THE HORSEMEN 27 



suit and carried another to wear \ylien they came 

 to their journey's end, or lay by the way ; but 

 in coaches a silk hat and an Indian gown, with 

 a sash, silk stockings, and beaver hats, men ride 

 in, and carry no other with them, because they 

 escajoe the Avet and dirt, which on horseback they 

 cannot avoid ; whereas, in two or three journeys 

 on horseback these clothes and hats Avere wont 

 to be sj)oiled; which done, they were forced to 

 have new ones very often, and that increased the 

 consumption of the manufactures and the em- 

 jiloyment of the manufacturers ; which travelling 

 in coaches doth in no way do." 



Fortunately, the biographical literature of our 

 country is rich in records of the horsemen w^ho, 

 still relying upon their oAvn exertions and those 

 of their willing steeds, rode long distances and 

 left the toiling stage leagues behind them at the 

 close of each day's journey. Ralph Thoresby, of 

 Leeds, a pious and God-fearing antiquary Avho 

 flourished at this time, gives us, on the other 

 hand, the spectacle of one avIio generally rode 

 horseback trying the coach by Avay of a change. 

 He had occasion to visit London in February 1688, 

 and as there Avas at that time no coach service 

 between Leeds and London, he rode from Leeds to 

 York to catch the stage, which seems to have kept 

 the road in this particular Avinter. He rose at five 

 one Saturday morning, and AA'as at York by night, 

 ready for the coach leaving for London on the 

 Monday. Four years earlier he had scorned the 

 coach, and did not noAv take it for sake of speed, 



