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Carew, Richard, 1555-1620

"The Survey of Cornwall And an epistle concerning the excellencies of the English tongue"

Such as
see where the ball is played, giue notice thereof to their mates,
crying, Ware East, Ware West, &c. as the same is carried.
The Hurlers take their next way ouer hilles, dales, hedges, ditches;
yea, and thorow bushes, briers, mires, plashes and riuers whatsoeuer;
so as you shall sometimes see 20. or 30. lie tugging together in the
water, scrambling and scratching for the ball. A play (verily) both
rude & rough, and yet such, as is not destitute of policies, in some
sort resembling the feats of warre: for you shall haue companies layd
out before, on the one side, to encounter them that come with the
ball, and of the other party to succor them, in maner of a fore-ward.
Againe, other troups lye houering on the sides, like wings, to helpe
or stop their escape: and where the ball it selfe goeth, it resembleth
the ioyning of the two mayne battels: the slowest footed who come
lagge, supply the showe of a rere-ward: yea, there are horsemen placed
also on either party (as it were in ambush) and ready to ride away
with the ball, if they can catch it at aduantage.


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