An Account of the Burning the Pope at Temple-Bar in London, November 17. 1679.
THE horrid Designs and Contrivances of the Papists for many years last past, for rooting out the Protestant Religion from under Heaven in this Kingdom as well as in all the Protestant Countries in Europe, has raised such a just indignation in the breast of every good Christian and True Englishman, That the people of this Nation have upon all occasions endeavoured to discover their generous Detestation of those cursed Invaders of their Religion and Civil Liberties; but never more apparently, then upon the 17th. of November 1679. that being the day on which the unfortunate Queen Mary died, and that Glorious Princess Queen Elizabeth, that True Defender of the Christian Protestant Faith, ascended the English Throne, and thereby dispelled those thick Clouds of Egyptian Popish Darkness, which had so long over-spread these Kingdoms.
Upon the said 17th. of November, the Bells began to ring about Three a Clock in the Morning [Page]in the City of London; and several Honourable and Worthy Gentlemen belonging to the Temple, as well as the City (remembering the burning both of London and the Temple, which was apparently Executed by Popish Villany) were pleased to be at the charge of an Extraordinary Triumph, in commemoration of that blessed Protestant Queen, which was as follows:
In the Evening of the said day, all things being prepared, the Solemn Procession began, from Moregate, and so to Bishops-gate-street, and down Hounsditch to Aldgate; through Leaden-Hall-street, Cornhil, by the Royal Exchange, through Cheapside to Temple-Bar, in Order following,
1. First marched six Whifflers in Pioneer. Caps and Red Wastcoats. 2. A Bellman ringing his Bell, and with a dolesome voice, crying al the way, Remember Justice Godfrey. 3. A dead Body representing Justice Godfrey in the habit he usually wore, and the Crevat wherewith he wa [...] murdered, about his Neck, with spots of Blood on his Wrists, Breasts and Shirt, and White Gloves on his Hands, his Face pale and wan riding upon a White Horse, and one of his Murderers behind him to keep him from falling, in the same manner as he was carried to Primrose Hill. 4. A Priest came next in a Surplice, and [Page]Cope Imbroidered with Dead mens Sculls and Bones, and Skeletons, who gave out Pardons very plentifully to all that would murder Protestants, and proclaiming it Meritorious. 5. A Priest alone with a large Silver Cross. 6. Four C [...]melite Fryars in White and Black Habits. 7. Four Grey Fryars in their proper Habits. 8. Six Jesu [...]s carrying bloody Daggers. 9. Four wind Mu [...]ck, called the Waits, playing all the way. 10. Four Bishops in Purple, with Lawn sleeves, and Golden Crosses on their Breasts, and Crosier Staves in their hands. 11. Four other Bishops in their Pontificalibus, with Surplices and Rich imbroidered Copes, and Golden Miters on their Heads. 12. Six Cardinals in Searlet Robes and Caps. 13. Then followed the Popes Chief Physician with Jesuits powder in one hand, and an Urinal in the other. 14. Two Priests in Surplices, with Two Golden Crosses. Lastly, The Pope in a Glorious Pageant, or Chair of State, covered with Scarlet, the Chair being richly Embroidered and bedeckt with Golden Balls and Crosses; at his Feet was a Cushion of State, and Two Boys sate on each side the Pope, in Surplices with White Silk Banners, painted with Red Crosses, and bloody Consecrated Daggers for murdering Protestant Kings and Princes, with an Incense Pot before [Page]them, Censing his Holiness. The Pope was arrayed in a rich Scarlet Gown, lined through with Ermines, and adorned with Gold and Silver Lace, with a Triple Crown on his Head, and a Glorious Collar of Gold and precious stones about his neck, and St. Peters Keys, a great quantity of Beads, Agnus Dei's, and other Catholick Trumpery about him. At his Back stood the Divel, His Holiness Privy Councillor, Hugging and Whispering, him all the way, and oftentimes instructing him aloud to destroy His Majesty, to contrive a pretended Presbyterian Plot, and to fire the City again, to which purpose he held an Infernal Torch in his hand; The whole Procession was attended with an Hundred and Fifty Torches and Flambeaus by Order, but there were so many came in Voluntiers, as made the number to be several Thousands. Never were the Balconies, Windows and Houses more filled, nor the Streets more thronged with multitudes of People, all expressing their Abhorrence of Popery with continual Shouts and Acclamations, so that in the whole progress of their procession, by a modest computation it is judged there could not be less then Two Hundred Thousand Spectators.
Thus with a slow and solemn state in some hours they arrived at Temple-bar, where all the [Page]Houses seemed to be converted into Heaps of Men, Women and Children, who were diverted with variety of Excellent Fireworks: It is known that Temple-bar since its rebuilding is adorned with Four stately Statues of stone, Two on each side the Gate, Those toward the City Representing Queen Elizabeth and King James, and the other Two toward the Strand, King Charles the First, and our present Gracious Sovereign; Now in regard of the day, the Statue of Queen Elizabeth was adorned with a Crown of gilded Lawrel on her Head, and in her hand a Golden sheild with this Motto inscribed thereon, The Protestant Religion, Magna Charta; several lighted Torches were placed before her, and the Pope being brought up near the Gate, the Song following was sing in parts, between one who represented the English Cardinal Howard, and another the People of England.
Then having entertained the thronging Spectators for some time with the Ingenious Fireworks, a very great Bonefire was prepared at the Inner-Temple-Gate, and his Holiness after some Complements and Reluctancies was decently tumbled into the Flames, the Devil who till then had faithfully Accompanied him, left his Holiness in the Lurch, and laughing, gave him up to his Deserved Fate. This last Act of his Holiness Tragedy was attended with such a prodigious Shout [Page]of the joyful Spectators, that it might be heard far beyond Sommerset-House, and we hope the sound thereof will reach all Europe. The same Evening there were Bonfires in most streets of London, and universal Acclamations, Long live King Charles, and let Popery perish, and Papists with their Plots and Counter-Plots be for ever Confounded as they have hitherto been. To which every honest English Man will readily say, Amen.