M T Those who may be curious in keeeping their game and poultry some days before they are cooked, will find the following a ready guide to know the day of the week, by cutting off the claw, as the cut represents, on the day it was killed. The "Athenian Oxonensis" says, Robert Dudly, Duke of Northumberland, was the first person to learn dogs to set, in order to catch partridges. There is a curious bond in existence, dated 1685, engaging to pay ten shillings for teaching a spaniel dog to set partridges; but, during the last century, a Hampshire game-keeper taught a pig to do the same, and he was so staunch, no pointer could be found to beat him. The "Postman," of 1713, advertizes, that a stall fed deer. was to be shot for at the Grey hound, Islington, on Wednesday, in Whitsun week, for half-a-crown a man; forty to shoot, at four o'clock in the afternoon. The same week, foot-ball and crickett matches were played by the young apprentices, within the porches of Covent Garden.* 66 ARCHERY. Draw, archers! draw your arrows to the head." Richard, at Bosworth Field. "The deeds achieved by our forefathers, which secured to England its present Constitution, were with the bow." PIERCE EGAN. IN one of Bishop Latimer's sermons, he calls archery, "Godde's instrumentes." The first book of the "Last of the Barons," contains a pleasing illustration on this subject, in the olden times, to which I respectfully refer the reader.† In describing the state of the army, vol. i., p. 35, I gave some remarks from Dr. Franklin, about the advantages of the bow and arrow. I find, from the "Book of Sports," there was * Guy's Trevia. + In former days, ships trading to Venice, were obliged to bring ten bow staves of yew for every butt of Malmsey wine. It was from the Mediterranean the best wood came, of which their celebrated bows were made; the following prices prove this : "A bow made of the best foreign yew, in the reign of Queen Mary, as fixed by act of Parliament, was six shillings and eight-pence; for an inferior sort, three shillings and four-pence; and for one made of English yew, two shillings.""-Maitland's London. "The office of bow bearer of Sherwood Forest was continued to the year 1633, but it appears to have been a mere sinecure." Archaologia, vol. vii. p. 36. a Sir John Hayward who wrote about it, in 1613, in his "Lives of Norman Kings," and who, after speaking of the effects of archery, gives four reasons for his preference of those weapons: 1st, "At a reasonable distance it is of a greater certainty. 2d, It is discharged faster.* 3d, More men may discharge them at once, for only the first rank dischargeth muskets at once, but with the bow, ten or twelve ranks may discharge them. Lastly, The arrow doth strike more parts of the body, from the head to nailing the foot to the ground." He also observes, "that a horse stroke with a bullet, if the wound be not mortal, may performe good service; but if an arrow be fastened in the flesh, the continual stirring thereof, occasioned by the motion of himself, will enforce him to cast off all command, and beare down, in disorder, those that are neere." The general opinion then was, a preference of the bow over the musket. "The white faith of history cannot show, Alleyn's Henry VII. Archery was practised at Harrow school (which was founded 1590) by the scholars, until abolished by Dr. Heath. Charles II. took great delight in it; a treatise, called the "Bowman's Glory," was dedicated to him. He knighted a Mr. Wood for being an excellent shot, who had the following epitaph sculptured on his tomb: There was a society of archers began at Richmond, in Yorkshire, in the year 1673; Henry Calverley Esq., of Eryholme, is said to have given the first silver arrow, which is still in their custody. The rules and regulations were agreed upon at Scorton, and the first meeting held there in that year. The first rule regulates the sum to be deposited; the second, that the place of shooting "shall always be within six miles of Eryholme, unless otherwise resolved by the majority," (it was extended to twenty miles, in 1823.) The third regulates the colours of the targets; the fourth, the distance to be at least "eight score yards;" fifth, he who hits the gold to be captain, and shall "enjoy all the privileges due and belonging to that office, during the year ensuing," but he must bring the arrow to the next annual meeting; the sixth, regulates the manner of shooting; the seventh imposes a fine for swearing, "In modern days an archer has shot twelve arrows in a minute, into a circle not larger than a man's hat, at the distance of forty yards." Mr. John Timbs. "for as much as the exercise of archery is lawful, laudable, healthful, and innocent, and to the end that God's holy name may not be dishonoured by any of that society, it is agreed and hereby declared, that if any of them shall that day curse or swear, in the hearing of any of that company, and the same proved before the captain and lieutenant, he shall pay down one shilling, so proportionally for every oath," &c., for the use of the poor. These rules have continued, with little variation, to the present day, (1835.) A subscription is made among the members for a second prize. An account of the last shooting at Middleton-one-Row, 1834, will show how the prizes were awarded. Five pair of targets were set up, the distance between one shooting point and another being 102 yards, that is, two yards being allowed for the stand, and 100 yards for the flight of the arrow. The outer circle was white, the second black, the third blue, the fourth