82 EARLY ENGLISH BEAR-BAITING. 
ticular, as I mean to argue, the Bears were 
better used than now. But, what was bad 
enough, there were Bear Gardens, where, as 
the old writers have it, ‘ Bowlls and Beares 
were bayted,’ for the amusement of the Court 
and People.” 
‘¢ For the amusement of the Court ?” 
“Oh, yes; Bears and Bearwards were 
part of the Royal Establishment, and even of 
the establishments of all the greater nobility.” 
‘‘ And when did that barbarous practice 
begin in England ?” 
‘<T little doubt that long before the ar- 
rival of Julius Caesar in this island, the Gauls 
in Gaul, and the British Gauls in Britain, 
made Bear and Bull-baiting a diversion ; and 
that they did not even wait for the assist- 
ance or example of the Romans, in order 
to build Circuses, or circular theatres, for . 
enclosing the arenas, and accommodating the 
spectators. Be this, however, as it may, we 
have no proof of the commencément of the 
practice, nor any earlier notice of it, perhaps, 
than in the reign of Henry VII. when it is 
shown to us in its full vigour and lustre. 
The celebrated Northumberland Household 
