Even this was but a moiety of the mifchief of this terrible night. Not fatiated with the deftruction of this great building, a party was fent among the Catholics in Devonshire-street, Red Lion-square; another to the house of Justice Cox in Great Queen-ftreet, which was foon deftroyed; a third broke open the doors of the New Prifon, Clerkenwell, and turned out all the confined; a fourth deftroyed the furniture and effects, writings, &c, of Sir John Fielding; and a fifth defperate and infernal gang went to the elegant houfe of Lord Mansfield, in Bloomfbury-fquare, which they, with the most unreJenting fury, fet fire to and confumed. The lofs here was immenfe, both to Lord Mansfield as an individual, and to the public. A most yaluable collection of pictures, fome of the fcarceft manufcripts faid to be in the poffeffion of any private perfon in the world, with all his Lordship's notes on great law cafes, and the conftitution of England, were all facrificed by madmen and villains; and Lord and Lady Mansfield were with difficulty preferved from their rage, by making their efcape through a back door, a few minutes before thefe mifcreants broke in and took poffeffion of the house, The military was fent for, but arrived too late; they were obliged, however, to fire in their own defence, and fix men and a woman were killed, and feveral wounded. Not contented with the havock and deftruction they had been guilty of

in

in Bloomsbury, they went from thence to his Lordship's country feat at Caen Wood, which would certainly have fhared the fame fate, had not they been repelled by a party of Horfe which had been fent thither for the preservation of this delightful place. The inhabitants were obliged this night to illuminate their windows.

It is impoffible to give any adequate defcription of the events of Wednesday. Notice was fent round to the public prifons of the King's Bench, Fleet, &c. by the Mob, at what time they would come and burn them down. The fame kind of infernal humanity was exercised towards Mr. Langdale, a distiller in Holborn, and several other Romish individuals. Three boys went through the ftreets, and in particular down Holborn, in the middle of the day, with iron bars, got from the railing before Lord Mansfield's houfe, extorting money at every fhop huzzaing and fhouting, "No Popery!" and though numbers were paffing and repaffing, the inhabitants durft not refuse them money; nor durft any body attempt to fecure them, to have them punished. Small parties of the like daring nature were formed in other parts, and the whole city was laid under contribution. One man in particular was mounted on horseback, and refufed to take any thing but gold. Two men in the broad day, not contented with the former mischief, got into Mr. Mabberly's house in Queen-ftreet, and

ftaid

ftaid for upwards of an hour knocking down the wainscoting, and every bit of wood work they could, with fafety to themselves; and though a great many peaceable well dreffed people looked on, no one molested them. In the afternoon all the shops were fhut, and bits of blue filk, by way of flags, hung out at moft houses, with the words, "No Popery," chalked on the doors and window fhutters, by way of deprecating the fury of the infurgents, from which no perfon thought himself fecure.

As foon as the day was drawing towards a close, one of the most awful and dreadful fpectacles this country ever beheld was exhibited. The mob had not only declared their refolution of firing the prifons, and fome private houses, but had avowed their intention to destroy the Bank, Gray's Inn, Temple, Lincoln's Inn, the Grand Arsenal at Woolwich, and Royal Palaces. A univerfal ftupor had feized the minds of men: They looked at one another, and waited with a refigned confternation for the events which were to follow. Government indeed had exerted itfelf to the utmoft, as far as their power, under the direction of the civil magiftrate, would extend. Now, however, it was become neceffary to make use of the royal prerogative, and give difcretionary powers to the military. Nothing could convey a more awful idea of the mifchief which was dreaded, than the ftrong guard which

was

was placed in the Royal Fxchange for the pro tection of the Bank, as nothing perhaps could have equalled the national defolation, had the diabolical purposes of the infurgents upon this place fucceeded. Befides this, foldiers were diftributed at Guildhall, in the Inns of Court, in almost every place tenable as a fortification, and in some private houses; and the cannon was difpofed to the best advantage in the Park.

With minds thus predifpofed to terror by fo many objects of devastation, and in a city which but a few days before enjoyed the most perfect tranquility, let those who were not spectators judge what the inhabitants felt when they be held at the fame inftant the flames afcending and rolling in vaft and voluminous clouds from the King's Bench and Fleet Prifons, from New Bridewell, from the Toll gates on Blackfriars Bridge, from houfes in every quarter of the town, and particularly from the bottom and middle of Holborn, where the conflagration was horrible beyond defcription. The houses that were first fet on fire at this latt mentioned place, both belonged to Mr. Langdale, an eminent diftiller, and contained immenfe quantities of fpirituous liquors. It is eafy to conceive what fury these would add to the flames; but to form an adequate idea of the diftrefs of the neighbouring inhabitants, or indeed of the inhabitants in every part of the city, is not fo eafy.

Men,

Men, women, and children were running up and down with beds, glaffes, bundles, or whatever they wished most to preferve. In streets where there were no fires, numbers were removing their goods and effects at midnight. The tremendous roar of the infatiate and innumerable fiends who were the authors of these horrible fcenes, was heard at one instant, and at the next the dreadful report of foldiers mufkets, as if firing in platoons, and at various places; in fhort, every thing which could imprefs the mind with ideas of univerfal anarchy, and approaching defolation, seemed to be accumulating. Sleep and reft were things not thought of; the streets were swarming with people, and uproar, cónfufion, and terror reigned in every part.

It is hardly poffible to collect, in one point of view, the havock of this night; had half the mifchief the Mob had threatened been effected, nothing less than national bankruptcy and deftruction could have enfued: that they were prevented at those places, on the fafety of which the very exiftence of the empire might be faid to depend, was owing not to their want of will but power, and to the exertion of Government. They made two attempts upon the Bank; but were fo much intimidated by the ftrength with which they beheld it guarded, that their attacks. were but feebly conducted. They were led on to the firft by a brewer's fervant on horfeback, who F had