alf a
yeare. vjd.

But the morris dance--it was the dances that Kingston would spend money
upon. There were two kinds of games which brought gifts to the church,
May-games and the Kyngham. What sort of a game the Kyngham was nobody
knows, but it brought the churchwardens most of their money: four or
five pounds was a good collection. But the expenses could be heavy;
there were shoes for the morris dancers, six pairs at 8_d._ a pair;
there was silver paper for the dance, 8_d._; and there were for the
feast, besides other drinking, a quarter of malt, 4_s._; 5 goce (geese),
15_d._; eggs, 6_d._; lamb, 18_d._; sugar, cloves, and mace, 11_d._;
small raisins, 3_d._; saffern, 2_d._; vinegar and salt, 3_d._; 2 cocks,
18_d._; 2 calves, 5_s._ 8_d._; sheep, 12_d._; lamb, 16_d._; quarter of
veal, 8_d._; quarter of mutton, 6_d._; leg of veal and a neck, 4_d._ The
morris dancers did well, with silver paper and new shoes; but the church
kept a feast.

Kingston has the credit of the first and the last battles in the
Parliamentary wars, but the claim is a little shaky. There was an affair
of outposts between Rupert's cavalry and some Parliamentarian troops
between Oatlands and Kingston bridge in the year 1642--after
Edgehill--but it was not a battle. The real battle of Kingston came six
years later, and ended all the warfare that Surrey saw. That was the
battle which crushed Lord Holland's scheme of raising London for the
King. We shall meet Lord Holland at Reigate; but the fighting belongs to
Kingston. Holland, who had planned a rising on Banstead Downs, and had
hoped to capture and hold Reigate Castle, was in full retreat. At
Reigate he had feared to hold the position he had taken up; he retreated
on Dorking, and from Dorking, pursued by Major Audley of Livesey's
Horse, he fled north. On Kingston Common, a little south-east of where
Surbiton to-day takes train for London, his horse turned on their enemy;
his infantry fell back. From each side a few spurred out, "playing
valiantly," Audley writes. But the Royalists were beaten. Lord Francis
Villiers, younger brother to the Duke of Buckingham, a boy of great
personal beauty, fought alone in their rear. His horse was shot under
him; he backed towards an elm, and fought with six of them. They came up
behind him, pushed off his helmet and cut him to the ground. Report came
to London that he was wounded, and orders were sent out to