Part 1
Transcriber's Notes: Words in italics in the original are surrounded by _underscores_. A row of asterisks represents a thought break. A complete list of corrections as well as other notes follows the text.
ANECDOTES
OF THE
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS
OF
LONDON
DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY;
INCLUDING
THE CHARITIES, DEPRAVITIES, DRESSES, AND AMUSEMENTS, OF THE CITIZENS OF LONDON, DURING THAT PERIOD;
WITH A REVIEW
OF THE
STATE OF SOCIETY IN 1807.
TO WHICH IS ADDED,
A SKETCH OF THE DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE, AND OF THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METROPOLIS.
ILLUSTRATED BY FORTY-FIVE ENGRAVINGS.
BY JAMES PELLER MALCOLM, F. S. A.
AUTHOR OF "LONDINIUM REDIVIVUM," &c. &c.
THE SECOND EDITION.
VOLUME II.
_LONDON_: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1810.
John Nichols and Son, Printers, Red Lion Passage, Fleet Street, London.
_CONTENTS_
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.
CHAP. V. Page.
Public Methods of raising Money exemplified in Notices relating to Lotteries, Benefit Societies, &c. 1
CHAP. VI.
The Religious and Political Passions of the Community illustrated by Anecdotes of popular Tumults 11
CHAP. VII.
Amusement--Detail of its principal Varieties since 1700 107
CHAP. VIII.
Anecdotes of Dress, and of the Caprices of Fashion 312
CHAP. IX.
Domestic Architecture traced from its origin to its present improved state in London--Lighting and improving of Streets--Obstructions in them--Ornaments, &c. 358
CHAP. X.
Sketch of the present State of Society in London 406
_PLATES_
TO
THE SECOND VOLUME.
The Plates of Dress (chronologically) 312
Croydon Palace } Brick Gateway near Bromley } 364
The Views of Antient and Modern Houses 366
The general Views 404
CHAP. V.
PUBLIC METHODS OF RAISING MONEY EXEMPLIFIED, IN NOTICES RELATING TO LOTTERIES, BENEFIT SOCIETIES, &C.
The community of London had superior advantages an hundred years past in the State Lotteries, though, if interested Office-keepers could be credited, the Londoners of the present Century enjoy greater gaming privileges than the world ever yet produced. The reader shall judge between the schemes of 1709 and 1807. The Post Boy of December 27 says, "We are informed that the Parliamentary Lottery will be fixed in this manner:--150,000 tickets will be delivered out at 10_l._ each ticket, making in all the sum of 1,500,000_l._ sterling; the principal whereof is to be sunk, the Parliament allowing nine _per cent._ interest for the whole during the term of 32 years, which interest is to be divided as follows: 3750 tickets will be prizes from 1000_l._ to 5_l. per annum_ during the said 32 years; all the other tickets will be blanks, so that there will be 39 of these to one prize, but then each blank ticket will be entitled to fourteen shillings a year for the term of 32 years, which is better than an annuity for life at ten _per cent._ over and above the chance of getting a prize." Such was the eagerness of the publick in subscribing to the above profitable scheme, that Mercers-hall was literally crowded, and the Clerks were found incompetent to receive the influx of names. 600,000_l._ was subscribed January 21; and on the 28th of February the sum of 1,500,000_l._ was completed.
The rage for Lotteries reigned uncontrouled; and the newspapers of the day teemed with proposals issued by every ravenous adventurer who could collect a few valuable articles; and from those shopkeepers took the hint, and goods of every description were converted into prizes, even neckcloths, snuff-boxes, toothpick-cases, linen, muslin, and plate. The prices of tickets were generally sixpence, a shilling, half a crown, &c. At the latter end of the year just mentioned, the Magistrates, being alarmed, declared their intention of putting the Act of William and Mary in force, which levied a penalty of 500_l._ on the proprietor, and 20_l._ on each purchaser. In the tenth of Queen Anne another Act was passed for suppressing private Lotteries, which was followed by a second to prevent excessive and deceitful gaming.
