the ignorant and unthinking part of the community; likewise an indulgence granted by the Pope, this present year, to his Holy Catholic subjects, and Saints, in this heretic country; and from these publications his lordship bid the people form an idea of the rapid and alarming progress that Popery was making in this kingdom; and the only way to stop it was going in a firm, manly, and resolute manner to the house, and shewing their representatives, that they were determined to preserve their religious freedom with their lives. That, for his part, he would run all hazards with the people; and if the people were too luke-warm to run all hazards with him, when their conscience and their country called them forth, they might get another President; for he would tell them candidly, that he was not a luke warm man himself, and that if they meant to spend their time in mock debate and idle opposition, they might get another leader. This speech was received with the loudest applause, and his lordship then moved the following resolution: That the whole body of the Protestant Association do attend in St. George's Fields, on Friday next, at ten of the o'clock in the morning, to accompany his lordship to the House of Commons on the delivery of the Protestant petition; which was carried unanimously. His lordship then informed them, that if less than twenty thousand of his fellow-citizens attended him on that day, he would not present their petition; and for the better observance of order, he moved, that they should arrange themselves in four divisions; the Protestants of the city of London on the right, those of the city of Westminster on the left, the borough of Southwark third, and the people of Scotland resident in London and its environs to form the last division; and that they might know their friends from their enemies, he added, that every real Protestant, and friend of the petition, should come with a blue cockade in his hat. On Friday, June 2, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, several thousands assembled at the place appointed, marshalling themselves in ranks, and waiting for their leader. About eleven o'clock, Lord George arrived, and gave directions in what manner he would have them proceed, and about twelve, one one party was ordered to go round over London Bridge, another over Blackfriars, and a third to follow him over Wesminster. A roll of parchment, containing the names of those who had signed the petition, was borne before them. They proceeded with great decorum on their route, and the whole body was assembled, about half past two, before both houses of parliament, on which occasion they gave a general shout. But however peaceable and well disposed some of them might be, others soon began to exercise the most arbitrary power over both lords and commons, by obliging almost all the members to put blue cockades in their hats, and call out "No Popery!' Some they compelled to take oaths to vote for the repeal of the obnoxious act, others they insulted in the most indecent and violent manner. They took possession of all the avenues from the outer door to the very door of the house of commons, which they twice attempted to force open. The like attempt was made at the house of lords; but by the exertion of the door-keepers, and the care of Sir Francis Molyneux, it did not succeed *. The * The archbishop of York was one of the first they attacked. As soon as his coach was known coming down Parliament Street, he was saluted with hisses, groans, and hootings; and when he got out of his carriage, to avoid greater mischief, was obliged to say, 'No Popery, no Popery!' The lord president of the council, Lord Bathurst, they pushed about in the rudest manner, and kicked violently on the legs. Lord Mansfield had the glasses of his carriage broken, the pannels beat in, and narrowly escaped with life. The Duke of Northumberland was exceedingly ill treated, and had his pocket picked of his watch. The bishop of Litchfield had his gown torn. The wheels of the bishop of Lincoln's carriage were taken off, and his lordship might be said to escape personal injury almost by a miracle, being obliged to seek shelter in the house of Mr. Atkinson, an attorney, where he changed his cloaths, and made his escape over the leads of the adjacent houses. The Lords Townshend and Hillsborough came together, and were greatly insulted, and sent into the house without their bags, and with their hair hanging loose upon their shoulders. The coach of Lord Stormont was broken to pieces, himself in the hands of the mob for near half an hour: he was rescued at last by a gentleman, who harangued the populace, and prevailed on them to desist. Lords Ashburnham and Boston were treated with the utmost indignity, particularly Lord Boston, who The greatest part of the day, the attention of the house of commons had been taken up in debates concerning the mob. When they had obtained some degree of order, Lord George introduced his business with informing them, that he had before him, a petition signed by near one hundred and twenty thousand of his majesty's Protestant subjects, praying, "a repeal of the act passed the last session, in favour of the Roman Catholics,' and moved to have the said petition brought up. Mr. alderman Bull seconded the motion, and leave was given accordingly. Having brought up the petition, his lordship then moved to have it taken into immediate consideration, and was again seconded by Mr. alderman Bull. After some debate, the house divided, and there appeared six for the petition, and one hundred and ninety-two against it. Soon