However, his debts spun out of control and, when he tried to recover by various schemes, that only dug the hole deeper. In 1816, he fled to France to escape debtor's prison. Payment was demanded of thousands of pounds sterling owed by him. Usually, Brummell's gambling debts, as "debts of honour", were always paid immediately. The one exception to this was the final wager recorded for him in White's betting book. Recorded March, 1815, the debt was marked "not paid, 20th January, 1816". 