University of Virginia Library

READY MONEY JACK.

Book of Hunting.

On the skirts of the neighbouring village there
lives a kind of small potentate, who, for aught I
know, is a representative of one of the most ancient
legitimate lines of the present day, for the
empire over which he reigns has belonged to his
family time out of mind. His territories comprise
a considerable number of good fat acres,
and his seat of power is in an old farm house,
where he enjoys, unmolested, the stout oaken
chair of his ancestors. The personage to whom

I allude is a sturdy old yeoman of the name of
John Tibbets; or rather, Ready Money Jack
Tibbets, as he is called throughout the neighbourhood.

The first place where he attracted my attention,
was in the church-yard on Sunday; where
he sat on a tomb-stone after the service, with his
hat a little on one side, holding forth to a small
circle of auditors; and, as I presumed, expounding
the law and the prophets, until, on drawing
a little nearer, I found he was only expatiating
on the merits of a brown horse. He presented
such a picture of a substantial English yeoman,
as he is often described in books, mingled with
some little finery, peculiar to himself, that I
could not but take note of his whole appearance.

He was between fifty and sixty, of a strong
muscular frame, and at least six feet high; with
a physiognomy as grave as a lion's, and set off
with short curling iron gray locks. His shirt
collar was turned down, and displayed a neck
covered with the same short, curling hair, and he

wore a coloured silk neck-cloth, tied very loosely,
and tucked in at the bosom with a green paste
broach on the knot. His coat was of dark green
cloth with silver buttons, on each of which was engraved
a stag, with his own name, John Tibbets,
underneath. He had an inner waistcoat of figured
chintz; between which and his coat was another
of scarlet cloth, unbuttoned. His breeches
were also left unbuttoned at the knees; not from
any slovenliness, but to show a broad pair of scarlet
garters. His stockings were blue, with white
clocks; he wore large silver shoe buckles; a
broad paste buckle in his hat band, his sleeve buttons
were gold seven shilling pieces, and he had
two or three guineas hanging as ornaments to his
watch chain.

On making some inquiries about him, I gathered
that he was descended from a line of farmers
that had always lived on the same spot, and
owned the same property; and that half of the
church-yard was taken up with the tomb-stones of
his race. He has all his life been an important
character in the place. When a youngster he

was one of the most roaring blades of the neighbourhood.
No one could match him at wrestling,
pitching the bar, cudgel play, and other athletic
exercises. Like the renowned Pinner of
Wakefield, he was the village champion, carried
off the prizes at all the fairs, and threw his gauntlet
at the country round. Even to this day the
old people talk of his prowess, and undervalue
in comparison all heroes of the green that have
succeeded him; nay, they say, that if Ready
Money Jack were to take the field even now,
there is no one could stand before him.

When Jack's father died, the neighbours shook
their heads, and predicted that young hopeful
would soon make way with the old homestead;
but Jack falsified all their predictions. The
moment he succeeded to the paternal farm, he
assumed a new character; took a wife; attended
resolutely to his affairs, and became an industrious
thrifty farmer. With the family property
he inherited a set of old family maxims to which
he steadily adhered. He saw to every thing
himself; put his own hand to the plough; worked

hard; eat heartily; slept soundly; paid for
every thing in cash down; and never danced except
he could do it to the music of his own money
in both pockets. He has never been without
a hundred or two pounds in golden guineas by
him, and never allows a debt to stand against
him. This has gained him his current name, of
which, by the bye, he is a little proud; and has
caused him to be looked upon as a very wealthy
man by all the village.

Notwithstanding his thrift, however, he has
never denied himself the amusements of life;
but has taken a share in every passing pleasure.
It is his maxim that “he that works hard can
afford to play.” He is therefore an attendant
at all the country fairs and wakes, and has signalized
himself by feats of strength and prowess
on every village green in the shire. He often
makes his appearance at horse races, and sports
his half guinea, and even his guinea at a time;
keeps a good horse for his own riding; and to
this day is fond of following the hounds, and is
generally in at the death. He keeps up the rus

tic revels and hospitalities too, for which his
paternal farm house has always been noted; has
plenty of good cheer and dancing at harvest home,
and above all keeps the “merry night,”[1] as it is
termed, at Christmas.

