12 



Husbandry in England was at a low ebb 

 during the thirteenth century, but towards 

 the end of Edward II.'s reign it began to 

 make progress in the midland and south- 

 western counties. The high esteem in which 



o 



English wool was held caused large tracts of 

 country to be retained as pasture for sheep 

 for a long period, and while farmers possessed 

 this certain source of revenue the science of 

 cultivation was naturally neglected. 



EDWARD III. (1327-1377). 



Edward III., to meet the drain upon the 

 horse supply caused by his wars with Scot- 

 land and France, bought large numbers of 

 horses on the Continent ; more, it would 

 appear, than his Treasury could pay for, as 

 he was at one time in the Count of Hainault's 

 debt for upwards of 25,000 florins for horses. 

 These were obviously the Great Horses for 

 which the Low Countries were famous ; all 

 the animals so imported were marked or 

 branded. Edward III. organised his re- 

 mount department on a scale previously 

 unknown in England. It was established in 

 two great divisions under responsible officers, 

 one of whom had charge of all the studs on 

 the royal manors north of the Trent, the 



