OLD VILLAGE JOKES AND GAMES. 11 



barrels or trestles. The challenger would ascend the platform 

 and throw down his cap, and his opponent would mount and 

 pick it up. Evidently, a remnant of the knightly challenge by 

 throwing down a glove. Hitting below the knee was forbidden, 

 and the attack was made more especially on the body between 

 the knee and neck, and the object was to wind or double up an 

 opponent ; when this was accomplished the victor was entitled 

 to cut his opponent across his head with the sharp edge of the 

 top of the cudgel, which was especially cut across level for the 

 purpose. As soon as blood was drawn the game was won. 

 Also, if the cudgel were knocked out of an opponent's hand it 

 counted a game. 



The game was " played " at Bishop's Caundle on a piece of 

 waste land near a large oak where Giles Lane, Brown's Street, 

 and Pound Lane meet. In his younger days Mr. Old had seen 

 the game " played " there. Of the last generation of cudgel 

 players in that district, the most noted was John Combes, of 

 Lower Buckshaw, who was known as Tallyho Combes. Mr. 

 Old told me that when he put him into his coffin he noticed that 

 his ribs on the left side were battered in and the centre of his 

 chest forced out of position, through having been continually 

 hammered in the " play." Next came Mr. Stephen Spicer, 

 John Ryall, of Caundle Mill, two keepers by names of Tite and 

 Loder, and Mr. Wm. Jesty, who was a lime-burner. Tallyho 

 Combes, who was admittedly champion, was an extra- 

 ordinarily active man ; he was reputed to be capable of 

 standing against a five -barred gate with both hands in his 

 pockets and springing over without any run. 



The following quaint entry appears in the Bishop's Caundle 

 Parish Register, 1789 " Antony Notley, 63 after nine days 

 illness, a stout robust man, and had been famous for his 

 prowess among the heroes of the cudgel, good in his temper and 

 understanding." The Notleys occupied Fontleroi Farm in 

 Caundle Marsh parish for several generations, and their tenancy 

 terminated at 1856. 



Sherborne was also a noted centre for cudgel " playing," 

 and the days on which the Lenthay races took place were 



