reprinted from American Bulldog Review

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EARLY BULLDOG HISTORY

Editor's note: The following text is in Old English. It is a little hard to read at first, but if you "sound out" the words, you should be able to translate most of it.

In P. Camerarius "Living Librarie or Historicall Meditations", printed 1625, is to be found the following:

Of the Industrie and Fidelitie of Dogs:
Their Elogie, or Memorable Praise.

"There bee found many discourses almost incredible in Histories, concerning the industrie and fidelitie of dogs. Dio reporteth notable things of the fidelitie of Sabinus his dog. Pierius recounteth out of auntient authors, that Minerva Iliada had a temple in Daulis, wherein certaine dogs were kept which never showed themselves gentle to any, and to be played withall, but to the Greekes; for against the Barbarians they would ever be barking and still troubling and biting them. Plinie sayth the like of Diomedes his birds, which were never seene anywhere else but in a certain isle upon the coast of Apulia, famous for the sepulchre of Diomedes, and for a chappell dedicated unto him. These birds, by reason of their cryings and croakings, bred great annoyance to the Barbarians that landed there; but they fluttered and rejoyced at the Grecians. The same Pierius reporteth auntient authours to have written, that neere to Mount-Gibell, I n Cicilia, there was a temple builded to Vulcan, the groave whereof was guarded by dogs (as M. Marlianus also reporteth, that in old Rome, before Vulcan's chappell, in the Flaminian Cirque, were certain dogs that would never barke but against church-robbers), which would run with great fawning to meet the good and devout Pilgrims; but if any that were villanous and dishonest came thither, they were miserably torne in pieces by those dogs. Thomas Fazel writeth, that the Pagans held these actions for so many miracles; but we make account (saith he) they were deceits of Sathan. The same sayth, that at this day there is not seen any trace or token of this temple, and a man cannot say in what part of the mountaine it was. Coelius Rhodiginus and Alexander of Alexandria write hereof at large:

"The faithfulnesse of a dog hath been the cause that many have chosen to trust their lives with that beast, and to commit themselves to the good of him rather than of reasonable men. As we read of King Massinissa, who by the barking of dogs freed himself many times from the ambuscadoes that were laid for him, discovered afar off the coming of his enemies, stood upon his guard, and, by the helpe of dogs, sometimes carryed away the victorie. Plinie reporteth to this purpose, that the Colophonians tooke great care to traine their dogs and make them fit for warre, insomuch as they made squadrons of them, which fought in the first rankes with a wonderful boldnesse, and would never give back: above all, they did good service in the night. We read also that the King of the Garamantes, driven by sedition out of his realme, was re-establisht againe by the helpe of two hundred hunting dogs. It may bee that Henry the VIII, King of England (according to the purport of a letter which his Ambassadour sent from Spire to the King of Polonia, An. 1544, by the report of Olaus Magnus) had an eye to this prompt fidelitie of dogs, when in the armie which he sent to the Emperour Charles the Fifth against the French King, there were foure hundred souldiers that had the charge of the like number of dogs, all of them garnished with good yron collers after the fashion of that countrey: no man being able to say, wither they were appointed to be sentinels in the night, or to serve for some stratagem for obtaining the victorie. Strabo saith, that the like was practised in old time, and that the English dogs went to warre with the Gaules: and there is mention of a Procurator or Commissarie that had charge of the dogs of Britanie, in the Emperour's behalfe. And at this day there be some of them found, which Camden calleth Agase-hounds, and named Agasaei by Oppian. Andrew Thenet, speaking of the King of Cephala, writeth, That when he will give battell to his enemies, he commonly mingleth many troupes of dogs among the squadrons of his souldiers. We will hereafter make mention of a dog so couragious in the warre, that the Indians were more afraid of his teeth, than of any other Spanish weapons, and that the owner received extraordinary pay every moneth for the services that were done by that dog.

