210 A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES. 



There were three fcierices which a 

 villain could not teach his fon without 

 the confent of his Lord ; fcholarfhip, 

 bardifm, and fmithcraft.* But if the 

 Lord fuflfered him to ftudy any one of 

 them for a certain time, he was hy that 

 means made free, and could no longer 

 be ranked with the villains. 



The Welfh had alfo two fingular laws ; 

 one of which was, that if any perfon 

 killed the cat that was about the King's 

 palace, (he was to be taken by the tail, 

 and her head touching the floor, fo 

 much wheat was to be forfeited for the 

 offence, as being thrown round her, 

 would cover the tip of her tail ; the 

 other, that if a dog accuftomed to bite 



* This was one of the liberal fciences : the term had a 

 rpore comprehenfive fenfe than we give to it at this time j 

 and the artift mutt have united in his own mind different 

 branches of knowledge, which are now praftifed feparately, 

 fuh as railing the ore, and converting it into metal. 



See Camb. Reg. II. 351. 



people. 



