Chapter IV: Introduction (4)

[Sidenote: Murrain.]
And yf it fortune to fall murren amonge thy beastes,
as god forbede, there be men ynough can helpe them.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 35_b_.]]
And it commeth of a ranknes of bloudde, and appereth
moste commonly fyrste in the heed; for his heed wyll 4
swell, and his eyen waxe greate and ronne of water
and frothe at the mouthe, and than he is paste remedy,
and wyl dye shortely, and wyll neuer eate after he be
[Sidenote: Flay the dead beast, and bury it.]
sycke. Than flee him, and make a depe pytte faste by, 8
there as he dyeth, and caste hym in, and couer hym with
erthe, that noo dogges may come to the caryen. For as
many beastes as feleth the smelle of that caryen, are
lykely to be enfecte; and take the skynne, and haue it 12
to the tanners to sell, and bryng it not home, for peryll
that may fal. And it is commonly vsed, and cometh of
[Sidenote: Set the beast’s head, on a pole, in the hedge.]
a greate charytie, to take the bare heed of the same beaste
and put vpon a longe pole, and set it in a hedge, faste 16
bounden to a stake, by the hyghe-waye syde, that euerye
man, that rydethe or goeth that waye, maye se and knowe
by that signe, that there is sycknes of cattell in the towneshyp.
And the husbandes holde an opynyon, that it shall 20
the rather cease. And whanne the beaste is flaine, there
as the murren dothe appere bytwene the flesshe and the
skynne, it wyll ryse vppe lyke a ielly and frothe an inche
[Sidenote: Remedy for murrain.]
depe or more. And this is the remedy for the murren. 24
Take a smalle curteyne-corde, and bynde it harde aboute
[Sidenote: [Fol. 36.]]
the beastes necke, and that wyll cause the bloudde to
come in-to the necke, and on eyther syde of the necke
there is a vayne that a man may fele with his fynger; and 28
[Sidenote: Bleed the sick cattle.]
than take a bloud-yren, and set it streight vppon the
vayne, and smyte him bloudde on bothe sydes, and let
hym blede the mountenaunce of a pynte or nyghe it, and
than take awaye the corde, and it wyll staunche bleding. 32
And thus serue all thy cattell, that be in that close or
pasture, and there shall no mo be sicke, by goddes leue.

59. ¶ Longe sought, and remedy therefore.

There is an nother maner of sycknesse among bestes,
[Sidenote: ‘Long sought.’]
and it is called longe soughte; and that sickenes wyl
endure lo_n_g, and ye shal perceyue it by his hoystynge;
he wyl stande moche, and eate but a littel, and waxe very 4
[Sidenote: The beast coughs 20 times an hour.]
holowe & thin. And he wil hoyst .xx. times in an houre,
and but fewe of them do mende. The best remedy is to
kepe thy cattell in sondrye places, and as many as were
in companye with that beast that fyrst fell sycke, to let 8
[Sidenote: [Fol. 36_b_.]]
them a lyttel bloude. And there be many men, that can
[Sidenote: Cut the dewlap.]
seuer them, and that is to cutte the dewlappe before, and
there is a grasse that is called feitergrasse, take that
grasse, and broyse it a lyttell in a morter, and thanne put 12
therof as moche as an hennes egge in-to the sayd dewlappe,
and se it fall not oute. Thus I have seen vsed,
and men haue thought it hath done good.

60. ¶ Dewbolne,[28] and the harde remedy therfore.

[Sidenote: ‘Dewbolne.’]
An other dysease amonge beastes is called dewbolne,[28]
and that commeth whan a hungry beaste is put in a
good pasture full of ranke grasse, he wyll eate soo
moche that his sydes wyll stande as hygh as his backe-bone, 4
and other-whyle the one syde more thanne the
other, and but fewe of them wyll dye; but he maye
[Sidenote: The beast is swollen.]
not be dryuen hastely, nor laboured, being so swollen,
and the substaunce of it is but wynde; and therfore 8
he wolde be softly dryuen, and not sytte downe. Howe
[Sidenote: Some men pierce a hole in the beast.]
be it I haue seen a manne take a knyfe, and thruste hym
thorowe the skynne and the flesshe two inches depe, or
more, vi. inches or more from the ridge-bone, that the 12
[Sidenote: [Fol. 37.]]
wynde maye come out. For the wynde lyeth bytwene
the fleshe and the grete paunche.

61. ¶ Rysen vpon, and the remedy therfore.

[Sidenote: ‘Risen upon.’]
An other dysease is called rysen vppon, and no man
can tell howe, nor wherof it cometh: but ye shall perceyue
that by swellynge in the heed, and specyallye by
[Sidenote: The beast’s eyes run.]
the eyen, for they wyll ronne on water, and close his 4
syght; and wyll dye shortly within an houre or two, if
he be not holpen. This is the cause of his dysease.
There is a blyster rysen vnder the tounge, the whiche
blyster must be slytte with a knyfe a-crosse. Whan ye 8
[Sidenote: Find the blister under the tongue, and cut it.]
haue pulled out the tongue, rubbe the blyster well with
salte, and take an hennes egge, and breake it in the
beastes mouthe shell and all, and cast salte to it, and
holde vp the bestes heed, that all maye be swalowed 12
downe into the body. But the breakynge of the blyster
is the greate helpe, and dryue the beaste a lyttell aboute,
and this shall saue hym, by the helpe of Jesu.

