| Citation |
BEP(F.737.015
13 Jun 1737:12 (96)
From the Political State for March, 1737.
On Tuesday the first of February, certain persons who had
been concerned in a most extraordinary riot on the Saturday
before, at the New Play-house in Covent Garden, were
examined before Col. DeVeil, and it appeared upon the oath
of several persons, that one Francis Cooke, coachman to Mr.
Rich, the master of that Play-house, who had pick'd up a
woman, did, in a very impudent, sawcy manner, assault the
centinel who had the care of his Royal Highness's chair in
the play-house passage, and would force into the said chair
the woman he had so pick'd up, to make, as he was pleased to
call it, a bawdy house of the Prince's chair, which the
centinel refusing to suffer, he struck him several blows
over the head with his whip, and in the same manner served
three centinels more: This behaviour of his, occasioned so
great a disturbance and mob, that the captain of the guard
had much ado to quell the disturbance, and prevent the mob
from breaking into the Play-house where their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales were; and to
prevent it, the captain having ordered double centinels at
the iron gate, and at the other end of the play house
passage, he gave positive directions to let no body into the
passage till the disorder was quelled; but one William Car,
a constable, notwithstanding the centinels acquainting him
with these orders, would, by force and violence, with his
servant Joshua Drake, enter the said passage, and did
assault and strike the centinels, and encourage, aid and
abet the mob that was assembled there, to stone and pelt the
said centinels on their post, which was accordingly done.
The said Francis Cooke and William Car, are bound over in
several recognizances to the next general sessions of the
peace to be held for the county of Middlesex at Hick's hall,
to answer those offences; and the said Joshua Drake, (Car's
servant) refusing to find sureties, was, by Col. De Veil
committed to Bridewell. Mr. Rich discharged his servant,
Francis Cooke, at Col. DeVeil's upon hearing the examination
taken there.
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