Evening Star Newspaper, April 7, 1929, Page 114

mr-_mc- ARE A BOY ANE G\RL OF THE MIDPLE AGES PLAYING A GAME, SOMEWHAT LIKE QUOVTS, THAT WAS A PoOPULAR FORM OF AMUSI’:MBNT | THOSE DANS. = e mUMTIHG AND HAWKING WERE THE FAVORITE PASTIMES OF THE NOBILITY DURING THE MIDDLE AGES, THEY HUNTED DEER, WILD BOARS, FOXES RABBITS AND BIRDS. Beasting was A ravorep pastime OF THE MIDDLE AGES, FEASTS LASTED MANY HOLRS AND CONSISTED OF A GREAT NUMBER Of ELABORATE DISHES, CRIEFLY MEATS AND> RICH PASTRIES . F\e oF THE CHIEF JovS OF THE MEDIAEVAL PEASANT WAS ‘GOING TO THE FAIR" FAIRS WERE THE OUTGROWTH OF THE GREAT RELIGI- OUS FESTIVALS THAT WERE HELD AT HE PEOPLE OF MEDIAEVAL TIMES WERE AS FOND OF DANCING AS THOSE OF ToDAY. THE DANCES AT THE KINGS COURT WERE STATELY AND DIGNIFIED, WHILE THOSEE OF THE PEASANTS WERE LIVELY AND BOISTEROUS. RA-ERE was NO'TAZZ"IN THOSE DAvS BUT EVERYONE LIKED TO NEAR THE" TROUBADORS"AND MINSTRELS SING SONGS OF ROMANCE AND THE DEEDS OF THE HEROES OF CHIVALRY, BI=EING OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BRISK TRADE IN THESE GRUEAT GATHERINGS, MERCHANTS AND PCDPDLERS CAME FROM AFAR To SELL THEIR WARES,AND IN TIME THE FESTIVAL BECAME A BIG MARKET oR FAIR,". ° > /Ol ffi&mm s of the Mid | o HEss WAS A POPULAR GAME IN THE MIDDLE AGES. THIS GAME WAS PLAVED IN INDIA AND PERSIA IN ANCIENT TIMES. EUROPEANS ARE SAID TO HAVE LEARMNED ABOUT IT ! FROM THE TURKS PURING THE (RUSADES, DA S R | om0 K n .BOUSTS- OR” TOURNAMENTS IN WHICH ARMORED KNIGHTS FOUGHT WITH BLUNTED SPEARS WERE A THRILLING AND DANGEROUS AMUSEMENT. OFTEN LARGE GROUPS OF KNIGHNTS ENGAGED IN A SHAM BATTLE , = © Fa\croBATS TUGGLERS AND MOUNTE- BANKS OF EVERY KIND DELIGHTED THE CROWD AT THE FAIR WITH THEIR FEATS OF STRENGTH OR SKILL . © McClure Newspaper Syndicate o L AMBLING WITH DICE BECAME SO POPULAR THAT LAWS RESTRICTING WAGERS HAD To BE PASSED. AN ENGLISH LAW SAID, "NO KNIGHT OR CLERK SHALL LOSE MORE THAN TWENTY SHILLNGS IN ONE DAY | [Gear-BAITING wias A crUEL"SPORT” OF THE MIDDLE AGES. CROWDS OF PEOPLE FLOCKED O SEE THE SAVAGE SPECTACLE OF A PACK OF FIERCE DOGS ATTACKING A BEAR CHAINED TO A POST. \VIRESTLING BOUTS AND> CONTESTS WITH THE BOW AND QUARTERSTAFF WERE FEATURES OF THE MEDIAEVAL FAIR. THE VICTORS PRIZE WAS USUALLY “A RAM OR A PIPE OF WINE.