50 THE SHEEP. 



cheapest terms ; and granting that the wool-growers could, 

 by means of an ill-judged monopoly, have forced up for a time 

 the price of the native wool, would they not thereby have 

 abandoned a yet more safe and permanent means of effecting 

 the end, namely, that which would have resulted from in- 

 creasing the demand for the manufactured commodity ? The 

 injurious measure contended for was, however, happily re- 

 sisted, never, it is to be trusted, to be brought forward again ; 

 and the trade of wool, by being thrown open to the world, 

 has been placed on a far surer foundation than if it had been 

 made to rest on the narrow and insecure basis of monopoly 

 and restriction.* 



The woollen trade of England has been cherished by the 

 laws from early times, and has long been regarded as a main 

 branch of the industry of the country. The Romans extended 

 and perfected the arts of spinning and weaving in Britain, as 

 in other of their provinces, and taught the natives to clothe 

 themselves after the Roman fashion. They established fac- 

 tories, of which that at Winchester was long distinguished. 

 But the garments and woollen fabrics of the people were for 

 the most part spun and woven by themselves, under that 

 system of domestic manufacture which is the first in order of 

 time in all rude countries. The employment of spinning and 

 weaving was chiefly devolved on females, whence the term 

 Spinster, whicli has been in use from time immemorial. Ed- 

 ward the Elder, who died in the year of our Lord 925, mar- 

 ried, we are told, the daughter of a shepherd or countryman 

 of mean rank ; and being desirous that his children should 

 have a princely education, " he sette his sons to scole, and 

 his daughters he sette to woll werke, takyne example of 

 Charles the Conquestour."t 



In the succeeding times of the Norman princes, the state 

 of the woollen trade is made known to us by the records of 

 customs, subsidies, fines, and fiscal regulations. "Wool formed 



* Remarks on Wool, aliunde, by the Author. f Fabian's Chron. 



