Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-10-25
STATE LOTTERIES.
Rise and Fall of a Tremendous
Gamble In England.
STARTED UNDER QUEEN BESS
Tho First One Was without Any
5Iancks. Contaynins Good Prices as
Wei Of Rsdy Money as Of Plate and
Certains Sorts of Marchaundixes."

OF holding lotteries was practiced In
European countries az far back us rhe
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 10 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 maj
esty's express command that this
ready means for raising the wind
on behalf OF the state finances WI,
adopted.
The first English lottery must have
taken n good deal OF arranging. owing.
no doubt. to the fact that the people
OF that day required certain amount
OF education In shis form OF gambling.
for although the idea was first brought
forward in the year 1856 tin Mary'S
reignl. 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 an6
one and one-half feet wide II begins
by announcing "a very rich Lotterie
General. without any blancks. con
tayning a number OF good prices tsicl.
as wei Of rady money as OF plate and
certaine sorts of marchaundlzes. hav-
ing ben valued and priced by the com
maundement Of the Queene's most ex
cellent majestic. by men expert and
skilful," and goes on to say that "the
same lotterie is erected by her ma jes-
ties order to the intent that such com
modite as may chaunce TO arise there
OF. after the charges borne. may be
converted towardes the PREPARATION of
the Ravens and strength of the Realme
and toward such other publiQue good
workes." There were something IKE
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 l. lent his special favoure'
| TO n 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 draw
in a new built house at the west end
/ of Paul's the both CT June. 1917"
| 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
filling uppe the number OF lots there
1 A..
threescore thousand blanckes without
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 a good deal of interest among
the important personages of the day
for we are told that during tho whole
tyne OF the dra wing there were al
wales present diuers worshipful
Knights and Esquires. accompa MED
with sundry graue discreet Citizens"
AS time went on lotteries for every
| conceivable purpose were held in Lon
don and other important towns. witt
the inevitable result that trouble con
stantly arose between the promoters
and those of the ticket holders whG
happened 10 be unlucky or thought
they had been unfairly treated. as ne
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 no
seem to have had any great effect
At last. however. any one proposing
TO hold a lottery was Obliged to SEM
in n petition to the king and IL
Charles lis reign we find mention o
several such applications. One o
these was for the ransom OF Englisl
slaves in Tunis. Algiers or the Turkisl
galleys or for any other charitabl
use" the promoter making 1t a bar
gain that after he had paid in thir,
OF the proofs he should reserve tn
rest for his own expenses and the re
pair Of his fortunes. ruined by ioya
ty."
Lottery Offices for the sale OF ticket
were established all over the countr
as time went on. but none was NOR
famous than the agency of one Bisf
who fiourished at the beginning OF tn
nineteenth century. This enterprisin
individual. whose chief offices were |
Cornhill and at Charing Cross. mus
have made n considerable fortune OF
. OF the much safer business OF sellin
tickets than taking them. But hi
! prosperous career. as also that OF h
fellows. came to m abrupt end whe
, the lottery act was passed in 1923. b
| which 1t was provided that after I'll