THE WOLF. 127 
continued to be paid for three years, but ceased 
upon the fourth, because, ‘nullum se ulterius posse 
invenire professus, it was said that he could not 
find any more.”* 
“ Cambria’s proud Kings (tho’ with reluctance) paid 
Their tributary wolves; head after head, 
In full account, till the woods yield no more, 
And all the rav’nous race extinct is lost.” 
SomMERVILE’S Chace. 
But this must be taken to refer only to Wales, for in 
the first place it can hardly be supposed that the 
Welsh chieftain would be permitted to hunt out of 
his own dominions, and in the next place there is 
abundant documentary evidence to prove the exist- 
ence of Wolves in England for many centuries later. 
Holinshed, who gives a much fuller account, says :t 
—“ The happie and fortunate want of these beasts 
in England is vniuersallie ascribed to the politike 
government of King Edgar, who to the intent the 
whole countrie might once be clensed and clearelie 
rid of them, charged the conquered Welshmen (who 
were then pestered with these rauenous creatures 
aboue measure) to paie him a yearlie tribute of 
woolfes skinnes, to be gathered within theland. He 
appointed them thereto a certaine number of 300, 
with free libertie for their prince to hunt and 
pursue them ouer all quarters of the realme ; as our 
chronicles doo report. Some there be which write 
* “Hist. Reg. Anglorum,” lib. ii. cap. 8. See also Wynne’s 
« Caradoc,” p. is 
+ “Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland,” (ed. 4to, 1807), 
vol. i. p. 378, bk. iii. chap. iv.: ‘Of Savage Beasts and Vermines.’ 
