Event Comment: On Tuesday last Information was laid before
Justice Fielding by a Tradesman in
Westminster, that one of his Apprentices had robbed him, in order to equip himself for acting a Play, and that
the said Play was to be acted that Evening by several Apprentices, and o
ther idle Persons, at
the old Tennis-Court in
James St. Upon this
the Justice despatched
Mr. Welch in
the Evening with a Party of Soldiers to apprehend
the Persons concerned in
the Representation of
the Play, which was
the Tragedy of
Venice Preserved.
Jaffier,
Pierre,
Belvidera, and most of
the principal Characters, were taken, and some of
them, particularly Belvidera, were brought in
their
Theatrical attire before
the Justice.
The Men all appeared to be young Apprentices and
the Woman a young Milliner; wherefore
the Justice was unwilling to proceed against
them as Rogues and Vagabonds, as
they are made by
the last Vagrant Act; in which case
they must have been committed to
Bridewell, which might have proved
their Ruin; He treated
them
therefor as guilty of an unlawful assembly, and a common Nuisance; for which
they were ei
ther bound for
their good Behavior, or committed for want of Sureties, and soon after discharged. It was sworn before
the Justice that Sunday had been
the usual Day of rehearsing
their Parts (
General Advertiser, 17 Aug.)