, brewe it well togeather, and geue the beast to drinke blood warme, or a little more. An other of the same sorte is this, two peniworth of Comen, a peniworth of Graines, two peniworth of Anisseedes, a peniworth of Bay berries, a peniworth of Fe∣necrycke, a peniworth of Turmericke, one ball of Ortment, a peniworth of Tryacle, or rather for the Loonges, three or foure spoonefulles of Madder, beate them all to geather, and put them in three quartes of drinke, set them on the fyre, tyll they be blood warme, geue the beast no drinke in y^e morning before, nor tyll noone after in the Sommer, and in the Winter tyll night: or yf you wyll, you may geue them this medecine folo∣wing: take Flint soote, that is hard dryed vpon a post or roofe, and beate it into powder with Salt, then take running water, and seethe it, ranke Iuie, with the Soote and Salt, and when the Iuie is soft, take and wring out the iuyce, and straine all to∣geather through a lynnen cloth, & geue it your cattell to drinke blood warme, in the spring, and at the fall of the leafe. Bubale called of the common people Buffes,* 1.59 of Plinie Bisonte, are common in Itally, beyonde the Apenin: a wylde and sauage beast, that for their fearsenesse, are handled with ringes of iron in their noses, of colour blacke, their bodyes large, and mighty, their legges well set, and knit very strong, and in respect of their body short, their hornes large cranyed, and blacke, their heare small and short, their tayles littel, they are in those partes vsed for carriage, drawght, and like vses, as the Oxe. Of the milke of this beast are made Cheese, that about Rome, and other places are greatly esteemed: Columella countes them to be strong meate, and heauie of digestion. Loe here is all that for my share I haue to say, touching my cattell: nowe HEDIO holde you the candell an other whyle.

HEDIO.

Next vnto the greater sort of cattell, the cheefest place is to be assigned to Sheepe: yea yf you consider the great commoditie and profite, they are to be prefered before them: for as Oxen serue for the tylling of ground,* 1.60 & necessary vse of men, so is to this poore beast ascribed y^e safegard of the body, for the Sheepe dooth both with his fleese apparayle vs, & with his milke, & holesome fleshe, nourish vs (as the Poet witnesseth.)

Poore beast that for defence of man, at fyrst created wast, And in thy swelling vdder bearst, the iuyce of deynty tast: That with thy fleese kepst of the cold, that should our limbs assaile And rather with thy life, then with thy death, dost vs auaile.

Of Sheepe there are sundry breedes. The ritch & the champi∣on countrey, breedeth a large, and a great Sheepe: the barraine and the clyffy, a resonable stature: the wylde and the mountaine grounde, a small and a weerysh Sheepe. The olde husbandes, did greatly commend the breede of Milet, Appulia, and Cala∣bria, and most of all the breede of ••aranto, next of Parma, and Modena. At this day for the finenesse of their fleese, are most in price the Sheepe of England, of Germanie about the Rhine, and of France. Varro councelleth all such as would bye Ewes, to haue their cheefe consideration of their age, that they be ney∣ther to old nor to young, the one of them not yet come to it, the other already past proffite: but better is that age, wherof there is some hope, then where there followeth nothing but a dead carcasse. Your best is therfore to bye them at two yeeres olde, and not to meddle with such as are past three: their age is to be knowen by their teeth,* 1.61 for the teeth of the olde ones are worne away: next must you looke, that your Ewe haue a large body, deepe woolled, and thicke ouer all the body, specially about the necke, and the head, and good store vppon the belly: for such as were bare necked and bellied, the olde husbandes alwayes refu∣sed. The necke must be long, the belly large, the legges short, though y^e Sheepe of England be long legged, the tayle in some countrey short, in others very long: for in Arabia some haue tayles a cubite long, but woonderfull broade: others, (as both Herodotus, & Aelianus affirme) three cubites long, so that the shepheardes are forced to tye them vp, for being hurt with

trayling vpon the ground. In Egypt, a Rammes tayle hath ben found to waye twentie pound, & more. The Ramme must haue his hornes great, wyneding inward, and bending to the face, though in some place they haue no hornes at all,* 1.62 & yet not better Rammes: the hornes must rather crookle inward, then growe straight vp. In some countrys, that are wet, & stormie, Goates and Rammes are to be chosen, that haue the greatest & largest hornes, whereby they may defend their heads from storme and tempest: and therfore in colde & stormie countreys, the horned Rammes are best: in milde & gentle climets, the pold. Beside, there is this inconuenience, when he knowes him selfe to be ar∣med, he wil alwayes be fighting, and vnruly among his Ewes: and though he be not able to serue the turne him self, yet wyll he suffer no other Ramme in the flocke, tyll he be euen cloyed, & lamed with lechery. The Pollarde on the otherside, finding him selfe vnarmed, is milder and quieter by much: wherefore the Shepheards, to restraine the rage of the vnruely, do vse to hang before his hornes, a little boorde with sharpe prickes inwarde, which keepes him from his madnesse, whyle he perceiueth him selfe to be hurt with his owne blood: others say, that yf you pearce his hornes with a Wymble next to the eares where they winde inwarde, he wyll leaue his brauling. In some places also the Ewes are horned: but to the Ramme his eyes must be browne, his eares great, his brest, shoulder, & buttockes broade, his stones great, his tayle broade, and long: you must looke be∣side, that his tongue be not blacke, nor pecled, for comonly such wyll geat blacke & pied Lambes, as Virgil noteth.

And though the Ramme in sight be white as snowe, If black within his lawes his tongue be wrought: Refuse him quite, least yf he leape thy Yow••. He doo infect thy folde with colour nought.

Bye not your Sheepe but washed & vnshorne, that the colour may plainlier appeare: the white colour, as it is y^e beautifullest, so is it y^e profitablest. In March is your best bying of Sheepe:* 1.63 for shepheardes lyke suche as haue well worne out the winter. Whosoeuer wyl be a sheepemaister, must regarde the abilitie of his ground: for it is not yenough to haue pasture in sommer,

But they must be well prouided for in winter: in any wyse, you must haue store of pasture, and better it is, and more proffitable to the Master, to keepe a fewe Sheepe well, then a great num∣ber with scarsitie of pasture. Florentinus is of that fancie, that he woulde your number should rather be odde then euen, think∣ing that number more fortunate, for the healthynesse, and long continuance of the cattell: but these are superstitious toyes, as are a great number of others imagined by the faithlesse. Be sure euery yeere once, to make your muster, and supply the pla∣ces of such as are dead, or sicke, with a newe and a sounde num∣ber, so that the Master be not deceiued with an olde vnproffita∣ble flocke. The hardnesse and crueltie of the colde Winter, dooth oftentimes beguile the shepheard, and destroyeth many of his flocke: whereof (presuming of their strengh in the ende of the Sommer) he had made no supply, and therfore Columella is of oppinion, that the age for breede ought not to be lesse then three yeere, nor aboue eyght, both because that neyther of the ages is meete to be kept: and also that whatsoeuer commeth of an olde stocke, hath lightly a smack of his olde parentes imper∣fection, and proueth eyther to be barraine, or weake. The selfe same Columella woulde haue y^e Ewes to be put to the Ramme, after they had passed two yeere olde, & the Ramme to be of fiue yeere olde, and after seuen, to decay. In many places at this day, they suffer both the kindes to breede, from two yeere olde, tyll niene: but before two yeeres, it is not good to put ey∣ther the Ramme, or y^e Ewe to breede, although in most places they suffer the Ewes at a yeere old. The Ramme is put by his purpose, by the Wyckers, or Bulryshes, tyed to the Ewes tayle, but more commodiously, by going in seuerall pastures: howbeit, they are not commonly seuered, but sufferd to goe to∣geather. The Rammes that you would haue to serue your Ewes, must afore the blossoming, be kept in good pasture. for two monethes, whereby they may the better be able to doo their businesse: but in our countrey, we commonly suffer them to feede togeather. To encrease their lust, you shall geue them in their pasture, the blades of Onyons, or Knotte grasse: they rather couette the olde Ewes, then the young, because

they be easiyer to be intreated, and the Rammes them selues in age be the better. By knitting of the right stone, you shall haue Ewe Lambes, and of the leaft, Ramme Lambes: also their blossoming in y^e Northwind, ge••tteth Ramme Lambes, and in a Southwind, Ewe Lambes. One Ramme (as Dydimus affirmeth) suffiseth for fiftie Ewes: when they haue all concea∣ued, the Rammes must againe be banished, for dangering and harming the Ewes. During the time of their blossoming, they are to be watered in one place (as both Varro, & Plinie affirme) because the change of water both discoloureth the wooll, & dan∣gereth the Lambe. The pollicie of Iacob the Patry••rche, in procuring of partie coloured Lambes, is wel yenough knowen. The best time for blossoming, is from the setting of the Bear∣warde, to the setting of the Egle: (as Varro and Columella haue written) which is (as Plinie interprettes it) from the third Ides of May, tyll the thirteene Kalendes of August, other thinke it good all the yeere long, many prefer the Winter Lambe before those that fall in the spring, as a creature that of all others, best brooketh his Winter byrth. The thunder, yf the Ewes goe a∣lone, makes them cast their Lambes, and therefore it is good to let them goe with company, for auoyding that perrill: they goe with Lambe .150. dayes, or fiue monethes: such as are after∣warde dammed, are feeble and weake, and such were of the old wrighters called Cordi: for the most part they bring but one Lambe a peece, yet oftentimes two, and yf they be well fedde, sixe at a time. It hath been seene in Gelderland, that fiue Ewes haue had in one yeere, fiue and twenty Lambes: it may seeme paraduenture to many vncredible, & yet not greate marueyle, since they haue twyse a yere most times two, and sometime sixe at a time. The shepheard must be as careful as a midwyfe in the yeaning time, for this poore creature (though she be but a Sheepe) is as much tormented in her deliuery, as a shrew, and is oftentimes the more dangerously vexed, and payned in her lobour, in that she is altogeather without reason: and therfore it behoueth the shepheard to be skilfull in medcening of his cat∣tell, and so cunning a midwyfe withall, as yf neede require, he may helpe his Ewe, what danger soeuer happen. The Lambe

