48 



by the Normans. It originally applied to a 

 saddle-horse of good stamp, lighter and more 

 active than the Great Horse used by armour- 

 clad kniohts. 



o 



There is record* of the "horses of the 

 bannerets, knights, esquires, and vallets of 

 king's household," which were killed at the 

 battle of Falkirk in the year 1298; this roll 

 of horses killed in the battle was prepared 

 that the owners or their relatives mieht be 

 awarded compensation for their loss ; and it 

 includes numerous "hackneys." 



The animal so called was used by per- 

 sons of high rank ; in the Privy Puise 

 Expenses of Princess Elizabeth of York, 

 under date September 11, 1481, we find 

 particulars of the purchase of " 2 yards of 

 purple velvet cloth of gold for the covering 

 of a saddle for a person ot astate, and an 

 harness in velvet cloth of oold for an hack- 



o 



ney." Indeed, the words hackney and palfrey 

 would seem, for a long period of history, 

 to have been equally applicable to the best 

 saddle-horses. 



The hackney being the saddle-horse, men 

 who hired out horses for journeys were 

 called " Hackney men " ; thus in process of 



* Bain's Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland. 



