20 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



not only rats, mice, and small vermin of all 

 sorts should be killed, but also dogs and cats. 

 An ordinance by the authorities at Winchester, 

 England, in 1583, is typical of many others 

 issued in British towns, viz. : 



"That if any house within this cytie shall happen 

 to be infected with the Plague, that thene every per- 

 sone to keepe within his or her house every his or 

 her dogg, and not to suffer them to goo at large. 

 And if any dogge be then founde at large, it shall 

 be lawful for the Beadle or any other person to kill 

 Ihe same dogg, and that any owner of such dogg 

 going at large shall lose six shillings." 



Among the records of King's Lynn, under 

 May, 1585, appears this: 



"For as muche as it hath pleased Allmightie God 

 to begynn to send us his visitacion with sickness 

 amongst us, and that dogges and cattes are thought 

 verie unfitt to be suffered in this tyme. Therefore 

 Mr. Maior, aldermen, and common councell have or- 

 dered and decreed that every inhabitant within the 

 same Towne shall forthwith take all their dogges and 

 yappes and hange them or kill them and carrye them 

 to some out-place and burye them for breadings of a 

 great annoyance. And likewise for cattes, if there be 

 any nigh unto any house or houses visited with sick- 

 ness. ... It is ordered that the cattes shall furth- 

 with be killed in all such places. ' ' An exception was 