after, the house adjourned, and the mob having dispersed from the avenues of both houses, the guards were ordered home. Though order and tranquillity were re-established in this part of the town, it was far otherwise elsewhere. The mob paraded off in different divisions from Palace Yard, and some of them went to the Romish Chapel in Duke Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, others to that in Warwick Street, Golden Square, both which they in a great measure demolished. The military were sent for, but could not arrive time enough to prevent mischief. Thirteen of the rioters were however taken, and the mob, for that night, dispersed. who was so long in their power that it was thought necessary by the peers to go as a body and endeavour, by their presence, to extricate him, but were prevented by the entrance of his lordship, with his coat all powdered, and his hair dishevelled. The front glass of Earl Gower's vis-a-vis was broken, and himself insulted and detained a considerable time. Lord Willoughby de Broke, Lord St. John, Lord Dudley, and many others, were personally ill treated; and Wellbore Elis, esquire, was obliged to take refuge in the Guildhall of Westminster (whither he was pursued) the windows of which were broke, the doors forced, and justice Addington, with all the constables, expelled. Mr. Ellis escaped with the utmost hazard. The The riots, which were so alarming on Friday evening, partly subsided on Saturday; but on Sunday in the afternoon, the rioters assembled again in large bodies, and attacked the chapels and dwelling houses of the Catholics, in and about Moorfields. They stript their houses of furniture, and their chapels not only of the ornaments and insignia of religion, but tore up the altars, pulpits, pews, and benches, and made fires of them, leaving nothing but the bare walls. On Monday, the rioters collected again. Some paraded with the reliques of havoc, which they collected in Moorfields, as far as Lord George Gordon's house in Welbeck Street, and afterwards burnt them in the adjacent fields. Another party went to Virginia Street, Wapping, and a third to Nightingale Lane, East Smithfield, where they severally destroyed the Catholic Chapels, and committed other outrages. Mr. Rainsforth, tallow-chandler, of Stanhope Street, Clare Market, and Mr. Maberley, of Little Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, who had appeared as evidences on the examination of those who had been committed, had each of their houses and shops stript, and their contents committed to the flames. Sir George Savile's house in Leicester, Fields underwent the same fate. This day also, which was held as the anniversary of the king's birth-day, a proclamation was issued, promising a reward of 500l. to those who would make discovery of the persons concerned in demolishing and setting fire to the Sardinian and Bavarian chapels. The persons formerly apprehended, were re-examined, and some were discharged; others were ordered to Newgate, and were escorted there by a party of the guards, whom, on their return, the mob pelted. All ranks of people began to be exceedingly terrified at the lawless proceedings of this day; and numbers put blue cockades in their hats, although it might now be said to be the ensign of rebellion, on purpose to avoid personal injury and insult. On Tuesday, all the military in town were ordered on duty at the Tower, at both Houses of Parliament, St. James's, St. St. George's Fields, &c. during the day. Notwithstanding every precaution, Lord Sandwich was wounded in attempt ing to go down to the parliament house, his carriage demolished, and himself rescued by the military with difficulty. About six in the evening, one party went to the house of justice Hyde, near Leicester Fields, which they destroyed; another party paraded through Long Acre, down Holborn, &c. till they came to Newgate, and publicly declared they would release the confined rioters. When they arrived at the doors of the prison, they demanded of Mr. Akerman the keeper, to have their comrades immediately delivered up to them; and upon his refusing, they began to break the windows, some to batter the doors and entrances into the cells, with pick-axes and sledge-hammers, others with ladders to elimb the walls, while several collected fire-brands, and whatever combustibles they could find, and flung into his dwelling house. What contributed to the spreading of the flames, was the great quantity of household furniture belonging to Mr. Akerman, which they threw out of the windows, piled up against the doors, and set fire to; the force of which presently communicated to the house, from the house to the chapel, and from thence through the prison. As soon as the flames had destroyed Mr. Akerman's house, which was part of Newgate, and were communicated to the wards and cells, all the prisoners, to the amount of three hundred, among whom were four under sentence of death, and were ordered for execution on the Thursday following, were released. Not satiated with the destruction of this strong building, a party was sent among the Catholics in Devonshire Street, Red Lion Square; another to the house of justice Cox, in Great Queen Street, which was soon destroyed; a third broke open the doors of the New Prison, Clerkenwell, and turned out all the confined; a fourth destroyed the furniture and effects, writings, &c. of Sir John Fielding; and a fifth desperate and infernal gang went to the elegant house of Lord Mansfield, in Bloomsbury Square, which they, with the most unrelenting fury, set fire to and consumed.-They began |