12 To MANN 6 FEBRUARY 1780 By the tenor of the petitions you would think we were starving— yet there is a little coin stirring. Within this week there has been a cast at hazard at the Cocoa Tree,1* the difference of which amounted to an hundred and fourscore thousand pounds. Mr O'Birne,16 an Irish—gamester, had won £100,000 of a young Mr Harvey17 of Chig- well, just started from a into an estate by his elder brother's18 death. O'Birne said, 'You can never pay me.' 'I can,' said the youth; 'my estate will sell for the debt.' 'No,' said O. 'I will win ten thousand—you shall throw for the odd ninety.'^ They did, and Harvey won. However, as it is a little necessary to cast about for resources, it is just got abroad,20 that about a year ago we took possession of a

Orford, and had resigned on the trouble 18. William Harvey (1754-79) of Rolls he gave them (HW). Windham's early Park, (Miscellanea genealogica et diaries do not mention this 'trouble.' In heraldica, 1890, 2d ser. iii. 336). Eliab Aug. 1779 he returned to from Harvey was promoted to Lt, 26 Feb., and Oxford in order to 'await such an event, William Harvey d. 24 April 1779, so that as shall send me to join the militia,' but Eliab was no longer a midshipman when he does not appear to have joined it, or he inherited the estate. even to have returned to Norfolk, so that 19. According to the London Chronicle his resignation must have occurred about 8-10 Feb., xlvii. 137, 'Mr H of Chig- that time (R. W. Ketton-Cremer, Early well and Mr O'B . . . played together Life and Diaries of William Windham, at hazard till the former had lost to the 1930, pp. 198-9). 'Orford seems to have latter . . . £110,000. . . . Mr O'B pro­ supplied his Norfolk regiment when they posed a suspension. . . . Mr H , in a camped by themselves under his command desponding manner asked if he would not in 1779 and 1780. ... In 1780 the regi­ let him have one chance more, and give ment got through 70 bullocks and 170 him the opportunity of repairing or ruin­ sheep in 20 weeks' (J. R. Western, The ing himself totally by doubling the bet. English Militia in the Eighteenth Cen­ Mr O'B . . . replied that he could tury, 1965, p. 391). not think of venturing so indiscreetly the 15. On the north side of Pall Mall whole of what he had won; that he had 1757- ca 1787; the site (No. 46) is now no objection to give him one toss for the occupied by the Army and Navy Club £100,000, but that he was determined not Annexe (Bryant Lillywhite, London Coffee to hazard the remaining ten. . . . They Houses, 1963, pp. 163-4). Later it moved tossed head and tail for the immense stake to No. 64, but note 7, ante ii. 186, must be . . . when fortune was propitious to Mr revised: the Cocoa Tree was the head­ H , and brought him back £100,000 quarters of 'The Honourable Board of . . . and left him ultimately only £10,000 Loyal Brotherhood,' the Jacobite club, the worse for his imprudence.' since 14 Dec. 1756. Before 1756 (from 8 Dec. 20. Presumably on 3 or 5 Feb., in con­ 1748 on) the club met at St Alban's nection with the continuance of the trial Tavern, and in 1747 at the Bedford Head, of George Stratton and others (ante 3 Covent Garden (information from Dr April 1777) at Westminster Hall, ordered J. H. Plumb). by the House of Commons on 16 April 16. Not identified. 1779 (Journals of the House of Commons 17. Eliab Harvey (1758-1830), K.C.B., xxxvii. 329-30; King v. Stratton and 1815; M.P. Maldon 1780-4, Essex 1802-12, others, King's Bench, 11 Nov. 1779, in 1820-30; Lt, 26 Feb 1779, in the Navy, English Reports, 1900-32, xcix. 156-7; rising to the rank of in 1819. Daily Adv. 21 Dec. 1779; 4, 7, 11 Feb.