What's the odds ?-while I am floundering here the gold fish will be gone; and as I always was a dab at hooking the right Numbers, I must cast for a Share of the SIX £30,000 on the 18th JULY, for it is but "giving a Sprat to catch a Herring" as a body may say, and it is the last chance we shall have in England. 1411 more. To be filled by the feast of St. Bartholomew. The shew of Prises ar to be seen in Cheapside, at the sign of the Queenes armes, the house of Mr. Dericke, Goldsmith, Servant to the Queen. Some other Orders about it in 1567-8. Printed by Hen. Bynneman." This is the earliest lottery of which we have any account. According to Stow, it was begun to be drawn at the west door of St. Paul's cathedral, on the 11th of January, 1569, (11th of Elizabeth,) and continued incessantly drawing, day and night, till the 6th of May following.* It was at first intended to have been drawn "at the house of Mr. Dericke," who was the queen's jeweller. "Whether," says Maitland, "this lottery was on account of the public, or the selfish views of private persons, my author does not mention; but 'tis evident, by the time it took up in drawing, it must have been of great This I have remarked as being the first of the kind I read in England.' Maitland does not seem to have been acquainted with Dr. Rawlinson's communication of the printed "Proposal" for it to the society of Antiquaries, which, as it states that the "commodities," or profits, arising therefrom were to be appropriated to the "reparations of the havens and strength of the realme," obvi"on account ates all doubt as to its being of the public." concern. of charitable gifts to the corporation of "Memorand. that the sd. Sum of 401. came not into the hands & charge of the Mayor & Burgesses until April 1626.” This extract was communicated to the "Gentleman's Magazine" in 1778, by a of " Gabriel Barber, gent., agent in the "If it be asked what correspondent, who, referring to this gift said lottery," says, of is become of it now? gone, it is supposed, where the chickens went before during the pious protectorship of Cromwell." In 1586, 28th of the reign of Elizabeth, June, In 1630, 6th Charles I., there was a "for the conveying of certain project springs of water into London and Westminster, from within a mile and a half of Hodsdon, in Hertfordshire, by the underLyde." The author of this project was takers, Sir Edward Stradling and John one Michael Parker. "For defraying the expences whereof, king Charles grants them a special license to erect and publish a lottery or lotteries; according,” says the record," to the course of other lotteries heretofore used or practised." This is the first mention of lotteries either in the Fadera or Statute-book. "And, for the sole privilege of bringing the said waters in aqueducts to London, they were to pay four thousand pounds per annum into the king's exchequer : and, the better to enable them to make the said large annual payment, the king grants them leave to bring their aqueducts through any of his parks, chases, lands, &c., and to dig up the same gratis."* It 1653, during the commonwealth, there was a lottery at Grocers' Hall, which appears to have escaped the observation. of the inquirers concerning this species of adventure. It is noticed in an old weekly newspaper, called "Perfect Account of the Daily Intelligence 16-23 November 1653," by the following Advertisement. At the Committee for Claims for Lands in Ireland, Ordered, That a Lottery be at Grocers-Hall London, on Thursday 15 Decem. 1653, both for Provinces and Counties, to begin at 8 of the clock in the forenoon of the same day; and all persons concerned therein are to take notice thereof. Under Charles II., the crown, with a view to reward its adherents who resided within the bills of mortality, and had served it with fidelity during the interregnum, granted "Plate Lotteries;" by which is to be understood a gift of plate from the crown, to be disposed of in that manner as prizes, with permission to sell tickets. According to the Gazette, in April 1669, Charles II., the duke of York, (afterwards James II.,) and many of the nobility were present "at the grand plate lottery, which, by his majesty's command, was then opened at the sign of the Mermaid over against the mews." This was the origin of endless schemes, under the titles of "Royal Oak," "Twelve-penny Lotteries," &c., which will be adverted to presently. They may be further understood by an intimation, published soon after the drawing sanctioned by the royal visitors, in these words, "This is to give notice, that any persons who are desirous to farm any of the counties within the kingdom of England or dominion of Wales, in order to the setting up of a plate lottery, or any other lottery whatsoever, may repair to the lottery office, at Mr. Philips's house, in Mermaid-court over against the mews; where they may contract with the trustees commissioned by his majesty's letters patent for the management of the said patent, on the behalf of the truly loyal, W. Tibbs. indigent officers." In those times, the crown exceeded its prerogative by issuing these patents, and the law was not put in motion to question them. Book Lotteries. During the reign of Charles II. lotteries were drawn at the theatres. At Verestreet theatre, which stood in Bear-yard, to which there is an entrance through a passage at the south-west corner of Lincolns'-inn-fields, another from Vere-street, and a third from Clare-market, Killigrew's company performed during the seasons of 1661 and 1662, and part of 1663, when they removed to the new built theatre in Drury-lane; and the Verestreet theatre was probably unoccupied until Mr. Ogilby, the author of the now useless, though then useful "Itinerarium Angliæ, or Book of Roads," adopted it, as standing in a popular neighbourhood, for the temporary purpose of drawing a lottery of books, which took place in 1668. Books were often the species of property held out as a lure to adventurers, by way of lottery, for the benefit of the suffering loyalists. Among these, Blome's Recreations, and Gwillim's Heraldry, first edition, may be mentioned. In the Ga * Anderson's History of Commerce. + Malcolm's Manners. zette of May 18, 1668, is the following advertisement: "Mr. Ogilby's lottery of books opens on Monday the 25th instant, at the old Theatre between Lincoln'sinn-fields and Vere-street; where all persons concerned may repair on Monday, May 18, and see the volumes, and put in their money." On May 25th is announced, "Mr. Ogilby's lottery of books (adven turers coming in so fast that they cannot in so short time be methodically registered) opens not till