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4i6 NINE MEN'S MORRIS
over the dots on the table. Hence Shakespeare, describing the effects of a wet and stormy season, says—
" The folds stand empty in the drowned field, And crows are fatted with the murrain flock— The Nine Men's Morris is filled up with mud."
—Midsummer NighPs Dream, act ii. sc. 2.
Miss Baker (NorthamptonsJiire Glossary), in describing " Merell" or u Morris," says :—" On the inclosing of open fields this game was transferred to a board, and continues a fireside recreation of the agricultural labourer. It is often called by the name of < Mill' or ' Shepherd's Mill.'" She says the mode of playing now observed is this. Each of the players has nine pieces, or men, differing in colour, or material, from his adversary, for distinction's sake; which they lay down on the spots alternately, one by one, each endeavouring to prevent his opponent from placing three of his pieces in a line, as whichever does so is entitled to take off any one of his antagonist's men where he pleases, without breaking a row of three, which must not be done whilst there is another man on the board. After all the pieces are placed on the board, they are moved alternately backwards and forwards along the lines; and as often as either of the players succeeds in accomplishing a row of three, he claims one of his antagonist's men, which is placed in the pound (the centre), and he who takes the most pieces wins the game. It is played on a board whereon are marked three squares, one being denominated the pound. It is sometimes played with pegs, bits of paper, or wood, or stone. It is called " Peg Morris " by Clare, the Northamptonshire poet.
The ancient game of " Nine Men's Morris " is yet played by the boys of Dorset. The boys of a cottage, near Dorchester, had a while ago carved a " Marrel " pound on a block of stone by the house. Some years ago a clergyman of one of the upper counties wrote that in the pulling down of a wall in his church, built in the thirteenth century, the workmen came to a block of stone with a " Marrel's " pound cut on it. " Merrels " the game was called by a mason.—Barnes' Additional Glossary ; Folk-lore Journal, vii. 233. |
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