In the _Doncaster Gazette_ of March 25, 1803, a sale is thus described: “A fellow sold his wife, as a cow, in Sheffield market-place a few days ago. The lady was put into the hands of a butcher, who held her by a halter fastened round her waist. ‘What do you ask for your cow?’ said a bystander. ‘A guinea,’ replied the husband. ‘Done!’ cried the other, and immediately led away his bargain. We understand that the purchaser and his ‘cow’ live very happily together.” Enough examples have been given to show that the French idea of wives being sold in Smithfield, and elsewhere, is founded on fact; indeed, there is no reason to disbelieve the writer of “Six mois à Londres in 1816,” when he describes a wife sale he saw at Smithfield—at which the lady was offered at the price of 15s., and, at that price, was eventually purchased, after due examination, “Comme il avait examiné quelques instans auparavant, une jument que je l’avais vu marchander.” We must not throw stones at our grandfathers because this custom was in their midst. I could quote numerous instances of it, from time to time, down to our own days. _Vide_ the _South Wales Daily News_, May 2, 1882, where, at Alfreton, a woman was sold by her husband, in a public-house for a glass of ale; and, again, in the _Pall Mall Gazette_, October 20, 1882, where it is recorded, that, at Belfast, a certain George Drennan sold his wife to one O’Neill, for one penny and a dinner. But, before dismissing the social status of women of this class, at that time, I cannot help chronicling a singular custom, which, however, appears to be peculiarly local. _Annual Register_, March 22, 1806: “A WOMAN TO LET! There is a custom, which, most likely, is peculiar to a small district in the western part of Cumberland. A few days ago, a gentleman from the neighbourhood of Whitehaven, calling upon a person, at his house in Ulpha, was informed that he was not at home; he was gone to church; there was ‘_a woman to let_!’ On enquiry as to the meaning of this singular expression, it was thus explained:—When any single woman, belonging to the parish, had the misfortune to prove with child, a meeting of the parishioners is called, for the purpose of providing her a maintenance in some family, at so much a week, from that time to a limited time after delivery; and, this meeting (to give it the greater sanction), is uniformly holden in the church, where the _lowest_ bidder has the _bargain_! And on such occasions, previous notice is given, that on such a day, there will be a ‘woman to let.’” [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XXXIV. Gambling—Downfall of Lady Archer, &c.—Card playing in the Royal Circle—Card money—High play—Play at the Clubs—Lotteries—The method of drawing them—Horse racing—Turf and horses better than now—Curious names of race horses—Ladies Lade and Thornton—Lady Thornton’s races—Tattersall and Aldridge.