ADDENDA
MIDNIGHT CHASE OF A BULL BY PROFESSOR WILSON.
THOMAS DE QUINCEY.
Represent to yourself the earliest dawn of a fine summer's morning, time about half-past two o'clock. A young man, anxious for an introduction to Mr. Wilson, and as yet pretty nearly a stranger to the country, has taken up his abode in Grasmere, and has strolled out at this early hour to that rocky and moorish common (called the White Moss) which overhangs the Vale of Rydal, dividing it from Grasmere. Looking southwards in the direction of Rydal, suddenly he becomes aware of a huge beast advancing at a long trot, with the heavy and thundering tread of a hippopotamus, along the public road. The creature is soon arrived within half a mile of his station; and by the grey light of morning is at length made out to be a bull, apparently flying from some unseen enemy in his rear. As yet, however, all is mystery; but suddenly three horsemen double a turn in the road, and come flying into sight with the speed of a hurricane, manifestly in pursuit of the fugitive bull. The bull labours to navigate his huge bulk to the moor, which he reaches, and then pauses panting and blowing out clouds of smoke from his nostrils, to look back from his station amongst rocks and slippery crags upon his hunters. If he had conceited that the rockiness of the ground had secured his repose, the foolish bull is soon undeceived; the horsemen, scarcely relaxing their speed, charge up the hill, and speedily gaining the rear of the bull, drive him at a gallop over the worst part of that impracticable ground down to the level ground below. At this point of time the stranger perceives by the increasing light of the morning that the hunters are armed with immense spears fourteen feet long. With these the bull is soon dislodged, and scouring down to the plain below, he and the hunters at his tail take to the common at the head of the lake, and all, in the madness of the chase, are soon half engulphed in the swamp of the morass. After plunging together for about ten or fifteen minutes all suddenly regain the terra firma, and the bull again makes for the rocks. Up to this moment, there had been the silence of ghosts; and the stranger had doubted whether the spectacle were not a pageant of aërial spectres—ghostly huntsmen, ghostly lances, and a ghostly bull. But just at this crisis, a voice (it was the voice of Mr. Wilson) shouted aloud, "Turn the villain! turn that villain! or he will take to Cumberland." The young stranger did the service required; the villain was turned, and fled southwards; the hunters, lance in rest, rushed after him; all bowed their thanks as they fled past; the fleet cavalcade again took the high road; they doubled the cape which shut them out of sight; and in a moment all had disappeared, and left the quiet valley to its original silence, whilst the young stranger, and two grave Westmorland "statesmen," (who by this time had come into sight upon some accident or other) stood wondering in silence, and saying to themselves, perhaps,
"The earth hath bubbles as the water hath;
And these are of them."
But they were no bubbles; the bull was a substantial bull, and took no harm at all from being turned out occasionally at midnight for a chase of fifteen or eighteen miles. The bull, no doubt, used to wonder at this nightly visitation; and the owner of the bull must sometimes have pondered a little on the draggled state in which the swamps would now and then leave his beast; but no other harm came of it.
INDEX.
Abbot, Joseph, Bampton, and Tom "Dyer," [165],
and Weightman, [190], [198]
"A bit iv a lad stept oot of a corner o' the ring," [202]
Alston town, description of, [135]
" wrestlers, [135]
Arlecdon moor wrestling meetings, [68]
Armstrong, "Solid Yak," [131], [143], [151]
Armstrong, Jacob, thrown by Weightman, [199]
Ashburner, Tom, Grasmere, and Roan Long, [92]
Atkinson, Robert, Sleagill giant, [8]
Badgers and Badger Baiting, [235]
" at Naworth, [236]
Balmer, John, nearly drowned in Windermere, [78]
Bateman, William, Yottenfews, [176]
Barrow, John, Windermere, [77]
Bedlington terriers, [241]
Best, George, Yarrow, [xliv]
Bewick, Thomas, and his Ainstable cousin, [14],
bull baiting, [222]
Bigg, John Stanyan, quotation from, [134]
Bird, George, Langwathby, [33]
" Joseph, Holme Wrangle, [66], [71], [72]
Border wrestling at Miles end, [xlv]
Bowstead, John, brother to Bishop of Lichfield, [32]
Bridewain or Bidden Weddings, [15]
Brown, Rev. Abraham, wrestler, [63]
Brunskill, George, and William Wilson, [185]
Bull Baiting, [219]
Bull-dogs and Bull-terriers, [240]
