Pastimes and Players

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Chatto and Windus, 1881 - Games - 203 pages

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Page 77 - No sooner has he touched the flying ball, But 'tis already more than half the mall; And such a fury from his arm has got, As from a smoking culverin 'twere shot.
Page 121 - This is a game played in several parts of England even at this time. A stake is fixed into the ground ; those who play throw loggats at it, and he that is nearest the stake wins...
Page 192 - They put all the bits of the cake into a bonnet. Every one, blindfold, draws out a portion. He who holds the bonnet is entitled to the last bit. Whoever draws the black bit, is the devoted person who is to be sacrificed to Baal, whose favour they implore in rendering the year productive of the sustenance of man and beast.
Page 104 - ... common grounds, our archers, for want of room to shoot abroad, creep into bowling alleys, and ordinary dicing houses, nearer home, where they have room enough to hazard their money at unlawful games ; and there I leave them to take their pleasures *. HONOUR OF CITIZENS, AND WORTHINESS OP MEN IN THE SAME.
Page 57 - ... purposely to grace him and consequently the solemnity. Dover was constantly there in person well mounted and accoutred, and was the chief director and manager of those games frequented by the nobility and gentry (some of whom came...
Page 194 - This I give to thee, preserve thou my horses ; this to thee, preserve thou my sheep ; and so on.' After that, they use the same ceremony to the noxious animals : ' This I give to thee, O fox ! spare thou my lambs ; this to thee, O hooded crow ! this to thee, O eagle...
Page 4 - The losse or thine, or mine. If thou, my Deere, a winner be At trundling of the Ball, The wager thou shalt have, and me, And my misfortunes all.
Page 12 - I can't say I am sorry I was never quite a schoolboy : an expedition against bargemen, or a match at cricket, may be very pretty things to recollect ; but, thank my stars, I can remember things that are very near as pretty.
Page 82 - Here could be seen in one moving mass, extending the whole length of the Mall, five thousand of the most lovely women in this country of female beauty, all splendidly attired, and accompanied by as many welldressed men.
Page 88 - overtaken by one of the opposite party ; and then, if he could shake himself loose from those on the opposite side who seized him, he...

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