The history of four-footed beasts and serpents describing at large their true and lively figure, their several names, conditions, kinds, virtues ... countries of their breed, their love and hatred to mankind, and the wonderful work by Edward Topsell ; whereunto is now added, The theater of insects, or, Lesser living creatures ... by T. Muffet ...

Of sickness, what it is, and how many general kinds there be; also with what order the diseases of Horses are herein declared. And finally, of the four times, belonging to every sickness.

SIckness is an evill affect contrary to nature, hindering of it self, some action of the body Of sick∣ness there be three general kinds, where of the first consisteth in the parts similar; the second in the parts instrumental; and the third in both parts together. The first kind is called of the Latins Intemperies, that is to say, evil temperature, which is either simple or compound. It is simple, when one quality only doth abound or exceed too much, as to be too hot, or too cold; it is compound, as when many qualities do exceed, as when the body is too hot and too dry, or too cold and too moist. The second kind is called Mala constituti••, that is to say, an evill state or composition, which is to be considered, either by the shape, number, quantity, or sight of the member, or part evill af∣fected or diseased. The third kind is called Ʋnitatis solutio, that is to say, the loosening or division of the unity, which as it may chance diversly, so it hath divers names accordingly; for if such soluti∣on or division be in a bone, then it is called a fracture; if it be in any fleshie part, then it is called a Wound or Ulcer; in the veins, a Rupture; in the sinews, a Convulsion or Cramp; and in the skin, an Excoriation.

Again, of diseases, some be called long, and some sharp and short, called of the Latins, M〈…〉〈…〉, which be perillous and do quickly kill the body. The long, do 〈…〉〈…〉rry longer by it. Yet moreover, there is sickness by it self, and sickness by consent: Sickness by it self, is that which being in some member, hindereth the action thereof by it self Sickness by consent, is derived out of one member into another, through the neighbourhood and community that is betwixt them: as the pain of the head which cometh from the stomach.

Thus the learned Physitians which write of Mars body, do divide sickness▪ But Absyrtus writing of Horse-leach craft, saith of that sickness, or rather malady (for so he termeth it, using that word as a general name to all manner of diseases that be in a Horse) there be four kinds, that is to say, the moist malady, the dry malady, the malady of the joynts, and the malady betwixt the flesh and the skin. The moist malady is that which we call the Glanders. The dry malady is an incurable consumption, which some perhaps would call, the mourning of the chein, but not rightly, as shall appear unto you hereafter. The malady of the joints comprehendeth all griefs and sorentes that be in the joints. And the malady betwixt the flesh and the skin, is that which we call the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, U〈…〉〈…〉 which four kindes of maladies, Vegetius addeth three others, that is, the Forcine, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Reins or Kidnies, and the con〈…〉〈…〉ered Marginess, most commonly called of the old writers the 〈…〉〈…〉∣sic; and so maketh seven kindes of maladies, under which all other perticular diseases are compre∣hended.

Again, Laurentius Rusius, useth an other kind of division of sickness. Of Horses diseases, saith he, some be natural, and some accidental. The natural be those that do come either through the ex∣cesse, or lack of engendring seed, or by error of nature, in misforming the young, or else by some defect of the dam or sire, in that perhaps they be diseased within, and have their seed corrupted.

The accidental diseases be those that come by chance, as by surfetting, of cold, heat, and such like thing. But forasmuch as none of these writers do follow their own divisions, nor handle the parts thereof accordingly: to avoid their confusion, and to teach plainly: I thought good and profitable therefore to use this my own division and order here fol∣lowing.

First, then, of diseases some be inward, and some be outward. The inward be those that breed within the Horses body, and are properly called maladies and diseases, whereof some do occupy all the whole body, and some particular parts or members of the body.

Of those then that occupie all the body, and not be accident to any private member, I do first treat, as of Agues, of the Pestilence, and such like, and then of those that be incident to every particular member, beginning at the head, and so proceed orderly throughout all the members, even down to the sole of the foot, observing therein so nigh as I can, the self same order that Galen useth in his book, De locis male affectis, declaring what manner of disease it is, and how it is called in English, and also in Italian, because the Kings stable is never without Italian Riders, of whom our Farriars borrowed divers names, as you shall perceive hereafter. Then the causes whereof it pro∣ceeds, and the signes how to know it, and finally, the cure and diet belonging to the same; and be∣cause I find not inward diseases enow to answer every part of the body, I do not let to interlace them with outward diseases incident to those parts, yea rather, I leave out no outward disease belonging to any particular member, and to the intent you may the better know to what diseases or sorances every part or member of the Horses body is most commonly subject. And note by the way, that I call those outward diseases that proceed not of any inward cause, but of some outward cause, as when a Horse is shouldered by means of some outward cause, or his back galled with the saddle, or his sides spurgalled, or his his hoof cloid with a nail, which properly may be called sorances or griefs.

Thirdly, I talk of those diseases as well outward as inward, that may indifferently chance in any part of the body, as of Impostumes, Cankerous Ulcers, Wounds, Fistulaes, Burnings, B••usings, Breaking of bones, and such like.

Fourthly, because most diseases are healed either by letting of bloud, by taking up of veins, by purgation, or else by cauterisation, that is to say by giving the fire: I talk of those four necessary things severally by themselves; and finally I shew you the true order of paring and shooing all man∣ner of hoofs, according as the diversity of hoofs require: and to the intent you may the better un∣derstand me, you have the perfect shapes of all necessary shooes, plainly set forth in figures before your eyes. Thus much touching mine order which I have hitherto observed.

Now it is necessary to know, that to every disease or malady, belongeth four several times, that is to say, the beginning, the increasing, the state, and declination, which times are diligently to be observed of the Farriar, because they require divers applying of medicine; for that medicine which was meet to be used in the beginning of the disease, perhaps is not to be used in the declination thereof: and that which is requisite, and very needful, to be applyed in the state or chiefest of the disease, may be very dangerous to be used in the beginning. And therefore the Farriar ought to be a man of judgement, and able to discern one time from another, to the intent he may apply his me∣dicines rightly. Hither of causes and sickness in general. Now it is also meet, that we speak in general of signes whereby sickness is known.