^^ SHEEP. Class I. 



manufadures among the Britains, in the hiftories 

 of thofe times. 



On the coins or money of the Britains are feen 

 impre/Ted the figures of the horfe, the bull and the 

 hog, the marks of the tributes exaded from them 

 by the conquerors*. The Reverend Mr. Pegge 

 was fo kind as to inform me that he has ^iitn 

 on the coins of C^;/^M*«thatofafheep. Since that 

 is the cafe, it is probable that our anceflors were pof- 

 fefled of the animal, but made no farther ufe of 

 it than to flrip off the fkin, and wrap themfelves 

 in it, and with the wool inmofl:, obtain a comfort- 

 able protedlion againft the cold of the winter 

 feafon. 



This neglefb of manufafture, may be eafily 

 accounted for, in an uncivilized nation whofe wants 

 were few, and thofe eafily fatisfied ; but what is 

 more furprifing, when after a long period we had 

 cultivated a breed of flieep, whofe fleeces were fu- 

 perior to thofe of other countries; we dill negledl:- 

 ed to promote a woollen manufadlure at home. 

 That valuable branch of bufinefs lay for a con- 

 fiderable time in foreign hands ; and we were obli- 

 ged to import the cloth manufaftured from our own 

 materials. There feems indeed to have been many 

 unavailing efforts made by our monarchs to pre- 

 fcrve both the wool and the manufadure of it a- 

 mong ourfelves: Henry the fecond, by a patent 



* Camhden. i . Preface, cxiii. 



granted 



