The glory and magnificence of the Tudors still has power to amaze today. A letter from Elizabeth I to Sir John Spencer on 31 August 1566 giving him instructions to organise England's first State Lottery went up for sale by auction last Sunday.
The letter contains the details of how much tickets were to cost(10 shillings) and the top prize of £5,000 (about £850,000 in todays money). The draw was not actually held until 1569 because of the problems selling tickets across thye country.
The spelling is of course not what we are used to today and is also a flowery language, below is a short extract
'Where we have com[m]anded a ceratine carte of a Lotterie to be published by our Shirif of Countie in the principall townes of the same, of which we send you certen copies for the further execution thereof it is expedient to have somme persons appointed of good trust to receave such particular sommes as our subjects shall of their owne free disposition be ready to deliver upon the said lotterie who also shall w[it]hout faile be dewly authorised and their adventures shall happen w[it]hout either deceypt or delaye.'
The proceeds of the lottery were to go good causes
'Anything advantagious is ordered to be employed to good and publique acts and beneficially for o[u]r Realme and o[u]r Subjects') and nthe prizes werre to be money gold or other fine material and tapestries.
The letter? well it was sold for £24,000!! at that price I'll have to put in a bit of overtime I think.
www.tudorhistorytours.com
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