killed　a　man；　was　baited　by　dogs；　but　fought　so　hard　for　his　life　〃the　fiercest　of　them　could　not　fasten　on　him　till　he　was　run　through　with　swords。〃　　Not　only　bull　and　bear　baiting；　cock　and　dog　fighting　were　encouraged；　but　prize　combats　between　man　and　man　were　regarded　as　sources　of　great　diversion。　　Pepys　gives　a　vivid　picture　of　a　furious　encounter　he；　in　common　with　a　great　and　excited　crowd；　witnessed　at　the　bear…garden　stairs；　at　Bankside；　between　a　butcher　and　a　waterman。　　〃The　former；〃　says　he；　〃had　the　better　all　along；　till　by…and…by　the　latter　dropped　his　sword　out　of　his　hand；　and　the　butcher；　whether　not　seeing　his　sword　dropped　I　know　not；　but　did　give　him　a　cut　over　the　wrist；　so　as　he　was　disabled　to　fight　any　longer。　　But　Lord！　　to　see　how　in　a　minute　the　whole　stage　was　full　of　watermen　to　revenge　the　foul　play；　and　the　butchers　to　defend　their　fellow；　though　most　blamed　him；　and　then　they　all　fell　to　it　to　knocking　down　and　cutting　many　on　each　side。　　It　was　pleasant　to　see；　but　that　I　stood　in　the　pit；　and　feared　that　in　the　tumult　I　might　get　some　hurt。〃
  Among　the　more　healthy　sports　which　obtained　during　the　reign　were　horse…racing；　tennis；　and　bowling。　　The　monarch　had；　at　vast　expense；　built　a　house　and　stables　at　Newmarket；　where　he　and　his　court　regularly　repaired；　to　witness　racing。　　Here　likewise　the　king　and　〃ye　jolly　blades　enjoyed　dauncing；　feasting；　and　revelling；　more　resembling　a　luxurious　and　abandoned　route　than　a　Christian　court。〃　　He　had　likewise　a　tennis…court　and　bowling　green　at　Whitehall；　where　at　noonday　and　towards　eve；　blithe　lords；　and　ladies　in　brave　apparel；　might　be　seen　at　play。　Bowling　was　a　game　to　which　the　people　were　much　devoted；　every　suburban　tavern　having　its　green；　where　good　friends　and　honest　neighbours　challenged　each　other's　strength　and　skill。　　And　amongst　other　pleasant　sports　and　customs　were　those　practised　on　May…day；　when　maids　rose　betimes　to　bathe　their　faces　in　dew；　that　they　might　become　sweet…complexioned　to　men's　sight；　and　milk…maids　with　garlands　of　spring　flowers　upon　their　pails；　and　posies　in　their　breasts；　danced　to　the　merry　music　of　fiddles　adown　the　streets。
  CHAPTER　XX。
  Court　customs　in　the　days　of　the　merry　monarch。Dining　in　public。The　Duke　of　Tuscany's　supper　to　the　king。　Entertainment　of　guests　by　mountebanks。Gaming　at　court。Lady　Castlemaine's　losses。A　fatal　duel。Dress　of　the　period。　Riding…habits　first　seen。His　majesty　invents　a　national　costume。Introduction　of　the　penny　post。Divorce　suits　are　known。Society　of　Antiquaries。Lord　Worcester's　inventions。　The　Duchess　of　Newcastle。
  Few　courts　have　been　more　brilliant　than　that　of　the　merry　monarch。　　All　the　beauty　of　fair　women；　the　gallantry　of　brave　men；　and　the　gaiety　of　well…approved　wits　could　compass；　perpetually　surrounded　his　majesty；　making　the　royal　palace　a　lordly　pleasure　house。　　Noble　banquets；　magnificent　balls；　and　brilliant　suppers　followed　each　other　in　quick　succession。　　