The survey and antiquitie of the towne of Stamford in the county of Lincolne with its ancient foundation, grants, priviledges, and severall donations thereunto belonging : also a list of the aldermens names, and the time when they were chosen : with the names of 10 Lord Majors (of the Hon. city of London) borne in the foresaid county of Lincolne / written by Richard Butcher, Gent. ...

CHAP. X. (Book 10)

The ancient and publike sports of Stamford.

AS touching the ancient and publike Sports used at this Town they are not many; in all but two and to many by one. The one a sport savouring of Man∣hood and Gentry, and of a ••oncourse of Noblemen and Gentlemen meeting together in mirth▪ peace, and amity, for the exercise of their swift running Horses every Thusday in March. The prize they run for is a silver and gilt Cup with a cover, to the value of seaven or eight pounds, provided by the care of the Alderman for the time being, but the Money is raysed out of the interest of a stock formerly made up by the Nobility and Gentry which are neighbours or well-wishers to the Town.

The second sport though more ancient then the former yet more Beast-like then any: It is their Bull-running a sport of no plea∣sure except to such as take a pleasure in beastlinesse and mischief. It is performed just the day six weekes before Christmas. The But∣chers of the Town at their own charge against the time: provide the wildest Bull they can get, this Bull over night is had in to some Stable or Barne belonging to the Alderman the next morning pro∣clamation is made by the common Bell-man of the Town, round about the same, that each one shut up their shops-doo••es and gates, and that none upon payne of Imprisonment offer to doe any vio∣lence to Strangers, for the preventing whereof (the Town being a great thorough-fare and then being in Terme-time) a Gard is ap∣pointed for the passing of Travellers through the same (without hurt.) That none have any ••ron upon their Bull-clubs or other ••••affe which they pursue the Bull with. Which proclamation made and the Gates all shut up, the Bull is turned out of the Aldermans house, and then hivie, skivi••, tag and rag, Men, Women and chil∣dren of all sorts and sizes, with all the Dogs in the Town promiscu∣ously running after him with their Bull-clubs spattering dirt in each others faces that one would think them to be so many Furies started out of Hell for the punishment of Cerbor••••. as when Thes•••••• and Perillus conquered the place (as Ovid describes it.)

A ragged troupe of Boyes and Girles doe pellow him with stones: With Clubs, with whips, and many nips, they part his skin from bones.

And (which is the greater shame) I have seen both Senatores majorā gentiū & matr•••••• de eodem gradu, following this Bulling busines.

I can say no more of it but only to set forth the Antiquity thereof, (as the tradition goes) William Earle Warren, the first Lord of this Town in the time of K. Iohn, standing upon his Castle walls in Stamford, viewing the faire prospe•••• of the River and Medowes under the same, saw two Bulls fighting for one Cow, a Butcher of the Town the owner of one of th••se Bulls with a great ••asti••••e Dog accidentally comming by, set his Dog upon his owne Bull, who forced the same Bull up into the Towne, which no soo∣ner was come within the same but all the Butchers Dogs both great and small followed in the pursuit of the Bull, which by this time made starke mad with the noise of the people and the fiercenesse of the Dogs, ran over Man, woman and child that stood in his way, this caused all the Butchers and others in the Town to rise up as it were in a tumult, making such an hideous noise that the sound ther∣of came into the Castle into the ear••s of Earle Warren, who pre∣sently thereupon mounted on Horseback, rid into the Town to see the businesse, which then appearing (to his humour) very delight∣full, he gave all those Medowes in which the two Bulls were at the first found fighting (which we now call the Castle Medowes) per∣petually as a Common to the Butchers of the Town (after the first grasse is eaten) to keepe their Ca••tle in till the time of slaughter: Upon this Condition, that as upon that Day on which this sport first began, which was (as J said before) that day Sixe weekes be∣fore Christmas) the Butchers of the town should from time to time yearly for ever, find a mad Bull for the continuance of that sport.

An ominous thing to the Towne, for some of the Lords of the same of his succession (though not of his Descent) have since upon their hornes of greatnesse, tossed the best of the Burgesses out of their gownes, and why? Because the Burgesses were no•• Foxes, o∣therwise they would not have suffered themselves to have been so abused by such Buls, whose eare•• were longer then their hornes.

And so much for the sports of Stamford.