All the vvorkes of Iohn Taylor the water-poet Beeing sixty and three in number. Collected into one volume by the author: vvith sundry new additions corrected, reuised, and newly imprinted, 1630.

The Horseman-SIHP with her Squadron.

HOrseman-SHIP had not so faire a begin∣ning as Foot-man-ship, for Cain was the first vagabond and runnagate in the world, was also the first that back'd and mannadge a Horse (as Polidor Virgil saith,) no doubt after he had murthred his brother, seeing he could not runne from the horror of his conscience, he practised Horseman-SHIP, because per∣haps he thought to ride from himselfe. This Ship hath more paces then Time hath; and the comparison may hold well, for in long va∣cations, quarter dayes, against payment of Bonds, absence of true friends, or protracting of Maydes marriages, after the Banes haue beene asked, in these cases the Lawyer, the Land-Lord, the Vsurer, the friends, and the Contracted couple, doe thinke time to bee foundred, and starke lame, or quite tyred, and that his best pace is after foureteene miles in fifteene dayes; whilst many a poore Clyent, an•• vnprouided ••enant, or vnfurnished debter, or a fellow going to bee hang'd, they thinke time is all vpon the spurre, and that he runnes at full speed a wild gallop. And as a Ship at sea sayles formetimes by the wind, sometimes before the wind, sometimes with a quarter wind, sometimes with a stone sheate, and some∣times with tack hard aboord, & Bolin stertch'd and sheate close after, by all which winds shee sayles seuerall paces: So Horseman-SHIP hath the frot, the Amble, the Racke, the Pace, the false and wild Gailop, or the full speed, and as seuerall vessels at sea doe make a Nauy, as Carracks, Argoseys, Hulkes, Ships, Barkes, Pinnaces, Hoighs, Drumlers, Fregates, Bri∣gandines, Caruels, Catches, Gallies, Galli∣ons; so this Horse-man-ship hath to attend her, her Spar••sh ••••••••••••, her Barbary horse, her Naples Courser, her Germane Steed, her Flanders Mare, her Galloway Nagge, her irish Habby, her Frenchi Cheuela, her W••••sh Pals••ay, her English All, her Smithsield lade, and her Bartholomeus Hebby-horse; and contrary to all other Ships, which haue their Bridle, Helme or Rudder in their sterne or tayle, the Horsemanship is al∣ltogether directed and steered by the head, whereby, for want of good managing, many times the Rider makes a head-long voyage (like a man of good forecast) ouer the horse•• head. And as Horsemen are none of the best Mariners, so Mariners are commonly the worst Horsemen, as one of them being vpon a tyred Hackeney once, (his companions pray'd him to ride faster) •••• •••••••• he was 〈…〉〈…〉.

Another mounted vpon a soundred Iade, that stumbled three or foure times headlong, the Sayler imagined that his horse was too

much Iaden a head, or foreward on (as the sea phrase is) and therefore to ballaste him, that he might goe or sayle with an euen keele, hee alighted & fil'd his Irekin sleeues full of stones, and ty'd them fast to his horse crouper, suppo∣sing to make his sterne as deepe laden as his head, to auoyd stumbling.

Indeed this Horsemanship is neuer vnfur∣nished of a Iades tricke, or two at a pinch or time of need, (and contrary to any other shippe) in the fairest weather it will heaue, set, wince, kicke, fling, and curuet, like a Midsummer Morris-dancer, or as if the Deuill were practizing a French Lauolta or Corran∣to: but I cannot blame them to be lusty, for they are not put to such hard allowance as ma∣ny poore Seafaring Mariners are, with a snatch and away, but Horsemanship hath racke and manger, so much at command, that prouen∣der prickes them, either to Tilt or Tourney, or long, or short iourney, and if good littra∣ture may be in a horse, then I am sure many of them are so well litter'd, and they are so proud of it, that euery morning and euening, the Groome, Hostler, or Horse-keeper, are faine to smooth, cogge and Curry fauour with them. It was reported lately in a Currant (for currant newes) that a Troope of French Horse, did take a Flecte of Turkish Gallies, in the Adria∣ticke sea, neere the Gulph of Venice, the newes was welcome to me, though I was in some doubt of the truth of it, but after I heard that the horses were shod with very thicke corke: and I am sure I haue heard of many impossi∣bilities as true as that.

Of all liuing things, a Horse hath the•• stran∣gest buriall being dead; for Wolues, Dogs, Swines, Kites, Rauens, Crowes, and such beast and birds, of prey and rapine, are com∣monly the liuing sepulchers of dead Horses: and now I remember that thirty yeeres since, I read of a rich and magnificent funerall of a Horse, which was the beloued Palfray of the famous Emperour Nero, and as neere as I can, I will describe the manner of it.

