Like Bees about a Honey pot:
But, if she chance to frown,
And rudely kick Thee down,
Why then—What then? Lie there and ROT."
The writer says that after the reign of Huggins and Bambridge, the Chapel was adorned—and the great Hall adjoining, formerly for the Use of the Prisoners, "is now made into a commodious new Coffee House, and thought to be as Compleat a one, as any in Town (wherein one of the Warden's Servants is put, to be useful upon Occasion). Part of the Pews in the Chapel being taken into it to make it compleat,[113] and serves for a Bar and Bedchamber.
"Opposite to the Great Hall, or Coffee Room, is the Begging-Grate, where Prisoners had an Opportunity to speak with a Friend, and sometimes get Sight of one whose Inclinations did not lead him to pay a Visit to the Place, wou'd drop a Shilling, and perhaps some Beer to the Beggars; but now the same, altho' of an ancient standing, is Brick'd up, and the unhappy Persons who can't submit to beg, depriv'd of viewing the Street, or seeing their Chance Friends." So we see, that although the comforts of the inmates had been somewhat looked after, this little privilege, which they had long enjoyed, and, doubtless, as long abused, was taken from them. It was, afterwards, restored.
Footnotes
[110] "A True State of the Proceedings of the Prisoners in the Fleet Prison, in Order to the Redressing their Grievances before the Court of Common Pleas."
[111] A spunging-house.
[112] "Remarks on the Fleet Prison or Lumber-House for Men and Women. Written by a prisoner &c., published in the Fleet, 1733."
[113] The italics are mine.—J. A.
