128 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



eruption of the O' Byrnes and O'Moores" in 

 reality was a serious affair, due, we are told, 

 mainly to the almost total disregard of certain 

 just demands made by O'Byrne, O'Moore and 

 their followers. The Irish were for the most 

 part badly mounted and poorly armed, many of 

 their horses having been seized surreptitiously a 

 short time prior to the outbreak, but they appear 

 to have made a very gallant defence. 



John Colton's men-at-arms were, however, 

 nearly all of great weight and heavily armed, so 

 it is not surprising to read that they " made short 

 work of the Irish rebels." Remarkable would it 

 have been had they not done so, for we must 

 bear in mind that their suppressors were of im- 

 measurably superior strength. 



A horse foaled some years after this, which 

 lived to become famous in British history, was 

 King Richard II.'s barbary, often called Roan 

 Barbary. The king, we are told in rather 

 extravagant language, "loved Roan Barbary as 

 an only son," and certainly it is true that he was 

 exceptionally fond of this particular horse which 

 poets, dramatists and writers of romance at 

 various periods have all united in immortalising. 



Richard's grief and rage at hearing that Boling- 

 broke had chosen Roan Barbary, of all horses, 



