Suiting action to the words, still skipping.
Rhyme to time the jumps—
[8] To change from left to right side, crossing a second skipper, is called “Pass the Baker.”
[9] In Marylebone add here, “Bring me up a leg of pork.”
This game might be played by two, three, or more. A small stone of a squarish form, called the “bob,” was placed on a level piece of ground. On this stone each player placed an old button, for buttons were the stakes. A point was fixed several yards from the stone, and a line was drawn. Along this line, “the stance,” the players took their stand, each holding in his hand a small flat stone named “the pitcher.” This stone was thrown so as to strike “the bob” and make the buttons fall on “the pitcher,” or nearer it than “the bob.” The button or buttons that lay nearer “the pitcher” than “the bob” fell to the lot of the player. The second player did the same, but he had to guard against driving any of the buttons nearer the first player’s stone. If a button was nearer his stone than “the bob,” or the first player’s stone, he claimed it. The third player followed the same course if all the buttons had not been won by the two players. If the buttons were not all won at the first throw, the first player had a second chance, and so on till all the buttons were won. If two played, if each won a button, they alternately began, but if one gained the two buttons, the other began. When three played, if one had two for his share he played last in the following game, and the one that had nothing played first. If the players, when three played, were experts, the one whose lot it was to play second, who was called the “poust,” lost heavily, and to be “pousted” was always looked upon as a misfortune, for the reason that the first player often by the first throw gained the whole stake, and then in the following game the last player became the first, and the gainer in the foregoing game became the last. If this player carried off the whole stake, he in the next game took the last place, and the last took the first, and so between the two good players the “poust” had no chance.—Aberdeenshire (Rev. W. Gregor).—See “Buttons.”
Mr. Ballantyne describes the game as played in his young days at Biggar as follows:—Two boys would each select his own side. “First pick” was decided by lot. A third boy took two straws, one shorter than the other, and held them between his finger and thumb in such a way that only equal lengths were visible. Each leader drew a straw. The one who drew the longest had “first pick” of all the intended players, the other leader had the next; alternate choice was then made by them until both sides were complete, and were ranged by their leaders. Then lots were again drawn as to which side should go out first. The side going out had to show the Gig; anything easily carried in the hand sufficed. The “outs” went out from the den twenty or thirty yards, sometimes round the end of a house, to “smuggle the Gig”—that is, to give one of their number the Gig to carry, care being taken that the “ins” did not know who had it. During this time the leader of the ins called “out” in a loud voice—
Outs had all to appear by “Ready” when the chase began. Boundary limits were fixed, beyond which outs could not run and ins could not stand, within a fixed distance of the den. This den was a place marked by a mark or rut in the ground, about four feet by six feet. The outs endeavoured (particularly the one carrying the Gig) to get into the den before any one could catch and “crown” him. The pursued, when caught, was held by the pursuer, his cap taken off, and the palm of the hand was placed on the crown of his head. As he did so the pursuer would say, “Deliver up the Gig.” If he had it not, the pursuer went off after another player. If he had the Gig, and succeeded in getting into the den without being “crowned,” outs won the game; but if the Gig was caught and “crowned,” ins won.
At Fraserburgh the players are divided equally. A spot is marked off, called the Nestie. Any small object known to all is chosen as the Gig. One half of the players receive the Gig and retire, so as not to be seen distinctly by the other half that remains in and near the Nestie. The Gig is concealed on the person of one of the players that retire. When everything is ready those having the Gig move towards the Nestie, and those in the Nestie come to meet them. The aim is to catch the player who has the Gig before reaching the Nestie. If this is done the same players again hide the Gig, but if the Gig is discovered, the players discovering it now hide it.
At Old Aberdeen sides are chosen, then a small article (such as a knife) is made the gig. Then one side, determined by a toss, goes out and smuggles the gig and cries out, “Smuggle the gig.” Then the other side rushes in and tries to catch the one that has the “gig.” If the one that has the gig is free, the same side goes out again.—Rev. W. Gregor.
See “Gegg.”