Matthew West, a Goldsmith, of Clare-street, Clare-market, appears to have been the man who first divided Lottery-tickets into shares. He advertised in 1712, that he had sold 100 tickets in the million and an half Lottery in twentieths, and purposed pursuing his plan, which was well received.
The Lottery for 1714 contained 50,000 tickets at 10_l._ each, with 6982 prizes and 43,018 blanks; two of the former were 10,000_l._ with one of 5, another of 4000_l._ a third of 3000_l._ and a fourth of 2000_l._ five of 1000_l._ ten of 500_l._ twenty of 200_l._ fifty of 100_l._ four hundred of 50_l._ and six thousand four hundred and ninety-one of 20_l._
Besides the drawing for prizes and blanks, there was another for the course of payment, and each 1000 tickets was called a course. The payments to the receivers were on the 10th of November and 10th of December 1713. When the Tickets were drawn, they were exchanged for standing orders, and thus rendered assignable by endorsement; all the blanks were repaid the 10_l. per_ ticket at one payment, in the order their course of payment happened to fall, and they bore an interest of four _per cent._ from Michaelmas 1713. The prizes were payable in the same manner: the first drawn ticket had 500_l._; the last 1000_l._ besides the general chance; 35,000_l. per annum_ was payable weekly from the Exchequer to the Paymaster for the discharge of the principal and interest, and the whole funds of the Civil List were chargeable for thirty-two years for 35,000_l. per annum_.
To shew the difference between past and present methods, it may be worth while to insert a modern scheme.
"State Lottery begins drawing October 13, 1806, containing more Capital Prizes, and 5000 less Tickets, than last Lottery. The first drawn Ticket entitled to 10,000_l._; all other Capital Prizes are afloat. Purchasers of Tickets and Shares will have the opportunity of obtaining all the Capital Prizes, provided they purchase before the drawing commences. The Scheme has equal advantages of 20,000_l._ Prizes, 10,000_l._ Prizes, 5,000_l._ Prizes, &c. &c. to former Lotteries of double the number of Tickets.
No. of Prizes. Value of each: Total Value. 3 of £.20,000 are £.60,000 3 10,000 30,000 3 5,000 15,000 5 1,000 5,000 8 500 4,000 20 100 2,000 40 50 2,000 4,100 20 82,000 ------ --------- 20,000 Tickets. £.200,000
20,000 Tickets only, and no other State Lottery to be drawn this year."
BENEFIT SOCIETIES, &C.
The first mention of any thing of this kind I have met with is in the year 1708, under the name of the "Taylors' Friendly Society" for insuring the lives of Adults and Children male and female; which was held at the Cross Keys, Wych-street; and the Trustees met twice in each month, when 1500 persons had subscribed 5_s._ each, including policies, stamps, entrance, and first claim; and continued their payments three years. They became entitled to relief in case of illness or poverty, and their Executors after death to 200_l._ Another Society was connected with it, and termed the "Amicable Society," the terms 5_s._ 6_d._ and 2_s. per_ quarter; for which relief was afforded, and 120_l._ paid at the decease of the Subscriber.
Another, called "The Fortunate Office," was intended to provide marriage-portions for the Subscribers, who paid 2_s. per_ quarter for their tickets.
A sort of Tontine had its origin in 1709 under the name of "The Lucky Seventy, or the longest livers take all." It was declared to issue out of the Annuities granted or to be granted by Parliament for the term of 99 years; the sum subscribed 10_l._ or as many tens as the Subscriber chose. The income was immediate, tax free, and payable half-yearly during the lives of their respective nominees. The office was held at Haberdashers Hall.
An office was opened in Theobald-road, 1710, which, if really answerable to the statement announcing it, promised great benefit to the lower classes of the community; and was highly honourable to the dignified Clergy, eminent Physicians, Surgeons, and Counsellors at Law, who founded and supported it. Those persons, taking into consideration the difficulty the poor laboured under of procuring medical and surgical assistance and legal advice, offered to afford prescriptions and opinions for one shilling on delivering a case, and one other shilling at receiving the answer, which payments they declared would be applied only to the actual expences of the office.
