Markhams methode or epitome wherein is shewed his aprooued remedies for all diseases whatsoeuer incident to horses, oxen, kine, bulls, calues, sheep, lambs, goats, swine, dogs of all kind, conies, all sorts of poultrye, all water-foule, as geese, ducks, swans, and the like) pigeons, all singing birds, hawks of all kind; and other creatures seruice-able for the vse of man: deuided into twelue generall points or heads. By Gervase Markham. Gentleman.

The twelfth and last poynt. How to cure all the Diseases in Haukes of what nature or quality soeuer they be, with sixe Medicines onely. (Book 12)

The Character or nature of all sorts of Haukes.

THere be in Falconry, sixteene kindes of Haukes or birds that liue vpon prey, and though euery one haue in them a speciall note or Character of much valour, yet some are much more valiant then other some, as the Ea∣gle, the Vulture, the Gerfaulcon, Faulcon, and such like, are more valiant then the Gosse∣hauke, Lanner, Kilt, Ringtaile, and such like. The valiant hauke euer trusseth her prey in the ayre, the lesse valiant taketh her prey neere vnto the ground, and most commonly vpon the ground. The valiant haukes alwaies builde vpon the hie rockes, and on the steepe cliffes, against which the rage of the Sea and water continually beateth. And the lesse valiant haukes build in tall timber trees where they haue some shelter and refuge: as for those which build in some walls, or vpon the ruins

of ould houses, as the Kestrills and such like, they are most base and cowardly, and neither fit for vse nor imployment. The long wingd haukes are fittest for the riuer, and kill both the Herne and other smaller foule, as is the Mal∣lard and Tayle▪ and the short wingd haukes will kill the Hare also. The Merlin and Hobby take most delight in killing the Larke: the Sparrow-hauke sn killing the Black-bird, and the Musket in killing the Sparrowe onely, ma∣ny other flights there be, as at the Pye, Iay and such like, but they are to be measured according to the mettle of the Hauke, for they are flights of danger and force, ond therefore it behoues the hauke to haue much cunning and much exercise before she be brought to such flights, least that her mettle and rashnes become her owne ruine, as many Faulkoners finde in daily experience.

All these infirmities in Haukes are cured by the first medicine following.

• All inward and priuy sicknesses of body.
• The pantas.
• Casting of the gorge.
• All sorts of wormes.
• Purging of glut.
• Costiuenes in the bo∣dy.
• To cause disgestion.

The first Medicine.

Take as much Agaricke as a pease and wrap it either in a warme Pidgions heart, or Chickens heart, or any other warme & blou∣dy flesh, and giue it the hauke to eate fasting in the morning, and it is a most ready and cer∣taine cure.

All these infirmities are cured by the second medicine following.

• All priuy grieues in the head.
• All rhumes.
• The Rye.
• All apoplexies.

The second Medicine.

Take as much mustardseed bruisd as will lye vpon a three halfe-pence, and lap it as afore∣said, either in a warme Pidgions heart, Chick∣ens heart, or other warme flesh, and then dip it in the iuyce of Rosemary and Sage well mixt together, and so giue it the hauke to eate fast∣ing in the morning, and it will not onely purge and clense her, but also comfort and strength∣en the brayne excedingly, as by proofe you shall finde.

All these infirmities are cured by the third Medicine following.

• All diseases in the eies.
• All dimnes of sight.
• All bloud-shotten eies
• The pynne and web.

The third Medicine.

Take of the iuyce of ground Iuy or ale-hoofe halfe a spoonefull, and put it to as much fine searst ginger as will lye on a three halfe-pence, and being well mixt togerher with a small soft feather annoynt the haukes eye therewith, morning, noone, and night, and it is a most certaine cure, and often approued.

All these infirmities are cured by the fourth medicine following.

• All diseases in the mouth
• The Frounce.
• All Cankers.

The fourth medicine.

Take roch alume and beate it to as fine a powder as you can possible get it, then take a spoonefull or two of the strongest and best wine vineger, and mixe your allome with the same till it be as thicke as puddle, then take a fine rag of cambricke or lawne, and dip it therein, and with the same rub the sores well till they be ready to bleede, both morning, noone, and night, and it will cure it in a short space.

All these infirmities are cured by the fift medicine following.

• All imposthumes.
• All wounds whatso∣euer.
• All bruises whatsoeuer
• All excrescions.
• The formicas.
• To stanch blood.

