76 NOTES ON A DORCHESTER MINUTE fcOOK. 



is touching. On May 6th, 1361, " Mary Tuxberry, for scoulding 

 at the sergeants when they did goe a bout for mersements is ordered 

 to be plounced when the wether is warmer." The ducking was 

 done by means of the ducking stool, doubtless. Of other penal 

 apparatus the stocks are constantly mentioned, the Pillory, very 

 seldom. On November 8th, 1632, H. Kippin, of Kingwood, 

 " colier" (dealer in charcoal^ was to be pilloried for giving short 

 measure, but for some reason was let off. Again, there is a class of 

 indictments for playing games on Sunday, or unlawful games. On 

 March 9th, 1632-3, six young scapegraces spent several Sunday 

 hours at " Berratt's Hill," and (of all places) in a close of Master 

 White's at Frome, in playing nine holes and five holes. Their 

 faults were alike, their fates diverse. Two were " stocked," two 

 fined, two "whipped in hall." On October 12th, 1632, W. and 

 Nicholas Bankes were presented " for playing at unlawful games ;" 

 but were " spared till they offended againe, being it was but at 

 Corfe on Whitson Monday." To this day football is part of an 

 ancient chartered custom on Shrove Tuesday at Corfe Castle. 

 Perhaps that was the illegal game there on Whit Monday, 1632. 

 Some anxious mothers would, I think, vote for a law against it 

 now. But the milder game of fives seems also to have been 

 unlawful. Played it was, truly, against St. Peter's tower, but it 

 does not appear that it was the sacred locality that made the 

 unlawfulness. Nay, is not an interbuttress space of Eton Chapel 

 the model fives court at this present moment 1 " Keeles," which 

 I think was skittles, was illegal apparently, although on one 

 occasion played at the " Mill Hams" by Sir F. Ashley, a very 

 leading man in the borough and county. 



Crimes and punishments have occupied us long, yet there 

 remains a class which it is impossible to omit viz., that comprising 

 cases connected with religion. On this head this and (I think) 

 other Dorchester minute books have been quoted by Mr. Roberts 

 in " Social Life in Southern England." But he has given only 

 a few passages out of many ; so I feel bound to take up this risky 

 subject. Please be assured that my strong wish is to exclude all 