The success of these schemes sharpened the invention of the thrifty; and immediately almost every street in London abounded with Insurance offices, where policies for infants three months old might be obtained for short periods. From those they diverged into other ages and various descriptions of persons. Their reign, however, appears to have been but short; as I meet with very few advertisements of the kind in 1712. One specimen may be worth preserving: "By the United Friendly and Perpetual Society, at the Naked Boy, the corner of Battle-bridge, in Tooley-street, Southwark, on Thursday the 25th instant, will be opened two offices on Marriages for three months, on Claims two, upon Births for two months, and two on Servants for three months on dividends." Another will verify the "Wisdom of Nations" in the adage of "Set a Thief, &c.:" indeed, the Gentleman writer lets us into the whole secret at once.
"From the _antient_ and _most reputable_ sale of Alphabetical Letters at the Golden Ball in Whalebone-court, Lothbury, fronting the end of Bartholomew-lane: Whereas several as well _impudent_ as ignorant pretenders have of late erected offices of various methods, and under several denominations, proposing such prodigious profits, in making so many several returns of _cent. per cent._ for each principal sum paid into them, that it is even _miraculous_ to those of the greatest capacities in these undertakings how or with what _assurance_ they could ever pretend to publish the same; but now it is presumed every one who has any _concerns_ in matters of this kind are thoroughly sensible of the difference between _honest_ and well-regulated schemes (_as this is_) and those _chimerical_ ones which are only set up on purpose to be a glittering show of profit, where the end fails of the expectation. The failures of some of this kind, and the probability of _all_ such methods taking the same course, _has been the only motive_ of publishing this; the proposer hereof not having advertised in print these eight months, though his sale has been of nine months standing, and has paid for re-bought letters to his subscribers out of the same upwards of 29,600_l._ never paying less than double for _all_ money paid in, and that in a very short time. Proposals may be had _gratis_ at the _Sale_ aforesaid, _all_ the books being now open for subscriptions. And on Thursday the 22d instant will be opened a subscription-book, where any person may subscribe _what sum he or they please_, and receive the _principal and profit_ entire in three months, proposals of which will be delivered out the same day. This book is of the same nature with our other books; only in this, whatever sum is subscribed must be paid down with 12_d._ for each pound entrance, whereas in the other the money is paid weekly, which is a great trouble to those who cannot spare so much time."
I think I may congratulate my fellow-citizens on the improvement in our morals after their perusal of the following modest production:
"Observe well this Advertisement,
Which comes from the old and original Sale of the Queen's picture (_Qu._ the Guinea), the very next house to the George Inn, Coleman-street, London. There having been of late great discourse about offices, _and I cannot but say great reason to suspect their honesty_ (_some not designing any_), and others who knew not how to be honest, _being they wanted experience_, which business requires a regular method to be observed, occasions me to satisfy the world that the sale of the Queen's picture has been maintained this three quarters of a year, the payment every Saturday paid honourably and justly, which thousands can testify, and which is a plain demonstration of its continuance; _good payments being the only security_ in these cases. I have all along acquainted every single person concerned that I will maintain it as long _as it is possible_ to be preserved; _whenever it decays_, I have promised them all from the very beginning to summon all my purchasers together, and _to distribute what is left_ among them. This method I have taken; and I defy _any one to say it is unjust_, and I will surely perform it. Pray take good notice we begin this present Thursday to enter again, and shall continue until Saturday the 7th of June. On that day we shall also pay above 500_l._"
One of the schemes which preceded the Bubbles of 1720 was an Insurance-office for Lottery-tickets, opened at Mercers'-hall; and 120,000_l._ was actually subscribed on the following terms: for every ninety-six tickets insured the proprietors agreed to allow to the Company (after the tickets were drawn) 16_s. per_ ticket, and 5 _per cent._ on such prizes as occurred to the ninety-six tickets, the Company returning the tickets, and in case the prizes did not amount to 288_l._ valuing the prizes at _par_; the Company to make up the money 3_l._ for every ticket. For every forty-eight tickets the proprietors agreed to allow 19_s. per_ ticket, and 5 _per cent._ on the prizes as above; the Company making up the tickets 144_l._ or 3_l. per_ ticket, and so on down to twelve tickets. The proprietors of the tickets to advance no money for this security; but, when drawn, to allow as above; the tickets to be deposited with the Company, and placed by them under seal in the Bank of England; if not called for in ninety days after the drawing, to be forfeited.
