"Satire on the attempt to establish an Anglican episcopacy in the American colonies. A group of angry colonists push away from a quayside a ship named “The Hilsborough” (a reference to Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough, Secretary of State who had ordered troops to Boston in June 1768) On the ship is a large carriage with its wheels and a crosier and mitre beside it. A bishop is climbing the rigging saying “Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace” (Archbishop Secker who died in August 1768 had left £1000 to help establish a bishopric in North America). The colonists are shown as advocates of liberty of conscience and religious non-conformism: one waves a large book lettered “Sydney on Government”, another brandishes “Locke”; “Calvins Works” has already been thrown towards the bishop; another colonist waves a flag, topped with the cap of liberty and emblazoned with the words “Liberty & Freedom of Conscience”; a Quaker holds “Barclay’s Apology” saying “No Lords Spiritual or Temporal in New England”. A monkey on the quay holds a stone as if intending to throw it at the bishop. A paper lies on the ground lettered “Shall they be obliged to maintain Bishops that cannot maintain themselves”. The print appeared in the Political Register, 1769, facing p.119."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from item., Publication place and date inferred from those of the periodical for which this plate was engraved., and Plate from: The Political register and London museum. London : Printed for J. Almon, v. 5 (1769), p. 119.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
United States.
Subject (Name):
Secker, Thomas, 1693-1768, Downshire, Wills Hill, Marquis of, 1718-1793, and Church of England
Subject (Topic):
Chariots, Clegy, Monkeys, Bishops, Ships, and British
Title from item., Two columns of verse below image: Hitherto .... I have perform'd. Not without wonder ... Samson Agonistes., Plate from: The Political register and London museum. London : Printed for J. Almon, v. 1 (1767), p. 201., Temporary local subject terms: Buildings: Westminster Hall -- Britannia (Symbolic character) -- Personifications: Liberty -- Emblems: cap of liberty -- Emblems: anchor -- Reference to Magna Charta -- Reference to the Glorious Revolution -- Reference to the accession of the House of Brunswick -- Musical instruments: lyre -- Emblems: thunderbolts -- Bible: Samson destroying a temple -- Literature: quotation from Samson Agonistes by John Milton, 1608-1674, lines 1640-1659., and Mounted to 37 x 24 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Bute, John Stuart, Earl of, 1713-1792, Camden, Charles Pratt, Earl, 1714-1794, Charlotte, consort of George III, King of Great Britain, 1744-1818, George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Granby, John Manners, Marquis of, 1721-1770, Hawke, Edward Hawke, Baron, 1705-1781, Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778, and Secker, Thomas, 1693-1768
