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 a Prick in the sole of the Foot, by treading on a nail, or any other sharp thing that doth enter into the Foot.

THe signes be these: If a man be on his back when he treadeth on any such thing, he shall feel that the Horse will lift up his ••oot, and covet to stand still to have help. And if it chance at * 1.1 any other time, the halting of the Horse, and the hurt it self will shew. The cure according to Martin is thus: Pull off the shooe, and pare the foot; and with a drawer uncover the hole, making the mouth so broad as a two penny piece, then tack on the shooe again. That done, stop it, by pouring into the hole Turpentine and Hogs-grease molten together, and lay some flax, or tow upon it; and then stop all the Horses foot with Horse-dung, or rather with Cow-dung, if you can get it; and splent it either with sticks, or else with an old shooe-sole, so as the stopping may abide in, renewing it every day once until it be whole, and let the Horse come in no wet. If this be not well cured, or looked to in time, it will cause the hoof to break above, and to loosen round about, and perhaps to fall clean away. But if you see that it begins to break above, then make a greater

issue beneath by opening the hole wider, and taking more of the sole away, that the flesh may have the more liberty. Then take of Bole-armony half a quartern, Bean-flowre, and two Egges. Beat them, and mingle them well together, and make a plaister thereof upon Tow, and lay it round about the Cronet, binde it fast on, and so let it remain the space of two days, and then renew it again, not failing so to do every two days untill you see it wax hard and firm above. For this Plaister being restrictive, will force the humors to resort all downward, which must be drawn out with Turpentine and Hogs-grease as before, until it leave mattering, and then dry it up with burnt Allum beaten to powder, and strowed upon it, with a little flax laid again upon that, con∣tinuing so to do every day once, until it be hardned; and let not the Horse come in any wet, until he be whole.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Blundevile.