62. ==> The turne, and remedy therfor.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 37_b_.]]
[Sidenote: ‘The turn.’]
There be beastes that wyll turne about, whan they
eate theyr meate, and wyll not fede, and is great
ieoperdy for fallynge in pyttes, dyches, or waters: and
[Sidenote: There is a bladder between the brain and
brain-pan.]
it is bycause that there is a bladder in the foreheed 4
bytwene the brayne-panne and the braynes, the whiche
must be taken out, or els he shal neuer mende, but dye
at lengthe, and this is the remedy and the greatest cure
that can be on a beaste. Take that beast, and cast him 8
downe, and bynde his foure fete together, and with thy
thombe, thrust the beast in the foreheed, and where
thou fyndest the softest place, there take a knyfe, and
cut the skyn, three or foure inches on bothe sides 12
bytwene the hornes, and as moche benethe towarde
the nose, and fley it, and turne it vp, and pyn it faste
with a pyn, and with a knyfe cut the brayne-pan .ii.
[Sidenote: Cut the bone, but not the brain, and take out
the bladder.]
inches brode, and thre inches longe, but se the knyfe 16
go no deper than the thycknes of the bone for perysshynge
of the brayne, and take away the bone, and than
shalt thou se a bladder full of water two inches longe
and more, take that out, and hurte not the brayne, and 20
thanne let downe the skynne, and sowe it faste there
as it was before, and bynde a clothe two or thre folde
vpon his foreheed, to kepe it from colde and wete .x. or
[Sidenote: [Fol. 38.]]
.xii. dayes. And thus haue I seen many mended. But 24
if the beaste be fatte, and any reasonable meate vpon
hym, it is best to kyll hym, for than there is but lyttell
losse. And if the bladder be vnder the horne, it is
past cure. A shepe wyll haue the turne as well as a 28
beast, but I haue seen none mended.

63. ==> The warrybrede, and the remedy therfore.

[Sidenote: ‘Warrybrede.’]
There be beastes that wyll haue warrybredes in dyuers
partes of theyr body and legges, and this is the remedy.
Cast hym downe, and bynde his foure fete together, and
[Sidenote: Take a hot iron, and sear it.]
take a culture, or a payre of tonges, or such an other 4
yren, and take it glowing hote: and if it be a longe
warrybrede, sere it of harde by the body, and if it be
in the beginninge, and be but flatte, than lay the hot
yren vpon it, and sere it to the bare skyn, and it will be 8
hole for euer, be it horse or beast.

64. ¶ The foule, and the remedy therfore.

[Sidenote: ‘The foul.’]
There be bestes, that wyll haue the foule, and that
is betwene the cleese, sometyme before, and sometyme
[Sidenote: [Fol. 38_b_.]]
behynde, and it wyll swell, and cause hym to halt, and
this is the remedy. Cast hym downe and bind his foure 4
[Sidenote: Rub a rope between his claws till he bleeds.]
fete together, & take a rope of heare, or a hey-rope,
harde wrythen together, and put it betwene his cleese,
and drawe the rope to and fro a good season, tyll he
blede well, and than laye to it softe made terre, and 8
binde a cloute aboute it, that noo myre nor grauell
come betwene the clese: and put hym in a pasture, or
let hym stande styll in the house, and he wyll be
shortly hole. 12

65. ¶ The goute, without remedy.

[Sidenote: The gout.]
There be beastes, that wyll haue the goute, and moste
commonly in the hynder fete, and it wyll cause them to
halt, and go starkely. And I knewe neuer manne that
[Sidenote: No remedy.]
coulde helpe it, or fynde remedye therfore, but all-onely 4
to put hym in good grasse, and fede hym.

66. ¶ To rere calues.

[Sidenote: To rear calves.]
It is conueniente for a housbande to rere calues, and
specyally those that come bytwene Candelmasse and
Maye, for that season he may spare mylke beste; and by
[Sidenote: [Fol. 39.]]
that tyme the calfe shall be wayned, there wyll be grasse 4
ynoughe to put hym vnto. And at winter he wyll be
bygge ynoughe to saue hym-selfe amonge other beastes,
with a lyttell fauoure. And the damme of the calfe shall
bull agayne, and brynge an other by the same time of 8
the yere: and if thou shalt tary tyll after May, the calfe
wolde be weyke in wynter, and the damme wolde not
bull agayne: but ofte tyme go bareyn. And if thou
shalte rere a calfe that commeth after Myghelmasse, it 12
wyll be costly to kepe the calfe all the wynter-season at
hey, and the damme at harde meate in the house, as they
vse in the playne champyon countrey. And a cowe shall
[Sidenote: A cow gives more milk on grass than on hay.]
gyue more mylke with a lyttell grasse and strawe, lyenge 16
without in a close, thanne she shall doo with hey and
strawe, lyenge in an house; for the harde meate dryeth
vp the mylke. But he that hath no pasture, muste do as
he may; but yet is it better to the housbande to sell those 20
calues than to rere them, bycause of the cost, and also
for the profytte of the mylke to his house, and the rather
the cowe wyll take the bull. If the husbande go with
an oxe-plough, it is conuenient that he rere two oxe-calues 24
and two cowe-calues at the least, to vpholde his
flocke, and if he maye do moo, it wyll be more profyte.
[Sidenote: [Fol. 39_b_.]]
And it is better, to wayne thy calues at grasse before.
And that man, that maye haue a pasture for his kye, and 28
an other for his calues, and water in them both, maye
rere and brede good beastes with lyghte coste. And if
[Sidenote: Do not wean calves on hay.]
thou waine thy calues with hey, it wyl make them haue
great belyes, and the rather they wyll rotte whan they 32
come to grasse, and in wynter they wolde be put in a
house by them-selfe, and gyuen hey on the nyghtes, and
put in a good pasture on the day, and they shal be moche
better to handell, whan they shal be kye or oxen. 36

67. ==> To gelde calues.

[Sidenote: To geld ox-calves.]
It is tyme to gelde his oxen calues in the olde of the
mone, whan they be .x. or .xx. dayes olde, for than it is
leaste ieoperdye, and the oxe shall be the more hyer, and
the lenger of body, and the le_n_ger horned: and that maye 4
be well prouyd, to take two oxe-calues, both of one kynde,
of one makynge, and both of one age; gelde one of
them, and let the other goo forthe and be a bull, and
[Sidenote: A gelt calf grows bigger than a bull.]
put theym bothe in one pasture, tyll they be foure or 8
fyue yere olde: and than shall ye se the oxe-calfe ferre
[Sidenote: [Fol. 40.]]
greatter euery waye than the bull; there is noo cause but
the geldynge; and yf thou gelde them not tyll they be
a yere olde, there is more ieopardye, he shall be lesse of 12
bodye, and shorte-horned.