red, and the centre gold. The first prize, the silver arrow, was won by Mr. Crowe, by placing the arrow in the gold, which entitled him to the custody of the arrow, and to the honorary title of Captain of Archers for the ensuing year. The second prize was the subscription silver cup, value about seventeen guineas, this year, was won by Mr. Leafe, and he holds the rank of lieutenant, by placing the most centrical arrow in the gold, during the days of shooting. There is also a captain of numbers, a lieutenant of the arrow, gained by placing the first arrow in the red; and, last of all, the " spooney, "by placing the last arrow in the white, by which he gained the ancient horn spoon, on which is inscribed, "Risum teneatis, amici!" ["Take the laugh friendly?"] After King Charles' death archery began to decline, but was revived again about sixty years past, in which sport the ladies enter into with great elegance and spirit, and several are so expert as to win prizes. The Earl of Aylesford established a club at his seat, at Packington, Warwickshire, which he called the Woodmen of Arden. When Queen Victoria visited Scotland, she was attended, in the city of Edinburgh, with a company of archers, as her body guard, in 1842. COCKING. "His comb was redder than the fin corall, Embatteled as it were a castell wall." CHAUCER. This sport was much practiced; Roger Ascham, the learned tutor to Queen Elizabeth, wrote a treatise upon it. The royal cock-pit, Whitehall, recently levelled to the ground, was built by Henry VIII. King James was so passionately fond of it, he amused himself with it twice a week. And there is still in existence, a poem on this diversion, wrote by Dr. R. Wild, a nonconformist divine (born 1609.) Besides the celebrated cock-pit, Whitehall, there was one in Drury, Grays Inn, and Shoe Lanes. Thirty-four years past, the writer was detained a day, when upon business at Walsall, in Staffordshire, and to pass away an hour, went into a cock-pit, where a main was being fought; and there he met with a church of England clergyman. And strange as it may appear to many readers, he is satisfied, the gentleman might have been worse employed. On enquiry, he found this clergyman was highly respected, exemplary in all his duties, and by his mixing with the multitude in their diversions, had a great hold upon their affections, and exerted a due influence upon their conduct. Although it is the last place where etiquette of any sort can be preserved; this gentleman, by "becoming all things to all men," kept up, among a rude people, a greater degree of order and decorum than he had ever witnessed in such places. Those who are very cynical upon these subjects, should recollect the latin proverb " Omnia bona bonis."* FISHING. In former days, when it was found necessary to have moats round castles or dwellings, for better security; these were turned into the ever ready purposes of fish ponds; and, as the people were Catholics, and had fish days as their regular food, the diversion of fishing was often had close at home; and it was not exclusively followed by our sex. The ladies not only followed it, but there was one Dame, Julyans Berners, prioress of Sopewell Nunnery, near St. Albans; a pious lady, * All things are good, to good men. of noble family, wrote an ingenious and learned treatise upon the subject; long before the kind hearted Izack Walton, who wrote his immortal work, 1653. According to Aubrey "The younger fry of wealthy families, were either to enter the church, or enter into the retinue of noble families, or men in office. Commerce then was regarded with a supercilious eye, by the generality of the sons of the proud born "Jolter headed country gentry." Hence, arisen the numerous "Will Wimbles," and "the led captains," who endeavoured to make themselves necessary to some rich gentleman or nobleman, for the privilege of getting his feet under their table; if they were "Too coy to flatter-and too proud to serve, Thine be the joyless dignity to starve." SMOLLET. That was often their only alternative! Hence, as Carew writes: "Thus mean in state, and calm in sprite, They, therefore, were skilful in the art of angling, and the making of artificial flies, which brought into more note this delightful and bewitching method of catching fish. But as the science of insects was then but little known, the most part of them were not like anything in nature; and, if you might be foolish enough to fall down and worship some of them, you would not have broken one of the commandments.* But the use of them was successful.† These younger sons of the high born were also usefully employed in studying the points of a horse, breaking in of hunters and hounds, and training pointers, training and feeding gamecocks, with the cures of the diseases to which such useful animals are liable; and thus the art of farriery and veterinary surgery became considerably improved. They also were able to superintend, and refine the overflowing hospitality of their patron; and sometimes, too, would drink hard, and shout loud, and brag well in his service at an election contest. *There are a variety of opinions at the present time about these flies, whether they should be exactly agreeable to nature, or according to the fancy of the artists, questions not of importance enough for me to enter upon, so I shall leave the different partizans still to † An angler, between 1754 and 1764, taken chiefly in Wales, 47, 120 fish, principally trout, which he gave away; some pike, chub, eel, and flounder not noticed. Magna Britannia Notitia, 1708. |