

MAMMALIA 75 



animals had ranged from Thornthwaite to Mardale than that 

 they tenanted the bleak hills round Martindale, which formed no 

 part of Lord William's purchase, but belonged to a different 

 proprietor. The herd had been for some years the property of 

 the Howards, before it occurred to Lord William to draft 

 some of the animals to Naworth, no doubt with a view of creat- 

 ing a second herd. The idea took a practical form at the 

 beginning of January 1 630. The reason for accomplishing the 

 removal of the beasts at such an inclement season may perhaps 

 have been that the animals were tamed to some extent by 

 scarcity of provender, and could be surrounded and secured more 

 easily than in the summer-time. At all events we possess an 

 entry of the actual expense incurred in the removal : ' Januari 9. 

 To Anthony Bearper, George Bell, and William Halle, for ther 

 charges and paines, in bringinge wild cattell from Thornthwate, 

 v s . iiij d .' 1 After an interval of a few years a death took place 

 in the original herd, and the hide of the animal was accounted 

 for in the receipts of 1634 : ' June 22. Eec. for 30 sheep skinns 

 soulde at Thornthwate, xx 8 . Eec. for two kine skinns there, xiiij s . 

 Eec. more of him for one wild kowe skine, iiij 8 .' 2 In the same 

 year we find entered: 'August ... 23. To Mr. Thomas Howarde's 

 manne bringinge one quarter of a wilde calfe to my Ladie, v s .' 3 

 Nothing further is heard of the Wild Cattle of Thornthwaite, and 

 the date of the extinction of the herd is shrouded in obscurity. 

 Those kept at Naworth did not long survive their removal from 

 Haweswater. In 1675 Sandford alludes to the 'White wild 

 Cattel with black ears/ as having formerly existed at Naworth, 

 without a hint of the source from which they were supplied, or 

 a suggestion as to how the race had become a memory of the 

 past. 



My endeavours to rake up further evidence regarding the 

 Wild Cattle of Lakeland have proved ineffectual hitherto. It is 

 true that Cornelius Nicholson alludes to these animals having 

 once inhabited Mallerstang Forest, but not one shred of evidence 

 has been produced to fortify his vague statement.' 4 Mr. Joseph 



1 Household Book of Lord William Howard, p. 264. 



2 lb. cit. p. 284. » lb. cit. p. 318. 



4 Mallerstang Forest and the Barony of Westmorland. 



