Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 8.djvu/90

 NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. vm. JULY 27, 1007. 1

" BUMBLE - PUPPY " AND " DOVES " TAVERN (10 S. vii. 306, 456). Allow me to reassure MR. HOLDEN MACMICHAEL on the subject of the " Doves " Tavern, which he will be glad to hear still stands unaltered in its old position on the waterside. More- over, the bumble-puppy table still remains in the little garden at the rear of the tavern, and, as I was assured when recently visiting the spot, is in constant use. I was only prevented by want of time from playing a game, challenged thereto by a regular player ; but I should assuredly have lost.

The table is of considerable age, but its predecessor, now dismantled, still occupies a place in the garden. It consists of a slate slab about 3 ft. 6 in. in width by some 7 ft. in length, slightly inclined towards the bridge of nine holes, numbered (from left to right) 3, 6, 8, 1, 9, 2, 7, 5, 4, with the stable-like partition at the back as described by MR. MACMICHAEL. The game is played with marbles about an inch and a quarter in diameter, one of which is simply placed on the table at the other end, and allowed to roll by its own weight towards the bridge. The score is counted by reckoning the numbers of the holes into which the balls roll, and the player's object is of course to let his marble roll into the 9 or other high number ; but, owing to inequalities of the surface of the slate and its defective levelling, the operation appears to require some skill and calculation, somewhat like that needful on an uneven bowling-green.

A confirmation of MR. MACMICHAEL'S remarks about the game of nine holes may be found in a quaint engraving sold by Willm. & Cluer Dicey in Bow Church Yard, entitled ' Sport upon Sport or Youth's Delight.' This print is divided into twelve compartments, each of which contains a representation of a game, with explanatory dialogue. The second game is entitled Pidgon Holes. Behind a vertical board some ten inches in height, pierced with seven narrow vertical openings, arranged side by side, and numbered from left to right, 1 to 7, stands a youth in very early eighteenth - century dress, who exclaims, " You dont win one, a farthing." The player, similarly attired, stands in front of the board in a slightly stooping attitude, and says, " I hit two for a halfpenny." In his right hand he holds, and is about to bowl or throw towards the board, a ball of about an inch in diameter. This little scene would appear, except as regards the number of holes, to represent exactly Strutt's game of nine holes ; but it is difficult to see

how the player proposed to hit two (of the little divisions forming the sides of the holes) The games depicted in the other com- partments of the plate are very quaintly represented as regards the attitudes and speech of- the players. They include Ropes (i.e., skipping ropes) : " Can you cross it ? " " You saucy Fellow lets see you." Flying a Kite : " You medle with my kite "- " Touch it, Sarah, I '11 kick you." Boys on Stilts : " Help lack, lack I am Stuck "- " There stick for me." Span Farthing : " Play Fare " " Rubbers and play out the Copper." Chuck Farthing : " Next plump " " No He Slide." Nine Pins :' " You Sir stand Fare " " Nine is my game." Turn a Blee for a Farthing (a wheel of fortune or pointer revolving within figures on a dial) : " Have at your Ten "- " Win it, and take it." Scale Top, apparently an early form of Aunt Sally. The proprietor stands over a row of skittles, and says, " Not one for a farthing." The player, stick in hand, replies, " Nee, nee, here's two risers." Brush point : on the ground are four long wires, side by side, forked amphisbaena-like at each end. One player watches them and says, " All I have is at Stake." The other, stooping over the wires, holds what may be a brush, but looks like a sheet of paper, in each hand, and says, " Their is Two, Fair S r ." As the two foremost wires are crossed, whilst the others are still lying parallel, it would seem likely that the game consisted in crossing the wires by means of the current of air caused by the fanning of the pieces of paper or brushes. Sarpents and Crackers, boys with fireworks in their hand : " Have at you Tim " " A Rope on't, mine wont Toutch " (ignite). Washing, boys splashing each other in the water.

J. ELIOT HODGKIN.

SOUTHY'S AUTHENTIC MEMOIRS OF GEORGE III. (10 S. viii. 27). Reference to this book will be found in 5 S. x. 527 ; 7 S. iii. 168. W. B. H.

BARNABY BLACKWELL, BANKER (10 S. viii. 30). Presuming MR. J. M. BULLOCH refers to Barneby Backwell, I may add that he was a son of Tyrringham Backwell, who was son of Alderman Edward Backwell, a well-known goldsmith keeping running- cashes at " The Unicorn ' in Lombard Street, during the Commonwealth and the reign of Charles II. He kept all the royal accounts ; and at the closing of the Ex- chequer on 2 Jan., 1672, he had no less a sum than 295,OOOZ. in it, the loss of which caused him to suspend payments.