Types of games played to choose partners
	The Farmer wants a Wife		Oranges and Lemons
	Poor Mary sits a-weeping		In and out the Windows
	I sent a Letter to my Love

The Farmer wants a Wife

A circle was formed and a farmer chosen. The circle moved round, singing the verse.

Poor Mary

Using one of the ritual starting games, a child was picked on to be 'Poor Mary', She sat in the middle of the circle formed by the other children and pretended to weep. They joined hands and walked round singing,

Poor Mary sits a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
Poor Mary sits a-weeping on a fine summer's day,
And why she a-weeping, a-weeping, a-weeping,
And why is she a-weeping on a fine summer's day?
Poor Mary wants a playmate, a playmate, a playmate,
Poor Mary wants a playmate on a fine summer's Day,

When they started the seventh line (below), Mary stood up, dried her eyes and chose a playmate.

Stand up and choose your playmate, your playmate, your playmate,
Stand up and choose your playmate on a fine summer's day.

They skipped around together as the children sang the last two lines

And now they will be happy, be happy, be happy,
And now they will be happy on a fine summer's day,

Another Mary was chosen. Sometimes the chosen playmate became 'Poor Mary' and the game recommenced,

I sent a Letter to my Love

A circle was formed with the children facing inwards. One child was chosen as messenger and was given a handkerchief as a letter. She skipped round the outside of the circle and the children chanted,

I sent a letter to my love and on the way I dropped it.

One of you have picked it up and put it in your pocket.

The messenger then sings,

It isn't you, it isn't you, it isn't you . . . . it's you.

At this, she dropped it behind the nearest child and dashed away. The child picked up the handkerchief and chased after the messenger. Hopefully, she caught up before the messenger ran round the circle to take her place. The second child started the game off, or another one was picked to do so.

Oranges and Lemons

Two children, one called the 'Orange', the other the 'Lemon', face each other and hold hands to make an arch. The rest of the players make a line and pass under the arch, singing the rhyme, 'Oranges and Lemons', The child passing under the arch as the rhyme ends is caught, and has to choose either Orange or Lemon.

She then stands behind her chosen fruit, The rhyme is repeated until all the children have been caught and chosen their side, A Tug o' War then follows between the two sides - not with a rope, but with the contestants all holding hands. The over-subscribed side usually wins, unless of course the smaller side boasts some heavyweights.

Oranges and lemons
Say the bells of St, Clement's,
You owe me five farthings
Say the bells of St, Martin's,
When will you pay me?
Say the bells at Old Bailey,
When I grow rich
Say the bells at Shoreditch,
Pray, when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney,
I'm sure I don't know
Says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes the candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.

In and out the windows

The children joined hands to form a circle, then they raised their arms to form the 'windows'. A child was chosen by mutual consent to weave in and out the windows as the children sang the first verse of the rhyme,

In and out the windows
In and out the windows
In and out the windows
As you have done before.

As they sang the second verse of the rhyme, the chosen child stopped in front of one of the players, who became the playmate,

Stand and face your playmate
Stand and face your playmate
Stand and face your playmate
As you have done before.

When the third verse was sung, the two children joined hands and danced round together in the circle,

Join hands with your playmate
Join hands with your playmate
Join hands with your playmate
As you have done before.

Another child was chosen to start the game, and it was usually continued until all had been given a turn.

Take her off to London
Take her off to London
Take her off to London
As you have done before.

(Could this originate from elopements?)

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