Note 362 — CANES VENATICI. Class I.

Pegge in Archæolog. vs. x. p. 156.

Amongst the coins of Cunobelin is a representation of a dog, probably of this native variety, tall enough, according to Pegge, and of sufficient strength “to carry a lady.” And in Thoresby’s Museum is a British coin “exhibiting a dog under a man on horseback.” (p. 338.)

Mayster of Game. c. xviii. fol. 69.

The mastiff is at present principally used in this country as a watch-dog; and such appears to have been his vocation of old. “His office is for to kepe his maistre’s beestis,” says Duke Edmund, “and his maistre’s hous. and it is a good nature of houndis for thei kepen and defenden at her power al her maister goodes. thei byn of cherlich nater and of foule shap &c.”—“ther byn many good for men that hunten for profit of housold as for to gete fflesh. Also of maystifs and of alauntis ther byn many good for the wilde boor;”—but “it is of no greet maistrie ne of grete redynes the huntyng that thei do for here nature ys not tendre nosed in harde nor in sandy nor in dusty grounde.” For the etymology of the term mastiff, the reader is referred to Dr. Caius, Minsheu, Skinner, and Holinshed—and for that of ban-dog, a variety of the same, to Skinner in voce. The Mandatarius, Sarcinarius, Defensor, &c. of Caius, the custos curtis, pastoralis, porcaritius, ursaritius, catenatus, &c. of Spelman and others, are all probably Canes Mastivi.