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 the Foundering in the forelegs.

THe cause of this griefe is declared before in the Chapter of foundering in the body, whereas I shewed you, that if a horse be foundred in the body, the humors wil imme∣diatly resort downe into his legs, as Martin saith within the space of 24. houres, and then the horse wil go crovching al vpon the hinder legs, his forelegs being so stiffe, as he is not able to bow them. The cure whereof, according to Martin, is in this sort. Garter each leg immediatly one handful aboue the knee, with a list good and hard, and then walke him or chafe him, and so put him in a heat, and being somewhat warmed, let him blood in both [ 50] the breast vaines, reseruing the blood to make a charge withal in this manner.

Take of that bloode two quartes, and of Wheate-flower halfe a pecke, and sixe Egges, shelles and all, of bole Armony halfe a pounde, of Sanguis Draconis halfe a quarterne, and a quarte of stronge Vineger: mingle them altogether, and charge all his shoulders, Breast, Backe, Loynes, and Forelegges therewith, and then walke him

vpon some hard ground, suffering him not to stand still, and when the charge is dry, re∣fresh it againe. And hauing walked him three or 4. houres together, lead him into the sta∣ble, and giue him a little warm water with ground mault in it, and then a litle hay and pro∣uender, and then walke him againe, either in the house, or else abroad, and continue thus the space of foure daies: and when all the charge is spent, couer him well with a housing cloth, and let him both stand & lye warme, and eat but little meat during the foure daies. But if you see that at the foure daies end he mendeth not a whit, then it is a sign that the humor lies in the foot, for the which you must search with your butter, paring all the soles of the fore-feete so thin as you shall see the water yssue through the sole. That done, with your butter, let him blood at both the toes, and let him bleede well. The stop the veine [ 10] with a little hogs-grease, and then tacke on the shooes, and Turpentine molten together, and laid vpon a little Flax, and cram the place where you did let him blood hard with tow, to the intent it may be surely stopt. Then fil both his feet with hogs grease, and bran fried together in a stopping Pan, so hot as is possible. And vpon the stopping clap a piece of lea¦ther, or else two splents to keepe the stopping. And immediatly after this, take two Egges, beat them in a dish, and put therto bole Armony, and bean-flower somuch as wil thicken the same, and mingle them wel together, & make therof two plaisters, such as may close each foot round about, somwhat aboue the cronet, and bind it fast with a list or roler, that it may not fall away, nor be remoued for the space of three daies, but let the sole be clen∣sed, and new stopped euery day once, and the cronets to be remoued euery two daies, con∣tinuing [ 20] so to do vntill it be whole. During which time, let him rest vnwalked, for feare of loosening his hooues. But if you see that he begin to amend, you may walke him faire and softly once a day vpon some soft ground, to exercise his legs and feet, and let him not eat much, nor drink cold water. But if this fundering breake out aboue the hooue, which you shal perceiue by the loosenesse of the coffin, aboue by the cronet, then when you pare the sole, you must take al the fore-part of the sole cleane away, leauing the heeles whole, to the intent the humors may haue the freer passage downeward, and then stop him, and dresse him about the cronet as is before said.