fore the house an extensive bason of water, otherwise Ducking-pond, for the recreation of lovers of that polite and humane sport. Persons who came with their dogs paid a trifling fee for admission, being considered the chief patrons and supporters of the pond; others, who visited the place as mere spectators, paid a double fee. A duck was put into the pond by the master of the hunt, the several dogs were then let loose to seize the bird. For a long time they made the attempt in vain; for, when they came near the devoted victim, she dived under water, and eluded their remorseless fangs. Here consisted the extreme felicity of the interesting scene. At length some dog more expert than the rest, caught the feathered prize and bore it away amidst the loudest acclamations to his most fortunate and envied master. This diversion was held in such high repute about the reign of Charles II. that he and many of his prime nobility did not disdain to be present, and partake with their dogs of the elegant entertainment. In Mrs. Behn's play of Sir Patient Fancy,' (written at the above period) a Sir Credulous, Easy talks about a cobler, his dog-tutor, and his expectation of soon becoming the Duke of Ducking Pond.'

"Mountebanks' Stage.-One was erected opposite the Three Jolly Butchers' public-house, on the east side of the market area, now the King's Arms. Here Woodward, the inimitable comedian and harlequin, made his first appearance as Merry Andrew; from these humble boards he soon afterwards found his way to Covent Garden Theatre.

"Beheading of Puppets.-In a coal-shed attached to a grocer's shop one of these mock executions was exposed to the attending crowd. A shutter was fixed horizontally, on the edge of which, after many previous ceremonies, a puppet laid its head, and another puppet then instantly

chopped it off with an axe. In a circular stair-case window at the north end of Sun-court, a similar performance took place by another set of puppets. The condemned puppet bowed its head to the sill, which as above was soon decapitated. In these representations the late punishment of the Scotch chieftain, Lord Lovat, was alluded to, in order to gratify the feelings of southern loyalty at the expense of that farther north.

Strong Women.-In a fore one-pair room, on the west side of Sun-court, a Frenchman submitted to the curious the astonishing strength of his wife. A blacksmith's anvil being procured from White-horse-street, with three of the men, they brought it up and placed it on the floor. The woman was short, but most beautifully and delicately formed, and of a most lovely countenance. She first let down her hair, a light auburn, of a length descending to her knees, which she twisted round the projecting part of the anvil, and then with seeming ease lifted the ponderous weight some inches from the floor. After this a bed was laid in the middle of the room, when reclining on her back, and uncovering her bosom, the husband ordered the smiths to place thereon the anvil, and forge upon it a horse-shoe. This they obeyed, by taking from the fire a red-hot piece of iron, and with their forging hammers completing the shoe with the same might and indifference as when in the shop at their constant labour. The prostrate fair one appeared to endure this with the utmost composure, talking and singing during the whole process; then with an effort, which to the bye-standers seemed like some supernatural trial, cast the anvil from off her body, jumping up at the same moment with extreme gaiety, without the least discomposure of her dress or person.

"That no trick or collusion could possibly be practised

on the occasion was obvious from the following evidence. The audience stood promiscuously about the room, among whom were one family and friends, the smiths utter strangers to the Frenchman, but known to us, therefore the several efforts of strength must have proceeded from the natural and surprising power this foreign dame was possessed of. She next put her naked foot on a red-hot salamander, without receiving the least injury; but this is a feat familiar to us at this time.

"Tiddy-Doll.-The celebrated vendor of gingerbread, who, from his eccentricity of character and extensive dealings in his way, was always hailed as the king of itinerant tradesmen. In his person he was tall, well-made, and his features handsome. He affected to dress like a person of rank, wearing a white gold-laced suit of cloaths, laced ruffled shirt, laced hat and feather, white silk stockings, with the addition of a fine white apron. Among his harangues to gain customers, take this specimen: 'Mary, Mary, where are you now, Mary? I live when at home in the second house in Little Ballstreet, two steps under ground, with a wiscum, riscum, and a why not. Walk in, ladies and gentlemen; my shop is on the second floor backwards, with a brass knocker at the door. Here is your nice gingerbread, your spice gingerbread; it will melt in your mouth like a red-hot brickbat, and tumble in your inside like Punch and his wheelbarrow.' This address he ever finished by singing the following fragment of some popular ballad;

Ti-tid-dy ti-ti, ti-tid-dy, ti-ti,

Ti-tid-dy, ti-ti, tid-dy did-dy, dol-lol,

Ti-tid-dy, ti-tid-dy, ti-ti

Tid-dy tid-dy dol.

