The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-04-16 00:00:00

A STRANGE OLD LAW 4

The attention which the subject of horse-breeding
and supply for military and industrial purposes in
this country is now receiving calls to mind (says the
St. James's Gazette) a time—more than three cen-
turies ago—when a similar subject attracted the
notice of Parliament, and led to an Act being paised,
in 1541, to prevent for the future this " decaye." It
was ordained that "the prelates, nobles, and other
subjects of this Realme having parkes shuld kepe
mares and fynd Stanlands for brede and encreace of
Horses for defence of this Realme." This had a
good effect, and in the thirty-third year of the
King's reign " ther had begon a good nonibre of
brede of Horses whiche by contynuance is lyke in
short tyrce much to encreace for the suer de-
fence of this Realme, if provision were made for
the keping and sustentacion of suche horses within
this Realme and in other the King's Domynions
after they be brede and come to age to do service."
Therefore Parliament enacted that, under heavy
penalty for neglect, every prelate and noble of the
realm, according to his grade, and every temporal
person of moderate affluence, should thenceforth keep
his stable provided with one or more "trotting
horses for the sadill, in heyght xiij handfulles, re-
coynge and accounting to every handf nil foure ynches
of the standarde ; to be measured from the nether
parte of the here of the houghe unto the upper part
of the wydersomes—that is to say, the upper parte of
the shulders."

No difficulty would present itself in identifying
the " Prelates " and "Nobles of the realm," all of
whom were liable; but to settle what lesser person-
ages there were who were able to find a horse for the
King's service was a less easy task. The expedient
was therefore hit upon of deciding the point by the
dress in which their wives appeared abroad. And so
the Act concluded by enforcing that " all and every
other person temporal!, not afore mencyoned, whose
Wiff after the Feast of Saint Michael! tharchanngell
next hereafter mentioned in this Acte shall were any
goun of sylke, or whose Wiff shall were any Frenche
hood or bonnet of Velvett with any habiliment. Ess-ts
gold about ther nekke or in their parclettes or in any
apparel! of their bodie, shall after the Feast of Saint
Michael! tharchanngell whiche shallbe in the yere of
„„- - fvve hundred fourty and
fyve have, fynde, kepe, sustyne, auu
aforesaid one trotting horse for the Sadill." It was also
enacted that if the wife of any such temporal person
should wear any velvet" in the lynyng or other part
of her gowne " except "in the cuffes or purfels,'' any
velvet in her " kyrtell," or any " peticote of silke,"
that then the husband of such wife should be bound
to find horse for the King's service. A just provi-
sion exempted from penalty husbands whose wives
were divorced or separated from them. Besides this,
there was a proviso that heirs within age "being ,
wards," whose estates amounted to the yearly value ,
of £2OO, should not be compelled, till they attained
their majority, to keep horse, " althoughe the wiffes
of suciae heires within age were any gowne of Sylke or
any Frenche hood or,Bonet of Velvet with any habily-
ment, part, or egge of Gold, Perk)," et cetera, et
