Run by “Oxford Kate” this ordinary appears best remembered by the events of June 1663, as recounted by Pepys (see also that page’s footnote):
Mr. Batten telling us of a late triall of Sir Charles Sydly the other day, before my Lord Chief Justice Foster and the whole bench, for his debauchery a little while since at Oxford Kate’s, coming in open day into the Balcone and showed his nakedness, … . and abusing of scripture and as it were from thence preaching a mountebank sermon from the pulpit, saying that there he had to sell such a powder as should make all the [women] in town run after him, 1000 people standing underneath to see and hear him, and that being done he took a glass of wine … . and then drank it off, and then took another and drank the King’s health.
Some more information is at the Shady Old Lady’s Guide to London.
2 Annotations
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
THE COCK TAVERN IN BOW-STREET -- The scene there after the Restoration
http://www.pascalbonenfant.com/18…
Terry Foreman • Link
"This Tavern, of indecent notoriety, was situated about the middle of the east side of Bow-street", east of the Theatre Royal, n. of Russel St.
http://www.motco.com/Map/81002/Se…