I was in my troop lines one afternoon, blackguarding a farrier, when a loud nicker sounded on the road and a black cob, bearing a feebly protesting padre upon his fat back, trotted through the gate, up to the lines and began to swop How d'y'do's with my hairies.

And then about his shoulders broad he threw 65 An hairie hide of some wilde beast, whom hee In salvage forrest by adventure slew, And reft the spoyle his ornament to bee; Which, spredding all his backe with dreadfull vew, Made all that him so horrible did see 70 Thinke him Alcides with the lyons skin, When the Naeméan conquest he did win.

* THE HAIRIES.