The capture of Sark was affected by a similar trick. A gentleman of the Netherlands, with one ship, asked permission of the French to bury one of his crew in the chapel. The request was granted, but the coffin was full of arms. The pretended mourners, being well provided with arms, fell on the guards and took the island by surprise.—Percy, Anecdotes, 249.
Horse (Merlin’s Wooden), Clavilēno. This was the horse on which Don Quixote effected the disenchantment of the infanta Antonomāsia and others.
Horse (The Enchanted), a wooden horse with two pegs. By turning one the horse rose into the air, and by turning the other it descended where and when the rider listed. It was given by an Indian to the shah of Persia, as a New Year’s gift.—Arabian Nights (“The Enchanted Horse”), and Chaucer (“The Squire’s Tale”).
Horse (The Fifteen points of a good).
A good horse sholde have three propyrtees of a man, three of a woman, three of a foxe, three of a haare, and three of an asse. Of a man, bolde, prowde, and hardye. Of a woman, fayre-breasted, faire of heere, and easy to move. Of a foxe, a fair taylle, short eers, with a good trotte. Of a haare, a grate eye, a dry head, and well rennynge. Of an asse, a bygge chynn, a flat legge, and a good hoof.—Wynkyn de Worde (1496).
Horse Neighing. On the death of Smerdis, the several competitors for the Persian crown agreed that he whose horse neighed first should be appointed king. The horse of Darius neighed first and Darius was made king. Lord Brooke calls him a Scythian; he was son of Hystaspês, the satrap.
The brave Scythian
Who found more sweetness in his horse’s neighing
Than all the Phrygian, Dorian, Lydian playing.
Lord Brooke.