And another one at the Hague had this same idea, but added a caution to it on a double-sided signboard:—
“Dees Roemer die gy ziet en kan u niet vermaken,
Komt in en proeft het nat het zal u beter smaken
Maar siet eens wat hier achter staat.”
On the other side:—
“Betaal eerst, eer je henen gaat
Of anders hoed of mantel laat.”[563]
A near relative of the Rummer was the Bumper, a tavern in St James’ Street, Covent Garden, kept by Estcourt the actor. His drawer was “his old servant Trusty Anthony, who has so often adorned both the theatres in England and Ireland; and as he is a person altogether unknown in the Wine Trade, it cannot be doubted but that he will deliver the wine in the same natural purity as he receives it from the said merchants,” (Brooke & Hillier.)—Estcourt’s advertisements on the last page of the original Edition of the Spectator, cclx., 1711. To this occupation of Estcourt, Parnell alludes in the beginning of his poems:—
“Gay Bacchus liking Estcourt’s wine,
A noble meal bespoke us;
And for the guests that were to dine
Brought Comus, Love, and Jocus.”
This same Estcourt was sometime provedore of the Beefsteak Club.
Finally, we may conclude this notice of drinking vessels on the signboard with the Tankard, which is still of frequent occurrence. There is a public-house at Ipswich with this sign, which was formerly part of the house of Sir Anthony Wingfield, one of the legal executors of Henry VIII.
The hanap or tankard was generally of silver, and was formerly one of the most valuable properties of an ale-house, for in the Act 13 Edw. I., it says that “if a tavern-keeper keep his house open after curfew he shall be put on his surety the first time by the hanap of the tavern, or by some other good pledge therein found.”[564] Silver tankards were more or less common in all the London taverns. In some houses they were reserved for the more distinguished visitors; in others, as at the Bull’s Head in Leadenhall Street, “every poor mechanic drank in plate.” They were of different sizes, and experienced topers well knew for which name to call when ordering a tankard proportionate to their thirst. From a curious old tippler’s handbook, published in the reign of Queen Anne or George the First, entitled, “A Vade Mecum for Maltworms,” we gather that the names of the tankards at the Sweet Apple, in Sweet Apple Yard, were “the Lamb,” “the Lion,” “the Peacock,” (in honour of the brewer,) “Sacheverell,” (in memory of the notorious divine of St Andrew’s, Holborn,) and “Nan Elton.” The same work also relates a curious instance of enthusiasm in a publican. His house, the Raven, in Fetter Lane, was famous for
“Massy tankards form’d of silver plate,
That walk throughout his noted house in state;
Ever since Eaglesfield in Anna’s reign,
To compliment each fortunate campaign,
Made one be hammer’d out for every town was ta’en.”