BULL-FIGHTS. 229 



the common bellman of the town, round about the 

 same, that each one shut up their shop-doors and 

 gates, and that none, upon pain of imprisonment, 

 offer to do any violence to strangers ; for the prevent- 

 ing whereof, the town being a great thoroughfare, 

 and then being term-time, a guard is appointed for 

 the passing of travellers through the same, without 

 hurt ; that none have any iron upon their bull-clubs, 

 or other staff, which they pursue the bull with. 

 Which proclamation made, and the gates all shut up, 

 the bull is turned out of the alderman's house ; and 

 then hivie-skivy, tag and rag, men, women, and chil- 

 dren, of all sorts and sizes, with all the dogs in the 

 town, promiscuously running after him with their 

 bull-clubs, spattering dirt in each other's faces, that 

 one would think them to be so many furies started 

 out of hell for the punishment of Cerberus, &c. And 

 which is the greater shame, I have seen persons of 

 rank and family, of both sexes, following this bulling 

 business. I can say no more of it, but only to set 

 forth the antiquity thereof as tradition goes."* 



We shall now illustrate the British breeds first, by 



Strutt's Sports and Pastiuies of the People of England. 



