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It is said of the English, that formerly they were remarkable for the manner in which they celebrated the festival of Christmas; at which season they admitted variety of sports and pastimes not known, or little practised in other countries.

— Joseph Strutt The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

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And also, of animals when they retired to rest; a hart was said to be harbored, a buck lodged, a roebuck bedded, a hare formed, a rabbit set, &c.

The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

The pipe-call, mentioned by Burton, is noticed under a different denomination by Chaucer; "Lo," says he, "the birde is begyled with the merry voice of the foulers' whistle, when it is closed in your nette," --alluding to the deceptive art of the bird-catchers in his time.

The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

The books of hawking assign to the different ranks of persons the sort of hawks proper to be used by them: and they are placed in the following order--

The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

The Norman minstrel Tallefer, before the commencement of the battle at Hastings, cast his lance into the air three times, and caught it by the head in such a surprising manner, that the English thought it was done by the power of enchantment.

The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

The wassail is said to have originated from the words of Rowena, the daughter of Hengist; who, presenting a bowl of wine to Vortigern, the king of the Britons, said, wæs hæl or, health to you, my lord king...

The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England (1801)

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