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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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bear-baiting
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The baiting of both bears and bulls with *mastiffs was a popular entertainment in England in the 17–18C. The baited animal was usually tethered to a post. The London theatres of the time, of which the *Globe is the best-known example, had the form of an enclosed ring perfectly suited to animal baiting. A bear garden, later to become a synonym for unruly violence, was merely the term for any such place where the sport could be enjoyed. The baiting of animals was not banned by law in Britain until 1835.
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