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Ancient Drunkenness in London.—­Andrews in his History of Great Britain, says, “In the 16th century drinking had its votaries in abundance.  Much time was spent by the citizens of London at their numerous taverns.”  In the country, if a bitter writer of the time, (Stub’s Anatomie of Abuse,) may find credit, every public-house was crowded from morn till night with determined drunkards.  Camden, who also allows the increase of drunkenness among the English, imputes it to their familiarity with the Flemings in the Low Country wars.

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The taverns of London were many and much frequented.  An old bard has favoured us with a list of them in Newes from Bartholomew Fayre, a black letter poem, the title page of which is torn off, viz.

  “There hath been great sale and utterance of wine,
  Besides beere, and ale, and ipocras fine,
  In every country, region, and nation,
  But chiefly in Billingsgate, at the Salutation;
  And the Bore’s Head, near London Stone,
  The Swan at Dowgate, a taverne well known;
  The Mitre in Cheape; and then the Bull Head,
  And many like places that make noses red;
  Th’ Bore’s Head in Old Fish Street, Three Crowns in the Vintry,
  And now, of late, St. Martin’s in the Sentree;
  The Windmill in Lothbury; the Ship at th’ Exchange,
  King’s Head in New Fish Street, where roysters do range;
  The Mermaid in Cornhill, Red Lion in the Strand,
  Three Tuns, Newgate Market; Old Fish Street, at the Swan.”

The first drinking song that appeared in the English tongue is connected with Gammer Gurton’s Needle, and was published in 1551.

P.T.W.

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Governesses.—­A lady wrote to her son, requesting him to look out for a lady, such as she described, and such as is ordinarily expected in a governess, that is to say, all accomplished, with the disposition of an angel.  The gentleman wrote back that he had long been looking out for such a person, and that when he found her, he should not recommend her for a governess, but take her for a wife.—­New Monthly Mag.

Counterfeit Kings.—­In the infancy of the Roman Empire, we find a counterfeit Agrippa, after him a counterfeit Nero; and before them two counterfeit Alexanders, in Syria.  But never was a nation so troubled with these mock kings as England; a counterfeit Richard II. being made in the time of Henry IV.; a counterfeit Mortimer in the time of Henry VI.; a counterfeit Duke of York; a counterfeit Earl of Warwick under Henry VII.; and a counterfeit Edward VI. under the reign of Queen Mary; and a counterfeit Protector, in Oliver Cromwell.

G.K.

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