Ill] 



AND HISTORIC TIMES 



259 



native horses there. It was the fine-bred Andalusian horse 

 which was termed the Spanish jennet by our older English 

 writers, as is clear from Blundeville's description of that animal : 

 " The Jennet of Spaine is finelie made, both head, bodie, and 

 legs, and very seemlie to the eie, saving that his buttocks 

 be somewhat slender, and for his fine making, lightnesse, and 

 swiftnesse withall, he is verie much esteemed, and especiallie of 

 noble men, as Camerarius saith, which Oppianus also affirmeth, 

 saieng : that the Jennet in swiftness passeth the Parthians and 



FIG. 75. The Jennet of Spain. 



all other horses whatsoever they be, even so far as the Egle 

 exceedeth all the birds in the aire, and as the Dolphin passeth 

 all the fishes in the sea, but therewith he saith that they be 

 but small of stature, of small strength, and of small courage, 

 all which things seeme to agree verie well with those Jennets 

 that be brought hither into England, unlesse it be the last 

 point. For I have heard some of the Spaniards to set such 

 praise on their Jennets' courage, as they have not letted to 

 report, that they have carried their riders out of the field, 

 I cannot tell how manie miles, after the Jennets themselves 

 have been shot cleane through the bodies with Harquebushes. 



172 



