1710


 * About the Journal: //London Gazette//**

The //London Gazette// was a bi-weekly publication which began in 1665 as the //Oxford Gazette//, while King Charles II and his court were in the university town to escape the plague then raging in London. The //Oxford Gazette// became the //London Gazette// upon the King’s return to London. The // London Gazette // is often described as the first English newspaper, because of its format as a single sheet printed on both sides. From the beginning, it included foreign dispatches, government notices and also news relating to trade and business. The creator of the //Oxford Gazette// was the journalist Henry Muddiman, who had been responsible for the earlier official newsbooks //Mercurius Publicus Comprising the Sum// and //Kingdomes Intelligencer.// Muddiman remained an editor of the // London Gazette // for most of the period to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. His successors included the writer and politician Sir Richard Steele (better known as the founder of //Tatler// and //The Spectator)// and the proprietor of the //Daily Courant// Samuel Buckley. A French translation for circulation abroad entitled the //Gazette de Londres// was published alongside the // London Gazette // between 1666 and about 1703. The // London Gazette // still publishes government notices each weekday, and is the oldest surviving English newspapers and the oldest continuously-published newspaper in the United Kingdom.

**The Year 1710: In Review**

1710 was an eventful year for London. Due to a very active winter season, the region was hit with food shortages in major cities and, directly following that, Henry Sacheverell was tried for preaching criticism of the Glorious Revolution which is considered subversive by the Whig government. The 1688 Revolution, often referred to as the ‘Glorious Revolution of 1688’, ended the reign of James II and ushered in the reign of William III and Mary II. The 1688 Revolution came at the end of a reign when James II had made it all too clear that he wanted Roman Catholicism reinstalled as the country’s religion. The chronic dislocation of the English Civil War was remembered by many people as was the relative stability of the reign of Charles II. No one was willing to tolerate more years of uncertainty or the possibility of the country being pushed once more into military conflict. The policies of James II had caused much discontent in both Whig and Tory parties. As a result, leading politicians took it upon themselves to send an ‘Invitation’ to William of Orange inviting the Protestant William to take the throne of the country – along with his wife Mary who was the daughter of James II and granddaughter of Charles I. Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724) was a popular preacher at Oxford University. His controversial printed sermons attracted attention in London. In 1709 he became chaplain at St Saviour’s in Southwark. In November of that year he made his most contentious speech to date, attacking Catholics and dissenters by comparing the Gunpowder Plot to the execution of Charles I. Despite an order banning the printing of the sermon by the Lord Mayor he independently published it prompting the Whig government to take action. Articles of impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors were drawn up, to which Sacheverell gave an uncompromising reply. The trial began in Westminster Hall on 27 February 1710. As the case began there were riots on the streets and several chapels were attacked, confirming the Government's viewpoint that Sacheverell had encouraged violence. Despite a well-executed defense, Sacheverell was found guilty although his sentence was lenient; he was prevented from preaching for three years. .
 * Henry Sacheverell**

