15 
identical with, the barbs introduced into 
Spain by the Moors. The animal described 
as a ‘‘nag” was probably the saddle-horse 
used by servants and camp followers. 
RICHARD II. (1377-1399). 
Richard II. was fond of horses and did 
not neglect the interests of breeding ; though 
he on one occasion displayed his regard in 
a fashion which to modern minds is at 
least high-handed. There was a scarcity 
of horses in the early years of his reign, 
and prices rose in conformity with the law 
of supply and demand. Richard, consider- 
ing only the needs of his knights, issued 
a proclamation (1386) forbidding breeders 
to ask the high prices they were demanding. 
This proclamation was published in Lin- 
colnshire, Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire. 
Passing mention may be made of an Act 
which was placed on the Statute Book in 
1396. In those days all travelling was 
performed on horseback, and the equivalent 
of the coach or jobmaster of much later 
times was the hackneyman, who let out 
horses to travellers at rates of hire fixed 
by law. The hackneymen were in the very 
nature of their business liable to be imposed 
