This was danced by a boy stooping till he was nearly in a sitting posture on the ground, drawing one leg under him until its toe rested on the ground, and steadying himself by thrusting forward the other leg so that the heel rested on the ground; the arms and head being thrown forwards as far as possible in order to maintain a balance. The thrust-out leg was drawn back and the drawn-in leg was shot out at the same time. This movement was repeated, each bringing down to the ground of the toe and heel causing a noise like that of hammering on a lapstone. The arms were moved backwards and forwards at the same time to imitate the cobbler’s sewing.—London (J. P. Emslie).
The children in Yorkshire have a game which is probably an ancient English pastime. Numerous hazel-nuts are strung like the beads of a rosary. The game is played by two persons, each of whom has one of these strings, and consists in each party striking alternately, with one of the nuts on his own string, a nut of his adversary’s. The field of combat is usually the crown of a hat. The object of each party is to crush the nuts of his opponent. A nut which has broken many of those of the adversary is a Cob-nut.—Brand, ii. 411; Hunter’s Hallamshire Glossary.
(b) This game is played in London with chestnuts, and is called “Conquers.” In Cornwall it is known as “Cock-haw.” The boys give the name of Victor-nut to the fruit of the common hazel, and play it to the words: “Cockhaw! First blaw! Up hat! Down cap! Victor!” The nut that cracks another is called a Cock-battler (Folk-lore Journal, v. 61). Halliwell describes this game differently. He says “it consists in pitching at a row of nuts piled up in heaps of four, three at the bottom and one at the top of each heap. The nut used for the pitching is called the Cob. All the nuts knocked down are the property of the pitcher.” Alluding to the first described form, he says it “is probably a more modern game,” and quotes Cotgrave sub voce “Chastelet” as authority for the earlier form in the way he describes it (Dictionary). Addy says the nuts were hardened for the purpose. When a nut was broken it was said to be “cobbered” or “cobbled” (Sheffield Glossary). Evans’ Leicestershire Glossary also describes it. Darlington (South Cheshire Words) says this game only differs from “Cobblety-cuts” in the use of small nuts instead of chestnuts. George Eliot in Adam Bede has, “Gathering the large unripe nuts to play at ‘Cob-nut’ with” (p. 30). Britton’s Beauties of Wiltshire gives the Isle of Wight and Hants as other places where the game is known.
See “Conquerors.”
One boy is chosen Cock. The players arrange themselves in a line along one side of the playground. The Cock takes his stand in front of the players. When everything is ready, a rush across the playground is made by the players. The Cock tries to catch and “croon”—i.e., put his hand upon the head of—as many of the players as he can when running from one side of the playground to the other. Those caught help the Cock in the rush back. The rush from side to side goes on till all are captured. To “croon” was the essential point in capturing. When a boy was being pursued to be taken prisoner, his great object was, when he came to close quarters with his pursuers, to save his head from being touched on the crown by one of them.—Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).
At Duthil, Strathspey, this game goes by the name of “Rexa-boxa-King.” When the players have ranged themselves on one side of the playground, and the King has taken his stand in front of them, he calls out “Rexa-boxa-King,” or simply “Rexa,” when all the players rush to the other side. The rush from side to side goes on till all are captured. The one last captured becomes King in the next game.—Rev. W. Gregor.
See “Click.”
Children, under the title of “Cock-battler,” often in country walks play with the hoary plantain, which they hold by the tough stem about two inches from the head; each in turn tries to knock off the head of his opponent’s flower.—Cornwall (Folk-lore Journal, v. 61).
In the North, and in Suffolk, it is called “Cocks,” “a puerile game with the tough tufted stems of the ribwort plantain” (Brockett’s North Country Words). Moor (Suffolk Words) alludes to the game, and Holloway (Dictionary of Provincialisms) says in West Sussex boys play with the heads of rib grass a similar game. Whichever loses the head first is conquered. It is called “Fighting-cocks.”
This is a boys’ game. Two boys fold their arms, and then, hopping on one leg, butt each other with their shoulders till one lets down his leg. Any number of couples can join in this game.—Nairn (Rev. W. Gregor).
See “Cob-nut.”
