[282:1] As barristers often preferred to do business at their own homes, chambers in the Temple were rather at a discount just then, and their landlords, "preferring tenants of no legal skill to no tenants at all, let them out to any that offered, . . ." consequently many private people creep about the Inns of Court.—"Newgate Calendar," i. 470. [286:1] "Beau" Fielding, who was tried at the Old Bailey in 1706 for committing bigamy with the Duchess of Cleveland, is one of the most remarkable instances of this. See "Celebrated Trials," iii. 534. Also see the trial of the Duchess of Kingston, "Remarkable Trials," 203. She was tried by the House of Lords, found guilty, but pleaded her peerage and was discharged. [316:1] Quin could not resist the chance of making a sharp speech. When desired by the manager of Covent Garden to go to the front to apologize for Madame Rollau, a celebrated dancer, who could not appear, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Madame Rollau cannot dance to-night, having dislocated her ankle—I wish it had been her neck." CHAPTER X HIGHWAYMEN AND PIRATES Chronic dangers and riots in the London streets—Footmen's riot at Drury Lane—James Maclane, a notorious knight of the road, has a lodging in St. James's Street—Stops Horace Walpole—Hanged at Maidstone—John Rann, _alias_ Sixteen-string Jack—Short career ends on the gallows—William Parsons, a baronet's son, turns swindler and is transported to Virginia— Jonathan Wild, the sham thief-taker and notorious criminal— Captain Kidd—English peers accused of complicity—Kidd's arrest, trial, and sentence—John Gow and his career in the _Revenge_—His death at Execution Dock. Inoffensive persons were constantly in danger, day and night, of being waylaid and maltreated in the streets. Disturbance was chronic in certain localities, and a trifling quarrel might at any moment blaze into a murderous riot. On execution days the mob was always rampant; at times, too, when political passion was at fever-heat, crowds of roughs were ever ready to espouse the popular cause. Thus, when the court party, headed by Lord Bute, vainly strove to crush the demagogue John Wilkes, and certain prisoners were being tried at the Old Bailey for riot and wounding, a crowd collected outside the Mansion House carrying a gibbet on which hung a boot and a petticoat. The mayor interfered and a fray began. Weapons were used, some of the lord mayor's servants were wounded, and one of the prisoners was rescued by the mob. Sometimes the disturbance had its origin in trade jealousies.