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Dec 8, 2009
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Dictionary of Phrase and Fable—R

Rat, Cat, and Dog

The Rat, the Cat, and Lovell the Dog,
Rule all England under the hog.

The Rat, i.e. Rat-cliff; the Cat, i.e. Cat-esby; and Lovel the dog, is Francis, Viscount Lovel, the king's “spaniel.” The hog or boar was the crest of Richard III. William Collingham, the author of this rhyme (1413), was put to death for his pregnant wit.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
Rat-killer
Rat
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More on Cat and Dog Rat from Infoplease:

  • Rat, Cat, and Dog - Rat, Cat, and Dog The Rat, the Cat, and Lovell the Dog, Rule all England under the hog. The Rat, ...
  • Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: R - Definitions, origins, and illustrative excerpts for words, phases, and literary allusions starting with "R"
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