tude, and this fatisfaction flows imme- Shrove-Tuesday, on which day this diately into it, and as neceffarily adheres cuftom prevailed, they concluded the -to it, as the bloom adheres to the fruit.day, in throwing the ball which feems But if we will fill prefer faticry to fatif- to infinuate, that the cock-fighting was faction, and imaginary to real good, merely in conformity to ancient ufage, we ought not to complain of the fruit's and limited only to part of the day, to acidity. make way for a more laudable performance. We may reasonably uppofe, although this author is entirely filent upon this head, that while cockfighting was going on, cock-throwing was the fport of the loweft clafs of people, who could not afford the expence of the former +. Another species of manly exercife was truly martial, and intended to qualify the adventurers for martial difcipline. It is related by Fitz- Stephen thus: "Every Friday in "Lent, a company of young men "comes into the field on horseback, "attended and conducted by the best "horfemen: then march forth the fons Away then with this effeminacy of paftime, and let us confider, whether fomething manly, active, and generous, under the character of amufement, has not reflected undiminished luftre on the former ages of this country Whether the amufements or pleafures of thofe days, while they imparted ftrength to the body, did not at the fame time improve the mind? From the ancient records of this country, it appears, that the fports,, amufements, pleasures, and recccations, of our ancestors, as defcribed by FitzStephen, added strength and agility to the wheels of ftatc-mechanifin, while they had a direct tendency towards utility. Formoft of thefe ancient reercations are refolvable into the public defence of the ftate, against the attacks of a foreign enemy. The play at ball, derived from the Romans, is firft introduced by this author, as the common exercife of every fchool-boy. The performance was in a field, where the refort of the moft fubftantial and confiderable citizens, to give encouragement and countenance to this feat of agility, was fplendid and numerous. The intention of this amusement at this period of time was to make the juve nile ace active, nimble, and vigorous; which qualities were requifite, when ever their aftance fhould be wanted in the protection of their country. The next species of paftime, indeed, docs not feem to have this tendency: but it was only, as it feems, an annual cuftom. This was cock fighting. The author tells us, that in the afternoon of of the citizens, and other young men, "with difarmed launces and fhields; "and there they practice.feats of war. "Many courtiers likewife, when the 66 King is near the fpot, and attendants upon noblemen, do repair to thefe exercifes; and while the hope of "victory does inflame their minds, "they thew by good proof, how fer"viceable they would be in martial af"fairs." This evidently is of Roman defcent, and immediately brings to our recollection the Ludus Trojæ, fuppofed to be the invention, as it was the common exercife, of Afcanius. The coinmon people, in this age of mafculine manners, made every amufement, where strength was exerted, the fabjectmatter of inftruction and improvement: inftructed to exert their bodily firength in the maintenance of their country's rights; and their minds improved, by fuch exertion, into every manly and generous principle. In the vacant intervals of industry Otherwife called William Stephanides, a monk of Canterbury, who lived in the reign of King Stephen, to the time of Richard the Fir. He wrote a Latin treatife, in which he gives an account of the feveral paftimes, which were countenanced in his time. Bale in his writings draws a pleafing portrait of him. He is likewife ketched in ftrong and forcible outlines of praife and commendation by Leland. Bale fays thus of him, The time, which other people ufually mifemployed in an idle and frivolous manner, he con"fecrated to enquiries, which tended to increase the fame and dignity of his country: in "doing which, he was not unworthy of being compared to Plato: for, like him, he made the fudy of men and heaven his conftant exercife." + There were places fet apart for the battles of thefe animals, as at this day, where no one was admitted without money. Thefe places, or pits commonly called, were schools, as at this day, in which people were infructed in the doctrines of chance, lofs and gain, betting and wagers, and particularly in the liberal art of laying two to ore. Cock-throwing has been laudably abolished: for it was a fpecies of cruelty towards an innocent and useful animal: and foch a