rHE HORSE. 175 



horse, the good pace of the traveller, the swiftness of the runner, a 

 good breast for the coach, a strong joint for the cart, and a back 

 like a beam for the hamper. 



But forasmuch as there be three especial characters or faces by 

 which a man shall choose a good hunting horse, to wit his breed, 

 his colour, and the shape of his lineaments, I will by them show 

 you what observations you shall regard when you make choice for 

 this purpose. 



And first for his breed, if he be either bastard Jennet or bastard 

 Polander, his breed is not amiss ; for I have known of all these 

 sorts of bastards excellent hunting horses. Now if you demand 

 what I mean by this word bastard, it is when a horse is begotten 

 by any of these country horses upon a fair English mare, or by a 

 fair bred English horse upon any of these country mares • but 

 neither to flatter other countries, nor to take from our own that 

 which is due unto it, the world doth not afford in all points (both 

 for toughness and swiftness being joined together) a better horse 

 than the true-bred English horse for hunting : which assertion 

 should I maintain by the best proof, which is example, and could 

 repeat so many instances as were sufficient to fill up the rest of this 

 volume, but I will not at this instant be so troublesome. 



Through all the many gradations of colour we need not 

 follow Markham. In his day the colour of a horse was a very 

 particular point, and considered an infallible indication of his 

 temper and qualities. The saying we go by now that * a good 

 horse cannot be of a bad colour' — a saying, by the way, clearly 

 susceptible of more readings than one — would not have been 

 allowed by him for a moment. ' As a horse is coloured, so is 

 he for the most part complexioned : and according to his com- 

 plexion, so is his disposition of good or evil quality.' Such was 

 our forefathers' opinion, and very ingeniously did they go about 

 to explain it. We will satisfy ourselves, however, for the present 

 by noting that brown bays, dapple greys, black * with silver hairs,' 

 'well mixed ' roans, the 'ashy 'grey, and 'the white Hard, which 

 hath his outward parts, as the tips of his ears, mane, tail, feet, 

 and suchlike, black,' were all in favour. A black horse with no 

 relief of white whatever, is much to be avoided, for ' he is furious, 

 dogfied, full of mischief and misfortunes.' A bay or chestnut,^ 



