| Citation |
BG.765.044
11 Nov 1765:11,12,13 (554)
Postsmouth. Nov. 4. Friday last being the first of
November, the day on which the fatal and never-to-be-
forgotten Stamp- Act was intended to take place, the morning
began with tolling all the bells in this town, and at
Newcastle, Greenland, Kittery, &c. the colours on board the
shipping in the harbour were hoisted half mast, and notice
given to the Friends of Liberty, to attend her funeral,
which was to be at 3 o'clock P.M. a coffin having been
previously prepared and neatly ornamented, on the lid of
which was wrote Liberty, aged 145, stamp'd, computing from
the arena of our forefathers landing at Plymouth from
England,-----and having with the greatest difficulty
procured at Stamp-Act, reprinted at Boston, (no original
having ever been seen in this province) the same was carried
to the grave by a person who preceeded the corps.--The
procession began from the State-House, attended by a great
concourse of people of all ranks, with 2 unbrac'd drums, and
after marching through the principal streets, it passed the
parade, on which minute guns were fired, and continued till
the corps arrived at the place of interment. . . [7 lines:]
and then appeared to be Liberty Revived--and the Stamp-Act
was thrown into the grave and buried,--at which the bells
immediately altered their melancholy to a more joyful sound,
and the greatest pleasure and satisfaction were diffused
into every countenance. . . [9 more lines]
Boston. Tuesday last being the anniversary of the
commemoration of the happy deliverance of the English nation
from the popish plot, commonly called The Powder Plot, the
guns at Castle William and at the batteries in town were
fired at one o'clock; as also on board the men of war in the
harbour.
[12] It has long been the custom in this town on the fifth
of November, for numbers of persons to exhibit on stages
some pagentry, denoting their abhorrence of popery and the
horrid plot which was to have been executed on that day in
the year 1605;. . . [66 lines, the evening of the 5th of
November] The leaders, Mr. McIntosh from the south, and Mr.
Swift from the North, appeared in military habits, with
small cases resting on their left arms, having musick in
from and flank; their assistants appeared also
distinguished with small reeds, then the respective corps
followed, among whom were a great number of persons in rank:
These with the spectators filled the streets; not a club was
seen among the whole, nor was any Negro allowed to approach
near the stages; . . . [8 more lines this para]
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