Master's Generofity; thus his Fame will reach from one County to another; and what is a Gallon of Ale, or a Pint of Brandy, in his Worship's Pocket? And, although he should be in the Number of those who value their Credit lefs than their Purfe, yet your Care of the former ought to be fo much the greater; his Horse wanted two Removes; your Horse wanted Nails ; his Allowance of Oats and Beans was greater than the Journey required; a third Part may be retrenched, and turned into Ale or Brandy; and thus his Honour may be preserved by your Discretion, and less Expence to him; or, if he travelleth with no other Servant, the Matter is eafily made up in the Bill between you and the Tapfter:

Leave

Therefore, as foon as you alight at the Inn, deliver the Horfes to the Stable-boy, and let him gallop them to the next Pond; then call for a Pot of Ale, for it is very fit that a Chriftian fhould drink before a Beaft. your Mafter to the Care of the Servants in the Inn, and your Horfes to thofe in the Stable : Thus, both he and they are left in the propereft Hands; but you are to provide for felf; therefore, get your Supper, drink freely, and go to Bed without troubling your Master, who is in better Hands than yours. The Oftler is an honeft Fellow, loveth Horfes in his Heart, and would not wrong the dumb Creatures for the World. Be tender of your Mafter, and order the Servants not to awake him too

your

early.

early. Get your Breakfast before he is up, that he may not wait for you; make the oftler tell him that the Roads are very good, and the Miles short, but advise him to stay a little longer until the Weather cleareth up, for he is afraid there will be Rain, and he will be Time enough after Dinner.

Let your

Let your Mafter mount before you, out of good Manners. As he is leaving the Inn, drop a good Word in favour of the Oftler; what Care he took of the Cattle; and add, that you never faw civiler Servants. Mafter ride on before, and do you, ftay until the Landlord hath given you a Dram; then gallop after him, through the Town or Village, with full Speed, for fear he should want you, and to fhew your Horsemanship.

If you are a Piece of a Farrier, as every good Groom ought to be, get Sack, Brandy, or strong Beer, to rub your Horfes Heels every Night; and be not sparing, for (if any be spent) what is left, you know how to difpofe of it.

Confider your Mafter's Health; and rather than let him take long Journies, fay the Cattle are weak, and fallen in their Flesh with hard Riding; tell him of a very good Inn five Miles nearer than he intended to go; or leave one of his Horses Fore-fhoes loofe in the Morning; or contrive, that the Saddle may pinch the Beast in the Withers; or keep him without Corn all Night and Morning, fo that he may tire on the Road; or wedge a thin Plate of

Iron between the Hoof and the Shoe, to make him halt; and all this in perfect Tenderness to your Master.

When you are going to be hired, and the Gentleman afketh you, Whether you are apt to be drunk? own freely, that you love a Cup of good Ale; but that it is your Way, drunk or fober, never to neglect your Horfes.

When your Mafter hath a Mind to ride out for the Air, or for Pleasure, if any private Bu finefs of your own maketh it inconvenient for you to attend him, give him to understand, that the Horfes want bleeding, or purging; that his own Pad hath got a Surfeit; or, that the Saddle wanteth stuffing; and his Bridle is gone to be mended: This you may honestly do, because it will be no Injury to the Horfes, or your Master; and, at the fame Time, fhews the

great Care you have of the poor dumb

Creatures.

If there be a particular Inn in the Town, whither you are going, and where you are well acquainted with the Oftler or Tapfter, and the People of the Houfe, find Fault with the other Inns, and recommend your Mafter thither; it may probably be a Pot and a Dram or two more in your Way, and to your Master's Ho

nour.

If your Mafter fendeth you to buy Hay, deal with those who will be the most liberal to you; for, Service being no Inheritance, you ought not to let flip any lawful and cuftomary VOL. VIII.

G

Perquifite.

Perquifite. If your Mafter buyeth it himself, he wrongeth you; and, to teach him his Duty, be fure to find Fault with that Hay as long as it lafteth; and, if the Horfes thrive with it, the Fault is yours.

Hay and Oats, in the Management of a skilful Groom, will make excellent Ale, as well as Brandy; but this I only hint.

When your Mafter dineth, or lieth, at a Gentleman's House in the Country, although there be no Groom, or he be gone Abroad, or that the Horses have been neglected, be fure to employ one of the Servants to hold the Horfe when your Mafter mounteth; this I would have you do, when your Master only alighteth, to call in for a few Minutes, for Brother-fervants must always befriend one another; and this alfo concerneth your Mafter's Honour, because he cannot do less than give a Piece of Money to him who holdeth his Horse.

In long Journies, afk your Mafter Leave to give Ale to the Horfes; carry two Quarts full to the Stable, pour half a Pint into a Bowl, and, if they will not drink it, you and the Oftler must do the best you can; perhaps they may be in a better Humour at the next Inn, for I would have you never fail to try the Experiment.

When you go to air your Horfes in the Park, or the Fields, give them to a Horse-boy, or one of the Blackguards, who, being lighter than you, may be trufted to run Races, with

lefs

lefs Damage to the Horfes, and teach them to leap over Hedge and Ditch, while you are drinking a friendly Pot with your Brothergrooms; but fometimes you and they may run Races yourselves, for the Honour of your Horses, and of your Mafters.

Never ftint your Horfes at home in Hay and Oats, but fill the Rack to the Top, and the Manger to the Brim; for you would take it ill to be stinted yourself; although, perhaps, they may not have the Stomach to eat, confider, they have no Tongues to afk. If the Hay be thrown down, there is no Lofs, for it will make Litter, and fave Straw.

When your Master is leaving a Gentleman's House in the Country, where he hath lain a Night, then confider his Honour; let him know how many Servants there are, of both Sexes, who expect Vails; and give them their Cue, to attend, in two Lines, as he leaves the Houfe; but defire him not to trust the Money with the Butler, for fear he should cheat the reft: This will force your Mafter to be more generous; and then you may take Occafion to tell your Master, that 'Squire fuch a one, whom you lived with last, always gave so much a-piece to the common Servants, and fo much to the House-keeper, and the reft, naming at least double to what he intended to give; but, be fure to tell the Servants what a good Office you did them: This will gain you Love, and your Master Honour.