John Clare lived from 1798 to 1864. This work shows that the practice of badger baiting was a public spectacle in the first half of the 19th century, and it describes what was involved.
When midnight comes a host of dogs and men
Go out and track the badger to his den
And put a sack within the hole and lye
Till the old grunting badger passes bye
He comes and hears they let the strongest loose
The old fox hears the noise and drops the goose
The poacher shoots and hurrys from the cry
And the old hare half wounded buzzes bye
They get a forked stick and bore him down
And clapt the dogs and bore him to the town