"Hence the nickname of Tiddy-Dol. In Hogarth's print

of the execution of the Idle Prentice at Tyburn, Tiddy-Dol

is seen holding up a gingerbread cake with his left hand,

addressing the mob His costume agrees

his right being within his coat, and in his usual way, 'Mary, Mary, &c.' with the aforesaid description. For many years (and perhaps at present) allusions were made to his name; as thus-'you are so fine (to a person dressed out of character) you look like Tiddy-doll-you are as tawdry as Tiddydoll-you are quite Tiddy-doll,' &c.

"Soon after this, Lord Coventry occupied the house, corner of Engine-street,* Piccadilly, (built by Sir Henry Hunlocke, Bart., on the site of a large ancient inn, called the Greyhound); he being annoyed with the unceasing uproar night and day during the fair-the whole month of May-procured, I know not by what means, the entire abolition of this festival of Misrule and disorder."†

The last paragraph in Carter's reminiscence forms a pretty comment on the maxim "that every man may do what he pleases with his own," and proves that it is confined to the possessors of lands and fine houses. The people were to be debarred from their amusements-amusements that had dated from antiquity-because it suited Lord Coventry to take up his abode in their neighbourhood.

Various other parts of London seems to have been particularly connected with the May-games. Thus Stow, when writing of Ealdgate Ward, now called Aldgate Ward,

*Engine-street still retains its name. It is situated in Piccadilly between White-horse-street and Down-street, and leads into Brickstreet, which latter was, as I have been told, a notorious abode some fifty years ago, of thieves and prostitutes; whence any bad character in the neighbourhood was usually styled a Brickaderian. A celebrated prize-fighter who, from the small-pox marks in his face, had obtained the soubriquet of CRUMPET, was among the notorieties of this street. + Gentleman's Magazine, vol. lxxxvi. p. 228. March, 1816.

L

Leadenhall Street, tells us, "at the north-west corner of this ward, in the said high street, standeth the fair and beautiful parish church of St. Andrew the Apostle, with an addition, to be known from other churches of that name, of the knape or undershaft, and so called St. Andrew Undershaft, because that of old time every year-on May-day in the morning-it was used that an high or long shaft, or Maypole, was set up there in the midst of the street before the south door of the said church. Which shaft, when it was set on end, and fixed in the ground, was higher than the church-steeple. This shaft was not raised since Evil May-day-so called of an insurrection made by prentices and other young persons against aliens in the year 1517-but the said shaft was laid along over the doors, and under the pentises of one row of houses, and Alley Gate, called after the shaft, SHAFT ALLEY. It was there I say hanged, on iron hooks, many years till the third of King Edward VI., that one Sir Stephen, curate of St. Katharine, Christ Church, preaching at Paul's Cross, said there that this shaft was made an idol, by naming the church of St. Andrew with the addition of under that shaft; he persuaded, therefore, that the names of churches might be altered; also that the names of days in the week might be changed, the fish-days to be kept any days except Fridays and Saturdays; and the Lent, any time save only betwixt Shrovetide and Easter. I have oft times seen this man, forsaking the pulpit of his said parish church, preach out of a high elm-tree in the midst of the churchyard; and then entering the church, forsaking the altar, to have sung his high mass in English upon a tomb of the dead towards the north. I heard his sermon at Paul's Cross, and I saw the effect that followed; for in the afternoon of that present Sunday, the neighbours and tenants of the