"We must not forget what Michael Vosmer writeth of the goodnesse and fidelitie of dogs. It is a strange thing (saith he) that is found written in the Annals touching the dogs of Florent the fifth Earle of Holland and Zeeland, who being once at a hunting wounded in twentie places of his body, his dogs never forsooke him, but went with him to the Castle of Mude, from whence being taken away, as he thought to save himselfe, he was slain outright by certain traitors and cutthroats; but the dogs never left the dead body. At the last when his servants had taken up the body to carrie it by water to the Citie of Alemar, the dogs got into the boat without eating or drinking anything all this while. The body being carried into the church, they went and lay them al by it, without ever going away, but there languishing untill at last they were driven from thence by force. The Lord de la Scale reciteth such another example of a certaine hound belonging to one of Corsica, whose bodie being dead by reason of the cold snowes, the dog would never part from the same, nor suffer any to come neere it: so that they were fayne first to shoote the dog to death with arrowes, that so afterwards they might take and beare away their master's body. The said Lord addeth, Certainly I should rather erect a tombe with an epitaph to this dog than to the Sultan Solyman."

"The Lord de la Scale", Camerarius goes on to say, "has another story," It is, doubtless, though no names are given, the so often quoted one of Macaire, and is consequently omitted.

"Let us insert here that which Nicephorus writeth of a blind dog who wrought wonders, giving againe to every one readily that which was his owne, and by signes discovering secrets. The translator addeth this: That he pointed at the women with child, the whore-masters, the adulterers, the covetous, and the valiant: Therefore men thought he was possessed with some wicked spirit. Hee belonged to one Andrew, an Italian Mountabanke. But I thinke it is done by the teaching of those Players of Legerdemaine; for they accustome beasts to understand the twinckling of their eyes, their voyces, the gesticulations of their feet and hands: as I have observed in a little horse, whose signes (yet) for the most part were false. There hath been seen a sea-fish taught to doe very strange things by a certain fellow yet living, but it was killed by an envious fellow. And of late dayes a Scottish-man's horse gave occasion of great sifting and wonderment to many persons that saw him at Paris and other places. Neither must we forget that which Jovian Pontanus, an Authour worthy of credit, writeth of his dogs, which could never be brought to line the bitch that had whelped and brought them up. Besides all this, We must confesse that there is in this beast I know not what particular sence and advice more than men know, as appeareth by a memorable example that hapned in our time at Novara, in Lombardie. The Swissers and the Frenchmen being upon the poynt of giving a battaile, a great number of dogs that had followed their masters to the warre, suddenly left the campe of the French and ran (as they had been beaten away) to the Swissers, and being come to them they began to licke their feet, to fawne on them with their tailes, and to lie downe before them, as presaging that they should carrie away the victory, and taking them already for their masters. Which thing did the more encourage the Swissers to fight, from whence they returned victorious, with a very memorable successe.

"As I have not undertaken to write the whole Historie of Dogs: so neither must I forget, that there be some of them sometimes so generous that their courage increaseth according as the beasts with whom they fight are strong and fierce. We have hereof a notable example in that which befell Alexander the Great, as Plinie writeth. This prince being on his voiage towards the Indies, received for a present a very great dog, which the King of the Albanians sent unto him, with advice, That he should not set his dog against wolves, beares, boares, and other such beasts of meane force; but against lions or elephants. Alexander desiring to see some sport, made a lion to be brought, whom the dog overcame, and with a trice tare in pieces. Then he commanded to set an elephant upon him, longing to see the issue of that fight. The dog seeing his adversarie, begins to bustle himselfe, and to bristle his haire all his body over, and casting out a furious bawling, maketh the elephant turne taile, and proceedetih on so courageously that he groundeth his advarsarie, to the great applause and astonishment of all that beheld it. Solinus recounteth the same storie, but a little differently, for thus he saith: The dogs of Albania bring under all other beasts, throttle bulls, kill lions, stay all that is thrown against them; and therefore are very famous in histories. We read that Alexander, going to the Indies, received two of them, which the King of Albania presented him with: one of the which seeing wild boares and beares brought against him, would not so much as looke upon them, or offer to rise from the ground; insomuch as Alexander thinking that this disdaine grew of cowardise and feare, made him bee kild: But they that knew the qualitie of such dogs, and had procured them to be sent, caused a lion to be presented to the other, which he suddently dispatched: and afterwards perceiving an elephant, first being very cheerefull, he tugd and trownst his adversarie, and after cast him to the ground, to the great wonder of the beholders. These dogs grow very high, and barke with a stronger voice than the roaring of lions. Perhaps Andronicus his dog, Emperior of Constantinople, was of this race. This prince much hated because of his villanies and mischiefs, made himselfe to be guarded, not only with companies of strange souldiers, but also with a very great dogge, who made no bones to fight with lions, and could turne over a man all armed off his horse. The guard kept watch in the night a prettie way from his chamber, and at his chamber doore this dog was tied, who at the least noise that was, made terrible barking. Quintus Curtius writeth such a storie of the valour of dogs in the East Indies, four of which in a moment defeated a very great lion, in the presence of Alexander. It is thought they are engendered of a dog and a tigresse, and are as couragious and strong as possibly may be.

