Account of the Porteous Riots
imprisonment and death. [Library reference: Acc.6666/1]
The Porteous Riots featured prominently in 'The Heart of Mid-Lothian'. They were named after John Porteous, the Captain of the Edinburgh City Guard.
Porteous was accused of ordering the Guard to fire on civilians who had come to witness a hanging and was imprisoned in the Tolbooth. An angry mob broke into the prison and dragged Porteous to the Grassmarket where he was hanged.
The Porteous mob
This illustration depicts the mob as they descended on the Tolbooth intent on capturing Captain Porteous. [Library reference Acc.12812/9].
Although Scott used artistic licence to change parts of the historical event, he incorporated eye-witness accounts into the novel. According to some observers, when the mob broke into a shop in order to obtain the rope with which to hang Porteous, they left money on the table to pay for both the rope and the damage to the shop.