Note 363 — CANES VENATICI. Class I.
William Dansey translation
The existence of these noxious beasts of prey, in the sylvan fastnesses of our islands, is too well authenticated by ancient records to be doubted.
Book of St. Alban’s.
Foure manere bestis of Venere there are: The fyrste of theym is the harte: the seconde is the hare. The boore is one of tho: the wulfe and not one mo.
On referring to Blount’s ancient tenures, we find many estates held per serjantiam, whereby the possessor was compelled to furnish these dogs for the destruction of wolves. See A. T. p. 15. p. 52. p. 60. p. 94.The Governour. B. i. c. xviii. “But Almighty God be thanked,” in the ejaculatory language of Sir Thomas Elyot, “in this realme be no such cruel beastes at present to be pursued!”
See Wase’s Illustrations, c. vi. “of the Styles of Hunting different from the English, both Antique and Forreigne.”
Memoirs of the Celts or Gauls. Note, p. 161.
Mr. Ritson, in a posthumous work on the Celts, has left it on record that “the Britons, in the last decade of the eighteenth century, made use of Spanish dogs in a war with the Maroon negroes; having no longer any of their own fit for the purpose.”