Viscount and viscountess Gage gave a grand fête on Friday, (August 3,
1827,) at their seat at Firle-place, Sussex, to about a hundred and
sixty of the nobility and gentry, at which the ancient game of
_quintain_ was revived. The sports commenced by gentlemen riding with
light spiked staves at rings and apples, suspended by a string, after
which they changed their weapons to stout poles, and attacked the two
quintains, which consisted of logs of wood fashioned to resemble the
head and body of a man, and set upright upon a high bench, on which they
were kept by a chain passing through the platform, and having a weight
suspended to it, so that if the log was not struck full and forcibly the
figure resumed its seat. One was also divided in the middle, and the
upper part being fixed on a pivot turned, if not struck in the centre,
and requited its assailant by a blow with a staff, to which was
suspended a small bag of flour.
The purses for unhorsing this quintain were won by John Slater and
Thomas Trebeck, Esqrs. The other figure which did not turn, opposed a
lance towards the assailant’s face, and the rider was to avoid the
lance, and unhorse the quintain at the same time. The purses were won by
Sheffield Neave, Esq. and the hon. John Pelham.
A third pair of purses were offered for unhorsing the quintain, by
striking on a coloured bell, which hooped round the waist of the figure,
thereby raising the weight, which was considerable, by a much shorter
lever than when struck higher up. This was a feat requiring great
strength of arm and firmness of seat, and though not fairly won
according to the rules of the game, the purses were ultimately assigned
to the very spirited exertions of Messrs. Cayley and Gardener.
Viscountess Gage distributed the prizes to the conquerors.
About six o’clock the numerous party sat down to a cold collation of
upwards of three hundred dishes, consisting of every delicacy the season
could possibly afford, including the choicest collection of fruits, and
wines of the finest quality: after which many recontinued the game of
quintain; others diverted themselves at rifling the target. The ladies
amused themselves at archery. In the evening the assemblage of nobility
and gentry retired to the grand hall, where fashionable quadrilles
concluded the amusements of the day.[306]
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Combating the quintain is presumed to have preceded jousts and
tournaments. It was originally nothing more than the trunk of a tree, or
a post, set up for the practice of tyros in chivalry. Afterwards a staff
or spear was fixed in the earth, and a shield being hung upon it was the
mark to strike at: the dexterity of the performer consisted in smiting
the shield so as to break the ligatures, and throw it to the ground. In
process of time this diversion was improved, and instead of the staff
and the shield, the resemblance of a human figure carved in wood was
introduced. To render its appearance formidable it was generally made in
the likeness of an armed Turk or Saracen, with a shield on his left arm,
and brandishing a club or sabre with his right. The quintain was placed
upon a pivot, so as to move round with facility. In running at this
figure the horseman directed his lance to strike the forehead, between
the eyes or on the nose; for if he struck wide of those parts,
especially upon the shield, the quintain turned about with much
velocity, and unless he was exceedingly careful gave him a severe blow
upon the back with the wooden sabre; when this occurred it was deemed
disgraceful to the performer, and excited the laughter and ridicule of
the spectators.
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The quintain is more particularly described by the late Mr. Strutt in
his account of “The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England,” a
large quarto volume, with plates, which, from its increasing scarcity
and price, is scarcely attainable by the general reader. The above
representation of the armed quintain is one of a series of illustrations
for a new and correct edition of Mr. Strutt’s “Sports,” which is now
preparing for the press under the superintendence of the editor of the
_Table Book_. It will be accurately printed in octavo. Each of the
engravings will be fac-simile, and of the same size as the engravings in
the quarto volume. The price of the new edition will not exceed
one-sixth of the cost of the original, and it will be published in
shilling parts.
[306] Times, August 7, 1827.
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