The good old days ...

... Beat the boys and spare the Rolls Royce.

Thanks to this excellent tome, I now know that, four hundred years ago, any applicant to become a Master of Gramer (as Grammar was then called) was required to come to Saynt Mary Church 'betwyne vii or eyght' to prove his skills in applying corporal punishment before the Proktour and Vycechauncelar.

Tough dudes back then.