THEIR HEIGHT, FORM, AND STRENGTH. 47 



man and those hunting dogs, which we call grey- 

 hounds, are smaller than in England." 



20. In 1597, Edmund Spencer writes: "I have 

 heard some great warriors say that, in all the ser- 

 vices which they had seen abroad in foreign coun- 

 tries, they never saw a more comely man than the 

 Irishman, nor that cometh on more bravely in his 

 charge ; neither is his manner of mounting un- 

 seemly, though he lacks stirrups, but more ready 

 than with stirrups, for in his getting up his horse is 

 still going, whereby he gaineth way. Sure they are 

 very valiant and hardy, for the most part great 

 endurers of cold, labours, hunger, and all hardness, 

 very active .and strong of hand, very swift of foot, 

 very vigilant and circumspect in their enterprises, 

 very present in perils, very great scorners of death. 

 Eudoxius : Truly, by this that you say, it seems the 

 Irishman is a very brave soldier. Irenczus : Yea, 

 surely even in that rude service he beareth himself 

 very courageously. But when he cometh to experi- 

 ence of service abroad, and is put to a piece or a 

 pike, he maketh as worthy a soldier as any nation 

 he uieeteth with. The Irish are come of as mighty 

 a race as the world ever brought forth." 



21. In 1599, Dymrnok wrote, while he was in 

 attendance on the Earl of Essex in Ireland : " Of 

 complexion the Irish are clear and well favoured, 