Tuesday the 2d of June; then not failing to draw; at the old Theatre between Lincoln's-inn-fields and Vere-street." A correspondent, under the signature of "A Bibliographer," communicates to the "Gentleman's Magazine," from whence the notice respecting these book lotteries is extracted, one of Ogilby's Proposals as a curiosity, in which light it is certainly to be regarded, and therefore it has a place here, as follows: A SECOND PROPOSAL, by the author, for the better and more speedy vendition of several volumes, (his own works,) by the way of a standing Lottery, licensed by his royal highness the duke of York, and assistants of the corporation of the royal fishing. WHEREAS John Ogilby, esq., erected a standing lottery of books, and completely furnished the same with very large, fair, and special volumes, all of his own designment and composure, at vast expense, labour, and study of twenty years; the like impressions never before exhibited in the English tongue. Which, according to the appointed time, on the 10th of May, 1665, opened; and to the general satisfaction of the adventurers, with no less hopes of a clear despatch and fair advantage to the author, was several days in drawing: when its proceedings were stopt by the then growing sickness, and lay discontinued under the arrest of that common calamity, till the next year's more violent and sudden visitation, the late dreadful and surprising conflagration, swallowed the remainder, being two parts of three, to the value of three thousand pounds and upward, in that unimaginable deluge. Therefore, to repair in some manner his SO much commiserated losses, by the advice of many his patrons, friends, and especially by the incitations of his former adventurers, he resolves, and hath already prepared, not only to reprint all his own former editions, but others that are new, of equal value, and like estimation by their embellishments, and never yet published; with some remains of the first impressions, relics preserved in several hands from the fire; to set up a second standing lottery, where such the discrimination of fortune shall be, that few or none shall return with a dissatisfying chance. The whole draught being of greater advantage by much (to the adventurers) than the former. And accordingly, after publication, the author opened his office, where they might put in their first encouragements, (viz.) twenty shillings, and twenty more at the reception of their fortune, and also see those several magnificent volumes, which their varied fortune (none being bad) should present them. But, the author now finding more difficulty than he expected, since many of his promisers (who also received great store of tickets to dispose of, towards promotion of his business) though seeming well resolved and very willing, yet straining courtesy not to go foremost in paying their monies, linger out, driving it off till near the time appointed for drawing; which dilatoriness: (since despatch is the soul and life to his proposal, his only advantage a speedy vendition :) and also observing how that a money dearth, a silver famine, slackens and cools the courage of adventurers; through which hazy humours magnifying medium shillings loome like crowns, and each forty shillings a ten pound heap. Therefore, according to the present humour now reigning, he intends to adequate his design; and this seeming too large-roomed, standing lottery, new modelled into many less and more likely to be taken tenements, which shall not open only a larger prospect of pleasing hopes, but more real advantage to the adventurer. Which are now to be disposed of thus: the whole mass of books or volumes, being the same without addition or diminution, amounting according to their known value (being the prices they have been usually disposed at) to thirteen "Whereas some give out that they could never receive their books after they were drawn in the first lottery, the author declares, and it will be attested, that of seven hundred prizes that were drawn, there were not six remaining Prizes that suffered with his in the fire; for the drawing being on the 10th of May. 1665, the office did then continue open for the delivery of the same (though the contagion much raged) until the latter end of July following; and opened again, to attend the delivery, in April, 1666, whither peropen until the fire, sons repaired daily for their prizes, and continued thousand seven hundred pounds; so that the adventurers will have the above said volumes (if all are drawn) for less than two thirds of what they would yield in process of time, book by book. He now resolves to attemper, or mingle each prize with four allaying blanks; so bringing down, by this ineans, the market from double pounds to single crowns. THE PROPOSITIONS.-First, whosoever will be pleased to put in five shillings shall draw a lot, his fortune to receive the greatest or meanest prize,or throw away his intended spending money on a blank. Secondly, whoever will adventure deeper, putting in twenty-five shillings, shall receive, if such his bad fortune be that he draws all blanks, a prize presented to him by the author of more value than his money (if offered to be sold) though proffered ware, &c. Thirdly, who thinks fit to put in for eight lots forty shillings shall receive nine, and the advantage of their free choice (if all blanks) of either of the works complete, viz. Homer's Iliads and Odysses, or Æsop the first and second volumes, the China book, or Virgil. Of which, The first and greatest Prize contains An imperial Bible with Chorographical and an hundred historical sculps, valued at....257. Virgil translated, with sculps and annotations, val. 51. Homer's Iliads, adorned with sculps, val. 51. Homer's Odysses, adorned with sculps, val. 41. Esop's Fables paraphrased and sculped, in folio, val.. 31. A second Collection of Esopick Fables, adorned with sculps, never * * [Imperfect.] * His Majestie's Entertainment passing through the city of London, and Coronation. These are one of each, of all the books contained in the Lottery, the whole value... 51. The Second Prize contains 1 Lot, Num. 2. One imperial Bible with all the sculps, val. 257. Homer complete, in English, val. Virgil, val.... 91. 51. 61. 41. In all 49 Pound. The Third Prize contains 1 Lot, Num. 3. One royal Bible with all the sculps Homer's Works in English, val. . . . .10%. val. 51. Virgil translated, with sculps and annotations, val. The first and second vol. of Esop, val. 57. In all 10 Pound. 1 Lot, Num. 20. 61. One royal Bible with Chorographical sculps, 41. val. 51. 21. And a Homer's Iliads, val. 51. ....... In all 36 Pound. In all 10 Pound. |