cetera. A fact in social history should be noted in
this last clause—namely, the expectation that actual
marriage, not merely betrothal, might occur before
the heir had completed his majority.
So much for the Act. Let us now say a word about
the measures taken for enforcing it in the cases of
"persons temporal!" whose fortunes were judged by
the dress worn by their wives. It is odd that no
organised attempt seems to have been made for the
discovery of liable persons immediately after passing
the Act, nor after a renewal of it in the reign of
Philip and Mary. Not, indeed, till the fourth year
of Elizabeth's reign, when the need Of horses for
military service was doubtless most urgent, were com-
missions issued to the county authorities to inquire
generally into the working of the Act, and to ascertain
what persons of moderate means there were who, by
reason of the apparel of their wives, had become
liable to find for the Queen's service a horse "fur-
nished "for a light horseman. It is from the returns
to these commissions that we get some notes of
interest. It seems that extravagant dress was
mostly worn by the wives of county knights, squires,
gentlemen, and clerics; but the wives of husband men
and even labourers were also occasionally presented
by the juries of inquiry for wearing such costumes as
would render their husbands liable to keep a horse
for the Queen's service. Women who dwelt in the
cities or great towns were more moderate in their
attire. Thus in Durham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and
Worcester no man was returned as liable by reason of
his wife's apparel. At Salisbury, however, several in-
stances of extravagant dressing are returned, and in
many of these the husband did not find the requisite
horse and furniture. The wife of "Thomas Robyns,
of New Sarum, Clothier, on the 26th of September
laste, in ye Citye of New Sarum aforesaid, dyde wear
a gonna commonly called a Kassoke of blacke cloth
with a cape of black velvet with the same goun ;" her
husband, at that time, not finding and keeping
"one gelding° able and mete for a light horseman
with sufficient harness and weapons, according to
the forme of the Statute." Like presentments
were made against the wives of other citizens
(many described as glovers), who wore" cassoks of
russett clothe," and whose husbands were delinquents
in respect of horses. At Portsmouth three present-
ments were made. In one case where the wife wore
a French hood "with a bylliment of gold and a
cheyne of golde," the husband kept a horse as re-
quired. In the second case, excuse was pleaded by
the husband that he was "in care of the town afore-
said ;" and in the third that he was one of the
"officers of town aforesaid.' The inquiry for Corn-
wall was held at Truro on the 9th of October, 1562,
before a dozen Cornish squires, who presented several
ladies for excess in apparel, amongst them the wife
of "Sir William Godeolpbyn, Knight;" but the hus-
bands in all cases found and kept the requisite horse.
It would seem that in the whole county of Wiltshire
(as well as in Salisbury) the wires of men of limited
means indulged in costly costume. In the county,
however, no offender was found whose husband, even
' though he was but a yeoman or husbandman, had
not in "readiness" the requisite horse for her
Majesty's service.

