482 Assembly Proceedings, October—November 1683.

U. H. Journal
1659-98

Wednesday 24th October 1683
The house Satt again present as on Monday and M^r Secr^ry
Darnall—
The Committee of Accounts go out—
M^r Secretary Sewall goes to the Lower house with the Bill
for Lessening the Number of Horses and with this Message—

Upper house 24th October 1683
This house have read the Bill from the Lower house En-
tituled an Act for Lessening the Number and Bettering the
Breed of Horses in this Province But cannot find that this Bill
as now Drawn will either Answer the intent or 1 ittle of the
said Act for these two reasons—
1. This Act Will Discourage few People from keeping of
horse or Mare Especially any Single Man freeman or person
that is no house keeper for the Number of Horses in Every
County will so Lessen the Levy That they will pay no more or
very Little more or it may be less than formerly—
2^d This Act Lessens not the Number nor Betters not the
Breed, But only Transfers the Interest and property of a Horse
from one to Another but still the Horse is Alive and Eats
Grass and gets into Corn fields as much as Ever
This house is very Willing and thinks it very Necessary that

p. 516

a Law pass for The Lessening the Number and Bettering the
Breed of Horses, And in Order to that this house Offers these
Propositions to the Consideration of the Lower house Con-
ceiving the same may Answer the End to which the Law is
intended Viz^t
i^st That Six Stone horses be kept at Six Several Houses in
every Respective County of fifteen hands high to be kept in
some Safe Inclosure or house to Serve as Stallions in and for
that County—
2^d That no Stone Horse be Suffered to range in the Woods,
That it shall be Lawfull for any person to kill or Destroy them
at pleasure after a certain time
3^d Every Man that is willing to have his Mare gott with
fole shall Bring their Mare to one of these Six places who
shall be Obliged to lett his Stone horse Leap their Mares for
18 ^d in Money for the Same—
4th To Encourage the Destroying of Stone Horses Every
One bringing before a Justice the Stones of a horse upon
Certificate shall be Allowed in the County Levy thirty pounds
of Tobacco per horse—
This house desires that the Lower house will draw a New
Bill to the Effect aforesaid or any other way that will Answer
the End and intent aforesaid and this house shall Concurr
therein

Signed p^r Order Tho: Grunwin Cl of Assembly