The Times, or 1768 (BM 1868,0808.4412)

Satire on the prosecution of John Wilkes described in a key included in verses below: 1. “the Venal Lawyer”, Lord Mansfield as an owl hovering in the centre of the print holding unbalanced scales of Justice, on either side insects labelled “Treachery” and “Abuse”; 2. Henry Fox, as a priest in a pulpit lettered “Hypocrisy” reading to 3., the king as a zebra on his throne; above the king to the left hangs a medallion portrait of “Edwardus II” alluding to that king’s deposing by Roger Mortimer, lover of Queen Isabella. 4. A portrait of William Pitt surrounded by “the Rebel thistle” lies beneath the throne and 5. “trampled under foot [by Lord Bute] the British rose”. 6. Wilkes surrounded by a crenelated wall of “Confinement” stands beside the altar of “Fortitude” on which rests “Mag[na] Cha[rta]” and is attacked by “poisoned darts” from 7. a demon flying above him; he defends himself with 8. “Justice his dreadful sword” and 9. “integrity his shield”; he tramples on 10. “General Warrants; beside him stands the figure of “Equity” who carries a scroll lettered “Outlawry revers’d Wilks restord to his Country”. On the left, 11. “Brittania on the earth forlorn”, holding the cap of Liberty, is attended by the Marquis of Granby and two other gentlemen, one of whom, carrying a whip, may be intended for Lord Rockingham; an anchor representing hope hangs above them. 12. Lord Bute, in tartan wearing a jackboot labelled “Slavery” and with a goat’s leg labelled, “Lust”, is “the cause from whence such mischeifs flow”. 13., at lower left, is “Discord and Murder” represented by the tombstone of William Allen shot by troops at St George’s Fields on 10 May 1768. 1768
Etching and engraving