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Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name is most commonly used to refer to Sir Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe.〔(Hellfire Holidays: Damnation, Members Only ), (Tonyperrottet.com ) 2009-12-15, accessed 2009-12-18〕 Such clubs were rumoured to be the meeting places of "persons of quality"〔Ashe p.48〕 who wished to take part in socially perceived immoral acts, and the members were often involved in politics. Neither the activities nor membership of the club are easy to ascertain.〔Blackett-Ord p. 46〕〔Ashe p. 111〕 The first Hellfire Club was founded in London in 1718, by Philip, Duke of Wharton and a handful of other high society friends.〔Blackett-Ord p. 44〕 The most notorious club associated with the name was established in England by Sir Francis Dashwood,〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.asp?ContentID=201 )〕 and met irregularly from around 1749 to around 1760, and possibly up until 1766.〔Ashe〕 In its later years, the Hellfire was closely associated with Brooks's, established in 1764. Other clubs using the name "Hellfire Club" were set up throughout the 18th century. Most of these clubs were set up in Ireland after Wharton's were dispelled.〔Ashe p. 60〕 ==Duke of Wharton's club== Lord Wharton, made a Duke by George I,〔Ashe p. 52〕 was a prominent politician with two separate lives: the first a "man of letters" and the second "a drunkard, a rioter, an infidel and a rake".〔Blackett-Ord p.70〕 The members of Wharton's club are largely unknown. Blackett-Ord〔p. 44〕 assumes that members included Wharton's immediate friends: Earl of Hillsborough, cousin – the Earl of Lichfield and Sir Ed. O'Brien. Aside from these names, other members are not revealed. At the time of the London gentlemen's club, where there was a meeting place for every interest, including poetry, philosophy and politics,〔Blackett-Ord p. 43〕〔Ashe p. 46〕 Philip, Duke of Wharton's Hell-Fire Club was, according to Blackett-Ord,〔p. 43〕 a satirical "gentleman's club" which was known to ridicule religion, catching onto the then-current trend in England of blasphemy.〔〔Ashe p. 48〕 The club was more a joke, meant to shock the outside world, than a serious attack on religion or morality. The supposed president of this club was the Devil, although the members themselves did not apparently worship demons or the Devil, but called themselves devils.〔Blackett-Ord p. 44-6〕 Wharton's club admitted men and women as equals, unlike other clubs of the time.〔 The club met on Sundays at a number of different locations around London. The Greyhound Tavern was one of the meeting places used regularly, but because women were not to be seen in taverns, the meetings were also held at members' houses and at Wharton's riding club.〔〔〔Willens〕 According to at least one source, their activities included mock religious ceremonies and partaking in meals containing dishes like "Holy Ghost Pie", "Breast of Venus", and "Devil's Loin", while drinking "Hell-fire punch".〔〔Ashe p. 49〕 Members of the Club supposedly came to meetings dressed as characters from the Bible.〔 Wharton's club came to an end in 1721〔 when George I, under the influence of Wharton's political enemies (namely Robert Walpole) put forward a Bill "against 'horrid impieties'" (or immorality), aimed at the Hellfire Club.〔〔Blackett-Ord p. 70〕 Wharton's political opposition used his membership as a way to pit him against his political allies, thus removing him from Parliament.〔 After his Club was disbanded, Wharton became a Freemason, and in 1722 he became the Grand Master of England.〔Ashe p. 62〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hellfire Club」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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