The Societies for Reformation of Manners was founded in 1690 and
there were about twenty such Societies by 1701. They aimed to
clean up public vice, and focused particularly upon prostitution.
The leader of the Societies, Reverend Bray, was obsessed with
sodomy, which he called "an evil force invading our
land" in the sermon he preached at St Mary's Le Bow before
the Societies for Reformation of Manners on 27 December 1708.
Bray directed several raids from 1707 through 1709, in
association with Constables who were themselves members of the
Societies. By their annual meeting in 1710 they were able to
boast that by their means "our streets have been very much
cleansed from the lewd night-walkers and most detestable
sodomites." Our knowledge about the homosexual subculture
of London at that time is exactly coterminous with the
investigations of the Societies for Reformation of Manners. It
is not accurate to say that the gay subculture was
"born" at that time, only that it was
"uncovered" by these campaigning moralists.
Though these moral reformers may have been over-zealous, there
is little reason to doubt the accuracy of their evidence. There
was no motivation for them to bring false charges, as it would
be two centuries before police forces got the bright idea of
increasing their arrest figures by the use of "pretty
police." Most of the men confessed when they were
apprehended, though they subsequently denied it at the actual
trial. Only one man put forward the defence that he was married,
from which I infer that the others were bachelors. Three or four
of the men killed themselves while awaiting trial in prison, and
hence were not tried. The source document is a single sheet of
paper, printed on one side only.
See Newspaper Reports for 1707 for accounts of the men being exhibited in the pillory, and one suicide. The publicity given to the prosecution and punishment is lamented in an article by Daniel Defoe. For another account of the trial, which gives some interesting details, see Trial of Sodomites.
Rictor Norton
John Williams was Indicted for Assaulting Thomas
Jones, and John Jones, in Sept. last. the Prosecutors each
severally declar'd, that the Prisoner upon the Exchange, put his
hand into their Breeches, and likewise had his Nakedness out,
which he offer'd to put into their hands: He was a Youth, and
being carried before Sir Richard Levet, he confess'd, he had
first been seduc'd to that Practice, by one Fish, in May-Fair
last; and that he had done it about four times. He endeavour'd
to deny on his Tryal, all he had said before the Justice, and
said the Prosecutors threatned him if he did not own it, but all
appear'd frivolous and he had no Evidence to call.
William Huggins was indicted for Assaulting
Richard Hemmings, and Thomas Jones, upon the Exchange, the 9th
of Sept. last; the Prosecutors declar'd, that walking upon
Change, with design to detect such wicked Persons; they were sate
upon one of the Benches, and the Prisoner came to them severally,
and offer'd to put his hand into their Breeches, pulling out his
Nakedness at the same time; upon which they apprehended him, and
he said, at that time, that he had hear'd there were such sort
of Persons in the World, and he had a mind to try. He had Counsel
of his side, and call'd several to his Reputation, who all said
he was a very honest Man, as to his course of Life; otherwise,
that he was employ'd as a Porter: He said, that he had been
carrying 6 Pound of Coffee into Leaden-Hall-street: that he had
been married about a Year to a young Wife, who was big with
Child; and that he always seem'd very fond of her: He deny'd the
Fact, and said he never used any such Practices; but none of the
Evidence speaking as to what he was indicted for, the Matter was
then left to the Jury.
Ch. [i.e. Charles] Marriot was Indicted for
assaulting of Robert Bokins, Richard Hemmings, and two others
upon London-Bridge. They declar'd he came to them severally, and
pull'd out his Nakedness, and unbutton'd their Breeches, and
after they had Apprehended him, he confes'd that that day seven-
Night, he was pick'd up by a Gentleman in Black, with whom he
Committed an Indecent Action, and said the Gentleman offer'd to
Commit Sodomy with him; but he refused that. He confessed the
same before Sir Robert Beachcroft, but deny'd all upon his Trial,
and said he was coming that way, and had no such design, but it
was very plain against him.
Paul Booth was Indicted on the same account, for
Assaulting Robert Bokins, John Buttermn, and one Taylor upon the
Exchange. The Evidence was much the same; all which appear'd
plain against him.
Benjamin Butler, was Indicted for assaulting
Thomas Grantford, and another in the same Manner upon the
Exchange: He confess'd the Fact when taken, but deny'd it upon
his Trial, making very lame and trivial excuses, which all
avail'd him nothing.
John Blithe, Indicted on the like account for
Assaulting Robert Bokins, and Thomas Grantford, the Evidence was
much the same as the former, he Confess'd it when taken, and had
very little to say for himself.
James Booke Pleaded Guilty to his Indictment,
which was much the same with the rest.
The Tryals being over, the Jury found them all Guilty of the said
Indictments.
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
Introduction
In 1707 eight or nine members of the Societies for Reformation
of Manners acted as agents provocateurs in order to
entrap sodomites, whom they had observed making contact with one
another on London Bridge and in the Royal Exchange. (Both of
these places were popular gay cruising grounds because they
offered the opportunity to loiter without causing suspicion.) The
trial prompted a number of contemporary pamphlets and broadside
ballads, such as The Women-Hater's
Lamentation and The He-Strumpets.
Thomas Lane, a Foot Soldier, was Indicted for
assaulting of Mr. Richard Hemmings and Mr. Samuel Baker on the
15th of September last. The Evidence declar'd, That Lane was
standing upon London-Bridge, and that he came to Mr. Hemmings,
and pulling out his Nakedness offer'd to put it into his Hand,
and withal unbutton'd the Evidences Breeches, and put his Hand
in there, but Mr. Hemmings put his Hand away: He the rather bore
with the Filthiness of the Action, because Mr. Baker, the other
Evidence, had told Mr. Hemmings, that Lane the Prisoner was such
a kind of a Person, and therefore design'd to apprehend him,
which they did. He said in his defence, that he had been at St
Thomas's Hospital, and coming over the Bridge, he went to make
Water, and that the Evidence's Hand slipt upon his Nakedness, and
such like frivolous stuff; and withal endeavour'd to say, That
the Evidence assaulted him. But the Matter appear'd plain against
him; and he had little else to say, but that he had been so many
years in King William's, and the present Queen's Service, and
never us'd to do such Things. After which the Recorder gave his
Charge to the Jury; the Verdict being omitted, till the rest of
these obscene Trials were over.
SOURCE: The TRYAL and CONVICTION of several Reputed Sodomites, before
the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and Recorder of London, at
Guild-Hall, the 20th Day of October, 1707. Sold by J. Morphew near Stationer's-
Hall, 1707.
Rictor Norton, Ed., "The Tryal and Conviction of Several Reputed Sodomites, 1707",
Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook. 1 December 1999, updated 28 April 2013
<http://www.rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/trial07.htm>.
Return to Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England