One boy is chosen as Cock. He is blindfolded, and stands alone, with his legs as far apart as possible. The other boys then throw their caps as far as they are able between the extended legs of the Cock (fig. 1). After the boys have thrown their caps, and each boy has taken his stand beside his cap, the Cock, still blindfolded, stoops down and crawls in search of the caps (fig. 2). The boy whose cap he first finds has to run about twenty yards under the buffeting of the other boys, the blows being directed chiefly to the head. He becomes Cock at the next turn of the game.—Rosehearty, Pitsligo (Rev. W. Gregor).
This game consists simply of one boy mounting on the neck of another, putting a leg over each shoulder and down his breast. The boy that carries takes firm hold of the legs of the one on his neck, and sets off at a trot, and runs hither and thither till he becomes tired of his burden. The bigger the one is who carries, the more is in the enjoyment to the one carried.—Keith (Rev. W. Gregor).
See “Cock’s-headling.”
Young wenches have a wanton sport, which they call moulding of Cocklebread; viz. they gett upon a Table-board, and then gather-up their knees and their coates with their hands as high as they can, and then they wabble to and fro with their Buttocks as if the[y] were kneading of Dowgh, and say these words, viz.:—
In Oxfordshire the maids, when they have put themselves into the fit posture, say thus:—
—Aubrey’s Remains, pp. 43, 44.
To make “Barley bread” (in other districts, “Cockley bread”) this rhyme is used in West Cornwall:—
—Folk-lore Journal, v. 58.
The Westmoreland version is given by Ellis in his edition of Brand as follows:—
The term “Cockelty” is still heard among our children at play. One of them squats on its haunches with the hands joined beneath the thighs, and being lifted by a couple of others who have hold by the bowed arms, it is swung backwards and forwards and bumped on the ground or against the wall, while continuing the words, “This is the way we make cockelty bread.”—Robinson’s Whitby Glossary, p. 40.
The moulding of “Cocklety-bread” is a sport amongst hoydenish girls not quite extinct. It consists in sitting on the ground, raising the knees and clasping them with the hand, and then using an undulatory motion, as if they were kneading dough.
—Hunter’s MSS.; Addy’s Sheffield Glossary.
(b) The Times of 1847 contains a curious notice of this game. A witness, whose conduct was impugned as light and unbecoming, is desired to inform the court, in which an action for breach of promise was tried, the meaning of “mounting cockeldy-bread;” and she explains it as “a play among children,” in which one lies down on the floor on her back, rolling backwards and forwards, and repeating the following lines:—
While one of the party so laid down, the rest sat around; and they laid down and rolled in this manner by turns.
These lines are still retained in the modern nursery-rhyme books, but their connection with the game of “Cockeldy-bread” is by no means generally understood. There was formerly some kind of bread called “cockle-bread,” and cocille-mele is mentioned in a very early MS. quoted in Halliwell’s Dictionary. In Peele’s play of the Old Wives’ Tale, a voice thus speaks from the bottom of a well:—
A game among boys. Stones are loosely placed one upon another, at which other stones are thrown to knock the pile down.—Dickinson’s Cumberland Glossary.
See “Castles.”
A game where boys mount over each other’s heads.—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
See “Cockertie-hooie.”
A boyish game mentioned but not described by Cope in his Hampshire Glossary. He gives as authority Portsmouth Telegraph, 27th September 1873.
A game among youngsters similar to “Cricket,” a short piece of wood being struck up by a long stick instead of a ball by a bat. Also called “Tip and Go” or “Tip and Slash.”—Robinson’s Whitby Glossary.
See “Cudgel.”
A striped snail shell. It is a common boyish pastime to hold one of these shells between the last joints of the bent fingers, and forcibly press the apex against another held in a similar manner by an opponent, until one of them, by dint of persevering pressure, forces its way into the other; and the one which in these contests has gained the most victories is termed the Conqueror, and is highly valued (Northamptonshire, Baker’s Glossary). The game is known as “Fighting Cocks” in Evans’ Leicestershire Glossary. In London it was played with walnut shells.
The top stone of a pile is pelted by a stone flung from a given distance, and the more hits, or “cogglings off,” the greater the player’s score.—Robinson’s Whitby Glossary.
