. Rush-bearing: an account of the old custom of strewing rushes; carrying rushes to church; the rush-cart; garlands in churches; morris-dancers; the wakes; the rush. tleast. In the outskirts dog-racing, and often dog-fighting,rabbit-coursing, pigeon-flying, running, leaping, wrest-ling, bicycle racing, and other sports, are these sports were of a more brutal character,and the wakes without a bait of some kind was con-sidered a farce. Bull-baiting was the one most invogue, anyone being allowed to slip a dog on payment,generally, of a shilling. A well-trained dog ran underthe b
. Rush-bearing: an account of the old custom of strewing rushes; carrying rushes to church; the rush-cart; garlands in churches; morris-dancers; the wakes; the rush. tleast. In the outskirts dog-racing, and often dog-fighting,rabbit-coursing, pigeon-flying, running, leaping, wrest-ling, bicycle racing, and other sports, are these sports were of a more brutal character,and the wakes without a bait of some kind was con-sidered a farce. Bull-baiting was the one most invogue, anyone being allowed to slip a dog on payment,generally, of a shilling. A well-trained dog ran underthe bulls legs, and pinned it by the lips, the bull oftenraising the dog high in the air, and bringing it downwith a whack on the ground in its pain. That dogwas voted the best which pinned the bull in the neatestmanner, and held on the longest. Young dogs, run-ning straight at the bull, often met with severe treat-ment. Now and again the bull would break loose,and speedily clear the spot. In bear-baiting, the abovetactics would not do, and a good dog at a bull wouldmake but a poor show with a bear, who had to bepinned before he could use his claws. Badger-baiting. 160 RUSH-BEARING. also took place at many inns, the badger being placed,tail first, in a tub laid on the ground, so that he couldonly be met in front, and the dog had to lay hold anddraw him out. Cock-fighting and dog-fighting wereoften eclipsed by a fight between two men in the oldLancashire style, stripped to the skin with the excep-tion of a pair of clogs, striking, wrestling, puncing,now up, now down, for the fight was continued on theground until the vanquished one cried off. Shinspresented a sorry sight, gashed in all directions by thekicks from the clogs, and for weeks after had to becarefully washed and bandaged. Yet these fierceencounters did not arise so often from hatred or aquarrel, but on slight provocation, as : So-and-so isa better mon, and con feight thi. Con he, by G—d,awll feight him, and the thing was
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