A practical joke Wilkes played at the abbey [of Medmenham] in 1759 or 1760, however, had far-reaching consequences. Dashwood and Sandwich apparently kept a baboon as the Friars’ mascot, and there is an unsubstantiated tale of Dashwood’s putting on a mock Mass and giving the baboon the sacrament. Fuller reports indicated that before a revel of some kind Wilkes unchained the baboon, dressed it in a black robe with horns on its head, and shut it in a box with a string attached to the lid, so that he could open it at the most opportune time. When Sandwich invoked Lucifer – seriously if the tales are believed, “jokingly” if the idea was just to have “fun” – the time was right: Wilkes lifted the lid and the baboon leaped on to Sandwich, who fell to the ground shrieking “The Devil! The Devil!” and pleading for mercy.
Bonus:
Sandwich evidently thought it amusing to hold burlesque services at times. There is a story of Sandwich’s once asking the baboon to “say grace,” and a clergyman guest who responded, “I was intending to say grace myself, but I had no idea you had a near relative for a chaplain.”
Source:
Olasky, Marvin. “The War to End All Wars.” Fighting for Liberty and Virtue: Political and Cultural Wars in Eighteenth-Century America. Crossway Books, 1995. 111. Print.
Original Source Listed:
Donald McCormick, The Hell-Fire Club (London: Jarrolds, 1958), 97-102, 132.
Fuller, Hell-Fire Francis, 162-63.
Further Reading:
Francis Dashwood, 11th Baron le Despencer PC FRS
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS
No comments, yet...