19 



was formed by the Trent, the division to the north of 

 that river having its separate ' custos ' under the 

 Master of the Horse. The studs were distributed 

 among the King's manors, such as Windsor, Guild- 

 ford, Odiham, Woodstock and Waltham. The due 

 proportion of expense necessary was borne by the 

 sheriffs of the various counties. Special provision 

 was made for a tunic of blue and a cape of white 

 Brussels cloth as the attire of 'John Brocaz,' styled 

 in these records ' Custos equorum regis,' or ' Gardein 

 de nos gvands chevaux.' " 



The great cavalry department of Edward 

 III., Mr. Burrows adds, appears to have 

 been kept at its full war complement for 

 about twenty years, until the power of 

 France was supposed to have been finally 

 broken at Poitiers. Sir John de Brocaz 

 and his son Oliver were employed by the 

 King to buy horses in Gascony before the 

 campaign of Crecy. 



Richard II. also gave proof of his anxiety 

 to improve the breed of horses by passing 

 laws on the subject. 



The troublous times of the W^ars of the 

 Roses (1450- 1 471) wxre productive of in- 

 jurious results. Horses of power and sub- 

 stance were, of course, required for all 

 military purposes, and "Strong Horses" 

 were seized whenever found and pressed 

 into service by the contending parties. The 

 owners of manv of the best horses seem to 



