326 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE 



horseS; so it was enacted that no one should export a horse 

 without a licence ; and i Edw.VI, c. 5, continued this. But after 

 this date the export of horses does not seem to have occupied 

 the attention of Parliament. 



2,2 Hen. VIII, c. 7, also forbade the export of cattle and 

 sheep without a licence because so many had been carried out 

 of the realm that victual was scarce and cattle dear. By 

 22 Car. II, c. 13, oxen might be exported on payment of a duty 

 of IS. each, the last statute on the subject. 



As for sheep, their export without the king's licence had 

 been forbidden by 3 Hen. VI, c. 2, because men had been in 

 the habit of taking them to Flanders and other countries, where 

 they sheared them and sold the wool and the mutton. 8 Eliz., 

 c. 3, forbade their export, and 13 and 14 Car. II, c. 18, declared 

 the export of sheep and wool a felony. 



The importation of cattle was forbidden by 15 Car. II, c. 7, 

 which stated that the ' comeing in of late of vast numbers of 

 cattle already fatted 'had caused ' a very great part of the 

 land of this kingdom to be much fallen and like dayly to fall 

 more in their rents and values ' ; therefore every head of great 

 cattle imported was to pay 20^. to the king. 10s. to the in- 

 former, and los. to the poor after July i, 1664. By 18 Car. 

 II, c, 2, the importation of cattle was declared a common 

 nuisance, and if any cattle, sheep, or swine were imported they 

 were to be seized and forfeited. By 32 Car. II, c. 2, this was 

 made perpetual and continued in force till 1842, though it was 

 repealed as to Ireland, as we have seen.^ 



It appears from the laws dealing with the matter that in 

 the time of the Plantagenets England exported butter and 

 cheese. In the reign of Edward III they were merchandise 

 of the .staple, and therefore when exported had to go to Calais 

 when the staple was fixed there. This caused great damage, 

 it is said, to divers persons in England, for the butter and 

 cheese would not keep until buyers came ; therefore 3 Hen. 



' See p. 161. 



