The requisition goes on to the dame to prepare for the feast, and her answer is-- London Bridge is fallen down, On Christ-mas day in the morning, &c. The inference always was, that until the bridge was rebuilt some stop would be put to the Dame s Christmas operations; but why the falling of London Bridge should form part of a Christmas Carol at Newcastle-upon-Tyne I am at a loss to know. Some fragments were also printed in the _Mirror_ for November 1823; and a version is also given by Ritson, _Gammer Gurton s Garland_. The _Heimskringla_ (Laing, ii. 260, 261) gives an animated description of the Battle of London Bridge, when Ethelred, after the death of Sweyn, was assisted by Olaf in retaking and entering London, and it is curious, that the first line of the game-rhyme appears-- London Bridge is broken down, Gold is won and bright renown; Shields resounding, War-horns sounding, Hild is shouting in the din; Arrows singing, Mail-coats ringing, Odin makes our Olaf win. If this is anything more than an accidental parallel, we come back to an historical episode wherein the breaking down and rebuilding of London Bridge occur, and it looks as if the two streams down which this tradition has travelled, namely, first, through the game, and second, through the song, both refer to the same event. Dr. Rimbault has, in his _Nursery Rhymes_, p. 34, reconstructed a copy of the original rhyme from the versions given by Halliwell and the _Mirror_, and gives the tune to which it was sung, which is reprinted here. The tune from Kent is the one generally used in London versions.
Five Fingers, the five of trumps at Spoil Five. Flèches, the points upon a backgammon board. Fluke, making a count that was not played for. Flush, cards of the same suit. Flux, F., only one suit in the player’s hand; a flush. Force, to compel a player to trump a trick in order to win it. Forced Leads, leads which are not desirable, but which are forced upon the player to avoid those which are still less advantageous. Fordern, G., to lead trumps.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The successful bidder having disposed of the skat cards and announced his game, the Vorhand leads any card he pleases for the first trick. Vorhand should be careful not to lead until the player has laid out or discarded for the Skat in a Gucki or a Tourné. Players must follow suit if they can, but are not obliged to win the trick. Having none of the suit led, they may trump or discard at pleasure. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and trumps win all other suits. The winner of the first trick leads for the next, and so on, until all the cards have been played, or the game is acknowledged as won or lost, and abandoned. In a Grand, if a Jack is led, players must follow suit with the other Jacks, they being trumps. _=Abandoned Hands.=_ If the single player finds he has overbid himself, or sees that he cannot make as good a game as bid, he may abandon his hand to save himself from being made schneider or schwarz, provided he does so before he plays to the second trick.
Gregor). Another version seems to be Headim and Corsim. Pins are hid with fingers in the palms of the hands; the same number is laid alongside them, and either Headim or Corsim called out by those who do so. When the fingers are lifted, if the heads of the pins hid and those beside them be lying one way when the crier cried Headim, then that player wins; but if Corsim, the one who hid the pins wins. This is the king of all the games at the preens.--Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_. The editors of Jamieson s _Dictionary_ say that the name should be Headum and Corsum. Heads and Tails That plan for deciding matters by the birl o a bawbee. The one side cries Heads (when the piece is whirling in the air) and the other Tails, so whichever is uppermost when the piece alights that gains or settles the matter, heads standing for the King s head and tails for the figure who represents Britannia.--Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_.
If any stand unchosen by Foolie, the Namer then goes up to each and asks if he wants, _e.g._, an aipple, an orange, a kirk, a cottage, &c. Each one whispers what he wants. The same question is put to Foolie. If he answers, _e.g._, orange, the one so named steps out and stands beside Foolie. All not first chosen are gone over in this way. Those left unchosen take their stand beside the Namer.
Boggle-bush The child s play of finding the hidden person in the company.--Robinson s _Whitby Glossary_. See Hide and Seek. Bonnety This is a boys game. The players place their bonnets or caps in a pile. They then join hands and stand in a circle round it. They then pull each other, and twist and wriggle round and round and over it, till one overturns it or knocks a bonnet off it. The player who does so is hoisted on the back of another, and pelted by all the others with their bonnets.--Keith, Nairn (Rev. W.
It is growing less and less the custom to count honours in America. A player making a bid can be compelled to play it; but it is usual to allow him to pay instead of playing, if he proposes to do so, either because he has overbid his hand or for any other reason. _=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ No matter who is the successful bidder, the eldest hand always leads for the first trick, and the others must follow suit if they can, the play proceeding exactly as in Whist. Tricks should be carefully stacked, there being the same penalties as in Boston for calling attention to the score. The methods of playing misères and spreads have already been described in connection with Boston. When piccolissimo is played, the moment the single player takes more than one trick the hands are thrown up, and the stakes paid. _=REVOKES.=_ The rules governing these and cards played in error, are the same as at Boston. In piccolissimo, the penalties are the same as in misère.