THE HORSE AND HIS EIDER. 5 



distances. The great, however, thought it more dig^ 

 nified to use living blocks, and to climb into their 

 seats, by setting their feet on the bent backs of their 

 slaves ; and many who could not command such costly 

 help used to carry a light ladder about with them 

 a curious piece of horse furniture ! 



What a signal instance was given of the deep 

 humiliation into which Imperial Rome had fallen, 

 when a haughty Persian monarch mounted his horse 

 from the back of the Emperor Valerian ! The use of 

 stirrups left pride and insolence without a pretext for 

 thus degrading God's image. Instead of offering his 

 back to be trampled on, the servant now only held 

 the stirrup for his lord. In the middle ages, the 

 great were fond of exacting this token of servility 

 from their humbled rivals : Emperors of Germany 

 have held the stirrup for the Pope ; and Henry II. of 

 England, when his rancour against Thomas a Becket 

 was hottest, thought to cajole the great prelate by a 

 similar show of feigned respect. 



The first distinct notice we have of the use of the 

 saddle occurs in an edict of the Emperor Theodosius 

 (A.D. 385); from which we also learn that it was 

 usual for those who hired post-horses to provide their 

 own saddles. The edict directs that no traveller shall 

 use a saddle weighing more than sixty pounds ! Such 



