To return from our digression. Butler found the outer turnkey, a tall, thin, old man, with long silver hair, in the act of locking the outward door of the jail. He addressed himself to this person, and asked "Then, f the law makes murders," said Mrs. Sad- admittance to Effie Deans, confined upon accusation dletree. "the law should be hanged for them; or if of child-murder. The turnkey looked at him earnestthey wad hang a lawyer instead, the countr, wadly, and, civilly touching his hat out of respect to Butfind nae faut." ler's black coat and clerical appearance, replied, "It was impossible any one could be admitted at present." You shut up earlier than usual, probably on ac count of Captain Porteous's affair ?" said Butler.

ength, he proceeded to shut a strong plate of steel was, to secure the wicket, of which they did not un-which folded down above the keyhole, and was se-derstand the fastenings. The man, terrified at an incured by a steel spring and catch. Butler stood still cident so totally unexpected, was unable to perform instinctively while the door was made fast, and then his usual office, and gave the matter up, after several looking at his watch, walked briskly up the street, attempts. The rioters, who seemed to have come muttering to himself almost unconsciously- prepared for every emergency, called for torches, by the light of which they nailed up the wicket with long nails, which, it appeared probable, they had provided on purpose.

"I would it were a dream I could awaken from," The next object of these hardy insurgents was at vaid Butler to himself; but having no means to op- once to disarm the City Guard, and to procure arms pose the vilence with which he was threatened, he for themselves; for scarce any weapons but staves was compeled to turn round and march in front of and bludgeons had been yet seen among them. The the rioters, wo men partly supporting and partly hold-Guard-house was a long, low, ugly building, (remoing him. During this parley the insurgents had made themselves masters of the West Port, rushing upon the Waiter, (so the people were called who had the charge of the gates,) and possessing themselves of the keys. They bolted and barred the folding doors, and commanded the person, whose duty it usually Wide i the fronting gate, and, raised on high, With damantine columns threats the sky: Vain is the force of man, and Heaven's as vain To cruh the pillars which the pile sustain: Subline on these a tower of steel is rear'd.

rate a mob, to whom they were on the present occasion much more than usually obnoxious.

The same vigilance was used to prevent everybody of the higher, and those which, in this case, might be There was a sentinel upon guard, who (that one deemed the more suspicious orders of society, from town-guard soldier might do his duty on that event-appearing in the street, and observing the movements, fu evening) presented his piece, and desired the fore- or distinguishing the persons, of the rioters. Every most of the rioters to stand off. The young amazon, person in the garb of a gentleman was stopped by whom Butler had observed particularly active, sprung small parties of two or three of the mob, who partly upon the soldier, seized his musket, and after a strug-exhorted, partly required of them, that they should gle succeeded in wrenching it from him, and throw-return to the place from whence they came. Many a ing him down on the causeway. One or two sol- quadrille table was spoiled that memorable evening; diers, who endeavoured to turn out to the support of for the sedan-chairs of ladies even of the highest their sentinel, were in the same manner seized and rank, were interrupted in their passage from one point disarmed, and the mob without difficulty possessed to another, in despite of the laced footmen and blazthemselves of the Guard-house, disarming and turn-ing flambeaux. This was uniformly done with a deing out of doors the rest of the men on duty. It was ference and attention to the feelings of the terrified remarked, that, notwithstanding the city soldiers had females, which could hardly have been expected from been the instruments of the slaughter which this riot the videttes of a mob so desperate. Those who stopwas designed to revenge, no ill usage or even insult ped the chair usually made the excuse, that there was was offered to them. It seemed as if the vengeance much disturbance on the streets, and that it was abof the people disdained to stoop at any head meaner solutely necessary for the lady's safety that the chair than that which they considered as the source and should turn back. They offered themselves to escort origin of their injuries. the vehicles which they had thus interrupted in their On possessing themselves of the guard, the first progress, from the apprehension, probably, that some act of the multitude was to destroy the drums, by of those who had casually united themselves to the which they supposed an alarm might be conveyed to riot might disgrace their systematic and determined he garrison in the castle; for the same reason they plan of vengeance, by those acts of general insult now silenced their own, which was beaten by a and license which are common on similar occasions. voung fellow, son to the drummer of Portsburgh, Persons are yet living who remember to have heard whom they had forced upon that service. Their next from the mouths of ladies thus interrupted on their business was to distribute among the boldest of the journey in the manner we have described, that they rioters the guns, bayonets, partisans, halberds, and were escorted to their lodgings by the young men who battle or Lochaber axes. Until this period the prin- stopped them, and even handed out of their chairs, cipal rioters had preserved silence on the ultimate with a polite attention far beyond what was consistobject of their rising, as being that which all knew, ent with their dress, which was apparently that of but none expressed. Now, however, having accom-journeymen mechanics.* It seemed as if the conspiplished all the preliminary parts of their design, they rators, like those who assassinated the Cardinal Bearaised a tremendous shout of "Porteous! Porteous! toun in former days, had entertained the opinion, that To the Tolbooth! To the Tolbooth!" the work about which they went was a judgment of Heaven, which, though unsanctioned by the usual authorities, ought to be proceeded in with order and gravity.