Apparently the same game as “Cockly-jock.”
A game played with a ball and crooked stick (cut from a tree or hedge), with a crook at the end (same game as “Hurl”).—Dublin (Mrs. Lincoln).
Mr. Patterson (Antrim and Down Glossary) mentions this as “Hockey;” the same as “Shinney.” “Called in some districts,” he adds, “‘Comun’ and ‘Kamman,’ from the Irish name for the game.”
The same game as “Cogger.” The game is more generally called “playin at sneel-shells.”—Ross and Stead’s Holderness Glossary.
I.
—Burne’s Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 531.
II.
—Notes and Queries, 5th series, x. 378.
III.
—Darlington’s Folk-speech of South Cheshire.
IV.
—Lawson’s Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases.
V.
—Chamberlain’s West Worcestershire Glossary.
(b) This game is played with horse chestnuts threaded on a string. Two boys sit face to face astride of a form or a log of timber. If a piece of turf can be procured so much the better. One boy lays his chestnut upon the turf, and the other strikes at it with his chestnut; and they go on striking alternately till one chestnut splits the other. The chestnut which remains unhurt is then “conqueror of one.” A new chestnut is substituted for the broken one, and the game goes on. Whichever chestnut now proves victorious becomes “conqueror of two,” and so on, the victorious chestnut adding to its score all the previous winnings. The chestnuts are often artificially hardened by placing them up the chimney or carrying them in a warm pocket; and a chestnut which has become conqueror of a considerable number acquires a value in schoolboys’ eyes; and I have frequently known them to be sold, or exchanged for other toys (Holland’s Cheshire Glossary). The game is more usually played by one boy striking his opponent’s nut with his own, both boys standing and holding the string in their hands. It is considered bad play to strike the opponent’s string. The nut only should be touched. Three tries are usually allowed.
(c) For information on various forms of this game, see Notes and Queries, 1878. See also Elworthy’s West Somerset Words. The boy who first said the rhyme has first stroke at Oswestry. The game is elsewhere called “Cobbet” (Meole Brace) and “Cobbleticuts” (Burne’s Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 531). In “Conquer-nuts” “obbly” was probably “nobbly” or “knobbly,” expressing the appearance of the string of nuts; and “onkers” was probably invented as a rhyme to “conquers” (Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases, by R. Lawson).
I.
—Cornwall (Folk-lore Journal, v. 52).
II.
—London (A. B. Gomme).
(b) A ring is formed by each child holding one end of a handkerchief. One child stands in the centre and acts as leader. The ring moves round slowly. The leader says the words as above while the ring is moving round, and then suddenly calls out whichever he chooses of the two sayings. If he says “Hold fast!” every one must immediately let go the corner of the handkerchief he holds. They should all fall to the ground at once. When he says “Let go!” every one should retain their hold of the handkerchief. Forfeits are demanded for every mistake.
This game, called “Hawld Hard,” is commonly played about Christmas-time, where a number hold a piece of a handkerchief. One then moves his hand round the handkerchief, saying, “Here we go round by the rule of Contrairy; when I say ‘Hawld hard,’ let go, and when I say ‘Let go,’ hawld hard.” Forfeits are paid by those not complying with the order.—Lowsley’s Berkshire Glossary.
The game of “Chuck-farthing.”—Norfolk and Suffolk (Holloway’s Dict. of Provincialisms).
A square figure is divided by four lines, which cross each other in the crown or centre. Two of these lines connect the opposite angles, and two the sides at the point of bisection. Two players play; each has three men or flitchers. Now there are seven points for these men to move about on, six on the edges of the square and one at the centre. The men belonging to each player are not set together as at draughts, but mingled with each other. The one who has the first move may always have the game, which is won by getting the three men on a line.—Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia.
See “Kit Cat Cannio,” “Noughts and Crosses.”
A flat stone is obtained called a Hob, upon which those who are playing place equal shares of Cots and Twisses. Cots are brass buttons, and Twisses bits of brass—a Twiss of solid brass being worth many Cots. Each player provides himself with a nice flat [key] stone, and from an agreed pitch tosses it at the Hob. If he knocks off any of the Cots and Twisses nearer to the players than the Hob is, he claims them. The other players try to knock the Hob away with their key-stones from any Cots and Twisses that may not have been claimed; and if any key-stone touches Hob after all have thrown, the owner cannot claim any Cots and Twisses.—Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy).
