The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-01-19
STATE LOTTERIES.
Rise and Fall of a Tremendous
Gamble In England.
STARTED UNDER QUEEN BEsS

Tho First Ono Was without Any
6laneks, contaynins Good Prices, a.
Wei Of Rsdy Money as Of Plate and
Csrtains Sorts Of Marehaundizes."
Though it 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 a good deal Of arranging, owing,
no doubt, to the fact that the people
OF that day required a certain amount
OF education in this form Of gambling,
Tor although the idea was first brought
forward In the year 1856 lin Mary's
reign, the actual drawing did not
take place until three years later.
One OF the original bills of Queen
Elizabeh's lottery has fortunately
been preserved. printed in black letter
and measuring five feet In length end
one and one-half feet wide. 1t begins
by announcing "A very rich Lotterie
General. without any blancks. con-
tayning number Of good prices tsic).
as vel of redy money as of plate and
certaine sorts of marchaundizes. 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 majes-
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 PREPARATION of
the Ravens. and strength of the Realme
and toward such other publiaue good
workes." There were something like
10000 prizes in this gigantic venture,
OF which the first was Of the value of
to,oOO. while the entrance fee was
only "two shillings and six pens"
James l. lent his special fayoure"
to lottery whose object was 1.-The
present plantation of English colonies
IN Virginia." the prizes consisting of
to,OOO In money. 'besides rewardes of
casualitie. the tickets being drawn
IN new built house at the west end
of Pauls the 2Nh of June. 1912"
This lottery does not. however. appear
% have been very popular. although !
we are assured by the historian that |
was "plainely carried and honestly !
performed" for owing to the want OF I
'hliing uppe the number of lots there
we're taken out and throwne away |
hreescore thousand blanckes without |
lDat1ng any one price" certainly a
'ery generous proceeding on the part !
u the promoters. The lucky man on
his occasion was Thomas Sharpliffe.
a Taylor of London" who won the
lrst prize of "foule thousand Crownes
n fayre plate. which was sent to his
louise In very stately manner"
'hough to some extent poorly patron.
led, this lottery appears to have
voked a good deal Of interest among
he important personages of the day.
Or we are told that during the whole
yme of the drawing there were al.
'ales present diuers worshipfull
nights and Esquires. accompanied
nth sundry graue discreet Citizens"
AS time went on lotteries for every
once ivable purpose We're held in Lon
on and other important towns, with {
he inevitable result that trouble con-
am ~ arose between the promoters
nd those of the ticket holders who
apnaned to be unlucky or thought
icy nad been unfairly treated, as no {
DuDt many Of them were. We find
lerefore. that periodical orders were
sued Tor the suppression Of this form
gambling. though the law does not
em to have had any great effect 4
last. however. any one proposing
mold lottery was obliged to send
petition to the king. and in
laries lis reign we find mention of
veral such applications. One of
ese was for 'the ransom of English
ives In Tnnis. Algiers or the Turkish
'lleys or for any other charitable
e. the promoter making it a bar
In that after he had paid in a third
the profits he should reserve the
st for his owr expenses and "the 70.
ir of his fortunes, ruined by loyal.
Lottery Offices for the sale Of tickets
ire established all over the country
time went on, but none was more
nous than the agency of one Bish.
10 hourished ut the beginning of the
leteenth century This enterprisiny
iividual. whose chief offices were in
rhhlii and at Charing Cross. must
We made considerable fortune out
Inc much safer business of selling
kets than taking them. But his F
'sperous cTeer. as also that of his p
'ows' came TO an abrupt end when =
lottery act was passed In 1899. by
zen 1t was provided that after the
wing OF the state lottery for that
1t tnere were to be no more Of a,
m.-Londm Globe. Ice