Chapter V: Part 5

Next after the mowing of your meddowes, followeth the making of your Hay, which is a labour that must be followed with great care and diligence, for it is an old saying, that dearth beginneth at the Hay-barne dore, and he that is negligent in that, can hardly be good husband in any thing else, then to shew you how you shall make your hay, you shall first vnderstand that no one particular forme can stand for a generall rule, because Hay must be made according to the nature of the grasse, and the soyle where it groweth, some being apt to wither and make soone, as that grasse which is finest, and hath in it least wéedes, others will be long in making, as that which is full of thicke, strong, and sower grasses, many wéedes, bunnes, and such like hard stalkes, which are not easily dried, therefore it is the part of euery good Husbandman, either by his eye and knowledge to iudge of the nature of his grasse, or else to follow the customes of the Country and soyle wherein he liueth, but the first, Knowledge, is the better Science. But to procéede to my purpose, I will in the natures of two sorts of grasse, the one fine, the other course, shew you the generall making of all sorts of Hay.

[Sidenote: To make fine Hay.]

First, then for the making of your fine rich grass into Hay, if it grow in great abundance, thicke and close, and so lieth in the swathe, you shall haue one with a Pitch-forke to follow the Mowers, and to spread and throw the grasse thinne abroad, that the ayre and sunne-beames may passe through it: and this is called in most Countries tedding of Hay. The next day, after the Sunne hath taken the dewe from the ground, you shall turne that which the day before you tedded, and then if you haue any more new mowen, you shall ted it also. The next day following, as before, when the dewe is from the earth, you shall turne your Hay againe, and so letting it lye till the Sunne be at his height, begin to stir it againe, at which time if you finde it is reasonably well withered, you shal then draw it into windrowes, that is, you shall marke which way the winde standeth, and the same way that it bloweth, the same way with Forks & Rakes one after another, gather in the Hay into long, great, thicke rowes: then you shall make those windrowes into large Cockes, of which the biggest is euer the best, for they will defend themselues from raine, if happily any shall fall, whereas the little small Cocke lying light together, taketh in the raine like a spunge, and so makes the Hay a great deale much worse then otherwise it would be; when your Hay is thus set in safe Cocke, you shall let it rest a day or two, that it may take a little sweat therein, which will make the Hay wondrous pleasant and swéet, then when the Sunne is got vp to a pretie height, you shall open those Cockes, and after the sunne and winde hath passed through them, you may if the grasse be clean & fine of it selfe, without ranke grasse, load it, and carrie it either into the Barne, or such other place, as you haue appointed for the receit thereof: but if it haue any ranke grasse, which you sée vnwithered amongst it, then you shall make it vp againe into safe cockes, and so let it rest a day or two more before you leade it away. And thus much for the making vp of fine Hay.

[Sidenote: To make course Hay.]

Now for the making of course grasse into Hay, which you must suppose to be grasse growing, in colde, moyst, woodie, and barraine grounds, full of wéedie, rough, and stumpie hearbage, long in growing, late ere it can be gathered, and therefore depriued of much of the Sunnes strength, to swéeten and wither it. This grasse as soone as it hath béene mowne and tedded, as is before said: the next day you shall make it into little grasse Cockes, as bigge as little Moale-hilles, and so hauing layne a day or better, then breake them open, and let them receiue the sunne and winde, for they will heat and sweat a little in the grasse, which make it Hay the sooner & better: then after the Sunne hath spent all his power vpon it, you shall make it vp into little Cockes againe, putting two of the first Cockes into one, then hauing so layne another day, breake them open againe, and giue them the Sunne: then make them vp againe, and put thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so let them lye another day, then breake them open as before, if the Sunne shine faire, and at euening make them vp againe, putting thrée or foure of those Cockes into one, and so euery morning after the Sunne is vp breake them open, and at euening make them vp againe, till you finde that the Hay is sufficiently well dried, and sweateth no more in the Cocke: but in the morning when you breake it open it is dry, without stemme, smoake, or vapour arising from it, which both your hand and eye may perceiue in the first stirring or mouing, and then you may at your pleasure leade it home, and house or stacke it as you shall haue occasion.

[Sidenote: Vse of Hay for cattell to breed or labour with.]

