Star.
London, England, 1810-04-10 00:00:00

SIR FRANC'S BURDETT.

IrrWING IS AN AUTHENTIC NARRATIVE Or THE
IN THE ARREST OF SIR FRANCIS RUE..
11, BART. FROM THE
:PASSING OF THE VOTE kaa
co:AM". I ENT, TO ENTRANCE INTO THE TOWER.
morning, the eth instant, at half-past seven
:k, as soon as the division wia known, Mr.
But.lett, accompanied by Mr. Roger O'Connor,
had remained all night .at the House of
92: ofr in a post-chaise to Wimbledon, ind
zej Sir Francis Burdett of the result. Bii
is immediately mounted his horse, and rode
the other tWC returned is the chaise. Sit'
icii found a letter on his table frail Mr. Colman,
;e:ieiint at Arms, acquainting "hini that he had
red a War:ant, signed by the ltight Honourable
To.-
,r of the House of Commons, to arrest and
;es• him to the Tower, and he begged to'know
n'he !night wait on him ; that it was his, wish
the utmost respect.; and tberefoi,e, .if
referred to take his horse and ride tcrthirifinier,
.0112 meet him there.—To this letter Sir Francis
!?tt, wrote an answer to the following effect :

44 Piccadilly, April g, 1810.
ll—On Try return from -Wimbledon I found your polite I
and Aril be happy to.receive you here at twelve o'clock .t
,r 70„.. I remnin, Sir, you obedient odorant,
Innin, Es q. " FRANC!, BiIItDETT."
!Iv this letter could be deliveted, Mr. Colman
: hitt;;eli to Sir Francis' house,: and told him he!
warrant to arrest him. Sir Francis said he had
:ed his letter, and had written an answer, ini
told him, that he would be ready to receive
neat day at twelve.o'clOck, upon which Mr.•!
an politely bowed and withdrew. •
out seven o'clock in the evening his friend, Mr.
went to the Tower to see that preparation t
111)0 wade to receive him, as Sir r rancis enter-
no doubt Lot that the next day the Serjeant-
,:.;is would ci me with a force to compel him to
gr. O'Connor siiw Colonel Smith, who
that every preparation had been made for
!.. r.ien : that the house next to his own had
n<ll aired; and that from a sense of duty as
ai of respect, he might depend that every atten-
old be paid to Sir Fiancis.
ki,sq: 8 o'tlock the same evening, Mr. C-.lman
a Mcss;;lmer came back to Sir Francis's house,
arjebant told him he had received a severe
3,111;i:;1 from the Speaker for not executing, the
car.: the morning, and remaining with Sir. Fran-
; and lie hoped that he would note submit to be
Kmer.
rraucis answered, that he ;was sure the Speaker
nit, upon consideration, think hire to blame ;
it would not have been in his power to remain
ithh:!n; as, without any personal offence to him, he
friacis) would not have permitted hini to re-

'..
licri,c,jeant at Arms Said, a I shall be obliged,
to force, as it it my duty to execute the

Sir Francis answered, "If you bring •
,an over-
,;ianit; force, I must submit; bin I dare not, from
iyallegiaace to the King, and my respect for his
6'l, yield a voluntary submission to such a warrant
•:: is illegal."
:he Serjeant again Urged him to permit hini to re=
Win with him.
Sir Francis said, " You must leave my house ;
i: I have written a letter to the Speaker, Which, if
ples3c, you may take with ynu, and deliier
intains my resolution as to your warrant."
The Serjeant begged leave to decline taking charge
any such letter ; he said he had i.lready incurred
lime by not executing the warrant, and he should be
lusidered as More Criminal if he carried any letter.
contradiction to it ; and he withdrew.
;;ir Francis then sent the letter by his own SOtt,
Laden, a youth of 14, and his brother, Mr.
Burdett, to the Speaker ; and it ItitS
.%iy delivered at ten o'clock at night.
For that letter, vide proceedings in the House of
.c,aunons this da:i.]
In the course of this night, as we have stated, much
li
timriltuary indignation was etpressed by the people
—windows were broken, and a very general disposi-
tion to riot and excess was manifested. The particu-
hrs of the mischief we have given already.
On Saturday mottling Sir Francis breakfasted at
house of his friend Ivlr. O'Connor, in MaddOx-
street, Hanover-square ; after breakfast they walked
to litif-Moan , street, where Sir Francis mounted his
I've, and took a ride in the Park, accompanied only
bfais groom. Oa Mr. O'Connor's return to Sir
r house in Piccadilly, he found one Of the
Nit•%llgors of the House of Commons waiting for
Sir Frau. . He said he had the warrant for his
arrest u, his pocket, and he wished to see him,. as he
had orders to remain with him. On Sir Francis's re-
tarn, he found in his room a number of his friends
for him, and he was told of the Messenger in
tlit::1';. He desired him to be sliewn up.
'• Wdl, my good friend (said Sir Francis), . what
business i"
Sir, I am desired to skew you the
order of the House of Commons,' upon -which the
tarrart is issued—to serve that warrant upon you,
.ad to remain with yOu."
lie delivered the warrant to Sir Francis. which be
read, and put it in his pocket. It is as follows :
" Vencris, 6, die Aprilis, 1310.
4 C\ herons the House of Commons bath this day adjudoit
1 ;antis Burdett, Baronet, Who has admitted that a Letter,
• Francis Burdett,' and a further part of a Paper, iutituled
ir:i'llirtetty • in c2.6hAt's Weekly Registrr of March vs, 1810, *as
his authority (which Letter and Argument the said
I..e.se has resolved to he a libellous and scandalous raper, re-
from; on the just Rights and Privileges of the said House), has
Ixn thereby guilty of a Breach of the Privileges of the said
And whereas, the House of Commons bath thereupon ordered,
the said Sir Francis Burdett be, for his said uit'vace,
coin-
to his Majesty's Tower of London :
, Tiles? are therefore to require you to take into your custody
e tod. of the said Sir Francis Burdett, and then forthwith to
1,61 Line over into the caw ody of the Lieutenant of his Ma-
~` cb'l tower o." Loudon:

