In the beginning of the year 1780, most of the counties in England petitioned Parliament for a redress of grievances, and for leffening the expenditure of public money. The Commons, after debating on these petitions, refolved, "that the influence of the crown is increased, increasing, and ought to be diminished:" upon which, great rejoicings were made, to fee the minority become the majority: but they continued fo but a day, and, as Lord George Gordon faid, were like a rope of fand that is falling to pieces every day. And we are informed by the news-papers, that he faid in the house, that the Scots thought the king was a Papist; and if they had not satisfaction on that point, and if the king did not keep his coronation oath, he had got an hundred and fixty thousand men in Scotland, who were determined to cut off his h

Admiral Rodney obtained fome advantage over the French in the Weft-Indies, thought

though he was not well fupported by feveral of his captains.

The Dutch refused to affift England, and pretended to give just reasons for it.

All this time, the flag deep dyed in blood, continues flying in America.

"Remorseless war, how fatal to the brave, Wild as rough feas, voracious as the grave,

Fear flies before thee, thou relentless hears, The mothers pray'rs, and fees the virgin's tears."

CHAP.

CHA P. XVI.

From the firft Rife of the Proteftant Affoci_ ation, to the beginning of the Year 1781.

MANY people were much afraid of the increate of Popery, and formed them

felves into an Affociation called The ProteFant Afociation, Lord George Gordon being their prefident. They drew up a petition to parliament, praying a repeal of the late act in favour of the Roman Catholics., Lord George Gordon, by a public advertilement defired thofe who had figned the petition, to meet in St. George's fields to accompany him to the Houfe of Commons, to prefent their petition.

Accordingly on Friday, June 2, 1780, Lord George Gordon met fifty thousand petitioners

par

petitioners, with blue cockades in their hats, in St. George's Fields, and defired them to walk with him in a fober manner to the liament house to prefent the petition, which they did. Some went over WestminsterBridge, and others over Black-Friars and London-Bridges, and through the city with flags flying: on one of which was the following words, London Proteftant Affocia

tion.

Soon after thefe affociators had approach. ed the houfe, amidst many thousands of fpectators, Lord Gordon told fome of them that he feared their petition would not be granted. After fome little time, several perfons out of doors began to be riotous, and infulted several members going to the houle, particularly, the Lords Boston, Sandwich, and Hilfborough, the Bishop of Lincoln, and feveral others.

Hence

Hence arises a very important question :— who were those riotous perfons? It seems natural to fuppofe, that among such a vast number of affociators, there were fome weak, ignorant persons, who might expe rience the want of knowledge, and yet have such a strong blind zeal as to think they were doing their duty, when infulting the members of parliament.

But the affociators have afferted, that not one of them was riotous; and indeed, as yet, it does not appear that of them

were.

any

Lord George presented the petition for the repeal of the Popish bill (which was figned by near one hundred and twenty thousand petitioners) and moved that it be taken into immediate confideration, and was feconded by Alderman Bull, but the motion was loft by an hundred and ninety

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