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. 32. Of paine in a Horses teeth, of Woolfes teeth and Iaw teeth.

A Horse may haue paine in his teeth through di∣uers occasions, as partly by the descent of hu∣mors from the head downe vnto the teeth and gums, which is very proper to colts and yong horses, and plainly to be seene by the rankenesse and swelling

of the gummes, and also he may haue paine in his teeth, by hauing two extraordinary teeth, called the woolfes teeth, which be two little teeth growing in the vpper iawes, next vnto the great grinding teeth; which are so painefull to the horse, that he cannot en∣dure to chaw his meate, but is forced either to let it fall out of his mouth, or else to keepe it still halfe cha∣wed. Againe, a horse will haue great paine in his teeth when his vpper iaw teeth be so farre growne as they ouer-hang the neather iaw teeth; and there∣with also be so sharpe, as in mouing his iawes they cut and raze the insides of his cheekes, euen as they were razed with a knife. Lastly, a horse may haue great paine in his teeth, when either by corruption of bloud, or some other naturall weaknesse, the horses teeth grow loose & soare in such maner that through the tendernesse therof, he is not able to chaw or grind his foode. Now for the seuerall cures of these infir∣mities you shall vnderstand that first as touching the generall paine in a horses teeth, which doth come by meanes of the distillation of humors, it is thought fit by the ancientest Farriers, first to rubbe all the out∣side of the horses gummes with fine chalke and strong vinegar well mixt together. Other Farriers vse after they haue so washed the gummes, to straw vpon them the powder of pomegranat pils, & to couer the tem∣ples of the head with a plaister of pitch, rosen, and ma∣sticke molten together, as hath bene before declared. Now for the cure of the wolfes teeth, or the iaw teeth (acocrding to the opinion of the ancient Farri∣ers) it is thus. First, cause the horses head to be tyed vp high to some post or raster, and his mouth to be o∣pened with a cord so wide that you may easily see

euery part thereof: then take an instrument of Iron, made in all points like vnto a carpenters gouge, and with your left hand set the edge of the toole at the foote of the woolfes teeth, on the outside of the iaw, turning the hollow side of the toole downward, hol∣ding your hand steadily, so as the toole may not slip not swarue from the foresaid teeth: then hauing a mallet in your right hand, strike vpon the head of the toole a good stroake, wherewith you may loosen the tooth, and make it bend inward: then straining the midst of your toole vppon the horses neather iaw, wrinch the tooth outward with the inside or hollow side of the toole, and thrust it cleane out of his head: which done, serue the other woolfes tooth on the o∣ther side in like manner, and then fill vp the empty holes with salt finely brayed. Other Farriers vse (and I haue in mine experience found it the better practise) only when the horse is eirher tyed vp or cast, and his mouth opened, to take a very sharp file, and to file the woolfes teeth so smooth as is possible, and then wash his mouth with a little allome water. Now if the vp∣per iaw teeth ouerhang the neather iaw teeth, & so cut the inside of the mouth as is aforesaid, then you shall take your former toole or gouge, and with your mal∣let strike and pare all those teeth shorter by little and little degrees, running alongst them euen from the first vnto the last, turning the hollow side of your toole towards the teeth, by which meanes you shall not cut the insides of the horses cheekes: then with your file, file them all smooth without any raggednes, and then wash the horses mouth with vinegar & salt. Lastly if the paine do proceede from the loosnesse of his teeth, then the cure is, according to the opinion

of the ancient Farriers, first to cast the horse, and pricke all his gummes ouer with a lancet, making them bleede well; then rubbe them all ouer with sage and salt, and it will fasten them againe. Others vse to let the horse bloud in the veine vnder his taile next the rumpe, and then to rubbe all his gums with sage, and to giue him in his prouender, the tender croppes of blacke bryars; or else wash all his mouth with hony, sage, and salt beaten toge∣ther; and by no meanes let the horse eate any moist meate: for cold, moist, and marrish feeding in the winter, onely breedeth this disease of loosnesse in the teeth; and it is of all other, most proper to the Sorrell horses.