it by proclamation in 1633, on account of many exactions committed by those entrusted with the execution of the commission. The use of musquetry soon after superseded the bow, and some faint and abortive attempts made at different times since have only served to remind us of our ancestor's excellence in the art of shooting with ar

rows.

Tennis, Sir Thomas Elyot considered hurtful, unless seldom played, and then but for a short time. As two persons were employed in this game, neither of them were capable of limiting the exercise, he that struck the ball with violence compelled his antagonist to exert equal force in returning it to him. "If it trail fast on the ground, and he intendeth to stop; or if it rebound a great distance from him, and he would eftsones return it, he cannot then keep any measure in swiftness of motion. Some men would say that in mediocrity, which I have so much praised in shooting, why should not bowling, clayshe pins (nine pins), and coyting (quoits), be as much commended. Verily, as for two, the last be to be utterly abjected of all noble men; in likwise football, wherein is nothing but beastly fury, and extreme violence, whereof proceedeth hurt, and consequently rancour and malice do remain with them that be wounded; wherefore it is to be put in perpetual silence.'

Amongst

Amongst the amusements offered to the French ambassadors at the court of Henry VIII. at Greenwich were contests on foot between gentle men in superb armour, and others mounted on beautiful and spirited horses, which was followed by an interlude pronounced in Latin, the actors in rich dresses. "This being ended," says the author of the Life of Wolsey, "there came a great company of ladies and gentlemen, the chiefest beauties in the realm of England, being as richly attired as cost could make, or art devise, to set forth their gestures, proportions, or beauties, that they seemed to the beholder rather like celestial angels than terrestrial creatures, and in my judgement worthy of admiration, with whom the gentlemen of France danced and masked; every man chusing his lady as his fancy served that done, and the maskers departed, came in another masque of ladies and gentlewomen, so richly attired as I cannot express; these ladies maskers tooke each of them one of the Frenchmen to dance; and here note, that these noblewomen spoke all of them good French, which delighted them much to hear the ladies speak to them in their own language. Thus triumphantly did they spend the whole night from five of the clock at the night unto two or three of the clock in the morning; at which time the gallants drew all to their lodgings to take their rest.”

An

An odd way of amusing themselves and the spectators of their follies was practised by persons who styled themselves Mummers. An act of the 3d of Henry VIII., cap. 9, partly explains their method of proceeding" For as much as lately within this realm divers persons have disguised and apparelled themselves and covered themselves with visors or other things, in such manner as they should not be known; and divers of them in a company together, naming themselves Mummers, have come to the dwelling place of divers men of honour, and substantial persons, and so departed unknown; whereupon murders, felony, rape, and other great hurts and inconveniences · have afore time grown, and hereafter be like to come by, if the said disorder should continue not reformed."

The origin of this amusement might have been innocent; possibly persons may have masked and habited themselves, in various characters, to excite the surprize of their friends, whom they left in ignorance to enjoy their observations unsuspected; but that the custom of mumming should have been permitted to the extent of requiring an act of the Legislature for its suppression, was strange neglect in the police.

This act levied a fine and three months imprisonment on future offenders, and decreed a penalty of 22s. for the sale of a single mask. It.

is extremely probable, that the Mummer was a product of Italy; and, were we inclined to penetrate into past ages, we might possibly discover him on the Roman stage, where the actors invariably appeared in distorted masks, though perhaps otherwise habited in the character they represented.

The Jugglers were much encouraged at this period; and old as their tricks were, they still had it in their power to attract the attention of the wary, who admired their ingenuity, though they knew their agents; and of the ignorant they have at all times assembled legions.

"Howbeit," says Reginald Scot, Esquire, 1584, "if these things be done for mirth and recreation, and not to the hurt of our neighbour, nor to the abusing or prophaning of God's name, in mine opinion they are neither impious nor altogether unlawful; though herein or hereby a natural thing be made to seem unnatural." Such he considers Legerdemain, or the art of appearing to convey away or deliver to another that which they retain in their own hands; seeming to eat a knife, which, in fact, they drop into their bosom; the thrusting a knife through the head of a pullet, and restoring it to life by the repetition of words; the trick now common of burning a card, and bringing the same apparently out of the pocket of a spectator.

"What

"What wondering and admiration was there at Brandon the Jugler! who painted on the wall the picture of a dove, and, seeing a pigeon sitting on the top of a house, said to the King (either Edward VI. or Henry VIII., as Elizabeth was then on the throne), "So now your Grace shall see what a jugler can do, if he be his craftsmaster;' and then pricked the picture with a knife so hard and so often, and with so effectual words, as the pigeon fell down from the top of the house stark dead. I need not write any further circumstance to shew how the matter was taken; what wondering was thereat, how he was prohibited to use that feat any further, least he should employ it in any other kind of murder; as though he, whose picture soever he had pricked, must needs have died, and so the life of all men, in the hands of a jugler: as is now supposed to be in the hands and wills of witches. This story is, untill the day of the writing hereof, in fresh remembrance, and of the most part believed as canonical, as are all the fables of witches."

This well-informed gentleman, then, proceeds to show his countrymen, that a slight exercise of their sagacity would remove all the supernatural part of the business, which was thus effected: the poor pigeon that fell stupified or dead had previously received from the hands of the juggler or an agent a portion of nux tomica, or some other

drug,