"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,
Thomas North."
An attempt was made, at the commencement of 1731, to suppress some of the most considerable gaming-houses in London and the Suburbs, particularly one behind Gray's-Inn walks. The