"His Majesty has been pleased to give orders to the principal officers
of his Household, to make strict and diligent enquiry whether any of
his Majesty's servants are guilty of the horrid impieties mentioned in
the Order of Council inserted above, and to make their report to his
Majesty."
The dreadful consequences of this attempt to set aside all virtue and
all religion were conspicuously observable, even at the moment, in
the sudden deaths of four members of these dreadful clubs; not that
I mean to insinuate the Almighty interfered by miracles to shew his
displeasure; on the contrary, the event was produced by natural causes
inherent in each diabolical act. The hurry of the spirits, occasioned
by ardent liquors and the terrors of conscience, were sufficient;
Nature shrunk from the contest; and he that drank a toast too shocking
to repeat fainted under the recollection; and she that had assumed the
character of the Mother of Christ fell a victim to the keen horrors
of remembrance in her lucid moments of repentance. It was said, that
one of the clubs met at Somerset-house, where they celebrated their
infamous orgies to the sound of musick during the hours of Divine
service, which will account for the concluding paragraph of the
Proclamation. The number of Justices who attended the Lord Chancellor's
summons exceeded 100; they received his most strenuous recommendation
to exert themselves in the execution of the order, but I find no
recorded effects of its operation.
The mob carried the same brutality more brutalised to the feet of
the gallows; and even while the miserable wretches, who afforded
them a spectacle, were supplicating that forgiveness which the laws
of morality denied on earth, they were interrupted by shouts and
execrations, and injured by stones, dirt, and filth, thrown with
violence in every direction. At an execution, June 1721, several
persons had their limbs broken, others their eyes almost beaten out;
and Barbara Spencer, carried to Tyburn to be strangled and burnt,
was beaten down by a stone when beseeching on her knees the mercy of
Heaven. These wretches frequently robbed the Surgeons.
The wretched manner in which the lowest description of people lodged
in 1721, may be gathered from the ensuing extract from an order of the
Court at a General Quarter Session, October 4. "It is now become a
common practice in the extreme parts of the town, to receive into their
houses persons unknown, without distinction of age or sex, on their
paying one penny or more _per night_ for lying in such houses without
beds or covering; and that it is frequent in those houses for 15 or 20,
or more, to lie in a small room."
These miserable people, thus indiscriminately mixed, corrupted each
other, and licentiousness reigned triumphant amongst them; in truth,
the population of London always exceeded the means of subsistence;
and I believe there are now, upon an average, three families to each
house, and thousands of homeless wanderers. Fleet marriages were common
in 1723; and the wonderful omissions of government at that period,
in permitting so sacred an office to be celebrated, and registers of
marriages kept at ale-houses and brandy-shops within the rules, where
32 couples are known to have been joined in three days, was one cause
of the overgrown community. An author of the time alluded to says: "It
is pleasant to see certain fellows plying by Fleet-bridge to take poor
Sailors, &c. into the noose of matrimony every day throughout the week,
and the clocks at their offices for that purpose _still standing at the
canonical hour_, though perhaps the time of the day be six or seven in
the afternoon."
Macky gives a good sketch of the manner of living in 1724. The
following is extracted from his Journey through England, vol. I. p. 190.
"I am lodged in the street called Pall-mall, the ordinary residence
of all strangers, because of its vicinity to the King's Palace, the
Park, the Parliament house, the Theatres, and the Chocolate and
Coffee-houses, where the best company frequent. If you would know our
manner of living, it is thus: we rise by nine, and those that frequent
great men's levees find entertainment at them till eleven, or, as in
Holland, go to tea-tables. About twelve the _beau-monde_ assembles
in several chocolate and coffee-houses; the best of which are the
Cocoa-tree and White's chocolate-houses, St. James's, the Smyrna, and
the British coffee-houses; and all these so near one another, that in
less than an hour you see the company of them all. We are carried to
these places in chairs (or sedans) which are here very cheap, a guinea
a-week, or a shilling _per_ hour, and your chairmen serve you for
porters to run on errands as your gondoliers (watermen) do at Venice.