Each player selects a Cast or stone to pitch with; on another stone, called the Hob, the Cots and Twys are placed; at some distance Scops are set in the ground. First the players pitch from the Hob to the Scop, and the one who gets nearest goes first. He then pitches at the Hob, and if he knocks off the stakes he has them, provided his Cast is nearer to them than the Hob is; in failure of this, the other player tries. In pitching up, one Cast may rest on another, and if the boy whose stone is underneath can lift it up to knock the other Cast away, it has to remain at the place to which it has been struck; if he does not succeed in doing this, the second player may lift off his Cast and place it by the first. Whoever knocks off the stakes, they go to the boy whose Cast is nearest to them. The Hob and Scop are usually three yards apart. The Cot was a button off the waistcoat or trousers, the Twy one off the coat, and, as its name implies, was equal to two Cots. Formerly, when cash was much more rare than now it is amongst boys, these formed their current coin. The game about 1820 seems to have been chiefly one of tossing, and was played with buttons, then common enough. Now, metal buttons being rare, it is played with pieces of brass or copper of any shape. The expression, “I haven’t a cot,” is sometimes used to signify that a person is without money.—Easther’s Almondbury and Huddersfield Glossary.
The game of “Course of the Park” has not been described, but is referred to in the following verse:—
—The Slighted Maid, 1663, p. 50.
A game played with a bung or ball struck with sticks (Brogden’s Provincial Words, Lincolnshire). This is played on Barnes Common, and is apparently a form of “Hockey” (A. B. Gomme).
The game of “Nine Holes.” This is the game described by John Jones, M.D., in his book called The Benefit of the Auncient Bathes of Buckstones, 1572, p. 12, as having been played by ladies at Buxton for their amusement in wet weather. See Pegge’s Anonymiana, 1818, p. 126, and Addy’s Sheffield Glossary.
A description of this game is not given here; its history and rules and regulations are well known, and many books have been devoted to its study. The word “Cricket” is given in Lawson’s Upton-on-Severn Words and Phrases as a low wooden stool. He continues, “The game of ‘Cricket’ was probably a development of the older game of ‘Stool-ball,’ a dairymaid’s stool being used for the wicket.” Wedgwood (Etym. Dict.) suggests that the proper name for the bat was “cricket-staff,” A.-S. criec, a staff.
See “Bittle-battle,” “Stool-ball.”
An old game called “Crooky” was formerly played at Portarlington, Queen’s co., and Kilkee, co. Clare. Fifty years ago it was played with wooden crooks and balls, but about twenty-five years ago, or a little more, mallets were introduced at Kilkee; while subsequently the name was changed to “Croquet.” I have heard it stated that this game was introduced by the French refugees that settled at Portarlington.—G. H. Kinahan (Folk-lore Journal, ii. 265).
The game now called “Heads and Tails” (Halliwell’s Dictionary). See Nomenclator, p. 299; Addy’s Sheffield Glossary. Strutt points out that anciently the English coins were stamped on one side with a cross. See also Harland’s Lancashire Legends, p. 139.
A boys’ game.—Halliwell’s Dictionary.
Nares (Glossary) mentions this game in a quotation from Wilson’s Inconstant Lady, 1614. “Cross Questions and Crooked Answers” was a popular game at juvenile parties. The players sit in a circle, and each is asked in a whisper a question by the one on his left, and receives also in a whisper an answer to a question asked by himself of the person on his right. Each player must remember both the question he was asked and the answer he received, which have at the conclusion of the round to be stated aloud. Forfeits must be given if mistakes are made.—A. B. Gomme.
One of the players is appointed to be Tig. He calls out the name of the one he intends to chase, and runs after him. Another player runs across between Tig and the fugitive, and then Tig runs after this cross-player until another player runs across between Tig and the fugitive; and so on. Each time a player crosses between Tig and the player he is following he leaves the original chase and follows the player who has crossed. When he captures, or, in some places, touches one of the players he is following, this player becomes Tig, and the game begins again.—Ireland (Miss Keane).
