Part 2:
In Lancashire even schoolboys know how to wrestle!
P. A. Nemnich, a German traveller who visited the city of Manchester in 1799 wrote this in his diary:
“In the old College building, which has stood since 1422, is a library which was founded by Humphrey Chetham As I went downstairs I saw a swarm of orphans (blue coat boys), with their teacher, on their knees in prayer, in deepest silence. As soon as this mechanical act was over, there was a general cry and the youngsters rushed over tables and benches and pushed out through the door. What I could make out of the words uttered by these many voices was for the most part angry cursing. Then the boys who had been praying went off to play and seemed to find the greatest satisfaction in wrestling. Such lads will make fine fellows later.”
Before the Lancashire’s Catch.
The great English educator Richard Mulcaster (1531-1611) thus writes on wrestling, 1581: “Wherfore not to deale with the catching pancraticall kinde of wrastling, which used all kindes of hould, to cast and overcome his adversarie, nor any other of that sort, which continuance hath rejected, and custome refused, I have picked out two, which be both civill for use, and in the using upright without any great stouping, the one more vehement, the other more remisse.
Another famous English educator Francis Gouldman (1607-1688) in his Latin-English vocabulary (1664) also gives definitions of such freestyle of wrestling.
-Pancratium, a manner of wrastling, wherein one laboureth by all meanes he can overthrow the other.
-Pancraticus, Pancratiastes, he that in wrastling with hande, foote, and all other meanes laboureth to cast his adversarie.
A very valuable historical reference to such pancratical approach to the game of wrestling comes from an open to all challenge issued by the certain “servants of Lady May” at the annual Grand May Day Games Tournament in Greenwich Park during the times of Henry VII.
WRESTLING CATCH AS CATCH CAN fashion at the 16c Tourney.
“The gentlemen then intreated the King to sign the articles with his own hand, as sufficient licence for the heralds to publish the same, in such places as might be thought requisite. The King accepted their offer, and granted their petition, at the same time promised to reward the best performer at the justs royal, with a ring of gold, set with a ruby; and the best performer at the tournament, with another golden ring, set with u diamond, equal in value to the former.”
“There were also certain gentlemen, who styled themselves the servants of Ladye Maie, in honour of that month, who gave a challenge to be performed at Greenwich, the articles of which were,
“Imprimis The fourteenth daie of Maie shall be redye in the field certaine gentlemen perteyning to the Ladye Maie, armed for the tilt, in harneis thereunto accustomed, and there to kepe the fielde, in such place as it shall please the kynge to appoint, from 2 of the clocke, till 5 at the afternoone, to run with every commer 8 courses; and thus the answerers all answered and served, that then if there be any that desireth for their ladye’s sake other 4 courses, it shall be granted, so the hower be not past, if it be then at the Queene’s pleasure.
“The seconde daye to shoot standart arrowe and flighte with all commers; he that shootes the standart furthest to have a prise, and so in like case of the arrow of the flight.
The third day, with swordes rebated, to strike with every commer 8 strokes, in waye of pleasure, and four strokes more for any of the commer’s mistress sake under the above restrictions, and the Queene’s pleasure.
“The fourth day, to wrestle all manner of ways, at the pleasure of the commers.
“The fifth day, armed for to fighte on foote with speares in their hands rebated, and their swords by their sides for the battle, and there with speare and sword to defend their barriers, that is to say, with speares 8 strokes, whereof two with faone,” and 6 with strokes; and that done, to drawe their swordes and strike 8 strokes every man, to his best advantage, with gripe or otherwise, and four strokes for a lady, under the above restrictions,
“The sixth daye, to caste the barre on foote, and with the arme both heavie and light.
“At these tournois, the challenger doth engage to come in harneis for the tilt, without targe or brochett,’ woolant piece over the head, rondall’ over the garde, rest of advantage, fraude, deceit or other malengine.” Some time after this, four gentlemen challenged all comers at the same place. to the feate called the barriers, with the casting speare, and the targatt, and the bastarde sworde. And one with the speare hedded with the morn, and 17 strokes with the sworde point and edge rebated, without close or griping one another with handes, upon paine of such punishment as the judges for the tyme being should thinks requisite.”
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