i68 THE HISTORY AND ART 



They were ranked at the head of all other fpecies 

 of horfes, and anfwered for the moft part to what is 

 meant at prefent by a maneged horfe, or one drcjjed and 

 difcipHned for war ; to which, and the exercife of the 

 tournament, they were fet apart ; for, upon common 

 occafions, perfons of rank and conlideration always 

 rode upon horfes of inferior degree, diflinguiflied by 

 the names of Courfcrs, Amhkrsy Palfreys, Hackneys, Nags, 

 and Poneys, recommended by their eafy paces, and 

 quiet temper. In feveral countries, it was a cuflom 

 rigoroully obferved, that no knight of chivalry, or 

 other gentleman, fhould ride upon a Mare, it being 

 thought difhonourable and vile. 



The mares were always devoted to the cart, and all 

 the ignoble fervices ; and whether upon this account 

 it was thought difgraceful in a gentleman to ride them, 

 or whether they were put to thefe fervile tafks merely 

 bccaufe they would not ride them, is a quellion hi- 

 therto undetermined. The Spaniards, Turks, and fome 

 other nations, Hill adhere to this abfurd notion, upon 

 all occafions. 



The moft obvious and natural reafon which can be 

 afligned for this partiality againft the mare, feems to 

 be, that the female fex is thought (^mong horfes at 

 leaft) not to have the ftrength, fire, and dignity of the 

 male, and therefore is not fo correfpondent to the 

 chara(5ler and pomp of a Knight, or warriour, as the 

 horfes ; nor, as it was not a general cuftom to geld 

 liorfes, could they have been trufled among the op- 



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