Three　times　a　weekon　Wednesdays；　Fridays；　and　Sundaysthe　king　and　queen　dined　publicly　in　ancient　state；　whilst　rare　music　was　discoursed；　and　many　ceremonies　observed；　amongst　these　being　that　each　servitor　of　the　royal　table　should　eat　some　bread　dipped　in　sauce　of　the　dish　he　bore。　　On　these　occasions　meats　for　the　king's　table　were　brought　from　the　kitchen　by　yeomen　of　the　guard；　or　beef…eaters。　　These　men；　selected　as　being　amongst　the　handsomest；　strongest；　and　tallest　in　England；　were　dressed　in　liveries　of　red　cloth；　faced　with　black　velvet；　having　the　king's　cipher　on　the　back；　and　on　the　breast　the　emblems　of　the　Houses　of　York　and　Lancaster。　　By　them　the　dishes　were　handed　to　the　gentlemen　in　waiting；　who　served　royalty　upon　their　knees。　〃You　see；〃　said　Charles　one　day　to　the　Chevalier　de　Grammont；　〃how　I　am　waited　on。〃　　〃I　thank　your　majesty　for　the　explanation；〃　said　the　saucy　Frenchman；　〃I　thought　they　were　begging　pardon　for　offering　you　so　bad　a　dinner。〃　　＇This　mode　of　serving　the　sovereign　continued　unto　the　coming　of　George　I。＇
  The　costliness　and　splendour　of　some　royal　entertainments　require　the　description　of　an　eye…witness　to　be　fully　realized。　　Evelyn；　speaking　of　a　great　feast　given　to　the　Knights　of　the　Garter　in　the　banqueting…hall；　tells　us　〃the　king　sat　on　an　elevated　throne；　at　the　upper　end　of　the　table　alone；　the　knights　at　a　table　on　the　right　hand；　reaching　all　the　length　of　the　roome；　over　against　them　a　cupboard　of　rich　gilded　plate；　at　the　lower　end　the　musick；　on　the　balusters　above；　wind　musick；　trumpets；　and　kettle…drums。　　The　king　was　served　by　the　lords　and　pensioners　who　brought　up　the　dishes。　　About　the　middle　of　the　dinner　the　knights　drank　the　king's　health；　then　the　king　theirs；　when　the　trumpets　and　musick　plaid　and　sounded；　the　guns　going　off　at　the　Tower。　　At　the　banquet　came　in　the　queene　and　stood　by　the　king's　left　hand　hand；　but　did　not　sit。　　Then　was　the　banquetting　stuff　flung　about　the　roome　profusely。　　In　truth　the　crowd　was　so　great　that　I　now　staied　no　longer　than　this　sport　began　for　fear　of　disorder。　　The　cheere　was　extraordinary；　each　knight　having　forty　dishes　to　his　messe；　piled　up　five　or　six　high。〃
  Concerning　the　habit　mentioned　by　Evelyn；　of　mobs　rushing　into　banquet…halls；　in　order　to　possess　themselves　of　all　on　which　they　could　lay　hands；　many　instances　are　mentioned。　　The　Duke　of　Tuscany；　amongst　other　authorities；　narrates　the　inconvenience　it　caused　at　a　supper　he　gave　the　king。　　When　his　majesty　drove　to　the　duke's　residence　he　was　preceded　by　trumpeters　and　torch…　bearers；　attended　by　the　horse…guards　and　a　retinue　of　courtiers；　and　accompanied　by　a　vast　crowd。　　On　alighting　from　the　coach　the　Duke　of　Tuscany；　together　with　the　noblemen　and　gentlemen　of　his　household；　received　and　conducted　him　through　passages　lighted　by　torches　to　the　banquet…hall。　　From　the　ceiling　of　this　saloon　was　suspended　a　chandelier　of　rock　crystal；　blazing　with　tapers；　beneath　it　stood　a　circular　table；　at　the　upper　end　of　which　was　placed　a　chair　of　state　for　the　king。　　The　whole　entertainment　was　costly　and　magnificent。　　