IN CHARLES’ DAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18512, 8 March 1930, Page 16 (Supplement)

IN CHARLES’ DAY

RULES OF BOWLING. The following set of Laws for the Game of Bowls was compiled in 1670 by King Charles II.; James, Duke of York; and George, Duke of Buckingham. They appeared in an old Year Book of the English Bowling Association, and they are so remarkably similar to the rules under which the game is now played that bowlers should find them interesting. The penalty imposed for a “burnt,” bowl (Law 5) was very drastic, and “foot faulting” (Law 13) was severely dealt with. In explanation, the “trig” means the mat; the “cast,” the length of jack; and “lieth all” the shot: — 1. —The party who hath the highest die shall lead the Jack, keeping his foot on the Trig, which must be placed at least one yard from the verge of the green. No cast shall be less than thirty yards. 2. —Whoever shall once throw the Jack off the green shall lose the leading of the Jack to their opponents, and shall be obliged to follow the Jack so led by their opponents, or adverse party. 3. —At the commencement of every end the Trig shall be placed where the Jack was taken up, or three strides wide of it in any direction before the Jack be thrown; provided by so doing the cast be not less than thirty yards. 4. —lf the Jack be bowled off the green there shall be a fresh cast, and the same party again lead. 5. —lf a bowl whilst running be stopped by the adverse party it shall be laid closely behind the Jack. 6. —lf any bowler do take up the Jack before the casts or casts won be last bowl his side shall lose the cast and adverse party. 7. —lf any bowler who lieth all—i.e., who is nearest the Jack—do take the Jack up, or cause the same to be taken up, before his opponent has thrown the last bowl his side shall lost the cast and the head shall begin again. 8. —lf any bowler who lieth all do take up the Jack, or cause the same to be taken up, before his own partner hath thrown hiS last bowl he shall lose the benefit of that bowl. 9. —lf any bowl do lie between the Jack and the bowl that is to be measured, or the Jack leaneth upon the bowl, or the bowl upon the Jack, it shall be lawful to bolster up the bowl or Jack, and to take away that which hindered the measuring, providing it does not prejudice the adverse party in so doing. If it shall appear to the spectators (being no bettors) the adverse party was prejudiced thereby, although the bowl did win, yet the benefit thereof shall be lost. 10. —lf in measuring it shall appear that the bowl or Jack was removed, or made worse by the measure, the cast so measured shall be allowed to the adverse party. 11. —lf any bowler bowl out of turn his bowl may be stopped by the adverse party, but not by him, who delivered the same. 12. —lf any bowl be stopped while running, or touched by its own party, it shall then be taken away. 13. —lf any bowler do deliver his bowl or bowls not touching the Trig with his foot it shall be lawful for the adverse party to stop same while running, and make him bowl it again, but it shall not be lawful for him that bowls to stop it. 14. —lf any bowler who lieth all do take up a bowl or bowls before the ad-

verse party hath granted them the cast shall be lost and the Jack shall be thrown away. 15. —Bowlers nor bettors shall do nothing to prejudice or favour a bowl by wind, hat, foot, or otherwise, and if done the cast shall be lost. 16. —No cast shall be measured before all the bowls are bowled. 17. —lf he that is to throw the last bowl do take up the Trig, or cause it to be taken up, supposing the game to be won, or that he may do some hurt, the same bowls shall not be bowled that cast or end, for the Trig once taken up shall not be set again. 18. —lf any running bowl be stopped or touched by a spectator not being a bettor, whether it be to the benefit or hindrance to the castor, the same bowl shall take its chance and lie. 19. —lf a bowl be moved out of its place by the party that bowled the same at any time before the cast is ended the same may be cleared away by the adverse party. 20. Keep your temper, and remember that he who plays at bowls must take rubbers.