The title continues: 'we fly on the wings of the wind to save the irish catholics from persecution. - scene. The front of a popish chapel. ' beneath the title: 'description. A priest driven out of his chapel, a french soldier trampling on crucifixes & mitres, another kicking the priest, a gracefull old man; & a third stabbing him with a dagger behind: a "membre de la haute cour de justice" (in english a member of the high court of justice, in his habit of office, who has learnt to speak the english language well, by going much to the play-house, (having been long a player himself,) says in the words of othello - "good, \ "very good, the justice, of it pleases, even on the \ "stage of his own imposition," - and it is \ "thus, that, the gratitude of the french republic "always pays three favours for one. " - ' [dalrymple, op. Cit. , p. 37. ]
two ferocious soldiers wearing jack-boots pull and push the priest (in lace-trimmed cotta) from the door of a gothic church (right). A third jumps on a bible and crucifix, part of a pile of crosier, mitre, chalice, censer (still burning), &c. On the cross which surmounts the door is a phrygian cap of 'liberté'. From a niche inscribed 'ecce homo' a crucifix has been torn, leaving only a crown of thorns and a skull and cross-bones. In the corresponding niche is a headless figure of 'santè marie', clasping a headless infant, burlesqued (in gillray's manner when dealing with emblems of 'popery', cf. Bmsat 6026). On the left the 'member of the high-court' walks past with folded arms, looking sideways with a sinister glare at the outrage. He wears the draperies and cap of bmsat 9209. 6 march 1798
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1798. Dimensions: Height: 400 mm; Width: 353 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Consequences of a successful French invasion. - No. VI - plate 2d. (BM 1868,0808.10382)
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