THE WAR OF THE ROSES.
This is a pretty, interesting and instructive game, as those engaged in it and not familiar with the period of history to which it refers may be led to study it, and the knowledge received through playing may thus prove beneficial.
It is particularly suited to out-of-door amusement, though it may be played indoors by making a field of battle. This could be done by putting a rug in the centre of a room, and stating, that rug represents the battlefield of Saint Albans, or the battle-field of Towton, or you may have both battles, should you so prefer.
When played out of doors, mark out a piece of lawn in the same way that a tennis court is marked. Or, should there be no lawn, mark an oblong on the ground by means of a sharp-pointed stick.
The battle-field should be five feet one way, and three the other.
Choose two of the largest boys for leaders; one of them will personate Richard the Duke of York, the other the nearest relative of the house of Lancaster, who was the Duke of Somerset.
Then in turn, commencing with the Duke of York, the boys will call their soldiers, which may be (as this is a game) girls as well as boys. As each one’s name is called, he stands in line on the side of his leader. When all are chosen, the Duke of York gives his soldiers, as also himself, the symbol of the Yorkists, which was a white rose, and in like manner the Lancastrians receive their symbol, which was a red one.
Commencing at the foot of the line, the Duke of York will blindfold his soldier, and lead him around for one minute, thus confusing him as to location; but when he stops leading him, he must be six feet from the battlefield, and his face so turned as to make it possible to reach it. Then the leader calls one, two, three, and at once the soldier throws his rose. The blindfold is then removed, and he will see how near the field his charge has reached.
It is now the turn of the house of Lancaster, and the Duke of Somerset will blindfold the soldier at the end of his line, and thus the game proceeds as before. When every one has played, the roses on the battlefield are counted. Whichever side has on the most roses has won. Then all the roses are picked up and presented to the victors by the losing side. Each one of the winners then adorns himself with a red and white rose.
No rose can be counted on the battlefield, unless every part of it is on, including the stem and foliage.
There must be an even number of players.