THEIR HISTORY, RISE AND PROGRESS. 353 



Lombardy, Italy and Spain at that time supplied the most 

 valuable cavalry or parade horses (/). 



Edward the Third devoted one thousand marks to the Reign of 

 purchase of fifty Spanish horses, and formal applications Edward the 

 were made to the kings of France and Spain for their safe ^ ' 

 conduct. The king had many running horses (k), the 

 precise meaning of which term is not quite clear ; and he 

 prohibited the exportation of horses under very heavy 

 penalties (I). 



In the reign of Richard the Second, the price of horses Heign of 

 rapidly increased, and to such an extent, that in a.d. 1386, ^'"l^^^d the 

 a proclamation was issued regulating their price ; and it ^""^ ' 

 was ordered to be published in Lincolnshire, Cambridge- 

 shire, and the East and West Ridings of Yorkshire (m). 

 In this reign games are first mentioned in the statute 

 book; and we find that in a.d. 1389, servants in hus- 

 bandry or labourers were prohibited wearing any sword, 

 buckler, or dagger ; or playing at tennis, football, quoits, dice, 

 casting of stone kails, and such like importune games (w). 



This statute was confirmed and extended in the reign of ^eign of 

 Henry the Fourth, a.d. 1409_, and an additional penalty poS*^ 

 of six days' imprisonment was imposed (o). 



In the reign of Henry the Seventh, a.d. 1494, we find l^^igu of 

 the legislature paying much attention to the breed of ^y°2th^* 

 horses, as being of great importance to the defence of the 

 kingdom. It appears that horses had at this time become 

 scarce and expensive, and it was supposed to be the con- 

 sequence of many horses and mares having been exported. 

 To remedy this evil an Act was passed which prohibited 

 any horse or mare being carried out of the realm without 

 the king's licence. But any denizen might carry a horse 

 beyond the sea on making oath that it was for his own use ; 

 and any mare of three years old or upwards, whose price 

 was not above six shillings and eight pence, might be 

 exported, the owner, however, being compelled to sell her 

 at the port to any person who should bid him seven 

 shillings {p). 



In the reign of Henry the Eighth, a.d. 1530, it was Keign of 

 further enacted, that any person conveying any horses, ^Xth*'^^ 



(i) Ibid. 25. («) 12 Ric. 2, c. 6. See 26 & 27 



(A) See Markham's Maister- Vict. c. 125. 



Peece, 16th edition, and Lawrence (o) 11 Hen. 4, c. 4, repealed by 



on " The Horse," vol. i, cap. 5. 33 Hen. 8, c. 9. 



(l) Lib. V. K. "The Horse," 25. {p) 11 Hen. 7, c. 13, repealed by 



(m) Ibid. 26. 25 Car. 2, c. 6. 



O. A A 