With all his love of amusement, Jack is by no
means a boisterous jovial companion. He is
seldom known to laugh in the midst of his gayety;
but maintains the same lion-like demeanour.
He is very slow at comprehending a joke; and
is apt to sit puzzling at it with a perplexed look,
while the rest of the company are in a roar.
This gravity has perhaps grown on him with the
growing weight of his character; for he is gradually
growing into patriarchal dignity in his
native place. Though he no longer takes an
active part in athletic sports, yet he always presides
at them, and is appealed to on all occasions
as umpire. He maintains the peace on the village

green at holyday games; and quells all
brawls and quarrels by collaring the parties and
shaking them heartily, if refractory. No one
ever pretends to raise a hand against him, or to
contend against his decisions; the young men
having grown up in habitual awe of his prowess,
and in implicit deference to him as the champion
and lord of the green.

He is a regular frequenter of the village tavern;
the landlady having been a sweetheart of
his in early life; and he having always continued
on kind terms with her. He seldom, however,
drinks any thing but a draught of ale; smokes
his pipe, and pays his reckoning before leaving
the bar room. Here he “gives his little senate
laws;” decides bets, which are generally referred
to him; determines upon the characters and
qualities of horses, and indeed plays now and
then the part of a judge in settling petty disputes
between neighbours, which otherwise might
have been nursed by country attorneys into tolerable
lawsuits. Jack is very candid and impartial
in his decisions, but he has not a head to carry

a long argument, and is very apt to get perplexed
and out of patience if there is much pleading.
He generally breaks through the argument
with a strong voice, and brings matters to a
summary conclusion, by pronouncing what he
calls the “upshot of the business,” or, in other
words, “the long and the short of the matter.”

Jack once made a journey to London a great
many years since, which has furnished him with
topics of conversation ever since. He saw the
old king on the terrace at Windsor, who stopped
and pointed him out to one of the princesses,
being probably struck with Jack's truly yeoman-like
appearance. This is a favourite anecdote
with him, and has no doubt had a great effect in
making him a most loyal subject ever since, in
spite of taxes and poor's rates. He was, also, at
Bartholomew fair, where he had half the buttons
cut off his coat, and a gang of pickpockets, attracted
by his external show of gold and silver,
made a regular attempt to hustle him as he was
gazing at a show; but for once they found that
they had caught a tartar; for Jack enacted as

great wonders among the gang, as Samson did
among the Philistines. One of his neighbours,
who had accompanied him to town, and was
with him at the fair, brought back an account
of his exploits, which raised the pride of the
whole village, who considered their champion
as having subdued all London, and eclipsed the
achievements of Friar Tuck, or even the renowned
Robin Hood himself.

Of late years the old fellow has seemed to
take things more easily; works less; and indulges
in greater leisure; his son having grown
up and succeeded to him, both in the labours of
the farm, and the exploits of the green. Like
all sons of distinguished men, however, his father's
renown is a disadvantage to him; he can
never come up to public expectation. Though
a fine active fellow of three-and-twenty, and
quite the “cock of the walk,” yet the old people
declare he is nothing like what Ready Money
Jack was at his time of life. The youngster
himself acknowledges his inferiority, and
has a wonderful opinion of the old man, who

indeed taught him all his athletic accomplishments,
and holds such a sway over him, that I
am told even to this day he would have no
hesitation to take him in hands, if he rebelled
against paternal government.

The squire holds Jack in very high esteem,
and shows him to all his visiters as a specimen
of old English “heart of oak.” He frequently
calls at his house and tastes some of his home-brewed,
which is excellent. He made Jack a
present of old Tusser's “Hundredth points of
good Husbandrie,” which has furnished him with
reading ever since, and is his text book and manual
in all agricultural and domestic concerns.
He has made dog's ears at the most favourite
passages, and knows many of the poetical maxims
by heart.

Tibbets, though not a man to be daunted or
fluttered by high acquaintances, and though he
cherishes a sturdy independence of mind and
manner, yet is evidently gratified by the attentions
of the Squire, whom he has known from
boyhood, and pronounces “a true gentleman

every inch of him.” He is, also, on excellent
terms with Master Simon, who is a kind of privy
counsellor to the family; but his great favourite
is the Oxonian, whom he taught to wrestle and
play at quarter-staff when a boy, and considers
the most promising young gentleman in the
whole county.