84 



of great value, from making them s})cci(ic bequests in his will. The 

 English breed had, indeed, at that period, acquired high estimation in 

 foreign countries, and from the selfish and erroneous policy common to 

 unenlightened times and countries, the Anglo-Saxon king prohibited by 

 law, the exportation of Horses, unless of such as were intended for 

 presents. In this request of English Horses, even in those countries 

 whence great part of the breeding stock had been derived, we have a 

 verv early proof of the ameliorating quality of our soil, and its con- 

 geniality with the nature of the Horse. 



At the Norman conquest the breed of this country received a far- 

 ther admixture from the continent. The conqueror and his great caj}- 

 tains, not only brought over many Horses of their own country, but 

 most probably a variety of foreign breeding stock. One of these chief- 

 tains, Boger de Bele.sme, created afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury, in- 

 troduced upon his estate of Powisland, perhaps the first Spanish stallions 

 which had been known in England. This circumstance is noticed by 

 Giraldus Combrensis, and celebrated by the poet Drayton, but any conse- 

 quent improvement of the Shroi)shire or Welsh Horse, does not appear 

 to have been general or permanent; or if such was an immediate result, 

 the advantage was afterwards suffered to be lost by neglect, as was the 

 case in the gradual extinction of the Galloways in Scotland, a breed 

 said also to have been derived from Spanish stallions. 



1 have not discovered any account of Horses brought home from the 

 East, in the tune of the crusades, although there seems an improba- 

 bility that it should not have so happened, unless indeed, the fashion 

 of the times for large Horses, should have rendered those of the South, 

 of small comparative estimation. But constant occasional importations 

 from the European continent, doubtless took place in every reign, and 

 we find in the annals of that prince, by Trokelow, that Edward H, had a 

 great passion for Horses, and imported them from Champagne in France 

 and also from Lombardy ; mares particularly, from the latter country. 

 By the prohibition to export them, formerly mentioned, it must be sup_ 

 posed the quantity then barely equalled the home demand, and this 

 appears to have been the case, in a still greater degree, under the warlike 

 sovereigns, for we find that Edward IH, mounted a considerable part of 



hist 



