Volume Ii Part 7 (2/2)

Provincialisms_). Holloway (_Dictionary_) says, ”When boys play at 'Peg-top,' a ring is formed on the ground, within which each boy is to spin his top. If the top, when it has ceased spinning, does not roll without the circle, it must remain in the ring to be pegged at by the other boys, or he redeems it by putting in an inferior one, which is called a 'Mull.' When the top does not roll out, it is said to be 'mulled.'” Mr. Emslie writes: ”When the top fell within the ring the boys cried, 'One a penny!' When two had fallen within the ring it was, 'Two a penny!' When three, 'Three a penny, good as any!' The aim of each spinner was to do what was called 'drawing,' _i.e._, bring his top down into the ring, and at the same time draw the string so as to make the top spin within the ring, and yet come towards the player and out of the ring so as to fall without.”

See ”Tops.”

Peg-top

One of the players, chosen by lot, spins his top. The other players endeavour to strike this top with the pegs of their own tops as they fling them down to spin. If any one fails to spin his top in due form, he has to lay his top on the ground for the others to strike at when spinning. The object of each spinner is to split the top which is being aimed at, so as to release the peg, and the boy whose top has succeeded in splitting the other top obtains the peg as his trophy of victory. It is a matter of ambition to obtain as many pegs in this manner as possible.-London (G. L. Gomme).

See ”Peg-in-the-Ring,” ”Tops.”

Penny Cast

A game played with round flat stones, about four or six inches across, being similar to the game of quoits; sometimes played with pennies when the hobs are a deal higher. It was not played with pennies in 1810.-Easther's _Almondbury Glossary_. In an article in _Blackwood's Magazine_, August 1821, p. 35, dealing with children's games, the writer says, Pennystanes are played much in the same manner as the quoits or discus of the ancient Romans, to which warlike people the idle tradesmen of Edinburgh probably owe this favourite game.

See ”Penny p.r.i.c.k.”

Penny Hop

A rude dance, which formerly took place in the common taverns of Sheffield, usually held after the bull-baiting.-Wilson's Notes to _Mather's Songs_, p. 74, cited by Addy, _Sheffield Glossary_.

Penny p.r.i.c.k

”A game consisting of casting oblong pieces of iron at a mark.”-Hunter's _Hallamsh. Gloss._, p. 71. Grose explains it, ”Throwing at halfpence placed on sticks which are called hobs.”

Their idle houres, I meane all houres beside Their houres to eate, to drinke, drab, sleepe, and ride, They spend at shove-boord, or at pennie-p.r.i.c.ke.

-Scots' _Philomythie_, 1616.

Halliwell gives these references in his _Dictionary_; Addy, _Sheffield Glossary_, describes it as above; adding, ”An old game once played by people of fas.h.i.+on.”

See ”Penny Cast.”

Penny Stanes

See ”Penny Cast.”

Phbe

The name of a dance mentioned in an old nursery rhyme. A correspondent gave Halliwell the following lines of a very old song, the only ones he recollected:-

Cannot you dance the Phbe?

Don't you see what pains I take; Don't you see how my shoulders shake?

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