This game is known in and near London as “Cross Touch.”
This is an old game where boys push one of their number into a circle they have made, and as he tries to escape push him back, crying, “No child of mine!” (Leigh’s Cheshire Glossary). He adds, “This may be the origin of the husband’s disclaimer of his wife when he ‘notchils’ her.” To “cry notchil” is for a man to advertise that he will not be answerable for debts incurred by his wife.
A game at ball. The same as “Pize-ball.” It is sometimes called “Tut-ball.”—Addy’s Sheffield Glossary.
See “Ball.”
A child hides and cries “Cuckoo.” The seekers respond—
—Burne’s Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 222.
Halliwell calls this a game at ball, and the rhyme runs—
See “Hide and Seek.”
Two boys join hands and feet over the back of a third, the which creeps away with them on hands and knees to a certain distance; and if able to do this, he, the Cuddy, must have a ride as one of the powks on some other’s back.—Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia.
Four or more boys can play this game, and sides are chosen. Two holes are made in the ground at a distance of about eight or ten feet apart. A ring about a foot in diameter is made round each hole. A boy stands at each hole with a stick, which he puts into the hole to guard it. Two other boys stand behind the holes, who act as bowlers. One of these throws a small piece of wood shaped like a Cat, and tries to pitch it into the hole. The boy guarding the hole tries to hit it with his stick. If he succeeds, he and the boy at the other hole run to each other’s places. Should the boy who throws the piece of wood succeed in getting it into the hole, the batsmen are out. Should the Cat fall into the ring or a span beyond, one of the bowlers picks it up, and both run to a hiding-place. They then agree as to which of them should hold the Cat. This must be carried in such a way that it cannot be seen by the batsmen, both boys assuming the same attitude. Both boys then resume their previous places. They kneel down, still keeping the same attitudes. The batsmen, keeping their sticks in the holes, then agree which of the two holds the Cat. One batsman runs across and puts his stick into the hole behind which the boy kneels whom they consider has the Cat, the other then running to his place. If they are right in their guess, the holder of the Cat throws it across the ground for the opposite bowler to put it in the hole before the second batsman reaches it. If they guess wrongly, the holder of the Cat puts it into the hole as soon as the batsman runs, and they then become the batsmen for the next game. If the batsmen leave their holes unguarded with the stick, the catsmen can at any time put them “out,” by putting the Cat in a hole. If more than two boys on a side play, the others field as in “Cricket.”—Barnes (A. B. Gomme).
See “Cat and Dog.”
I.
—Chambers’ Popular Rhymes, p. 139.
II.
—Biggar (William Ballantyne).
(b) This is a grotesque kind of dance, performed in a shortened posture, sitting on one’s hams, with arms akimbo, the dancers forming a circle of independent figures. It always excites a hearty laugh among the senior bystanders; but, ridiculous as it is, it gives occasion for the display of some spirit and agility, as well as skill, there being always an inclination to topple over. Each performer sings the verse (Chambers; Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia).
Mr. Ballantyne says that each one apart tried to dance by throwing out their feet and jumping sideways.
(c) The first syllable of this word is, says Jamieson, undoubtedly the verb curr, to sit on the houghs or hams. The second may be from Teut. kudde, a flock; kudd-en, coire, convenire, congregari, aggregari; kudde wijs, gregatim, catervatim, q. to curr together. The same game is called Harry Hurcheon in the North of Scotland, either from the resemblance of one in this position to a hurcheon, or hedge-hog, squatting under a bush; or from the Belg. hurk-en to squat, to hurkle.—Jamieson.
See “Cobbler’s Hornpipe,” “Cutch-a-Cutchoo.”
[Play]
I.
—Earls Heaton (Herbert Hardy).
II.
—Dickinson’s Cumberland Glossary.
(b) Two children, a girl and a boy, separate from their fellows, who are not particularly placed, the boy caressing the girl’s curls and singing the verses.
(c) This game is evidently a dramatic representation of wooing, and probably the action of the game has never been quite completed in the nursery. The verses are given as “nursery rhymes” by Halliwell, Nos. cccclxxxiii. and ccccxciv. The tune is from Rimbault’s Nursery Rhymes, p. 70. The words given by him are the same as the Earls Heaton version.
