The court in Guildford heard on Monday , 17 January 1597 ( Julian date , equating to the year 1598 in the Gregorian calendar ) from a 59 year-old coroner , John Derrick , who gave witness that when he was a scholar at the `` Free School at Guildford '' , fifty years earlier , `` hee and diverse of his fellows did runne and play ( on the common land ) at creckett and other plaies . ''
The court in Guildford heard a coroner , John Derrick , that when he was a scholar at the `` Free School at Guildford '' , fifty years earlier , `` hee and diverse of his fellows did runne and play ( on the common land ) at creckett and other plaies '' .