as soone as he is fallen, must be set on foote, and put to the dammes vdder, and oftentimes his mouth held open, the milke must be milked in, that he may learne to sucke: but before you doo this, you must be sure to milke out the fyrst milke called Colostra, whereof I wyll speake hereafter: for this, except some quantitie be drawen out, doth hurt y^e Lambe: if the damme dye, you must suckle it with a horne: yf the Lambe wyll not of him selfe sucke, he must be put to it, and his lippes noynted with sweete Butter, and Swynes grease, and seasoned a little with sweete milke. As soone as they are lambed, they must be shutte vp togeather with their dammes, whereby both y^e damme may cheerishe them, and they learne to know their dammes. After∣warde, when they begin to waxe wanton, they must be seuered with Hardelles: or (as Varro wryteth) after tenne dayes they must be tyed to little stakes with some gentle stay, for hurting of their ioyntes, and waxing leane with to much play. The wea∣ker must be seuered from the stronger, for hurting of them. And in the morning betimes, before the ••locke goe to pasture, and in the euening when they be full, the Lambes must be put to their dammes: and when they waxe strong, they must be fedde in the house, with Clouer, and sweete grasse, or else with Branne, and Flowre. And when they haue gotten greatter strength, they must be let out wit•• their dammes about noone, in some sunny and warme close neare adioyning. In the meane time, you must not deale with milking of the Ewes, so shall you haue them to beare the more wooll, and bring the more Lambes. When the Lambes are taken from the dammes, good heede mu••t be had, that they pine not away: and therefore they must be well cherished in thei•• weaning time with good pasture, and well 〈◊〉〈◊〉, both from cold, and extreame heate. Now after that t••ey haue forgotten the vdder, that they care not for their dams, then shall you let them feed•• with the flocke: howbeit in most ••••••ces the Lambes are su••••ered to feede in the flocke togeather with t••eir dammes, & to sucke tyl haruest time, tyl the dammes them selues doo weane them. Varro woulde haue you not to g••ld your Lambes vnder fiue monethes old, & that in a season ney∣ther too hot, nor too colde: but experience teacheth vs, that the

best gelding is vnder the damme when they be youngest: for in the older (as in al other beastes) it is dangerous. Those that you wil keepe for Rammes, you must take from such Ewes as vse to haue two at one time. The best pasture for Sheepe, is the grasse that is turned vp with the Plowe, and groweth vppon f••llowes: the next is that, that groweth in drye Meddowes: the marshy grounde is to be refused, and that whiche groweth neare vnto Lakes, and Fennes: the playne and the champi∣on Feeldes and Downes, are best for the delicatest and so∣nest woolled Sheepe. To be short, the shorter and fyner the grasse is, the meeter is it for Sheepe: and yet is there no pasture so good, or so fine, but with continuall vse, your Sheepe wyll be weery of, except y^e shepheard remedy th••s fault with geuing of them Salt, which (as a sauce to their foode) ••e must sette redy in Sommer when they come from pa••ture, in little Troughes of wood, by licking whereof they ge••t them an appetite both to their meate, and their drinke. For where as Sheepe waxe soonest fat with watring (as Aristotle affirmeth) you must in sommer euery fifth day let them haue Salt, a pecke to euery hundred: so shall your Sheepe be alwayes healthy, waxe fatte, and yeelde you plentie of milke. Moreouer, agaynst the winter rotte, or hunger rotte, you must prouide to feede them at home in Cratches. They are best fedde in the warmer countreys, with the leaues and bro••singes of Elme, and Ashe, and the Haye that is made after haruest in the end of sommer, because it is softest, & therefore sweeter then the other. With what heede and carefulnesse this cattell is to be sed, Virgil de∣clares, who wyls a regard to be had of the times, both of theyr watring, and feeding.

When Sommer fayre with Westerne windes dooth call, Your lusty flockes, to woods and pasture send Betimes, when day doth spring and ouer all, The gladsome grasse the hoary deaw doth bend. From thence when as the fourth houre of the day, With lofty Sunne dooth make them dry to bee, To welles or waters deepe goe take the way, And make them drinke in Troughes of Oken tree.

But in the noone time, and the heate of the day, you must driue them to the vallyes, and shades (as he sayth) a little after.

Wheresoeuer of loue the ancient Oken tree, His broade and mightie branches spreades, or where: In sacred Groues of Holmes the shadowes bee.

After, when the heate is past, you must driue them agayne to the water, and so bring them agayne to feelde.

When Sunne is sette, and euenyng Starre appeeres, That cooles the ayre, and deawy Moone she cheeres.

Varro affirmeth, that they deuided their pasturing times in Puglia, after this maner. First they put them out to pasture be∣times in the morning, when as the deawy grasse doth farre ex∣ceede in pleasantnesse, and sweetenesse: the grasse that being burnt with the heate of the Sunne, is ouer dry. About noone a∣gaine, tyl it waxe cooler, they are to be driuen vnder some colde or watry Rockes, and broade shadowed trees, and towarde the euenyng be suffered to feede tyll sunne set, alwayes hauing re∣gard, that in their driuing, their heads be from the sunne: for no beast is so tender headed. Within a little after the settyng of the sunne, they must be driuen to water, and after, suffered to feede agayne, tyll it be darke: for then is the pasture sweetest. This order is to be obserued from y^e rysing of the seuen starres, and the lesser Dogge, tyl the latter Aequinoctial. The like dooth Columella, and Plinie teache, that after the rysing of the Dogge, the flocke must afore noone be driuen Westwarde, and feede with their face toward the West, and after noone they must be brought agayne Eastward. The feeldes whence the Corne is newely had of, is good to past••re them for two causes, both for that they are well fedde with the leauinges of the sheaues, and that with the trampling of the strawe, and dounging, they make the ground richer against the next sowing: but our coun∣trey men doo not well like, that Sheepe should feede vppon the eares of Wheate. The p••sturing of them in the other seasons, as winter, and the spring, differs in this poynt, that they put them not abroade, tyll the sunne haue drawen vp the deawe, and hurtf••ll vapours of the grounde, and so feede them all the day long, thinking it sufficient to let them drinke at noone: but our

husbandes vse not to suffer their Sheepe to feede abroade in the sommer time, neyther before the sunne rysyng, nor after the settyng, by reason of the deawe being more hurtful in sommer, then in winter. In winter, and the spring time, they keepe them in the folde, tyll suche time as the sunne haue drawen vp the rymes and hoare frostes from the feeldes: for the frosty grasse at this time of yeere, doo stoppe their heades with rhume, and fylles their bellyes full of water: and therefore in the colde and wette seasons of the yeere, it is yenough to let them drinke once a day. Moreouer the shepheard, as also the keeper of all cattel, must deale gently, and louingly with their flocke, and comfor∣ting, and cheering them with synging, and whystling: for the Arabians (as Alianus wryteth) doo fynde, that this kind of cat∣tell taketh great delight in musicke, and that it dooeth them as much good, as their pasture. Beside, they must be well ware in the driuing of them, and rulyng of them, that they guide them with theyr voyce, and shaking of theyr staffe, not hurting, nor hurlyng any thing at them, nor that they be any time farre of from them, and that they neyther lye•• nor sitte: for yf they goe not forwarde, they must stand: for it is the shepheards office to stand alwayes as hie as he can, that he may plaine and easely discerne, that neyther the slowe, nor the great bellyed in lanyng tyme, nor the quicke, nor the liuely, whyle they roame, be seuered from theyr felowes: and least some theefe, or wylde beast, beg••ile the ne••ligent shepheard of his cattell. Of theyr pasturing, I thinke I haue spoken sufficiently, and therfore I meane nowe to shewe you of their houses, or sheepecots,* 1.64 where∣of there ought to be a special regard, that they be conueniently placed, not subiect to windes, nor stormes, and that they rather stand toward the East, then toward y^e South. Columella would haue them built lowe, and rather long, then b••ode, that they may be warme in the winter, and that the straightnesse of the roome hurt no•• the young. And beside, he would haue them stand to∣ward the South: for this beast (though his garmentes be warme) can not away with colde weather, ney••her ye•• with the gre••t heate of the sommer. I haue seene some sheepe houses so framed, as they haue had theyr gates toward the South, and

towarde the East, that they might aunswere to the seasons of the yeere. Columella woulde haue the house sette towarde the South, and on the Backside a close Posterne, where they may safely take the ayre. You must looke besides, that where they stande, the grounde be made fayre and euen, some thing hanging, that it may be cleane kept, and that the vrine may be well voyded away: for the wettenesse hereof doth not onely hurt, and corrupt their feete, but also spoyleth their coates, and maketh them rowfe, and ilfauoured. Let there therefore be no moysture, but alwayes well strawed with dry Fearne, or strawe, that the Ewes that be with young, may lye the softer, and cleaner. Let their beddes be very cleane, for the cleaner they lye, the better they feede: let them in any wyse be well sedde: for a small number (as I sayd before) well fed, yeeld more profite to their Maister, then a great flocke barely kept. You must also haue seuerall partisions to keepe the weaker and the sicke, from the strong and vnruly. And thus much of housed Sheepe, that are euery day brought home, but in some places they are kept a••••o••de, far from eyther towne, or house. In Forestes, & vpon 〈◊〉〈◊〉 feeldes and downes, in these places the shepheard carri••th with him his Hard••lles, and his Nettes, and other necessaries, to solde his flocke withall. In the desarte feeldes, when as the winter pastures, and the sommer pastures, are distant certaine miles asunder (as Varro sayth) he woulde haue the flockes that haue wintred in Apu••ia, to be kept in som∣mer vppon the mountaines of ••••e••e, and Virgil thus writeth of the shepheardes of Ly••ia.

What shoulde I here of Lybian shepheardes tell, Or of their pastures wryt, and dwellinges poore: That night and day on downes, and desartes dwell, Where wanders styll the flocke without the doore. And on the ground dooth lye the shepheard heare, Whyle he remoues with him continually: His house, and all his houshold goods dooth beare, His staffe, his dogge, and all his armory.

The like haue I my selfe seene in Swycherland, and other places of Germany, where the shephearde, lying styll abrode with his flocke, foldes his Sheepe in the night with Hardels, tying their dogges about them for watchmen: the shephearde him selfe in a little house vppon wheeles, sleepes hard by his charge. The Sheepe of Greece, Asia, an Toranto, and those which they call couered Sheepe, are commonly vsed to be kept in houses, rather then abroade, for the excellencie and sinesse of their wooll.

EVPHOR.

What times doo you appoynt for the shea∣ring of your Sheepe?

HEDIO.

The times of shearing,* 1.65 are not in all places one, but varry, according to the disposition of the ayre, the cattell, and the countrey: the best way is to haue good regarde to the weather, as the Sheepe be not hurt by shearing in the colde, nor harmed by forbearing in the heate. In some places they haue two seasons in the yeere for shearing of their Sheepe: the fyrst season for their shearing, is eyther with the beginning of May, or els with the ending of April: the seconde season of theyr shearing, is about the beginning of September. Such as doo vse to sheare theyr Sheepe but once in the yeere, doo commonly appoynt for their season, the tenth of the moneth of Iune, about which time also such as do sheare twyse a yeere, doo sheare their Lambes. Three dayes before you sheare them, you must washe them well, and when they be full dry, you may sheare them: they doo not in all places sheare their Sheepe, but in some places (as Plinie sayth) pull them. The old hus∣bandes did account for the best wooll, the wooll of Puglia, and that which in Italy was called the Greeke fleese: the next in goodnesse they tooke to be the wooll of Italy: in the third place they esteemed the Milesian fleese: the wooll of Pullia is but short, and meete to be worne onely in ryding clokes. The wooll about Toranto, and Canas, is thought to be passing good: but the best at this day, is the wooll of Englande. The fy∣ner your pasture is, the fyner (as it is thought) you shall haue your wooll. The wooll of suche sheepe as are slayne by the Woolfe, & the garmentes made thereof (as Aristotle saith)

is aptest to breede Lyse. If you happen in the shearing to clip the skinne, you must foorthwith annoynt it with Tarre: when you haue shorne them, some thinke it good you annoynt them with the iuyce of sodden Lupines, Lees of olde Wine, and the dragges of Oyle made in an oyntment, and after three dayes to wash them (if it be neare you) in the sea, or yf the sea be farre of, with rayne water sodden with Salt. And being thus ordred, you shall not haue them to lose their wooll all the yeere, but to be healthy, and to carry a deepe and a fine fleese, and therfore Virgil biddes you,

Goe plonge them oft in healthy streames.

