CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE

v-vi

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

xiii-xi

INTRODUCTION

A GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE POPULAR SPORTS, PASTIMES, AND MILITARY GAMES, TOGETHER WITH THE VARIOUS SPECTACLES OF MIRTH OR SPLENDOUR, EXHIBITED PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY, FOR THE SAKE OF AMUSEMENT, AT DIFFERENT PERIODS IN ENGLAND.

Object of the Work, to describe the Pastimes and trace their Origin--The Romans in Britain--The Saxons--The Normans--Tournaments and Jousts--Other Sports of the Nobility, and the Citizens and Yeomen--Knightly Accomplishments--Esquireship--Military Sports patronised by the Ladies--Decline of such Exercises and of Chivalry--Military Exercises under Henry the Seventh and under Henry the Eighth--Princely Exercises under James the First--Revival of Learning--Recreations of the Sixteenth Century--Old Sports of the Citizens of London--Modern Pastimes of the Londoners--Cotswold and Cornish Games--Splendour of the ancient Kings and Nobility--Royal and noble Entertainments--Civic Shows--"Merry England"--Setting out of Pageants--Processions of Queen Mary and King Philip of Spain in London--Chester Pageants--Public Shows of the Sixteenth Century--Queen Elizabeth at Kenelworth Castle--The Master of the Revels--Rope-dancing, tutored Animals, and Puppet-shows--Minstrelsy, Bell-ringing, etc.--Baiting of Animals--Pastimes formerly on Sundays--Royal Interference with them--Dice and Cards--Regulation of Gaming for Money by Richard Cœur de Lion, etc.--Statutes against Cards, Ball-play, etc.--Archery succeeded by Bowling--Modern Gambling--Ladies' Pastimes: Needlework--Dancing and Chess-play--Ladies' Recreations in the Fourteenth Century--The Author's Labours--Character of the Engravings

xv-lv

BOOK I

RURAL EXERCISES PRACTISED BY PERSONS OF RANK

CHAPTER I

State of Hunting among the Britons--The Saxons expert in Hunting--The Danes also--The Saxons subsequently--The Normans--Their tyrannical Proceedings--Hunting and Hawking after the Conquest--Laws relating to Hunting and Hawking followed by the Clergy--The Manner in which the dignified Clergy in the Middle Ages pursued these Pastimes--The English Ladies fond of these Sports--Privileges of the Citizens of London to Hunt--Private Privileges for Hunting--Two Treatises on Hunting considered--Names of Beasts to be hunted--Wolves--Wild Boars--Fox and Badger--Wild Cat and Marten--Otter--Dogs for Hunting--Royal Hunting--Hare Coursing--Terms used in Hunting--Times when to Hunt--Later Hunting Treatises

1-20

CHAPTER II

Hawking practised by the Nobility--Its Origin not well known--A favourite Amusement with the Saxons--Romantic Story relative to Hawking--Grand Falconer of France, his State and Privileges--Edward III. partial to Hawking--Saxon Hawking--Ladies fond of Hawking--Its Decline--Caparison of a Hawk--Treatises concerning Hawking--Laws respecting Hawks--Their great Value--The different Species of Hawks, and their Appropriation--Terms used in Hawking--Fowling and Fishing--The Stalking Horse--Lowbelling

21-31

CHAPTER III

Horse racing known to the Saxons--Races in Smithfield, and why--Races, at what Seasons practised--The Chester Races--Stamford Races--Value of Running-horses--Highly prized by the Poets, etc.--Horse-racing commended as a liberal Pastime--Charles II. and other monarchs encouragers of Horse-racing--Races on Coleshill-heath--Corporation Races and later

32-38

p. x

PAGE

BOOK II

RURAL EXERCISES GENERALLY PRACTISED

CHAPTER I

The English famous for their Skill in Archery--The Use of the Bow known to the Saxons and the Danes--Form of the Saxon Bow, etc.--Norman Archery--The Ladies fond of Archery--Observations relative to the Cross-Bow--Its Form, and the Manner in which it was used--Bows ordered to be kept--The Decay of Archery, and why--Ordinances in its Favour--The Fraternity of St George established--Henry VIII. an Archer--The Price of Bows--Equipment for Archery--Directions for its Practice--The Marks to shoot at--The Length of the Bow and Arrows--Extraordinary Performances of the Archers--The modern Archers inferior to the ancient in long Shooting--The Duke of Shoreditch, why so called--Grand Procession of the London Archers--Archery a Royal Sport--A good Archer, why called Arthur--Archery at Buxton--Elizabethan Archers--Archery in the Civil War--Sir William Wood--The Artillery Company--The Toxophilites

39-58

CHAPTER II

Slinging of Stones an Ancient Art--Known to the Saxons--And the Normans--How practised of late Years--Throwing of Weights and Stones with the Hand--By the Londoners--Casting of the Bar and Hammer--Of Spears--Of Quoits--Swinging of Dumb Bells--Foot Races--The Game of Base--Wrestling much practised formerly--Prizes for--How performed--Sir Thomas Parkyns--Hippas--Swimming--Sliding--Skating--Rowing--Sailing

