Foot-Ball in 1699.

At the recent excavation of the "Harvard Furnishing Store." an iron pot was found containing about a quart of ancient silver coins wrapped up in what purported to be an old newspaper. Upon close examination, the paper was found to be a Thanksgiving copy of "Ye Blatant Home," published by "certaine of ye students of Harvarde College." It was No. 4, Vol. II, and bore the date "November 23d, 1699." Among other things, there was an account of a "game of foot-balle between ye youthes of faire Harvarde and ye men of Yayle." The game had been played "3 dayes previous," and the account was interesting in marking the divergence of the present system of foot-ball from the good old custom. With the permission of "the store" we publish it. It runs as follows: -

A GREATE GAME!There was played on ye 5th inst. at ye dawn of daye a greate game of foot-balle between ye youthes of faire Harvarde and ye strong men of Yayle on ye field of Mr. Jarviss. Ye game was watched by ye referee Master Pinkeytighte. Ye game was begun at ye hour of dawn and was closed at ye ringing of ye dinner belle. Many maids and matrons sate on ye fence of rales and saw ye playe. When Master P. had admonished ye players, ye stronge rusherman of ye faire Harvarde youths sallied yth the balle downe ye north side of ye field toe ye pond of John Eliot. Insomuch as bothe ye teames were dressed in suits of plaine homspune ye men of Yayle were bare-footed that they might be seene. Now close be ye pond of Eliot were foure bigge men of Yayle and they seized ye Harvard rusherman yth ye ball and caste him in ye lak. Whereupon ye youthes of Harvarde maletreted ye men of Yayle. Granther Pinkeytighte stoped ye playe and againe admonished ye men of Yayle. Ye great reare-man of ye Yayles tooke ye balle and would have hied him yth it had ye youthes of Harvarde not cryed "tyme." Ye players rested. After foure pales of warme milk drawn from ye udders of certaine kine possessed by ye widowe Hariss had bene drunke ye playe was againe spoken by Master P. Atte ye said worde a lusty Yayle man with a wrapped foote advanced to ye south pole by ye hene coop of neighbore Bowene, and placed ye sphaer benethe hys belley on ye grounde. Ye maids and matrons clapped ye palms and ye youthes of Harvarde spoke despitefully to Master P. Ye men of Yayle caste ye balle between ye upright poles and laughed boysterously. Againe atte ye spoken worde a brave youthe of ye faire Harvardes lepte forth yth ye balle, but was caste down by ye farreare man of Yayle. Atte ys ye youthes smote ye men and ye men strucke ye youthes and there was muche tarrying from ye-playe. Then ye great rusherman of Yayle sallied toward ye hene-coope but at ye worde of Master P. rested by ye pond. Master P. anon admonished ye men of Yayle and ye worde was againe spoken. Alass for ye youthes, ye stronge men sallied and alsoe struck ye Master despitefully. Atte ys ye widowe Hariss sette loose ye greate mastife with ye one eie, and ye playe ceased as ye dinner belle range. Ye game was spoken by Master Pinkeytighte as ye game of ye faire Harvarde youthes. Ye central rusherman of Yayle was hurt most pitously.