As　many　as　eighty　dishes　were　set　upon　the　table；　foreign　wines；　famous　for　great　age　and　delicate　flavour；　sparkled　in　goblets　of　chased　gold；　and　finally；　a　dessert　of　Italian　fruits　and　Portuguese　sweetmeats　was　served。　But　scarce　had　this　been　laid　upon　the　board；　when　the　impatient　crowd　which　had　gathered　round　the　house　and　forced　its　way　inside　to　witness　the　banquet；　now　violently　burst　into　the　saloon　and　carried　away　all　that　lay　before　them。　　Neither　the　presence　of　the　king　nor　the　appearance　of　his　soldiers　guarding　the　entrance　with　carbines　was　sufficient　to　prevent　entrance　or　hinder　pillage。　　Charles；　used　to　such　scenes；　left　the　table　and　retired　into　the　duke's　private　apartments。
  A　quaint　and　curious　account　of　a　less　ceremonious　and　more　convivial　feast；　also　graced　by　the　king's　presence；　was　narrated　by　Sir　Hugh　Cholmely　to　a　friend　and　gossip。　　This　supper　was　given　by　Sir　George　Carteret；　a　man　of　pleasant　humour；　and　moreover　treasurer　of　the　navy。　　By　the　time　the　meats　were　removed；　the　king　and　his　courtiers　waxed　exceedingly　merry；　when　Sir　William　Armorer；　equerry　to　his　majesty；　came　to　him　and　swore；　〃'By　God；　sir；'　says　he；　'you　are　not　so　kind　to　the　Duke　of　York　of　late　as　you　used　to　be。'　　'Not　I？'　says　the　king。　'Why　so？'　　'Why；'　says　he；　'if　you　are；　let　us　drink　his　health。'　'Why；　let　us；'　says　the　king。　　Then　he　fell　on　his　knees　and　drank　it；　and　having　done；　the　king　began　to　drink　it。　　'Nay；　sir；'　says　Armorer；　'by　God；　you　must　do　it　on　your　knees！'　　So　he　did；　and　then　all　the　company；　and　having　done　it；　all　fell　acrying　for　joy；　being　all　maudlin　and　kissing　one　another；　the　king　the　Duke　of　York；　the　Duke　of　York　the　king；　and　in　such　a　maudlin　pickle　as　never　people　were。〃
  Throughout　this　reign　the　uttermost　hospitality　and　good…fellowship　abounded。　　Scarce　a　day　passed　that　some　noble　house　did　not　throw　open　its　doors　to　a　brilliant　throng　of　guests；　few　nights　grew　　to　dawn　that　the　vicinities　of　St。　James's　and　Covent　Garden　were　not　made　brilliant　by　the　torches　of　those　accompanying　revellers　to　their　homes。　　The　fashionable　hour　for　dinner　was　three　of　the　clock；　and　for　greater　satisfaction　of　guests　it　now　became　the　mode　to　entertain　them　after　that　meal　with　performances　of　mountebanks　and　musicians；　Various　diaries　inform　us　of　this　custom。　　When　my　Lord　Arlington　had　bidden　his　friends　to　a　feast；　he　subsequently　diverted　them　by　the　tricks　of　a　fellow　who　swallowed　a　knife　in　a　horn　sheath；　together　with　several　pebbles；　which　he　made　rattle　in　his　stomach；　and　produced　again；　to　the　wonder　and　amusement　of　all　who　beheld　him。　　＇At　a　great　dinner　given　by　this　nobleman；　Evelyn；　who　was　present；　tells　us　that　Lord　Stafford；　the　unfortunate　nobleman　afterwards　executed　on　Tower　Hill；　〃rose　from　the　table　in　some　disorder；　because　there　were　roses　stuck　about　the　fruite　when　the　descert　was　set　on　the　table；　such　an　antipathie　it　seems　he　had　to　them；　as　once　Lady　St。　Leger　also　had；　and　to　that　degree；　that；　as　Sirr　Kenelm　Digby　tell　us；　laying　but　a　rose　upon　her　cheeke　when　she　was　asleepe；　it　raised　a　blister；　but　Sir　Kenelm　was　a　teller　of　strange　things。〃