214 COTSWOLD SHEEP. 



English wool produced in the Cotswold country became so 

 famous that the King of Portugal, about the beginning of the 

 fifteenth century, sent to the King of England for sixty 

 fleeces of Cotswold wool, with which he wished to manu- 

 facture certain cloths of gold at Florence for his own private 

 use. Both wool and sheep were exported to such an extent 

 that in 1425 an act was passed at the instigation of Henry VI. 

 prohibiting the exportation of both sheep and wool. In 14G8 

 Edward IV. of England presented John of Aragon with twenty 

 Cotswold ewes. Again, in the reign of Elizabeth, these same 

 sheep are described as being noted for their strong bone and 

 long wool. At first, their wool was manufactured into a coarse 

 cloth at Cirencester and Winchester, where fulling mills had 

 been established. Later on finer sorts were necessary, since 

 by more careful management the wool had become longer 

 and stronger. Better systems of cultivation were introduced 

 and the down land was broken up and put under crop, and in 

 consequence the sheep were kept in smaller pastures. Sheep 

 are creatures of environment, and it is not unlikely that the 

 Cotswold had their forms somewhat modified at this time. 

 It is also stated that many of the Cotswold breeders went 

 over into Leicestershire and procured rams of Bakewell breed- 

 ing with which to head their flocks. The result of this infu- 

 sion of Leicester blood was not so much marked in changing 

 the form of the Cotswolds as it was in giving to them the 

 qualities of putting on flesh and early maturity, both of which 

 are essential in a mutton sheep. Pure-bred Leicesters disap- 

 peared from the Cotswold hills, but not without leaving the 

 Cotswold more symmetrical, early maturing, and improved 

 in weight. About this time also the raising and feeding of 

 turnips to sheep became common; and to feed as well as to 

 careful breeding may be due much of the improvement affected 

 in the Cotswolds. 



The early breeders were enterprising farmers, and through 

 the success achieved at the Royal and other agricultural 

 shows, brought their breed into such prominence that Cots- 

 wold sheep were much sought after. Finally the excellence 

 of their breed as mutton and wool producers was so widely 

 known that it became unnecessary for the breeders to show. 

 This they deemed a good thing, as they felt that many of their 

 best animals had been injured for breeding purposes by being 

 put into show ring condition. Mr. Hewer was one of the most 



