44 



THE HORSE. 



Markham's 

 opinion of 

 the " true- 

 bred " Eng- 



this period. 



" The true English horse is tall of 

 stature and large proportions ; his head, 

 though not so fine as the Barbaric or the 

 Turkes, yet is lean, long, and well- 

 fashioned," &c. 



Again, u For swiftness what nation 

 has brought forth that horse which has 

 horse of excee( jed the English? When the best 

 Barbaries that ever were in their prime, 

 I saw them overrune by a black hobbie 

 at Salisbury, and yet that black hobbie 

 was overrunne by a horse called Valen- 

 tine, which Valentine neither in hunting 

 or running was ever equalled, yet was a 

 plain-bred horse both by syre and dam. 

 Again, for infinite labour, as long en- 

 durance, which is to be desired in our 

 hunting matches, I have not seen any 

 horse to compare with the English. He 



