The very children were bitten with the mania. 'Apprentices, and all Boys of that Degree, are never without their Cudgels, with which they fight something like the Fellows before mention'd, only that the Cudgel is nothing but a stick; and that a little Wicker Basket which covers the Handle of the Stick, like the Guard of a Spanish Sword, serves the combatants instead of defensive Arms.'[396]
This sword-fighting, however, was seeing its last days, and was, in the next reign, to be superseded by pugilistic encounters. At present, boxing, although extensively practised, had not been reduced to a science. Whatever was it made everybody so pugnacious? 'Anything that looks like fighting,' says Misson, 'is delicious to an Englishman. If two little Boys quarrel in the Street, the Passengers stop, make a Ring round them in a Moment, and set them against one another, that they may come to Fisticuffs. When 'tis come to a Fight, each pulls off his Neckcloth and his Waistcoat, and give them to hold to some of the Standers by; then they begin to brandish their Fists in the Air; the Blows are aimed all at the Face, they Kick one another's Shins, they tug one another by the Hair &c. He that has got the other down may give him one Blow or two before he rises, but no more; and let the Boy get up ever so often, the other is obliged to box him again as often as he requires it. During the Fight, the Ring of Bystanders encourage the Combatants with great Delight of Heart, and never part them while they fight according to the Rules. The Father and Mother of the Boys let them fight on as well as the rest, and hearten him that gives Ground or has the Worst.
'These Combats are less frequent among grown Men than Children, but they are not rare. If a Coachman has a Dispute about his Fare with a Gentleman that has hired him, and the Gentleman offers to fight him to decide the Quarrel, the Coachman consents with all his Heart: The Gentleman pulls off his Sword, lays it in some Shop, with his Cane, Gloves and Cravat, and boxes in the same Manner as I have describ'd above. If the Coachman is soundly drubb'd, which happens almost always, that goes for payment; but if he is the Beator, the Beatee must pay the Money about which they quarrell'd. I once saw the late Duke of Grafton at Fisticuffs in the open Street, with such a Fellow whom he lamb'd most horribly.'
There was cudgel-playing—for a new hat; 'he that breaks most Heads to have the Hat; he that plays puts in six-pence.' Quarterstaff was played, and there was a somewhat dangerous game—'there will be three bouts with threshing flails.' 'A Tryal of Skill is to be fought &c. between John Parkes[397] of Coventry, and John Terrewest. Note—They fight at the Ancient Weapon called the Threshing Flail.'
Mild athleticism seems to have obtained among a few of the upper middle class: for instance, Addison speaks[398] of the dumb-bell with which he used to practise every morning, and also of a kind of Indian club exercise, 'brandishing of two short Sticks grasped in each Hand, and loaden with Plugs of Lead at either End. This opens the Chest, exercises the Limbs, and gives a Man all the Pleasure of Boxing, without the Blows.'
There were foot races, but I can find but one or two notices of them, and there is very little like professional pedestrianism, except the following very mild feat: 'A Wager of 100l. was laid last week, that a German of 64 years old, should walk in Hyde Park 300 miles in 6 dayes, which he did within the time, and a mile over.'[399]
Tennis was a fashionable game, although I only find one public court mentioned, 'facing Oxenden Street near the Haymarket.' Ward gets quite moral on the subject of this game: 'Rightly considered, it's a good Emblem of the World. As thus: the Gamesters are the Great Men, the Rackets are the Laws, which they hold fast in their Hands, and the Balls are we little Mortals which they bandy backwards or forwards from one to t'other as their own Wills and Pleasure directs 'em.'
Cricket was played, and sufficient interest was felt in the matches: on one or two occasions they were advertised in the newspapers. In 1705: 'This is to give notice, That a Match at Cricket is to be plai'd between 11 Gentlemen of the West part of the County of Kent against as many of Chatham for 11 Guineas a man, at Mauldon in Kent on the 7th of August next.' And in 1707: 'There will be two great Matches at Cricket plaid, between London and Croydon; the first at Croydon on Tuesday July 1, and the other to be plaid in Lamb's Conduit Fields near Holborn, on the Thursday following, being the 3rd of July.'
On the approach of winter football came into vogue, and it was played in the streets.
When lo! from far
I spy the furies of the Foot ball war:
The 'prentice quits his Shop, to join the Crew,
Increasing Crowds the flying Game pursue,
Thus, as you roll the Ball o'er Snowy Ground,
The gathering Globe augments with every Round.
But whither shall I run? the Throng draws nigh,
The Ball now skims the Street, now soars on High
The dext'rous Glazier strong returns the bound,
And jingling sashes on the Penthouse sound.[400]