Mr. Burn says, Mr. Lawrence (a clergyman in Birmingham) and another gentleman exerted their utmost endeavours to save the Doctor's laboratory."* That Mr. Lawrence was no rioter, and did not himself assist in the destruction of my property, I readily acknowledge. But it does not appear that he took any pains to restrain the Rioters when they were demolishing the house. On the contrary, they considered him as their friend. Mr. Lawrence was also observed to be reading several of my MS. papers, and to put them into his pocket. What he did with them afterwards, does not appear. He must have known that, being my property, he ought to have returned them to me or to my friends. If they were letters, he ought not, as a man of honour, to have read them at all.

In what light the Rioters considered Mr. Lawrence, may appear from the following circumstance: when he went to the house the second time, in the morning of the fifteenth, the Rioters at my house repeatedly said that Mr. Lawrence had been there, that they were sure he thought they were doing right, for he laughed at them, and they would be damned if they would not go on. Some of them shook him by the hand, crying out, "The curate of the new church; by God! by God!" They continued to surround him, and to shake him by the hand near half an hour, while he only desired them to loose him, but expressed no disapprobation of their conduct.

At the same time that, in my own vindication, I mention these particulars of the conduct of some of the clergy of Birmingham, with the greatest satisfaction I do justice to Mr. Darwell, who was indefatigable in his exertions in favour of Mr. Jukes, and, I believe, of other Dissenters.

That the Rioters considered the clergy as being favourable to them, may easily be inferred from every circumstance, which shewed that the Dissenters, as such, were the object of their malice. When Mr. Ryland's house was burning, one of the magistrates, pointing to the church, said, “You see your church, you have done your best for it. Do not do any more. We are much obliged to you; you see your strength," &c. &c. Mr. Carles said to Mr. W. Ryland, and two other Dissenters who were following him in the street, on the fifteenth, that they must not come after him, for, as they were known to be Dissenters, it would only irritate the mob, and make them more violent; but when

he came to the inn where Mr. Carles had promised to meet him, he found the door shut against him.

That other persons besides the magistrates and the clergy were favourable to the Rioters, and approved of much of what they did, appeared from several circumstances. On the fifteenth, about noon, Mr. J. Green said, "We are satisfied with what is done, and now I wish they would give over, for they have done enough." On the same day, the gentleman in the green coat, one instance of whose conduct has been mentioned before, being at the house of Mr. Ryland, pulled off his hat, and huzzaed to the Rioters, saying, "Gentlemen, I applaud you for what you have done, but stop here. This is private property. Though these are the men who wish to overturn the constitution, we have other means of redress." The mob, however, continued to destroy the house.

At Sparkbrook turnpike, three gentlemen being on horseback, were conversing very familiarly with the Rioters, while my house was burning; when one of them said aloud, "My lads, you see your power; you see that if any attempt is made against the government of this country, you have it in your power to quash it."

That some persons above the condition of the common rioters were deeply concerned in the business, appeared from many circumstances, besides those that are mentioned in my Appeal. The forged letter, which was read at my house, in order to instigate the mob to do me mischief, is alone a proof of this.* When I was at Warwick, at the time of the assizes, I received a summons from our opponents, the hand-writing of which could not be distinguished from that of this forged letter. I have no doubt myself who the writer of this forged letter was, though no legal proof can be given of it.

Another forged letter was read at Mr. Russell's house, a copy of which could not be procured, but the following account of it is given upon oath. Two men were on horseback while the house was burning, and one of them read a paper, which he declared he had found in the house, purporting that "the Presbyterians intended to rise, to burn down the church, blow up the parliament, cut off the king's head, and abolish all taxes. The paper was signed E. Jefferies, No. 24, St. Thomas's Street, London. † The 16th

A copy of it will appear in Appendix, No. XXVI. (P.)

+ Where Mr. Jeffries (see supra, p. 379, Note) then resided as treasurer of St. Thomas's Hospital.

of August, they said, was the time fixed for the insurrection. The person who read the paper said, "Damn it, you see they would destroy us. It is right that we should crush them in time."

They had also another letter, which one of the persons present said, was to know how many forces Mr. Russell could collect by the tenth, and that they should be ready to join in concert with their friends in Scotland. This letter was said to be signed by the steward of the Revolution Society. He that had this letter said, "Damn them, we will destroy every Presbyterian's house in England." A stranger, who was present, saying that some of the Rioters would be hanged for what they were doing, one of them answered, "How can they hang us, when the justices set us agait?" Being asked what justices, he said, "Master Carles and Master Spencer, and I must do the justices' work, and by God I will go to the pay-table to-night, for I have worked damned hard. Wont you, Tom?" Tom answered, "And by God will I." The person who read one of these forged letters was so described as to be well known in Birmingham.

