EARLY INTRODUCTION OF SHEEP. 293 



legged, and with a light fleece. They were of English origin 

 long before the introduction from Spain of the Merinos into 

 the lowlands of Holland and the Texel. 



In 1633 mention is made of sheep taken to one of the islands 

 in Boston harbor for protection against wolves and dogs. July, 

 1633, an order was made that no sheep should be exported 

 under a penalty of the value of the sheep. May 14, 1648, the 

 following order was made by the court, " that forasmuch as 

 the Keepinge of sheepe, tends to the good and benefit of the 

 Country ; if they were carefully preserved, henceforth, it shall 

 be lawful for any man to Keepe sheepe in any Common, ac- 

 counting 5 sheep to one great beaste and if any dogge, shall 

 kill any sheep3 the owner shall either hange his dogge forth- 

 with or pay double damages for the sheep ; if ye dogge hath 

 been seen to course or bite any sheepe before, not being "sett 

 on," and his owner had notice thereof, then he shall both 

 hange his dogge and pay for the sheep." 



In 1654 an order was passed by the court, " Whereas this 

 countrye is at this time in great streyghts in respect of cloath- 

 ing, and the most liklyest way tendinge to supply in that 

 respect, is the raysinge and Keepinge of sheepe within our 

 jurisdiction, it is therefore ordered and enacted by this Court 

 and the authoritie thereof, that after the publication hereof, 

 no person or persons whatsoever, shall transport any ewes or 

 ewe lambs out of this jurisdiction to any forraigne port or 

 place, uppon the penaltie of the forfeiture of five i^ounds for 

 every ewe or ewe lamb so transported." In 1652 Charles- 

 town had as many as four hundred sheep, and in 1658 John 

 Josselyn wrote, in the account of his voyages to the Colo- 

 nies, of there being eight hundred at Black Point in this 

 State, and again mentions " their having great store of 

 sheepe " in the Colony. Twenty years later they had so 

 much increased, that Sir Edward Randolph, a commissioner 

 of the crown, wrote in his official correspondence that " New 

 England abounded in sheepe." 



The sheep at that time imported came from various locali- 

 ties in England which it is impossible to fix, and some 

 from Holland. Most of these were white-faced, generally 

 hornless, with light fleeces of middle wool. Some of them, 

 with dark faces, were undoubtedly Sussex sheep from the 

 downs of that county, imported long before Mr. Ellman had 



