1<>4 On the Use and Abuse of 



cent cooks, dogs, bulls and bears, as have becrt 

 set together by the ears, and died an untimely 

 death only to create us sport." Bull-baiting 

 was not confined within the limits of a bear- 

 garden, but was universally practised, on va- 

 rious occasions, in all the towns and villages 

 throughout the kingdom. In many places the 

 practice was sanctioned by law, and the bull- 

 rings affixed to large stones driven into the 

 earth remain to this day, as memorials of this 

 legalized species of barbarity. The regular 

 system of bull-baiting seems to have comr- 

 menced with the reign, of King John. Its 

 general prevalence since that period, until 

 within a few years, must have produced im- 

 portant effects on! the manners and character of 

 the people. .The misery it has inflicted on the 

 harmless and inoffensive brute, is a matter of 

 no small regret and indignation with the hu- 

 mane and considerate part of mankind ; — but 

 the injury done to public morals and social 

 happiness, by an attachment to this degrading 

 pastime is still more to be deplored. Numbers 

 of bulls were, and still continue to be, regu- 

 larly trained and carried about from village to 

 village, to enter the lists against dogs bred up 

 for the purpose of the combat. To detail all 

 the barbarities committed in these encounters 

 would be a disgusting and tedious task. All 



