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 grow 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 hostelers; 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 deceived by some false trick or other.

There are certain notable markets wherein great plenty of horses and colts
is bought and sold, and whereunto such as have need resort yearly to buy
and make their necessary provision of them, as Ripon, Newport Pond,
Wolfpit, Harboro', and divers others. But, as most drovers are very
diligent to bring great store of these unto those places, so many of them
are too too lewd in abusing such as buy them. For they have a custom, to
make them look fair to the eye, when they come within two days' journey of
the market to drive them till they sweat, and for the space of eight or
twelve hours, which, being done, they turn them all over the backs into
some water, where they stand for a season, and then go forward with them
to the place appointed, where they make sale of their infected ware, and
such as by this means do fall into many diseases and maladies. Of such
outlandish horses as are daily brought over unto us I speak not, as the
jennet of Spain, the courser of Naples, the hobby of Ireland, the Flemish
roile and the Scottish nag, because that further speech of them cometh not
within the compass of this treatise, and for whose breed and maintenance
(especially of the greatest sort) King Henry the Eighth erected a noble
studdery, and for a time had very good su