"Sergeant-Major Cobbett, helped by Corporal Bestland, furtively copies regimental documents in a room with a bolted door. Bestland, registering alarm, sits at the writing-table holding open a book, while Cobbett, facing him, stoops to write. The book is inscribed: 'Regimental Account of Provisions --Cloaths--Accoutrements. 51st Regt--Bread--Meat--Potatoes'. The room is lit by one candle. On the door is a placard: 'Regimental Orders. 51st Royal Regt--Ordered,--that none but trusty Persons shall have Access to the Regimental Books and Accounts--N.B. the Keys are left in the possession of Serjt Majr Cobbett'. Let into the wall above Cobbett's head is a cupboard or safe, the door open, the key in the lock. In it are books, five being inscribed 'Regimental Book', 'Army-Extraord[inaries]', '51st Regiment', 'Cash Account', 'Provision Acct'. Above this is an oval half-length portrait of 'Lord Edwd Fitzgerald', his head cut off by the upper margin (see No. 9227, &c). He holds a paper inscribed 'Rebellion', and the frame is fringed with daggers pointing outwards. Over the door is a trophy of crossed blunderbusses, with spear, firebrands, and a bonnet rouge supported on a dagger. Regimental muskets and pistols are ranged against the wall (right). Behind Cobbett is an open chest, 'Wm Cobbett's Private Box', filled with documents: 'Copies of the Regimental Accounts', 'Cuttings from the Regimental Books', 'Scraps for Court Martial', 'Stolen Documents for to make Grounds for Charges'. On the ground lies his tasselled cane. On a chair behind Bestland are books: 'Army Ac . . .', 'Pay-Office', 'Regimental Book--Cash account 51st Reg.--Wm Cobbett'. On the floor is a money-bag labelled 'for private use W. Cobbett', and inscribed '£200 Regimental Money 51st Regt'. Beside it are two large books: 'Extracts from the Regimental Accounts to be altered as Convenient--Willm Cobbett J Bestland', and, 'Robberies of the Mens Provisions-- Witness W. Cobbett J. Bestland'. On the table are ink-stand, seal, and sealing-wax."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Fourth 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: 4th plate. I was now made sarjeant major and clerk to the regiment, and there being only one man in it besides myself who could read or keep himself sober ... Vide, my own memoirs in the Political Register of 1809., Series number etched above image, in upper left., Sheet trimmed to margin of plate mark., and Mounted to 41 x 26 cm.
Publisher:
Publish'd Septr. 29th, 1809, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street
"Cobbett, in civilian dress, stands full face, with his right hand on his breast; in his left he holds out a paper: 'Accusations agst Capn Powel & others'. On the carpet at his feet lie his regimental coat, bearskin, sword, belt, and (broken) cane. On the left and in back view Judge-Advocate Gould sits at a writing-table, pen in hand, averting his head from Cobbett, and putting out a protesting hand. Cobbett declaims: "--if my Accusation is without foundation the authors of cruelty have not yet devised the tortures I ought to endure; Hell itself, as painted by the most fiery bigot, is too mild a punishment for me!--See my own Letter to Sir Charles Gould--Judge Advocate General". Gould wears a legal wig and gown with military uniform. On his table are papers inscribed 'Court-Mart[ial] to be held. . . and Charges by W. Cobbett against Cap. Powel'. Behind Cobbett stands his shadow, a dark replica of himself standing out against flames and smoke which billow up before a brick wall with a rectangular aperture through which the Devil, wearing a bonnet rouge, thrusts his talons to seize Cobbett's shadow. Above this window into Hell are three balls and the words 'Beelzebub--Pawn-broker--The utmost Value for souls taken in Pawn'. Facing Gould are high shelves draped by a curtain and containing bundles of legal documents. Some are inscribed 'Trials for Ungentlemanly Conduct', 'Military L . . .', 'Court Martial upon . . .', 'Motion for a Court Martial', 'Trial of Cap . . .', 'Court Martial'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Fifth 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: 5th plate. My next step was to procure a discharge from my ever lamented associate the Lord Edw. Fitzgerald. With this I returned to England and directly set about ... Vide, my own memoirs in the Political Register, 1809., Series number etched above image, in upper left., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Mounted to 41 x 26 cm.
