Of Purgations.

PVrgations for men may be made in diuers sorts and formes, but horses are wont to [ 20] be purged onely with pilles, or els with purging powders put into Ale,* wine or some other liquor. But the simples whereof such pils or powders be made, would be chosen with iudgement and aptly applyed, so as you may purge away the hurtfull humours, and not the good. Learne first therefore to know with what humour or humours the horse is greeued, be it Choler, Flegme, or Melancholy, and in what part of the body such humors do abound: then what simples are best to purge such humors, & with what property, quali¦ty, and temperament they be indued. For some be violent and next cousins to poison, as Scamony, or Coloquintida. Some againe are gentle, and rather meat than medicines, as Manna, Cassia, Whay, Prunes, and such like. And some againe be neither too violent, nor too gentle, but in a meane, as Rhewbarbe, Agaricke, Sene, Aloes. The olde men did vse [ 30] much to purge horses with the pulpe of Coloquintida, and sometime with the rootes of wilde Cowcumber, and sometime with the broathe of a sodden Whelpe mingled with Nitrum, and diuers other thinges whereof I am sure I haue made mention before in the curing of horses diseases.

Notwithstanding I would not wish you to be rash in purging a horse after the old mens example. For as their simples many times bee very violent, so the quantities thereof by them prescribed are verie much, and dangerous for any horse to take in these daies, in the which neither man nor beast, as it seemeth, is of such force or strength as they were in times past. And therefore whensoeuer you would purge him with such like kindes of Pur∣gations as Martin vseth, wherof you haue example before in diuers places, and whensoe∣uer [ 40] you list for knowledge sake to deale with other simples, to proue them first vpon such Iades as may well be spared. For whosoeuer mindeth to purge a horse well, that is, to do him good and no hurt, had neede to consider manie things: as the nature of the horses di∣sease, and the horses strength: also the nature, strength and quantity of the medicine that he ministreth: the Region, or Countrey the time of the disease, the time of the yeere and daie. For as the diseases and euill humors causing such diseases are diuers, so doe they re∣quire to be purged with diuers medicines, diuerslie compounded, wherein consisteth a point of Art to be learned at the Physitians hands, and not at mine.

Againe, weake, delicate, and tender Horses, may not be purged in such sorte, as those that be of a strong sturdie nature. And therefore in such cases the qualitie and quantity of [ 50] the simples is not a little to be considered, neither is the hotnesse or coldnesse of the Regi∣on to be neglected, nor the time of the disease. For some require to be purged in the verie beginning some, not vntill the matter be throughlie digested: and though the disease pro∣ceed perhaps of colde and cold humors, yet a man may not Minister such hot thinges in Summer, as he would do in Winter, nor in the contrarie ease, such cold thinges in Win∣ter Page  428 as he would in Summer. And therefore the time and season of the yeare is also to bee obserued: yea the day and time of the day. For the more temperate the day is the better, not in an extreame hot day, for making the horse to faint, nor yet when the winde blow∣eth in the cold North, for that wil stop and hinder the working of the medicine, but rather in a temperate moist day, when the wind is in the South, if it may bee, for that will further and helpe the working of the medicine, and make the body loose and soluble.

Againe for a horse, whether you purge him with pils or drinke, it is best for him (as Mar∣tin saith) to take them in the morning, after that he hath fasted from meat and drinke al the night before. And hauing receiued his medicine, let him be walked vppe and downe, one houre at the least, and then set him vp, and suffered to stand on the bit two or three houres [ 10] without any meat, but in the meane time see that he be well littered, and warme couered: and at three houres end, offer him a little of a warme mash made with Wheate meale, or with bran, or else with ground mault. Giue him little meat or none vntill he be purged: all which thinges haue bin shewed you before in diuers places, and therefore I thinke it not good to be tedious vnto you with often recitall thereof.