" aAnd
ad Headbo
all Mayors, Bailiffs, Sheriffs, Undet4herlffs; Consra- Sir Francis, his son, And bro-.her, shut down all the
_Saes, roughs, and every other person or persons, are
hereby required to be aiding and assisting to you in other windows—while they saw an immense body
the execution hereof: of troops drawn up in the front of the house. During
" For which this shall be your Sufficient Warrant. this moment, so alarming to the delicacy of the sex'
" Given under my hand, the 6th day of April, IMO. and to the affection of a wife and mother, seeing her
" To the Serjeant at Arms attemling
" CHAS. ABBOT, Speaker. husband and only son exposed to the possible dis.
House of Commons, or his Deputy." charge of artillery and musquetry, yet both she and
Sir r:.•RANCIS.—" "he
all the Ladies maintained the most perfect constaficy
My friend, this is not a sufficient
warrant. You may return end inform the Speaker of mind ; and both in this moment, and in the scene
that ensued, displayed a courage that did hcnour to
that I will not obey it.
.-
MESS --" Sir, it •
and I must obey, unless lam forced to withdraw." Mr. O'Connor reuhtnaanbddoos.uwtntT,Ash.te:a.tyitrs to see if all was
Sir FRANCIS. --" You must instantly withdraw." Saessafe
staves inHtheemir
• He was accordingly
.shewn down stairs by Mr.
O'Connor. The person wished force to be used. Mr. yhamdendewsciteincledtmistathe
area, and had burseopen a window, sailies, frame e and
all, by which they. enter d ll
O'Connor said, " There is the door open for ou
you trust go ; but it is not 7 room. He asked them what they wanted ? Thev
e t roug stna servant's
as to lay violent hands ttin any one;
my practice to be so uncivil
sw
---Sir Francis Burdett ; was lie at home ? •
Will not make- if necessary tow." and I hops you re 'cl, that Sir Planets was at home ;what did they
twelve:aid • oint "o'clock -
The Messenger bOwirckand 6theci. : . w, .whh hint ?—They rushed up to the drawing
a troop, of 'the
Life Guards arrived, said Were
Zetween
rlaadififtbdies. still weerT.r ViVrt'ulthliZ l'ilidime thhileriejlawelrel con.sthtabilieles-
y, with
drawn up before the.
. f Francis, and their horses were made to only ;the Serjeant at Arms did riot 'thew himself, nor
houseo Sir • •
Magistrate ;but die Serjeant at Arms, ;
prance about on the loot Was there any
pavement as well as in the
There stairs,
Colman; followed the posse Of- constables up
street, for the purpose of dispersing the people- •
was much hissing.
fit about a
quartet of an hour, Mr. Read; the Ma, stairs, and said,
SS 17; .I
To c "Siti
s. Francis,
By
s v youbat
authorityaremyP . •
rildo°liitsieru.nOct, Mr. Serjeant
? 1
• 1
gistrate, arrived. He Mounted adragoon horse and B d
roe all people peaceably y what power; Sir, have you broken into my house, in violation
read the Riot Act, and ira
of the laws of the land ?"
to depart. The Guardi were then planted across SCRI.—" Sir Francis, iam authorized • by the warrant of Mr.
PicCadilly, fimit Dover-street on the one side -to Speaker of the House of Commons." •
Bolton-row on the',other, so as to block rip the'lho. ExShiirbrtatAoNncielitheel I contest the tthorityv of such a warrant...
roughfare. Mr. „Tones Burdett *as not suffered to violate ray house. 7.,bere
is
theit upon Sheriff? which
vs youre hiasysei i
e deeda
.to 1
pass through the line to his dinner 'until he pro- trate ?"—[At this time theie was no Magistrate, but he after-
chred a constable. During all this time Sir Francis wards appeared.',
was at home with his family. His colleague, Lord it SERJ.—.." Sir Francis, my authority is in my hand--I will read
to you ; it is the, warrant of the Right Honourable the Speaker
Cochrane, Mr. O'Connor, and Mr.
Jones Burdett, of the House of Lommons."---[And here Mr. Colman attemp-
dined with him. • ted to read the Warr lint, but which he did with great trepida-
In consequence of this demonstration of military tam]
force, he wrote the requisition to the Sheriff of Mid- NSlriFioatats.a,catrs—" I repeat to you, that is no sufficient warrant.
dlesex, which we inserted in yesterday's paper, and break open myrebsotosr' my
violationipnersonin
othef aoplieni
awstreet_;—much lets to
war-
