SEVERE AND UNJUST LAWS 151 



Of course so unjust a law as the latter soon 

 stirred up a strong feeling of resentment amongst 

 Henry's subjects ; yet in spite of their bitter com- 

 plaints they were compelled to comply with it. 



Thus it soon came about that men who had 

 been living comparatively in opulence before the 

 passing of these laws now found themselves re- 

 duced to genteel poverty, whereupon, as if to add 

 insult to injury, Henry passed yet another statute 

 — 27, Henry VIII., c. 6. 



This statute enacted that all farmers in receipt 

 of a certain stated income, also all owners of parks, 

 as well as certain other persons, should rear and 

 keep a specified number of brood mares, of a 

 height not less than thirteen hands, the penalty 

 for failing to comply with the order being fixed 

 at forty shillings a month. 



The statute in addition commanded that upon 

 every park of not less than four miles in extent — 

 this is understood to have meant four miles in 

 circumference — at least four mares should be 

 kept, the same fine, forty shillings a month, to 

 be extorted from all who failed to keep the law. 



That these laws, though severe and unjust, 

 achieved their purpose we may conclude from 

 the statement that soon after they had been passed 

 there were to be found in England five times more 

 horses ready to be put into the field in a case of 

 emergency, and that these horses were all of great 

 value. 



