The historie of foure-footed beastes Describing the true and liuely figure of euery beast, with a discourse of their seuerall names, conditions, kindes, vertues (both naturall and medicinall) countries of their breed, their loue and hate to mankinde, and the wonderfull worke of God in their creation, preseruation, and destruction. Necessary for all diuines and students, because the story of euery beast is amplified with narrations out of Scriptures, fathers, phylosophers, physitians, and poets: wherein are declared diuers hyerogliphicks, emblems, epigrams, and other good histories, collected out of all the volumes of Conradus Gesner, and all other writers to this present day. By Edward Topsell.

Of a Retreat.

THis is the pricking of a naile, not wel driuen in the shooing, and therefore pulled out againe by the Smith, and is called of the Italians, Tratta messa. The cause of the pricking may be partly, the rash driuing of the Smith, and partly the weakenes of the naile, or the hollownes of the naile in the shank. For if it be too weake, the point many times bendethawry into the quicke when it should go right forth. It slatteth and shiuereth in the driuing into two parts, wher∣of one part raceth the quick in pulling out, or else perhaps breaketh cleane assunder, and [ 10] so remaineth stil behind, and this kinde of pricking is worse than the cloyeng because it wil ranckle worse, by reason of the flaw of yron remaining in the flesh. The signes bee these. If the Smith that driueth such a naile be so lewd, as he wil not looke vnto it before the horse depart, then there is no way to know it, but by the halting of the horse, and ser∣ching the hooue first with a hammer by knocking vpon euery clinging. For when you knock vpon that naile, where the greefe is. The horse wil shrinke vp his foote. And if that wil not seru, then pinch or gripe the hooue with a paire of pinsons round about vntil you haue found the place greeued. The cure according to Martin is thus. First pul off the shooe, and then open the place greeued with a butter or drawer, so as you may perceiue by feeling or seeing, whether there be any peece of naile or not, if there be, to pul it out, [ 20] and to stop the hole with Turpentine, Wax•• and Sheepes sewet moulten together, and so poured hot into the hole, and then lay a little Towe vppon it, and clap on the shooe a∣gaine, renewing it thus euery day, vntil it be whole, during which time, let not the horse come in any wet, and it must be so stopped, though it be but prickt without any peece of naile remaining. And if for lack of loking to it in time, this retreat cause the houe to break aboue, then cure it with the plaister restrictiue in such order as is mentioned in the laste place sauing one before this,