CHAPTEE V. 



Ancient Domestic Eaces of White Cattle in England and Wales — Notices of 

 them scarce, and not found as expected in Records of the Monasteries — 

 Custom at Knightlow Cross — Coincidence of this Custom with the Local 

 Legend of the Wild Cow of Dunsmore Heath— White Cattle in Wales and 

 especially in Pembroke — Notices of them in Ancient Welsh Laws — Four 

 Hundred presented to the Queen of King John — Distinctness from other 

 Welsh Cattle — Herd at Vale Royal — Ballad of " Hughie the Graeme " — 

 The Lyrick Herd. 



Having thus taken, so far as England is concerned, a 

 somewhat extended view of the White Forest Breed as 

 it existed in ages past, wild as any beast of chase in 

 forest and in park ; and shown the strong historical facts 

 which everywhere demonstrate, in central and northern 

 England, its continuance from a very early period to our 

 own time ; I propose to devote a few pages to the his- 

 torical notices we possess of a tame domesticated race of 

 white cattle which seems to have also prevailed from a 

 very early period in some parts of England, which was 

 perhaps nearly allied to the wild breed, and which so 

 nearly resembled it in colour and in other respects that 

 it has been generally considered identical with it. I 

 must, however, caution the reader against forming too 

 sudden and unsupported a decision on this point. I 

 began this investigation with a strong impression that 

 I should find this tame white race numerous and far 

 extended, which has not been the case. While many 

 fresh instances of the former existence of the wild breed 

 were continually presenting themselves, the notices of 

 the tame breed did not, on further inquiry, become 



