Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/180

 in another's lap, and guesses who struck him. Gay describes this pastime in the following lines:—

Leap-frog and blind-man's buff are still favourite games. The line "To drink the halper pots, or deal at the whole can," is evidently an allusion to some competition in drinking, either in half or whole measures. Perhaps halper should be halfer. The pot of ale was once a measure; the pottle was two quarts; and the drinking off at once this measure of liquor was termed a "pottle draught." Chess is never likely to be obsolete. Pue is probably a misprint for put, a game at cards, still lingering in some districts. It was in vogue in the seventeenth century. Inkhorn is not known as a game. Inkhorn terms were fine words, savouring of the inkhorn. The morris-dance was a very ancient dance, in which the performers were dressed in grotesque costume, with bells, &c. It was sometimes performed by itself, but was much more frequently danced in processions and pageants, especially in those of the May-games. In the sixteenth century, it was frequently introduced on the stage. The bells on the dancers' dresses were to be sounded as they danced. They were of unequal sizes, and named the fore-bell, the second bell, the treble, the tenor or great bell; and mention is also made of double bells. In 1561, two dozen of morris-bells were valued at one shilling. There was no particular number of morris-dancers, usually five or more, besides two musicians (pipe and tabor), and the performer of the hobby-horse. The morris-dance is sometimes yet to be seen in Lancashire in connection with the rush-carts, the