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PRISONER'S BASE |
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This was once a favourite game among young men in North Shropshire (and Cheshire). It was played yearly at Norton-in-Hales Wakes, and the winning party were decorated with ribbons. Men-servants, in the last century, were wont to ask a day's holiday to join or witness a game of " Prison-bars," arranged beforehand as a cricket-match might be (see Bye-gones, 2nd May 1883). A form of the game still survives there among the school-children, under the name of " Prison Birds." The Birds arrange themselves in pairs behind each other, facing a large stone or stump placed at some little distance. Before them, also facing the stone, stands one player, called the Keeper. When he calls, " Last pair out!" the couple next behind him run to the stone and touch hands over it. If they can do so without being touched by the Keeper, they are free, and return to a position behind the other birds; but any one whom he touches must remain behind the stone "in prison."— Ellesmere (Burne's Shropshire Folk-lore, p. 524).
The Ellesmere inhabitants were formerly accustomed to devote their holiday occasions to the game, and in the year 1764 the poet laureate of the town (Mr. David Studley) composed some lines on the game as it was played by the Married v. Single at Ellesmere. They are as follows:—
"Ye lovers of pleasure, give ear and attend, Unto these few lines which here I have penned, I sing not of sea fights, of battles nor wars, But of a fine game, which is called ' Prison Bars.'
This game was admired by men of renown, And played by the natives of fair Ellesmere town ; On the eighth day of August in the year sixty-four, These nimble heel'd fellows approached on the moor.
Twenty-two were the number appear'd on the green, For swiftness and courage none like them were seen ; Eleven were married to females so fair, The other young gallants bachelors were.
Jacob Hitchen the weaver commands the whole round, Looks this way, and that way, all over the ground, |
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