There be some agayne, that woulde haue you to annoynt them three dayes in the yeere, the da••es being soone after you haue washed them, with Oyle, and Wine mingled togeather. A∣gainst Serpents, that many times lie hid vnder their Cribbes, you must burne Cedar, Galbanum, or womans heare, or Hartes horne: in the ende of Sommer is your time for draw∣ing and seuering of them (as I tolde you before) when you must sell your Sheepe, that through feeblenesse, they fayle not in the Winter. Beside, killing one or two of them, you must looke well vpon their Liuers, and yf the Liuer be not sounde (for hereby is foreseene the daunger) then eyther sell them, or fatte them, and kill them: for ve••y hard is it to saue them, their Li∣uers being perished. Infected Sheepe, are more subiect to skabbes and manginesse, then any other cattel, which commeth (as the Poete witnesseth.)

When coldest stormes doo wette them neare, And ••oary frostes on ground appeare.

Or yf you washe not of the sweate of the Sommer with Salte water, or otherwyse. If when they be shorne, you suffer them to be hurt with brambles or thornes: or yf you put them into hou∣ses, where either Horses, Mules, or Asses haue stand, but speci∣ally lacke of good feeding, whereof procedeth poorenesse, and of poorenesse, skabbes and manginesse. The sheepe that is in∣fected, is thus knowen: yf he eyther scratch, stampe with his foote, or beate him self with his horne, or rubbe him self against a tree: whiche perceiuing him so to doo, you shal take him, and

opening his wool, you shal finde the skinne ruffe, and as it were itchy: diuers men haue diuers remedies for this malady, but such as are not at hand to be had, Virgil thinkes there is no presenter remedy,

Then at the first to clyppe away the sore, For being hidde, it festereth the more.

Constantine out of Dydimus affirmeth, that y^e skabbes of Sheepe are healed by washing them with Urine, and after annoynting them with Brimstone, and Oyle. The common shepheardes, when they perceiue a Sheepe to fall a rubbing, they strayght∣wayes take him, and shedding the heare, doo seare the place with Tarre: others doo teache other remedies more hard to be come by, which are not for euery sheephard, nor euery countrey to vse. And yf the hole flocke be infected, it dooth many times so continew, as it shall be needfull to change houses, and (which in all other diseases) behoueth both countrey, and ayre. This on alonely medecine haue I alwayes proued, for the keeping in health of this cattell, to be most present, and soueraine: take the berries of Iuniper, beate them small, and sprincle them with Oates, and Salte, mingle them all togeather, and geue it your Sheepe, three or foure times in the yeere: for though they refuse to eate the Iuniper berries of them selues, yet for the desire of the Salt, and the Oates, they wyl easely take them altogether. If they be lowsie, or full of tickels, they vse to beate the rootes of Maple, and seething them in water, and opening the wooll with their fingers, they pouer the licour, so as from the ridge of the backe, it runne all ouer the body. Others vse the roote of Mandracke, being wel ware that they suffer them not to tast it. If they haue the feuer, you must let them blood in the heele, be∣twixt the two Clees, whiche the Poete teacheth, saying:

It easeth straight the flaming feuers payne, If in the foote you strike the spinning vayne.

Some let them blood vnder the eyes, & some behind the eares. The Fowle, a disease betwixt the Clees, is taken away with Tarre, Alome, Brimstone, and Uineger mingled togeather: or pouder of Uerdegrese put vppon it. The swelling betwixt the two Clawes, must be cut with great warinesse, lest you hap to

cut the woorme that lieth in it, for yf you doo, there commeth from her a hurtfull mattring, that poysoneth the wound, and maketh it vncurable.* 1.66 Maister Fytzherbert, a Gentleman of Northamptonshyre, who was the fyrst that attempted to wrighte of husbandry in England, appoynteth this cure: his woordes be these. There be some Sheepe that haue a woorme in his foote, that maketh him to halte, take that Sheepe, and looke betwixt his Cleese, and there shall you finde a little ho••e, as much as a greate pinnes head, wherein groweth fiue or sixe blacke heares, like an inche long, or more: take a sharpe poyn∣ted knife, & slytte the skinne a quarter of an inche long aboue the hole, and as much beneathe, and put thy one hande in the hollowe of the foote, vnder the hinder Clee, and set thy thumbe aboue, almost at the slytte, and thrust thy finger vnderneath for∣warde, and with your other hande, take the blacke heares by the ende, or with thy kniues poynt, and pulling the heares a little & a little, thrust after thy other hand, with thy finger and thy thumbe, and there wyll come out a woorme, like a peece of fleshe, neare as bigge as a little finger: when it is out, put a lit∣tle Tarre in the hole, and it wyll shortly mende. If they happen by the extreame heate of the sunne to fall downe, and to forsake their meate, geue them the iuyce of the wylde Beete, and cause them beside to eate the Beetes. If they hardly drawe their brethe, slytte their eares, and let them bleede. If they be trou∣bled with the cough, Almondes beaten with wine, and powred a prettie quantitie into their nostrylles, remedieth them. A Sheepe, or Swyne, that hath the murreyne of the Loonges,* 1.67 you shall helpe by thrusting through their eare, the roote of Setterwor••: this sicknesse dooth commonly spring of want and skarsetie of water, and therefore (in Sommer time specially) you must suffer no kinde of cattell to want water. Their legges yf they happen to be broken, are to be cured in like sort as mens be, being wrapped fyrst in wooll, dipped in Oyle and Wine, and afterward splented.* 1.68 The young Lambes, & other Sheepe also whyle they goe a broade, are troubled with skabbes, and manginesse about their lippes, which they geat by feeding vp∣on deawy grasse: the remmedie, is Hysope, and Salt, of eache a

like quantitie beaten togeather, and their mouthes, their pal∣lattes, and their lippes rubbed withall: the vlcerous places, must be noynted with Uineger, Tarre, and Swynes grease. Yf they chaunce to swell with eating of any woorme,* 1.69 or vene∣mous grasse, you shall let them blood in the vaines about the lippes, and vnder the tayle, and after power into them chamber∣ly. If they happen to swallowe a Horsleache, power into them strong and tarte Uineger warme, or Oyle. Agaynst the murri∣on, or the rotte, I haue seene geuen them, certaine spoonefulles of Brine, and after a little Tarre: this medecine was vsed by Maister Ihon Franklin of Chart in Rent,* 1.70 who was in his life time a skilfull husband, and a good housekeeper•• In like sorte haue I seene this medecine. Take for euery fore, one peniworth of Treacle, and likewyse one little handfull of Hempseede, ground Iuie, Elder leaues, and Fetherfewe, as much as a Te∣nisballe of Lome, and asmuch Bay salte, put thereto Chamber∣ly, and alittle Soote, make it all luke warme, and geue to euery one three spoonefulles good, and after euery one a little Tarre, before they goe out of hand. In some places they vse to take the dryed flowers of Woormewood, & mingling them with Salte••they geue them to their Sheepe, as a general medecine against all diseases. This medecine is commended by Hierominus Tra∣gus both for aswaging of any paine, and driuing away any hurt∣full diseases from cattell.

EVPHOR.

Good HEDIO forgeat not to speake some∣thing of your Goates.

HEDIO.

Goates haue many thinges common with Sheepe,* 1.71 for they goe to Buck at one time, & goe as long with young as the Sheepe doo: they yeelde commoditie with their fleshe, theyr milke, theyr cheese, their skinnes, and their heare: the heare is profitable to make ropes of, and packes, and diuers like instrumentes belonging to sea men, by reason that it ney∣ther rottes with moysture, nor is easely burnt with fyre. Varro maketh mention of two sortes of them, a heary sort, and a smoothe. Suche as haue Wennes, or Wartes vnder theyr Chynnes, are taken to be most fruitefull: theyr Ud∣ders would be great, theyr mylke thicke, & the quantitie much.

The hee Goate would be softer heared, and longer, his Necke short, his Throte Boll deeper, his Legges flesshy, his Eares great, and hanging: it is thought better to bye the whole flocke togeather, then to bye them seuerally. At the Chinne of euery one of them hangeth a long beard, which Plinie calleth Aruncū, by which, yf any man drawe one of them out of the flocke, the whole flocke (as amased) stand gazing vppon him. The hee Goate, because of his beard, and (as Alianus sayth) by a cer∣tayne instinct of nature, preferring the male before the female, goeth alwayes before his woman. The bargayning for this cattell, is not after the maner of bargayning for Sheepe: for no wyse man wil promise that they be free from sicknesse, being as they be, neuer without the Agewe: but he assures them that they be well to day, and can drinke. One thing is to be woon∣dred at in this beast, that he draweth not his winde as all other beastes doo at his Nose, but at his eares. The best kindes of them, are those that bring foorth twyse a yeere, and suche you must seeke for your breede. The Goate is able to engender at seuen monethes olde, being euen as lecherous as a Goate: for whyle he is yet sucking, he wyl be vpon y^• backe of his damme: and therefore he wa••eth feeble, and vnable, before he be sixe yeeres olde, being nowe soked and consumed with his ouertime∣ly lustinesse of his youth: and therefore after he come to be fyue yeere olde, he is no longer to serue your turne for breede. The tyme when you shall suffer them to goe to rutte, is in Au∣tume, a little before December, that at the comming of the spring, and blossoming of the trees, the young may be brought foorth. The Goate goeth with young (as I sayde) fyue mo∣nethes, as the Sheepe dooth: she bringes foorth commonly two, and sometime sixe (as Plinie witnesseth) Suche as beare twyse, you must keepe for your stocke, for the renuing thereof, and the encrease. As touching their breeding, you must in the ende of Autume seuer your hee Goates. The young Goates of a yeere olde, and two yeeres, bring foorth Kiddes: but (as Co∣lumella sayth) they are not to be suffered to bring them vp, ex∣cept they be three yeeres olde: and therefore you must away with the young, that the Goates of the fyrst yeere may breede:

