THE BARB. 99 



jN'ext, in position, speaking of the Barb, lie discourses in this 

 fashion. 



" The Barb is next to the Spanish horse for wisdom, but not 

 near so wise, and that makes him easier to be drest, besides he 

 is of a gentle nature, docile, nervous and light. 



" He is as fine a horse as can be, but somewhat slender, and 

 a little ladylike ; and is so lazy and negligent in his walk as he 

 will stumble in a bowling green ; he trots like a cow, and gal- 

 lops low, and no action in any of those actions. But commonly 

 he is sinewy and nervous, and hath a clear strength, is excellently 

 winded and good at length, to endure great travel ; and very 

 apt to learn, and easy to be drest, being for the most part of a 

 good disposition, excellent apprehension, judgment, memory ; 

 and when he is searched and wakened, no horse in the world 

 goes better in the manege in all ayres whatsoever, and rarely 

 upon the ground in any. 



" The mountain Barbs, they say, are the best ; I believe they 

 are the largest ; but for my part I rather desire a middling 

 horse, or a less horse, which are cheap enough in Barbary, as 

 I have been informed, both by many gentlemen, and many 

 merchants." 



Of the Fris horse — that, I conceive, which we now term the 

 Flemish or Flanders horse, he says — 



" He is hardy, and can live on any thing, and will endure 

 either heats or colds ; and on no horse whatsoever does a man 

 appear more a swordsman, than on this horse, being so quiet, 

 so bold, and so assured. 



" He is also manly, and fit for any thing but running away ; 

 though he will run fast for a while, yet I doubt not long ; be- 

 cause his wind is not like a Barb ; yet a heavy man well armed 

 upon a Barb, and the same weight upon a Dutch horse, the 

 Dutch horse's strength is so much above the Barb's, as compared 

 thus, I believe the Dutch horse may run as fast and as long as 

 the Barb ; for the Barb's wind serveth to no purpose, when his 

 strength is not able to carry his weight." 



On these passages I would observe, what will be yet more 

 decidedly apparent when I come to quote from the same writer 

 his remarks on the English horse, that it is quite too absurd to 

 endeavor to ignore or set aside his reasonings, as if he were 



