Merrie England In The Olden Time, Vol. 1 (of 2)

y, who from her

slip and the p

joyous festivity. Ah! those ancient times, they are food for melanch

d 'merrie' called

w

nd merry was in m

h of honest mirth

si

er wassail cup ar

i

ight with blossoms

vely

d its flow'ry head

e s

join'd hand in ha

le t

he melody of Flor

, of varied hue t

o

caprioled within

, and Little Joh

ir

lythe choristers!

n r

ooms lovely May,

ea

r all above! and

the woods among so

l

arm the sunbeam

arts grow

en set to very beaut

blished by T. E. Pu

ch Y

the compassionate Mrs. Montague walked forth from her hall and bower to gr

ignation; and when a heart so tender as Elia's could feel indignation, bitter must have been the provocation and the crime! But the sweep, with his brilliant white teeth, and Sunday washed face, is for the most part a cheerful, healthy-looking being. Not so the squalid, decrepit factory lad, broken-spirited, overworked, and half-starved! The little sweep, in process of time, may become a master "chum-mie," and have (without being obliged to sweep i

outdoor recreations. What is ennui? Fogs, and over-feeding, content grown plethoric, the lethargy of

, 'tis air,

stone, the

ry ago the advantages of early rising to the citizen were far more numerous than at present. A brisk walk of ten minutes brought him into the fields from almost any part of the town; and after luxuriating three or four miles amidst clover, sorrel, buttercups, aye, and corn to boot! the fresh breeze of morn, the fragrance of the flower

notice to all Ladie

l Breakfasting-Hu

d St. John Street R

ler's Wells, may b

tea, sugar, bread,

coffee at threepenc

r and milk, at three

aches may come up t

e bridge in St. Joh

gate.-Note. Ladies

there is anothe

e next door, which i

ate by the Sir Hug

for mine; but mine

side, and my backdo

al;

dead, I a

uors do

first, I

to use y

e to my h

er runs

our care I

t mistake

s to

er, May 6, 174

ifted the latch in the morning repeated the kind office at evening tide, and spread before him those refreshing elements that "cheer, but not inebriate;" with the harmless addition of music and dancing. Ale, wine, and punch, were subsequently included in the bill of fa

ts summit is planted a little hostelrie, which commanded a delightful prospect of fields, that are now annihilated; their site and our sight being profaned by the House of Correction and the Treadmill! Farther on, to the right, is Warner Street, which the lover of ol

ber 4,

ward is the Lord Cobham's Head, ** transmogrified into a modern temple for tippling; its shady gravel walks, handsome grove of trees, and green bowling alleys, are long since d

dition, this was o

Row, close by, live

clown Joe

my lodging in Islin

in Cold Bath Field

I had often hear

pleasant in London,

accommodation, and

d in the garden, w

a very handsome gr

inely illuminated,

them with drinkin

e. There will be g

both vocal and ins

y, being the

m yo

Fre

tiser, 9th

ys ago, invited by

little excursion

ng in a gay humour,

astle's, to hear t

much eloquence to p

I (with many othe

I never was more ag

s of the three Bath

nishing feats of st

nsformations, that

magination to for

airs are coming o

ll be engaged to ent

ders they can't s

eing the performance

e

am,

tiser, 27th

entituled "A new a

he City of London,

. Printed and sold

, over against Birch

t 5,

en," says Master Stephen, in Every Man in his Humour, "I shall keep company with none but the archers of Finsbury or the citizens that come a ducking to