They proceeded with the same prudence when the object seemed to be nearly in their grasp, as they had done hitherto when success was more dubious. A strong party of the rioters, drawn up in front of the Luckenbooths, and facing down the street, prevented all access from the eastward, and the west end of the defile formed by the Luckenbooths was secured in the same manner; so that the Tolbooth was completely surrounded, and those who undertook the task of breaking it open effectually secured against the risk of interruption.

The magistrates, in the meanwhile, had taken the alarm, and assembled in a tavern, with the purpose of raising some strength to subdue the rioters. The deacons, or presidents of the trades, were applied to, but declared there was little chance of their authority being respected by the craftsmen, where it was the object to save a man so obnoxious. Mr. Lindsay, member of parliament for the city, volunteered the perilous task of carrying a verbal message from the Lord Provost to Colonel Moyle, the commander of the regiment lying in the Canongate, requesting him to force the Netherbow Port, and enter the city to put down the tumult. But Mr. Lindsay declined to charge himself with any written order, which, if found on his person by an enraged mob, might have cost him his life; and the issue of the application was, that Colonel Moyle, having no written requisition from the civil authorities, and having the fate of Porteous before his eyes as an example of the severe construction put by a jury on the proceedings of military men acting on their own responsibility, declined to encounter the risk to which the Provost's verbal communication invited him.

More than one messenger was dispatched by dif ferent ways to the Castle, to require the commanding officer march down his troops, to fire a few cannon-shot, or even to throw a shell among the mob, for the purpose of clearing the streets. But so strict and watchful were the various patrols whom the rioters had established in different parts of the street, that none of the emissaries of the magistrates could reach the gate of the Castle. They were, however, turned back without either injury or insult, and with nothing more of menace than was necessary to deter them from again attempting to accomplish their eriand.

While their outposts continued thus vigilant, and suffered themselves neither from fear nor curiosity to neglect that part of the duty assigned to them, and while the main guards to the east and west secured them against interruption, a select body of the rioters thundered at the door of the jail, and demanded instant admission. No one answered, for the outer keeper had prudently made his escape with the keys at the commencement of the riot, and was nowhere to be found. The door was instantly assailed with sledge-hammers, iron-crows, and the coulters of ploughs, ready provided for the purpose, with which they prized, heaved, and battered for some time with little effect; for, being of double oak planks, clenched, both end-long and athwart, with broad-headed nails, the door was so secured as to yield to no means of forcing, without the expenditure of much time. The rioters, however, appeared determined to gain admittance. Gang after gang relieved each other at the exercise, for, of course, only a few could work at a time; but gang after gang retired, exhausted with their violent exertions, without making much pro gress in forcing the prison-door. Butler had been led up near to this the principal scene of action; so near, indeed, that he was almost deafened by the uncea sing clang of the heavy fore-haminers against the iron-bound portals of the prison. He began to entertain hopes, as the task seemed protracted, that the populace might give it over in despair, orthat some rescue might arrive to disperse them. There was a moment at which the latter seemed probaile.

The magistrates, having assembled ther officers, and some of the citizens who were willing to hazard themselves for the public tranquillity, now sallied forth from the tavern where they held thor sitting. and approached the point of danger. Thir officers went before them with links and torches, vith a he rald to read the riot act, if necessary. They easily * A near relation of the author's used to tell of inving been stopped by the rioters, and escorted home in the manner described. On reaching her own home, one of her atendants, in chair, and took leave with a bow, which, in the lade's opinion, appearance a bazter, i. e. a baker's lad, handed herout of her. argued breeding that could hardly be learned beside he oven.

