17 



reign of one hundred stallions of large 

 stature from the low countries — Flanders, 

 Holland and the banks of the Elbe ; and 

 it is from the blendinsf of these sires with 

 English mares in the lowland and shire 

 countries that some strains at least of 

 our modern heavy horses must be held to 

 date their origin. Size and improvement 

 were evidently not developed with the 

 steadiness or rapidity desired by those who 

 had the welfare of the country at heart ; 

 several Acts of Parliament were passed with 

 this object in view. 



We obtain an interesting glimpse of the 

 comparative value of the Great and other 

 horses at the end of the thirteenth century 

 from records preserved in Bain's Calendar 

 of Doc2tmcnts relating to Scotland. Among 

 the Documents is a " Roll of the horses of 

 banerets, knights, esquires, and vallets of 

 the K.'s household [King Edward I.] 

 valued in the Scottish war, 26th yere " [of 

 the King's reign, i.e., 1298]. This refers 

 to a lengthy list of the horses which were 

 killed at the battle of Falkirk, and from 

 the items we quote the following : — 



" Sir Thomas de Morham a black horse, 24 

 marks killed in the battle of Falkirk ; Sir John 

 Botetorte had a white pied charger value 60 marks 



