18 THE HISTORY OF THE EOYAL BUCKHOUNDS. 



The second Sir Bernard Brocas had issue five sons, of whom 

 the eldest, William Brocas, Esq., of Denton, Yorkshire, and 

 Beaurepaire, Hampshire, inherited the honours and estates 

 of his ancestors, and in the 2nd year of the reign of 

 Henry IV. (September 30, 1400 to September 29, 1401) 

 became the third Master of the Royal Buckhounds, when he 

 received 501. Os. 7d. from the Sheriff of Sussex by virtue of 

 his office. He is officially styled Master of the King's dogs 

 {Magro canu Regis), as all the succeeding Hereditary Masters 

 are invariably designated in the Pipe Rolls from this time 

 onward. It seems, however, some hitch or dispute occurred 

 concerning this office in the 27th year of Henry VI. (a.d. 

 1449), whereupon the Master presented the following petition 

 to the King, in which he set forth his claims, and had his 

 claims allowed :^ 



" To the Kyng and Sovain Lorcle. 

 " Bisecheth mekely your humble servaunt William Brocas Squyer, 

 Maister of your Bukhounds. Forasmuche that he holdith of you, 

 and alle his Auncestres of tyme that no mynde is have hoklen to 

 your noble pgenitours, the Manior of Lityll Weldon in the Counte 

 of North', by Graunte Sergeauute, that is to witte, to be Maister of 

 your Buklioundes, and to kepe xxiiij reunyng hov^ndes, and vj 

 grehoundes, and to fynde a yeoman Veantrer, and two yomen 

 Berners ; which Office was of olde tyme ordeyned for the pleasir and 

 disporte of your noble pgenitovirs, and their successours ; to the 

 which Office soo to mayntene and susteyne, been accustumed and 

 due certeyn wages and fees, by Statute and Ordnaunce of the 

 Housholde of your noble pgenitours and yours of aide tyme purveyed, 

 as hit apperith in a Oedule to this bille annexed. Of which wages 

 and fees, the said Bisecher and his Auncestres have been paid of the 

 issues and p'fits of the Countees of Surr' and Sussex, by the Shirriff 

 for the tyme tberbeyng, by vertue of a Warante under your Pryve 

 Seal yearly to him made and du'ect, fro the tyme of yoiu" noble 

 p'genitour Kyng Edward the Thirde, unto thre yeres last past, that 

 the Shm-ef of the said Countees for the tyme beyng, seth that tyme is 

 soo charged of othir wages and aunu;ytees graunted by your fres 

 patentes to othir divers psonys, that the issues and pfites of the 

 said Countees wolle not suffice to contente tlie wages and fees of your 



