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Of Purgations.
PUrgations for Men may be made in divers sorts and forms; but Horses are wont to be purged only with pils, or else with purging powders put into Ale, Wine, or some other liquor. But * 1.1 the simples whereof such pils or powders be made, would be chosen with judgement and aptly ap∣plyed, so as you may purge away the hurtful humors, and not the good. Learn first therefore to know with what humor or humors the Horse is grieved, be it Choler, Flegm, or Melancholy, and in what part of the body such humors do abound: then what simples are best to purge such humors, and with what property, quality, and temperament they be indued. For some be violent and next cousins to poy••on, as Scammony, or Coloquintida. Some again are gentle, and rather meat than me∣dicines, as Monna, Cassia, Whay, Prunes, and such like. And some again be neither too violent, nor too gentle, but in a mean, as Rhubarb, Agarick, Sene, Aloes. The old men did use much to purge Horses with the pulp of Coloquintida, and sometime with the roots of wilde Cowcumber; and some-time with the broath of a sodden Whelp mingled with Nitrum, and divers other things, whereof I am sure I have 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 ex∣ample. For as their simples many times be very violent, so the quantities thereof by them prescri∣bed are very much, and dangerous for any Horse to take in these days, in the which neither man nor beast, as it seemeth, is of such force or strength as they were in times past. And therefore when∣soever you would purge him with such like kindes of Purgations as Martin useth. whereof you have example before in divers places; and whensoever you list for knowledge sake to deal with other simples, to prove them first upon such Jades as may well be spared. For whosoever mindeth to purge a Horse well, that is, to do him good and no hurt, had need to consider many things: as the nature of the Horses disease, and the Horses strength: also the nature, strength and quantity of the me∣dicine that he ministreth: the Region, or Countrey, the time of the disease, the time of the year and day. For as the diseases and evil humors causing such diseases are divers, so do they require to be purged with divers medicines, diversly compounded, wherein consisteth a point of Art to be learn∣ed at the Physitians hands, and not at mine.
Again, weak, delicate, and tender Horses may not be purged in such sort, as those that be of a strong sturdy nature. And therefore in such cases the quality and quantity of the simples is not a little to be considered; neither is the hotness or coldness of the Region to be neglected, nor the time of the disease. For some require to be purged in the very beginning some not until the matter be throughly digested: and though the disease proceed perhaps of cold, and cold humors, yet a man may not minister such hot things in Summer, as he would do in Winter, nor in the con∣trary case, such cold things in Winter as he would in Summer. And therefore the time and season of the year is also to be observed: yea the day and time of the day. For the more temperate the day is, the better; not in an extreme hot day, for making the Horse to faint; nor yet when the winde bloweth in the cold North, for that will stop and hinder the working of the medicine, but ra∣ther in a temperate moist day, when the winde is in the South, if it may be; for that will further and help the working of the medicine, and make the body loose and soluble.
Again for a Horse, whether you purge him with pils or drink, it is best for him (as Martin saith) to take them in the morning, after that he hath fasted from meat and drink all the night before. And having received his medicine, let him be walked up and down, one hour at the least, and then set him up, and suffered to stand on the bit two or three hours without any meat, but in the mean time see that he be well littered, and warm covered: and at three hours end, offer him a little of a warm mash made with Wheat-meal, or with Bran or else with ground mault. Give him little meat, or none until he be purged: all which things have been shewed you before in divers places, and therefore I think it not good to be tedious unto you with often recital thereof.