"If it be fine weather, we take a turn in the Park till two, when we go
to dinner; and if it be dirty, you are entertained at Picket or Basset
at White's, or you may talk politics at the Smyrna and St. James's.
I must not forget to tell you, that the parties have their different
places, where, however, a stranger is always well received; but a Whig
will no more go to the Cocoa-tree or Ozinda's, than a Tory will be seen
at the coffee-house of St. James's.
"The Scots go generally to the British, and a mixture of all sorts
to the Smyrna. There are other little coffee-houses much frequented
in this neighbourhood, Young-man's for officers, Old-man's for
stock-jobbers, pay-masters, and courtiers, and Little-man's for
sharpers. I never was so confounded in my life, as when I entered into
this last: I saw two or three tables full at Faro, heard the box and
dice rattling in the room above-stairs, and was surrounded by a set of
sharp-faces, that I was afraid would have devoured me with their eyes.
I was glad to drop two or three half-crowns at Faro, to get off with a
clear skin, and was overjoyed I was so got rid of them.
"At two we generally go to dinner: ordinaries are not so common here
as abroad; yet the French have set up two or three pretty good ones,
for the conveniency of foreigners, in Suffolk-street, where one is
tolerably well served; but the general way here is to make a party at
the coffee-house to go dine at the tavern, where we sit till six, then
we go to the play; except you are invited to the table of some great
man, which strangers are always courted to, and nobly entertained.
"I know abundance of French, that by keeping a pocket-list of tables,
live so almost all the year round, and yet never appear at the same
place above once in a fortnight. By looking into their pocket-book in
the morning, they fix their place of dining, as on Monday with my Lord
----, and so for two weeks, fourteen Lords, Foreign Ministers, or men
of quality; and so they run their round all the year long, without
notice being taken of them.
"There are three very noble Theatres here: that for Opera's at the end
of the Pall-mall, or Hay-market, is the finest I ever saw, and where
we are entertained in Italian music generally twice a-week: that for
History, Tragedy, and Comedy, is in Covent-garden (a Piazza I shall
describe to you in the sequel of this letter), and the third for the
same, is by Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, at a small distance from the other.
"The Theatres here differ from those abroad; in that those at Venice,
Paris, Brussels, Genoa, and other parts, you know, are composed of
rows of small shut-boxes, three or four stories in a semi-circle, with
a Parterre below; whereas here the Parterre, commonly called the Pit,
contains the gentlemen on benches; and on the first story of boxes
sit all the ladies of quality; in the second, the Citizens wives and
daughters; and in the third, the common people and footmen: so that
between the Acts you are as much diverted by viewing the beauties of
the audience, as, while they act, with the subject of the Play; and
the whole is illuminated to the greatest advantage. Whereas abroad,
the stage being only illuminated, and the lodge or boxes close, you
lose the pleasure of seeing the company; and indeed the English have
reason in this, for no nation in the world can shew such an assembly of
shining beauties as here.
"The English affect more the Italian than the French music; and their
own compositions are between the gravity of the first, and the levity
of the other. They have had several great masters of their own: Henry
Purcel's works in that kind are esteemed beyond Lully's every where;
and they have now a good many very eminent masters: but the taste of
the town being at this day all Italian, it is a great discouragement to
them.
"No nation represents History so naturally, so much to the life, and
so close to truth, as the English; they have most of the occurrences
of their own History, and all those of the Roman Empire, nobly acted.
One Shakespear, who lived in the last century, laid down a masterly
foundation for this in his excellent plays; and the late Mr. Addison
hath improved that taste by his admirable Cato, which hath been
translated into several languages, particularly into Italian blank
verse, and is frequently acted in Italy.
"Their comedies are designed to lash the growing follies in every
age; and scarce a fool or a coxcomb appears in town, but his folly is
represented. And most of their comedians, in imitation of Moliere, have
taken that province; in which Mr. Cibber, an extreme good player, hath
succeeded very well.