68. ¶ Horses and mares to drawe.

[Sidenote: Horses and mares.]
A husbande maye not be withoute horses and mares,
or bothe; and specially, if he go with a horse-ploughe, he
muste haue both his horses to drawe, and his mares to
brynge coltes, to vpholde his flocke, and yet at manye 4
tymes they maye drawe well, if they be well handled.
But they maye not beare sackes, nor be rydden vppon
noo iourneys whan they be with foole, and specyally
whanne they haue gone with foole .xx. or .xxiiii. wekes, 8
[Sidenote: Take care of the mares.]
for than is the greateste ieopardy. For yf she be rydden
vppon, and sette vp hotte, or tourned out and take cold,
she wil caste her foole, the whiche woll be a greatte losse
to the housbande. For she wyll labour and beare whan 12
she hath fooled, and drawe whan she is with foole, as
well as the horse. It is conuenient for the husbande to
knowe, whanne his mare wolde be horsed. It is the
[Sidenote: [Fol. 40_b_.]]
common sayenge, that she wyll take the hors within .ix. or 16
.x. dayes, nexte after that she hath fooled: but that saying
I holde not with, for and she do so, she wyll not holde
therto, for the hors dothe dryue her to it. But .xx.
days after, is tymely ynoughe to brynge her to a hors. 20
For she wyl not holde to it, excepte she be kene of horsyng,
and that shal ye knowe by her shap, for that wyll twyrle
open, and close agayne, many tymes in an houre: and than
brynge her to a hors, and let her be with hym a day or a 24
nyght, and that is suffycyent. For it is better, to kepe
[Sidenote: Keep the horse from the mares.]
the horse frome the mares, than to go with them, for
dyuers causes, and specyally he shall be more lusty, and
the moo horse-coltes shall he gete. But he that hath 28
very many mares, may not alway attende them, but let
them go to-gether, and take as god sendes it. Some
men holde an opinion, that if the horse be put to the
[Sidenote: Men have various opinions about foals.]
mare in the begynnynge of the moone, after it be prime, 32
he shall gete a horse-foole. And some men saye the contrary:
that if he be putte to the mare in the olde of
the mone, he shoulde gete horse-fooles. And I saye,
it maketh noo matter, whether: for this cause I haue 36
[Sidenote: I have 60 horses myself.]
proued. I haue my selfe .lx. mares and more, able to
[Sidenote: [Fol. 41.]]
beare the horse, and from Maye daye vnto saynte Barthylmewes
daye, I have .v. or .vi. horses goynge with
theym bothe daye and nyghte, and at the foolynge-tyme 40
I haue vpon one daye a horse-fole, and on the nexte
daye, or seconde, a mare-fole, and on the thirde or
fourth day next after, a horse-fole agayne, and soo euery
weke of bothe sortes, and by theyr opynyon or reason, 44
I shulde haue .xiiii. dayes together horse-fooles, and
[Sidenote: With men who speak sophistically,]
other .xiiii. dayes together mare-foles. And me semethe,
that those men that holde that opinyon, speke sophystycallye;
that if soo be they layde any wagers thervppon, 48
that they shoulde bothe wynne in theyr owne conceyte
by this reason. Whether it were gette in the newe of
[Sidenote: a filly may be called a horse-foal; and a colt
may be called a mare-foal.]
the mone or in the olde of the mone, it is a horse-foole,
bycause a horse gate it, though it be a felly-fole; and it 52
is a mare-fole, bycause a mare fooled it, thoughe it be
a horse-colte. And so (_Diuersis respectibus_) theyr opynions
maye be trewe. But of one thynge I am certayne,
that some one horse wyll gette more horse-fooles than 56
other horse wyll doo, and lyke wyse a mare wyll beare moo
mare-fooles than some other mare wyll do, thoughe they
be horsed bothe with one horse. Me semeth there is
no reason why, but the lustynes of the nature of bothe 60
[Sidenote: [Fol. 41_b_.]]
partes, whether of them shall haue the domination.
But and ye haue mares of dyuers colours, than do as
I do, seuer them in diuers parcels, and put to your
[Sidenote: With white mares put a gray horse.]
white mares a grey horse, or a whyte horse that hath 64
noo whyte rathe in the foreheed; and to your grey
mares a white horse, so that he be not al white-skynned
aboute the mouthe. And to your mares of colour, that
haue no white vpon them, a coloured horse that hath 68
moch white on hym, and to your coloured mares of
mayne whyte, a horse of colour of mayn whyte. And
thus shal ye haue well coloured coltes. It maketh noo
mater of what colour the horse be, soo he be neyther 72
[Sidenote: Put not a white horse with a coloured mare.]
whyte nor grey. For if ye put a whyte horse to a
coloured mare, she shall haue moste comonly a sandy
colte, lyke an yren-gray, neyther lyke syre nor damme.
Howe be it I haue seen and knowen many mares, that 76
wyll haue theyr colte lyke the horse that gate it, the
whiche is agaynste kynde of mares, for a manne maye
rather gette one good horse than many good mares.

69. ==> The losse of a lambe, a calfe, or a foole.

It is lesse hurte to a man, to haue his cowe caste her
calfe, thanne an ewe to caste her lambe. For the calfe
[Sidenote: [Fol. 42.]]
wyll soucke as moche mylke, er it be able to kyll, as it
is worthe, and of the ewe commeth noo profytte of the 4
[Sidenote: Some men milk ewes, but it is a loss.]
mylke, but the lambe. Howe be it they vse in some
places to mylke theyr ewes, whan they haue wayned
theyr lambes: but that is great hurte to the ewes, and
wyll cause them, that they wyll not take the ramme at 8
the tyme of the yere for pouertye, but goo barreyne.
[Sidenote: A lost foal is a great loss.]
And if a mare caste her foole, that is thryse soo great
a losse, for if that foole be commen of good brede, as
it is necessary euery man to prouyde, for as moche 12
costes and charges hath a badde mare as a good, in
shorte space the foole, with good kepynge, maye be solde
for as moche money as wolde bye many calues and lambes. 15

70. ¶ What cattell shulde go to-gether in one pasture.

