. and either goyng all together or diuidyng themselues into companies, they goe some to the Woodes and groves where they spend all the night in plesant pastimes; and in the morning they return bringing with them birch and branches of trees to deck their assemblies withall . . . and then they fall to daunce about it like as the heathen people did. . . . I have heard it credibly reported (and that _viva voce_) by men of great grauitie and reputation, that of fortie, threescore or a hundred maides going to the wood ouer night, there haue scaresly the third part of them returned home againe undefiled. Herrick s _Hesperides_ also describes the festival, and the custom of courting and marriage at the same time.
In No. 5, for instance, if the clubs were the Queen and ace, it would be better to begin with the heart King, instead of leading away from the minor tenace in clubs. Observe the lead in No. 4. Many tenace positions cannot be taken advantage of because the player must win the trick if he can. For instance: Several discards have been made, and each player suspects the other holds three trumps, with three tricks to play. The Queen is led, and the adversary holds K A 7. If he could pass this trick, he must lie tenace; but as he has to win it with the King, he gives tenace to his adversary, who evidently has J and another. When the dealer is four, the player may stand on much weaker hands. It is usually best to lead from guarded suits, in preference to single cards.
Players draw from an outspread pack for the choice of seats and cards, the lowest cut having the first choice, and the others following in their order. The player cutting the lowest card takes the first deal, which afterward passes in regular rotation to the left. In cutting, the ace is low. Any player exposing more than one card must cut again. _=TIES.=_ If the first cut does not decide, those tying must cut again, but the new cut decides nothing but the tie. _=DEALING.=_ Any player has the right to shuffle the pack, the dealer last. The cards are then presented to the pone to be cut, who must leave at least four in each packet. The cards are dealt from left to right, one at a time to each player in rotation until the pack is exhausted.
-+ | | . | | . | | . | | . | +---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+ ] In Diagram No. 11, if you count up the men on either your own or your adversary’s system, you will find that the number is even, and as you have not the move you should force an exchange immediately, which will give it to you, and win the game.
It is probable that the game, which resembles Buff, has been played to the tune of the song. Singing a chorus would soon follow. See Buff, Muffin Man. Dip o the Kit A rustic game, undescribed and marked as obsolescent.--Peacock s _Manley and Corringham Glossary_. Dish-a-loof A singular rustic amusement. One lays his hand down on a table, another clashes his upon it, a third his on that, and so on (fig. 1). When all the players have done this, the one who has his hand on the board pulls it out and lays it on the one uppermost (fig. 2): they all follow in rotation, and so a continual clashing and dashing is kept up; hence the name Dish.
If he has exactly 21, an Ace and a tenth card, which is called a natural, he shows it at once, and the players must pay him twice the amount they have staked in front of them, unless they also have a natural, when it is a stand-off. If the dealer has not a natural, each player in turn, beginning with the eldest hand, examines his two cards to see how nearly their total value approaches 21. If he has a natural, he exposes it immediately, and the dealer must pay him double the amount staked. It is sometimes the rule for the holder of a natural, the dealer having none, to take the stakes of all the other players; but this variation is not in favour. _=Drawing.=_ No natural being shown, each player in turn may draw another card, or stand on the two dealt him, which are not shown under any circumstances. If he is content, he says: “I stand.” If he wants a card he says: “One,” and the dealer gives it to him, face up. If the pips on the card drawn, added to those already in his hand, make his total greater than 21, he is créve, and passes over to the dealer his stake, throwing his cards in the centre of the table, still face down. If the total is not 21, he may draw another card, and so on until he is créve or stands.
He puts out his force over the field on his own side, anywhere up to the distance of one move off the middle line--that is to say, he must not put any man within one move of the middle line, but he may do so anywhere on his own side of that limit--and then the loser of the toss becomes first player, and sets out his men a move from his back line. The defender may open fire forthwith; he need not wait until after the second move of the first player, as the second player has to do. COMPOSITION OF FORCES Except in the above cases, or when otherwise agreed upon, the forces engaged shall be equal in number and similar in composition. The methods of handicapping are obvious. A slight inequality (chances of war) may be arranged between equal players by leaving out 12 men on each side and tossing with a pair of dice to see how many each player shall take of these. The best arrangement and proportion of the forces is in small bodies of about 20 to 25 infantry-men and 12 to 15 cavalry to a gun. Such a force can maneuver comfortably on a front of 4 or 5 feet. Most of our games have been played with about 80 infantry, 50 cavalry, 3 or 4 naval guns, and a field gun on either side, or with smaller proportional forces. We have played excellent games on an eighteen-foot battlefield with over two hundred men and six guns a side. A player may, of course, rearrange his forces to suit his own convenience; brigade all or most of his cavalry into a powerful striking force, or what not.
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_. Cop-halfpenny The game of Chuck-farthing. --Norfolk and Suffolk (Holloway s _Dict.
This is now the practice at Monte Carlo, with the single-zero wheels. _=Systems.=_ As at Faro, gamblers at Roulette are never tired of devising systems to beat the game; but none of them are of any further use than to afford a little passing amusement to their inventors. Persons who are interested in systems will find in the New York Sun, July 5, 1896, a very interesting tabulation of every roll of the ball at Monte Carlo for seven successive days, 4,012 in all, of which 120 were zeros. If they can find a system that will beat the wheel for seven days, and have a return ticket, Monte Carlo will take care of all their spare cash. One curious fallacy about some systems is to imagine that they will win if the player will quit when he is a certain amount ahead, and not play again until next day. Until some rule can be given by which the exact hour can be fixed to begin play, all such systems must be delusions, as there is no reason why a second man should not begin where the first left off, and therefore no reason why the first should not continue playing all the time. It is in the interest of the proprietors of all gambling houses to pretend to be afraid of systems. The word is passed round, and the deluded gamesters think they have found the thread which has held the sword of Damocles above the banker’s head so long. As a matter of fact, there is no one so welcome at a gambling house as a player with a system.
Hardy), Forest of Dean (Miss Matthews), Ellesmere (Burne, _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 574), Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 386). Hurling A game played with a ball. The players are divided into two equal parties, each of which tries to secure and keep the ball in their possession. The prize is a ball made of cork, covered with silver.--Courtney s _West Cornwall Glossary_. In Taylor s _Antiquitates Curiosæ_, p. 144, it is stated:-- The game of hurling consisted in throwing or hurling a ball of wood about three inches in diameter, and covered with plated silver, sometimes gilt. On the ball was frequently a Cornish motto allusive to the game, and signifying that fair play was best.
W. D. Sweeting. Maxey Rev. W. D. Sweeting. NORTHUMBERLAND { Brockett s _Provincial Words_, ed. { 1846. Hexham Miss J.
Britton s _Beauties of Wiltshire_ gives the Isle of Wight and Hants as other places where the game is known. See Conquerors. Cock 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.
W. G. Black. NAIRN-- Nairn Rev. W. Gregor. IRELAND. Folk-lore Society Publications. _Notes and Queries._ ANTRIM AND DOWN Patterson s _Glossary_.