"They seldom degenerate into farce, as the Italians; nor do they
confine their tragedies to rhyme and whining, as the French. In short,
if you would see the greatest actions of past ages performed over
again, and the present follies of mankind exposed, you must come here.
"After the Play, the best company generally go to Tom's and Will's
coffee-houses, near adjoining, where there is playing at Picket, and
the best of conversation till midnight. Here you will see blue and
green ribbons and stars sitting familiarly with private gentlemen, and
talking with the same freedom, as if they had left their quality and
degrees of distance at home; and a stranger tastes with pleasure the
universal liberty of speech of the English nation. Or, if you like
rather the company of ladies, there are assemblies at most people of
quality's houses. And in all the Coffee-houses you have not only the
foreign prints, but several English ones with the Foreign Occurrences,
besides papers of morality and party-disputes.
"My Bills of Exchange oblige me now and then to take a turn to the
Royal-Exchange, in a hackney-coach, to meet my merchant. These coaches
are very necessary conveniencies not to be met with any where abroad;
for you know that at Paris, Brussels, Rome or Vienna, you must either
hire a coach by the day, or take it at least by the hour: but here you
have coaches at the corner of every street, which for a shilling will
carry you any where within a reasonable distance; and for two, from one
end of the City to the other. There are eight hundred of them licensed
by Act of Parliament, and carry their number on their coaches; so that
if you should chance to leave any thing in a coach, and know but the
number of it, you know presently where to lay your claim to it; and be
you ever so late at a friend's house in any place of this great City,
your friend, by taking the number of the coach, secures your safety
home.
"The Royal-Exchange is the resort of all the trading part of this City,
foreign and domestic, from half an hour after one, till near three in
the afternoon; but the better sort generally meet in Exchange-alley a
little before, at three celebrated Coffee-houses, called Garraway's,
Robin's, and Jonathan's. In the first, the people of quality who have
business in the City, and the most considerable and wealthy Citizens,
frequent. In the second, the Foreign Banquiers, and often even Foreign
Ministers. And in the third, the buyers and sellers of Stock.
"When I entered into this last, I was afraid I had got into
Little-man's Coffee-house again; for busy faces run about here as
there, with the same sharp intent looks, with the difference only, that
here it is selling of Bank-stock, East-India, South-Sea, and Lottery
Tickets, and there it is all cards and dice.
"You will see a fellow in shabby clothes selling ten or twelve thousand
pounds in stock, though perhaps he may not be worth at the same time
ten shillings, and with as much zeal as if he were a Director, which
they call selling a Bear-skin; and these men find bubbles enough to get
bread by it, as the others do by gaming; and some few of them manage
it so, as to get pretty large estates.
"Near this Exchange are two very good French eating-houses, the one at
the sign of Pontack, a President of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, from
whose name the best French clarets are called so, and where you may
bespeak a dinner from four or five shillings a-head to a guinea, or
what sum you please; the other is Caveack's, where there is a constant
ordinary, as abroad, for all comers without distinction, and at a very
reasonable price.
"I am told, that while wagers were allowed to be made on taking of
towns, and gaining of battles, during the last war, this Exchange-alley
was the sharpest place in the World; but the abuse of intelligence,
sham letters spread upon the Exchange, and private letters coming
before the Mails, made that practice so notorious, that the Queen and
Parliament wisely thought fit to put a stop to it by a seasonable
provisional Act against it, as they have endeavoured to do by another
Act against excessive gaming, being both equally looked on as a cheat
and imposition upon the well-meaning subject. However, some great men
have not disdained to be deeply concerned in both, and have got good
estates: for tricking is not here reckoned so despicable a quality as
abroad, when it is cleanly done; therefore, my friend, when you come
here, play not in England, nor venture to lay wagers, except you know
your company very well, or are sure of your fact. The fatal South-Sea
scheme, and the wicked execution of it, proves what I foretold you to
be too true."
The pernicious and general custom of wearing masks enabled
half-repentant sinners to mix with the most profligate of the female
sex undiscovered, and to indulge in excesses which they would not
have dared to commit had their features been exposed as at present.
