Tuesday 9 February 1745
Last Week a Court Martial was held on board the Dutch Admiral's ship at Spithead, for the Trial of the First Lieutenant of one of their Men of War, for committing the detestible Sin of Sodomy on the Boatswain's Son of the said Ship; who was found guilty, and ordered to be tied up in a Sack, with a large Weight fasten'd to it, and flung overboard at High Water; (which is the usual Punishmjent inflicted by the Dutch for Crimes of the like Nature committed at Sea) but his Life was spared at the Intercession of some Gentlemen; so that this Sentenced was chang'd into a Whipping, after which he was stripp'd of his Clothes, and set on Shore at Gosport, with only an old Jacket and Trowsers on, in order to shift for himself. The Dutch Admiral immediately dispatch'd a Tender to Holland, with an Account of his Proceedings to the States General, in order for the confiscating the Delinquent's Estate and Effects, which are worth 500l. per Annum, English Money. (Newcastle Courant)
[Also reported in the Gentleman's Magazine, who added a note:]
*In Smith's voyages we read of an African prince who destroy'd a whole city, lest one sodomite should escape, to infect the rest of his people. (Gentleman's Magazine, Historical Chronicle, February 1745, Vol. 15, p. 106.)
Thursday 14 February 1745
The Dutch Lieutenant, convicted last Monday of Sodomy at Portsmouth, thereby forfeits to the Republick [of Holland] an Estate of 600 l. Sterli. a-year. (Caledonian Mercury)
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
Rictor Norton (Ed.), "A Dutch Sodomite, 1745," Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook. 22 Nov. 2006, updated 22 Nov. 2011, updated 22 Feb. 2015 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1745gent.htm>.
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