The king sits impassively in his badly damaged state coach, which is being assailed by a mob; facing him sit two courtiers in abject terror. Pitt (right), dressed as the coachman, drives furiously, lashing the horses, the hind legs only of the wheelers being visible on the extreme right. These are trampling on britannia who lies prostrate, her shield and broken spear beneath her. Four footmen in striped liveries stand behind, one holding the straps; the others hold each other's waists: loughborough, the lord chancellor, wearing his wig, stands next the coach; behind him is grenville, then dundas, wearing a plaid and with a bottle projecting from his coat-pocket. Last is pepper arden wearing a judge's wig. All, like pitt, wear jockey-caps. Lord lansdowne (right), a sansculotte, composedly fires a blunderbuss point-blank through the coach window, aiming at the king. Fox and sheridan, facing lansdowne, run beside the coach, holding on to it. Both are tattered ruffians brandishing clubs, but wear breeches. The other three assailants cling to the spokes of the back wheel to stop the coach: (left to right) the duke of grafton, neatly dressed and wearing a cocked hat with tricolour cockade, lord stanhope, and little lord lauderdale, both wearing bonnets-rouges. Behind, a sea of heads indicates the mob; they carry a tricolour flag inscribed 'peace and bread' and a loaf draped with black and spiked on a pitchfork. A cat, stones, and eggs shower on the coach, the crown on the top of which is broken. 1 november 1795
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1795. Dimensions: Height: 250 mm; Width: 350 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Richard Pepper Arden, 1st Baron of Alvanley. Collection: British Museum. The Republican attack. (BM J,3.11)
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