MR HARDT ON BOWLING. 55 



in contact with the ground, tho impulse is deadened, and much force 

 lost. If properly managed it will roll to a distance as groat as that to 

 which it has been thrown. Large sums of money, by that pernicious 

 love of gambling so grateful to a degraded taste, are staked upon these 

 contests, the amount being sometimes from forty to fifty pounds a-side. 

 The stakes are raised by a number clubbing together. " Some of the 

 bowlers," says Mackenzie, *' can throw to an incredible distance. Many 

 of them will venture the full amount of their fortnight's earnings on a 

 oock-fight or a bowling match, and often to the great embarrassment of 

 their family affairs."* 



Among the same classes of the community in North Durham, and 

 tlie bordering districts of Northumberland, this game is also a great 

 favourite. In that detached portion of tho County Palatine, as well 

 as throughout Northumberland, there exist certain relics of antiquity, 

 known by the name of Feasts, each of which has a pastime, or series of 

 pastimes, which it is requisite to connect with the celebration of the 

 rural festival, t Bowling is tlie pastime of Lowick Feast, the married 

 * Mackenzie's View of Northumberland, vol. i. p. 210. 



t These feasts, or as they are called elsewhere in Northumberland, boppings, are 

 held on the festival day of the patron Saint to whom the Church of the place is dedi- 

 cated. They appear still to have many of the buffooneries of ancient heathenism in- 

 termingled with their festivities. Bede relates the circumstances under which they 

 were introduced into the Saxon Church. The pagan paganalia seemed to offer a 

 considerable barrier to the success of the early missionaries. To obviate this, Pope 

 Gregory the Great, in a letter to Mellitus, a companion of Augustine, directed that 

 they should be retained, under proper restrictions. " Whereas," says Gregory, " the 

 people were accustomed to sacrifice many oxen in honour of demons, let them cele- 

 brate a religious and solemn festival, and not slay the animals, Uiabolo, to the devil, 

 but to be eaten by themselves, cul laudem Dei, to the praise of God" (Bede, Eccl. Hist, 

 lib. 1. cap. 30). To this equivocal policy country wakes owe their institution. — 

 One side of their character has been darkly delineated, and fatally uniform through- 

 oat. 



" Many to the taveme goe, and drinke for companie, 

 Whereas they foolish songs do sing, and noyses great do make." 



Barnaue Goooje. 

 Their picturesque accompaniments are much more fascinating, and in the view of 

 fancy partially relieve their characteristic indiscretions. 

 *• Come, Anthea, let us two 



Go to feast, as others do. 



Tarts and custards, creams and cakes. 



Are the junketts still at wakee. 



Morris -dancers thou shalt see, 



Marian too in pagentrie ; 



And a mimick to devise, 



Many grinning properties." IIkrrick. 



One of the earliest accounts of the circumstances with which th^ were attcndc<l. 



