"This is to give notice, that to-morrow, for a day's diversion (!! ) at Mr. Stokes's Amphitheatre, a mad bull, dressed up with fireworks, will be baited; also cudgel- playing for a silver cup, and wrestling for a pair of buckskin breeches. Sept. 3rd, 1729. Gallery seats, 2s. 6d., 2s., 1s. 6d. and 1s."
** Messrs. Figg and Sutton fought the "two first and most profound" fencers in the kingdom, Messrs. Holmes and Mac- quire: Holmes coming off with a cut on his metacarpus from the sword of Mr. Figg. On the 3rd Dec. 1731, a prize was fought for at the French Theatre in the Haymarket, between Figg and Sparks, at which the Duke of Lorraine and Count Kinsi were present; the Duke was much pleased, and ordered them a liberal gratuity.
*** A vendor of gingerbread cakes at Bartholomew and May Fairs. His song of "Tiddy doll loi loi!" procured him his popular sobriquet.
Among the galaxy of Bartholomew Fair stars that illumined this flourishing period was The Right Comical Lord Chief Joker, James Spiller, the Mat o' the Mint of the Beggar's Opera, the airs of which he sang in a "truly sweet and harmonious tone." His convivial powers were the delight of the merry butchers of Clare-Market, the landlord of whose house of call, a quondam gaoler, but a humane man, deposed the original sign of the "Bull and Butcher," and substituted the head of Spiller. His _vis comica_, leering at a brimming bowl, is prefixed to his Life and Jests, printed in 1729. A droll story is told of his stealing the part of the _Cobbler of Preston_ (written by Charles Johnson,) out of Pinkethman's pocket, after a hard bout over the bottle, and carrying it to Christopher Bullock, who instantly fell to work, and concocted a farce with the same title a fortnight before the rival author and theatre could produce theirs! The dissolute Duke of Wharton, one night, in a frolic, obliged each person in the company to disrobe himself of a garment at every health that was drank. Spiller parted with peruke, waistcoat, and coat, very philosophically; but when his shirt was to be relinquished, he confessed, with many blushes, that he had forgot to put it on! He was a careless, wild-witted companion, often a tenant of the Marshalsea; till his own "Head" afforded him in his latter days a safe garrison from the harpies of the law. He died Feb. 7, 1729, aged 37. A poetical butcher of Clare-Market * would not let him descend to the grave "without the meed of one melodious tear."