The Fleet. Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages 20

The Fleet. Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages 20

Hockley-in-the-Hole was not only the temple of _S. S. Taurus et Canis_;

but the genus _Homo_, type _gladiator_, was there in his glory. It

was there that sword play was best shown, but we do not hear much

of it before William the Third, or Anne's reign, or that of George

I., when the redoubtable Figg was the Champion swordsman of England.

As Hockley-in-the-Hole belongs to the Fleet River, so do these

gladiatorial exhibitions belong to Hockley-in-the-Hole. I have treated

of them once,[59] and on looking back, with the knowledge that many of

my readers may not have seen that book, and having nothing better in

the space allotted to this peculiar spot, to offer them (for I then

drew my best on the subject) I quote, with apologies, from myself.

 

"In those days, when every one with any pretensions to gentility wore a

sword, and duelling was rife, it is no wonder that exhibitions of skill

in that weapon were favourites. Like modern prize fights, they drew

together all the scum and riff-raff, as well as the gentry, who were

fond of so-called _sport_. They were disreputable affairs, and were

decried by every class of contemporary. The preliminaries were swagger

and bounce, as one or two out of a very large number will show.[60]

 

"'At the Bear Garden in Hockley-in-the-Hole.

 

"'A Tryal of Skill to be Performed between two Profound Masters of the

Noble Science of Defence on _Wednesday_ next, being this 13th of the

instant July, 1709, at Two of the Clock precisely.

 

"'I, _George Gray_, born in the City of Norwich, who has Fought in most

Parts of the _West Indies_, viz., _Jamaica_, _Barbadoes_, and several

other Parts of the World; in all Twenty-five times, upon a Stage, and

was never yet Worsted, and now lately come to _London_; do invite

_James Harris_, to meet and Exercise at these following Weapons, viz.:

 

_Back Sword_, } {_Single Falchon_

_Sword and Dagger_, } {_and_

_Sword and Buckler_,} {_Case of Falchons_.'

 

"'I, _James Harris_, Master of the said Noble Science of Defence, who

formerly rid in the Horse Guards, and hath Fought a Hundred and Ten

Prizes, and never left a Stage to any Man; will not fail, (God Willing)

to meet this brave and bold Inviter, at the Time and Place appointed,

desiring Sharp swords, and from him no Favour.

 

"'_Note._ No persons to be upon the Stage but the Seconds. _Vivat

Regina._'"

 

This is not the only available advertisement, but it is a typical one,

and will serve for all.

 

"The challenger would wager some twenty or thirty pounds, and the

stakes would be deposited and delivered to the Challenged: the

challenger receiving the money[61] taken at the door, or as we should

term it, _gate money_; which, frequently, twice or thrice exceeded the

value of the stakes.

 

"There is one remarkable exception, I have found, to this monetary

arrangement, but it is the only one in my experience. For, in an

advertisement of the usual character, there comes: 'Note.--That John

Stokes fights James Harris, and Thomas Hesgate fights John Terriwest,

three Bouts each at Back Sword, for Love.'

 

"Preliminaries arranged, handbills printed and distributed, the Combat

duly advertised in at least one newspaper, and the day arrived; like

the bull and bear, the combatants paraded the streets, preceded by

a drum, having their sleeves tucked up, and their Swords in hand.

All authorities agree that the fights were, to a certain extent,

serious.[62] 'The Edge of the Sword was a little blunted, and the Care

of the Prize-fighters was not so much to avoid wounding each other,

as to avoid doing it dangerously: Nevertheless, as they were oblig'd

to fight till some Blood was shed, without which no Body would give

a Farthing for the Show, they were sometimes forc'd to play a little

ruffly. I once saw a much deeper and longer Cut given than was

intended.' "Ward[63] gives a short description of one of these fights:

'Great Preparations at the Bear Garden all Morning, for the noble Tryal

of Skill that is to be play'd in the Afternoon. Seats fill'd and crowded

by Two. Drums beat, Dogs yelp, Butchers and Foot soldiers clatter

their Sticks; At last the two heroes, in their fine borrow'd _Holland_

Shirts, mount the Stage about Three; Cut large Collops out of one

another, to divert the Mob, and Make Work for the Surgeons: Smoking,

Swearing, Drinking, Thrusting, Justling, Elbowing, Sweating, Kicking,

Cuffing, all the while the Company stays.'

 

Steele gives a good account of a prize fight:[64] 'The Combatants met

in the Middle of the Stage, and, shaking Hands, as removing all Malice,

they retired with much Grace to the Extremities of it; from whence

they immediately faced about, and approached each other. _Miller_,

with an Heart full of Resolution, _Buck_, with a watchful, untroubled

Countenance; _Buck_ regarding principally his own Defence, _Miller_

chiefly thoughtful of his Opponent. It is not easie to describe the

many Escapes and imperceptible Defences between Two Men of Quick Eyes,

and ready Limbs; but _Miller's_ Heat laid him open to the Rebuke of the

calm _Buck_, by a large Cut on the Forehead. Much Effusion of Blood

covered his Eyes in a Moment, and the Huzzas of the Crowd undoubtedly

quickened his Anguish. The Assembly was divided into Parties upon their

different ways of Fighting: while a poor Nymph in one of the Galleries

apparently suffered for _Miller_, and burst into a Flood of Tears. As

soon as his Wound was wrapped up, he came on again in a little Rage,

which still disabled him further. But what brave Man can be wounded

with more Patience and Caution? The next was a warm eager Onset, which

ended in a decisive Stroke on the Left Leg of _Miller_. The Lady in the

Gallery, during the second Strife, covered her face; and for my Part,

I could not keep my thoughts from being mostly employed on the

Consideration of her unhappy Circumstances that Moment, hearing the

Clash of Swords, and apprehending Life or Victory concerned her Lover

in every Blow, but not daring to satisfie herself on whom they fell.

