[MR] Wikipedia: First English Lottery

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends,

On this date in 1566 Queen Elizabeth I chartered the first English 
lottery to raise money for harbor improvements and other public works. 
You can see one of the "scrolls" or tickets at 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery . Interestingly, there were no 
losers here. Everyone who cashed their tickets received their money back 
three years later, in essence giving the Crown a three-year 
interest-free loan.

The Wikipedia article discusses several other examples of lottery 
schemes from our period of interest, including examples from the Low 
Countries, Italy and France. The French example was a total failure due 
to opposition from the moneyed classes. Perhaps they felt it was in bad 
taste ;-) .

So state-organized gambling is nothing new. As 'they' say, "The more 
things change, the more they stay the same."

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, The Laird of Mallard Lodge