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The Popish Plot During the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, English tile-makers often adapted popular engravings for use in their decorating. The 'Popish Plot' tiles are such an example of this, having been copied directly from a pack of playing cards depicting this ficticious conspiracy derived in 1678 by the Catholic renegade Titus Oates and the Protestant parson, Dr. Tonge. This fabricated 'Horrid Popish Plot' declared that King Charles II was to be overthrown and Protestants massacred, and gained momentum following the untimely murder of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey, the magistrate to whom Oates had sworn his testimony. The accusations would eventually lead to the execution of fourteen Jesuits, and to the arrest of Oates and his subsequent conviction for perjury. In addition, the conspiracy prompted a Commons resolution declaring that 'the City of London was burnt in the year 1666 by the Papists... to introduce arbitrary power and Popery into this Kingdom'. In 1685 the Duke of Monmouth, rebelling against the new King, the Catholic James II, accused him of deliberately starting the fire. It was not until 1831 that the inscription on the fire's commemorative Monument, blaming 'the treachery and malice of the Popish faction', was removed.

A LONDON DELFT TILE

CIRCA 1680-1700

Details

A LONDON DELFT TILE
CIRCA 1680-1700
Painted in manganese with a scene taken from 'The Popish Plot', after an engraved design for the ace of hearts from a deck of contemporary playing cards, bearing a paper label titled 'The plot hatcht at Rome by the Pope and Cardinalls'
5 in. (13 cm) x 5 in. (13 cm.) approx.

Provenance

Sotheby's, 15th March 1971, lot 21 (part).

Literature

Anthony Ray, English Delftware Tiles (London, 1973), pp.114-115, pl.2.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis. This lot will be removed to an off-site warehouse at the close of business on the day of sale - 2 weeks free storage

Sale room notice

This lot is probably Dutch 18th Century and not as stated in the catalogue. The estimate has been reduced to 300 - 500.

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