Burns, Arthur, Ullater, and Roan Long, [92], [175]
Caldbeck, familiar name at, [157]
Carlisle wrestling, list of men who contended at first annual meeting, [107]
Cass, William, and Tom Todd, [171],
and Weightman, [184], [203], [204]
Casson, Robert, Oxenpark, [177]
Chapman, Richard, [33], [146], [167]
Christopherson, Brian, Oxenpark, [176]
Clark, William, Hesket-new-market, [153], [160]
"Clattan," (see Mc.Laughlan)
Cock-fighting prohibited by the Puritans, [xxvii]
Cock-fighting at Elleray and Alston, [142]
"Cork lad of Kentmere," [3]
Cornish wrestling, [xxv], [xxviii]
Cromwell, Oliver, at a wrestling meeting, [xxvii]
Crow park, Keswick, [179]
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, ancient, [1]
Dandie Dinmont terriers, [241]
Dennison, George, [141]
" thrown by William Dickinson, [140],
sets a dislocated shoulder in the Carlisle ring, [144]
Devonshire wrestling, [xxv], [xxviii]
Dickinson, William, [135]
Dixon, Miles, [74]
" James, [84]—[103]
" George, "aw t' Dixons errant doon yet," [85]
"Dixon's three jumps," [13]
Dobson, John, Cliburn, [24], [163]
Dodd, Adam, Langwathby, [24], [28], [32], [64]
Dodd, Robert, Brough, [7]
"Doon on ye'r knees, fadder, an' boo like a bull," [222]
Eals, Sarah, Alston, a shrew, [140]
Earl, John, Cumwhitton, [120], [160]
Earl, William, and "Clattan," [212], [214]
English wrestling, old, [xxiv]
Faulds Brow sports, [56]
Fawcett, James, [36]—[24]
Fearon, John, Gilcrux, [171], [172]
Fidler, John, Wythop hall, [67]
Ford, T., Ravenglass, [56], and Weightman, [189], [190]
Forster Brothers, the, of Penton, [168], [193]
Foxes and Badgers fraternising, [237]
"Fwok sud aye be menseful, an' menseful amang fwok," [206]
"Gwordie Maut" and Weightman, [192]
Gibson, Alexander Craig, "Folk Speech of Cumberland," [97]
Golightly, Thomas, Alston, [24], [129]
Graham, Sir James—black mare, [187]
Graham, James, and Weightman, [193], [199],
throws "Clattan," [210]
Graham, Harry, [116]—[66]
Grecian wrestling, ancient, [ix]
Gretna fight, the—Carter and Oliver, [173]
Harrison, Thomas, Blencow, [10]
" John, New Church, [54], [143]
" John, Lowick, "Checky," [175]
Herdwick sheep, [58]
High street mountain, sports on, [11]
Hodgson, Tom,—quarrel with Weightman, [197],
throws "Clattan," [210]
Hogg, James, Ettrick Shepherd, [xxxviii]
Holmes, John, King of Mardale, [32]
Holmes, John, tailor, [93]
"Hoo 'at thoo let him hipe the' i' that stupid fashion?" [183]
Howard, Mr. Philip, Corby Castle, and Weightman, [197]
Howell, Edward, Greystoke, [184]
Huddleston, Mr. Andrew, [10]
"If thoo says Clattan isn't a gud russler," [182]
Indian wrestling, [xviii]
Irish wrestling, [xlvi]
Irishmen, two, and Tom Nicholson, [111]
Irving, George, [204], [210], [212]
"I's nobbut shy—I's nobbut varra shy," [206]
Jackson, Joseph, sickle maker, [176]
Jameson, Samuel, Penrith, [54], [145], [159]
" William, [34]
Japanese wrestling, [xii],
contrasted with Northern English, [xvii]
Jordan, John, Great Salkeld, [117]
"Jwohn Barleycworn's ruin't mony a gud heart," [206]
"Keg," the Keswick bully, [111]
Langwathby Rounds, [27]
Liddle, John, Bothel, [171], [209]
Litt, William, [61];
and William Richardson, [50],
and Miles Dixon, [83],
describes Weightman, [195]
Little, John, facetious letter on Carlisle ring, [196]
Long, Rowland, [90]—[51], [179]
Long John, [96]
—throws Tom Nicholson, [104]
Longmire, Thomas, [93]
Lonsdale, Earl of, patronizes the wrestling ring, [149]
Lowthian, Isaac, Plumpton, [34]
Lowden, Charles, challenged, [58]
" John, Keswick, [67], [96], [104], [138], [145]
Mackereth, William, [115]—[96],
and "Clattan," [215]
"Marcy, Jwohn! is that thee?" [173]
Marshall, the forgeman, at Sparkbridge, [176], [177]
Mason, Isaac, Croglin, [29], [32], [182]
Maughan, Isaac, Alston, [25]
Mc.Donald, Anthony, Appleby, [33], [34]
Mc.Laughlan, John, [208]—[110], [153],
and William Wilson, [181],
and Weightman, [203]
Melmerby Rounds, [20]
Michie, Robert, Hawick, [xliii]
Miles End athletic Border games, [xlv]
Morton, Thomas, Gale, [25], [33]
" Joseph, Gale, [26]
Mulcaster, Richard, on the art of "wrastling," [5]
Muncaster bridge, "built by men from Grasmere," [86]
Nanny, Louis, Haltwhistle, [171]
Nicholson, Matthias, Penruddock, [11]
Nicholson, Thomas, [99]
—thrown by Miles Dixon, [83],
match with Harry Graham, [117]
Nicholson, John, [46], [100], [109]
"Noo, lads, I've clear'd rooad for yee," [92]
Olympic games, [ix]
"Owther the coo back, or the brass to pay for't," [205]
Parker, John, Sparkgate, [54]
" Joseph, Crooklands, [75]
Parkyns, Sir Thomas, treatise on wrestling, [xxviii],
rules and conditions, xxxii
Parkyns, Sir Thomas.
