Commentary
This account begins: 'Last Thursday Evening, there happened a very great Disturbance in the Church of St. Mary-White-Chaple ; It seems there is a Lecture on that Night Established by Subscription, which was Preached by the Reverend Mr. Sutton (now Non-Juror) . . .' Whilst the story originally appeared in London, this particular copy was printed by an Edinburgh publisher. The account goes on to reveal that a man of unknown identity took to the pulpit and preached to those assembled on the subject of 'The Unity of the Spirit and the Bond of Peace'. It is further reported that a fight broke out over perceived anti-government sentiments contained in his sermon. The commotion resulted in the minister locking himself in the vestry! Broadsides are single sheets of paper, printed on one side, to be read unfolded. They carried public information such as proclamations as well as ballads and news of the day. Cheaply available, they were sold on the streets by pedlars and chapmen. Broadsides offer a valuable insight into many aspects of the society they were published in, and the National Library of Scotland holds over 250,000 of them.
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