| Citation |
BEP(F.764.038
12 Nov 1764:23 (1523)
Monday last being the anniversary of the commemoration of
the preservation of the British nation from the popish plot,
the guns at Castle William, and at the batteries in town
were fired at one o'clock.
It was formerly a custom on these anniversaries [Guy
Fawkes day] for the lower class of the people to celebrate
the evening in a manner peculiar to themselves, by having
carved images erected on stages, representing the pope, his
attendant, &c. and these were generally carried thro' the
streets by Negroes and other servants, that the minds of the
vulgar might be impress'd with a sense of their deliverance
from popery, and money was generally given 'em to regale
themselves in the evening, when they burnt the images.
---But of late those that are concerned in this pageantry
make a party-affair thereof, and instead of celebrating the
evening agreeably, the champions at both ends of the town
prepare to engage each other in battle, under the
denomination of South End & North End.--It was tho't this
would have been prevented on Monday last, by a melancholy
accident which happened just as one of the stages at the
North End was setting off, a child of Mr. Brown's, about 5
years of age, falling down, one of the wheels went over his
head, and killed him instantly; but this did not prevent the
rabble from executing their design.--In the afternoon the
magistrates and other officers of the town went to the
respective places of their rendezvous, and demolished their
stages, to prevent any disorders, which they did without
opposition: Notwithstanding, as soon as it was dark, they
collected again, and mended their stages, which being done
they prepared for a battle, and about 8 o'clock the two
parties met near the mill-bridge, where they fought with
clubs, staves, brick-bats, &c. for about half an hour, when
those of the South-End gained the victory, carrying off not
only their own, but also their antagonists stages, &c. which
they burnt on Boston-Neck. In the fray many were much
bruis'd and wounded in their heads and arms, some
dangerously; and a few of those who were so curious as to be
spectators, did not come off so well as they could wish;
tho' many would have fared worse had it not been a moon
light evening. It should be noted that these parties do not
subsist much at any other time.
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