An anniversary celebration of Musick was held on St. Cecilia's day at Stationers'-hall in 1700 by a Society of Gentlemen; but whether those amateurs performed themselves, or hired performers, does not appear.
Certain persons felt great displeasure at the public amusements of the day; and at length that displeasure found vent in the presentment of the Grand Jury of Middlesex: "We the Grand Jury of the County of Middlesex do present, that the Plays which are frequently acted in the play-houses in Drury-lane and Lincoln's-Inn-fields in this County are full of prophane, irreverent, lewd, indecent, and immoral expressions,
and tend to the great displeasure of Almighty God, and to the corruption of the auditory both in their principles and their practices. We also present, that the common acting of plays in the said play-houses very much tend to the debauching and ruining the youth resorting thereto, and to the breach of the peace, and are the occasions of many riots, routs, and disorderly assemblies, whereby many murders and other misdemeanors have been frequently done, and particularly the barbarous murder of Sir Andrew Slanning, which was very lately committed as he came out of one of the said play-houses; and further that the common acting of plays at the said play-houses is a public nuisance. As also the Bear-garden in Hockley in the Hole, in the parish of St. John's Clerkenwell, in the said County, to be of the like nuisance. We hope this honourable Court will use the most effectual and speedy means for the suppressing thereof."
The minor offenders were noticed as follows, in "The presentment of the Grand Jury sworn for the City of London at Justice-hall in the Old Bailey the 4th day of June 1701, and in the 13th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King William III. of England, &c.
"This honourable Court, having taken notice in the admirable Charge given to us of the great advantages which this City hath received from the zeal and industry of those gentlemen and citizens,
who in and about this City are concerned in Societies for the promoting more effectually the execution of the Laws against profaneness and debauchery, in pursuance to his Majesty's proclamations, and who have received the public approbation of many persons in high stations in Church and State: we the Grand Jury of this City do think it becomes us to return our hearty thanks to those worthy persons who are thus engaged in Societies for the promoting a reformation of manners, so absolutely necessary to our welfare; and we hope their engaging so heartily in this noble design will be an encouragement to others to join with them for the effecting a more general reformation.
"We having observed the late boldness of a sort of men that stile themselves masters of the noble science of defence, passing through this City, with beat of drums, colours displayed, swords drawn, with a numerous company of people following them, dispersing their printed bills, thereby inviting persons to be spectators of those inhuman sights, which are directly contrary to the practice and profession of the Christian Religion, whereby barbarous principles are instilled in the minds of men: we think ourselves obliged to represent this matter to this honourable Court, that some effectual method may be speedily taken to prevent their free passage through the City, in such a tumultuous manner, on so unwarrantable a design."
"Whereas we have seen a printed order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen the 25th June, 1700, to prevent the great profaneness, vice, and debauchery, so frequently used and practised in Bartholomew Fair, by strictly charging and commanding all persons concerned in the said Fair, and in the sheds and booths to be erected and built therein, or places adjacent, that they do not let, set, hire, or use, any booth, shed, stall, or other erection whatsoever, to be used or employed for interludes, stage-plays, comedies, gaming-places, lotteries, or music meetings[113:A]: and as we are informed the present Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen have passed another order to the same effect on the 3d instant, we take this occasion to return our most hearty thanks for their
religious care and great zeal in this matter; we esteeming a renewing their former practices at the Fair a continuing one of the chiefest nurseries of vice next to the play-houses; therefore earnestly desire that the said orders may be most vigorously prosecuted, and that this honourable Court would endeavour that the said Fair may be employed to those good ends and purposes it was at first designed."
These Juries omitted noticing a most barbarous amusement which prevailed to great excess, as will appear by the ensuing advertisements issued in the same year: "At the Royal Cockpit on the South side of St. James's-park, on Tuesday the 11th of this instant February, will begin a very great Cock-match; and will continue all the week; wherein most of the considerablest Cockers of England are concerned. There will be a battle down upon the Pit every day precisely at three o'clock, in order to have done by day-light. Monday the 9th instant March will begin a great match of Cock-fighting betwixt the Gentlemen of the City of Westminster and the Gentlemen of the City of London for six guineas a battle, and one hundred guineas the odd battle, and the match continues all the week, in Red-Lion-fields."