cruelty, as would have kindled companion in the heart of the rankest barbarian. and and labour, commonly called the holydays, indolence and inactivity, which at this day mark this portion of time, were found only in thofe whofe lives were diftempered with age, or infirmity. The view, which Fitz-Stephen gives us of the Eafter-holydays, is animated. "In Eafter-holydays, they fight battles "upon the water. A fhield is hanged 86 upon a pole, fixed in the middle of "the ftream. A boat is prepared "without oars, to be borne along by "the violence of the water; and in "the fore-part thereof standeth a young "man, ready to give charge upon the "fhield with his launce. If fo be, that "he break his launce against the thield, "and doth not fall, he is thought to "have performed a worthy deed. If "without breaking his launce, he "runs ftrongly against the shield, down "he falleth into the water; for the "boat is violently forced with the tide: "but on each fide of the fhield ride "two boats, furnished with young "men, who recover him who falleth, "foon as they may. In the holy-days "all the fummer, the youths are exer "cifed in leaping, dancing, fhooting, "wrestling, cafting the stone, and "practicing their fhields; and the "maidens trip with their timbrels, and dance, as long as they can well see. "In winter, every holy-day before "dinner, the boars prepared for brawn "are fet to fight, or elfe bulls or bears "are baited." 46 Thefe were the laudable pursuits, to which leisure was devoted by our forefathers, fo far back as the year 1130. Their immediate fucceffors breathed the fame generous fpirit. In the year 1222, the 6th year of Henry III. we find, that certain mafters in exercises of this kind made a public profeffion of their inftructions and difcipline, which they imparted to thofe who were defirous of attaining excellence and victory in thefe honourable atchievements. About this period, the perfons of better rank and family introduced the play of Tennis* ; and erected courts, or oblong edifices, for the performance of the exercife. About the year 1253, in the 38th year of Henry III. the Quintan was a fport much in fashion in almost every part of the kingdom. This contrivance confifted of an upright poft firmly fixed in the ground, upon the top of which was a crofs piece of wood, moveable upon a fpindle; one end of which was bread, like the flat part of an halberd, while at the other end was hung a bag of fand. (See the plate.) The exercife was performed on horfeback. The mafterly performance was, when, upon the broad part being ftruck with a lance, which fometimes broke it, the affailant rode fwiftly on, fo as to avoid being ftruck on the back by the bag of fand, which turned round inftantly upon the ftroke given, with a very swift motion. He, who executed this feat in the moft dextrous manner, was declared victor, and the prize, to which he became entitled, was a peacock. But if, upon the aim taken, the contender mifcarried in ftriking at the broad fide, his impotency of skill became the ridicule and contempt of the fpectators. Dr. Plott, in his Natural Hiftory of Oxfordshire, tells us, that this paftime was in practice in his time, at Deddington in this county. "They first," fays this author, "fixed a poft perpen"dicularly in the ground; and then "placed a fmall piece of timber upon "the top of it, faftened on a fpindle, "with a board nailed to it on one end, “and a bag of fand hanging at the "other. Againft this board they an"ciently rode with fpears: now as I "faw it at Deddington, only with ftrong "ftaves, which violently bringing a"bout the bag of fand, if they make "not good fpecd away, it ftrikes them "in the neck or fhoulders, and fome" times perhaps ftrikes them down from "their horfes; the great design of "the fport being, to try the agility "both of man and horfe, and to break "the board; which, whoever did, The word Tennis feems to owe its original to the French language: if fo, the game is of French production. Yet the word ten z will hardly be found to afford incontrovertible evidence upon this fubject. For the holding, or keeping poffeffion of the ball, is no part of the game, but rather a circumftance cafually attending it; fince, during the performance of it, the ball is in continual motion, fo there can be no tenez at this juncture. Perhaps a place in France, called Tennois, (as there is a town, which differs only is a letter, called Sennois, in the district of Champagne) was the place, where the balls were firûl made, and the game first introduced. "was accounted conqueror: for whom " heretofore there was fome reward "always appointed*. Matthew Paris, fpeaking