Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original SourcesAshton, John
History
Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original Sources
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- History -- Anne, 1702-1714; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
'Here follows the Manner of those Bull Baitings which are so much
talk'd of: They tie a Rope to the Root of the Horns of the Ox or Bull,
and fasten the other End of the Cord to an Iron Ring fix'd to a Stake
driven into the Ground; so that this Cord being about 15 Foot long,
the Bull is confin'd to a Sphere of about 30 Foot Diameter. Several
Butchers, or other Gentlemen, that are desirous to exercise their
Dogs,[370] stand round about, each holding his own by the Ears; and
when the Sport begins, they let loose one of the Dogs: The Dog runs at
the Bull: the Bull, immovable, looks down upon the Dog with an Eye of
Scorn, and only turns a Horn to him to hinder him from coming near:
The Dog is not daunted at this, he runs round him, and tries to get
beneath his Belly, in order to seize him by the Muzzle, or the Dewlap,
or the pendant Glands: The Bull then puts himself into a Posture of
Defence; he beats the Ground with his Feet, which he joins together as
close as possible, and his chief Aim is not to gore the Dog with the
Point of his Horn,[371] but to slide one of them under the Dog's Belly
(who creeps close to the Ground to hinder it) and to throw him so high
in the Air that he may break his Neck in the Fall. This often happens:
When the Dog thinks he is sure of fixing his Teeth, a Turn of the
Horn, which seems to be done with all the Negligence in the World,
gives him a Sprawl thirty Foot high, and puts him in danger of a
damnable Squelch when he comes down. This Danger would be unavoidable,
if the Dog's Friends were not ready beneath him, some with their Backs
to give him a soft Reception, and others with long Poles which they
offer him slant ways, to the Intent that, sliding down them, it may
break the Force of his Fall. Notwithstanding all this care, a Toss
generally makes him sing to a very scurvy Tune, and draw his Phiz into
a pitiful Grimace: But, unless he is totally stunn'd with the Fall, he
is sure to crawl again towards the Bull, with his old Antipathy, come
on't what will. Sometimes a second Frisk into the Air disables him for
ever from playing his old Tricks; But, sometimes, too, he fastens upon
his Enemy, and when once he has seiz'd him with his Eye teeth, he
sticks to him like a Leech, and would sooner die than leave his Hold.
Then the Bull bellows, and bounds, and Kicks about to shake off the
Dog; by his Leaping the Dog seems to be no Manner of Weight to him,
tho' in all Appearance he puts him to great Pain. In the End, either
the Dog tears out the Piece he has laid Hold on, and falls, or else
remains fix'd to him, with an Obstinacy that would never end, if they
did not pull him off. To call him away would be in vain; to give him a
hundred blows would be as much so; you might cut him to Pieces Joint
by Joint before he would let him loose. What is to be done then! While
some hold the Bull, others thrust Staves into the Dog's Mouth, and
open it by main Force. This is the only Way to part them.'[372]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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