barley-break, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

barley-break n.

[‘An old country game [...] originally played by six persons (three of each sex) in couples; one couple, being left in a middle den termed ‘hell,’ had to catch the others, who were allowed to separate or ‘break’ when hard pressed, and thus to change partners, but had when caught to take their turn as catchers’ (OED)]

sexual play.

1593		M. Drayton Nymphal I in Chalmers IV (1810) 447/1: The nymphs that near this place Disposed were to play At barley-break.
1604		Dekker Honest Whore Pt 1 I i: Nay indeed you shall not goe: weele run at barlibreake first, and you shall be in hell.
1619		Pasquils Palinodia (1877) 152: When country wenches run at Barly-breake until they fall, and country Lads fall on them in such sort.
1622		Middleton & Rowley The Changeling V iii: I coupled with your mate At barley-break; now we are left in hell.
1631		J. Shirley School of Complement III ii: What, at Barley-breake? which couple are in hell?
1648		R. Herrick ‘Epithalamie to Sir T. Southwell and his Ladie’ Hesperides 61: She must no more a Maying [...] Nor name those wanton reals / Y’ave had at Barley-breaks.
1668		Etherege She Would if She Cou’d II i: Sure, by that little mincing step they Shou’d be Country Fillies that have been breath’d At Course a Park, and Barly-Break.