of this manly diverfion, fays, "the London youths made trial of their ftrength on horfeback, by running at the Quintan; in doing which, whoever "excelled all the reft was rewarded "with a peacock." This fport is continued to this day in Wales, and being in ufe only upon marriages, it may be confidered as a votive paftime, by which thefe heroic fpirits feem to wifh, that the male illue of fuch marriage may be as frong, vigorous, and active as thofe, who are at that time engaged in the celebration of this feftive exertion of manhood. Virtuous exercifes of this kind would be too rude and barbarous for the attendants on pleasure in the prefent age. The hand would tremble at the weight of the javelin; and the heart would pant upon the apprehenfion of perfonal infecurity. While thefe exertions of triumphant prowefs continued, the fordid degeneracy of difpofition, the fupple bafenefs of temper, were unknown for the love of country, as the Roman orator has wifely obferved, inrluded all other virtues. But if we guard the palace of honour, like the brazen cafle of Danae, with every poffible fecurity, importunate corruption will be ever waiting at the gate, to feize an opportunity of intrufion. Thefe 'feats of honourable conteft were fucceeded by the gilded banners of exhibition, and all the long train of dependents in the intereft of indolence: for the writers of thefe times inform us, that the foft pleasures of the stage forced the paffes to public favour in the year 1391 and likewife in the year 1409: fo that utility, which before ftood on the right hand of pleasure, was now ordered to withdraw for a seafon, The drama, it feems, was attempted by a fet of useless and infignificant perfons, called parifh-clerks, who, becaufe they had the knowledge of the alphabet, ignorantly prefumed that this included every other fpecies of knowledge. The fubject was truly serious, the creation of the world; but the performance must have been ludicrous. It was however honoured with the attendance of noble perfonages; and royalty itfelf deigned to caft a favourable eye upon it, for the King and Queen were prefent. Thefe interludes lafted no longer than the time requifite for the former confederacy of utility and plea fure to refume its powers; as when the pliable bow by being too much bent is put out of fhape, and by its elafticity recovers its former pofition. The lance, the fhield, the ball, and the equeftrian proceffion came forward again, and put the dramatic ufurper to flight. After this period, thele objects of generous pleasure feem to have had their audience of leave, and one general object, indeed no lefs manly than the former, to have filled their stations, which was, archery. This had a continuance to the reign of Charles I. for we find in many hofpitals founded in that reign, among the articles of benefaction recorded upon their walls, this fingular provifion, Arms for the boysz which fignified bows and arrows. There are many places at this day, formerly veforted to, for the practice of this noble art, diftinguished by appellations, which indicate their antient ufage: fuch as Brentford Butts, Newington Butt and many others of the like denomination. It appears from 33 Hen. VIII. that by the intrufion of other pernicious games, archery had been for a long time ditufed; to revive which, this ftatute was made. It feems that the bows *This was certainly an exercife, derived from a military inftitution of the Romans, tho net inftrumentally the fame. Whoever confiders the form and difpofition of the Roman camps, which were formed into a fquare figure, will and there were four principal gates, or paffages. Near the forum, or Quellor's apartment, was the Forum, or what is now called a futtling houfe; and from being near the Quor's station, called Queftorium forum. At this part was a fifth gate intana, where the folders were inftructed in the difcipline of the Paleria, which was to aim at and ftrike their javelins against an upright poft fixed in the ground, as a kind of prolusion to a real engagement with an enemy. By the frequent practice of this exercife, fometimes called exercitium ad palum by Roman writers, the folders at length acquired not only a dexterity and address in the management of their arms, but a conftant and regular exactnefs in the direction of them. Tirus Livius Patavinus, Cap 2. Parrellus Rerum Memoral lib. 2. tit. 21. Vulturins in Auguftanis Monumentis, lib. Li p. 237. Upon the irruption of the lei into the Roman camps, which they plundered, fays Livius, ad Quaflorium ferum, quintanamque prevenerant. <f the best kind were made of yew; and that this wood might be