Accordingly, citizens and soldiers
worked with renewed energy and courage; whilst his majesty and
his brother, the courtiers and the lord mayor, mixed freely with
the crowd, commanding and directing them in their labours.
But now a new terror rose up amongst the citizens, for news
spread that the Dutch and French--with whom England was then at
war--and moreover the papists, whom the people then abhorred, had
conspired to destroy the capital. And the suddenness with which
the flames had appeared in various places, and the rapidity with
which they spread, leading the distracted inhabitants to favour
this report, a strong desire for immediate revenge took
possession of their hearts.
Accordingly all foreigners were laid hold of, kicked, beaten, and
abused by infuriated mobs, from which they were rescued only to
be flung into prison. And this conduct was speedily extended to
the catholics, even when such were known to be faithful and well-
approved good citizens. For though at first it spread as a
rumour, it was now received as a certainty that they, in
obedience to the wily and most wicked Jesuits, had determined to
lay waste an heretical city. Nor were there wanting many ready
to bear witness they had seen these dreaded papists fling fire-
balls into houses of honest citizens, and depart triumphing in
their fiendish deeds. So that when they ventured abroad they
were beset by great multitudes, and their lives were imperilled.
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