Cricket 1898

470 CRICKET : A WEEKLY RECORD OF THE GAME. Nov. 24, 1898. H ave I for this the Ring's wide Ram parts broke 1 W hilst R ------ y shudder’d at the m ighty Stroke. 25 N ow hy Alcmena's sinew’d Son, I swear. W hose dreaifu l B low no m ortal Strength can b ear! B y Hermes. O ffspring too o f thund’ring Jove ! W hose winged Feet like nimble Lightning m ove ! By ev’ry Patron o f the pleasing W ar, 30 M y chief D elight, m y Glory and m y C are! This A im shall cease the far-driv’n Ball to throw, Shrink from the Bat and feebly shun the Bl^w ; T he Trophies, from this conq’ring Forehead tom , By Poys and W om en shall in Scorn be w orn ; 35 E’er I neglect to let these Blust’rers know , There ’ive who dare oppose, and \ eat them too. Illustrious B ------ n / N ow ’s the T im e to prove T o CRIC K E T’S Charm s thy m uch experienc’d Love. L et U s with Care. e*ch hardy Friend inspire ! 40 A n d fill their Souls w ith em ulating Fire ! Com e on.--------True Courage never is c-ismay’d. H e sp jk e.--------- Ih e H ero listened, and obey’d. U rg’d by their Chiefs, the Friends o f CRICK ET hear, And joyous in the fatal Lifc-ts appear. 45 T he D ay approach’d. T o view the charm ing Scene, E xulting Thousands crow d the levell’d Green. A P i ce there is, w here City-W arriors meet, W ise'y determin’d, not to fight, hut eat. W here harmless Thunder rattles to the Skies, 50 W hile the plum p Buff-coat fires, and shu’ s his fcyes. T o the pleas’d M ob the >ursting Cannons tell A t ev’ry circ’ling Glass, how m uch they swill. H ere, in the Intervals o f bloodless W ar, The Swains with m ilder Pom p their Arm s pre­ pare. 55 W ide o’er th’ extended Plain, the circling Spring Restrains th ’ im patient Throng, and m arks a Ring. B ut if encroaching on forbidden Ground, The heedless Crowd o ’erleaps the proper Bound ; S ------- th plies, w ith strenuous A rm , the sm acking W hip, 60 Back to the Line th ’ affrighted Rebels skip. The Stumps are pitch’d. Each Heroe now is seen, Springs o’er the F en ce/ and 'bounds along the Green, In decent W hite, m ost gracefully array'd, Each strong-built L im b in all its Pride display’d. N ow Muse, exert thy Vigour, and describe The m ighty Chieftains o f each glorious Tribe! 65 B old R ------ y first, before the Kentish H and G od-like appear’d, and s*iz’d the chief Command. Judicious Sw ain! W hose quick-discerning Soul Observes the various Seas tob as they re.11. V . 21 While R -------y] Vol Rumney , Gardiner to the D uke of Dorset, at Knowles, near Sevenoaks in Kent. V . 25< Now by, &c ] The judicious Choice of Hercules and Mercury, the Gods of Strength and Swiftness, so very peculiar to the Game of C R IC K E 1’, cannot be enough aidmired. V . 42. Listen'd and obey'd.] Laconick Bayes! V . 47. A Place there is.] Est in secessu Locus. The A uthor here, has exactly follow ’d the Exam ple o f all (-•reat Poets, both ancient and m odern, who never fail to prepare you with a pom pous Description of the Place where any great Action is to be perform ’ d. V . 49. When harmless. &c.] I m ust ow n that this D escription o f the Artillery-Ground has very little M erit, the Particulars are so obvious. It has Truth indeed oa its Side ; but that is a thing now a-days so slenderly regarded, that, I am afraid it w ill receive no W eight from it; V . 59. S-------h plies, & c.] M r. Smith , the M aster o f the Ground, w ho, to his immortal Honour, and Ho inconsiderable A dvantage, has m adegre t Im prove­ m ents : and be*-n perhaps a principal Cause of the high L ight in which CRICK ET at this Tim e flourishes. There would have been a fine Opportunity to have introduced in this Place, the Praises of the celebrated Vinegar, w ho so lon g trium ph’d in Moor- fields w ithout a Rival. B ut alas ! the N obility and Gentry, have cruelly rob’d this famous Spot o f its favourite D iversions; by transplanting the Heroes, w ho lately cut such Figures here, to 'lotUnham-Court, and Broughton's Am phitheatre, w ith a m alicious Intent to rob the Commons of their Am usemenes, a n i engross the whole Joy to themselves. V . 