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. 64. Of all such diseases as are incident to the Spleene.

THe Spleene is a long, narrow, flat, spongy sub∣stance, of a pale fleshy colour, ioyning with the liuer & the gall; it is the receptacle of melancholy and the dregges of the bloud, and is as subiect to infirmi∣ty as any inward member whatsoeuer, as to inflamma∣tions, obstructions, knobbes and swellings; it through the sponginesse is apt to sucke in all manner of filth, and to dilate and spread the same ouer the whole bo∣dy: the appearance thereof, is on the left side vnder the short ribs, where you shall perceiue some small swelling, which swelling giues great griefe to the mid∣riffe, especially after a full stomacke, taking away much more of the horses disgestion then his appe∣tite, and being suffered to continue, it makes faint the heart, and growes in the end to a hard knob, or stony substance.

This disease or diseases of the spleene, are incident to horses most in the Summer, proceeding from the surfaite or greedy eating of greene meates. The signe of which diseases are these, heauinesse, dul∣nesse, paine on the left side, and hard swellings, short

breath, much groaning, and an ouer hasty desire to his meate. The cure according to the opinion of our best Farriers, is to make the horse sweate either by la∣bour or cloathes, then to giue him to drinke a quart of white wine, wherein hath bene boyled the leaues of Tamariske bruised, and a good quantity of comin seede beaten to powder, and giue it luke warme. O∣thers vse after the horse hath sweat, to powre into his left nosthrell euery day the iuyce of Mirobalans, mixt with wine and water to the quantity of a pint. Others take of comin seede and hony, of each sixe ounces, of Lacerpitium as much as a beane, of vinegar a pint, & put all these into three quarts of water, and let it stand so all night, and giue the horse a quart thereof next morning, hauing fasted all night. Others make the horse a drinke of garlicke, nitrum, hore-hound, and wormewood, sodden in sharpe wine, and to bathe all the horses leftside with warme water, and to rubbe it hard. There be others which vse to cauterize or scarifie the horses left side with a hot yron; but it is barbarous and vile, and carrieth no iudgement in the practise.