James Bisset [cont.]

Description:Despite being a keen chronicler of Birmingham life Bisset was very interested in national and international affairs, especially where they impacted on the life of the town. One particularly fascinating poem was constructed from the fragments of political slogans daubed on Birmingham’s walls in the form of graffiti. You can almost imagine Bisset walking the streets with his notebook looking for the latest development in the heated political debates raging between radicals and Church-and-King conservatives in the city during those years. He began composing the poem in 1791 and finally completed it on 5th November 1800:

One passage reads:

‘At times you’d see written, “DOWN, DOWN, with the FRENCH
At others, of BISHOPS, they’d Damn the Whole Bench
To “Damn all DISSENTERS”, they next took full Scope
Then tip’d “BONAPARTE a Damn[ed] with the POPE”’

At certain critical points in domestic and foreign affairs, Bisset observed:

‘The Tables you’ll find are now turning apace
“Church & King” is rubb’d off – and a Gallows they trace
Instead of “NO FOXITES”, “NO PRIESTLEY”, “NO PAINE”
They now write “NO PORTLAND”, “NO D[amne]d Rogues in GRAIN”

By the time the poem was written it appears that even the patriotic Bisset was sick of the sniping and faction fighting, exhorting:

‘God grant PARTY WRITINGS, (here) henceforth may cease
Amd England be blest with a permanent PEACE’