or rake, stallion, subs. phr. (old).—A common whoremaster, wencher, MUTTON-MONGER (q.v.) (B. E. and GROSE). [NARES: it was formerly the custom to keep a bull for common town use.] Hence, ‘AS LAWLESS AS A TOWN-BULL’ (RAY) = ‘one that rides all the women he meets’ (B. E.); and TOWN-HUSBAND = a parish officer whose duty it was to collect bastardy fees.

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  1611.  CHAPMAN, May-Day, iii. 1. Ho. TOWN-BULL government; do you not mean so, sir? Lod. Do you imagine he went about stealing of city venison?

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  1630.  TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes [NARES].

        This piece of Officer, this nasty patch,
(Whose vnderstanding sleepes out many a Watch)
Ran like a TOWNE BULL, roaring vp and downe,
Saying that we had meant to fire the towne.

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  1636.  DAVENANT, The Platonic Lovers, iv. 1. My son hath turned … from a tame soldier to a TOWN BULL.

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  1664.  BUTLER, Hudibras, II. i.

        This made the beauteous Queen of Crete
To take a TOWN-BULL for her sweet.

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  1681.  A. RADCLIFFE, Ovid Travestie, 116.

        What think you, Lady, of your Father Iove?
Shew me a TOWN-BULL has been more in Love.

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  1681.  N. LEE, The Princess of Cleve, ii. 3. Believe me, Sir, in a little time you’ll be nick’d the TOWN-BULL.

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  1711.  SWIFT, The Examiner, No. 30, 22 Feb. Lewdness and intemperance are not of so bad consequences in the TOWN-RAKE as in a divine.

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  TO ROAR LIKE A TOWN-BULL, verb. phr. (old).—‘To cry, or bellow aloud’ (GROSE).

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