 its ancient and rebellious times.
    All yesterday, and on this day likewise, the commander-in-chief endeavoured
to arouse the magistrates to a sense of their duty, and in particular the Lord
Mayor, who was the faintest-hearted and most timid of them all. With this
object, large bodies of the soldiery were several times despatched to the
Mansion House to await his orders: but as he could, by no threats or
persuasions, be induced to give any, and as the men remained in the open street,
fruitlessly for any good purpose, and thrivingly for a very bad one; these
laudable attempts did harm rather than good. For the crowd, becoming speedily
acquainted with the Lord Mayor's temper, did not fail to take advantage of it by
boasting that even the civil authorities were opposed to the Papists, and could
not find in their hearts to molest those who were guilty of no other offence.
These vaunts they took care to make within the hearing of the soldiers; and
they, being naturally loth to quarrel with the people, received their advances
kindly enough: answering, when they were asked if they desired to fire upon
their countrymen, »No, they would be damned if they did;« and showing much
honest simplicity and good nature. The feeling that the military were No-Popery
men, and were ripe for disobeying orders and joining the mob, soon became very
prevalent in consequence. Rumours of their disaffection, and of their leaning
towards the popular cause, spread from mouth to mouth with astonishing rapidity;
and whenever they were drawn up idly in the streets or squares, there was sure
to be a crowd about them, cheering and shaking hands, and treating them with a
great show of confidence and affection.
    By this time, the crowd was everywhere; all concealment and disguise were
laid aside, and they pervaded the whole town. If any man among them wanted
money, he had but to knock at the door of a dwelling-house, or walk into a shop,
and demand it in the rioters' name; and his demand was instantly complied with.
The peaceable citizens being afraid to lay hands upon them, singly and alone, it
may be easily supposed that when gathered together in bodies, they were
perfectly secure from interruption. They assembled in the streets, traversed
them at their will and pleasure, and publicly concerted their plans. Business
was quite suspended; the greater part of the shops were closed; most of the
houses displayed a blue flag in token of their adherence to the popular side;
and even the Jews in Houndsditch