In Mid-Cornwall, in the second week of June, at St. Roche, and in one or two adjacent parishes, a curious dance is performed at their annual “feasts.” It enjoys the rather undignified name of “Snail Creep,” but would be more properly called the “Serpent’s Coil.” The following is scarcely a perfect description of it:—“The young people being all assembled in a large meadow, the village band strikes up a simple but lively air and marches forward, followed by the whole assemblage, leading hand-in-hand (or more closely linked in case of engaged couples), the whole keeping time to the tune with a lively step. The band, or head of the serpent, keeps marching in an ever-narrowing circle, whilst its train of dancing followers becomes coiled around it in circle after circle. It is now that the most interesting part of the dance commences, for the band, taking a sharp turn about, begins to retrace the circle, still followed as before, and a number of young men, with long leafy branches in their hands as standards, direct this counter movement with almost military precision.”—W. C. Wade (Western Antiquary, April 1881).
A game similar to the above dance is often played by Sunday school children in West Cornwall, at their out-of-door summer treats, called by them “Roll tobacco.” They join hands in one long line, the taller children at their head. The first child stands still, whilst the others in ever-narrowing circles dance around singing until they are coiled into a tight mass. The outer coil then wheels sharply in a contrary direction, followed by the remainder, retracing their steps.—Courtney’s Cornish Feasts and Folk-lore, p. 39. A Scottish game, “Row Chow Tobacco,” described by Jamieson, is played in the same way, the boy at the extremity being called the “Pin.” A clamorous noise succeeds the “winding up,” the players crying out “Row Chow Tobacco” while giving and receiving the fraternal hug. The words are pronounced Rowity-chowity-bacco. The naming of this game in connection with tobacco is curious. It is undoubtedly the same as “Snail Creep.” I am inclined to think that all these games are connected with an ancient form of Tree-worship, and that the analogy of tobacco-rolling is quite modern.
See “Bulliheisle,” “Eller Tree,” “Tuilyie-waps,” “Wind up the Bush Faggot.”
See “Musical Chairs.”
A game similar to “Bob Cherry,” but played with an apple.—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
An undescribed boy’s game mentioned in a statute of Edward III.’s time.—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
—Belfast, Ireland (W. H. Patterson).
The players form a ring and sing the first three verses. Then one of the players chooses a girl from the ring. The first three verses are again sung until the whole ring is arranged in couples; then the first couple kneels in the middle, and the rest dance round them singing the marriage formula; then the second couple, and so on, each couple kissing.
The players knelt in a line; the one at the head, in a very solemn tone, chaunted, “Solomon had a great dog;” the others answered in the same way, “Just so” (this was always the refrain). Then the first speaker made two or three more ridiculous speeches, ending with, “And at last this great dog died, and fell down,” giving at the same time a violent lurch against his next neighbour, who, not expecting it, fell against his, and so on, to the end of the line.—Cornwall (Folk-lore Journal, v. 50).
See “Obadiah,” “Quaker’s Wedding.”
A Lancashire game, very similar to “Hot Peas and Bacon.”—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
A large hole is made in the ground, surrounded by smaller ones, according to the number of the players, every one of whom has a shintie, or hooked stick. The middle hole is called the kirk. He who takes the lead in the game is called the sow-driver. His object is to drive a small piece of wood or bone, called the sow, into the large hole or kirk; while that of his opponents, every one of whom keeps his shintie in one of the smaller holes, is to frustrate his exertions by driving back the sow. If he succeeds, either in knocking it into one of the small holes, while one of his antagonists is in the act of striking it back, he is released from the drudgery of being driver. In the latter case, the person whose vacancy he has occupied takes the servile station which he formerly held.—Lothian (Jamieson). This is said to be the same game with “Church and Mice” in Fife. Jamieson’s description is not very lucid. It appears that each player must hold his shintie with its end in his hole, and it is only when he takes it out to prevent the sow-driver getting his sow into or towards the kirk, that the sow-driver has the chance of putting the sow into the player’s hole, and so causing that player to take the place of sow-driver.
See “Kirk the Gussie.”
A common game among boys. “You shall finde me playing at Span Counter.”—Dekker’s Northward Hoe. Toone, Etymological Dictionary, mentions this as a juvenile game played with counters.
—Donne (Satire iv.).
