Everybody that has heard of Solvamhall Castle and the quaint
customs and ceremonies that obtained there in the olden times, is
familiar with the fact that Sir Hugh de Fortibus was a lover of all
kinds of puzzles and enigmas. Sir Robert de Riddlesdale himself
declared on one occasion, " By the bones of Saint Jingo, this Sir
Hugh hath a sharp wit. Certes, I wot not the riddle that he may
not rede withal." It is, therefore, a source of particular satisfaction
that the recent discovery of some ancient rolls and documents
relating mainly to the family of De Fortibus enables me to place
before my readers a few of the posers that racked people's brains in
the good old days. The selection has been made to suit all tastes,
and while the majority will be found sufficiently easy to interest
those who like a puzzle that
is
a puzzle, but well within the scope
of all, two that I have included may perhaps be found worthy of
engaging the attention of the more advanced student of these
things.
32.—
The Game of Bandy-Ball.
Bandy-ball, cambuc, or goff (the game so well known to-day by
the name of golf) is of great antiquity, and was a special favourite at
Solvamhall Castle. Sir Hugh de Fortibus was himself a master of
the game, and he once proposed this question.
They had nine holes, 300, 250, 200, 325, 275, 350, 225, 375,
and 400 yards apart. If a man could always strike the ball in a
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