readily obtained for this purpose, yew-trees were planted in church-yards. See vol. XLIX. P. 578; L. p. 74; LI. p 10. The fons of thofe only who were perfons of fortune and fashion, if under 17 years of age, were permitted to ufe fuch bows, The words of the ftatute are fingular, and ran thus: "No perfon under feven"teen years, except he, or his father or "mother, have lands or tenemets to "the yearly value of ten pounds. or be "worth in value or moveables the fum "of forty marks fterling, fhall shoot "with any bow of yew, which fhall be "bought for him, after the fast of our "Lady next coming, under the pain "to lofe and forfeit fix fhillings and "eight-pence." Two obfervations arife here, upon these words. One, that the vew wood, not being fo common as other wood, might probably be foon found deficient, as it was the best wood for making bows, if not reftrained in the ufe of it, to particular ages and perfons, as young people wantonly defroy what is put into their hands for ufeful purposes. The other obfervation is, that the age of feventeen is by this flatute diftinguifhed as the age of difcretion, when young people are more attentive and confiderate in things of private concern; an age in thefe times which few ever arrive at, and fome never. This ftatute makes provifion of other kinds of wood for the common people, in the following manner: "To the intent that every perfon may have "bows of mean price, be it enacted, "that every bowyer fhall, for every "bow that he maketh of yew, inake "four other bows, meet to shoot with, "of elm, wich, hafill, afh, or other "wood, apt for the fame, under pain "to lofe and forfeit for every fuch bow "fo lacking, the fum of three fhillings "and four pence." It feems, there was a fpecies of yew at this time called Elk, which wood was fronger, and more pliant than the common yew, mentioned in this ftatute, and the price of it fixed. "Moreover no bowyer shall fell or put to fale to any of the King's "fubjects, any bow of yew, of the tax "called Elk, above the price of three "fhillings and four pence, under the "pain to forfeit twenty fhillings for "every bow fold above the faid price." From thefe feveral confiderations, which occur in this ftatute, we can trace three refplendent qualities, courage, ftrength, and agility: which three united infpired two more, generofity and magnanimity. Upon the decline of this, and other polished *amufements, a favage deformity of manners fprung up, but fpangled here and there, with the oppofite character of lazy opulence, which began now to erect her velvet ftandard, in defiance of chafte and regular manners. Towards the beginning of James the firf's reign, military prowess feems to have founded a retreat. James, whofe memory forbids all honorary oblations, unlefs cowardice may be called a virtue, to gratify the importunity of the common people, and at the fame time to obviate his own fears upon a refufal, published a book of fports, in which the people had been fome time before. ufually indulged on Sunday evenings, but which had been lately prohibited. Thefe fports confifted of dancing, finging, wrestling, church ales, and other profanations of that day. Upon the murther of Rizzio in his mother's prefence, who was then big with this BURTHEN, the terror of the mother * How widely different the conceptions of politeness at this day, from what they were in the moft refined ages of Greece and Rome! These two ftates, agreed in fixing the standard of this accomplishment upon the fitnefs and propriety of things. We bend to an arbitrary impofture of language, trufhing to the fenfe and meaning of our oppofite Gale neighbours, as if this illad was at all times to be the foot-ball of that continent. To define politeness in its ancient and true fenfe, it is a manly exertion of conduct, found d upon every noble and virtuous principle. Gallic politenefs is an effeminate impotence of demeanor, founded upon fallacy, evafion, and every infidious artifice. There can be no fecurity, no happiness, no profperity awaiting this kingdom, fo long as we fawn to fashions that difgrace huma nity, and to manners, which confift of more than Punic perfidy. It has been confidently afferted by fome hiftorians, that James was, during his whole life, ftruck with terror upon the fight of a drawn fword: which was the reafon of his great unwillinguefs in beftowing the honour of knighthood. For. at this juncture, he had fuch a tremor upon him, that instead of laying the fword upon the thoulder of the perfon to be knighted, he frequently would be obferved, almoft to thruft the point of it into the face of the party which occafioned thofe about