At the very instant a company of French comedians arrived in England, encouraged by advantageous offers and a large subscription. Whether the above prohibition had any reference to such arrival does not appear; but that the King was partial to their performances is very certain, and he frequently saw them act.
The London Journal of March 5, 1720, says: "Yesterday morning the King's company of Comedians belonging to the Playhouse in Drury-lane were sworn at the Lord Chamberlain's office at Whitehall, pursuant to an order, occasioned by their acting in obedience to His Majesty's licence, lately granted, exclusive of a patent formerly obtained by Sir Richard Steele, knight. The tenor of the oath was, that as his Majesty's servants they should act subservient to the Lord Chamberlain, Vice Chamberlain, and Gentleman Usher in waiting."
The company of the New Theatre in Lincoln's-inn-fields was dissolved in July 1720, and the house seized in execution for debt.
The fashionables of 1720 derived one of their amusements from a most magnificent marriage celebrated between a Jew and a Jewess of great respectability named Cornele. Part of the ceremony was held at Leathersellers Hall, which they hired for six days. These spirited Israelites went in procession on the Sabbath after their marriage to the Synagogues, preceded by two men strewing flowers and herbs, and followed by a great number of nobility and their friends, all on foot, as the Law of Moses forbids the use of carriages or horses on that holy day; but, as John Bull did not enter into the spirit of these rites correctly, Master Cornele thought it useful to provide a guard of grenadiers, who served to render the
pageant splendid, and the persons who composed it safe.
At the Hall the happy pair were seated under a canopy, for the purpose of receiving the congratulations of their visitors; those they returned by entertainments of musick, dancing, and every description of rich viands, presenting them besides with silver favours elegantly ornamented with the motto, "This is God's command ," inscribed above their effigies joining hands. The more humble guests had streams of wine poured from the mouth and breasts of the old Mermaid, which till recently fronted the Hall door.
The Theatre in the Haymarket appears to have been re-erected by John Potter, who leased the King's-head inn of John and Thomas Moor at a fine of 200l. in 1720. On this site he erected the Theatre for 1000l. and expended 500l. on scenes, dresses, &c. It was finished December 1, 1720, and appropriated to the company of French Comedians, who arrived in that month from Paris. Their opening was some time in January; on the 31st they acted, by desire of several ladies of the first quality, Le Tartûffe and Le Tombeau de Maitre Andrè with dances. The prices were, boxes 4s. pit 2s. 6d. and gallery 1s. 6d.
A riot which happened in Lincoln's-inn-fields Theatre in March 1721 occasioned the custom, still retained, of having a serjeant and twelve men stationed round the house during the performance.
Wells, who had left the old Bear-garden at Hockley in the Hole, and established that at Mary-le-bon, died in 1721. Dan Singleton composed the following ludicrous epitaph on the occasion:
"Shed, O ye combatants, a flood of tears;