The following circumstances also shew that there were promoters of the Riot among persons of better condition, and that they disguised themselves for the purpose. While the New Meeting was destroying, a person was there who had the appearance of a gentleman, his linen being fine, and with ruffles tucked up. He was very anxious to have the meeting-house consumed, and stood two hours viewing it. The same person was seen at Mr. Russell's, but differently dressed, and on horseback.

After the Rioters had entered the Old Meeting, a person was seen in the gallery who had the appearance of a gentleman, but who endeavoured to disguise himself with a great coat, the cape of which he buttoned up as high as he could, and his hat was brought down very low. Three or four persons came up to him, and conversed with him in whispers. One of the Rioters, knowing the witness, aimed a blow at him, so that he left them.

At Mosely Hall also a person was seen above the lower class with a riding-coat buttoned up to his chin, and which covered a great part of his head and face. He went about in a deliberate manner, giving orders, which were obeyed. There were several persons dressed like gentlemen at Mr. Humphrys's, but especially at Mr. Russell's, encouraging the Rioters, laughing at them, and saying, they served the

Presbyterians right, for they deserved it. The last circum stance that I shall mention with this view is, that a lady, in a mixed company, unwarily said, "I very often laugh to think what a figure our three Dons would cut, one in a waggoner's frock, another with his face blacked, and the other with his hair cropped." But a hint being given that a Dissenter was in the company, she proceeded no farther.

SECTION VIII.

Circumstances subsequent to the Riot.

HAVING Considered what passed previous to the Riot, and during the continuance of it, as a proof that it originated in the bigotry of the high-church people against the Dissenters, I proceed to what passed subsequent to it; and it will sufficiently appear that the same malignant spirit continued to actuate many persons in Birmingham, in its vicinity, and indeed through the whole kingdom; so that the news of it was far from being so displeasing as it ought to have been.

The conduct of the magistrates, which has been shewn to have been so criminally remiss, to speak in the most favourable manner, could not but have been known to the generality of the people of Birmingham, and yet at a public town's meeting, "certainly," says Mr. Burn," one of the most numerous, unanimous, and," as he adds, “respectable, ever convened at Birmingham, called for the express purpose of thanking our magistrates, there did not appear any one fact that would justify them in withholding their warmest acknowledgments from those gentlemen."*

That any public meeting should be called to thank persons whose conduct was so culpable as that of Mr. Carles and Dr. Spencer, involved all concerned in that meeting, (though I believe a small part of the inhabitants of Birmingham,) provided they were acquainted with the circumstances above-mentioned, in the guilt of the Riot. Mr. Burn himself, by joining in this approbation, voluntarily takes his share in this guilt; and I should not otherwise have thought of charging him with it.

A proof of bigotry, and of an approbation of the Riot, similar to that which is implied in the thanks to the magistrates, is the reward that was given to Mr. Brooke, in making

him sole solicitor to the hundred. To this lucrative office he was recommended by Lord Aylesford, "for the zeal that he had shewn in the cause of the Church and King." He has also been made steward of the manor. A club has since been formed in Birmingham, entitled, The Church and King Club, of which Mr. Brooke is secretary.

Mr. Burn would insinuate,* that my conduct in criminating the high-church party in Birmingham, is condemned by those Dissenters who in a public advertisement thanked those members of the Establishment who had exerted themselves in their favour. As many of them certainly did so, those thanks were well deserved and proper. "But from this," Mr. Burn says, "it sufficiently appears, that Dr. Priestley, in his insidious management of this business, acts as much in opposition to the avowed opinion of the respectable body of Dissenters in Birmingham, as he has done to the clearest dictates of candour and truth." This, indeed, is true; because it does not yet appear that I have in any instance acted contrary to the dictates of candour and truth. I should myself have cheerfully concurred in that address of thanks, and I now acknowledge myself under much obligation to several members of the Church of England for assisting in saving part of my property, and to Mr. Vale in particular, for materially assisting me in my escape. how is this inconsistent with other members of the Church of England being concerned in promoting the Riot? Because some, or the majority of any class of men, are worthy persons, does it follow that others of them may not be even deserving of the gallows? Such, however, is the reasoning of Mr. Burn, and a specimen of the best of his reasoning in this pamphlet.

But

That there was a great willingness in some of the principal members of the Church of England to criminate me, and thereby, in some measure, to justify the Riot, appeared from many circumstances. The following look at least that way. Mr. Carles and Mr. Bond (a justice of peace sent down by government) went on Saturday, July 23, to Mr. Hawkes, of the Grove, who had some of my books and papers, and demanded a sight of them. When they had examined many of them, they ordered him to send them to them the next day; but afterwards sent him word, that he did not need to do it.

But the same disposition appeared much more strongly † Ibid. p. 68. (P.)

• Reply, p. 67. (P.)