Dr. Grosart, in noting this passage, says, “I rather think the game is still played by boys when they directly, or by rebound, endeavour to play their button or marble into a hole.” Strutt briefly notes the game as being similar to “Boss Out.”—Sports, p. 384. Halliwell (Dictionary) simply gives the quotation from Donne’s Poems, p. 131, mentioning the game.
See “Boss Out.”
A mode resorted to by boys of measuring distances, particularly at the game of marbles. It means a space and something more.—Brockett’s North Country Words.
A game played by boys with marbles or halfpence. A marble or halfpenny is struck against the wall. If the second player can bring his so near that of his antagonist as to include both within a span, he claims both as his.—Jamieson.
This is the same game as “Banger,” “Boss Out.” Probably the Old English game of “Span Counter,” or “Span Farthing,” was originally the same.—See Johnson’s Dictionary.
A game at marbles played in the eastern parts of England.—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
The same game as “Spangie.”—Keith (Rev. W. Gregor).
The name of a game among children at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. I suspect this is nearly the same with “Hide and Seek.” “I spye” is the usual exclamation at a childish game called “Hie, spy, hie.”—Brand, ii. 442.
A game at marbles, in which they are dropped from the hand in heaps.—Easther’s Almondbury Glossary.
An old game (undescribed) mentioned in the play Apollo Shroving, London, 1627, p. 49.
A game of Hide-and-Seek, with this difference, that when those are found who are hid the finder cries Spy-arm; and if the one discovered can catch the discoverer, he has a ride upon his back to the dools.—Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia.
See “Hide and Seek” (1).
A stack in the centre of the stackyard was selected, and round a part of one side a rut was marked in the earth usually by the toe-bit of the ploughman’s boot. This enclosure, not over four feet wide at the broadest part, was called the den. One of the players, selected to be the catcher, stood within this den, and when all the players were ready turned his face to the stack, and counted out loud the numerals from one to twenty, the last with a great shout. During the count the players ran round the stacks out of sight, but no hiding nor leaving the stackyard, this was “not fair.” When twenty was heard one would shout back “Ready!” Then out came the catcher. He was not permitted to stand in or near the den, but went out among the stacks and caught as many players as he could before they reached the den. The great aim of those “out” was to get into the den unseen and untouched. If all the players got in, then the catcher had to try again; but when all were caught (which was seldom or never), the last one caught was catcher for the next game. When one player was touched by the catcher he or she had to remain in the den till the rest were all in.—Biggar (Wm. Ballantyne).
Mr. Ballantyne says, “This game usually ended in a promiscuous ‘catching’ and ‘touching’ game, each lad trying to catch the lass he liked best, and some lads, for the fun of the thing, would try and get a particular girl first, her wishes and will not being considered in the matter; and it seemed to be an unwritten law among them for the lass to ‘gang wi’ the lad that catched her first,’ yet I have known lassies take this opportunity to favour the lad they preferred. It was the correct thing for the people to visit each other’s farms in rotation to play ‘the stacks.’” This game was played when all the crops of grain were in the stackyard under thack and rape (?nape). Then it was customary for the servant lads and lasses of neighbours’ “ferm toons” to gather together and play at this game. Mr. Ballantyne considers it was the third of three festivals formerly held at the ingathering of the crops.
See “Barley Break.”
A boys’ game. One boy issues forth and tries to “tig” another, previously saying this nominy, or the first two lines—
When one boy is tigged (or “tug”) the two issue forth hand in hand, and when more, all hand in hand. The other players have the privilege of breaking the chain, and if they succeed the parties forming it are liable to be ridden back to the den. At Lepton, where the game was publicly played, the boundaries were “Billy tour end, Penny Haas end, and I’ Horsin step.” So played in 1810, and is still.—Easther’s Almondbury Glossary.