and suffer the Kydde of a two yeere damme, to sucke no long∣ger then it is meete to be solde. When the Kyddes are brought foorth, they must be brought vp in like sorte as I tolde you of the Lambes: sauing that the wantonnesse of the Kydde, is more to be restrained and heedelyer to be kept in, and must be fed be∣side theyr milke, with young bowes. Plinie affirmeth, that they be skarse good for breede at three yeere olde, but yf they passe foure, they be starke nought, & that they begin at seuen moneths euen whyle they be vnder the mothers brest. The fyrst ryding prospereth not, the second is somewhat to the purpose, the third spredth, shee bringes foorth, tyll shee be eyght yeeres olde, and therefore the she Goates, when they be aboue eyght yeeres, is not to be kept: for shee then becometh barraine. Those which want hornes (as in the male kindes of all others be the best) for the horned, by reason of theyr weapons, are hurtful, and vn∣ruely. Besides, the female of such as lacke hornes, doo geue al∣wayes greater plentie of milke: but Columella (as he commen∣••eth the Pollardes in a temperate and milde countrey) so in a boysterous and a stormie region, he would haue them horned. Such as haue hornes, doo shewe their age by the cirkels of their hornes: it is thought, that they see as well by night, as by day, and that they alwayes lay theyr faces turned one from the other, and in that order also feede. Cold (as it is sayde) is very hurtfull to this kinde of cattell, specially to those that be with young, as likewyse the extreame heate. The witte of this beast Nutianus reporteth, he once had experience of, wheras a couple of them chaunced to meete vppon a very long and narrow brydge, and the straightnesse woulde not suffer them to turne, and to goe backwarde blindfolde in suche a strayght, conside∣ring the swyftnesse of the streame vnder them, was more vn∣possible, the one of them lying downe, the other passed ouer his body. Varro doth commend sundry little flockes kept seue∣rall, then greate flockes togeather, vsing for example one Ga••erijus, because a great flocke is sooner subiect to the mur∣rine, thinking fyfty to be yenough for one flocke. Columella also affirmeth, that there ought not to goe aboue one hundred of them togeather, whereas of Sheepe he alloweth a thousand

in one flocke. The byting or brusing of them, is poyson to all kinde of trees: and therefore were they in olde time sacrifysed to Bacchus, because they were so hurtfull to Uines. Theyr sta∣bles Columella would haue to stand vpon a stony ground, or els to be paued, for this beast needeth nothing vnder him but a fewe bowes: when he lyeth abroade, the shepheard must often sweepe and make cleane their houses, not suffering any doung, or moysture, to remayne in them, that may be hurtfull to the flocke: for as I sayde before, they are seeldome without feuers, and much subiect to the pestilence. And whereas other cattel, when they haue the Murrayne amongst them, as soone as they be infected, beginne to languishe, and pine away: onely these Goates as soone as they be taken, though they be neuer so lusty to looke vpon, suddenly fall downe togeather, and dye as thicke as hayse: whiche disease dooth cheefely happen, by too muche ranknesse of pasture. And therefore as soone as you perceaue one or two of them fall downe, let the whole flocke blood with as much speede as you may, and suffer them not to feede all the day, but shutte them vp the foure middle houres of the day. Yf they be diseased with any other sicknesse, you must geue them the rootes of Reedes, and of the great white Thystle, stam∣ping them with iron Pestels, and strayned with rayne water let them drinke it: and yf so be this medecine heale them not, your best wyl be to sell them, or to kyll them, and pouder them: and when you bye newe, bring them not home too hast••ly, tyll the disposition of the ayre be altered. If they fall seuerally sicke, cure them in such sort as you do your Sheepe. Florentinus saith, yf you stampe with water the Guysard of the Storke, and geue them to drinke a spoonefull a peece, it preserueth both Sheepe and Goate from al murrayne and pestilence. If their bellyes be swelled with water, which the Grecians call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Drop∣sey, yf the sk••nne be la••m••ed a little vnder the shoulder, it lets out the hurtfull matter, and you may heale the sore with Tarre.

EVPHOR.

You haue for your part very well satisfyed vs, touchyng the good ord••••yng of your cattel: there remaynes yet one thyng for you, whiche we all forgate to speake of, and

that is the orderyng of Mylke, our cheefest foode and suste∣naunce.

HEDIO.

Seeing that of this cattell whereof I haue en••treated,* 1.72 the profyte of the Milke is not small, it is no great rea∣son we shoulde ouerpasse the orderi••g of the same: ••or Milke (as Varro sayth) of all liquid thinges wherewith we seede, is the greatest nourisher. Milke differeth in goodnesse, ••ecording to the nature of the beastes that geue it: as the Milke of Wo∣men, of Kine, Sheepe, Goates, Asses, Mares, and Camme••s: the greatest nourisher is Womans milke, the next Goates milke, whereby the Poets faine, that their god Iupiter him selfe, was nursed with Goates milke: the sweetest next to Wo∣mans milke, is the Cammels milke: the holesomest, is Asses milke: the Asse as soone as she is with Colt, geueth milke: the Cowe, neuer tyll she haue Calued: most comfortable to the sto∣macke, is Goates milke, because he rather feedeth on bruttes and bowes, then vpon grasse. Cowe milke is most mede ••mable, and most of al looseth the belly. Sheepes milke is sweeter, and nourisheth more, but is not so good for the stomacke, by reason it is fatter and grosser. All milke that is milked in springtime, is watrisher then the milke of sommer, as likewise is the milke of young cattell: it is holsomest being sodden, specially with the Prebbles of the Sea. The Sheepe about Poncus, neare to the Ryuer Astace, doo geue (as Plinie sayth) blacke milke.* 1.73 All milke generally (as Dioscorides wryteth) is of good nourish∣ment,* 1.74 but fylleth the stomacke and the belly with winde: that whiche is milked in the spring, is thinnest, but looseth the belly most. The difference of milke, is taken (as Varro sayth) of the pastures, the nature of the cattell, and the milking. Of the pa∣sture, when the ca••tell is fedde with Barlye, Strawe, and all other hard and drye meates, and this greatly nourisheth. For purging of the belly, the grasse pastures, specially where the cattell feede of purging hearbes, as Cardamus in his booke de plantis teacheth, that yf you wyll purge Melancholy, you must feede your mylche Goa••e, or Asse, with Polipodi, and for all other humours Sene, for the Dropsie with Spurge, or Agarick: for cleansyng of the blood, with Fumitorie, or Hoppes:

and yf you wyll but only loose the belly with Mercury, or Mal∣lowes: so farre Cordanus. Our countreymen doo cheefly com∣mend for milke, the pastures where groweth Spery, and Cla∣uergrasse, and that is all bedeckt with yellowe flowres. For the cattel, the difference is betwixt the sicke and the healthy, the young, and the olde: and for the milking, that is best, that is not long kept after the milking, nor that is milked immediatly vpon the Caluing, a grosse vnholsome kinde of milke. To trye whether milke be mingled or not, you shall take a sharp Rushe, and putting it into the milke, let it droppe from thence vppon your nayle, and yf the droppe runne abroade, it is a signe there is water in it: yf it keepe togeather, it shewes it to be pure and good. Of milke is made Butter,* 1.75 whose vse (though it be cheefely at this day among the Fleminges) is yet a good and a profitable foode in other countreys, and much vsed of our olde fathers, yea euen of the very Patryarches (as the Scrip∣tures witnesseth) the commoditie therof, besides many others, is the aswaging of hunger, and the preseruing of strength: it is made in this sort. The milke, assoone as it is milked, is put out of the payle into bowles, or pannes, the best are earthen pans, and those rather broade then deepe: this doone the second, or the third day, the Creame that swyms aloft, is fleeted of ••and put into a vessell rather deepe, then bigge, round and Cylinder fashion: although in some places they haue other kinde of Charmes lowe and flatte, wherin with often beating and moo∣uing vp and downe, they so shake the milke, as they seuer the thinnest part of from the thicke, which at the fyrst gather toge∣ther in little crombles, and after with the continuance of the vi∣olent moouing, commeth to a whole wedge, or cake: thus it is taken out, and eyther eaten freshe, or barrailed with Salt. The Buttermilke that remayneth of the Butter, is eyther kept for the famely, or geuen to Calues and Hogges, as a daintie foode. Cheese is also made of the milke of cattell,* 1.76 the milke being powred into a vessell of earth, putting into it a little Rennet, the quantitie of a Walnutte, in a great vessell of milke, where∣by it turneth into curd. Varro dooth better like the Rennet of the Leuret, or the Kydde, then the Lambes: howbeit, we com∣monly

vse the Calues Rennet: others vse sundry other meanes only with heate, warming it in Tinne vessells, and after dip∣ping these vessels in cold water, which is the sweetest and cleanliest manner: others put in the seede of wylde Saffron, and being so turned, the Whay doeth greatly purge fleame: others againe vse the milke of the Figge tree, and then doth the Whay purge both choler and fleame: some turne it with Oxy∣mell, or syrope of Uineger, which is of all other wayes the hol∣somest: some besides, vse the little skinne of Birdes guysards, and others, the flowres of wylde Thystels, or Har••••chockes. The newer and better the milke is, the better wyll be the Cheese: for made of two sorts of milke, or milke that is to neare fleeted, it soone sowreth, and waxeth hard and nought, and is not to endure any whyle. Agayne, being made of fatte and ••••we milke, it wyll very long endure, and long continueth in his fat∣nesse and softnesse: about a two or three houres after you haue put in your Rennet, the milke commeth to a curd, which is straightwayes put into Formes, or Cheesefattes, and pressed: or yf they be but small, they are only pressed with the hand. If they be of any quantitie, they haue great weyght vpon them: it is very needefull you presse out the Whay with as muche speede as you can, and to seuer it from the curd, and not to let it lye slowly drayning of it selfe. Those that make great Cheeses, haue mouldes for the purpose, and weyghtes and presses an∣swerable. After this, they take them out of the presse, and saye them vpon Hardelles, or fayre smoothe tables, in a shadowy and cold place, and close from all windes, springsing them all ouer with Salt, that they may sweate out all theyr sowrenesse, laying them so, as they touch not one the other. When they be nowe well hardned and thickned, they are taken vp, and pressed agayne with greater weyghtes, and rubbed ouer with parched Salt, and after layed in presse againe, whereby it is thought they wyll neyther haue ey••s, nor be ouer dry: which faltes hap∣neth to come when they be eyther not well pressed, or too much salted. Some vse to put into the bottome of theyr p••yles, the greene kernelles of the Pine apple, and milking into them, doo cause it so to turne. You may also cause your Cheese to relish•• of

what soeuer you wyll, as Pepper, or any other spyce: but Colu∣mella countes that for best Cheese, that hath least mixture in it. The strongest Cheese, and hardest of digest on, are those that are made of Buffes Milke, the next are such as are made of the Milke of Ewes, but the myldest, and lightest of digestion, are those that are made of Goates Milke: the Cheese that is made of Mares Milke, is of the same quantitie that the Buffe Cheese is. There is Cheese also made of Cammels Milke, and of Asse Milke: the Cheeses that are made of Buffes Milke, are at Rome in great estimation of all other cattell. Such as are tou∣ched both aboue and beneath, and haue more then foure pappes, you can make no Cheese of theyr Milke, for it wyll neuer curd. In our dayes, the best Cheeses are counted the Parmasines, made about the Ryuer of Po, esteemed for theyr greatnesse, and daynetinesse, of which you shall haue brought into other coun∣treys that way aboue threescore pounde. Next are commended the Holland Cheese, the Cheese of Normandy, and the Eng∣lishe Cheese. In England, the best Cheese is the Chesshyre, and the Shropshyre, then the Banbury Cheese, next the Suffolke, and the Essex Cheese, and the very worst the Kentish Cheese. The places where the best Cheese is made, appeareth by this olde englishe Distichon, better sensed, then footed: Banbury, Langtony, Suffolke good Cheese, Essex go thou by, Shropshyre, cum Cheshyre, Hertford may well with the best peere.

