Among its many by-gone houses of entertainment, the _Three Hats_ has a double claim upon our notice. It was the arena where those celebrated masters, Johnson, ** Price, Sampson, *** and Coningham exhibited their feats of horsemanship, and the scene of Mr. Mawworm's early back-slidings. “I used to go,” (says that regenerated ranter to old Lady Lambert,) “every Sunday evening to the Three Hats at Islington; it's a public house; mayhap your Ladyship may know it.
** Johnson exhibited in 1758, and Price, at about the same time,--Coningham in 1772. Price amassed upwards of fourteen thousand pounds by his engagements at home and abroad.
Mr. Sampson will begin his famous feats of horsemanship next Monday, at a commodious place built for that purpose in a field adjoining the Three Hats at Islington, where he intends to continue his performance during the summer season. The doors to be opened at four, and Mr. Sampson will mount at five. Admittance, one shilling each. A proper band of music is engaged for the entertainment of those ladies and gentlemen who are pleased to honour him with their company.”
I was a great lover of skittles, too; but now I can't bear them.” At Dobney's Jubilee Gardens (now entirely covered with mean hovels), Daniel Wildman * performed equestrian exercises; and, that no lack of entertainment might be found in this once merry village, “a new booth, near Islington Turnpike,” for tricks and mummery, was erected in September 1767; “an insignificant erection, calculated totally for the lowest classes, inferior artisans, superb apprentices, and journeymen.” ** It may not be out of place to mention that “the Pantheon *** in Spa Fields,
* “The Bees on Horseback!” At the Jubilee Gardens, Dobney's, 1772. “Daniel Wildman rides, standing upright, one foot on the saddle, and the other on the horse's neck, with a curious mask of bees on his face. He also rides, standing upright on the saddle, with the bridle in his mouth, and, by firing a pistol, makes one part of the bees march over a table, and the other part swarm in the air, and return to their proper places again.”
** Animadvertor's letter to the Printer of the Daily Advertiser, 21st September 1767.
*** August 22nd, 1770, Mr. Craven stated in an advertisement, that he had “established rules for the strictest maintenance of order” at the Pantheon. How far this was true, the following letter “To the Printer of the St. James's Chronicle” will show:--