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

ch its rival on the other side of the water was so famous. On the 13th day of September 166

eir heads, without extinguishing them, and with vessels of water, without spilling a drop. I also saw an Italian wench daunce and performe all the tricks of ye tight rope to admiration. All the Court went to see her. Likewise here was a man who tooke up a piece of iron cannon, of about 400 lbs weight, with the haire of his head onely." September 15, 1698, the curious old narrator paid it another visit. "The dreadf

o be had at the several booths held at the "Golden Horse-shoe," * the "Half-Moon Inn," ** and other well-known houses of entertainment. Thither resorted Lee and Harper to delight the denizens of Kent Street, Guy's Hospital, and St. Thomas's, with Guy of Warwick, Robin Hood, the comical adventures of L

Musiek Rooms, at th

outhwark Fair, are

ng's Bench, where yo

musick and dancing

h ways. A Girl danc

in England.

n at Mr. Hocknes, a

Southwark, during t

, being A Living S

m a Turkish Vessel

hild, supposed to

d in the nursery; a

t and a half high.

y scarcely exceed th

no bigger than the

e a mere anato

-At Reynold's Great

ear the Bowling-Gree

esented the Beggar'

-Shearing,-an oper

urs of H

ul transcripts of life, high and low. He conducts us into the splendid saloons of fashion;-we pass with him into the direst cells of want and misery. He reads a lesson to idleness, extravagance, and debauchery, such as never was read before. He is equally master of the pathetic and the ludicrous. He exhibits the terrible passions, and their consequences, with almost superhuman power. Every stroke of his pencil points a moral; every object, however insignificant, has its meaning. His detail is marvellous, and bespeaks a mind pregnant with illustration, an eye that nothing could escape. Bysshe's Art of Poetry, the well-chalked tally, the map of the gold mines, and the starved cur making off with the day's lean provision, are in perfect keeping with

suddenly surprised into the centre of gravity by the breaking down of their scaffold, and Kings, Queens, Turks, tumblers, monkeys, and Merry Andrews descend topsy-turvy into a china-shop below! At Lee and Harper's grand booth are the celebrated Wooden Horse of Troy, the Temptation of Adam and Eve, and Punch's Opera. A fire-eater is devouring his red-hot element, a

th his cups and balls; a pickpocket and a couple of country boobies; a bag-piper; a dancing dog; a dwarf drummer, and

rench poet, whom Mar

lle, has written so

an opera behi

le soleil

t des disco

e terribl

ut frisé

l'aimab

gard, au t

machine

atifs de C

seen a great num

ous, he conc

très-palpables Se

S

t tous les diable

adi

a strolling comp

d a playbill nearl

unced "The Doleful

hters, with the Me

d the valorous exp

tard; all writte

ighty great poet

eld horses for gent

. John's Street, w

as this (I!!), a

l friends rou

would wish to

our money here tha

a

more about these

to the barn in the

y live actors, the

ave the King, not f

actor at Newcastle

ble stranger, no l

and placarded the t

ing a-head. The stro

etor of the Prince,

im to command his

erson on his benefit

that between the

uld give a lively r

sound the Indian w

actise the tomahawk

elligent mob were c

xploits. At the con

arched forward flou

ha!-ho, ho!" Next

and a piece of bla

Prince, with an eno

part of the enter

imperial style, hol

of triumph. Next ca

on of discordant so

of raw beef-steaks

evoured with right r

te repast, he wield

ellowed "Ha, ha!-h

re strolling throug

ed the most puissa

scissors, and quil

hat!" said the asto

you? Are you not a

impose upon us in

th an arch look, rep

I vash acting, l

es last night; and

nd Emperors! I vas

all vash

gton by the nose-twice or thrice in a century proclaims his fair. No sooner is the joyful tidings bruited abroad, than the dutiful sons and daughters of Old Father Thames flock

particular, he expressed a becoming horror in his private meditations; yet his outward bearing towards them indicated no such compunctious visitings. He was an excellent tactician. He crept into the privy councils of the regicides, and, mirabile dictu! retired from the enemy's camp in a whole skin; and while fortunes were being confiscated, and heads were falling on all sides, he kept his own snug in his pocket, and erect on his shoulders. Monarchy, Anarchy, High Church, Low Church,

hat booths (a novel spectacle) were erected on the Thame

which they roasted meate, and had divers shops of wares, quite acrosse as in a towne, but coaches, carts, and horses passed over. So I went fro

