"Whereas the Act, made in the first year of the reign of King William and Queen Mary, for exempting their Majesties' Protestant subjects dissenting from the Church of England from the penalties of certain laws, was wisely designed as an indulgence for the tender and scrupulous consciences of such Dissenters, and as a means to unite all the Protestant subjects in interest and affection: And whereas it is notorious, that John Henley, Clerk in Priest's orders according to the form of the Church of England, did about three years since hire a large room over the market-house in Newport-market within this City and Liberty of Westminster, and cause the said room to be registered in the court of the Archdeacon of Middlesex (pursuant to the said Act of Toleration) as a place for religious worship, to be performed therein by him the said John Henley, who pretended to dissent from the Church of England on account of Infant Baptism (although
that has been the least of his exercises, nor are his audiences of that persuasion), and by his advertisements in the public newspapers invited all persons to come thither, and take seats for twelve-pence a-piece, promising them diversion under the titles of Voluntaries, Chimes of the Times, Roundelays, College-bobs, Madrigals, and Operas, &c.: And whereas it appears to us, by information upon oath, that the said John Henley, notwithstanding his professed dissention and separation from the Church of England, has usually appeared in the habit worn by Priests of the Church of England; and in that habit has for several months past upon one or more days in the week made use of the said room for purposes very different from those of religious worship; and that he has there discoursed on several subjects of burlesque and ridicule, and therein and in his comments upon the public newspapers, and in his weekly advertisements, has uttered several indecent, libertine, and obscene expressions, and made many base and malicious reflections upon the established Churches of England and Scotland, upon the Convocation, and almost all orders and degrees of men, and upon particular persons by name, and even those of the highest rank: And whereas it appears to us more particularly, by information upon oath, that he the said John Henley did, on the 12th day of December last, cause to be published in the Daily
Post an advertisement, giving notice that on the evening of the next day he would pronounce King Lear's oration in an apology for madness, on which evening he did in the said room (called by him the Oratory) in the habit of a Clergyman of the Church of England repeat a speech out of the tragedy of King Lear, acting in such manner and with such gestures as are practised in the theatres; and that the said John Henley did, on the 17th day of the same month, cause to be published in the said Daily Post another advertisement, inviting such as went the following evening to the ball in the Haymarket to come first to his said room in their habits and masks for twelve-pence a-piece; and that according to such invitation several persons so dressed and masked did then and there appear, and were admitted upon paying the said moneys, for their seats:
"We the grand Jury for, &c. conceiving that this behaviour of the said John Henley is contrary to the intention of the said Act of Toleration, and tends to bring a disrepute upon the indulgence so charitably granted to truly scrupulous Dissenters, that it gives great offence to all serious Christians, is an outrage upon civil society, and of dangerous consequence to the State, and particularly that the said assemblies by him held as aforesaid are unlawful ones, his said room not being licensed for plays, interludes, or masquerades,
do present the said John Henley, and his accomplices and assistants to us unknown, as guilty of unlawful assemblies, routs, and riots, &c. &c. &c."
Henley, actuated by the genuine spirit of perseverance and opposition, proceeded with his lectures. If any effect was observable from the presentment, it was that of threefold eccentricity and impropriety of subjects for his Orations. The bill of fare issued for Sunday September 28, 1729, contains a list of the fashions in dress of the time, and is therefore curious:
"At the Oratory, the corner of Lincoln's-Inn-fields near Clare-market, to-morrow, at half an hour after ten: 1, The postil will be on the turning of Lot's wife into a pillar of salt; 2, The Sermon will be on the necessary power and attractive force which Religion gives the spirit of man with God and good Spirits.
"II. At five: 1, The postill will be on this point, In what language our Saviour will speak the last sentence on mankind; 2, The lecture will be on Jesus Christ's sitting at the right-hand of God, where that is; the honours and lustre of his inauguration; the learning, criticism, and piety of that glorious article.
"The Monday's orations will shortly be resumed. On Wednesday the oration will be on the Skits of the Fashions, or a live gallery of family pictures in all ages; ruffs, muffs, puffs manifold;
shoes, wedding-shoes, two-shoes, slip-shoes, peels, clocks, pantofles, buskins, pantaloons, garters, shoulder-knots, perriwigs, head-dresses, modesties, tuckers, farthingales, corkins, minikins, slammakins, ruffles, round-robbins, toilets, fans, patches; Dame, forsooth, Madam, My lady, the wit and beauty of my Grannum; Winifred, Joan, Bridget, compared with our Winny, Jenny, and Biddy; fine ladies and pretty gentlewomen; being a general view of the beau monde from before Noah's flood to the year 29. On Friday will be something better than last Tuesday. After each a bob at the times."