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 fourth poynt. How to cure all the diseases in Sheep with six medicines onely. (Book 4)

The Caracter or nature of the Sheepe.

SHeepe are naturally of a hot disposition, weake & tender, yet so free from gredines that they will liue of lesse foode then any o∣ther beast of their bignes: they are of a most singular profit and esteeme, as hauing in them not about them any thing which is not of some good vse, the worst of which are their houes, and yet the very treading of them vp∣on the ground are a good manuring and in∣riching of the same: as for their fleeces, their flesh and other intralls, who knowes not the excellent goodnes thereof? The Rams and Ewes are fit for generation from two yeares of age till they be ten, and after that they are onely for the shambles: the Ewes carrie their lambes in their bodyes a hundred and fifty dayes and no longer, according to common computation. Sheepe in our Iland of great Brittaine (which is not inferior to any king∣dome in the world for the excellencie of good

Sheepe) are of sundry natures, according to the alteration of the climats, for where the ground is most firtile, there the sheep are large of body, and deepe woold, yet is the staple but of an indifferent finenes, rather inclining to some coursenes, then yeelding the best thrid others are bred of a more barraine and wilde earth, yet if the leare be colde then is the sta∣ple most course, and the wooll both short and harie, and the least that are bred on the most barraine earth, though the sheepe be the least of body, and the least of burthen, yet if the leare be warme and well coloured, the wooll is of all the finest, and the staple of a fine and silke-like handling. To conclude, it is bet∣ter and more naturall for a sheepe to be bred abroade in the fields amongst the flocke then domesticke at home in the house, for so shall both his flesh and fleece be better both for the tast, and for all other seruice.

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

• All Feuers.
• The red water.
• The lunge-sick.
• All coughes,
• All colds.
• All diseases of the gall.
• The Iaundisse.
• All sicknes comming of choller.
• ...

• All tough fleagme.
• The Poxe.
• The wood euill.
• The crampe.
• All licking of poyson
• To cause easie deliue∣rance.
• To increase milke.
• All wormes inward.
• The losse of the cud.
• The Staggers.
• The generall rot.
• Water in the belly.

The first Medicine.

Take of wormewood flowers, of rue, of Coltsfoote, of lunge-wort, of plantaine, of lettice, of rosemary, of cinquefoyle, of horse∣mint, of dyll, of Sage, of tanscy, and of holy thistle, or of so many of those as you can con∣ueniently get, of each a like quantity and beat them very well in a morter, then straine forth the iuyce thereof, and to a pint of a very sweet honnied water made with the best honny and running water, adde fiue or sixe spoonefull of this iuyce, then set it on the fire and boyle it with two spoonfull of the pouder of anny seeds, licoras, long pepper, and bay∣berries made of equall quantities, then being taken from the fire put in as much sweet but∣ter as a walnut, and two spoonfull of that Salt which is called Adcoces, which is salt gathe∣red (and made by the violence of the sunnes heat) vppon the salt marshes after the tide is gone away, or for want of it (because it is scarse) you may take as much of the best Spa∣nish

salt, and all being well stirred together, so soone as it is luke warme giue it the sheepe to drinke with a horne, and morning and e∣uening rubbe his mouth very well with the salt aforesaid, and it is a certaine cure, and hath beene often proued.

All these infirmities are cured by the second medicine following.

• The Scabbe or Itch.
• All maggots whatso∣euer.
• The worme in the clawe.
• All wild fier.
• The Sturdy.
• The turning euill.
• The more founde.
• Sheepe taggd.
• Sheepe belted.

The second Medicine.

First you shall let the Sheepe bloud in the eye-veines, then take tarre and fresh grease of each a like quantity, and mixing them wel to∣gether with a little Brimstone and the iuyce of Cheruile, bring it to a salue, and with the same (after you haue bared, clensed, and made all the sore places raw) anoint all the grieued place, or in case of the sturdy after you haue opened the skull and taken out the bladder, plaster the sore therewith, and it is a certaine cure.

All these infirmities are cured by the third medicine following.

• All paine in the ioynts.
• All bones out of ioynt.
• All Broken bones.

The fourth Medicine.

First after you haue placed the member right (which you may doe by the example of the sound member) then you shall bath the grieued place wel with butter and beere, then make a scarcloth of patchgrease and yellow waxe, and warming it very hot lap it about the member, and if need require then splent it, and in case the member be broken renew it not til fifteene dayes be past, otherwise re∣new it once in three dayes.

All these infirmities are cured by the fourth medicine following.

• All greiues in the eyes.
• All dimnesse of sight.

The fourth Medicine.

You shal first let the sheepe bloud in the eye-veines, then take of the iuyce of Cello∣dine, that is to say, of the leaues in summer and of the roots in winter, and with the same wash the sheeps eyes, and it will helpe them.

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

• All greiues in the mouth.
• All loosenesse of teeth.

The fift Medicine.

First you shal let the sheepe bloud in the gummes, then you shall take of earth, of Sage and of Salt, of each a like quantity, and beat them well together, and with the same rub the mouth of the sheep very well, but espe∣cially where it is greeued▪ and it helpeth.

All these infirmities are cured by the sixt medicine following.

• All sicknesse in Lambes.
• Lambes that are yea∣ned sicke.

The sixth Medicine.

First you shal take vp the lambe and breath into the mouth thereof, then suckell or feede it with mares milke and a little water mixt to¦gether and made luke warme, and in any case during the sicknes keepe it very warme for that is the greatest nourishment that can bee giuen vnto them, and best agreeth with them.