Kings & rulers > Kenilworth > Volume 1

KENILWORTH.
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of your royal predecessors, in this your princely
kingdom, famous for matchless mastiffs, and bold
bearwards, over all Christendom ? Greatly is it to
be doubted that the race ot both will decay, if men
should rather throng to hear the lungs of an idle
player belch forth nonsensical bombast, instead of
bestowing their pence in encouraging the bravest
im^ige of war that can be shewn in peace, and that
is the sports of the Bear-garden. There you may
see the bear lying at guard with his red pinky
eyes, watching the onset of the mastiff, like a wily
captain, who maintains his defence that an assail¬
ant may be tempted to venture within his danger.
And then comes Sir Mastiff,- like a worthy cham¬
pion, in full career at the throat of his adversary
—-and then shall Sir Bruin teach him the reward
for those who, in their over-courage, neglect the
policies of war, and, catching him in his arms,
strain him to his breast like a lusty wrestler, un¬
til rib after rib crack like the shot of a pistolet.
And then another mastiff, as bold, but with better
aim and sounder judgment, catches Sir Bruin by
the nether lip, and hangs fast, while he tosses
about his blood and slaver, and tries in vain to
shake Sir Talbot from his hold. And then”
“ Nay, by my honour, my lord,” said the Queen,
laughing, “ you have described the whole so ad¬
mirably, that, had we never seen a bear-baiting, as
we have beheld many, and hope, with heaven’s al¬
lowance, to see many more, your words were suf¬
ficient to put the whole Bear-garden before our
eyes. But come, who speaks next in this case ?—
My Lord of Leicester, what say you ?”
“ Am 1 then to consider myself as unmuzzled,
please your Grace ?” replied Leicester.
“ Surely, my lord-—that is, if you feel hearty
enough to take part in our game,” answered Eli¬
zabeth ; “ and yet, when I think of your cogni-
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