ses of parliament. Their distinctive
badge was to be a blue cockade, and their cry, "No Popery!" The day
appointed for them to meet was on the 2nd of June, on which day Lord
George had previously informed the house that he meant to present a
petition, and to come down to the house with all those who had signed
it. Such a stouthearted champion could not be left in the field
alone; so accordingly on the day appointed some 60,000 petitioners and
associaters met according to his directions. They were divided into four
companies, one of them being entirely composed of Scotchmen; and after
a stirring harangue from Lord George, the several columns struck off
by different roads for Westminster. As they proceeded along they
were joined by all the knaves and cut-purses of London; and when they
assembled before the houses of parliament, and raised the long and loud
cry of "No Popery!" the members of the fraternity of thieves picked
every pocket into which they could insinuate their hands, and did all
they could to create a riot, which would turn to their own advantage.
Every avenue to the houses of parliament was blocked up, and as the
peers and members of the house of commons arrived, they were compelled
to join the cry of "No Popery!" or to submit to insult and ill
treatment. Some of the bishops had their gowns torn off their backs, or
were otherwise ill-treated; various temporal peers were treated with the
greatest indignity; while those members of the commons who were known to
have voted for the relief of the Papists, had to take their seats this
day minus their outer garments. All this time there was a deafening and
incessant roar of "Repeal the Bill!" "No Popery!" "Lord George Gordon!"
When Lord George had been in the house some time the mob became more
bold. On a sudden they began to thunder at the doors to break them open.
Some members threatened Lord George with instant death if the sanctity
of the house should be violated by the mob he had collected; and it
is said that Mr. Henry Herbert followed him closely with that
determination, and that General Murray, a relation to the mad lord, held
his sword ready to pass it through him on the first irruption of the
mob. None, however, made their appearance; and when something like
order was restored, Lord George moved for bringing up and immediately
considering the petition. This was seconded by Alderman Bull, and the
first proposition was granted as a matter of course, but the se