The Merry Past 



of the right-knock- me-down sort," and the men 

 departed as they came, with the exception of the 

 addition of one hundredweight of ale to their load ! 

 On its arrival at Mr. lUidge's there were all the brother 

 committee-men of that gentleman assembled to do 

 honour to the toast of " Health to Calvert, and long 

 life to him, and may nothing ever ale him ! " 



Mr. Illidge, being an extensive earthenware dealer, 

 the mug in question, " the great, the important mug^ 

 big with the ale of Southwark's new M.P.," was used 

 by that gentleman for many years as a show-mug^ 

 being placed over the warehouse door as a " sign, to 

 the passers-by, of the trade therein carried on." 



Mr. Calvert afterwards laughed heartily at the 

 joke practised upon him by Mr. IlHdge. " I shall 

 be always most happy," said the member for South- 

 wark, " to see the light of the countenance of my 

 worthy and indefatigable committee-man, Illidge ; 

 but, notwithstanding, curse me if ever I desire to 

 see his d — d u^y mug again ! " 



All classes then were a good deal rougher in their 

 methods of amusement than is now the case — witness 

 the widespread popularity of prize-fighting. 



In its palmy days the Fives Court, both as regarded 

 its amateur attendance and the ability of the pro- 

 fessors in pugilism, was a regular London institution. 

 At the time that the glories of the "ring" had 

 reached their zenith the Marquis of Worcester was 

 often to be seen strolling arm-in-arm with Crib, 

 whilst many other scions of nobility were thickly 

 sprinkled amongst a very heterogeneous crowd — 

 Q 225 



