The Fatal Vespers
Preserved but no longer current.
October 26th, 1623. A congregation of some 300 had assembled in a small gallery over the gateway of the French ambassador, in Blackfriars, to hear Father Drury, a Jesuit, preach. The gallery gave way, and Drury with another priest and about 100 of the congregation were killed. This accident was attributed to God's judgment against the Jesuits.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Fatal Vespers” mean?
October 26th, 1623. A congregation of some 300 had assembled in a small gallery over the gateway of the French ambassador, in Blackfriars, to hear Father Drury, a Jesuit, preach. The gallery gave way, and Drury with another priest and about 100 of the congregation were killed. This accident was attributed to God's judgment against the Jesuits.
Is “The Fatal Vespers” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.