ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to look at the ‘invisible fears’, to quote from Roger Morrice’s Entring Book,1 that ‘possessed’ the kingdom of England at the time of the Glorious Revolution. During the decisive months of late 1688 and early 1689, London was perceived in many ways as a city under siege: foreign troops, mainly Dutch, were stationed in various areas and, at about the same time, rumours of an impending Irish descent on England conveyed the impression of a fragile victory over tyranny. Relying on Roger Morrice’s Entring Book and on other British and European sources, I would like to draw a parallel between the impact of the occupation of London by William’s troops and the Irish Fright which spread through the City in mid-December 1688.2 Comparing the real and the imaginary sieges of London could contribute to a better understanding of the world of Roger Morrice and in particular of the political instincts of Londoners at this crucial time. The Irish Fright, of course, was not a new phenomenon. London had lived under the terror of throat-cutting Irishmen in late 1641 and early 1642 and again during the Exclusion Crisis. The progress of William’s troops through the south of England and the power vacuum left by James’s departure from London on 11 December spurred fears of a bloody and unbridled reaction coming from Scotland or from Ireland. Roger Morrice’s Entring Book offers an interesting reflection on the way a metropolis, by its sheer size, made room for the circulation of false rumours and of fluctuating political humours.