We have at length reduced these schemes to a few honourable Insurance-offices for Lives and Property; and Benefit Societies have been sanctioned by the Legislature.
CHAP. VI.
THE RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL PASSIONS OF THE COMMUNITY ILLUSTRATED BY ANECDOTES OF POPULAR TUMULTS.
The first violent effervescence of party after the year 1700 originated from the intemperance of certain Sectaries, who omitted no opportunity of attacking the Established Church; one of the members of which, Sacheverell, equally intemperate, contrived to raise the Demon of Discord throughout the Nation by Sermons calculated to make all good Churchmen detest him. In these half religious, half political contests, the populace uniformly arrange themselves on the side of Liberty--that Liberty which prompts them to assume the reins of Justice, and to dispense it according to the best of their shallow judgments; but their whips are firebrands, and indiscriminate destruction is substituted for the terrors of the Law; _their_ Culprits are seized at the instigation of some infamous leader, and punishment is inflicted before passion subsides. While Sacheverell's trial was depending in 1709-10, the many-headed monster of this monstrous Metropolis thought proper to pronounce sentence on the harmless wainscot, pews, and other woodwork of Mr. Burgess's Meeting, near Lincoln's-inn-fields, whither they were conveyed and burnt. When this wicked exploit was accomplished, and they had contrived to kill a young man in their undistinguishing fury, they proceeded to Fetter and Leather lanes, and several other places in which Meetings were situated; and would probably have committed incredible mischief, had not the Queen's guards dispersed them, and seized several of the ringleaders; one of whom was tried and condemned, but afterwards reprieved. Some of those infatuated men stopped coaches in the streets, to demand money of the passengers, to drink Sacheverell's health; which occasioned an official communication from the Queen to the Lord Mayor. Her Majesty declared her knowledge of the riots, bonfires, illuminations, the assaults and stoppage of coaches to demand money, in opposition to her Proclamation, and in contempt of the proceedings of the High Court of Parliament; and that she was credibly informed that great part of those lawless proceedings were committed through the culpable inactivity of the Magistracy; at which she expressed great displeasure; and concluded by charging the Mayor and City Officers, at their peril, to apprehend all persons exciting tumults and hawking seditious papers through the streets for sale. To the above letter the Corporation addressed an humble answer, observing that the insolent attacks on the Constitution and Her Majesty's Prerogative, by the publication of books and pamphlets intended to infuse Republican tenets in the minds of her subjects, had roused them to a consideration of their fatal tendency; they therefore declared their detestation of such doctrines, their determination to support the Protestant succession, and, in obedience to her commands, to suppress all riotous assemblies, and to oppose with undaunted vigour all attempts to disturb the peace of her reign, or the serenity of her Royal mind, at home and abroad.
The Queen addressed a similar complaint to the Magistrates of Middlesex; and received assurances of support from them, those of Westminster, and the Lieutenancy of London.
_After these professions_ of prevention, riots occurred on the 14th of October, 1710, with the watch-word of "Sacheverell and High Church;" and the mob beat off the Constables with brands from the numerous bonfires they had lighted.
