158 



ger of their only defence, in a Perfect state of An- 

 archy and Confusion." 



We are not unprepared for the sequel. On Jan'y 24, 

 "a Meeting was called at Marblehead to put a Stop to 

 the Disorders, which for several days before had hap- 

 pened in the Place. As the Dispute respected the Essex 

 Hospital, it was agreed by the Proprietors to shut it up.~" 

 The account is taken from the Petition and from the Es- 

 sex Gazette. At their Desire, a Committee of the Town 

 was chosen to inspect the Operation. " Next day, the 

 Committee went to the Hospital and attended their Busi- 

 ness until the following Night, Wednesday, Jan'y 26, 

 when they awaked with the Rest of the Family, being 

 eleven in Number, surrounded with Flames. The Ruf- 

 fians, who perpetrated this act, went from the Town pre- 

 pared with Tar Tubs, etc., and proceeded setting Fire to 

 all Parts of the House, without any Attempt to awake 

 the People. So infernal were the Villains, that they 

 struck down one Man, who in Amazement had jumped 

 from his Bed and was running from the Flames. The 

 Steward had a Blow from another of them with an And- 

 iron, which missed his head and felled him to the Floor. 

 One of the Patients, with a Child at her Breast, was 

 driven to the Smoke House, fainting as she went, and 

 others were turned out, cold as it was, with scarcely any 

 Thing to cover them.'' 23 



The persons engaged in this outrage numbered about 

 twenty, part of them disguised as Mohawks ; the loss to 

 the proprietors was estimated at Two Thousand Pounds, 



