Markhams maister-peece, or, What doth a horse-man lacke containing all possible knowledge whatsoeuer which doth belong to any smith, farrier or horse-leech, touching the curing of all maner of diseases or sorrances in horses : drawne with great paine and most approued experience from the publique practise of all the forraine horse-marshals of Christendome and from the priuate practise of all the best farriers of this kingdome : being deuided into two bookes, the first containing all cures physicall, the second whatsoeuer belongeth to chirurgerie, with an addition of 130 most principall chapters and 340 most excellent medicines, receits and secrets worthy euery mans knowledge, neuer written of nor mentioned in any author before whatsoeuer : together with the true nature, vse, and qualitie of euerie simple spoken of through the whole worke : reade me, practise me, and admire me / written by Geruase Markham gentleman.

CHAP. 14. Of the vrine and excrements of an horse.

AFter you haue made your memory acquainted with the signes and obseruations before specifi∣ed, and so in the end finde a horse which by the de∣monstration of some of these signes appeareth most certainly to be sicke and diseased; my aduice is then (if conueniently you may, and that the violence of the sicknesse do not vrge the contrary) that before you administer any thing vnto him, in any case you see his vrine, from which vrine you shall reape these knowledges.

First, if the vrine of a horse be of a pale, whitish, yel∣low colour, like vnto amber, & therewithall somewhat strong smelling, and not very cleare, then you shall be assured that the horse is in good state of body, strong and healthful; but if it be extraordinary white, and as it were, creamy, then it is a signe the horse hath weake reines and is subiect to the stone, and the stop∣ping in the kidneyes.

If the vrine of a horse be somewhat high coloured, bright and cleare like lamber and not like amber, or like a cup of strong march beere; then it sheweth the horse hath inflammation in his bloud, and that he hath either a feuer, or else some great surfaite; but if it be red like bloud, then is his inflammation more geat, and his surfaite is onely an ouer heate taken by ouer-riding; insomuch that if present remedy be not applyed, either by scouring or other healthfull phy∣sicke, the horse cannot chuse but fall into some mortal sicknesse.

If the vrine of a horse be of a pale greenish colour,

thicke and slimy, it is a signe of a weake backe, and consumption of the seede.

Lastly, if the horses vrine be high colored, yet there∣withall cloudy and full of blacknesse, then it is a signe that the horses sicknesse is mortall, and hardly to be preserued by any physicke; but if the blacknesse and cloudinesse of the vrine do not remaine, as it were, bound vp together in one body, but is broken & dis∣persed, shewing many cloudes in one water, then it is a signe that the violence of the sicknesse departeth away, and there is great hope, by good gouernement, that the horse will recouer his health, as at the begin∣ing.

Now for the excrements or dung of a horse, which is no lesse worthy of note then the vrine. You shall first vnderstand, that if his dung be euer of alliance with his foode, I meane either in part or whole co∣loured like vnto that he eateth; as thus for example: If your horse go at grasse, his dung wil euer be greene, and the brighter such greennesse is, and being in a meane betweene hardnesse and softnsse, the sounder and in more perfect estate the horse standeth; but if the greennesse be bright, yet the ordure so soluble and loose, that it cometh from the horse like water, then you shall vnderstand that either the horse hath eaten vp some feather, or else that he hath an inward coldnesse both in his stomacke and bowels.

If a horses dung be of a reasonable thicknesse, nei∣ther too costiue nor too soluble, yet the greennesse inclined to some blacknesse, it is a signe that the horse hath a hot stomacke, and is easile subiect either to the yellowes or staggers.

If the horses dunge be in round hard pellets, and of

a blackish greene colour, like the dung of a sheepe, or a Deere, then it is without faile that the horse hath had some great surfait, either by ouer-riding, or by ill food, or else is certainly possest either of the yellowes, or feuer, or foundred in the body.

Now if your horse be fed onely vpon straw, then his colour will be of a high coloured yellow, rather costiue then soluble, and the graine thereof long, and not well coutched together: and all these be good signes of great healthfulnesse; but if the colour be inclined to rednesse; or if it be exceeding dry with∣out moisture, or if it be thinne like the dung of an Oxe or a cow, they be all apparant signes of inward sicknesse; but if the rednesse turne to blacknesse, and that his ordure doth leese the strength of its smelling, then it is a great signe of death and mor∣tality.

If your horse be fed with hay and prouender, then your perfect and sound dung will be of a browne yellow colour, the graine somewhat long, yet moist and well fixt together; but if the brownnesse turne to rednesse, it is a signe of distemperature; and if it turne to blacknesse, then of death. Now for the smell of this dung, you must vndestand that the more prouender you giue, the greater will be the smell, and the lesse prouender, the lesse smell.

Lastly, if you feede your horse onely vpon prouen∣der, as bread, oates, and such like, then the dung which shewes a perfect and a sound body, will be of a pale yellow colour, like course hony, firme like a thicke salue, hauing within it when you tread vpon it, or break it, little white graines, like those which are in sope; or if the dung be harder, like the ordinary

ordure of a man, it is not amisse: for both be signes of health and strength; but if the dung looke redde, then it is a signe that the horse hath taken some in∣ward heate, and his stomacke and bowels do rest still inflamed.

If his dung be browne and slimy, or if it shine and looke greasie, it is a signe that he hath had some of his inward grease molten, and that it resteth and putrifi∣eth in his body; but if with his dung you see him void great clods and lumps of grease, then you may be assured that his grease was molten, but nature hath ouercome infirmity, and the worst danger is past already; but if his dung be matter vndigested, so that you may either perceiue therin whole corns or whole bits of bread, it is a signe the horse hath either taken a late surfaite, or is entring into a mortall consumpti∣on. Lastly, if his dung be blacke, or haue lost the smell, it is an apparant signe of death. And thus much for vrine and excrements, and the seueral know••ledges are attained by them.