In 18th century Scotland there existed a secret sex society called Beggar’s Benison. This secretive club was established in Anstruther in Fife in 1732. New members were required to participate in initiation ceremonies. The Recorder and two Remembrancers prepared the Novice in a closet, by causing him to propel his Penis until full erection. When thus ready he was escorted with four puffs of the Breath-Horn before the Brethren or Knighthood, and was ordered by the Sovereign to place his Genitals upon the Testing Platter, which was covered with a folded white napkin, The Members and Knights came round in a state of erection and touched the Novice Penis to Penis. After reading an amorous passage from the Song of Solomon, port would be drunk and sashes and medals awarded, for the member with the biggest prick, the member who could shoot the furthest, and also the member with the hairiest arse, followed by the pledge “May your prick and purse never fail you”? King Charles 1 was said to have kept company with several of the Beggar’s Benizen’s members and allegedly gave the knights a wig made from the pubic hair of his mistress. King George 1V also was rumoured to have donated his mistress’s pubic hair to the Order and new initiates were required to add to the collection with hairs from their own conquests. At gatherings the members read aloud passages from “Fanny Hill – Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure”, and then ejaculated together on a special plate. Scotland’s greatest poet Robert Burns’s “friendship with Willie Niven, one of the more prominent members of the Beggar’s Benizen’ has led to speculation that Burns was homosexual.”
A penis and testicles-shaped drinking glass, that was used during the ritual. Many of these drinking vessels have become very collectable. Many are adorned with phallic symbols with the inscription “may prick nor purse never fail”.