The Wound was exposed to the View of all who could delight in it, and

sowed up on the Stage. The surly Second of _Miller_ declared at this

Time, that he would, that Day Fortnight, fight Mr. _Buck_ at the Same

Weapons, declaring himself the Master of the renowned _German_; but

_Buck_ denied him the Honour of that Courageous Disciple, and, asserting

that he himself had taught that Champion, accepted the Challenge."

 

In No. 449, of the _Spectator_, is the following letter _re_

Hockley-in-the-Hole:--

 

"MR. SPECTATOR,--I was the other day at the Bear-garden, in

hopes to have seen your short face; but not being so fortunate,

I must tell you by way of letter, that there is a mystery among

the gladiators which has escaped your spectatorial penetration.

For, being in a Box at an Alehouse, near that renowned Seat or

Honour above mentioned, I overheard two Masters of the Science

agreeing to quarrel on the next Opportunity. This was to happen

in the Company of a Set of the Fraternity of Basket Hilts, who

were to meet that Evening. When that was settled, one asked

the other, Will you give Cuts, or receive? the other answered,

Receive. It was replied, Are you a passionate Man? No, provided

you cut no more, nor no deeper than we agree. I thought it my

duty to acquaint you with this, that the people may not pay

their money for fighting, and be cheated.

 

"Your humble servant,

 

"SCABBARD RUSTY."

 

It was not sword play alone that was the favourite pastime at

Hockley-in-the-Hole, there was cudgel playing--and fighting with "the

Ancient Weapon called the Threshing Flail." There is an advertisement

extant of a fight with this weapon between John Terrewest and John

Parkes of Coventry, whose tombstone affirms that he fought three

hundred and fifty battles in different parts of Europe. Fisticuffs also

came prominently into vogue early in the eighteenth century, and it is

needless to say that Hockley was a favourite place with its professors.

The site of the Bear Garden is said to be occupied by the "Coach and

Horses," 29, Ray Street, Farringdon Road.

 

[Footnote 55: "Trivia," book ii.]

 

[Footnote 56: Book iii. line 1,000, &c.]

 

[Footnote 57: Harl. MSS. 5931, 46.]

 

[Footnote 58: Dr. Sacheverell.]

 

[Footnote 59: "Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne," by

John Ashton (_Chatto and Windus_).]

 

[Footnote 60: Harl. MSS. 5931, 50.]

 

[Footnote 61: De. Sorbière.]

 

[Footnote 62: Misson.]

 

[Footnote 63: "Comical View of London and Westminster."]

 

[Footnote 64: _Spectator_, No. 436.]

 

 

 

 

[Illustration]

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XIII.

 

 

In connection with the Fleet, I have omitted to mention one locality,

in this immediate neighbourhood, which certainly deserves notice from

its associations, namely Laystall Street and Mount Pleasant; for here

it was, that a fort to command Gray's Inn Road, was built, when the

lines for the protection of the City were formed by order of Parliament

in 1643--at the time when it was feared that Prince Rupert was coming

to attack it. For nearly, if not quite, a hundred years those lines

of defence were partially visible; and, certainly, among others,

one was at Mount Pleasant. It is a somewhat curious thing that the

names survive. A Laystall meant a dung or dust heap, and, after this

artificial mound was utilized for the community its name was euphemised

into Mount Pleasant, which it bears to this day.

 

This work of intrenchment was almost impressment, for we can hardly

consider that it was voluntary, when we read in a newspaper of

1643, that, by order of the Parliament, "many thousands of men and

women (good housekeepers), their children, and servants, went out of

the several parishes of London with spades, shovels, pickaxes, and

baskets, and drums and colours before them; some of the chief men of

every parish marching before them, and so went into the fields, and

worked hard all day in digging and making of trenches, from fort to

fort, wherebie to intrench the citie round from one end to the other,

on this side of the Thames; and late at night the company came back

in like manner they went out, and the next day a many more went, and

so they continued daily, with such cheerfulnesse that the whole will

be finished ere many dayes." And so these works of fortification went

on, encouraged by the presence of a member of the Common Council, and

some of the Trained Bands (the City Militia of that time) and it was a

work in which all classes joined--willingly, or not, I know not--but

the latter, probably, as the City of London was generally loyal to its

king, although on occasion, the dwellers therein, knew how to hold

their own in defence of their prerogatives. But the fear of Prince

Rupert, and his familiar spirit--the white poodle dog "Boy" (who was

killed, after passing through many a battle-field unscathed, at Marston

Moor, July 2, 1644), may possibly have had something to do with it.

Of course we know that tailors and shoemakers, are mostly radicals,

and socialists in politics, probably on account of their sedentary

work, where political discussion is rife, and from their constant

inter-association, not mixing much with the outer world; therefore

we can scarcely wonder that on the 5th of June, 1643, that some five

thousand or six thousand Tailors went out to help intrench the City

against the redoubted Prince, and that, afterwards, the shoemakers

followed their example. Two thousand porters also helped in the work.

Most probably, a moral "shrewd privie nipp" was administered to most

people by those then in power, and they were forced into taking an

active part in raising the fortifications, irrespective of their being either _Cavaliers_ or _Roundheads_.