The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland Volume Ii Part 9

Pitch and Hustle

"Chuck-Farthing." The game of "Pitch and Toss" is very common, being merely the throwing up of halfpence, the result depending on a guess of heads or tails.-Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

Pitch and Toss

This game was played by two or more players with "pitchers"-the stakes being b.u.t.tons. The ordinary bone b.u.t.ton, or "scroggy," being the unit of value. The "pitcher" was made of lead, circular in form, from one and a half inch to two inches in diameter, and about a quarter of an inch thick, with an "[H]" to stand for "Heads" cut on one side, and a "[T]"

for "Tails" on the other side. An old-fashioned penny was sometimes used, and an old "two-penny" piece I have by me bears the marks of much service in the same cause. A mark having been set up-generally a stone-and the order of play having been fixed, the first player, A, threw his "pitcher" to the mark, from a point six or seven yards distant. If he thought he lay sufficiently near the mark to make it probable that he would be the nearest after the others had thrown, he said he would "lie." The effect of that was that the players who followed had to lie also, whatever the character of their throw. If A's throw was a poor one he took up his "pitcher." B then threw, if he threw well he "lay," if not he took up his pitcher, in hope of making a better throw, as A had done. C then played in the same manner. D followed and "lay." E played his pitcher, and had no choice but to lie. F followed in the same way. These being all the players, A threw again, and though his second might have been worse than his first, he has to lie like the others. B and C followed. All the pitchers have been thrown, and are lying round the mark, in the following order of proximity-for that regulates the subsequent play-B's is nearest, then D's follows, in order by A, C, F, E. B takes the pitchers, and piles them up one above the other, and tosses them into the air. Three (let us say) fall head up, D's, A's, and F's. These three B keeps in his hand. D, who was next nearest the mark, takes the three remaining pitchers, and in the same manner tosses them into the air. B's and C's fall head up, and are retained by D. A, who comes third, takes the remaining pitcher, E's, and throws it up. If it falls a head he keeps it, and the game is finished except the reckoning; if it falls a tail it pa.s.ses on to the next player, C, who throws it up. If it falls a head he keeps it, if a tail, it is pa.s.sed on to F, and from him to E, and on to B, till it turns up a head. Let us suppose that happens when F throws it up. The game is now finished, and the reckoning takes place-

B has three pitchers, D's, A's, and F's.

D two B's and C's.

F one E's.

A, C, and E have none.

Strictly speaking, D, A, and F should each pay a b.u.t.ton to B. B and C should each pay one to D. E should pay one to F. But in practice it was simpler, F holding one pitcher had, in the language of the game, "freed himself." D had "freed himself," and was in addition one to the good. B had "freed himself," and was two to the good. A, C, and E, not having "freed themselves," were liable for the one D had won and the two B had won, and settled with D and B, without regard to the actual hand that held the respective pitchers. It simplified the reckoning, though theoretically the reckoning should have followed the more roundabout method. Afterwards the game was begun _de novo_. E, who was last, having first pitch-the advantage of that place being meant to compensate him in a measure for his ill luck in the former game. The stakes were the plain horn or bone b.u.t.tons-b.u.t.tons with nicks were more valuable-a plain one being valued at two "scroggies," or "scrogs," the fancy ones, and especially livery b.u.t.tons, commanding a higher price.-Rev. W. Gregor.

See "b.u.t.tons."

Pit-counter

A game played by boys, who roll counters in a small hole. The exact description I have not been able to get.-Halliwell's _Dictionary_.

Pits

A game at marbles. The favourite recreation with the young fishermen in West Cornwall. Forty years ago "Pits" and "Towns" were the common games, but the latter only is now played. Boys who hit their nails are looked on with great contempt, and are said "to fire Kibby." When two are partners, and one in playing accidentally hits the other's marble, he cries out, "No custance," meaning that he has a right to put back the marble struck; should he fail to do so, he would be considered "out."-_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 60. There is no description of the method of playing. It may be the same as "Cherry Pits," played with marbles instead of cherry stones (vol. i. p. 66). Mr. Newell, _Games and Songs of American Children_, p. 187, says "The pits are thrown over the palm; they must fall so far apart that the fingers can be pa.s.sed between them.

Then with a fillip of the thumb the player makes his pit strike the enemy's and wins both."

Pize Ball

Sides are picked; as, for example, six on one side and six on the other, and three or four marks or tuts are fixed in a field. Six go out to field, as in cricket, and one of these throws the ball to one of those who remain "at home," and the one "at home" strikes or pizes it with his hand. After pizing it he runs to one of the "tuts," but if before he can get to the "tut" he is struck with the ball by one of those in the field, he is said to be _burnt_, or out. In that case the other side go out to field.-Addy's _Sheffield Glossary_.

See "Rounders."

Plum Pudding

A game at marbles of two or more boys. Each puts an equal number of marbles in a row close together, a mark is made at some little distance called taw; the distance is varied according to the number of marbles in a row. The first boy tosses at the row in such a way as to pitch just on the marbles, and so strike as many as he can out of the line; all that he strikes out he takes; the rest are put close together again, and two other players take their turn in the same manner, till all the marbles are struck out of the line, when they all stake afresh and the game begins again.-Baker's _Northamptonshire Glossary_.

Plum Pudding and Roast Beef

Mentioned by Moor, _Suffolk Words and Phrases_, as the name of a game.

Undescribed, but nearly the same as French and English.

Pointing out a Point

A small mark is made on the wall. The one to point out the point, who must not know what is intended, is blindfolded, and is then sent to put the finger on the point or mark. Another player has taken a place in front of the point, and bites the finger of the blindfolded pointer.-Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire (Rev. W. Gregor).

Poncake

Name of a girl's game the same as Cheeses.-Holland's _Cheshire Glossary_. See "Turn Cheeses, Turn."

Poor and Rich

An old game mentioned in Taylor's _Motto_, sig. D, iv. London, 1622.

Poor Mary sits a-weeping

[Music]

[Music]

-Barnes (A. B. Gomme).

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Poor Mary sits a-weeping."]

I. Poor Mary sits a-weepin', A-weepin', a-weepin'; Poor Mary sits a-weepin'

On a bright summer's day.

Pray, Mary, what're you weepin' for, A-weepin' for, a-weepin' for?

Pray, Mary, what're you weepin' for?

On a bright summer's day.

I'm weepin' for a sweetheart, A sweetheart, a sweetheart; I'm weepin' for a sweetheart, On a bright summer's day.

Pray, Mary, choose your lover, Your lover, your lover; Pray, Mary, choose your lover On a bright summer's day.

Now you're married, I wish you joy; First a girl, and then a boy; Seven years after, son and daughter; Pray, young couple, come kiss together.

Kiss her once, kiss her twice, Kiss her three times over.

-Barnes, Surrey (A. B. Gomme).

II. Poor Mary is weeping, is weeping, is weeping, Poor Mary is weeping on a bright summer's day.

Pray tell me what you're weeping for, weeping for, weeping for, Pray tell me what you're weeping for, on a bright summer's day?

I'm weeping for my true love, my true love, my true love, I'm weeping for my true love, on a bright summer's day.

Stand up and choose your lover, your lover, your lover, Stand up and choose your lover, on a bright summer's day.

Go to church with your lover, your lover, your lover, Go to church with your lover, on a bright summer's day.