drove before them the outposts and videttes of the rioters; but when they approached the line of guard which the mob, or rather, we should say, the conspirators, had drawn across the street in the front of the Luckenbooths, they were received with an unintermitted volley of stones, and, on their nearer approach, the pikes, bayonets, and Lochaber-axes, of which the populace had possessed themselves, were presented against them. One of their ordinary officers, a strong resolute fellow, went forward, seized a rioter, and took from him a musket; but, being unsupported, he was instantly thrown on his back in the street, and disarmed in his turn. The officer was too happy to be permitted to rise and run away without receiving any further injury; which afforded another remarkable instance of the mode in which these men had united a sort of moderation towards all others, with the most inflexible invoteracy against the object of their resentment. The magistrates, after vain attempts to make themselves heard and obeyed, possessing no means of enforcing their authority, were constrained to abandon the field to the rioters, and retreat in all speed from the showers of missiles that whistled around their ears.

The passive resistance of the Tolbooth-gate promised to do more to baffle the purpose of the mob than the active interference of the magistrates. The heavy sledge-hammers continued to din against it without intermission, and with a noise which, echoed from the lofty buildings around the spot, seemed enough to have alarmed the garrison in the Castle. It was circulated among the rioters, that the troops would march down to disperse them, unless they could execute their purpose without loss of time; or that, even without quitting the fortress, the garrison might obtain the same end by throwing a bomb or two upon the street.

CHAPTER VII.

The evil you teach us, we will execute; and it shall go hard but we will better the instruction. Merchant of Venice.

THE unhappy object of this remarkable disturbance had been that day delivered from the apprehension of a public execution, and his joy was the greater, as he had some reason to question whether government would have run the risk of unpopularity by interfering in his favour, after he had been legally convicted by the verdict of a jury, of a crime so very obnoxious. Relieved from this doubtful state of mind, his heart was merry within him, and he thought, in the emphatic words of Scripture on a similar occasion, that surely the bitterness of death was past. Some of his friends, however, who had watched the manner and behaviour of the crowd when they were made acquainted with the reprieve, were of a different opinion. They augurea, from the unusual sternness and silence. with which they bore their disappointment, that the populace nourished some scheme of sudden and des perate vengeance; and they advised Porteos to lose no time in petitioning the proper authorities, that he might be conveyed to the Castle under a sufficient guard, to remain there in security until his ultimate fate should be determined. Habituated, however, by his office, to overawe the rabble of the city, Porteous could not suspect them of an attempt so audacious as to storm a strong and defensible prison; and, despising the advice by which he might have been saved, he spent the afternoon of the eventful day in giving an entertainment to some friends who visited him in jail, several of whom, by the indulgence of the Captain of the Tolbooth, with whom he had an old intimacy, arising from their official connexion, were even permitted to remain to supper with him, though contrary to the rules of the jail.

Urged by such motives for apprehension, they ea- It was, therefore, in the hour of unalloyed mirth, gerly relieved each other at the labour of assailing when this unfortunate wretch was "full of bread,' the Tolbooth door: yet such was its strength, that it hot with wine, and high in mistimed and ill-grounded still defied their efforts. At length, a voice was heard confidence, and alas! with all his sins full blown, to pronounce the words, "Try it with fire." The when the first distant shouts of the rioters mingled rioters, with an unanimous shout, called for combus- with the song of merriment and intemperance. The tibles, and as all their wishes seemed to be instantly. hurried call of the jailer to the guests, requiring them supplied, they were soon in possession of two or three instantly to depart, and his yet more hasty intimaempty tar-barrels. A huge red glaring bonfire speedi- tion that a dreadful and determined mob had posly arose close to the door of the prison, sending up a sessed themselves of the city gates and guard-house, tall column of smoke and flame against its antique were the first explanation of these fearful clamours. turrets and strongly-grated windows, and illumina- Porteous might, however, have eluded the fury ting the ferocious and wild gestures of the rioters who from which the force of authority could not protect surrounded the place, as well as the pale and anxious him, had he thought of slipping on some disguise, groups of those, who, from windows in the vicinage, and leaving the prison along with his guests. It is watched the progress of this alarming scene. The probable that the jailor might have connived at his mob fed the fire with whatever they could find fit for escape, or even that, in the hurry of this alarming the purpose. The flames roared and crackled among contingency, he might not have observed it. But the heaps of nourishment piled on the fire, and a ter- Porteous and his friends alike wanted presence of rible shout soon announced that the door had kin-mind to suggest or execute such a plan of escape. dled, and was in the act of being destroyed. The fire was suffered to decay, but, long ere it was quite extinguished, the most forward of the rioters rushea, in their impatience, one after another, over its yet smouldering remains. Thick showers of sparkles rose high in the air, as man after man bounded over the glowing embers, and disturbed them in their passage. It was now obvious to Butler, and all others who were present, that the rioters would be instantly in possession of their victim, and have it in their power to work their pleasure upon him, whatever that might be.*

