18 
country, and on all exported a duty of six 
shillings and eightpence was levied. 
Under the old ‘Statutes of Arms’ 
Henry VII. established a force known as 
Yeomen of the Crown. There were fifty 
of these; each yeoman had a spare horse 
and was attended by a mounted groom. In 
times of peace they acted as Royal messen- 
gers carrying letters and orders. In dis- 
turbed times they formed the backbone of 
the militia levies. 
’ 
HENRY VIII. (1509-1547). 
Henry VIII. went a good deal further 
in his efforts to foster and promote the 
breeding of good horses. In 1514 he 
absolutely forbade the export of horses 
abroad, and extended the prohibition to 
Scotland. He obliged all prelates and 
nobles of a certain degree, to be ascertained 
by the richness of their wives’ dress, to 
maintain stallions of a given stature. He 
made the theft of horse, mare, or gelding 
a capital offence, and deprived persons con- 
victed under this law (37 Henry VIII. c. 8) 
of the benefit of clergy. And by two Acts, 
the gist of which will be found on page 5 
et seg. of Ponies Past and Present, he made 