In the Sheffield district it is called “Rag Stag,” and is usually played in the playground, or yard, attached to a school. Any number can play. A place is chalked out in a corner or angle formed by the walls or hedges surrounding the playground. This is called the den, and a boy stands within the den. Sometimes the den is formed by chalking an area out upon a footpath, as in the game of “Bedlams.” The boy in the den walks or runs out, crying, “Rag-stag, jinny I over, catching,” and having said this he attempts to catch one of the boys in the playground who have agreed to play the game. Having caught him he takes him back into the den. When they have got into the den they run out hand-in-hand, one of them crying, “Rag-stag, jinny I over, touching,” whilst the other immediately afterwards calls out, “Rag-stag, jinny I over, catching.” They must keep hold of each other’s hands, and whilst doing so the one who cried out “Touching” attempts to touch one of the boys in the playground, whilst the one who cried “Catching” attempts to catch one of such boys. If a boy is caught or touched, the two boys who came out of the den, together with their prisoner, run back as quickly as possible into the den, with their hands separated. If whilst they are running back into the den any boy in the playground can catch any one of the three who are running back, he jumps on his back and rides as far as the den, but he must take care not to ride too far, for when the boys who are already caught enter the den they can seize their riders, and pull them into the den. In this case the riders too are caught. The process is repeated until all are caught.—Addy’s Sheffield Glossary.
Another name for the game is “Stag-out.” One player is Stag, and has a place marked out for his bounds. He stands inside, and then rushes out with his hands clasped together, and endeavours to touch one of the other players, which being accomplished, he has the privilege of riding on the boy’s back to his bounds again.—Book of Sports. In a London version the hands were held above the head, and joined by interlacing the thumbs, the fingers being outspread, the boy had to touch another while in this position.
In Shropshire it is called “Stag-warning.” One boy is chosen Stag; he runs about the playground with his clasped hands held palms together in front of him, trying to tick (= touch) others. Each whom he touches joins hands with him, and they run together in an ever-lengthening chain, sweeping the playground from end to end, the boys at each end of the chain “ticking” others with their disengaged hands, till all are caught but one, who becomes the next “Stag.” The Stag gives notice of his start by exclaiming—
—Shrewsbury.
—Chirbury (Burne’s Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 523).
The game is mentioned by Mr. Patterson in his Antrim and Down Glossary. Northall’s English Folk Rhymes, p. 392, gives a Warwickshire and Staffordshire version, in which the first player “ticked” or “tagged” becomes Stag when the first game is concluded, all having been caught. The words used are—
Halliwell (Dictionary) also describes the game, and indicates its origin. The boy chosen for the game clasps his hands together, and, holding them out, threatens his companions as though pursuing them with horns, and a chase ensues in which the Stag endeavours to strike one of them, who then becomes Stag in his turn. Unfortunately, Halliwell does not, in this instance, give his authority, but if it is taken from the players themselves, it is a sufficient account of the origin of the game, apart from the evidence of the name. All this group of games is evidently to be traced to one original, though in different places the detail of the game has developed somewhat differently. It evidently comes down from the time when stags were hunted not so much for sport as for food.
See “Chickidy Hand,” “Hornie,” “Hunt the Stagie,” “Shepherds,” “Warney.”[Addendum]
A man’s game. Two men have their ankles tied together and their wrists tied behind their backs. They then try to knock each other down.—Patterson’s Antrim Glossary.
See “Hirtschin Hairy.”
The game represents the stealing of a woman’s children and the recovery of them. The mother, before beginning to wash, disposes of her children in a safe place. She proceeds to do her washing. While she is busy a child-snatcher comes and takes away one. The others begin to cry. The mother hears them crying. She goes and asks the reason of their crying, and is told that a woman came and took away one of them. She scolds and beats them all; tells them to be more careful for the time to come, and returns to her washing. Again the children cry, and the mother goes to see what is the matter with them, and is told the same thing. She repeats her admonition and bodily correction, and returns to her work. This process is repeated till all the children are stolen. After finishing her washing, she goes to her children and finds the last one gone. She sets out in search of them, and meets a woman whom she questions if she had seen her children. She denies all knowledge of them. The mother persists, and at last discovers all her stolen children. She demands them back. The stealer refuses, and puts them behind her and stands on her defence. A tussel takes place. The mother in the long run rescues her children.—Fraserburgh (Rev. W. Gregor).
See “Mother, Mother, Pot boils over,” “Witch.”
See “Scots and English.”
The game of Hide and Seek.—Aberdeen (Jamieson).
