The Traditional Children's Games of England Scotland
& Ireland In Dictionary Form - Volume 1

With Tunes(sheet music), Singing-rhymes(lyrics), Methods Of Playing with diagrams and illustrations.

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38                             BLIND MAN'S BUFF
(b)  In the Deptford version one of the players is blindfolded. The one who blindfolds ascertains that the player cannot see by putting the first question. When the players are satisfied that the blindfolding is complete, the dialogue follows, and the blind man is turned round three times. The game is for him to catch one of the players, who is blindfolded in turn if the blind man succeeds in guessing who he is. Players are allowed to pull, pinch, and buffet the blind man.
(c)   This sport fs found among the illuminations of an old missal formerly in the possession of John Ives, cited by Strutt in his Manners and Customs. The two illustrations are fac­similes from drawings in one of the Bodleian MSS., and they
indicate the complete covering of the head, and also the fact that the game was played by adults. Gay says concerning it— As once I play'd at blindman)s-buff) it hap't, About my eyes the towel thick was wrapt. I missed the swains, and seized on Blouzelind. And another reference is quoted by Brand (ii. 398)— Sometyme the one would goe, sometyme the other, Sometymes all thre at once, and sometyme neither; Thus they with him play at boyes blynde-man-blufFe.
—The Newe Metamorphosis', 1600, MS.
Other names for this game are " Belly Mantie," " Billy Blind," "Blind Bucky Davy," "Blind Harie," "Blind Hob," "Blind Nerry Mopsey," "Blind Palmie," "Blind Sim," "Buck Hid,"