Account of the late Riots in the Cities of London and Westminster.

In the laft Seffion of the late Parliament, an Act was paffed in Favour of the Roman Catholics, intitled, An Act for relieving his Majefty's Subjects profefing the Popish Religion, from certain Penalties and Difabilities impofed on them by an Act made in the Eleventh and Twelfth Years of the Reign of King William the Third, intituled, An Act for the further preventing the Growth of Popery;' of which Act, the following is an Abstract.

T

HE preamble recites, that it is expedient to repeal certain provifions in the act of King William; and the claufes repealed are as follow:

That fo much of the faid A&t as relates to the apprehending, taking, or profecuting of Popih bishops, priefts, or jefuits; and alfo fo much of the faid act as fubjects Popish bishops, priefts or jefuits, and Papifts, or perfons profeffing the Popish religion, and keeping fchool, or taking upon themselves the education or go vernment or boarding of youth, within this realm, or the dominions thereto belonging, to perpetual imprisonment; and alfo fo

much of the faid act as difables perfons educated in the Popish religion, or profeffing the fame, under the circumftances therein mentioned, to inherit or take by defcent, devife, or limitation, in poffcffion, reverfion, or remainder, any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, within the kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, and gives to the next of kin, bé. ing a Proteftant, a right to have and enjoy fuch lands, tenements, and hereditaments; and alfo fo

much of the faid act as difables Papifts, or perfons profeffing the Popish religion, to purchase any manors, lands, profits out of lands, tenements, rents, terms, or hereditaments, within the kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, and makes void all and fingular eftates, terms, and other interefts or profits whatever out of lands, to be made, fuffered, or done, from and after the day therein mentioned, to or for the ufe or behoof of any fuch perfon or perfons, or upon any truft or confidence, mediately or immediately, for the relief of any fuch perfon or perfons; fhall be, and the fame, and every clause and matter and thing herein before-mentioned, is and are hereby repealed.

• And

And be it enacted by the authority aforefaid, That every perfon and perfons having or claiming any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, under titles not hitherto litigated, though derived from any defcent, devife, limitation, or purchase, fhall have, take, hold, and enjoy the fame, as if the faid act, or any thing therein contained, had not been made; any thing in the faid act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

Provided always, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained fhall extend, or be conftrued to affect any action or fuit now depending, which fhall be profecuted with effect, and without delay.

Provided alfo, That nothing herein contained fhall extend, or be conftrued to extend, to any perfon or perfons but fuch who hall, within the fpace of fix calendar months after the paffing of this act, or of accruing of his, her, or their title, being of the age of twenty-one years, or who, being under the age of twenty-one years, fhall, within fix months after he or she shall attain the age of twentyone years, or being of unfound mind, or in prifon, or beyond the feas, then within fix months after fuch difability removed, take and fubfcribe an oath in the words following:

The TEST or OATH. "I A. B. do fincerely promife and fwear, That I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King George the Third, and him will defend, to the utmost of my power, against all confpiracies and attempts whatever that shall be made against his perfon, crown, or dignity; and I will do my ut

moft endeavour to difclofe and make known to his majefty, his heirs and fucceffors, all treafons and traiterous confpiracies which may be formed against him or them; and I do faithfully promife to maintain, fupport, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the fucceffion of the crown in his majefty's family, against any perfon or perfons whatfoever; hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto the perfon taking upon himfelf the ftyle and title of Prince of Wales, in the lifetime of his father, and who, fince his death, is said to have affumed the ftyle and title of King of Great Britain, by the name of Charles the Third, and to any other perfon claiming or pretending a right to the crown of thefe realms: and I do fwear, that I do reject and deteft, as an unchriftian and impious pofition, That it is lawful to murder or deftroy any perfon or perfons whatfoever, for or under pretence of their being heretics; and also that unchriftian and impious principle, That no faith is to be kept with heretics: I further declare, that it is no article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, That princes excommunicated by the Pope and council, or by any authority of the See of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be depofed or murdered by their fubjects, or any perfon whatfoever; and I do declare, that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, ftate, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil jurifdiction, power, fuperiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirect

ly,

ly, within this realm. And I do folemnly, in the prefence of God, profefs, teftify, and declare, That I do make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary fenfe of the words of this oath; without any evafion, equivocation, or mental refervation whatever, and without any, difpenfation already granted by the Pope, or any authority of the See of Rome, or any perfon whatever; and without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or man, or abfolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope, or any other perfons or authority whatsoever, fhall difpenfe with or annul the fame, or declare that it was null or void."

It concludes with reciting what courts of judicature the oath is to be taken, fubfcribed, and regiftered in; and with an information, that the act fhould not be conftrued to extend to any Popish bishop, prieft, jefuit, or fchoolmafter, who fhall not have taken and fubfcribed the above oath, in the above words, before he fhall have been apprehended, or any profecution commenced against him.

The original motion was made in the Houfe of Commons by Sir George Savile, and received with univerfal approbation, and a bill was accordingly brought in and paffed both Houfes without a fingle negative.

An extenfion of the fame relief to the Catholics of Scotland, was alfo faid to have been intended by parliament. The report spread an immediate alarm throughout that country; focieties were formed for the defence of the Proteftant faith, committees appointed, books difperfed, and, in fhort, every me

thod taken to inflame the zeal of the people. These attempts being totally neglected by government, and but feebly refifted by the more liberal minded in that country, produced all their effects. A furious fpirit of bigotry and perfecution foon fhewed itself, and broke out into the most outrageous acts of violence and cruelty against the Papifts at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere. As government did not think it advifable to reprefs this fpirit by force, the just and benevolent intentions of the legiflature were laid aside.

