Each
Oxe hath his seuerall name, vpon which the driuers call aloud, both
to direct and giue them courage as they are at worke.
The Cornish horses, commonly are hardly bred, coursely fed, low of
stature, quicke in trauell, and (after their growth and strength)
able inough for continuance: which sort proue most seruiceable for a
rough and hilly Countrie. But verie few of them (through the owners,
fault) retaine long this their naturall goodnesse. For after two
yeeres age, they vse them to carrie sackes of Sand, which boweth
downe, and weakneth their backes, and the next Summer they are
imployed in harrowing, which marreth their pace. Two meanes that so
quaile also their stomackes, and abate their strength, as the first
rider findeth them ouer-broken to his hands. Howbeit now, from
naught, they are almost come to nought: For since the Statute 12. of
Henry the eight, which enableth eueri man to seize vpon horses that
pastured in Commons, if they were vnder a certaine sise, the Sherifes
officers, reckoning themselues specially priuiledged to poll in their
masters yeere, haue of late times, whether by his commandement, or
sufferance, accustomed to driue those waste grounds, and to seize
on those not voluntarie statute-breaking Tits, so as nature denying a
great harace, and these carrying away the little, it resteth, that
hereafter, not the dammes Foale, but the dames Trotters, be trusted
vnto, This consideration [25] hath made me entertain a conceite, that
ordinarie Husbandmen should doe well to quit breeding of Horses, and
betake themselves to Moyles: for that is a beast, which will fare
hardly, liue verie long, drawe indifferently well, and carrie great
burdens, and hath also a pace swift, and easie enough, for their Mill
and market seruice.
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