THE FRENCH STUD-BOOK. 
225 
This a friend of mine yet living did learn of a good fellow that 
had been a ranke rider in his daies, by whose meanes though 
his hackney tired at Bristow, yet this companion for his better 
encouragement seeing him all out of heart, by reason that he 
was like to lose so good companie as was then gathered together, 
he exchanged horses with him, and brought the hackney (by 
the means aforesaid) verie quicke and liiiely vppe to London: 
and also if you tie a prettie little bunche of peni-royal, about the 
bit within the horses mouth, the horse champing thereon will 
foame gallantlie and trauel with muche more courage. Another 
gentleman told me that whenever he found any jade to tire vnder 
him, he would presentlie take off his saddle, and with a good quan- 
titie of arsesmart (which is a herb that groweth in almost euerie 
ditch and standing water) rubbe him well on the backe vnder- 
neath the saddle, and afterwarde lay a good quantitieof arsesmart 
vnderneathe the saddle, and so ride him any reasonable journey. 
These secrets I thought good to discouer for the benefite of all 
English trauellers, and I hope they are true, because my authors 
are aliue, and speake of their owne experience, and not by bare 
report from others; they doe also carrie great probabilitie with 
them. 
Sir Hugh Platters Jewel House of Art and Nature, 1594, p. 27. 
The French Stud-book. 
Every country that has occupied itself with the amelioration 
of the breed of horses, has deemed it indispensable to have a 
public register of the names and progeny of those of an acknow¬ 
ledged superior race—the type to which the improvement of 
every other breed is to be attributed. 
If we look to the East, we shall find that the birth of the 
Arab colt of noble blood was recorded with as much ceremony 
and care as that of the child. 
England has long had its Stud-book. The date of the first 
edition is 1791. It contains a list of all the horses of pure blood 
that have existed, or are at present to be found in Great Britain. 
Prussia has published, during the last three years, a list of 
the thorough-bred horses imported or born in that kingdom. 
Mecklenburgh had previously set the example. It is six years 
.since a record of this kind was first kept there. 
France had remained strangely in the rear of her neighbours ; 
nevertheless, there were several talented men employed in the 
amelioration of the horse in that country, who had long felt the 
utility and necessity of collecting all the scattered elements—the 
unknown and unappreciated riches of their country—in order 
roL XI. ii h 
