To the T^eader, 



;of my own knowledgto fay thus much (and that with no 

 (aiall grief) that the worfl: Ferriers generally I do find 

 to be thofe who are of our own nation : neverthelels, I 

 do not conclude or condemn all for infufficient 5 for forae 

 there be well known unta me very quaint o\\^ expert 

 Ferriers, who can work very well, and according to 

 true art and Method. I have therefore in this elabo- 

 rate Work of mine given you feveral Receipts for every 

 Cure, and mofl: cf them approved by my particular 

 pradice and experience '-, others again I have inferted 

 which are the cures of other able men, which by rea(bn 

 they do found probable unto me, I have differed them 

 to pafs among my own, ("though I never had means or 

 opportunity to make trial of them. J And the reafon why 

 I have inculcated fo many feveral receipts to each cure,, 

 are two, viz.Firft becaufe that receipt which will cure one 

 difeafe, will not always cure the fame malady in ano- 

 ther Horfe. Secondly, you fhall find fome receipts either 

 very difficile to make,. or the ingredients not eafily ta 

 be gotten, otherwife they prove more chargeable than 

 the owner of the Horfe is well able to defray : and there- 

 fore I have given thee receipts for all forts and degrees of 

 Horfes 5 howbeit thofe receipts vv^hich aremoft coftly and 

 intricate to make and compound are commonly the very 

 befl, and work the beffc efFedts, and therefore I leave 

 thee to thy felf to make thy own choice. Now if any 

 man fhall fay that I have robbed or rifled other mens la- 

 bours : 1 anfwer, I have not robbed, but approved them 5 

 for by the fame rule I may afwel objed:, that wbofo- 

 ever workcth by my book robbeth me ^ for if that be* 

 theft, I pray what Phyfician is there in the whole world, 

 promulgating his fcience may not be as much cen- 

 fured and accufed for rifling the aphorifms of Galen 

 and Hippoeratcj^yea, and of others the ancients,and modem 

 authors alfo .<? But howfoever I am fo far from traducing 



(b 3^ othe^ 



