A SCENE AT EPSOM DOWNS. 

A scene at Epsom Downs
Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Queen Victoria dressed as pedlar as she sells various valuable items,
including Royal jewellery, judges’ wigs, and the Garter out of basket
two gentleman; a thimble rigger performing his game to passersby
to right; a small boy watches proceedings.

A scene at Epsom Downs

(Thimble-rig going on in the background — Rustics and mechanics losing money  — Enter female pedlar, with basket ; she sings as she offers her wares.)

Come  by  my  pretty trinkets, my collars, jewels, garters,
Bishops’ wigs, Chancellors’ wigs, coronets, and charters;
Any honest lad, at bar or church, may snit himself:, to his mind,
If so be he can only win of the thimble-rigger behind.

Thimble-rigger — (speaks through the song.) — Now, then,  my noble sportsmen I I’ll bet a  sovereign  none of  you names  the thimble under which is the little pea. Everybody’s money  is my money,  and  whoever loses I wins. This right-hand  thimble calls Whig — that left-hand one Tory; and this here ‘in the middle is neither  Whig  nor  Tory, but  my  own peculiar little thimble, where the  pea  always is when  you don’t  expect it, and  which nobody  knows   the  name of.  One, two, and away they goes! —   and I’ll hold a sovereign no one names the pea.   

First Agriculturist, — Tory,

Thimble-rigger. — No, sir; not this time.  It’s Whig — and away they goes again. Now my noble operatives, where:  is it now ? — a shilling you don’t tell the thimble.

First  Mechanic. — Whig,

Thimble-rigger. — Wrong again, my noble sportsmen ; here it is in the middle—and away we goes again.

(During this scene, different groups approach the pedlar and ask the price of her wares.  Harry leaves the thimble-rig and takes up a Chancellor’s  wig.)

Harry. — I’d  like to buy this — I know I’d look well in it. (Puts his hand in his pocket.) Curse that thimble-rigger.  If I’d kept clear of him  I’d not have been  beggared  as I  am — friends, credit, all gone!

Sidney (eyes a Bishop’s wig) — Well, if I win the grinning match, I’ll have that, I know;  and I  don’t think one of ’em all can look through  a collar with me.

Small  boy (who has been teaching  them, after having in vain tried to direct the police to the thimble-rigger) — Don’t you both wish you may  get it? (Derisively.) Exit, pursued by Sidney.
 (Scene closes.)