THE HORSE. 43 



lion, which he purchased of a Mr. Mark- First recorded 



importation 



ham for five hundred guineas. We pos- s^amot'^''^'^'' 

 sess no record of this animal's produce, 

 but the fact proves that the promoters 

 of racinof recognised in the Eastern horse 

 the type of animal they required to im- 

 prove the common stock, although the 

 great qualifications of such horses had 

 then only been partially established ; for 

 we find Gervase Markham praises the 

 English-bred horse of this period as 

 bein^ superior to those of other countries : 

 " I do daily find in mine experience that 

 the virtue, goodness, boldness, swiftness, 

 and endurance of our true-bred English 

 horses is equal with any race of horses 

 whatsoever," and accuses those of igno- 

 rance who have made assertions to the 

 contrary. 



