Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/227

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21-4 EMILY inSTOSY OW IIOBSSS England that stallions were first raadeiato gelJings. Henry became king in 1485 and died 1509, so dividing the time of his reign it will be consorvatiye to say that it was about 1500 when first the'gelding camfe to be made in England; that is, just forty -one years be^ fore the date of our horse-race in Quivira. So it is very reasonable to suppose that nearly aU the males ■were in their natural condition, therefore it took but a very short time for them to increase, which is known that they did from a very early period all over the plains of Texas, Indian Territory and Kansas. ' Here are some things which the authorities say about the multiplying of horses: "In the thirty-sec- ond year of his reign (Henry VIII. or 1541, the very year of our story) the biU for the breed of horses was jwissed, the preamble of which runs thus: 'Foras- much as the generation and breed of good and strong horses within this realm extended not only to a great help and defense of the same, but is also a great com- modity and profit to the inhabitants thereof, which is now much decayed and diminished by reason that in the forests, chases, moors and waste grounds within the realm little-stoned horses or nags of small stature and little value be not only suffered to pasture there- upon, but also to cover mares feeding there, there- fore Cometh in manner no profit or commodity.' " Another section of the same statute enacted: "That no entire horse being about the age of two years and not being of the height of fifteen handsfuU shall be put to gra,ze on any common or waste land." It was also enacted: "Within fifteen days of Mich- aelmas Day (September 29), all horses, mares and