ClafsL SHEEP. 23 



This negligence may be eafily accounted for, in 

 g,n uncivilized nation whofe v^^ants v/ere few, and 

 thofe eafily fatisfied ; but what is more furprifing, 

 when after a long period we had cultivated a breed 

 of llieep, whofe fleeces were fuperior to thofe of 

 other countries ; we ftili neglefted to promote a 

 woollen manufa£lure at home. That valuable branch 

 of bufinefs lay for a confiderablp time in foreign 

 hands ; and we were obliged to import the cloth 

 manufadured from our own materials. There feems 

 indeed to have been many unavailing efforts made 

 by our monarchs to preferve both the wool and the 

 manufa(5lure of it among ourfelves : Henry the fe- 

 cond, by a patent granted to the weavers in London^ 

 direded that if any cloth was found made of a mix- 

 ture oiSpanifi wool, it fhould be burnt by the mayor*! 

 yet fo little did the weaving bufinefs advance, that 

 Edward the third was obliged to permit the impor- 

 tation of foreign cloth in the beginning of his reign % 

 but foon after, by encouraging foreign artificers to 

 fettle in England^ and infl;ru6l the natives in their 

 trade, the manufacture increafed fo greatly as to 

 enable him to prohibit the wear of foreign cloth. 

 Yet, to fhew the uncommercial geniys of the peo- 

 ple, the effects of this prohibition were checked by 

 another law, as prejudicial to trade as the former was 

 falutary ; this was an adl of the fame reign, againft 

 exportiiig woollen goods manufaftured at home, 

 under heavy penalties ; while the exportation of 

 wool was not only allowed buc encouraged. This 



* StoHu 419. 



C 4 over- 