which was delivered into the hands of Mr. Sheriff rant from his Majesty, or f;om
apropero.inclf you have
,ai er of tore k e ng, I
Wad, in the street. will pay instae`. obedience to it; but I will nut yield to an illegal
We understand that Mr. Sheriff Wood made per order.'szis
" Sir Francis,l de dyou to yield, in the name '
sonal application to the Speaker, as he wished for. in- the s
Commons liouset,tParliannlaie''nt d I trust you will not of
struttion as to the constitutional line of his .dutv.— Pel me to use force. I ciareat you to la,:lieve thatl
wish
ii
to schotn.,l;
The Speaker declined giving him advice. The She- "ti every respect*"
riff went in the evening to Sir Francis--proinised thatoily
brita!NClS—"l tell you distinttly, that I will not volunta-
t.to an unlawful or& r ; -and I demand, in the King's
he would forthwith see his Colleague, and return to " name, and in the name et the law', that you forthwith retire from
him ; and in the mean time he stationed a number of my house."
Peace Officers at Sir Francis'i house, and made the Stiti'—'
Veld."
U
military remove to a distance on both hands: • which the COnstables kid bold of Sir Fn tin.--Mr.
The same tumultuary disposition as on the for Mer Jones Burdett Immediately and Mr. O'Connor up
and Bock
night was shown by the populace ; but no great mis- took him antler an arm. The Constables closed in on all three,
chef was done. The multitude called for lights— and drew them down stairs.
with this the inhabitants readily complied to save biSsifiFiattaisicton ofs then saldllfrotest, its the King's name, against
their windows.—The military ordered them to put tonl)tlosattliurriesmmy ePeout of it, andof nlyoulwuse.
do it
elk is superior force
force
out their lights. With this too they complied. The The ladies Were still Yand betrayedyour
present,
.no symp-
populace then made their rounds and broke the win- tom of alarm, no doubt from the confidence which
dows of those who had removed their lights. This they had in Sir Francis's temper, and in
their per-
practice went on all night ; several persons were se- stiasion that no outrage beyond the . actual arrest,
verely wounded, at we have stated, but none mortally. would be committed.
About one o'clock on Sunday afternoon, the two In descending the stairs, Sir Francis hoped that his
Sheriffs, Mr. Wood and Mr. Atkins, waited on Sir brother and his friendheallowed
might to accompany
F. Burdett. Mr. Sheriff Wood declared, that he had him, which Mr. Colman promised.
no doubts as to the illegality of the Warrant, .nor as A coach was drawn up at the door. was
instantly
It .
to the course Which it would be his duty to pursue. surrounded by cavalry. The Baronet slept in first,
Mr. Atkins had very considerable doubts on his mind. followed by the Serjeant and a Constable. Mr. Jones
It was a subject too lofty for his comprehension. He Burdett, and Mr. O'Connor also got in ; but the lat-
thought the warrant must be legal, as it was directed, ter was taken out, and the cavalcade instantly set off
that the Officer of the House of Commons should at a rapid pace.
call in all Mayors, Sheriffs, Magistrates and others, to The procession moved Item Sir Francis Burdett's
assist him in its execution. But they both declared, house in the following order:--two squadrons of the,
that no attempt would be made to execute the writ 15:11 Light Dragoons, two troops of Life Guards;
before Monday, and on Monday morning Mr. Sheriff with Mr. Read the magistrate, at their head--the Coach
Wood said he would attend with his Officers. with Sir Francis, two more troops of Life Guards, a!
Sir Francis wished the Sheriff to retain in the troop of the Isth Light Dragoons.; two battalions of
house to keep the peace, and said he had one spare Foot Guards, marching in open order: and a party of 1
bed ; but Mr. WOod said he th night it was not no- the loth Light Dragoons forming the rear. In this
cessary, and they both retired. ' order they proceeded to Albemarle-street,. where they
During this time the Cabinet and Privy Council halted, and then turned up that street, with the ex.'
had met. The opinion of the law officers of the ception of two battalions of *Foot Guards, who
