Event Comment: By Authority. By
the French Company of Comedians. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s.
Victor, History of the Theatres, I, 54-60: People went early to
the Theatre, as a crouded House was certain. I was
there, in
the Centre of
the Pit; where I soon perceived that we were visited by two Westminster Justices, Deveil and
Manning.
The Leaders, that had
the Conduct of
the Opposition, were known to be
there; one of whom called aloud for
the Song in Praise of English Roast Beef, which was accordingly sung in
the Gallery by a Person prepared for that Purpose; and
the whole House besides joining in
the Chorus, saluted
the Close with three Huzzas! This,
Justice Deveil was pleased to say, was a Riot; upon which Disputes commenced directly, which were carried on with some Degree of Decency on both Sides.
The Justice at first informed us, 'That he was come
there as a Magistrate to maintain
the King's Authority; that
Colonel Pulteney, with a full Company of
the Guards, were without, to support him in
the Execution of his Office; that it was
the King's Command
the Play should be acted; and that
the obstructing it was opposing
the King's Authority; and if that was done, he must read
the Proclamation; after which all Offenders would be secured directly by
the Guards in waiting.' To all
these most arbitrary Threatnings, this Abuse of
his Majesty's Name,
the Reply was to
the following Effect:-'That
the Audience had a legal Right to shew
their Dislike to any Play or Actor; that
the common Laws of
the Land were nothing but common Custom, and
the antient Usuage of
the People; that
the Judicature of
the Pit had been acknowledged and acquiesced to, Time immemorial; and as
the present Set of Actors were to take
their Fate from
the Public,
they were free to receive
them as
they Pleased.' By this Time
the Hour of Six drew near; and
the French and Spanish Embassadors, with
their Ladies;
the late
Lord and Lady Gage, and
Sir T@R@, a Commissioner of
the Excise, all appeared in
the Stage Boxes toge
ther! At that Instant
the Curtain drew up, and discovered
the Actors standing between two Files of Grenadiers, with
their Bayonets fixed, and resting on
their Firelocks.
There was a Sight! enough to animate
the coldest Briton. At this
the whole Pit rose, and unanimously turned to
the Justices, who sat in
the Middle of it, to demand
the Reason of such arbitary Proceedings?
The Justices ei
ther k
new nothing of
the Soldiers being placed
there, or thought it safest to declare so. At that Declaratinn,
they demanded of Justice Deveil (who had owned himself
the commanding Officer in
the Affair) to order
them off
the Stage. He did so immediately, and
they disappeared.
Then began
the Serenade; not only Catcalls, but all
the various portable Instruments, that could make a disagreeable Noise, were brought up on this Occasion, which were continually tuning in all Parts of
the House; and as an Attempt to speaking was ridiculous,
the Actors retired, and
they opened with a grand Dance of twelve Men and twelve Woman; but even that was prepared for; and
they were directly saluted with a Bushel or two of Peas, which made
their Capering very unsafe. After this
they attempted to open
the Comedy; but had
the Actor
the voice of Thunder, it would have been lost in
the confused Sounds from a thousand Various Instruments. Here, at
the waving Deviel's Hand, all was silent, and (standing up on his Seat) he made a Proposal to
the House to this Effect:-'That if
they persisted in
the Opposition, he must read
the Proclamation; that if
they would permit
the Play to go on, and to be acted through that Night, he would promise, (on his Honour) to lay
their Dislikes, and Resentment to
the Actors, before
the King, and he doubted not but a speedy End would be put to
their acting.'
The Answer to this Proposal was very short, and very expressive. 'No Treaties, No Treaties!' At this
the Justice called for Candles to read
the Proclamation, and ordered
the Guards to be in Readiness; but a Gentleman seizing Mr Deveil's Hand, stretched out for
the Candle, begged of him to consider what he was going to do, for his own Sake, for ours, for
the King's! that he saw
the unanimous Resolution of
the House; and that
the Appearance of Soldiers in
the Pit would throw us all into a Tumult, which must end with
the Lives of many. This earnest Remostrance made
the Justice turn pale and passive. At this Pause
the Actors made a second Attempt to go on, and
the Uproar revived; which continuing some Time,
the Embassadors and
their Ladies left
their Box, which occasioned a universal. Huzza from
the whole House! and after calling out some Time for
the Falling of
the Curtain, down it fell. [For o
ther accounts of this evening, see
Daily Advertiser, 9 and 10 Oct.;
London Evening Post, 12 Oct.;
Gentleman's Magazine, VIII (1938), 545;
Historical Register, XXIII, 278-87.