Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3) / Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863

by Henry Downes Miles

II.

With alternate advantage two trials had past,

When they fought out the rubber on Wednesday last;

To see such a contest, the house was quite full,

There hardly was room to thrust in your skull.

With a prelude of cudgels we first were saluted,

And two or three shoulders were handsomely fluted,

Till, weary at last with inferior disasters,

All the company cried, “The Masters! the Masters!”

III.