65. Now Muse.] Pandite nunc Helicona Dece, Cantusque movete. V ir. iE n. vii. 1 611. L et any M> n read tw o or three Pages o f Virgil, imm ediately follow ing the above Quotation, or turn to M r. Glover's Leonidas, the greater Poem of the tw o, where he describes the Arm y o f Xerxes ; and he w ill easily see what our Poet had in his Head : aud w ith w hat surprising Address he has copied the M ajesty Of the one, and Ih e ------ of the other. N.B. 1 he Reader m ay supply the above Dash w ith W ord he pleases. W ell-skill’d to spread the thriving Plant around ; 70 A n d paint with fragrant Flow ’rs th’ enam ell’d Ground Cons' ious o f W orth, with Front erect he moves, A nd poises in his H and the Bat he loves. H im Dorset's Prince protects, whose youthful H« ir 75 Attends with ardent Glee the m ighty Play’r. H e, at Mid-wicket, disappoints the Foe ; Springs at the comir-g Ball, and m ocks the Blow. E v’ u thus the Rattle-Snalcj, as Trav’lers say, 80 W ith steadfast Eye ob.-eive it’s destin’d Prey ; ’T ill lo n ily gazing on the glitt’rirg halls, Into her Mouth th’ unhappy V ictim falls. Th^ baffled Hero quits hi^ Bat with Pain, A nd m utt’ring lags across the shouting Plain. Brisk H ------ 1 next strides on with com ely Piide, T ough as the subject of his Trade, the hide. In his firm Palm , the hard-1 ou n i ball he bears, A n d m ixes joyous with his pleas’d Compeers. Bromlean M ------ s attends the Kentish Throng ; 90 A n d R ----- n from his Size, surnam ’d the Long. Six more, as ancient Custom has thought meet, W ith willing Steps, th’ intrepid Band compleat. On th’ adverse Party, tow ’ring o’tr the rest, L eft-handed N ----- d tires each arduous Breast. 95 From many a bounteous Crop, the foodful Grain W ith swelling Stores rewards his useful Pain : W hile the glad Farmer , with delighted Eyes. Smiles t >behold his close-cram ’d Gran’ries rise. N ext B ------ n came, whose cautious H and could fix 100 In each disposed Array the w ell-pil*d Bricks ; W ith him, alone, scarce any Y uuih w ou’d dare A t sirgle W ieket, try the doubtful W ar. For few, save him . th’ exalted H onour claim T o play w i'h Judgm ent, all the various Game. 105 N ext, his accom plish’d vigour, C ------ y tries ; W hose shelt’ring H and the neat-form ’d Garb supplies. T o the dread Plain her D ------ e Surry sends, A nd W — k on the jovial Train attends. Equnl in N um bers, bravely they begin The dire dispute.— The Foes o f K ent go in. The ARGUMENT OP THE T H IR D BOOK. T H E Game. Five on the Side o f the COUNTIES are out fo r three Notches. The Odds run high on the side o f KENT. Bryan and Newland go in ; they help the Game greatly. Bryan is unfortunately put out by Kips. KENT, the the first Innings, is Thirteen a-head. The COUNTIES go in again , and get Fifty-seven a-head. KENT, in the Second Innings is very near losing, the two last Men being in. Weymark unhappily misses a Catch, and by that means KENT is victorious. BO O K III. W ITfT w ary Judgm ent, scatter’d o’ er the Green, Th’ am bitious C hiefsof fruitful Kent are seen. 5 Some, at a Distance, for the Long Ball wait, Some, nearer planted, seize it fr-m the Bat. H ------ 1 and M ------- s behind the Wickets stand, A nd each by Turns, the flying Ball command : Four times from H ------- Vs Arm itstim s thegraes ; 10 Then M ------ s succeeds. The Seekers-out change Place. Observe, c ies H ------- 1 . to the w ond’iing Throng, Be Judges now . whose Arm s are better strong ! H e said------ then pois’d, and rising as he threw, Sw ift from his Arm the fatal Missive flew. V . 81. II— I] H'ldswell, o f Dartford in Kent, T anner; celebrated Bowler. V. 85, M ---- s] Mills, o f Bromley in Kent. V . 86 R -----n ] Robin , comm only called Long Rohm. V 86 Six more] Mess. Mills, Sawyer of Sussex, Cutbush , Bartrum, Kips, and Danes. V . 101. C ------y] Cuddy, Slendon, Sussex, Taylor. V . 103. D ------- e] Stephen Dingate, o f Rygate in Surry. V . 104. W ------ k] Weymark, the M iller. V . 105. Equal in Num bers.] The rest on the Side o f the Counties were, Megs. Netvland, Newland, Green, Harris , Harris and Smith. V . 5. H -----1 and M -------s.] Hodswell and Mills, the Bowlers on the Kentish side. V , 10. Be Judges now.] Aspice , num mage sit nostrumpenetrabile telum. —V itg. JEa. x . 1. 48i. V . 