This practice afforded opportunities of gratifying very improper
curiosity, and of visiting places at unseasonable hours; an instance
of this description occurred in May 1724. The White-lion[280:A], in
Wych-street, had long been famed for riotous assemblies under the
pretence of Concerts; and the neighbouring moralists waited with
impatience for the hour when they should effectually transgress the
Law: that hour at length arrived, and a posse of Constables, executing
a warrant obtained for the purpose, discovered females even of some
distinction, tradesmen's wives, their daughters, and many common
prostitutes, a collection that really surprised each other; the vicious
hardly crediting that they were in so much good company, and the
noviciates frightened at the features of unmasked depravity. The latter
received wholesome admonition, and were sent home; the former visited
Bridewell.
The custom of walking and talking in the Nave of St. Paul's cathedral
had become so very prevalent in 1725, that the Bishop of London found
it necessary, at his visitation in that year, to declare his positive
intention of enforcing the 18th Canon, and the Act of the First of
William and Mary, by which transgressors forfeited 20_l._ for every
offence.
A subscription was opened in 1727 for the relief of Mrs. Clark, the
aged and only surviving daughter of Milton. An author, under the
signature of Bruyere, in the London Journal, ardently recommended
liberal contributions; and drew the following picture of the manners
then prevailing. "At White's we see nothing but what wears the mask at
least of gaiety and pleasure; powder and embroidery are the ornaments
of the place, not to forget that _intolerable stink_ of perfumes,
which almost poisons the miserable chairmen that besiege the door.
Conversation is not known here; the enquiries after news turn chiefly
upon what happened last night at the Groom Porters. The business of the
place is to promote some musical subscription; to make all possible
court to some young man of quality that is next expected to take
possession of a great estate; to take care to be very well with a knot
of well-dressed people that meet here, and modestly call themselves
_the world_; but, above all, to solicit a share in the direction of the
moneyed interest, which is established here under the name of a Faro
Bank.
"At Tom's Coffee-house, in Cornhill, there is a very different face
of things. Plenty, the parent of Cheerfulness, seems to have fixed
her residence on this spot; while Joy, which is the offspring of
Folly, seems to be utterly unknown. Industry, the first principle of
a Citizen, is an infallible specifick to keep the spirits awake, and
prevent that stagnation and corruption of humours which make our fine
gentlemen such horrible torments to one another and to themselves.
Decency in dress is finery enough in a place where they are taught from
their childhood to expect no honours from what they seem to be, but
from what they really are. The conversation turns principally on the
interests of Europe, in which they themselves are chiefly concerned;
and the business here is to enlarge the commerce of their country, by
which the publick is to gain much more than the merchant himself.
For the rest I need not add, that there is a vein of strong sense and
useful knowledge runs through their whole discourse, which makes them
to wise men very desirable companions. If I should say that in this
house I have met with Merchants of as liberal education and generous
principles, of as exquisite taste in classical knowledge and polite
learning, as are to be found at Court or in the College, I should be
confident of every reader's credit when he knows that in this place was
first projected the subscription for the relief of the sightless old
age of Milton's daughter."
The Monarchs of this happy Island have frequently honoured the Citizens
of London with their presence at Guildhall, when the Lord Mayor enters
upon his office. On the 29th of October 1727, and in the Mayoralty
of Sir Edward Becher, Knight, and afterwards Baronet, George II.
his Queen, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Carolina, proceeded
to Cheapside at three o'clock in the afternoon, attended by a great
number of the Nobility and others, through a double line of the
London Militia. A balcony near Bow-church had been prepared for their
reception, whence they viewed the procession, and the houses decorated
with carpet, and tapestry to do them honour. After the City-officers
were disposed in due order for the reception of the King in Guildhall,
the Sheriffs waited on him, and conducted him there; the Lord Mayor,
kneeling at the entrance, presented the Sword of State to his Majesty,
who returned it, and followed the Mayor to the Council Chamber, where
Sir William Thompson (as Recorder) thus addressed the King:
"May it please your Majesty,
"The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of this City, beg leave to offer
their most humble acknowledgments for this great honour to the City, by
the presence of your Majesty, your Royal Consort, the Princess Royal,
and her Royal Highness. Their joy is inexpressible, to behold their
Sovereign condescending to accept their good-will and affections, and
in the most engaging manner vouchsafing here to receive their homage
and duty.