A game among young people in running up the face or cut part of a hay-stack to try who can put in a stick the highest.—Brockett’s North Country Words.
Name of a game (undescribed) recorded by the Rev. S. D. Headlam, as played by Hoxton School children at Hoxton.—Church Reformer, 1894.
A game (undescribed) recorded by the Rev. S. D. Headlam, as played by Hoxton School children.—Church Reformer, 1894.
Game of cat.—Elworthy, West Somerset Words. The short stick, pointed at both ends, is called a snell.
A schoolboys’ game. Two boys pick a side, and there is one den only, and they toss to see which side shall keep it. The side which wins the toss then goes out, and when two boys have got a good distance off they cry “Stocks.” The boys who keep the den run after them to catch them. When one is caught his capturer counts ten while he holds him (in a more primitive but less refined state, spat over his head) and cries Stocks. This prisoner is taken into the den. If they are all caught the other side turns out. But if one of the outer side can manage to run through the den and cry “Stocks,” all the prisoners are relieved, and can go out again.—Easther’s Almondbury Glossary. See “Stacks.”
A circle of stones is formed according to the number of players, generally five or seven each side. One of the out party stands in the centre of the circle, and lobs at the different stones in rotation; each hit a player gives all his side must change stations, in some places going round to the left and in others to the right. The stones are defended by the hand or a stick, according as a ball or stick is lobbed. All the players are out if the stone is hit, or the ball or stick caught, or one of the players is hit while running. In different counties or places these games are more or less modified.—Dublin, Folk-lore Journal, ii. 264-265.
Mr. Kinahan, who describes this game, adds a very instructive note, which is worth quoting:—
“These games I have seen played over half a century ago, with a lob-stick, but of later years with a ball, long before a cricket club existed, in Trinity College, Dublin, and when the game was quite unknown in a great part of Ireland. At the same time, they may have been introduced by some of the earlier settlers, and afterwards degenerated into the games mentioned above; but I would be inclined to suspect that the Irish are the primitive games, they having since been improved into cricket. At the present day these games nearly everywhere are succeeded by cricket, but often of a very primitive form, the wickets being stones set on end, or a pillar of stones; while the ball is often wooden, and very rudely formed.”
The first mention of this game is by Smyth in his Berkeley Manuscripts. In the reign of Elizabeth, the Earl of Leicester, with an extraordinary number of attendants and multitudes of country people, and “whom my neighbours parallel to Bartholomew faire in London, came to Wotton, and thence to Michaelwood Lodge, castinge down part of the pales, which like a little park then enclosed the Lodge (for the gates were too narrow to let in his Trayne), and thence went to Wotton Hill, where hee plaid a match at stoball.”—Gloucestershire County Folk-lore, p. 26.
The earliest description of the game, however, is by Aubrey. He says “it is peculiar to North Wilts, North Gloucestershire, and a little part of Somerset near Bath. They smite a ball, stuffed very hard with quills and covered with soale leather, with a staffe, commonly made of withy, about three feet and a half long. Colerne down is the place so famous and so frequented for stobball playing. The turfe is very fine and the rock (freestone) is within an inch and a halfe of the surface which gives the ball so quick a rebound. A stobball ball is of about four inches diameter and as hard as a stone. I do not heare that this game is used anywhere in England but in this part of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire adjoining.” (Aubrey’s Natural History of Wiltshire, p. 117; Collections for North Wilts, p. 77). It is no doubt the same game as Stool-ball, which is alluded to by Herrick in 1648 (Hesperides), and in Poor Robin’s Almanack for 1677 (see Halliwell’s Dictionary). D’Urfey’s Don Quixote, written in 1694, alludes to it as follows:—
It is also alluded to in Poor Robin’s Almanack for 1740:
It is described by Strutt in Sports and Pastimes, p. 103, as a variety of game more commonly known as “goff” or “bandy ball,” the paganica of the Romans, who also stuffed their balls with feathers. According to Dr. Johnson, the balls are driven from stool to stool, hence the name.
