The Book of Cats. lOI 



clothes like a child, was exhibited in a magnificent 

 shrine to public admiration. Every knee was bent, 

 every hand strewed flowers, or poured incense, and 

 Grimalkin was treated in all respects as the god of 

 the day. But on the festival of St. John, poor 

 Tom's fate was reversed. A number of the tabby 

 tribe were put into a wicker basket, and thrown 

 alive into the midst of an immense fire, kindled in 

 the public square by the bishop and his clergy. 

 Hymns and anthems were sung, and processions 

 were made by the priest and people in honour of 

 the sacrifice. 



In the reign of Howel the Good, who died in 

 948, a law was made in Wales, fixing the price of 

 the Cat, which was then of great scarcity. A 

 kitten before it got its sight was to cost one penny ; 

 until a warranty was given of its having caught a 

 mouse, twopence ; after this important event, four- 

 pence, and a very high price, too, the times con- 

 sidered. The Cat, however, was required to be 

 perfect in its senses of seeing and hearing, should 

 be a good mouser, have its claws uninjured, and, it 

 a lady pussy, be a good mamma. If after it was 

 sold, it was found wanting in any of these particu- 

 lars, the seller was to forfeit a third of the purchase- 

 money. If any one stole or killed the Cat that 