Beastes alone, nor horses alone, nor shepe alone,
excepte it be shepe vppon a verye hyghe grounde, wyll
not eate a pasture euen, but leaue many tuftes and hygh
grasse in dyuers places, excepte it be ouer-layde with 4
[Sidenote: Put beasts and horses in a pasture together.]
cattell. Wherfore knowe that horses and beastes wyll
agree well in oone pasture, for there is some maner of
[Sidenote: [Fol. 42_b_.]]
grasse that a horse[29] wyll eate, and the beast wyl
not eate, as the fytches, flasshes, and lowe places, and 8
all the holowe bunnes and pypes that growe therin. But
horses and shepe wyll not so well agree, excepte it be
shepe to fede, for a shepe wyll go on a bare pasture, and
wyll eate the sweteste grasse: and soo wyll a horse, but he 12
wolde haue it lenger. Howe be it he wyll eate as nyghe
the erthe as a shepe, but he can not so sone fyll his
[Sidenote: With 100 beasts put 20 horses.]
belly. To an hundred beastes ye maye put .xx. horses,
if it be lowe ground, and if there be grasse ynoughe, 16
put in an hundred shepe, and so after the rate, be the
pasture more or lesse. And after this maner they may
fede and eate the close euen and leue but fewe tuftes.
And if it be an hyghe grounde, put in moo shepe, 20
and lesse bestes and horses. Melch kye, and draught
oxen, wyll eate a close moche barer than as many fatte
[Sidenote: Milch kine should not be too fat,]
kye and oxen. And a melche cowe may haue to moch
meate: for if she waxe fatte, she wyll the rather take 24
the bull, and gyue lesse mylke. For the fatnes stoppeth
the poores and the vaines, that shuld brynge the mylke
to the pappes. And therfore meane grasse is beste
[Sidenote: but have a moderate diet.]
to kepe her in a meane estate. And if a cowe be 28
fatte, whan she shall calue, than is there great ieoperdy
in her, and the calfe shall be the lesse: but ye can not
[Sidenote: [Fol. 43.]]
gyue your draught-oxe to moche meate, excepte it be
the aftermath of a late mowen medowe. For that wyll 32
cause hym to haue the gyrre, and than he maye not well
[Sidenote: Too much grass is bad.]
laboure. And there be to moche grasse in a close, the
cattel shall fede the worse, for a good bytte to the erthe
is suffycyente. For if it be longe, the beaste wyll byte 36
of the toppe and noo more, for that is swetest, and the
other lyeth styll vppon the grounde and rotteth, and
no beaste wyll eate it but horse in wynter; but these
beastes, horses and shepe, maye not be fodered to-gether 40
[Sidenote: In winter, beasts will gore horses and sheep.]
in wynter, for thanne they wolde be seuered: for els
the beastes with theyr homes wyll put bothe horses
and the shepe, and gore them in theyr bellyes. And it
is necessarye to make standynge cratches, to caste theyr 44
fodder in, and the staues set nyghe ynough togyther,
for pullynge theyr fodder to hastely out, for shedynge.
And if it be layde vppon the erthe, the fourthe parte
therof wyll be loste: and if ye laye it vpon the erthe, 48
laye it euerye tyme in a newe place, for the olde wyll
marre the newe.

71. ¶ The properties of horses.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 43_b_.]]
[Sidenote: Grazier, be not beguiled!]
Thou grasyer, that mayst fortune to be of myne
opynyon or condityon, to loue horses and yonge coltes
or foles to go amonge thy cattel, take hede that thou
[Sidenote: I have been so 100 times.]
be not begyled, as I haue ben an hundred tymes and 4
[Sidenote: A good horse has 54 properties;]
more. And first thou shalt knowe, that a good horse
hath .liiii. propertyes, that is to say .ii. of a man, .ii. of
a bauson or a badger, .iiii. of a lyon, .ix. of an oxe, .ix.
of an hare, .ix. of a foxe, .ix. of an asse, and .x. of a 8
woman.

72. ¶ The two properties, that a horse hath of a man.

[Sidenote: two, of a man:]
The fyrste is, to haue a proude harte; and the seconde
is, to be bolde and hardy.

73. The .ii. propertyes of a bauson.

[Sidenote: two, of a badger:]
¶ The fyrste is, to haue a whyte rase or a ball in the
foreheed; the seconde, to haue a whyte fote.

74. The .iiii. properties of a lyon.

[Sidenote: four, of a lion:]
¶ The fyrste is, to haue a brode breste; the seconde, to
be styffe-docked; the thyrde, to be wylde in countenaunce;
the fourthe, to haue foure good legges.

75. The .ix. propertyes of an oxe.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44.]]
[Sidenote: nine, of an ox:]
¶ The fyrste is, to be brode-rybbed; the .ii. to be lowe-brawned;
the thyrde, to be shorte-pasturned; the .iiii.
to haue greatte senewes; the fyfte, to be wyde betwene
the challes; the syxte is, to haue great nosethrylles; 4
the .vii. to be bygge on the chyn; the .viii. to be fatte
and well fedde; the .ix. to be vpryghte standynge.

76. The .ix. propertyes of an hare.

[Sidenote: nine, of a hare:]
¶ The fyrste is styffe-eared; the seconde, to haue greate
eyen; the thyrde, round eyen; the fourthe, to haue a
leane heed; the .v. to haue leane knees; the syxte, to be
wyght on foote; the .vii. to turne vpon a lyttell grounde; 4
the .viii. to haue shorte buttockes; the .ix. to haue two
good fyllettes.

77. The .ix. propertyes of a foxe.

[Sidenote: nine, of a fox:]
¶ The fyrste is, to be prycke-eared, the seconde, to
be lyttell-eared; the thyrde, to be rounde-syded; the
fourthe, to be syde-tayled; the fyfte, to be shorte-legged;
the syxte, to be blacke-legged; the .vii. to be 4
shorte-trottynge; the .viii. to be well coloured; the .ix.
to have a lyttell heed.