This Horse was a present sent to the Empe∣rour from Naples to Rome, being a stately beast, in colour milke white, except here and there a sinall blacke spot, like a fleabiting, for which Nero caused him to be named Fleabitten Otho for the loue hee bare to one Otho, a parasiticall Courtier, who was Emperour after him ne•• except Ga••ba, In brief Nero tooke such a liking to the Horse, that he vowed to the immortal Gods, that if the beast dyed whilst he liued, he would haue him buried with all solemni•• and funerall Pompe, as was becomming the Horse of so great a Monarch; and as fortune would haue it, within some few moneths, the Horse proued himselfe a mortall beast, yeeld∣ing his breath into the ayre, his carkasse being too compendious an abridgement or Epitotty for the magnitude or amplitude of his spirit.

All the Colledge of Horsleeches and F••••∣riers in Rome, were commanded to his em∣bowelling, to see if in their mature wisedomes they could finde by the symptomes of what di∣sease he dyed, eueryr man spent his iudgement some said he dyed of a surfet, hauing no mea∣sure of himselfe, being pamperd with the deli∣cate delights of the Court; others said, that he vnderstood of the oath which his Master N•••• had taken concerning his pompous buriall and therefore for very pride he dyed, to ma•••• his name famous by his obsequies: but them was one old Ho••sleech that contradicted them•••• all, and he did affirme that he dyed of a hea•••••• griefe and sudden melancholy, whereupon the stables-Groomes were examined, wh•••• quickly cleared all doubts.

Truely said one of them, this skilfull Gen∣tleman hath rightly guessed, for leading Flea∣bitten Otho to the water, (after he had drunke a health to the Emperour) as he was comming backe to the stable, two of the Senatours Horses met him, taking the wall of him, n••••∣giuing him any reuerence or dutifull respect, he being his Maiesties onely fauorite (of a Horse) for which disobedience of theirs, be presently fell sicke, tooke his bed, made his will, and set his goods in such order, as shall be declared.

When these newes came to the Emperour he being grieued for his Horse, and offended with the two Senatours, who had taught their Iades no better manners, then to take the w••l

of his Maiesties Horse, he dismissed them from their Offices, and made two of his owne stable Groomes Senatoars in their roomes, and af∣ter proceeded to the funerall of his Horse, in manner and forme following.

First, two hundred poore gald Hackneis, and next three hundred labouring Asses, all all couered with blacke Cotton, going two and two, euery one hauing two bottles of hay on their backes, the onely gift of the decea∣sed; then a hundred hunting Nags, and fifty Coache-horses, with ten Horses of State, with each two horse loaues for their dyet bread. Then followed the Plebeians in mourning habit two hundred in number; next the stable∣Groomes, Puruayers, Clarkes of the stable, Farriers, Horse-leeches, and Gentlemen of the stable, three hundred.

Then went the Sadlers, Charioteeres, Waggoners, Catters, Sumptermen, Litter∣men and Coachmen three hundred.

After them Singers, Pagan Priests: Flam∣nines and Archflammines, seuenty.

Then the Hearse richly behung with Scut∣••heons, Deuices, Mottoes, and Impresses.

After them the Emperour Nero chiefe mour∣ner and his Traine borne vp by Otho, and ••••ong sporus.

Next went two old Asses all in blacke Vel∣••••et as mourners of State or Cheuals de dueil.

Then followed Agripina (Nero his mother) with the faire Popeta, and the beautifull Acte, •••• two of his Concubines) and after them Galba Nimphidius Vitellius, with others: it is thought that sencca sat all the while in his study, laugh∣ing at the Funerall.

Lastly, a great troope of straggling atten∣dants: The Hearse being set downe in Cam••us Martius, Otho began this speech which follow∣••••th, in blancke Verse.

I Niurious death, to make an Emperour mourne Fleabitten Otho's timelesse Exequies, Who might haue liu'd, and borne great Conquerors, And beene the father of most valiant Coltes; Lament, yee Meedes, whereon this Palfray graz'd, Ah I strew the streets of Rome with rotten hay (griese Let Pease, Beanes, Oares, and horse-bread must with Rust Curry-combes, and Saddles rent in sunder, Breake stirrop-leathers, g••rthr and bridke, breake, Fall racke and manger p••ank ••••li••in•• wa••••, For you shall ne're support 〈…〉〈…〉 his weight ••egure, You stable Groomes, •••• comb'd •••••••• emp••d mane, And oft were grac'd to m••••e vp Otho's t••ine, Sigh, groane, and ••••••••••••, and bowle and cry, In li•••••••• and ho•••• dung ••••••ting••••••: Thinke how brane Otho did his •••••••• resplre, Who with his heeles hath oft strook sparkling fire.

