respect the
easiness of their pace, it is hard to say where their like are to be
had. Our land doth yield no asses, and therefore we want the
generation also of mules and somers, and therefore the most part of
our carriages is made by these, which, remaining stoned, are either
reserved for the cart or appointed to bear such burdens as are
convenient for them. Our cart or plough horses (for we use them
indifferently) are commonly so strong that five or six of them (at the
most) will draw three thousand weight of the greatest tale with ease
for a long journey, although it be not a load of common usage, which
consisteth only of two thousand, or fifty foot of timber, forty
bushels of white salt, or six-and-thirty of bay, of five quarters of
wheat, experience daily teacheth, and I have elsewhere remembered.
Such as are kept also for burden will carry four hundredweight
commonly without any hurt or hindrance. This furthermore is to be
noted, that our princes and the nobility have their carriage commonly
made by carts, whereby it cometh to pass that when the queen's majesty
doth remove from any one place to another, there are usually 400
carewares, which amount to the sum of 2400 horses, appointed out of
the countries adjoining, whereby her carriage is conveyed safely unto
the appointed place. Hereby also the ancient use of somers and sumpter
horses is in manner utterly relinquished, which causeth the trains of
our princes in their progresses to shew far less than those of the
kings of other nations.

Such as serve for the saddle are commonly gelded, and now grew to be
very dear among us, especially if they be well coloured, justly
limbed, and have thereto an easy ambling pace. For our countrymen,
seeking their ease in every corner where it is to be had, delight very
much in those qualities, but chiefly in their excellent paces, which,
besides that it is in manner peculiar unto horses of our soil, and not
hurtful to the rider or owner sitting on their backs, it is moreover
very pleasant and delectable in his ears, in that the noise of their
well-proportioned pace doth yield comfortable sound as he travelleth
by the way. Yet is there no greater deceit used anywhere than among
our horsekeepers, horsecoursers, and hostlers; for such is the subtle
knavery of a great sort of them (without exception of any of them be
it spoken which deal for private gain) that an honest-meaning man
shall have very good luck among them if he be not