Bibliothèque mondiale du cheval

« Another edition, newly imprinted, corrected and augmented, with many secrets not before known. Divided into eight books with separate titles. The 2 nd and 3 rd books bear the date of 1616.
With the title : — Cavelarice, Or the English Horseman ; Contayning all the Art of Horse-manship, as much as is necessary for any man to vnderstand, whether hee be Horse-breeder, Horse-ryder, Horse-hunter, Horse-runner, Horse-ambler, Horse-farrier, Horse-keeper, (Coachman, Smith, or Sadler. Together with the discovery of the subtil trade or mystery of Horse-coursers, and an explanation of the excellency of a horses vnderstanding : or how to teach the to do trickes like Banke’s his Curtail. And that Horses may be made to draw dry-foot like a Hound. Secrets before vnpublished, now carefully set downe, for the profit of this whole Nation. By Gervase Markham . in-4° London, 1617. » Huth (1887)

« First edition of Markham’s much enlarged work on horsemanship, the first edition of which had been published in 1593 with the title A discourse of horsemanshippe . Its division into eight books allowed no less than eight dedications – ingenious in itself as an attempt to construct a new network of patronage to replace that which he had lost with Essex’s fall.
Book 1: After the title (verso blank), dedication by Markham to Henry Frederick, Price of Whales (1594-1612), son of King James I, second dedication by Markham ‘To the three greate Columbes of this Empire …’, and the Table on pp. (7)-16), follows the text of book 1 (pp. 1-88).
Book 2: ‘Cavelarice, or the arte and knowledge belonging to the horse-ryder: how horses are to be handled, riden, or made perfit …’ (London 1607): title in border (see above; verso blank), dedication poem by Markham to ‘The High mighty Prince of Greate Brittaine’, with a second dedication ‘To all the Noble and famous horse-men or horse-riders of this land’ on its verso; the text of book 2 on ff. 1-264.
Book 3: ‘Cavelarice or that parte of arte wherein is contayned the choice, training, and dyeting of hunting horses, whether it be for pleasure or for wager’ (London 1607): title with vignette, head- and tail-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To the moste noble and moste mighty Lord, Lewes Duke of Lennox, Earle of Darnley …’, with a second dedication on verso ‘To all hunts-men and lovers of hunting’; the text of book 3 on ff. 1-72.
Book 4: ‘Cavelarice or the tracconer, containing the arte and secrets which belong to ambling horses, and how that pace is to be taught to any horse whatsoever’ (London 1607): title with vignette, head- and tail-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To theright honourable … Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Arundel and Surrey’, with a second dedication on verso ‘To all those which love their ease in travelling’; the text of book 4 on ff. 1-54.
Book 5: ‘Cavelarice or that parte of arte which containeth the office of the KeeperGroome of the stable, or coach-man, how horses shall be ordered both when they rest and when they iourney …’(London 1607): title with vignette, and head-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To the moste noble and moste mighty Lord, Edward Earle of Worcester, Lord Herbert of Ragland …’’ , with a second dedication on verso ‘To al those which either ride upon their owne horses or are acquainted with travell’; the text of book 5 on ff. 1-56.
Book 6: ‘Cavelarice or The currier. Containing the art, knowledge, and dyet of the running horse, either in training up, or in any great match or wager’ (London (1)607): title with vignette, and head-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To the Right honourable … Lord Phylip Herbert Earl of Montgomerie …’, with a second dedication on verso ‘To all the lovers of running horses’; the text of book 6 on ff. 1-64.
Book 7: ‘Cavelarice or that part of arte wherein is contayned the knowledge or office of the horse-farrier, with the signes and demonstrations of all manner of infirmities, and the most best approved cure for the same’ (London, n.d.): title with vignette, and armorial head-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To the Right honourablee and most noble Lord, Joghn Ramsey …’, with a second dedication on verso ‘To all my fellowe smithes and farryers …’; the text of book 7 on ff. 1-81.
Book 8: ‘Cavelarice or that part of horsemanship discovering the subtile trade of hors-corser, together with an explanation of the excellency of a horses understanding, and how to make him doe trickes lyke Bankes his curtall, and of drawing drye-foot, and other acts both natural and unnaturall’ (London, n.d.: title with vignette, and armorial head-piece (verso blank), dedication by Markham ‘To the honourable and most worthy Knight Sir Walter Aston’, with a second dedication on verso ‘To all the busie horsecorsers, both of the citty and country wheresoever’; the text of book 8 on ff. 1-40. ‘Bankes his curtall’ is a reference to the ‘dancing horse’ Marocco, trained by Banks and famous throughout Europe.
Literature: STC 17334; Poynter 19.1, p. 90; Podeschi 18; Huth 15. » Dejager (2014)