"This day will be ever remembered by them with the highest
satisfaction: this happy day, which gave birth to their most gracious
King, who is pleased thus to honour them, and who protects them in
the enjoyment of all their rights and privileges: a Prince who takes
pleasure in promoting their happiness, and who thinks it gives the
truest lustre to his Crown, to preserve the religion, the laws, and
liberties of his people. Fortunate is their present condition, and
delightful is their prospect while they have in view your Majesty,
their most gracious and justly admired Queen, and the illustrious
branches of your Royal Family. Permit, Sire, these your Majesty's most
faithful subjects to take this opportunity of assuring your Majesty of
their unalterable attachment to your Royal Person, and of their warmest
zeal for the support of your government.
"The best, the only security of our excellent Constitution in Church
and State, and of every thing which is dear and valuable to Englishmen,
Gratitude and Interest, make these the unanimous sentiments of this
your Majesty's most loyal and most dutiful City of London."
Their Majesties (preceded by the Lord Mayor bearing the Sword) went
to the Hustings, where they dined in company with the Princesses and
the Ladies of the Bed-chamber. The entertainment was of the most
sumptuous description, and served at different tables, prepared for the
Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, the foreign Ministers, the
Nobility, Privy Counsellors, the Judges, ladies, &c. &c. After silence
had been commanded, the Common Cryer announced that the King drank to
the health of the Lord Mayor, and prosperity to the City of London and
the trade thereof, and, that her Majesty drank, confirming the same.
He then proclaimed that the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council
drank health, long life, and a prosperous happy reign to our Sovereign
Lord King George; and that they drank to the health, long life, and
happiness of our most gracious Queen Caroline, and all the Royal family.
When the dinner was concluded, their Majesties returned to the Council
Chamber, where they were seated till 11 o'clock during a ball in the
area below. The City was illuminated on this occasion.
An author of this period, treating on the number of poor, and their
manner of living, very justly observes: "If any person is born with any
defect or deformity, or maimed by fire or any other casualty, or any
inveterate distemper which renders them miserable objects, their way is
open to London; where they have free liberty of shewing their nauseous
sights, to terrify people, and force them to give money to get rid of
them; and those vagrants have for many years past been moved out of
several parts of the three Kingdoms, and taken their stations in this
Metropolis, to the interruption of conversation and business.
"The Quaker workhouse is an example for each parish: the poor orphans
among them, as well as the children of such poor as are unable to
subsist them, are put to their workhouse, where they are taught to read
and write certain hours of the day, and at other times are put to spin,
or other employments. And as the Nation has found great advantage by
those workhouses, which have been established by Act of Parliament, it
is a great pity that so profitable an Institution was not made general
through the Nation, that so there might be no pretence for any beggar
to appear abroad. Their example is very pernicious, for what they get
by begging is consumed commonly in Ale-houses, Gin-shops, &c.; and one
drunken beggar is an inducement to a great many to follow the same
trade.
"But, as to those creatures that go about the streets to shew their
maimed limbs, nauseous sores, stump hands or feet, or any other
deformity; they are by no means objects fit to go abroad; and
considering the frights and pernicious impressions which such horrid
sights have given to pregnant women, should move all tender husbands to
desire the redress of this enormity."
I have frequently observed, in the course of my researches, the strange
methods and customs peculiar to gaming, horse-racing, dice, and wagers;
the latter are generally governed by whim and extreme folly. We have
already noticed Noblemen running their coaches and footmen. In 1729,
a Poulterer of Leadenhall-market betted 50_l._ he would walk 202
times round the area of Upper Moorfields in 27 hours, and accordingly
proceeded at the rate of five miles an hour on the _amusing pursuit_,
to the infinite improvement of his business, and great edification of
hundreds of spectators.--Wagers are now a favourite custom with too
many of the Londoners; they very frequently, however, originate over
the bottle or the porter-pot.