A FATHER was telling his little son about the wonders
of modern science. Look at astronomy, now; men
have learned the distance of the stars, and, with their
spectroscopes, what they are made of.—Yes, said the
boy, And pa, isn't it strange how they found out all
their tames?

WELL, doctor, is there any improvementin my con-
dition this morning ?—Hardly, my friend; I am
afraid you'll have to be thinking of the great change.
You do of course, sometimes consider the certainty
of death ?—Oh yes, doctor; that thought strikes me
every time you enter the room.

UNCLE JACK, who is short-sighted, returns from a
long walk, and, being somewhat thirsty, thinks from
a tumbler he find on the table. Enter his little niece
Allie, who inttantly sets up a yell of despair. Uncle
Jack: What's the matter, Allie ?—Allie, weeping:
You've drinked up my aquarium and swallowed my
free tadpoles!
Smurii, to a friend who applied for a position as
letter-carrier: Think yer got the persishon ?—Friend:
Got it? No. The first question they axed me was
how for it was from London to Constantinopul ;
I told ,Ittem if that-vreis going to be tbe round I'd give
it up.

THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY'S
CATTLE SHOW.
The annual Spring Cattle Show of the Royal Dublin
Society, which is regarded by the society with much
pride as a challenge show of superior magnitude and
merit to any ether in the kingdom, was opened on
Tuesday on the grounds at Ball's-bridge, having the
advantage of splendid weather and the promise of a
Viceregal visit, which was graciously kept. The
show attracted a very large attendance. It is con-
sidered in all departments, as regards quality, to have
been one of the best the society has ever held. The
entries of cattle were not quite so numerous as at
last year's show, but the animals were excellent in
their several classes' and the absence of inferior
animals, wbich would have only added to the extent
of the exhibition, was not regretted. There was an
unusually large display of agricultural implements in
general use, but few engines were at work, the most
conspicuous object being an American windmill in full
operation. The great hall and a very large space outside
were occupied with exhibits in this department, and
the varied forms and gay costumes made this part of
the show look very bright and vivid. Additional
interest also was imparted to it by numerous exhibits
of carriages, tweeds, and other articles of Irish manu-
facture, as well as a model dairy in full work. There
was a very fine collection of Shorthorn bulls, heifers,
and cows and some superior specimens of Herefords,
polled Angus, Ayrshire, Kerrys, and other breeds.
An effort has been made of late years to introduce
Jersey and Guernsey cattle as well adapted to Ire-
land. Its success was manifested in the entries,
especially of seven Jerseys exhibited by Mr. E. P.
Fowler, of Southampton. A gray bull, the offspring
of Royal Khedive, was much admired for its sym-
metrical proportions and massiveness. A heifer
named Rose of the Vale, whose sire, Wolseley, was
sold last year for 200 guineas, divided the honours
with the bull. The chow of sheep was regarded with
great satisfaction, as indicating very marked im-
provement.
The following were the principal awards: Special
prize for the best of the oxen in the show to Mr.
Allan K. Algie, of Dalgan-park, county Mayo. A
short-horned ox exhibited by Lord Longford was
highly commended. The special prize for fat cows
was given to Mr. William James Cotton, Humphreys-
town, Blessington, and that for heifers to Mr. W.
Radcliff, Hurdestown, Kells. The special prize for
Channel Island cattle—Mr. E. J. Shirley Smith, of
Clonerd, Dundrum, county Dublin, for his silver grey
Jersey bull. The first prize in Herefords—Mr. George
Warner Wilson Slator, of White-hill,Edgeworthstown,
for his Hereford twin bull Moonlighter. Best Dexter
bull—let, Mr. The alas Butler, Priestown-house, county
Meath. Kerry heifer-Ist, the Earl of Clonmelf. Cross-
bred heifer (for dairy purposes)—Mr. James Robert-
son, Malahide. Kerry cow—lst and 2nd, Mr. Robert
Tedcastle, Marlay, Rathfarnharn. Dexter cow—lst,
Mr. E. Perceval Westley, Roebuck Castle, county
Dublin. Best Kerry heifer calved in 1885—let and
2nd, Lord Clonmell. Best short-horned heifer not
exceeding four years old— let, Philip Black, Bells;
2nd, Lord Clermont. Best Kerry bull calved before
1885-Ist, Richard Barter, St. Ann's- hill, Cork.
Best Dexter heifer calved in 1884 or 1885—ht
sad 2nd, Richard Barter. Channel Island heifer-
-Ist, Mr. E. P. Fowler, Southampton. Best
Hereford cow let, Mr. Thomas Butler,
Priestown, county Meath. Best crow; - bred
cow—lst, Mr. James Tutty, Dublin. Beat Channel
Island bull lst, Mr. Patrick Moore, Leixlip.
Channel Island bull calved in 1886-Ist, Mr. Fowler,
Southampton. Best Channel Island cow of any age
—lst, Mr. Fowler. Best Hereford heifer not exceed-
ing four years—lst, Miss C. A. Tandy, Johnsbrook,
Relic. Best Kerry cow of any age—lst, Lord Long-
ford. Best Kerry heifer not exceeding four years-
-Ist, Lord Longford. Best ox cross-breed, calved
before 1885-Ist, Mr. Patrick Leonard, Dublin. Best
cow, cross-breed, calved before 1885-Ist, Lord Cler-
mont.
The Lord Lieutenant and the Marchioness of
Londonderry, accompanied by Prince and Princess
Edward of Saxe-Weimar and the Marchioness of
Ailesbury, visited the show at a quarter past three
o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. The Viceregal party
was received by Lord Powerscourt, Sir Geo. Hodson,
and the principal members of the Council, and re-
mained for an hour examining the several depart-
ments. Their Excellencies were warmly received,
and expressed much interest in the exhibits.