Crass I. BO rR: Sr 
horfes of Wales and Cornwal, the hobbies of Ireland, 
and the fhelties of Scotland, though admirably well 
adapted to the ufes of thofe countries, could never 
have been equal to the work of war; but probably 
we had even then a larger and ftronger breed in 
the more fertile and luxuriant parts of the ifland. 
Thofe we employ for that purpofe, or for the 
draught, are an offfpring of the German or Flemifh 
breed, meliorated by our foil, and a judicious cul- 
ture. | 
The Engl/b were ever attentive to an exact cul- 
ture of thefe animals; and in very early times fet 
a high value on their breed. The efteem that our 
horfes were held in by foreigners fo long ago as the 
reign of Athelftan, may be collected from a law. 
of that monarch prohibiting their exportation, ex- 
cept they were defigned as prefents. Thefe muft 
have been the native kind, or the prohibition 
would have been needlefs, for our commerce was 
at that time too limited to receive improvement 
from any but the German kind, to which country 
their own breed could be of no value. 
But when our intercourfe with the other parts of 
Europe was enlarged, we foon layed hold of the 
advantages this gave of improving our breed. 
Roger de Belefme, Earl of Shrew/bury*, is the firft 
that is on record: he introduced the Spanifh ftal- 
lions into his eftate in Powsfland, from which that 
* Created by William the Conqueror. 
B e. : part 