A curious exhibition distinguished the anniversary of the Queen's
birth-day, March 3, 1730; 100 wool-combers assembled in their
shirts, with various coloured woollen caps on their heads, in
Bishopsgate-street, from whence they went in procession to St. James's
Palace, preceded by the Steward of their company and a person on
horseback, representing Bishop Blaze, in wigs of wool neatly curled;
the Bishop carried a wool-comb in one hand, and a Prayer-book in the
other. They arranged themselves in the Park facing the Palace; and
their leader addressed the King and Queen, who appeared at a window,
thanking his Majesty for the encouragement they had received, and
intreating his future protection.
A writer in Read's Weekly Journal of January 9, 1731, has obliged us
with a concise and pleasing description of Christmas customs prevalent
at that period, which I shall transcribe for the reader's information.
"My house, Sir, is directly opposite to a great Church; and it was
with great pleasure I observed from my window, last Christmas-day, the
numerous poor that waited at the doors very liberally relieved; but
my joy was soon over, for no sooner were the charitable congregation
dispersed, but these wretches, who before appeared the very pictures
of misery, forgot their cant, and fell to quarrelling about the
dividend; oaths and curses flew about amongst them, very plentifully,
and passion grew so high that they fell hard upon one another's faults.
In short, Sir, I learned from their own mouths that they were all
impostors, both men and women; and that amongst their whole number,
which was very large, there was not one object of charity. When they
had tired themselves with scolding, they very lovingly adjourned to
a neighbouring brandy-shop, from whence they returned in a condition
neither fit for me to describe nor you to hear.
"The next day I met with another wonder; for, by that time I was up, my
servants could do nothing but run to the door. Enquiring the meaning,
I was answered, the people were come for their Christmas-box; this was
logick to me; but I found at last, that, because I had laid out a great
deal of ready-money with my brewer, baker, and other tradesmen, they
kindly thought it my duty to present their servants with some money for
the favour of having their goods. This provoked me a little; but, being
told it was the custom, I complied. These were followed by the watch,
beadles, dust-men, and an innumerable tribe; but what vexed me the most
was the Clerk, who has an extraordinary place, and makes as good an
appearance as most tradesmen in the parish; to see him come a-boxing,
_alias begging_, I thought was intolerable; however, I found it was
the custom too, so I gave him half-a-crown; as I was likewise obliged
to do to the bell-man, for breaking my rest for many nights together.
"Having talked this matter over with a friend, he promised to carry me
where I might see the good effects of this giving box-money. In the
evening away we went to a neighbouring ale-house, where abundance of
these gentry were assembled round a stately piece of roast-beef and as
large a plumb-pudding. When the drink and brandy began to work, they
fell to reckoning of their several gains that day; one was cursed for a
stingy dog for giving but sixpence; another called an extravagant fool
for giving half-a-crown, which perhaps he might want before the year
was out; so I found these good people were never to be pleased. Some of
them were got to cards by themselves, which soon produced a quarrel and
broken heads. In the interim came in some of their wives, who roundly
cursed the people for having given them money, adding, that instead of
doing good it ruined their families, and set them in a road of drinking
and gaming, which never ceased till not only their gifts, but their
wages, were gone. One good woman said, if people had a mind to give
charity, they should send it home to their families; I was very much of
her opinion; but, being tired with the noise, we left them to agree as
they could.
"My friend next carried me to the upper-end of Piccadilly, where, one
pair of stairs over a stable, we found near an hundred people of both
sexes, some masked, others not, a great part of which were dancing to
the musick of two sorry fiddles. It is impossible to describe this
medley of mortals fully; however, I will do it as well as I can.