After a season and a half during which the Drury Lane had a monopoly of plays and the Queen’s alone gave operas, the two houses in 1709-1710 resumed competitive offerings of dramas. In the autumn of 1709 Betterton took his company of actors back to the Queen’s, where, according to Cibber, “Audiences exceeded their expectations.” Some of the promise of the new season darkened, however, when a rival company opened at the Drury Lane on 23 November 1709 under the management of Aaron Hill, who for many years dabbled in the theatrical affairs. He shared the direction with seven actors, but quarrels frequently disrupted the company. To improve matters, Hill offered Barton Booth the post of manager at rehearsals. Although negotiations with Booth failed, Drury Lane continued to perform until June. Both theaters played competitively during the winter, which the Queen’s offering Italian operas as part of its repertory. Both playhouses, however, suffered from the greater attention Londoners paid to the trial of Dr. Sacheverell, and in the summer only the Queen’s remained open. In showmanship it was overshadowed by William Penkethman’s successful operation of a theater at Greenwich. Catering to London patrons, Penkethman opened on 15 June 1710 and played two or three times weekly to the end of September. In addition to returning to the Queen’s Betterton’s company remodeled the structure to improve its acoustics. As Cibber pointed out, they narrowed the stage by “three Ranges of Boxes on each Side” and lowered the ceiling, changes which eliminated “those hollow undulations of the voice formerly complain’d of.” Even so, the auditorium remained better suited to singing. London also saw other diversified entertainments closely related to the offerings of the legitimate theaters. By mid-winter George Powell had brought to town a puppet show and often advertised his offerings in imitation of those of the playhouses. By the end of the season, Powell had presented several puppet shows: //The City Rake, or Punch Turned Quaker; The History of Whittingham; Three Times Lord Mayor; The Virtuous Wife, or Innocence in Danger; Heroic Love.// During this season, theatrical advertisements continued to appear in the //Daily Courant// and, fairly soon after its first appearance, in //The Spectator.// Receipts for some of the performances of opera have been preserved. The three theatres each had a large staff. The staff of Queen's included the actors Betterton, Bowen, Bowman, Bullocks Sr. and Jr., Cibber, Cross, Dogget, Estcourt, Evans, Harris, Husband, Johnson, Mills, Penkethman, Smith, and Wilks; the actresses Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Bicknell, Mrs. Cross, Mrs. Oldfield, Mrs. Porter, Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. Willis, Miss Willis; the dancers La Bee and Thurmond Jr.; the singers Cassani, Dogget, Cavaliero, Nicolini, Grimaldi, Holcomb, Lawrence, Valentino Urbani, Signora de l'Epine, Mlle Isabella Girardeau, and Mrs. Lindsey; Newman as the prompter, and finally Dykes, King, and Willmore as the boxkeepers. The staff of Drury Lane included the actors Bickerstaff, Booth, Boyce, Burkhead, Carnaby, Cole, Corey, Elrington, Fairbank, Freeman, Hall, Knapp, Keene, Layfield, Leigh, Miller, Norris, Pack, Powell Spiller Underhill, Weller; the actresses Mrs. Bickerstaff, Mrs. Bradshaw, Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Finch, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Kent, Mrs. Knight, Mrs. Moore, Miss Santlow, Mrs. Shireburn, Mrs. Spiller; the dancers de la Garde, Layfield, Leigh, Prince, Mrs. de la Garde; the singers Pack and Mrs. Hodgson; Baggs as the Treasurer; and Cartwright, Halstead, Haughton, Lovelace, Martin, Pervill, Sherman, and White as the boxkeepers and doorkeepers. Finally, the staff of Greenwich included the actors Boyce, Bullock, Carnaby, Cole, Corey, Cross, Elrington, Freeman, Husband, Leigh, Norris, Norris Jr., Pendry, Penkethman, Powell, Ryan, Shepherd, Thurmond Sr. and Jr., Underhill, Verbraken; the actresses Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Baxter, Mrs. Granger, Mrs. Kent, Mrs. Pollet, Mrs. Powell, Mrs. Richardson, Mrs. Sapsford, Mrs. Shepherd, Mrs. Shireburn, Mrs. Spiller; and the dancer Le Sac. The play was written in 1710 by Charles Shadwell. Upon first reviews, the author was told to alter the play in an effort for it to appear on the stage. Of course, Shadwell refused. He kept the script until winter of that year when it was read and liked by a third party, Mr. Booth, who then persuaded the author, that, with a little alteration, it would please the town. The new vision propels the success of the play. Thematically, the play tackles issues such as loyalty, marriage, prostitution and war. The characters of Flip and Mizen are complete opposites, but Flip provides that comedic aspect to the play. He claims that Sailors during the French War are more concerned about appearance and everything high culture, in contrast to those of the Dutch War who fought and placed value on fighting like heaven and earth were coming together. The //London Gazette// publishes information about government, military and financial statuses of people in London. The War in 1710 was a huge event and that was discussed in summary in the publication. The publication talks about the monarchy and the changes in power; in other words, it discusses King Charles’ reign. With information about meetings regarding parliamentarians, the London Gazette establishes common ground with the major events of the year. More specifically, it chronicles the on-going war between the Whig and Tory parties, which intensified during the trial of Henry Sacheverell.
 * The Season**
 * //The Fair Quaker of Deal; Or, the humours of the Navy//**
 * In Conclusion**

By: Shawrn Watson

Work Cited Muddiman, Henry; //London Gazette//. 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers: United Kingdon; 1700-1750. Print Shadwell, Charles; //The Fair Quaker of Deal; Or, The Humours of the Navy.// Eighteenth Century Collection Online. Print. // The London Stage, 1660-1800, Part 2,1700-1729: // ‪//A Calendar of Plays, Entertainment and Afterpieces Together with Casts, Box-Reciepts and Contemporary Comment//. Ed. Emmet L. Avery. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois UP, 1965. Print.