dray horse

Noun

drayhorse (plural drayhorses)

1. A large, powerful horse used for pulling drays.
   • Then his dray-horſe and he, in the ſtreets we did ſee,
     With his hanger, his ſling, and bis jacket;
     Long time he did watch, to meet with his match;
     For he'd ever a mind to the placket.(Can we date this quote?), Alexander Brome, The New Knight Errant, line 6
2. (broadly) Someone who undergoes or underwent many a hardship, who suffers some great burden; a burdened, beleaguered, downtrodden man.
   • "Archbiſhops, Biſhops," (ſo ſays Doctor Parr)
     "By delta, Beta, merely, have been made :
     "Why from the mitre then am I ſo far;
     "So long a dray-horſe in this thundering trade ?
     "O Pitt, ſhame on thee !—art thou ſtill to ſeek "The ſoul of wiſdom in the ſound of Greek ?"(Can we date this quote?), Peter Pindar, Ode to my Ass, Peter