THE BULLDOG. 



35 



farthest in wins all. The famous Bull of 

 fireworks, which pleased the gentry to 

 admiration. Likewise there are two Bear 

 Dogs to jump three jumps apiece at the 

 Beare, which jumps highest for ten shillings 

 to be spent. Also variety of bull-baitmg 

 and bear-baiting ; it being a day of general 

 sport by all the old gamesters and a bull- 

 dog to be drawn up 

 with fireworks. Begin- 

 ning at three o'clock." 

 " At William Well's 

 bear garden in Tuttle 

 fields, Westminster, this 

 present Monday, there 

 will be a green Bull 

 baited ; and twenty 

 Dogs to fight for a 

 collar ; and the dog 

 that runs farthest and 

 fairest wins the collar ; 

 with other diversions 

 of bull- and bear-bait- 

 ing 



" Beginning at two 

 of the clock." 



The object aimed at 

 in the pursuit of bull- 

 baiting was that the 

 dog should pin and 

 hold the bull by the 

 muzzle, and not leave 

 it. The bull was naturally helpless 

 when seized in his most tender part. As 

 the bull lowered his head in order to use 

 his horns it was necessary for the dog to 

 keep close to the ground, or, in the words 

 of the old fanciers of the sport, to " play 

 low." Larger dogs were at a disadvantage 

 in this respect, and, therefore, those of 

 smaller proportions, which were quite as 

 suitable for the sport, were selected. 



The average height of the dogs was 

 about 16 inches, and the weight was gener- 

 ally about 45 lbs., whilst the body was 

 broad, muscular, and compact, as is shown 

 in the pictures of " Crib and Rosa " and 

 " Bull Broke Loose," which are reproduced 

 in these pages. 



In bull-baiting a rope about fifteen feet 

 in length was fastened to the root of the 



horns, and the other end was secured to 

 an iron ring fixed to a stone or stake driven 

 into the ground. The dog kept his head 

 close to the ground, or if of large size, he 

 crawled on his belly to avoid being above 

 the animal's horns. The bull, on the other 

 hand, kept his nose close to the ground, 

 and maiw of the veterans had sufficient 



CRIB and ROSA 



(1817). 

 HN SCOTT. 



cunning, or instinct, to scrape a hole in 

 the ground for themselves when one was 

 not already provided, and would then 

 endeavour to toss the dog with his horns. 



The actual ring for bull-baiting still 

 remains in several places in England, such 

 as Hedon, Preston, Colchester, and Brading, 

 in the Isle of Wight. Several towns, such 

 as Birmingham and Dorchester, retain 

 traces of the sport in the nomenclature of 

 the streets. 



In the minute and carefully kept house- 

 hold accounts of Sir Miles Stapleton, pub- 

 lished in The Antiquary, reference is made 

 to the replacement of the ring for bull- 

 baiting, and the stone to which it was 

 fixed, in the market-place of Bedale, Y< »rks , 

 in 1661. 



Pepys mentions in his diary that he was 