The fift medicine.

First where there is any excrescion of horny or bony substance, you shall cut it away, and lay the sore open and bare, and then apply the salue which followeth, but in case of wounds, if the wound be great or deepe, you shall first stitch it vp with a fine needle and a litle red silke, then take twenty raisons of the sunne, and hauing pickt out the stones, boyle them in halfe a pinte of wine till it be thicke like pap, then beat it well together, and being ve∣ry warme apply it to the sore places, renew∣ing it once in foure and twenty howers till all the soares be healed: but if the fluxe of bloud be great, then you shall take merchants waxe and drop it vpon the veine which bleedeth, & it will presently stanch it.

All these infirmities are cured by the sixt me∣dicine following.

• The pinne in the foote
• The broken pounce.
• Bones broken.
• Bones out of ioynt.

The sixt medicine.

First you shall place the member right if there be either breath or dislocation, then take of Galbanum, of white Pich, and of Tur∣pentine of each a like quantity, and melt them together on a soft fire, then plaister-wise spread it vpon a linnen cloth and so fould it a∣bout the sore, then splent it if neede require, otherwise onely roule it vp with a fine linnen ragge, and the remedy will soone be effected, as hath bene often by me and others seene, and proued by experience.

The nature of red and fallow Deere.

THough the Deere by a secret instinct of nature and the Prouidence of God are their owne Phisitian & not needing the helpe of man, yet because they are so seruiceable for the vse of man. I thought it not much im∣pertinent from my discourse to shew their Character or nature. The Hart of all other beasts loueth to heare musicke, and meruaileth at all thinges that he seeth, and taketh great

pleasure to behold them, as hath beene often seene by their gazing at the bowe and ar∣rowes of the hunter, or at a Carter and the like, they are at mighty enmity with Serpents and renew their strength by eating of them, they haue also a strange property, that if they goe to feed in yong springs or coppes they go full against the wind, and so can tell whether there be any person there or not: and if any man chance to spit or pisse vppon any spring or branch in the coppes, they will find it out presently and vtterly abandon the place: be∣ing hunted and ready to bee taken by the houndes, they will for their last refuge fly to houses and places of resort, rather yeelding to man then to the dogges: and as Plinie saith they can indure to swimme thirty miles end∣wayes: and when they are to passe any great riuer to goe to rut in some Ile or forest, they assemble themselues together in great heards, and knowing the strongest and best swimmer they make him goe formost, and then hee which commeth second stayeth vp his head vppon the back of the first, and all the rest in like manner euen vnto the last: the formost being weary the second taketh his place, and he cometh backward: they go to rut about the middest of September, and beare their young ones 8. monthes: somtimes they bring

two calues at once: their little ones they practise and exercise to vse their legges from the very beginning, leading them vp to high rocks, teaching them to leape, run, & fly away acquainting them with their dens and secret places of harbor: the males are horned, and they aboue all other liuing Creatures cast them euery yeare once at a certaine time of the spring, and to that purpose a little before their mewing they seeke out the most secret corners and most out of the way to hide themselues: when they are Pollards they keepe close hidden as if they were disarmed: and all this they doe as if they enuied that men should haue good of any thing they had. Their age may bee knowne by their heads, (for euery yeare they haue one more branch then they had the last yeare before) vntil they come to sixe, after which time: they come new euer alike, so that their age cannot be discer∣ned any more by their head, but their marke is taken by their mouth and teeth: for as they grow in age they haue few or no teeth at all: yet the branches grow out of the root, wher∣as all the while they were yonger they vsed to haue them breake forth and standing out at the very forehead. At the first when they breake out againe, they be like to the glandu∣ells or kernells of drye skin, that new put

forth, then grow they with tender stalkes to certaine round and long knots couered all o∣uer with a certaine plume downe like veluet, so long as they be destitute of their hornes & perceiue their heads naked, they go forth to releefe by night, and as they grow bigger and bigger they harden them in the hot Sunne, eftsoones making proofe of them against trees: and when they perceiue they be tough and strong enough, then they go abroad bold∣ly. The Harts and Hindes may liue an hundred yeares and vpward.

Thus gentle Reader I haue breefely ended my short Epitome, crauing nothing but this at thy handes, that when thou hast made tri∣all of these my approued remedies and findest the profit to redound to thy selfe (as ma∣ny heeretofore haue done) praise God, and thinke well of me thy friend.

FINIS.