Chapter XXXVII: The Mohocks

Scourers, etc. -- Bully Dawson -- Two outbreaks -- That in 1712
-- Hawkubites -- Exploits of the Mohocks -- Sir Roger de Coverley
-- Swift's fear of them -- Emperor of the Mohocks -- Gog and
Magog -- The Queen's proclamation -- Decline of the scare --
Constables and watchmen.

In every age and country young blood is hot blood, and in this reign it was particularly so. The wild blood of the Cavaliers still danced in the veins of the beaus in Anne's time, and nightly frolics and broils were of frequent occurrence. They had their predecessors in this work--as Sir _Tope_ says in Shadwell's play of 'The Scowrers': 'Puh, this is nothing, why I knew the _Hectors_, and before them the _Muns_ and the Titire Tus, they were brave fellows indeed; in those days a man could not go from the _Rose Tavern_ to the _Piazza_ once, but he must venture his life twice.' And Whackum, in the same play, describes the doings of the fraternity of Scourers. 'Then how we Scour'd the Market People, overthrew the Butter Women, defeated the Pippin Merchants, wip'd out the Milk Scores, pull'd off the Door Knockers, dawb'd the Gilt Signs.'

In Anne's reign these roysterers were called Mohocks--why, I know not, except that it was then a sort of generic term for North American Indians. In a later age this furore was termed Tom and Jerryism; but then it had an intelligible origin, from Pierce Egan's 'Life in London, or the Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his elegant Friend Corinthian Tom &c.' It still exists, although it has no special name.

Brown, in his 'Letters from the Dead to the Living,' says in that 'From Bully Dawson[604] to Bully W....n': 'Therefore if ever you intend to be my Rival in Glory, you must fight a Bailiff once a Day, stand Kick and Cuff once a Week, Challenge some Coward or other once a Month, Bilk your Lodgings once a quarter, and Cheat a Taylor once a year, crow over every Coxcomb you meet with, and be sure you kick every jilt you bully into submission and a compliance of treating you; never till then will the fame of W....n ring like _Dawson's_ in every Coffee House, or be the merry subject of every Tavern Tittle Tattle.'

[Footnote 604: Bully Dawson is supposed to be the original
of Captain Hackum in Shadwell's play of 'The Squire of
Alsatia,' and is mentioned by Steele in No. 2 of the
_Spectator_, when he speaks of Sir Roger de Coverley having
'kick'd Bully Dawson in a publick Coffee House for calling
him Youngster.']

There seem to have been two special outbreaks of Mohocks--one in 1709, and the other in 1712. Of the first Steele says:[605] 'When I was a middle-aged Man, there were many societies of _Ambitious_ young men in England, who, in their pursuits after same, were every night employed in roasting Porters, smoaking Coblers, knocking down Watchmen, overturning Constables, breaking Windows, blackening Sign Posts, and the like immortal enterprizes, that dispersed their Reputation throughout the whole Kingdom. One could hardly find a knocker at a door in a whole street after a midnight expedition of these _Beaux Esprits_. I was lately very much surprised by an account of my Maid, who entered my bed chamber this morning in a very great fright, and told me, she was afraid my parlour was haunted; for that she had found several panes of my Windows broken, and the floor strewed with half-pence. I have not yet a full light into this new way, but am apt to think, that it is a generous piece of wit, that some of my Contemporaries make use of, to break windows, and leave money to pay for them.'

[Footnote 605: _Tatler_, 77.]

Gay notices the Mohocks, and their window-breaking thus:--

Now is the Time that Rakes their Revells keep;
Kindlers of Riot, Enemies of Sleep.
His scatter'd Pence the flying _Nicker_ flings,
And with the Copper Show'r the Casement rings.
Who has not heard the _Scowrer's_ Midnight Fame?
Who has not trembled at the _Mohock's_ Name?
Was there a Watchman took his hourly Rounds,
Safe from their Blows, or new invented Wounds?
I pass their desp'rate Deeds, and Mischiefs done,
Where from _Snow Hill_ black Steepy Torrents run;
How Matrons, hoop'd within the Hogshead's Womb,
Were tumbled furious thence, the rolling Tomb
O'er the Stones thunders, bounds from Side to Side.
So _Regulus_ to save his Country dy'd.

The greatest scare, however, was in March 1712, and that exercised the popular mind as much as the garotters of modern times. People, of course, were more frightened than hurt, and there is very little doubt but that this outbreak was much exaggerated. Still, we can only take the contemporary accounts, and this is one of them.

