Some modern writers have asserted, that "tne metropolis of Scotland has produced more instances of elegant skaters than perhaps any other country whatever, and the institution of a skating-club, about forty years ago, has contributed not a little to the improvement of this amusement." I have, however, seen, some years back, when the Serpentine river in Hyde Park was frozen over, four gentlemen there dance, if I may be allowed the expression, a double minuet in skates, with as much ease, and I think more elegance, than in a ball room; others again, by turning and winding with much adroitness, have readily in succession described upon the ice the form of all the letters in the alphabet. XIX.-ROWING. I shall not pretend to investigate the antiquity of boatrowing. This art was certainly well understood by the primitive inhabitants of Britain, who frequently committed themselves to the mercy of the sea in open boats, constructed with wicker work, and covered with leather.2 The Saxons were also expert in the management of the oar, and thought it by no means derogatory for a nobleman of the highest rank to row or steer a boat with dexterity and judgment. Kolson, a northern hero, boasting of his qualifications, declares, that "he was expert in handling the oar." The reader may possibly call to his recollection the popular story related by our historians concerning Edgar, surnamed the Peaceable, who they tell us was conveyed in great state along the river Dee, from his palace in the city of West Chester, to the church of St. John, and back again: the oars were managed by eight kings, and himself, the ninth, sat at the stern of the barge and held the helm. This frolic, for I cannot consider it in any other light, appears to be well attested, and is the earliest record of a pastime of the kind. The boat-quintain and tilting at each other upon the water, which were introduced by the Normans as amusements for the summer season, could not be performed without the assistance of the oars, and probably much of the success of the champion depended upon the skilfulness of those who managed the boat. If we refer to two engravings whereon both these sports are Ency. Brit. art. Skating. 2 Cæsar Bell. Gall. lib. v. cap. 12. Will. Malms. Mat. West. in the reign of Edgar. Fitzstephen's Description of London. Stow's Survey. See book iii. chap. i. sec. v. represented, we shall see that the rowers are seated contrary to the usual method, and face the head of the vessel instead of the stern. The institution of the water pageantry at London upon the lord mayor's day, was of an essential service to the professed watermen, who plied about the bridge; and gave occasion to the introduction of many pleasure boats, which in the modern times have been greatly increased. The first procession to Westminster by water was made A. D. 1453, by John Norman, then lord mayor, for which he was highly commended by the watermen. When tilting at the quintain and justing one against another in boats upon the water were discontinued in this country, rowing matches were substituted, and are become exceedingly popular : we may see them frequently exhibited upon the Thames during the summer season; and as these contests, which depend upon skill as well as upon strength, are rarely productive of any thing further than mere pastime, they are in my opinion deservedly encouraged. When a rowing-match takes place near London, if the weather be fine, it is astonishing to see what crowds of people assemble themselves upon the banks of the Thames as spectators, and the river itself is nearly covered with wherries, pleasure boats, and barges, decorated with flags and streamers, and sometimes accompanied with bands of music. This pastime, though very ancient, and frequently practised upon solemn occasions by the Greeks and the Romans, does not seem to have attracted the notice of our countrymen in former times. It may be thought unnecessary for me to mention the wellknown annual legacy of Thomas Dogget, a comedian of some celebrity at the commencement of the last century, which provides three prizes to be claimed by three young watermen, on condition they prove victorious in rowing from the Old Swan Stairs near London Bridge, to the White Swan at Chelsea. The contest takes place upon the first of August; the number of competitors upon this occasion is restricted to six, who must not have been out of their times beyond twelve months. Every man rows singly in his boat, and his exertions are made against the tide; he who first obtains his landing at Chelsea receives the prize of honour, which is a waterman's coat, ornamented with a large badge of silver, and therefore the match is usually called Rowing for the Coat and Badge." The second and the third 66 candidates have small pecuniary rewards, but the other three get nothing for their trouble. Of late years the proprietor of Vauxhall Gardens, and Astley the rider, give each of them in the course of the summer a new wherry, to be rowed for by a certain number of watermen, two of which are allowed to row in one boat; and these contests are extended to two or three heats or trials before the successful candidates are determined. XX. SAILING. Another popular amusement