Some account of his life, [xxxiii]
" and Professor Wilson, similarity between, [xxxvii]
Pearson, Henry, great upholder of wrestling, [106], [161], [199]
Pearson, Shepherd—a curious bet, [49]
Peart, Cuthbert, and Jemmy Fawcett, [40]
Peat, Thomas, Blencow, [24], [32], [194]
Pocklington, Mr., and Keswick regatta, [179]
Pooley, Ralph, Longlands, [35]
Powley, Miss, "Echoes of Old Cumberland," [20], [27], [155]
Puritan anathema against Cumberland and Westmorland, [2]
Pythian games, [ix]
Relph, Rev. Josiah, quotation from, [242]
Reminiscences of West Cumberland, by William Dickinson, [236]
Richardson, John, Staffield hall, [130]
Richardson, John, Caldbeck, and Scotch rebels, [158]
Richardson, Lady, Lancrigg, [87]
Richardson, Thomas, "the Dyer," [156]
" and Tom Todd, [168], [169],
and William Wilson, [180]
Richardson, William, Caldbeck, [43]
" [118], and Dennison, [147],
and William Wilson, [183]
Ridley, Tom, "the glutton," and Tom Nicholson, [112], [138],
and Weightman, [191]
Robinsons of Cunsey, and Roan Long, [94]
Robinson, James, [149]-195, [209]
Robinson of Renwick, [212]
" Jonathan, Allerby, [214]
Robley, John, Scarrowmannock, [24]
" Joseph, Scarrowmannock, [56]
Rodgers, Jonathan, Brotherelkeld, [75]
Routledge of "Clockymill," [189]
Rowantree, Robert, [126]-54
Salmon poaching in the Derwent, [113]
Savage of Bolton, [143]
Scotland, wrestling in, [xxxviii]
Scott, Sir Walter, at St. Ronans games, [xxxviii]
Scott, James, Canonbie, [119]
Scougal, George, Innerleithen, [xl]
Selkirk, John, Beckermet, throws "Clattan," [215]
Skulls of Calgarth, [97]
Slee, William, Dacre, [139], [152], [159]
Snow storm of 1807, great, [133]
Spedding, John, Egremont, [147]
Stagg, John, blind bard, [15]
Stamper, George, Underskiddaw, [110]
"Standback," assumed name for trail hounds, [172]
"Stangings" at Langwathby, [30]
Steadman, George, Drybeck, [35]
Stephenson, Thomas, and Jemmy Fawcett, [41]
Stone Carr, ancient sports at, [8]
Taylor, Benjamin, bone setter, [141]
Thompson, Joseph, Caldbeck, [33]
Thompson, Teasdale, High Rotherup, [23]
Thwaites, William, and Professor Wilson, [177]
Tinling, Dr., Warwick bridge, [189]
Tinnian, Job, Holme Cultram, [47]
Todd, "Brandy," Wigton, [48]
Todd, Tom, Knarsdale, [167]—[160], [161]
Trail Hounds, [172]
Turkey, wrestling match in, [xxi]
Ward, William, North Tyne, [128]
Watson, Jonathan, [184], [193], [194], [210]
Weardale wrestlers, [136]
Weightman, John, [186]—[160], [171]
" and Tom "Dyer," [165],
and William Wilson, [184],
and "Clattan," [211]
Westmorland and Cumberland wrestling, ancient, [1]
"What's t'e gaen to mak' o' yon 'an, Tom?" [166]
"When a bit iv a tailyer can thrā' me," [93]
Whitfield, "Pakin," [38]
Wilson, William, [175]-55, [88], [163]
Wilson, William, "Wicked Will" of Grasmere, [177]
Wilson, Professor, and Sir Thos. Parkyns, similarity between, [xxxvii]
" on the wrestling at Carlisle, [18],
fracas with Tom Nicholson, [104]
" Midnight chase of a bull, [244]
" [78], [81], [83]
Windermere lake, wrestling on frozen surface of, [14]
Woodall, John, Gosforth, [8]
Wrestling on St. Bartholomew's day, [xxv]
" and riots near the Hospitall of Matilde, [xxvi]
Wrestling match for £1000, [xxviii]
" not a Scotch game, [xliv]
Wright, Wilfrid, and Tom "Dyer," [166]
"Wully! we sud beàth been weel bray't," [148]