[606]'THE TOWN RAKES, or the Frolicks of the _Mohocks_ or _Hawkubites_. With an Account of their Frolicks last night, and at several other Times: shewing how they slit the Noses of several Men and Women, and wounded others; Several of which were taken up last Night by the Guards, and committed to several Prisons, the Guards being drawn out to disperse them.

[Footnote 606: Brit. Mus. 816 m. 19/74.]

'There are a certain set of Persons, amongst whom there are some of too great a Character, to be nam'd in these barbarous and ridiculous Encounters, did they not expose themselves by such mean and vulgar Exploits.

'These Barbarities have been carry'd on by a Gang of 'em for a considerable time, and many innocent Persons have receiv'd great Injury from them, who call themselves _Hawkubites_; and their mischievous Invention of the Word is, that they take people betwixt _Hawk_ and _Buzzard_, that is, betwixt two of them, and making them turn from one to the other, abuse them with Blows and other Scoffings; and, if they pretend to speak for themselves, they then Slit their Noses, or cut them down the Back.

'The Watch in most of the Out-parts of the town stand in awe of them, because they always come in a body, and are too strong for them, and when any Watchman presumes to demand where they are going, they generally misuse them.

'Last Night they had a general Rendezvouz, and were bent upon Mischief; their way is to meet People in the Streets and Stop them, and begin to Banter them, and if they make any Answer, they lay on them with Sticks, and toss them from one to another in a very rude manner.

'They attacked the Watch in _Devereux Court_ and _Essex Street_, made them scower; they also slit two Persons' Noses, and cut a Woman in the Arm with a penknife that she is lam'd. They likewise rowled a Woman in a Tub down _Snow Hill_, that was going to Market, set other Women on their Heads, misusing them in a barbarous manner.

'They have short Clubs or Batts that have Lead at the End, which will overset a Coach, or turn over a Chair, and Tucks[607] in their Canes ready for Mischief.

[Footnote 607: A tuck was a short sword.]

'One of these Persons suppos'd to be of the Gang, did formerly slit a Drawer's Nose at _Greenwich_, and has committed many such Frolicks since. They were so outrageous last Night, that the Guards at _White Hall_ was alarm'd, and a Detachment order'd to Patrole; and 'tis said, the Train Bands will be order'd to do Duty for the future, to prevent these Disorders; several of them were taken up last Night, and put into the Round Houses till order is taken what to do with them.'

The Spectator, whose living was by making the most of any popular subject of the hour, was specially exercised over the Mohocks. 'An outrageous Ambition of doing all possible hurt to their Fellow-Creatures, is the great Cement of their Assembly and the only Qualification required in the Members. In order to exert this Principle in its full Strength and Perfection, they take Care to drink themselves to a pitch that is beyond the Possibility of attending to any Motives of Reason and Humanity; then make a general Sally, and attack all that are so unfortunate as to walk the Streets through which they patrole. Some are knock'd down, others stabb'd, others cut and carbonado'd. To put the Watch to a total Rout, and mortify some of those inoffensive Militia, is reckon'd a Coup d'éclat. The particular Talents by which these _Misanthropes_ are distinguished from one another, consist in the various kinds of Barbarities which they execute upon their Prisoners. Some are celebrated for a happy Dexterity in tipping the Lion upon them; which is perform'd by squeezing the Nose flat to the Face, and boring out the Eyes with their Fingers; Others are called the Dancing Masters, and teach their Scholars to cut Capers by running Swords thro' their Legs; a new Invention, whether originally _French_ I cannot tell; A third sort are the Tumblers, whose office it is to set Women on their Heads, and commit certain Indecencies or rather Barbarities on the Limbs which they expose.'[608]

[Footnote 608: _Spectator_, 324.]

Sir Roger de Coverley was even somewhat nervous about them when he went to the play--and 'asked me, in the next place whether there would not be some danger in coming home late, in case the Mohocks should be Abroad'; and we learn how, finally, the party went to the theatre. 'The Captain, who did not fail to meet me there at the appointed Hour, bid Sir Roger fear nothing, for that he had put on the same Sword which he made use of at the Battle of _Steenkirk_. Sir Roger's Servants, and among the rest my old Friend, the Butler, had, I found, provided themselves with good Oaken Plants, to attend their Master upon this occasion.'

Swift was in mortal fear of them, and, in his 'History of the Four Last Years of Queen Anne,' declares it was part of a deliberate plan to raise riot, during which Harley might have been assassinated--and accuses Prince Eugene of setting it afloat. He writes Stella--in