22 INFLUENCE OF THE TURF 



Principality of Wales. In the counties not 

 specified in the schedule the limit was fixed 

 at a hand less. Weedy and ill-grown mares 

 and foals were by the same Act (27 cap. 6, 

 1535) ordered to be destroyed ; and owners 

 of turned-out horses infected with any con- 

 tagious disease were made liable to a fine 

 of ten shillings. 



Notwithstanding this and similar Acts, 

 the scarcity continued so great that at 

 the threatened invasion of the Spanish 

 Armada we learn that no more than three 

 thousand horses could be procured, and even 

 this small drain upon the equine resources 

 of the country involved some disturbance of 

 the internal trafiic of the kingdom, then 

 carried on mainly by means of pack horses. 

 Fortunately on that memorable occasion no 

 cavalry was required, and, indeed, so far 

 from dejileting our miserable horse supply, 

 the Armada proved actually a means of 

 improving it ; for on board the huge Spanish 



