turnspits

The second sort of them are called turnspits, whose office is not unknown to any.

Chronicle and Romance (The Harvard Classics Series) Thomas Malory Jean Froissart

The second sort of them are called turnspits, whose office is not unknown to any.

Of Our English Dogs and Their Qualities. Chapter XV. [1577, Book III., Chapter 13; 1587, Book III., Chapter 7 1909

As you know, they used to have in England little dogs called turnspits, trained to turn a wheel for this purpose.

Autobiography of Seventy Years, Vol. 1-2 George Frisbie Hoar 1865

'turnspits' which were introduced into this country by Prince Albert.

Queen Victoria E. Gordon Browne

He is more suited, sir knight, to dine with your turnspits. '

King Arthur's Knights The Tales Re-told for Boys & Girls Henry Gilbert

Others again describe him as "a cooking animal," but while dogs can act as turnspits, and monkeys can roast chestnuts, he cannot claim this lofty epithet as peculiarly his own; besides, some savages have been found so degraded as to be unacquainted with the use of fire.

Holidays at the Grange or A Week's Delight Games and Stories for Parlor and Fireside Emily Mayer Higgins

"No, madame," I said, without appearing irritated; "in Paris, such an excuse as that is quite inadmissible, and since you associate with turnspits, pray ask your cooks, and they will tell you."

Court Memoirs of France Series — Complete Various

Courtiers, footmen, lackeys, turnspits even, were forever sending him off on ridiculous errands.

The Firelight Fairy Book Henry Beston 1928

And as these are only reserved for this purpose, so in many places our mastiffs (beside the use which tinkers have of them in carrying their heavy budgets) are made to draw water in great wheels out of deep wells, going much like unto those which are framed for our turnspits, as is to be seen at Roiston, where this feat is often practised.

Of Our English Dogs and Their Qualities. Chapter XV. [1577, Book III., Chapter 13; 1587, Book III., Chapter 7 1909

The loins of one animal were cooking on turnspits and a big pot of beef, onions and potatoes boiling over the fire when

In the Days of Poor Richard Irving Bacheller 1904