78. The .ix. propertyes of an asse.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 44_b_.]]
[Sidenote: nine, of an ass:]
¶ The fyrste is to be small-mouthed; the seconde, to be
longe-rayned: the .iii. to be thyn-cressed; the fourthe,
to be streyght-backed; the fyfth, to haue small stones;
the syxte, to be lathe-legged; the .vii. to be rounde-foted; 4
the eyght, to be holowe-foted; the .ix. to haue a toughe
houe.

79. The .x. properties of a woman.

[Sidenote: ten, of a woman:]
¶ The fyrst is, to be mery of chere; the seconde, to be
well paced; the thyrde, to haue a brode foreheed; the
fourth, to haue brode buttockes; the fyfthe, to be harde
of warde; the syxte, to be easye to lepe vppon; the .vii. 4
to be good at a longe iourneye; the .viii. to be well
sturrynge vnder a man; the .ix. to be alwaye besye with
the mouthe; the tenth, euer to be chowynge on the
brydell. ¶ It myght fortune I coude shewe as many 8
[Sidenote: I could tell you faults of horses, but then I
should break my promise.]
defautes of horses, as here be good propertyes, but than
I shulde breake my promyse, that I made at Grombalde
brydge, the first tyme I wente to Ryppon for to bye coltes.
But it is to suppose, that if a horse want any of these 12
good propertyes, that he shulde haue a defaute in the
same place. And this is suffycient for this time.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 45.]]
80. ¶ The diseases and sorance of horses.

[Sidenote: Diseases of horses.]
Nowe it is to be knowen, the soraunce and dyseases of
horses, & in what partes of theyr bodyes they be; that
a man maye the rather perceyue them. And howe be it
that it may be against my profyt, yet I wil shewe you 4
suche as cometh to my mynde.

81. The lampas.

[Sidenote: The lampas.]
¶ In the mouthe is the lampas, & is a thycke skyn full
of bloude, hangynge ouer his tethe aboue, that he may
not eate.

82. The barbes.

[Sidenote: The barbs.]
¶ The barbes be lyttell pappes in a horse mouth, and
lette hym to byte: these two be sone holpen.

83. Mournynge of the tonge.

[Sidenote: Mourning of the tongue.]
¶ Mournynge of the tonge is an yll dysease, and harde
to be cured.

84. Pursy.

[Sidenote: Pursiness.]
¶ Pursy is a dysease in an horses bodye, and maketh
hym to blowe shorte, and appereth at his nosethrilles,
and commeth of colde, and may be well mended.

85. Broken-wynded.

[Sidenote: Broken wind.]
¶ Broken-wynded is an yll dysease, and cometh of
[Sidenote: [Fol. 45_b_.]]
rennynge or rydynge ouer moche, and specially shortely
after he is watred, and appereth at his nosethryll, at his
flanke, and also at his tuell, and wyll not be mended; 4
and wyll moche blowe and coughe, if he be sore chafed;
and it wyl leaste appere, whan he is at grasse.

86. Glaunders.

[Sidenote: Glanders.]
¶ Glaunders is a disease, that may be mended, and
commeth of a heate, and a sodeyne colde, and appereth
at his nosethrylles, and betwene his chall-bones.

87. Mournynge on the chyne.

[Sidenote: Mourning on the chine.]
¶ Mournynge on the chyne is a dysease incurable, and
it appereth at his nosethryll lyke oke-water. A glaunder
whan it breaketh, is lyke matter. Broken-wynded, and
pursynes, is but shorte blowynge. 4

88. Stranguellyon.

[Sidenote: Stranguelion.]
¶ Stranguelyon is a lyght dysease to cure, and a horse
wyl be very sore sycke therof, and cometh of a chafynge
hote, that he swete, and after he wyll ryse and swell in
dyuers places of his body, as moche as a mannes fyste; 4
and wyll breake by it selfe, if it be kepte warme, or els
is there ieoperdy.

89. The hawe.

[Sidenote: The haw.]
¶ The hawe is a sorance in a horse eye, and is lyke
[Sidenote: [Fol. 46, _misprinted_ 49.]]
gristell, and maye well be cutte oute, or els it wyll haue
out his eye; and that horse that one, hath commonly
two. 4

90. Blyndnes.

[Sidenote: Blindness.]
¶ A horse wyll waxe blynde with laboure, and that
maye be cured betyme.

91. Viues.

[Sidenote: The vives.]
¶ The viues is a sorance vnder a horse ere, bytwene the
ouer ende of the chall-bones and the necke, and are
rounde knottes bytwene the skyn and the fleshe lyke
tennes-balles; and if they be not kilde, they wyl waxe 4
quicke, and eate the rotes of the horse eares, and kil hym.

92. The cordes.

[Sidenote: The cords.]
¶ The cordes is a thynge that wyll make a horse to
stumble, and ofte to fall, and appereth before the forther
legges of the body of the horse, and may well be cured
in .ii. places, and there be but fewe horses but they 4
haue parte therof.

93. The farcyon.

[Sidenote: The farcion.]
¶ The farcyon is an yll soraunce, and maye well be cured
in the begynnynge, and wyll appere in dyuers places of his
bodye, and there wyll ryse pymples as moche as halfe a
walnutshell, and they wyll folowe a veyne, and wyll 4
[Sidenote: Other horses will catch it.]
breake by it selfe. And as manye horses as do playe with
him that is sore, and gnappe of the matter that renneth
[Sidenote: [Fol. 46_b_.]]
out of the sore, shall haue the same sorance within a
moneth after; and therfore kepe the sycke frome the 8
hole. And if that sorance be not cured betyme, he wyll
dye of it.

94. A malander.

[Sidenote: The malander.]
¶ A malander is an yl sorance, and may wel be cured
for a tyme, but with yl keping it wyl comme agayne,
and appereth on the forther legges, in the bendynge of
the knee behynde, and is lyke a scabbe or a skal: and 4
some horses wyll haue two vpon a legge, within an
inche together, and they wyl make a horse to stumble,
and other whyle to fall.

