Of a Horsse that is taken.
A Horsse is said to be taken, when he is depriued of his feeling and mouing, so as he is able to stir no manner of way, but remaineth in such state and forme, as he was taken in. Which disease is called of the Physitians by the Greeke name Catalepsis, and in Latine Deprehensio, or Congelatio and of Vegetius, Sideratio, which also calleth those beasts [ 10] that haue this disease I••••••enta sideratitia. The physitians say, that it commeth of aboun∣dance of Phlegme and choler mixt together, or else of melancholy blood, which is a cold dry humor opressing the hinder parts of the brain. But Vegetius saith, that it coms of some extreame outward cold, striking sodainely into the empty vaines, or some extreame heate or raw digestion, or else of some great hunger, caused by long fasting. It is easie to knowe by the description before mentioned.
As touching the cure, Vegetius saith, that if it come of colde, then it is good to giue him to drinke, one ounce of Laserpitium, with Wine and Oyle mixt together, and made lukewarme: if of heat, then to giue it him with water and hony: if of crudity, then to hea••e him by fasting: if of hunger, then by feeding him well with Pease. But Martin saith, that [ 20] this disease is called of the French-men Surprins, and it commeth (as he saith) most chiefly of cold taken after a heat, & he wisheth a horsse that is thus taken, to be cured in this sort. First to be let blood on both sides of the breast, and then to be put in a heat either by con∣tinuall stirring and molesting him, or else if he wil stir by no meanes, then to bury him all saue the head in a warme dunghil, and ther to let him lie vntil his limbs haue some feeling. And before you so bury him, it shall be good to giue him this drinke. Take of Malmsie three pints, and put thereunto a quarterne of Suger, and some Cinamon and Cloues, and let him drinke it good and warme, and vntill he be perfectly whole, let him be kept warm, and often exercised and walked vp and down in the stable, and thinly dieted, and drink no∣thing but warme water, wherein if you put some Fennell and Parsly seed, to prouoke him [ 30] to vrine, it shal be the better. And if he cannot dung, let him bee raked, and haue a glister made of the broath of Mallowes and fresh Butter.