"Whereas we have seen a printed order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen the 25th June, 1700, to prevent the great profaneness, vice, and debauchery, so frequently used and practised in Bartholomew Fair, by strictly charging and commanding all persons concerned in the said Fair, and in the sheds and booths to be erected and built therein, or places adjacent, that they do not let, set, hire, or use, any booth, shed, stall, or other erection whatsoever, to be used or employed for interludes, stage-plays, comedies, gaming-places, lotteries, or music meetings[113:A]: and as we are informed the present Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen have passed another order to the same effect on the 3d instant, we take this occasion to return our most hearty thanks for their religious care and great zeal in this matter; we esteeming a renewing their former practices at the Fair a continuing one of the chiefest nurseries of vice next to the play-houses; therefore earnestly desire that the said orders may be most vigorously prosecuted, and that this honourable Court would endeavour that the said Fair may be employed to those good ends and purposes it was at first designed." These Juries omitted noticing a most barbarous _amusement_ which prevailed to great excess, as will appear by the ensuing advertisements issued in the same year: "At the Royal Cockpit on the South side of St. James's-park, on Tuesday the 11th of this instant February, will begin a very great Cock-match; and will continue all the week; wherein most of the considerablest Cockers of England are concerned. There will be a battle down upon the Pit every day precisely at three o'clock, in order to have done by day-light. Monday the 9th instant March will begin a great match of Cock-fighting betwixt the Gentlemen of the City of Westminster and the Gentlemen of the City of London for six guineas a battle, and one hundred guineas the odd battle, and the match continues all the week, in Red-Lion-fields." In the following April another match commenced, to continue for a week, at four guineas a battle, and forty guineas the odd battle, between the Gentlemen of London, and those of Warwickshire, at the new Cockpit behind Gray's-Inn-walks. The presentments were, however, of some service, as the proprietors of the Bear-garden advertised subsequently "_without beat of drum_." Wrestling was exhibited by them, and the prizes were gloves at two shillings and sixpence _per_ pair. Lambeth-wells opened on Easter Mondays, and had public days on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with musick from seven in the morning till sunset; on other days till two. The price of admission was three pence; the water one penny _per_ quart to the affluent, and _gratis_ to the poor.