95. A selander.

[Sidenote: The selander.]
¶ A selander is in the bendynge of the legge behynde,
lyke as the malander is in the bendynge of the legge
before, and is lyke a malander, and may be well cured.

96. A serewe.

[Sidenote: The serewe.]
¶ A serewe is an yll soraunce, and is lyke a splent, but
it is a lyttell longer and more, and lyeth vppe to the knee
on the inner syde. And some horses haue a throughe
serewe on bothe sydes of the legge, and that horse must 4
nedes stumble and fall, and harde it is to be cured.

97. A splent.

[Sidenote: A splent.]
¶ A splent is the leaste soraunce that is, that alwaye
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47.]]
contynueth, excepte lampas. And many men take vpon
them to mende it, and do payre it.

98. A ryngbone.

[Sidenote: Ring-bone.]
¶ A ryngbone is an yll soraunce, and appereth before on
the foote, aboue the houe, as well before as behynde,
and wyll be swollen three inches brode, and a quarter
of an inche or more of heyghte, and the heare wyll stare 4
and waxe thyn, and wyll make hym to halte, and is yll
to cure, if it growe longe.

99. Wynd-galles.

[Sidenote: Wind-galls.]
¶ Wyndgalles is a lyghte sorance, and commeth of great
labour, and appereth on eyther syde of the ioynte aboue
the fetelockes, as wel before as behynde, and is a lyttell
swollen with wynde. 4

100. Morfounde.

[Sidenote: Morfound.]
¶ Morfounde is an yll sorance, and cometh of rydynge
faste tyll he swete, and than sette vp sodeynely in a colde
place, without lytter, and take cold on his fete, and
specially before, and appereth vnder the houe in the hert 4
of the fote, for it wylle growe downe, and waxe whyte,
[Sidenote: It affects the feet.]
and cromely lyke a pomis. And also wyl appere by
processe by the wryncles on the houe, and the houe
before wyll be thycker, and more bryckle than and he 8
had not benne morfounde; nor he shall neuer trede so
[Sidenote: [Fol. 47_b_.]]
boldely vpon the harde stones as he dydde before; nor
wyll not be able to beare a man a quarter of a yere or
more; and with good paryng and shoynge, as he oughte 12
to be, he wyll do good seruyce.

101. The coltes euyll.

[Sidenote: The colt’s evil.]
¶ Coltes euyll is an yll disease, and commeth of ranknes
of nature and bloudde, and appereth in his scote, for
there wyl he swel great, and wyll not be harde, and
soone cured in the begynnynge. 4

102. The bottes.

[Sidenote: Bots in the maw.]
¶ The bottes is an yll dysease, and they lye in a horse
mawe, and they be an inche long, white-coloured, and
a reed heed, and as moche as a fyngers ende, & they
be quycke, and stycke faste in the mawe-syde; it apperethe 4
by stampynge of the horse, or tomblynge, and in the
beginninge there is remedy ynoughe, and if they be
not cured betyme, they wyll eate thorowe his mawe, and
kyll hym. 8

103. The wormes.

[Sidenote: Worms in the belly.]
¶ The wormes is a lyght dysease, and they lye in the
greatte paunche, in the belye of the horse, and they
are shynynge, of colour lyke a snake, syxe inches in
lengthe, greate in the myddes, and sharpe at bothe 4
endes, and as moche as a spyndel, and wyll sone be
kylde.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 48.]]
104. Affreyd.

[Sidenote: ‘Affreyd.’]
¶ Affreyd is an yll disease, and commethe of great
labour and rydynge faste with a contynuall sweate, and
thanne sodeynly to take a great colde, his legges wyll
be styffe, and his skyn wyll stycke fast to his sydes, and 4
may be well cured.

105. Nauylgall.

[Sidenote: Navel-gall.]
¶ Nauylgall is a soraunce, hurte with a saddle, or with a
buckle of a croper, or suche other, in the myddes of the
backe, and maye be lyghtely cured.

106. A spauen.

[Sidenote: Spavin.]
¶ A spauen is an yll sorance, whervppon he wyll halte,
and specyally in the begynnynge, and appereth on the
hynder legges within, and agaynste the ioynte, and it wyll
be a lyttell swolen and harde. And some horses haue 4
throughe spauen, and appereth bothe within and without,
and those be yll to be cured.

107. A courbe.

[Sidenote: A curb.]
¶ A courbe is an yll sorance, and maketh a horse to halte
sore, and appereth vppon the hynder legges streyght
behynde, vnder the camborell place, and a lyttell benethe
the spauen, and wyll be swollen, and yll to cure, if it growe 4
longe vpon hym.

[Sidenote: [Fol. 48_b_.]]
108. The stringe-halte.

[Sidenote: String-halt.]
¶ The stryng-halte is an yl disease, and maketh hym
to twyche vp his legge sodeynly, and maketh hym to
halte, and cometh ofte with a colde, and doth not appere
outwarde. 4

109. Enterfyre.

[Sidenote: Enterfire.]
¶ Enterfyre is a sorance, and cometh of yll shoynge, and
appereth ofte both behynde and before, betwene the
fete agaynst the fetelockes; there is no remedy but good
showynge. 4

110. Myllettes.

[Sidenote: Millets.]
¶ Myllettes is an yll sorance, and appereth in the fetelockes
behynde, & causeth the heare to sheede thre or
foure inches of length, and a quarter of an inche in brede,
lyke as it were bare; and yll to cure but it maye be perceiued, 4
and specially in wynter tyme.