Now for the vse of Hay, it is two-folde, that is, either for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or Cattell for labour, or else for the féeding of Cattell for the Market, or for slaughter: for the maintainance of bréeding Cattell, or the Cattell which are imployed in your Plough or other labours, whether it be draught or trauell, you shall make choise of the swéet, and well-dried Hay, which is of fresh and gréene colour, well withered, sound, and perfect Hay, though it be long, loggie, and not excéeding much swéet, it matters not; for being well Inned and dried, it will serue sufficiently for those purposes: and with this Hay to mingle sometimes Wheat-straw, Rye-straw, Barly, or Oate-straw will not be amisse for heilding, or bréede Cattell: but for worke-beasts, except necessitie constraine, let them haue Hay simple of it selfe, during the busie time of their worke, but when they rest, you may vse your discretion. For the times of giuing Hay or foddering to such Cattell as are in the house, the best is in the morning before they goe to labour, in the euening when they come from labour, presently after their drinke, and at night when you goe to bed. But for those Cattell which goe abroad, as Shéepe, heilding Beasts, and such like, to fodder them morning and euening, is out and out fully sufficient.

Now for the vse of Hay for fat cattell, you shall make choyse of the fruitfullest, swéetest, finest, and shortest Hay you haue, being full of flowers, pleasant and odoriferous to smell on: and although this Hay be mixt with some roughnesse, yet it is not the worse, for though your fat beast make thereof great orts, yet is the losse not great, for those orts may be giuen to other heilding and hungrie cattell, which will eate them with great eagernesse. This Hay would in the first gathering not be withered too sore but so stackt-vp with a little hartie gréennesse that it may a little mow-burne, and alter the colour to a Redish brounnesse, but by no meanes so moyst that it may mould, rot, or putrifie, for that is fulsome and bade, but onely alter the colour, and therby make the smell swéeter and stronger. This Hay will entice a beast to eate, and will strengthen and inable his stomacke, and withall will bréed in him such a drought or thirst, that hardly any water will quench him, and the Grazier takes it euer for an infallible signe, that when his beast drinkes much he féeds fast and his tallow wonderfully increaseth. For the ordinarie times of foddring your fat cattell, if they be in the stall, and as we say, tyed vp by the head, the best is in the morning before and after water, at noone; in the euening before & after water, and late in the night, when you goe to bed, but if they féede abroad, and take the benefit of Fogge and after-grasse, then to fodder them Morning, Euening, and high-noone is fully sufficient.

Here I could speake of Pease-féeding of Shéep, Swine, and other cattel, eyther at the Trough, Reeke, Stacke, or such like, the seuerall manner of cratches, fashions of stals, and many other necessary rules appertaining to this mysterie; but I am against my will confined, and therefore must referre it to some other occasion, being loath to spoyle an excellent discourse, with a tale halfe tould, and imperfectly spoken: And thus much therefore of Meddowes, and these seuerall vses.

CHAP. VIII.

_A new method for the husbandly curing of all manner of Cattels diseases._

[Sidenote: The reason for this Chapter.]

Of this Theame I haue written a whole (or as some will suppose many) Histories, yet doubtlesse nothing too much, the cause is so necessary and commodious: yet this I must let euery Reader vnderstand, that what I haue herein formerly done, I did for a general and vncontrollable satisfaction to the whole Kingdome, both the learned and vnlearned, and as well to satisfie the nicest and most curious opinion, as the simple and playne dealing creature: whence it came that I waded Artfully and profoundly into the vttermost secrets of this knowledge, leauing nothing vnsearcht, or vnset downe, that might any way tend to the satisfaction of any iudiciall Reader, and therefore tooke liberty to make a large progresse, without sparing any paynes, to make my worke absolutely most perfect. But now, hauing onely to doe with our honest playne English Husbandman, who eyther cannot much read, or else hath little leasure to read, at most but a little memorie to bestow vpon his readings; I haue here for his ease both of memory, readings, and other verations, drawne him such a method for the curing of all the diseases in cattell, as was neuer yet found out by any man or Authour whatsoeuer: and is worthy to be preserued to all posterities for euer and euer.

[Sidenote: Horses diseases to be cured with twelue Medicines.]

To beginne then first with the Horse, which is the Husbandmans principallest creature, you shal vnderstand that he hath, of my knowledge, one hundred and odde diseases or infirmities, besides other hurts and blemishes, for all which, I haue seuerally shewed seuerall cures, as may appeare by the volumes which are much too great for any Husbandman to carry in his braynes, and therefore for his ease I haue drawne all those hundred and odde sicknesses or sorrances, into twelue, and will assure euery Husbandman that with these twelue medicines following, hée shall perfectly cure all the diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: Of inward sicknesse.]

[Sidenote: The first Medicine.]

