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Hi Peter. I think Barbara is referring to the royal menagerie in the Tower of London?--it was there from a fairly early date, but I don't believe I have a reference in the civic records (though that doesn't mean there aren't early references elsewhere) as early as the 13thC. Bears may have been used in wild animal fights and hunts in the Roman amphitheatre in London in the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. A bear bone has been found in the amphitheatre remains. Anne Barbara D. Palmer wrote: > Peter, the earliest I have of bears/bearwards in the REED West Riding & > Derbyshire records is first quarter 16th century, but by way of tracking > down an errant camel, I found a much earlier polar bear (well, it was > white > and furry) in the king's menagerie, who regularly swam in the Thames for > relief from the London swelter. I wouldn't reject your date out of hand: > "exotic" animals were indeed brought over early on. Some of them even > married quite well. > Barbara Palmer > University of Mary Washington > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter Greenfield" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 7:05 PM > Subject: 13th century performing bears? > > >> Dear REED-Lers: >> I've just come across a reference to an entry in the Winchester >> Pipe Rolls >> from 1265-6 that mentions 12d spent "pro urso passand' ad comitissam." >> The >> historian who mentions this suspects that scribal error is involved, but >> perhaps some countess the bishop of Winchester knew actually did want a >> bear? I haven't found any reference to bears or bearwards earlier than >> the >> 15th century in a quick trawl through the REED volumes I have on my >> shelf. Does anyone else know of such an early bear record? What do you >> think of this? >> Peter Greenfield >> University of Puget Sound > >