Chapter CHERRY FOUJ to CHICANE of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

as the width of the chukan-ground.”) —De Adm. Imp., cap. ix. (Bonn edition iii. 75).

969.—“Cumque inquisitionis sedicio non modica petit pro Constantino…ex ea parte qua Zucanistri magnitudo portenditur, Constantinus crines solutus per cancellos caput exposuit, suaque ostensione populi mox tumultum sedavit.”—Liud prandus, in Pertz, Mon. Germ., iii. 333.

“…he selected certain of his medicines and drugs, and made a goff-stick (jaukan ?) [Burton, ‘a bat’] with a hollow handle, into which he introduced them; after which… he went again to the King…and directed him to repair to the horse-course, and to play with the ball and goff-stick.…”—Lane’s Arabian Nights, i. 85–86; [Burton, i. 43].

c. 1030–40.—“Whenever you march… you must take these people with you, and you must…not allow them to drink wine or to play at chaughan.”—Baihaki, in Elliot, ii. 120.

1416.—“Bernardus de Castro novo et nonnulli alii in studio Tholosano studentes, ad ludum lignobolini sive Chucarum luderunt pro vino et volema, qui ludus est quasi ludus billardi,” &c.—MS. quoted in Henschel’s Ducange.

c. 1420.—“The T [Greek Text] zukanisthrion was founded by Theodosius the Less…Basilius the Macedonian extended and levelled the T [Greek Text] zukanisthrion.” —Georgius Codinus de Antiq. Constant., Bonn edition 81–82.

1516.—Barbosa, speaking of the Mahommedans of Cambay, says: “Saom tam ligeiros e manhosos na sela que a cavalo jogaom ha choqua, ho qual joguo eles tem antre sy na conta em que nos temos ho das canas”—(Lisbon edition 271); i.e. “They are so swift and dexterous in the saddle that they play choca on horseback, a game which they hold in as high esteem as we do that of the canes” (i.e. the jereed).

1560.—“They (the Arabs) are such great riders that they play tennis on horseback” (que jogão a choca a cavallo).—Tenreiro, Itinerario, edition 1762, page 359.

c. 1590.—“His Majesty also plays at chaugán in dark nights…the balls which are used at night are set on fire.…For the sake of adding splendour to the games …His Majesty has knobs of gold and silver fixed to the tops of the chaugán sticks. If one of them breaks, any player that gets hold of the pieces may keep them.”—Ain-i-Akbari, i. 298; [ii. 303].

1837.—“The game of choughan mentioned by Baber is still played everywhere in Tibet; it is nothing but ‘hockey on horseback,’ and is excellent fun.”—Vigne, in J. A. S. Bengal, vi. 774.

In the following I would say, in justice to the great man whose words are quoted, that chicane is used in the quasi-military sense of taking every
possible advantage of the ground in a contest:

1761.—“I do suspect that some of the great Ones have had hopes given to them that the Dutch may be induced to join us in this war against the Spaniards,— if such an Event should take place I fear some sacrifices will be made in the East Indies—I pray God my suspicions may be without foundation. I think Delays and Chicanery is allowable against those who take Advantage of the times, our Distresses, and situation.” —Unpublished Holograph Letter from Lord Clive, in India Office Records. Dated Berkeley Square, and indorsed 27th Decr. 1761.

1881.—“One would at first sight be inclined to derive the French chic from the English ‘cheek’; but it appears that the English is itself the derived word, chic being an old Romance word signifying finesse, or subtlety, and forming the root of our own word chicanery.” —Sat. Rev., Sept. 10, page 326 (Essay on French Slang).

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