TAVERN SCENE
From a ballad in the Roxburgh Collection.
The ordinary price for dinners at a tavern was a shilling, but one might pay a great deal more; dinners could be ordered for five shillings, or even ten shillings a head. The most fashionable tavern was Locket’s at Charing Cross, where is now Drummond’s Bank. Adam Locket started his tavern in the reign of Charles the Second; he died in 1688, and was succeeded by his son, Edward Locket. It was a very famous tavern. Cunningham quotes a column and a half of contemporary mention of Locket’s house. Here is one from Price and Montague, The Hind and Panther, Transversed:—
“Come, at a crown a head ourselves we’ll treat,
Champagne our liquor and ragouts our meat;
Thus hand in hand we’ll go to court, dear cuz,
To visit Bishop Martin and King Buz;
With evening wheels we’ll drive about the Park,
Finish at Locket’s and reel home i’ th’ dark.”