to a printing-presse, where the people and ladyes tooke a fancy to have their names printed on the Thames. This humour tooke so universally, that 'twas estimated the printer gain'd 51. a-day, for printing a line only, at sixpence a name, besides what he got by ballads, &c. Coaches plied from West

ter. The booths were almost all taken downe; but there was first a map, or landskip, * cut in copper, representing

are interesting, a

n, representing the

-40, now lie befor

presentation of B

and Humours upon t

on, during that me

igne of his Sacred M

With an Alphabetica

res," exhibits "The

the ice to Temple

se-The Tory Booth

Insured as long as

th-The Half-way Hou

usiek Booth-The P

Horne Tavern Booth

ople looking over

s-The Drum Boat-T

baiting-The Chair s

The Nine Pinn Play

rawing Coales from

imbing up the Tree

iting-The Toy Sho

ively Mapps" has a

, referred to

atics he w

Brahe or

in the midst

er, or his ra

g of this long

, said. yl ye

Theatre for S

een be turn'd

ty seem, for

ragling Sprite

alls and fore

w modest, ye D

yal, the Fals

probably, and

gland such a

cond visit. * But whether maids had grown modest,

t of the frozen Tha

m the Temple Stairs

field," is rich in

great obligations t

e foll

oshua

and Broad's Booth

Swan Stairs, whe

e Frozen Thames, Jan

Wherries once

llows dash'd ag

nts are built, wh

y a one Deligh

es, hot Custard

s are sold; th

ay ha

please

Printed, tho' y

lose no Time, b

with Broad and

" were published of

ork Buildings Wate

A drinking Tent

Booth-C.'s Piratic

ng's Head Printing

ick Booth-Dead Bo

Bridge, wh ye Work

iversions-Tradesmen

of confus'd Barg

stminster Hall

t scene, a Uni

orms are pictur

Ages may wth

ce could think,

er Thames in ye mo

iquid Thames

hips of might

, for want to

ze to get them

upon the Ice on th

1739

East, from rough

ealms its freez

flowing Blood

silver Thames

Courses Rivu

nd appears a

pear where Wat

aily walk from

upon the River Tha

8.173

Frost Fair,

f old, like

' various cli

, on the f

ur fancies t

ge group of

in furs salu

s, shiv'ring

Gin and G

r Wives, and L

hieves, young G

to Future

ley Scene yo

ndon Bridge. Booths were erected on the ice; and puppet-shows, wild beasts, bear-baiting, turnabouts, pigs and sheep roasted, exhibited the various amusements of Bartholomew Fair multiplied and improved. From Putney Bridge

s (4th Feby 1814)

s was yesterday ab

en fires and furn

in every direction;

it, and a goose t

e inscriptions on th

usly whimsical, one

N.B. It is charged

Several lighters, l

ay streamers, we

verns. About two o'

ice, and cut up,

land Mutton, at on

ge et Noir tables, tee-totums and skittles; concerts of rough music, viz. salt-boxes and rolling-pins, gridirons and tongs, horns, and marrow-bones and cleavers. The carousing booths were filled with merry parties, some dancing to the sound of the fiddle, others sitting round blazing fires smoking and drinking. A printer's devil bawled out to t

or! if soo

far as from he

ages of Parr

ord of o

on, I'm

n't wear

under

eep m

eard, lik

ruly as wise

again sick a w

whose abdominal regions looked as if th

one among many spec

4:-"Printed on

ver Thames is

ships of migh

rts and pastime

claims the

en audience, who gave h

, COLD, AND COMICAL H

door to m

open t

ch of your h

oom, attic! or

d I sha

lark, between yo

e never

and ringing, and r

sneezing, and whe

have bee

by the Clock

inutes a

rost the Tham

frieze, as smart

tlemy Fair an

lors, three Tool

e of St. Tho

, and th

olito's jigging

h his hooked n

ien, of gian

ap, that sit

sews, and kn

clothes, and

oes, without fi

slice of roast

ton Tap, and M

ns down rema

nd Thistle, the

ix has sent so

told, to keep

weet tooth, there

ot

e fiddle we'll dan

gain, then d

mes printed off

sis (all Cupid

nigly, in a j

slide, or h

ars Bridge to

rise till you

sly slip to

lark, let us

ur window a

voutly wished to have the streets laid in ashes! And another, somewhat of a penurious turn, being found in