11. And rising as he threw. Not with moreforce. J Corpore toto Eminus intorquet. Murali concita nunquam lormento sic faxafremujit, nee fulmint tunti Dissultant Crepitus. Volat Atri Turbinis instar hxilium dirum Hasta ferens. N or with m ore Force the Death conveying Ball, Springs from the Cannon to the batter’d W a ll; 15 N or sw ifter yet the pointed Arrow s go. Launch’d from the V igou r of the Parthian Bow . It whizz’d along, w ith unim agin’d Force, A nd bore dow n all, resistless in its Course. T o such im petuous M ight com pell’d to yield 20 The Bail, the m angled stumps bestrew the Field. N ow glow s w ith ardent Heat th’ unequal Fray, W hile Kent usurps the H onours o f the D a y ; L oud from the Ring resounds the piercing Shout, Three Notches only gain’d, five Leaders out. 25 But while the droopiDg Play'r invoked the Gods, The busy Better calculates his Odds. ^wift round the Plain, in buzzing Murm urs run, I'll hold you Ten to Four , K ent .—Done Sir. — Done. W hat N um bers can with equal Force, describe 30 Th’ increasing Terrors o f the losing Tribe ! W hen, vainly striving ’gainst the conq’ring Ball, They see their boasted Chiefs, dejected fa ll! N ow the tw o m ightiest o f the fainting H ost 1 ant to redeem the Fam e their Fellow s lost. 35 Eager for G l o r y F o r the worst prepared ; W ithpow ’rful skill, their threat’ned Wickets guard. B ------ n, collected for the deadly Stroke, First cast to Heav'n, a supplicating Look ; Then pray’ d — Propitious Pow'rs! Afsist my Blow. 40 And grant theflyiug Orb may shock the Foe! rl his said ; he w av’d his Bat with sourceful Swing, And drove the batter’d Pellet o’er 4he Ring. Then rapid five times cross’d the shining Plain, E’er the departed Ball return’d again. 45 N or was thy Prowess valiant N ------ d , mean, W hose strenuous A rm increased the gam e eighteen; W hile from the Stroke, the Ball retiring hies, Uninterrupted Clamours rend the Skies. B ut oh, w hat horrid Changes oft’ are seen, 50 W hen faithless Fortune seems the m ost serene ! Beware, unhappy B ------ n ! oh bew are! Too heedless Swain, when such a Foe is near. Fir’d with Success, elated with his Luck, He glow ’d w ith Rage, regardle-s how he struck ; 55 But, forc’d the fatal Negligence to m ourn, K ------ s crush’d his Stumps, before the Y outh could turn. The rest their unavailing V igour try, And hy the P ow ’r of Kent , dem olish’d die. Awakened Eccho speaks the Innings o’er, 60 And forty Notches deep indent the Score. N ow Kent prepares her better skill to shew ; Loud rings the G round, at each trem endous Blow . W ith nervous A rm , perform ing G od-liae Deeds, Another, and another Chief succeeds; 65 ’ Till tired w iih Fam e, the conq’ring H ost give W a y ; And lead by thirteen Strokes, the toilsom e Fray. Fresh rous’d to Arm s, each L abour-loving Swain Swells w ith new Strength, and dares the Field again. Again to Heav'n aspires the cheerful Sound ; 70 The Strokes re-eccho o’er the spacious Ground. The Champion strikes. W hen, scarce arriving fair, The glancing Ball m ounts upwards in the A ir? The Batsman sees it ; and with m ournful Eyes F ix ’d on th’ ascendina- Pellet as it flies, 75 Thus suppliant Claims the Favour o f the Skies. O m ighty Jove ! and all ye P ow ’rs above ! Let m y regarded Pray’r your pity m ove! Grant me but this. W hatever Y outh shall dare Soatch at the Prize, descending thro’ the A ir ; 80 Lay him extended on the Grassy Plain, And m ake his bold, am bitious effort vain. H e said. The Powers, attending his Request Granted one Part, to W inds consign’d the rest. A nd now Illustrious S ------ e, where he stood, 85 T h’ approaching Ball w ith cautious Pleasure view’d ; A t once he sees the Chiefs im pending Doom . And pants for m ighty Honours, yet to com e : Swift as the Falcon, darting on its Prey, H e springs elastick o’er the verdant W a y ; 90 Sure o f Success, flies upward w ith a Bound, Derides the slow Approach and spurns the Ground. The Counties now the Game trium phant lead, A nd vaunt their Numbers fifty-seven a Head. T o end th ’ imm ortal H onours o f the D ay 95 The Chiefs c f Kent , once m ore, their M ight essay ; V . 39. Pi'opiiious Powers!] Te precor, Alcide, cosptis ingentibus adsis. V irg. V . 56. K ------s] Kips is particularly remarkable for handing the B all at the Wicket , and knockiug up the Stumps instantly, if the Batsman is not extrem ely cautious. V . 82. The Powers attending.] Audilt Ac. voti Phoebus succedere partem Mente dedit, partem volucres dispersit in auras. V . 84. S ------ e.] L ord John Sackville, Son o f the D uke of Dorset. I t is hop’d that tho’ this Descript ion m ay a little exceed the real Fact, it m ay be excus’d ; especially as there is a great deal o f Foundation for it. N E X T ISSUE, THURSDAY , DECEMBER 22.