34 



KOTES AND QUERIES. 



t2"d S. No 80., July 11. '57. 



that circumcision was unavailing (1 Cor. vii. 19.; 

 Gal. V. 6., vi. 15.). The act of circumcision 

 bound Timothy to keep the Jewish law (Rom. ii. 

 25.), and would add weight to his ministerial 

 offices amongst the Jews. On the other hand, the 

 apostles at Jerusalem, although " of the circumci- 

 sion," did not compel Titus to be circumcised (Gal. 

 ii. 3.). If the statement of St. Paul on this great 

 controversy (Gal. ii. 11 — 21.) is considered, it will 

 appear that the abstaining from flesh sold in the 

 market, although previously offered to idols, as 

 also from things strangled and from blood, is not 

 generally enjoined on Christians of this age ; 

 nevertheless circumstances may be conceived 

 where such abstinence may be needed, or where 

 some deference must be paid to the prejudices of 

 others in seeking their conversion (1 Cor. viii. 13.). 

 From Gal. ii. 12. 14., it may be inferred that 

 St. Peter, who moved the injunctions (Acts xv. 7.) 

 dispensed necessarily with some of them in eating 

 with the Gentiles ; on which subject he had re- 

 ceived a special communication (Acts x. 13.). 



The inference from Minucius Felix (Oct. 30) is 

 negatived by the declaration of TertuUian that 

 Christians had the same diet, &c. as the heathen 

 amongst whom they lived (Apol. 42.). But 

 Origen (Cels. vii. 6.) asserts the contrary. Both 

 may be correct, in different times and places. 



T. J. BUCKTON. 



Lichfield. 



It is asked during what century the precept of 

 abstaining from things strangled and from blood 

 began to be departed from. St. Augustin, in the 

 fourth century, testifies that it was no longer ob- 

 served in the churches of Africa (^Adv. Faustum, 

 1. 32. c. 13.). It was observed longer in the 

 northern countries, where Christianity was intro- 

 duced later, and local reasons seemed to require 

 it. Thus it was in force in England in the time 

 of Venerable Bede in the eighth century, and it 

 still prevails among the Greeks and Ethiopians. 

 But in the western church it went gradually into 

 disuse, so that it is impossible to state the precise 

 time, even within a century. F. C. H. 



CLOSHE OR CLOSSHYNG. 



(2°''S.iii. 367.517.) 



Allow me to submit the following particulars by 

 way of reply to the inquiry of H. E. 

 Bailey's English Dictionary, 1753 : 



" Closhe, the Game called Nine Pins. 0. S. Forbidden 

 by Statute An. 17 Ed. IV." 



Statutes of the Realm (by Record Commission), 

 vol. ii. p. 462., 17 Edw. IV. c. iii., a.d. 1477-8 : 



*^ For unlaiaful Games. — Item, Whereas by the Laws 

 of this land no person should use any unlawful Games, as 



Dice, Coits, Tennis, and such like Games, but that every 

 person strong and able of body should use his Bow, be- 

 cause that the defence of this land was much by Archers ; 

 contrary to which Laws the Games aforesaid, and many 

 new imagined Games, called Closh, Kailes, Half bowl, 

 Hand in and hand out, and Queckboard, be daily used in 

 divers parts of this land, as well by persons of good repu- 

 tation as of small having, and such evil disposed persons 

 that doubt not to offend God in not observing their holy- 

 days, nor in breaking the laws of the land, to their own 

 impoverishment, and by their ungracious procurement 

 and encouraging do bring others to such Games till they 

 be utterly undone and impoverished of their goods, to the 

 pernicious example of divers of the King's liege people if 

 such unprofitable Games should be suffered long to con- 

 tinue, because that by the means thereof divers and many 

 murders, robberies, and other heinous felonies be often- 

 times committed and done in divers parts of this Realm 

 to the great inquieting and trouble of many good and 

 well disposed persons, and the importune loss of their 

 goods ; which plays in their said offences be daily sup- 

 ported and favoured by the Governors and Occupiers of 

 divers Houses, Tenements, Gardens and other places, 

 where they use and occupy their said incommendable 

 Games. Our Sovereign Lord the King, in consideration 

 of the premises, by the advice of the Lords Spiritual and 

 Temporal and the Commons in the said Parliament as- 

 sembled, and by the authority of the same hath Or- 

 dained," &c. 



Then follow enactments to the effect that whoso- 

 ever shall allow any of the said games in his house 

 or other place shall be subject to three years' im- 

 prisonment, and forfeit 201. And whosoever shall 

 play at such games shall be imprisoned two years, 

 and forfeit 10^. 



It will be observed that in this statute closh is 

 one of several games which are called " new ima- 

 gined games." Bailey furnishes no definition of 

 any of the others, but kailes, in a subsequent sta- 

 tute, is mentioned as skittles. 



By statute 33 Henry VIII. c. ix., 1541-2, it is 

 enacted, 



"That no manner of person of what degree, quality or 

 condition soever he or they be, by himself, Factor, De- 

 puty, Servant or other person, shall for his or their gain, 

 lucre or living keep, have, hold, occupy, exercise, or 

 maintain any Common house, Alley or Place of bowling, 

 Coytinge, Cloyshe, Cayles, half-bowle, Tennys, Dysing 

 table or Carding, or any other manner of Game prohibit 

 by any Statute heretofore made," — 



upon pain to forfeit 40s. per day. And also every 

 person using and haunting any of the said houses 

 and places, and there playing, to forfeit for every 

 time so doing 6s. 8rf. 



"And if any person sue for any Placard [licence] to 

 have common Gaming in his house contrary to this 

 Statute, that then it shall be contained in the same Pla- 

 card what Game shall be used in the same House and 

 what persons shall play thereat, and every Placard 

 granted to the contrary to be void." 



The licence quoted by H. E. appears to be 

 framed in accordance with this last-mentioned 

 proviso of this statute. Thos. Breweb. 



Milk Street. 



