with a celebrated boxer in his carriage; and,
when Gully, the champion, could be returned as a member of Parliament
for Pontefract, it is not surprising to find the craze descending
through all ranks of society. I am obliged to introduce into these
Sketches something of this "seedy" side of the early years of the
century, because, for good or evil, the neighbourhood of Royston was
frequently the scene of some of the more notable contests in the
prize-ring.

Farther back, about the middle of the reign of George III., these
contests appear to have been almost entirely free, not only from any
interruptions from the magistracy and the constable, but also from any
risk of it. The result was that most elaborate arrangements were made
not merely for the convenience of the combatants, but more especially
with a view to make it a spectacle not unworthy of an arena of a Roman
amphitheatre of old. Thus, in 1789, on February 11th, when _Johnson_
and _Ryan_ gave their patrons at Rickmansworth, Herts., a set-to which,
we are told, "was prodigiously fine," it was found that four thousand
persons had subscribed their guineas, half-guineas, and crowns, and so,
as it was impossible for the event to come off in the yard of the Bell
Inn, a stage was erected round the sides of a gravel pit in the bottom
of which the fight took place. The "door money" was divided equally
between the combatants, and amounted to 512 pounds.

In later years it was usual to select some spot where the combatants
and their friends could, if interrupted by any Justice of the Peace
more courageous than his fellows, speedily cross over into {136}
another county and another jurisdiction. For this purpose few parts of
the country offered better facilities than the neighbourhood of
Royston; especially such spots as Noon's Folly, near the borders of
three counties--Herts., Cambs., and Essex--or Royston Heath, from which
it was easy to cross over from Herts. into Cambs. This precaution was
not often really needed, for the magistrate and the constable either
did not appear or were themselves passive spectators of the exciting
scene. One exception may, however, be made, for I believe Mr. John
George Fordham (father of Mr. Henry Fordham) had the courage to go and
interfere with a fight on the Heath, and when they adopted the tactics
of crossing over into Cambridgeshire, thinking he was not a magistrate
for that county, he crossed over after them.

Sir Peter Soame,