This eccentric gentleman, full of conceit and self-sufficiency,
attracted the notice of the Grand Jury for the City and Liberty of
Westminster January 9, 1725-9, who presented him thus:
"Whereas the Act, made in the first year of the reign of King William
and Queen Mary, for exempting their Majesties' Protestant subjects
dissenting from the Church of England from the penalties of certain
laws, was wisely designed as an indulgence for the tender and
scrupulous consciences of such Dissenters, and as a means to unite
all the Protestant subjects in interest and affection: And whereas it
is notorious, that John Henley, Clerk in Priest's orders according to
the form of the Church of England, did about three years since hire a
large room over the market-house in Newport-market within this City and
Liberty of Westminster, and cause the said room to be registered in
the court of the Archdeacon of Middlesex (pursuant to the said Act of
Toleration) as a place for religious worship, to be performed therein
by him the said John Henley, who pretended to dissent from the Church
of England on account of Infant Baptism (although that has been the
least of his exercises, nor are his audiences of that persuasion), and
by his advertisements in the public newspapers invited all persons to
come thither, and take seats for twelve-pence a-piece, promising them
diversion under the titles of _Voluntaries_, _Chimes of the Times_,
_Roundelays_, _College-bobs_, _Madrigals_, and _Operas_, &c.: And
whereas it appears to us, by information upon oath, that the said
John Henley, notwithstanding his professed dissention and separation
from the Church of England, has usually appeared in the habit worn by
Priests of the Church of England; and in that habit has for several
months past upon one or more days in the week made use of the said room
for purposes very different from those of religious worship; and that
he has there discoursed on several subjects of burlesque and ridicule,
and therein and in his comments upon the public newspapers, and in his
weekly advertisements, has uttered several indecent, libertine, and
obscene expressions, and made many base and malicious reflections upon
the established Churches of England and Scotland, upon the Convocation,
and almost all orders and degrees of men, and upon particular persons
by name, and even those of the highest rank: And whereas it appears to
us more particularly, by information upon oath, that he the said John
Henley did, on the 12th day of December last, cause to be published in
the Daily Post an advertisement, giving notice that on the evening of
the next day he would pronounce King Lear's oration in an apology for
madness, on which evening he did in the said room (called by him the
Oratory) in the habit of a Clergyman of the Church of England repeat a
speech out of the tragedy of King Lear, acting in such manner and with
such gestures as are practised in the theatres; and that the said John
Henley did, on the 17th day of the same month, cause to be published in
the said Daily Post another advertisement, inviting such as went the
following evening to the ball in the Haymarket to come first to his
said room in their habits and masks for twelve-pence a-piece; and that
according to such invitation several persons so dressed and masked did
then and there appear, and were admitted upon paying the said moneys,
for their seats:
"We the grand Jury for, &c. conceiving that this behaviour of the said
John Henley is contrary to the intention of the said Act of Toleration,
and tends to bring a disrepute upon the indulgence so charitably
granted to truly scrupulous Dissenters, that it gives great offence
to all serious Christians, is an outrage upon civil society, and of
dangerous consequence to the State, and particularly that the said
assemblies by him held as aforesaid are unlawful ones, his said room
not being licensed for plays, interludes, or masquerades, do present
the said John Henley, and his accomplices and assistants to us unknown,
as guilty of unlawful assemblies, routs, and riots, &c. &c. &c."
Henley, actuated by the genuine spirit of perseverance and opposition,
proceeded with his lectures. If _any effect_ was observable from the
presentment, it was that of threefold eccentricity and impropriety of
subjects for his Orations. The bill of fare issued for Sunday September
28, 1729, contains a list of the fashions in dress of the time, and is
therefore curious:
"At the Oratory, the corner of Lincoln's-Inn-fields near Clare-market,
to-morrow, at half an hour after ten: 1, The postil will be on the
turning of Lot's wife into a pillar of salt; 2, The Sermon will be
on the necessary power and attractive force which Religion gives the
spirit of man with God and good Spirits.
"II. At five: 1, The postill will be on this point, _In what language
our Saviour will speak the last sentence on mankind_; 2, The lecture
will be on Jesus Christ's sitting at the right-hand of God, _where
that is_; the honours and lustre of his inauguration; the learning,
criticism, and piety of that glorious article.
"The Monday's orations will shortly be resumed. On Wednesday the
oration will be on the Skits of the Fashions, or a _live_ gallery of
family pictures in all ages; ruffs, muffs, puffs manifold; shoes,
wedding-shoes, two-shoes, slip-shoes, peels, clocks, pantofles,
buskins, pantaloons, garters, shoulder-knots, perriwigs, head-dresses,
modesties, tuckers, farthingales, corkins, minikins, slammakins,
ruffles, round-robbins, toilets, fans, patches; Dame, forsooth, Madam,
My lady, the wit and beauty of my Grannum; Winifred, Joan, Bridget,
compared with our Winny, Jenny, and Biddy; fine ladies and pretty
gentlewomen; being a general view of the _beau monde_ from before
Noah's flood to the year 29. On Friday will be something better than
last Tuesday. After each a bob at the times."
I believe the following curious advertisement to have been the
production of the Lady Hamilton, widow of the Duke killed by Lord
Mohun: "I Elizabeth duchess dowager of Hamilton acknowledge I have
for several months been ill in my health, but was never speechless,
as certain penny authors have printed; and so, to confute these said
authors and their intelligence, it is thought by my most intimate
friends, _it is the very last thing that will happen to me_. I am so
good an Englishwoman that I would not have my countrymen imposed on by
purchasing false authors; therefore, have ordered this to be printed,
that they may know what papers to buy and believe, that are not to be
bribed by those who may have private ends for false reports. The copy
of this is left in the hands of Mr. Berington, to be shewn to any body
who has a curiosity to see it signed by my own hand.