Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 397, November 1848Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 397, November 1848
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
One would think the "Oxford scholars," accounted such fervent
Jacobites, might have replied victoriously to such tepid couplets as
this. But their hearts were down at their King's repulse. And poor
as the verses were, no doubt they took wonderfully at the time,--so
much, in such things, depends upon the _apropos_. And now a large
section of the Tories, previously favourable to the Jacobites, broke
away from them in their misfortune, made their peace with the ruling
powers, and took the oath of allegiance. But long after fighting
was over in the North--to be revived only in '45 by the chivalrous
Charles Edward--the Jacobite mob kept London in hot water, and,
thanks to the inefficiency of the police, might have done serious
mischief, but for the Muggite Societies formed at that period. These
were simply Whig clubs, meeting at certain public-houses, (the
Magpie and Stump, in Newgate Street, was one,) and sallying out
upon occasion to fight the Jacobites. The latter had also taverns
of rendezvous, but these were few, and it was chiefly the lowest
mob that in London still sported the White Rose, and cursed the
Hanoverian. In most of the many conflicts that then occurred, the
"Jacks" got the worst of it. If they assembled to break windows on an
illumination night, or to burn William or George in effigy, they were
soon assailed by the Loyal Society, or some other Whig association,
who, acting as special constables without having taken the oath,
drubbed them with cudgels, and extinguished their bonfires. It would
appear that the Jacks did not often venture to impede the Whig mob
in the performance of analogous ceremonies; since we read of a
certain Fifth of November, when caricature effigies of the Pretender
and his chief adherents and supporters were carried in triumph
through the streets. "First, two men bearing each a warming-pan,
with a representation of the infant Pretender--a nurse attending
him with a sucking bottle, and another playing with him by beating
the warming-pan. These were followed by three trumpeters, playing
Lillibulero and other Whig tunes. Then came a cart with Ormond and
Marr, appropriately dressed. This was followed by another cart,
containing the Pope and Pretender seated together, and Bolingbroke
as the secretary of the latter. They were all drawn backwards, with
halters round their necks." The sole opposition made by the Jacobites
to this outrageous demonstration, was by the somewhat paltry
proceeding of stealing the faggots collected for the Whig bonfire.
Four months after this, the Jacobites attempted a procession, and a
great fight ensued, in which the Whigs were victorious, after having
"made rare work for the surgeons." The government of the day showed
little mercy to the rioters. Seditious ballad-singers, and persons
holding disloyal discourse, were flogged and pilloried; and at last,
the hanging of several of the disaffected for storming a Mug-house,
put an end to the disturbances. That the Whigs did not bear their
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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