"To returne to our purpose, If that which we said at the beginning of the dogs of Daulis, and of the Sybarites, seeme too stale, and scarce likely, let us heare what Sabellicus, a moderne historian, writeth of this beast. The Rhodians (saith he) held a very strong and well fortified citie, called the Castle of S. Peter, in a place of the firme land, over against the Isle Coos, being the only retrait for the Christians of Asia, that saved themselves from being slaves to the Turkes. The enemy was master of all without and about this place, in so much as the citisens could not safely fetch wood or other fuell for their use. Some bodie had told the Venetians strange things of the sence and service of the dogs that were within the Citie, to the number of fiftie, all which the Inhabitants put forth every night (as it were) for Sentinels. If during the night, these watchers met with any Christian, they would receive him, and with fawning and joy conduct him into the Citie: contrariwise, if they discovered a Turke, they would first keepe a great barking, and then falling upon him, pull him down and then teare him in pieces. These are the words of Sabellicus. At Renes in Brittaine, at Saint Malo, and at Saint Michaels, they keepe a great many dogs, that watch and ward both night and day, as I have heard reported by many. Plutarch showeth that it is an antient custome; for he saith, That the enterprise of Aratus, which he undertooke for the feeing of his countrey, had like to have bin mar'd, by the watchfulnesse of a dog. By this it appeareth, what moved Socrates to sweare commonly by the dog, as Plato noteth; who thereby would point out an unmatchable faithfulnesse, such as is seene in those creatures. For which cause the same Philosopher esteemeth the franke and readie nature of a dogge worthy admiration in this, that he is angrie with one he knoweth not, and that never did him hurt before, and fawns upon one he knoweth, though he never received any good from him.

"If I could not by strange examples, it were easie for me to confirme this by that of mine owne dog, which hath faithfully served me in my journey into Italy, as well going as comming back againe; his speciall direction (next to the merciful providence of God) hath made me sometimes escape great dangers, both alone and in company: this I noted for a rare thing in him, that he would never in my presence fawne upon any Italian, or Jew; but (contrariwise) would barke at them, or bite them. He hated the bitches of Italy, like serpents: And for all he was sound and yong, being at Ferrara, I could not possible make him come neere one, though she were in heat.

"The markes of a goode dog, and of a gentle kind, are these that follow. He must be fleshie, great, of large forehead, and full of appearing veines, eyes blacke and flaming, eares thin and long, the necke long, the breast bearing out, the shoulders broad, the thighs high, the flanks set forward, the legs equally distant, the haire small and thicke, the colour mingled.

"Belisarius duke of Nerito discourseth amply hereof, to content the curious Reader. And Suidas, in his Recuels, representeth all sorts of dogs: Some are good for the hunting of little beasts, to sent and discover them, others to set upon great beasts, others to guard houses and parkes: others are cushin-dogs, and for pleasure.

"Paulus Jovius writeth touching Amidas the King of Tunis, that he was wont not only to cause dead bodies to be cast to the dogs to feed them, but also to let loose hungrie doggs upon live bodies, to tear them the more furiously.

"If the Pagans and Turkes have been taxed (and that worthily) because of such crueltie; who can say, that they, who wil be thought Christians are not infamous, execrable, and altogither unexcusable for having followed such examples? And (indeed) who can read without astonishment, that which Sabellicus writeth, how it was reported, That Francis Carrera prince of Padua, kept great Mastives by which he caused his subjects to be strangled and devowred.

"The said Paul Jovius witnesseth, that John Marie duke of Milan was possessed with this beastly furie. This cruell prince (saith he) after he had caused a number of the friends of his deceased father to be beheaded, devised a new punishment, the cruellest that could be invented. One called Gyran kept (by his commandment) certaine great curs exceeding ravenous, the which at first devoured offenders, but at last this Gyran threw to them those whom the duke hated, that they might throttle, and tear in peeces, and afterwards eat them, to the incredible horror and pittifull waymenting of the people, amased to see such sights."