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. 78. Of a Horse that pisseth bloud.

THere is nothing more certaine then that a horse many times will pisse bloud in stead of vrine, the cause (as the most ancient Farriers suppose) procee∣ding from some one of these grounds: either ouer∣much labour, or too heauy a burthen▪ especially when the horse is fat: for by either of them the horse may come to breake some veine in his body, and then you shall see cleare bloud come out, & no vrine at all; but if the bloud be mixt with vrine, then they suppose it cometh from the kidneyes, hauing some ragged stone therein, which through great trauell doth fret the veines of the kidneyes, and makes them bleed, through which as the vrine passeth, it taketh the bloud away with it also; but for mine owne part, I haue not found any greater cause for the pissing of bloud then the taking vp of a horse from grasse in the strength of winter (as about Christmas) and present∣ly without a dayes rest in the stable, to thrust him vn∣to a long and weary iourney: from this cause I haue seene many horses after two or three daies iourney to pisse bloud in most grieuous manner. The signes are needlesse. The cure according to the opinion of the ancient Farriers, is this: First, let the horse bloud in the palate of the mouth, to conuert the bloud the con∣trary way; then take of Tragagant which hath bene steeped in wine halfe an ounce, & of poppy seed, one

dramme, and one scruple, and of Storax as much, and twelue pine-apple kirnels; let all these things be bea∣ten and mingled well together, and giue the horse thereof euery morning the space of seuen dayes the quantity of a wal-nut, infused in a quart of sweete wine. Other latter Farriers vse to let the horse bloud in the necke, and boyle that bloud with wheate, and with the powder of dryed pomegranate pils; then straine it, and giue it him three or foure mornings to∣gether to drinke; and let him by no meanes trauell thereupon: or else giue him of husked beanes boyled with the huskes of acornes, beaten smal, and mixt to∣gether. Others vse to make him a drinke with the rootes of Daffadill mingled with wheate flowre, and Sumach sodden long in water, and so to be giuen to the horse with sweet wine: or else to make him a drink of goates milke and sallet oyle, straining thereunto a little frumenty: or else to giue him sodden beanes & Deeres suet in wine; each of these are of like force & goodnesse. Now there be others which for this dis∣ease do take barley, and seeth it in the iuyce of Gum∣folly, and giue him the barley to eate, and the iuyce to drinke: or else take the powder of licoras and anise seeds, rold vp in hony, and make round balles there∣of, and cast downe the horses throat two or three of them: or else licoras, anise seeds and garlicke bruised together with a little sallet oyle and hony, and giuen in a quart of new milke to the horse to drinke, is very soueraigne also; and these two medicines last rehear∣sed, are exceeding good also for any cold or glanders.