The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1911-10-25
STATE LOTTERIES.
Rise and Fall of a Tremendous
Gamble In England.
STARTED UNDER QUEEN BEss

mo TiFSt One was Wthout Any
7Ianeks, contaynins Good Prices, as
Wei Of Rsdy Money as Of Plate and
Certains Sorts Of Marehaundizes.r
Though 1t is certain that the custom
Of holding lotteries was practiced in
European countries as far back as the
middle Of the fifteenth century, it
seems that this particular idea was
unknown in England until more than
100 years later. The lottery, in fact,
appears to have been included among
those many other important things,
both good and bad, that were intro
duced to public notice during the reign
OF Queen Elizabeth. it being her mai
esty'S express command that this
ready means for raising the wind
on behalf of the state finances was
adopted.
The first English lottery must have
taken good deal of arranging, owing,
10 doubt, to the fact that the people
Of that day required a certain amount
or education in this form of gambling.
for although the idea was first brought
forward in the year 1856 Tin Mary's
reign. the actual drawing did not
take place until three years later.
One Of the original bills of Queen
Elizabeth's lottery has fortunately
been preserved. printed in black letter
and measuring five feet in length and
one and one-half feet wide. 1t begins
by announcing "A very rich Lotterie
General. without any blancks, con-
tayning number of good prices (sic).
as vel of rely money as of plate and
certaine sorts of marchaundizes, hav-
ing ben valued and priced by the COM
naundement of the Queene's most eS-
celient majestic. by men expert and
skilful." and goes on to say that "the
same lotterie is erected by her males
ties order to the intent that such COM
mOditie as may chaunce to arise there
of, after the charges borne, may be
converted towardes the reparation of
the Ravens and strength of the Realme
and toward such other publique good
workes." There were something like
10000 prizes in this gigantic venture.
OF which the first was of the value of
$4,000, while the entrance fee was
only two shillings and six pens
James |. lent his special favoure"
to a lottery whose object was the
present plantation of English colonies
in Virginia, the prizes consisting of
$4,000 in money. besides rewardes of
casualitie." the tickets being drawn
in new built house at the west end
of Paurs the 10Th of June. 1872"
This lottery does not. however. appear
to have been very popular. although
we are assured by the historian that
it was ''plainely carried and honestly
performed for owing to the want OF
''tlling uppe the number of lots there
were taken out and throwne away
abating any one prize" certainly a
very generous proceeding on the part
OF the promoters. The lucky man on
this occasion was Thomas Sharpliffe.
"a Taylor of London" who won the
first prize of 'fOure thousand CrOwnes
in fayre plate, which was sent to his
house In a very stately manner"
Though to some extent poorly patron
lied, this lottery appears to have
evoked good deal of interest among
the important personages of the day.
for we are told that during the whole
TYNE of the dra awning there were al
wales present diuers wOrshipfull
Knights and Esquires, accompanied
with sundry graue discreet Citizens"
AS time went on lotteries for every
conceivable purpose were held in Lon
don and other important towns, with
the inevitable result that trouble con-
stantly arose between the promoters
happened TO be unlucky or thought
they had been unfairly treated, as no
doubt many of them were. We find,
therefore. that periodical orders were
issued for the suppression of this form
of gambling. though the law does not
seem to have had any great effect
AT last. however. any one proposing
to hold lottery was obliged to send
in a petition to the king. and in
Charles Ills reign we find mention of
several such applications. One of
these was for the ransom of English
slaves in Tunis. Algiers or the Turkish
gaileys or for any other charitable
use." the promoter making it a bar
gain that after he had paid in a third
of the profits he should reserve the
rest for his own expenses and "the re-
pair Of his fortunes, ruined by loyal
ty"
Lottery Offices for the sale Of tickets
were established all over the country
as time went on, but none was more
famous than the agency of one Bish.
who flourished at the beginning Of the
nineteenth century. This enterprising
individual. whose chief Offices were in
Cornhill and at Charing Cross, must
have made a considerable fortune out
of the much safer business of selling
tickets than taking them. But his
prosperous career. as also that of his
fellows, came to an abrupt end when
the lottery act was passed in 1923. by
which 1t was provided that after the
drawing of the state lottery for that
yoar there were TO he no moro of