him to affift him in the direction of his hand. was conveyed by a fympathetic impreffion to this then unproduced fample of wifdom's lineage, the future Solomon of the age. This terror manifefted itfelf upon his faculties. as his mother's mark, during his life. Charles, his fucceffor, whofe public conduct, had it been commenfurate with his private, would have infured him the trophies which his predeceffor dared not to merit, wifely however, in the very entrance of his reign, abothed thefe fports. The act of Charles fates the feveral amufements in part; by which we may conjecture, what was the remainder as ftated in the book of fports by James. It is neceffary to tranfcribe that part of the act, relating to this fubject. Forafmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to God, "than the true and fincere worship of him, and fervice according to his holy will, and that the holy keeping "of the Lord's day is a principal part of the fervice of God, which in "many places of this realm hath been, and now is prophaned and neglected by a diforderly fort of people, in exexciting and frequenting bear-baiting, buil-baiting, interludes, and common plays, and other unlawful exercifes and paftimes, neglecting divine fervice both in their own parishes and elfewhere: Be it enaftedy that "from and after forty days next after the end of this fetion of parliament, "there shall be no meetings, affemblies, or concourfe of people out of their own parishes, on the Lord's day, within this realm of England, or any the dominions thereof, for any ports or paitimes whatfoever: nok any bear-baiting, bull-baiting, interludes, common plays, or other unlawful exercifes or paftimes, used by any perfon or perfons within their own parithes, and that every perfon and perfons offending in any of the faid premies, thall forfeit for every "offence the fum of three fillings and "four pence; the fame to be employed " and converted to the ufe of the poor "of the parith, where fuch offence shall be committed." Thus was the robuft comely majefty of ancient virtue fhaken from its throne, and a rude thapeless form invefied with its prerogatives. All thefe lufory arts, confidered as vehicles, of pleafure, from the variety of their inventions, reprefent pleasure as a fleeting phantom: evincing at the fame time the ftability of happiness, as fpringing from internal order. Even reflex acts, pregnant with future hopes of folace, and focial recreation, have more true feelings in expectancy, tham thofe which arife from the object in poffeffion. Nay, pleafure is found free. quently in the imagination only: for Ixion's disappointment frequently awaits us, when we advance to embrace this Juno of our defires. He, who has been long abfent from his native foil, thinks upon his return, to fee the friends, whom he left in peace and fecurity; to relate the danger of his adventures to them, with glowing. recollection; to revifit the focial meet.. ings of his former companions on the. feftive evenings of gaiety and mirth; to pafs away many chearful hours in thofe families, whofe houfes were always open to his reception; to dwell with redoubled pleafure upon the remem brance of former incidents, which befell him in particular streets, avenues, and places of public refort. But the life of the perfpective will be found to be only in the diftance; for if we advance towards it, thinking to increase our admiration, the linear convergency is broken, and expectation frustrated. Thus many of his former friends fcarcely know his face, or he theirs; time has almoft effaced impreflion; and they who acknowledge him are now grown lefs fufceptible of focial good-humour; they indeed acknowledge him, upon difficult recollection, and re-kindle fome finall traces of his perfon; but his return is as little felt by them, as the numbness of a limb that has been a long time ufclefs. Many of his friends have been long fince configned to the fable manfions of the grave; the houses are no more in which pleafure had formerly expanded her fplendid plumage; feveral rects and avenues have undergone an extenfive change and alteration, fo that the fpot is hardly recollected, where they had formerly been. Such is the feverity of the tax we pay for a long continued abfence from juvenile friend. Through the feveral wide regions of life we travel onward, repining at prefent accommodations, and feeling the approaches of mifery from a furfeit of happiness. During a long and laborious paffage through ways which are bounded by common objects, the ferenity of the evening paints upon our imaginations an extenfive view of rivu lets, meadows, hills, and vales, which |