There were footmen, servant-maids, butchers, apprentices, oyster and
orange-women, common w----s, and sharpers, which appeared to be the
best of the company. This horrid place seemed to me the very sink of
hell, where, however virtuous young people may be before, they will not
come often thither before they learn to be both w----s and thieves.
It is a notable nursery for the gallows. My friend informed me, it
was called a three-penny hop; and while we were talking, to my great
satisfaction, by order of the Westminster Justices, to their immortal
honour, entered the constables and their assistants, who carried off
all the company that was left; and, had not my friend been known to
them, we might have paid dear for our curiosity.
"I believe I have almost tired you as well as myself with an account
of the lower sort of diversions. I come next to expatiate on the
entertainment and good cheer I met with in the City, whither my friend
carried me to dinner these holidays. It was at the house of an eminent
and worthy merchant; and though, Sir, I have been accustomed in my
own county to what may very well be called good house-keeping, yet, I
assure you, I should have taken this dinner to have been provided for a
whole parish, rather than for about a dozen gentlemen. It is impossible
for me to give you half our bill of fare; so you must be content to
know that we had turkeys, geese, capons, puddings of a dozen sorts,
more than I had ever seen in my life, besides brawn, roast-beef, and
many things of which I know not the names; mince-pies in abundance,
and a thing they call plumb-pottage, which may be good for aught I
know, though it seems to me to have 50 different tastes. Our wines
were of the best, as were all the rest of our liquors; in short, the
God of Plenty seemed to reign here. And, to make every thing perfect,
our company was polite, and every way agreeable; nothing but mirth and
loyal healths went round.
"I allowed myself now but one day more to finish my ramble and my
curiosity; and that was last Wednesday, being Twelfth-day. The
preparations which were made for the keeping this day, which is
reckoned the conclusion of the holidays, were reported to me to be so
great, and the cheerfulness and good humour with which most persons
spoke of its approach appeared so remarkable, that my expectation was
not a little impatient for the sight of this last scene of the Jubilee.
And as I had the honour of having been several times invited by a
person of quality, with whom I had transacted some affairs since my
being in town, to take the freedom of his table; I determined with
myself that I could not choose a more agreeable time for the acceptance
of his courtesy than this. Accordingly, I dressed myself in a manner
as suitable as I could to the place where I proposed to make my visit,
and took coach for the Court end of the town; in my passage to which,
from the extreme part of the City, I was highly entertained with almost
one continued subject of wonder and amusement. All the trades in town
seemed to be suspended for a while, and to yield to that single one of
the pastry-cooks; and no other manufactories were thought on but the
grocery and confectionary wares, that were taken up in the incredible
number of cakes prepared for this night's revel. The pomp and pageantry
with which the several pastry-shops were set out, the fancy, richness,
and number of their flags and streamers, and the contention which
appeared in every one to outdo his neighbour in splendor and delicacy,
were pleasingly remarkable; and failed not of attracting the eyes of
successive crowds of admirers.
"Having passed through this diverting scene, I was set down at last
at my nobleman's door, who, being at home, gave me a free, noble, and
generous reception. There was a pretty deal of company besides, but
all perfectly easy and cheerful, without stiffness or ceremony. I need
not, I believe, inform you that we had a very elegant and sumptuous
entertainment; and that one article of it was the reigning topick of
the day, an immense rich twelfth-cake. The sight of this immediately
introduced the ceremony of choosing King and Queen, a custom, whose
rise or antiquity very few I believe are able to give us. Through the
extraordinary bounty of my stars, the election of King fell upon me;
whereupon, I instantly received the compliments of the company upon
my new dignity. The title of Queen came to a beautiful lady who sat
opposite to me. There were inferior characters, which fell amongst
others of the company. In short, after having supported my mock Royalty
with a great deal of innocent and decent mirth for some hours, till
the night was pretty far wasted, making my profoundest respects to his
lordship and company, and rewarding the servants, according to the rank
I had borne that night, I very contentedly drove home, and having taken
a hearty sleep, I found myself in the morning entirely divested of all
Royalty, and no more than your plain humble servant,