Book IL] QUEEN ELIZABETH'S STUD. 115 



There were also two " yeomen of the races," with 

 an annual salary of ^22 3^. 4^.,* whose names were 

 Thomas Bascavild and Thomas Alsop.f 



A curious account of the queen's horses (about 1589), 

 rendered by Thomas Underwood, may be seen in the Public . 

 Record Office, in which the names, colour, and description 

 of the principal animals are recorded. Thus Grey Bingham 

 was given to Sir Philip Sidney, Pide Markham to the French 

 ambassador, Gray Dosby to Archibald Douglas, Bay Har- 

 rington to Doctor Baylie, Grey Stanhope to Sir Roger 

 Williams, Bay Roseberry to " the Prince of Orange his son," 

 and so on — the colour of the horse, after the custom of the 

 time, usually preceding the name commonly synonymous 

 with the breeder or owner. :|: 



Amone the venatic officers attached to the court 

 of Queen Elizabeth, John Selwyn was remarkable for 

 his skill in horsemanship. He was under- keeper of 

 the park at Oaklands, in Surrey, where a small stud 

 of hunters was kept at one time. On one occasion, 

 when in attendance on the queen, at a grand stag- 

 hunt in that park, he, in the heat of the chase, 

 suddenly leaped from his horse upon the back of the 

 stag (both running at that time with their utmost 

 speed), and not only kept his seat gracefully in spite of 

 every effort of the affrighted beast, but drawing his 

 couteau de chasse, with it he guided him towards the 

 queen, and coming near to her presence, plunged it in 

 his throat, so that the animal fell dead at her feet. This 

 was thought sufficiently wonderful to be chronicled on 



* State Papers, Dom., Eliz., vol. 233, No. 69, fo. 139-140. 



t Docquet Book, sub dato. P.R.O. 



X State Papers, Dom., Eliz., vol. 224, No. 80, fo. 160-163. 