upon the water is sailing, and many persons have pleasure boats for this purpose; I do not mean the open boats which are usually let out for hire by the boat-builders for the purpose of sailing, but vessels of much greater magnitude, that are covered with a deck, and able with skilful management to weather a rough storm; many large bets are frequently dependant upon the swiftness of these boats, and the contest is sometimes determined at sea. A society, generally known by the appellation of the Cumberland Society, consisting of gentlemen partial to this pastime, give yearly a silver cup to be sailed for in the vicinity of London. The boats usually start from the bridge at Blackfriars, go up the Thames to Putney, and return to Vauxhall, where a vessel is moored at a distance from the stairs, and the sailing boat tha first passes this mark upon her return obtains the victory. CHAPTER III. 1. Hand-ball an ancient Game.-The Ball, where said to have been invented.-II. Used by the Saxons-III. And by the Schoolboys of London.-IV. Ball Play in France.-V. Tennis Courts erected.-VI. Tennis fashionable in England.VII. A famous Woman Player.-VIII. Hand-ball played for Tansy Cakes.IX. Fives.-X. Balloon-ball.-XI. Stool-ball.-XII. Hurling.-XIII. Foot-ball; -Camp-ball.-XIV. Goff;-Cambuc;-Bandy-ball.-XV. Stow-ball.-XVI. Pall-mall.-XVII. Ring-ball.-XVIII. Club-ball.-XIX. Cricket.-XX. Trapball.-XXI. Northen-spell.-XXII. Tip-cat. I.-HAND BALL. THE ball has given origin to many popular pastimes, and I nave appropriated this chapter to such of them as are or have been usually practised in the fields and other open places. The most ancient amusement of this kind, is distinguished with us by the name of hand-ball, and is, if Homer may be accredited, coeval at least with the destruction of Troy. Herodotus attributes the invention of the ball to the Lydians; succeeding writers have affirmed, that a female of distinction named Anagalla, a native of Corcyra, was the first who made a ball for the purpose of pastime, which she presented to Nausica, the daughter of Alcinous, king of Phœacia, and at the same time taught her how to use it; this piece of history is partly derived from Homer, who introduces the princess of Corcyra with her maidens, amusing themselves at hand-ball: O'er the green mead the sporting virgins play, Homer has restricted this pastime to the young maidens of Corcyra, at least he has not mentioned its being practised by the men; in times posterior to the poet, the game of hand-ball was indiscriminately played by both sexes. II.-ANGLO-SAXON BALL PLAY. It is altogether uncertain at what period the ball was brought into England: the author of a manuscript in Trinity College, Oxford, written in the fourteenth century, and containing the 'Odyssey, by Pope, b. v 1 Lib. i. Ælian, lib. ii. Volaterranus, lib. xxix. life of Saint Cuthbert,' says of him, that when he was young, he pleyde atte balle with the children that his fellowes were." On what authority this information is established I cannot tell. The venerable Bede, who also wrote the life of that saint, makes no mention of ball play, but tells us he excelled in jumping, running, wrestling, and such exercises as required great muscular exertion,2 and among them, indeed, it is highly probable that of the ball might be included. III.-LONDON BALL PLAY. Fitzstephen, who wrote in the thirteenth century, speaking of the London school-boys, says, “Annually upon Shrove Tuesday, they go into the fields immediately after dinner, and play at the celebrated game of ball; every party of boys carrying their own ball;" for it does not appear that those belonging to one school contended with those of another, but that the youth of each school diverted themselves apart. Some difficulty has been stated by those who have translated this passage, respecting the nature of the game at ball here mentioned. Stowe, considering it as a kind of goff or brandy-ball, has, without the least sanction from the Latin, added the word bastion, meaning a bat or cudgel; others again have taken it for foot-ball, which pastime, though probably known at the time, does not seem to be a very proper one for children and indeed, as there is not any just authority to support an argument on either side, I see no reason why it should not be rendered hand-ball. IV.-BALL PLAY IN FRANCE. The game of hand-ball is called by the French palm play,” because, says St. Foix, a modern author, originally "this exercise consisted in receiving the ball and driving it back again with the palm of the hand. In former times they played with the naked hand, then with a glove, which in some instances was lined; afterwards they bound cords and tendons round their hands to make the ball rebound more forcibly, and hence the 1 No. Ivii. bereti, cap. i. "Sive enim saltu, sive cursu, sive luctatu,' &c. Vita Sancti Cud3 "Lusum pile celebrem." Stephanides de ludis. "The scholars of each school have their ball or bastion in their hands.' of London. Survey Lord Lyttelton, History of Henry the Second, vol. iii. p.275; and [Dr. Pegge] the cranslator of Fitzstephen, in 1772. By the word celebrem Fitzstephen might advert to the antiquity of the pastime. Jeud aume, and in Latin pila palmaria. |