These teach that Dauncing is a Jezabell And barley-break the ready way to Hell, The Morrice, Idolls; Whitson-ale can bee But profane Reliques of a Jubilee.[56] [56] Thomas Randal—_Annalia Dubrensia_. Whitsuntide, with its lengthening days, was specially set apart for sports and old-fashioned games, and amongst the many meetings for such purposes, none attained a wider popularity than the Cotswold or Dover’s Games. Those who are familiar with the country made classic by its associations with the great Master of English poetry, know well the green hill, still called Dover’s Hill, which forms an outpost of the main body of the Cotswolds, and overlooks the smiling vale of Evesham. On this spot, time out of mind, rural sports and festivities had been held under the name of the Cotswold Games. “How does your fallow greyhound, sir?” says Slender to Page, “I heard say he was outrun at Cotsale.” This was the site chosen by Robert Dover, an attorney of Barton-on-the-Heath, for the enlargement and perpetuation of those national sports in which he took so keen an interest, and which he {248} hoped would counteract the narrow spirit of bigotry which was beginning in his day to curtail the innocent amusements of the people. Armed with a formal authority from King James, Dover was so successful in his organization of the Games that, with a short interregnum during the Commonwealth days, their popularity continued until well into the present century. A curious old volume of poems, called _Annalia Dubrensia_, published in 1636, contains many quaint descriptions of the Games and their object. Drayton, Ben Jonson, Thomas Randall and others of lesser note, contributed each a poem to this collection. One of the contributors thus eulogises the sports and their patron:—       . . . . . . Oh most famous Greece! That for brave Pastimes, wert earth’s Master-piece! Had not our English DOVER, thus out-done Thy foure games, with his Cotswoldian one. Dover himself composed the poem which closes the volume. Some of his motives he thus describes:— I’ve heard our fine refined clergy teach, Of the commandments, that it is a breach To play at any game for gain or coin; ’Tis theft they say; men’s goods you do purloin; One silly beast another to pursue ’Gainst nature is, and fearful to the view, And man with man their activeness to try Forbidden is—much harm doth come thereby; Had we their faith to credit what they say, We must believe all sports are ta’en away; Whereby I see, instead of active things, What harm the same unto our nation brings; The pipe and pot are made the only prize Which all our spriteful youth do exercise. * * * * * Yet I was bold for better recreation T’invent these sports to countercheck that fashion, And bless the troope that come our sports to see, With hearty thankes and friendly courtesie {249} [Illustration: Cotswold Games.]