Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1899 — Last of the Quintains. [ARTICLE]

Last of the Quintains.

A curious clause, taking one light back to the middle ages, appears in the title deeds of a house which Is now to be sold in the village of Offbam, In Kent. Scheduled as part of the “messuages, lands, hereditaments and premises,” Is the village quintain, which still swings on its stout oaken post before the house, and the purchaser most covenant to keep the relic of a bygone pastime in good repair. One end of the swinging crossbar of this quintain (fold to be the only surviving specimen in England) is shaped like a square target, pierced with a number of holes, into which the point of the player’s lance would enter. When struck it would swing round, and unless the player were nimble the sand bag hung on the other end of the crossbar would ■wing round and unseat him. Here is a chance seldom met with in these modem days of getting back into medtaevalism. The owner has only to don the contemporary costume, tilt at the quintain, and 'lmagine that the clock has been put back a few centuries.—Westminster Gazette.