9 8 THE MASTER OF GAME 



and men should remove the bands from four days 

 to four days all whole. And give them to drink 

 the juice of herbs that are called consolida major 1 

 and minor, 2 and mix it in broth or in her meat, 

 and that shall make the bones join together. Also 

 many hounds be lost by the feet, and if some time 

 they be heated take vinegar and soot that is 

 within the chimney, and wash his feet therewith 

 until the time that they be whole, and if the soles 

 of the feet be bruised because, peradventure, they 

 have run in hard country or among stones, take 

 water, and small salt therein, and therewith wash 

 their feet, the same day that they have hunted, 

 and if they have hunted in evil country among 

 thorns and briars that they be hurt in their legs 

 or in their feet, wash their legs in sheep's tallow 

 well boiled in wine when it is cold, and rub them 

 well upward against the hair. The best that men 

 may do to hounds that they lose not their claws 

 is that they sojourn not too long, for in long 

 sojourning they lose their claws, and their feet, and 

 therefore they should be led three times in the 

 week a-hunting, and at the least twice. If they 

 have sojourned too much, cut ye a little off the 

 end of their claws with pincers ere they go hunt- 



1 Consolida major. Lavallée in his note (p. 94) translates 

 this coiisoude, which in English is comfrey, Latin Symphytum. 



2 Consolida minor (Lavallée : note, petit consolidé), Mod. Fr. 

 Brunelle. G. de F. p. 94. Eng. Selfheal. Lat. Prunella 

 vulgaris. It was at one time in repute as a febrifuge. 