Publisher:
Publish'd Septr. 29th, 1809, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street
"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
"Cobbett (right) stands facing six men grouped at a round table who applaud the toast he gives: 'Damnation to the House of Brunswick' [cf. No. 11234]. In his left hand is a bottle of 'True Napoleone Spirits'; the contents of his raised glass are exploding. On his right sits Horne Tooke, with a crutch, holding a jug of 'Botley Ale' and a glass, both frothing. He says with a sinister upturned glance: 'Huzza! Huzza'. On Cobbett's left, and in back view, stands a naval officer wearing a cocked hat and high fashionable boots. He holds high a steaming bowl of 'Botley Grog'; under his foot is a paper: 'Basque Roads- Court Martial', showing that he is Cochrane, see No. 11326, &c. Facing Cobbett sit Bosville and Clifford. Bosville, silent, decrepit, and senile, grasps a bottle of 'Botley Ale' and holds a foaming glass; in his pocket is a 'Plan for a new Convention'. Clifford, brandy-faced, and with his barrister's wig awry, holds a bottle of 'French Brandy' and a brimming glass, saying "Huzza". Behind these two stand Burdett and Folkestone. Each holds up a frothing glass; Burdett waves his bonnet rouge and shouts "Huzza!-Huzza!" Folkestone echoes "Huzza!" In the foreground with his back to the table lies Wardle, very sick, clasping a bottle of 'Botley Ale', and vomiting over papers: 'Charges against the Duke of York' and 'Reform', see No. 11328, &c. A cat (left), with a collar inscribed 'Mrs Clarke', miaows at him (see No. 11216, &c). On the right are a tankard inscribed 'Whitbread's Small Beer', and a wine-cooler containing five bottles of 'Napolean Wine' [cf. No. 11004]. The floor is boarded, but under Cobbett's chair is a fringed carpet. The room is lit by candles set in branches which decorate the oval frame of a half-length portrait of 'Napoleone Le Grand'; he is in profile to the right, looking down at Cobbett and holding out a 'Cordon d'Honor'. The portrait is flanked by busts on brackets: 'Despard' [see No. 9969] with a noose round his neck, and 'Robespiere' with two daggers. On the table by Clifford are two more bottles of 'French' [Brandy], by Cochrane a bottle labelled (?) 'Coitaris', an overturned bottle, and a plate of 'Diables'. [Diable = a name given to the Toad-fish, Frog-fish, or Sea-Devil.] Empty bottles and a broken glass lie under the table."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Seventh 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 7th. I did not look behind me 'till I got to St Omer's & thence fled to America; here I offer'd to become a spy for the English ... See my own Memoires in [the] Political Register, 1809., Series number etched above image, in upper left., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Mounted to 46 x 25 cm.
Publisher:
Publish'd Sept. 29th, 1809, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Cobbett, William, 1763-1835, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Clifford, Henry, 1768-1813, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, Dundonald, Thomas Cochrane, Earl of, 1775-1860, Radnor, William Pleydell-Bouverie, Earl of, 1779-1869, Wardle, Gwyllym Lloyd, 1762?-1833, and Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
"Canning in a long robe and floating cloak stands on a Rock of Integrity, against which huge waves are dashing. He holds out a wand, saying, The Tempest has to the point obeyed my spells, | And cast my enemies within my power. The enemies are Eldon, whose head and arms emerge from the waves; Melville, leaning against an overturned (timber) Admiralty Board at the water's edge, and Wellington, in uniform, riding a prancing horse in the sea; a huge baton inscribed Comd in Chief floats away from him. Two big jack-boots emerge from the water, each clutched at by a drowning man. Near Eldon, a creature (? Caliban) supports above the water the head of a second judge and holds up a (?) mirror. Tossed by great waves at the base of the rock are three open boats, each having a small sail, manned by those who have succeeded the 'enemies'. One is The Copley; in it stands Copley (now Lyndhurst) who has just hurled a harpoon which transfixes Eldon's wig. A bird of prey is about to peck the latter's bald head. In an adjacent boat, The Leach, stands Leach holding a harpoon. Behind them is a slightly larger boat, The Anglesea Cutter, in which are three men: Anglesey in civilian dress holding out a drag-net towards Wellington's back; the (?) Duke of Devonshire holding a grappling-iron, and Scarlett. At the water's edge (right) stands a glorified Duke of Clarence as Neptune, holding a trident and supported by two tritons blowing cornucopia-shells. He is in full light and towers above Melville, who lies below in shadow. Behind Canning's back a figure kneels imploringly on the edge of his rock, saying, Oh! take me back to the hospitable shelter of the Duchy, showing that he is Bexley, who having resigned, withdrew his resignation on 12 Apr. (cf. BM Satires 15391). On the shore in the foreground (left) sits the largest and most conspicuous figure, John Bull (not named), with a big burden on his back: National Debt. He has a countryman's short gaiters, is ragged, with a broken shoe and bare toes, but has a grog-blossom nose and smiles delightedly towards Canning. From his pocket hang Petitions for Reform. Near him stands an elegant Erin, playing her harp, a rose-bush at her feet, emblem of Anglo-Irish conciliation. In the air is a demoniac creature riding a dragon, which breathes flames of Superstition. Holding out two firebrands, Bigotry and Intolerance, he looks down at the unconscious Erin; from his mouth issues a label: No Popery. Canning is lit by a beam of light from an irradiated sun containing the head of George IV looking towards his Minister. Behind Canning, among clouds, is a 'wind', a face directing a blast towards him. Near the horizon is a lighthouse. A little figure (? Cobbett) struggles towards it, holding above the water a large scroll inscribed My Comments."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Prospero triumphant
