Court Tennis in the United States

Tennis Quotes

“Man is a Teniscourt: His Flesh, the Wall
The Gamster’s God, and Sathan:
Th’ heart’s the Ball:”

The higher and lower Hazzards are
Too bold Presumption, and too base Despaire:
The Rackets, which our restlesse Balls make flye.
Adversity, and sweet Prosperity:
The Angels keepe the Court, and marke the place,
Where the Ball fals, and chaulks out ev’ry Chace:
The Line’s a Civill life, we often crosse,
Ore which, the Ball not flying, makes a Losse:
Detractors are like Standers-by, that bett
With Charitable men: Our Life’s the Sett:

Lord, in this Conflict, in these fierce Assaults,
Laborious Sathan makes a world of Faults;
Forgive them Lord, although he nere implore
For favour: They’l be set upon our score:
O, take the Ball, before it come to th’ ground,
For this base Court has many a false Rebound:
Strike, and strike hard, but strike above the Line:
Strike where thou please, so as the Sett be thine.

“On a Tenis-court,” by Francis Quarles (1632)

And then answerde the Dolfyn bold,
‘Me thinke youre Kyng he is nought old,
No werrys for to maynteyn;
Grete well youre Kyng,’ he seyde, ‘so yonge
That is bothe gentill and small,
 A tonne of tenys ballys I shall hym sende
For to pleye hym with all.’
  —from The Bataile of Agyncourt, ballad (1419)

So when the Gods aboue, haue struck us low,
(For men as balls, within their handes are said,)
We chiefly then, should manly courage show,
And not for every trifle be afraid:
For when of Fortune, most we stand in feare,
Then Tyrant-like, she most will domineere.
  —from Minerva Britanna, by Henry Peacham (1612)