, 252 [Assembly 



magne a certain quantity of Spanish wool as a present worthy of 

 being presented to a great prince from the extreme beauty and fine- 

 ness of the wool. 



Lastly tliey have advanced that the race of the Spanish sheep had 

 been improved in quality by a considerable importation of sheep, 

 which came into Spain as the marriage portion of a princess of the 

 House of Lancaster married to an hereditary prince of Castile, son of 

 Henry the Third; but this asseveration is the most improbable of all, 

 considering: the difference of form an3 characteristics between the 

 English and Spanish sheep, particularly as to the quality of the wool. 



In the midst of all these incertitudes let us have resort to some 

 facts that may give some show of probability to the origin of the 



Merinos. 



By following the historical and traditional facts, and taking in 

 review the period from the year 69, in the reign of Galba, down to 

 our own times, we find Spain has always been in possession of, and 

 able to furnish to all Europe the finest wools. This commerce was 

 immense in the IGth century, under Ferdinand and Isabella, and 

 under Charles the Fifth. Spain had then eight millions of Merinos. 

 This commerce flourished under the dominion of the Moors, and 

 above all, under the Goths; lastly the Spanish wool was in high 

 reputation under the first Emperors. Thus in proceeding from the 

 cause to the effects, we are authorized to believe that the pastoral 

 science was always known and practiced in these countries, and that 

 the conservation of this race, the beauty of their forms and the fine 

 quality of the wool, have always been kept in view without inter- 

 ruption. 



If to these considerations we add all the advantages of the soil 

 and climate that Spain affords for the raising of this kind of sheep; 

 if we reflect it has not been more difficult for the Spaniards to keep 

 their race of Merinos pure, than the Arabs of the desert their beau- 

 tiful blood horses, it may be granted it is useless to search in any 

 other country than Spain for the origin of the pure Merinos; and 

 that this precious race originated in Spain. But whatever may be 

 the objections that can be opposed to this opinion, and if any one 

 insists that this race were imported, it still remains proved that nei- 

 ther in history nor tradition can any facts be found of this race in 

 other countries, or the smallest trace of such sheep; and if this im- 

 portation did really take place, it must remount to the earliest ages 

 of which no fragments of history are extant, or have reached our 



