46 CAT. Clafsl.' 



Our anceftors feemed to have had a high fenfe of 

 the utility of this animal. That excellent Prince 

 Hoeldda^ or Hcwel the Good^ did not think it beneath 

 him (among his laws relating to the Prices, &c. of 

 animals*,) to include that of the cat; and to de- 

 fcribe the qualities it ought to have. The price of a 

 kiding before it could fee, was to be a penny ; till 

 it caught a moufe two-pence % when it commenced 

 moufer four-pence. It was required befides, that it 

 fliould be perfe6t in its fenfes of hearing and feeing ; 

 be a good moiifer ; have the claws whole, and be a 

 good nurfe : but if it failed in any of thefe qualities, 

 the feller was to forfeit to the buyer the third part of 

 its value. If any one Hole or killed the cat thai 

 guarded the Prince's granary, he was to forfeit a 

 milch ewe, its fleece and lamb ; or as much wheat 

 as when poured on the cat fufpended by its tail (the 

 head touching the floor) vv'ould form a heap high 

 enough to cover the tip of the former -f. This lad 

 quotation is not only curious, as being an evidence 

 of the flmplicity of ancient manners, but it alrnolt 

 proves to a demonftration that cats are not aborigines 

 of thefe iflands ; or known to the earliefl: inhabitants. 

 The large prices fet on them, (if we conflder the high 

 value of fpecies at that time '^) and the great care 

 taken of the improvement and breed of an animal 

 that multiplies fo faft, are almoft certain proofs of 

 their being little known at that period. 



* Leges Wallica, p. 247, 248. 



•j- Sir Ed. Coke in hie Report?, mentions the fame kind of punifh- 

 ment anciently for killing a fwan, by fufpenuingit by the bill, &c. 

 Vide, Cafe des Sivannes. 



J HoiK^ell dda died in the year 948, after a reign of thirty-three 

 years over South WaUs, and eight years over ali Wales, 



The 



