"Three officers stand stiffly at the bar at one end of a high panelled hall; through the open door behind them are seen steps leading to the Thames and one pillar of the south portico of Chelsea Hospital. Only the end of the long table (right) at which officers are seated is within the design, with four officers, two on each side, one holding a paper headed 'Charges'. A long label floats into the design from the right: 'Call William-Cobbett into Court, to make good his Charges!' An usher standing close to the accused, and looking through the wide doorway calls: "William Cobbett! William Cobbett!" Soldiers stand by the door, hat in hand, others are on the steps hailing a small boat with two occupants sailing across the river. One shouts: "Ho! William Cobbett". Cobbett, in the boat, shouts back: "Call away & be Damn'd--I'm off". Spectators, men and women, crowd the court; some are many rows deep on the farther side, some in a gallery over the wide-open doors. The heads and shoulders of others in back view in the foreground form a base to the design. Six men turn their heads in profile and Burdett and Derby are unmistakable. A head next Burdett resembles Wilberforce."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Sixth print of eight in a series entitled: The life of William-Cobbett, written by himself., Below image is printed a second plate etched with text only: Plate 6th. The court-martial was assembled at Chelsea as I requested, and Captn. Powele and the other accused persons were placed at the bar ... Vide, my own memoir's in the Political Register, 1809., Series number etched above image, in upper left., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
Publisher:
Publish'd Septr. 29th, 1809, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street
Subject (Name):
Cobbett, William, 1763-1835, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, and Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834