ancient discus, and with us, at the present day, it is a circular
plate of iron perforated in the middle, not always of one size, but
larger or smaller, to suit the strength or conveniency of the several
candidates. It is referred to in "2 Henry IV." (ii. 4), by Falstaff, who
assigns as one of the reasons why Prince Henry loves Poins: "Because
their legs are both of a bigness, and 'a plays at quoits well."

[814] "Sports and Pastimes," p. 141.

Formerly, in the country, the rustics, not having the round perforated
quoits to play with, used horse-shoes; and in many places the quoit
itself, to this day, is called a shoe.

_Running for the ring._ This, according to Staunton, was the name of a
sport, a ring having been one of the prizes formerly given in wrestling
and running matches. Thus, in the "Taming of the Shrew" (i. 1),
Hortensio says: "He that runs fastest gets the ring."

_Running the figure of eight._ Steevens says that this game is alluded
to by Shakespeare in "A Midsummer-Night's Dream" (ii. 1), where Titania
speaks of the "quaint mazes in the wanton green." Mr. Halliwell-Phillipps,
in referring to this passage, says: "Several mazes of the kind here
alluded to are still preserved, having been kept up from time immemorial.
On the top of Catherine Hill, Winchester, the usual play-place of the
school, was a very perplexed and winding path, running in a very small
space over a great deal of ground, called a "miz-maze." The senior boys
obliged the juniors to tread it, to prevent the figure from being lost,
and I believe it is still retained."[815]

[815] See Milner's "History of Winchester," vol. ii. p. 155.

_See-Saw._ Another name for this childish sport is that given by
Falstaff in "2 Henry IV." (ii. 4), where he calls it "riding the wild
mare." Gay thus describes this well-known game:

"Across the fallen oak the plank I laid,
And myself pois'd against the tott'ring maid;
High leap'd the plank, adown Buxonia fell."

_Shove-Groat._ The object of this game was to shake or push pieces of
money on a board to reach certain marks. It is alluded to in "2 Henry
IV." (ii. 4), where Falstaff says: "Quoit him down, Bardolph, like a
shove-groat shilling;" or, in other words, Bardolph was to quoit Pistol
down-stairs as quickly as the smooth shilling--the shove-groat--flies
along the board. In a statute of 33 Henry VIII., shove-groat is called a
new game, and was probably originally played with the