Heere Nero Speakes.

THe brauest beast that euer Emperour back'd, I hat thump'd the field of Mars with greater grace Then ••••egas••si caring Tritones About the valleies neere the Muses Hills, In battalle ••••••••fier then the Northern wind, But in a triumph stout and full of seate, Listing his hooses, as if he learn'd the ground. And meant to make the •••••••••••• port his weight. As ma••nerly and moderate at his meate As is a Bride-groome on his wedding day, For neuer would he touch a locke of hay, Or smell vnto a heape of prouender Vn till be heard anoyse of Trumpe••s found, Whereby he knew Our meate was serued in. But after meales, how he would medirate Vpon his Tutors reuerend documents, And by himselfe would •••••••• what was taughe him, Offring to run the Ring, and fetch Curuets, To trot in state as we were on his backe, And to ••••-doe his schole-master in Art••, The thought of these thi••gs (Otho) kils my heart,

Otho speaks to the two Asses.

THen these poore Animals haue cause to weepe, Most reuerend Asses, you haue lost a friend, A friend, a father haue your worships lost, Who would haue giu'n you pensions in your age, And made you Beadsmen, fi••e from Cariages. When he lay speechlesse, on his death bed, then He pointed to the hay-lost with his heeles, As who should say, If I dye, giue it them. Then to the Wardens of his Company, (For he was made free of the Blacke-Smiths Craft) He turn'd about, bade them pull off his shooes, And take them as true tokens of his l••u••. And as he dying shewed his loue to them, Because his Master did delight in Playes, He win'd that of his ••••••e should •••• •••••• be made, And of his tayle, a head-tire for a Deuill. One Asse be made his sole Exceutor, The other Ouer-seer of his will:

Graunt, Iupiter they, may performe the same To doe andoue-see, that men may say, They were Iust Ouer-seers another day.

Epitaph.

HEere lyes the ••orse, whose foure foote Progeny Did trot in Li••••ed before the walls of Tfoy: Yea in the 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Greekes perdye, And on his brest this Motto, Tar ma soy, Kin (By the Sire) to winged Peg ••••ut, And by the Mother, to the King of Mules Whose Vnckle was the great Bucephalus, Whose Armes, foure Horse shooes, and the field was Gules.

To conclude, this Horsemanship after many stormes, tempests, gusts, and flawes came at last home to her ancient hauen the Beare-garden, richly laden with these commodities follow∣ing.

The Chinegall, the Nauelgall, Windgall, Spurgall, Lightgall, and Shacklegall, the Wormes, the Staggers, the Mallenders, and Sallenders, Scratches, Pole-euill, the Anti∣core, and the Pompardye, the Dropsie, the Feauer, the Palsie, the Glanders, the Frenzy, the Cough, and the Colt-euill, the Yellowes, the Fashions, the Splinters, the Spanines, the Ring-bones, the Quitter-bones, the Curbes the Rotten-f••ush, and the Crowne∣scab, the Hide-bound, the Hawes, the Crest∣fall, the Viues, the Bloody-riffes, the Crampe, and the Canker, the Howkes, the Toothake, the Surfet, the Tonghurt, the Paps, and the Bladders, the Tyrednesse, the Lowsinesse, the Surbare, the Farley, the Pose, and the Strangle, the Broaken winde, the Hoofe-bound, the Botch, the Bots, the Wen in the Groyne, the Rot in the Lungs, the Ky••es the Pearle, and the Pin, and the Webbe, the Cloyde, the Blood-shot, the Wrung in the Withers, the Straine, the Pricke in the sole, the Loose in Hoofe, the Graneld, the ••oundring, and the Shedding of the haire, the Horse-hipped, the Wrench, the Neckecricke, and the Shoulder splar.

These are the commodities wherewith the Horsemanship was sraight, which are so shared and deuided, that a man cannot light of any horse, young or old, but he is furnished with one, two, or more of these excellent gifts.

The Ships that attended in the Squadron or Regiment with the Horseman ship, were these.

• 1 The Race, an aduenturous vessell of mu•••• expectation, and admirable swiftnesse.
• 2 The Pos••e, a vessell of much vse, quicken turne, and exceeding hazzard, toyle and m∣uell.
• 3 The Hackenay, a most seruiceable Pinnace that endures all weathers, and is so common that she is to be hyred by any or vsed by all.