The Red Bull, St John Street, Clerkenwell, London

The stage at the Red Bull playhouse

On 8 December 1625, recognisance was taken for the appearance of Robert Howket of Kelmarsh to answer "for abusing William Maye before he meddled with him yesternight in the higheway at 6 of the clocke betwixt the Red Bull and Islington townesend". Recognisances were also taken for the appearances of William Maye of Islington, gent. and Henry Swynnerton of Islington, gent. to answer for "assaultinge Robert Howket and Christopher Henne" on the same occasion (1). 

"Robert Howket" was presumably Robert, son of Robert Howcote who had been christened at Bruntingthorpe on 21 September 1608 and was therefore a teenager at the time of these disorders (2).

The Red Bull playhouse had been built in about 1605 on the site of an inn yard at the north corner of St John Street and Clerkenwell Green (now Aylesbury Street). It had a reputation for brawls and rowdiness, so maybe Robert had departed from a performance there shortly before the incident. The theatre building was finally demolished in 1665.

Notes

(1)    Middlesex County Records (Old Series), volume III, edited by J C Jeaffreson (London 1974), pp 160-1

(2)    Robert (the father) was buried at Kelmarsh in 1635.