SIR Thomas Urquhart, of Cromarty, in his curious work entitled "The Discovery of a most exquisite Jewel, found in the Kennel of Worcester Streets the Day after the Fight, 1651," p. 237, in continuation of a passage which will presently be quoted under “Cards,” says, "They may likewise be said to use their king as the players at nine-pins do the middle kyle, which they call the king, at whose fall alone they aim, the sooner to obtain the gaining of their prize."

Poor Robin, in his "Almanack for 1695," in his observations on the Spring Quarter,

says, "In this quarter are very much practised the commendable exercises of Nine-pins, pigeon-holes, stool-ball, and barley-break, by reason Easter holydays, Whitsun holydays, and May-day, do fall in this quarter."

In "The Brothers of the Blade, answerable to the Sisters of the Scaberd," 4to. 1641, we read, "I would wish thee to haunt bowling-alleys, and frequent gaming-houses, where you may live all day long upon the rooke on the Bankside, or to play at Nine-pins, or pigeon-holes, in Lincolnes Inne Fieldes; these are ordinary exercises."-p. 3.

IN a most rare book, entitled "The French Garden for English Ladies and Gentlewomen to walke in," &c., 8vo. Lond. 1621, signat. N. 5. b., in a dialogue, the lady says, "If one had Paille-mails, it were good to play in this alley, for it is of a reasonable good length,

straight, and even." And a note in the mar gin informs us : "A paille-mal is a wooden hammer set to the end of a long staffe to strike a boule with, at which game noblemen and gentlemen in France doe play much."

In Sir Robert Dallington's "Method for

THE game of " the Country Base" is mentioned by Shakspeare in " Cymbeline." Also in the tragedy of "Hoffman," 1632:

"I'll run a little course At base, or barley-brake." Again, in the Antipodes, 1638: "My men can run at base."

Again, in the thirtieth song of Drayton's "Polyolbion :"

"At hood-wink, barley-brake, at tick, or Prison-base."

See Reed's Shakspeare, vol. xviii. p. 604. Again, in Spenser's "Fairy Queen," book v. c. 8: "So ran they all as they had been at bace."

MISSON, in his "Travels in England," translated by Ozell, p. 231, says: "The English nobility take great delight in horse-races. The most famous are usually at Newmarket; and there you are sure to see a great many persons of the first quality, and almost all the gentlemen of the neighbourhood. It is pretty common for them to lay wagers of two thousand pounds sterling upon one race. I have seen a horse, that after having run twenty miles in fifty-five minutes, upon ground less even than that where the races are run at Newmarket, and won the wager for his master, would have been able to run

anew without taking breath, if he that had lost durst have ventured again. There are also races run by men."

In Hinde's "Life of Master John Bruen," a puritan of great celebrity, 8vo. Lond. 1641, p. 104, the author recommends "unto many of our gentlemen, and to many of inferior rank, that they would make an exchange of their foot-races and horse-races," &c.

A proclamation was issued by the Protector Cromwell, 8th April, 1658, " prohibiting horse-races in England and Wales for eight moneths."

MISSON, in his "Travels in England," p. 126, speaking of Hyde Park," at the end of one of the suburbs of London," says, "Here the people of fashion take the diversion of the RING. In a pretty high place, which lies very open, they have surrounded a circumference of two or three hundred paces diameter

with a sorry kind of balustrade, or rather with poles placed upon stakes, but three foot from the ground; and the coaches drive round and round this. When they have turned for some time round one way they face about and turn t'other: so rowls the world."