Transcription
INTELLIGENCE from the ROYAL GROVE.
The Public were on Wednesday evening most agreeably surprised at Astley’s Amphitheatre, with the representation of an entire new piece, entitled, A Sale of the English Beauties at Grand Cairo; or, the Caravan attacked by the banditti; which was performed, for the first time, for the benefit of Mr. Astley, jun. to a most crowded and brilliant audience, and received throughout with the most pointed marks of approbation and applause.
The characters of this piece, are as follow:
The Grand Signor and Auctioneer, Mr. Connell; Heli, Mr. Johannott; Buyers, Mr. Carlow, Mr. Miller, Mrs. Woodmanson, and Mrs. Reeves; Captives, English sailor, Mr. Burkitt; an English player, Mr. Decastro; a French Lady, Mrs. Nathan; an Englishwoman, Wife to the Sailor, Mrs. Saunders; Captain of the Banditti, Mr. Fox; Lieutenant, Mr. Wilkinson; Under-Officers, Mr. Lonsdale, Mr. Angler, Mr. Massey, Mr. Nichole, and Mr. Richards; the Banditti, Turkish soldiers, Guards to the Caravan, and Passengers, by the rest of the Company.
An English ship being captured by an Algerine [sic] privateer, on board of which is a sailor, his wife, an English player, a French Lady, and others, they are purchased by a Turkish merchant, and afterwards sold by auction at Grand Cairo, when they are taken to the Caravan, which is supposed to be going to Constantinople. On its journey, while repositing at a watering place, it is attacked by the banditti, who bear off the guard, and proceed to plunder the caravan. The sailor, enraged at the guards’ retreat, breaks the chains by which he is bound, and, with a staff that he finds lying on the ground, attack a part of the banditti, and defeats them. At this moment, the Turkish guard perceiving the success of the British sailor, and encouraged by his valour, immediately join him, and appoint him their leader. A second attack thereupon ensues, and a general engagement takes place. The English sailor, at the head of the guards, rescues the caravan, and all its baggage, from the banditti, and preserves it unmolested. On their arrival at Constantinople, this is told the Grand Signor, who sends for the captives, in order to view them, when he orders the sailor’s wife to his seraglio, and tells the sailor, that he shall, by way of recompense, command one of his frigates. The sailor, surprised at seeing his wife sent off, requests that he may be permitted to name the frigate he is to command. The Grand Signor readily consents to this; upon which the sailor cries out, My Wife! My wife! Is the frigate I should like to command. The Grand Signor, pleased with the sailor’s ingenuity, calls back his wife, and restores her to him. The British tar returns thanks, and begs that he and his fellow-captives may be sent back to England. His Highness, considering his courage in having saved the caravan, cheerfully agrees to this, and promises to have a ship fitted out for the occasion.
