the
rioters, and as the crowd gave way, one of the ringleaders called upon
them to repair to the magistrate's house who took the lead in dispersing
them, and this was soon pulled down. By this time the members of
the commons had taken into consideration the petition which was the
forerunner of all these riots. Lord George Gordon, who, dreading
the effects of his madness, had issued hand-bills in the name of the
Protestant Association, to disavow the riots, was in the house, and some
talk occurred about expelling him, and committing him to the Tower. All
that was done, however, was to agree to a resolution, "That when the
present tumults were subsided, they would take into consideration the
petitions from many of his majesty's Protestant subjects." This had been
no sooner done than dreadful news arrived from the city, and the
house adjourned in haste and confusion. The mob had proceeded from
St. Martin's-street, where the house of the magistrate which they had
demolished was situate, to Newgate, declaring that they would release
their brother rioters. The prison was accordingly fired, and more
than three hundred ruffians were liberated, and joined in the work of
desolation. The houses of Sir John Fielding and Lord Mansfield were
the next objects of their attack; and the furniture, the books, the
paintings, the papers, and everything that was valuable therein were
destroyed. And here the true character of the mob displayed itself. It
is manifest, indeed, that none of the real members of the Association
took part in these outrages, but that they were committed by men
who cared more for a pot of good ale and a glass of gin than for the
Protestant interest. Hence, their first object, when they had
entered the houses of Sir John Fielding and Lord Mansfield, was the
wine-cellars. They drank till they were raving mad! It was in this state
that they were found by a detachment of foot-guards in and opposite the
house of Lord Mansfield. The officer who commanded them was requested to
enter the house with his men; but he replied, that the justices of the
peace had all run away; and that consequently it was impossible for the
military to act. The spirit of mischief, therefore, was permitted to
work at its pleasure. The new prison at Clerkenwell next shared the
fate of Newgate, and all the felons and other prisoners there let loose
upon society; their first impulse being to join the mob, to increase the
havock, and to plunder, burn,