Event Comment: On Tuesday last Information was laid before
Justice Fielding by a Tradesman in
Westminster, that one of his Apprentices had robbed him, in order to equip himself for acting a Play,
and that the said Play was to be acted that Evening by several Apprentices,
and other idle Persons, at the old Tennis-Court in
James St. Upon this the Justice despatched
Mr. Welch in the Evening with a Party of Soldiers to apprehend the Persons concerned in the Representation of the Play, which was the Tragedy of
Venice Preserved.
Jaffier,
Pierre,
Belvidera,
and most of the principal Characters, were taken,
and some of them, particularly Belvidera, were brought in their Theatrical attire before the Justice. The Men all appeared to be young Apprentices
and the Woman a young Milliner; wherefore the Justice was unwilling to proceed against them as Rogues
and Vagabonds, as they are made by the last Vagrant Act; in which case they must have been committed to
Bridewell, which might have proved their Ruin; He treated them therefor as guilty of an unlawful assembly,
and a common Nuisance; for which they were either bound for their good Behavior, or committed for want of Sureties,
and soon after discharged. It was sworn before the Justice that Sunday had been the usual Day of rehearsing their Parts (
General Advertiser, 17 Aug.)