In 1463 is another curious sumptuary law prescribing with great care the apparel of knights, bachelors, gentlemen and their wives, making it criminal for tailors to make cloths not according to this fashion, and for shoemakers to make boots or shoes having pikes more than two inches long.  No draper shall sell or women wear hose to the value of more than fourteen pence, nor kerchiefs worth more than ten shillings, but scholars of the universities “may wear such Array as they may,” nor does the ordinance extend to judges or soldiers.  The provision against long pikes to shoes appears to be considered of importance, for it was re-enacted in 1464.  I have searched in vain for a statute relating to hatpins.  Again in 1482 there is another long statute concerning apparel which seems to have been considered under the reign of Edward IV quite the most important thing in life.  A more manly clause of the statute is concerned with the benefits of archery to England, reciting that “In the Time of the victorious Reign ... the King’s Subjects have virtuously occupied and used shooting with their Bows, whereby and under the Protection of Almighty God, victorious acts have been done in Defence of this Realm,” and the price of long bows of yew is limited to three and four pence.  The statutes now begin to be in English.

In 1488 the Isle of Wight is to be repeopled with English people for “defence of the King’s auncien ennemyes of the realme of Fraunce.”

In 1491 all Scots are to depart the realm within forty days upon pain of forfeiture of all their goods; it is not recorded that any remained in England.  In 1491 Henry VII levied an amazingly heavy tax upon personal property, that is to say, two fifteenths and tenths upon all “movable goodes cattales and othre thinges usuelly to suche xvmes and xmes contributory,” with the exception of Cambridge and a few other favored towns.  In 1495 the famous Oklahoma statute is anticipated by a law regulating abuses in the stuffing of feather beds.

In 1503 a statute recites that the “Longe Bowes hathe ben moche used in this his Realme, wherby Honour & Victorie hathe ben goten ... and moche more drede amonge all Cristen Princes by reasone of the same, whiche shotyng is now greatly dekayed.”  So this mediaeval Kipling laments that they now delight in cross-bows to the great hurt and enfeebling of the Realm and to the comfort of outward enemies, wherefore cross-bows are forbidden except to the lords, on penalty of forfeiture of the bow.

(1509) The reign of Henry VIII was one of personal government; and in those days personal government resulted in a small output of law-making by Parliament.  Indeed, after 1523, under Cardinal Wolsey, Parliament was not summoned for seven years.  In 1539 the attempt to do without popular legislation is shown in the act already referred to, giving royal proclamations of the king and council the force of law, a definite attempt at personal government which might have resulted