Banknotes

S.W.Fores No. 16, for Self, Sneezer, Cougher & Windcracker, 2 Pence, 5 December 1818, promising to pay ‘Spouter, Snearlie & Promtspeech, Affidavit Makers, or Bearer, when Coughing, Sneezing, or the Bowel-easing Flatus, shall By a Westminster Jury, be deemed a flagrant breach of The Kings’s Peace, or, constitute the fundamentals of a wicked conspiracy’, signed O.P. and Evergreen Laurel, with a vignette showing a judge in a fools cap, with the caption ‘T’is strange such difference should be, twixt Souting Jack and Fam’d, Know Ye, that it is the Birthright of a Briton to be tried by his Equals, The Head is Folly. Arrogance the Heart, alongside the humerous poem: When Justasses take bail for f-rt-ing!, Tis time tis Land & I were parting, The British Voice by nature free, Cries “give me Death or Liberty”, extremely fine £100-£150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Sir David Kirch Collection of Skit Notes.

View
Collection

An extremely amusing and fairly rude note, it reffers to the Origina Price (O.P.) Riots of 1809 while seemingly poking fun at useless judges and other members of the legal profession. It may also contain a serious message that free speech is under threat from the establishment.