The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England Including the Rural and Domestic Recreations, May Games, Mummeries, Shows, Processions, Pageants, and Pompous Spectacles from the Earliest Period to the Present Time

THE
  SPORTS AND PASTIMES

  OF THE
  PEOPLE OF ENGLAND:

  INCLUDING THE
  RURAL AND DOMESTIC RECREATIONS,

  MAY GAMES, MUMMERIES, SHOWS, PROCESSIONS, PAGEANTS, & POMPOUS
  SPECTACLES

  FROM
  THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE PRESENT TIME.

  BY JOSEPH STRUTT.

  ILLUSTRATED BY
  One Hundred and Forty Engravings.

  IN WHICH ARE REPRESENTED

  MOST OF THE POPULAR DIVERSIONS;
  SELECTED FROM ANCIENT PAINTINGS.

  A NEW EDITION, WITH A COPIOUS INDEX,

  BY WILLIAM HONE,

  AUTHOR OF THE EVERY-DAY BOOK, TABLE BOOK, YEAR BOOK, ETC.




  LONDON:
  PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG,
  73, CHEAPSIDE.

  1845.




J. Haddon, Printer, Castle Street, Finsbury.




ADVERTISEMENT.


THERE are two previous editions of Mr. STRUTT'S Sports and Pastimes
of the People of England. The first appeared in 1801; the second,
which was published in 1810, the year wherein the author died, was
an incorrect reprint, without a single additional line. Both were in
quarto, and as each of the plates, with few exceptions, contained
several subjects referred to in different parts of the work, and as
there were no paginal references on the plates, they were frequently
embarrassing to the reader.

The present edition is of a more convenient size, and at one-sixth of
the price of the former editions; and every engraving is on the page it
illustrates.

To a volume abounding in historical and other interesting facts, an
Index seemed indispensable; and a very copious one is annexed. The
_Two_ former editions were without.

If Mr. STRUTT had lived, I am persuaded he would have incorporated into
the body of the work some notes, which were needlessly placed on the
bottom margins. I have ventured to take them up into the pages; but
without any undue alteration of the author's language.

I hope, therefore, that my aim to render this edition generally
desirable and available, has been fully accomplished.

                                                            W. HONE.

  _Newington Green_, 1830.




CONTENTS.


  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
  PERIOD, IN ENGLAND.

                                                                    PAGE

  I. Object of the Work, to describe the Pastimes and trace
  their Origin--II. The Romans in Britain--III. The Saxons--IV.
  The Normans--V. Tournaments and Justs--VI. Other Sports of
  the Nobility, and the Citizens and Yeomen--VII. Knightly
  Accomplishments--VIII. Esquireship--IX. Military Sports
  patronized by the Ladies--X. Decline of such Exercises--XI.
  and of Chivalry--XII. Military Exercises under Henry the
  Seventh--XIII. and under Henry the Eighth--XIV. Princely
  Exercises under James the First--XV. Revival of Learning--XVI.
  Recreations of the Sixteenth Century--XVII. Old Sports of the
  Citizens of London--XVIII. Modern Pastimes of the Londoners--XIX.
  Cotswold and Cornish Games--XX. Splendour of the ancient Kings
  and Nobility--XXI. Royal and noble Entertainments--XXII. Civic
  Shows--XXIII. Setting out of Pageants--XXIV. Processions of
  Queen Mary and King Philip of Spain in London--XXV. Chester
  Pageants--XXVI. Public Shows of the Sixteenth Century--XXVII.
  Queen Elizabeth at Kenelworth Castle--XXVIII. Love of Public
  Sights illustrated from Shakspeare--XXIX. Rope-dancing, tutored
  Animals, and Puppet-shows--XXX. Minstrelsy, Bell-ringing,
  &c.--XXXI. Baiting of Animals--XXXII. Pastimes formerly on
  Sundays--XXXIII. Royal Interference with them--XXXIV. Zeal
  against Wakes and May-Games--XXXV. Dice and Cards--XXXVI.
  Regulation of Gaming for Money by Richard Cœur de Lion,
  &c.--XXXVII. Statutes against Cards, Ball-play, &c.--XXXVIII.
  Prohibitions of Skittle play--XXXIX. Archery succeeded
  by Bowling--XL. Modern Gambling--XLI. Ladies' Pastimes,
  Needle-work--XLII. Dancing and Chess-play--XLIII. Ladies'
  Recreations in the Thirteenth Century.--XLIV. The Author's
  Labours.--Character of the Engravings.                              xv


  BOOK I.

  RURAL EXERCISES PRACTISED BY PERSONS OF RANK.


  CHAPTER I.

  I. Hunting more ancient than Hawking--II. State of Hunting among
  the Britons--III. The Saxons expert in Hunting--IV. The Danes
  also--V. The Saxons subsequently and the Normans--VI. Their
  tyrannical Proceedings--VII. Hunting and Hawking after the
  Conquest--VIII. Laws relating to Hunting--IX. Hunting and Hawking
  followed by the Clergy--X. The manner in which the dignified
  Clergy in the Middle Ages pursued these Pastimes--XI. The English
  Ladies fond of these Sports--XII. Privileges of the Citizens
  of London to hunt;--private Privileges for Hunting--XIII. Two
  Treatises on Hunting considered--XIV. Names of Beasts to be
  hunted--XV. Wolves not all destroyed in Edgar's Time--XVI.