"
We also had in this county as good tumblers as anywhere in the nation.
Martial speakes of the tumblers:-
"Non sibi sed domino venatur vertagus acer,
Ill?sum leporem qui tibi dente feret" -
Turnebus, Young, Gerard, Vossius, and Janus Ulitius, all consenting
that the name and dog came together from Gallia Belgica. Dr. Caldicot
told me that in Wilton library there was a Latine poeme (a
manuscript), wrote about Julius Caesar's time, where was mention of
tumblers, and that they were found no where but in Britaine. I ask'd
him if 'twas not Gratius; he told me no. Quaere, Mr. Chr. Wace, if he
remembers any such thing? The books are now most lost and gonne:
perhaps 'twas Martial.
Very good horses for the coach are bought out of the teemes in our
hill-countrey. Warminster market is much used upon this account.
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I have not seen so many pied cattle any where as in North Wiltshire.
The country hereabout is much inclined to pied cattle, but commonly
the colour is black or brown, or deep red. Some cow-stealers will
make a hole in a hott lofe newly drawn out of the oven, and putt it on
an oxes horn for a convenient tune, and then they can turn their
softned homes the contrary way, so that the owner cannot swear to his
own beast. Not long before the King's restauration a fellow was hanged
at Tyburn for this, and say'd that he had never come thither if he had
not heard it spoken of in a sermon.
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