Of the discommoditie of Essex Cheese, our Englishe Martial Iohn Heywood, thus meeryly wryteth:

I neuer sawe Banbury Cheese thicke yenough. But I haue seene Essex Cheese quicke yenough.

Cheese they say wyll best endure, and is longest preserued, yf you keepe them in heapes of Pulse, or Wheate, and yf you steepe your Renuce in the iuyce of Byrch, you shalbe sure to haue neyther Myte, nor Creeper in your Cheese. The Cheese that is soft and newe, doth more nourish then the dry, & be more comfortable to y^e stomacke, not long in digesting: the old is con∣trary, according to the prouerbe, No Cheese good but the new.

Old Cheese wyl become new in taste, yf you lay them in Time, Uineger, or in Wine: yf through age it be hard and bitter, let it be rubbed ouer with Meale of vndryed Barley, and then dipt in water, and after, the outer rynde scraped of. We haue oft times proued, that hard Cheese wrapped in cloutes wet in Ui∣neger, or Wine, and oftentimes sprinckled with wine, and so layde vp, returne to a softnesse, and a very pleasant taste. Some lay it in leauen, couering it close therewith, and therby make it soft. It is reported, that Zoroastes ••••ued twentie yeeres in wyl∣dernesse with Cheese so ordered, as it neuer waxed olde.

EVPHOR.

Of the Whay that commeth from the Cheese,* 1.77 being sodde with a soft fyre, tyl the fatnesse of the Cheese swym aloft, are made Welcurdes.

HEDIO.

You were woont to loue them well.

EVMEVS.

I doo in deede, specially yf there be good store of newe milke put into the Whay. The olde wryters doo teache the making of a kinde of white meate, not much vnlike to Wel∣curdes, which they called Melcan,* 1.78 & made it in this sort. They put into a newe earthen vessell Uineger, and suffered it to boyle softly vpon the fyre, tyll the vessell had drunke vp the Uineger, and into that vessel they powred in milke, & set it where it might stand stedfast, whereby they had within a whyle theyr desyre. But mee thinketh I haue for my part done yenough, it cōmeth nowe to your turne EVMEVS to goe forward with the rest.

EVMEVS.

That the keeping of Swyne belongeth to hus∣bandry,* 1.79 dooth euidently appeare by the saying of the auncient husbandes, counting him asseuthful and an vnthristie husband, that hath his Bacon rather from the Bu••cher, then from his owne roofe: for there aryseth as great profite many times to vs of our owne Swyne, as doth to you that be keepers of grea∣ter cattell of your flockes: for yf Bacon be away, the cheefest supporter of the husbandmans Ritchin is wanting. And wheras Swynes flesh seemeth abominable to y^e ••oolish Iewes, I beleeue veryly they neuer tasted the G••monds of Fraunce, so highly commended by Varro, Strabo, Athenens, and other learned wryters: which I suppose were no other but the fly∣ches of Westphaly, so greatly esteemed at this day, not onely

in Germany, but in Rome, and that they were called by the names of Celtyck Gamonds, because the old wryters, specially the Greekes, called all the countreys on this side the Alpes, both French and Dutch, by the name of Celtyck. Surely there is no beast besides, that makes more daynty dishes, there is in him neare fifty different tastes, where euery other beast hath but one: and hereof came at fyrst the sharp law of the Censores, forbidding it to be vsed at suppers, the vdders, the stones, the trypes, and the forepart of the heads of Swyne, (as Plinie wit∣nesseth). And most apparant is it, that not onely the French, and the Dutch in those dayes, but also the Italians, and the Greekes, nourished great heardes of Swane. Among the Greekes, Ham•••• maketh mention of one of my name, that had twelue Hogsties, euery stye conteyning ••ifty Porklinges, and Polybius wryteth, of more then a thousand to be rered at a time, among the auncient Italians, Tuskans, and French, Varro accounteth a hundred but a small heard. Who so wyll nourishe Hogges, must haue regard both to the fayrenesse, and the age: Varro addeth beside, the nature of the kinde, and the country. And because the young doo commonly resemble theyr parents, he would haue you choose such as are fayre, and large bodyed, and which makes most to the matter, as fruitefull as may be: which Varro, dooth cheesely commend those that be of one co∣lour, their bristelles would be thicke, hard, and blacke, yf it be in a cold country: if in a temperate, you may nourish the smooth. Theyr proportion would be long, large syded and bellyed, wide buttocked, short legged & footed, bigge necked, and well braw∣ned, short groyned, and turning vpwarde, his tayle wrynckled. The kinde is most commended, that bringeth many Pigges, the country that breedeth large and greate: the best age for the Boare, is a yeere old•• though at half a yeere old they are able to serue a Sowe: one Boare is yenough for tenae Sowes and m••••e. The Sowe is sufficient to bring Pigges at a yeere old, and so for seuen yeeres after, the fruitfuller she is, the sooner she w••reth old: at her fyrst farrowing, you shall easely see what number shee wyll bring foorth: for shee wyll not much differ in the other. The best kind of Sowes haue twelue pappes, the

common sort tenne, or not so many. Euery Pigge doth knowe his owne pappe that he was borne to, & sucketh onely that, and none other: yf you take away the Pigge, the pappe dryeth, as both Plinie, and experience sheweth. They were woont to be bought & bargained for in this sort. Doo you warrant that these Swyne are sound, that I shall well enioy them, that you wyll answere the faultes, and that they be of a healthy breede? A wet moorish ground, is meetest for this cattell, for he delighteth not in water, but in durt and myre, so much (as Varro wryteth) that the Woolfe, as soone as he hath caught a Sowe, draggeth her to the water, because his teeth is not able to abide the heate of her fleshe. And although this beast wil away with any ground, (for he seedeth both in mountaynes, champion, and marish) yet his cheese delight is in the Woods that is full of Quagmires, where there groweth store of Oke, Corke, Beech, Mastholme, wyld Olyues, wyld Dates, Haselnuttes, Crabbe trees, Plome trees, and Chery trees: for these doo fruite diuers times, and feede the heards almost al the whole yeere. Where there wan∣teth Woods, they must be fedde from the ground, wherin a marrishes to be preferred before a dry ground, that they may mousell in the marsh, digge vp woormes, wallowe in the myre, and toomble in the puddels of water, which in sommer is most needefull. They also hunt after rootes, specially Fearne rootes, and the rootes of Bullrushes, Rushes, and Sedges, beside good grasse well feedeth a Swyne, and Orchardes of Cheryes, Plomes, Apples, and Nuttes. And notwithstanding all this, the Barne, for you must feede them often by hand, when meate fayles abroade, and therfore you must preserue store of Acorns, in Cestornes in the water, or dryed vppon smoky Floores, also Beanes, Pease, and Tares must be geuen them, and not so much as Barly spared: for this kinde of feeding dooth make them fayre, and not onely fattes them, but geueth the fleshe a pleasant tast. When they are yet young and sucke, both they, and theyr dammes must be well fedde, they must be put to feede early in the mornyng afore the heate of the sunne, & after kept in shadowy places, where there is good store of water. Afore they goe to pasture, they must be medecined, least the grasse

skarre them to much, by which they wylbe greatly weakened. In winter they must not be put abroade, tyll the frost be of the ground, and the yse thawed. And though the Swyne wil roame at the knowen voyce of theyr swyneheard, yet Varro will haue them be brought both to pasture, and homeward, with the sound of a horne: theyr meate must be geuen them (kattred thinne, so shall both lesse suffise, and the greater shall not harme the smal∣ler: as soone as they heare the horne, though they be neuer so farre of in the Woods, they come running with all haste. Poly∣bius telleth, that the Italians vse not to follow their heardes, as the Greekes and others doo, but going a pretie way before them, they blowe theyr hornes, theyr heardes being aquainted with the blast, doo follow them in great order. They doo so well know and obay the call of the swyneheard, yf we may beleeue Alianus,* 1.80 that when certayne Rouers landing vppon the coast of Tuskan, and taking great numbers of them out of theyr styes, caried them aboord, the theeues hauing wayed vp their anker, and being vnder sayle, y^• Swine vpon the hearing of theyr kee∣pers voyce, suddenly ran to y^e one side of the ship, & ouerturned her, wherby (the Pirates drowned) y^e Swyne came safe to land to theyr maisters. As I haue here told you of the condicions of the Boare and the Sowe, and of theyr keeping, so wyll I nowe shewe you the maner of theyr breeding. The breming time is reckoned to be from winter, tyll the twelfth of March, so shall you haue them to farrowe in sommer: for the Sowe going foure monethes with pigge, farroweth in the fyfth. Shee is with pigge at the fyrst breming, but they vse to let them goe of∣ten to Boare, because they soone miscarry. And if you wyl haue two farrowes in one yeere, you must put your Sowe to Boare in February, or Ianuary, that she may farrowe by April, or May, when as there is good pasture abroade, and milke is in his cheefe strength: and when they be weaned, they may well feede vpon strawe, and grottens, and after, the Sowe may far∣rowe agayne in the end of Autum: for Varro sayth, her farro∣wing times are so diuided for the nonce, as she may farrowe twyse a yeere, whyle she hath foure moneths to beare them, and two to feede them. As soone as they be with pigge, you must

keepe the Boare from them: for with his vnrulinesse, he ma∣keth them to cast. Young Swyne for breede, must not be lesse then a yeere old, as Varro would haue it: howbeit, they begin at eyght moneths, & continue seuen yeeres. The Boare beginneth at eyght moneths, or sixe, and continueth wel foure yeeres, and after at three or foure yeeres old you may geld them, and fa••te them. Some would not haue you keepe vp aboue eyght, others not aboue sixe: not that the Sowe is able to keepe no more, but that she that keepeth more, sooner faileth. Varro reporteth, that the Sowe of Aeneas Lauinus, farrowed at one time thirtie white Pigges: but it is monstrous when she farroweth more then she hath pappes. Euery Sowe must haue her stye by her selfe when she hath farrowed, and not suffered to goe with the whole heard, as other cattel are, but little Cotes to be made for them, wherein they may be kept eyther farrowing, or with farrowe: for Swyne, yf they lye togeather in any number, being com∣monly yll manered, doo lye one vppon the other, whereby they hurt such as are with pigge. And therefore you must haue seue∣rall styes where they may farrowe, and made hye, that y^e Sowe can not geat out: for couered they must not be by no meanes, that the swyneheard may looke that the Sowe ouerlay none of them, & to see what they want, that he may make it cleane, and as oft as he cleanseth it, he must straw sand, or such like, to drye vp the moysture: for though she be but a swynishe creature, yet loueth she to haue her chamber cleane. When she hath farro∣wed, she requireth greater quantitie of meate, whereby she may geue the more milke, specially Barley steeped in water, or ground & tempered with water. And yf you haue not good store of meate, your best is to sell the Pigges: so shall the damme be∣ing deliuered of her burden, be sooner with farrowe agayne. Such as are farrowed in winter, are commonly poore & wret∣ched, both because of the cold, & that their dammes doo not lyke them for wanting of milke, & biting their pappes. If the Sowe eate her pigs,* 1.81 it is no wonder, for swyne of all other beastes, can worst away with hunger, whiche when it prouoketh, they eate not onely their owne, but young children, which not long since happened in Sussex, to the pitifull discomfort of the parent.