The fuccefsful refiftance of the zealots in Scotland to any relaxation of the penal laws against Papifts, feems to have given the first rife to the Proteftant Affociation in England: for about the fame time bills were difperfed, and advertifements inferted in the newspapers, inviting those who wished well to the caufe, to unite under that title; and Lord George Gordon, who had been so active at the head of the malecontents in Scotland, was chofen their prefident. On Monday, May 29, a meeting was held at Coach-makers-hall, purfuant to public advertisement, in order to confider of the mode of prefenting a petition to the Houfe of Commons. Lord George Gordon took the chair, and after a long inflammatory harangue, in which he endeavoured to perfuade his hearers of the rapid and alarming progrefs that Popery was making in this kingdom, he proceeded to observe, that the only way to flop it was going in a firm, manly, and refolute manner to the Houfe, and fhewing their reprefentatives that they were determined to preferve their religious

free dom

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freedom with their lives. That, for his part, he would run all hazards with the people; and if the people were too lukewarm to run all hazards with him, when their confcience and their country call them forth, they might get another prefident; for he would tell them candidly, that he was not a lukewarm man himself, and that if they meant to spend their time in mock debate and idle oppofition, they might get another leadThis fpeech was received with the loudeft applaufe, and his lordfhip then moved the following refolution: That the whole body of the Proteftant Affociation do attend in Saint George's-fields, on Friday next, at ten o'clock in the morning, to accompany his lordfhip to the House of Commons on the delivery of the Proteftant petition;" which was carried unanimously. His lordship then in. formed them, that if lefs than 20,000 of his fellow-citizens at tended him on that day, he would not prefent their petition; and for the better obfervance of order, he moved, that they fhould arrange themfelves in four divifions; the Proteftants of the city of London on the right; thofe of the city of Westminster on the left; the borough of Southwark third; and the people of Scotland refident in London and its environs to form the laft divifion; and that they might know their friends from their enemies, he added, that every real Proteftant, and friend of the petition, fhould come with blue cockades in their hats.

Accordingly, on Friday, June 2, at ten in the forenoon, feveral thousands affembled at the place appointed, marshalling themfelves VOL. XXIII.

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 party was ordered to go round over London-bridge, another over Blackfriars, and a third to follow him over Weftminster. A roll of parchment, containing the names of those who had figned the petition, was borne before them. They proceeded with great decorum on their route, and the whole body was affembled, about half past two, before both Houfes. of parliament, on which occafion they gave a general hout.

But however peaceable and well difpofed fome of them might be, others foon began to exercife the moft 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 infulted in the most indecent and violent manner. They took poffeffion of all the avenues up to the very doors of both Houfes of Parliament, which they twice attempted to force open. The Archbishop of York was one of the first they attacked. As foon as his coach was known coming down Parliament-ftreet, he was faluted with hiffes, groans, and hootings. The Lord Prefident of the Council, Lord Bathurst, they pufhed about in the rudeft maaner, and kicked violently on the legs. Lord Mansfield had the giaffes of his carriage broken, the pannels beat in, and narrowly efcaped with life. The Duke of Northumberland had his pocket pick[R]

ed

ed 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 escaped with life, being obliged to feek shelter in the houfe 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 infulted, and fent into the Houfe without their bags, and with their hair hanging loofe on 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 gentle. man, who harangued the mob, and prevailed on them to defift. Lords Ashburnham and Boston were treated with the utmost indignity, particularly Lord Bofton, who was fo long in their power that it was propofed by fome of the peers to go as a body, and endeavour, by their prefence, to extricate him; but whilst they were deliberating, his lordship escaped without any any material hurt. Lord Willoughby de Broke, Lord St. John, Lord Dudley, and many others, were perfonally ill treated; and Wellbore Ellis, Efq; was obliged to take refuge in the Guildhall of Westminster (whither he was purfued) the windows of which were broke, the doors forced, and Juftice Addington, with all the constables, expel ed: Mr. Ellis efcaped with the utmoft hazard.

Lord George Gordon, during thefe unwarrantable proceedings, came feveral times to the top of the gallery stairs, whence he ha.

rangued the people, and informed them of the bad fuccefs their petition was like to meet with, and marked out fuch members as were oppofing it, particularly Mr. Burke, the member for Bristol. He told them, at firft, that it was propofed to take it into confideration on Tuesday, in a Committee of the House, but that he did not like delays, for the parliament might be prorogued by that time.

He afterwards came and faid, Gentlemen, the alarm has gone forth for many miles round the city. You have got a very good prince, who, as foon as he fhall hear the alarm has feized fuch a number of men, will no doubt fend down private orders to his minifters to enforce the prayer of your petition.

General Conway, and feveral other members, expoftulated with him very warmly on the mischiefs that might arife from fuch conduct; and Colonel Gordon, a near relation of his lordship's, went up to him, and accosted him in the following manner: My Lord George, do you intend to bring your rafcally adherents into the Houfe of Commons? If you do the first man of them that enters, I will plunge my fword not into his, but into your body.

While his lord fhip was making his fecond fpeech to the mob, another of his relations, General Grant, came behind him, and endeavoured to draw him back into the House, and faid to him, • For God's fake, Lord George! do not lead thefe poor people into any danger.'-His lordship, how. ever, made the general no answer, but continued his harangue