Francis Willughby’s Book of Games (1665–70)
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Francis Willughby’s so-called “Book” of Games is really an unfinished and unpublished manuscript written by the author in the years leading up to his death. It collects games played by both children and adults — some sections of the manuscript are written by an unidentified child, probably one of his children.
In the order given in the manuscript, the sections are:Not every page is titled in the original, but titles are inferred in Francis Willughby’s Book of Games: a seventeenth-century treatise on sports, games and pastimes.
Stow Ball
Billiards
Tennis
Tables
Dublets
Ticktack
Irish
Back Gammon: Backgammon
Long Laurence
Cards
One and Thirtie
One and Thirtie Bon Ace
Hannikin Canst Abide It
Laugh & Ly Downe: Laugh and Lie Down
Nodde
Cribbidge
A New Cribbidge or Nodde
Double Hand Cribbidge
Ruffe & Trump
Gleeke
Beast, or Le Beste
Loosing Lodum
Winning Loadum
Ging or Seven Cards
Put
Tricks at Cards
Barly Breakes
Running 3 Times through the Charter House
Running
Prison Barres
Lilman
Football
Hurling
Drawing, Lifting &c.
Drawing Dun Out of the Mire
England and Ireland
Copshole, or Copsole
Kibble Heft
Pitching the Barre
Leaping
Vaulting
Hop Frog
Scotch Hopper
Ball
I Call and I Call
Stoole Ball
Bandie Ball
Kit Cat
Hornebillets
Shittle Cock
Shooting
Father Fitchard
Children’s Plays
Put Pin
Heads and Points
Even & Odde
Upper or Nether, Chuse you Whither
Crosse & Pile
Cob Castle
Cobnut
Cherrie Pit
Hide & Seeke
King Weywoods Park
Hunting a Deere in My Lords Parke
Blind Mans Buffe. Blind Buck a Davie
Hummers
Handie Back, or Hockcockles
Tick
Top
Gigs
Whirlie Gigs
Tricks to Abuse & Hurt One Another
Buying of Mustard
Cropping of Oakes
Buying of Bees
Selling of Mill Stones
Robin Alive
Bum to Busse
A Foole Who Bobed Thee
Shooing the Wild Colt
Fire and No Snoke
Jack Art Asleepe
Gliffes
Drolery or for Exercising the Wit & Making Sport
Selling of Bargaines
Dust Point
Purposes
Crosse Purposes
Riddles
Capping of Verses
Riming
Quoits
Pennie Prick
Boules
Ten Pegs or 9 Pegs. Skittle Pins
Trole Madame or Nine Holes
Shovel Board
Span Counter
Nine Mens Maurice: Nine Men’s Morris
3 Mens Maurice: Three Men’s Morris
Fox and Goose
Draughts
Cock Fighting
Bul Bating, Cock Fighting &c., Throwing at Cocks, & Other Sports Where Animalls Kill One Another
Bull Bating
Bare Bating
Duelling, Wrestling &c.
Superstitions and Customs
References
Cram, David, Jeffrey L. Forgeng, and Dorothy Johnston (). Francis Willughby’s Book of Games: a seventeenth-century treatise on sports, games and pastimes. Routledge: London & New York. ISBN: 978-1-85928-460-5. First published in 2003 by Ashgate Publishing.