204 THE HISTORY AND ART 



(Irunkenncfs, was obliged to depofit the price of tlie 

 horfe till he was found, and furnifh the owner with 

 another ; and, in cafe the horfe could not be cured, 

 the Farrier was obliged to pay the price, and indemnify 

 the injured owner. — By another aft of James the Sixth, 

 pari. 7, chap. 122, it is fet forth, that among other 

 occafions of Dearth of Visuals, which then prevailed in. 

 the realm, there was one particularly hurtful, which' 

 was tlie keeping of horfes all the fummer upon hard' 

 meat, ufed commonly by perfons of mean eilate, Cowp-- 

 pers, (dealers) with intention to make merchandize 

 of the faid horfes, being for the moft part fmall nags, 

 and not horfes of fervice, it it ordained that no fub^ 

 jeft, not being an earl, prelate, lord, or great baron, or 

 any of his highncfs's privy-council, feflion, or landed 

 gentleman, that can fpend of his own one thoufand 

 marks of yearly rent, all charges deduced, fliall keep 

 any fort of horfes at hard meat yearly, longer than the 

 15th day of May, nor take them from grafs, before 

 the 15th of Oftober, under the pain of forfeiting the 

 faid horfes, or paying the value of them to the king. 

 By an aft likewife of the faid king, to correft the too 

 great addiftion to horfe-races, and the laying large 

 wagers upon horfes, it is ordained, that if any man 

 win above the fum of one hundred marks, the fur- 

 plus fhall be given to the poor ; and if the colleftor, 

 iherilF, or juftices, are empowered to profecute for the 

 recovery of the fame, and in cafe of failure or negleft 

 fo to do, ai-e liable to be informed againil, and pay 



double 