Crown had been taken ; and orders had been trans;- marched forward through Piccadilly, the Haymarket,
mitted from the War Office, in every direction, for and Strand, to the Tower.
every regiment within 100 miles of London to march Theescort proceeded alongAlbemarle-street, Bond-
to the metropolis forthwith. - • street, Conduit-street, across Haitover-square into (U..
Sunday passed as we have stated, without annoy- ford-street, along John-street, Great Portland-street,
ance. The troops Were stationed as before ; a space Portland-road, the New. Road, Mary-la-Bonne, by
hefOre Sir Francis's house was left unoccupied, and in Pentonville, across lilington, along the City Road,
this, the multitude continued all day, forcing all pas- to hloorfields, from theme by Sun-street into Aldgate
sengers on horseback and in carriages to pull off their High-street, and along the Minories to the Tower.
hats, and pelting those who resisted with mud. The procession went on at its outset at a quick rate;
During, this day, and on Saturday, Sir Franck and the capture having been made at an earlier hour
was visited by Earl Thanet, Lord Folkstone, Lord than the crowd had been in the habit of assembling,
Cochrane, Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Coke of Norfolk, Mr. the event was not immediately or generally known.
Hanhury Tracey, Mr. Curran, the Master of tie The Baronet had passed up. Albemarle-street, before
Rolls in Ireland, Mr. Wardle, Mr. Maddocks, Mrs a cry was set up, " They have taken h,ni I" " They
Cuthbert, Major Cart Wright, Colonel Riddle, Mr. have dragged him out of his house !" The cry spread
130sville, &c. &c. immediately far and wide ; and an immense crAvd,
Of these, Earl Thanet, Mr. Coke and Mr. Whit- soon attended the cavalcade, which increased to such
bread, strongly represented to him the propriety of an extent that, by the time Sir Francis reached the
yielding obedience to the warrant, as enough had been Tower, the crowd had blocked up the Minoties, and
done- to constitute a case for the trial of the right. all the streets in its vicinity, and it became impossible
Sir Francis said that his mind was made up on the for cart or carriage to.pasi. Additional preparations
question. had been made in the-contemplation of a disturbance
On Monday morning he breakfasted in his drawing- near the Tower. Troops were stationed near it, and
room on the first floor, with Ladt Burdett, the Conn- a fresh regiment came up by water from Tilbury-
tess of Guildford, and Lady Maria) Lady Jane, Lady fort yesterday morni t n They were quartered in the
Georgina North, Mr. Coutts, his son, Robert Bur- New Mint, Tower-hi .
dett, his brother, and Mr. O'Connor. Mr. Coutts The Foot Guards, who had marched along the
had just retired. Breakfast was finished, and Sir Strand and through the city, arrived upon Tower-1
Francis was employed in hearing his son (who hill five minutes before 12. They came down Mark-1
had just come from Eton School), read and translate lane, headed by the City Marshal, and a Civil Officer. il
Magna Charia, when Mr. O'Connor observed a man's They drew up three deep in the line from the Towe-
face at oneria,
of the windows ; he had mounted by a gates, which were shut, covering the entrance.
ladder, had already thrown up the sash, and was in Ten minutes past 12, an officer of the 15th Light
the act of entering, in the attempt to do which he broke Dragoons iodz. smartly out from Jewry-street, by the
two panes of glass. Mr. O'Connor ran up to hint. further side of te Trinity House, making signals tor
Sir Francis Burdett called out not to hurt the man, as the populace to clear the way. Great shouting and
it would have been easy at that moment for Mr. O'Con- scamper ing. •
nor, by the mere shifting of the ladder, to have preci- A quarter past twelve arrived about twenty of the
the area a height of at least 20 Horse Guards, who rode up towards the
pirated
-
pitated the person into ,
•
ing one hand gates. At the distance of 100 yards came about 300
feet ; but he contented himself with putt
his breast, and with the other shutting the window. of the L....it Light Dragoons, then about 200 of the
to

"Thera, Sir, I must call in aisistancel and force 'jou to