ig

f English, French

, near the London Sp

st 1

d during the Summ

ew exercises of Rop

s, Ladder-dancing,

n Rogetzi, Monsieur

w Grand Dance, calle

s. Lebrune, and oth

Jackson; likewis

Von Eeekenberg, wh

goldfinch, canary-b

or's Dance by Mr. Ph

ough a hogshead, an

e added The Harlot's

s Kitty by Mrs. Phil

he late glorious vi

sh at the battle of

Household Standard

bridge, and destroy

army. To begin ev

will be admitted fo

ua

the Grand Turk,

uilibres on th

imitations of Herr

James Bosw

ago, when Dr. Blair

the pit of Drury L

hful extravagance,

y by imitating the l

galleries was, 'Enc

I attempted imitat

ery inferior effect

, with an air of th

ed me thus, My dear

to th

Cockpit; * the Mu

ion Cockpit, near t

resent Monday, bein

oyal Sport of Cock

To-morrow begins

and twenty guineas

week, beginning

s, Clerkenwell.-The

, it is to be hoped

shines with a b

n, ye honest sons of

of a well-spent d

e sons of care, he

cchanalians, here r

he verdant branche

ds of harmony, bre

one listens to the v

f war, and are anx

ires here see thei

or being informed t

thers who offer the

zephyrs blow ever s

ving their viands f

ir consistence, pro

dity as to resist

er, July

of this pictures

sly hit at what,

"Vauxhal

rn and Jubilee Gardens; *

ic were entertained

Wells, Clerkenwell,

sic; "the harpsichor

n, that the whole co

e benefit." In 1770,

sing variety of p

apartment,"

tiful tea-gardens

y in high repute.

ncesses Amelia and

time, for the pur

urnished a subject

medical treatises,

Bickham, Dr. Hugh S

the original chalybe

n an obscure nook

alid rookery of

e eighteenth century; the Sir Hugh Middleton's Head; the Farthing Pie House; * and

s were common in the

r fragrance caught

ed him in by that

ry fare. One solitar

ll stands near Port

addi

lybeate spring, the

re-royal!" Cheeseca

merly part of t

weet Wells the wi

be sour, or Miss

pipe should prove

be lame, or the

all at our warehou

f goods, I assure yo

n the Wr

made it a great fav

nking citizens. See

eni

ler's Wells, set b

en Sylvan's

spreading b

weets all ro

pleasant fl

're willing j

es flow and b

alth with tra

pair to Sad

t streams o

murmurs gl

e sporting

ch weary su

charm, in lu

and harmo

d swains, with

e joys of Sad

d near the New River Water-works in the fields),

residence of Nell G

isiting the "Old B

wards of a century

ent.'Tis now almost

as sung in the "Sun

waters, te

y have, and

hrough the

youths, the d

an ancient conduit

e "Citizen of the Wo

ter' of White Cond

riends would repair

arn. A supper at th

es, closed the "Sho

ish Classic,-this g

ir

s; and the Angel,-now a fallen one!-a huge structure, the architecture of which is anything but angelic, having risen on its

n boast like fai

'd worthies, suc

Bess, after flirt

rself with Dick T

Essex, and burl

r revels, and ca

John took his

oscis, and Jack

archers dispor

brave took his pi

St. John pledged

r pallets reel'd

y Thomas Jordan, 1641, the scene is laid at the Saracen's Head, Islington; and the prologue c

slington

y, 1680, is another proof of its popularit

Isli

r the

cakes

o be

ghgat

Hol

ike i

every

tnam

entis

l thos

nd d

d'Avenant, describing the amusements of the citizens

(quoth he.) Q

her cake in

o Islingt

er, "What, old boy, times are changed since the date of thy indentures, when the sleek crop-eared 'prentice used to dangle after his mistress, with the great Bible under his arm,

on, ** Price, Sampson, *** and Coningham exhibited their feats of horsemanship, and the scene of Mr. Mawworm's early back-slidings. "I used to go," (says

Minor,"

d in 1758, and Pric

1772. Price amassed

his engagements a

anship, Apr

in his famous feats

ious place built fo

he Three Hats at

ue his performanc

be opened at four,

ttance, one shillin

for the entertainm

are pleased to hon

pan

equestrian exercises; and, that no lack of entertainment might be found in this once merry village, "a new booth, near Islington Turnpike," for tricks and mumme

el

back!" At the Jubile

an rides, standing

he other on the h

s on his face. He a

e, with the bridle i

akes one part of t

r part swarm in the

per place

letter to the Pr

, 21st Sep

, 1770, Mr. Cra

at he had "establ

nce of order" at t

following letter "T

Chronicle"