They suffer not the Sowe to goe abroade in tenne dayes after her farrowing, except it be to drinke: after, they suffer her to go about the house, that she may the better geue milke. When the Pigges ware great, they desire to goe abroade with theyr dammes, at which time they are fedde by them selues aparte, to the e••de they may the sooner forgeat their mother: which they wyll doo in tenne dayes. It behooueth the swyneheard to be carefull and diligent about his charge, that he haue in me∣mory euery one of them, both old and young, that he consider euery farrow, and shute vp those that be great with Pigge, that they may farrowe in theyr Stye. He must haue special re∣garde of euery young Pig, that euery one of them be brought vp vnder theyr owne damme: for yf they geat out of the Stye, they strayghtwayes mingle one company with an other, wher∣by the poore Sow is forced to giue milke many times, to more Pigges then her owne: and therfore the swyneheard must sh••tte vp euery dam••e with her owne Pigges. And yf his mem••ry serue no•• to knowe them al, let him pitch euery Sowe and her Pigs with a seuerall marke: for in a great number it shall behooue him so to doo, for confounding his memory. The old husbands obserued alwayes two times in the yeere for cut∣ting of them, the spring, and the fall of the leafe, whereby they auoyded the danger, both of the heate, and the colde. The Bore pigges they ••utte when they were sixe monethes old, and a∣gaine at ••oure yere old, to make them fat, making two wounds, and taking out the stone of euery side: or els when you haue ta∣ken out one stone, you mu••t thrust your knife agayne into the wound, & cutting asunder the skin betwixt both y^e stones, drawe out with your fingers y^e other, so shal you make but one skarre, but this kind of cutting is somewhat more dangerous. The Sowes are sayd by burning y^• Matrixe with an iron, and the skarre healed vp, whereby they wil both haue no more Pigs, and be y^• fatter. Aristotle, & following him Plinie, would haue the Sowe after two dayes fasting, hanged vp by y^e fore legs, & so cut, wherby she wil be y^• sooner fat: but I iudge it better to cut th••m when they be young, at two monethes olde, or younger, for so are they in least ieopardy. After they be cut, you must

keepe them from drinke, and geue them but little meate: the wound must be annoynted with freshe butter, and sowed vp. As the wrystlyng and turnyng vp of the tayle, is a signe of a sound Hogge, so be there certayne & assured signes of their sicknesse: for yf you plucke of the bristles from the backe, and finde that theyr rootes haue blood in them, it shewes the Swyne is not well.* 1.82 Besides, yf your Hogges be sicke, or taken with a feuer, they hang theyr heades a toneside, and suddenly as they runne abroade, they stay, and being taken with a turning giddinesse, they fall downe: and therfore you must marke wel on which side they hang their heades, that you may cutte the eare of the con∣trary side to let them blood: and vnder the tayle beside, two in∣ches from the roompe, you shall strike the vaine, which there is easely to be seene: for the bignesse of it, you must fyrst beate it with a little sticke, and after it swelleth with the beating, open it with your knife, and hauing bledde sufficiently, binde it vp with the rinde of Wyllowe, or Elme: after this, keepe them vp in the house a day or two, and geue them warme water, with a good quantitie of Barly flowre.* 1.83 If the Quynsey or Vnula, (to which desease this beast is wonderous subiect) chaunce to take them, Dydimus woulde haue you let them blood behinde aboue the shoulders, others vnder the toug••e, some agayne cure them with settering. If the kernells swell in the throate, you must let them blood vnder the tongue, and when they haue bledde, rubbe their mouthes within with salte, finely beaten, & Wheate floure. Democritus woulde haue you geue to euery Sowe, three pound weyght of the beaten roote of Daffadyll. If they vomite and lothe their meate, it is good to geue them before they goe a∣broade, the shauinges of Iuory, with fryed salte, and ground Beanes: Swyne whyle they feede abroade, by reason of their great deuouring (for it is an vnsatiable beast) do wounderously labour with the abundance of the Splen: for remedy wherof, you shall geue them water as oft as they thyrst, in Troughes made of ••amaryce, the iuyce of whiche wood, is very holsome for them. Democritus teacheth to geue vnto Hogges that haue the Splen, the water wherein the Coles of Heath haue been quenched. This beast hath somtime a sicknesse wherin he pines

away, and forsaketh his m••ate: and yf you bring him to the feelde, he suddenly fall••th downe, and lyeth as it were in a bead sleep••: which as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as you p••rc••iue, you shall shu••••e vp the h••ly heard in so••e house, and make them to fast one day, both from water and meate: the n••xt day, the roote of the wyld Cou∣cumber 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with water, is geuen them to drinke: w••••ch a•• soone as they haue taken, they fall a vomit∣ting, and so purge themselues. When they haue thus expelled they•• c••••ller, you shall geue them hard Beanes, strained with brine. An ex••elle••t 〈…〉〈…〉 against all pestilence of Swyne, doth Hiero••••mus ••ra••us teach, which is when you see them in∣fect••d, ••o geue them the rootes of Polipodi, or Oke Ferne boyled in wine, whereby they shall purge what so euer is euyll from them, and most of all choller, wherewith Swyne are most troubled: t•••• same Hie••••n (as I remember) teacheth for a Horse•• though it be without my commission to meddle with them •• If he be sicke, and suddenly fall downe of a disease that you know not, to put vnder his tongue a peece of a Ferne roote, wherevpon you shall see him immediatly voyde vpward and downeward what so euer is in his body, and presently amende: this he sayth (and truely I dare beleeue him) that he prooued with a Horse of his owne. But to my Swyne, whereas thyrst in sommer, is hurtfull and daungerous to all kind of cattell, to this beast it is most hurtfull, and therefore you must not water them as you doo Sheepe & Goates, but twyse, or thryse a day: but yf you can you must keepe them by the water side, that they may go thereto at pleasure: for the Swyne is not content with drinking, but he must often coole and plong his filthy panch in the water: neither delighteth he in any thing so muche, as to wallowe in the durt. And yf you haue no suche places neare, you must draw some water from the Well, and geue it them in Troughes abundantly: for except they drinke their fyll, they wyll fall sicke of the Loonges, which disease is cured (as Colu∣mella wryteth) by thrusting the roote of Setterwort through their eares: Plinie affirmeth the Tode to be a present remedie for the sicknesse of Swyne. Some say, that yf a Sowe lose one of her eyes, she dyeth soone after: otherwyse she liueth fyfteene

yeeres. There is a kinde of disease amongst Swyne (though otherwyse they be healthy and fatte) wherin their fleshe is all infected with little graines as bigge as Peason: the Greekes call them Chalazos, and we at this day measled Swyne,* 1.84 which you shal soone perceiue by the sight of the tongue, and the horse∣nesse of their voyce: this disease they say, is naturall vnto them, from which you shal preserue them, yf you nayle certaine places of lead in the bottome of their Trough. You shall also keepe them from this disease, yf you geue them to drinke, the roote of Briony: the general and common remedy, is Allome, Brim∣stone, and Bay berries, of eache alike: adde therevnto a handful of Soote, beate them all togeather, and put them in a bagge, which bagge you shall cast into their water when they drinke, and renue it twyse in the yeere.

EVPH.

I pray you EVMEVS doo not dissemble, but tell vs truely how you doo to haue your Hogges so fatte. I beleeue you are in the Barne sometime when you should not be.

EVMEVS.

What meanes soeuer I vse in ordring my flocke, is not to my mauters losse, no more then is your diligence, wherby you bring your cattell to be so fayre. I told you before, that he was an vnthrifty husband that had his Bacon from the shambles, and not of his owne prouision: and besides, my mai∣sters the Phisitions geue great commendations to Hogs flesh, in that it hath such a nearenesse & agreement with our bodyes, neither is there (as I sayde before) a beast that makes more dishes. And therfore it is greatly for profite, to haue the hus∣bandmans kytchen well stored with Bacon, wherwith he may sustaine his houshold al y^e whole yeere. You shal easely (though woods be wan••ing) ••ind Barnes, Marshes, & Corne feeldes to feede them with. They wyll be fatte (as Plinie supposeth) in threescore dayes, specially yf they be kept from meate three dayes before you feede them: they are fatted with Barley, Otes, or other Corne, or Pulse, eyther geuen whole, or ground: but of all others, best w••th Mast: and that flesh is better, and of more substance that is fed with Acorns, then that which is fat∣ted with eyther B•••••••• mast, or Chestnutte. This beast wyll in time be so fatte, as he wyl be able neyther to goe, nor stan••:

Yea Varro telles, that there was seene in Arcadia a Sowe so fatte, that she was not only vnable to ryse, but suffered a Mouse to make her nest in her body, and to lay her young there. The same Varro reporteth, that there was sent to Volumius a Sena∣tour of Rome, a peece of Porke of two ribs, that wayed three & twentie pound: the thicknesse of which Sowe from the skinne to the ribbe, was one foote and three ynches. Your best is to put to fatting your Swyne of two or three yeeres olde: for yf they be younger, their growing wyll hynder their seedyng. To keepe your Bacon any long time, you must vse great diligence in the saltyng and drying of it, whereby you shall haue it both holsomer and sweeter, and besides to continue diuers yeeres to serue the turne, yf scarsitte happen. Your Hogge being in this sort fatted, you must shut vp, and not suffer him to drinke the day before you kyll him, whereby the fleshe wyl be the dryer. When you haue thus after his thyrst killed him, you shal eyther skalde hym with water, or with a flame made with strawe, or stickes, syng him: for the maner of such as flea him. I lyke not. After that, hangyng him vp by the heeles, you shall plucke out his bowels, and put them to dressing: his fleshe being cold & hard, you shall lay vppon a table, and cutting out the head, the gam∣mon, and the fleetches, pouder them with salt, thrusting greate store thereof in euery place, specially where the bones be: that donne, put it into your pouldring tubbe, strowing salt yenough vnder it: some would haue you salt in the wane of the Moone. Before you pouder it, you must presse and drye out al the blood and the water. Some before they salt it, doo plucke out the bones, thinking it the best way for preseruing it, and to keepe it longest sweete. Others agayne doo not strayghtwayes put it into the pouldering tubbe, but doo leaue it vppon a table for ten dayes after, and then hang it vp in a pure ayre, to drye in the larde. And when it hath ben dryed in the winde certaine dayes, by little and little they let the smoke come to it, and afterwards more abundantly. The Bacon wyll be the sweeter, yf beside the smoke, the winde may come to it: yf you hang it in grea••e smoke at the fyrst, it wyl be rustie. Dydimus sayth, that the Ba∣con wyl long continue sweete, yf after the dressing, cooling, and

drying, it be hanged vp in shaddowy and moyst places, rather toward the North, then toward the South, and that it wyll be sweeter, yf it be couered with Snowe, and Chaffe: the tubb••s that you poulder in, must be such as haue had Oyle in, rather then those that haue had Uineger. Although I haue before spo∣ken of the woorthynesse and antiquitie of shepheardes, and heardsmen,* 1.85 yet must I here say, that it is in vayne to meddle with the ordering and keeping of cattell, except you haue hand∣some, and skilful men that may take the charge. For the know∣ledge of keeping of cattell hath a discipline, wherin a man must from his very Chyldehood be brought vp: and surely it is meete that y^e husband, or Bayliffe, haue ben brought vp, or trayned in all these trades, and to come by degrees to his maisters pryze: As from a swyneheard, to a shepheard, from a shepheard, to a netheard, &c. And most true it proueth in this that commeth to passe in all other gouernmentes, that such are best able to take charge of gouernment, that passing by degrees and offices, haue from being vnder gouernment, come to gouerne them selues: for though (where the flocke is but small, and feeding not farre of, is brought home euery day) Chyldren, and young folkes, are able to serue the turne: yet where the flockes be great, and must be kept night and day in Forestes, and wylde feeldes (as I sayd before) of the flockes that wintred in Appu∣lia, and sommered in the mountaynes of Kiete, here I say the shepheards must both be men of lusty age, strengh, and dili∣gence, as also skilfull in that belongeth to theyr office: for ney∣ther old men, nor chyldren, are able to endure the hardnesse of clyming the hilles, nor the sharpnesse of the cold mountaynes, which they must alwayes doo that follow theyr flockes, speci∣ally they that keepe Bullockes and Goates, that delight to feede vpon Rockes, and Clyues. You shal se on the mountaines of Swycherland, great & goodly fellowes furnished in warlike maner to followe their heardes and flockes, and to lodge in the wylde desartes, farre from the company of men, and there also to make both Butter and Cheese; wherfore such as are meete to take charge in these places, must be light, swyft, & well limmed, and not only wel able to followe their flockes, but if neede be, to

defend them from wyld and rauening beastes, to lyft great bur∣dens, to followe the chase, and to be good archers: in fine, such a one as Homer doth make his EVMEVS to be. And therefore the olde husbandes in hyring of a shepheard, did alwayes coue∣nant among others, that he should be sound of body and limme, and free from filching and theft. In Slauony, the heardsmen doo vse to haue theyr wyues abrode with them, as companions of theyr iourney to dresse their meate, & such things as they neede: suche thinges as are for the health of his beastes, the shepheard must alwayes haue in a redynesse. Varro would haue him both for this purpose, & for the better order of his reckoninges with his maister, to wryte and reade. Of the number of the heards men, how many euery flocke ought to haue, is to be measured by the countrey, and kinde of the cattell. The same Varro al∣loweth for euery foure score Goates one shepheard, which At∣ticus alloweth to a hundred, to euery fyftie Mares two men: in our countrey one shepheard suffiseth for a hundred, or two hun∣dred Sheepe, yea many times for three hundred, and aboue, specially where they be euery day brought home. One swyne∣heard wil keepe twentie, or thirtie Hogges, or more, if y^e ground be thereafter, the lyke for Bullockes and Kine. For Horses we seeldome haue heardsmen, but euery man keepeth them at home eyther in stables, or pastures, not commonly exceedyng the number of twentie. In what order you shall feede your cat∣tel, eyther in Sommer, or in Winter, and when towardes the South,* 1.86 and when to the West, I haue tolde you before. The Dogge (though the Lawyer alloweth him not in the number of cattel) and though he yeeldes of him selfe no profyte, yet is he as the shepheard (for his trustinesse, & watching of y^e flocke) to be esteemed, and set by: for they haue been seene to fight in the defence & quarell of their maister. Yea diuers of them haue been knowen after their maisters death, vppon great affection and loue, to famishe themselues, wherevpon the price of good Dogges grewe to be very great. It is written, that Alcibiades gaue for one Dogge, eyght score poundes. There is not a more necessary creature, then the Dogge about husbandry: for be∣side his singuler faythfulnesse and watching in the night time,

he is also a quarter maister in keeping of the cattell, and very needefull for the defence of them: specially Sheepe & Goates, whiche would be soone destroyed by Woolfes, Foxes, Grayes, and other vermine, yf Dogges were not set to be their keepers. Swyne feeding in heardes, yf the wylde beastes inuade them, making as it were a larum with their gruntyng and crying, as∣semble them selues in their owne defence. The greater cattell defende them selues some with their heeles, some with their hornes, onely the poore Sheepe hath no souldier but the Dogge. Of Dogges that serue for profite, there are but three sortes: for of the fourth (which are but for pleasure) I make no account. One of the sortes, is such as by sent, or swiftnesse serue for the chase, and killing of wyld beastes: these, what maner of ones they should be, and how they should be ordred, Xenophon and Oppianus, in theyr Cynigetickes haue taught, and I in my last booke, where I shall speake of hunting, wyll declare. But now I wyll only speake of Dogges for the husband, and kee∣pers both of the house and the cattell: and first of the Mastie that keepeth the house:* 1.87 for this purpose you must prouide you such a one, as hath a large and a mighty body, a great and a shryll voyce, that both with his barking he may discouer, and with his sight dismay the theefe, yea being not seene, with the horror of his voyce put him to flyght. His stature must ney∣ther be long, nor short, but well set, his head great, his eyes sharpe, and fierie, eyther browne, or gray, his lippes blackishe, neyther turning vp, nor hanging too much downe, his mouth blacke and wyde, his neather iawe fatte, and comming out of it of eyther side a fang, appearing more outward then his other teeth, his vpper teeth euen with his neather, not hanging too m••ch ouer, sharpe and hidden with his lippes, his countenance like a Lions, his brest great, and shaghard, his shoulders brode, his legges bigge, his tayle short, his feete very great, his disposition must neyther be too gentle, nor too curst, that he nei∣ther fawne vpon a theefe, nor fle vpon his frends, very waking, no gadder abroade, not lauishe of his mouth, barking without cause, neither maketh it any matter though he be not swyft: for he is but to fight at home, & to geue warning of the enimie.

The Dogge that is for the folde, must neyther be so gaunt nor swyft as the Grayhound,* 1.88 nor so fatte nor heauy as the Masty of the house, but very strong, and able to fight and followe the chase, that he may be able to beate away the Woolfe, or other beastes, and to followe the theefe, and recouer the praye, and therfore his body would rather be long, then short and thicke: in all other poyntes he must agree with the Bandogge. Tou∣ching the kind, the Dogge is thought better then the Bitch, because of the trouble she bringeth when shee is sawte: howbe∣it, the spayde Bitches doo byte sorest, and are more waking. For theyr age, they must neyther be Whelpes, nor too old: for the Whelpe can neyther defend him selfe, nor the flocke, where as yet the olde hath some vse about a house. If you haue a Whelpe (which age is better to be trayned, eyther for the house or the folde) you shall perceaue by his foote whether he wyll be great or no. His head must be great, smoothe, and ful of vaines, his eares great, and hanging, his ioyntes long, his forelegges shorter then his hinder, but very strayght and great, his clawes wyde, his nayles hard, his heele neyther fleshy nor to hard, the ridge of his backe not to much appearing, nor crooked, his ribs round and well knitte, his shoulder poyntes well distant, his buttockes fatte, and broade, and in all other parts (as I sayd) of the Bandogge before. For his colour it maketh no great matter, though Varro would haue him white, and so would Co∣lumella, the Dogge for the feelde, as he would haue the house Dogge to be blacke: but the pyed colour is iudged nought in them both. The wh••te they commend, because he may be discer∣ned from the Woolfe in the night, wherby they shall not strike the Dogge in steede of the Woolfe. The blacke agayne for the house, is best commended, because of his terrour to the theefe in the day, and the hurt that he may doo by night, by reason of his not being seene: the dunne, the branded, and the redde, doo not mislike me, so they be well marked beside. Thus must you iudging him as a Lyon by the clawe, eyther buye one, or bring vp one for your purpose. Howe much teaching, or bringing vp preuayleth, appeareth by Lycurgus, his example in Xenophon. To make them fyerce and curst, you must plucke them by the

eares, set them togeather with your handes, and keepe them from being hurt: so shall you haue them the bolder, and the fier∣cer, and such as wyll neuer geue it ouer. You must vse him first to the cheyne, by ty••ng him to a clogge, setting him drawe it a whyle by his necke, and when you haue a little space vsed him in this sort, then may you eyther leade him, or tye him: it is best to keepe them tyed in the day time, to make them the cur••ter, and to let them loose in the night time: so shall they in the night time watch, and in the day sleepe. To arme them aga••nst the Woolfe, or other wyld beastes, you may put brode c••llers a∣bout theyr ne••kes full of nayles, and iron studdes, lyning it with soft leather within. You must looke that your Dogges be of a good kind, and (yf you can) all of one kinde, so shall they sticke the better togeather: choose them that haue the curstest dammes, and suche as haue theyr pappes euen. They begin to litter at a yeere olde, and continue mene yeeres, after tenne they be woorth nothing. The Dogge (as Columella sayth) gets whelpes lu••••yly, tyll he be tenne yeeres old: the whelpes of old Curres, are slowe, and nought. Homer seemeth to make the life of a Dogge, aboue twentie yeeres, where he speaketh of the comming home of Vlisses, and the knowledge of his Dogge: and I mee selfe haue seene Dogges that were saide to be so much, but altogeather vnprofitable. Their age may be knowen by their t••eth, the young hauing (as Aristotle sayth) white teeth and sharpe: the olde, blacke and blunt. In the spring they be∣gin to be sawte, and goe with whelpe (as Aristotle and Xeno∣phon sayth) threescore dayes, or at the most threescore and three. Varro wryteth, that they goe three moneths with young: the Dogges of Lacedemon ingender at eyght moneths olde, and all other Dogges also at half a yeere: they are with whelpe at once liming: they lytter about Iune: when they be lyttred, they are blind, and the more milke they haue, the longer it is be∣fore they see, but neuer longer then one and twentie dayes, nor sooner then seuen dayes. Some holde opinion, that yf there be but one at a lytter it wyll see the nienth day, yf two, the tenth day, and so a day added for as many as be, and that those that be of the fyrst lytter doo soonest see: the best of the lytter, is that

