Of Cure^ Ch^rf*t^uaf. Lib. II. 



fo as the hole of the Rowel may anfwer juft with the hole that is made in 

 the Horfe's skin y and then once in two or three days to cleanfe the Rowel, 

 and to anoint it, and fo put it in again. 



Other Farriers do ufe to make the Rowel of Lanthorn-horn, in the lame 

 fafhion as is made of Leather, and in like fort to uie it. But for mine own 

 p3rt, 1 have ufcd them all, and truly in my pra£lice find not any better 

 than another : Only the Leather or the Horn is fomewhat more cleanly, 

 and lefs ofFenlive to the Eye, yet they ask much more attendance. 



Now if you do Rowel your Horfe for any fwelling, then you (hall ever 

 put in your long Rowel the fame way that the Veins run, and feldom or 

 never crofs-wife, and the m.ore you blow the skin for a (welling, fo much 

 the better it is : For the wind is it which only occafioneth Putrefaftion, 

 and makes thefe feftred Humours to dilTolve, and diftil down from the 

 fecret hollows of the Joints into thele open places, where it falleth away 

 in Matter, and lo the Beafts becomes Cured. 



CHAP. CLXXIX. HoTP togeU Horfes or Colu. 



THere is to be obferved in the gelding of Horfes, Firft, the age. Se- 

 condly, the Seafonof the Year: And laftly, the State of the Moon. 

 For the Age, if it be a Colt, you may geld him at nine days old, or fifteen, 

 if his ftones be come down: For to fpeak the truth, the fooner that you 

 geld him, it is fo much the better, both for his growth, fhape jnd courage: 

 Altho' fome hold opinion, that two years old (hould be the fooneft ; but 

 they are miftaken, their Realbns are weak therein. 



Now if it be a Horfe that you would geld, then there is no fcruple to 

 be made of his Age: For it is without any queftion, that a perle£l Farrier 

 may geld a Horfe without danger at any Age whatfoever, being careful 

 in the Cure. 



Now for the feafon of the Year, the beft is in the fpring, betweeij 

 Jpril and Mayy or in the beginning ofjiwe at the fartheft, or elfe about 

 the Fall of the Leaf, which is the latter end of Sepumber. 



Now for the State of the Moon, the fittefl: time is ever when the Moon 

 is in the Wane ^ as touching the manner of Gelding it is in this fort, 

 whether it be a Foal, Colt, or Horfe : Firff, you (hall cafl him either up- 

 on Straw, or upon fome Dunghill : Then take the Itone between your 

 foremoft Finger, and your great finger, you fhall with a very fine Incifion 

 Knife flit the Cord, fo that you may prefs the ftone forth, and no more : 

 Then with a pair of fmall Nippers, m.ade either of Steel, Box- Wood, or 

 Brazil, being very fmooth, and dap the ftrings of the ftone between 

 them, very near unto the fetting on of the ftone, and prefs them fo hard, 

 ?hat there be no fiux of Blood : Then with a thin drawing Cauterizing 

 Iron made red hot, fear away the ftone 5 then take a hard Plaifter made of 



RoiGn, 



