[Footnote 12: The same story is told of Willes, who is supposed by some cricketers to be the inventor of the modern style of delivery.] [Footnote 13: The word _fair_ is derived from the ecclesiastical term, _feria_, a holiday.] [Footnote 14: _Cf._ Govett's _King's Book of Sports_, and _Tom Brown's Schooldays,_ to which I am indebted for the above accurate description of back-sword play.] [Footnote 15: I am indebted for this description to Mr. W. Andrews' interesting book on the _Curiosities of the Church_.] [Footnote 16: Cf. _Annals of Winchcombe and Sudeley_, by Mrs. Dent.] [Footnote 17: Cf. _Glossary of Berkshire Words and Phrases_, by Major B. Lowsley, R.E.] [Footnote 18: The custom of bringing in the boar's head is still preserved at Queen's College, Oxford. The story is told of a student of the college who was attacked by a wild boar while he was diligently studying Aristotle during a walk near Shotover Hill. His book was his only means of defence, so he thrust the volume down the animal's throat, exclaiming, "It is Greek!" The boar found Greek very difficult to digest, and died on the spot, and the head was brought home in triumph by the student. Ever since that date, for five hundred years, a boar's head has graced the college table at Christmas.] INDEX. Agape, suggested origin of "Church ales," 53 Ales, Church, 52, 53, 57 Alfred, laws relating to holidays, 5 All-hallow Eve, 105 Animals to be hunted, 16 April, 36 Archery, 25--31 Ascension Day, 50 Ascham's accomplishments of English Gentleman, 97 Back-sword play, 81 Baiting bears, bulls, &c., 89 Bale-fires, 50 Ball games, 20, 21, 61--71 Barley-brake, 39 Bath, wakes at, 81 Battledore, 23 Bean, King of, 7 Berks--Old sports, 81 "Bessy," 9 Blaize St., 18 Boar's head at Christmas, 123 Bonfires, 6, 57, 106, 108 Book of Sports, 48, 50 Bounds, beating, 50 Bowl, 49 Boy bishop, 116 Bull-baiting, 89 Burning wheel, 59 Butts, 27 Caber-tossing, 38 Candlemas, 18 Carols, 111 _Catherine, St._, miracle play, 99 Charlemagne, 58 Chess, 112 Chester, 41, 48 Choirs, Old, 111 Christmas holidays, 5 customs, 118-126 at Court, 120 Church decoration, 37, 49, 121 Churchwardens' accounts, 34, 36, 42, 54, 72, 100 Church ale, 52, 53, 57 Church house, 53 Cloudslee, William of, 28 Club-ball, 65, 66 Cock-fighting, 23, 24 Cock-throwing, 23 Collop Monday, 19 _Colloquies_ of Erasmus, 113 _Conversion of St. Paul_, mystery play, 98 Country parson, 51 Coventry, 42, 103 _Crafte of Hunting_, 16 Cricket, 38, 61-65 Cross-bow, 27 Cudgel-play, 38 Curling, 39 Customs, local, 4, 5, 6, 12, 20, 24, 33, 34, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 50, 54, 60, 62, 78, 81, 106, 108, 109, 117 Dances, country, on village green, 11 Dancing with swords, 10 December, 115 Dedication festivals, 3 _Demands Joyous_, 110 Devonshire custom, 4 Distaff, St., 9 Dragons, 59 Dues, Cock-fight, 24 Early sport, 14, 16 Easter, 36--41 Eighteenth century cricket, 63