time none of the prisoners were released; they were twenty-three, five of whom had come from Gloucester on Friday night. A boy soon made his appearance, and cheering called on the mob to knock off his irons ;this being done, he ran into the prison and joined the rioters. Two respectably dressed men were very active in giving directions; one of them is supposed to be the same person who issued the orders at the Cumberland Toll-gates. On the prisoners coming out ironed, there was a general cry for the keeper, and the mob were so infuriated that they threw three of his pigs into the flames. Every part of the prison which could be burnt was soon in a blaze. They proceeded across the road to the New Inn, and a few of them searched the house for the keeper; they threatened to fire the house, but Clarke stepped forward and without doubt saved the premises. Here they demanded refreshment, which was served to them. They then broke up the parish stocks, and went to the Lock-up-house in Pennywell-lane, broke the door and fastenings, and would have destroyed the place, but it adjoined the poor-house. Some of the ruffians cried "To the New Church;" but they were told that the Bishop's Palace must be fired first.*

The three prisons, in different quarters of the city, were all at the same moment sending into the air

* On their way to Lawford's Gate Prison, in going down Gloucester-lane, they stopped opposite the premises of a respectable wine and spirit concern, and one of them said," these are the leaders of the bloody Blues." After having fired the Prison they returned, broke open the premises, drank a large quantity of spirits, and then called for a light. The proprietors being universally respected, many of their neighbours had come down to their assistance, and on their attempting to fire the premises, came forward, and headed by

their flashes of fire and volumes of smoke, an appalling sight to the inhabitants of the city, now in consternation and dismay. Terror ran from street to street, and the fearful addition of the inmates of goals to the rebel ruffians, created an alarm for the consequences of the approaching night not to be described. The worst was to be feared. The city seemed given up to the lawless insolence and outrage of the most daring villains. It was about half-past six when Lawford's-gate prison was fired.

two active men, drove them off. Gregory, who was afterwards executed for firing a house, was active in this outrage at Lawford's Gate Prison. At the top of the Old Market he addressed the mob, having a large bar in his hand, which he used to direct them. Clarke was also in this riot, and on his way from the prison, called at a druggist's shop in West-street, asked for some money, and produced the keys of the Lawford's Gate Bridewell, and on leaving the shop, said "I am off for the Palace."

PART X.

FIRING OF THE BISHOP'S PALACE.

The mob proceeded in three divisions to the Bishop's Palace, two from Lawford's-gate, the other from the City Bridewell. It is nearly two miles from Lawford'sgate to College-green, yet the rioters met there-the first party came up Castle-street, through Mary-le-portstreet and the Market-this was about half-past seven. Christopher Davis was with them, and when they came near the Cathedral they beat time on the stones with the iron bars with which many of them were armed. Near the Deanery, Davis began to abuse the Bishops, stating, among other things, that it was a shame a Bishop should have £40,000. per annum,* while so many poor persons were starving.

The entrance gates of the Palace-yard had been closed, but were soon lifted off their hinges. The mob then rushed through the Cloisters to the Palace door, which was forced with a crow bar, and they entered shouting "The King, and no Bishops." One party rushed into the dining-room-in a minute the sideboard, large glass lamp, and chairs were demolished. They then sent the dining tables into the fire-place, put broken pieces of furniture under the tables, and set them on fire. Another party went into the kitchen, where similar scenes of demolition were enacted—the fire from the

*The Bishopric of Bristol scarcely exceeds in value 1000/, a-year.

kitchen grate was put on the dresser, and a pile of wood placed round it. Up-stairs, the feather-beds were cut open, and live cinders placed within. While these operations were in progress, others of the mob were busy in plundering and carrying off whatever was portable.

The Mayor and Magistrates had just returned to the Council-house from the office of Colonel Brereton, when they were informed that the Mansion-house was in the act of being fired: and at nearly the same moment information was received, that the mob, after firing Lawford's gate prison, were returning, with the intention of destroying the Bishop's Palace, and Berkeley-square, where one of the Magistrates resided. The Mayor promptly offered to head a party for the protection of the Mansion-house; but after a short parley as to which of the places should be defended, the Magistrates determined upon directing every effort to save the Palace, and a messenger was accordingly sent to the stables to order the dragoons to meet them.

About two-thirds of the gentlemen present left the Council-house with three Magistrates, in two divisions. The first party reached the Palace just before the great body of the rioters arrived from Lawford's-gate. Col. Brereton was in College Green with some of the dragoons, and they entered the Cloisters together. On going into the Palace their first business was to put out the fires, which they effected, the soldiers, about sixteen, having formed in two lines, face to face, before the door.

The mob ran in all directions, there being here a conflict. The constables struck some of the incendiary ruffians as they were coming out of the Palace, upon

which Col. B. said, before the mob, that if the striking was repeated he would ride the constables down!! Some of the rioters retreated into the garden; search was made for others, and some heavy blows dealt. Several were found concealed in the house, among them a lad named Warry, who had led the mob to the Gaol. There being no place of security to which they could be sent, they were tied to large casks in the cellar. The second party of gentlemen from the Council-house were divided by the mob; the constables, however, proceeded; but at the Deanery they found the approach to the Palace crowded with people. If they had attempted to force their way through this mass, and the dragoons had acted, they would have been equal sufferers with the rioters, for it was not easy in the dark and in a conflict to distinguish friend from foe. Of the party, however, who had succeeded in reaching the Palace, some were in the garden and others in various parts of the Palace, when they heard a great cheering, and it was soon ascertained that the dragoons had deserted them,*-they had moved away without any notice ;

One of the charges against Col. Brereton, on his trial by CourtMartial, embraced this portion of the lamentable occurrences of Sunday evening: "That about seven or eight o'clock in the evening of the said Sunday, when the Bishop's Palace in Bristol had been attacked by the rioters, and the Magistrates had thereupon required the attendance of the troops to save the said Palace; and when, after the said rioters had broken in the gates of the said Palace court, and had also forced the main door of the Palace itself; he, Lieut.-Col. Brereton, with a detachment of the 3rd dragoon guards, under his immediate and personal command, entered the said Palace court, and formed such detachment within the same; nevertheless he, the said Lieut.-Colonel, remained in the said Palace court wholly inactive with the said detachment during the commission of various acts of outrage by the rioters, under his own eyes; he, the said Lieut.Colonel, refusing or omitting to comply with the application of certain of the Bishop's servants, as well as of certain constables, and