OF HORSEMANSHIP. 183' 



his fcholars, into England, and placed them in his fer- 

 vice. From one of thefe were defcended the Alexanders, 

 who were riding-mafters, mentioned likewife by the 

 Duke, and whofe fcholars filled the kingdom with 

 horfemen. 



The King likewife had an Italian farrier, named. 

 Hannibaky who was looked up to by his EngliQi brethren 

 as an oracle ; and who did notdifcover great rayfteries, 

 but yet taught them more than they knew before. 



Sir 'Philip Sydney, in Elizabeth's reign, introduced the 

 Signers Profpero and Romano. Robert Dudley, Earl of 

 Leicefter, and Matter of the Horfe to the Queen, re- 

 tained in his fervice an Italian horfeman, whofe name 

 was Claudio Curtio. He wrote a book on the Jrt, which 

 is ftill extant. Thefe, and fome v/ho came afterwards,, 

 at different intervals, formed many horfemen, and 

 laid the foundation of the Manege in England. 



Nothing remarkable concerning horfes happened in 

 the fliort reign of Edward VI. but it appears from an 

 2iOi of parliament, made in the firft year of his reign,, 

 that horfes were highly valued ; for this ad confiders 

 the Healing of them among the blackeft crimes, and 

 takes away the benefit of clergy from horfe-ftealers, to- 

 gether with thofe convi6led of Houfebreaking, Sacrilege, and: 

 Murder. All other offences and felonies indeed, except 

 treafon, were afterwards entitled to this benefit, thought 

 excluded, by later atfls of parliament 



* 



Obfervat, on t.he Stat, p. 4.64, 3d edit. 



By 