111. The peynes.

[Sidenote: ‘The peynes.’]
¶ The peynes is an yll soraunce and appereth in the fetelockes,
and wyl swel in wynter tyme, and oyse of water,
and the heare wyll stare and be thyn, and yl to cure,
but it wyl be seen in winter. 4

112. Cratches.

[Sidenote: Cratches.]
¶ Cratches is a soraunce that wyll cause a horse to halt,
and commeth of yll kepynge, and appereth in the
pasturnes, lyke as the skyn were cut ouerthwarte, that a
[Sidenote: [Fol. 49.]]
man maye laye a white strawe, and it is sone cured. 4

113. Atteynt.

[Sidenote: Attaint.]
¶ Atteynt is a sorance, that commeth of an ouer-rechynge,
yf it be before; and if it be behynde, it is of
the tredynge of an other horse, the whiche maye be soone
cured. 4

114. Grauelynge.

[Sidenote: Gravelling.]
¶ Grauelynge is a hurte, that wyll make a horse to halte,
and commethe of grauell and lyttel stones, that goth in
betwene the shough and the herte of the fote, and is sone
mended. 4

115. A-cloyed.

[Sidenote: A-cloyed.]
¶ A-cloyde is an hurte, that commeth of yll shoynge,
whan a smyth dryueth a nayle in-to the quycke; the
which wyll make hym to halt, and is sone cured.

116. The scabbe.

[Sidenote: The scab.]
¶ There is a disease amonge horses that is called the
scabbe, and it is a skorfe in dyuers places of his body.
And it commeth of a pouertie and yll kepynge; and is
most commonly amonge olde horses, and wyll dye 4
thervpon, and maye be well cured.

117. Lowsy.

[Sidenote: Lousy horses.]
¶ There be horses that wyll be lowsy, and it cometh of
pouertie, colde, and yll kepynge; and it is moste commonly
amonge yonge horses, and menne take lyttell
[Sidenote: [Fol. 49_b_.]]
hede vnto it; and yet they wyll dye thervppon, and it 4
maye be soone cured.

118. Wartes.

[Sidenote: Want of warts behind.]
¶ There is a defaute in a horse, that is neyther sorance,
hurte, nor disease, and that is, if a horse wante wartes
behynde, benethe the spauen-place, for then he is noo
chapmannes ware, if he be wylde; but if he be tame, 4
[Sidenote: _Caveat emptor._]
and haue ben rydden vpon, than _Caueat emptor_, beware
the byer, for the byer hath bothe his eyen to se, and
his handes to handell. It is a sayenge, that suche a
horse shoulde dye sodeynely, whan he hath lyued as 8
many yeres as the mone was dayes olde, at suche tyme
as he was foled.

119. The sayinge of the frenche-man.

¶ These be soraunce, hurtes, dyseases, that be nowe
[Sidenote: A French proverb.]
comme to my mynde; and the frenche-man saythe, _Mort
de langue et de eschine Sount maladyes saunce medicine_.
The mournynge of the tongue, and of the chyne, are 4
diseases without remedy or medicyne. And ferther he
[Sidenote: Another French proverb.]
saythe, _Gardes bien, que il soyt cler de vieu, Que tout
trauayle ne soit perdue_: Be wel ware that he be clere
of syghte, lest all thy trauayle or iourneye be lost or 8
nyght. And bycause I am a horse-master my-selfe, I
[Sidenote: [Fol. 50.]]
haue shewed you the soraunce and dyseases of horses, to
the entent that men shulde beware, & take good hede
what horses they bye of me or of any other. Howe 12
[Sidenote: If ever you trust a horse-master, trust me.]
be it I saye to my customers, and those that bye any
horses of me, and euer they wil trust any hors-master
or corser whyle they lyue, truste me.

120. ¶ The diuersitie bytwene a horse-mayster,
a corser, and a horse-leche.

[Sidenote: A horse-master buys wild colts and breeds them
and breaks them in.]
A Horse-mayster is he, that bieth wylde horses, or
coltes, and bredeth theym, and selleth theym agayne
wylde, or breaketh parte of them, and maketh theym
tame, and than selleth them. A corser is he, that byeth 4
[Sidenote: A courser merely deals in them.]
all rydden horses, and selleth them agayne. The horse-leche
is he, that takethe vppon hym to cure and mende
[Sidenote: A horse-leech cures their diseases.]
all maner of diseases and soraunce that horses haue.
And whan these three be mette, if ye hadde a potycarye 8
[Sidenote: Add to these an apothecary, and you have
4 rogues.]
to make the fourthe, ye myghte haue suche foure, that
it were harde to truste the best of them. It were also
conuenyent to shew medicynes and remedyes for al these
diseases and sorances; but it wolde be to longe a processe 12
at this tyme, for it wolde be as moche as halfe
this boke. And I haue not the perfyte connynge, nor
the experyence, to shewe medycynes and remedyes for
[Sidenote: [Fol. 50_b_.]]
theym all. And also the horse-leches wolde not be 16
content therwith, for it myghte fortune to hurte or
hynder theyr occupation.

121. ¶ Of swyne.

Nowe thou husbande, that haste bothe horses and
mares, beastes and shepe: It were necessary also, that
thou haue bothe swyne and bees; for it is an olde
[Sidenote: Whoso hath sheep, swine and bees, shall surely
thrive.]
sayinge: he that hath bothe shepe, swyne, and bees, 4
slepe he, wake he, he maye thryue. And that sayenge
is, bycause that they be those thinges that moste profyt
riseth of in the shortest space, with least coste. Than
se howe manye swyne thou art able to kepe; let them 8
[Sidenote: Have only boars and sows; no hogs.]
be bores and sowes all, and no hogges. And if thou
be able to rere vi pigges a yere, than let two of them
be bores, and foure of them sowes, and so to contynue
after the rate. For a bore will haue as lyttell kepynge 12
[Sidenote: A boar is better than a hog.]
as a hogge, and is moche better than a hogge, and more
meate on hym and is ready at all tymes to eate in the
wynter season, and to be layde in souse. And a sowe, er
she be able to kyl, shall bryng forth as many pyggs or 16
moo, as she is worth; and her bodye is neuer the worse,
and wyll be as good baken as a hogge, and as lyttell
[Sidenote: [Fol. 51.]]
kepynge, but at suche tyme as she hath pygges. And if
thy sowe haue moo pygges than thou wilt rere, sel them, 20
[Sidenote: Rear pigs in spring and early summer.]
or eate them, & rere those pigges that come about lenten-time,
specyally the begynnynge of somer, for they can-not
be rered in winter, for cold, without great coste.

