Page:Letter from a gentleman in Glasgow to his friend in the country.pdf/4

Rh dable mob than heretofore had appeared in the streets, consisting of a good number of sturdy young fellows armed with clubs and other weapons, having also large hammers and other such tools proper for breaking up the doors, and beating down the house, not one of them were known to the provost and his company; however they dealt with them partly by intreaties, and partly by threats to desist their enterprise; After a long time spent with them, they at length prevailed upon them to retire, which they did accordingly; but as they were going off, they were met and turned back by a great many rioters, who were coming towards Mr. Campbell's house upon the same design; these insulted the provost and the gentlemen that were with him to the highest degree, beat down the town officers, and threatned to cut the provost and his company in pieces; and because they did not retire at these threats, they went about to lay violent hands upon them, so that at length they were obliged to fly for their lives, being in their fight pursued by a good number of the rioters, from whom they escaped with great difficulty

The provost, as I told you before, had caused some of the inhabitants be advertised to mount guard as usual, yet this unfortunate accident falling out before their ordinary time of mounting guard, which is between ten and eleven o'clock at night, diverted them from going to the guard that night, tho' in reality they were twice warned to it both before and after the soldiers came to the town: But supposing they had been upon guard they could have been of no use upon such an occasion as this, or against such a formidable mob, because they were but few in number, and consist of the poorer sort of people, who are hired to that service by the other inhabitants; and they are no other than so many watch-men whose business is to alarm the inhabitants in case of fire, and to prevent disorders by drunkards, thieves, and other such persons in the night time.

When it was near twelve o'clock at night, the provost being then deliberating with the gentlemen that were with him, about calling for the assistance of the military, a serjeant came to the provost from capt. Bushell, offer-