59-79

CHAPTER III

Hand-ball an ancient Game--Used by the Saxons--And by the Schoolboys of London--Ball Play in France--Hand Tennis or Fives--Fives in Church and Churchyard--Tennis--Tennis Courts erected--Tennis fashionable in England--Killed by a Tennis Ball--London Tennis Courts in 1615--Origin of Tennis Courts--Tennis in Monasteries--Rackets--Lawn Tennis--Balloon-ball--Hurling--Hockey--Camp-ball--Football--Golf--Cricket--Cricket on Horseback--Trap-ball and Knur and Spell

80-104

BOOK III

PASTIMES USUALLY EXERCISED IN TOWNS AND CITIES, OR PLACES ADJOINING TO THEM

CHAPTER I

Tournament a general Name for several Exercises--The Quintain an ancient Military Exercise--Various Kinds of the Quintain--Derivation of the Term--The Water Quintain--Running at the Quintain practised by the Citizens of London; and why--The Manner in which it was performed--Exhibited for the Pastime of Queen Elizabeth--Tilting at a Water Butt--The Human Quintain--Exercises probably derived from it--Running at the Ring--Difference between the Tournaments and the Jousts--Origin of the Tournament--The Troy Game; the Bohordicum or Cane Game--Derivation of Tournament; How the Exercise was performed--Lists and Barriers--When the Tournament was first practised--When first in England--Its Laws and Ordinances--Pages, and Perquisites of the Kings at Arms, etc.--Preliminaries of the Tournament--Lists for Ordeal Combats--Respect paid to the Ladies--Jousts less honourable than Tournaments--The Round Table--Nature of the Jousts--Made in Honour of the Fair Sex--Great Splendour of these Pastimes; The Nobility partial to them--Toys for initiating their Children in them--Boat Jousts, or Tilting on the Water--Challenges to all corners

105-129

CHAPTER II

Ancient Plays--Miracle Plays, Dramas from Scripture, etc., continued several days--The Coventry Play--Mysteries described--How enlivened--The "Pageant" or Stage--Cornish Miracle Plays--Moralities described--Secular Plays--Interludes--Chaucer's Definition of the Tragedies of his Time--Plays on Holy Days--Royal Companies of Players--The Puritans--Court Plays--Play in honour of the Princess Mary's Marriage--The Play of Hock-Tuesday--Decline of Secular Plays--Sir Miles Stapleton and Yorkshire Players--Origin of Puppet Plays--Nature of the Performances--Giants and other Puppet Characters--Puppet Plays superseded by Pantomimes--The modern Puppet-show Man--Moving Pictures described

130-147

p. xi

PAGE

CHAPTER III

The British Bards--The Northern Scalds--The Anglo-Saxon Gleemen--The Nature of their Performances--A Royal Player with three Darts--Bravery of a Minstrel in the Conqueror's Army--Other Performances by Gleemen--The Harp an Instrument of Music much used by the Saxons--Harpers at Durham--The Norman Minstrels, and their different Denominations and Professions--Troubadours--Jestours--Tales and Manners of the Jesters--Further Illustration of their Practices--Patronage, Privileges, and Excesses of the Minstrels--A Guild of Minstrels--Abuses and Decline of Minstrelsy--Minstrels were Satirists and Flatterers--Anecdotes of offending Minstrels, Women Minstrels--The Dress of the Minstrels--The King of the Minstrels, why so called--Rewards given to Minstrels--Payments to Minstrels--Durham Minstrels and Players--Minstrels at Parish Festivals

148-166

CHAPTER IV

The Joculator--His different Denominations and extraordinary Deceptions--His Performances ascribed to Magic--Asiatic Jugglers--Remarkable Story from Froissart--Tricks of the Jugglers ascribed to the Agency of the Devil; but more reasonably accounted for--John Rykell, a celebrated Tregetour--Their various Performances--Privileges of the Joculators at Paris--The King's Joculator an officer of Rank--The great Disrepute of modern Jugglers

167-173

CHAPTER V

Dancing, Tumbling, and Balancing, part of the Joculator's Profession--Performed by Women--Dancing connected with Tumbling--Antiquity of Tumbling--Various Dances described--The Gleemen's Dances--Exemplification of Gleemen's Dances--The Sword Dance--Rope-Dancing and wonderful Performances on the Rope--Rope-Dancing from the Battlements of St Paul's--Rope-Dancing from St Paul's Steeple--Rope-Dancing from All Saint's Church, Hertford--Rope-Dancing from All Saint's, Derby--A Dutchman's Feats on St Paul's Weathercock--Jacob Hall the Rope-Dancer--Modern celebrated Rope-Dancing--Rope-Dancing at Sadler's Wells--Fool's Dance--Morris Dance--Egg Dance--Ladder Dance--Jocular Dances--Wire-Dancing--Ballette Dances--Leaping and Vaulting--Balancing--Remarkable Feats--The Posture-Master's Tricks--The Mountebank--Domestic Dancing--The Pavone--Antiquity of Dancing--The Carole Dance