In spite of Aubrey’s opinion as to the limited range of this game, it appears to have been pretty generally played. Thus, Roberts’ Cambrian Antiquities says, “Stool-ball, resembling cricket, except that no bats are used and that a stool was substituted for the wicket, was in my memory also a favourite game on holydays, but it is now seldom or ever played. It generally began on Easter Eve” (p. 123). It was also an old Sussex game. Mr. Parish’s account is that it was “similar in many respects to cricket, played by females. It has lately been revived in East Sussex by the establishment of stool-ball clubs in many villages. The elevens go long distances to play their matches; they practise regularly and frequently, display such perfection of fielding and wicket-keeping as would put most amateur cricketers to shame. The rules are printed and implicitly obeyed.”—Parish’s Dictionary of Sussex Dialect.
Miss Edith Mendham says of the Sussex game, it is supposed to derive its name from being played by milkmaids when they returned from milking. Their stools were (I think) used as wickets, and the rules were as follows:—
1. The wickets to be boards one foot square, mounted on a stake, which, when fixed in the ground, must be four feet nine inches from the ground.
2. The wickets to be sixteen yards apart, the bowling crease to be eight yards from the wicket.
3. The bowler to stand with one foot behind the crease, and in bowling must neither jerk nor throw the ball.
4. The ball to be of that kind known as “Best Tennis,” No. 3.
5. The bats to be of wood, and made the same size and shape as battledores.
6. The striker to be out if the ball when bowled hits the wicket, or if the ball be caught in the hands of any of the opposing side, or if in running, preparing to run, or pretending to run, the ball be thrown or touch the wicket before the striker reaches it, and the ball in all cases must strike the face of the wicket, and in running the striker must at each run strike the wicket with her bat.
7. There should be eleven players on each side.
8. Overs to consist of eight balls.
Miss F. Hagden, in her short History of Alfriston, Sussex, says, “In the Jubilee year the game of stool-ball was revived and played in the Tye field. The rules resemble those of cricket, but the wickets are square boards on posts; the bowler stands in the centre of the pitch, the bats used are round boards with a handle. The game in Alfriston seems now to have died out again, but in many villages there are regular clubs for the girls,” p. 43. It also appears to be a game among Lancashire children to this day. A stool is used as a wicket, at which it is attempted to throw the ball; a player stands near the stool, and using his or her hand as a bat, wards off the blow. If the ball hits the stool the thrower takes the place at wicket; or if the ball is caught the catcher becomes the guardian of the stool. Stool-ball, like all ball games, was usually played at Easter for tansy cakes. Mr. Newell (Games and Songs) says this game is recorded by the second governor of Massachusetts as being played under date of the second Christmas of the colony.
See “Bittle-battle,” “Cricket,” “Stool-ball.”
A version of hide and seek. One player is chosen to be “it.” The other players go away to a distance and “show a light,” to let “it” understand they are ready. They then hide, and the first one found has to be “it” in place of the previous seeker.—Aberdeen (Rev. W. Gregor).
See “Hide and Seek.”
A game at marbles, where each player places a certain number on a line and plays in turns from a distance mark called “scratch,” keeping such as he may knock off.—Lowsley’s Berkshire Glossary.
Brome, in his Travels over England, 1700, p. 264, says: “The Kentish men have a peculiar exercise, especially in the eastern parts, which is nowhere else used in any other country, I believe, but their own; it is called ‘Stroke Bias,’ and the manner of it is thus. In the summer time one or two parishes convening make choice of twenty, and sometimes more, of the best runners which they can cull out in their precincts, who send a challenge to an equal number of racers within the liberties of two other parishes, to meet them at a set day upon some neighbouring plain; which challenge, if accepted, they repair to the place appointed, whither also the county resort in great numbers to behold the match, when having stripped themselves at the goal to their shirts and drawers, they begin the course, every one bearing in his eye a particular man at which he aims; but after several traverses and courses on both sides, that side, whose legs are the nimblest to gain the first seven strokes from their antagonists, carry the day and win the prize. Nor is this game only appropriated to the men, but in some places the maids have their set matches too, and are as vigorous and active to obtain a victory.”
“A kinde of play wherein two companies of boyes holding hands all on a rowe, doe pull with hard hold one another, till one be overcome.”—Quoted by Halliwell (Dictionary), from Thomasii Dictionarium, London, 1644.
I.