Rats in uniform make military evolutions, &c, on a large cheese which stands outside an inn, with a projecting sign, 'hard cheese'. On the inn (right) is a placard: 'wanted a number of able bodied young men for the suffolk fencibles &c enquire at the sign of the hard cheese. ' over the door is 'stablin[g]'; from a window the (?) landlord looks out complacently. In front of the inn is a long line of saddle-horses with a notice: 'saddles to let'. A number of soldier-rats fire muskets from a cavity in the front of the cheese at a large fierce cat (left). Others scamper away into holes, or rush up the face of the cheese. On the top, in a wide depression, a body of rats with muskets is being drilled. They have a large flag: 'to honor we call you not press you like slaves'. On the top of the cheese a drummer-rat beats his drum. 1 january 1795. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1795. Dimensions: Height: 248 mm; Width: 352 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Suffolk rats protecting their cheese or the county fencibles called to arms (BM 1868,0808.6384)
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