OF HORSEMANSHIP. 163 



nent. It is probable many came from Germany ; of 

 fcveral foreign horfes he was, however, undoubtedly 

 polTefled, for in his Will * he bequeaths the horfes 

 given him by T'burbrand, together with the white horfes 

 given him by Liefbrand ; and it may reafonably be pre- 

 fumed, that as the perfons who gave thefe horfes were 

 Saxons^ the Gifts likewife came from the fame country : 

 although it appears that he had horfes from many 

 different parts of the continent ; for it is reported of 

 this monarch, that his charaiSler and fame were fpread 

 fo far, that fundry Princes ■\ fought his alliance and 

 friendfhip, and fent him " rich prefentjj, precious 

 *' ftores, perfumes, and the fined horfes, with golden 

 « furniture." And it is to be prefumed, that a wife 

 mionarch, and lover of horfes, would avail himfelf of 

 tljis foreign afliflance, to diverfify and improve the 

 breeds of his own kingdom. 



The Conqueror brought many horfes with him from 

 Normandy, and fome, perhaps, of other countries, 

 which contributed ftill farther to augment the variety 

 of breeds in this ifland ; but Roger de Belefme, created 

 Earl of Shrewfbury, by the victorious monarch, rendered 

 a moft eflential fervice to the nation, by introducing 

 the ftallions of Spain into his eftate in PowiJJand, and 

 through them a more generous and noble breed than 

 this kingdom, perhaps, had ever known. Giraldus 



* The will is in Latin, and in the pofleffion of Thomas Aftell, Efq; 

 f Anderfon's Orig. of Commerce, p. xlix. vol. i. 



Y 2 Cani' 