Description:
Title etched below image., Later state with aquatinting, added border, and street address in imprint re-etched from "27" to "24." Cf. no. 15384 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 10., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Temporary local subject terms: Reference to The tempest by William Shakespeare -- Military uniforms -- Field marshall uniforms -- Male costume: Gaiters -- Reference to Erin -- Reference to Ireland -- Mythology: Neptune -- Tritons -- Tridents -- Popery -- Shells: Cornucopiae -- John Bull -- Demons -- Dragons -- Tempests -- Boats -- Judges -- Mirrors -- Wigs -- Harpoons.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 6, 1827, by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Canning, George, 1770-1827, Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838, Melville, Robert Saunders Dundas, Viscount, 1771-1851, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Lyndhurst, John Singleton Copley, Baron, 1772-1863, Anglesey, Henry William Paget, Marquis of, 1768-1854, Devonshire, William Spencer Cavendish, Duke of, 1790-1858, Scarlett, James, Sir, 1769-1844, William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837, Vansittart, Nicholas, 1766-1851, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Cobbett, William, 1763-1835, and Leach, John, 1760-1834
"A section of the hustings extends across the design, bisected by one of the vertical posts supporting the (invisible) roof. On this are two placards: 'Loyal Parishes of St Paul's and St Giles's' and 'State of the Poll - . Paul - Hood - Sheridan'. The base of the design is formed by the heads and raised arms of the mob below. Hood and Sheridan, with their supporters, are on the left of the post, Paull and his supporters on the r. The supporters wear favours (buff and blue on the left) with the names of their candidates. On the extreme left. is a stout man holding a whip. Next, Hood in uniform, with his empty r. sleeve, turns in profile to the left., away from Sheridan, putting his hand to his mouth to cover a smile. Sheridan stares in bewildered an speechless anguish, horrified at the shouts of the mob and at Paull's words Whitbread, standing behind, puts his left hand reassuringly on his shoulder and offers him a foaming tankard inscribed 'Whitbread new Loyal Porter'. His is 'Hood & Sheridan'. On Sheridan's l. a dog, its collar inscribed 'Peter Moore', barks savagely at Paull, who stands hat in hand, r. arm extended towards Sheridan, addressing the crowd: " - the sunk, the lost, the degraded Treasurer" [Sheridan]. On Paull's l. is Burdett; next, and on the extreme right., is Bosville. Between and behind Paull and Burdett stands Cobbett, holding an issue of the 'Political Register' on which the word 'Cobbett' is legible. These three have tickets inscribed 'Paull' in their hats. Behind Paull on the left, and watching him with a sly grin, stands the Duke of Northumberland, Sheridan's enemy, see BMSat 10606. He holds a paper: 'To the Vestry of St Margaret'; in his hat is 'No Coalition' [i.e. between Hood and Sheridan]. Behind these first two rows on the hustings, heads recede until they merge in shadow. Three men behind Sheridan appear to be portraits; two have favours inscribed 'Sheridan' (one probably Lord William Russell, Sheridan's seconder); the third is a fat and grotesque man in uniform wearing a plumed death's head cap and a gorget. He is Downes, an undertaker, and a major in the St. James's Volunteers (of which Sheridan was Colonel): there were shouts of 'no major Downes the undertaker' (see BMSat 9750). See 'Pol. Reg.' x. 810, 836. The rank and file of Sheridan's supporters look anxious, those of Paull are grinning. ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Text above image: Publish'd for the History of the Westminster & Middlesex elections, Novr. 1806., Plate from: History of the Westminster and Middlesex elections in the month of November, 1806. London: Printed for J. Budd, R. Bagshaw, and H. Humphrey, 1807., Sheet trimmed within plate mark on lower edge., 1 print : etching with stipple ; sheet 25.4 x 34.5 cm., Printed on wove paper; hand-colored., Sheet trimmed within plate mark. Folded to 25.4 x 17.3 cm; mounted to 27.1 x 20.8 cm., and Mounted opposite page 348 in volume 4 part 2 of an extra-illustrated copy of: Malcolm, J.P. Londinium redivivum, or, An antient history and modern description of London.
Publisher:
Publish'd Decr. 15th, 1806, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street, J. Budd, Pall-Mall, and & R. Bagshaw, Brydges Street
Subject (Name):
Hood, Samuel, Sir, 1762-1814, Paull, James, 1770-1808, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Cobbett, William, 1763-1835, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, Whitbread, Samuel, 1764-1815, and Northumberland, Hugh Percy, Duke of, 1742-1817
