jadery

List then : your
cousin ,
Mounted upon a steed that Emily
Did first bestow on him — a black one , owing
Not a hair worth of white , which some will say
Weakens his price , and many will not buy
His goodness with this note , which superstition
Here finds allowance — on this horse is Arcite
Trotting the stones of Athens — which the calkins
Did rather tell than trample , for the horse
Would make his length a mile , if ’t pleased his rider
To put pride in him . As he thus went counting
The flinty pavement , dancing , as ’twere , to th’ music
His own hooves made — for , as they say , from iron
Came music’s origin — what envious flint ,
Cold as old Saturn , and like him possessed
With fire malevolent , darted a spark ,
Or what fierce sulphur else , to this end made ,
I comment not ; the hot horse , hot as fire ,
Took toy at this and fell to what disorder
His power could give his will ; bounds , comes on end ,
Forgets school-doing , being therein trained
And of kind manage . Pig-like he whines
At the sharp rowel , which he frets at rather
Than any jot obeys ; seeks all foul means
Of boist’rous and rough jadery to disseat
His lord that kept it bravely . When naught served ,
When neither curb would crack , girth break , nor
diff’ring plunges
Disroot his rider whence he grew , but that
He kept him ’tween his legs , on his hind hoofs
On end he stands
That Arcite’s legs , being higher than his head ,
Seemed with strange art to hang . His victor’s wreath
Even then fell off his head , and presently
Backward the jade comes o’er , and his full poise
Becomes the rider’s load . Yet is he living ,
But such a vessel ’tis that floats but for
The surge that next approaches . He much desires
To have some speech with you . Lo , he appears .