which last seeth, or which the Bitch first carryeth to her ken∣nell. As soone as they be Whelped, cast away such as you mis∣like: of seuen, keepe three or foure: of three, two: whyle they be young, at the first they must be suffered to play with the dame, that they may growe the better, afterward, let them be taught, and tyed (as I tolde you) tying them in the day, and letting them loose in the night, and such as you knowe to be of a good kinde, and would haue them proue well, suffer them not to sucke a strang damme: for the milke and blood of the mother, is of great force to the goodnesse and growth of the Whelpe. And yf so be the Bitch lacke milke, suckle them with the milke of a Goate, tyll they be foure moneths old. Lay vnderneath them in theyr kennels strawe and Chaffe, that they may lye warme: for they can not well away with cold. You must cut the tayles of the Whelpes, when they be sixe weekes old, in this maner, there is a sinnowe that runnes from the ridge of the backe, to the tippe of the tayle, which being held fast with a pyncer, and a little drawen out, you shall cut a sunder, wherby neyther the tayle shall growe to any foule length, nor the Dogge shall at a∣ny time after (as they say) be madde. They are thought to lift vp the legge when they pisse, at sixe moneths old, which is a signe of the perfectnesse of theyr strength. The feeding of both kindes is all one, they may be fedde with bones, porredge, and such like: in any wyse let them want no meate, for yf they doo, they wyll for hunger rauen abrode, and forsake both the house, and the flocke. Xenophon would haue you geue them Milke all the yeere long, and such foode as they shall feede with all theyr lyfe time, and no other thing: yf you feede them too full, it will breede (as he sayth) diseases in theyr legges, and rotte them within. Bread is theyr common meate, but Varro would haue it geuen eyther with Milke, or Whay, by vse wherof, they wyll neuer forsake their cattell. You may geue them beside, bread, with the broth of sodden bones, and the bones them selues broosed, which wyll make theyr teeth the sounder, and theyr mouthes and iawes wyder, and they wylbe the keener, by reason of the sweetenesse of the Marowe. You must beware they eate no dead Sheepe, least by reason of the tast, they fall to

the liue ones. Whyle the Bitch hath Whelpes, you must feede her rather with Barly bread, then Wheaten bread: for they prosper better with it, and makes them geue more milke. You must feede them thryse a day, in the mornyng when you tye them vp, at noone, and agaynt at night, when you set them loose. Their names that you geue them, must be short, that they may sooner heare when they be called. The Greekes, and the Latines, gaue them names of two syllables, the Germanes lightly but one syllable,* 1.89 as Ball, Slut, Patch, Grym &c. al though Columella would not haue their names vnder two sylla∣bles, shewing for example the names of Dogges among the Greekes, and the Latines, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Lupa, Tigr••••, Cerua: Xenophon reckoneth vp thousandes al for the most part of two syllables. The diseases and greeuances of Dogges, are the byting of Flyes, Tycks, and Manginesse. Against this, you must washe them, when they be Whelpes, with bitter Almondes stamped and strayned with water, was∣shing them both about their eares, and betwixt their clawes, that neyther Flyes sticke to them and blister them, nor Tycks or Lyce molest them: and yf they be alredy mangy, you must annoynt them with Tarre, and Hogges grease: the Tycks also, yf you touche them with this medeci••e, wyll presently fall of, for you must not plucke them of by force. If your Dogge be full of Fleas, the remedy is Cummin beaten with a like quan∣titie of Neesing pouder, & mingled with water, rubbe him ouer with it, or the olde dregges of Oyle rubbed ouer all his body. If he be skabby, take Cyt••isus and S••samum, beat them togea∣ther, & mingling them with Tarre annoynt the sore: this me∣decine wyl also remedy a christian creature. They say also, that yf you thrust the skinne through with an iron, it wyll heale the manginesse, or yf you smeare them ouer with Gunne pouder, or cast them into a Tanners Fat. Aristotle wryteth, that Dog••es are cheefely troubled with three diseases, madnesse, Qui••s••y, and the Goute, and wha••soeuer he byteth in his m••dnesse, be∣commeth also mad•• and dyeth thereof: the madnesse is must ex∣treame in the 〈…〉〈…〉: what so euer is bitten by them, fai••••th stra••ghtwayes into a lo••hyng, and feare of water.

To preserue them from it, you must mingle with their meate for thirtie dayes togeather, or yf they be already infected, geue them Neesing pouder to eate. Plinie wryteth, that there is in the tongues of Dogges a little woorme, called of the Greekes ••yrta, which yf it be taken out whyle they be whelpes, they wyl neyther be madde, nor greedy, or rauenous. If the Dogge be madde,* 1.90 he refuseth both meate, and drinke, and driueleth ylfa∣uoured fomie matter, both from his nose, and mouth, he looketh with a lothsome countenaunce, his body his leane, and more clong togeather then it was woont to be, he beareth his tayle betwyxt his legges, and biteth without any barking what soe∣uer he meetes, falling as well vpon men, as beastes, making no difference betwyxt his freendes, and strangers. As the Dogge is a watchman and keeper of the house and the flocke, so the Catte is also a household seruant to be cheryshed.* 1.91 The Egypti∣ans for theyr profitablenesse, did woorship for theyr God a gol∣den Catte: for whereas Rattes and Mise, as well in Cities, as in Granges, are greatly hurtfull, we keepe vp Cattes for the auoyding of the m••schiefe, neither is there a speedier remedy. The Catte is a beast of nature enimie to the Mouse, watching in the night, and sleeping in the day, stealing suddenly and swift∣ly vpon the Mouse: shee seeth better by night, then by day (as Alexander Aphrodiseus wryteth) her eyes shine and glister in the darke. They goe a Catterwalling about February, and o∣ther times in the yeere (for they often ingender) and bring forth their young ones blind, as y^e Bitch doth. Herodotus saith, that after the Catte hath kitned, she commeth no more at the Bucke, which when he perceaueth, & can not haue his purpose, he killeth y^e young, wherof when she seeth her selfe bereft, for ve∣ry desire of young (wherof this kind is most desirous) she com∣meth straight to the Bucke. For my part I would rather coun∣sell you to destroy your Rattes and Mise with Traps, Banes, or Weesels: for besides the sluttishnesse & lothsomenesse of the Catte you know what she layes in the Malt heape) she is most d••ungerous and pernicious among children, as I mee self haue had good experience.

Soli deo honor & Gloria.

The end of the thirde booke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The vvoor∣thinesse and antiquitie of keeping of cattell.
• * 1.2

  The vvor∣thines and antiquity of keeping of Cattell.
• * 1.3

  Of Horses.
• * 1.4

  The hofe.
• * 1.5

  The legges.
• * 1.6

  The knees.
• * 1.7

  The thy••s.
• * 1.8

  The brest.
• * 1.9

  The necke.
• * 1.10

  The mane
• * 1.11

  The hed.
• * 1.12

  The mouth.
• * 1.13

  The eyes
• * 1.14

  The eares.
• * 1.15

  The nost••••l 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••houlder
• * 1.16

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.17

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.18

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.19

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.20

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.21

  The Stalliō.
• * 1.22

  The Mares.
• * 1.23

  Age.
• * 1.24

  Stables.
• * 1.25

  Curriyng.
• * 1.26

  Dyet.
• * 1.27

  Skovvring.
• * 1.28

  Prouender.
• * 1.29

  Asses.
• * 1.30

  Moyles.
• * 1.31

  Cammelles.
• * 1.32

  Bullockes.
• * 1.33

  The Mur••in and his di∣uers kindes.
• * 1.34

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.35

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Crudity.
• * 1.36

  The Tayle.
• * 1.37

  The Flixe.
• * 1.38

  Laske i•• Calues.
• * 1.39

  The Cough.
• * 1.40

  The Feauer.
• * 1.41

  Haltyng.
• * 1.42

  Skabbes.
• * 1.43

  Hidebound.
• * 1.44

  For the Mureyne.
• * 1.45

  For the loonge••.
• * 1.46

  Settring of cattell.
• * 1.47

  The Galle, or Yellovvs.
• * 1.48

  For the Liuer.
• * 1.49

  The Blaine.
• * 1.50

  The Spren∣ge••.
• * 1.51

  The Stag∣gers.
• * 1.52

  The Das••e.
• * 1.53

  Pissing of blood.
• * 1.54

  Panteys.
• * 1.55

  Taynt.
• * 1.56

  Hydebound
• * 1.57

  Gargyse
• * 1.58

  For al disea∣ses.
• * 1.59

  The Buffes.
• * 1.60

  Sheepe.
• * 1.61

  The choyse of Evves.
• * 1.62

  Rammes.
• * 1.63

  VVhen to bye sheepe.
• * 1.64

  Sheepecots.
• * 1.65

  Shearing of Sheepe.
• * 1.66

  Maister 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.67

  The m••r∣reyne of the Loong••s.
• * 1.68

  L••mbes.
• * 1.69

  Eating vvoormes, or venem∣ous grasse.
• * 1.70

  Master Ihon Franklin.
• * 1.71

  Goates.
• * 1.72

  Milke.
• * 1.73

  Black milke.
• * 1.74

  Error in the vnderstan∣ding of Di∣oscorides.
• * 1.75

  Butter.
• * 1.76

  Cheese.
• * 1.77

  VVellcurds.
• * 1.78

  Melca.
• * 1.79

  Svvyne.
• * 1.80

  A vvonder∣full knovv∣ledge in Svvyne.
• * 1.81

  A childe ea∣ten by a Sovve.
• * 1.82

  Of diseases in Svvyne, and the cure.
• * 1.83

  Quin∣sey.
• * 1.84

  Measled Svvyne.
• * 1.85

  Of ••hep∣h••ard••s.
• * 1.86

  Dogges.
• * 1.87

  The Bandog for the hous.
• * 1.88

  The shep∣heardes Mastie.
• * 1.89

  〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉
• * 1.90

  Madde Dogges.
• * 1.91

  Cattes.