The month of November teemed with the seeds of riot; but the vigilance of Government was then excited, and secret means employed to discover those preparatives by which the mob were to be set in motion. Some of the emissaries employed on this occasion gave information that a house near Drury-lane contained certain effigies, intended to represent the Pope, the Pretender, and the Devil; this trio were accompanied by four Cardinals, four Jesuits, and four Monks, who were to have been exhibited in due state on the evening of November 17, the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession, and then burnt, in testimony of the abhorrence entertained against the Head of the Roman Catholic faith, his engine for establishing it again in England, and his Majesty of the Infernal regions, together with the inferior instruments of the dissemination of his doctrines. Thus informed, Government preferred opposing _such_ public support of _their_ cause, and wisely intimated by their conduct that they were willing to rest it on the conscience of each individual of the community, rather than terrify _wavering_ Protestants into their measures: in consequence, they issued orders to seize the figures; which being promptly obeyed, the Messengers and guards conveyed them in safety to the Earl of Dartmouth's office, by whose means the sentence of the mob was probably more _privately_ performed, and the evening passed away without any particular occurrence. This event was eagerly seized upon by the partizans of the day; those of Government discovering in it the _stamina_ of a thousand horrors intended to involve the Roman Catholicks and the Established Church in one grand ruin; those of the Antimonarchical side deeming the intended procession a mere common occurrence, occasionally resorted to by the populace with the best motives. By _us_, who have known the infernal proceedings accompanying the cry of "No Popery," riots of any kind must be dreaded; and we cannot but approve the vigilance of the then Government in terminating the existence of an expiring habit, whose vigorous movements were marked in the following disgusting "Account of the burning the Pope at Temple-bar in London, the 17th of November 1679;" an account that compels us to hail with ten-fold reverence the auspicious Revolution of 1688, that defined the boundaries of the Sovereign's and the People's right. At the present period, praised be Heaven! a _Jury_ of twelve men would make the instigators of such a procession tremble: and every Protestant in the City would fly from it with indignation; and yet with all our modern mildness the faith in question gains no proselytes:--a memorable _memento_ of the liberality of the age[15:A]!
"Upon the 17th of November the bells began to ring about three o'clock in the morning in the City of London; and several _honourable_ and _worthy_ gentlemen belonging to the Temple as well as the City, (remembering the burning both of London and the Temple, which was apparently executed by Popish villainy[16:A]) were pleased to be at the charge of an extraordinary triumph, in commemoration of that blessed Protestant Queen, which was as follows: In the evening of the said day, all things being prepared, the _solemn_ procession began from Moorgate, and so to Bishopsgate-street, and down Hounsditch to Aldgate, through Leadenhall-street, Cornhill, by the Royal Exchange, through Cheapside, to Temple-bar, in order following.
1st. Marched six whifflers, in pioneers' caps and red waistcoats.
2. A bellman, ringing his bell, and with a _dolesome_ voice crying all the way "Remember Justice Godfrey."
3. A _dead body_, representing Justice Godfrey in the habit he usually wore, and the cravat wherewith he was murdered about his neck, _with spots of blood_ on his wrists, breast, and shirt, and white gloves on his hands, his face pale and wan, riding upon a white horse, and one of his murderers behind him to keep him from falling, in the same manner as he was carried to Primrose-hill.
4. A Priest came next, in a surplice and a cope embroidered _with dead men's sculls_ and bones and _skeletons_, who gave out pardons very plentifully to all that would murder Protestants, and proclaiming it meritorious.
5. A Priest alone, with a large silver cross.
6. Four Carmelite Friars, in white and black habits.
7. Four Grey Friars, in their proper habits.
8. Six Jesuits, carrying _bloody daggers_.
9. Four wind-musick, called the waits, playing all the way.
10. Four Bishops, in purple, with _lawn_ sleeves, and golden crosses on their breasts, and crosiers in their hands.
11. Four other Bishops, in their _pontificalibus_, with _surplices_ and rich-embroidered copes, and golden mitres on their heads.
12. Six Cardinals, in scarlet robes and caps.
13. Then followed the Pope's chief Physician, with Jesuits powder in one hand and an _urinal_ in the other.
14. Two Priests in surplices, with two golden crosses.