Welcome all who lead or follow To the oracle of Apollo.
Sim Wadlow, whom Jonson dubbed “the king of skinkers,”[51] was one of the famous landlords of this house. The following epitaph on this notorious character is recorded by Camden in his Remaines:—
Apollo et cohors Musarum, Bacchus vini et uvarum, Ceres pro pane et cervisia, Adeste omnes cum tristitia.
Dii, Deæque, lamentate cuncti, Simonis Vadloe funera defuncti, Sub signo malo bene vixit, mirabile! Si ad cœlum recessit gratias Diaboli.
These lines may be thus rendered:—
Apollo and the Muses nine, Bacchus the god of grapes and wine, Ceres the friend of “cakes and ale,” Assembled, list to my sad tale.
Gods, goddesses, lament ye all, At Simon Wadlow’s funeral, He lived right well tho’ his sign was evil, If heaven he won, ’tis thanks to ‘the Devil.’
[51] Skinkers = tapsters; from the old English verb schenchen, to pour out.
Our illustration depicts two innkeepers, who were probably Sim Wadlow’s contemporaries. {209}
During the last century The Devil Tavern was the resort of the wits and literary men of the day. Addison and Dr. Garth often dined here; and Dr. Johnson here once presided at a supper that lasted till dawn peeped in at the windows. The inn was pulled down in the year 1788.