"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, Gives proper directions, and sets out his men, So far go, my lads, and return back again.
Proper stations being fixed, each party advance, And lead one another a many fine dance. There's Gleaves after Ellis, and Platt after he, Such running before I never did see.
Huzza! for the young men, the fair maids did say, May heaven protect you to conquer this day, Now, my brave boys, you're not to blame, Take courage, my lads, nine and eight is the game.
Now behold the Breeches makers, master and man, Saddlers, Slaters, and Joiners, do all they can; The Tailor so nimble, he brings up the rear, Cheer up, my brave boys, you need not to fear.
Alas! poor old Jacob, thy hopes are in vain, Dick Chidley is artful, and spoils all thy schemes. The Barber is taken, the Currier is down, The Sawyer is tired, and so is the Clown."
The moor referred to in the last line of the second verse was the Pitchmoor. The Clown was a nickname for one of the players, who, on hearing the song repeated in the presence of the author, became so exasperated, that, to appease him, the words "the game is our'n" were substituted for the words "so is the Clown "in the last line of the concluding verse.
A game played with a long needle inserted in some worsted, and blown at a target through a tin tube.--Halliwell's _Dictionary_. This game is also mentioned in Baker's _Northamptonshire Glossary_.
A rough play among boys, adding their weight one upon another, and all upon the one at the bottom.--Dickinson's _Cumberland Glossary_.
I. Round about the punch bowl,-- One, two, three; If anybody wants a bonnie lassie, Just take me.