174-194

CHAPTER VI

Animals, how tutored by the Jugglers--Tricks performed by Bears--Tricks performed by Apes and Monkeys--Bears in Britain--Tricks by Horses in the thirteenth Century--In Queen Anne's Reign--Origin of the Exhibitions at Astley's, the Circus, etc.--Dancing Dogs--The Hare beating a Tabor, and learned Pig--A Dancing Cock--The Deserter Bird--Imitations of Animals--Mummings and Masquerades--Mumming to Royal Personages--Partial Imitations of Animals--The Horse in the Morris-dance--Counterfeit Voices of Animals--Animals trained for Baiting--Paris Garden--Bull and Bear-baiting patronised by Royalty--How performed--Bears and Bear-wards--Baiting in Queen Anne's time--Recent Bull-baiting--Bull-running at Tutbury and Stamford--The Masters of Defence--Pepys on Prize-play--Public Sword-play--Quarter-staff

195-215

CHAPTER VII

Ancient Specimens of Bowling--Poem on Bowling--Bowling-greens first made by the English--Bowling-alleys--Long-bowling--Gaming at Bowls--Charles I. and Charles II. fond of Bowls--Supposed Origin of Billiards--Kayles--Closh--Loggats--Nine-pins--Skittles--Dutch-pins--Four-corners--Half-bowl--Nine-holes--Trout in Madame--John Bull--Pitch and Hustle--Cock-fighting--Cock-fighting in nineteenth Century--Throwing at Cocks--Duck-hunting--Squirrel-hunting

216-228

BOOK IV

DOMESTIC AMUSEMENTS OF VARIOUS KINDS; AND PASTIMES APPROPRIATED TO PARTICULAR SEASONS

CHAPTER I

Secular Music fashionable--Ballad-singers encouraged by the Populace--Music Houses--Introduction of the Harpsichord--Origin of Vauxhall--Ranelagh--Sadler's Wells--Marybone Gardens--Operas--Oratorios--Bell-ringing--Its Antiquity--Hand-bells--Burlesque Music--Shovel-board--Billiards--French Billiards--Trucks--Mississipi--The Rocks of Scilly--Shove-groat--Swinging--Tetter-totter--Shuttle-cock

229-244

p. xii

PAGE

CHAPTER II

Sedentary Games--Dice-playing--Its Prevalency and bad Effects--Ancient Dice-box--Dicing Games without Tables--Dicing Games within Tables--Backgammon--Its former and present estimation--Chess--Its Antiquity--The Morals of Chess--Early Chess-play in France and England--The Chess-Board--The Pieces and their Form--The various Games of Chess--Ancient Games similar to Chess--The Philosopher's Game--Draughts, French and Polish--Merelles, or Nine Men's Morris--Boy-Games in Cloisters--Fox and Geese--The Solitary Game--Dominoes--Cards--When Invented--Card-playing in England--Primero and Maw--Ombre--Whist and other Games--Ancient Cards--The Game of Goosé--and of the Snake--Cross and Pile

245-266

CHAPTER III

The Lord of Misrule said to be peculiar to the English--A Court Officer--The Master of the King's Revels--The Lord of Misrule and his Conduct reprobated--The King of Christmas--of the Cockneys--A King of Christmas at Norwich--The King of the Bean--Whence originated--Christmastide in Charles I. Reign--The Boy-Bishop--Plough Monday--Shrove Tuesday--Easter Game--Hock-Tide--May-Games--The Lord and Lady of the May--Grand May-Game at Greenwich--Royal May-Game at Shooter's-hill--May Poles--May Milk-Maids--May Festival of the Chimney Sweepers--Whitsun-Games--Lamb Ale--The Vigil of Saint John the Baptist, how kept--Its supposed origin--Setting of the Midsummer Watch--Processions on Saint Clement's and Saint Catherine's day--Wassails--Sheep-shearing and Harvest-home--Wakes--Sunday Festivals--Church Ales--Funds raised by Church Ales--Fairs, and their diversions and abuses--Bonfires--Illuminations--Fireworks--Books on Fireworks--A Fiery Drake or Fiery Kite--London Fireworks--Fire-works on Tower-hill--at Public Gardens, and in Pageants

267-299

CHAPTER IV

Popular manly Pastimes imitated by Children--Horses--Racing and Chacing--Wrestling and other Gymnastic Sports--Marbles and Span-counter--Tops, etc.--The Devil among the Tailors--Even or Odd--Chuck-halfpenny--Duck and Drake--Baste and Bear--Hunt the Slipper, etc.--Sporting with Insects--Kites--Windmills--Bob-cherry--Hoodman-blind--Hot-cockles--Cock-fighting--Anonymous Pastimes--Mock Honours at Boarding Schools--Houses of Cards--Questions and Commands--Handy-dandy--Snap-dragon--Push-pin--Crambo--Lotteries--Creag--Queke-board, and other minor games

309-313