I08 WELSH POOL TO OSWESTRY. 



fpear, who was maintained for the exprefs purpofe 

 of taking thefe offenders. If any Englifliman was 

 caught on the Welfh fide of this line, he fuffered a 

 fimilar fate from them. 



The Welfh people efteemed ever)' thing that they 

 could fleal from their Englilh neighbours as lawful 

 prize. On this account many of the latter were 

 compelled to have their dwellings moated round, 

 and to have palifadoes, or ilakes, on the edge of the 

 moat ; and thefe inhabitants every night, for better 

 fecurity, drove their cattle within the fence. If a 

 Welflmian could but get a horfe or cow over the 

 boundary Hne, he had only to cry out " my own,'* 

 to prevent the claims of his countrymen, for the 

 horfeman could not dare to follow, left he fliould be 

 hanged. 



After the conquefl: of Wales by Edward L, the 

 baronies marchers v/ere continued, but under regu- 

 lations fomewhat different from the former. In the 

 j'eign of Edward IV. thev were governed by a lord 

 prefident, and a council, confifting of the chief juflice 

 of Chefter. and three iufticr-s of the peace of Wales. 

 In cafes of emergency, other perfons were allov^ed 

 to be called in. 



By a ftatute palTed in the reign of Henry VilL, 

 the principalitv and dominion of Wales becam.e for- 

 mally annexed to the realm of England ; and the 

 fame jurifdiciion and government, and a fmiiiar ad- 

 miniftration of juftice, was adopted. AU the Welfli 

 law s, and moft of their peculiar cuftom.s and tenures, 



were 