The former hastily fled from a place where their own safety seemed compromised, and the latter, in a state resembling stupefaction, awaited in his apartment the termination of the enterprise of the rioters. The cessation of the clang of the instruments with which they had at first attempted to force the door, gave him momentary relief. The flattering hopes, that the military had marched into the city, either from the Castle or from the suburbs, and that the rioters were intimidated and dispersing, were soon destroyed by the broad and glaring light of the flames, which, illuminating through the grated window every corThe ancient Tolbooth of Edinburgh, situated and described ner of his apartment, plainly showed that the mob, es in the last chapter, was built by the citizens in 1561, and destined for the accommodation of Parliament, as well as of the base offices may we return." The application of these relics of High Courts of Justice; and at the same time for the confine the heart of Mid-Lothian to serve as the postern gate to a court ment of prisoners for debt, or on criminal charges. Since the of modern offices, may be justly ridiculed as whimsical, but yet year 1640, when the present Parliament House was erected, the it is not without interest, that we see the gateway through Tolbooth was occupied as a prison only. Gloomy and dismal which so much of the stormy politics of a rude age, and the 28 it was, the situation in the centre of the High Street rendered vice and inisery of later times, had found their passage, now ocit so particularly well-aired, that when the plague laid waste cupied in the service of rural economy. Last year, to complete the city in 1645, it affected none within these melancholy pre- the change, a tom-tit was pleased to build her nest within the eincts. The Tolbooth was removed, with the mass of build.lock of the Tolbooth,-a strong temptation to have committed ings in which it was incorporated, in the autumn of the year a sonnet, had the author, like Tony Lumpkin, been in a conca. 1917. At that time the kindness of his old schoolfellow and tenation accordingly. friend, Robert Johnstone, Esque, then Dean of Guild of the eity, with the liberal acouiescence of the persons who had contracted for the work, procured for the author of Waverley the stones which composed the gateway, together with the door, and its ponderous faster.ng, which he employed in decorating he entrance of his kitchen court at Abbotsford "To such

It is worth mentioning, that an act of beneficence celebrated the demolition of the Heart of Mid-Lothian. A subscription, raised and applied by the worthy Magistrate above-mentioned, procured the manumission of most of the unfortunate debtor confined in the old jail, so that there were few or aon ferred to the new place of confinement.

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the fatal walls, excepting two or three debtors, who probably saw no advantage in attempting their escape. The persons we have mentioned remained in the strong-room of the prison, now deserted by all others. One of their late companions in misfortune called out to the man to make his escape, in the tone of an acquaintance. "Rin for it, Ratcliffe-the road's clear."

It may be sac, Willie," answered Ratcliffe, com. posedly, "but I have taen a fancy to leave aff trade, and set up for an honest man."

Stay there, and be hanged, then, for a donnard auld deevil!" said the other, and ran down the pri son-stair.

determined on their fatal purpose, had adopted a means of forcing entrance equally desperate and certain. The sudden glare of light suggested to the stupified and astonished object of popular hatred the possibility of concealment or escape. To rush to the chimney, to ascend it at the risk of suffocation, were the only means which seem to have occurred to him; but his progress was speedily stopped by one of those iron gratings, which are, for the sake of security, usually placed across the vents of buildings designed for imprisonment. The bars, however, which impeded his further progress, served to support him in the situation which he had gained, and he seized them with the tenacious grasp of one who esteemed himself clinging to his last hope of existence. The urid light, which had filled the apartment, lowered and died away; the sound of shouts was heard within the walls, and on the narrow and winding stair, which, cased within one of the turrets, gave access to the upper apartments of the prison. The huzza of the rioters was answered by a shout wild and desperate as their own, the cry, namely, of the imprisoned felons, who, expecting to be liberated in the general confusion, welcomed the mob as their deliverers. By some of these the apartment of Porteous was pointed out to his enemies. The obstacle of the lock and "I am coming,-I am coming," said the person bolts was soon overcome, and from his hiding-plac who answered to that appellative; and then reiterathe unfortunate man heard his enemies search everyting hastily, "For God's sake for your own sake corner of the apartment, with oaths and maledictions, for my sake, flee, or they'll take your life!" he left which would but shock the reader if we recorded them, the strong-room. but which served to prove, could it have admitted of doubt, the settled purpose of soul with which they sought his destruction.