To procéede then in an orderly manner to the cures: Euery husbandman must know that all diseases in a horse are inward or outward: inward as offending the vitall parts, or outward as troubling the members: to speake then first of inward sicknesse, I will diuide so into two branches, that is, eyther it offends the heart, or the brayne: If it offend the heart, we call them, Feauers, Yellowes, _Anticor_, consumption of lungs, Liuer, Splene, Gall or other intrals, Wormes, Fluxes, Belly-bound, and diuers other of like nature: For any or all which, you shall first let your Horse bloud in the neck-veine, and then giue him, during his sicknesse, to drinke, eyther in swéete Wine or strong Ale or Béere, if Wine a pinte, if Ale or Béere a quart, two spoonefull of the powder called _Diapente_, made of _Aristolochia_ root, _Gentiana_, _Myrrhe_, _Eboni_ and _Bachi lauri_, of each equall quantitie, and let it be well brewed together, and doe thus euery Morning fasting, and let the Horse fast two houres after it.

[Sidenote: The second Medicine.]

If it offend the brayne we call them Appoplexies, Palsies, Staggers, Colds, Glaunder, Coughes, mourning of the chyne, Migrims, dizzinesse, and a world of such like: and the cure is to take _Assafeteda_, and dissoluing it in Vinegar dip hurds therein, and stop it hard into his eares for two Mornings together after you haue taken from him great store of bloud at his necke-veine, and then giue him to drinke, during his sicknesse, euery Morning a quart of Milke, wherein the white and rough cankerrous Mosse of an old Oake pale hath béene sodden till the Milke grow thicke, then strayned & so giuen luke warme, and if you finde that no heauinesse or dizzinesse appeare in his head, then you may forbeare the bloud-letting, and the _Assafeteda_, but not otherwise, in any case; and thus assuredly these two medicines alreadie declared will cure all the inward diseases in a Horse, whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: Of outward diseases.]

[Sidenote: The third medicine.]

Now for outward diseases, they are eyther naturall or accidentall: If they be naturall, they eyther grow from the generation, or bréede, from whence a Horse is descended, or else from corruption of foode, or other vnwholesome kéeping; If they grow from the bréede and generation of the Horse, we call them the Viues, Wens, Knots, or Swellings about the throat: and for the cure thereof, take a peny-worth of Pepper, beaten into powder; a spoonefull of swines-grease, the iuyce of one handfull of Rew, two spoonefuls of Vineger, and mixe them together, and put this equally into both the Horses eares, and so tye them vp and shake the eares, that the medicine may sinke downe, and take good store of bloud from the Horses neck-veine, and temple veines, and vse this medicine two or thrée mornings together.

[Sidenote: The fourth Medicine.]

If they procéede from corruption of foode, or any other vnwholesome kéeping which corrupteth the bloud, then we call them Impostumations, Byles, Botches, Fistulaes, Polemill, and such like: and the cure is, to take the loame of an old mudde wall, strawes and all, but let there be no Lime amongst it, and boyle this loame with strong Vineger, till it be like a Pultus, and as hot as the Horse can abide it, apply it to the sore place, and it will not onely draw it to a head, and breake it, but also draw it, search it, and heale it.

[Sidenote: The fift Medicine.]

There be also other diseases which procéed from naughtie foode, and the corruption of blood, and we call them Farcies, Scabs, Mangie, Scratches, Paynes, Mallanders, Sellanders, and all of such like nature, and the cure is first to slit the hard knots, or rubbe off the scurfe, and make the sore places raw: then take yellow _Arsnicke_ beaten to powder, and mixe it well with fresh grease, and then therewith annoynt the sore places all ouer, which done, tye vp the Horses head, so as he may not knappe or bite himselfe, and so let him stand an houre or two: then take strong old Pisse warmde, and therewith bathe and wash the Horse all ouer, and so put him to his meat: and in this manner dresse the Horse or beast thrée or foure mornings, and it will be sufficient; onely you must not fayle to take from him good store of bloud at his necke vaine.

[Sidenote: The sixt Medicine.]

Now if his diseases procéed from accidentall causes, as from wounds, Bruises, Straynes, Galles, hurts in the Eyes, excretions, or broken bones, then you shall to euery one of these take these seueral medicines which follow: as first, if they be wounds, in what sort soeuer taken or receiued, you shall take _Turpentine_, Waxe, and hogs-grease, of each a like quantity, and melting them together into a salue, dresse the wound therewith, and it will heale it, how great or little soeuer.

[Sidenote: The seuenth Medicine.]

