An attempt to land a bishop in America [graphic]

"Satire on the attempt to establish an Anglican episcopacy in the American colonies. A group of angry colonists push away from a quayside a ship named “The Hilsborough” (a reference to Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough, Secretary of State who had ordered troops to Boston in June 1768) On the ship is a large carriage with its wheels and a crosier and mitre beside it. A bishop is climbing the rigging saying “Lord, now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace” (Archbishop Secker who died in August 1768 had left £1000 to help establish a bishopric in North America). The colonists are shown as advocates of liberty of conscience and religious non-conformism: one waves a large book lettered “Sydney on Government”, another brandishes “Locke”; “Calvins Works” has already been thrown towards the bishop; another colonist waves a flag, topped with the cap of liberty and emblazoned with the words “Liberty & Freedom of Conscience”; a Quaker holds “Barclay’s Apology” saying “No Lords Spiritual or Temporal in New England”. A monkey on the quay holds a stone as if intending to throw it at the bishop. A paper lies on the ground lettered “Shall they be obliged to maintain Bishops that cannot maintain themselves”. The print appeared in the Political Register, 1769, facing p.119."--British Museum online catalogue