this I am sure of howsoever, it becomes them, [and] it sets forth our
gennet well. His legges he borrowed of the hart, with his swiftnesse,
which makes him a true courser indeed. The starres in his forehead hee
fetcht from heaven, which will not be much mist, there being so many. The
little head he hath, broad breast, fat buttocke, and thicke tayle are
properly his owne, for he knew not where to get him better. If you tell
him of the hornes he wants to make him most compleat, he scornes the
motion, and sets them at his heele. He is well shod especially in the
upper leather, for as for his soles, they are much at reparation, and
often faine to be removed. Nature seems to have spent an apprentiship of
yeares to make you such a one, for it is full seven yeares ere hee comes
to this perfection, and be fit for the saddle: for then (as we,) it seemes
to come to the yeares of discretion, when he will shew a kinde of
rationall judgement with him, and if you set an expert rider on his backe,
you shall see how sensiblie they will talke together, as master and
scholler. When he shall be no sooner mounted and planted in the seat with
the reins in one hand, a switch in the other, and speaking with his
spurres in the horse's flankes, a language he wel understands, but he
shall prance, curvet, and dance the canaries[DO] halfe an houre together
in compasse of a bushell, and yet still, as he thinkes, get some ground,
shaking the goodly plume on his head with a comely pride. This will our
Bucephalus do in the lists: but when hee comes abroad into the fields, hee
will play the countrey gentleman as truly, as before the knight in
turnament. If the game be up once, and the hounds in chase, you shall see
how he will pricke up his eares streight, and tickle at the sport as much
as his rider shall, and laugh so loud, that if there be many of them, they
will even drowne the rurall harmony of the dogges. When he travels, of all
innes he loves best the signe of the silver bell, because likely there he
fares best, especially if hee come the first, and get the prize. He
carries his eares upright, nor seldome ever lets them fall till they be
cropt off, and after that, as in despight, will never weare them more. His
taile is so essentiall to him, that if he loose it once hee is no longer
an horse, but ever stiled a curtall. To conclude, he is a blade of
Vulcan's forging, made for Mars of the best metall, and the post of Fame
to carrie her tidings throug