(c) This sport is found among the illuminations of an old missal formerly in the possession of John Ives, cited by Strutt in his Manners and Customs. The two [illustrations] are facsimiles from drawings in one of the Bodleian MSS., and they indicate the complete covering of the head, and also the fact that the game was played by adults. Gay says concerning it—
As once I play’d at blindman’s-buff, it hap’t,
About my eyes the towel thick was wrapt.
I miss’d the swains, and seiz’d on Blouzelind.
And another reference is quoted by Brand (ii. 398)—
Sometyme the one would goe, sometyme the other,
Sometymes all thre at once, and sometyme neither;
Thus they with him play at boyes blynde-man-bluffe.
—The Newe Metamorphosis, 1600, MS.
Other names for this game are “[Belly Mantie],” “[Billy Blind],” “[Blind Bucky Davy],” “[Blind Harie],” “[Blind Hob],” “[Blind Nerry Mopsey],” “[Blind Palmie],” “[Blind Sim],” “[Buck Hid],” “[Chacke Blynd Man],” “[Hoodle-cum-blind],” “[Hoodman Blind],” “[Hooper’s Hide],” “[Jockie Blind Man].”
(d) There is some reason for believing that this game can be traced up to very ancient rites connected with prehistoric worship. The name “Billy Blind” denoted the person who was blindfolded in the game, as may be seen by an old poem by Lyndsay, quoted by Jamieson:
War I ane King
I sould richt sone mak reformatioun
Farlyeand thairof your grace sould richt sone finde
That Preistis sall leid yow lyke are bellye blinde.
And also in Clerk’s Advice to Luvaris:
Sum festnit is and ma not flé,
Sum led is lyk the belly blynd
With luve, war bettir lat it be.