Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/292

 256 OX THE GAME OF TALL MALL. wTcistling, fencing, dancing, and playing at the caitch or tcnnise, arclicry, pallc niaille, and such like other foire and pleasant field games."* Peacham, in his " Compleat Gentle- man," written in the time of James, discoursing of travel and of the character and manners of the French, remarks that their exercises are for " the most part Tennise play, Pallemailc, shooting in the Crosse-boworPeece, and dancing."^ From these notices it appears that the introduction of the game into England may have taken place towards the earlier years of the XVIIth century, under the influence probably of the gallant and spirited Prince of AVales, whose untimely death occurred in 1612. Mr. Cunningham remarks, in his excellent Handbook for London, that it is usual to ascribe its introduction to Charles II., but that it was broutrht into England from France in the reign of Charles I., perhaps earlier. We may suppose that it was not much in vogue before the middle of that century, or it may have been amongst fashionable amusements disused in the more austere period of the CV)mmonwealth. That minute observer of the manners and follies of his day, Pepys, records on A})ril 2, 1G61, — "To St. James' l-irk, where I saw the Duke of York playing at Pelemelc, tlic first time that ever I saw the sport." ' The ]Iall, to which Pepys alludes in this and other passages, it juust be observed, was not the place originally used for this game, adjacent to the Park, and of which the tradition has been preserved in the name of the street, Pall Mall. The existence there of a Mall ])i'ior to the Revolution is clearly shown, as ]Ir. Cunningham points out, by the lleturn of the Commissioners for the Survey of Crown Lands in IGfjO, describing a piece or parcel of pasture called " Pell IMcll Close," which nuLst have taken its name from the particular locality where the game had been played. They also valued at 70/. the " elm trees standing in Pall MiiW Walk, in a very decent and regular inamier on both sides the walk, being in number 140."' ^i'liis agreeable site was doubtless soon " Kiiiu .JaiiifH' WorliH, rrillfct'-(l l.y play imiili " r'niicli (lardcii fur I'jiglisli biHhop MonUipic, l«l<;,p. HI'), Lii.'lifH, KiJL ' AiiDiliir writir of tlio mimu fx rind ' Diarv of IN-pys, cilitfil Ijy lionl ol)wrv<-H. " II |milliMiiiill in Ji winnlcn Itnivbntolu'. l-'oiirlli cilil., Hi.") I ; vol. i,, hniiiiiicr H<.-t to tlio (•iid of ii long hUiIIu Id p. I -ii in I'nuico iluc .M.ill, wIiiti- iiiiuiv piirlicnliii'H will !"■