122. ==> Of bees.

Of bees is lyttell charge but good attendaunce; at the
tyme that they shall cast the swarme, it is conuenient, that
[Sidenote: Put the beehive in a garden or orchard.]
the hyue be set in a garden, or an orchyarde, where as
they maye be kepte from the northe wynde, and the 4
mouthe of the hyue towarde the sonne. And in June
[Sidenote: They commonly swarm in June or July.]
and July they do most commonlye caste, and they
wolde haue some lowe trees nyghe vnto them before
the hyue that the swarme maye lyght vpon; and whan 8
the swarme is knytte, take a hyue, and splente it within
with thre or foure splentes, that the bees maye knytte
theyr combes therto; and annoynte the splentes, and
[Sidenote: How to take a swarm.]
the sydes of the hyue, with a lyttell honye. And if thou 12
haue no honye, take swete creame, and than set a stole
or a forme nyghe vnto the swarme, and laye a clene
washen shete vppon the stole, and thanne holde the
[Sidenote: [Fol. 51_b_.]]
smalle ende of the hyue downewarde and shake the 16
bees in-to the hyue, and shortely sette it vppon the stole,
and turne vppe the comers of the shete ouer the hyue,
and to leue one place open, that the bees may come in
[Sidenote: Never strive with bees.]
and out: but thou mayst not fight nor stryue with theym 20
for noo cause; and to laye nettyls vppon the bowes,
where as they were knytte, to dryue them from that
place; and soo watche them all that daye, that they go
not away; and at nyght, whan al be goone vp into the 24
hyue, take it away and set it where it shall stande, and
take awaye thy shete, and haue claye tempered to laye
aboute it vppon the borde or stone, where it shall stande,
that noo wynde comme in, but the borde is better and 28
[Sidenote: Leave a hole for the bees to go in and out.]
warmer. And to leaue an hole open on the south syde,
of three inches brode, and an inche of heyghte, for the
bees to come in and out. And than to make a couerynge
of wheate-strawe or rye-strawe, to couer and house the 32
[Sidenote: Set the hive on stakes, at least two feet from
ground.]
hyue about, and set the hyue two fote or more from the
erthe vpon stakes, soo that a mouse cannot come to it,
and also neyther beastes nor swyne. And if a swarme be
caste late in the yere, they wolde be fedde with honnye in 36
wynter, and layde vppon a thynne narowe borde, or a
thynne sclatte or leade; put it into the hyue, and an other
[Sidenote: [Fol. 52.]]
thynne borde wolde be set before euery hyues mouthe,
that no winde come in; and to haue foure or fyue 40
lyttell nyckes made on the nether syde, that a bee maye
comme out or go in, and so fastened, that the wynde
blowe it not downe, and to take it vp whan he wyll.
[Sidenote: If a hive is fed on honey, stop the mouth of it.]
And that hyue that is fedde, to stoppe the mouthe cleane, 44
that other bees come not in; for if they doo, they wyll
fyghte, and kyll eche other. And beware, that noo
waspes come in-to the hyue, for they wyll kyl the bees,
and eate the honny. And also there is a bee called a 48
[Sidenote: Drones.]
drone, and she is greatter than an other bee, and they wyll
eate the honny, and gather nothynge: and therfore they
[Sidenote: It is said, the drone hath lost her sting.]
wolde be kylde, and it is a sayenge, that she hath loste
her stynge, and than she wyl not labour as the other 52
do.

123. ¶ Howe to kepe beastes and other cattell.

[Sidenote: How to keep beasts.]
If a housbande shall kepe cattell well to his profytte,
he must haue seuerall closes and pastures to put his cattel
in, the which wolde be wel quickesetted, diched, &
hedged, that he maye seuer the byggeste cattell frome 4
[Sidenote: [Fol. 52_b_.]]
the weykeste at his pleasure, and specyallye in wynter-tyme,
whan they shall be fodered. And thoughe a man
be but a farmer, and shall haue his farme xx yeres, it
[Sidenote: It is best to quickset, ditch, and hedge
cattle in.]
is lesse coste for hym, and more profyte, to quyckeset, 8
dyche, and hedge, than to haue his cattell goo before the
herdeman. For let the housbande spende in thre yeres
as moche money as the kepynge of his beastes, swyne,
and shepe doth cost him in iii yeres, than alwaye after, 12
he shal haue all maner of cattell with the tenthe parte of
the coste, and the beastes shal lyke moche better. And
[Sidenote: A herdman expects 2_d._ per beast; and a
swineherd 1_d._]
by this reason. The herdeman wyll haue for euery beast
.ii.d. a quarter, or there aboute: And the swyneherde 16
wyll haue for euery swyne .i.d. at the leaste. Than he
must haue a shepeherde of his owne, or elles he shal
neuer thryue. Than reken meate, drinke, and wages
for his shepeherde, the herdmans hyre, and the swyneherdes 20
hyre, these charges wyll double his rent or nyghe
it, excepte his farme be aboue .xl. s. by yere. Nowe see
[Sidenote: It is better to spend the money on hedges.]
what his charges be in .iii. yeres, lette hym ware as moche
money in quickesettynge, dychynge, and hedgynge, and 24
in thre yeres he shall be discharged for euermore, and
moche of this labour he and his seruauntes maye do with
theyr owne handes, and saue moche money. And than
[Sidenote: [Fol. 53.]]
hath he euery fyelde in seueraltye. And by the assente 28
of the lordes and tenauntes, euery neyghbour may exchaunge
landes with other. And than shall his farme be
twyse so good in profytte to the tenaunte as it was before,
and as moche lande kepte in tyllage; and than shall not 32
the ryche man ouer-eate the poore man with his cattell,
[Sidenote: You will save in hay and straw.]
and the fourth parte of heye and strawe shall serue his
cattell better in a pasture, than iiii. tymes soo moche wyll
do in a house, and lesse attendaunce, and better the 36
cattel shall lyke, and the chiefe sauegarde for corne bothe
daye and nyghte that can be.

124. ¶ To get settes and set them.