Page:Letter from a gentleman in Glasgow to his friend in the country.pdf/6

 ty's advocate, when he made inquisition into that matter at Glasgow, of which I shall here after acquaint you. One would believe that Mr. Campbell's removal proceeded from this information, but it is very strange that he never told the magistrates here of, who, if they had got timely notice, could easily have prevented the whole mischief: However, tho' Mr. Campbell neglected to give the foresaid information to the magistrates, by which his house might have been saved, yet it is not to be doubted that he took care of his cash, bills, banknotes, jewels, and other such valuable things which could be removed without observation.

Next day being Friday the 25th of June, the provost set tradesmen on work to secure and shut up the passages to Mr. Campbell's house, which was done accordingly. Then about eleven o'clock he put the soldiers in possession of the guard house; and for further security of the peace of the town, he ordered two hundred of the inhabitants to assemble at the town house at three o'clock in the afternoon, there to attend for receiving such orders as should be thought fit to be given them; but this was also diverted by the dismal transactions that happened before the time of their meeting.

Between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, the provost with a good many merchants and others being then walking before the town-house, there appeared a mob, consisting for the most part of women and boys, armed with clubs and such other weapons, who had been gathered together by an old woman beating a drum before them; when they approached to the town-house the provost and those that were with him attacked them and disarmed them, and with their own arms beat them off, and dispersed them; these gathering themselves together by lanes and back ways, appeared a little after before the main guard, and threw some stones at the soldiery, upon which captain Bushell turned out his guard, caused them form into a hollow square, by which they faced towards the four streets which center at the guard-house. One would believe from this disposition made by the captain, that he was to be attacked on all sides by a formidable enemy; but from the declarations of about thirty or four-