On the morning of September 28, 1736, all the tavern-signs in London were in deep mourning; and no wonder, their dearly beloved patron and friend Gin was defunct,--killed by the new Act against spirituous liquors! But they soon dropped their mourning, for Gin had only been in a lethargic fit, and woke up much refreshed by his sleep. Fifteen years after, when Hogarth painted his “Gin Lane,” royal gin was to be had cheap enough, if we may believe the signboard in that picture, which informs us that “gentlemen and others” could get “drunk for a penny,” and “dead drunk for twopence,” in which last emergency, “clean straw for nothing” was provided. Of the signs which were to be seen in London at the period of the Restoration,--to return to the subject we were originally considering,--we find a goodly collection of them in one of the “Roxburghe Ballads,” (vol. i. 212,) entitled:-- “LONDON’S ORDINARIE, OR EVERY MAN IN HIS HUMOUR THROUGH the Royal Exchange as I walked, Where Gallants in sattin doe shine, At midst of the day, they parted away, To seaverall places to dine. The Gentrie went to the _King’s Head_, The Nobles unto the _Crowne_: The Knights went to the _Golden Fleece_, And the Ploughmen to the _Clowne_. The Cleargie will dine at the _Miter_, The Vintners at the _Three Tunnes_, The Usurers to the _Devill_ will goe, And the Fryers to the _Nunnes_. The Ladyes will dine at the _Feathers_, The _Globe_ no Captaine will scorne, The Huntsmen will goe to the _Grayhound_ below, And some Townes-men to the _Horne_. The Plummers will dine at the _Fountaine_, The Cookes at the _Holly Lambe_, The Drunkerds by noone, to the _Man in the Moone_, And the Cuckholdes to the _Ramme_. The Roarers will dine at the _Lyon_, The Watermen at the _Old Swan_; And Bawdes will to the _Negro_ goe, And Whores to the _Naked Man_. The Keepers will to the _White Hart_, The Marchants unto the _Shippe_, The Beggars they must take their way To the _Egge-shell_ and the _Whippe_. The Farryers will to the _Horse_, The Blackesmith unto the _Locke_, The Butchers unto the _Bull_ will goe, And the Carmen to Bridewell _Clocke_. The Fishmongers unto the _Dolphin_, The Barbers to the _Cheat Loafe_,[21] The Turners unto the _Ladle_ will goe, Where they may merrylie quaffe. The Taylors will dine at the _Sheeres_, The Shooemakers will to the _Boote_, The Welshmen they will take their way, And dine at the signe of the _Gote_. The Hosiers will dine at the _Legge_, The Drapers at the signe of the _Brush_. The Fletchers to _Robin Hood_ will goe, And the Spendthrift to _Begger’s Bush_. The Pewterers to the _Quarte Pot_, The Coopers will dine at the _Hoope_, The Coblers to the _Last_ will goe, And the Bargemen to the _Sloope_.