[The disgraceful “No Popery” riots, which filled London with
terror, and the whole country with alarm, in June, 1780,
were occasioned by the recent relaxation of the severe penal
laws against the Catholics. The rioters were headed by Lord
George Gordon, a crazy enthusiast. Dr. Johnson has given a
lively account of the disturbance in his “Letters to Mrs.
Thrale,” some excerpts from which will, perhaps, be not
unacceptable to the reader.
“9th June, 1780. on Friday (June 2) the good protestants met
in Saint George's Fields, at the summons of Lord George
Gordon; and marching to Westminster, insulted the lords and
commons, who all bore it with great tameness. At night the
outrages began by the demolition of the mass-house by
Lincoln's Inn.
“An exact journal of a week's defiance of government I
cannot give you. On Monday Mr. Strahan, who had been
insulted, spoke to Lord Mansfield, who had, I think, been
insulted too, of the licentiousness of the populace; and his
lordship treated it as a very slight irregularity. On
Tuesday night they pulled down Fielding's[130] house, and
burnt his goods in the street. They had gutted on Monday
Sir George Savile's house, but the building was saved. On
Tuesday evening, leaving Fielding's ruins, they went to
Newgate to demand their companions, who had been seized
demolishing the chapel. The keeper could not release them
but by the mayor's permission, which he went to ask; at his
return he found all the prisoners released, and Newgate in a
blaze. They then went to Bloomsbury, and fastened upon Lord
Mansfield's house, which they pulled down; and as for his
goods, they totally burnt them. They have since gone to
Caen-wood, but a guard was there before them. They plundered
some papists, I think, and burnt a mass-house in Moorfields
the same night.
“On Wednesday I walked with Dr. Scot to look at Newgate and
found it in ruins, with the fire yet glowing. As I went by,
the Protestants were plundering the sessions-house at the
Old Bailey. There were not, I believe, a hundred; but they
did their work at leisure, in full security, without
sentinels without trepidation, as men lawfully employed in
full day. Such is the cowardice of a commercial place. On
Wednesday they broke open the Fleet, and the King's Bench,
and the Marshalsea, and Woodstreet Compter, and Clerkenwell
Bridewell, and released all the prisoners. At night they
set fire to the Fleet, and to the King's Bench, and I know
not how many other places; and one might see the glare of
conflagration fill the sky from many parts. The sight was
dreadful.
“The King said in council, 'That the magistrates had not
done their duty, but that he would do his own;' and a
proclamation was published, directing us to keep our
servants within doors, as the peace was now to be preserved
by force. The soldiers were sent out to different parts,
and the town is now at quiet. What has happened at your
house[131] you will know: the harm is only a few butts of
beer; and, I think, you may be sure that the danger is
over.”
10th June, 1780. The soldiers are stationed so as to be
everywhere within call. There is no longer any body of
rioters, and the individuals are hunted to their holes, and
led to prison. Lord George was last night sent to the Tower.
Government now acts again with its proper force---and we are
all under the protection of the King and the law.--ED.]
When we came home our newspaper accounts of the tumults In town with
Lord George Gordon and his mob, alarmed us very much; but we had still
no notion of the real danger you were all in.
Next day we drank tea with the Dowdlers. At our return home we were
informed a mob was surrounding a new Roman Catholic chapel. At first we
disbelieved it, but presently one of the servants came and told us they
were knocking it to pieces; and in half an hour, looking out of our
windows, we saw it in flames: and listening, we heard loud and violent
shouts!
I shall write no particulars--the horrible subject you have had more
than your share of. Mrs. Thrale and I sat up till four o'clock, and
walked about the parades, and at two we went with a large party to the
spot, and saw the beautiful new building consuming; the mob then were
all quiet--all still and silent, and everybody seemed but as spectators.
Saturday morning, to my inexpressible concern, brought me no letters
from town, and my uneasiness to hear from you made me quite wretched.
Mrs. Thrale had letters from Sir Philip Clerke and Mr. Perkins, to
acquaint her that her town-house had been three times attacked, but was
at last saved by guards; her children, plate, money, and valuables all
removed. Streatham also threatened, and emptied of all its furniture.
The same morning also we saw a Bath and Bristol paper, in which Mr.
Thrale was asserted to be a papist. This villanous falsehood terrified
us even for his personal safety, and Mrs. Thrale and I agreed it was
best to leave Bath directly, and travel about the country.
She left to me the task of acquainting Mr. Thrale with these
particulars, being herself too much disturbed to be capable of such a
task. I did it as well as I could, and succeeded so far that, by
being lightly told of it, he treated it lightly, and bore it with much
steadiness and composure. We then soon settled to decamp.
We had no time nor spirits pour prendre conge stuff, but determined to
call upon the Bowdlers and Miss Cooper. They were all sorry to part,
and Miss Cooper, to my equal surprise and pleasure, fairly made a
declaration of her passion for me, assuring me she had never before
taken so great a fancy to a new acquaintance, and beginning warmly the
request I meant to make myself, of continuing our intimacy in town.