THE POPISH PANIC (1681).
The Monument, in commemoration of the Great Fire of 1666, was erected in 1671 near Pudding Lane, where the fire began, and the following inscription was added in 1681. The suspicion, which was attached to the Roman Catholics, of deliberately setting fire to the City was altogether unreasonable and baseless, but the people who had listened to Titus Oates were ready to believe anything, and the inscription is sufficient indication of the prevalent feeling against Papists. It is referred to by Pope—himself a Roman Catholic—in the lines:
"Where London's column, pointing to the skies,Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies."
"Where London's column, pointing to the skies,Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies."
"Where London's column, pointing to the skies,Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies."
"Where London's column, pointing to the skies,
Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies."
The inscription was effaced during the reign of James II., was again placed on the base of the column in the reign of William III., and was finally removed in 1831.
This Pillar was set vp in Perpetvall Remembrance of that most dreadful burning of this Protestant city, begun and carryed on by ye treachery and malice of ye Popish faction, in ye beginning of Septem in ye year of our Lord 1666, in order to ye carrying on their horrid Plott for extirpating the Protestant Religion and old English liberty, and the introducing Popery and Slavery.