A statesman of the tenth century, disgusted at the way in which the Emperor played polo to excess, presented a long memorial, urging his Majesty to discontinue the practice.

The reasons given for this advice were three in number.

"(1) When sovereign and subject play together, there must be contention.

If the sovereign wins, the subject is ashamed; if the former loses, the latter exults.

(2) To jump on a horse and swing a mallet, galloping here and there, with no distinctions of rank, but only eager to be first and win, is destructive of all ceremony between sovereign and subject.