Book I.] STUDS. 29 



stopped at no cost, to obtain swift coursers. The attendant 

 upon Richesse in the Romaunte of the Rose is a counterpart 

 of Richard II. in this particular — 



" Hys luste was moche in housholdynge, 

 In clothyng he was full fetyse, 

 And loved well to have a horse of pryse. 

 He wende to have reproved be 

 Of thefte or murdre, yf that he 

 Had in hys stable an hackenay. 



Much abuse occurred in the impressment of horses for the 

 king's service, for which remedy was provided by the statute 

 20 Rich. II., c. 5, against "people of evil condition, who of 

 their own authority take and cause to be taken royally horses, 

 saying and devising that they be to ride on hasty messages 

 and business, whereof truth they be no wise privy to any 

 business or message ; but only in deceipt and subtility by such 

 colour and device do take horses, and the said hastily do ride, 

 and evil thereat, having no manner of conscience or compassion 

 in this behalf ; so that the said horses become all spoiled and 

 foundered, paying no manner of thing nor penny for the same, 

 nor giving them any manner of sustenance ; " and to complete 

 this picture of cheating it further states that " some such 

 manner of people changing and altering their names, do take 

 and ride such horses, and carry them far from thence to 

 another place, so that they to whom they belong can never 

 after by any means see, have again, nor know their said horses 

 where they be." It was usual to feed coursers in training 

 with horse-bread {payn pour chivmiLx), and to set their coats 

 with cloths.* 



Some of the nobility were great breeders, and kept large 

 studs ; and the wealthy regular clergy always encouraged a 

 race of good horses. 



Horses of Eastern breed [cotircers, etc.), for racing, 

 etc., as we have already mentioned, were cultivated 

 in our country when it was ruled by the Romans, 

 the Anglo-Saxons, and the Normans. Great im- 



* Cotton, MS. Vesp. F. XIII. 43. 