This is a game played “running under a handkerchief;” “something like ‘Oranges and Lemons.’”—Lincoln (Miss M. Peacock).
[Play]
—Dancing Master, 1686.
This music is exactly as it is printed in the book referred to.
(b) The following is an account of the dance as it was known in Derbyshire amongst the farmers’ sons and daughters and the domestics, all of whom were on a pretty fair equality, very different from what prevails in farm-houses of to-day. The “Cushion Dance” was a famous old North-country amusement, and among the people of Northumberland it is still commonly observed. The dance was performed with boisterous fun, quite unlike the game as played in higher circles, where the conditions and rules of procedure were of a more refined order.
The company were seated round the room, a fiddler occupying a raised seat in a corner. When all were ready, two of the young men left the room, returning presently, one carrying a large square cushion, the other an ordinary drinking-horn, china bowl, or silver tankard, according to the possessions of the family. The one carrying the cushion locked the door, putting the key in his pocket. Both gentlemen then went to the fiddler’s corner, and after the cushion-bearer had put a coin in the vessel carried by the other, the fiddler struck up a lively tune, to which the young men began to dance round the room, singing or reciting to the music:—
After making the circuit of the room, they halted on reaching the fiddler’s corner, and the cushion-bearer, still to the music of the fiddle, sang or recited:—
| Our song it will no further go! | |
| The Fiddler: | Pray, kind sir, why say you so? |
| The Cushion-bearer: Because Jane Sandars won’t come to. | |
| The Fiddler: | She must come to, she shall come to, |
| An’ I’ll make her whether she will or no. | |
The cushion-bearer and vessel-holder then proceeded with the dance, going as before round the room, singing “Frinkum, frankum,” &c., till the cushion-bearer came to the lady of his choice, before whom he paused, placed the cushion on the floor at her feet, and knelt upon it. The vessel-bearer then offered the cup to the lady, who put money in it and knelt on the cushion in front of the kneeling gentleman. The pair kissed, arose, and the gentleman, first giving the cushion to the lady with a bow, placed himself behind her, taking hold of some portion of her dress. The cup-bearer fell in also, and they danced on to the fiddler’s corner, and the ceremony was again gone through as at first, with the substitution of the name of “John” for “Jane,” thus:—
| The Lady: | Our song it will no further go! |
| The Fiddler: | Pray, kind miss, why say you so? |
| The Lady: | Because John Sandars won’t come to. |
| The Fiddler: | He must come to, he shall come to, |
| An’ I’ll make him whether he will or no! |
The dancing then proceeded, and the lady, on reaching her choice (a gentleman, of necessity), placed the cushion at his feet. He put money in the horn and knelt. They kissed and rose, he taking the cushion and his place in front of the lady, heading the next dance round, the lady taking him by the coat-tails, the first gentleman behind the lady, with the horn-bearer in the rear. In this way the dance went on till all present, alternately a lady and gentleman, had taken part in the ceremony. The dance concluded with a romp in file round the room to the quickening music of the fiddler, who at the close received the whole of the money collected by the horn-bearer.
At Charminster the dance is begun by a single person (either man or woman), who dances about the room with a cushion in his hand, and at the end of the tune stops and sings:—
| Man: | This dance it will no further go. |
| Musician: | I pray you, good sir, why say you so? |
| Man: | Because Joan Sanderson will not come to. |
| Musician: | She must come to, and she shall come to, |
| And she must come whether she will or no. |
Then the following words are sung as in the first example:—
| Man: | Welcome, Joan Sanderson, welcome, welcome. |
| Both: | Prinkum-prankum is a fine dance, |
| And shall we go dance it once again, | |
| And once again, | |
| And shall we go dance it once again? | |
| Woman: | This dance it will no further go. |
| Musician: | I pray you, madam, why say you so? |
| Woman: | Because John Sanderson will not come to. |
| Musician: | He must come to, and he shall come to, |
| And he must come whether he will or no. |
And so she lays down the cushion before a man, who, kneeling upon it, salutes her, she singing—