’Thou art but fit for old Father Time to lay his scythe across when he is aweary,’ said Richard, and turned to the next.

She was a huge-bodied, short-legged punch, as fat as butter, with lop ears and sleepy eyes.  Having finished her corn, she was churning away at a mangerful of grass.

‘Thou wouldst burst thy belly at the first charge,’ said Richard, and was approaching the third, one he did not recognise, when a vicious, straight-out kick informed him that here was temper at least, probably then spirit.  But when he came near enough to see into the stall, there stood the ugliest brute he thought that ever ate barley.  He was very long-bodied and rather short-legged, with great tufts at his fetlocks, and the general look of a huge rat, in part doubtless from having no hair on his long undocked tail.  He was biting vigorously at his manger, and Richard could see the white of one eye glaring at him askance in the gloom.

‘Dunnot go nigh him, sir,’ cried Jacob Fortune, who had come up behind.  ’Thou knows not his tricks.  His name be his nature, and we call him Beelzebub when master Stopchase be not by.  I be right glad to see your honour up again.’

Jacob was too old to go to the wars, and too indifferent to regret it; but he was faithful, and had authority over the few men left.

‘I thank you, Jacob,’ said Richard.  ’What brute is this?  I know him not.’

’We all knows him too well, master Richard, though verily Stopchase bought him but the day before he rode, thinking belike he might carry an ear or two of wheat.  If he be not very good he was not parlous dear; he paid for him but an old song.  He was warranted to have work in him if a man but knew how to get it out.’

‘He is ugly.’

’He is the ugliest horse, cart-horse, nag, or courser, on this creation-side,’ said the old man, ’—­ugly enough to fright to death where he doth fail in his endeavour to kill.  The men are all mortal feared on him, for he do kick and he do bite like the living Satan.  He wonnot go in no cart, but there he do stand eating on his head off as fast as he can.  An’ the brute were mine, I would slay him; I would, in good sooth.’

‘An’ I had but time to cure him of his evil kicking!  I fear I must ever ride the last in the troop,’ said Richard.

’Why for sure, master, thee never will ride such a devil-pig as he to the wars!  Will Farrier say he do believe he take his strain from the swine the devils go into in the miracle.  All the children would make a mock of thee as thou did ride through the villages.  Look at his legs:  they do be like stile-posts; and do but look at his tail!’

‘Lead him out, Jacob, and let me see his head.’

’I dare not go nigh him, sir.  I be not nimble enough to get out of the way of his hoof.  ‘I be too old, master.’