A place of concealment so obvious to suspicion and scrutiny as that which Porteous had chosen, could not long screen him from detection. He was dragged from his lurking-place, with a violence which seemed to argue an intention to put him to death on the spot. More than one weapon was directed towards him, when one of the rioters, the same whose female disguise had been particularly noticed by Butler, interfered in an authoritative tone. "Are ye mad?" he said, "or would ye execute an act of justice as if it were a crime and a cruelty? This sacrifice will lose half its savour if we do not offer it at the very horns of the altar. We will have him die where a murderer should die, on the common gibbet-We will have him die where he spilled the blood of so many innocents!"

A loud shout of applause followed the proposal, and the cry, "To the gallows with the murderer!- To the Grass-market with him!" echoed on all hands. "Let no man hurt him," continued the speaker; let him make his peace with God, if he can; we will not kill both his soul and body.'

"What time did he give better folk for preparing their account?" answered several voices. "Let us mete to him with the same measure he measured to them."

But the opinion of the spokesman better suited the temper of those he addressed, a temper rather stubborn than impetuous, sedate though ferocious, and desirous of colouring their cruel and revengeful action with a show of justice and moderation.

The person in female attire whom we have distin guished as one of the most active rioters, was about the same time at the ear of the young woman. "Flee, Effie, flee!" was all he had time to whisper. She turned towards him an eye of mingled fear, affection, and upbraiding, all contending with a sort of stupified surprise. He again repeated, "Flee, Effie, flee, for the sake of all that's good and dear to you!" Again she gazed on him, but was unable to answer. A loud noise was now heard, and the name of Madge Wildfire was repeatedly called from the bottom of the staircase.

"The girl gazed after him for a moment, and then, faintly muttering, "Better tyne life, since tint is gude fame," she sunk her head upon her hand, and remained, seemingly, unconscious as a statue, of the noise and tumult which passed around her.

That tumult was now transferred from the inside to the outside of the Tolbooth. The mob had brought their destined victim forth, and were about to conduct him to the common place of execution, which they had fixed as the scene of his death. The leader, whom they distinguished by the name of Madge Wildfire, had been summoned to assist at the procession by the impatient shouts of his confederates. "I will ensure you five hundred pounds," said the unhappy man, grasping Wildfire's hand,-"five hun dred pounds for to save my life."

The other answered in the same under-tone, and returning his grasp with one equally convulsive, "Five hundred-weight of coined gold should not save you.-Remember Wilson!"

A deep pause of a minute ensued, when Wildfire added, in a more composed tone, "Make your peace with Heaven.-Where is the clergyman ?"

Butler, who, in great terror and anxiety, had been detained within a few yards of the Tolbooth door, to wait the event of the search after Porteous, was now brought forward, and commanded to walk by the prisoner's side, and to prepare him for immediate death. His answer was a supplication that the riotters would consider what they did. "You are nei ther judges nor jury," said he. "You cannot have, by the laws of God or man, power to take away the life of a human creature, however deserving he may be of death. If it is murder even in a lawful magistrate to execute an offender otherwise than in the place, time, and manner which the judges' sentence prescribes, what must it be in you, who have no warrant for interference but your own wills? In the name of Him who is all mercy, show mercy to this unhappy man, and do not dip your hands in his blood, nor rush into the very crime which you are desirous of avenging!"

For an instant this man quitted the prisoner, whom he consigned to a selected guard, with instructions to permit him to give his money and property to whomsoever he pleased. A person confined in the jail for debt received this last deposit from the trembling hand of the victim, who was at the same time permitted to make some other brief arrangements to meet his approaching fate. The felons, and all others who wished to leave the jail, were now at full liberty to do so; not that their liberation made any part of the set-pit," answered one of the rioters. tled purpose of the rioters, but it followed as almost a necessary consequence of forcing the jail doors. With wild cries of jubilee they joined the mob, or disappeared among the narrow lanes to seek out the hidden receptacles of vice and infamy, where they were accustomed to lurk and conceal themselves from justice.

"Cut your sermon short-you are not in your pul

Two persons, a man about fifty years old, and a virl about eighteen, were all who continued within

If we hear more of your clavers," said another we are like to hang you up beside him." "Peace-hush!" said Wildfire. 'Do the good man no harm-he discharges his conscience, and I like him the better."

He then addressed Butler. "Now, sir, we have patiently heard you, and we just wish you to understand, in the way of answer, that you may as well argue to the ashler-work and iron-stanchels of the