CHAPTER VHE

THE GREYHOUND

NOT one of our British dogs bun done to him by writers on greyhound. He has always probably the oldest of his

oursing,

deserves all that has been gvid and wan So far back as the second eenony Arrian long and painstaking work un 1831 was admirably translated Greek into English by Georg that great authority on th henge," produced his excellent and I fancy the latter will survive for very many years to come.

Whether, in the first instance hunted by sight or scent I am not decide here. Both forms of " followed at the same period; the hunted by sight, the wolf, fos by scent. The earliest, courezr

CHAPTER VIII.

THE GREYHOUND.

NOT one of our British dogs has had such justice done to him by writers on canine matters as the greyhound. He has always been popular, and, being probably the oldest of his race, no doubt quite deserves all that has been said and written of him. So far back as the second century Arrian gives us a long and painstaking work on coursing, which, in 1831 was admirably translated from the original Greek into English by George Dansey. that great authority on the greyhound, henge," produced his excellent and reliable work, and I fancy the latter will survive as the best of all for

very many years to come.

In 1853

"Stone

Whether, in the first instance, our earliest dogs hunted by sight or scent I am not going to attempt to decide here. Both forms of "venerie" may have been followed at the same period; the deer and the hare hunted by sight, the wolf, fox, or other beast, by scent. The earliest coursers, dating back to

what may be called the uncivilised period of our history, were assisted by nets, and then by bows and arrows, in taking the game, for at that period there were few cultivated stretches of land free from forest of sufficient extent to allow the long courses. preferred at the present day. However that may be, greyhounds pretty n.uch of the shape and form they are found now were known prior to King Canute's time, when no one of less degree than a "gentleman"—possibly a freeholder—was permitted to keep greyhounds.

In

In the British Museum there is a fine old sculpture of two greyhounds fondling each other, and this was taken from the ruins of Antoninus, near Rome. Dansey's translation of Arrian there is an excellent engraving of this beautiful work, and other sculptures of even an earlier period are to be found, in which the greyhound type of dog is predominant. Confined, however, to the "gentleman," coursing could not become very popular, especially when even he was not allowed to take his greyhound within two miles of a royal forest unless two of its toes were cut off." Even so late as 1853 each greyhound had a tax to pay of 225. each, whilst other dogs, may be of equal value, could be kept at a charge by the State of from 15s. 4d. to 8s. 2d. each.

However, still keeping to old times, we find our

old sporting sovereign King John, receiving, in 1203, "two leashes of greyhounds," amongst other valuables, in return for the renewal of a grant to a certain right, and the same monarch repeatedly took greyhounds in lieu of money where fines or penalties had been incurred and forfeitures to the Crown became due. Two of these are on record, one being "five hundred marks, ten horses, and ten leashes of greyhounds;" the other "one swift running horse and six greyhounds." Thus early, we read of a brace (two) and a leash (three) of greyhounds, when ordinary hounds were known in "couples." It has been said, though there is no proof in support of the assertion, that the "Isle of Dogs," some four miles from the city of London, obtained its name from the fact that certain of our monarchs had kennels of greyhounds and other dogs there.

In the times of the earlier King Edward, Kent must have had some notoriety for the excellence of its greyhounds, for, according to Blount's " Ancient Tenures," the landowners in the manor of Setene (Sittingbourne) were compelled to lend their greyhounds, when the King went to Gascony so long as a pair of shoes of 4d. price would last.”

The erudite Froissart tells the following story of Richard II. which, maybe, redounds as little to the credit of the wretched sovereign as to the dog; for