her
shaking hand could hardly grasp the instrument with which she pushed or
withdrew her pieces; the dew of agony stood upon her wrinkled brow; yet,
hour after hour, and day after day, she too sat in the enchanted chair.
I never saw age and station in a position so utterly beyond the pale of
respect. I was assured she was a person of rank; and my informant added,
but I trust she was mistaken, that she was an _ENGLISH_ woman.'(102)

(102) Belgium and Western Germany, in 1833.

GAMING HOUSES KEPT BY LADIES.

There is no doubt that during the last half of the last century many
titled ladies not only gambled, but kept gaming houses. There is even
evidence that one of them actually appealed to the House of Lords
for protection against the intrusion of the peace officers into her
establishment in Covent Garden, on the plea of her Peerage! All this is
proved by a curious record found in the Journals of the House of Lords,
by the editor of the _Athenaeum_. It is as follows:--

'Die Lunae, 29 Aprilis, 1745.--_Gaming_. A Bill for preventing the
excessive and deceitful use of it having been brought from the Commons,
and proceeded on so far as to be agreed to in a Committee of the whole
House with amendments,--information was given to the House that Mr
Burdus, Chairman of the Quarter Sessions for the city and liberty of
Westminster, Sir Thomas de Veil, and Mr Lane, Chairman of the Quarter
Sessions for the county of Middlesex, were at the door; they were called
in, and at the Bar severally gave an account that claims of privilege of
Peerage were made and insisted on by the Ladies Mordington and Casselis,
in order to intimidate the peace officers from doing their duty in
suppressing the public gaming houses kept by the said ladies. And the
said Burdus thereupon delivered in an instrument in writing under the
hand of the said Lady Mordington, containing the claim she made of
privilege for her officers and servants employed by her in her said
gaming house. And then they were directed to withdraw. And the said
instrument was read as follows:--"I, Dame Mary, Baroness of Mordington,
do hold a house in the Great Piazza, Covent Garden, for and as an
Assembly, where all persons of credit are at liberty to frequent and
play at such diversions as are used at other Assemblys. And I have hired
Joseph Dewberry, William Horsely, Ham Cropper, and George Sanders as
my servants or managers (under me) thereof. I have given them orders
to dir