As soon as a prisoner passed within the gates, it was quickly ascertained if he had money in his purse; and, if this proved to be the case, wine and brandy were called for, in his name, by a horde of ruffians, male and female, and drunk by them, till they could drink or call no longer. But there were other birds of prey. If the victim had a few guineas left, after he had paid his garnish, the turnkeys would take down various sets of fetters, handle them in his presence, affect a shudder at their fearful weight, or praise their lightness,――one pair being so many guineas lighter than the other. Should the novice be reluctant, he received a taste of the quality of the ‘Condemned Hold’ for the night. This dungeon was in the arch beneath Newgate. At noon-day it was so dark that a candle only showed its darkness,――and a candle, duly paid for, had usually only a lump of clay for its ‘stick.’ To escape from the horror, the victim was docile enough in the morning, when he negotiated with the governor, over a bottle of brandy, for a removal. [Sidenote: _INSIDE NEWGATE._] If this removal brought him to the comparative luxury of the press yard, he was not necessarily privileged to partake of all its enjoyments. On entering there, he saw, perhaps, one or two captives studying books, a few reading newspapers, others at skittles, cards, or toss-penny; and a numerous company in the drinking boxes or at the windows of the different floors of the boozing kens looking into the yard. In an instant, these left their occupations, to surround and examine the new comer, and to exact his ‘footing,’ of a dozen of wine; with tobacco in proportion. If he could afford it, this was the company with which he might associate till he was hanged, or was otherwise disposed of. ‘Lovely women’ formed part of it, and with these, marriage might be contracted on limited liability. At ten (but later hours were to be had, for the paying for them) the ladies and gentlemen were sent to their respective rooms, but if they were docile and generous, the turnkeys left their room doors unlocked, only bolting the doors at the foot of the various staircases. In these places at night, ‘Hell let loose’ is the only phrase that can becomingly describe the scene and its incidents. A man with a decent spirit might leave this stage of iniquity and drunken despair, if he could muster 18_d._ daily, to have fellowship with felons, in a stinking cellar on the master’s side. But this was only to fall into a lower depth of this Hell. [Sidenote: _VISITORS TO NEWGATE._]