dine last Sunday

from church, the

walk as far as Isl

Bath Fields, we st

t such a scene of

itself to me on my

heel in order to qu

ght as well have som

obliged each of us

us admittance),

me one of the gidd

of my choice; for,

zed together, we w

alded by the boili

es were circulati

their respective di

or some place to si

lty we at length pro

erved with twelve-p

s the front of one

pportunity of view

art of the compan

apprentices and

es, who constituted

y, seemed most of t

s, and I was somet

u treat me with a d

n the environs o

I have had occasi

the

your cons

cula

k, May 5

ter" being the price of admission to the promenade and galleries. It was eventually turned

"Jack Plackett's

gton) was famous for

ow sports. "On Wedne

ft valued at half-a-

on. The battle was

beat her antagon

-22nd Ju

in England. Under its venerable roof Sir Walter Raleigh, it is said, "puffed his pipe;" and might not Jack Falstaff have taken his ease there, when he journeyed to string a bow with the Finsbury archers? For many years it was a pleasant retreat for retired citizens, who qua

ious "Old Queen's H

nd, is presumed

II.

dians, at the Queen'

, Isli

ng will be acted a

Pen

alone.-Horatio

Jones.-Lotha

arris.-Calist

Malone.-Lucill

dded, a Farce call

Gallery, Is. To b

ve honours. Farther a-field are the Sluice, or Eel-pie House; Copenhagen House; Hornsey-wood House, formerly the hunting seat of Queen Elizabeth; Chalk Farm; Jack Straw's Castle; the Spaniards, &c. as yet undefiled by pitiful prettinesses of bricks and mortar, and aff

Bartholomew Fair,

n glass, washed wit

Cla

n's, at the Hornes

hly approved of by t

by long experienc

ising of the vapou

t likewise cleanses

ood, and is a gener

open on Whitson-Mon

l be likewise danci

mmer season at the

aters gratis." Then

of "this noble wa

n to drink of it. O

r copy

lace (Paneras) be as

ldome frequent the s

t visyted and usual

es and theeves, who

for praye, and ma

are glad when they

late."-Speculi Brit

n, MS

arts for aqua pura, liquids more exhilarating were provided for those who relished stronger stimulants. We may

erhithe; Dog and Duck, St. George's Fields; Cherry Gardens Bowling-green, Rotherhithe; Cumberland Gardens, Vaux-hall; Spa Gardens, Bermondsey; Finch's Grotto Garden's, St. George's Fields; Smith's Tea Gardens, Vauxhall; Kendal House, Isleworth; New Wells, Goodman's Fields; Marble Hall, Vaux-hall; Staton's

Tavern, Chelsea,

abilities with watc

enchanted clock, wh

person in the comp

ur inches high, pay

es in a flash of fi

to fly from the tab

grand entertainmen

ng, &

ion of Don Saltero's

ies, a catalogue of

visitors. It compr

osity, natural and

andle; the skeleton

piece of the tru

s cut on a cherry

's toba

s pincushion; Queen

s stockings; Job's e

obacco stopper," an

had a rival, as ap

e seen at Adams's, a

ding from Shoreditc

the entertainment o

oes; Adam's eldest

Bess Adams, that w

anuary 18, 1736-7;

of Bray's clogs; e

hat grew in a fish'

that Abraham combe

; Wat Tyler's spu

head-ach, ear-ach,

the fore and back d

se are only a few

ellous. Is this str

n Sal

e-bone and Rane

irst opened on the

kfast. At Ranelagh

on the 12th of May,

s and glees, select

atch Club; being th

ed in this or any

sted of the favouri

eminent masters of

rable number of t

mers. The choral an

e the catches and

an amphitheatre; be

ne. The Masquerad

ding's "Amelia" as

" satirises their Ev

ic hu

to the growing spirit of national jollity during a considerable part of the eighteenth cent

uty and elegance o

y one of my readers;

nce to give an adequ

description. To del

gardens would inde

paper too, as to re

ster; whose life pr

have read in some

te is generally a

; or in other words

but true taste." A