If they be bruises, whether gotten by stroake, naughtie Saddles, or other rushes, from whence procéedeth many times old, putrified & most ranckorous vlcers, you shall first if the tumor be onely swelled and not broken, apply vnto it the fourth medicine of Loame and Vingar, but if it be an open old ranckorous vlcer, you shall take Hogs-grease, Turpentine, Waxe, and Verdigrease, of each a like quantitie, and being well mixt, and incorporated together, dresse the sore therewith, till it be whole, for this medicine will abate and kéepe downe any spungie or naughtie dead flesh which arises and kéepes the sore from healing, and may therefore alwayes be vsed in such like cases, whether the sore be new or old.

[Sidenote: The eight Medicines.]

If they be straynes eyther of ioynts or sinewes in what part or member soeuer it be, old or new, take strong Vinegar, Patch-grease, and Wheat-branne, and boyle them together till they be thick like a Pultus, and then apply it very hot to the strayne, Morning and Euening, and it is a most certayne cure, and will kéepe the member from growing foule, knotted, or gourded, and will also take away all swellings or paynes of the limbes whatsoeuer.

[Sidenote: The ninth Medicine.]

If they be Galles, of what kinde or nature soeuer, whether on the backe, limbes, or any other outward part of the bodie, you shal take first fresh Butter scalding hot, and with it first bathe and wash the sore, then take thicke Creame, & mixing it with the Soote of a Chimney till it be thicke, like a salue, with the same annoynt the sore place Morning and Euening, and it will cure it without any feare of dead flesh: if you doe strow vpon the sore the powder of Rossen it will be good also.

[Sidenote: The tenth Medicine.]

If they be any hurts in the eyes, as strokes, inflamations, Pinne-webbe, Canker, or any other mischiefe whatsoeuer, you shall then take true ground-Iuie, which otherwise is called of some Ale-hoofe, and beating a good handfull thereof in a morter, with a spoonefull or two of white Rosewater, or the water of Eye-bright, then strain it through a cleane wet cloath, and with that water dresse the sore eye Morning and Euening: or if you can conueniently thrée or foure times a day, for the oftner is the better, and it will without all fayle cure any sore eye in the world whatsoeuer, eyther of man or beast, or any other creature.

[Sidenote: The eleuenth Medicine.]

If they be excretions of bones, as Splents, Spauens, Curbs, Ringbones, or such like, in what part or member soeuer they be, you shall then take white _Arsnicke_, beaten or ground to fine powder, and making a little slit vpon the head of the excretion, the length of a Barly corne, or very little more, yet in any waies downe déepe to the excretion, & then with the poynt of your knife put the _Arsnicke_ vpon the excretion, and so let the Horse stand with his head tied vp for two houres at least, for in that time the greatest anguish will be gone, and then put him vnto his meate, and in thrée or foure dayes after the excretion will fall away of it selfe; and then with a little swéet Butter you may cure the sore, which will not be great.

[Sidenote: The twelfth Medicine.]

If they be broken bones, or bones out of ioynt, you shall after you haue placed them in their due place, first annoynt them with the Oyle of Mallowes, or for want of it with warme Patch-grease, and then clap about them a plaster made of Pitch, Rossen, and Masticke, and so with soft and flat splents, so splent the member, as it may not moue, and so let it rest nine dayes ere you dresse it againe, and in any case so sling the Horse or Beast that he may not during that time, put his member to the ground, which a little diligence and payne will easily doe.

[Sidenote: Diseases in the feete.]

If your Horse haue any infirmitie in his hooues as quitter-bone, ouer-reach, pricke, crowne scabbe, rotten frush, or any such vlcerous disease, you shall first lay it open, and then heale it with the seuenth Medicine. But if it be foundring, fretteshing, or such like, then you shall first pare all his hooues cleane ouer, so thinne that you may discerne the quicke all ouer, then let him bloud at the toes, and take great store of bloud from him, but in any case cut not the veine in sunder: then take the sixt medicine and, being boyling hot (after hollow shoes haue béene tackt on his féete) with Flaxe hurds dipt therein, stoppe all the soales of his féete vp hard, and thus doe twice in sixe dayes, and it will bring his féete to their full perfection againe, without any great losse or trouble.

[Sidenote: Diseases in the priuie parts, or for stifling.]

As for the common infirmities in a Horses priuy parts, which are swellings, inflammations, incording, & such like, you shall but only swimme your horse in cold water Morning and Euening, and it is a present helpe, both for them, or the stifling of a horse in his hinder ioynt: Thus you sée these twelue medicines will sufficiently cure all the diseases in Horse or Beast whatsoeuer, which who so will not carry in his memory, he is worthy now and then to be punisht for his sloath, and sometimes to suffer losse, which may make him more industrious to studie for his owne good and profit. And thus much for the cure of diseases.

_FINIS._